Code Collector

Allen decided to scrap his ideas from before off. He wasn't going to be used one time big time by every client he will meet, no. He will plant his legs from the bottom of the social class pyramid while he rises on top.

He realized this after he saw the potential in his deal with Hilda. He can provide her enough Codes to improve her store while maintaining their deal using her son. This will make the old woman trust him even more, giving him a leverage as to where his extra Codes will go.

By having a thirty percent chance to obtain a Code, it won't take long before Allen's slots would be filled. It would also be a waste to just throw the Codes away, so Hilda was the key. She was going to be his leftover bin.

Allen transferred the initial Codes to Hilda. He gave her the duplicate wasp, frog, and two more Codes he got from the forest. He told her she should open her store back properly, display her items and rise again.

"My husband was the owner of this store," Hilda said. "I'm afraid I don't know how to manage it."

Allen was also unaware about business, but he didn't show this to Hilda. He had to make sure that the woman thinks that he's an all knowing man.

"The only thing you have to do is sell and list everything. You have to redecorate, study what the other stores are doing so you'll improve your own," Allen instructed. "I will come back to collect my thirty percent of the income next week at dusk."

"You're giving me…" Hilda trailed off, her lips seemed to be having trouble saying the next words. "Seventy percent? But sir, that's too much."

"Madam," Allen placed both his hands on the woman's shoulders. "I do not need money. You need it more than me, and when partners are in dire help, the partner helps them with all they can."

The woman started to tear up. She was nodding while smiling, unable to believe what was happening to her.

"Sir, you're so kind," Hilda said. "But how will this make my son come home?"

"When he sees that you're already doing well, and that you can manage your life on your own, he will come back," Allen said. "You can trust me on that. No son wants to see his mother suffer, maybe he was just pushed too far that he did that."

"My husband used to beat him up," Hilda said. "He said that Kevin was too useless, but he was not. Kevin was the Hunter who provided us with products to sell. He was the leader of our partnered Hunters, but my husband…"

"You don't have to say anything more," Allen said. "You can trust my words, he will come."

After leaving Hilda to recover her life back, Allen decided to go back to the forest. He will now need more Codes to provide Hilda, and himslef.

The boy kept his disguise and hopped into one of the trees. With he help of his map, he wandered around the forest to explore the areas where most Rare grade beasts were seen. He can't just have a dozen of Basic grade to sell, he needed Rare grades too.

While exploring the forest, Allen had felt an eerie feeling. There waa something in this part of the forest that wasn't just an ordinary beast. He was sure enough that it was a Rare grade.

Taking one branch of the trees at a time, he leaped to travel until his foot missed one. It was a good thing that he had a great reaction time. While falling, he flipped midair and landed on one knee.

He then looked up and narrowed his eyes. He was sure that he took the right step. Why did he suddenly missed the branch?

Oink. Oink.

Allen's eyes widened. "Is that another orc?"

The tree he fell out off suddenly shook and tilted right to his direction. It shook a couple of times before it was falling, making Allen roll to the side to dodge the incoming tree.

"What the hell?!" Allen gasped. One by one, the trees around him shook a couple of times before falling flat on the ground.

Allen had to leap into the trees, but every time he stepped on one, the tree would fall. This got him realizing that the beast responsible for this was eyeing him.

It was already nighttime, so the forest was dark. His eyes weren't used to such darkness, that was why he was having a hard time dealing with his opponent.

With a frustrated sigh, Allen acted like he would go to one of the trees. His eyes narrowed to the ground and saw a shadow move towards the tree he was going to land on. He then flipped and went to another tree instead.

The forest was silent for a couple of seconds. It seemed like the beast was trying to comprehend what just happened. Not a moment later, however, the tree he was on started to shake.

He jumped off of the tree, and went straight to the direction of the source. He brandished his glaive and slashed it forward, creating a flaming trail that lit up in that area.

The blade of the glaive was ignited with a red blazing fire. In places that are dark like this forest, the glaive would stand out like a torch, lighting up its surroundings.

Oink. Oink.

Allen fell back after seeing what the beast that was hunting him was. It was a giant boar, the size of a minivan. Its tusk were huge, and its head was the size of the smaller Allen.

Its fur was red and it had dark orange details on its legs, neck, and forehead. Its dark yellow eyes were also glowing in the darkness as it glared intensely at the boy. Though, it looked unique, one thing was for sure. This boar was awfully familiar.

He gulped as the beast and him stared at each other. It breathed out angrily, shaking its head and preparing to launch its attack.

'Emergency quest.'