[Character Status Update]
Level: 24
Titles: [The Apex Butcher], [Friend of Spring]
(+10% NPC Affinity)
Gold: 129
HP: 1,200 / 1,200
Stamina: 1,200 / 1,200
Speed: 100 (Sonic Step Active)
Attack: 210
Defence: 180 (+50 from Vulcan Greaves)
Current EXP: 1,620,500 / 2,100,000
Available Stat Points: 120
Liam woke up before the sun had fully crested the stone walls of Aeros' inner district. Most players in the Online Game spent their mornings frantically checking their HP bars, screaming about the lack of a respawn button, or huddling in corners. Liam just wondered if the townhouse had a proper whisk.
The townhouse was quiet, the air smelling of the faint, lingering scent of lavender incense left by the previous NPC owners. Liam rolled out of the massive bed, his feet hitting the cold floor with a solid thud. He didn't even look back at the bundle of blankets on the other side.
To him, a bed was a recovery station. It had a high comfort rating, which meant a faster Stamina regeneration tick. The fact that a Level 19 Pink Cat was currently buried in those blankets, her pink ears twitching in her sleep, was a tactical detail. He felt no embarrassment, only pragmatic contentment they were a party; they shared resources. Bed included.
He headed to the kitchen. He had leftover ham from the day before, a jar of wild honey he'd looted from a Level 3 beehive in the forest, and a bag of "Croissant Waffles" he'd bought from a confused NPC baker who didn't understand why a man as big as him with a giant sword wanted puff pastry.
The sizzle of the ham hitting the pan filled the room. Liam worked with a silent, practised grace. He drizzled the honey over the toasted waffles, the sweetness cutting through the salty, charred fat of the ham. He poured two glasses of fresh orange juice, the acidity a necessary palate cleanser for the high-protein meal.
"Food's up," Liam called out, his voice a low grunt.
A muffled shriek came from the bedroom.
Inside the room, Ellie was currently having a mental collapse. Embarrassment and panic churned in her chest—her heart hammered as she realised she was staring directly at Liam's broad, bare back as he stretched. Mortified, she had promptly retreated under the covers like a turtle.
'I slept in his bed, her brain screamed. I didn't just sleep in it; I passed out. I didn't even set a watch! What if I snored? What if my tail touched him? Oh my god, he probably thinks I'm a total slob. Or worse, he thinks I'm easy! No, he's Liam, he probably thinks I'm just a high-maintenance pet.'
She crawled out of the blankets, her hair a mess of pink tangles, her face the colour of a ripe tomato. She stumbled into the kitchen, smelling the honey and ham.
Liam didn't even look up from his plate. He was busy cross-referencing his gold count. "Sit. Eat. We've got a long day. If your Stamina isn't at 100% by the time we hit the market, you're doing extra laps."
"Liam," she squeaked, sliding into the chair. "About... last night. The bed. I didn't mean to—"
"It's a King-sized frame, Ellie. Don't be weird about the furniture," Liam said, biting into a waffle. "The stats on that mattress give a +12% recovery bonus. We'd be idiots to sleep on the floor. Now, drink your juice. We need to hit the weapons smith before the Iron Hearth girls clog up the queue."
Ellie stared at him. He was serious. He genuinely viewed the bed as a 'stat-booster.' She felt a mixture of intense relief and a strange, stabbing frustration. He's a brick, she thought, stabbing a piece of ham. A very, very dense, handsome brick.
After breakfast, the scene shifted to the inner district of Aeros, a different world from the muddy outer rim. Here, the NPCs were dressed in fine silks, and the cobblestones were swept clean. As Liam and Ellie walked toward the market square, a hush fell over the crowd. The NPCs could feel the weight of their levels—Liam's Level 24 aura was like a physical pressure.
Whispers trailed in their wake.
"That's the one... the Butcher of the Hearth..."
"I heard he's the God of the Kitchen... he can turn a rock into a feast..."
Liam noticed none of it. He was navigating toward
[The Iron Ladle & Blade].
"They're staring, Liam," Ellie whispered, her pink ears pinned back. "Everyone knows what happened in the ravine."
"Let them talk," Liam grunted. "If they're busy gossiping, they aren't busy undercutting us on prices."
Soon, they stepped into the shop. The smith, a massive NPC named Bronn, looked up. He took one look at Liam's silver hair and the glowing Vulcan Gauntlet, and his eyes widened. Thanks to Liam's [Friend of Spring] title, Bronn didn't see a scary player, but he saw a legendary chef who had come to buy the tools of his trade.
"Welcome, Master of the Hearth," Bronn said, bowing deep. "How can the Forge serve the Kitchen today?"
"I need a new shield, a new blade for myself, and something fast for my pet cat," Liam said. He began rummaging through the racks. He picked out a
[Heavy Iron Tower Shield] (+35 Defence) and a
[Wolf-Fang Longsword] (+42 Attack) for himself.
Then, he saw Ellie staring at a glass case. Inside was a slender, curved blade shimmering with ethereal green light.
[Item: Gale-Sliver Rapier (Rare)]
Attack: +58 | Speed: +15
Cost: 15 Gold.
Ellie's pink tail gave a sharp flick. 15 gold coins were a fortune. She reached for her coin purse, her hands shaking. "I... I shouldn't," she whispered.
"Wrap it up," Liam said, sliding the gold across the counter.
before she could even blink. "Liam! No!" Ellie gasped. "I have 50 gold, I can pay for it!"
"Keep your gold," Liam said, sheathing his new sword. "You're a warrior, Elizabeth. If you're slow because of a cheap blade, I'm the one who has to pull your weight. Besides..." He paused, looking at her with a blunt, unreadable expression. "You deserve it because you're amazing out there. I need you protected because... well, a cook is only as good as his ingredients, and you're the best one I've got."
Bronn, the blacksmith, actually felt a flush creep up his thick neck. "Truly, a man who knows the value of his companions. That was... quite moving, lad."
Ellie looked like she was about to short-circuit. Her pink ears were burning red. "You're amazing... you're the best one I've got." She grabbed the rapier, hugging the scabbard to her chest.
Liam then spotted a shelf behind the counter. His eyes lit up more for this than the swords. "Is that a [Black-Iron Heavy Skillet]?"
"Aye, Master Chef. Folded iron, non-stick mana coating," Bronn said.
"Give me that too," Liam said, tossing another 5 gold. He held the pan like a holy relic. He tossed an extra 2 gold onto the counter as a tip. "For not scamming me. We'll be regulars."
[System: Reputation with Iron Ladle & Blade increased by 15%!]
[Tool Tip]: Due to the [Hestia 10x Multiplier] and consistent combat against Mutant-tier entities, EXP gains are categorized as Astronomical.
[Warning]: A Breakthrough Point occurs at Level 25. Requirement scaling will increase by 400% when this threshold is reached. A "Rare" or "Elite" hunt is required to trigger the advancement.