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After saying goodbye to Mr. Levi and agreeing to meet at the same time for the second lesson tomorrow, Caleb mounted Morgan and rode her toward the hotel. He tied her to the hitching post at the front of the hotel, ensuring she was secure, before heading inside to clean up and rest for a bit.
Later that evening, Caleb made his way to the saloon for dinner. He ordered the same meal he had enjoyed earlier in the day, beef stew and a bottle of beer, which cost him another 3 dollars and 25 cents.
This left him with 22 dollars and 25 cents in his satchel. As he sat down to enjoy his meal, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. The day had been productive, and he was making steady progress in this familiar and unfamiliar world.
As he ate, Caleb noticed a poker game happening at a nearby table. Three men were playing, and they seemed to be looking for a fourth player. One of them, a grizzled man with a wide brimmed hat, spotted Caleb and called out to him.
"Hey, young fella! You look like a man who knows his way around a deck of cards. Care to join us? We're short a player."
Caleb hesitated at first. He wasn't sure if he wanted to risk his hard earned money on a game of poker, especially with strangers who might try to take advantage of him. But then he thought about the potential benefits.
If he could gain a poker skill from this, it might prove useful in the future. Plus, his perception attribute was at 8 out of 10, which gave him a decent chance of reading the other players and making smart decisions. Even if he lost some money, the opportunity to acquire a new skill was worth the risk.
Caleb also remembered that he had played poker in his past life, and his memory skill had retained some of that knowledge. This gave him a slight edge, and he estimated his chances of winning at around 60 to 70 percent. With that in mind, he decided to take the gamble.
"Alright," Caleb said, standing up and walking over to the table. "I'll join you for a few hands."
The men grinned, clearly pleased to have a new player at the table. Caleb took a seat, and the dealer began shuffling the deck. As the game started, Caleb focused on the other players, using his heightened perception to read their expressions and body language. He played cautiously at first, folding early when the cards weren't in his favor and betting conservatively when he had a decent hand.
As the game progressed, Caleb began to get a feel for the other players' strategies. The grizzled man in the hat was aggressive, often raising the stakes to intimidate others. The younger man to his left was more cautious, folding frequently unless he had a strong hand. The third player, a middle aged man with a scar across his cheek, was harder to read, but Caleb noticed he tended to bluff when he had weak cards.
Using this information, Caleb started to make more calculated moves. He won a few small pots early on, building his confidence.
Then, in one pivotal hand, he managed to bluff the grizzled man into folding, despite having a weaker hand. The man cursed under his breath but grudgingly conceded the pot to Caleb.
By the end of the game, Caleb had managed to win a modest amount, around 15 dollars, increasing his money to 37 dollars and 25 cents. More importantly, he received another notification,
Poker Skill (Lvl 1: Elementary - Basic) Acquired!
Description: Through observation, strategy, and a bit of luck combined with your past memory, you have gained a basic understanding of poker. This skill improves your ability to read opponents, calculate odds, and make strategic decisions during card games. As you level up, you will become more adept at bluffing, spotting tells, and managing your bets.
Caleb couldn't help but smile as he pocketed his winnings. The night had been a success. He had not only gained a new skill that started at level 1 again, but also proven to himself that he could hold his own in this world.
As he left the saloon and headed back to the hotel, he felt that today was a very productive day as he gained two level 1 skills, and these two skills are essential to living in the world of red dead.
And so, from that day forward, Caleb began a rigorous training arc, dedicating himself to gaining new skills, improving the ones he already had, and working to increase his attributes. He knew that every ounce of effort he put in now would pay off in the long run, especially with the Van der Linde gang's arrival on the horizon.
Each morning, Caleb woke early and headed to the Valentine Stable and Old Bob's Butcher Stall to take on labor work, just as he had done on his first day in this world. At the stable, he mucked out stalls, groomed horses, and helped with general maintenance, earning 1 dollar a day for his efforts.
At the butcher stall, he assisted with preparing meat, cleaning tools, and handling customers, earning another 1 dollar. The work was hard and often tedious, but Caleb didn't mind. It was a steady source of income, and it gave him the opportunity to train his knife skills as he worked with the butcher's tools.
In the afternoons, Caleb returned to the stable for his horse riding and maintenance lessons with Mr. Levi. Under the stable master's guidance, he continued to improve his Horse Mastery skill, learning how to care for Morgan and ride her with greater confidence.
He also took the time to bond with Morgan, feeding her apples, carrots, and sugar cubes, and brushing her coat until it gleamed. By the end of the five days, Caleb felt a strong connection with his horse, and his Horse Mastery skill had noticeably improved.
Early each morning, before starting his work, Caleb would ride Morgan out to the wilderness near Valentine to practice his handgun skills. Using his Schofield Revolver, he set up targets like bottles and cans he found scattered around the town. At first, his shots were shaky and inconsistent, but after two or three sessions, he began to get the hang of it.
His aim improved, and he felt more comfortable handling the revolver. However, he knew that target practice alone wouldn't be enough to fully develop his skills. To truly improve, he needed to test himself against live targets.
With this in mind, Caleb began hunting small animals like rabbits and medium sized animals like deer in the wilderness, where he managed to shoot 7 rabbits and 2 deer and he sold them to Old Bob who reprimanded him for his hunting skills since the carcasses were in poor quality.
Old Bob buys 1 rabbit carcass for 1 dollar and 40 cents each, and as for the deer carcasses he buys it 4 dollars each. In total Caleb gained 18 dollars and 50 cents, and while happy that he gained some sum of money he also felt unfortunate that he didn't gain a hunting skill.
Hunting not only helped him refine his handgun skills and gain some money but also gave him a chance to practice his Sneaking and Blunt Weapon skills. He would silently approach his prey, using the environment to mask his movements, and then strike with a wooden staff he had fashioned for training.
Over time, he became more adept at sneaking up on animals and delivering precise blows. By the end of the five days, he had managed to increase his Sneaking and Blunt Weapon skills to level 1, giving him a basic understanding and execution of these abilities.
In addition to his combat and survival training, Caleb also focused on improving his physical attributes. He spent time in the wilderness doing physical exercises like running, lifting rocks, and shadowboxing.
His stamina gradually increased, and by the fifth day, he noticed a significant improvement in his endurance, raising his Stamina attribute to 6 out of 10. He also began to develop a basic understanding of hand to hand combat, earning a new skill:
Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 0: Beginner - Basic) Acquired!
Description:Through shadowboxing and physical training, you have gained a beginner understanding of hand to hand combat. This skill improves your ability to throw punches, dodge attacks, and defend yourself in close quarters combat by a bit. As you level up, you will learn advanced techniques, improve your reflexes, and increase your overall fighting prowess.
By the end of the five day training arc, Caleb had made significant progress. He had managed to increase his Stamina attribute and had improved three of his skills to level 1: Knife, Blunt Weapon, and Sneaking. He had also acquired a beginner level Hand to Hand Combat skill, giving him a foundation in unarmed fighting. His daily routine had been grueling, but the results were worth it.
Financially, Caleb had spent 3 dollars to extend his stay at the hotel for another 3 nights and around 10 dollars on food and drinks from Worth's General Store.
However, his income from working at the stable and butcher stall had brought in 10 dollars over the same period, and combined with the 18 dollars and 50 cents from hunting, his money increased by 15 dollars and 50 cents in his total funds. He now had 51 dollars and 75 cents in his satchel, which he considered a fair trade for the progress he had made.
During the past five days, Caleb had been so consumed by his busy work and training schedule that he hadn't found the time to buy a newspaper.
However, today he managed to spare a moment to head to the eastern part of Valentine, where the newsboy was located. As he made his way there, he passed by the doctor's clinic and noticed that it had finally reopened for business.
The Sheriff's investigation into the doctor's backroom, where the bodies of the O'Driscolls Caleb had killed were found, had apparently come to an end. The doctor had been cleared of all charges, as his alibi held up and no evidence linked him to the killings. The only thing missing was the money, which he had taken for himself.
Caleb felt a wave of relief wash over him. With no clues pointing to him and no one even suspecting him, he could finally rest easy. After all, it would be absurd for anyone to connect a young man like him to the killings without any evidence or eyewitness.
He continued walking toward the intersection where the newsboy was selling newspapers. Approaching the boy, Caleb handed over 25 cents in exchange for the latest issue of The New Hanover Gazette.
He immediately began reading it, eager to catch up on current events and see if there was any news about the Van der Linde gang. He needed to know if they had made their move yet so he could adapt his plans accordingly.
Unfortunately, there was no mention of the Van der Linde gang in the newspaper. This meant that they were still likely holed up in Colter, recovering from the Blackwater Massacre and the subsequent blizzard. Caleb remembered from the game that they spent a little over a week in Colter before descending to the Heartlands and setting up camp at Horseshoe Overlook.
If that timeline held true, it could be any day now that members of the gang, like Uncle, Arthur, Karen, Tilly, and Mary-Beth, would visit Valentine to gather supplies and look for leads.
Folding the newspaper, Caleb felt a sense of urgency. He needed to prepare himself for their arrival. If he wanted to catch the attention of the Van der Linde gang, he would have to make a name for himself in Valentine's.
But how? He considered several options. Perhaps he could establish himself as a bounty hunter, taking down outlaws and earning a reputation as a skilled gunslinger. Alternatively, he could try to become the best poker player in town, using his Poker skills to win big and gain notoriety. He wasn't sure yet which path to take, but he knew he needed to do something to stand out.
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Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 6/10
- Agility: 6/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 6/10 (+1)
- Charm: 4/10
- Luck: 5/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 1)
- Rifle (Lvl 1)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 2)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 1) (+1)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1) (+1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 1) (+1)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 1)
- Poker (Lvl 1) - New
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 0) - New