"Rise and shine, runt!" a gruff voice called out followed by a soft kick sent into a boy slumbering on a smithy floor.
"Oof!"
"Huh?!?" A caramel skinned boy shot up to his butt in a panic, looking around in a daze before his eyes relaxed, 'Oh yeah… I'm still a game character… wonder when I'ma get used to that.'
He looked around in a daze, 'That old dude's nowhere in sight.'
He then spotted a plate near him filled with beef on a bed of salad, "Noyce!" the boy exclaimed as he dug in.
The veggies were left utterly untouched.
After having his fill the boy got up to his feet and looked around, 'Since he woke me up there must be something he wants me to d-'
The words were caught in Crow's throat and he trembled at what he saw, that same doll from yesterday was standing up, now towering over him at 6ft (1.8m) tall.
Its blank face was now fitted with 2 black circles for eyes and a line that formed lips and it was… smiling at him.
After 5 seconds of an awkward stare down the doll extended its hand out towards the anvil.
Crow also noticed its hands which were previously just round balls were now more detailed with fingers and joints as parts of it.
Seeing it point, Crow asked, "You… want me to hit the metal like I did yesterday."
The doll seeing that Crow understood shook its head as the line forming its lips made out an even wider smile.
"O-okay."
Crow then came over and picked up the hammer as he hit on the metal as he did yesterday, until-
SLAP!
"Ouch!"
Crow crouched down and held the top of his head after feeling a dull thud atop of it.
The doll looked at him with a smile still on its wooden face as it nudged him aside and began whacking the metal.
Yet to call it whacking would be an understatement.
Each swing brought with it a WHOOOSH sound and every hit looped perfectly into the next creating a series of moves so captivating Crow found it hard to look away.
"Woah." Was all Crow could let out as he watched.
Finally, after another 5 seconds the doll stopped, handing Crow the hammer and ushering him back to the anvil.
The boy's mind churned as he approached, 'Dang, I know I've already watched the Old Man do it yesterday, but it's crazy to see it from a doll.'
Finally Crow began a series of hits towards the metal block resting on the anvil.
Yet every few seconds the doll would whack part of Crow's body and move him around to correct his posture.
Crow scowled at this as he continued making the same mistakes despite the slaps in order to spite the doll, 'Hit me you bastard? The hell do you think you are?'
This continued onwards for what felt like 2 hours.
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Gasp…
Gasp…
Crow was leaning on his knees panting for air.
Despite his lackluster performance, hitting metal was still physically exhausting.
Next it was time for the most "fun" part.
The doll brought out the box of jagged and uneven throwing knives Crow had made yesterday.
Crow looked at the 3 arrow targets lined up alongside the opposite wall next to the stairs.
As the doll squared off against the targets the boy scoffed at it, "Psh, what would a doll know about throwing kni-"
WHOOSH
WHOOSH
WHOOSH
Despite being uneven and having improper weight distribution each dagger the doll threw accurately struck the middle of each arrow target.
"Show off." The boy muttered under his breath.
The doll then took the daggers from the targets and placed them back into a box and held them as it stood aside Crow.
Crow smirked as he took the dagger and began winding up for a throw, "Now I'll show you how it's do-"
BONG!
A stern hit came down on the top of his head once more causing him to fall over, biting his tongue in the process.
"Gah! Damn it, why ya keeping whacking me?!"
The boy rubbed the top of his head and watched as the doll pretended to throw a dagger towards the target, moving slowly to allow the observation of its movements.
Finally, Crow got to his feet and back in position to throw.
The doll continued adjusting his arms and legs, whacking certain body parts here and there to correct his stance before the boy was finally able to throw his deformed weapon.
Finally as the doll backed up and beckoned for the boy to throw, Crow looked down at his posture before frowning and adjusting to his original stance and throwing his dagger.
WHOOOSH!
THUNK!
"Let's go!!" Crow shot his fist into the air and started doing a little dance.
The smile stayed on the doll's face as it looked at the target then back at the boy.
The knife had hit the very edge of the target, nearly missing.
Crow was so caught up in his own victory lap, he didn't notice the doll's gaze.
It's smile was still apparent on its face, yet now slightly more subdued.
Regardless, after 5 more seconds of celebration the doll came and whacked the boy on the head, steering the student back on track as the pair continued their session.
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[3hours Later…]
Crow had his hands on his knees with sweat dripping off his body, stirring a shallow puddle beneath his feet.
The boy was shirtless revealing his skinny physique and his shirt lying next to him, now more liquid than cloth.
As Crow gulped down each breath he looked towards the stairs, 'Damn… is this thing tryna kill me? The hell's it waiting for?'
Despite yesterday's sessions with the robed figure being difficult, Crow felt he would adjust with time yet this doll had a much rougher approach, always hitting him and even making things more difficult.
Crow let out a sigh, 'Knife throwing was the last thing I did yesterday, so why is this thing making me wait here?'
After being done with throwing the knives he was planning to go inform the cloaked figure before the doll whacked him on the head and pointed to where Crow was still standing.
That was 10minutes ago…
'Fuk… I dunno what that doll's planning, but he better make it quick, I'm starving.'
Yet, as he thought that, the sound of footsteps sounded from the stairs in front of him with the doll coming down holding a box.
PLOP
The doll dropped the box directly in front of Crow.
It was a box filled with what looked to be padded gloves and wooden weapons of all types including spears, swords, bows and even throwing knives.
Everything excluding the padded gloves looked to be completely wooden with rounded edges and some type of clear rubbery material over the edges.
The boy looked down at the box then at the doll who continued to stand there smiling at him.
Yet, now Crow wasn't sure if that smile now contained some hidden malice.
'The doll's just staring as usual. Probably means I'm free to pick whatever weapon I want.' The boy thought as he gave a thoughtful look to the box at his feet.
Each weapon came in a pair 2 spears, 4 swords, 4 daggers, 4 gloves, etc.
'I dunno how to use any one of these weapons but I've always been pretty good with my hands.'
With that, the boy pulled out the padded gloves and strapped them around his hands, giving a soft punch into his own fists for good measure.
The doll seeing this had a smile that turned even wider, sending a shiver down Crow's spine and making him subconsciously take a step back.
The doll quickly strapped on its gloves and quickly stood next to Crow showcasing a fighting stance and slowly shooting out jabs and punches.
Crow looking at this rolled his eyes, "Bro! I got it, okay?! The old man can't even teach me crafting, and now you, a doll, think it's gonna be able to teach me how to fight? Where I came from I didn't have a choice to know how to fight?"
The boy spoke with bravado as he pointed his glove at the robot, "How about this? If I beat you, I'll be the teacher, and you'll be the student, okay?"
The doll who was originally looking at the boy while showcasing its fighting stance, took a standing posture.
Slowly the smile began to melt of its face until there was nothing, but 2 soulless eyes.
It just stood there.
Crow felt a chill, yet still scoffed at this as he took on a fighting stance, "C'mon then!"
With that the boy rushed forward, a confident smile on his face and his right arm cocked back as he released a right handed straight punch.
WHACK!!
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"Huh?"
A sight came into vision.
'The ceiling? Why… am I on the ground?'
The boy sat up as he groaned in pain, "Ugh… my head."
His eyes jostled as he noticed the doll standing in front of him, staring without any expression.
Memories came surfacing back, he lunged at the doll, then everything went black.
The boy clutched at his chest as he cursed to himself, 'Damnit as an NPC I only have one life and if I make a mistake against a Player or a Monster…'
As Crow gazed at the doll again, he could swear he saw disdain in those eyes, 'Heh, am I really that pathetic?'
The boy then gazed towards the front of the shop.
It was quiet all except the smoldering smithy flame.
The daylight was gone now replaced by the night's shade.
'The day's over, but…' he thought back to Lóa, he thought back to his original body in the real world, he thought of how he barely survived on his 1st day of coming here.
Slowly Crow arose to his feet with his head stooped low, "I'm sorry. I thought you were just a stupid doll."
The doll's expressionless face stood there, continuing to stare, nonetheless the boy continued, "I was mad cuz I felt powerless, I… I met someone in this world who I already lost because I was weak and I don't wanna lose anyone else."
The boy's eyes grew red as he balled his fist, "I thought the old man was playing tricks on me by making a doll train me, but I feel like I can actually learn from you, and I won't let my biases get in the way again, so if you give me another chance I… I'll be the best, I promise!!"
PAT.
Crow felt a sensation on his shoulder as he looked up to see the doll looking at him, now wearing an even wider smile than he had seen before as it gave him a slight nod.
With that the doll got next to him and began showcasing a fighting stance and shot a jab, to which Crow followed along.
And so through the night, whilst people indulged in food, banter, and play, within a small smithy a boy and doll were toiling away.
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