BXBX NOVEL Chapter 4: The Train Job
"Yes, he is," Devon answered gruffly, "I've been hoping he dies of exhaustion all week but, no such luck."
With a 7 in perception, Henry's hearing should have picked up on the conversation but the wind rushing past his ear and his intense will not to pass out waved it all away as he put his all into completing yet another Daily Quest of the week.
[Daily Quest: (Category: Physical) Run a distance of 2km.
Reward: 5 Exp]
With a limited understanding of the System, its many numbers, and its rewards, Henry had paid little attention to it but just as the interface had said; Who was he, Henry Morgan, without a routine?
Every day since Henry had been in this world, in this body, a Daily Quest had arrived with a *Ding* alarm in his head. The daily quests so far had all been for him to run and Henry didn't hate it.
The one thing he did hate, however…
"*Huff* *Huff* *Huff* Henry, you Twat!"
… was how absolutely useless this body was with physical activities and how that had not gotten better in seven days!
"So— *Huff* *Huff* So fucking out of shape. It's just two kilometers and I feel like dying. Henry, you annoying Twat!"
Of course, all insults Henry dished out were directed at the previous user of his new body. A parallel version of him who apparently had never thought to exercise even once in all of his pathetically short life.
[Quest Completed!]
[You have received 5 Exp]
[You have successfully completed 7 Physical Stamina Quests.]
[Stamina +1]
While huffing and puffing, Henry deviated from his running course to sit in the shade cast by a tree and refresh himself with a drink of water before thinking to himself,
'Status,'
[Name: Henry Morgan]
[Level: 1 (35/100 Exp)]
[Race: Human]
[Class: Gunslinger]
[Title: None]
[Hit Points: 10/10]
[Mana Points: 20/20]
[Strength: 5]
[Agility: 7]
[Stamina: 5 ——> 6]
[Perception: 7]
[Skills:
{Marksmanship Lv. 1}]
Besides the +5 Exp after every daily quest, the single-digit addition to his Stamina was the most change the screen had been through all week.
'And soon, it will be time to scoop up more horse shit and move more hay. I don't like this life,' Henry thought with a sigh contemplating an escape into a world not even his memories had prepared him for.
And then…
[Grand Quest Updated!
Main Quest: Complete a Job with the Dionisio Gang.
Reward: 50 Exp]
Henry furrowed his brows as he read the message on the screen,
"That came out of nowhere," he mumbled only for the screen to vanish from his sights as he looked up at a man approaching his resting spot.
The man looked to be in his late thirties with curly brown hair poking out of the sides of his hat. He had a thin mustache and eyed Henry with caution.
Dressed in the stereotypical outfit of a cowboy complete with a tattered hat and a gun in the holster at his waist, the man-made Henry nostalgic for his past.
"Henry," the man said.
"Yes, Charles?" Henry answered. He recognized the man just as he recognized everyone else in the gang.
Charles' eyes narrowed,
"No 'Mr. Charles'? My, my, You really have changed," he said before taking a breath, "Angus wants to speak with you. Come on."
Charles turned around and led the way and as Henry followed, he found himself looking at the mansion the gang had made into their base.
The Diniosio Gang had been at odds with the law for years and never stayed in one place for too long in order to remain ahead of their pursuers but Henry knew, thanks to his memories, that this was the best location they had ever picked to stay;
The Hadron Mansion, now falling apart from lack of care, had stood for centuries and used to belong to a wealthy family, who had been well known in the region and commanded so much influence, only to all be decimated in the space of a month.
Rumor has it, that the cause of their demise was a Curse, and for fear of contracting the curse, locals stayed away from the Mansion and even moved their settlement many kilometers away.
As long as the gang could ignore the threats of this so-called curse, the Hadron Mansion gave them a level of security and privacy no other camp had ever guaranteed.
Charles led the way through the weathered doors and up the stairs into a room that looked like it used to be the main study for the Master of the house.
There was a large table in the middle of the room littered with maps and other documents. Around the table were Angus, Devon, Dana, and about five other members of the gang. Including Charles who took his place around the table as well.
"Henry, are you well?" Angus asked without looking up from the maps on the table.
"Huh? Yes. Yes, I am," Henry answered, looking confused as to why the question was asked at all.
All week, he had had the littlest contact with Angus and many other members of the gang. His closest 'confidant' was Good ol' Joe who never failed to call on him for chores.
Angus nodded,
"Good, because you're coming with us," he said.
"To where?" Henry asked, still confused.
Angus made a vague wave at one of the maps on the table as he stared right into Henry's face,
"A Train is coming through New Freudein. We're getting on it, and we're robbing it. You're coming with."
A collective groan sounded out and Henry looked over to see Devon, Dana, and two other members of the gang at the table, glaring at him and frowning in discontent. The others looked indifferent.
"They don't seem okay with this," Henry said with a small smile.
"It's not their decision. It's mine," Angus said as he took steps toward Henry before placing a hand on his shoulder,
"Five years you've been with us and I never thought you'd be good enough to help us out there but you've impressed me recently…"
"By running around the mansion every day like a moron?" Devon let out without even trying to keep his voice down.
Angus glanced at him,
"Yes, actually. It shows he wants to improve himself. And if you need any more proof of this, look no further than him standing up to you and beating you last week."
"He didn't beat me," Devon said with an exasperated groan.
"Yes, he did," answered a pretty lady with an amused chuckle. Henry recognized her as Triss; one of the few ladies in the gang. Her hair was a reddish brown and she was dressed in a vest, shirt, and trouser combo. The sleeves of her shirt were rolled up her forearms and her hands were covered by gloves.
"He cheated!" Devon snapped.
"And that's… bad?" Angus asked causing Devon to choke on his words.
Angus continued,
"We're criminals. We rob, we cheat, we kill when necessary. That's who we are. That's who Henry is and that's why he won."
Devon frowned and a vein popped at his temple but he said nothing and just looked down at the table with his fists balled up.
"Henry here was always one of us but simply lacked the required— constitution. But, I'm willing to give him a chance to prove himself out there.
You'll come with us, Son. We'll find use for you."
"Do I get a gun?"
"And have you shoot yourself again? Not a chance," Dana chipped in, laughing.
Angus smiled too,
"It's better we take things slow. Survive this and then we'll see to arming you with a weapon."
"So what will I be doing?" Henry asked.
"Like I said," Angus told him with a smile, "We'll find use for you."
"When do we leave?"
"In half an hour. You should get ready."
Henry looked from Angus to the others at the table; Devon was still frowning, Dana looked like she didn't care and Triss smiled and winked at him.
With a slight furrowing of his brows, Henry nodded,
"Okay," he said before turning and walking out of the room to prepare.