The familiar prompt informing him that his mana regeneration had doubled appeared before he swiped it away. ‘I have to look at this wyrd heart thing, maybe I can use it to speed up my regeneration even more if I try to take an active role in gathering the energy in my body.’
Verdant slid to the floor, his back against the hard, glowing, door behind him. He crossed his legs, placing his weapon over his knees before closing his eyes. Calling out for the mental space used for his wyrd heart he suddenly felt Frost Breaker warm up and hum in his lap. Grasping either end of the weapon in his hands, he inspected it closely, listening for any sign it was trying to communicate with him. Assess.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Item – Hrímrjóer - Frost Breaker (Bloodline-Unique)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Level 0 - Kills 103/10 [Levels Pending] {Derelict}
</td>
</tr>
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<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
This warpick was commissioned by an ?sir as a coming-of-age gift for his youngest mortal son. He placed within it, but a fraction of his true power in hopes that it would resonate with the seed of divinity in his offspring and spark the birth of another true Norse God.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
· When delivering a solid blow to an enemy, there is a chance that lightning will shoot from the wound, striking a nearby enemy.
· This item may gain experience by making kills in combat and grow alongside its user.
· This weapon is nigh indestructible. Only those who forged it know the secrets behind its destruction.
</td>
</tr>
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<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Blood calls to Blood. Connected through the ages; The line remains unbroken.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
‘Wait, I forgot you can level up. What does that even mean… Well, no time like the present to find out…’ Verdant mentally willed the pending levels to be assigned.
<table>
<tbody>
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<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Your bonded weapon ‘Frost Breaker’ has levelled up!
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
You will gain free points in line with your own racial gains. These can be increased retroactively upon racial evolution or other bonuses increasing racial gains.
Level 0 > Level 4
+ 20 Free Points
{Derelict} status has been removed. Proper flow of wyrd restored.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
‘Wait, twenty points? It’s based on my racial gains… Bolva said I’d only get two free points per level.’ Verdant sat for a moment, confused. ‘Wait… The currency exchange. There were three free points on there. That must be one of the purchases Bryn made. Shit… I really need to look at those. I wasn’t in the right mind set back then and I’d forgotten about it until now. Fuck. I don’t want to scroll all the fucking way back there in the logs.’
He contemplated, in silence, for several moments: clearly frustrated by the decision. ‘There might be other stuff there that I need to know about. It could screw me over later.’
Mustering all his determination, Verdant mentally opened his system log and scrolled all the way back to his earliest notifications. He had avoided thinking about his beginnings until now, the creatures he had seen, and the loss of his one-time saviour still haunted him. But he needed to know. ‘I found it.’
<table>
<tbody>
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<td width="600">
Currency Exchange Purchase Summary
</td>
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<tr>
<td width="600">
Free Stat Points Per Race Level - +3
Class Specific Points Per Class Level - +3
Profession Specific Points Per Level - +3
Free Stat Efficiency - +60%
Trait Slot - +2
Trait Upgrade Token - +1
Race Upgrade Token - +1
Skill Upgrade Token - +5
The Warrior’s Crucible Integration Pack [Activated] (+50,000)
Total Cost – 295, 000
Currency Remaining 7,860
Exchange for Local Currency?
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
‘So that’s what happened, I should have looked at this a while ago. There’s not too much affecting me right now, but it’s good to know what I can expect.’ He had reached the bottom of the screen and was surprised to see a prompt waiting for his approval. ‘Convert to local currency? I mean… I had a lot of points left, I haven’t seen any shops or anywhere to spend money; I guess it doesn’t hurt to have some on hand.’
Verdant mentally approved the prompt and wasn’t surprised to see another pop up in its place.
<table>
<tbody>
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<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Currency Exchange Conversion
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
7,860 Exchange points remain.
Converting to local currency ‘?sir Standard’.
Currency exchange incurs a 10% tax.
7,860 Exchange Points converted to 7,074 ?re post tax deduction.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Verdant jumped in fright as the freshly minted ?re clattered against the stone floor, scattering into a loose pile at his feet. The soft chime of metal on stone echoed around him, far too delicate for the sheer number of coins the System had decided to reward him with.
He stared at them, expression blank. Then, with a slow breath, he crouched down, picking one up between his fingers, looking at it closely. Assess.
<table>
<tbody>
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<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
System Minted Currency - ?sir Standard ‘?re’
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<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
The ?re is the base unit of ?sir-standard currency, minted directly by the World System. Forged from purified copper and stamped with the runic seal of Asgard, this coin bears the mark of the System, ensuring its authenticity.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
A small, square hole at its center allows it to be strung onto twine or wire for easy carrying.
Though it holds little value individually, enough of these can be traded for higher denominations at any System Bank.
</td>
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<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
A shiny new coin you can spend to acquire goods at non-existent shops. Clever.
</td>
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</tbody>
</table>
The coin was pristine, untouched by age or wear. The rune-etched copper caught the dim light, its square center hole cut with almost unnatural precision. He turned it over, rubbing his thumb along the fresh engraving before flicking it absently back onto the pile.
‘That’s… a lot of coins.’ He scooped up a handful, letting them spill from one palm to the other, the rhythmic clinking somehow both satisfying and infuriating. The weight wasn’t an issue—his inventory handled that effortlessly—but practicality? That was another matter entirely.
‘How am I supposed to pay for anything with these? Just start chucking handfuls at people and hope it covers the cost?’ His jaw twitched as he exhaled sharply through his nose. The System, in all its wisdom, had apparently decided that instead of something convenient—something useful—he should be awarded an obnoxious flood of the smallest possible denomination.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, watching the pile settle before letting the coins blink into his inventory. ‘First chance I get, I’m finding a System Bank before I start pegging these at people out of spite.’
<table>
<tbody>
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<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Currency Exchange
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
It has been noted that the user does not have access to a system bank within ‘824,401kms’
Due to extenuating circumstances. User has been granted a one-time opportunity to access the ‘System Currency Exchange’ for free.
Would you like to use this opportunity now?
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
‘YES!’ Verdant immediately selected to convert his mountain of copper to something more substantial.
<table>
<tbody>
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<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
System Currency Exchange
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
7074 ?sir Standard ?re detected.
Currencies available.
10 Ore (?re) to 1 Shield (Skjald)
25 Shield (Skjald) to 1 Mark (Mark)
50 Mark (Mark) to 1 Crown (Krona)
100 Crown (Krona) to 1 King (Konungr)
Keeping the minimum amount of each denomination while converting to the highest.
Result – 28 Mark 4 Skjald 4 ?re
</td>
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</tbody>
</table>
Verdant remained seated, watching as the mountain of ?re flickered and vanished, the System’s rune pulsing along their surface. The sharp chime of shifting metal faded into silence, leaving behind silver, bronze, and only a handful of copper where there had once been an overwhelming flood.
He reached forward, picking up one of the newly exchanged coins.
The Mark was larger than the other two denominations before him, its silver surface cool to the touch. An engraving of an Ash tree spanned its face, the carved branches woven into the metal with deliberate precision. ‘I’d be willing to bet that’s supposed to be Yggdrasil.’
He ran his thumb along the coin’s edge, feeling the fine, angular etchings—runes inscribed with perfect symmetry. Freshly minted, the surface was unblemished by time or wear.
Holding the Mark in one hand, he plucked a coin from the next pile with his other—a Shield, or Skjald. Bronze, noticeably lighter than the Mark, its face bore an embossed Valknut, the three interlocking triangles forming a subtle yet unmistakable symbol of the ?sir. Unlike the Mark, which carried a certain weight of permanence, the Skjald felt better suited for daily transactions—a coin meant to be exchanged rather than hoarded.
Finally, he glanced at the remaining ?re—a mere four coins, their copper gleam a faint echo of the previous pile.
He turned the Mark and Skjald over in his palm, feeling the contrast in weight before setting them back down. A quick count confirmed 28 Mark, 4 Skjald, and 4 ?re—the sum of his newly exchanged currency.
Verdant exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. The unwieldy heap of ?re was gone, replaced with something far more manageable. He cast a final glance at the now-empty space where the scattered copper pile had once sat before reaching out and willing the remaining coins to blink into his inventory.
‘Fuck me, I can finally get back to figuring out my freakin’ wyrd heart and mana recovery issues.’ He closed his eyes and prepared to enter a meditative state.
‘WAIT!’ His eyes opened wide in realisation. ‘I have twenty free points to allocate, if I do it now, I should be able to get my intelligence to the one-hundred-point threshold and unlock the achievement, doubling my mana in the process.’
Opening his status, Verdant realised immediately that he would fall short of his goal. ‘Where else can I put the points to get another achievement… Dexterity? That would round out my physical stats.’
He placed six points in dexterity and smiled when the expected horns followed by a golden notification appeared.
<table>
<tbody>
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<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Achievement Earned: Phantom’s Grace (Legendary)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
This legendary feat is earned by reaching 100 Dexterity at Level 0, a milestone that only the most agile and untouchable warriors across the realms will ever achieve. Such fluidity and precision mark you as one who moves beyond mortal constraints, a shadow in motion before even taking your first true step on the path.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="600">
+10 to All Stats
×2 Dexterity Efficiency
Passive Effect: Untouchable Form
<ul>
<li>Evasion and reaction speed are increased by 5%, reflecting the uncatchable grace of the wind.</li>
<li>Any attack that would strike you while in motion has a 5% chance to be negated outright, as if it had never landed.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="600">
Like whispers on the wind, your presence is fleeting, and your movements are beyond the grasp of those who seek to strike you.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
‘Another legendary ‘chievo for the bank. I wish I could have got the Intelligence one; it would have made a massive difference. Am I missing anything?’ Verdant sat in quiet contemplation for several minutes, reading through his status and scanning his inventory for anything that would get him what he needed.
He reached the bottom of his status and realised that he had tokens sitting there, unused and completely forgotten. ‘They were from the currency exchange as well! Why the hell haven’t I used these yet?’
He mentally selected to [CONSUME] the race token and was surprised to see a system notification in the gold script of his ?sir system achievements. Like the Old system was talking directly to him.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="600">
? System Notification ?
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="600">
Race Evolution Token Detected: [Divine]
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Ordinarily, race evolution is restricted to individuals who have reached Level 100, where the body and soul have fully stabilized, allowing for ascension beyond your base form
However, due to the presence of a dormant ?sir bloodline, this restriction is bypassed if it is done while at level 0. The divine essence within your lineage resonates with the [Divine] quality of the token, allowing for immediate evolution to a superior race of your hidden bloodline.
Would you like to [CONSUME] Race Token [Divine] and evolve your race from
Human → Asgardian?
Warning! This process is irreversible.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Like whispers on the wind, your presence is fleeting, and your movements are beyond the grasp of those who seek to strike you.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Verdant took a deep breath, ‘In for a penny… I guess.’
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
? System Notification ?
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Race Evolution Initiated…
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Your mortal frame trembles as long-dormant divine pathways awaken within you. The resonance of your ?sir heritage surges through your core, unravelling the limits imposed upon lesser beings.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center" width="600">
Base Attributes Adjusted
Free Attribute Points Per Level Increased:
From: 2 Base + 3 (Currency Exchange Bonus) = 5
To: 7 Base + 3 (Currency Exchange Bonus) = 10
Retroactive Adjustment from Weapon Levels:
+20 Free Attribute Points have been granted as compensation for past levels earned through your weapon’s resonance.
Physiological and System Adjustments
Base racial limitations removed.
Divine Affinity awakened.
Increased natural Wyrd alignment.
Enhanced compatibility with ?sir-tier skills and abilities.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="600">
Your evolution has been noted within the Wyrd, though the Usurper System remains unaware. For now.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Verdant shifted as energy coursed through his body. It was warm and only getting hotter. Spreading to every inch of his body, the power of his evolution tingled along his being.
‘Oh, it’s not so bad, I kind of expected unbearable ago…’
His thoughts were cut off as pain ripped through his body. His wyrd channels opened wide and a vortex formed around in the air above him, greedily sucking energy from the environment fueling his transformation.
Power poured through his channels, running to his wyrd heart.
A deep thrum echoed from within before releasing a wave of scorching energy.
It flowed out of his wyrd heart, burning through his channels with excruciating pain.
Verdant threw back his head and screamed as the transformation began in earnest.
Skin ruptured across his body, spewing forth gouts of steam. The pain was indescribable, but somehow, he managed to retain his awareness.
Until… his bones started to groan and creak, when the first breaks started, his mind was lost to darkness.