'Damn, is this called being rich in this game?' Leonhart mused inwardly as he watched the boon of rewards he received from the chest.
[Borrowers Loop: A dull steel ring etched with looping runes.
Effect—Temporal Debt: Has the ability to act twice in a single moment when worn. The second action is weaker. The "borrowed" time must be repaid later through fatigue or slowed reactions. Excessive use worsens the debt.]
[Galefoot Moccasins: Light tan leather, extremely flexible and thin.
Effect—Fleetfoot: Wearer's running speed increases steadily over a short distance; best for open areas. It provides minimal protection, is easily pierced or cut, and cannot sprint through debris-heavy terrain.]
Leonhart received two items that will be helpful for his future run. If the description of these items were true, he happily accepted them with ease.
He also received a few other things, but they weren't as useful as the previous accessories.
Such luck hasn't been applied to others, as they either received useless items with no great effects or didn't receive any valuable thing at all.
To appear not greedy, as he couldn't use everything on his own, Leonhart grabbed one weapon amongst his rewards and told the rest.
"You guys can have the others. It's not like I can use them all anyway."
The instant those words came out of his mouth, the strange expression he was receiving from some people left before they quickly gathered around the reward chest.
Leonhart left them and went straight to his grandparents.
With a confident smile, Leonhart pointed to himself and assertively said. "You guys don't have to worry about fighting. I will take care of you two."
Lloyd gave Leonhart a smack in the back and grumpily told his cheeky grandson. "I can take care of myself. You just need to take care of Sarah if I can't do it."
Sarah smacked Lloyd back and replied. "You two men. I can handle myself. I'm old, not weak."
The three of them stared at each other before they laughed all together. Leonhart chatted with his grandparents for a bit before Sarah decided to sleep first.
"Grandma said she could handle herself, yet the first one to sleep. Aigoo." Leonhart humorously shook his head with a grin.
Leonhart was prepared to receive another smack from his grandpa, as even though he was joking, he knew Lloyd would not allow, even his grandson, to joke around with his wife.
However, the only thing that Leonhart received was silence.
"Leon."
Leonhart looked at his grandpa.
"If there was ever a time when the situation demands saving your grandma or me, save her, okay?"
The air turned still, silence enveloping between the grandson and his grandpa.
Leonhart's face gradually changed into annoyance as the only word he could reply to those words was "Huh?"
Leonhart then instantly retorted. "Grandpa. That will not happen. Before that situation arises, I will do my best to avoid it happening in the first place."
Lloyd smiled as he tapped Leonhart's back. "Leon, you are a very smart and good kid. But if that happens and you want to 'return', I'm going to be very angry at you."
Probably only the two of them could understand what it means to 'return' but it didn't matter now since they had to use their abilities to survive this ordeal.
Even so, Leonhart's annoyance grew.
"Grandpa, you're worth the sacrifice. I'm not going to leave you or grandma. If I have to chunk away a bit of my memory to save you two, I will do it many times."
That was what Leonhart was feeling.
If he were given the choice of who he needed to save, his two grandparents who had raised him would definitely be the final choice. No further arguments.
There's just no way in the world that he would leave them.
Lloyd looked at Leonhart, his daughter's son, who was practically his son as well since he essentially raised him, and gave a defeated sigh.
"Well, that's that. I'm not going to do some explaining if you can't get it with your tiny head." Lloyd tapped Leonhart's back as it gradually got stronger, almost smacking him before grabbing something from his pocket.
Lloyd handed it over to Leonhart and said. "This is the reward I receive and something I want to give you in exchange for doing what I asked."
Leonhart looked at the accessory he received and knitted his eyes.
[Gilded Pocketwatch: A gold pocket watch encrusted with tiny rubies, ticking in perfect silence.]
"It doesn't have any effect, so it's basically useless. Just accept that as a gift and payment." Lloyd waved his hand as he started walking towards Sarah to rest beside her.
Leonhart stared at Lloyd's back and clicked his tongue as he kicked the floor on the ground with frustration.
'I told you I won't let it happen. Why can't you understand a thing?' Leonhart mused inwardly before putting the pocket watch in his pocket.
Then, he slowly approached the group from the other side, particularly moving towards where Yuri and Andi were.
"Hey, Detective and Mr. Firefighter. I have a favor to ask."
Both Yuri and Andi looked towards Leonhart, who had an annoyed expression. The two instantly heard the request right after.
"You two know how to fight, right? Teach me its basics. It doesn't matter what it is. I want to learn."
One of the glaring factors that Leonhart realized about himself was his inability to fight when needed to.
The only solutions he had thought of every time were to run, since he didn't need to do the heavy lifting if he just avoided the fight.
However, that perception will be what gets him killed in the new world.
Personal skills will become a heavy factor in whether he likes it or not.
He will get his hands dirty if he needs to.
The two Holders, who were able to realize what Leonhart was trying to achieve, were very impressed at how mature Leonhart's thinking is.
Hence, both of them agreed to teach him.
"Okay."
"No problem."
Therefore, for their remaining time in the safe zone, the two people began to teach Leonhart what he needed to learn.
Even though it was a short time, the two did their best to give the top knowledge they could hand over to Leonhart.
But even though less than half a day was too long before, it passed in the blink of an eye.
The next thing they knew, the stage for the new crisis was inching closer.