Chronicles Of The Crafting Hero

Tyler stared at the Trihorn and the other Hexhorns resting amidst the Vital Flowers. "Trihorn?" he muttered, taking a hesitant step backward. *It's a boss monster, isn't it? And it already noticed me,* he thought.

The Trihorn let out a deafening shriek, its sound echoing through the clearing. The other Hexhorns stirred, rising to their feet. *Shit,* Tyler muttered. *Just when I thought this couldn't get worse, now they all noticed me. They're probably going to attack all at once.*

An idea sparked in his mind. He looked down at Rebecca. "Hey, wake up," he said.

Rebecca groaned, her eyes slowly opening to the sight of the numerous Hexhorns and the Trihorn. "What is going on?" she whispered, her voice weak and strained.

"This is probably going to be painful," Tyler said. "I just want to say sorry in advance."

Fear flickered in Rebecca's eyes. Then, a flurry of system messages appeared before Tyler:

Level 52 Hexhorn has activated skill: Charge.

Level 62 Hexhorn has activated skill: Charge.

Level 54 Hexhorn has activated skill: Charge.

…and many more.

Tyler activated his own skill, and with a burst of speed, he turned and ran, the charging Hexhorns hot on his heels. Rebecca groaned in pain as Tyler's rapid movement jostled her broken leg. *It hurts, it hurts, it hurts,* she thought.

Tyler glanced back, noting the growing distance between himself and the charging Hexhorns, and Rebecca's pained expression. "Sorry about this," he said, quickly crouching to gently lower her to the ground.

"Why did you stop? What are we doing?" Rebecca asked, her voice laced with confusion and a hint of fear.

"Please don't move," Tyler instructed, leaping back a safe distance. He extended his palm towards her, his expression serious.

Rebecca watched, wide-eyed, as the Tearer dagger materialized in his right hand. He muttered a single word, "Room," and the ground beneath Rebecca began to shimmer. A deep blue light pulsed outwards, solidifying into a structure of impossibly strong, dark iron, forming a framework for a small, square room. This iron framework rapidly filled with deep red, compressed iron bricks, creating thick, imposing walls. A heavy iron ceiling, also formed from the compressed iron, sealed the structure shut. The room was surprisingly spacious, though the air hung heavy with the intense metallic scent of the compressed iron. Instead of a door, a single, heavy iron door, reinforced with thick metal bars—similar to a cell door—was set into one wall. Two narrow, barred windows, crafted from the same dark iron, were set into the opposite walls, offering only glimpses of the outside world.

Tyler watched, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. "Huh, so that's what the Room looks like," he murmured, impressed by the skill's unexpected visual effect. "Pretty impressive." He turned his attention back to the approaching Hexhorns, the ground trembling under their thunderous approach, the Steel Fang dagger now gleaming in his left hand.

Inside the room, Rebecca's mind raced. *What is this? Another one of his skills? What kind of hunter is he?* The sheer power and precision of the skill left her speechless, a mixture of fear and awe washing over her as the ground outside began to shake violently from the approaching Hexhorns.

With his Charge skill still active, Tyler rushed towards the oncoming Hexhorns. Mid-stride, he spun like a whirlwind, throwing both daggers with all his might, his eyes glowing a faint blue. The Tearer and Steel Fang daggers whistled through the air, impossibly fast and precise. The Tearer pierced the skull of a Level 54 Hexhorn, while the Steel Fang found its mark beneath the chin of a Level 52 Hexhorn. Both creatures tumbled to the forest floor, dead.

But Tyler didn't stop. The daggers materialized back in his hands as he continued his relentless advance, launching them again at the approaching Hexhorns. The Tearer found its mark in the eye of a Level 56 Hexhorn, and the Steel Fang simultaneously pierced the eye of a Level 60 Hexhorn, killing both instantly.

The gap between Tyler and the remaining Hexhorns was now closed. He executed a perfect front flip, dodging their attacks with impossible grace, landing smoothly behind them. He muttered, "Extract," as the remaining Hexhorns skidded to a halt, their charge broken. Three of them stopped, but two, seemingly unfazed, continued their advance.

*Oh no,* Tyler thought.

The two relentless Hexhorns crashed into the iron and brick room Tyler had created, their horns striking the walls with a loud *ting*. The impact shook the structure, and Rebecca reacted to the sudden noise, stirring within the confines of the magically created room.

"They're trying to break in," Rebecca thought, wincing again from the pain in her leg. "Is it too much for him? I should have been able to help, but…" She felt a wave of helplessness wash over her. "I'm useless right now. Even if I had all my strength and my weapons, I don't think I could have helped him. That thing back there… the Trihorn… even at full strength, I doubt I could have beaten it."

Outside, Tyler ran towards the remaining Hexhorns. Three charged him directly, while the other two continued their assault on the iron room. Tyler slid across the ground, his daggers materializing in his hands. He slashed at the legs of the two charging Hexhorns, using the momentum of his slide to launch himself into the air. Landing with deadly precision, he plunged both daggers into the back of one Hexhorn, killing it instantly.

A floating text box appeared above the room: DEF: 900

*That's a lot of defense,* Tyler thought, *but it seems to be decreasing.*

He ran towards the room, the remaining Hexhorns turning at the sound of his approach. He targeted the Hexhorn on the left, unleashing a spinning kick that connected with the side of its head with bone-shattering force. The Hexhorn's skull shattered, sending it crashing into its companion. One died instantly; the other was severely injured.

A system message appeared before Tyler: Level Up!

He looked at the room; the defense value had dropped: **DEF: 831**. It was still high, but the decrease caused by the two Hexhorns surprised him. The injured Hexhorn struggled to rise, but its efforts were futile. Tyler noticed the other Hexhorns, their severed legs twitching as they bled out, succumbing to the poison from the Steel Fang dagger. Only one Hexhorn remained, and it was backing away, shrieking in fear as Tyler approached.

Suddenly, a system message appeared: *Trihorn has activated skill: Ultimate Charge.*

From the darkness, from the direction the Hexhorns had come, the Trihorn emerged. The massive three-horned beast charged with terrifying speed, its momentum threatening to shatter the protective room. Tyler saw the remaining Hexhorn flee.

*What should I do?* he thought. *Can I take this head-on.*

But then, with his own Charge skill activated, Tyler ran straight towards the Trihorn. *This thing is the same level as Lucas,* he thought mid-run. *This means I can definitely take it on. With all my strength, it doesn't stand a chance against me!*

Tyler roared, his eyes blazing with an intense blue light, as he unleashed a devastating punch. His fist connected with the Trihorn's head, the impact exploding outwards in a massive boom that generated a powerful shockwave of wind and force. The Trihorn's nose shattered on impact, but the beast didn't falter. The force of the Trihorn's charge slammed into Tyler's arm, pushing against his chest.

Instinctively, Tyler grabbed the Trihorn by its horns, bracing himself as the monstrous creature continued its relentless advance. His legs dug into the earth, skidding across the ground as he struggled to resist the Trihorn's immense power. Tyler's eyes glowed an even brighter blue as he roared in defiance, a primal scream echoing the Trihorn's own shriek. Their strength clashed in a brutal contest of wills. Slowly, inexorably, Tyler began to be pushed back.

Then, with a guttural roar that seemed to tear the very air apart, Tyler summoned every ounce of his strength. The Trihorn's advance halted, its momentum overwhelmed by the sheer force of Tyler's will. The Trihorn's eyes widened in surprise; it had never encountered such raw power before. Tyler's grip tightened on the Trihorn's horns, his muscles bulging with a terrifying strength. With a mighty heave, he flipped the Trihorn onto its side, sending it tumbling until it crashed against a massive tree, uprooting it and bending its trunk at an unnatural angle.

Tyler breathed heavily, his eyes still glowing with a faint, dimming blue. He wiped sweat from his brow, his gaze fixed on the Trihorn as it struggled to regain its footing.

Inside the room, Rebecca had heard the earlier explosion. *What the hell was that?* she wondered, wincing as she noticed the purple veins of the poison spreading across her arm again. *He needs to deal with this fast. If I try to use Light heal here, it'll just spread faster. Whether I live or die literally depends on him.*

Outside, Tyler smiled, a grim satisfaction on his face as he looked at the Trihorn. "You're pretty strong," he chuckled, "but it seems like I'm stronger, isn't it? Sorry, but I'm going to need to finish this fast."

He equipped both daggers, adopting a fighting stance. Reactivating his Charge skill, he exploded towards the Trihorn, his speed drastically increased. Before the beast could react, Tyler unleashed a flurry of attacks. He slashed the Trihorn's side, tearing through its thick hide, then its flank, its other side, and finally its legs. The attacks were so swift, so precise, that the Trihorn was left reeling, unable to mount a defense.

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Amidst the flurry of blows, the Trihorn received a sharp electrical shock, the Steel Fang's effect taking hold. Its body weakened, its movements becoming sluggish and strained, the poison coursing through its veins.

The Trihorn shrieked, a sound of pure agony and defeat, forcing Tyler to leap back. Its front legs buckled, and it crashed to the ground, lifeless.

Tyler sighed in relief, but then a cascade of system messages appeared before him: LEVEL UP! LEVEL UP! LEVEL UP! LEVEL UP! LEVEL UP!

*Huh,* he thought, *I leveled up a lot. Do boss monsters have more XP than normal monsters? It's the same level as Lucas, but I only leveled up twice fighting him, and that was before I hit Level 70. Now I'm Level 77 because of this thing.*

His attention snapped back to the iron room. *Shit, I almost forgot,* he muttered, rushing towards it. He pushed open the iron door with ease.

Rebecca's heart leaped at the sight of Tyler. Relief washed over her, a feeling she hadn't expected to experience. But her joy was short-lived as she felt her body weakening again, the poison spreading. "You're back," she whispered, her voice growing weaker, "You actually managed to beat it."

"Please don't try to move," Tyler said, kneeling beside her. "Hold on."

Rebecca gasped as Tyler pressed his lips to her wound. She raised a hand, asking, "What are you doing?"

Tyler didn't respond, continuing to suck the poison from her wound. Rebecca watched in astonishment as the purple veins retreated from her hand, as if being drawn back towards the point of entry.

"He's sucking the poison out… like it's nothing," Rebecca thought, watching in amazement as Tyler didn't even spit out the poison. "Stop it!" she said aloud, "You're going to poison yourself!"

But Tyler continued until the purple veins had completely vanished. He pulled back, wiping the blood from his lips and face. "Don't worry about it," he said, "I'm immune to all kinds of poisons, anyway." He gently lifted her, saying, "Be careful," as Rebecca slowly repositioned herself on his back.

Tyler ran back to the Trihorn's corpse. "Extract," he commanded. The Trihorn's hide and massive horns shimmered and vanished into his inventory. Rebecca was startled. *It's that skill from before,* she thought.

Before she could ask, Tyler said, "Hey, so I'm pretty much lost, and I'm not familiar with this place. Which way should I go?"

"Oh, you should keep going straight," Rebecca replied. "Don't worry, I'll guide you."

"All right, hold on," Tyler said, activating his Charge skill. He sprinted forward, the wind whipping through his hair and Rebecca's. Rebecca gritted her teeth as the air rushed past her face; it felt like she was in a speeding vehicle.

Tyler noticed they were nearing the Vital Flowers. He smiled, passing them and saying, "Extract!" The flowers shimmered blue and vanished into his inventory, leaving Rebecca even more astonished. *All those flowers… vanished…* she thought.

"Turn left," Rebecca said urgently, and Tyler instantly veered left mid-stride. "Turn right," she instructed a moment later, and he obeyed just as swiftly.

*His speed is incredible,* she thought, marveling at his agility. *It's unlike anything I've ever seen before. Faster than any arrow I've ever shot In combat, he's faster than any hunter I've ever witnessed.* *This assassin… he's something else. I've never seen an assassin with skills like his. He can make materials vanish and appear at will. He summoned a room to protect me while fighting those Hexhorns and the boss monster, and he came back for me without a scratch. He even has some kind of regeneration skill.*

"Your name," Rebecca said, realizing she didn't know it.

Tyler stopped. "What?"

"I said, your name. I don't know what it is. Can you please tell me your name?"

"Oh," Tyler said, "it's Tyler."

Rebecca smiled. "Mine's Rebecca."

Tyler already knew her name, but he chose not to mention it, wanting to savor the moment. "Right," he said, "which way am I supposed to go?"

"Oh, right," Rebecca replied. "Just keep going straight."

Tyler resumed his run, his speed increasing again. "Tyler," Rebecca said, "turn left."

As he turned, the scent of water reached him, and he saw the river gleaming under the starlight. He increased his speed further. "Hold on tight," he said, and Rebecca instinctively hugged him tighter as they hurtled forward.

With a powerful surge of strength in his legs, Tyler leaped across the river. The wind whipped through their hair as they soared through the air before landing on the opposite bank. Rebecca yelped as her broken leg shifted.

"Let's stop right here," Tyler said, gently lowering her to the ground.

"Why? What are you doing?" Rebecca asked, confused.

"I want to heal your leg," Tyler replied.

"What?" Rebecca exclaimed.

Tyler crouched beside the gently flowing river. He opened his palm, and a glass vial materialized from his inventory. He dipped it into the river, collecting some water, then dismissed the vial and summoned another, repeating the process. He summoned a third vial, dipping it deep into the river, wetting his gloves. "Craft three Light Healing Potions," he commanded. A system message appeared: *Crafting…*

Rebecca watched, utterly bewildered. *What is he doing? What does he mean, he's going to heal my leg? We're almost there. He should just take me to the healer at the base. I have enough gold for them to heal me.*

"Tyler," she said.

Tyler turned, holding a potion. The liquid inside glowed with a faint, almost imperceptible green light. He handed it to her. "Drink this."

Rebecca took the potion without question, her gaze fixed on Tyler's confident face. "Trust me," he said, "it will heal you."

Hesitantly, she drank. The taste was unlike anything she'd ever experienced—alien, yet not unpleasant. As she finished the last drop, a faint green light emanated from her skin. The pain in her leg lessened, and she felt the bones knitting themselves back together. Her body wasn't fully healed, but it felt significantly better.

"This is… this is impossible!" she exclaimed in wonder. "My whole body just healed!"

"Here, take another one," Tyler said, "I'm pretty sure your whole body didn't heal a hundred percent." A vial materialized in his hand as the empty one vanished from Rebecca's. He offered it to her.

Rebecca accepted the potion and drank it. Once again, her body shimmered with a faint green light. Every wound, every ache, vanished. Even the poison in her shoulder was gone.

"Thank you," she said, looking at Tyler with heartfelt gratitude.

"No problem," Tyler smiled. "You should be okay now." He extended his hand to help her up.

Rebecca reached for his hand, but as Tyler pulled her to her feet, she stumbled backward, nearly falling.

"Whoa!" Tyler exclaimed, catching Rebecca as she stumbled. "Be careful. You might have healed, but you haven't regained your strength yet."

"Yeah, I realized," Rebecca said, a little embarrassed.

Tyler sighed. "It looks like I actually have to carry you on my back again."

"Huh? Why?" Rebecca asked.

"Well, you can't even stand properly," Tyler explained. "I know we're close to the base, but there's still a couple of meters to go. And there are still monsters on this side of the river. Fewer, but you're not even armed."

"Why?" Rebecca asked again, her voice laced with confusion.

"What? What are you talking about? I clearly explained—" Tyler began, but Rebecca cut him off.

"That's not what I'm talking about," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Why did you help me? You did so much for me back there, and you don't even know me. We got off on the wrong foot. Ever since I met you, I've been an annoyance to you. But why are you helping me?"

Tyler paused, taken aback by her intensity. "What do you mean? I told you earlier. It seemed like you needed a lot of help. As soon as I saw the situation you were in, I could tell that man was in the wrong. I wanted to help because I simply couldn't just let things like that happen—"

"Bullshit," Rebecca interrupted, her voice sharp. "You're telling me you were helping me out of sheer kindness? There's no such thing. All those things you've done for me… and you're telling me it's out of sheer kindness?"

Tyler was slightly annoyed by her bluntness, but then he noticed the tears welling up in Rebecca's eyes.

"I know there's something you want from me," Rebecca said, her voice tight with suspicion. "Just say it. Come on, anything."

Tyler simply looked at her, his expression unreadable. "I want nothing from you," he said quietly. "Your thanks was enough."

Rebecca shook her head, unconvinced. "No, that's not true," she insisted. "You want more than that. That's obvious. You want my gold, right?"

She reached into her pocket, withdrawing some gold coins. She held it out to him. "Take it."

The glint of gold in Rebecca's outstretched hand caught the faint light, but Tyler's gaze remained unreadable. "I don't want your gold," he said, his voice flat.

Rebecca's smile was brittle, a thin crack in her composure. "You're lying. It isn't enough, is it?" With a practiced flick of her wrist, she produced a handful of silver coins from her other pocket, adding them to the gold. "There. Take it. It's what you wanted, right?"

A simmering anger, barely contained, ignited within Tyler. "I said I don't want your money," he repeated, his voice calm, yet edged with a barely controlled fury.

Rebecca's words were sharp, a desperate lash. "Stop lying!" She flung the coins at him, the metallic clang as they struck his chest and scattered across the forest floor a harsh counterpoint to the sudden, heartbreaking sob that escaped her lips.

The tears streamed down her face, a torrent of grief and confusion. Under the cloak of night, the memory of Tyler's arrival, a figure of salvation appearing at the last possible moment, flooded her mind. She relived the terror of Lucas's near assault on her mother, her own helpless childhood anguish as she watched. The image of her father's death, a wound that never healed, was overlaid with the memory of Tyler's brutal efficiency in eliminating the man she'd long yearned to see punished. His defense against the hexhorns, the healing touch that had mended her wounds – all of it surged back, a tidal wave of gratitude crashing against the unyielding rock of her ingrained cynicism. She had never known true kindness, only transactions, favors exchanged for favors, help given with strings attached. Tyler's selfless acts, his sheer generosity, were incomprehensible, unacceptable. Her legs gave way beneath her, and she collapsed to her knees, the rough earth a cold comfort against her tear-stained cheeks.

Rebecca stared up at Tyler, her voice raw with disbelief. "You saved my life...for nothing?"

Tyler sighed, the sound heavy with weariness. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you this," he said, his voice soft but firm. He knelt, his gaze meeting hers, and gently extended a hand to her face.

Rebecca recoiled instinctively, her body tensing, unsure of his intentions. But his touch was feather-light, his thumb brushing away the lingering tears. "I did all of this," he said, his voice a low murmur, "and I expect nothing in return. Now stop crying, and get on my back."

He turned, offering her his broad shoulders. Rebecca, speechless, wrapped her arms around his neck as he effortlessly lifted her.

"The gold…" she whispered, the words catching in her throat.

"Ah, right," Tyler said, his gaze falling to the scattered coins shimmering on the forest floor. A faint blue light enveloped the gold and silver, and then, as quickly as it appeared, They vanished. "Don't worry," he said, his voice barely audible above the sound of his own footsteps. "I'll give them back to you as soon as we reach the base."

He broke into a run, his powerful legs carrying them both effortlessly through the undergrowth. Mid-stride, he spoke again, his voice a low rumble. "Although… I do want something from you."

Rebecca hesitated, her voice barely a breath. "What is it?"

"I want you to tell me the reason behind what happened… the reason that man wanted to harm you earlier."

A tremor ran through her. "I… I'll tell you when we reach the base," she managed, her voice barely audible. "You at least deserve need to know that."

"Alright," Tyler said, his tone accepting. He pushed onward, his pace relentless, until the trees thinned and they emerged into a clearing. The hunter base, a collection of sturdy tents and makeshift structures, became increasingly visible as they approached.

Tyler entered the hunter base, carrying Rebecca on his back. Fewer people were moving about now that night had fallen. There were fewer hunters in the base.

"Where do you want to go?" Tyler asked Rebecca.

"I was thinking of the restaurant," Rebecca replied. "I'm hungry and need to regain my energy."

"Alright," Tyler said. "But you can walk now , right?"

"Yeah, I think so," Rebecca answered.

Tyler slowly set Rebecca down, and she found her footing. They entered the restaurant, illuminated by lanterns on the walls. The restaurant was almost empty; only two tables were occupied. One table held two female hunters talking and laughing. The other had three male hunters in conversation.

"Let's sit over there," Tyler said, indicating a table in the corner.

They sat. The restaurant owner, recognizing them, approached. "Good evening," he said. "I didn't know you two were acquainted."

Rebecca said, "Not really."

Tyler said, "We just met. We'd like to order."

"Ah, right," the owner replied.

"I'd like the usual that Grone usually gets," Tyler said to the owner, then turned to Rebecca. "What would you like to order?"

"Oh, I'm not sure," Rebecca replied. "I've never eaten here before. What do you serve?"

"Oh, we serve a lot of things," the man said.

"Do you have any rum?" Rebecca asked.

"Yeah, we have some booze," the man replied. "Want to buy some?"

"Hey, I thought you were hungry," Tyler said, "now you just want alcohol?"

"No, I just wanted to know if it was available," Rebecca said.

Tyler sighed. "Right. I almost forgot to give you your money back." He reached into his pocket; the gold and silver coins materialized in his hand. He counted out eleven gold and seven silver coins and handed them to Rebecca. She accepted them, looking slightly embarrassed.

"I'll have what he's having," Rebecca said, "and a cup of that booze, please." She looked at Tyler. "Do you want some? I can buy it for you."

"No, I don't drink alcohol," Tyler said.

Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "You don't drink alcohol? What, are you not old enough?"

"No, I'm old enough," Tyler said. "I just... I don't like the taste."

"What? Don't be a baby," Rebecca said. "Get him some booze too."

The man looked at Tyler, who nodded. "Alright," the man said. "I'll bring the food and the booze. Just a moment." He disappeared into the kitchen.

Tyler's attention shifted to Rebecca, his expression turning serious. "Right," he said. "Now, I want you to tell me about what happened. You said you'd tell me about that person."

Rebecca's face fell, her expression grim. "Right, about that," she began, her voice hesitant. "I don't really know how to explain it. How should I say this? I don't know where to start. If you want to know why we were fighting, I have to tell you what happened from the beginning."

Tyler leaned back, folding his arms. "It's okay," he said. "I'm listening."

Just then, the restaurant owner returned with their food, placing two plates laden with moon seeds, meat, and soup on the table. He set down two large, brown wooden cups filled with a dark liquid. "Right, please enjoy," he said before returning to the counter.

"Thank you," Tyler murmured.

"Right, please continue," Tyler prompted Rebecca.

Rebecca quickly picked up one of the cups and began to drink, surprising Tyler as she drained nearly half of it in one go. *Wow,* he thought, *she really likes drinking, huh?* She set the now half-empty cup on the table.

Tyler picked up his spoon and began to eat. Rebecca took a deep breath. "The man you fought in the forest," she said, "I've known him for some time. His name was Lucas Area, and was a member of the Black Cloud Guild."