Kaden stepped out of the sewer entrance, this time taking a path that led directly into the heart of the city. While the guards enforced several rules and regulations for players to enter the city, once a player was inside the city, there wasn't any issue.
As an added bonus this path was also quite safe. No rats or any other sewer monsters roamed in this part. Because of the presence of guards regularly patrolling the area, not many people got into scuffles here.
Overall, the maze of tunnels was empty and Kaden managed to step out in an hour or so. Naturally, he had donned the mask on his face.
Kaden confidently stepped out of the small sewer grate and emerged onto a bustling city street. The stark contrast between the dark, grimy tunnels of the underbelly and the vibrant energy of the city was striking.
Tall buildings loomed overhead, their facades adorned with colorful banners and signs, advertising various establishments and services. Pedestrians hurried along the sidewalks, their footsteps blending with the sounds of carriages and the occasional street performer.
Kaden, hidden behind the silver mask, blended seamlessly into the crowd. The mask's simple yet elegant design attracted little attention in the bustling cityscape.
It provided him with a sense of anonymity, allowing him to observe his surroundings without drawing unwanted attention. Everything was progressing smoothly.
'Alright. Time to start getting some quests.' He turned around to head to the central square with gusto when suddenly he came to a complete halt.
His gaze fell upon the few patrolling guards who were coming his way. Subconsciously, he took a step back. 'Wait. I have the mask. Why am I getting scared?' He laughed nervously, but it looked like his gut feelings were spot on.
Something was not right.
One of the guards who looked at him immediately stopped. Kaden took another step back. The guard out of nowhere started speaking animatedly to his companions.
Kaden gulped.
The bunch of them then started walking toward him, every single one of them fixated on him.
"Daaaaamn it!" Kaden couldn't ignore it anymore. Without a doubt he was done, juicy and roasted. "Ahhhh! Motherfuckers! Why isn't this mask working?!!!" He did not dare linger around any longer and dove right back into the sewer grate he had stepped out of.
Only after he ran through some of the twists and turns, settling well into the underbelly, he slumped down, heaving a sigh of relief. At least he did not find out about the crappy mask after he had completely left the area.
"What the heck? Did he sell me a bad one?" Kaden grumbled, punching the wall behind him.
Even though this was a possibility, something told him that it was not so simple. Perhaps the mask was just not strong enough to do the trick?
"Should I buy another mask and test it out?"
Kaden had no other choice except to do this. He had to get to the bottom of whether this solution would work or not. However, he was completely broke.
So for the next few hours, he roamed around the sewer tunnels farming for rats. In the end, he narrowly dodged another disastrous level 61 rat and obtained the silver coins.
However…
Kaden once again found himself slumped in the same spot. The second mask also did not work. He then thought of another possibility. Perhaps the shopkeeper was messing with him on purpose?
Hiding a short distance away, he risked everything and sent Umbra to steal one of the masks. The black dog did its bidding splendidly, but once again the result was the same.
At this point, Kaden was close to tearing out his hair. All hidden classes were difficult to obtain, so he already knew that this was not going to be easy.
But the problem was, he did not know what to do next. He had exhausted all possible options, from purchasing masks to stealing them, but none of them had yielded the desired outcome.
Out of nowhere, Kaden suddenly remembered the old man who had mocked him when he visited the shop for the first time. What was that? Maybe a quest?
It was suicide to approach anyone in the underbelly but he couldn't simply ignore it and leave the place. Kaden once again visited the same shop and this time he looked around searching for the old guy.
"That drunkard? He must be wandering around the taverns." The shopkeeper answered Kaden absent-mindedly.
He made his way to the nearby taverns in search of the old man. He searched a few places, scanning the crowded rooms.
Finally, as he entered the fifth establishment, he spotted the familiar figure slouched over a wooden table, nursing a mug of ale.
Kaden saw the old man's unkempt appearance and weathered face. He had a feeling that this was going to be trouble. With a sigh, he approached the table. He cleared his throat, capturing the old man's attention.
"Excuse me, sir," Kaden began, trying to keep his voice steady.
Before Kaden could say anything, the old man's bleary eyes locked onto him. Letting out a loud burp, he leaned back in his chair, studying Kaden intently. The man then broke into a crooked grin.
"Well, well, well, didn't I say you will be coming back, lad."