To the Depth of Abyss
Chapter 12: A Safe Place to Live

[Item: Bear Beast Nail]

[View Info–Object#0031: Pieces of the Bear Beast Claw's claws.]

[Hardness: Level 03]

[Drop Rate: Uncommon]

___________

"Is this level 03 hardness as hard as iron?"

Ars staring at the drop item he gets from all his battles with a bunch of Bear Beasts.

[Bear Beast Nail]

Ars has quite a lot of those items in [Unlimited Inventory]. The uncommon drop rate drops seven items out of 10 monsters.

Ars willing to sell the item in the Guild, but the distance from Yin's house to the East Station is very far.

"Why don't you try to go to West Station?"

Ars said that he wanted to return to the East Station, but that was the answer he got.

"Is West Station nearby?"

"An hour and a half if you take the safe route. You can just exit to the east, then turn south along the edge of this forest, meeting the Gate Village. From there you walk the safe route to the West Station. "

"Hmmm."

The journey takes a long time. If Yin had told him how to get to West Station, that meant there is no other way like going through the forest to get to the station from a shortcut.

After all, on the surface of the Giant Leaf Woods, it is difficult to determine the wind direction.

"But if you want to use the fast way -"

"OK."

"You can go up directly to West Station with a compass. Well, he's gone. Never mind, he's not a naïve kid after all. But he is indeed a fool cuz leave fast before I finish my words."

Ars immediately went outside into the forest without hesitation.

It was quite a distance from Yin's house to the outer forest area. With the current Ars, he could get outside quickly.

It is the first time he had gone outside the forest. In front of him stood the Silver Steel Mountain, a place where his fate had changed.

Ars wants to visit the mountain, but he must not get fooled by anything else and focus on his goals now.

"Along the edge of the forest until you replace the Gate Village."

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Abyssal Terra / 1st Floor / Giant Leaf Woods Gate Village

The village stops towards Giant Leaf Woods.

Population: 300 People Max.

Fighting Status: Not allowed.

Authority: Jordan (Gold Hunter / Independent)

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Every Hunter, even beginners, must know about a village surrounded by silver stone walls.

Village stop towards the safe route to West Station. There are ten towers guarded by two Hunters. It is quite difficult if Ars wants to break through.

Ars is on the outer wall because he just arrived. Bad idea to enter the village directly through the front gate. The Guards would suspect that a Bronze Porter like Ars was strolling into the village.

It's a different story if Ars changes his job to Silver Vanguard, but he doesn't want to do that now.

When confusion broke out, there are two stuff wagons guarded by a Party headed for the front gate. Two wagons drawn by two Deeri each.

The wagon is a wagon of farmers living in the food industry village in the Land of Nod.

There Ars has an idea. He ran through the tall grass sneaking; he hung under the cart.

Arriving at the gate, Ars could hear the Hunters, Farmers, and the Guards chatting.

They didn't look like they wanted to check the contents of the wagon. Well, why check on fellow Hunter passing by? The guard function also anticipates if that there are monsters that endanger the village.

They went inside after being given permission.

The village is bustling in the morning. The time when the wagons from East Station and Land of Nod made their stops.

By the time the two wagons that Ars were riding on continued to the middle of the village square, Ars had already come down.

That morning the village square filled with Farmer and Hunter guarding their wagon.

All wagons can be seen lining up in the square. Next to one of the wagons is a Porter unloading some loads.

Ars approached one innocent Porter who is still doing his job, took a pebble from [Unlimited Inventory], then -

"Gah!"

The porter fell backwards with his head hitting the surface.

"What happened here?!"

The leader of Hunter Porter's party just entered the crowd.

"He slipped and hit his head."

Ars is the first to help the Porter.

"Is he all right?"

"I guess. But he is unconscious. "

"Geez."

The Party Leader couldn't stop thinking it happened to one of his comrades.

From behind, there are two female hunters approaching the party leader.

"What happened?!"

"Shang Fe had an accident. He's unconscious now. We have to replace another Porter to replace him."

"But we've been waiting for a long time, and the train ahead is about to start. Tire, you replace him!"

"Then what about the guard in front?! Are you going to make me work twice as much?!"

There is a bit of fighting in the party. They didn't even care about Shang Fe who is still lying on the ground, who is somehow smiling to himself.

"Hey," Ars called the three Hunters in front of him. "If you don't mind, I can be your Porter."

"Really?!"

So easy.

"But, are you sure? We don't even know each other yet."

"Hey, that's alright. Judging from his cheap clothes, he looks like a Porter, like Shang Fe."

Maybe because of the pressure from the queue, they didn't want to bother about replacing Shang Fe.

"OK. You two pick up and take Shang Fe to the health center."

"Why us?!"

"Then go to the administration office and take care of the papers!"

The party leader got angry because of the selfishness of his two women.

"Alright! Hani, lift Shang Fe's feet. I will lift his hands."

In a quite inhuman way, Shang Fe taken to a medical center. For one reason, Ars feels guilty and apologizes to Shang Fe in his heart.

"Hey," the party leader called Ars. "My name is Tire. You?"

"Just call me, Ars."

Tire and Ars shake hands for the brief introduction and cooperation.

"I ask for your cooperation as Porter. I'm going to pull these two carts forward. You wait and guard these four boxes until a red-haired man arrives."

"OK."

Tire immediately pulled the two carts to the front of the administration office. Leaving Ars, who ordered to wait for a red-haired man.

Sure enough, not long after waiting, a red-haired man came towards Ars. But there is something strange about that man.

"Hi!"

The man has a beautiful face. His body is also slender. Ars didn't even smell masculinity in him. Plus, it was the first time they met. But that man is already being friendly with Ars.

"Headlong, let's lift this box."

Before Ars could ask questions, two other men arrived.

"Where's Shang Fe, Arlene?" asked one of the men.

"He just got into a minor accident and is currently unconscious. And this handsome guy who replaced him."

The red-haired man - Arlene leaned on Ars's shoulder, as if they were familiar and close.

Ars didn't want to look suspicious, "Hi.", So he greeted them casually.

"Alright, let's just take this box and go."

Each of them lifted the box, except for Arlene, who somehow made Ars lift his.

"Sorry, but Shang Fe usually raises two as well."

After apologizing, Arlene immediately walked following the two men.

His words sounded a lie. Ars isn't sure, but Arlene seems to know what sins he just committed to Shang Fe.

The four of them went to a residential location. In one place there are several women, especially young mothers who were watching the children who are playing. The children looked 2 to 4 years old. Even one of the mothers is carrying her child.

"Hey, here."

They called ars

They put the boxes near the mothers earlier.

The children who were playing all got excited when the boxes came. Shouts:

"Yeeeyyy!"

"Fruits!"

The two men seemed to be a father of the children.

"Calm down! Everyone will get their turn!"

Ars walked backwards, slightly away from the crowd that filled with the aura of happiness.

"Feeling uncomfortable?"

Arlene suddenly approached Ars.

"Why do you think?"

"Why are children like them born in this prison? Your face shows such a question."

Ars can't dodge that. It is true that he thought about that when he first saw the children of the Hunters who live in the village.

Why were children like them born in that vast world-like a prison?

Ars has no right to judge if the actions of adults - the parents of children are wrong. Because to have children is every right of an adult. The village is also a safe place to be called, a safe place for children to grow.

However -

"Hey, let's go, our work here is done."

"But you didn't do anything."

Arlene and Ars left the scene.

"Red-haired uncle!"

Before they got away, the children called Arlene.

Arlene turned around.

"Thank you!" shouted the children, waving their hands.

Arlene waved his hand back. "Don't call me uncle! Call me big brother instead!"

After waving back to each other, they parted ways.

"You're not young enough for those kids to call you a big brother."

"Hey, why now? Are you interested in me?"

It was not interest like Arlene thought that caught Ars's attention.

"The way you cover up the fake."

"What?"

"Pain. You smiled at the children, but you also felt sorry for it. Although that pity didn't go to those children just now."

Arlene was surprised. It was the first time they had met, but Ars could read something that behind his face.

"You're an interesting boy."

"I'm 23."

"Are you serious?"

The two of them stopped walking, and Arlene measured the difference in their different heights by over 10cm.

"I'm sorry for being Asian. Besides, I don't want to be judged by a person who still feel young even though he is 10 years older than me - ack!"

Arlene choked Ars with his arm, then whispered, "One year older than you, got it?"

"Ten years older, understood. Ack!"

"You!"