《Old World Online: A Scholars Ambition》 Prologue-Initialization
Welcome to Old World Online! Character creation in progress.
I can''t believe it. I get to finally play the game that has been building up so much hype in the last two years they have advertised it. The creators have proclaimed it to be the most sandbox like game yet, carefully mixing together so many types of game genres into one, allowing for millions of people to be interested in it. While it is mostly a dungeon crawler, you can also own land, create a city from scratch or inherit one from the multitudes of kingdoms that need help in fighting back the hordes of demon spawn invading their lands. They also proclaim that there is an in-depth crafting system, with anything being possible to create, so long as the physics of the realm deems it possible and with magic, most everything is.
Thank you for purchasing the VIP Edition. You will receive an extra trait based on the class you choose.
Skills, the bread-and-butter of this new game. Supposedly you are able to learn any skill you want while the classes just help some skills become easier to learn and level while also giving you some free starter ones. The only difference between the VIP Edition and the regular edition is that you get one random trait aside from the one that the classes give you. While it does not seem like much the difference is that the trait they pull from is entirely unique to you. That means no matter what, only you will have this trait.
Please Select a class
Fighter
Archer
Caster
The devs promised an intuitive magic system so what kind of fool would not choose to be a caster?This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Caster Chosen!
Trait obtained! Magic Focused- Anything that you do that is magic focused will be easier for you, allowing you to progress faster in your magical studies. Bonus- Increases the comprehension speed of all magical arts.
So it looks like traits are used to further specialize on a given path.
Random Trait rolled! Omnilinguinism(Unique)- The ability to understand all forms of written and spoken languages.
Oh? This could definitely work. CH 1 Darkness surrounds me as I spot a bright light in the distance. Slowly it appears to be growing bigger and bigger. No, I realize it is not growing, rather I am moving towards it faster and faster until the light completely repels the darkness that surrounded me. Massive. The only word I could use to convey the world. Three large landmasses fill my vision as I stare down at the world below slowly rotating along its invisible axis. The continents themselves were obscuredby a thick grey fog with only the tips of some mountain range on the West continent giving me a glimpse at its possible geography. The view was so breathtaking that I didn''t even realize there was someone next to me until I heard a short cough originating from my left. "Sorry to disturb you but I am here to answer any questions before you start the game." Her voice was almost ethereal. Turning I am faced with an actual angel. Large white angel wings were tucked behind her as her golden halo was silently bobbing above her head. Sitting in a bright pink plush chair behind a desk both of which were casually floating in space she gestures to the space in front of her desk where another bright pink plush chair started to slowly materialize in front of my very eyes. "Please take a seat" She calmly speaks to me. I sit in front of the artificial angel but I couldn''t help but look back across my shoulder to the world behind me. "So that''s the world huh," I say, my voice full of wonder. "Yes, as you can see it is currently divided into three continents. The northernmost iswhat we like to refer to as the Monster Zone as in it is mostly inhabited by monsters of old, great behemoths of legend dwell within their respective zones, guarding grandiosetreasures waiting to be retrieved. The western continent belongs to the Admeri Republic, the forefront in democracy but broken into their respective factions. With their abundant resources fighting back, the demon horde should be no problem," Snorting in disdain, "If only those stupid aristocrats would stop bickering with each other than their war would be easily won. The Eastern continent is a different story, however." She pauses as if to reminisce about past experiences. "Due to the continent only being discovered in recent years, there isn''t enough of a foothold of civilization yet in order to effectively combat the demons who are invading." "Speaking of that, how are they invading? Do they sort of just poof into existence out of nowhere?" I ask, wondering how such a mechanic works. "Unfortunately I cannot give you any specifics as to the actual gameplay else that spoils the fun!"This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. "Alright fair enough, in that case, do we have character sheets or something?" ''There wasn''t exactly a menu or anything'' "Of course, just think ''Character'' and the screen should pop up. You can also just think''Menu'' and select the ''Character'' tab from there. Keep in mind though that certain features of the game will be unlocked as time goes on or special actions are performed." ''Character''
Name:[Empty] Class: Caster Race: Human
EXP GAINED: POWER LEVEL: 49
Strength: 1 (+) 20
Agility: 1 (+) 20
Endurance: 1 (+) 20
Intelligence: 18 (+) 190
Willpower: 15 (+) 160
Charisma: 3 (+) 40
Luck: 20
Skills* [Expand]
(Note that an * denotes that it is being compressed for convenience)
Looking at it now it kind of makes sense. The devs did say that our physical bodies would reflect what we have in here at the start. I only wish my physical stats didn''t have to be so low. "Oh dear, give me one moment." The angel closes her eyes while dragging her hands through the air as if she is selecting things on the screen. After a few minutes her eyes open up again. "I am so sorry Mr.Remus, I didn''t know of your, um, condition until now. Though after reading through your file I must say I am impressed you have managed for this long." My mood sours as the immersion is broken by mentioning my condition. "Save the pity party, I get that too much in the real world. Will this be an issue in-game?" The angel looks as if she wants to answer but instead closes her eyes again. Once again, after a few minutes she opens her eyes and addresses me, albeit this time with a cheerful smile in place. "I have been given permission to tell you about certain game mechanics. A stat of ten is the average human stat, likewise, it represents the average human capability of that stat. Now of course adding more has diminishing returns after a while but while increasing the stat grants you more of the desired effect the opposite can also be said." "So if the average human can squat about 125 pounds with a stat of ten, then a stat of one allows me to lift a tenth of that? Am I destined to always be a cripple?" I couldn''t help but let my frustration show in my voice. "Fortunately for you Mr.Remus it will not be. For one of the so-called ''Game Moderators'' has decided they will personally attend to your issue," A box wrapped in a silky white cloth appears on the angel''s desk."These gifts are from the moderator himself, think of it as our way of apologizing for your troubles and he hopes that you will quote ''Unlock your true potential''." Tentatively, I reach towards the box. CH 2 Inside were three items the first being a small glass box with a single white pill. Besides that there are also five neatly stacked coins that faintly resemble poker chips with a large letter T engraved on one side with a number one on the other. Lastly, there was a simple note addressed to me in the box. Hello Mr.Remus, As you know this game was created with the ideas that anyone who could connect to it could play. Doing so requires some exceptions to be made in order to even the playing field at the start. This is one such exception. Inside you should find two items that will help you catch up to those who are fortunate to not be in your position. One item will increase your stats so that you will enter the game with a body that is entirely functional, something everyone in the game is entitled to start with. The second item is a gift from me and the rest of the support staff for our condolences with your condition. May this new world be one in which you can truly live. Best of luck, G.M Alex After reading the note I try and stifle my anger for again being recalled to my situation in the real world. It''s one thing to know you can never go back to the real world, but it''s another thing to be constantly reminded of it. Sighing, I look closer at the gifts the GM''s have decided to gift me. It was to my surprise that information boxes for the items suddenly sprang forth into my vision when I wanted to know more about them. In the other online games, I played the system has never been so intuitive.
Enhancement Pill
Description- A pill able to increase the attributes directly. When consumed, increases Strength, Endurance, and Agility by four points.
''Not bad, if I am right, that means that this will let me at least somewhat below average starting off. Much better than a cripple though, I wonder if consumables like this are common in the game.'' I then try to mentally swipe away the information box and focus as I did before at the chips in order to know what these chips really are.
Training Token (x5)
Description- A token that can be presented at any of the official training towers that are located in every major town or settlement.
''Hmm, again I do not know how valuable these gifts really are. The pill I would need to take now but I could hold onto these for a while and see their going price.'' Once I closed out of the box both items appeared to break down into soft motes of light that then gravitated towards me and entered my chest. "Where did they go!" The sudden disappearance of my items made me slightly irritated. "Relax, they simply were put in your inventory for the time being." The angel calmly replied, "Are you satisfied with your compensation?" She asked though it sounded more like a requirement instead of an actual inquiry. "Yes, this will work out just fine." ''While it is still irritating to be reminded of my situation, the freebies are nice.''The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. "Right, in that case, would you like to be transported to your starting town?" The angel asked, ready for this headache to be over. She must not be used to having to deal with this much drama for someone who hasn''t even started the game yet. "Of course I am, though, am I already far behind?" Worry overtakes me for a second seeing as this ordeal has taken far too long. "Oh, don''t worry about that, once you sat down the time dilation inside of here has been set to one to twenty. Barely any time has passed in the game world which only has dilation of one to four." She reassures me, somewhat assuaging my worry. "Awesome, so how does this work?" I ask "That''s simple, just pick out of these options." She then waves her hand and a panel appears before me.
[Northern Continent] Description- Inhabited by powerful monsters of legend, this land is fraught with danger. But with risk comes a high reward as there are numerous reports of people venturing into the lands and coming out with a few Ancient grade items. Bonus-Medium increase in the development of Combat skills.
[Western Continent] Description- Home to the Admeri Republic, the forefront in democracy, each race is represented by their respective leaders in order for them to all live in harmony with another. At least, to the common vagrant who randomly walked into the country that is what it would appear like at first. For underneath this pretense of peace lies the political subterfuge of the varying factions within the race, each one vying to have their leader represent their race in the Republic. Due to this, one can expect a different sort of fighting to take place at all times. However, this continent favors those with a silver tongue and a quick wit. Bonus- Medium increase in the development of Persuasion skills.
[Eastern Continent] Description- A relatively new Continent discovered around two hundred years ago as it was previously hidden by some unknown cosmic force, settlers have rushed to the new land, hoping for a chance at redemption. New monsters and fauna have been found, leading many to believe the way to further their masteries would be to explore this new continent. Bonus- Medium increase in the development of Crafting skills.
''So if I am reading this right the Northern continent will most likely be centered around constant fighting which would lead to characters starting on that continent to become very good at fighting very fast. Though the danger of there being stronger than normal beasts leads me to believe that characters starting there would be forced to mainly focus on combat instead of other areas of the game.'' ''The Western continent while seeming safe from physical attacks, appears to have its own sort of fighting happening, one that I already get enough of in the real world. Plus, I am here to have fun and tedious mind games are not my form of entertainment.'' ''The Eastern continent however, that looks promising. With a whole new degree of plant and animal life, the chance for something unexpected to happen increases dramatically as well as I want to get into crafting with the new system they have been talking about so the bonus is nice. Also, I bet it was opened up ''recently'' in order for players to explore a relatively unexplored portion of the map before any major expansions. What''s the fun in traveling through a continent that already has everything plotted out? Yeah, this will definitely be more enjoyable.'' With my decision made I look back up to the angel. "Alright, I will pick to start out in the Eastern continent," I said "Certainly, before the transport happens however I recommend you consume that pill. It would do no good to get there and not be able to move" She says with a little smirk. "Oh yeah, that would make sense." After a couple of seconds of focus my inventory panel appears in front of me. I then try to ''grab'' the pill and it disappears from my window and appears into my left hand. After swallowing it I can feel something inside of me become more. "Well, best of luck to you then Mr.Remus, transporting now." The angel then held up her hand in the sky and a grand array started to form around be. A large circle filled with complex geometrical shapes started rotating around me. Stunned at the display in front of me I then realize I forgot something. Something very important. "WAIT WHAT ABOUT MY AVAT-" My frantic yell gets cut short as a beam of light suddenly condenses around me and shoots me into the Eastern Continent. CH 3 Materializing is a weird feeling. First, your sense of balance is never compromised but some of your senses take a little longer to function properly. Right now there''s a constant ringing in my ears and my sight is slightly blurred. After composing myself for a little bit the ringing stops and my vision clears into the room I am currently in. ''So beautiful'' Standing on top of a raised platform I am what appears to be a cathedral, except there are no rows of benches or even a podium. Instead, the whole room is centered upon the stage that I was transported to. Golden symbols were etched into the platform below me, forming some kind of circle. There was a feeling of recognition with those symbols but they are still incomprehensible to me. The room itself was somewhat large, allowing for at least twenty people to comfortably stand in with wide hexagonal walls, each one having a large, colored glass window to which sunlight illuminated three of the six images causing those to have a certain depth to them compared to the un-illuminated ones. Something strange about these panes is that they were moving. Not in the metaphorical way of course but the literal ''These are pictures are moving''. It seems each one was a small clip to a larger movie. Starting from the panel that had a large Roman numeral 1 on the top it depicted a giantess cupping the world in her hands. She can only be described as breathtaking, her emerald eyes and green hair that was most likely symbolizing her connection to nature while her face was as gentle as a slight breeze. The image depicts her tears filling the ocean of the world while her breath gave it life. The only thing that ruins the image, however, is the hand that has been thrustinto her chest by a dark entity that no matter how long you stared, had no defining features. Except for the eyes for they were clearly spotted, the bright red standing in stark contrast to the midnight black that surrounded them. The next panel showed each entity exploding into nine separate forms that looked down upon the world below. The eighteen figures could be seen battling each other over and over again in the next piece. The fourth panel depicts the nine white entities standing triumphantly above the nine dark entities who are trapped inside a cage-like structure. The fifth panel shows the nine white figures sitting at a table with the planet in the middle, each one staring intently at the small pinpricks of light dotting the planet. While in the background the dark figures appear to be drawing a complex looking formation on their cage. The sixth and final panel shows the shockedexpressions of the nine white figures as the nine dark figures raise their hands menacingly to the planet, showering the planet in a dark crimson light. This light appeared to break some sort of lock placed on the world as now large red pinpricks were slowly popping up along the planet, each one easily ten times bigger than the regularwhite ones. As if inresponse to this the white figures flood the planet with a bright white golden light with golden pinpricks showing up in each of the three continents. ''I see so this is the lore they crafted in order to logically explain not only why the Demons are appearing once again but also how players are appearing inside continents randomly. It seems like the end-game content will be to entomb these Demons once again.'' Suddenly a hidden door that is set in the sixth panel swings inward to reveal an old grizzled man dressed in robes. He appears to have been expecting me since he shows no particular reaction to my presence in this otherwise sealed room. His face holds a jovial smile, instilling a sense of peace in a way I cannot explain. "Welcome Immortal, to the Eastern Continent. I am Father Jonathan" His smooth voice completely throwing me off from his otherwise rough appearance. The man was a giant, standing at least six and a half feet tall with muscles that could be likened to steel cables. "May I know your name?" He asks smiling warmly at me, waiting for a reply.
Please Enter name _____
"Yes of course,'' might as well stick to my regular nickname, '' my name is Trix, Trix Moonbright."
Are you sure you would like your name to be The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. [Trix Moonbright] [Yes]/[No]
Selecting yes I wait for Father Jonathan to reply. "Ah, finally a real name! Do you know how many Immortals have been summoned that want to go by ''Killah'' or ''anime lover''? What even is ananime anyway!" By the end of it, he seemed so shaken up by the fact that people thought it would be funny to name themselves something ridiculous. He''s going off on a tangent. "Anyways, where on the Eastern Continent am I?" I ask, hoping to get some relevant information. "But of course, you are in one of the smaller towns near the ocean. All immortals are transported into safer places like these in order to acclimate themselves to the way of the world before being exposed to the less favorable aspects of this world.'' Father Jonathan showed a look of disgust at the mentioning of it, ''The gods informed us that you would be called upon from a place without access to the great system so you would need some guidance in order to succeed in this world. For instance, just from looking at you I can tell that you have received some form of divine blessing. Can you tell me what it is?" Father Jonathan says, looking at me intently. ''Divine blessing? What could he possibly mean? Oh, it must be my focus that he is referring to as everyone would have that.'' "The gods have gifted me with the Focus of Magic." "Ah, I see and what do you wish to do with your magic? Maybe cast powerful spells at your foes, summon hordes of minions to fight for you, or perhaps you had other ideas?" Father Jonathan is eyeing me critically now. More than likely my decision here will influence how my character will be shaped through this pseudo tutorial. ''Think, what exactly do you wish to do in this world? Let''s see the only goal I had in this world was to have as much fun as I could, seeing as this is my only escape from the real world. I want to have adventures, the likes that I have never could have anticipated, face dangers that I could face only in here. But most importantly, I wanted to make things again. Ever since my body turned into a cripple in the real world I have yearned for a place to be constructive.''My thoughts were interrupted by a box appearing inside of my vision.
Welcome to the specialization portion of Old Age Online! Because you chose Caster as your primary class, choices have been locked to [Magic Focused] categories. These specializations will help you improve faster in a given field by providing a small boost to the learning and development of skills that are classed into the specialization as well as providing a beginner skill or spell depending on which is chosen. Furthermore, there are also sub-specializations within that allow you to narrow down your skill list even further! Please, choose wisely for there are only a handful of times that these will be able to be changed in-game. (Do note that this does not restrict you from learning skills associated with the other specializations, just that it will require more time to increase their skill levels!)
Attack- For those who wish to bring destruction to their foes, or absolute dominion over someone else.
Elemental- Those who wish to command theFour Primary Elements. Fire to burn, Earth to crush, Water to drown, and Air to extinguish. Mental- Others see this as a taboo to use amongst the more intelligent of races, though the effects could be quite astounding. Summoning- For those who wish to delve into the art of creating the perfect weapon, whether it being alive or composed of the elements.
Support- For those who still want to be in battle, but not so much contributing to the carnage directly.
Dark- The darkness is known to be an effective tool when in the right hands. While not evil, it is known that those who use the dark are able to mimic the effects of death; slow, inevitable, and irreversible. Light- Some say the light heals. Others say it is a way for those to defend others. But everyone knows that light is able to purify anything that it touches. Nature- In its purest form, those who walk this path tread closely with the Fauna and Flora of the world. They are able to connect to it like no other.
Utility- For those who wish to seek out the unknown.
Research- For those who simply cannot stand not knowing how or why something was created or cast, this sub-specialization helps those who wish to further their understanding of the very nature of magic. Scrying- For those who wish to see what normally could not be seen.
''hmmm'' CH 4
Welcome to the specialization portion of Old Age Online! Because you chose Caster as your primary class, choices have been locked to [Magic Focused] categories. These specializations will help you improve faster in a given field by providing a small boost to the learning and development of skills that are classed into the specialization as well as providing a beginner skill or spell depending on which is chosen. Furthermore, there are also sub-specializations within that allow you to narrow down your skill list even further! Please, choose wisely for there are only a handful of times that these will be able to be changed in-game. (Do note that this does not restrict you from learning skills associated with the other specializations, just that it will require more time to increase their skill levels!)
Attack- For those who wish to bring destruction to their foes, or absolute dominion over someone else.
Elemental- Those who wish to command the Four Primary Elements. Fire to burn, Earth to crush, Water to drown, and Air to extinguish. Mental- Others see this as a taboo to use amongst the more intelligent of races, though the effects could be quite astounding. Summoning- For those who wish to delve into the art of creating the perfect weapon, whether it being alive or composed of the elements.
Support- For those who still want to be in battle, but not so much contributing to the carnage directly.
Dark- The darkness is known to be an effective tool when in the right hands. While not evil, it is known that those who use the dark are able to mimic the effects of death, slow, inevitable, irreversible. Light- Some say the light heals. Others say it is a way for those to defend others. But everyone knows that light is able to purify anything that it touches. Nature- In its purest form, those who walk this path tread closely with the Fauna and Flora of the world. They are able to connect to it like no other.
Utility- For those who wish to seek out the unknown.
Research- For those who simply cannot stand not knowing how or why something was created or cast, this sub-specialization helps those who wish to further their understanding of the very nature of magic. Scrying- For those who wish to see what normally could not be seen.
''Let''s think about this rationally. This game just started so right now there will be a mad rush to gain anything of value. Going by that logic it would be easy to see that anyone who picks a magical focus which I assume will be quite a lot of people, then they will most likely pick the attack sub-specs in order to get that extra edge when battling. Which will thus leading to greater advantage when trying to establish the social hierarchy of players.'' ''However, this also means that they will most likely make the starting gear that could potentially boost one of the aspects of the attacking sub-specs, allowing them to gain power faster. Which means that those resources will be much scarcer. Plus it says that we will not necessarily be stopped from learning those skills eventually, it just will be initially harder. In that case, then I should not choose any of the Attack sub-specs.'' ''Hmm...I guess the same could be said for the Support sub-specs, most likely all of those will give me a spell that utilizes that kind of mana or they will give me a passive skill that lets me control that kind of mana. Probably something like that. Either way, I could always learn that later on even if it is more difficult.'' ''The Utility sub-specs, however, hold a promising amount of potential return. Especially the Scrying sub-spec. Usually, in other games, scrying could be inferred to looking into the future or finding a person''s location from far away. A good Scryer can make a lot of money tracking people down in the other games so I am assuming they are also in high demand here. The researcher though holds the most late-game potential out of any of them. It appears that it might give me a skill or spell that would help me perceive how something was cast which could help in a lot of scenarios. Should I go for the potential power boost now and choose something I know there will be a demand for or do I take a gamble?'' While I was inner monologuing, I can see out of the corner of my eye that Father Jonathan seems to be patiently waiting for my answer. As if a light bulb goes off inside my head I immediately ask Father Jonathan about my assumptions. "Pardon for the wait Father Jonathan but you said that you also are connected to the great system?" I ask, making sure that I wouldn''t be breaking a taboo rule to talk to the NPC''s about the game mechanics. "But of course, the great system is merely the product of the nine holy gods allowing us to empower ourselves since the beginning of time. For you see we sentient races were vastly inferior compared to our monster counter-parts created by the nine gods of darkness that the nine holy gods were trying to seek balance. So, the great system was created. Said to be created similar to something the gods themselves witnessed from visiting other realms." He spoke very passionately, probably because it was about his entire religion. I quickly cut him off before he could go off again.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "So, in that case, you know about the sub-specializations pertaining to the magical focused?" I ask, hoping he could give me some insight as to what I could potentially be bound to for the rest of my game. "Of course I am, I wouldn''t have been successfully indoctrinated as a priest of the nine holy gods if I didn''t!" "In that case, what does the ''Research'' sub-spec give you?" I ask, hoping to glean some sort of insight as to what taking this would entail. I was not ready for him to suddenly grab me by the arms and look at me straight in the eyes. "Are you sure that is an option for you?" The look he was giving me shook me beyond belief that I quickly nodded yes. Probably seeing the truth in my face he sighs somewhat loudly and lets me go, walking toward the door stopping only when he was about to open it. "Do not choose anything until I return." With that, he opened the door and closed it followed very closely by a loud clink which would probably mean he just locked me in here. After about what I could only guess to be around twenty minutes, he comes back inside with another man in tow. This man is wearing a white tunic with a purple collar as opposed to Father Jonathan''s who''s tunic is completely white. If there was any sort of opposite to Father Jonathan then this would be it, standing around five and a half feet tall while still being mostly lanky, he sure does not catch the eye as much as Father Jonathan does. "This is Father Dismuth, the most powerful ranking mentalist we have in this branch of the church. As a mentalist one of their skills is to ascertain the truth of any statement as long as the person who is being probed allows it to happen. You must know, that this is simply because what you have is almost unheard of." He explains while gesturing Father Dismuth over. Father Dismuth puts his right hand onto my left temple and closes his eyes. Suddenly a tingling feeling is originating from what feels like the center of my brain, while a blue box appears in my vision directly in front of the still open sub-spec.
Father Dismuth is attempting to use [Truthsayers Tongue] on you. In order for this skill to work successfully, it requires the consent of the other party. Do you give your consent? [YES]/[NO]
Mentally clicking yes only further intensifies the tickling sensation in my skull and I couldn''t help but giggle a little out loud. Father Dismuth, hearing this, opens his eyes and looks straight into mine while maintaining contact with my temple. "Yes, well it appears to be working. I apologize for having to resort to these methods but we must know the full truth before we make the incorrect assumptions. Now, could you please tell me ALL of the sub-spec options you have to choose?" He asks with a light nasally voice that also carries a slight tinge of a melody to it. Before I can even begin to formulate my thoughts my mouth finds sentience of its own. "In total, I have eight options, three for Attack, three for Support, and two for Utility." The feeling of not having conscious control over your body is uncomfortable, to say the least.'' Hopefully this interrogation comes to a close soon. I do not know how long I can take this method'' "Amazing and if you do not mind me asking, what are your current Traits?" He asks. "Magic Focused and Omnilinguinism" I reply. His brows furrowed in deep thought. "What is the description of the trait ''Omnilinguinism''?" He pronounces the word as if spoken in a foreign tongue to him. "The ability to understand all forms of written and spoken languages." I promptly answer. The look Father Dismuth gave to Father Jonathan was of surprise and concern. "One last thing, what are the two options for Utility?" "Research and Scrying." Seeming satisfied he draws his arm back from my temple. Once the connection is broken I feel that my mouth is now once again underneath my own power. "Well, that answers quite a few questions then." Father Jonathan says. "Let me give you some information Trix. Sub-specializations are a peculiar thing. Now, I am not a scholar of magic but being a magic user I do know a bit about the basics. One of which is sub-specializations. There are some basic sub-specs that every magic user has available starting off. Those are usually the Elemental magics from the Attack category or the Light and Dark magics from the Support category. the others you have are either obtained in three different ways. One, they are unlocked as another sub-spec later on when your power level hits a certain milestone after meeting requirements leading up to it. Two, they are bestowed by certain things such as items that temporarily give you the sup-sec when you have it equipped or tomes that give you the sub-spec permanently. Lastly there are those who are gifted in certain areas of magic from the very first time you can choose your sub-specs and these options are given to them." Finishing his lecture it takes me a little bit to process what he is saying. "So, I met the requirements for all of these sub-specs before I was transported here?" "Precisely. Now this is pretty common for some sub-specs that appear however both of your utilities are almost unheard of." "So do you think my unique trait is what allowed me the two utilities then?" "No, I do not know how you got scryer as it is very specialized and your combination of beginning traits would not allow for that. I am assuming that you just met the requirements to choose it. I can say however that I do believe that unique trait is how you got the researcher sub-spec so early. The only other research specs that I know of are the older members of the scholars of magic so I believe it is a good choice. Who knows what you can spec into at the higher power levels with that." "In that case, if it is that unique then I will pick it."
You have picked the Research Sub-specialization! With it, you are granted one skill and one spell!
Name [Retention] Type[Passive skill] Level (1) Description- What would be the purpose of learning if you always forgot it later? This skill allows the user to have almost perfect recall of any type of data that has been introduced to the user. You will also be able to comprehend things a bit faster as well.
Name [Study] Type[Spell] Level(1/10) Description- What would any Researcher be, without the ability to do any ''searching''? This spell allows the user to cast at anything magical related in order to perhaps gain some insight pertaining to the matter. Cost and chance of gaining knowledge increased with every level. Current chance [5%] Cost- Moderate
''This is pretty overpowered if I am interpreting it right.'' Seeing my awestruck face while reading my new passive skill and spell, Father Jonathan gives a hearty laugh. "Yes, my friend who unlocked it described the passive and spell it gave, truly powerful. Now, do you need any more information?" Update What I need to say Hey everyone just some things I want to get through first. To begin I apologize for my sudden disappearance when writing this fiction. That is mainly just a part of laziness as well as a lot of stress with transitioning from high school to college. I also wrote myself into a corner as I didn''t take the time to create certain mechanics for Exp balancing or how certain professions function in the game. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. What is going to be done What I am planning to do is rewrite all of these chapters while changing the overall pace of the story. I will be introducing new concepts while also attempting to create characters that are more than one-dimensional. From there I will try my best to finish the first book of this series while fleshing out some more sub-plots for the following releases. Ch 5 After considering for a moment I look back to Father Jonathan. "Yes actually, why do I look like this?" I ask, wondering why I couldn''t choose my character. ''I was even stuck as a human for crying out loud! What if I wanted to be an elf?'' I look down at my body, a loose tunic and pants cover the important areas but I more or less look like I do in real life with the exception of my bright silver hair and slightly paler skin. ''Well, my skin might actually be that pale in real life I wouldn''t know.'' "Oh well, that is actually a very common reaction. Let me explain. The Gods have made it known that you are not directly transported here. In fact from what they say your actual physical body does not leave where you are from and instead only your soul is transported across the realms. Because of this immortals cannot choose what race they are. Instead your soul manifests a physical body that represents your soul best. For you that seems to be a Human. I have seen the other races being manifested though so the human factions are not the only ones bolstered by this." Father Jonathan recites this as if he has had to tell the other Immortals this. Interesting design choice. That means however that there might be a way to change the race as long as we change what our soul deems as the manifestation in the physical realm. Probably an in-game way to explain both the undying bodies and race change system. I still have no idea where I am. "I see, that makes sense. I am still not that familiar with the town. You said it was on the coast but how big is it really?" I ask, wondering what starting town I ended up in. "Of course, well as you know this continent is relatively new so there are not as many towns, cities, and villages as the other continents. That being said we are currently in the port city of Andrea named after the First Princess Andrea of the Admeri Republic. This was one of the first towns created in the new continent but still small due to the constant expansion inward. Currently we are north of the capital on this continent. As to how big it is, it is considered the largest town and qualifies to be a city. In fact, we will be officially recognized as a city soon." ''That means that I was put in a very advantageous position. Being a large town means more opportunities to grow and a good early game when coming to resources. I should still get more information on the general content of the world before making any big decisions. Perhaps I can find a way to abuse my unique trait? It''s a possibility.'' I then look back to Father Jonathan after spacing out.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Sorry, just considering your explanation. Thank you for your time, before I go do you know if there is a public library here?" ''While there might not be one in smaller towns I can only hope that since this town is close to becoming an officially recognized city, they will be able to finance such a thing. "Oh yes, there is. Currently, we are in the middle district of Andrea so if you head towards the High-end district. Ask any guard there and they can point you to the library." Father Jonathan said. "I see thank you. Thank you Father Dismuth as well for your help." Father Dismuth bows and leaves the room. "You are most welcome Trix, see to it that you come to a sermon one day I could perhaps enlighten you about the gods through their tales of power and generosity." Father Jonathan smiles fanatically when he started to mention his sermons. Knowing his type I could only deflect. "We shall see" I said. ''Though I doubt that there is anything they could tell me that I couldn''t find in the library about the Gods'' Walking out of the church I am greeted by an interesting town. Cobblestone streets with bricked walkways for pedestrians. All the buildings here are one or two stories save for the church that towers over everything in the vicinity at four stories. While the road is sloped it appears the town itself was built on top of a hill all the way down to the valley where I could see an expansive view of farmland, small houses dotting the landscape below. Surprisingly there are no slums, it seems in this world anyone who puts in at least some effort can live a comfortable life. Looking up the slope to the top of the hill is a place I can only assume to be the High-end district of Andrea. I make my way toward its entrance. After trekking up the hill for ten minutes I find myself passing through to the high-end district without any hassling. Surprising considering this is where all the nobles would live. Hopefully they are the reasonable ones and not the ones that like to backstab you after you help them. Finding a guard on patrol farther into the district I am given directions to the library. A wide 3 story building takes up my view with the words ''Port Andrea''s Public Library''. Entering the library I find a stunning woman sitting behind the desk. Dark brown hair flows past her shoulders with clear brown skin, her head was currently buried inside of a book. Walking up to the desk I stand there waiting for her to notice my presence. After a couple of minutes I clear my throat and she jumps up from her book. It only confirms my suspicions that she is attractive as when she looks up. Behind her glasses her eyes are a clear blue. "A-h sorry about that, when I use my reading skill my mind shuts out all outside stimulus. Perfect for immersing myself but terrible to do my job. I''m Jenny, how can I be of assistance today?" Jenny says quite sheepishly, probably not supposed to be using that skill while working. "Ah yes, hello Jenny I am Trix and I was wondering if you have any books about professions and maybe some history books as well?" "It is nice to meet you Trix and yes, I know that we have what you need. If you will please follow me I will show you to a reading room." Ch 6 Jenny then guided me up a flight of stairs into a long hallway. She then walked up to a random door and opened it. Inside the room was a simple desk with a glass orb set halfway into the desk. A comfy looking chair matched with the desk. "Here we are. Now to read the books that you want simply rest your hand upon that orb. It will then take some of your mana to fuel itself and you will be shown an interface of our selection. Please note that while we have books regarding magical wars, phenomena, and animals; we do not have skill books, tomes, or any practical theory books on mana and its applications. This is done in the request of the scholars of magic who deem it dangerous if knowledge like that was free. To find that information you must visit the branch here and test into the Society." Jenny says in a monotone voice, almost as if she has done this many times today. ''It seems that either learning magic is hard, dangerous to the user, or the scholars of magic just want to hoard power. My money is on the last option.'' "I see, thank you, Jenny. Also, if it is not rude to ask, what skill allowed you to read like that?" ''Seems like a good skill to have.'' Jenny looked a bit stunned before giving me a light smile. "Well, for most people sharing the information of skills is usually only done when necessary such as forming a party for a dungeon or Adventuring team. That is only for combat-related skills though as knowing what a person is proficient at also tells you their weakness. In this case however it is a utility skill called [Absolute Focus]. Different from the battle skill [Battle Focus] where you take in all your surrondings, [Absolute Focus] narrows your being into a single point, allowing you to concentrate on one task without outside distractions. It is a pretty common skill among crafters since they need absolute focus to be at their best when creating items." Jenny rattles off her explanation with more emotion in her voice.''It seems she enjoys conversations about skills. I could use this.'' "I see, so are there books here that teach those kinds of common skills?" "Why yes actually. For most utility skills people are willing to share information about, those books relating to how to gain the skill are here. Almost all general combat skills are taught at the training towers as well as most general movement skills. Any skill using mana however is controlled by the Scholars of Magic." "And these organizations, are they difficult to get into?" ''I wonder if I can get into one of those. Wait, isn''t that what those training tokens are for? Perhaps I can pick up some free skills after the library.''The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Actually no, all Immortals are welcome to join both organizations, unlike regular citizens. This is simply because they know you can use magic as well as not truly die if something goes wrong." "I see, well thank you for the information. I''ll be getting to the books now." I say wanting to get into research mode now. "Of course, if you need anything else I will be at my desk." Jenny then left. Funny thing it is living most of your life in digital space, you get bored easily. So easy in fact that to stave off your boredom you consume media at an astonishing rate. Because of this, I developed quite the skill to search for information. I sit down at the chair and place my hand on the orb felling a sort of jolt being sent from my body to the device. A digital screen the popped up into my vision. This one was almost like the windows for the system but felt off somehow. Mentally looking through the selections I filter out their selection for anything about professions of this world. It is important to know my options in crafting and limitations each one would represent if I ever wanted to go into that field. I suddenly get hundred of books listing out different professions that appear in this world and how to be qualified for them. The basic ones are there, blacksmith, tailor, fletcher, alchemist, enchanter. Pretty basic fantasy genre professions. I then started to read some that were, well, sort of unique. Things such as Clockwork Engineer apparently did not work with clocks. Instead, they worked with gears, springs, and physical objects to create automatic turrets, golems, and systems that do not rely on Mana. There were dragon tamers that did exactly what is described. They tamed smaller dragon species and anything related to them. Wyverns in particular are what the Admeri Republic tames for their dragon riders. There were even Artificers that used magic to bind spells to objects for those who do not specialize in magic to use at a later date. Though Artificing would be very fun their combat effectiveness is mostly due to what they prepare beforehand. Instead one particular entry caught my eye in a different book. "Inscribers use the very essence of primal magic to change reality itself. By utilizing the language of the Ancients, they can ward spaces, temporarily enhance or permanently increase items attributes and effects, create spatial links between two points, or even just keep their home cooled. The versatility of this profession is unmatched although there are some drawbacks. Firstly, one who practices this must be able to use mana. they must also have the prerequisite professions to their respective maximum novice level, Blacksmithing, Leatherworking, Alchemy, Enchanting, and Scribing. It is only after all these professions are at their respective levels that the Society of Magic will allow courses in the skills to become available to the individual." - Advanced Professions with a focus in magic ''What a cool proffession. If it is that hard to attain then there will most likely be a minority of them in every city. This means that if I become one I could rake in the cash.''Smirking gleefully my jaw drops as I remember what the book said. "Utilizing the language of the Ancients."''Does this mean I would be able to understand the language if I started practicing in it?'' I then grin, it seems I found my exploit. Ch 7 Walking out of the library I am greeted to early morning sunlight peeking through a somewhat overcast sky. It would appear that I was studying for a lot longer then what I had intended. No matter, first order of business is to visit the Adventurers Guild to join and pick up some easy quests for some starting cash. Maybe I will see about the training tokens while I am there. Then I need to gain proficiency with the different crafting jobs if I want to merge them into Inscriptionist. That is more of a long term plan however as that is going to take a lot of research and resources to do properly. But I bet since this is a starting town then we can easily pick up the starting skills at least. Eh, let''s worry about one thing at a time. During my musings I had been walking back towards the outer ring where the Adventurers Guild is located right next to a large exit gate. The building itself was completely different compared to any other building I have seen in town so far. It is perfectly square being made up of some dark stone with large floor to ceiling glass windows on the second and third floor. Right next to it is what I presume to be the training tower as it is also made from the same dark stone and raises itself into the air at least five stories. Stepping into the surprisingly modern looking building, I notice there has to be some weird spatial magic going on as the inside is much large then the outside. The ceiling alone stretches past ten feet with recessed lighting in the ceiling illuminating the interior below. Nearest to the door are plush comfortable looking couches and chairs that are arranged for parties to rest and relax after a long day of adventuring. To my left there appears to be what is a big board separated into three sections. Each section has papers nailed into the board, with the left-most section having the most and a noticeable decrease as you continue right. Each section is labelled I,II,III. Directly across the room from me is what appears to be tellers exchanging slips of papers with coins or directing people towards a door to my right labelled ''acquisitions and identification''. Finally to my right is an arch with a sign above saying ''training tower'', presumably leading to the attached tower. Walking up to one of the tellers I see it is a short man with a thick beard and dark rimmed glasses. "Welcome to the Adventurers Guild, my name is Orion, how may I be of assistance today?" The man said with the same jovial tone Father Jonathan had. "Ah, yes hello my name is Trix and I was wondering how do I go about joining the Guild? Also how does the training tower work?" I ask. "Oh, but of course, you must be one of the newest Heroes. Joining is free, all you need to do is place your hand on this stone and confirm if the status displayed is correct. Then we issue you an Adventurers Card you may keep in your inventory. It is linked to the Great System as well so it may never be falsified. When you wish to take a quest from the board please only take from your tier or below. The training tower is just through that arch on your right and just in the interior is a board containing all the skill teachers for today. If you do not see any you like feel free to try your luck tomorrow. Also there is a free training yard for newer recruits to practice their skills as well. You will find that entrance right next to the skill board. Are there any other questions?" "No that helped a lot. So I just put my hand right here?" "Yes, just place your hand and confirm if this is your status." "Alright sounds good" When placing my hand I feel a small pulse of something travel through me and I suddenly get a popup.
The Adventurers Guild is attempting to access your status information, do you accept? Requested items- [Name],[Class],[Race],[Power Level] [Yes] / [No]
So they only take the basics of my information instead of any traits or skills I have. There is probably a lot of legal reasons behind that. Hitting yes has that pulse return from the corners of my body to the stone I am placing my hand over. "Excellent Mr.MoonBright I have all of your information here it seems as though you are within our Tier one range or what we like to call Copper tier. So you may only pick quests from the Tier One section of the board. Just take the paper and keep it within your inventory. The paper is enchanted to confirm if you completed the request so when you do finish come find me or the other attendants and hand that paper in for your rewards. Here is your adventurer card, be sure not to lose it as replacements are costly." Orion then hands over a thick copper plated card with my name, class, race and power level. "Thank you so much." I say as I put the card into my inventory and start heading towards the training towers. Probably best to start with learning new techniques first. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. walking through the arch a different sensation cascades over me, similar to entering the Adventurers Guild but not quite. Shrugging I head on over to the skill board and see what is currently available. "Slash" - 1 token "Brace" - 1 token "Taunt" - 1 token "Basic Survival" - 1 token "Hide" - 1 token "Magic Missile" - 2 tokens "Heal" - 3 tokens So it seems magical skills require more tokens to do learn. Presumably because they are more sought after then physical skills. The trainers who teach these might also use the tokens themselves for something so certain in demand skills can be bargained for more tokens. Well, I have five tokens at the moment and so I can either get both of the magical skills or some physical and one magical. Hearing about the training yard however has given me a good idea. Let''s table the usage of my limited training tokens for now and see if this will bear any fruit. Looking to my right I see a wooden door with a placard next to it labelled ''Training Yard'' on it. Stepping through I once again suspect a lot of space magic is going on as the training yard is huge. There is a fighting pit set up where recruits can practice with each other as well as a shooting range with different targets set at different ranges. This place looks pretty popular as well since I can see all sorts of players practicing certain spells. There seem to be a small group of healer players treating injuries for free in order to practice their spells. The shooting range has archers and what look like elementalists firing the different types of bolts. One fighting pit in particular is interesting as there is a man who is dual wielding short swords fighting against someone who is using their fists and has blind folded himself? Probably trying to get a special skill or something. Well let''s see if my theory is right. I then pull up the spell I received when getting my specialization.
Name [Study] Type[Spell] Level(1/10) Description- What would any Researcher be, without the ability to do any ''searching''? This spell allows the user to cast at anything magical related in order to perhaps gain some insight pertaining to the matter. Cost and chance of gaining knowledge increased with every level. Current chance [5%] Cost- Moderate
If I am reading this right then this could save me so much money and tokens. I think before glancing at one particular elementalist who is firing almost invisible wind bolts. There appears to be a soft hue of green displacing the air as the only indication he is firing anything at all. If I could learn that, it would be much stealthier then a flashy fire bolt or how loud that earth bolt was when it hit. Well, here goes nothing. I stare at the elementalist as he is about to launch his next spell. [Study]
Study failed to learn about [Air Bolt]!
A sharp pain pierced into my eyes as the spell failed and a good chunk of what I presume to be my mana left my body somewhere near the center of my stomach. Holy that hurt, I guess I know what backlash feels like now after a failed spell. Ok so I was right that Study could help me learn new spells but wow that hurt when it failed. Well, it''s not like I am any stranger to pain so all I can do is keep trying. After waiting a while for the sensation of a chunk of myself is missing fades I can only assume that means I am back to full mana. I do like how its more of an intuitive gauge then just numbers. That took about five minutes so now I just need to continue to do this I guess. Casting [Study] again I am again met with another failed spell notification. This time however something else happened.
Congratulations your Spell - Study has levelled!
Pulling up study I check the differences.
Name [Study] Type[Spell] Level(2/10) Description- What would any Researcher be, without the ability to do any ''searching''? This spell allows the user to cast at anything magical related in order to perhaps gain some insight pertaining to the matter. Cost and chance of gaining knowledge increased with every level. Current chance [10%] Cost- Moderate
Interesting so every level it increases the chances by 5%? So at level ten I will have a 50% chance to learn a spell just by looking at it once? Isn''t that too overpowered? There has to be some catch. After five more minutes I cast [Study] again and instead of the pain of my mana getting ripped from me due to spell backlash, I am met with a deluge of information and a couple notifications.
Congratulations you have learned [Air Bolt] Warning- due to not having elementalist passives, this spell will have reduced efficiency
Name [Air Bolt] Type[Spell] Level(1/10) Description- The first step for many elementalists. This spell launches a condensed packet of air that strikes a target with a large amount of force. Cost- Minimal
OH I AM SO IN BUSINESS. Ch 8
Name [Air Bolt] Type[Spell] Level(2/10) Description- The first step for many elementalists. This spell launches a condensed packet of air that strikes a target with a large amount of force. Cost- Minimal
Name [Fire Bolt] Type[Spell] Level(2/10) Description- The first step for many elementalists. This spell launches a condensed packet of fire that strikes a target with a large amount of force. Cost- Minimal
Name [Stone Bolt] Type[Spell] Level(2/10) Description- The first step for many elementalists. This spell launches a condensed packet of stone that strikes a target with a large amount of force. Cost- Minimal
Name [Water Bolt] Type[Spell] Level(2/10) Description- The first step for many elementalists. This spell launches a condensed packet of water that strikes a target with a large amount of force. Cost- Minimal
After a few headache inducing hours this is the result of all those spell backlashes. The spells themselves really are the same with the exception being the element they represent. Minimal is an understatement though. The chunk of what I now know has to be mana that is leaving my body is a less then when I use my [Study] spell but definitely more then what I would consider minimal. It''s also unusual that the size of the chunk also differs based on which element I am using with air being the least and stone being the most. I bet this has to do with affinities and based on how many of these bolts all these elementalists are blasting out their affinity must be pretty high. It''s an interesting hidden mechanic the game built in. I wonder if the affinities are assigned at the start of an account or only until they choose a specialization for the first time. Wait no that wouldn''t make any sense for the latter since I have affinities. It must be like Father Jonathan said, we all have affinities to different branches of magics here preassigned but probably further boosted by our specialization through the ''Great System''. Well I have all the bolts possible, at least for this stage in the game. Casting a spell is a weird feeling, it''s like the system takes over your body and performs a pre-recorded action. I wonder if there is such a thing as free-form magic then instead of the pre-made spells. But to do that the game would have to make up a way for us to feel something that doesn''t exist in our world. Hmm. As I ponder over that I get up from my bench I have been using to [Study] people''s spells from and make my way over to the target range. After casting a few times I notice that there is a general shape that gets produced in front of the hand I use to aim. It''s a bit hazy right now but it seems to be a circle with a bunch of shapes encased inside of it. Moving my hand in front of myself with the palm facing forward towards a target about 20 feet away, I mentally shout the spell I want to cast. [Air Bolt] For a fraction of a second a hazy ring of something about a foot in diameter floats right in front of my open palm and before I could glean any more information a bolt of hazy mint green air forms and flies out of my hand hitting the target off to the right a bit. Gotta work on my aim. Still I wish there was a way I could see what is going on. If only there was a way to slow the spell ring down a bit. Holding my palm back up at the target I cast the spell again but this time I try to will it to slow down. I felt something in me strain before releasing itself and the spell completes shooting another bolt of compressed air completely to the left of the target, missing it entirely and almost hitting another that is currently being used by an archer. "Hey watch it, maybe learn to aim your spell noob." The Archer in question shouts angrily at me as he was about to shoot but was interrupted by my missed spell. "Sorry, trying something out. I''ll move down though." I said before relocating towards a more deserted area of the range section. I was definitely onto something though. It was almost indiscernible but the circle was visible for a fraction of a second longer than previously. Slowing it down however strained some mysterious muscle that I seem to have. It felt like trying to do a sit-up without moving my muscle at all. Is this the free-form mechanic they created? Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Focusing I once again cast [Air Bolt], this time I try to clench that new muscle as hard as I can. An unknown pressure slowly builds inside of me as I notice the pressure is snaking its way into my arm and slowly forming the circle, this time it is in full view. A dizzying amount of shapes and lines fill themselves within the circle. Looking at it the whole diagram is eerily similar to circuitry, with some lines being thicker and coil into each other while others are thinner but there are more connections. Then there are these shapes that all seem to have a different usage. Where my mana is going into the circle for instance leads into what looks like a smaller circle with a whirlpool and my mana is traveling from the center point of the circle outwards where there are a few small thin lines connecting to different areas of what I am going to call a spell diagram. It seems to be some sort of input node which takes in mana and evenly distributes it to as many connection points as it has. The mana then travels to what appears to be two different nodes, one appears to be a thicker squiggly looking line that seems to slow down the mana while the other is a diamond shape with some sort of symbol inside of it. The mana is slowly traveling along the squiggle while the other is taking in mana at a fast rate and turning it the same mint green before sending it off to a triangular node as fast as it could. Eventually the mana in the squiggle reaches its end and it instantly sends mana to the triangular node. It is at this point that a mint looking bolt is formed in front of the spell diagram and released at the target with a moderate bang. So we have the input that evenly distributes power or mana to the other portions. There seems to be a node made for elemental alignment? Converting raw mana into its wind element while the squiggly node looks like a timer to allow for proper build up. I wonder what would happen if I were to shorten the timer? Trying my idea I reform the spell, this time to make sure to continue to keep it slowly forming. The strain is quite a bit but it seems easier this time. As the raw mana is forming the spell diagram I try to flex this new muscle and will the timer node to be shorter. At first I feel immense strain as if something is blocking me from doing this but after a battle of wills with some unknown entity something gives and the timer is noticeably shorter. Loosening my control of the spell causes exactly what I thought might happen. The amount of mana gathered in the triangle before the timer ends in less and the resulting bolt that strikes a target is noticeably weaker. However it did shave off a small amount of time to cast the spell. A few notifications appear before me.
Congratulations! Through exerting your own willpower you have managed to modify a spell and have earned the [Mana Manipulation] skill!
Name [Mana Manipulation] Type[Passive Skill] Level 1 Description- This skill allows the user to manipulate mana with nothing but their force of will. Higher levels of this skill allow for more control over mana.
You have fundamentally changed the [Air Bolt] Spell. As it is not a far enough derivation from the original spell would you like to overwrite your currently saved version of [Air Bolt] ? [yes] / [no]
So it seems there is a system in place for more freeform magic. My guess is in order to make more unique spells the caster needs to spend time changing and refining their given or learned spells into something they like more. Only after a successful modification does it seem the system will change their given spell to the superior one they managed to create. However it said that if the spell was too far derived from the original spell then it could be classified into a new spell entirely. Either way this opens up for so much more customization then we thought. Seems like I need to perform more tests to see what each change does. For now I selected no on changing air bolt as the current base spell seems better. Spending some more time experimenting with this spell I have come to the conclusion that the squiggly is the timer which directly changes how much power is built up before being released by the triangular output node. Shorten the timer too much and you get a small weak puff of green air. Lengthen it and you receive a higher mana cost but something that easily punched through the wooden target I was aiming at. So, power or speed. I guess it makes sense to have to sacrifice one for another. I settled on keeping the spell as it is however it seems my extensive practice has levelled it to level 5 which was unexpected. I wonder if I can change this on the fly when casting so I can choose how strong to make the bolts. It would be nice if I could also change how the bolt is shaped as a thick cone of air could be compresses into a smaller size which might help with the power vs speed problem. Either way, this sure has been enough experimentation today. Going back to the skill board I decide to skip the spells as my specialization seems to be geared towards a jack of all trades in magic since I can acquire new spells fairly just by studying them, I see no reason to pay for new spells especially when I can sit at the arena for a few hours and pick up the heal spell when I am ready to. The constant headaches weren''t exactly fun though, hopefully that gets better with usage of my skills. Anyways, I decide to spend my tokens on the more physical skills and take "Slash" , "Brace" , "Taunt" , "Basic Survival" , and "Hide". The idea is to give myself a good enough base to work with as an all rounder until I find what role really fits me more. Each selection of a skill on the board had a popup requiring me to use my skill tokens to take the class. After using all my tokens I am directed further into the tower where the Slash skill instructor is located. A solid black door with a hastily scrawled sign that read ''Slash Training'' is all the confirmation I need before heading inside. CH 9 "Watch out!" is all I heard before I see a white line traveling straight towards me ready to cut me in half. I quickly drop to the floor before it sails over me and hits the edge of the tower. Before it touches the stone however I notice a bright flare of blue that seems to absorb the attack and when it hits the wall, leaving it unmarred as if nothing happened. Glancing around I notice a man make his way toward me with a frantic look on his face. "I am so sorry about that, this new skill is hard to aim, are you alright?" The man has a dark tan and easily towers over me at 6ft 5. His voice is naturally calming but there is an edge of worry that has seeped into it. He holds out a hand and when I grasp it I am practically yanked to my feet. "Ho, looks like someone hasn''t been putting their points into strength or endurance, you were as light as a feather. The names Star, what''s yours?" "Yes, I am alright although I almost did lose my head for a second there. The names Trix, how do you know I haven''t put any points into Strength or Endurance?" I ask, curious to see how he knew I haven''t done so yet. "Well it might only be the second day of launch but guys on the forum have already figured out putting points into Strength or Endurance actually has an impact on you avatars weight. Even if you are more of a rogue build, I would suggest beefing up just a bit. Don''t wanna get one-shot you know?" Star ended his explanation with a short little chuckle. Thinking back, do I even have any EXP points gained? I probably should allocate them soon. "Huh, I will keep that in mind thanks, so this is for teaching ''Slash'' right?" "Yeah, though just between you and me the teachers is kind of rough." "Rough how?" I ask before I suddenly hear someone behind me. I turn and see an average looking man with short trimmed black hair and a neatly kept mustache. He is fitted in what I can only assume are army fatigues. "Rough as in I don''t like to wait for my students to be done chattering in order to teach. STAR TWENTY SLASHES AT THE DUMMY" His voice is deep and grating to my ears, intimidation oozing out of every syllable. "Sir, yes sir" Star looks like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar before he hurriedly jogs back towards the training dummy and rapidly uses the ''Slash'' skill. The man grunts at Star''s enthusiastic pace before setting his eyes upon me. "I always hate the mage types, too weak to train properly. Still, you did pay for the class so I am obligated to get you the skill. State your name and specialization son." His eyes have a grim look of determination and perseverance you only see in those who have fought with their lives on the line. "I go by Trix sir and I am specialized in Research." the mention of being a researcher seems to surprise him for just a moment before he regains his composure with a grunt. "Ah, so not only a caster but an egghead at that. Well Trix , my name is Keith and I was a decorated soldier in the army over on the Western continent. You shall address me as sir. Now tell me this, what are your stats at currently and do you have any experience to allot to them?" "Uhh, give me one second to check." Pulling up my status screen I am a bit surprised at what I see.
Name: Trix MoonBright Class: Caster Race: Human
EXP GAINED: 600 POWER LEVEL: 51
Strength: 5 (+) 60
Agility: 5 (+) 60
Endurance: 5 (+) 60
Intelligence: 18 (+) 190
Willpower: 15 (+) 160
Charisma: 3 (+) 40
Luck: 20
Skills* [Expand]
(Note that an * denotes that it is being compressed for convenience)
Wait, how did I get experience? I didn''t kill anything? I turn to "It appears I have experience sir but I haven''t killed anything? Also my physical stats are all at 5 with my Intelligence at 18, Willpower at 15, and Charisma at 3." I say as I try to think of how to allocate my stats. "Killing is not the only way people can earn experience kid. How else do you think crafters can gain experience? Every time they craft something the Great System judges it based on its quality in relation to the crafters current skill levels and power level. Same thing goes with learning magic. If you really wanna know, just think about experience log and you can see the breakdown." He waited a moment for me to do just that This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
Experience Log: -Comprehended a Rune to Low : 300 EXP -Learned a Basic Spell : 50 EXP -Learned a Basic Spell : 50 EXP -Learned a Basic Spell : 50 EXP -Learned a Basic Spell : 50 EXP -Learned a skill : 100 EXP
I see so you can get experience for learning spells and improving your knowledge base as well. Must be how researchers get most of their experience if they are always inside. I look up and address Keith. "It looks like I have 600 exp points to spend sir." "Good, now while I know you are a spell slinging type and intelligence and willpower will be your main stats you invest in, you should always make sure your three physical stats are also up to par. What''s the point of casting if you can''t move fast enough to dodge a sword heading towards you. In a life or death situation, all-rounders survive more then people who heavily invest in one stat. I recommend you get your physical stats up to ten before allocating your experience anywhere else. That should give you a decent baseline to work with." Nodding I go ahead and allocate my experience into my physical stats.
Name: Trix MoonBright Class: Caster Race: Human
EXP GAINED: 50 POWER LEVEL: 59
Strength: 7 (+) 80
Agility: 8 (+) 90
Endurance: 8 (+) 90
Intelligence: 18 (+) 190
Willpower: 15 (+) 160
Charisma: 3 (+) 40
Luck: 20
Skills* [Expand]
(Note that an * denotes that it is being compressed for convenience)
With each increase in strength I could feel my body getting stronger, muscle fibers tensing up and compacting until they are the same size as before but denser. Agility seems to wire my brain more, making me shift my balance into a stance allowing me to maneuver myself at a moments notice in any direction. Adding to Endurance was an interesting feeling. My skin felt tougher while my whole body seemed to refine itself, becoming more efficient and thus allowing me to fatigue slower. I''ll keep the rest until I can dump more into my physical attributes. I think having a baseline of ten is a good start. Keith almost seemed to sense when I made these changes as when I was done he gestured me to walk with him towards an unused training dummy. "Now, the ''Slash'' skill is much more then just knowing how to slash at something well. Proper form is important of course but ultimately ''slash'' is about sending out a wave of thin physical energy at an arc at someone." "I''m sorry did you say physical energy?" I ask, unsure of what he meant. "Oh, that''s right I keep forgetting you immortals don''t know the basics. Well you know how you have mana like a well in your body? Well the size of that is tied to your Intelligence stat and through old training methods. The speed of your well refilling is determined by your Willpower stat. Physical energy is one of the other basic energy types everyone has access to, just like mana. This is another well in you and the three physical stats play similar roles albeit slightly different. Strength is the total amount of physical energy you can move at once or the amount of ''force'' you can exert. Endurance is how big your well is as well as how fast it regenerates. Agility it how well you can control and move your well''s energy. The three physical stats all work in concert together to control this energy. Some call is Physical Energy others call it Stamina, some even refer to it by its old name before the system of Chi. Either way you can do some pretty amazing things with it once you learn how to control it and ''Slash'' is one of the most basic usages." So, it seems that warriors will have access to this sort of energy. I wonder how exactly it differs from Mana? Can the two be combined? What are these old training methods he is talking about to increase my stats. Does this mean I can increase my stats without adding Exp to my system? So many times I get any explanation around here I end up with way more questions. "Alright so how do I go about learning this Chi?" "Oh, that''s the simple part actually. Just sit down and close your eyes." Following his command I sit down on the matted ground and close my eyes. "One of the easier methods of opening the Chi pathways is for a practitioner to push their Chi into you so you may feel what it does to your body. Your natural Chi will try to fight off the foreign Chi and as long as you make a passable try at controlling your Chi it will listen. So, this is not going to hurt but it might be jarring." Keith then reaches and touches my back where I feel a pulse of energy rush through me. It''s not like mana, instead of a pressure my Chi feels more like a heat that exists in every single cell in my body. Each one reacts to the foreign Chi pulse by destroying it before it could propagate further. "Good, now once you get a feel for you Chi, try to coax it into your palm. This part should be easy to you as it is similar to moving mana." Keith said. Slowly I reach into the feeling of every cell in my body exuding this heat and I try and direct it towards my open palm. Slowly but surely I can feel the heat transfer through my body to my hand where it collects on my palm. Opening my eyes I am greeted with a ball of Chi that is a dark blue. "Oh interesting, it seems your Chi is lightning aspected. Everyone who open their Chi for the first time gets an undeterminable aspect to it. Bloodlines play a big role and most of the time its one of the basic elements like the elementalists but it seems you got the advanced form of fire. Either way what this means is your attacks with Chi will be faster and more penetrative then usual. Attacking with it is going to be better but lightning Chi is not exactly known for its defensive properties. Ok so now, all you need to do is focus on channeling that Chi into a weapon from the rack, then when you swing towards the dummy, imagine the Chi moving with your strike and being pushed from your weapon. Once you can consistently do that, you will unlock the slash skill." Keith says before getting up and going over towards Star and showing him a few pointers.