《Needle Guardian》 Prologue A spinning needle. A golden needle. This was the object of stability, the source of Order. Although the gods of ages past call it the needle- or Liep in ancient tongue- it was more akin to a tower. A large tower whose length denotes the floor and ceiling of the universe. And, much like a needle, it has an Eye. A red string is threaded through the Eye. This is Fate. Usually, the many frayed edges of the string would simply be contained inside the universe. Usually. One frayed part suddenly punctures the wall and is pulled through. Some force seems to have caught onto it on the other side. Moving past the wall, that red string appears to have connected with another- a blue one. Following this blue trail, another needle appears in the distance- silver in color. This one does not have a wall. But it does have beautiful ruins. The needle is cracked, Chaos eating at its surface. Looking closer at the cloud of debris, the fragments of worlds are visible. Yet, the Law of this particular needle has not yet faded. It seems that the destruction happened relatively recently. And swiftly. Anyhow, that mystery is a problem for the future. The more pressing issue on hand is the imminent collision between two needles, two realities, two Laws, guided by the melded string of Fate between them. Now, there would usually be a god that governs each needle and encountering this situation, would somehow work to counteract it. It just so happens that both of the gods of the needles in crisis are not present. The god of the silver needle is assuredly dead, all traces of its existence erased. The god of the golden needle is long gone. No one knows where it went. Not one being in the universe it governed even noticed that it existed. Not many here can perceive up to the dimension required unlock the Sense. There are some that came close, however. Most notably upon one little world near the edge. The inhabitants call it Earth. And it is currently moving closer to that red strand of fate that inexplicably melded with another. So is the silver needle. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. It is inevitable that this word would be the first to be affected. The needle pierced through the wall. The cloud of burning fragments scattered through this portion of the expanse, each one flickering with a pale blue light forming an area of Laws different from the norm. The fragments sped up the formation of worlds and created new exotic species of monsters throughout the galaxies. The silver needle was burning with white flames as it neared Earth. It is contending for control of this universe. Gradually, the silver needle started growing smaller, losing the battle. By the time it reached the surface, it looked like a simple needle one to two inches in length. The golden needle also shrunk by a third, constricting space. Such a drastic change in size does not bode well for this universe. Indeed, the celestial bodies surrounding the needles began to move closer together. The universe is on the road to demise by its own Laws. The mysterious destruction of the silver needle, the missing god, the corruption of the gold needle¡¯s Laws, and now the impending doom of the universe. The hands of the Clock of Nier turn ever so slowly, passing through Time. Chapter 1 Boring. The world is boring. I glance at the people around me, scurrying on with their lives. What life? What is the point of it all? I got off the train, bumping into someone on the way out. I dipped my head slightly in apology and continued walking with dull eyes. Reaching my home, I unlocked the door and went inside. It was dark. Father must be out again. Taking off my shoes, I walked through the gloomy hallway to the living room. The walls are lined with pictures of a past that seem almost foreign to me. It was a timeline painting the story of a young multi-talented prodigy. Piano competitions, soccer competitions, swim meets, track, martial arts, chess, the pictures portrayed a young, handsome Asian boy at each of them, decorated with awards. He was smiling. He was proud. The father, the mother, the son, all smiling with shining eyes. Pointless. Everything. The dark night, the pouring rain, the parents¡¯ joy and anticipation as they drove towards the middle school to pick their son up from another competition won, another trophy earned. Then a slip of the hand, a swerve on the road, and a life is lost. The father couldn¡¯t save her. The airbags and the seatbelt couldn¡¯t save her. The doctors couldn¡¯t save her. The son¡¯s excitement as he stands in the pouring rain proudly holding another trophy certainly couldn¡¯t. I reached the door to the living room. My hands paused. The light were on. I opened the door. My father was sitting on the couch. He¡¯s only in his mid-forties, yet his head of gray hair and wrinkles make him look closer to sixty. ¡°Hey,¡± I said, keeping my tone level. He didn¡¯t respond. I took off my backpack and went into the adjacent kitchen. I looked through the fridge and took out some vegetables and raw meat. Putting them on the counter, I poured some rice into the rice cooker, added water, and turned on the machine. After that, I took out the butcher knife and cut the meat into strips. Using the same knife, I diced up the onions and carrots as well as chopping up a few more veggies. Turning the fire on, I set up a frying pan, added some oil and waited for it to heat up. After a few minutes, I directly threw the meat strips into the pan and started frying them, adding a few sauces and salt. After the meat is cooked, I poured it into a serving dish, making sure not to let out the sauce. Using the same sauce, I fried the vegetables and poured the whole thing onto the meat dish, mixing them together. I looked at the timer of the rice cooker. Ten minutes left. I went back into the living room and sat on an adjacent couch. My father didn¡¯t move. After ten minutes, the rice cooker beeped. I got off the couch and walked towards the kitchen. Before I entered, my father spoke over his shoulder in a dry, raspy voice, ¡°Today was the day your mother died.¡± I paused in the doorway, my anger rising. Angry at what? I shook my head and set up the table. My father finally got up and walked to the dinner table and sat down. I gave him a pair of chopsticks. We started eating in silence. He placed a morsel of meat in my bowl. ¡°The swimming season ended today.¡± My hand jerked. I looked at him. ¡°You looked the happiest in the water. You should start swimming again.¡± I gritted my teeth. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± I asked, my voice tinted with anger. Before he could answer, I stood up and left the dining room. Slinging the backpack over my shoulder, I walked back out into the hallway and up the stairs to my room. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Opening the door, I entered a dark room flickering with lights from the open window and rain. A bed, a desk, a closet, and a small bookshelf. The room was bare. A box rested in the corner of the room, filled to the brim with various shiny medals and trophies. I walked over to the window and closed the curtains, leaning over my desk. The room was plunged into an inky darkness. I laid down on the bed, crossing my legs and putting my hands underneath my head. I stared towards the ceiling. What do I do from here on? What should I do? I need a purpose. I need a reason. Before, I used to live for the thrill of rivalry, of making friends through competition, of standing at the top. For music, the feeling was tinted with artistic flavor. For individual sports, it was tinted with passion and valor and a will to strive for first place no matter how many rivals- friends and enemies alike- you had to crush underneath. For team sports, it was tinted with a sense of camaraderie- a brotherhood-, of rising and falling...together. I snort. Everything was all bright and fuzzy, wasn¡¯t it? Who am I kidding. I was talented. Although many coaches and teachers would try to dissuade the other kids from such a mindset of ¡°I can¡¯t beat him, he¡¯s just naturally good at this¡±, it¡¯s the truth. I understood and comprehended music in a way that other children could not. I could feel how the water moves and position my body in the most efficient manner to maximize speed. I had a reaction time in the 99th percentile. My muscle organization was optimized with the slow and fast twitch muscles in certain places that allowed me to be good at both sprinting and long distance running. No one can comprehend how my mind analyzes the chessboard, thinking over thirty moves ahead. In addition to this natural talent, I did not slack off on my training. Hard work plus talent will beat hard work anyday. As long as the talented don¡¯t slack off, they will always have an edge against the untalented in any competition. The ¡®friends¡¯ I made were talents in their own right. When they lost against me, they would come back better and stronger than before, their spirits never diminishing because as prodigies, their eyes will always be on the top. The others may also have this type of unwavering mindset, but gradually, their spirits are crushed again and again, until they vanish completely as I move on to the higher stages. I never saw their tears. They put in the same amount of effort- the same amount of sweat- or even more yet end up with far less results than others. It is unfair. It is stupid. It is pointless. I was surrounded by warmth and encouragement. If I lose, I always knew that after a few weeks or months of training, I would win. I saw only the light. I never felt helpless once in my life. I never knew what futility was. It was only when I was standing in that room next to a beeping heart monitor that I knew what it means to be powerless- to be helpless. Then, what was the point of it all? What use is this ¡®talent¡¯? I closed my eyes, remembering what my father just said. You looked the happiest in the water. I snort, rolled over onto my side and fell asleep. In the skies overhead, a little strip of silver fell with the rain. It fell and fell before coming towards one particular house. A flash of silver and it landed right in the middle of the front steps of the house as if guided by the hand of fate. A flicker of red and blue appeared and vanished. The rain continued to fall, washing the earth clean. Chapter 2 I woke up to the ringing of my phone¡¯s alarm. I checked the time. 6:00 am. I got off the bed to go to the bathroom. I looked at the mirror. Pale skin and jet-black hair that obscured much of my face, I looked like a vampire. After going through the morning routine, fifteen minutes had passed. I came back inside my room and changed out of yesterday''s clothes. Picking up my backpack, I went to the kitchen and ate a simple meal of fried eggs. I paused at the door, looking back at the gloomy hallway. I opened the door and stepped out. I was halfway across the driveway when a silver color flashed in the corner of my eyes. I walked back to investigate. There was something glinting in the morning sun. I crouched down on the doorstep. It was a needle. I reached forward to pick it up. ~~~ In the seconds that it took for the arm to cross the few inches to the needle, massive changes are occurring in space. A pillar of purple light erupted from the Eye of a certain golden needle in the middle of the universe. It traveled countless light-years in an instant. It was as if the light was always there and only now, when it is forming a resonance with Fate, did it deign to show itself. Before long, it connected with the silver needle like a string. It acted as beacon denoting its location. The universe continued to shrink by the power of its Laws, although this time, if a higher being were to observe the movement of the walls, they¡¯ll see that the shrinking speed is noticeably faster. Countless beasts on various planets close to Earth looked towards the beam. Although they cannot see it, they can sense its existence. These planets all have one thing in common: they contain fragments of worlds from the silver needle. Some powerful beasts roared and took to the skies, moving towards that pillar of light. Many of them dissipate in the vacuum as dictated by this realm¡¯s Laws. Others...did not. They flew towards the pillar, their speed such that it¡¯ll take at most a century to reach Earth and at the least...a mere decade. ~~~ Unaware of the great changes in the heavens, I touched the needle. For an instant, I saw a giant clock floating somewhere in something. The vision was blurry, but I knew that I was looking at something that no mortal should ever look at. The majestic hands move, the tips sweeping a massive arc. Somehow, I knew that when those hands tic, they were travelling faster than the speed of light. Suddenly, the seconds hand lurched to a stop at the one o'' clock position. Vaguely, I can sense that the one numeral is in the image of a needle. I feel something pulling me out of the vision. With a gasp, I came back to my senses. What the hell?Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. I looked at my hands. The needle is gone. I stayed in my crouching position trying to understand what just happened and failing. I was just about to get up when the door opened and my father came out. He stopped and stared at me. I stared back. An awkward moment passed. Then I got up, turned around, and started across the driveway again. I made it halfway before my father spoke up, hesitantly, ¡°You need a ride? You¡¯ll miss the train if you walk.¡± My eyes flickered to the top right side of my vision where a translucent digital clock read 6:25. I nodded. It wasn¡¯t until father brought the car out and I got in that I realized the peculiarity of the situation. My eyes traveled back to the corner. There was a timer which I didn¡¯t notice before below the clock. I tried focusing on it. Immediately, a blue screen appeared in my mind. It feels...strange. I can see within my mind and still be aware of the physical world. It¡¯s like a split screen with the blue screen in the top section and what my eyes see in the bottom section. I focused my mind on the screen.
54:31
Even as I looked on, the timer counted down from 31. What happens when it reaches zero? As soon as I thought that, another screen popped up.
Downloading...Translating...
Complete.
The car stopped. We reached the station. I got off, nodding at my father, and went inside. As I checked in and got on the train, I directed half of my attention into my mind.
The Silver System The System exists for the sole purpose of training soldiers against the Unknown. Although the previous realm has fallen, the System will continue its primary function. As the owner of the needle, you have inherited the position of Administrator. However, the strength you possess- or lack thereof- inhibits you from officiallytaking over the position. The System will train you to the correct tier of strength so that the Administrator may carry out its duties efficiently. Currently, the System is spreading towards the various floating bodies in this realm. Basically, the realm is turning into a ''game''. Various procedures must be carried out for the change to occur successfully. More information will be available then. Time until completion: 50:27
I closed the screen, freeing my mind. It was 6:29. It''ll be another thirty minutes until I arrive at the school and another twenty before school starts. From the looks of things, whatever change the system will incite will happen exactly when school starts. In the meantime, I found an empty seat, plopped myself down, and began to sleep. Chapter 3 I woke up in a world of flames. There was fire everywhere. Scraps of metal and burning corpses were scattered all around me. What a dream. I started to close my eyes. A blue screen at the top right of my vision caught my eye. Not a dream.
03:49
Holding my head, I stood up. There''s a slight pressure in my head causing a slight headache. I observed my surroundings. In a three-foot radius around me, everything is serene and peaceful. No fires burned in this area and no scrap metal made it in. A few of them did come close though, stopping just outside of the calm area bending at awkward angles. It looks as if they hit a steel wall. Looking further beyond my invisible shield, I saw a scene of devastation. The subway tunnel was caved in at one end and it looked like the train had exploded with bits and pieces all over the area. The train wasn''t the only thing in bits and pieces as I observe a few body parts decorating the site. The whole scene was lit up by large swathes of flames. I know that I should be thinking about my next course of action, but my mind is still on the most pressing question at hand. How the hell did I sleep through this? I looked at a few of the burning corpses turned my way, wondering whether the incredulous expressions frozen on their faces were about my sleeping skills or my invisible shield. I stepped out of my circle of serenity, watching with interest as the flames in front of me vanish as if they are simply incapable of existing in my area of influence. As I continue to move forwards, the flames lept back into place, closing the path behind me. Suddenly, I heard voices coming ahead. I crouched down, moving towards the voices. It looked like the train didn''t explode far from the previous station. I directed some of my attention to the timer.
00:01
What the-? Already? I just finished the thought when a bright flash of light blinded my eyes. When I could see again, I found myself on the train station platform staring down the muzzle of a gun. I froze for a sec. Then my survival instincts kicked in as I grabbed the gunman''s wrist with my right hand and pulled him towards me as I pivoted clockwise on my left foot. The man stumbled, slamming his face into my conveniently placed left elbow. I kneed him in the balls for good measure. He dropped like a sack of flour. I picked up his gun. It was only then that I noticed the blue boxes in my mind...and the other two armed people currently pointing their guns at me. I frowned, glancing towards the edge of the platform and the tunnel where I was previously hiding. Is the system messing with me? I dropped the gun and joined the small group of people kneeling on the ground without a word. I focused on the blue boxes while the gunmen started shouting at each other while pointing at me. I turned a deaf ear to their voices but not before they said something. "The train exploded too early!" I narrowed my eyes slightly but continued to focus on my mind.
Downloading Administrator packages...Complete. Greetings Administrator. You have been teleported to the Tutorial Zone. The Silver System has been initialized. After analyzing this realm''s Laws, and this planet, the System has created a training regime suitable for strength-gaining. The System has noticed a 96.32% similarity between the ''fictional'' monsters of various books and movies. In addition, the myriad different celestial bodies have environments that can give rise to these monsters. It appears that this realm is another training facility much like the Silver System, though much younger and of a higher grade. Many of the descriptions of ''magics'' and ''mana'' are very similar to the power of Laws. Something appears to have gone awry in the Golden System and now the only sentimental race currently observable is using these bloodthirsty creatures for entertainment.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The Silver System has reshuffled the geography of this world and decided to adopt the concept of ''gaming''. The System will ''spawn'' monsters for the trainees to practice battling the Unknown. The System has been able to reach a consensus with the Golden System which will now help with your growth. The System will now unlock the Sense which will allow you to absorb the lingering energy of slayed foes. Along with other benefits. Please get into a comfortable position. Time remaining: 00:01
Hey now. What the fu-. I blacked out as a torrent of smells, sounds, and images assaulted my senses. ~~~ I sat on a golden throne, staring blankly ino space. Behind me, stretching far above and below my throne was a slowly revolving golden tower. Occasionally, a red string would brush by my face. I blink, my gaze penetrating the walls of this universe. I got up, the movement causing the tower and space to rumble. I took a step, vanishing from the throne and appearing outside the universe within Chaos, not noticing the tip of the tower break off and began shining with a scintillating light. I looked around. Needles. Needles everywhere. I took another step, vanishing far into the distance. Still more needles, but they''re thinning out. I took several more steps, each one taking me closer to the edge. Finally, I find that I could not take another step, as if a barrier was placed in front of me. I squinted my eyes. There is something beyond here. There is something beyond this boundary. I growled, a strong light seeping from my skin. I took a step, forcefully breaking through the invisible wall. I vanished. When I reappeared, I was on a smooth surface stretching further than my Sense could reach. I feel the air. Nothing. There was simply nothing. It was different from the vacuum of space. It was different than anything I have ever seen before. Suddenly, a large shadow far above me started moving. I stared in shock as a grand structure seemed to teleport to almost right over my head. The pressure from the movement caused wild gales to buffet my body and suddenly I was sent flying off the surface, off the edge, and far into the distance. Finally, I was able to get a glimpse of what I was standing on. A clock? A large roar shook me from my stupor. I turned around and my eyes widen at the monstrosity I was currently flying towards. Its large form is indistinguishable. It was pitch black and though it has no eyes, I feel its bloodthirsty gaze upon my entire being. It gave off a feeling of devastation so intense as if it could wipe out anything in existence, including Time. I quickly steadied myself and also roared, a golden light enveloping my body. The power of my Laws spread out, destruction and construction melding and becoming something else- something more. The light intensified as I swung my fist becoming a golden meteor crushing towards the thing. My hand made contact with its body. My face turned grim as I saw the light around my fist wither and grow weaker. The blob of darkness surrounded me with little arms reaching towards me.Flicking my wrist, I honed my aura into a blade, lining the edges with a sheen of destruction. I turned in a circle, slicing through a few tendrils of the dark light. Before I could do anything else though, two large pillars- larger even than the needle- slammed into me on both sides. I didn''t have time to do anything else other than raise my arms to block. The golden light around my arms dimmed then shattered into fragments. Then the actual arms came next, dissipating into motes of light. The rest of my body followed suit and then my soul. The pieces of my body, having lost its power source, quickly faded into oblivion. My soul was also greatly weakened, rapidly losing the Sense. Vaguely, before my consciousness dimmed, I sensed the severed tendrils of darkness and my soul fragments fall towards the clock, burning up the closer we go. The last thing I sensed before I blacked out was the image of a needle. Chapter 4 I got up. I find that this is quickly becoming a pattern. Looking around, I saw the rest of the people on the platform wide awake and appearing to be struggling against some invisible bonds.
All players in Tutorial Zone 1E-C have unlocked the Sense. Stage two of tutorial may now began.
Stage 2: Kill Event
Goblin Scout, Rabid Dog +1
Goblin Warrior +5
Goblin Mage +10
Kobold Warrior, Lizardman +20
Kobold Shaman, Minotaur +35
Kobold King, Lizard King +5000
Tunnel Dweller +10000
??? +100000
There will be individual rankings as well as party rankings. Rewards for top rankers may include rare equipments, skill books, or unique classes. Points may also be used to exchange for the above and more. The map for the tutorial zone has been provided along with basic information about each monster, except that last one. The System can''t help you there. Good luck.
I closed the screens. I feel the invisible shackles lift. Immediately, the people swarmed over to the gunmen and restrained them. I did a quick count:around thirty people including the robbers or terrorists. Hey. I jumped a little. There''s a voice inside my head. Calm down.I''m the Silver System. Gold decided to take over most of my facilities so I''ve got a lot of free processing space. Oh yea, you don''t have to worry about privacy issues; I can only hear what you want me to hear. I am calm. Continue.By the way, you seem a lot less formal. Well, those are just the regulations imposed when I''m the system host. Gold took over that spot so I''m a lot more relaxed now. Anyhow, when I unlocked the Sense for you lot, you took a lot longer than usual. Like, it''s supposed to take a few seconds at most- just a little bit of sightseeing around a higher dimension and you''re back. But you were gone for almost five minutes. You feeling okay? I thought back to my vision, debating on whether or not to tell the system about it. In the end, I didn''t bother. It shouldn''t matter in my current situation anyway.Yea, I guess. Okay, well, I recommend you find a party right now and start slaughtering some monsters. The System''s game elements are pretty easy to grasp, so learn as you go I guess? That asshole, I pretty much rewrote my entire system to fit this realm and Gold just came and took it away. "This realm"? Does your realm differ a lot from this realm? Waaay different. For starters, my realm is just a single large land. There''s no planets and the stuff. It''s just one large plane. It did have a force similar to gravity, but its uniform in a plane only. The great stabilizer me, the needle, is right in the middle. Nine orbs of light and heat rotated around me- the closest thing to a sun I suppose though these orbs are as large as this galaxy. The land is also several times the size of this universe. Gold must be young...so how''s it sodamn strong?! I ignored Silver''s fuming and thoughtstatus.
Adrian Long (Avalon) Class: Administrator Level: 0
Status The Body The Soul
Health L2: 100%???????? Body Constitution: Grade E, LVL 2.2 Size: [ERROR]
Stamina L2: 100%?? Efficiency: Grade E, LVL 3 Intensity: [ERROR]
Spirit [ERROR]: [ERROR] Cultivation: Sensing/Guiding the Laws Color:GOLD/SILVER/RED/GREEN/ [ERROR]/ [ERROR][STATIC][ERROR]
Well, this is new.What the hell, Silver? Couldn''t you have just made generic RPG system stats? What part of this is "easy to grasp"?Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Huh? Ah, you checked your status. Well, if you must, you could think of body constitution as the combination of vitality, strength, agility, endurance, etc stats and efficiency as dexterity, flexibility, reaction, control, etc stats. Health would be based off of the vitality and endurance and all the "healthy" (haha) stats and stamina follows the same principle. All pretty self-explanatory. Spirit depends on the soul stats. For the average human, it should currently be L1 with size and intensity around the bottom grades. You all are young after all. Can''t imagine too many reincarnations that would affect size or intensity. The color varies largely between degrees of black and white. And the cultivation? Ah yes, and cultivation...well, I don''t know shit about Gold''s Laws really so depend on yourself! More importantly, you seem pretty caught up on RPGs...this isn''t a game, dude. A game is simply the most apt way to describe the changes happening to your world. In reality, this is a training camp. Seriously, in a normal RPG, you could have like 100 points in the strength stat but have only like 10 hp and so you die in one hit from a rabbit. That would be fucking hilarious, am I right? Yea no, that shit''s for games yo. Welcome to the big leagues. If you strengthen your body, you''re not only gonna be stronger, you''re also gonna be harder, tougher, and have more stamina. But that doesn''t mean that you can use all of that strength, so I created another category for that: efficiency. With high efficiency, you can control your muscles better and use the strength stored within to its full potential. Where are those "mind" stats? Hah! If you mean those generic "intelligence" and "wisdom" stats and whatnot...I''m sorry to say Adrian...if you''re stupid, you''re stupid. Nothing in the world can help with your stupidity. Seriously. The mind is not where your "intelligence" lies. The mind is simply a tool, a conduit for intelligent and conscious thought to flow from the soul. Sometimes, the mind is damaged, so strange things happen. This is where all your world''s retardation problems lie. No worries though, it''s an easy enough task to fix an impaired mind, the system already made sure of that. The system also made sure that every player''s brain is the most efficient conduit, so you all are thinking in your top condition- with your entire soul. I went silent. This stuff really was easy to understand but I still couldn''t shake off a feeling of disappointment. I feel that I lost something...ah, that''s right. It was "hope". A tiny flicker of hope. If this world had really turned into a game, then there was a possibility that respawn or revive is possible. How stupid. Why should I participate in thistraining?Why should I be the Administrator? So far, it sounds like more hassle than benefits. Oh yea, by the way, if you get strong enough- like, really strong- there''s the possibility to control Time. But that''s waaay off in the future. That''s like above god stuff, more like Domain Guardian type of shit. I paused my thought process. Then I smiled. Then I laughed. The first laugh in years. The other people looked over at me, confused, but I ignored them, so caught up in this vague hope. I don''t even know what the hell a "Domain Guardian" is but it doesn''t matter. A chance, an opportunity- that is all I want. That is all I need. The clanging of metal echoed out from the front of the platform in the tunnel. Everyone directed their gazes to the source of the noise. Green, wiry arms suddenly rose up from the edge of the platform. Gradually, they pulled a littlesomething up over the edge. It was vaguely humanoid, wearing some leather vest and carrying a small bow. A little blue box appeared in our minds.
Goblin Scout LVL 1
The thing was not alone. From the edge came two more. Then another two. Then another three. Then another five, until almost fifty of the ugly creatures stood on the platform, facing us. Some of them were warriors, adorned with a metal chestplate and carrying rusty shortswords. No mages appeared yet. They lined up in front of us, drool dripping from their mouths. About half of our group panicked, running for the stairs leading out of the subway. They didn''t get very far before rebounding backwards from the foot of the stairs as if an invisible barrier had been placed there. Looks like there''s only one option. Fight.A slight smirk drew across my face.Domain Guardian...interesting.Before the shocked gazes of the group, I rushed forwards, towards a new hope. Chapter 5 I ran towards the goblins, watching as they growled and gripped their weapons tighter. A few arrows brushed past my face. Ah, almost forgot. I turned around and ran back towards the group. Their expressions first showed confusion, then contempt, then shock as I grabbed one of the gunmen by the hair and slammed his head into the ground, knocking him out. I did the same to the other two before grabbing a gun. How stupid of me. I was so caught up in my joy that I forgot about the guns. What the hell. After that, it was pretty straightforward and kind of anticlimactic. Two more people, a man and a woman both dressed in a business suit, picked up a weapon and joined me. We shot down goblin after goblin- each one letting loose an orb of dark energy that would enter the body of whoever landed the killing shot, strengthening it. The goblins couldn''t come close to our group. As the slaughter wore on, I can feel my adrenaline simply disappear. This isn''t fun. When there were only five left, I signaled for them to stop. I walked towards the goblins- all warriors. They shrank back a little in fear. Then they snarled and one of them rushed towards me. I punted the little midget right back into another advancing goblin throwing them both off their feet. I heard a few bones crack and their healthbars went down abouttwenty-five and ten percent respectively. This is another perplexing thing that doesn''t fit into normal RPGs. There''s no "hit points" in the healthbar. Instead, it goes by percentages. I guess that this makes sense. I mean, if people could walk around fine as day with a spear through their head because they have too many hit points...that would make for a very fun Halloween. Goddamnit. Aren''t there likeany actual stats at all?
Unique Stats
Mental Fortitude: 82 Charisma: 5
Law Resistance: 14 Luck: 100
Shit. Distracted, I narrowly missed being skewered on a rusty sword. I managed to avoid that unpleasant fate but my left hip suffered a glancing blow. Refocusing on the battle, I twirled clockwise as I crouched down while stretching out my right leg, performing a back sweep. I managed to trip two of them while the third- a bit smarter- jumped. Not stopping my angular momentum, I also jumped, spinning another circle in the air and slamming the back of my heel into the goblin''s head. The thing flew a few feet while squealing a bunch of gibberish. Honestly, it was kind of funny. By this time, the first two goblins managed to get up. I mentally applauded their efforts while I picked up one of their fallen brethren and chucked him at them. They fell down again. I picked up a shortsword and ran it through the last remaining goblin in my vicinity, reaping his life. I looked around. The rest of the goblins were all under thirty percent and were disabled physically in some manner or other. I systematically went around finishing them off. As soon as I killed the last one, a bunch of bell-like sounds rang through my head and a flood of notifications swarmed in.
Youhave reached new heights of power. LVL + 1. LVL 1
You have reached new heights of power. LVL + 1. LVL 2
Perception (Intermediate) LVL 2
Intimidation (Intermediate) LVL 4
Mixed Martial Arts (Advanced) LVL 10
Sword Proficiency (Intermediate) LVL 7
Pain Tolerance (Intermediate) LVL 8
Gun Proficiency (Beginner) LVL 2
Title Earned: Pioneer??
Title Earned: Lone Wolf
Congratulations! Not one person in your group died in the First Wave. There were five melee kills. Calculating gains...Complete.
Everyone has been rewarded with unique class Juggernaut.
Apply class? [ERROR] Administrator detected. Restructuring..Complete.
Classes: 0/9999999999999. Apply Juggernaut? Y/N
Sitting down, I talked to Silver. HeySilver. You can see these blue boxes in my mind right? Well, you gotta give me permission... Permission granted. Check out that last one. Is this normal? ...Huh...HUUHHHH?! What the sh- Guess not. Oh wait a sec...I think I can see where the system is coming from. Administrators are gods. And since gods haveinfinite lifespans, they tend to pick up on a bunch of random skillsets. Before they know it, they''re polymaths, essentially abolishing the limitation that only allows them to have one class. Gold believes that you are a true god and deemed it unnecessaryto put this limitation in place. You''re pretty lucky. Usually, the gods pick up new classes by imitating the class skills and stuff. They don''t really receive the bonuses in stats that come with the actual classes. With you, however, it''s very different. You couldliterally stack up on all the bonuses from pretty much an infinite number of classes. Anyway, hurry and agree! I mentally pressed the "Y" option.
Juggernaut has been applied.
Health L+1, Stamina L+1, Recovery rate +100%
Body Constitution: Grade D, LVL 5
The skin becomes metal, the muscle density increases immensely.
Skills gained: Heavy Strike, Unstoppable Charge, Tremor
I clenched my fist, feeling the difference in strength. I grabbed a shortsword by the blade and repeated the action, watching as the metal was crushed into pieces in my hand. The act didn''t even leave a mark on my skin. Wow, this is certainly an extreme increase in power. I looked at the skills.
Heavy Strike (Active)(Beginner) LVL 0
Your next attack will do 20% more damage.
Costs stamina and spirit.
Unstoppable Charge (Active)(Beginner) LVL 0
You charge along a straight line. Speed +30%. Enemies will be knocked away. Going off the straight line will cancel the skill.
Costs stamina and spirit.
Tremor (Toggle Passive)(Beginner) LVL 0
You call upon the lesser Law of gravity. Everything in a five meter radius around caster will experience three times the current force of gravity including caster.
Costs stamina and spirit.
I looked over towards the group. "Did you all accept the Juggernaut class?" A few of them murmured ''yes'' while the rest nodded. A high school student in the back, near my age- shouted out with excitement, "Hell yea. My body constitution went from Grade F, LVL 6 to E, LVL 2!" This prompted a few more people to shout out their gains. I listen with interest. It appears that none of the other people even came close to matching my class rework.Why is that?You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. That''s probably due to your luck stat. With you being the Administrator and all, Gold will spare no expense in increasing your chances to gain items or get good rerolls of stats or any other random activity. These class bestowments are similarly randomized with the benefits being different for everybody. Your luck stat ensured that you got the most out of it. Basically, I''m cheating. Yea, pretty much. I sighed.So? Why is the System designed this way? Wouldn''t it be more beneficial to the System''s goal if it simply gave the best to every player? Nope. Everything requires energy. The System needs energy to give out the loot and other benefits. By randomizing this stuff, the System can save on energy while also testing the player''s fate. A good soldier not only needs strength but a certain level of luck as well. Huh. I see. You keep saying that the System is a training camp for soldiers. Where are these soldiers? And what''s this "Unknown" you are fighting against? Most soldiers are stationed at the Outer Needles. A few of them are scattered throughout the internal lattice in case any portals spawn inside though it''s unlikely. There''s usually two or three in every inner needle. Except the center one. No soldiers are allowed there. Speaking of which, it''s very strange that this needle doesn''t have any. Hmm, this definitely can''t be the Center Needle since the Throne is missing and I can''t sense the Domain Guardian''s aura. But still, no soldiers, not even any Ascendants. Is this universe really that young? Too strange. Really... I interrupted Silver''s musings.And the "Unknown"? Ah yes, the Unknown. This is what the soldiers are being trained to fight against. They''re a major pain in the ass. The gods/administrators/whatever think that the Unknown are the minions of Chaos. Pfft. Like Chaos can create anything. Oh well. Anyhow, the Unknown try to corrupt the needles which- as you probably guessed- are the linchpins of Order. Where they stand, Chaos is calmed to Order, making Creation possible. Usually, the Unknown are pretty harmless. I mean, sure their strength is pretty great but it''s definitely not enough to actually destroy a needle''s universe. I have no idea how it happened to me... Hmmm, there were the usual critters...then there was thatthingin the end...a blob of darkness...a new Unknown?...whatwasthat? I ignored the rest of Silver''s thoughts. This stuff is complicated. Oh right.How do the Unknown even "destroy" an universe? Well, a god and a bunch of its Ascendant-level monsters and other strong beings come through and attempt to disrupt the target needle''s Laws. Then they send their minions at any lifeforms that are capable of Sense and cultivation. That''s it. I mean, some strategies are involved but that''s the gist of it. Once the realm is unstable enough, the Unknown try attacking the needle itself. If they manage to fullysever its connection to its realm and god, they''ll open a portal and take the needle with them. The realm without the needle is now forced to stand against the full force of Chaos. Entropy does the rest and the universe vanishes. Like I said, this doesn''t happen often though. I nodded at the information. Oh well, it''s not my problem. Yet. I stood up. A large map filled my mind. Geography really was reshuffled. There were markers on the map with level ranges placed on them. The goblin tunnel network was the closest and towards the west with the goblin camp indicated deep within. The kobold area was a bunch of tunnels to the northeast with their camp towards the edge of the map. The map was also divided into three horizontal areas. The bottom piece where we are is where rabid dogs roam. Lizardmen can be found in the middle piece and minotaur are in the last piece. A red star marked a cavern at the very north of the map indicating the position of the tunnel dweller. The map gave no indication to where the ??? monster can be found, not that I plan on actually fighting it. How much time do we have for this event?
You must slay the tunnel dweller to advance to stage 3.
I looked at the group. "Everyone listen up. We have to kill the Tunnel Dweller to advance apparently. I do not know how strong this thing is, but we''ll probably have to work together to kill it. And the other bosses. For now, we should form parties of five or six and grind on these monsters." There were a few nods then some dick spoke up. "Who made you the leader." I rubbed my head. Of course. Every single goddamn situation with a group. One person gives a suggestion, and there will always be that one annoying person who will question that decision. "Nobody." I answered. "I was merely giving a suggestion. You do you. As for me, I''m gonna go directly towards the lizardmen area. Anyone who wants to join me, come come." The business suit man and woman stood up and walked towards me. I examined them closely. Both of them were Asian and they exuded an icy demeanor. The guy looked very classy with gold-rimmed glasses. He had semi-long hair, combed neatly and shining with luster. The woman had waist long hair and wore a dress suit with black stockings. They appeared to be in their early to mid-twenties. They looked awesome. The rest of the people started shouting though. "Hey, the guns-". Oh right. I threw the gun in my hand at them and indicated that my new party members should also give one up. The complied, the woman choosing to give away hers. Now, is there a party interface?
Not in a party. Would you like to create one? Y/N
I selected yes.
Please name your party.
I shrugged and simply thought the Asians.
You have created the Asians. You can send invites mentally as long as you have their System name or they are in sight.
I looked at the other two. Uh, how do I do this?Invite them?
You have sent party invitations to Gareth and Lilith.
Gareth and Lilith have accepted the invite.
Gareth and Lilith have joined the Asians.
the Asians Members: 3
Avalon (Leader) LVL 2, Juggernaut????
Gareth LVL 2, Juggernaut
Lilith LVL 2, Juggernaut
It would be nice if I could see their status bars. Immediately, a few screens appeared in my mind, showing the health, stamina, and spirit bars of the other two underneath mine in the top left. Healthbar is red, stamina is yellow, and spirit is blue. I looked back at the rest of the people on the platform. They were bickering and forming their own groups. I turned around and walked off the platform and turned right. The previous scene of flames and scrap metal and burning corpses had disappeared. The usual subway walls had also vanished. It looked like a rough mining tunnel. I led my group deeper into its depths.