As Arvin gazed at the vast grasslands in front of him he felt free. He felt that he was a caged bird before and now he was free…

‘Wait a sec. What am I doing out of the city?’ Arvin asked himself. He then turned around to the soldier that had escorted him out… ​​

“Kind sir. What am I doing out here?” Arvin asked innocently and with the utmost respect.

“Well, we said that we will let you go. But we didn’t mean inside the city.” The soldier said while mocking him.

“But it is dangerous out there. How am I supposed to survive out there?” Arvin asked while panicking.

“That is none of my concern… By the way did you have anything else while you were brought here?” the soldier asked. Arvin became enraged as he heard the answer of that soldier. But he controlled his anger and took a deep breath. He was in a very dangerous situation right now. He needed to be careful and think rationally…

“Yeah. I had a weapon and some currency…” Arvin said weakly…

“Currency?…. Who even talks like that?” the soldier said while laughing. Little did he know that the man in front of him didn’t know about this world’s currency. He didn’t know whether coins were used in this world or notes were used as currency. So he used the word currency instead. While the soldier thought that he was joking…

“You could forget about your so-called ‘currency’. It somehow got misplaced. While you have your weapon back. Wait here for a moment” The soldier said. Then he went inside and came out with an ax in his hands. Arvin didn’t know a lot about the world, but from what he had seen from the city, he noticed that everyone roaming around the city had a weapon in their hands. So he thought that traveling with weapons must have been a norm here.

Because of that, he thought that he should ask for a weapon. And he was very lucky that the soldier escorting him out didn’t know that he came here empty-handed…

Arvin when saw the ax, his mood digressed a little bit. He was thinking that maybe he would get a cool sword or something. But on the other hand, he only got a simple-looking ax.

“I need your name before I give this back. Your name is Harrison right?” the soldier asked.

“Yes. My name is Harrison.” Arvin agreed straight away.

“Cool here you go.” The soldier said while handing that ax over to Arvin. After handing the ax over, the soldier went back inside leaving Arvin outside…

……….

Alone in the night, Arvin didn’t know where to go. He remembers Alman saying in the orientation that the Kalgan forest is a very dangerous place and all the dangerous beasts and monsters are found there in the forest. So he should go in the opposite direction from the forest. That would be his plan for now.

He didn’t waste any time walking back to the gate of the city. He was sure that with a smell like this there was no way in hell they will let him in. Plus he had decided that he would leave this city and move to another one. Away from the influence of Alman and his goons. Although traveling alone at night was not in his plan, still what could he do now?

With resolve in his eyes, Arvin started moving in a random direction…

Arvin had resolve in his eyes. He was confident in his powers granted by the weird voice in his head. But as he was walking he remembered that big ass monster that he saw flying in the air, this morning. He then started remembering the sheer size of that monster. Then he started thinking that even with all of his power, will he be able to survive if he met that monster?….

‘Maybe begging soldiers to take him in is not such a bad idea after all… At least I will be safe…’ Arvin thought.

Soon he developed resolve that he could beg with utmost respect and charm, and just maybe they will take him in. With that thought, Arvin took a 180-degree turn and started running back. Arvin side by side of the wall. He had to walk for around 10 minutes along the wall until he came to the gate that he passed through in the morning.

Unlike the morning, the area around the gate at night was bustling with people. There were various bullock carts and horse carriages outside the gate. Arvin but didn’t spare a glance as to why there were so many people outside the gate.

He straightaway ran towards the gate. As he got close people that were in front of the gate started moving from Arvin, because of how smelly he was. But as he got close to the gate, he saw something bad. The gate was closed. Seeing that the gate was closed he felt despair. Because there was no way in hell soldiers guarding the gates will open the gate for an insignificant person like him.

He was feeling despair. What should he do?….

“What the f**k did you encounter today that you smell this bad?” came a voice from behind. Arvin turned back and saw that the old man was standing behind him. That old man had a jute basket on his back. Despite being old, he was standing straight as a mountain. That old man had a big scar on his right side cheek. And despite being old, his clothes were not able to hide his muscular body…

“It is a long story. Sir.” Arvin replied.

“Dried blood on the forehead. Smile like shit. Carrying an ax…. You seem like HTC. What is your name kiddo?” The old man asked. Arvin remembered from the orientation that HTC or Hired Task Completer is a job that has something related to monster hunting…

“My name is… Lopt.” Arvin lied. He didn’t want to tell his real name as he had told Alman his real name. And if word got out to Alman, then it could spell trouble for him…

“Lopt? That is a weird f**king name.”

“My parents gave it to me.”

“So, Lopt. What the hell did you do today to smell this bad?”

“Like I said it is a very long story. I don’t want to talk about it.” Arvin said.

“Fine be cranky…. So which village do you belong to?” the old man asked. Arvin then saw this as a window of opportunity…

“Well I used to live in the city… but now…” Arvin said in a sad voice…

“In the city? What happened?”

“I met a lady.”

“And?”

“Her name was gambling,” Arvin said sadly.

“And let me take a guess… You lost all your money. And now you are homeless?”

“You could say so,” Arvin said sadly. Arvin was thinking that maybe this old man would be a benevolent man that could give him a place to stay…

HAHAHA…

Instead of offering him a helping hand that old man started to laugh very loudly. He was laughing so hard that people started looking behind who was the idiot who was laughing so loudly…

Seeing that old man laugh, Arvin lost interest in the old man. He lost hope that this man might help him. Dejected he turned around and started walking away from the old man with his ax in his hands…

Seeing that Arvin was walking away that old man ran after him…

“Wait, young man…” the old man said as he caught up to Arvin…

“So what are your plans for the future?” the old man asked while following Arvin.

“I will see what my destiny has stored from me. Why?” Arvin asked.

“Well, how do you use this ax that you are holding?”

“For fighting?… No…. For chopping down a tree?… no”

“Then are you willing to work for this old man?”

“What kind of work?” Arvin asked curiously

“You see I am a woodcutter. But my partner is sick. So I need someone else to share my workload… Although you are an HTC, …” as the old man was speaking, Arvin cut him between.

“I will do it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I am 100% sure.”

“The pay is minimal and…”

“Old man look at me. I am a beggar right now. What use do I have for the pride of an HTC? Just tell me details about the job.” Arvin said. He may sound desperate to the old man, but he didn’t waver. Because right now he was penniless as well as homeless. He was a loser right now. So anything that would be offered to him, he will take it as gracefully as he can…

“Alright then follow me to my village. There is a pond nearby my village. You can get a bath first. Then we will go home.” The old man said.

“Ok. Let’s go” Arvin said, enthusiastically…

#yawn goodmorning