More Than A Game (Epic LitRPG adventure)

Chapter 5: Clan Volunteer part 1

Okay, Gerv," the woman clapped. "Let's check with our contacts and see what we can find about Wanderer. Maybe someone knows something. That could be a nice bonus for us—we'll just have to do it quietly."

"Well, obviously," Gerv huffed. "If anyone learns that we found out, they'll make life miserable for us—if they don't just destroy us outright. It's no joke sticking your nose in the Gray Witch's business."

"You're telling me," said the woman. "Phew, what a day..."

She stood up quickly, the bench rocked back, and that knocked the rug with me rolled up in it out from under the bench.

What happened next could have been pulled directly from some old comedy. The rug unraveled, leaving me to thud out onto the floor, and I looked up to see the group of three staring down at me in mute surprise. There was a hefty half-orc in armor and wielding an enormous battle axe. At least, I imagined that's how half-orcs look—light-green skin, big teeth that don't stick out of their mouth like my friend Euiikh's, with a well-built, powerful body knotted up and down with muscles. Next to him was Gerv, a small human with a forgettable face dressed in unassuming clothes with a set of metal knives and a small sword strapped to his back. I guessed he was a scout. I wasn't exactly sure what a scout was. Though, judging by what he was saying, it was apparently something like an intelligence agent...or spy. Finally, there was a tall, staggeringly beautiful elf woman. She had almond-shaped blue eyes, textbook-sharp ears, golden hair, and white clothes—probably a mage. Also, she was probably more a girl than a woman.

She crouched down next to my carcass and, in her melodious voice, asked me with some bewilderment "Who are you?"

I don't know what got into me. The time may have expired for my intoxication, or maybe it was the elf's beauty. It could have been the thought that I was royally screwed, or that real life doesn't happen like in books or movies. Whatever the reason, the gift of speech returned.

"Hagen," I answered.

"Well, that's very informative," the elf observed. "How did you get here, Hagen?"

"I came here with Fat Willie for some beer. He got me drunk, rolled me up in the carpet, and stuck me under the bench," I answered truthfully.

"That's probably Wild Willie," the half-orc said, "the one who left when we got here. It's Wild Willie, though, not Fat Willie."

"Who cares which Willie he is?" the elf sadly exclaimed. "What are we going to do with this one now? He heard everything! You heard everything, right?" She turned to me.

"I heard everything." There was no point in denying the obvious. "Though I didn't understand it all."

"Well, at least he isn't lying," said Gerv. "Still, this is a problem."

"Seriously, Gorotul," the elf turned to him and said, "We have a clan fortress with spell protection, comfortable rooms, and everything else you could want. But no, you had to drag us to this squalid pub. I told you! 'The beer is good.' You're kidding me!"

She crossed her arms over her chest and nervously paced the room.

"But it is!" answered the half-orc. "And we shouldn't use the scrolls so often. We need to save money!"

"Yeah, save money. Look at what we saved," the elf responded and squatted down in front of me. "Do you understand how much you've screwed everything up by being here and hearing all of that?"

"Of course. I could tell right away." I wasn't about to argue.

"What's the point of going over everything with him?" roared Gorotul. "We'll add him to the clan's blacklist and smash him if we ever see him again. He won't even leave the city."

"Gorotul, do you even know why you're still in the clan council?" the elf turned on him.

"Because I'm cool!" The half-orc proudly stuck out his chest.

"Because you're one of the founders. And that's the only reason."

"What did I say this time?"

"Gerv?" The elf looked at the scout.

"Look, Gorotul," the scout started just as gently as before. "If a serious clan gets all up in arms about a Level 6 noob, everyone will notice. Their analysts will all wonder what we're doing, and soon enough, they'll guess that the noob knows or saw something he shouldn't. And they'll be right. Then, whoever figures that out first will promise to protect him, help him develop, and give him things (which is both easy and cheap), and the noob will tell them everything—and willingly. We're screwed, and someone else has hit it big. That will get the Hounds of Death breathing down our necks if they don't just kill us outright. And to top it all off, once the information gets to our old friends, they'll make life interesting for us as well."

"But aren't they going to anyway?"

"Of course not. If our plan works, we'll have the Hounds of Death behind us," the elf explained to her dim-witted friend.

"So what are we going to do with you?" She looked at me thoughtfully.

"Stalemate," I muttered.

"What?" asked Gorotul.

"Stalemate. You can't do anything much with me holding you back, but you could ruin everything for yourselves. I can't stand up to you, though I'm going to be a threat to your clan for the foreseeable future. Stalemate."

"Good job. You're smart," the elf announced.

"What's wrong with you?" Gorotul snarled. "A threat! I'll eat you right now! A threat..."

"Shh!" The elf suddenly hushed him. "I made up my mind."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Gerv looked at her sideways.

"It's the best option," she nodded.

Elina the Wise, leader of the Thunderbirds, invited you to join her clan.

If you accept, you will become a member and receive the following bonuses:

+5% experience received

-7% damage done by opponents

+4% ability to see objects' hidden attributes

+4% damage done by all weapon types

+5% protection from cold

+5% protection from fire

+15% healing received (25% when healed by another clan member)

+3% chance of receiving rare and hidden quests

You can fix two items each day using money taken from the clan account.

20% cheaper prices for vehicle rentals in areas that respect your clan

Additional bonus: Because you are joining the clan at the invitation of its leader, you get +10% items in dungeons (when playing with a group made up of clan members).

Your bonuses can be modified or increased by fostering respect within the clan.

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