“Jab, defend, riposte, step, sweep, back.” Dave practically pants, trying to follow Silica’s instructions. “ I don’t think a homunculus would let you rest! Jab.” Dave steps forward, much more confident after the half week of training. “I’ve seen kobolds fight better!” Dave jabs much harder than usual, almost knocking himself off balance. “Cease!” He immediately drops the spear, having to sit down as she approaches. She kneels down next to him, struggling to get to a comfortable position. “You’ve massively improved. We just need to work on your jabs, backsteps and not getting wound up. For now, take a break.” She ruffles his hair the best she can with one wing before getting back up. “I seriously doubt a kobold can match you. You fight well, but are unused to a weapon.”

  “That’ll be VR. A pretend fighting arena, I guess.” Dave flexes his hands, looking at some raw spots on his fingertips. “I’ll need some good gloves as well. Holding that spear isn’t pleasant.” He flexes his hands again.

  “Oh you let me get you those!” Silica smiles at him. “Go say hello to your party for me.” Dave nods, watching her walk away with a slight limp. He mentally scolds himself a moment after she disappears from view, his eyes having been firmly on her behind. As he walks through the busy town he watches some harpies struggle with some roof tiles that had come loose, the three wincing as a fourth harpy on the ground practically screams at them, broken tile at her talons. A drunken harpy snoozes on a chair, head on a barrel while another harpy beside her drinks at 9 in the morning. The town centre’s buzz is just starting up, Bugsil hauling a barrel while two harpies drag a single one. One trips and falls, just to get laughter from her companion instead of help.

  Dave nods to a harpy as he passes, her nodding back as he leaves the centre. Buildings stop as the military camp comes into view. Fleur and Maribelle sit in front of their own tent, having a staredown with a familiar Sage. “He's level one. A fucking,” Fleur pauses for a moment, throwing out a wing, “A fucking feathercaster is something for a party of third level harpies, not a party of second class and a new man! Dave can’t fight well and an [Adventurer] is absolutely not a good choice for a boss monster like that!”

  Sage rolls her eyes, casually plucking an unnecessary crimson feather. She spits it out before dismissing Fleur’s concern. “Breeze has considered this, and offers that I join your party. As an [Osprey Incarnate], you have your healer and powerful magical warrior.” She sarcastically bows, before turning on her heel. “I’ll see you three tomorrow in the morning, we’re going hunting.” Sage turns her nose up at Dave as she passes, before taking flight. Fleur only manages a strained and muffled scream before storming into the tent. Maribelle watches her sister before regarding Dave.

  “I don’t remember her getting so easily angry in the past. Give her time.” Maribelle pats the spot next to her where Fleur previously sat which Dave takes. She slips a helmet of iron on his head, then shifts back to try to admire the hodgepodge of armour on him. “Morion helmets doesn’t suit you, but it's the best I have made so far. I’m still working on iron shoes for you.” She beams at him, before picking up plucking the helmet and spinning it. “It was backwards.” She puts it back on. “Much better.”

  “Thank you.”

  Fleur sits on her bedroll, listening to the conversation outside while she stews in anger. The entire situation boils her blood. She was far too used to being one of the strongest in the room, but now she knew she didn’t stand much of a chance against the Old World Harpies. She carefully plucks the dead blessing from her belt, looking at the faded black crystal. Her talons dislodge dust from the treasured gem. She opens her mouth to mumble to herself but is interrupted by Dave entering. She places the gem back and leans back.

  “What's the plan?” Dave’s question catches her off guard. She’d expected him asking if she was alright, or offering empty platitudes. She adjusts her position. “Alteresa opens in like a week.”

  Fleur sits up, mind focused on the task ahead. “We don’t expend ourselves today. Rest and prep for tomorrow. Don’t do anything risky and let the dastard take the heat.” With that she gets up. “We’re getting a damn good meal. I still have bone broth.” Dave’s eyes widened at her words. “What? It’s damn good. Cmon.” She exits the tent, Maribelle standing up at Fleur’s nod.

  Fleur lightly sips wine, idly watching the crowded tavern turn more chaotic as the minutes go by. A group of hired warriors and alcohol can turn even the most relaxing places into the exact opposite. The low tables shake as one harpy drunkenly scrambles up onto pine wood. Her hair is a frayed mess of lime green and silver dyed leather armour tightly hugs her body. The sword on her hip flails wildly as she dances for the equally drunk crowd who cheer her on. Fleur just rolls her eyes and turns her gaze down to the crimson liquid, then brings her talons to her lips again. A loud smack startles her, causing the wine glass to fall to the table, glass smashing. She immediately stands up and is lucky to avoid the wine staining her shorts. A glare in the direction of the sound only confuses her.

  Dave had honestly been having a good time, talking with his new friends, Silica and Bugsil before his vision had been taken away along with sudden pain on his face. He slowly peels off what seemed to be a cuirass of white leather on his face. He stares in confusion before looking dead ahead. A bare chested harpy draws his attention. His attention then goes to the fancy neck armour, a leather gorget attached to the leather armour. Clearly tempered, it clearly would hold firm against attacks.

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  Bugsil starts cackling as Dave undoes the straps between cuirass and gorget, casually putting it into his inventory. “After own heart, would do same! Think she threw her bra somewhere?” Dave puts the cuirass on the table. Fleur is genuinely surprised at how casually he did this, nobody but the two next to him all the wiser. Silica doesn’t seem all that bothered, while Bugsil has both hands over his mouth and mandibles trying not to laugh while discreetly looking around the tavern.

  Maribella and Fleur migrate to Dave’s table when two seats clear up, both girls being drawn to the B cups on display. Fleur tosses the cast aside armour onto the next table, sitting down after. Maribelle nods to the others as she sits. “Smart move.” Fleur simply says to Dave. He slowly nods.

  “Eww, the fun ruiner is here!” One harpy sneers with a few turning to the door, Fleur included.

  “Oh fuck off, it’s Sage.” Fleur hisses, noting the way her eyes scan the crowd, then raising an eye to the topless girl. The sight is enough to confuse Sage for a moment, before she addresses the crowd.

  “Dave and party, intercept the kobolds approaching from the east. Yarrow and Balm, your parties protect the south field and someone get your,” She pauses for the right word, “Inebriated halfbreed to bed. Valerian, get your smith open and prepare for your next order.” She ducks a thrown mug then casts a gaze to a nearby harpy after examining her own clothes.

  “Listen here you little shit.” If the harpy on stage was considered drunk; this one was actively smashed out of her mind, slurring and stumbling over her words, “I don’t give two shits what the kid of Breeze wants us to do. We’re our own harpies and nobody here will li-” Her eyes bulge, suddenly sober as talons wrap around her neck dragging her to the ground. Everyone stares in shock as Sage strangles the drunken harpy, giant wings fully outstretched as she glares down at her. Sage finally loosens her grip as the harpy starts going purple, then casting an uncaring gaze to the tavern. Multiple harpies have stood up, some prepared for combat. Sage sneers at them before simply leaving, turning at the entrance. “Things have clearly gotten out of hand, I’ll be back in twenty and I want to see an empty tavern for the night. Or else.” The door slams behind Sage. The tavern casts a fugitive glance among each other before Dave leaves his seat to check on the injured harpy.

  Fleur was honestly pretty bored with the stupid assignment. Five kobolds against their three. Fleur idly harasses three of the teal scaled women, shooting magical bolts at them, while Dave duels the only spearwoman and Maribelle shakes off the rest of her rust against a sword. The simple fact the five were wearing assorted leather and cloth armour told her they at least knew how to fight.

  Dave is far too hesitant to stab properly at his target, Steel and hardy wood slapping against bronze and bone yet neither gave. Dave tries to copy her stance, hoping it’ll make him a better fighter. His next jab almost smashes her spear, throwing her onto her back. He steps in to finish the job, just for her to rip her pauldron off her shoulder. Dave clenches his teeth as his arms rattle from hitting the metal unexpectedly. By the time he’s shaken off the numb feeling in his fingers she’s gotten back to her feet and her next attempt to jab is halted by Fleur shooting in her direction.

  Fleur turns her attention back to the pesky girls in fear of getting shot with a magical bolt. A single bolt sends the axe wielder scrambling for cover. A second has the sword user try to block, just to get thrown onto her back. The third misses her skull by a few inches. The sword wielder Maribelle was fighting flies over the spear fighters, crashing into the ground and adding a kobold for Fleur to harass with bolts. “Rust gone?”

  Maribelle flies next to Fleur, nodding. “Can you kill or scare away the other sword kobold, I need to train against axes, please?” Fleur nods, just for the sound of a body crashing into the ground to catch everyone’s attention. Dave stands over the punctured soon to be corpse of a stunned kobold, his spear leaking blood as [FATAL] takes over. As she bleeds from her stomach, Dave jabs into her again and ends the kobold’s life. The other kobolds run away, Fleur missing her next shot as one ducks on instinct. “Never mind then.”

  “She was still alive.” Dave mumbles, unsure of himself.

  “[FATAL] Allows for someone to survive the first killing blow, if inflicted by a weapon’s regular attack. Skills can ignore it, but it’s rare and I don’t know why. Makes [Impact] a godsend. No need to double-tap them sometimes.” Fleur lands at last, watching the kobolds go out of sight. “Nice work, you’ve really come into your own.” Maribelle nods her agreement.

  Dave looks into space for a moment before swiping his menu up. The girls watch him click around the tabs before he tilts his head to the side. “Hunt quest: Kill five Kobolds. Killing that one got me an item, unlike the Frill March from earlier.” Fleur almost chokes as a green grid appears in his hand and forms into a leather bra. “It’s called a,” Dave pauses as he has to reread the item, “Kobold Bra. Female only, 1 defence, and gifting to a kobold makes her become a party member until dismissed.” Fleur nods, still surprised.

  “Sounds useful.” Maribelle feels the bra with her wing. “High quality leather as well.”

  “I wonder what other bras the menu has, given only guys can use it.” Fleur snorts, genuinely dumbfounded. “I can’t even equip it.” Fleur has to cover her mouth with her wings at Dave’s words. “Although.” His voice trails off, clearly just trying to make Fleur laugh. He’s quite successful when she looks over to see the bra on his head, him looking directly at her. Maribelle sits down to watch Dave continue to joke around and Fleur howling with laughter on the ground.