《Gamer》 Prologue - Balezins destruction Hunched over my keyboard, I stared at the screen with dry eyes. My fingers rapidly clicked and typed and my voice cracked as I talked to the other members. I was part of a raid, and controlling two characters. The first character was of the melee type, he dealt out massive damage and had a large health pool. But by himself, he would eventually fall. So my second character was a ranged healer. Someone in the raid was assigned to draw aggro away from my healer as to leave him free to cast spells. With a bellow and a shout, the giant finally toppled and the way lay clear. Ignoring the loot, we healed up and stood before the final entrance. Inside was a boss monster. The purple Hydra. It was the final boss of the game. We''ve killed every other monster in the game, the bosses falling before us. Toppled as if they were trees. Don''t get me wrong. We weren''t all powerful or strong. We were actually one of the weaker groups. There was a total of 5 people in our group, and 12 characters. Half the size of a normal raid group. Because of having several accounts, we couldn''t spend all our time on one character and had to spend most of our time strategizing and planning out our moves. You are permitted to use macros in the game, the problem was that those macros often fail to predict something a human can see coming a mile away. Destroying the entire time you spent to get to that point. To counter this, one of our members created a point and click macro. Put simply, they would keep auto casting spells, and they would move towards points we continuously choose. It wasn''t perfect, and tons of other teams had something similar or better. But the one advantage we did have, was the leader of the raid. NuckleBeard. He was awe inspiring. Within seconds of playing against a new monster, he already has a strategy to deal with it. The Orc King likes to pick up his mace and slam it down unpredictably, his damage dealing almost a KO? Organise healers to chant a massive healing spell each. Those spells took 30 seconds to cast, and were able to be held in reserve for 3 seconds each before expiring. So we had them casting the spells at time individuals. You were never more than a few seconds away from a full heal. During that time, if one of our argo takers took damage. It was used on them. Coupling this with hit and run tactics as to have only one man effected by the attack at any time. We practically slaughtered the Orc King. Basic tactics you may say, but you have no idea how hard it is to control a single character. Controlling 4 at once, one of our raid members was practically a legend. But granted. We did use macro''s to help us. So standing before the entrance, the lair of the final boss. We knew what we were facing. A purple hydra. The red hydra breathes fire and the green hydra has a strong regeneration with 9 heads. Landing a attack on one of the green hydra''s heads would increase its regeneration by 500% for a minute. Thanks to that, we were unable to use ranged attacks for fear of hitting the heads. The red hydra in comparison was easier. If you notice it take a breath, you simply have to stay out of the way. The damage was severe and dealt a huge debuff to defence. The purple hydra however, countless teams had challenged it and lost. Shortly after you organise a new attack, it learned and countered it. Its had a abominably large health pool, poison breath that covered half of the cave and a giant crystal behind it. Any attempts to attack the crystal would have the hydra defend it and send it into a murderous rage which tripled its power. However only a few people have ever tried to destroy the crystal. After all, the goal of this dungeon was to claim the crystal. It was rather exciting. You see. There was three special things that made this game exciting. The website of the game was simple enough, it had a giant glowing crystal with the purple hydra guarding it set as the background. A yellow box was set with one simple word. "Install". Another row of text under it states simply. "Only the last 1000 users to join may play" The site itself was hard to find. As a result, only a small group of people knew about this game. The computer power needed to process the graphics were well beyond our computer specs. The amount of lore, spells and monsters you could find was not even half discovered. And yet. It ran with no problems. And lastly, we could have our access cut off. That''s right. Only the last thousand users to sign up can play it. Not accounts. Users. It knew somehow who was behind each account. The game hinted at something magical, something powerful. Something for the victor. And we wanted in. When it was first found, the guy who found it couldn''t find any information on it. So curious, he installed it. And he was amazed. Posting it in a private community, a few of us came to check it out. We were amazed as well. He quickly removed the post soon after, he wanted only a few to play. A rough estimate would put the total number of people who tried it at 900. Really strange if you think about it. You''d expect someone to leak the game and the world to pounce on it. But the truth was even simpler. We didn''t want to share it. For to share it, we would lose our access. None of us wanted that. The original guy who found the game started a guild, Green Vines. A lame name to be sure, but there were only five guilds created. My group wasn''t in a guild. We preferred to stick together. We first teamed up when we started playing. People came and left our group. They didn''t fit in. We eventually found our perfect number with 5 users and 12 accounts. 5 healers and 7 attackers. We previously challenged the purple hydra before. But the issue with it was that unlike the rest of the game. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.Its attacks would destroy your account. The last time we attacked, we lost 4 accounts before being forced to retreat. Its why people did not challenge it very often. They were scared of losing. We stood before the entrance of the final boss, the hydra lying on the ground, head resting on claws. Golden gaze fixed on us. Our palms grew sweaty on our keyboards and mouse. Our leader then cleared his throat. Speaking earnestly, he started talking. "We''ve known each other for five years. Played together from the start. I''ve always been the leader, you were the army that charged into victory." His voice grew solemn. "We''ve challenged this guy before. Four accounts were wiped before we retreated. But will that stop us?" We roared as one "NO!" "Our accounts will be wiped!" he yelled at us. "WHO CARES!" We yelled back at him. "I DONT WANT TO DIE!" he yelled. "WHO CARES!" we howled. He then roared into the mic. "WHO ARE WE!" "DUNNO!" we roared back. I loved our group name. Hyped and our adrenaline roaring, the leader outlined the plan. Fingers sweating, we charged in. Speakers chattering with the countless typing from keyboards. The hydra roared, standing and challenging us it lead with a wave of poison. Splitting into two our group stepped into position. The poison stopped and the hydra''s defence lessened momentarily as it took a breath. We took that chance to make the first strike. At the crystal. You''d think this has been done before, and it has. But no one has the amount of coordination we did. The hydra frantically used its body to cover as much of the crystal as it could. Its body was hit by the archers and the spells crashed into its body. But unknowing of our tactics, co-ordination and skill. A single arrow slipped by. The hydra frantically raised its head and tried to snap at the arrow as it flew past. But our melee attackers hit then, knocking the hydra as it was distracted by the arrow. With a fearsome howl, the hydra rammed the arrow with its head and lost its balance. Taking full control over my melee character, I slipped past the fallen hydra. Seconds in which to strike a blow. The hydra noticed the movement and attempted to swipe me, however the other 2 melee''rs took the blow. Saving me from being swept away. Raising my sword, I crashed it down on the glowing crystal. I saw the crystal crack, shatter and explode. With a earsplitting crack, my speakers blew. My screen fried and smoke came from the casing of my PC. Rolling off my chair, I lay on the ground covering my ears groaning and crying in pain. My mother ran in, scared by the sudden noises and smoke from my bedroom. My hearing was gone, I couldn''t hear her voice. Some prize this was. My hearing gradually came back and I comforted my crying mother. She was distraught and afraid something happened to me. I heard the phone dimly ringing, but I couldn''t muster the sense to answer it. My heart was heavy. We should have slain the hydra instead. My computer was history. Minutes later, my mother had calmed down and I lay on my bed, gazing upwards at the ceiling. Slowly my hearing recovered and my fear died down. Standing up on shaking legs, I walked to the phone and called my friend. Eventually after a few rings, he picked up. I opened up with "Did your computer blow?" "What are you talking about?" "My speakers blew. My computer fried" "Wow.." He didn''t say anything for a few seconds. He had been talking to the other members of our group. None of them mentioned anything like this. It seemed I was the odd one out. Was it because it was my attack? He told me what happened after the crystal exploded. The hydra just fell limp. When attacking it, it didn''t fight back. It just lay on the ground. Upon killing it, they received a massive amount of exp. But nothing happened. The crystal prize was gone. Teleporting back to the town, the NPC''s were limp. Not moving. After ten minutes. The game grew slower and slower. It took longer to move around, longer to turn the screen view around. It effected everyone. The small forums created for players of the game grew crowded. The game was disappearing. Files were corrupting. The site''s install button was grayed out. The background of the site was of a dead hydra and a cracked gray crystal. Did this spell the end? Why did the crystal have this effect? Should we have even tried to smash it? I spoke with him for several hours more as he kept me up to date. Finally, he had no more to tell me and we said our goodbyes. Lying on my bed. I looked upwards. Grief heavy in my heart. Would we ever play on Balizen again? Closing my eyes. I drifted to sleep. But my sleep was restless, nightmares raging with the crystal exploding and repeatedly I saw the distraught expression the hydra had. We shouldn''t have done it. We really shouldn''t have done it. The thought that kept pounding through my mind as I slept. Then I heard a sound. *Tring* Blearily opening my eyes from my restless sleep. In front of me floated a silver blue text box.
For crushing the source of Balizen''s power - You have gained the title Gamer - You have learnt the skill Gamer
Reaching out for the box, it felt solid under my hands. And yet my fingers easily slipped through. It was a weird feeling. Sleepily, I pressed ''OK'' upon which it disappeared. I fell back asleep, but instead of the nightmares of before, I now dreamt of fights fought and won. Chapter 1 - Gamer The way I structure my sentences in the first three chapters is bad, I agree. But it does get better later on. Also, if you haven''t. You really should read the prologue. ---------------------------------------------- My alarm bell rang. I woke up and yawned. Stretching, I fumbled around until I managed to turn the alarm off. I lay for a moment in the warm security of my bed before finally getting up. I felt fine. Better than fine. I had hoped that yesterday was a nightmare, but looking at the wrecked computer, my hopes were dashed. I collapsed back on my bed. This was a nightmare. I wanted to play Balezin. I wanted to play it so bad. The alarm goes off at 6.30am each day. I want to get as much game time in as I could. But there was no Balezin. There was no computer. But while I was sleeping, maybe something happened? Could Balezin be back? I knew it wouldn''t be. But hope ate at me, gnawing at my heart. Walking to the hall, I picked up the cordless phone and dialled David''s number. After ten seconds or so, he picked up. He would also be awake at this time for the same reason as me. I hesitated before I asked "Any news about Balezin?" I held my breath. Anticipating and fearing his answer. David spoke in a heavy voice. "No. The site is also slowing down. We no longer have any of the game files on our computers" A long heavy silence was drawn out. We had nothing more to say. I hanged up and went back to my bed. Staring upwards at the ceiling, my eyes held a vacant look. My heart heavy in grief. Five years ago, I was no one. I had nothing to live for. I knew David from school and often hanged out with him. We liked to sit together, and just sit there. Occasionally reading books, doing homework. Sometimes David bought a handheld to school. We competed against each other trying to get the best score. We were friends in fellow boredom. Then a internet community David was part of, just exploded. Balezin. Minutes before the post was deleted, David had signed up. Soon after he had played it. He sent me the link soon after and I joined him. My computer wasn''t the greatest. My parents didn''t believe in handouts. But with some oddjobs and a cheap discount when David wanted to sell his old computer. I had one. Thankfully my parents paid for the internet. I didn''t think I''d be able to afford that without a part time job. When I was first introduced to Balezin I couldn''t believe it. Surely this wasn''t real. How big is the subscription going to be?? But we never saw any costs. I made friends there. Enemies too. But we all enjoyed ourselves. It changed my life. I had been getting depressed. My parents were out all day. I had no siblings. David was my friend, but we didn''t hang around outside of school. Home had nothing to do. Balezin changed my life. I lay on my bed, remembering my past. I heard footsteps as my parents woke up. My father walked to the lounge, turned on the TV. My mother dropped by my door. Her eyes flickered to my computer as she softly told me to get ready for school. I nodded in return, acknowledging her presence. After she left, I lay for a minute more before grunting and sitting up. Getting changed, I went downstairs for breakfast. Eating robotically, I couldn''t taste the eggs or the toast. Balezin. My body felt heavy as I grabbed my bag and walked outdoors, waiting at the bus-stop felt like a eternity. I almost missed the bus, deep in depression as I was. The bus arrived at school and I got off. Heading to our usual spot, I met up with David. We both sat there in melancholy. He occasionally checked his phone, looking for any news about Balezin. But there was nothing new. The forums were crowded with flocks of anxious people. Eager for any news. Any hope they can find. The bell rang and we headed to homeroom. After a short inspirational speech, the teacher left us for the ten minutes until the first class. The first class was math. I just stared at the book. Our next class was english, but who honestly needs that? After morning tea, we headed to the next class. This time we had science. I had forgotten today was a exam. I stared down at the exam which lay face down. I''d have loved to skip it today. But.. I wasn''t given a choice. "Start" We turned the paper over and reluctantly, I started filling in the questions. Some of them I knew, others I had to guess at. I was filling out the answer to a chemical formula when I heard a ding. *Tring*
INT +1
A silvery blue text box appeared directly in front of me. I reared back and inhaled in fright. My chair slipped out from me and clattered to the ground as I sprawled on the ground. My classmates looked at me and snickered at my predicament. The teacher approached me and looked down where I lay on the ground. "Is there a problem?" Couldn''t they see the box in front of me? But as I watched, it rapidly faded away. Just a few seconds after appearing. Looking back up at him, I shook my head. "Its nothing" Amid the snickering of my peers, I got up, righted my chair and sat back at my desk. What was that? Finishing the final few questions left on the exam, it was now lunchtime. We had a final class which was woodworking, but the teacher was out today. They couldn''t find a substitute teacher, so we had a free period. David still had a class however, so I sat in our spot. Just what happened? The box said INT +1 Intelligence? My intelligence increased? Didn''t I see something like that box before? Ah! Last night! Was sleeping then, thought it a dream. But I swear I saw that same box then! I don''t remember what it said, but it mentioned the word ''Gamer'' a few times. They looked to be connected, and Gamer.. Its as if I''m playing a game? *Tring*
WIS +1
There it was again! This time, I examined the box. Tilting and moving my head around, the box remained in the same position in my view. Reaching a hand out, I felt the box. It resisted my hand, and yet. My hand moved through it without any problems. As before however, it faded out quickly after. I''m gaining stats as if it''s a game? This was just too weird. Was it related to Balezin? It had to be. Experimenting, Jon felt awkward as he tried different words. "Menu" "Help" "Inventory", then he struck gold as he said "Stats"
Stats
Level1
VIT8STR7
END8AGI7
DEX12INT13
WIS12LUK11
Looking at it, I noticed straight off that my physical stats were on the low side. But in comparison, my intelligence and wisdom were higher than the rest. With my dexterity also rather high. Was this because of my gaming activities? Ten looked to be the baseline, where the average guy has their stats. But strangely I didn''t see any other information. Just my stats. Perhaps it was another command? My stats hadn''t disappeared this time like the gains had, but there was a ''OK'' button. Upon pressing it, the window disappeared. I wanted to check out any other information I could find on this and "character" was the obvious choice. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.Upon saying this, I was right as another window opened.
NameJonathan Cliff
TitlesGamer
Level1
VIT8STR7
END8AGI7
DEX12INT13
WIS12LUK11
Skills
    [p=left]
  • Gamer lv.1
[/p]
Interesting. It didn''t have my full name, likely because no one wanted to hear my middle name. My level was 1. Indictating I just started. And this title.. Gamer? I also had a skill listed under the same name. Trying to make more information appear, I moved my hand over the title. Nothing happened. But when I pressed on it, another window appeared over the character window.
TitleGamer
For destroying the source of Balezin''s power and absorbing it, you were granted the object of your desire. As such, you have earned the title Gamer.
I.. Destroyed Balezin? No. I couldn''t have. It was a game. Just a game. And absorbing its power? Was this a fantasy novel? Besides. Was this title even useful? Dismissing the window, I looked at my character menu. Something looked off about it. What was it.. Ah! There was no health or mana. Surely that was a mistake? If this was a game, I should be seeing more information than this displays. However I was unable to do anything about it. This time, I pressed on the skill Gamer.
SkillGamerLevel1
Reality is a game to you. Play, survive and grow.
Now this was interesting. Despite the lack of information. The world is a game? That sounded.. Fun. Except I had a funny feeling that pain and effort would both be involved. "Uh.. What are you doing?" I turned my head startled. David was sitting next to me, watching as I poked at the air. When did he get there? Had I truly been that distracted? I don''t know why, but I didn''t want to tell him about this. Maybe it was because I was the source of Balezin''s downfall.. With a leisurely wave of my hands, I dismissed the windows and dropped my arm. "Its nothing." David gave me a funny look. "You better not be cracking up on me" I shook my head. "Its nothing. Seriously." "Whatever" he shrugged. We sat there in silence, I continued to think about what this meant. David took his phone out and started browsing through Balezin''s forums, seeking some kind of relief. The skills window indicted you could learn skills. But unlike a game, I''d have to learn them as I go? What were the skills I could learn? Game specific skills? I hoped not. Most of the skills you find in Balizen are related to combat and magic. Both of which I doubted would be useful to obtain. There was one skill that I thought would be particularly easy to learn. As I thought about it, the urge to investigate made itself more and more known. I didn''t want to be sitting around here when I could be looking into this. Finally I couldn''t resist and got up. "Well. I''m off" David nodded and turned back to flicking through the forums on his phone. I shouldered my backpack and moved to the bus shelter, after a short wait a bus arrived. Getting on, I travelled back home and trembling with impatience I quickly dumped my stuff in my room and changed from my school clothes. Heading to the kitchen, I started preparing a meal. Cutting up the onions, frying them up then adding mince. Adding garlic and a little spicing. I soon prepared a meal. Upon completing it, A box appeared. *Tring*
You have learnt the skill Cooking
You have learnt the subskill Cooking: Frying
As I hoped, I was able to gain the cooking skill. But there was sub-skills? This didn''t exist in Balizen. Opening my character menu again, both skills were now listed.
NameJonathan Cliff
TitlesGamer
Level1
VIT8STR7
END8AGI7
DEX12INT13
WIS12LUK11
Skills
    [p=left]
  • Gamer lv.1
  • Cooking lv.1
    • Frying lv.1
[/p]
I tapped on both of the skills to open their descriptions. I had noticed earlier that I was able to move the windows around by dragging them. When reopening them, they stayed in that position. Where tapping on the window with the intent to close it would have it disappear. So it was easier to navigate the windows than you would originally think. Opening the newly acquired skills, I quickly read through the little text that there was.
SkillCookingLevel1
Cooking is a important aspect of your daily life. You receive a small boost in your everyday skills in cooking and find it harder to ruin what you cook!
SkillCooking: FryingLevel1
A subskill of cooking, frying has never been easier! Anything you fry has a better chance of becoming something edible!
The descriptions sounded a little sarcastic. Was it related to my lack of information in my character window? Shouldn''t I be seeing things relating to experience? Such as how long until the next level? Obviously I could level them up. Why else would it mention "Level" I smiled. Things are starting to get interesting. I think I''ll enjoy this new found gift. *Tring*
The skill Gamer has reached level 2
You can now view your health. +2% increase in experience gains.
Chapter 2 - Experimentation I spent the afternoon training in various ways. I would have liked to level up cooking some more, see if I can unlock anything besides better food. But I didn''t think it would be a great idea to make a bunch of food I''m not going to eat.. The first thing on my agenda was to see about casting spells. Its only logical. The obvious spell that everyone immediately thinks of is fireball. But I didn''t have anything I could test it out on and use as a target. We lived near a forest, but I didn''t plan to start a forest fire either. So standing in my backyard, I tried to sense my power, have it welling from the ground, gathering it through the air. Imagining a core of power inside my chest, drawing it out through my hands. Anything. I tried imagining power welling in my hands, overlapping, swelling. With my eyes closed I imagined the feeling for a few minutes. Then to my excitement, I felt a tickling on my hand. When I opened my eyes however, a mosquito was sucking my blood. I quickly squashed it in disgust. To my disappointment however, I wasn''t given a notification of exp. I gave up in disgust on the magic aspect and went inside. The next thing on my agenda was jogging. I could train my physical stats with this, and perhaps learn a related skill. Changing into loose clothing, I went outside and started jogging down the pavement. It was a hot day and a few cars passed me. At first I felt fine and full of energy, however ten minutes later I was getting tired. I''ve seen no stats or skill related gains during this time. This wasn''t going to be harder than I thought was it? I kept going, my breathing was getting shallow and my legs were aching. Finally when I was about to stop, a window popped up.
END +1
With a groan, I collapsed on a nearby bench. The minute I did so, two more windows appeared.
You have learned the skill Jogging
By depleting it, you have learned of your stamina
Freaking finally. I thought it was strange not to have a stamina bar. Opening my stats, my stamina now appears.
Stats
Level1
Health87/87Stamina2/94
VIT8STR7
END9AGI7
DEX12INT13
WIS12LUK11
As I watched, my stamina rose by 1. Timing it against my watch, I came to the conclusion that my stamina recovered by 5 every 10 seconds. Judging by my new skill Jogging, it seemed that I would be able to unlock movement related skills.
SkillJoggingLevel1
Jogging at a steady pace has gotten easier. You can keep jogging for slightly longer!
Why couldn''t it give me figures? Numbers? Some facts I can work with instead of this vague textual description of less stamina consumed.. After resting for a few minutes, my stamina was fully recovered and I stood up and started jogging again. I headed back home, I wanted to see about trying to level up some other skill. During that, I kept jogging to increase my proficiency in the skill. Sure enough, when I was almost home I hit another level.
The skill Jogging has reached level 2
You can keep jogging for slightly longer! Jogging speed has also slightly increased!
Nice! I had been hoping for speed gains. Later, I thought I should try learn the skills for jumping and sprinting. Walking would be a skill too if this was a indicator, but I should learn it just fine without the need to train for it. For now however, I wanted to train a combat related skill. I finished jogging home, and instead of being completely tired, my stamina still had a few points left in it. Heading down the stairs into the basement, I turned the light on and started hunting around through the junk. Pushing piles of books aside and a broken TV. I found my baseball bat. Heading back upstairs I exited the back door and went out to the backyard. We had a thick wooden log set in the ground there. Relic of the previous tenants. I don''t know what it''s for honestly, but it would make a great target to whack with the bat. Yep. I planned to gain some combat ability with my bat. Increase my strength as well. Taking a stance, I started slamming the bat into the side of the pillar. A minute passed and my arms were growing tired. My stamina also rapidly depleted as I swung the bat around. My hands grew numb from the jolt and pain of the bat thudding against a hard object. You should try it out sometime. Its great.. Taking a rest, I regained my stamina and repeated the process. After the second repetition, I gained a stat, and after the third repetition of this I gained two skills.
STR +1
You have learned the skill Blunt Weapons
You have learned the subskill Blunt Weapons: Clubs
Taking a break, I looked at the newly acquired skills
SkillBlunt WeaponsLevel1
Blunt weapons deal more damage
SkillBlunt Weapons: ClubsLevel1
You deal more damage when using a club or related weapon
Stamina replenished again, I got back up and continued smashing my bat into the wooden log. My hands grew numb and fingers stiff, rivulets of sweat ran down my body. The sun was hot and beat down on my back as I punished the log for existing. Finally with a swing at the log, the bat slipped out of my unfeeling fingers. I''d pushed my body further than I had ever tried in the past. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.And the fun thing was, everytime my stamina replenished. I could keep going again. I didn''t get tired, and my stamina regeneration speed didn''t decrease. During this time, I gained a few stats, levelled up my blunt weapon skills and gained two new skills.
AGI +1
STR +1
END +2
VIT +1
SkillBlunt WeaponsLevel3
Blunt weapons deal more damage
SkillBlunt Weapons: ClubsLevel4
You deal more damage when using a club or related weapon.
You have learned the skill Shock Resistance
SkillShock ResistanceLevel2
You take less damage from shock related damage You have less chance of being stunned
You have learned the skill Physical Exercise
SkillPhysical ExerciseLevel2
When training, experience gains increases and stamina depletion decreases
The skills were useful, though during this the shock of the bat hitting the thick log had dealt damage. My health regenerated however, so instead of some super low amount, my health was 80/87. Timing it, I regenerated my health by 3 every 10 seconds. My VIT increased my health by 10 points, and I had a inkling it was increased by exercising the body. Healthy body = More health points. I had also gained a level from this. A window popped up, allowing me to distribute 5 stat points. I choose to place them all in wisdom. If my theory was right, I would gain experience faster. The sky was getting dark as I went inside, sweat covered my body and though it slightly ached. I felt fine. My hands were a little numb as I recovered my health. But this time I wanted to see about increasing my other two stats I had been neglecting. After taking a shower and changing, I went inside my room. Heading to my computer, I halted in dismay when I saw the wrecked remains. I had completely forgotten about yesterday. ... My good mood was killed. I needed to get rid of the computer as the smell of burnt plastic was getting to me. Nothing inside the casing was salvageable. The cords themselves were blackened and had bits of melted plastic exposing the wires inside, though the power socket in my room looked to be fine. Packing it up, I took the remains outside to the dumpster and threw them in. The desk had scorch marks on the side, and I thought about chucking it. But eventually decided to keep it. Heading downstairs, I hunted around for books I could look at. My mother was home and she was surprised that I cooked something earlier. She made white rice to eat alongside the curry. When my father came home, we ate dinner at the table after which I took my collection of books upstairs to read. I started with the encyclopaedia. The contents in it was interesting enough to keep me engrossed. After finishing it (It wasn''t very thick), I moved onto a book describing the life of a chinese general, then a fantasy novel. Occasionally I was rewarded with a notification. In the end, the fantasy novel didn''t give me any stats, through I had gained 2 INT and 1 WIS along with two new skills.
You have learned the skill Reading
SkillReadingLevel2
Time seems to slow slightly as you read. You have a better understanding on the things you read.
You have learned the skill Memorization
SkillMemorizationLevel1
Your memory slightly improves
My eyes tired and a yawn stretching my mouth, I changed for bed. As a afterthought, I checked my stats.
NameJonathan Cliff
TitlesGamer
Level2
Health99/99Stamina116/116
VIT9STR9
END11AGI8
DEX12INT15
WIS18LUK11
Skills
  • Gamer lv.2
  • Cooking lv.1
    • Cooking: Frying lv.1
  • Jogging lv.2
  • Blunt Weapons lv.3
    • Blunt Weapons: Clubs lv.4
  • Shock Resistance lv.2
  • Reading lv.2
  • Memorization lv.2
I seem to be gaining stats abnormally fast. Is this the power of the Gamer skill? Giving it no further thought, I then fell asleep. Chapter 3 - Learning skills My alarm went off and I sleepily began to wake up, only growl in frustration. This time I didn''t even have to look at my desk to know Balezin was gone. There was nothing for me to wake up to this early. Sitting up, I stretched, then grabbed my alarm. Switching the blaring off, I fiddled around with it to change the settings. With these changes, in the future it would now wake me at a reasonable time. Reluctant to get out of bed, but too awake to sleep. I lay back down on my bed for a few minutes with my eyes closed. I gradually got restless and became bored, my sleep had long since gone. So I grabbed a fantasy novel from the stack of books next to my bed. Reading the book, the hours passed. The book itself was great and while I didn''t gain any stats, I did learn a new useless skill.
You have learned the skill Storytelling
SkillStorytellingLevel1
Learning from example, your stories sound more interesting
Yep. Definitely useless. My parents were getting up, so actually being ready in time for once, I got changed and headed downstairs. My mother walked into the kitchen and was surprised to see me cooking, she watched me for a few seconds then asked me "You cooking for everyone?" After I replied to her with a simple "yes", she left me to my devices. Soon I''d cooked up a omelette with a few cracked eggs, some onions, herbs and a generous helping of cheese. After cooking it, I hadn''t received any notifications for a levelup of my skills, which I found disappointing. After eating, Both of my parents praised me for making a delicious breakfast. I think they wanted me to cook more often. I didn''t mind too much, I did want to level up this cooking skill after all. After the dishes were cleared up, I grabbed my backpack and left for school. The bus arrived and I got on. Sitting in the back, I looked outside the window and watched the houses pass. Arriving at school, I left the bus and headed to our spot. David wasn''t there, so I sat down and waited for him, but the bell eventually rung. I didn''t see him today. Did he skip school? During classes, I sank myself into studying like I never had before. I had a very solid reason to be studying, and in reward, I received a couple of stats.
INT +2
WIS +1
Class broke for morning tea, David still wasn''t at the spot. It seemed he skipped school today after all. I had taken my book to school, so I continued reading it until the bell rung. After morning tea, the next class we had was gym. Changing and gathering inside the gym, today''s game was announced. Dodgeball. I never had taken gym seriously. I preferred to sit things out, and if I absolutely had to, I would make the bare minimum effort required to placate the teacher. But this time I intended to take it seriously. My gains depended on it. With everyone scattered throughout the gym, the teacher was on the sidelines holding 5 balls. Explaining the rules, he then blew his whistle and threw the balls in. Everyone exploded into action. The people closest to the balls grabbed them, and I was lucky enough to score one. However went I threw the ball to tag someone out, I missed. Seeing it bounce away, I turned and kept a eye out for anyone looking to score a free point. I saw a movement to my side, and turning I saw a ball heading directly at my stomach. Unable to catch it in time, I barely managed to dodge. I then ran after the ball and threw it back at them. Predictably missing, the ball bounced off a wall and rolled to someone else''s feet. Looking around, I saw another ball coming at me, it was a slow lob, but I had to step out of the way as someone threw another ball at me. Seeing it coming, I easily caught it and he was out. I threw the ball at another player who attempted to tag me out earlier, but it was obviously going to be a easy catch for him. His hands out, he smirked as it thudded snugly into his waiting hands. But then to his disbelief, he fumbled and dropped it.
LUK +1
In my distraction with the new window, I almost didn''t see the ball coming at me. Barely dodging it it in time, another window appeared before me.
You have learned the skill Dodge
With no time to look at it, I quickly dismissed both messages and focused on the game. I managed to tag a total of 5 people before someone caught me from behind. During this time, I leveled the dodge skill and gained a AGI point. I also learnt a new skill.
You have learned the skill Footwork
We watched the final few players fight until finally the winner was declared. In the remaining 10 minutes of gym before we got changed again, the teacher sadistically told us to jog a lap around the field. Amid the groans of the class, I was probably the only one happy to have a excuse to train my jogging skill. After jogging the lap however, I didn''t receive any levelup notifications. Getting changed, it was then lunch break. Going outside, I moved to a place out of the way from everyone then looked at my newly acquired skills.
SkillDodgeLevel2
You are more likely to dodge incoming strikes and missiles
SkillFootworkLevel1
You are less likely to stumble
As always, very little information was provided in the description. I had a bit of time to kill, so I headed to the library. The library was a square building in the middle of the school with windows looking inside it. I didn''t go inside the library very often. I normally hung out with David. I originally intended to read, but when I saw the computers I couldn''t resist. As I logged in, I had a realisation. I needed a new computer, and I had no money to start with. Not having a computer was far too inconvenient. Opening the browser, I started scouring the local job listings. I found a part-time job for stocking shelves at a local supermarket, easily remembered in this small town. I resolved to go visit after school. I spent the rest of the time on the computer looking through Balizen''s forums for news. A lot of users had gone into depressing posts, mentioning suicide and the like. Mixed among them was tearful farewell speeches. But the large majority of the posts.. I hissed in irritation when I realised what one of our idiotic team members did. He had posted a video of our raid on the dungeon. And it clearly showed me running past the purple hydra, approaching the crystal and smashing it in a single decisive move. After the lightshow cleared up, I was no longer online. I had thousands of hate mail in my mailbox, with a rare few mails inquiring if I got anything special. The names of our entire team were on display for all, and a lot of the posts mentioned us. Most of them were death threats and specifically addressed to me. I was thankful I''d choosen a different online name when I had signed up for Balizen. Outside of the game, no one but David knew who I was. I changed the email on my account however, I didn''t want to see what would happen if/when a moderator leaked it. I would sympathize with them, but I had gained this cool new ability. I didn''t reply to any of the posts, I didn''t have a suitable excuse to tell them. What was I supposed to say? "Hey sorry about destroying the game. I can''t fix it. Forgive me?" The bell rang then, so after logging out, I went to the next class which happened to be science. Studying, I gained another INT point, bringing my stats to 18 INT. But aside from a level gain in Memorization, nothing else notable happened. The next class was history, which is when things started happening. Listening to the teacher ramble on about New Zealand and the Moari. I gained a new skill.
You have learned the skill Listen
Predictable what that would give. But shortly after that I received another notification.
WIS +1
For reaching 20 WIS. You can now view experience
Finally! However I was still in class, so I couldn''t checkout my stats right then. Waiting impatiently, class seemed to drag on and on. Finally, class was dismissed and school was done. Walking to mine and David''s spot, much to my amusement I then gained another skill.
You have learned the skill Walking
Sitting down against the wall, I checked out the few skills I''d gained.
SkillListenLevel1 [12%]
You better understand what someone is saying
SkillWalkingLevel1 [3%]
Movement speed increases, stamina consumption decreases
But when I checked my stats, my stamina was listened at full. The ''less stamina consumed'' for the walking skill looked to be redundant.
NameJonathan Cliff
TitlesGamer
Level2 [43%]
Health99/99Stamina127/127
VIT9STR9
END11AGI9
DEX12INT18
WIS20LUK12
Skills
  • Gamer lv.2 [87%]
  • Cooking lv.1 [92%]
      Stolen story; please report.
    • Cooking: Frying lv.1 [61%]
  • Jogging lv.2 [72%]
  • Blunt Weapons lv.3 [56%]
    • Blunt Weapons: Clubs lv.4 [49%]
  • Shock Resistance lv.2 [32%]
  • Physical Exercise lv.1 [85%]
  • Reading lv.2 [12%]
  • Memorization lv.3 [14%]
  • Storytelling lv.1 [12%]
  • Dodge lv.2 [21%]
  • Footwork lv.1 [34%]
  • Listen lv. 1 [8%]
  • Walking lv.1 [3%]
The gamer skill looked close to leveling up, I wonder how you get experience in that. Gaining stats and skills? I got up and shouldered my backpack. Heading to the local mall, I went to the supermarket to see about the job. A large sign was posted on a wall advertising it, so it seemed the position was still open. After being given the runaround by a few people, I finally found the manager. "Hi there, how can I help you?" she inquired brightly, a cheerful smile on her face. "Do you still have a vacancy for stocking shelves?" She nodded, "Yep. We actually need someone to start work now. However you''ll need to fill out some documents. So if you are willing we can have you fill in documents today, and then you start work tomorrow"
LUK +1
I nodded and easily agreed, after filling in the documents, I caught the bus and returned home. I could only work part-time at the supermarket due to school, but in a few weeks it was the holidays. I would have more free time then, and could possibly make it a full-time position if I did a good job. I changed out of my school clothes, and taking the bat back up, I headed to the backyard to punish the wooden log. My stamina lasted longer than yesterday, though I still had to rest every so often to recover. Shock Resistance and both Blunt Weapon skills leveled up twice during the course of my training. The skill Exercise also leveled up during this time.
VIT +1
STR +2
END +1
SkillBlunt WeaponsLevel5 [87%]
Blunt weapons deal more damage
SkillBlunt Weapons: ClubsLevel6 [21%]
You deal more damage when using a club or related weapon.
SkillShock ResistanceLevel3 [73%]
You take less damage from shock related damage You have less chance of being stunned
SkillPhysical ExerciseLevel2 [47%]
When training, experience gains increases and stamina depletion decreases
I noticed that the subskill ''Blunt Weapons: Club'' seemed to be leveling up faster than the main skill. Bored of smashing at the log, I went inside to see about raising my INT to 20. My WIS allowed me to view experience when it hit 20. So judging from that, something related would happen with INT and other stats. Going inside my room, I grabbed a school textbook and despite the urge to escape, stop reading, do anything but this. I managed to persevere and read the book. Less than 30 minutes later, I received a notification.
INT +1
My brain couldn''t take it anymore and I abandoned the book. Hunting through the pile, I looked for something more interesting to read. I finally settled on a book on the rituals of the Aztecs. As I started reading through it, I received a notification.
The skill Reading has reached level 2
Time seems to slow slightly as you read. You better understand the things you read.
I continued my book, and halfway through it, I received another notification
INT +1
Wait. Didn''t I hit the 20 INT mark? I received nothing special? I took a quick look at my stats
Stats
Level2 [92%]
Health111/111Stamina140/140
VIT10STR11
END12AGI9
DEX12INT20
WIS20LUK13
There was no mistake about it. My 20 stat theory looked to be wrong. It was a little disappointing, but I finished the book regardless. It was nearing teatime and my mother was in the kitchen taking ingredients from the cupboards. However as she wasn''t actually cooking yet, I offered to make supper instead. She gave me a surprised look, then smiled at me "That would be nice Jon. I was about to prepare mashed potatoes and steak if you would like to?" I smiled and waved my hand as I generously offered "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of it all" After she left the kitchen, I continued washing the potatoes before boiling them. Heating up the frying pain, I added mushrooms and onions before adding the steak. While slowly cooking the steak, I kept a eye on the potatoes until I judged them soft enough. Draining the water out, I added butter and milk to the potatoes before mashing them. I had actually misjudged it. The core of the potato was slightly undercooked and a little solid. However it was still edible, and I didn''t think my parents would complain. The steaks however came out fine. Setting out three plates, I separated the food onto them just as my father came home. Sitting at the table, we prepared to eat, when I saw 5 notifications popped up.
The skill Cooking has reached level 2
Cooking skill improves
The subskill Cooking: Frying has reached level 2
Frying has gotten harder to ruin!
You have learned the subskill Cooking: Boiling
The skill Gamer has reached level 3
You now see nameplates over the heads of other sentient beings As your INT is 20+, you can now see their approximate level under their name
You have leveled up to 3
You have been given 5 stat points to distribute
I was startled to say the least. Thankfully my parents didn''t notice my expression. When I looked at them, a small window of text was now displayed over their heads.
Jane Cliff Lv.6
Daniel Cliff Lv.8
Author: Would better organise the above windows. But I don''t know how to shrink the [table\] boxes. Its going to really suck later on.. It was fairly interesting. You''ll probably be expecting my parents to have some kind of combat ability. Perhaps a lot of strength and the like. You would be drastically disappointed however. It looked to be representative of their overall skills. However, shouldn''t I have started out at least a level 2? Skills such as cooking and walking already unlocked and leveled? Putting that aside however. This newfound ability looked like it just combined combat level and non-combat levels together. Not a true representative of fighting strength. I may be able to unlock this later, view the levels separately. This could possibly be unlocked by having more INT. With discreet movements, I assigned my spare points at 3 into WIS and 2 into INT. After finishing tea, I headed upstairs. I was sick of studying and wanted to try something new. Previously when I was trying to activate magic, I had been trying to force the power, gather the power from my body. But instead, perhaps I need to meditate? It was definitely worth a try. Taking a deep breath and assuming a relaxing crosslegged posture, I calmed my breathing down. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Random thoughts flitted through my mind. I rejected them and forcibly emptied my mind. Concentrating on a empty mind, I sat there. Ten minutes passed, twenty. I barely felt it. My mind was still and my body calm. I didn''t feel a source of power within me, but my thoughts didn''t intrude. A hour passed, my soul calm and my body still. Then I heard the familiar sound of the *tring*. Calm and collected, I opened my eyes. A window had appeared in front of me.
You have learned the skill Meditation
I was mildly disappointed at this outcome. I took a look at the skill, hoping it would be a good one.
SkillMeditationLevel1 [1%]
While meditating, your body relaxes and your mind calms.
The skill seemed it would be useful.. Not. Another attempt at gaining magic, failed. The time was late, so I prepared for bed. Going to sleep, I did have one thought. If I was a gamer. Where were the enemies? Chapter 4 - Training Should be worth noting that the reason the chapters are coming out slower than previously, is because I have a lot more going on. I can''t finish writing it in the morning so I''m finishing the draft later in the day. Because I''m finishing it later in the day, I''m not able to catch all my mistakes. You can see how it effected the last chapter. Instead of waiting until the morning as I should have so I could check it again, I released it. The original draft of this chapter was so bad, I ended up rewriting the entire thing. This is partly because as someone pointed out, I was spamming the enter button for my sentences. Which had me writing the story in stilted lines, the story didn''t flow like it should have. The setting of the story has now been defined, so the pace will start to pickup. When will things happen? Might be this chapter, next chapter or the chapter after that.. Its only for me to know. ---------------------------------------- Over the next week, I attended school, went to my job at the supermarket and when I came home, I whacked the log. Strangely enough, after I hit 20 WIS and INT, the gains in those stats were pretty low. Shortly after, my STR hit 20 and the next day, my END also hit 20. However I didn''t gain any new skills from either achievements. It looked to be WIS and INT only. My gamer skill leveled up, and I was making decent pay from my job. A couple more weeks of this, and I would be able to get myself a new computer. I guess you would be interested to know that when my gamer skill leveled up to 4, it unlocked a new ability. Statuses. It was useful enough in its own way, everytime I entered a area a popup window would appear. "You have entered Stein Highschool", "You have entered Stein Supermarket", "You have entered Cliff''s Family Home" and the like. As a experiment, I tried a few locations I didn''t know the names of. Asian shop with some sign I couldn''t translate = ''Chinese Foods Shop'' Another asian shop = ''Original Korean Food Shop'' Lawn of random house = ''Arther''s Family Home'' Another lawn = ''Lewis''s Family Home'' When I asked the asian lady at the shop, she told me that the name of the store was exactly that. ''Chinese Foods''. It wasn''t some kind of racist description that my power came up with. The ''Shop'' part was tacked on however. The other way it assisted me was telling me when my stamina was depleted, fairly useless in itself. But it indicated that it could display more information, one example being ''Health Lost'' or ''Damage Dealt''. However I was unable to check either of those. Previously in the past I had lost health while training on the wooden log, but my shock resistance had since then leveled up to 6 and I no longer took enough damage while training to lose a single health point. I was also unwilling to hurt myself deliberately. A few days after David failed to show up at school, I finally visited him at his house. He had shut himself in his room and refused to come out and he originally didn''t want to see me, but I refused to leave. Eventually, he opened up and talked to me. After Balizen went, he just couldn''t find it to do anything. His mother tried to get him to go to school, but eventually she gave up. I started visiting him regularly when I had free time, and when I was there we often talked. He didn''t blame me for what happened. The entire group was for the plan, and I was the one chosen to smash the crystal. But I could tell me was beating himself up over it, wishing it never happened. Wishing the plan failed. Everytime I talked to him, he liked to obsess over the final raid. I didn''t like to talk about it much myself, so I would often try to change the subject. Such as the time we took on the entire clan of beasts, or the Fossil Beach Quest. But he would always draw the subject back to the raid. It made me feel on edge. Lately, he had started giving me suspicious looks, and the way he talked. It felt like he was trying to interrogate me. I eventually stopped visiting. After a week of training, the log had big dents in the sides from where I was hitting it, I was pounding away at the log when I heard a sharp crack and the bat splintered into two. I was grinding my club skill then, my STR and END were barely increasing from the training I was doing. I didn''t have anything else I could use to whack the log with, and pushups and situps and the like were not going to work. I just didn''t lose my stamina fast enough.. Ah yes, the miraculous effect of my stats.. My stamina regeneration has increased a bit, I estimate it at about 8 per 10 seconds. But as mentioned by the problems earlier, I could no longer time my health regeneration. I looked around and eventually attended a trial membership of a nearby gym, and for a short time attended it regularly when I had free time. I gained another STR while I was there, along with the sprinting skill and a few AGI while I was on the treadmills. But being skinny, it looks weird to be pressing more weight than the strongest man there. While I was there, I attracted weird looks and even became a local celebrity. I didn''t overly mind it, but eventually the attention would escape the gym. So I had to stop attending. I would have liked to be able to say that I then started training at a dojo, learned some killer martial art skills, gained the black-belt and was recognised as the heir of the dojo by the old master. But seriously, when is the last time you''ve seen one of those? So having determined I would have to train alone again, I decided to make myself a new bat, it was a great way to train up my club skill until my previous bat broke. We had a pine forest nearby, which was accessible to the public. There was also barely any undergrowth so it was easy enough to walk through. However, when I looked around the ground for a thick piece of wood. I realised my error. The pine trees were high off the ground, and the closest branches were more like trunks. They were far too thick. There were a few trees that had fallen down, and so I could access their branches. But the ones I wanted were either rotten, or I was unable to rip them off. Eventually, I gave up and had to return home, inside our garage we had a lot of tools. More on that in a moment. While I was there, I grabbed a saw and spotting a knife, I grabbed it and slipped it inside my pocket. Returning to the forest and approaching a fallen tree, I set about sawing off a branch as thick as my arm. After cutting it down to size, I used my knife to slice off the thin protrusions and smooth the surface down. I gave it a experimental swing. In my hands, it felt solid and heavy. I then learned a new skill.
You have learned the skill Carpentry
mm. Nice enough. However I didn''t care enough to look at the description. It was obvious enough. However, my new found club was a bit too thick for me to grasp it properly, and it would take me far too long to cut it down to size with the tools I currently had. So I had to return home. You would probably be surprised to learn we had a fair amount of tools in our garage, but it was to be expected. My father works as a builder and often stores his tools there. Time passes and as he gets new tools, the old tools are left behind or lost. So we had a fairly decent collection going. I already knew how to use most of the tools in here; my father had insisted on it. You can''t just leave a growing boy around with dangerous tools in the garage.. The garage was originally built for two cars, but one side was completely devoted to his junk. Amidst that junk was a workbench that had two clamps attached. I put the tools I was using away and clamped the club. I then hunted around until I found a small saw, carefully I cut the bark off the end of the smaller end of the club until the wood was exposed. I then sawed it down to a manageable size and trimmed the uneven bits off with a sharp knife. With the result, I then sanded it down until it felt smooth to the grip. Unclamping it, I hefted it and gave it a experimental swing. It felt good, heavy and solid on my hand. Like I could wreck serious damage with it. However, it didn''t look great. Aside from the handle, it was still a thick branch with the bark attached. It looked like a club some kind of ogre would use. I then heard the ever familiar *tring*
You have learned the subskill Carpentry: Carving
Not so useful a skill, what am I supposed to make? Clubs and bows? A staff? I had also received another stat.
DEX +1
My club complete, I put the tools away and cleaned up the small mess I had created. Returning to the backyard, I then resumed my training with the bat. I could feel the difference straight away. Where my bat thunked against the log, my new club slammed into the log. I could feel pity for the log.. It was harder to wield my new club than the bat was, and I was now receiving damage again. As if to confirm it, every so often I would receive a message
HP -1
However my club skills were gaining experience faster and my shock resistance was also gaining experience again. My STR should also increase faster. The holidays started and the manager was pleased with me, she made me fulltime and my schedule was changed. I now worked in the mornings and had my afternoons free. I was making more money than ever, and eventually had enough to afford myself a computer. Unlike my last computer, I didn''t want to get another second hand computer. Instead I wanted to get something new, something I could call mine from the very beginning. I had time off on the weekends, so two weeks into the holidays I went to the bank. I didn''t have a card as I simply didn''t spend my money, after 4 weeks of working, I now had $1200 in my bank which should be able to net me a decent computer. I asked to withdraw $1100 in cash. You would normally think that''s pretty stupid to do, like I''m just asking to be mugged. But you forget my stats. I was abnormally strong. Not that I looked like it however, I still looked like a computer geek. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.But after placing the loose bundle of notes in my pockets, I heard the *tring*. Wait. What did I do this time?
You have learned the skill Banker
Interesting.. Nodding at the teller, I left the bank. The money in my pocket had disappeared, and if I was right, this could be very interesting. Moving to a secluded area, I then checked the description.
SkillBankerLevel1 [21%]
Your carried money is now stored inside the system
Inside my character window, a new entry appeared.
NameJonathan Cliff
TitlesGamer
Level9 [95%]Balance$1100
Health288/288Stamina274/274
VIT26STR28
END25AGI21
DEX17INT27
WIS29LUK17
Skills
  • Gamer lv.4 [97%]
  • Cooking lv.7 [55%]
    • Cooking: Frying lv.8 [32%]
    • Cooking: Boiling lv.3 [84%]
  • Jogging lv.5 [74%]
  • Blunt Weapons lv.18 [4%]
    • Blunt Weapons: Clubs lv.24 [12%]
  • Shock Resistance lv.13 [42%]
  • Physical Exercise lv.15 [21%]
  • Reading lv.14 [64%]
  • Memorization lv.8 [56%]
  • Storytelling lv.7 [4%]
  • Dodge lv.4 [71%]
  • Footwork lv.5 [63%]
  • Listen lv.5 [7%]
  • Walking lv.9 [67%]
  • Medication lv.1 [76%]
  • Sprinting lv.4 [35%]
  • Carpentry lv.1 [87%]
    • Carpentry: Carving lv.1 [89%]
  • Banker lv.1 [21%]
When I touched it, a small window appeared. [table]td100]Define currency and amount[/td100[table] I thought of the money I had originally. As if by magic, a tight bundle of notes appeared just blinked into my hand. Unlike the notes I had originally, these were crisp, fresh, and professionally arrayed. With a small grin on my face, I looked at the bundle of cash in my hand. This was pretty cool. I did a few small experiemts, this new ability even allowed me to take out money in different denominations. However I had one thought. The way this money thing worked, it could be very inconvenient. Imagine having to pay someone, but you need to be carrying the money in your hand before you even talk to them else they would see the money appear in your hand. I needed to try find some kind of alternative for this. The first thing I tried was putting the money in my pocket while imagining it staying, I didn''t feel the money disappear, and when I checked my pocket the money remained. Depositing it back into my balance, I then tried summoning the money inside my pocket. I could feel it immediately. This was very convenient. More-so than I originally thought. However when I tried to summon the money outside my body, it didn''t work very well. It looked to have a limited range and some criteria that I need to meet. Depositing the money back into my balance, I walked to the nearby electronics shop. The shop assistant was helping someone else across the store and noticed me come in. He nodded and I took a quick look around. Upon spotting the computer section, I quickly strolled over and started looking over the listings. But when I looked through what was on offer, I was dismayed. Most of the prices were higher than my budget. The assistant finished up with their customer and walked over. Dressed in a blue shirt and black pants, he looked to be a little older than me. I idly wondered how long he had been working here. I took a quick look at the box over his head.
Daniel Cray lv.3
Reaching me, he started talking "Hi there! You interested in getting a computer?" he brightly asked. I shrugged, "Yeah, but these seem a bit expensive.." "Ah.." he nodded. "Well, you are probably looking at getting one of the cheaper ones then" I grimaced. Noticing my expression, he asked me "What do you intend to use it for?" I couldn''t very well say porn. I looked at him in the eye as I said "Browsing on the internet and talking with my friends" He swallowed the lie. "Hmm. I would advise you use a laptop then. You looked at them yet?" I shook my head. He smiled "Well they are generally cheaper than the computers, but a tad slower. You can also take them around with you on trips" Eventually he sold me on the idea. Moving to the shop till he rung me up for $799. But the look on his face when I pulled that exact amount from my pocket.. It was priceless. My ability even allowed me to summon coins. Catching the bus home, I clung tightly to my laptop. This was the most expensive thing I had ever owned. Even my computer only set me back $200. The CRT being the bulkiest thing to lug around. When purchasing the computer, I had been given a steep discount by David. I made it home safely and soon had my laptop plugged in. As it was charging, I started it up. Then I grimaced. Less than a hour later, I finished reinstalling the OS. With all the unwanted programs gone, I hooked it up with wireless. It took me some time to catchup to everything I was behind on. My email and a few communities had a lot of things that I was behind on. Starting up Ciype, I had a huge backlog of messages. Most of them were from players of Balizen, everyone wanted to talk to me. As I started scrolling through them, one of our group members noticed I was online. [Cranked] dude. wat happened to u? [Cranked] Talos said ur computer went bust right after u hit the gem [Cranked] u there? [JohnSmith] Yeah sorry. Reading the chatlogs [Cranked] no worries. tell me when u r done. It took ages to read through them all, there was the predictable "Omg what just happened" from my group to "Omg what''s happening to the game" from a variety of people to the "I want Balizen!" in chats to a general "God this sucks" from everyone. And then my Ciype just exploded once that video was leaked. A lot of messages were hate, I just removed them from my contacts, along with a few people who wanted to hear what happened from me. I found it impossible to read all of the messages. After the first thousand, I just skimmed through them. There was no real news. I turned my attention back towards the chat. [Petar] John''s finally on? [Cranked] yeah. after like a month lol [Petar] What''s he been doing... [Cranked] maybe? [Petar] lol. Wouldn''t be too surprised :P [JohnSmith] .. [JohnSmith] I''m here you know [Yind] Welcome back! [Yind] What happened to you? [JohnSmith] Like I told Talos. I smashed that cystal then my computer exploded [Yind] Seriously? You mean overheated? [JohnSmith] Nope. I mean it just exploded. The speakers also went boom [JohnSmith] I literally couldn''t hear anything after it [Cranked] Shoulda recorded it [JohnSmith] Oh its pretty easy to replicate. Just smash a giant crystal. [Cranked] har har [Petar] But still. Why''d you not come on for a long time? [JohnSmith] I''m not rich. It took me ages to save up to get a new pc [Yind] Couldn''t you borrow your mums computer or something? [JohnSmith] Not that desperate to see you guys. Talos kept me up to date [Petar] Oh right. You guys know each other irl [Petar] Btw, know why he hasn''t talked lately? [Cranked] yeah. tbh its kinda freaky. he posted the most out of us bout balizen then suddenly he was quiet [JohnSmith] Its not really my thing to say [Yind] Well anyways, its great to see you back. There wasn''t really that much to talk to them about. If it wasn''t obvious, Cranked was the guy who leaked the video. He never did treat things as seriously as he should. Everyone in the group was shown in the video, and they had all been flamed, and had long since fled the forums. Those unlucky enough to use the same name for other games and communities had to switch to new identities. I spent most of my time browsing the internet and catching up to everything that I had missed doing. A few people on Ciype often noticed I was on and messaged me. Of course, everyone who wanted to say something offensive just got removed. I didn''t feel a obligation to pander to them. But to everyone that asked, I just gave them the story that I gave everybody. My computer went bust. No, I don''t know why it happened either. None of them were told about my gamer ability. Bored and nothing left that I wanted to do, I closed my laptop and stretched. Yawning, I looked outside at the growing darkness. The streetlights flickered on as I watched and a car quietly drove past. Today had been pretty chaotic, Yawning again, I grabbed a fantasy book. I was really getting to like those. Chapter 5 - Inventory and Travel Lets just pretend the skills learned in this chapter were listed in the last chapter. Namely Gardening and Negotiation ------------------------ A few days after buying my new laptop, my club skill leveled up to 30, however I didn''t receive a event or notification informing me that the skill evolved. It was disappointing. However, the day after that, my training log finally cracked. The next few blows shattered it. I had seen this coming for some time, my new club was both powerful and heavy in comparison to my bat. It was unwieldy however, and I couldn''t swing it and simply change directions the way I could with the light bat. But this also served to train up my DEX, and to some extent, My AGI. When the log broke, it signalled the ending of my training with the club. I just simply didn''t have something else to smash my club against. You would say the obvious thing would be to buy another log, or perhaps train on the thick solid tree in the backyard. But when I checked, the prices of the logs were not cheap. The heavy duty ones I wanted cost upwards of $200. Especially the decent quality ones. And smashing the tree would present more problems than it would solve. I was fairly sure it would kill the tree in under a week, then I have a new problem with my parents. They didn''t mind me training on the log, though after I switched to the club I made sure to only train on it when they were not home. My level of strength was inhuman and I didn''t feel like answering funny questions like "Why are you practising with a club thick enough to kill someone?". The other option would be to train in the woods, alternating between trees. It could work, but the club makes a terrific slamming sound that was audible from a distance. If I was spotted in the woods like this, I couldn''t see it going down well. The dents in the trees would also be noticeable. I could move deep inside the woods, but I''d have to travel more distance than I thought it was worth. My neighbours had tolerated the noise from my training with the bat, but once I started with the club, they came to our door and complained. In return, I visited them and after looking at their properties I made them a offer, in return for training for a few hours everyday, I would be happy to do gardening and fixing up parts of their property. The neighbourhood we lived in was a quiet one, there were a lot of old pensioners and a lot of them didn''t have the strength or the ability to do some work on their homes. Instead of paying someone, they were more than happy to have me work there instead. In return, I got to train my carpentry and I even learned a few new skills. The most notable being Negotiation and Gardening. Gardening allowed me to better handle plants, which pretty much amounted to less work pulling up weeds and doing planting. And negotiation allowed me to get better terms when talking to someone. When gardening, I had to ask the old lady how to get started. She was pleased to be able to help me and showed me how to recognise what what was a herb, what was a weed, what the name of this plant was, etc. From that, I learnt the subskills herbs, weeds, edibles. It was fairly useful when I was doing gardening. After a few days of this, I had even learned the skill identify. This allowed me to hold a item and think ''Identify'' whereas a small box would appear.
Common Weed
A common weed, unless for anything you know
SkillIdentifyLevel1
Identify known items and display their characteristics
Really, the skill was just useless. It only told me what I already knew and when I attempt to use it on say on a unknown plant, it would just tell me everything I knew about it. Nothing I didn''t know. However using it on a skill was sort of useful as I saw more information. Not everything was shown, but it displayed anything that I learned about the skill itself. Misinformation wasn''t shown.
SkillBlunt Weapons: ClubsLevel34 [5%]
Wield a club with better control. Damage increases, control increases and you maintain a better grip
I still attended my job, the convenience of having money was too much. My banker skill was also low leveled, and I had high hopes for it. So everytime I was paid, I planned to take the money out of the bank and deposit it inside my balance. The skill looked to gain exp every second based on the amount of money it contained, summoning and depositing the money didn''t seem to give much in the way of exp. Currently, it was at level 2 [21%] and contained $120. It was Sunday morning and I was lying back on my bed. In my hands rested the current novel I was reading. This particular one was about a holy knight sent to slay a dragon. The knight Sanderl was both brave and courageous, even after being tricked into a crippling debt he did not falter. Standing before the dragon he held his lance high. "Foul Demon! Prepare to die!". Just as the dragon attacked, the knight raised his shield and uttered a short prayer. The flames roared and broke over the shield as- my mother knocked on my door. "Jon, you awake?" I sighed and put my book down. "Yes mum" She opened the door and walked in, her feet not making a sound on the blue carpet. She stood there hesitantly for a second, unsure on what to say. I could tell this wasn''t going to be good news. And I was right. "Starla who is a friend of mine at work, she was going to attend a vacation. But she recently found she can''t go" I could easily see where this was going. "She knows that I haven''t used my vacation in the past couple of years and offered me the tickets. I asked my boss, and he said he doesn''t mind my taking the vacation" Oh dear. I can bet this wouldn''t include me "The thing is, the vacation is for two people" And there it is! "I''m sorry this is on short notice, but the ship leaves in a few days.. Do you think you could ask your friend if you can stay at his place?" I knew this was coming. I sighed out loud. Reluctantly I spoke "Sorry mum, but we are not really on good terms at the moment" My mother grimaced. "I''m not willing to leave you by yourself in the house" I''m 18 you know? I''ve been cooking for you for the last month.. She carried on obliviously "I''ll call a few of my friends" I spoke up then "Mum, I''m fine with being by myself" Resolutely she shook her head. "Not in my house" Well that''s just great. After a few phone calls, my mother eventually found someone happy to take care of me. Holding the phone, she outlined my two choices. My aunt was happy to look after me, and I could either join her in the city, or she could come here to live for the next month. Upon hearing the choices, I immediately chose to live with her. This town was boring, there was nothing to do, I couldn''t even train any new skills here. In the city, I would have a lot more opportunities. Things to do. I informed my mother of my decision and she spoke into the phone "Jon''s happy to stay with you". She then turned to me and informed me "You can catch the train in 2 days", "Isn''t that a bit soon?" I asked, a bit shocked at the sudden warning. My mother shook her head "Didn''t I mention it? We need to catch the plane in 4 days. Two days is plenty of time to prepare yourself". Sighing, I then resumed my book. As I finished my book I received another levelup of storytelling. I dismissed the notification idly, I didn''t care for that particular skill. The rest of the day, I spent my time clearing up various odds and ends. I had to talk to my boss informing her of the situation, but she was very understanding. She offered me my job back when I came back to the town. The things I had to do done, I spent the next day reading and playing games on my laptop in the morning. I then spent the afternoon packing my belongings. Tomorrow morning I would be leaving on a train towards the city. It was a far distance away from the town and I was a bit excited to think of the adventure that lay outside this small town. However right now, it was time to decide which of my belongings would stay, and what would go. The decision was tough, but it had to be made. Ultimately, I decided to leave most of my books behind, as well as my club. I simply didn''t have the space to carry them around. And the club was far too bulky to be missed, I would also be unable to train anywhere in the city. Sitting on my bed looking down at my packed suitcases, I sighed. As I was finished, I decided to take a break. Getting up, I walked to my desk and took my laptop out of sleep mode. Navigating to google''s search engine I typed in the name of the city I was to live. Browsing through the search results, I clicked on a few interesting entries. I then had a thought and checked out the job listings close to my aunt''s apartment. However looking online, I was unable to find anything. I''d likely have better luck in person. Some of the information about the city was interesting, and there looked to be a few places I wouldn''t mind checking out. Done with my research, I opened a game. And then I heard a *Tring*. Looking away from the laptop screen for a moment, I focused on the windows before me. And was momentarily stunned.
The skill Banker has reached level 3
Your carried money is now stored inside the system You can carry 3 different currencies
The skill Gamer has reached level 5
Inventory skill has been unlocked
Shaking, I choked out the word "Inventory". Silently a black screen and silver separators appeared before me, the silver bars separated it into a 2x2 grid. A smile crawled over my face. With shaking hands, I took a book off my bed and reached out for the window. Upon touching a slot with my book, the end of the book vanished into mid-air. The window wasn''t changed however, so I pushed the book completely in. The moment the book was completely inside, a small picture of the book along with a short description appeared inside the slot. However in my hand, I could still feel that I retained a grasp of the book. Pulling it back out, the picture and description disappeared. I pushed the book back in and as the picture reappeared, I released grasp. I took a look at the description. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
''Are dragons tasty?'' A fantasy novel written by Artis Page
I sat on my bed heavily, my hands shaking and my heart racing. I had longed for this, dreamed for it. And now it was reality. With shaking hands I reached under my bed, felt around for what felt like a eternity, my hands found the rough bark of the club, but it was not what I was looking for. I reached just a bit further and finally felt cardboard. Grasping the corners, I slid a small box out. I lifted off the decoy textbooks and placed them to one side. Reverently, I took out magazine after magazine and almost coyly, I placed them inside my inventory. To my delight, I was able to place them all inside one slot. In the top right corner of the slot a small number appeared and steadily incremented as I placed the magazines inside. After I finished, the number had stopped at ''46'' The magazines were used, old and some of the covers were ripped. But they were of incalculable value to me. Especially over the past month.
Jon''s porn magazines x 46
Finally, I had absolute security. With the realisation that my collection was now safe, the dark blot in my heart disappeared, a weight lifted from my shoulders. As a afterthought, I realised I could probably put my club in there too. Reaching under my bed again, I grasped my club and touched it against a free slot, despite the club being larger then the window, I was able to smoothly slide the club all the way in. A picture of the club then appeared in the slot and I smiled. This was incredibly handy. Taking one of the textbooks I had removed from the box, I attempted to place it inside the same slot as the fantasy novel. But I met resistance and a window popped up.
''Textbook'' and ''Fantasy Novel'' cannot be stacked
A shame. I took the fantasy book out and experimented with different combinations. Clothes were unstackable despite being the same genre, while socks themselves were able to stack. I only had 20 socks however, and I didn''t want to waste the slot. I then experimented a little with my books. I came to the conclusion that while same kinds of books were able to stack, I could only take the books out in the same order I placed them in. I was also unable to summon the items about my body like I could do with my banker skill. Instead I had to reach in with my hand, grasp the item, and draw it out. Ultimately I ended up filling the two free slots with the books I wanted to read and my laptop. Dismissing the inventory window, I repacked the rest of my things. Then I had a quick thought. I removed my laptop from my inventory slot and placed one of the full bags inside. Despite the bag containing unstackable items, the bag was able to enter the inventory with no problems. This logic.. But regardless, it was easier to carry the bag than it was to carry the laptop. So I switched them back with my laptop back safely in the inventory. I wanted to see if I had gained experience from this messing around, so I summoned my character menu and tapped on my inventory skill.
SkillInventoryLevel1 [14%]
Unlocks a 2x2 inventory
This lack of information.. Well. It was pretty normal. With my packing finished, I took my book and resumed where I left off. Eventually my eyes began to tire so I turned off the lights and crawled into bed. I was still excited over my inventory window, but eventually my breathing slowed and my eyes closed. I fell into a deep slumber. Before I knew it, morning arrived. Eating breakfast with my parents, a silent atmosphere surrounded the table. However as I stepped outside the door holding my bags my mother called out "We''ll try to call you when we can". I followed my father out to the car, I placed my bags inside the boot and sat in the front seat. The ride was silent as he drove, when we arrived at the train station my father parked directly outside the entrance in the unloading zone. I took my bags out and my father gave me a simple piece of advice in a voice that sounded gruff "Have fun out there". I smiled back at him "Thanks dad" and stepped inside the train station. Effortlessly carrying both bags in one arm, I walked to a seat with a good view of the train schedule. I took out my book from the top of my bag and started reading, keeping a eye on the clock. Eventually, it was time to move and the train pulled into the station. I got up from my seat and grabbed both my bags. I handed my ticket to the inspector and after he briefly checked it over, I stepped onboard. Looking around, I chose a seat in the centre of the carriage where two spots were free. Sitting in the window seat, I placed both my bags on the seat next to me and took my book back out. Reading, I barely noticed as the train left the station. As I read, the train began to pickup speed. The scenery around us gradually changed from buildings to farms, then from farms to fields. The wheels clicked and clacked as the sun lazily beat down on the ground, I looked outside occasionally, curious as to the new sights. But everytime I looked, I could not recognise any of the places I saw. The steady rhythmic rumbling of the train created a lure, my eyes began to droop and my book was harder to read. In a daze I lay back on my seat, my eyes closing for just a moment, with the steady rumble of the train luring me into dreamless sleep. But as if it was seconds later, the train hooted and began to slow down. Raising my heavy eyelids I looked outside the window, where there had been only green fields and mountains, tall skyscrapers now scratched the heights. The train began to screech and shudder as it slowed. The train slowed as it the station and gradually pulled to a stop. Stretching, I got up and grabbed both my bags. Placing my book inside my pocket, I waited for the doors to open. With a soft hiss, they separated and I stepped outside. From a quiet rumble to a jumble of voices and machines. The shock was immense. Instantly waking me from the half sleep I was in. In front of me a small box appeared.
Entered Medeas Train Station
I stepped off the train and made my way to the entrance, pushing my way through the crowds of bodies. Eventually after what seemed like forever, I stood in front of the station next to the road. Looking around I hunted for a familiar face. Rows of taxi''s lined up, awaiting their charges. Finally I spotted my aunt. Her plump cheeks and black hair tied into a bun with her short statue was instantly recognisable. Quickly hurrying to her, I greeted her "Hello auntie" with a smile, she grinned at me "Jon! Its great to see you!". Happily I replied "Likewise". In our family, she was the undisputed favourite person. Everyone likes her. My aunt stepped backwards and gave me a quick lookover. "You''ve grown" she chuckled. "Its been only a year since I''ve last seen you. And you are already this tall?". I shrugged helplessly, there was no real reply. With the greetings finally aside, We walked to her car, after unlocking the boot, I placed my bags inside and closed it. I moved to the front seat where I climbed in. She pulled out of the carpark and into the slow traffic, as we drove, she pointed out places and gave me a tourist guide introduction. "Over there is a french restaurant. Don''t visit. They are no more french than I am russian" "That building is the Stanley Raise. Most expensive place to live in the city". As she rattled off information about building after building I just sat back and enjoyed the sight. As my eyes travelled across the buildings, I noticed a large building. Where the others looked inviting and had windows to peer in, this had walls of black that looked both fancy and posh. And gave no hint as to what was inside. Two large doors were set in the entrance, formidable and wooden. A small sign were placed outside "Invitation Only". Noticing my gaze, my aunt spoke "I don''t know anything about that place. Its always been there as long as I remember" Alongside the black wall, a man sat, his beard tangled and clothes tattered. A floppy hat sat on his head and his grim the very picture of homeless. A hat sat in front of him, collecting donations from any generous pedestrians that might care to help him. His face was downcast and his body screamed poor. But that wasn''t what attracted my attention. For above his head, floated a small box.
Talok Blainz lv.27
My body was frozen, my eyes fixated on the box. What I saw was a impossibility. The highest level I had ever seen was a aged pensioner who had fought in the wars. But even his level was a meager level 12. Here was a homeless man, sitting in tattered clothes and looking for all the world like he was someone to ignore and forget. With double the level. A impossibility. The car drove on, my aunt still talking. My eyes fixated on the man as the car moved on. Just before I lost sight of him, he looked up, and with his crystal blue eyes, he met my gaze. The rest of the day passed by in a blur, my thoughts were of the man sitting forlorn outside the building. I couldn''t get him out of my mind. His eyes were not the eyes of the homeless. His level was far beyond anything I had seen. And when he met my eyes. I had felt a tingle of fear run down my spine. Night fell and eventually I slept. But even in my dreams, the man haunted me, teased me, asked me in a croaking voice, "Wouldn''t you like to know who I am?" They were not pleasant dreams. Chapter 6 - Spymaster Oh look. Its been 5 days since the last post, but I haven''t seen any complaints. So I guess no one minds. --------------------------- As I blearily woke up and opened my eyes, a new window choose that time to flash into existence.
Update 0.1a
Update Log
  • The subskills sprinting, jogging and walking have been combined into the Movement skill
  • Cooking subskills have been removed as they have been deemed worthless
  • Blunt Weapons skill has been removed
  • Subskill Blunt Weapons: Clubs is now the skill Clubs
  • Physical Exercise skill has been removed
  • The skills Dodge and Footwork have been removed as AGI will now take effect in that aspect
  • The skill Memorization has been removed as INT will now take effect in that aspect
  • The skill Listen has been removed as WIS will now take effect in that aspect
  • Carpentry subskills have been removed
  • Carpentry skill is now known as the subskill Crafting: Woodworking
  • Gardening subskills have been removed
Half asleep, my eyes scanned down the list, I noted that it was removing skills that I had occasionally wondered about. What was the point of having a main skill Blunt Weapons? The other kinds of blunt weapons I could think of was the staff and the pole, perhaps a shield. But those sounded like they could belong as a main skill. The cooking subskills were definitely laughable. Boiling? That''s a skill? I thought a little at who might be behind this message, but was unable to draw a conclusion. One of my theories was that the gaming ability had the potential to update itself, just like a real game being updated. Closing the update window, I was at a loss when I looked around at the unfamiliar bedroom, then I remembered how I was living here for a month. Fully awake, I got up and stood on the flush carpet, toes sinking in the deep softness of the carpet threads. Stretching with a big yawn, I changed into proper clothes before heading out to the lounge. My aunt wasn''t up yet, but looking at the time, I thought that she would be waking up soon. I went to the kitchen and decided on french toast. Setting a shallow baking pan to the side, I hunted through the cupboards to make sure that she had eggs, milk bread and golden syrup. You can''t have it without the golden syrup! Taking out 4 eggs, I quickly broke them with a clean movement and the eggs slid into the pan. Using a fork, I whisked the eggs until it was a identically coloured mess before adding the milk and mixing it in as well. Putting the pan to the side, I hunted around the kitchen until I found a frying pan. Putting the frying pan on the stove, I turned on the element and dropped a spoon of butter into the pan. As it melted, I took the bread from the cupboard and set it next to the eggy pan and fetched a plate for the cooked breakfast. I took my time making french toast and the aroma filled the air, as if by magic, the second I had finished using the last of the mixture my aunt appeared at the kitchen door wrapped in her dressing gown. Surprised to see me cooking she smiled "That smells delicious". I moved the heavy plate to the table and fetched another two plates to eat with and the golden syrup. Sitting at the table with Alice as we ate the french toast, it was incredibly tasty. Light and flavoursome, the breakfast exceeded anything I could possibly have created before I gained the cooking skill. That skill really did improve my cooking, I noticed that I spent less time preparing the meal, and yet received better results. Satisfied with breakfast, I cleared the table off and washed the dishes. She didn''t seem to own a dishwasher, not that I minded as there was barely anything to clean up. I walked back to the room and sat on the couch, Alice made herself a cup of tea and sat in a chair, sipping her drink. Eventually she offered to show me around the city today, I gratefully accepted her offer, looking forwards to hanging out with her. I returned to my room to grab a jacket and grab my shoes, before returning to sit down while I waited for Alice to get ready. Soon, we exited the apartment, Alice took care to lock the door as we left, making a comment on security in the city. Using the lift to get downstairs was slower than walking, but Alice declined and wryly said "I''d rather take the lift than walk the stairs all day". After making it down to the foyer, we exited the building and was soon walking alongside the pavement. For the most part, things were not as heretic as I feared. There was no jostling and pushing on the sidewalk, you simply stepped out of the way of the incoming traffic. But occasionally someone wasn''t looking or even accidentally bumped into me. At those times, I barely noticed it. I could feel it, but my balance wasn''t jostled at all and I could keep moving as if they were a feather brushing a boulder. They more often perplexed by who they bumped into, and when they saw me.. No. They couldn''t have hit me, I was just a gangly teen. As I walked, everyone in the city seemed to be in a hurry. They didn''t pause for more than a few heartbeats and a confused expression after bumping into me. Eventually, I grew used to the strange ritual of the city goers. We attended the museum first, it was free to the public so we just walked right in. As I passed the donations jar I respectfully placed a $5 note inside as Alice nodded with approval. While I wouldn''t receive any money while I was living here, I also didn''t plan to buy anything. We wondered the museum, looking at the different displays. I paused at one display of a ancient egg the size of my head. Looking at it I wondered if it was possible to eventually gain a skill or magic to hatch these kinds of eggs. Could I even gain non-normal skills? It didn''t appear to be possible yet, but I was still new at this and the possibility always remained. We spent most of the morning walking from display to display, when Alice idly checked her watch. With a expression of dismay she groaned. "Oh!.. I supposed to be somewhere at this time!". She bit her lip and looked at me as she thought, reaching a decision, she reached inside her purse, and grabbed a key. As she handed it to me she quickly rushed "I need to attend a meeting, here''s a spare key to the house. You remember the way back right?" Smiling a little at her behaviour, I told her "Yep. I remember every turn. Mallard Street right?". Reassured, my aunt quickly said "I''ll be back around 7" then rushed out of the museum. With a afternoon to kill I spent the rest of the hour looking at the displays. Eventually bored, I left the building and walked outside. As I watched the rushing traffic, I finally picked a direction and started walking. I''m not sure why I picked that direction really, it was just a feeling. Walking for a bit, I looked at the shops I passed. A few of them were clothes stores and even a few electronics stores. I visited the latter and looked at their games sections. I was surprised how low the prices were. This racing game for $20, I would have to pay $35 at our town shop. I placed it back down reluctantly, I didn''t feel the need to buy anything yet. Walking out of the shop I looked around at the surrounding buildings. Looking down the street, I spotted a familiar building around a corner. It was that low black building where I had seen that strange man. Curious as to if the man was still there, I walked around the corner until I could see the place I last saw him. When I looked, not only was he still there, it looked like he hadn''t moved from his spot at all. Unsure of how to approach him, I stood there like a idiot in the middle of the traffic as I looked at him. People occasionally bumped into me. But as I said previously, it felt like feathers brushing against a rock. While I watched him, I took in his tattered and dirty clothing, the same baseball cap set before him with the occasional passerby dropping in a coin. I felt a tingle on the back of my neck just as the man turned his head and looked directly at me, meeting my eyes. His eyes were as startling as before, the blue intensity looking straight through me. Startled, I met his glance. After eyeing me for a second, the man beckoned me over with a hand. Nervously I approached him and stood roughly two meters away. I could smell him from here, a stale odour of sweat and mould. In a rough voice, he said to me "Hi, I''m Jordan" I frowned and my eyebrows furrowed. Talok''s narrowed a little, wondering why I reacted so. I responded to his lie with one of my own "I''m James". Talok smiled, "That''s a nice name. James, how would you like to help me? I''m a little hungry at the moment, do you think you can hook me up with some food?" Warily I watched him, cautious for any move he might make. I couldn''t see the harm in it, so I agreed. Hesitantly I spoke "Sure.. I could get you a few sandwiches?" He grinned. His teeth were white and showed no signs of the ''rough life'' he had surely been living. He gestured at his hat. "Take the coins in it and buy me something nice". I hesitated. This seemed a little off. Nervously I licked my lips. "Why can''t you buy it yourself if you have the money?" I asked of him. "Ack well. You can smell me right?" he grimaced. "None of the stores will let me in" I slowly nodded. "Alright.." Carefully stooping over, I watched him for any sudden movements as he removed a few coins from his cap and offered them to me. His hands were coarse and dry, looking as though he fought with them each day. Stepping forwards, I took the money from his rough palm and quickly stepped back. I stammered out "A-Alright then.. W-Well.. I''ll be back in 5 minutes" Talok grinned "Can''t wait" Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. My back felt vulnerable as I turned away from him, and yet, I could only steel myself. Unwilling to give him the satisfaction of showing my discomfort. I moved to a nearby cafe and purchased a couple of sandwiches. Holding the bag, I walked back to Talok. His eyes spotted me the instant I was in view. Feeling as if I should just run, I approached and placed the bag down. Nodding at the sandwiches I told him "Egg sandwiches" as I dropped the change back into the hat. I really didn''t want to touch his hand again. It gave me the creeps. Making no move to touch the bag, Talok looked at me. "So, what are you doing in this city?", I really didn''t like the way he asked me that, but I had to reply.. I told him simply "I''ve moved here for a short time due to family issues". Seeing I wasn''t going to continue the conversation, Talok finally reached for the bag "Well, it was nice meeting you kid". With this dismissal, I finally left his presence. I could feel his gaze on my back as I walked away, but I wasn''t going to give him the satisfaction and look back. My legs felt like lead at each step away from him. After turning the corner, I leaned against the wall. My knees were shaking and my limbs felt cold. He was dangerous, I knew it. But just leaving him alone, I couldn''t do that. I was dying of curiosity to know just what he was doing here. I returned to the apartment and took out a pair of binoculars, don''t ask me why my aunt had them, I don''t know. I noticed them last night on the windowsill, and when I asked, she grinned naughtily as she said "There''s a lot of fun things to look at during the night". Going back downstairs, I hunted for a building with a view of Talok. There were a few, but I wanted one that was high and that I could go into. Eventually I had to decide on a hotel. There was a large library with a great view, however the entrance lay directly opposite of him and I couldn''t enter without fear of being seen by him. Approaching the hotel from the side out of his sight, I was relieved that there was another door I could enter through. I talked and managed to get a cheap room to stay overnight that had a great view overlooking him. Of course, I didn''t plan to actually stay the night. But strangely I didn''t think they rented out the rooms for a few hours at the time. $130 lighter, I took the lift up to the 5th floor, I stepped out and found my room. Unlocking it, I moved inside and closed the door. After locking the door I went straight to the window. Carefully looking out, I was relieved that he didn''t seem to notice me. I picked a chair up and moved it over to the window, sitting down I carefully adjusted the binoculars to get them in focus. Then I sat down and watched him. I spent my afternoon this way, watching him and observing. I made a couple of notes from this. A gang of youths spotted his hat and kicked it. Yet Talok didn''t seem to mind as much as he should have. He did get visually mad, but the coins that rolled off, he didn''t chase down despite knowing where they were. He stayed in his position. Another thing I noticed was a few men stopping by to talk to him to exchange a few brief words, not very notable in itself, but their names were weird with ''Alan Diker'' and ''Youk Canoae''. Their levels were also high at lv.15 and lv.16. Their levels were not as high as Talok''s however, but the men didn''t look like they lived on the streets, one even had the clothes of a rich business man. So just who was he? He knew people with high levels, and he appeared to be at that spot for a reason. He was not a mere bum. Watching him carefully, I heard a *Tring*. Confused I took the binoculars away for a second to focus on the new window.
You have learned the skill Examination. However because you already know the skill Identify, Examination has been deleted and Identify modified
Additional information is now displayed where applicable Learned how to identify Learned how to examine
Wait. Additional information? Does this mean stats and numbers? Figures to play with? This is awesome! Could I finally see the numbers in my skills I had been desiring from the day I was reborn? With bated breath, I opened the skill Identify
SkillIdentifyLevel3 [75%]
View information on a selected target ''Identify'' has a chance to identify the target if unknown ''Examine'' allows you to view additional information of a target
No numbers here, but it looked very promising. I eagerly opened my club skill, silently praying to whoever might be listening.
SkillClubsLevel29 [42%]
Mastery over the club weapons, this takes effect when wielding a club
  • +116% damage when using a club
  • +29% chance to stun
  • +58% control over the club
  • -43% stamina consumed
YES! Smiling, I sat back on the chair and bathed in the afterglow. Eventually, I turned back towards the window and looked at Talok though the glasses. The box that floated over his head had changed.
Talok Blainz lv.27 Outpost Captain
Outpost? Talok was guarding an outpost? His being a captain would explain his level, the people who talked to him for a few seconds must be his subordinates. But he was guarding a outpost? Not a bodyguard, not a security or even a spy. But specifically a ''Outpost Captain''? I decided to try my new examine ability on him. Thinking the word *examine* while looking at him, a window popped up.
Unable to examine. Skill level too low
He was more than a few levels above me, that could be a factor.. Perhaps I''m trying for a target that''s too hard. I looked at a woman passing by and thought *examine*
NameCindy Hemmings
GenderFemaleJobAccountant
Level4Age24
Health94/100Stamina62/109
VIT9STR10
END10AGI9
DEX12INT11
WIS10LUK10
Skills
  • Cooking lv.3
Looking at the information, I felt somewhat like a creep.. After closing the window, I noticed one of Talok''s minions. After he made his ritual greeting with Talok he walked down the street out of sight. The box over his head described him as a Outpost Guard. Keeping a eye out, half a hour passed before I saw him approach the building again. This time, he didn''t even look at Talok as he walked past and behind the building out of sight. I wasn''t able to see what he did, but I had a guess that whatever Talok was guarding and the man had went, was definitely connected to the building. Curious about what this so-called outpost was, I eventally stretched and got up. I needed to get home. As I walked back, I had a funny feeling that I''d soon be involved in my first fight. I could only hope there wouldn''t be much in the way of blood and gore. Chapter 7 - Stealthy Infiltration After eating breakfast, my aunt mentioned that she would be out all day so I would have to entertain myself. I didn''t mind as I still wanted to investigate this outpost. You''d imagine that its a stupid decision, that its like touching the wall after being told the paint was wet. But if you''re playing a game, you are inside a cabin with another man, you hear some noises outside but the man tells you to stay put as he checks it out. You hear a roar and the man screams, would you really stay inside for hours? No. Because nothing would happen and the game wouldn''t progress. In my case it wasn''t so much of a game but real life, but this was the first hint I had seen of anything out of the ordinary. However I just planned to look, not do anything extreme and jump into exciting situations. As I left the building early in the morning, I noticed there was heavy traffic as people rushed towards work. It was a little difficult navigating through the crowds, but eventually I made it to a small street behind the black building. Across the road was another guard sitting outside a cafe who was facing the building as he sipped on his drink. I entered the cafe, attracting a small glance from the guard before he turned back to watching street. Approaching the counter, I waited in queue before ordering a hot chocolate and moving towards a seat down at the back of the cafe. Sitting down, I took out my book and eyed the place, from my spot I had a good view and could see everyone outside. I spent my next hour there reading my book, occasionally glancing at the guard. After roughly 40 minutes, another guard sat down at a table and the first guard soon left. Likely to avoid attracting attention from sticking around. Having received the information I wanted, I finished reading the rest of my chapter and drank the rest of my hot chocolate before getting up. After that, I spent the rest of my morning walking the streets looking for the guards. I didn''t have trouble hunting them down, the boxes over their heads made them easy to spot, though the ones who made patrols were harder as they didn''t stick around in one place. I then returned to the apartment and lay down on top of my bed. Gazing upwards at the ceiling, I tried to form a plan. I concluded that the guards had the place completely surrounded and I was completely unable to think of any spots I could exploit. I could tell I wasn''t going to be entering through a window or a sidedoor, I would definitely be spotted, and it also sounded far too much like breaking and entering to me. Taking out my laptop, I used the password my aunt gave me to connect to the internet. I realised then that I could have looked up the building earlier, saved myself time trying to figure out what''s inside the building. But after searching around on the internet, I had to conclude that there was just no information out there to be found. Looking at the time, it was now 1pm. I went to the kitchen and made something to eat before returning to think on how best to approach this. Eventually I decided to try the direct approach. Namely, by entering straight through the main entrance. Sure, I was going to be kicked out. But I should find some useful information before that happened. Somewhat satisfied with my plan, I changed my clothes and placed my laptop back inside my inventory. Locking the door, I swiftly descended the stairs and exited the building. My heart was pounding with excitement as I walked to the black building. As I approached, Talok noticed me and grinned. "James!" but I ignored him. I really didn''t want to stop and have to talk to him. Stepping past, I approached the thick wooden doors and pushed against them. Much to my relief, they opened. I had a mild fear that the doors were locked as I had not yet seen anyone enter. As the doors closed behind me, my first impression was of a reception room. The room was long and narrow, featuring no decorations or furniture but of a reception desk at the far end, the walls were painted a creamy white and the carpet was dyed a lush blue. Along the walls were unmarked doors with not even a sign on them. At the end of the room, a empty chair sat behind a receptionist desk facing a computer monitor that was turned away. Slightly reassured at the empty room, I quickly stepped towards the desk. I didn''t have much time. Looking at the desk, it was bare. No documents, pamphlets or any information I could see, just a keyboard and mouse for the computer. I looked around the room, but the doors were discreet and gave no hints as to what lay behind. I grew nervous and started to approach the exit. I could sense that it was time to leave. At that moment however, one of the doors opened and a woman stepped out. She was dressed professionally with a short skirt. I stole a look at her box.
Yonin Quin lv.15 Receptionist
So she''s the receptionist. As I read her box, she curtly asked "Do you have a appointment?", I shook my head and asked "No, I''m wondering what this place is?". Unwelcoming, she pressed her lips together and spoke "This place is by appointment only. I''m going to have to ask that you leave". I started approaching the exit slowly, turning back, I asked her "Can I have the name of this building at least?". But she said a simple "No" tone of finality. I could feel her watching her as I stepped outside. I felt the ever familar tingle on my neck and noticed that Talok was looking at me. Seeing that I noticed him, he beckoned me over and I reluctantly approached. "So boy, you walked inside?". I looked at him, then decided to try pump him for information, surely as someone who ''hangs around'' he may know a few things about the place that a ''homeless man'' is willing to tell me. "Yeah, I was wondering what the place was" I told him. Talok chuckled dryly and asked "What''s it like in there? I''ve never been in there myself". Right. I shrugged in response. "Didn''t get a good view, just a empty room with a receptionist and doors". Talok sighed and leaned back against the wall, "Yeah, I''ve been hanging out at this spot and I don''t really see people go inside". Almost slyly, I asked "You know what they do there?" he glanced at me and chuckled. "Nope! Not a clue. Did you ask the receptionist?" I made a face "Yes, but she didn''t want to talk". Conversation petered out from there, and as I eventually took my leave. I could feel my neck tingling as he watched me. Returning home, I really needed to rethink my approach of this. I was still as curious about the place as ever, and had gained zero information from my efforts. After taking a shower, I lay back on the couch in the lounge. Eyes closed, I thought about approaches I could take. Most of them approached on extreme, insane and immoral. I didn''t think any of those could work. Eventually, I decided to approach one of their guards, and see if I could get him to spill information while I talked to him. At least get the name of whatever cover they work under. With a couple of hours left before my aunt returned home, I pulled my shoes on and went outside again. Walking to the cafe I looked around for the guard posted there. Spotting him, I ordered myself a cup of hot chocolate and sat across from him. He took a look at me then ignored me. Not one to take a hint, I asked him a question loudly over the roaring traffic "Hi there!". He looked at me again, then turned away, attempting to ignore me.
Gin Reed lv.17 Outpost Guard
"So, you work at that building? What do you guys do over there?" He looked at me sharply, suspicion lined over his face. Opps. I''m bad at this.. Warily he asked "What do you mean?". Trying to cover up my blunder, I hurriedly said "Oh like, I''m curious about what that building is, and I saw you leaving from one of the sidedoors". His face was even more suspicious as ever.. I forgot the sidedoors were not really visible from the streets.. I definitely was not handling this well. Realising that I should probably go, I stood up. "Well Gin, nice talking to you. See ya!" A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. As I turned away away, I realised what I said. Ohhhh shit. I was about to run when his arm snapped out and grabbed my wrist. Instantly I could feel that he was strong, stronger than a human. But not as strong as me. I ripped my arm away from his grasp and started to run, I heard him whisper something, but I was already running and pushing my way through the people with my heart pounding in fear. I had really screwed up. I screwed up so bad. Behind me, I couldn''t hear Gin following, hoping beyond hope that he wasn''t following, I pushed my way through the people. But when I pushed my way into a empty section of the footpath and wildly looked around, my neck tingled and I saw Talok. He stood across the road, looking directly at me and strangely he did not seem happy to see me. I turned away and started running, I wildly shoved myself through the smallest of gaps, pushing through the people on the footpath, desperate only to get away. But I could hear other feet pounding behind me, catching up. I knew it was Talok. Slowing to a halt, I stood there, knowing I was caught and unwilling to turn around and meet his eyes. Then I heard his voice ask me as if things were normal "Shall we talk somewhere else?" I turned around reluctantly and nodded. Walking behind him, we made quite the sight. A homeless man walking smoothly through the crowd, while I followed with a miserable face. He led the way back to the black building and moved into the alley running down the side. Reaching a metal door, he took out a key and unlocked it. Opening the door, he stepped aside and gestured "Go in". As I stepped in, I noticed that it was the entrance to a corridor with the only defining feature being the concrete floor. "Start walking" he commanded. We made our way through a maze of corridors and stairs and after the 9th turn, I no longer knew where we were. Finally, he opened a door and we entered a room with just a wooden table and chairs and in the corner, a potted plant. Gesturing to the left chair, he offered "Please sit down". I sat reluctantly, my palms slick with sweat while he sat in the other chair. "So.." he smiled at me. "Do you want to start?". I shook my head and asked hopefully "Can I just leave?". Laughing, he said "A bit too late don''t you think?" Sitting back in his chair, the image of comfort and security, he started with "So, why don''t you start with why you were hanging around?". I decided to spin a web of lies, hoping to make it out of here unscathed. "Well," I began. "I noticed the black building because it stood out. But when I tried asking people and looking it up on the internet, I couldn''t find out what this place was. You already know of how I tried to ask the receptionist, but she wouldn''t tell me. And then I saw that man come out of the side entrance so I tried asking him" Talok looked at me, a slight grin on his face. "That sounds very plausible. So, how did you know his name?". Uh. My eyes flickered to the door and Talok noticed. Sitting back in his chair, he gestured with a hand "You are welcome to try" I sighed and slumped in the chair. I knew when I was beat. "He introduced himself" Talok grunted and shook his head "Nope. Try again". I didn''t have another plausible excuse, so I decided to try a half truth. "I have this weird ability, when I look at people I can get a good guess of their names" Talok looked at me with a disbelieving look then asked "Well then, what''s my name?". Not seeing a way out of it, I reluctantly muttered "Talcon". He noticed the way my eyes flickered away from him and knew I lied, but he didn''t care enough to try press further. After a long pause, he finally asked "Well then, who are you". Looking at him directly in the eyes, I told him "James Freeborn, born in a small town far from here and I''m living in the city for now because of issues between my parents" He sat back in his chair and looked at me for a minute until reaching a decision. "Well, most of what you said is a lie. So while we look into you, you can stick around here". I could tell he meant as a prisoner. I saw no better time to ask, so before he could say anything further. "Uh, so, what do you do here?" He looked at me and paused before laughing. "Really kid? You are still trying for that?". He stood up and said "Stand up". Moving me to the center of the room, he frisked me from top to toe, however to his surprise he found nothing but the clothing I wore. Namely shoes, jeans, shirt and jacket. I didn''t have even a wallet on me. After that, he pushed me out the room and led me around a few corners until we descended down a flight of stairs. Unlike upstairs, the walls and ceilings were concrete instead of plaster. Unlocking a solid wooden door, he gestured inside. "Step in". Looking around, the room was small, square and made of bare concrete, not a single thing inside. I looked back to him just as he shoved me forwards, slammed the door and locked it. Leaving me in darkness. Fumbling, I felt around until I reached the wall, where I sat down, leaned against it and sighed. The room was cold, and the concrete felt like ice. But that wasn''t the real problem, my aunt was going to notice I was gone, and I didn''t know how I was going to get out of this. I sat for what seemed like a eternity, my ears not catching a single sound in this tomb silence. Finally, I heard footsteps outside the door shortly before it opened as Talok peered inside with the light streaming over his shoulders. My eyes watered from the sudden light as I turned my head towards him. He no longer smelt like a open sewer and was dressed in trousers and a white shirt, he threw a bottle of water and a wrapped sandwich towards me. Catching them, I opened the bottle of water and drank. Watching me as I drank, Talok spoke. "So, care to tell me what you were really doing?" I looked at him and pleaded "I swear, I was just trying to find out what this place is". But he shook his head at me "Uh huh, yet you are stronger than the others" Not having a proper answer, I unwrapped the sandwiches and ate in silence. The sandwiches tasted of egg. With a big sigh, Talok spoke "We can continue this in the morning". Stepping outside, he closed the door and locked it, leaving me in the darkness. But I didn''t have plans to wait around that long. While he had left me here, much to my relief I found that the gaming windows glowed slightly when I pulled them up, rendering them readable even though they didn''t cast any illumination on my surroundings. I tried connecting to the internet with my laptop, but there was no connection down here. Putting it back away, I thought of a rough plan, and I planned to initiate it in the dead of night. I took my laptop back out and checked the time. 10pm. I needed to wait until 2am. I leaned back and tried to take a snooze, despite the cold hard concrete and the freezing air, with my endurance, it was tolerable. Eventually, my closed eyes led me into a restless slumber. After what seemed like a hour, I stirred and checked my laptop. 1:36am. It was almost time. Sitting up, I yawned. Placing my laptop back inside my inventory, slowly I stood up. Using the walls to keep my balance, I stood up and started stretching. I felt a little silly, but I wanted to give myself every advantage I could. Finally I felt it was roughly 2am. I took out my club from my inventory and gave it a few practice swings, getting the feel for it. I then felt along the walls and found the door. Feeling like I was ready, I took a stance and took a deep breath. Then with all my might, I swung the club at the wooden door. Chapter 8 - Escaping I had a entire draft written out where Jon fails to smash the door down fast enough. However for reasons, it was a failure and I had to drop it after almost finishing the draft. The direction the draft took is not the same direction that this story will take. You can read it here or if that fails, here Should be worth noting that this story turns violent. ------------------ Summoning my strength, I swung my heavy club at the wooden door. With a loud crack, the club slammed into the centre of the door. Shuddering, the door started to tilt as the hinges gave way, the screws grinding free of dry concrete. Gleeful to see the damage I had wrought, I readied my club again. With another great swing, I bashed the centre of the door again with a loud crack. With the remaining hinges giving up the fight, the door soared through the air and impacted with the ground with a loud crash. Looking at my handiwork in the light, I was proud to see the large craters in the door. Spotting movement, I looked up to see a guard rising from a chair, hand rising towards my face while clenching a can. Recognising the pepper spray, I swore and jumped back inside the room. ''Sssssffffffffffttttt''. I caught a whiff of the toxic mixture from beside the doorway and coughed. Knowing he would not stop until I was unable to move, I took a chance and threw it blindly through the open doorway, hoping it would hit him. I heard a loud grunt from the guard and a clatter as my weapon hit the ground. Tightly squeezing my eyes and mouth closed, I ran from the room into the mist of pepper spray. Even then, it burned my nose and irritated my skin. Passing through, I opened my eyes only to hiss in unexpected pain from the trace amounts that remained. Through tears I could see the man lying on the ground, struggling to sit up. With tears blurring my vision I ran to my club and grabbed it off the floor. Holding it in a threatening stance I faced the guard, only to see him start whispering something into a white crystal in his hand. Unwilling to allow him to finish, I swung my club at his head to knock him out, but as if in slow motion, I heard a audible crunch as the club hit his head.
Critical hit! 232 DMG
Oh my god. Lifting my club away from the body, blood dripped from my club as the smell filled the air. I had made a serious mistake.. I just couldn''t see this being resolved peacefully. Feeling nauseous I turned away and leaned against the wall and took deep breaths, willing myself to calm down. Eventually I stopped shaking and my legs no longer felt like noodles. Feeling much more calm and in control, I resolutely ignored the body as I looked at the windows floating in front of me. But then I cursed my bad luck.
+300 EXP
For killing a Boligian Outpost guard, you have declared war on the Boligian Empire
That''s just great. With my stomach having settled, I exited the room and looked both directions. The corridors looked to the same to me and I was unable to remember which direction I had came from. So I picked the left corridor and started walking. Less than a minute later, having randomly picked corridors and directions I encountered someone. Seeing me, he raised his handgun at me. Noticing it, I felt a spike of fear. This crap surely couldn''t be happening. His arm tensed and I immediately dodged to the side as the gun roared. Feeling no sudden pain of a bullet, I quickly ran into a convenient corridor beside me, but before me stretched a long empty corridor with no cover, nowhere to hide. Resolving myself, I readied my club and took a stance beside the wall, ready for the guard to turn the corner. No way was I going to die here. I saw the black muzzle of the gun poke out and slammed my club down. With no time to react, he screeched as his hand was pulverized and forced downwards against the overwhelming might of the club. The mangled gun slammed against the floor and I noticed a few fingers still holding on.. Unwilling to continue looking at it, I turned my attention back to the guard as he yelled in agony and held his bloody hand against his chest. With fear in his eyes, he looked at me as I held my club in the space between us. Unwilling to kill again, I turned away and started running. Only to feel sudden pinpricks in my back before sudden electrocuting pain shot through me. Writhing on agony, I barely noticed a window popup before me.
Taser effect applied. Every second, you are given 3 seconds of stun and 2 damage
Writing in agony, it felt like forever before the pain finally stopped. Lying there gasping, I was unable to move my body as another window floated before me.
Stunned for 64 seconds
With my body lying incapacitated on the ground, I heard the guard curse and groan behind me as he walked up to me. Though my limbs were paralysed, I could still feel the impact of his steel capped boots kicking my ribs and between his wheezes of pain, he gasped out "I''m going to bloody kill you" as he kicked me again and again. My resolve hardened, I was definitely not going to die here. I may have started it, but they didn''t look like they wanted to peacefully end this. Enduring the pain, I lay there biding my time as the stun status steadily counted down, windows popping up at every kick with messages of -1 HP and -2 HP. Finally, the stun wore off and I could move my limbs. Not wasting any time, I grabbed his foot as he was about to kick me again and pulled him down. Rolling on top of him, I grabbed his neck and started squeezing. Wheezing, his face turned a dark red as he frantically tried hitting me and attempting to knock me off. But his attacks were ineffective as I applied steady pressure to his neck, finally he slumped, his body falling limp. Yet I kept squeezing, unwilling to give him a second chance. Finally, I released my grip and shakily stood up, taking deep breaths. But as I looked down, I felt a deep horror rising in me. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.The first guard had been somewhat of a accident, but this. This was murder. I had felt him die under my hands. A window popped up.
+300 EXP
Ah yes, that''s right. This is a game, nothing but a game. I didn''t need to feel guilty about this. Resolutely forcing myself to think on other things, I pushed him out of my mind. I could deal with this later. Looking at my stats, I had lost a total of 125 health from the attack, leaving me at about 180 remaining. Another look at my regeneration speed looked to be 5 health every 10 seconds, which means I should be fully recovered in 3 minutes. Survival being my utmost priority, I hunted around for the guard''s weapons. The gun was useless, my club had mangled it. And I had no desire to touch it or the flesh attached with it. I managed to find the taser however, which I placed inside my inventory before taking up the pepper spray and placing it in my pocket. Taking back up my club, I started back down the corridors. I had no illusions about resolving this peacefully no longer. It was kill or be killed. Even if I was captured, they would soon discover the bodies and it would be over for me. If I remembered correctly, my cell was three staircases below the ground, and yet, I haven''t seen a staircase. This place was seriously a freaking maze. As I turned a corner I came face to face with a group of three guards. As they yelled in alarm, I jumped backwards into my corridor, getting out of sight. Raising my club, I watched and waited for something to approach. A gun poked around the corner facing me and squeezed off a bullet. As a sudden pain blossomed in my shoulder, I slammed the club down on the gun. I heard the guy holding the gun scream in pain as his hand was mangled.
36 DMG
HP -53
Bleeding status, -1 HP a second
Ignoring the messages and pain, I waited with my club raised for any attacks. A second passed, two. Suddenly a guard ran out with his gun raised, I instantly swung my club and brained him. Another followed out, but my club was in a awkward position. Dropping the club, I dodged to the side as he fired his gun. The guard with the destroyed hand ran out with his taser in his remaining hand, but I had expected it and easily dodged the thin hooks. As the gun guard fired at me, I dodged and charged in close while yelling, I lowered my shoulder and slammed myself into his chest, hearing a few loud cracks, I felt his ribs break. Having knocked him into the ground I stumbled on top of him, I started to stand up just as the taser guard slammed a baton down on my back.
HP -14
Stunned for 1 second
I was momentarily stunned and collapsed back onto the guard, however I recovered fast enough to dodge the next swing. Rolling to the side, I stood up as the guard hit his friend and threw a wild punch into the guards face. Blood sprayed as his nose broke and he fell backwards in shock and pain.
HP -2
Guard has been stunned
The guard dropped to the floor and I finished up with a brutal kick to the side of his head. Behind me, the guard with the cracked ribs finally stopped wheezing, his lungs having been punctured.
The skill Clubs has reached level 30
You have learned the skill Hand Combat
+900 EXP
Shaking, I leaned against the wall looking at the scene displayed before me. I was so so screwed. And why was I even killing them in the first place? Heaving, I tried to puke. But struggling, I managed to choke it back down. I had no time to waste over grieving. Morbid curiosity had me check my level and I observed I was about to gain a level, despite being at 31% earlier. I then noticed the steady popups of -1 HP and the bleeding status message. The pain in the shoulder was still there, but in my adrenaline rush I hadn''t noticed it. Taking my shirt off, I looked at the wound, but there was just so much blood. Giving up, I balled my shirt and pressed it against the hole with a soft hiss of pain. After a few seconds, the HP -1 messages petered out and finally stopped. After a minute, the bleeding message disappeared as well. With my health no longer dropping. I slowly took the ball from my wound hoping that the bleeding wouldn''t come back. Much to my relief, nothing happened. My jacket and shirt were both covered in blood, so I discarded them. I could wash them later but I wanted to try keep my movements free, I had no idea how often I was going to be forced to fight. Breathing steadily now that I had gotten used to the scene about me, I collected the undamaged handgun from the guard with cracked ribs and deposited it into my inventory, leaving me with no free slots. Checking my health, I was shocked to see that I had only 45 HP remaining. Had the bullet hit something serious or something? And yet, I didn''t feel weak from loss of blood or my low health.. My health was rising steadily from my regeneration, so it shouldn''t be long until I was completely healed. Topless and half my chest covered in blood, I picked my club back up and started walking down the corridors, leaving a grisly scene behind me. I dreaded to think of what other people would think if they saw me now. Chapter 9 - No escape This chapter was hard to write, not only did I have a lot of things to ''catchup'' to in the first few paragraphs, I then had to bring the story to the current events. If I didn''t do this, I had a funny feeling that most of you would seriously consider dropping the story if I spent another chapter killing people and running through corridors with no real plot progression. So I ended up rewriting this chapter 9 times before I was happy with it. It could still be improved in some parts, but its not good for my mental health to continue rewriting the same chapter. --------------------------------------------- As I ran down the corridors, I would encounter groups of guards who often seemed shocked to see me, occasionally I would come at them from directions they never expected, for my ambush and surprise tactics were second to none. It had absolutely nothing to do with being lost. Yet despite this, they still managed to wound me and my HP would sink. But luckily it turned out that everytime I leveled up, my HP and stamina were fully restored and I could keep on fighting trying to escape. I didn''t really like having to fight them, it went against my morals. But the alternative was to leave them unharmed, yet they would simply continue trying to take me down. At least this way I could slow down their efforts and perhaps force them to let me go. I tried leaving people alive a few times, however the instant they thought they had a chance, they would always pull some weapon out and attempt to tag me. I stopped wasting my time after that, it''s takes a lot of work to avoid maiming them. But during my escape run, a few notable things happened. Firstly, I would often have to release the club and in those times I would punch, kick and slam myself into them. As some kind of reward, I learned a new skill ''Unarmed Combat''. However I didn''t use it very often, the club had a much longer range and while I did come across a few guns, I was a hopeless shot and would have died before I could learn how to shoot. The second thing was that I leveled up to 16 and had a few stat gains, however I never stuck around and always kept on the move. So I didn''t have time to collect loot, or assign my stat points. It was only a matter of time until I encountered Talok, and somehow I doubted he would be lenient. The third thing to note was that after defeating my.. seventh? group, I finally figured out how to display my health and stamina as small bars in my view, showing me a visual GUI on my status. It was incredibly handy as I could see my status and when to retreat. My closest guess as to why I could suddenly access this was that the examination skill had something to do with it. The forth thing worth noting is that I noticed that the guards occasionally spoke in another language I didn''t understand, when talking, they seemed more comfortable with it than english, and they often were touching the white crystal when they talked, especially when they saw me. However when I touched the crystal, nothing happened. I tried talking to it, holding it as I moved around, but nothing would work. So I just left them behind, another puzzle about this labyrinth I couldn''t solve. And the last thing, the guards had taken to screaming some sort of name when they saw me, some strange foreign word. "Palizar". I''m not sure what it means, however but their reactions were always of fear. And yet strangely they still attacked me, they must have known it was futile. Later when I looked at myself, all I could see was red and more red. Not a inch of skin below my neck was visible. Blood covered me, parts of it sticky and with the rest having dried out, but what made the situation somewhat ridiculous was that most of the blood was mine. I could imagine what they saw when they saw me, an unstoppable monster looking for blood. A thing about my HP is that while my wounds could close in minutes, they never actually fully heal. Instead they would scab over when the bleeding status disappears, but picking at the scabs would resume the bleeding. When I leveled up, my wounds were instantly and completely healed, going as far as to removing the bullets still inside. So I walked the corridors, the guards would attack and I would attack. I had no choice. I had to ignore their screams, ignore their bellows of rage and shutout their shouts of glee as I took damage and stumbled. I had to attack. Attack or die. They gave me no choice. They would not retreat, they would not run, they would not back down. They were looking for me, and after finding me, try to kill me. I wandered the corridors but I was getting nowhere, the ground all looked the same, the walls were identical. Occasionally I found a place I had been before, a landmark consisting of walls painted red and bodies on the ground. Yet I never knew when I was going to find someone, or find a staircase leading up. But I definitely wasn''t lost. I can''t be lost. Lost means I won''t get out. This time I ascended three staircases before being forced to retreat, my health sinking dangerously low to 60. I could hear the guards moving through the corridors, surrounding me. So I was forced to retreat. I descended a level, yet I could hear guards around me as well. I found another staircase and descended down. There was not much activity going on in this floor, but I could still hear them moving around, I couldn''t possibly survive the encounters in my current state. I took the last staircase to the bottom floor where I finally found peace, corridors empty of activity and a chance to rest being presented. Walking through the corridors away from the staircase, I saw a pair of guards walking ahead of me and alert for action, but they didn''t think to look behind. I grinned and crept up, my feet made a small scuffle and one of the guards started to turn as he heard the noise, however before he could react, I smashed his legs with the club, knocking him off his feet as I rammed my body into his buddy to knock him down. As they both fell to the floor, I raised my club and ruthlessly gained EXP. However my stamina was running low again and I needed to separate myself from this bloody scene, obvious evidence that I had struck. Not really sure why I attacked them.. Moving back through the corridors, I walked past the staircase I had ascended previously and walked further. Moving at a steady pace, I was looking ahead for a spot to rest when I saw a curious door, it looked normal and was painted a sickly pale blue like other doors. However there was traces of mud on the ground in front of it, as if it saw a lot of traffic. Opening it quietly, I took a look inside. My eyes bugged out and I gaped. The room had a deep pit lined with concrete, and in the centre of the pit reaching to the ceiling floated a shimmering mirage of colors. Gazing at the colors as they shifted from hue to hue for a minute, I eventually wrenched my attention away and looked around the room. Unlike the other rooms, this room had a high ceiling to account for the abnormality in the centre, and the size of the room was large enough to fit my house inside. Stepping inside, I quietly closed the door as I took a closer look. Against the left wall were crates and boxes, a few were opened and the items inside looked to be food. The wall to the right was bare and devoid of any objects, just a white concrete floor and wall. The walls around the room were lined with light panels which gave off a harsh white light, but the thingy in the middle of the room washed the room in shifting rainbow hues. Stepping quietly, I moved left towards the crates to get a look at what was behind the floating abnormality. When the scene came into sight, I gagged. A deep round pool was sunken into the ground, filled with a red liquid. Beside it was a slope above which a metal grill was supporting a man as he worked on a obviously dead female body with his back to me. Behind the body were other bodies, mutilated and lying still as death. Red drips occasionally fell down from the grill, falling onto the slope and dripping into the pool. I had seen dead bodies in the last couple of hours, but I didn''t purposely mutilate the bodies and bleed them dry. As I quietly dry retched and leaned against a crate, I heard a voice coming from the door. Moving quietly, I moved out of sight and crouched behind a crate, ready to attack when the chance presented itself. But when they entered and I heard his voice, my plans shrivelled and my neck prickled as I felt a thin tentacle of fear coil around my stomach. It was Talok. In a cold voice he asked someone "Where are the guards", I heard another man speak "Ah. I ordered them to look for the intruder". Talok snarled in disgust. Speaking in a low voice, he hissed at the man "You moron, get the guards back in here!". After a short pause he continued, his voice having calmed down. "Though it doesn''t seem like he''s found this place yet". The man started barking orders, likely into that strange crystal they all carried around. While this went on, I crouched in hiding, feeling like I was going to piss myself. Talok was here, and he was less than 10 meters away from me. Eventually I heard a squadron of men report before taking up positions around the door. Taking a peek, I could see 6 guards in a spread out circle around the door, each of them wielding a uzi. Weird. I didn''t recall encountering those weapons earlier.. Talok was facing the door with his back to me as the man nervously stood beside him. The man started to look around and I quickly pulled my head back in behind the crate. He didn''t raise a alarm however, but I didn''t look at them again. As we waited for who knows what, my stamina and health were recovering. Eventually after waiting for what seemed a age, I heard Talok speak "I''ll hunt him down. Guard the room". Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The door was opened then closed and the silence returned, with just the steady drips of blood to be heard as the man cut into the body with a knife. After waiting for what seemed like a age, I carefully moved to get a look of the situation and peered out from behind the crate. 6 guards surrounded the door in a semi-circle, guns raised and held with steady focus on the door. Much to my relief, I saw they still had their backs turned to me. Their mistake. I waited a few more minutes, just to be sure that Talok was gone before I started to move. Trying to be as stealthy as I could, I approached the back of the semi-circle where they had the least chance of seeing me. There was 6 guards and a man standing behind them, and I was going to have to do this as fast as I could. Inhaling slowly, I caught my breath and suddenly whipped my club around and brained their leader. Before the others could react, I took out the two guards in the centre of the circle and ran to the right. I quickly finished the guard that stood there and grabbed the last guard from behind as he turned his gun towards me. Standing behind him and tightly gripping his hands, I used him as a shield between the other two remaining guards. Not a single bullet had been fired. The guards warily watched me and pointed their guns, yet they didn''t shoot, their reluctance to fire on their comrade showing. He struggled in my grip ineffectively as I started walking slowly to them. One of the guards tried to move to the side, whereas I immediately yelled "Don''t move!" but he sprinted into a run. Cursing, I ripped the uzi from my hostage as the running guard fired at me. Swinging my hostage around, I used him as a bullet sponge, exposing myself to the first guard. However he had a crystal in his hand and was rapidly speaking to it. Informing someone of the situation. A few bullets hit my arms and legs, their damage hurting me. Needing to resolve this quickly, I squeezed my newly acquired uzi which shuddered in my hands as it sprayed bullets. a few of them hit the second guard''s chest which bloomed roses of red. Strangely none of the guards I had encountered wore bullet vests, but as the second guard slumped to the ground, the first guard fired on me. Running at him while holding my very-dead shield, I ignored the blossoming of pain from my exposed limbs as he fired and threw the dead guard at him. Caught by surprise, he fell under the weight as I raised my club and slammed it on his head. Finishing off the final resistance. Checking my health, I shivered as I realised how close to death I was, 32 health. One more bullet would be death. Taking the black jacket from one of the guards I had killed, I ripped it into shreds and quickly tied it around my wounds. I was losing health much too fast. As my HP trickled under 5 the bleeding messages finally stopped, I had to use my hands to apply pressure over the wounds in my thigh and shoulder. Eventually, the bleeding messages also disappeared. Personally, I loved how loss of blood or low health didn''t effect my physical condition. I was still able to move just fine. I moved to get a better look at the back wall, the butcher was standing on the grill fearfully looking at me. I couldn''t see him holding a weapon, so I slowly approached to get a better look. The detail and clarity of his job became obvious, the head of a woman sat on the metal grill, looking dully at me. Her mutilated body lay there, dripping blood into the pool. Behind her body were several other bodies that were unrecognisable. I distantly remembered seeing a ''Missing'' poster with her face.. As I turned my gaze to him, he shivered, a hidden knife dropping from his hand.
EXP +100
As I was about to turn away, a glint caught my eye. I took a closer look at the pool of blood where in the center, a small red gem floated in a shallow depression, almost as if it was drinking the blood. I definitely wasn''t about to touch it however, I didn''t know what it did and had no desire to wade in the blood. But from here, I was at a loss on what to do from here. Now that I had gotten this far, I was almost certainly dead. Talok knew where I was and the guard had just informed him of my location I had no doubt. Then I remembered my recently acquired skill. ''Examine'' and ''Identify''. The colourful thingy in the middle of the room may yet be my saviour. However I wanted to first test it on the red gem as it looked to be somewhat important. Looking at it I thought *Identify*
Blood Gem
Absorbs lifeblood and releases as mana
Oh my. Mana you say? It seemed that indeed it would be handy to have after all. Grimacing, I slowly stepped into the pool, the blood rising to cover my ankles. I won''t tell you how it felt, but it was very icky. I eventually wade out to the gem and plucked it, it felt warm and slippery to the touch. Opening my inventory, I removed the taser and replaced the slot with the blood gem. I waded out and stood on the side of the basin, the cold sticky blood running off my feet. It was disgusting, but I refused to think about it. I had to finish this. I looked towards the shimmering mess of color in the centre of the room and thought *Identify*
Rift
Portal to another dimension Normally stabilised, the mana source has been removed. Will revert to unstable state in 1 minute, 23 seconds
This was far beyond anything I had expected. As I looked at it with awe, I noticed that the colors were getting brighter and the edges growing jagged. And to my horror I heard Talok yell on the other side of the door, apparently assuming I stood next to the door lying in wait. "James! Give yourself up!". Having no time to decide, I started running for the rift as Talok burst through the door. Jumping in, my ears popped and my chest felt pain. The uzi in my hand grew mangled and warped in my grip as the taser in my pocket burned against my skin. Shivering and shaking in that roaring tunnel of colors, I popped out into a world of quiet and peace. The uzi in my hand was no more, ripped away by the forces inside the rift while my pocket held a deformed piece of plastic. The room was dark, but the shimmering lights of the rift made it easy to see. Surrounding the rift were high walls of stone bricks with moss and weeds growing in the cracks, in the corner behind the rift was a hole in the wall where they had fallen down. The walls stretched up high, almost 3 meters and looking up I could see no roof, just stars. The only exit was the open doorway at the end of the room. Overall, the room was a long single building, with the rift at one end next to a broken wall, and the doorway at the other. Just where was I? Looking back at the rift I had just entered, it was now a jagged mess of sharp colors. It looked nothing like anything you would want to enter. I used *Identify*
Rift
Unstable rift Normally stable, there is no mana source on the other side Deals 10,000 DMG
Welp. Guess Talok isn''t coming. Moving to the doorway, I looked outside to see lit torches inside a camp of tents, men walked around oblivious to my presence, a lot of them carried weapons I had expected to see only in a medieval setting. This place had people, however I didn''t want to meet and greet. I had a feeling that these were Talok''s people. The Boligian Empire. Moving carefully away from the doorway, I went to the broken wall and looked outside. The view was staggering, where I had previously been in a city, before me I saw a barren wasteland with brown stunted trees and- just joking. What I was were plains of green grass with jagged snowcapped mountains visible in the distance. Though looking around, I couldn''t see any buildings or cities. Realising something, I looked at the text windows that had appeared while I was distracted by my scenery.
You have entered a slightly unstable rift HP -10
Rift is poorly made, magnetic currents are in effect. Carried items have been effected. 1 x Handgun destroyed 1 x Taser badly damaged
Discovered new world: Yonda
You have entered Cragged Castle
My heart fell and I felt dismay. Then as if it wanted to insult me, a window popped up.
LUK +1
Chapter 10 - Fighting the Camp H-h-hey. Better late than never? Right? The reason behind the chapter delay is that I had actual work that I need to do, and because I found the webnovel ''Worm'' which is massive and a good read. Another reason is that I had to rewrite the chapter more than a few times, as well as rewrite the plot of the second half over and over. For those who are sad that Jon will not be staying on earth, I''m sorry to disappoint you; but there is nothing there for him to do. I want earth to remain the ''normal'' world instead of using one of the 5 cent twists that reveals there''s a ancient society of werewolves and vampires living in the background, that dragons are real and were just hiding in far away locations, that there''s a evil dictator working behind the scenes to undermine everything that Jon has ever known. Or is that me? Something else of note is that when I say Jon is tired, I normally mean that he is mentally tired, not that his body is tired. His stamina is near-infinite after all.. Lastly, some of you may be pleased to hear that I do not intend to keep Jon in the world ''Yonda''. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discovered new world: Yonda
Looking at the window, I realised with dismay that my day had just gone from bad to worse. As I stood there feeling somewhat hollow, I heard stones crunching underfoot as people approached the building. Quietly I broke from my trance and moved to the hole in the wall and climbed through. As they entered the building I stepped behind the wall out of sight, and seconds later a cry of alarm was heard as they saw the rift. Standing there, I heard their voices raise as they talked agitatedly in another language I didn''t understand. They didn''t give any indications of going away and I didn''t want to entertain the notion of a fight, so leaving them behind, I quietly slipped away from the stone building and into the grass plains.
You have entered Laiem Plains
I walked through the dark with blades of grass tickling my ankles as I gradually began to feel tired, the exertions of the day was finally beginning to catch up to me. As I walked in the darkness, I occasionally stumbled over a dip in the ground before catching my balance, however each time was harder as my eyes grew tired and threatened to close. Stumbling again, I missed my footing and fell into a dip in the ground. However to my surprise the grass here was thick and dip was far deeper than I had thought. Lying at the bottom of the dip, I realised that I must be out of sight here, and I had covered a fair amount of distance from the building. Closing my eyes, I settled into a comfortable position and fell asleep in the warm air of the night. When I next woke, my skin felt hot and prickly as the sun in the sky blazed above me. Sitting up I blearily blinked for a few seconds as I mentally adjusted to my location, mildly confused as to the grass about me. In front of me I saw two message windows floating.
Stiffness debuff: 10% decrease in stats for 20min
Update 0.1b
Update Log
  • Given your play style, viewed levels are now indicative of just combat skill
  • The skill Movement has been removed as AGI will now take effect in that aspect
  • Displayed profession is now viewed in a manner indicating their skills if applicable
I started to smile as I saw the changes to the level system, this was very useful. I did wonder how the levels would be calculated, but dismissed the thought. I would find out later. Sitting up I yawned and stretched as I blinked in the bright sun. Standing up I started looking around for the stone building. Spotting it a fair distance away, I realised I had covered more distance than I had originally thought. It lay in the distance half a mile away, with the camp behind it, white tents sticking out like a sore thumb. I couldn''t see any walls surrounding the camp, just tents of faded white cloth. Looking around in the daylight, I saw mountains and more mountains. The plains was surrounded by them. Behind the camp however, there was a gap in the mountains which I suspected had a road running through. I would likely see a road leading to the camp itself. Strangely however, when I looked around the area I could see no other manmade structures, just the stone building containing the rift and the camp itself. This land looked fertile and rich, the mountains themselves presumably containing ores. Why was this place practically abandoned? From what I had seen of the stone building, it was quite old and the camp didn''t strike me as being new. And yet this place contained no proper housing, no farms that I could see. Just the camp and the building. Shrugging I dropped the line of thought, I could always investigate this later and ask a few people. But for now, I wanted to recheck the rift and investigate the camp which was the only other object of note in this place. As I approached the stone building I kept a eye on the camp for movements or guards, ready to drop to the ground at the slightest movement, however I reached the building without any trouble. Peering through the hole I took a quick look inside the room, however the place was empty with the exception of the rift which upon *Identify* proved to remain unstable and unchanged. Moving around the outside of the building, I peered past the corner into the camp. The land the stone building was built on was raised above the surrounding area and gave it a good view of the surrounding area, it was what had given me a good view last night. As I peered into the camp, I observed that the tents were staked in orderly rows with small paths criss-crossing where the people walked. Down the middle of the encampment was a wide pathway which connected the camp to the little paths with the centre of the camp containing a giant circus-like tent which was surely the commanders tent, presumably Taloks. Sitting behind the camp was a expanse of worn down ground which had reverted to bare dirt with thick logs of ground set upright in the ground to one side of the area. Was this where they trained? But despite my looking over the camp, I couldn''t see anyone moving around. Was the place abandoned? Surely not. I''d heard people last night at the rift building. As I couldn''t see anyone, I carefully stepped down the slight slope and entered the camp, alert for movement and signs of danger.
You have entered 17th Outpost Camp
Approaching a tent, I looked inside fugitively, however there was nobody inside. The contents of the tent was pretty bare with a thin carpet on the ground covering the dirt and bedding in the corners with small possessions next to them. The possessions didn''t look very valuable with clothes, half eaten bread, wooden objects, metal coins, small boxes and the like. I did notice that there was nothing that indicated technology, the things I found was mostly things people could make themselves. I didn''t paw though the things I found however, I wanted to establish my position here before being caught stealing. I had enough enemies already, and making more was not going to help. The tent in the centre of the camp was huge compared to the other tents, rounded with stripes running vertically down the sides like a circus tent. Colors of muted white and blue, faded from time spent under the sun. When I drew closer to the tent, I could hear voices talking, however when I drew closer to listen in, it was depressing when I realised that they were not speaking english. I wanted to get a good look at them, so I quietly approached the doorway of the tent to peer inside. Standing inside the tent, four men stood next to a table facing each other as they animatedly talked with agitation apparent on their faces as they argued. Looking above their heads, I looked at their boxes.
Thad Quon lv.8 Outpost Spearsman
Ami Pel lv.7 Outpost Spearsman
Darl Qail lv.8 Outpost Spearsman
Dan Poliz lv.12 Outpost Mage
Mage? Three of the guards were dressed in their leather armour, but the remaining guy was wearing cloth, with thin leather straps crisscrossing down his arms and legs binding his clothing tight. This was obviously the mage, and while he looked a little scrawny I didn''t care about that as I looked at him with judging eyes and a gleeful smile. Finally. A good chance to learn magic had presented itself to me. I didn''t have illusions of being taught by his own free will, but he could get me started on learning it, teach me how to sense mana. My gamer ability would allow me to learn the rest. But for now, I would need to talk to them and introduce myself, see if I could get on their good side. However they were part of the Boligian Empire so I didn''t think they would be friendly towards me, so the best plan of action would likely be to separate them and talk to them separately. Killing them was a terrible option, especially if I wanted to have the mage teach me magic without trying to kill me in the process. I didn''t want to fight the mage, I wasn''t sure how his magic works and how difficult he would be to fight and I wasn''t sure I could take him alive. His level alone was a good indicator that I should win as it was a few levels beneath mine. But I couldn''t afford to fight him while they were in a group, there was no guarantees I could win against that. Looking at the mage, I thought *Examine*
NameDan Poliz
GenderMaleJobMage
Level12Age22
Health120/121Stamina93/113
VIT11STR11
END10AGI12
DEX11INT14
WIS13LUK11
Skills
  • Meditation lv.4
  • Mana Channelling lv.5
  • Fire Mastery lv.4
  • Flame lv.2
  • Fire Blast lv.3
  • Horse Riding lv.4
  • ......
I was distracted as I looked at the table, and in this moment of distraction I was spotted. Shouting, a guard saw me and alerted everyone to my presence as I crouched at the doorway looking in. Alarmed I looked up to see everyone looking back at me, their hands tight around their weapons as they stared. Giggling nervously, I stood up and stepped into the doorway, hands held high to prove I wasn''t holding a weapon. One of the guards shouted something at me, but I was unable to understand what he said. I opened my mouth "I didn''t understand that sorry, speak english?". The tension grew tenser in the air after I spoke and the mage said something to the guards, after which their expressions turned murderous when they looked at me. They slowly started to move, trying to surround me as the mage formed loose fists with his hands and focused with half-closed eyes. I could sense a fight in the making and started to back away as I lowered my hands and summoned my inventory. When the guards saw my club come out from the air, they shouted in surprise, but as they looked at it their eyes widened and one of the guards muttered a obvious curse. A quick glance at the club made the reason apparent. The club itself was dyed a deep dark red from blood and my current appearance must have been suspicious to begin with as I still had the dried blood covering my skin. I backed away even further as I yelled desperately to them "Just wait! Can''t we talk about this!". The mage said something to the guards and I had a moment of relief, which was banished as they moved to the sides and gave me a clear line of sight with the mage. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. The mage raised his closed fists towards me and sensing the danger, I sought to move out of the way. However to my sides were guards with their spears pointed at me, forbidding me from retreating in that direction. However in my haste I gave no concern and knocked a spear away as I moved towards the guard. Half falling and half running I knocked over the guard as I heard a angry roar of flame behind me, heat pushing on my back as I fell on top of the guard. Looking backwards, I saw a thick pillar of flame emitted from the mages palms as he directed the flames towards the area I had vacated. His expression was not visible from where I lay and I was mildly relieved, he apparently did not know he missed. I quickly got up and moved away from the downed guard. When the mage saw me, his expression was one of surprise and again I begged them to stop, to talk. "Come on! Why can''t we talk!" However they refused to react to my words, did not seem to understand what I said. The mage''s hands formed fists and he began to focus as the guard got up from the ground. They surrounded me again with two guards by my sides and the third in front of me, stabbing their spears at me, making me dodge their thrusts. I implored them to listen to me, just stop and we could talk. I was uneager to fight them and make more enemies, this was one of my last chance to find out what was going on, find out where this place was. And yet they refused to talk to me, insisting instead on violence. Was I the only one who was using logic here? The mage raised his palms towards me again and sensing the movement I danced to the left, placing the guard between the mage and I and thus preventing him from throwing his fire at me. But I was unprepared when the mage shouted a word and the guards instantly dropped to the ground as he threw another storm of fire. The flames roared as they blazed over the prone figures of the guards and this time, I was far too slow to react, too slow to move and as I tried to fall to the ground I could see the fire filling my view. The fire mere inches away, I closed my eyes tight as my muscles tensed in anticipation of the pain. Sudden and intense pain rolled over me as the fire hit. Releasing the club in shock, I howled in agony as the fire blazed over my skin. Searing, blackening, frying me alive. Screaming in pain I fell to the ground and rolled, hands held to my face as I desperately tried to extinguish this pain. My skin burned black and my vision was blurred with tears as I rolled on the floor crying with the pure agony. The heat felt as if it was seared into my bones, my skin mere paper and my flesh the fuel to the pain.
HP -216
You have been burned, apply cold water to lessen the damage and speed the recovery
Though what vision I had left, I saw shapes pick themselves up from the ground and surround me, weapons pointed at my figure as I lay moaning on the ground pathetically. I saw a spear raised in the air as the guard moved to impale me and desperately moved to the side as the spear stabbed into the ground where my stomach had been. I faintly heard a sound of surprise and a quick jabber of talking as they conversed with each other. I was in no position to pay attention however as my tortured skin had flared in pain from the movement. I saw the spear raised again and as it jabbed down I desperately rolled to the side towards the legs of a guard. The guard choose instead of back away to avoid colliding with me, and I used this chance to get my legs underneath me and stand in a hunched over position, my burned and blistered arms held in front of me. My skin burned in agony where it had touched the dusty ground, stones having dug into my skin with smears of blood showing where I had lain. Laughing, the guards began to make sport of me, stabbing at me with their spears as I desperately tried to dodge. With each movement I made, pain flared and I let out a moan in agony, furthering their laughter.
HP -3
HP -5
HP -2
HP -1
HP -2
The mage stood by, watching me with a frown on his face as he watched me move around. He snapped something to the guards and they stopped their torment, surrounding me with spears once again. Facing me behind the guards he spoke in barely recognisable english "Who are you". I was somewhat surprised to hear him speak and relieved that they had ceased their torment. "James" I moaned out as my body screamed in pain. The mage asked me then "Why are you here". Even in my half-crazed state I knew I couldn''t confess to my murder-spree with my last-ditch escape into the rift, so I fabricated a story "I don''t know! They pushed me through this weird thing!". The mage frowned, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked at me agitatedly. After a short pause, he finally asked me "How can you talk?". I opened my mouth to speak, but a guard suddenly yelled. The mage turned to face him, then followed the guards hand as he pointed towards my chest. A expression of fear crossed his face as he yelled at me "What are you!". The guards backed away from me, fear in their faces at they looked at my burned skin. My health was steadily recovering now that they had ceased their torment and the bleeding had stopped without the need for me to assist. My voice rasped as I replied "James. I''m James". Accusingly the mage growled "I don''t care about your name. You are not human. What are you". I shook my head, not knowing what he meant as I tried to buy myself time to heal. Then I had a thought and looked at my burned skin. Under my gaze the blackened skin slowly flaked off, raw red skin exposed to the air as my health recovered. Looking about me, the guards were fixated on my wounds with fear apparent in their figures as we watched my body slowly recover from what should have been permanent wounds. Their weapons shook in fear as they held the barbs pointed at me, eagerly waiting for the mage to give the order to attack. I could sense the danger approaching and quickly looked at my health. My health was stabilized at 43, steadily raising as we stood at a standstill. The flames had damaged me far more than I had originally thought. By this time the pain was just a distraction, the agony having died away as my health recovered and my body healed. As I looked away from my health, I noticed in horror that the mage had slowed down his breathing, his hands having formed fists as he began to focus. Seeing the warning signs, I realised that my HP would have to be good enough. Ducking down low I moved towards the guard in front of the mage and as he stabbed towards me I ducked to the right of his spear and knocked it away. My skin burned from my movements and my palms were agony as I grabbed my club from the ground as I evaded the spear thrust. A few windows popped up to appear that I was bleeding, that I sustained a few loss of HP points. But I ignored them. Running towards the mage, I swung my club at his skull with desperation as he tried to back away, his palms raising towards me. I truly did want to learn magic, but in this situation and against this group. I couldn''t win, especially with the mage alive. The mage screamed as my club slammed into his head and a soft crunch was heard. A popup immediately appeared in my view.
EXP +450
Moving forwards, I placed my club back into my inventory to keep my weight down as I started to run. Despite my movements jerking as pain spiked through my body, I was still able to stay ahead of them as they gave chase. As we ran they attempted to throw their spears at me, but my movements were unpredictable and I kept moving about the tents in a attempt to lose them. They refused to split up when they lost sight of me and everytime this happened I gained precious seconds in the chase. Thus in this manner, I stayed ahead of them. I felt a little detached as I noticed my HP dropping at a mere HP every 5 seconds, instead of the 1 HP/s I had noticed previously. Was this because the wounds were skin deep? Was it because my stats were better? Oh crap! Spear! As I ran and they chased, my bleeding eventually stopped and my health started to recover, all too slowly it felt like. We took breaks occasionally by mutual agreement with the guards panting heavily for breath, myself resting trying to recover my stamina and a few valuable HP. They were always the ones to resume the chase, trying to catch me by surprise even as I tried to prolong the breaks. Eventually during the chase I finally judged myself able to fight after my HP hit 80. Taking my club out as I ran, I suddenly turned around and faced them, taking a stance as I held my club threateningly towards the three guards. Stumbling to a halt, the guards wondered if this was another rest from the chase as they eyed me with apprehension, wary of me. Noticing that I finally intended to fight, they slowly started to spread out in a attempt to surround me as I called out "Do any of you speak english", however I did not receive a reply. Trying to provoke a reaction, I called to them using their names "Thad, Ami, Darl. Do you guys speak english?" They did react when I called their names, however they still did not say anything to me, choosing instead to talk to each other, making comments to bolster their courage as they advanced on me. This was very annoying, it seemed that the mage had been the only person to speak english around here. As they moved in to attack, I focused on the fight and resolved to kill them, retaliation for the agony caused. They moved in unison as they stabbed their spears towards me, but even now. They failed to react fast enough. My club slammed into the first guard''s spear and in the same swing I used my motion to shove the end of my club into his stomach, knocking him down. Taking on the other two guards, I slammed the second guard''s spear from his hands and as he stumbled backwards disorientated, I grabbed the last spear and pulled the guard towards me before he could release it. Stumbling, he looked up as I swung the club from the side and gave them a curt introduction. Turning to face the second guard, I held my club before me as I asked him "Do you speak english?", but in reply he screamed incoherently as he backed away weaponless with fear written on his face, so I finished my business with him. By then the first guard had recovered and was standing with his spear shaking with fear, threateningly pointed at me. Facing him I asked my question "Do you speak english?". But again, I had no luck.
EXP +260
EXP +300
EXP +280
I was very close to leveling up now, but I felt weary from the action and wanted to rest. I placed my club inside my inventory and located the centre of the camp and entered the commanders tent. Looking around, I spotted bedding on a frame of wood. I was willing to bet this was the best bed around here. At this stage I did not fear being caught by other guards as I had seen no reaction to the chaos, and the guards did not seek reinforcements despite having trouble on their hands. Looking down the road earlier, I had not seen any figures in the distance and I doubted the rift could be reopened on the other side. It would have reopened already if that was the case. I was likely as safe as I was ever going to be. Groaning with relief, I lay down on the bed intending to take a small rest. But I had underestimated how tired I was, and so I slept through the rest of the day and into the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now that you''ve finished the chapter, would you say the quality of the writing has dropped? Its been somewhat of a concern of mine and a reason the chapter was delayed while I rewrote it over and over until I was somewhat happy. Its likely to be a concern next chapter as well. Chapter 11 - Looting the Camp Oh hey. Did you miss me? A few of you have expressed dissatisfaction with the way things turned out in the previous story. Namely the following points 1. Why did he go into the camp! What was he thinking! 2. His actions in the past few chapters were dumb, I wouldn''t have done that. 3. Are you turning this into a dumb idiot smashing things? 1. I failed to explain his thoughts in more detail, pushing instead to finish up the chapter. Also refer to 2. 2. Explained in this chapter 3. Refer to 1 and 2. But remember, he has only one weapon. Words obviously fail him. The first part of the chapter is a flashback, explaining his motives and his actions. ------------------------------------------------------------------ When I woke up, the sun was up and the tent was dyed a pale blue, sunlight shining through the blue white striped fabric. I felt relaxed, more relaxed than I had been in the past few days. I casually looked at the window floating in front of me before swiping it away.
Update 0.2a
Update Log
  • Gardening and associated subskills have been removed
I began to remember the events of the past few days, the fear that had filled me and the desperation that drove me on. When I was captured by Talok, I had been filled with fear. Fear of the unknown, fear that he was stronger than me and fear as I was unable to resist against him. The fear had led me to escape, and my escape had brought me a costly mistake. Underestimating my strength, I killed for the first time in a single moment. My fear escalated at that point and I began to feel desperate. Things had gotten worse, and I thought it was bad already. Running through the corridors I saw a gun coming around the corner, and I was forced to make a choice. I couldn''t run away in time and there was a very real chance of being shot. I resolved to disarm him, raising my club to do so. But when I whacked my club down on his gun, I didn''t expect his hand to get caught and brutally crushed. I wasn''t able to help him and had to keep moving on, leaving him moaning in pain as I turned my back to make my escape. But having turned my back to someone I considered harmless, I felt pinpricks of pain in my back as taser barbs dug in, and less than a second later my limbs stiffened in pain as wattage run through my body. My fear had escalated, I knew that death was a very real possibility as the pain coursed through my limbs. My mind snapped, my desperation roared and I killed him. The guards I found, I killed. I could not afford to be stopped here, not if I wanted to live, not if I wanted to see my aunt again. I was going to get out of here, I was not going to be killed, and if they were trying to kill me. I would respond in kind. Even when I came to my senses I knew I was screwed, I knew I had dug myself too far, I would have to continue down the path I set for I had no chance of them letting this go. Inside the rift room, when I saw Talok and he saw me, I knew I was doomed. My only possibility of escape lied inside the rift. I didn''t know what it was or where it led, but the crates indicated a destination, and the removal of the blood gem was making the rift go unstable. Talok surely couldn''t follow me if the timing was right. Gambling with my life, I jumped in and was taken away. As nervewrecking as it was, my gamble paid off and I lived. Growing tired as the adrenaline wore off, I left the building and exhausted I then fell asleep in the grass. I had woken the next day feeling more like myself, pushing the memories of those I had slain out of my head. I couldn''t afford to be distracted here. My stomach growled with hunger as I realized that there was nothing around here that offered food, save for one certain place. I looked towards the camp with calculating eyes. I knew that there was danger in it, that Talok could be waiting there. My stomach growled and I pushed myself into action, moving towards the rift building. At the very least, I could check the rift itself to confirm Talok''s presence. But when I checked, the rift was unstable as ever and even as I breathed a sigh of relief, I knew it indicated I was free to move around, that the monster wasn''t in this world. The guards had surely come from here and I had fought them before and won. I could surely do it again, especially against a camp as empty as this. As I moved through the tents, I ate the small morsels of food I found inside them, filling my stomach as I sneaked to avoid being seen. When I came to the commanders tent, my arrogance betrayed me after I was spotted. Even as I knew I should run, I thought to myself that I could surely handle them, perhaps calm them down and have a conversation, that I had no need to run. I knew it was surely risky, but I was confident in my strength and the power of my club. But in a single attack, the mage made my heart falter. But even that wasn''t enough to discourage me. How could I lose against an inferior being? I couldn''t lose. But even as I moved to dodge the mage''s second attack, I was caught in the trap as the guards fell to the ground and the flames roared . Crying in the unexpected pain, the mage struck me down, the guards struck me down and with the darkness of the pain came the fear. With my fear mounting I began to grow desperate, desperation whispering words into my ears. I had to kill again, kill so that I may live. It wasn''t wholly blind rage, even in my state of fear I knew I stood less of a chance if I left them, if I ran away after being spotted they would keep a eye out for me, call for reinforcements and they would turn my life into a hell. They were at their weakest now, disorganized and unprepared for me. My skills were unknown and I believed they were unaware I was in this world, not yet having called for reinforcements. I couldn''t afford to let them go, I would doom myself. Having slayed them, my mind made itself known. Screaming for release even as my body felt ready to drop. I wasn''t physically tired, I knew that much. But I wanted to sleep, sleep and turn the day into a memory. Push it away. Seeking out a bed, I closed my eyes and slumbered. Author: I hope that explains his actions suitably.. Having wasted time thinking, I got up, my legs firm under me as I went outside. Moving outside the camp to the road, I looked into the distance for moving shapes of travelers, but much to my relief there was nothing but the empty dirt road. As I moved about the camp, I looked about to make sure that nothing had changed overnight before moving towards the stone building. After checking the rift to see if the situation had changed, I moved through the camp deep in thought.
Rift
Unstable rift Normally stable, there is no mana source on the other side Deals 10,000 DMG
My first decision of the day was that I needed to wash. My skin looked terrible, tatters of burnt flesh hanging on with crusted blood giving me a reddened appearance. I don''t have the imagination to appropriately describe it, but I really needed to wash myself off. I smelled terrible. Locating the showers was simple, inside the setup consisted of buckets of water with slabs of stone on the ground. The stone seemed somewhat elaborate, but the drainage ditches to the sides of the tent moved the water elsewhere. I wasn''t sure where, and didn''t care to check. Undressing, my clothes were placed to the side as I took a bucket and emptied it over my body, cold water running down my body as I shivered in delight. Tense muscles began to relax as the water streamed down, pooling onto the floor before trickling down into the drains. It wasn''t until my body felt clean again that my attention turned to my clothes. It was a sad little pile, my shirt had long been abandoned and the jeans were scorched and soaked in red with small holes where bullets had penetrated the fabric. The socks and shoes were somewhat better, just requiring a wash to rinse the blood out. Afterwards a faint red tinge remained which discolored the leather, but it wasn''t particularly noticeable as they were black. Reluctantly I decided to abandon my clothing, taking just the socks and shoes and seeking new clothing elsewhere in this camp. It wasn''t a large deal as I would have had to do this anyway, especially if I wanted to fit into this world. After rummaging through the tents, I was eventually outfitted with clothing that proved to fit well. The coins that were found were placed into my balance, turning into a new currency separate from the one I had already. Wearing a cotton shirt, the weave was rougher than what I was used to with my lower body outfitted with brown trousers that felt strange but were simple to adjust to. Thankfully however it seemed that this world had heard of the concept of pockets. Wrapped about my face was a thin white cloth which revealed just my eyes, my face and hair being hidden. Using this, my identity would be hidden in regards to the ''Declared war on the Boligian Empire'', it was better to be safe than sorry. My thoughts then turned towards provisions. I would need to take stuff from this camp, especially as better chances would be unlikely to come by. Sadly I would be unable to spend much time here so I would be limited to taking only what I needed without investigating every little thing. My best bets on finding the basics would be the four large tents in this camp. The commanders tent was the tallest tent and the most noticeable, with the meal tent, the showers and the storage tent being the three that I had found. Moving first to the commanders tent, my intention was to find what information I could there and gather intelligence about this place. The table was covered in documents with the majority being written in the language of this country which were unreadable by me, thankfully however I also located a few maps amidst the pile which I could look at. Going over them three of the maps were useless, showing places on Earth that I knew already, it was also mildly interesting that they looked like they had been produced and purchased on earth.. The one map that looked useful was handdrawn on a piece of velvet, the details on it were scarce however with nothing like the detail found on a modern map. Studying it, it showed the area I was in and to the side was the camp drawn as a small shaded box inside a ring of mountains. A road started from the camp and led through the mountain gap, inside the mountain gap was a small shaded box with a line of text written next to it. A checkpoint? The road continued on through the map and occasionally passed through other shaded boxes which I guessed to be small villages. Eventually the line arrived at a large shaded box with big letters written. Obviously a city. Aside from that, there was extremely little else on the map, showing just the path from the city to the outpost. The map was likely used solely for directions, not as a proper map of the area. I left the stuff on the table alone and moved to search the tent, they were of no special help to me and while the map of this place was helpful, it didn''t give me enough information to be worth carrying. Looking through the tent, three chests were found which ranged from large, medium and small. The large chest wasn''t locked and contained documents, all of which had no information I could use. I could take my time to read their language, but I didn''t currently have the time to waste. The medium sized chest proved to be locked, and when I tried to move it I found that it was heavy. I couldn''t find a key when looking in the obvious places, so taking out my club and stepping backwards, I controlled my strength as I whacked at the back of the chest to knock the hinges off. Inside proved somewhat rewarding, the contents contained plenty of coins of the same type I had found in the tents amidst the guards items. However mixed with the coins was a coin of a different denomination that I hadn''t found previously, placing it into my balance had the number jump by 500. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Placing the currency in my balance, I turned to the last chest. Unlike the other two chests this was very small and easily held in a single hand. Shaking it gently and listening to the insides it seemed to contain several small items wrapped in something. It didn''t feel like money and was likely to be fragile, easy to break. But seeing as I didn''t have the key.. I would simply grab my club, raise it high and smash- no. There was a knife/dagger on the table I could use. Carefully carving the wood around the lock, I used my strength to force the point of the dagger into the hard wood. I worked carefully as I carved the wood, being sure not to slip or drop the small container. Finally I managed to break the lock off and opened it. Wrapped inside a soft cloth (felt?) were two things, one was the white crystal that the guards had carried in the outpost, which I believed they used to communicate. While this one was bigger and fatter than the ones the guards had, it was doubtless of the same type. The other object I found was a ebony figurine of a head, the face sculpted into that of a young girls with a bright smile on her face. Looking at both, I thought *Identify*
Crystal of Resonance
Splintered, this crystal has been enchanted to consume mana to communicate with its companion crystals
Hana''s Smile
A delicate figurine of ebony, this holds sentimental value to its owner
The crystal I placed on the table, intending to take it with me but the figurine I placed back into the small chest and returned it to where I had found it. Even if it proved to be worth something, I didn''t feel comfortable taking it, not when it was Taloks. Opening up the inventory, I looked at the four slots I had inside and realized I had a problem. I didn''t have enough space to carry everything I wanted to. Hissing with irritation, I looked at it for a moment before I had a realization. Over the past few days I had gained a few levels and ignored the messages informing me of unassigned stat points, focusing instead on fighting and running. My gamer skill was also close to leveling up, and it was possible that it might levelup after doing this. Opening my stats, I placed all of the free points into END, the best use for the trip I had ahead of me. After I finished, a window displayed.
The skill Gamer has reached level 6
Inventory increases to 3x3 slots Sleeping restores exhaustion Sleeping effects debuffs to wear off a day sooner
Author: And the ''Inventory skill'' magically disappears!
NameJonathan Cliff
TitlesGamer
Level16 [67%]Balance$1533 ?5223
Health459/459Stamina493/682
VIT42STR39
END68AGI38
DEX34INT34
WIS34LUK19
Skills
  • Gamer lv.6 [1%]
  • Cooking lv.19 [67%]
  • Clubs lv.30 [75%]
  • Shock Resistance lv.19 [67%]
  • Reading lv.19 [34%]
  • Storytelling lv.12 [4%]
  • Meditation lv.2 [22%]
  • Crafting
    • Woodworking lv.1 [96%]
  • Banker lv.4 [84%]
  • Negotiation lv.3 [43%]
Opening my inventory, I grinned at the five empty slots I had gained. The new slots were a blessing, allowing me to carry more and more without any penalties. Back on earth I had weighed myself with my club inside my inventory and outside of my inventory, the club itself was heavy, but when inside my inventory the weight was a mere 10th. But as for the sleeping buffs, it looked to be frankly useless. My health and stamina were already completely restored when I slept and I did not receive debuffs that lasted that long. Yet. I did have a faint whisper of an idea to abuse it, but I would have to leave it for later. Picking the crystal off the table, I placed it in a slot and grabbed all the papers I could see and pushed them into another slot to bring the item count to 74. Leaving the commanders tent, I headed towards the meal tent to check it out if it had food and water I could take. The inside of the meal tent was simple, the tent had long tables of stone running inside with a few tables sitting in the open with campfires and metal frames setup over them, ready to be used to prepare a meal. The tables were pretty amazing however, they were solid stone with the sides being sunken inwards to provide a ledge with variations of stone and wooden chairs placed around. I was curious on how it had been created, it couldn''t possibly have been transported overland as it was far too heavy for that. They lived near mountains, was it the work of guards in their free time? Magic? This place was rather useless to my needs so I turned to the last tent, the supplies. It sat in a open area with the sides bolted down and the doorway completely visible to make it impossible to enter unnoticed. It was a nice attempt to keep poachers out, but no one was around to see me as I entered. Inside were barrels and crates stacked against the walls and over the ground. Inside was cool and gloomy with the tent made of a thick fabric, however even in the darkness I didn''t have trouble moving around, my eyes adjusting rapidly to the darkness as I moved around. Finding the water was simple, the barrels stood in a distinct group with a single word written on them. One of the barrel lids was loose which helped me recognize what they all contained. It was only when I tried to fit a barrel inside my inventory that I had a problem. It was too large for the window. Heaving and pushing it sideways into the inventory slot worked to a extent, but when the edges of the barrel knocked against the sides of the window I could no longer get it to move inside. It seemed that my inventory wasn''t able to magically carry huge items after all.. It was disappointing, but I snickered as I thought of another idea. It would have been hilarious, had it worked. But alas, placing my inventory inside the water and trying to direct it inside a slot was a failure. Ultimately I ended up using the plastic water bottles I found in a crate, they looked to be from earth and were likely sold here in this world. Not my problem. I was able to fill and place them inside my inventory but the chest only contained 54 bottles and I was unable to find more in the crates. I wanted to free up another slot, so taking a leather satchel from a crate I moved the blood gem and the crystal of something inside before placing the satchel back into my inventory, giving me that extra slot at no real cost. With the four slots I had left, I took salted pork from a barrel and placed it in one by one until I met the cap of 99, then I did the same with some other kind of meat and a tent I had taken down. The tent was pretty simple, consisting of sewed cloth supported by poles of wood and pegs in the ground. Thankfully wrapping the poles and pegs in the fabric allowed the tent to fit in a single slot, though I felt a little guilty, leaving someone''s belongings out in the open. Even if they were likely dead.. Wincing with the sudden memories, I pushed them away and focused again on my tasks. The last slot I debated using to store a weapon of some type, such as a spear. But decided against it as I would be unable to sell it and as for using it, I preferred the club in terms of power. I would have liked to put bread inside, but there wasn''t actually a bakery. I think they got their bread from Earth.. I decided on green oranges, obviously from earth. Again, it capped at 99. The sun was in the middle of the sky by the time I was ready to leave, my preparations having taken all morning as I prepared to travel. My current goal was to head towards the gap, while I did think that going over the mountains would be safest, I still needed to get back home and getting lost wasn''t the answer. I wanted to find information and the best way to do this was to enter civilization. I knew I didn''t need to do this, that I could hide out in the middle of nowhere for some time. But I firmly believed that I would be able to hide my identity and learn magic somehow. Even with the Boligian Empire hating on me, my gamer ability should allow me to learn a disguise skill. I could force my way out of situations if need be and in my free time, I would train. Train to be stronger than Talok had ever been. Creating my own rift to my world was not needed, eventually people would find out about this camp and the rift would be reopened. I had faith in that. The people I had slain yesterday were buried far in the fields, impossible to find and giving me more time in this world before the rift is stabilized and my presence is known. Another thing I had found interesting about this camp and rift was the story behind it. The rift was old and the camp well established, and yet for some reason I could only guess at, Earth was not being invaded. The Outpost hadn''t been called a Trading Center, but rather the militaristic name of Outpost. It was obviously a operation by their army, the way the Outpost had been constructed with its corridors twisting like a maze also hinted towards war-like operations. And yet, they didn''t attack. My two favorite theories about this was a government conspiracy on Earth, and the second was that the magnetic forces inside the rift made it far too inconvenient to wage war. But whatever the case was, I was sure that once Talok returned and made his report, this place was going to be much harder to break through. I was going to need to get stronger, much stronger than what I am now. I''m definitely going to get stronger, and I''m definitely going to return. Chapter 12 - Inflitration One of my main problems with writing this chapter is that I felt it was too short, however I didn''t feel up to expanding on it and so I kept shelving it. Another problem is that editing and re-editing chapters is incredibly dull, especially when the problem isn''t your grammer or spelling, but the way you wrote things out. However as I was getting nowhere with releasing a new chapter, I knocked off the unsatisfying timeskip and removed that dramatic plottwist and with a simple edit and a small apology, I''m now releasing it as is. Honestly I''m not that great at writing out a long story, short stories are more of my thing. But regardless, if you are still reading this you probably don''t mind too much. I hope to release the next chapter faster, and in two chapters you''ll see where the story is heading. Where it was going all along..
The gamer skill is a convenient ability which allows him to adapt, change and grow.
A small note since some of you seem to have forgotten, his disguise consists of a long piece of cloth wrapped around his head leaving only a slip for his eyes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After leaving the camp, I spent the next two days walking towards the outpost in the mountain gap as I practised my meditation to raise the skill proficiency. From what the mage had shown me, it seemed that meditation was heavily linked with magic and was clearly something I was going to need to learn. Practising meditation at first was extremely difficult, I had to stand still until I entered my state and the slightest distraction was enough to jar me out of it. However as I worked on it, I was eventually able to maintain a steady pace while remaining in the trance and the skill began to level up.
SkillMeditationLevel4 [54%]
6% increase in INT while meditating 6% increase in WIS while meditating 12% increase in mental stabilization
The information given in the skill window was simple enough, and while it did sound strange to receive a INT and WIS bonus while meditating, it made more sense if you considered that it meant that you could meditate even as you do other things. As proof of this, I was soon able to walk in a state of permanent meditating, only breaking out of it when my thoughts intruded too deeply into my surroundings or when I remembered something distressing. Entering a state of meditation, a small window would appear in front of me and when I stopped, would disappear.
Now meditating
When I reached the outpost I made sure to stay off the road and look at it from a viewpoint where I could not be spotted. It was mildly disappointing however, there were movable barricades made of sharpened stakes tied in a criss-cross fashion, but they sagged with age and were laid against the side of the road out of the way. The stone outpost itself was built to the side of the road and looked maintained, but uninhabited. I did find that it made sense however, I was pretty sure they had originally planned to have something bigger than a simple camp in the plains but for some reason hadn''t worked out, and so no one travelled in this direction. Why maintain a outpost on a empty road? But still, there was the matter of the rift. Surely that was worth protecting? Travelling on I left the outpost behind me, walking forwards as I trained in meditating. While it was easy to focus on at first, it began to grow rapidly boring. Taking breaks occasionally, I would break up the momentum and take my club out and whack rocks on the ground or through the air to get some form of exercise. It wasn''t much of a exercise however, but I did gain 2 points in STR and a single point in END from my journey. After meditating for a few days, I entered a state where I could ignore my limitations, ignore the boredom and continue meditating. Soon I could even slip in and out of meditation at will, focusing on other tasks while remaining inside the meditation state. As long as I didn''t think too deeply that was. It wasn''t a state I liked to maintain for long however as the world felt muted, as if its a dream with the sensations of my body feeling distant, time being meaningless. Walking down the road, I encountered my first village. However I didn''t approach as I didn''t want to give any clues that a stranger they had never seen was in their midst, especially since I looked nothing like a soldier which were likely the only people to pass through. I made sure to keep out of sight of the village as I passed, taking pains to keep out of sight when I saw someone on the road. After passing the second village the people on the road began to grow more common and it began to get very annoying stepping off the road. Resolving to test my disguise, I kept an eye out for the next passerby. Staying on the road as I walked, I kept my eyes out on the road in front of me for the next traveller. Soon I spotted a old man, walking by himself with a small sack on his back. When we drew closer, he had obviously seen me and I was relieved to note that there was no expression on his face other than a mild curiosity as he looked at my head. Seemed it wasn''t an irrational hate at the mere sight of me, it could be related to seeing my face however, which I didn''t feel the need to test as I could maintain my disguise infinitely. Growing closer, his eyes still glanced at my face before returning politely in front of me, showing through the gap in the cloth my eyes studied him, looking him over appraisingly. His level was a mere 3 and I felt no need to *Examine* him. But I still wanted to test this disguise a little bit further. If it failed, I could always dig another grave. I still didn''t like the idea of killing others, especially humans. But I valued my own existence more and they themselves were trying to kill me. Stepping in front of him, I held my hand up to stop him. He then showed an expression of apprehension on his face with a slight level of fear, fairly reasonable. Looking at the sack he held, it looked to be carrying many objects and judging from the dirty sack overall and the regular lumpy shapes. I was willing to bet it was some form of vegetable. Especially when his profession above his head said Farmer. Making a show of placing my hand in my pocket, I pulled out two coins of the lowest worth and pointed towards the sack, holding the coins up to show my intention. He asked me a question, but obviously I didn''t understand. I took a guess and held up a finger before closing my hand and pointing again towards the sack, offering the coins in the other hand. Warily, he placed the sack down and reached inside to take out a green vegetable the size of a turnip before offering it to me. I accepted and dropped both coins in his hand. Nodding towards him, I stepped past and continued walking down the road. Looking at the vegetable in my hand, I thought *Identify*
Tomosoke
A leafy small vegetable grown above ground. This is similar to a cabbage in both appearance and flavour, but with a spicy aftertaste. This can be eaten raw or cooked
Taking a bite of the tomosoke, it was exactly as described. Overall the encounter was interesting to me, especially as he didn''t display any form of recognition towards my disguise. I did so much want to try it without my disguise, but I feared the repercussions if someone went missing. Later that day, I passed a long caravan with empty carts moving past me. I had travelled a day to reach the outpost, and was on this road for another two days. If my suspicions were correct, this was likely the caravan that made deliveries from the outpost camp. The next few weeks were spent travelling through villages and on the road, sleeping outside inside my tent on my bed. As I drew closer to the city, I soon had to sleep in the rough, being unable to erect my tent due to raising awkward questions on where it had come from. I probably should have grabbed a backpack while I was at the outpost. Entering the city was simple, I blended in with the crowd as they moved through the gates with the guards only looking at me the entire time. I guess my disguise attracted more attention than I had originally thought. However I still was able to enter the city with no problems, and now I had the luxury of looking over the place and seeing if I could learn their language by listening. Not that I actually intended to learn it, I still wanted the gamer skill to handle that for me. Typically this place was set in a medieval setting, stone and wood buildings constructed with wagons being pulled through the streets, thankfully by other humans which meant no unhappy surprises lying on the ground. There didn''t seem to be any packmules or horses in the city, it seemed that they were forbidden here. I knew there were such animals around as I had seen them on the roads, commonly pulling carts laden with goods. It was surprising that this place had horses and the like, being another world. Not something I was going to study. It was on another pleasant note that I realized that I didn''t smell any of the rubbish or sewage you seem to see commonly mentioned in books centered in medieval times, instead the streets looked pretty clean with guards prowling as they made their rounds with only more than a few glances towards me. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Soon I had identified the typical pub from the sign that jutted from the building and entered, drawing only a small amount of attention in the dark atmosphere as the door let in the light. My eyes focused soon enough and I found a small table to sit at to avoid drawing attention, which took longer than I thought as the people stared at me. I sat there in peace for a few minutes as I looked at my surroundings and the people who sat at the tables. I could see males ranging from teens to old, sitting about tables as they talked to each other. I couldn''t see any women drinking however, just the typical barmaids. The place didn''t seem to be as civilized as I had originally thought. A few minutes after sitting, a woman approached me and asked me something. I pointed at my ears and shrugged in response. She looked at me with narrowed eyes for a second, then patronised a drinking action. I nodded and took out a coin. Holding it in my palm, I watched her face as I quickly added nine more coins until she was satisfied and took them. I sat there in silence for a minute until she returned, holding a wooden mug filled with a brown liquid. I nodded and *Identify*''d it
Mug of Beer
Pint of beer produced in a large wooden mug 3% Alcohol
I was suspicious of its hygienic standards, however *Identify*''ing the mug itself reassured me with the simple word ''clean'' in the description. Taking a sip, I didn''t quite like the taste. However I didn''t put it down, choosing instead to nurse it before me to ward off attention. Not that my disguise didn''t attract enough already.. When was I going to get the Disguise skill? For those curious, I drank through a gap I made in the wrapped cloth about my face. Listening in to the conversations around me, I mentally repeated the words and memorized them. I spent a hour like this, mentally repeating what they said and gradually recognising a few words being repeated. Names were easy to recognise, the boxes over their heads being obvious. I sipped at my beer throughout this as the woman moved around, selling beer and refilling empty mugs. I noticed abstractly that some people brought their own mugs to this place, a few of them even looked fancy with handcarved designs and stylized writing around the bases. After finishing my beer, I sat it on the empty table before me as I continued listening in. But minutes later the woman approached me again and took the mug, asking me a question again I gestured towards my eyes and she rolled her eyes before pointing towards the mug. Getting what she meant, I handed over another ten of my coins, however she gave me six of them back which seemed to be the amount used to buy or rent the mug. Luckily as I sat there I still hadn''t been approached yet as I intently and obviously focused on the beer before me. I wasn''t going to give that up and the beers were cheap enough. Nursing another beer, I soon received a message after another hour of intensely listening to the people around me.
Spoken Language: Boligian has reached 50% comprehension
Instantly words began to make sense and I could now follow the conversations of the people around me, a few words still escaped my grasp and sometimes I couldn''t follow what they said at all. But I kept listening to them as I finished my beer and ordered another. My beer half finished, I received another message that I had been waiting for.
Spoken Language: Boligian has reached 90% comprehension
The language instantly was crystal clear, every word understandable as I listened to their mundane conversations. Rarely was a word I couldn''t understand, but it didn''t bother me as I could always guess it from the context. Standing up, I left my unfinished mug on the table as I made my way out of the pub onto the streets again. Now that I could listen to them, I should be able to talk. But I couldn''t stick around in the pub, it would be far too weird for me to seek company when I had so obviously avoided it. I moved down the streets through the jostling crowds of people, no stench of unwashed bodies to overwhelm me. It suddenly occurred to me that I was the one who stank as the people made room around me, days on the road would do that. Spotting an inn was pretty easy, the bed being cartoonized on the signpost sticking from the wall and easy to recognize. Entering the building, the noise on the streets was stilled as I looked around. I stood in a small hallway which ended at a large open room, inside the room were empty tables with an unlit fire in a wall, against one end of the room was a long bench behind which a man sat, his profession above his head was Innkeeper. Behind the bench was a door that led into the kitchens with locked doors lining the walls, rooms obviously. Talking to the man behind the counter, I organized a place to clean myself as well as a room to stay in for 10 coins for the wash and 40 coins for the room. The washroom was happily modern, facets controlling the distribution of hot and cold water to a copper sprinkler raised off the ground to neck height. I spent the rest of the day in my room studying the papers I had taken from the camp intently, I wanted to understand the written language here as well. Four hours later however the room grew dark and I could no longer read/look at the papers. I had only received 30% in my progress and I still couldn''t follow what was written. Going back downstairs, I looked about for a meal and spotted a man turning a large skewer over a fire as he roasted some meat. It looked cooked and juicy and my mouth watered even as I looked at it. I had eaten nothing but salted meat for the past few days. Walking to the man, I paid a few coins for a wooden plates and a few cuts of the meat. As I ate it, I was surprised how delicious it was. At this time the room was rapidly filling up and the seat across the table was soon filled. Sitting across the table, a man sat and introduced himself. "Hi there! I''m Cal", above his head his nameplate read as Calien. I nodded in return and replied "Jon" as I ate. He took a mouthful of food before swallowing and talking again "So, what''s with the getup?" Brilliant, the very first that he brings up. Why do I not have the skill yet? Maybe because it''s not fooling anyone? Because it''s attracting attention? "Religious custom" "Ahhh" he nodded wisely. "Which one?" I suppressed a groan, he certainly was curious. His job description was of a simple labourer however, so there wasn''t any real harm in talking with him. "Church of Spaghetti" I deadpanned, I noted with a little surprise that their language had no word for spaghetti. I quickly followed up with "Would you like to join? Our leader is always looking for more people" while smiling brightly towards him. Cal hurriedly declined as he rapidly backtracked "No no no, I''m fine" I slowly began to interrogate him, beginning first with the most important question. "Can you learn magic in this city?" He looked at me strangely for a second before looking a bit thoughtful. "Well, I guess. They do have a facility here..", obviously, my next question was "Where is it?" he shrugged "Somewhere in this city, I''m not sure where". I still had more questions however on magic, but from the look he had given me earlier there was something I should have known about magic already, and I didn''t think he knew that much on it. I tried to swing the conversation in another direction. "I heard there''s a camp in the middle of the mountains a week from here". "Ah that" he grimaced, "A failed world". Interesting.. "Failed how?" "Well you know, they don''t have any mana over there and the rift wasn''t created properly". That was easy to find out, did they regularly open worlds? He continued without my prompting "And of course, the mage who created the botched rift didn''t have the skill to close it and no one else can spare the time to take care of it." Taking a bite, he spoke past the food in his mouth as he said "It''s not that bad however, that world has interesting stuff we import" That was far too easy. I felt somewhat cheated. While I still had questions that remained unanswered, such as "What is the Boligian Empire" and "How do you know when you have magic". But they were far too obvious and would be something that everyone knew, I couldn''t afford to stand out. Not until I had a better handle on this world and how it was laid out. Leaving Cal at the table, I returned to my room, locked the door and went to sleep. Chapter 13 - Learning Magic Oh look, what''s this? Is it a new chapter!? No.. Can''t be.. Also you can see my Valentine''s Competition entry here Its actually about adventure rather than romance, but I loved how it turned out. I''m going to be very disappointed if no one else loved it. Spoiler: Not actual spoilers, just stuff I''ve decided to try spacing out my paragraphs a little more because as Vocaloid said, large paragraphs is more suited towards books and the way it displays on the site makes it look imposing. I had finished the original draft in a single sitting, but you know what''s really really irritating? You finish the first draft, you say "Alright. That''s good, time to edit then publish" But then you realize that there is a ton of plotholes, weird behavior and generally bad writing. So you spend a long time fixing them up, flashes of inspired genius. Then you have another draft, V2. Yet it still needs to be proof read and edited again by yours truly.. At least I''m done now. I hope. Unrelated to that, you may have noticed that I don''t focus on his gamer ability as the story, instead using it as the aide (Assistant) to the story. The Gamer focuses more on the ability itself, turning his surroundings into a game while I prefer to focus on the story itself. Lets not even talk about dedicating tens of chapters to grindfests. (shudder) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Stretching as I moved downstairs, my first resolution of the day was to find something to eat, afterwards I could go back to studying (staring at) the papers to learn how to read it. I was making my way towards the door when the innkeeper caught sight of me "Are you staying another night?" he asked. Pausing midstep, I realized that I had only paid for a single night and sighed. Wincing at my mistake I told him "I''ll be staying here for the next week" and he smiled "That''ll be 280 coins". Taking them from my pocket, I paid him and left the inn. Thinking back on the transaction I realized that I should probably stop paying with the exact amount of money just by reaching into my pockets. The sun was already rising as I entered the streets, crowds of people moving around as they moved about their business. I spent one or two hours rubbernecking as I explored the city, it was pretty amazing. I had never seen a place like this with the entire city in a medieval setting, everybody on foot with the occasional carriage and cart moving through the city pulled by teams of men. The inn I was staying was in a quiet area, not as crowded with stalls leaning against walls and shops showing off their wares. Jutting from the wall above the doors of the shops were signs, advertising what they were and what they offered. There was no writing on them, simply pictures which seemed to hint that education was not common in this world. One sign hanging above a doorway caught my eye, three golden rings painted with a elaborate necklace lying beneath. The drawing was pretty good and I was curious about magic in regards to items and here seemed a good place to start, magic is always enchanted on jewellery is it not? Outside of the shop stood a bouncer who looked bored as he looked at the crowds. Obviously, his attention fixated on me from the moment he saw me.
Sun Mer lv. 9 Shop Guard
I wasn''t deterred however, his nameplate told me that he wasn''t a threat and I did want to look inside. He watched as I approached the shop, but allowed me to enter unaccosted. The inside of the shop was rather bare, a long bench running down the center with a grid of iron bars separating the two sides, obviously for protection for them or their goods. Was there a problem with burglars? Unlike the inn the walls here were not bare wood, instead painted a tasteful shade of dark red in thick even strokes. At the counter and safely behind the bars sat a man chatting with a woman, however when they saw me they broke off their conversation and turned towards me. "How can I help?" the man asked pleasantly.
Tom Farsworth lv. 3 Jeweller
Jan Farsworth lv. 2 Jeweller''s Assistant
I knew what I wanted to ask, but I didn''t want him to throw me out. What I wanted to learn was if magic could be imbued into items, and what kind of enchantments could be applied. After thinking carefully for a second, I asked a question "Do you have anything of a magical nature?" Tom pursed his lips slightly before smiling. "We do, can I inquire how much you are looking to spend?" "That depends on what you have" I smiled Tom''s smile faltered and my heart jolted. Did I just step on a landmine? He shook his head "I''m sorry but we don''t know you. If you have a recommendation or something of a more convincing nature to show than words.." I mentally groaned inside. I knew the things here would be beyond my means, and he was calling me out on it Giving that I hadn''t planned to buy anything in the first place and that I was seeking information, I chose to change my approach. "Sorry, I don''t actually mean to buy and instead was wanting to find out more about magical items. What would be a good price for that information?" Looking at me for a second, Tom ran a quick calculation through his head before smiling at me again "For 300 coins I''ll tell you about it, but I won''t be showing you our stock. Sounds fair?" As I handed the coins over, Tom started on a lecture as I listened fascinated. The gist from what I took from it was that magical items are made by infusing magic inside, when infused the items will gain the nature of the spell pressed into it. But the enchantments are never permanent, instead they wear off after a period of time has passed. He also described the different enchantments that he had dealt with explaining that there was more than one magic and different mages could use different types which I found very interesting. I had originally thought that there was one form of magic and the people who wielded it specialised in using it in their own ways instead of innate talent where they could only wield an select element. After leaving the jewellers I visited a kebab stall and purchased two with a single coin before returning to the inn. The next 6 hours were spent staring at the papers, memorizing the words until I received one notification as I reached 90%, then continued until I received another.
Written Language: Boligian has been learned
  • INT +4
  • WIS +3
Reading the translated papers, they were boring as they featured reports on the camp and the going ons of the city on earth. Amidst the papers were lists of imports that they had taken from earth and I wondered how they gained money on earth. Looking through the papers I found the report on their currencies and skinned down the sheet, finally settling on the names and figures next to them. What they sold seemed to be in the form of gems, but the money they received in return for selling gems looked surprisingly low. Moreover they also seemed to be dealing through a blackmarket, likely due to being unable to conduct trade openly. As I went through the papers a small window opened.
The skill Banker has reached level 6
You can carry 6 different currencies Currencies can be inter-changed with a 65% fee
The banking skill had been gaining more experience recently, it seemed that the amount of coins I carried was no small amount, and after reaching level 5 I was given the option to change currencies with a ridiculously expensive 70% fee. The rest of the day was used to further explore the city, spending the remaining daylight memorizing the layouts and investigating the shops with signs I didn''t recognise or was curious about. But as educating as all of this was I was starting to get very sick of the looks I received. I knew they didn''t recognise me, but I stood out amidst the crowd. Do they never see anyone dress like this? I probably should have gone with a deep hood and a mask, I would look diseased then but at least would get a different kind of reaction. It was too dark to do anything about it however, so I resolved to see about the possibility of removing my disguise tomorrow. For now I returned to the inn and after eating a meal and avoiding Cal, went to sleep. The next morning I was heading towards the gate, after grabbing a pasty filled with meat from a stall and eating it, I passed through the gate as the guards watched me. My goal today was to see about resolving the issue with my disguise. I spent the next few hours on the roads, taking the obscure paths when I saw them until at last I was alone. Meditating as I walked, I kept watch ahead until finally I spotted a man leading his cow. As I took off my headcovering it was a relief to feel the wind on my face again, it had been stifling to wear and as the distance between the man and I shortened, I held my breath, hoping he didn''t recognise me or react. His nameplate came into view and with interest I noted that he was a farmer and that as he drew near he did not react to my presence negatively. He had seen my face, I was sure of it. But thankfully he didn''t know who I was. I really had not been looking forwards to digging a hole. We passed with a simple greeting and with that, my greatest fear were vanquished. As I walked back to the city I kept a eye on the faces of the people as I walked past, ready to react if they recognised my face. But no one gave me a second glance, sticking to their business on the road. A drastic difference from the looks I had received previously. Moving towards the gate, the guards eyed me for a second but their attention wandered onwards immediately, finding nothing of direct interest to catch their attention. However to my horror there stood a guard captain. And he was still looking at me as I started to walk through the gate. He didn''t approach me, didn''t make a move or say anything as he watched me, and after a few seconds of this antagonizing torture he finally moved his attention to the other people moving through the gate. Did I stand out somehow? I didn''t think so. Passing through the gate I mentally checked my appearance then blinked in realization, I had completely forgotten about my shoes. But he didn''t look at them did he? He had looked at my face, studying it. I didn''t think I looked that much different to the people around here, but looking at the faces as we walked I realized that wasn''t quite true. The people around me had a slight tan, a darker complexion to their skin that was barely noticeable. When I looked back at the gate, I could no longer see the captain. Walking down the streets for a little bit, I eventually decided to go check out the magic facility here. I had seen it earlier and knew where it was, but at the time had hesitated to go inside. Currently there was nothing else I had to do, and I really needed to get this over with. But as I approached the facility two guards approached me and stood in my path. Nervously I grinned at them "Uh, hi!". The guard on the left spoke firmly as they stood in my path "Come with us, someone would like to talk to you" Taking a step backwards, I said "I''d rather not" at which the guard on the right spoke soothingly, sensing I was getting agitated "Don''t worry, he just wants to talk" I really didn''t think this was a good idea. On the surface it seemed a harmless request but really, why would I out of all people be singled out for this? I had only arrived two days ago. However I didn''t want to raise a scene and thus more questions, hopefully this was a minor curiosity. I nodded "Alright, I''ll come" Threading our way through the crowds, each time I started to flag or slow down to try slip away, the guards would also slow down and wait patiently until I started picking up the pace again. Eventually we turned into a district filled with fancy houses. We continued walking however, making our way towards a particularly fancy place with a courtyard surrounded by high walls. As we approached the entrance and the guards stepped inside, I hung back upon seeing the three servants sweeping the stone floor.
Kal Tharnes lv. 10 City Guard
Tillin Balin lv. 13 City Guard Captain
Andre Simon lv. 12 City Guard Captain
Standing at the entrance, I refused to enter as the guards walked ahead, and noticing I wasn''t with them they sighed in exasperation when they saw me standing there. "I''m not going in here" I bluntly stated. "Why?" one of the guards asked puzzled, I wasn''t going to explain that the three servants were guards and that this was a obvious trap. So I simply repeated "I''m not walking in, I don''t have the time to deal with this". As I raised a scene the ''servants'' continued to diligently sweep the same spot, not even glancing at us as they worked in utter fascination on their tasks. Sighing, the guards walked up to me, suddenly grabbing my arms in a attempt to shove me inside. However the second they grabbed me I resisted, ripping myself out of their grasps as they stumbled. One of the guards looked at me, then quickly ran inside yelling for help as the other guard tried to placate me. However I refused to listen as I started walking away, breaking into a run the second I rounded a corner. There was no way I was going to stick around there. Nobody gave chase as I escaped from the trap and made my way to the inn. Leaving the city was the obvious choice and I would have left that very second, however due to reasons I had taken out one of my prized magazines, and completely forgot to place it back inside my inventory. Instead it lay there forlorn in the inn. There was no way that I could possibly think of abandoning it like garbage! Drawing near to the inn however, I saw a guard captain standing outside the door in full gear as he scanned the faces of the crowds. Spinning around, I tried to nonchalantly walk away without seeming out of place, but the heavy footsteps behind me depersuaded me of that idea. As I was about to break into a run, the guard quickly spoke "Please wait, we need to talk to you". I paused, he didn''t sound like a threat. Carefully I looked about in front of me for any hidden guards, then turned around and faced the captain.
Palin Sin lv. 13 City Guard Captain
I could take him on. Hesitantly, I asked him "What do you want" as I nervously shuffled, filled with the desire to be elsewhere. "We need to talk to you" he stated bluntly "I don''t know what you are talking about or what you want" He shook his head "Come with me, there''s a few people who want to meet you" Feigning getting upset, agitation in my voice and my face scowling I insisted "I don''t know what you want but I have things I have to do!" and made to turn around, ready to leave. However the next words were like cold fingers running down my back as the captain murmured in my ear "We know who you are, and we need to talk". My eyes narrowed as I froze in place, ready to fight given excuse. He didn''t make a move however, and I slowly turned around. "Alright.. What do you want". The captain smiled "I told you, we want to talk". Hesitating, I thought hard and eventually came to a conclusion. They were bound to find me at some point, but I was a fool to reveal myself at the closest city to the rift and thus had tipped my hand far too early. "Fine then, but at a place of my choosing" The captain hesitated "I''ll need to get approval. Do you have a place in mind?" I nodded. "Outside the gates, tomorrow at noon". He grunted and started to move away as I added "And no guards, or I''m gone". Looking at me for a second, he finally tilted his head in acknowledgement and left. I could feel the eyes of a spy on my back straight after our conversation and spent the next few hours trying to lose them as I moved about the crowds. Everytime I turned around I could not spot anyone moving strangely, and looking at the nameplates of the people didn''t display any discrepancies. They were at a level my gamer ability couldn''t cope at, I didn''t have any special sensory skills beyond that of knowing more than I should. I couldn''t see the names of people a mile away or know what lay inside a box, but the objects before my face I could view the information. And it was telling me nothing. Nothing about the person following me. I spent hours trying to lose them, running when I could and trying to merge into a crowd. But whoever was following me, was very very good. The sky started to grow dark and I was currently moving about the fancier housing area. The spy as attached as a ex-lover. Turning a corner, I started running as fast as I could before leaping over a high nearby garden wall, hiding in the bushes beneath out of sight. After a minute my ears finally caught the sounds of footsteps which rapidly ran past me. The bushes I were currently hiding in were part of a small garden, and there was a large house before me. Knowing he would backtrace his footsteps I left the bushes and ran to the house. Obviously the door was locked, but by slowly pulling the door open using my strength, something wooden quietly splintered as the door opened. Slipping inside, I closed the door behind me and looked about. The place looked deserted.
You have entered Stein''s Family House
Moving carefully through the house, I finally determined that there was nobody home with no perishable foods anywhere. It seemed whoever lived here wouldn''t be returning for a while, which suited me just fine. The ''House'' in the popup window wasn''t the customary ''Home'' either, which seemed to indicate that this was a place they stayed and not what they considered home. Looking around the place eventually I picked a tiny room that contained shelves of clothing and stacked bedding and walked inside, closing the door behind me. Taking my club out of my inventory, I placed it against the door to make it fall if the door was opened and after making myself a bed, went to sleep. After waking to a early morning as customary in this world, the morning was spent meditating silently while waiting for noon to arrive. Leaving the house, I was halfway to the citygate before I felt the eyes of the spy suddenly appear on my back as I shivered slightly. Creepy. The first thing I noticed was when I arrived at the city gate, there were twice the guards that there had been previously, all of them were captains and all of them were making efforts not to look at me. Tensed and ready to fight, I walked through with no issue. Less then ten minutes after leaving the city in a small dirt clearing I saw five men, well dressed and watching me. They seemed to be the people I was to talk to.
Calin Timor lv. 2 City Overseer
Sal Quin lv. 15 City Guard Captain
James Han lv. 3 City Overseer
Palid Quin lv. 3 City Overseer
Vincin Till lv. 14 City Guard Captain
Standing at a distance I yelled "I said no guards!" and obviously, Calin yelled back "There are no guards!". I groaned then yelled back "Last chance! Ditch the guards!". Palid then shouted back "There are no guards!". Standing in silence for a second, I contemplated my options before walking away. Twenty seconds passed before I heard a yell from behind me. As I turned around, I saw the three overseers standing there as the two captains walked back to the city. I waited until they were a fair distance away before I approached the overseers to get back within yelling distance. I didn''t feel that the area they picked was safe, so calling out "I''m changing the location, we will not be moving far" I then turned and started walking, not bothering to look behind. Either they were following, or this would be a great time to try escape. After reaching a clearing I turned around and to my surprise the overseers were following me after all. This time we were at a talking distance. We stood there awkwardly for a moment before I introduced myself, "Hello, I''m Stanley". Calin''s eyes narrowed, then he introduced himself "I''m Calin, the Overseer of Reid". I forgotten to mention it, but the city was called Reid. Not that it matters much. The other two men introduced themselves in return. "James, Overseer of Reid" and finally "I''m Palid, welcome to Reid". We then stood there in another awkward silence as we eyed each other, they seemed to know who I was, Talok must have warned them before the rift was closed. But how much did he tell them? They knew of my face, this much was clear. The reaction that Calin had given when I introduced myself also indicated that they had been told the name I gave. But how well did they know of my capabilities? They obviously knew that I had killed a few people, but do they know that I was the cause behind the rift closing? The number of people I had slain? "So" I began, "You know I''m not from here, that I''m from Earth". They still didn''t say anything, so I asked something I already knew "Why did you open a rift to Earth?". Their answer was long and tedious and full of diplomatic talk, but could be summed up in a few sentences. They wanted to invade earth with their armies and claim another world. But the magnetic fluctuations and lack of mana on earth made this unviable. Its not so surprising that they admitted as such, its common knowledge. But from trying to decipher all that I had a headache. Irritatingly I asked "So why didn''t you just close the rift" Palid then spoke "If we could have closed it, we would have. Rift mages are extremely rare, and we can''t afford to bring one out here for such a minor task". I shook my head in response. "You opened a rift to my world". During the conversation I was tense, looking about our surroundings for signs of a trap or ambush. While I didn''t think the overseers would use themselves as bait, I couldn''t be sure the politics in this world were like my own. In return to my accusation Palid spoke "The apprentice who opened the rift realized his mistake, however when he tried to close the rift he did not have the skill or magic necessary to do such a task" "What do you mean he didn''t have the magic" I asked curiously. Palid shrugged "Your world has no mana, so the amount of mana he needed to close the rift was offset by the mana drain coming from the other side". After he finished speaking a popup box appeared.
Spoken Language: Boligian has been learned
  • INT +4
  • WIS +4
Irritated at the interruption I quickly got rid of it as I responded. "Well", I began "If he couldn''t close it then, why not now?". Palid scoffed, "We told you, he doesn''t have the time to spare on such a minor task". There was a lull as we both fell silent, tension high in the air. James then spoke up and asked "What will it take you to leave?" My answer however was simple, impossible as they said it was. "I want the connection to my world cut" I stated bluntly. As James spluttered, Calin broke in "We have told you why that''s impossible! Even if we get in contact with a rift mage, he will not be able to visit for years! Cannot we simply return to the peace before this invasion of yours?!" I stretched "I can''t decide at this point, is there anything else you require of me?". After a quickly whispered discussion between the three, Palid turned to me and grinded out between his teeth "No." So turning my back to them, I started to walk away. It wasn''t even 40 steps before I heard one of them yell "Wait!" Turning around, I eyed Calin as he walked towards me as the other two overseers followed closely behind. Reaching talking distance Calin said slowly "There is one option that may work for the both of us..". Looking at him sceptically, I asked "And its..". Much to his credit, Calin managed to look uncomfortable as he said "You might be able to learn rift magic". A obvious trap if I had ever seen one. Looking at him for a long moment, I decided to humor him. "And you choose to teach me this because?" Nervously, Calin eyed the other two before speaking "Your world has no mana, so we cannot wage war there. If you closed the rift then you would be unable to present a danger to us.". Sceptically I struck at the heart of the problem "And if I don''t close the rift and instead choose other options after being taught?" Calin carried himself higher and managed to look arrogant "Then the higher-ups would hear about this, and instead of it being a local problem you will incur the full weight of the empire". The way he said it, it was obvious he had much pride in the empire and no doubt in their armies. It was also obvious I would be unable to fight against them, not when I almost died while fighting a single mage and a few spearsmen. Thinking for a moment, I then asked "What side of the rift am I closing it from?" Calin looked puzzled as he replied "On your homeworld?" "Ah" I grimaced, "But there''s no mana over there is there". Calin shook his head "That''s not a problem, you can store the mana in a crystal" I feel a little more convinced, however this still seemed far too dodgy. "How long would it take for me to learn how to close the rift?", Calin shrugged "A few years" My expression on my face was obvious enough as Calin snickered "You didn''t think its that easy did you?" Thinking a little, I finally sighed. "I don''t trust you enough, so I''m going to refuse". They frowned, their offer of great power having been turned down. Licking his lips nervously, Calin asked "How can we convince you?" I did wonder about what I could ask for, but I knew already that I could never trust them. There were a few ideas, none of them guaranteed me anything. Then again, this offer seemed real to a extent and if I declined it then they were threatening to call in to the higher powers. They clearly don''t think they can handle me alone. I sighed heavily before caving in. "I''ll do it, however I''d like to have some magical protection" They smiled, before I clarified. "I mean, I want what you three are wearing" They were not so happy after that, but eventually they each gave up a piece of jewelry which I identified before touching. It was obvious they would already be wearing the best they could get.
Ring of Protection
A well made golden ring enchanted by a skilled mage to reduce damage. 13% damage resistance Enchantment wears off in 1 week, 6 days, 18 hours, 38 minutes
Ring of Protection
A well made golden ring enchanted by a skilled mage to reduce damage. 15% damage resistance Enchantment wears off in 2 weeks, 1 day, 3 hours, 42 minutes
Amulet of Dampening
A slim golden chain necklace enchanted by a extremely skilled mage to dampen magic. The dampening field is effective across the body of the wearer and effects foreign sources of magic as they pass through the field. 45% decrease in magic effectiveness in a layered field Enchantment wears off in 2 weeks, 3 days, 13 hours, 12 minutes
LUK +1
The items looked to be very expensive and overpowered, however did they actually mean to keep their end of the deal? However as they handed me the items and described what they do, they didn''t inform me that the enchantments were temporary and would wear off in a matter of weeks. That was more like it! Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. We had one last piece of business. "So, when do the lessons start?" Calin smiled "Tomorrow morning, inside the magic academy. You know where that is?". "Yes" it was the same magic facility that Cal had told me about. After the overseers left I moved away from the clearing and walked a bit to clear my head, eventually sitting against a tree as I thought. Whatever way I considered it, it was a trap. But during the two weeks that the enchantments gave me, I was confident that I wouldn''t be attacked. Pondering it for a while longer, eventually I got bored and returned to the city, today had been very eventful. When I entered my room at the inn I noticed that the magazine that had been lying on my bed was gone, a major disappointment. The innkeeper denied going through my room but did admit that he gave the guards a spare key last night. Damn guards. The next morning found me standing before the academy with a small grin on my face. Today I was going to start learning magic, beyond these two doors of polished wood splendor in their glory. I entered with my breath held and a sense of wonder and marvel as I looked about the empty and bare foyer with marbled floors and polished wood panelling on the walls. Actually, if I considered it. It was kind of lame. As I waited impatiently, a wizened old man approached me. "Hi, are you Stanley?" he asked. I smiled "Yes, but my friends call me Jon" "Alright, follow me Stanley. I''m Saul and I''ll be your tutor"
Saul Yon lv. 8 Magic Tutor
Author: Yeah I''m getting unimaginative with the names I followed him into a small room which consisted of a plain hard wooden chair and a stuffed luxury sofa. He gestured at the chair "Please sit" as he sat on the sofa, plenty of room around him. Was this deliberate? He then told me that the first step to magic was to sit still, empty my mind and open myself to my surroundings. Though he way he phased it.. he made it sound like a trap. However what he was describing was meditation which I knew already. "No need, I can already do that" He raised a eyebrow, but simply said "Alright then. We can move on to the second step." Picking a small bottle containing a thick white liquid off a tiny table, he handed it to me and said "Drink it". I *Identify*''d it first however, not being one to drink gifts from my enemies.
Distilled Mana
A small glass bottle containing distilled mana Distilled mana vastly extends your rudimentary senses to sense mana for a limited time. If consumed more than once, a violent and painful reaction will ensure. 5000% increase in mana detection for 8 minutes, 33 seconds 10% decrease in effectiveness every second
Opening the bottle, I drank the tasteless substance down, gagging a bit at the thickness of it. Seconds after swallowing it, Saul told me to start meditating again. Slipping easily into a meditation I listened to Saul with half a ear as I looked at the colors floating through the air in wonder. Small streams of colors wove through the air, swirling around to a unseen wind as they threaded and entwined in a silent dance. Noticing my slack chin, Saul grunted with satisfaction "Seems you have no problems with it then. For the next few hours you are going to be studying the colors as they move around. If you can''t get this right, you are not getting another chance" However he didn''t need to worry, I found the colors as they moved through the air entrancing to watch as they swirled in eddies and twisted about. As the minutes passed a few of the colors began to fade away, finally leaving just yellow, purple and a colorless color that wasn''t white swirling through the air. As I watched them I noticed that their behaviors were quite different from each other. The colorless moved in thick clumps at a steady pace while the yellow was hard to keep track of, the shape ever flickering as it moved erratically. The purple itself fell slowly in tiny droplets from above, moving through objects as it sank through the air. As I watched those three colors, Saul asked me "So, can you see the color purple?" I nodded and he grinned "Seems you can be a rift mage" I was curious on what the colors meant and asked "What are they?" "Ah" he said, preparing for a lecture. "Well most of them are fairly obvious. Yellow is light, red is heat. Blue is water and light blue is cold, they are not the same and just because you can use water doesn''t mean you can use cold. And then there''s gravity which is purple and green for nature. White is air and brown is earth. Black is necromancy and colorless is formless magic. Everyone can see colorless however". Taking a breath, he paused as he thought, then asked "What colors can you see?" Telling him "Just light, gravity and magic" he nodded, seemingly relieved. Was he scared that I may be able to harness a more violent color? When I asked why rift mages were rare, he helpfully explained "The formation of rifts uses gravity, and while finding people with the ability to wield it is rare, its also extremely difficult opening a rift if you cannot use light or a heat and cold combination which makes this one of the rarest skillsets to find" "Light?" I asked curious for him to explain the details, however he shook his head. "Different ways to open a rift, light is the easiest method" "Right, now comes the hard part" he spoke brightly, "Spend the rest of your time here studying the mana and predict how it moves, how it flows and the nature it follows". Standing and stretching, he added "Also, don''t touch the colors, we''ll cover that later when I teach you control. If you do it too soon, you can easily damage yourself or your surroundings" Finishing what he had to say he left the room, leaving me alone. Sighing, I got up and moved to the sofa before beginning my task. A few hours later, I finished analysing the three colors.
You have learned the skill Gravity Mastery
You have learned the skill Formless Magic Mastery
You have learned the skill Light Mastery
Saul hadn''t returned yet, so I focused on leveling up both Gravity Mastery and Light Mastery, he would probably tell me to do that anyways and this way I can save myself time. The next few days he simply told me to continue studying the mana flows before leaving me there, spending the entire time away and coming back at the end of the lesson. After a week of this, I had progressed in all three masteries while gaining a few points in WIS and INT.
SkillGravity MasteryLevel7 [3%]
Finer control over gravity mana Control over gravity magic and mana passively increases by 16%
SkillLight MasteryLevel7 [2%]
Finer control over light mana Control over light magic and mana passively increases by 16%
SkillFormless Magic MasteryLevel5 [24%]
Finer control over formless mana Control over formless magic and mana passively increases by 16%
The next morning when Saul greeted me, I broke in before he could say ''Now start practicing'' and said "I''ve already learned enough". I was quite confident of this, the mage at the camp had level 4 or so fire mastery and didn''t seem to have problems. Apart from struggling to get his magic flowing. While I did think that I could and probably should take longer to raise my levels, I didn''t have the luxury of time. The enchantments on the jewellery wouldn''t last long if I followed at his pace. Saul sighed. "I suppose we can continue, but if I don''t think you''ve mastered it then we will repeat this stage" Sitting on the sofa, he lectured me on moving the mana flows around while warning me not to absorb it. As I mentally reached out towards the colorless mana I could feel it slithering in my grasp, squirming where I held it and struggling to escape. But it was extremely easy to control. As I lay absorbed in my task, Saul spoke "Tell me when you have the hang of it", but I responded instantly "Done". His eyes narrowed and his mouth opened, only for him to slowly close it again. I wondered what he was about to stay, did he think I was trying to rush things beyond my capability? "Alright then, take the tiniest amount of light mana you can and absorb it" he directed, and following his instructions I moved a small piece of the yellow to touch my skin and pressed it in. I felt constant tiny tingle as it sunk below my skin, easy to ignore but a reminder that it was there. Noting my surprise at the feeling, he then instructed me to think of a lit torch and the light it gives off and focus the image on my finger. Then use the mana I had absorbed to fill up that image in a steady stream, not all at once. Following his instructions, my finger looked a little brighter for a few seconds before disappearing as I grinned. My first magic, finally!
You have learned the skill Mana Channelling
You have learned the skill Torchlight
"If you try to absorb too much mana, or force too much magic into the spells" Saul suddenly spoke, "You can severely damage your health and magic circuits" he warned. I nodded, my happiness too bright to be dimmed by his ''dire'' warnings. I wasn''t concerned with that, I was fairly confident my gamer skill would make that temporary, but why even risk it? Best to follow his instructions. I then realized that if I wanted, I no longer had to study here and could instead work on my own, escaping whatever traps they have lying in wait for me. Surely I could study on my own after learning this much? But I squashed that thought, I still wanted to spend the rest of my time here learning what I could. To give myself a better chance I told myself. I spent the rest of the lesson casting torchlight. At first I followed all the steps manually but soon realized I could simply think *Torchlight* and the steps would be followed with the spell cast at a level I found comfortable. But after each casting I always waited a few seconds, giving my circuits a rest and preventing Saul from questioning my ability to generate a ''never-ending'' source of light on my first casting. I spent the mornings in the magic academy, but my afternoons were free as Saul refused to teach me then. But this didn''t bother me as in my free time I would move outside the city to a nearby quarry to train. I know what you are thinking, that it was abandoned and lots of rocks lying around to smash and throw for training. But that''s wrong, instead I took a job there helping cart about the heavy slabs of rock. The people of this world were no strangers to the idea of super-human strength, so the idea of my being strong wasn''t a problem and my assistance in the quarry was appreciated. In this manner I trained my STR and END as well as gained some pocket money. Working in the afternoons was exhausting, but paid off each day in the form of 2-3 points in STR and 1-2 points in END. The strength I displayed was also a great example to the city that any trap for me was ill-advised. Seeing that I had mastered spell casting easily, Saul moved onto gravity magic. This was similar to torchlight in that he instructed me to suck up gravity mana, but instead he told me to image wrapping the small stone I held in a cloak that weighs it down using the mana I had gathered. This didn''t seem like a permanent spell, and I had a very good hunch on how to achieve that but obeyed him netherless. I could always explore the area of enchanting at some other time. Casting the spell, I could see the mana creeping over the stone as I directed the shape, and telling the cloak to weigh downwards the pebble suddenly shifted slightly in weight.
You have learned the skill Gravity Cloak
However the shift in gravity wasn''t very noticeable, I had only noticed due to focusing on it. Curious on the results of the spell I *Identify*''d it
Stone Pebble
A commonly found pebble with gravity magic cast on it. Gravity Cloak increases weight by 2% Gravity Cloak will wear off in 21 seconds
Saul assured me that gravity magic would be easier to learn than light magic, and with the extra mana channeling I had gained from practicing light magic I was soon able to increase the weight of the stone further a day later. He then had me practice with a jug of water, focusing the gravity to manipulate the water to draw to a point in the jug rather than make the water or jug heavier. I had a feeling how gravity magic would fit in for rift creation, however I wasn''t sure how the light magic worked in.
You have learned the skill Gravity Well
Shortly after learning Gravity Cloak I had begun casting it on myself, weighing my body down to gain more in the way of STR and END. But stretching the cloak to fit my entire body reduced the effects of the spell to 20% of its original strength. But when I was in a place where I didn''t feel safe or was near other mages, I would change the Gravity Cloak to a inactive state where it hung on my body without effecting me. In this way I had some form of magical security, ready to activate if I needed to make myself weigh less suddenly. Saul noticed it of course, but I reassured him it was intended to merely intended to build up my stamina. From constantly casting Gravity Cloak on myself, it leveled to 10 with the ability to manipulate 20% of gravity, and I didn''t seem to see any limits to how long I could keep casting the spell. The cloak also seemed to increase in size, increasing the gravity I suffered when using the cloak. I had also been practicing Gravity Well and grew proficient at casting it, but I only had approximately two days remaining on my enchantments. After prodding Saul, he finally moved onto the next step, mixing the mana and casting the mixed mana as a single spell. First he had me mix colorless with light mana, then casting the spell but instead of a gradual release of the stored mana, I sent it all into the spell. Casting it, I was surprised to see a nimbus of light floating in the air, and keep on shining well past the point of my previous castings. I used *Identify*
Torchlight
A floating light created by a mage Stabilized with colorless mana and crafted using light mana, this will feed on itself to continuously provide light Expires in 1 hour, 52 minutes, 3 seconds
Far far better than the two minutes I had reached with the original torchlight. Saul proceeded to explain that colorless mana due to being pure magic, it is used to stabilize and provide itself as a mana source, by using it this way the spell lasts longer as it consumes itself. The next spell he taught me was Lightball. Mixing both mana''s together again, instead of picturing a source of light picture instead I was told to form a small hard ball. Easily imaging it, I followed his instructions and fired the ball towards the wall. I didn''t even see it move before it impacted silently in a burst of light.
You have learned the skill Lightball
"Its not a weapon" Saul explained, "It may be great as a distraction, but it only has two things going for it. The silent burst of harmless light, and the unimaginable speed it can travel in a instant. Practicing with this spell won''t be necessary" I really didn''t have much time left. "Is this all in the current lesson? Can we move on?" Saul sighed, but again he didn''t seem to get upset or mad. Infinitely patient each time I pressured him to teach me faster. Finally, he began to teach me about rifts. But first, he lectured me intensely on never attempting to create one, not even as a test. My first rift had to be in a controlled environment and from there I could learn to close it without danger. He repeatably assured me that if my rift creation spiraled out of control, they had mages that could step in and break apart the half-formed spell. As long as that controlled environment wasn''t a elaborate death-trap, I didn''t have a complaint and listened silently as he preached on the dangers of unprepared rift creation. Finally he got to the good part and started describing how rifts came to be. Summarized, its a gravity well mixed in with colorless mana for stabilization as well as a little light mana. After creating that, a Lightball is used as the catalyst and slams into the mass, interfering with the light mana and ripping a hole in the center of the shaped mana and destabilizing the magic. The gravity inside the ripped hole is negated and the something is destroyed in the process. That something explodes in size using the surrounding mana formed about it as fuel for the explosion. The resulting aftermath is a controlled rip in space. The destination of the rift is determined by focusing on a place as the Lightball is formed and thrown, the better the focus and the image the closer to the destination the rift will open. All very well and dandy, but the final enchantment would wear off tomorrow in the morning. Pressuring Saul, I wanted to open the rift immediately. However he shook his head, "We can''t prepare it that fast. The Overseers have also requested that they may watch and I will not refuse them. Tomorrow afternoon will be the time." Finally it was time, my last ring of protection had expired. I still wore them openly, hoping they didn''t know exactly when the protection would wear off. As I sat and waited in the small room for Saul, I fidgeted nervously. Finally Saul showed up and spoke "We are ready, follow me". Leading me to a room, I stepped inside and instantly felt the eyes of spectators. All three overseers were here, sitting on chairs with two guards by their sides. The guards were surprisingly not captains, instead being level 11-13 city guards. The room was shaped like a bowl, the chairs raised on levels so that everyone looked down on whoever stood on the stage in the centre. Following Saul, I stood in the centre of the room as he drew a chalk circle around me. There were four other mages that I could see, sitting on their chairs as they watched me. Among them were another 3 apprentices who seemed to be extremely excited for the coming show as they watched me with interest. I didn''t like the amount of people here, but it did make sense that they''d want to watch a rift mage.. Saul explained what he was doing as he drew the circle, the drawn circle on the ground was infused with colorless mana which expanded up to form a shimmering haze when I looked at it through meditation. "Don''t worry about it, its a barricade that nullifies magic passing through for our protection", just to be safe about this, I still used *Identify*
Nullification Circle
Reduces potency of magic passing through by 70%
That was some powerful chalk he had.. My nerves twinged as I looked about. Today was the most important day in the last two weeks. Either they would betray me now, or our mutual trust would be rewarded. The Overseers watched me, their faces solemn as Saul moved to the side. Calin cleared his throat before he spoke. "Stanley, what has taken others years has taken you weeks. Your goal is close at hand, and I would like you to consider staying here in our empire" Giving a short bow, he stood back down. I was mildly stunned, but not very. It was obvious I was a genius. Saul turned to me. "You may begin". After calming myself down and taking a deep breath, I reached out and grabbed the three sources of mana. Colorless, gravity and a small amount of light. My mind was only half focused on my task as I worked, this was one of the best times to spring a trap after all. Mixing it together into a ball, I absorbed the combined mana and drew a thin mirror in front of me, focusing on drawing the image of magic itself on the mirror surface. The spell stabilized, I drew a deep breath as I looked towards Saul for guidance as he nodded in approval. Creating a Lightball, my lips dry with anticipation. I strongly concentrated my thoughts on that of a normal grass plain, then I fired the goddamn ball. Everything went to shit. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Honestly, I''d prefer to skip this part, pretend that it never happened or that it was far in the past and I can''t remember a thing. But it''s a major turning point in my story, and what''s my story if its not told? ---------------------------------------------------------------- The ball shot forwards and ripped a hole in the mirror, and as the rift ripped itself into a explosively colorful being I stumbled and fell to the floor powerless.
You have learned the skill Rift Creation
Payment for construction of the rift has taken
  • 8 STR
  • 3 DEX
  • 5 AGI
  • 9 END
  • 3 INT
  • 6 WIS
For creating a rift, you have received a 90% debuff to your stats for 5 days
Due to mental resistance, you retain the ability to think clearly
My vision almost blacked out as I felt my body collapsing under me, unable to withstand the weight of my own inventory. Unable to lift my very heavy head, I swivelled my eyes and saw the faces of the overseers show evil grins as they looked down on me, their guards moving towards the platform. I looked at Saul in a desperate plea for guidance as to what just happened, but he turned his head away and refused to meet my eyes. And that''s when I realized. They knew this would happen, that I would be made powerless the instant I created the rift. And in that moment, I felt true despair. The guards surrounded the nullification circle as Calin got up and approached, he stood behind them as he looked at my collapsed body. A sneer in his voice, he said "Did you really think we would just give up, give you what you want and hope you work in our interest?" "Just wait until Talok gets hold of you" he gloated, a wide grin splitting his face as he looked at me with evil glee. "He''s very upset that you killed his subordinates" he nodded wisely, a knowing look in his eyes. "Actually, I''ll tell you what. Lets bring him here!". In that moment, I knew I was going to die. Not even a fast death, they wouldn''t grant me that. Calin watched me for a second more, observing my face for signs of movement (as if it was possible) before calling towards the door "You can pick him up now". Talok stepped in, his eyes flickering to me as he spoke. "Hi Jon". I could do nothing, lie there and wait for him as he took his time, stepping towards me slowly as he prolonged my agony. His face expressionless as he eyed me. Given all the time in the world, I had a single desperate thought and eyed the rift I had created next to me. *Identify*
Unstabilized Rift
Portal to another dimension Deals 10,000 DMG when entered Rift will stabilize in 3 days Being the creator, you can offset the DMG by sacrificing 50% of stats
Calin saw where I was looking and laughed, "Don''t even bother. That image of magic you were told to draw on the mirror? That was your real destination, and to go there is instant death; no one ever returns. And that''s assuming that the rift is stabilized" Looking at me, he knew he had won. Savouring the moment for just a bit more, Calin finally directed two guards to step into the circle and grab me. Kneeling, they grabbed my arms as my head lolled under its own weight. But it wasn''t until they tried to pick me up that they realized they had a problem. Grunting, they struggled to lift me from the ground, heaving with effort as Talok watched beside Calin. "What''s the issue?" Calin snapped, irritated at the theatrics. "He''s heavy" the guard on my left moaned as they struggled to lift me from the ground. My body felt terrible, pain wracking through me as I thought desperately for a escape. I knew already that I couldn''t fight, can I use magic? But after struggling and forcing myself into the meditative state I found myself unable to access the magic, my clumsy attempts to grab the mana threads sending them swirling. How much INT and WIS did I have? 3? 4? Far too low. Desperately I thought through all of the possible things I could do and tried to access my inventory. It opened, but I couldn''t grab a thing. My arm refusing to move under its own weight. The guards finally adjusted to my weight and held my arms and legs, lifting me off the ground as they strained with effort. Another guard then stepped in and supported my middle body thus relieving the other two guards of some weight. But trying to access my inventory reminded me of something else, and then I evilly grinned. Or rather, I tried to. I couldn''t move my face muscles. Struggling to relax, I entered the meditation state. Its time to start the show. *Clink* We heard the sound as I started to cackle, a coin bouncing on the floor. And a second later, I converted every single Boligian coin I had into USD.
?4974 has been converted at a 65% fee to $2040.90 bringing your balance to $3573.90
And then the show started. A torrent of coins sprouted from my body, pouring in every direction in a violent waterfall. Sprouting from my shoulders, waist, feet, head. Cascading in a torrent of clinking metal. I couldn''t control their velocity, only able to spawn them and allow gravity to take control. But I could spawn pennies, and there are a hundred pennies in every dollar. Three hundred and fifty seven thousand pennies, and I could spawn them all. The coins flowed over the the guards and they flinched, releasing me as they recoiled in alarm. In that moment I activated the gravity cloak I constantly wore and lurched towards the rift, rotating slightly in the air as I fell. It all seemed to be in slow motion, I could see Talok''s eyes widen in rage as he realized my intention. His body shifting as he started running towards me. Calin''s eyes widening as he screamed to the guards, Talok shoving his way past with his arm outstretched to grab me. But I immediately spawned thick layers of coins on my body, effectively preventing him from grabbing me. His arms swept massive swath of coins in futile attempts to grip my body but I just spawned more as I fell in slow motion, my body carried by gravity towards the rift. I was so close, and there was nothing they could do. My head disappeared into the rift as Talok''s fingers grasped at me, vision exploding into vivid colors as I felt him touch my leg. However I still had the last laugh as the rift ripped me away, his hand too slow as my body disappeared into the rift, leaving him with just my left shoe. As the world turned into a maelstrom of colors I saw a single window appear
As payment for travelling through the rift, the following has been taken
  • 38 STR
  • 25 VIT
  • 49 END
  • 22 AGI
  • 32 INT
  • 29 WIS
Chapter 14 - Gods Realm First I''d like to clarify a couple of points on the previous chapter. 1. Yeah the MC was gullible. It comes from arrogance, how can they possibly hope to match up to his abilities? 2. He obviously did expect a trap, but would you expect that the magic itself was the trap? Probably should have investigated why rifts were not opened willy nilly. 3. If it wasn''t obvious enough, the destination of the rift was magic itself. The ''grass plain'' he pictured did nothing. 4. Saul''s opinion on light magic is based on what the empire knows and what they did know, it would be in their best opinions not to teach Jon. And I had a long explanation for the lack of scientific knowledge, but summarized up. The authorities believed Earth was worthless and left it at that. Now regarding my release schedule. I take far too long, we all agree on that. I''m going to cut down on the amount of PR I do on each chapter from several re-reads to a brisk scan for obvious errors. When I first started writing this, I didn''t PR the first few chapters. But as I wrote I began to do more and more PR on each chapter until it reached a point where I dreaded the PR. Delaying it for weeks. -------------------------------------------------
Discovered new world: ???
I don''t even recall leaving the rift, I was suddenly in a room with my body lying on the ground. My body too heavy to move and my vision staring directly upwards. What I could see however was a blue sky, no sun despite light being everywhere. "Sit up and face me" a quiet voice spoke.
All debuffs have been removed
I could feel my control over my body return, heavier than normal but I could move again. However my main concern was the voice, that debuff lift could not have been normal. Sitting up, I saw pillars of marble surrounding the open aired room. At the end of the room was a huge throne, and on the throne sat a simple man.
God of Magic
Palms sweating and limbs feeling like jelly. I didn''t dare stand up. It was obvious he wasn''t human, surpassed anything human, and demeaned himself to my level for my benefit. I hated the feeling I got from his presence, of inferiority. "What do you want" I opened my mouth and closed it again. Would he care for such a trivial excuse? "You were tricked into coming here" he spoke. He could read my mind. "Are you of any use to me?" I couldn''t think straight, but I doubted it. He lifted his hand, "Goodbye Jon" I could only close my eyes, accepting my fate. My fate was inevitable. But a second passed and another and I was still here. Cringing, I slowly opened my eyes as the god spoke quietly to himself. "Interesting" The god sat there on his throne, eyes on me as he thought. His hand was pointed towards me and as I watched, he slowly began to lower it. "Pawn" he muttered, a slight smile on his face. He looked at me and smiled evilly. "You entered my realm, and to my rules you will bow" I was going to live. "You say you are a gamer. So let me propose a game for you" he spoke with his mouth twisted in mirth. "80 worlds you must conquer, defeat, complete to the end. My game you will play, play to the end" I could feel something had happened, but I didn''t know what. 80 worlds? I had to destroy 80 worlds?
Gamer level 9 has been forcibly unlocked Quests are now accessible
QuestConquer the worlds
DescriptionOrdained by the God of Magic you are to conquer 80 worlds of magic. Escape is impossible, refusal is impossible. Worlds remaining: 80
Rewards???
I was so screwed. I opened my mouth to speak, but he spoke first. "When we next meet, I''ll permit you one question. Do not face me as a failure"
The title Pawn has been gained
A pawn in a higher game. First impressions are very important and as such people are naturally inclined to see you as a usable pawn. This title may be changed by your actions
My vision went black and a window started counting down
Entering world in 5
. . . . . . . . . Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Entering world in 2
Entering world in 1
And just like that, I was in a new world.
Discovered new world: Tralin
The floor underneath me was replaced with forest, oak trees rising about me. I sat in the middle of bushes and the nature about me was peaceful. But my heart was not still, I was scared, utterly terrified. The series of events I had been through, they were not normal. This was not normal. And I''m meant to take the world over 80 times?
QuestAccompany the Princess
DescriptionPrincess Lily has no throne, accompany her until she takes the throne.
RewardsWorld Conquered
Reading it more than one time, I sighed in relief and a little of the despair that weighed me down disappeared. I was not going to conquer the worlds after all, but seemed to be doing a quest in different worlds. Far easier. My body felt like lead, a side-effect of my inventory carrying a lot of things and my stats having decreased. But I could still stand, and I wanted to look around first before doing anything. Getting up was difficult, my body still felt weak from the shock of betrayal and meeting with the God. But I could stand, and when I stood up I saw I was in the middle of bushes next to a dirt road, less than two hundred meters away I could see two people approaching dressed in dirty travelling clothes with leather backpacks slung over their shoulders.
Lily lv.3 Princess
Kane Dawson lv.9 Mercenary
It seemed she was my princess. The next step was obvious, and cringing already I opened my stats.
NameJonathan Cliff
TitlesGamer, Pawn
Level(9) 19 [34%]BalanceEmpty
Health459/459Stamina156/493
VIT42STR39
END48AGI22
DEX24INT31
WIS28LUK20
Skills
  • Gamer lv.9 [-43%]
  • Cooking lv.19 [87%]
  • Clubs lv.34 [32%]
  • Shock Resistance lv.23 [45%]
  • Reading lv.20 [56%]
  • Storytelling lv.12 [46%]
  • Meditation lv.23 [22%]
  • Crafting
    • Woodworking lv.1 [96%]
  • Banker lv.6 [97%]
  • Negotiation lv.5 [34%]
  • Gravity Mastery lv.18 [5%]
  • Formless Magic Mastery lv.9 [43%]
  • Light Mastery lv.13 [4%]
  • Mana Channelling lv.17 [96%]
  • Torchlight lv.12 [43%]
  • Gravity Cloak lv.15 [56%]
  • Gravity Well lv.9 [5%]
  • Lightball lv.2 [1%]
  • Rift Creation lv.1 [0%][
Oh, that didn''t seem to be as bad as I had originally thought. The (9) next to my level seemed obvious enough and indicated what my actual combat level was. I couldn''t possibly be fighting at a level 19 state, and if it had deleveled me then it would make it easier to gain back my stats. It seemed a good compromise. But for now. Stepping out of the bushes onto the road, I faced the two travellers as I held my arms up to show I was harmless. "Hi, I''m Jon" Chapter 15 - Introductions Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality is a pretty good read. I feel like I should take some hints from it, like this story needs to have the MC more rational and think things out better. But that''s silly, everyone likes a naive MC who falls for the obvious traps. Also I''ve noticed that in the previous chapter I forgot to expand the inventory size when the gamer skill level 9 was unlocked. No matter, lets pretend that was intentional. Also I should probably get a PR at some stage, you guys keep complaining about grammar, plotholes and irrational behavior. ------------------------------------------------- Holding my hands in the air, I stepped out of the bushes onto the path and introduced myself. "Hi, I''m Jon" Immediately, the mercenary drew his sword as the princess slipped behind him and moved to a safe distance. Taking a stance, the mercenary watched me warily with a scowl on his face as he glanced to the trees. "???" he growled as his sword waved menacingly in the air. It seemed that I had a problem. While his question was obvious and his behavior was as predicted, I had completely forgotten about the language barrier. I silently facepalmed. This was a large obstacle as I couldn''t communicate and it would be impossible for me to explain anything, my best bet would be to catching up with them at some later stage. I regretted the impression they would get from me at this point, but I had no choice. I needed to learn the language before confronting them again. I was standing in their path so retreating backwards and running ahead shouldn''t seem weird, unless they suspected I was going to approach them again and thus take measures to avoid me. But I couldn''t help that. Having finished thinking, I made my choice and started to retreat. Arms held in the air, I moved non-threateningly away from them as they watched warily, their eyes scanning the bushes and trees for signs of a ambush as I moved away. As soon as I had covered enough distance I turned and broke into a light jog, my body feeling very heavy as I did so. First on my list was to gain some distance, second would be to see about learning the language from a place of civilization. Keeping up the pace all morning, I slowed down as my stamina decreased and when needed used the food and drink inside my inventory to fill my satiety. Happily it seemed that items inside my inventory didn''t have a expiry date, the likely culprit being that time is paused. Occasionally I passed people walking on the path, but I didn''t stop for them. I had no excuse to stop them and was unable to talk to them regardless. The amount of time I would need them to talk would take far too long. Walking steadily through the forest I reached a village in a huge clearing and then realized my second problem. Unlike previously, I couldn''t use a inn for I had no money. This was getting very annoying. But I still had to wait at the village until the princess passed by, if she didn''t then it was clear they took a different path and so I''d have to retrace my footsteps to find them. If I lost them it would be hard to find them again. To spot them, the obvious answer of course was to idly in a busy place with a view of the road, preferably where nobody would care about me. Leaning against a wall, I watched the people move around while doing my best to look bored, it wasn''t particularly hard. Twenty minutes of this and I realized that I should be meditating, and that''s when I realized something bad. The mana in this world was pathetic. In Yonda the mana was floating in thick ropes, rivers of mana coursing through the air while rhythmically twisting into shapes. But in this world the mana was barely visible, tiny threads drifting with the wind and specks of gravity slowly falling through the air. Just to confirm it, I cast the spell Gravity Cloak on myself. Alarmingly the spell took over 5 minutes to form and take effect. In the world Yonda, this had taken mere seconds. This was going to be a serious problem. Throat feeling tight, I felt a touch of despair drift over my heart. Things had been bad enough already, and now this? I had experience already with fighting, and I knew that my physical abilities may be impressive but while fighting I had weak points. I had high hopes for magic especially as it seemed to be a rarity with not many people knowing how to counter it. But this lack of mana, it didn''t bode well for me. If the world Yonda is naturally high in mana was this world''s mana normal? Or was it also on the high end.. In an emergency even if I had the time to create a rift it wasn''t even in the realms of possibility with the stats being consumed. Though come to think of it, I hadn''t actually checked the spell description yet.
SpellRift CreationLevel1 [0%]
Form a rift in the air to create a link between two targets. Rift Creation requires the caster to form a destination in their mind as the spell is cast. Distraction or a half-formed picture will disrupt the chances of the correct destination. If the spell is manually cast, the destination is drawn as if to reflect on the surface of the spell. Improper precautions and lack of expertise in the casting of the spell will normally result in the rift exploding, to offset this stats are automatically consumed to achieve minimum stabilization. Usage of this spell will result in a 90% debuff in all stats for 3 days
My face puckered up as I realized how much I had been suckered. Did they expect the rift to explode, was the consumption of stats something that they had also known? That they knew about the 90% debuff was obvious, but I didn''t believe they knew the creator could use their own unstabalized rifts. They must think they have killed me. As the people passed, a few looked at my face and turned away in disinterest, unwilling to offer words of consolation or support as I stood there hurting with my face twisted in pain. I had been a utter fool. I stood there trying to squash the feelings of revulsion as I recalled the past few weeks, the signs had been there but I had discarded them. I knew they were hiding things from me, things they judged I didn''t need to know. But I thought they were harmless secrets for they were teaching what they had promised me. I didn''t act out or move behind their back, I didn''t hint at anything untowards them. I wanted them to accept I was happy to move with their plan, that I had no ill-intentions. It was naive of me, but I knew they had resources I couldn''t counter, the spy I couldn''t find. Intelligently I knew they were in the right, that their actions were justified for what they had done. But I didn''t intend to kill that man, they had forced my hand at the outpost. They made me do it. The mage and the spearsmen, even when they confronted me they intended to fight me, they tried to kill me. It was their fault that this happened, they forced me into it, they made me follow this path. They hid things from me, told me lies, pretended to align with my goals. They said they didn''t want to fight. That they wanted to separate from Earth. Didn''t want to wage a war. They did this to me. My mood shifted darkly as I glowered, thoughts tumbling as I examined the past few weeks. The Overseers KNEW what was going on. They knew everything. The callousness of Calin as he betrayed me. The disinterest of Talok as he moved to hurt me. I had been so naive. Eventually sighing, I slipped out of the dark mood. Even thinking about them now I doubted we would met again. The Empire perhaps, but not the ones I called enemy. Resolving to forget them, I concentrated intensely on listening to the conversations. Shortly afterwards, a window appeared.
Spoken Language: Sanien has reached 50% comprehension
Another hour passed as I listened to the people before until I saw the princess and mercenary in the crowd. The same moment I caught sight of them, their eyes saw me. Leaning over to the princess the mercenary whispered something into her ear. If I had to guess, it would be "He''s a creep, lets pretend to stay here and escape tonight" judging from their expressions. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. I didn''t react however, turning back to watch everybody else with forced interest. I realized that I could actually recognise most of the people around me and that they seemed to be a bit apprehensive of my gaze, have I stood here that long? The princess and the mercenary moved into the inn, sitting at a table as I oh so causally walked past the door and glanced in. Walking around the outside of the inn I checked the amount of exits the place had, however I found two. This was going to be a major pain. There was nowhere nearby that I could keep watch of both of the exits, so I moved instead to a patch against a stone wall that I could keep track of both the village exits. Leaning against the wall, I watched the roads as the traffic started to die down. As the sun set and the moonlight lit up the roads I took out a thick canvas and wrapped myself in it, nobody noticed me as I kept watch. I didn''t dare sleep as I watched, but the night was quiet, the air still and canvas warm. I succumbed to temptation. When I woke in the morning I cursed, I had fallen asleep. Not all was a loss however, they should still be inside the inn sleeping or eating breakfast. Packing the canvas away I looked inside the inn''s dining hall and stifled another curse. They were not in there. I went to the innkeeper and asked him in broken Sanien "I''m looking for a man and girl who stayed the night, have they left yet?" He puzzled over my words for a second before shaking his head, "They didn''t stay ??? night, ??? ??? a meal and left" Drat drat drat. "Know which way they went?" "??? know them?" he asked, his eyes suspicious as he watched me. "Yes" I growled in frustration, "I need to make sure they arrive safely. Do you know which way they went or not?" He bit his lip as he thought over my words, puzzling over what words I failed to translate properly until he finally admitted "Nope" Biting back a curse, I left him as I moved towards the village gate. It was a safe bet they would be taking this exit, given that we entered through the other gate. But I didn''t know their final destination and as the innkeeper didn''t know a thing I would need to find them myself. Thanks to the head start they had I knew I had likely lost them, especially if they had the money to eat in the inn. They clearly were running from me, why else would they leave the inn if they could afford to stay the night there? Leaving the village behind, I ran as fast as I could down the path as I scanned ahead of me. Pausing to recover my stamina I constantly cast Gravity Cloak on my body to reduce my weight for even though the casting time was long I could still cast it before the spell expired. When the path branched, I was forced to make a decision. The main path continued through the forest twisting, but the other path was barely travelled with only a few footprints pressed into the dust. Eventually I picked the worndown path, hoping I didn''t make the wrong choice. When the path opened up and sloped, I could see miles ahead of me with every turn revealed. As I scanned ahead, I realized with a curse that there was nobody traversing this path. Biting yet another curse back, I retraced my footsteps and moved towards the main footpath, trying to recover the time I had lost. A few hours of this, and I finally found them. Their figures walking down another small path. I sighed and relaxed, reducing my speed to a normal walk. They wouldn''t be able to recognise me at this distance, but I dreaded our second greeting already. Moving closer towards them I hailed them as I drew near "Hey!" The mercenary turned and the same situation repeated itself as the princess moved behind him while he drew his sword. The familiar scowl on his face was there, but the face of the princess was tinged with fear as she looked at me. My thin shirt and trousers were dusty and sweat had soaked through from my exertions as I approached with my arms held high in the air. "Hey!" I yelled again, just to make sure they knew it was me. "Don''t ??? closer!" he yelled, his face looking scary as he glared at me. Now that I had a closer look, he looked to be in his early twenties, not the worn man I had seen the other day. "I want to talk!" I yelled "Stay away! I''m warning you!" They didn''t seem like they would welcome me with open arms, it seemed my best option would be to reveal my purpose in seeking them out. "I''ve been sent to guard her!" "To what?" It seemed that ''Guard'' didn''t translate properly. "To protect her!" "She don''t need you!" Well, they would find out sooner or later. "I''m a mage" "A what?" Uh, what''s another word I can use.. "A magic caster!" "Stop talking ??? and leave us!" I didn''t seem to know the equivalent world in this language, nothing for it then. I should probably demonstrate somewhat.. The spell Torchlight was the easiest to cast, but it would also be unnoticeable during the day, so as I prepared the spell Lightball and the mana slowly accumulated, I waited until it was ready before yelling "Let me show you what I can do!" Less than a second later, a burst of light exploded amidst the forest and the princess screamed in fright. This was not going how I thought it was. "The ??? was that" he yelled accusingly as they slowly backed away from me with fear on their faces. "Its magic!"
Spoken Language: Sanien has reached 90% comprehension
FINALLY. "Its magic!" I yelled again. This time I could sense the Sanien word had been used. "Magic isn''t real!" he bellowed in denial. "Can I just come closer? I''m getting sick of yelling!" Ignoring his protests and demands to stay back, I drew closer as they cringed away. I stood 5 meters away and swallowed to soothe my sore throat, I needed a drink. But I doubted they would react favorably if I reached into the air and took a water bottle out. I hand my hands up and hoped he wouldn''t make any rash actions "Don''t worry, I''ve been sent to guard her" I had a feeling I could be approaching this more diplomatically, but I couldn''t think of how at this moment. "We don''t need your help" he hissed, his weaponless arm stretched out in front of the princess as if to protect her as his sword wavered in the air between us. I shrugged "Not my choice" "Who sent you" The princess spoke up behind the mercenary, her voice gaining courage as she spoke. "Heard of the Order of the Mages?" I hoped this wasn''t a real thing. She paused for a second, then slowly said "No" "I''m not permitted to talk about them. But I''ve been sent by them to help the princess as she requires" My plan was simple enough. There''s a higher order that is mysterious and knows about the princess. Maybe a ancient prophecy about her as a excuse on why she''s so important and that I''ve been sent by the order to guard her and to help her fulfill this prophecy. Actually, that sounds like it would induce some weird questions. Lets just go with I''ve been sent for reasons unknown to me. When I mentioned ''Princess'' they gasped as if it was some secret, probably was infact. But I was sick of chasing them down and really wanted to have this done with. It was obvious that they didn''t trust me, but it changed somewhat after the mercenary called my flash of light a children''s trick and I amazed (scared) them again with another of my ''many'' spells (Gravity Cloak) to make a pebble fall in slow motion through the air. By this time Gravity Cloak was effective enough to make the smaller objects have an increased effect with gravity lowered even further. Eventually after diplomatic talking I managed to convince them to allow me to stay, but I would walk ahead of them. The princess looked like she wanted to ask me a few questions, but refrained due to the hostility radiating from the mercenary. With a hurdle crossed, a new thought occurred to me as we walked. I really do need to weaponize my magic, I can''t always be this helpless. Chapter 16 - Fight Huh, my current storyline involves 100+ chapters. Not that it matters overly, either I finish this or I disappear. Secondly, not going to try google docs again. Finally, the way Jon refers to them isn''t a mistake. ---------------------------------------------------- While walking on the road, I puzzled over ways to use magic as a weapon. A few applications were obvious enough, by using light to blind and disorientate with the potential to focus it into a damaging laser. But gravity magic isn''t as obvious, the spells cast with it are slow to move and while I could make my club vastly heavier for a stunning blow, I would need to remove the spell quickly afterwards or risk being unbalanced to the sudden weight. The gathering of the mana was also a pain, taking minutes just to cast one spell. But when I thought about it, I realized I hadn''t actually tried storing the mana inside my body yet, I was told not to as it was unsafe. I''m willing to bet its another lie. After checking on the princess and mercenary behind me, I started experimenting.
Now meditating
As I drew in the threads of mana I could feel my skin fizzling as they were sucked in. But unlike before, I didn¡¯t use the mana and instead I gathered more. I was aware that what I was doing could result in ¡®dire results¡¯ as Saul had predicted, but smiling grimly I continued. It wasn¡¯t until I could feel the mana trying to escape my body that I stopped, and then I paused. There was no new messages, nothing indicating that I learned some new ability. But I didn¡¯t have a clue on what I was meant to do now, and releasing the mana seemed detrimental to my goals. So with my skin feeling tight as the mana crawled through my body, I concentrated on other thoughts as my skin prickled and itched, small hairs standing on end. It took a small while before I noticed that I could still manipulate the mana inside my body, swirling it around and bunching it in locations as if I was readying it to cast. Moving it directly through my body made me feel sick, my flesh hurting where I forced it through and the notifications of HP lost was enough to make me stop. Eventually I learned and soon the mana crawled through the path of least resistance. My bloodstreams. Circulating throughout my body alongside my blood, the mana flowed in a steady endless stream.
Internal Mana Storage learned
A small grin escaped my face.
NameJonathan Cliff
TitlesGamer, Pawn
Level(10) 19 [34%]Health402/461
Stamina504/505Mana274/350
BalanceEmpty
VIT42STR41
END49AGI23
DEX24INT31
WIS28LUK20
The princess and mercenary still hadn¡¯t noticed anything, and that was fine with me. I wanted to experiment some more with this and see what else I could do. But minutes after I started to play with my newfound ability, soaking in the mana and releasing it a voice spoke behind me. ¡°Hey¡± Sighing with disappointment, I turned around with a fake smile on my face. The princess stood there, her expression curious and the mercenary looking displeased as he stood next to her. ¡°Mind if I ask you a few questions?¡± she asked, not sensing my irritation. Sooner I get this over with, the better. ¡°As long as its not about the Mages Order¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it the Order of Mages¡± the mercenary spoke, his eyes narrowed. ¡°Yes, it is also called The Mages Order. It is known by many names¡± I smiled wisely. ¡°Well anyways¡± the princess continued blithely, ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°Ah well, I can¡¯t say that¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because it may give you clues on where The Mages Order is¡± I sagely informed her as the mercenary snorted. Glancing at him, he turned away with a disinterested expression before I continued walking, at least until the next question came. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°18, you?¡± The mercenary interrupted ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to tell you that¡± ¡°Its ok¡± the princess said irritated. ¡°I¡¯m 17¡± She continued with another question immediately ¡°What magic can you do?¡± Now here was a great question, and not one I felt good answering. Best to have her to think of me as all powerful than only knowing 4 spells. Especially as I planned to expand my repertoire. ¡°That¡¯s a mage¡¯s secret¡± I winked, trying to seem cool. ¡°Riigghhtt¡± She didn¡¯t seem convinced. Before she could continue asking questions, I quietly spoke ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I would like to continue my analysis of the mana flowing through the air¡± Before she could open her mouth, the mercenary politely spoke ¡°We won¡¯t bother you again¡± and dragged her away. I tried to resume my thoughts, something to do with weapons I believe. But what kind of weapons can you possibly make with light and gravity? Taking my current abilities into account, beams of blinding light for temporary blindness would be useful, and gravity magic would be deadly if used on moving objects. But the cloak takes too long to form and using it on my club is only viable if I want it super heavy which I can¡¯t do if I want to keep my balance. I formed a few small ideas on how to go about it, but when I eventually decided to experiment with my mana is when I remembered my earlier discovery. Playing with it, I soon found that the mana stored inside my body didn''t seem to be a specific form of mana, though conveniently it turned into other forms easily which was fine for my purposes. When I depleted the mana by casting a few spells experimentally, it drew in the surrounding mana floating through the air without any conscious effort required by me. I tried to speed up the recovery with a conscious effort to take in the surrounding mana, but discovered that the speed barely increased. It was pretty interesting. We soon reached a clearing and the mercenary spoke up behind me ¡°We are taking a break¡± As the mercenary opened his pack, he glanced at me. ¡°We are not feeding you¡± I snorted, ¡°No need¡± as I opened my inventory. The looks on their faces as I took out food was hilarious, and my stock as a magician just went up. ¡°One of my magics¡± I grinned. Currently my inventory contains the following It wasn''t mentioned before, but a few days after the outpost incident my club changed its name to Blooded Club, despite my never having heard of that name before. But the description didn''t indicate the appearance of any special features beyond ''Has a chance to inflict fear'' which is reasonable enough. After all, I hadn''t had the chance to wash it yet. At least it''s no longer sticky. I was starting to run low on both oranges and meat, but it would still last me a few weeks. In regards to the water, as I drank I placed the empty bottles inside the satchel and when encountering water I''d refill them and place them back inside my inventory. Basically, my water supplies were second to none. Later we reached a small town where the princess asked me if I was willing to cover the costs of the inn. She gave the excuse that I was the newest member of the party and we all need to support each other. However I declined demurely stating I preferred to sleep outside. However she continued to insist and the mercenary himself tried to guilt me into coughing up the money. He hinted heavily that I was the reason they slept outside last night, but that wasn''t my fault. Finally, I caved in and admitted I had not a single penny. The mercenary grunted in disgust ¡°Of course. Why would I expect a mage to have money¡±. Moving inside the Inn, the princess looked at me with pity in her eyes as I stood outside. But I didn''t particularly care. She may be a princess and inherited a throne, but her life is at risk and me? I''m just a random stranger tagging along. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The next morning we left the town and continued travelling, both of them didn''t seem as hostile towards me as yesterday, but the mercenary still refused to allow the princess near me. She didn¡¯t like it, but I was thankful towards him as I was working on creating my own spells. Unexpectedly, creating spells was not easy. When I followed Saul¡¯s instructions to casting spells I had learned them without hassle, so why was I having trouble making a focused beam of light? My gamer ability refused to cast a spell I didn''t register, and so I was forced to manually learn the spell before it could be automatic. Was the only reason I learned the other spells so fast because I had it described to me with instructions? It seemed so, and self research wasn¡¯t as easy as I thought it would be. The mana storage was very convenient, but I could already tell I had assistance learning it. And so I tried to experiment with the mana, concentrating it on my finger and trying to shoot it out. But each effort was met with failure as it spluttered or deformed into a shapeless mess. It seemed a impossible task. The hours passed as I focused on the mana, recasting it over and over. I was seeing small signs of improvement. But only to the stage where I could stabilise it for half a second. This was far too slow. Watching my back as we travelled, finally the princess broke away from the mercenary and approached me again. ¡°How long have you been travelling?¡± ¡°A long time¡± I answered absentmindedly ¡°Weeks? Months?¡± she persisted. ¡°Months¡± Perhaps if I focus the light mana into a tunnel of formless mana, and use that.. We watched the light overflowing from my finger for a second, before I sighed in failure. ¡°What else can you do apart from magic?¡± We stopped walking as I paused and gathered my thoughts, I couldn¡¯t tell her to push off but I needed time to focus on my magic. This was pretty important to me, especially if I''m meant to defend her from danger. Feeling very irritated I sighed. ¡°I can use a club, and I¡¯m pretty good at it. But I really need to focus on my magic. The past few months were devoted to finding you, and until now I had no time to study" Hearing my tone, the princess went quiet and moved back with the mercenary. I heard him mutter something but I didn¡¯t care. I wanted to get this over with. Two and a half weeks passed as we travelled, eventually they started covering my costs of food as well and in return I stored both their backpacks in my inventory. It took a week of failures and small successes until I could shine a beam of light. However the beam of light wasn¡¯t as strong as I wanted, it was useless for blinding and shining it in someones eyes could make them flinch, but it wouldn''t impair their vision. At best it was a flashlight.
You have learned the spell Light Beam
INT +2 WIS +4
I wanted to brag and show off my new spell, but our relationship was a little awkward. Less than two weeks after meeting them, they realized that I didn¡¯t know as many spells as I had proclaimed. As the princess had said, it was obvious after watching my expressions as I practiced the Light Beam spell. Although it looked to be simple, I looked really pleased. And it wasn¡¯t just that, when she confronted me my expression gave me away. Since that time, I felt awkward talking to them. She seemed to have warmed up to me however, which was probably why the mercenary permitted me to stay. Working from what I had learned from the Light Beam spell, I was now working on a focused version of the spell with a stronger light. Progress was slow, but it was still progress. To relieve myself from boredom, I occasionally tried different forms of gravity magic. This was somewhat easier, but far slower to use. While light mana was easily maneuvered into position and constantly seeked to scatter while shivering rapidly against the constraints, gravity mana oozed, finding weak points in concentration and proving slightly more difficult to hold in a specific shape. I didn¡¯t learn anything from gravity mana yet, but I had high hopes. It was three weeks since I had joined them that something happened, and by that time I had long stopped paying attention to the forest. Besides, the mercenary was doing that already. It wasn''t until the mercenary hissed "trouble" at me until I noticed our predicament. Out of the forest stepped three men, and while they were dressed simply the colors of their clothes were muted browns and greens and the expressions on their faces were of gleeful smiles. They carried two swords and the third had a polearm. Just to make sure it was clear what was going on, their names told me they were bandits.
Han lv. 5 Bandit Captain
Sam lv. 4 Bandit
Solomon lv. 5 Bandit
By mutual agreement, the princess stepped between us as we drew closer as a group. The mercenary drew his sword, and it wasn¡¯t until the mercenary murmured to me that I saw the other two men in the bushes, crouching out of sight as they watched us. The second I saw them, their nametags appeared.
Alison lv. 4 Bandit
James lv. 4 Bandit
An ambush. ¡°Where¡¯s your stuff?¡± the captain asked curiously, but not waiting for an answer he continued. ¡°No matter, place your sword on the ground. Drop a coin purse and move on.¡± the captain instructed, his behavior cool and collected. "And if you resist.." he threatened vaguely.. ¡°Think of her before you resist¡± Normally I would feel completely confident in my abilities, but with the rift stats sucking and the need to protect the princess.. The mercenary didn¡¯t even wait for my opinion before asking the captain ¡°I need my sword, how about I throw my purse and you leave us alone¡± The captain grinned ¡°Deal¡± I felt rather disappointed with the outcome as we moved on. I knew why the mercenary had backed down, but I couldn¡¯t help but think I would have won. Their levels were far below ours! The mercenary spoke quietly behind me ¡°We are not fighting a losing battle, especially when our mission is to escort her¡± I didn¡¯t say anything. But he could still sense my disappointment. ¡°Can you fight¡± he demanded, ¡°Can you take on a group and walk without serious injuries while protecting someone?¡± We walked on silently, he wasn¡¯t expecting an answer but still seemed to be rather upset I had wanted to take them on. ¡°You¡¯ve never even addressed us by name¡± he continued, his voice getting upset. ¡°You know our names, we know your name. But despite that, you¡¯ve never ever addressed us by name." He seemed to be getting upset. "You talk down to us¡± He really seemed to be upset, has he been bottling up his anger? The princess grabbed his shoulder ¡°Calm down¡± she whispered. But he shook her off angrily. ¡°He¡¯s looking for trouble¡± he protested, his face scowling. ¡°He wanted to fight them, even though they had the numbers and would win. Even when they offered to let us go he wanted to fight!¡± He was seriously getting on my nerves. They both were. My eyes narrowing, I spoke angrily ¡°You think I want to guard you?¡± The mercenary seemed to find this personally offensive, but that was his business. I was really starting to hate the way he disregarded me. Snarling, I hissed at them "I was forced into this, forced to fight a battle that wasn''t mine" Pounding blood and sight full of rage, my hands formed into fists as I looked at the mercenary in anger. The mercenary looked ready to fight, and it was only as the princess interjected herself between us that I took a deep breath and walked away. I couldn''t afford to fight them. I knew that I had said too much, the princess looked deeply unhappy. But I was far too upset to consider their feelings, and he was her business. I really want to get out of here. I can''t control this mana, my research is getting me nowhere. This entire trip is getting nowhere. That damn god is forcing me into this. Doesn''t consider me, doesn''t care about me. Using me for fun. Can''t fight him, Can''t escape him. I feel depressed. I want to go home.. Chapter 17 - Stone Kingdom Firstly, a warning. This story isn''t a fun and games ''He overcame trials and married the princess'', but rather a MC who is driven to do anything. I''d rather have a realistic MC than the lovable MC. Secondly, this chapter is late and worst of all.. Its not even a long chapter. At least I''ve finally finished fleshing out most of the current world''s details, it should be smoother sailing for the next few chapters. But no promises, we''ve seen how that worked out. I''ve also given up on last names unless they are important MC''s, maybe not even then. Lets just say that in a fantasy world, a lot of people don''t use last names.
Excuse of the day
Lack of proper planning, two discarded plots that were terrible and three drafts that were scratched
------------------------------ Our walk was a sullen one with the relations between us strained. I knew the princess wanted to talk to me and smooth over, however the mercenary refused to allow her to do so and I liked the peace and quiet I received from this. Because of that, I could focus without distractions on my magic and operate without the obligations of social interactions. I could operate socially, but I didn''t actually want to talk to either of them. They had nothing of importance that I needed to hear and my magic beckoned. Calling out to me and whispering sweet nothings into my ear, how can I resist the lure of spellcraft? I still regretted what happened between David and I, we used to stick together at school, David full of the latest news about Balizen and would often have a interesting fact that he could share. Back when things were normal, I rather enjoyed those lunches. I really did have a bad feeling about him, he definitely blamed me for this I knew. And I was starting to suspect it would take me more than months to get back, especially if I took so much time travelling around. As depressing as the thought was, I still couldn''t help but wonder if my parents knew anything about what had happened to me. Did my aunt go frantic with worry and fear? Does Talok know who I am? He must, they would plaster my face all over the city trying to find me. And then I have another fear. Is the Boligian Empire still treating earth as an uninteresting world? No answers, and I would not receive them until I next encounter the god. If I attempted to create a rift and escape this world, I would collapse for five days. If I established a rift back to Earth, it would fail to stabilise properly and I would be forced to pay a stat penalty. And if I did both of those.. I really didn''t think the god would permit me to casually abandon his quest. Though when I thought about it, using rifts to travel around on the same world could work. But I knew that I would be like a baby and unable to move around for five days, and the mercenary seemed most reluctant to purchase a cart for the sole use of pulling my body.. Infact, he refused to slow down in our journey, vaguely stating that we were barely going to make it in time already. When I didn''t muse, I practiced with my magic as we travelled. It was really the only thing to do around here. The mercenary had the princess to talk to, and the princess had the mercenary. I could hear them talking sometimes, straining my ears before I realize what I''m doing and focusing back on my task. My magic was far more interesting than this. But as I manipulated and practiced with the magic, my progress began to grow faster as I worked, new insights gained into the ways of mana. The mana manipulation skills may allow me to easily mold the mana into the form I desired, but it did not tell me how the mana would move. What its inclinations were and how it would react if I did this. It was semi-disappointing, and I kind of got the idea that my Gamer skill didn''t effect my mental state. Gradually my light beam began to grow more powerful, and while casting the spell by use of the ability did improve the light beam, I saw far more progress when I experimented with the spell and made small changes. Each time I saw an improvement I noticed with interest that the spell would then take that improvement the next time I used the spell. Small notifications appearing each time with a rare stat boost for significant improvements.
Control over Light Mana improves
+4% increase in light spells efficiency
It was almost like the game system didn''t operate off a set of rules and features, instead designing itself as I progressed. Evolving as I played. The update log that had occasionally popped up a while ago had the version in the beta stages as well, confirming my suspicion I was some form of beta tester. The playtoy of another being. And from the way the god had changed his mind when he saw the gamer stuff, there was a strong force behind it. That in turn made me curious, if there was such a strong force behind my ability, then there must be something very special about it. And yet, all I had seen was increased growth in stats and abilities, information displayed on my personal improvement. There has to be something more to it, but as to what, I couldn''t predict. The names above peoples heads and the examination windows being possible meant that whatever it was, it could view the world about me seemingly without restriction, and the ability itself seemed contained to my body for my own benefit. My favorite idea about the entire system was that I could ignore rules and find information that had been previously unknown, there was definitely more to this ability than it was telling me. Obviously it was gaming related, and when I thought deeper. I realized I had been thinking of it in terms of a actual character of the game instead of a player gazing at the screen. Three things stood out immediately as missing. Chat, Minimap and a menu. None of which had appeared when requested for. My other favorite thing about the affair that I was almost guaranteed to respawn. If not now, then in the future as the gamer skill unlocks. My other hope was not aging, but that''s unlikely. But as I practiced magic, I mused over the gravity magic as I realized that something seemed.. Off. It wasn''t behaving from what science told me it should be. Casting a gravity cloak on a pebble and levitating it in the air, I didn''t feel like I was pushing a pebble, but instead it was a soft touch against my fingers as I pushed it through the air in fascination. That pebble had no mass. Far better news than I had expected of course, for if you can control mass then you can turn the most innocent thing into a deadly weapon. Turn a strand of hair into a whip thin enough to slice deeply. Immediately my research with light magic was put to the side, gravity magic showing much more promise than flickering lights. This was far more important to my future than lights that can make a princess grin. It took only a few days as I experimented with a small stone that I found the differences in the gravity mana, and when I fluctuated those differences. I could feel a difference in the results of the spell. But it wasn''t until I hit on a combination that I received to my delight a message.
Due to insights into Gravity Magic, you can manipulate Mass as a secondary parameter
INT +4 WIS +3
I could feel the difference in the held pebble already as I merely held it as we walked. Grinning, I instantly replaced the spell on the pebble and threw it. Just as it left my hand, I turned the mass up as far as I could. The mercenary and the princess watched me in confusion, saw me throw a pebble and saw the stone fly lazily through the air. It seemed normal, until it impacted against a tree with a crunching noise. I could only grin in delight at the deep hole on the trunk as the mercenary looked on in wide eyes. They were not stupid, they knew what happened and that it was a cause of my magic. I noticed with delight that the mercenary looked very shocked and a flicker of respect seemed to appear in his eyes. Maybe. The one thing I found irritating about the entire process, I was aiming at the tree next to it. The mystery about Gravity Magic solved, I moved back to studying light magic with a constant Gravity Cloak on my body to further level up the spell and my endurance/strength. The spell leveled up fast enough, constant WIS and INT gains as I experimented with the mysteries of light magic. A few days later after the discovery of mass, I received a notification.
You have entered Stone Kingdom
Unimaginative name, I heavily suspected our destination lay in sight. The kingdom didn''t seem to be very large, a mere week after crossing the border we approached our first large town. Sadly we still didn''t spend time there, sleeping the night in separate rooms of a inn before moving on. The princess and mercenary looked most eager to continue. It didn''t take long after leaving Palyin that I reluctantly realized I knew almost nothing about their plans and goals. I knew we were heading to Sanid and that the princess likely wanted a throne. But I knew nothing of why she was escorted by a mercenary, at the very least I expected a royal guard. Even a lowly soldier would do. But a mercenary? It only took a few days before I gave in and approached them. "So" I casually began as we rested during a break. "What are we doing after arriving?" The mercenary looked at me for a second, then he grinned. "Your Mage School not tell you?" He seemed most eager to restart the fight we abandoned weeks ago. "No" I spoke courteously, unwilling to give him escape. "Can''t you use some powerful magic to find out?" he continued, his face looking most punchable. "No" My face a stone mask, showing no emotions that he sought. He continued "What about you contact the School-" thankfully the princess cut in "Just tell him" He looked disgruntled, but finally started to talk normally. "You know of Stone Kingdom?" "No, we learned more about magic than the affairs of the world" I said with much pride in my illusionary school. "Right.. Well, Stone Kingdom recently lost their ruler, so there will be a tournament. We will be joining with Prince Ilan" "Tournament?" I asked curiously. He seemed to be labouring under the misconception we were on the same page, I knew what tournaments were, but I had a feeling it didn''t involve knights on horses jousting. "How can you not know of the tournaments?" he actually looked puzzled and waited for an answer. Realizing after a minute that I wasn''t going to reply, he grunted and continued. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Fine. A tournament is a affair run by a kingdom when they have no ruler. The tournaments vary per kingdom, and the tournament of the Stone Kingdom is one of an army battle" "If the ruler dies" I interrupted "Why doesn''t a noble just take over?" He snickered "Because the land forbids it" "The land?" The princess looked at me strangely as the mercenary openly snickered "You study magic, but you don''t even know about the magic of the land?" I didn''t like how the mercenary was making fun of me, the worst part would be that we both knew I made up my background to some extent. But ignoring their reactions, I shored up my defenses. "Branches of magic we study in the hallowed halls of the mages. The sky pressing against the earth and the brightness of the sun are the branches of magic I attend to" "Right. Branches" he spoke sarcastically. Does he consider my words to be lies? Technically speaking, it''s the truth. The princess coughed into her hand and the mercenary quickly continued. "The land only allows kingdoms to be inherited by a ruler chosen by the tournament of the kingdom. If someone attempts to rule the kingdom without following these rules, they and those directly under them will die within the month." After that ominous statement, he recalled something and added "The same thing happens if your kingdom grows too large, which is why smaller kingdoms like this one exists" I then had a question which had an obvious answer, but I considered it still worth asking. "What if a kingdom sends someone under their rule to win the tournament?" "It still counts as a larger kingdom" he said simply. Seeing my confusion about it he continued "We don''t know everything about the magic. Sometimes something as simple as entering an alliance can result in both rulers being killed. Kingdoms can still be extorted, but if it begins to destroy the kingdom than you can consider the oppressors to be good as dead. Sometimes the reasons are not even apparent" "Ah. So, you are joining prince Ilan and by his side you will win the tournament?" "Yes" the princess spoke. "Ah" I nodded. It wasn''t as I had expected, I thought it would be something akin to taking over the lands of a tyrant, perhaps her evil uncle who killed her parents. And in the worst case, spending time uniting smaller lands which honestly didn''t appeal to me. Finally I my thoughts in order and went to the next question. "What''s the army battle tournament?" The princess was content to allow the mercenary to talk, and he for once didn''t jab fun at me. "Simply put, there is a commander and he leads two thousand people. At the start of the tournament they fight another army. The victorious army moves on and fights the next army after a week. This continues until there is only one army remaining. But while you can only have two thousand on the battlefield, there is no limits to the reserves you can employ." "The truly large armies, they have up to five thousand people. There is no rule preventing people from joining your army during the tournament either" he finished. "And the ruler is the commander?" "Correct, Prince Ilan will be leading the army" The next question was sensitive, but I needed to know. "Why would Prince Ilan accept her?" The princess then spoke, she looked unpleased that I had even questioned it. "Due to Ilan being the second son, he does not stand to inherit the throne which is by rights taken by the eldest. Ilan''s only choice lies in becoming a noble or to rule another kingdom. When the ruler of the Stone Kingdom died a year ago, Ilan took this chance and began to raise a army. Ilan''s army was not a sizable one, so in return for my appointment as queen, my father has assisted in the funding of his army." Her face seemed to glow each and every time she mentioned his name, it made me vaguely unhappy to see that. While I harbored no feelings towards her, I felt protective of her having traveled with them for this long. But I still had another question. "Why don''t you have an escort?" "Safer" the mercenary grunted. I pressed on "But you don''t.. seem much like a royal guard" He looked at me for a second, "I''m not a royal guard, no." he didn''t elaborate. I suspected there was a story to it, and it was very juicy. But my final question went unasked. Why would Ilan keep his promise? From what I had heard of the land magic, her father couldn''t do much to Ilan beyond attempting to oppress the Stone Kingdom to some extent. Her father however would in return be oppressed by two kingdoms. To make this vendetta personal, the land could kill either side. Unless her father had powerful allies, things may not work out how she wants them to. But its not my problem yet, we''ll find out soon I decided as I sunk myself back into my studies. Two scant weeks later, I received a notification as I discovered another hidden attribute in the flows of mana.
Due to insights into Light Magic, you can manipulate Color as a secondary parameter
INT +5 WIS +2
I was beginning to think that illusions may become a tactic to use, however I didn''t have enough time to play with it due to our impending arrival instead being forced to focus more on my light beam which seemed pretty powerful already. The road had started to get busy, and the displays of magic were forced to a minimum to hide my presence. We arrived at the capital less than a week later. The capital was filled with people, more than any of the towns we had passed through. The stone city sat on a large hill, tall stone walls of hewn slabs of rock surrounding the base with a single huge entrance permitting passage inside. To both sides of the gate, twenty guards stood on a raised platform of stone, eyeing the people passing through the gates. Occasionally they stopped carts and investigated large amounts of baggage, but we passed through unmolested.
You have entered Sanin
As we entered the city and spied the rows of open shops with crowds of people moving about, the mercenary spoke up. "We will be staying inside this city, Ilan has a place we will be staying" Glancing at me, he continued "This is the end of your stay with us correct?" "No" I bluntly spoke. I didn''t appreciate his joke. He sighed with disappointment "Of course not" Moving through the city, we stopped by at a small shop where he asked about a private room that the princess could change clothes in. Paying the man, he indicated for me to follow him into the small room then asked for the bags. Receiving them, he placed the princesses bag on the ground then shoved me outside while carrying his bag. Rude. Twenty minutes later, the princess came out wearing clothes of much finer quality than the dusty clothing she had been wearing previously. It had crinkles in it due to the travelling we had been doing but it looked pretty decent on her. I''m not describing it. While the princess had been changing, the mercenary had been rather busy. He told me to stand outside the shop and to stay there with the princess as he fetched transport. I was rather thankful that I could finally rest my feet. Before the princess was done he was already back with a carriage in tow, a small one person carriage pulled by a pony and a driver sitting in front. I started to get on, but the mercenary''s glare left it obvious who it was for. The princess climbed on as I shouldered the mercenary''s bag, meanwhile the mercenary carried the princess''s bag which was noticeably lighter as we walked by the sides of the carriage. I hinted endlessly at hanging on the sides of the carriage, just to rest my feet for a moment but they ignored me. The driver of the carriage knew where he was going, and soon we were in a quieter area with large homes, though none of them had gardens. Instead all the available space was taken up with buildings of cobbled stone. They began to grow larger though, gardens beginning to appear. Finally we were in front of a large house, a garden missing but a large courtyard with a few carriages lying in wait. I couldn''t wait to finally relax after a month of non-stop travel. Outside the courtyard entrance two guards stood to attention, and as the mercenary approached them they watched his movements. "Is Prince Ilan staying here?" he asked formally, "I am escorting Princess Lily of Farida Kingdom and we are expected" One of the guards looked at the princess inside the carriage, then spoke. "I''ll ask" A few minutes later, he came out and spoke "I''m sorry but prince Ilan isn''t here, neither has he left instructions". Both the princess and mercenary frowned. "Are you sure?" the princess spoke insistently, her face looking displeased. "Yes" the guard spoke politely. "We will be staying out here" the princess stiffly spoke to the driver, "Is that a problem?" "No" the driver said respectfully. I could see how this was going to play out already, but I didn''t dare speak out. If I did, I had a feeling I would be treated as the cause. We waited for god knows how many hours, and during this time I didn''t dare entertain myself. The face of the princess grew more stressed as the time passed, and the mercenary''s face sank deeper into a glower. They wouldn''t take kindly to flashing lights. The guards at the gate and the driver didn''t look very happy either, but I was sure that the driver would at least be paid. He didn''t seem to mind too much, it was just the boredom that got at him. It wasn''t until we saw a group on foot approaching that the expressions of everyone perked up. The group that approached us was surrounded by guards in armor, but inside were people dressed in fine clothes with rich attire. Looking at their names I could see more guards hidden in the crowd, a few nobles and one especially wonderful man who had the name of Ilan. Finally.
Ilan lv. 6 Prince
Interestingly enough, I noted another name that stood out.
Rinnan lv. 4 Princess
They both seemed cosy, and as I snuck a look back at my princess I smiled a little. This was going to be fun. Chapter 18 - Army of One Its been two weeks since the last chapter right? ---------------------------------------------------------- The princess''s face froze in a wide smile as she saw the princess draped on Ilan''s arm, and as Ilan saw her his eyes widened in shock with a tinge of fear. Tensely, she greeted him. "Hello Ilan" I noted with pleasure that Ilan couldn''t even manage to stutter a reply. Was the princess not supposed to come here? That seemed to fit the pieces together in my mind. An arrangement with Ilan who makes another arrangement with another princess, the princess supposed to wait patiently in her own kingdom but can''t wait and instead wants to join Ilan. She can''t tell her own father or he refused, so she hires a mercenary to take her there while acting low-key. Intending to surprise her prince, she sees him with another woman. I could barely hide my smile, this was far far more entertaining than I had dreamed. A predictable drama come to life in front of me. Those weeks of travel almost seemed worth it. Almost. My quest just got harder. The princess draped over Ilan''s arm squealed in delight "Lily!" It sounded like they knew each other, and while her greeting sounded fake it didn''t seem she knew of the situation. "Ilan" my princess spoke, ignoring the other princess. "What''s the meaning of this?" Ilan''s mouth opened and closed, no words coming out as he frantically tried to think. He couldn''t pretend things were normal, how could he? The princess on his arm could hear him and would soon know everything. He couldn''t afford to upset two princesses at the same time. "Do we need to talk inside" my princess spoke sweetly. Ilan nodded frantically "Yes" he croaked, "That would be good" The tension in the air was thick, only a few knew of what had conspired and the daggers in the eyes of the mercenary were enough to make me shiver. Just how involved was the mercenary with the princess? We sat in a room, the prince with the princess Rinnan and the three of us on the other side of the table. He weakly offered tea, but my princess politely turned him down with a sweet smile and cold eyes. His princess understood that my princess was very upset with Ilan, she didn''t seem to like my princess''s presence either. I suspected it wouldn''t be long until she came to her own conclusions about the entire affair which would be pretty accurate. As to what was happening, I loved the drama unfolding far too much to bring attention to my presence. My grin was becoming unbearable to hide, but to expose my amusement would be to asking for death. Sitting at the table, the prince refused to start the conversation as his breathing grew agitated, knowing nothing good was in store. My princess just sat there, glaring at him before finally starting the conversation. "Rinnan, how involved are you with him?" she smiled warmly, her eyes betraying that lie. The princess looked agitatedly at Ilan who refused to meet her gaze, then spoke hesitantly "I''m his fiancee" No one could miss the way my princess flinched, her sudden intake of air and the way she froze. With a wavering voice, my princess spoke to Ilan "Would you like to clear any confusion?" The situation didn''t seem as funny as it did before, I had misjudged the extent of her feelings and could see she was really hurt by this. Ilan didn''t meet her eyes, instead talking to the table "Can we speak later about this alone" he spoke quietly, defeat in his voice. My princess stiffly nodded, seeming like she was going to cry. We left the small mansion, the mercenary gently tugging her back to the carriage as she climbed in stiffly. She really looked as if she wanted to cry. I felt sorry for her, I knew she wanted to see Ilan, but to encounter this.. The mercenary directed the carriage driver to move towards a respectable inn, his voice soothingly talking to the princess as we walked. I didn''t interfere, she was on the verge of tears. Stopping at a inn, the mercenary finished things with the driver as the princess quietly stood next to me defeated. I wanted to give her a hug, but it would be out of line. Quietly we moved inside the inn, the atmosphere about us heavy and depressed. The mercenary spoke to the innkeeper who looked at our appearance and took the hint, quiet in his actions as he organised the rooms. I could hear her crying in the other room, the mercenary''s voice soothing her as I lay back on my bed. There was nothing I could do, magic the furthest thing on my mind at the time. Staring at the ceiling, I wondered what I was going to do. My quest had become downright impossible. Later that evening a messenger arrived, however the princess was in no condition to talk and the mercenary was inside the room soothing her. With no one else to handle the messenger, I talked to him. He informed me that the prince offers a sincere apology in light of recent events, and that the amount owed her will be refunded at her request. I dismissed him, later when things were quieter I can pass the message on. The princess ate her meal in her room as the mercenary and I ate downstairs. As we ate, I told him about the messenger and he sighed. "We''ll probably take that offer" There wasn''t anything more that needed to be said. The mercenary slept in the bed opposite to mine, and I could hear the princess restlessly stirring in her room all night before I fell asleep. The next morning she came downstairs with sunken eyes. She didn''t sleep well. After sleeping, she seemed to be in better spirits than yesterday. But her behavior was quiet and her expressions were dulled, the mercenary told her of the prince''s offer and she nodded dully. Her eyes seemingly glazed. My quest was falling apart right in front of me. As I chewed my food, I thought to myself and considered my options. I came up with a plan, sort of. But I needed more information at this point. Our breakfast eaten, I spoke to the two "I''ll be out today" and the mercenary nodded distractedly. As opposed to the past, he had no interest in my activities. Walking around the city, it was large and there were plenty of interesting sights to see. But I didn''t look at them, I had a goal I wanted to accomplish. Asking people questions, I found the information I wanted and received directions to a building. Less than a hour later, I stood outside a large building near the center of the city, inside two nobles sat on padded chairs playing a game of chess. The atmosphere was quiet and refined, the people draped in riches and showing their flair.
You have entered Noble''s Court
My gaze was drawn to a stern man wearing trim clothing, he sat at a small table with documents lying in front of him. He was who I wanted to talk to.
Oliver lv. 11 War Adviser
As I moved through the building, the people moved out of my way. I may not be dressed like them, in clothes of riches and clean finery. But my expression brooked no tolerance and if anyone looked as if they would step in my way, I glared at them with death in my eyes. I was mostly bluffing. A servant tried to interfere as I moved around, he complained of my attire not being clean and that I''m improperly dressed for the location. But quietly with menace in my voice I spoke in a low voice "Jorden, are you sure about this?" and as his expressions displayed shock I stepped past and moved towards Oliver. Oliver looked up at me as I stood in front of him, his expression showing disinterest as he eyed me over. "Can I help you?" he inquired boredly. "I''d like to hear information about the tournament" I spoke in a respectful tone, I didn''t dare try to intimidate him as I had the others. "Talk to my assistant over there" he nodded at another man. He obviously wasn''t going to spend time with me, but that was fine. Walking to his assistant, I repeated my request. The assistant looked over towards Oliver then nodded. "Very well" I walked out the building with a wealth of information, the assistant had been most eager to answer my questions. Some of my questions obviously made him uncomfortable, but each time he looked as if he was going to ask me to leave I coldly smiled "I''m not done yet" and his mouth closed. The tournament was indeed a battle of armies, but the rules were not dictated towards a fair and equal battle. The rules were there to control the battle. If the commander surrendered, the battle was lost. If the soldiers were wiped out, then the battle was lost. There was a fee to enter the battle, and despite my lack of knowledge on the currencies of this world it was clearly expensive. A large amount of money to enter, another large amount for the commander, than more gold for every man in the army. Each man killed was to forfeit the money paid for that man, and winning a battle you would receive the money paid for the living commander and soldiers. If a soldier or commander is killed when they have surrendered, you both forfeit the money from defeating them and must pay again their worth. If the money paid cannot be given to the commander, then the money is paid to the kingdom. I pressed him, and he definitely looked disturbed at my constant questions about the penalties of killing. But he faithfully answered my questions, explaining in as much detail as I wanted. A limit of two thousand soldiers, but each soldier killed demanded the commander pay for another solider to be permitted to fight to remain at full strength. One commander, two thousand soldiers. The largest army one can bring into the fight. Machinery was permitted as was damaging the land, however one cannot touch the land you will fight on until the fight begins. The first battle was in a weeks time, entry would close in the next few days. I returned to the inn afterwards, eating lunch before exploring the city. When it began to grow dark I returned to the inn and we ate in the inn''s dining room. The princess looked to be in much better spirits than before. As we finished off our food, I cleared my throat. "We can still enter the tournament" The mercenary looked at me sharply, his eyes searching mine as a flicker of interest showed on his face. "What do you mean" he asked. The princess also looked interested, though her face still showed dejection. "Using the money from the prince, we can enter the tournament ourselves" I explained. The mercenary shook his head, "We don''t have a army, the money will not stretch towards that and the fees for entering" I grinned, "That''s not true. I''m a army" He looked at me disdainfully, "You are nothing like a army". But I smiled gleefully "Yes I am" The princess leaned back against her chair and sighed, she clearly didn''t have hope in me. The mercenary looked at me with scorn in his eyes, thinking I was trying to be a hero. Rolling my eyes, I said "Meet upstairs" The mercenary grunted as they reluctantly followed me, the princess had a curious expression on her face with her misery temporarily forgotten. Standing in a semi-circle, we gathered in the princess''s room. "Take out your sword" I instructed the mercenary. The mercenary looked at me with disdain as he realized my plan "You are not invincible". Looking at him with narrowed eyes, I could see he wasn''t going to budge easily and sighed in defeat. "Fine, we''ll do something else then" Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. I had taken to picking up stones from the roads as we travelled, using two of my slots to build up a collection. Small stones in one slot, larger stones in another. 198 stones, the maximum I could carry in two slots. Taking out a fist sized stone, I held it and cast a Gravity Cloak on the stone. The mass was turned up to the maximum as the gravity was turned down to the minimum, the stone held in my palm as it slowly pressed down. It was extremely heavy, even with gravity turned down to the lowest I could. But with my strength I could easily hold it up, even though I wouldn''t be able to throw it. Taking my hand away from the large stone, it slowly started to drift down to the floor. "Catch it" I told him. He looked at me for a second, then reluctantly placed his hands under the stone to pick it up. His grunt and strained arms told me everything, even as the stone still fell. In this world, everyone I *Examine*''d had human levels of strength, even the people with high levels had stats that bordered on normal. The one man I saw with 18 STR, his AGI had been lowered to 8 as a consequence. In this world, their levels were judged on their skills which made up for their lack of stats. Grunting and heaving at the stone, he tried in vain to prevent the stone from falling to the floor, and yet.. It still sunk lower and lower through the air until he released the stone sweating from the exertion. He looked on in wonder as the stone touched the wooden floor, then crunched and started to sink through. I released the spell at that stage and picked it up. A deep impact was created in the floor, cracks lining the floorboards. The room was placed on ground level, else I wouldn''t have allowed the spell to progress this far. I had picked this example to demonstrate the staggering power I controlled. "Take out your sword" I instructed, the princess now looked very interested. Her face delightfully brightening up from the dejection she had been displaying. The mercenary considered, then reluctantly drew his sword. Taking out the tent canvas, I placed it beneath me as I drew the sleeves on my arm upward. The princess and mercenary began to grow sick as they realized what I had planned. Looking at them, I said "Don''t worry. Attack my arm" as I held my bare arm over the canvas. The mercenary hesitated as he looked into my eyes, then instead of the swing I had demanded he nicked me with the blade. He had to use more force than he planned, my END prevented the blade from penetrating. As his sword pricked me and I felt a twinge of pain, a tiny amount of blood welled up.
HP -1
Less than a second later, my HP was back at full. I wiped away the blood with a thumb and they looked at my unblemished skin with a small expression of shock. "Attack my arm" I instructed. The mercenary still looked very reluctant, then placed his sword back down. "You''ve proved your point. What are you trying to get at" he exasperatedly said. His expression clearly saying he wasn''t going to attack me. Not I minded, I hadn''t been looking forwards to the pain. As I packed the tent canvas away, I repeated my earlier statement. "I''m an army". The mercenary looked semi-thoughtful as the princess considered my words, then they realized what I was trying to get at. "No. No way in hell" the mercenary spoke, his face scowling at me. "She''s not going to be part of a fight" We argued with the mercenary trying to shut me down until at last the princess spoke thoughtfully "Well, it could work". The mercenary ceased arguing with me for a second, then began arguing with her. "Come on" I pleaded, "The second you think her life is in danger, you surrender". She had to be on the battlefield, the rules were clear on that. The ruler of the kingdom is the commander of the army. The mercenary continued to protest, but the combined efforts of the princess and I eventually wore him down. Then he addressed another issue. "You may win the first two fights, but can you defend us if they ignore you?" and I smiled, "I''ve already thought of that" as I explained my idea. When they heard my plan, they were disgusted with it. The princess begged for me to reconsider. But after confronting them and asking for a better plan they gain in. The mercenary could only admit that it was the best plan they had. He wanted me to show my claims of being physically strong which I demonstrated by holding the heavy stone. He didn''t quite believe I wasn''t using magic for this, but he couldn''t find another way to test it at that point of time. I felt glad that they knew not what a real fight was, the true horror of the plan I proposed. If they knew what it was like, they would be saying no. But I was banking that they were naive, that by the time they realize what I have done, they have invested too heavily. We hashed out the details in the rest of the night, and our sleep was restless. The excitement was high. We gathered the next morning with the princess dressed in fine clothes with our first stop being the prince''s mansion. The guards at the courtyard recognised us and sent a messenger in, however the prince didn''t come out. Communicating through the messenger, he soon walked out with a bag of gold. Two guards escorting the messenger as we stood outside the gate. "The debt has been repaid" the messenger spoke politely as I took the gold. The second the bag was in my hands, I dropped it as the bag collapsed empty on the ground. We didn''t say anything and just left, the guards and messenger gaping at the disappearance of the money. The princess and mercenary had been informed of this earlier, and they gleefully approved. A display of power, a step in the plan and disdain in our actions. We then walked to the Noble''s Court where the princess demanded a meeting with the War Adviser and reluctantly was given one. She sat at the table on the chair across from Oliver who looked at her with some interest. She was pretty enough to attract interest, and her poise said that she was a noble. The princess didn''t drag things out, instead politely saying "I have come to register in the tournament" Oliver''s eyebrows rose, but he didn''t say anything as he straightened the papers in front of him. Sorting through the papers in front of him, he took out a document and asked "Representing?" as he scanned through the list on it. "Princess Lily and two warriors" His brows furrowed, "Your army size?" "Two warriors" she repeated. Oliver coughed, "I''m not sure I''m hearing you correctly. You are saying that your entire army consists of two people and you?" To her credit, Lily didn''t crack a smile. "Yes" She sounded very sure in her statement, and Oliver could see that she meant it. "Princess of which kingdom?" he inquired. "We have the funds" she ignored his question. "We are entering the tournament" Oliver shook his head, "This is most irregular" he complained but Lily broke in. "This is well within the rules". "Yes but-" Oliver spoke but the princess broke back in "Are you refusing me entry?" Oliver stuttered, at loss for words until he found his voice. "Do you have the fees?" "Yes" "Entry is 600 gold, commander is 400 gold and soldiers are 10 gold each" he spoke, quickly adding it together. He finished with "The fee for entry is a 1020 gold" Lily smiled at him "Where do we pay?". Oliver pulled over his assistant and spoke into his ear, nodding the assistant pulled away as Oliver started to get up from his chair. "Follow me" Oliver spoke, he sounded reluctant to entertain this madness but still followed procedure. Walking through the building, the four of us attracted interested stares as people realized that we seemed to be entering the tournament. The simplicity of our clothes grew gossip as we moved through the building. Standing before a door, Oliver unlocked it and gestured us in. He moved behind his desk and sat down, mounds of papers on one side of his desk. "My assistant will return shortly" he spoke with a sigh. "Are you able to pay the fees in the next three days?" he inquired. Lily nodded, "We have the money on us now". Oliver closed his eyes and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. He thought us insane. None of us wore baggy clothing or anything that seemed similar to a purse. The assistant walked through the door, another short man following behind him. He had glasses on and looked bookish, and as he saw us he blinked in surprise.
Tulip lv. 2 Treasurer
Oliver spoke politely and firmly "This is a treasurer of the kingdom. The funds if you may?" Lily looked pointedly at me, and I then spoke. "Is there a container we can use?". I regretted leaving the bag behind at the prince''s house. The treasurer''s hands fumbled in his pockets as he took out a small canvas bag and handed it to me. Thanking him, I barely waited a second before handing it back as he blinked in confusion. No one could fail to notice that the bag was now full to bursting. Oliver looked surprised and shocked as he glanced at the bag then back to me. The treasurer placed the bag on the table and before our eyes began to count it. He looked again at me in confusion having counted all 1020 gold as Oliver spoke tensely "What was that" "Magic" I stated, not being obligated to answer to Oliver. There are no rules to what weapons could be used on the battlefield. The rule was anything that is on the battlefield and have been moved onto the battlefield in the hour given to prepare. Nothing forbidding usage of types of weaponry. Oliver still looked out of sorts as he filled in the papers, finally instructing us "The first battle will begin in four days. You will fight on the fifth day" He stared after us as we left, confusion evident in his face. The mercenary looked pleased at the impression we had made and Lily had a small bounce in her step. As we left the building, I spoke quietly to the other two. "And so it starts". I regretted saying that immediately, it wasn''t as cool as I thought it would be. But Lily smiled and quietly repeated those words, "So it starts" she murmured. We spent the next few days preparing, I discarded the tent inside my inventory to fill with more large stones that were fist sized. I purchased a long wooden pole reinforced with iron with a spearhead of iron as the princess was fitted with a complete set of iron armor. She complained that she couldn''t move around, but that wasn''t the idea of it. I was also fitted in leather armor with iron shielding covering my legs, chest and forearms with an iron cap for a helmet on my head. By hunkering up, I should prove a tough target to hit with arrows. The mercenary dressed similarly, but purchased himself a shield to use. The rest of the time we had free, I constantly used Gravity Cloak on my body to the extent I could barely walk, it made it extremely painful and exhausting to move. But the small increases in STR and END slowly made up for it. The balancing act I was forced to maintain also slowly increased my AGI. Funny enough, when my stamina was exhausted I could still increase my END. But by doing that I would very slowly lose my HP and no other stats would increase. Better to release the spell and wait until it recovered. And then the first battle began. Not our battle however, that happens tomorrow. Chapter 19 - Battle Begins Someone seems to be taking joy in complaining that Mass is not the same thing as Weight. Weight is the effect gravity has on it, mass is the density of the object. A sponge with increased mass will be heavier and tougher to squeeze, while a sponge with increased weight would simply collapse under itself. No structural support. If the mass of a object such as a club isn''t increased, and instead the club is made solely heavier. Then the forces that the club undergoes could easily damage it. This is why the default usage of the gravity spells modifies the gravity pull and mass as a combined effect. Another minor note is that whenever he experiments with magic, he is in a meditation state. Which is practically just focus and the ability to see magic at his current level of meditation. Meditation also prevents idle thoughts which is also a large reason he doesn''t come up with new ideas. -------------------------------------------------------- Two armies stood at the bottom of an extremely steep hill, on the hill were the spectators. Myself, Lily and Kane included. You couldn''t see who was who from here, but the mercenary Kane was eager to watch the action. Lily pretended to have disinterest, but you could see the way her eyes were drawn to the scene. The top of the hill was pretty crowded with people jostling for position, however we had grabbed our seating early in the morning before most of the crowds had hit at Lily''s urging. Our chosen position was a large boulder meters high and steep sides that made it unclimbable. However by using Gravity Cloak both Lily and Kane were able to get up just fine. I didn''t need the Gravity Cloak, a single jump was all I needed to get from the bottom. However I didn''t care to repeat it too much as it was much too early to attract attention. We wanted to enjoy todays scene without interruptions. A few people dropped by with a ladder, intending to climb up the side of the rock but Kane and I displayed our weapons openly, scaring off the unwanted company with glares. For those who really didn''t take a hint, I grew openly hostile and started to get up with weapon in hand after which they left us. So the three of us sat alone on the boulder, unaccosted as the crowds below us jostled for position. Down at the bottom of the hill the two armies stood a mile apart, Kane was interested in the proceedings, but Lily provided the information as we watched. "Duke Pin and Senior Ban armies are down there" she eagerly told us as she watched raptly with her eyes glued to the scene. "Duke Pin''s men are on the left, they wear the green clothes. Three hundred soldiers in his army, but he isn''t in this to win. Instead he wants to win a few fights and come out of this a rich man" then pointing to the other army dressed in muted blue. "The other army is Senior Ban''s army. He owns a large area of land a fair distance away and while he has six hundred in his army, they haven''t been trained very well and use poor equipment. He is also in this tournament to gain money" The relations between Lily, Kane and I had improved recently, Lily growing happier now that I wasn''t trying to keep myself aloof and Kane had began to accept me as his comrade. They tried to pry more information about where I had come from, but I deflected their questions back towards the plan. They knew what I was doing, but didn''t pressure me about it. Lily opened up a little in the short breaks we had, small tidbits and details spilling about her past. Her father did know she was here, but didn''t dare drag her back as he didn''t want to interfere with her relations with Ilan. She grimaced as she recalled him, she didn''t seem to be completely over it. It had only been a few days after all. A horn blew and we turned our attention back towards the battlefield, below we could see two armies. The smaller army in neat rows and the larger army in disorganised lines. It was clear to see who was going to win. Kane sighed as he looked at the scene below him, the armies were beginning to clash and faint sounds of metal striking metal could be heard from our vantage point. "Not a good first start" he disappointingly spoke, Pin''s armies still in neat lines as Ban''s army scattered at their own pace as they rushed towards the enemy. The lines shivered, but easily held as screams began to come up to our viewpoint. Didn''t take long before Ban''s army began to surrender barely twenty minutes after the fight had started. Ban himself surrendered as soon as he realized the battle was lost. Lily sighed disappointedly. "That was a terrible battle" she complained with dissatisfaction. We sat on the rock as we watched the people below drag the wounded and the dead off the field. Dropped equipment was cleaned up as the run rose in the sky. Another battle was due to start in two hours, and we didn''t dare leave our spot for fear of having to find another location to watch. As we sat there I cast Gravity Cloak on both Lily and Kane, reducing their mass by a third to make the seating more comfortable. None of the other spectators had noticed it, but I didn''t dare experiment with other spells for fear of attracting attention. It would diffract from the entertainment. It felt strange to be watching people fight for entertainment, but it made a sort of sense in this medieval sort of world. The people watching were not a part of the battlefield, instead watching from a distant viewpoint as the armies moved, fought and won without actually seeing the wounds or standing next to the man screaming in pain without any of the smell of blood. The atmosphere of the people about you turning it into entertainment as they roared their approval. I didn''t enjoy it, I knew that we would be down there tomorrow with the crowds about us baying for our blood. It was sobering to consider. Sitting on the rock as we watched two new armies move into position, growing bored I took a book from my inventory and began to read. The first time I had done so since the outpost. Lily looked at the book curiously, "What''s that?" she asked as Kane leaned over with interest. "This is a product from where I come from, paper binded together with words printed on with ink. The contents of the book doesn''t contain magic lore however, its a made up story about ''Dust Warrior''" I explained. Kane looked interested as he eyed the book "How much is it worth?" he asked. I shrugged, "I don''t know. Where I come from, these are common. In the past few years magic tool production has increased, with even a child possessing a tool that can talk across oceans" They both hung off my words as I finally told them something about my background in a rare moment of honesty. I doubted they were ready to see my laptop, though the power had long since been drained. "What language is it written in?" Lily inquired" "English, its the language where I come from. I''ll repeat the sentence in English" I said it again in English as Kane''s eyebrows rose. "That''s pretty impressive for someone your age" Kane said, lying back on the rock as the clouds covered the sky. "mmm" Lily agreed as she lay back on the rock, comfortable in the lowered gravity. I placed the book away and joined them, attempting to relax even as my own heavy Gravity Cloak tried to squash me against the ground. A horn blew and we quickly sat up, the armies below starting to draw near. "Ohh, Yan from some kingdom with 30 knights on horses and Dylan from a small manor a kingdom away. Dylan has a hundred swordsmen and fifty archers and spearsmen, but in this battle his real strength is going to be the spearsmen." She pointed out the men approaching the front of Dylan''s rigid blue lines, thin poles lowered to point towards the knights as they thundered closer on horses. The knights all wore full armor, the horses themselves wearing armor to protect them. Dylan''s army in position, everyone held their breath as the archers released their arrows, two knights falling as the lines clashed. It was chaos as the armies fought, we couldn''t tell who was winning. Gradually the scene below began to clear as the men stumbled free of the melee. Horses limped away without a rider as the trampled men lay still on the ground. Then Lily grinned "Look, the knights lost 12 but Dylan''s lines have been broken" It was easy to see what she was pointing out as the knights ran amok through the army, slashing down on the men on foot as they desperately attempted to fight back. All too soon, Dylan''s army began to surrender with the commander admitting defeat. Lily grinned, "That was much better than the first battle". She was bloodthirsty. Getting thirsty myself, I took out three water bottles and handed one each to Lily and Kane as I took a deep drink out of my bottle. They looked puzzled for a second, but I demonstrated with my bottle and they got the hang of it. Draining my bottle, I took out my bag with the two gems and added another bottle to the three sitting in there before putting it back away. We watched the field being cleared off, then Lily spoke. "I''m bored, Jo you have anything to play with?" I thought of my magazines and sniggered, but Lily took it the wrong way and thought I was making fun of her. "I''m not a child" she scowled. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. "I wasn''t laughing at you" I quickly comforted her, "Have you heard of juggling?" I asked. Both Kane and Lily were interested, so I took out six half fist sized stones and removed two thirds of their mass. Handing them to both Kane and Lily, I took out three more stones but didn''t bother removing their mass. I could easily handle it at this point. Taking a second to instantly recast the Gravity Cloak on my body to lower the restrictions, I demonstrated to Lily and Kane the fine art of juggling. I did drop a few stones until I got the hang of it, but it was all in good fun.
You have learned the skill Throwing
Throwing? Not a juggling skill? Whatever. Kane and Lily quickly picked up the idea of juggling and began to practice on their own, laughing as they dropped the stones occasionally. A few of them rolled off the sides of the boulder, but I was semi-sure that no one would be seriously hurt if they were hit by one. I had to replace the stones, but eventually both Kane and Lily started to get the hang of it just in time for the next horn to blow. We hadn''t even notice the armies approaching. A thousand strong army stood on one end of the plain, organised in lines ten wide and three thick. They dressed in gray, metal helmets on their heads as they gazed across the plain towards the other army. The other army contained seven hundred men who stood haphazardly, each man holding his own preferred weapon and standing as he pleased. The disorganised army didn''t share a uniform look, wearing whatever clothes and armor they could get their hands on. "Prince Gan''s army is on the right" Lily indicated to the organized army, then she looked disdainfully at the other army "The other army is led by a man no one has heard of, he screams of freedom even as they run to war, unknowing and uncaring of the death he leads them to" I looked somewhat interested at the ragged army as they charged across the plains to Gan''s army. "What are they demanding freedom for?" Lily shrugged, "From what I can tell, their commander got bored of being a farmer". Then she grinned in delight as the lines clashed. The organised army had a row of archers behind the first two men in the frontal line, taking down the warriors as they screamed and rushed towards them. The second man in each line extended his spear downwards, ready to impale those running at them as the man in front readied his large shield and small sword. Screams echoed up the hill as the warriors rushed to their death, the organised lines buckling under pressure of the fanatical warcries of the nameless army. Any revealed gaps immediately filled in by more soldiers behind the first line. "That''s what I call a massacre" Lily spoke with satisfaction, her eyes intent on the scene in front of her. She had a silly wide grin on her face, and both Kane and I found the bloodlust she emitted uncomfortable. The battle ended predictably, Gan''s army losing barely 60 people with over 500 casualties and wounded on the other side. Kane stood up and stretched, "You still want to watch the last two fights today?" he asked Lily. She nodded eagerly as he sighed resignedly before sitting back down. The wait between each fight was filled with boredom, so handing over some stones to both Kane and Lily I picked up my book to read. The last two battles were small affairs, armies of two hundred and the commanders surrendering the second they saw defeat. It was better to be the man who lost the battle than the one who watched his army die. Each commander had spent money to train and equip their men, and it was far better to have them alive. Most of the armies had been conscripted from lands under the rule of the commanders, trained and instructed in fighting and equipped for a battle to the death. I wasn''t sure if they were all willing, but if a commander stood there and watched his men die, not only will he lose the respect of his underlings, he would lose part of his workforce. The battles of the day were over, and the sun would be setting in a few hours. I could feel my bones cracking as I stretched and yawned. My body felt stiff and sore from my flesh being pressed down by the Gravity Cloak all day, the rare windows informing me of stat gains. I was able to turn my Gravity Cloak pretty high due to not moving around, but I paid the price in HP loss and lack of comfort. Lily and Kane were fine however, they just stretched on the boulder before I applied a Gravity Cloak to remove most of their mass and some gravity before they climbed down onto the ground. Lily''s skirt fluttered in the breeze as she jumped down, but she tried to prevent that by holding it but disappointingly enough, she wore white breeches. Kane glared at me as I looked. Lily didn''t seem to notice. We walked back to the city where Lily had an invitation that night for a party held by Gan to celebrate his victory. She wanted to invite me along, but I refused. Stating that I felt far too tired and stiff and wanted to get some sleep in. She was disappointed, but Kane was eager enough to accompany her. I could feel happy for him; Kinda. I may be reading too much into it, but even if she wants something to happen between us I''m not staying in this world. She wouldn''t last long if she came with me either, its not viable. I had noticed long ago that I didn''t actually need sleep, my body not growing tired and my stamina replenishing itself at a steady pace no matter how long I had been awake for. But I couldn''t make noises while they slept, and moving around far enough to make noises could lead into trouble. But even ignoring that, sleeping was far more entertaining than more training. In the city I couldn''t move around freely either due to the guards constantly demanding my business with the gates of the city closed. Its simply easier to sleep. The next morning I woke up, reapplying the Gravity Cloak once I was on solid ground. If I left it on, my bed would be crushed. Moving outside to the courtyard, I went over todays plan. Our battle was at noon which was the second battle of the day, I did think about returning to bed until someone woke me up. But I felt excited for the first piece of real action today. No way can I sleep. I spent the morning weight-lifting small stones with Gravity Cloak applied in the inn''s courtyard. A silly sight to be sure. I rehearsed my speech over and over in my head, trying to work out what to say and how to say it. The plan was set in stone, but I wanted to set the proper tone with my speech. I wanted to indicate cold bloodlust, an aura of madness radiating as I licked my lips. The reason I was in this battle clear to see, lips curling as the screams of the damned rose about me. I painted quite a nice picture in my head, I could see it already. The armies falling on their faces as the commanders screamed their loss. My dripping weapon held in one hand as I stood on a hill of flesh, no movement around me. All too soon as I was lost in fantasy, Lily and Kane came downstairs and we began to prepare ourselves for the fight to come. We felt much too tense to watch the first battle, and as it became time for our own battle we moved to the blacksmith where Lily climbed into the iron armor. I had to cast multiple gravity cloaks on each piece of her armor to lower the mass and gravity sufficiently before she could move around. The armor was far too clumsy for her to move around at a reasonable speed, so Kane and I were forced to drape her arms about us and carry her down to the battlefield. We made a strange sight, two guys carrying an iron knight sitting on clasped arms between us, the knight''s arms around our shoulders for balance. The War Adviser stood there waiting for us, eyeing us three as we arrived before shaking his head. "Madness". After a pause, he wet his lips and spoke "You do not wish to withdraw?" Lily''s muffled voice spoke from the helmet "Nope". Shaking his head, he moved away to check on the other army opposite us across the field. Our first fight was against an army of 40 and seemed that we had been given the easiest fight. Lily had briefed us earlier on what to expect, they had 25 swordsmen, 7 archers and 8 spearsmen. Their commander liked to fight alongside the warriors and they looked far too similar to tell apart. She said that it should be a easy fight, unless I can''t deliver. She gave me a clear look then, expressing that I needed to deliver in my promises. Lily settled into a position she felt comfortable, and five minutes before the battle began I started casting Gravity Cloak on her armor. Each Gravity Cloak could last for hours having been leveled up to the 60s and the mass of the armor was almost 600% of the normal, I didn''t touch gravity however as I didn''t want to encounter problems with a piece slipping. Kane himself received a small mass boost and lowered gravity, having experimented with it before to find a level he found comfortable. The horn blew, and I turned my attention to the army as they began to move. Excellent. When they are in earshot, I''ll give my glorious speech. Chapter 20 - Inspiring Speech The main incentives I have for writing this is knowing that other people are interested in the story, and I really really want to move onto my favorite ideas for worlds. That said, I''m kind of awed, shocked, surprised, disbelief, skeptical you are still reading this, considering the slow updates. Take Change: New World for example, the author seems to do daily updates and while its not the same premise as this, its still a pretty good read. Summarized: God turns world into a game, boy''s school turns into a dungeon, he starts grinding. Finding a good story is a horrible task, hiding themselves behind a bad title or uninteresting/cringy synopsis. I''m not apologizing, nor am I making an excuse. This is just an observation I wanted to share. Anyways, slightly longer chapter than usual, have fun. ------------------------------------------------------- I stood on the field in mere cotton clothes with the sun high in the center of the sky. I had chainmail back at the inn, but for my purposes it would be best to display that I don''t need to wear armor before resorting in the future to protecting myself. When I do wear the chainmail it''ll be cumbersome to wear. I have to increase the mass to prevent blows from splitting the links and even then I may still lose HP from blunt force. Still better than fighting as a porcupine though, and when I do wear chainmail I''m likely going to be fighting all-out. The only sign of weaponry lay in my right hand, a long wooden pole reinforced by a metal shaft running through the center with a iron tip formed on the end. It felt almost light in my hands and I was severely tempted to reinforce it using Gravity Cloak, however I refrained. My body was still under the effects of a strong Gravity Cloak, and I wanted to see how far I could go in this state before resorting to superhuman strength. My journey to the Stone Kingdom hadn''t been a lazy walk, even as I practiced my magic I was working under a heavy Gravity Cloak with steady stat gains coming every so often. My losses from the rift fiasco were restored, and my new stats for the most part had gone completely beyond. I''d even gained a level from it. I was close to reaching level 9 in the Gamer skill, and this fight will push it over the tip. But that''s not the present. As I was saying, I stood on the field in mere cotton clothes. Staring at the army across the field with excitement running through me. We were finally going to fight. The men dressed in leather, the majority wearing small pieces of iron armor in strategic places. Not going to be enough. The horn blows, its time to fight. As they closed in I walked forwards to place distance between myself and the other two, it wouldn''t do to have them attacked. The advancing army had obviously considered us as harmless I could see, of the approaching army at least half had remained behind. Ten swordsmen, two spearsmen and two archers in the charge, the archers lagging behind. The rest of the army relaxed as they watched, though the commander was in the charging half of the army. As the distance closed, I felt it was just about time to give my speech. But first, I need to prepare myself. I took a slow deep breath, held it, then let it go. Taking a deeper breath my blood began to pound through my veins as a small tingle ran up my spine. Violent thoughts surged as I fanned the flames and excited my body. Skin on face tightening, mouth twisting into a smile. I could feel the tingle running through my arms as I thought of violence and deliberately excited myself. Psyching myself up and forcing my mental state to change, I could feel my muscles demanding to move as my breathing grew rapid. Swallowing, I could hear the screams already. Rended flesh under my fingers, bones breaking under my grip. It began to flow naturally, I could feel myself yearning for the fight already. As I stood there and grew excited with the carnage to come, starting to anticipate what I would soon do, to my surprise a window displayed.
You have learned the skill Aura: Bloodlust
My thoughts lurched, and my body was filled with lust. I want to taste their blood and hear screams. The charging warriors instantly stumbled as the tension in the air skyrocketed, my thoughts filling with carnage and blood as I looked on them with maddened eyes and a cruel grin. Excitement coursing through me, I was about to move before belatedly realizing I have to give them a speech. "Before we get started, I need to tell you two things" I spoke gleefully. The army had halted 15 meters away, wary of the sudden shift in the air. The archers behind them began to raise their bows as they notched an arrow, however I ignored them as I eyed with anticipation what places they left unprotected. "Rule one" I smiled cruelly, already imagining the scene. "Just considering attacking my commander is grounds to die" One of the archers fired his arrow at that time, and I could see the warriors slowly react to the sight as it flew through the air. I had plenty of time to dodge, my stats providing me a clear advantage as I considered my choices to take. But I had only one real goal with this speech, so I directed my body into position. Barely penetrating, the arrow hit the center of my neck and penetrated an inch before bouncing out under its own force. It did hurt, but not as much as the bullets had.
HP -41
Bleeding status, -1 HP a second
Grinning at them, my bloodlust spiked as the tension in the air increased.
The skill Aura: Bloodlust has reached level 2
Physical stats increased by 8% Mental stats decreased by 30% Sadism and rage raised Fear state has a chance to be inflicted
"Rule two" my voice spoke, as if nothing happened. The fear and disbelief on their faces was obvious as they eyed the shallow wound on my neck which bleed lightly. Eying them casually as if nothing had happened, I spoke with a malicious grin "If my commander and assistant is attacked, I will slaughter everyone" A soldier swallowed as the second archer released his arrow, this time I took it on my chest just to prove a point. But the second the arrow hit me, the commander roared and charged at which the others followed closely behind.
HP -39
Bleeding status, -1 HP a second
The first man to reach me slashed downwards with his sword, seeking to slice my chest but I easily moved backwards as I used my pole to knock out his feet. Another spear jabbed towards me, but I took my time to knock it away with my free hand before sinking my spear into the fallen swordsman''s unprotected shoulder. He howled in pain as the others roared in righteous fury.
DMG 45
Steadily moving backwards from the group of soldiers, I dodged their weapons and stabbed at unprotected regions. Taking shots where I could but trying to ensure that none of them died or were taken out of action, far too early for that. But numbers were against me and they began to surround me, my actions beginning to focus on defense. My Gravity Cloak prohibited me from moving around freely and so I could only focus on dodging what I could. No matter, I want to make them break one of my rules. One enterprising warrior lunged forwards as he tried to stab me, but instead of leaving him be I knocked the flat of his sword away with the butt of my spear before swinging it around and stabbing it into his thigh.
76 DMG
180 EXP
The spearsman screamed as I penetrated through his thigh, ripping through his tendons as he fell to the ground in pain. It was then a soldier finally realized the wounds on my chest and neck no longer bleed. Yelling to his comrades, he drew their attention at which they faltered, their advantage in numbers temporarily forgotten. Expressions of shock on their faces, I decided it was probably time to force them backwards and to pressure them. My body was demanding their deaths, but rationally I knew I needed to give me excuse before I went all-out. They were not ready yet. Moving forwards with a maddened grin on my face, my bloodlust cowed them as they sought to stay back for every step I took. I could see a few expressions looking unsure now, fear will come soon enough. Quickly stepping forwards I used the palm of my hand to slap the flats of two blades away before stabbing my spear into a shoulder and moving to stab another. However before I could stab the second man, he quickly yelled his surrender as he noted his fate.
68 DMG
150 EXP
The ones who surrendered were exempt from the battle, instructed to leave the battlefield immediately and peacefully else they would be killed by officials. If someone attempted to make a farce of surrendering, they would be killed by outside forces the second the battle ended. Not to mention their commander would receive a large fine. In return for surrender, the other army would receive more money for not having killed the soldier. The battle wouldn''t have lasted this long if it wasn''t for my high WIS seemingly slowing down the battle, body moving before their weapons could reach full strength as it moved towards me. I wasn''t invincible either, but their reactions to exploit my movements slowed as they hesitated to close in towards me, knowing I would likely retaliate in return. By this time no one wanted to attack me, I was provoking and goading them into further moving away as they sought to escape. Even the commander didn''t dare rush forwards, knowing the moment he fell the battle was lost. I saw someone turn their head towards Kane and Lily and I grinned inside, they seemed to be considering other options now.
You have learned the skill Spears
The skill Gamer has reached level 9
Inventory increases to 4x4 slots Quests has been unlocked
By this time the commander knew I was playing with them and gave the order to fall back, and as they tensely separated from me I leaned against my spear with a grin on my face. I couldn''t wait for what would come next. I had taken down four men, kinda lightly injured roughly five others. The men who had stayed behind to watch had looked as if they would join the fight, and as the commander drew near they merged in with his group. He spoke quietly to them as I watched, my blood beginning to pound as I sensed the moment I had been waiting for drawing close. Finally it began as the commander yelled "Kill!" as his army yelled "Kill!" back. Repeating it several more times, the uncertainty began to disappear as they howled louder with each yell and worked themselves up. It was with a final roar that they separated and began to circle the battlefield, their footsteps strong and expressions fierce as they spread across the battlefield in a wide semi-circle with distance placed between each man. Moving backwards, I drew nearer to Kane and Lily as the wide semi-circle of men began to draw in, their expressions fierce as they scowled menacingly at us. Kane looked at me nervously, iron armor worn with leather protecting what spots it didn''t protect. His face remained uncovered and from what I could see he looked haggard already. "Don''t worry" I spoke towards him reassuringly even as I drooled for the fight, "Its well in hand" He didn''t seem to believe me, and in the few seconds left before they reached us I spoke towards the advancing men. "Are you sure? I''ll consider this an intention to attack my commander you know" They charged, and I grinned with fierce joy as my blood surged.
The skill Aura: Bloodlust has reached level 3
Physical stats increased by 11% Mental stats decreased by 30% Sadism and rage raised Fear state has a chance to be inflicted
Everyone on the field stumbled at the sudden increase in tension, Kane included and I took that opportunity to move towards the closest man and stab him in the face with the iron tip of the spear.
112 DMG
150 EXP
Realising I had upped the stakes, the warriors roared as they charged in and meters away I realized with joy, I was going to kill them all. I could consider them to have broken my first rule. Throwing my spear at another man advancing towards Kane, it penetrated through his leather chestplate as I drew my club from my inventory.
98 DMG
160 EXP
The movement on the battlefield grew to a still as I released my Gravity Cloak and my body was unencumbered for the first time in weeks. I felt so so light as I took off a head of a warrior, his voice not given the chance to scream before the next man heard his ribs crack loudly in the air. Ever so slowly, Kane turned towards me with shock in his face as I mowed through the advancing army and killed whoever I could touch. I had to apply Gravity Cloak on my body to increase my mass and gravity at times, but I could instantly remove it and reapply it as I liked. The mana cost was negligible at this point. I did have to constantly increase the mass of my club for each impact however, it wouldn''t do to break it. My hand closed about a mans neck and as I squeezed another two windows popped up which I ignored as I moved onto the next man. In the space of ten seconds, the eight men closest to us died, battlefield standing still as I grinned, hands dripping blood as they eyed me with abject fear. Kane looked at me with horror as he eyed the blood splatters on my arms, the club caked in old blood dripping yet more fresh and warm blood. "W-What" he stammered with his eyes wide and his face slack as he tried to process the sudden change in the air. I grinned at him carelessly and turned to the other soldiers. "Lets continue" I grinned happily, tasting blood on my lips as their cute faces screwed up in terror. They made no attempt to attack, their bodies stiff with fright and terror. Slowly, I began to walk to the nearest man who screamed "I surrender!" as he fell backwards in terror, body scrambling to push distance between us. "But you tried to attack my commander!" I happily spoke as my club took his head.
180 DMG
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
160 EXP
The three nearest me hoarsely screamed in desperation as they began to run, weapons dropped as they desperately tried to escape. But I grinned as I dug my feet into the ground, dirt shifting as my legs pushed me forwards to the nearest man where my fist impacted the center of his unprotected back. His leather armor bent under the blow as a dull crack sounded through the air, I suspected his spine snapped or broke, not sure which.
121 DMG
160 EXP
They tried to run, terror spreading rapidly through the army as they heard the telltale cracks of broken bones and the screams of men who didn''t die instantly. The plan was going brilliantly I happily thought, my body moving to intercept another man who tried to run. I did make sure that they were not in pain for long, I''m not that much of a monster. They quickly realized I killed those who tried to run, but staying still didn''t exactly help either. When no one was running, I walked steadily at a slow pace towards them, taking my time. A few even tried to surrender, desperate to get out of this alive. Their commander I left alive and broken. Literally. He tried to faint with the pain, and for a second I thought he was going to die. But luckily for me his health stabilised about 8 after I finished working on him. As I walked away satisfied, his screams tore at the air.
250 EXP
You have leveled up to 22
You have been given 5 stat points to distribute
Cool. Finally looking back at Kane, I noticed with disgust his chest was heaving as he tried to spew, spew already on the ground with more about his mouth. It ruined the scenery about us. We stood in the center of a masterpiece, bodies lying on the ground with the trodden grass and dirt painted red. Regretfully both Kane and Lily been hit with a few splatters of blood, but the picture and the scent in the air was delightful! I noticed with amusement some of the bodies looked untouched, despite being clearly dead. I snorted as I looked at the drastic contrast to the ones missing heads. Honestly, I may have gone overboard with this, but its all part of the plan! I wonder how much Lily knows. Hopefully not enough, I can still persuade her to continue if I can drown out Kane''s voice. The commanders screams finally ran silent as we stood on the empty field, delightful scent of blood filling my nose as I took a deep sniff. I looked over at him curious on what happened, but was relieved to see that he had only fainted. Better for my image if they see his torment goes on. All in all, this fight took approximately nine minutes, most of that being waiting for the commander to attack Lily and Kane. I could see a few soldiers far from my painting still alive, but they hadn''t been part of the attack. Briefly considering going after them regardless, I yelled out to them "What''s the matter! Don''t you want to attack these two?!" They heard me, but they moved away with weak legs, faces tight with fear as they watched me nervously. Kane moaned and tried to spew again, his body limp on the ground. I noted with mild worry that he looked rather pale, his eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow. Shouldn''t he have better resistance than this? Isn''t he a mercenary? I stood there considering him for a few seconds when Lily spoke, her voice was muffled under the armor yet she still managed to sound scared. "I-I-Is it o-over?" she stuttered almost incomprehensibly. This scene about me makes me quite happy. Grinning towards the armor I replied "Yes my princess, its over" "C-C-Can you c-carry me b-back" she stuttered, she sounded absolutely terrified. I should have made her wear earplugs. Is the aura effecting her? I grinned at the two, one unable to move in a suit of impenetrable armor, and the other bloodless and terrified as they lay unconscious on the ground. I''m going to catch shit for this later, but at the moment I really couldn''t care. I hadn''t felt this great since.. Forever. The removal of the Gravity Cloak and the allout carnage. I shivered in ecstasy. Can''t wait for the next battle. "Sure" I finally replied, a warm smile on my lips. "I''ll carry you back". Looked like the bloodlust was indeed effecting them, but I feel absolutely great! I should first assign my new stat points before we move on, no better time than the present!
NameJonathan Cliff
TitlesGamer, Pawn
Level22 [2%]Health839/839
Stamina1083/1094Mana598/598
Balance9,055 Coins
VIT67 (+7)STR89 (+10)
END95 (+10)AGI45 (+5)
DEX31 (+3)INT95 (-28)
WIS88 (-26)LUK23
Skills
  • Gamer lv.9 [8%]
  • Cooking lv.24 [43%]
  • Clubs lv.39 [54%]
  • Shock Resistance lv.26 [32%]
  • Reading lv.20 [71%]
  • Storytelling lv.12 [54%]
  • Meditation lv.79 [13%]
  • Crafting
    • Woodworking lv.1 [96%]
  • Banker lv.9 [26%]
  • Negotiation lv.6 [13%]
  • Gravity Mastery lv.59 [77%]
  • Formless Magic Mastery lv.32 [47%]
  • Light Mastery lv.54 [62%]
  • Mana Channelling lv.68 [29%]
  • Torchlight lv.19 [72%]
  • Gravity Cloak lv.62 [26%]
  • Gravity Well lv.10 [32%]
  • Lightball lv.6 [9%]
  • Rift Creation lv.1 [0%]
  • Light Beam lv.35 [5%]
  • Throwing lv.1 [76%]
  • Spears lv.2 [24%]
Huh, interesting. I''d gained a few levels in Clubs from that fight. Wonder how quests work. Investing my points into AGI, I applied Gravity Cloaks to Lily and Kane and effortlessly floated them both into the air as I began pushing them home. A minute after we left the field, a window appeared.
Aura: Bloodlust is no longer in effect
The high I had been riding on instantly disappeared, and I started to feel some disgust for what had happened. Shockingly enough, I found it disturbingly easy to ignore those feelings and lock them away, instead remembering the fight detachedly. I didn''t find it so easy to ignore the heavy regret as I looked at Kane and Lily. Kane had fainted, his face pale and his arms floating freely by his sides as I pushed him along. Lily herself was silent and I couldn''t see her face. I didn''t look forwards to talking with her, I knew she was scared out of her wits. I had dragged them both into this, and I deliberately misled them to believe it would be easy. Smiling bitterly to myself, I pushed the two in front of me through the air. I had to adjust their positions occasionally, but they floated along fine with only the occasional nudge. I hated the lies I had been forced to tell. We soon began to encounter people, most of them coming down from the hill where they had watched the battle. It seemed the majority of the spectators didn''t have the stomach to stick around after that, choosing instead to return home. They recognised me of course, faces blanching white in fear as they moved far from me. We attracted attention as we moved, two bodies floating in the air with my arms utterly soaked in dried blood with the rest of my body covered in a light splatter. A few people unknowing of what had conspired tried to approach me, curiosity in their eyes. Others in the crowd held them back and whispered in their ears after which they stayed away. I was forced to keep a content face and half-smile on, acting my part to the fearful people who saw me. Eyes looking neither left nor right in response to their glances as they gave me wide berth. I am indifferent to their feelings and beyond their feelings, someone who revels in death. We soon reached the town walls, large gatherings of people behind me with scarcely anyone to be seen in front or to the sides. Only the brave dared to travel with me at their backs, knowing I was looking at them as we walked. They didn''t dare to attract my attention and yet, they all wanted to see what I would do and so they followed. It was only natural. As we approached the town gates, the guards watched us curiously as they noted the large crowd behind me and the two bodies floating in the air. It was impossible to dismiss the blood bath I had taken. A guard captain stationed in the group watching us spoke up as we drew near, addressing me. "What''s going on?" I smiled at him good-naturedly "I won the battle" "Ah, I mean what''s with the body and armor floating?" he half-gestured. "Ah right" I tilted my head with a half-smile. "I''m a mage" His brow furrowed further "A mage?" "A combat mage. I hope for more in the next battle" I happily spoke. Thinking thoughts of carnage and blood, I forced the skill to come into effect.
Aura: Bloodlust is now in effect
Everyone near me staggered, Lily moaned from the armor as the men yelled in terror and women screamed. The few children that hadn''t fainted began to whimper as the guards recoiled in shock before recovering as they pointed their weapons towards me. "My bad" I sing-songed as I forcibly calmed myself down.
Aura: Bloodlust is no longer effect
The guard captain swore as the guards surrounded me. His face was openly hostile as he glared at me with anger, the crowd screaming as they tried to escape. I noted with interest quite a few women had fainted, even less children remained conscious. "The hell was that!" the captain yelled angrily, his long sword pointed towards my throat with fierce intensity as his men pointed their own weapons at me. A few of them looked positively sick, maybe Kane''s reaction was normal after all. "Sorry, I got excited for a second there" I cheerfully smiled. Half a second later I asked eagerly "Do you want to fight?" His face scowled heavily at me with anger ignited in his eyes, then to my relief a man approached from the few that remained scattered about us.
Yain lv.7 Sanid Guard Swordsman
Despite my words, I didn''t actually want to pick a fight with them. Posturing and spreading word of my attitude was my goal. Watching Yain as he approached the captain, I heard his words as he spoke quietly. "Sir, he fought Ruan''s army alone. Killed half the army in less than a minute" The captain reacted, but Yain continued as I happily watched "His movements were inhuman as he fought, his hands crushed bone. Before he started fighting, he deliberately moved into an arrow and took it in the neck. It barely scratched him" The captain looked at me with something akin to shock and maybe the beginnings of fear in his eyes as Yain quickly moved backwards, retreating to a safe distance as he extracted himself from the situation. "Can we fight?" I asked the captain with a slow smile as I slowly took out the club from my inventory. What remained of the crowd dispersed, yells and screams as they scrambled away. I ignored them however, watching the captains face as he changed expressions. His eyes caught the fresh blood on the club and widened as I smiled carelessly at him. "I''ve kept to your laws" I smiled, "I believe challenges are allowed? Will you accept?". "N-No" he finally swallowed as his eyes followed my club. "That''s fine". He quickly stepped away as I showed a regretful expression and placed my club away, the other guards moved with him with small sighs of relief as the tension loosened. I knew what they were thinking, what I made them think. I wanted to fight them, to kill them. As we moved through the gates, I noted with humor the brave souls that had stayed to watch our small scene, others that had remained with their carts. A few of them still even seemed to think the floating bodies were the main show and almost ignored me as I pushed Kane and Lily through the air. As we moved back towards our inn, we attracted another large crowd who largely seemed to be unaware of the situation. A few even dared to approach me, their fellow gawkers doing nothing to prevent their decision. "How do you do that?" a man gestured towards Lily, I ignored him and stepped past. He tried to ask more questions, I ignored him. This happened more than a few times, the people varying and the questions changing. One man even asked if I was interested in doing a private show, paid of course. I gave him the same silent treatment as I gave everyone else, ignoring him as I pushed the bodies. Occasionally I was forced to wait for people to disperse before I could move forwards, but when a man stubbornly stood in my path and refused to move. I looked at him bleakly "Move". A minute later, his leg was broken and we continued towards the inn. The innkeeper to his credit despite gawking still helped move Lily and Kane towards the courtyard where he handed me a bucket, I told him to move inside the inn and to keep everyone else out. Threw him a few gold coins to help his decision. Operating the pump, I declined to think about why they had water as I used the bucket to rinse off what blood had splattered on Lily''s armor. She made no sounds inside the armor as I did so, and after finishing with her I used more water to clean up Kane''s mouth and the few splatters of blood on his clothes. Rinsing off what I could on my own body, I finally removed Lily''s armor and helped her out of the iron prison. She looked utterly drained and tired, her face pale and legs shaking. She refused to meet my eyes and with my help moved to her room where she collapsed into her bed. After depositing Kane on his own bed, I moved the armor into the corner of the room before nodding satisfied. Quickly changing into new clothes, I went back out into the city. A crowd still remained outside the inn, but they gave me wide berth as I moved and I quickly lost them in the crowd. I should talk to Oliver now and see what will happen now that we''ve won our first battle. I felt regretful about the situation Kane and Lily found themselves in, but I''m given no other choice. Chapter 21 - Conflict Wrote this chapter with the intention to expand on a sub-plot and give the princess some character, got sidetracked and the subplot reduced to a fourth of its intended size. Then I thought to myself that her story isn''t really that interesting, so I removed most of her part in this. Poor princess. If you do want to read the draft for Lily''s POV you can read it here TL;DR Jon is scary Also weirdly enough, my plot for the next battle is detailed enough that I can''t stop thinking its the actual chapter. -------------------------------------------- Walking through the crowds, no one spared me a second glance as I smoothly made my way through the throngs of people. A few figures recognised me to be sure, but I quickly lost them in the crowds as I relished the look of sudden shock and fear on their faces. I pretended not to notice them, striding past with only a small flicker of my eyes glancing towards their nameplate. But still, a murderer and object of fear casually blending in with the crowds, is this not worse than one who sticks out? I personally thought so, and the ones who saw and recognized me seemed to believe so as well. As I smoothly walked through the crowds, I heard conversations regarding the battle and smiled inwardly as I heard Lily''s name repeated often, followed by a frown when I heard the name ''Red Monster'' afterwards. I didn''t like my new nickname, it makes me sound like an energy drink. I need to change this while I can, but nothing would be as retarded as walking up to them and asking them to call me Lily''s Demon. Actually.. Why not? Smoothly approaching an outdoors shop, I quickly purchased a long strip of rough cloth from an oblivious man before moving into a alley and wrapping it about my head. I hoped it wouldn''t stand out so much this time, I still hadn''t seen anyone dress like this. As I walked out of the alley, I attracted the attention of people.. who turned away uninterested in my garb! Success! I didn''t have to walk far before I found a group of people talking about the battle. "He was laughing" a wizened old man insisted to the other three men, his stick pounding on the ground for emphasis. "His hands were dyed red as the men began to fall. He was laughing!" Another man dressed in simple clothing (farmer) added onto the statement with his own dramatic flair "The arrow bounced right off him, but the monster he is.. He didn''t notice a thing!" The old man''s eyes widened with emphasis, "Aye, a true monster" he declared. "The stench about it reeks of death". Smoothly I spoke up "I''d call him more of a demon" They looked at me in mild surprise, then the old man asked "You are?" "Dan, I''m wearing this because I''m ugly" They looked awkward for a second, before I snickered and broke the tension. "I cover my face due to my religion" As I chuckled at my joke they laughed awkwardly until I stopped. Speaking, I added onto their story "But really, I''d say he''s a demon. A monster doesn''t cover it" The third man spoke up "A demon huh, sounds better than just calling him a monster". I continued "Yes, Lily''s Demon" The old man tilted his head to the side as the space between the group fell silent, "Lily''s Demon.." he mulled it over thoughtfully. I continued to persuade them "You''ve heard of the demons yes? Creatures of blood and hellstone, evil permeating the very air around them. Their minds corrupted, bodies twisted into cruel parodies of humans" "I''ve heard of them" the old man spoke. He slowly nodded in approval "Lily''s Demon does sound much better". "Well anyways" I confided to my trusted comrades, "I had an exceptionally good view to the battle and her demon cared nothing for anyone, slaughtered the army as if they were wheat chaff. It did not even care for the man who guarded its master." "Princess Lily lay protected inside the armor, and when the demon walked up to her with the bodies of the slain strewn across the ground, I had a very good view to watch as he treated her very gently, lifting her into the air with utter care. The other man who had fainted in the battle, Lily''s demon moved him with contempt and gave him very little attention" I continued as they listened in rapt attention "And the demon''s corruption. Have you ever felt something like it? It twisted and penetrated at the very air, crawling under my skin as it whispered into my ears, driving me mad with unnatural fear. Not human for sure, nor is it a beast. I''m telling you, its a demon" They pressed me for details on the battle eagerly, but I would only expand a little more before I retreated and watched them while hiding out of sight. It didn''t take long for their group to break up, each man finding another group to talk to with their new information. I only had to repeat this once on my trip, and again they eagerly listened to what I said before I was soon being called "Lily''s Demon", not "Red Monster" the energy drink.
WIS +1
Really I wasn''t giving them much information, but they didn''t have a very good view up on the hill of the small details, and I was banking on the fact that they were either not effected by the aura, or suffered only a little. I was telling my story as if I had been on the sidelines, closer than anyone they had talked to. Arriving at my destination, I walked inside the building.
You have entered Noble''s Court
Looking around for Oliver I was dissatisfied to see I couldn''t spy his name, I still remembered where his offices lay however so I began to walk towards there but didn''t get very far as a few guards stepped in front of my path, demanding I talk and tell them my business. With cold eyes and voice, I glared them down "I represent Princess Lily and have a meeting with Oliver", eyeing them both as I did so. Their expressions unfortunately remained unchanged as the left guard spoke "If you have a meeting, please wait in the lounge and he will send a messenger". My mood began to darken. Eyeing him nastily, I continued in the same cold tone "Quin you will regret this if you continue to stand in my way" as he paled, I then turned my head to the other guard. "The same goes for you Beis. You will pass on the message, or stand to the side" I spoke menacingly, sorely tempted to turn on my aura as stupid as that would be. The guard Quin hesitated a second, then turned towards an assistant standing around "Inquire with the War Adviser if he has a meeting with Lily''s representative" As the messenger scampered off, the guard spoke politely "Please wait until we have a response" The assistant didn''t take long, soon rushing back to us where he breathlessly spoke "Escort him to the office" The guards escorted me as we marched towards Oliver''s office, one guard in front and another behind me. Quin knocked smartly on the door and as Oliver called me in he opened the door allowing me to walk in. Moving inside, Oliver sat behind his desk watching me as the guards bowed and closed the door behind me. Oliver looked wary as he watched me "You are fast". "Yes" I smiled at him. Clearly he was talking about how early I had arrived from the battle, barely an hour and a half. He obviously was also unsure of me, knowing of my deeds on the battlefield and I didn''t intend to reassure him. "When will I next fight?" I asked him politely as I sat in the offered chair where I casually reclined. Oliver watched me for a second, his brow slightly furrowed before he nodded. "Right" Shifting papers on his desk, he soon pulled a sheet out and placed it before him as he scanned down the contents. "Five days at the earliest, however I can''t tell you which army you will be fighting". "Hmm" I pursed my lips unhappily, "Is there any remaining business regarding the previous battle?" I inquired. "Ah yes, we can do that now if you like" Oliver muttered, "Though I don''t have the exact figures just yet" he looked up at me. "That''s ok" I smiled, "Just assume anyone not accounted for is dead" I casually spoke as he seemed to scowl at my flippant attitude. "I can do that" he muttered unhappily as he began to shuffle papers until he set four down in front of him. Scanning down the list, he wrote on another piece of paper using charcoal until he finally finished with the paper set in front of him. "You are owed 160 gold" he spoke with distaste. I was taken aback for a few seconds, then scowled at him "I left the commander alive, I''m owed money for him" Oliver looked at me with hard eyes "You attacked him after he surrendered" he spoke accusatory. Embarrassed, I scratched my jaw as I wrly smiled "Forgot that" I wondered why it was that I didn''t seem to care much about their lives now, is it because they are not me, or because I must? Musing, I wondered if it was the meditation skill dampening my emotions as I sat there with Oliver watching me. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Rudely he showed me the door "I''ll send my assistant with you to receive the money" as he hurried me out, seeming unwilling to wait in the room with me. He spoke a few words to the assistant who stood outside and watched me leave before moving back into his office. The assistant didn''t talk to me as we walked, and after delivering me to the treasurer with a few words the treasurer bade me wait while he sent yet another assistant to retrieve the money owed. Twenty minutes later, an assistant arrived and finally gave me the money. It took longer than I wanted it to, but I had the money now. And in seconds, my balance rose by 1,600 coins. Leaving the building behind I moved towards the gates, a few people still recognised me, but this wasn''t an issue and I was extremely pleased to hear that the name Lily''s Demon was catching on. Approaching the gate, the guards and captain I had so much fun with earlier were still posted there and when they saw me they blanched in fear as I moved through the gate unaccosted. I gave them a friendly nod as I passed, none of the other people moving through the gate seemed to recognise me. Moving towards an area almost devoid of people, I began picking up stones from the ground and filling up my inventory slots. This work took me five hours, and I had four slots filled with sizable stones and another slot half full. The remaining three hours I spent were tracking down the location of my spear. First I returned to the battlefield, the place was empty and obviously my spear was gone. Then I moved to the guards at the gate where I asked them if they had seen my spear, they hadn''t. The guards stationed there was a new shift, not the same people I had talked to earlier but they seemed to recognise me just the same. One of the guards recommended I talk to the people who clean up the battlefield and gave me directions and after thanking him and leaving the city behind I moved towards a large clearing where tents were erected, men lying outside on blankets with bloody bandages wrapped around them. There I accosted a boy walking around and asked him what happened to the equipment left on the battlefield. He gave me directions, and I moved to another part of the clearing where a large tent was setup. The size of the tent was massive, and I thought it was large enough to contain a music concert. There was a small queue standing outside the tent, but the wait wasn''t very long until I stood in front of a man who sat behind a desk.
Daniel lv. 2 Lost & Found
"Hi, I''m looking for my spear?" I spoke. "Description of spear and last seen where?" he asked, "Uh, it has metal through the center of it and its made of wood. I know it has a iron tip and I last saw it in someone''s chest. Its the spear owned by Princess''s Lily''s army" His eyes narrowed as he looked at me, he seemed to recognise it by description. "That spear already been claimed" Freaking. "Who claimed it and where do they live?" I inquired politely, "Unfortunately the spear has been claimed already, I can''t help you further" he droned, looking to the next man in the line and calling out "Next!". I looked at him and the six guards protecting him. "I''m not leaving" I dangerously spoke to him. "I want my spear". "Please leave", he gave no intention of budging, he gave a motion towards the guards and they began to close in. Reaching out my hand, I dropped a single stone on his desk. His eyes watched the pebble fall through the air, his face impassive as he mouth began to open before it hit the wooden desk. A deep crack sounded through the air, the desk splintered as the stone pounded down and bore a hole through the papers lying on top which flew into the air. The ground seemed to tremble slightly as the stone continued its journey into the dirt where it made a small crater. Silence seemed to reign before the guards reacted with yells and backed away, unknowing how to comprehend what just happened as Daniel toppled backwards on his chair and fell to the ground where he scrabbled backwards to put distance between us with his eyes wild and filled with fear. "My spear" I coldly spoke. "It''s been claimed by Commander Darek" he stammered, "I don''t have control over it!" he desperately backpedaled, realizing I wasn''t playing nice. "Where does he live" I smiled towards him, the smile not reaching my eyes. That spear cost me money, I had fought with it, bleed with it and generally fought with it. But its my spear, and they.. took it? "I don''t know!" he flinched when I moved my arm towards him "You need to ask headquarters!". Thanking him for his time, I stepped out of the tent. Then promptly walked back in. He looked unhappy to see me again. "Where''s headquarters?" I soon stood inside a building in the city where I stood out. Guards moved through the place, all with high ranks and everyone seemed to notice me as I stood in the doorway out of place with my clothes. I wasn''t awed and didn''t find it awkward however as I scanned through the crowds looking for Commander Derek, not finding him, I found the next best thing. The guard captain who had been guarding the city gate. As I approached him, I ignored the large group he had gathered as he discussed his near-death experience with storytelling fervour. With a grin, I stepped inside the group and raised my hand in greeting "Hey, nice to see you again. Know where Commander Darek is?" His eyes snapped to mine, his face paled and he stumbled backwards mid-sentence. Everyone could see his face falling in dismay, and the group as a collective looked towards me curiously, a few of the smarter ones realized who I was. It took him a second to recover, but his first words were "How did you get in here" I threw a wink towards him "I knew the guards at the door". In actuality I had called them by name and pretended to know them, just as they were about to deny me entry another captain approached who I convinced I knew him as well. They finally admitted me entrance, albeit reluctantly. The captain quickly found out where Darek lived and soon I stood outside another building with the sun setting and the day disappearing. I could hear voices inside, and I hoped one of them was Darek. He had lead me for far too long a chase. Politely knocking on his door, gently asking the little daughter to fetch her father and giving the father a great big grin as I see him. "Darek! It took me time to find you!" I don''t recognise his face. He looked at me and squinted, thinking for a second "Do I know you?" I was suddenly sick of the game, pretending I was having a great time. My eyes cold and hard, I stared at him "You have my spear" His mouth formed a small o as his face seemed to slacken, evidently he recognised me. To his credit, he quickly recomposed himself "Ah, I''ll retrieve it then" Not a minute later he handed the spear to me, it seemed to have been cleaned thoroughly and was wrapped in a fine cloth. Just what did he plan to do with this? Would he even tell me if I asked? So it was with an undramatic close that my day ended, I returned uneventfully to the inn where I checked in with both Kane and Lily who still lay in their beds sleeping like the dead. The next five days were spent throwing stones outside the city, grinding my throwing skill for usage in future battles. In the previous battle, my aim had been terrible. A few men escaped. I resolved to fix that problem. During the days leading up to the battle, Lily tended to avoid me, talking to me only when she must and occasionally forcing herself to do small talk. But it was noticeable that she felt tense in my presence, her words forced and stilted. Kane didn''t seem to have that problem, although he stopped treating me as a friend he could talk normally when I was around. Lily began to loosen up as time went on, but its unlikely she''ll ever feel comfortable around me. During those days we received a fair load of letters. After asking Kane or Lily to read the first few letters out to me, I lost interest in the contents. All of them seemed to be about invitations to parties, offering assistance, private meetings with another commander and polite inquiring as to my background. It didn''t help that I can''t read and don''t want to spend the time learning how to read. I was aware that Kane and Lily would often meet with other commanders, attending parties and small meetings where she would converse and spread information. She would tell them that to attack either of them was to court sure death. Even if Lily dies and the battle is won, I am sure to continue fighting to the bitter end, my only desire being their life. But of course, she said it much more subtly than I ever could. I had little doubt she was better at politics, I tend to go for the blunt approach. Chapter 22 - Tactics Army size as stated in Lily''s POV is a mistake, should have been three hundred. A minor note for those who like to read entire fictions on their kindle or in a single epub/mobi file, or even if they simply hate the site layout. I use a firefox addon which I''ve talked about here. Just go to the fiction''s page, select all the chapters and ''Grab links''. Super easy to do. Also if anyone wants to PR, feel free to send me a message. Also involves pointing out parts of the plot which are terrible. Sometimes my ideas are not the best of ideas. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- On our side of the battlefield Lily sat on the ground, her body clad in iron armor during the chill morning. Across the field were Ereth and his army of three hundred men. Lily''s body language was very nervous as she told me what to expect, 50 archers with the 250 men forming pairs of swords and spears. She also warned me that in their previous battle against another army of similar size, they lost merely 45 men by using superior tactics. The majority of their losses had been composed of men who suffered injuries preventing them from fighting further. Before this fight started other armies in the tournament had bowed out, admitting defeat and cutting their losses. They were fearful of being matched with us, and fearful of being annihilated by a larger army they couldn''t win against. Not every army in this tournament intended to win the crown, a few saw this as a chance to make money from winning a few fights. Over the past few days Lily had given me roughly 20 thousand coins from ''donations'' and while she didn''t give me any details about the deals and bargains she had made, she also thankfully didn''t assign me tasks to do. The reason she gave it to me to look after was that she was aware I was more than happy to take care of the money, and that it was safe in my hands. My banker skill still stubbornly refused to grant me anything useful, leveling up twice with only a reduced fee for changing the currencies of the carried coins. I did try to experiment with it, generate rare coins and the like. But I was unable to exploit it as it required me to know the currency I wanted to switch to, and the conversion fee left a bad taste in my mouth. At what level of the Banker skill will I start gaining interest on my money? But regardless of my thoughts, I need to focus on the battle. Bending over Lily, I lightly touched the pieces of armor as I rapidly enchanted them with Gravity Cloak, drastically increasing the mass even as I decreased the gravity. Kane stood by me as I did so, and while I admire his loyalty to Lily he''s actually the weak link in the group. Sitting inside her enchanted armor, Lily was impenetrable and unmovable due to the immense weight of the armor, the lowered gravity only to prevent her sinking into the ground. Kane however, he doesn''t have such protection. Enchanting his armor made him far too slow and he complained of being unable to move. Finished with my enchants on her armor, I left them both in the corner of the battlefield as I moved towards the middle. I still wore no armor, wearing a simple cotton shirt and thick blue pants with my spear in hand. Not one to completely forgo safety, my chainmail was carried in one of the newly opened slots on the rare chance the situation changes. So I stood in the center of the battlefield, a large army marching towards me from across the battlefield. Their commander seemed to have heeded the warnings and wanted to pick me off first, which was fine with me. At the front rows of their approaching squarish army (what do they call this again? phalanx?) the men were composed of archers, their bows held loosely by their sides as they marched. The bows seemed to be taller than the ones I had seen previously in this world and I wondered idly if they were intended for distance. Perhaps he means to pick me off from a distance while avoiding close combat? They''ve seen how proficient I was in close combat after all, and its not like I can open with a salvo of pebbles I mused. As I stood and watched them, idling swinging the spear in my hand with boredom they finally settled a fair distance away, far enough that I could see their costumes but not their expressions. Roughly two hundred meters I gauged. Faintly I heard a voice yell a command, and as one the archers raised their bows and notched a arrow. I heard another command, and the arrows were released into the air. The sky above their army seemed to darken slightly as the wave of arrows soared through the air and with a slight grimace of pain I stood still as 8 arrows found their mark.
HP -24
HP -22
......
Bleeding status, -7 HP a second
A total of 175 HP instantly lost, points of pain through my body. One arrow looked as if it was going to go through my eye, so I was forced to move my head ever so slightly to have the arrow scrape down the side of my face. It stung. I could feel the urge to use the bloodlust aura coming on, drown out the pain and indulge myself in the pleasure. Stilling my mind, I concentrated on the task at hand. I slowly began to walk forwards, my spear held limply in my hands as I stalked towards them expressionlessly. Their archers strung another arrow to their bows, and I heard the command yet again as the skies were covered in arrows.
HP -22
HP -25
......
Bleeding status, -6 HP a second
Another five arrows found their mark, my body smoothly stepping into the path of the least arrows. It worked in my favor for them to see that I avoid their arrows, they would know that I''m not unbeatable, that attacking Lily is not the only path open to them. And on another unrelated note, a huge crowd of spectators today. As I approached the army my health began to sink lower and lower, the regeneration struggling to keep up. The bleeding would stop after a few seconds, but the sheer number of arrows hitting me began to increase as the distance grew closer. It wasn''t until I hit a third of my health that I finally began to act properly, only 30 meters from their front lines. I hadn''t been wearing a Gravity Cloak, and it was the work of an instant to apply one which vastly increased my mass with the gravity decreased to prevent the ground swallowing me. Almost as if on cue, the archers released another wave of arrows at me and I found myself unable to move on time to dodge the majority of them. The mass was far too much.
HP -4
HP -2
......
HP -3
Roughly 23 arrows pattered over my body, my eyes shut to avoid being blinded. Tiny pricks of pain covered my body and I could feel my clothes tearing to shreds as the arrows bounced off. Gingerly opening my eyes, I felt happy as I realized that I had lost roughly 100 HP with none of the arrows visually seeming to have damaged me in the slightest. The damage removed a third of my remaining health yes, but I wasn''t exactly worried. My health regen is 23 HP per second and the damage the arrows do isn''t significant enough for a bleeding debuff. Author: No comment on regen I loved their reactions of widened eyes and fearful faces, the realisation that I emerged unharmed and a sadistic grin slowly emerging over my face. I began to feel the battle calling out to me, the blood beginning to pound with my spear demanding to be used. But I wanted to play this to the end. I don''t want to win the fight, I want to destroy them. So even as my blood began to surge, I discarded those thoughts and concentrated on my part in the play as I slowly walked forwards with a large shit-eating grin. Casually tossing my spear from hand to hand, I took the brunt force of another three waves of arrows before they gave up and the archers moved back into the ranks as the spearsmen stepped up. Half my health had recovered by this time, and the expressions on their faces looked downright unhealthy. Their arms seemed to shiver as I approached, unconsciously stepping back slightly as I pushed forwards. But of course, the men behind them prevented them from running. I stopped moving six meters from the first row of spearsmen, close enough that I could see the way several of the men hyperventilating, frightened and with their legs shaking. Looking at them, I frowned. Shouldn''t I be like them? Unwilling to join the battle? Releasing my Gravity Cloak, I suddenly placed on a burst of speed as I rushed forwards and stabbed the first man with the spear, easily puncturing his side through the leather as he failed to react before dancing a few steps backwards as his comrades attempted valiantly to attack me in return.
112 DMG
The screaming man seemed to break the tension in the air and as a group they moved forwards, their spears outstretched and stabbing at the air as I casually moved backwards for every step they took. Another second later, I stabbed another man and he fell backwards yelling in pain as his comrades roared maddened. I stopped playing with them then, applying a Gravity Cloak to my spear and knocking out their feet and when I saw an exposed area I stabbed the men, even those who''d fallen to the ground. I tried not to kill, but sometimes I didn''t realize that I had stabbed this man before, and sometimes I just hit the wrong spot on their bodies. At this point, I had not yet activated my aura. Thirty men lay on the ground, no longer a part of the battle as the army surrounding me began to grow agitated, looking to each other for reassurance. No longer did they come after me, instead I was forced to initiate the attacks. They began to back away, and it wasn''t until a sudden burst of movement that I realized.. Those yells in the air, they were retreating. The men pushing at the people behind them as they sought to get away from me. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. It was weird, I didn''t think they had tried to fight me seriously, they didn''t seem sufficiently terrified either. They were scared yes, also unwilling to fight me. But terrified to the point they had to escape? It didn''t strike me as an organised retreat either, instead every man was running for himself. Was this what Lily had told me about earlier? Does he intend to place distance between us then wear me down with archers, even knowing they were ineffective? I stood there in the middle of the battlefield as the soldiers scattered, keeping a eye to make sure none of them tried to get close to Lily and Kane. Slowly they began to form three groups, with the center group being the largest and two small groups on the sides of the field. The center group had officers yelling amongst them and began to reform into the guise of a proper army, but the other two groups seemed to be clumped together in confusion. Not one soldier from those armies attacked me, instead choosing to watch me warily and with traces of fear. The first group was directly to my left, the second and largest group was directly in front of me and the third group was slightly ahead of me to the right. Really, the group I was worried about the most was the first group as they were closest to Kane and Lily while the third group were the furthest. Each of the smaller armies were composed of approximately 15 archers, 15 spearsmen and 30 swordsmen. The center army however in comparison had only a few archers, but plenty of spearsmen. While the two side armies were composed of roughly 60 men, the single army directly in front of me would probably be around 160 men. Curious about something, I looked on the ground about me at the men who lay there wounded or dead, and I noticed that not a single bow lay discarded amongst the swords and spears. Not a single wounded archer to be seen on the ground. It made sense somewhat, but it also meant that the archers immediately ran to the back of the army the second they ceased firing. Seems like he is doing something with the archers. The center group then began to fire arrows towards me, sparse waves of arrows I easily dodged as they flew ineffectively around me. I stayed in position however unsure what to do as the center group repeatably tried to attract my attention. Finally they gave up shooting at me and began to close in again. The wounded on the ground around me moaned as they tried to crawl away, the lucky ones managing to make decent speed as the arrows flew near them. I considered moving away from the wounded just to prevent more deaths, but I still didn''t understand what was going on with the battlefield and thought it would be a better idea to remain in position instead of being forced to move. A few arrows flew near me from the left and right groups, but when I looked they still seemed to be in confusion. Milling around and watching the scene without moving into formation or assisting the second group, talking in low voices to each other but at a distance I couldn''t hear them. The thing was, the confusion in their groups was far too strange, inside each group I could see three officers, dressed casually and hanging in the middle of the groups. They didn''t stand out or command attention, acting as if they were normal swordsmen, but their nametags told me all. So its not that they are unmanaged or that there''s nobody in command, they have officers. But still they are talking to each other, their officers not demanding order nor moving towards the center group as a whole. A few men seemed to be breaking off to rejoin the center group, but as a whole the group stood still at a distance from both me and the center group and seemed reluctant to involve themselves. As a minor sidenote, more than a few of the wounded and dead on the ground around me were dressed fancily, wearing the same clothes as the officers in the central army. Those clothes stood out, but could not be seen in the smaller groups. Fairly obvious trick, he intended for me to assume the two armies to the sides presented no real threat. But just what am I supposed to do about it. I was undecided as I stood there, my only moves to dodge the arrows sent at regular intervals. The armies to my sides began to slowly reform into a semblance of an army as they closed in towards me. The two smaller groups fired sparsely towards me, using only half of their archers with the others hiding inside the group with bows concealed from view as they moved towards me. I could guess what the trick was now, but I couldn''t quite see how it would help them. They knew archers were ineffective against me, what did they have to gain from hiding them? I glanced towards Lily and Kane, they seemed to be doing well with not a single soldier moving towards them. I began to wonder if the archers were not meant for me, but for both Kane and Lily. I would find out more later, and Kane wasn''t so weak as to die from a few arrows in regards to the armor he wore. Guessing at what was happening, I began to focus on the center army as they drew near, seemingly ignoring the two armies to my sides as I dodged the arrows fired towards me. The center army began to slow as they drew near, archers firing no longer in waves but the second they had a shot, seeking constant vigilance or suffering a pinprick of pain. Finally the two groups to my sides began to act, archers coming from hiding and firing more arrows towards me. A quick glance confirmed that the left group were utilizing all of their archers, but the right group were still holding a few back. I couldn''t dodge all of these new arrows and I began to take some hits, even though my health recovered quickly the armies began to cheer up as they saw my invincibility gone. I didn''t see the need to discourage them of this illusion. With my health hovering around full and no obvious dangers in sight, I just didn''t have a good excuse to rampage and destroy them. When I quickly checked my status I was pleased to see I only needed 53% more exp until I reached my next levelup, I could gain another two levels before this fight ends. With the arrows haphazardly and randomly flying through the air around me, it took me half a minute before I noticed that the right group began to slow down, their archers taking longer to shoot their arrows even as they slowly began to slip behind me into a blindspot. Most of the arrows they fired didn''t even seem to come my way anymore, missing completely or simply not reaching me. I finally began to see their plan. The center army was intended to draw my attention, the left army to draw more attention for the number of archers they utilized and the distance from Kane and Lily. As those two groups distracted me, the right group would pretend to involve themselves in the fight even as they begin to move behind me to either ambush me, or attack Kane and Lily. I''ll let them succeed. We kept this illusion of a fight up for a few minutes, I began to wonder if the archers would ever run out of arrows and finally out of the corner of my eyes I noticed the right army were only just visible in the corners of my eyes and with a small smile, I saw a few men break off into my blindspot. I couldn''t see them now, and I could only trust Kane to give me some kind of warning. He did, far too soon. "Jon!" Cursing him in my heart, I turned to look at him then ''notice'' the men approaching him. 2 archers, 1 spearsmen and 3 swordsmen. At that very moment, all three groups charged me. The few scant seconds before we clashed, I quickly hollered "If those men get any closer to my commander. You all die!". And then, the battle truly began. The difference between the previous clash and the current was obvious, these men were not holding back and looked as if they were giving it their all. I wondered what happened to make them so incentivized even as I fought back. Sweeping my spear about me, tipping over the men and exploiting the gaps I made, it took only a few seconds before I chanced a look towards Kane and saw the two archers both fire arrows towards Kane as he stood desperately in front of Lily clad in mere chain and leather. That scene, I smiled with joy as I thanked the commander''s stupidity even as my blood began to pound fiercely though my veins. At last, I can destroy them. Wildeyed and my blood roaring, I felt like shackles had been released. "All right!" I yelled eyeing them with glee, "Lets fight!"
Aura: Bloodlust is now in effect
With the feeling of letting loose, I didn''t hesitate as I began to slaughter those near me with my spear reinforced and the enchantment discarded everytime I needed to shift momentum towards another direction. My thoughts flickered towards their commander and twisting my body I threw the spear point-first at where I recalled last seeing him before taking out the club in the same movement. I was determined to finish them all. Around me, the entire battlefield shuddered as the effects of the aura hit them, my club smoothly whistling through the air as I slaughtered those nearby as I began to move towards Kane and Lily. Heads crumpled, chests collapsed. And yet, the effects of the raised mass and gravity directions on my club ensured that I could barely feel resistance. I could feel the iron crumpling and the bones breaking, the drag as bodies were flung. But it was muted, as if I was trying to move around underwater. If you asked a spectator what they saw, you would first hear about Kane yelling towards me, my head flickering towards him before I yelled four words at which the entire battlefield suddenly collapsed. Red splatters seen near me, soldiers in a line towards a group of officers suddenly screaming and a split second later, a great explosion of dirt seen at the end of the line. Then your eyes are drawn to my inhuman speed as my club moves at a blur, crushing through bodies like hot knife in butter. And then finally, Kane''s attackers suddenly fall down with heads exploding and small dirt explosions seen in the distance with a few spectators being unlucky enough to be clipped by one of the pebbles. This time I wasn''t holding anything back, their army destroyed in less than a minute. Pebbles ripping through their ranks, resorting to my club with a permanent mass enchant when my mana ran dry. The runners killed, screaming spectators attempting to escape when soldiers drew near for a pebble would inevitably follow soon after. With the runners killed, I then methodically moved through the battlefield and killed those who were still alive as they desperately begged with the insanity before their eyes. As I moved through the battlefield, I relished the way I was both respected and feared. The men who desired to kill me instead falling before me with fear in their eyes. It made me somewhat uncomfortable however, was this normal? When we fought in the outpost, did I not shiver and shake before eventually falling asleep? I don''t know. But even then, this bloodlust, I''ve never felt anything like it. Its running through me, and its indescribable. It feels so good. With every scream, my body tingles in ecstasy. I don''t think I ever want to stop. When this slaughter ended, I leveled up three times. No one survived. That was the end of the second battle. Chapter 23 - So bored Disappointing that people drop their projects a few months after starting them, I''ve read a slew of interesting fictions that I later find dropped at an average of 15 chapters. I should probably comment and encourage them.. Wonder if the author of ''Change: New World'' will continue his story after his ban expires. Secondly, going to start coloring in the windows. Such as having the damage dealt = red, poison = green, status effects = yellow. You get the idea. Lastly, in the name of speed this chapter was granted nothing in the way of PR! ------------------------------ I felt rather hot, hot and sticky as I walked back to Lily with my arms swinging loose by my sides and a wide grin on my face. I had a absolutely marvelous time, and the way Lily and Kane would treat me afterwards barely dimmed my enthusiasm. Kneeling by Lily''s armor, I lightly spoke to her. "You ok in there?" It took a few seconds, but I finally heard her whisper a reply. "Yes" "You want to go back now?" I asked with concern Her voice quavered as she rasped a dry reply "Yes" "Alright then, want me to carry you back or would you like to get out now?" She was silent for a few seconds, until finally she quietly spoke "Carry me back". Discarding the enchantments on her armor, I cleaned up the scattered bits of flesh on her armor before applying more enchants and lifting her easily. Floating ahead of me, we began to make our way back to the city. As we left the battlefield, Kane approached us with his face pale and drawn. "I''ll push her" he muttered with his eyes looking to the ground, unwilling to face me. "As you wish" I easily spoke as I stepped to the side. Kane paused for a second, then took his shirt off and handed it to me. "Cover yourself" he muttered as he averted his eyes. Oh. My clothes hid nothing, wonder how much Kane saw. Taking his shirt, I thanked him as I wrapped it about my hips before shortly removing what tatters remained of my shirt. I wasn''t going to look like a war refugee. Kane took a moment to buff the armor in places I''d missed before he began to push her. He swallowed a few times as we walked, half opening his mouth as he turned to speak to me. But whatever he wanted to say was never said. There were crowds watching us, but they were quiet. They didn''t draw near us and the road emptied as we moved through. It wasn''t until we approached the city that people began to draw near, crowds gathering as the uninformed saw us. The guards at the city gate looked at me with interest, their eyes looking towards the blood soaked armor in reverence. But they didn''t say a word, instead silently watching as we passed by with faces drawn taut. The atmosphere was tense as they stood there helplessly, armor with splatters of blood and my own body crusted in red. We moved to the Inn where Kane began to take the trouble of cleaning off Lily''s armor. Before he started however, he quietly told me "You should probably clean up" as he drew a bucket of water from a pump. My skin remained a tinge of red, unblemished with no scars. My clothing changed I leaned against a wall as I watched Kane slowly help Lily out of the armor. Her clothes were soaked in sweat and her face was drawn absolutely white. She glanced towards me, but looked away as she was assisted slowly into the inn on shaky legs. When I checked, it seemed Kane wasn''t the one who would be taking care of her, but apparently he hired a maid. A shame really, I''d wondered how far he would take it. With nothing to do, I waited for Lily in the inn''s dining room with my back against the wall as I stole an entire bench for myself. Nobody complained, the innkeeper looked fugitively at me but despite his expressions didn''t do anything. Kane also waited with me, but he sat on the opposite side of the room where he faced the hallway as he waited for the maid''s return. Why didn''t they sort out proper lodgings rather than this inn? Finally the maid come out and glanced towards me and Kane. She hesitated as I watched her, her body half turning towards me in perhaps fear before she finally walked to Kane and spoke a few words. Licking his dry lips, Kane thanked her as he stood up and strode towards the hallway in the direction of Lily''s room. I followed silently behind, hopefully she was able to move around. I didn''t care for more stone throwing training. She''d probably have something interesting to do. Kane could feel my presence behind him, I could tell. His shoulders shuddered as my gaze settled on his neck, my feet silently walking behind his as I walked in leather shoes. Knocking on Lily''s door, he waited until he heard her say "Enter" before opening it and moving inside. He pointedly closed the door behind him. Ah, another boring wait. They talked for close to half an hour before Kane finally came out, his complexion looked remarkably better already. He still didn''t meet my eyes as he spoke. "Princess Lily will be resting for the next few hours, I''ll be standing watch. You don''t need to do anything and can take the time off" He swallowed before he said the next words "Please don''t cause trouble". He attempted to look at me in the eyes for a second, before his gaze switched back to the ground. Heavily sighing, I turned and began to walk away. Kane stood behind me watching my back as I left. It seemed I had truly alienated him this time. Leaving the inn I ignored the huge crowd of spectators as I puzzled on what to do. Finally I decided to pay Oliver a visit, he''ll love me. Oliver didn''t love me, instead throwing the bag of coins at me that he had prepared already. So I was back to nothing to do, nobody to entertain me. I can always practice magic again. As I thought my legs moved me back to the inn where I walked back upstairs. Kane was at the end of the hallway, a view to all the ongoings outside Lily''s door. I ignored him as I entered my room and lay back on my bed. Hmm, magic. Had enough of Gravity Magic, perhaps I could play with Light Magic. I already had a few ideas for the colored light, and if it was possible for me to get the light into a stable configuration, then I could create illusions and perhaps.. Even a proper disguise. Playing with the Light Mana, the time seemed to fly by as I heard Lily''s door open and them both leave, flickers of colored light emitting from my fingers as I attempted to create the goal I desired. This wasn''t as easy as it sounded, for some reason whenever I attempt to create a spell of my own I had a stupidly hard time making the spell work well enough for my ability to recognise it. The Light Beam for instance, it took me over a week of failed castings before I could cast the spell. And yet, it took me seconds when I was ''tutored'' by Saul. Obvious enough answer, but very irritating. My gamer ability would vastly increase the speed I learned a new skill or spell if I was being taught. It was when I was lying back on my pillow of clothes that I realized I hadn''t spent my stat points yet. Sitting upright, I grinned as I summoned open my menu. Time to find out if anything happens when my stats reach 100. Raising INT to 99, I hesitated for only a second before I pressed my finger to the screen once more. 100 INT. Or not.
Stat INT cannot be raised You have reached the limit as the race human
I smiled bitterly. Of course. Lying back on my back I scowled, gazing upwards at the window that floated in the air. Of course it would do that, why on earth would it let me become powerful? I knew I was strong already, but not at the level I desired to be. I could also predict a race change in the future, for why else would I be see this limitation. A few deep breaths later, I finally moved my finger to LUK
Stat LUK cannot be raised This stat cannot be invested in
Ah yes, that one stat that raises the slowest. Why would I be allowed to raise it with the stats gained from levelups. My mood was darkened and sour as I lay on my bed, staring upwards at the insolent screen. Finally I sunk my points into AGI.
NameJonathan Cliff
TitlesGamer, Pawn
Level25 [6%]Health780/780
Stamina1002/1002Mana863/880
Balance23,055 Coins
VIT69STR90
END95AGI57
DEX34INT99
WIS88LUK23
Skills
  • Gamer lv.9 [41%]
  • Cooking lv.24 [43%]
  • Clubs lv.42 [32%]
  • Shock Resistance lv.27 [89%]
  • Reading lv.20 [79%]
  • Storytelling lv.12 [55%]
  • Meditation lv.79 [21%]
  • Crafting
    • Woodworking lv.1 [96%]
  • Banker lv.13 [63%]
  • Negotiation lv.6 [29%]
  • Gravity Mastery lv.61 [7%]
  • Formless Magic Mastery lv.32 [52%]
  • Light Mastery lv.54 [69%]
  • Mana Channelling lv.68 [68%]
  • Torchlight lv.19 [72%]
  • Gravity Cloak lv.64 [84%]
  • Gravity Well lv.10 [32%]
  • Lightball lv.6 [9%]
  • Rift Creation lv.1 [0%]
  • Light Beam lv.35 [5%]
  • Throwing lv.18 [32%]
  • Spears lv.4 [67%]
My mood was darkened and depressed as I closed my eyes, taking a nap for what seemed like seconds.. Before I heard pounding on my door. "Jon!" Kane yelled desperately. Reluctantly I got up and walked to the door, just as it snapped open and Kane shoved Lily inside. His expression was fearful as he slammed it shut and grabbed his sword from his bed before facing the door again. Interestingly enough, his fearful expression wasn''t directed to me. Lily was still aware of my presence however, she sat on a bed away from me in rich clothing benefiting a party with Kane himself dressed fancily in deeply dyed clothing with a sharp cut. "What''s wrong?" I asked, my mood still sour from earlier. "Assassins!" Kane snapped, voice laced with anger. I snorted. Of course. What could be more expected. If you can''t kill them on the battlefield, kill them when they are unguarded! "Its not damn funny! You say you have to protect her, so protect her!" Kane snapped as he stood facing the door with sword drawn, waiting for the next assassin to barge in. I didn''t react to his anger, instead mildly saying "I didn''t find it funny. But I don''t think they''ll attack here" "Why not" he growled angrily. I smiled. "Because I''m here" He stood speechless for a second, then he exclaimed with realisation "Oh.." as he finally started to relax. "So, either of you want to tell me what happened?" I smoothly spoke as I lay back against the wall on the bed. Kane sat heavily on the same bed as Lily, sitting across from me without a care for the danger he had felt from me earlier. "A man tried to slip a knife in her". Lily''s face concerted in a grimace at the way he phased it as Kane continued blissfully unaware. "We had been attending a small gathering in a local noble''s house for reasons beyond your grasp when I saw a man holding his arm weirdly. By the time I noticed he was holding a knife, it was almost too late. I knocked him down of course, but the damn guards were nowhere to be seen. After taking care of him I stood up only to find there was another man creeping up on her. It was only by luck we made it out of there, everyone in that damn building had to have been in on it. Not a single guard to be seen anywhere. Hell, wouldn''t be surprised if those assassins were the guards! They were bloody crawling everywhere! What made it worse was I didn''t have my sword and could only hope to escape. Damn nobles." he spat. He hissed with pain with the sudden movement and I realized with surprise that his deep red shirt wasn''t all dye, a large patch was blood and some of it still looked fresh. "So", I smiled. "Should I go look for them?" "You are not going after them!" Kane snapped before wincing with pain, "We need you here to protect Lily" he continued in a subdued tone. Sighing heavily, I stared blankly into the air "Great". As a afterthought I quickly *Examine*d Kane and was surprised to see his health had sunk by a third to 70. Just how deep was that wound? As if reading my mind, Kane spoke "Send someone to fetch a doctor, offer them coins and stress urgency". My respect for him rose a little as I left the room, I wouldn''t have been that calm and collected. I also knew that the way he lost his health, he should be seriously wounded and in extreme pain. I could still operate, but my sense of pain had also been dulled as my END rose. Seeking out the innkeeper, I ignored the stressed and frightened look on his face as I handed over a handful of coins and stressed the importance for a doctor to be fetched immediately. Quickly looking around for someone to delegate the task to, he met my eyes and shivered before running out the door himself. I didn''t care much for the task, but I didn''t want Kane to die. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Returning to the room it seemed like a half hour as Kane wheezed in pain and Lily sat silently in a corner before the doctor finally arrived with a timid tap on the door. Opening the door I could see a man and the innkeeper behind. Quickly confirming the man''s profession, I throw a few more coins to the innkeeper before closing the door.
Skipp lv.3 Doctor
Shortly after the doctor stripped off Kane''s shirt, Lily decided she didn''t want to stay in the room. I followed behind her and sat in the hallway as she entered her own room. Sitting in the hallway, I could hear Kane''s hisses of pain as the doctor dressed his wound and the occasional grunt. At one point, I believed I heard a faint sob from Lily''s room, she probably feels guilty about this. But she didn''t cry for me did she.. Finally, the doctor finished and left the room. Paying the doctor, I could only wait in the hallway and guard the two rooms. It was incredibly boring. Spectators gawked at me as they ''walked past'' and eventually I took to firing Light Beam at them. In the darkened hallway it was far too bright, blinding and startling them as they recoiled in fright. That entertainment didn''t last long before I called up the innkeeper and told him to keep people away, handing him a few more coins as a bribe. They probably bribed him in the first place, the inn certainly couldn''t hold that many people. Night dawned and as the hallway began to darken even further into a pitch black hall I sent up a few Torchlights, colored red, blue and green as my fantasy took me. I did try out a black Torchlight, floating in the air in front of me. But the scene wasn''t very visible and interesting stains were outlined on the floor and walls. Not something I wanted to see. I sat there as the hours passed, the night quiet with everyone in bed. Nobody moved about the inn at this time of night and aside from shuffling occasionally in my position as I grew stiff, the time passed in silence, the occasional creak coming from the other rooms. Yet I didn''t dare leave my spot, nor fall into meditation to work on my magic. It was a light footfall that alerted me of a presence, a foot treading at the time of night where all should be sleeping. I could hear him at the end of the hallway behind the corner, not far at all from the stairs. Hear the creaks of the floorboards as his weight shifted and the rustling of clothing. Leaning against the wall I breathed lightly as I waited for the would-be assassin to make his first move. We waited for one to make the first move, the assassin unaware I knew of his presence. The night grew still again, but I knew he was still there. As the Torchlight''s slowly began to die, I replaced them but this time they were all colored red. One Torchlight I sent to float in the corner of the hallway, illuminating the assassin as I heard his breath catch. He didn''t make another sound after that. Finally, I spoke. "Are you scared of me?" I asked, uncaring of his answer. He didn''t speak, didn''t move and I began to wonder if he was waiting for something. It wasn''t until a few minutes later that with a sudden creak of the floorboards he stepped out and with dark gray cloth bound around his body threw two knives at me. One towards my throat and the other at my chest. The first knife, I easily dodged. But I couldn''t get off the ground in time to dodge the second knife and it was with a twinge of pain that it scratched me.
Poison status, -2 HP a second Expires: 15 seconds
Negligible damage, probably deadly if my END wasn''t maxed. And then as the assassin ran towards me with two more knives in his hands, I caught sight his nametag and raised my eyebrows. This was the highest level I had seen yet in this world.
Yuan lv.13 Assassin
By the time the assassin had reached me I was already standing up, I debated opening my inventory but as the assassin whipped his left hand towards my palms I gave up the thought and easily grabbed his wrist. As he tried to yank his arm from my grasp his other hand rose, meaning to stab deep into my arm. Easily crushing his wrist, he gasped in pain as his right arm swung desperately at me with knifetip glistening with poison. I easily caught that too and squeezed his hand, forcing him to drop the knife. I released him as he stumbled before easily stepping behind him where I grabbed him into a bearhug, wrapping his arms to the sides. Sensing his imminent defeat, he began to yell and scream like a man processed.. Mindless senseless words, desperately struggling with the strength of a weak kitten as he tried to slam his head backwards into my face. Then, in the small length of time it took for him to gasp as I drew my grip tighter I heard a faint rattle coming from Lily''s room. The shutters on her window were being forced open. Wrenching my grip tighter, he screamed silently as a small popup appeared in front of my eyes before I released him as he slumped to the ground, still alive. Bursting through Lily''s locked door as I heard Lily begin to scream, I summoned a handful of coins and applied minor mass enchants before hurling them at the shadowy figure approaching the bed. Nine coins struck his body, bones broke and flesh was ripped as he was sent flying against the wall where the coins deeply lodged themselves with heavy thuds. Blood trickled down his gray clothes as his body fell to the ground lifeless.
EXP +800
I almost felt excited, but the screams of Lily dampened my mood as I looked over to her. Eyes wide and body desperately pressing against the wall as she looked at the assassin''s carcass with unrestrained fright. I stood helpless for a second before I heard Kane''s door opening. Quickly stepping inside, he glanced at the dead assassin and quickly moved in front of the body. "Cover it" he hissed towards me as he slowly began to move towards Lily, making soothing sounds. Whipping out my tent canvas like some magician I covered the body, the ground had began to grow sticky with blood as I delicately summoned up a few Torchlight''s to see before being snarled at by Kane.. Oh right. The rest of the night, both Lily and Kane stayed awake. I could hear Kane quietly comforting her as I sat outside the doorway. When the innkeeper dropped by to inquire about the noise, screaming and new decorations in Lily''s room. I soon settled the matter with a bag of coins. We also had a new captive, gagged and tied with ropes. I sat him next to me out in the hallway as Kane comforted Lily inside the room. A few people tried to intrude, speaking about releasing the man I had pathetically sat next to me. But withdrawing one of the four poisoned knives in the inventory in front of their eyes as I stared menacingly at them sorted it out. But less than a hour later, a knife sunk into the assassin''s throat as he wheezed a final time. I could see a nametag disappearing into the crowd and knew I would never catch up in time, not without leaving Lily unguarded. It was with disgust that I was left sitting next to a dead body. It didn''t even fit in my inventory. Eventually I just threw it into Lily''s room. In the morning we left the inn, the innkeeper was more than happy to see us go. Outside the inn was a small two person carriage, the road filled with ''Sjen''s Guards'' who held back the crowd with weapons drawn threateningly. As Kane and Lily climbed aboard the carriage, I wondered if it was even legal to operate a private army inside the city. Probably not. Squatting on top of the carriage, I juggled a few pebbles while scanning the crowds for trouble as the carriage moved beneath me. The guards kept the streets cleared as we moved and with no incidents we arrived at a mansion without trouble. Or to be exact, Sjen''s mansion. The popup told me so.
You have entered Sjen''s Mansion
A man came out, Count Sjen. His profession was Count..
Sjen lv.4 Count
Greeting us, Lily was calm enough to walk by herself as Kane gingerly walked by her side. I walked behind them, keeping an eye for trouble until Sjen finally stopped at a room and invited her in. As Kane and Lily stepped inside, even the count looked slightly taken aback that Kane stayed with her. But of course, Kane didn''t invite me in. "Don''t make trouble" were his closing words. "Mind if I walk about the place?" I politely asked a nervous Sjen who gave his shaky approval. The rest of the day was boring. I didn''t dare move far away or get distracted. I did find a spy amongst the servants, but after some.. questioning.. It wasn''t really related to Lily. Still turned her in however, I wasn''t going to do myself any favors allowing her to walk and talk. I spent the night outside their room, I had mentioned it before but I no longer needed to sleep. To entertain myself I flew Torchlight''s around myself, when I tried to send them through solid objects their mana was rapidly drained. Eventually I began to experiment with controlling them after having cast them, I had the idea of a thin thread of mana connecting to the spell, but couldn''t hold it stable before it was morning. Breakfast was delivered, and soon maids began to carry buckets of water inside the room. Kane walked out less than a minute after and sat down heavily on the chair where we spent the next hour waiting.. and waiting.. until finally Lily came out refreshed and in a new dress. I noticed immediately that her attitude towards me had changed, where before she seemed to fear and avoid me now she seemed to tolerate my presence, even if she still avoided making eye contact with me. Standing in front of us in her fancy dress, she looked sideways before speaking. "We will be attending several meetings today". She waited for Kane to slowly leverage himself out of the chair as he winced in pain before finally standing up. Absentmindedly I noticed he acquired a wooden cane from someplace. "Are you sure you should be coming?" I asked Kane, mildly worried about his wound. Looking at me with contempt, he spoke down to me with a sneer "You can offer her support?". I dropped the conversation. The escort outside the door, the guards crawling over the grounds and the large carriage I was for once permitted to enter.. But Kane kicked me out of. Not going to talk about that. Nor will I talk about that assassin amongst the guards who I dispatched on sight, the ensuring trouble and the long ride to each meeting. The entire day was boring and kind of mind-numbing. It was useful for information gathering however. When you strip out their dialogue and bargains and the like, they would often talk of the strengths of the other armies, the people who supported those armies. Lily made more than a few deals as the day passed, more invitations flooding in everyday willing to discuss a meeting with her and finance her ''army''. They did talk about me, but they referred to me as an object. Something that Lily controlled. Lily felt uncomfortable about it everytime it was mentioned and she glanced at me, but she calmed down once she realized I didn''t care about it. She made sure to invite me to these meetings, not as a part of it but as one of her guards. Everytime she was invited to eat something or drink, I silently *Identify*d it to catch poisons. None of the nobles were pleased to have me so close, they were nervous and faces would perspire as I silently leaned against the wall waiting for their discussions to finish. Everytime Lily was done with the meeting, she would normally hand a bag of coins to me. Less than a second later, I would drop the emptied bag on the ground. Only in one meeting did we encounter trouble, a plate of biscuits laced with some ''Garotte Poison''. As the biscuits were served, silently and arrogantly I took the plate and leaned against the wall and began to munch as I ignored Kane''s angry stare. The man we were meeting with was disturbed by my actions, but didn''t seem to realize that the biscuits were laced. Doesn''t matter really, Kane would be upset if I said something so I''ll tell them later.
Poison status, -50 HP every hour Expires: 2 days
At least the effect didn''t stack. But as I said before, the entire day was boring. I had no interest in the stuff that was going down, and no one would appreciate it if I started playing around or walking the place. Lily wasn''t pleased when I later told her about the biscuits, and I began to notice that she was growing comfortable about me. Talking to me in small moments or giving me instructions on how to act before the meetings began. The next day was a repeat, Ilan''s army was often mentioned however. Rumors about him had grown, his reputation was almost as great as mine.. But of course, they would be treating him with respect and adoration, not fear. Summarized, the rumors would consist of his acquiring a large number of a new ranged weapon which was superior to a bow, a hundred knights, three hundred archers and the rest of the army formed of swordsmen and spearsmen. Basically, his army was as large as he could get it, and they were as fully equipped as he could get them. And of course, the financing for all of this came from his new bride to be. Lily definitely looked unhappy about it. As dusk fell we returned to the mansion, Lily declined the offer to host a party and a messenger later arrived from Oliver. The next battle was in 3 days, but it remained undecided on who we would be fighting. People were dropping out like flies. 5 armies left, 3 days to go. Chapter 24 - Spell Manipulation Lets try smaller chapters, 2-3k words. Not for you, but for me. This chapter was originally meant to be large, but its too daunting for me to constantly rewrite such a huge chapter. I keep looking back at it, hating on it and judging. Then delaying things even more when I consider proofreading. Due to this being from a larger chapter, the next few chapters should come fairly fast. --------------------------------------------------------- Shortly before Lily moved inside her room, she spoke a few brief words to Kane after she closed the door after her. Seeing her gone, Kane leaned in and whispered "This time, wake me up" He was referring to my previous failures the earlier days, honestly he would have better luck asking the guards. At least they care. "Sure" I smiled at him, already forgetting what he asked. Or trying to at least, if I remember I might do it. He sighed, closing his door as I stood there silently for a second. Finally I spun around to address the four guards standing outside Lily''s door. "One of you stay, the rest can go", the same ritual as the previous nights. Frankly four guards were annoying, they tend to stare at you as you play with your magic with the occasional whisper. I can hear everything they say. Its pretty distracting when you can''t help but try listen in. One guard can stay, I can send him on errands. If I wanted to there was a room assigned to me next to Lily''s room, I get the impression that Sjen had to juggle people around to set this up on short notice. But while my room was just as posh as Lily''s and even posher than Kanes, it''s just too unsafe to leave her unprotected. These guards were nowhere in the same league as the assassins. If it came down to a fight, I''m afraid they would be lucky to even let a single scream loose. Especially when comparing level 8''s and 9''s to the level 13 assassin. Markedly even more when you consider this is not a straightforward fight, but an assassination. Sitting on the chair in front of her room, I slipped into meditation as I began to focus on the same task that had so eluded me the past several nights. When my Torchlights were cast, I couldn''t effect them. Couldn''t change their parameters after having cast the spell. I can''t even dispell it without making direct contact with the spell itself. Far too inconvenient. I refuse to believe there isn''t a way. Again and again I summoned the magic from inside my body, spreading it through my fingers and manipulating the shape as I cast it into the world. Every spell I cast looked like the original, but they always had a tiny difference. Every modification I made was geared towards that single goal of mine. Spell manipulation. But again and again they exploded. Tiny flashes of light soundlessly bursting in the air. Even in my meditative state I couldn''t help but grimace a little. Again and again I did this, new Torchlights created with different modifications to the original spell. Their colors varied, one Torchlight shimmering in the half second before it imploded silently, another burning through its mana in mere seconds as it fluctuated in size. My hands dripped blood on more than one occasion as I played with the mana, corrupted spells ripping out my flesh in their desire to be free.
HP -21
But not a single spell worked the way I intended, efficiency of the spell improving as I played with it but not once did it do anything similar to what I wanted. Eventually I grew sick of my failures and slipped out of meditation as I just lay back against the chair and closed my eyes. Was there a trick to creating new spells? Or do they just experiment and experiment some more. I began to muse as I sat there bored, thinking about different applications for the magic I knew. I had more than a few ideas for the spells I wanted to try out, some involved using light to heal and gravity to warp space. In games you see healing spells being attributed to light, and for the few games that mention gravity you have their casters learning spatial magic such as teleportation. And of course their damaging spells don''t actually cause permanent damage as you would expect, but that should be irrelevant in this case. Then when you consider teleportation, you have rifts which I''m already capable of casting to take me between worlds, just at a stupidly high cost. But then when you consider that perhaps the cost of the rifts is related to their being permanent and between worlds, also that it should be impossible. There could be a cheaper version of this. But again I can easily be wrong, I doubt it. There shouldn''t be spatial magic that demands stats for a single use. But again, I can''t rationalize half my stats just for a single experiment on this line of topic. But when you consider a single experiment, you begin to wonder if you could play with a created rift? Order it to take you elsewhere or even restore your stats? How do you even do that though, by touching the sides of the rift? Touching the spells, huh. A technique to modify spells I''m touching? Refreshed and revitalized, I ordered the guard to fetch my bed. No real reason, but the chair was tiresome to be in all the time. Standing as I watched, the four guards huffed as they moved the heavy wooden bed into the hallway, almost filling the entire corridor as they maneuvered it through the door. "Over there" I indicated with a lazy hand as I waited. The moment they finished I waved them off "Three of you can go". Ignoring the remaining guard I lay back on the bed as I began to think on possibilities to modify existing spells. The shape of the spell isn''t quite describable in words, its more of a formation and a set of charges in layers of mana. I really don''t know what I''m talking about. Finally settling on a theory, I began to experiment as I summoned Torchlight''s and poked with needles of invisible mana. Not actual needles, more of small explosions of directed mana. Simple to do, easy to accomplish after my experiments with Lightbeam. Come to think of it, could I weaponize this in the future? Maybe. Minutes passed, hours passed. Half the night was over before I groaned in defeat as I realized the obvious. This theory of mine, I can''t do it. Not in the time I have. I just don''t know enough. My previous experiment with modifying spells as they are cast to provide a sustained connection, that had results, even being few and tiny. That had a direction I was slowly figuring out. But this? I was nowhere near a solution, everything destroyed the Torchlight. Nothing I tried worked. Looking at the Torchlight floating in the air before me I could see the mana formation, rippling to a unseen beat with light emitted as if there was a furnace heating inside. I knew how I made the spell, knew how to cast it. But I don''t know anything how it works. Perhaps a side effect of not learning magic properly, or a problem everyone shared. I suddenly grew sick of the bed. "Fetch me a couch" I ordered the guard, adding a few seconds later "and some cushions" He saluted as I sat on the side of the bed, face scowling as I thought it over. Settling on the new couch next to the bed, I shoved a few cushions under my back as I began to consider my original theory. That seemed the most promising, but I just couldn''t see how it could work. Slowly I began to form a new theory based on the old, and so I began to try again. Summoning modified Torchlights, robotically summoning another as each exploded. I barely noticed when it turned morning, but the creak of Lily''s door broke my concentration. Turning my head sideways in the midst of floating lights, I noted the slightly amused expression on her face even as I realized we would be heading out today. Lily was dressed richly, and you don''t do that if you are staying indoors all day. Remembering suddenly that Kane wanted to be woken, I slowly got up and padded to his door before knocking on it. Stumbling back to the couch where I collapsed lazily. It took him 58 seconds before he rushed out with hair ruffled and blurry eyes, one hand still straightening his shirt even as he opened the door. Quickly greeting Lily, Lily acknowledged him before they began to walk down the hallway, Kane giving me a weird look at the new furniture as I got up and followed. As a sidenote, I no longer train with Gravity Cloak. It just seems useless ever since I hit that stat cap. It''s also exhausting with stamina being drained and every movement as if moving through thick syrup. In vast contrast I now feel like I''m floating. A definite improvement. Occupied as I thought, I faintly heard Kane whisper back at me with a scowl on his face "Wake me up sooner" I ignored him. "Lily, a moment?" She paused and turned around, a puzzled expression on her face. "Yes?" "I ask of thee that sire may take off for rest and things of his own whim for the next few days before the next battle befalls us" I bowed lightly, my words severely serious with a face of grave importance. Taking a moment to digest it, the corners of her mouth twisted before she straightened herself. "We can''t spare you. If it were possible, perhaps. But as things are.." She trailed off into the air for a few seconds, seeming to stare into the distance. Was she thinking of Ilan? Continuing, she sighed. "The only reason we can still move outside of Sjen''s home is due to your protection. Until the tournament ends, I need you here" she spoke apologetically. I thought she was finished, but she quietly continued with an empty smile "You see things that we don''t, we just can''t afford it" she trailed off yet again as she thought. "After the tournament, you will have your free time. But until then, I need you to protect me" The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. "That''s fine" I nodded. I didn''t care about it too much, and it was obvious she couldn''t spare me. But its nice to be told you are appreciated. I did have one curious thought about the conversation however, why does she have so much confidence in her safety after the tournament? "Will the magic of the land protect you after becoming queen?" I asked lightly "No" Lily shook her head, "As soon as the tournament has ended it will be at least two more years before another can begin. Only the winner of each tournament can sit on the throne" What about the people who run the kingdom in between tournaments? Eh, whatever. With no further questions, we moved on. Afternoon we attended a meeting with a merchant on the east side of the city. His house was glamorous and his entire household seemed to be active in an attempt to impress. Lily sat beside a small coffee table, Kane sitting next to her and Halon sitting opposite them on another couch. The meeting had only just begun when the butler rolled in, carrying a tray holding glasses of water. As was habit the past few days on consumables, I used *Identify* on them, spying something that made me smile a little.
Glass of water
Blown glass produced by an unknown artist Contains 266ml of water
Glass of water
Blown glass produced by an unknown artist Contains 266ml of water
Glass of poisoned water
Blown glass produced by an unknown artist Contains 272ml of water, 0.9 grams of dissolved Violent Heart
Glass of water
Blown glass produced by an unknown artist Contains 266ml of water
Reaching out I smoothly took the poisoned water from the tray, "Thanks" I nodded to the butler, casually leaning against the wall and taking a sip as he paled. Interesting, he knew.
Poison status, delayed damage -100 HP in 3 minutes Expires: 3 minutes
With shaking hands he continued towards the table where he settled the drinks down, he seemed most flighty. "Interesting flavor" I noted, my voice carrying to the butler. He stiffened for a instant as Lily turned towards me quizzingly. "Ah nothing" I shook my head, "Just a little poison" Her face paled as she grew sick, making rapid apologies to the merchant she quickly left as he stared after us distraught. I dragged the butler along, he definitely knew something about the poison.
HP -100
As we moved towards the carriage, suddenly my body was wracked with pain and I gasped, heart pumping furiously as I shuddered for breath. Tiny beads of sweat appeared on my head and my hands clenched. Hearing the butler moan in pain I recalled holding his wrist and relaxed my grip slightly, slowly recovering from the pain. As my breathing returned to normal the butler stared at me wide-eyed as he stood there weakly, offering me no resistance as I continued dragging him towards the carriage. He knew he was doomed. The carriage waiting in the courtyard was plenty large enough to hold all of us, something we were borrowing from Sjen. Something I had to ride on top of in order to keep a watch out, better than walking. At a single order from Kane the guards immediately began to prepare for departure. Kane and Lily both climbed in as I threw the butler on the back before jumping on next to him. With a solid grip on his wrist I held him still as I scanned the crowds for trouble. The merchant obviously wasn''t behind this, someone else was. But of course, when trouble came. I didn''t recognise it in time. A whiff of a foul smell, rotting meat with an acidic aftertaste. It was faint in the air and I caught a sniff for less than a second, but it was enough for me to gag in revulsion. I couldn''t see anything out of the ordinary, but I could only look at the butler with angry knowledge that with twin rivers of blood streaming from his nose he couldn''t be anything but dead. Returning to Sjen''s home, Lily moved into her room for the next hour as she recovered or something. My bed was no longer in the hallway but the couch was still there, so its where both I and Kane sat as we waited. I told Kane he could leave, but he was most reluctant to leave Lily in my devilish hands. I hadn''t done anything to her had I? Apart from terrifying her. Does he love her or something? I''m not really sure, it may not be love he has but there''s something. He''s certainly got the protective instincts down like some kind of father. Except he''s not her father, that would be beyond weird. I doubt they grew up together, maybe he was a palace guard that left his position behind to protect her? He has a higher level than most, so he''s almost definitely someone who is someone trusted. Someone close to her family regardless, would explain why he''s so protective of her. Not that I care much about his situation, just interesting to think about. The reality of course will be much more boring, it always is. ''Oh we met on the road''. Lets just pretend he eloped with her, except she thought she met him randomly. She met him on the road and was saved from a group of bandits, the bandits planned to kidnap her and sacrifice her to their evil god which would summon a new era of terror. But luckily for them, er, luckily for her. Kane was there to save the day! Taking a quick look at him, I snickered as he glanced with a slight scowl at me. I began to practice my magic again, continuing my research as Kane silently endured every bright explosion, the two assigned guards wincing everytime a particularly bright backfire occurred. Finally Lily recovered and we went out again, a new meeting. I did hear a few interesting things as the day wore on, most of them coming from an acquaintance of Lily''s, an old woman with the title of noble. Probably visited her as a kid, she certainly did talk a fair bit about Lily''s family, exclaiming over how much Lily grew up. Lily seemed to enjoy her time there, but it felt strangely personal and a invasion as I listened to their talk as I sat forgotten in a corner. The woman did greet Kane as well however, so it seemed that she knew him. Other than asking him if he was still a mercenary she didn''t comment further on his backstory. The first piece of news was of two kings having died recently, each being killed within months of each other, those in the line of inheritance also killed.. Some thought it was the magic of the land, but if this was true then the entire family would be slain, not the inheritors of the crown. The second piece of news was further elaboration on the death of King Fibar who had been giving a speech to his crowd of thousands, standing on a balcony as he announced his retirement to the adoring crowd. Speech was empowered, his words resonating as he spoke and the crowds loved him. Then in mid-speech he suddenly halted, his throat erupted as blood sprayed forth onto the faces of the crowd. The guards could see nothing, saw nothing. Couldn''t even react as the prince followed him seconds later. Interestingly enough a guard standing nearby also had his throat slashed at the same moment. The first thing that came to my mind was piano wire or a similar thin thread. It wasn''t as if these kingdoms were of interest though, we would soon win the tournament and I can move on. But rather its interesting because this day was boring, there was nothing for me to do and I''m too distracting to be allowed to experiment with magic. Also because I lose focus on my surroundings. As the nights passed, I settled on the couch and summoned more and more Torchlights, eager for my first success. I could feel it drawing near with every spell I cast, the spells lasting slightly longer before exploding, popping, fizzing and misfiring as I attempted to maintain a connection. They appeared in varying colors, wowing the guards as some of my most recent successes managed to flicker through several colors before suiciding. It wasn''t until the third night where I felt my success was incredibly near, close enough that I could touch it. And then with a sudden spell, I knew I had succeeded. It had nothing to do with the popup box that appeared and everything to do with the way I could feel the spell in my control.
Sustained connection to magic has been learned
By maintaining a mana thread to the spells, spells can be manipulated and sustained using the caster''s mana. Connection strength can be reinforced and sustained with mana and will worsen as distance increases
And of course, my surprise was enough to lose control
Connection to Torchlight lost
The red torchlight exploded spectacularly in a flare of red, but I was too preoccupied to really notice as I stared at the box with a grin. Finally. Chapter 25 - Battle Prelude pt.1 Probably too much talking, not enough action. That comes of splitting up a larger chapter I guess. ------------------------------------------------------------ A smile on my face, I summoned a *Torchlight* which floated in front of my hands, colored light green. Entering the meditative state, I could see the mana thread connected to me and feel the spell, tiny droplets of mana floating through to fuel the spell as it floated in front of me. A single thought, the light turned blue and I widely grinned. Another thought was all it took to send it moving away from me, floating to the end of the hallway where I then effortlessly sent it moving back. Then I sucked the mana away from the spell, reversing the flow of mana in the connection. More accurately however, I tried to. My mana reserves were full and the mana just evaporated into the air as tiny invisible streamers from my pores. Interesting actually, the majority of the mana was evaporated from my fingers as I would expect but across my body were still tiny outputs of mana. Probably a leap in logic, but its likely I can cast spells from more than my hands. However from these experiments I could already see what my favorite part about this new skill was, I had no need at all to focus on maintaining the spell or the connection. The gamer ability handled it all for me. When I learned this from manually creating the connection the second I lost focus on it the connection shattered and the spell was disrupted, bursting apart in a flare of light. But using the gamer ability, I had no need at all to focus on the connection, forgetting about it as it hovers there unobtrusively until I turn back to it, my mind always sensing the small connection but easily ignoring it. Summoning Torchlight''s in earnest, I spammed them into the air with their lights reduced with the tint of green. Several hundred lights swam in the air around me before I began to slow down, the sensations of hundreds of connections slowly making me dizzy. Slowly my mana declined, the drain overwhelming my regeneration. Then I began to control them, swirling the lights through the air and pulsing through the colors of the rainbow in simultaneous harmony. Red, yellow, blue, I pulsed through them as if we were at a rave party as the sole guard looked on in fascinated wonder. Then Lily''s door slammed open, squinting through the brightness as she glared at me behind her hand. "Knock it off" she snapped, taking another breath as if going to say something more. Closing her mouth, she spun back around and stormed into her room as I killed the lightshow, leaving a solitary red light hovering over the terrified guard in mourning. I couldn''t help but smile, it was the first time I had seen her ruffled. Not terrified, not sad. But ruffled. Her messed up hair also was a little cute. Sitting back on the couch and staring at the light in thought, I began to wonder what other alternatives I could explore with this.. Not much really, I only knew a few spells. A sustained light beam would probably work, similar to a floating spotlight, as would controlling lightball through the air. But honestly, those two spells are kind of useless in their current state. Wonder how realistic lasers are. The other spells I had at my disposal were gravity cloak and gravity well. Gravity cloak would be the most useful, and gravity well could potentially be deadly if I moved it somewhere nasty, say their skull. But as for Gravity Cloak, its probably time to try that out. That of course, being flight. I had done it before, but the sudden jolts as you need to switch out Gravity Cloak''s just for the tiniest modification to your flight plan was quite nausea inducing. Especially because this essentially made a smooth flight impossible as you would need to gradually increase and decrease the speeds instead of doing this in a sudden and single change. Applying a gravity cloak to my body, I sent a command through my connection and slowly floated up into the air. My stomach felt a little queasy at the loss of gravity, but I can deal with it. I can also deal with the eternal falling sensation, it honestly isn''t that bad. Just disorientating. Testing it out, I slowly began to accelerate down the hallway, my body smoothly flying through the air carefreely. De-accelerating as I reached the end of the hall I was pretty pleased to note the lack of discomfort in the actual flight, the sickening motion having disappeared. The only thing that was a downside to this would be the weightless sensation, but as I said before its a minor downside. Not really sure how I can go about fixing that either. The other minor problem is not knowing what to do with your arms and legs, especially when gravity wasn''t in the equation. But I''d dealt with this problem before and the only real solution was to hold a pose as you flew, even if it felt unnatural. I began to show off to the guard who watched in utter fascination as I glided through the air, holding a graceful poise as I tested my control. Speeding up and testing de-acceleration I moved through the paces as I tested my limits. Eventually I could no longer take it, stomach crying quits as I began to settle back down to the ground. If I ever do this as a method of transportation, I''ll probably see about using something to stand on. Then again, it could be difficult trying to balance the platform as well as perfectly negating weight. Maybe if whoever is riding on it knows to stand perfectly still. Feet touching the floor, I discarded the gravity cloak as I turned to the guard with malicious intentions and a kind smile "Want to try it?" He hesitated, a slight tinge of fear on his face as he licked his lips nervously. Glancing towards Lily''s door, he paused a few seconds before deciding with a hesitant smile. "If its no trouble". Stepping closer as I gestured, the spell was applied. Silent screams of horror, his body trembling with fear and fright. The next hour was the worst night of his life as he flew at neck-break speeds, arms flailing uselessly and eyes pleading for mercy. Not a sound did he dare make as I flew him dangerously near the walls, skimming alongside the ceiling and suddenly braking just before hitting the wall as I experimented and tested my control. Coming her of her room the next morning, Lily noticed the shivering guard and seemed to hide a small smile. Sending the guard on a small errand she looked at me before returning to her room "Best wake up Kane" Lazily getting up, I stumbled to his door and rapped on it, collapsing back on the couch as Kane opened it in record time with a confused look when he noticed Lily wasn''t up. He looked at me with eyebrows raised before silently beginning to wait for the princess as he leaned against the wall, unwilling to ask me to move over on the couch. When the guard returned to his post Kane couldn''t help but notice the way the guard acted, the tension on his face. Kane looked at me quizzedly, opened his mouth to say something then paused, only to slowly close it again. He shook his head "I don''t want to know" he sighed. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Teasingly I asked "Want to see my new trick?" as the guard shuddered, but with a shake of his head he ignored me, waiting for Lily. Today we have another battle, set to begin in the afternoon. Of the three armies left in the tournament there is me, Ilan, and Caron. Due to Caron having the smaller army of fifteen hundred men we had been matched with them, the winner of that battle to fight Ilan''s army a week later. Of course because we had a battle today Lily didn''t want to go visiting, instead we would be spending the day indoors before heading out to the battlefield. As was the custom every morning, we headed to the dining hall where Sjen''s family awaited. His family consisted of him, his son Halin and Halin''s wife Seline. No no, I know what you are thinking but Sjen is old, and Halin was definitely in his 20''s as was Seline. I do wonder if people in this country marry in their teenaged years, but this didn''t seem to have happened here. Be interesting though. But anyhows, sitting at the table on one end were his family with both Lily and Kane sitting close to them. In contrast I sat with more than 4 chairs between myself and Kane, the furthest I was able to sit without being rude. Namely because Sjen and his family absolutely loved to attempt to draw me into their conversations, seeking out information and attempting to get on my good side. Its not that its a bad thing, but rather they try to get me to spill information I didn''t want to say, attempting to draw me closer in their conversations and have a closer relationship as a result. I didn''t like the way they seemed to try manipulate me, but again I can''t outright refuse them, they do have good intentions at heart.. Probably. Servants began to carry in dishes as we sat, conversation died down as we ate. Everyone''s reactions towards me had been improving, fear no longer rampant on their expressions at the sight of me. Lily never did seem to express any sort of closeness to me after the first battle, but she had grown comfortable with talking to me. But Kane, our relationship seems to have gone cold. Sjen, Halin and Seline had conceptions about me at first, but given that I didn''t actually do anything.. They quickly adapted to my presence. Kind of weird if you think about it, I mean I did kill a ton of people. Anyhows directly after we finished eating Halin immediately began to strike a conversation with me, he''s incredibly interested in me, saying he''s never met anyone quite like me. He doesn''t mean magic either, asking questions about several strange habits of mine and the way I didn''t seem to sleep. So the morning passed quietly, we moved into another room shortly after as the table was cleared. Sjen was more than happy to spend the day with her, and of course both Halin and Seline are more than happy to accompany their new ruler. If I recall correctly Sjen has been promised a high position already, not sure about Halin. Everyone began to sit in a circle of couches, I leaned against a wall in a effort not to join in the conversation. But seeing Lily point at a spot next to Kane.. No real option, he didn''t seem very pleased as he was forced to shuffle over to make room. Honestly the next couple of hours were pretty boring, everybody talking with more than several attempts to drag me into the conversation I had no interest in. Partly because they were talking about medieval things with great enthusiasm for progress, imagine this super hard metal that comes from iron! And partly because I was wondering what else I could do with magic now that I had a ability to retain a connection to the spells I cast. One such thought was the possibility to create floating eyeballs, perhaps by streaming their vision into streams of mana or something? Fun idea, no idea if its possible or can work. Hell, I can''t even do much beyond changing the entire color of my light spells. I''d need to at least gain the ability to have the same spell do different colors. That wouldn''t be a fundamental part of light mana, but more of the spell formation. Regardless, they talked politics, budgets, planning for the future and general gossip about the uses of several nobles and merchants like old house wives. Kane didn''t say much as the time dragged on, and Lily wasn''t required to talk much as Halin practically carried the entire conversation on his back. He soon turned the conversation towards tactics, talking over famous battles and the battles that had occurred in the past two weeks, blatantly trying to drag me into the conversation with invites of "Have you heard of the Erich''s Pin tactic Jon?" which of course I hadn''t, not being from this world. As should be fairly obvious by now, I have zero interest in tactics and planning my fights ahead, especially if you have the ability to fight the entire battle on the fly using pure might. Not saying its a good thing, and its pretty useful to have a plan if things go south. But when I can just bulldoze my way through an entire army using the power of brute strength.. Tactics seem to lose meaning. Even if I thought I was in trouble, I can easily kill their commander. And with the ability to fly, I can pick them off if they are obvious to see. Infact, they hinted more than a few times I should do just that. Kill the enemy commander, minimize loss of life. Why make enemies, Halin reasoned. Unless I have a proper reason? Certainly it would make life for Lily easier, but if I don''t level up now then in the next world I run the very real possibility of having a tougher time. Actually come to think of it, ever since I hit the stat cap the only real things I can increase are DEX, VIT and AGI. And its pretty inhuman already. But again, its nice to have stat points I can assign if things go bad, or if I decide to practice rift magic. And its not like I need to care that much about Lily, I''m not going to be in this world in two weeks. They began to pressure me, subtly asking for a promise to kill Caron the moment the battle started. Slowly the pressure began to build, every other question being directed to me even as they spoke to each other. It became sort of like a game to Halin, he seemed to find great fun in it as I constantly sought new ways to defuse his loaded questions. But luckily for me when things seemed inescapable with a promise about to exit my lips, a man dressed in reputable black entered the room. "I have a message from the War General" he spoke quietly, words penetrating the very air as Halin''s enthusiastic gestures died mid-word. The butler paused, relishing the attention he had and as the expectant silence began to draw out he finally spoke. "Lord Caron has backed out of the tournament, Ilan will be fighting in the afternoon" Chapter 26 - Battle Prelude pt.2 We can squeeze out one more huge chapter from this world, or two smaller chapters. We''ll see. It does suck that I need to expand on the battle else it''ll seem too rushed. ------------------------------------------------------------ With that single sentence from the butler, I could feel a grin crawling over my face even as Lily''s face tightened, her lips growing taut as she drew in a sharp breath. Of course everyone noticed it, how could they not? As she slowly brought her emotions under control Sjen politely offered me a buttered muffin. I mean really, a buttered muffin? Even Halin was asking his wife if she wanted to top up her half empty cup of tea, which of course she gracefully accepted. Kane meanwhile had a sad little smile on his face as he looked at Lily, helpless as Lily sat there looking forlorn. Personally though, I''m glad about it. I mean its a early victory! I wonder if the quest will be over the moment I win, or if we need to have a coronation first? I hope the former, suspect the latter. So I could be moving on in 12 hours, or in a month. I should probably ask about this, but ehh. Not the best time. As the silence began to spread, I grew uncomfortable with the tension in the air. It wasn''t directed at anyone but nobody wanted to break it. Personally, just between us I blame Lily. She made this awkward. "So how come nobody can use magic around here?" I spoke up. My question seemed to fall a little flat, but Seline took the opportunity to begin talking. "Until you showed up, we didn''t think magic can be controlled by a human, there are stories about it of course. But given that they are children''s stories.. But again, when you use it.." she paused thoughtfully. "There is one thing I can think of" she slowly spoke, "the children''s story about Gisa. Have you heard of it?"
QuestTralin''s Mages
DescriptionFind out what happened to the magic users of Tralin
Rewards6000 EXP
This reminds me of a few games I''ve played, they talk about vague rumors and when you ask about that ''rumor'' suddenly you receive a side-quest out of the blue. For now however, its probably worth checking it out, I''ll probably have lots of time to waste after this fight. "Nope" I shook my head, "I''m not from this area. If you don''t mind, I''d love to hear the story" I encouraged her with a blinding smile. Her smiling face seemed to falter as I flashed a grin at her, and to my right I caught Kane make an expression of distaste as he seemed to groan. Did I seem that fake? She recovered and nodded "Keep in mind that this is a children''s tale." Clearing her throat, she began. "There once was a girl called Gisa" As the story flowed I could feel myself being drawn in, words describing a world like this one. The story of a girl who lived with her parents, doing her chores and helping her mother set the table for supper. This was the first time I''ve heard a story in this manner, and it could only draw me in as her very voice summoned an entire world about her words. But given my lazy nature, and that her tale has little relevance to me. You are going to settle with a summarization. Living with her parents, little Gisa was happy. Doing work about home and stuff. One day while collecting firewood with her father she got lost in the forest, unable to find her way out. She heard wolves howling at night and ran herself ragged, desperate to escape the horrors and come home to her parents. Running into cobwebs, she fell to the ground crying. Then she heard a tender voice speak to her, talk to her. Telling her the path to take. She obeyed the voice and was lead through the forest and to a sunny glade where a small house sat. Three sisters inside the house welcomed her warmly and comforted her, making her feel at home. Gisa lived happily with them for a year, but eventually began to yearn for home. The sisters didn''t want her to leave, but eventually Gisa''s yearning grew so great they had to let her go, but not without three gifts. The first sister gave her a long feather, saying it would bring good luck. The second sister gave her a golden pearl, promising it would bring light in darkness. The third sister loved the girl the most, and she kissed Gisa on the cheek, asking Gisa to be friends with the wind. Bla bla, Gisa had lots of adventures as she left the forest, the pearl saved her in a cave of bats. The feather caught the attention of a woodcutter when she was surrounded by wolves. As she moved through the forest, she heard whispers that grew stronger and stronger until slowly she could make out the words, hearing the wind. She made friends with it, and in return it led her out of the forest, leading her directly to her home where her loving parents welcomed her. A great story, chockful of rich detail and a adventure I could feel jealous of.. But ultimately.. My quest didn''t update itself. Nor did it sound like real magic. I did get a few levelups from it however.
The skill Storytelling has reached level 13
Your stories attract attention and are engaging
..........
The skill Storytelling has reached level 19
Your stories attract more attention and are engaging
Seven free levels. Still, entertaining as it was.. "I loved the story, but.." I spoke "It wasn''t what you were looking for" Seline nodded knowingly No one said anything for a few moments, then Halin began to talk. About tactics. Again. At least this time he changed things up, now he was talking about the plan on how to counter Ilan''s army, I''ve made my disinterest in tactics clear already, and I really don''t like this line of conversation. So I broke in. "Lily, instead of walking to the battlefield I was thinking that we could fly" I spoke in a low voice, loud enough for everyone to hear. Kane choked on his drink and looked at me in shock "You can fly?" "Yeah, learned it last night" I glanced towards him idly, silently drinking in the shocked expressions on their faces. "Is it safe?" Lily finally asked curiously, I nodded "Yep, I have total control of everything" I spoke proudly. "So we are helpless to your whims in the air?" Kane asked with a slight grimace. "Its not that big a deal" I brushed him off, hope he doesn''t remember the guard this morning. I quickly added before he could say anymore "And one other thing" I began to smile, "You know that huge boulder we sat on as we watched the first fights?" Lily nodded warily and slowly her face began to comprehend as I talked "Well, I can fly that over to the battlefield" I finished with a wry grin. Suddenly catching on, Sjen choked on his muffin and wheezed as Halin began to laugh, Kane staring at me in disbelief. "You can do that?" he demanded, insistent to know. "Sure" I grinned at him, "I finally mastered one aspect of magic last night which vastly reduces the strain it will take on me" I shrugged, "It shouldn''t be too hard" Kane breathed out in awe, quietly muttering "If you can do that.." Halin managed to gasp out between guffaws "Ilan is going to throw a fit!" Sjen had recovered by now, he just shook his head as he looked at me with a funny little smile on his face, muffin lying forgotten in his hand. At this point I began to wonder, it felt as if they had accepted me. That I wasn''t feared. I knew I would always be feared to some extent, but honestly. I had missed this feeling, of belonging. Being accepted. The past month has been somewhat depressing, forced to follow Lily around, accompanying her on a trip not of my own choice or making. I''m made to fight on her behalf for a dream I don''t share only to be taken away when I finish my task. The god isn''t going to reward me is he. No. He looked at me with disdain in his eyes, didn''t even evaluate me but instead moved me on at his whim. Why would he lower himself to me. I see a ant on the ground, I either ignore it or I squash it. sometimes I play with it. Lets not talk about the magnifying glass. In his aspect it would be something like throwing me into a escalating pit of monsters, wondering how far I''ll get. Slowly my expressions darkened, my mood growing horrible as I began to curse him. Can I do anything to get out of this, make a rift back home? But he''ll find me won''t he. Becoming another god, ha. Maybe. Definitely not going to happen anytime soon. Killing him, hell no. Definitely won''t be happening. Impossible. Escaping from him, no. He''s a bloody god. If I want to leave, I have to ask him. But he won''t listen to me will he. Of course not. I scowled heavily, hating the god more and more as I thought about it. As I came to the sickening resolution that it all came down to what he wants, I couldn''t help but curse him in my heart. Scowling darkly I ignored the others, lost in my own thoughts. "Jon?" Halin spoke, catching my attention. "Hmm?" I looked at him distractingly, expression dark. "ah sorry, I was thinking" I apologised, relaxing my face and wiping my thoughts. "No worries" he weakly smiled, "So, you can fly all objects smaller than the boulder through the air?" he asked. I nodded "Yes, though I''ll need to touch them first" Motioning towards a vase, Sjen spoke "Could you show us?". "Sure" I shrugged, quickly getting up to tap the vase before sitting back down. Everyone''s focus was on the vase as slowly I manipulated the spell, lifting it up with the vase rising into the air as if attached to strings. The entire room watched the show in awe, glancing towards me as if they could see the trick in action, but my hands were still as my eyes silently followed the floating vase, ensuring it wouldn''t come to a shattering finish. Summoning up a few Torchlights, I flew them alongside the vase as they flickered through colors, giving them a airshow as I effortlessly controlled them to the delight of the crowd. Both Sjen and Halin made no effort to hide their excitement as they commented on the skill displayed, exclaiming over my prowess at the magic I could use. Kane though, he was a real downer. He looked a little irritated as he glanced at me, occasionally looking at Lily who eyed the lights with undisguised interest. He happened to meet my eye as I suddenly grinned, a thought reaching my mind. Does he think I''m a love rival? He scowled in return, seemingly reading my mind. He could just be overprotective, but its true isn''t it. My grin stretched wider, my attention distracted as his face grew more irritated. He looked away immediately, ignoring me. Suddenly I heard the shattering of the vase, I had completely forgotten about it.
HP -6
A sudden surge of pain suddenly spiked into my mind, forcing me to grimace even as I released that the spell on the vase had been forcibly destroyed. Magic backlash? Seriously, that hurt. Glancing towards the pile of shards on the ground and the dent in the wall, I apologised to Sjen, but he waved it off "Don''t worry about it, it was a great show!" he enthused excitedly "Not very safe it seems" Kane interrupted. "A minor mistake" I spoke offhandedly. With the vase destroyed, Lily had a small frown on her face as she looked at the shards before looking at me, hurriedly glancing away when she saw I had noticed. She''s not having second thoughts is she? Soon the talk turned back towards Ilan''s army, tactics on countering his tactics and this time. I was completely unable to do anything but listen. Not too big a deal though, I mean. Its just one more battle, after this I''ll have as much free time until I''m dragged away by the god. Oh.. The damned god. I began to scowl as I thought of him, but was quickly distracted by Halin with a question. Finally the talks were over as the battle approached, Sjen and Halin left with Kane to the battlefield, it was settled somewhat reluctantly that both Lily and I would be flying there. Lily was not very keen on it, but didn''t dare outright say so. I certainly made sure to enthuse how much I looked forwards to it. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Moving to the courtyard, I quickly placed enchantments on the pieces of her armor, reducing their mass to a state where she could easily dress without assistance. She still needed help, but it was made much easier with the lessened weight as she could move herself around. Dressed in iron armor, with my encouragement she clanked about the courtyard stumbling around as I praised her loudly. It was kind of cute I mused as I watched her move about, more so when you considered how small she was. She humored my request as she moved, well aware we had time to waste. "Terrifying sight" I teased her, hearing a small snort of laughter from inside the armor, she knew how ridiculous she looked. Finally we just sat there, taking a rest as we waited. All too soon, I judged it was time to go. I had placed a enchantment on Lily earlier, ''bumping'' into her by accident. So it was more than simple to reduce her mass to the extent where she felt light, then reverse the gravity of her armor to rise into the air. Sidestepping the nausea issue. Unrelated note, enchanting underwear was a terrible idea. Pants kind of worked, made me look like a pervert. I followed her into the air, my own stomach complaining about the sensation as the butler stared after us in wonder. He was the sole occupant permitted in the courtyard as we waited around. He''d seen the vase earlier, but it still couldn''t compare to actual flying. Squeaking at her first sensation of movement, I wondered if the sudden silence that fell could be related to nausea. Shouldn''t be, she should be feeling quite light instead. As we rose high into the sky, it was effortless to control our movements, the mansion slowly shrinking beneath us as we moved higher and higher. Gray walls and wooden houses shrank with distance, the entirety of the city filling our view. It was the first time I had seen the place in all of its entirety. To the left of the city was a giant forest, stretching out to the horizon with the right side of the city covered in fields, crops of plants in evenly spaced plots. At the back of the city were hills and at the bottom of the hills was the battlefield. The lack of gravity may feel perturbing, but the view brought a wide smile to my face as the crisp air hit my face. "Not so high" Lily spoke faintly Sighing, reluctantly I lowered our height as we flew to the hill over watching the battlefield, grass covered with spectators watching the battlegrounds with eager anticipation. Flying low as we approached the giant boulder, a few caught sight of us as we flew and exclaimed in surprise at the figures in the air. We began to attract attention as we moved and soon the entire crowd was fixated on our every movement. Figure of iron knight floating in the air, my own clothes of black robes frighteningly fluttering in what wind there was. Really, at this point I no longer had any clothes from home. It was embarrassing somewhat the first time when I had to ask Kane if I could borrow some money to purchase new clothes, my own clothes having grown holes. Luckily living at Sjen granted me a full set of clothes I could use, but for this fight I desired to dress in clothes of my own choosing. Childish I believe, but I had gone shopping while ''disguised'', purchased a full set of black cloth and returned only to ask the butler to have them made into a set of empowering robes. Frightened maid giving me measurements, I had new clothes in less than a day. And boy did I like them, what kind of figure do I make? A dramatic one? Anyways.. Looking around the crowds it was easy to spot the nobles, especially the rich ones. They had guards surrounding them, pushing back the crowds to give them a free area in which they relaxed at their own pleasure. Glancing quickly over them I found Sjen''s house easily, Sjen sitting under a shade with Halin and Kane seated beside him. As I approached the boulder I did wonder what expression Kane had, but didn''t stop to greet them. I''m not sure how much time we have. Hovering over the giant gray rock, I looked down at the group of 20 blankly, eyeing the wooden ladder which had evidently been used to get up. Politely I called out towards them, uncaring of the answer. "I''m going to borrow this, can you get off?" They probably recognised me, their movements were fast as they quickly packed up and lowered the ladder, scrambling to join the silent crowds on the ground who watched me in reverent or terrified awe.. Manipulating the enchants, I flew down low to the boulder and gently knelt as I used a single finger to poke the rough stone, applying a huge gravity cloak to the entire thing. Reinforcing the connection to the spell in a single instant. With a heavy sensation I could feel the mana drained from my body flowing down my finger, sensation like a geyser of water running through my finger covering the boulder as I started to feel drained. 600 mana used in a single instant, I was worried at first that the draining sensation meant that I had grown weaker, but my body recovered after less than a second, seemingly proving it was a indicator for the amount of mana I had consumed. But really, I wonder how long this would have taken if I was manually casting it, using the gamer skill was done instantly, but it would be that easy normally? Looking up from the boulder, I could feel the gazes of the crowd fixated on me as I moved, but I ignored them as I slowly floated up. For dramatic purposes, I held my hand in the air over the rock. In a deep voice I began to intone as the crowds fell into silence "The souls of the weak fill this rock, fill this earthly vessel with the forsaken blood of the fallen" Taking a small knife I''d nicked from Sjen''s house, I exposed my arm as I drew back the robes, dramatically drawing the knife over my skin. With a soft hiss I forcibly cut deep into my arm, allowing the blood to drip down on the boulder. I made sure to float close enough to the ground that everyone could see. The pain was negligible.
HP -53
"I have given you the blood of the cursed" I spat out "I promise you thousands of souls" "I pledge a rain of blood" "Rise demon" "Steamroll my enemies" "Float to my will" Then with deep breath and a roar, I bellowed "Rise you demon! The cursed god defiles you!" I swear, I heard Lily groan. Removing mass, reversing gravity, pouring mana down the thread towards the spell. With a single thought, my chuunibyou speech shook the world. Shuddering, groaning, grinding against the soil. With a loud cracking noise as the ground trembled, it slowly and inspirationally rose into the air. Hmm. No charisma stat? Shame. As the boulder was lifted into the air and the gaping hole in the ground was revealed, I could feel the mana thread greedily sucking away mana, gulping it like a treat. A quick look at my mana reserves proved that this spell wasn''t sustainable, simply too large. Regeneration is unable to keep up with demand, so I should be able to maintain the spell for up to a minute and a half before I run out of mana. Hmm, I really should test it. What happens if you run out of mana? I know what happens if you don''t have enough mana to cast one, but what if you have active spells demanding mana? Kind of busy atm, maybe later. A low muttering began to start as the silenced crowd slowly began to talk, I ignored them as the massive boulder lifted itself into the air like some earthly titan, tall as a three story house and rounded like a ball. As the earth crumbled off the sides I noted the rounded shape of the boulder with approval, this would work great. Slowly moving away, we left the crowds and hole in the ground as we flew towards the battlefield, clods of earth regularly dropping off the boulder to cause grief in the crowds below. Twice, I scored 80 XP from the pieces of dirt, probably knocking someone out or downright killing them. On one occasion I received 20 XP, don''t really want to think about it. But I had to move quickly as the boulder flew through the air, I can get it moving and reduce the cost of the spell by just keeping it afloat. But the mana demands were rapidly adding up. Basically, I don''t have long before we drop out of the skies. As we flew I could see Ilan''s massive army had been assembled already, crowding half the battlefield in colors of blue and red that clashed splendidly. The majority of the army wore shiny armor, a small group of men riding horses in the center and at the back was a small clearing with a group of men gathered about a table. I could already guess that Ilan would be at the commander''s table or hiding among the soldiers. Wouldn''t blame him either, he''d be stupid not to hide. The entire army stared at the boulder as we passed by, awe and terror likely etched into their very faces as I gently landed on the other side of the field, the ground shuddering as the boulder dropped from the sky in a controlled fall. Settling Lily down much more gently, I made a request. "Can you lie on the ground? I need to recover my strength and I''ll have to remove the enchantments on your armor" "Ok" she spoke quietly, quickly settling down on the churned dirt as I manipulated her spells into a dormant state, just enough mana being consumed to sustain them. Once the battle starts, I can just readd the enchantments, cut off the connection and reapply her spells after the fight. Simplest option, especially as I don''t need the connection to keep the spells active. Just to manipulate and extend their usefulness. With a few minutes left until the battle started, I stood there watching the enemy lines as they shuffled about. I couldn''t tell what the expressions on their faces were at this distance, but they have to had seen the boulder. Ah right, I should be wearing my chainmail, almost forgot about that. The minutes ticked by as we waited for the battle to begin, and I began to wonder why the battle begins at a set time, why not a time both commanders can agree to? The army seemed to get even edgier as the seconds ticked by, lines shuffling as the men looked at the boulder uncertainly. Probably doesn''t help that the men on foot are placed in the front lines, there as fodder. They probably know it too, are they being paid enough? They have to know of me. No way can they possibly think Ilan would leave Lily alone, even when he was her fiance he still betrayed her. And with the sheer amount of troops he has, he has to be having entertaining thoughts of attacking Lily. If he manages to kill or hold Lily hostage, he''ll won the battle. Though again, no one knows yet of the way I enchanted her armor. Really, there''s too much he stands to gain from going for Lily. Best case scenario, I''ll vanish if my ''master'' is killed. Worse case scenario, he has to run as I hunt him down in revenge. If he plays fair, its a guaranteed loss. Just how badly does he want the throne that he''s still willing to fight? Minutes ticked by, mana slowly recovered as I waited. When the horn blew it was with satisfaction that I had recovered 300 mana, enough for at least 2 minutes of flight time. But for what I plan to do, I''m going to burn through it. Almost idly I dealt with Lily''s armor, snapping off the connection as I grinned while setting the boulder in motion, mana surging through the connection in a stream as it slowly moved towards the army as it tumbled, beginning to spin as it grinded against the ground. Casually summoning my inventory, I moved behind the boulder as the arrows began to fill the air and land about me, rattling off the boulder as I reached inside my inventory. Grasping my spear and pulling it from my inventory, I broke into a jog as the boulder began to pick up speed. I can see their faces now, twisted in terror and fright, those closest to the boulder screaming words of surrender as they begin to scatter. But.. isn''t it a bit late for that? I do feel some regret, but I need the exp. You don''t look for a fight if you can''t see it to the end. To those who are running, I''m sorry. But you should have run faster. Chapter 27 - Battle Finale The chapter does need to be edited more, but I''m not stupid. I would never get around to it. Maybe when AI takes over the world becomes super advanced I can assign one to do this. ---------------------------------------------------------- Boulder meters from the screaming lines of men, it took a single thought to remove the effects of the enchant from the boulder leaving it in a dormant state. A single swift movement of my hand to throw a clump of pebbles, enchanting them with the last dredges of my mana. Then I let loose, forcing myself into the state as I received a massive spike of adrenaline.
Aura: Bloodlust is now in effect
Knees buckling, unprepared for the sense of terror sweeping over them. Silence ripping through the air as throats froze in fright. A moment of perfect peace, made me feel a little sad. Not often that I''ll have this. Time resumed, the boulder smashed into their lines. I could hear loud bangs as pebbles ripped through armor, horses screaming under the unexpected assault. That''s the knights crippled, it should take a forth of their lines and a minute to get back under control. The boulder surged through their lines, armor crumpling and a deep trench as the boulder coursed through the lines and directly towards the commanders embankment. At the very least, it''ll cause confusion. With each passing second as I fought to destroy their front lines, preventing them from passing by me I received notification after notification. Receiving exp for every man the boulder kissed, exp for the ones I took care of personally. When I had enough mana, I threw pebbles at the distant lines, preventing the footmen from fleeing or attacking towards Lily. But most of my mana was used to prevent the connection to the enchanted boulder from snapping. It was chaos. No one could possibly keep track of who was doing what.
You have leveled up to 26
You have been given 5 stat points to distribute
I received a levelup, mana instantly restored and the small drop in health disappearing. Wounds disappearing the second the notification appeared. And the boulder was still under my control while resting a fair distance away from the battlefield. With a small thought and knowing what it would cost, the boulder consumed substantial amounts of mana as it slowly began to move back to the battlefield, this time towards the knights. Halin had stressed it repeatably, the numbers of footmen on the ground were my biggest problem, the knights were the next. The new weapons he had heard of were the next biggest problem, simply because he didn''t know how they worked. He only had rumors to work from. The footmen could swarm past me, taking Lily by sheer numbers. The knights could take them on through might and speed, through their might was debatable against me. I think the new weapons could be crossbows, interesting enough but, not really. By now most of the footmen on the ground were running, the battlefield beginning to clear as the useless soldiers moved off the field. I was happy to allow them, too much hassle and effort for a single man. I''ll likely regret this later.
The skill Gamer has reached level 10
Inventory increases to 5x5 slots Skillbooks can be consumed
Oh, how nice. Remind me to checkout the library next time I''m nearby. Soon sparse numbers of archers remained, knights standing there even as a boulder bore down on them less than a few seconds away from behind. Most of them only beginning to react to the new danger. The commanders meeting spot was gone, a trench in the ground with red bodies pressed into it. A group of Crossbowmen remained, probably 30 or so. It was in their job title.
Hale lv.8 Crossbowman
But really, level 8? What happens if you remove the crossbow from him? Does his level drop?
You have leveled up to 27
You have been given 5 stat points to distribute
Sparse numbers of men still stood around, and after the boulder made mincework of the knights I gained another level. 20 knights remained, 80 either haven run, killed or dehorsed. I just stood there, picking off anyone who approached Lily as they began to organise themselves as they watched me in fear. I''m not even going to describe the sound of the battlefield, the screams on the howl as the man next to me howls with the loss of his leg.
EXP +40
Whelp, no longer howling now. Seems I don''t get much exp from a wounded kill. Did I get his already? Finally they began to resemble an army again, and conveniently I spotted Ilan. He wasn''t among the army, nope. He was part of those running away from me, not making a noise or doing anything to attract my attention. His movements also had him skirting the ditch surrounding the battlefield, not once stepping foot off it and forfeiting the fight. Might work too, but he ran a little too close and glanced a little too long at me.. At least I might be able to keep my promise to Lily now. Oh, looks like the army has reached a conclusion. Yep. Oh, they are scattering. This is going to be irritating. Time to recall my boulder. Anndd here they come. 30 bolts, a wave of arrows and a charge from the knights. Following closely behind, were the remaining soldiers still loyal. 20% of their army was left, the elites and the foolish. 65% having run, 15% slain or wounded. It was like what Halin said, the boulder would be the most effective weapon in my arsenal. All it had to do was outrun people and crush them, leaving wounded and killed in its wake and fear would do the rest. My aura remained unaddressed in the conversations, but it had a huge part in this. Even now the ones who were charging in my direction looked pale, faces set in grim determination or taut fear. Legs churning as they sought to cover distance. Obvious ploy, they were not headed towards me. The knights scattered across the charge in a effort to make it past. Crossbows and bows likely to distract me, do they have orders to continue fire even if I''m near their own? Distracted as I watched the advancing armies, I took a bolt from a crossbow to the head.
HP -620
Right eye has been destroyed
95% of INT and WIS temporarily lost, 30% of DEX temporarily lost
Due to mental resistance, you retain the ability to think clearly
I collapsed. No better way to put it. Connection to the boulder snapped, enchantment on my own body to enhance movements disappeared. I collapsed, unable to cope with the sudden loss of eye and ensuring pain. Dimly amidst the pain I had a single thought, Lily. Fighting the screaming agony I slowly stood up as my head throbbed in unrelenting pain.
HP -62
My leg, a burst of pain. I don''t remember that arrow being in my leg. This hurts. Bad. I remembered my health, I need to keep that up. What''s my health?
HP: 21/781
Oh. That''s bad. Dimly in my haze of pain as I thought frantically I remembered the unused stat points. Summoning my stats with a hand that felt almost numb I tapped at VIT, investing all 10 points.
HP: 121/881
Oh that''s better. I can''t feel a noticeable difference, but if I''m not a step away from death that works. With my one remaining eye I looked up, barely able to move my head in time to escape a arrow as it grazed by. They are keeping their distance, that''s good. They could hit me more if they were closer. They are not doing anything though, just looking at me with stark terror on their faces. What''s wrong? Patting upwards with my hand, I felt the metal shaft sticking from my eye socket with a burst of pain. Oh. That''s why they are running. Better not pull it out yet. Or should I. I should. But I can''t risk it. I don''t know. Oh, the knights have almost reached Lily. I should go. Stumbling in a broken walk, I began to move to Lily. Chainmail trapping arrows like a porcupine as I grew used to my new lack of vision. Soon I began to jog, scared to trip as it could mean my doom. No really, do the math. Crossbow bolt in eye socket, falling forwards. Nice? Those that saw me recoiled in fright, scared to come closer and losing their will to fight. I was just in pain, I couldn''t exactly think straight despite what the message said. My head blazed with pain, my eye blazed with pain, my pain blazed with pain. And when this comes out, I''m going to be in so much pain. Oh. They reached her. My hand reaches inside my inventory, but the pebble I throws refuses to enchant.
Mana control not sufficient to cast this spell
What mana control? I have a high level in mana control. Did it reduce that too? I can''t waste time. Need to run. Oh. He swung his sword. I''m running now, just hold on a little more Lily.. They are not stopping, they are really getting into it. They see me, but they don''t run. They are renewed frantically to claw at her armor. Hmm. They can''t do it, they are straining at the pieces but they can''t move it. The slits in the helmet are too thin, their weapons can''t fit in. I''m running towards them, my club raised into the air as I approach the unnerved soldiers. My running is making the shaft in my head bounce, its not a pleasant feeling. But rather, its painful. Does Lily refuse to surrender or something? Why is she risking her life. I''m there, I finally get the chance to use my club.
112 DMG
EXP +600
122 DMG
EXP +600
141 DMG
EXP +650
Haaa. The club has a dent in it now. At least it didn''t break. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.Can I repair stuff? I should be able to repair stuff. What kind of game doesn''t let you repair stuff? "Is that you?" I heard a voice whimper Who is it. Lily? Its Lily isn''t it. This pain is agonising. "Hi Lily" I gasped out. "I came" I''m on my knees, when did that happen. Were the weapons poisoned? Oh. There is is. In the corner of my vision.
Paralyzed for 5 minutes, 20 seconds 40% of DEX temporarily lost, 85% of AGI temporarily lost
Ha. Just my day. When did that happen. I can hear sniffles coming from the armor. I look around at the nearby people, no one is attacking right now which is good. My health is recovering, recovering too slow.
HP: 341/881
I''ll wait until its at least 700, what if it does damage on the way out as it did on the way in? I need my magic, 7 knights are nearby with at least 10 men on foot. They are not attacking yet, but they are watching me as their eyes flicker towards Lily on the ground. "Ilan" I heard a whisper, a pause. "Take him alive" Is that Lily? She sounds like she''s been crying. She must have been terrified. I weakly climb to my feet, unsure if I can keep my legs. I didn''t shiver or shake, and I looked quite solid to those watching. But I still felt weak. Even knowing I must be stronger than a normal man.
HP: 462/881
A man on foot is approaching, the others are going to follow. I have no confidence that I can hold them back. Can I risk it? Pulling the shaft out my head? How fast will it pay off, will it restore my INT and WIS as I heal or? No. Theres not enough time. I need options. Options. Ah, there''s the coin move. No. Not going to work, its pathetic. A shield maybe. But. Run. I have to run. But I can''t run, they will know I''m weak. Stand, stand and fight. Run from Lily, allow them to attack her. I have to stand and fight, then I can save her. With steps that felt so weak, I began to run towards the attacker as his expression firmed in determination. With a clash we met, and predictably he ended up with a crushed skull. He stabbed me in the head though, and it hurt.
HP -122
Why does he do so much damage? For the same reason my dead eye suddenly hurts a lot more of course. Because he stabbed the same place.
Bleeding status, -2 HP a second
Paralyzed for 4 minutes, 20 seconds 40% of DEX temporarily lost, 85% of AGI temporarily lost
I''m bleeding again. And the paralyzing effect refreshed itself? Are all of their weapons poisoned? Ahh, My head is killing me. It hurts. I began to grow used to the paralyzing effect as my movements grew more coordinated, but I was grazed once more as I fended off the next four attackers and knight with club swung blindly towards them. It wasn''t until much later that I wondered why my club didn''t break. Instead I brutally abused the club, unable to wield another weapon, unable to reinforce my club to prevent it breaking down. Head, head, leg and head. They finally left me alone. I can hear Lily''s whimpers, the dull clashing as their swords strike her armor ineffectively. Her desperate screams of terror, not enough strength in them to carry. But I hear just fine. "Jon!" They are not stopping I observe, they don''t talk to her but claw at her armor. Trying to get at her inside. They look at me, renew their efforts as I slowly begin to approach. I have to finish this. They are there to kill her. The battlefield feels silent as I begin to swing my club, heads removed as the rest scatter backwards. A few of them try their luck as they see my movements dulled, but my club still works. Standing next to the armor, my breath ragged as my head throbs with pain and crying coming from the armor, we make a sorry sight. A minute passes, those near us have left. I can''t find the strength to care. Another minute, and I check my health.
HP: 760/881
Haaaa. It heals that high, even when I have this lodged into my brain. Can I pull it out myself? Do I dare. I dare. I almost cry in anticipated agony as I grip the shaft, a damage window appearing to notify me of the fresh pain inflicted by the movement.
-8 HP
With a intake of breath I stiffened my grasp over the metal shaft, ready to pull out the source of pain. My arm moves, yank. Mouth involuntarily opens as I scream.
-158 HP
Minutes pass, at least Lily is no longer crying. I sit there, lying back on the dirt as Lily lay in her armor. Companionable silence in shared misery. She didn''t know then, but she knew now that I wasn''t having an easy time. No words needed to be spoken. We both knew the other was miserable. Speaking quietly into the air, I asked "Should I welcome his new wife?" Time passed, I lay there. "No" she whispered. "She is.. was.. my friend." Oh. Not just Ilan then. But is it not more reason. "I better go get him" I eventually spoke, "I''ll have to bring you along" "Ok" she whispered acceptance. As my health recovered from the damage of the removal of the arrow, the limitations on my stats slowly decreased. Finally disappearing after I recovered 300 health. After I recovered 400 health, my vision finally returned in a blurred state where I could only differentiate light. It grew better as I recovered my health though, taking less than half a minute to restore itself to full efficiency. At this point, it was a forgone conclusion Ilan was done for.
The title Demon has been gained
Object of fear and horror. Covered in a skin of blood not your own, you''ve earned quite a name for yourself! Improved relations with demons 10% resistance to fire Fear effects are 30% more effective Health recovers 10% faster
-------- Ilan was found hiding in a crowd, protected in a mess of other deserting soldiers as they retreated back to the city. He screamed as I flew low and touched him, lifting him effortlessly into the air as he fruitlessly clung to nearby men. Entreaties and pleas, meaningless to me. Finally growing sick of his crying I flew him high above us, far enough that I didn''t have to listen. The mana drain was worth it. -------- The coronation was in a week, and that week was spent quietly. My duties were over, my time was as I liked to spend it. But my desire to train, fight and otherwise mess-around was gone. I stayed indoors, clinging to the books I carried as I refused to leave my room. Lily often dropped by, turning to me for comfort even when I was the one who left her there on the battlefield. Seeing Kane, he wears a expression of loss and agony on his face as he watches Lily, unable to step in her path as she seeks me out. By now I''m pretty convinced she''s fallen for me, asks for my opinion and happy to talk to me even when I remain silent. Its nice to be cared for; but her love is unrequited. My main quest is unchanged, and as for the second quest I can''t find the will to investigate. It sounds like work and I don''t have the will. I just don''t care. This place, its sad. This entirety of my life, its sad. The direction it took, it sounded cool. But its.. -------- Lily''s coronation day. Lucky for me she doesn''t need to choose a husband. Infact her choosing a husband at the coronation would give the throne to him. Go figure. Lily asked me to be there, Kane reluctantly asked me the same. So I was here. I sat on a balcony, watching over the small crowd as four ministers at the front went through the rites. Lily dressed simply, as simple as a noble can dress with a richly colored dress. The crown looked okay, but I was really watching for the assassin. Those rulers in the other kingdoms died, and I don''t want it to end just like that. And so while her lace bodice and thin veil look harmless, my mana is being drained at a barely sustainable rate to keep the mass up and to manipulate the gravity in a way that they moved naturally. There''s nothing off about the ceremony, and it ends dully. Lily is now queen.
QuestQuest updated! Conquer the worlds
DescriptionWorld has been conquered. 79 worlds remain. Returning in 10 minutes
Rewards???
Ahh. There it is. Sitting at the balcony, I looked down in the courtyard. Its not long now before I leave this. Lily is greeting nobles and officials, thanking them or something. She looks up, catches my eye. Come to think of it, I need to return the money to them. As for what to give back and what I keep, 30% should be good. Kane is near Lily, seeing Lily catch my eye he looks and notices me. "Come over" I yelled towards Kane, uncaring of what the others thought. "I''ve got something for you" Sitting back out of sight from the startled looks, transforming into frightened expressions as they saw my face and recoiled in terror. I sat back on the chair and pulled out a bag from my inventory. I had prepared it beforehand for just this occasion. Withdrawing 7000 coins from my inventory I slid them into the bag, filling it to the top where I drew the strings tight. Then I settled it on the ground, a little distance away from me. It wouldn''t do to be transfered along with the bag. A few minutes later, Kane dropped by. Looking at me and the bag on the ground, he lifted his eyebrow dully. His face looked exhausted. "Take it" I gestured, "I''m going to leave" He looked at me with an unreadable expression, finally with a sad note saying his last words. "This is going to kill her" With weary movements, he collected the bag and left. The time was fast approaching when I next heard hurried footsteps, I knew the portal was coming. My back to the hallway, I took my last look at the courtyard with a sad halfsmile on my face. I''m not going to miss this place. "Jon?" I heard her ask, her voice somehow both heartbroken and sad, confusion reigning in her emotions. Don''t look at her, it will make it harder. "Jon!" she desperately yelled, fear in her voice as I felt the air move. A heartwrenching whimper, the portal came and my vision went black. Chapter 28 - New world: Aurge Personally I loved the previous chapter and knowing what I know, I love it even more. Makes it disappointing that I didn''t set any new records for most replies, just the most replies per views ratio. I also really like how most comments nowadays are less negative and more positive. I still don''t like ''Thanks 4 chapter'' comments so much, not sure why people do them. Also a note regarding Lily as this won''t be mentioned later in the story. You should know here and now that what she had wasn''t love. It was dependency. And with that said. Yeah. She''s never gonna recover. Additionally, if it wasn''t obvious enough he recovered his eye. He has two eyes. Just because I can, I shall now advertise my two current favorite stories. Continue Online Non-action based and centered on a grumpy old man in a world where VR is everything, its very well written. However it may take a few chapters to fall in love. Lair Story about an evolving creature in a dungeon. And finally, don''t you dare complain about cliches. I''m warning you. You wouldn''t want anything to happen to your dear Jon would you? He''s so naive and innocent, unknowing of the horrors of Yeah.. Just don''t complain. ---------------------------------------------------------
Entering world in 5
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Entering world in 2
Entering world in 1
Entered world: ???
I stood back in the giant room, open skies about me with a throne sitting in the center of the room before me. And sitting on the throne, expressionless face as he looked at me, sat the god.
God of Magic
I''m angry yes, upset yes. But I''m not stupid. When I was last here, all those months ago he said I can ask one question. And after I ask that question, he''s going to get rid of me. So I can''t ask him a question. He won''t listen to me if I rant, so I''m not going to rant. And if I just talk, I''ll easily slip up or he may take something as a question. So I''m not going to say a word. And as to why I''m not asking the question, its because I want to see how far I can push things. How much ground will he give before he pushes back. And so, standing there silently with no way to keep track of time, I waited. Time passed, my thoughts flickered and ideas appeared and disappeared. I didn''t get tired nor did I get hungry. In this realm I suffered no discomfort as I stood there waiting. Bored, I began to meditate as I looked about the vast room, spying giant globs of the formless mana floating about. Eying them with vast interest, I soon noticed that all other forms of magic in here did not seem to exist. And when I looked directly at the god, he seemed to disappear within a giant mass of mana. Caught in my interest, I was soon absorbed in studying the floating mana until finally, he broke the silence. "What is your question" Looks like he doesn''t have infinite patience. "Send me home" He didn''t say anything more, just sat there as he watched me. Finally, he spoke. "Your third world, this will be your homeworld. A week to complete a quest there" "And the second world?" I asked tensely, hating the idea of spending more time away. "You will spend two months there. Having answered your question, goodbye" Opening my mouth to scream obscenities at him, hating him for the length of time I was to stay and the single week I was given. I didn''t have time to react. In seemingly slow motion as I all too slowly began to react, a runic circle inscribed in blue light under my feet, scribbling faster than I could make a sound. Circle upon circle, tiny drawings and foreign letters brightly shining as they appeared, finishing with a glare as several lines began to rise through the air criss-crossing about me rapidly. The very next second as I mentally wailed in rage, my vision exploded into a rainbow as my ears went deaf from sudden lack of sound, a quest appeared and a window begin to count down.
QuestWaiting Room
DescriptionSpend two months in the world
RewardsWorld Conquered
Entering world in 352 seconds
. . . . . . . . .
Entering world in 214 seconds
With the long and lengthly pause, I couldn''t help but calm down. Feeling empty after the rush of anger and rage that rushed though me. I left Lily there, unable to say much or do anything to prevent me from leaving. Then the god throws me away, sending me on another trip I do not wish to take. How can I not be angry. But I can''t do anything. Forced to calm down as I''m subjected to my own thoughts. This is quite boring. Can''t see a thing. All disorientating bright lights, too bright to recognise any colors and a total absence of sound. My inventory works, but I can''t see a thing. Have to do everything by feel. I also don''t dare take stones out and throw them away from me, that''s just asking for trouble. And of course, the countdown window flashes in my vision even with eyes closed. And conveniently, that''s when I discovered I could view my stats and skills with my eyes closed. Just too lazy to display it.
Entering world in 213 seconds
. . . . . . . . .
Entering world in 2 seconds
Entering world in 1 seconds
A blinding flash of blueish white light that seared through my eyelids, half-blinded my eyes opened and as I adjusted there we stood. Five in a drawn circle of runes, runes formed of crushed white crystal which slowly faded in color even as we recovered.
Discovered new world: Aurge
With blurred vision I looked about, eyesight rapidly recovering even as I saw the surrounding ring of men, spears pointed towards us. For a few seconds I couldn''t even make out what their nameplates said, my pained eyes couldn''t seem to read them. Then I recovered and I was startled.
Cole lv.18 Spearsman
This is trouble. Looking at the others inside the surrounding circle of spearsmen, my fears were not smoothed.
Josh Carter lv.2 Student
Kira Harris lv.1 Student
Mark Nelson lv.2 Student
Rob Barnes lv.3 Student
It seems so obvious now, this world is a summoning. And those spearsmen, the way they were glaring at the five of us made it obvious that something had happened. And that something was probably me. A girl with short black hair and impish face, two boys with blond hair, one short and one tall. The last boy being average looking with black hair. The girl and one of the blond boys were dressed in different school uniforms, the other two dressed causally. The quality of their clothes were a far cry from my own handmade clothing, even when my own clothes were of higher quality, they were obviously different. My own clothes of a different style, fabrics handwoven and richly dyed for a special occasion, for a coronation. Their ages were also below mine, 16-17 years old when I was nearing 19. Conveniently enough my beard still hasn''t kicked in, not even tiny hairs. I shouldn''t look too different, but I''m definitely older than them. I stand out when compared, no real choice then. I''m going to stand out, and I''m going to be the bystander. As they rubbed their eyes and recovered, I slipped easily into my new role as I let slip a confused look onto my face. "Where are we?" I asked a nearby guard, almost forgetting in the moment that he wouldn''t understand me. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. He ignored me, using his spear to keep me at a distance inside the circle of spearsmen. Looking about, I could count 15 of them. All pointing spears towards the five of us. "This can''t be happening" my face collapsed, look of distress creeping over me as I looked about. The taller blond guy spoke, "Where is this?" Rob muttered, rubbing his eyes as he squinted, the other three copying his actions as they moved about. "Its another world" I spoke heavily, face collapsed into distress. "Another world?" Kira turned to me, slowly seeing my face as her vision cleared. "Yes, I don''t know where it is. But this place isn''t anything like Earth. Its mana concentration is completely different" "Mana?" Rob probed. "Magic, I dabbled in spells at home, but never had seen a place as rich in mana as this" "So you are a wizard then, know why we are here?" Josh asked calmly, seemingly too calmly for the situation. Josh is the blackhaired boy, leaving Mark as the shorter blond boy. They all had average looks, nothing special. They all seem too calm about this, is it their natural deposition or is there another factor at play? I continued to wear a look of distress on my face as I replied, "I don''t know. I''m here because I tried to latch on the surge of mana I sensed, but couldn''t separate from it when I realized it was too strong" As they probed me with questions, the guards continued to ignore us as I answered their questions with what I knew. Shying away from the topics that would expose me as someone special. My identity as a mage on earth, I wanted that to be established. It would explain my being here, and should release me from most responsibilities. God forbid they find out how strong I am. The summoners who brought us here shouldn''t work openly against me, as I tried to create a relationship with the other four I worked with this purpose in mind. If we are together, the situation should work out in my favor. At this point, I knew they are all from the Earth I know and its been several months, they didn''t know each other nor did they mention of an invasion which means the Bolgian Empire hasn''t struck. As we talked, alarmingly it was incredibly obvious that I was the one that the guards were on guard against. They couldn''t understand what I said, yet when the other four students spoke they seemed to understand what was being said. From this, they changed as a group to watching me and my movements. Thankfully not doing anything, waiting for some sort of signal. With a fair amount of mana in the air and the summoning circle on the ground, this world evidentially had mages. The high levels of the spearsmen proved that this world was going to be amongst the most difficult yet. I didn''t dare make trouble. As I ''calmed down'' the time passed, our conversation dying down as we exhausted the lines of topics. My own questions unable to be answered without exposing the months I had been gone, the guards unwilling to talk to the other four. The guards were waiting for someone, and judging from the slow summoning they had plenty of time to be alarmed the moment the god had hijacked their summoning spell. Perhaps the spearsmen here were meant to be fodder with a trap sprung the moment they are attacked. I don''t know. Taking a quick glance around, the room was made of polished marble, no blemishes or places to hide. Small sunken slots in the sides of the hall and roof giving off gentle light. At the side of the square room was a small simple wooden door. The air was cold, breath puffing out in small clouds as we waited patiently. They had long given up on addressing the ever silent guards. But really, the god hijacked a summoning? Seriously? Eventually the door opened, it seemed it was time. Footsteps sounded as a procession of guards walked through, a man following safely behind them.
Ceil lv.11 Duke
What''s with his level? Is everyone strong in this world? The procession forming a wall between us and the door, the duke spoke from behind his guards. He spoke pure nonsense. "Roi''r gorau i redeg hyn drwy gyfieithydd, Im ''yn ceisio i esgus yw hyn yn iaith arall nad yw''n ddealladwy. Hefyd enw''r dug yw Leonard" He paused for breath as the others about me reacted with surprise. Shit. "What''s he saying?" I asked Josh in a hushed voice, "I can''t understand a word" Looking at me for a second, he glanced towards the duke and quickly spoke "He said welcome, that he''s King Leonard, he summoned us and would like to know our names" he hurriedly explained, before introducing himself with a loud voice. "I''m Josh" Sure he''s the king.. Kira spoke next, "Kira, my name has a i" Before the either of the blonds could speak, I introduced myself. "Jon" I said simply. The taller blond introduced himself, then the shorter blond. The duke asked another question, looking at me as he did so. And as one, the four glanced at me. Oh boy. Hesitantly I smiled as I began to explore my escape options. Maybe I can fly out? Stun them with the aura, cast a spell on myself and get moving before they can react. Definitely shouldn''t cast the spell yet, if there''s a single mage here then they''ll know that I''m preparing myself for something. The duke then asked something else, and Josh took the liberty of speaking up. "He doesn''t understand what you are saying" The duke said something else, Josh turned to me. "I''ll be translating" he explained simply. Waiting until Josh finished talking, the duke asked a question as he watched me. "He wants to know who you are" Josh spoke normally, then answered the question from what I had told him earlier. "He said he was practicing magic back on our world when he saw the mana. He tried to take it or something, but was dragged with it" The duke watched me as he mulled over those words, indecision on his face before he finally spoke a few words. Josh translated. "You will be escorted with us, don''t make trouble" I smiled a little, seemingly nervous as I replied "Don''t worry". "He accepts" Josh called. The duke barked a few words, then left the room. Half the guards followed him, the others forming a honor guard about us, spears no longer pointed but always ready for action. Every guard seemed to be eyeing me, the others already forgotten. As we moved through the wooden door in the middle of the escort, I noticed immediately that the passage was of chiselled stone, a path mined from solid rock with the air chilled. We are underground? As we were escorted through the corridor, several passages branched off our own haphazardly in a maze style as we turned and moved, seemingly randomly choosing the paths to walk. We couldn''t do anything but follow in their steps, air filled with the sound of marching. Taking several breaks as we walked, I began to recognise places we had been before, such as that funny looking crack in the wall. Finally we took a new path, walking seemingly a thousand meters before leaving the darkened underground into fresh light and fresh air.
You have entered Queen''s Palace
Theres a king''s palace? Emerging from a basement, we were moved through the palace. Unlike the glamor of the summoning room, the paths we took ensured we moved through rooms of normal stood or carved wood. Nothing matched up to the splendor we originally saw. Seeing other people as we marched by, they all turned to stare and watch us five as we passed them, my own escort two thick even as the others walked relatively unmolested. I could no longer spy the duke ahead of us either, presumably he took the easy way out of the maze. We walked through one last doorway, grandly sized with doors inlayed of polished wood.
You have entered Queen''s Throne Room
Oh, the duke is sitting on the queen''s throne. Isn''t he embarrassed to sit there? There''s not even a queen in sight. Layer of three guards before the throne, the escort marched about the room and took up pre-assigned positions before a small crowd of nobles. We were left there abandoned in the center of the room. Eyeing the people about us, I mirrored the impressed expressions of the students with a touch of nervousness on my face. The nervousness wasn''t completely faked though. I''m definitely not that welcome and hoped things would turn out ok. Funny enough I couldn''t spot anyone of royalty in the crowd. They are very cautious. "Cyfieithydd gwyrdroi!" the duke boomed from the throne. "He says welcome" Josh whispered. "Peidiwch a cyfieithu llinellau hyn! fyddwch cael siomi!" "Summoned heroes from another world" Oh god. The not-king then launched into a grand speech, establishing the victim and the provoker as he wove his tale of grief and rage. Josh''s brief and sometimes dry translations the only thing that made it bearable. It may have made for a grand story, the others certainly seemed to be getting into it. But I''m definitely not going to be joining this quest. "And so, they want us to go stop him" Josh finished.
QuestCollapse the empire!
DescriptionThe evil beast king and dictator of the horrible Fara Empire is oppressing the poor kingdom of Haden! Defeat him! Topple the empire!
Immediate RewardsTraining in a class of choice Distrustful reputation with Haden Kingdom Unfriendly reputation with the Fara Empire 1,000 Gold
Rewards30,000 EXP Duke of Haden Kingdom Gamer Title: Summoned Hero
RefusalUnfriendly reputation with Haden Kingdom
I refuse. "We accept!" the four enthusiastically cried. Chapter 29 - Forming a team Whelp, loophole in quest notification. Guess the obvious thing to do when spotting it is thinking about exploiting it. Also a mistake in previous chapters is the ''Tralin Mages'' quest should have displayed a ''Quest Accepted'' window. Also sneak attack! Sudden chapter out of nowhere! Double damage! Though I probably shouldn''t have done so, it seems to run too fast. Still, I''d rather write another chapter than rewrite this. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "We will aid your kingdom" Rob spoke, his blond hair seemingly striking as he stood there like some hero. There was a noticeable silence as I said nothing. Josh turned towards me, "What about you?" They all turned towards me. "Uh" My eyes flickered to the nearby spearsmen. It said unfriendly right. Not enemy, not hatred. Just unfriendly. Actually, let me just read the quest again..
QuestCollapse the empire!
DescriptionThe evil beast king and dictator of the horrible Fara Empire is oppressing the poor kingdom of Haden! Defeat him! Topple the empire!
Immediate RewardsTraining in a class of choice Distrustful reputation with Haden Kingdom Unfriendly reputation with the Fara Empire 1,000 Gold
Rewards30,000 EXP Duke of Haden Kingdom Gamer Title: Summoned Hero
RefusalUnfriendly reputation with Haden Kingdom
Do I have to actually join in? Is there a punishment for not actually doing the quest, and simply taking the immediate rewards? Can I still get the end rewards even without actually participating in the quest? If this was a game, it''d be a possibility. But logically in the real world, no. If I refuse the quest, I''ll probably just be kicked out. If I accept the quest, take the rewards and run away. They''ll probably declare me a traitor after some time. And if I''m there at the very end, my relations still good with the kingdom. I can get it all. But.. I don''t plan to go along with this. The most incentive for the entire affair is the title ''Summoned Hero'', the 30k EXP isn''t too bad, but with the stat cap of 99 this makes the exp of limited use. Especially when my level doesn''t seem to effect me much. Actually, it doesn''t seem very useful at all. My level is useless. The most useful thing about leveling up is solely the stat points. The hell is the level for? I haven''t encountered a single situation where beyond comparing other people''s levels to my own when comparing combat strength that its been useful.
Update 0.2a
Update Log
  • Quest log is now accessible
  • Applicable quests can be refused from questlog
  • Skills can be deleted
  • Status explanations can be viewed
Ohh, shiny. Quest log makes some sense, status explanations is probably intended to address my question and deleting skills is quite useless. No really, very useless. "Um, Jon?" Even a skill where you can instantly bleed from every part of your body has its uses. Why would you remove it? Might make sense if something like ''Crude Blacksmithing'' is incompatible with ''Blacksmithing''. But not really. If anything it should upgrade or evolve. "Jon?" Hmm? Oh. "I accept" I smiled. No wait. "He accepts" Josh happily proclaimed out loud. Shit.
You have accepted the quest: Collapse the empire!
Ah well. Its not like they can untrain me or give back the coins. Hell, the worst thing that could happen is that I hide for 2 months. Unless.. Na, that can''t happen. Author: Shitty foreshadowing "Excellent" the duke grinned as Josh translated. Then without checking if anyone was tired and wanted to rest a bit, he called in several people.
Masic lv.15 Magic Adviser
Denn lv.7 Servant
Avid lv.8 Servant
In their hands the servants each carried in a small table and round orb set on a thick pillow, as they settled them in the middle of the room I used *Examine* on the orb with growing fear.
Focusing Orb
A rare mana crystal crystallised with the spell: Oracle: Skill Sight This can be used by fueling with mana and having the target touch the crystal
Ah, not as bad as I thought then. You seem to read all about the summoned heroes receiving status screens like my own. No idea how it would work out here though, conflict? Conversion? Now the biggest problem I have is how it displays things. Hopefully using pictures, not words. Definitely not words. I best go last, see how it works on the others. Slyly stepping away from the table as the magic adviser stood in front of it, Josh was left at the new front of the group. The king said something, everyone''s attention turned towards the magic adviser who said something else and a short explanation. "He says it will show our potential" Josh spoke, eyeing it with interest. The magic adviser said something else, Josh stepped forwards and approached the table. As the magic adviser did seemingly nothing as he held out his hand, I quietly looked at the mana about him. The crystal flowed with it, formless mana tinged with yellow for light mana. Watching quietly as Josh laid his hands on the orb, I noticed the orb flare in response and after a second, a solid red sword began to float in the air above the crystal, large as a small knife but obviously a sword. It was also completely and obviously formed of mana. "Mae ei bachgen bach!" the adviser proclaimed as Josh grinned. Kira learnt over and translated for my sake, "He says great talent in sword" Oh dear. I wonder if they are going to display my club as it is now, or a normal club? Rob then stepped forwards as Josh moved to the side. As he placed his hands on the orb we all watched in interest. Blue snow seemed to fall through the air above the ball, flakes of deepest blue swirling in a contained area by a unseen wind. With a infectious smile, the adviser proudly proclaimed "Yr wyf yn datgan i chi fy ngwraig!" Kira excitedly whispered "Unseen talent in ice magic!" as they happily congratulated Rob. I stayed out of their festivities, I was still worried about my own examination. Eagerly Kira stepped up, replacing Rob at the orb as she placed her hands on the orb. Almost immediately two knives began floating in the air, pale gray as they hovered there. Obviously this wasn''t so great a talent, but the adviser still proclaimed "Yr wyf yn gwyrdroi!" Josh joined me by my side again, although Kira looked a little disappointed they all congratulated her loudly. "Good talent in daggers" he whispered. Obviously not the best. Though does that include close combat or throwing? Or both? Probably the first. Dreading my turn, I hung back as Mark finally stepped up, replacing a disappointed Kira at the crystal. With bated breath, the crowd watched on as.. A bow appeared in the air, light brownish color with not a hint of shading. "Yr wyf yn datgan brenin fy hun!" the adviser announced, his reaction as forced as Kira''s had been. Evidently he was slightly disappointed. As they loudly congratulated Mark, Josh whispered "Good talent in bow" And then it was my turn, I felt a little nervous as I stepped up. What if I crush the crystal? I should have enough strength for that yes? Do they have spares? As I hesitated, Josh prompted me "Put your hands on the ball and relax" Turning around I hissed "I know", drawing the scene out. Sweaty palms, I slowly lowered my hands onto the cold ball. Mana passively resting below the surface as my breath quickened. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Then I laid hands on it. *Crack* Oh god. The ball slowly began to shatter, deep chasms to its very core appearing as the spell began to go haywire. Mana frothing at its very core as it desperately seeked escape. With a soft roar, the ball collapsed into dust. The entirety of its mana consumed by the spell in a effortless moment. I paused, fear and adrenaline pumping through my heart as I stared at it in horror. Snapping my head up desperately, the guards were already covering the door. Drawing closer to surround me even as the magic adviser stumbled backwards with a look of shock on his face. "What did you do?" Josh hissed, he didn''t move away. None of the four did. "I don''t know" my face scrunched in shock and distress, though I had a very good guess. The gamer skill. Infinite in its possibilities, favoring none and favoring all. Josh eyed the nearby guards as they closed in on me, and with a single decision he stepped next to me. The other three quickly moved with him. "Don''t worry" he smiled, "it''ll be fine" The four surrounded me, placing me in the center as the guards closed in with spears lowered. Kira glared at the surrounding guards even as Mark solidly stood by my back, Rob defiantly standing in front of me as he glared at the king. "Cyfieithu shitty yn mynd yma" the duke commanded. "We refuse" Rob declared, protecting my body with his own. If only he knew.. "A oes unrhyw un hyd yn oed yn poeni digon i drosi hyn" "He is one of us" Rob spoke coldly, his voice challenging as the other three stood silently with him.
Spoken Language: Sidaen has reached 50% comprehension
Nice. Is this a effect of everything being translated for me? The duke spoke towards Rob "We intend to Nid ydym yn him" To what? Rob paused, looked at me as he thought. I could only look on with uncertainty as I frantically calculated the best path to take, forcing my body to stay still instead of giving the hint of preparing to run. Guess its going to be spear and massive influxes of gravity and mass. "He will stay with us, we will accompany him" Rob finally decided. The duke hesitated as he considered, then finally reluctantly accepted. "You will be gosodwyd in a anghysbell mewn" At least I think he gave in, it sounded like he promised torture. His facial expressions and the slight relaxation of everyone said otherwise though. Rob turned towards me, a blinding smile of reassurance on his face. "We are a team" "And teams stick together" Josh finished as he gave me a pat on the back. Kira eased up on her glare, smiling towards me "You don''t need to worry" Mark remained silent, but I could feel his presence reassuringly standing at my back ready to protect from behind. With a half smile, I guiltily ignored the fact I was prepared to abandon them. They would probably have been fine anyways. A quick command from the duke and the guards retreated, taking their original positions. Though notedly they no longer guarded the door. The duke then spoke to Josh, "Ask your frind pa sgiliau he can i''ch" "What skills do you have?" Josh translated. Thinking for a second, I realized I had already backed myself into a corner. Magic wasn''t that bad though, I had originally planned to spend my time researching more deeply into this. "Obviously magic" I smiled towards Josh, "Though seeing that magic ball I''m now very interested in magic items". I spoke in English, and unlike what Josh and the others could do my words came out in a single language. I also had zero intentions of revealing I suddenly knew how to speak Sidaen. "He says he is good at magic, and he wants to learn more about magic items" Josh translated. "Ah good good" the duke looked at me, "annhymerus see if we can find rywun to ddysgu him" "He''ll look into it" Josh translated. Seriously though, I hear him promising torture. A servant stepped up, "Dilyn me" he spoke politely as he turned towards the doors, walking as the others followed. "Come on" Kira spoke, nudging me as she passed. They sure do take their friendship stuff seriously. We met what. Two hours ago? And they were prepared to fight for me? Following the servant down the halls we walked for a while, finally stepping into a seemingly abandoned wing of the palace overlooking a courtyard. "You will be gwmpas here, you can each wedi a lleill from yma here. Byw wait in the byddwch until the others have cyrraedd" "Others?" Rob asked. "Other ddewis, they will be arhoswch to you" and then the servant walked off. "We are waiting in the courtyard" Josh explained as we walked out in the sun.
You have entered 13th Courtyard
It seemed midday around here, and aside from the occasional weed this courtyard was of packed dirt surrounded on all four sides by the palace and its rooms. As we waited there, Josh only lasted a few minutes before he asked me again "Are you sure you don''t know what happened to the orb? Because I won''t judge you, you are definitely one of us" I smiled at him, I liked the feeling of companionship the four gave me. "Yeah, I don''t really know. It might be the way I can use mana on earth, maybe I have a lot of talent?" "Maybe" Josh echoed, his curiosity unsatisfied. After a short pause, he spoke again "Hey, can you show us one of your spells?" My face scrunched and I looked uncertain, finally caving in as I didn''t have a decent reason to refuse. "Ok" Fierce concentration as I held my cupped hands together, I looked intently at the clasped hands as I manually began to summon a Torchlight, omitting the connection and casting it as slow as I could. With a Torchlight of average size, I opened my hands with wide eyed delight. "I''ve never made one so big before!" A floating light, white in color and totally ordinary in every single way. The other four clapped, loudly admiring my magic. "That''s amazing!" Kira encouraged me as Mark nodded. "It looks pretty cool Jon" he spoke quietly, poking it with his finger. Then we heard a fifth person begin to clap, startled we looked across the courtyard where two people stood. The first a thin looking man, age in his twenties with tight clothes and two small dagger sheathes strapped to his wrist. The other was a older man with graying hair, slightly unkempt beard and dressed in gray robes.
Arod lv.14 Mage Apprentice
Jeffery lv.29 Assassin
Assassin? The highest level I''ve ever seen too. He''s there to train Kira right? I can''t even react to him, it shouldn''t be obvious to me. The old man clapped as he approached, and with delight spoke. "Cyfnodau heb lais!" "Voiceless incantation" Josh translated unprompted. Evidently the mage had forgotten this as he looked surprised at Josh then back at me with a slightly appraising look on his face. "I am going to dysgu you" he nodded with a pleased look on his face. More torture threats? "He''s going to teach you" Josh smiled to me, evidently pleased at my good fortune. But really, this mage and his level seemed like he was the worst they could find to teach me on short notice. "I shall be addysgu you the peryglon of cyllyll" the assassin Jeffery smiled towards Kira as she smiled back. Soon after, three others arrived.
Sinin lv.26 Water Mage
Thorn lv.24 Combat Swordsman
Nalidn lv.27 Archer
As they introduced themselves to their new students, I could only think that I definitely got the worst tutor.
Spoken Language: Sidaen has reached 90% comprehension
"Shall we begin" smiled Arod. Chapter 30 - Surpassing the master Wrote two short stories, check them out. There may be a quiz later. I believe the theme for the contest was comedy, which makes ''Fish loves you'' better than ''Fourteen chairs''. Fish loves you Fourteen chairs Regarding the quest ''Collapse the Empire'' and the ''Friendly Reputation with Haden Kingdom'', I didn''t think it out well enough. Should have said ''Distrustful reputation'' to better display how they treat him even after accepting it. Previous chapters has been fixed, just a minor mistake that conflicts with the story itself. There''s probably a better word than distrustful out there, but I can''t think of it. Debated adding ''Friendly relationship'' to the rewards, but too much editing for my liking. Spent the last day binge-reading Akumetsu, its a nice read. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Shall we begin" smiled Arod. This is going to get irritating. Giving a blank look towards him, I pretended ignorance as I called out towards the others. "Could someone translate for me?" Kira glanced at me and the mage apprentice before quickly speaking to the assassin and running over. "I''ll translate for you" she smiled brightly, turning to Arod "Just say what you want to tell him, and I''ll translate" Arod nodded as Jeffery the assassin who was Kira''s dagger/assassin instructor stood by and waited patiently, seeming not to mind as his pupil attached herself to us. Arod began to talk, asking questions as Kira repeated them back to me. "How long have you used magic for?" "Years" "Do you know how you are using voiceless chants?" "Not really, I can picture what the spell does in my head and make the mana floating around me do it" "You can see mana?!" at this point, he seemed to get rather excited. I couldn''t help but feel as if I had made a mistake as his shout attracted glances from the others in the courtyard. No one was actually training as yet, instead everyone had been talking to their new masters with the exception of Kira. When I asked her if she wanted to take a break, train with her new teacher as I switch with someone else to translate, she refused. "I like the topic of magic" she grinned, her smile slipping as she continued with disappointment "I do wish I had some ability for it, but daggers are still pretty cool.." Arod was quick to comfort her however, "You should still have some ability in magic, you will never be strong enough to fight with it, but small tricks like a tiny light can still be done if you work hard!". He sounded pretty sincere as he spoke to Kira, receiving a small smile in return. "That''s ok" she shook her head, "We have Jon and Rob. Two mages in our team is plenty for anyone" she spoke cheerfully. Soon to be one mage. "Can you ask him to demonstrate a spell?" I asked of Kira, she nodded. "I''d like to see that too. Arod could you show us a spell?" Arod looked at the others for some reason, seeming reassured when he noticed that no one but Jeffery the assassin was paying any attention to us. "I don''t know as much as some experts" he began, this was obvious to me. I''d be surprised if he could even match up to a common mage. "But I do have a few tricks I can show you" he smiled as Kira looked a little excited. "He says he will" she beamed towards me. "Cool" Arod cleared a small space for himself as we stepped back, then raising a hand in front of him and with a firm voice and a face of deep concentration, he spoke "[Absence of Darkness!]". Strangely enough as I heard the words, his voice sounded different. Not in a pitch/tone kind of wave, but magical different. A pale light shone from his palm, burning into existence from a tiny spark into a small ball as it floated in his palm. While incomparable to my own Torchlight, somehow it looked like it was different from my own spell, especially when looking at the mana construction. Also what was with that weird voice? I need to see it again, watch the mana flowing as the spell is cast. This isn''t going to be one of the worlds where everyone screams how they are going to attack is it? "[Soaring Leaf!]" the sword tutor yelled from behind me, a small whistle following his voice. Ok. ..... Kira clapped at the show as he preened, his face crinkled into a smile as Jeffery the assassin looked on expressionlessly. Eventually, Arod asked his new favorite person "Would you like me to demonstrate another spell?" She nodded excitedly "Yes! This is so cool" she gushed, her face glowing. Arod nodded, his actions proud as he bent down and picked up a stone. Holding it in his palm he concentrated and looked firmly at the stone, gravity and formless mana attracted to his mouth as he finally yelled out two words "[Controlling Thread!]" I saw it, I definitely saw it. A small wave of formed mana, rushing from his mouth at an extremely fast speed. Hitting the stone silently, the mana seemed to recoil as a small droplet bounced back to hit him, trailing a thin thread behind it as it formed a connection between the two. His hand dropped away, the stone floated in the air as he concentrated on it. Then it moved up, down, left, right. Moving as he concentrated with utter focus on every slow movement. I could see the way the mana connection shivered for every breath he took, sometimes almost snapping as he did so. This was obviously taxing for him. Finally with a released breath, the thread snapped and the stone fell. "How was that" he smirked towards Kira, her face expressing her amazement as she gushed praises towards Arod. "That was awesome! How long did it take you to learn how to do that! Do you think I can learn it some day?! That was so so cool!" I felt sick to my stomach, I can''t laugh, I can''t possibly laugh. I dare not laugh. "Pfft" My breath escaped, my control slowly slipping. "[Ice Spear!]" I heard someone yell, quickly turning my head to see a small icicle hit the ground with a solid impact as it impaled itself into the solid earth. Ahh, there''s Sinin, Rob''s magic teacher. He seems pretty good. Though lets not question why a Water Mage can use ice spells. Thankfully I didn''t feel like laughing anymore, seemed to have gotten over it. But still, that proud smirk on his face as Jeffery the assassin watched on impassively, Kira gushing praises towards him.. He seems pretty vain for the small tricks he has. "Arod wants to know what you think" Kira happily asked me, breaking into my thoughts as she looked on my face for the amazement I must be experiencing. Looking away into the far distance, I bided my time as I thought on how to word my next sentence. Well, I don''t particularly want to give him praise, and I definitely don''t want to learn magic from him. "Well" I slowly began, my words carefully picked as she waited for me patiently. "His magic is pretty impressive, but I''m not sure I wish to learn those types of magic. Really, I''m more interested in learning about enchanting items" I finished. "He loves your demonstration" she reported eagerly, vastly exaggerating my reaction. "He also wants to know more about enchanting items" Arod nodded thoughtfully, "Enchanting items isn''t for the weak, it takes years and years of experience for someone to learn the basics" he warned, an expression of a aged wise elder on his face as he spoke sternly. It seems Jeffery the assassin is pretty accustomed to sitting in the background being ignored, I have to constantly remind myself that Jeffery the assassin is standing right here. I''m definitely not going to be one of the assassinated victims of Jeffery the assassin. "It''ll take you years to learn" she reported. "I''m smart" I smiled towards her, "I can already understand some of what he is saying" "Really?!" she asked excitedly, turning to Arod with a proud smile "He''s really smart. He can already understand some of your language!" Arod raised his eyebrows, "That is impressive" he mused, staring at me thoughtfully. Idly I used *Examine*
NameArod
GenderMaleJobMage Apprentice
Level14Age53
Health160/161Stamina81/89
VIT9STR7
END8AGI9
DEX9INT12
WIS11LUK7
Skills
  • Meditation lv.4
  • Mana Channelling (Voice) lv.4
  • Flame (Voice) lv.2
  • Torchlight (Voice) lv.2
  • Gravity Telekinesis (Voice) lv.2
  • Mopping lv.4
Oh. This is just sad. I looked towards the other mage in the vicinity *Examine*
NameSinin
GenderMaleJobWater Mage
Level26Age33
Health222/224Stamina178/185
VIT13STR14
END12AGI12
DEX14INT22
WIS18LUK11
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Skills
  • Meditation lv.7
  • Mana Channelling (Voice) lv.21
  • Torchlight (Voice) lv.12
  • Flame (Voice) lv.1
  • Gravity Telekinesis (Voice) lv.2
  • Gust (Voice) lv.2
  • Heat (Voice) lv.1
  • Earth Ball (Voice) lv.1
  • Water Mastery lv.13
  • Ice Mastery lv.6
  • Water Manipulate (Voice) lv.19
  • Water Ball (Voice) lv.13
  • Water Cocoon (Voice) lv.13
  • Heavy Water (Voice) lv.13
  • Geyser (Voice) lv.11
  • Ice Touch (Voice) lv.5
  • Ice Spear (Voice) lv.14
  • Ice Ball (Voice) lv.11
  • Ice Wall (Voice) lv.7
  • Ice Fall (Voice) lv.5
When comparing them, its incredibly sad. As Arod tugged on his beard thoughtfully as he stood thinking, he finally murmured "Yes.. That may work". "What will?" Kira practically leaped on him, completely forgetting her own teacher Jeffery the assassin as she clung to him. With a pleased expression on his face, Arod began "Well, I could ask my fellow colleagues to help but I''m afraid they would be too busy to listen to me". Kira clung to every word he spoke as I glanced towards Sinin, he certainly didn''t look busy. Infact he looked pretty happy with Rob as he listened intently, occasionally demonstrating a spell as Rob watched before they both continued to talk. Continuing oblivious to my lack of respect Arod proudly spoke with a small nod "While this would normally be forbidden, I don''t think it should be too much of an issue if your friend here is given access to our inner library" "Really?" Kira asked excited, turning to me with shining eyes "He says you might be allowed to use the mages library!" My ecstatic face felt forced as I exclaimed "Cool!", relaxing it a little as I settled into a contented grin. I might actually get somewhere in the library. While I have almost zero desire to learn any of their spells here, their enchanting would be a good start. And if they have other books which contains skills or spells, then it would also be a great time to grab them. If they are good and useful, I could live with calling out their names. Might be able to even remove that aspect altogether. Eventually telling Kira I could understand most of what Arod was now saying, she left disappointed as her tutor Jeffery the assassin led her away as he finally began to teach her. The next 30 minutes were learning the three spells Arod knew, and proving I knew them. But try as I might, I just couldn''t manage to use Flame. Might have something to do with the constant notifications that displayed. I felt like a utter fool as I yelled all three spells, learning the first two with ease and repeatably trying to cast Flame as he encouraged me on. He wouldn''t take "I can''t cast it" for an answer.
You have learned how to cast Torchlight using (Voice)
You have learned the spell Gravity Telekinesis (Voice)
Unable to learn Flame (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
Unable to learn Flame (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
Unable to learn Flame (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
Eventually, I admitted defeat. "I don''t think I can use Flame" I admitted to Arod, refusing to cast it. By now I no longer pretended to not understand their language, he of course was amazed at this and repeatably smiled at me. "A genius".
Spoken Language: Sidaen has been learned
"Don''t worry about it" he shook his head, "Not everyone can cast all of the spells. Some specialize in certain elements. If you keep trying and don''t give up, someday you will be able to use those spells" Actually when I think about it, it''s kind of weird. Arod has 3 spells, all utilizing different types of mana and Sinin has a lot more. Even when its obvious that Arod is a failure and Sinin is a average or genius neither should be able to use so many affinities. Gamer is limiting me it seems, forcing me to stick to two mana types when I have the potential to use more. Gah. I''ll live. The others had taken to real lessons on their weapons by now, Kira still being shown how to hold the knives by Jeffery the assassin even as the others were given instruction on actually using their new weapons. Rob was still talking to his instructor, occasionally shouting "Absence of Darkness!" as Sinin encouraged him on. Mark was being shown how to aim, posture corrected and Josh had already progressed to actually waving his sword around, instructor moving his body and weapon against a unseen opponent as Josh tried to follow along. Come to think of it, shouldn''t Arod have had a bigger reaction when he found that I could use the two spells he knew instantly? Eh. Not a big deal. He''s a failure, we established that much. At least I don''t need to learn a new mana channelling skill. Twas pretty simple to inject mana into my voice now that I knew about it, forming it as best as I could as Arod instructed me before letting it out into a shout. Doubtless I wouldn''t have it so easy if I had thought of the idea myself. Chances is its a system assist because an actual teacher is teaching me. Also, this voice thing might be pretty good after all as it has its uses. Using Gravity Cloak I need to make contact with the object I want to effect, but when I cast Gravity Telekinesis the spell moves through the air, hitting objects at a distance. It even has some kind of autoaim, just need to focus on a object. Still hate the shout though, its retarded.
SkillGravity Telekinesis (Voice)Level1 [63%]
By forming mana using your voice and sending it with a loud yell, the effected target can be moved using your mind! 322% control over mass, 322% control over gravity. Spell effect varies, above effect observable on a 2 cm2 object. Spell lasts for 39 minutes
Pretty confident I could supplement the ''Controlling Thread'' yell with other words or just a simple yell, but I don''t care to feed Arod''s ''Genius'' idea too much. I can try it later if I ever decide I want to use these kind of spells and skills. At least Arod said he would investigate about the library seeing as I seem to be a very fast learner, just didn''t mention the little detail that he had nothing more to teach me. I have surpassed my master. ..... Strangely I don''t feel accomplished. Sitting on the chair and watching Rob, his tutor instructed in a manner both easy to understand and wise in its wisdom. Sort of different from Arod really, Arod is a little confusing. With a brisk shout, Rob finally succeeded in his first spell. "[Absence of Darkness!]" A orb of light floating in front of him, noticeably stronger than Arod''s version I loudly clapped. "Nice!" I shouted. The other three in the team turned to face him as he grinned embarrassingly, their shouts of congratulations easily carrying the short distance as the orb gently floated in front of him. "Your friend may be a fast learner" his teacher began, I thought he was talking to me before he continued "But it seems he has been practicing for years to reach his stage" Oh. "The world you have come from, he must have struggled and struggled to reach where he is now, but you. You can do in a hour what must have taken him years!" Two months really, and why are you feeding his ego? Shouldn''t you be knocking him down so that he tries harder to impress you? Also do you think I can''t understand you? Loudly I congratulated Rob again, "It won''t be long before I''ll come begging to learn from you!" I lied with a grin. He smiled wryly and denied it "That''s not likely, you''ve had more practice at this than me. I''m just catching up" I might actually get him to teach me his spells later, depends how useful the mage library is and what he learns. One of my ideas for the quest I had received was to separate with the four on good terms, using some pretense to split up ''For the greater good''. Then if Falin Kingdom questions it and my quest looks like its going to fail, they should defend my honor even when I had practically abandoned them. Later I could perhaps join them at the boss fight, having skipped most of the travelling and the actual work getting there. They should be happy enough to accept me back in the team, its not like we are going to be fighting over EXP and boss loot. Heck, if they are still weaker than me by then, I can easily claim I spent my time studying and training! What could go wrong! Well. A lot could. But ignoring that and moving on.. Its still something I''ll need to do. I''m definitely not going to assist them, and the quest turning sour is something I''d like to avoid. It would make my life inconvenient in so many ways, and having a new gamer title could prove handy. Especially if its something to do with rifts. Well, that''s debatable. I wouldn''t like a title that gives 60% more chance to be summoned. Could work if it was 40% affinity to rifts. Come to think of it, what would that title even give. It would have given me peace of mind if it was called ''Hero'', not ''Summoned Hero''. That ''Summoned'' part is what worries me. Also, could I kill the beast king by myself? Spend what time I need to at the library learning what I can, travel directly to his place and kill him. A pebble ought to do it. Shouldn''t take too long, I can fly over there. No co-fliers to complain about the speed. Then my remaining days, spend them in peace. No fears of a quest failing. That''s a idea. A very good idea. Though I can''t take the others. They''ll get in my way.
Josh Carter lv.5 Heroic Swordsman
Kira Harris lv.2 Hero
Mark Nelson lv.4 Heroic Archer
Rob Barnes lv.3 Heroic Mage
Chapter 31 - Enforced Limits Why does he have a game ability? Because he has no talent. His actions are not clever, his ideas are not brilliant and he is not some lucky guy. The extent of his luck would be in the prologue itself. Unless he wants to star in a slow story where he scrapes at the ground for every ota of strength, months and years of time slipping by as he makes slow insights into new techniques.. Obviously he needs a edge to gain power. And for reasons, he''s using Gamer. There''s more to it than just a super-handy ability. Also funny enough, the #1 reason I''m currently writing is because I like to read comments, and no one comments on older chapters. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As I sat watching the others train with back resting against the wall, my thoughts turned towards my first attempts at enchanting. My rather disastrous attempts. This wasn''t recent, not at all. It had happened on the trip to Stone Kingdom actually, the same trip where I had accompanied both Lily and Kane as we walked and walked and walked.. My first experiment seemed easy enough, I took a stick and sent in a raw stream of mana just to see what would happen, how it reacted and how it failed. And obviously, it failed. The mana just flowed through the stick; slowed only a little by the solid matter. My second experiment was also pretty obvious, casting an actual Gravity Cloak and attempting to imbue it inside the stick, trying to permanently attach the effects of the spell or just to get some kind of attempt. Anything to show some measure of success. Forcing the spell inside, I failed. The spell simply warped, mana going haywire as the spell ripped itself apart. Not to be discouraged I tried these experiments lots of times, varying the effects and the way I went about it. But it always ended in failure. Not once did the spell ever seem to react anything but the mana warping. Heck, I would count it a success if the stick was damaged or even destroyed! It would indicate I had something going, some way to make it work. Or even a new path I could take for my spells. But yes. Nothing worked, not a single hint of success. At that point I had given up after less than a day, the concept seemed easy enough but reality proved harsh. I needed to be taught. As a sidenote though, something I discovered quite early on was that I could place objects enchanted with a Gravity Cloak inside my inventory, then remove it at a later date with the spell not having decayed in the slightest. The same thing extended towards my laptop, up until it ran out of power I could place it inside my inventory without the battery being drained before retrieving it at the next date. Meaning I didn''t need to switch it off or start it up. Interesting really, minor shame I didn''t discover it until halfway through my journey. I had been quite conservative with the power seeing as I couldn''t recharge it, always shutting it down and starting it up everytime I used it. Even minesweeper is a fun way to pass time if you are sick of travel. But thankfully, with Arod asking about access to their library you will need to give me just a day, just a day and I''ll know every spell and skill they have. Another day to test them, deleting the ones that are useless. As I waited patiently for Arod I observed the others, not a single tutor near me that I could overhear their instruction and the two times I attempted to get closer they broke off talks and invited their students to view a demonstration ''over here''. It may not have seemed obvious to the others, but they were avoiding me learning anything. Especially Sinin. Not once did he permit me to get anywhere near him, moving further away from me to demonstrate and give an example on the other side of the courtyard. After what felt like an hour, I finally heard his footsteps from the passage as Arod slowly walked up. His speed almost seemed reluctant as he entered the courtyard and caught my eyes. Seeing the expression on his face, the small defeated hunch in his shoulders and the small books he cradled in his arms protectively. I immediately recognised what had happened. I was denied entry. They refused me. Denied me access to their inner lore. Crippled me. The bastards. Apologetically he walked towards me, his aged face showing regret as he cradled four books in his arms. With a slight wince on his face, he apologised. "I''m unable to receive permission in regards to the library" he sighed, sitting beside me with a weary groan. Books resting on his lap, he continued "I tried to convince them of your intelligence, the way you grasped my spells in a mere instant and the innate talent that lies within you despite your background.. But they refused to see reason. I tried to convince them, pleaded with them. But I''m not in a position where I can make demands." With a regretful sigh as he looked at me he sadly talked. "You really are a genius. Of course, Rob is a genius as well. But you.. You are on an entirely new level. You should have been tutored by one of the others, even an elder. But somehow, I was assigned to you" He rested against the wall, his eyes closed and his posture defeated. It seems he really did try to convince the others of my great potential.. My opinion of him grew. "Truth be told, I''m one of the failures" he spoke heavily, staring into empty air with his face weary and aged. "I never had that much talent, I trained and I trained. But.." Turning towards me, intensely staring with faded brown eyes "And then there''s you. You have a talent I''ve rarely seen, and if I could I would see you take the chance I couldn''t use" His gaze fell again as his face dropped, "But, I wield no power. Not here. I have no command, no respect. They send me on errands, order me to do what they cannot lower themselves to do. And so, they refuse to listen to me, refuse to hear about you." With a sad half-smile he shook his head "It was all that I could do to borrow a few books from a friend of mine. I have one other book in my room, notes I took as I studied. But I''m afraid it won''t help you much." Hugging the books on his lap, he sat quietly on the stone bench as the sun warmed his wrinkled skin. Looking about with half-lidded eyes he turned towards me and spoke with a low voice, speaking treasonous words "You should abandon this quest, you cannot possibly grow strong in this place. You need to learn, to use what you have. There are other places which would grant you this chance" Heavily tempted and vastly intrigued, I couldn''t help but be drawn in. Matching him with a low voice I asked "Which places are these?" Jeffery threw us a glance, Kira grasping her twin knives as she practiced a slash through the air. "Talk to me later" Arod straightened, his back giving a low series of cracks as I winced. Clearing his throat, Arod gestured towards the books on his lap. "As I said, these books were all that I could find. While I''m afraid they may not be of much help, I advise you master these books before seeking out more instruction" Then with a false smile "Perhaps we can still change their minds" We know its not going to happen. Looking at the books on his lap curiously, leather backing wrapped about crinkled uneven yellow parchment, Arod smiled "Go ahead, take them" *Examine*
Beginner Medic Spells
Spells for those who pick the path of the healer. Contains the spells: Light Heal (Voice), Fatigue Lift (Voice), Calming Hand (Voice)
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Quick guide to farming
Planting crops, hoeing the ground and the seasons and environments for each plant. A must have for those seeking a simple life! Contains the spells: Light Rain (Voice), Fatigue Lift (Voice)
Disguised as a simple handbook towards magical cooking, the wizard Yiaq was paranoid and hid one of his many techniques within these pages! Contains the spells: Minor Heat (Voice), Crawling Lightning (Voice)
Races of the Beastlands
An instructmental guide on each of the many species occupying the beastlands and the many traits they have! Not all beasts are the same, and some of them can be quite dangerous! By memorizing the information contained within you can rest assured on how to react and guarantee your very safety!
Intrigued at the contents of a certain book, I reached and took the pile from Arod''s hands. Placing the pile on the bench next to me, I ignored the screaming voice that told me to take out the cookbook and learn it. But I ignored it, plenty of time and it would seem strange. I cracked open the first book on the pile. Beginner Medic Spells. Reading the first sentence, no popups appeared. I don''t understand this language. "If you don''t mind" I asked Arod, "I''ll need you to teach me to read". He snorted, "Even a genius needs to learn?" as his mood seemed to lift a little. With Arod pronouncing each word as I moved my finger beneath a line, two popups appeared as we finished the first sentence.
Learn the spell Fatigue Lift (Voice)
YesNo
Learn the spell Calming Hand (Voice)
YesNo
With a small glance I felt a wave of dismay, The healing spell didn''t appear. "What''s wrong?" Arod asked, confused at my sudden drop in expressions. "Its nothing" I smiled half-heartedly, pushing Yes on both windows.
You have learned the spell Fatigue Lift (Voice)
You have learned the spell Calming Hand (Voice)
He continued to sound out the words as I moved my finger through the book, taking a break to recover his voice and soothe his throat after every page. I no longer needed the contents, but I wanted to learn the language. Arod was of the same mind, wanting me to learn the written language as well. Halfway through the book, not yet having reached the part for Light Heal but having passed over ''Fatigue Lift'' as I encouraged him to continue, a new popup appeared.
Written Language: Sidaen has reached 50% comprehension
Instantly the words seemed to make sense to me, words still ineligible but readable as I began to skim over the lines. Pointing out the words I still didn''t understand, Arod happily noticed that I had begun to understand the book as I skipped over words to point at others. Finally we reached Light Heal where I paid attention to each word as Arod sounded them out. I memorized everything, the words written and the infliction of the voice to use. The rushing air as the spell is called out and the incantation of ''Soothing and healing, cure this wound of aliments!'' And by the time I finished the last word, a window popped up.
Unable to learn Light Heal (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
Oh. Crestfallen face, Arod asked me what was wrong. "Its nothing. I just have a hunch I can''t use the heal spell" I spoke quietly, staring at the page. I''m limited. Limited to light and weight. I wanted to learn magic yes, but weight and light are not actual attack spells. They are disappointing in the arsenal of a mage. I make use of the gravity for my stones of death, reinforcing armor and weapons as I slaughter in the hundreds. But I''m choosing an unorthodox path in my usage, a strange path that is nothing like a magician. A combination yes, but its not the same thing as being a magician. Call it strange, but I wanted to learn magic, feel like a real wizard. Shoot fire from my fingertips and summon icicles in the air. I can''t even fly properly, it makes you feel sick. Lightning. I saw a lightning spell. Can I use lightning? Slipping the cookbook out from the pile as Arod curiously glanced at my actions, he said nothing as I opened the first page and read the first sentence with his assistance. "Baking a cake can be quite easy, or the hardest thing you''ve ever mastered. This book contains more than a few secrets and its up to the reader to find all of them."
Learn the spell Crawling Lightning (Voice)
YesNo
I pressed yes.
You have learned the spell Crawling Lightning (Voice)
That works. Lighting works, it definitely works. I can learn Lightning. "You find something?" Arod asked, I shook my head. "No, this brought up old memories. My mother, she used to bake cakes for me and my dad. All kinds of cakes from light sponge to heavy and rich chocolate. They were delicious and we loved eating them. But when she died, I made a promise." Sitting silently as I looked at the book, I finished "I haven''t touched cake in years, it brings up memories." "Ah". Arod didn''t inquire further. I made the story up, my mother was very much alive. ... When I last saw her.
You have learned the skill Acting
Ignoring the new notification window, I slyly opened my skills and looked at the new spell.
SkillCrawling Lightning (Voice)Level1 [0%]
Rapidly agitating the friction that lies within light mana, form and shout the spell to send a stream of charged lightning from your body! Must be cast using a part of body as the focal point. Caster is immune to spell damage. Damage and spell strength is dependent on mana consumption.
Chapter 32 - Beastlands Quest I make a comment about reading comments and suddenly there''s comments. This story felt 5x longer than usual. But sorry to disappoint, its not. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sitting in silence staring at the screen, I mentally began to go over what I knew about the spell and its construction. Most of it was new to me, but I could begin to see underlying similarities to other spells I knew. Nothing big or groundbreaking, but the basics of how it worked. Just like that a nest should be built on a branch, I could dimly catch a glimpse of the way this spell would prevent itself from collapsing the second this specific spell was cast. Nothing helpful that could allow me to create my own spell, but still promising. Fourteen circles in a complicated array, centered on a focal point with a stream of formless mana running directly through the focal point. I can kind of see how it''ll works to create an effect, the way the spell formation meshes to form the spell. Though how the lightning actually comes into play, I just can''t see it. How does it go from formless mana to lightning? And shouldn''t it be light mana that''s transformed into electricity? Am I missing something? Light mana from what I''ve seen is connected to light, and a relation to lightning as well if I''m reading this spell right. It certainly contains elements of light mana. And yet, I don''t understand how this spell could work. I see how it works, but not how it- Arod coughed, catching my attention and losing my thoughts. I almost groaned at him. He apologised oblivious to my dismay, I could feel myself approaching a breakthrough.. "Jon. I''m sorry if I brought up bad memories" Ah, he seems to think I''m still caught up over a memory of cake baking dead parents. I waved him off with a light smile "Don''t worry about it", his expression clearing I tried to resume my train of thought, but failed. I just couldn''t slip back into the groove I had going, the thoughts that was leading me into a new direction. Its simply too noisy, the low murmurs as the others talked to their instructors and the grunts as they move through their motions. Arod watched me patiently, watching and waiting silently for me to continue reading. He seems really invested in my wellbeing, even though we met like a hour ago. Seeing me looking at him, he smiled reassuringly. Giving up on it for the time being, I turned my attention back towards the cookbook. It looks pretty normal even if a little messy. Stains and blots as ink dripped from the author''s quill, smudges where his hand had rested. Scrawled words when the author grew lazy, scratched out words as he corrected his mistakes. Really, if I didn''t know what the book contained I would have completely missed the way some of these mistakes connected together forming words and sentences, telling me of a secret contained within using broken grammar and roundabout words. It was interesting to see it in work, the words describing the spell as a bolt of lightning from the casters fingertips, the caster''s mouth shouting words into the air. ''Cracking the air, striking the sky. Folding thunder lightning strike!'' As Arod had stressed and the books had focused on, the author had placed a lot of importance on every sound you make, the feeling of mana in your throat and the way you formed this to mesh with the words. I really need to test it, do specific words matter in voice spells? Later tonight perhaps. Their language was certainly different from English, more emphasis placed on throaty noises. Spending the next half hour going through the books, I pretended to be interested as the books were proved useless.
Written Language: Sanien has been learned
  • WIS +1
Unable to learn Minor Heat (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
Unable to learn Light Rain (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
It didn''t really surprise me, those spells were not of my alignments. I still had to read through the books though, didn''t care to explain that the spells inside them were useless to me. The most interesting book of the four was ''Races of the Beastlands''. Inside it contained sketches and descriptions of multiple types of monsters, wings and fangs outlined in vivid detail even as it pointed out their habits and weaknesses with the defining characteristics listed besides the monster. Again, there was no new skills to be gained from this. No free stats, but I didn''t mind. The contents were interesting and the quest was something I couldn''t help but look forwards to.
QuestRaces of the Beastlands!
DescriptionDiscover and meet all 22 races of the Beastlands! Races Meet: 0/22
Rewards2000 EXP Potential to discover a new skill Potential to receive a new title
Its not so much I looked forwards to carrying out the quest, a few of the monsters listed inside that book were very difficult to find. But that skill and title.. Reminds me, if that title is something like increased relations with non-humans; would that god count as a non-human? Pleased with how fast I had picked up reading, skimming through the pages and absorbing their contents with ease. Arod once more determined to ask for permission for the library or to seek out new books I could learn, neither of us suffered under the illusion he would have much luck. But he was determined, dissatisfied with the way my talent was being wasted. I had made it clear that I was going to stay here while I wait for the others to finish their training, he was unhappy with it and worried that I can''t fight, but I reassured him that the others could protect me. I could even learn from Rob his Ice Magic on the trip. I wasn''t staying with them out of loyalty or anything, just wanted to lower the chances of the quest failing for abandoning the team. It will also gives me more time to give a favorsome impression on the team and to break into their library. This ''topple the kingdom'' quest hasn''t seemed to tell me the truth either, despite stating there were immediate rewards I''m still lacking that 1,000 gold and I have not received training in a class of choice. Unless Arod''s three spells qualifies for that.. Is the ''class'' even an official class recognised by gamer or just a way of training? Would be sort of nasty if gamer had a class system I guess, limited to one path in the way of skills and spells even if the usable ones are easily trained up. What would my current behavior even fall under? Magic Clubsman? Spellsword? Magician/Warrior? Gravitational Warrior? Sigh, I wish. Even as I thought my body moved through motions as I attempted to use the spells in the books, yelling the corny chants only doable because no one was laughing at me. Messages of failing to learn continuously popping up like spam as I robotically obeyed Arod''s optimistic encouragement. Finally I had enough, sat down as I wanted to rest. Arod saw I was no longer willing to train and took his leave, meaning to talk to other mages on my behalf. I only watched the others for a few minutes before I got up and left the courtyard behind, seeking out my new room as I followed behind a old maid, when we arrived I frowned in disapproval as she showed me in. The bed was fine, as was the table in the middle. The thick richly decorated tapestries hanging off the walls tastefully were also fine. But what I didn''t like, what I really really didn''t like was that massive window which exposed half the room to daylight. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. It''s interesting they have glass here, in such high quality too but that''s not the point. The window overlooks a large area of the palace being on the second story, and while it looks extremely fancy I couldn''t help but feel this room offered little in the way of actual privacy. How many peekholes are there in the walls hidden in the decorations? How many spies watching hidden outside the window looking inside? My mage sight doesn''t see anything, but it doesn''t mean they don''t have spells that can''t do that. It doesn''t comfort me that the others had their rooms next to mine, I could already predict the way they would excitedly and happily exclaim over their new rooms. But guys, can this even compare to home? Do you not worry about being spied on? I guess not, its just me that they hate. "I''d like another room" I turned to the maid, "One without windows" She hesitated as she looked at me, then thought a little. Thinking of somewhere to my liking, she spoke warily as she watched my facial expressions for signs of distaste. "The rooms without windows are normally delegated to servants" "That''s fine" I nodded towards her. Seemingly relieved, she led the way through several corridors and the courtyard before we finally entered another room. This room was nowhere near as fancy as the other room, it was actually pretty bare. But the selling points was its large amount of space and the door appearing to be solid wood. Empty bed frame and simple table with two chairs were the only contents, but this wasn''t a bad point. There''s tons of space to practice with my club if I chose to do so. I nodded approvingly "This room will do" "I''ll make the arrangements, feel free to wait in the courtyard as I prepare the room" "I''ll wait here" I spoke to her retreating back, this place wasn''t dusty. My largest concern was the ''arrangements'' being to spy on me, such as drilling a tiny peek-hole into the wall while I''m out. I was a bit paranoid, but given the state of the previous room.. The day passed boringly, I spent most of the time in my room before we were invited to a banquet. That was also equally boring as it was a small affair, nobles invited and eagerly talking to the equally eager heroes with the ''king'' (duke) seated next to the heroes. My own chair the furtherest away and next to Kira who was more than happy to chat to me. A few nobles did try to talk to me, and I was more than happy to match up to their enthusiasm in an effort to levelup my acting skill. But whether it was my conversational topics or behavior I''m not sure, for they quickly made their excuses and left. Could be they realized who I was. In the end acting only leveled up once.
SkillActingLevel2 [4%]
Believability of your behavior improves by 12%
Do I seem that fake? Weirdly enough, the others in our ''team'' still took time and effort to try include me in things, drawing me into conversations where I felt distantly unwelcomed as they talked about our homeworld Earth, the exciting things back there and the genius I was. Kira especially loved to talk about me, so much that as the others in the group began to give their excuses I politely left myself, unable to listen to the unshamed passion that flowed from her lips. I still hadn''t told the others in the team I was being excluded from real magic, it wouldn''t help. I may tell them later, but not where they will make a scene. I know them by now, sincere and loyal. They would definitely fight this unfairness on my behalf, arguing with the duke himself that I shouldn''t be treated in this manner. Force them to bow under pressure before the demands of their summoned heroes. It made me feel a little warm inside, squashed by the awkwardness when I think of how I''m going to leave them, abandon them and pursue the path of my own choosing. But its for the best right? Training and growing stronger, killing the beastking before they even reach the boss battle. This is the right thing to do yes? Still, I can''t help but think I am betraying them. They''re sincere about me, eager to include me in their group and more than happy to think of me as a friend. Not a single one of their actions are anything less than sincere. If I complained about my treatment and forced the kingdom to teach me magic, I wouldn''t stand to benefit. It felt like too much stress to handle, better I just do things myself. Besides, I have another plan. Tonight, sneak out my room and look for their library. What''s the worst that could happen? -------- A loud horn continuously played as I scrambled towards the window, slipping the books I had grabbed into my inventory even as I leaped towards the small gap while assisted by gravity cloak. At this time I''m dressed in another pair of dark black robes, had a lot of those made in the previous world. They''re great. Easy to move in and hard to see in the dark. Crawling through the small window the same way I had got in I heard the library door slam open, a voice yelling out of sight from behind the shelves with a snarl "Find him!" With a small grunt as my shoulders squeezed through the small window, gravity forcing me through as I popped outside I began to fall before correcting it into flight, soaring away from the tower with my heart pounding. Glancing down as I rapidly moved away I could see figures scurrying across the ground, responding to the loud noise with numerous nametags stating their status as magicians. Before they could even think to look up, I was gone. Blood pounding with excitement, I rapidly flew down the corridors and into my room, closing the door even as I whipped off my black robes and shoved them inside my inventory leaving just underwear on as I slipped back into bed. Closing my eyes, it wasn''t even a minute before my door slammed open and a light shone inside. "He''s in here!" someone yelled, halo of light surrounding him as I feigned sleepiness. "What''s going on?" I asked sleepily as I sat up, heart pounding as I saw his level.
Raz lv.32 Fire Combat Mage
"An intruder. Stay in your bed" Raz snapped, stepping aside as two others rushed in past him. Shining a light in all corners, scanning over the table and chairs they quickly overturned my abandoned piles of clothing in fruitless search. Commanding me out of my bed, they quickly looked at my bare skin before overturning my bed in search of something. "Nothing''s there" one of my assailants reported to Raz, Raz glaring at me before turning away. Shouting "The room is clear!" into the hallway, he stepped aside once again as the two other mages left my room as fast as they had entered as he glared at me. "Stay inside, there''s been trouble" he commanded, closing the door behind him and leaving me in darkness. I could see under the door the bright light and shadow as someone stood next to my door, hallway lit up with spells. Really, they''re overreacting. You''d think that I had just stolen their crown jewels, the treasury of their kingdom or assassinated the prince. What''s a few books even worth? Summoning a torchlight and sitting on the chair while almost naked, I waited a minute for someone to investigate my light before picking up my bedding from the floor and remaking my bed. The first order of business was crawling back inside my bed, creating a small tent between my legs as a protective screen to hide what was in my lap. Opening my inventory, five newly acquired books were placed beneath the covers. With a triumphant glance at the door, I cracked open the first book. Chapter 33 - Learning new things I think I can confidently state I''ll never finish this story satisfactorily; I just don''t release chapters fast enough. Removed the ''Gravity'' from Gravity Telekinesis, it seemed like a good idea at the time.. Additionally I''m not looking for a PR as I''ve determined it just wouldn''t help me, damned as I am. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Learn the spell Frozen Skies (Voice)
YesNo
Learn the spell Blizzard (Voice)
YesNo
Learn the spell Ice Shards (Voice)
YesNo
Ah, Agis''s Diary. Looks like he''s an ice mage.
Unable to learn Frozen Skies (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
Unable to learn Blizzard (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
Unable to learn Ice Shards (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
Placing the book inside my inventory, setting it into a separate slot I removed another another book from my inventory and flicked to the first page.
Learn the spell Vocal Amplification (Voice)
YesNo
Learn the spell Ignore Limits (Voice)
YesNo
Learn the spell Mana Eruption (Voice)
YesNo
You know, one of those spells sounds very promising.
You have learned the spell Vocal Amplification (Voice)
You have learned the spell Ignore Limits (Voice)
You have learned the spell Mana Eruption (Voice)
With a small amount of anticipation, I checked the spell description.
SkillMana Eruption (Voice)Level1 [0%]
Forcing the mana running through your body to explode beyond your capability! Commonly used in last resorts, this has the famed reputation of a massive surge in power before exploding in a shower of blood! Mana, capability and regeneration increases by 40% Every second -20 HP
That sounds pretty.. painful. Wonder if the spell is required to replicate the effects, I can manipulate the mana in my body so surely it should be doable. The spell just likely contains a certain technique to be used. But, its dangerous and powerful. Obviously I''m keeping it.
SkillIgnore Limits (Voice)Level1 [0%]
Sleepy? Not anymore! Short on breath? Not anymore! Body faint with hunger? Energy surges through you! Can''t take one more step? Sure you can! Physical limits raised to 120% HP consumed at a rate of 1:12 when stamina is depleted
Was the inventor of these spells suicidal?
SkillVocal Amplification (Voice)Level1 [0%]
Your voice resounds to be heard throughout the world! Volume of voice raised to 130%
That spell looked to be of the harmless variety, but what was with the spells in that book?! Curious, I peered at the book''s identification.
Diary of a madman
Written by a madman in a little known cult, the contents of this book are of the forbidden category. Contains the spells: Vocal Amplification (Voice), Ignore Limits (Voice), Mana Eruption (Voice)
Hmm. When I think about it, wasn''t this book among the three books I found in the metal box? Agis''s diary was another of those. As for the metal box, there''s a small story behind that, it relates to a hour ago as I broke into the library.. --------- It had been a hour earlier, late after everyone had gone to sleep. Making sure I wasn''t being watched, I slipped out of my room and proceeded towards the highest building, poking out of the other buildings like a sore thumb. I didn''t know where their library was, and didn''t trust it to be forgotten if I asked about for the location. But still, my search had paid off fairly easy. As I had thought, it was the mage-like tower poking out of the building, tentacles of mana sometimes flickering over the walls in a spell formation. Crawling through the tiny window in a lull as the mana withdrew, scanning other areas of the library for potential intruders I peered about inside. With the amount of spells floating about, it was fairly easy to spot the desk with thick and heavy spells wrapped about it. Just to get one misunderstanding out of the way, I can''t see other types of mana. But when spells are formed in the air, just about every single spell I have seen has contained traces of formless mana which of course, I can see. Its also easy to see the type of spell by what it does and where it is, and when you have formless threads of mana floating through the air faintly in a distinct way.. I''m not sure really, but its obvious when mana has been formed into a spell. But regardless, I digress. The large wooden desk lined alongside 10 other desks stuck out like a sore thumb, surface crawling with spells that constantly surged about the air, seeking out intruders. Drawing closer to the desk I looked beneath it, easily spying hidden in the shadows a metal box which was almost blinding with the layer of spells covering it. Hiding in shadows and blinding light, sounds strange doesn''t it. But that''s just how mana looks. I did think about looking through the bookshelves before going straight for the desk, but the entire library had its contents covered by a spell. Thin threads of mana entwined through every book in the place, touching them would almost definitely set off some alarm. I could avoid what threads were in the air easily with my pseudo flight, but it was a nuisance. The spell was barely visible, barest of glimmers indicating the presence of the threads. All of the spells in this place seemed to link back to the desk, wrapping about a small silver bell lying on top. It all looked terribly complex, and obviously something was going to happen if I touched it. But what I''m really trying to get at, this was giving me a headache. Tons of books to read, not a single book lying about for grabs. With a metal box containing something mysterious inside, covered in spells with bookshelves boobytrapped for the slightest movement. I had not the time or the skill to unravel these spells to silently take the contents. With the threads in the air, it was only a matter of time before I slipped up and set something off. So rushing things was going to have to be done. As for the things I take, it seems very obvious I should rip into the metal box first. If I''m going to set off alarms, shouldn''t I grab the best and use what time I have left to take the rest? With a deep breath and slow exhalation, my body moved into action. Grabbing the handle and forcing it open, it screeched like a madman as metal tore and a spell exploded into action. Threads of mana sunk into my arms as my head felt a nudge of pain.
Due to high mental resistance, you have resisted a mental attack
Looking through the books and ignoring the loud screeches of the spell as it wailed in the air, I grabbed the three books I found inside with not enough time to look further as I turned to run. Grabbing a few books off the shelves as I moved, I ran towards the window. With a forwards jump and a rush of fear as I briefly entertained the notion of smacking my head, I manipulated my flight in what semblance I could of a soaring arrow. Soaring headfirst towards the window that seemed to have grown smaller, thankfully my arms went through smoothly before my upper body. It had been when my hips started to go through that I got stuck in a sudden halt and loss of 12 HP. When I think about it, it had been pretty fun. Not sure I''d do it again though. --------- Back in my room and lying on my bed, I placed ''Diary of a madman'' back inside my inventory, taking out another unread book. Ahh, I recognise this one. This was one of the books I had grabbed while rushing out.
Arthos''s theory of Mana
Written by an aspiring student on the mechanics of the world and the laws of mana, this book contains numerous theories that are unproven. Contains the skill: Mana Manipulation Contains the spells: Torchlight, Telekinesis
This. This is.. Unexpected jackpot! Opening the book and reading the first line, a single box appeared.
Learn the spell Telekinesis
YesNo
Obviously yes!
You have learned how to cast Telekinesis without (Voice)
You might wonder why its a jackpot, why I''ve gotten a little excited about it. Why? Because there''s no (Voice)! It should be fairly obvious by now right? This is Gravity Cloak, but ranged! Placing the book back inside my inventory, I excitedly took out a stone and placed it on my bed. Then without touching the stone and with high hopes and anticipation, *Telekinesis*. Tiny droplet of purplish mana formed in my forehead, leaving my body abruptly as it shot through the air. Rippling silently as it hit the pebble, it seemed to rebound from the impact. A secondary droplet shooting from the collision and trailing a thin thread behind it as it flew back and impacted my forehead. Then just like the other spell connections I could use, I felt the connection to the pebble. It was almost identical to the way I used my connections, but slightly better. I could tell my new spell connections would have the same improvements. Giving a command to the pebble which began to rise in the air, I exposed a slow smile as I felt a little happy. Just like this, I can now cast Gravity Cloak without touching things. That smile died though, I wasn''t satisfied with the behavior of the spell. The spell was slow, if the pebble had been moving then the bolt would have easily missed. It had also been weak, far weaker than Gravity Cloak had been. As strong as the (Voice) version but weaker than Gravity Cloak had been. The Gravity Manipulation bonus made it stronger than Gravity Cloak had been back then, but it didn''t bode well for the future. I''ll need to train the spell up before it sees proper usage; if I decide to use it. Gravity Cloak is superior in almost every other way. Hmm. Two books left to look at. Placing the book containing the theory of mana inside my inventory, I resolved to read it later as I took out another book.
Basic spells of a Fire Magician
Written as a guide for the beginner mage who wishes to specialize in fire, this book teaches the four spells forming their arsenal. Contains the spells: Firebolt, Firewall, Flame, Flare
Not even worth trying to learn, I still read the first line incase but things turned out as expected.
Unable to learn Firebolt (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
Unable to learn Firewall (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
Unable to learn Flame (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
Placing it inside my inventory, I withdrew the last book from my inventory and looked at the title.
Death Magic of Posled
Written as a prank and co-authored by two infamous students, this book contains little in the way of knowledge and one spell that coincidentally works. Contains the spell: God''s Retribution
Learn the spell God''s Retribution (Voice)
YesNo
Sceptically looking at the spell, I considered it. Eh. Why not.
You have learned the spell God''s Retribution (Voice)
A little curious, somewhat interest-. No. That''s wrong. I was extremely curious, extremely interested and I practically glowed with anticipation. A spell with the name ''God'' in it can''t possibly be weak. Pressing on the spell in the skill menu, a window popped up.
SkillGod''s Retribution (Voice)Level1 [0%]
A single bolt strikes down from the heavens, crushing the infidel who dares call on it. The power of the lightning bolt will match the defenses and health of the caster ensuring instant death. Mana Cost: 20,000 Spell Effects: Instant Death
You know its interesting, very much so. But. I''m rather unwilling to test that spell, even if I could afford the mana cost to use it. Still keeping the spell, it should prove in handy if I ever want to commit a mutual suicide. I assume defenses means anything that stands between the lightning bolt and me will be destroyed. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Does that mean if I stand beneath that god of magic it will destroy him? Can a god''s retribution destroy another god? But still, not casting that spell at this point. Its not worth my life. Maybe if I unlock a respawn function.. So, the spells I would call useful from my acquisitions would be telekinesis, mana eruption and ignore limits. Potential insights to be gained if I read the books later. Placing the last book away and lying on my bed, I dismissed my torchlight as stared upwards at the ceiling. Bored, I heard a small scuffle of a foot outside as the guard shifted position. Slowly I sank into sleep, welcoming the sweet embrace of sleep. -------- The next morning I crawled out my room, unwilling to stay indoors as I ignored the guard standing outside. He didn''t stop me, followed me without complaint as I led the way to the dining room for breakfast.
Yid lv.21 Electric Mage
Grabbing what leftovers were there from breakfast, I entered the courtyard where the others were training already. After a round of ''good morning''s I moved to sit in the corner as I watched them train. Kind of sucks I can''t really train, the spells I want to train are too strong to be displayed. The spells I''ve been taught are too weak, unless I wanted to train the telekineses spell. Funny enough though, I don''t like the idea of yelling out loud just to grind the spell over and over. So I sat there quietly as I observed their movements, their instructors absorbing them in training so that they didn''t have time to talk to me. Arod dropped by, sat with me for a few minutes as our guard watched from afar. "So" Arod began after a long pause, pausing to ensure no one was near. "There was a disruption at the mage library" he quietly spoke questionably. I knew what he wanted to know, and I''m more than happy to deny it. Watching Kira as she made a small spin and stab towards her teacher, I looked sideways at him. "Are you accusing me?" I asked, voice growing cold. Voice practically freezing the air, I had mentally practiced this over and over for when I was next accused. With a glare that could stop a toddler in its tracks, I spat out "I didn''t do it"
The skill Acting has reached level 3
"I know" Arod hurriedly consoled me, somewhat agitated I appeared to have been upset as I glared at him hostilely. "I just had to make sure.." He sat silently with me for a few seconds as my face slowly relaxed, both of us watching as Josh moved into a brief fight with his teacher with swords clanging and sparks rising as every movement was deflected. "Well" he wet his lips, atmosphere in the air tense. "I''ll meet you later" Arod spoke, "Join me after you have eaten lunch". He left me there, almost running away in his desire to escape the tension. I sat and watched the others train for what felt like a hour before returning to my room to study the contents of the books. A small amount of progress in my understanding of magic was made as I finished the books, and it was when I lay bored on my bed with hands behind my head that I heard a knock on my door. "Come in" I called, anticipating it was one of my teammates. Unexpectedly, a woman spoke from behind the door. "Excuse me, but lunch is being served". I heard her move away, and with a sigh I got up from the bed. Perhaps I can level up acting again. -------- Lunch was served, lunch was eaten and my acting skill gained another 30% exp. The others had noticed the looks I was receiving from the magicians, but when Josh quietly asked about it I shook my head. "Don''t worry about it". He didn''t pry further, but the other four looked unhappy at the way I was being treated. Sitting at the table, plate of uneaten food in front of me I had no appetite. Being watched hostilely does that to you, what did I ever do to them? I broke into their library yeah, but they had been like this from the very start to me. I''m suspicious sure, I broke their crystal yeah. But shouldn''t they be praising me as a savior? A genius come to solve their problem? But instead, I''m treated as the outcast, the uninvited stranger. The party-crasher. From the corner of my eye I saw Arod approach, and as I listened half-heartedly to Josh who spun a story about his rugby team I heard a small cough behind my back from Arod. "Jon, follow me". Three simple words. Smoothly scooting my chair backwards, I spoke to the four who sat next to me. "Don''t worry guys, I''ll meet you later". Empty promises. I felt relieved to have left the table. Ignoring the way half the table looked at me, seemingly happy to see me go I followed behind Arod as we left the room. Hit footsteps were silent as he walked, but my footsteps could be even quieter when I so desired. Following him, he didn''t speak as he led me through what seemed to be a maze. The surroundings changed and the doors seemed to grow more polished, when I glanced about with mage sight I could see spells formed over doors. Protection and alarms for what must be mages inside. Was this the mage''s extension of the palace? It certainly seemed to be in the right direction of the library. We passed through the decorated hallways and slowly they began to grow more drab, finally stopping before a plain wooden door. Clearing his throat, and almost embarrassingly he confessed "My room" Ah. Entering the room was a small experience in itself, no magic about with a fat bed and a large table stretched over one wall with books scattered over it. A few crystals of no importance, a feather and what seemed to be a broomstick, bucket and stack of papers covered the desk. Glancing over the books lying about was discouraging.
Sains guide to magic
Written as an introduction, this guides the reader on the basics of mana manipulation using the voice. Contains the skill: Mana Manipulation (Voice)
A guide on magic
Written as an introduction, this guides the reader on the basics of mana manipulation using the voice. Contains the skill: Mana Manipulation (Voice)
Basics of elements
What is known about the different elements of magic are covered within. Learn about fire, water, earth and air.
Growing strong is easy!
Weak? Failure? Don''t fret! By reading this you can expand your reserves of magic twice over!
That last book was interesting, definitely worth checking out. As I glanced over the information Arod spoke. "Take a seat" he gestured, I followed his movements as I quietly sat on a chair. Facing him and looking at him appraisingly, I waited for his next words. I''m expecting him to guide me on the path to the other magic schools as he promised me yesterday. But as I watched him, sitting on the chair his face seemed to slip from the gentle seeming old man and in a single instant his posture was of utter sternness. Face not showing a hint of the frail man I had seen. "You.. You are not happy here are you" he spoke seriously, face harsh as his eyes gazed into my own. Watching and judging my expressions as I tried to keep a blank face on, he sighed and shook his head. "I''ve told you about the chance of joining another library outside of the city. But there is no such chance." Then staring hard into my face, he asked me a question. "Can I trust you?" I won''t admit, I was caught off guard. First he seemed to have completely changed demeanor, I couldn''t see that old man I had known. And now he wanted to reveal a secret? Was he a spy? Caught off guard I stuttered "Y-Yes?" He looked a little disappointed at my reply. Blinking and recovering, he intensely focused on me and with a voice that brooked no hint of a joke he made his offer. "I have a friend in another kingdom who can help you, but if discovered you will be judged a traitor."
QuestBetraying the Kingdom
DescriptionNot all things are what they seem! Arod is offering a opportunity to abandon your team and to study in Farod Kingdom!
RewardsUnfriendly reputation with Haden Kingdom if discovered Friendly reputation with Farod Kingdom if discovered Access to the library in Farod Kingdom Gamer Title: ??? ??? ???
I won''t deny it, as I heard his words and saw the message my heart jumped. It jumped not out of surprise or shock, but the sudden realization that I could gain what they would not teach me here. That I could learn what deadly spells I wished, the skills they would not teach me. And then it fell, for what I could learn there is not really something I wish to learn. Their (Voice) spells, I may be picky but I don''t like the (Voice) aspect. The beastking quest, it would almost definitely fail if I was found out. It would also fail if I left the group too long. That gamer title. It can''t be anything good. Turncoat, traitor. Sellout. Almost definitely not going to be Wise. And what if my team finds out, what would they think of me. That I left them? Betrayed them in pursuit of greater power? This is so tempting, but so many downsides. I can''t. I just can''t. "I''m sorry Arod" I shook my head, face twisted in regret as I declined his offer. "I can''t acc-" "If its about your team" Arod hurriedly spoke up, "You can rejoin them at a later date" he rushed to assure me. "Its not that" I broke in, staring him in the eyes seriously. "Your offer is tempting but I can''t leave them" "Then just convince them to accompany you!" he spoke, distress crossing his face. "You can''t throw away this opportunity just to stay with them a few months!" "Its not that easy." I shook my head, "We were summoned from another world for a single mission. Do you think they would just abandon it?" I wanted to say more, speak of some reason he couldn''t refute. But I can''t, I''m just the mage who was caught unknowingly along in a summoning gone wrong. "Jon." he pleaded, "Do you think they need you for this? That they cannot do it themselves?" "Its not th-" I tried to speak, but he continued, seeming to grow angry as he spoke "Don''t be fooled. In your current state you are weak, you will never improve. You need to learn, to grow stronger" "Yes b-" "Jon." he sighed deeply. "You are a genius, and you could be one of the sages. But if you do this to yourself, throw away a chance. Are you certain that you will live to regret it?" he spoke, voice quiet and seemingly broken as silence filled the air. His words were a whisper as he spoke. "I had a chance once, to learn from the best", with voice cracking he choked out "but I didn''t take it. Wouldn''t take it". I could feel his regret as his eyes focused on mine with blazing intent, hungry and filled with desperation. His face looked wrathful as he glared down on me "Don''t let your emotions rule over you! You have to grow stronger! You can''t be protected forever!". I felt almost scared to talk, I can see how much this means to him. Taking a deep breath, I reconsidered what he said. The advantages, the disadvantages. I can''t get away with it; can I? Growing stronger, remaining weak. A chance in front of me? I have to do this quest, but the chance he sets before me. The opportunity to take.. The way this means so much to him. I can''t help but feel, if I say anything but ''I accept'' it will ruin him. Destroy what ambition he has left. He''s a failed mage, treated on the lowest rung in this place. Am I meant to be his hope? This offer he presents.. The ferociousness and blazing intensity of his emotions.. Hmm. What choice to make. What do I do.. Ah.. I see.. I''m damned. In the end there is no choice.
NameJonathan Cliff
TitlesGamer, Pawn, Demon
Level27 [25%]Health780/780
Stamina1002/1002Mana863/880
Balance16,828 Coins, 1,000 Gold
VIT80STR90
END96AGI59
DEX36INT99
WIS90LUK23
Skills
  • Gamer lv.10 [89%]
  • Cooking lv.24 [43%]
  • Clubs lv.47 [54%]
  • Shock Resistance lv.29 [11%]
  • Reading lv.23 [65%]
  • Storytelling lv.19 [88%]
  • Meditation lv.81 [33%]
  • Crafting
    • Woodworking lv.1 [96%]
  • Banker lv.16 [68%]
  • Negotiation lv.6 [32%]
  • Gravity Mastery lv.62 [11%]
  • Formless Magic Mastery lv.32 [87%]
  • Light Mastery lv.58 [99%]
  • Mana Channelling lv.72 [8%]
  • Torchlight lv.23 [51%]
  • Gravity Cloak lv.68 [3%]
  • Gravity Well lv.10 [38%]
  • Lightball lv.6 [32%]
  • Rift Creation lv.1 [0%]
  • Light Beam lv.44 [65%]
  • Throwing lv.31 [19%]
  • Spears lv.14 [6%]
  • Telekinesis lv.3 [32%]
  • Acting lv.3 [52%]
  • Fatigue Lift (Voice) lv.1 [0%]
  • Calming Hand (Voice) lv.1 [0%]
  • Crawling Lightning (Voice) lv.1 [0%]
  • Ignore Limits (Voice) lv.1 [0%]
  • Vocal Amplification (Voice) lv.1 [0%]
  • Mana Eruption (Voice) lv.1 [0%]
  • God''s Retribution (Voice) lv.1 [0%]
Chapter 34 - Apprentice Jarod "Are you sure?" he asked disappointedly. "Yes". I didn''t know what more to say. With a heavy sigh, he slowly moved to his bed where he stared blankly down on it. His body looked so tired as he faced away from me, voice seeming to have aged overnight. "Please leave" I left, swiping the book from his desk silently as I did so. My guard was waiting outside the room, and when he saw me he also saw the book in my hand, his eyes brightening as he took a great interest in it.
Peter lv.25 Fire Combat Mage
He obviously intended to take it, so rather than his forcing the issue and raising the likelihood of not getting the book back I made the first move. Handing the book to him as I closed the door behind me, I offered a small explanation. "Arod said I can borrow this for a few days". After scanning through the book the guard handed it back, expression looking mildly disappointed with the contents. Not what he was looking for? I really do need to find a way to dump the books in my inventory, have them found in a way that doesn''t connect me to the crime. Perhaps frame someone else in the process.. Arod makes a obvious choice, but thats just.. Evil? Kicking him while he''s down. Though its not quite like his life is going that great anyways.. Its not that important anyways, do they have spells to track the last person to handle a object? Evidently any spells they may have used at the library didn''t connect me to the crime, and aside from Arod''s accusation in the courtyard not a single person had mentioned the matter to me. Instead they chose to leave me out of the loop, not outright inform me of what happened. I don''t mind too much though, I doubt any of the other team members were told about it. I was only asked because of the hostility I was receiving around here. Walking through the corridors as I headed back towards my room, I was lost in thought as the guard walked silently behind me. The decision I had made back in Arod''s room was hard, and I had a feeling I was going to regret it. But factors I had to consider outweighed the scales against him. One of them was the rewards for the beastking quest and the ''find the races'' quest. Both of them promised more in the way of unique things than what Arod''s offer did. I need to think bigger scale than this world, and his offer was of limited use. Another factor I need to consider, I have to stay out of the spotlight. I''m weak in this world, far too weak. I mean sure, I may be stronger than an average man back on earth, but when I look at the levels of the people in this world it sounds a lot like I would be curbstomped into a paste. If not in a outright 1v1 duel, then with numbers. Arod''s offer included a potentially bad title, new assortment of spells and skills with all of them being variants of (Voice) stuff. And that (Voice) part makes the entire offer that much less attractive. I mean sure, I could likely learn those spells and at a later date convert them into a voiceless spell. But I would also lose the chance for the beastking quest. I have no idea if the quest can fail if I appear to abandon it, but logic dictates that making enemies with the quest giver can''t go down well, it wouldn''t be logical to retain the quest. I also doubt another kingdom could give the same quest. But really, if I had to be honest. It would be my disdain for (Voice) and the unsureness of that title that made the decision. When I consider disappointing my teammates, failing the beastking quest and studying (Voice) magic.. Kinda makes my choice obvious doesn''t it. I still can''t help but regret it, wondering if I made the right decision. Stopping outside my room, I looked blandly at the door. What do I even have to do in there? I can read the book yeah, double my mana reserves. But. I can''t help but wonder. Is it a one-off? Wouldn''t I gain greater benefit''s if I read it later? I''m not in a hurry. Placing the book inside and turning around, I ignored the way my guard sighed as I started walking to the courtyard. At the very least, I could see what I''m allowed to do here. I can''t practice spells, but maybe I could work on developing new spells. That shouldn''t be too much of an issue should it? The others ignored me as I entered the courtyard, focusing on their training. I noticed that Rob had snowflakes stuck on his clothes, yet he didn''t seem to notice as he seemed to focus on something, formless mana flowing about him. I''m assuming there''s other types of mana I can''t see frantically frothing about him, it certainly gave that impression. His level had also risen.
Rob Barnes lv.18 Heroic Ice Mage
Looking at it, I feel almost ashamed of my own progress. The other''s had levels similar to him.
Josh Carter lv.16 Heroic Swordsman
Kira Harris lv.14 Heroic Rogue
Mark Nelson lv.11 Heroic Archer
I felt a little sorry for Mark when I compared them, its probably a good thing they can''t see those levels.. Finding my own spot in the courtyard corner, my guard leaned against a wall several meters away as he watched me. I was about to launch into meditation and experiment with some of what I had learned recently when I had a thought. Not a good thought, or even likely to work. But still, a thought. Addressing the guard, I asked him a question "You are supposed to be following me everywhere right?" Looking at me silently, he stared me down before he gave a curt reply. "Yes". "As you are going to be following me everywhere, do you think you could teach me some magic?" I asked naively, almost as if I didn''t know it wouldn''t work. His face almost seemed to sneer, a cruel smile tweaking at the corner of his lips. "No." Quickly checking my skill level with a thought, interesting. He believed my act, thought I was being serious.. I turned away however, the way he looked at me give me the shivers. Light disdain in his eyes and a ill-disguised sneer. Just what did I do to him? Do to them? I noticed Kira had been looking towards me, but as I caught her eye she turned back towards her instructor as if she hadn''t been watching. The current state of affairs isn''t likely to last long, I get the feeling the others will step in soon. When I thought about it, there was one question I had meant to ask Arod yesterday, but given the current.. fiasco. I would prefer to avoid him for now, perhaps this guard could answer it. With an intent expression I focused on my guard, he steadily met my gaze as he tried to stare me down. But not giving in, I asked "If I''m so unwanted, why not send me back". His face seemed to erupt them, a snarl practically springing on his lips as his expression filled with fury. Startled and a little scared at the suddenness of it, I quickly turned around and played with a stone I picked off the ground. Not only did I not get answers, he had actually scared me.. It made me feel unhappy. Its been some time since I''ve last been frightened. Where his gaze had felt like pinpricks previously, now it felt as if redhot pokers were stabbing into my back. I couldn''t help but wonder what landmine I stepped on. When I glanced warily towards him, he didn''t avert his angry gaze. Daring me to do something. Openly hating me with his being. What''s with this hostility? As I stared at the stone, I was completely unable to relax in his presence. Kira''s assassin tutor spoke to him after which he visibly calmed down, but my concentration for the day was totally shot. I wouldn''t normally admit this, but the insensitively of his hate had shocked me. This is going to be a long long stay. Can I leave earlier? I should request that. I definitely can''t continue on in this situation. --------- My name is Jarod, I''m an apprentice fire mage to the great mage Deca. Three years ago there were nine kingdoms, and to the side of the nine kingdoms were the beastlands. And three years ago, the human lands were attacked, hordes of monsters crawling across the lands in a plague we had never seen the likes of. Not a single warning was given in time, not a single hint. Before this happened, the beastlands had been a mere constant pest making unorganised raids onto our lands. They had been easily droven off then, and after we built forts things had quietened down. But three years ago, they grew bolder and bolder, until at last they toppled a fort. As if stirred by a great wind, the fires seemed to explode as they formed a giant conflagration, huge swathes of beasts formed into armies and making deep invasions into our lands. THey burned villages, killed the livestock, killed men, killed women and killed children. They were not all the same beasts, we know they are not allied within themselves just as our kingdoms are not one land. But while some attacks stole what they could on their raids, others would capture humans. And not just as slaves; As food. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Inhuman. Their behavior was abominable. Two years ago Egar Kingdom fell. Their armies were nothing, crushed under the might of the monsters. We heard then, rumors of the beastking. The one that united the lands under one rule. The kingdoms may not have been doing everything they could to prevent the raise of the beastking, but ever since that time it changed. Everyone has been doing their part, preventing such a thing from occurring in their own kingdoms. Half a year later, Busid Kingdom fell. A long period of time passed in which I could do nothing, assisting my teacher as he assisted the sage Girlot. And it was a month after Busid Kingdom fell that he had a breakthrough, one we had never seen before. Summoning. We know of teleportation, costly as it is to use. Creation, making things from pure mana. But summoning from another place? Something which doesn''t exist in our own world? Simply unheard of. And yet, Girlot had succeeded. The product of a decade of research had accommodated to one thing, he had summoned a creature from another world. But for one minor problem, what he summoned was a small animal. Four legs and covered in scales, no noticeable ears. It looked almost like a dog, and was very very small. Harmless sure, it seems to thrive on insects. While Girlot could have found a undiscovered species and summoned it here accidentally, at this point we were growing desperate. Its only a matter of time until the beastking takes us all. We threw everything we could into his research, it was costy. The summoning of the dog-lizard had cost him almost 3 years of constant mana storage and the strain on his mind when he activated the spell had been taxing. What we intend to summon, it would take more than one man''s efforts. More than ten men''s efforts. We tried to limit the burden, but time was pressing. Time was short. Everyday we stumbled to bed tired, drained of mana and dreading the next day for the draining sensation it would give as we fueled what mana we could into the crystals. But we perspired, we had to. If we failed, if we didn''t succeed. There are no second chances. A month ago we were finally ready, we wanted to summon the best. The spell was going to summon a hero to save us. He had to be human, had to be compassionate to our cause. Has to be powerful. But as we all gathered about the spell, minds linked in a complex array as we guided the mechanisms. Something unexpected happened, it failed. Blew up in our face. Three mages were incapacitated, my teacher was brain-killed. The only reason we didn''t completely give up was the crushed mana barely being touched, only trace amounts consumed. But just what did we do wrong? A week it took, a week to find out that the one we wanted was impossible to acquire. The backlash from the search hit our mages hard, none of us can continue the search for long. Even when we join forces, even when trace elements of mana was consumed. Obviously, we need to find someone easier to find, easier to summon. Human? Obviously. Compassionate to our cause? Definitely. Has to be powerful? Yes. But we can''t have all three. We have to give up concessions. A small faction wanted to remove the human parameter, but everyone else shut them down. How could we do that? How can we entrust our lives to something that''s not human. It almost caused them to be thrown out as outcasts. But we need them. Arguments roared throughout the palace as our ranks were filled with strife, every mage of a different opinion of what we should do. But slowly, Girlot began to persuade everyone to one opinion, to one decision. Instead of summoning someone with power, we can summon someone with great potential. If we train that person, they can destroy what we cannot touch. Three searches, that''s all we can safely handle. On our first try, all four sages linked to the spell with every mage from the weakest to the strongest were linked up, trusted apprentices not allowing for the slightest distraction from the outside world. In a great rare moment, everyone was of one mind. And I feel lucky I wasn''t part of it. I was just a apprentice. The first summons succeeded, but it succeeded beyond our wildest hopes. We found our hero, and a light film of sweat formed as the room focused their attention to guide him to our world. And then we found another. Low moans escaped some lips, but we perspired. We can still do this. But we found yet another, some mages collapsed, others desperately held on. The crushed mana runes in the center of the room wildly glowed with light as they burned through their resources. We wanted to stop, had to stop. But it keeps finding heroes. Another hero was found, mages unable to break off their connection. More mages collapsed, some forcibly broke off their connection bringing great pain to those who were still unwilling to give up. And with a group groan of pain and wail, our last hero was found. And praise the gods, nobody had died. As quick as they could, mages began to unlink themselves from the spell, puking and fainting where they stood. The two sages Girlot and Rebi were still linked to the spell, being of strong mind they continued to guide our heroes to our world. A small assortment of mages accompanied them, relieving them of mental fatigue as the spell began to come to fulfilment. But less than a minute later, Girlot and Rebi collapsed. The mages collapsed. The spell collapsed. Everyone connected to the spells collapsed, and with a rising sense of terror. We discovered. They had been brain-killed. The one saving grace was that Girlot didn''t fall immediately, but we almost wish he did. As he lay on the ground, breath hoarse and blood escaping from his orifices he screamed five words, sentence heard over the entire room. Enough to send us into despair. "Monster! We summoned a monster!" A low pained whisper followed, words barely heard as he struggled to speak. "It struck at us.." A collective chill ran down our backs as he gasped out his final words. "It struck at us deliberately" His breath faded as his body stilled, healing spells unable to save him. We were at a loss what to do. Our doom had been assured. And then with a sudden flickering, the spell forcibly re-assumed itself. Not a single one of us were controlling it, but something was. Something had taken over our work. Something was coming, something we didn''t want. The spell would take time to complete, and we used that time to evacuate. Not a single word about the entire affair escaped from the chamber, every mage present was sworn to silence. Save for the king, not even the apprentice underlings knew of this. We can''t afford it, can''t let the kingdom know how badly we had failed. We had intentionally leaked word of the summoning, spread to raise hope where we could. The other kingdoms inquired about it, but were unwilling to provide resources that we demanded for the summoning. Unwilling to give us so much without their own mages confirming that such a spell existed. We showed them the dog-lizard, but they were unconvinced. They wanted to see the spell, to know enough about the spell to replicate it on their own, but in the end we didn''t need them. We could do it on our own. A detachment was sent below as everyone was evacuated, disposable guards surrounding the circle. Would the monster expose his colors? The summoning was slow, completely unguided. But mana was being consumed, something was going to arrive. I''m told the monster looked human, looked like the others in the circle. But the spell woven into the summoning didn''t show him how to speak in our tongue. He looked about with a calculating look, as if he knew more than he should. And then he faked a reaction, showing nowhere the amount of surprise he did and completely convincing the heroes. A duke was sent below, unknowing we had summoned a monster and believing it was just a safety precaution. He masqueraded as the king, welcomed our heroes and when he made our request to the four heroes, the monster looked thoughtful, judging. As if he was weighing how we could serve him. We want to separate him from the heroes, but they resist. Believing him to be one of their own. We are desperate, we can''t allow them to abandon us, we need them to help. So we had to give in, while it is still a monster, there''s still a chance that the monster could help us. We can''t do anything. We don''t know anything. He crushed the crystal under his palm, the mage present told us it was like the monster had smiled. That he had expected this. And frankly, its impossible to do what he had done. Even the great sages showed their talents above the crystal. Scenes of the ice world, flickering pictures of places we didn''t recognised. They still showed their talents. But under his own hand, the crystal seemed to shatter into itself. Unwilling or unable to show his future. Would it have shown a creature stabbing its claws into the back of a man? Or was his own talent of the void, destruction and chaos. No one wanted to train him, everyone avoided responsibility. So many mages had died for this monster, the faction that called for a direct attack on him was not small. But we don''t dare, the beastking is a bigger threat. So we assigned a joke of an apprentice to him under a shallow pretense. The apprentice knew he was being snubbed, even if he didn''t know why. He went along with it. The apprentice was harmless, knew little and was a easy pawn to sacrifice. I know him, knew the apprentice. But I''m just glad it wasn''t me. Chapter 35 - Growing Resentment Changed the synopsis of the story, if anyone cared.. Also delayed chapter because I sucked at writing his resentment, his hatred. Still do. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the dusty courtyard I sat back on the bench as I relaxed, feeling happy as I watched with bright and sparkling eyes the others train while accompanied by my bestest friend and closest buddy Peter! He''s my most favorite person in the entire wide world, loyally guarding me from all evil and the big bad guys from the kindness in his heart! He makes me feel so safe in his arms, reassuring gaze watching over me and my blindspots! .. As if. I''m really starting to loath him, his eyes are fixated on me as my back prickles under the onslaught. He''s unmoving, unblinking and unwavering as his eyes bore into me, his thoughts seemingly dedicated towards the worship of evil and directed hate. Praising the demons that delivered me to his molester eyes. All afternoon my resentment has been growing, from a tiny nugget buried beneath the sands to a blazing furnace that melts even steel. Its been growing as he watched me, and if it wasn''t for the farce I have to keep up; I would have killed him already. A thousand times over. Watching me as I watch them, his focus on my back like twin rods of steel skewered painfully. If I glance towards him, he smirks. Knowing he''s getting a reaction. He knows what he''s doing, probably beaten up often as a child by the other kids who found themselves molested by his perverted gaze. Would leave him if I could, but he follows me. He follows me everywhere but my room and the toilets. Even as I sit on the surprisingly sanitary toilet I suspect he has his ear pressed to my door, listening to my bowel motions with utter fascination. Disgusting. I want to hurt him, to wipe that smirk off his face. Torture him, make him regret antagonising me. But I have a farce to keep up, a role I have to play. He''s going to die, but he''s not going to win. After the quest is finished, my rewards gained. Lets see what we can do about your face shall we? We can pound it in and turn it bloody, remove every tooth you have! Can you make a sound if you have no tongue? We can see! Why, if I find a chance I''ll use it and get rid of you even earlier! I dare you to follow me out of the palace when we leave. I tried to distract myself, I really did. I could see the way Kira and the others trained with their instructors, their levels increasing by the hour. Even approached one of the instructors earlier, asked Josh''s instructor if he could train me alongside his student Josh in the art of the sword. He refused, shook his head. His excuses were flimsy, his eyes glancing towards my antagonist. The bastard smirked when I looked where the instructor kept glancing, meeting his eyes filled with mocking and cruel thin lips curved upwards. His face may be handsome, thick head of black hair and a well trimmed beard. But the face he showed was disgusting. Like the evil smile of a man denying the starving orphan his food, knowing the orphan would die. Josh could see the way I was being unfairly treated, and yet when he protested against it directly to the instructor I waved him off before he could finish his sentence. Hiding my irritated face as I reassured him, my smile must have been obviously fake as he frowned. "Don''t worry about it Josh. Its not that big a deal". "But-" his brow twisted, not accepting my reassurances. I waved him off, "I''m not going to make trouble." But really, its because I don''t want to face two sources of dislike. Forcing the instructor to bend to my will, that could do it. Turn those who didn''t care about me to actively hate me for demanding attention when told no. If I told the guard to stop following me around, I know he won''t listen to me. I can''t force him to leave me alone either, not using force. They''ll take that as a invitation to attack me. And that''ll ruin the quest for a mere moment of satisfaction. I mean sure, I could always check if Arod''s offer was still available and it did make sense to look into. But not yet. This can''t go on more than a few days. I''m not stupid either, I''ve seen the way the mages I''ve seen have tensed up and watched from the corners of their eyes, faces seeming to show anger as they quickly move on out of sight. The mages as a group seem to hate me, and they obviously have a lot of influence. I still eat with the others as it means they can''t spit in my food, not when that same food is being served to others. At lunch earlier they tried to carry in bowls of soup, settling them before us. I didn''t even use identify on the bowls before noticing that they were deliberately putting a single bowl in front of me. I quickly grabbed Josh''s bowl as it was being set however, and ignoring the maid who hovered behind me uncertainly I motioned towards Josh. "Give it to him" She tripped, spilling a little bit of soup. Rushing out that she had to clean up the bowl, she left the room and returned with a new bowl. Poisoned? Spat in? At least it won''t happen again. Something has to break eventually, I can''t live with the way things are moving. They are definitely provoking me, irritating me in a attempt to force me to lash out. I tried to ask about replacing my guard, moving about the palace for anyone in charge. But they ignored me and one shitty mage even smirked as he hurried away. They KNOW what they were doing. They KNEW Peter would do this, what he is like. Something will break, and its not going to be me. Meditation helped a lot, but the pressure of his eyes is still there. My emotions are muted, but they are still there. It''s unsatisfactory, I can feel my emotions fluctuating and growing even as I try to suppress them under his freaking gaze. Seriously, what''s wrong with him? Why does his eyes effect me? Its invoking these feelings of.. Brutality in me. Like I want to badly hurt him. How weird is that? I''m normally such a gentle person.. Is his smirk special? The way he completely relaxes as he watches me, the mocking gentleness in his eyes as if he was watching a child? Infuriating he is. Something bad will happen to him someday, I can guarantee it. Sitting quietly watching them train all day, moving indoors as it began to turn dark to move to another room with the others to eat supper. All day I had endured, from morning till night. Not once did he cease to watch me, his eyes never flickering more than a second before settling back onto my back with almost sigh of relief as if its a strain to look away. I noticed Arod was at the table, he avoided my gaze though and after finishing eating he immediately left the table, abandoning me. He looked uncomfortable to even be in my presence. I doubted it was related to the same thing as the mages, more likely to be from the small disagreement we had.. Why does he even eat here? Fancy food? How shallow. Just me, four heroes, four instructors and one dead man walking at the table. The corpse-to-be had long finished eating, quietly watching my mouth as I chewed slowly and irritatedly. I was tempted to chew loudly and give tantalizing glimpses of the half-eaten contents of the meat in my mouth, but I forcibly restrained myself from childish antics. Everyone began to leave the table, I finished my plate and sat there irritably as I glared at the table in front of me. Kira tried to speak to me, but I was in no mood for it. They took the hint. I have no real responsibilities I need to fulfil, why is it that I feel so trapped? Can''t I just leave? Feeling his disgusting eyes focused on my neck, it made me want to cover my skin like a shy girl. He makes my skin prickle, makes me feel disgusting. Tainted. And slowly, my anger began to mount as I glared at the table. Knowing he was gloating as he stared across the table like a love-starved girl. My anger began to rise, and I seriously began to consider killing him. I knew I was going to kill him earlier, but now I''m thinking.. Perhaps I don''t need to wait. I smiled a little at the thought. I really don''t need to wait do I, I can escape can''t I. His death, it would be good for me wouldn''t it. A form of.. Therapy? As for why he died, he fell down some stairs? No. That excuse won''t work, he''ll just be a smear on the ground. Chuckling at the thought, a mad smile slipped on my face. Perhaps I could say he mispronouced a spell? Cast ''Self Destruction'' instead of ''Torchlight''? That would be reasonable wouldn''t it. My smile stretched wider at the thought, eyes no longer filled with resentment but with the glory of the kill to come. I could feel it rising in me, rage threatening to turn into bloodlust. As it began to overtake me, my inventory popped into existence even as my hand began to move towards the club. Its going to be sooo easy. Death less than a second away, even Peter realized something was wrong as the smirk abruptly dropped from his face and his face transformed into utter seriousness. Chair rattling as he backed away, climbing to his feet with his face rapidly paling. Breath growing rapid as he watched me, I finally noticed him. Seeing that, it was what broke the spell. Killing him? Staying here? No. I don''t need to. Letting out a breath, I slowly leaned back against the chair as I ignored him. I can do something else instead. I can just leave.
You have learned how to focus Aura: Bloodlust
Aura: Bloodlust is no longer in effect
Huh. When did that activate? It doesn''t matter, I''m going. I''m not going to fight them, but I am going; leaving this asshole behind. Scooting back my chair, I ignored his shaking sigh and small beads of forehead sweat, his problem. As I moved out of the room, I heard him move behind me to follow on shaky legs. But I ignored it, he means nothing. Is nothing. Worth nothing. I''m leaving. And he''s not coming. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Stalking to the ballroom where nobles and heroes intermingled in the few hours before bed, my mood brightened for the first time in the past few days as I yelled to the four "Guys!" with a increasing smile. My shout drained out the noise of the room, everyone turned towards me. But I ignored the random people in the room. "I need to you guys something!" I yelled to the four. Kira looked at me curiously as she jogged over, a little frown beginning to descend as she looked at my face, waiting for the others to arrive. As the other three approached Josh looked at me with an appraising look, appearing to know what I was going to say with a small furrow of his eyebrows as Rob and Mark looked at me with interested expressions. They know what''s been going on I''m sure, even if they don''t know the reasons why. And it seems like they know what I''m going to say as well. Scanning over the crowds, I was a little surprised to see one name pop out.
Sard lv.16 Prince
Interesting, but useless. He did appear to have been talking to Rob before I burst in, does Rob know who he is? As the nearby nobles began to gather closer to hear what I had to say I ignored them as I met the eyes of the four, looking seriously into them. "I''m leaving". Two simple words. I didn''t even give them time to speak before I rushed on. "I''m leaving this place, I''m judged and I''m unwanted. Its obvious. Don''t bother arguing, I''m not staying." Waiting a second for them to process it, I spoke before Kira could open her mouth "I don''t want you guys coming along either, you should finish your training." Kira began to scowl as the others frowned, those nearby who could hear me also began to talk among themselves. She opened her mouth, but I was faster. "I''m not going to fight the beastking by myself. But I am leaving. I will meet you again, and I''ll fight with you. But I''m leaving today; now" And then bracing myself, they simultaneously opened their mouths to protest. The eavesdropping crowd beginning to squawk amongst themselves as Peter''s gaze intensified. But I didn''t care, I''m leaving. I ignored their protestations, stubbornly ignoring them as they tried to argue my decision. But Kira proved equally stubborn as she saw she couldn''t change my mind. Of course she can''t, she hasn''t been this judged about. Her life must have been perfect here! "Then I''m leaving with you" she folded her arms, glaring at me. Her glare couldn''t match up with Peter of course, ah yes. Peter. My true love.. Who else would gaze at me all day with such fervor? "And me" Josh added, snapping me back to reality and away from my daydream. I was going to refuse them yet again, make them realize I was going alone but Mark didn''t let me. Almost as if he could read my mind.. "We are not letting you leave alone" he smirked with folded arms, standing solidly with the other three as they looked at me confidentially. They do seem rather strong now though don''t they. Levels having increased at a phenomenal pace even as I watched them.
Rob Barnes lv.24 Heroic Ice Mage
Mark Nelson lv.17 Heroic Archer
Josh Carter lv.21 Heroic Swordsman
Kira Harris lv.19 Heroic Rogue
Everyone seemed to wait to hear what my answer was, but I wasn''t sure how to answer it. I can''t argue they are weak, they know they''re not. I''m touched yes, honored I suppose. But I don''t need them, I can easily do better by myself. Be faster by myself. "Fine" I shook my head as if I was giving in, "We''ll leave tomorrow morning" "And give you time to slip away in the night?" Josh scoffed. He shook his head, "You won''t get rid of us that easily, if you really want to leave tomorrow then we''ll spend the night in your room". I grimaced, "No. I''m leaving, and I''m leaving now". With her eyebrows raised, Kira lightly spoke "Looks like we''re off then". I mentally groaned, but gave a slight smile in response. I could escape right now, move to the courtyard and before anyone expects it fly into the skies. I have a good excuse as well, pretend my magic has grown stronger than when I was on earth and now instead of a single pebble, I can fly myself. But.. Would they see it as desertion? Probably not. But would the quest fail? How would my team see my actions? Not in a good light at least, disappointed at least.. I don''t really want to show off my level of strength yet either, a reason being that if they are significantly stronger later whereas I''ve barely improved. Then it would be pretty embarrassing. Sighing, I sat on a free chair as I ignored everyone around me. Nobles moved about, a few people tried to approach me. I ignored them. Kira and Josh had walked off to grab stuff for the trip, people following them in a crowd to either help or hinder. Rob and Mark stayed by my side, keeping me company and preventing me from running. You are more of a nuisance than a help guys.. At some point my guard had also slipped away, probably to hiss in the ears of the lizard-lords the many secrets I''m sure to have revealed, the drastic betrayal I have announced to everyone and my secret plans to recruit an army of darkness to fight against the last kingdoms of the human race. All in an elaborate plan to kill just him. Come to think of it, I wouldn''t defend the human race would I.. I mean, I would do it because I''m expected to, being human and all. But I don''t actually.. I don''t care much for it. For them. For us. For humans.. I wouldn''t put myself before the human race, wouldn''t protect them if I thought it would be bad for me. Mildly interesting to realize that, despite being a useless fact. Useless facts are sometimes interesting, even when you know you''ll never use that fact. But still, this is rather turning into a headache, should I have taken Arod''s offer? No. Things can still improve, can give them the slip later. Its dark outside right now, and unless they force themselves to stay awake I can easily give them the slip at some point during the night. Especially if I keep walking during the night and the next day, they can''t stay awake two days in a row can they? If someone cares enough to follow us, I don''t think they would mind too much if I slipped away.. Say by flying straight up during the early hours of the morning.. Still not sure how the quest would be effected though. Waiting in the ballroom, it didn''t seem like long until everyone was ready, even the duke had visited the heroes with an unhappy expression, trying to convince them to stay and even asking me after a brief pause to reconsider staying for a few days. Things will change! he assured me, Just tell me what you need and I''ll help you! he promised. But I''ve had enough. I''m fed up. If he really cared, he''d get rid of Peter. But at some point of time Peter had returned, watching me again but noticeably less intensely. He doesn''t look to be actively looking to irritate me now does he, did he get what he wants? My brief scowl when the duke spoke those words said volumes, he quickly moved on after that to try convince the others to stay yet again. It spoke volumes that the four others in the team were unrelenting in their pursuit to follow me, even their instructors trying to convince them didn''t make them give a inch. This entire affair no doubt upset the plans of the kingdom.. All thanks to Peter. Does he feel proud? But still, my own plans had been ruined thanks to that. I still plan to do this, but it looks like it might be a little tricky now. Had planned to return after a few days, break into the library again and clean them out. Stupid idea? Nope! What kind of idiot would break into a library twice after stealing the most forbidden books in there! Me of course.. But they won''t be expecting it! The rest of my plans involved doing the beast races quest, using books in libraries to read more on how mana would work and work on my own spells as well as occasionally visiting the four heroes to ensure they didn''t consider me to have abandoned them. But now? Gah. I don''t know. All too soon, we stood outside the palace gates. A city stretched before us, illuminated by lights. I estimated it was somewhere around 8pm, the night had long since set but despite that none of others looked a little tired. No, if anything the others were excited. We were led by a small escort of guards through the city and things were quiet as we exited the city gates. And all too soon, we stood on the road being handed huge packs stuffed with food, clothes and the like. Ready to begin an adventure. The air was a little chill, but I could deal with it. Our escort returning to the city, Kira turned towards me. "So" she spoke brightly, hair illuminated by the bright moon as she addressed me. "Where are we going?" she asked with a small smile. .. Huh? Since when had I become the leader of the party? Chapter 36 - Turning back Here''s a graph showing views per chapter. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After a small and brief argument, we decided I was the team leader. Honestly I didn''t really mind, it worked in my favor, though I just didn''t like the feeling that they were going to follow me everywhere, even if I abandon the quest. Its not a very good feeling leading someone to their doom. Logically I know I''m not leading them to their doom, that they decided to follow me of their own free will. I even tried to argue as such, that I may choose to ignore the beastking and to do my own thing, but I was shut down effectively. "I don''t want to be the leader, what makes you even think I''m going to kill the beastking considering how they treated me?" I protested. "But you are going somewhere right?" Kira smiled back, the others grinning alongside her knowingly. "Well, yes but you don''t have to come with me" "And if we travel directly to the beastking you would separate from us would you not?" she pressed on, grinning widely. "Yes but how is that relevant-" "You are also older than us" she grinned naughtily, "Shouldn''t the elders guide the young?". I frowned, I had forgotten that. They were at least 3-4 years younger than me. I''m.. 20 now? Had it really been that long? "Bu-" I half-heartedly tried to protest, I was even getting confused about this argument. "Then its decided!" she declared, interrupting me yet again. "You don''t need to worry about heading straight to the beastking you know, we can take our time". Wait. Wasn''t there a deadline to this? "So you wouldn''t mind waiting a year?" I asked. Rob shook his head "It doesn''t matter, you do plan to go there. We know that, and we don''t mind waiting. We can only get stronger". Frantically I tried to remember my original arguments, though I did have to admit. I do plan to head to the beastking before the month is up. "Fine" I caved in, seemingly caved in that is. I didn''t actually give up yet. Though it does seem that I''m going to need them on my side for the next few days, unless I want to waste a day or two losing them. "I''ll lead the party. But I must confess one thing.." "Oh?" Rob asked, the other three looking curiously at me. "Its about the library.." I nervously smiled, watching their expressions warily. I know they wouldn''t outright fight me, but they might react negatively.. "Heh" Josh chuckled, Kira letting out a small snort as Mark quietly smiled. "We guessed as much already" Josh informed me smilingly. "Really?" I blinked. "You broke into their library and stole a few things, didn''t you" Mark quietly asked me, a smile playing on his lips as he grinned in the moonlight. Huh. I know they didn''t react after the library breakin from what I remembered, and even now they don''t looked shocked or judgemental. Just amused with me.. Perhaps I misjudged them? I began to feel a little closer to them, a little safer in their presence. "Ah" I scratched my head embarrassingly, "right. So you knew already.." Quickly looking about us, sensing nothing in the way of mana in the air I lowered my voice. "Well" I cleared my throat, "I plan to break in there again in the next 48 hours" Kira scrunched up her face, "Really? You didn''t get everything you wanted the first time?" "Well.. No" It felt weird talking about this, talking about it so normally. We had known each other for what. 4 days? 3? And yet they are happy to follow me to death, smile encouragingly when I admit robbing the people who called for our help. Sighing, Kira turned to Rob "Can''t you teach him what he needs to know?". "Yes Jon, can''t I teach you?" he asked. "Not really, I don''t just want to learn spells and how to cast them. I want to learn the underlying theories behind things, the reason spells work and exist. Where does mana come from. Stuff like that" "What about another city" Mark quietly spoke up, I don''t really recall hearing him speak. The quiet sort? "That.. Could work" I slowly spoke, then caught a snag "But why would that city let me access their library?" "You could bribe them? We have money provided in our backpacks" Josh suggested. I really feel a bit strange about this, plotting a thousand meters away from the city gates. I know the guards can see us talking, but they can''t possibly hear us from that distance. I really do feel a bit strange about this, as if we are being listened to. Could be, but I don''t see any noticeable magics and I''m not emptying out our packs to spend the next half hour going through them on a hunch. "Yes but I would rather get what I need here before we go to the next city" I protested, "besides, this kingdom also seems versed in summoning magics. I want to learn more about the underlying process behind that" "Fine" Kira sighed, "if you are that insistent about it.. But. Can''t we just go back inside and ask them to let you go through the books?" As I tried to think of a rebuke my mouth opened, a second passed and then two. My mouth slowly closed as I ran through countless protestations. None of which sounded that reasonable to me. I can''t very well say that I have this very strong urge to break in illegally, raid their library in its entirety than to leave a single book uncovered.. I really don''t want to stay a hour more than I need to either. But if I voiced that, how does that make me look? "Fine" I sighed, readjusting the backpack on my shoulders. "They might prevent me looking at certain books though" I warned them, but Kira waved it off with a grin "We''ll push ahead. Don''t worry, we won''t give them time to hide what they know" They really are on my side aren''t they? Strange that, I thought they were the heroic kind of people? I already knew they were nice, and later discovered extremely loyal to their friends. They are definitely not stupid, they know what I''m asking. "What do you think about the kingdom?" I asked the group. "What do you mean?" Kira asked puzzledly. "As in, how they have treated you and me. How do you consider their actions?" I clarified. "Well" Josh thoughtfully said, "They are definitely desperate, they summoned us after all. You may not know this, but that guy who introduced himself as the king right after we were summoned? Turns out he wasn''t. The real king introduced himself to us, and he seemed pretty nice" Typical, I scowled a little at the thought he avoided me. "Yeah" he winced, "it seems they really don''t like you" "My teacher seemed a little weird" Rob added, "he didn''t really notice you, and he did mention several other mages but I only met a few of them. Most of the mages seemed to be confined to their rooms, maybe the summoning ritual was draining?" Thoughtfully Kira slowly spoke "Maybe that''s why he couldn''t understand the language.. Because they didn''t have enough power to complete the ritual?" Not really what I asked, obviously my disappointment showed in my face as Kira rushed to reassure me. "Oh no, don''t worry. We don''t feel obligated to them, they are nice and all but.. Our team comes first" "Yeah" my mouth twisted, turning away "Come on. Lets go raid their library" "Wait. Through force or by asking?" Mark quickly asked. "Asking" I reluctantly admitted, still I would prefer force. If the others weren''t here one of my better ideas were to just rip away their entire library. Tear out a floor and levitate the entire thing into the air far from the ground as I empty the shelves in safety. Seems less and less likely to happen now, Kira and the others would surely object to it. Approaching the gates, the guards there looked confused as they pulled them open and gave us passage. Our escort had long left and we made the walk back to the palace in almost abandoned streets, the occasional man looking at us curiously as we walked by. It wasn''t long before we reached the palace, the same person who had bid us farewell excitedly now confusingly gave us entry, several people scrambling to inform others as we waited. We sent our own messenger off amongst them, inquiring about talking to a head mage. It was no time at all before a mage grandly arrived with a wide benevolent smile. Old and stooped, face crinkles as he walked with a wooden cane.
Brand lv.29 Water Mage If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
"What is the problem?" he queried, trying to speak to one of the others who stood behind me as I stood right in front of him. It wasn''t outright snobbing me, but it was certainly saying he wanted to speak with someone else. I almost felt like I should step back.. "We need to look through your library" I spoke politely, catching his disgruntled attention as he snorted quietly in disdain. "Its important" Kira flashed a smile, improving his complexion a little as he smiled in response. Glancing between us, he shook his head. "I can''t help you with this tonight, perhaps we can discuss this tomorrow" "No" I refused, "We need to deal with this now" His eyes narrowed at me, he looked at everyone. "I''m afraid its too late in the night to be dealing with this now" he frowned. "But it has to be done" Rob lightly spoke, "The heroes are requesting it". He stiffened as his expression began to grow darker, his eyes glaring at me. "If he is pushing you into this, you should understand that nothing good can come from it". "No one is pushing us into anything" Mark quietly spoke, "We reached this decision as a team and as a team we are asking for access to the mages library." "Its late and this should be dealt with in the morning" he persisted, his face beginning to glower as he glared at me. Knowing I was the troublemaker. "Are you informing us of your desire to thwart our attempts to grow stronger?" Kira lightly spoke, her words mocking as she glared down at him accusingly. Glaring back at her, he opened his mouth in rage and froze in that position. A second passed before his complexion relaxed a little, his mouth slowly closing. Finally he sighed as he shook his head, his posture seeming a little defeated. "Fine, as you wish" Pointing towards me, he continued "but he is not permitted entry". Our expressions grew dark as I glowered at the mage, silently staring him down as he glared back at me. I could sense another familiar pair of eyes settle on me after a few seconds, it seems Peter has arrived. "Fine" I smiled falsely towards him, before pointing directly towards Peter "But he must go somewhere else". The old mage looked at Peter and snickered, my eyes narrowed at seeing his reaction. He knew about Peter. "As you wish" he smiled mockingly. As he turned his head I caught the corners of a smile on his lips. As he began to move away I watched him, wondering if he had made it onto my kill list. Probably not. As we began to follow him, he turned around and scowled. "You" pointing to me, "Stay". "He''s not a dog" Kira growled furiously before anyone had the chance to speak, the old mage''s lips twitching upwards at her response. But he didn''t say anything. With a small sigh Kira turned towards me "Tell us what you want us to look for" "Ah" I thought for a moment. "Look for books on summoning, space magic like teleporting or gates, enchanting and books that teach you how mana works. Oh, and magical items" Pausing for a few seconds, I considered before remembering the other things I had. "Also books about gravity magic, and magic that''s related to light" "That''s.." Rob hesitated, "A lot of books" he frowned. "Yeah well" I wryly smiled, "I have a lot of interest in those" Twisting his mouth, Rob thought for a second before sighing. "I think you would be taking too many books. We could try to get a few books on each subject, but you may be better off if you only choose a few subjects?" "Ah" I considered, light and gravity magic weren''t that needed were they? I mean, I''ll learn them eventually and my main goal right now is to learn the basics of magic, how it works and how to create my own spells. Especially transportation spells, I may yet be able to escape that god unlikely as it seems. Even if I fail, it should be extremely easy to complete the quests once I can teleport everywhere. "Alright then, look for teleporting magic, enchanting and how mana works" I conceded. "We can do that" Kira smiled and with a grin she promised "I''ll get you at least two books on each kind" The other three made the same promise as the old mage looked on with a disapproving look in his eyes, a scowl outlining his aged face. With a glance towards the mage, I quickly added "And make sure he doesn''t hide books from you or misguide you where to look, do it yourself" He glowered at me, shooting a glare that almost matched Peter''s as I smiled back hostilely. Rob flashed a warm smile, interrupting our match. "Don''t worry about us. We''ll be back soon" They slipped off their backpacks with a small sigh as the heavy weight was removed, Rob stretching even as Josh suffered a small series of clicks from his bones. I took my own pack off, settling it on the ground alongside theirs as I sat on the ground beside it. As the others walked off down the hallway following the mage, I waved off the maid who wanted to bring me to a room to wait in, she insisted, but I turned her down. "I''m fine" As I waited I watched the people walk by, maids hurrying with bedding and a few guards making their rounds. I even saw two mages walk by, animatedly talking to each other before they caught sight of me and walking in stony silence. Half a hour later I caught sight of a group returning, and at the lead of the group was Kira carrying a few books in her hands. I blinked a little at that, looked behind her to the other three who carried even less books in their hands. Mark was carrying just one book.. The old man walked behind them with an almost satisfied expression, but you could see he was still unhappy to some extent. "What''s wrong?" I questioned once they were in range, confused at the lack of books. As Kira bit her lip the old man looked almost smug. "We gathered a bunch of books, but when he heard that we wanted to take them all with us he said to take only one book each" she stammered, almost pleading in her tone. "No I''m not mad" I comforted her, "just a bit surprised". Honestly I''m more disappointed than anything. I could see she thought she had let me down. When I looked at Josh and Rob, they both carried two books while Mark carried only one. "Don''t blame them" Kira rushed on, imploring me to understand. But I shook my head, "I told you, I''m not blaming you guys. You already know they don''t like me, I''m pretty happy you could get this much already" I really don''t blame them, though I am disappointed. If these books are not good enough, I''m going to break in. Taking the books from them, I looked over the titles as I stuffed them into my backpack, removing items to make room. The items I took out were distributed quietly by the others into their own packs, their mood quiet as if they were scared to catch my attention. Kira: Summoning Earth Elementals, Mana below the earth, Craftsman Magic Rob: Magical Arrays and Enchantments, Magical Tools Josh: Summoning of Weapons, Magical effects of items Mark: Theory behind spatial magics Mark''s book was the most interesting to be honest, it wasn''t too bad a haul but I felt rather disappointed that I didn''t get more. "You guys don''t need to worry" I slipped a reassuring smile on, "This is honestly a lot more than I expected to see". And it was, the title''s were interesting at the very least. "And besides, if I don''t understand anything about magic. I can always ask Rob. Right?" "Yep" he grinned, "I know a lot about magic. If you have any questions, just ask me" he bragged. You were summoned to this world 4 days ago.. Moving on. As we shouldered our backpacks I began to think, I don''t think I need to stick around the palace any longer, and while I still had thoughts of shaking off the group to pursue my own path, those thoughts were fading. They really do want to stick with me, and they are happy to follow me around. I''m going to be spending some periods of time studying, and probably other boring periods of time doing other stuff. If they want to leave me because of that, that''s fine. But if I do end up being with them for the entire time here, I''m going to need to show them some of what I know, the great benefits of flight. Unless this world is pitifully small, we are going to have to travel at great speeds to get anything done. We left the city behind in the dark as we moved in a group, everyone uncomplaining of the heavy weight of the backpacks. I did wonder about their strength, but only briefly. The moonlight illuminated our road forwards. Chapter 37 - No turning back I went on a weeklong trip from New Zealand to United States, it was fairly interesting to see how things were majorly the same. My major takeaway from the trip was that America smells, the streetlights could be better and the flights take too long. No work on the story was done during this time either as it was actually a weeklong programming session for my job, go figure. But hey, at least I got CS:GO for free! You guys are also lucky in that this chapter was mostly complete before I left, unlucky in that I didn''t release it before I left. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The moonlight illuminating our path forwards, we travelled through the night. Rob summoned a torchlight into existence which floated above us casting light down on the ground. Swooping shadows leaped from the darkness offering small scares as unseen animals made their warning and hunting calls. It was by unspoken agreement that Rob dismissed the spell after half a hour as Kira snapped at him, her movements flighty at every shadow that jumped out at her. We don''t really need the torchlight, the moon is enough to see the road. The rest of the night was spent quietly, a chill in the air as conversations were started in hushed voices and quietly pettered out in silence that grew. It was during an extended hush in the night that I enthusiastically offered to tell a scary story before Kira smacked me a few seconds later, hissing at me as she rebuked me fiercely. She''s really scared of stuff that goes bump in the night.. I don''t recall hearing of any undead in this world, but I wonder if she will be able to fight them. The night passed and the sun began to rise, my companions squinting at the light as their movements slowed, arms held over their eyes as they adjusted to the sudden brightness. My own eyes easily adapted, my pace barely stuttering as I continued walking. Less than a minute later I heard the pounding of feet as they quickly scurried to catch up to me, not a single mention of the brutal pace I had been setting all night, not a single complaint leaking from their lips. By the time it reached midday the others were obviously tired, yet they still didn''t complain as they walked with eyes drooping. The sun had been rising in the air all day with not a cloud in sight, with the heat beginning to increase as the roads grew warm underfoot we began to take small breaks when we reached spots of shade. Fields and houses surrounding the dirt roads, occasionally people would pass us by. Walking and trundling past on wagons. We were stared at when they passed us by, children gawking at our large packs on our backs, stretching above our head in height and big enough to completely conceal our backs. The packs were heavy I knew, heavy enough that they would be impossible to carry by normal humans, I could deal with it easily, but how did the others handle it? Does the magic of this world effect them somehow? With every break we took I began to go through the books in my pack, reading them and devouring the information they contained. The theory behind spatial magics, this was the first book I looked at. Reading through the book was a bit difficult, the author seemed half-baked and the contents seemed often confused about the very topic it was talking about. More than a few times I found myself re-reading a sentence to make sure I had understood it properly. It was a satisfying feeling when I finished the book, having gained some small understanding about it. No new spells, but that''s fine for now. The next book on top of my pack was Summoning of Weapons. This wasn''t a book that I was interested in for the spells but for the theory behind it because unless the summoned weapons are something special, then the spells are useless to me.
You have learned the spell Summon Sword (Voice)
SkillSummon Sword (Voice)Level1 [0%]
Through the force of your will and the mana under your command, mana takes a corporeal and physical appearance in the form of a sword! This spell is incomplete, fragile, susceptible to magical attacks and contains no weight behind it. Its easy to see why this isn''t a favorite of the mages!
You have learned the spell Summon Spear (Voice)
You have learned the spell Summon Bow (Voice)
You have learned the spell Summon Arrow (Voice)
You have learned the spell Summon Axe (Voice)
Each of the spell descriptions contained those words, incomplete, fragile and susceptible to magical attacks. It was disappointing, but I still finished the book regardless. The book itself didn''t describe the spells as useless though, infact it seemed to acknowledge them as special spells that were learned by battle mages. Not a single mention of them being incomplete, just their description as a common weakness of the spell type. I examined the five new spells and the connections between them, after some time analyzing them I slowly began to see where they differed, what made each spell unique and crucial differences that differed between each type of creation. The spells as they are are useless, but as a spell they were not completely useless. While I won''t be using these spells, it was very likely I will be able to improve them in the future. Take away elements of the spells to create another spell of my own, or perhaps fix the spells to make a whole version. Thankfully I didn''t need to cast the spells to understand how they were constructed, just learning the spells was sufficient to call up the knowledge of casting them. The problem was that while the differences in those spells did seem tiny, those same differences were interwoven with the spell as a whole to such an extent that I was very sure that a single change of my own would destabilize the entire thing. What the end result would be, I''m not sure. I don''t have the skill to change the spells. Not at this point. Considering the idea of branches of magic those five spells could lead into, I really do like that idea. So I''m not going to be deleting the spells until I''ve mastered their essence. The next book I had was Magical Tools, the contents taught me no new spells or skills but it contained some fairly useful information. The fur of a wolat can be boiled and melted with sand to form a glass that will never break, the melting point raised even further once if you constantly keep it melted for over a week. The uncommonly found wood of the Green Ash tree can be used to craft wooden weapons, when first soaked in water for a week it will afterwards not suffer wear and tear on a single point, but will distribute damage as a whole. An enchanted metal crafted by an exclusive sect of mages that utilizes the wind to push behind it whenever the metal moves, commonly used in both armor and weapons for the almost weightless effect it has. A lot of things, and if I get the chance to find any of the mentioned items it will be interesting to try out. But none of them really spoke to me save for the mana crystal occasionally mentioned offhand inside. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ''Magical effects of items'' was the forth book I removed from my pack, this was almost the same contents as the previous book, but it also described magical ingredients that could be found. It was from this book that I found more information about mana crystals. Naturally found and able to be grown by pouring massive amounts of mana inside, the crystal slowly grows larger when touching fresh water and gathering mana from the air. They sell for a fair amount, but after using the mana inside a crystal it will destroy the purity so that it never recovers that level of mana. The stronger in purity a crystal is, the slower it grows and the more mana can be utilized in a single grain. While commoners could grow crystals by themselves, it can take years for a crystal to double in size where in comparison a single mage pouring mana can double the crystal in less than a month! Of small note were mentions about enchanting, the things that could be used in the process and the locations they are commonly found. From scales of a dragon to baptisms in blood, those things are seeped in lore and have potential to become something you can use. I also got a nice notification from it.
Enchantment effects of items can now be found in the item information window
''Mana below the earth'' spoke of the mana that flows through the world, the small attempts to harvest it and the massive upheavals of the earth that followed after. It contained mostly theories, but it piqued my interest a little at the mentions of gods who were enraged at the mortals attempting to undermine their power. It spoke of them almost as a belief though, not as fact. Summoning Earth Elementals, the book was just about useless. Everything on how to summon and use the elemental and almost nothing on theory and practicality.
Unable to learn Summon Earth Golem (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
Not even enough information for me to create my own version of the spell. Finally I came down to the last two books, ''Craftsman Magic'' and ''Magical Arrays and Enchantments''. Wanting to save the best for last, I moved the arrays book to my pack and in exchange took out the craftsman book. Reading the first page, two popups appeared.
Learn the spell Enchant (Voice)
YesNo
Learn the spell Sandpaper (Voice)
YesNo
I''m not interested in the second spell, but for research purposes..
You have learned the spell Enchantment (Voice)
Unable to learn Sandpaper (Voice). You do not have affinity for this element
No big loss I grinned to myself.
SkillEnchantment (Voice)Level1 [0%]
Imbuing items with the strength of the world, the power in nature and the magic that flows about us, enchanting permits you to take this strength and push it into a object! Blessing and imbuing strength into the object of your choice! Voice must be kept at a constant rhythm or enchantment will fail. Enchantment success rate is raised by familiarity to the items used. Enchantment success rate is lowered by strength of the enchantments used. Enchantment effects may vary based on the items used. Failed enchantments will destroy the item. Enchantment success rate: 1%
When I look on the information with a smiling face, that smile dies a little. This seems a tiny wee bit harsh. I can obviously raise the success rate with grinding, and by familiarity with the items.. Doesn''t that means I need to understand the item, how it was crafted, the history of the item and things like that? That could still be done. Though I do wonder what the success rate of a normal person is like, do they have a 20% chance to succeed in enchanting? Obviously here grinding is the answer, and it does seem like I''ll need to personally gather and create the items I use to create my enchanted objects. This makes me miss the enchantment process of Balizen, the game I used to play. The moment you learn enchanting, you just need to slay the monster of your choice with a spell active and with the item of desire in your hand in the moment of victory. Either you succeed, or the item drops in durability. Kind of unique, but it was interesting in that you couldn''t play at full strength. In comparison, the wastage of materials and the low success rate.. This seems hardcore. The constant voice, I definitely want to get rid of that, and I''m going to need to find a steady supply of enchanting regiments. Things I can use to enchant items with. As for the items.. Depending on how hard it is to find ingredients, I could go from a stone on the ground to a hand-carved object. But really, I''m expecting this to be a giant pain. I''ll conduct some experiments, see if its worth chasing. Placing the book away, I took out the last book ''Magical Arrays and Enchantments'' with a small amount of anticipation. Opening the book and reading through the first line, my vision seemed to explode in disappointment as nothing happened. It seemed this book would not be teaching me new skills or spells. I still spent the next half hour reading through the book, soaking in the knowledge contained within. Different types of enchantments, the ways they have been used and recipes to try. The way spells are formed, the formations they take and the many uses a single array can take. It was fascinating at first as I read through it, but soon it began to grow dullsome, the book listing the uses in a way that was of a teacher droning on. I finally finished the book though, and I could feel that I knew more than I did before. At the very least, I received one notification.
The spell Enchantment has reached level 5
Enchantment success rate: 1.5%
It made me feel even more depressed about the situation. As the day wore on I began to take more and more breaks for the sake of the others, their eyes almost closing and bodies almost falling asleep every break. But they did not ask for me to stop, and I did not offer. In this manner we continued until the sun was setting as we reached a small city. Grabbing a couple of rooms, as I unlocked the doors for them it was with weary relief they collapsed the instant they shrugged off their packs. Collapsing limply onto their beds and asleep before drawing a second breath. Mark didn''t even make it onto the bed, the second he caught sight of the bed he just collapsed where he stood. Asleep under a second and almost braining himself before I caught him in time. Four small rooms, four small beds. None of them noticed. With the four sleeping like the dead, I left the inn unaccosted. Chapter 38 - Turning back Ha. Accidentally had his Gamer level at 9, when its supposed to be 10. As usual this chapter was written by gerbils, they get a treat for every reply! Someone offered to PR, but exams came up and suddenly it turned into a week.. So while I do have the next chapter mostly written, I''m still going to see if they want to PR it so I wouldn''t expect it real soon. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leaving the sleeping heroes behind, I pushed my backpack into my inventory window, a little curious and somewhat experimenting if it would work. Strangely the backpack seemed to shrink where it should hit the inventory window, shrinking to fit inside the smaller portal. Somewhat curious that it worked, though I did notice that the number that appears on other items in my inventory didn''t appear here, the count that is. Item is too large to stack? Makes the most sense, game-logic wise anyways. But what are the rules? The limits? Does this even matter? Find out next time on Inventory Experiments! With the weight on my back reduced I didn''t even bother changing clothes as I rapidly descended the stairs. As I moved towards the exit I ignored the innkeeper as he called out to me, asking me if I would be returning. Not his business. I noticed as I left the inn that the sun was setting, and as I began to jog lightly through the streets the people began to thin out as they closed shops and went home. The waking hours in this world began and ended at the sun''s whim. Easily finding the town gates, I left with minutes to spare before they closed, the guards yelling out after me that they were not going to open up again until dawn, am I stupid?! As the sun slowly descended to kiss the earth I moved faster, setting a gruelling pace I was confident in keeping, almost a full out sprint. I had my eye on my stamina, and I was most pleased to notice that it regenerated a little more than I could consume. That is to say, it hovered under full. The night air blew as the light began to disappear, my feet churning as I rapidly made distance over the hot dirt road. It wasn''t until the stars were out and the ground was no longer warm that I slowed to a halt and quickly glanced around. No one was about and reassured of this I summoned my inventory and changed into my dark robes, throwing my dirty clothes into another slot. My inventory currently consisted of a 5x5 grid of slots, that is to say. 25 slots. I had somewhere around 9 slots dedicated towards carrying stones, three for each size from pebbles to fist sized, all maxed at a 99 capacity. One slot for the satchel that contained two fancy rocks and 1-2 empty water bottles, another for my dead laptop and another for my club. That''s 12 slots, I had another filled with 48 water bottles, another dedicated to my spear and another for my tent. One for my private entertainment material, which came in handy from time to time.. And another for a collection of fantasy books, I currently had about 40 of those. Half of them read, the other half not really picking up my interest. That''s 17 slots, as for the remaining slots I had three black robes in one slot and another slot with the generic name ''Skillbooks'' which contained books I had picked up back in the palace. Another slot for cooked beef x 88, and yet another which was filled by my request for 93 loaves of bread in the previous world. The remaining 4 slots are really not worth mentioning, two were empty while the other two contained dirty clothes and now my backpack. So with a simple thought *Gravity Cloak* I lifted into the air, rising high as I glanced around through the night for the village I knew must be nearby. Thankfully the weather was clear and I easily spotted the faint lights from clusters of houses squatting about a dark road. With a breeze pushing against my face I began to fly in that direction, high and unseen in the sky. My speed was fast, growing even faster as I willed it with my mana barely sinking before it quickly recovered back to its maximum. The first bug flew into my face, a sudden impact in my lips and a sour taste as I instinctual licked them. I flew higher after that, gagging a little from the experience. I quickly checked through my inventory and growled with a small amount of irritation as I realized I had nothing I could use in the way of a windshield. Not even my inventory worked, the wind still blows through it and another bug splatter soon popped into existence. It makes me wonder a little though, to place things into my inventory do I need to be holding them? Would intent work? Can I link a spell up? Does it actually need to touch the screen? But I flew horizontally after that, my hood providing some sort of protection even as I occasionally had to slow down to check my direction. Houses and villages swooping below me, the very rare bug finding its way as a messy splatter it didn''t take long until I saw a great expanse of lit territory, a grand castle raised inside the city with towers that gestured defiance towards the heavens. My gaze was drawn towards the central tower, glowing with the mana that surrounded it in a shimmering haze, more than I had ever seen before. It seems they had grown cautious since my last visit I mused, floating high in the darkness gazing down at the lit palace below as I studied the changes with a careful gaze. I wished I had a proper clock or something, something I could use to keep precise track of time. I mean, I''m easily able to tell which hour and roughly which minute it is.. But there''s something to be said about an actual clock you can check with, not just a feeling you have. I don''t actually have a way to tell if I''m even right or not, I just know that my own version of time is working off dawn, sunrise and noon. A benefit of INT I suppose. Its been ages since I last saw a working clock, the laptop''s internal clock also seemed out of whack last I saw it. Slowly descending from the sky, I kept my eyes open for near-invisible threads of mana as I approached the tower. A solid meter from the bright aura, I slowly moved around the tower, black robes gently fluttering in the slight breeze as I floated to the brightly light window. Looking inside cautiously, I felt a little relieved to note that no one was inside. No mages or guards I''d need to worry about later. Looking at it for a moment, I lightly bit my lip as I considered the path I was going to take with a light frown. My plans generally don''t go well the few times I had made them. So being wise about how plans go awry I didn''t even bother this time, ignoring that nigging feeling. But I did know a couple of keypoints I wanted to do, the first was to see about ripping out the entire library, and the second was squashing a small pest before I leave. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Heh. Just had a thought. I could take him with me. And when I say take him with me, I mean float him high in the sky out of sight and lower him at night to feed and water him before raising him up high again. Cut out his tongue perhaps to prevent any spellcasting? I''ll find him, then we''ll see. I suppose I better take care of that first though considering that this tower is almost certainly rigged with alarms, and I have not a single idea on how to disarm them. Finally moving away from the tower, I sunk lower as I floated to gently and quietly land inside a pitch-black courtyard, avoiding those courtyards lit up already. I hadn''t seen this courtyard before, but it wasn''t something I worried about as I quietly tested a door for locks. Opening the barricaded door and wincing at the slight creak of the hinges, I slipped in before throwing my hood back over my head, obscuring half my view even as it prevented others from seeing my face. I had cleaned off the bugs on it, and what remained wasn''t noticeable. *Torchlight* A solid white light blinked into existence, moving to float ahead of me as I began to walk down the corridors. My own shadow stretched behind me, elongated behind me as my feet quietly moved with robes fluttering. It didn''t take long until I saw a lit hallway at which I changed directions and began walking down it, switching directions as easily as breathing. I may be a little lost, but I know where the mages area is at least. Musing over potential tortures and ways to deal with him as I walked, my hands clasped behind my back as my ears listened for the slightest hint of clanking metal. Almost a sure sign of guards on the move at which I would change directions. My thoughts and movement halted as I saw a door slowly open, I quickly slipped out of sight even as a girl with blonde hair cautiously peeked out. Looking both ways and assured of her solitery, she quietly slipped out before closing the door behind her and moving away down the hallway. I almost grinned a little as I quietly moved behind her, stepping into pace with her movements for a few steps before I dramatically cleared my throat. "Ahem" With a shriek of fright, she whirled around with wide eyes and a frightened expression at which I groaned a little, hoping no one would come to investigate the sound. Trying to stifle her cries isn''t a wise move if I want her to trust me, neither is acting aggressively nor should I act nervous. No, instead I just waited for her to calm down, even as she stumbled backwards in fright and ready to run. A little irritated at her actions I lowered my voice to one I imagined was more manly and spoke out before she could sprint away. "Do you know where the mage Peter sleeps?" "N-No" she answered, pausing in her movements and thankfully not running. Her face still looked a bit spooked, but thankfully she seemed to be calming down. I hummed, staring at her under my cowl as I did so. You know, now that I look at it her clothes seemed rather ruffled, her hair messed up damp with sweat with a bright flush about her skin. I don''t think it was from my scaring her either. She obviously wasn''t wearing lipstick, probably never had. But if she did, then right now I''d be expecting to see it smeared. I smirked a little to myself, just what had she been doing in there.. "Sir, can I help you?" she asked in a wavering voice, the dark figure standing in front of her menacingly with a sinister smirk on his face, her feet unconsciously moving backwards as she sought retreat. "Yes" I cleared my throat. "Take me to someone who can show me the way" "D-Does it have to be me" she cringed, her hands trying to pat down her blonde hair as strands escaped her grasp. Why does she now care about her appearance? "You can go then, I''ll ask the gentleman inside for directions" I waved her off offhandedly, walking and turning to face the door as I stretched out my arm with the obvious intention to knock. "No!" she frantically hissed, her hands making white fists by her side as her face frantically scrunched in desperation. "I''ll do it" she pleaded with me, stepping forwards intending to grasp my arm before I yanked it out of range. Did she even wash her hands? "Lead the way then" I quickly stepped back out of reach, looking down on her as she bitterly regretted the timing of her exit. Resigned to her chore she navigated the way through a few hallways, leading me on a small ten minute journey through lighted halls before finally stopping before a door which seemed to be bigger than the other surrounding doors. Less fancy than the door I had saw her leave from through. "Head Maid Doira is in there, she''ll know where his rooms is" she gestured as she spoke quietly, quickly making a small bow without meeting my eyes as she began to move away "If you''ll excuse me.." As she scurried away down the hallway barefooted I looked at the door and grimaced a little. Authority, I hate authority. Especially for this task. Perhaps I should just give up on it? With a small sigh, I readjusted my position as I looked at the door, considering, reconsidering and considering my options yet again. I don''t want to fail the quest, I''m willing to destroy this kingdom but not to fail the quest. The kingdom will disappear, the quest rewards should stay. No wait. That''s assuming that the rewards are given by the system, not by the kingdom.. Logic dictates that the questgiver will obviously cancel the quest on death, or when he no longer wishes to talk to you. But if they only suspect me.. It shouldn''t be cancelled, and while the other heroes won''t know about this for a while, shouldn''t know for a while. Its still going to be revealed if I must return to the kingdom to claim a prize. Grah. I really need to find out more how the system works, this isn''t as obvious as a normal game. At least it STOPS you from doing the wrong thing. But here? I''m getting basically no hints. I shouldn''t knock on this door I suppose, my getup is suspicious enough and I really don''t want it to be known from a reputable source that a mysterious figure had asked for the suddenly missing mage. Its not hard to connect the dots. I could bump off this head maid when we are done, but who says she''s not going to delegate the task or make contact with guards? I''m definitely going to need to find him myself. Though I''m not too sure how to find out. But hey, who knows! I might find another suspiciously messy maid walking barefooted at night who knows exactly where his room is! As I moved away from the doorway heading down a new corridor I didn''t look back, and thus I didn''t notice the girl hadn''t retreated to her room. Chapter 39 - Regretting turning back Proofread by Kialandi Got my first achievement last week. Achievement: Leader of Penguins Description: 1,000 Followers And its nice that I didn''t take a month to post another chapter! No. Only 29 days or so.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looking through the corridors and staying out of sight, I heard the guards making their rounds through the palace as I gradually began to recognize the halls, the grand tapestries hanging from the walls and the larger room I almost stumbled into. As I recognized my position I could tell that I was nearing Arod''s room, and Peter''s room had to be located near it seeing that he was also a mage. Though I wouldn''t say it would be right next door when I compare their status.. There were few traces of guards to be seen as I silently glided through the halls, feet seemingly touching the ground as I flew sedately with a small frown on my face. I was at a slight loss at what to do, my plans had never been that well laid out and my current actions had brought me to a small predicament. Just where was his room? Crossing my arms irritatedly as I flew, my gaze swept across the doors that I passed by. A guard should be coming through here soon, but even if I kidnap and interrogate one of them he might not know anything. They won''t causally tell me anything without raising trouble either. They also seem to travel in groups of four, and their levels are not low, can I hope to take them by surprise and silently? Perhaps I could just knock on a door and ask? That shouldn''t be too bad, though they''re likely going to want to see under my cloak and thus possibly recognize me.. They probably all know each other. Is there another choice I could do? Another path? Silently I cursed Peter a little, blaming him yet again for my treatment here. The others are to blame too, but he deliberately antagonized me, tried to make an enemy of me. Glaring at a door I wondered who was behind it, then paused in the air as a small sinister smile played on my lips. I just had a nice idea.. *Identify*
Wooden Door
A locked wooden door enchanted with a basic warning spell which is activated physically. Door to apprentice Jirme''s room.
My lips curled upwards as I let out a small snort at the screen. Unrealistic yeah, gamelike yeah, but it works. I''m not going to complain. I felt a little cheated with it being far too easy, as if something will go wrong, and soon. But that''s a silly thought. Those kinds of cliches only happen in bad stories. I smirked a little, is this where I say "Nothing can go wrong now!" but of course something goes wrong? Though, I suppose I just did that now, but it''s still unrealistic. Has no place in reality. Even if my life is a little unreal.. As I moved down the hallway *Identify*ing each and every door I began to muse a little, can you even call my ''life'' reality anymore? Sometimes when I think about myself and this situation I can''t help but feel like this place is a lie, it''s all made up. That nothing makes sense. And it doesn''t, where did this come from? How does magic exist? Why me? There''s a god of magic, does this mean the gods of religions are real? Will I meet them? Does this mean that there''s an afterlife after death? I had never been religious, but my friend''s parents had been. David often complained how they had to go to church every Sunday, less time to play in a dungeon raid and it sometimes pissed the others off because we didn''t have enough players. That was fun. My face darkened as I began to long for the old days, those days had been much nicer. I didn''t need to worry about making it back home, or living in stupid situations. My resentment for Peter grew a bit more as I thought over the unfair treatment I had received, the way they actively hated me. My thoughts turned to David again as I wondered what happened to him. He just stopped.. Going to school. I probably should have visited him I mused, he might blame me for Balezin. I really hoped he didn''t do anything radical because of it. I hoped he had just locked himself in his room, didn''t do anything drastic.. But does he miss me? He has to have gotten over Balezin by now, can''t blame me forever. And how am I going to explain my new powers to him? Should I even tell him? Yes he''s my friend, pretty much the only guy I can call a friend in real life. But this.. it''s a bit.. I sighed. Hearing a small rattle of armor I hid accordingly, flying up to hide in the shadowy abscess of the ceiling as a troop of guards passed beneath me with metal shifting as they marched quickly. Waiting a few moments after I could no longer hear them I dropped back down and resumed where I had left off at Hars'' room. I was lost in thought a little as I methodically moved down the hallway, wondering just how far this gamer thing was going to go. Was 99 the max? It can''t be. I reached it far too soon and heck, I don''t even feel smarter! My plans haven''t gotten better, I know that.. When I think about it a certain way it does make some sort of sense, that my very personality is to ignore all choices but those taking a certain approach. But. Shouldn''t WIS be improving that? STR and DEX, I''m obviously different there. But how on earth can I check with my INT and WIS? Hmm. LUK? Heh. Good luck measuring that. Well, I know I can remember more stuff which means INT is working but- I almost missed the unassuming door as the name Peter flashed up.
Wooden Door
A locked wooden door enchanted with a warning spell which activates when disrupted magically or physically. Door to mage Peter''s room.
Spying the name, my mouth twisted into a small sadistic grin. This had taken me far too long. Pausing outside the door, I collected my thoughts and considered my options for a short moment. Looking at the door I could see traces of mana crawling over the wood, covering the handle. Obviously, I wouldn''t get inside silently. I could always fly outside and try break in through a window, but that''s assuming its unguarded and I can find it. I suppose I could use the same identify trick.. No, that''s not an option. It''ll take too long and I''ve already noticed that the guards seemed to be agitated for some reason. Don''t say they discovered me? I grimaced a little, a slight rattle of armor all the warning I needed of impending discovery as I grabbed the handle, twisted and to my relief, smoothly and quietly opened. I saw the mana on the door spike, but I was already closing the door and even as the door closed I quickly summoned a light to illuminate the room. *Torchlight* The red light flicked into existence, instantly casting the room in a bloody pallor which should be practically unnoticeable outside. It had the effect of giving me the air of a demonic monster, but I didn''t care about that as I instantly realized there was no bed in the room but I could see a half-open door to the side. Wasting no time, I flew towards the adjourning room and pushed open the door as I heard a faint sleepy groan. He didn''t seem to be alarmed or worried.. Does he not suspect it''s me? "Who''s there?" I heard him ask, a yawn following after. A voice I almost didn''t recognize, emitting maturity and weighted with responsibility. .. Peter? This is Peter right? I didn''t get the wrong room? I paused, unwilling to enter the room as a spike of confusion froze my limbs. I was out of sight for now, but as I heard the soft sound of feet hitting the ground I was jolted back into action. He was coming out? He wasn''t scared? As I drew away from the door and flattened myself against the wall, I watched intently as the man slowly padded out with bleary eyes and a hand held to my light. As I saw his face I let out a small sigh of relief, an evil grin following as I looked at him. Was it an act he had put on for me? He really is courting death isn''t he. He wasn''t smirking as his expression looked serious; nothing on his face indicated anything of the nature he had shown me. But the nametag can''t lie, and I do recognize that face. In the very next second his eyes caught my figure, his head turning to me as his eyes widened in shock. I had flung back my hood by now, giving him a great look at my face as I looked at him with the face of a demon. Relishing the horrified look that flashed across his face. I could see his mouth begin to open, a deep breath being taken and a yell about to begin. I took no chances as I immediately moved and sank my fist into his stomach. He gasped, body folding as the sound of a bone cracking was heard.
DMG 15
I didn''t use that much strength, I was afraid of killing him. But I was testing one thing I had been a little curious about, does punching people in the gut work? Looking at him I believed I probably got the right area, he''s no longer trying to yell but instead has collapsed to the ground hunched over. Bits of what looks like puke exhaled as he splutters for breath. As he lay on the floor shaking in pain with the sound of hoarse breathing, my eyebrows rose a little. I''ll probably be using this more often. As I looked down at his body my lips tightened. His figure looked pathetic right now, and even though I really want to see him dead. I don''t hate him enough to torture him. I''m not stupid enough either to think I can keep him alive, not after what I showed him. You know, they have to know I hate him. So it''s going to be obvious when he, out of everyone, disappears.. Choices.. Hmm. I planned to go to the mage tower later, raid their books silently if I could. But the wards they have surrounding the place is going to make it hard to get through them. But what if I could connect this guy somehow, link him to a crime he didn''t commit.. I smiled a little, but my eyes coldly narrowed soon after. Reality would likely acquit him of the crime.. But. I had the traces of a plan forming.. Seeing he wouldn''t recover in the next five minutes, I quickly retrieved the stolen books in my inventory from my last raid and slipped them into hiding places about his room. One under his mattress, one behind this noticeably large bookcase and ah. This last one can easily be jammed between all of the other books in the bookcase itself! Reminds me, I should look through those books sometime, not now though. Too obvious. Maybe tomorrow night? Ah no. That won''t work either. They''ll only notice missing books. Quickly scanning over the titles I shook my head. None of them looked that interesting anyways. All different branches of magic I couldn''t touch. Turning back to the incapacitated pest I caught him trying to stumble to his feet, shaking as he coughed and attempted to clear his airways. I tsked quietly as I slipped behind him and tried another move I had been curious about, wrapping my arm about his neck in a stranglehold. He slumped in my arms seconds after, face red and body limp like a wet sack. That was also interesting, thought it took a minute or something.
DMG 1
Thankfully Peter here slept almost naked which was a small relief, I wouldn''t need to undress him. Quickly using one of his shirts to wipe off his mouth I shoved the dirty shirt inside my inventory and snorted a little as I saw it classified as a rag. Accurate enough, I did think of the shirt as a rag. Curiously I did try to stick him in my inventory, but he floated through the window without making contact. I ended up wrapping him in a tent canvas and was looking about the room ready to scram when I heard a thudding on the door. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. "Wake up!" a man yelled, "Emergency!" I swore. I didn''t waste a second as I turned towards the window, instantly verifying it was large enough as I pushed it open and flew out. Peter''s body following me before I closed the window and latched it using a small gravity cloak. There had been another spell on the window, but I assumed it was another of the warning spells. I barely remembered to dismiss the torchlight before I heard the door slammed open, footsteps running through the room as I flew out of sight and hearing. Floating high in the cool breezy air I let out a small sigh of relief, adrenaline from the close call coursing through me as I glanced towards my silent cocoon and wondering if he had died. No, couldn''t have. I cursed at the little maid; it seems she wasn''t afraid of her activities being known. She had to have sold me out. There was no other reason for it. Not going to kill her, she''s not important enough. She was just doing her job.. But I still swore at her. She made this much harder for me. Hmm. Or easier? I could work this into my plan.. Can I? Flying to the mage''s tower, I cursed again as I saw the number of guards swarming around through the courtyards and windows that I could see. A few mages were mixed through their ranks making it that much harder to dismiss them. Thankfully the library was on the top floor of the tower, the other floors regulated to workspaces and the like. Flying closer to the library''s small window, I peered in cautiously. Two mages stood guard at the library''s doors, four guards standing next to them. I could only wonder how many were out of sight of the window and ready to rush up the stairs. I really had been sold out hadn''t I? I swallowed a small curse as I glared at the window. I couldn''t even silently disappear thanks to Peter here. He''s not only seen my face, but it can''t be too hard to figure out why he''s missing. But a fight with their mages never factored into my calculations. I sighed, flying higher into the night as I looked down at the tower. The library was on the top floor, the tower was wide enough that you could live in it with a bedroom, kitchen and a living room to spare. And the entire thing flickered with mana. I glared at the tower as a small groan came from my bundle, a slight moan accompanying it. It was good he hadn''t died, but he was waking up? I wanted to groan myself, this timing was terrible. Would it kill him to sleep a little longer? Actually, yeah. It would. I snorted a little, my mood lifting a little. I was going to need to change my plan a little, but I can still make this work. Unwrapping the man in the air, he didn''t even get to make a sound before I tried another sleeper hold on him, knocking him out once again. Continuing with the unresisting figure in the air I took out a fresh set of black robes and dressed him in it, before I nodded with faint approval. The clothes were a little tight on him and the hem could be let out a little, not only was black not his color these robes don''t really suit him that well. I probably need to do something with his hair and- this is irrelevant. It will work. A quick peek inside the window proved the guards inside still remained, and with a tender look towards the man floating unconsciously next to me I grinned maliciously, placing a hand on the tower as I silently wished everyone inside a traumatic death. *Gravity Cloak* The tower rumbled, the mana covering the surface flashed before suddenly whipping in a massive surge towards my hand in contact with a soundless roar. This had to be an automatic reaction, but I didn''t even get the chance to think about it before a huge surge of pain enveloped my mind.
HP -503
My body thrummed with a sudden lash of pain as blood erupted from my arm, malicious pain threading through my arm and down my body, hitting my head in a sudden pounding of savage attacks. Mentally snarling as my head throbbed with pain, I focused intently as I lifted the top floor of the tower, earsplitting cracks as stones fell from the spell and hit the ground, the floor beneath the top floor exposed to sudden night as the very roof lifted away. The flickering mana on the tower faltered after the attack, seeming to strain to cover the widening gap as I lifted the top floor before it finally flickered and quietly disappeared, my gravity cloak no longer feeling as strained. The top floor rose at a slow sedate pace, my face hidden under the hood grimacing in pain before I remembered a crucial part of my plan. Summoning a bright *Torchlight* I moved it above myself, illuminating my body even as Peter was moved high into the sky out of sight. In plain view of the entire palace, I stole their library. Walls began to crumble on the tower I left behind, structural integrity ruined as figures ran about screaming and yelling. I gained a few notifications of exp which I ignored as I flew higher. Amidst the chaos below, I definitely didn''t expect the first attack when it came. The only warning I had before I flew under cover was a sudden roaring of bright flame, surging and covering the air between me and the ground in an instant as it roared through the air. With a sudden burst of heat in the air, the spell died less than a second later as I stared incredulously at the ground. They were willing to throw attacks this close to the tower?? I could even see the scorch marks on the stone! Looking at the ground I could see where the attack orientated but could only fruitlessly glare at the man. I didn''t dare display any of my skills, not under this guise. I began pumping mana into the spell even as another spell lanced towards me, flickering reins of lightning crackling as they impacted the tower and flickered out. It contested fruitlessly against my gravity cloak for control before submitting. I could feel the loss of mana from that one and cursed a little, hating the suicidal attacks of the mages below. Surely they knew the tower would fall if I wished it to?! We were floating directly above the palace itself! They can''t want to destroy themselves that badly! I saw another spell ignite and soar towards me, the pillar of fire lighting another figure who stood on a roof staring upwards at me, his face hidden in shadow before I dodged the incoming spell. I was mildly curious about him, something seemed strange. But I quickly put him out of my mind as I flew inside the library and came face to face with the chaos within. The people inside spotted me, of course they would. But despite all of the guards'' efforts they could only helplessly float in the air, unable to resist as I flew towards them and exposing my club to the air. "The righteous flames of heaven burns all-" the first mage began to shout, his shrill voice infused with mana as he threw his arms towards me. "they touch-" he managed to squawk out before I abruptly cut him off.
DMG 211
EXP +800
Not sure why they had a fire mage in a library.. The second mage got a bit further than that as he bellowed "The rending voice of the earth shivers and shakes as the heavens cry for me! Crushed ru-" hurriedly I cut him off with a backswing, to his credit he didn''t falter mid-chant even as he desperately tried to dodge my blow.
EXP +750
The four remaining guards were easy to play with, their weapons shattering as they held them uselessly trying to deflect my blows. One of the guards even completed his magical chants ''Sharpened blades, slicing wind and the destruction of the knife howls!'' or something like that. I didn''t notice a difference as he died, though from the way mana seemed to cover his sword for a second I think it made his sword sharper.
EXP +450
EXP +500
EXP +400
EXP +550
I could feel the mana draining as the tower absorbed blow after blow, my gravity cloak forcing the entire structure to stay together as it took damage it was never meant to receive. Quickly grabbing at the books around me in the air, I pulled Peter down from the sky and slipped him through the window even as my control over the tower began to loosen. Peter by now should be almost awake I mused, floating over to his body which seemed to be moving slightly. His groans began to gain strength as I rested him on the floor, standing before him with a grin. I waited until he raised his eyelids, opening his eyes as I summoned a white Torchlight in the air about us. Waiting until he could finally see, I grinned as I watched him recognize me again. "Hello there" I smiled wolfishly, he blinked at me stupidly, before adrenaline took and his eyes bulged, face transforming into fear. "I don''t have much time" I shook my head apologetically, moving towards the window as I looked back at him with a bigger grin. "You don''t either" As I slipped out of the tower, one fifth of my mana remained which was enough to hold it for another minute or so. But that wasn''t the point. I relinquished my control over the gravity cloak. I could hear the grinding and crunching as the tower seemed to falter in the air, a sudden realization as it that gravity was in charge yet again and the inevitable crumbling that began as it fell back to the earth. And with a small shiver I relished down my spine, I heard the faint wail trailing. My smile was a little forced as I flew in the darkness; although my revenge was complete it hadn''t been as sweet as I wanted. The 60 odd books in my inventory made it a little better, but my attempt to frame him didn''t have a hope to come to fruition. The thudding crunches the tower made as it impacted with the surrounding city was tremendous, and as I looked downwards I hoped that his body would still be intact. I may not be able to frame him as effectively as I wanted, but with luck.. They should have doubted him a little.
The skill Gamer has reached level 11
Achievements system unlocked
Achievement: Framing the opposition
Force an enemy to take responsibility for actions not of their own doing! INT +1
INT cannot be given as you have reached the stat cap
Achievement: Its payback time!
Strike back against the one who did you wrong! 1500 EXP
Achievement: Pushed into despair
Push someone to the edge of despair, and beyond! Fear attacks 5% more effective
Chapter 40 - A step forwards I got busy with my work, the proofreader (Editor?) Kialandi also got busy with exams. I''ve also gotten bored with the MC''s slow progress, he''s got a ton of books now, surely he can start making breakthroughs.. This chapter was written with 80% guilt, 20% inspiration, 0% proofreading. ------------- Had an interesting dream. Was complaining to my brother how nothing made sense, and as he lead me into this pyramid he asked me a question. If you are a god that cannot die, what happens if someone builds a giant pyramid on you designed to collapse? How long does it take for you to escape? "Um. I can''t escape?" I stated the obvious. "But you are immortal" he refuted. "Ah" I slowly nodded. Then I came to a realization. "Wait. That means I''m a god? Is that why we are breaking into here? Is that why the building is trying to collapse? Are we breaking out another god?" "Obviously" he rolled his eyes. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I was a little puzzled over what had happened, I didn''t mind the achievement system and even found it amusing in its own way. But that framing achievement?.. How did it know he was framed? Or to phase the question better, how did it know the results of the framing? That was another thing I was puzzled about, I''m not as stupid as to think I did a great job on the framing. Infact, I botched it. They should have suspected him only in the worst case scenario, forget about calling him the one who was the mastermind. So just what happened to make them think so? Did I get some help? That figure I saw on the roof? I corrected my course a couple of times as I flew, pausing only once to change my clothes from black robes high in the darkness. I didn''t really want to land on the ground not knowing whats below me, nor did I want to summon a torchlight that would be seen for miles around. Finally I reached the city walls, flying over them I rapidly descended and quietly landed in an abandoned street. Causally looking about, I walked to the inn and jiggled the handle. Locked. I should''ve expected as much, but it didn''t bother me much. In my clothes I didn''t feel cold, and I didn''t need to sleep. Turning away and moving down the road, I eventually settled down inside a dark alley with a book and torchlight and began to read. Time passed, the sun rose. Getting up from the cold ground, I stretched and slipped the book back inside my inventory, dismissing the torchlight as I left the alley and jiggled the inn''s handle again. It opened smoothly. Taking it as invitation, I stepped inside. The aged innkeeper had a view of the door and when he noticed me he gave a small nod "Morning". He then frowned slightly, "You didn''t get locked out did you? You should have banged on the door, I would have unlocked it for you" I shook my head "Don''t worry about it, I had another place to sleep. You don''t mind if I wait in here for my friends to get up do you?" He shrugged, "If that''s the case.. And sure, I don''t mind. Did you want to talk?" "Sure" I smiled. People moved through the inn, people leaving and some returning. The innkeeper disappeared at times, checking on the rooms people vacated. This inn didn''t have a kitchen when I checked, so if I got hungry I''d need to go to some other place. Finally at midday the others began to come down, Rob first and half an hour later Mark. Another hour passed before Josh came down and after waiting for a hour for Kira we finally headed out to eat something. When we returned Kira still hadn''t woken up as we waited for her on the long bench. We talked as we waited, my questions to Rob were about the way magic worked for him while their questions to me were about the magical world back at home. I lied, I told them stories about objects that didn''t exist, places I''d been to and my initial experiments with magic. I had to make a lot of things up and I''m fairly sure my story contradicted itself more than a few times. But if they noticed it, they didn''t comment. Kira finally came downstairs and after greeting us went outside to get herself something to eat, we didn''t follow as it was starting to get hot and we wanted to stay in the shade just a bit longer. Finally Kira returned, chewing on a loaf of bread as she entered the inn. Rob sighed, "We should probably get going then" As everyone headed upstairs to grab their packs, I waited behind and pulled out my pack the moment no one was looking and settled it down next to me. Rob was the first to return, and as we waited he asked me a question curiously, "Where did you sleep?" "In another room?" I suggested, as if it was obvious. The innkeeper met my eyes, frowned a little and turned away. He might not approve that I lied to them, but its easier than telling them the truth.. Infinitely easier. The day passed uneventfully as we walked down the role, the others seemingly having accepted I wasn''t going to run away and my own desire to run somewhat.. Gone. I didn''t think it was fair to run away from them, but I was going to need to do something. Night came and we camped, I stayed awake and continued to read as the others slept. A dazzling array of torchlights surrounding the camp preventing anything from approaching unseen. "Did you stay up all night?" Kira asked the next morning and I shrugged, "The mana in the air is intoxicating. If the mana on the earth was like a breath of air in an ocean, the mana here is pure oxygen. My body can''t help but absorb it all" "Huh" It was mid-afternoon as we passed through another town that we heard the news on the palace, that it had been attacked. As the others concernedly pressed for more information I quietly hung back as I listened. To put it shortly, a rouge mage had attacked the palace, killed guards through the hallways as he approached the mage''s quarters. Used a highlevel spell to fly, then ripped the tower off its surroundings. Overestimating his power, the enemy mage lost control while flying above the city. Sending both him and the tower crashing to the ground. I felt a small chill at that, it was obviously not what had happened. Someone had to be helping me deliberately. It could be that someone else attacked in the same night as me, similar plan perhaps. Different goals. But this timing.. No. I don''t accept it. Their actions couldn''t have been planned. I didn''t give anyone warning, I didn''t waste time the moment I found a chance. I invaded their palace, someone had to be there already with their own separate plan. It worked out great for me, but I don''t think they achieved their goals. The news about the palace seemed to hit the others hard, when I suggested getting a move on they voted against it, citing reasons such as killing the mood and the like. I really didn''t see the problem, why would they have a problem with this? They didn''t know those people, wasn''t there themselves. Infact, they only stayed at the palace for almost a week! Hardly enough time to get attached! Look at me! You see me regretting the damage done? The people I''ve.. Disarmed? No. I didn''t know them, and I don''t care to. And here you are, worrying over something that you were not personally part of. I didn''t voice my opinions, but I silently disapproved of their decision. Making me wonder yet again if I should leave them behind. We stayed the night, and after my urging we left the same morning. "Just why do you want to get there so fast?" Rob asked curiously as I grimaced slightly. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "I just want to get this over with" I offered a half-excuse, Rob looked dissatisfied with the answer, but he wisely didn''t press. "We should be leaving the borders in a few days" he offered conversationally as my mood brightened a little. That would mean real action, real fights. The same afternoon we took a break, sitting inside a small groove of trees with our packs set to the side. The others talked among themselves as we rested and ate food. Then finally Rob turned to me. "Hey Jon, we were wondering. Just how strong is your magic here?" I looked at him, they looked at me and the air was silent and full of expectancy. They had been dancing around this topic for ages, waiting for me to bring it up or to demonstrate. But should I show them? They could probably connect what happened at the palace if I demonstrated my control over gravity, they didn''t know who was behind it, just that the person was identified as an rouge mage. They also seemed to take the attack on the palace personally.. I do feel as if I could trust them with my secret, how strong I am. But I also think they would feel betrayed, like I intentionally tried to keep them in the dark. But that was minor when I take my last consideration into mind, I want to travel faster than this. This walking, its mind numbing. I already had an idea of transforming a carriage, wagon or similar into something we could ride on. Faster travel, less effort. More time for me to finish up in this world. You may think that I thought through this instantly, but really it was an awkward few seconds of silence. "You already know I can use floating lights?" I asked, half as a question. Seeing them nod, I continued "I can control hundreds of those" Rob''s eyes opened wide as he looked at me, the others also seemed impressed but only Rob seemed to understand just how impressive it was. "Guys" he swallowed, "I can barely control eight lights, and its draining". Kira frowned as she looked at him, then stared at me. "Wait so.." she trailed off.. Leaving the obvious unsaid. "I don''t have that much spells related to light though" I shrugged, "I''m getting better at understanding how it goes. But I''m not at the level I can do what I want. Its really just limited to bright lights floating around, or a flashlight kind of thing" Mark grinned, "That''s still impressive though. What about your gravity magic?" Ah right, they know about that.. "Well.. I scratched my head, "I could easily lift everyone here and not even notice the strain" They stared at me with wide eyes, Kira''s face splitting into a grin as she stared shocked at me. Then she scowled. "You can fly can''t you" she accused. "Uh" I stuttered, a little lost at words. I didn''t really like the way this seemed to be going.. The way she seemed to be accusing me.. "We didn''t have to walk did we" she glared at me. I silently felt relieved, she didn''t go where I thought she would. "Wait, the palace attack?.." Rob suddenly spoke, staring at me with a heavy expression as I felt a small heart attack. As soon as Rob said that, the others seemed to come to the same conclusion as they stared at me with expressions that grew heavy and sober, narrowed eyes as they stared at me. "Yes I can fly" I admitted, and as Kira angrily began to open her mouth I interjected "But I didn''t attack the palace" "I did fly over there to steal a few books, and I did break into their library. But I definitely didn''t kill anyone, and I definitely didn''t destroy the tower. That was someone else" I lied to them, my expression pleading with them to believe me.
Achievement: If I can''t trust you, who can I trust?
Lie to your own comrades! Rewarded with acting experience
SkillActingLevel5 [0%]
Believability of your behavior improves by 15%
Silently I cursed at the window, now is not the time. "I guess I believe you" Kira frowned, staring into my eyes as I fought the instinct to look away. With a hurt expression on her face she slowly continued "You really should have told us about this though.." "We would have listened, maybe not helped but.. You hide secrets from us?" Her expression was of betrayal as she looked at me. With a tight pained smile she asked "Do you not trust us?" What do I say to convince them? Can I convince them? I wanted to think further, but I had the nasty feeling that if I waited a second more. I would lose them. "I thought you would treat me like an outsider" I half confessed, half of the truth being exposed. "That if you knew how good my magic was here, you would act like I''m not one of you" Josh scoffed, "That''s stupid. We would''ve treated you just the same, we tried to make them teach you like they were teaching us didn''t we?" "Yeah.. But.." Kira scrunched her face for a moment, seeming to struggle for a moment before she then abruptly came to a decision. "You are being stupid" she huffed, "Stop moping and just show us how strong your magic is" Her sudden reversal caught me off guard, leaving me blinking and staring at her in stupefied silence. "Well?" she crossed her arms, glaring at me. "Its not just my magic.. I''m also physically stronger.." They''d find out this later.. "Yeah? How strong" she challenged, almost scathingly. She''s not going insane is she? Facing a nearby tree, I took a look at the others as they watched me apathetically. Our relations had grown a little strange, and Kira seemed to be.. Challenging me to scare her off? Was that it? With a small catch my breath, I swung my fist putting my strength into it, sending it towards the tree trunk in a show of unrestrained strength. This might hurt I belatedly realized.. The ground seemed to shudder as the trunk caved in, splinters flying out as my fist smashed through the trunk. It hurt, but it feel almost like I was punching a boxing bag. After a seconds silence, I yanked my fist back out as another shower of splinters flew out with it, the skin looked a little reddened and it was kinda sticky. But I definitely wasn''t hurt. Then there was a loud crack as slowly the tree began to topple. The trunk was by no means weak, it was a fullgrown tree. And yet, with one punch. I made the tree topple. I''m not even sure I hit it ideally, I mean. It would''ve looked nicer if I punched out the trunk cleanly without my fist sinking in.. Maybe I used too much strength or something? The ground shuddered again as the trunk hit the dirt, forcing the sticks and leaves to jump an inch. Turning around to face the others I could see expressions of awe, disbelief. Kira no longer seemed to be angry or anything of the sort, she now had a funny look on her face, brow twisted in confusion as if she couldn''t believe what had happened. Should I bring up my inventory? It seems like a good moment, they''ll barely even question me as they''re a bit too shocked. Though again.. I''ve already shown a fair bit, and I don''t actually need them to know about my inventory. There''s no real value to it. Crossing my arms and settling a smug look on my face, I grinned at them. "Yeah, I''m strong" Chapter 41 - Striding forwards Holy crap is my story long. A few days ago, I would swear on a bible that my story is one of the shorter ones on the site. Got curious and counted the length.. 140k words, including this chapter and chapters foreword notes. The reason I''m posting another chapter is because I downloaded a copy of my story for curiosities sake, was shocked to realize how long the thing is and was shocked further when I realized how much I liked my writing. This MC is so snarky.. Then I felt guilt from not posting a chapter.. Anyone want to figure out how many days its been that he entered this world? I''m really too lazy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With a stunned look on their faces, unbelieving of the massive strength I had exhibited I smugly grinned at them before Kira finally stuttered out "Your magic? Its strong too?" "Yep" my grin grew wider as I took a few steps to lay a hand on the fallen tree. *Gravity Cloak* The trunk rose into the air as I continued to smile smugly at them. "This isn''t much" I was lying to them of course, my mana generation barely stayed ahead of the usage.. This trunk was heavy.. Rob scowled, crossing his arms in irritation "You mean you could''ve flown us right?" "Well, yeah" I stuttered, "but.." "We didn''t have to walk on the trip, but no. You wanted to keep this a secret from us" he glowered. Kira interjected before he could continue, I felt slightly relieved until she then questioned the origins of my power.. "Why you this strong? I mean I can kind of understand the magic being stronger here than it was back home. But your strength? That''s not normal" My smile had begun to disappear, they were a bit perturbed and shocked yeah, but I had somehow imagined they would just go along with this.. Welcome me as a hero or some other notion. "I told you how I needed to conserve every last scrap of mana I could get on earth right? One of the best ways is to store it in your body. The benefits on earth were not really noticeable, but now that I''m here.." Kira rubbed her brow and sighed, my answer didn''t really seem to convince her. "Is that all of the secrets you were keeping?" she asked Tired and unhappy, she pursed her lips as she waited on my answer. I was still keeping secrets from them.. But they didn''t need to know that. "Yeah, that''s basically everything I think. Oh, I do know a few more spells most of which I haven''t tested yet" She sighed, "Would we want to see the spells?" "Don''t think so" I shook my head, "Its mostly research I''m doing and combat spells. Nothing you would find interesting" "This.. Storing mana thing" Rob broke in, "Is it something you can teach us?" "Nope" I shook my head, "It was painful when I tried it back on Earth and that was when there was basically no mana in the air to control. Here, there''s tons of mana. Its a death sentence" Rob''s brow furrowed as his gaze narrowed, he didn''t seem satisfied. Kira also seemed of similar mind as she looked at me with a wary expression on her face. "Well" Kira huffed, her face clearing as she seemed to regain her confidence. "If you have magic strong enough to fly that trunk why don''t we just make ourselves a flying cart. If you are too weak to fly that, then at least you can fly our packs right?" "Or" she crossed her arms, "Is your flying magic something we can cast or something we can control if its cast on us?" Shaking my head a little I grimaced "Not really" "We''ll build a cart then and fly that?" she suggested. "Sure" I shrugged. Over the next hour the behavior of the others seemed guarded, but we worked together as we stripped the trunk of branches and wove them into a mat, my job delegated to toppling trees covered in branches with a single punch before stripping the branches off. Josh did have misgivings about killing the trees, but I managed to convince him that no one would care. And it wasn''t like this place was in the middle of civilization, no one would find out. I leered evilly as I said this, the others facepalming at my evil act. As we took a small break Kira curiously asked me to cast Gravity Cloak on her so she could try it out, even knowing she wouldn''t be in control. Overhearing her, the others were in support of joining her in the experiment. I did as they requested, and they ended the experiment less than a minute later with a shower of puke from an unnamed person. Standing with wobbly legs and gray faces they desperately refused my enthusiasm for another test run. The mat slowly began to take shape as the resistant wood was forced into a weave, branches creaking and cracking as they were forced into positions they were never meant to take. Josh had also grown stronger I noticed, not to frightening levels by my standards, but he was certainly stronger than he should be.
The skill Crafting: Woodworking has reached level 3
Finished woodworking result improved by 4.5% Woodworking speed increased by 2.5%
As the time passed the makeshift mat finally seemed finished, a low wall of woven branches erected about the sides as a safety barrier and a thickly woven floor with numerous gaps one could see through to look below. Kira did want to lay down a blanket to make it more comfortable; but I convinced her against it. It would be nicer, but it would also create an enormous amount of air resistance. Channeling air to travel across the entire craft instead of slipping through the gaps. We didn''t need an aerodynamic ship, or even something that could glide. Our major problems just stemmed from safety, the looks of the craft and the wind blowing on it. With the finished structure lying on the ground, measuring a rough 3x3 meter mat and the small twigs trimmed off, the naming rights was left to Kira who insisted on the honors. I quickly had misgivings as she proudly dubbed it ''Flying Saucer''.
Achievement: Its my baby!
Create your first object! 1500 EXP 500 EXP to related skills
You have created ''Flying Saucer''! Use it with pride for the more famous you get, the more people will know about you and your creations! This creation is doomed to be known by all!
Wait. Did it say doomed?
The skill Crafting: Woodworking has reached level 9
Finished woodworking result improved by 7.5% Woodworking speed increased by 4.5%
In the end it was strong, but it looked ugly as heck. We didn''t have the luxury of planks to use. Wasn''t much we could do about that however, none of us had the skills you would seek for this kind of thing. Climbing on the ''Flying Saucer'' and finding our seating, I waited until everyone was settled before laying a palm flat and casting *Gravity Cloak* Mana drained through my body, sinking through my arm and smoothly flowing like an invisible liquid to cover the entire structure. I could see every leaf covered in the spell''s mana, every branch and every inch of the structure. The spell tried to flow onto the others and our packs, but I mentally nudged it away as the spell settled in. The process complete, I kept a close eye on my mana bar as I carefully began to lift the structure into the air. The strain wasn''t that bed, far lighter than the solid trunk I mused. My mana regeneration was also coping just fine, I can do some heavy acceleration when needed. As the others acted delighted at this new sensation I began to focus more on the craft making minor adjustments to our pitch and yaw as we rose further into the air, preventing us from tipping from the unbalanced weight. Slowly, their glee began to quieten down. A minute passed and the wind whistled over the silent craft, Kira''s voice hesitantly speaking up. "Um. Jon. Can you uh, not go this high?" "Hmm?" I smiled blankly, "This isn''t that high". It wasn''t. I want to get at least twice as high as this. She smiled weakly "We are more than 20 stories from the ground, I really don''t think we need to be this high" The others didn''t look that good either, knuckles white as they clutched the wood beneath them tightly. With a small tolerant sigh I began to lower us again until finally Kira sighed with relief, and with a small smile she thanked me. Wary they would complain again about my driving, I slowly began to move us forwards in the direction of our destination. They said nothing as we adjusted to the increasing velocity and as we picked up speed I tilted the craft as the wind blew against us. This wasn''t as fast as I was hoping to go, and the others definitely looked a bit queasy. But they didn''t complain. The wind resistance really sucked, we also need a windshield. My eyes were getting a bit dry, this is why I wanted to fly higher.. Then we can look down instead of ahead. Still beats walking. As I flew the structure I began to analyze all the new spells I had learned, mentally picking them apart and comparing to other spells looking for similarities. I would take a book out from my inventory when no one was looking and quietly read them, analyzing every new spell I learned. The structure flew itself, unassisted as it glided over the tops of trees. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. I could just read the first sentence, learn any new skills or spells then move on, but I could also miss information this way, so I read each book from cover to cover absorbing the information I read within. The others spent their time with eyes closed trying to relax, their backs to the wind. They all gradually started lying on their stomachs looking down through the gaps at the places we passed, finding it vastly more interesting. I easily adapted by using my back as a windbreaker to read the book, the books with their own Gravity Cloak increasing their mass and keeping them in my hands. I didn''t need the pages flapping or the book flying out of my grasp. The hours flew past this way, a few stops where we stretched our legs. The sun began to set and we made our final stop near a small city, almost a fortress really with the high walls and large numbers of guards that could be seen. Landing the ''Flying Saucer'' out of sight, we trekked the remaining distance and finally entered the city with curious glances from the guards at the gates. Locating an inn I booked us all rooms where we retired for the night. I didn''t sleep as I continued to study the new spells I had learned. Not how they worked, how I could use them or even their origins but why they worked. Why did this small modification in this spell make a difference where the two spells looked almost identical, but vastly different functions. Midday, a notification appeared.
You have entered the Beastlands
If you ignored the increase in animals on the ground and the decrease of humans, there was no indicators that this area was different. So I didn''t say anything. I do wonder what to do with the others however, they are not as strong as they should be. Logically they grow stronger by fighting their way to the beastking, bashing their way through entire armies of evil monsters but if we just fly over all of them.. Doesn''t that mean we arrive with a severe handicap? I didn''t say anything though, I already felt we may be a little short on time. After the forth group of monsters we passed Josh coughed, catching our attention and forcing me to slow down the craft so that he could hold a conversation. "We should probably walk from here" he quietly said, "We have little experience in fighting and we cannot gain experience if we fly directly to the beastking" "Great idea!" Kira exclaimed, turning to me with a regretful look on her face "Sorry Jon, looks like we''re going to be walking the rest of the way." I shrugged, "Up to you, I''m staying aboard. Means I can read and continue to focus on this stuff" "Stuff?" Kira questioned. Shaking my head a little, I grimaced "You know, the books about magic and spells. Why the formless mana reinforces and restructures when placed in one array, but acts as mana storage or strengthens when formed into another type of array" "Ah right right" she muttered with her eyes slightly glazed over. "Well, can you land us then?" Sighing a little I lowered the structure to the ground before flying back up with the packs aboard. We continued at a vastly slower pace after that, the others looked far more enthusiastic about the adventure too.. Bored aboard the flying saucer.. I was probably the happiest to be aboard. It wasn''t too long after that they encountered their first fight, I saw the pack of wolves far off in the distance sneaking in the grass, but I didn''t warn them as I watched the wolves slowly creep up and surround them. They looked like wolves anyways, definitely a pack. 9 of them to be exact, and I didn''t warn them because they wanted combat experience. And ambushes has to be a part of it. The stones in my hands incase they didn''t notice in time? I have to be there for some form of backup don''t I!
Gray Wolf lv.10
With average levels around 9, they should be easy enough to handle, and I was curious as to how the others would fight so I decided not to interfere. Besides, they needed the experience of combat and these low levels were not going to help me much. I did have the nasty feeling they might get unfair experience from these battles.. Josh moved to the front of the party as Rob and Mark moved behind, Mark pulling out his bow and readying his quiver even as Kira palmed two knives into her hands. The wolves growling slowly began to circle about them, attempting to surround them even as I hung back interested in what was going on. The wolves threw me a few wary glances but seemed to accept I wasn''t going to interfere in the fight. One of the wolves suddenly bolted forwards, racing low to the ground as it bared teeth ready to bite Kira''s arm, with a light spin and a slash the wolf yelped as she scored a shallow cut before it rejoined the circle growling with furious anger. Prowling around and sprinting in a circle about their prey, the wolves growled as they eyed for a spot to strike. Rob began chanting a spell as Mark fired arrows, keeping the majority of the wolves skittish even as another wolf made a dash inwards. This time it was Josh who took on the wolf, jumping out of the way as he scored a heavy slash across the wolves fur. I could practically see the "Critical!" popup appear, the cut definitely didn''t look shallow as the wolf howled in fury and limped away, bleeding heavily as the wolf pack seemed to ignite in furious anger. With a snarl a group of three broke forwards, approaching from one direction as Kira and Josh moved to handle them just as another wolf dashed in from another direction less than a second later. Josh fired his bow and one wolf stumbled, arrow protruding from its muzzle as Rob finally fired his magic, sending thick spikes of ice pummelling into the lone wolf approaching his side. Kira waited as the two wolves approached them before suddenly dashing forwards and spiking a dagger down on a head, using the force from her strike to force the wolf''s head down and push herself to the side of the immense body. The wolf''s body stumbled before collapsing as Josh eviscerated the second wolf, slashing the chest open and dealing a deadly blow before he stumbled on the dirt as the heavy weight of the body pushed him back. Recovering his stance and stepping to the side, he held his dripping blade in the air as he glared at the furious wolves. Two of the three wolves lay dead, the single lone wolf that tried to strike from behind also dead. The wolf with just a arrow sticking from its muzzle stumbled to its feet, whining in pain. Instead of picking it off, Mark focused on keeping the other wolves away and reluctant to strike as he fired arrows, their formation recovering from the attack quickly. With a furious look at Mark the wolf bounded away, growling intensely as it rejoined the others. Circling around the party of four, both the wolves and my team seemed to be waiting on the next signal before finally they burst into action, every wolf running towards them with teeth bared and a fearsome growl rumbling. Dealing slashes with her knives Kira fended them off, prevented them from advancing as she danced out of the way and heads twisted in an attempt to bite as Josh scored heavy slash after heavy slash, sending two wolves slumping to the ground in mortal death. Mark tried to do his best, he really did. But he just didn''t seem to do too well when they were trying to leap on his throat, Rob didn''t fare too much better as two spells were interrupted midcast. I could see those two were never going to be close quarters fighters. Finally the wolves slipped back, their pack decimated with only 4 still standing, one bleeding heavily with serious doubts as to its survival. With one long last hateful glare at the four, the pack finally retreated leaving their dead behind as the team sighed in relief. Flying lower, I complimented them "That was pretty intense" They didn''t seem to be injured, but was it me or did their levels jump by one? "Yep" Kira grinned, her hands bloody and a small smudge of blood on her cheek. But that was nothing compared to Josh whose upper body seemed dyed red as he grinned back, blood still dripping from his sword. He didn''t seem injured, his clothing still intact. An easy smile on his face. The party of four were grinning, excited and happy about the fight. Fueled with adrenaline and excitedly relieving every aspect of their first real fight. None of that reluctance or fear thats normal to be seen. I tried to join in, but I really don''t understand them. They didn''t fear the fights, they didn''t have regrets. They didn''t even seem to think anything of a fight to the death.. Maybe its me. I know I was terrified when I first killed. It wasn''t even by choice. Then again, it was against an actual human.. Maybe that makes a difference. "So, did you guys want to fly now?" I asked "Hell no" Kira grinned, "This is fun" "Flying would be faster" I stated blandly, and its true. We can always stop for every pack of monsters. "We might miss something" Mark grinned. Ugh. "Did you see water or something while you were up there?" Kira asked, and I sighed. Yeah, they''re not like me. Not really. They''re finding this entertaining. I can do it, but only for that sweet EXP. Its different. "Yeah, I''ll show you" I swear, its totally different. Chapter 42 - Learning as you travel I am of the opinion that if the character cannot find it out on his own, then he isn''t going to find it out. I don''t really like forcing the plot. I can name two occasions where I forced the plot. The first was when he was in the city and travelled to the first world, the entire situation was far too sudden. The second was when he summoned the rift, it wasn''t so much that it was a bad idea, but I required suspense of belief with the way he spammed coins to get his body inside the rift. Namely, the coins shouldn''t have been spawnable outside of his hands and pockets. And so, because the mages will not be kind and explain to him why he''s the devil reincarnate, Jon will never find out why he''s loathed so. Maybe the god will explain it to him as he laughs at Jon''s expense. Personalities change as people grow, and it sometimes isn''t obvious why. Jon has grown distrusting, unwilling to put his faith into other people or trust them with the entire truth, his secrets. This is a combination of being betrayed in the past and the hostility he''s been shown. He was betrayed in the first world, taught magic just so that they can cripple him. He fought in the second world, his bloodlust overwhelming. And in the third world, he''s hated on sight. So when he looks at the party of 4, he wants to trust them. But he''s waiting for the coin to drop. He doesn''t want to overexpose himself, giving them reason to withdraw from him. And of course, that''s doing exactly what he doesn''t want to happen. Self-destructive spiral. He can''t even relate to them. His journey is vastly different from the peace the others had prior to joining this world. He knows this, and he is older than them. Isolation. Not healthy behavior, but its his behavior. If you are looking forwards to a happy children''s story, sorry. Wrong story. He''s not a happy person. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Time passed as we travelled, I spent the nights alone in the dark sitting up high on the flying saucer as rings of torchlights illuminated the area about our camp, chasing the darkness away even as a few eyes glittered red in the dark shadows outside the camp. The first night the party looked at it in wonder, amazed at the sight of spirals of lights floating in the skies about us. They soon grew used to this sight, crawling inside their tents where it remained dark as they accepted this as yet another magical mystery I had mastered. Rob desired to learn this, but when I tried to describe it to him being unable to put it in a vocal form he just couldn''t get the hang of it, we dropped the conversation afterwards. Accepting this as just a difference in the way we manipulated our magics. Or the way he was taught. Something that just prevents him from learning voiceless spells. Personally I think he''s been handicapped, like a bike with training wheels on it. Because he never learned how to ride the bike without training wheels, he doesn''t even know how to remove the training wheels. We used the lights in our tents at night, and the very first question Kira asked me one night was "Can you uh, see through them?" "No" "Good" She headed inside to change, I didn''t bother telling her that she casted a faint shadow on the walls of the tent.. We all noticed, but with a silent nod of agreement no one said a word. It was a good idea though, I should implement it sometime. Especially if I could use it as a scout, or to see things I shouldn''t. Would work even better if I separate this from my torchlight I mused, though the torchlight would give excellent cover if someone sensed the spell and would make a great baseform from which the spell could attack to. Every night there would inevitably be some form of creature that''s attracted by the huge lightshow, their movements and shadows standing out unnaturally in the dark quiet of the night. A small whistle would sound and a light crack before the shapes stopped moving again. I would then examine the bodies to see what new monster I had discovered before returning to my position, experimenting and thinking over what I had learned from the books. In this manner one of my quests slowly filled up.
QuestRaces of the Beastlands!
DescriptionDiscover and meet all 22 races of the Beastlands! Races Meet: 6/22
Rewards2000 EXP Potential to discover a new skill Potential to receive a new title
The races I had meet as far were: Gray Wolf, White Wolf, String Snake (Basically really thin snakes with tough bodies, kind of hard to spot but they''re low levels. Poisonous bites), Goblin (Only saw 2 of them, they were pathetic), Harrower (Tunneling mole creature, nasty teeth) and the ever elusive ''Gray Elf''. I''m not sure why Gray and White wolves don''t count as the same race, but I''m not complaining.. As for the elf, from what I saw it was very interesting. It refused to enter the light, two eyes staring unseen from the darkness into the camp and if I hadn''t spotted the weird abnormality how the darkness seemed offcolored, thus spotting the elf itself after examining the area. Its nametag wouldn''t even had shown up. Luckily, just seeing the nametag still counted as a "Discovery"
Gray Elf lv.21
I didn''t have much time to examine it for the moment I moved a torchlight closer, it freaked and ran. I did get the impression it was small. Thus I had 6 races met so far, 16 to go.. As for the spells I was researching, a few of them I was unable to learn. Damned affinities.. Those spells I was unable to learn, I attempted to understand how they worked, trying to manually cast them even as windows popped up how I was unable to learn this spell. I failed of course, and learned just about nothing from them. I tried to get Rob to learn the spells for me, maybe view the spell formations just from obserbing. It takes him a week just to learn a single spell. A freaking week. It wasn''t even a spell he liked! The information I gathered from watching the spell cast was a little helpful, but the structure of the spell when it was fully formed was vastly different from the structure before and while its being cast. I didn''t have much experience from examining that sort of stuff, and didn''t think it worth the time to learn more on the final form of a spell. The finished form. If I learn how the base of the spell works, how it forms the finished form. Then I don''t need to learn the finished form. Its like learning how to create a clock, and how to take apart a clock. I want to create one, not take one apart. Taking it apart is useless unless I want to replicate spells I see others cast. Could be useful, useless to me currently. I was seeing similar structure tie-ins in all of their voice spells, the spell structure not shared with the voiceless spells I could use myself. So I was guessing that those specific structures of the spell was the bits I needed to take out, but even then I didn''t know how to replace it, how to remove it or even where it started and ended. Another simile for that would be a circuit board. You want to remove the part that''s tinted purple and replace it with an orange one that''s got entirely different wiring, but if you do it wrong without connecting all the wiring properly, the circuit board won''t work. Another thing, when I say a spell is a giant circle with mana being channeled inside, that''s like calling a warship a "Giant boat with cannons and sails". It says nothing how the ship is constructed, how the cannons have portholes that can be opened and closed. It''s describing less than 5% of the ship itself. There''s more to a warship than just having cannons and sails onboard. Tons of tiny details. Lots of ways for a spell to go wrong. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Just this tiny change can make a torchlight explode uncontrollably. Even when I change the color of the torchlight I have to modify other variables in the spell, not just one. A simple color change has me rearranging little details so that the colors work. I mean, the colors was pretty easy. Its just spectrum''s of light and all that, three basic colors combined together. But beyond those three basic colors mixed together to form a single color which is then released as light, if you try to do more than just simple uncontrolled light release it gets harder. Way harder. It was good practice flying these torchlights at night, but my own practice as I experimented with the new changes to the spells was long and tiresome. I can see progress, the torchlights raising in levels even as I discover new aspects. But I''m not a genius. The mana cost decreased, lessening the strain and allowing me to widen the illuminated area at night. But again, I''m not a genius. If I was, I would not being finding stuff through experimentation, but logical steps. One of my favorite new experiments was a blacklight, when I first created it I had thought it was a failure. The torchlight had seemed to flutter and almost disappear, but even as I flinched and closed my eyes it inexplicably seemed to stabilise after a half second before remaining semi-transparent. New details began to shine in the dim light it let off, and the spell still drained mana. It was stable? I quickly realized it was a very basic form of a blacklight, the light was dim and shallow, but I quickly began to improve the spell itself up to the point where it resembled a purple hazy ball partly by design. A blacklight lets you see things the eye normally doesn''t pickup, such as invisible stains on clothes or where an animal had peed. You know about it on Earth, and I had a theory on how to replicate it on my torchlights back when I first learned the spell. It was just purple light right? Nope. Apparently not. As cool as it is, the blacklight isn''t very useful, Great and is a wicked novelty, but what am I going to use it for? To see where someone took a piss? I''m not that creepy sorry. Another interesting thing I was creating was a far more complicated array in the torchlights, instead of making it more powerful which can easily be done by pumping more mana inside the spell, I was trying to display two colors on it. Have one side of the torchlight shining red, and the other shining blue. I was current getting a green torchlight, but on each of the separate sides I could see a tinge of blue and red. The bleed over of the colors was too much, but it was still happening. The last and final thing wasn''t even connected to the light magic, but rather to the newly discovered electricity. I had mentioned I could learn lightning spells right? Basically I learned how to discharge electricity in my own form of spell, and when I mean discharge. I mean an uncontrolled burst that will hit everything about it. Including me. Damage included. There wasn''t such a thing called electrical mastery, it seemed to fall under ''Light Mastery''? Seems weird, but I''m actually not complaining. Its easier to train a single skill that covers multiple usages than two skills with a single usage each. Incidentally, as the days passed and my practices continued, I never forgot the deadline.
QuestWaiting Room
DescriptionSpend two months in the world
Time Elapsed22 days
RewardsWorld Conquered
The further we travelled, the stronger the monsters began to get. Encountering new types of monsters and goblins slowly began to become common, but instead of the two goblins I had seen before, these were travelling in groups of up to 20. They were weak individually, but they had numbers. And a few of them even had slings to throw stones. Personally I found it mildly amusing that Rob began to double up as our healer, it made sense because he can use magic. But you tend to see girls or priests handling that, not Rob. Rob loves spamming damaging spells.. The stronger the monsters grew, the more scratches and cuts the others gathered and the more we needed him to act as a healer.. I even began to "practice" my super heavy stones, showing everyone that I was developing a new weapon from which I could fight. I wanted to take out my club and fight with it, but that would invite questions to where I had been keeping it.. My backpack didn''t contain weapons beyond a few knives, one combat knife with the rest being common use. I don''t like to fight in touching distance of monsters, so beyond keeping the combat knife in my inventory for potential use later, I didn''t even consider fighting with the knives. In the end I whittled a tree branch down to size, leveling up my woodworking as I created a new club to use. It wasn''t as comfortable as my old club, and it definitely felt strange to use. But it would do. Swinging the club through the air growing used to the grip and weight, I occasionally joined the others on the ground, walking with them as the flying saucer floated low to the ground behind me, packs aboard as I tried to join in their conversation. We didn''t have much to talk about, and the group felt a little stiff as if I was the adult in a group of children. But they slowly began to warm up to me, but they didn''t seem to recover the same camaraderie we had before, even despite their efforts to include me. Rob had an interest in my spells I was developing, borrowing books so that he could learn from them. Despite his apparent genius however, he added only three new spells to his arsenal and praised me to the others for my apparent genius, able to learn most spells with a single read through.. Slowly the color bleedover in my torchlights began to creep back as I worked, spell proficiencies rising and Gravity Cloak slowly leveling up from the constant usage. The days started as the others woke up, my torchlights flicking off once the sun was high in the sky. Breaking camp we started moving, the others rarely coming aboard the flying saucer when bored of walking. But generally staying to the ground as it was more.. Exciting.. With breaks during the day, we generally walked until I spotted a group of monsters, or even rarer, the others spotted the monsters first. The only time we didn''t spot the monsters first was the borrowing creatures "Harrower" that liked to travel/hide underground. I was able to catch their approach a few times, but it generally required that I notice a mound of upturned dirt, then slightly raised dirt travelling away from said mound. And given that they seemed to stay underground unless forced aboveground.. When we encountered creatures, I tended to hang back as the others gleefully jumped into a fight to the death. If I felt they needed support, such as when Josh had a nasty slash on his leg and a group of monsters sought to exploit that.. Thats when I jumped into the fight. Adding another Gravity Cloak to myself I would fly over the group of monsters, staying out of range from their attacks before I scattered a handful of stones over their heads. Those same stones were enchanted with a Gravity Cloak and on a single thought would ruthlessly slam down through flesh and bone to heavily impact into the ground. In regards to safety, I kept a connection to the stones on the offchance any of the stones dangerously neared the others. The attack was damaging and brutal, but it also drained mana ensuring so many stones were deadly enough to be sure kills. I could make them distracting or damaging, but if I do sure kills I get vastly more experience. It was something I noticed, if I help in a fight but I don''t deal the final blow. I get no experience. Chapter 43 - Time flies when youre not having fun Hmm. What do you want me to say? I disappeared and then I came back looking half dead. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The time would pass as we travelled, my magic growing stronger and stronger.. Well, really that''s a lie. Its not that my magic grew stronger, though it did. My control grew greater as I gained more experience, the levels almost seeming to accumulate as I learned a little detail more. Each level gave me more control, and each insight gave me experience in the level. Just fiddling around would still give experience at a lesser rate. More torchlights responding to my whims, the mana cost decreasing slightly. My experiments were reaching the point where colors no longer bleeding into each other and now I could simply cram multiple colors into one light, each new light was originally a struggle but it began to get easier and easier as I recognized which aspect of the spell was holding me back and how I could modify it. It took me a week to advance from 5 colors to 10, but with a sudden inside I increased that number by another 4 within the day. Its not just placing colors inside the torchlights, its also positioning and arranging it so that the spell components do not mix. What use is a blotchy light where the colors cannot be controlled? Of course, every improvement to my spell the Gamer skill would remember it and effortlessly allow me to recast it, one thing I did notice was that it would remember everything I thought was an improvement, even when I made a mistake. Took me a few days to recognize how I messed up, and it took even longer to figure out how to get around it. While the skill allowed me to cast the torchlights without thinking or controlling it, it just doesn''t handle the fine details, such as the colors on the balls. If I want to design the torchlights, I need to focus as I cast the spell, focus as I change the colors. I was more than happy that the Gamer skill would allow me to record patterns, such as a Torchlight that flickers between colors over and over.. I began to get bored though, playing with my torchlights to myself as I studied the workings of my other spells. Casting them over and over, reproducing the feeling and trying to place each component in Torchlight. It was less that I thought I would succeed, and more trying to get something to work. It reminds me a bit of programming, we have a computer class in school and for a month in the first half of school we explored basic programming, or how to make a dot move about the screen. Everyone who was interested was able to take another class to learn more. I didn''t take that class, my dot refused to move after my initial efforts and the computer was linked to the internet with almost no supervision going on.. Go figure. Of course I played games. Some of my modifications to the torchlights began to get interesting, such as giving off a solidish appearance or creating the illusion of slight shimmer in the air which rippled. They could even appear invisible at one time, but that change wasn''t very stable and my other modifications to the spell kept throwing it off. So I ended up removing it, maybe adding it back in later. I had hidden a Torchlight in a small cropping of rocks, colored a dim orange with red spots floating on the surface, I didn''t say anything as I floated behind the group quietly. Observing what happened. Kira discovered it, yelled to the others she found a "treasure". When she tried to touch it, it turned black and faded.. She was so confused. When the others arrived in response to her call she tried to explain what happened, about the "treasure" but after a look around they couldn''t see anything. They believed her, but it looked like it was gone. She even tried to drag me into it, saying I was flying in the sky. I must''ve seen it! No sorry, I hadn''t. I did this on multiple occasions, the torchlights will always disappear when she touches it, or when someone else arrives. It got to the point where she looked resigned when she saw one of the torchlights. It got boring after that. Later she realized I was behind it as she watched me experiment with my torchlights, I''m not quite sure what clued her in but she suddenly yelled and pointed at me. Then she swore, threatened me and dared me to come on down. I wasn''t stupid. She wasn''t stupid either, or she would''ve thrown a knife at me. What I really hate about this, what I really despise about myself is if she threw a knife, I''m sure it would kill me. She had punched me for another prank earlier, broke three ribs, wiped half my health out in an instant. This was a week ago when we were fighting level 50 monsters. We''re now fighting level 60 monsters, and my level has only reached 33. This is barely enough to scratch them. Even when I fling my stones out, heavier than a man can carry yet smaller than a fist. It makes them stumble. It wasn''t that I do slow leveling, but I didn''t killsteal and unless I get the final hit I don''t actually get experience from it. Then the higher the monster levels are, the lower my chances to get the final hit is, and finally I found it would be too awkward to ask them to hold the monsters still as I attempted to finish them off. So yeah, I no longer joined in on their fights and just stayed out of it, when humiliate myself? At least Mark was in a similar position, his arrows almost seemed to turn monsters into pincushions before they fall. But hey, I got a nifty achievement at least.
Achievement: Hitting the boss
Defeat a monster more than twice your level! When weaker than your opponent, damage increases by [Level Difference]%
Rob Barnes lv.59 Heroic Ice Mage
Josh Carter lv.58 Heroic Swordsman
Kira Harris lv.57 Heroic Rogue
Mark Nelson lv.54 Heroic Archer
When I leveled up, I ended up sinking my stats into WIS, then when that capped out I started placing them into LUK. What else could I spend them on? DEX? AGI? I would sink them into LUK, but I can''t.. AGI it is.
NameJonathan Cliff
TitlesGamer, Pawn, Demon
Level33 [78%]Health901/901
Stamina1016/1016Mana891/891
Balance16,828 Coins, 1,000 Gold
VIT86STR91
END96AGI76
DEX39INT99
WIS99LUK23
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Skills
  • Gamer lv.11 [23%]
  • Cooking lv.25 [4%]
  • Clubs lv.47 [59%]
  • Shock Resistance lv.29 [14%]
  • Reading lv.29 [6%]
  • Storytelling lv.19 [89%]
  • Meditation lv.92 [77%]
  • Crafting
    • Woodworking lv.3 [55%]
  • Banker lv.16 [68%]
  • Negotiation lv.6 [37%]
  • Gravity Mastery lv.71 [19%]
  • Formless Magic Mastery lv.42 [4%]
  • Light Mastery lv.73 [9%]
  • Mana Channelling lv.77 [84%]
  • Torchlight lv.64 [8%]
  • Gravity Cloak lv.79 [77%]
  • Gravity Well lv.10 [38%]
  • Lightball lv.8 [3%]
  • Rift Creation lv.1 [0%]
  • Light Beam lv.51 [5%]
  • Throwing lv.31 [19%]
  • Spears lv.14 [6%]
  • Telekinesis lv.4 [3%]
  • Acting lv.16 [90%]
  • Fatigue Lift (Voice) lv.5 [0%]
  • Calming Hand (Voice) lv.7 [0%]
  • Crawling Lightning (Voice) lv.8 [0%]
  • Ignore Limits (Voice) lv.5 [4%]
  • Vocal Amplification (Voice) lv.6 [0%]
  • Mana Eruption (Voice) lv.1 [2%]
  • God''s Retribution (Voice) lv.1 [0%]
  • Summon Sword (Voice) lv.1 [0%]
  • Summon Spear (Voice) lv.1 [0%]
  • Summon Bow (Voice) lv.1 [0%]
  • Summon Arrow (Voice) lv.1 [0%]
  • Summon Axe (Voice) lv.1 [0%]
  • Enchant (Voice) lv.6 [4%]
Monsters seemed to become more varied as we travelled, so my progress in the quest was rising rapidly. Heck, we even met a few boss monsters which seemed to be variations of species we met already such as the White Lord which was this huge level 70 wolf we met last week with level 40 wolves running alongside it. When the White Lord howled, his voice made the air shudder and my bones shake, my head was filled with pain as my ears began to bleed. I couldn''t concentrate as windows spammed me with damage messages. I took over 400 health with that one howl. The others grimaced and covered their ears until it ended, they were barely affected. I stayed out of that fight, sticking far away and taking potshots at the smaller wolves. I didn''t dare attract the White Lord''s attention, every time he began to focus on me I stopped hitting his wolves and waited for the others to attract his attention before continuing. They gained three levels from that fight, I gained a third of a level.
QuestRaces of the Beastlands!
DescriptionDiscover and meet all 22 races of the Beastlands! Races Meet: 20/22
Rewards2000 EXP Potential to discover a new skill Potential to receive a new title
When it says "Potential" I don''t really believes there''s much of a potential. I''m seeing no inspiration from these monsters and have no real desire to copy any of the attacks I had seen. The title I can still see happening as it should be related to the completion of the quest. Perhaps something like ''Explorer'' or ''Monster Hunter''. I don''t really like this world, I was made to feel unwelcome then they try to work against me. I did strike back at them I guess, but it doesn''t make me feel that satisfied. Just because you had a really bad day and you eat some tasty food doesn''t mean the bad day disappears. You just feel better is all. The beginning of the travels was ok too, but the longer we travel the more I feel useless. The others seem happy, nighttime is spent around a crackling fire with disregard to their surroundings as they cheerfully talk. I sulk to the side, my mind sullenly working on the problems of magic. They don''t keep a watch, I took that duty over as I don''t need to sleep. They did question me about it at first, but I explained it off as a characteristic of my magic.. Thousands of torchlights used to illuminate my surroundings when we first started, but soon that began to create problems as the monsters levels rose, and the further we travelled the more problematic it seemed. The lights attract monsters, and when I saw the monsters I could easily kill them. But their levels rise and the number of monsters at night begins to increase. There are some that don''t even wake up during the day, picking night time as the time to hunt. I could kill them, but like I said. That problem began to become bigger and bigger as the number of monsters attracted by my lights began to rise, and their levels became something I couldn''t handle. Eventually I made a new modification to my torchlights, rather than giving off light I could change the light which travelled through it so that it emitted a new wavelength of light. Modifying the wavelengths. I soon had a working night vision spell, but it wasn''t really a night vision spell but a torchlight with a special function. Not really worthy of a new spell, I thought so and the gamer skill seemed to think so too. But hey, just a few of those at night and looking through them I could almost see everything as if it was day. The colors were weird and I had to surround myself in them but it was still pretty good. However now when I see a moving shape, I know instantly I can''t take care of it. The monsters around here all have levels too high for me to take care of so I have to wake up the others to take care of it.. Not only that, they seem to have little difficulty in seeing through the darkness without my aid. I''m more of a alarm than a defense. The others didn''t say it, didn''t look at me weirdly or treat me wrong. They still act friendly towards me, sometimes I talked with them. But when we travel, they tend to stick me in the center of the group or place themselves between me and the enemy. I know they talked about me, how to.. Defend me. Even Mark who uses a bow would stay in front of me. I used to be stronger than them. The further we travelled the more I drew into myself, why look at the world and notice the new things when everywhere you go, they escort you. You can''t even go for a leak without one of the guys going "Oh hey! I needed to go as well!". Even at night my usefulness began to decrease, I noticed that the moment I spotted a monster and alarmed the others they would already be moving having sensed the danger at the same time. They didn''t even see the monster, they were sleeping. I know they were sleeping. Do you begin to understand how frustrating this is? How useless I feel? It brings us to the present, I still had two weeks left in this world and before us lies a mountain. Swarming around the mountain are two armies, both composed of beasts. You can still spot a few humanoid creatures in those armies such as trolls and orcs, but the vast majority are simply bestial monsters. Their average levels, around 80 I guessed. I couldn''t even see the levels of the monsters anymore as they were too high. My level? 33. A single one of those monsters could destroy me in a single attack, even the howl of the White Lord wiped half my health, he was level 70. But hey, I saw a new species of monster I hadn''t seen before! Two of them from what I could see.
Eight Headed Chimera lv.??
Three Headed Chimera lv.??
One monster to go for my quest, the boss monster I guessed. A dragon? It seems likely. We made camp out of sight, and they called me over for a meeting. "You''re not coming with us" That was their meeting.