Leveling Up

[You chose to accept the other party's approach.]

[Player 'Mysterious Weakling' has initiated a conversation with you.]

'Mysterious Weakling': "I can tell from your extraordinary bones that you're clearly a highly skilled individual..."

'Flying on the Wind': "Speak plainly..."

'Mysterious Weakling': "Please party up with me! I may be weak, but I know a lot of intelligence... Big bro, do you know how hard it is to randomly run into another player in this crappy game when there are no items?... My exploration and mystery levels aren't high enough. If I don't stir something up soon, I'll die when the deadline comes!"

'Flying on the Wind': "What intelligence? Let's hear it..."

'Mysterious Weakling': "Information on the final boss of the second chapter—the strange beast 'Hou.' Want to know, big bro? As long as you take me along for the final battle, I'll tell you."

'Flying on the Wind': "I agree. But if you dare lie to me, you know the consequences..."

In any case, verbal promises like this were barely binding, and having someone willing to serve as a meat shield when fighting a boss did sound pretty nice.

'Mysterious Weakling': "Don't worry, big bro. Let me tell you... I spent a long time pretending to be a beggar in Heavenly Dragon City, and I finally got hold of a map—it can lead to Widow Qing's home... The man of that household used to be Heavenly Dragon City's finest hunter. Later, he died in the battle to subdue the strange beast 'Hou'... Widow Qing must know a great deal about Hou..."

'Flying on the Wind': "And then?"

'Mysterious Weakling': "Then I couldn't get in... There wasn't even an option to enter the house, so I got stuck here... Boohoohoo... And I don't have any money. I