Aaron woke up covered in cold sweat. He had been dreaming.

The world in his dreams had xp, slimes and really good ale. Ale that he could still taste when he licked his lips. The bustle outside of his bunk resumed as reality hit him. Aa… Status.

-Aaron Ziel-

-Lvl 1-

-Class: None-

-HP: 63/70-

-Mana: 170/170-

-Strenght: 0.3 (1.0)-

-Endurance: 0.3 (1.0)-

-Dexterity: 0.3 (1.0)-

-Intelligence: 1.8 (2.0)-

-Wisdom: 1.0 (1.5)-

Passives :

Medical education (unique)

Condition Modifiers:

Stage IV Lung cancer (severe)

Malnourished body (moderate)

Destroyed Body (Drugs)

Eye defect (short-sighted) (lower)

Nicotine addiction (severe)

Alcohol addiction (moderate)

Skills :

Strike I (common), Block I (common), Meditate I (common)

It was all still there. Yep this is reality, I still have cancer too… damn.

He swung his legs and got out of his bunk, releasing a yawn he nearly fell over, his body’s weakness making itself known. After catching his balance he took out one of his prized possessions, a cigarette. The last ten. What am I gonna do once I run out, better not think about it right now.

Aaron made his way out of the bunk room and down the stairs as it was situated above the bar.

He had been worried that he wouldn’t be able to find a light, as he had not been carrying his lighter during the time of his death. He looked around.

A scented candle was situated on the bar’s counter. He made his way over, his movements followed by the curious eyes of the patrons. He called the barkeep over and asked him to ready him a breakfast.

“Please can you get me the most you can for this” Aaron placed two copper bits down by the candle. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

The barkeep was a mountain of a man, yet his full beard couldn’t cover his kindly smile. “Sure thing, I’ll see how much I can get you while making sure the boss doesn’t kill me.”

“Thanks” Aaron smiled weakly and reached out his hand. “The name’s Aaron, I’m pretty sure I’ll be continuous customer here.”

Although slightly startled by Aaron’s forward nature the human mountain clasped his hand firmly, not enough to hurt him, but enough to make sure Aaron understood there would be no causing trouble in this tavern. “Tadek, your breakfast will on the table in that corner when you get back.”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Wow he is huge, I could literally feel my skin wanting to peel itself of my bones when he took my hand… scary. He leaned over the candle with the cig in his mouth, it was, of course, a long one. Aaron wasn’t the most knowledgeable in cigarette politics, but he did know that the long ones, while more expensive at first glance, were better priced due to them holding more tobacco.

With it lit he made his way out of the Guildhall. Aaron didn’t know what people’s view was on cigarettes or smoking in this world yet, so just to be safe, he made his way outside, standing near the entrance to the main room with the glass panels.

A woman in a green robe and a man in leather armour walked by Aaron, into the Guildhall as he was smoking away. The jitters that he had been experiencing all morning faded and his heartbeat slowed, his mind cleared up and he smiled.

“Cough, cough…” The woman had taken a deep breath as she had walked by Aaron and was instantly regretting that decision, she turned to the leather clad guy beside her. “What the fuck is that smoke.”

He turned around and pointed towards Aaron.

“I know big guy, I was asking for what was being smoked, I have eyes.” She hit him lightly on his chest. She took a careful whiff of the air this time. “Smells like Linko leaves to me, but stronger and less fruity.”

Aaron’s ears perked up. It seemed one of his biggest defects could be solved with ease. He seized the last vessels of courage from his heart to push back his social anxiety. And took a deep breath ready to ask the woman about the origin of these Linko leaves and where he could get some.

This was where his body failed him, the breath had been way too sharp for his destroyed lungs.

He fell into a coughing fit.

--

Selena was young, yet adventuring had been a part of her life since the death of her parents, who had been quite renowned adventurers.

Since the age of 7 she had been trained by her parents till the day of their deaths when their caravan had been attacked on the way to the capital.

Her mother had been a mage and her father a sword master, they had made the perfect duo, with many ranged and melee combat options.

Her father had taught her the art of the sword while training her body’s endurance and her mother had taught her magic, training her mind.

She was a spell-sword.

Yet her parent’s goal of making her highly versatile never came to fruition.

Her spell repertoire was very limited due to her lazy nature in academics, but her body was strong and her technique even higher than her fathers peak.

The only spells she had bothered to learn were one’s that enhanced her melee combat or defences, still there wasn’t a lot of them.

--

Selena had been walking towards the guild hall with her party member Gale and noticed what looked at first glance like a corpse leaning against the entrance smoking something. Luckily for it, it’s movements were too complex for it to be an undead.

Wow… if that is a human, it seriously needs to work on some skincare.

Selena and Gale walked through the entrance.

“Cough, cough…” Selena had taken a deep breath just as she had walked by the corpse-like human and instantly regretted that decision, she turned to Gale. “What the fuck is that smoke.”

He turned around and pointed towards the Aaron.

“I know big guy, I was asking for what was being smoked, I have eyes.” She hit him lightly on his chest. She took a careful whiff of the air this time. “Smells like Linko leaves to me, but stronger and less fruity.”

She noticed that the tired eyes of the man brighten as he took a deep, rib rattling breath.

Yet right as the breath ended it was as though something in him had snapped, he keeled over in a coughing fit.

What the fuck.

Gale ran up to him and propped him up in a sitting position by the wall.

Blood started to run out of the corners of his mouth.

--

Well shit, they do say that first impressions are extremely important.

Aaron spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Thanks for the help man, I’ll be fine this isn’t really as bad as it gets, I just have, you know, problems…” Aaron’s weak words didn’t seem to reach the big man’s ears as he kept staring intently at the blood flowing down his jaws.

“Gale’s not going to answer you, you know.” The woman squatted down in front of Aaron.

His eyes opened wide, this woman’s overall quality was at the level of successful model on earth.

What the actual fuck, this seems way over the top for a random woman I saw on the street.

Gale looked over at the woman. “Yes I can see he is staring at me.” She turned back towards Aaron. “I’m Selena, we don’t have time to help you right now, take this.”

She handed him a potion and stood up.

“Gale let’s go.”

The big man watched her walk into the Guild, after she passed the threshold of the entrance and was out of sight he grabbed Aaron by the shoulder and after looking searchingly into his eyes.

What the fuck, why is he staring at me like that.

Gale grunted, nodded, and pressed another potion into his palm.

Stunned Aaron could only watch as the man caught up to his companion.

He looked down at the two potions in his hands.

People seem to be giving these out like free beer at a festival, they seem way too common.

After dunking down one of the potions he let the healing energy course through his weary muscle tissue for a second and heaved himself up to his feet.

He wiped down the blood with his sleeve and picked up his pack that was filled with Bloomflowers.

Aaron started walking in the direction that had been pointed out to him by Stanislaw while they were talking yesterday.

The village herbalist.

His current mission was to acquire more of the life juice that gave him the ability to function semi-properly.

--