Maximo, who has slightly grown, secretly grinned, with the dust from five slime crystals scattering with the wind.

 

MCP: 37 -> 42

 

He then checked the system.

 

 

 

It has been a year since he acquired the Progress Bar System, and its effects have become slowly apparent as he has gradually surpassed his same-age peers. At the very least, he was stronger, faster, and healthier than other 8-year-olds, and started to show great promise with his high level of concentration on tasks.

This was accomplished thanks to upkeeping double exp gain and a second progress bar, allowing him to gain 8 every day instead of 2.

He also became a more proficient slinger. Apparently, the Commoner Class included slinging and throwing rocks, so that skill improved very quickly. While he wasn't yet comparable to the older 11-12-year-old kids, he could match the average 9-10-year-olds. Moreover, he slowly surpassed his peers in other aspects, such as concentration and strength. He also felt healthier during this winter, not having the usual runny nose.

Additionally, the Carpenter Class and the Woodworking Ability became available when Commoner hit 10, but didn't unlock other things. However, they did require him to spend 10 MCP to unlock each of them, reminding him that, aside from the first gifts at the start, everything cost MCP. If he wanted to progress, he needed MCP. The more MCP, the better.

Alas, he is just a kid, not an adult. At most, he could only hunt small game for now. If he tried hunting larger monsters in the nearby forest, he might actually get killed! It was better to progress patiently and steadily.

"Little brother, what's the matter?"

Kieran, who walked with him, curiously asked, noticing Maximo's pause.

"Ah, nothing, brother." Maximo dismissively smiled before following his brother.

"Geez, you always tend to daydream," Kieran muttered.

"Hehehe~." Maximo laughed it off.

"Also, starting tomorrow, I won't accompany you anymore on hunts since I am starting my full apprenticeship. You need to find someone reliable, your own age, to partner with." Kieran seriously said.

"Yes, I know." Maximo seriously nodded.

But inwardly, he couldn't help but have other thoughts.

"I should find a gullible bafoon as a partner. That way, I can have all the crystals for myself."

.

.

.

A month later-

"Scree!" A giant, naked mole rat the size of a small dog hopped over, screeching as it did.

Woosh* Splat*

A stone, shot by a slingshot, hit it in the eye socket, and the mole rat rolled and collapsed before stopping to move.

"Good shot, boss! That mole rat can fetch good coin!" A bulky and large kid praised, eyes lighting up.

"Mhm. Who would have thought we would encounter one of these pesky rodents?" Maximo grinned, putting his Y-shaped slingshot with a slime-rubber strap into his pocket.

It was his third encounter with a mole rat. The first two times, it was his brother who hunted it, and he couldn't get the crystal. At most, he got a share for helping him carry it back. But this time, it was different, as he was the main hunter, while little Hugo, the butcher's 2nd son, was his sidekick.

Hugo wasn't the brightest tool in the shed, but to his credit, he was also very simple-minded, loyal, and physically strong, yet not stupid, the perfect qualities of a stooge. Since Maximo was the best in their age group, Hugo naturally followed him. At the very least, he was a great boon when carrying heavy stuff... like now.

Having hunted 4 slimes and a mole rat, the duo called it a day and entered town. Their first stop was, of course, the butcher shop, run by Callum Butcher, a balding, rotund man in his late 30s.

"Ah, welcome back, boys! I see you brought a Mole Rat with you!" Callum smiled, noticing his son carrying the mole rat.

Although mole rats were critters, meat was meat. He often bought and butchered Mole Rats, and their meat was safe if cooked enough.

"Yes! How much will it sell for?" Maximo inquired.

"This mole rat is around 20 pounds... a silver and a copper. Of course, you get to keep the teeth and crystal." Callum replied after some thought.

Maximo thought for a moment and found the price sound. After all, mole rat meat was dirt cheap, at around half the price of lamb meat. Callum wasn't cheating them, likely because he was babysitting his son. Was a father supposed to cheat his son and his friend?

With skillful hands, Callum removed the two front teeth, which were an alchemical ingredient and a slaying proof, and cut open the creature's stomach, extracting a thumb-sized bloody crystal, roughly washed it in a water basin, before handing it over.

"Here you go, kid. Please keep looking after Hugo." Callum smiled.

"I will." Maximo smiled as a prompt sounded.

 

 

Of course, he held himself back. First, he had some things to sell at the guild.

Taking the money and the rest of the materials, Maximo sold off the four dried slimes and the teeth. The teeth were actually worth less than the dried slime, only selling for a copper coin, but money was money. In the end, he had two silver coins, and he gave Hugo his share, a silver coin.

It was part of his arrangement with Hugo. Maximo would get to keep all the crystals, while splitting the rest in half.

"Thanks again for today, boss!" Hugo dumbly grinned and waved his thick hand.

"See you tomorrow, Hugo." Maximo waved back.

As he walked back, his smile naturally widened.

 

MCP: 130 -> 140

 

"Another bountiful day."

Maximo thought, happily returning home.

.

.

.

Four months later-

It was winter, and the Doyle family gathered in the church in mourning.

Lying in a burial casket was Kieran, his eyes closed, and his face pale as snow.

He didn't die from a beast, venomous snake, or even infection.

A small plague struck the town, and while benign to adults, it was more fatal to children. The poor, who couldn't afford the church's healing magic, had fate's die cast upon them.

Kieran was among the unlucky 23 children who died this winter, and the first son of the Doyle family to die. Considering everything, it was a miracle that none of them died until now.

Maximo also caught the plague, but perhaps due to his high Health ability, he was even better off than his older siblings, only having a light cough and a runny nose for three days. Hugo also caught the disease, but he was still bedridden, having barely recovered from a high fever.

This was also a wake-up call to Kieran, realizing the importance of raising Health.

"From now on, I will continue improving it until it reaches 100," Maximo promised himself.

Learning from the example of his dead brother, Maximo matured somewhat.

.

.

.

Time quickly flew by, and a year and a half passed, summer arriving once again.

Maximo, now 10, stood half a head taller than his peers, and his body was well-built and strong. Perhaps due to his good health, he was even a bit handsome. By this point, he was every bit comparable to a 14-year-old strength-wise.

As he turned 10, his father needed to consider his future. Usually, as a carpenter, Toby Doyle would be able to afford sending his son to a guild as an apprentice. However, with six surviving sons, resources were spread thin.

His first son, now an adult with a child on the way, was the undisputed heir, while the second son was the spare. The third son got sent to a guild to learn a craft, the fourth son got sent to another town, and the fifth son ended up in the church as a lowly monk. And his 6th son died the year before last.

And that left the 7th son, Maximo.

By all rights, Toby, the aging carpenter, realized that Maximo was gifted. He learned quickly, his mind was sharp, and his body was superb for his age. He realized that this son of his was meant for more.

And sure enough, people of high status came to contact him, extending olive branches, not even requesting a premium for the apprenticeship.

The local priest, a master craftsman, the militia captain, and even the lord!

All doors were open, and all Maximo needed to do was select his future.

And yet, this foolish son of his actually chose...

"I want to become an adventurer!" Maximo said with a bright grin.

"Crystals, here I come!" Maximo thought.

Toby, not knowing his son's thoughts, tried to dissuade him.

"Becoming an adventurer is to agree to a life full of hardship and uncertainty. Are you sure you want this?"

"Yes, father, I am sure. I will use the money that I saved up to buy my own gear." Maximo heavily nodded.

Toby, feeling tired, could only reluctantly agree.

And so, that day, Maximo headed to the adventurer's guild.

.

.

.

 

Life Savings: 153 silver coins.