《Tales of The Heroic Kingdoms》


 Chapter One: Five Years (v1.1)

    Chapter One: Five Years


    [F City, K Country. Year 20xx. North Star Medical Center.]


    ¡°Five years at most,¡± the doctor told him without stalling.


    Yushin didn¡¯t react at all, only stared back at the doctor, no anger nor sadness to show. His right hand unconsciously wandered to his chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, brother. There are few cases, and still no cure. Even treatment can only help a little.¡±


    The patient smiled, ¡°I understand. It¡¯s a recently discovered disease, after all.¡±


    Kirishima¡¯s disease. Discovered abroad, it only affects a small percentage of the world¡¯s population, but its fatality rate is 100%. The last years are excruciating to the afflicted, even with medication.


    The doctor¡¯s heart broke in silence. Stretching his hand forward, he hesitated and changed directions. He got used to seeing ill patients, but now his best friend was one of them.


    And there was nothing he could do about it.


    Yushin exchanged some data on treatment, set up a visitation schedule and then got up to leave.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell them, are you? You definitely should. They deserve to know.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Yushin answered tightening his fists. But, in his heart, he already decided not to. What good would it do? To make people suffer, to see and segregate him? Making them worry about something they cannot prevent?


    He didn¡¯t need pity. He didn¡¯t want his family to live with that burden.


    That was his burden alone.


    The bus usually took fifteen minutes to get home. Now, that seemed like an eternity. Everything was dull and silent. His skin tingled and heart raced. Did knowing he was only going to live at most five more years affect him that much?


    Yushin smiled to himself. He never cared that much about his own life, and always thought he would die early.


    Now, knowing that moment grows near, his legs trembled¡­


    *SPLASH!*


    Yushin got out of his daze as if waking up from a dream. His face dripping wet.


    ¡°Oh my god!¡± An elderly woman cried, the now empty bucket in front of her. She always splashed water on her dog that way. He loved it. ¡°I-I¡¯m awfully sorry, my son! Are you alright?!¡±


    ¡°Woof, woof!¡± The husky laughed at him. Those alluring bright blue eyes sparkling.


    Yushin smiled. He had the kindest smile in the world, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, grandma. I was careless!¡±


    ¡°No, no, please, let this old lady fetch you a towel¡­!¡±


    ¡°No need, I mean it, grandma. I live right around the corner,¡± he told a small lie since it was still a few blocks away. ¡°What a handsome dog! Huskies are my favorite.¡±


    The dog barked, as if happy with the compliment.


    ¡°A naughty mutt! Made me splash the young master!¡±


    Yushin laughed while petting the husky, ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±


    ¡°Ma granddaughter calls him Silver Belly. This old lady calls him mutt.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, grandma, that¡¯s kinda mean, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Humph, a mutt is a mutt. The way he behaves I should call him demon.¡±


    Yushin laughed again. That grandma and her dog actually did lift his spirits. Still wet, he said his farewells and was about to leave.


    ¡°Son, this is my shop. You come eat here, I owe you a free meal.¡± The sign said [Old Lady Buns, Homemade Food]. He chuckled a little, then nodded.


    At home, a few minutes later, Yushin immediately got rid of his wet clothes and took a bath. He didn¡¯t want to think too much about his disease, but that was about impossible not to do.


    All around him were many books, fruits of his hard labor as a writer and reader. Ever since he was twenty he only knew how to work. Writing every day, as much as he could, without resting. In college, taking only required classes and doing everything for early graduation. Friends and family became distant, most of them either gave up or got used to not seeing him often. But, in the end, was he even happy?


    He always thought that, at least, he wasn¡¯t unhappy. After all, as a world famous novelist, he took care of the family. They would never need anything else material in life. His fans loved his work with such burning passion. Among his brand and a lot of good investments, he never had to worry about money. In that regard, Yushin was actually blessed.


    Yet all that came to nothing. He couldn¡¯t buy another life. He couldn¡¯t extend his own life. He didn¡¯t enjoy life and only worked.


    Until that day, that was the only thing in his mind.


    Upon entering his bedroom, Yushin saw the huge, recently installed capsule. One of his old friends sent it to him. Called [The Cockpit] among the gaming crowd, it did remind him of those mecha interiors from anime. Except that, in the end, it was nothing but a fancy box, with a char and virtual reality helmet attached.


    It belonged to the upcoming VRMMO game called [Tales of The Heroic Kingdoms]. Created by [Kingdom Corporation], the hype around it broke all charts. Much beyond anything before, that anticipation was well deserved.


    The president, Luo Zhou, a tech super genius and visionary, focused all development on the game. The power of a giant company considered the biggest one to ever exist. He perfected the VR system and took virtual reality to a whole new level. Neuro linking and other advances became integrated into the system. His tech became generally utilized in several fields, from gaming to the military.


    Luo was a known gaming addict. He grew bored with the state of current games and the same models and stereotypes. His wish was to create the greatest MMO of all times. So he began to recruit experts in every related field with unparalleled aggressiveness.


    Tales took eight years to complete and had a funding well over 10 billion WC (World Currency). A massive project with financing from several countries and private entities, Kingdom Corp made several breakthroughs in [Artificial Intelligence] and [Virtual Reality Immersion] during development.


    Tales was finally ready to come into the world and the server coming online in a couple of hours!


    Before publishing his books and pouring body and soul into his craft, Yushin was a true gamer. He breathed games so much he himself worried about going off track and never living a common life.


    Back then, he dreamed of becoming a pro on a prominent MOBA. Even though he had the mind to it, his hands were not as fast. Hand speed was definitely below average.


    In Tales, this would not be a problem. A thought based interface combined with Virtual Reality Immersion. The tech behind this is highly classified and encrypted.


    In essence, it promised to be able to control their characters as if it were their real selves. Except that they would not be bound to current physical limits. Wasn¡¯t this exciting? To be able to fly, jump far away and even use magic, all while feeling like real life?


    Possibilities were endless. A True Gamer dream.


    The game promised to be a new highlight to a stale MMO age. The golden age of MMO¡¯s had long past. They became quite repetitive and boring. Only a grind for gear and rush raids template that never tried to go anywhere. That, combined with micro-transactions, almost ruined modern games. Kingdom Corp promised to change this, and expectations were high.


    Tales worked on a subscription model, with different types and values. Making it accessible to a wider range of people, The cockpit was a premium item. The player only needed it for comfort and to experience the greatest sensation. Leasing the helmet was possible, so cheaper payment methods did not affect gameplay. Instead, it provided access to new customization options and social media sharing services. Cosmetic changes only.


    Although not available on launch, the company vowed to endorse professional [eSports]. Details were not made public, but a lot of gaming communities became interested. As soon as tales opens, millions of players would flock to it. Many of those aiming to become pros, whatever would that mean for the game.


    Yushin put his manuscript away. He didn¡¯t plan on playing before, but right now something had to occupy his mind. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    He wrote many books in ten years, now he had ten years of gaming to make up for!


    ...


    It is finally time.


    ...


    [Virtual Reality Interface activated. The Helmet is secure. No abnormal conditions. Condition is green.]


    [Connecting¡­]


    [¡­ Welcome to Tales of The Heroic Kingdoms! This program is safe within the World Wide Virtual Reality Protection Act guidelines. Please behave within Terms of Service.]


    [Global Server selected]


    [Starting opening video¡­]


    [Before, the world was prosperous. Many kingdoms spread through the lands. Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Fairies, Dragons, Lizards and Beastmen. All those species, and still so much more. Each with their society and culture. Each with their pride and ambition. All shattered. Destroyed by fate¡­


    ...And them.


    When society advanced, so did magic. And no one wielded magic better than the [Heavenly Elves].


    Their power grew so large no other species could compare. They began to take more risks, to thirst for more and more power. Soon curiosity aimed beyond this world. Had they known such [calamity] would be summoned upon the kingdoms, would they have stopped?


    The enemies came out of nowhere. Some say through magic gates, deep underground and even from the sky. They swept through the world like blazing storm. All left after their path was carnage and destruction.


    The far away kingdoms were the first to fall. The others didn¡¯t care. Whether they were human or not, all thought this was not their problem.


    They were wrong.


    Enemies were endless. Take one down, more would come. Some were stronger than anything the world had ever seen before. Soon called [The Endless Demons], their true name was not known. No intent present to communicate, only eradicate.


    Wave after wave cities fell. Fortresses torn apart. When all but a few handful kingdoms stood in the world, surviving species created the [Council of Fate].


    Yet it was too late to fight back. How many died in those wars? How many were still left in the world that could fight?


    Near the end, only the first home of the Elves did not fall. A refuge called [Graceful Wind]. Survivors of the world made their last stand there.


    With the demons came a powerful mist, a miasma that weakened and poisoned foes. Those with high magical affinity were the most affected. The Heavenly Elves were in effect wiped out by this.


    In the midst of falling hope, one mage took upon himself to try one last desperate measure...


    Using the power of Elves to cast a powerful magic, he sealed the demon¡¯s advance and cut down their numbers. Whatever he did prevented gates from spawning. The Demons would no longer be endless.


    The survivors managed to push them back.


    Yet the world was never the same. They had no strength to pursue the remaining foes too far. The miasma still stood, and Demons roared through what once were the [Fallen Kingdoms]. Many of the world¡¯s treasures and culture lost.


    The fabric of reality itself tore apart, and many mystical dungeons appeared. Some had many treasures. Some led to other worlds.


    Dangerous worlds.


    Mana that was once abundant disappeared. Its flow was now so thin mages became almost powerless. This was set in history as [The Mage¡¯s Downfall].


    Now, two hundred years after that calamity, the kingdoms once again looked to prosper. The Council of Fate became secretive and kingdoms rose and expanded. Many fell as well.


    The path was open for adventurers to thrive. Or die.


    You are one of those.


    What you decide to do¡­


    ¡­Is up to you.


    Fight. Explore. Craft. Build. Conquer. Or Kill.


    But remember:


    They are still out there. And they will be back.]


    ¡­


    ¡®Player freedom, huh? I hope that means crafting classes won¡¯t be useless like other games.¡¯


    [Please create your character according to your wishes.]


    [Face scanning done¡­]


    [Please choose your Race.]


    The interface suddenly switches to a side by side view of several races, including [Human], [Dwarfs], [Fairies], [Gnomes], [Orcs] and [Giants] (!!!). Although it seems Giants aren¡¯t actually Giants, only around three meters or so.


    The screen shows a few of the unique characteristics of each race. The game has so many subspecies that normal templates are useless. There are underground, surface and even sea (!) based Dwarfs! The same with each one of the species. To go over them and see each of their weakness and strengths was too much for Yushin. He took a look at Humans and also saw they could be a half-breed with almost every other race there.


    [>>>Human >>> Half-breed] He pondered over what to choose until he saw at the end of all other options:


    [Randomize Origin]


    ¡®That seems fun. What to do¡­ Oh well, whatever.¡¯


    [>>>Randomize Origin.<<<]


    [Are you sure you want to randomize your origin? There is no way to change this option in-game.]


    ¡®Gah..¡¯


    [>>>Yes.<<<]


    [Origin chosen. Please adjust facial characteristics.]


    ¡®What...? It didn¡¯t say my origin, though¡­ Did I miss it somehow? ¡­Oh, my face is in there, but I can add stuff to it, change it a bit. A cool scar? Hehehe, an X¡­ Oops, that¡¯s way too common. I¡¯ll throw in a tattoo. This one looks good!¡¯


    His avatar is around 182 cm tall, with medium sized messy jet black hair as shiny as a record album. Only plain clothes were available.


    [Please adjust height and weight.]


    ¡®Eh, I¡¯ll leave it as default, it¡¯s pretty close to myself actually¡­¡¯


    [Are you happy with your choices?]


    [>>>Yes.<<<]


    [In Tales of The Heroic Kingdoms, there are no fixed [Classes]. You are what your [Skills] allow you to be. Your [Traits], [Advantages], [Disadvantages], [Powers] and [Skills] determine [Stat Growth]. Obtain new skills from masters, skill books, other players, hidden conditions or creation. Please select skills to determine [Starting Class].


    ¡®Whoa, sounds amazing. So skills are a big deal, and powers are different from skills.¡¯


    [Please pick two basic weapon masteries to determine starting combat skills. ]


    [Sword Class, Dagger Class, Rod Class, Staff Class, Spear Class, Bow Class, Unarmed Class, Shield Class, Mace Class, Axe Class¡­]


    [>>>Unarmed and Spear Classes<<<]


    [Please select two starting crafting skills:]


    [Smithing. Locksmithing. Pottery. Stonemasonry. Tailoring. Alchemy. Cooking. Engineering¡­ The list went on and on.]


    ¡®That¡¯s a huge list. Did they make them all worth it or should I go with the basics¡­? In a player based economy, the initial step makes a huge difference. I can learn the others later on. But everyone will be thinking the same¡­¡¯


    [>>>[Engineering] chosen. [Hunting] chosen. <<<]


    [Please choose two extra skills:]


    The list showed a lot of non-crafting skills, even the weapon masteries that weren¡¯t chosen before. Yushin skimmed through:


    ¡®I¡¯ll choose those that are interesting.¡¯


    [>>>[Support Magic] chosen. [Leadership] chosen.<<<]


    [Please wait until the system announces your class¡­]


    [Your starting class definition is [Small-time Captain] (Hybrid Warrior-Magic class. Low leadership.)]


    ¡®¡­WHAT? Small-Time Captain?! What¡¯s up with this weird class?!¡±


    [Please choose a name:]


    [>>>Yushin<<<]


    Back when he was gaming, Yushin never used his real name. He was very concerned about private data and security.


    He himself didn¡¯t know exactly why, but this time he felt like using it. Although known worldwide as a writer, Yushin wrote under several different pseudonyms. Exposing his identity would be difficult.


    Maybe, after being aware that all things come to an end, he wanted to leave his name somewhere, his mark for all to see¡­


    [Your character creation finished. You will start at [Red Clay City], [Vavell Kingdom.]


    And when his character finally spawned, his last journey was ready to begin¡­

 Chapter Two: Welcome, Player Yushin. (v.1.1)

    Chapter 2: Welcome, Player Yushin.


    Yushin felt warmth on his body and wind softly swept his hair. Did he get out of the game? It wasn¡¯t possible. He had just logged in!


    Opening his eyes, he looked around. Large buildings with a fantasy style, wooden and battered. Some also made in stonework. The city went on and on as far as the eye could see, with huge fortress-like walls all around.


    Built to stand sieges, with several internal walls and watchtowers. He felt amazed at the immersion and realism a VRMMO could provide.


    Tales was not the first VRMMO, and it wasn¡¯t even Yushin¡¯s first, but the scale was completely different. His body was still there, yet somehow it felt unlike it at first. Feeling weird for a bit when trying to move around, his limbs were a bit shorter and waist slimmer. He could move as wanted but felt limits were much higher. As if it was his own body, and at the same time, it was not.


    No wonder Tales made everyone excited.


    For a writer like Yushin, he always lived immersed in adventures. He never left his country, but in his mind and books traveled to a thousand worlds. Now that Virtual Reality technology has advanced to this point, it would be hard not to be affected by it.


    ¡®It takes a while to get used to, but it isn¡¯t too hard.¡¯ He stretched and jumped around a bit in the middle of Red Clay City. Fingers moved well. There were other players around, but no one was making fun of him. They were busy doing the same.


    First thing Yushin noticed was the [User Interface (UI)]. With a simple thought, the interface changed fast and smoothly. Hiding HUD elements such as Health, Soul, and Mana bar for a minimal interface was easy. He was, after all, wearing a highly advanced helmet.


    ¡®Hm, it seems very easy to navigate. I need to either shout or think of what I want to access. [Status Window.]¡¯


    As in one of those sci-fi movies, a transparent display popped up. Besides thought, hands can navigate, like a mobile touch interface in the air. That was much easier to do for some people. He looked at his character status:


    [Player Yushin Class: Small-Time Captain (Hybrid Warrior-Magic Class) Level: 01 Race: Half-Human]


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Title: None


    </td>


    <td>


    Bounty: None


    </td>


    <td>


    Fame/Infamy: 0


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Strength: 03


    </td>


    <td>


    Magic: 02


    </td>


    <td>


    Defense 01 (Total 02)


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Agility: 01


    </td>


    <td>


    Intelligence: 02


    </td>


    <td>


    Magic Defense: 02 (Total 02)


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dexterity: 02


    </td>


    <td>


    Endurance: 03


    </td>


    <td>


    Charisma: 01


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health Points: 1500/1500


    </td>


    <td>


    Mana Points: 100/100


    </td>


    <td>


    Soul: 120/120


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Wealth: 10c


    </td>


    <td></td>


    <td></td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡®What? Half-Human? ¡­Is this a bug or intentional? Half-human, half-what!? ...Well, whatever.¡±


    ¡°[Inventory].¡± A pop-up appeared again. Yushin saw he had 20/100 weight, with a wooden spear and some wooden armor. Above that value, he would be slowed down until not being able to move. There were several spaces for bags, armor, weapons, rings, other accessories, and mounts. Aside from that, there didn¡¯t seem to be anything special so he moved on.


    [Wooden Spear Lv1 Quality: One Star Condition: Normal]


    Attack Power: 1-3


    Speed:1.0


    Range: Mid


    [Wooden Armor Lv1 Quality: One Star Condition: Normal]


    Defense: 01


    Magic Defense: 00


    Consulting the in-game help, Yushin saw equipment had several quality ranks. It ranged from one-star to ten stars. Ten stars were godly legendary artifacts and one-star crappy starting equipment. Also, weapon condition went from terrible, poor, normal, good, excellent and godly. Terrible meant the weapon was only a bit better than trash and was near the breaking point. Godly meant it was a nigh indestructible weapon. Only the rarest carried this condition.


    Damage to an equipment would temporarily lower its condition until repair. Also, every time an equipment breaks its condition will drop by one tier. If a normal sword broke twice, its default condition will be terrible, making it always near breaking point. If a terrible equipment breaks it will be trash and can only serve as scrap for materials. Making things worse, there isn¡¯t a number to estimate condition. One can never know when it''s safe to stop using a great sword, except for visual clues, like chips and cracks.


    Yushin knew that made blacksmiths even more valuable. Players would have to be careful with good equipment. Armor was especially vulnerable since no one would remove it during combat. He regretted a little not starting with blacksmithing skill.


    ¡®Skill list.¡¯


    [Skill List]


    [Physical Skills]


    [Spear Thrust] Lvl 1. Atk 110%. Speed: 1.1. Soul cost: 5. Required: Spear.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Info: a simple attack with the spear.


    [Strong Punch] Lvl 1. Atk 105%. Speed: 1.2. Soul Cost: 3. Required: Unarmed.


    Info: a strong punch.


    [Strong Kick] Lvl 1. Atk 110% Speed: 1.0 Soul cost: 4. Required: Unarmed.


    Info: a strong kick.


    Yushin stopped for a second to test out the skills. He waved the spear around, flowing from top to bottom. There was no big difference between real life and the game. Attacking was as simple as poking someone with it. Seems amount of strength and speed behind it varied according to his stats.


    As far as Spears went, Yushin was quite proficient at it. Growing up he loved ¡°[Romance of The Three Kingdoms]¡±. Zhao Zilong is his favorite character, so taking spear lessons was a given.


    [Spear Thrust] is a direct short stab with the weapon, as simple as that. The range was ok because of the spear, but there is no other special movement behind it. [Strong Kick] and [Strong Punch] are also only a bit stronger versions of normal strikes.


    ¡®It seems I can still use [Strong Kick] and [Strong Punch] with spear in hand, as long as I hold it one handed.¡¯


    Satisfied with his findings, he moved on to the next set of skills:


    [Support Magic Skills]


    [Analyze Dungeon Gates] Lvl 1. Mana: 0.


    Info: gives information about [Dungeon Gates]. Data increases with skill level.


    [Open Dungeon Gates] Lvl Max. Mana 0.


    Info: common to all players.


    [Unlock Dungeon Gates] Lvl 1. Mana 0.


    Info: attempts to open locked [DG]. Depends on lock creator level or [Dungeon Level].


    [Lock Dungeon Gate] Lvl 1. Mana 5.


    Info: locks a [DG]. Lock efficiency depends on skill level.


    ¡®[Dungeon Gates]? Are those the mystical dungeons mentioned in the opening? ¡­ Info: [Dungeon Gates].¡¯


    Info: [Dungeon Gates] are entrances opened from rifts in the fabric of the world. The result of [Ancient Magic] utilized by [The Nameless Mage] to stop [The Endless Demons]. They can link to places in this world or another. Despite being called ¡®gates¡¯, the entrances are rifts caused by unstable mana flow and space magic. Upon leaving the beginner¡¯s area, a tutorial on [Dungeon Gates] will start.


    ¡®I see. They are entrances, not the dungeon itself. Seems after I walk from this place the tutorial will start, so let¡¯s move on.¡¯


    [Crafting Skills]


    [Engineering]


    [Design Blueprint] Lvl 1.


    Info: Creates a blueprint used for crafting a tool or artifact. Use the [Designing Interface, D.I.] on workbenches to make designs.


    [Craft Blueprint] Lvl 1.


    Info: Crafts the corresponding tool or artifact from the blueprint. Needs a Workshop and materials. Get materials from dungeons, places in the world or crafted by other professions.


    [Use item] Lvl 1.


    Info: Able to use several kinds of items without proficiency, such as unidentified, bound and unmet requirements. Higher leveled and quality items need higher skill levels.


    ¡®Tools and artifacts. I can either sell finished products or blueprints¡­ and [Use Item] seems good too. I can do a lot with it. Info: [Designing Interface].¡¯


    Info: [Designing Interface] is available to Engineers on a workbench. Utilized to create [Blueprints]. Blueprints can be:


    [Original]: No other blueprint used in the process. Raw materials only. This is the simplest kind of blueprint. Example: [Simple Trap].


    [Derived]: Other blueprints and advanced materials used in the process. It is a complex type of blueprint made from several other sources. Example: [Ballista].


    Blueprints are a trade secret. Formulas are only known to the creator, but can be taught or sold (with restrictions or freely).


    ¡®This system seems quite complex. I need to experiment with it later. Moving on.¡¯


    [Hunting Skills]


    [Track] Lvl 1.


    Info: Able to follow clues to track individuals. They will automatically appear on the minimap.


    [Skinning (Passive)]


    Info: Increases the drop chance of certain items by a small percentage.


    ¡®These are pretty standard though. No surprises here.¡¯


    [Leadership Skills]


    [Raise Morale (Passive) ] Lvl 1.


    Info: Allies (Friends, Party, Guild or similar, not recognized as a foe) on close distance receive several small bonuses. Current: +1% HP, Mana and Soul. The skill raises based on time and the number of people affected.


    ¡®Only a single skill, and passive at that. Seems tough to level up. Also, a solo player would not be able to raise it fast. Those are all my skills for now. No point in dwelling on them until I learn a bit more about the game.¡¯


    One thing Kingdom Corp did on Tales was limiting the amount of data available to players. There is no info on attributes effects on damage, on what each attribute does and on future skills.


    There is no way for players to focus on pre-planning builds based on that information. Tales design takes this in mind:


    [Information is worth more than anything.]


    In short, players need to experience, analyze and choose data according to it if they wanted to go the ¡®min-max¡¯ way. While it¡¯s possible there will be optimal builds, Kingdom Corp will do everything in their power to make sure things are not that simple. Strategy and complexity should play a big part in this game.


    While playing, it is possible to upload data to a social media of choice. Editing videos, taking screenshots in-game and even doing live broadcasts are simple. There is a lot of marketing going on around the game.


    Chat could be text or voice based. Text is old school, but many players still loved it. Voice-to-text program is in the code and capable of translating text from almost every existing language. The player could either speak directly, text using virtual keyboard or use voice-to-text. While using voice-to-text they could mute outgoing sounds, so no one else could hear their whispers.


    Aside from that, there are many other functions, but Yushin is not in a hurry. Learning as he progressed is simpler.


    Yushin trained for a bit using thoughts to navigate through the menus. To avoid mistakes, commands had ¡®Info:¡¯ or something else before. If he wanted to learn about something, all he had to do was think ¡®[Info: Dungeons]¡¯.


    Also, as soon as something became known to him, it is added to the info label. That was one of the tooltips on the skill page, but how it worked he didn¡¯t know exactly. It seems if he learned new things about one of his skills or items the system automatically added that info. There was no need for notes.


    After understanding these concepts, next was combat. The basic combat was waving your weapon of choice around. Higher skill levels had a little bit of help from the system to target. Dodging was also the same way. Parrying had a bit more complexity. Yushin wanted to learn about it, but the system said it would explain in the Dungeon Gates tutorial.


    Traits, Skills, Advantages, Disadvantages, and powers affected everything. Traits are a sort of ¡°Awakening¡± system on the character''s race and class. Meeting some hidden conditions the respective trait activates. Advantages and disadvantages are gained during gameplay. There is no precise info. Powers are not explained at all.


    ¡®They really are hiding a lot of info... I¡¯ll play my way. [Start: Dungeon Gates Tutorial].¡¯


    A blue arrow popped in front of him, pointing to a side door inside the beginner¡¯s area. Yushin knew it was an [Instanced Room], typical from MMO¡¯s. It meant he would be the only one inside. Reaching his hand a prompt appeared:


    [Enter Dungeon Gates Tutorial Room?]


    [>>>Yes.<<<]


    A light flashed and he was in a small room without windows or doors. A pure black room with a white light right in the middle. The light looked unstable and every few seconds trembled. Small thundering sounds echoed. A clear voice spread:


    ¡°Welcome, Player Yushin. To your first [Dungeon].¡±

 Chapter Three: Spear in Hand (v.1.1)

    Chapter Three: Spear in Hand


    ¡°Welcome, Player Yushin. To your first [Dungeon].¡±


    The voice came straight from the piano key white light in the middle of the room. It flickered constantly.


    ¡°This is a [Dungeon Gate]. Inside lies a door to other worlds or places. The reason it is called Dungeon is that it is always a limited space. No matter how big, always a confined space. Remember that well.¡±


    The voice stops. After a while, Yushin realizes it waited for his response. He nods.


    ¡°There are many types of Dungeons inside gates. Some of them are short. Some long and wide. Some are as big as other worlds. Some are small as this room you are in. In fact, this space is a confined space, but not a dungeon. The true dungeon always lies through the gate.¡±


    The light flashed and a display appeared in the air. It reads:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    DUNGEON INFO


    </td>


    <td>


    THE WINDY WILDERNESS


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    TYPE ONE:


    </td>


    <td>


    RANDOM


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    TYPE TWO:


    </td>


    <td>


    QUEST


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    TYPE THREE:


    </td>


    <td>


    LIMITED


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    DURATION:


    </td>


    <td>


    TEMPORARY


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    MASTER:


    </td>


    <td>


    NONE


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    AVAILABILITY


    </td>


    <td>


    PRIVATE (YUSHIN) - 47:45:56


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    HARDCORE


    </td>


    <td>


    NO


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    QUALITY


    </td>


    <td>


    COMMON


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    PARTY SIZE


    </td>


    <td>


    1 (SOLO)


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    LIMITATION


    </td>


    <td>


    ONE PLAYER


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°As you can see, Dungeons have several types and characteristics. This one is ¡°Random¡±, ¡°Quest¡± and ¡°Limited¡±. It means the content inside is not predetermined and instead generated randomly. It is a quest based dungeon, which means there are one or more quests for players to fulfill. A limited dungeon will disappear after its completion or 48h in game time. A permanent dungeon will continue to exist. Permanent dungeons are fixed or mobile.¡±


    ¡°Can dungeons and gates be destroyed?¡± Yushin asked.


    ¡°Yes. As for how that is for you to find out. Obtain every info stated here through [Analyze Dungeon Gates]. Skill level and other factors will improve the data you get.¡±


    Seeing as Yushin didn¡¯t ask any more questions, the light continued:


    ¡°This dungeon has no master. It spawned by natural means. Some dungeons can be conquered. Others will disappear. Conquering a dungeon also gives you its domain. There is no limit on the number of dungeons one can have. Relinquishing and trading ownership rights is also possible. Dungeons are a source of power and wealth. Remember that well.¡±


    Yushin nodded again.


    ¡°You can see this dungeon¡¯s availability is set for you, making it a private dungeon. That means you are the first one to find or create it. From the moment you do, it¡¯s generally 48h until the dungeon rights expire. Tougher and rarer dungeons may have longer duration. Dying anywhere will relinquish the rights and turn it into a PUBLIC dungeon. Anyone can join a public dungeon.¡±


    ¡®So dying has this penalty. That is pretty harsh. I can see people camping dungeons for kills¡­ sounds fun.¡¯


    ¡°This is not a hardcore dungeon. Dying in a hardcore dungeon will make you lose your rights and also every piece of carried equipment. Including bags and space rings. Death penalties are doubled. Just do not die on hardcore dungeons. Really.¡±


    ¡®Did it start to change the speech or am I imagining things?¡¯ Yushin pondered. ¡°What are the death penalties?


    ¡°You will find out inside the dungeon.¡±


    ¡®...What.¡¯


    ¡°Dungeons can be Common, Uncommon, Rare, Super Rare, Mystical, Heavenly and Godly. Rarer dungeons give better rewards and opportunities. They are also much harder than common ones. Whether to brave it or not is up to your skills.¡±


    ¡°The last info I will give you on this topic is about party size and limitation of Dungeons. Solo means one can only enter alone, even if it¡¯s public. Sizes go up until unlimited. About the limitation, it represents the number of players that can go in a dungeon at a certain time. This dungeon will only have one player to go in. If you leave a public dungeon, someone can go instead. In that case, you will not be able to go back in until that person leaves.¡±


    ¡°There is much more to learn about Dungeons and Dungeon Gates. Not all dungeons are inside Dungeon Gates. Dungeons inside gates are [Magic Dungeons], while those in the open world are [Field Dungeons]. Exploring the world will yield many secrets. Dungeon Gates are also used to link places. Find that out on your own.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Now, go on and brave your first dungeon. You will learn about combat. Then the real Tales of the Heroic Kingdoms will start. Touch the gate and choose to enter.¡±


    Yushin went closer to the gate and touched it. A small prompt appears:


    [Do you want to go inside the Dungeon? Dying will result in the loss of Right. Going in and out of the dungeon is allowed at any time.]Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The bright light expanded and formed a real door. Yushin went inside, the door closed and a new area appeared in front of him. All happened very quickly.


    The ground was bloody red, the sky pure dark blue like open sea. No stars nor moon could in sight. It definitely was not the same world he was in before.


    ¡°Hehe, surprised??¡± - That simple and infantile voice asked. It sounded like a young child.


    Startled, Yushin turned around only to see a small, ethereal form fluctuating near him. It had no fixed form, or mouth or eyes, yet the sound still resounded clearly.


    Yushin bowed slight - ¡°...You are?¡±


    ¡°Your [Help Light]!!¡±


    ¡®...Help Light¡­? Info: Help Light.¡¯ - Yet no display came this time. He tried again with no success.


    ¡°Hehehehe, It¡¯s useless! I said I¡¯m your help! I¡¯m your [Living info]!¡±


    ¡°...You kinda lost me there, buddy¡­¡±


    ¡°Geez, slow, aren¡¯t ya!? I¡¯m the keeper of your logs and info! Every time you get new information it¡¯s added to your command, right? Well, when you are in a solo dungeon I am summoned from that.¡±


    ¡°So you are some kind of help A.I. for solo dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Well, that¡¯s all you know, right? hehehehe¡­ By the way, I¡¯m still nameless. Gimme a name.¡±


    ¡°...Can you attack?¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    ¡°...Can you scout ahead or use any kind of skills?¡±


    ¡°...Nope¡­¡±


    ¡°So you can only talk?¡±


    ¡®Yes! hehehe¡±


    ¡°I am calling you [Noisy] then.¡±


    ¡°Eeeh, nooo¡­ please have mercy, master¡­¡±


    ¡°How about [Data]? Simple and clear.¡±


    ¡°I like it!¡±


    ¡°Ok, then your name is [NoisyData]. Let¡¯s move on!¡±


    ¡°Ehh, master~!!¡±


    Not paying any attention to the complaining ethereal form, Yushin moved on. The ground was uneven but steady. He was about to keep going when a display popped up:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    NEW QUEST


    </td>


    <td>


    Clear out the dungeon.


    P.S.: Simple, isn¡¯t it?


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Hehehehe, so it¡¯s a [Mob Clear] type of dungeon. Defeat everything inside and you¡¯re done, master!¡±


    ¡°...I see. Can you stop with the master thing? Call me directly.¡±


    ¡°Roger. Let¡¯s go, punk!!¡±


    ¡®...Why is the A. I. in this game so weird¡­¡¯


    The layout was straight and without detours. Yushin walked and walked, but no sign of monsters. His tracking skill didn¡¯t work either.


    ¡®Am I doing something wrong?¡¯ He looked puzzled.


    ¡°Did you expect them to be out in the open?¡± NoisyData laughed.


    ¡°...You could¡¯ve spoken earlier if you knew something, you know.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, don¡¯t give the fish¡­ teach fishing!!!¡±


    ¡°...So they are not in the open. There are no signs of living things moving on the surface, so, either the sky or underground.¡± However, the sky was clear too.


    ¡°Indeed, this is not a common world! They are [deep dwellers]. Your search skills suck, so I¡¯ll help out this time. Here.¡± NoisyData pointed to an open spot. There was nothing special, only empty red ground. Nearing the spot, he felt the ground was soft and pierced it with spear. An entrance opened but took everything around him down. Including Yushin, who managed to land on his feet.


    ¡°Hehehe, like a cat!!!¡±


    ¡°...Do you have a mute button?¡±


    ¡®Um, no¡­ I¡¯ll shut up¡­¡¯


    This time he looked around for clues but didn¡¯t need to. The sound was getting louder and louder. There were a lot of enemies, but they sounded spread. His crash made a lot of noise.


    Spear in hand, his eyes wandered around searching for strategic places to use. He was in a closed space, about four meters wide. The only way was forward, so he had no worries about attacks from the back. There was also above, but since there wasn¡¯t any activity on the surface it was highly unlikely. Not being able to run, Yushin decided to hide in the shadows as much as possible.


    The first to come are two mid-sized figures carrying small sword and shield. Covered only by scrap clothing and no armor. They had hundreds of small, sharp teeth with a white glow and pointy ears. Faintly reminded him of fantasy goblins with a darker outlook. As soon as they came in the space Yushin was, their eyes locked into him. Darkness is nothing to them.


    The first one opened mouth to scream. Yushin was no newbie at gaming. He knows that is a battle cry to summon many other goblin-like enemies. Dashing forward, elegantly, spear pierced towards the enemy¡¯s throat.


    CLANG!


    [PARRY!]


    The other one was not caught unaware. He didn¡¯t even use shield. He lunged forward, sword in hand, and parried the advance. Deflecting Yushin¡¯s blow with ease. That was no easy duo!


    A surprised Yushin. Not only he acted quite fast but had good reach and surprise element. And was still deflected. That was the ¡®Parry¡¯ action. The goblin-like had a shield and still parried, showing confidence in his abilities. Seemed like those two were fairly high ranking and not common cannon fodder. Or so he would like to think because he was not ready to face many enemies of that caliber right away¡­


    Combat felt very natural. There was no delay from thought to action. His movement speed, precision, and power were all influenced by stats. Having real life training would help here.


    The other foe chose not to scream and instead glared and rushed at Yushin, trying to slash him. Seems he wasn¡¯t considered a big threat. He was a bit open after the attack earlier and chose to step back.


    It was not fast enough. The sword cuts lightly on his chest. Tales has no pain system giving neuro feedback to the user. But there is still a tingling sensation of discomfort when receiving damage.


    ¡®Damn! They¡¯re tough!¡¯


    Yushin steadied himself and held his spear with both hands. It wasn¡¯t the best choice of weapon for that situation, but it would have to do. A spear master would not complain about space and instead, use his whole body as a weapon. There were many techniques for shortening spear attacks, but how far could he go in a VRMMO?


    The goblin-like on the right kept going forward. He was quite confident the other one had his back. This time Yushin didn¡¯t begin but waited for the attack. The sword came from above the enemy¡¯s head, about straight down to him. He was not caught unaware.


    Without attacking, Yushin quickly spun towards the left, preventing his enemy''s shield use and making the other one react a bit slower. As long as he couldn¡¯t get there in time a blow would land, and it did. [Strong Kick] followed after the spin, hitting sideways and throwing the goblin-like in pain to the side. The damage wasn¡¯t as good as he thought. That thing still managed to bring back his arm and block.


    He didn¡¯t even get to finish the attack. The other sword is already coming to him. Instinctively raising his spear, he clashed the tip towards the blade, deflecting the blow.


    CLANG!


    [PARRY!]


    ¡°...!¡±


    Now Yushin understood parrying was more complex than blocking by a wide margin. By blocking you would soak as much damage as possible on the weapon or shield. Parrying would deflect the upcoming blow and keep the momentum or make an opening on the enemy¡¯s stance. Parrying had a timing window. If it clashed too soon or too late it wouldn¡¯t work. It took a lot of skill to parry consistently, as attacks varied in speed, strength, and timing.


    Now he had an opening to exploit, and he wasn¡¯t going to lose it.


    [Spear Thrust!]


    The goblin-like couldn¡¯t raise shield in time, and the skill hit him straight in the chest. It wasn¡¯t the most complex of techniques, only a straight thrust with a lot of power behind.


    The spear opened a hole in the enemy, but Yushin is careful not to leave it stuck. He didn¡¯t know if that is a true possibility, but how could he risk it? Seeing the enemy wasn¡¯t dead yet, he aimed for the throat, but the attack had no time to reach.


    The other foe had already recovered and rushed back, lunging at him with a [Shield Charge]. The damage wasn¡¯t great, but it tossed him back a few meters. The goblin-like lets out a huge cry. It is something that chills Yushin¡¯s spine down to the bone.


    It is not a battle cry.


    It is in mourning.


    His companion is at death¡¯s door already. With that cry, the others would come...

 Chapter Four: Kill. Kill. And wipe them all out.

    Chapter Four: Kill. Kill. And wipe them all out.


    There was no time to lose!


    Yushin rushed forward like lightning bolt, piercing high and low with spear as fast as he could. The goblin-like this time didn¡¯t try to parry but instead used shield to block the attacks.


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    Spear stroke yet shield still stood. There was no way Yushin could have penetrated through it with only those attacks. It was pretty sturdy.


    Meanwhile, the other foe started to disappear into nothing. No drop was left behind. Its equipment also vanished.


    If he wasn¡¯t in a hurry, Yushin could¡¯ve waited for the attack and countered, but now time was of the essence. More enemies meant the time to deal with each one was shorter. Those things didn¡¯t have much HP, but their defense was solid. If he kept striking there was no way his crappy spear would hold out. If the dead one had dropped his equipment that would be a backup, but he had nothing of the sort in his inventory.


    Knowing he had no time, spear-wielding Yushin advanced one more time. This time he was forceful and determined. Instead of hitting with the tip of the spear, he feinted with it and went to hit with the end of the shaft. The goblin-like still blocked and at the same time slashed with sword.


    However, Yushin was ready for it.


    He never expected the enemy to be taken in by that feint. Instead, his goal was to draw in an attack and counter. Being ready, he quickly ducked, dodging sword and using spear at a low position to sweep his enemy''s leg. The goblin-like fell, surprised, and Yushin stepped on his sword hand, proceeding to trespass him in the chest. A quick and well-executed kill.


    That thing looked with hatred in the eyes before dying, and our protagonist shivered a little. The hate felt so genuine it was hard to believe he wasn¡¯t fighting a real life monster, but a virtual one instead.


    The body started to disappear and a small item dropped. It was a vial of blood.


    [Got Kruiknansian¡¯s Blood of Hatred x1]


    ¡®So either those things are called Kruiknansian¡¯s or the one I killed was¡­ I¡¯m definitely calling them Kruik from now on. Anyway, since I can¡¯t hide I might as well try to take them by surprise instead.¡¯


    The structure didn¡¯t change much going forward, bloody red badly illuminated. However, soon multiple paths appeared. They were narrower if compared to the ones before. There was absolutely no place to ambush. Those paths reverberated sounds very well, that was the reason he thought there were multiple incoming enemies. Their position was hard to grasp.


    At that time Yushin decided: he needed to be quick and deadly. One hit, one kill would work best here, but it definitely was not easy to achieve.


    ¡®What are the odds of equipment dropping? One of those shields would help me a lot.¡¯


    The good thing about being in a VRMMO is that he didn¡¯t need to worry about physical stamina. His body would not tire. There was no stamina system right now, yet mental fatigue would still be a factor. How long was he able to play? How long could he grasp, execute and remember all those thought based commands? Could he maintain it for a long period of time? Could he do well under duress?


    So far combat has been quick and precise. Missing a few parries would mean death for sure. Maybe that was what the system meant when it said he¡¯d learn about death. Are those enemies endless or is there a boss somewhere? He could ponder about it all day and still not find a solution.


    He could only throw himself forward and kill. Kill. And wipe them all out.


    Up on the surface, there were no traces of enemies, but down here his [Tracking Skill] started to be useful. He would see the small red dots on the minimap before even sensing the enemy¡¯s position. From that moment on his actions were swift.


    First, he tried to run as fast as he could and attack before the enemy could react. The first time he did this the spear easily pierced a head. Strikes did more or less damage based on vital points and other physiological characteristics. Some would have weak points, some would have strong points there. For these goblin-likes, their anatomy wasn¡¯t a lot different than expected. Head and Chest were fatal. Their thin legs and arms were also vulnerable.


    Yushin had no trouble taking down two more enemies very fast. After the first one got it on the head, the other one barely reacted. [Spear Thrust] finished the job.


    Soon he realized there were spots that could be used to run on the wall. In real life, this obviously wasn¡¯t possible, but in Tales, it was easy for him to do. Even though he was a beginner¡¯s character, he was still a [Hero] and far more athletic than the average person.


    With this new option, his attacks became diversified. Occasionally he would come from above, sometimes straight ahead. Around fifteen Kruiks had already fallen. They weren¡¯t as organized as he initially thought.


    However, this wasn¡¯t without loss. His HP dropped down to 1/3. [Strong Kick] and [Spear Thrust] were used ten times each. With the ones before, he only had 32 Soul left. His mana was full but he had no skills for it.


    ¡®Is this not going to end? How many are there left?¡¯


    Now in front of him was only one path straight ahead. The tracks showed two more dots. He had no way to heal and recover Soul. His weapon was also showing signs of breaking, like chips on the spearhead. He had a few material drops, such as [Kruik¡¯s Blood] and [Kruik¡¯s Teeth], but no more of the first one he got. There were no equipment drops whatsoever. He was really hoping his spear could hold on.


    ¡®Looks like they know I¡¯m here, no use in rushing ahead... ¡®


    He walked slowly forward until the enemies came into view. Two more of the same Kruiks he had been fighting all dungeon. Those two were waiting for him in the middle of a circular underground room. There were no other passages or entrances and he saw no particular dangerous spots around, nor at the end of the corridor. In the middle, two stupid looking thrones made of bones stood. They had terrible taste.


    On the good side, this room was the last. But was it really that simple? Two enemies in an empty room? Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Well, it was not like he had many choices. No ranged weapons. No other useful skills. He couldn¡¯t even detect any traps or hidden enemies, only go in and fight.


    Yushin took small steps and tried to be wary of his surroundings, but even that didn¡¯t stop some kind of wooden gate to crash down and block his retreat. Now that circular room would either be the last of that dungeon or his tomb. At least until he revived, or however that worked in Tales.


    This time the enemy shouted something audible, like spoken language. Yushin couldn¡¯t make anything out of it, but it was clear they were more intelligent than those before. None of the others could speak, at most grunted a little.


    The one on the right had sharp red eyes and used a two-handed sword. It seemed a bit too big for him to carry, but he didn¡¯t seem to have any trouble with it. He also had leather armor. The one on the left had deep blue eyes and used a kusarigama. He wasn¡¯t wearing any armor, but there were a lot of markings on his body that looked like [Runes].


    So, not only they were more intelligent, they carried different equipment. That meant the fight would be much harder. Yushin also had near zero margin for error, since both his Soul and HP were low.


    ¡®Damn. That kusarigama looks way too troublesome. I can probably handle the two-handed sword, but if they fight well together¡­ Those runes look like trouble as well. So this is the knowing about death part, huh.¡¯


    He wasn¡¯t in a hurry. There was no time limit, after all. Even though the dungeon info said he could come out anytime, that probably meant from the gate entrance.


    What would happen if he had to log out at that moment? While he wondered about it, the Kusari-Kruik grinned. He grinned and reached out his hand, calling Yushin over to him!


    The other one laughed and they both looked with pitying eyes. Those eyes would definitely work on most players. They pitied him so badly that there was no way Yushin would not be affected.


    Yet he wasn¡¯t an impulsive person. He was calm and composed. Even overbearing. There were a few things in the world that pissed him off, but those kinds of taunts weren¡¯t one of those. However, he still breathed deeply. Nothing was going to be solved by waiting around. With large strides, he went forward¡­


    Of course, the chain was the first to come. He was still a good distance away when he had to dodge. The sword-kruik also went forward, but Yushin¡¯s target was the kusarigama.


    He dodged yet another chain strike and met the two-handed sword halfway. Compared to the many strikes he had been dodging that one was almost too slow. This time he didn¡¯t want to dodge left or right; he went straight for the kruik, jumping while stepping in his shoulder. Not only he dodged the attack, but would also try to knock him down while aiming to get the other one unprepared.


    He jumped, spear in hand, but the chain strike still came.


    CLANG!


    [PARRY!]


    Now, that was a very difficult parry, and even he was surprised he managed to pull that one off. Just a little bit of strength and the mechanical timing just right, and the weight on the chain changed paths, allowing him to drop down on the enemy. While he was unable to use the spear after the parry, [Strong Kick] still fell upon the kusari-Kruik.


    BAM!


    ¡°.....!¡±


    The runes flashed and a small [Mana Shield] appeared around the enemy. The kick wasn¡¯t able to break through. Yushin jumped back with the impact but the kusari-Kruik was ready for it. The chain went forward again and hit him straight in the stomach.


    Now, from his initial 1200HP, he had only enough for two similar chain hits or probably one from the two-handed sword.


    ¡®A Mana Shield! Damn!¡¯


    Well, he had no time to be worried about that. The sword-Kruik was already upon him.


    ¡°...!¡± His body moved quickly. A faster sword would have hit. Instead, at the same time, he dodged also extended spear, piercing and then slashing one of the enemy¡¯s legs. He could¡¯ve gone for a kill strike but feared the leather armor would mitigate the blow too much. Lowering the enemy¡¯s mobility was a good thing right now.


    Yushin didn¡¯t wait for the kruik to respond. He rolled backward and just at the same time the kusari chain missed him. The coordination between the two of them was scary. When the distance was good enough, [Spear Thrust] went against the sword-kruik¡¯s throat. He was still recovering from his wound, albeit not deep. Like the others, they were no good with pain. Had he moved a bit sooner the spear would have missed.


    Yushin knew the enemy was already dead and wasted no time getting around him. The kusari chain came again, but it could not stop him. Now he was down to one enemy with a tough shield, but if no mistakes were made it still looked good.


    Seeing the chain was no good, the kruik tried to go close combat, but it was already too late. Spear went again and again, and many times it hit shield, until both of them were finally broken.


    [Strong Punch] hit the kusari-Kruik face and his blade slashed Yushin¡¯s chest, but in the end, it was Yushin¡¯s victory. [Strong Kick] finished the job.


    ¡®...Huff...Huff..Whew...Is there still more¡­¡¯


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    DUNGEON CLEAR!


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    REWARD: [Soul of a Hero]


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Wow~! You did it!¡± NoisyData was excited. Yushin smiled. He hung in there by a single hit.


    ¡°So you can keep quiet when you want to. You didn¡¯t speak at all during the action. When do I learn about death penalties?¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­ You won¡¯t.¡± NoisyData said.


    ¡°...What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t supposed to clear the dungeon!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well, most players can¡¯t. They die and are taught about the system. Then teleported out.¡±


    ¡°...Oh. What about this item then, [Soul of a Hero]? Give me info on it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t have any!¡±


    ¡°What about death penalties?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I guess I can explain that. Like [The System] said before, dying will forfeit any dungeons¡¯ rights currently available. Also, you lose 20% skill progress, money and is teleported back to the [Spawn Point] in thirty seconds. You are then confined to your spawn point for one hour of real life time. And this is only normal death penalties. It¡¯s possible to have new rules in new places and modes. Be careful about it!¡±


    Yushin nodded. His first dungeon was quite the adventure, non-stop fighting and smart enemies. And it was only a common dungeon.


    ¡°How do I get out, Data?¡±


    ¡°Just go back to the entry point or use Command: Leave Dungeon. If the Dungeon is locked you need to force it open.¡±


    ¡°Ok, got it. See you next time, NoisyData.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, I¡¯ll still be with you, after all! I just think of it as a nap!¡±


    Yushin smiled. ¡°Sure, see you later. Command: Leave Dungeon.¡±


    In the blink of an eye, Yushin was back outside in the room. The blinking light slowly disappeared.


    ¡®Now I need to fix this weapon or get a new one. Come to think of it, drops were really poor. The bosses didn¡¯t even drop any items. I wonder what this [Soul of a Hero] is though. It really has no info. My skills didn¡¯t improve either and I can¡¯t even see how much experience I still need.¡¯


    [Exit Dungeon Gates Tutorial Room?]


    [>>>Yes.<<<]


    Yushin went back to the outside, but neither his HP nor his Soul went back to normal. Seems he had to find other means to heal. So, now, he needed to sell his drops, find a new one or fix his weapon and find a way to heal.


    Yet he felt refreshed. After all that action, he completely forgot what fateful event led him into [Tales of The Heroic Kingdoms] in the first place...

 Chapter Five: Learning About The World

    Chapter Five: Learning About The World.


    ¡®What should I do first? I only have 10 copper coins. These drops should net me some coins, but¡­ As I thought, I need more info on Red Clay City, Vavell Kingdom, and surrounding areas.¡¯


    Really, information was everything after all. To decide what to do and where to go for money and other activities the more info the better. Yushin had no idea about the city and its happenings, nor what kind of activities were profitable. The most direct course of action would be just to ask.


    Other players were still no good for this. There were some going around, many leaving to other areas and places. But since Tales was just released it was useless to go after them. Of course, in a few days a lot of info would still pop up around the net, but he didn¡¯t plan to wait for it.


    ¡°Where do I go for information?¡± Yushin asked a near Red Clay City Guard. They wore blue outfits with medium iron armor and glaives or swords. In most games, info could be obtained on [Taverns], [Guilds] or [Information Brokers].


    ¡°Are you an adventurer, sir? If so, there are many [Adventurer¡¯s Guilds] on Red Clay. Members of the [Temple] can also go there for information. [Mercenary Groups] and [Merchant Alliances] are also selling their info. The [City Lord Palace] will also gladly receive your honor and assist.¡±


    The guard was very respectful towards Yushin. Do they hold adventurers in that much regard? Are they afraid of pissing people off?


    Yushin nodded and bowed slightly. He planned on visiting all of them and gathering as much info as possible. He asked for directions to one of the Adventurer¡¯s Guilds and then left the beginner¡¯s area.


    There were many impatient players rushing outside the city, some forming groups and others going solo. The variety of races was also impressive. He had already seen about half of the races from character creation.


    After passing a few streets with nothing interesting on them, Yushin finally found one of the Guilds mentioned before. It was a very large blue building with Iron doors and a gaudy design full of bright lights. [Golden Rose Guild] read above the door.


    Yushin took a step in but was quickly stopped by one of the guards.


    ¡°You are not worthy. Leave.¡± He said briskly.


    Yushin was stunned but quickly recovered. He nodded and bowed slightly, then left. He wasn¡¯t someone willing to go in there after being told that, neither someone who would cause a scene for it.


    And yet he would never forget.


    Following left he quickly found another guild. It was much smaller, with a green outlook and made of some kind of very interesting wood. It indeed was much simpler than the one before and called [Free Forest Guild].


    Yushin looked around, but no one has stopped him this time. There were many other players and a few he recognized as NPC¡¯s, such as the guards and attendants. A young looking man with small frame and blue short hair bowed in front of him.


    ¡°Hello, Sir¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yushin.¡±


    ¡°Welcome, Sir Yushin. Are you here for registration or other services?¡± The young man asked, behaving very politely.


    ¡°I would like some information first and to decide later.¡± He answered with a smile.


    ¡°But of course.¡± Bowing, the attendant led Yushin to a small side room. A dwarf lady sat there and nodded when they came in. She had a dignified and serious air, and looked near middle-age. Hair styled like a single braid, no other defining features stood out.


    ¡°Then, if you excuse me.¡± The attendant left.


    ¡°Hello Sir Yushin, please welcome to the [Free Forest Adventurer¡¯s Guild]. I am Moina, and I shall answer your questions today.¡± She pointed towards a well-built chair.


    Yushin bowed and sat. ¡°I am new to Vavell Kingdom and Red Clay City. I would like as much information as you can share.¡±


    ¡°Yes, if you join [Free Forest] you will have access to every bit of info we have. Of course, classified info requires a higher [Member Level], but basic info should be plenty for your current needs.¡± Moina smiled.


    ¡°...¡± Yushin wasn¡¯t willing to join an organization so fast. He first needed to understand how things worked and stood in the city, after all.


    Seeing he wasn¡¯t willing to commit immediately, Moina added, ¡°Of course, since you are new, I will share some basic info concerning the City and Guilds. Those are easy to find and I am allowed to share.¡±


    ¡°Currently, Red Clay is the third biggest city in Vavell Kingdom, considered a [Second Class City], and is known by [Pottery], [Magic Dungeons] and [Archery]. Our Pottery art is unparalleled, hence the name ¡°Red Clay¡±. You can find many potters around the [Northern Edge] of the City. Merchants also sell it everywhere inside.¡±


    ¡°For Archery, there are many teachers inside Red Clay. In fact, in the three oldest Adventurer¡¯s guilds, all of them have an [Archery Master] present. We have pride in our arrows over here.¡± She smiled.


    ¡°Three Oldest Adventurer¡¯s Guilds? And how does one become an Archery Master?¡± Yushin asked.


    ¡°Those are [Golden Rose], [Free Forest] and [Red Clay] guilds. They have many years of history and exploration, and hundreds of members. [Masters] are people recognized by a king because of their skills. That gives them glory and status everywhere, even other kingdoms. Recruiting of Masters can be very aggressive among powers.¡±


    ¡°I see. Please tell me more about Adventurer¡¯s Guilds.¡±


    ¡°Well, there are many types of guilds, and Adventurer¡¯s are just one of them. There are Mercenary, Merchant, Thieves, Mages, all sorts of Crafters and other related guilds. It¡¯s one association for a common purpose. For the Adventurer¡¯s, our goal is primarily to explore Magic and Field Dungeons, and expand our current [Frontiers]. In some guild¡¯s case, they are also subordinate to a kingdom. You are allowed to rise ranks in a guild according to their rules and your contribution.¡±


    ¡°Can anyone create a guild?¡±


    ¡°Yes. As long as you have the funds for it. Though, in some cases and if you are creating them based on a specific location, the local administration might reject. In which case you¡¯re better off finding another city or kingdom to dwell, right?¡±


    Yushin nodded.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Also, some types of guilds can have [Branch], [Divisions], [Subordinates], [Allies] or [Contract Partners].¡±


    ¡°Sounds complicated.¡± Yushin smiled.


    ¡°It does, right? But the basics are there. A Branch is merely an extension of the current guild, in the same city or another. A division is always part of the guild, be it a branch or main, and it is often delegated a different purpose. Mercenary guilds, for instance, have many divisions for different tasks. [Free Forest] has a crafting and hunting division, but no branches in other cities.¡±


    Yushin listened carefully. He was very interested in this subject.


    ¡°A subordinate is created when one guild yields control to another. This can happen due to [Contract] or the result of a [War]. A contract is based on free will or previous [Binding Agreement], while yielding due to War will have other consequences. Allies are self-explanatory and will aid each other in times of War, and guilds can use each other¡¯s dungeons if they are allied. Contract Partners are made with specific objectives in mind, such as the recurrent use of a facility or dungeon. It¡¯s a temporary and less binding version of an Alliance.¡±


    ¡®So these are NPC created guilds, but players can rise in ranks and become leaders. They can also create their own, and many subsidiaries, subordinates or partners. Those older guilds probably have some kind of backer though. Maybe even [The King] behind.¡¯


    ¡°What are the benefits of joining a Guild?¡±


    ¡°Aside from information, help of the guild and other members, and special quests, some guilds have their own dungeons and facilities. Didn¡¯t I say Red Clay is known for its Dungeons? In fact, each one of the three oldest guilds has their own dungeon. Some have more than one even. Those are well regarded as treasures, for obvious reasons.¡±


    ¡°...I See. Then what would my obligations be?¡±


    ¡°It depends on which organization you join. I can tell you about [Free Forest]. We are part exclusive of [Vavell Kingdom], and as such, any successful exploration you lead will result in a percentage of the gain turned over to the government as a form of Tax. They will also have priority on buying items from you, and you may only sell to outside sources after inspection. In return, they will offer you a position in the Kingdom itself in view of your contributions. You may even become [Lord of Red Clay City] or be bestowed upon a new city or settlement.¡±


    ¡°Also, if the need arises, such as in the case of War or an external force attack, like a [Monster Invasion], you are obligated to participate and defend the kingdom. Failure to do so will result in being expelled, unless there is a good justification for it, such as being away on a mission. Every [Guild Member] receives special summon during times of need, so you should hurry back if you ever receive it.¡±


    ¡®So, even though it is an Adventurer¡¯s Guild, it still has ties to the kingdom. The other¡¯s must be the same. If there are multiple factions within the city, then maybe behind each guild there is a different faction. Choosing who to help and who not to will definitely have an impact in the future.¡¯


    ¡°Besides, anyone is free to commission a ¡°Quest¡± or ¡°Task¡± from the guilds, and members will choose which to accept. There are even special missions regarded as very important. I can¡¯t tell you more about the inner workings, but [Tasks] are simple objectives, such as gathering some kind of material, and [Quests] are more difficult requests, which can take longer and have many phases. Quest and Task Difficulty go from F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS and SSS+. Needless to say, SSS+ quests are the most difficult and related to events like [The Calamity], and only just exist as a formality. There has never been a single quest that important in the history of the [Heroic Kingdoms].¡±


    ¡°...I understand. What can you tell me about the Heroic Kingdoms?¡±


    ¡°I can tell you that, besides Vavell, there is [Graceful Wind Kingdom] to the North, the [Aubrubia Empire] to the east, [Nealia Dynasty] to the west and [Grillia Kingdom] in the northeast, further from Graceful Wind. I cannot tell you any more than this unless you¡¯re a member.¡±


    ¡®So it seems the only one not bordering Vavell is Grillia, that means those other three kingdoms are the main competitors, probably even have some tension with each other.¡¯


    ¡°And the surrounding areas?¡± Yushin asked.


    ¡°Each kingdom has many [Settlements], [Forts] and [Gates] protecting their territory, especially close to the [Frontier]. You might have heard about the Frontier already, but it is what we call the unexplored space after a kingdom¡¯s domain. Each kingdom''s law does not apply there and anyone can claim territory, as long as they can protect it from [Demons], [Bandits] or anyone interested, really. You can even grow your settlement into a city or kingdom! Isn¡¯t that exciting?¡± Moina really liked this subject.


    ¡°Sounds dangerously fun,¡± Yushin replied with a smile.


    ¡°But it is not easy to do. Even the kingdoms only send a few expeditions outside the border, because there is a lot of preparation and danger involved. Holding a new fort requires great manpower and resources. Many new settlements are still being attacked nowadays, so few venture out the [Outer Walls]. There are many riches, including [Relics of The Fallen Kingdoms] to find and explore.¡±


    ¡®And now players will try to get stronger quickly and go outside. Later on, there will be many new guilds and kingdoms, maybe even some Fallen Kingdoms revived. It¡¯s a good thing they said this world is massive. Technology has come a long way¡­¡¯


    ¡°One last thing. Can you tell me about healing and selling items?¡±


    ¡°Healing over time is really slow, so most adventurers go to the [Temple], [Tavern] or [Inn] for help. Each will help you heal in a different way and at a different cost. You also heal slowly outside most dungeons. Of course, [Healing Magic] and [Items] can also be used.¡±


    Indeed, Yushin had healed a lot since he left. It seems being inside Dungeons prevents his normal regeneration.


    ¡°About items, there are markets and each crafter¡¯s guild will buy specific materials. They prefer to buy in bulk though, so maybe selling to merchants and other players is a better option. You can receive coins for undertaking quests, and several guilds, kingdoms, and other organizations may retain you as an [Advisor], [Member] or [Guest] with a [salary]. Isn¡¯t it wonderful? Though I spend mine mostly on wine. Wine is the best!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember that.¡± Yushin nodded. ¡°Thank you for your help, Miss Moina. I will come back after I decide.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you flatterer!¡± Yushin didn¡¯t realize she was much past being called ¡°Miss¡±. ¡°I usually don¡¯t tell people this much, but I got this familiar feeling from you¡­ even though you¡¯re clearly not a Dwarf.¡±


    Yushin eyebrows knit. ¡®A familiar feeling? Maybe I¡¯m half-dwarf? But I¡¯m pretty tall for a dwarf half-breed¡­¡¯


    Bidding farewell for both Moina and the attendant, Yushin left the Free Forest Guild. He had learned a lot about Tales of The Heroic Kingdoms, and there was still a lot more to learn.


    However, now he knew the outside world was prime for exploration. A dangerous and exciting scenario filled with new discoveries and species. Of course, the enemies would also be many, including other players and NPC¡¯s. Based on his first dungeon, the strength level needed to explore would not be low either.


    There was no need to rush into action.


    If information was key to understanding the world, connections were key to getting things done. He couldn¡¯t do everything by himself, especially if he was going to compete with larger organizations.


    Joining Free Forest or other guilds had many benefits, but also many obligations. He would be bound to protect the kingdom at all times, limiting freedom and decision power. If he didn¡¯t join, he wouldn¡¯t get access to their dungeons and would be forced to rely on luck.


    How long would a small guild take to find a dungeon? And a good one at that? From what he could understand, the dungeons there were not common ones, but [Permanent] and most likely [Unlimited]. How else would it fit an entire Guild? How did they even get hold of them? Were them created or natural? Whose property are them? Can them be moved, destructed or stolen? If so, power was needed to protect everything.


    He got many answers, but even more questions right now. Even if he couldn¡¯t answer them all, many options were there. Either joining a guild, creating one and becoming [Subordinate] or [Ally] to a more powerful one. He could keep exploring without affiliation as long as possible. He could join crafters or Mercenary Groups instead.


    But, to decide, he still needed at least to learn about [Red Clay Guild] and visit Merchants.


    In his mind [Golden Rose] was already nothing.

 Chapter Six: An Abyss Between Gamers

    Chapter Six: An Abyss Between Gamers


    Yushin was still walking around looking for Red Clay Guild when he found [The Crafter¡¯s Street]. Of course, that wasn¡¯t its real name, but it became known that way because almost every crafting guild in town was there. It was quite packed with player¡¯s left and right.


    The street was long and wide, so people could carry stuff around without bothering others. There were many professions near, especially potters. Even though everyone¡¯s clothes were still very simple, like the newbies they are, most people had already some symbol that identified which craft they belonged to.


    It was only then that Yushin realized he didn¡¯t pay much attention to his clothes. He had a very simple attire on and nothing discerning his class or skills. With the absence of a very clear class clothing, it would hard to identify people¡¯s skills and fighting style at first glance. That could be either very useful or very annoying if used right.


    To his left was [The Cauldron¡¯s Smoke], an [Alchemist Guild]. It was pretty easy to spot with all the vials going in and out of the place¡­


    ¡®It¡¯s probable that [Kruik¡¯s Blood] and [Kruik¡¯s Teeth] are alchemist¡¯s materials. I might as well go in and learn a bit about, maybe strike a deal.¡¯


    Compared to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, it had much less manpower around and a lot fewer guards, but the number of attendants was doubled. One quickly approached Yushin. It was a sickly looking, long blue haired girl. Honestly, she looked about to faint.


    ¡°...Welcome, sir¡­¡±


    ¡°Uhm, hello. Are you alright¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, thank you very much.¡± She bowed again and again. ¡°Would you like to browse our wares¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, maybe later¡­¡± He was honestly worried that she¡¯d faint on the spot. ¡°I would like these appraised and some information.¡±


    Yushin slowly took out [Kruik¡¯s Blood of Hatred], [Kruik¡¯s Blood] and [Kruik¡¯s Teeth].


    ¡°I see¡­ Then please follow me...¡± She then zigzagged to a side room, where many alchemists were waiting. All of them were NPC¡¯s since players were not at that level yet.


    An old man was mixing a few vials while they approached. The attendant bowed, pointed to him and then left. Yushin was relieved she didn¡¯t talk any more. He seemed to have forgotten this was only a VRMMORPG¡­


    ¡°Son, which color are these?¡± The alchemist asked, holding a red vial.


    ¡°Red,¡± Yushin answered right away.


    ¡°...Your skills suck. If you are looking for a [Master], then leave.¡±


    Whoa!


    ¡®Such huge difference in treatment. So, since I have no alchemy skills I am treated this way?¡¯


    ¡°I am only looking for info on these items and other subjects. I am not looking for an honorable master right now.¡±


    ¡°Humpf, at least you have manners. The younger generation sucks. Badly.¡±


    ¡®Weird. Definitely weird, the A.I. In this game is.¡¯


    Yushin then showed him the items.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Interesting. Those are [Unknown Monster Blood Type], [Rare Unknown Monster Blood Type] and [Monster Material Type]. All three of them can be used as alchemy material, however, I do not know their effects.¡± The old man held the items and used [Identify Alchemy Material] skill on them.


    ¡°I used a skill on them. If the Guild had any info on those things called ¡°Kruiks¡± I would¡¯ve known about it. Those need to be researched, but the quantity is also too little.¡±


    Yushin just realized another difficulty in Tales: since there were many other worlds, there were many unknown monster types and materials. That means every new material would have to be analyzed and researched before their effects could be known. Many rarer materials could also pop up from new monsters, some very precious.


    Also, the old man saw the item as ¡°Kruik¡¯s Blood¡±, not ¡°Kruiknansian¡¯s Blood¡±. That means the name Yushin gave it became the new label for the item. The system really worked on perception and information.


    ¡°Kid, I¡¯m too busy to research this stuff. You take it and bring to a newbie. There are many outside who just joined.¡±


    ¡°...I will. Thank you, senior. Can you tell me a bit about Alchemy?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like your goddamn moving g**gl*?! Honestly, those brats!¡±


    ¡®Eh? Did he just¡­ mention RL stuff? Is it a bug?¡¯ Yushin bowed and then turned around to leave, but the old man spoke:


    ¡°Oh...Wait!!! You younglings give up way too early! Here, sit, sit¡­ I¡¯ll tell you about alchemy¡­ I am an alchemist, after all!¡±


    ¡®Make up your mind, old man!¡¯ Yushin sat down.


    ¡°Honestly, there is no secret. You just [Research] stuff, [Experiment] stuff and then [Mix] stuff! By the end you¡¯re so stuffed you can¡¯t see another vial.¡± The old man seemed pretty happy with his own small pun.


    ¡°So, you need to research an item to know its effects, experiment with it to find [Alchemic Formulas] and then mix the materials? Something like that?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that what I just said? Are you even listening, kid?!¡±


    ¡®This old man¡­¡¯


    ¡°That is the basic stuff! The rest is trade secret, if you¡¯re really interested you need to join... Hehehehe¡­ But I still won¡¯t take you as a disciple. Though you can do pretty much everything with only those three steps, like potions, pills, poisons, and others.¡±


    Yushin was about to thank him and find someone else to explain a few more things, but the old man was faster.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°I know, I know, you want to know about the guild, right brat? It¡¯s written all over your face¡­ I¡¯m no guide, but I¡¯ll tell you about it. You remind me of a pet dog I had. He also looked sad and lonely¡­¡±


    ¡®...WHAT¡­¡¯


    ¡°You know, the [Alchemy Guild] accepts any alchemists. They can take requests and see formulas, as long as their rank is enough. If they contribute with a few formulas of their own, it rises pretty quickly¡­. They¡¯ll probably pass me soon¡­ What a sad world.¡± The old man was lost in thought for a while.


    *Ahem* ¡°Other guilds also recruit alchemists, so like most crafting professions they are not bound, unless it¡¯s an [Exclusive Contract]. You might not know, but ever since that Nameless Mage thing used his power and made all mana go kapuff [Contracts] are a big thing in this world. You can also enter in an [Exclusive Contract] with an alchie or any other [Crafting Class] and exchange some benefits. Oooh¡­ that¡¯s what you should do. Find a trustworthy fledgling alchemist and make him your personal. That might get you access to good stuff.¡±


    ¡®That is an interesting idea¡­ I would be able to focus on other things and build a relationship. I¡¯ll probably need a lot of alchemy stuff later on. But who to choose and where to find¡­¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s about it. I can¡¯t tell an outsider anything too specific. Just remember we are very important in every country. [Master Alchemists] are as important as kings. If only I was one¡­ Ah, woe is me¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you, senior. I will remember your words.¡± Yushin bowed.


    ¡°Humpf, good kid. Now off you go. You made me talk too much.¡±


    ¡®You talked all on your own!!!¡¯


    Yushin was really tired. That was more draining than the entire beginner¡¯s dungeon. And much harder to go through.


    Outside the room, the sickly looking girl was already gone. A plain man took over, and Yushin told him he was looking for an alchemist to form a contract with. The man then pointed around the room, where many people were trying to find their own partners and maybe form a party.


    Some of them cast a glance to Yushin and then moved on. He tried talking to a few people, but most of them already had guilds or friends to partner with. Finally, one was interested in it. It was a confident and bright looking fellow with sharp eyes and long brown hair.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m also looking for a [Contract]. What do you say you give me the materials, I experiment with it and then give you the results. If I make something interesting we can sell and share the profit. 70/30, since I¡¯ll be doing the hard work.¡±


    Yushin pondered about it a little and nodded. It seemed a bit greedy and very vague, but he wanted to build a relationship anyway. If things didn¡¯t work out he could break up the deal later on.


    ¡°Hey, you!¡± A coarse and sort of annoying voice spread. ¡°You¡¯re an alchemist, right? Our group just joined [Red Clay Guild]. Do you want to become our private alchemist?¡±


    That request was directed at the alchie Yushin was talking to. The one who spoke was a fairly good looking man with blue eyes and golden hair. He carried an axe on his back and even had some equipment. He was in the lead of a group of five, with two women and two men in the back. The others only had basic starting equipment, but they seemed very organized about roles with diverse weapons.


    The Sharp-Eyes Alchemist looked towards Yushin and then the group, and quickly made a decision.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± He said before going off. Yushin simply bowed slightly. The golden haired man gave a proud ¡°heh¡± look to Yushin and the group left.


    ¡®Back to square zero¡­¡¯ He kept looking around once more until his eyes rested on a young alchemist trotting forward and backward in a corner of the guild. He looked really young, like around fifteen years old, and was worried out of his wits. It looked like he didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°Hello.¡± Yushin approached slowly and smiling.


    ¡°...H-Hello!¡± The boy answered back quickly, showing his good manners. He didn¡¯t even look Yushin in the eyes and was already burning red with shyness.


    ¡°...Are you an alchemist?¡±


    ¡°...Y-yes!¡±


    ¡®He looks a bit young, but¡­ Well, let¡¯s just see how it goes.¡¯ Yushin tried not to look aggressive. ¡°Do you want to make a contract?¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°C-can we r-really¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do you not have the confidence to do it?¡±


    ¡°...I d-don¡¯t¡­ I-I mean!!! I d-do¡­ but my skills are low level¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, as long as you do your best. Would you like to go adventuring as well?¡±


    ¡°N-not really, s-sorry¡­ I w-want to f-focus on Alchemy and become an [Alchemy Master]... I h-hate combat.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t that even better for Yushin? Someone that had the guts to focus on his craft until he became one of the best? He really liked that sort of people.


    ¡°I see! That is a great goal.¡±


    ¡°T-Thank you! You are very kind, sir.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s set the terms. I will provide you with the material I find and you¡¯ll report your findings to me. Formulas are yours, of course, but I will pay only the production cost of the items you can make. If we can sell them, we¡¯ll split fifty-fifty. Is that good enough?¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± The boy answered.


    ¡°I am called Yushin. You are?¡±


    ¡°Aurei!¡± Yushin was a bit surprised with the name, and a long carefree smile appeared on his face...


    Happy with the terms, both of them called up the system and made a [Contract]. Of course, right now there wasn¡¯t much use for it, but it was proof of their deal and shared relationship. It was obviously a flexible system inside the game designed for people to make deals with some security.


    ¡°I will add you as a friend, is that okay?¡±


    The boy nodded. He was very happy.


    ¡°Then, please feel free to PM me anytime. I will give you these for now.¡± He then handed over [Kruik¡¯s Blood of Hatred], [Kruik¡¯s Blood] and [Kruik¡¯s Teeth]. [Soul of a Hero] could not be moved nor taken out of his inventory. He still had no idea what was it for.


    ¡°T-Thanks! I will work hard!¡±


    Yushin nodded. ¡°I will go now, I also need to find a blacksmith to partner with.¡±


    ¡°O-Oh! W-wait! My sister is playing with me, she is a blacksmith. She went over to the [Blacksmith¡¯s Guild] right now! D-Do you want to meet her?¡±


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go then.¡± He was happy to speed things up.


    ¡°Hum!¡± Aurei nodded.


    Both of them left and then headed towards the Blacksmith¡¯s Guild, which was not a long way from there. In the middle of the way was a commotion in front of a building.


    ¡°...Your character is trash. Either you change it or you¡¯re no longer welcome to play with us.¡± Yushin could see it was the same golden haired man from before. He was arguing with a female member of his troupe.


    ¡°...Why? Wasn¡¯t it agreed before that we could play whatever we want?¡± The woman had white, double braided hair, and a lean, sad face. Her glittering blue eyes were quite alluring. She wore a common outfit and a [Mage¡¯s Hat].


    ¡°I can see this game is gonna be big. I want to take it seriously, what is wrong with wanting the best party?¡±


    ¡°I will also work hard with this character. We just started.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. You¡¯re a [Pure Mage]. With thin mana, you can only use a couple of skills and they even do lower damage than normal attacks. Why the hell would you play that? It¡¯s still early to change. Later on, you will drag everyone down and need to start over your skills.¡± He did not mince any words.


    ¡°But¡­ I want to try playing it, for as long as I can. We don¡¯t even know much about the game yet!¡±


    The Golden Haired man sighed. ¡°Then, you have to leave.¡±


    The woman looked around at the rest of the group, but they were all silent. Not a single one of them said anything, including the recently joined Sharp-Eyes Alchemist.


    ¡°...Fine. I will leave [Red Clay Guild] and our group then. I hope you¡¯ll be happy.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be, you know that. You should be less stubborn.¡±


    The woman didn¡¯t answer and instead turned her back to leave. She passed by Yushin with tears in her eyes.


    He did not know it was possible to cry in the game.


    But he already saw that sort of scene many times in the past. To some people, games were more important than anything. To those that wanted to be the best, being casual was only a hindrance.


    That was the abyss between hardcore and normal gamers.


    Yet it wasn¡¯t something he was willing to approve. It would never be.

 Chapter Seven: Mysterious and Dangerous, Just How I Like It

    Chapter Seven: Mysterious and Dangerous, Just How I Like it.


    Aurei was standing there dumbfounded. Seems like he was not used to seeing those kinds of conflicts in a game. That either meant he was a newbie or dreaded any kind of drama.


    ¡°...You don¡¯t understand why they acted like that?¡± Yushin asked via Private Message. Unlike the group before, he cared if people overheard.


    ¡°...N-no¡­ They looked like friends...I-Is a good character that important?¡±


    ¡°To some people, yes. Maybe even to everyone. But not all are willing to sacrifice friendship over it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really get it¡­ I-I would never do that.¡± Aurei said in a sad tone.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you are a kind person, kid.¡± Yushin smiled. Aurei seemed very happy, and both of them proceeded to the Blacksmith¡¯s Guild. It didn¡¯t take very long, and even before getting to the door the kid¡¯s eyes opened wide.


    There was a huge female figure sitting beside it.


    It had over three meters and a very large, bulky body with rune designs and horns. It was clearly a [Giant Race Variation Species]. Fire like long hair and scarlet eyes turned the sight into a terrifying image.


    So far it was the most impressive race Yushin had seen. Races in tales were not easily distinguishable before their [Trait Awakening], except for some unmistakable characteristics, like dwarf¡¯s height or beastmen¡¯s tails and ears. Even on those, it was shallow. On that giant, however, the features were fully displayed.


    ¡°S-Sis¡­¡± Aurei approached slowly¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re late, smelly brat! Did anyone bully you?¡± It was a voice mixed with teasing and worry.


    ¡®...So that giant is his sister? I don¡¯t remember seeing any class like that during selection.¡¯


    She finally noticed Yushin, ¡°Who is that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, m-my [Contract Partner]. I finally f-found one!¡±


    Yushin bowed slightly, ¡°I am Yushin.¡±


    The giant looked at him with distrustful eyes, ¡°...Are you sure he can be trusted? He looks shady.¡±


    So direct!


    Yushin smiled awkwardly, ¡°Ha ha ha¡­¡±


    ¡°H-He is a good person¡­ A-and needs a Blacksmith as well, Sis.¡±


    ¡°Eeeeh¡­¡± She kept looking at him funny. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll enter into a contract with you too, the same as my brother. If you scam us I¡¯ll kill you though.¡±


    Yushin nodded, ¡°T-Thank you...Can I ask you something?¡±


    Seems she already knew what he wanted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I became like this. I went into the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon, killed a few giants and my traits awakened.¡±


    ¡®So it was an awakening¡­ That¡¯s so cool.¡¯ His eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Ugh, gross! Stop looking at me with those curious eyes, it¡¯s worse than leering!¡±


    ¡°S-Sis¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I got too excited.¡± Yushin bowed slightly in apology.


    ¡°Geez, what a weirdo. Give it to me already.¡±


    ¡°...Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Your broken weapon! Isn¡¯t that why you need a Smith?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes¡­ That is indeed one of the reasons. Here.¡± He turned over the broken spear.


    ¡°A spear, normal quality. You know it will become poor after I fix, right? Come, and don¡¯t blame me after.¡± Both of them followed her into an open spot in a side street. She had no smithy and her rank wasn¡¯t high enough to use the Guild''s ones.


    The sight of an over three meters tall giant holding a small hammer was something to behold. Maybe even a little bit funny, since she could not put her entire strength into it. She hammered away, again and again, until the spear was fixed.


    ¡®Just don¡¯t ask me how she fixed the wooden shaft with a hammer. I guess the realism didn¡¯t come this far after all.¡¯


    ¡°There. That one is for free since you were nice to my little brother. Remember to bring materials if you want something done later on after we sign the contract.¡±


    Yushin nodded and bowed slightly. He wanted to ask her about smithing but kept holding back. He was definitely a little afraid of her.


    She sighed, ¡°You want to ask me about Blacksmithing, right? It¡¯s written all over your face. If you want something, just say it.¡±


    ¡®Maybe if you weren¡¯t so scary, lady.¡¯ But there was no way in hell he would say that to her face.


    ¡°There¡¯s no secret. I know a few [Molds] for several kinds of weapons, armors, and objects, and depending on the materials I use it comes out differently. Higher skill level allows me to use more molds and even create a few of my own. It also increases weapon stats, durability, and quality. I can also use the [Repair Skill]. That¡¯s about it.¡± At least her voice had a nice ring to it. Quite the contrast to her current appearance.


    ¡®So it is very similar to alchemists, as expected. I should head over to the Engineer¡¯s and Hunter¡¯s Guild since those are my current skills. This is way too much info for the first day, but I suppose it¡¯s unavoidable. I haven¡¯t even gotten to the merchants yet either, but I¡¯ll skip that since I gave the items to Aurei. I¡¯m more interested in exploring around.¡¯


    They both went over the contract and then ¡°signed¡±, making Aurei very happy again. The giant¡¯s username was ¡°Bitter Cat¡±, but Yushin did not dare to say anything about it for fear of his physical integrity. They finished adding each other as friends, and it was time to move on.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, little brother.¡±


    ¡°G-go where¡­?¡±


    ¡°To join Free Forest and use the Dungeon there, what else?¡±


    ¡°Eeeehhh... I-I don¡¯t wanna do dungeons¡­¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re just gonna wait for materials to come? What about your other skills? You¡¯re. Coming. With. Me. NOW.¡± She dragged him away while he cried and waved goodbye to Yushin.


    She did not call him to join them, neither did he expect her to. They just met and she was very distrustful of strangers. That was probably for the best.


    Yushin didn¡¯t waste any time either in getting to the other guilds. The first one he went to was the [Engineer¡¯s Guild]. It was very different from the others since there was a lot of advanced machinery around, like gadgets, trinkets, and gears. Outside of that, it wasn¡¯t very impressive personnel-wise. It seems engineering wasn¡¯t huge in Red Clay City.


    He did join the guild and learned about designing, crafting and building prototypes and actual tools. Like most crafting classes, working as an engineer was a lot based on research, experimentation and actual testing. The [Research And Experimentation System] was an interface where he put several different kinds of items and tested their quality, special effects, durability, and resistance. This needed a workbench or similar place and the items could range from [Raw Materials] to [Metal Alloys] and [Other Materials]. In fact, he could even use items developed by other crafting classes, such as [Clothes], [Leathers] or [Tools].


    Simple to use yet very complex in the end. If he knew what uses the materials had beforehand, he would be able to see more info on the final product. If not, he would have to research the new product all over again. After the research part, [Blueprints] could be designed. This was the core of the engineer¡¯s profession.


    It was impossible to see the depth of this class, but the potential seemed limitless. The [Designing Interface] had several options, where one could insert objects in specific key positions and receive a different result each time. It didn¡¯t always have to be a different object, but it would still have different characteristics such as augmented or reduced durability or mobility.


    For example, the first kind of blueprint Yushin could design was a simple [Gear]. By itself, it had no special use. Unless he wanted to throw it on someone¡¯s head¡­


    However, it could be made from different materials like [Wood or Metal], with a single [Mechanism] or several mechanisms together. It could either be very simple or very complex, connected by a large string or a shaft. Just by thinking of the possibilities one could see it developing into a lot of different devices.


    With that in mind, it was possible to develop tools like Advanced Revolving Doors, weapons like Advanced Crossbows, Traps and Siege Weapons. Maybe even Magic Powered Cars or Mechanical Chariots! It wasn¡¯t too far-fetched to think that way.


    The last part was building the prototype. This one could be done by himself, for simple projects, and with help for more complex ones. The system itself recommended the use of other professions in the mix, such as smiths. There was no way he would be able to finish a [Siege Weapon] by himself without materials made by a Blacksmith.


    In the end, Yushin was quite happy with his crafting choice. It wasn¡¯t easy to make money out of it right now and there were no clear benefits, but the potential was huge. Since joining a Crafter¡¯s Guild had no binding obligations and his benefits would be according to what he contributed, he had no reason not to join. As proof of membership, he received a small [Wooden Gear]. It symbolized he was a lower rank Engineer.


    His next stop was the [Hunter¡¯s Lodge]. Even though it was still considered a Guild, it wasn¡¯t very big and stood in a corner of the city. There also were no binding obligations. Hunters banded together there to trade information, sell rare items and track specific targets. If the adventurer¡¯s guilds had a broader range, the Hunter¡¯s Lodge focused more on finding, researching and killing monsters and beasts. Scouting and Cartography were also on the cards.


    Yushin decided to join so he could get info on different types of monsters and update his [Living Info]. He contributed with what he knew on [Kruiknansians] and learned there was a specific [Monster Research] division. Since this world had so many monster species, the more the Heroic Kingdoms knew about them, the safer it would be.


    There were also [Monster Taming] and [Monster Hunting] as separate divisions, but he needed to be at least Rank 3 to choose one. They were even situated in other parts of the city. The info he gave on Kruiks put him about halfway to rank 2 though. Seems hitting different spots and killing them in multiple ways awards more [Contribution Points], since it generates more information.


    As a bonus, he got multiple info on several common species that were available to his rank. He definitely found that lodge useful.


    In Tales, the multiple communication forms were of course only available to players. Those were free and had a wide range. But sending messages between NPCs and players were done via [Couriers] or [Magic Crystals].


    The former was a normal delivery system with nothing special. It could take ages to find someone with it in this huge world. The latter was a more expensive and rarer method since mana was thin. Magic Crystals were condensed Mana. Yushin found this out while joining both Guild¡¯s, since they provide a small mana crystal inside their symbol, such as the Wooden Gear in engineer¡¯s case. The symbol of a Hunter¡¯s Lodge member was a Wolf¡¯s Fang.


    Those were really limited and could not send any messages in it other than one that symbolized an emergency summons. If the crystal resonated, it was an emergency summon. Because of that, they were the most common ones and even smaller guilds could afford to give them to new members.


    After that, he had finished everything he set to do and was itching for exploration. In the Hunter¡¯s Lodge, he also found a few interesting spots to investigate around Red Clay City but refrained from buying a map because he did not have enough coins.


    Maps were expensive. After all, knowledge was power.


    Since he didn¡¯t want to join an Adventurer¡¯s Guild yet and check out their dungeons, that was all he could do. He had already lost interest in [Red Clay] or [Golden Rose], so either Free Forest or other player made guild would be his choice.


    On the spots around the city, Yushin heard about [Creon¡¯s Grotto], [Southwind Ranch], [Faint Forest], [Red Clay Burial Grounds], [The Inked Tower], [Hidden Guard Outpost], [The Rabbit Hideout] and [Hard Clay Way]. Those were only a few of the many spots around Red Clay and a fraction of those in the entirety of the Heroic Kingdoms.


    [Creon¡¯s Grotto] was the entrance to a dangerous place with many linked caves. The reason it didn¡¯t threaten the surrounding cities is there is a powerful [Array Formation] that only allows things to go inside and only leave with adequate permission. What exactly is inside its depths is unknown even to High Ranking members of the Hunter¡¯s Lodge, or so Yushin heard.


    [Southwind Ranch] is a common place with many different types of food production. Even though Southwind is the most famous, there were many farms and ranches around, and there are always Quests and Tasks. Most of the City''s supplies come from there, so it is highly regarded.


    ¡®...That reminds me, I forgot to learn about food and stuff. Maybe this is an educational game and not an action VRMMO¡­¡¯


    [Red Clay Burial Grounds] was just that, a cemetery. It didn¡¯t have anything special about it. No undead either from what he heard. Disappointment. [The Inked Tower] was a remnant before the [Mage¡¯s Downfall]. All its systems stopped working and the place is only an abandoned bandits hangout spot. It seems The Kingdom had no interest in reclaiming it.


    [The Rabbit Hideout] was a famous secret bandit group spot. Even though the name was well known, the location was very well hidden. The reward for any tips about it has passed one hundred gold coins. That bandit group also had no clear name, but they were known as ¡°The Rabbits¡± anyway. Yushin only knew they targeted people at [Hard Clay Way], the main road to the Kingdom¡¯s Capital.


    [The Hidden Guard Outpost] was Red Clay City main defensive power, used in case of emergencies and monster attacks. It was also its job to support surrounding settlements and villages. Although it was not really hidden, it was called that way because the [Hidden Guard] was originally a force under direct command to the former City Lord.


    But the most interesting place was the [Faint Forest], and the one Yushin decided to explore first. It was a common beginner¡¯s spot, but wide enough that everyone could explore freely. It was also full of Elven [Relics].


    There were also many mysteries, including the one related to the forest¡¯s name. It had double meaning since it was considered a weak place and people also fainted often inside, many being carried away into the depths.


    Was there a better place to start?


    Definitely not.


    ¡®Mysterious and Dangerous, just how I like it.¡¯ Yushin thought. He began to leave the city, but not before spending his 10 Copper Coins (cc) on a sword and a backup spear in some random store. Of course, for 5 cc each, they were both poor quality...

 Chapter Eight: Surprises In The Faint Forest

    Chapter Eight: Surprises In The Faint Forest


    Yushin talked with many NPCs before leaving Red Clay City through the east gate. And yet no quest activated. To reach Faint Forest, one had to go from there and pass a few small villages. He had no trouble finding his way and no monsters attacked him either.


    The vision of that huge and dense looking forest blew all his expectations out of proportion. There isn¡¯t anything like it in real life. Some trees had over one hundred and fifty meters tall and were so wide they didn¡¯t lose out to buildings. Yushin failed to estimate the extension and ending point of the forest. Trees, trees, and trees. Everywhere he looked.


    ¡®How is this a ¡°faint¡± forest? It looks huge¡­ This is much bigger than my entire city. I¡¯ll go in with care. ¡¯


    Entering the forest was not a problem. But when he did it, his body stopped for a while and then felt a familiar and penetrating sensation.


    ¡®Is this some kind of barrier¡­? Felt like I passed through something and it scanned my body.¡¯


    There are no discernible markings whatsoever around, even after thorough checking. [Tracking Skill] started to work, and many red dots appeared on the minimap. Yushin hid and checked them out.


    The figures were Gray Wolves, Jaguars and Brown Bears. They didn¡¯t look like their regular versions. Monster-like elements, such as horns, bigger claws, and fangs, were present.


    According to the [Hunter¡¯s Lodge], each monster species has their own [Habits and behavior]. A [Monster Ecosystem] has many intricacies and rules. Wiping out one species may lead to a chain of events impossible to predict.


    Yushin didn¡¯t want to assume they behaved exactly like real life animals. He kept observing them in secret. The Brown Bear with horns acted like an untouchable boss, and no one looked willing to bother him. He stood tall and did whatever he felt like.


    Jaguars and Wolves didn¡¯t get along but also didn¡¯t get into bigger conflicts. They hunted other common species and fed them to the bear.


    In that part of the woods, the bear was the monarch.


    When he was about to test a lone wolf¡¯s strength, a couple of adventurers came into his sights. Two male avatars, one carrying a bow, the other sword and shield. Their strategy was basic: sword and shield tanks, bow snipes. That was all there was to it.


    Finding a lone gray wolf, the adventurers stroke. But from there on everything went badly.


    The wolf was much faster than expected. It dodged sword strikes and arrows missed him. It was in control of the whole battle. A few minutes passed and they still couldn¡¯t land a blow, but the wolf clawed through half of their HP with ease.


    Yushin knew doom walked near, but not because of the wolf. The others had already surrounded them. They hid themselves waiting for the right moment to strike. From what he could tell, they weren¡¯t actually planning on ganging up on them.


    They didn¡¯t want them to run.


    When the adventurers realized this, they rushed back but died anyway. They should not have underestimated these wolves.


    ¡®Unless I can kill one swiftly, I¡¯ll be dead right away.¡¯


    Yushin sighed and decided to check other places inside the forest. He might have wandered into a high leveled area.


    At one point, Yushin stopped. His minimap was full of red dots. Over one hundred of them at once. He got up into a tree once he realized all of them were land-based worms.


    ¡®Green Worms¡­ Those are [Elven Chewers].¡¯


    Those Green Worms appeared in his [Hunter¡¯s Lodge] info, even though the other monsters did not.


    Info: Faint Forest¡¯s Green Worms. A common Faint Forest species. [Land Based Worm]. Cannot climb trees. Sluggish. Attacks: [Spike Spit] and [Jaws Triturator]. Weak to pierce. Strong against bludgeoning. Can hide in the ground and run or ambush. If there are many together, an evolved form leads them. Run.


    ¡®Damn¡­ These are no good either. I¡¯ll keep going.¡¯


    Yushin didn¡¯t get down and instead walked from tree to tree. It wasn¡¯t hard to do with so many large branches, but after he was away from the worms he jumped down. He didn¡¯t know what to expect from the trees, after all. He hadn¡¯t seen a single monster there. That was never a good sign.


    The forest itself didn¡¯t change a lot until much deeper. The monsters were the same, but the leader changed sometimes. In some, the brown bears were leaders, but he also saw wolves and jaguars commanding. There were so many communities the number of monsters came to tens of thousands. He was pretty good at hiding, otherwise he¡¯ would be dead already.


    Some Monster Communities are disorganized and random. They acted according to the [Leader¡¯s Personality]. On the first one, the brown bear was a [Monarch]. Everyone served him.


    There was one particularly interesting community. They shared command. All three were leaders, fighting outside invaders that dared to enter their territory. Yushin called that type Monster [Democracy], as opposed to [Monarchy] from before.


    It was hard keeping track of each one¡¯s characteristics. He found out naming them helped organize that data. When the gray wolves were in the lead, their team play was extremely high. Jaguars were fast but lonely. If he wanted to ambush some of them, Jaguar communities were the best spot to start. And so he did.


    Yushin strategy used hit-and-run. He lurked around waiting for an opportunity to strike and did so swiftly. Jaguars were challenging with their speed, but they never called for help. The greatest risk was standing in one place so monsters would walk up to them randomly.


    Since his skills were a bit slow, none of them could effectively hit the enemies. Yushin chose to avoid them and fight only with normal spear attacks and his own speed. Anticipating the monster moves was hard at the beginning, but he picked up things quickly. Soon he was overwhelming them with precise strikes to their eyes, legs, and throat. Kill and hide.


    [Got Ratre¡¯s Skin x11]


    [Got Ratre¡¯s Fangs x11]


    [Got Ratre¡¯s Blood x 10]


    ¡®So these Jaguar-types are Ratre. I killed enough of them, let¡¯s move on to wolves.¡¯


    Yushin knew wolves were much more challenging, even those on Ratre communities. Those were less prone to call for help, but they would still do it if you killed them too slow or if they felt threatened.


    On wolves, he didn¡¯t go to maim right away. He drained their HP by hitting non-vital spots and then went for the kill. Wolves were much slower to kill than Ratres but offered about the same level of challenge. Yushin couldn¡¯t go for bears since even solo they were much stronger than him. Safety always first.


    [Got Ranroth¡¯s Fangs x 8]


    [Got Ranroth¡¯s Claws x7]


    [Got Ranroth¡¯s Fur x 10]


    [Got Ranroth¡¯s Blood x 10]


    ¡®The Gray Wolves are Ranroth. Too bad I can¡¯t know how much longer I need to level up.¡¯


    Unlike most games, Tales showed as little info as possible. That includes level up experience.


    Yushin realized the Monster Community was adapting to him. Soon they began to patrol more and even search using better methods. A few wolves found him and pursued, but he managed to lose them in the forest.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡®That was close. Time to explore deeper.¡¯


    He was a long way from the exit but kept going in anyway. The communities changed but the monsters were the same. It seems those were the only species able to coexist in the [Outer Circles]. Soon he found out why: those monsters did not dare to venture further. As soon as he stepped inside one of the [Inner circles], those three monster species were nowhere to be seen.


    The branches were much thicker and darker. Some kind of sinister energy had corrupted the forest itself. Even though the air was clear, whatever did that also changed the forest permanently.


    ¡®This is the work of that [Demon Miasma]. Maybe I should go back¡­¡¯


    But before he could, his sights stopped into a few ruins a bit away. They looked like some sort of old elven temple, with ancient runes and guardian statues. The temple itself was very large and seemed to go deep underground. It even went up in the trees, in a marvelous and now somber piece. Repairing it, Yushin assumed it would be beautiful.


    Lost in that marvel, he did not realize new enemies around.


    He was already surrounded.


    Skeletons that wore armor and looked fierce. Some carried long swords, other bows and arrows. A few of them even used magic. And they still managed to get him by surprise.


    Yushin shivered. That was the reason monsters didn¡¯t go there.


    It was freaking suicide.


    ¡°Assarp noa Ekov.¡± One of the skeletons spoke. Yushin wrinkled his brows.


    ¡°Denente em noa Ekov?¡± He kept asking. They made no moves to attack.


    Yushin finally shook his head. ¡°I cannot understand you.¡±


    ¡°You are our kind, yet does not know the words?¡± The skeleton finally asked in Tales common language.


    ¡°Your kind?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you have not undergone baptism, but we can feel some [Familiarity] towards you. We are the [Raibyr, Guardians of the Old Forest]. You cannot pass.¡±


    ¡°When you say ¡°baptism¡±, do you mean awakening?¡±


    ¡°That seems to be the appropriate word in the common tongue. This familiarity is the only reason we have not killed you on sight, wanderer. This is a sacred place of our kind, no one can pass.¡±


    ¡°I apologize. I will return right away.¡± Yushin smiled and bowed. ¡®...Another one of this [Familiarity] talk. It was the same with the dwarf before. Does this have something to do with me randomizing origin? Am I some kind of dwarf-elf hybrid? But it says half-human on my character screen¡­¡¯


    ¡°Wanderer.¡± The skeleton elf spoke. ¡°To enter the temple you must solve the forest¡¯s mystery. May our Lord be with you, living one of our kind.¡±


    Yushin nodded before leaving. A system warning popped up:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Common Quest


    </td>


    <td>


    Solve the Faint Forest¡¯s Mystery.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Duration


    </td>


    <td>


    -----


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Difficulty


    </td>


    <td>


    E


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Reward


    </td>


    <td>


    Allowed to enter the [Temple of Raibyr].


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡®My first quest! I don¡¯t even know where to start, though¡­ I¡¯ll try to explore more and see if there are any clues.¡¯


    Yushin made his way back until it was sure he was no longer in Elven territory. Instead of going further back, however, he wandered in a circular motion. How far did the elves protection go? Was that the only temple in the forest? He had not seen even one tenth of it. There sure were much more things to find.


    Slowly, the species started to slight change. He saw Red Wolves, Yellow Worms, Gray Bears and Stripped Jaguars. They looked much more ferocious than the ones before and even had some faint sinister force. Almost walking into some spider¡¯s nest, he noticed the webs before falling prey to it. The fauna started to change, and so did the communities. It was a whole new world from that point on. And too dangerous for him to proceed alone, at least with his current strength.


    ¡®So the Outer Circle has weaker monsters since the ones inside pushed them away. From what I can see, those stronger ones also don¡¯t go any further in. That means there are even stronger species or a Boss. The ones in the Inner Circle have more freedom, and the ones outside banded together for survival. And they don¡¯t respawn, but there is a [Monster Reproduction System] in place. What happens if some adventurers start to wipe a few of these species out? Broken balance, huge changes. Maybe they can even go outside and attack villages... In the end, this is a shifting forest, and can affect everything around it.¡¯


    Yushin had finished his exploration for now and started to go back to the exit. There was no need to go back where he came from, so he dashed to the closest place, taking care not to run into any ambushes.


    He was already used to the monster patterns. As long as he didn¡¯t provoke them and become a target, he would be able to walk unhindered through the trees. He also confirmed there were no flying type monsters or even tree grapplers. Monsters always stayed on the ground. Moreover, even if he climbed a tree, they tried to attack from afar, but never followed. Either it was some kind of rule or they dreaded climbing¡­


    On the way back, Yushin saw a huge group of players for the first time. There were about ten. They didn¡¯t have better equipment than him but looked well organized. There were signs of battle everywhere, and the place was clear of monsters.


    He hid and climbed on trees, observing the situation. The group of players chased something or someone. They were talking among themselves while running.


    ¡°Damn, how did they escape? There are only three of them left. We need to kill them fast before they log out.¡± One of the players was definitely in a bad mood. He carried two daggers, had short blue hair and a mean look on his face.


    ¡°Pfft, who was it that missed all those hits? Yer got parried a lot, man¡­ step it up, will ya?¡± The one that carried a long sword teased. He had long red hair.


    ¡°Shut up! They¡¯re kinda good, but I don¡¯t care. That frigging dungeon is ours!¡±


    ¡®A dungeon¡­? So a few adventurers found a dungeon, and these fellows want to kill them and steal it. Heh. It¡¯s not any of my business anyway, but I¡¯ll keep observing.¡¯


    Yushin followed them in silence, trying his hardest not to make noises. His run early on through the forest helped him practice a lot.


    One of the pursuing crew looked bothered by something. He kept glancing around, sometimes in Yushin¡¯s direction. Either he was very afraid of monsters popping up or somehow he sensed his presence. After a while, he gave up and just kept running forward.


    Soon the group finally found their target. Three players indeed. They stopped since ahead was a group of Elven Chewers. From that position, they could not go forward nor run back.


    The one in the lead was a black haired female with beautiful glossy medium sized hair, carrying a long sword and small rounded shield. Her frame was small, only around 160 cm or so, definitely petite. Her eyes looked fierce and decisively soulful, even with an animal glint to them. Yushin couldn¡¯t distinguish her race.


    The two behind her were one axe-wielding half-orc and one spear wielding kobold species. They both had several bruises and cuts. The adventurers didn¡¯t lose any time and stroke. Yet none of the attacks connected.


    [Parry!]


    [Block!]


    [Parry!]


    The petite looked like a Goddess in battle. Her movements were quick and fluid, her reaction speed amazing. She parried and blocked attacks like they were nothing. The other two merely had to complement her moves and they could hold out for a long time. This made the attackers red with anger and frustration.


    ¡°You b**ch! I¡¯m gonna step on your corpse!¡¯ Yelled the two daggered mean faced fellow.


    ¡°Humpf, treacherous animals... Have you no honor? We had a deal!¡± The voice was definitely young and soft sounding.


    ¡°Deal¡¯s off, baby. We didn¡¯t expect yer guys ta find a Magic Dungeon. Either ya relinquish yer rights, or we kill ya. Simple as that.¡± The red haired threw his thoughts in.


    ¡°Over our dead bodies!¡± Shouted the kobold.


    ¡°You two¡­¡± - One of the guys in the back stepped forward. He carried bow and arrow. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join [Red Clay Guild]? She¡¯s the only one in [Free Forest], right? Well, join our guild and we can enjoy not only that dungeon but the others together. It¡¯s much better than dying here and losing everything, right?¡±


    The Half-Orc and Kobold were in silence. All they had to do was attack the woman from behind. They would be able to join [Red Clay Guild] and enjoy some privileges. Otherwise, It was only a matter of time until they died there.


    ¡°You can go¡­¡± The soft voice resounded. It tried to hide, but was full of loneliness and sadness. It was as if she already expected the answer to be betrayal.


    ¡°Lady, what kind of people do you think we are?¡± The half-orc spoke first.


    ¡°We just met, but¡­ we either die together or live together! Right?¡± The Kobold also said with a smile.


    ¡°Right.¡± The woman gave a faint smile and pointed her shield at the enemies. ¡°Come.¡±


    They were fuming mad.


    Yet, in the shadows, there was also another person that had made a decision.


    Hearing [Red Clay Guild] and [Free Forest], Yushin wasn¡¯t mad. He had a bit of prejudice towards Red Clay, but only towards the blonde¡¯s group. When the archer tried to force a betrayal, he was already expecting it to happen.


    But the trio stayed united.


    At that moment, Yushin decided to support them. That meant he would make an enemy out of the entire [Red Clay Guild].


    But, once he decided something, not even making enemies with the whole world would make him turn back...

 Chapter Nine: Cunning and Ferocious, Start of An Adventure

    Chapter Nine: Cunning and Ferocious, Start of An Adventure


    The battle continued, but the shield-bearing woman did not take any damage. Her companions had taken a few blows and their HP was nearing a dangerous spot. Even though the attackers were many, they could not find a way to overwhelm them. The small pool of starting skills certainly helped them survive. It is much easier to predict and parry repetitive skills.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, so many of you can¡¯t take her down? Heh, you¡¯re not so tough after all!¡± The Half-Orc grinned. He had a huge scar above his eye, spiked green hair, and long teeth. Other than that, his body looked humanlike.


    If words could kill the man wielding daggers would have an attack right now. How come so many of them couldn¡¯t take them down? They had spears, swords, bows, and maces, and that ended in a stalemate. The forest¡¯s geography didn¡¯t help them either. There were too many places to take cover behind branches and trees.


    ¡°You think you can hold out forever? We already called for help. You better give up fast or I¡¯ll make my mission to hunt you down.¡± The man who carried bow and arrow and tried to convince them to join before spoke.


    But before the trio could answer, Yushin sent the lady a Private Text Message, ¡°Get ready to run.¡±


    ¡®...?!¡¯ Surprised and confused, before she could ask anything things were already in motion.


    The Majestic Brown Bear mowed trees and branches down like a madman. His claws extended and fangs were much larger than normal. His eyes were bloodshot and the left one had signs of a cut above it.


    To a being as prideful as the [Monarch Bear], that was the most humiliating experience it ever had in its short digital existence. A tiny human appeared, injured him and made a pitiful expression after. He mocked it repeatedly, then ran.


    The sight of the bear followed by Ranroths and Ratres was frightening. Yushin wasn¡¯t sure he could make it in time. There were some close calls.


    ¡°What the hell is going on!?¡± The dagger wielding man cried. The group¡¯s attention was already on the upcoming monster mob. The trio was the last of their problems right now.


    Yushin weaved, dodged a few attacks and jumped forward after running on branches. He then tumbled amidst the large group. Even if they wanted to attack him not everyone had time to react. A couple of the most skilled players stepped back a bit and raised their weapons, but Yushin¡¯s target was the dagger wielding man.


    [Spear Thrust] exploded towards his heart!


    Now, a common player would take that attack straight away, but that one was pretty skilled. He managed to block with his daggers at the last moment. Both broke and he still took some damage. Yushin didn¡¯t lose time either and spun around him towards the trio.


    ¡°...Bro!¡± The long red haired fellow was too slow to react and could only watch. At that point, they weren¡¯t sure where to look.


    ¡°Run!¡± Yushin Private Messaged the trio again and was ready to run by their side.


    ¡°Wait, let¡¯s cut their retreat!¡± The woman answered back right away.


    ¡®....!¡¯ Yushin was definitely surprised, but a wicked smile soon followed. If everyone ran it was impossible to know who the monsters would chase. He was a prime target for the bear, but it was so mad it attacked like a Berserker. Dooming all in its path.


    In front there were the Elven Chewers, running back the Monster Mob and Monarch Bear! Panic ensued, but the core members of the enemy moved northeast. In a group of that size, it was unlikely that all were friends. Some only partied to have an easier time in the forest. The more coordinated part of the group moved in unison trying to escape. The others became food for Ratres and Ranroths.


    Yet, when they moved northeast, Yushin¡¯s group cut their retreat.


    If it was only the shield lady it would be hard to stop five or six players from running. But, with Yushin there, they complemented each other so well it was hard to accept they didn¡¯t know each other at all.


    An opening!


    Spear strikes!


    The enemy strikes!


    Shield parries or blocks. Rinse and repeat.


    ¡°...Who the f**k is that guy?!¡± One of the fellows screamed in rage. Three of their players had already died running from the Monster Mob, and now the group couldn¡¯t run away. The Bear Monarch had finished a straggler companion and was now running to them.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, run into the forest!¡± Yushin messaged the trio at the same time.


    While the enemies¡¯ attention shifted to the upcoming bear, Yushin¡¯s group already started running. The lady, however, had another idea. She stepped forward, aimed at the man with broken daggers and used [Shield Bash]. He was already with a backup sword but didn¡¯t expect the attack, since he was in the middle of the group. Taking a few hits to get there, Shield Bash landed. The guy flew all the way to the middle of the Monster Mob, almost in front of the Monarch Bear.


    ¡°...S**t.¡± He wept.


    Instant kill. The bear tore him apart with both claws in lightning speed.


    The lady grinned and ran with the rest of her group.


    ¡°...Damn! Fall back to the other side!¡± The calm man with bow tried to organize the survivors at least to escape. But their leader¡¯s death was quite a blow to them. Everyone ran for themselves.


    Well, at least they tried for a while, before finally becoming monster food.


    ¡°Follow me!¡± The woman told Yushin and the others before going a certain path in the woods. They could hear the enraged bear wiping everything and everyone out, and the sounds weren¡¯t too far. It wouldn¡¯t let them go easily.


    ¡°Thanks, dude! You really helped us out there!¡± The Half-Orc thanked Yushin. The Kobold species also bowed in agreement.


    The lady was a bit more reserved. Even though she was grateful, the newcomer¡¯s motives were still unclear. He could even be planning to take the dungeon for himself.


    An arrow flew and hit the kobold species right on the back, but it wasn¡¯t enough to kill him. The calm man with bow and arrow and the red haired swordsman escaped from the peril and were after them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead them and the monsters away and you guys clear that Dungeon,¡± Yushin said. ¡°Do it as fast as you can before their backup gets here.¡±


    ¡°....!!!¡± Yushin¡¯s attitude surprises the trio. The Half-Orc was the first to talk:


    ¡°No, dude, wait!¡± He was adamant in not letting Yushin go. ¡°You go with her and clear it. We¡¯re barely alive, no healing items or skills. I can see you¡¯re more skilled than us, there¡¯s no point in dying and losing the dun to those bastards!!!¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Besides, we don¡¯t even know the dungeon¡¯s characteristics. They attacked us before we could check it out. All the bow dude said was it¡¯s a two man dungeon.¡± The kobold species added. He was much more rational than the Half-Orc.


    Yushin looked to the woman for confirmation. She answered by inviting him to the party.


    [Rain Falls invites you to a party. Do you wish to accept?]


    [>>>Yes.<<<]


    [Yushin joined the party.]


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Kobo-bro!¡± The Half-Orc broke off from the group and weaved into the trees.


    ¡°...Em.¡± He followed.


    Rain Falls and Yushin didn¡¯t waver. They rushed straight ahead while the two of them used themselves as bait to stop the pursuers. She was also pretty adept at running through the branches and didn¡¯t lose out in speed even with her small frame.


    They arrived at a certain spot in the forest that had no monsters spawned. Yushin assumed they died before and no other monster moved into that place yet.


    In a corner, the distortion was clear for all to see. The same as the beginner¡¯s dungeon, the white light shone even brighter. The sound of the Monarch Bear was also getting closer.


    ¡°That bear is still after us? How did you make it so mad?¡± Rain asked.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ sorry. I didn¡¯t have much time to think.¡± He smiled and bowed slightly.


    ¡°...Not that I am complaining anyway. We¡¯d probably be dead if it weren¡¯t for you. Let¡¯s check the dungeon quickly.¡± At the same time, the both of them activated [Analyze Dungeon Gates] skill:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    DUNGEON INFO


    </td>


    <td>


    TREACHEROUS FRONTIER


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    TYPE ONE:


    </td>


    <td>


    ADVENTURE


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    TYPE TWO:


    </td>


    <td>


    QUEST


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    TYPE THREE:


    </td>


    <td>


    PERMANENT - MOBILE


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    DURATION:


    </td>


    <td>


    TEMPORARY


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    MASTER:


    </td>


    <td>


    NONE


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    AVAILABILITY


    </td>


    <td>


    PRIVATE (RAIN FALLS) - 44:25:16


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    HARDCORE


    </td>


    <td>


    NO


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    QUALITY


    </td>


    <td>


    RARE


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    PARTY SIZE


    </td>


    <td>


    2


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    LIMITATION


    </td>


    <td>


    2 PLAYERS


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°...No wonder they betrayed us over it. This is a Rare, Permanent and Mobile Dungeon.¡± Rain Falls exclaimed in surprise.


    ¡°You hit the jackpot. We may not be able to clear it.¡± Yushin didn¡¯t want to discourage her, but to make sure she knew the dangers. They also had the option to come back a day or so later when they are stronger.


    Yet it was certain the guys from earlier would do their best to kill them before that happened. It is a matter of risking it now or later. Each had its own dangers.


    She thought for a few seconds, ¡°...Going in now is the best option. If we can¡¯t clear, they can¡¯t either. Unless someone very skilled comes, in which case we can try to go back in first after we respawn.¡± It was a very clear headed analysis.


    Yushin nodded, agreeing, and both of them touched the white light.


    [Enter Dungeon?]


    [>>>Yes.<<<]


    The blinding light slowly disappeared. Several large landforms stretched across their views, many forming varied peaks. The earth¡¯s surface rose and became uneven. The mountain range had no fixed road and seemed as vast as the eye could see.


    Very large bird forms roamed through the air, their gaze piercing and brutal. Sometimes one of them would sweep to the ground and catch something like a random monster. Some had many monster like characteristics like claws and many wings. The sky this time wasn¡¯t any different than Red Clay¡¯s. Either this was a very similar world or this time the location was somewhere in their ¡®original¡¯ world.


    The Quest window appears:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    QUEST


    </td>


    <td>


    Find and Reach Ardiham¡¯s Stronghold alive to clear the dungeon. (At least one player must reach the entrance)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Yushin and Rain Falls exchanged glances.


    ¡°...It¡¯s a good thing we can coordinate well. If I manage to keep tanking we might survive until the end.¡± She said.


    ¡°I agree. Since we have no idea where the stronghold is, let¡¯s avoid combat for now and search.¡±


    She nodded and let Yushin go first. He seemed pretty good at stealth and trickiness if his last action was something to go by.


    Walking there wouldn¡¯t be easy in Real Life as it is in Tales. Running for hours straight is possible if no mental fatigue stops them.


    Many smaller peaks were hard to reach, with monsters lurking. Most of them were lizard species, but the duo avoided any conflict with skill and stealth. A commotion would draw the ones in the air to the fray and things would be very difficult. They walked a long time, but no sign of the stronghold. Yushin then remembered his first dungeon, looking in different ways for some kind of entrance.


    ¡°...Anything?¡± Rain asked in Private Message. Making noise there was a bad idea.


    He shook his head, ¡°No underground passages either. Tracking isn¡¯t showing anything special in front of us. These paths are endless.¡±


    ¡°...Sorry, my skills are useless.¡± She told Yushin her starting skills before. Stonemasonry and Bridge Building as crafting skills. Horse Training and Spear Mastery as extra skills.


    ¡°There is definitely something here. Have you noticed? We¡¯re followed.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± She didn¡¯t turn around to look. She hadn¡¯t noticed anything. ¡°...Any idea who?¡±


    ¡°Some kind of reptile creature. It moves as soon as we do and hides in the mountain. It¡¯s camouflaged well, I can only spot it when it moves because tracking skill is automatic.¡±


    ¡°...Should we attack it?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem hostile for now. I¡¯m not sure we can kill it before the other species come. We have limited options before finding a path to the stronghold.¡±


    ¡°Seems you have found me, human.¡± That reptilian voice sounded straight in their minds.


    ¡°....!¡± Both jumped around and stared at the thing¡¯s direction.


    It broke the camouflage and his dignified form appeared. It had silver scales and looked like a small, one-meter big dinosaur. Bright red eyes, bipedal with short hands and small pair of wings on its back. His teeth were small but looked blade sharp. He had a three pronged meter long tail with spear like points.


    ¡°No need to be jumpy, human. I am not your enemy. We have a common destination.¡± It maintained distance and was very careful.


    The duo exchanged glances again and Yushin said, ¡°We¡¯re listening.¡±


    ¡°If you take me with you I will help you reach that Stronghold.¡±


    ¡°...You look small but pretty strong. Is it that dangerous?¡± Rain asked.


    The thing shook its head, ¡°Too many monsters, too many traps. Also, there is a human MACHINERY on the entrance, it needs more than one to start.¡±


    Yushin thought he wouldn¡¯t answer but asked anyway, ¡°What is your goal there?¡±


    However, the thing seemed to trust him, ¡°My kind is very rare, we live long and reproduce slowly. the human in that stronghold created strong poison to kill us. If I cannot grab the antidote, they will eventually die.¡±


    ¡°...Aren¡¯t you affected as well?¡± Rain asked.


    ¡°No, I am a bit special. I am the King of Zaracha, strongest of my kind, and blessed by our gods. My body is invulnerable to all kinds of poison.¡±


    It didn¡¯t seem to be lying. Yushin felt a venerable and dignified aura coming from the dino like. Suddenly it stared at him and nodded.


    ¡°You can read minds, can¡¯t you?¡± Yushin asked before a surprised Rain.


    ¡°Yes. That is how I know I can trust both of you.¡± The intelligent being answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s so frigging cool.¡± Yushin didn¡¯t even hide his enthusiasm. An A.I. that can read brain waves in a game and respond accordingly? He had many things to be surprised about, but that was top of the list.


    The dignified dino looked happy.


    Their adventure had only begun.

 Chapter Ten: Only Death Will Follow

    Chapter Ten: Only Death Will Follow


    ¡°Try inviting him to the party,¡± Yushin said.


    Rain nodded and sent an invite to the dignified Dino.


    [Gadras, The Voiceless one, joined the party.]


    ¡°It worked!¡± Rain had a small smile for the first time. It looked quite cute.


    ¡°I thank you, human. I will show the way,¡± Gadras then led them to a small and hidden path in the mountain range. Yushin and Rain missed it even though there wasn¡¯t any magic or special mechanism involved.


    ¡°My kind are [Mountain Pathfinders]. Surprised by only this much.¡± The dino-like resounded in their minds proudly. On that trail, only small monsters are present. Even the flying ones are unaware of their presence. Soon they stood in front of a stone door full of runic inscriptions.


    ¡°This is the entrance to the Mountain Dwellers Path. Their kind can pass without triggering traps, but we must be careful,¡± Gadra warned them.


    ¡°Mountain Dwellers?¡± Rain asked.


    ¡°A race of hunters and gatherers. Weaklings, but crafty. Their path is the only one connected to the human¡¯s stronghold. Short Legs, touch the door.¡±


    ¡°...What did you say?¡± Her cold eyes fixated on him.


    ¡°What is the matter? Can you not reach?¡± Gadras continued without a clue.


    Crossing arms, a vein became engorged in her forehead. Yushin decided to intervene.


    ¡°We¡¯re losing too much time.¡±


    Rain sighed and touched the door. Nothing happened, ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°I was hoping a human could lead us closer. I can open it, but it will alert them inside.¡± It was Gadras¡¯ turn to sigh.


    ¡°If we could decipher those runes¡­¡± Yushin came closer and touched the door. The runes were lit and started to move around, startling everyone.


    ¡°...What¡¯s going on?¡± Rain fell back and raised shield.


    ¡°The path is open. Human, you are full of mysteries. This type of path only opens to those [Mountain Dwellers]. Are you one of their kind?¡±


    Yushin shook his head, ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    Once again, something recognized him as a different species. This happened way too often to consider it something random. It definitely had something to do with his randomized origin. So far he was recognized as an Elf, a Dwarf, and even the unknown Mountain Dwelling Race.


    Rain Falls found it intriguing but did not ask about it.


    Gadras seemed to have a few thoughts, but did not go into details, ¡°It seems this king is blessed once again. This path will be much easier to travel. Be warned, they will hunt us.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we negotiate?¡± Rain asked.


    ¡°No. The Demon Magic Fog has driven them insane. They only know how to hunt and gather. So, they will hunt. Be careful of their tools.¡± Gadras explained and the trio went through the door. It was a magic portal but somehow felt different than Dungeon Gates. After all, it didn¡¯t lead to a true dungeon, but some other space.


    A stone room full of inscriptions and paintings. A storage of some kind of tools and small crafts.


    ¡°It seems after this King¡¯s warning you unconsciously brought us to one of their storage rooms,¡± Gadras grinned. ¡°Be careful and look for something useful to you humans.¡±


    Most of the times the crafts didn¡¯t make sense. Some looked like stone gears with runes. Yushin¡¯s engineering level was too low to discern anything. But among those were sometimes gears with jewels that looked quite precious.


    ¡°Maybe those are expensive, let¡¯s take as much as we can,¡± Rain said.


    Hidden in a box, Yushin finally found something useful. It looked like a crossbow but fired very small white rocks. There are five rocks altogether.


    ¡°This looks like a weapon,¡± Yushin grabbed it.


    ¡°Indeed. That is one of their old weapons. Those white rocks explode on contact.¡±


    ¡°Take it,¡± Yushin handed it to Rain.


    She shook her head and rejected it waving hands, but he insisted.


    ¡°It will take the enemy by surprise. They won¡¯t expect a tank to have it.¡±


    She finally accepted and nodded. They kept looking and were about to give up when an object in the corner came into attention.


    ¡°Wait, that looks like a broken guitar,¡± Rain said while grabbing it. It had no strings, made of some kind of light gray metal and runic inscriptions. There are four spots, two top, and two bottom, that somehow looked important. ¡°You take it this time.¡±


    Yushin accepted it. He wanted to try and fix it later on when his engineering skill was higher.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move on. Can you camouflage yourself here, Gadras?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless to hide for long. They can smell this king. As long as we are not found out it won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    They agreed to proceed with Yushin as the leader. Since the path recognized him as one of their own the traps will not activate.


    The path had barely any light. Runes provided a small light when activated, so they did not travel blindly. Gadras vision was perfect in the darkness, but Yushin and Rain would be at a disadvantage.


    At the beginning, there were few rooms and no sign of living things. It was much somber than the Elven place. Most of it is empty too. Reaching a room that looked interesting, there is an altar in the center with a figure running from some kind of fog with hidden demonic eyes.


    ¡°This is in the common tongue,¡± Yushin said. It read:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    ¡°Yrb will not fall today,


    Yet, fallen it already is,If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    For the shadows that lurk this world


    Come with fog and blood.


    He who finds my will,


    Purge my brethren of this madness,


    Claim my inheritance,


    Erase my lasting sadness.¡±


    - Far¨¢ng, King of Yrb


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°So this place was called Yrb. Seeing it is in common tongue, it may be safe to assume it is somewhere in our own world,¡± Yushin complemented.


    ¡°No quest window, does that mean it¡¯s not a quest?¡± Rain Falls added.


    ¡°Maybe we just can¡¯t accept it yet. It doesn¡¯t seem very simple to do.¡±


    ¡°Foolish humans. You don¡¯t even know how large it is. In the past, the people of Zaracha were subjects of Yrb. Their greatness overshadowed all. Even if many are dead, purging them all is no easy feat. This mountain is only but a fraction of its domain,¡± Gadras pointed out.


    ¡°We can only go to the stronghold then. We¡¯ll figure things out on the way,¡± Yushin said.


    Rain seemed lost in thought. After a while, she snapped and glared at Gadras.


    ¡°...Are you still reading our minds?¡±


    Gadras shook his head, ¡°No. Not after you became this king¡¯s companion.¡±


    ¡®What a relief,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Are you afraid this king will tell the mysterious human you kept thinking how cool he was?¡± Gadras asked cluelessly.


    ¡°...YOU!¡± The petite shield bearer was so startled she forgot to use private message. Her loud roar echoed into the deeps.


    The echoes dissipated as the feeling of regret filled the air.


    ¡°You know, this looks like a very famous movie scene, and I don¡¯t like where it¡¯s going.¡± Yushin sighed and grabbed his spear, changing the subject from before.


    ¡°Short legs, you are a very troublesome human.¡± Gadras also sighed.


    ¡°...I swear I¡¯ll teach you a lesson soon, lizard.¡±


    ¡°This king is not a lizard!¡± Gadras roared.


    ¡°Enough, get ready to fight our way through!¡± Yushin screamed. The sound of machinery working was already loud.


    There was no door to close, so Rain took a step forward and acted as the first line of defense. Gadras disappeared with his camouflage and Yushin took position near to support them.


    Dragging sound of metal came close and soon the new enemy into view. They had small, frail human like bodies, with darkened teeth and pure blue eyes. Corrupted by the miasma. Their engorged veins clear to be seen, glints of madness in their glare.


    Gears formed some kind of exoskeleton, with runic inscriptions and formations. It was a mix of magic and engineering. It had long mechanical arms and legs, holding crossbows and long swords. Over three of them at the door, with some still left behind. One raised a sword, and his arm stretched in the air, slashing towards the trio.


    ¡°Dodge!¡± Yushin told Rain before going out of the way.


    Yet she was so used to parry her first instinct was to do it. The sword started to spin around itself, like a drill. There was no way to parry that on the first try.


    The drilling sword with a clang hit the shield and advanced towards the body. The failed parry caused a lot of damage to the shield and to Rain, taking near one-third of her HP at once. Taking into consideration the few hits from before, she has 800 left out of 1550.


    ¡°..Ugh!¡±


    Yushin didn¡¯t have time to worry about her and started to run close to the wall towards the enemy.


    ¡°Rockbow!¡± He shouted, and Rain knew exactly what to do.


    Usually, saving the rare item for later was the best choice, but right now the enemies were crowding at the door. If that thing was any good, it¡¯s a good time to try it out.


    Shooting the rock bullet, Rain didn¡¯t know what to expect. The enemies were slow, even though they had gadgets all around. In a normal state, it is possible to cut explosive damage by extending one of the hands and sacrificing it. Yet they didn¡¯t even seem to recognize one of their own weapons and made no attempt to evade.


    Ka-booooom!


    The entire door and a few meters before and after blew to smithereens. If Yushin had taken another step it would reach him. Every Mountain Dweller died and their gear disappeared.


    ¡°...Holy.¡± Yushin stepped back, taking a careful look if there is any risk of collapse. The door is completely destroyed but the structure still held out.


    ¡°A good thing those structures are solid, Short Legs.¡±


    ¡°...Couldn¡¯t you have said these things are this powerful, lizard?¡± Rain glared at him.


    ¡°You did not ask this king. And I am no lizard!¡±


    ¡°Save it, for now, let¡¯s go!¡± Yushin rushed forward. They didn¡¯t need to worry about traps and the door was empty for now. Staying there could lead to some unpleasant surprises.


    The other two followed and tried to catch up with Yushin¡¯s speed. He moved around swiftly and sometimes even running on walls. The first enemy comes into view and he strikes, aiming at their frail bodies. Spear pierces but somehow it still lives.


    Rain Falls follows after and slashes with sword. The enemy has time to block with gadget hands, but Gadras is already on him. The three pronged tail pierces its head. Death.


    His equipment disappears and nothing drops. The trio keeps going into the path, not needing to worry about traps since Yushin is there. There are many smaller and narrow paths, making the fights difficult sometimes. Switching leads often, Rain takes point on dangerous spots and Yushin when it requires mobility.


    The drops are common and the trio had no time to check them.


    ¡°This way. I remember this road!¡± Gadras says they are near the final road, but the Yrbnian¡¯s are already on their trail. Since they are hunters, most of the time there aren¡¯t many together, but they are finally converging on that spot. The trio wasn¡¯t in a position to use stealth anymore.


    As Gadras said before, their gadgets are unique. Some doors can be moved through levers and gears, some even move automatically. If Yushin had time to analyze their structure, it would serve as inspiration for the engineering skill. Besides the drilling sword, mechanical crossbows and exoskeleton, an irrigation system brought water from the depths. The water from a few veils bellow helped the dwellers to survive.


    ¡°Fast, collapse that door!¡± After the trio went in, Rain used the rock bullet on one of the doors, collapsing it right away. Their pursuers stopped for a while, unless there are some hidden paths.


    ¡°Whew¡­ That was close.¡± Yushin is already mentally tired from everything that has happened today. They killed several Mountain Dwellers while running around, and avoided many others.


    ¡°Humans are good at tricky things.¡±


    ¡°...Would you rather go back and fight all of them?¡± Rain pointed out.


    ¡°That was praise, Short Legs.¡±


    Before it could proceed, Yushin stepped up:


    ¡°No time to rest it seems. Look forward.¡± He pointed at a large, well-built corridor. It had the same runes and patterns as before, but several giant gears and led to a huge gate.


    ¡°Finally! This King never made it this far before. This is a bless-¡± Before Gadras could finish his sight turned sour.


    ¡°¨® Blessed Lizard King, tell me, how are we dealing with this now?¡± Rain sighed.


    In front of the gates, many forms stood. The same gadget-warriors from before, one dozen of them. And in the middle a small group of elite guards, which much tougher bodies and better equipment. They didn¡¯t overly rely on gadgets but had spears and shields. In total, eighteen enemies.


    ¡°Rockbow?¡± Rain asked.


    Yushin nodded, and she shot once.


    However, one of the elite guards stood forward. Something clicked and his shield expanded with the sound of multiple gears, withstanding the explosion with ease. He had the same crazed look, but something about him smelled like danger.


    ¡°Any more brilliant ideas, humans?¡± Gadras smirked.


    ¡°Maybe they like lizard barbecue,¡± Yushin grinned.


    ¡°T-This king is no lizard!¡±


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll like lizard meat,¡± Rain added.


    ¡°Y-You two¡­¡± Gadras shrunk a little.


    ¡°We kill and open the gate. Don¡¯t rush too far and keep together. If there¡¯s an opening, blast the slow ones away,¡± Yushin told them.


    Rain nodded.


    The leader of the elite group raised his right hand.


    Frail gadget warriors rushed forward, not fearing anything. Two of the elites went with them, to protect from explosions.


    Only death will follow.

 Chapter Eleven: A True Tale Of The Heroic Kingdoms

    Chapter Eleven: A True Tale of The Heroic Kingdoms


    Rain Falls, going forward as the vanguard, is much better at grasping the enemy¡¯s timing now. Practicing against many gadget-warriors before, she¡¯s now able to parry even the drilling sword attack. They can¡¯t damage her easily anymore, but she was already on her backup shield.


    Yushin and Gadras are both mobile attackers. They both have range and hit-and-run fast. The trio is careful not to get surrounded.


    [Parry!]


    [Clang!]


    Every time there is an opening either Gadras or Yushin will move there to strike. The gadget-warriors are not enough to suppress them. It all changes when one of the elites attacks. They are smarter and defend better.


    ¡°Fall Back!¡± Yushin yells, while one of the elite¡¯s spear damages Gadras. Three gadget-warriors fell, but they are constantly pushed back. Going that way they will have their backs to the door soon.


    ¡°Focus on the left side!¡± Rain advised and the duo also moved to strike.


    [Shield Bash!]


    [Spear Thrust!]


    [Three-Pronged Pierce!]


    Another two gadget warriors fell. They pretended to go forward, but backed away, earning a bit more space. Yet it is tiring to them.


    ¡°Use the gears!¡± Yushin moved first and put himself as a target so the other two could move closer to the giant gears. It is the same strategy Rain¡¯s group was using at the forest to survive. Limiting the enemy space and using gears to block.


    Another gadget-warrior falls, but at the same time, the elite¡¯s leader hits his shield on the ground. The remaining eight soon stop attacking and encircle them instead.


    ¡°That one is much smarter. This worked with the group before,¡± Rain sighed.


    Their soul and HP are already nearing a dangerous spot and there¡¯s still the group of elites awaiting them.


    ¡°No use in taking risks. Gadras, we hit-and-run sideways. Rain, you shoot the rockbow near their feet. Even blocking won¡¯t save them,¡¯ Yushin said.


    Both agreed, Yushin and Gadras rushing forward. The former hit a gadget-warrior with [Spear Thrust] and jumped sideways, opening space. The latter hit with his [Three-Pronged Pierce] and disappeared, running to the side. Even though it didn¡¯t work for long it is still useful to distract them. With that opening, Rain shoots the rockbow at the ground.


    Ka-Booom!


    The elites could only protect themselves. Gadget-warriors took a lot of damage in the process. Rain advanced, Yushin and Gadras closed the three-pronged attack. Flanking is always effective. Every single gadget-warrior died.


    The fight with the elites is not easy. They moved together to protect each other and their defense is good. The group couldn¡¯t find their weak spot. Speed is the only advantage they got right now.


    ¡°We¡¯re barely doing damage,¡± Rain complained.


    ¡°Did you watch Sp**t*c*s?¡± Yushin asked.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ why?¡±


    Yushin pointed to the shield and then up.


    ¡°...!!! You¡¯re pretty crazy, you know¡­¡±


    Yushin laughed, ¡°Gadras, can you knock them down?¡±


    ¡°At least one of them, human. I¡¯ll start,¡± running straight at both of them. When one spear came, he spun around to the side. Striking with the tail like a whip behind the enemy¡¯s joints, knocked him down. Gadras copied a move Yushin used with the spear sometimes.


    ¡°Smart lizard!¡± Rain noted while running and setting the shield up for Yushin to step on.


    Yushin grinned, ran and stepped on it, jumping as high as the roof allowed. Pointing the spear down, he fell behind all his weight. In real life, it is possible he would take as much damage as he caused by that attack. In Tales, the result was a very destructive move. The spear pierced the enemy¡¯s chest through armor and everything. It broke right after.


    Instant kill.


    Yushin gambled the system would take into consideration weight and add penetrating power to the pierce. And won.


    [Yrb¡¯s Elite Blood x1]


    [Yrb¡¯s Elite Armor Piece x1]


    The other one moved and slashed at Yushin, who rolled backward and dodged the attack. Gadras struck with tail and the elite blocked, but Rain is already behind him. She also aimed at the back of his legs, bringing him down. Striking with the sword between the eyes also proved effective. Gadras finished the enemy by stabbing him multiple times at several spots between the armor. Nothing dropped.


    ¡°Good.¡± Yushin took his last spear from inventory.


    ¡°Four more to go.¡± Rain Falls looked optimistic.


    Yushin took a good look at their leader and shook his head, ¡°We can¡¯t kill them.¡±


    ¡°...Eh?¡± Rain looked puzzled.


    ¡°The human is right. That one is not normal, Short Legs. He looks the same, but has the presence of a king.¡±


    ¡°He is definitely smart and hasn¡¯t made a move so far. It¡¯s hard to think an A.I. can go this far, but I think he is analyzing our moves. He knew those two were going to die and used them to test us.¡±


    ¡°What should we do then?¡±


    ¡°Gadras, you think we can open that gate?¡±


    ¡°You can, human. Since it somehow thinks you are one of them.¡±


    ¡°We lure them in, shoot the bow and get past them. Then hope whatever lies beyond it can save us from dying.¡±


    ¡°But they will come after us, what do we do then?¡± Rain asked.


    ¡°At that point, if there aren¡¯t any better options, we fight. But, remember, we need to reach the stronghold alive, and that¡¯s it,¡± Yushin reminded her.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°Ok, get ready. Don¡¯t fall behind and don¡¯t stop, even if one of us is left behind,¡± they both nodded. Yushin stepped forward and aimed at the elite leader with a finger. He told him to come, making the sign with his hand. One thing he learned is that pride is somehow programmed into the A.I.


    If you could somehow piss them off enough they would go crazy, like the Monarch Bear.


    But the enemy did not care. It stood still motionless. Yushin decided to try something new.


    ¡°Once there was this poor kingdom with no pride and a coward king,¡± he shouted to all instead of talking to the party. The leader¡¯s eyes shone for a second.


    ¡°The demons came and they wagged their tails. Hiding in their little mountain,¡± the leader¡¯s teeth showed fury.


    ¡°Even after death, still standing still. Truly cowards, they are,¡± the leader finally roared loudly and gave the order to attack. The four elites rushed forward in unison.


    ¡°Impressive, Human. This king will pray their spears do not reach you,¡± Gadras said.


    ¡°...So this is the skill that caused the bear¡¯s fury.¡± Rain nodded.


    Yushin realized it reacted strongly to a few keywords: kingdom, pride, coward, death, and king. It seems the A.I. is able to understand emotions, almost like a sentient being.


    Speaking no more, he pointed at the elites. The trio rushed forward as well and Rain shot the rockbow. As expected, they raised their shields to block it.


    Using the momentum and cover caused by the explosion, Yushin ran on the wall and passed. Rain used [Shield Bash] to create an opening and pass. Yet when Gadras tried the leader¡¯s spear pierced his sides. He still managed to pass, but nearly died in the process.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Lizard!!!¡± Rain screamed and was about to go back. A system warning popped up:


    [System Warning: Warning! Warning! An NPC in your party has reached critical health level. An NPC death is permanent. This warning will display only once.]


    Rain, Yushin: ¡°...!!!¡±


    The leader moved forward to the finishing blow¡­


    ¡­[Parry]!


    Yushin rushed over and somehow parried the attack.


    ¡°RUN!¡± He shouted to Gadras, who camouflaged and ran like a bullet. Rain took a step to go, but Yushin also pointed forward.


    [Parry!]


    He parried another attack while rolling backward. Rain and Gadras crossed the door and saw an open area with a bridge. It went further away into a huge stronghold made of some kind of White Stone. There were some gadget-warriors around. They only needed to run forward and reach the entrance.


    They looked back and saw Yushin standing at the gate, smiling.


    He hit the lever and the door started to close.


    Rain, Gadras: ¡°...!!!¡±


    If that door stayed open the enemy would surely rush to stop them. A few gadget-warriors were no problem, but those elites are an unknown. Yushin was thinking about fighting them on the bridge and using his mobility to push them over. But that was far too much of a gamble. Closing the door and holding out as far as he can will give the two of them time.


    Rain moved quickly and threw the shield to him before the door finally closed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she started moving.


    ¡°This king¡¯s debt will not grow anymore to the human. He better not die yet,¡± Gadras said with a hint of sadness.


    They both know, it is a race against time. Yet there could be no mistakes or everything would be in vain. Running as fast as they could, hoping the smiling warrior could survive.


    Yushin barely had time to grab the shield when the first attack came. He weaved sideways and countered with his own spear.


    Somehow, having the enemy use spear was to his advantage. He was familiar with its range and pattern. The only problem is the number of attacks coming and how many mistakes he can make.


    [Parry!]


    He immediately thrust spear into the neck of an enemy. It is a weak point, but not enough to take it down. Another spear comes, and he tried to parry with shield, but the timing was much different. He took a bit of damage. His HP was only good for two more hits.


    But, this time, he didn¡¯t need to kill them all. All he had to do is run long enough. He tried to run on the walls and go to the other side, but the leader is smart enough to block his path. He roared and stabbed multiple times.


    [Dodge!]


    [Parry!]


    [Block!]


    While weaving around, he tried to damage his enemies as much as he could. Two enemies were near death. The leader still untouched. He is much stronger than the others.


    Soon, Yushin had his back to a wall. There was no time to escape. His shield finally crumbled.


    [Parry!]


    [Parry!]


    He finally missed a parry. His spear also broke. Taking out his sword, he only blocked once with it. Poor quality equipment.


    But, finally, the system announced:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    DUNGEON CLEAR!


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">


    REWARD: [Dungeon Rights]


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡®Heh. They did it! Command: Leave Dungeon.¡¯ Yushin finished activating the command when the leader¡¯s spear pierced his spot.


    Thankfully, he was already transferred outside, to the forest.


    Sitting alone, in front of the white light, he laughed loudly.


    It¡¯s not that death was permanent. It¡¯s not even clear if the penalties are harsh enough for him to worry about. But who likes dying anyway?


    He is more worried about Gadras. It is clear that Rain Falls made it to the finish line, but if Gadras died it still wouldn¡¯t be a good ending.


    Yushin tried private messaging Rain, in vain. Seems being in a dungeon blocked all outside whispers. No one was around either. Expecting people from Red Clay Guild, they either haven¡¯t made it there or were wiped out by the furious mob.


    [System: You have reached Level 02!]


    [System: Spear Thrust has reached a new level]


    [System: You have learned [Running] skill]


    [System: You have learned [Parrying] skill]


    [System: You have reached enough spear experience to create a new skill.]


    ¡®Whoa, a lot of level ups.¡¯ While waiting and seeing no one was around, he opened his status window first:


    [Player Yushin Class: Small-Time Captain (Hybrid Warrior-Magic Class) Level: 02 Race: Half-Human]


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Title: None


    </td>


    <td>


    Bounty: None


    </td>


    <td>


    Fame/Infamy: 0


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Strength: 04


    </td>


    <td>


    Magic: 03


    </td>


    <td>


    Defense 02 (Total 03)


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Agility: 03


    </td>


    <td>


    Intelligence: 03


    </td>


    <td>


    Magic Defense: 03 (Total 03)


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dexterity: 04


    </td>


    <td>


    Endurance: 05


    </td>


    <td>


    Charisma: 02


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health Points: 100/2500


    </td>


    <td>


    Mana Points: 100/150


    </td>


    <td>


    Soul: 2/180


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Wealth: 0c


    </td>


    <td></td>


    <td></td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡®Whoa, all stats leveled up. Dexterity, agility, and Endurance had the highest gains. Is it because I gained running and parrying skills?¡¯ He opened the skill window.


    [Skill List]


    [Athletic Skills]


    [Running (Passive)] Level 1.


    Info: Increases movement rate when running and allows the user to run slightly easier on harder superficies.


    [Defensive Skills]


    [Parrying (Passive)] Level 1.


    Info: Slightly increases parrying timing window.


    ¡®Good, two passives. Parrying is a life saver.¡¯


    [Spear Thrust has leveled up. Would you like to choose a modifier now?]


    When skill levels up, besides increasing in stats, one modifier per level can be added. Modifiers can be positive, negative or a mix of both. Spear Thrust has the following modifiers:


    [Modifiers]


    [Dash]: The skill can be used after a small run without losing speed. Increased speed and range. Cost: +2 Soul.


    [Spin]: The skill is used after a small spin. Increases damage and penetrating power,lowers speed a little. Cost: +2 Soul.


    ¡®Either speed or penetrating power. Mobility is a good thing, but I have no skills to damage armor-wearing foes. I¡¯ll go with spin.¡¯


    [Physical Skills]


    [Spear Thrust] Lvl 2. Atk 120%. Speed: 1.1. Soul cost: 7. Required: Spear.


    Info: a simple attack with the spear.


    [Spinning Spear Thrust] Lvl 2. Atk 130%. Speed: 1.0. Soul cost: 9. Penetrating Power: Low. Required: Spear.


    Info: a simple attack with the spear. A spin during the strikes makes it slower, but also increases damage and penetrating power.


    ¡®I see. It becomes a new skill, but I am also able to keep using the initial skill. What about skill creation?¡¯


    The skill creation window appears. The type of available skill to create is based on current skill level and other existing skills. Yushin could only choose:


    [Spear Sweeping Skill]


    ¡®Because I used Leg Sweeping Technique often I am able to create that skill? Is that how it works?¡¯


    [Spear Sweeping] Lvl 01. Atk 100%. Speed: 1.2. Soul cost: 6. Required: Spear.


    Info: a simple attack with the spear, aiming at sweeping enemy legs or supports. Good chance of knockdown.


    Yushin closed the skill window. Soon the white light shone brighter before disappearing. In its place, a female figure appears.


    Rain opens a huge smile seeing Yushin, but she soon becomes her serious self.


    Yushin smiles, ¡°...The Lizard?¡±


    ¡°He is safe,¡± Rain nodded. ¡°We tried getting into the stronghold, but even if we had three people, there¡¯s no way it would move. It¡¯s some sort of high-level mechanical lock. The lizard said we need a key or someone that can understand it. He stayed behind to look for clues. Can¡¯t get out the same way as us anyway.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing he is alive.¡±


    ¡°He said you owe him and you better find a way to help someday,¡± Rain added.


    ¡°I will. Is that the dungeon?¡± Yushin saw a small object in Rain¡¯s hand. A blue crystal in adiamond shape.


    ¡°Yes. Seems I can carry it around and summon it to open,¡± she looked a little restless. ¡°...Do you want it? You went through so much after all. We wouldn¡¯t clear it if it weren¡¯t for you.¡±


    Yushin shook his head, ¡°No. It¡¯s yours. If you feel indebted to me, then invite me to explore it sometime.¡±


    Rain smiled, ¡°I will. Can I¡­ add you as a friend?¡±


    Yushin could feel it took her a lot to ask that. He answered by sending her a friend invite and smiling. She was very happy, even if trying not to show.


    ¡°Oh. The two we left behind died and spawned in the city. They said no one was coming because the bear is still on a rampage.¡± Rain looked at Yushin with pitying eyes, since he was the bear¡¯s number one hated player.


    ¡°...We better get going then. I¡¯ll log out once we¡¯re out of the woods.¡±


    Rain nodded agreeing and they did so. She also had some level ups but decided to focus on that later.


    After going through so much, running through that monster infested forest wasn¡¯t as hard as before. Yushin crossed the woods, bid goodbye to Rain and logged out.


    He played for many hours straight. His body was okay, but his mind reached its limits. All that action and intense moments took its toll on him. A single mistake would bring death. A small lack of concentration would bring doom.


    But he felt alive.


    He finally found something to fight for.


    He wants to write his last journey inside Tales.


    A tale none of his books could ever match.


    A true tale of The Heroic Kingdoms.

 Chapter Twelve: The Light That Protects The Shadow

    Chapter Twelve: The Light That Protects The Shadow


    ¡°Wake up, wake up. Wake up, Wake up.¡± The mechanical sound keeps going until Yushin gets out of bed.


    ¡°Morning, Roah.¡±


    ¡°Good Morning, Yushin! Would you like to activate my services today?¡±


    It is not surprising that current A.I. has reached new heights. Assistive A.I. systems are common in higher earning households and enterprises. Tet they are still far from accessible to common ones.


    Technology becomes cheaper with time. But with the giant leap of quality in those systems, there is a huge gap between top-notch tech and more common ones. Ever since Kingdom Corp amazed the world, its technology is dominating the field. Almost causing a monopoly of sorts.


    ¡°Only the usual,¡± he answered while proceeding to do morning chores. The house could clear itself up and do most of it, but he did it as part of maintaining health. Health problems are number one worries for writers. A good mind requires a good body and persisting in writing, undying will.


    The house itself was medium sized with back and front yards. With a simple design, no luxuries around except for electronic devices. As expected from a high tech house, everything inside is integrated and hidden. Yushin even had a company-grade firewall installed.


    From the outside, it looked like a common and well cared for house in a great spot. Situated a bit high with a view of the sea, further from there. The neighborhood is mixed, as typical of a medium income area. Few rich families lived there, and there are many small businesses around.


    ¡°Sir, your pre-made food is low. Shall I order some more or set up the kitchen?¡± Usually, Roah stayed silent until Yushin issued a command. If certain conditions are met it can start independently. Food is one of those topics.


    ¡°I have some ideas. You may leave that to me,¡± Roah¡¯s mechanical voice sound in agreement. ¡°News search: Tales Of The Heroic Kingdoms.¡±


    Yushin sits at a table in the kitchen. An apparently inexpensive frame turns into a high-definition Screen. It searched about Tales and displayed the following relevant news:


    ¡°Tales Breaks All Records¡±


    ¡°Kingdom Corp New VRMMO Is Legendary¡±


    ¡°Complaints Arise About New VRMMO¡±


    ¡°When A Game Goes Too Far¡±


    ¡°Real Or Not? My First Day In Tales¡±


    ¡°You Cannot Believe This Game Exists!¡±


    And many more hits. He decided to open ¡°Complaints Arise About New VRMMO,¡± since the writer is someone he knows. It reads:


    Tales Of The Heroic Kingdoms finally launched. And, as expected, it did not fail to deliver what every gamer dreams about. Fantasy and immersion. Having spent my first day in it, I can say: this is going to be a blast.


    But some people are not happy and that might change everything. It¡¯s too soon to conclude anything, but based on early reviews, Kingdom Corp will have to weigh a few things about the game¡¯s future. Complaints have surfaced about how hard the game is and how there is little info explaining how it works.


    Both are true, but is it so bad?


    Granted, the game doesn¡¯t hold your hand! Even in the first dungeon, supposed to be a tutorial dungeon, almost every player dies. Myself included!


    But that is what makes it so interesting!


    I can see a lot of negativity and toxic players already on forums. They¡¯re trying to press the company into making changes. And it¡¯s only been one day. It¡¯s going to get much worse!


    The VR system and A.I. have also been subject to scrutiny. There¡¯s little info on how it works or what effects it can have on your brain. The company makes you sign a pretty little waiver at the beginning, but hey, no one plays a game to have brain damage, right?


    Kingdom Corp has always been quick to deny any potential harm. But it is that simple?


    The game is making huge profit. The company shares are way up there. We all know how the corporate world deals with a few inconveniences like people¡¯s brains.


    But, hey, that¡¯s not going to stop me from playing. Neither millions of people worldwide.


    Now, see you next time. I¡¯m going to be busy kicking ass with my one-eyed lady Dragonkin.


    Yours,


    Flower With Thorns


    ''This woman never changes,''Yushin smiled. ''But it¡¯s something to consider. There¡¯s something going on with the A.I. in this game, for sure. How can it be that good? I couldn¡¯t even tell the difference between it and a normal player. It could¡¯ve fooled me.''


    He reaches into his pocket, realizing that he didn¡¯t link his smartphone into the Cockpit yesterday. It can check messages, receive calls and alerts during gameplay. During some events and places, like Dungeons, its functions are blocked to prevent abuse. Much like the in game message system.


    Yushin navigates to the ¡®Cord Dis! chat app and is not surprised to see Tales is the most talked topic there. He is in a circle of writers and gamers, after all. Two of his most important groups are ¡°Fantasy Greatest Warriors Circle Of Writing¡± and ¡°Project Legend¡±.


    The first consisted of a small circle of Fantasy Writing Masters, who, like Yushin, achieved success and fame in the same generation. They usually talk about anything but writing, though.


    The second one is a former gaming community now turned into a hanging spot. Project Legend was an old popular game. Yushin used to hang out with them on the web much before he became a writer. Over time it dwindled into a small community since most people got jobs and families. A few youngsters joined, mostly related to a member. He first went to the Project chat:


    [Ken: Are you guys playing it?]


    [Faith: ...It?]


    [Ken: Tales, of course. Have you been hiding in a cave, Faith?]


    [Ki-Woo: I am. It¡¯s great. I¡¯m ig rite now!]


    [Luna: Me too! (???)]


    [Faith: I¡¯ve outgrown games, Ken. You should try it.]


    [Ken: You¡¯re gonna regret it. Period.]


    [Luna: I know, right?! It¡¯s soooo goood. Like a strawberry cake with lots and lots of berries. (???)]


    [Flower: Right, right?! Much better than Legend!]


    [Faith: ...Maybe I¡¯ll look into it as well. Which server?]


    [Ken: Only one server. Global. Everyone in it. EVERYONE.]


    [Faith: ...Is that even playable?]


    [Luna: Wow, sister Faith, you really haven¡¯t heard about Tales? (¨‘_¨‘)]


    [Faith: I was away for a while. I really haven¡¯t heard of it.]


    [Ken: The world is huge. We should get together and form a guild.]


    [Roengv: Already joined one \_(?_?)_/]


    [Flower: Is everyone even in the same place? I¡¯m at Graceful Wind Kingdom.]


    [Luna: Aubrubia Empire! (???)]


    [Ken: Nealia Dynasty.]


    [Ki-Woo: Same!]


    [Roengv: Grillia.]


    [Ken: Should we exchange info, Ki-Woo?]


    [Ki-Woo: Sure, if you join my guild!]


    [Ken: Hmmm?]


    [Ki-Woo: Can¡¯t trade info with enemies, right? Hehehe ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã)]


    [Ki-Woo: Sorry, guild is kinda strict bout it. Info is really rare. Everyone is compiting]


    [Ki-Woo: Competing*]


    [Ken: I see. I¡¯ll think about it. I¡¯ll PM you my ign.]You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    [Luna: You guys are really stingy. ( ¦á¦ä¦á)]


    [Shin: Reeaally stingy.] Yushin joined in.


    [Luna: O____o Shin!!!]


    [Ken: Hey man. Long time no talk.]


    [Ki-Woo: Bro!!!]


    [Roengv: Dude. What. The. Hell. You¡¯re. Alive.]


    [Shin: Hehehe, everyone¡¯s been well, I see.]


    [Flower: Hey, leader!]


    [Shin: Oh, Flower Girl. Saw your article. Interesting.]


    [Flower: Oh, so you¡¯re playing too?]


    [Faith: ...Really? I thought you quit gaming, Shin.]


    [Shin: I am. I¡¯m gonna go at it for real this time.]


    [Luna: (?©n?) Leader is back everyone!]


    [Ken: Really? Then, me too.]


    [Ki-Woo: Oooh, I¡¯m in! I¡¯ll even quit my guild if Shin¡¯s leader!]


    [Flower: Dumbass, the game is huge, you can¡¯t simply change kingdoms. You¡¯d die during the travel and respawn. But I¡¯m in too!]


    [Roengv: Where are you, Shin?]


    [Shin: Vavell.]


    [Roengv: Damn, everyone is in different places.]


    [Shin: Isn¡¯t that fine? Let¡¯s play and see where it goes. We can meet later on. It¡¯s kinda cool not knowing who everyone is hehehe]


    [Flower: You weird lurker!!]


    [Ki-Woo: You all gonna eat my dust!]


    [Flower: Dream on. This dragon is not sleeping at all ¥Î?Òæ?)]


    [Luna: So happy (?©n?)]


    [Shin: Good! I gotta go now. Laters.]


    [Faith: Wait, Shin!]


    [Ken: He is already gone. That was quick.]


    [Faith: ¡­ Maybe I¡¯ll play, too.]


    Yushin was smiling to himself. He holds those people dear, even though he never saw their faces. It was a code between them. Once in a while, some private info popped up, but, for the most part, no one will pry into each other¡¯s life. Time strengthened their bond, but now time was the thing he lacked most.


    He then went over to the author¡¯s chat. The topic is also Tales but on more complex issues, such as A.I. and theories. Even though everyone debuted almost at the same time, the age range had quite the disparity. The competitivity in there is also much higher. One might even say brutal.


    [PotatoPotato: So, I see you all are also playing Tales. Good. Very good!]


    [Chie: Of course. It¡¯s a new experience for us writers. Almost like a living book.]


    [Moonlight JJ: Though you probably suck at it, Potato. Like in writing.]


    [Hye-Kyo: LOL]


    [PotatoPotato: Is that so?? Good. Good. Very good! Then you won¡¯t run from my challenge. Right, writer JJ?]


    [Hye-Kyo: God, not another one of those challenges. Last time you and JJ fought over everything.]


    [RRJ Ten Kilo: Interesting.]


    [PotatoPotato: We all finished our manuscripts, right?]


    [Adachi: I¡¯m late¡­]


    [PotatoPotato: You¡¯re always late, no one cares anymore.]


    [Adachi: ¡­ ]


    [PotatoPotato: Let¡¯s all take a break and play Tales. The one that manages to become the best player among us wins it all.]


    [RRJ Ten Kilo: OOoh, that sounds cool.]


    [Chie: ...Are you just trying to get out of work, Potato?]


    [Moonlight JJ: What are the stakes?]


    [Hye-Kyo: Not you guys again¡­]


    [PotatoPotato: The losers have to write the winner foreword for his next book.]


    [Moonlight JJ: Lame.]


    [PotatoPotato: Of course, that is not all. He can only praise. And has to use the sentences ¡°Better than me¡±, ¡°Better than I will ever be¡±, ¡°He or she is my master¡± and ¡°I love him or her.¡±]


    [Moonlight JJ: ...Are you serious?]


    [PotatoPotato: Wait, that¡¯s not all. All the losers need to read out loud, record it and post on social media.]


    [Hye-Kyo: You¡¯re on drugs.]


    [Moonlight JJ: I¡¯m in. I finally get to hear Potato admit he is inferior to me.]


    [Chie: ...Seriously? You are really going to do that over a game?]


    [PotatoPotato: What¡¯s the matter youngest, cold feet? Not good enough to risk a little?]


    [Hye-Kyo: Hahaha she is so stuck up, good luck getting her off that pedestal.]


    [Chie: What did you say?]


    [Chie: ...If she is in, I¡¯m game.]


    [Hye-Kyo: Hahahaha, you think you¡¯re better than me at anything, girl?]


    [Chie: Not only better but younger and prettier, too, old lady.]


    [RRJ Ten Kilo: Oooh, buuurnt.]


    [Hye-Kyo: I¡¯m in. You just wait for me, baby girl.]


    [Moonlight JJ: When¡¯s the deadline?]


    [Chie: And how do we know who is the best?]


    [PotatoPotato: They¡¯re going to release this in-game fame and popularity feature. It will rank every playable character in the game using fame, infamy, popularity and digital presence.]


    [PotatoPotat: That¡¯s good enough, isn¡¯t it? Nice and fair.]


    [Moonlight JJ: And the deadline?]


    [PotatoPotato: One week after the rankings reach. Supposed to be coming in a month or so.]


    [Moonlight JJ: Agreed. You better write that love letter, Potato.]


    [PotatoPotato: Everyone in?]


    [Chie: Yes.]


    [Hye-Kyo: Yup.]


    [Moonlight JJ: Always.]


    [JRR Ten Kilo: Ya.]


    [Shin: I¡¯m in as well.]


    [Adachi: You too!? You never take breaks!]


    [Chie: Really, Writer Shin?]


    [Hye-Kyo: Wow, unexpected.]


    [Shin: </img>"> ]


    [Adachi: I¡¯m in as well!!!]


    [Adachi: Our editors are going to kill us though¡­]


    [All: ¡­]


    [PotatoPotato: Game on, fellas. Time to work.]


    [PotatoPotato: And remember, no using your fame to win. If your identity gets out, you lose.]


    Yushin logged off the chat with a new purpose. For the others, it might be a silly bet with odd stakes. For him, it is a competition with people he respects and always aimed to surpass. If he loses that chance, it might never come again. Things got even more interesting.


    Before logging in, there is still one more thing he needs to do. The A.I. in tales bugged him to no end.


    ¡°Roah, call Mister Rui.¡± The phone rings a few times and someone picks up.


    ¡°Hello, M- *ahem* Yushin. What can I do for you today?¡± The old man on the other side of the line has a strong, reassuring voice.


    ¡°I need you to find out everything about Artificial Intelligence on the new VRMMO, Tales of The Heroic Kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I will have people on it right away,¡± Mister Rui answered calmly.


    ¡°It might be tough. From what I understand, it¡¯s top secret information.¡±


    Mister Rui sighed, ¡°Master Yushin. I always tell you to be more aware of your standing.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Yushin asked cluelessly.


    ¡°Kingdom Corporation.¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a major shareholder of the company,¡± Mister Rui explained.


    ¡°....Oh?¡±


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t know about it,¡± It''s not surprising. Yushin¡¯s finances are dealt with by other people, including Mister Rui. ¡°Remember that first investment nine years ago? The one your friend asked for. That company is Kingdom Corporation.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s Jin¡¯s company. But the president is called Luo Zhou¡­?¡±


    ¡°Luo Zhou is only a pseudonym. His real name is Takasugi Jin.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m glad. His dream finally came true.¡± Yushin smiled to himself. Distancing himself from friends is common in his case. Jin is also the same. He let go of everything to pursue his goals, ¡°Please send me the information as soon you can.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Please contact me if there is anything you need, M-*ahem* Yushin,¡± the call ends.


    _________________


    Mister Rui is sitting in his office chair. The small sign in front of him reads ¡°Future Group CEO, Rui Yijun¡±. He has waist-length all frosted white hair and eyes shiny and black as oil. His dignified air is as piercing as the noblest sword.


    ¡°Something is wrong,¡± he said it out loud.


    ¡°...Is anything the matter, Mr. President? A young looking man with ash gray ruffled hair bowed slightly while asking.


    ¡°I need you to find everything you can about a game called Tales of The Heroic Kingdoms. Focus on the A.I. and technical aspects,¡± he saw the surprised look in front of his assistant¡¯s face. ¡°What is the matter?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing. It¡¯s just that the young miss already asked that of me a bit earlier,¡± he answered, knowing there are only two people capable of ordering him around.


    ¡°Rong¡¯er...? That girl is also interested?¡± Mister Rui is very surprised. Not only his elusive boss but also his own willful daughter¡­


    Yushin¡¯s interest in a game means he is playing it or will at some point. And he hasn¡¯t done that in a long time. For anyone that knows him, that would be enough to raise suspicion. Mister Rui knows him better than anyone else.


    ¡®Why the sudden change¡­? Did something happen? Since he didn¡¯t know Takasugi is behind the game that can¡¯t be it. The young master will never tell me anything worrying out of his own will. I have a bad feeling about this.¡¯ Somehow, his heart is troubled.


    The ash gray haired assistant bowed and was about to leave when that strong voice sounded again:


    ¡°Also, find out what has been happening to the Young Master. Be careful not to let him find out.¡±


    The assistant isn¡¯t surprised to hear that request. About Yushin, aside from Mister Rui, he is the only one that knows his true identity. Everything about the ¡°Young Master¡± always has the utmost secrecy. He bowed and left.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry to intrude in your life like this, Young Master. But this Old Man¡¯s heart knows you too well to be at ease,¡¯ he sighed.


    He didn¡¯t care if Yushin finds out and is mad about it.


    In this life, he already swore loyalty to him.


    He wanted to be his shadow, but, in the end, he had to settle for the light...

 Chapter Thirteen: Being Young At Heart

    Yushin finally logs in. He is standing outside Faint Forest, near lots of players are going in and out in a hurry, yet in view of that huge sea of trees, they are but ants.


    He goes back to Red Clay City, his inventory is almost full and weapons were broken. No trouble arises on the way. Too many players roaming about, he can even see a few NPCs patrolling the roads.


    His haul was not massive but still pretty good, with blood, fangs, skins, claws, fur, broken gears with jewels, a broken guitar like object and an armor piece. Rain also got a lot of the drops from before.


    Inside Red Clay, Yushin knows he first needs to make some money, buy some weapons and then decide what to do. Repairing the ones he has wouldn¡¯t be enough, the quality drop is obvious. After thinking for a while, he decides to give the new blood types to Aurei, sell the skins and fur, and give the claws, fangs, and armor to Bitter Cat. They are both his exclusive blacksmith and alchemist, in the future progress cannot be small, their skills are very important.


    Actually, the first one to message was Aurei, he wanted to update Yushin on his progress, ¡°H-hello, mister! I was experimenting and found out a few things¡­¡±


    Aurei found out the common Kruik¡¯s blood had very strong dark element and it¡¯s even stronger on the rare. It seemed to work as a [Darkness Attribute Amplifying Reagent] according to the system. That meant it could be mixed when refining pills or brewing potions of that type to increase its power!


    Of course, with the amount they had, it was only good enough for testing purposes. If they ever found out the kruik¡¯s lair, that would be another thing entirely. About the teeth, it could be ground into powder and used for alchemy. It was full of iron and other good ingredients but lacked anything else special.


    As for formulas, he discovered a simple healing potion formula, using a common rank one herb, Ukku Leaf. It was present everywhere in the game, and the formula only needed boiling the herb in a flask of water with a few easy and ordained steps. It was the most basic recipe, but he was happy about it!


    As for effectiveness, it only healed 10% of the HP over 10 seconds. It was hardly any use during a battle, but that was expected of such a low-grade potion. Yushin told him to meet and Aurei went over happily.


    ¡°Here.¡± He handed over [Ratre¡¯s Fangs x11], [Ratre¡¯s Blood x10], [Ranroth¡¯s Fangs x8], [Ranroth¡¯s Claws x7], [Ranroth¡¯s Blood x10], [Yrb¡¯s Elite Blood x1] and [Yrb¡¯s Elite Armor Piece x1]. Since Bitter Cat wasn¡¯t on, he handed her part to Aurei.


    ¡°M-mister, you should bring s-someone with [Gathering skill] o-or learn it, otherwise you can¡¯t pick herbs¡­¡± In Tales, to learn skills, you¡¯d have to find a teacher, buy the skill book or obtain good fortune. Alchemist guilds sold skill books and also had teachers, but Yushin couldn¡¯t afford them right now. Aurei level wasn¡¯t high enough to teach either.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just bring you along,¡± said Yushin half-jokingly, ¡°I¡¯ll learn it when I can. Oh, you should also give these to your sister.¡± He handed over the broken weapons as well. He heard they can be used as scrap by smiths. If nothing else, they can fix it and sell as crappy weapons.


    Yushin and Aurei said goodbye, the young alchie had to leave. His sister gave him some tasks he had to complete before she comes back. He dared not forget. He mentioned she was in a bad mood. Smithing is tough, requires a lot of timing and precision, is much harder than low-level alchemy in the game. She broke many weapons and wasted a lot of resources.


    Yushin shivers, he doesn¡¯t want to meet her in a bad mood!


    What they don¡¯t know is that alchemy is not easier, but much harder, requires skill, precision, and order. In fact, many alchemists didn¡¯t even find their first formula after an entire day! Aurei is different, he is very gifted, grasped the system fast, made it seem easier than it is.


    Yushin decides to look for merchants, he still has [Ratre¡¯s Skin x11] and [Ranroth¡¯s Fur x10], besides [Broken Gears with Jewel]. Merchants are not rare in Red Clay City, but most of them are peddlers and beginners. Setting shop requires space and [Permit], for the newbie players it is impossible to get with ease.


    Therefore Yushin looks for merchant NPCs, he will wait until players grow richer before attempting to trade. The merchant NPC is a smooth talker, very surprisingly, tries to [Bargain]. There isn¡¯t an option to sell them for a set price, he functions exactly like a merchant would.


    After checking around, Skins can be used for clothes, leather, and miscellaneous tools. There are many professions, they can have more uses he isn¡¯t aware of right now. Beast furs can be used for clothes and armors, some even have special properties. Too bad the Ratres and Ranroths that Yushin killed were not special in any way.


    The NPC also appraised the quality of the goods. Yushin skinning is still too low to make a difference in both quality and quantity, only had [Poor] and [Normal] quality among them. For those, he can get one silver coin for poor and two for normal goods. In the end, Yushin walks away with 32 silver coins, a lot more than he had before.


    This time he bought three normal quality spears, 2 Silver Coins each, one shortsword for a silver coin and a longsword for 2 silver coins. At the rate he is going through weapons he still kept thinking it was not enough but is not like he had infinite space in inventory.


    As for armor, he wanted something with high mobility that still offered some protection. In those shops, he could see some great armor with nice stats and high mobility, but those were [Magic enchanted] items that cost a lot of gold, so he quickly forgot about those. Finally settling on leather armor set, it barely restricted his movements at all, but had no special features. He spent two more silver on it for a grand total of 11 Silver Coins on equipment.


    Shopping a bit more, he bought two [Low-grade Healing Potion], with 20% healing over ten seconds, twice the effectiveness as Aurei¡¯s, for one silver each. Better potions are a lot more expensive, 25% healing over 8 seconds at 10 silver coins, 30% at 20 silver coins! Above that was considered another tier, and cost gold coins!


    He asked around about those broken gears with jewels. The gear itself is worthless, but the jewels unexpectedly are [Rank one Magic Jewel], called [Blue Cloud]. This type of jewel is mainly used as a magic container of sorts, with strong magic restriction property. It¡¯s not possible to know what they used it for only with those pieces of unused jewels.   If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    As for the price, Yushin smiles, found a pleasant surprise, that kind of magic jewel is expensive, this one costs one gold coin! He has seven of those, moreover, Rain also has many, she will also be very happy.


    He decides to keep them for now, it is too soon to start getting rid of rare items, he may come to regret. The broken guitar couldn¡¯t be appraised without a [High-Level Engineer]. His next step is to learn about cooking and food, he forgot about it before.


    Yushin discovers food is a huge thing in Tales, not for the player base only, but also for the NPCs. Even though players will survive without food, NPCs need it to survive in city management. That means if all food sources are gone from a city, all NPCs will eventually die!


    Since players can hire NPCs for their guilds, settlements, forts, and buildings, naturally they will need to worry about food supply. Eventually, many Player controlled cities and kingdoms will rise. Protecting farms become very important, and there are many quests because of it. Hunting is also a great way to profit.


    Cooking by itself has many benefits to players, including specific boosts to stats and skills. Monster meat will only drop if someone has the [Cooking skill] or [Advanced Skinning Skill], respectively for Chefs and Hunters. That is also the reason Yushin got no meat drops before, his skill level is not high enough. Also, raw food ingredients will not go bad in inventory, and they become very useful for long dungeons and journeys. Right now traveling ways are few, without any news of teleport between Kingdoms.


    In fact, it is not that they don¡¯t exist, but with thin mana, the royal families keep a tight leash on [Teleport Formations]. The cost of opening one for a short time is very high on Magic Stones! There is no way they will open it for players without sufficient reason. So, restricting the information flow, it is very easy for the player base to think they do not exist at all.


    Yushin goes to one of the [Mage¡¯s Guild] to ask about Magic Jewels. He finds one called [Spellforce]. There is nothing really remarkable about the first sight in there, except that it is one of the longest standing buildings of the city and one of the very first to be found. It looks simple inside, but Yushin got the feeling some obscuring magic was involved. He felt something was out of place, but couldn¡¯t exactly pinpoint what.


    Spellforce didn¡¯t bind players and was mainly based on research and development of magic, so it was the right spot to go as far as Magic Jewels are concerned. Yushin also decided to join, since it didn¡¯t restrict his freedom, and he had access to the [Support Magic] skillset. As with the other guilds, he joins as a Rank One member, without many privileges. He did get info on Magic Jewels.


    Magic Jewels are a joint product of [Jewelry Master] and [Mage]. It says mage because, out of the many types of magic, most of them could be used to refine jewels, even though the actual process requires many pieces of equipment and even sometimes help from other skills or professions. Therefore, Magic Jewels are rare, and [Magic Jewelry Masters] even more so.


    The ones Yushin has are [Blue Cloud Jewels], Rank One. They are used to store magic to work mainly as a power source for an array or magic formation, but can also store many types of low-grade magic for instant use. The price, as stated before, is one gold coin. He could sell it for less to attain more contribution points.


    He hangs onto them for now and makes a trip to the Hunter¡¯s Lodge to share info. It wasn¡¯t enough to rank up, so he left and decided to once again visit the Faint Forest. Even though he has not gone to the other places yet, the forest is very suitable for him and an interesting place. He also needs clues to discover its secret and complete the quest.


    Not long after, in a common beginner¡¯s spot, a player is jumping around full of happiness and joy, like jumping was the greatest thing in the world. He jumped on walls, on air, tried to double jump, tried to jump over random obstacles, did a somersault. It was a funny scene to behold.


    He had the body of a middle-aged man with long green hair and marvelous beard, with a fierce look and red face like a famous general of the Warring States. Bow and arrow on his back gave away his starting weapon of choice.


    Yushin was about to leave when the newbie looked over at him, his sight resting on the leather armor. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a high quality or expensive item, but all around most people did not have one, so Yushin stuck out like a sore thumb from it alone. He also had good bearing and an aura of friendliness around, so the player was quick to approach.


    ¡°Young man, wait!¡± The voice was solid and clear but aged. The person playing definitely was an old man. He could have sent a voice-to-text message over or even a PM, but instead, was shouting on open mic.


    ¡°Yes, Elder?¡± Yushin went over and bowed.


    ¡°What Elder, can¡¯t you see I¡¯m a middle-aged uncle?¡± Complained the Old Man.


    ¡°Er.. Yes, Sir?¡± Yushin definitely thought this grandpa is new to gaming.


    ¡°What do I do now? I want to run around and fight!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Have you tried the Beginner¡¯s Dungeon yet?¡±


    ¡°Right, that notice said something about it. Hey, Young One, I need a gun. This bow isn¡¯t my thing!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there are any guns around right now,¡± answered Yushin honestly.


    ¡°This game doesn¡¯t have guns? What preposterous thing is this!¡±


    ¡°Elder, err, I mean, Uncle sir, it¡¯s too soon to know, but at our level there definitely isn¡¯t any,¡± he didn¡¯t want to confirm the existence of magic guns, but from what he knew about the system, they are definitely a possibility.


    ¡°Oh well, I guess this old bow will do! Now, where is this dungeon thing?¡±


    Yushin showed him the way and told him what to expect. The old man didn¡¯t seem to be paying much attention as he kept fiddling with his bow and jumping around.


    ¡®Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you, Old Man!¡¯


    He suddenly nodded and went into the dungeon. After a few minutes, he was already out, even though Yushin warned him about the difficulty. It was not surprising that he died quickly. It was also a [Mob Clear] type of dungeon and the old man ran forward as his life depended on it, soon being mobbed by many wolf type beasts along the way!


    He could barely get one shot off before dying.


    ¡°Hahahahahahahahaha!¡± He seemed really happy, not caring a little bit about his death. ¡°Young Man, where are more of these things? Quickly, let¡¯s go hunt! I need to learn how to shoot properly!¡±


    Yushin thought about refusing, but seeing how excited the old man was, how could he?


    Also, being with him would definitely not be boring!


    ¡°Alright, I have a place in mind, let¡¯s make a party.¡± He invited the old man to the party, which he accepted after Yushin explained what it was for.


    [Young@Heart joined the party.]


    ¡®Definitely old!¡¯ Yushin wept after seeing the Old Man¡¯s in-game name. He decided to bring him over to the Faint Forest, even though it was probably going to be very tough for him. However, if the Old Man was going to give up in front of a little difficulty, this definitely wasn¡¯t the game for him in the long run.


    Before crossing the gate, a group of players is talking about how the difficulty of the mobs had scaled up since yesterday. The monsters seemed to be leveling up from killing other monsters and players!


    They also talked about a Furious Bear wiping everyone out at the Faint Forest, already considered a [Boss Class Monster]!

 Chapter Fourteen: Right Now, We Are Prey!

    Yushin suddenly realized how Bosses could appear in Tales!


    Since the beginning, the bear could be considered a superior existence in Faint Forest¡¯s Monster Ecosystem. He had total dominance over his peers and demanded obedience. After killing other monsters and players alike, he grew in strength and kept growing over time!


    A strong existence like that, how can it not be called a [Boss]?


    Yushin has a bad feeling about this. The A.I. in this game is so weird the Monarch Bear will definitely hold a grudge for a long time!


    While traveling with the Old Man to the Faint Forest, Rain Falls private messages Yushin to talk about her dungeon. Since they left, it changed to a three-player dungeon with a new quest type: Mob Clear, and no time limit!


    It now also gives access to a much larger area around the White Stone Castle, being suddenly repopulated by an influx of enemies from other areas. Which meant that every time going in, they had to kill their way to the bridge again.


    This didn¡¯t mean the number of monsters was infinite. She noticed it takes time from others to move in from the rest of the dungeon itself and thinks clearing the dungeon again will give access to new quests until they find a way to the castle!


    The final reward may be a permanent unlimited dungeon, like the ones currently in the major guilds. This, without a doubt, is huge! Of course, she invites Yushin to go with them, right now Rain is with a couple of Free Forest friends tackling it repeatedly.


    That dungeon is an immense guild contribution. She jumped straight from the First Rank to the Fourth Member Rank - Full Fledged Member, currently being the highest ranked player character in the entire guild.


    Member rankings are different in each guild. In Free Forest, they are: Rank One - Outer Disciple, Rank Two - Inner Disciple, Rank Three - Core Disciple, Rank Four - Full Fledged Member, Rank Five - Junior Executive, Rank Six - Senior Executive, Rank Seven - Section Chief, Rank Eight - Protector, Rank Nine - General and Rank Ten - Guild Leader!


    Of course, for the Tenth Rank, only one slot is available at a time. Aside from these, they have [Guest], [Advisor] and [Guest Protector] titles that can be issued by the Guild Leader or Management Council. For Branch and Division Managers, they would usually at least be Section Chiefs, but that wasn¡¯t a rule set in stone.


    Under the contribution system, finding a permanent and rare dungeon was big merit. Rain could have earned even more points if she decided to hand it over to the guild. But how could she do that without knowing what it would become in the future?


    Yushin didn¡¯t want to take the opportunity away from the guild members, so he declined for now. He thought it was a good way for Rain to make friends and grow her position. He was also with the Old Man and would not abandon him so soon after meeting. Three spots are enough for Rain, the Half-Orc and the Kobold to party.


    Rain also told him that people reported dying inside the dungeon, and when they went back, the monsters that killed them became stronger. In Free Forest, many players also confirmed the report. Yushin told her what he heard, including about the Monarch Bear and that it is almost certain monsters are also getting experience from kills. What is needed to know now is how fast they evolve and how much stronger they can get!


    The old man is impatient and keeps urging Yushin to go faster. But when passing near a small village, there is a double braided, white-haired female character with a mage¡¯s hat being shunned by a group. The reason Yushin could guess after seeing the woman again: she is a pure mage with low damage!


    It¡¯s the same woman that broke up from the Red Clay group before. She tried partying with many people but always found herself shunned for being useless. She stayed there sighing loud, her fairy figure surrounded by pitiful sadness. How hard is it to find a party?


    Without thinking twice, Yushin walks over and smiles, bowing slightly.


    ¡°We¡¯re a newbie duo going to explore Faint Forest. Do you want to come as well?¡±


    The mage is startled, she knows they saw that depressing scene, is embarrassed. If Yushin showed signs of pity she would be too proud to accept. But that man looked kind, neither overbearing nor servile.


    ¡°Quickly, child, you join, we go exploring!¡± The old man is impatient, may be old, but is still young at heart.


    The woman is surprised, an old man¡¯s voice coming out a middle-aged man¡¯s body, he even has long green hair, it doesn¡¯t fit that image. She chuckles, all her worries are gone momentarily.


    ¡°I¡¯m a pure mage, my damage is low, but I¡¯m definitely going to work hard.¡± That nice voice sounds over, she is definitely nervous, waits to see if they will refuse after knowing her situation.


    Yushin smiles, he doesn¡¯t care one bit. The Old Man is a newbie, what is a pure mage and what isn¡¯t, how can he know? He keeps urging them to kill stuff, fiddles with his bow over and over.


    [Collapsing Snow joins the party.]


    ¡°Mister Yushin, Hello. Grandpa Young, hello.¡± Collapsing snow greets them, she is very thankful for finally finding a party. Yushin teases that the Old Man is not a grandfather, but an uncle.


    The old man sighs, finally admits to being old, says it¡¯s his first time playing and asks for them to be patient!


    The group laughs, everyone is more comfortable right now. An Old Man and a Pure Mage, if other people knew, how can they not laugh?


    Near Faint Forest, Yushin warns them monsters will be tough, explains about the [Monster Ecosystem] and [Monster Habits and behavior]. He tells them a bit about his experience and how to avoid getting killed. The Old man is a newbie and doesn¡¯t care about the details.


    Collapsing snow is a bit surprised and afraid, even if she is trying not to show. She has way too low damage to be effective. Yushin sees her worries but says nothing. No matter what he says, it will not have a positive effect, for now, will even make her more nervous.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    As with the last time, Yushin guides the group to a suitable spot. His preferred targets are the Jaguars, but something feels strange. He feels like the whole forest is on high alert but maybe is overly paranoid.


    The monsters really are a bit stronger. Not all of them, but every once in a while they find a faster and stronger Jaguar. Yushin is thinking that right now hunting in this party is definitely harder than going solo!


    The Old Man can hit an arrow every three or four attempts. Jaguars are very fast and agile, he is not used to the bow yet. His beginning Archer skill is [Quick Release], only helps with drawing speed, will not help with aim. Those monsters are not very good targets for beginner archers, but if the Old Man can somehow adjust, his growth will be huge.


    The lady reflexes are good, she reacts quickly and is used to games, doesn¡¯t have that newbie feeling like the elder. But her damage is bad, takes a long time to cast beginning [Fire Magic] skill [Fireball], uses up too much mana. Her other [Ice Magic] skill is [Ice Strike], it has short range and even lower damage, albeit having a chance to freeze targets.


    She is very proud, refuses to compromise, wants to prove above all things that her way is not the wrong one. Frankly, this duo, if they did not have Yushin and his skill, would not stand in that forest for long.


    Yushin smiles, he is not mad at them, he does not think himself superior in any way. Instead, he likes the challenge!


    Good players, they are everywhere. Some even godly. If you make a party of great players, it will definitely go smoother than this bunch. But if you take into account friendship and loyalty, even that feeling of accomplishment when someone becomes better, aren¡¯t all those great to experience? Do we need to look only at skill?


    ¡°Old Young, you¡¯re too impatient. I¡¯ll go first, keep their attention. Take your time, aim slowly, become a sniper instead. You will get the feeling, the right timing, then start taking riskier shots. Try not to think of this like a game, but as real life. Missing a shot will get you killed,¡± Yushin explained, looking at the Old man. He nodded and grinned.


    ¡°Collapsing Snow, you have low damage,¡± as he said this, Snow braced herself to be shunned. The part she had been worried all along finally came!


    ¡°But damage isn¡¯t everything. Think about it, what is a pure mage in this game? You can¡¯t define yourself by other games standards. You need to think about what you can do right now and focus on improving it.¡±


    ¡°A True Pure Mage would not use his staff to hit, but that is because he has the means to be effective without it. Right now, you don¡¯t. Instead, you should focus on grabbing the right timing and being our main diversion,¡± he kept going, trying not be too overbearing.


    ¡°Where you go from there, that is your path. Only you can choose. You have great reflexes and make smart moves. Try not to limit yourself too much with stereotypes,¡± Yushin smiled at the end and Snow did not question his words. She wasn¡¯t ready to accept all of them in one go, but she knew he was right. Pure Mage or not, she had to do everything to help!


    The group looked for more enemies, this time they are moving better together. The other two tried to match Yushin¡¯s timing, this fellow was good, kept improving over and over, almost looked like a professional. Snow even thought he might be one after all!


    She uses her staff a lot, complementing her skillset. She will save [Fireball] for dangerous moments and sometimes use [Ice Strike] in an eventual situation. Her overall mana management is much better! This is a highly needed skill for any player. Take Yushin for example, he always tries to find the perfect synergy between skills and normal attacks.


    After defeating many mobs, they switch to the wolves. He has confidence the group can survive, even kill with efficiency. Yushin handles kiting the enemy, lures them to a good spot, works as the tank, rarely takes a hit and sets Old Man Young for the kill.


    Snow coordinates well, uses the staff to keep the enemy at bay. Compared to the others, the mage¡¯s attributes are not much different at the beginning, later on, may have a big disparity in agility and strength. Yushin knows she is a bit reluctant at first, but soon got used to doing that role. The group stops to rest for a bit every now and then, always on the trees.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she suddenly blurted out, ¡°I wanted to show I could be a pure mage so badly that I didn¡¯t realize it made sense to do everything I could.¡± She giggled, that lovely scene was definitely not good for the heart. Her blue eyes glittered, overlooking their sadness for an instant.


    ¡°What is a pure mage, after all? A mage is a mage!¡± She laughed again, it is silly how she could be so stubborn with such a small detail. Deep inside the reason she got so upset was not only about that. Snow wanted her friends to accept her decision and trust her.


    ¡°Everything will come with time. Everyone needs to play smart and use strategy. Have you thought about it? This is possibly only one of the worlds in this game. In the other worlds, mana may not be thin.¡± He smiled, ¡°At that time, who can say being a Pure Mage will be a bad choice?¡±


    Collapsing Snow nodded. It made sense! She smiled, is very happy, Yushin lost himself on her smile for a moment.


    ¡°Being young is great,¡± Old Man Young said with a mischievous grin, he was envious looking at Yushin.


    Yushin coughed and looked sideways, put on a poker face so fast he could win an award. Suddenly he remembers something, explains to them about the [Skill Creation system], how using normal attacks and skills in different ways can make the system recognize a new skill and allow them to diversify.


    Yushin himself attacks at several different angles, aims at different techniques. He will use each opportunity to find a good move and even switch weapons around. Every attack sequence is different, every strike has a purpose. He has experience with the spear, hopes many of the techniques learned from his master can be created here!


    This game, it is as if it was made for him, he enjoys it more and more.


    There were some tough moments during the fights, but as time passes the trio can kill most of the enemies quickly and without problems. The three of them began to work very well together. Yushin is hard to describe, he does everything a little bit, is almost a monster. The Old Man is a great sniper, has many kills, is getting better and better. Snow starts to focus on diversion and timing, forgets a bit about damage, now plays a good role.


    The group sits to rest in the trees, but this time, Yushin knit his brows. He was so busy leading the others that he almost missed the signs.


    Even though the tracking skill was automatic that didn¡¯t mean it was perfect. Very skilled opponents could avoid the skill with [Furtivity]. Magic could also hide someone¡¯s tracks. If their skill was higher than his, then tracking wouldn¡¯t show or would only appear in a split second.


    Right now, scattered in the forest, many preying eyes were on the trio. If the group kept going the way they were soon an ambush would follow. Even though his skill didn¡¯t activate, Yushin senses picked up the enemy, almost like a master¡¯s hidden sense. Of course, this is only his intuition at work.


    What he doesn¡¯t know is, after the Monarch Bear becomes the strongest boss of Faint Forest¡¯s Outer area, he starts his quest to rally and conquer every other species, organizing them into his own monster army!


    This threw every other boss-type monster into a frenzy and made them compete for experience!


    Experience, of course, came from defeating other monsters and adventurers.


    Since there are many weak and newbie adventurers, they became everyone¡¯s favorite snack.


    ¡°Get ready to run,¡± Yushin private messaged to the party, ¡°We run straight to the exit. Don¡¯t stop, don¡¯t worry about killing, focus on staying alive.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­?¡± Asked Snow anxiously.


    ¡°There¡¯s probably a boss class monster hunting us.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we kill it, kid?¡±


    ¡°Old Young, right now, we are prey!¡± Yushin smiled.

 Chapter Fifteen: Surprising News Shakes The City

    As Yushin noticed before, Tales [Tag System] worked with player perception to adjust the labels and names of unknown origin things in the game. After Yushin obtained Kruikansian¡¯s blood, he started calling them ¡°Kruik¡¯s¡±, so once the Old Alchemist appraised the blood he indeed saw it as ¡°Kruik¡±, and not ¡°Kruikansian¡±.


    To that NPC, the race ¡°kruiks¡± didn¡¯t exist before, and Yushin became its discoverer. That doesn¡¯t mean other NPCs have the same information, so if somehow that info is shared together with the original name, the label would change.


    This is important because, right now, Yushin knows there are four to five Wolf Class monsters in the dark around them. But he has no idea what species they are, which means the system couldn¡¯t label them right as he hadn¡¯t met them before, even while exploring.


    He explored a lot of the Faint Forest, saw many wolf species and others, but hadn¡¯t come in contact with this one. To him, this spelled trouble. He soon called them ¡°Dog 01¡± to ¡°Dog 05¡±. While partying, the trio found out labeling things in the game made it so that other party members could also see the labels!


    Before, when partying with Rain, they were in a hurry and thus not able to explore every inch of the [Party System]. This is fantastic for teamwork, as it allows Yushin to design priority targets, point out traps and formations. It only worked within a set range, so someone on the other side of the map could not use this feature to provide information. The range varied and it is possible to deduct it has something to do with [Line of Sight]. Even so, it would work wonders on a battlefield.


    It is even possible to design someone to function as a [Battlefield Controller], directing targets, changing formations and issuing orders. Thinking about modern gaming, how handy would this be in Raid environment? What if it is available to entire guilds, and not only to party?


    Without dwelling more on it, Yushin made his move. He shouted and both Snow and Old Man Young started gunning for the exit. By that point, all of them knew how to run on trees and avoid monsters. Yushin made sure to drill it into their brains during hunting!


    Seeing the marked monsters appear gave them a scare. It¡¯s a good thing they never doubted Yushin and started running right away. The Faint Forest is not totally covered by darkness, even though its dense foliage made light coming in pretty rare in some parts. Those beasts avoided giving themselves away, and the group only saw their shadows this entire time.


    From the sides, it was impossible for more enemies not to come with such ruckus. A Jaguar ran towards Yushin, but he managed to fend him off hitting with the shaft of the spear, not slowing down in the slightest. Other monsters came in sequence, but no mistakes are made and they are repelled. In this situation, Snow was the one in most difficulty.


    Her skillset didn¡¯t allow for a quick reaction if needed. While Yushin could use [Spear Sweeping], [Spear Thrust] or fight barehanded, and the Old Man¡¯s [Quick Release] was especially effective, however [Fireball] and [Ice Strike] are very slow!


    Thankfully the enemies didn¡¯t know better than to aim at her, otherwise, things would be much harder. Also, once the stray monsters started to realize whose prey they were trying to snatch, they quit pursuing right away!


    Those wolves in the shadows are cautious and will not approach carelessly, even using the other monsters to their advantage. Experienced hunters, their gaze followed the three of them, analyzing weaknesses and gauging strength. The enemy was not easy prey.


    Having failed the ambush, they soon decided to retreat even before Yushin and the others made it outside the forest. The trio sounded relieved as they fought off a few more beasts without difficulty and approached the edge.


    ¡°Why did they retreat¡­?¡± Asked Snow with a confused look.


    ¡°Would you not? Your ambush failed, you are not sure you can overtake the enemy in speed and strength. Is it worth the risk?¡± Yushin answered.


    The Old Man agreed, ¡°Knowing when to retreat, it¡¯s the best move.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ smart.¡± Snow could only add.


    ¡°Heh, we can¡¯t underestimate the A.I. in this game,¡± Yushin looked happy, ¡°Also, they were waiting for their boss. A bit later and we would be wiped out.¡±


    He had the confidence in being able to survive, but the Old Man and Snow would definitely become beast food.


    ¡°Kid, you look stupid with that tattoo, but you are very clever!¡± Praised the Old Man.


    Stupid with that tattoo, Yushin wanted to cry over the Old Man¡¯s bluntness.


    The trio finally exited the forest and sat down to rest. The barrier prevented monsters from going out, so unless some came wandering from the outside they could rest without worries. With the number of players going around, how could there even be any strays?


    ¡°What¡¯s this level up thing?¡± Asked the Old Man. In fact, both he and Collapsing Snow reached level two.


    Yushin explained the basics of RPGs, giving him an idea of what a level up is and how it represents a sudden rise of power after a certain amount of experience is reached.


    He also focused on Tales and pointed out Skills are definitely more important than a common level up, even though balance is needed between level and skills. So far, leveling up is the only way of increasing health, mana and soul, even though stats probably have an effect on the amount increased.


    Old Young reaches level two, HP, Mana and Soul increased, Dexterity, Agility, and endurance also increased. [Quick Release] reached a new level, learned [Running Skill], learned [Aiming Skill] and enough experience for a new [Bow Skill]. The only skill he can create is [Strong Arrow], the opposite of [Quick Release], slower but with a lot more power. [Aiming Skill] is a passive that helps him aim faster!


    [Aiming Skill] is currently the most important one to Old Man Young. Even though his mind is still very clear and efficient, old age is not to be trifled with, and his reflexes suffered a hit over time. It is not reasonable to expect an old man to perform at the same level as those young players, so having an assisted aim is definitely a huge boost!


    As for his choices, [Quick Release] available modifiers are:


    [Moving]: Bonus to aim while moving.


    [Speed]: Bonus to drawing speed.


    He chooses [Moving] after Yushin¡¯s guidance, [Quick Release] becomes [Agile Quick Release]. For the Old Man, any precision gain is better than speed right now!


    Collapsing Snow reaches level two, HP, Mana and Soul also increased. Even though she is a mage, in Tales, as long you use Martial Skills your soul will also go up. Strength, Intelligence, and Endurance increased. [Fireball] reached a new level, learned [Running Skill] and gained enough experience for a new [Fire Magic] skill.


    She can create two new skills, one is [Wall of Fire], the other [Fire Spray]. As it says, wall of fire is capable of creating a small wall of fire in front of the caster, size depends on user¡¯s magic. Fire Spray is an Area Of Effect spell, shaped in a cone, capable of blinding the enemy and causing a bit of damage.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    From those you can see the system recognized her goal to use Magic as diversion and support!


    Either choice is useful, she is not a newbie like the Old Man, can decide for herself, chooses [Fire Spray] so support can be more effective for now. Fire Wall looks okay, but probably won¡¯t be very strong at her current level. As for modifiers, [Fireball] had:


    [Powerful]: Longer cast, more damage.


    [Extended Range]: Longer range.


    She chooses [Extended Range], Fireball becomes [Long Fireball]. The extra damage isn¡¯t worth a longer cast time, the damage would still be low anyway!


    Yushin doesn¡¯t have a level up, his progress is not slow but also insufficient. He has been training many things, trying out the system, his experience is distributed everywhere at the moment. He is wondering what to do now when Old Man Young comes forward.


    Old Young says he started the game to play with his granddaughter, she is going to begin a bit later because of some circumstances. He wants to become good and surprise her a lot, but is also his first time playing modern games.


    The Old Man is honest, is very blunt and disciplined, thanked Yushin a lot for teaching him, he is hoping they can play together often. From now on must see him as a grandson!


    In truth Old Man Young is a loner, his wife is not alive anymore, he spends every day at home. Now he joins Tales, discovers a new world, full of possibilities and adventure. He wants to play, finds it very pleasant, like one got younger and full of vigor.


    Yushin smiles, says he had a lot of fun and is also hoping they can form more parties like this. He isn¡¯t lying, he likes hanging out with the Old Man, even though his bluntness is like playing roulette: you never know what you¡¯re going to get!


    Also, in this short time the Old Man grew a lot, his speed is still lacking, but sniping is truly first grade. He is definitely not the common potential, despite his age. Yushin explains the [Friend List System] and adds him, then teaches him how to send messages and about the different types of messages.


    Grandpa Young is elated, puffs his chest proudly. In the heart is very pleased that youngster doesn¡¯t consider him as a burden, even has hopes for him.


    The Mage Collapsing Snow goes forward, wishes to take advantage of the opportunity the Old Man creates. The Old Man is blunt, is straightforward and outgoing, but she is careful, doesn¡¯t want to impose, self-esteem has been low for a while after being shunned frequently.


    ¡°Me too.¡± She also asks to be friends, would like to party often as well. Deep inside is often worried no one else will accept her, or that it will take a long time to find someone again. She also enjoyed partying with them, prejudice against female players is big, but they didn¡¯t care, are not ones to fuss over small matters.


    Of course, they accepted, agreed to partying often and to message each other.


    Collapsing Snow is relieved, even loses composure for a bit, thanks them time and time again. Yushin and the Old Man are very embarrassed with that exaggerated display but can understand why.


    Yushin smiles, thinks no one should be regarded as trash. She must teach them, show this game and her potential are not that simple.


    ¡°You¡¯re a good player, with a lot of potential. What you lack now, is confidence,¡± Yushin is often smiling, his heart is kind and somehow worries all this rejection will create a small burden in Snow¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Em.¡± She nods.


    Young @ Heart says goodbye, needs to rest. He is an old body after all, continuous play will affect his health. Snow also, she has a matter to attend to, cannot linger in the game for long today. They exchange farewells and log off.


    Yushin smiles, to this duo he already has a lot of affection. Now thinks about everything that happened and what can be done to improve. There is a lot to learn about this mysterious game.


    For a while now a weird feeling surges when using Soul to activate skills, even though he can¡¯t precisely pinpoint what it is. Back there in the woods, he was able to sense enemies that even his passive tracking skill was incapable of finding. This is very weird in a game, but with Tales Neuro Linking, thought that anything is possible.


    Also, what about Faint Forest? It changed so much in only a day. Monster patterns and behavior are hard to predict. In every game before the bosses stood in a fixed territory, so players had an easier time finding and killing them. From what happened before, bosses can go out of their way to find and hunt players!


    He is pretty sure they didn¡¯t unknowingly wander into the boss territory. He already mapped that area several times and is very careful when leading other people. The minions showed first in clear proof they were hunting for game. If the Boss moved together with them, how could they have escaped without a fierce struggle?


    This barrier that surrounds the forest, Yushin thinks it has something to do with the [Raibyr]. If it was made to keep the monsters there, doesn¡¯t that mean it can also break or be deactivated? If so, wouldn¡¯t the monsters become like raiding pirates, destroying all the surrounding villages and rushing towards a big city like Red Clay?


    Their behavior is very aggressive, regarding adventurers as food. He has no proof right now, only his instinct, but something tells him the answer lies in the accepted quest to find the [Mystery of the Forest]. Too bad he found no more clues so far!


    Looking at spear in hand, this time is still on the first one and the damage is not big. Comboing with the others made it so he didn¡¯t need to overuse it in battle. To calm himself down and think, Yushin started to maneuver the spear around his body and strike continuously, like practicing in real life.


    Not knowing if this would have any effect on the game, it helped calm his mind and decide what to do. The [Flow Of Soul] in his body is faint, is very hard to grasp. It is easy to activate a skill, since the system assists, but somehow he has this idea that with more effort and time one can control the Flow of Soul into his weapon and out as easily as breathing!


    ¡®Is this another type of skill?¡¯ Yushin smiles. Right now, instead of chasing theoretical gains, he needed to press forward and do some more hunting. First, a trip is needed back to Red Clay to get rid of this loot!


    Compared to his solo haul, the loot isn¡¯t much bigger, even though they killed many more monsters. No type of new rare materials dropped either, only a few Rare Ratre and Ranroth¡¯s blood. Once again, he got skins, furs, fangs, claws and monster blood in his inventory.


    Still, it bothered him how a single useful herb couldn¡¯t be picked without the appropriate skill. One couldn¡¯t help but sigh every time, thinking what could be missed. For meat, he will eventually get advanced skinning, but for herbs, it is a whole new skill. As soon as possible the herbalist skill should be bought or at least bring along someone with it. Too bad Old Man Young had chosen [Fletching], [Hunting] and [Trap making] skill, and Collapsing Snow [Jeweler] and [Scribing], since she picked two Magic Masteries.


    Yushin is rushing back to Red Clay City, suddenly a message comes:


    ¡°Hey, big news!¡± This young, vibrant voice, is Rain Falls!


    Yushin¡¯s eyes quickly lit up. Now everywhere in Red Clay City mourns, from the [Three Big Guilds] commanders that left on the expedition, two unexpectedly died, only Golden Rose Guild Leader returned alive from exploration!


    Of course, this by itself causes a huge commotion, many screams of betrayal and foul play. About 20 Elite NPCs from each guild left according to Rain, plus the three Guild Leaders. Now, from Red Clay Guild, only a couple returned, Free Forest has been entirely wiped out and from Golden Rose returned about 15!


    This, to Red Clay City Lord, is a huge headache. Suddenly two-thirds of his city¡¯s elite strength is gone!


    The City Lord asks for an explanation, sends for a thorough investigation. Learns they have encountered a big danger outside, fell into an ambush by an unknown origin monster after the [Frontier] in a [Fallen Kingdom] area. The reason Golden Rose elites survived is their commander, he is a [Mighty General Class], focus on shield skills and defense.


    The couple of survivors from Red Clay work as witnesses, corroborates with Golden Rose¡¯s history. In the end, the biggest loser is Free Forest! Since none of theirs returned, they could not verify what happened.


    Their share of the rewards is much smaller and loss of equipment by itself is devastating. What sort of equipment would elites carry? Only the very best!


    Besides, they couldn¡¯t even investigate. How can they send people to where twenty of their elites plus Guild Leader died?


    They can only grit their teeth and curse!


    The City Lord, although may not believe that is really what happened, has no way to check and no power to pressure Red Clay and Golden Rose too much. Now, his position depends only on them to survive external threats. Free Forest and Red Clay lost prestige, in the future, Golden Rose might dominate Red Clay City!


    However, now in Red Clay City, everywhere also has the news, the two big guilds must raise a new commander, the ones with the greatest contribution will become leaders and candidates!

 Chapter Sixteen: Low Odds Are Never Zero

    Rain Falls position in Free Forest went up extremely fast!


    As the only Full Fledged Member Player Character, she is now granted the position of Guild Leader candidate. Now players everywhere are rushing, they must gain points and contribute to fight for the position. If quests being somehow scarce made many feel confused, contributing was straightforward and granted the players some freedom.


    Being a Guild Leader has many benefits, even though also many responsibilities and obligations. The position of the two big guilds is definitely not the same as those newly created player guilds.


    Those two big commanders have a lot of prestige and power. Those two guilds have been there for a long time in Tales lore, had a foundation and many connections. Even if Free Forest¡¯s treasure suffered from the loss of the Elite¡¯s equipment, it can still be considered amazing for the recently joined players.


    The Guild Leader can make war against other guilds, obtain their territory, resources or resources right. He has the City Lord¡¯s support and the royal family support in the shadows!


    Those guilds, they are the backbone and pillar of Red Clay. Guild Leader has the power to grant small rank nobility, pieces of land and titles. He can contribute higher, and after performing many merits, get the chance to become the new Red Clay City Lord!


    Red Clay City, that is this kingdom of Vavell third biggest city, is a powerhouse, full of resources, power, and prestige. Skills and Talents are also many, the wealth is incomparable to those small and weak player created guilds. Those big guilds right now even have the power to tear to pieces the small ones at will without much difficulty!


    Of course, as time passes, many guilds will rise and fall, be conquered and conquer. Those three big guilds, in time, may even be wiped out from Red Clay by growing player guilds.


    In MMOs, hundreds of players will always band together to form powerful alliances and factions. Many are already used to playing together and will do everything in their power to make the guild strong!


    Since Tales has a lot of freedom, strong players will decide the future of the entire game. To become a force for domination and unify all the lands. To become a force for justice and rule by wisdom. To wander about, absent aim. If you have enough power, all of those, who can oppose?


    When this information about the Guild Leaders spreads around, it creates a huge stir!


    Rain suddenly asks Yushin to join [Free Forest Guild], tells him they will strive together. Even if she is higher ranked right now she will support him, even give the dungeon. He will get a lot of contribution after donating it to the guild, surpassing her instantly!


    Although Rain already got contribution points for the dungeon, that is only for having it and letting other members use it after a [Contract], is not because she donated it to the guild. She admires Yushin a lot, is even a little infatuated with him, thinks that person will definitely become a great Guild Leader, much better than her.


    To any player, what kind of offer is this?


    The same feeling as suddenly being offered a lot of wealth in one go!


    However, to Yushin, that is nothing. He is not greedy for power, the City Lord position is not very attractive to him. Power and prestige, he will not turn away, but also will not be lured in by it easily.


    His goal is to explore the world and play his own way. The principal reason he refuses is that he doesn¡¯t want to continue what others started, but build his own empire and legend from the ground up!


    Yet that doesn¡¯t mean he is not aware of the benefits of such a great opportunity. Instead, he thinks that position fits Rain the best. She showed promise before, her decisions are smart and quick.  She has the makings of a great leader, even the heart of one.


    He might not want to be the City Lord, but that doesn¡¯t mean letting someone unknown have that spot might be harmful in the long run. A greedy and dumb City Lord, how can it not affect them when compared to other cities and kingdoms?


    Before Yushin is able to express his thoughts, Rain keeps going.


    How huge is the City Lord¡¯s position?


    The City Lord receives exploration rewards, obtains priority on treasures found, receives lots of resources from guilds, farms, and mines. All noble clans and guilds have to seek his favor. He can start wars on other cities, turn them into puppets, use his [Sphere of Influence] to control forts, settlements and other structures.


    Also has access to the [City Management Interface], can grow the city as he pleases, choose its focus, strategy, and industry, choose basic training, type of army, current laws, reward and punishment conditions.


    The City Lord can choose who to benefit, nominates many powerful positions within the city. Who can set shop and who is going to be banished. He can command the city guard at a whim, is a [Ranked Noble] and can even fight for the [Country Guardian] position.


    [High Ranked Nobles] are positions of prestige, are allowed to create Clans.


    Clans, as Rain explains, are not made by Player Characters, but by a person¡¯s own NPC entourage. They are considered their flesh and blood, like a clan or family in real life would be, and even allowed to have NPCs offspring in the game. In a [Clan or Family], the bond is strongest, is a [Blood Bond]. In a guild, it is a [Loyalty Bond]. System rules might be very different for the two of them, but that is all Rain knows so far.


    About [Country Guardian], what kind of position is this?


    Just one step below the [Royal Family], an entity that can someday become King of Vavell Kingdom.


    The official positions inside Vavell are [Settlement or Village Chief], [Fort or Gate Commander], [City Lord], [Country Guardian] and [King]!


    Among City Lords, those of small cities obviously have lower status than the ones in the three big cities. Country Guardians are responsible for defending the borders and are divided in four, one for each cardinal direction. Their influence can span several cities. Currently, there is none appointed in the Kingdom.


    Country Guardians are bestowed the power to summon every City, Guilds, and Army under his influence to fight an external threat to the Kingdom, at his own discretion. He does not need to report to the King before acting!


    Refusing the summon without justification will be considered treason to the Royal Family. Naturally, those guilds, mercenary corps or similar that are not bound to a specific kingdom will not suffer any penalties for not heeding the call in theory.


    Above the [King], only those that can conquer many other kingdoms can be called [Emperor]!


    All of this, compared to future player created kingdoms, right now, are much more alluring. If you were to build an empire, it would be much easier to start from a solid foundation than to build it from scratch!Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Of course, all this information, Rain obtains with her Full Fledged Member position. Right now, who can even enjoy such treatment in the entire Tales but a few lucky ones?


    Yushin raised his brows. This news is indeed huge, waves and waves of changes will come fast.


    Should he join Free Forest? Should he only support Rain from the outside?


    He to Red Clay Guild there is no affection and to Golden Rose simply no relation at all. But, even if he wants to be free, also thinks those [Guild Wars] are going to be very interesting!


    Rain is definitely the best candidate to lead Free Forest, compared to the ones he knows. Aurei would also be good if his confidence was a little higher. Bitter Cat is a no-no. He is too scared of her to even consider. The Kobold and Half-Orc didn¡¯t seem special to him at all. Yushin smiles, suddenly makes his mind to support her all the way!


    Now he also likes the Old Man and The Mage, thinks their trio can be good together. He wants to invite Aurei and Bitter Cat, forms a party, then find a healer, tries finding more dungeons and exploring dangerous places. Going deeper into the Faint Forest is a must.


    In his mind also has the thought of creating a guild. It doesn¡¯t need to be open like those three big guilds, but some form of Covert Ops, Shadow or Hidden Guild, capable of taking missions and running dungeons without attracting trouble. Bringing together talented people is necessary, all sorts of different skills to be able to enjoy any content and challenge any dungeon.


    After creating it, he can cooperate with Rain and form a Contract with Free Forest, supports her in becoming [Free Forest Guild Leader]. After then, aims higher, strive to achieve the City Lord¡¯s position!


    At that time, having the support of the City Lord will be very helpful to his explorations.


    He will keep adventuring. His end goal, maybe by then will find.


    However, if he becomes City Lord instead, it will be much easier to win the bet, he might even become the Writer¡¯s Group first after all!


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t join Free Forest,¡± Yushin told a disappointed Rain.


    ¡°Why? Are you going somewhere else? Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Red Clay?¡±


    ¡°How can that happen? I¡¯ll make my own,¡± he told her truthfully. Before she could say anything he added, ¡°I will support you to become Guild Leader at Free Forest and do everything I can to make it happen. It¡¯s a promise.¡±


    Rain couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disappointed, but also understood that him joining was mostly her own wish after all. She shouldn¡¯t push him too much and wasn¡¯t sure herself why she wanted him to join so badly. They only partied together once, but the impression left behind was very deep.


    ¡°If you change your mind, I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± she said a bit shyly.


    Yushin smiled and thanked her, then asked about the contribution methods for the guild. He had a rough idea of how contribution points are earned. Aside from a few cases, like finding a dungeon and letting companions use it, what other methods are there?


    Currently, he is affiliated with some crafting guilds but didn¡¯t raise his rank enough to access that much info. Just being part of a guild won¡¯t make you a full-fledged member. He silently reminds himself not to neglect the Engineer¡¯s Guild, Hunter¡¯s Lodge and Spellforce, as they work differently than those Three Big Guilds and didn¡¯t limit his freedom, but also won¡¯t give him many benefits if his member rank is not high enough.


    Rain tells him there are many forms of contribution:


    [Daily Contribution] is awarded when the player actively contributes to the guild that day, doing tasks, quests, selling or donating items, or participating in events, among others. It awards the lowest amount of points.


    [Item Selling] contribution points are awarded when the guild buys something from the player. The number of points will change according to the price of the items.


    [Item Donating] awards more points than item selling, but works the same.


    [Skill Teaching] are points awarded when one member passes a skill onto another, free of charge.


    [Skill Selling] is when a member sells a skill of his own creation to the guild or other members. It can be sold as [Restricted], [Free] or [Owner Exchange], with the [Owner Exchange] category being awarded the most points.


    [Skill Donating] works the same as the above [Owner Exchange], except the guild or member becomes the owner of the skills and the player may no longer sell it to other sources or teach it. Of course, higher leveled skills with many modifiers are much more expensive.


    [Guild Quests or Tasks] award points according to the difficulty.


    [Guild Merit Points] are awarded when a member performs a meritorious action for the guild, like defending it in a battle or providing excellent info.


    [Selling information] also awards points based on the member¡¯s contribution, much like the Hunter¡¯s Lodge.


    [Dungeon Access and Donating] is the contribution form Yushin knows, and one that awards a lot of points.


    Aside from those, there may be more specific contribution ways, but those are the ones Rain knows right now. Other Guilds have their own rules.


    Yushin gasps, there are many ways to rise in a guild. Even with Rain¡¯s lead, if a lot of people work together it will be possible to overtake her. One should not underestimate the power of some huge gaming guilds!


    Guilds often moved from game to game, and even though Tales didn¡¯t make it easy for them to start in the same place, it wasn¡¯t impossible to restart until you spawned on the place you want either. Some hardcore players would even attempt the beginner¡¯s dungeon until they complete it for better rewards!


    Knowing this, Kingdom Corp limited the amount of character resets per account to 3. If that didn¡¯t work they would need to buy another account¡­


    After talking a bit more to Rain, Yushin was going to resume his journey back to Red Clay City but spotted a few figures lurking in the woods near the road.


    At a single glance, Yushin knew they were up to no good, but did not know whether they were NPCs or players.


    For players, walking on the roads didn¡¯t make much difference speed-wise, and also made it much easier for other ill-intentioned players, NPCs, and beasts to spot them.


    But, to merchants, it was a huge difference.


    Roads gave movement speed bonus to caravans, horses, and other beasts while having speed reduction in open and uneven ground. Commerce was important to any city, but for those small settlements, villages, and forts, it was also their main way of survival. Few of them were self-sufficient. All those bandits needed to do was choose a nice ambush spot, check their caravan¡¯s strength and attack. There is no way patrols can cover the entire kingdom!


    This was also how those NPC bandits acted and the reason [Mercenary Bodyguards] were hired often. Yushin sneaked behind them. After trying his luck with those monsters on the Faint Forest, there is not a big chance a common player will be able to find him. He tailed a figure for a while and was now sure it was not an NPC, but a player instead.


    The figure was cloaked and had a white mask, carrying a sword. It stopped every once in a while and stood in silence. Yushin knew that he was sending private messages over to his group, waiting for the next prey to arrive.


    The way Tales worked, this group can attack whoever they want, and if no one gives away their identity, only taking off their cloaks would be enough so no one knows who they are. Without name tags above their heads, like in common MMOs, there is no easy way so far of spotting player identities.


    Of course, Yushin could tag them with any random name, and if they meet again, it would still be tagged. But, after taking off their cloaks and masks, how can the system recognize them?


    This system is very similar to a real life [Facial Recognition Tool].


    Yushin went around in the woods tagging every enemy he could find, from ¡°Bandit 01¡± to ¡°Bandit 15¡±. There were fifteen of them in the end. If he somehow found any of their characteristics, he also added it as a tag. For the first bandit - Bandit 01 (Sword).


    Two of them stayed close to each other and talked without using private messages, no worry about being caught. They couldn¡¯t imagine someone would be able to sneak on them, especially so soon in the game.


    From their talk, Yushin learned they are from a guild called [Red Leaf] and found it fun to play as bandits in Tales since the odds of being caught are low. They addressed each other by their igns, ¡°Red Bird¡± and ¡°Red Clown¡±, and even took their masks for a moment!


    Big mistake!


    Yushin grinned from ear to ear.


    ¡®Remember, low odds are never zero. Today, you have the worst luck in the world since you met me!¡¯¡¯ He thought mischievously.

 Chapter Seventeen: Yushin Has Joined The Party

    Yushin looks for the leader of the ambush while tagging but is unable to find him. They all wear similar cloaks and talk through party chat, so it is hard to see one that stands out right now.


    Soon there is movement a bit distant on the road, two horses pulling a small wagon. The bandits begin to move as if they are waiting for this one group to come. A warrior-like figure walks ahead as the mercenary in charge, carrying longsword and round shield. He has black hair, is very tall at over two meters and has a large build.


    Besides him, an archer lady with no distinguishing features except long black hair, and another warrior dwarf with spear and round shield completed the party. Aside from those three players, four City Guards NPCs with sword and shield are following behind. To guard a small wagon like this, a party of seven is already a luxury.


    At first glance, Yushin thinks this party doesn¡¯t have a great composition. But for smaller missions, they probably didn¡¯t have much choice on the matter. There should also be a scout in front, so the chances of discovering the ambush earlier would be much higher, avoiding their fate. Lucky for them, he is there.


    Waiting until they are in range, Yushin sends the warrior-like player a whisper from a distance. He looks like the chosen leader after all.


    ¡°Ambush ahead, around fifteen enemies in the woods. Accept me into the party and I¡¯ll tag them.¡± To lessen the shock, Yushin sent it over a text message, not voice chat.


    The mercenary leader freezes, is surprised. He debated internally whether to accept or not, is afraid of being misled on purpose. But soon goes ahead, decides to take the risk, is not like he can¡¯t kick the person out right away if he causes trouble.


    [Yushin has joined the party.]


    The other two players also freeze, suddenly someone joins!


    ¡°What is going on?¡± The dwarf asked first.


    ¡°Seems there is an ambush ahead, keep walking slowly,¡± The Leader answered quickly. He is afraid of them giving away that something is wrong, and thus alerting the enemies.


    Yushin sends the information over. On their screens the enemies appear tagged, some even have their weapons and a few more details. He didn¡¯t send the info on Red Bird and Red Clown, but kept it to himself.


    The trio is startled again, they didn¡¯t know about this function. Seeing many people hiding almost makes them want to scream. The leader wants to make the caravan stop, but Yushin stops him from doing so. They have to feign ignorance and counterattack, only then the enemy can be caught by surprise.


    ¡°Get ready to fight them, no time to run away. I¡¯ll start, you guys worry about staying alive for a while,¡± Yushin said.


    The leader wanted to ask who he was but it was hardly the right moment. They are up against double their numbers and all players, while on [Wagon Protection Duty] there are four NPCs.


    The City Guards combat prowess is something they are not aware of, but those that came along are only recently promoted rookies. It will be good if they can go back alive. Three players and four NPCs against fifteen players in an ambush, the result is not hard to predict. Now they have prevented the ambush and even got a mysterious helper!


    When the wagon reaches a certain spot on the road and a bit before the ambush could take place, Yushin begins. He didn¡¯t want to attack when the wagon was further away, since that could cause the bandits to give up and ran. He wanted them to think they could still ambush even without the right timing!


    ¡°Now!¡± He talks to party while rushing against the two reds, Red Bird and Red Clown. Now those two stopped talking and are focusing on the task at hand, eager to kill. Yushin fell upon them like a bolt of lightning and it will still take them a while to figure out what happened.


    The spear, even without [Spinning Spear Thrust], had enough power to 1-hit Red Clown. Yushin already learned that putting all his weight behind the blow has an excellent effect on damage. After landing, he didn¡¯t even bother to pull out the spear, but rushed with sword in hand, cutting off Red Bird¡¯s head from his body!


    Red Bird barely had time to scream in surprise before death!


    Damage formula in Tales is a secret, unavailable to players. However, from fighting monsters and the players at Faint Forest, Yushin knows many critical spots are good for extra damage, like real life anatomy. [Pressure Points] are definitely a thing!


    If the bandits had better armor, Yushin wouldn¡¯t be able to one-hit them, but most of the group did not bother since they could die and damage it. This early in the game, who has money to spare? Also, why are they even trying to score from raiding wagons anyway? One of the reasons is this game is too hard, they already died many times!


    The other is because someone commissioned them to strike at [Free Forest¡¯s] deals. The [Wagon Protection Duty] type of mission is always given to guilds, if they complete with success there is payment and their prestige rises. The bandits were promised coin for each successful attack, and they could even keep all the spoils!


    If they kept paying for armor, there would be a lot less coin in the end.


    Red Bird¡¯s scream startled the entire bandit group!


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡±


    ¡°Whose scream was that!¡±


    The bandit leader is about to give a roll call when suddenly there is movement from the mercenary leader ahead.


    ¡°To arms! City Guards, to the front, raise your shields!¡± He issued the command and the NPCs rushed forward forming a small shield wall.


    Ambush leader is startled, now things are definitely going to be much harder. He is thinking what went wrong and what is happening right now, how could he know Yushin happened to his raid?


    He knows something is very wrong, he hears screams and then silence. If someone is dead, they can¡¯t talk to party. Right now he has no way to know who died and who lives. Party screen only shows names, not statuses. As things stand, he must make a decision.


    Since he has no idea what is happening, he cannot retreat. The Wagon is only a bit further. Even if some are sacrificed, if they raid it the mission will be a success. He grits his teeth, commands a full out assault, raises bow to aim and fire a barrage!Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Many arrows fly from the woods, but no magic. The Wagon Band is aware of the ambush, defending is much easier. The Lady Archer hides behind the wagon and counters, knowing where the enemy is attacking from is a huge advantage. Soon the first players rush forward, nine in total. That leaves four archers behind in the woods, including the leader!


    Yushin is running swiftly, finds his next target. The archer has no time to react. This figure comes out of nowhere, [Spear Sweeps] him down with the shaft behind his legs and finishes by impaling with the spear. He only has time to scream ¡°Dan¡­!¡± before dying, but the other players are too busy attacking to understand.


    Now bandit leader is aware someone is in the woods with them, cannot focus on giving commands, is looking around crazily. Yushin should have started with him, but he didn¡¯t know the leader was. Now that bandit stood in the woods, looked around in fear, realized something was wrong. Even If he is not the leader, is a good player worth taking down quickly!


    Bandit leader sees something, someone running very fast towards him. He carries a spear in hand, has medium black hair roaring in the wind and a runic tattoo on his face!


    Bandit leader aims, uses [Quick Release] without hesitation!


    [Parry!]


    The first arrow is deflected with ease, Yushin keeps running forward without stopping. He could use the woods to take cover, even run around them, but he keeps himself from doing so as not to make the enemy run and buy time. He wants to cut to kill and move on!


    [Quick Release] fires again!


    [Parry!]


    [Quick Release!]


    [Parry!]


    ¡°What¡­!¡± Bandit leader is in awe of the opponent¡¯s skill, he tried the timing to parry before, is hard to grasp. Yet this random guy in front of him did it three times in a row without even stopping!


    The delay between the arrows is low with the skill, but Yushin had already run in front of the leader, he will not give him time to attack again.


    [Spinning Spear Thrust]!


    One-hit K.O.!


    The Bandit Leader dumbly stares before death, regretting not running away the instant that figure appeared.


    Yushin alone killed four people, including the leader. He sees items drop and is surprised, is a skill book. Grabbing it, he keeps moving forward, has no time to spare. His party members are still fighting with their lives on the line.


    Only two archers left, Yushin glances sideways at the battle, they are managing to hold out well. One injured NPC retreated, but the Warrior-Leader is a good player, manages to hold out, even injures the bandits some.


    Lady Archer takes down one archer in the woods, then switches to striking at the incoming assailants. The dwarf is wounded but NPCs are helping him, defend attacks, will hold on for a little longer.


    Yushin soon finds the last archer, which didn¡¯t seem to realize the others died. That one will not even know how the reaper took his in-game life. A few seconds later he spawns in the city, is confined and looks around for his other party members, they all have a dejected look on their faces. He wanted to ask what happened, the only thing he knows is suddenly taking damage and dying!


    Without archers and the leader, only remaining nine enemies, some even wounded. The Wagon Band are also in a bad shape, so Yushin doesn¡¯t lose time, joins the fray. The Warrior-Leader sees figure incoming, braces for the worst. Above his head, however, is Yushin¡¯s name!


    Yushin goes forward like a bullet, wants to hit the enemy flank and ease the pressure on the wounded dwarf. His first target is a warrior with a longsword, he [Spear Sweeps] and doesn¡¯t waste time on the kill, jumps forward with [Spear Thrust] on the next one!


    The spear hits sideways in a clean hit, the wounded bandit dies. The one in the ground from Spear Sweep is killed by the dwarf right away. The tide of battle instantly changes, from nine bandits seven are left.


    ¡°Archers! Archers! Take this guy!¡± The next bandit screams to party, then yells for the leader, but no response comes. He is distracted, receives an arrow to the chest, falls down and disappears in death.


    The Warrior-Leader has no time to be impressed, a single mistake and he will go down. The NPCs are in a dangerous zone, only the lady archer is still full of HP. Her only problem right now is not having enough arrows, as the shield wall in front of her is still up, letting arrows fly freely.


    Six bandits left, the next one falls to a sequence of thrusts with the spear. The remaining five are now aware they¡¯re on the losing side and begin to despair. Yushin joins the combat, kills left and right, now the enemy wants to retreat, but who can flee from him?


    He trained on the Faint Forest, running and chasing, no one in this combat has more experience than him!


    Yushin encircles. Who tries to run, is the one he kills first. He prevents them from running to the best of his abilities and soon all the bandits are dead. No more items dropped, only the leader¡¯s. The Wagon Band is wounded, but alive, and no NPCs fell. To them, that battle was almost a miracle.


    Yushin smiles and looks at the group, ¡°Well done!¡±


    The Warrior Leader bows, ¡°Thanks to you, friend. You¡¯re really a lifesaver.¡±


    The others also give their thanks. Checking the party screen, Yushin knows this warrior name is Nobody The Wanderer, the Archer Lady is Whirlwind Fury and the Dwarf is Calanag.


    ¡°Does this happen often?¡± Yushin asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve run as bodyguard since the first day and did many runs. This is the first ambush. I really need to be more careful next time,¡± Nobody The Wanderer said, lowering his head slightly in shame. Had Yushin not appeared, wouldn¡¯t this be a catastrophic run?


    The other two also said they never encountered a bandit raid. Moreover, a player raid. Calanag and whirlwind Fury are with Free Forest, but Nobody Wanderer is [Loose Player]. That is, he hasn¡¯t joined any distinguishing influences.


    They talked about moving resources using [Caravans and Wagons]. While players can carry their stuff on inventory and other special means, normal merchants and NPCs need to carry them over somehow. This is how commerce to the settlements, villages, and cities work, even through different kingdoms!


    Right now the danger of those missions is big. Many players are not skilled enough for the main monster lairs and decided to focus on raiding wagons and banditry. Player Kill and stealing are also ways of increasing skill.


    Yushin frowns, now knows this Wagon is Free Forest¡¯s protection duty, it will go to a nearby village. If successful will give prestige and coin. If it fails, loss of prestige right away. With guilds on the verge of open war, from behind the curtain, they will do everything to undermine each other¡¯s progress. Hidden war already started, other guilds will target Free Forest, how can this attack be a coincidence?


    Behind there may be Red Clay or Golden Rose. If Yushin had to guess, and by logic, it should be Red Clay. Golden Rose has more power right now, can take other approaches. Small acts like this are most likely done by smaller guilds. even player guilds trying to sow confusion and create conflicts are a possibility. What if it is a random attack? What if player guilds are trying to use the confusion and profit? What if it is Golden Rose trying to set Red Clay up?


    Right now he doesn¡¯t know the answer, but the possibilities are there!


    ¡°Do you guys know anything about items dropping? I thought items didn¡¯t drop on death, but some did.¡±


    ¡°Oh, those are probably [Stolen Items]!¡± Whirlwind Fury explained, she killed a bandit before and got some items to drop, ¡°Stolen items will drop on death before some time has passed. Those guys definitely raided someone before we came here.¡±


    ¡°Um, but how did they steal it in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Heh, [Thief Skills]!¡± She talked happily. She is the kind that gets really excited when sharing knowledge, ¡°My friend told me they have a passive that gives a chance for items to drop on death as long as the target is marked!¡±


    Yushin is dumbfounded. Thief Skills are definitely a huge danger!

 Chapter Eighteen: A Quest From The Goddess

    The wagon needs to go on and finish the mission, the group rests a bit to recover health and soon bid goodbye to Yushin. Nobody, Whirlwind, and Calanag decide to add Yushin as a friend before leaving, and he has no reason to reject.


    The trio changed their modus operandi, now Whirlwind scouts the area looking for dangerous spots. Yushin sees this and thinks he doesn¡¯t need to worry about them anymore. Of course, nowhere is going to be completely safe as long as Pking is allowed, but at least their mindset has changed. As he starts to head to Red Clay to finally get rid of the loot, the system recognizes he is out of battle:


    [System: You have reached level 03!]


    [System: Spear Mastery has reached level 02!]


    [System: You have learned [Furtivity] Skill!]


    [System: As Spear Mastery reached the second level, you learned [Double Thrust] Skill!]


    [System: By using a [Sword] often, you learned [Sword Mastery] skill!]


    [System: As [Sword Mastery] is learned, you learned [Quick Cut] Skill!]


    [System: Parrying (Passive) has reached level 02!]


    [System: Running (Passive) has reached level 02!]


    ¡®...!¡¯ Yushin wasted no time in checking his new stats:


    [Player Yushin Class: Small-Time Captain (Hybrid Warrior-Magic Class, Low Leadership) Level: 03 Race: Half-Human]


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Title: None


    </td>


    <td>


    Bounty: None


    </td>


    <td>


    Fame/Infamy: 0


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Strength: F


    </td>


    <td>


    Magic: F


    </td>


    <td>


    Defense: F


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Agility: F


    </td>


    <td>


    Intelligence: F


    </td>


    <td>


    Magic Defense: F


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dexterity: F


    </td>


    <td>


    Endurance: F


    </td>


    <td>


    Charisma: F


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health Points: 3200/3200


    </td>


    <td>


    Mana Points: 200/200


    </td>


    <td>


    Soul: 240/240


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Wealth: 19 sc


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡®What? Did they change the Status Window?!¡¯ Yushin checked in-game for patch notes, only to find a small announcement with a few ¡®Quality of Life Improvements¡± and other design fixes. Not only the status window changed, but items and weapons now have their attack power and attributes shown in stars instead of fixed numbers!


    This goes in line with Tales concept of giving less info if possible. Only blacksmiths will be able to estimate a weapon min-max damage and other ranges. Yushin checked his spear:


    [Common Wooden Spear Lv1 Rank: One-Star Condition: Normal]


    Attack Power: Half-star


    Speed:1.0


    Range: Mid


    ¡®Such sudden changes¡­ what are they thinking?¡¯ He then checked his skill window:


    [Skill List]


    [Athletic Skills]


    [Furtivity (Passive)] Level 1.


    Info: Helps user move silently, reduces chances of detection and improves other related skills.


    [Physical Skills]


    [Double Thrust] Lvl 1. Atk 120%. Speed: 1.0. Soul cost: 10. Required: Spear.


    Info: Thrusts twice in a row with the spear.


    [Quick Cut] Lvl 1. Atk 105%. Speed: 1.3. Soul cost: 3. Required: Sword.


    Info: A fast cut with a sword.


    Double thrust is a bit slower than Spear thrust but hits twice in a row, which considerably increases damage but also the impact on the spear and the overall Soul cost.


    All in all, Yushin was definitely happy with the powerups. While going to Red Clay, he checked the skill book the bandit leader dropped before: [Hidden Weapon Skill: Throw Hidden Weapon]!


    Yushin smiles, getting a new skill is always a good thing. The skill book can only let him learn the basic skill and has a single use. The skill mastery will have to be learned over time with repeated use, like what happened with [Sword Mastery]. Right now, skill books are in high demand but limited, going for at least ten gold coins. In the future, they will become cheaper, as players will reach the mastery level needed to teach others about skills and even create their own books.


    Which poor soul lost this skill book, he might never know.


    Back in the city, his first stop is the City Guard. Yushin reports the caravan attack, sees if players complained about the theft, especially about the skill book. No theft was reported at all. From what he understands asking around, it is very hard to report things without solid proof.


    In Vavell, the crime can be reported and if the items are recovered you may get them back. However, this also depends on the [Rule Of Law] and proof. Player reports are not reliable, can be forged, will not spur the City Guard into action easily. This changes if some form of official authority is present during the event, such as a [Guest Of The City Lord], [City Guard Member], [High Ranking Guild Member Of The Three Big Guilds], High Ranking Guild Member of Any Big Prestigious Player Guild, an official investigator or other.


    As for the raid on Nobody¡¯s Wagon Protection Duty, it can be reported because there were four City Guard NPCs with it. As soon as they return, Yushin¡¯s report will be fortified and considered true. If they don¡¯t return, then it will be considered as a low-grade report and thrown away. This system is called [Rule Of Law].


    [Rule Of Law] is the system of rules in a determined place, such as Vavell, that has its own rules. Smaller power, like cities, settlements, forts, and villages, can put forward their own rules as long as they don¡¯t conflict with superior rules, such as the kingdom¡¯s. This is done in a pyramidal hierarchy, with the Royal Family and The King at the top, and the village chief at the bottom. Going against superior rules may even be considered treason.


    Places without the Rule Of Law, such as beyond the Frontier, are called [Lawless]. Unless someone claims that territory for himself, normal rules will not apply there and kingdom¡¯s sphere of influence will not reach either.Stolen novel; please report.


    Also, even without the report, unique items may have tasks and quests assigned to their recovery. Common items are not easy to distinguish or worth the effort, so places won¡¯t allow those types of quests to appear. Unique items are considered those that have some kind of specific, non-generic feature that distinguishes it from others. For instance, if Yushin lost one of his spears, he would have no way of putting a quest for its recovery, as it is a common weapon. Yet, if he asked Bitter Cat to engrave a unique symbol on it, it would become a unique item, and now he could put up a quest for its recovery.


    Even with this system, [Forgery] is still a thing. Yushin also asked around to see if someone commissioned a quest to recover the skill book, in vain. Also, the skill book is now definitely his. It is not a unique item, so no way of finding its owner, especially among tens of thousands of players. Even if he feels bad about it, there¡¯s nothing he can do, so he decides to use it on himself.


    [System: Through a skill book, you have learned Throw Hidden Weapon!]


    [Throw Hidden Weapon] Lvl 1. Atk 110%. Speed: 1.2. Soul cost: 3. Required: Hidden Weapon Type.


    Info: A simple throw with a Hidden Type Weapon.


    Yushin is lacking in ranged and surprise attacks, so this fits him nicely. Also, the reason he did not send information over, neither to the party nor to the City Guard, on Red Clown, Red Bird, and Red Leaf guild, is simple. Right now the guild is not old, is not strong, is just a beginner''s guild. If they are hunted, even captured, and pay for their crimes, it is still easy to start over. They can even disband before getting caught. He has the upper hand, knows about them while being in the shadows. Even if without telling the City Guards on site about the two of them, he cannot produce enough evidence, he is not bothered by it.


    Somehow, all of this seems to be linked to the Guild Wars, so he wants to give them space and see if there is more info to be gotten. Someday, if Red Leaf crosses his path again, or even keep their unruly ways, by then it will be worthy to exterminate them. Right now, it¡¯s the same as taking out a single star from the skies!


    After separating loot to give Aurei and Bitter Cat and selling the rest, Yushin now has 50 silver coins again. Hidden weapons come in many forms, from daggers to shurikens, but also varied greatly in price. Yushin finally set his sights on a few cheap throwing knives and bought around 50 for one copper coin each. He needed to use it repeatedly to increase his skill level anyway, so he didn¡¯t have to bother with expensive ones.


    Private messaging Aurei to meet, he stood in a corner of the crafter¡¯s street, trying to avoid getting noticed. That, of course, is also to check and understand the mechanics of the game. Can his furtivity increase by doing things like this?


    Soon that impressive red-haired giant form attracts all stares. The Giant race is always impressive, but an awakened one is even more so. Aurei is by the side of Bitter Cat, looking tiny as ever. His equipment is also a bit better than before, but also nothing special.


    Bitter Cat is happy, finally started to make some okay weapons. Her long struggle against the system bore fruit, will not lower her head in front of little brother anymore.


    ¡°Here!¡± She tosses a [Bonehead Spear] to Yushin, made with the loot he always shares. The spear has a wooden shaft, but the tip is made of solid monster bone!


    [Common Bonehead Spear Lv1 Rank: One-Star Condition: Good]


    Attack Power: Between Half-star and One-Star


    Speed:1.1


    Range: Mid


    Modifiers: Small increase in Penetrating power.


    This spear even has a bonus modifier!


    Bitter Cat eyes are sparkling as if demanding praise. She is very tough on the outside, but inside, more praise is always better!


    ¡°This is amazing, the best weapon I have seen so far!¡± Yushin, of course, doesn¡¯t forget the praise.


    ¡°Heh, a small thing~¡± She tried hard to pretend is a common occurrence, but her giant face betrayed her with thoughts of happiness easily. Unlike Aurei, she didn¡¯t share much of the process with Yushin, but the Fangs and Claws are basically polished until they form the tip of the spear and are then strengthened using bone powder. The process isn¡¯t as simple as stacking a bone tip onto the spear!


    Yushin smiles, gives them the next batch of materials. There¡¯s no change since it all came from Faint Forest again, so they don¡¯t have much research to do right now. Bitter Cat repairs his weapon and armor, this time they were not broken so durability loss didn¡¯t occur.


    Aurei also improved his [Simple Healing Potion], is already at the level needed to sell, considered [Low-Grade Healing Potion] with 20% heal over 10 seconds. Now he needs a lot more herbs for research and experimentation, is even trying to mix bone powder and monster blood into his formulas.


    The results of the experimentation before he gives Yushin, two [Simple Experience Pills]!


    Experience Pills are full of soul and mana, able to increase the leveling speed of both player and skills for a set amount of time. To mix those, Aurei needs not only a few rare herbs but also to spend his own soul and mana! This means he cannot let go of leveling and focus on alchemy. Both of them are linked.


    If he falls behind in Alchemy, he will not discover better formulas. If he doesn¡¯t level, he won¡¯t be able to produce better pills and potions or even experiment with higher level ones. Aurei¡¯s Simple Experience Pill only has 5% efficiency, but for a newbie alchemist, he is already on his third formula!


    Even this last formula, if he gives to the guild, can get a lot of contribution. Alchemy has a myriad of paths, same herbs can mix thousands of different formulas. Which one is better, only time and research can tell. Every small formula is useful, might open a path unknown before.


    Yushin is full of praise and asks, ¡°Do you two want to party together somewhere?¡±


    Now Old Man Young and Collapsing Snow logged out, but he didn¡¯t want to. His goal is to be the best, needs to keep going and experience many things. He also wants to test Aurei and Bitter Cat, find out their skill level. When an opportunity arises, he will mention guild and ask them to join. Guilds are usually not restrictive in Tales. Joining two or more guilds is a possibility, except if any of them forbids it. They can even forbid certain member ranks to join others, but allow common members to. This also opens possibilities to send spies!


    ¡°E-em..u-um¡­¡± Aurei is a bit reluctant, wants to run away and focus on medicine, is not good on the field, even if he knows his path in alchemy also needs strength.


    ¡°You¡¯re not running away, smelly brat!¡± Bitter Cat nags at him, pulls him by the arm. At first, she was skeptical of Yushin, but he has helped them much, even treated her little brother very well. She decides to accept him for now, see what kind of person he turns out to be!


    ¡°We need a bit of time to finish some things irl, then we can go somewhere,¡± Bitter Cat added, ¡°What about Free Forest¡¯s dungeon?¡±


    Yushin nods, ¡°Can I go in without joining?¡±


    ¡°Sure, we can get you a [Guest Pass]. You¡¯ll need to leave behind a few of the drops as payment, but otherwise, there¡¯s no problem.¡± She answered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do that then.¡± Yushin smiled.


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet back here in an hour! Come, brat!¡± Aurei also nods shyly, he almost sighs out loudly but logs out after his sister.


    Yushin is curious about Free Forest¡¯s Dungeon, it is supposed to be a dungeon that fits all players and still does not run out of monsters. He decides to take a small break and eat something.


    Remembering he is low on food, Yushin decides to make a trip to [Old Lady Buns Homemade Food]. The trip doesn¡¯t take long, there he sees the Grandma and Silverbelly again. Silverbelly waves with the tail, puts the tongue out and plays around happily as if Shin was his best friend.


    ¡°Oh, you came!¡± Elderly woman sees Yushin again and smiles.


    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ve come for your food,¡± Yushin smiles, then asks her to make side dishes often for him. He lives alone and must eat better food from now on, this way can also help her business. The Old Lady nags at him, tells him to find a wife. He is no spring chicken after all!


    ¡°Ma granddaughter is also single, smart and kind. She is twenty-two this year, in college. She would make a great wife!¡± She quickly puts out a photo from the pocket, a beautiful and innocent looking lady is there holding silverbelly. She has kind brown eyes and medium parted hair, with glasses.  Her smile is definitely angelical.


    Yushin is taken by surprise and laughs, immediately thinks that he should refuse, but jokingly calls her Grandma again!


    They both have a good laugh. The Old Lady is definitely not joking, but how can Yushin think about marrying in his situation?


    Is not that he couldn¡¯t love someone or find a girlfriend. But, marrying? How sad would it be to marry a dying man? Even if someone agreed to it, Yushin wouldn¡¯t. In this world, he hated doing things that would harm others, especially if it had to do with him. After agreeing to get side dishes delivered often and getting some to eat, Yushin smiled and left. He wanted to finish eating as soon as possible and log back into the game.


    ------


    Inside the game, in another big city in the Kingdom of Vavell, an azure long haired female carrying twin swords enters an [Information Broker] hangout searching for news. That beautiful lady sighs, the news she is looking for is not easy to find.


    Many players started to admire her as soon as she logged in. Beautiful, like a goddess in blue, invites came by so often she had to block them together with whispers. Ignoring everyone and playing solo, she is quick to disappear and hide, sometimes like a shadow. Everyone knows in-game appearance is linked to real life, you can change a little bit around, but mostly stays the same. She is definitely also a real-life fairy!


    Her in-game name, is ¡°Faith¡±.


    ¡®When is he going to check his messages¡­? That Shin bastard!!!¡¯ She makes a scary face but is not really mad at him. They¡¯ve always been that way. She had her own share of disappearances as well.


    Faith finally sighs, then decides to issue quests in as many guilds as possible: to find information on the location of Shin, Former Guild Leader of the Golden Spear Guild in Project Legend! All she knows is that he is in Vavell, is fond of the spear and the nickname is possible ¡®Shin¡¯. The reward is 10 gold, a favor from her and a common mobile dungeon!


    After the azure goddess walks away, many players become curious and ask what she was doing. When they know about the quest, their hearts speed crazily. The quest that goddess gives? A favor? A common mobile dungeon?


    Even if it is somewhat vague, if one can solve it, they can get closer to the Goddess!


    Many sighs also, this bastard ¡°Shin¡±, how dare he be lucky enough to make the goddess look for him this way?

 Chapter Nineteen: What Need Do I Have For A Useless Slave?

    After logging back in, Yushin is walking around Red Clay City while waiting for Aurei and Bitter Cat. In a few days, there are already some changes in the city. Some players started to go into the City Guard, form their own guilds and even go around as merchants.


    The merchants are mostly peddlers since it is still difficult to open a shop in the city. Players first need to acquire capital, then invest in materials to resell or find a constant supplier. To this end, some guilds are working towards supplying a single merchant with their goods and rushing their crafting skills. But things are not going as they want.


    Raw materials are in high demand, and crafters are still beginners, so production is low and the quality is still lacking. Also, there is a lot of waste since people still didn¡¯t grasp the system. With this, the biggest profit goes to the City Lord, who controls most of the NPCs stores and crafters in Red Clay. Therefore, he will make sure to at least rope in any potential good merchant or crafter through bribes.


    This also affects the trade as a whole, because every NPC needs to be equipped with weapons and they also have durability and quality. Since there is no fixed supplier, if a city in the game is lacking in materials it will affect their equipment output. Imagine a city where the population is often engaged in exploring and hunting and the commerce generated from it. This also determines a city or kingdom edge in weapons. If one is vastly superior to the other, how can they defend themselves in case of an attack?


    The City Lord, while having less power than the Three Big Guilds, is also a powerhouse and has many businesses and guards. He is constantly at risk of assassination, so is always protected at all costs by strong bodyguards. Secretly, he is recruiting players to form the backbone of his kingdom, that can protect him in case anyone tries to rebel and take his life.


    Unlike PCs, NPCs only have one life. The system is well aware of this, so The City Lord and its influences will not be careless. In the game, the population is based on several factors, and the generation of new NPCs, as considered a [NPC Reproduction System], is key to the survival of kingdoms.


    At the same time, Golden Rose is growing in power and even taking a few new player guilds under their influence. Even if The City Lord has control of most of the profits from merchants and stores, the three big guilds have their own connections and also profit from the same sources, in a silent war for resources. Right now, The City Lord has 30% of the profits and the other guilds only get 10%, if they are involved in the business at all.


    But, the biggest profit, is from [Pottery]. Red Clay has no big mines or other discerning industries. Financing explorations, taxing guilds and trade, and exploring access to their Magic Dungeons, those are all secondary in face of [Pottery Trade].


    Red Clay City exports pottery not only to Vavell but to the nearby kingdoms, bringing huge profit. Even though pottery is a luxury product, NPCs also need luxury in their lives, so the market share is huge. This alone makes vying for the city control a risk worth taking.


    If all the other endeavors together can bring ten gold coins per day, Pottery brings fifty. For this reason, most of the City Lord¡¯s resources are allocated to protecting pottery trade, even going as far as making deals with guilds in other cities for safe travel and protection. However, the biggest factor to consider is, the King of Vavell is a big fan of Pottery!


    With the Royal Family blessings, few dared to mess with the pottery trade. Pottery in Tales is also not simple, full of mysteries Yushin doesn¡¯t know. But seeing how the guards take [Pottery Trade Protection Duty] very seriously, this trade will definitely be a focal point of wars to come.


    Yushin walks around seemingly without a purpose, but he is busy studying the entire layout of the city. Its inner workings, choke points and weaknesses. If he were to attack the city, how would he do it? What if he was to defend it? Who controls the underworld in there?


    Of course, where there is regulated trade, there is always some form of illegal trading and market. Since the City Lord regulates permit it could not be different, and the system even encourages rogue actions by allowing people to create guilds and alliances that are not in any kingdom¡¯s sphere of influence. As a second-class city and the third biggest in Vavell, Red Clay is not an easy target, but also not impregnable.


    He also takes note of the buildings. Which ones are available for housing, which are rented for new guilds and stores. Every territory has a fight for dominance, and it is clear this dominance in Red Clay is separated into four forces: The City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Golden Rose Guild, Red Clay Guild and Free Forest. There are also nobles, but in face of those four giants, they can only fall under their sphere of influence.


    While waiting for Aurei and Bitter Cat, Yushin suddenly comes across two known figures of interest: Red Leaf poor duo! That is, Red Bird and Red Clown. He smiles and decides to follow them in secret, see what they are doing, find and tag their contacts. Their confined time should already have expired, but they are still walking around. Above everything, more info is never bad!


    The Red Leaf Duo has no idea they are being followed again. If they knew, tears would certainly drip down their faces. They meet a few people and exchange items. Some look like NPCs, other are definitely players. Yushin tags them all with appropriate comments, even though he doesn¡¯t exactly know who they are. But since he knows Red Leaf is up to no good everyone that comes in contact with them are also suspicious.


    Maybe what they trade are even stolen goods. Yushin follows them into a certain street and a common house, very well hidden. They stop there and go in, but he can only tag and not follow, this may be some kind of hideout but there is no good spot to hide. He doesn¡¯t want to risk too much so stops here and turns back, decides to follow the other tags around, but finds nothing much.


    He keeps following one of them, this one enters Red Clay Guild! He also traded items with the duo before, so is highly suspicious, but too early to conclude anything. Not seeing anything interesting going on he turns around to leave, but the sight almost gives him a scare.


    A few players are looking angrily at him, even with killing intent flowing freely. Yushin notices those are the guys that he trashed with the help of the Monarch Bear to help Rain Falls. It¡¯s obvious they hold one hell of a grudge!


    The trio consists of the Dual Wielding Daggers Man, the Red Haired Swordsman and Calm Bow and Arrow, who wished they could kill Yushin on the spot. He made them lose a great prize, a rare, permanent, and mobile dungeon, even die and be set back a lot of player and skill experience.


    Now Red Clay spies passed on the news, the player that obtained that dungeon is very lucky, rose fast inside Free Forest, is currently the first candidate for Guild leader. They think that should be their honor, their spot.


    ¡°...You bastard!¡± Man Wielding Two Daggers is mad, even wants to slay him right away but there are many guards around. If it was outside, they would definitely cut to kill, but in Red Clay, it would end up with them being branded criminal. There is a good chance of not even being successful in killing Yushin before getting arrested or killed.


    ¡°Fancy meeting you here, coward, are you done ambushing people and hiding behind woman¡¯s tails?¡± He keeps cursing Yushin, wishes to make him angry and try to get him to strike first, but no success.


    Yushin smiles, is very polite and bows slightly. He has no reason to bear a grudge, their behavior is not very honorable, but in the end, it was their loss. Shin acquired much from that dungeon run, besides experiences loot and even became acquainted with Gadras and Rain. He is also disinclined to trade insults.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Both the man with two daggers and the red hair sees this behavior, are very angry and insulted, almost to lose their minds completely and disregard any consequences. The calm man sees this and goes forward.


    ¡°How about we settle this grudge with a small duel?¡± In his mind, a duel is a perfect choice since the target is inside the city. The City Guard won¡¯t interfere in a personal duel and the grudge might be settled satisfactorily.


    ¡°Yer afraid now, kid?¡± Teased the Red Haired Man.


    ¡° Agree if you have the balls!!!¡± Said the angry man with two daggers.


    ¡°Sure, but it will only make you angrier, you know¡­¡± Yushin smiles, this time a smile that soared the flames of rage inside his opponent. Now he is deliberately trying to make them mad. He is not a shallow person, but very prideful, will not tolerate disrespect.


    ¡°This bastard, let¡¯s see you keep this smug smile on your face after I¡¯m done with you! Make it a [Contract Duel], no, even better, a [Slave Contract]!¡± The Man Wielding Daggers roars.


    Yushin smiles again, is still very calm, ¡°What need do I have for a useless slave?¡±


    ¡°...You!!!¡±


    ¡°But, other things, we can definitely bet.¡± As the alchemist said before, since the Nameless Mage sealed the demonic advance, contracts became a source of power in this world. They are flexible, with many optional rules enforced by a ¡°higher power¡±. Betting a wide array of things, such as items, money, conditional feels, slavery contract, servitude contract, and even titles and techniques, is possible!


    Regular skills and talents cannot be wagered since it would open a way for exploiting. Titles are rare and techniques can also be sold or donated, so they are allowed to be in contracts. Above all things, betting on a contract is dangerous business!


    Even if the account is reset, player info stays consistently per person. Which means, by resetting your account, you can restart your character, but certain conditions that were applied during gameplay still persist. Even if you buy another account, this does not mean you can have multiple accounts, as player info stays the same. Each account is codified per person, like DNA, and resets are only allowed because kingdom Corp wanted people to have some freedom.


    This means penalties resulting from the contract cannot be erased completely! Even if you lost and decide to reset your account and character, it still would be applied. Even if you bought another account, it would still apply as long as you are the one using it!


    Moving to an open space still near Red Clay Guild and designing it as the [Combat Area], Yushin sets up the [Contract Duel]. They both agree on the following terms:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Rules


    </td>


    <td>


    Contract Duel


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Money Loss


    </td>


    <td>


    30 Silver Coins


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Technique Loss


    </td>


    <td>


    One Random, Restricted


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Death Penalty


    </td>


    <td>


    Tripled


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Condition


    </td>


    <td>


    Unable to attack the other for 1000 hours in-game time


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Condition


    </td>


    <td>


    In game mute for 300 hours in-game time


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Victory Type


    </td>


    <td>


    Fight To The Death!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    A loss meant, aside from money and triple the normal death penalty, losing a random technique, being unable to talk in the game for 300 hours and unable to attack the other for one thousand hours in game time!


    [System Notice: Yushin agrees to the duel with Sinkred. The Duel will start automatically in one minute.]


    In this duel the loss is very harsh, making both parties nervous. The Man Wielding Daggers, whose ign is Sinkred, as per the system notice, is confident in his skill. In truth, he doesn¡¯t know how skilled Yushin is since they only fought for a bit, but he thinks he could only pull that off because of the ambush and Rain Falls.


    Yushin is calm, takes out a common spear, breathes in and out. If he wants to be a great player, situations like this are unavoidable. To fight many players, get better and better. He is out of time, has to be bold and accept every challenger. More than anything, putting himself in an inescapable situation will force him to improve.


    A crowd forms around them, many Red Clay members and also non-members came to see the fight. It is the first time they see a [Contract Duel], most of them think those two are definitely crazy with such a bet!


    ¡°I¡¯m betting Sinkred will win, he is a very skilled player, maybe top three in my guild.¡±


    ¡°Who is the other guy? Someone from Free Forest?¡±


    ¡°Dunno, haven¡¯t seen him around, they said in guild chat his name is Yushin. He messed up with some of our members before, this is payback.¡±


    The clock winds down as the system signals for the duel to start. Sinkred¡¯s equipment didn¡¯t differ much from Yushin¡¯s, as he was also wearing light leather armor. His short blue hair wavered slightly, and he definitely looked angry while rushing forward as soon as it started!


    Yushin was at a distance of three meters, and his long spear held advantage in the beginning. Sinkred was stopped by well-timed thrusts every time he came forward. Avoiding any hits, he still couldn¡¯t get close to his target, while Shin maintained the distance with ease.


    ¡°You bastard, don¡¯t think you can keep doing that for long!¡± But obviously, the reach of the spear was much higher than the daggers. If Yushin was a less skilled player, then Sinkred would be able to close in with his speed, but it was not so. It took all he could to avoid getting hit by the spear.


    Yushin breathed in and out, his body starting to pick up the pace, his rhythm becoming stable and fluid. His [Flow Of Soul] passed through his body with a warm feeling, as if just touched the depth of an incommensurable power. No matter how much Sinkred tried, he was but prey caught in the spider¡¯s nest.


    Yushin pressed forward and his attacks now became much more aggressive. Sinkred was so fast his skills would definitely not hit, but he controlled the flow of battle, and so was also not in any danger. Soon Sinkred stopped for a few seconds, in silence, and a thin veil of mana enveloped his body.


    ¡®Flow of Mana¡­? Does he also know magic?'' Yushin is surprised, he didn¡¯t even see a [Cast Time] or [Incantation]. When Collapsing Snow cast [Fireball] or [Ice Strike], there was always a bit of time involved, and she needed to say an incantation. In Sinkred¡¯s case, there was nothing like it.


    What Yushin didn¡¯t know is, in fact, Sinkred is a pure soul character, he cannot use magic. If Yushin¡¯s had a greater magical affinity, he would have been able to see the flow of mana coming not from the enemy¡¯s body, but a few meters from him, on the side of the crowd. One of his fellow party members cast a [Magic Buff] on him!


    The power of magic has been lowered, but support and buff magic are still among the most effective types. What happened is that Sinkred received a second rank magic called [Buff Agility]. It temporarily increased the target¡¯s stats, reaction time and speed.


    All of a sudden, Sinkred dashed forward much faster than before, so fast that Yushin missed his control. Dodging dagger strikes from close range is a difficult job, even more so when the opponent is buffed. So the dagger found its way into Yushin¡¯s chest, hurting him for the first time in the combat.


    [Quick Stab]!


    Sinkred activated his skill and Yushin could only block, damaging his spear. Parrying fast daggers with a spear is something difficult to pull off. He took several steps backward trying to put himself in a position to counterattack, but of course, Sinkred wouldn¡¯t allow it. He kept pressing Yushin with a flurry of strikes. Deadly strikes.


    From Yushin¡¯s view, the enemy¡¯s power-up could be from many things. He possibly had access to buff magic, even if it is weird he didn¡¯t cast it. This early in Tales is impossible to know what each player can or cannot do. Now, it feels like he made a mistake by being confident in this duel.


    In the crowd, a woman wearing light silver skin armor and carrying a six-stringed wooden instrument with a long neck, similar to a smaller tanbur, twisted her face in disgust.


    She has metallic silvery blue long hair, carries a bow and quiver in the back, and a square-shaped cute face with round, pink cheeks. She is also a rank two [Buff Magic] user and already able to sense the flow of mana!


    Even though she thought Yushin is too naive falling for a simple trick like that, the dishonorable scene playing now is something she cannot stand. Her nimble and jade-like fingers start to slide down to the strings of her instrument. Even if Yushin did not ask for it, she is willing to make things even on her own anyway!


    But, before she could start playing the melody, her eyes opened wide. Yushin, in the middle of this predicament, suddenly smiles!

 Chapter Twenty: Whoever Wants To Kill, Step Forward

    ¡°He¡¯s gonna die but keeps smiling. Definitely not right in the head.¡±


    ¡°Maybe the pressure got to him¡­¡±


    Sinkred was set off by Yushin¡¯s smile. This bastard, in this situation, still smiles?


    He rushed forward even fiercer than before, even a bit too rushed. He is also facing a race against time, the magic buff will not last forever and the opponent¡¯s calmness is surprising. By ending this duel quicker, hidden dangers can be avoided!


    A sword-like Flow of Soul fills the whole air, everyone around can feel this change and wrinkle their brows. Sinkred even takes a step back. There are many unknowns about Mana and Soul, but the consensus is that their concept is definitely based on real-life Qi. A lot of players are calling it [Soul Qi] or [Magic Qi] instead.


    How he is controlling the Flow of Soul, even Yushin is not completely aware of the details. Activating skills is easy, but breathing and feeling the Soul circulate through his body is only a faint and warm feeling. This in-game system relates to [Neuro Linking and [Virtual Reality Immersion]. He did not launch sharp Qi forward in a conscious act, but because of the changes in his attitude!


    Yushin¡¯s body weaves left and right in a circular movement, steps in and out of range to confuse his opponent, the spear strikes like a whip!


    Sinkred is taken by surprise. Yushin out of nowhere became fierce incomparable, that circular whip-like strike is very hard to dodge. He barely gets out of the way in time. Yushin is finally dead serious. Everything about him changed, he is now like the tip of a powerful spear, ready to pierce to kill at any moment.


    Sinkred inwardly shudders, his body feels fear. As if this was not a game, but that he is about to be killed in real life!


    Yushin is not smiling anymore, the peaceful look from before is gone, only left is a proud imposing stance. The crowd is startled and completely silent. Silvery Blue Hair lady is also struck, mainly because, even her that has no Soul Skills can feel the Flow Of Soul around the place!


    Yushin steps forward, begins to strike from different angles. He aims at the feet, at the head, then strikes like a whip again. Sinkred, even with buffed speed, cannot dodge, took several hits!


    ¡®This bastard, did he get a buff too!?¡¯ His HP is now at half, managed to avoid damage to the critical areas and even reduce the damage a little. After a few bouts of strikes and dodges, Sinkred sees an opening and rushes forward, wants to deal a killing blow. [Quick Stab] explodes forward!


    But, that opening, is Yushin¡¯s trap. He lured Sinkred in and waited for the skill, knowing it would probably come. This time, with confidence and swiftness, the side of the spear reached forward and deflected the blow in flawless timing.


    [Parry]!


    The timing Yushin didn¡¯t grasp before is now in his control. That little window of opportunity, in his eyes, is as wide as a castle gate. Without losing momentum and giving Sinkred time to react, [Spear sweeping] hit with the shaft behind his legs. Sinkred was knocked down, falling with his back on the ground. As soon as he fell, Yushin did not wait, but initiated [Double Thrust] aiming at his throat and face!


    Sinkred cannot dodge and is double pierced to death in front of a silent, stunned crowd. Yushin retracts his spear and stands there like a matchless warrior.


    ¡°What just happened¡­¡±


    ¡°My god, what skill!¡±


    ¡°WHO is that guy?!¡±


    ¡°That timing¡­ can you match it often?¡± One player asked a blond one next to him, yet his answer is only silence. A while back, when Sinkred got quicker, Yushin thought about switching to the sword. He may not be as experienced as with the spear, but his level with it is nowhere low. In martial arts, both the spear and sword have a common foundation. Techniques learned in one will benefit the other in some ways, especially from the spear to the sword.


    But, as an aspiring spear master, needing to switch weapons every time he fought with a good opponent would instead harm his progress. He could also see his real-life Spear Master shaking his head in disapproval. He is not opposed to switching weapons, even encourages it, but running away from challenges can cause a rift in your heart!


    Some of the crowd is still stunned, but some of them also roar and go crazy. Red Hair Swordsman and Calm Bow and Arrow are also mad, their friend died and his loss is very serious. The most agitated ones start to band together, they want to disregard what was agreed before and go forward to kill Yushin.


    Some other members of Red Clay also join in the fun, claim it was very suspicious. Yushin air changed, he got faster and fiercer, possibly has the outside interference to help. With this many people, kill the guy and then testify together that he cheated, can the City Guards even do anything to them? Are they willing to make a big fuss out of this matter, especially if Yushin is a loose player?


    Yushin smiles, does not take a single step back. Whoever wants to kill him, can step forward instead!


    Right now he is in the zone, his perception is matchless, thinks no one in the whole world can take him down easily. His stance is proud, is not exuding sharp Qi as before, but still feels very dangerous to approach. He tags the enemies one by one, even if death comes, revenge will someday follow!


    Yet, at his side, Silvery Blue Hair Lady stood. Lots of people in the crowd also stepped forward, took his side and stood behind in support. These people, Yushin doesn¡¯t know. His bravery and skill inspired many. Red Clay lost, now brings numbers to cause injustice, must everyone bow down to them?


    Even though here is Red Clay territory, some of these players are loose players, some with players guilds and a few with Free Forest. Now both sides are similar in numbers, tens of people, and conflict is ready to erupt. Some City Guard Players and NPCs sent for their captain, but he still hasn¡¯t arrived, so they are disinclined to make a move. Now Red Clay side is insecure, Yushin alone is already trouble, with this much backup, they are not sure of victory. When all hell is about to break loose, a golden-haired figure with blue eyes, an axe and a set of medium iron armor stepped forward.


    Yushin remembers seeing him before, he is Collapsing Snow¡¯s friend, the one she has argued with about changing her character before leaving Red Clay. Judging by his equipment alone, this guy is one of the leading players in Red Clay right now. Behind them, the same two men and a woman, only missing Snow.


    ¡°Everyone think about what you are doing. Are you trying to lose Red Clay¡¯s face like this?¡± The Golden Hair has a natural presence and also prestige inside the guild. Most of the people would be inclined to attack Yushin, but not pick a fight with this guy.


    ¡°But bro, this guy¡¯s a cheater!¡± Red Haired Swordsman steps forward and accuses Yushin, a few other people in the crowd also raise their voices in protest. Calm Bow And Arrow is not that impulsive, in his heart even criticized his friend for saying that in this situation.


    Silvery Blue Hair Lady makes another disgusted face, is already at her limit. Honorless people cheat on the duel, manage to lose and still wants to lynch and blame the other side. She could never stay quiet!


    ¡°Hah, your Red Clay Guild, but a bunch of scoundrels!¡± Her words are harsh, but her cute face makes them lose a bit of the edge, ¡°Sinkred is the one who cheated!¡±


    ¡°What the f**k are yer saying!¡± Red Haired Swordsman lost it.


    ¡°You think everyone here is blind? That guy over there in the corner casts [Buff Agility] on him during combat! I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the only one who saw it!


    Some other people nodded, they are also magic users, saw the Flow of Mana. One other guy also steps forward and confirms this, the crowd goes into an uproar. Now everyone knows, Sinkred, even with help still lost to an unbuffed Yushin!


    ¡°Ah, Red Clay, so low!!!!¡±


    ¡°That guy is good, he still won!¡±


    Red Clay face is lost, but Golden Hair did not care. That Sinkred is considered a top-tier player, if he loses face then it also benefits him in the long run. Ultimately, this screw up is not on him, but on the trio.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Yushin fame rises with this duel, also his infamy inside Red Clay Guild. Even if he didn¡¯t want to spread his accomplishment, but this duel can already be considered a reference in the game and will make way to a bunch of information brokers.


    In fact, Golden Hair also witnessed the duel. The reason he stepped forward now is not only to avoid conflict but to build his fame a bit and try to get Yushin to join his side.


    ¡°Your skill is really good,¡± Golden Hair praised Yushin honestly, ¡°I am Regyr, currently the only [Guild Leader Candidate] in Red Clay.¡±


    Yushin brows knit a bit. To be a Guild Leader candidate means to be the highest ranked member, and at least Rank Four or a Full-Fledged member, if the system is similar to Free Forest. He bows slightly, ¡°Yushin.¡±


    ¡°Yushin, I¡¯d like to invite you to join Red Clay and work with me. As soon as I become Guild Leader you will be my right-hand man and enjoy many resources,¡± This time Regyr didn¡¯t say it out loud, but private messaged Yushin instead.


    However, Yushin to Red Clay has no goodwill, to this blonde also a lot of prejudice. He thinks about how he kicked his friend out of the group and the guild, but now invites him over to join, and is even a little mad. His devious side thought about rejecting him openly and making him lose face, but held himself back.


    ¡°Thank you, but I wish to roam free a little longer,¡± Yushin rejects politely via Private Message.


    The blonde inwardly sighs, he expected a little resistance but no flat-out rejection, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting in case you change your mind. Soon this whole city will be under Red Clay control.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say it out, but of course, this control is under his hands!


    Yushin smiles and bows. Everyone understood they are talking about something and were curious, but had no way of knowing what. Regyr thought highly of Yushin¡¯s skills, but at the same time thought a good player that cannot be used by him can definitely be a hindrance in the future.


    ¡°Ask someone to keep an eye on him from now on,¡± Regyr said to the party, and one of his friends nodded in response. Red Clay members also started to leave with their heads down, not even Red Hair and Calm Bow had the guts to stay. As for Sinkred, he rage quit the game after realizing how much he lost with this silly duel!


    ¡°Everyone, thank you.¡± Yushin bows in the direction of everyone that helped him and even shoots a quick smile at Silvery Blue Hair Lady. She was the one most helpful right now.


    The lady chuckles, then scratches her head and put the tongue slightly out playfully before waving goodbye and disappearing into the city. She has some interest in Yushin, but not enough to fawn over him. Many people also come forward and introduce themselves, some even request to be added as friends. Yushin smiles, answers them all and accepts the requests happily.


    Yushin receives the duel rewards, but no technique. This probably meant there were no suitable techniques. Seeing as Sinkred used [Quick Stab] in battle, it was certain he had at least one skill. In other words, skills like [Spear Thrust] may not yet be considered techniques. He has some thoughts about it but will save them for later because a better analysis is needed.


    After waiting a bit more Aurei and Bitter Cat finally logged back in. They message Yushin, asking to meet at Free Forest. When he gets there, the first one he sees is Moina, the dwarf NPC of Free Forest. Moina walks up to Yushin on her own, then strikes a conversation about wines and how the guild has been very busy, inviting him to join one more time.


    Yushin politely refuses, then chats a bit and reminds himself to buy her wine next time. Inside Free Forest, Aurei and Bitter Cat give him [Guest Status] and form a party. They are both Rank Two members. By inviting people to be guests their contribution also rises, although only by a little bit.


    ¡°Follow me, we go to the gate,¡± Bitter Cat didn¡¯t want to lose any more time so she went straight to the Gate Room in Free Forest. On the way, a couple of known figures spot Yushin and come to greet.


    ¡°Spear Bro!¡± The Half-Orc voice is loud, like genuinely happy. Kobold is also with him, follow behinds silently, slightly bows to Yushin.


    ¡°Oh, hey!¡± Yushin smiles and bows, to these two a very good first impression. Back on the Faint Forest, they did not take the easy way out and betray Rain Falls but instead fought to the death. Later on, Rain told him they indeed died in the forest, but to a pack of wolves, not Red Clay¡¯s duo.


    ¡°Bro, what are you doing here? Did you also join?¡± Half-Orc asked, really excited.


    ¡°I¡¯m a guest. These two are members.¡± Yushin points to Bitter Cat and Aurei. Aurei bows shyly while Bitter Cat has a not so friendly face on, but nothing rude. While Aurei is invisible inside Free Forest, Bitter Cat is almost a celebrity. Being the only awakened player on Free Forest certainly has its benefits.


    ¡°Sister Rain isn¡¯t on, are you guys going on the dungeon? If so, three people is too dangerous, me and kobo-bro can join!¡± Half-Orc cheerfully invited himself to the party and at the same time sent a friend invite to Yushin. The Kobold also silently sent the invite.


    Yushin glanced sideways at the brother and sister, he definitely didn¡¯t have an issue with more people joining but their thoughts come first. Somehow, Aurei is very shy around people and Bitter Cat is very protective of him.


    ¡°I-If Brother Yushin knows them, t-then I don¡¯t mind,¡± Aurei gathered all his courage to say before turtling away again. Since he agreed, Bitter Cat won¡¯t object. If he was uncomfortable there is no way she would accept.


    ¡°Thanks, kid.¡± Yushin smiles and invites Half-Orc and Kobo-bro to party.


    [Player Shum has joined the party.]


    [Player Gron Spiderfinger has joined the party.]


    ¡°I¡¯m Shum, my weapon is a mighty axe, I¡¯m a pure warrior!¡± The Half-Orc said proudly.


    ¡°Gron. Short Spear. I¡¯m going for nature magic as well.¡± The Kobold also introduced himself.


    ¡°Yushin. My weapon of choice is a spear. I also know support magic, but nothing useful right now,¡± Yushin added.


    ¡°Au-Aurei. My weapon is a c-chain, I¡¯m an alchemist and I also know defensive magic¡­ b-but only at rank o-one,¡± the youngest quickly added so as not to draw attention.


    ¡°Bitter Cat. I¡¯m a smithy. Weapon is Warhammer. No other useful skills.¡±


    Shum gave a thumbs up approving her weapon of choice. Everyone could see he is very envious of her size and awakened state!


    ¡®I should¡¯ve made a much bigger Orc!¡¯ He complained to himself.


    Except for Aurei¡¯s chain, this is pure close combat physical party!


    If they were thinking about optimizing the party¡¯s strength some players had to be added or changed. But Yushin, aside from a single addition, had no interest in going for the elitist approach.


    ¡°We need a healer for safety, anyone knows one?¡± Yushin asked.


    They also shook their heads negatively, so the solution was to go around looking for someone to join. If any of them was a full-fledged member they would be able to invite some NPC from the guild, but they were expensive and had much higher requirements since death is permanent to them.


    ¡°Yushin? The one that took out that Red Clay¡¯s top three players?¡± One plain looking girl with freckles and short hair asked when he introduced himself. The duel had spread around and made it to Free Forest¡¯s guild chat. Shum and Gron didn¡¯t pay much attention to the chat so they knew what happened but didn¡¯t link it to Yushin. Aurei and Bitter Cat logged in and rushed to meet Yushin, so they didn¡¯t know about it.


    ¡°WHAT? SPEAR BRO DID THAT?¡± Shum''s eyes shone brightly, spear bro is amazing!


    ¡°Ooh¡­¡± Bitter Cat looked at Yushin in a new light.


    ¡°B-Big brother Yushin¡­¡± Aurei also looked amazed. Kobo-bro nodded his approval.


    Yushin blushed with all eyes on him, ¡°Eeem¡­ that is¡­ Rain thrashed him far worse than I did...¡±


    ¡°Oh, that guy?¡± Shum laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± Plain girl agreed to join.


    [Player Cella has joined the party.]


    ¡°The amazing six is born!!¡± Shum yelled excitedly.


    ¡°More like the Ridiculous Six!¡± Bitter Cat added.


    ¡°T-that¡¯s u-uncalled for, sister¡­¡± Aurei quickly said.


    Yushin and the group laughed, and finally stepped into the room with the [Dungeon Gate]. Since Yushin was unanimously designed party leader, he inspected it with analyze dungeon:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    DUNGEON INFO


    </td>


    <td>


    TREE OF MANY PATHS


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    TYPE ONE:


    </td>


    <td>


    ADVENTURE, QUEST, ENDLESS


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    TYPE TWO:


    </td>


    <td>


    BOSS, TOWER-TYPE


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    TYPE THREE:


    </td>


    <td>


    FIXED


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    DURATION:


    </td>


    <td>


    PERMANENT


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    MASTER:


    </td>


    <td>


    FREE FOREST GUILD


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    AVAILABILITY


    </td>


    <td>


    ALL MEMBERS AND GUESTS


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    HARDCORE


    </td>


    <td>


    NO


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    QUALITY


    </td>


    <td>


    RARE


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    PARTY SIZE


    </td>


    <td>


    TEN


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    LIMITATION


    </td>


    <td>


    UNLIMITED


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Yushin jaw widens, Free Forest¡¯s permanent unlimited dungeon is called ¡°Tree Of Many Paths¡±. His companions tell him it is a HUGE dungeon, each branch representing a floor and each flower some kind of room inside that floor.


    This means there are thousands of rooms and paths to explore, enough for an entire guild to go over and over many times. The entire dungeon is a wooden world, as if inside of a huge divine branch!

 Chapter Twenty-One: The Tree Of Many Paths

    This type of dungeon in Tales is the backbone of any first-class guild and the reason the three big guilds can triumph over recently created player ones. With it, they have a relatively safe spot to hunt, profit and level, gathering materials without worrying about running out in the foreseeable future.


    The dungeon itself, as the name suggests, is endless. This means that there will always be monsters spawning inside, regardless of how many of them die. This spawn is fixed, and some spots can be empty for a long period, but either by relocation or monster reproduction that vacuum will be filled. The way this happens depends on what happened to that spot in the first place.


    If monsters are killed by players, any survivors will move on to other areas and adapt. If there are enough of them, they will reproduce and eventually guarantee the survival of that species. Aside from player interference, other monster species are also a threat, as Faint Forest Ecosystem is the living proof of how things can change overnight.


    Most players are not aware of this yet, but [Monster Evolution] is also possible. If the environment changes it will affect the ones that live in it. The speed of this change widely depends on the species. Some change in a year, other in a few days.  Highly adaptable species are very dangerous!


    This type of dungeon has its dangers, especially when climbing to higher floors. NPCs cannot be too daring while going higher because they fear permanent death, but players are natural-born explorers. Soon many will brave and aim for the top floor, uncover secrets and treasures. Many secrets, however, are best left behind.


    Each floor in the [Tree Of Many Paths] has plant-type monsters in general, but monster species will diversify when going up. Some of them are intelligent and friendly, others not so much. Monster communities¡¯ dynamics are wide, not all of them pertaining to the same category as the ones Yushin knows from Faint Forest. Overall, climbing the tree gets harder and harder, yet has many hidden rewards. The floors on this type of dungeon are as many as the stars!


    Yushin thinks Aurei¡¯s decision of joining Free Forest was also right. This dungeon has a lot of good material for alchemists, herbs and poisonous species. An alchemist¡¯s paradise!


    When the party goes in, they are teleported inside. Branches and vines intertwine all around moving up in several different places. As they go up, falling can mean death. At the same time, it feels like they are inside a huge hollow branch, which is, in fact, the tree¡¯s trunk. Light passes through to them in small amounts, but in many different places, so there is no darkness. Many river-like formations could be seen, even though they did not carry water, but tree sap of many colors instead. Yushin thinks this dungeon is a huge tree in one of the many worlds, but there¡¯s a huge change it¡¯s not the one they came from!


    Of course, his thinking is biased, only because in real life he could never think about a tree with a trunk full of smaller branches and vines. A full wooden world. If this is like any common tree, there should also be roots, but no mention of the possibility of going lower instead of higher.


    All Free Forest members are not surprised, it¡¯s not their first time in here. Only Yushin is still dazed. Most of this info they are the ones giving to him. Here the difficulty on the lower floors is much lower than the higher ones, not just by design, but also because the lower floors are being constantly wiped out by members, while higher floors are deadly ground of competition.


    In fact, in the entire guild, people tried to travel only as further as the third floor. Any higher than that and many party wipes were reported, so they stopped trying to go higher for now. But, if time passes, won¡¯t many Boss Type monsters start to appear on the higher floors?


    If monsters are getting experience like players, then, since on higher floors they are not being hunted will level up and become very strong. If the same thing occurs as with the Monarch Bear, then a legion of beasts will go down and prevent players from leveling.


    Unless there are systems in place preventing monsters to go down branches, Free Forest members will need to go higher if they don¡¯t want this dungeon to become unusable by newbies.


    Yushin takes the lead to explore, he is the most mobile and versatile among them. Running on branches is not too different from Faint Forest, except sometimes there are viscous spots with some amount of tree sap. Since its effect is unknown Yushin makes sure not to step on them.


    The first monsters they encounter are [Plant Type] known as [Peachtooth]. They are non-intelligent small life forms that attacked using small vines with a teeth-like point, dropped [Sap] and [Rare Sap] as materials. A common enemy in lowers floors, they do not present much of a challenge to the party at this level.


    The Peachtooth did not present a level of organization similar to the teamwork of the monsters in Faint Forest. Instead, they fought freely and even hated to roam, staying put in the same place often. To a party that relied on brute force attacks, this is certainly a huge plus.


    Yushin dodged the vines with ease. Compared to Sinkred¡¯s attacks, they were much slower and predictable. The Peachtooth are many, so he doesn¡¯t waste time and cuts to kill swiftly.


    Kobo-Orc and Bitter Cat are very similar in their warrior''s ways, except that Gron knows some nature magic, [Binding Vines], and both Shum and Bitter Cat could be defined as Barbarians or Berserkers, even though the former used an Axe, and the latter a Heavy Warhammer. They favored brunt force over everything and their choice of skills reflected that fact. Shum was really sad once he realized that he lost to Bitter Cat in every possible way. The Warhammer fits her build and size, she also loves beating down stuff with force. People included.


    Apart from increasing size and height, Bitter Cat awakened status gave her extra [Giant strength] and [Fire Property Resistance]. One proper hit from her would make anyone, Yushin included, collapse after the first blow. Her weapon of choice also drew from her strengths and its weight was absolutely deadly once set to destructive purpose. Comparing to when he saw the Monarch Bear mow people down, Bitter Cat didn¡¯t lose at all in power. In fact, he estimated that soon it will be higher.


    After Yushin lured went in, Shum and Bitter Cat followed behind. Those two had their own personal ego competition going on, and one refused to lose the other with passion. Too bad for Shum, Bitter Cat is an excellent player and her character is currently far superior. Although both of them are much slower than Yushin, Bitter Cat, even with her size, is still a bit faster than Shum. The power of the Giant Race Awakened!


    Gron Spiderfinger followed after them together with Aurei, his spear, although short, gave him excellent versatility and utility. [Binding vines] also could lock a target in place for a few seconds, but he didn¡¯t need to use it on this enemy.


    Aurei¡¯s weapon of choice is a chain, a very unusual choice, but he didn¡¯t like any close combat weapon and was also no good with the bow. This made him a hybrid medium-close range combatant, with the possibility of extending his range with a longer chain. A kusarigama would also be a fitting weapon for him, as Yushin recalled the first dungeon run against kusari-kruik. He is always quick to respond, despite his shyness, and his decision making is on par with Rain!This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    If any of the party members make a wrong move, Yushin is quick to react and avoid bigger damage. After a while, he realized Aurei also moved in a similar manner, albeit slower and sometimes without confidence. His spatial awareness, teamwork, reaction, and knowledge were also very good. He also had access to [Magic Shield], a first rank defensive magic.


    Cella uses a staff, fighting style is very similar to current Collapsing Snow. She started with [Buff Magic] and [Healing Magic], so is able to use [Buff Defense] and [Small Heal]. Buff magic is designed to be used repeatedly, but healing magic has a long cooldown which severely diminished its effectiveness at this level. However, in case of an emergency, it would definitely be useful.


    With this party, the best strategy is without a doubt [Brute Force]. No magic and no ranged attacks, only pure unrestricted fury!


    Soon they came in contact with a few more types of monsters, mainly plant-type and minor variations of Peachtooth. Yushin and Gron pierced, Shum hacked away, Bitter Cat smashed, Aurei and Cella struck. After killing many mobs they decide to move up a level, climb many branches and reach the second floor. They make sure to get any herbs and materials around, but don¡¯t dwell too much on them since most are unknown without research.


    On the second floor, things are a bit harder. With the addition of bug type enemies like [Spinner], a medium-sized bug with horns and wings, the danger to the party also increased. To survive, Peachtooth and Spinner banded together and fought in teams, which made the brought the fight to a whole new level in comparison to the first floor.


    But this party prowess is much above the average. Not only do they have Yushin and Bitter Cat monstrous strength, Aurei also turns out to be a highly competent player. While not much above average, the other three knew their limits and worked well together with others. They did not overreach and try to grab a central role, but worked on the sidelines and did their best. Shum sometimes tried too hard, but his common sense always wins in the end.


    Soon they killed enough of the second level, moving forward like a mad train of berserkers. The pace is extremely high, almost no time to rest at all. Yet it was really enjoyable, the feeling of a high-level party in the works!


    Not much time had passed since they decided to go higher and climb to the third floor. There, in addition to Peachtooth and spinners, a new and dangerous opponent appeared: [Wood Elemental]. They looked like a walking humanoid form made of branches, with vines and a hollow face. If you consider how plants and bugs are very diverse, some types of Peachtooth also carried poison and acid, they present a medium danger to the party.


    Wood Elementals are much stronger, they have a duty to guard some paths and natural resources, like a guardian sentinel. Aside from that, they have healing and regeneration powers, long range attacks, can multiply when in danger and even camouflage themselves among the rocks. They never fight alone, with other species acknowledging them as leaders and even going as far as sacrificing themselves to help.


    If the third level has this much increase in difficulty, the fourth level is a ride to hell. There are a lot more elementals and stronger species. These Wood Elementals are called [Vitalus]. Their first fight against one was the toughest. Aside from a Vitalus, there were many Peachtooths and Spinners. They guarded a path into a well-hidden area and any common party would avoid them.


    After setting up a strike plan, the group moved forward. They could not lure the enemies away, as they were following Vitalus¡¯ orders and would not take the bait. Even if they had ranged attacks, it was not useful since it was easy for the Vitalus to command them to hide in the branches.


    Focusing only on the mobs and leaving Vitalus aside was also a mistake since its ranged attacks were fast and could hurt the party badly. The only way is for someone to keep it occupied while the rest of the party focus on taking down the numbers.


    Yushin is the best candidate for this. Aurei and Cella will support everyone while also fighting the mobs, and the remaining trio will kill with lightning speed. This means Yushin has to tank the Vitalus at a distance far enough not to hit everyone else with stray attacks, and close enough that Aurei and Cella can help him if needed!


    Cella casts [Buff Defense] and he rushes forward, avoids the first waves of attack by dodging and running on branches. The group follows behind quickly, begin the assault. The Vitalus sees Yushin coming, spits a [Flurry of Sharp Wooden Chips]!


    Yushin expected the attack, Vitalus are widely known in Free Forest. However, he did not expect that speed. The chips hit him on the right arm, penetrated deeply and became lodged there. Even though damage was reduced by [Buff Defense], the effects of this attack slowed the movements of his arm considerably. If multiple attacks hit, aside from damage it would also render it useless for a while. He started this battle with a huge mistake!


    ¡®Damn!¡¯ Yushin criticized himself for taking a hit even while knowing the attack could come.


    Aurei and Cella also tried to make way forward, but it was tougher than expected. It was not hard to pass through the Peachtooths, but the Spinners functioned as an insect-like barrier preventing them. Bitter Cat and Shum started to force a path through with power, but these were also much tougher than the ones before.


    In fact, this Vitalus is not common, but a variation species. He is capable of extending his regeneration power and even increasing his allies resistance through [Elemental Aura], in exchange for the loss of camouflage and multiplying abilities. His overall strength is much higher!


    The battle goes on, Yushin is in a tough spot, dodging vine attacks left and right without time to think. His striking power is also reduced since he is right-handed, dodging is all he can do except for throwing a few hidden weapons that cause little to no damage.


    Finally, Aurei and Cella break through. The healer casts [Buff Defense] again and immediately switches to attack the mobs. Aurei won¡¯t risk triggering aggro from Vitalus, keeps an eye on Yushin and aims at the Peachtooths with his chain. Yushin has a few potions and uses some after taking more hits, Aurei brought many as a backup.


    The party overwhelms the mobs and go forward, join Yushin. He switches to full offense as soon as the rest come, his arm is back to normal. [Double Thrust] works very well, the elemental is no good at dodging, even though is very durable. Bitter Cat skill is [Power Smash], hits like a truck, Vitalus deems her priority one!


    Shum uses [Power Strike], the axe initial skill, while Gron also goes for [Spear Thrust]. His [Binding Vine] is useless against the elemental. Aurei uses [Chain Strike] repeatedly, Cella is on heal duty. No matter how durable he is, Vitalus cannot survive, this party damage is amazing.


    They take a few hits but nothing life-threatening. Their first powerful target is down!


    [Variation Wooden Elemental Power Core] x3 dropped, picked up by Aurei, Cella and Bitter Cat. Its effects are unknown.


    [Variation Vitalus¡¯ Resin] x6 dropped, one each.


    ¡°So, this Vitalus was a variation!¡± The party is astonished, expected a common Vitalus but got a variation instead. They could have been wiped out for overlooking this.


    ¡°Do we rest or keep going on this path?¡± Yushin asked them.


    ¡°Keep going, bro!¡± Shum didn¡¯t want to stop. In this last battle, it felt as if he had a minor participation in the ¡°Boss¡± fight while Bitter Cat was the MVP. The rest of the group agreed, since the path is there they might as well explore it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll scout ahead again,¡± After a few minutes rest, Yushin goes ahead as the scout. This part of the dungeon is a bit different, the branches are older and thicker, the color is also darker. He avoids the mobs for now, they don¡¯t seem any different. Somehow it seems they avoid going deeper.


    Soon he spots movement, follows sneakily on the side trying not to get caught. Running in front, three figures speed forward. They looked weird, like deer people running on two legs and taller than the average man, with vicious eyes. Their brown-colored antlers also look sharp and durable.


    The one they hunt is a small form, looked like a child. Yet this one is not a human child but looks like a Leaf Human. His body is made of many leaves with light radiant gems as eyes.


    Yushin sees this scene and cannot sit still. No matter what race, three ominous looking monsters hunting a child is definitely wrong. No time to think, he notifies party and joins the fight!

 Chapter Twenty-Two: The Ones Who Killed Vitalus Are Great Warriors

    Yushin increased his speed and overtook the deer-people, knocking the first one in the lead down with [Spear Sweeping], making him tumble and hit a branch hard. The other two have good reflexes and immediately stop, taking a fighting stance and growling. The one that got hit has bloodshot eyes, he gets up and rushes towards Yushin!


    Little leaf child is hiding in a few vines, his eyes open wide. Yushin jumps to the left, dodging the antlers of the enemy that extend themselves in many paths and strike forward to pierce his body. As soon as he lands, another one tries to stomp him with the hooves. He avoids with a backflip, striking in the deer-like face with the tip of the spear and causing it to bleed.


    The third one did a jumping attack, aiming with both inferior hooves at Yushin, who tumbled out of the way. The attacks kept coming and he barely had time to counterattack. Those three are fast and strong, even quite smart, not giving the spearman an opening to fatally wound. Activating any of the skills meant a certain hit would come!


    Yushin spear skills are not fast yet. Although powerful, his skills are lacking in speed, the reason he often favors normal attacks. Those deer-like are not only strong but fast and control the flow of battle well. Managing to hold out without taking any damage and even doing some to the enemy was already a great effort. A chain striking sound came out of nowhere, making Yushin smile.


    One of Aurei¡¯s skills is called [Chain Grab], able to lock down a body part with the chain. He often avoids using it because he¡¯d lack the means to strike afterward, and frequently loses in strength to the opponent. But this time he was not the one pulling it. The chain grabbed one of the deer by the leg and Bitter Cat pulled at it, tossing him in the air. When he flew, both her and Shum managed to hit at the same time. Instant death.


    One down, Gron also came out from behind and struck another one. Yushin followed his attack with several precise strikes, aiming at dangerous spots like the throat. One kick from the other one sent Gron flying, but that gave enough time for Bitter Cat to arrive and smash his head with [Power Smash]. Two down.


    Yushin was locked in a one-on-one and soon it was over. His normal spear attacks were so fast the deer could not dodge. [Double Thrust] finished the job as expected.


    ¡°Whew,¡± Yushin breathed in relief. He looked at the vines and smiled, ¡°You can come out, little friend. We won¡¯t harm you.¡±


    As if somehow he understood and felt a connection to Yushin, the Leaf Child slowly came out of his hiding spot and looked curiously at the party. He had never seen those species before, but since they saved him, must be good people. Well, he didn¡¯t like Shum that much and kept eyeing him with care.


    ¡°Are you Warriors?¡± The Leaf Child asked.


    ¡°We are!¡± Shum proudly exclaimed, but all he got back was a distrustful smile.


    ¡°We are indeed,¡± Yushin completed, and this time The Leaf Child seemed happy. Shum looked dejected at the side.


    ¡°My village needs Warriors. I will guide you there,¡± Leaf Child said before sprinting away. The group looked at each other and nodded, then followed right behind those small leafy legs.


    It didn¡¯t take long for them to reach the Leaf Village. They had a few grown Leaf-people as lookouts and since the group didn¡¯t have any intention to hide they were found out fast. As Leaf Child led the way they didn¡¯t look in a hurry to react.


    The village from the outside was, in essence, a circular giant branch in the form of a wall. It wasn¡¯t too high, only at one meter and a half and easily jumped over by players. There are no towers the sentries could go into, so defenses are weak. The front door is made of branches and vines, and it opened without trouble. Inside, the group met with a lot of Leaf People, many are warriors and hold wooden weapons, taking position in strategic spots. Some are very afraid and looked like commoners.


    ¡°Strangers, do not misbehave,¡± one leader looking guard approached. He was a tall leaf at almost two meters, carrying some sort of [Vine Lance] as a weapon. It clearly wasn¡¯t a normal weapon, ¡°Lataf, are those who? Are you why outside walls without permission?¡±


    The Leaf Child, Lataf, looked down in shame, then went ¡®hehe¡¯ with youthfulness, ¡°Those are Warriors, to help our people! They killed the [Mahrga] that came after Lataf!¡±


    Leaf Guard Leader did something similar as knitting his brows in surprise, ¡°Warriors, from where came you here?¡±


    Disregarding his funny speech, Yushin answered, ¡°From the Hidden Valley in the South.¡±


    Leaf Guard Leader seemed even more shocked and his eyes jumped around the party, ¡°You killed [Mormis], the Vitalus, and army dead?¡±


    Yushin understood he meant the Variation Vitalus and nodded. As proof, he signaled Aurei to show the [Variation Wooden Elemental Power Core]. Their attitude immediately changed and an air of excitement and reverence filled the air.


    ¡°The ones who killed Vitalus are great warriors!¡± He roared in excitement together with the rest, ¡°Call here Elder!¡±


    Soon a whistling leaf sound started and from a central circular wooden building, an old looking brown and lifeless Leaf Elder came. The leaf people all looked like human bodies made of leaves with light radiating eyes, but this elder was way past his prime, such as the light in his eyes dimmed to ebony.


    ¡°Great Warriors!¡± The Elder went forward and prostrated himself, kowtowing before anyone could react, ¡°It is the will of [Mother Tree] that you have appeared in our hour of need!¡±


    All other leaf people bowed in unison.


    ¡°We are [Mutal], The People Of Leaves, descendants of Mother Tree herself. We have lived for many years and survived with our peaceful ways. But now the [Mahrga] came. With their evil ways, we have been at war for a long time,¡± Yushin understood from this that for a long time they had some kind of balance going on, but it feels like something changed that greatly threatened them.


    ¡°Unlike us, they do not wish for coexistence, but to enslave our people! They feed on our bodies, then wait for our natural regeneration to happen so they can torture us for years and years to come. Many of our people are now captives. We have no choice but to fight back! Now Great Warriors come, is a sign from Mother Tree that we will be the ones to survive!¡±


    ¡°Those Mahrga, strong?¡± Shum asked.


    ¡°A bit stronger than Mutal. But recently the Mahrga are very aggressive, found warriors from outside to help. We must become strong enough or face slavery, even extinction.¡±


    ¡®The fate of a living farm,'' Yushin thought.


    ¡°Such evil ways cannot be left alone!¡± Bitter Cat exploded. She is a vegetarian, so the thought of beings similar to vegetables also being alive is conflicting to her. More than that, they are using them as unlimited food supply! How is this any different than real life slaughtering of many animals for food? It is even worse since they are being tortured alive for who knows how many years!


    ¡°Of course, we ask not for free. Our warriors will join you, fight the Mahrga. We will also reward Six Warriors with many herbs, wooden armors and weapons, and some of our secret techniques. We, People Of The Leaves, are excellent gatherers.¡± The Elder seemed satisfied with his offer.


    Yushin asked around in party chat and everyone agreed, ¡°However, regarding the attacks and this war, we shall decide the outcome. Your men will follow our orders.¡±


    ¡°Yes, as long as we are safe,¡± The Elder smiled. A quest window popped up:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Rare QuestIf you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    </td>


    <td>


    Solve the conflict between Mutal and Mahrga.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Duration


    </td>


    <td>


    1 day


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Difficulty


    </td>


    <td>


    D


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Reward


    </td>


    <td>


    Promised Items


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    [The Six Warriors accepted the quest.]


    Since Yushin and Co did not name their party, the system decided itself to call them the ¡°The Six Warriors¡±, as they would be known from now on by the Mutal. Everyone in the party is very excited, quests in Tales are not easy to come by and even usually very difficult and long.


    By now Yushin understood that even this dungeon acted like the ones before. Most of them had power-ups, but as long as they were inside, barring some unknown means, it will only show after they leave the dungeon. But if they left right now, there is no telling if they will ever manage to come back to this spot again in the myriad of paths.


    Bitter Cat can repair, so it won¡¯t be a problem if they rotate equipment, unless some really tough fights come up and she runs out of materials. Since Aurei knows gatherer skills the party is also able to spot herbs. Yushin pays attention to the Leaf City many engineering devices, hoping some of them lead to an inspirational moment. There are clever uses of vines and branches, so he does profit a bit.


    They also don¡¯t forget to go collect some different types of branches, so durability and other uses can be tested later on. Finding some rare and useful material can be a good way to get ahead in their profession. Healing is also a problem since they have to wait for natural regeneration. No one of them had cooking skills. Luckily, their party teamwork is good so they passed most challenges without taking damage. It was also agreed beforehand that sharing the loot would come in the end so that weight distribution could be managed.


    After getting ready, their strategy is to find the enemy main camp and take it out, or somehow convince them to make peace. They believe the backers found recently will be players and therefore from Free Forest, so some mutual agreement is definitely possible. According to the Mutal, there are many small Mahrga camps, but only one main base, a huge and well-manned village.


    The enemy total force is unknown, but Yushin received many Leaf-Warriors as reinforcements. Even if he did not fight them directly, Guard Leader affirmed they are on par with any of the enemy¡¯s warriors. He wanted to come personally, but Elder didn¡¯t want to leave the village unprotected. Leaf Warriors seem to fight with sharp natural weapons, such as leaves and vines, augmented by their Soul Qi.


    Receiving some intel from them, Yushin begins scouting and gathering info on surrounding camps and important points. He sees Mahrga as belligerent and aggressive, but also with their owns ways and culture. If possible, an ending where they both survive would be ideal.


    The small camps only have around four or five Mahrga warriors each but are many. They avoided taking one out as not to alarm of the possible raid. There are captured leafies in there, so any rushed moves will instead be dangerous. Yushin believed that if the main chain of command collapses, they will scatter and be much easier to deal with.


    Their main camp is also similar to the Mutal. The defenses are not great. No towers, no archers, and only a few sentries. A raid will not encounter any great challenges to enter. After sneaking around the main camp while the rest of the party stayed back, Yushin tagged their defenses and important spots, and soon spotted a few players dealing with the Mahrga. There are four of them in sight, but Yushin thinks there are more around.


    As expected, they are all Free Forest members!


    Free Forest Members carry their badge with small magic crystal, just like his party members. While not mandatory, it serves to distinguish friend from foe, especially in chaotic situations.


    The Margha are much less communicative than the Mutal and only a few of them are capable of speech. One was negotiating with the players and did not seem to be any different than the rest. After talking it over with the party, they agree it is worth to try to make an arrangement, listen to the other side and convince them through diplomacy instead of a battle. Being in the same guild, no one wants to make it harder for the other party. A bit of a naive thinking, but Yushin was happy with it nonetheless.


    Competition between guild members is not forbidden and even encouraged, but if there is a peaceful and win-win situation it¡¯s even better. Yushin agrees, drafts a plan to meet and one in case things go wrong. He will meet them, but not without being ready beforehand. Not being seen by the other party, they have time and the advantage of surprise.


    Yushin chooses the spot and hides everyone but Bitter Cat (too big to hide) and Shum. Everyone else is close enough from the meeting point to react fast and also not enough to be easily discovered. As for the Mutal, he had other plans. [Guild Chat] and [Outside Communication] are disabled inside dungeons, but private messaging still works if the receiving end is within line of sight.


    He then sends a message to the other party leader looking player, asking for a meeting and introducing his party of three as Free Forest members as well. The other player stops and looks around for a while searching for the one that sent the private message, in vain. The leader agrees to the meeting, knows they are Free Forest¡¯s people as well. After discussing with his party for a few minutes, he agrees with Yushin¡¯s choice of the meeting place without complaining.


    Yushin knits his brows, the other party unexpectedly didn¡¯t try to change the spot and accepted it. Did he not fear an ambush? Was he counting on it? Or did he believe his party of three? Is he that confident?


    Either way, whether he agreed or not, Yushin had backup plans in place. In the worst hypothesis, they would have to retreat a lot further in case things went south. But this is the best scenario. And that troubles him to no end.


    A few minutes later, the other party reached the destination. Yushin, Bitter Cat, and Shum are there. The place is a small forest of branch and vines, not very far from Mahrgas main camp. The final number of players is higher than Yushin had anticipated, around ten players of diverse weapons and armors. As expected, the party had a healer, a lot of warriors and two archers, but no mages.


    Bitter Cat is recognized, some members are uneasy and a bit afraid of her. In Free Forest, who doesn¡¯t know the Scarlet Giant?


    The Leader goes forward. He carries two long swords and leather armor, with a handsome and serious face. Ashen long hair and slim features complemented well his appearance. His race Yushin guessed, is some sort of a half-elf, ¡°What is this about?¡±


    His air of superiority made Bitter Cat look ugly in disgust, but Yushin pretended not to notice, ¡°We have come to reach an agreement in regards to the Leaf People. Since we are from the same guild, a win-win situation is best.¡±


    ¡°The Mutal?¡± The leader laughed out loud, ¡°We¡¯ve been tasked to completely subjugate them and the reward is pretty good.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we negotiate?¡± Yushin asked.


    ¡°No.¡± He answered in an instant.


    ¡°You should reconsider,¡± Bitter Cat weighed in. Her words as a famous player had a lot more weight than Yushin¡¯s. Too bad all she could think at that moment was cursing the other party, so she didn¡¯t speak much.


    ¡°Not a chance in hell. You guys better back out on this,¡± The leader threatened, ¡°I¡¯m going to be Free Forest¡¯s next leader. The rewards from this quest will help me with that. I don¡¯t really care if you know, but we¡¯re getting access to Mutal¡¯s hidden temple, full of treasures and techniques. Those deer people even said there is also a Mutal ancestor¡¯s legendary inheritance. Is their offer better than this?¡±


    Yushin and Co are silent. In fact, the leaf people didn¡¯t disclose any of this to them, probably for fear of their reaction. Those rewards are attractive to anyone, especially if he wants to fight for the position of Guild Leader.


    ¡°I am Goldclaw. Help us and the three of you will be given a share of the rewards after we have the first pick,¡± He added confidently.


    Bitter Cat suddenly speaks to the party, she had heard of him. Inside Free Forest, he is rising fast and is backed by a lot of people. He stands in direct opposition to Rain Falls. In fact, is the most dangerous opponent right now!


    Yushin didn¡¯t mind too much before when Goldclaw said he wanted to be the guild leader. But knowing he is currently the biggest opposition definitely had a big impact. However, he was still willing to try and reach a peaceful resolution, believing Rain wouldn¡¯t like him hurting guildmates only to eliminate competition.


    Yushin sighs and tells of the Leaf People sad fate as a [Living Farm], asking them not to side with Mahrgas evil ways. Together they can convince the Mahrgas to give up this war, and if they resist, deal with them. He is willing to give up on the rewards from Mutal and negotiate access to their temple in return for dealing with the Mahrga!


    But Goldenclaw only laughed again, ¡°Why should I care, man? This is only a game. After taking everything from the leaf people we are coming back here and wiping out the deer for experience and extra loot. Why the hell should I care whether a few NPCs die or not?¡±


    Yushin sees this and suddenly turns serious. Bitter Cat and Shum are also mad at his shameless and high and mighty way. Somehow, when inside Tales, they do not feel like NPCs are things, but see them as living beings, even if it is not true. Their actions are so real and human-like is hard to think otherwise. They all have the same thought, if a person like this becomes Free Forest¡¯s guild leader, who knows what kind of fate the guild will have!


    Yushin slightly bows, ¡°We will go our separate ways then. As fellow guild members, it is a pity we cannot work together.¡±


    ¡®This silver-tongued fellow, he isn¡¯t even in the guild!¡¯ Bitter Cat thought to herself. A few of the enemy¡¯s party members were disinclined to mess with other guildies, but not enough as to give up on those rewards.


    But then Goldclaw laughs incomparably loud, hits his palm on the forehead. All ten players draw their weapons at the same time, ¡°You chose to come, but who says you can leave?¡±


    Suddenly, from their flanks, many Mahrgas came forward, they planned beforehand to cut The Six Warrior¡¯s retreat!

 Chapter Twenty-Three: One Step Too Late Again

    The Mahrgas took position on the flank and behind the trio, waiting for orders. As Yushin expected, it was planned beforehand. Moreover, all those that came are adepts at sneaking, since their presence couldn¡¯t be felt. With the ten party members in front and seven Mahrgas Warriors behind, the situation was looking dire.


    ¡°You! How dare you be this treacherous to a guildie!¡± Bitter Cat roared loud, her forehead veins about to explode.


    ¡°Heh, so many of you need to go this far against a small party? How brave!¡± Shum looked mad but still teased.


    Yushin smiles, this one is cold incomparable, pointing spear at Goldclaw he says, ¡°No matter what, you are not worthy of being Guild Leader. Free Forest¡¯s next leader will be Rain Falls!¡±


    Goldclaw is infuriated. Rain is still ahead for now, but with the rewards from this quest, he is sure to soar, ¡°Hah, that little girl? She isn¡¯t good enough to carry my shoes.¡±


    ¡°All of you better remember this: either take a step back right now or suffer the same fate as this fool!¡± Yushin is overbearing, his presence expands forward, every word carrying a powerful force.


    Goldclaw is a bit startled, the others are pondering on what to do. This man in front of them is a bit special, looks like a sharp and strong player, even possibly has a relationship with the guild leader candidate. Inside the dungeon, they didn¡¯t know about the duel with Sinkred. Right now, Yushin¡¯s name is a hot topic on Red Clay. Why did they come anyway? To be close to someone that could become guild leader and reap profits! If they choose a side, it better win, otherwise Free Forest will not be their future but graveyard.


    Goldclaw notices their hesitation and must rally their determination back, talks to the party, ¡°Friends, there is no need to hesitate. Free Forest¡¯s guild leader will definitely be me! Did you forget how far we¡¯ve come together? Are you gonna let this stranger bully you into giving up great rewards?! Who the hell does this guy think he is!¡±


    Their mood is better, a determined look sprouts in their eyes and many agree out loud. With hesitation gone, Goldclaw points the swords at Yushin and Co and yells, ¡°Kill them all.¡±


    Goldclaw rushes ahead first, wants to clash with Yushin directly. Aside from the healer, everyone else also went forward while the Mahrgas struck from behind. Yushin used the tag system to show a hole in their formation to break through, and so Bitter Cat and Shum focused on fending off the Mahrgas while he held the rear.


    The spear weaved back and forth with great speed, controlling the advance of the enemy party with mastery. Goldclaw tried to go forward, but Yushin spear was always at the right point to stop his assault. The surroundings also prevented the lot of them to attack at the same time, many branches and leaves made the terrain uneven and unpredictable. Yushin¡¯s party was much better off since they had already surveyed and tagged it.


    Bitter Cat was entangled with four Mahrgas, Shum fought three. While he struggled with them, the beasts had no way of contending with BC¡¯s raw power. She compensated their difference in speed with skill, a natural born talent to fight. One of the Mahrgas attacked sloppily and the heavy Warhammer was the last thing he saw, bone-shattering sound spreading far.


    The enemy also had two spear users but against Yushin they might as well be children with sticks, failing to provide range and breaking up everyone else¡¯s rhythm. Goldclaw loses his temper, goes forward to [Quick Cut] twice in a row!


    [Parry!]


    [Parry!]


    Yushin parries, then steps sideways and [Strong Kick] Goldclaw on the side. He loses balance and falls, the whole party stunned. His skill in their view is undeniable, the best of them and even top three in Free Forest. In Yushin¡¯s view, Goldclaw is not bad, but also much below Rain, Bitter Cat and Aurei!


    Before Shum can get into a sticky situation, Aurei and Gron intervened. Gron casts [Binding Vines] on a Mahrgas, then comes forward and [Spear Thrust] another. Aurei uses [Chain Strike], buying time for Shum to break through the last.


    ¡°Now!¡± Entire party screams, Bitter Cat also forces a breakthrough and starts running besides Shum. Yushin goes behind them, holds the rear. This terrain they have surveyed, there are many tags of good and bad places. Even viscous sap can be avoided!


    Goldclaw laughs, he expected a few tricks, ¡°I knew these useless Mahrgas wouldn¡¯t find an ambush. Everyone, it¡¯s time to hunt! After them!¡±


    They are chasing madly, now there¡¯s no turning back. Those common players, not only have they angered the Scarlet Giant but also that skilled spear master. If they cannot get some good rewards this dungeon run will be a nightmare.


    Yushin and Co keep running ahead, sometimes changing directions. The Mahrgas are faster but repelled with some trouble, one even killed. After a while, the enemy party is catching up in full, the group finally arrives at an unusual place: a sap-river with a temporary frail looking branch bridge.


    This bridge was hastily built under Yushin¡¯s orders. Aside from taking a long detour, it is the only way across aside from swimming on an unknown property sap. Yushin whole party crosses and they stop running, turning back to face their chasers. Goldclaw makes the sign for them to stop, looks ugly.


    Yushin smiles and points his spear, ¡°Well, well, do you dare?¡±


    Two archers are pissed, they draw and shoot a few arrows towards Yushin. He laughs, deflecting them effortlessly with the spear, ¡°Come on now, don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s all?¡±


    ¡®This guy is a devil!¡¯ Bitter Cat tells herself not to make too much fun of him after this. Even though he looks soft, inside is definitely very devious!


    Goldclaw breathes in, looks at Yushin, ¡°Fool. You got me on this, but we can fall back and prepare to annihilate the Mutal. Where will you hide then?¡±


    ¡°Can you?¡± Yushin¡¯s devious smile is getting even more unbridled, ¡°Right now our main force is striking at your Mahrgas allies in full. Without your party there, can they even survive?¡±


    Goldclaw freezes, ¡®This bastard, is this true? Crap¡­¡¯


    The enemy leader is indecisive, stands there thinking about what to do. His Mahrga allies are restless, they understood and believed Yushin. Suddenly they ran back into the forest and straight to their camp!


    ¡°Wait, you fools!¡± Goldclaw screams, his body involuntary steps forward towards the forest.


    ¡°Oh, you know, the second you turn your back on us our fates will be reversed. I hope you like being the one chased this time.¡± Yushin kindly reminded them.


    ¡®Brutal!¡¯ His party thought.


    ¡°You will regret this. You have no idea where you are getting into,¡± Goldclaw was furious, his eyes bloodshot. He could not cross the sap as that would make them easy targets for whatever more they had planned. If he still had the Mahrga, he could simply order them to rush ahead and then follow behind safely. With them, he had safety in numbers. Now he is not sure if they can deal with the enemy. That is all because of Yushin!


    Even though it seemed he had some options, none of them were good. Should he run back to the camp and help deal with the attackers? What if the Mahrgas were already dead and his party had to deal with the enemy and Yushin¡¯s party from behind? But what if they are still in a deadlock? Shouldn¡¯t rushing there allow him to avoid the worst case scenario?This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    But if they have to run back and fend off Yushin and Co casualties will be high. If they wait too long then the Mutal might come. What a nightmare!


    ¡°Listen, let¡¯s do this. Let¡¯s call it a draw. We¡¯ll take out the Mahrgas and share the rewards,¡± Goldclaw proposed.


    ¡°Shameless!!!¡± Bitter Cat added.


    ¡°Oh? You sure you can do that and not hold a grudge?¡± Yushin said.


    ¡°Think about it. If we run, there¡¯s no way you can catch all of us. Also, some of you will die. If we can make a deal, you said yourself, it¡¯s the best way,¡± Goldclaw tried to convince them.


    ¡°That¡¯ some change, bro,¡± Shum laughed.


    ¡°Rejected,¡± Yushin answered with a smile.


    ¡°Then, good luck catching us,¡± Goldclaw made clear his intention to run, even signaling his friends.


    But then Yushin and Party laugh incomparably loud and hit their palms on the foreheads. All five players draw their weapons at the same time and say in unison, ¡°You chose to come, but who says you can leave?¡±


    All of a sudden, from their flanks, many Mutal came forward, cutting off their escape. They are all warriors comparable to the Mahrgas and the one leading the ambush is Cella!


    Goldclaw looks deathly pale, ¡°T-those, didn¡¯t you send them to attack the camp¡­?¡±


    ¡°Heh. Bro, you kinda slow,¡± Shum teased.


    ¡°...You coward¡­ You fooled me again¡­¡± Goldclaw now had lost all of his former composure, an unsightly look on his face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They are there to keep you from running away. We¡¯re the ones you have to defeat, if you want to leave,¡± Yushin smiled. Five against ten.


    ¡°Yushin bro, shouldn¡¯t we make the leaf people fight too?¡± Shum asked via party chat. Bitter Cat was also curious, but she didn¡¯t think it was needed.


    ¡°I want to save their numbers as much as we can. I¡¯ll take the leader, you guys work in pairs and deal with the rest. Don¡¯t die on me, heh. Cella, if they try to run, order the Mutal to kill without mercy.¡± Cella agreed.


    Now that confrontation was inevitable, Goldclaw¡¯s party also steadied themselves to fight. They did not have to agree on where it would take place: when fighting in front of a bridge, either both parties fight in the middle or one of them will wait for the other to cross and strike while they do. If they waited for Yushin and Co to cross, there is always the fear that the Mutal will strike from behind. After all, it is exactly what Goldclaw would do.


    His most attractive option was to force a confrontation and break through Yushin¡¯s party, running away from the Mutal behind. Yushin could wait for them to cross while he held the ground, but he was also facing the possibility of the Mahrgas returning after finding out their camp was safe. They might even bring reinforcements.


    With this in mind, both parties rushed forward, decided to fight on the bridge!


    Goldclaw¡¯s strategy is to overwhelm the opponent with numbers in a desperate effort. Yushin adopted a control strategy, removing the biggest obstacle, Goldclaw. That leaves the deciding factor in the hands of the remaining combatants, Aurei and Bitter Cat, Shum and Gron!


    The first ones to clash were Yushin and Goldclaw. Having range advantage, Yushin pressed forward with thrusts, and Goldclaw dodged and parried them. The bridge had enough space to fight in but couldn¡¯t fit several battles side by side, so the other members went ahead and clashed with their respective matches.


    The pairs were Aurei and Bitter Cat, fighting five opponents, and Shum and Gron fighting four. Yushin knew those pairings were efficient since they normally played together. The five enemies consisted of one archer, one healer and three warriors with a two-handed sword, mace, and spear. The other four had the remaining archer and three warriors, one with a longsword, one with a spear and the last one with daggers.


    Bitter Cat stepped forward, weight behind the heavy Warhammer, a thunderous strike from above hitting the ground and breaking it apart. The Mace-wielding warrior dodged in a hurry, sweat still dripping down his face. The archer did a follow-up attack, aiming with [Quick Draw] at her head. But she did not fear. Aurei stepped forward, his chain deflecting the arrow midway.


    The timing was difficult, but present Aurei is not the usual one. He currently forgot how to be shy and indecisive. Everyone around him is working hard, fighting many enemies and trying to improve. Even though he is always humble, but underneath the surface is proud, doesn¡¯t want to disappoint anyone. His current self is not being burdened by thinking too much, his talent is on full display!


    The two-handed sword warrior went against Bitter Cat, his skill [Power Slash] aiming at her chest. BC recovered fast, stepped sideways and was ready to counterattack, but a spear came aiming for her thigh. She dodged, then grabbed the spear barehanded, a bold move, and with a powerful pull, it came flying out of the opponent hands and straight to the sap!


    Spear Warrior is startled, wants to take another spear out, but the Warhammer is already coming. He braces both arms to lower impact!


    Yet Mace warrior came forward, hit with his mace on the Warhammer. The impact threw him backward, almost falling out the bridge and even shattering his weapon. Another arrow comes, Aurei intercepts again and his focus is on the archer. He goes forward against him, leaves his sister against the others!


    Gron and Shum alternate very well. They haven¡¯t been together long, but understand each other perfectly. Shum is always attacking, impatient and bold. Gron is always silent and composed, mix in his attacks and covers Shum¡¯s shortcomings. Lacking in skill, they make up for it with team play and effort.


    The player with the longsword trades blows with Shum, for a while are evenly matched, but soon the Half-Orc has the superiority. Gron casts [Binding Vines] on the archer, not only it avoids movement but also makes much harder to shoot. The spear player trades blows with Gron, [Quick Stab] from dagger comes, he dodges.


    Shum hits [Power Strike] on the enemy, Longsword manages to block, his sword is completely broken. He presses forward and dodges a clumsy arrow, but enough for the opponent to take out another sword. Gron retreats a step, keeps Dagger at bay while fending off Spear as best as he could. As long as [Binding Vines] stay up the archer is not a huge threat.


    Goldclaw is a lot more careful than before, his sword strikes are quick and precise. He tries to move around a lot more and won¡¯t rush. He strikes with [Quick Cut] and [Double Quick Cut] but is not enough to hit Yushin. As the battle goes on, Goldclaw knits his brows, a realization hit him hard.


    They move around, the bridge is very frail, is easy to misstep. He is always afraid of stepping on the wrong spot. But Yushin has been always confident, his steps secure, never loses balance. All around, Bitter, Cat, Aurei, Shum and Gron, they are the same, as if they already knew what spots to avoid!


    ¡°...You ¡­You!!!!¡± Goldclaw curses, he again fell into a trap.


    This bridge, Yushin surveyed before together with Mutal, he tagged which spots to avoid and which to use. Simply put, he had total control of the battlefield, while Goldclaw¡¯s party are blindly stepping on mines!


    ¡°Oh, you noticed? One step too late again!¡± Yushin smiles, presses forward much harder than before. Around him, his party is starting to progress. Mace Warrior misstepped, his foot stuck in a broken path. Bitter Cat did not let this opportunity slip, the Warhammer falls straight to the enemy¡¯s head for an overkill.


    Aurei also dominates archer, a second ago the healer finally came over to help and now things are even. Aurei smiles for the first time, he switches targets, goes straight for the healer, aims for a swift kill!


    Two arrows came with [Quick Draw], he took one of them to the shoulder, but kept pressing forward, hit a sequence of [Chain Strikes]. The healer could not stand, his death a huge blow. Spear and Two-handed warrior sees this, want to go and help, but Scarlet Giant is ferocious, one wrong step and death comes.


    Aurei is aggressive, pulls archer down with [Chain Grab], finishes him on the ground. Now, he rushes back, joins his sister and thoroughly overwhelms the remaining warriors!


    Shum and Gron fell back together, moving around is much easier than the opponents thanks to the tags. They are in a favorable position, Shum moves to block the three enemies, Gron runs towards archer with a smirk. Archer is desperate, shot arrows randomly, but only hits his dagger companion. Shum holds the line, Gron has no problem killing the archer with [Spear Thrust].


    Longsword attacks Shum together with spear, dagger a bit behind since he is wounded. Shum fends them off, but takes a few hits, holds long enough until Gron comes back and binds daggers with [Binding Vines]. He holds spear and longsword at bay, switches the offensive to Shum, his axe easily chops off the Dagger Warrior head.


    The remaining fight is not hard, long sword and spear are individually not their matches. Yushin sees his party victory is but a matter of time, strikes fiercely, mixes in [Spear Thrust], [Double Thrust] and [Spear Sweeping]. Goldclaw is overwhelmed, takes many hits and realizes Yushin is not only a lot more skilled than he is but holds all the advantages. He attacks desperately, but in vain.


    Yushin juggles the spear, uses a feint to make Goldclaw retreat, and when the enemy is about to counterattack¡­


    [Throw Hidden Weapon] attacks, his knife pierces through the enemy¡¯s throat, he was unable to dodge. This is Yushin¡¯s first time using this attack, how could he react fast enough?


    ¡°...You¡¯ll pay for this!¡± Goldclaw curses again while on the ground, still able to send a message even with throat pierced. Yushin smiles and says nothing, spear impaled through the enemy¡¯s heart, killing him. Around him, everyone else wrapped up their opponents.


    This victory is theirs to take!

 Chapter Twenty-Four: A Trail Of Death

    Goldclaw and his party died, everyone is still filled with adrenaline. They feel relieved, although their matches weren¡¯t skilled the stakes were high and mistakes bound to happen.


    Bitter Cat so far has been quiet, restraining her fiery self. During this journey she has focused on Yushin, following his moves and trying to better understand his personality. Nowadays her brother is very attached to this person, and she worries about his influences a lot. Somehow, other than being a little bit devious, she found no big flaw, even though that he is good for Aurei¡¯s development.


    During the last combat, the young alchemist was unlike himself. That timid and all-fearing kid had shown impressive skills that managed to amaze her. She never thought he could be this good or determined, her weak-willed little brother that always hid behind her back. Not only that, but he was also domineering in an impressive way!


    All of this, she understands is because they did not rush into combat but planned beforehand. The spot, their strategies, and even the pairings were all aligned to give them superiority during the fight. Even if they could win without those steps, they served to avoid casualties and give the party confidence and a morale boost.


    In her heart, Bitter Cat knows Yushin did not go all out, even held back. He wanted to see what they were capable off, giving his companions the spotlight to shine this time. All this showed his scheming runs deep. Bitter Cat thought of him as a calculating and slightly devious man sometimes.


    Yet his skill is also undeniable. Could the giant hold Goldclaw back and even toy a little with him? Goldclaw might not be a legendary player, but his skill was comparable to hers. Doesn¡¯t this mean Yushin is a much better player?


    Her eyes are on fire, this desire to fight the spearman rising fast!


    ¡°Everyone, good job!¡± Yushin smiles and gives the order for everyone to recover using potions. Commanding the Mutal to set up a perimeter in case the Mahrgas come back earlier than expected, they set up an ambush a bit further on the branches and hid. Their job is not done yet.


    Everyone started to recover and maintain their equipment. If repairs were needed, Bitter Cat would do it. Aurei kept his eyes open to resupply herbs and even pick up a few new ones.


    ¡°Man, this game is stingy with drops,¡± Shum complained, talking to the party. His Half-Orc face frowning. So far enemies do not drop weapons or coins as in other games. What they get are raw materials, but there was speculation in Free Forest Guild that some unique items can drop.


    Gron nodded silently.


    ¡°Hehe, but at least now the quest will go smoothly!¡± Cella said happily.


    Yushin did not share her enthusiasm. By nature, he was a calm and careful person. His goal was not only to finish the quest but to end it in a way that satisfied himself and the party. Right now, there is still the main Mahrgas camp and the smaller ones. There are too many variables to consider, such as hidden forces or outside interference.


    Now that he thought about it, how did Goldclaw party come in? Is there another valley? From what he saw at the Mutal, they did not go out further because of Vitalus. Since Yushin¡¯s party was the one that killed it, either Goldclaw sneaked past or found some other way in, after the Mahrgas village.  It was worth looking into it if the chance came around.


    Aurei looked lost in a daze. His performance before was something he did not think himself capable. After everything settled down, he is thinking that was pretty reckless. He could have screwed up everything!


    ¡°Kid, good job out there,¡± Yushin complimented Aurei, ¡°You¡¯re still a little awkward with the chain though. It doesn¡¯t feel you¡¯re comfortable with it at all.¡±


    Aurei sighs and nods, ¡°A-as expected of b-big brother. I-It¡¯s just that, even though I like it, i-it¡¯s¡­ limited?¡±


    ¡°Heh. That¡¯s normal. Even with the spear, sometimes I think about switching weapons to fit the situation. You don¡¯t need to be bound to that chain,¡± Yushin tried to switch his weapons around, but in the end, he was the most comfortable with the spear. However, In some specific situations, it might be worth switching styles.


    ¡°I-I¡¯d like a bit more r-range,¡± Aurei shyly added.


    ¡°You¡¯re smart and react fast, there are a lot of things that will suit you in the future. Taming, guns, defensive magic, offensive alchemy¡­ specializing yourself is never bad, but not exploring your other options is silly.¡±


    ¡°Em!¡± Aurei agreed.


    ¡°Me, me, me, what about me, bro?!¡± Shum asked. Gron did not say anything but he also looked at Yushin with attention.


    ¡°You... stick with heavy weapons and armor. Maybe even throw in a heavy shield once in a while,¡± Yushin laughed, ¡°You¡¯re too impatient to wait and too noisy not to become a target. When you think too much, you often miss the right timing. Leave the strategy to Gron, you hack away. Of course, this is during normal situations. It¡¯s important to adapt. As we build up experience in here, the best path will appear.¡±


    Shum agrees, ¡°A heavy shield, uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Gron is quick and quiet. While you lose a bit of range and power with the short spear, it¡¯s very effective even in narrow places. The spear is an effective control weapon, if you combine with Shum aggressiveness, it will very difficult to avoid. Keep focusing on nature magic for control, pick a few ranged throwing weapons, such as javelins, and you two will complement each other well. ¡±


    Gron nodded.


    ¡°What about me, mister?¡± Cella also asked.


    ¡°Your timing and positioning are good. Right now your options are too limited, but definitely, find a backup ranged weapon. If you¡¯re no good with them, then summoning or taming might work once we know more about it. Unless you have enough healing skills to keep casting them often, the time you spend idling needs to be used better. Of course, this advice depends on the way the game progresses and your fortuitous encounters. Don¡¯t take it as the only way.¡±


    Yushin looked at Bitter Cat, but her fiery glare made him shiver and look away awkwardly with a ¡®hehe¡¯. It¡¯s not that she was doing it on purpose. In fact, she was also looking forward to his analysis, but made him run away instead!


    ¡°Here they come,¡± Yushin could sense the Mahrgas coming a bit further and also hear the rustling of the leaves. They had no time to sneak around and were running forward quickly. Everything has already been in position, all Yushin had to do was give the order and strike.


    He wants to deal with this as fast as possible before some unknown factor comes into play, such as other players arriving or Goldclaw finding his way back somehow. In theory, he is confined to the city for one hour, but since the guild is inside Red Clay he can¡¯t be sure the dungeon isn¡¯t accessible. The entry point to this dungeon is also random, but unluckier things have happened before!The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    The Mahrgas brought a few more with them this time, but there is still no sign of leadership. All they wanted to do was to find the group of players, such that they didn¡¯t even consider the possibility of an ambush. Yushin¡¯s party and the Mutal fell upon the Mahrgas like a forest fire, and their inability to fight as a group caused them to lose easily. It was a one-sided slaughter with no suspense at all.


    After it was done, Yushin told the Mutal to make groups and spread to attack the camps. It was a bit risky, but he had seen how strong they are, and their team fight is much better than the enemy. This is the best chance to finish off those camps while Yushin¡¯s party head out to the main camp with some reinforcements, finishing everything. The Mutal agreed and left, not much after Yushin warned them not to take things too far. He didn¡¯t want the Mahrgas to be annihilated. This is not his style.


    Something else also started to bug him. From what the Mutal warriors have shown, they are not inferior, even a bit stronger than the enemy. That and their teamwork being superior, there is no way they should be fearing them. Besides, Goldclaw hadn¡¯t even attacked the Mutal, so the situation wasn¡¯t as dire as the Elder made it out to be. This is not a war they should be losing.


    Because of this Yushin isn¡¯t sure of what to do with the deer-people. Should he wipe them all? This would finish the quest, but leave a sour taste afterward. Should he make the Mahrgas submit to the Mutal? This is a possibility, but also equivalent to slavery! Isn¡¯t this exactly what they should be fighting against? Not all of the Mutal are innocent and not all of the Mahrgas are guilty.


    His party also cannot reach a consensus on this. Grom and Shum wanted to wipe them all out for their evil deeds. Bitter Cat doesn¡¯t want to wipe them out and doesn¡¯t want them to be slaves either. Aurei didn¡¯t say anything but would side with BC. Cella left everything to the others. She didn¡¯t feel her opinion mattered much, even though Yushin asked for it. She reminded them that the leaf people are not evil. They said their wish wasn¡¯t for the Mahrgas to disappear, but also don¡¯t want the same fate to repeat itself over and over again.


    This meant that, if they are unable to coexist, one must disappear. This part everyone understood. Without dwelling on it, the attack proceeded. The Mutal force assault on the camps is successful, the Mahrgas are disorganized and cannot fight back properly. Aside from the ones sent by Yushin, other Mutal also joined the battles from their main camp. It was obvious this opportunity was too good to be missed.  Many Mahrgas and some Mutal fell, but everything is going as expected.


    At this moment, Yushin and Co start the attack on the main camp!


    As noted before, Yushin surveyed and tagged many important points, even though the defense was weak and any presence of a leader absent. The Mahrgas resolved everything through a council of peers, in a direct representation of democracy. More than that, the Mahrgas ran from leadership like they were running from the plague.


    They are unable to bear the storm. Yushin spear claims many enemies and Bitter Cat devastation is clear. From these two alone the camp fell. They had no mages, no commanders, no strong individuals. The only threatening thing about their camp was the numbers, countered in face of skill and with the help of the Mutal.  The whole battle was anti-climatic. In one word:


    Overkill.


    By the end, only non-combatants and a few injured warriors were left. Aside from Yushin, everyone else was celebrating. The Mutal cheered each other as if a great evil had disappeared. The smell of blood ran strong, even though the corpses were gone after death. All left was the cry of Mahrgas children, women and the weep of the elderly.


    ¡®This scene¡­ I suppose it couldn¡¯t be avoided¡­¡¯ Yushin sighed deeply and ordered everyone to gather, including the defeated. His party took little damage and not a lot of equipment was damaged. Now they were used to the Mahrgas and their teamwork was already much better than before, making this fight a non-challenge.


    ¡°I have decided to make a [Binding Contract] with the Mahrgas,¡± Yushin spoke and his party didn¡¯t disagree. The Mutal captain, however, argued against it.


    ¡°Leave them alive? This is absurd, warrior! The Mahrgas must die. All of them! They are evil! Our people will never be safe!¡±


    ¡°That is not your decision to make, captain. We had a deal with the Elder.¡±


    The Mutal captain raised his common vine lance and pointed at the Mahrgas, ¡°This is for the Elder! All Mahrgas must die!¡±


    Yushin immediately raised his own spear and pointed at the captain, ¡°Take a step and die, captain.¡±


    The tension rose so fast some Mutal were still celebrating when things escalated. Everyone present armed themselves, but no one dared to take a step.


    ¡°W-warrior, do you dare kill me? Would you deny us of our revenge? This is not the right way!¡± The captain spoke loudly but he was afraid of the warriors. Especially Bitter Cat.


    ¡°Take a step, captain, and find out.¡±  Yushin did not waver for a second. Unless the captain backed out here green ¡°blood¡± would flow this time.


    The captain hesitated, but then ordered his men to stand down, ¡°Fine, I will let you deal with the Elder. Men, gather whatever you can before going back!¡±


    The Mutal changed to loot right away and this time Yushin didn¡¯t stop them. His own party took nothing. They saw nothing of value from the Mahrgas and they did not fight the enemy for profit in the first place. Now, of course, they aren¡¯t saints to let go of good items if they appear, but there weren¡¯t any except for a few common herbs and some provisions. The Mahrgas are very poor since most of their food are the branches themselves and leaves.


    Yushin made them leave some of the provisions behind for the elderly and children. Hunting would still be dangerous. Once again, this did not bode well with the Mutal, but this time they knew better than to push Yushin. Right now, the spearman thinks they are not as friendly as he thought, and that there is a much deeper story buried here. There is no way the Mutal are poor weaklings that needed their help. Even with Goldclaw here, maybe the Mutal would still be able to win. Assuming the commander is strong enough or kept some of his forces well hidden back then.


    He wanted to extract information from the deer-people, but it was a near-impossible task since they are very closed off. Yushin forced them to make a [Binding Contract] with many clauses, even though it pained him dearly to do so.


    He did not make them submit to the Mutal. The Mahrga will keep their independence, but any form of direct or indirect conflict is forbidden. Each will keep to their own areas.


    He did not force them to make reparations for the tortured Mutal, only bound them never to do it again. All of those responsible were probably dead. Pushing them further served no purpose except to incite revenge.


    He could bind the Mahrgas to him or force them to take the ¡°good¡± path, but that would go even further against his beliefs. Even if they were data, he did not want to take away their freedom. By not binding, he would not be able to control them easily in case of revolt or if they kept their evil ways. Since contracts have so much power, if the Mahrgas kept attacking the Mutal or feeding on them, they would all die under the [Contract Spell]. This was enough to stop the threat and give them some leeway to survive.


    After everything that had some value was taken by the Mutal, some leaf representatives were left behind to supervise the deer-people and make sure they can survive. Unless there were many survivors from the camps, from now on it would be impossible for the Mahrgas to be the same. The loss of manpower was too great to recover in a short time. It was not known why the monsters avoided these villages and kept away, but without Vitalus, the [Monster Ecosystem] would greatly change in the future.


    Planning on journeying back to the Mutal village, Yushin decided to check some camps along the way. He wanted not only to make sure everything went according to plan but also to find proof of his own suspicions. The air around the group wasn¡¯t good since the Mutal that also came back with them were still holding a grudge.


    Finding a small camp, the party finds a trail of death that does not match the Mutal¡¯s allegedly peaceful ways!


    They exterminated everyone, children, elderly, and women included. Even though warriors¡¯ corpses disappeared after death, non-combatant NPCs only disappeared after a while, to give players an opportunity to investigate their deaths.


    The branches around rumbled and the air suddenly became stagnant, many leaves tearing. Soul filled the air, sharp and warm. Seeing the anger in Yushin¡¯s eyes, the Mutal captain apologized and vowed to investigate the ones behind these atrocious acts. Even his own party was a bit afraid of Yushin in that moment. Only Shum thought that was cool as heck and made up his mind to beg Yushin to teach him.


    However, Yushin is no longer fooled by their acts. He is now completely sure the other camps will have the same fate, including the main camp they just left behind.


    No matter what, the Elder broke his word, and the Mutal are not what they seem. Perhaps, since the beginning, everything was an act so they could be used to kill the Mahrgas. For what purpose, he doesn¡¯t know.


    But, since they wanted to use him, they better be ready to pay the price.

 Chapter Twenty-Five: Death Reborn

    ¡°Aurei, Bitter Cat and Cella, I need you guys to do something,¡± Yushin spoke only to party. After giving out some orders, Aurei, Bitter Cat and Cella stopped walking and apologized to the Mutal, claiming they had to go because of an emergency. Since everything was already taken care of they didn¡¯t need to stick around.


    The leaf captain did not seem too sad about them leaving, nor did he try to keep them there. He would be thrilled if all of them were gone, especially Bitter Cat. The Scarlet Giant was frightening. Opening a huge fake green smile and thanking them several times for their help, he said the Mutal would always be their friends.


    After the three logged out, the NPCs didn¡¯t seem bothered about them disappearing into thin air. They asked no questions about it. Characters inside permanent dungeons like these can log out and come back to the same spot normally. Once they leave the dungeon coming to the same spot is much harder. Yushin then started to buy as much time as he could, gathering herbs and explore new spots. He made it seem as natural as possible so as not to draw their attention.


    Yushin avoided going to the other camps on purpose, already knowing their fate. Playing for that long is beginning to take its toll on his body, but somehow it seems the time feels much slower inside the game. This quest was the longest so far.


    After finally reaching the Mutal village, there are many new guards on the branch walls and stationed around. They were at war, so the extra manpower shouldn¡¯t be anything susp¨ªcious. The ones to welcome him were the Mutal Commander and the Elder Village Chief in person. The Captain went ahead and reported the situation.


    ¡°Warriors, warriors, we the Mutal thank you for defeating our enemies! Word has come to me that we have been victorious and many of our brethren released from the torture! You are our saviors!¡± The elder bowed and everyone else followed.


    ¡°The Mahrgas are no more, blessed be the Mother Tree!¡± They rejoiced and prayed together.


    ¡°Elder, we came across many crimes of war.¡± Yushin bluntness interrupted their chant. The elder looked troubled and regretful as if knowing those sins beforehand.


    ¡°Warrior, my lack of leadership has caused many tragedies not fit for our peaceful ways. We seek your understanding. The hatred was already too deep, some of the men could not resist their urges. We will look for the culprits and punish them.¡± The elder once again bowed and the rest right after.


    Yushin did not answer, and this time he did not put on a smile. Shum and Gron behind were also quiet, and the elder could only laugh it off a bit.


    ¡°Now, now, please step into the temple to receive your rewards,¡± The elder opened a smile and pointed to the circular wooden building in the middle of the village.


    ¡°Thank you for the hospitality, but we must get going. If you could get us the rewards, we will be on our way.¡± Yushin answered.


    ¡°Absolutely not! This demands the proper procedures for our grand celebration! Please, step inside!¡± The Elder once again asked.


    Yushin opened a huge smile, ¡°I wonder what sort of trap is there for us since Elder is so eager to invite us over?¡±


    Gasp!


    The elder was nearly shocked to death! How did he know?


    ¡°How did you know?¡± His semblance was much darker and serious now, no more mister nice leaf. The Elder raised his right hand and the guards became wary.


    On Yushin¡¯s face, a smile cold and full of anger appeared. He hated to be misled, ¡°Your story almost had us fooled. Tell me, were the Mahrgas even a threat to you?¡±


    ¡°Warrior, do not misunderstand. This indeed concerns the future of the Mutal. Look around, there aren¡¯t many of us now. Our bodies are defective. It has not always been so, but generation after generation, it has become worse. Only by supplying Mother Tree with souls can we be saved.¡±


    ¡°So all this killing was to supply your kind with souls. But you had the power to take out the Mutal earlier, yet you still waited for us, didn¡¯t you?¡± Yushin sighed.


    ¡°Because you have quality souls, much better than those trash called Mahrgas. But I did not expect you to take out Vitalus. He has been a thorn in our side for far too long. Now that he is dead, we can venture further, find better prey. Warrior, you will become a noble sacrifice to save our people. We will never forget your contribution.¡± The leaf guards brandished their wooden weapons, and the tall leaf commander, his Vine Lance.


    ¡°No, thank you. Instead, I think you and your cursed people can visit the underworld in our place,¡± Yushin smiled.


    ¡°Warrior, you are strong. But the Commander is stronger. He will be the one to go out and find the future of our people!¡± The elder proudly stated.


    Yushin laughs out loud.


    He keeps laughing for a while.


    ¡°Elder, there is no need to go out. All of you, treacherous and cunning evil bastards, only death will be your reward. We will take you down to the last one today!¡± Yushin raged.


    The leaf warriors are agitated. Many saw Yushin fight, many revered Vitalus as a sign of strength. These warriors, the ones that killed Vitalus, are great warriors. But the elder knows that in their party there are only the three of them left. The monstrous and fearsome giant is gone, the healing one is gone, and even the gatherer is gone. Aside from Yushin, the other two are not on par with the commander.


    This time, it was the ebony eyed elder¡¯s turn to laugh, ¡°The three of you, against our fighters? Haha, Men, attack, kill those foolish warriors!¡± Many leaves rushed to strike. Yushin, Gron, and Shum have no choice but to fight.


    Yushin holds his spear and meets the attack, his goal is to disrupt the enemy formation and cause chaos. His spear waves back and forth, the enemy¡¯s wooden weapons are diverse but they also show a preference towards simple spears. The smiling warrior is too quick, never stopping moving around and always pressing the advance.


    This time he has no reason to hold back.


    Besides not having the luxury to worry about Shum and Gron, the two of them protected each other¡¯s back and began fighting. Even outnumbered, their team play was very effective. Yushin was a loose spear, flying everywhere in the combat and striking like the wind.


    Aside from the wooden weapons, some Leaf Warriors used their own arms as ones, like a very sharp leaf. There were more than twenty around the trio, but the lack of ranged weapons made it a bit less dangerous.


    One wooden spear struck at Yushin, quickly being parried and countered with a kick. His body moved sideways, changing targets and piercing through the next enemy¡¯s thighs. Vaulting above the wounded enemy, he immediately pierced his neck from behind, killing instantly. His left hand made a sharp movement, and a knife flew towards another Mutal, piercing his eye.


    Shum fought much more controlled this time, keeping his power but trying not to make too wide swings. Having many enemies around made it so that his large cuts became a weakness, and Gron would not always be able to cover for him. Although lacking in power when compared to Bitter Cat, Shum¡¯s axe was strong and very hard to parry or block. The sheer weight of the weapon made it hard to defend against.


    Gron kept his focus, using his nature magic to stop dangerous enemies in their tracks long enough so that they can either adjust or finish them off. The most dangerous enemies are the ones that use their limbs as weapons. Quick cuts and pierces are very hard to dodge.


    Seeing that even with their numbers the Mutal cannot overwhelm the trio, the Leaf Commander finally stepped up. He went straight for Yushin, his Vine Lance brims with soul power.


    Yushin recognized the power enveloping the lance, although very different than his own. Yushin¡¯s [Soul Power] flows like a sharp and warm wave, while the Commander¡¯s was solid and rigid like a green mountain. Every piercing attack seemed to make the earth shake, the sheer amount of power behind it comparable to Bitter Cat!


    Now Yushin understood why the Elder had so much confidence in the Commander, seeing as he could infuse his strikes with Soul Power. The lance pierced towards his throat and Yushin weaved only enough not to get damaged by the brute force. He was dead serious. His whole attention focused on the enemies, not having leeway for a single mistake. He could feel the entire battlefield, even without looking, no hidden attacks can catch him by surprise at that moment.


    Using speed he struck at the commander but was blocked with the Vine Lance, which seemed not to take any damage from Yushin¡¯s spear. It was one of the best weapons Yushin had seen so far, including Bitter Cat¡¯s [Bonehead Spear]. After a few bouts, they both retreated a few steps, pointing weapons at each other.


    Around them, while a few continued attacking Shum and Gron, many waited for their commander¡¯s battle. It is the battle of two leaders, each force¡¯s ace, capable of changing morale and deciding the entire conflict.


    The elder chuckled, ¡°¡­You can keep up with the commander, Warrior. But I wonder how long your comrades will endure?¡±


    Even though Shum and Gron were managing to hold out, they indeed took some dangerous hits. Only two of the enemies died while a few were wounded.


    Yushin held his spear towards the Elder, ¡°They held on long enough.¡±


    From one of the side branch walls, a huge hitting sound was heard, followed by the breaking of many branches. Without losing any more time, Bitter Cat, Aurei and Cella joined the fray. They came back after saving the remaining Mahrgas survivors from their supervisors at the main camp!


    ¡°Those three¡­ didn¡¯t they leave?!¡± The elder looked angry. More people meant more souls, but too much firepower would be against his plans.


    ¡°Heh, heh, they were busy, you know?¡± Yushin smiles, immediately advances again, his spear much faster than before. He was waiting for the opportunity to shake the enemy and Bitter Cat¡¯s presence was enough to do that!The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The Scarlet Giant was thirsty for blood. The Mutal not only fooled her but took advantage of everyone. She felt sorry for their torture and even hated the Mahrgas a bit. Just thinking about it has been enough to drive her mad. Every swing of her heavy Warhammer was brutal.


    Shum and Gron let out a smile and also became fiercer. Cella came as close as she could, with Aurei as a bodyguard, and used her healing and buffs on the duo. She would have buffed Yushin instead, but he ordered the priority to be Shum. Aurei also supported them with defensive magic. Now the four of them joined together and took a defensive position, with Shum as the center, Aurei and Gron as supports, and Cella on the back lines. No matter how many Mutal come it won¡¯t be easy to take them down. Yushin had no reason to worry anymore.


    Meanwhile, Bitter Cat is furious relentless, like the might of a thousand warriors fell upon the enemy. No one could block her, no one could stop the Warhammer. Even Yushin is astonished by this sight.


    ¡®Reminding myself never to piss that woman off. Never!¡¯ He was also at his best, spear keeping the enemy commander in check. He rarely gets mad, but being used feels like crap!


    His left foot steps forward, the spear spinning to strike, [Spinning Spear Thrust] piercing forward. The Vine Lance barely blocks. The attacks are much faster, Leaf Commander cannot counter at all. Yushin keeps a flurry of strikes, takes no time to breathe, lets down the fury of war gods. He lost track of how many thrusts he threw!


    The Commander is unable to resist and takes multiple wounds until Yushin¡¯s spear finally breaks.


    The warrior doesn¡¯t even care and switches to hand to hand combat, dodges the enemy¡¯s spear and [Strong Kicks] him square in the face.


    The commander falls unconscious but still alive, and before Yushin can sweep in to finish him, two of the Leaf Warriors come to his aid, one of them being the Captain that fought together against the Mahrgas. Their morale is completely crushed and their ace humiliated, but their affection and respect are still there. Even the Elder looks ghastly pale.


    The fight goes on, many leaves fall. Almost all the warriors meet their ends on Yushin¡¯s and Bitter Cat¡¯s hands, including the captain that fought together against the Mahrgas. The battle is tough, Cella takes a heavy wound, but still chooses to focus on healing others. Her fighting capabilities are lacking, but Aurei and Gron are very quick to support. Shum takes lessons from BC, in this group he is the current MVP, fighting many leaves at once. All are wounded, armors are damaged and a few weapons gone. Leaf Warriors are much stronger than the Mahrgas!


    Yushin takes out a warrior and glares at the Elder, rushes straight to kill him.


    The Elder hides behind other warriors that came to his aid then runs straight towards the wooden circular building. Yushin deals with the enemies and follows behind, is wary of traps, but must not miss this opportunity.


    Inside, Yushin pays attention to his surroundings. In the middle there is an altar and a [Formation] of blood, gore and magic stones, with many Mahrgas and Mutal corpses strew around half eaten. The stench was barely bearable. The altar itself is made of ebony branches with many brown leaves, very similar to the Elder.


    For a second, Yushin¡¯s [Soul of A Hero] resonated with an intense pull, but then stopped.


    The Elder is at the center of the formation, looking at Yushin with pity and mockery. Yushin has a bad feeling, doesn¡¯t even wait to reach the Elder and instead throws his spear, piercing him straight through the ¡°core¡± and shattering it. As leaf, he had no heart, but an energy core that functioned similarly. By now, with so many deaths, Yushin already knew where it was located, and so far a core shattering meant instant death¡­


    ...But the Elder looked at his own chest, then at Yushin, and started laughing maniacally. Sacrificing himself to the altar¡¯s formation, darkness started to envelop his body and eat it away, flowing straight to a small and childlike figure with radiant gem eyes that was sitting in the corner.


    It was Lataf, the child that led Yushin here in the first place.


    The darkness entered his body as if it was its own, and suddenly a strong black miasma spread everywhere. It was too fast to avoid, even if Yushin saw it coming. It was clear now that the Elder had been tainted by this evil force, but the source of the force was never him. He was merely a tool.


    Yushin tried to go forward and strike with another spear, but a huge soul force pushed him back straight out of the door, bringing the building down with it. As the building falls with huge rumbling sounds, everyone is gasping at this scene. Yushin rolls back and falls into position, taking out his [Bonehead Spear] immediately.


    The stench of death spread everywhere, the miasma sapping their strengths. Some weaker Mutal even got killed instantly. That one in front of them was an evil entity, with pure malice in its eyes, although it hid behind a childlike form.


    Yushin shivers. He could see and sense the [Flow of Soul] going straight to that monster, every second that went on growing stronger. Anything alive was its prey and any soul his food. If it had time to grow, how powerful could it become?


    The Mutal warriors had no idea of what happened, from the middle of their camp a terrible evil arose. They were not its followers, only wanted to get rid of their own cursed body and survive. No one would serve death willingly.


    Now, the deaths of many Mutal and Mahrgas fuels this [Fallen Villain] strength, he is reborn. Everyone is still for a  few seconds, at least until ¡°Lataf¡± points his right hand forward, shooting dozens of bolts of darkness. They move randomly with impressive speed, much faster than an arrow!


    Yushin jumps back and dodges. Bitter Cat quickly takes cover behind a huge branch and Aurei moved to the side, as he would have no time to cast defensive magic. Shum wasn¡¯t targeted, and Gron also dodged in time.


    ¡°Kyaaaah!!!¡± But Cella was hit and died, the bolt trespassing her body and the contaminating energy eating it away. It was as if no armor and buffs could stop that attack.


    ¡°CELLA!¡± Aurei looked back, filled with regret. He reacted too fast and forgot about her for a moment. He could have tried to block it with the chain. Around them, a lot of Mutal were fatally hit and many structures also damaged.


    Lataf looked displeased. Those inferior things dared to evade his attack. His voice is strong and clear, but nowhere as young as his body, ¡°Die, trash!¡±


    This time he opened his arms wide and then closed them, shooting a horizontal darkness slash that measured the entire camp.


    ¡°JUMP!¡± Yushin screamed to the party, and again everyone could dodge in time. The attack hit and destroyed the wall of branches around the village, together with almost every single structure there. Aside from those who threw themselves to the ground or jumped, everyone that stood was sliced in half and eaten away.


    Yushin stopped being dazed, his body lunging forward, throwing as many knives as he could. They all flew straight to the target, but hit an invisible wall, deflecting to the sides.


    Lataf knit his brows and looked mighty pissed at Yushin, who still kept running forward. This monster, whatever he is, is not in his prime condition. After using both attacks Yushin could feel his Soul was already much weaker, as if the souls of everyone eaten were not enough to power him up.


    He stepped forward, putting all his weight and power behind the spear, advancing straight towards the enemy with a [Spinning Spear Thrust].


    All in vain.


    The spear hit an invisible wall again and was deflected sideways. Yushin was somewhat expecting that, so he didn¡¯t lose balance and kept striking. The rest of his team also followed, Bitter Cat arrives soon after, putting all her power to strike with [Power Smash].


    This time the barrier trembled and barely managed to deflect the blow, visibly damaged!


    ¡°....!¡± Lataf did not expect such tremendous power, his eyes fixating into Bitter Cat. Aurei was the third to come, his chain advanced and was also deflected. The same happened with Gron and Shum, no matter how often they struck, the barrier would not even fluctuate.


    Designating Bitter Cat as his most dangerous target, Lataf pointed his finger and shot a straight ray of darkness into her chest, which she managed to dodge by a second.


    ¡®His attacks are powerful, but he needs to recharge in between¡­ If only we can break this barrier¡­¡¯ Yushin used his senses to feel the [Flow of Soul] and try to localize a weak spot to strike but found nothing. Bitter Cat once again advanced, her heavy Warhammer striking down. This time Lataf didn¡¯t block, but jumped to the side with fast movement, getting closer to Shum, Gron, and Aurei.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Yushin moved to intercept, but once he realized what was to come, he could only tumble away.


    This time the demon only stood still and many bolts started flying, going all around him. He was too close to the trio for any of them to react in time.


    ¡°Begone from this Emperor¡¯s sight, trash!¡± Lataf screamed for the first time, that old voice going out a child¡¯s body, sounding clear but full of disdain.


    Seeing as he couldn¡¯t dodge, Shum put himself in front of Gron and Aurei, blocking the bolts that came at them in exchange for his own ¡°life.¡± Not that the bolts stopped at his body, but in the end, it was about enough to change their target.


    ¡°Shum!¡± Gron yelled as his companion disappeared. The whole party, at that moment, forgot this was only a game.


    ¡®Dammit!¡¯ Yushin¡¯s frustration reached the apex, already having used all his cards. He didn¡¯t have many options in the first place. Even Bitter Cat¡¯s power is not sure to be able to break through, much less hitting someone at that speed.


    What can he do?


    Can he only watch until his entire party is wiped out?


    So they can die here?


    He was not willing. Even in-game, he doesn¡¯t want to succumb to death so soon!


    His will to live started to manifest and his senses brought back the feeling of back then during the fight against Sinkred. His [Flow of Soul] became sharply incomparable, the soul of that world flowing through his body as if to replenish all the energy he used before. His mind wandered to the moment the Leaf Commander used his [Soul power] and his own Soul Force started to react to it.


    He again wasn¡¯t fully aware of how he was doing it. All that Soul Power gently enveloped his spear, as if they were only one entity from the beginning. At that moment, his Soul and the [Soul Of The World] were only one.


    Lataf once again recharged his attack, but this time he noticed how dangerous Yushin¡¯s spear looked.


    ¡®This human knows [Soul Control]?¡¯ His radiant eyes aimed at Yushin. Pointing both fingers at him, he was ready to shoot darkness rays.


    But Bitter Cat was already near. Knowing something felt different in this attack, she thought that if Lataf stood still for a second Yushin¡¯s spear would definitely hit him. Jumping her highest, she hit from top to bottom with her last [Power Smash], putting everything behind the strike, including the giant¡¯s weight.


    Lataf had to choose between shooting his rays or blocking the hit. He could not hold the barrier against such a powerful strike at the same time as he shot. If he shot, Yushin would be hit, but Bitter Cat would smash him to bits. After being reborn, he didn¡¯t want to disappear again. He held his barrier and gave up on attacking Yushin first.


    The Power Smash hit the barrier and it took a lot of damage, but with Lataf focus, it was not enough to destroy it.


    Yet Yushin wouldn¡¯t miss this opportunity. With large strides he went forward, his left foot stepping firmly on the ground, the same as many times before. He held his spear one-handed with his right hand as his left hand guided forward and pulled back, preparing a thrust.


    With a quick spin the spear advanced, and the Flow Of Soul also spun around the weapon as if it was a powerful drill, emitting thundering cracks of power and loud sounds such as a roaring storm.


    The powerful [Soul Strike] hit Lataf¡¯s barrier and it shattered as if it was thin glass. Not stopping there, the strike also hit his childlike body, tearing a huge hole in his chest. His scream of death was a horrific and nightmarish sound, liberating many souls of the dead back into the world. His radiant eyes looked dim and regretful, almost cursing his enemies to death.


    The Bonehead Spear shattered into dust, and with it, Lataf¡¯s body. Yushin also suffered a heavy backlash, losing his Soul Force completely and many of his remaining hit points. His hand felt numb and a part of it was even burnt.


    ¡°Curse you, curse you, this Emperor shall yet have your soul!!!¡± As the body disappeared, a ghostly form appeared in front of the group. It was actually only a manifestation of his soul and it disappeared shortly after. Yushin could feel that evil entity was not gone from this world. What and who he was, he didn¡¯t know.


    But for sure this would not be the last they heard of him.

 Not a Chapter - Authors Note And Apology

    Hello, I am SmilingBlueWolf!


    First of all, I''d like to start with an apology. Please forgive me, as I have not been able to update the series as I wanted. I had surgery and other real-life problems and commitments, but I will not bore you all with the details.


    However, I have not given up on this series, and I will not. I''m very attached to it. I have other ideas and projects but I will not get to them until I finish Tales, and that will take a lot of time and effort. I''m not sure how long I envision Tales to be, but with at least ~2500 words per chapter it will go far beyond Japanese style Light Novels and into Chinese Web Novels territory, at least size wise.


    I understand my English is far from amazing but that will not be an obstacle. The novel can be rewritten, edited, improved and learned upon, and this is one of the main reasons I''m writing here on RR. I''m not afraid of constructive criticism and I even welcome some guidance on my grammar weak points. Such being the case, I plan on resume the novel in the next days and keep the schedule of at least a chapter a week at random intervals. Without some sort of monetary support, this is the best I can do.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Regarding the novel itself, I have been busy at work finishing my proper scene list. It will work as guidance when reviewing and allowing for easier edits, the spotting of plot holes, unconscious foreshadowing, and inconsistencies that will help me improve long-term, including story and grammar wise.


    To anyone that wishes to begin reading my novel, I suggest that you read at least until chapter 7 before making your own conclusions. At least the first four chapters should give you a general feel and allow you to understand if my style is good enough for you.


    As for the future, my readers can expect plenty of action, strategy, character development, war, politics and base building. I dare to say that if my skills allow me to implement my vision right people will be hard-pressed to find a similar novel out there. By that I don''t mean a masterpiece, but I hope it at least will be a very enjoyable read for everyone that like the genre!


    To my readers, using their precious time to support this novel, I can only thank you all for everything. I will endure and write the best I can, for as I long as I can.

 Chapter Twenty-Six: Only The Second Day

    Destruction weighs heavily in the air, followed by a stench of death and despair. Game and reality at this moment are the same. The battle is finished, but so was nearly the Mutal. A sour scent flared up their nostrils, just as a real battlefield.


    Almost every single structure in the Mutal village is broken. Houses and branches are split and scattered. Some corpses did not disappear completely but were also not intact. The majority of the people died, including warriors and civilians. However, the commander and a few others managed to survive in the end.


    The Mutal remaining population is now much fewer than the Mahrgas. Unless some of their people survived outside, even outliving the dangers of the dungeon will be a hard task for them. Especially now without Mormis guarding the entrance of the valley or the dark existence keeping the monsters at bay.


    Although his right hand was badly burnt by the soul force impact, Yushin should not be in pain. But looking at his face one might have thought otherwise.


    The spearman had his brows arched, cheeks slightly risen and eyes squinting as if great pain pierced his chest. His confidence temporarily shattered. They killed Lataf, but only by a stroke of luck. They won, but the harsh reality of death sounded like defeat.


    He was too confident to think they could deal with everything the Mutal would throw at them. He knew how hard this game is supposed to be, but being a good player worked against him this time.


    The result of underestimating the game is Cella and Shum died, precious experience lost. They will not be there to finish the quest either. Yushin truly regrets being naive and stupid.


    ¡°B-big b-brother¡­¡± Aurei walked close thinking of consoling Yushin, but seeing his face made him almost unable to follow up, ¡°I-t¡¯s n-not your f-fault¡­¡±


    Gron also put his hand on Yushin¡¯s shoulder and nodded.


    Bitter Cat didn¡¯t go near. Some part of her wanted to say those words, yet she knew clearly it was much easier to say something hurtful by mistake instead. Looking at his face, he is the type to blame himself harshly, so that was punishment enough.


    Yushin smiles faintly and nods. No matter what anyone says, this screw up is on him. He is always the most strict with himself. The moment he took the leadership position, even if no one appointed him directly to it, he was responsible for the outcome and for taking care of his party. He failed this time.


    As a former and future guild leader, this is his obligation and duty. Handling it this badly means he is unqualified to lead. The outcome could have been much, much worse. What if this was an important quest, a rare dungeon run, or even a hardcore dungeon? Anything with higher stakes?


    His goal is not just to become another good player. He could have been satisfied with that before, but right now, with his life¡¯s end drawing near, he wants more. Only by aiming higher and higher one can challenge his limits and become the best.


    ¡®Also, what was that¡­? At that time, my mind went blank and everything felt so natural¡­. Can I do that again? Summon that feeling anytime¡­?¡¯ - Yushin himself was not sure how he attacked Lataf and it was clear in everyone¡¯s eyes this was something they were very interested in. But before trying things out he would not be able to understand, much less explain to others.


    When he was about to try to control his soul force again, a system announcement interrupted his thoughts:


    [The Six Warriors have completed the quest: ¡°Solve the conflict between Mutal and Mahrga¡±. The conflict between the two races has ended.]


    [Rewards: Promised Items. Any Mutal drops.]


    Since the deal with the Elder fell through their reward also disappeared. However, the dead Mutal dropped some items occasionally, such as sap (equivalent to their blood), Mutal Eyes and Mutal Cores, that now rightfully belonged to Yushin¡¯s party, along with any other item they could find there and wished to take. As the defeated, the Mutal could not resist.


    [The Six Warriors have completed the Hidden quest: ¡°Fallen Villain¡±. ¡°Lataf¡± was defeated.]


    [Quest Reward: Access to the Mutal Hidden Temple. Fame with Mutal and Mahrga. Title: Savior Of The Mutal and Mahrga]


    The party spirits lit up a bit after the announcement since in the end, their struggles weren¡¯t for nothing. Heavy wood hitting the ground abruptly could be heard coming from what once was the circular building the Mutal Elder died in. From the ground, stairs appeared and the doors of the temple sprung open instantly.


    The Mutal Hidden Temple lies below the formation the Elder sacrificed himself to, with a stairway linking down to something similar to a dungeon gate, except that it had a brilliant green aura. In fact, it was not only similar but worked the same way, leading to another closed space. It did not have the properties of a dungeon, so analyze dungeon did not work. It was merely for transportation.


    Yushin first thought is to go in right away, but he decided not to, ¡°Let¡¯s try to help any surviving Mutal first and gather them.¡±


    There were not many so it did not take long: four warriors and twenty civilians, of which ten were children, six women and two elderly. The commander then stood in front of the group and kneeled.


    ¡°Forgive us in hearts, great warriors. Plans of Elder not known to us. Defect brings death. Our crimes, only to survive,¡± the Mutal commander seemed sincere, even though that was not enough to erase their sins. He now realizes the defect was not of natural causes but possibly started by the Elder and made by that evil entity. Everything started changing after Lataf was born.


    Yushin and co haven¡¯t discussed how to deal with the aftermath, but there wasn¡¯t much they could or wanted to do right now, ¡°Gather your survivors, commander. If you do not reorganize your defenses those monsters might very well wipe you out. As for your crimes¡­ we will discuss that later.¡±


    The commander shivered a little but bowed in respect and gave orders for the remaining soldiers to rally the surviving Mutal, including the ones currently outside of the camp, as soon as possible. Those able were responsible for raising some walls and defenses in any way they could.


    Yushin felt a little guilty for not helping them but he wasn¡¯t a saint. The Mutal brought this on themselves with lies and deception, so bearing the consequences was only right. The group took steps to explore the temple first, this run has been very long and tiresome. Their bodies might reach their limit soon and it is already very late for a weekday. For a randomly put together party in an MMO, staying this long together is already a miracle.


    Being careful when looking for any traps, the entry to the temple did not have any problems. The party teleported entirely at once to a new wooden structure with many simple rooms and walls, and a wooden warrior statue at the center, in what looked like a shrine. The layout was very humble, a large corridor with many wooden pillars of exquisite beauty.


    The statue was of a man carrying no weapons but with heavy armor and holding his helmet. Its simplicity showed brilliance that any art connoisseur would appreciate fondly.


    Before taking any steps further in that direction, Yushin¡¯s eyes rested on a few very small cornerstones in the room, adorned with runic designs and brimming with soul power. He could clearly see the [Soul Lines] connecting each other and instantly became wary, using his consciousness to probe it further. Of course, he only had to think about the lines and the Neurolink System did the probing, becoming relieved when there was no sense of danger coming from it. It didn¡¯t feel harmful at all.


    After the battle with Lataf, his senses inside the game reached a new level. He understood much better how soul power worked, even if he could not yet put it in words. It was much more an intuition than logic.


    No traps were found either, so they approached the statue slowly.


    Suddenly, Yushin¡¯s [Soul Of a Hero] resonates. From within the shrine, a clear and bright voice echoes through the room, followed by the manifestation of a somewhat translucent green Mutal-like figure of a man:


    ¡°Greetings, friends. This one thanks you for the assistance provided to his people.¡±


    The group was a bit startled and almost stepped back. Yushin bowed slightly, ¡°Mister is¡­?¡±


    ¡°I am ancestor to the Mutal, this is my temple. My name¡­ is no longer important. Since you called me Mister, you might call me Mister Green.¡±


    Yushin nods, ¡°Mister, this is your soul¡­?¡±


    ¡°As expected, you could feel it. That [Soul Resonance] was indeed strong. You carry a precious gift, child. Be sure to protect it well.¡±


    ¡°You mean this [Soul Of a Hero]? Do you know what is it used for?¡±


    ¡°Only that, like me, it is the remnant of a [Fallen Hero], a very powerful one at that. I cannot search it further in my state, and your abilities¡­ they are certainly lacking to try.¡±


    Yushin is a bit embarrassed at that last statement.


    ¡°I have seen your battle. There is no need for shame. Defeating my nemesis with your group current abilities is a feat that I would be unable to match in the past. Having to stand impotently while that monster grew in power made me restless.¡±


    ¡°Mister can¡¯t leave this place like he did? He was sealed in here, right?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, and I cannot. Unfortunately, his abilities are beyond my grasp. My Soul has long suffered irreparable damage, only a wisp remaining. Had he not wanted me to witness his rule of evil I would be long gone from this world. I will still disappear soon.¡±


    ¡°Is there no way to rescue Mister?¡± Yushin questioned, the rest of the party listening attentively.


    ¡°I appreciate the gesture, but it is futile. I thank you all. If not for you my descendants would have ceased to exist this day. Even worse, they might have suffered a fate worse than death. Regarding my people, It would be quicker if I show you everything.¡±


    In an instant, it was as if the group was teleported thousands of years into the past without even moving. In modern gaming, this would probably be considered a high-level cutscene, a live flowing video of history.


    The images told the tale of how Mister Green and the Fallen Villain ¡°Lataf¡± fought after the calamity that besieged the world. The Fallen Villain betrayed humanity and joined the demons, gaining the power of darkness and becoming seemingly immortal. Senior Green fought with the [Power of Wood], manipulating plants and vines, striking fiercely at the enemy, but in the end still unable to beat him.


    He had no other recourse but to sacrifice himself to seal the villain in this place, inside his own shrine of power, after becoming fatally wounded and near death. As a result, both their souls became damaged and locked inside.


    Mister Green left behind his inheritance and temple to his descendants, who had all moved in from the outside world to become this place guardians. At that time, only the last refuge of the world was left standing outside, what is now [Graceful Wind Kingdom].


    However, the Fallen Villain was too strong and the Mutal offspring too incapable. While the Mutal Ancestor influence weakened his powers grew, and so he became able to influence and corrupt people in the outside world. The first one to be corrupted was the Elder, and soon the Mutal descendants forgot their purpose and were led astray. They no longer knew what they had to protect and at which cost.


    When the child Lataf was born the villain took over his soul but his power was still too weak to break the seal once and for all. For this, he slowly reaped souls and modified the original protective formation for evil purpose. He grew stronger so that every time someone died in the valley he could absorb some of their soul, including powerful player souls like Goldclaw and the others. That evil then decided it was soon time to escape.


    The cutscene ended, the entire party still trying to follow what just happened.


    If ¡°Lataf¡± had more time his plan would be complete. He would have been reborn much stronger but was instead forced to come out earlier thanks to Yushin and co interference, which resulted in his defeat.


    However, as the Mutal Ancestor explains, it wasn¡¯t a permanent death. His soul is now free and will search for another host, even if it takes time. If his new host is destroyed, the soul will go free again. Even if it is wounded it will eventually be reborn. This is his gift, his curse, and his ultimate power.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°If he is not dealt with, eventually this whole dungeon will become his territory. He cannot be taken lightly, for he is a scourge of betrayal and viciousness. His greatest weakness is that his soul cannot leave the dungeon before this temple is completely destroyed,¡± Mister Green added.


    ¡°That means he will have to come back here when he is powerful enough,¡± Yushin completed, ¡°...And that is one way to deal with him. Assuming we can.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. It is not an easy task. One way to counter him is a powerful seal. My formation is capable of that but it is not perfect. It is missing a formation master and many magic jewels. If only it can be fixed in time¡­¡±


    ¡°Is there another way to kill him? A more direct way?¡± This time Bitter Cat asked.


    ¡°Find a way to permanently destroy his soul,¡± even the Ancestor was unable to find it in his time. He focused on Yushin, ¡°...maybe¡­.¡±


    ¡°...?¡± Yushin can feel the gaze on him, even though only the wisp of the soul remains there.


    ¡°You have been tainted by darkness. A bit of his power entered your body during the combat¡­ since it is the same power as he wields, you might be able to use it against him.¡±


    ¡°I-isn¡¯t it d-dangerous¡­?¡± Aurei was worried.


    ¡°All power carries danger, young one. One might use it, one might be used by it. It depends on his willpower and luck. With control, it might become a great weapon,¡± Mister Green added.


    Yushin could not feel anything different in his character, but since powerups weren¡¯t released inside the dungeon it is likely that tainted power is also hidden for now. He will have to check outside.


    The ancestor is now a bit worried, even though this matter impacts directly his descendants that party in front of him has no obligation to pursue the matter, ¡°That Fallen Villain is a great evil. If left unchecked, he will not only break through this dungeon but also threaten the outside world!¡±


    Mister Green then explains that this dungeon, the [Tree Of Many Paths], is his personal creation with the help of a powerful mage during the calamity. Once, long ago, when the first demons started to appear in this world bringing chaos and death, the mage¡¯s power shattered the fabric between planes. It was then that he and the Mutal came from another plane, escaping from the demon threat, looking to find a new place to call home.


    But this new world was also near destruction by the demonic wave, and the Mutal had no choice but to hide in this dungeon to survive. At that same time, the Ancestor fought and sealed the Fallen Villain. Eventually, someone conquered this dungeon and it became Free Forest¡¯s property. The exact history he couldn¡¯t have known.


    From this Yushin learns there are definitely ways to create and manipulate dungeons, confirmed by the Mutal Ancestor himself!


    ¡°As our saviors, this temple is open to you. However, at your current status, it will be impossible to become its master. You have earned this as well,¡± suddenly a leaf starts flying towards the group, quickly spinning above their heads and disappearing with a green glow, ¡°The [Mark Of Mutal]. It will allow any of you to teleport here from the dungeon gate. It is also the symbol of the Mutal Leader, to be chosen among one of you or elected by you outside. While all of you will be respected and have authority, only one can truly lead the Mutal. I no longer have the qualifications to choose its leader, I can only choose my successor. The temple will do the rest.¡±


    ¡°Wait. Our friends. We had the help of two friends before, is it possible to bring them here before we continue?¡± Yushin quickly asked.


    Mister Green shook his head. They died, so naturally, they were unqualified to receive the rewards. It was a harsh world.


    The ancestor also knows that without sufficient incentive there is no way the group will risk themselves for his brethren, ¡°I wish to give you all a quest. If you accept, I will bestow you with a mission, my inheritance to one of you and a few other possessions. One of you can try to become this temple¡¯s true master and receive my full inheritance. This is a great opportunity. If I had any worthy descendants I would not give it away so easily.¡±


    He did not even have a single NPC candidate left. The commander, even if capable of [Soul Control], is lacking in intelligence and resourcefulness to lead. By gambling on him and not the players their demise would be assured. Evidently, the A.I. was smart enough to choose its own path.


    Yushin nods, those rewards are a much better than they ever thought they could get. While ¡°inheritance¡± seems vague at best, it is obviously something precious. If he had to guess, it could be game-changing. He even suspects Bitter Cat¡¯s awakening was due to one of those inheritances. A sudden notification came:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Super Rare Quest


    </td>


    <td>


    Lead the Mutal to glory and promised land, defeating their fated enemy.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Duration


    </td>


    <td>


    Undetermined


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Difficulty


    </td>


    <td>


    B


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Reward


    </td>


    <td>


    Promised Items. Access to the Temple¡¯s hidden treasures.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    A Super Rare B quest!


    ¡°Lead the Mutal back to glorious days, defeat the Fallen Villain once and for all. And my treasures shall be yours once it is done,¡± Mister Green made it clear. It is true that giving them access to the treasure right now would enhance their odds of success, but he would have no way to keep tabs on the group after his soul disappears. Only the promise of future reward will set their eyes to the task. In fact, he cannot open the treasure even if he wants to right now. Only the master of the temple can.


    By accepting this quest, it will be their duty to help the Mutal become strong enough to resist the Fallen Villain and survive in this world. The time limit is unknown, the Mutal can be targeted by a high number of factors, such as random monsters, events, other players and NPCs, and eventually Lataf. One might look at this as an opportunity to take it slow, but who can tell when disaster will descend?


    It is not like the players can be online 24/7 and disregard their lives. If there is no warning,  one day off and the whole quest can be lost.


    Aside from the Mark of Mutal, all of them will receive access to the temple and a few items from the Ancestor. One of them will become the successor and vie for the temple. He can either become Mutal Leader, or some sort of guardian figure and let someone else lead. Having told his tale and expressed his wishes, Mister Green made it clear that transferring his inheritance will cause his wisp of soul to extinguish forever.


    ¡°Do you accept?¡±


    Yushin and party looked at each other and nodded without hesitation. Quests are not simple in Tales and this one looks like it can have a big impact. While other games focus on linearity, Tales Quests can affect the game world in ways that cannot be easily predicted. It is an impact much desired and sought after by the devs: a free-flowing world of choice. To ignore the Mutal and let someone else deal with Lataf, or face him head on and receive the rewards.


    Also, from the mouth of Mister Green, the scale of impact is something that even Free Forest should be wary. What would happen to the Guild headquarters if Lataf breaks out from inside the dungeon? NPC lives are not permanent. A dangerous event like this could make or break a guild.


    [The Six Warriors have accepted the quest ¡°Lead the Mutal to glory and promised land, defeating their fated enemy¡±]


    ¡°Good. I wish you success. I will not be here to see the outcome, but my legacy will carry on within you all. I will [Soul Search] you for compatibility. Do not resist my will,¡± suddenly it was as if many rays of light shot through the bodies of everyone present. It lingered the most on Yushin, Aurei, and Gron. It took only a few seconds on Bitter Cat before moving on.


    ¡°As expected, the three of you are capable of receiving my inheritance. It is a pity it can only be one of you,¡± he looks at Yushin, ¡°Your mysterious origin is very familiar to me. I would have thought you are one of my descendants. Too bad you are not the highest match, and you have already acquired that tainted power.¡±


    Of the four of them, Bitter Cat is an awakened fire giant race, Yushin looks like a human but has a mysterious origin, Aurei is a human subspecies and Gron is an unawakened forest kobold subspecies. Humans are very diverse, and before their awakening traces, it is unlikely to perfectly find their traits. Choosing Half-Human guarantees a double race, but choosing only human, like Aurei, will give random possibilities during gameplay.


    This means that selecting the race is only a starting choice, but encounters during the game will actually decide what your awakening and traits end up as. Tales is a game of random encounters and luck. This meeting with Mister Green is one of those.


    ¡°You are compatible and I can faintly feel alchemic power on you, but unfortunately your race is not a gifted match for my power,¡± his inheritance is [Minor Wood Power]. Senior Green said to Aurei before finally pointing to Gron, ¡°You are the best candidate. A near perfect choice. Both your current powers, as your forest race, are excellent matches to the nature of my power. I could not have asked for a better successor.¡±


    Gron is a little stunned, out of everyone else he was the best choice!


    He knows full well that he is lacking in talent and reflexes. From the group, he thought of himself as more comparable to Cella than anyone else. Even Shum is more gifted than him. Gron hesitates, his look searching for Yushin¡¯s response.


    ¡°Good! No need to falter, this your reward. You can think of it as fate,¡± the smiling warrior said.


    Bitter Cat nodded in agreement and Aurei also smiled. While others may think not having equal rewards distributed is unfair, at that moment they understood this is the way things work in this game. Not only you need to find opportunity, but you also need to be able to seize from fate itself.


    Gron instantly felt happy and even let out a kobo-smile. He quickly bowed to Mister Green, ¡°Master.¡±


    ¡°I leave everything to you, my friends. My hope.¡±


    The wisp of soul shined again and more rays hit everyone. A few floating items also came into sight, stopping in front of each one of them. Those are their rewards. Aurei received a batch of random alchemic materials, such as a few rare herbs Mister Green had collected. From the soul rays, he still doesn¡¯t know, but he was granted the [Plant Sensing] talent. It will help him find herbs and plants more easily in the future!


    Bitter Cat received some strong and rare wooden materials, perfect for making weapons. She had the highest incompatibility with the senior¡¯s inheritance, but he was able to sense her smithing. However, she was not able to receive any additional skills due to her conflicting nature.


    Yushin received a [Vine Lance] of a higher grade than what the commander carried, the best weapon he has seen so far. From the soul rays, he acquired the [Herb Gathering] skill. He is now able to sense and gather herbs without having an alchemist in the party.


    Mister Green¡¯s soul seemed to be smiling when it changed into a buzz of lighting green and shot itself into Gron¡¯s body, disappearing soon after. The green light crossed the kobold like a current of power.


    ¡°Trait awakening!!!¡± Bitter Cat had felt it before!


    Soon the Kobold traces in Gron Spiderfinger became much more apparent. His body was a much greener color, his tooth grew sharper and he grew by about ten centimeters. His small frame was a bit more robust, and his eyes now had the shiny radiance of the Mutal temporarily, after a few seconds switching to a very deep emerald green. His hair was also longer and sturdier, almost like a carapace.


    ¡°Urrusk,¡± Gron suddenly said in a calm voice, ¡°That is the name of my race. I¡¯m a type of forest kobold, heh.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear any of that when it was my time,¡± Bitter Cat complained.


    ¡°Seems there are different types of awakening, then. Did you hear anything else, Gron?¡± Yushin curiously asked.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± He shook his head.


    ¡°W-what should we do now?¡± Aurei asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out. It¡¯s late, we¡¯re way past our limit,¡± this entire day in Tales has been one hell of  a journey, ¡°We also need to tell Shum and Cella what happened.¡±


    The party sighed heavily, it was obviously not good news for them. Before using the Mark to leave the village, Yushin made sure to check on the commander and his rebuilding efforts. They managed to secure the place a little, so it seems they were confident of holding out for now. After showing the Mutal mark the citizens understood what happened and that they were their leaders now.


    As for the true leader, it was still undecided. The party also had access to [Settlement Command and Management System], but it was way past the time to try that out for now.


    The party went out of the dungeon to find Cella and Shum pacing around a few meters from the gate exit. They obviously couldn¡¯t quiet down. After death, they couldn¡¯t even try going back in and had to wait for news. No one came out after them for a while, so that was a relief.


    Shum jumped high in surprise and quickly opened a smile when he saw they went out normally, probably not by death seeing the state they were in.


    ¡°Guys!!!!¡± He rushed and was about to hug the group, when his eyes rested on Gron for a moment, ¡°WHAT?!?!?! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU ALL OF A SUDDEN?!¡±


    Cella came quickly and just like everyone around was also startled. They soon noticed a very discerning and intimidating looking kobold in the middle of the room.


    Gron made a V sign to Shum, ¡°Awakening. Heh.¡±


    Shum had tears streaming down his face. He was happy for his friend, but so goddamn jealous right now! First Bitter Cat, now him! When is he going to get his turn?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Yushin was the first to go forward and bow, apologizing. Even Shum was stunned for a second.


    ¡°Ah, hey, stop that bro, it¡¯s not your fault. I was incompetent.¡±


    ¡°Me too, sorry.¡± Cella smiled, directly dazzling Aurei. He quickly looked away before anyone could notice. Or so he would like to think.


    Yushin then explained everything that happened after they died in party chat, and Shum was again streaming tears by the end of it. Cella just laughed awkwardly, but she didn¡¯t seen too bothered by it.


    ¡°...Will my bad luck ever end¡­? Sigh¡­¡± Even Shum had to be a bit letdown after that. While they were on the party, Yushin tried to share the quest with them, but since they didn¡¯t have the Mark Of Mutal they were unable to receive it.


    Now, after the system recognized they were out of the dungeon, a notification came asking if they wanted to see the power-ups result from the dungeon now or later. Yushin and co knew if they opened up that screen they would never leave the game, so they didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Oh yeah, that Goldclaw bastard keeps spreading up in the guild that we ganged up sneakily and killed him. That shameless bastard!¡± Shum cried.


    ¡°I¡¯m way too tired to even care about him right now,¡± Yushin laughed it out, ¡°Let¡¯s distribute the loot and leave before he decides to come around and get his ass kicked again.¡±


    Even Bitter Cat had to laugh at that one!


    Yushin distributes the loot quickly, they didn¡¯t decide on the exact method before since the amount is not equal, but by this point, they believed their leader¡¯s judgment so no complaints arose. The spearman made sure to give similar amounts to people and even try to balance it with their needs. His materials will again go to BC and Aurei as usual, while he kept some things to experiment with engineering.


    The entire party has a lot of level ups and changes, but they are all truly spent. They decide to go out and check it later, before leaving agreeing that whoever logs back in earlier will do a quick check on the Mutal situation. In case of emergencies, they set up a connection with their smartphones so emergency summons can be sent to each other even outside the game. Since Yushin connected his phone this time, he was also included in it.


    The party logs out for the day, Yushin included. He has some ideas about the Mutal village, especially regarding Gron. This adventure has been quite the rush, as expected of The Tales Of The Heroic Kingdoms. And it¡¯s only the second day!

 Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Puppy Facing A Pack Of Wolves

    [Friday. Third day. K City. Yushin¡¯s Home. ]


    Yushin wakes up to his new daily routine after getting some sleep. Since he decided to dedicate himself to Tales, the beginning of any game is a critical moment of opportunity. Any time lost can turn into a divide between the top and average players and a great loss.


    Because of this, many players avoid sleep like the plague and keep going for hours and hours straight, ignoring possible dangerous health issues. Adequate rest is also needed to maintain an optimal condition, and from what Yushin saw, Tales is challenging enough that it will make a huge difference.


    To Yushin, this amount of youthful recklessness is not on the table. With his current body, there will be no problems during gameplay for the foreseeable future. However, even if he is able to stand some pain, the effects of prolonged pain on his sick body are not to be underestimated. His condition can worsen at any moment. While it does not cause neural damage, Kirishima¡¯s disease can cause pain and organ failure at the advanced stages.


    Balancing his physical and mental needs with game time will be a challenge, especially if he aims to compete with hardcore players. On the ¡°bright¡± side, not having to care about being alive ten years from now also gave him the option to be more reckless. After all, in only five years he will be gone from this world.


    He can rest for all eternity then.


    After some jogging and morning exercises, Yushin sees the grandma sweeping in front of Old Lady Buns. He greets, chats for a bit and plays with Silver Belly. She was very busy in the mornings, getting everything ready for the day. Her shop is not big but has a very loyal following. Her granddaughter makes enough money even without the shop, but she is very attached to it.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting harder and harder to keep working,¡± the grandma sighed, ¡°These old bones are almost dust.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you hire a part-timer?¡± Yushin asked.


    ¡°I barely make enough money to break even. I can¡¯t possibly pay someone, and I can¡¯t make ma granddaughter pay either. She needs to save for her future. Maybe It¡¯s time to close the shop and retire.¡± The grandma was very conscious of her granddaughter¡¯s position. Having a good job, but coming from a poor family meant a lot of doors would be closed to her.


    Yushin could suggest A.I., but those were expensive. Seeing as she couldn¡¯t afford a part-timer, getting A.I. to help is definitely out of the options. If things were different he wouldn¡¯t mind helping her himself, but right now it was not an option either. He made his mind to help her, one way or another.


    Seeing the worried look on his face made her smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not senile enough to think this shop is ma everything. I have worked all ma life, shouldn¡¯t I rest? It¡¯s not like these old bones will go hungry, like in the past. I have a great granddaughter, you know!¡±


    Yushin smiled. By this point, he adored this old lady, ¡°Grandma, have you heard of [Virtual Reality]?¡±


    ¡°Like those games coming out recently? I know a bit about it. I¡¯m no good with technological stuff.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. They are a whole new world. Even if you are tired or hurt in real life, as long as your brain is fine you can adventure and do a lot of things.¡±


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s for youngins¡¯, isn¡¯t it? Why are you telling this to an old woman like me?¡±


    Yushin smiled, ¡°In the game, obviously there is food. There are recipes, many different types of meats and vegetables. Cooking is very important there! Since you are going to retire, don¡¯t you want to try? You can even try to open Old Lady Buns again. Maybe you can¡¯t make money by playing the game, but you are going to close shop anyway, why not try something new for a while?¡±


    The grandma was a bit serious. She had heard from her granddaughter about all the new stuff coming out in the world and how those games were so realistic they were like a whole new life. In this world, she has seen much, has suffered much, has lost much. But she did not travel, her circumstances never allowed it.


    ¡°...But¡­ aren¡¯t those expensive?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay for it. Of course, I won¡¯t do it for free. Grandma needs to feed me both in real life and in the game!¡±


    They both laughed. But she still hesitated.


    ¡°...An old woman like me, playing games. I¡¯m not good even with phones. I don¡¯t think it will work.¡±


    ¡°Grandma, you don¡¯t need to mind the difficult stuff. You see, there are a lot of people who play it just for fun. There¡¯s a grandpa playing with me right now. Also, players can do a lot of things. They can live there like they live in real life. You can just learn things slowly and do whatever you want. If you don¡¯t like it, you can always stop.¡±


    She finally gave in, ¡°Right. I will try it, son. But I still need time to tell ma granddaughter and let people know I¡¯m going to close.¡±


    Yushin nodded. He chatted for a bit more and then went home. The grandma sent a few dishes with him and absolutely refused money, much to his displeasure. He did indeed think of letting the grandma be his primary cook, but he also thought she would do well in the game, maybe even be a company for Old Man Young. Her spirits would also rise and maybe great joy will be found. He could tell her physical condition was not good, working to the bones every day would break her soon. She was just too stubborn to let go.


    But he also didn¡¯t want her shop to be gone forever. Even if the game part didn¡¯t work, he is willing to pay for a part-timer or even have an A.I. installed. A.I. controlled shops are not rare these days, although not cheap either. Convincing the grandma to accept his help would be the hard part.


    Back at home, Yushin opens a storage room, takes a wooden spear from within and goes to the yard. This is the spear he used when he was actively training with his former master, it is full of memories and a bit battered by time and hard work.


    ¡°How is master doing now, I wonder¡­?¡± His eyes looked full of sadness and sorrow. His body moves in a circular motion, much like his in-game avatar. His strikes are much slower and weaker in his real body. In Tales, one feels he can jump to the roof and back easily, like a true warrior.


    How can a game system make people feel like that? How did Kingdom Corp advance much further than the others with neural interfaces, enough to completely affect user perception and imagination of the game reality? So that even the smell of blood and death are as vivid as a real-life battlefield?


    Nothing he experienced in the game so far feels different than doing in real life. If he closed his eyes, he would wonder whether he was in the game or not. Even though there are no changes to his body, his mind certainly received the benefit of experience. His brain was pushed in such high adrenaline and extreme situations it would be impossible to say there was no gain.


    Is this why the military seems to be very interested in Tales, even investing large sums? This system seems well suited for training and simulations. However, whether it will have long-term effects on the brain and body is still a mystery. There is also the possibility that people will confuse reality with the game since even Yushin has a problem distinguishing the both of them right now. This means crazy things can happen because of it.


    Games have always been blamed for violent behavior, even when there is no evidence linking violence to it. In fact, many researchers suggest otherwise. Blaming games is an easy way out for those in power that need to justify why tragedies happen.


    Yushin thinks that, right now, being inside the game feels much better than his normal reality. It is like if you suddenly started living another life, with another body and other possibilities. What if you could live in a fantasy world and be an elf, or a dwarf, live all those fantasies you had when you were young? Just by thinking about it one would jump in excitement. This is where the reality of games is at right now!


    Suddenly, while practicing some moves with the spear, a thought hit him. It was something he said to the grandma earlier, ¡®Even if you are tired or hurt in real life, as long as your brain is fine you can adventure and do a lot of things.¡¯


    As long as your brain is fine.


    How did he not think of this earlier?


    His master once had an accident and became tetraplegic. This also shattered his will to practice the spear and made him stop. While he could not bear to think how would he live in that situation, his master never wanted to die. He loved his life and his wife way too much to give up.


    Eventually, he moved away into seclusion and Yushin lost contact. He wanted to go and find him but was not sure how to act. His master¡¯s wife met with him one day and told him that all he wanted was to live in peace. He understood that if they met memories would surface and he would never be able to let go.


    But now Kingdom Corp advanced neural interface by this much. He is confident his master would also be able to play the game. But, will this be a good thing? Is it better to leave him alone? Would he just bring more pain into his already tragic life?


    Yushin can¡¯t decide right away. As before, he eats breakfast with a silent ROAH. More information on Tales is displayed on the screen, together with the current daily important events in the world.


    Being an advanced A.I., ROAH runs data analysis and scrapes the web for info. Those are routine operations and it will only present the data if Yushin asks for it. Tales continues to be a hot topic as expected. A lot of new info is popping up left and right, but with the developers making things difficult there aren¡¯t many proven theories around. Formulas are almost impossible to come by.


    However, information is never completely out of grasp. Just like in common life, there is the underworld part of gaming. People sell information, items, power leveling, support and even player killing. In Tales, power leveling can¡¯t be done directly, but of course, you can pay someone to help you gain experience by partying. Where there is a will, there''s a way. Or so they say.


    Yushin frequented quite a bit of those websites before. As a guild leader, he had to pay attention to things happening in the game, be they good or bad. After all, even games are subject to fraud, favoritism and especially, bugs. Once they even caught a Game Master giving godly items to the top guild he was in. Being out of the loop is never good.


    Yushin pays special attention to topics like guilds, soul control, skills and techniques in Tales. In some of those sites, people sell information, but right now none of those seemed interesting to him. Eventually, a lot of info will pop up. Of course, he could also use it to SELL information, but he had no intention to do so. He did not need money. Instead, it would only make other people stronger.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Streaming platforms are also a good source of information. While videos cannot be recorded in certain places in Tales, like [Gate Dungeons], open field dungeons and other places are still valid spots for streaming. He saw many people venturing through Faint Forest and other interesting places.


    But even streamers are taking measures against giving away too much info. While they need to gather public, if people know where they are a lot of ill-intentioned players will make life hell for them. Having people camping you 24/7 does not make a good experience.


    The developers seem to have considered this, as Tales embedded streaming system only exports the player vision and not the menus, conversations and other things he can access. It is not possible to change the view since people could use it to watch their own streams, like an eagle''s vision from above. Voice chat can be directed at the audience, but party chat will only be broadcast if all party members allow it.


    The places are very different from each other with a legion of different monsters. The names of the places are often hidden. The player skills are also on their initial stage, so nothing got his attention. There are also way too many streamers for him to check them out one by one. The one on faint forest didn¡¯t venture any further than him, so it was useless.


    Thinking about [Soul Power], Yushin feels he has much to try and learn. It is an easy system to activate with thought and seems simple enough at first glance, but to manipulate it further seems to require a lot of concentration and imagination.


    Considering the people he knows, so far he is the only one able to manipulate and control it further. During his last dungeon run, there wasn¡¯t anything special regarding soul activation from the others. As usual, they just thought about the skill, felt it activate and moved accordingly.


    Soul Power is definitely based on real-life Qi concept. As such, there seems to be a small gap before it can be controlled. It¡¯s as if you first need to believe there is a hidden power inside of you for it to manifest. Even though in the real world he cannot feel anything out of the ordinary, inside Tales he is able to feel some sort of invisible energy, similar to moving air, that revolves around the world and into his body, or from his body to the outside world.


    It feels as if he can feel his own blood slowly moving around and circulating. Concentrating his thought, that amount of power seems to vary, speed up or down and communicate with the [World¡¯s Power].


    However, even when using advanced search algorithms there is no info about this on the internet. The thing closest to it was how people had a ¡®weird feeling¡¯ when activating skills. Those people were the ones closest to understanding how [Soul Power] works, even though no one knows how long it will take for them to break that barrier.


    Complaints about the game are still the same, even ramping up. Monsters are tough and will act in ways common players are not able to predict, unlike most A.I. After a few days, players now know much better whether to avoid somewhere or stick to the weaker areas.


    People also started looking for other things to do rather than just jump into leveling areas and into death. Some chose to become employed in the cities and to grow slowly from there. Playing like a fantasy life simulator, just raising their crafting skills or becoming a merchant.


    There are also those with much bigger aspirations, that are trying to create settlements inside and outside the kingdoms. Creating a settlement inside a kingdom/city sphere of influence is not simple. Not even taking into consideration the settlement¡¯s survival chances and the odds they will grow well, the kingdom can at some point demand them to disband or even send a punitive expedition.


    In short, only if their approval is gotten the settlement will be allowed to exist inside a kingdom and that often means heavy taxes. Choosing a good spot for it is also difficult since any area near a good resource is likely to be claimed by a nearby power, such as a city. But Tales is so huge players can try their luck in a remote area, or even venture outside the frontier.


    There are also many minor jobs that need to be done, and while most of them are taken care of by NPCs, there is no rule forbidding players. Cities, Settlements, and Forts have civil and military positions, and no one can predict right now the impact these will have on the game. There are hundreds of small scenarios where their influence can be felt.


    If you rent a good spot for a store in a city, and one of the players is against it, and it so happens that he holds an office as a civil servant of the city, it wouldn¡¯t be hard for him to initiate a task to kick you out of that spot, even by underhanded means. Imagine if a player rises to be King or Emperor. He would wield great power and do whatever he wanted.


    From all of this, Yushin thinks Tales has two types of dangerous situations: Game triggered events, the one scripted by developers, such as Lataf, and player-driven events and consequences. While game triggered events in most games tend to be predictable, player behavior can be as crazy as anything. Someone powerful can go around murdering everyone in a city if there is no game system to prevent him forcibly.


    That also means the end game will not be a boring equipment search. Each player can have his own goal, from being the greatest warrior to the richest merchant. It also opens up possibilities like city and kingdoms rise and fall, betrayal, and wars.


    Yushin checks his smartphone, no emergency messages came from his party, so probably nothing happened to the Mutal. His Doctor sent him a message to remind him that Monday is a checkup day, and his parents also sent messages. They often communicated like this, since most of the people close to Yushin already gave up on trying to change his behavior. They know he only moves at his own pace and is aloof from the world, aside from writing and, in the past, gaming.


    This also made him lose contact with many friends over the years.


    He did not go into his Cord Dis! Chat App, usually only opening it occasionally not to distract himself from work. There was also no need to keep tabs on his fellow writers and former guildmates. However, seeing the app did remind him of something he has to do, and so he sends a message to his editor. He rarely comes over, so Yushin didn¡¯t feel the need to tell him in person. Most of their contact is through chat and email.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking a break from work indefinitely. Sending you my last finished work. You guys decide what to do with it.¡± He sent this short message and a text archive by e-mail attachment.


    Not even bothering to wait for a reply, Yushin finished any chores left and wanted to hop back into the game. How could he know the chaos that message would cause?


    Mister Rui hasn¡¯t sent anything to him, so his request is still ongoing. Right now, in the game, Yushin knows he has four main goals:


    First, to keep leveling, improving and learning more skills. He needs to be careful not to be left behind compared to top players in skill level and experience. Although he can¡¯t know what the elite level is at in this game, he can¡¯t afford to slow down. His main objective is still to explore the unknowns of Tales, and being weak will not allow him to do so.


    Second, he needs to help the Mutal village and prepare to face Lataf eventually. This is also one of his priorities because it will introduce him to the management system and allow him to create some sort of base that can be used to test multiple things in the future. Who doesn¡¯t want more manpower in the end?


    Third, he needs to help Rain Falls become the leader of Free Forest. He quite liked her. If before this was only a small wish of his, now it is a mission. There¡¯s no way in hell Goldclaw or someone else will take that spot. Aside from helping Rain, he would also establish a powerful ally for his guild and a solid foothold for his future adventures and expeditions. Free Forest is powerful and already an accomplished guild. Having permanent access to its dungeon will also guarantee that the Mutal quest line can be attempted.


    If Goldclaw becomes guild leader, he is sure the first thing he¡¯ll do is ban him from entering the guild. He is already trying to do so.


    Fourth, to finally create his guild. This is also one of his main goals. He wants to experience again how it feels to lead people and work together towards the top, to live everything one more time before the end. Giving his all toward a goal. The only reason he still hasn¡¯t created it is because he was trying to find people to start it with him.


    To reach those goals, he also has a few minor objectives. First, is to learn about Soul Control by experimenting with it. Second, is to practice and improve his engineering and other support skills, like magic. Third, is to find more info on the quest to find the mystery of the Faint Forest and the Raibyr, and so learn a bit more about his own mysterious origin.


    Just thinking about it gives him a headache. He has so much to do.


    Before going back into the game, he makes ROAH order a new cockpit and deliver it to the grandma¡¯s house. He thought about sending one to his master but decided to think about it a bit more.


    It could either hurt someone he loves dearly or give him a new shot at living.


    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    [J City. Blue Wind Publishing House.]


    The chief editor was looking at the section chiefs and managing editors, which in turn looked at the other editors. They were avoiding their eyes and looking down, afraid of what would come next.


    ¡°Say that again.¡± The Chief Editor told them calmly. He has seen too much during his time there, that little bad news would not shake him.


    ¡°Author Chie said she is taking a break¡­ when I pressed the issue, she wouldn¡¯t tell me why.¡± A female editor with a sharp look sighed.


    ¡°Author JJ is also taking a break¡­¡± A silly looking editor went next.


    ¡°Author PotatoPotato told me the same thing.¡± A stout editor went next. He didn¡¯t seem flustered at all.


    ¡°What is going on¡­? Why are all these authors asking for breaks?¡± One section chief asked.


    ¡°This is not good. Those three, together with Author Shin, are our best sellers. We can¡¯t have them stop writing all of a sudden, especially if there¡¯s no return date in sight.¡± A managing editor gave his opinion.


    ¡°We can¡¯t force them either. They have solid contracts, there¡¯s no way for us to force them to write.¡± Another section chief said. All of them looked to one of them in the corner, who started sweating profusely. He was in charge of the contracts in the legal department. Even though he knew there was nothing he could do and that the chief editor approved the contracts, if they needed a scapegoat, it was possible he would be the one getting all the blame.


    ¡°Let¡¯s all calm down,¡± the chief editor said, ¡°It is weird that they are all taking breaks all of a sudden. They are also constantly in contact with each other, so it¡¯s possible it was planned. Editor San, you know Writer Tato like no one else. Do you have any clues?¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t tell me anything about it. And we all know him. He loves to chat and brag about anything¡­¡± the stout editor looked seriously at the Chief, ¡°But recently he has been going on and on about that new VRMMO, Tales Of The Heroic Kingdoms. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a coincidence he would ask for a break as soon as it was launched.¡±


    ¡°Chief, I just talked with Manager Kon at Cellar Publishing,¡± He didn¡¯t sound happy, ¡°Authors Adachi, Kyo, and JRR are also taking breaks. They are going crazy over there.¡±


    The chief suddenly had a bad feeling about this. Those authors were all considered competitors and in the same writing generation. If all of them banded in together, there was nothing they could use to make them go back into writing. To keep them, their contracts were also full of advantages they would not give any other writers normally. It was no problem for them to take a few months break, but it never happened all at the same time.


    As if remembering something, he quickly looked around the room and his worries increased, ¡°Quickly, go call Editor Akira here!¡±


    One of the staff rushed out. Editor Akira was in his desk reading manuscripts. He seemed so absorbed in it the staff had to call him several times. He also had no idea of the chaos that was happening at that time. Upon hearing the editor-in-chief was looking for him, he quickly jumped from his chair, grabbed his smartphone without seeing the blinking green light, and rushed to the reunion room.


    He usually was not called into meetings. Even though his position was quite good, he wasn¡¯t at that level.


    Editor Akira quickly bowed when he entered and was about to say something when the Editor-in-chief impatiently asked, ¡°Do you know what¡¯s going on?¡±


    He shook his head and so someone explained it to him. The chief kept going, ¡°Have you heard anything from Author Shin?¡±


    ¡°That workaholic author Shin? Taking a break? ha-ha, don¡¯t worry chief, that would never hap-¡± Even though it was a one in a million chance, his eyes rested on the blinking green light on his phone. That meant he got a message or an e-mail. As it was his work phone, it was definitely related to work.


    His back started to sweat profusely and despair came over him. His editor¡¯s sense told him hell was coming.


    With the speed of light, he unlocked his phone and opened the message saying he had a new email.


    Despair hit his face once he saw it was from Yushin.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking a break from work indefinitely. Sending you my last finished work. You guys decide what to do with it.¡±


    Break.


    Indefinitely.


    Those words hit him in the head a thousand times in an instant. He looked like he wanted to cry. All of a sudden he was a puppy facing a pack of wolves.


    ¡°C-Chief¡­ A-Author Shin is also taking a break¡­¡±


    ¡°$%¡§%¡§#@!!!!¡± That calm Editor-in-chief could only curse at his fate.

 Chapter Twenty-Eight: He Needs Me

    [Virtual Reality Interface activated. The Helmet is secure. No abnormal conditions. Condition is green.]


    [Connecting¡­]


    [¡­ Welcome back to Tales of The Heroic Kingdoms, Yushin! This program is safe within the World Wide Virtual Reality Protection Act guidelines. Please behave within Terms of Service.]


    [Global Server is currently selected. Your character is at Red Clay City in the Vavell Kingdom.]


    Yushin logs back in the game one more time, already getting used to closing his eyes inside the cockpit and then awakening in another world. Last time, he logged off somewhere near Free Forest, wishing to avoid contact with unwanted people.


    This time, the power up screen shows up after a few seconds, before he can do anything else:


    [System: You have reached Level 04!]


    [System: You have reached Level 05!]


    [System: You have reached Level 06!]


    ¡®Three levels from that dungeon run! I wonder how much of it came from the boss itself. I¡¯ll ask Shum later,¡¯ He kept looking at his changes.


    [System: Spear Mastery has reached level 03!]


    [System: As Spear Mastery reached the third level, you learned [Spear Throw] Skill!]


    [System: Spear Mastery has reached level 04. Congratulations, Spear Mastery reached the intermediate beginner¡¯s level.]


    ¡®Intermediate, beginner¡¯s level?¡® Yushin raised his brows at this new info.


    [System: As Spear Mastery reached the fourth level, your [Spear Thrust] Skill has been improved!]


    ¡®Not a new skill, but improving an existing one¡­¡¯ So far, each Mastery level provided a new skill or improved an existing one.


    [System: Spear Thrust has reached level 04!]


    [System: Spear Sweeping has reached level 02!]


    [System: Double Thrust has reached level 02!]


    [System: Unarmed Skill Mastery has reached level 02!]


    [System: As Unarmed Skill Mastery reached the second level, you learned [Fast Punch] and [Fast Kick] skills!]


    [System: Strong Punch has reached level 02!]


    [System: Strong Kick has reached level 02!]


    [System: Sword Mastery has reached level 02!]


    [System: As Sword Mastery reached the second level, you learned [Strong Slash] Skill!]


    [System: Quick Cut has reached level 02!]


    ¡®My weapon skills leveled greatly. This will also affect my stats, although I won¡¯t be able to see exactly how much changed,¡¯ His eyes could barely contain his excitement. Powering up was an essential part of gaming in an RPG, and in Tales, everyone was going at it blindly right now.


    There wasn¡¯t enough info to try to min-max or choose the best path. This would drive some people crazy. Of course, no one wanted to spend so much time on their characters just to end up with a weak build. Unfortunately, from what they have seen so far, Kingdom Corp has no intention to make this easier.


    [System: Hunting Skill Mastery has reached level 02!]


    [System: Track Skill has reached level 02!]


    [System: Skinning (Passive) has reached level 02!]


    [System: Leadership Mastery has reached level 02!]


    [System: As Leadership Mastery reached the second level, you learned [Inspire] Skill!]


    [System: Raise Morale (Passive) has reached level 02]


    Yushin smiled at Leadership Mastery improvements. Out of all the power-ups so far, he was most happy about this one. Being a passive only, he thought it would take much longer to level. Now, there¡¯s even a new skill.


    ¡®Leading the group certainly had something to do with this level up. Sigh, I wish we could see skill experience.¡¯


    [System: Athletic Skill Mastery has reached level 02!]


    [System: As Athletic Skill Mastery reached the second level, you learned [Jumping (Passive)] Skill!]


    [System: Athletic Skill Mastery has reached level 03!]


    [System: As Athletic Skill Mastery reached the third level, you learned Acrobatics (Passive)] Skill!]


    [System: Running (Passive) has reached level 03!]


    [System: Furtivity (Passive) has reached level 03!]


    ¡®Two new passive athletic skills¡­ More mobility is never bad.¡¯ His whole skillset right now was based on mobility. He didn¡¯t even bother looking for better armor once he knew they could break. A good armor that didn¡¯t limit his mobility would require a lot of coins and probably even some magic properties.


    Of course, as the enemies grow stronger and if he is somehow unable to keep dodging, armor becomes of great importance. By then, Yushin is hoping Bitter Cat advances a lot on the blacksmithing skill.


    [System: Defensive Skill Mastery has reached level 02!]


    [System: As Defensive Skill Mastery reached the second level, you learned [Block (Passive)] Skill!]


    [System: Defensive Skill Mastery has reached level 03!]


    [System: As Defensive Skill Mastery reached the third level, you learned [ Dodge (Passive)] Skill!]


    [System: Parrying (Passive) has reached level 03!]


    ¡®Block and dodge! Parrying also leveled. Good, I need better defenses.¡¯


    [System: Hidden Weapon Skill Mastery has reached level 02!]


    [System: As Hidden Weapon Skill Mastery reached the second level, you learned [Throw Multiple Hidden Weapons] Skill!]


    [System: You have reached enough spear experience to create a new skill.]


    [System: You have reached enough unarmed experience to create a new skill.]


    [System: You have reached enough sword experience to create a new skill.]


    [System: You have reached enough defensive experience to create a new skill.]


    [System: You have reached enough athletic experience to create a new skill.]


    Yushin was speechless. Five new skills, including one spear, one unarmed, one sword, one defensive and one athletic.


    He knows what to expect from the weapon skills, but athletic and defensive ones are new.


    [You have obtained [Minor Dark] Power.]


    [You have obtained [Minor Dark Resistance] Power.]


    ¡®!!! Is this what Mister Green talked about¡­? The tainted power¡­? Power of Dark!¡¯ This was his first power. A power that can be used to damage Lataf.


    [You have learned [Herb Gathering] Skill from a teacher.]


    [System: By understanding the [Power Of The World], you learned [Soul Control Mastery] skill!]


    [System: By applying [Soul Control] to [Spear Thrust] under an extreme situation, an [Ultimate] was created: [Type:  Soul Strike (Spinning Spear Thrust + Soul Manifestation, Soul Amplification)]. Damage: Based on Original Technique. Activation Condition: Facing an enemy much more powerful than yourself, Emotion Drive is activated.] The technique has been named [Raging Spear]. You can rename it at will.]


    ¡®An ultimate!¡¯ The term isn¡¯t new to any gamer. It meant a powerful attack that often could only be used after some level, condition or high cost.


    ¡®Are ultimates only born from applying Soul Control to existing skills¡­? Under an extreme situation like before¡­? No, I doubt it. That is probably only one of the conditions. It makes sense¡­ Sigh, what is Emotion Drive? The activating conditions for this ultimate are too restrictive and unclear to be useful right now. It doesn¡¯t even state its attack power.¡¯


    To make things worse, the info command didn¡¯t give any extra information on ultimates or the so-called ¡°Emotion Drive¡±. Yushin can only deduce it has something to do with the state of mind during activation. At that time his emotions were clearly out of control. If this is correct, it will be too hard to activate in normal conditions.


    Yushin wasted no time in checking his new stats, ¡®[Status Window].¡¯


    [Player Yushin. Class: Spear Weaving Captain (Warrior Class, Low Leadership, Low Magic). Level: 06. Race: Half-Human.]


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Title: Savior Of The Mutal and Mahrga (Hidden)


    </td>


    <td>


    Bounty: None


    </td>


    <td>


    Fame/Infamy: +100


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Strength: F+


    </td>


    <td>


    Magic: F


    </td>


    <td>


    Defense: F+


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Agility: F+


    </td>


    <td>


    Intelligence: F+


    </td>


    <td>


    Magic Defense: F


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dexterity: F+


    </td>


    <td>


    Endurance: F+


    </td>


    <td>


    Charisma: F+


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health Points: 6500/6500


    </td>


    <td>


    Mana Points: 350/350


    </td>


    <td>


    Soul: 420/420


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Wealth: 49 SC


    </td>


    <td> </td>


    <td> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡®My class changed, is it because I didn¡¯t level my magic enough?¡¯


    Most of his stats also increased because of skill and normal level ups, but his magic stayed the same. Having no magic skills to improve right now is slowing his progress in that area.


    ¡®Skill List. Athletic Skills info.¡¯


    [Jumping (Passive)] Level 01.


    Info: Increases jumping speed and maximum height.


    [Acrobatics (Passive)] Level 01.


    Info: Increases user agility when trying feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination.


    There is no change to running, ¡®By leveling those skills my mobility will become a great weapon. Having the system help with jumps and acrobatics will benefit some people greatly.¡¯


    ¡®Defensive Skills info.¡¯


    [Block (Passive)] Level 01.


    Info: Slightly decreases incoming damage to weapon/body part from a successful block.


    Dodge (Passive)] Level 01.


    Info: Assists the user¡¯s dodge timing by a very small margin.


    There is no change to parrying, ¡®They work as I expected them to. All those passives mean less skilled players will also be able to work at a high level if they work hard. The best players might benefit less from them.¡¯


    ¡®Hunting Skills info.¡¯


    Track and Skinning have no changes, ¡®Track has been very useful and skinning gave me a few extra drops. But I can¡¯t imagine how they will progress.¡¯


    ¡®Leadership Skills info.¡¯


    [Raise Morale (Passive) ] Lvl 02.


    Info: Allies (Friends, Party, Guild or similar, not recognized as a foe)  on close distance receive several small bonuses. Current: +2% HP, Mana and Soul. The skill raises based on time and the number of people affected.


    ¡®Only a 1% bonus increase.¡¯


    [Inspire Bravery] Lvl 01.


    Info: You are able to inspire bravery on an ally for a few moments. Inspire recovers 10% of an ally soul and magic once, and removes and gives immunity to fear for thirty seconds. Cannot be used on self. Can only be used once on the same ally every hour. Cooldown: 3 minutes.


    For Crafting Skills, herb gathering was added but had no special information. His other skills didn¡¯t level up since he barely touched them.


    ¡®Soul Control Mastery info.¡¯


    [Soul Control Mastery Skills]


    [Soul Manipulation (Passive) ] Lvl 01.


    Info: Soul Manipulation is the ability to change Soul shape, form, weight, height and range.


    [Soul Manifestation (Passive) ] Lvl 01.


    Info: Soul Manifestation is the ability to present soul in a visible form.


    [Soul Projection (Passive) ] Lvl 01.


    Info: Soul Projection is the ability to project soul to cause long-range effects and attacks.


    [Soul Breathing (Passive) ] Lvl 01.


    Info: Soul Breathing is the ability to circulate soul in one¡¯s body through breathing, recovering Soul Power.


    [Soul Amplification (Passive) ] Lvl 01.


    Info: Soul Amplification is the ability to amplify effects through Soul.


    [Soul Reinforcement (Passive) ] Lvl 01.


    Info: Soul Reinforcement is the ability to increase resistance through Soul.


    ¡®That¡¯s not very helpful¡­ I have no idea how to use them. Sigh. I suppose I¡¯ll have to test some things out.¡¯ [Soul Control] is currently the most interesting system in the game and the hardest to grasp.


    ¡®Physicals Skill info.¡¯


    [Physical Skills]


    [Spear Thrust] Lvl 04. Atk 140%. Speed: 1.2. Soul cost: 10. Required: Spear.


    Info: A powerful attack with the spear.


    [Spinning Spear Thrust] Lvl 04. Atk 150%. Speed: 1.1. Soul cost: 18. Penetrating Power: Low. Required: Spear.


    Info: A powerful attack with the spear. A spin during the strike makes it slower, but also increases damage and penetrating power.


    ¡®Spinning Spear Thrust was also improved. Its level seems to be based on Spear Thrust since I didn¡¯t use it as often but they are still at the same level. Soul cost doubled though. What are the new modifiers?¡¯


    [Level 03 Modifiers]


    [Dash]: The skill can be used after a small run without losing speed. Increased speed and range. Cost: +2 Soul.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    [Improved Penetration]: Increases penetrating power, lowers speed a little. Cost: +2 Soul.


    ¡®Dash again? I¡¯ll pick Improved Penetration.¡¯


    [Penetrating Spinning Spear Thrust] Lvl 04. Atk 150%. Speed: 1.0. Soul cost: 20. Penetrating Power: Medium. Required: Spear.


    Info: A powerful attack with the spear. A spin during the strike makes it slower, but also increases damage and penetrating power.


    ¡®Huh? The regular spear thrust didn¡¯t change, but the spinning one instead¡­? Does this mean some modifiers create new skills, while others improve either the new skill or the original one, but only one at a time?¡¯


    [Level 04 Modifiers]


    [Soul Manipulation: Reach]: The skill¡¯s reach can be increased through Soul Power. Cost per Increased reach: 1/3 m per 5 Soul. Maximum accumulation: x2.


    [Soul Amplification: Power]: The skill¡¯s attack power can be increased through Soul power. Cost: 10% extra damage per 5 soul. Maximum accumulation: x2.


    ¡®Soul modifiers! So this is how they¡¯re applied to skills. Do they become techniques after I choose?¡¯


    Yushin thought about it and decided to choose Power. He also wanted the reach, but his Spinning Spear Thrust is slow. Extra power should be better.


    [Spear Thrust] (Soul Amplification: Power) Lvl 04. Atk 140%. Speed: 1.2. Soul cost: 10 (10% extra damage per 5 soul, maximum x2). Required: Spear.


    Info: A powerful attack with the spear. Can be enhanced through Soul Power to cause extra damage.


    [Penetrating Spinning Spear Thrust] (Soul Amplification: Power) Lvl 04. Atk 150%. Speed: 1.0. Soul cost: 20 (10% extra damage per 5 soul, maximum x2). Penetrating Power: Medium. Required: Spear.


    Info: A powerful attack with the spear. A spin during the strike makes it slower, but also increases damage and penetrating power. Can be enhanced through Soul Power to cause extra damage.


    ¡®Both skills got the modifier, but neither became a technique. Oh well, moving on.¡¯


    Double Thrust also leveled up, presenting two modifiers: ¡°Extra Speed¡± or ¡°Reduced Soul Cost¡±, of which ¡°Extra Speed¡¯ was chosen, presenting a new Skill:


    [Double Thrust] Lvl 2. Atk 130% each. Speed: 1.0. Soul cost: 10. Required: Spear.


    Info: Thrusts twice in a row with the spear.


    [Quick Double Thrust] Lvl 2. Atk 120% each. Speed: 1.2. Soul cost: 10. Required: Spear.


    Info: Quickly thrusts twice in a row with the spear.


    Since his Spinning Thrust is developing based on power, Double Thrust was, if possible, going to be developed on speed, so they could be used in diverse situations. Also, Double Thrust takes more time to finish due to the second strike, so Yushin thought more speed would not be bad.


    On [Spear Sweeping], the ¡°Extra Power¡± modifier was applied, becoming [Powerful Spear Sweeping].


    For [Unarmed Mastery], [Fast Punch] and [Fast Kick] were similar to his other punches, with less damage but higher speed. For [Strong Punch] and [Strong Kick], Yushin chose ¡°Extra Power¡± as both of their second level modifiers, adding a small percentage of damage. They became [Powerful Strong Punch] and [Powerful Strong Kick] respectively.


    [Quick Cut] received the ¡°Dash¡± modifier for extra range and speed, becoming the new skill [Dashing Quick Cut]. [Strong Slash] followed the same logic as the other skills, since so far it was common for there to be a quick and a strong version of that weapon skill.


    However, how were modifiers chosen? Are they random or due to specific actions?


    Even though he was curious, Yushin had no way of discovering that right now. This is also one of the reasons his guild needs to be established soon since a bigger pool of people he can experiment with will lead to a better understanding of the game systems. In this regard, the big guilds and groups have an advantage.


    The basic Throw Hidden Weapon Skill didn¡¯t level up, but the Mastery did, so he obtained the skill:


    [Throw Multiple Hidden Weapons] Lvl 1. Atk 100%. Speed: 1.1. Soul cost: 3 + 3 per Extra Weapon. Can only be aimed at the same target. Max of 3 weapons. Required: Hidden Weapon Type.


    A slightly weaker version but capable of throwing multiple weapons at the same target. Before taking a look at how the Power of Dark worked, all he had left was to create the new skills. With a thought, the skill creation window appeared:


    [Spear Skills]


    [Spear Deflection Skill]


    [Spear Deflection] Lvl 01. Speed: 1.2 Soul cost: 6. Required: Spear.


    Info: The user rotates his Spear at great speed, deflecting multiple projectiles at the same time.


    ¡®This is the only skill I can pick but it seems pretty useful.¡¯


    [Unarmed Skills]


    [Palm Strike]


    [Knee Strike]


    Both skills looked very similar to [Fast Punch] and [Strong Kick], so it took a while for Yushin to realize why they were a separate skill. Just because they shared a similar beginning didn¡¯t mean their modifiers would be the same. It was probable that the [Attack Timing] would be different since a palm strike was very different from a punch or a knee strike from a kick. Besides, it was still unclear how many other skills could be generated.


    For the original skill, Yushin named it [Base Skill]. For their dependants like [Spinning Spear Thrust] or [Powerful Strong Punch], he called them [Variation Skill]. Of course, this was not set by the game, but by him, so it wouldn¡¯t be called that by everyone. It was clear to him that the more attacking options he had, the better.


    Repetitive attack patterns might work on bad A.I., but on good players, they would be caught quickly, ¡®I¡¯ll just pick palm strike for now.¡¯


    [Sword Skill]


    [Sword Draw]


    [Sword Draw] Lvl 01. Atk 120%. Speed: 1.6 Soul cost: 12. Required: Sheathed One-Handed Sword/In inventory.


    Info: The user draws his sword at great speed to strike at the enemy.


    Yushin nearly drooled when he saw the skill. It was true he barely fought with his sword in hand. He usually drew it from inventory to land a strike then put it away again, just like he did against the two from Red Leaf Guild. Apparently, the system recognized this pattern to create this skill.


    He picked it right away and lost no time before testing, even though he was still inside the city.


    Swoosh!


    Even though the sword was still in the inventory it appeared on his hand as he made the motion, as if he drew it from an invisible sheath.


    ¡®Amazing! This skill can be deadly in a surprise attack!¡¯ How would the enemy know a sword attack was coming if he wasn¡¯t even carrying a sword?


    He could even use it together with the spear, as long as he held it in a single hand. At this moment, Yushin looked like a three-year-old who just found a new toy¡­


    ¡®Ahem, going back¡­¡¯


    [Defensive Skill]


    [Quick Dodge]


    [Brace Impact]


    The first one, once activated, would quickly throw the user to one of the sides in a roll. It gave no other bonuses. [Brace Impact] allowed the user to reduce incoming damage by taking the strike directly. This would work great for tanks and frontline fighters. Since he was based on mobility, Yushin picked the dodge.


    [Athletic Skill]


    [Air Jump]


    [Air Jump] Lvl 01. Speed: 1.2 Soul cost: 3. Required: Jump.


    Info: The user is capable of doing a second jump while in the Air. Can be activated once.


    ¡®Great, more mobility!¡¯


    Overall Yushin felt very happy with his powerups. Although he didn¡¯t get any op skills and his so-called ¡°Ultimate¡± was hard to activate, his versatility increased and he got to understand a lot more of how the skill system worked. As long as he kept trying things out his new skills would give him a lot of options.


    He quickly checked the info on Minor Dark Power:


    [Minor Dark Power - Rank One]


    Info: Can be activated together with a Soul Modified Skill. Doubles the Soul cost of the respective skill. Adds Minor Dark Power to the Strike.


    ¡®Soul modified skill¡­? What does Dark Power do? Sigh, one more thing I¡¯ll need to test once I get the chance. Soul modifier skill is probably something like my Spear Thrust.¡¯


    Now, with powerups finished, he had to decide what to do. Taking a look at his friends list, Shum, Gron, Rain, and a few others were on, but those three could not be reached by Private Messaging right away. That meant they were probably inside a dungeon.


    Yushin chuckled, ¡®Shum and Gron must be at the Mutal already. Heh. Grom must be anxious to put in some effort since he gained the most, while Shum must be raring to go out of frustration.¡¯


    Yushin planned to go there after taking care of some things. First, he left a private message to Rain telling her about the events that happened with Lataf. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t be able to read the message right now, but as a guild leader candidate, it was good to know these things.


    Next, he had to deal with the loot. Since there aren¡¯t many drops so far in Tales they managed the inventory pretty well during that run, but any longer and there wouldn¡¯t be any space. It was essential that they had extra inventory space soon.


    After getting the duel money from Sinkred, Yushin had 49 Silver Coins. From the dungeon loot, last time he gave [Peachtooth Sap], [Peachtooth Rare Sap], [Spinner Horn], [Spinner Rare Horn], [Spinner Wings], [Spinner Blood], [Spinner Rare Blood], [Variation Vitalus Resin], [Marhga¡¯s Blood], [Marhga¡¯s Rare Blood], [Mutal Sap], [Mutal Rare Sap] and [Mutal Eyes] to Aurei and Bitter Cat.


    Those two needed to keep experimenting and finding uses to these materials in their respective professions. Yushin had great faith in their success, and aside from the coins, his skills couldn¡¯t make good use of the items right now. He only kept [Wood Elemental Branch], [Wood Elemental Rare branch], [Vines] and [Mutal Core].


    Aside from that, both of them provided many services for free during the dungeon run, like repairing, and Aurei even gave away plenty of pills and potions.


    The branches would be useful for the Old Man to try his fletching skill and could also be used for him to try building gadgets. They were drops from Wood Elementals so their durability would be good. The vines can be used for a few designs, as he saw clever uses of vines and branches from the Mutal.


    The cores, while probably useful for alchemy, also carried a bit of Mutal life force in them, a magical force. They might be used as reagents for magic, so Yushin didn¡¯t want to share everything with Aurei. One of his goals was to have more support Magic.


    After taking a look at his inventory, Yushin sighed. There wasn¡¯t much he could sell aside from the magic jewels. He would keep being poor for now, but at least he didn¡¯t need to repair weapons. Aside from the bonehead spear that shattered in the fight against Lataf, Bitter Cat repaired all his equipment during the run.


    He finally checked the [Vine Lance] given to him by Mister Green:


    [Vine Lance]


    [Rare Vine Lance Lv1 Rank: Two Stars Condition: Excellent]


    Attack Power: Between One and a Half and Two Stars


    Speed:1.2


    Range: Mid


    Modifiers: Penetrating Power + Durability +.


    ¡®My best weapon so far.¡¯


    While he thought about what to do next, Yushin walked around Red Clay. He had gotten used to tagging things along the way. Visiting the Hunter¡¯s Lodge, he earned enough contribution points to reach Rank 2 after giving out info on Margas, the Mutal and other monsters on the Tree of Many Paths.


    While most of the info on the common monsters were already there, the Variation Vitalus, the Marhgas, and the Mutal were all new. Being Rank 2, he obtained info on a lot more common mobs of the surrounding areas and even where to find some. In case he wanted to know where to obtain certain items or kill certain mobs, this was the place to come. For a certain sum, of course.


    There wasn¡¯t a lot going on there, except that Yushin learned the Faint Forest was now a place where only well-coordinated parties dared to venture. The monsters are growing in strength every day, so much that new players die right away and even experienced parties have a hard time fighting.


    ¡®What¡¯s going on¡­? Is this because of the Monarch Bear? I need to go back there to find the secret. I¡¯ll wait until everyone is a bit stronger,¡¯ Yushin already considered his friends as the core of his party and even his future guild. Not everyone was equally skilled, but their personalities were great. A great guild is not born by having the same type of player. It was born out of a sense of unity and a greater purpose.


    He took another trip to the [Engineer¡¯s Guild]. From the Tree of Many Paths and Rain¡¯s dungeon, he obtained a few insights, but he didn¡¯t have the opportunity to research and experiment. While not major happens, this was precisely the right time.


    Yushin greeted a few NPCs and went for a simple workbench. Although there were better ones, they were only for higher ranked members. At this point, it was only for NPCs.


    His first step was using the [Research and Experimentation System] to test his materials, [Wood Elemental Branch], [Wood Elemental Rare Branch], [Vines] and [Mutal Core].


    [Wood Elemental Branch]


    Common Wood-type material. No special effects. Durability: One Star. Resistance: One Star. [Result: F Rank Engineering Material]


    [Wood Elemental Rare Branch]


    Rare Wood-type material. Resistance to Acid. Durability: Three Stars. Resistance: Three Stars. [Result: C Rank Engineering Material]


    [Vines]


    Common rope-type material. No special effects. Durability: One Star. Resistance: One Star. [Result: F Rank Engineering Material]


    [Mutal Core]


    Rare Power-Type material. Nature Effect. Durability: One Star. Resistance: One Star. [Result: B Rank Engineering Material]


    ¡®...! What! B Rank Nature  Power-Type!¡¯ Yushin was only happy for a second, ¡®Sigh. It¡¯s not like we can go farm the Mutal for these¡­¡¯


    Suddenly, another thought hit him, and he instantly regretted giving out the info on Mutal to the Hunter¡¯s Lodge. While it was unlikely that people came looking for it if somehow they found the Mutal inside the dungeon and knew about the effects of their cores, wouldn¡¯t that be extremely bad for them?


    He shook his head. He didn¡¯t even know exactly what it could be used for, and there weren¡¯t enough Mutal around in the first place.


    He moved on to the design phase. Without any extra blueprints, all he could produce was a normal [Gear], so his first thought was to try a few designs. While in the real world engineering was comprised of many different types, in Tales the Engineering skill was still unknown, so where should he start?


    Looking for examples around the guild, he didn¡¯t find anything inspiring. Thinking about his first dungeon run on Tales, the Yrb were supposed to be quite advanced in this path. Yushin could remember the crossbow, the broken guitar, the expanding shield and¡­ guns!


    His thought moved to the design screen and he started to design a gun from the scratch. It was quite easy to find a gun design online, so everything was going well until the system notice:


    [System: You cannot use or design regular guns in Tales]


    Being shot down in flight, Yushin could only sigh. He then moved on to the expanding shield.


    The design of the shield itself was quite basic. Slowly adding gears and shafts, he made a dual-layered shield that was capable of expanding. Once it was activated, the hidden layers would open, covering a bigger area. When deactivated, the shield was supposed to be extremely sturdy.


    After the basic design was ready, Yushin was thinking about how to activate the gears and found on the design screen that he could add a [Manual Lever], [Powered Switch] or [Soul/Magical] activation mechanism. In short, a lever, a button with a power source, or a soul/magic imbued receptor.


    Of course, it would be extremely dumb to put a lever in the shield. In the heat of battle, the tank had to pull it fast enough for it to open. This would be fine as s joke, but never as the real thing. The lever was a good option for revolving door or traps. For the shield, he had to go with the [Powered Switch] or [Soul/Magical Receptor] mechanism.


    With a button, a power source was needed. He had the [Mutal Core], but that is a rare item, so he wanted to go for a common version for the prototype. This was the best option to save Soul/Magic during combat since the other receptor had to be activated using the fighter¡¯s resources.


    He designed two blueprints, one with each activation mechanism except for the manual one. Those were [First Draft Blueprints]. This type of blueprint was used for the engineers only, so they could change things on a basic level for upgrades or other versions of the same product.


    The next step was building the prototype. While the guild had a few materials around for members to use, for anything other than a rough prototype he needed a blacksmith for the metal parts or carpenter for the wood parts.


    The goal of a prototype was to test for final attributes, weight, activation speed, durability, etc. After he was done with the testing, a [Final Blueprint] would be created with the exact creation process, such as materials. This blueprint would be open for anyone to use. It was locked except for exchanging materials. This means that, unless someone builds a similar one from the scratch or the owner turns it into an [Open] blueprint, no one but the creator can upgrade it.


    For the shield, not only the respective materials, but the end weight, opening and closing angle, and the shield¡¯s final position were extremely important. They needed multiple rounds of testing to reach the best efficiency. As Yushin knew this would take a lot of time and needed Bitter Cat¡¯s help, he decided to create a few more rough blueprints.


    A fun weapon for Aurei. A composite bow for Old Man Young. A mechanical mask for himself.


    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Once again, in another big city in the Kingdom of Vavell...


    Faith entered the small and suspicious house with confidence. Her azure long hair waves slowly with each step and the bunch of scoundrels around could only stare at her. She pays them no mind, this bunch is undeserving of a single glance.


    Straight ahead, in another room, a middle-aged man with a wicked face sits on the floor and plays a game of dice with a few others. He looks up, a bit surprised, and before he can tell the others to leave the commanding voice sounds:


    ¡°Scram,¡± Faith said with her clear and beautiful voice. The men looked around at each other for a second before hurrying out of the room.


    When they thought everything ended, Faith turned around and looked at the rest of them, ¡°Out of the house. NOW.¡±


    The men were angry, this was their own hideout!


    But none of them voiced their displeasure in front of the fairy and made their way out with ugly faces. One of the ignorant ones almost drew his weapon and went forward, but his friend suddenly grabbed him and took him away.


    ¡°What the hell man, how could you all just leave?!¡± That ignorant fellow said.


    ¡°Dude, what the f*c* are you doing! Don¡¯t you know who that is?!¡± His friend screamed at him.


    ¡°What, are you afraid of a woman? You bunch of cowards.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the Azure Haired Demonic Goddess, son. You¡¯d best steer clear.¡± Another guy said.


    ¡°Never heard of her, so what? She¡¯s just a girl!¡±


    All the man around laughed, ¡°By all means, go tell her that. We¡¯ll just watch the fun.¡±


    His friend took matters into his own hands before he could do anything stupid, ¡°You know the Blue Heaven Guild? The one with that eSports pro player you like?¡±


    The ignorant fella eyes lit up, ¡°He is my god! What about it!¡±


    The friend sighed, ¡°On the first day, that guild found a common single player dungeon. The pro player wasn¡¯t there, so they were deciding who would go in when the goddess appeared and went forward. They just stood there silly and watched her go in.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, dumbasses! But they waited for her, no?¡±


    ¡°Of course, once they realized what happened they went mad. There were over ten guys. When she cleared the dungeon and went out, they all attacked her.¡±


    ¡°Serves her right!¡± He smiled.


    ¡°They all died,¡± The friend added, seeing the ignorant fella smile disappear.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°After that, they started hunting her everywhere. Even the pro player came,¡± The friend continued.


    ¡°NobleJun! He is my god!¡± The ignorant fanboy smiled again.


    ¡°Well, he died too. Multiple times.¡±


    ¡°WHAT!¡± He couldn¡¯t believe what he heard, ¡°W-wha-whatever, she c-couldn¡¯t win against a guild forever anyway!!!¡±


    ¡°Bro, after a while, the other players became pissed off at Blue Heaven¡¯s Guild behavior. They were hunting their goddess, you know.¡±


    The ignorant fella had a bad premonition, ¡°S-so, what happened...?¡±


    ¡°A lot of them banded together. People from many different guilds. They raided Blue Heaven¡¯s guild base, killed everyone and kicked them out of the city. I guess some of them worked for the City Lord. There are rumors that even NPCs joined in...¡±


    ¡°M-my god¡­ There was such thing,¡± He could only be happy his friend stopped him in time!


    Back inside the room, the middle-aged man sighed, ¡°How rude, I was making money.¡±


    Faith didn¡¯t bother with his remarks, ¡°Be quick about it.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, I come with good news, is this how you treat me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just about ready to cut your head off,¡± She said angrily.


    The man laughed awkwardly, ¡°Here, watch this video.¡±


    He sent her a link to a recorded video on the cloud.


    The video showed a duel between a spear user and a dual daggers fighter. Everything was going in the favor of the man with the daggers, but the spearman laughed and reversed the fight. Afterward, there almost was a big conflict and the video ended. It was entitled ¡°Red Clay¡¯s City First Contract Duel¡±.


    Her eyes shined brightly, but she didn¡¯t say anything. She then glared at the middle-aged guy.


    ¡°I only found out the guy¡¯s name because people saw in the contract. The video became quite famous,¡± He wanted to brag a bit more, but saw that Faith¡¯s hand was nearing her sword, ¡°He¡¯s called Yushin. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s really him, but it¡¯s the best info I¡¯ve got.¡±


    Faith thought for a second, ¡°It¡¯s him.¡±


    The middle-aged guy was a bit surprised, ¡°How are you so sure?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve heard his name before,¡± She said before turning away to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The same reason as you. I want to play with him again. Those were fun times.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± She asked again, still unsure of his intentions.


    ¡°Haha, don¡¯t look at me like that. You know, back in Project Legend, you were definitely a legend. Top three player. Attack General of The Golden Spear Guild. We weren¡¯t the biggest guild, but once people saw our banner, they were scared shitless.¡±


    She kept looking at him. What does he want to say?


    ¡°Some thought it was because of you, me, and the dragon bastard, but that was far from the truth. Although our boss wouldn¡¯t come into the top players, his hand was the most dangerous of all. I know, because I did his dirty work.¡±


    Faith knew what he was talking about. Spying, breaking alliances, stealing bosses, stealing talent, causing wars, and creating conflict. This man was Golden Spear Guild¡¯s spymaster, and one of the people closest to Shin. She just wasn¡¯t sure he was a good influence on him.


    The middle-aged man looked at her expression and knew she was deep in thoughts, ¡°He needs me.¡±


    She glared at him.


    ¡°Without me, he won¡¯t be able to do his best.¡±


    And no matter how much she wanted to leave him behind, in the end, that was probably the truth.