Ash and Dust

Chapter 3 - Village Troubles

It was a beautiful day. Birds were singing, animals were prancing, and the Grimm were nowhere to be seen. It was a perfect day by Remnant's standards. A mother bird fed her chicks as the father bird landed beside her. They nuzzled each other for a moment before feeding the rest of the worms to the chicks. The father bird tilted his head a bit as he heard a soft popping noise. At first, it didn't bother him, but then it kept repeating and getting louder.

Bang, bang, bang.

Then, nothing. For a few moments, nothing happened. Was it just a few trees falling down? Could it have been from a Ursa Major that had gone a little crazy on the tree scratching? Seeing as nothing new was happening, he went back to look at his family, only to be knocked away with his wife as a red blur and a black blur zoomed past them, breaking the tree branch as they went by.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"No, no, no, NO-AHHH!"

"Rahhh!?"

As the two blurs crashed into the ground, dirt and dust were sent flying up, and a loud thud was heard. As the dust started to settle, the two figures became clear: a boy with rusty blond hair and a red jacket, and a Beowolf that was trying to rip out the boy's throat with its maw as the boy used his arm to keep the Grimm back, pushing against its neck, his other arm holding the bird nest.

"VAL! VAL! SHOOT IT! SHOOT THE DAMN GRIMM NOW!" Ash yelled as the Grimm continued to snap and drool, and the baby bird began crying.

Boom!

A mighty shot rang out, blasting through a row of trees and straight through the Beowolf's chest, leaving behind a hole the size of a basketball.

20 XP

20 Lien

"Sorry! My bad, Ash. It wasn't a good idea to use gravity dust so close to you. The more you know." Val said half heartedly.

"When you said you'd be using Dust, I thought you meant dirt and stuff, not magic!"

"Dust isn't magic. Dust and magic are two completely different things."

"Different, my ass. Well, at least you shot us in the right direction this time," Ash said as he pushed the disintegrated Grimm off of him.

"Yeah, love you too," Val replied with a sarcastic tone, shaking his head at Ash's remark.

Ash carefully cradled the bird nest in his arms, looking around for any sign of its owners. After finding nothing, he turned to Val.

"So, is the village going to have one of those airships or what?" Ash asked, as began to climb a nearby tree to keep the nest off the ground.

Val nodded. "You're kind of on the right track, kid. We need to get to a big city where they have airships. Unfortunately, we're not near any, so we'll have to catch a ride on a bullhead, and that's going to cost money," Val explained, scanning the area through one of the holes in the trees caused by his shot.

Ash, making sure the nest was safely secured on a branch, continued. "How much is that going to cost us?"

Val scratched his chin in thought. "At least 100 Lien per person, at the very least."

Ash groaned. "And I guess I'm paying for my own ticket?" he sighed, pulling up his system.

Val let out a chuckle. "You got that right, kid."

Lien: 540

As Ash looked at his Lien count, he realized that he had saved up enough. But it was a substantial chunk of his savings. He knew they needed to get to the city, but parting with the Lien was still a hard pill to swallow. Nevertheless, he had come too far to let a price tag stand in his way. With a determined nod, he swiped the system away. They were going to make it to the city, with or without the Lien – it was just a matter of when.

As Ash landed on the ground, he struck a pose mimicking Spider-Man, shooting a smug look into the air. However, his expression of satisfaction was interrupted as he noticed Val was already wandering ahead. Rolling his eyes in response, Ash quickened his pace to catch up with him.

The walk was serene, with the village within view, and no sign of any lurking Grimm as the light of dawn began to emerge. Everything seemed peaceful and harmonious.

…

As they continued walking, Ash found himself growing increasingly bored. He knew he wasn't usually the type to seek trouble or embark on adrenaline-fueled escapades, but receiving what could essentially be considered a superpower made him eager to put it to the test, to push its limits.

With no real task at hand, Ash decided to engage in a conversation while he walked. "So… How did you get mixed up with HATS?" he asked Val.

"Hey, do you think if I threw you, it would be faster than running?" Val suddenly interjected, a spark of mischief in his eyes.

Ash stumbled as he struggled to process Val's unexpected remark. "I-what?" he managed to stammer, visibly taken aback.

Val tilted his head slightly. "You know, like a baseball. I bet I could chuck you straight over the wall or fence. You'd think a village this size would have walls by now," he mused.

Ash stared at Val, baffled by the prospect of being hurled towards a wall like an Angry Bird. "Uh, wait, why would a village need a wall?" he inquired.

"Grimm," Val responded flatly.

"Really? I mean, Grimm are annoying, but I can handle them. Why go through all the effort of building a wall when the cops could deal with any Grimm that stumbles its way in?" Ash questioned skeptically.

"Ha! Kid, you haven't seen anything yet. Usually, you'd see about a dozen Beowolves around here, at the very least," Val remarked, his smile suggesting thoughts of Ash defending a village from Grimm, perhaps envisioning him handling three Beowolf adults but not a real pack.

"Young Beowolves?" Ash winced.

"Adult. Sometimes even Alphas," Val clarified.

"What's the difference between an adult and an alpha?" Ash inquired, curious.

Val glanced back at Ash, noticing his sincerity and causing him to slow down a bit. "Huh? You don't know? I guess you must have hit your head harder than I thought. What do you know about the Grimm?"

"They're black," Ash shrugged.

Val raised an eyebrow and waited.

"And white!" he added defensively.

"And?" Val urged him to continue.

Ash furrowed his brows for a moment. "They're assholes?" he suggested.

Val gave a perplexing nod and shake of his head. "Well, yes, but actually no. People used to believe that Grimm were animals possessed by evil spirits or even the tortured spirits of animals themselves. They come in all shapes and sizes, from wolves, birds, fish, and even mythical creatures. that are attracted to negative emotions and have no end to their numbers. They are made from a devious energy, which I assume to be from one of the gods or perhaps one of the artifacts. But in all stories told, the same sentiment is shared: the Grimm are set on humanity's downfall."

Ash wore a vacant expression as his mind tried to process Val's extensive lore dump. "So… Grimm are an endless horde of magic monsters that may have been made by a god?... Okay," he mumbled, struggling to wrap his head around the concept.

Val stopped and looked Ash straight in the eye. "Did you really understand anything I just said?"

Ash's vacuity deepened as he replied, "Yes," with a vague expression.

Val rolled his eyes at Ash before shaking his head.

"Wait, why do you think they are made by a god or artifacts? Also, what is an artifact?" Ash continued as he walked by Val, changing the subject.

Val spun on his heel and followed Ash, scratching his chin in a thoughtful manner.

"Well, the system classified whatever the Grimm is made out of as a Divine creation also. Artifacts are unique Divine items made by the twin brothers, the god of destruction and the God of creation; two for each brother and his respective values, Creation and Knowledge for the light, Destruction and Choice for dark. They are the most powerful items you can get on this planet."

Ash tilted his head in confusion as he thought on what gods Val was talking about, but nothing came to mind.

"Huh, I don't remember any gods like that," Ash muttered.

Ash glanced up in thought into the clear blue sky. Ever since he's woken up, everything has been kind of jumbled. He felt like he should know what a Grimm is, yet he couldn't, and even almost 24 hours after waking up, he still couldn't remember anything clearly about himself. He could vaguely remember his mother's hair color, but not her name. It was like all his memories were blurred. He didn't even know what his own name was until HATS told him, if that even was Ash's real name.

Shaking his head to clear his mind, Ash looked over to the village that was coming closer with each second. It was oddly odd. Ash had two pictures in mind for what a village should look like: one with walls and guards, another with a couple of houses and a few roads, old houses a few decades old. But this village looked ancient, with straw roofs and log walls and a dirt road connecting all the homes together.

"Huh, seems a bit..."

"Off, yeah I've noticed that."

"Oh, thank goodness. I thought I was going crazy for a sec, though I still can't put my finger on what exactly is wrong with it."

"Underprepared."

"What?"

Ash turned around and saw Val scowling at the village with annoyance and a hint of disgust.

"The village is underprepared, that's what's wrong with it. No walls, no guard patrols, and it's in an open clearing, leaving it open to Grimm of all kinds. I'm surprised that it even exists at all with this level of incompetence," Val spat out through gritted teeth.

"Geez, are the Grimm really that bad?" Ash thought to himself.

Val's face went back to calm within a second as they entered the village. They were greeted by an old man on a porch of an old house just by the entrance of the village. He wore a straw hat, overalls, and a worn blue shirt that had seen better days. His medium white beard covered his rough and wrinkled face, worn from time in the sun.

"Howdy doody, strangers! It ain't often we get visitors, let alone ones that come on foot. You know what? I don't think we ever had anyone come on foot before," the old man said as he slowly stopped waving and began to scratch his ear with a thoughtful expression.

"Yup, just dropping by to catch a bullhead," Val said dismissively as Ash gave a lazy two-finger wave in response to the old man.

"Bullhead, you say? Well, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you just missed it," the old man said, pointing towards the center of town just in time for Ash and Val to see the bullhead rise above the buildings and off towards the horizon.

Val's jaw lay wide open as Ash just stared with a tired expression.

"Son of a Boarbatusk!" Val growled out with a snarl.

"Yeah, what?" Ash said, giving Val a once-over with a raised eyebrow.

Val calmed himself down with a few deep breaths before putting his hands into his long coat pockets with a small smirk on his face.

"Well, it shouldn't take that long, maybe a few hours or by tomorrow morning we'll be able to get on, no big deal," Val said coolly.

The old man awkwardly glanced around a few times before clearing his throat with a cough into his hand.

"Ahem, well, unless the village is under attack, it could take several days," the old man said, saying the last part quickly.

Val froze in place, his eyebrows twitching as his smirk threatened to shatter, and the corner of his mouth twitched down a few times.

"What? No! Bullheads have a set schedule so they can visit all their stops in a timely manner. No way it would take that long," Val replied, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Well, that's if a town is big enough or is considered a worthwhile investment by the kingdom's board of business and finance. Ever since those politicians disbanded the military after the Great War, everyone's been dependent on them."

The old man rambled off into muttered complaints, staring at the ground with a soured look. For the first time, Val seemed to be in agreement with the old timer. Ash looked between the two, expecting them to explain why a kingdom would get rid of their military after a war, especially with the Grimm running about.

"Wait, why would they get rid of the military?" Ash questioned to himself mostly.

The old man's frown deepened as he took his straw hat off and gripped it like a stress ball.

"Political bullshit, that's why. I'm not exactly sure why, but all I know is that it left a lot of people jobless, a lot of experienced and dangerous people jobless, leaving them open prey for the corporations, bandits, or worse. Now, every corporation from here to the Sea's end has a damn army backing them."

The old man looked up at Ash and realized that he was having a borderline episode at a kid. He rubbed the bridge of his nose before looking up.

"Sorry about that. It's not good for me to ramble on, let alone to a stranger. But if you're looking to get on a bullhead, I would suggest booking a ticket for you both now. If you'll excuse me, I'm feeling mighty tired after all that fuming. Good day, all, and have a good one."

With that, the old man got up and slowly made his way back into his house, softly shutting the door with a click.

Val drummed his fingers on his arm a few times before he began to move towards the village center.

"Come on, Ash... We gotta book a flight."

Ash looked between Val and the old man's house with a raised eyebrow before he decided to follow Val.

People stared and whispered as Ash and Val passed by, causing Ash to avert his eyes, trying to block out the feeling of people watching him.

"You can get your head out of the clouds now, kid. We're here," Val said as he patted Ash on the back.

"Huh, already? It's only been like five minutes!?" Ash exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah, it's a village, not a city," Val replied as he walked into the building next to the landing pad with a sign that read 'Coberts Lift Off,' with an image of a bullhead carrying a family with a dog. "You can stay out here if you want, kid?"

"Bet," Ash replied with a nod, leaning against the wall and crossing his legs.

Val coughed into his hand and held out the other with a raised eyebrow.

Ash looked up at him and then to his hand with a raised eyebrow of his own. "What?"

"The Lien for your ticket, kid?"

"Oh, yeah, that." Thinking of a 100 Lien, Ash reached into his pocket and pulled out a few blue and pink plastic cards with a Ⱡ symbol on it, dropping it onto Val's waiting hand. "Try not to spend it all at once, old man."

Val let out a short laugh and nodded. "Kid, I'm a responsible spender."

Val made his way into the building as Ash reached into his pocket for his phone.

BEEP! BEEP!

Ash jumped as the loud noise filled his ears, causing him to trip over as his legs were still crossed, hitting the ground with a thud.

Item not found.

"You really couldn't say that without giving me a heart attack?" Ash muttered as he uncrossed his legs.

"Do you need a hand?" a male voice, a bit older than himself, offered.

Ash accepted the offer, slowly rising to his feet. He took a moment to brush off his red jacket, allowing his embarrassed blush to fade. Clearing his throat, he looked up at the guy who had witnessed his little accident.

The stranger had short blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. He donned a black hoodie and blue jeans, with a shield resting on his back. Ash initially wanted to inquire about the shield, but realizing that it would be hypothetical given the presence of dual pistols on his own person, he decided to opt for introductions instead.

"Thanks for the hand, man. I, uh, kinda spaced out. Yeah, spaced out. My name's Ash," he said, offering his hand with a small smile.

The stranger, whom Ash now knew as Jaune, clutched his hand awkwardly. "Uh, yeah, no problem. We all have those moments. Name's Jaune."

After an uncomfortable silence, they released their handshake and stood there, stuck in an awkward pause.

...

...

Still waiting for Val and feeling the weight of the silence, Ash took it upon himself to break it this time.

"So... ever done any Grimm hunting?" Ash asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

Jaune's eyes widened, his head snapping towards Ash. "Huh?"

Ash, leaning back and rubbing his chin, realized he might have been too forward. "Oh, right. Maybe that's not the best icebreaker. I meant, what brings you to... Cobert's Lift Off?" he asked, pointing up at the sign before returning his gaze to Jaune.

"Well, I'm catching a bullhead to Beacon Academy. You're looking at a guy who actually got in," Jaune declared proudly.

"What's Beacon Academy?"

"Wait, you really never heard of it? It's like... the top-notch school for future huntsmen and huntresses. Only the absolute cream of the crop get accepted."

"Oh, cool. So now that you're one of the top dogs, how many Grimm have you taken down?" Ash asked, getting back to the important stuff.

"Um, lost count, to be honest. How about you?" Jaune replied, avoiding eye contact.

Ash's mind raced as he did some mental calculations, eventually settling on a number. Jaune, on the other hand, watched as Ash counted on his fingers before finally arriving at an answer.

"I don't know, maybe like 8 or something? But since you're at Beacon, you must've faced all sorts of Grimm. Tell me, what have you come across? All I've seen are Beowolves and Creeps," Ash inquired, excitement sparkling in his eyes as he envisioned the multitude of Grimm he could battle in the future.

"Well, I've taken down quite a few Grimm. Just this morning, I've handled a pack of Beowolves and an Ursa Major. But to get into Beacon, you gotta pass their test," Jaune explained, a faint sheen of sweat forming on his forehead.

Ash's eyes lit up, hanging onto Jaune's every word. "Wow, what's an Ursa Major like?"

"It's like the alpha bear version of a Grimm. The only one around here that's stronger would be a Deathstalker," Jaune explained, growing more at ease as the conversation continued.

"Whoa, the toughest thing I've faced so far was a couple of Beowolves. But I'm aiming to become a Huntsman too. You got any advice for a newbie like me?" Ash asked eagerly, leaning in.

Jaune froze, his expression turning more serious as he gestured towards Ash. "Fight hard, rest well, and train even harder. At least, that's what my old man always told me," he muttered under his breath.

Ash stood there, narrowing his eyes, causing Jaune to break out in a nervous sweat, feeling Ash's gaze piercing through him. Meanwhile, something clicked in Ash's mind: haven't I heard that before?

"Bloody scam artist! I should have been fighting you lot instead of the Grimm, you motherless bastards!"

Both Ash and Jaune jumped as they heard Val's angry voice, storming out of the building with an irritated expression. Ash raised an eyebrow.

"So, what went down?"

"This wannabes of an air service said we had to wait several days before the next pick-up," Val replied, shoving the tickets into his coat pocket.

"A whole week!? What the hell am I supposed to do for a week!?" Ash exclaimed, frustration evident in his tone.

"Kid, you've got Lien, a gun, and a knife. Figure something out," Val replied before leaping onto a nearby rooftop and disappearing into the distance.

Ash stared after Val, an unamused expression on his face, while Jaune stood there wide-eyed.

"What, a week!? But I thought it was supposed to be here today?!" Jaune exclaimed in shock, his voice filled with disbelief and frustration. As he turned his gaze towards Ash, his expression pleading for answers, he sensed a hint of pity in the other's eyes.

"Yeah, you just missed it like the rest of us," Ash responded nonchalantly, his shoulders lifting in a casual shrug. There was a sense of resignation in his voice, as if he had already accepted their shared disappointment.

"Uhh, just my luck," Jaune muttered, his voice tinged with exasperation. He slumped down, defeated by the unfortunate turn of events. It seemed like fate had once again conspired against him.

New Missions!

- Quest Name: "Village Defense"

- Quest Description: The village is vulnerable. Go around and offer your help.

Rewards:

Weapon upgrade token

Skill point

50 Lien

- Quest Name: "Friendly Offer"

- Quest Description: Jaune claims to be a skilled Huntsman-in-training. Ask him to share some pointers with you.

- Hunt Grimm with Jaune, learning from his experience and techniques.

- Spar with Jaune, honing your combat skills under his guidance.

Rewards:

1 Skill point

30 XP

"Oh great, more socializing," Ash muttered to himself with a roll of his amber eyes. Glancing over to Jaune, he saw that he looked about as lost as him on what to do. But seeing as he had been in the town longer than Ash, he must know his way around a bit. And since it's a quest, he might as well ask.

"So, do you have anything planned for today?" Ash asked, leaning against the wall in a casual manner.

Jaune shook his head as he rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "Nope, after this whole thing, my day is as clear as it could have gotten. Why?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

Ash clapped his hands together and looked over to Jaune with a business-like smile. "Well, you see, I'm kind of new to this town and don't know the place that well. So I'm wondering if you could-"

"Listen, man, I don't have any extra Lien," Jaune interrupted, raising his hand.

Ash's jaw dropped as he stood there in disbelief. His eyes showed offense, yet he still had his business-like smile and casual posture, giving him an almost abstract vibe. Ash shook off his shock and stared daggers at Jaune before shouting, "What do you take me for, a bum? I just need a guide to show me around town."

Jaune mimicked a fish as he gasped in surprise before nodding his head. "Oh? Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can do that, no problem, man."

Ash raised an eyebrow at Jaune's sudden change in demeanor but shrugged it off. "Great, thanks. I just need to get a lay of the land," he replied, brushing off the awkward exchange.

The two of them set off into town, with Jaune pointing out various points of interest and introducing Ash to some of the locals. As they walked, Ash couldn't help but notice how different Jaune's behavior was compared to when they had first met. He seemed more relaxed, more confident. It was as if their conversation had somehow lifted a weight off of his shoulders.

As they continued their tour, Ash noticed a yellow waypoint on his minimap, causing him to walk over towards its detection.

"So, uh, what's this way?" Ash asked.

Jaune squinted his eyes before he suddenly snapped his fingers in realization as he saw the big building made of white stone with a more Roman style to it.

"Ah, that's the town hall. It's where everything's supposed to get done, but, you know, it's not really that effective," Jaune explained with a chuckle.

Ash's eyes widened as he shook his head in annoyance.

"Ah, it's one of those mayors?"

"Yup, you got it," Jaune replied.

As they continued on the path, Ash took the time to remember the surroundings so he could backtrack later for his quest. He was suddenly snapped back to reality when Jaune stopped and waved around at a small stone house with a forge.

"This is the blacksmith. I haven't talked to him yet, but I've heard great things about his work. He can fix a shattered sword at a cheap price, even though he's the only blacksmith around. He could definitely charge more if he wanted to," Jaune mused.

Ash followed behind him, but just before they left, he saw a big man with a welding mask and gloves walk out of the house and over to the forge with a huge chunk of metal about the size of a fridge, holding it with one arm, causing Ash and even Jaune to look on wide-eyed as they walked off.

For the next few minutes, Jaune showed Ash the local shops and homes, mostly homes. So many homes. But soon enough, they ended up at the final waypoint: the police station. Jaune put his hands up in a dramatic display as he showed off the last spot on his tour.

"That's the police station. If you see a crime, bandits, or Grimm, this is where you go. But they're pretty busy with the Grimm right now, so try not to bother them unless it's an emergency," Jaune explained.

As Ash listened to Jaune's explanation, he couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility. The town and its people were struggling, and he couldn't just stand by and do nothing. He nodded at Jaune and made his way to the police station, determined to offer his help in any way he could.

Stepping inside, Ash noticed the bustling activity of officers and guards rushing in and out, discussing strategies and reports. He approached the front desk, where a stern-looking officer was fielding calls and managing paperwork.

"Excuse me, sir," Ash spoke up, trying to get the officer's attention.

The officer glanced at him with a quick look up and down. "What do you need, kid? We're busy here," he replied gruffly.

"Wow, I can see that. It must be a slow day in law enforcement," Ash quipped with a touch of sarcasm.

The officer raised an eyebrow at Ash's remark, clearly unimpressed.

Ignoring the officer's reaction, Ash continued, "I wanted to offer my assistance. I'm a trained fighter, and I've dealt with Grimm before."

The officer sighed, not appreciating Ash's attempt at humor. "Listen, kid, we appreciate the offer, but it's a dangerous situation, and we can't afford to take any risks. Maybe when you're older," he replied, trying to convey the urgency of the situation.

Feeling uncomfortable and out of place, Ash bit back a sarcastic comment and pretended to leave the station, but instead, he loitered near the entrance, hoping to overhear any crucial information that might help him contribute. As he stood there, he overheard a conversation between two officers discussing their struggle to find sturdy weapons and armor to hold off the bandits and Grimm.

"I'm telling you, this is getting out of hand. We don't have the right weapons or armor to deal with these attacks. If the bandit raids keep up, the town's defenses are going to crumble."

"I know, but we've searched everywhere for reinforcements. The town's blacksmith can only do so much, and we can't afford to bring in outside help. We're stuck with what we've got."

"Something's gotta give. We can't keep going on like this. What are we supposed to do, fight bandits and Grimm with rusty swords and dented shields?"

"I don't know. We need better gear, better defenses. But unless a miracle happens, we're on our own."

The two officers sighed in frustration, their concern evident in their voices. Ash listened intently, realizing the severity of the situation. As the conversation concluded, Ash made it his mission to find a way to assist the guards in their time of need.

With newfound determination, Ash darted back to the blacksmith's shop, hoping to persuade the blacksmith to provide the guards with upgraded weapons and armor, knowing that it would be crucial in bolstering the town's defenses against the impending threats.

Missions:

- Visit the Guard office, offering assistance in reinforcing their ranks.

New

- Speak to the blacksmith to see if he can provide upgraded weapons and armor to help the guards.

Ash wasted no time and quickly set off to accomplish his new goals. He hurried back to the blacksmith's shop, eager to see if a deal could be forged to improve the defense of the town.

As Ash darted back towards the blacksmith's shop, Jaune stood there, a look of confusion on his face. He couldn't quite comprehend why Ash was suddenly sprinting back the way they came. Something must have caught his attention, and Jaune's curiosity got the better of him.

"Uh, hey Ash! What's up?" Jaune called out as he jogged after the fellow. He couldn't let Ash run off without knowing what was so urgent. Whatever it was, it seemed important to Ash, and Jaune trusted his instincts to follow and find out more.

As Ash arrived at the blacksmith's shop, the heat from the forge hit him like a blast, making the air seem thick and heavy. The clang of metal on metal filled the air, along with the sound of hissing steam. The shop itself was dimly lit, with the flickering light of the forge casting eerie shadows on the soot-covered walls.

Amidst the cacophony of the forge, a huge, burly man in a welding mask and gloves moved around, his massive figure cut a striking silhouette against the glow of the fire. He was working diligently, manipulating scrap metal and what appeared to be cheap items, forging them into something usable. With each swing of his hammer, the metal seemed to yield to his strength, taking shape under his expert hand.

Clearing his throat, Ash called out, "Hey, big guy, mind taking a break from your artistic endeavors for a second? I've got something important to discuss."

As Ash attempted to make a deal with the blacksmith, he was met with indifference. The blacksmith continued working tirelessly, seemingly ignoring Ash's presence. But Ash remained steadfast.

"Listen, man. The village is in trouble. The Grimm roam unchallenged, and bandits control the roads. People are scared, and you're the only one who can help change that. If only you would help me out here. The police need better equipment, and I could help you get whatever it is you need," Ash offered, with a hint of sarcasm, waiting for a response. But nothing came, and Ash began to sweat, and it wasn't from the heat.

Jaune sprinted in, catching his breath just in time to hear Ash's little speech that seemed to leave the giant man unaffected.

As Ash found himself getting nowhere with his attempts to strike a deal, he started to look increasingly panicked. He fumbled with his words as he tried to negotiate, resorting to his usual sarcasm when feeling uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Jaune, observing Ash's struggle and feeling a deep need to help the village as his father had, stepped in to assist.

"Hey, buddy, you got wax in your ear or something? We don't have all day," Ash quipped sarcastically, his frustration leaking through his words as he glanced over at Jaune for support.

"Uh, we've got all day, but the village might not make it if we don't get those weapons soon," Jaune interjected, his tone earnest and filled with determination. "Please, think about what's at stake here. The people are relying on us, relying on you."

The blacksmith paused mid-swing, looking at Jaune with a mix of surprise and contemplation. His gaze shifted from Ash to Jaune, and a flicker of contemplation crossed his features. "I... I can't," he muttered, his gruff voice betraying a hint of shame.

Ash and Jaune did a double take at the blacksmith words, their faces full of shock.

Author's Note:

Name: Ash

Level: 1

Class: Unknown

Lien: 440

Skill point: 4

XP: 40/500

Health: 125/120 (5)

Mana: 0/80

Aura: 0/10

Health potions 1/5

Sorry for the delay. I was stuck on how Ash and Jaune should interact, keeping them in character for pre-Volume 1, but I got it out regardless. I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter and have a good day.