《Exceed System: The Gambler》 Chapter 1: Exceeding Expectations ¡°Axel....¡± ¡°Wake up Axel!¡± ¡°¡­AXEL!!!¡± Axel¡¯s eyes cracked open to see auburn curls obscuring the lazy summer sun. He groaned in displeasure as he was rudely awakened from his nap. He groggily rubbed his eyes and blinked to find someone standing over him. It was Illicia Flume. The only girl in town would who even bother to give him the time of day. He noticed that her red hair was getting fuller and longer, accenting her petite face, a far cry from her tomboy days. ¡°We¡¯re going to miss the annual induction!¡± Axel sat up with a grunt and raked his fingers through his raven black hair. His joints were stiff and cold from sleeping on the ground underneath the massive oak tree by the town¡¯s stable. He remembered he had fallen asleep waiting for her to finish her studies so that they could go to the town square together for the annual Induction Ceremony. He sighed. What¡¯s the point? Ever since I was 12, I¡¯ve failed every induction ceremony, and this year is my last chance. People lose the chance to Exceed after their 17th birthday, which means I won¡¯t have another chance after today. Induction Ceremony. The annual ceremony held by all towns and cities across the Five Kingdoms. The ceremony had only two rules. Be a minimum of twelve years old and no older than seventeen. The participant could attempt to Exceed any year they wanted as long as they met the requirements. Those who didn¡¯t Exceed within that five-year time frame would be forced to start at Common classes like a farmer or guardsman. However, If they were able to Exceed, they could potentially ascend to the Uncommon, Epic, and Supreme classes. Those that successfully Exceeded were given more privileges and respect since they contributed more to the growth and power of the nation. ¡°I''m going to fail again. I can feel it. You know, the other kids even gave me a title, The Trash of Kingdom Lobosad! A perfect title fit for me don¡¯t you think since I¡¯m the only person in town to ever fail an induction ceremony every single year!¡± rambled Axel. Axel¡¯s brow furrowed as he remembered each year he had failed. His first time entering the Induction ceremony was nothing short of failure and embarrassment. He had been the last to go, right before Illicia. She had just Exceeded into the Epic class: Tamer. A triumphant left fist was raised to reveal a purple branded [E]. The entire town of Jerich was ecstatic. She had been the town¡¯s third-ever Epic Exceed, the first and second being the guildmaster and the townhead respectively. After everyone settled down from the joyous occasion, it was Axel¡¯s turn to draw from the Exceed Orb. It should have been so easy. He just had to walk up to the orb and place his hand on it, then wait for the mark to appear. A message should have popped up to announce his new class just as Illicia¡¯s Epic purple flared announcement had, signaling to the town that he was worthy. But nothing happened. Why was the orb not responding? Why was he not Exceeding? He tried again and again until the guildmaster pulled him away from the orb. Already the town was whispering. No one ever failed their Exceed on the first try, not once in the recorded history of the Five Kingdoms. ¡®Maybe next year Axel¡¯, the guildmaster had told him. But the subsequent years were no different. Each time he was the last to go, each time he was the only one to fail. His confidence crumbled more and more with each failing induction ceremony. He changed. He spoke less, avoided socializing, spent more time alone so that he didn¡¯t have to be scrutinized by others. He became a recluse, a shell of his former self. ¡°This year it will be different!¡± said Illicia, though Axel could see the worry in her eyes and in her half-hearted smile. ¡°Illicia, I know you¡¯re the only one who still talks to me. But I think you should stop. I see them talking behind your back about us.¡± Axel hesitantly replied. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get in trouble because of me.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Illicia stamped her foot on the ground, her pale cheeks coloring to match her hair. ¡°I don¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass about what other people say, you hear me Axel Nal?¡± She stopped, noticing Axel¡¯s glum expression. ¡°You¡¯ve got to believe Axel.¡± Her voice softened as she spoke. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t, I do.¡± Axel shrugged as he picked himself off the ground and headed towards the town center with Illicia trailing behind. This year would be no different, besides, why shouldn¡¯t it? Nothing was new. Nothing had changed. His mind was already wandering towards thoughts of when he should apply for an apprenticeship as a Common Exceed. Might as well start early. A large crowd of people had already formed around the Exceed Orb and there was a line of eager participants waiting expectantly before the guild master. Nervous chatter filled the air as everyone was excited to see this year¡¯s batch of Exceeds. No one paid any attention to Axel as he slinked towards the back of the line. Any interest in Axel had faded years ago. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Illicia give him an encouraging wave before she headed towards the guildmaster to assist him with this year''s hopeful prospects. As he arrived at the end of the line, the Exceed Orb suddenly started to illuminate white. The ceremony had begun. A timer popped up above the Exceed Orb. 30:00...29:59...29:58. When the timer ended, the orb would dim and it would take a full year before it would activate again. ¡°ALL RIGHT. EVERYONE PROCEED IN ORDER AND PLACE YOUR HAND ON THE ORB. ONCE YOUR CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT IS GIVEN, HEAD OVER TO YOUR DESIGNATED MENTOR GROUP AND WAIT FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS,¡± bellowed the guildmaster. The line then lurched forwards and the first participant stepped up. Axel paid no attention as he shuffled forwards in the line. He found his surroundings to be much more interesting than the ceremony. He recognized a couple of familiar faces in the crowd. There was Briar the tavern owner, a rambunctious woman who had zero-tolerance for nonsense in her establishment. Despite her rowdy personality, she had a soft spot for children and sweets. Standing to her side was her husband Jacobs, the town¡¯s tailor, a much more reserved man. Axel spied Monpiet the baker, dressed in his traditional brown chef uniform, the front side of his apron and mustache stained with flour. He was particularly fond of the crunchy and fluffy baguettes that only Monpiet could seem to create. A sudden flash of green caught his eye. Uncommon Exceed // Class: Merchant A sudden roar of joy came from Briar as she furiously cheered. Jinks, her 15-year-old son, had just become an Uncommon Exceed with the merchant class. Axel felt a tinge of envy. It was the class he wished for the most. Ever since the school had taught them about Exceeds, the merchant class was the one that caught his eye. He would have even settled for the lower-tiered High-Common trader class with no complaints. He wanted to leave Jerich and see the world. A couple of more flashes went by. High-Common Exceed // Class: Teacher High-Common Exceed // Class: Botanist High-Uncommon Exceed // Class: Adventurer Cries of elation could be heard throughout the crowd as their sons or daughters Exceeded. With each passing participant, Axel¡¯s gut dropped and his mood soured. It was like this every time for the past five ceremonies. Then he saw his parents. His father was covered in soot and charcoal dust. As far as Axel could remember, his father never left the forge unattended. The only exception to that truth happened once a year, during Axel¡¯s induction ceremony. His mother stood beside him, a stark contrast of white as she was dressed in her healer¡¯s uniform. Her face seemed to be lined with worry as he met her gaze. She opened her mouth as if to say something but Axel had already averted his eyes. They came every year to support him, and every year he let them down. He couldn¡¯t bear to see her right now. Suddenly a shine emanated from the Exceed orb. Axel jerked his head up as collective gasps and cheers resounded throughout the town. In the sky floated a purple flared announcement alongside a raised fist. A purple [E]. And it belonged to Edwin, the ringleader of the kids who taunted him incessantly. Epic Exceed // Class: Knight Axel¡¯s stomach curled. Just his luck that his last induction ceremony would be marked by another Epic Exceed. And on top of that, it was given to a complete jerk who would no doubt flaunt his new status after the ceremony. Axel trembled with anger until he thought he saw red. Feelings of vexation and desperation boiled deep in his stomach. Is there no justice in the world? Why can¡¯t I obtain an Epic Exceed? What makes me so different from everyone else? I work just as hard as anybody else does in this town. I don¡¯t skip class, I help out at father¡¯s forge, I don¡¯t get into trouble. This isn¡¯t fair! He usually didn''t feel so agitated, but for some reason this year he felt especially bothered as if there was a need to excel. Perhaps it was his mind telling him to give it one last shot, to put it all on the line. No. I cannot go down like this. I must Exceed. Chapter 2: SORN It was finally Axel¡¯s turn to step up to the orb. ¡°Axel...there''s still plenty of great low-common classes out there, life isn¡¯t all about Exceeding,¡± grunted the guildmaster as he adjusted the strap of his crimson breastplate. He was getting into his older years and he couldn¡¯t quite handle the weight of his Paladin equipment as well. Axel heeded him no attention as well as the murmurs of the townspeople as he extended his hands toward the orb. It was close to him, only an arm¡¯s length away. This year, it''s going to be my time. This year, I''m going to show everyone I¡¯m not trash. This year, I''m going to Exceed. Light reflected upon Axel¡¯s face as the orb began to shine. Axel¡¯s heart pounded as his eyes fixated upon the gleam surrounding his body. It was here, he could feel it in his body. Finally, he was going to Exceed and prove his worth to everyone around him. ¡°Hey, Axel.¡± Axel looked around. Confusion spread throughout his mind. What was happening? Why was there no announcement? Why was the guildmaster frozen? ¡°Hey relax! You¡¯re going to hurt yourself in your confusion!¡± Axel tried to pull his hand away from the orb. It was stuck. ¡°What is happening? Why can''t I move? Who are you!?¡± shouted Axel. ¡°You can call me The System of Returning Neo, or SORN for short.¡± stated the Voice. ¡°SORN, right. Did you do this to me? Why have you frozen me?¡± asked Axel. ¡°Oh child, I didn¡¯t freeze you. I stopped time! I needed to have a quick chat with you without anybody else listening in!¡± exclaimed SORN. It was true. Time seemed to have stopped for everyone and everything except for Axel. There was no rustling of winds, no sound of talking, no rumbling of the forge bellows. ¡°Okay, let''s get down to business since I don''t have much time to talk to you. In fact, I had to save up six years worth of time to have this conversation, that''s why I had to prevent you from Exceeding,¡± said SORN. Prevent me from Exceeding? Six years?? Axel realized what SORN had meant. ¡°You were the one responsible for my failure to Exceed those past six years of my life?!¡± shouted Axel as he boiled with anger. ¡°Now now, know that this all had a purpose. I''ll keep it brief. I¡¯m sure you have many questions but the answers will come in time. You are not of this world Axel, you came from a place called Earth and you were reincarnated in this world to save the Five Kingdoms from an impending calamity.¡± said SORN. ¡°You had a rather unfortunate early death in your previous life so you were added to the lottery of Redraws for another life, lucky you!¡± As the word Earth was spoken by SORN, a rush of memories slammed into Axel¡¯s mind. They were very familiar. He had seen these memories in his dreams ever since he could remember but he was never able to make the connections until now. Earth..ah, right. I was Alex Lan.18 years old, an average high school student. Played games and hung out with friends. I died because... ¡°Don¡¯t bother trying to remember how you died, the system restricts you from doing so,¡± drolled SORN. ¡°You know what I''m thinking?¡± asked Axel. ¡°Well, sometimes, I am a part of you now that you¡¯ve won the lottery for this world.¡± ¡°What does that mean? You¡¯re a part of me?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention it earlier? I''m the System of Returning Neo, I¡¯m here to guide you on your journey in this world! You know, to provide you with help and such.¡± ¡°Okay...so what do I do now? Am I still going to Exceed? You still haven¡¯t explained what''s going on!¡± Axel was still very confused. ¡°All in due time boy. For now, just take this and figure it out. I left some tutorials for you in the system so that you can get along just fine before we meet up again. I don¡¯t have much time left so the next talk we will have is when you Exceed to the next stage! There''s just one thing to keep in mind, never use the st-- g--bl--g --stem...¡± SORN instructed.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°The what?¡± Axel waited expectantly. He couldn¡¯t quite catch the last part. ¡°It''s still in beta¡­don''t us--¡± Came the fading reply. ¡°Good luck, kid.¡± The world suddenly came back to life with a burst of sound. ¡°Wait I still--AHH!¡± screamed Axel. Searing pain suddenly enveloped his left hand. The pain intensified and coursed rapidly through Axel. It felt as if a hundred serrated daggers had sliced into every fiber of his body. Unable to bear the pain, Axel crumpled to the ground. The crowd instantly lit up in a burst of shock and chatter. Fingers were being pointed and people were jostling to get a better view of Axel convulsing on the ground. The town guards tried their best to hold back the wave of bodies interested in the spectacle. ¡°Axel! Axel are you okay? Stay with me!¡± roared the guildmaster as he lifted Axel¡¯s head. ¡°Get the head priest here right now!¡± A pair of guards scampered away hurriedly in response to his orders. ¡°Axel! What''s going on! Say something!¡± Illicia had run over. Her face was frantic with panic as she knelt down, disregarding the dirty tiles that smudged her clean skirt. Axel couldn''t speak, the pain was too great. His vision clouded with botches of colors as it began to fade. He felt himself being hoisted onto a carrier and someone¡¯s warm hands clasping his. He saw his father and mother being held back by the guards as his eyelids slowly descended, their expressions twisted in anxiety and concern. ¡°That¡¯s my son! Let me through!¡± bellowed his father. His mother was wailing. But the guards gave no ground, completely quarantining the area around Axel. Edwin was also there, cackling away with his gang of goons as they ridiculed and mocked his painful expressions. Axel caught words like loser and useless in their jeering through the increasing noise of the crowd. But just as he drifted to the darkness he saw it. Impossible. It must be his eyes playing tricks on him. On his left hand, a fading dim golden symbol. [A]. Then all turned black. *** *Crackle* Axel woke up in a hot flash. His mind was spinning. The smell of oak wood and savory broth permeated throughout the air. Huh, I just had the strangest dream where the orb was talking to me and then intense pain overtook me...and that mark.. Alex¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he slowly moved his gaze to his left hand. Nothing. ¡°Axel, are you allright?¡± exclaimed Axel¡¯s mother. ¡°Graff brought you back after the head priest finished healing you. They said I wasn¡¯t allowed to be there because they wanted to reduce exposure.¡± Axel looked up and realized his mother was next to him. He also caught a glimpse of the guildmaster¡¯s crimson cape just as Axel¡¯s father closed the door behind him. ¡°Jacky, let him breathe a little. He just came to,¡± called Axel¡¯s father who was walking back to the crackling fire. His voice seemed to shake a little, an uncharacteristic moment for the brawny smith. ¡°Anders, how can I not worry? My poor child collapsed and I wasn¡¯t there to help him!¡± worried Jacky. She held him tightly in her arms. He felt his cheeks grow hot. ¡°Mother, cut it out. I¡¯m fine, I just had a bit of heatstroke¡±. Axel unlocked himself from his mother¡¯s protective grip as he stood up to get some delicious homemade stew. ¡°Careful, it¡¯s hot¡­¡± murmured Anders as he cautiously scanned his son¡¯s face while pouring him a bowl. He turned back to tend the fire. ¡°Son...I think you should apply for an apprenticeship at the forge. You have a knack for smithing.¡± Axel put down his spoon. He felt embarrassed. His parents were still treating him like a child. He was capable of making his own decisions. ¡°I¡¯m going to step outside for a bit.¡± ¡°Don''t stay out too late honey¡­¡± said Jacky. But Axel was already out the door before her words could reach his ears. Axel sprinted towards the oak tree. The one place where he could get away from the protectiveness of his parents and the stares of others. At the very least, it would be quiet there. Axel stopped in front of the tree panting heavily. He began to collect his racing thoughts. Axel thought back to the seconds before he went up to Exceed. What happened to me earlier? The Exceed Orb was talking to me? It mentioned its name was SORN...right¡­ my real name was Alex Lan and I¡¯m from Earth. That explains all the weird dreams I''ve been having ever since I was a kid. SORN also mentioned giving me something but never explained what it gave me. How am I supposed to figure this out? The damn thing didn''t tell me anything! Axel¡¯s blood boiled as he thought more about what had transpired earlier. He was still Exceedless, he was still protected by his parents, and he was still the Trash of Kingdom Lobosad. He angrily punched the tree, fully knowing it was going to hurt. But it was fine, maybe the pain was what he needed right now to take his mind off things.
System
Gamble: 5 DMG Yes/No
Risk: Take 10 DMG, +1 GC
Reward: Take 0 DMG, +2 GC
Status
System message? GCs? Accept the Gamble? What¡¯s going on?! Chapter 3: One, Two, Tree? He took a moment to analyze the message that popped up in front of him. It seemed to be a choice. If he chose Yes then he would risk taking double damage or no damage and also whatever GC was. If he chose No then he would take 5 points of damage. Axel chose the Status button.
Name: Axel Nal Stats Value
Class: Novice Gambler STR 10
Level: 1 AGI?? 10
EXP: 0/100 INT 10
HP: 100/100 VIT 10
MP: 25/25 LUK ???
Axel¡¯s eyes scanned over the bright blue text. He understood what was being presented to him. It was a status box similar to those of the games back on Earth. STR likely represented Strength, AGI meant Agility, INT for Intelligence, VIT was vitality, and LUK...is it Luck? Axel decided he would take a closer look later as he turned his attention back towards the message. Axel drew abated breath and selected Yes.
Dice Roll(6): Rolling...4!
You beat the gamble!
Damage taken: 0
Reward: +2 GC
A protective sheen of light enveloped Axel¡¯s fist as his fist connected with the tree trunk. Thud Nothing happened. He didn¡¯t feel any pain at all. A message then popped up in the air in front of the tree.
Tree HP: 4995/5000
Axel was astounded. What should have hurt any regular human being did absolutely nothing to him. Was this his newfound power? Axel focused his mind. Open Status A new row had been added to his status page. Gamble Coin: 2. Axel focused in on the new row and a pop up appeared.
Name: Axel Nal Stats Value
Class: Novice Gambler STR 10
Level: 1 AGI?? 10
EXP: 0/100 INT 10
HP: 100/100 VIT 10
MP: 25/25 LUK ???
Gamble Coin: 2
Skills Info
Gambler''s System -Ability to access the SORN and spend Gamble Coin (GC)
Gambler''s Eye -Ability to see the status of objects and discern the truth
Gambler¡¯s System
Gambler''s System
Level 1
Menu
1.Lucky Draw (250 GC) 2. Expand (1000 GC)
Only two options? I thought there would be more to this system. Maybe I can expand the system. Axel selected Expand.
Expand
Costs: 1000 GC
1000 GC? I only have 2 GC in my inventory, how am I supposed to acquire more? It seems so far away. Let me try out Lucky Draw.
Lucky Draw
Costs: 250 GC
Axel was baffled. These costs were absurdly high. It was as if the system was mocking him for being poor. How in the world was he expected to obtain more GC? Wait...there was a reason why the system triggered in the first place. If the system had appeared only because he was about to take damage, then perhaps¡­If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Axel drew his right-hand back, formed a fist, and fired it straight at the tree again.
Gamble: 5 DMG Yes/No
Risk: Take 10 DMG, +1 GC
Reward: Take 0 DMG, +2 GC
It appeared again! It seems that whenever I¡¯m about to hit something or take damage, the system will show up and give me a gamble. This must have been what Sorn was talking about earlier. Axel once again selected Yes.
Dice Roll(6): Rolling...3!
Youlost the gamble!
Damage taken:10
Reward: +1 GC
Axel let out a cry of pain as his fist connected with the hardwood of the oak tree. He could feel the sting of the wood splinters pierce into his knuckles. Tears of pain formed in his eyes as he cradled his injured hand. Hewracked his brain. There must be a better way. A more efficient method.There had to bemore to the system than damage mitigation. Axel eyed a branch lying underneath some leaves. He picked it up and wielded it like a weapon. He swung the branch at the tree.
Gamble: Yes/No
Risk: Branch Breaks, +2 GC
Reward: Deal 15 DMG, +4 GC
Yes!
Dice Roll(6): Rolling...6!
You beat the gamble!
Damage dealt: 15
Reward: +4 GC
¡°Take that, tree! Why are you hitting yourself?¡± Axel triumphantly declared as he swung the branch. His mood improved with every coin he gained. After breaking dozens of branches, Axel finally stopped. He had completely exhausted the available supply around him. The sun was starting to set anyways. He had discovered a couple of things about the Gambler¡¯s system as he was farming coins. Dice was used as the main gambling tool. A 1-3 roll yielded a fail, while a 4-6 roll yielded a success. He couldn¡¯t reuse something that had run out of HP, which meant he couldn¡¯t keep using branches that broke. Axel groaned as he massaged his sore arm. Even though farming coins were beneficial, there was still a limit to how much his body could take. Status
Name: Axel Nal Stats Value
Class: Novice Gambler STR 10
Level: 1 AGI?? 10
EXP: 0/100 INT 10
HP:90/100 VIT 10
MP: 25/25 LUK ???
Gamble Coin: 104
It wasn¡¯t enough. A lucky draw cost 250 coins and Axel was less than half-way there. There wasn¡¯t enough light left in the day to find more branches to use. Then a message popped up.
Congratulations! You have successfully completed the achievement: -Rookie Numbers-
100/100 GC acquired
Reward: 2 Lucky Draws
Axel suddenly visualized two present boxes appearing in front of him. They exuded a tantalizing orange glow as if beckoning Axel to open them. Axel was filled with anticipation as he proceeded to open the present on the left.
Congratulations!
You won:
The Unbreakable Branch
Rarity: Supreme
System P.S.A.: Lucky Draw winnings have been sent to Storage
Axel was speechless. He didn¡¯t know if the system had just given him something amazing or terrible. Did the system want him to keep whacking trees? He sighed, at least there was still one more box to go, hopefully, this time it would be more clear. Axel nervously opened the final box. Suddenly he was hit with a barrage of notifications.
System Announcement: Ascendant class item received!
System Announcement: Ascendant class item received!
System Announcement: Ascendant class item received!
Official launch of Book One Hello everyone! Exceed System: The Gambler is now live on Amazon for free on Kindle Unlimited or $3.99. Thank you everyone for supporting me on this journey from rough drafting to my debut novel! It''s been a wild ride and I am more than grateful for everyone''s comments, reviews, and feedback. I hope you have enjoyed reading this book! Stay tuned for book two! US:https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0849M8CNJ UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0849M8CNJUnauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0849M8CNJ CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0849M8CNJ AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0849M8CNJ Following Amazon''s KU policy, I had to remove most of the chapters from RoyalRoad. Thank you for understanding. ALSO, stay tuned for a new series coming soon to RoyalRoad! It will be quite...interesting. Links: Discord: https://discord.gg/vfUhcwz Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jlhuang Newsletter: https://jl-huang.mailchimpsites.com/ Book Two Announcements Hello everyone! Just a quick update on current events. Exceed System: The Gambler has taken off to a very good launch on Amazon! I couldn''t have asked for a better community! Book Two chapters will be arriving in the upcoming days so please stay tuned.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ALSO, I''m happy to announce that the first chapter of Scaling Skeleton (Inside Online) has officially been posted on RoyalRoad. Link: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/29926/scaling-skeleton-inside-online Please head over and give it a read and follow! Note that it will be the main focus of my attention as I develop the storyline for Exceed System Book Two. I don''t want to rush things for the second book.