Chapter 16: Hak!!!

Chapter 16: Hak!!!

After encountering the Death Knight that day, I started living with more passion than ever before.

No matter how chaotic the world and life seemed, realizing there were those who valued such existence made a difference.

He might have spared me, thinking I might become an ally in the future, but I didnt need to worry about that for the time being.

So, pushing aside the gloom for a moment, I resolved to live as well as possible for now.

That being said, where should I acquire my equipment?

Thanks to Vivian, I had accumulated more money than expected.

Feeling it was time to leave my job as a porter behind, I spent some time exploring the workshop district for the necessary gear before officially signing up as an adventurer.

The workshops were abundant, lining each street since the area was near where adventurers commonly settled.

Considering the worlds turmoil, I figured there would always be a demand for equipment, making it easy to find upon arrival.

That is, if I had an official status as an adventurer.

However, securing equipment wasnt as simple as choosing one good weapon and being finished with it.

In a game, I would select a weapon that matched my level and budget, but this was the real world.

In games, you could defeat an enemy with a single hit as long as you survived, but in reality, if you couldnt withstand an attack, youd fall without a chance to retaliate.

Even with creatures as weak as goblins, if they gained a dominant position, they could kill even an adult man without resistance, so if I were to invest in something, it should be armor rather than a weapon.

Naturally, each role required specific types of armor, so I had to consider which kind to choose.

Magic was clearly not an option for me, and using a bow demanded a high level of skill that wouldnt come easily

That left me with the role of the vanguard, directly engaging enemies and absorbing hits.

Even with my training as a porter, my physical aptitude barely reached the upper ranks of C-rank, which was below the B-rank typically recommended for a main tanker.

Donning heavy armor would deplete my stamina, and holding a shield to absorb the enemys blows directly was out of the question for me now.

Therefore, assuming a vanguard position that mainly required light armor seemed most suitable for me at the moment.

To purchase light armor for the optimal position This will cost quite a bit.

After all, materials that were both light and durable tend to be more expensive than those used to make heavy armor.

If I neglected my armor, I could fall prey to unexpected attacks.

Ultimately, this might be the cost of harboring the excessive ambition to become an adventurer while being a foreign worker. I scoffed at the thought, albeit briefly.

-Crash!

Just then, a commotion on the path I was traversing caught my attention.

The first thing I noticed was a group of boisterous men who had toppled a shops sign.

They held equipment in their hands and were in a heated dispute with the shopkeeper.

Damn, your business practices are terrible!

I put my trust in you because youre supposed to be a skilled craftsman, but whats this!? Why havent you properly fixed this dent?

The men pointed at the imperfection on the armor and berated the craftsman.

It seemed as though they had complaints about the work they had requested, but from where I stood, it looked like a minor issue.

Certainly, a scratch on a car might cost hundreds to repair, but wasnt armor, by design, expected to sustain damage? Such slight imperfections should be inconsequential, right?

Ah, I left that part untouched because meddling with it could compromise the overall balance of the equipment. It has been repaired to the point where it poses no functional problems as it is

So youre saying you cant fix it?

You think its all fine as long as the equipment is usable?! It should look good, too, no matter what!

Calm down. I did my best to meet your demands, but its difficult if you behave like this now

The trouble is with us, not you! Do you think its fair to take the money without fixing even one thing like this?

If you cant properly complete even one request, you should give the money back, shouldnt you?!

I got the gist of it.

These guys were causing a scene, trying to somehow compensate for their loss.

It was quite unpleasant to watch, but ironically, I was just a foreign worker without any significant ability to help.

If I intervened, I would only increase the number of victims, so the best I could do was call the guards.

If you dont want to give the money back, lets take this to court!

Get ready to close your business and eat prison food!!

Uh?

The men was just as perplexed.

But the old man, as if offering no quarter, simply raised his cane again.

These young people these days think they are something special just because they have fancy equipment, even going into debt for it.

Ah, wait a minute! Do you have any idea how expensive this is

Hak!!!



-Kwang!

Once more, the man was struck squarely on the head by the swiftly swung cane.

With that blow, the man began to tremble violently on the ground, eyes rolling back.

He foamed at the mouth as if in post-mortem rigidity.

Uh, egh, gurgle

Hey, hey, whats wrong with you? Come on, snap out of it!

Another man, shocked by the destruction of the Aura Blade, shifted his gaze between the blade and the old man.

The old man, seeing the confused man, clicked his tongue in disdain and aimed his cane at the armor on the ground.

As the saying goes, empty vessels make the most noise. Those with nothing to boast about always pick on the weak to feel superior.

-Kwang!

With another swing of his cane, the metal armor spectacularly shattered to pieces.

The armor must have cost a fortune, much like the Aura Blade, but it seemed as fragile as paper against the old mans strength.

Expensive or not, do you think the world will cater to you just because you flaunt your fancy equipment? Whether youre a hero or whatever, get lost! No craftsman on this street will sell to senseless fools like you!

This this crazy old man Damn it, just you wait! I wont let this go!

Furious, but with their weapon destroyed and their comrade down, the man opted to retreat, dragging his injured comrade behind, thereby concluding the street disturbance.

Sigh, thank you again, sir.

Dont mention it. This is all I can do now, anyway

The old man patted his shoulder, acknowledging the craftsmans appreciation.

He had succeeded in dispersing those men, yet his expression remained stern and dissatisfied.

Damn those guards, too lenient with anyone claiming to be a hero. They dont lift a finger against such idiots. What is this world coming to Huh?

His gaze landed on me as he murmured his discontent.

As I braced myself, recalling what he had just done, he lifted his cane again and started yelling in my direction.

What about you? Done watching? Or are you here to cause trouble too?!

No, no, of course not! I was just captivated by your bold actions, sir. Haha!

I wouldnt dare start a conflict.

Having witnessed his effortless destruction of an Aura Blade, it would be madness to provoke him.

Well, to be honest, I had thought about intervening, but as someone just starting as an adventurer, I probably would have been more of a hindrance So, Im thankful you stepped in, sir.

Hmm, is that so?

Did my honesty strike a chord with him?

The old man paused, lowering the cane he had been ready to brandish, and began to stroke his beard.

Well, okay. As long as youre not here to cause trouble, its good to be understanding. Though you say youre weak, the fact that you didnt think highly of those people speaks well of you. A commendable young man, rare these days.

Ha ha, thank you for seeing me in a good light.

Good, as long as I didnt cause any trouble, I wouldnt get my head cracked.

Moreover, since he viewed me positively, it seemed safe to engage more boldly in conversation here.

By the way, sir? Actually, I came here to get some equipment. Do you know this street well? Id appreciate some advice if you dont mind

Ho ho! Nobody knows this neighborhood better than I do! Theres a bench over there; lets grab a cup of tea and chat!

Indeed, as long as we could communicate, it was possible to befriend anyone.

Reminded of this fact, I followed the old man to the bench with a much lighter heart.