Frontier Online

Quest Completed Part 32

"Okay, maybe I deserved that one," Ryan couldn't help but laugh as he loaded back into his lobby. He was in the game for less than five minutes.

However, Ryan felt he gained a lot from the short time he was in. The Titan believed, just maybe, he might have found a path forward. The creator of the game told Ryan to use everything.

Ryan would take that lesson to heart. He found a hint but had only scented his direction.

As noted by the helpful timer that appeared each time Ryan died, the giant decided to study with five hours to kill.

Maybe it was the game's way of giving me a time-out. It's time I started to take this more seriously.

Ryan crossed to his desk and opened the interface to access his school documents. At his clearance level, there was little scientific information Ryan didn't have access to.

What he wanted to study was buried deep in the archives, but Ryan had special access to the Materials section due to his work on the Dyson-Sphere project.

The Titan settled in as he pulled up documents and videos related to early forging techniques and special steel alloys. Ryan recalled the scenery from his fall into Grotto as best he could.

He planned to align his choice of material and technique with the resources available. As the files and videos began to unfold before his eyes, Ryan counted his blessings for starting in a river basin.

It's funny. Dying might have been the fastest way back to town.

Five hours passed quickly as Ryan hungrily studied everything he found. Even if it was unrelated, the Titan piled high a list of personal homework for in-game.

Once the portal to Frontier Online appeared, Ryan actually ignored it for another two hours. The giant's focus was absolute.

I have plenty of raw material, as far as ore, but I need several ingredients, a smelter, and multiple crucibles. Even getting lucky, a lot of these things I will have to make from scratch...

Ryan saved a list of the ingredients and their early production methods to look at it in-game.

Once Ryan finished his preparations, the giant walked up to the misty doors and pushed through them.

*****

A pillar of light briefly illuminated Grotto's graveyard as Rydr loaded into the game. The giant expected to be alone and was surprised to find several divers milling around the graveyard.

As Rydr stood there, another flash of light appeared beside him. A black-haired gentleman in half a set of leather armor began to walk toward the other divers.

"The Southside of the forest is a bust too. The Vines dragged me down before I could get to the weakened zone," The half-dressed diver began to detail the path he took to the other divers, although several of them groaned and walked away before he finished.

As the gathered divers started to disperse, Rydr walked up to the black-haired man.

Rydr coughed to announce his presence, "Hi, I've been unable to log on for a while. What's going on in Grotto?" The giant hoped the man was feeling talkative after the others stormed off.

The man turned around and looked up, meeting Rydr's eyes, "You wouldn't happen to be the Titan Shining Star is looking for, would you?"

Even as the man asked the question, Rydr noticed his hands making small gestures, navigating his menu.

Rydr shook his head, "Can't be. As I said, I haven't been logged in for nearly a day." Smooth as silk, Rydr put on a mask to hide his concern.

Did Shining Star put a bounty on me after Little John sent me that message? No, what am I saying? They're one of the Super Guilds. Of course, they have the funds to put a bounty on my head.