Chapter 38: What’s the best cure for depression?

Eugene threw his spear like a javelin at the practice dummy and hit it bullseye in the forehead. The Throwing: Rank 1 skill helped him a little, but it was mostly just hours of practice from his end.

He sighed.

He was depressed from what had happened with Fernando and the things they did to his family. He tried to distract himself with training.

Next he did his running and pistol training. He would run around an obstacle course and draw his gun and shoot targets. Eugene hated guns. He thought that this magical world would be like the fantasy stories he read when he was a teenager. Magical warriors, wizards, magic. Instead the three boogeymen and Fernando ruined all that by just importing guns in.

“Eugene! News from the plaza! The boogeymen just tried to rape a girl and then they killed the man trying to protect her!” one of Eugene’s team members ran up to him and said.

…

“What does it do!” Lucas immediately said.

“I dunno. Lemme check. Ehm, system please open missions menu?” Jack said.

Missions:

Dream world exploration v2.323

Healing Position at [UNDISCLOSED]. Duration: 10 years. Payment: [UNDISCLOSED] + [UNDISCLOSED] + [UNDISCLOSED]

Information Trade: Let [UNDISCLOSED] analyze [UNDISCLOSED] through your memories. Payment: 100 skill points. Penalty: [UNDISCLOSED] receives notification of your betrayal and becomes actively hostile towards you.

“All of these sound sketchy as fuck,” Brian said.

“How about you betray that LSD snail and get 100 skill points?” Lucas said.

“I think not,” Jack said.

I kind of like that snail. It had a sense of humor. Also, no way I would ever survive if it found out I snitched on it.

“Dream worldin,” Brian said.

“I have no idea what that is. And before I get more info or more clear quests, no way I’m doing any of these,” Jack said.

“If I were you, I’d pick the dreamworld thing. Sounds interesting,” Lucas said.

“And then who’s gonna heal your fingers?” Jack said.

“Good point,” Lucas said.

They took shifts sleeping and then the next day they decided to just grind good old Balloon Monsters.

It was getting fun for Brian. He felt like he was in a shooting game and the pop sounds the Balloon Monsters made was satisfying to hear.

“Maybe it is easier for people to find out where we are since they can hear shooting sounds?” Jack said.

One of the Balloon Monsters popped loudly and the momentum of the bullet made the skill crystal fall out of it some distance away.

“About time,” Lucas said and went over to pick it up and crush it. Yellow energy disappeared into his arm.

“Can we go to the girl’s bar tonight?” Jack said.

“Yeah. We did a lot of work. And I hate sleeping out here. Maybe we should stop totally sleeping out here? It’s dangerous. And I hate sleeping in shifts,” Brian said.

“Me too,” Lucas said.

“I’m gonna drop some bands on Miranda tonight! Okay, what’d you get, Lucas?” Jack said.

Diesel Motors Piston System: Rank 1

“You might soon get a Mechanic class with that one and changing tires skill,” Brian said.

“And as long as Jack is around to shoot up the place every girl you approach, you might stay a virgin forever,” Lucas said.

“Only time will tell,” Jack said.

They kept grinding balloon monsters and picking up leather skin.

“You gotta hold it like this. See?” Brian said, instructing Lucas.

“And maybe, I think you should get down on one knee. Maybe it will make it easier for you to aim. Try it out,” Brian said.

Lucas tried following Brian’s advice. And he still sucked at aiming.

“Who cares. I’ll just get some kind of attack skill. Yeah, mental attack skills. Next point I get, I’m buying some kind of mental magic,” Lucas said.

“You don’t want the missions menu like me?” Jack said.

“I dunno man. It sounds pretty useless. At least right now. Until we learn more about it,” Brian said.

“Yeah,” Lucas said.

They kept grinding more.

“How come you two never pick the same girls to drink with?” Jack said.

“I dunno about Lucas. But most of the girls are just, I dunno. They are pretty. But I like talking to more than one. Get some diversity. I don’t easily fall in love like you do. Simping for one girl,” Brian said.

“I have to keep switching girls because every time I ask if they wanna fuck they tell me to fuck off,” Lucas said.

Jack hadn’t told them that he had had sex with Miranda. For some reason, he wanted to keep it to himself.

The only thing he liked about life, besides grinding with his two best friends, was Miranda.

I wanna go on vacation with her somewhere romantic. Maybe Spain?

Loud shots went off in the background and Brian dropped to the ground.

/////

Jack:

Knife Fighting: Rank 1

Knife Fighting: Rank 2

Python (programming language): Rank 1

Mana Generation: Rank 1

Sand to Glass Conversion Mana Blueprint: Rank 1

Healing Mana Blueprint: Rank 1

Origami: Rank 1

Enhanced Bodily Recovery: Rank 1

Speed Counting: Rank 1

Enemy Weakness Identification: Rank 1

Poetry: Rank 2

Blueprint visualizer: Rank 1

Mana Sense: Rank 1

Blunt Force Resistance: Rank 1

Pool: Rank 1

Mana Manipulation: Rank 1

Specialized Mental Sacrifice Ritual Focus Borrow: Rank 1

Typography: Rank 1

Enhanced Healing: Rank 1

Throwing: Rank 1

Acrobatics: Rank 1

INT: +1

Missions Menu unlocked.

Brian:

Shield Defending: Rank 1

Marksmanship (pistol): Rank 1

Right Arm Increased Strength: Rank 1

Mana manipulation: Rank 1

Mana Sense: Rank 1

Enhanced Propriosense in Toes: Rank 1

Enhanced Bodily Recovery: Rank 1

Flame Shield Dispel: Rank 1

Cryptography: Rank 1

Enemy Pattern Recognition: Rank 1

Airplane Pilot: Rank 1

Mana Generation: Rank 1

Enhanced Vision: Rank 1

Blunt Force Resistance: Rank 1

Finnish: Rank 1

French oil painting technique: Rank 1

Throwing: Rank 1

Acrobatics: Rank 1

Vision Upgrade: ⅕ until Rank 1

Lucas:

Insect Movement Control: Rank 1

Enlarged Penis: Rank 1

Mana sense: Rank 1

Mana Manipulation: Rank 1

Surfing: Rank 1

Arithmetic: Rank 1

Chess: Rank 1

Human Interpersonal Non-verbal Bodily Social  Behaviors Enhanced Perception: Rank 1

Blunt Force Resistance: Rank 1

Changing car tires: Rank 1

Water Mana Affinity: Rank 1

Walking: Rank 1

Mana Generation: Rank 1

Juggling: Rank 1

Throwing: Rank 1

Acrobatics: Rank 1

Enhanced General Nervous System Reaction Time: Rank 1

Diesel Motors Piston System: Rank 1