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HC: Handyman | Ch. 68 - Rendez-Vous
🕑 Added 2024-07-19 19:48:10 +0000 UTCThe landscape began to change as Jack traveled eastward past the verdant tropical jungle surrounding the gate. The ground became softer underfoot, and the bright greens of jungle foliage turned to darker, muted greens and browns. Even though the canopy thinned, a persistent, thick mist hid the moon and stars. The greatest source of light was the fireflies.
Clean, babbling brooks gradually gave way to stagnant ponds, their surfaces covered in a thin film of muck. The broad leaves and sturdy trunks of the towering mahoganies and rubber trees were replaced by dense clusters of mangroves and black willows, their roots twisting and arching through the murky water.
The air grew heavier. The crisp, refreshing scent of fresh, wet soil gave way to the pungent aroma of mud and decaying vegetation, tinged with the faint odor of methane. The vibrant calls of small dinosaurs, echoing through the lush foliage, were gradually overtaken by insects' constant hum and buzz.
In a patch of soft land cutting through the dark swamp, a warrior fully clad in metal followed the movements of the swarm of axe beetles. They chased after an agile player, who hopped between mangrove roots, throwing the occasional throwing star, drawing the aggro of one more creature.
The thick leather gloves, the brown overalls, and the netted hat made Amari look like a zookeeper, even though his agile movements and throwing stars marked him as a ninja. The swarm had grown to 14 strong, Amari’s current limit, and he shifted directions, signaling Horace he was coming.
Horace braced himself. As soon as Amari reached him, he threw a smoke bomb on the ground, making himself invisible to the insects. Horace used the opportunity to draw their aggro.
Warrior’s Taunt!
His iron hammer and shield shone brilliantly as he hit them together. The sound enraged the axe beetles, which converged on the tank. Horace tried to side-step the attacks or fend them off with a shield. Horace activated one of his most recent skills when all the insects surrounded him.
Copper Skin!
As the hammer-like snouts of the beetles hit Horace, there was a metallic scraping noise. Horace’s skin had become a dull copper, negating 90% of physical damage for 10 seconds.
Marie used this opportunity to approach and threw three projectiles toward the swarm. Acrid, yellowish-green smoke erupted, covering the insects. Now, if they suffered damage that would deal them more than 50% full hp damage, the poison would kick in and make them lose an additional 20% health.
“All good,” Marie said, giving Horace a thumbs-up.
Amari reappeared and brandished his two iron claws. He swung them quickly. Thanks to the [Junior Bugkeeper] set effect and Marie’s poison, each strike one-shot a beetle. Before Horace’s defensive skill ever wore off, all the bugs fell motionless, and light enveloped all three players.
"Sweet. Level 19. This really is the best hunting ground," Horace praised, his health regeneration already working to repair the damage he suffered earlier.
"True," Marie said as she helped pick the loot. "It’s not bad money either. Axe beetle glands sell well."
"How are you feeling about your ninja skills?" Horace asked Amari.
"I'm getting the hang of it. I was already used to wielding a short sword when enemies got too close for me to use a bow. These claws are very similar. I just need more practice. Overall, it’s a good change. I feel the class offers more tactical options."
"That's great," Horace said heartily.
There was a splash and a rustle, which caused the three players to raise their heads in alarm.
“A stray bug?” whispered Marie.
“No. Something larger,” Amari suggested.
The group carefully scanned their surroundings with their backs turned toward each other. There was another splash and a scraping sound, but they still couldn’t see where it came from.
“Maybe it’s a PKer,” Horace theorized as he clasped his hands around his war hammer.
“Did IronIre find us again?” Marie asked.
After a few more tense moments, Horace caught some movement from the corner of his eyes.
“Over there!” Horace pointed to their 5 o’clock. From behind a mangrove tree, a weird creature emerged. It was barely visible, given how it blended in the background. Horace frowned, trying to identify what sick swamp monster this was. It looked like a walking bush, its skin covered in droopy, green moss. It walked on two feet.
Horace blinked a few times. “Wait a minute. Isn’t that a player?”
A hand popped from the side of the bush, making Horace step back. For a moment, Horace feared the player was going to draw a weapon. However, the hand just waved at them. “Hey, guys!”
The voice sounded familiar. Horace felt Amari’s hand slap his back as he burst out laughing. "It's not a monster, silly. It's just Jack!"
*
Jack’s trip from the gate to this map had been breezy. He loved the moss suit. More than once, he’d gotten withing a few steps away from a dinosaur, and even though they were looking straight at him, they couldn’t see him. It was as if these clothes made him invisible. Had he known this item allowed to travel so safely, he would have crafted it long ago.
It wasn’t just creatures either. Players had more than once seemed unaware of his presence. Jack began challenging himself to come closer and closer to players as the trip proceeded, and many had only spotted him when he was five steps away from them. However, as expected of a team of veterans, Amari’s gang had spotted him immediately.
As Jack approached them, he studied their gear. In the short time they hadn’t seen each other, their equipment had experienced a complete makeover.
Amari was clad in the complete Junior Bugkeeper set, which included a sleek, tight-fitting outfit and a netted hat covering his face. The outfit was a patchwork of earthy browns and greens. Strapped to his hands were gleaming blue combat claws, their razor-sharp edges reflecting the light with a cold, menacing glint.
Marie donned a dark green suit. Its fabric was reinforced with the occasional armor plate. Around her waist, she wore a utility belt bristled with small, cylindrical recipients. Two more belts crisscrossed her chest in an X pattern, festooned with bottles, vials, and containers of various shapes and sizes. They held a rainbow of liquids: bright crimson, toxic yellow, sickly green, and shimmering silver.
Horace was a walking fortress. His body was encased in heavy metal armor that clanged with each step. His massive shield was adorned with battle scars that told tales of countless clashes. In his other hand, he wielded a menacing war hammer, its head a brutal combination of a sharp spike and a blunt head.
"Hey guys," Jack greeted, his hands barely visible through the moss suit.
"Hi Jack. I see you're wearing the moss suit," Amari said.
Jack nodded happily. "I know its attributes suck, but no one bothered me on the way here."
"Yeah, the bonus to stealth will help you navigate most maps under level 25 with no problem. It's a good piece of equipment," Amari admitted.
"Right. So how have you guys been? You seem to have progressed quite a bit since we last met."
"Oh yeah, we're almost level 20," Horace bragged.
“Already?!” Jack choked.
"So you need help capturing the queen, is it?" Marie interjected.
"Yes, I do. Thank you for helping me with it, guys."
"Don't worry, we owe you one. By the way, since you're here, can't you start a fire or something? I'm almost out of stamina,” said Amari.
"Sure. Just add me to the party first," Jack requested.
AmariNinja has invited you to his party. Would you like to accept?
As soon as Jack accepted the invitation, his companions' health and stamina bars appeared in the corner of his vision. Their health was almost full. Therefore, instead of starting a fire, Jack reached for his ocarina and played the Sitting Wind.
Somehow, the swamp suited the soft melody. The distant croak of amphibians and buzz of insects acted as percussion, complementing the ocarina. The still water of the surrounding swamp helped carry the sound, spreading it through the wetlands. The melody sweetened the swamps while the swamps darkened the tune.
When Jack finished playing, the stamina bars of his friends had recovered significantly. Just as he was about to play the tune again, Amari’s hands landed on his shoulders.
“Jack… you…”
This was Jack's first time seeing Amari speechless. Glancing over at Horace and Marie, he found they were shocked, too. Marie’s jaw almost touched the ground, and Horace lifted the visor in his helmet, revealing a pale face and widened eyes.
"You're a bard." Amari finally managed.
"Yeah."
“You lucky duck,” Amari said, shaking his head.
Jack couldn’t help but feel a little proud of prying this reaction off this group of seasoned veterans. The dots connected in Jack’s mind: the comment section in videos featuring bards, the players wanting to talk to him at the gate, and how amazed Amari and the others looked… this told Jack that the bard profession was even more valuable than he had assumed.
"But I thought you were a potter and a bushcrafter. Did you delete one of them to make room for the bard profession?" Horace asked.
Jack scratched his head. "Well, about that, I kind of had an accident," Jack said, unable to think of a better word to describe it.
"What kind of accident?" Amari pressed.
"I kind of unlocked a hidden class," Jack said.
The three players exchanged unbelieving glances.
“But [Bard] is a profession. Not a class,” Marie countered.
“He misspoke, Marie. He meant ‘hidden profession.’ Right, Jack?”
“Uh… no. I meant what I said. I have a hidden class.”
The group’s shock and disbelief shifted to a hungry curiosity.
"What kind of hidden class?" Amari asked, eyes burning.
"Off the record?"
"Of course, of course. I won't add it to the channel," Amari promised.
Jack put his hands on his waist, puffed up his chest, and assumed a heroic pose. "I'm a handyman!”
Horace blinked a few times. “That doesn't sound very fearsome.”
"What does a handyman do?" Amari pressed.
"Here, see for yourself," Jack replied, sharing the general details of the class in the party chat.
The veterans became lost in thought. They looked like traffic lights, their expression alternating between excitement, confusion, and befuddlement.
Jack had thought long and hard about whether he should share the details of his hidden class with Amari and the others. After much thought, Jack decided to take the risk.
Firstly, the information was worthless even if he explained how he had triggered the rare quest that had won him this class. Rob had explained to him that rare quests were unique. If there were other hidden quest lines that led to the handyman class, they would differ from what Jack had experienced.
Secondly, he liked these three. He had genuinely enjoyed raiding the compy ruins with Amari and doing the bug-capturing quest with all three. The feeling seemed mutual, given how promptly they had agreed to help him capture a bee queen. This gesture of goodwill might cement their relationship.
Finally, they were all experienced players. Rob was too, but he was more of a casual gamer. There were pros who could provide Jack with valuable insight into making the most of his class.
“So? What do you think?” Jack prompted.
“Its limitations are no joke,” Horace said.
“So you retained your two first professions and became a Bard on top of that. I guess that ocarina is made of clay, and you crafted it. Yes?” Amari reasoned.
“That's right.”
“And you want to become a beekeeper. I see.”
Jack could almost see the gears turning in Amari’s mind. “So. What do you think of this hidden class, Amari? Does it have a future?”
Amari remained silent for a few moments, maturing his opinion. He looked at Jack in the eye, ready to voice it. Amari was the most knowledgeable player Jack knew personally in the game. His opinion mattered a lot. Jack gulped, heart racing. What would the streamer say?
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Harley Dalton Jr.
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