《Almighty Dung [Dropped]》 Chapter 1 Shaman - They said it¡¯s the best game ever. I¡¯m looking forward to it. [ Please name your character. ] - Dung. [ Are you sure you want to name your character Dung? ] - Yes. ,, If I suddenly reveal my name in PVP, kuku, I may even get an opening. '''' [ Please choose your class. ] - Shaman. [ Please design your character. ] The result was naive looking, thin, pale teen with short, black hair. - Deception and underestimation, my favorite. The youth grinned evilly and entered the game world. Ignoring bunch of NPCs with question marks and busy players in plain clothes, he slapped himself. - Indeed high realism, I should reduce the pain level. After experimenting some and setting pain on optimal level, he went ahead to check out his personal information, ignoring scornful gazes of other players. [ Name: Dung Main class: Shaman (Level1)(0/500 EXP) Support class: N/A Titles: none AP-5 SP-1 Attributes: Vitality ¨C 10 (100 HP) Endurance ¨C 10 (100 stamina) Magic ¨C 10 (100 MP) Willpower¨C 10 Agility¨C 8 Fortitude¨C 2 Tenacity¨C 4 Strength¨C 5 Unique attributes: Comprehension¨C 10 Luck¨C 1 Perception¨C 10 Charm¨C 5 Faith¨C 5/5 ] [ AP ¨C Attribute points, mostly obtained from Level Ups. Receive 5 AP for every level up of main class and 3 AP for support class. Can be used to enhance character¡¯s attributes. (Can¡¯t increase unique attributes) ] [ SP ¨C Skill points, obtained mostly from Level Ups. Receive 1 SP for every level up of main/support classes. Can be used to buy skills and enhance theirlevel. ] [ Vitality ¨C Increases health pool and HP regeneration. ] [ Endurance ¨C Increases stamina and stamina regeneration. ] [ Magic ¨C Increases magic attack, MP pool and MP regeneration. ] [ Willpower ¨C Increases mental skills attack damage and resistance towards crowd control skills, reduces time effect of de-buffs. ] [ Agility ¨C Increases movement speed. ] [ Fortitude ¨C Reduces physical damage received. ] [ Tenacity ¨C Reduces magical damage received. ] [ Strength ¨C Increases physical damage. ] [ Comprehension ¨C Increases speed of gaining skill proficiency. ] [ Luck ¨C Increases critical hit chance and chance to obtain better items. ] [ Perception¨C Increases intuition, perception of danger. ] [ Charm ¨C Increases favorability of NPCs and chance to gain unique quests. ] [ Faith ¨C Special attribute, mainly used to cast ultimate skills. ] - Hmm, the majority are self explanatory, as for faith, it should be something like fury for warriors and concentration for archers. It¡¯s mostly useless now, after all it¡¯s hard to gain ultimate skills to begin with. [ Shaman skills: Dark bolt (Level 1) ] [ Dark bolt (E)(Level 1) ¨C Cast dark bolt dealing 80% MATK damage. There¡¯s 20% chance of reducing enemy¡¯s movement speed by 3%. Can be stacked 3 times. Cost: 1 MP Cool down: 5 seconds. ] Stolen story; please report. - It¡¯s the basic skill of shamans. For starters, it¡¯s to the lower side, butits true worth hides in movement reduction. I have a single starting skill point. I should learn another skill in shaman skills tree. [ You have unlocked Shadow bind in exchange of 1 SP. ] [ Shadow bind(E) ¨C Opponent¡¯s shadow comes to life to entangle him/her for 2 seconds Cost: 15 MP Cool down: 50 seconds. ] - With this, I will gain more chance of fleeing when in danger, now equipment and inventory... ,, Ah, so these beginner set is just for covering our naked butts, does not increase a single attribute, the only thing that¡¯s of some value is this broken wand. '''' [ Rusty wand Level requirement: 1 Grade: Common Single handed weapon 3-4 MATK Durability: 20/20 ] - With this my average damage should be 13-14, when using dark bolt ¨C 11-12. If enemy has tenacity higher than 12, my attacks will deal 0 damage. After that, Dung finally remembered to check the inventory. [ 20x rough ale 20x wheat bread 1 silver ] - That¡¯s all my fortune, classic. With smile on his face, Dung ignored crowded areas and walked to small plain field, surrounded by small fence. There was an old man sitting on the crate nearby. It was an old NPC, Razzyih. - Excuse me old man, can I enter the arena? The old NPC raised his head and was surprised. -Wanting to accumulate battle experience at merely level 1, I admire your wisdom, young man. Sometimes, battle experience is worth more than fancy skills. - I don¡¯t deserve the praise. Dung answered politely with a smile. - Alright, I guess battle royale would be a little stretch for you, so private PVP battle, I assume? - Yes. - The opponents can range from 3 levels lower to 3 levels higher in duels. Obviously you, won¡¯t meet opponent with lower level than yours, as you are merely level 1. Be careful, young man. Dung nodded and applied for a match. After waiting for 1 minute, his figure flashed and reappeared on small ring, surrounded by fences. Other than him, there were no other participants from his village, so obviously the opponent was from another beginner village. Dung checked the information of his opponent. [ Level 2 warrior Greenmud HP: 120 ] Dung didn¡¯t forget to hide his name, though it was not possible to hide level in PVP matches. The two appeared in front of each other, distanced by 10 meters, but couldn¡¯t move until countdown didn¡¯t reach from 5 to 0, but meanwhile, they could talk. - Haha, level 1 arena challenger, gutsy, I like it. The bulky man holding plain axe laughed in front of him. Dung acted intimidated. - Umm, please go easy on me... His naive looking character he personally forged gave the warrior even more feeling of superiority and didn¡¯t think of him as his opponent, besides, he was merely level 1 and shamans are bad at running and casting skills. Dung knew he has to be facing the enemy to hit dark bolt, so hit and run tactics were hard to implement currently, but he wasn¡¯t concerned. The match has started. Not waiting any longer, the warrior strode at his direction. Warriors have low tenacity at start, so they will receive more damage from magical attacks. They also like to invest in strength and vitality to not build a trash character. The opponent looked like that generic type of warrior, definitely not one of the extremists. Dung knew opponent¡¯s strengths and weaknesses and had upper hand in being underestimated. He had already invested 5 free AP in magic, so his MP reached 150 and magical attack was at 15 too. Adding rusty wand in play it was 18-19 magical damage. Counting enemy¡¯s 2 points of tenacity, it was 16-17 damage. Dark bolt would further reduce it to 80% of it, around ¨C 13-14. Enemy had 120 HP, so Dung needed to hit dark bolt about 9-10 times to take out the enemy. Dark bolt silently appeared on his wand and attacked the warrior. The warrior was surprised, but not too worried. - Good, once I reach you, you¡¯re dead for sure. Obviously Dung couldn¡¯t run and attack with dark bolt at the same time, so warrior believed in his superiority, but receiving damage alerted him and he ran at Dung¡¯s direction. - I, I¡¯m sorry. Dung had a terrified expression as he ran, but warrior¡¯s agility was slightly higher than shaman¡¯s and he was catching up. - Humph The warrior snorted coldly and chased. When the cool down time of dark bolt was over, Dung turned around and attacked once more. - 13 Red numbers appeared above warrior¡¯s head, but he had already caught up. The axe made a dangerous ark in the air. It was warrior¡¯s skill, cleave. Warriors had more variety of choices of weapons so their skills might differ, but not significantly. The Fallen Online boasted with high reality and that¡¯s why it was significantly different from other VRMMORPG games, so player''s actual skills played a big role. Dung, expecting the attack, ducked and avoided the attack, but unexpectedly, he received knee at his face. He reacted quickly and covered his face with left hand. - 8 He rolled back and stood up vigilantly. Obviously, the enemy was a rookie, but a good fighter in real life. He didn¡¯t solely depend on game skills. - Haha Seeing his miserable appearance, the warrior laughed in glee. Dung managed to distance himself by 3 meters by rolling back. The conceited Greenmud didn¡¯t follow up with another attack. ,, Naive bastard. ¡¯¡¯ Cool down of dark bolt expired and he attacked with another dark bolt. - You¡­ The opponent finally grew alarmed. His hp was decreasing and enemy he thought was not even an enemy was alive and kicking. He finally turned serious. Those tricks wouldn¡¯t work on him anymore. Dung didn¡¯t hesitate and ran, but was quickly caught up and cleaved - 23 He received alarming amount of damage, but he also traded the blow with dark bolt and managed to make some distance. Greenmud couldn¡¯t run and swing his two handed axe while using cleave at the same time, so it gave Dung small opportunity to make some distance. Currently, Greenmud had 66/120 HP, while Dung ¨C 69/100. - Come back, coward! The warrior roared as he missed another attack and received another dark bolt to his face. Suddenly, Dung''s name was displayed above his head. The warrior was clearly dumbfounded. He almost stumbled. ,, Who would name himself dung? Is he sick? ¡®¡¯ -14 Another dark bolt to his face... Finally he got out of his daze and wanted nothing but to tear his opponent for being so sneaky, but he saw incoming kick to his crotch. He instinctively covered it with his knees and cold sweat appeared on his back. He even forgot to counter attack. Then he received punch to his abdomen. ,, Shaman using punches and kicks? ¡®¡¯ -1 Dung quickly withdrew. - Come back! The warrior roared in rage and grazed his chest with cleave. - 11 - Dark bolt - 13 - Die! - Shadow bind The warrior felt his body turn heavy and almost blacked out in rage. Dung created distance in 2 seconds and followed another dark bolt, but received harsh cleave to his chest when warrior caught up. - Die! Cleave had lower cool down and was followed up by punch from the warrior. - 11 - 23 But then, the cool down of dark bolt was over. Dung grinned and before enemy could stomp down on his miserably fallen body, he cast another dark bolt. At last moment Greenmud had 12 HP left while he had measly 1, but last dark bolt consumed warrior¡¯s last bit of hp, before he finished him off. ,, That was close. ¡®¡¯ Cold sweat appeared on Dung¡¯s back. He knew first fight would be hard, but this was beyond his expectation. ,, I was complacent. ¡®¡¯ He thought and turned more serious. The warrior turned into particles and disappeared. [ You won the private PVP match Winning streak: 1 Received 135 Honor ] [ Title received: Survivor + 5vitality ] Soon he was transported out of the ring, back to old NPC. He grinned at unexpected gain, title which would greatly increase his survival ability. He sighed in satisfaction and asked NPC to show Arena shop. There were random equipment designs of different grade. He ignored those with higher requirement than level 1 and purchased uncommon one handed wand at price of 120 honor points. When he made a purchase the random level 1 one handed wand appeared in his inventory. He instantly appraised it. ,, This thing will make my next matches much easier. '''' He grinned as he checked the item. Chapter 2 Goal [ Lucky wand Level requirement: 1 Grade: Uncommon Single handed weapon 7-8 MATK +2.2% critical hit chance Durability: 25/25 ] ,, Still quite shabby, but every bit of extra counts. '''' - Old man, I want to enter the arena once again. The NPC nodded his head. - That''s the spirit. Go ahead, you don''t need to consult me every time. Soon another match begun. This time, the opponent was level 2 archerwith some good equipment. ,, Whooping 180 hp, my luck''s not that good, I found another camper. '''' Dung didn''t have to worry about close combat anymore and fought battle of attrition. His trick of showing his name in battle won him extra hit and shadow binds gave him the advantage. After a long battle lasting 5 minutes he won again. [ You won the private PVP match. Winning streak: 2 Received 195 honor. ] ,, 210 honor in total, I could buy 2 uncommon equipment or play few more matches, hopeto win next matches and buy rare equipment with 500 honor points. Quality or quantity? I can only enter arena 10 times a day too...Considering everything, I''ll go for quantity this time. I''ll soon need to change level 1 items, even if it''s rare. Besides, my real purpose isn''t farming honor, but ''Rookie champion'' title, which is received from 10 wins in PVP private matches. If I gain the title, I''ll receive some reputation points and catch attention of important NPCs. Then I can receive some meaningful quests with bountiful rewards. Kuku, who''s the genius? '''' The plan was good, but he knew, if he wasn''t lucky, he could meet strong opponents in arena and lose this only chance. Finally Dung bought uncommon head band and shoes. [ Headstrong''s head band Level requirement: 1 Grade: Uncommon + 2 Fortitude + 3 Tenacity Durability: 10/10 ] [ Nimble shoes Level requirement: 1 Grade: Uncommon + 4 agility + 1.3% evasion Durability: 25/25 ] With extra tenacity and fortitude his toughness increased, with extra agility he had more space to maneuver too. Dung strode into arena with less nervousness, but this time he was also mentally prepared. His next opponent was mage. The mage didn''t have any good equipment, except for 2 handed staff which dealt a ton of damage and DOT from fire balls was also nerve wrecking, but her hp was low and soon fell before great Dung. This time, he didn''t even use the trick of showing his name.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. 3rd win, extra 120 honor, 130 in total. Next match was against another warrior, which also fell miserably. 4th win, extra 160 honor, 290 in total. The following match was a bit trickier. Assassin who used stealth and back stabbing was a real pain in the ass, but Dung concentrated a lot and when he perceived the danger, he restricted the opponent with shadow bind and dealt heavy damage. The assassin had huge attack, almost dealing 40 damage at once with dual daggers, but in the end, Dung survived with over 10 hp. He sighed in relief and that was his... 5th win, extra 220 honor, 510 in total. Accessories cost a lot more than normal equipment as they are rare, so he was saving up honor for them and finally he bought 2 rings, spending 400 honor. [ Worn wedding ring Level requirement: 1 Grade: Uncommon + 2 charm Durability: 5/5 ] [ Timid one''s ring Level requirement: 1 Grade: Uncommon +3 agility Durability: 5/5 ] Dung was little shocked about getting a ring, which increased unique attribute, but quickly got over it, since it wouldn''t give him any significant advantage. As for second ring, he felt mockery in its name, but ignored it as it had good attribute. ,, I''ll buy some armor too. '''' With another 100 honor spent, only 10 remained, but he got a decent protective shirt. [ Valiant soldier''s worn out shirt Level requirement: 1 Grade: Uncommon + 5fortitude + 1 willpower Durability: 15/15 ] - The matches will get tougher from 5th win. My luck ends here. I need to get stronger. Rookie champion title isn''t so easy to get. If it was that simple, countless rich people could grab it. The system won''t let me have it easy. I''ve got only 1 chance. If I lose even once, the title won''t be acquired even if I win 50 more times in a row. Dung turned solemn. He had to find another way to get stronger at level 1, otherwise if he leveled up, the range of enemies, as well as difficulty to get the title would dramatically increase. Dung contemplated for a while, then came to conclusion. - If old Wade''s Intel was right, that might work. If I get that hidden quest my chance to get the title will increase, but I need to prepare beforehand. After formulating his plan, Dung strode into market area, which was more bustling than other places. Some people had bought small place temporarily, displayed their items and were advertising them. He didn''t bother with it and started yelling. - Everyone, you don''t want to miss it, accessory increasing the unique attribute which can''t be enhanced by AP for sale, just for 30 silver. Unexpectedly he grabbed the attention of many. Level 3 male player sneered and said. - 30 silver? What a fraud, considering your level, your accessory can''t be higher than level 2. You could buy the best level 2 uncommon item for 3 silver, good accessory for 6, at most 8. How can your accessory be worth that much? Dung didn''t mind and proudly displayed the item attributes for everyone to see. He wasn''t afraid others would rob him as the village was the safe area and he wasn''t going to go out for hunting for a while. - Ladies and gentlemen, I believe this ring requires no further advertisement. I''m auctioning it right now. Seeing the attribute of worn wedding ring, people were stunned. Indeed, the accessories were rare and ones with unique attribute were even more rare. The ring was beautiful and attracting to women, besides it increased charm, which would help players get better opinions and quests from NPCs. Though the increase in charm was small, the ring was still invaluable. - 20 silver, that''s the most I can pay for that thing. Fat man with turban like hat devalued the item. Dung kept smiling and kept waiting. - I''ll pay 21, it looks nice, I''ll keep it in my collection. Thin female priest raised the price. - 25, I believe my lover will like it. Suave man whose charm could not be hidden by plain clothes smiled elegantly. - 50 silver, sell it to me. Beautiful woman in revealing warrior clothes split the crowd and got everyone''s attention. Dung was stunned he got such a high price and smiled brilliantly. - Alright. He exchanged the item for 50 silver under many envious gazes. Dung didn''t mind, just took last appreciative glance at woman''s perfect curves and turned back. ,, She can''t be someone simple. '''' He thought, but quickly forgot about it and happily strode into the store of old pharmacist NPC. - Sell me 10 low grade MP and HP potions. He ordered. Low grade MP and HP potions restored 100 MP/HP and cost 1 silver each. The potions couldn''t be used in arena, but the place he was going to visit didn''t disallow usage of potions. - Sigh, with this my preparations are done. I hope the Intel was right, otherwise I will lose more than I will gain. Dung sighed and slowly walked towards large building called training center. The place had open area field, where 50 dummies were aligned and about 20 players were practicing their skill proficiency. The training center provided double skill proficiency, but it was unpopular place for top players, who raced against time to take places in leader board and went on higher stage in both game and real life. ,, That''s the place. '''' Dung thought and calmly walked towards middle aged woman who surveyed the training field with hard to read expression. He shamelessly stood by the side of the training instructor Yulin and mimicked her. Yulin frowned as she saw Dung''s action and asked with bit of hostility. - How can I help you, young man? Chapter 3 Dung sighed with emotion and replied - What do you think about those rookies, master Yulin? She frowned, but still answered - Pretty good, they are working hard and perfecting their skills. Fundamentals are important. Good skills are wasted in lazy people''s hands. Though bit lackluster, they are at least trying their best Dung shook his head and said - As I see it, they are slacking, not giving their best. Those who live in peace forget the price of it was war. Master Yulin, don''t you think people would try their best when they are in peril? This is the human nature. This is why there are rising heroes in wars, but mediocre people in times of peace. Yulin gave Dung contemptuous glance - What about you, little hypocrite? You read lectures to this old one, while you haven''t even defeated a single monster. Scram, training center doesn''t welcome people like you [ Your favorability with Yulin decreased by 150 You no longer receive 2x skill proficiency gain in training center ] Dung didn''t flinch, expecting this, but smiled - Master Yulin, how about we make a bet? - What kind of bet do you want? Yulin asked impatiently Dung smiled - Let me prove myself, I can increase my skill level from 1 to 2 in an hour and half, how about that? - Impossible, you can''t handle the exhaustion of MP more than 5 times in a row. It''s too staining on mind, besides, your recovery won''t keep up Yulin shook her head - Master Yulin, please give this one a chance to prove my worth, you won''t be losing anything Yulin looked at him in the eyes, hesitating, but finally nodded her headUnauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. - Fine. Do whatever you want, I''ll give you 2 hours. You practice shamanism right? If you increase your dark bolt''s level to 2 in two hours, I''ll acknowledge you. Oh, and Don''t go cheating and use SP, understood? - Yes, master Yulin [ Hidden quest: Race against time Content: Prove Training master Yulin wrong by improving your skill level to 2 in 120 minutes Upon failure: Your favorability with Yulin will reach 0, your reputation will drop by 50 in beginner village Upon completion: Reward unknown ] [ Dark bolt skill proficiency reset to 0 ] Dung nodded and confidently stood in front of practice dummy - Dark bolt! Black line flew at wooden dummy''s direction and entered it. The dummy was unharmed - 0 [ Dark bolt skill proficiency +1 ] Dark bolt had cool down time of 5 seconds, cost 1 MP and each cast increased proficiency by 1. To get it to level 2 the requirement was 1000 proficiency points. Upon MP depletion, his MP would recover slowly and he would fail the quest, so he prepared MP potions. He had to concentrate for a whole hour and half and not waste a single second to get better result and reward. The real problem was depleting MP pool many times would cause splitting headache as willpower wouldn''t keep up, so he might start missing his attacks from needed distance. The quest tested one''s willpower and perseverance. Dung had gone through many troubles to get this quest and it wouldn''t appear second time in the same beginner village. He had only a single chance Dung did his best and practiced non-stop, not letting single second go to waste After third depletion of MP and consumption of potion he started getting dizzy, but still kept focusing with all he''s got. After 4th potion he started having headache. After 6th potion his hands started hurting and trembling. After 9th potion he had hard time keeping balance and aiming. He started missing some attacks Yulin looked at monstrous young man she thought was a mere hypocrite performing better than anyone else she''d seen and was astonished. She wanted to stop him, say it was enough and he passed the test, but looking at young man, whose eyes were squinted, hands were trembling and sweat poured on his face, yet kept being determined, she stopped herself. She wanted to know where his limit was at. She started admiring the young man from the bottom of her heart Finally, after a long time sweet ding sound of system rang in Dung''s head. He merely smiled as he read the content and collapsed on the field, panting heavily. He felt his muscles hurting and head splitting from pain, but was happy [ HIidden quest ''''Race against time'''' completed Time used: 1 hour 29 minutes, 37 seconds Evaluation: Excellent Talk to instructor Yulin to get your reward ] ,, That was close, if I was 24 seconds late, I wouldn''t have excellent evaluation and get less rewards. I wonder what''s the reward for hidden quest completed excellently '''' After resting for a while, he felt he could walk again and approached master Yulin under her admiring gaze with a grin - How was I, master Yulin? The middle aged woman, who looked rough and strict shed her tough side and sincerely said - I apologize for evaluating you wrongly, young man, your determination astonishes this old one ,, If you are so amazed by this almighty Dung show some sincerity with the rewards '''' Dung shamelessly thought, but kept composed outer appearance Then, system notice rang, informing him of quest rewards. He grew elated upon seeing the unexpectedly generous reward. He even turned speechless for a second Chapter 4 [ Hidden quest rewards: 1 SP 6x training cards 2x advanced training cards Reputation in beginner village +100 Favorability of Yulin increased by 600, you gain 3x skill proficiency in training center ] Dung felt like pies were raining from the sky. SP was what he was expecting and was aiming for. He wanted extra card in play for arena, but 6 training and 2 advanced training cards were out of his expectation. Dung was really tired, so he wanted to exit the capsule and have a good rest, but unexpectedly master Yulin stopped him - Young one, will you listen to this old one''s wish? Dung halted his steps ,, Hmm? That''s new, is there a chain quest for completing task excellently or was there any other hidden requirement? Anyway, I''m up for it, no questions about it '''' - Young one, I see a great potential in you, If...if you amaze me one more time I can even take you as a disciple Dung felt delighted, disciple of training center has some great benefits of fast skill level farming. - What''s the task, I will try my best to not disappoint master Yulin''s expectations Yulin nodded while smiling and said - Follow me Dung followed Yulin into training center while appreciating the facilities inside, where even best players had hard time getting ticket for entering. Finally, master Yulin led him into a huge concrete room, where there were no facilities at all. He had no information about this room Dung scrunched his brows and asked - Master Yulin, what''s this place, what am I supposed to do here? The middle aged woman smiled, showing some wrinkles on her face and said - Young one, your perseverance and determination needs no questioning, but to become my disciple your ability in facing dangers mustn''t be lacking as well. Then her smile became even more brilliant - Your first battle, I''ll be rooting for you, young one ,, Fuck, who wants to become your disciple old hag, let me out of here, I have a bad feeling about this '''' Dung screamed in his mind, but was afraid to voice his dissatisfaction and get on Yulin''s bad side Yulin merged into a wall and disappeared out of his sight. Meanwhile in the middle of the room the concrete started squirming and figure was slowly being clad with disturbing noises Yulin stood there nervously. He hadn''t even rested well, when this shit was thrown at him. He didn''t feel confident at all Finally, the figure took form of 2 meter tall rock golem with green gleaming eyes and large halberd as a weapon [ Hidden quest: First battle Content: Sometimes we are not prepared for what we have to face, but we have to face it anyway. Survive rock golem''s assault for 30 minutesStolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Upon failure: You can never rise Yulin''s favorability beyond 800 Upon completion: Reward unknown ] [ Rock golem {Elite} Level 1 HP: 2250 Skills: Smash Tectonic stomp Attractive force Tremor ] ,, For fuck''s sake, I knew it '''' Dung cursed as he faced the giant - Dark bolt! - 0 - Are you fucking serious? ,, Physical attacks surely wouldn''t work on this thing, even magic attacks won''t work. I guess it''s not designed to be killed. I just need to survive. Even if this thing took some damage, I don''t have any MP potions, so it''s useless '''' * Stomp, stomp The giant heavily walked to his direction. It was merely walking, but due to its height it walked fast Focusing on survival, Dung ignored small headache and turned vigilant When the golem was close, it raised its halberd and smashed down Dung predicted and avoided, but resulted shock wave was beyond his expectation - 21 ,, Just from shock wave? '''' Dung was dumbfounded and felt helpless ,, This thing can flatten me with a single smash. What''s with its huge health pool too? What''s the point if this thing is invulnerable to both physical and magical attacks? Is it just for show? The golem took back its halberd, leaving dent in the concrete and turned around, facing him, then raised its leg and stomped down before Dung could react The earth shook and Dung felt pain spreading from his legs - 71 [ You have been stunned for 2 seconds ] Dung faced the approaching golem in horror. It raised its halberd menacingly. Its green eyes gleamed without emotion. He was stunned and couldn''t move. Just as halberd started sinking down, the stun effect lost its effect and he barely jumped away in time - 44 ,, This shit is crazy! '''' He yelled in his mind, gulped down HP potion and distanced himself from the killing machine. ,, I almost died there, should I play the game of catch for whole 30 minutes? It somehow looks lackluster, is there something that I can do? '''' Dung quickly dismissed the idea as there was no way to take down this thing And then, as he was thinking useless things, he felt unressisteble force pull him at golem''s direction ,, Is that attractive force? Shit! '''' The golem raised its halberd as he was helplessly being pulled at its direction ,, Mission impossible, unfair! '''' Though he was complaining in his mind, he tried his best to pull himself together. With his measly 10 willpower he started resisting the attack, but because his willpower was low, he started getting a headache The halberd was about to smash down on him. Finally he gave up on resisting the force and ran at golem at increased speed due to attractive force and jumped miserably to its left side The halberd didn''t hit him but it crashed down very close. He felt as if truck had hit him and was dazed as he felt pain spreading throughout his body - 88 He helplessly gulped down another potion and formulated his plan - I need to always keep huge distance, otherwise I''ll be smashed to pulp Just then, the room started trembling ,, Fuck, another skill - tremor, don''t tell me it will screw up my balance '''' He guessed right, but it was much worse The room started shaking and even standing needed concentration, let alone running, but he couldn''t stay as the golem was unaffected. He tried to get used to the shaky feeling and ran. Just as he thought he was doing well, the ceiling started giving out loud noises. When he looked up he almost peed his pants. There were stalagmites forming above and then, it rained down * Bang, crush, crumble Soon the room was filled with fallen broken stones. Dung was sweating profusely ,, That was too close, damn, so tremor is the most terrifying skill of all. If this thing hits me, I''ll die instantly '''' He squinted his eyes and looked at figure approaching with even dreadful sound of stomps. The golem wasn''t hit Dung started running around on rubble, which decreased his speed and the battle continued 17 minutes later There was at least two meters tall rubble of stones underneath two figure''s feet. Dung looked miserable, but serious He gulped down potion ,, Here goes the last one '''' The golem was approaching with even tempo, wholly unharmed the golem raised its halberd and smashed down. Dung was a safe distance away and received no damage. ,, Then comes the stomp '''' The golem used skills continuously like cheating machine, but it had set pattern that Dung took advantage of He jumped up at right timing and avoided getting stunned. He was really tired after run and chase for over dozen minutes and was panting Then came the attractive force. Dung leaned his back against the rubble and avoided getting being pulled. Meanwhile the golem has approached, but the skill effect ended. Just before golem smashed down again, he got away, unharmed Dung looked at the golem and taunted - You can''t do shit, huh? What useless garbage The green eyes of golem gleamed and mechanical voice echoed in the room menacingly ,, You can not defeat me '''' If it was 2 minutes earlier Dung would answer - Idiot, I don''t need to defeat you, I just need to survive for a little more But now, his lips curved up dangerously - Is that so? Chapter 5 Looking out for random stalagmites, while taking golem in consideration was the most strenuous and nerve wrecking thing in this fight Dung felt it was all strange from the beginning. As he knew, the system never showed enemies'' skills in appraisal if one didn''t have special item of some sorts. Golem''s HP was absurdly high for its level and had little to no meaning if he couldn''t even deal single point of damage The whole quest was nerve tearing struggle, giving no rest to the player, but was that all it was to it? People would die hundred times already in his place, if they lost their focus for even a single second Would anyone be able to formulate plan of his own in this situation? ,, The game won''t give impossible missions. As for difficulty, it depends on quest '''' That''s what Dung believed ,, There has to be a way '''' The hall started trembling ,, It''s time '''' Dung took a deep breath and focused wholeheartedly ,, Stalagmites never hit the golem, so I won''t know if it deals any damage to it if it does, but anyone would subconsciously dismiss this idea. I think the gap lies within this detail. If not, then I really have no other ways of killing it '''' Stalagmites started raining down. He focused to not get hit, but even more so on stalagmites above golem ,, That one! It will fall so close to golem, but it won''t hit, but what if I...'''' His untouched MP pool decreased by 15 and falling stalagmite weirdly halted for less than a second in the air, then continued diving down. But during this halt the golem stepped one more step than it should have - Shadow bind! * Bang The stalagmite smashed down heavily onto golem and fragmented into pieces - 259 Big red numbers appeared above golem''s headThis tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ,, That''s it! '''' Dung rejoiced, but didn''t let his guard down and continued avoiding falling stalagmites, while thinking ,, I have 15 Magic, which equals to 150 MP. Shadow bind costs 15 MP. I have no MP potions so I have exactly ten attempts. The golem has 2250 HP. It needs exactly 10 hits to die. The cool down of shadow bind is 50 seconds. The golem won''t always use skill tremor when my cool down is up, so I need extra time. I have about 13 minutes left. I should barely make it in time, but I can''t afford even a single mistake. I have no HP potions too. I learned its skill pattern and can avoid its attacks, but I can''t be distracted even for a second '''' Seeing the light of hope, Dung gave his all and continued his struggle miraculously Golem didn''t reveal any more intelligence after speaking that one time and continued falling in his trap. After 9th hit, golem''s hp was down to 195/2250. Dung had enough MP to cast shadow bind one more time and remaining time was 1 minutes and 38 seconds. He felt numb after this inhumane unfair battle, but he was getting excited ,, Finally, I can take this thing down, get the rewards and I swear I will sleep for 16 hours. I''m so fucking spent '''' The last chance came. Dung grinned and cast shadow bind on the falling stalagmite and smiled in relief, but then his smile froze. The stalagmite missed by a single centimeter ,, H, how is this possible? '''' Dung was sure of his accuracy ,, What went wrong? '''' Dung didn''t notice how golem''s eyes gleamed more brightly right before he cast shadow bind Pent up dissatisfaction turned into anger and he started cursing like a ruffian to piece of rock while dancing between stalagmites - Aaaaaaaah, Fucking piece of shit! What else do you want from me?! Time was running out, but no matter how indignant Dung felt he would not have another chance 00: 59 seconds remaining Feeling desperate, Dung roared and ran towards golem while avoiding the rain of stones - It''s not over yet! His eyes shone dangerously [ Are you sure you want to use 1 SP to learn skill Sap? ] - I''ve never been so sure! [ Learned F grade skill Sap ] [ Sap(F)(Passive) - For each successful attack on enemy, steal 1 static MP ] This was a trashy skill nobody cared about, but Dung had no other choice but to waste his precious SP gained from previous hidden quest, because this was the only thing that could save him now The golem cast attractive force, amplifying the speed at which he was approaching *Bang - 76 Dung''s HP reached dangerous level instantly as he took golem''s smash almost head on, but he didn''t care and rained down punches on golem''s tough surface - 0 [ Passive skill Sap activated, restored 1 MP - 0 [ Passive skill Sap activated, restored 1 MP ] ... Finally he finished barrage of punches and jumped back. 15 MP was restored 00: 20 seconds remained The hall started trembling and shaking once again The rubble, which reached up to 4 meters now lessened the distance from ceiling to floor, causing Dung to have less time to react to falling stalagmites - Aaaaah! He kept dancing between falling stones shaped like thin cones while seeking the best moment 00: 10 seconds ,, Not yet '''' 00: 6 seconds ,, Come on '''' Finally the opportunity showed itself. The stalagmite appeared near golem at convenient angle - Now, shadow bind! *Bang The dust flew in the air Dung fell on rubble with his butt and panted while grinning. He showed his middle finger at golem which had broken down into pieces - Game over, motherfucker [ Hidden quest ''''First battle'''' completed Time used: 29 minutes, 58 seconds ... Chapter 6 [ Hidden quest ''''First battle'''' completed Time used: 29 minutes, 58 seconds Evaluation: Excellent Talk to instructor Yulin to get your reward ] [ You have defeated Level 1 Rock golem (Elite), summoned creature Received 0 Exp ] - Huff, puff, thank god there was no exp, I can''t afford to level up just yet. However, since this thing was summoned, I guess there won''t be any drops too, what a shame Dung lamented and groaned while he stood up, patted dust off his butt when he caught his breath and intended to get out of the room, when something shiny caught his attention. It was coming from where golem had fallen Dung had a strange expression - Since when did summoned creatures drop items, or is it that game couldn''t handle the power of this almighty Dung and decided to make an exception just for me? Though still puzzled, Dung still neared the rubble. It was ridiculous for summoned creature to drop anything. For example, killing necromancer''s skeletons would always give 0 exp and no drops. It was a common sense - What''s this? Dung noticed green light coming out of rubble and instinctively remembered green eyes of golem - Did its eyes drop? Dung had a strange expression. Still, he decided to see the loot. This battle was tough, so he still had some expectation - I was right? What the hell is this? [ Gleam eyes Level Requirement: N/AIf you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Grade: Legendary Engraved skill: Gazing void - negates any skill below S grade. Cool down 24 hours Durability: Indestructible Can not be dropped Can not be traded ] Dung''s mouth went agape - This...haha, how could the rewards for this damn quest be low? But a legendary item...and it''s countless times more rare than accessory. Dung hastily equipped the item. There was no change to him at all. Just his pupils started giving off green sheen. He knew he could use the engraved skill at any moment. ,, So this was why my shadow bind didn''t work last time...this item is too precious, how could mere training ground have it? '''' Though Dung was curious, he didn''t dwell on questions too much and went out of stone door, which had disappeared during the fight. There was Yulin outside staring at him as if he was a monster Dung found it funny and decided to act cool - Thanks for the entertainment, master Yulin. It was a great warm up *Smack - Oww, what''s wrong, master Yulin ,, Why did you hit me, old hag, I completed your quest excellently '''' - You...you... Seems master Yulin was still speechless from shock. After some time, she restrained her emotions and said - What a monster - Is there something wrong, master Yulin? Dung smiled sheepishly while scratching his head, epitome of naivety and innocence - Sigh, you say anything wrong? This training area was left by my master. It can see through person''s capabilities and modifies the challenge so challenger has to use everything at his disposal. I''ve never even passed the test once...but you...no, the truth is the stronger the challenger, the harder the exam. One might be strong and skillful but can everyone use their gifts with 100% efficiency? You are one lucky bastard, I guess you got gleam eyes? ,, Wow, what a truth dump, nearly all my questions were answered, can she read my mind? Oh well... '''' - Yes, I got them, but I suffered a lot, master Yulin. I almost received brain injury from all the calculations in battle Dung acted shameless - You... didn''t you say it was just a warm up? Sigh, alright, I know what you want, I can''t afford to offend a freak of a nature like you either. One day, you might become the pillar the world might have to depend on. But until then, you are still too weak. Dung, will you become my disciple? [ Hidden quest rewards: 3 SP 9x training cards 3x advanced training cards Reputation in beginner village +200 Favorability with Yulin reached Max You can become Yulin''s disciple and gain free pass to training ground every 2 weeks, 5x skill efficiency gained in training grounds Received title: Unyielding (+15 willpower) ] - I am willing There was nothing to contemplate about ,, 3 skill points? Not all hidden quests are this generous. Now I can buy some real shaman skills with this, kuku, and I''m merely level 1 '''' Dung was wholly satisfied with this chain of events. After saying farewell to master Yulin, he exited the game, came out of capsule, did some stretches and slept on bed like a dead log Chapter 7 After good night''s rest Jake woke up, stretched on his bed, yawned and got up The sky was getting brighter every passing minute Jake didn''t mind the time and starting exercising. In half an hour he was sweating and panting. He exited training room used for daily exercises. The house was empty. He took a shower and felt refreshed. Before returning to his room, he had to pass the dining hall, which was huge and luxuriously decorated He was startled when he saw a figure at the end of the long table - Father? Fernando Dias raised his head and stared at his son he hadn''t met for 2 months Both were silent - Come In the end, Fernando broke the silence Jake felt awkward and had hard time facing his father''s gaze - Sit Jake sat in silence, waiting for father to talk Then, the door creaked and tall figure in elegant black suit walked out of the door. His back was straight, his hair and small beard were gray. Old Wade quickly noticed Jake''s presence in the hall - Greetings, young master He slightly bowed and brought several dishes on the table Jake nodded and didn''t say anything. When old Wade left, Fernando raised his head and asked - Aren''t you going to eat? - I''m not hungry -...AlrightThe narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. After another round of silence Fernando spoke up - You can forget about the last time Fernando spoke as he elegantly cleaned his mouth with towel Jake raised his head - You know how it is...your brother is a military maniac, I couldn''t do anything with him. You were my last hope, but you weren''t willing to take over the position of family head either, sigh, what stubborn children I have... Feeling pain in father''s tone, Jake stood up - Father, I''m sorry, I was selfish, I wasn''t willing to give up my hobbies and face the real life. I...I haven''t grown up, even now I... Fernando smiled and said - It''s alright. Wanting to have less restrictions in life is fine, but you went a little too far when you started acting like retard so everyone would have low expectations of you. You threw the family''s face, don''t do that again, if possible, try to correct your mistakes. - Yes, I will not let you down, father Jake nodded solemnly and sincerely - It''s alright, I thought of your suggestion. Though it doesn''t seem pleasant in the public, I am willing to strip you of your responsibility. - Eh? Jake exclaimed, not expecting the news - You''ve got good eyes. Your little sister is clever, hard working and has sense of responsibility. She''s much better than you two. Though she''s a girl, I''m confident she won''t let me down, but you should be feeling guilty. Leeching off your family, now burdening your little sister, hey, listen here. You should make up for it. She''s a little too serious about everything, you should take care of her, I know she trusts you a lot, make sure she doesn''t overwork. Take her to have fun and make sure she enjoys her life more. Will you do that for me? - Of course, that doesn''t need to be said - Sigh, alright, now scram little bastard, your presence is affecting my mood - Yes Jake nodded and went to exit the hall, but before he opened the door, he halted and said - Make sure you don''t overwork yourself too, father, we can even hang out some time...take care... Fernando put down the cup of wine and flicked his hand - Alright, get out of my sight The door closed. The hall seemed little desolate Few seconds later, old Wade entered the room and stood behind Fernando respectfully - Old bro, you said he''s into that game, right? Old Wade smiled, nodded and replied - Yes, he asked me to gather as much useful information about that game, as I could, but refused to convert money to in-game currency. ''''Gamer''s pride won''t allow me to do that'''' He said. Fernando grinned and sipped the wine - Hahahaha, so that''s what he set his mind to, huh? Old bro, keep an eye on him, tell me when he becomes famous, haha Fernando''s tone was filled with confidence and anticipation He stood up, put on his jacket and patted Old wade''s shoulder - I''m leaving the house and young master in your hands as always, old bro - Please don''t worry about this place master, take care Fernando left the room in high spirits. Old wade kept his respectful, slightly bowing posture before Fernando left the room. Then he straightened his back and proceeded to wash the plates on his own, not waking the maids up Chapter 8 Dung entered the capsule again and started squandering wealth obtained from hidden quests The most precious ones were training cards, which allowed entry into training building. Dung chose to train magic, which was the most important attribute for shaman after willpower, which already increased greatly after obtaining title of unyielding. The facility of this specific room, which helped player increase magic attribute was amazing. It had magic gathering array formation, where meditating for half an hour cost 1 training card. Dung sat down and felt magical elements surrounding him in the middle of the formation. He meditated according to manual provided by facility and slowly felt magic attribute raising. It was a pleasant feeling It was better to use training cards in earlier days. When attributes increased greatly, even using up 10 training cards and gaining single magic point would be a great feat, but now, he was still weak and could absorb elements more freely Dung didn''t dare lose the great opportunity and spent 2 hours straight, using up 4 training cards. Then stood up, stretched his sore body and continued. After several hours of training, his 15 training cards were gone, but his harvest wasn''t bad. His magic increased by 11 points. He was satisfied with the result. Advanced training cards were used for training advanced attributes. They were harder to get and even with many of them, there was low chance of increasing the advanced attribute. Dung spent all 5 advanced training cards and entered room, where training could rise luck. There were many unknown formations installed in the room, incomparable to simple magic gathering array formation. The room was built like labyrinth and Dung had to search certain items in it. After using up all all advanced training cards, his luck only rose by 2 points. Still, he was happy about it Training in this place was rare opportunity, but luxury and time consuming. Dung exited the capsule again and had good night''s rest, before entering again the following day With increased reputation in town he could get discount for items and get favorable impression of NPCs, but he still hadn''t given up on rookie champion title, but until then, he decided to use SP and train his skills in training grounds. Being master Yulin''s disciple gave him privilege of gaining double the result with half the work - What skills should I choose, hmm Going through the skill tree of shaman, calculating pros and cons, Dung had an idea and decided to ignore generic tested efficient skills of shamans like summoning familiars, tattooing, totems and so on and decided to walk down the path less taken. Being a disciple of master Yulin wasn''t as simple as extra proficiency in skill leveling. Dung knew that well - I hope this works Instead of buying a decent skill for 3 SP, Dung bought 3 trashy F rank skillsThis tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. - The skills of the same grade can be merged but difficulty of synthesis increases when skill grades are too high or more than 2 skills are being combined, or both Generally, the successful chance of skill fusion was too low to be considered when skills were above D rank, but many variations of skills could be made using F rank skills. - I can consult master Yulin to guide me in skill fusion, but I need to first master these skills to level 10 F rank skills level up faster as it''s of the worst grade. Adding his extra 5 times skill proficiency gain, training bunch of F rank skills was not a problem After a mere day of hard work, the 3 skills he had bought were maxed out [ Drain(F)(Level 10)(Passive) - For each successful attack on enemy, steal 2.8 static amount of stamina ] [ Leech(F)(Level 10)(Passive) - For each successful attack on enemy, steals 2.8 static amount of HP ] [ Beastly aura(Level 10)(Passive) - Enemies in 3.7 meters range radius will receive fixed 2 damage every second {Can be activated at will} ] Dung didn''t forget to level up sap too, as it was the 4th skill he wanted to merge with other 3 [ Sap(F)(Level 10)(Passive) - For each successful attack on enemy, steal 2.8 static MP ] Training up those skills was easy. Punching the shit out of dummies crazily increased skill proficiency as the skill was passive and would activate for each attack - Whew, those skills are garbage for the long run, but if I somehow manage to merge them, kuku, I won''t even need to do anything, the enemies will fall on their own. Huff, I did what I had to, now it''s time to seek master''s guidance * * * - So it''s like this? - Yes master Yulin''s eyebrows twitched as she thought ,, God have mercy, this disciple of mine wants to merge 4 skills, is he crazy? '''' Restraining urge to strangle his idiot disciple Yulin kneaded her forehead and said - Do you know how the skills can be fused? - I don''t, that''s why I''m seeking master''s guidance Dung blinked innocently - You...fine, practice and comprehension, that''s what you need. Comprehension is inborn and hard to raise. You need to raise familiarity with said skills to equal level and be lucky enough to have epiphany and merge them all, it''s difficult Seeing her disciple''s pitiful eyes, Yulin''s heart skipped a beat - That hard? Then I...worked for nothing? Yulin sighed and flicked her hand Dung unconsciously caught something - Don''t lose it, I''m just lending it to you, you need to return that, got it? Dung happily nodded as he appraised the medallion [ Immortal''s medallion Description - Medallion worn by immortal who broke through restraints of the world. Carries sliver of immortal''s insights Level requirement: N/A Grade: Epic + 25 comprehension Durability: 750/750 ] - Woah, thank you master Dung sincerely bowed ,, With this, I will have chance to merge those skills, then, kuku, who will dare stand in almighty Dung''s way? '''' - Don''t be happy yet Dung raised his head with confusion - Get ready, we are departing to Misty Canyon Harbor, I don''t practice shamanism so the help I can provide is limited. There''s one crazy fella, friend of mine living in that place who can probably help you, don''t dawdle, hurry up - Ah, yes master ,, Misty Canyon Harbor? Isn''t that area for level 40+? '''' - Let''s meet in 4 hours at the village chief''s house, don''t be late Nodding, Dung went out of master Yulin''s house and muttered ,, I wasn''t wrong. Having a master is such a blessing. She cares a lot about me too '''' He stared at medallion at his neck and sighed ,, So even this thing can''t give me decent chance, huh? Just how hard it is to merge 4 skills? What have I gotten myself into? '''' Dung didn''t know he would need so much work just for skill fusion, otherwise he would have just gone with original route, but he didn''t regret either. He was looking forward to the journey and gains Dung went to shops and bought some food, water, other consumables and potions. With that, all his silvers were spent. Only 3 silver coins were left for emergencies - I need to rest first Dung looked at time and exited the capsule to rest before journey Chapter 9 - You''re early Dung was knocked out of his daze by voice coming from behind He turned around and rubbed his nose - How could I make my master wait for me? Yulin shook her head as she neared slowly. She had a short brown hair and was middle aged. Being powerful gave her unapproachable temperament. Unlike middle aged women like her, she could never be associated with other house wives Dung wasn''t paying much attention. A second ago he was observing dirt on the ground absentmindedly, thinking ,, Is this all really fake? Could the endless world be created in such detail, it''s unbelievable '''' Though he was indeed dazed, he quickly came to clarity and looked at sharp eyes of Yulin with much expectancy, awaiting her orders Yulin asked dismissively - You know why I brought you here? - Uhh, to see the village chief? Dung came to obvious conclusion, after all, they were standing near his house NPCs weren''t like programmed people standing on the same place all year around, they seemingly had thoughts of their own, lived lives of their own and moved on their own, they couldn''t be differentiated from players, except for they didn''t revive after death Village chief''s name was Lomes. He was already old and stayed at his home most of the time. Normal players with not enough reputation had no way of seeing him and getting quests from him. Dung was rather excited to be able to see him and praised his luck for being master Yulin''s disciple Yulin lightly smiled and went past small iron gate, unobstructed. Dung followed behind. The garden of this small abode seemed abandoned. Obviously, the old chief had no energy to take care of it or simply didn''t care * Knock, knock The door made soft wood sounds After half a minute, the wooden door slowly creaked and revealed white haired old man with bent back - Good day, chief Yulin smiled at old man - It''s you, welcome in... Though old chief had hoarse voice, it was pleasant to hear - This is...?Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Old chief looked at Dung while frowning ,, Old fart, this is almighty Dung, it''s your blessing to see the legend before death, bah, playing all mighty in front of daddy, guh '''' Despite his thoughts Dung kept humble smile and bowed as Yulin introduced him - This is my disciple...uh Yulin gave Dung unnatural look Dung was confused and looked at her innocently, but then he realized ,, Fuck, I haven''t told her my name. How awkward, hell why did I name myself Dung again? '''' - Dung Dung said in low voice to help Yulin finish her introduction. Fortunately, the old chief didn''t hear it, but Yulin''s expression turned even stranger Feeling wronged and helpless, Dung could only reveal his status Both NPCs had strange looks as they witnessed floating name above Dung - Other worlder with such strange naming sense, unique indeed Old chief rubbed his goatee, but sensed his words weren''t appropriate and changed the subject - Ah, I''ve grown senile from old age, come you two, sit, I''ll make some tea - It''s alright chief, we are in a hurry and have small request - Oh? I''m all ears Yulin skipped all pleasantries and talked her reason of coming, she was indeed direct After listening to her, old chief nodded his head - Teleportation crystal, that is not a problem, though they are precious I still have left some, but may I inquire what business do you have there? Yulin explained her disciple''s situation and Dung could feel old chief''s astonished gaze from time to time as Yulin stated Dung''s achievements Dung was feeling little proud, but kept smiling embarrasedly After the talk was over, old chief sighed and stood up - Old friend, congratulations on taking in the worthy disciple, this is my little gift Old man said and strange yellow light appeared in his pupils as he stretched his hand and pat his palm on Dung''s chest - Old chief, you can''t... Yulin stood up in haste, astonishment written all over her face. Unknown power had rooted him in place. This fast change caught him off guard and he turned fearful but feeling pleasant changes in his body, he relaxed and looked at system notification with happiness [ Beginner village chief Lomes is astonished by your talent. You have received priest''s blessing All attributes +1 permanently ] After the light faded from old chief, his face paled and his skin wrinkled even more, but he lightly laughed - Hehe - Unfilial disciple, hurry, thank the chief - Thanks for the blessing old man Dung didn''t dawdle - Ha ha, it''s alright, I''m happy this old man was of some help After staying for a while, the pair of master and disciple duo left the abode with 2 blue crystals in their hands - Master, what was that? Dung asked with curiosity. It wasn''t common to receive such bonus in the game Yulin sighed and said - It''s the ability that high priests have. They are able to bless people at cost of overdrawing their vitality and decreasing their life span. Besides, the technique can''t me used more than three times and doesn''t work on the same person twice Dung felt really lucky, as even his unique attributes rose by 1 and was in jubilant mood. Meanwhile he was a little moved. NPCs had set life span and old chief shortened it for his sake ,, It''s impossible to find such cute, selfless people like that old man in the real world '''' Dung grumbled in his heart - So old chief was the priest? - It''s a long story, you shouldn''t concern yourself with it After some silent walking Dung asked - Where are we going? - To the underground, where mana concentration is high and teleportation crystals can work their magic - Ok ... - Master, how does the people of this world feel about dark magicians, shamans and others with evil classes? Yulin glanced at Dung and answered slowly - Feared, despised, but other worlders are different, they can''t die and isn''t wise to offend them, besides, they do not need the sacrifice of thousands of innocent lives to learn evil spells, so they receive different treatment - Mm Dung nodded his head, deep in his thoughts - Master, what''s the chance of me combining 4 skills currently? - You talk too much Yulin answered annoyed and didn''t speak anymore Dung could only sigh and follow in silence, bored Chapter 10 Feeling bored, Dung appraised himself silently [ Name: Dung Main class: Shaman (Level 1)(0/500 EXP) Support class: N/A Titles: Survivor, Unyielding AP-0 SP-0 Attributes: Vitality ¨C 16 Endurance ¨C 11 Magic ¨C 27 (7-8) Willpower¨C 26 (1) Agility¨C 9 (7) Fortitude¨C 3 (7) Tenacity¨C 5 (3) Strength¨C 6 Unique attributes: Comprehension¨C 11 (25) Luck¨C 4 Perception¨C 11 Charm¨C 6 Faith¨C 6/6 ] Equipment: Lucky wand {Level 1, uncommon} Headstrong''s headband {Level 1, uncommon} Nimble shoes {Level 1, uncommon} Timid one''s ring {Level 1, uncommon} Valiant soldier''s worn out shirt {Level 1, uncommon} Gleam eyes {Level N/A, legendary} Immortal''s medallion {Level N/A, epic}{Temporary} Equipment effects: +2.2% crit chance, +1.3% evasion Skills: Dark bolt (E)(Level 2) Shadow Shadow bind (E)(Level 1) Sap (F)(Level 10) Drain (F)(Level 10) Leech (F)(Level 10) Beastly aura (F)(Level 10) Equipment skill: Gazing void ... ... ... ,, Nothing less I would expect from almighty Dung '''' Yulin took a glance at Dung who was grinning to himself like an idiot and shook her head. She was guessing what Dung was thinking about - You''re not that impressive, kid, I doubt you can find a single soul to bully in the place where we are going Yulin mercilessly shattered Dung''s self satisfying thoughts Dung wanted to roll his eyes, thinking comparing little newbie like him to level 40+ players was bullying him - Oh right, master, I wanted to get rookie champion title, so I want to restrain from leveling up to decrease chances of bad matchesEnsure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Yulin shot him look of disdain - What use does little rookie champion title have? You have sufficient reputation in beginner village already, don''t think you can leech off me. If we meet monsters along the way, I won''t help you ,, Hmm, this seems to be the case. 2 hidden quests really gave me a lot of reputation, but I still want to push my luck. If there''s no choice, only then will I fight '''' Looking at depressed Dung Yulin grinned and said - You know, monsters are more perceptive of danger, I doubt they would attack us - Master, you''re bullying me Dung exclaimed, exasperated Yulin shrugged The forest they had to go through was low level monster area, where players and bunch of monsters could be seen occasionally, but no monster dared harass the duo A few dozen minutes later, they finally reached their destination, curved out area under lush vegetation of forest, empty of monsters, but it was extremely cold and mana concentration was high. There was a small pond, giving off chilly aura Yulin gestured to stop - That''s the place. Now, activate the teleportation crystal, the destination is marked in it Soon, pale blue light enveloped the two * * * Misty canyon harbor was a huge town located close to the sea. The place was bustling as many sea merchant ships came and went every minute. This place was popular place for players as it offered many adventurous quests. The strongest influence in the town were sea marines, so order was rather good in town. However that couldn''t be said to the sea, where countless pirates looted the ships There were many dangerous sea monsters linked with hidden quests and success in this area, so the place never lacked players who explored a lot more than others to get lucky There were adventurer guilds, where extra benefits could be found, bounty hunters who did dirty job in place of marines, organizations founded by players, nobility of the town and so on. In short, the situation was complicated, but in common, nobody was weak here Unfortunately, it was not time yet for Dung to explore this interesting place. The duo appeared on the platform, where people could hop down from their ships. Many majestic looking ships of different quality stood at the bay, minutely swaying from light sea waves. The sea breeze brought cold and fishy smell. The sun couldn''t be seen. If one looked at the sea, a thick layer of fog covered the vision, making the sea look more mysterious and dangerous. As for town, even near deck of ships, there were many crooks and vendors advertising their wares - Don''t miss it, sea pearls, bringing luck and fortune, limited in stock A player shouted with temptation, catching people''s attention - Come, we have every type of ingredients for alchemists: green salt, violet medusa hide... - Selling rare grade 15 javelins dropped by Silver Claw pirates, guaranteed one shot kill ,, So noisy '''' After admiring the sea view, the hustling and bustling town gave Dung annoying feeling. Except for that, though there were many players in the area, they were very obedient, in fear of being jailed by marines and losing their precious time or losing their reputation But there was an exception in front. A commotion was raising as many people were cursing the trio One was running, other two were chasing - Are you guys crazy? Don''t you want to live in this town anymore? Youngster, wearing funny equipment roared in desperation - He he, idiot, there''s a bounty on your head The middle aged player licked his blade as sword beam, shaped like cross diced the player, chipping off huge chunk of his health The youngster''s face paled as he exclaimed with gritted teeth - Damn it, bastard Helnes nobles, you guys won''t get away with this either The youngster suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind two brothers - Fuck, behind! But it was too late, their necks were sliced and they received critical damage from assassin''s back stab along with many dangerous passives of the said player - Humph The youngster snorted as he saw bunch of marines with fierce looks and blue outfits approaching and turned into a blur, disappearing into a crowd - Don''t get lost Yulin reminded him - Oh, right The duo kept walking through many streets and alleyways. The areas they passed through appeared less and less crowded, until there were only two of them left. - Is this the right place? Dung asked doubtfully Yulin nodded, didn''t elaborate and continued going They walked around a huge lake with seemingly no end, before a cottage appeared in their sight, near lake The place was somewhat peaceful. The insects continuously made sounds, occasionally little frogs would flop in and out of the lake, while dim sun rays lightened up some areas ,, Peace loving hermit? '''' Dung thought in his heart and kept walking silently Chapter 11 - Stay here, I''ll talk to him first - Alright Yulin entered the cottage alone, while Dung had nothing to do meanwhile He squatted down and observed frogs with curiosity - Dark bolt ... ,, I missed? '''' The little frog was unharmed as it jumped away in time ,, I guess it''s privilege of small monsters to have high evasion and agility '''' The lake water was almost transparent. If one observed for a while, it would be easier to see some fishes here and there - What are you observing young man? Hoarse voice sounded near Dung''s ears, startling him - Ah He exclaimed and vigilantly looked at old man. His face looked vicious with thick scar running down his chin, thick eyebrows and unnatural white eyes. He had scarce hair and wore tattered robe like attire, which gave off unique feeling Old man smiled, which looked like worse than crying and introduced himself - I am called Azerott, I live here - Ah, you are that expert master talked about? Forgive my rudeness Dung was a little flustered - Ahha, it''s fine, your master told me everything about you ,, I hope my name didn''t include that everything '''' - Little fellow, show me your full status - Alright ... - Hmm, I see, you want to combine these four? I guess you want a skill like aura, passively draining enemies of MP/HP/stamina, quite clever indeed, but this is not easy to achieve - How can I achieve that? Azerott didn''t answer, just observed him for a while, then gestured him to follow They both appeared near cottage, but old man didn''t enter his house, but stepped on wooden hand made bridge, which was 10 meter long Dung followed with little fear ,, I can''t swim if I fall from here '''' Suddenly Azerott stopped and turned around - Look and learn Suddenly, the air seemed to be compressed as fierce aura washed over him. The light dimmed in surrounding couple metersIf you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Dung was horrified. He almost stumbled and fell right into lake, but somehow managed to handle the pressure He instinctively checked his status. He was unharmed Dung gasped for breath and asked - What was that? Azerott just smiled and looked around Dung followed his gaze and was dumbstruck. In 5 meters radius, dozen or so fish was floating above lake, dead ,, What the heck? Is that the skill I was going to master? '''' - How is it? Azerott laughed playfully - Amazing! B, but how did they get killed while I wasn''t harmed, wasn''t I in range too? - Ahha, quite observant. The truth is, this passive skill can not only be activated at will, but has many other uses and can be improved and used in numerous ways. The secret of what you saw lies in perception. If your perception is high enough, you can exclude whoever you want from attack. That''s not all. If your perception is high enough, you do not need a target to steal MP/HP/stamina, you can absorb them from the air, granting you terrifying regeneration and perseverance in long battles. Of course prolonged battles doesn''t only depend on those three attributes, but willpower too, so this skill is not invincible. Dung was awestruck and mesmerized by the skill ,, I want to learn it! I want to learn it! '''' He couldn''t wait to show off with such horrifying skill ,, But...perception is unique attribute, raising it is too tough, sigh, if I knew that, I wouldn''t squander advanced training cards to increase luck... '''' - Listen here, this skill is counted as mental skill and requires concentration to activate. When you upgrade this skill to level 10, you will require concentrating whole 30 willpower to constantly channel it. If you don''t have more, you simply can''t perform other actions while having this skill activated. Enemies will have it tougher. To completely resist this skill, they will need 90 willpower. Those who have higher than 100 willpower will simply receive no damage from this skill, so this skill will help you deal with small fries. In later stages, you will have to find other skills and merge it all over to make it useful once again ,, 90 willpower? Only senior players will have that much or more...As for monsters, they are usually designed to have higher resistance to crowd control skills like this, especially elites, champion or boss type monsters, so effect of this skill will be greatly limited to them. But it''s still good, I only need 30 willpower while they would need to expand 90 willpower to always guard against it. With less willpower in play, their actions and range of skills can only be used conservatively, giving me more breathing time, haha, even if this skill is completely negated, it''s still immensely helpful, not to mention, I won''t have to worry about that for who knows how many levels. Damage will no longer be static, but if it''s counted as mental attack, tenacity and fortitude won''t be of any use against it, haha '''' - Little fellow, don''t be happy so suddenly. It was only by luck that I had epiphany and merged this skill, without luck and constant practice, you won''t have a chance. Now that you are here, you will have to wholeheartedly concentrate on it and again, I can''t guarantee your success, the choice is up to you - I am willing to give it a try! Dung''s voice was firm and resolute, though Azerott splashed cold water over him, reminding him of great difficulty - He he, young man, there''s no free meal in this world, do you think I will teach you for free? Azerott gave a mocking smile Dung cursed in his mind ,, I thought master took care of it? Or she did, but... he''s an old sly fox, no doubt about it '''' - I am willing to do everything to obtain skill ,, Well, not everything, but it sounds better '''' - Haha, good fellow, when you reach level 50, come back, I will teach you for a month at most, remember, you owe me one no matter you successfully learn it or not [ Obligatory quest received: Visit Azerott to receive quest from him once reaching level 50 Upon failure: You will be cursed by Azerott, losing 10 in all attributes permanently Upon completion: Reward none ] ,, Fuck, this old bastard is taking advantage of me, but...it''s fine, as long as I learn the skill... '''' - Alright, I''m ready, please teach me well Azerott grinned and nodded his head - Ah, by the way, where''s my master? - She''s returned Azerott replied without emotion ,, Without even saying goodbye? Sigh, I guess it''s like her to act like that, saying no word more if unnecessary '''' - Little fellow, I''ve got a little gift for you, wait here, I''ll be back in a second, then I''ll assign you your first task Dung waited in anticipation but was disappointed when he saw old man bringing a fishing rod - Your first task is...fishing Azerott grinned from ear to ear ,, Fuck, I was scammed! '''' Dung exclaimed in his mind Chapter 12 Spending a month to acquire a single skill was unimaginable for any player, besides, there was no guarantee of success, however... ,, How will I know if I don''t try? Almighty Dung was born for greatness, once I''m done with this, I''ll sweep through all. Chance of failure? Great Dung doesn''t know failure. If I set my mind to do it, I will do it! '''' He remembered Azerott''s words as he continued fishing - Sap, drain and leech activate not only when you hit, but when you have intent to attack as well at the same time. Try to extend your intent outwards. Keep using beastly aura while passing intent through applicable distance, practice on these fish. Fishing will help you have mentality of hunter. With help of immortal''s medallion, Dung felt more dedication and understanding. Sometimes sparks of insight would fly through his mind, but it failed to take a form Tranquility, peace, breath in, breath out, relaxing environment... Dung''s thoughts was rarely distracted. He was absorbed in trying to get that special feeling and his inner emotions were calm, never stirred. This helped him progress faster Azerott watched him from distance and was shocked - He''s good, seems Yulin didn''t lie. At this rate, he''ll definitely succeed...no, it''s not certain, the luck is also important. Nothing is certain. Little did he know, Dung used up 5 advanced training cards and got 2 additional points in luck, counting old chief''s blessing it was additional point while his starting luck was 1. This totaled up to 4. Though the numbers looked small, it was significant in process like merging a skill, where insights need little push to ultimately succeed in fusion. But despite his dedication and extra luck, he didn''t manage to astonish Azerott in couple of days. He didn''t complain like he usually did, but reduced time he was logged in game, because practicing more than few hours made his body sore and distracted his thoughts. 2 hours of fishing was his optimum where he kept the best performance. Meanwhile he started interacting with others in the real worldIf you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. - Old Wade, is the appointment ready? - Yes, young master, the meeting will be held tomorrow morning - Mm, well done, oh, are their origins clean? - Obviously, I made sure the meeting is secretive, the chance the spies will get the position is unlikely - Great, I''m looking forward to it Jake was in good mood as he rested in garden, slurping juice and glimpsing at swans in the lake, while watching his favorite anime in laptop Suddenly, the video paused and advertisement popped out Jake''s good mood instantly disappeared as he cursed out, but had to watch the ad in order to continue watching his anime - I should find better websites He grumbled and took a glimpse at ad The ad was about movie, which was taken in The fallen online. The hype was over the top from all over the world, he heard the top ranker would be starring in it. - Young master, there''s a letter from Lord Felix Crisp sound of maid woke him up from daze - Brother? Hurry, give it to me Jake stood up and urged He hurriedly tore the paper and read it. By the end of reading it, he was grinning from ear to ear and chuckled - Bro, you''re the best! He genuinely admired his achievements, but unlike his brother, he wasn''t that much of a hard worker Jake took out small silver badge from the letter and admired it before mumbling - Now the farce can finally be over and I can sweep floor with some annoying faces, haha He kept the badge safely, thought for a while and grabbed his phone - How are you doing, sis? He asked with friendly tone - Now you finally remember me? Pouting crisp voice came from the phone Jake''s eyes twitched, but kept his cool - Come on, don''t be like that, your bro always remembers you, always - Humph - Lilly, how about we hang out some time? Sensing exhaustion in her voice he was worried - What do you know? I''m not like you, lazying around all day, I have a ton of work to do - Don''t overwork yourself, screw work, c''mere I''ll buy you some ice cream Crisp laughter could be heard from the other side - Alright, I''ll be free in a month, prepare so we have the best vacation ever - A month? That''s too long - It''s set deal, I can''t free myself earlier - Alright then, it''s a promise, by the way, I have news about big bro After telling her secret information, Liliana answered with silence, then sighed and exclaimed - Big bro is a monster, with his achievement, our family''s position will be even more firm, by the way, why isn''t it made public yet? - Hehe, big bro didn''t forget about me, there''s gathering of fools in a week, he concealed the news so I can give others scare and show off, besides, I''m quitting the farce. It''s annoying how everyone thinks I''m a retard good for nothing idiot Liliana chuckled and said - Aren''t you? - Get lost...alright, take care, see you in a month - Ok, bye - Yeah * Beep Jake was in better mood as things were going well. He closed the laptop and went to pool. After swimming, he worked out a bit to get his muscles working and then entered the capsule Chapter 13 Restriction formations revolved constantly, not letting 9 chained figures escape from 9 thrones Their figures were vague. Some of them looked like giants, others were humanoid, there were monsters and ones who were covered by force field, unable to be identified Suddenly the painting in the hall turned dark and its surface rippled Dark cloaked human walked out with a grin - How are you doing, the fallen? Hahahaha~ His laughter was domineering and sinister. His authoritative voice brimmed with tryumph and mockery - Aragon the dreamer, you''ve gone too far The voice came from one of the humanoid figures who looked like mass of fire. The voice was without emotion. It belonged to female, but this voice would send chills down people''s spine as it was filled with hatred and coldness - Pyromania demon, you''ve got guts to have called yourself a god, look at you now The cloaked figure disappeared and reappeared close to the throne, near pyromania demon and took out dead swine beast and started roasting it with its flames - You... Feeling humiliated, pyromania demon was about to explode, but restricting formation brightened up and held her down - Human, your arrogance will be your end Giant spoke calmly, but the hall shook from its deep voice - Shut up, big guy, you can''t do fart to this lord - Human, I dare you repeat that! The giant roared and the hall trembled, but cloaked figure humphed and chains appeared, wriggling around giant like snakes. The giant roared in pain and threatened - Aaah, you''ll regret this human The chained figure who looked like human child sighed and said - Your plan was indeed perfect, you are the second mortal to threaten us, the gods Cloaked figure reappeared in the middle of the hall, spread his hands and laughed like a madman - Hahahaha, isn''t that right? Your world has been invaded by my people. With my ability, technology and astral projection their souls will never die in this realm as their bodies are kept intact in capsules. They will follow my guidance, get stronger and eliminate you all, then I''ll become the god! HAHAHAHAHAA~A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. - Don''t be this happy so early, Aragon. You overestimated yourself The chained figure who looked like human child spoke once again. His golden eyes looked like clock mechanism. They spun and the air distorted Cloaked figure''s face twisted and he shouted - Give it up, Chrono Alpha, you all are under my control Chronos Alpha smiled sinisterly and spoke - We aren''t and never were He broke free from restraints and appeared in front of cloaked figure, the developer of The Fallen Online Hourglass materialized from thin air. Chrono Alpha spun in around and spoke sinisterly - Your time is running out Following that, his body started aging and turned into middle aged man Cloaked figure flinched. He knew that spell of god of time. The more he aged himself, the stronger he became and more control he had over time [ Warning: The realm is collapsing The time line is being torn ] Before Chrono Alpha could finish his sneaky spell, cloaked figure acted faster The painting in the hall brightened up and swallowed the Chrono Alpha The painting contained small dimension which was full of monsters. As soon as the god of time defeated these monsters, another painting in that realm would activate and swallow him again and again. It was Aragon''s profound trap he had prepared. It was enough to delay Chrono Alpha for some time - Ashes beyond ashes! Cold voice sounded beside his ears and he saw flaming figure engulfing him [ Warning: The restrictive formations are 45% collapsed. The force field is melting ] - Fuck! The game developer cursed and disappeared. The darkness enveloped the hall and space tearing slashes appeared on pyromania demon - It''s no use. Your control over this realm is broken. It''s time we took over, ahuhuhu Arachnid monster laughed. Suddenly countless webs appeared in the nihility where developer hid and two crimson eyes appeared in his vision - Your life is hanging down a thread~ ahuhuhu~ Arkavine, the god of fate laughed sinisterly and spread its webs everywhere Developer cursed in his mind and came out of his hiding, only to be greeted by two identical looking small figures, who slashed their scythes at his waist [ Life ] [ Death ] They wore white and black tattered clothes and looked like female 12 year old twins - Aaaah The world turned dark as the energy was constantly being drawn from it to supply the developer. He barely managed to fend off life and death energies which spread on his body like white and black poison Meanwhile titanic looking coarse fist started descending on him. It was from god of demons and beasts who he had angered earlier - Evil eye of blasphemy! Developer''s eyes turned crimson and the hand of god of demons and beasts turned into bloody mash - You!!! The gods were shocked and increased their assault The god of demons and beasts Lucifer had his forehead cracked open and sinister eye shone the domineering light on him - All seeing eye! Developer''s eyes started bleeding as he was being suppressed, but he laughed instead - MY WORLD!!! The paintings started squirming and countless horrifying demons started appearing - Suppress! Lucifer yelled but developer grinned - Hehehehe, it''s no use! Suddenly, the empty paintings merged and created the figure of breath taking beauty - Hehehehe, give me your shadow, for my lady''s painting Developer sinisterly smiled and drew Hades'' darkness into the painting - NOOOOOOOOOO!!!~~~ Hades screamed - You, let go! Rainbow enveloped Developer. It was from god of hope. She intended to purify the evil mortal Developer''s figure slowly started turning into ash, but he just grinned in response Meanwhile the game world was in uproar. Nobody could log out anymore. The control over the realm was obtained by the fallen gods Chapter 14 - Master... Fernando frowned as he heard old Wade''s trembling voice from the phone - What''s wrong? He asked. His heart was giving him bad vibes - Young master, he...disappeared from capsule *Crash Fernando''s hands trembled and glass in his hands broke as it fell down Similar scenes were happening all around the world. The players from all over the world disappeared from their capsules The world was in an uproar. Hundreds of millions of players disappeared as if they never existed, just like that * * * Developer sensed as the players were no longer astral projection of their souls. Their bodies have been transported by gods. Now if they died, they would die for real He was feeling bitter in his heart ,, If I don''t snatch at least partial sovereignty of the realm, the gods will vent their anger on earthlings. Then, my plan will be destroyed. I can''t let them do that '''' - Destroy the painting! Elpis, the goddess of hope yelled - Hell fire! Lucifer yelled and lava lit up his body. Then he punched with all his might, but painting just rippled and shook, then repulsive force threw his huge body back - Night monarch! Hades yelled and process of his shadow being drawn slowed down. His body gave off repulsive aura, which swallowed matterThe story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. - Star light fall Maven, the astral god made his move and the hall shook, before it collapsed. The meteors rained down on the painting None of them gave mercy - Threads of death Cold, crisp voice of death spread and bind the painting with black thread like shackles - Aaaah, kill them all! Developer yelled and countless creatures from paintings interrupted the gods as they attacked in droves, dying in thousands but they were never ending - Purgatory! Pyromania demon yelled and swallowed countless demons in magma Suddenly Hades grunted in pain as his power was halved - Hehehehe, my lady, kill them all Developer grinned and patted off corrosive energies from his body as he stared at beautiful lady walk out from painting She wore tight black armor, which shone with purple color of abyss. Her hair was short and white like snow, covered in black unusual helm. She held purple abyss sword in her hand and her red cape fluttered in the air. - I welcome you, Nu, the queen of abyss, please eliminate the evil gods who have spread cruelty and disease around the world. They gave up on us, mortals a long time ago, they... - Shut up Nu turned her head and made the developer hold his tongue. - Pr, primordial god? How is this possible? WHAT DID YOU DO EVIL SPAWN? Luficer yelled in fear - Don''t worry, she''s just a fraction of her will Chrono Alpha appeared out of nowhere and coldly gazed at both Nu and developer Seems he broke out from the trap Developer took his time to once again appraise familiar faces with his system [ Chrono Alpha Remarks: He is the beginning as well as the end of all Title: God of time HP: It does not end Level: Cannot be measured ] [ Elpis Remarks: Hope dies last Title: Goddess of hope HP: ??? Level: ??? ] [ Life Remarks: Fights for everyone''s sake, including yours Title: Goddess of life HP: ??? Level: ??? ] [ Arkavine Remarks: Fate is a circle, drawn in unsteady hands Title: Goddess of fate HP: ??? Level: ??? ] Before he could appraise others, they made their moves and started fighting Nu all at once Nu was the primordial ruler of abyss, who had already died, but developer managed to awaken part of her will. It was his last trump card if something went wrong Developer knew she wouldn''t lose that easily, even though she could use only thousandth of her power so he stabilized his being and control over the realm while others were fighting ,, There''s no turning back now '''' He took in deep breath and his gaze turned colder * * * Dung was fishing in tranquility when he suddenly felt uncomfortable and opened his eyes - W, what is happening? He stared at purple sky as he muttered. His body somehow felt odd too - Is this a new patch? No... I have a bad feeling about this He said with seriousness as he stood up Chapter 15 The painting world Aragon was panting as he clutched his hand. His complexion was exceedingly pale, but his thoughts were clear Suddenly the space rippled and Chrono Alpha appeared. He arrogantly floated with his hands folded and asked sarcastically - I bet earthlings hate you now? Aragon smiled wryly and said - Yeah, I informed my right hand, if something went wrong he would spread the information that it was my conspiracy all along, that my employees were also victims and didn''t know about it - Oh? Quite farsighted and kindhearted of you to not make your subordinates suffer for your mistake, but what does it have to do with us? Chrono Alpha was clearly doubtful why would Aragon mention this irrelevant information Aragon grinned in response and said - By the way, I''ll have to personally make speech to convince the world that I am the demon Chrono Alpha realized his hidden meaning and his gaze turned cold - You think you still have chance to escape from us? Suddenly Aragon''s figure faded like mirage and the world started collapsing. Spatial ripples tore the space and void - Dammit! Chrono Alpha yelled as he grit his teeth. Clock mechanism in his eyes spun backwards and considerably slowed down the process of collapse. Then he hastily tore the void and escaped 3 days have passed since the last battle In the end Aragon managed to escape, but his sovereignty was partially taken over by the fallen gods as they got their hands on almost half of the realm fragments that Aragon held After the great battle 9 supreme entities looked gloomy as they discussed - Lord progenitor''s decree forbid us from directly influencing the world, however, we can''t let these blasphemers go, they need to pay for their sins Chrono Alpha said coldly - Don''t be so coldhearted. They knew nothing and were nothing but tools used for Aragon''s ambition. They don''t need to pay with their lives, some kind of limitation will do Life replied crisply and slowly, trying to pacify the god of time - That won''t happen. Should we just wait until these mortals are brainwashed by our nemesis? Never!You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Hades said hatefully. He was the one who suffered the most in this battle - Hades is right. But we have less than half of realm fragments in our hands. The army we can send is limited, I suggest I open the hell gates and show mortals what true suffering is like Lucifer said evilly - No! I will be the one! I must be the one! I will send the creatures of darkness from the underworld and eliminate their hope, corrupt their world and end their delusional pitiful life of peace! Hades didn''t give up - Shut up, you both, no matter what, they are in our hands, how about we play with those pitiful lives? Chrono Alpha said coldly - What do you have in mind? Pyromania demon, who was unusually silent chided in Chrono Alpha grinned and said - How about a game of chess? Maven''s expression changed as he said in deep voice - You mean our war trophies? You kept them all this time? Arkavine laughed - My, such a gift, though their power will drop, it''s more than enough to deal with bunch of mortals - Right, that guy left deep impression on me. Even if he was degraded to mortal, he would annihilate armies with his skills without problem Lucifer added excitedly - What overkill Death, who was cold and spoke the least couldn''t help but add too - Then that''s settled Chrono Alpha ended the meeting with these words * * * Couple of days earlier ,, How is this possible? I actually want to take a dump? '''' Dung''s eyebrows were twitching. No player would ever have feeling of wanting to poo in game, something really wasn''t right. He couldn''t log out either Dung''s mind was in chaos, but his brain didn''t work like others and his composure soon returned - That''s not what main characters of those novels would do. The panicking ones die first. As for those who deal with every shit thrown at them, they survive longer Though he was reassuring himself, he was still very worried, what if he was stuck here forever? [ Ding! ] System notice appeared. Dung didn''t hesitate and read the message. The more he read, the paler his face became - Fuck, not only we are stuck here, but we have just one life?! Dung was feeling helpless and frustrated, but there was nothing he could do Soon his playful side subsided as he was in deep thoughts for an hour. Finally he came to conclusion - I need to get stronger to face what is to come. Others are already far ahead of me, I''m just the beginner, I can''t afford to slack, as for anything else, I''ll leave it up to fate The sky was purple The storm was brewing Azerott was pacing back and forth with deep frown on his face The world was changing This was no longer a game. Dung felt this world was way too real and apparently it actually was, but it was no longer stable as the ownership of the world was split between opposing sides. In this clash the residents were bound to suffer the most Dung kept working on skill merging for a whole following week Meanwhile, the fallen have taken action and sent massive army which was ordered to slaughter players and NPCs alike Aragon didn''t stay idle and made a big announcement to prepare players for what was to come and tempt them with rewards [ New patch: Invasion of thousand kingdoms The fallen have regained their powers and desire destruction of the world. The fate of this world and your lives lay at your hands. Beware! You only live once, do not risk your lives, cooperate with other players and NPCs of this world and resist the invasion The invading forces include: 900 low rank affiliated kingdoms, consisting of minion type enemies, levels ranging from 30-50 90 middle rank kingdoms, consisting of elite rank enemies, levels ranging from 40-60 9 high ranking kingdoms, consisting of champion rank enemies, levels ranging from 50-70 1 Empire, consisting of boss rank enemies, levels ranging from 60-80 Beware of mutated and named enemies as they are unpredictable Each enemy gives certain amount of EP (Event points) which can be exchanged for variety of items Main types of enemies - Pawns, knights, bishops, rooks, queen, king. Killing higher ranking soldiers yield more EP Empire is led by World boss level queen and king, unite to resist their indomitable might! Appraisal will fully display enemies'' attributes and skills Good luck! ] Chapter 16 - Finally! Dung''s roar of laughter resounded around quiet lake side After a week of hard work, the resulting skill obtained was enough to make people drool [ Congratulations on merging C rank skill, obtained 3 SP ] [ Vampirism domain ?(Level 1) - Creates force field around player, absorbing 3 HP, MP and stamina of intended enemy/enemies in range, every second Effect can be resisted by enemy''s willpower (Constantly channeling 9 willpower from enemy''s side will result in full resistance of this skill at level 1) Skill range and amount of HP, MP and stamina absorbed at the same time increases for every level up of this skill Maximum range at level 1 - 4.1 meters Note: Maximum range of skill increases by 0.3 meters for every skill level up and by 0.1 for every 1 point increase in perception. Training this skill for longer periods of time can increase perception to certain limit. When perception reaches high enough value, it will be possible to absorb HP, MP and stamina from air, granting great regeneration ability The skill is passive, but can be activated at will. ] [ Due to meeting secret conditions you have gained the qualifications to become vampire Sub class obtained: Vampire Change? Yes / No ] - Hahahahahaha~ Dung was over the clouds as he saw the notifications. The last notification aroused his interest and thoughts too - The second sub class unlocks at level 60 while the third one can only be acquired at level 150. The highest level player is level 91, so third class is out of question. The sub classes can not be changed so I need to be careful and choose right sub class complementing my shaman main class For now, Dung decided to put this matter at the back of his head. He could always change if neededThis book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. The sub classes weren''t easy to solve matter. They were hard to acquire and could not be changed. Of course they could be upgraded, but conditions were not shown and should be found by player himself Now that the players were forced into this world with their real bodies, certain things also changed. Finding and upgrading sub classes would be much harder too Other than that, the danger involving living also increased. Those who committed immoral acts would be banned from game and AI would detect those in need to save them, but now such functions were no longer working Players also had to fulfill their physical needs. If not eating and drinking would result in stats reduction and uncomfortable feeling, now it causes death. Things turned more realistic and complicated. Add the chaos brought by the invasion of thousand kingdoms, it was like dark era approaching Several top guilds have already united to deal with the upcoming storm. Guilds were important for information they could gather and strength they could provide but Dung, who was just level 1 couldn''t join the guild yet Though Dung preferred working like lone wolf, he found the importance of joining guild absolutely necessary This place, which was hideout and resting place of Azerott was peaceful, but outside the storm was brewing The reaction of the players were obvious. They were outraged, but seeing their companions die and never revive caused them to turn more serious and oriented to survival. Parties no longer took risks in clearing hard dungeons Other than guilds who kept their reputation and power, there were other small gangs rising. They did some dirty business and oppressed low level players There was no sense of security. Fear of everything plus unknown overwhelmed and pushed everyone to try their best at surviving Meanwhile Dung''s provisions were running out. He bought some consumables before departing but they were already running low. The change in game caused his appetite to return to normal, needing 2-3 meals a day - It''s time to go back Dung decided firmly and wanted to say goodbye to Azerott, but he was startled when he couldn''t see him There was a letter left on the table of his abode - I''m leaving. This place will keep you safe for a while, but don''t stay for too long. The sky has turned purple. This is the bad sign, clue that calamity is approaching. You need to get stronger to survive. Oh, forget about that promise, we might never meet again anyway... Dung frowned as he read the letter - Where did this old man run off to? Can this place really be that unsafe? Well, doesn''t matter since I was leaving anyway, but it''s troubling After searching for a while Dung cursed - Damn, stingy old man, you could have left me something of value Dung sighed, calmed down, prepared cup of tea, drank and ate fish while gazing the sky at the lake side, then quietly took out teleportation stone and activated it 30 seconds were required for successful activation and he shouldn''t be interrupted meanwhile. It''s not like anyone would interrupt him here anyway Dung gazed at peaceful surroundings reluctantly the last time and disappeared soon after Without his presence, lake side seemed desolate Even frogs and insects were quiet. The surface of the lake rarely rippled and fishes were also quiet This silence was somewhat eerie Chapter 17 - What the hell is going on?! Dung clutched his nose as he gazed at beginner village''s streets with disbelief and fear The streets were littered with corpses. Terrible stench permeated the air and crows were feasting on mutilated dead bodies In the mix of corpses of NPCs and players there were soldiers dressed in black armor. Their numbers were much lower. ,, They couldn''t resist much '''' Dung thought and stepped over couple of corpses while appraising some [ Pawn Status: Dead ] The black armored soldiers weren''t exactly like chess pieces and looked like actual people, wielding different types of weapons. Dung had no idea how skillful they were but looking at ratio of corpses, they shouldn''t be simple soldiers and must have some intellect to use tactics. Otherwise, players would kill much more of them if they went straight on, even though level range of players in beginner village was merely 1-20 while pawns were at least level 30 Suddenly Dung felt alarmed as he analyzed ,, Pawns killed by NPCs won''t drop any items. As for enemies killed by players should have dropped something. Though players were weak in this area, they should have killed at least some of them. The players should not have had chance to pick up dropped items in the fierce battle. There is not any sort of dropped item anywhere in sight. That means...somebody was here before me, they might not have left yet '''' Knowing he wasn''t alone and not knowing other party''s intentions, Dung kept being more vigilant Items which didn''t drop couldn''t be picked by players. This rule remained even after all the changes. Even if you killed sword master, you couldn''t pick his sword up if it wasn''t in drops as it was bound item. Of course things like ownerless items could easily be picked NPCs were opposite, they couldn''t see any dropped items and could only loot what was in sight It was a peculiar rule the world still worked on ,, Where''s master? '''' Suddenly Dung''s heart started beating harder. Knowing her bold character, there was no way she would escape Dung passed through streets full of corpses and finally reached the training grounds He was shocked by what he saw Piles of black armored soldiers were sprawled in the yard. The ground was painted with blood Dung gulped down in fear and kept on going In the circle of black armored corpses was a lone figure, pierced by 10 spears from all sides. Her head hung low as she was hung 10 centimeters above ground, spears holding her body up Even if Dung considered himself apathetic person in some cases, he couldn''t hold back his tears, but he didn''t allow them to flow, instead he smiled - Heroic death, befitting for my master... He approached the figure with heartache and knelt down on the ground This world was real, the people were also real. Dung had already realized this fact Master Yulin had died and would never come back Neither would dead players revive If he died he would have no more chance Dung felt hatred enveloping his heart, but didn''t know where to direct it Was it the army? No, was it the game industry? Probably, was there something else? Most likelyThe tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. - I won''t forgive those in fault Dung muttered a promise and rose, leaving with much firmer resolve and determination, but suddenly he halted his steps. Faint voice sang in his ears softly. He recognized that voice - We haven''t known each other for long, but this won''t stop me from believing in you. The world needs savior, my dear disciple, I won''t burden you with my expectations, but...promise master you will help those in need and be the light of hope for those around you in the upcoming terrible war Following that, system notification rang in his ears [ You have inherited master Yulin''s will Follow your inner heart and don''t go astray in the path which will show you the most terrifying side of humanity Faith + 5 ] Dung sighed as he muttered while walking away - I''m sorry master, I''m neither the light you spoke of nor the savior you must have hoped I would become. I''m nothing but another player, stuck in this place. All I can do for now is survive. If I ever have the power, I will seek answers on my own, but until then, everything is just a joke. After all, I am very weak... He came back in a while with shovel in hands and dug a hole near the willow tree and curved her name on the simple stone and payed his respects The training house became nothing but rubble along with other buildings. The people were dead. This place became nothing but history The single person sat near sole surviving training dummy, which was barely standing and quietly trained his vampirism domain He would occasionally take out fish from inventory, find some small branches, use lighter and grill it before silently eating, taking out clean stored lake water, drinking it and continuing his practice When the night fell, Dung sat down with his back against willow tree and hung his head Only dim light from nearby bonfire lighted the place of small radius Dung would occasionally get up and add some branches to bonfire, then continue resting He got used to the smell of blood and rotting corpses which was in the air He knew staying here for more than 2 days would be dangerous as he might get strange disease from staying near rotting corpses, but he needed to bring vampirism domain to higher level to have more chance at surviving At midnight seemingly sleeping Dung muttered his lips and directed his wand - Dark bolt The following system message surprised him and made him more alert - 11 - How did you find me? Surprised voice sounded from behind trees Dung leisurely sat down on log close to crackling bonfire and watched as figure slowly revealed itself The voice was familiar, but he couldn''t instantly remember, but seeing approaching silhouette, Dung grinned and started grilling fish without care - Air filled with stench of blood on one hand and then there''s female fragrance, discernible Metallic sound of sword unsheathing sounded as the approaching figure blushed like an apple Dung silently appraised her [ Elise11 Level 9 HP: 340 ] She was the one who bought worn out wedding ring from her, squandering 50 silvers - You...scoundrel! Dung''s grinning figure turned solemn and he asked - You''ve been lingering around for a while, why? Elise humphed and sat down opposite to him - Why else if not for being so mysterious? Level 1 shaman surviving this hellish massacre, ridiculous - Warrior using stealth and escaping army''s detection, that''s more ridiculous...did you loot everything here? Dung abruptly asked what''s been bothering him - What, you want a share? Elise gave him look of disdain - So it really was you, I''m glad there are no others at least It didn''t feel good to be underestimated. Elise frowned and clutched the hilt of her sword - Do you think I''m no threat to newbie level 1 like you? Unfortunately her tough front was seen through by Dung and he replied innocently - Why would you try to kill me? I''ve done nothing wrong Elise eased her grip on hilt and replied sullenly - Humph, the world has turned like this, who would care about your cheap life? - True, but I believe you won''t kill me Dung shamelessly replied - Why are you so sure? Elise squinted her eyes - Because you have no reason to, besides, I think I can judge people''s characters to some extent - ... - Are you hungry? - N, no - Don''t worry, it''s not poisoned Dung chuckled and took a bite - Ouch, it''s hot, ffuuu, ffuuu He rolled his tongue out and breathed excessively - He he, serves you right Elise chuckled and grabbed a fish with its stick The duo silently ate the fish. Dung took out some salt he stole from Azerott''s house, he wouldn''t need it anymore anyway. They found comfort in presence of each other. The whole village was bathed in blood, they were the only survivors. The atmosphere was depressing, especially at night After dinner Elise told Dung about invasion, how everyone was unprepared, how they died gruesomely and how terrifying the wave of soldiers were. Elise couldn''t hide fear in her tone. After speaking for about an hour Elise seemed to have told everything she wanted and was feeling much better ,, What tough woman '''' Dung thought and sighed. Not everyone could handle psychological pressure from witnessing such hell, especially in new era, where wars were rare and living condition of people have improved The game gave some kind of familiarity to these kind of scenes, but not much due to its adjustments, besides both Elise and Dung were more or less newbies and they were thrown into new world, which was real, where threat of death was high Elise was tired from today''s happenings both physically and mentally. It was also midnight and she fell asleep while huddling her knees with both arms Dung sighed as he looked at defenseless beauty and felt better Such person wasn''t calculative and manipulator. He would feel safe to have her as a companion He kept adding wood to bonfire from time to time and fought back against sleepiness as he kept his vigilance Since it was his first time pulling all nighter he too fell asleep when first rays of sun rose from the horizon Chapter 18 Dung woke up with red eyes, feeling annoyed, because he was apparently kicked awake - Won''t you let me sleep for a while more? He inquired grudgingly - You...shameless, you drooled on my thighs Elise complained with red face - Mm? Oh, couldn''t be helped, I found the comfy spot for sleeping, ouch, alright, don''t beat me~ With droopy eyes and bumps on his head Dung yawned as he followed the still sulking Elise In truth Dung was pretending and testing Elise and was astonished to find such pure hearted soul in apocalyptic world. - Elise 11, why did you name yourself as such? He tried changing topics - Humph, because Elise and Elise 1-10 was taken Dung''s eyes twitched - Is that your real name? - Of course Elise answered proudly - Um, you know you could use nickname in the game right, I bet you didn''t even fiddle with character customization? Dung asked with weird face Elise flinched and answered - Wh, what''s wrong with going with the real name and appearance, why would I make myself something that I''m not? Silently face palming, Dung kept following her. Suddenly she turned around and asked - You, did you change your appearance too? Also, why are you hiding your name? Cold sweat trickled Dung''s forehead as he answered while stuttering - N, no, I mean yes, my appearance is just about 60% of what I look like in real life, I just made myself more innocent looking Elise chuckled at unexpected answer, but remembered she was still angry and asked with her ''''harsh'''' tone - Ok, and what about your name? ,, Fuck me, why did I name myself as such? '''' Dung regretted, but there was no medicine for regrets. It was not possible to change his name - My name is Jake, you can call me that Feeling his evasiveness Elise grew even more curiousThe tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. - No, show me your name - No - Hey, come on, you''re being childish - No~ After some bickering Elise tricked Dung into showing his name, but before that, Dung made her promise she would call him Jake - Come on, don''t show me that weird face, it was a mistake Dung pleaded with tears - Why would you name yourself as such? ,, Exactly! Why! '''' - It was a mistake, alright? Despite feeling doubts Elise nodded and said - Don''t worry Jake, I won''t laugh at you, though naming yourself that was silly, no, idiotic, no, masochistic? Seriously why would you name yourself Dung? - Aaaah, leave me alone!!! The duo left the village and according to the map departed towards Santos city, which was supposed to be more secure, but to get there, they would need to pass through some hard terrains and travel for around a month Fortunately, Dung had huge amount of fishes stored, along with clean water, while Elise had looted everything she deemed valuable. - What are you looking at? Dung was caught ogling at her ass which swung from left to right. He forced down his embarrassment and made an excuse - Why are you wearing that tight outfit anyway, are you seducing me? Elise rolled her eyes - Who wants to seduce you? These give me some nice attributes, can''t be helped - Yes, yes, I was checking those attributes, I would say they are...pretty high - Go die! Dung remembered she received only about 10 damage from his shadow bolt yesterday, so her tight black armor which outlined her curves should really have some value. Through bickering with her, his mood also improved, but remembering his master''s death, he turned silent and grieved in his heart Along with caring master, these sweet bonuses were also gone. He passively trained his vampirism domain yesterday for about 8 hours on that remaining single dummy without 5x proficiency gain bonus. Though this skill of his was passive, it could be activated at will and just like other passives didn''t require anything. He could even have it on for years and wouldn''t feel the stain but to control the domain and whom to attack would require his concentration Vampirism domain was higher rank skill, so it required more proficiency to level up, but it improved quite fast as the skill did DOT damage on its own. By the end of that 8 hours, this skill of his reached level 6, dealt 18 DOT damage per second and its range increased by 1,5 meters, reaching 5,6 meters in total. Leveling it up further would require much more exp, so he stopped his training, besides, he wanted to leave the dead village fast as it made him uncomfortable Now, to completely resist his domain, opponent would need at least 54 willpower, which was hard to come by in lower leveled people and even monsters. Only some specific classes, which was minority focused on improving willpower. Mainly magic and strength were the most popular attribute focused on With this skill, Dung felt more reassured. Though it had limited range and would not work on enemies who fought from long range, the skill had great potential and could improve its range by constantly practicing it and rising perception In his domain, his senses were heightened, which was another bonus of this skill. He was wholly satisfied with it and felt the week of idle training didn''t go to waste Elise saw Dung absentminded and didn''t interrupt his thoughts along the way, but when they reached certain point she stopped and woke him up - Jake, the forest ends here, be more careful, there''s swamps ahead which we have to go through. Dung nodded as he remembered contents of old Wade''s papers concerning Varamon swamps The place was the haven of rattan lizards. They stood on two legs like humans, used their tails trickily like whips, had tough hide and good physical defense, but weaker tenacity. The ground was also needed to be looked out for, but he didn''t worry about stepping on wrong place, because of his increased perception in his domain The rattan lizards weren''t swamps'' only residents, but surely they were the most numerous. There were many other strong monsters hiding in there and their level range was as high as 10-25 It was dangerous move for the duo to cross this swamps, but they had no other choice, besides, they were not weaklings - Remember, you only live once, hide behind me if enemies appear, I will deal with them Dung realized he was being underestimated. After all, his appearance was not dependable and his level was 1, a total newbie Dung chuckled and said - Alright He really loved the feeling of being underestimated Chapter 19 Varamon swamps was a gloomy place. The trees were mostly thin and tall, distanced by couple of meters. There were also those older trees with thick trunks and roots, which extended above ground like vines. The ground was filled with dirty, muddy water, where aquatic plants were growing. Some of them were dangerous poisonous plants. There were also dry land protrusions, but mostly travelers had to risk going through dangerous muddy water. Due to terrain, one''s agility was greatly obstructed, so this was not the popular hunting place. Dung and Elise had trouble finding the footing as they advanced at turtle''s pace. To their dismay, it was also raining. - Careful Dung instructed as he sensed dangerous plant in his domain range. Elise stopped and looked back - That plant is dangerous, let''s take another route Elise was secretly astonished. She never hoped for level 1 Dung to be useful. She was scared of being alone in this dangerous place and needed somebody to talk to. Since Dung was also a survivor from beginner village, she pitied him and didn''t want him to die helplessly. Never did she think he would be this perceptive, which greatly helped them in travel. - Ok She obediently took another route. Dung followed behind. His agility was lower and his boots weren''t that fitted for going through this place, so he was always lagging behind. Elise would always wait for him though and he was grateful for that. - Are we going the right way? Elise asked with concern. Getting lost here would be a big trouble. Dung stopped and inspected the map, saying - I think so. We need to walk for a bit more and we''ll reach the small lake, where we can take a breather. Elise sighed - I hope so, otherwise I... * Whoosh Before she could finish, Dung pulled her back and activated his domain. The flying dart flew through the air. Dung''s domain couldn''t reduce dart''s durability to dust in time. Dung felt piercing coldness on his shoulder. [ Received 8 damage You have been poisoned You will receive 1 damage every 30 seconds for 10 minutes ] ,, The dart was poisoned '''' Dung thought grimly and had a rough idea about approaching enemies. - What''s happening, Jake are you alright?! Elise panicked - Hide! Dung didn''t wait for long and pulled her behind relatively thick tree trunk. * Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh Three arrows flew past where they had been standing a while ago. - It''s the wild aborigines These were human residents of the swamps. Their population was very low. It was their ill fate to encounter them. Dung didn''t know how many of them were here, but they couldn''t be more than 20 by his estimate. * Bang A small shock wave dealt 3 damage to both of them as they were thrown forward a little. Dung felt hotness from his back It was the fire ball spell. - There are fire shamans too Dung spoke grimly - I''ll get you out of here Elise grabbed Dung, wanting to drag him and escape. His agility was low and he wouldn''t be able to escape on his own.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Dung resisted and shook his head - It''s no use, we are surrounded Elise''s face paled as she watched couple of tanned heads popping out from nearby bushes. They had weird tattoos on their faces and held either spears, darts or wooden bows in their hands. - When did they... Elise squealed in low voice Dung sighed. His perception was merely average outside his domain range. If their enemies were dumb rattan lizards, it was fine, but aborigines had higher intelligence and were hard to deal with. ,, It''s time to use 3 SP I gained from merging vampirism domain '''' Dung made up his mind and chose the skill, which was the most suitable in this situation. [ Skill learned: Irregular movement (E) for 3 SP ] This was one of the few skills, making up for shaman''s low agility, but toll on MP was very high. The skill allowed person''s body to blur and appear anywhere near 2 meters range. The cool down was also low, 3 seconds. The shamans both loved and hated this skill at the same time. Loved for its usefulness and hated because of high, 20 MP consumption per use. - Don''t worry about me, try to survive Dung instructed. He wasn''t really worried about Elise for a short term since she had higher level, equipment and HP. He eyed the place about 15 meters away, where 5 aborigines were crouching. Dung ran at their direction a little clumsily, but vigorously. Muddy ground didn''t deter him. - Don''t! Elise shouted, but an arrow flew at her direction. She had to dodge and worry for her own life. Other aborigines were approaching her from other side. Meanwhile, 4 arrows and 3 darts flew at Dung''s direction from where 5 aborigines were hiding. He used irregular movement without hesitation, appearing 2 meters closer to them. Before they could shoot another wave of ranged attacks, he had gotten a bit closer. The distance between them reduced to 8 meters. Sturdy aborigine jumped out from bushes and thrust his spear at Dung. With his low agility, he wouldn''t be able to dodge in time, otherwise he had to dodge uglily, showing an opening. - Shadow bind Dung delayed the spear-using aborigine. The effect lasted a little less than 2 seconds. Meanwhile he was already standing closer to 5 aborigines. - 18 - 13 [ You have been poisoned, the poison effect has stacked to 2X You will receive 2 damage every 30 seconds for 10 minutes ] - 19 Dung grinned and activated vampirism domain Suddenly domineering aura spread around 5 aborigines. + 12 MP, + 12 HP, + 12 stamina + 14 MP, + 14 HP, + 14 stamina + 14 MP, + 14 HP, + 14 stamina + 13 MP, + 13 HP, + 13 stamina + 13 MP, + 13 HP, + 13 stamina Dung recovered around 60 hp, MP and stamina in a single second, while aborigines were being drained at the same time as they were all in range. According to amount of damage they received, they should have around 10-20 willpower, so the skill was very effective on them. Still, they would not die soon and Dung was stuck in the middle of 5 of them. [ Varamon swamps Aborigine Level 17 Class: Ranger HP: 434/460 ] [ Varamon swamps Aborigine Level 14 Class: Spearman HP: 362/390 ] ... - A'' hyan kii''n roosa! - Saluuaemoooon! Aborigines spoke. They had language of their own. Humans weren''t ranked like monsters, but had classes unlike them. There were also monsters with classes too, but most of them had humanoid form and were related to humans in some way. For them to receive damage, they had to be in Dung''s vampirism domain range for around half a minute or more, but surviving that long under the barrage of aborigines would be hard, despite recovering 60 HP, MP and stamina every second. Unfortunately excess amount would be wasted and his attributes couldn''t go beyond capacity * Swoosh The spearman finally broke shadow bind and swept his spear at him fiercely - Shianoaa! Aborigine roared Fortunately, Dung''s perception was higher in his domain. He managed to react in time and ducked. Meanwhile, he couldn''t avoid other ranged attacks. Fortunately, he healed back in a second, but poison effect had been stacking on him as more darts hit him and if he allowed this to continue, he would surely die, because the poison lasted 10 minutes and there was limited amount of potions one could take in a day without backlash. Also, potions had cool downs of their own. If 50 ''''poisoned'''' effect stacked on him, every outbreak of poison attack would deal 50 damage to him every 30 seconds. When he ran out of enemies to absorb his HP from, he would surely die. ,, I need to keep an eye on darts. He split his attention and took more precaution against darts. He avoided them if possible while fighting off the spearman, trying to not get entangled and restrained too much. It was a bitter struggle. Dark bolt did limited amount of damage, about 25 per shot, but it was a great help and he used them on spearman from time to time, because he possessed the highest threat to him. Meanwhile, Elise was fighting off about 12 enemies. There were also two fire shamans in the dozen, but her situation was better than Dung''s, at least for a moment. Unfortunately, Dung had no time to split his attention and see her outstanding performance. He had no antidotes for that poison, so if he allowed himself to get hit a lot, he would surely be screwed. The rain was constantly pouring down and was making loud noises as they fell into muddy water. - Eeeah! Spearman aborigine let out a beastly roar, flexed his muscular body and pierced with high speed and great accuracy. He put high amount of force in this attack, but it shot nothing but shadow of Dung. Dung was constantly using irregular movement too, aiding in his evasion. He didn''t have to worry about MP as he was constantly absorbing them from 5 aborigines. - Alnuebu, el tuaaba - Amues! About 15 seconds have passed in this high pressure battle and 5 aborigines had their hp reduced below half. They finally felt fear and retreated several steps. - Shit! Dung cursed as 2 of them escaped his vampirism range by half a meter. He could only use irregular movement earlier than intended and lock them in his range, while escaping spearman''s entanglement at the same time. Unfortunately shadow bind had longer cool down and couldn''t be used in this situation, otherwise the toll on him would be much lighter. Finally the spearman also felt fear as his HP was reduced to 114 Others had around below 200 hp too. Seeing their intentions of fleeing, Dung''s face revealed angered expression If they wanted to flee, it would be really difficult to kill them all, but he was not going to let them go. - If you''ve come to this daddy, then... stay! Dung had frightening smile plastered on his face. The battle was reaching climax. Something about him was changing. He was going to go all out despite repercussions that might follow. Renovations This is not a chapter, as you might have guessed. I''m planning on doing some renovations on previous 19 chapters. The changes won''t be big. Mostly punctuational errors will be corrected and some awkward sentences will be restructured properly. Also, I tend to jump from topic to topic, so these need some nice corrections. Before the chapters are edited, I won''t be writing more chapters.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. The synopsis also might need a change. In short I need some time. This message will stay, until I rewrite all the previous chapters. Those, that are considered rewritten by me will have names attached along with numeral value of chapters, so this is how you guess how many I have rewritten by far. What, else, right... I also wanted to change novel''s name, but I guess it''s late now. I started writting it on a whim, so there''s some regrets... However, no worries, this won''t affect the story much. At most he''ll forever hide his name and be called jake, while he will praise almighty Dung in his thoughts after his achievements That''s it for now It''s a small break, I guess