VRMMORPG [Brink]: For The Money

Imagining the move, the improved version told by Verm doesn't feel complicated at all but it should be hard to practice it for real. Only 1 of 10 expectation usually can be fulfilled, I hope this is one that will succeed not fail. Some said you can fulfill your dream as long as you work hard for it and don't lose hope but, once again the world was never kind. I don't know if what I said contradict or not but hard work alone was never be enough you need to swim in blood, sweat, and tears to get close to your goal.

"Why are you getting quiet all of sudden like a dead mouse? If you are thinking about the thing I told before it's useless."

Dumbfounded I look at him and ask him by what did he mean.

"Well, you won't be able to master it if you don't practice it. Even if you are some sort of genius appear only in one hundred years you still won't be able to master it if you don't try it. Act first, if you don't act then it will only stay in your head as an idea. Means useless. There's a lot of factors involved in fights and you can't practice it at the moment of life and death. Well, actually you can and after that, you'll die."

"Thank you for your advice Mr. Verm actually, can I borrow this place to practice?"

"Yeah, make yourself at home. You can use the doll as you please to practice until it can no longer move. I plan to burn it in the furnace to increase the hearth temperature anyway and I can't take out the magic heart once its put in there."

He walked away once he said his point. I think he really is a kind dwarf with an annoying mouth. Opening the menu I look at the time, it's already past 9 pm I guess it's time to log out.

Putting off the headgear of the game I sit on the bed and once again feeling sore but this accompanied by weakness and hunger. I sigh. I shouldn't have put an all-day gaming on my second day. With my sore body, I stand up and go straight to look for food in the kitchen.

Opening the food cabinet I see three kinds of food; a bowl of soup, three pieces of sandwich, and a fried noodle with a dried little sardine. I move the three dishes into the kitchen table and search for a cup of milk in the fridge.

Savoring each dishes made by Eva I can't help but grin from time to time. My wish was actually granted. If I exchange it with credit I probably get around 500ish. That's 2 days of our 'izakaya' sales. Our two-story house has 3 bedrooms, 2 on the first floor and one on the second floor. It was renovated by Grandpa; the second-floor change into our little restaurant and the first-floor entrance as candy shop for children it has no profit as result from selling it with the same price as we bought it. Basically, it exists for the children around here so that they can buy it at a cheap price. After all, this place is for people of lower-class not as bad as a slum but it ain't far from it.

Hospital none, fire department none, guardian department none, school somewhat with most facilities missing this area become more and more fall behind. This is places for people with low income who works as either physical laborer or in the gray area. Well, some do work at a decent job but with how they were from this place they wouldn't get a decent pay at all.

The government who deliberately put us in this lives their life in comfort. Even though the persons inside change twice in a decade they still didn't try to make this place better. I guess this is because we didn't pay the tax as big as other from the other district. They who on the top only view things from the higher point they don't consider us who far below them. If they want us to pay a higher tax then make this place better as well the people, but no they filled their pocket instead.

"What happen brother? Your expression change from glee to gloom."

I staggered and answer her right away.

"Since when have you been standing there? Well, you know that I played this game yesterday right? I got 23 gold today and if I exchange it into credit it should be around 500 or so but I don't know how much I should exchange it into credit. Half? A portion? I don't know, and I never play this kind of game before."

"Ohh~ I see why you were happy now. Then what makes you look so gloomy?"

Sighing I said what I was thinking before and she replied with frank remarks.

"At least we can fill our bellies other places isn't as kind and I heard in some red planet the residences their life more miserable than slaves. We can't just change the world with our imagination alone. We need to have money and power to change it. Our culture is based on supers or psychic whatever they called it then after that you still need money to solidify it. We who don't have power or weak ones need to grovel and accept that?" she slammed the table at the end of her sentence.

"Okay-okay don't need to get all riled up. After all if want we to get accept into their society we need to have one useful 'super' and for that, we need to buy the awaken gen from them first. Everything can be bought with money these days"

"Hearing you said everything can be bought with money, I remember about the past. You save her lives but instead of repaying you they threaten you so don't talk and those bastard don't even pay the hospital bills. With her money, she could at least fix it with bionics or something right? But no they didn't! They threaten you because they don't want a f.u.c.k.i.n.g scandal on the media. I hate those rich-ass people."

"Well, considering our past with them I guess it's justified if we hate 'em. At least there is no bandit hangin' around here and do shit."

"Yeah… and I think they were afraid of you, brother."

"Afraid of me? I neither have power or good martial art and with this body of mine? No matter what the reasons are we should be happy they don't bother us."

After talking about the heavy stuff I changed the topic into a more happy talk. Then while we talk we heard a ringing sound of the bell. Signify there is costumer upstairs. Before she left, she said I need to contact Rudy and ask him for advice.

-==-

Waking up at 4 I clean myself and fried some eggs for breakfast.

Ready I turn on the headgear and start where I left off before. Looking around I saw a messy scene like when I log out the previous day and a creepy doll with pairs of glowing green eyes. The lighting doesn't help either, within this underground place with dim light and the battle doll head that move its head around following me where I go.

I opened my friend list and found Rudy still active and contact him.

"Hey, I need some advice here. Yesterday I got 23 gold coin from quest so I want to exchange it with some cash but I'm a bit at loss of how much should I sell. A third, half or…?"

"Really that's great. From my experience you can probably sell half to be safe but if you got a B rank quest or higher you probably need in-game money more than cash to finish the quest. I think fifth or quarter should be safe if you want to change it into some cash. I'm sleepy so I'll catch some sleep. See ya brother."

From the talk, I think 5 to 8 gold should be fine and the trial doesn't have a time limit when I need to take it so it's probably fine.

Removing my astray thought I look at the doll I equip my only available weapon, the stiletto.

I'll try to do what the old dwarf suggested… it was hard. At my twenty-one attempt, I sprained my right ankle and got 'Impaired' status. With my right ankle can't be used to its full potential plus the damage I retained while using it prevent me to put any further damage. Debuff can be classified into five level: mild, moderate, severe, extreme, and fatal. Mild debuff usually is gone in an hour or two while moderate will recover in four hours and so on.

Previously I only had a mild debuff which was will heal in 40 minutes because I overtaxed it change into or maybe I can say it leveled up into a second level, moderate which will heal in 4 hours.

Changing the foot I did what I practice before but with the experience I've I didn't get more impaired status even until my right foot healed completely. Experience is really a good teacher to learn from.

Gaining confidence from my solo practice I'm ready to try it in battle and here in this dim bas.e.m.e.nt stand a doll that I can practice with.

83rd times, was the short confrontation I had count with the doll and I only land five times of clean hit and thirty rash hit with no damage. The doll didn't have any clear pattern on how to defend from my attack. It only defends in an efficient and abstract way that makes me can't read on how to attack it to breach its defenses. After my many-many attempt, I finally learn how insta-adapt based on my enemy's movement. It's not perfect yet but I know it is a correct path for me to walk on.

Landing a few times of clean hit to the doll consecutively it finally ceases to function and fall to the ground lifelessly. I don't remember how many times I've had fought the doll but I need to recharge my stamina more than eight times and ate all the bread in my inventory to satisfy the hunger and boost my stamina recharge.

Sitting down I notice that I received a system prompt stating:

『Meditation leveled up! 』

『Congratulations! You receive 100 EP.』

『Congratulations, from your continuous feat of controlling the center of your body gravity you've successfully created a battle art.』

『Congratulations! You've achieved 'Creator of support battle art' (rare). Received 250 EP and uncommon skill 'Boost'.』

『Input the name of your battle art… Body Center Gravity Control. Y/N』

『Congratulations! You've successfully made a battle art.』

[Body Center Gravity Control • Art (Passive)]

Increase your body stability by 50% and 20% less chance of getting knock off your feet.

[Boost – uncommon • Skill]

Enhance your power by 10% for 60 seconds.

Requirement : none

Cost : 20 aether

Casting time : 1.5 second

Cooldown : 2 hours

Barrage with the system prompt I grinned involuntarily and abruptly interrupt me.

"Kid why are you grinning like an idiot? So did you succeed in your practice? You've been staying down here all day I almost forgot about you. HAHA~"

The old man with his messy beard laughs his arse off walking towards me with tears in his eyes.

"Come on… it's just, I successfully create a battle art and there is too little information on me. I hope you can explain it to me, Mr. Verm."

"Don't call me with a mister, it makes my beard itchy. Sigh~ you really don't know anything, do you? Even those Drifter out there know more about the world than your sorry self. I told you since forever that knowledge is a must in this world and your awareness is still the same ignorant kid."

What do you mean by 'I always told you that since forever' it's like I'm some sort of naughty kid in the neighborhood that always gets scolded for the same things for years and I only know you yesterday! Grumbling in my head.

Putting a straight-face I answer him with interest voice.

"I am a drifter as well and I don't think the knowledge pop-out light a light bulb in a dark room. What are the differences between Art and Talent? Please explain it to me."

"What? Previously you only ask for Art now you add Talent as well. Okay then, I'll explain it to you. Art is, art can be classified into three different categories of attack, defend, and support. Art is a kind of skill that you create yourself without any outside interference. While talent is a gift you either born with or get it from external influence. Some said talent can be upgraded but from what I know talent can only evolve if their condition met.

By the way, did you know why we're still haven't been wipe out by them fiends yet? It's because we, men have cognition; we learn, we adapt, and we collect. That's why I always said knowledge is power. With enough knowledge, you can level an empire."