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Time: 10:50 PM
After logging out of the game, Nico and Joseph got themselves busy with work. Nico couldn't help but sigh as he deletes email after the email.
"You're getting invites again?" Joseph asked as he takes a sip from his mug, turning to Nico.
"Hmh" Nico answered, keeping his eyes on his screen.
"I really don't understand. You're being invited to join this professional teams, which a lot of people would fight for and yet here you are, busying yourself with deleting those invitations." Joseph said, standing up and sat beside Nico on the couch.
"I mean really, you'd be burning on a stake if people find out what you're doing. " Joseph said, craning his neck to see what Nico is doing.
"They're not inviting me to become a player; They're inviting me to be part of their research team. They obviously just want to use me to create self made equipment for them" Nico said, leaning his back on the couch and closed his eyes, looking very tired.
"So what? If they saw how good you are with the Minstrel, they would definitely invite you to become a pro player as well." Joseph said, trying to reason out, because he really thinks that Nico is letting go a really good opportunity. "I mean dude, you're the number one Minstrel in all of Rampage; The hardest class that was ever made. I pretty sure they could make room for you on the team if they ever saw you play."
"If that was before I started collage then yes, I might've taken those offers, but now? I don't really see myself competing anymore." Nico said, putting an arm on top of his eyes, not wanting to talk about it anymore.
Nico, wasn't kidding when he said that he would take the offers if he was offered before collage. Once upon a time Nico also dreamt of entering the pro league and becoming a famous pro player, but when his parent died, he chose to honor his parents wishes and entered collage. While he was in collage his desire to become a pro player slowly became dimmer and dimmer as he slowly really realized reality.
If he were to become a pro player: Yes, he could be successful and would have the chance of earning a lot of money and rise to fame; Even if he was just creating self made equipment for any professional team, the pay wasn't gonna be bad either. But what if he got injured along the way or something happened to him that would demand him to retire. Or if he suddenly loses all motivation and creativity as he grow old, what then? That's the time Nico was really hit hard with the thought "Without having a plan B and only depending on Rampage would not be very practical in the future". So when he started having the self made projects and the wandering around the world of Rampage, he made sure to balance it with something that's of reality. So he started working part-time as a pianist at a high class restaurant, and now that he's already graduated, he now aims to become a professional pianist. Having the security that he could transition into being a music teacher after he retires, brought comfort to his heart. He cannot put his 100% of mind and focus on Rampage alone, having a normal life is a must as well. Yes, he loves Rampage, but he also loves his life as well.
So as the time went by in collage, he started getting satisfied with what he has, although he still had that desire to somehow be able to play for a professional team up to date, it just wasn't as strong as it used to be.
"Such wasted talent" Joseph could only sigh, as he returns back to his chair.
"So, what's your plan, then?" Joseph turned his chair to Nico, and asked. Knowing Nico for four years now, he knew that Nico doesn't really like small talk so he got straight to the point.
"I'll still pursue being a professional pianist." Nico simply answered as he continues to work and do some research on his next project
"How about Rampage?" Joseph asked
"Of course, I'll still continue playing Rampage." Nico answered, his brows furrowed. Confused as to why he was being asked with such an obvious question. Rampage is a part of him, how can he just throw it away?
"Good!" Joseph just nodded.
"How's that Auction you had going on, by the way?"
"Good" Nico just simply said, while his eyes never left his laptop screen.
"Good? That's it?" Joseph brows furrowed with the single word. He was expecting a more detailed explanation, but he remembered that Nico has already started working, and when he does you're lucky if you can even get a single word form him. He was extremely annoyed when he first encountered this side of Nico, but in the long run he started getting used to it. He shook his head then focused on his computer screen once more.
Notes:
Minstrel -*is currently considered the most hardest class to play in Rampage: With having the lowest base stat, mediocre low level skills and with really complex mechanics, it really doesn't draw new or old players alike to play the class. Minstrels leans more towards to the technically of the mechanics even at such a low level that new players started giving up even before they started. Focusing more on the technical side, it gives a low appeal compared to the other classes with a more flashy and exciting game plays. There are currently only 5% of the general population of Rampage, that plays a Minstrel class.
"The Auction"- * is Nico's side line, to generate some income for himself while he was still in collage. The reason why his character was given the title "The Wandering Minstrel" was because he tends to wander all over the place in finding and collecting Crafting materials, and of course helping those in need along the way. This crafting materials that he gathered are then gonna be made into self made weapons or equipment that he will sell to the highest bidder.
Self made weapons and equipment are created to fit a character perfectly, from stats to play style. They are relatively also much stronger and valuable than any normal weapon or equipment dropped by monsters or bought by cash in the cash shop. That's why self made weapons and equipment are a must in Professional teams, not only making their characters strong but also increasing their chances of winning. Unlike normal players, professional teams has a team of experts that only focuses in making Self made weapons and equipment; that's why characters from a professional team are always top-class that normal players can only dream off.
Creating self made weapons and equipment takes a lot of time and effort. From gathering the needed materials to the actual crafting that requires absolute patience and experience. It consists a lot of variables: from material combinations and such, which sometimes requires a lot of trial and error, that makes players tend to stop or give up half way, because by then they will have to gather materials once again.
Nico on the other hand, has taken the time to learn the art of crafting and creating self made weapons and equipment, experiencing multiple failures along the way, but never stopping even once. Once he started getting the hang of it, he started creating multiple weapons and equipment that he eventually started selling. He was not sure at first if people will actually buy them, because he was requiring a real world money payment and not just in-game payment. But then people started scrambling over his self made creations. They were so many that others were trying to offer a higher amount for them to get the creation, which made other people to offer an even higher amount. This was then the start of "The Auction" that until now, is famous that even some professional teams are vying to buying his creations. Currently five professional teams owns a self made weapon that was created by Nico.
This is also the reason why multiple professional teams has been inviting him to join them, wanting to just monopolize his designs for there own, while eliminating any future collaborations with the opposing teams.