Monster Soul Online

Chapter 3: Wise and Lovely NPC

After wasting a lot of time questioning Miss Muay, Sila walked out of the Card Shop in the next hour.

Sila gained a vast knowledge about card from Miss Muay. For example, cards selling in the Card Shop were all supporting cards. Every card of this type ranging from F to D Grade could be found in the store. As for cards in C to A Grade, they only dropped from monsters. However, few C to A Grade cards could be up for sales in some shops in limited quantity. The selection of cards also changes daily. Unfortunately, the Card Shop in Beginning Town didnt have any of those.

S Grade card is mostly given by participating in special events or obtained through a hidden quest. Not every card in S Grade is powerful, though, since cards grade is classified by rarity of the card. Player should be cautious of this fact. There was a time that one player successfully bade on S Grade card for 300 gold coins in an auction, but the result was horrible, it appeared that the cards effect was only to make users height decreased by half.

Moreover, only a limited number of cards of the same kind could be equipped in card window. The same F to D Grade cards can be equipped up to three duplicates, C to A Grade can be equipped up to two, while player can equip only a unique S Grade card.

Sila bought two cards that increased his attack by 1% when fighting bare-hand, 500 silver coins for each. He inserted them in card window together with three Pink Slime Cards even if he did not plan to hunt slime anymore, only to make his window to be fully utilized.

The Beginner Building was not far away from the Card Shop. There was a small signpost in front of the entrance saying, We, wise and lovely NPC, welcome all new players.

Sila stepped inside. He took a look and found that the atmosphere of this place was pretty much like a financial bank. There was a queue ticket machine, which was very contradictory to the traditional Chinese atmosphere of the town. There was no bank counter and line of customers though. Instead, there were five doors serving player privately and individually. When the player stepped out, there would be a sound to call out player in the next queue.

Its designed like this for privacy purpose, I guess?

Sila was a bit startled when he received the queuing ticket number 1856 as he presumed that he must wait for a long time. But he afterward sighed in relief when he heard an announcement.

Number 1849, please enter Room Number Four.

Sila noticed that the time taken for each player in each room wasnt the same. Player who went through door Number Four still didnt go out, while players who entered room Number One, Two, or Three usually took about five to six minutes. As for the Room Number Five, players took less than a minute before running out of the room.

Sila waited around fifteen minutes until he heard:

Number 1856, please enter Room Number Five.

Lucky. Its the Room Number Five, this is the fastest one. Sila stood up and went straight into the room. The door opened automatically, conflicting with the towns atmosphere again.

If Sila thought atmosphere outside was somehow contradictory, the inside was even more so. Inside the room was very dark, only the faint glow from the lamp on the table in the middle of the room made the surroundings visible. There were two wooden chairs located on the opposite side of a table. One of the chairs was currently taken by an elderly man with white hair and bushy beard. His face had a line of a scar on left cheek, and his eyes seemed very brutal.

Ermm ... my apology. It seems like I got into the wrong room.

Sila turned his back, wanting to go out. But the door was completely locked.

What? Why doesn't it open? And it doesnt have a doorknob too.

Sit down first, boy, bass and intense voice came from the mouth of an old man, that door wont open until I finish my business with you.

Hearing that, Sila was forced to sit down on the chair, thinking, What did his word finish refer to?

First of all, my name is Crow, wise and lovely NPC of the Beginner Building.

The silence was there for a while, and the voice of Crow broke that silence.

Dont look at me like that. That was the sentence that the Beginner Building forced every NPCs working here to say, I dont really want to say it myself. I just recently and temporary work here because my niece, Lucy, is taking leave for one day. Actually, the rooms here were arranged by the popularity from Room Number Five to One, just so you know.

Sila didnt know what to say, but his stomach suddenly rumbled at such a wrong time since he hadnt eaten anything yet.

Are you hungry? Take this rice with fried pork then. We provide one free meal for new player anyway.

Crow put rice with fried pork bowl on the table. It was a mystery for Sila. Although he observed every old mans movements, he still couldnt follow where this rice bowl appeared.

Eat it and listen to me. I dont know what happens to newbies this day. They all are arrogant. When they saw me, they kept saying let me out, without listening to anything.

Sila nodded, not because he understood Crows feeling, but because he understood the reason why they wanted to go out.

Well, due to being raised in a dojo since childhood, Sila didnt feel afraid of peoples face much. He silently ate rice bowl while listening to Crow. However, the things that Crow said were all irrelevant to what new player should know. They were just pure rants.

Sila could summarize what Crow said that; Crow was a real person who actually acted as an NPC in a place called Madmens Valley. But today, his niece, Lucy, had an urgent business in her real life, so she begged him to act her role for one day.

One day in real life is about five days in the game. So, Sila asked if Madmens Valley was okay since NPC in charged was missing. Crow answered that it would be fine since there were not many people who were able to reach there. Most of them usually die before entering. His day normally just pass by him killing time by slaying dragons. This request of his granddaughter was actually good for him since now the dragons spawned time was too slow for him to hunt.

Sila put chopsticks down after finishing his meal. He then went straight to the main topic.

I am a new player. I come here as NPC in avatar creating process suggested.

Well. Take these. Crow gave items to Sila.

You have gotten Liquid Bottle (500 ML capacity) 1 EA.

You have gotten Hotel Coupon (free 1-night stay) 1 EA.

You have gotten Small Health Potion 10 EAs.

You have gotten Small Magic Potion 10 EAs.

You have gotten Small Bento1 EA.

You have gotten 2,000 silver coins.

Small bento was full of rice and fried pork inside; it could store food for three days. In the bottle was filled with fresh water. Crow told Sila that, if he wanted bento or water bottle that better than these; such as one that had more capacity or could keep food fresh for longer; Sila would have to buy them himself at the store.

After that, Sila asked many things, which Crow answered only a few questions. Crow, most of the time, gave out the sentence that very conflict to the title of wise and lovely NPC: I dont know too. Go find out about that by yourself, though Sila didnt feel bother much.

Okay. You can go out now, kid. Dont forget to pay me a visit at Madmens Valley; I will cook a dragon soup for you.

Sila promised he would do so if he can. Crow then pressed the red button on the table. But nothing happened.

Hmm? Thats strange. Crow pressed the button once more. But nothing still happened.

Whats going on?

Its this button. I pressed it but the door didnt open. Crow kept pressing it again and again.

Is it broken?

Now Sila felt a little uncomfortable. It would be okay if he struck inside the room with someone else, not the old man with a savage face like this.

God damn it! Take this!

Crows hand was glowing with red aura. He used it to slap the button on the table very hard. The table then broke into pieces and spread around. A piece of table debris flew toward Sila.

Sila raised his left hand to parry, but it seemed that the debris had some kind of inner energy within. So it slashed Sila arm, creating a long wound.

Sila felt numb at first, but later the pain sensation came. Blood flowed out from that big wound. Sila gritted his teeth while drinking two health potions that he just recently acquired. Crow saw Sila bled so he stepped closer.

Health potion only increases health point. For painfulness, you will have to wait for the wound to disappear.

Sila, who still gritted his teeth, nodded.

Crow somehow felt guilty, so he sighed and put his hand on Silas shoulder.

Stay still and try to focus your thought toward the wound.

Sila felt as if something flowed into his body. He then quickly concentrated his mind onto the wound.

His pain sensation immediately had gone. Sila also saw his wound recovered gradually.

You have learned a passive skill: Recovering Qi Level 1.

You have learned a passive skill: Qi Circulation Level 1.

Sila stared at his left arm which now had only blood strain remained without any wound, then said, Whats just happening?

Oh. Thats Recovering Qi. It cannot generate blood cells nor increase your health point, but it can make wound and painfulness disappear faster. It will be more effective if you concentrate it solely on the wound.

Thanks for your help, sir. Sila put his palms together to show his gratitude. He started to have a thought that qi is very convenient.

Its nothing. For me, its the same as helping some insects.

Sila paused but he couldnt say anything because Crows next sentence quickly interrupted.

More importantly, why did the door still not open?

Normally, in which case that the door would not open? Sila tried to help.

It shouldnt be broken; it has never been broken before. Else ... maybe I still didnt give you all the items.

Then, beside water bottle, bento, health potion, magic potion, hotel coupon, and money; is there anything else?

No, that includes all of them, unless you already have a race.

Oh, I do have a race. Sila felt glad since he finally found out what the problem was.

With that sentence, Crow stunned for a while.

Hmm? Lets me see then. Crow put his hand on Silas shoulder again. Inspect.

Crow paused shortly, You really have one. Strange enough, it was hard to find people selecting slime race nowadays.

Ive heard that its very weak, isnt it? asked Sila.

I dont think so. Personally, I think that, in this world, there is no being that is the weakest or the strongest. I also believe that nothing is useless; its just that we still havent known its value. If we believe in the path we have chosen, we then just have to keep moving forward. By waiting to follow someone elses footprints, you will never be able to create your own path.

This statement alone made Sila delighted. He always found information telling him that slime race was weak. Crow was the first person ever who said that its not weak; its just that he still didnt know its true capability.

When Sila asked did Crow know what is the good point of slime race, Crow then replied: I dont know too. Go find out about that by yourself.

Crow picked something out of thin air again. This time Sila still couldnt follow Crows movement as well.

Take it.

Crow opened the palm of his hand. There was an emblem. Strange enough, there was only half part of it.

Sila extended his arm to obtain the item. But Crow moved his hand back, making Sila slightly baffled.

Be careful. Do not let the darkness swallow your mind. I can only tell you that, otherwise it will break NPCs law, said Crow with a serious face, and then extended his hand to Sila.

Sila could only reply with, I will, as he didnt know what exactly the situation. Sila didnt ask for more information since Crow himself said that he couldnt tell Sila more than that.

Sila touched the emblem.

You have gotten half piece of an Emblem to the Mansion of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Since the other half piece is already possessed by another player; the condition then was completed. You will be immediately teleported to the Mansion of the Seven Deadly Sins.

A black light appeared below Silas feet before sucking him into the ground, made him completely disappeared from the room. Crow was left standing alone; he murmured, Good luck, kid.

The door was now open. Crow went outside since the red button somehow had been lost, then shouted: Next person, come in!

Many new players were shocked to see the brutal face old man came out of the room that the loveliest NPC, Lucy, usually stationed.

One amateur male player, with a white and chubby build, sweated a lot. Thats because the next person in the queue was him. He slowly walked to the room number 5 unwillingly. His two feet also suddenly felt very heavy as he walked.

During the walk, he, by chance, happened to overhear the conversation between two other newbies.

Hey, the player who previously went in still didnt go out, did him?

Oh right. Is there a back exit?

Hell no. there is only one entrance.

Then maybe... the two whispered lightly, but no matter how lightly it was, the chubby player could hear it clearly,

... He was killed!

His already pale face went paler. Eventually, he entered the room. In the room, the dim light shone from the lamp on the floor, enough for him to see the wood debris, that should be a table before, scattered. There was an old man stood alone with a dim light on his savage face, making him looked just like a devil.

*Slam* Sound of the door closing behind made the chubby guy shuddered. He wanted to turn back but the door didnt open. He then sensed the viscosity on the floor with his feet.

He looked at the floor and shocked even more.

B-Blood...

The young man looked up and accidentally made eye contact with the old man who slowly walked toward him. The old man grinned with the reaper-like smile.

Suddenly, an old man spoke with a hoarse and intense tone:

My name is Crow, wise and lovely NPC of the Beginner Building.

The young man almost lost his consciousness. He turned his back and hit the door repeatedly while shouting, let me out!!!!! to the point that he crazily screamed and finally fainted.

Crow was confused. He wondered what had happened to the new player these days to make them want to go back out before listening to any information. He inspected the boys condition. Then he thought that, if he waited until this boy regains consciousness, someone would blame him for taking too much time. Thus, he decided to call the next person himself.

Outside of door Number Five, many players faces went pale as they heard the shout, door hitting, and screaming sounds came from within. After all these, the door opened, and the one who came out was not the player, but an old man.

Next person, come in!

The players hurriedly began to escape from the building, to the point that there was completely no player in the building, none at all.

Crow shook his head and complained.

They are indeed very arrogant, new players nowadays.