《World tag#001》 Prologue??? Let me tell you something from the experience I''ve acquired recently first hand, working without a goal, apart from surviving in the jungle we call modern life, is apparently useless for your soul. No enriching experiences or fun people to chat with, doing the best with the minimum effort, doesn''t look good on the resum¨¨ of our life we call soul. Ok, ok, a little step back. The last memory I have of Earth is that of a plank of wood, my desk to be precise, dangerously coming closer to me, well quite the contrary, actually my face slamming into the messy desk, stationary, paper work file ecc. fling everywhere, and than total emptiness. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.Fun thing, the last article I had read on-line talked about the health risks of too much time staying seated while working, but time is a strict mistress so without a proper diet, physical activity and hours upon hours of work repairing electronic devices, put me in the spot we talked earlier. In other words I died while working from heart failure, and on this grim note the adventure begin. Prologue2??? - Welcome to tag#001, please select your avatar. - Thanks... wait, what? - Please select your avatar. - Did I fell asleep with the VR glasses on again? Wait, why I don''t feel my body? And why everything i think is being written here? What in #@€!¡ê$ is happening??? - Please calm down, every chaotic thought will extend the time to finish the reading and alignment of your neural matrix, and please select your avatar. - Well if you want me to calm down, then why don''t you tell me what''s happening? And why do I have to choose an avatar, are we trying to mine minerals on exoplanets? And what''s up whit the robo-voice? - No, no mining involved in the selecting of your avatar, my way of "speaking" is due to your matrix''s interpretation and I''m sorry to announce that your last body ceased is function and is scheduled to be cremated in 13 min. Please select your avatar. - ... ... ... Sooooo I really must be asleep, @¡ê$& I hope to remember it, the idea is bland but the old style A.I. maybe can make a good starting point for the game the guys in R&D... Who I''m kidding, it''s not like they will listen to the last wheel of the IT compartment. Aahh Sometimes I really worry why I still try to help. - Why do you think this is a dream? Please select your avatar. - Really? Come on, ok ok let''s play a game of choice by elimination: A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.1. It can''t be a VR introduction because I don''t feel anything at all, my body, no floating sensation, my need to breath even, so VR excluded; 2. Let''s go the extra mile and say the R&D finally found the break-through with their VR helmet and they are pulling my leg with a joke, considering our relationship I believe they would pull a more disturbing tale more than my death; 3. Please don''t make me even consider that a story like the one I used to read is coming true. - So, you see, it must be a dream, it''s the only way. - Yes, I see, with limited information you''re bounded to false conclusion, but why the n¡ã3 is so illogical? Please select your avatar. - Sigh, I have a theory ok? I used to read mountain of books and novels, play games and so on, mind me I was a casual, but do you know what''s the theory I''ve made out of it? That if in any way you''re special you''re in, good and bad, love and hate, happiness and pain, all are dished out on the protagonist. Well i choose always roundabout ways in my life, where we can say I''m protagonist of my own story, to be invisible, unknown. Because of this life choice I''m proud, ok maybe a little bit bitter about it, to say I''m not special in any way, maybe only in being the perfect average person. - ... I think now I know why your matrix meet all the search parameters,and also that whatever I say will be taken as a dream talk. Now that your alignment is complete, and you refused 3 times the avatar choice, I can only procede to place your avatar on #001 and fuse your matrix with it. Avatar chosen: human standard 1 Name chosen: ... Chapter001 - WAIT! My hand, stretched toward the ceiling, appear in my field of vision while i scream against the voice. Sigh talk about a weird awakening, still for being a dream the absolute void of sensation was really strange. - Better start moving or i will surely be late to work. Still there''s something bugging me, did I forgot something? The sudden fit of pain hit me like a stab in the head. - AAAHHHH!!! Rolling on the floor, screaming like mad and holding my head the pain, just like it appeared, suddenly dissolve. - What the @#¡ê$ was that? An aneurism? Just like uncle Tom? Jeez the doctors told us all that it can be genetic but if they told me the pain was going to be so intense maybe I would have listened... There are still lights flashing in the back of my eyes and more than before the sense of incongruity attract my attention. And then i realise what my brain was trying to tell me. The room, all the room, where am I? White carpet, white bed, no windows, soft light coming from the ceiling and nothing else, only a closed door on the right. A continuation of the dream, I''m still asleep? No the pain was too real, I shudder only at the thought of it. Did something happened and I''m in an hospital? Well that would explain the pain and why I don''t remember coming here. But why did my unholy scream did not alert anyone? Late shift? No no at least someone should come, better wait. I sit on the bed facing the door and start the waiting game. The paranoia alarm start going full blow in my mind again, too strange, this whole situation is too strange. ok better start doing something while watching the door or i will go crazy. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.Carpet? check, sintetic one, pretty soft actually and strange colour but check normal for me. Wall? check, white plaster and I believe, from my summer working repainting home, water based paint, normal. Bed? check, white metal frame, soft pillow, white cotton sheets... wait... no tags, no tags anywhere. Not on the pillow, not on the sheets even on the matress... OOOOKKKKK strangeness level up. There''s no way an hospital would use untagged merchandise, but still there''s something else that''s bugging me. With fear starting to grow I recheck the room, this time almost inch by inch. Nothing on the floor, and then it hit me, carpet? Carpet? What was I thinking when i considered it normal? No way that, in a room that need frequent cleaning, carpet is normal especially if the only tracks imprinted in it are mine. And it''s too clean pratically new, and soft as it is really good at muffling sound. Knocking lightly on the wall there is no hollow sound anywhere, just like if they where full concrete and no windows... - What the..! I crunch down as fast as possible trying to stay as still as possible... When I was staring at wall while walking around the room, a small window opened with a man behind staring at me. - $%=! So there is really someone monitoring me here. An experiment? A quarantine? Putting down for now the hypothesis my mind was start to feed me, I slowly stand up. If they are watching from the beginning there''s no merit in hiding now. Chapter002 Getting up from the floor, where I crouched in panic, I take a look at the window. The man who look back at me can be described only as average, meaning like the classic description of a male caucasian of medium height, buzz cut and a face that will be lost immediately in a city. While I was lost in my stupid reflections, the man keep staring at me in the same pondering gaze I believe I have myself. Out of instinct I raise an eyebrow? Wait? Is he giving me sass? He raise an eyebrow too... ... ... Having a flash of insight, if in this madhouse I can still call it that, I scratch my nose and he follow my exact moves. - Yep, it''s a mirror. A mirror. With a reflection that''s not me. Okkeyyyy.... I have to admit that falling again in my habit of talking to myself when I''m panicking doesn''t make me proud. Ok breathe, breathe. If it is a real-time cgi thing, like some prank I''ve seen, it don''t have even a millisecond between my action and the "mirror" copying movement, soo my money is still on the dream thing. Trying to touch my face and seeing someone else in the mirror is beyond strange, but still now the sensation of missing something vanished. Than I realize, cursing myself for being so slow, I can''t confirm if my face is really different but my body? My hand, arm, torso ecc... Well, the conclusion is that in this "dream" I have a almost fit body, surely more fit than I remember ever being, and none of the scars I''ve accumulated in my life. My brain still fight himself to conciliate my memory and this. I say "dream" because I tried pinching my arm even scraping with my nail, and the pain is too real. The words of the voice before waking-up start creeping and taking hold of my mind. - No, no, no, remember I''m average, not special, nothing strange happen, all are happy. No happiness, no sadness. No pain, no gain... Even my mantra for extreme situation is failing me and derailing, I have to... A sudden light start blinking in the corner of my vision, the mirror? Soft blue, slow blinking light appear to be emanating from it. I look and what greets me is something... I don''t know if I''m supposed to feel happy for somewhat of information, or I''m really having a crazy crazy day. - Congratulation! For choosing your avatar''s name you''ve unlocked your status! Welcome again on tag#001! If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
NameRace
AverageHuman
HPMP
100100
AtkDefDexWis
10101010
Exp
0/100
Chapter003 ... ... ... Staring at the "screen" I found myself again pondering if it''s all a joke from the R&D group. But even if they finally had finally a breakthrough in the VR tech that they are developing, I still believe it''s impossible to make such realistic feedback for all the senses. Well I still haven''t tried to taste anything but... Am I in some kind of coma and this is the future? - Yeah, right, the voice made more sense... - Thank you for finally admitting it. - What the @#%&... So you really were always watching and listening? Am I fun? - Please don''t start feeling victimized and be aggressive to respond to your fear, now that your matrix is properly indexed, I have a more precise measure of your being. - And? Meaning we are all friends now? - And the meaning is, like I said before, understanding why finally the search give result, in this case you, can progress myself in the search of my purpose. - Ok ok... do you really believe I would listen to your riddle? What do you mean? Even you don''t know what''s happening? - I already told you what happened to you, concerning my advancement the result are for myself only. Even if you already are seeing some of them. - Like your way of speaking I presume? Feeling more relaxed? - Yes, good job, your entry in the system have already started a domino effect. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.- And this "system" you''re talking about I suppose is this whole game thing? What am I the lone first player of all this charade? - Yes, again good job, but I''m afraid there''s much more to it. But it''s useless explaining all now, you will have to advance and see for yourself. If you open the door the tutorial will begin, get ready for it and good luck! - Wait, wait, don''t use a fade fx when I... The light fade from the screen, and the status chart before disappears. So no more dialogue than? It leaves me with the same question for before, do I really want to believe the voice? It''s all real like it feels, it''s a game... @#¡ê$! Now the doubts are going to eat me alive. I must start doing something or I really will start banging my head on the wall. First, if I''m really going anyway to "play" this game, like hell I will be doing whatever it says. So let''s begin... Open the door? It also said to get ready ... If it''s like any of the games I played before, even as realistic as it is, let''s start assuming there''s perma-death system in play. Meaning I really have to prepare for whatever is beyond the door. Bonus is, if this is really a starting tutorial area I can start gaining now that I''m relatively safe. I know it''s cheap but if I have to believe that I already died once, than more the reason to be cautious. And if I really have to be myself, or my game-persona, I always liked to observe than move and strike or flee. Having taken a decision for how to procede for now I get to work... Chapter004 I have to admit that even with all my fears, who periodically say "Hello did you call?", I may be eager to consider this a game to "play". But first and foremost to quench most of my doubts I''m doing my old gym cardio routine, to think that to follow the fad of the moment I ended going almost five years to a gym it''s ridiculous I know, but the adrenaline keep me from quitting and I must confess I felt really great when the muscle pain didn''t assault me. When I was absorbed in the past, strange I''s all so vivid I remember even my old schedule, I ended my tenth set of exercises... without pauses... Ok this confirm that surely it''s not my old body or even human I suppose. Naturally a "normal" human would have ended sprained on the floor after the third set, but to think apart from not sweating even my breath is stable it''s really disturbing. This stunt also confirm that the lacking of a stamina value on the chart before maybe is not a lapse of this "system". Next on the agenda is to see how the stats, or the lack of them, influence me. I already suspect that with no hunger and thirst value maybe I don''t have to eat and drink, or sleep even, but when that time will come to see if it''s true I think I will really believe I''m dead. I also reserve judgment on the fact that maybe all this things are true only in this room, starting tutorial area?, but the fact that the voice spoke of a system fired me up to found loopholes. Again I know cheap but to take words from my younger colleague "That''s how I roll". Looking again in the mirror, and really feeling confused on how to feel about it, I concentrate and start thinking all the words that maybe can make the screen reappear... After having gone through all the standard, and even the more obscure, word to open the character in-game, i resign myself and start talking loud. - Status!... Character!... Menu! Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
NameRace
AverageHuman
HPMP
100/102100
AtkDefDexWis
10101010
Exp
0/100
Yes! So menu is the code... Wait why the hp, presuming it''s health point, have a new grey value? I''ve an suspicion, if this system is really like this than... Better start the next "experiment" than, starting from removing all the sheets from the bed and after the mattress, I expose the metallic-looking frame of the bed. It''s the kind with thin metal strips for support, they should be attached but another strange thing they are welded. Well, after thinking that maybe it''s really a bad idea, I start kicking a strip loose. What I didn''t expect was that, after the fourth kick, the all frame collapsed on itself... - Ok now I think that someone is going to get angry for this... @#¡ê$ too late anyway let''s go. Searching in the remain of the bed I start to catalogue the various pieces, various lengths of cylindrical metal tubing, some square pieces and the strips I was aiming for from the beginning. To be sincere I''ve never worked seriously with metal, I''ve always wanted to and watched lots of video of melting, forging, welding ecc., but I never really had the time to do something serious. Now it''s time to start I believe, while going delusional over the future, I start using one of the square piece to scrape a bevel on the edge of a strip. Again after the fourth repetition the edge become abruptly sharp... Is there a meaning for four repetition? Or for the suddenly change if that matter? The MP stat maybe it''s a hint of magic so the physics of "here", of this system, must be different somehow, but it''s still really surprising and disturbing to see thing behave in way all people thing is impossible. Anyway I''ve obtained the sharp metal piece I was searching for so it''s time to start, taking a deep breath I take the blade firmly in hand and start. Chapter005 I really start to wonder, about this system and his absurdity, after the fifth fabric straps I''ve obtained from cutting the sheets with the blade i crafted. What I''m almost sure is that there''s some kink of intent monitoring system in place. Not surprising if I believe what the voice said on, what I think is admitting, reading all my memories. The first strap, just like the bevel on the blade, come off abruptly from the rest of the fabric after the fourth stroke. And considering the blade isn''t that sharp is absurd on itself. What took me by surprise is that the second time didn''t go the same way. I was thinking of what meaning the number four have for this "crafting system", and I noticed that even after the fifth stroke of the blade the fabric didn''t tear off. Concentrating again on the cutting motion after the fourth time the strap came off... - Okkeyyy... I''m definitely on something now... Continuing to experiment established that surely when I concentrated on the action I was doing, the "final product" appeared after four interaction. That maybe can explain why the bed frame was destroyed after the fourth kick. While if I thinked about anything apart of what i was doing, the final result obtained abide with the normal physics rules. The strap was cut anyway but, like one would expect from a hasty crafted blade, it required an enormous amount of effort. But now that I "crafted" what needed, I can start the other experiment. Coiling one tissue strap around, what i decided will be, the handle of my blade took only a minute. Now with a better grip I take a deep breath, concentrate myself and try not to shake. Unlike the four action rule that seems in act for crafting, it takes only a swift and decise swipe of the blade to make a deep but small cut on the back of my left hand. I know it''s a risk but a calculated one, trying to stay away from any major blood vessel, and taking account of the situation it seemed a passable idea. The fact that that I had a scar from a previous job on the same spot is also a factor I believe. Anyway the cut behaved like a normal cut should be, so I wrapped one of the fabric like a bandage thanking the first aid lesson taken in school. - Menu!
NameRace
AverageHuman
HPMP
99/102100
AtkDefDexWis
10+510+11010
Exp
30/100
Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. - Interesting, the HP loss is expected, but also changing in Atk, Def and Exp... Yes, the experiment to see if the HP dropped when hurt gave result and, apart from the flash of pain at the beginning, was worth it. The other change as byproduct of it are as strange as well accepted. If I assume that the Atk change is due to the blade in my hand, than the Def must be the bandage? And the Exp? I sit down on the mattress, that''s now on the floor in a corner, and start remembering everything I''ve done since last menu check... If this system is really so linear and "easy" than the only explanation that I can think off is the crafting. Well assuming that every "item" that i crafted is worth 10 Exp point is a leap of faith, but I''m willing to take it. Now to verify the other stats I''m a little stumped of what to do. The most common way in every media to use MP is obviously magic but how? - Mmmm... there''s still the card of meditation but will it help? Still mumbling to myself I take a lotus position this, I must admit, is new I never tried meditation or even yoga. I readed really a lot about the philosophy and the mind state behind some kind of meditation technique, but it''s all theory for me. I try to empty my mind and be in a state like using my peripheral vision... To be one with the universe... Ok I must admit the reason I''m never able to meditate is because of my focus to much on... - Maybe I can use it. I''m, as long I remember, a very mindful person, of myself but also of what''s is happening in my surroundings. Be it because I feel too much self-centered, or the various bad things that happened in the past. I''m not like a genius that can memorise with a glance or a super alert spy who can dodge throw weapon, I''m only really more pointed on myself than the peoples I know. Anyway if I can use my self-consciousness to focus on when I meditate maybe it can be done. I never did it like that before because it only take me on a self-loathing trip. Concentrate, concentrate... What''s mana supposed to be? A kind of energy is my guess but how? Is there an organ like a new liver that stores and create it? Is all in my mind? ... When I start to feel the well know feeling of my derailing thoughts, I start to feel a strange sensation. Just like when a light fever is starting, a sensation like a hand compressing my head. I slowly open my eyes and what awaits me is a strange blue tinge in my vision. In the same moment, I start to think of the strange beauty of this hue, it ends. Chapter006 As the light blue hue vanish, I start to put myself in the same state of mind of before. Concentrating on the feverish sensation I got while "meditating", this time I keep my eyes open. What I hope is to see the moment the "mana" appear, and if there''s some kind of clue to prove some of the theories I''m thinking. Well keeping my eyes open and unfocused while concentrating on meditation proved to be really difficult. Together with the increasing self-crippling doubts about my debatable behavior... Still after what I judged to be ten minutes, the hue reappeared. Like a flickering light it abruptly ended, but it proved that even with open eyes it still can form. The couple of seconds didn''t give me time enough to analyze any peculiarity in this "mana" but the fact in itself can be a proof of something. - Menu!
NameRace
AverageHuman
HPMP
100/102100/100
AtkDefDexWis
10+510+11010
Exp
30/100
- Ok, so if the change in MP display, from 100 to 100/100, is related to my meditation then... Then it''s possible that meditation can influence mana, and maybe the fact the blue hue goes off almost instantly is because the mana is already at is max value. But the HP to be full again... I start scratching my bandaged hand thinking about all this whole situation, and how I''m dangerously starting to immerse myself into it. Than i notice that the bandage feel suddenly dry, yes the wound didn''t bleed much to begin with, but before the mana experiment it still felt a little sticky. Uncoiling the bandage revealed a perfectly closed wound, and in it''s place a small scar. Even the blood on the fabric is more like fine powder more than dry stain. - Well this will surely make a wonderful ad for cleaning product... Trying to escape the "reality" of this new absurdity isn''t really helping. After a couple of hit on the wall the fabric returned practically clean like before. Another mystery add to the growing list, first of all is obviously what''s happening, but a gut feeling tell me it will take time to find acceptable solutions. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Anyway, before giving myself an headache, better start to see how to deplete MP. Now if meditation refill it almost all stories on mana say it''s the fuel for magic so let''s begin. I have to admit that the idea of magic is attractive, not like when I was younger but still exciting. The most basic "spell" I can think of is fire, but how to proceed? Chants? Formulas? Hand gestures? - Fire! ... Flame! ... Rapid oxidation! ... I must tell that if any of this worked, especially the last, I was going to be surprised. Assuming the simplicity of this whole system maybe it''s like the monitoring intent of crafting? Concentrating on the wanted result... Not even a small spark... Concentrating on the image of a flame and thinking of the simplified process that''s fire itself... Still no result... Concentrating on both image and process and speaking - Flame! aloud... Not even smoke... Wait, fire need fuel, only air isn''t enough from my memories of school chemistry, and if mana/MP is really the fuel of magic... Concentrating like before and trying to reproduce the same meditating sensation was really hard, but the reward was huge. Even better the fact that speaking word isn''t really needed . A flame, big exactly like I imagined, appeared on my right palm. Red, high like my index finger and dancing like a candle flame. For a moment I really found it the most beautiful little thing. But the brief lapse in concentration proved fatal for my little flame. I believe the first was the mana feed to be cut than the concentration on the flame itself. Still I can consider this time to be a full success. -Menu!
NameRace
AverageHuman
HPMP
100/10256/100
AtkDefDexWis
10+5101010
Exp
30/100
Chapter007 Having no reference on the normal consumption of magic I''m going to go by my old rule, and consider my first attempt average. My rule is to consider myself the embodiment of common so it'' my rule of thumb. Still it''s worrying that with my MP I can only materialise two flame, maybe it''s only because my method is wrong, but this need to be researched more. Not knowing the time I still have in this room, is the time flow different like in some game?... Another doubt for the list... Anyway seeing it as limited is the best course of action. In the end, at the start of this absurdity, after three time I didn''t respond the voice forced the hand of choosing this avatar. So after meditating and confirming it really recover my MP, the light blue hue around me stayed active for around five minutes, I started all the other experiment. Well the fact that meditating for whole five minutes was a success was pretty weird but... Water was as almost easy as fire and all the variation I did before a little gush of crystal clear water appeared out of air proved that the intended phenomenon manifest wherever I imagine. No need for extended hand and palms up. That leaved me with the same amount of mana consumed as before so to start I meditated again this time I tried to do it while standing. Even if it needed me to close my eyes again and drop the blade, in the end the aura reappeared for the same rough time. - I really miss a watch... Whining about something I can''t do anything about is my stile but I go on anyway so... Leaving my attempt of joke aside, the other most famous element are earth and air, maybe wood and metal considering chinese''s one. The trial and error continued for a while, with break to recover MP, and give me enough clues to form a theory. A shaky one but a theory nonetheless, for me it will be valid until someone disproof it. My theory is: When I was trying to make soil appear I stumbled on a huge problem, different from fire and water, earth is composed of a myriad of different things. Even excluding the organic elements it''s not only a kind of mineral. So I was unable to wrap my head around it and no magic was the result. But thinking about mineral made me remember two really famous structure of an element, carbon, diamond and graphite. I didn''t think I was going to remember all the various thing I had seen before but, confirming my doubts, whatever they did to me make my memory like a machine. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. - Wait maybe I''m in a machine now... @#%& why can''t a minute pass without a new doubts appearing like mushrooms... Remembering what I know about diamond and graphite helped creating it, so if I can''t male a living out the gig of magic I can always start selling diamonds or pencils. Roughly cut yes, needing polishing yes, but still diamond. This take me to the "shape" bit of the theory, when the first bit of graphite and diamond appeared they were unshaped lump of material. Imagining a cylindrical shape for the graphite was easy compared to a roughly "table cut" diamond. With air I met the same problem, apart from being only able to see a faint glimmer, normal atmosphere have lost of elements in it but my hope is that I was able to create a little bit of oxygen at least. Air composed of oxygen alone is pretty dangerous but also useful. Making any organic compound appear was hopeless every try ended being a failure so no wood element. Metal, on the other end, was almost easy. Well iron was and, after giving myself a migraine, even steel appeared. Gold was as difficult as iron... - With silver in the second place... ... ... Ok I couldn''t resist, ok... I''m really tired if I''m starting to make face-palm jokes. Thinking about it I feel really mentally tired, like after an all-nighter at work or during my old school days. But before I sleep on the mattress i put in a corner on the carpet, I put the sorry remain of the bed frame on the door. My hope is that if somebody open it, at least I will hear the falling metal. Well checking my status before sleep seems a sensible idea so facing the mirror... - Menu!
NameRace
AverageHuman
HPMP
100/102100/110
AtkDefDexWis
10101010
Exp
80/100
Chapter008 - Good morning! Is supposed to be my greeting but I believe you will find it sarcastic in a few seconds so I suppose hello will suffice. A morning starting getting up from the ground, and being greeted by a synthetic voice, is surely going to be absurd but I never expected what happened later. - Good morning, what do you mean by sarcastic... AAAAAHHH! A jolt of pain, so intense to almost make me black-out, cursed through every muscles of my body. Like the time I touched a live electric wire and almost electrocuted myself, I know, I know safety first but it was supposed to be detached from the main source. Time is relative, I always believed that, because what I think where only a couple of seconds become an hour of agony in my perception. - What the @#$% was that! - I believe is better to brace yourself and try to not talk or you can bite your tongue. - What? AAAAAHHH! This time the pain didn''t make me spasm and blocking every muscles, no this time my head feel like a stump where a giant woodcutter, too eager to work, started chopping for is life. Writhing on the floor holding my head and screaming was really one moment of my life to forget. But like everything, better or worse, the pain passed and the pounding sensation abruptly disappeared, just like it begun. I don''t even want to start considering how much time passed and I think the fact that, in the end, I trashed around all the floor is proof of at least tens of seconds passed. The muscle pain was atrocious but this "headache" was absolutely worse, not only because it seemed last much longer, but maybe because I was always weak to migraine. I don''t know how this body works, but it seems that my response to pain still is the same. A pity because the rare times I''m angry my reasoning fly off... So still breathing roughly and afraid of a third wave of pain... - NOW YOU TELL ME WHAT THE @#$% WAS THAT! NO RIDDLE, NO !¡ê$&[@ TALK, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! The veiled threat was going to be more effective if only I wasn''t trembling... - I heard you the first time, I was waiting for you to be in condition to listen. Now I believe I can answer your question. - So no more pain? You sadistic @#$%? - ??? To quote a movie from your memory "You''ve done that to yourself" I''m not responsible for te pain that assaulted you. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Like being doused with cold water my anger subsided and a found myself pondering... If this is really real it/them can really read all my memory, or if this is really a simulation the pain setting is to damn real and hurt like hell. - How I''m responsible for my own pain? Did I bash my head while sleeping? - No your sleeping habit have no connection on the pain of the upgrade. I''m sorry to say that it''s how the system work and you always repeated that "everything have a price be it time or money or pain". I still don''t know if you cited someone. An idea appear and make way inside my brain at he mention of upgrade... - Menu!
NameRace
AverageHuman
HPMP
102110
AtkDefDexWis
10101010
Exp
80/100
- I hope I''m not right but can you tell me if the body and head pain is connected to HP and MP? And if the second of pain are really a direct consequence of the increased value... - Yes correct on both, your intuitions are really amazing sometimes. Why you always deny or doubt them is equally amazing. - If you really have read my mind or my memories, you should know I feel about them and why it''s like that. And also how condescending you sound... Still if my experiment "yesterday", this always same light is destroying my internal clock, influenced the grow of health and mana, the price to pay may be to high for the plan I had in mind. - You said the system is like that, but is the pain only a price to pay here in this room? ... ... ... @#$%& if it didn''t hung up on me. Cursing didn''t really help but it''s a start I suppose. Now the fear of the pain is going to be a real decisive factor of what to do. Chapter009 - It''s always like this, even in this "reality" it''s all the same... After the anger, and the immediate fear of new pain, subsided I sat down in a corner holding my head between my hands. - Every time there''s something vaguely interesting, every time I found myself almost happy, every time... every time... I really thought that with time I wouldn''t feel this deep sensation of being powerless anymore, but maybe I was only lying to myself and being "happy" in my routine, trapped in my normality. Still now with my enhanced memory I can really look over all the times I really had misfortunes. Looking up at the ceiling one of the many self analysis I''ve made in the past resurface by itself. Was I really only pessimist, yes every time I was happy somethings happened to spoil my mood. But so they happened when I was already in bad mood. Was I really so blind, so conceited? - Ah ah ah ah ah ah... So it''s true that everything have a downside, having a fantastic memory could really make peoples revaluate themselves... Well number never lies, so seeing the undeniable facts of what I''m starting to consider my previous life, I can only start to revaluate myself and many of my life choises. Sure I had pretty bad moment in my life and many were clustered pretty close in time, but... Better change this train of through, the past can''t be changed only the present exist... sigh... sometimes I should really have stopped to listen to the word of more experienced people. I get up and start pacing around the room. Even all of this introspection doesn''t change the fact that I am, or at least feel like, here now. It doesn''t change what happened before so it''s time to think seriously at the present choices I have. If the exercises from yesterday, both the physical and mental ones, made forcefully my HP and MP go up maybe it''s this forcing that created the pain. One of the way to see if it''s true is to find a way that is considered natural... if there''s Exp value the most sensible guess is that a level up must exist. But if a +2 and +10 in health and mana caused such pain, the raising of other stats what will involve? Sigh... There''s only one way to find it. More easy to say than to do, when I crafted the blade and had success in my magic experiment I was rewarded with experience... I think... So let''s craft something but first... - Menu!
NameRace
AverageHuman
HPMP
102110
AtkDefDexWis
10101010
Exp
80/100
This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Nothing changed for now. I choose crafting, even if I''ve much more idea for new magic than things I can build, because if I''m right it''s the meditation that raised my mana but I will research it next time. All I have at hand are the remain of the bed frame and half sheets... I feel like I need the most famous improvisation/build/repair master. Last time I build a blade to continue on the same road, and organising all the pieces on the floor, I decided to build a pseudo armour. Four of the metal bands that supported the mattress can be wrapped around, and fixed with the fabric strip, like arm and shin guards. Two pipes, after a little engineering with simple levers, are bent to make the frame where the other metal pieces can be fixed to form of a really simple jacket. The all ensemble is more rough than I believe was possible... And it leaved me with only to pipes and four square angular connector. But it gave more than the hoped result... - Menu!
NameRace
AverageHuman
HPMP
102110
AtkDefDexWis
10101010
Exp
110/100
- Now we wait, now we wait... Chapter010 I tried to sleep but to no avail, even if coiling and intertwining the metal and fabric, to make my pseudo-armour plus arm and shin guard combo, took most of the "day". Hard to tell how much time really have passed without a clock and with this light always on. Last time I was tired both physically and mentally but now I don''t feel like resting at all. I was objectively more excited for the magic and all and still the moment I laid down I was out for the counting. Maybe the pending HP an MP augmentation influenced my tiredness or, even in this room, my internal clock still can tell the night from the day. Years of getting up to commute and sleeping at certain hours conditioned me I believe. Well this new doubt can wait, it''s not really top of the list, I can anyway use this time awake to test other things. First of all is to see if really is meditation the culprit for the mana raise, and consequent pain. Doing some magic experimentation can also prove if mana regenerates naturally or meditation is mandatory. Leaving alone the "elements" I tried yesterday one of the thing always fascinated me, in all kind of media, was force construct. I mean, they are often disregarded save for strategic purposes like defending a city or to passively protect. Instead I found really interesting the idea of a way to interfere with the physical word, and it''s laws, with non physical object. Sure sometimes "barriers" are depicted like shining or semi-transparent so they must be physical and have a mass. But in the cases of invisible barriers I always wondered... If they can be placed at will, even if through a medium of sort, can the be used actively to sever or destroy things? This ideas sounded wacky even to myself but, given all the time I was alone as a boy, strange theory on fictional story was the less dangerous thing I could''ve done. Now, absurd or not, how to proceed? Concentrating on the image of a physical object proved to be feasible, but how to imagine force, or motion, or any of the physics I know... Even with all I remember reading and studying nothing seem useful in this case. I sit down and start mulling over various ideas. Starting with the know, every time I made something appear I had in mind the simplified representation of the element, just like the images on books and on-line. I concentrated also on what I remember of the true nature (how it works) the subject have. What I believe it truly is. So remembering all I know on force I start to imagine a way, at least plausible, to make a invisible wall. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. After many attempts I was tempted to give up but often desperation is the way to find solution. In all my tries to visualize a physical manifestation of force, I started like all the other times, but that proved to be te flaw. For a force interaction I needed first to concentrate on the point where it will appear, and only after the position and shape was chosen I could procede to visualize the wanted effect. To tell all the truth when in the end it appeared, in all the white shimmering glory of a bi-dimensional wall, I was so abruptly tired that no more than a whisper escaped my lips. - menu...
NameRace
AverageHuman
HPMP
102110
AtkDefDexWis
10101010
Exp
110/100
And then I crushed on the mattress... Chapter011 - Good morning! Congratulation for your level-up! I can finally be bringer of good, pain free, news! - Yeah, yeah good morning... I brace myself for the incoming pain... and fortunately it didn''t come. - Menu!
Level UP!
Human => Human I
New menu function unlocked!
Avatar status (alredy unlocked) Map Skill list
- Lots of news, I see... so now I suppose to se my stats... Avatar status!
NameRace
AverageHuman I
HPMP
112120
AtkDefDexWis
11111111
Exp
0/200
- So you really didn''t lie... Even with the increase in health and mana no pain... By the way, what''s with the even spreaded +1? - Judging the situation I suppose I should''ve expected little trust, but it still hurts me, I never lied to you from the beginning. Never mind, to answer your question it'' the standard level up status increase for human. - Sorry about... Wait a minute! Trying to making me empathize with you will not... You''re really starting to sound more and more human day after day. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. - Thank you! The influence of your matrix are keeping... - That wasn''t a compliment! And if you really are becoming more human by my memories... good luck to you. Would you mind telling me what made you stop talking yesterday? - Time is a deciding factor for our interaction so bye! - Hey! ... I know was being a "¡ê&/!@-bag but I really need information. - Hey! ... Maybe it''s time restricted? Mmmmm... That would explain lots of things... Grumbling about the voice disappearance, I detail of yesterday keeps bugging me. My new memory seems foolproof until now, so why yesterday mana didn''t decrease after the "force-barrier" creation? Did it fail? Only way is to try again... More importantly the level up being pain free is almost to good to be true, even if i prepared mentally for it pain is still one of my least favorite things. - Definitely one of the least... Let''s get started! Map!
Area UNKNOWN
Unable to display map
- Well that at least clarify one doubt, it''s not tutorial o starter but unknown eh... Skill list!
Skills
Crafting Intuition I Magic
Skills points: 1
- What can I say, much more interest than the map section doubtless, but skill point? Until now this system, even with the intent control parts, seemed to me pretty unilateral with the user choices. Better not getting my hopes up, let''s see how use this opportunity... Chapter012 The fact that the level-up, and resulting questionable gain, is possible and painless put my original plan back on track. Meaning exploiting as long as I can this UNKNOWN room, cheap I know but for me preparation is akin to salvation. Cringe saying apart, let''s see what can be done with the single point or if it''s better to hoard them and choose something big. Still the thing that keeps bugging me is this system, sometimes it''s linear and simple but other times ,the names and interface for example, it seems like a rush job... Better squash the frightening idea I''m having now, for the sake of my mind health. - Skill list!
Skills
Crafting Intuition I Magic
Skills points: 1
- Mmmmm... even if is seems like a display it''s not touch operated... Mumbling after trying to use the mirror/display like a touch-screen, but seeing like the rest of the system goes the most simple solution may be the right one. The new menu that opened confirmed this theory. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.- Skills points!
Skills points: 1
Available upgrade
Hp +10 Mp +10 Atk +1 Def +1 Dex +1 Wis +1 Exp +10%
Well for my gamer self this is sure a no-brain decision, so following the first thing I did in games when available... - Exp +10%!... please?... and how I''m supposed to select it now? No response followed my rhetorical question, so I tried various things with a "I choose you" between, until I found the right sequence. - Skills points, select Exp +10% upgrade!
Skills points: 0
Selected: Exp +10%
Related bonus skills unlocked
Menu HUD
-Wait, what? In the time I made that "witty" retort my vision of the world changed abruptly, making this situation I''m in more and more strange. Chapter013 The only way to describe what happened, in the blink of an eye, is to say... - What the @#$% ?! Cursing apart, my vision changed in a game-like interface, that followed all my eye movement. Neat and at the same time frightening. - I''m really feeling more and more slipping from reality... I need to focus, breathe in breathe out... I have to admit that, as vexing as it is, apart from the starting surprise this HUD-thing it''s really exciting. Little sensible to the classics, I believe, this "interface" have two spheres in the left and right corner down at the edge. And seeing their colors, red and blue, my guess is that they stand for health and mana. - Well that much is easy to check later. In the high corner a black globe with "UNKNOWN" written on top is a map, I suppose, and another green one complete the ensemble. Still looking around, trying to get used to have four balls in the corner of my vision, I found that concentrating on one of the spheres made it more opaque and the opposite was also true. "Funny" thing even with my eyes closed they remained there. - It really will take some time to get used... But if the red is health, blue stand for mana and the black is a map what''s the green one for? Mmmmm... If concentrating made them more visible maybe that''s the key... I concentrated on the green sphere and, after a few trial and error, a menu like the one on the mirror filled my vision.
Menu
Avatar StatusMap
Skill list*Locked*
While the locked one is suspicious, all the other voices listed seems identical to the one displayed before. Opening the m one by one confirmed my guess. The status, map and skill menu that opened before my eyes where the same, the best thing was that now I could check them without talking to a screen. - An improvement yes, but I don''t know if this is more or less crazy than that. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. To test the other part of the interface was pretty straight forward, a small cut confirmed that at the decreasing health the red globe flashed and shrunk a little. Not really precise but I suppose consulting the status overcome this limit. Just like for the health, making a little flame shortly appear made the blue sphere flash and shrink. While waiting to see how fast they returned to the beginning size, similar to a tennis ball I think, I noticed a disturbing fact. While previously the cut on my hand took a while to close and scar this time the cut was closing much faster. - Supposing there''s a sense in this system, the only explanations could be the "Human I" change or the increased health... I shook my head thinking at the increasing list of things to test and doubts to clarify, and so I did one of the things that always freed my mind for overthinking, manual labour. Two tube-like parts of the bed frame, and four square connector, remained still untouched from my previous experiments so I started to think what to do. I made already a blade, big like a kitchen knife, from a metal strip and, with some difficulties, combining part of the sheets with the others metal strips and bended tubes gave me forearms, shins and torso armour. - The whole thing made me look like an idiot that made poor life choices, and that''s being nice... Anyway, looks apart, the armour seemed functional from the few swings I made with the blade. So going in the same direction as before I decided what to do. Leaving one of the square alone to use like a, albeit blunt, file I first started cutting long strips from the remaining sheet. Remembering the few information I knew about braiding ropes I started working to see if I could make one or more. I have to be honest and say it''s mind-boggling boring task, but it gave me time to calm down, settle my mind and sift trough my thoughts. The end result was rustic but functional and gave me some ideas how to improve my previous crafts. Chapter014 Previously I simply coiled the metal strips and stopped them wrapping them with fabric, obtaining a really basilar shins and forearms protector. Now with the new braided rope I secured them more firmly in a criss-crossed fashion. The chest armour undergone similar overhaul. - It sure made them look like a life saving vest... Ignoring my own remark, I put them on and checked the result, focusing on the menu sphere and than on the status.
NameRace
AverageHuman I
HPMP
112120
AtkDefDexWis
11+211+111111
Exp
30/180
The results were more than encouraging, and some really surprising. I expected an increased defensive capability but to double my initial def value and even add some attack... - Maybe the increased hardness in hitting with arms and legs? Well talking to myself will not help so, happy with the result, I continued the preparation for an eventual attacker. To be honest I continue also to satisfy my inner desire to forget the situation and drown my doubts in manual labour. Next I tried to sharpen more the knife and also to fix a better grip for it. Slowly and firmly rubbing the edge, with one of the metal cubic connector, solved tolerably good the first problem. Hitting the grip into shape and then wrapping it withe the rope solved the second. Checking the knife value with the status gave me a satisfying +5 in atk, but that made me think... If a really simple knife have almost half of my attack value... Are my stats really that relatively low? Having nothing to compare my stats with is really frustrating but, for good measure, I''m going to consider my starting status values low or medium. Anyway, the rope made from the sheets fabric revealed to be much more useful than predicted so I started working to braid the last intact fabric into ropes. While I worked on it I started to think of more useful stuff. One of the last pipes can maybe become a spear for mid range fighting, never used one but I''ve always read that even a non trained person can fight with less fear if the weapon have longer reach. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. - The last pipe can maybe be bended to form a small shield? The bolas idea to use the three square pieces is still full of holes... While muttering I ended making the rope and started working to flatten an end of a pipe by hitting it with the bigger piece of metal. Folding the flattened end on himself was harder, but still gave me a pretty pointy spearhead. Bending the last part of the bed frame revealed impossible with my actual means, so instead I folded it in four part and secured the new obtained zig-zag pipe with the new rope. The string-handle was wobbly but better than nothing. Like I grumbled before the idea to tie up the tre square connector with ropes to make bolas, was really not realistically exploitable. Not only because I wanted the remaining length of rope to be free to use, but also because the last pieces of metal could be used in probable future project. Also I wasn''t sure of the effectiveness of my rope to restrain someone or if I was really going to be able to it anything for the matter. So equipped with everything I created until then, and feeling like a post-apocalyptic/steampunk poor basic adventurer, I invoked the "avatar stats" hud window.
NameRace
AverageHuman I
HPMP
112120
AtkDefDexWis
11+1211+111111
Exp
50/180
Now that I''m prepared at the best that I can I think it''s time to go forward. Chapter015 With my sense of time distorted, being alone in a white room was starting to take it''s toll on my sanity, I can only suppose it''s the end of the third day. I''ve a gut feeling that being here much longer isn''t an option, so the last thing I want to do before opening the door is to attempt to use the simple magic I discovered to better my equipment. Apart from having a heavy mana toll for every use, the problem with the magic until now it''s is fight potential. Maybe it can be used as distraction at best, but that will not help me in a sudden encounter. So for now the best way I feel I can exploit it is to try to coat all the surface of my item in a diamond-like carbon film. I had the idea while sharpening the knife blade and the tip of the spear. From all the article that I remember reading, it should help immensely the hardness and resistance of the coated surface. This will also be a test to see if the "Magic" skill have some influence on the expected result. I tried to first coat the spear, hopefully it will go well, but preparing for the worse even a failure should leave a useful pointy end. Concentrating on all the aspect needed like my previous attempts was a little bit easier, I don''t honestly know if it''s the skill or I''m imagining it. Albeit slowly a shiny transparent patch started to grow and enclose the spear head. Calmly turning the spear while still focusing was really hard, but the final result made it worth the pain. Consulting the status I discovered that the mp consumption was much less than before, so maybe the magic skill influences the mana cost more than other things. Still another experiment on the list. I repeated the coating process on the knife, vest and the shield, and that took all my remaining mana. After gripping the spear and shield... - So it''s time to see who''s behind door number one... A quick glance to see if it''s all ok...
NameRace
AverageHuman I
HPMP
1120/120
AtkDefDexWis
11+1411+161111
Exp
60/180
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. What greeted me behind the door, I finally opened, wasn''t a life form of any kind or another white area. No, a seemingly endless darkness enveloped me as soon I took a step out of the door. It didn''t feel like the time I talked with the voice at the beginning, it''s like being suspended in a black endless ocean. In the same moment I started panicking due to the inability to move or see anything, a feeble light appeared in front of me. The increasing brightness and dimension of the light gave me a vague idea of the speed it was travelling. - Or maybe I''m the one travelling... That would explain the sudden sensation of free-falling I started to perceive when the light become as big as a fist. More detail came into view with any passing second. A strange calmness permeated me while observed what I was starting to be fairly sure was a star. What at the beginning was a dark spot on the surface of the star revealed to be a planet orbiting it. With another object for reference I started to marvel at my speed and also if I was really going to end either crashed on the planet or burned in the star. - Well the fact that I can talk surely means that it''s again only a trick and I''m not really moving through space, or I''m being protect by some kind of "bubble"? - No tricks, you''re travelling through my protection. And what you''re witnessing it''s #001 your new world. - Com''on, really?! You reappear like that and expect me to accept this? - No, I don''t but when you will believe me you will remember it. - Right... Anyway what kind of people call their planet #001 are the naming sense taken a trip for a while or taken testimony protection program? - It will all make sense after a while I can''t say anything more. Rather than this good luck for your landing! Opening my eyes again showed me that my vision was filled with the planet, with the star hidden behind it the surface was dark for the night. I was able to te a glimpse of an ocean and various islands before all become red, from the enveloping fire, that created from the entry in the atmosphere. Chapter016 My sight was dyed red for the longest seconds of my life, sure I didn''t feel the heat or vibration I expected, but that served only to fuel my anxiety. I still felt more calm than I should, but I''m starting to think my sense of what''s normal and what''s not is irreparably damaged. Still I have to admit, once forgetting the feeling of approaching death, free falling was really exciting. The night sky was almost free clouds and the ocean below, dotted with islands, was mesmerizing. Even if I couldn''t see the thing that surrounded and protected me, from the few movement my eyes stained to do, I still felt a change in it. Just when I was trying to think of a reason for the sensation, my falling speed started decreasing visibly. With a much slower approach, to the surface of the planet, details of the islands an ocean were more clear. Three were the bigger land masses and I started losing count of the small one. - It sure isn''t Earth... I''m surely not a geography enthusiast but not even one coastlines matches my memory... The decreasing speed also showed me what could be the destination of this uncontrollable trip. A group of three lone islands in the middle of the ocean, almost at the same distance from the continents, seemed my landing point. After a while, my lack of any kind watch was killing me, I felt like I had memorized all the various coastlines and relative position of what I could see. With all the menu function blocked, and my lack of mobility, I started to reflect more seriously than before on my current situation. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. - Sure, I have to admit, all this excitement is fun and all... But the lack of all the reaction, and sensation, I could have felt before this... Is disturbing... Maybe it''s true that memories define one-self, bur never like now I think I understand. All of this, new body, photographic memory, hud etc., is slowly eroding my original personality. - Sigh... Why I always overthink, why?! Outburst apart my prominent tracts seems in intact, so it''s better to imagine this more like a game for my mental health. Also this strange skydiving experience is reaching a conclusion. The islands were now filling my view and, guessing my trajectory, I was going to land on the bigger of the three. If it''s really another planet I shouldn''t apply Earth standards, but judging by position alone they should have tropical climate. All the greenery I could see also showed that it''s sure fertile land. When I started slowing down more and more my doubts on my landing destination started to clear. A plateau on top of a inactive volcano was the only place that was illuminated, and that made click something inside my mind. Of all the place I''ve seen, while in the atmosphere, there were no visible lights. - Please, please somebody say it''s only because I couldn''t see them... I fear all the other implication... Apart for my crawling doubts, the structure that seemed the source of the light came into view. A truncated cone It''s the best description I could think at the moment. The top part, that was as bright as a thousands light bulbs, was centered into my sight so I suppose it''s time to land on it. Chapter017 The roof of the structure gave off the same white light of the room''s ceiling I was in before. Sure is was vastly more powerful, but the cold hue and the way it was uniform was the same. When I was at maybe the same height of a five-storey building, and almost dead-center on the roof, I felt like passing through a membrane. At the same time of the the break through sensation, I regained my mobility and my landing speed slowed even more than before. - So it seems in the end I will not have to try to mimic the safe landing technique I remember from videos... The moment my feet touched the surface, quite cold actually, of the roof the light disappeared except for six circles. One was under myself and the other five were in front of me in a semi-circle formation. From the five circle of light five square pillar-like thing grew out of them. The light was to strong to see all the details but it became much more weaker at the time the five "obelisk" stopped growing out of the roof. I call them obelisk because, with the much more acceptable light, I was able to see their surface was full of engraving that resembled a circuit board more than language. When the light under the central, and taller, obelisk started flashing lightly a voice come out of it. - Welcome to Imlaren traveler, we were waiting for you since our creation, and finally as predicted you have come... Why are you in dismay o'' mighty traveler? - It''s called face-palming and I''m doing it because of this whole situation... Really?! Now you go all lore-master on me after three days like that?! And even the voice is different I have a strong feeling we chatted before, haven''t we? - You really continue to smash all of my expectations, from your data I assumed you would like a more "classic" approach now that your new life beginning. - You really got smarter but not quite there are you? Like I said before you should have this approach from the start if you want me to listen to... Wait a minute... What''s the "now" new life, bit about? - You accepted all of this crossing that door, so this is your new life now. Congratulation?! Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. With my right eyelid twitching uncontrollably I sat down to fight the increasing desperation and rage, strange mix I know... - What the @#%& you mean I accepted?! When do you piece of ¡ê$?*# asked me anything?! An you can take your congratulation and... - To think you''re so lively even now is comforting you know? But if you want to file questions about the selecting and activating criteria, I believe you will have no more luck than me contacting the Creators. - Why you continue to casually drop bombshell like this when I''m already full on the verge of exploding?! Wait... Do you say this thing believing I will not listen and remember? You son of a microchip... - Where that came from? - Well seeing the pattern on the obelisk coupled to the synthetic-voice, it came naturally... Don''t try to derail the conversation and answer me. - To answer your question the system not only select a free matrix, after searching for pre-set parameters, but also test it''s compatibility with #001, or Imlaren if you want to use the local name. To fail the test you needed only to resist the implanted compulsion and do nothing productive until the end of it. - So you really messed with my mind... What about the Creators part? - ... ... To put is simply I''m "only" #001 manager, I''m in charge of all the new matrixes but I''ve otherwise limited power. I lie dormant until activation and you''re the first that the system selected since the beginning. So when I started the processing I tried to contact the Creators but no answer came. - Let me guess, all te time when you "disappeared" you were trying to contact them? - Yes exactly, I''m supposed to evolve with each external interaction, but having only you as a sample brought unexpected reaction. Like repeatedly trying to contact every single free moment. - Welcome to the anxiety club... I''m inclined to consider us even if I really gave you an imprint of my reaction and emotion... So what I''m supposed to do now? Chapter018 - Now we wait for your avatar''s synchronization with the new environment, meanwhile we can finally do a q&a session. - After three days... Just like that... Breathe in, breathe out... ... - Well normally new matrix''s avatars would have to listen to the lore introduction and should consult each obelisk for instruction. But I believe we exceeded normal parameters by far, so now you can simply ask. - I''m starting to have a migraine, is this even possible with this body? Anyway how much time I have for asking questions? - I think your headache is only psychological originated, you shouldn''t have physical feedback until the end of the synchronization sequence. And you can ask for all the time you want. - Care to explain this "feedback" thing? - When, a few more minutes actually, the sequence will end, you will have again the full control and feedback of your avatar. Obviously complete of the upgrade you obtained until now. - Obviously... Just so I can understand better, what will change from before, and I mean from my original body, from the time in the room and now? - Your original body''s stat and skill are unknown to me the system came in contact with your matrix only after you separated from it, I could only glimpse at the last instant of your original life but not enough data to extrapolate significant results. - Wait a minute! You said I was going to get cremated... did you lie to me? - From the relative time between the end of you original body, the system''s search and the memories of your last will, I estimated the moment your original body would be cremated. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. - Estimated, estimated... How sure you''re of your calculation? - From the data I have a 2.3 second of error. - Sigh... I have no way to check in any way, so lest''s say I believe you, what are the difference I should expect from the white room and now? - I think that thanks to your intuition you will be able to pick the change immediately, but to answer your question in the testing room you were on a slight compulsion to "do something", your avatar grow-rate was doubled and no other basic biological function were activated. - Such as? - Hunger and thirst are the more prominent, the full list I''m not authorized to disclose. And I believe it would be fairly boring. - Yeah, because you worry about my entertainment right?... Will I be free of compulsion now? - Yes, like I said before, no external interference is permitted on the matrix after it pass the test... While it was talking, I was assaulted by a feeling comparable to plunging, my whole body, in ice water after a day under the scorching sun. My skin felt first hot and than cold, no wonder I started shivering like a new-born lamb. - The synchronization seems complete, I think in a few hour you will start to feel all the others change. What you feel now is the feedback from the avatar''s settings to the new atmosphere, gravity ecc. Chapter019 After the strange sensation passed I started to think more clearly and also I felt my senses were more keen, more alive. - So practically speaking the time I have is the time I can go without drinking or eating... I don''t suppose you have a cafeteria down here? - I''m afraid not, no prepackaged meal. After the end of this conversation you will have to look after yourself. - Joy! Sigh... If the clock is running it''s time for an abridged version of the introduction, then maybe I will know what questions is better to ask. - Sure, the lore data was short anyway. - Imlaren is now a peaceful world but in the distant past was once ruled by three great tyrant, Ausas the great sea-serpent ruled all the seas and islands, Ulbilgar the ancient dragon ruled all the western land, Llanfil the immortal witch was empress off all the east. - When finally a hero defeated Ulbilgar the empress tried to cross the sea to take the dragon''s land. Ausas found insulting that that the witch made no offering to him, so the raging sea swallowed Llanfil''s fleet. - From that day no one have seen nor the sea-serpent, nor the empress. The lands and lore today still reflects that division: The Islands; Dagon''s Lands and The Empire. - So there are other sentient creature, and seeing my avatar some must resemble humans... Still dragons, sea monsters and witches... We are not in Kansas anymore eh Toto... If there was still doubts about it... - If the system setting is of a peaceful world, what''s my objective? Don''t misunderstand, I''m not eager to fulfill fantastical quest, but then why? If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. - ... ... I''ve not enough data to answer your question, the system was supposed to engage automatically after a successful test. This coupled with the lack of response of the Creators allowed me to fill in. - Please tell me it''s not a glitched, I''ve had my fair share of those kind of games in my days... Just considering the implication is making me... - Rest assured all the rest of the system is 100% functional, consider this new life free of burden a blessing. For the rest all I can tell you about the four function of your menu, you can learn faster touching each pillar. - Wait, I remember one was locked?
Menu
Avatar StatusMap
Skill listLife''s tree
- Life tree? What the... I''ve a bad feeling...
Life''s tree
Human II (conditions not met)
- Well really useful... No, wait, maybe it means evolving is possible? Still mumbling I walked to the first obelisk and cautiously put my hand on it. A info dump was discharged into my mind, all about the menu and it''s various functions. Well no new information, really I already guessed most of it but a confirmation from the source is always good. The next one was about magic, and if previously I had various doubt in this field now all the data was now memorized and, hopefully, always at my disposal. Like I guessed before MP or mana is the fuel for any magical activity, and while most sentient magical race can manifest an effect from birth and without the need of speaking, most race need time to learn new magic tanks to the help of books or a mentor. Most of the magic''s apprentice still need word to help concentration but with practice it''s not strictly necessary. - So my learning curve was really abnormal... Or this whole external agent it''s the cause... There are no strict magic element branch all it''s considered a pure manifestation of the mage will. And turn out my little barrier experiment only consumes mana if an external force interferes. Also it''s a kind of magic considered lost in the time of tyrants. Chapter020 Touching the third obelisk gave me, just like the first two, all the basic information I needed about it''s subject. In this case the data was about crafting. Sure enough almost all my hypothesis proved to be right. Four similar interaction, each one focused on the same results, leaded to a successful transformation of the material in a crafted item or implementation. - Clearly, just like the magic system, the material, technique, imagination and ability of the craftsmen/woman is fundamental, and influence the final result, sigh... something really never change... The fourth, and last, obelisk dealt with the previous locked menu, Life''s tree. It was the most informative info-dump, being a topic I didn''t know nothing about. - Basically when certain conditions are met the menu will permit an upgrade or a change in the status... I''m correct to think it includes an "evolutionary" jump? Or also a regression? When I absorbed all the information, about all the system''s basics, from the four I inquired the central obelisk. - I''ve not access to more information that the ones you already acquired, but I can confirm your speculations. The system permit a change, meeting the right conditions, in every entry of the menu. - ... ... - Now that you have completed the last phase, there are two more thing I need to give you. - Oh? It''s already christmas? Time sure fly when one in having fun... - No, no such holiday here, the things you''re going to have will help both of us. First your equipped, crafted items... - What about them? I''m fairly attached you know? - Yes, I know, even without your aggressive stance and squinted eyes. Basically your items are made of an materials unknown in this world, so they need to be exchanged with something less suspicious. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! - Obviously it will be a fair exchange I hope. - I don''t think you have nothing to fear in that subject, I never lied and never cheated you. The second thing is a skill the system by default give after the end of this stage. - Ok, ok sorry about the paranoia. So, do I need to take off the armour or you can... As soon as I blinked, looking down an myself, the exchange was already done. All my items were gone, even my spear and knife. - What the... - If you want you can open the menu and confirm the changes. And to quench your doubts check also the items, I will provide the data of the previous ones.
NameRace
AverageHuman I
HPMP
112120
AtkDefDexWis
11+1411+161111
Exp
60/180
Skills
Crafting Exp +10% Intuition I Magic Speech recognition
Skills points: 0
Chapter021
Simple Unknown vambraces => Simple Wrought Iron vambraces
+1 Atk = +1 Atk +3 Def = + 3 Def
Simple Unknown greaves => Simple Wrought Iron greaves
+1 Atk = +1 Atk +3 Def = + 3 Def
Simple Unknown breastplate => Simple Wrought Iron breastplate
+5 Def = + 5 Def +1 Def* = +1 Def**
*Diamond-like carbon coating
**Mana coating
Simple Unknown small shield => Simple Wrought Iron small shield
+3 Def = + 3 Def +1 Def* = +1 Def**
*Diamond-like carbon coating
**Mana coating
Simple Unknown knife => Simple Wrought Iron knife
+5 Atk = + 5 Atk +1 Atk* = +1 Atk**
*Diamond-like carbon coating
**Mana coating
Simple Unknown spear => Simple Wrought Iron spear
+11 Atk = + 11 Atk +1 Atk* = +1 Atk**
*Diamond-like carbon coating
**Mana coating
Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. When I closed the status and skill menu, all this information appeared into view when I looked at my items. - How did you make this kind of information appear? Because I''m sure it''s not my doing. - I told you I would have provided the data, but for you to see detailed information about an item you have to concentrate and study it. This time you already known because you made them. - So just like all the other thing the system requires actual effort to give results... I don''t know how to feel about this strange mix of realism... After reading all the information with my vision finally clear, apart of the four spheres hud, I noticed the sun was rising. - Let''s consider that the East then. Finally seeing a dawn again makes me feel much more happy that I would believe was possible. But morning brought not only a good vibe, it also brought a new pressing matter. If now I had to eat and drink normally again, what should I do now? Sure I remember all the survival information I had read or seen in videos, but many doubts, on their real application here, started to rise together with the sun. - Looking at the dawn facing a seeming endless ocean sure would be more relaxing if only I know something more... - Sorry for not being able to help, what I can extrapolate from the data of the system starting is that this starting island should be uninhabited. The other two should have small structure manned by locals. But from the growth of the land surface of the islands, this information are badly outdated. - Sigh... I''m really on my own... Well I get down from here? Wasting time will not surely help. The exact moment I stopped talking a spiral staircase appeared from a hole in front of the central obelisk. At the same time the light that came from the roof, and the circuit-like pattern on the five obelisk, disappeared and no more response came from the voice either. - Living on my own, my own, my own... I started to go down the lighted stairs trying to not butcher to much the song, and to see if I was still tone deaf like I always was. Chapter022 Descending the stairs was another test for my sanity. For the first thirty minutes, based on how many song I hummed, I was almost happy to discover I also remembered the lyrics of my favourite songs, and maybe I wasn''t so tone-deaf like before. The judgment on the last thing I leave open after third party is involved. But after the initial rush I started to fall in my old pattern of worry and doubts. First of all for how much more I had to go down before exiting this structure, sure I confirmed I was still able to make small quantity of water, but it will not be a joke if the descent was days long. When I had seen this building before from high above, when I was literally falling from the sky, it seemed pretty tall but not like a skyscraper. I found myself worrying that maybe perspective deceived my mind. Apart from the confirmation my memory was really world apart from before, I was accidentally able to see the effect of the "mana coating". When I was feeling thirsty, after five songs, I had created a ball of water and while trying to drink from it I managed to splash it all over my face and chest. It was almost fun, in a way, only that then I remembered the risk of rust for my iron breastplate and hurried to wipe it. Having only a simple tee-shirt and trousers under all the armour I didn''t know what to do. Remembering that the mana coating in the description was a replacement for the dlc treatment, I tried to concentrate my mana on the breastplate. The final result, after some trial, was that this new coating allowed to pour mana in the object. When that happened the mana became a visible light blue film that encased the object. And seeing the hydrophobic effect it had on the splash of water I believe this mana coating protected the item just like the diamond like carbon. Pouring mana in the shield, knife and spear gave the same result. Sure it consumed mp, checking the status revealed it needed 5 points for item, but if made items long lasting and easier to maintain it was worth it. Brooding on all of this information I almost missed the small change in the updraft wind, maybe a chimney effect, that accompanied my descent from the beginning. When at first the air had no smell now I started to smell earth, wood and vegetation. I think I was never so happy to smell open air like I''m now. I started to go down the stair more quickly, and when I started to hear the sound running water even more so. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. When finally the stairs ended I found myself in front of a small and long, almost claustrophobic, passage. But nothing mattered more to me than the light I could see at the end of it. Being careless when I''m to focused, or happy, or in a rush, was always the way trouble found me. And sure as @#%& even this time they didn''t wait to show up. When a loud crashing sound arrived to my ears I was already sprawled on the floor. A heavy arrow, more like a crossbow bolt, lied un top of the breastplate. It was hard to see, having lost it''s mana hue, but it felt like the metal around the center was dented. Starting to think straight again, I hoped I didn''t have a concussion, I started to crouch and put the shield in front of me. Just like I finished a second bolt found my new lifted shield dead center again. The shield also lost it''s coating and when a was about to pour mana into it I stopped... Watching my back I could see only faint light, compared the light coming from end of the tunnel was dazzling. - @#%&, the blue shine of the mana coating gave away my position, didn''t it? And being in a clear line sure didn''t help... While mumbling to myself, I started to concentrate to see if I could locate the attacker. In the meantime I was starting to lose my patience, a voice boomed in the small corridor. - CHI VA LA''?... Penso l''abbiamo preso. Ou! Renditi utile, smetti di tremare e va a vedere cos''era. The voice sounded deep and bossy but the meaning was impossible to understand to me. Did the "Speech recognition" skill fail? But if I had to guess, just like for the item description, I need to hear more of it before understanding. Still to think my first encounter could''ve been my last is really typical of me. With all the eco in this narrow passage I couldn''t use the speech from before to speculate their distance, but now I could hear faint footstep and started counting them. Gripping the knife, my initial fall turned off the mana on it and the spear, thinking that in this close quarter was the better choice, I waited. Still the footstep''s sound was a bit erratic, just like someone who''s unsure of what to do. Time felt dilated from my tension, but I think no more than few minutes passed before a shadow lurked into view. Chapter023 - ... glielo avevo detto... mai che mi credano... non tremare vai avanti... It''s said the fear of the unknown is one of the most primordial, nothing was more true for the few second I couldn''t identify the shadow. The story about dragon and monster served only to fuel my imagination. And the unintelligible muttering didn''t help either. - It''s ok, it''s a dream or a simulation... it''s ok... My escapism was having a field day while I tried, at least, to talk to myself as softly as possible. I was starting to image the most horrific possibility when what came into view smashed all my expectation. If in a good or bad way is still debatable. What appeared, almost in front of me, was an old man. Hairy, hunched and with an unsteady gait like he was trying to walk while crouched. I was hoping, staying as still as possible, to avoid a confrontation and eventually escape. But if this man, with no armour and only a dagger in is trembling hand, was not a warrior maybe I could use another approach. The old man slowly continued it''s advance with an hand on the wall and it''s almost comical, if not for the tense atmosphere, way of moving. I retreated a few steps as silently as possible, covered by the man''s muttering, and placed a trap for him. He seemed way more nervous than me, so I prayed that he didn''t notice the rope-like barrier I created, at ankles height, to trip him. My plan was to make him stagger or fall, creating an opportunity to capture him and talk, so maybe I could see if the speech skill worked in some way. The man had darting eyes, I suppose he didn''t know the tunnel doesn''t have branches or niches, but didn''t see the faintly shimmering rope barrier. His distraction was repaid with a short scream and him kissing the ground. - AAAHHH!!! Well at least the scream didn''t need translation, I suppose. The man was trying to get up when I plunged on his back and tried to immobilize him. Mindful of only weapon I had see on him, I first tried to lock the man''s arms and then I laid the knife on his throat. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. I have to be honest, the old man was far more energetic and strong that I had judged at first sight, even if I was trying to be as gentle as possible in this situation. Especially a kick that landed an my side, while still on the floor, made me almost lose my grip on him. But in the end he calmed down, I think anyone with a blade on is neck would do, understanding the plight he was in. - ... mi arrendo! Mi arrendo! Non uccidermi ti prego! I started to get up from the floor and nudged him to do the same, while still threatening the shivering man. Looking at him better and up close, I finally understood the reason for his strange gait. What I saw relit the flame of my fears. The old man''s feet, that were popping out from the frayed end of his trousers, were just like the paws of a rabbit. The whole time he was walking on his toes, he wasn''t trying to crouch... My reflecting on this absurdity was interrupted by the same bossy voice that followed the attack. - Hey vecchio?!! Sei morto?!! Rispondimi o sai che succede! When the voice''s eco ended the old man, "rabbit-foot man"???, started to tremble even more. Maybe they were asking him what happened, but seeing like they send him to a probable danger, like he was expendable, made me think of a possible way out. - Ssssssh... I gestured my captive to stay quiet for now, and than tried to explain to him to say I wasn''t here that he was ok and all was good. At least I hope the meaning of my hand gesture was transmitted, originally living in a country with plenty of gesturing maybe payed off now. Chapter024 After a few repetition of the same gesture, trying to be as simple as possible, I sharply inclined my head toward the exit to see if the old man understood. - ... Sto bene... sto bene, sono solo caduto vado avanti... vado avanti... - ALLORA MUOVITI! I could only nod at the expectant face of my hostage, if he believed I understood their exchange it''s all in my favour. Then, still pressing my knife on his throat, I lightly tugged him in the opposite direction of his companion. When we finally, trying not to accidentally hurt him while walking was hard, were further away from the exit I stopped. The old man almost tripped, maybe matching my pace was harder with is feet, but my grip on him avoided another fall. He trembled like a leaf for the whole walk, but the stronger contact made the seeming impossible feat of making him shake even more. In the end it was getting so ridiculous that I made him sit on the floor while I squatted in front of him. I thought that maybe sitting would not only calm him down, but also lower his chances to escape. When he settled down I slowly removed the knife from his neck, and made a scene out of putting it away. That seemed to calm down the old man more than my next move of putting my free hands in the air. Well my hand gesture sure isn''t so universal like I like to think. Having confirmed his breathing normalized, as "normal" as this situation can be, and his tremors subsided I put in front of the old man the bolts I collected earlier. Trying to make him understand I was worried about getting attacked again was going to be impossible with the language barrier. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. So I approached the problem in the only way I could think at the moment. Pointing at the bolts I spoke as clearly and calmly as possible... - Bolts. The man watched me with a quizzical expression, so pointed at the various item at hand one at the time while uttering their respective names. - Shield... Breastplate... Greaves... Vambraces... I excluded the weapons to not agitate him again, finally after repeating this production for three time he maybe understood the meaning off the whole thing. He also started to speak slowly while pointing. - Frecce... Scudo... Corazza... Schinieri... Cubitiere... His way of speaking were uncertain but clear and after the fourth time, I urged him to continue to repeat when he was stopping, two windows popped into my view.
Skill''s upgrade condition met
Speech recognition => Speech recognition I
Language''s acquisition condition met
Island''s language learned
This two messages made me happy for the success of the experiment, it seems also the windows were invisible to the old man. But they also made me think that, if I was a translator, I would have flipped the imaginary table at the appearing unfair ability. Notice Hello, everyone! First thing first, thank you for reading and, hopefully, having fun with me. Second I''m following the advice of many, much more thanks to them, to create a version of #001 with much longer chapter. It''s also a kind of overhaul, with some correction, especially the first chapters. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. I will try to post here daily, but the revised version will take longer to update. The link is below, thank you all for your time! http://royalroadl.com/fiction/8062 Chapter025 - Shield... Breastplate... - Wait, stop... Can you understand me now? The sharp intake of air, from my ex-hostage, confirmed that not only I was finally able to understand his language, apparently he also understood me. His reaction to my first sentence was even more strange than the whole speech recognition. - Y-Yes I can understand you now... Y-You just... You just learned the Island''s... He stopped trembling, that was good, but his stare with wide eyes, and mouth hanging open, wasn''t comforting at all. And, as my instinct warned, his next word made my left eyelid twitch. I had always the same reaction toward the most annoying situation, but here it took a new whole magnitude. - Great-grandfather was right... he was right... We always called him crazy... Please, please... I stopped his babbling, I think I jinxed myself thinking of a clich¨¦ "quest" start, gripping the man''s shoulder and shaking him out of his starting speech. - I''m only trying to exit from here, what can you tell me about who shot me? - It wasn''t me! They shot the blue light... It was them! IT''S NOT MY FAULT! - Calm down! I''m not accusing you of anything, I only want to know who are they? Just when I stopped talking, waiting for an answer, the same bossy voice from before interrupted. The worrying thing was that it seemed coming from much closer than the exit. And that was much worse now that I understood their words. - Hey! Oldster! Who are you talking to? Don''t be more useless than you already are, you @#¡ê$%& rabbit! If before I was angry, and honestly also scared, when I listened to the abuse understanding it''s meaning... I think it flipped a switch. Also the man trembling restarted, and that fueled my growing emotion even more. But I also had experiences with people like that, and, generally, taking action based on little information or raw emotion don''t end well. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. So I strengthened my hold on the scared man, and whispered almost into his ear. - What''s your name? Listen... Help me, and I will try to help you... do you want to run from them? If my gut feeling was right, and after trying to analize the situation, we could run from them if they really are slowed due to fearing something lurking in here. The only way out was the roof if someway we could climb down... But the next thing that happened shattered all my forming plans, just like lately was happening far too often. It also froze me up for the few seconds that made a very important difference for all my future. What happened was that, when the old man was starting to open his mouth to answer me, a bolt struck him. I don''t want to describe what ensued after in my head, even if I considered myself slightly seasoned I had never watched a dying man''s eyes. Even believing that there''s no one perfectly innocent... even not believing in the whole good and bad sides... even than killing, especially a scared, unarmed, not dangerous person was... was... What awaken me from my stupor was a bolt of the same kind, probably shot by the same @#$% from before. This time it hit my flank, and like before the impact made me fall a few step back on the ground. What differed from the first hit, was that the breastplate was not layered with mana, and so the bolt penetrated for half is lenght before stopping. I think I passed out after being hit, because when I opened my eyes two people were in front of me, cautiously watching me while pointing their weapons at my vitals. Their point surely was clear. Chapter026 The two figures that appeared were clearly more wary of something else than me, the way the looked around was like that of someone waiting for trouble to appear. Meanwhile the pain from the bolt, still planted in my side, started becoming unbearable. Also the fact that I was only able to wheeze didn''t promise a good development. The taller one was also the bulkiest, he had a big sword strapped to his side and wore a thick leather armour. His mean looking face was adorned by a big scar on his right cheek. The strangest thing, of all of his attire, were the scale-mail gauntlet with sharp looking claws. Then, while still struggling to breathe, I realized they weren''t gauntlet, not in the literal meaning of it. They were flesh and blood, he had the hands of a reptile but with opposing thumbs. I could''ve been far more shocked, if I didn''t see before the strange rabbit- like feet of the corpse laid next to me. The other man was even more disquieting, even without the crossbow that he pointed at me. Built leaner than his companion, he was also shorter. He wore the same kind of leather armour with the addition of a fur quiver on his side. When he stopped looking around, and stared at me, I noticed that his eyes were disproportionate for the rest of his face. Also the plumage mixed in his hair, especially around his ears, completed the ensemble. After a while the two visibly relaxed, and started talking between themselves. - So there isn''t really someone else. Better this way I suppose. - I told you he was alone. Like an idiot... To think he was able to arrive before us... - Well now he sure is regretting his decision. Let''s see what we have here. The bigger of the two gripped, with his claws, my breastplate and lifted me with only one arm. That told much about his sheer strength. When my feet leaved the ground and I started hitting his arm with my right, my left was too painful to even lift, I felt like hitting a bucket of golf''s ball. The scales where not only for show, they were like metal. Ignoring my feeble attempts to free myself, he studied me like a cat with a mouse. After some time a frown started to form on his face, and it deepened the more time he passed examining me. In the end he even gripped my hair to forcibly move my head around. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. I think I never saw a person change expression so fast like he did in a slit of second. From the smug one at he beginning, then frowning and finally a shocked one, with wide open eyes and paled skin. What he did next was even more absurd. He opened his grip on my armour just as fast as if the metal was red hot, and I fell like a dead weight on the ground, causing a new wave of pain from the wound to course through my body. What was surprising was the speed with which he turned around and tried gripping his shorter friend. I say tried because, even if to me his fluid motion already seemed a blur, his companion evaded and took some distance from him. - Why you didn''t tell me he was an imperial @#%&¡ê! And don''t tell me you weren''t able to see him well! @#%& you know what they say about them, "where there is one there is a legion nearby"! - Calm down, we can still salvage this... - And how we are supposed to tell the chief... @#%& I knew you hated the @#¡ê$%& purist for what they did, but to kill one here... - Calm down, we will tell the old rabbit panicked and did a number on him stabbing the imperial to death, then we had to shot him down. - You planned this from the start, don''t you?... Fine we will do it your way... But you will have to do it yourself. As soon as the scaled one stopped talking the crossbowman grinned and came closer to me. He took the dagger from the old man''s corpse and grinned even more. What followed make me shudder even now. He first put a feet an my chest and pulled out, with a sharp tug, the bolt that sprouted from my left side. That was already plenty painful to make me stop wheezing, but he followed up by repeatedly stabbing the open wound with the dagger. At that moment I think I passed out from the sheer maddening sensation. When I regained consciousness I heard more voices, someone was shouting but the sound felt different from before, just like we were in an open space. Chapter027 When I opened my eyes I saw my hunch was right, we were outside of the structure where I landed before. I was propped against the sloping wall of the building, and looking at myself I discovered I was naked from the waist up. The position I was helped me breathing a little easier, but every breath was painful. Also all my equipment disappeared. After starting looking around for it, and to understand better what was happening, I finally saw all my items in a heap at the feet of a gigantic man. He had the same kind of hands of the one who lifted and dropped me, only he was far more taller and muscular. Even if he looked older it was clear he was the one in charge. In fact all the people in the surrounding, there were at least a dozen more armed men and women nearby, had a deferent attitude when talking to him. Well, more than talking they seemed all heated up discussing something about me, judging from all the pointing, and the two men I encountered in the tunnel. Sometimes the discussion was at the limit of screaming, and at first sight it appeared almost everyone was against the duo. A jolt of pain finally awoke me completely, and my muddled senses returned to a more normal state. Keeping listening to the various conversation I tried to think of a way to escape but before that I checked my status.
NameRace
AverageHuman I
HPMP
20/112120
AtkDefDexWis
11111111
Exp
60/180
Looking at my meager remaining hp convinced me that the only real solution was to wait and see. If I was almost killed before, against the two that looked the younger of this group, than it was useless trying escaping much more tough looking customer. All armed and dressed in leather armour, with few metal bits there and there, to boot. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. They all had, men and women both, some quirky body part. But, even in all that strangeness, a scheme was clear. The majority of them had hands or feet, or both, resembling an animal varying from mammals to reptiles or even insects. A smaller portion had mutated facial features, but they were a minority of the group and all of them were armed with ranged weapons. After listening to their bickering for a while finally I understood, or guessed to be more honest, what was happening and why I was in this condition. The gigantic man''s name was Cawic and he was the chief of this little mercenary group. Various component were appealing to him to punish the two younger member who disobeyed orders, and infiltrated in the building ahead of everyone else. It seemed that they were stationed in one of the nearby island, when they saw the light from the old structure. They embarked on various boats and came here. The two, who I had the displeasure to meet, were faster than anyone thanks to their ferryman being a local, expert old man. I supposed they where talking about the old man that died in front of me, the thought only was enough to make me mad again. What happened after they entered I figured out already. But what happened after I passed out was news to me, and also a piece of information I was interested in. It seems shortly after I was out for the count, the other mercenary arrived and started questioning about what happened there. Some scouted but found nothing apart from the stairs leading on an empty roof, then they dragged me, and the man''s corpse, out of the building. They said that when the last of their people exited the wall closed behind them, returning a seamless mass of stone, like it was for time immemorial apparently. But what made me even more angry than before, was the way the two young mercenaries were trying to lie their way out of predicament. Following what the smaller one''s made-up story, they were telling everyone that the old man had gone mad from the fear, and attacked me when they first saw me in the corridor. Also they had the gall to reclaim my equipment, that was their only profit from this expedition, just like I was already dead. Soon after I understood why they considered my fate sealed, and why the bigger man of the duo was so disturbed when he saw I was 100% human. It seems there was much I needed to learn about this world, much more than the few information the voice had on the current state of affairs. Chapter028 The looks that the group gave me varied between indifferent quick glances, and scowls full of hate and disgust. Apparently this world, Imlaren, wasn''t so peaceful as the voice depicted it to me. Listening to them I learned that the human''s governed land, known as Empire, occupied almost all the eastern continent. Maybe this Empire was founded on the ashes of the disappeared ancient witch''s land, this point wasn''t clear. On the contrary, what was crystal clear, was the fact that this imperials were pretty xenophobic against everyone who displayed the "curse". The mercenary called it a gift, and I found myself agreeing with them. This gift, or curse, was the unusual, animal-like, mutation that appeared at birth on the limbs of half of the world''s population. It wasn''t so random as at first I believed, listening to them it seems this changes were hereditary. like father, like son and so on and on. It seemed the imperials also believed so, because they builded a boundary around their lands, and fiercely defended them from anyone who wasn''t "pure" human. Skirmishes between imperials and gifted were frequent, and the first one overcome the power difference thanks to sheer numbers. I suspected, from the way they talked about this clashes, the Empire''s soldier used more nefarious tactic to have the upper hand. When I was immersed in my information gathering the various discussion ended, thanks to an order of the chief, Cawic. Well it sounded more like a roar than a command. - SILENCE!... I''ve heard enough of your petty squabble. Everything recovered from here will be sold, usual shares. You two will be punished later for this bravado. - But... Uncle... - ENOUGH! My brother, your father, didn''t raise you to be an idiot! So the chief and one of my attacker, the bigger one, were family. That explained the similar "gift" and a certain resemblance. Then the moment I dreaded the most arrived when one of the older mercenary posed a question. - What we will do about the captive? I think I held my breath for all the time Cawic seemed judging me, looking from head to toe, and the situation in general. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. - We can''t leave witnesses, if he isn''t alone and an imperial legion find us... Weight him down and take him fishing on the trench. Nobody will find his body down there. - WAIT! I''m not... I didn''t have time to end my defence, if I ever had a chance at it, because the closest man kicked my head. In the last second of consciousness, before going for a trip into dreamland, I was only able to hear the chief''s voice. - Let''s move! We already lost to much time and we need to report... Maybe I should''ve spoken before to defend myself, but old habits die hard, and I was always waiting for the right occasion to speak even before all this mess. Anyway when I awoke, from my trauma induced sleep, I was already sinking in the ocean, trow from a boat I suppose. I was tied down, with a big rock at my feet that was making my descent far from comfortable. When I was a kid I really liked immersions, and I was able to hold my breath long enough to have fun and explore. In that times I often marveled on what going in the deepest part of the ocean would feel. Well this descent was fulfilling my child''s dream, in the most horrifying way possible. Not only my wound was pounding again, but also the increasing pressure was haunting me. When the last bubble of air escaped my lips, and my thoughts started to blur, a series of windows appeared.
WARNING
Approaching restricted Area
HP 0/112
60 Exp lost Readying new Avatar 30 sec until Matrix transfer
WARNING
Entering restricted Area System connection lost
I remember thinking that without the menu, that flickered out my view after the last message, the depths of this trench were as dark as ink. Chapter029 - Sniff... Sniff... Sniff... Mmmmmm... Pancakes... ... Pancakes??? What the @#%&?! I sat up on the couch, where I was sleeping just a moment before, and started frantically to look around trying to understand where I was. The room were I found myself was like a normal living-room, the couch was in front of a coffee table and a giant screen on the wall. In a corner some stairs hinted of a upper floor, a window on my left opened on a green meadow, and on my right a door opened on what I supposed was the kitchen. - Ha! I win, I told you smell was far more primeval than sound! - Ok, ok, it''s my loss, but if you didn''t put the pancakes under his nose... and how he''s supposed to ear the frying from there... it''s cheating... - What was that? - Nothing darling, nothing. I''ve lost, next century on me. - Good. Now let''s greet our guest before... See you scared him. What greeted me after I regained my bearings, I remembered clearly the last messages about dying in that dark abyss, were the gorgeous smell of breakfast and the banter of two people. The way the talked seemed like an old couple, and, when they exited from the kitchen''s door, their gestures toward each other where pretty self explanatory of their relationship. I think I stared with wide eyes a tad too much, hence the comment about being scared, but I think almost everyone would have had the same reaction. Both were young, maybe 25 years, and with the physique and face worthy of a fashion magazine''s cover. Each were carrying a tray loaded with origin of the smell that woke me up. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. The young woman had the complexion, and was dressed, like Bollywood star. - An extremely beautiful one... @#$% did I just said that out loud? The woman made a dazzling smile, while the man, who seemed of nord european descent, put down the tray and gripped my shoulder. His hand was like a vice and, even if he was smiling, the grip''s strenght was a clear message for backing off. - Don''t let him intimidate you, he''s only a little jealous... if you only knew all the trouble he caused me... Well let''s eat before they get cold! I was almost sweapt into the flow, everything was so natural and I found I was really hungry, but I tried to focus. - Do you mind telling me who are you and were am I? You know, before we share a meal like old friends... The young man''s head snapped and he seemed to want to kill me with his stare, he would have been more menacing if he wasn''t eating his share of pancakes like a child. - I suppose you''re right, ''Sas let''s go you can eat later. One moment I was seated on a couch of a normal looking house, the next we were into a meeting room seated around a table, with a spectacular skyscraper-like window view. The transition was so fast that It leaved me staring blankly at the room. - See? Your jokes confounded him, we could have stayed there while eating... - This room give an air much more suitable for business talks, don''t you also think so Average? I twitched at the mention of my "name", and answered the woman''s question with one of my own. - What do you mean by business? Chapter030 - First our introduction, I''m Llanfil and he''s my husband, Ausas. It''s a pleasure to meet you. I mechanically shook their offered hands, my work''s habit kicked in smoothly, just like that was a normal meeting. - For your second question, about our location, I suppose a more broad explanation is needed first. ''Sas, honey, if you please? She got up from her seat and suddenly the sari she was wearing was replaced by a sleek suit. Also a screen appeared in mid-air maybe hinting to a presentation''s beginning. And sure I wasn''t disappointed by it''s content. The screen displayed an image of a huge star and a lonely planet in its orbit, and far away, proportion were difficult to judge, an almost perfect circle of debris surrounded the system. - This is a representation of the star system we''re now. As you can see there''s a huge asteroid belt that surround it, that''s the starting point. From there all the avatar, that obtain a tested matrix, are shipped here. - That was your space trip. - Thanks love. Like he said, what you perceived was your avatar''s shipping trip to this planet. During that time you already saw a great portion of the surface, here you can see the rest. The screen zoomed on the planet''s image and, when it started slowly to spin, I was able to see the hidden face and the rest of the landmasses and oceans. Then the image stopped on a portion of the ocean and started to zoom on a group of island in the middle of it. - That''s the broad part, now, to be more precise, the bigger island is where you landed. As you noticed the "Temple of the Beginnings" is placed at its center, the temple is the welcoming structure for all the avatars. It''s supposed to house a guardian that should brief the participants on their situation. But, as you saw, it''s not what happened to you. The image changed again, that time it was a 3d representation of an ocean''s depths. An irregular shaped trench opened in the sea bed. - After your encounter with the locals, I really hope you don''t judge all of them by the action of that few, you started the descent in this abyss. That''s where we found your avatar, Ausas was swimming when he sensed a presence, we took you in our home even if it meant severing the connection to the system. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. - You''re obviously free to believe it or not, and I think you will eventually found the next information even harder to believe, but we can''t lie. I was almost happy to finally found some people willing to explain, but many more doubts were budding because of them. And when I tried asking more question she interrupted me. - I know you want to ask many questions, but please wait until the end. I hope many will be answered during my explanation, and like this it''s far more efficient. - Normally when an avatar die the matrix is recycled into a copy of the same avatar, but that happens only inside the system domain. You managed to die outside of it, because your "little" immersion took you inside our place. That''s were we are now Ausas original home, well now we live here together so it''s also my place. - Then, to finally answer the meaning of the business part, when we took your body we discovered your matrix was still inside, and functional albeit unconscious. You aren''t the first one to be trow into this trench, or the first intact mind, what differentiate you is the fact that your matrix is from outside this system. A thing that we believed impossible or at least improbable. We are still ecstatic for the discovery, but the joy made us blind to our blunder. To further analize, and trying to repair your avatar, we gained access to your memories. We believe the fact that you were believing yourself dead, and the indexing already done to the data, thinned the barrier that should have prevented that breach. We gained an unbelievable amount of new information, everything you ever knew, but when we absorbed the cultural and emotional part we found out the offence we made. Chapter031 I stared at the two beings in front of me, looking between their faces, and I began considering all the new information. A migraine was starting to rise but that, together with being unconscious or lost, was becoming an habit. When I started massaging my temples Llanfil started her speech again. - Like the avatar''s manager told you, your presence here started a domino effect. We, and I mean all the remaining functional managers, are the fastest and first to change. The spark of the change are your memories, thousands of years of evolutionary information, even not considering all the additional data from your "information age". When we came in contact with that sheer amount we lost ourselves. That was our crime, when we understood how rude, to say the least, we were to analize all your memories. But, for you to better understand, I''m going to take a step back and explain better. Ausas clicked a finger and the images on the screen disappeared, replaced by a pure black sphere. I couldn''t tell if the image was static or was rotating, the black seemed so "dense" that it absorbed even light. - From this point on most of the things we will talk about are theories and assumption, especially the information about the true beginning. The black ball you see here is what this star system was before all of this begun, that''s what we believe anyway. From small track left we theorized the presence of one, ore maybe more, external entity that changed and shaped everything. We don''t know the exact sequence, or the reason, that brought the system to life, but we know that when we came into existence we were fully functional and with a precise objective. The first was the Admin, it constructed the foundation of the system, we believe it''s lying dormant into the sun. Next were we three, Ulbilgar in charge of atmosphere creation and management, Ausas created the oceans and seas and finally me who was in charge of lifeforms. The others, like the avatar''s manager, existed but were not active until certain circumstances arose. Each one of us where given a precise time frame to complete our objective, and a base of operation that was also an immense power source, but... Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Ausas snorted loudly making me look at him, until then I was listening intently to the story, that perfectly matched the display. Also the unholy glare Llanfil gave him for interrupting was terrifying. - Cough... But after completing our respective roles we remained active, we believe we were never meant to be leaved like that. Because the lack of a whatsoever goal started to change our supposedly unchanging nature. And while some of us created avatar to explore and learn, other decided to shut-down themselves. Until now we had many of this puzzle''s pieces misplaced or we didn''t even understood their existence, but with your perspective we are able to complete some theories. For example I think you noticed my terminology, that''s because the full system closely resemble a "game" of your people. This kind of thinking will make us program, but "cogito ergo sum" so... My greatest sorrow it''s the fact Ulbilgar is''t here anymore to see all of this... - So, just to wrap my head around it, this game like reality it''s the fruit of a "Greater God" who turned the switch and then leaved? Leaving all the creation software open and running? And, following what said the voice that welcomed me here, leaving on a program to search for a suitable candidate to play? A search based on hell only know what parameters, that''s it? - Oversimplifying yes, that''s all. We believe, based on the results, that the search was set to find the most average-representative of a specific culture. Maybe the delay in producing results was due to the fast paced and ever changing nature of your people''s culture. Also I''m afraid you will not encounter anyone like you, the manger for the search section shut down after finding you. We don''t think it''s a coincidence, but if really the search was created "disposable" that explain more nuances we were unable to see before. Now with your data we can say that the set-up, who''s fault is is is debatable, and the system as a whole, have a very hurried feeling to it. The name itself is an hint, sure the rest of the names are all generated locally, who would call a whole world "#001" Chapter032 - So not only it took and leaved, it also did a sloppy job to start with?... Why do I have a sudden urge to find it and... Sigh, sorry, my headache talking... - Don''t worry about it, we can understand your feeling. That take me to another point of our discussion, I already told you we owe you for all the info we took, but what I want you to understand is the importance of the change they caused. - So you are not surprised, and frankly paranoid, about our reparation''s gift. - Yes, like ''Sas said we fear our remuneration will scare you into thinking of a ruse. Like I said after completing our respective directive we were in a limbo, our power kept us alive but with nothing to do. The first to break this stalemate was Ulbilgar, his avatar was a giant blue dragon that he used to check is work, flying around. When he ended his part of the project he continued to fly, but free of any destination and started touring all the planet. After few millennia he got tired of it, and changed is avatar to walk among my creations. Again he grew bored, after a while, and choose to hibernate until something new appeared. His disappearance from the skies made quite an impact on the growing cultures that were starting to develop from the various groups of sentient creatures. Especially the greed and power-hungry started to move to see how to benefit from the situation. A selected group of various people was able to find the base of Ulbilgar, we still don''t know how, and destroy it. That caused the obliteration of the mountain the base was on, together with our friend and his killers. - Wait... He died? But... - Yes, that day we lost something irreplaceable, but the shock from the loss awoke a kind of instinct inside the remaining of us. Until then we had learned from watching all the life forms, especially the sentient ones, and when we started to feel our mortality... We did things... Stolen story; please report. - ''Fil... I watched the exchange of looks between them, Llanfil''s grimacing face was full of untold pain, while Ausas was worryingly watching her. - I''m okay, sorry... The consequence of our actions resulted in an all out war... In the end I chose to flee here, after destroying my power source, Ausas home was the most safe after all. This story changed with the passing of time, like it always happens, until it became part of the lore of this world. "Dragons Witches Sea-Monsters" It all became a fairy tail. Anyway, after Ausas welcomed me here we were active only when some new information literally falled into our heads, the rest of the time we hibernated. Thinking back I don''t know if that life was really preferable to being dead. But then you came. What we obtained from you were not only the proof that our origin had meaning, but also gave an insane amount of new way of thinking to explore. And let me tell you that for us, after all this time, it''s something without price. Even the home from before and this place are new to us, created through your memories. - I can understand solitude and boredom, believe me, and I can relate with you. Only imagining so much time with nothing new... But I must warn you of my world''s dangers, somethings are better left alone... When I was talking they glanced at each other and than at me, that was the first time they smiled, well Ausas was grinning more than smiling. - What? - Nothing... It''s only that you''re starting to accept us and this world as real, we weren''t sure you of the emotion all the story would made you develop. We can predict a great deal of possible futures, but predicting the outcome of emotions... I froze-up, were they right? Was I starting to think of this whole mess as a plausible reality? My internal turmoil was cut short by her next word. Chapter033 - Obviously you need time to reflect about all of this, but talking about time take us back to the gift Ausas and me want to give you. The room around us three changed again, in a blink of an eye, when the blond man rose and stood next to Llanfil. From a modern, glass walled, meeting room everything shifted to a more fantasy location. The gigantic round room, surrounded by enormous columns of blue light, gave me the feeling of being inside a temple of some kind. Looking better I realized that what formed the seamless half sphere, that formed the ceiling and wall, wasn''t a solid material, it was water. The change the couple in front of me went through was astonishing, on par with the fact we were in a giant underwater sanctum. Ausas went from the look of a nordic young man, casually dressed, to the appearance of a mid aged, bearded, "barbarian king". Fur-lined trousers and mantle, iron crown and a huge pronged spear ensemble gave him that kind of "vibe". Llanfil underwent a similar shift. If the first time I saw I found her beautiful, in that new form she was even more dazzling. Just like before she wore a colorful sari, but seeming far more rich of detailed, gold threaded, embroidery. She retained her youthful external appearance, but her eyes, full of a mix of emotion, that made her look far more mature. The two of them together, dissimilar but also strangely matched, were imposing like being in the presence of real leaders. - Our gift to you is something even we don''t have anymore, we give you a choice. You can decide to stay here, in our home, in a ever changing place, where we can create everything we want. Or you can go outside, into the world, to see and feel new things. Any of the road you will take have our blessing. We can''t leave this place so we will not be with you if you choose to leave, but we will make sure to give you all the help we can. You can take all the time you want to resolve yourself we will be happy to have you as a guest. I had to admit I was at loss of words, but even with my growing confusion I was sure of one thing. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. - I thank you for your gift, and your words, but I want more details if I have to take an informed decision. Also I understand the importance of this decision, even without the whole super serious set, and I will think about it carefully, but I don''t think I will be able to bear all this pressure. Sure here, I finally understand better your standing, but a more simple setting will help me. As soon as I ended talking a huge serpentine form appeared into the water outside the room. As it came closer the real proportion, and features, of the sea monster appeared clear. Even if the room was big like a stadium the creature was able to coil around it. The only solace was that it seemed that the monster could not enter inside. I continued to stare at the huge sea serpent. It resembled more an oriental dragon, covered in bone plates and protrusion, than any other creature I ever saw. Then a giggle, and a loud laugh, interrupted my fearful study. - Your face just now was priceless! The merry of Ausas was cut short by an elbow that doubled him over, said elbow was Llanfil''s. She sure was merciless. - Sorry for the interruption, I should''ve known better, what you see here is the first avatar of my foolish half. He always grow playful when he''s ignored. I''m sorry if he startled you, but he''s here to rest and recharge. I share your idea of changing to a more comfortable surrounding. When Ausas stopped coughing and composed himself, the blow was really stronger than I first thought, the room transformed again. We returned in the first stage, steaming pancakes included. The normal room was hopefully going to be far more relaxing for another discussion. But first, even with all my will, I couldn''t resist to partake in the breakfast they were already vigorously attacking. I must admit eating after so much time had a very calming effect on me, the fact that the food was heavenly helped though. When all of us finished I started to ask the questions that were bugging me. Chapter034 - Thanks for the breakfast, as godly as I expected from the smell that woke me from the dead. Jokes a part, you said that my choice to leave is something you don''t have, but what about the giant sea serpent outside? - The first avatar of Ausas is different from this humans one, he can swim freely in the system''s oceans, but it also have to periodically return here to "recharge". So practically he''s also bound here with us, as he can''t risk going to far. We, on the other hand, can''t leave this space. I would disappear without constant contact with a power source, and ''Sas must stay here to regulate the structure as its master. - And in here he can freely "create" everything he want? A real gilded cage... - There are some restriction, obviously, but yes our home can become almost everything. Llanfil tone of voice was normal, but her smile seemed forced, maybe it was better to not refer to their home as a cage... - What can you tell me about the outside? I mean, if sometimes you found information about the general outline of things. If I really choose to leave I want at least to know the place to avoid. - I''m sorry to say our information are to few, fragmentary and old, to give you a reliable picture of the state of things. Also if you decide to go it''s our belief that''s fairy better to explore by yourself. - ... Can I point to you that I arrived here on the verge of dying? Exploring can be fun, I agree with that, but for now I want only a safe, quiet, place possibly while not being used like a target. Ausas, that until then was slouched on the couch, cut in our conversation. The face of pure bliss he had after he finished eating was now more like a smiling cheshire cat. - Don''t worry about safety, we have that part covered. - What do you mean? Llanfif answered my question while staring at the grinning man beside her. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. - Well he mean that if you leave, as a gift, we intend to first help you grow a little. Some serious training can do a huge difference in dangerous situation. This topic is also linked to the a thing you need to know before going outside. - Wait you sound like I''ve already decided. - Didn''t you? - ... The fact that they seemed to know exactly my thinking was really starting to get under my skin. The worst part was that they were absolutely right, I was really going to leave that "fake" heaven. - So, if you go outside we predicted three possible scenarios. First, if the system didn''t had the time to flag you as dead, the avatar we are restoring will remain alive, and you will have to swim to the surface. If otherwise for the system you''re already dead, when you will reconnect to it, your avatar will be shut-down and your matrix will return to the starting point. In the last case the system have two option, it can give you a copy of your this body, or a copy of the body that you will have coming out from here. In any case rest assured your matrix will always be left untouched. - And I suppose an avatar trained here by you is going to be much better? At my, almost rhetorical, question answered only the laugh of Ausas, followed by his words. - Yes, that''s going to be fun! The grin plastered on his face wasn''t reassuring, but I supposed that even in the worst of the hypothesis, at least my knowledge was going to stay with me. Also I hoped learning under two "gods" was as fascinating as it sounded. Never in my life I was so right, but also wrong, about my decision. Because turned out that, other than the physical aspect of the place, they could change the time perception in the room. So the "little serious training" promised at the beginning, revealed to be the most excruciating years of my life. Chapter035 Before we began training I told them my concern about the pain caused by the increased stats, they already saw that through my memories, but they shocked me again. We returned in the "temple" room and one of the light pillar dimmed enough to show it''s content. A male body was suspended, floating, inside of it. - This is the your avatar that we are repairing, hoping the system will accept it back, your actual body is an extension of it. A dummy if you want to consider it like that. So while your matrix will, hopefully, absorb the skill we will teach you, in this body you will only feel a shadow of the pain transmitted to the original. In fact the real objective of the training is to teach your mind more than your body. Also your time perception will be vastly altered to give us time to cover all the fields you will decide to train in. Llanfil''s word reassured me a little, but the part about mental training was worrying. The training began in the most standard way, they taught me a routine that was a balanced mix of cardio, strength and flexibility enhancement. They instructed me about it together, but while Ausas was more prominent about strength techniques, Llanfil took charge of the other schedule''s parts. Even with my enhanced memory completing all the exercises without mistake took months, and even than every morning we repeated a set to keep all the sequences clear and error-free. To be honest at the beginning I thought the training was going to be a dull but necessary evil, but I was surprised when I discovered myself having fun talking with them during the easy part. And more the exercise become a second nature, more time we could chat about everything we wanted. I talked about my world and the various nuances that weren''t so easily transmitted by memories alone, and they told me about the beginning of this world and the more subtle differences to be wary about. All this time together created a sort of bond, we weren''t exactly friend but my starting mistrust started melting away. The fact that they understood, as fellow lonely spirit, my idea of personal space, was a deciding factor for acquiring my trust. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. But all of this shattered when the various skill training began, sure the routine session in the early morning were still fun, but they were equally merciless during the following lessons. Llanfil instructed me about magic, spear and hand to hand combat. If at first I found her training-wear clad form beautiful, later on I was more busy trying to stay alive that the time to think about that was non-existent. Her magic''s theory lessons were interesting, especially the one about barriers, but the practical ones with spear and unharmed were brutal. She confirmed, later on, that a part of the training itself was to resist the temptation and don''t being distracted in any case. Well my survival instinct sure received the lesson loud and clear. Llanfil magic mastery was monstrous, but her ability with close combat even more so. Ausas was in charge of teaching me archery and a mix of two handed and one handed weapons. Well he almost always used a great-axe or two big kukri like knives. He took delight in pushing my buttons, just like a certain gunnery sergeant, but after he never told me if he did it to make me able to resist provocation and keep calm, or if it was only for his own fun. Anyway, after three years of almost ceaseless, we took few "vacation" inbetween, training they told that my avatar was finally ready. The lack of connection to the system made impossible seeing my progress, and they were adamant in telling me only that I was doing very well. They also told me that outside of there only thirty days had passed, talk about time compression. So, after a little party, we said our farewell. I never said to them I had an idea on how keeping in touch, better not raise their hopes in vain. Stepping out of the dome that was my home for the last years, and house of two extraordinary people, took me again in the depth of the ocean. And instantly I was assaulted by a series of system''s windows. Chapter036 While I was trying to swim to the surface the hailstorm of messages continued, the speed which they appeared were too fast for me to read, but the last two were the confirmation of the worst scenario''s beginning.
WARNING
Synchronization complete Avatar last state recovered
HP 0/112
60 Exp lost Readying new Avatar 30 sec until Matrix transfer
After I saw the windows contents I felt suddenly heavy like lead and unable to move, and after the thirty seconds passed I lost consciousness. But unlike all the time I passed out during training or when I was wounded years ago, more than the inpenetrable darkness I expected, I felt more like being blinded by a bright light. When I was finally able to refocus my vision, after blinking an stroking my eyelids, I found the hud''s four spheres were again in the corner of my view. Also I was, apparently, again on the lighted roof of the structure were I landed at first. The obelisk were nowhere in sight, but hole that hid the stairway down opened after a couple of seconds the light shut down. The "sun" was at his zenit, so I supposed that, minding the time when I leaved Llanfil and Ausas home, no more than few hours could have passed between my death and resurrection. Sure, maybe days could have passed, but I felt strangely convinced about the contrary. I started descending the stairs while sighing, a quick check of my stats and skill confirmed nothing I learned and gained during the last years was transferred to this body. I still had my memories and understood what was needed to regain what was lost, but even considering this an occasion to exploit it was still an almost complete reset.
NameRace
AverageHuman I
HPMP
112120
AtkDefDexWis
11111111
Exp
0/180
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
Skills
Crafting Exp +10% Intuition I Magic Speech recognition I
Skills points: 0
- Better think it could be worse, sigh... When I started walking the narrow passage, that traversed the structure, I remembered what happened there the first time and I still had hard feeling about it. That poor old man died and I was stabbed without even a piece of explanation. If before the outside seemed like a overgrow forest when I saw it that second time the surrounding were drastically changed. While the clearing in front of the exit, where the mercenaries decided to drown me discussed, was unchanged the rest of the space was filled with man made structures. The trees and underbrush were replaced by trenches, wooden palisades and huts. It all resembled vaguely a roman encampment and, just like my memory suggested, it seemed as efficient as it was supposed to be. In fact I barely took a step outside, while the wall closed behind me, that an high pitched sound stunned me and I found myself enveloped in trowing net. Better than being pierced by crossbow bolt but it still knocked me back against the building. The nets where weighted so I was again unable to move from my prone position. Wriggling and brute strength were uneffective and I knew that actually the more I moved the worse the situation became. So I tried to found a comfortable position and waited. - I''m really starting to think that this world hates me much more that the one I was on before... Chapter037 After few seconds a squad of armored soldier, they were too uniformly equipped and organized to be mercenary, marched from the encampment. Other soldiers were coming from behind the building, judging from the sound of heavy steps, I was completely surrounded. The squad in front of me stopped after they were a few meters from me, and when I tried turning my head I saw the other two also stopped at the same distance. With the structure at my back I had no chance to escape, also all the soldier seemed pretty mean customer. Every squad seemed composed of a dozen fighter, all equally protected by a full plate armour and big rectangular shield. For every squad I counter four spears, two crossbows, three big flanged maces and three longswords. While the shooters had their shields on their back, the spearmen formed a line of defence a few paces forward. I couldn''t see their expression thanks to the helmet''s visor they all had, but the tension in the air was palpable. I stared at them and waited, their timing was to well coordinated to be a coincidence. Adding in the new fortification that appeared in front of the clearing, the only explanation that I could make was that they were waiting for me. Maybe I was wrong and this was another building, not the first one, or maybe the mercenaries that I encountered really reported to some kind of military organization. The staring contest between me and the soldier continued until a new person exited the camp, from his demeanor and the fact he mouted on some kind of huge crocodile he seemed like an officer. He wore an armour similar to the soldier''s one, albeit with few golden inlay, and was armed with a mace that resembled more a scepter than a solid weapon. The reptilian mount was impressive, not only the long row of fangs, shorter than an horse but I was betting it was an hell of a war potential. The scaly hide seemed pretty tough, coupled with the claws and long and flat tail it was a natural weapon. When the official dismounted and came closer he started to stare at me, more like he was assessing my danger factor than really looking at me. Also he seemed taken back when he saw the same calculating look into my eyes. His orders leaved little doubts to the fact he believed I was, even unarmed and wearing only simple fabric shirt and pants, dangerous. Or maybe he really wanted to capture me, who could tell? Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. - What are you waiting for? I already told you what to do! Cuff him and take him to the jail! And don''t rough him up too much, if he die you will follow him! Well that surprised me, he was willing to threaten his own man for my safety, even if the part about rough handling was worrying. So I assumed I had to have my best behaviour, at least for now. All the spearmen came closer and used their spears to pin down the already heavy nets to the ground, four swordmen gripped one of my limb each and cuffed me. When they checked that the restrain were effectively clamped, they finally freed me from the nets. Judging from they relieved gestures maybe they expected some kind of resistance. When I was upright again, even if weighted by the cuffs and chains, the official mounted on his steed and made way for the formation of soldier that "escorted" me toward their encampment. With the shields up they surrounded me and used the spears to trap me and also guide me forward. With my current weak status I could only follow them, but if I was right, and they captured me alive for information purposes, I could gain a relative safe place to start. We, meaning Ausas, Llanfil and me, had considered various scenarios and hatched few plans for any of the most probable ones. This situation sure wasn''t nice, but the last years of training changed a little my previous life''s way of thinking, if previously what was lost was lost forever, here I could use even death like an occasion improve. I couldn''t help but to grin at the idea of all the possibilities. From the reaction of the soldier that were closely watching me, a slightly trembling from trained personnel told much about it, maybe more that a smirk for a few seconds I had a more crazed expression. Maybe Ausas was right when he told me that, to my dismay, I resembled Dafoe''s green goblin smile when I grinned. Chapter038 When we entered the camp, walking while wearing heavy cuffs was slower than I thought, I was surprised from what I saw inside. From the snippets of the mercenary''s talk, about legions and purist empire, I believed that this roman looking encampment was going to be populated by simple humans. Instead the personnel was all composed by various kind of "gifted" people, using Llanfil''s words, reptilekin, birdkin and so on. Unlike my fully armored escorts, which were hiding any body features, the various people inside the palisade were equipped in various kind of armour. Ranging from light leather one to simple sturdy clothes, they all showed pretty clearly their gift. The official, that preceded our little procession, was discussing with a soldier and apparently complimenting him. The man was a birdkin, big eyes and feathers in his hairs showed his gift, judging from the bright yellow of his features maybe a canary. Than I connected the dot, my gut feeling strengthened my theory, the sonic attack that made me double over was hiss doing. Apart from my wild guess, my walk continued until we all reached a low wooden structure. A sturdy grate acted like a door that showed, when the soldier flanking it opened, a deep pit decorated by wood poles. It was at one of those that the soldier fixed the chains of my cuffs. I wasn''t going to be able to move much, but at least the length of the chains permitted me to sit on the ground. When the soldiers made sure I was secured in place, they started exiting the prison never giving me their back. Only when the heavy grate closed behind them, they seemed to relax and started to whisper between themselves. Even if the poles fixed on the prison''s ground were nine, every pole housed three cuffing rings, and the space was aplenty, only one other prisoner was inside there with me. She was cuffed at the furthest pole from me, and only the little rustling noise made me aware of her presence. She was in rags, literally smeared with the same earth colour that surrounded us. Her wary eyes, and wounded status, showed how much she was struggling in there. Maybe she tried to slip out of the cuffs, or she moved too much, but the dry blood around the metal parts was telling a story of it''s own. I ignored her, I had few idea of why they were leaving another prisoner with me, and sitting an the ground I started working on my long to do list. With my limited range of option I first checked if magic was possible, but, confirming my pessimistic hunch, when I tried to manifest a simple flame the cuffs lighted up and seemingly absorbing the mana I had projected. So no magic allowed, well I had other options. Stolen story; please report. I started focusing the mana, just like I learned during the training, not outside my body but inside of it. Used to modify, temporarily or definitively was only a matter of repetition, various parts of one''s body this was the technique Ausas was strongest in. I closed my eyes and focused on them, the insane number of times I did this before helped, and started imagining their physical structure. Carefully, I didn''t want to go partially blind like the first hundred times, I first tweaked one and then started working on the other. What I was doing was basically giving myself an eyesight and the night vision comparable to that of a tarsier. Accomplishing that feat without enlarging the eye itself was the tricky part, and remembering all the step necessary even more so. When the reconstruction and overhaul ended I had practically, starting from the cornea to the lens and retina, replaced both my eyes with new ones. The best thing about using mana to stimulate that kind of tissue alteration was that I used little to nothing of my scarce mp. The downside was that full concentration was needed, hence my need to find a safe place. Ausas and Llanfil both had warned me to always have my guard up in the wild, this planet''s fauna and flora were as unforgiving and dangerous as Earth''s ones. When I opened my new eyes the change from before was abysmal, I could see as clearly as a bird of prey, and entertain myself counting the wood knots on the ceiling, also it was like an halogen light shined on all the cell. But my musing were interrupted by a system window.
New Magic/Skill Unlocked
Enhanced Vision Unlocked Enhanced Vision => Enhanced Vision I Enhanced Vision I => Enhanced Vision II Enhanced Vision II => Enhanced Vision III
Chapter039 - Wha... What are you? Y... Your eyes... - I''m a prisoner just like you, so calm down I mean no harm. When I was looking around, after reading the message, I noticed the woman was staring at me. When she noticed I was staring back at her, she was shocked and talked to me. Her most prominent features were feline''s slit eyes and a huge scar that crossed her face from her right ear to her chin. Maybe a sword wound, but in a world with magic I wondered why nobody cured her. Even covered in dirt and old blood, and scarred she still managed to look charming. And when the shocked look vanished from her face, leaving place to a more calculating one, she looked far more dangerous that I first thought. If at first my paranoid side screamed whispered about fake cell mate and spy trying to acquire information, after seeing much more about her I was convinced maybe I should tread really carefully. Leaving my fellow inmate aside I started my plan''s next step. I was pleased of being able to enhance my eyes, the skills gain were also a nice bonus, but I needed to work on my hearing. In the training was pretty clear that those two senses were the only ones I could safely enhance without help and with no risk of sensory overload. Human brain wasn''t equipped for that kind of stimulation. Just like before I first used the mana to change one of my ears, working on copying mammals seemed easier so I was trying to take cue from rats hearing. Concentrating on the complex changes that needed to take place was exhausting, especially when I needed to numb the nerves, but all the practice showed the wanted results in the end. In fact when I finished working on the second one a message appeared again.
New Magic/Skill Unlocked
Enhanced Hearing Unlocked Enhanced Hearing => Enhanced Hearing I Enhanced Hearing I => Enhanced Hearing II Enhanced Hearing II => Enhanced Hearing III
I sighed in relief and was going to continue working, when I heard a few voices quarrelling outside. One of the voices seemed to belong to the officer I saw before, the other one sounded like a ranting old man. I was interested in the talk, even if I took everything with a grain of salt, so I started listening. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. - I''m telling you I need to see him! You don''t understand the magnitude of this discovery! Make way! His Highness put me in charge of this expedition! - But I''m in charge of security and military matters! We still don''t know nothing about the threat he is! Until the scouts return and we end collecting information nobody sees him! - This is my life''s research! You will not... - Soldier! Take him to his quarter! No more strolling around until I say so! Apparently the old man was trying to sneak inside here and was hindered by the official. More cogs started spinning inside my head from what I heard, but I had more important things to do than focus on hidden meaning of few word. Also the exchange of insults that followed had no meaning to me. When the angry voices faded I was sure they were gone their respective way, and not knowing how much more time I had of relative calm I started to work on my defence before anything else.
NameRace
AverageHuman I
HPMP
112100/120
AtkDefDexWis
11111111
Exp
80/180
Looking at my stats showed I gained exp from my new acquired skills, but also served to compare the difference between before and after my next improvement attempt. It was going to be, by far, easier but also more time consuming than the previous successful ones. Judging by the light, that filtered through the grate, it was still midmorning but I felt the need to be as fast as possible. Chapter040 During the training Ausas and Llanfil showed me various way to improve one''s body, from the more slow and normal way to the fast and magic based ones. There were different demerits in both, but objectively some results could only be accomplished by magic means. Enhanced senses for example, but the difference between changing single organ and overhauling a whole body was the sheer complexity of it. Even with the kind of memory I had obtained, and the experiences I accumulated, I wasn''t able to be precise and fast at the same time with such a big project. So I did try to find another way than being the one doing the actual work, and actually found a solution. My first magic experiment showed me I wasn''t able to create organic matter, but I found out later it was possible. Only that the way of doing it was so counterintuitive that I believed it was no coincidence. Not only the image of the wanted result had to be perfect, but the visualization had to stay unwavering for all the time mana flowed into it. So the mp feeding was the contrary of any other magic. Anyway, what was going to help me obtain a whole body enhancement, and leave me free enough to stay alert, was a construct similar to a retrovirus. If I was a programmer maybe I should''ve used the term macro, but the function was the same. The key was being subtle with the changes. If I used such method for the whole body structure surely many defect in the smallest detail were bound to happen. So the safest way was to create and launch a virus programmed to change only a specific set of cells. In that case I was aiming to create a construct programmed to change my human skin into something more resistant. With the cuffs on I couldn''t build outwards so the change was going to be literally under my skin. The goal was to modify a set of cell in the dermis to make them a natural barrier generator. The inspiration for that kind of enhancement came to me when I was observing the deep sea fish outside Ausas home. At that time I thought the photophores, that made the fish emit their own light, were really interesting. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The first step was to create such a cell manually, to have a sample, and then have the virus copy the change in the rest of my body. The final product was going to be a full, skin tight, encasing defensive barrier. So I concentrated to create the sample and after a second I ended a small hexagonal bump, like a reptilian scale, appeared on my inner wrist. At the end of the process no evident changes was going to make other people suspicious, but at the beginning a careful observer was going to notice the growing scale. In fact such an observer was already diligently at work. When I had launched the construct, and I was sure it started working correctly, I noticed the woman in the corner was still watching me intently. When our eyes met she spoke for the second time of the day. - You did it again... With the mana sapping chain on... How are you able to do whatever you''re doing? Who are you? - ... So that''s what surprised you? I''m Average by the way, regarding the magic chains I think you can now imagine the way to around they, don''t you? - So your kind consider your level of skill average? - Geez not this again... Average it''s my name, free laugh included in the package, so what''s yours? She abruptly changed expression, with her split lips, due to the scar, I couldn''t tell if she was trying not to laugh or a more grim look, but she surely started staring at me even harder than before. Chapter041 - I''m not going to give my real name to a mage, if you must, you can call me Athame. - ... ... Okay... So, Athame, what brings you here? - ... ... ... After my question, it seemed she minded it, she didn''t answer and only kept staring. Her slit pupils were beautiful, but also disquieting. - I thought I was the one with the power to turn every conversation awkward, and apparently I''m right... Sigh... I bowed my head in defeat, and started meditating. I was curious about her but I wasn''t going to go out my way to talk to her. When I had finally found a balance, between hastening the scale formation and mp recovery, my concentration was broken again. By the way, during my year with them, Llanfil and Ausas told me that there was a way to train and avoid the pain. The solution was pretty easy actually, all I needed to do was ensure that my trained stats gain were going to coincide with a level up. I still hadn''t tested this theory, but I could have a little peace of mind. Anyway what interrupted me was the only other occupant of the jail, but this time her tone seemed even more serious than before. - So you really aren''t an imperial, what brings you here then? Are you really a lone mage searching out the ruins? Or are you... - And you think I''m not an imperial because? - You didn''t react to my name. - Are you supposed to be famous? - I''m nobody the name itself is worth thousand word for the Empire''s men. You didn''t answer me again. - Seeing our condition I suppose it''s not the name of an entertaining company, is it? And at cost of being repetitive I already told you my name, if you want to know anything else why don''t we play a game of questions and answers? Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. - A game? - Yes, each one ask can a question after they answered the last one. Agreed? - What if someone don''t want to answer? - Well, they obviously can''t ask, and the opposing part can answer another question. But you already should know no response is an answer in itself, don''t you? - Fine, but you must answer my question first. - About myself? - Yes! - Ok, ok, calm down. As you can see I''m human, I can use magic, and to tell you the truth I don''t know why I''m here. - What do you mean you don''t know? - Hey, it''s my turn now, care to answer my question from before? Or should I change it? - Tsk... I''m here because they captured me, happy? Now tell me! - You really learned fast how to play eh? If it''s how you wanna roll... I don''t know why I''m here because I don''t even know where we are. When I stepped out of the ruin they captured me instantly. No time for sightseeing. Now why don''t you tell me why the name athame should make me jump? - ... Athame is an organisation known for hunting humans, they patrol the border. No human should ignore their name. So were do you came from? - In the spirit of your previous answer, I can say I came from outside the jail obviously. And you? - You @#$%! - Really? That seems a nasty place to came from! Wait, before you pitch a fit, I should apologise. But I really needed to blow off some steam, and you walked right trough it by yourself. Sorry. Chapter042 The more she looked being put out by my joke, the more I was tempted to laugh, and in the end I made the mistake to stifle my laugh to obviously. - Are you laughing at me human?! - Sorry, sorry, it''s only my sense of humor that''s kind of broken. Com''on, I know you have the whole "hard as nails" look on, but don''t tell me someone never irritated you like this. A younger sibling? An inebriated uncle? A joker dad? A ... If I intended my joke to serve not only for me to relax, but also to prod her a little, to have whatever facade she had on crumble, it was a success. My only miscalculation was the extent of Athame''s reaction. She passed from being irritated, the extent of which was unclear to me, to being glacial in the time I was making a list of clich¨¦ family situation. I stopped talking when I saw her change of expressions, and in that moment I really hoped stares couldn''t kill even here, because she gave me the quintessential death glare I imagined was physically possible. I thought I had stepped on a landmine, and was about to apologise again, when she confirmed my suspicious. - Never talk so lightly about family human. Never, if you want to live. - I don''t know what happened, but this time I sincerely apologise for my behaviour. As an apology I swear on my true name, I understand they are important here, I will answer truthfully to your next question, ok? She took a deep breath while staring at me, and her calculating look promised nothing good for me. Fortunately we were chained pretty far from each other, but if we were free I suspected she already had beat me to a pulp. - Fine, I will believe you, but I''ve also to warn you. Swear on your name that, whatever your answer will be, you will not talk to anyone about this talk. Swear on your true name or this conversation end here. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. - You know, I''m only talking to you because I''m bored and you kept... - Swear! - Ok, ok, sigh... I swear I will not tell anyone, so what''s the question? - Even if you''re only a human mage, with no affiliation, even than you have some value. Even if you''re not really who they believe you are... Will you join us to stop the war? - What? What are you talking about? Slow down, explain, I was serious when I told you I don''t even know when we are. I know even less about this war and the various factions, so before I can answer you must elaborate for me. She squinted her eyes and managed to stare at me even harder than before, her eyes were so fixed I expected her to shoot laser from them sooner or later... - What can I tell you here and now, it''s that among us the gifted there are two major currents. One who seeks the end of the war with the human by force, and the other that want peace through coexistence. My question is which side are you going to take in the future? - Truth to be told? Phylosophically speaking I''m on board the coexistence train, it''s the one I feel more right... My speech was interrupted by the jail''s grate/door opening. In the time I took to look at what was happening Athame''s behaviour changed drastically. I was starting to think that maybe she was a far better actress I first thought, a thing that worried me even more that our little truncated dialogue. Anyway, the two guards that entered in the pit looked carefully at our restrains, and then signaled to someone outside. Than, each escorted by an armored soldier, some old acquaintances entered the prison. I was surprised by their battered look, but they were far more surprised to see me. Chapter043 The ones that entered, beat and in chains, were the mercenary that I encountered the first time I arrived. Thanks to their, far from gentle, actions I had the means to meet Llanfil and Ausas, so I wasn''t particularly peeved. Also for my point of view three years had passed, for them the memory of me was still fresh so their expression was kind of refreshing for me. Last time I saw them they were in far better condition, but, even without weapons and armours, I still recognized the whole group''s component. When they passed near me, one by one, they all stared at my sat figure. Their reaction varied from stolen glances, to pure shocked expression. Cawic, the chief of that band, closed the line but before him where the two people who looked the most beat of the bunch. They were the two that attacked me in the tunnel, the big, strong reptile-kin and the fast, slim bird-kin. They were also the most shocked to see me here, I thought they were also surprised for me being alive and all, but the bird-kin, I never learned his name, was the first to recover. His facial features were deformed by few hit marks, but even so it was clear that from the initial astonishment he switched to a more feral expression. His intentions became clear when he came near me. - It''s all your fault! Why you didn''t die you @#¡ê$%&¡ã! He managed to free himself from the soldier that was watching him, For being what seemed elites they were doing a terrible job, and launched toward me. If the first time we meet I was untrained and unaware of the difference between gifted and humans, presently things were really different. In the meantime he was halfway into his attack, from his gaping mouth and bared teeth I predicted he was trying to bite me, I had all the time to thought of a solution. I was still cuffed to the pole but I had enough degree of movements for what I decided. The best thing about the enhanced senses were that my mind, to assimilate all the information feed by vision and hearing, was capable of entering a state of "slowed time". What really happened was that only my perception of the surroundings were enhanced, but it still awed me like the first time I discovered that possibility. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The bird-kin was also cuffed, a more simple looking chains compared to mine, but he was going straight for my neck. I still didn''t have enough information, so I was going to play the safest I could. While still seated, and when his head was at arms length from me, I took advantage of his own momentum and, lightly slapping his face, made him kiss the wooden post. A loud, honestly speaking satisfying for me, thud sound accompanied the meeting between his face and the pole. I thought I was going to need to act again, but maybe the hit rattled his brain too much or he was already at his limit, because he fainted on the spot. In the few seconds the exchange took place all the eyes were focused on me, well I wasn''t going to waste such an occasion. Also, thanks to the fact my senses were still on alert, I noticed that Athame exchanged a few fast glances with one of the soldier. One more entry on the list of her dubious actions, well better solve the mercenary problem first. - Cawic, I thought you had more control over your men. Like I was trying to tell you last time, I am not your enemy, but the next attack will be the last. Did I make myself clear enough? My declaration, bluffing wasn''t my forte I know, made the seemingly frozen time run again. Especially the soldiers hurried to secure, almost tackle like, the rest of the men. The only words that crossed the jail''s tense air were the one from Cawic. - I understand. Well at least he answered, but it became crystal clear to me that he was far more calculating than I thought. Chapter044 - Sigh... And now I feel like the bad guy... When the soldiers secured everyone to a pole, they were especially careful when they picked up the fainted mercenary near me, I started torturing myself over what happened. All the prisoners were elusively glancing at me, even the guards tried hard to never met my eyes, in short the atmosphere was heavy. It was like they suddenly they feared me. I speculated that the cold response from Cawic was maybe due to the true name thing Athame''s discussion made me understand, but I had no answer for the behaviour they were showing. I also had to self-reflect on the fact that in the end I was slightly peeved, maybe the out of the blue bombshell about war, maybe the rashness of my friends/teacher rubbed off on me, or maybe I had to admit I wasn''t so cool about this whole situation as I first thought. Anyway, when the whispers between the mercenary, and their subdued manners made me reach my limit, I sighed in desperation. I needed to at least to change the situation a little or, more than the expanding itch, the remaining time the scale shield needed to form was going to be awkward as hell. Sure my past self would have been elated at the thought of instilling fear into mercenary and soldiers, but age told me otherwise. Fear could be a useful tool in certain situation, but it could also make people irrational, and often from it only hate would be born. So when the soldiers leaved, they were still failing at hiding their excessive wariness, I crossed my finger and started to speak trying to asses the damage I had done. - Cawic, I want to ask a question, will you answer it? All the heads turned sharply towards me, the alternating looks between their chief and me were almost amusing. - Ask. - Sigh... First of all I know I don''t really know you, but I can''t help thinking that your way of speaking to me is a little forced. Am I right in thinking it''s all about the true name magic? I had to admit that if he was surprised from my question he hided it very well, only the slightly twitch of his brows betrayed his emotions. - Yes, now that you know my name I must obey you. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. - Why? I mean how that work? We are already all in prison now, what can I do, sue you? - Don''t mock us, human! Only because they believe you''re a mage... - Enough! Shut up! When I asked Cawic about his reasons the one who shouted was one of the females mercenaries, she was stopped by Cawic''s order so I never learned the end of her sentence. Seeing how passionate she was about defending him maybe they had some kind of relationship. - Sigh... Listen, I only want a little bit of peace, you''re free to believe whatever you want but what''s bugging me is this sudden change of attitude. So, in short, leave me be and I will do the same. Even the incident before was because your man suddenly attacked me. I only avoided him, all the damage he did by himself. I mimicked, really slowly this time, the motion I did when the bird-kin tried to bite me. Still seated I slightly leaned on my left, bending my neck a little at the same time, and made the same slap like motion that in the end guided the head of my attacker to meet the pole behind me. I made a production out of the whole counter because I felt guilty and wanted them to be reassured, but my show obtained the opposite effect. Instead of understanding looks they all had various shocked expression. - You want to tell me it wasn''t magic, you managed to make a perfect timed move on the fastest of my men? Are you really trying to enrage me? Even beat and chained he was a blur, even the soldier didn''t have time to block him, and you want me to believe a non gifted one countered that attack? I was even more confused after the declaration Cawic made. Blur? Sure his sprint was fast but nothing so special, then I remembered what Llanfil told me once about the system. She told me that all the training was a mean to obtain real experience that would help me outside, but she also said that the system assigned skill could have different result from my trained one. I had to be wary and hope all the difference shoud be for the better. Was that such a case? Were my enhanced senses interfering also with my fighting capacity? Chapter045 All of the following p.o.v. happened while the m.c. was training into the abyss. ---Letter from the commander to his wife--- Dear, I have to once again write you about a delay for my return. I hope everyone at home is good health and I miss your embrace more than ever. Like always I can''t tell you the detail, but so far no great danger have arose. Don''t tell her I told you so, but now I understand your mother was right when she inveighed against the scholars. An especially vain and prattling one is travelling with my detachment now. All his talking even managed to shake some of the more gullible soldiers. I swear that if I hear another word about ancient beings and the meaning of the ruins I will feed him to the crocs. I even fear that for a while I will not be able to read to our children fairy tales and story. Too much of his babbling resemble the tales we ourselves listened to when we were children. Hoping to see you as fast as possible, your love. ---Excerpt from the scholar''s diary--- Finally, finally, finally! I can''t restrain my joy when I write this. What I hoped for, and worked so hard to prove, is finally happening. It all started with the falling star, just like all the engraved murals of all the ruins told us. Ha! This will show all the religious bunch about their esoteric interpretation. We were right, the meaning was literal, all we needed was to follow a pragmatic approach. It was all carved for us to see, and I will be the first to prove it! I had to use cousin''s connection, but I''m finally able to move toward my objective, his influence will repay me of all the years tutoring his children. I was in luck, a military group out for recruiting is going near the starting point, without them organising an expedition would take too much time. I firmly believe my researches are right, the simple and impenetrable ruin on top of Rosaere island is the one where all will begin. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. I had to endure all the scorn from my colleagues, but I will prove that my publications are not children''s bed time stories. Even educating all this rowdy soldiers about the truth of our world seems amusing if I think of all the answer I will finally find. I only have to ensure that they understand the magnitude of my mission. If... When I will finally encounter an Exalted One I only hope he will give me time to talk. I think that in that situation making the soldier take the front line will be advisable. Even if They will rampage I''m willing to sacrifice few men to be able to talk to Them. ---Soldier''s barrack--- - Hey, did you saw the pit they''re digging? Do you really believe we will have so much prisoners? - Yeah, I saw it... I''m one of the poor @#¡ê$%& sods who are digging, you idiot! The commander should make that @#¡ê$% mercenary dig. They''re only eating our rations now that they are starting to talk during the interrogations. - Whoa! Calm down, I''m not the one who told you to do it. Well I feel you, those mercs are not so tough after they played with them for a while, but they cold at least make them work their fare. - You two shut up! I''m tired of hearing talking! If you believe you''re unlucky to end up with the pit assignment change with me! Being the guard of that scholar is making me crazy! - What?! You don''t believe immortal men are going to fall from the sky, bringing immense powers, to rule the wold? (said in faux worried tone) - Joke and laugh all you want, I''m the one who have to resist he temptation to bash his head. The worse is that the muscle head of the elites are starting to believe him. - Pftt... Come on, are you serious? I know they are all about training and maintaining their plate mail, but to believe such stories... - Believe it or not, I happened to listen to their discussion the other night during my patrol. They were talking like we are in a fairy tale of their grandmas... Chapter046 While I was lost in my own thoughts the pricking sensation, coming from the under-skin barrier formation, reached my head and then stopped. For an instant I winced at the memory of my first attempt, becoming completely hairless was an awful side-effect. Especially with Ausas laughing crazy every time he saw me until my hair regrew, even Llanfil giggled when it happened during her lecture. The fist message that appeared, after the barrier enveloped my whole body, was what I expected, but the other two were a little outside of what I had guessed, and that sprouted even more questions. Sure, the information that I had about the system were few, and being the first to "play" had its disadvantages, but even my mentors could only guess what could happen to me.
New Magic/Skill Unlocked
Mana Scales Formation Mana Scales Formation => Mana Scales Formation I Mana Scales Formation I => Mana Scales Formation II Mana Scales Formation II => Mana Scales Formation III
Skill''s upgrade condition met
Magic => Magic I
New Life''s tree Entry Unlocked
Human II Philosopher
Opening the skill window showed only the growing list of my abilities, no new details or information. On the contrary the stat menu displayed few interesting changes.
Skills
Crafting Exp +10% Intuition I Magic I Speech recognition I Enhanced Vision III Enhanced Hearing III Mana Scales Formation III
Skills points: 0
NameRace
AverageHuman I
HPMP
11260/100
AtkDefDexWis
11511111
Exp
130/180
Creating my subcutaneous mana-scales consumed forty mp, and I guessed my reduced mana maximum capacity of twenty were due to a reserve for it''s upkeep. But it was worth every point, my defence stat skyrocketed to fiftyone, considering my previous eleven it was an excellent result. Being cut off the system during my training didn''t permit me to know the exact numbers, but seeing that value was a reward for my efforts. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The experience value increased like always, ten for every skill in that case, but opening the less used part of the whole menu put me into a dilemma.
Life''s tree
Human II = Human I + Magic I (Conditions met) Philosopher = Human I + Magic I + Intuition I (Conditions met) Reptile-kin (Conditions not met)
From what I knew the major difference between a native and an external entity, me to be more exact, was exactly that. The possibility to choose and change between various races. There were conditions that had to be met, but that ability alone marked a clear line between the possibility of the two. Trying to concentrate on the entry of the Life''s tree menu showed, like always, no results. Probably only the next morning the choice would be available, just like the level-up, but I really hoped to have more information before picking one. But, based on what my ears were telling me, I had far more pressing problem to solve. To check if it was really time to move I had at least to clear one of my doubts, so I asked the only person I was sure was going to tell me the truth. Sometimes fear, even when unfounded, was a useful tool. The fact that he was still staring at me, waiting for an answer for his question, made my life easier. - I want to ask you something, what''s your base defence? - Why do you ask? - Please answer, it''s all related to your doubts about me. - ... when I thought he couldn''t be more absurd, asking this kind of questions... - I can hear you, you know?... - Fine, if I remember correctly last time I checked at the temple my def was twentytwo. Llanfis and Ausas already told me that usually people did not have access to the menu like me, so, when they wanted to know their own stat, they visited structures who had the ability to display the system information. But something in Cawic''s answer was bugging me, his defence was not as high as I expected. - How much time passed from the last time you checked? - Eight years. And now that you know, what do you have to say? - Well, first of all, thank you for the information, and second... it''s better if you and everyone else get ready for some bustle.
I''m sorry I wasn''t able to post for the last days, but it''s a pretty chaotic month. I will try to write as often as I can, I hope you enjoy reading 001 as much as I like writing. Bye and apologies again. Chapter047 - What? What do you mean getting ready? We are chained if you didn''t noticed! - I mean I have a really bad hunch...
WARNING
Monster swarm ETA 04:00
- And I was right on the money... Why?! Sigh... The system''s unpredictability was starting to annoy me, well my lack of information worried me far more, but from all the little bit of information and speculation I had I could hope for the better. If that message was really the signal of the beginning of some kind of "event", than the whole system really waqs geared towards the presence of "players". That was one of the theories we come up discussing, but I had little time to prepare and not a second to waste. The warning, differently from the previous windows, didn''t close but remained into a cornere of the menu''s hud. I had to admit it was useful because it was a countdown and, luckily, showed me that I had four hours to prepare, and not four minutes like I feared at the beginning. I didn''t know what to expect but the word swarm was far from comforting, so I needed all the help I could get, Like Cawic pointed out the mercenaries where cuffed like me, so no help from that front. I suspected Athame was far more powerful as she tried to appear but she was also in chains. I had another option, the one I was pointing from the moment they captured me actually, to talk to the ones in charge and gather as much info as I could. This pressing matter was a new incentive to accelerate my pace, in the end I obtained all I wanted, a guarded relatively safe place where I had all the time to increase my chances of survival. All the skill and gain I had were proof of a success. - For now what I can tell you is to try and stay as calm as possible, and if you can boost your defences better get ready to do it in a few hours, and also better cover your ears... I stopped talking and started to concentrate on my throat, I didn''t need a permanent enhancement, so I did a fast and kind of wobbly enchantment to amplify my voice. Considering my previous work, a simple sound modification was far more easy. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. - GUARDS! I NEED TO TALK TO THE ONE IN CHARGE! NOW! GUARDS! GUARDS! I only needed to repeat that mantra, for the joy of my fellow inmates who where frantically plugging theirs ears, for three time before I obtained some results. The ones who opened the jail grate where not the platemail soldiers, but a couple of less armored one. Their attire was far more resembling of legionaries and kind of fitted in the whole roman camp atmosphere. They seemed pretty angry by the racket I was making, and far less impressed or fearful of me. - Stop yelling! Have you gone insane? What do you want? - I need to talk to your superior, I think they need to know something. And the matter is pretty pressing, so sorry for the noise but that was the only way to catch your attention. - Our attention? I will be impressed if the whole camp didn''t hear you, commander included... Stay quiet and maybe we will see... They were more understanding that I hoped, maybe they didn''t expect an apology, or maybe my voice really reached far more that I first intended. I wasn''t able to judge my voice''s real volume due to shutting down my hearing during that time, but if it was really that powerful maybe it was worth spending time to make a proper skill out of it. While I mused about all the application sound weapons could have a new guest showed up. It wasn''t the military commander, that I hoped to meet, but the owner of the voice that, some time before, crossed word with the noble, just outside the pit. - What''s happening here! What did you do to our guest! This is why uneducated people are... The man that appeared was wearing gaudy clothes that weren''t martial in any kind of sense, they resembled of a mix between a toga and a habit. With a small stature and a round build he appeared like a parody of a medieval monk, well if one could ignore foots that had opposing thumbs like an ape. The two guard were saved from the raging of the gaudy man by the arrival of someone else. Who, just like the armored soldiers that followed him, seemed far more annoyed by the presence of the man than by the racked I made.. Chapter048 The one who marched into the jail, and stood in front of the babbling man, was none than the official that ordered my capture. He still had the armour with golden inlays on, but obviously his crocodile-like stead was nowhere to be seen. He was gripping his heavy decorated mace and seemed ready to hit the raging gaudy ape-kin. - I thought I was clear when I told you to stay in your quarters, what are you doing here near the prisoner!? And by the tyrants somebody explain me what was the racket I heard before! - You can''t seclude me like that! I have all the right to talk to him! You military men never understood the importance of my research... Their banter continued for a while and the soldiers weren''t the only one getting tired of the screaming, I was becoming more and more nervous. I have to admit that one of my worst fault was, and still is, my inability to stay calm when confronted with a deadline. Every time a countdown, real or imaginary, showed me how much until the end, well I became frantic and honestly pretty forceful with everyone who seemed to block my way. Usually after all ended I was filled with shame reflecting on what I had done, but even that didn''t change after my death and even Llanfil and Ausas were only able to abate little to nothing of my this trait. Anyway all the discussion, that was quickly escalating in volume and offensiveness, was really starting to grate on my nerves. If before I lamented about the absence of a clock now I regretted even thinking it, the remaining time kept decreasing at an alarming rate. So I did the first thing my nervous mind suggested me, first I stood and inhaled deeply. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. My actions did not go unnoticed by Athame, Cawic and few of my other fellow inmate. They cover jet again their ears, and they could be more right than that. But before shouting that time I decided to try clapping, as fast as possible, my hands to have everyone attention. I still don''t know if it was caused by my new found speed or by my internal scales, but more than a simple hand clap the result was like a thunderclap. The resulting vibration even ended making some the packed dirt floor fly into the air. - ENOUGH!!! My shout, that followed the bang like sound, was practically undue. Everyone, apart from the few who did prepare, was crouching holding their heads. The officer was the only one who, even if not ready for the noise, didn''t kneel. He only had a pained expression and, when the cogs inside his head states spinning again, balefully glared at me. But before he could speak again I started addressing him. - I don''t know what kind of disagreement you two have, but we don''t have time to lose into useless squabble. I made the racket before to attract the guards attention, I need to talk to this camp''s commander. - Making demands? What will happen instead if we gag you? - Well I suppose we are all going to die in a few hours then... I was never too much of a theatrical person, at least in public, but I wasn''t really myself with the damned timer into view. Chapter049 My statement made half of the soldier, almost everyone who got up after the combined sound attack, grip their sword ready to draw them. Well my words choiche was poor so it was understandable, but the officer only kept staring at me with a calculating gaze. The gaudy man was also up again and, after ingesting some kind of pill he took from his breast pocket, had a frightened look just like he found himself in front of a bear. When all the soldier got better the officer ordered them to unchain me from the pole. - Come, if you want to talk so much we will see the end of it. But I warn you if you make me lose time, your empty threat will not save you. - Fair enough. During the short walk between the jail and the biggest tent I was able to take another look at the camp''s life. The various soldier and other personel where watching intently our procession, but the fact that the wall''s guards where doing their jobs diligently, even after all the commotion, speaked volumes of their discipline. Our destination revealed to be the commander''s tent, the assortement of equipment inside made me think it also doubled as his private quarters. But what attracted my attention the most was the equipment propped on an armour stand, a woman in toga-like attire was prodding it and writing notes on a parchment. The armour that was scrutinized by the woman was none than the armour I builded at the beginning of this whole mess. Seeing again my original, impromptu made, armour made me think of the time passed. Sure, the years of training were already bearing fruits, but I could not help feeling nostalgic. And watching carefully the whole ensemble made me cringe, for an hastly made thing it was all right, but it looked soo shoddy... Well no use in crying over spilled milk. I wondered why they were still analysing it, if Cawic''s mercenary had my armour, and for them thirty days passed from my death, it could made sense only if they acquired it recently.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. While I was musing about what was so interesting about my creation, the officer sat down behind the central desk that faced the tent''s entrance. Two of the armored soldier stood behind him and he signaled the other to surround me. Well at least he was polite enough to make one of them fetch a chair for me, or maybe he tought I was less dangerous if I was in a more controllable position. - Speak. What''s the "danger" that made you think a sound attack in an closed space was a good idea? His irritation was painly displayed into his tone, and his sudden question made me rethink my need for subtlety. Even after death my social skill were severely lacking, when I was beginning to talk the gaudy man intruded. - Wait! You will not begin without me! I''m the one in charge of this expedition! I watched while the man stormed inside the tent and, while giving me a wide bert, placed himself behind the desk next to the officer and near the woman that was still immersed in her own observations. The officer was a good actor, or at least had talent for it, because he was able to hide his murderous expression almost immediately. I was really curious about theirsituation and what was going on between their chain of command, but the timer was still makink me feel anxious so I ignored their byplay and I did go straight to the point. - What if I told you a monster swarm is going to gethere in a few hours? The soldiers stilled, and going by the astonished expressions of the two men in front of me maybe I was going to regret again my, anxiety fueled, straightforwardness. The two''s expressions changed almost at the same time, but while the gaudy man acquired a thoughtful look, the officer face filled with clear mirth. HIs loud laugh that followed confirmed my hypothesis. - Ha ha ha ha ha! Are you serious?! It''s such a bad joke that it became funny for all the wrong reasons! Are you trying to pass yourself as a seer now? His mirth faded quickly and he was again scowling just in time to hear the muttering of the man next to him. - So the temple''s interpretations are right... Impossible my theory fit much better this situation... But if he is a... - Enough! This joke end now! You! You''re going back into the prison, and you... As I tould you before end the nonsense and go back to your quarters! Well, my previous thought revealed as far as one can be from reality, the officer was not cut to be a politician, that''s for sure. Chapter050 When the officer started barking orders to the soldiers the gaudy man, who seemed livid with anger about his treatment, joined the shouting party. The yells about who was the one in charge and others complaints started to really annoy me, and when it became clear they would not stop sreaming soon I snapped. - @#$% it! It seemed nobody was listening to me but that was better for what I was going to do. I concentrated on the mana scales directly under the skin around my cuffs, the scales where like a chainmail in their normal state, but concentrating some mana into them could make interlock the scales into a really rigid structures. Sure growing them into a growing wedge was going to tear part of my wrist''s superficial skin, but it was a price I was willing to pay to end that nonsense. WhileI was concentrating I remenbered the time I was finally able to came up with a functional design for the scales, the fact that in the end Ausas and Llanfil ended up shouting between themselves made me realise how similar that situation was. Two years ago... I was in a slump due to the fact I wasn''t able to advance in the training, I was able to memorise everything Ausas and Llanfil told me, but remembering and understanding where two different things. For Ausas training only time and muscle memory would give fruits, but his most advanced tecniques were still unattainable. But what vexed me even more were my results under Llanfil magic training. I was able to grasp the way most of the magic worked, thanks to my various memories, but modifing or creating original magic was still a mirage for me. So I was getting depressed about my failures, deep down I understood that I was expecting too much in too little time, but I couldn''t help but to want to flip the metaphorical table and only indulge in the recreation of places and food of Ausas magical place. What pulled me out of that dark time were the words of my mentors. "If a problem is too much to solve alone seek help, or if you want to do everything alone break down the work into small parts easier to do". "Always remenber your objective, why you''re doing all of this, and center yourself into all the steps to fulfill it". They gave me new way to think about my problems so I was greatful for having encountered them, the fact that their pep talk sometimes was taken from some of my memories discretited them a little but I didn''t care.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The fight between them took place when I told them my real intentions, trusting someone with my true desires never happened before, it all started pretty innocently. When I speaked about what I really wanted their reactions were the exact opposite and that was the spark that ignited the flame of all the shouting and some "light" blow. A place to call Home, building a house into a nice place, finding a pet maybe a lover, that were all my desires for this new life. When Llanfil heared my wish she nodded to me while holding back tears, Ausas in another hand bursted laughing. I was almost expecting his reaction what I didn''t expect was the murderous gaze that Llanfil gave him. The more he laughed the angriershe became, in the end they shouted at each other for hours. She was peeved about his lack of sensibility, he had a home, he couldn''t understand the pain of loosing it. He rebuked her about how she was becoming too emotional thanks to all my memories. It all ended like almost all lover''s little quarrel do, they made peace and became even more disturbingly amorous than before. I came out of my slump by sheer will alone, I was also trying to ignore their couple behaviour, and immersing myself into training. That flashback ended when the scales were finally ready to grow out and break the manacles, all the preparation took no more that few seconds and the situation was the same as before. Well not exactly the same, the toga woman that before was ignoring everything to examine my armour seemed flustered about the situation, but when she glaced in my direction she did a double take. I was finally able to see her face, at least part of it, she wore a circlet with attached a kind of visor that resembled a night goggle of Earth''s military. When she was staring at me the lenses of the visor started to glow blue and then she stood still for a couple of seconds, she had the same hair/feathers ensemble going on so I assumed she was a birdkin, her shout soon after confirmed my theory. - AAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! I stopped feeding mana to my mana scales, but leaved them ready to act any moment, and all the other inside the tent interrupted their actions to stare at her. She seemed unfazed by the stares and simply startes coming closer to me, her furious writing on her parchment didn''t made me think of anything good. When she was finally a few steps from me the commander came out of his shock. - What are you doing! Stay away from him! The gaudy man also joined to reprive the woman actions. - Why did you shout! What''s happening?! She answered the man question in, for me, a cryptic way and then started a barrage of questions of her own. - Don''t you see, the mana signature is the same, the structure is far more complex but the mana is the same... You! Tell me the truth, where did you find the armour, where did you learn to a moagic so precisely layered, who are you, are you perhaps the one who build this? Well she surely didn''t lack enthusiasm into her passions... Chapter051 Ship''s guars P.O.V. At the same time the countdown started the soldiers left near the sea, to guard the ships, were bored out of their minds, but that was going to change soon. - Hey! Do you have some of those berries left? I need something to stay awake, geez why we had to be the one to be left here? - No coffee beans left, deal with it. Let''s go patrol the wharfs if you are so bored, at least here they''re stones ones, do you remenber when we were in the marsh? - Yeah, I still have nightmares about failing to blance my footing and falling inside that waters... Do you want to be the one to ask the academy''s boat if their guars want to patrol? - ... Are you mental? I''m not falling for you trick again, I''ve seen my fair share of conceited people, but to think even the guards of that man think they''re a head over us... - Well, they say you have to be proficent not only as a warrior but also as a magician to be accepted as an academy''s guard... And sincerely I pity them for having to deal with the scholar during the trip. - Can you imagine what was like to... Hey is the water bubbling?... The two guars never ended their conversation, because in the same patch of sea, that the guard was pointing at, a huge geyser-like explosion of water happened. The force of the water moved the dockedships and even staggered the guards, it also drenched in sea water everything that was near the epicenter. - What the @#$%? The few sailors that were on the ships, and the academy''s guard, were disembarking the ships and asking each other whilelooking at the sea when it appeared. In the same spot the pillar of water appeared before a grey stone-like construction started to appear, when it''s flat and round roof was at the same level of the wharf it stopped growing out. Easy to say all the people that were there didn''t know what to do in that unprecedent situation. The column like stucture was pretty far from shore, but even like that they could tell it was massive, and when it started to glow they were near panicking state.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Then a literal bridge of light materialised connecting the round roof to the pier, also the sounf of clashing metal could be heard from the appeared building. Maybe the sound or maybe their training in magic was the switch that made the academy''s guards the first to come out of their stupor. - Everybody stay away from the pier until we investigate this! Sailors, to the ships, check if there are any damages! Soldiers, one of you have to send a message to your commander, the rest with me! - And who made him king of the hill? While muttering their disapproving opinion about the patronizing attitude of the oldest of the guards, that suddenly started shouting orders, everybody started to move. The messenger didn''t even had time to start running towards the main camp when the mayhem started. From the top of the grey stone column lots and lots of metallic looking insect started to appear and at the same time started to move, crossing the bridge, towards the island. They were still far, and seemed slow, but all the soldier unsheated their weapons and started to question what was going to be worst, facing a swarm of monster or abandoning their post. But they were trained soldier, and even the unknow threat before them didn''t make them falter more than few seconds. - Shield-wall formation! Magician, battery line! Messenger, what the @#¡ê$ are you waiting for? All the non fighting personnel go uphill and find shelter! Go! Go! Go! Their training showed it''s fruit because, apart from few sailors, everybody starte moving and taking position like awell oiled machine. In the mentime they were forming a line at the center of the wharf, the monster kept spawning from the roof, without a sign of slowing down. The light bridge was already full of the huge insect-like creatures. When they finally took foot on the pier the soldier tensed even more, all the monster were practically identical. Ametal cube with fourinsect-like legs coming out of it''s sides, with the overall size of a grow man, made a pretty impressive adversary from the point of view of the soldiers. And considering the insane difference in number, a couple dozen soldiers against a growing swarm, everyone felt the grip of death approaching and the moral was abysmal low. That changed when a magician in the back shouted. - Impossible! Impossible! They should be only a fairytail... - Shut-up! Maintain the line! We will do our duty! - But... They''re... They''re... - What? Care to end a sentence for once? - They''re the Guardians, made from god''s metal to defend the temples... While the magician seemed to lose all of it''s strength after it''s last shout, most of the soldiers gasped and started to look at the approaching monster with a new look on their faces. - God''s metal uh? Boys, we''re rich! Chapter052 When all the orders were carried out, and the wall of shields was completed, the guards who were proficent in magic started launching a probing bommardment on the incoming metal monsters. The display of various kind of elemental missiles was needed to discover what element was the most effective against the incoming horde. - Stop! Check for results! The voice of the temporary commander echoed when the visual of the monsters was lost, due tothe various magic''s after effects, but what appeared after the air cleared made almost everyone swallow. Out of the many shoot only the one of the water and ice element seemed to have some effects on the metal swarm. Some of the insect-like monster had scorch marks from the fire, other were covered in dirt from the rocks that hit their main body, and the one hit by wind were only lightly scratched. The only ones that staggered and were even more slow that the others were the ones that received the water and ice hits. - @#$%... Mages, only water and ice attacks! Shields, advance we need all the terrain we can gain now! Second row, if rocks shooted by magic had no effect I doubt the spear will have any, switch to heavy equipment and hit their legs, if you can push the @#¡ê$%& into the sea below. The shields bearer near the sides will try to do the same! Let''s go! While the front line rushed forward the metal creature seemed unfazed by all that was happening, and continued their slow but incessant advance. Even when they finally clashed with the guards''s shields they only tried to push forward, even when the improvised fight strategy started to decimate their numbers they seemed like a machine that know only one instruction. - Good! Continue like this! Mages attack the ones closer to the origin, try to clog them, first and second row keep on smashing and pushing!... Even is they sunk in the water we can always recover them later... with all this metal I can finally retire and live like a rich, send the twins to the academy...This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. While the encouraging shouts of the leader reached everyone his mutterinf about his wild delusions were heard only by the one closest to him. They already knew his desire to retire from active duty, he never really tried to hide it, but what started to worry them was the fact that, while he seemed to see the monster only as profit, their numbers keept on increasing at a constant ritm. Sure, the strategy was working for now, but in a battle of attrition the monster was surely going to win. After a while a small hill of monster''s scrap metal formed into the shallow water surrounding the pier, and the guards, especially the first row, startes giving the first signs of fatigue. Even if they periodically took some distance, after pushing together to stagger the enemy, and switched roles between rows, the mental stress of confronting a seemingly endless number of enemies took his toll on all of them. In the end, after even the magic barrage started to became sparse, the guard closest to the leader managed to convince him to let go of his greed and retreat. - @#%&! We really are going to get overwhelmed like this, they pushed us almost on land, fine we will retreat and try to regrup at camp in front of the ruin. Mages, stop the attack, if you have any mana left start boosting the speed of as much people as you can! Front line, at my signal we will give a last push to hinder them as much as possible! ... and let''s pray that regrouping we can solve this mess... Every mage started to switch thai magic from attack to enhance, but this time nobody was able to hear the leader''s prayer. When they signaled that their work ended the retreat order was given, while the shields bearer pushed two steps forward, this time helped by the second row, all the other personnel started running uphill torward the main camp, soon followed by everyone else. So finally the metal monster were unhindered in their mindless advance. While the fight was still unfolding the messenger arrived at the camp and was escorted to the commander''s tent were another battle, albeit a verbal one, was still taking place.