DRAGON: First Link

22.0: Stranger

Inayos ko na agad ang mga gagamitin kong equipments pagkagising pa lang. With the exception of Cr1ng, Pr3sh, Sky and R1n, yung buong guild namin ay tulog. Can't blame them. Last night the basterds went on a hunt and actually brought good supplies to the HQ: materials, cores, ingredients, and a ghaddarn dracoling pet, courtesy of Her Majesty, Gwynneth. So all in all, they deserve the rest.

"Guys, ready?" I asked. Yung mga gising na kanina pa naghahanda ay tumango. "Then let's go.
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"Aughh." I grabbed my head. Shoot. That Tunkard Troll really did a number on us. Who would've thought that there would be a beer-emitting monster in DRAGON? We met one last night, and it was one-hell of a mini-boss. It gave off good EXPs and mats, along with an explosion of Drunk aura when we finally defeated it. Of course, all of us got drenched, and, thanks to Gwynneth's new pet, we all managed to return to base in one piece.

I stood and went towards the kitchen. Habang inaantay ko na mainit ang kape, a note on the fridge caught my attention.

We didn't want to disturb you guys. You just chill for today. Congrats on the good catch yesterday. As for the rest of us, we'll be looking for more members.

Tapos may nakalagay pang box pin sa dulo. Hmm, that boxhead.

Speaking of new members-where in the hell would they find new members? You can't just pick up strangers in the road. And most guilds place a notice in Recal's community board to hoard in members. Not that we are some normal guild.

"Yo, Loaf," Ryd broke my train of thoughts as he joined me in the kitchen while nursing his head. "We need to find another Tunkard again and make it a slave. Ang mahal ng beer sa Recal, if you wanna ask me."

"Try telling me that again when you don't get drunk easily, will you?" I grinned and gave him a cup of coffee. "And besides, you clung too much on the dragon lady last night. Holy gods, man, you were so wasted."

"S-shut up!!" Ryd hissed as he shakily drank the scalding liquid. "Shoot. I do wish Gwynne didn't remember anything. Thinking 'bout that's gonna ruin me for eternity."

"You sure?" a new voice asked him.

"Yep." A few seconds later he was turning around to see Gwynne rubbing her eyes. "Well, g-good morning, Gwynne."

"Shut it." She snapped and sat down on one of the chairs. "I don't remember anything, yes, so would you like to fill me of what happened last night?"

Ryd gulped.

"And don't bother lying. I can just talk to Hatch and confirm what you're saying."

In response siguro sa kanyang pangalan, Hatch the Dracoling flew towards its master and gave off a bleat. The two-foot flying lizard rubbed its nose with its silver-scaled wings and gave off another bleat. A little dragon that sounds like a goat. Now I've seen everything.

"Okay, you two talk." I stood, grabbed the coffee maker, and went for the elevator. I can feel Ryd's gonna be graduating from NGSB University soon.

"Oh wait, Gwynne," limungon ako sa kanya, "Alam mo ba kung saan papunta sila Boxhead? She left earlier this morning."

"Nope." Was the immediate response.

"Okay. Thanks."

I sat on one of the logs surrounding the tent. Eh, from the outside, it really looks like a simple lout's lodge. Who would think that this seemingly common tent houses a guild HQ underneath it?

"Good morning, young man." Someone caught my attention. "Would you mind telling me where to find a Razzurek Larvae?"

Tiningnan ko ang bagong dating. A normal looking guy. A Linker, dahil meron itong triangle sa ulo. Dressed in casual white shirt and breeches, and wears a leather glove on his right hand. Probably a traveler from outside the Lush. And judging from his current get-up, he was probably at mid-levels.

"It is on Lush Forest, 55 miles north from here sir." Judging from the expression from his face, I brought another cup up. "You can rest for a while sir, while I fill you in the details."

"Oh suka?? Arigatou, young man."

"Ariga-what?"

"Japanese." He grinned while accepting the cup I offered. "Sorry 'bout that."

"It's okay." I mused. Next time when I'm offline, I'm gonna ask hime for some Japanese tutorials. "So, that mini-boss you want to find, what're you gonna do with it?"

"It's a mini-boss?" he asked nonchalantly. "It might be a bad idea going alone."

"Haha-trust me, sir, you don't want to die inside a Razzurek burrow." It was when I noticed something. "Where'd you come from by the way?"

"Oh, good question." He said. "You see, I hailed from Monocle Valley. I came upon a recipe that needs Razu flesh. Then history happened, and now I'm here."

"Chef?" as he nodded to my question, I thught of what he told me. Monocle is known for its high level restos and bars, along with both delicious and replenishing dishes. Shoot, I think I have an idea.

"Chef-uh, your name, sir?"

"Joichiro." He held out his hand. I accepted it.

"And my name is Loaf, Leader of Team CloverLeafs, and a sub-leader of the Holocaust Company. Do you mind if I ask you to join my guild?"

"Holocaust?" his raised his brows. "By any chance, your guild doesn't have a team which goes by the name 'Sands', does it?"

"Yep?" Boxhead and her team are popular?

"Oh." A slight smile crept up his face as he downed the last of his coffee. He grabbed his mail device and typed something.

I left him on his work as I pondered over the idea. Well, siguradong mapapatay ako ni Chio pagnalaman niya to, but all she's gotta do is accept Joichiro or kick him.

"Hey, Loaf, young man." I looked at him. There's a mysterious hint in his eyes. "Count me in."