《Virtual Conquest: Solomon's Realm》 Book 1 Chapter 1

Chapter 1

World peace has long since been accomplished, hunger eliminated, cancer cured, and poverty solved via a universal basic income. It was without a doubt the best time to be alive. And yet, there was still something missing. An innate desire that this fantastical era just couldn¡¯t provide. A sense of adventure. Excitement. Thrill. Stimulation. There were many gateways that attempted to satisfy these emotions; movies, TV, art, music, drugs. But one surpassed them all. Virtual Reality. An entire world, nay, an entire universe could be created at a whim with artificial intelligence. Slaying monsters? Exploring new lands? Massive wars? The entire world became addicted. And thus, after the information age came the virtual era. Celebrities were no longer actors and musicians, but players who excelled in these virtual worlds. The modern Columbus. Genghis Khan. Caesar. Many made names for themselves. Many became rich. And a few were even worshipped as gods. But as if it was destined, the ugly side of human nature reared its head. If there was a winner, there was almost certainly a loser. People were so invested in their avatars that factions within the game fought tooth and nail for territory, treasure, and power. Although few knew it, behind every conflict was the puppeteering hands of governments. Age old rivalries returned. Wars between countries was no longer fought in reality, but in virtual worlds. Anna, the world¡¯s most advanced artificial intelligence as well as the creator and manager of these virtual worlds, was controlled by an independent counsel separate from the various countries. Members of this counsel were held to the highest standard. Even then, they had limited power over Anna. She mainly ran herself as long as she followed a few rules set down since her creation. The year is 2248, world population exceeding a hundred billion. Today was the end of the three month break between virtual worlds. People from all over the planet could barely contain their excitement. After all, today was the day they¡¯d all been waiting for. At exactly 5 P.M., the next virtual world would officially be opened to the public. A new cycle would begin. This would be a fresh new world, with lands unexplored and countless treasures to be found. The devices that allowed users to connect to the game had been delivered weeks ago. From the cheapest helmets, to the state of the art gaming capsules. As per normal, information related to the game was limited. Not even Anna¡¯s counsel knew more than the public. The only information released about the game was but a simple paragraph. Solomon¡¯s Realm, once a utopia for all races, is now facing a grave threat. Betrayed by his Divine Council, Solomon vanished after a devastating battle. The Divine Council, now the sole rulers of the realm, grew intoxicated with their newfound power. Over the next few years, they disbanded and divided up the realm for themselves after internal disagreements. Worshipped by mortals as gods, they grew ever more arrogant. They are judge, jury, and executioner; treating their subjects as mere pawns on a chess board. Yet worst of all, with Solomon¡¯s disappearance, dark forces seek to return to power¡­ Drake Thorn couldn¡¯t count the number of times he¡¯d read the synopsis of Solomon¡¯s Realm. As he¡¯d turned fifteen just a few weeks ago, this would be his first cycle. As such, he was more excited than most. It was rare for someone to enter a cycle as soon as it began. There was only a three month window between them, afterall. Like many, he¡¯d been following the news religiously ever since the synopsis came out a month ago. It was tradition for there to be speculation about the new game. What was its mechanics? How could it be beaten? What was the setting, the history, the plot? Even with the game unreleased, there was plenty to discuss. Even now, a mere hour before launch, news hosts were still going at it. Drake sat before his holographic TV, enthralled as he listened to a famous celebrity called Lifeblood. Lifeblood was a second class citizen and the guild leader of an organization called Seekers. He commanded quite a bit of influence. True to his name, his hair and eyes were dark red, thanks to genetic modification. The news anchor, a beautiful woman in her twenties with orange hair, asked Lifeblood excitedly. ¡°So Lifeblood, with less than an hour left, could you summarize what Solomon¡¯s Realm is speculated to be about?¡± Lifeblood, an experienced celebrity, turned to the camera and flashed a smile. ¡°Organizations and researchers around the world have come to the same conclusion. Solomon¡¯s Realm will be a high fantasy game, so expect magic, monsters, and perhaps even dragons!¡± Lifeblood chuckled. ¡°As for the setting, we can infer that the game is going to be loosely based on works of fiction relating to Solomon. You see, Solomon was a great hero who united the different species under one banner, creating a powerful empire for all. The Divine Council was made up of these species¡¯ leaders. Why the Council betrayed Solomon is unclear. Solomon was extremely powerful, so whether he is dead or alive is unknown.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The host took this chance to make a comment. ¡°Dragons, huh? I can¡¯t wait to see them in action!¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Lifeblood nodded before continuing his explanation. ¡°We can assume that the former members of the Divine Council are now hostile to each other, so Solomon¡¯s Realm is very unstable.¡± He paused for effect. ¡°And last but not least, the mention at the end about dark forces? That¡¯s almost certainly referring to the Lemegaton.¡± ¡°Lemegaton?¡± The host struggled to pronounce the word. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Lifeblood naturally played along. ¡°Before Solomon united the realm, he used his divine powers to seal away seventy-two powerful demons in a grimoire of unfathomable power. That grimoire¡¯s name is Lemegaton, or more commonly known as the Lesser Key of Solomon.¡± The host¡¯s eyes lit up as she came to a ¡®sudden¡¯ realization. ¡°Ah, I see! So the main antagonists of the game are going to be the seventy-two demons!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t forget about the former members of the Divine Council.¡± Lifeblood reminded the host. ¡°They defeated Solomon, after all. They must be quite powerful as well.¡± ¡°Hehe, I was so focused on the demons that I forgot about them.¡± ¡°Anyway,¡± Lifeblood continued calmly, ¡°With Solomon missing, most likely, the seal on the grimoire is going to weaken over time, and eventually be broken. Once those demons get out, Solomon¡¯s Realm is in for a rude awakening.¡± ¡°How could the former members of the Divine Council be so careless?¡± The host shook her head in frustration. ¡°Who knows?¡± Lifeblood shrugged. ¡°Anyway, thanks for that amazing explanation, Lifeblood!¡± The host was all smiles. ¡°So in the end, this is your fifth cycle, right? How do you think Solomon¡¯s Realm compares to previous cycles?¡± Lifeblood¡¯s casual attitude was replaced with a devilish expression. ¡°Ahh, Anna sure knows how to make my blood boil. The more I researched Solomon¡¯s Realm, the more I fell in love with it. The lore is deep and the realm large, so I think this cycle will be one of the best.¡± The host was frightened by Lifeblood¡¯s abrupt change, but quickly hid her fear. Turning towards the camera, she forced a smile. ¡°Would you look at that! Only ten minutes left until release. Make sure you use the restroom if you aren¡¯t using a gaming capsule. We wouldn¡¯t want any accidents would we? Haha.¡± She paused for comedic effect. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that while you¡¯re logged in, we¡¯ll be live 24/7 with constant coverage of the game!¡± Seeing that the interview was over, Drake turned the TV off and jumped to his feet. He spun around, only to freeze in shock. ¡°Dad! When did you get there?¡± His dad, Sam Thorn, was a middle-aged man with brown eyes and shaved head. He was six foot four and clocked in at two hundred and forty pounds. A majority of that weight came from compact muscle. He was basically a human orc, so it was no wonder that Drake was surprised that such a monster was standing so close without him noticing. Sam slapped the side of Drake¡¯s head playfully and reprimanded. ¡°Your sixth sense is pure crap. Was all that training for nothing, huh? HUH?¡± ¡°Daaaad.¡± Drake rolled his eyes. ¡°I passed all your tests perfectly. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re crazy strong, so it¡¯s no wonder I can¡¯t detect you.¡± ¡°Ah, I am? Oh, I guess I am.¡± Sam placed his hands on his hips and laughed loudly. Drake clicked his tongue. ¡°Damn narcissist.¡± Drake left his dad to himself and entered his bedroom. If not for the numerous posters of various celebrities hanging all over the walls, the room would look quite normal. To Drake, the most valuable thing in his room besides the posters was the sleek silver gaming capsule lying alongside the wall. It was the latest top of the line gaming capsule that only first class citizens could have. As Drake was fifteen years old and had no achievements to his name, he was only a tenth class citizen. The lowest class that only the bottom of society would have. Much to Drake¡¯s disbelief, his dad¡¯s longtime friend, who Drake called Uncle Rick, gave him the capsule on his fifteenth birthday. Man, dad sure was pissed at Uncle Rick then. I wonder why though? Drake shuddered as he recalled his dad that day. The man was scary when he wanted to be. As Drake rubbed the smooth capsule, his dad appeared at his side, a complicated look in his eyes as he gazed down at the capsule. As the game would release any moment, Drake made sure that the capsule was plugged in and full of nutritional fluids. He would be able to play as long as he wanted to with enough supply of the stuff. Most amazing about the capsule, besides supplying nutrients and keeping the body in top condition through electric shock massaging, was the ability to allow users to play the game while asleep. This technology wasn¡¯t in the previous cycles. It was a recent invention, so it was sure to change how celebrities played the game this time. A quick glance at the clock showed that the game would open in less than a minute. Drake¡¯s excitement was beyond maxed. He opened the capsule and layed down inside, immediately feeling nice and comfortable. Just as he was about to close the lid, Sam held it firm. ¡°Dad?¡± Drake looked up questioningly. Sam sighed before staring hard at his son. ¡°I only have one rule: never tell people your name or where you live.¡± Drake burst out laughing, thinking his dad was going to say something serious. ¡°Uh, duh! Everyone knows that. There¡¯s plenty of horror stories out there, dad.¡± Sam blinked, only to shake his head ruefully. He gently closed the lid as he whispered. ¡°Have fun, kid.¡± When Drake could no longer see his father, Sam¡¯s expression grew murderous. Only when he glanced down at the wedding ring on his finger did his expression soften. He placed his hand on the capsule as he muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you. As long as I can.¡± With his mind made up, he entered his room and laid down in his very own silver capsule. Along with the rest of the world, both father and son began their journey in Solomon¡¯s Realm. Book 1 Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Drake was very familiar with the disjointed sensation of his mind leaving his body to enter the virtual world. While it was true that this was his first time entering a virtual game, it wasn¡¯t his first virtual world. As long as Drake could remember, his dad trained him in the ways of combat in a private virtual space. Besides obstacle courses and an all inclusive weapons training program, he frequently sparred with his dad, though that mostly ended up with him getting beaten to death. Thankfully his dad wasn¡¯t that sadistic. Sam set Drake¡¯s pain setting to five percent in the beginning, only raising it as he grew older. When he was twelve, it was set to a whopping three hundred percent setting, way past what was legally and ethically allowed. Drake¡¯s tolerance for pain was at an absurd level. Even at three hundred percent, he was able to get stabbed, burned, and shocked without batting an eye. Drake was allowed to give up at any point, and at many times he did. Only when he saw the care and affection his father had for him did he grit his teeth and continue to bear with the pain. The reason was simple. He wanted to make his old man proud! And that he did. In the end, perhaps as a coping mechanism to the immense pain, Drake developed masochistic tendencies. For example, one day, he was curious how long he could starve before he died. It was twenty-two days. Drake¡¯s mind was now in the console room, an offline space that had a variety of features. Want to vacation anywhere on earth? Just open the Geoearth app! Want to try exotic foods? Sex? There was an app for anything, as long as you paid enough. Unfortunately for Drake, he wasn¡¯t allowed to use any sex related apps until he was eighteen. A year ago he tried to hack his virtual helmet to circumvent the age requirement, but he ended up getting a virus and ruining the thing. Security was airtight these days, so hacking was practically impossible. Still, a young man had to try. The capsule was brand new, so the usual clutter of apps was nowhere to be seen. Only a single, flashing hologram of a wide world floated in front of him. There was two words at the top of the hologram. Solomon¡¯s Realm Drake¡¯s figure smashed the hologram as soon as he saw it. In response, the picture grew larger and larger until it encompassed the entire room. The transition is so smooth! Drake gasped as he found himself standing amongst the clouds, overlooking a vast world filled with colors. He saw movement in the corner of his eye. Honing in on the object, he spotted an ancient tome. It flashed past him, disappearing amongst the clouds. Drake clenched his hands in excitement. The Lesser Key of Solomon! In the next moment, a deep voice filled with exhaustion echoed throughout the world. ¡°Traveler from afar, forgive me. I have summoned you to this realm full of perils in order to satisfy my own selfishness.¡± Drake gasped. Is that Solomon¡¯s voice? He sounds like he¡¯s on the verge of death. How could this happen!? Drake worshipped all heroes, and Solomon was definitely among the best.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Solomon continued. ¡°What is your name, traveler?¡± Drake giggled gleefully at the thought of interacting with a legendary hero. He proudly stated. ¡°Zeradune!¡± He had spent countless nights coming up with a name for his avatar. There was a lot of pressure, because he was certain that when he became a celebrity, there would definitely be critics. It had to be cool and badass. ¡°Zeradune,¡± Solomon spoke out, anxiety in his voice, ¡°we must hurry, my strength fades with every passing moment.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t die, Solomon. The world needs a hero like you!¡± Drake clenched his hands as he shouted. In the weeks leading up to the game¡¯s release, Drake researched about Solomon too. He was one hundred percent in agreement with Solomon¡¯s desire to create a utopia so all species could co-exist together. Solomon chuckled weakly. ¡°I sense a kindred spirit in you. Forgive me, for I ask a great task of you.¡± Drake stepped forward heroically. ¡°Anything!¡± ¡°My realm, it is on the verge of war.¡± ¡°I will unify it!¡± Drake said heroically. ¡°No,¡± Solomon sighed. ¡°It is useless to try to unify the realm.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Drake was aghast. Did the betrayal of the council change him? ¡°It is an impossible task.¡± Solomon''s voice was filled with helplessness. ¡°Impossible?¡± Drake felt depressed. He spent thousands of hours watching celebrities defeat all sorts of villainous monsters and players. Their actions directly shaped how he viewed what was right or wrong in the world. Solomon fell silent when he looked at Drake. For some reason, when he saw the boy before him, thoughts of unifying the realm took root in his mind once more. Alas, he was on the verge of death. It was too late for him. ¡°Zeradune, I cannot speak much longer. I ask not that you unify the realm, but at least try to bring peace to it,¡± Solomon¡¯s voice grew weaker with every passing moment. ¡°Your soul is without a husk. Tell me, which form do you desire?¡± Drake glanced around at the multiple humanoid figures that appeared in front of him. Most of them bore the same appearance as him, though with some differences. For example, his elf body looked like a playboy, while the orc body looked like his dad except with green skin and large bulky teeth. Drake was unable to make a decision. Unfortunately, no information about the species characteristics appeared when he inspected them. Thankfully he did his research on the various high fantasy creatures so he could somewhat guess what was what. In the end, he threw his hands up into the air and said. ¡°I can¡¯t decide, so I¡¯ll just random!¡± As per his command, the various species disappeared one after the other. Drakes¡¯ heart pumped with excitement as he wondered what he would become. A halfling? A dwarf? After a few moments, only one form was left. Drake¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Really? After all that I got the boring old human?¡± He already regretted picking random. If he knew he would be a human, he would have picked something more exhilarating and exotic. Solomon¡¯s voice rang out again, but this time it was barely a whisper. ¡°Lands suitable for humans are many. Which will you choose?¡± Down below the clouds, various pillars of light rose from the surface. There had to be over a thousand of them. Shrugging his shoulders, Drake made the same decision as before. ¡°Random!¡± All of the pillars disappeared except for one. Before Drake could react, the pillar of light warped and turned. It flew towards him, encompassing him in a bright warm light. As he was transported through space, Solomon¡¯s voice entered his mind. ¡°Zeradune, I wish you¡­ the...best¡­¡± Book 1 Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I¡¯ll definitely complete your dream, Solomon! I¡¯ll unify the realm and defeat those seventy-two demons! Drake opened his eyes and took in the world, confidence and motivation fueling him. His smile, bright and wide, froze when he saw his surroundings. The grey sky dyed everything in a depressing light, while the ground was alarmingly filled with pitch black dirt. In front of him stood a shabby village, its walls no more than a broken down palisade. The smell of blood was overwhelmingly powerful, and Drake could spot patches of red leading towards the village. He even sensed a sliver of killing intent directed at him from the village. He gulped. Uh, might as well find someplace better. Drake turned around, only to freeze once more. Ahead of him was a world of death. Trees as black as night loomed over him, their branches warped and twisted. Wind passed through the maze of branches, creating an ominous and eerie sound. Hehe, nevermind, nevermind. Drake turned back around and headed towards the village as fast as walking would allow. A message ingrained itself in his mind as he neared the village. You have discovered (Village) Bandit Hideout. That makes sense. Drake was a little amused as he entered the village. The only reason why he felt somewhat safe in entering the dangerous looking place was because he was familiar with the games Anna made. For at least five years, as long as he was training with his dad, he was following the rise and fall of celebrities. Many chose to livestream or upload videos of their adventures. Over the various cycles, there were too many videos to watch, so there were businesses that compiled these adventures into movie length documentaries. Drake lost count of how many he had watched. To sum it up, in every game Anna made, some systems stayed the same, with a few differences here and there. As Drake had literally just started, there was no way the game would send him to his death. This village, while dangerous, would offer ways for him to navigate this new and unfamiliar world. Drake spotted several NPCs and users wandering the village. It was easy to spot the difference, because whenever he looked at an NPC, the message in his mind said their name and level, while when he looked at a user, it only said a user¡¯s name. (Common) Bandit - Level 5 Dillweed The NPCs all had one thing in common: they all minded their own business. The users on the other hand, well, they were as obnoxious as obnoxious could be. Dillweed, a middle-aged man, stood in the path of a bandit. ¡°Excuse me, where can I learn how to fight?¡± ¡°Huh? HUH?¡± The Bandit spat a glob of spit at the ground before abruptly pulling out a dagger and slicing Dillweed¡¯s throat. Dillweed clutched his neck as he fell backwards. Drake watched wide-eyed as Dillweed bled to death. Several moments later, Dillweed vanished in a flash of light. Far off in the distance, Drake saw a user suddenly appear from thin air. It was Dillweed wearing a frustrated expression. Drake rubbed his chin. So we respawn instantly at this village, huh? The users, Drake included, used Dillweed¡¯s encounter as a learning experience. These bandits were mean and weren¡¯t afraid to kill. It was every man for himself in this village. Drake lamented at his situation as continued to explore while giving the NPCs a wide berth. My adventure is off to a bumpy start. He sighed. Why¡¯d I get this village? It¡¯s alignment is clearly neutral or evil.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. The muffled scream of a girl suddenly came from the building to Drake¡¯s left. His heart clenched at the sound, his body moving instinctively. Just before he entered the large two story building, he spotted a sign hanging overhead that said ¡®Nightgale Tavern¡¯. The inside of the tavern was dimly lit with only a few candles here and there. Three cloaked figures were hunched over a table discussing something quietly, while another figure could be seen sitting in the darkest corner of the tavern. Drake spotted a set of stairs leading to the second level and a door that led to what he assumed was the kitchen. Unsure of where to go, he heard a slap, followed by a muffled cry coming from the kitchen. His gait was steady as he slammed the door open, frowning at what he saw. A young girl no more than ten years old lay sprawled on the ground. She clutched her cheek with one hand while supporting herself with the other. On the dirty floor next to her was a broken plate surrounded by steaming hot food. A grisly middle-aged man shouted angrily as he raised his hand. ¡°You brat! That food is worth more than what I make in a day. How dare you ruin it!¡± (Common) Bandit Chef Grix - Level 10 The girl flinched as Grix swung his hand. Before it reached its target, Drake made his move. He expertly clasped Grix¡¯s wrist and twisted. Grix gasped as he was forced into an awkward position. Glancing up at Drake, Grix¡¯s surprise turned into anger. ¡°You punk, just what do you think you¡¯re doing? Let go of me this instant!¡± ¡°How DARE you hit a defenseless girl!¡± Drake roared with rage. ¡°She¡¯s my daughter!¡± Grix spat. ¡°It¡¯s my right to punish her as I see fit!¡± Grix¡¯s response only served to fuel Drake¡¯s anger. In that moment, Grix noticed that the hand clasping his wrist was a bit too¡­ weak? Ashamed that he was caught by surprise, Grix grunted as he slammed the full weight of his body into Drake. Drake reacted as soon as he saw what Grix planned to do, but the speed at which Grix moved was far beyond what Drake could respond to. Drake helplessly flew through the air with such force that he broke apart the kitchen door on impact. He instinctively rolled along the ground upon landing and jumped to his feet, only to see the world blur around him. Damn he¡¯s strong! Stronger than a fully grown man. Drake realized that a level 10 NPC, or at least Grix, had the strength of three grown men or more. That was far beyond what Drake could defeat with the pitiful strength of his current body. If he had a weapon, however, things might be different. Grix stepped over the broken door with irritation. ¡°Punk, now you even went and broke my door. You¡¯re dead for sure.¡± Drake¡¯s body was wracked with pain as he wiped the blood from his mouth. ¡°That¡¯s your own flesh and blood, Grix. How could you do it? Don¡¯t you have any feelings? Are you a monster?¡± Grix paused, Drake¡¯s words stirring something deep within him. He glanced back at his daughter, at her tear filled eyes and frail body. They stared at each other for a moment before she fearfully looked away. The reaction made Grix¡¯s heart drop. A wave of guilt overcame him. ¡°Honey, babe, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Drake¡¯s anger lessened when he saw the genuine regret on Grix¡¯s face. Grix slowly made his way over to his daughter and picked up the dirty food and broken dish. After tossing it in the trash, he picked up his daughter and gave her a hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucy, I just get so angry sometimes. I just can¡¯t think straight when I¡¯m like that.¡± The little girl, Lucy, hugged her father silently. The regret in Grix¡¯s heart grew when he felt his daughter trembling in his arms. His face hardened with resolve as he said. ¡°Lucy, let¡¯s get outta here. This village is making me crazy.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Lucy smiled brightly when she heard that. Grix gently set Lucy down and made his way over to a crack in the wall. He reached inside and pulled out a heavy pouch, then grabbed a large sack and piled in a bunch of food. When the sack was full, he took a butcher¡¯s knife in one hand and Lucy¡¯s hand in the other. Together, they strode out of the kitchen and prepared to leave the tavern. Drake received multiple messages in his mind. Hidden Quest: (F) A man and his daughter has been completed. Reward: 100 experience. Ding! You are now level 2. Reward: 1 stat point. Book 1 Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Drake¡¯s anger fully dispersed and was replaced with a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment. At that moment, the sound of chairs screeching against wood rang out. The group of three men behind Drake stood up. One of them turned towards Grix with a playful voice. ¡°Hey now, Grix, where do ya think you¡¯re running off to?¡± Grix froze in place, immediately realizing he had forgotten something very important. Still, when he felt his daughter¡¯s small hand in his own, he mustered his courage and turned to face the cloaked man. ¡°Yander, you can¡¯t be referring to that loan, right?¡± Yander pulled down his hood, a young man in his twenties appearing underneath. He sneered. ¡°Why yes, of course. What else?¡± (Common) Bandit Yander - Level 8 Grix spat. ¡°Cut the crap. Captain Maccon saved my life, and for that I¡¯m grateful, but to blackmail me and ask for money for his ¡®generous¡¯ act? I¡¯ve paid enough already, so I¡¯m leaving, and you can¡¯t stop me.¡± Yander shrugged indifferently. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, then be my guest.¡± Grix gave Yander a wary glance before turning to leave. When his back was exposed, Yander abruptly pulled out a knife and threw it. Just as it left his hand, Drake, who stood next to Yander, reached out and grabbed it before sliding it across Yander¡¯s neck in one smooth motion. Everything happened too quickly. Yander¡¯s eyes bulged out as he turned to look at Drake in disbelief. His two companions roared in anger as they pulled out their weapons and dashed forward. Drake¡¯s pupils shrunk to the size of a needle as all of the pores in his body opened up. The trajectories of the daggers played out in his mind. He twisted his torso, narrowly avoiding both attacks. Just as he was about to retaliate, one of the bandit¡¯s daggers lit up with a white light. Miraculously, the dagger sharply changed directions while conserving all of its momentum. It was too sudden. Drake could only watch as the dagger plunged itself into his heart. Crap! Was that a skill? Gritting his teeth, Drake ignored the wound and stepped closer to the bandits. With two quick motions, the bandits fell backwards, the life draining from their bodies. Like them, Drake felt strength leave his body so quickly that he knew he had just moments left to live. He staggered backwards and fell into a nearby chair while clutching his chest. At the same time, numerous messages appeared in his mind. You have surpassed levels to kill an opponent! Bonus XP acquired. +150 XP. You have surpassed levels to kill an opponent! Bonus XP acquired. +125 XP. You have surpassed levels to kill an opponent! Bonus XP acquired. +125 XP. Ding! You are now level 3. Reward: 1 stat point. Ding! You are now level 4. Reward: 1 stat point. Hidden Quest: (F) A family¡¯s peril has been completed. Reward: A title. You have acquired the title, ¡®(F) A Budding Hero¡¯. (F) A Budding Hero - 5% increased reputation with righteous factions. Sweet. The rewards just keep on coming. The system awarded him considerably. The only cost was his life. Still, with a quick revive, he¡¯ll be back and raring to go. At least he thought as much until he saw the next message. Warning: You have killed Bandit Yander, brother of Captain Maccoon. You are now at war with the faction: Maccoon¡¯s Bandit Gang. Uh oh. Drake chuckled bitterly at the message. Most likely, this village was under Captain Maccoon¡¯s control. Where would he respawn now? If it was at the center of the village, wouldn¡¯t he be spawn camped by NPCs? Since when has that ever happened? Usually players do the spawn camping, not the other way around. Drake shrugged. Oh well, at least dad will get a kick out of this. Lucy and Grix ran up to Drake with pale faces. Lucy tried to plug the hole in Drake¡¯s chest with her hand, but the blood wouldn¡¯t stop. ¡°Uhh, what do I do? It¡¯s not stopping.¡± Drake pushed them away with a carefree smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Escape while you can. The other bandits will notice what happened here shortly. You don¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°No!¡± Lucy shook her head firmly. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Grix clenched his teeth and picked up Lucy before running away. Drake watched as they left the building, disappearing into the world beyond. His eyelids started to grow heavy as the feeling of death grew stronger. Even so, it was worth it. The sound of clapping came from behind him. Startled, Drake turned his head only to find the last person in the tavern stand up. It was the cloaked man Drake spotted earlier in the darkest part of the tavern. The man made his way over to Drake, swiveled a nearby chair around, and sat on it with his hands crossed over the top rail. ¡°That was amazing, kid, truly.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. (Chieftain) ??? - Level ?? For the first time, Drake was unable to glean any information about an NPC, only that he was of the Chieftain rank. He stared at the man, unsure of how to respond. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re an idiot, but still an amazing idiot,¡± The man clicked his tongue in amazement. ¡°You got good technical skills, but not the levels to back it up. You musta just left your mother¡¯s house, huh? You thought, ¡®hey, I want to be an adventurer!¡¯ and so you traveled all the way to the borderlands to be a hero.¡± The man patted Drake¡¯s shoulder while giving a thumbs up. ¡°You got guts! I like you!¡± Drake gave the man a level stare. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± The man placed his index finger just a tad higher than his thumb. ¡°Just a bit, hehe.¡± ¡°Well in any case, thanks for accompanying me as I die.¡± Drake said sarcastically as his eyelids grew heavy. ¡°No problem, no proble- Hey!¡± The man slapped Drake¡¯s cheek so hard it turned red. ¡°Don¡¯t go to sleep yet! I¡¯m not done talking yet.¡± Annoyed, Drake forced his eyes open through sheer willpower. ¡°Oh, sorry about that¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, as I was saying,¡± The man continued without a shred of concern for Drake¡¯s condition. ¡°Those two you saved? Grix and whatsername?¡± ¡°Lucy.¡± Drake accidentally spat out a mouthful of blood as he responded. ¡°Right, Lucy!¡± The man wiped the blood from his face before clapping his hands in delight. ¡°Yeah, sorry to break it to you, but they¡¯re gonna die for sure.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Drake suddenly sat up as if he was full of energy and stared at the man closely for the first time. To his horror, the face underneath the hood was nothing like the cheery voice he¡¯d been listening to. The man¡¯s face was disfigured beyond recognition. Black veins filled his eyes as they alternated between madness and clarity. It was bewildering. At the same time, a message appeared in Drake¡¯s mind. Due to repeated special actions, you have gained a new trait! (S) Determination To Defy Death - By relying on willpower alone, you are able to stave off some fatal wounds for a brief time. Due to a special action, you have unlocked the Willpower special stat! ¡°Huh?¡± Drake tilted his head as he felt strength flowing through his body. Though death was still approaching, it was like he had gained another few moments of life. What¡¯s a trait? And it¡¯s not a skill? Can it be leveled up? ¡°Hot damn!¡± The disfigured man abruptly stood up, knocking over the chair he was sitting on in the process. He grabbed Drake¡¯s shoulders so hard that they were on the verge of cracking. ¡°You got it, right? The trait and stat?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Drake was unable to keep up with this wacko. ¡°I knew it!¡± The man let go of Drake and slapped his thigh. ¡°I saw that tenacious spark in your eye, and sure enough, you didn¡¯t let me down.¡± Drake recalled all of the man¡¯s actions in the last minute and came to a realization. He was egging me on? Drake¡¯s thoughts turned back to the father and daughter. He released a sigh of relief. ¡°You were just lying to me about Grix and Lucy dying right?¡± ¡°Oh, them?¡± The man shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re goners for sure. Captain Racoon, no, Maccoon is a skilled tracker. They won¡¯t be able to escape him.¡± Drake fell back in his seat, dejected. ¡°Why does it have to be this way?¡± The man gave Drake a sideways glance. ¡°I can save them, y¡¯know.¡± Drake wasn¡¯t an idiot. In this brief encounter, he learned that although the man was mad, there was logic weaved within. Drake clenched his hands. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Me?¡± The man picked his nose with one hand while inspecting the grimey fingernails of his other hand. ¡°Oh, just for you to perform an experiment or two with me.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± Drake agreed without hesitation. You have accepted the quest: ? Restoring An Old Man¡¯s Reputation. Task: Successfully complete the experiment. Rewards: Unknown. ¡°Great, let¡¯s get going then!¡± The man sped towards the tavern¡¯s entrance, only to slide to a stop and spin around, completely and utterly baffled. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you coming?¡± Drake groaned helplessly. ¡°I AM on the verge of death here, remember?¡± ¡°Oh, right!¡± The man smacked his forehead. He returned to Drake¡¯s side and swiped out with his hand. In the blink of an eye, a red vial suddenly appeared in between his fingers. ¡°Here, drink up. It¡¯s strawberry flavored, my favorite.¡± (Rare) Strawberry Flavored Healing Potion: Restores Lifeforce based on Recovery (B), Fortitude (E), and Strength (F). Drake wouldn¡¯t drink something given by a madman so easily. Only after a quick inspection did he find it safe to use. Looks like the item system is the same as earlier cycles. How much the potion healed depended on three stats, with a higher grade having more effect than lower grades. In this case, Recovery affected the potion more than Fortitude and Strength. Feeling death swiftly approaching, he downed the contents of the vial in one gulp. As the liquid slid down his throat, a warm vibrant energy entered his body, gathering towards the tiny hole in his heart. The energy slowly disappeared as the wound healed itself. In a short moment, the wound vanished as if it was never there. Seeing that Drake was back to normal, the man grabbed Drake¡¯s hand and dragged him with such force that Drake couldn¡¯t resist. ¡°The experiment awaits! Hahaha, I¡¯ll prove it to all those fools! Then they¡¯ll believe me!¡± ¡°We made a deal!¡± Drake snapped, afraid the man would renege on his end of the bargain. ¡°Hehe, whoops. I forgot!¡± The man changed directions and headed straight for the largest building in the village. He moved so quickly that the world was just a blur for Drake. He¡¯s so fast! What level is he? As they passed by other users, all they felt was a gust of wind. ¡°Huh, what was that?¡± ¡°A person? Nah, couldn¡¯t be.¡± In the center of the village was a wooden three story building with an open courtyard. A man clad in a set of black and grey leather armor stood there with a sword in his hand. With every flick of his arm, the sword cut through the air, creating a soft gust of wind. Again and again he repeated the same action. Just as he was about to cut again, he glanced over his shoulder, sensing something amiss. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± In one moment, all he saw was a dot running towards him, and in the next, a disfigured man wearing a wry smile stood in front of him. ¡°Sorry, buddy, have a nice afterlife!¡± ¡°Huh? What are y-¡± Captain Maccoon watched as the world spun around and around. Even at the moment of his death, he didn¡¯t understand what was happening. Drake¡¯s body was limp on the ground, his arm still held tightly by the disfigured man. He felt that the rollercoaster ride was over and raised his head just in time to see a single slap make Maccoon¡¯s head pop off. Killing a man with a single slap! What was even scarier was that he could see Captain Maccoon¡¯s stats. (Elite) Bandit Leader Captain Maccoon - Level 15 Hidden Quest: (D) Maccoon¡¯s Pursuit has been completed! Reward: Upgraded title. Title ¡®A Budding Hero¡¯ has upgraded to rank (E). Now increases reputation gain by 20%. A bunch of loot was left behind after Maccoon¡¯s corpse dispersed into light. The disfigured man raised his arm, bringing Drake¡¯s eyes level to his. ¡°There. You happy now?¡± Drake nodded, his head still in a daze. The disfigured man huffed in annoyance as he ran towards the village entrance. ¡°You¡¯re like a girlfriend I had once. So needy!¡± Before Drake knew it, they were already far from the village. He could just barely discern that it seemed like they were entering a forest. A dreary and evil forest. He gulped. Well, it should be fine, right?