《Grimm, The Mythical Detective》 Prologue: An Invitation To A New World Prologue: An Invitation To A New World ¡°Are you Genesis John R. Soteria?¡± The young delivery guy asked Genesis or rather, Gen, as most people address him. ¡°I am,¡± Gen replied, swallowing the fact despite his preference of being addressed as a Rostova. His Mother¡¯s maiden name. ¡°We have a package for you. Please sign here.¡± Gen accepted the computer tablet from him and have it signed. The delivery guy then handed him the package, a box and an envelope. ¡°Who sent them?¡± Gen asked upon accepting it. ¡°It¡¯s a deposit package,¡± he said. ¡°Scheduled to be delivered during this specific date and time and to this specific address and recipient.¡± Doubts rose from Gen. ¡®What does that supposed to me?¡¯ He intend to ask more but it seems that there¡¯s nothing more that the delivery guy can share and hence, Gen simply received the letter and package from the unknown sender. He then returned inside the house and into his room and unwrap the packages, starting with the letter. Gen¡¯s eyes widened. The letter and the package is from his Great Grandfather. Dear Gen, If you are reading this, it means that I¡¯m gone. My means to cheat death can no longer save me and I¡¯m leaving this world with a great regret, I could not save you and Mia. We had let you down, I had let you down. I failed to stop my grandson, your father, from causing you pain. Gen gritted his teeth being reminded of his relation to that man. Calling him greedy and incompetent are not enough to define his rottenness. He neglected them and his mother committed suicide due to his womanizing. He is a good for nothing who only leech on the fortune built by their family. Unfortunately, being the only son of his grandpa, he is the sole viable heir to the empire that his great-grandfather had dedicated his entire life building. This, had of course, caused a great displeasure among those invested to the company. Though it is self-sufficient and can progress on its own thanks to the hardworks of its former leaders, having his father in charge had procured a violent flow of scepticism. After that, the unthinkable happened. The specifics were never publicly unveiled and everything were swept under the rug afterwards, but his father¡¯s vehicle was ambushed. However, it wasn¡¯t him who met the bombardment of heavy firearms. It was Gen and his sister. Gen protected Mia, so she was spared from physical harms but the trauma of the attack had taken away his sister¡¯s connection to the world. He, on the other hand, had almost lost his life. It took several operations and almost a year of rehabilitation for him to recover. At the young of 10, Gen experienced countless o unimaginable pains. But none of those could compare of what he heard from his father when he recovered. ¡°I¡¯m glad that I wasn¡¯t there.¡± The bastard! His children nearly died but in the end, all he cared about was his welfare. Since then, Gen carried a deep seethed hatred towards the man he once called father. From then on too, he was enlightened by his wrongful acts including the true cause of their mother¡¯s death, further fuelling his hatred. Gen, due to my fading strength I had been powerless to change the current reality of things. But I was also not just sitting around the corner, watching. Though my might had long perished I still have a few tricks to pull off and my last one I dedicated to you and your sister. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.Knowing your attitude, I am certain that you are now staying in my ancestral home. ¡®He truly knows me well,¡¯ Gen thought to himself. It is true. After everything that happened, he left home and exiled himself into his great-grandfather¡¯s ancestral house. A sanctuary away from the grasps of his family and his father. And if you remember, I have a workshop that I kept locked away from everybody inside my old room. What I wanted you to do now is bring the package that arrived along with this letter into my workshop. The password of the lock is 3733366. Gen took the package and made his way to his great-grandpa¡¯s room and unlocks the secret room behind the bookshelf. Upon entering, Gen switched on the lights and inhaled a gasp when he first laid his eyes on the contents of the secret workshop. Arranged neatly on every side of the room are priceless books of ancient mythologies, machinery, war strategies and battle tactics, and most of all, books for virtual reality, programming and engineering. That¡¯s not all, several tools and devices are also neatly stacked above the antique mahogany table on the southwest side of the room. However, what truly attracted Gen¡¯s attention is the huge machinery located at the very end of the room which he immediately recognized as a Simulation Capsule. Switching on the light for that side of the room, the emblem of Jenova Corp at the side of the capsule became visible. Jenova Corp! There¡¯s no human being on the planet that doesn¡¯t know the name of Jenova Corp. They are absolutely and without contest the best and the most brilliant game developer ever with their biggest achievement as well as what carries the pride of their company is the development and launching of the most realistic and immersive virtual reality game in the world. Eternal Empire. First placed under production back in Year 2101 and was perfected after 10 long years. The VR Game Eternal Empire had hooked, Gamers and non-Gamers alike into playing. With a popularity that surged so greatly that after merely a year since its release, 45%, and still counting, of the entire planet¡¯s population of LVR-Age are logging in into the game. ______________________________ Note: After the perfection of the Virtual Reality technology, the government had issued an LVR-Age or Legal Virtual Reality Age. This prohibits any human being below the age of 16 to play or participate in any immersive Virtual Reality activities. Jenova had installed Identifiers to ensure that no underage participation will take place ______________________________ Enlightened to this discovery, Gen resumed reading his great-grandfather¡¯s letter. Gen, five years after the initial production of the game Eternal Empire, Jenova Corp had already perfected the capsules. However, the Synchronization Program that will connect the players to the virtual world is still at its testing stage. Still, even with this at hand, it is enough to make the proper preparations. With the help from my friends in Jenova, I manage to acquire a capsule even before the completion of the game and build this gaming station in which I called ¡°The Lair¡± inside my secret room. Gen, by this time, Eternal Empire had already reached its 1st anniversary and announced finally the company¡¯s goal for its player. Jenova Corp is offering 15% of their company and 10% of their annual earning to the first person who can conquer the game. ¡®15% share and 10% annual earning?¡¯ That¡¯s more than 1/7 of the entire Jenova, and considering how huge of a company it is and with the vast amount of money they are earning from players purchasing the $50,000 capsules and paying the $750 monthly subscription, one can live like a king for the rest of their lives if they get their hands on that money! But the money is irrelevant. What truly matters here is for you to have a support that can rival our family and Jenova can grant you that. Gen immediately understood. His great-grandfather knows the true goal of Jenova Corp for Eternal Empire and the fortune accompanied by it and hence, he prepared this place for him. Gen, you are a one of a kind child. Your brilliance, courage, dedication, and sheer will are unmatched. If you set your heart onto something, your success is inevitable. That is why I have 100% confidence that you can conquer Eternal Empire and pursue a grander and more meaningful life. You and the Soteria Family no longer meet eye to eye onto the path that you must take and my death will sever the final string that ties you to the family. The conflict will surely impede you into becoming the best of what you can be. I won¡¯t let that happen. If the Soteria Family will drag you down instead of lifting you up then it is better if you¡¯re severed from it. Thus, during the painful final days of my life, I dedicated it to open the opportunity in which your great tale will begin. For you and for Mia. The package delivered along with this letter is the final piece that will complete the starting line of your journey. Gen finally opened the package and inside was the Synchronization Program which is the lacking piece of the capsule his great-grandfather prepared. My beloved grandson, I¡¯m sorry that there¡¯s nothing more I can offer except for this. I made a lot of regrets and I can no longer correct them but I am able to find a little sparkle that even though faint still offers a new start and I wish that you will grasp onto and empower it until the day that you can finally soar high and achieve the greatness that is meant for you. Goodbye and take care, Grandpa Garret After reading the final part, Gen couldn¡¯t help but shed some tears. All of those years, he thought that everyone had abandoned them even the great-grandpa that he loved and respected so much. But he was wrong. Even after his death, his great-grandpa Garret had cared and looked after him and his sister. He still continues to guide and pull him out of the darkness. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down Double G,¡± he said as he wipes the tears from his eyes. This new beginning that he bestowed upon him and Mia and will not waste it. Chapter 1: The Gamer, The Goddess, And The Trickster(1) Chapter 1: The Gamer, The Goddess, And The Trickster(1) Eternal Empire. It is a game but it is also a new world that can change his destiny. Hiding away his grandpa¡¯s letter, Gen immediately went to work. First, he made test runs to the capsule, ensuring that all parts are working properly. Next was attaching and testing the Synch Program. A test run that also provides a desirable result. The only thing left to do now is entering the game. But before that, Gen needed to familiarize himself with the game first. This is an uncharted territory for him and he is not the type that recklessly throws himself into the unknown. Virtual Reality Game According to the files he found among his great-grandfather¡¯s collection, in order to make Eternal Empire the unparalleled virtual reality game in the planet, the virtual world that Jenova Corp created for the game was perfected to be similar to a parallel world. All the Non-Player Characters are equipped with an advanced Artificial Intelligence and free will, making them no difference from actual intelligent living beings. Hence, it will be a mistake to assume that the game will only be controlled by the will of the players. In the standard of that world, the NPCs are real living beings too. They have emotions, and they make decisions and their actions whether small or grand influences the virtual world and the players as a whole. ¡°So I¡¯m literally entering a new world with actual inhabitants and not just a game.¡± Common to all games, power is measured by visible numerical values. The higher the value, the stronger the player. However, the number isn¡¯t everything. Since the game is a virtual reality where the player will control their avatar as their own body, real life experiences as well as the intellectual and mental states of the players if applied, can provide an advantage. ¡°Hmmm, so if I have battle experiences in the real world I can also use it in the VR world.¡± Gen smiled upon learning that. ¡°Good. Then I can use everything I¡¯m capable of to my advantage.¡± As an upcoming VR gamer, such advantage would be very helpful when it comes to leveling up and fighting. He then surfed the web and browsed the Jenova website for some beginner¡¯s manual. For hours, Gen had read and memorized them all, from the basic to the most complex elements. After that, he went to blogs and articles provided by the ongoing users. His preparations lasted for a couple of days supplemented with his daily routine workouts and meditations to condition his body and mind. Then, once he had completely accomplished all his set preparations, Gen entered the capsule. He turned on the power and a piercing light enveloped his sight before everything turned dark. ______________________________ Do you wish to Connect to ETERNAL EMPIRE? [YES] [NO] ______________________________ ¡°Yes!¡± ______________________________ Scanning¡­.Scan Complete. You are an unregistered user. Do you want to create a new account? [YES] [NO] ______________________________ ¡°Yes!¡± ______________________________ Loading¡­.ETERNAL EMPIRE has a selection of Twenty Seven Races. Which race do you choose? ______________________________ ¡°Human!¡± Soon after, a character dressed in a white shirt bearing a similar appearance to Gen appeared in front of him. ______________________________ You have the option to alter the appearance of your Avatar. Do you wish to employ modifications? [YES] [NO] ______________________________ Gen contemplated for a few moments. If he uses his real appearance, a lot of trouble will come. Considering that, he decided to create a new one. ¡°Yes!¡± He detuned his facial feature and decreased the hue of his complexion, making his face and complexion plainer and paler. ¡°That should do it.¡± ______________________________ Please select the name of your Avatar. ______________________________ ¡°Grimm.¡± ______________________________ Loading¡­.Your Account has been Activated. Select a City and Kingdom you want to start. ______________________________ ¡°City of Latona, Komina Kingdom.¡± ______________________________ Latona City, Komina Kingdom¡­.loading¡­.CONFIRMED! ENTERING ETERNAL EMPIRE¡­.loading¡­. ______________________________ ¨CSUCCESS¨C ______________________________ WELCOME TO THE CONTINENT OF AVELOT! ______________________________ ¡ô¡ô¡ô¡ô¡ô¡ô FLASH! With another blinding flash of light, Grimm entered the city of Latona, the capital of Komina Kingdom. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°So, this is Eternal Empire?¡± Grimm said with eyes full of amazement as he looked around. The noise of those quibbling and chattering NPCs and users rang in his ears. The view before his eyes bears no difference from the real world. ¡®Eternal Empire is truly a parallel world. Discerning its difference from reality is nigh-impossible.¡¯ Grimm moved his hands and feet followed by more complex movements. Unbelievable but not surprising, controlling his avatar is similar to controlling his real body. Ding! A translucent message window appeared in front of him. ______________________________ Congratulations! You have entered Latona City Enjoy your stay You have acquired [Map of Latona City] ______________________________ The Map Window automatically activated showing the map of the entire city where the red dot indicates his current location. Closing the Map, he investigated his other system windows. ¡°Avatar Window!¡± ______________________________ In-Game Name: Grimm Race: Human Alignment: - Level: 1 Profession: - Title: - Fame: 10 Infamy: 0 Health: 100 Mana: 50 Strength: 10 Dexterity: 10 Intelligence: 10 Agility: 10 Vitality: 10 Luck: 10 Satiety: 100% Stamina: 100% Attack: 18 Defense: 21 Magic Attack: 14 Magic Defense: 7 Critical Attack: 3 Critical Defense: 5 Attack Speed Status: Normal Movement Speed Status: Normal Hit: 12 Dodge: 12 ______________________________ Next was his Inventory which carries 10 Wheat Bread and 5 Bottles of Water. For the other windows like for the Skills, Friend List, etc., he didn¡¯t bother since they¡¯re surely empty. Once done checking with all the functions, Grimm then paused and pondered. ¡®What to do next?¡¯ The usual routine that beginners do in all games is exiting their starting city and immediately finds an easy hunting ground or a party to hunt and gain levels. ¡®But that won¡¯t do any desirable advantage if I rely on that.¡¯ Different from others, Jenova applied an altered Stat System in Eternal Empire. Normally when players level up, they are given unallocated Stat Points and distribute it to the desired Stats that contributes to their profession. But in this game, that privilege is abolished. When players level up, the points are added equally to all their Stats. If they are Warrior Classes, they cannot focus their points to their STR and VIT which are their main Stats. Same is true with the Magician, Thief, and the other Classes. But if that were the case, then how do the players compensate for the absence of control over the stat allocation. Simple. Through tasks, quests, and special events that reward a permanent increase in stats as well as gears, blessing, titles, scrolls, and elixirs that provide the same effect, and since the game grant 100% flexibility and freedom to the point of anarchism, such options are limitless. However, expected from any game, these means for stat increase are not spoon-fed. Players will struggle in order to find the appropriate items, actions and events that will enhance the stats compatible with their profession. ¡®I don¡¯t know which profession to choose yet but I need an addition to my strength before starting a fight with any monster outside the city.¡¯ ¡°Maybe I should look around first.¡± Grimm strolled around the central square, stopping briefly in front of each establishment until he came across the city¡¯s Dojo. ¡°Entrance fee is 5 Copper,¡± said the Dojo Master who is hulking bald man with a huge scar on his left cheek. ¡®It¡¯s not free.¡¯ Grimm clicked his tongue. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll be back later on,¡± he said politely and exited the establishment. Grimm walked around the central square again. In order to enter the Dojo, he needed money and the only way to earn money is to find a job. ¡°There it is,¡± he exclaimed when he saw the Wanted Sign posted at the front door of a restaurant. ______________________________ WANTED: Chef Assistant/Errand Boy Salary: 20 Copper a day Working Time: 8 Hours ______________________________ Grimm immediately tore the posted sheet and met the restaurant owner. Ting! ______________________________ The kitchen crew of Honeypot Restaurant is a man short. They needed an extra pair of hands to help them serve food faster to their customers. Goal: Look for the restaurant owner, Ms. Maria and officially accept the job. Warning: If Ms. Maria is unsatisfied with your work by the end of the day, she will terminate your employment and you might not get paid as well. Reward: 20 Copper ______________________________ Maria inspected him from head to toe with probing eyes and the glint in her eyes hinted that she¡¯s appraising him positively. ¡°Alright, you¡¯ll do.¡± ¡°Thank you so much Ma¡¯am.¡± ______________________________ You received the job. ______________________________ The task was simple but the restaurant was quite popular among the citizens of Latona so the number of orders was quite high, thus, increasing the labor demand on Grimm. Then, after five hours of nonstop kitchen work, a pop-up message unexpectedly appeared. Ding! ______________________________ Due to your continuous effort of performing your task in such admirable speed and precision, your STAT had risen Dexterity has risen by 1 point (+1DEX) ______________________________ Grimm¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the translucent message. ¡°What the?¡± His Stat had gained an increase after continuously chopping ingredients without pause. ¡°But how?¡± In Eternal Empire, there are selected places like the Dojo where players can increase their stats through training. ¡°But this is a restaurant.¡± Grimm fell into contemplation but a few seconds later, a smile curved from his lips. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± he said as he finally grasped the logic behind it. An establishment like a restaurant might not be a place for training but the area where he is right now is a kitchen. Just like a training ground, a kitchen is also a place for skill honing. So unlike his initial assumption, it is not just battle related but even cooking or any other task when done in places meant for self-improvement also reward an increase in Stats. ¡°Alright, there¡¯s no time to waste. I only have 3 hours left on my shift.¡± After the discovery, Grimm performed his duty with greater vigor. Hence, before the end of his working time; Ding! ______________________________ Your precision is unbelievable. More than meticulousness, it is also a stroke of good fortune. Your STAT had risen Luck has risen by 1 point (+1LUK) ______________________________ ¡°You¡¯ve done well,¡± Ms. Maria said with a warm smile as she hands him his 20 copper. ______________________________ Your Intimacy with the Restaurant Owner Maria has risen. ______________________________ When he left the restaurant, it was already nearing sundown. Fortunately, the Dojo was still open when he arrived. Ding! ______________________________ You have entered the Iron Fist Dojo Your STAT had risen All STATS has risen by 2 points (+2ALL) Growth Rate: +20% ______________________________ The pop-up message appears after entering the Dojo. In game, Dojos grant permanent Stat increase for the first entrance and the Growth Rate increases the physical enhancement capability of players while inside the establishment. But despite that, Dojo training is among the unpopular methods of Stat improvement. Main reason is that most players are fixed on other things or are too lazy to submit to the tedious works at the gym. He then gave his Stats another look. So far so good but he still has a long way to go. The freebies are nice but it¡¯s not yet the outcome that can satisfy him. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get started.¡± He aimed to become the mightiest and the path to that goal officially starts now. Chapter 2: The Gamer, The Goddess, And The Trickster(2) Chapter 2: The Gamer, The Goddess, And The Trickster(2) Four weeks had passed in gaming time. Grimm had revolved his log-in time in training and working in the restaurant. All of his salaries are spent in purchasing wheat bread, drinks and paying the entrance fee of the Dojo. For hours, he performed thousands to ten thousands of push-ups, crunching, chin-ups, and squatting sword and hand to hand combat maneuvers while enduring hunger and continuous HP decrease when his satiety dropped to zero, stopping only to replenish when his HP is less than 10%. Hard but the sweetness of the rewards eradicates all the pain. After 4 weeks of training, his STR had risen by 40, AGI by 41, VIT by 35, and DEX by 30. His job at the restaurant had also proved to be fruitful aside from monetary gain. After working nonstop during his shifts, his Stats gained a considerable increase. DEX had risen by 15, LUK by 14, and for enduring the scourging heat while working on the kitchen, Fire Resistance increased by 5%. In addition, new Stats and Skills were gained after performing specific actions several times. Ding! ______________________________ New Stat Acquired Tenacity (+10) Aside from physical toughness, mental toughness also play a crucial role in battle. Tenacity enhances the defense and reduces the duration against abnormal statuses such Stun, Slow, Sleep, Silence, Fear, Bewitchment, Blind and Stop. In addition, whenever your health drops to a critical condition, Tenacity points will be supplemented to Attack, Defense, Critical Attack, and Critical Defense. Tenacity does not rise through level-up. Points under tenacity will only increase after enduring several hardships through trainings and battles. ______________________________ Level Up: Unbreakable Body [Passive: Beginner Level 4 (0.00%)] In your journey to achieve greater heights, you¡¯ve gained a body that for countless times had endured hunger and fatigue to the point of death, an accomplishment only possible for warriors with unmatched dedication. (+25%) Increase in Defense (+20%) Resistance to Hunger (+12%) Reduction in Stamina Usage 8% Chance of Immunity to Physical Damage for 10 seconds when HP drops below 10% ______________________________ Sword Mastery [Passive: Beginner Level 2 (6.12%)] Sword Attack Damage (+25%) Sword Attack Speed (+6%) ______________________________ Hand-to-Hand Combat Mastery [Passive: Beginner Level 3 (11.11%)] Bare-Hand Attack Damage (+30%) Bare-Hand Attack Speed (+9%) ______________________________ Kicking Mastery [Passive: Beginner Level 3 (9.90%)] Kick Attack Damage (+30%) Kick Attack Speed (+9%) ______________________________ ¡°I should start to get moving now,¡± Grimm said when he reached the last day of the fourth week of his routine. The last 4 weeks of nonstop labor and training had paid well but it¡¯s now at the point where the trainings could no longer push his body to the limit and thus, it had stopped improving his stats. The larger world outside the city walls is also waiting. Hence, he said his goodbyes to the owner and chefs whom he¡¯d worked with for the past month and due to the maxed intimacy that he shares with them, they gave him 1 gold and 20 pieces of meat as a parting gift. And that¡¯s not all. He also receives a delightful reward from Chef Alfonso after impressing him with his cooking skills when he once tasked him to cook a Fish Dish. Ding! ______________________________ You acquired [Chef¡¯s Fillet Knife] A flexible boning knife that is used to filet and prepare fish. The 15cm blade is able to move easily along the backbone and under the skin of fish. Type: Dagger Attack: 15 Durability: 25/25 Restriction: None Equipped: (+25%) Additional Damage against Aquatic Creatures ______________________________ New Skill Acquired Cooking [Passive: Beginner Level 1 (0.00%)] ______________________________ ¡°Avatar Window.¡± ______________________________ In-Game Name: Grimm Race: Human Alignment: - Level: 1 Profession: - Title: - Fame: 10 Infamy: 0 Health: 520 Mana: 60 Strength: 57 Dexterity: 64 Intelligence: 12 Agility: 59 Vitality: 52 Luck: 28 Satiety: 100% Stamina: 100% Attack: 83 Defense: 85 Magic Attack: 29 Magic Defense: 17 Critical Attack: 11 Critical Defense: 19 Attack Speed Status: Normal Movement Speed Status: Normal Hit: 69 Dodge: 64 Critical Attack Rate: 2% Tenacity: 21 Magic Resistance: Fire Resistance (5%) ______________________________ Headgear: - Necklace: -This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Shoulder: - Armor: Cotton Shirt [Defense +5]] Left Hand: - Right Hand: Chef¡¯s Filet Knife [Attack +15] [+25% Additional Damage against Aquatic Creatures] Gloves: - Belt: - Leggings: Leather Pants [Defense +5] Footgear: - Accessories: - ______________________________ Grimm smiled at the numbers that unveiled in front of him. Despite being stuck at Level 1, he has the Stats of someone who is in Level 15 or even higher. And thanks to Alfonso¡¯s gift, he acquired a more reliable weapon without spending a single copper. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Someone suddenly tapped his right shoulder while he was preoccupied in checking his Menus. He turned around and saw a cute Elf staring at him with interest. ¡°Are you a new player?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Are you doing any quest?¡± When Grimm shook his head, a delighted smile rose on his face. However, as soon as Grimm made a displeased expression, he immediately apologize and begun explaining. The Elf¡¯s introduced himself as Basche and his story goes as this: He and his friends were all beginners in Eternal Empire and while they were hunting outside Latona, they came across a Wandering Warrior. The warrior¡¯s name was Bart and he is a high level NPC swordsman who bears great interest towards the unique abilities of the Outlanders. ______________________________ Note: Outlander is the term used by the locals of Avelot when they address the Eternal Empire players ______________________________ So when he discovered that Basche and his party are Outlanders, he offered them an opportunity to inherit his way of the sword. ¡°Bart is strong. He demonstrated several outstanding skills and sword techniques. So of course, we accepted,¡± said Basche. ¡°However, once we did, it immediately triggered an inconvenient quest.¡± ¡°What quest?¡± ¡°Bart will only start the training once he acquired 50 unaffiliated students.¡± ¡°Unaffiliated? You mean players without professions?¡± Basche nodded. ¡°There were only 7 of us. We are short of 43 people for the event to open.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re proposing that I should join this team you are assembling?¡± Basche nodded again. ¡°We already recruited 40 people and Trevol, the one who acts as our team leader convinced 2 of his cousins to start playing Eternal Empire and they will be joining us shortly. So officially, we are only a man short. If you join us, the required 50 students will be completed and the Wandering Warrior Bart will finally grant us his guidance.¡± Grimm rubbed his chin. ¡®So that¡¯s their story.¡¯ They are aiming for the teachings of an elite swordsman. Surely it is a golden opportunity especially for beginners like them to acquire such high class skills at such early stage. However, Grimm is troubled. With 50 players involved where most of them are strangers to each other. Complications might highly spread like a wildfire. And for him who personally knows no one in the group, it could get dangerous. Still, an opportunity is knocking on his door and he is not the type to turn down such chance just because it¡¯s risky. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m in.¡± Basche rejoiced and shook his hand happily. ¡°Thank, thank you so much! I promise. You won¡¯t regret this!¡± He then sent Grimm the Quest invite after giving him his IGN. Ting! ______________________________ QUEST ALERT: GRAND KNIGHT APPRENTICESHIP Bart, a wandering warrior is looking for a disciple. Prove your worth and inherit their legacy. Difficulty: E Quest Requirement: Gather 50 disciples that wish to receive Bart¡¯s teachings. Progress: [49/50] Do you wish to join? [YES] [NO] ______________________________ When Grimm pressed ¡®Yes,¡¯ another pop-up message appeared. ______________________________ QUEST UPDATE: GRAND KNIGHT APPRENTICESHIP Bart, a wandering warrior is looking for a disciple. Prove your worth and inherit their legacy. Difficulty: E The 50 disciples are finally gathered. Meet Bart and receive his teachings. Reward: ??? ______________________________ ¡°Alright!¡± Basche cheerfully exclaimed, leading Grimm to where they will meet Bart. ¡°Brother Grimm, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó Trevol and the cluster of the gathered 47 other beginners were encamped near the gate when Grimm and Basche arrived. ¡°Basche, you¡¯re back.¡± Trevol greeted. ¡°We received the update, is he the guy?¡± He shifted his gaze to Grimm and gives a satisfied smile. ¡°Aye,¡± Basche said. ¡°Hello there, I¡¯m Trevol. And you are?¡± ¡°Grimm.¡± Grimm replied as they shook hands. ¡°Our destination is quite far. Sir Bart is waiting for us outside the Forest of Illusion and it takes 2 hours walk to get there. I know that you guys just got here but if you two are ready then we will depart right away.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem,¡± said Grimm. ¡°We¡¯ve waited long enough for this,¡± Basche said. ¡°I think I¡¯ll go crazy if I wait for another second.¡± Trevol nodded and walked towards the rest and announced. ¡°Everyone! Prepare your things! We¡¯ll leave in 10 minutes.¡± The newbies applauded on the announcement and prepared their food, potions, weapons, and everything that they have in hand that are useable for the journey. ¡°Alright,¡± Trevol said as the allotted time expired. ¡°Let¡¯s depart!¡± Trevol and the assembly of beginners began to march southward. Grimm blended in and walked on. ¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó The President of Jenova Corp., Steven Armstrong¡¯s eyes widened when the Head of Game Development, Cedric Lowe entered his office. He immediately places everything that he is doing on-hold as the young man approaches his table. ¡°Is it time already?¡± Armstrong asked with unmasked excitement. Cedric nodded. ¡°Yes sir. The Trickster is active once again.¡± ¡°Were you able to track him?¡± Cedric nodded again, causing a very delighted smile on President Armstrong¡¯s lips. ¡°He¡¯s in the North. We haven¡¯t specified the exact location yet but we are certain that he¡¯s moving somewhere around the Northern Continent.¡± Armstrong bit his lower lip as it tremble. Every three months, equivalent to a year in the game, a Phenomenon Program known as the Trickster becomes active and causes mishaps towards the players. His aim is unknown but he already inflicted heavy damages to their subscribers causing several players to quit Eternal Empire. In normal circumstances, Armstrong would have already taken action towards this inconvenient since no matter how small, these kind of incidents are bad for business. However, the Trickster is an NPC directly activated and controlled by the mother program of Eternal Empire, the Gaia Memory. Created by the Original Game Developers, the Gaia Memory is in no exaggeration the Goddess that governs everything in the continent of Avelot. From the creation of the game¡¯s world to the dawn of its history and its people, all were under Her handiworks. Even the continuous game expansions were no exception. They are self-sufficiently made and initiated by Her without any external intervention, making his current Game Development department no difference from mere maintenance men. So if Gaia creates an action that is outside of her usual world governance in the world of Eternal Empire, it is definitely something that is worthy of all of Armstrong¡¯s attention because it will definitely lead into something that will influence not just Eternal Empire but Jenova Corp. as a whole. ¡®What is your aim, Gaia?¡¯ Armstrong asked inwardly. ¡®If only your Creator still lives, I won¡¯t be having these questions.¡¯ Unfortunately, the Original Head of Game Development and Gaia¡¯s creator, Professor Edgar Profetana III passed away a few months after the completion of the game, bringing all the data related to the origin and secrets of Eternal Empire with him. He tried in vain squeezing something out of his former team but they knew nothing and admitted that they were just blindly following the plans readily outlined to them by the Professor. In the end, he is left with no other option but to crack the secrets of the game with his own power and to fulfill that, aside from his own effort, he also offered a very enticing prize to the first player that can conquer the game. Knowing that to achieve such height, one must first uncover all the concealments buried within Avelot. But that¡¯s just a secondary measure. He can¡¯t completely rely on the players that are oblivious to his goal. However, he¡¯s just as emptyhanded as they are. He wanted to grasp the secrets of his company¡¯s most valuable product but his only clue is this slippery and troublesome Trickster that Gaia released from time to time. ¡°Cease all the activities of the Game Development Department,¡± Armstrong ordered, ¡°and focus all your attentions in pinpointing the Trickster¡¯s exact location. We must find him before he vanishes again.¡± ¡°Understood, sir.¡± Cedric complied. ¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó Bart was sitting on top of a huge rock near the entrance of the Forest of Illusion when Grimm and the beginners arrived. He is very tall with a lean but well-built frame. He wears a worn out metallic crown, necklace, boots, wristbands, and a belt that all sport red jewels along with bands on his upper arms and neck. The rest of his attire consists of white pants and a red sash and a huge broadsword that hangs on his back. ¡°Outlanders, you¡¯ve finally returned.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Master Bart?¡± ¡°As expected, he looks strong.¡± Grimm heard some of the beginners murmured on each other, voicing out their thoughts. Trevol, Basche, and the 5 more others that were part of the original group that triggered the quest approached Bart. ¡°Master Bart,¡± Trevol greeted. ¡°We¡¯ve fulfilled our mission.¡± ¡°Well done, well done.¡± Bart said. He descended from the heights of the rock and gave Trevol a tap on the shoulder. ¡°Now we can begin.¡± Bart pulled out 50 tooth pendant necklaces and handed it over to Trevol. ¡°Here, have everyone have one of these.¡± Trevol nodded and took one necklace before passing them to the rest. Ding! ______________________________ You acquired [Wolf Fang Necklace] A necklace with a Dire Wolf¡¯s fang pendant that is crafted and blessed by the Warrior Bart. Type: Necklace Durability: 20/20 Restriction: None Equipped: (+5) Agility, (+5%) Health Recovery Rate, (+10%) Additional Damage against Feline Creatures Active [Wild Aura] ______________________________ Skill Alert: Wild Aura Degenerate the movements and attack capabilities of wild animals that stray too near by 20%. ______________________________ Grimm almost chocked on the number of stats and blessing that the shabby looking necklace provides. Now he understands why Trevol and his group had endured a lot of troubles just to complete the quest. Even with the necklace alone, it was already worth all the troubles and they haven¡¯t even started yet. ¡°Arm those gifts and follow me,¡± Bart ordered. After everyone complied, Bart led them towards the entrance of the Forest of Illusion. ¡°Master! Are we gonna enter the forest?¡± Trevol asked. ¡°Of course. Why do you think I brought you all here?¡± ¡°But this is the Forest of Illusion.¡± Getting curious on what causes the commotion between Trevol and Bart, Grimm asked Basche who is standing in front of him. ¡°What are Trevol and Bart arguing about?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Grimm shook his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t explored that much yet.¡± Instead of answering, Basche picked a rock and said, ¡°Watch this.¡± He throws the rock towards the forest until it disappeared from sight. Grimm was confused on Basche¡¯s action but was later enlightened when the same rock that he threw flew back towards them. Basche caught the rock and explained. ¡°The Forest of Illusion is protected by a powerful barrier that prevents everyone and everything from getting in. That¡¯s how the forest acquired its name. Everything that goes in is spitted out.¡± ¡°Ha, ha, ha,¡± Bart laughed at Trevol¡¯s concern. ¡°Worry not about that.¡± Upon those words, Bart unsheathed his sword and raised it above his head. The sword then emitted a blue light before he swings it towards the forest. The impact between Bart¡¯s sword and the forest¡¯s barrier created a blinding light that stole everyone¡¯s sight for a few seconds. When everything cleared, the once heavily vegetated forest revealed a beaten path that leads into a clearing in the middle of the forest. Chapter 3: The Castaways, The Sword Apparition, And The Recipe For Survival(1) Chapter 3: The Castaways, The Sword Apparition, And The Recipe For Survival(1) ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore, this is torture!¡± Yet, another disciple wheezed before emitting a golden light and disappears from the field. ¡®He¡¯s the 14th one,¡¯ Grimm said as he continuously strikes the wooden statue in front of him. Barely three hours had passed since the dawn of their training but more than a quarter of them were already out of commission. Ding! ______________________________ You have entered the Cult of Illusion Training Ground Your STAT had risen All STATS has risen by 5 points (+5ALL) Growth Rate: +40% Health and Stamina Recovery: +15% Increase for 4 days ______________________________ When they first set foot inside the training ground, they were all ecstatic due to number of stat and recovery bonuses that the area provided. Many even suggested forming parties and hunting within the surrounding areas for EXP. However, Bart stopped them by revealing that even though hunting within the forest is not prohibited during the course of his training, they must first accomplish the task that he¡¯ll assign. Only afterwards, if everything is made and done that they can do any activity of their choosing until the next task is given. Everyone agreed and requested the instruction from Bart, in which in return, he provided. In the training ground, there are 50 humanoid wooden statues, one for each disciple. Bart¡¯s task is to pick an unattended statue and hit them solely with the series of strikes that Bart instructed. Ting! You have received your [1st Training Instruction] Target: Statue of a Warrior Weapon: Wooden Sword Time: 24 Hours ______________________________ [Tasks] Aim above head with a downward strike. Strike the right shoulder diagonally. [NW to SE Strike] Strike the left shoulder diagonally. [NE to SW Strike] Strike the right arm¡¯s center from the side. Strike left arm¡¯s center from the side. Aim the right arm¡¯s bottom diagonally. [SW to NE Strike] Aim the left arm¡¯s bottom diagonally. [SE to NW Strike] Strike the groin area from below via upward stroke. Stab the chest. Then repeat¡­The sequence must be accomplished in a 30:10 seconds fashion. Within 30 seconds, you must perform all the strikes 10 times and then 10 seconds will be given for resting, eating and drinking before resuming. Those who¡¯ll fail to accomplish the 10 repetition within the time limit will be punished by performing 100 thumb push-ups, also within 30 seconds, before returning to the original task. Giving up or failing to finish the task or the punishment will result to elimination. Food and Water will be provided by the Instructor. [Growth Rate 2X] ______________________________ The task was ridiculously laborious and majority of the beginner exclaimed complains. However, Bart reminded them that the exit of the forest is always open. If they believe that they are incapable of achieving his standards, then they can leave anytime. The reiteration silenced the naggers and Bart then declared the start of the 1st training. Grimm along with the counted few that didn¡¯t breathe complains during the revelation of the task were the first to step forward. Clutching the wooden sword, they walked to the statues and began beating it. The rest, though reluctant, eventually followed. After all, regardless of how realistic Eternal Empire is, this is still a game and what they physically lack in real life, they can compensate with their stats. Or so they thought. Due to the requirement of 10 repetitions in the course of 30 seconds, beating the statue with the nine strikes was more complex than they expected. If one will calculate on how the task is performed. There are 9 strikes and 10 repetitions in 30 seconds. Therefore, they have to accomplish 3 strikes per second. 3 strikes per second. The number is achievable with a couple of more seconds to spare especially if they have a substantial amount of Agility points on their stats. However, that is only applicable if they are hitting the statue randomly and not with a fixed sequence of strikes. Striking from one area to another has changing distances. Therefore, they have to strike faster in selected areas compared to the rest. They also have to bend their knees or shift their postures when hitting the lower parts, so timing is also important to prevent wasting stamina. So more than just speed and strength, precision, resilience, balance, and quick judgment are also vital in completing the task. If they become even a split second late, they will fail to meet the quota within the time frame and will fall to the stamina draining punishment. They are well aware how fatal it is if they get punished. There¡¯s a 60% chance that they will fail and even if they succeed, the burden of the penalty will greatly reduce their strength, making it impossible to last for 24 hours. Grimm grasped these impediments and executed the appropriate measures. Some also noticed the hitch and organize something to do about it. However, the rest were oblivious and rely solely on the number of their stats. So it didn¡¯t come as a surprise that during the first hour, five were immediately covered with golden lights and forcefully transported out of the training ground. The succeeding two hours were no different. Another five were eliminated on the second hour and four on the third. Ding! ______________________________ Your continuously improve your power, speed, and precision. Your growth is outstanding. Your STATS had risen Strength has risen by 1 point (+1STR) Agility has risen by 2 point (+2AGI) Dexterity has risen by 1 point (+1DEX)Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ______________________________ During the fourth hour, the first alert message for stat enhancement appeared for Grimm. The training ground has a 40% growth rate and during the course of the training task, that growth rate is raised to 80%. That is 4 times faster compared to when he was training inside the Dojo in Latona. The stats obtainable back then after 16 hours of physical activity are now acquirable in 4. ¡®This sort of chances rarely comes. I must get the best out of it.¡¯ Thanks to the added effect of Unbreakable Body and Sword Mastery, he can meet the required striking speed without suffering a rapid drop on his stamina and satiety. But also due to that, his vitality is not challenged, thus, its growth is hindered. With his current pace, he can surely receive 4x the growth in strength, agility, and dexterity but due to the methods that he¡¯s applying to conserve energy, the same thing does not apply to his vitality and tenacity. If that were the case, he has 2 options to tap his vitality and tenacity stats during the drill. 1. Double his workload during the 30 seconds time frame or, 2. Skip three of his 10 seconds break. Both could deliver the result that he desires. However, the second option will surely attract attentions from the other disciples, so the first option is more convenient. And as expected, his stamina and satiety dropped faster due to the double workload. He also ate and relaxes less during his breaks. Thanks to that, two hours later, the message alert that Grimm desires appear. Ding! ______________________________ You pushed yourself to the limit to accomplish your task. Your determination is admirable. Your STATS had risen Vitality has risen by 1 point (+1VIT) Tenacity has risen by 2 point (+2TEN) ______________________________ With a satisfied smile, Grimm gripped the wooden sword tighter and pushed through. ¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó Twenty four hours finally passed, signifying the end of Bart¡¯s first training. And from the starting number of 50 beginners that followed the Wandering Warrior to the Forest of Illusion, the ruthless culling had only retained 9 tough disciples. ¡°That ends everything for today. Next training will be held after four days. Until then, you kids are free to do as you please but leaving the forest is prohibited.¡± Bart announced to the wheezing disciples before disappearing to the darkness of the night. ¡°So¡­what now?¡± Someone voices out after minutes of long silence. ¡°I¡¯m logging out. Master Bart said that the next training is in four days. That¡¯s 24 hours in the real world. I¡¯m gonna go home and take some rest.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Several had readied themselves to exit the game but an emergence of another voice stopped them. ¡°Wait!¡± The voice belonged to the only surviving female in the group. She¡¯s an attractive dark skinned, silver haired young woman who belongs to the fey race. ¡°Before we separate, I would like to suggest a few things first to the group.¡± ¡®Damn!¡¯ Grimm cursed under his breath. One glance and Grimm could read her intention and for him, it¡¯s going to be a nuisance. Unfortunately, aside from Grimm, the rest bares themselves as typical hot blooded males that easily get charmed by an attractive woman. With ears wide open, they immediately agreed to listen to what she got to say. ¡°First is for us to be acquainted. Way back during our initial assembly, our number makes it an inconvenience. But now that only few of us remain, I believe it¡¯s about time to give a formal introduction.¡± It¡¯s a normal human mentality that when placed in a crowd, they would not mind knowing the identity of the person next them. But once placed in a group with a countable number, they all become thorough. However, on their case, it¡¯s weightier than that. They are not just a bunch of disciples learning under a master. They are also contenders that are fighting against each other to inherit their master¡¯s sword. Bart never utters a word about it yet but there¡¯s a high chance that he might just choose one among them. From the very beginning, Grimm had been fully aware about that and he is certain that so does this fey. That¡¯s why she¡¯s luring them into these introductions. Her aim is to find out more about them, her rivals. And through the way that the others are reacting, she¡¯s doing it perfectly. ¡°I shall start then,¡± said the fey after receiving everyone¡¯s approval. ¡°My name is Deidre and I¡¯m level 21.¡± ¡°You probably all knew me and my group but let me introduce myself again. I am Trevol, my level is 27.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Basche, level 25.¡± The next to introduce their selves were the other two surviving members of Trevol¡¯s group. ¡°Name is Kylo, level 23.¡± ¡°Louie, also level 23.¡± And then the last three; ¡°I¡¯m Gambit and my level is 28.¡± ¡°Ecks, level 26.¡± ¡°*yawn* My name is Gust and I am level 24.¡± They shared their names and levels, and now it was Grimm¡¯s turn. ¡°My name¡¯s Grimm. Level 1.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Everyone fell into an awkward silence. Gambit manned up the courage and asked, ¡°Did I just inaccurately heard what you just said or did you really say that you¡¯re level 1?¡± ¡°You¡¯re hearing is just fine. My level is really just 1.¡± ¡°Hey now, how¡¯s that possible?¡± Trevol asked. ¡°Well, before I could get the chance to gain a level, your friend over there,¡± indicating Basche, ¡°dragged me all the way here.¡± ¡°Basche, do you know about this?¡± The young Elf shook his head. ¡°I was anxious to complete the quest, so I simply took the first viable person I can find, and I got him.¡± ¡°But if you¡¯re only level 1, then how are you able to last this long?¡± Deidre asked. ¡°All of my colleagues that joined into this quest had higher levels than mine but as you can see, I¡¯m the only one left.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be surprise how persistent I can get,¡± was Grimm¡¯s simple answer. ¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ô¡ó The entire group gave Grimm a dubious look. But as they examine him closer, starting from his default gears and the kitchen knife sheathed on his waist, their doubts immediately faded and dismissed his survival as mere luck. There is no way that a shabby looking kid like him is hiding something. All of them might be jobless beginners but they had at least hunted and purchased better gears and weapons to face the cruel world of the game instead of relying on the default gears provided by the system. And if they also consider Basche¡¯s story on how he recruited him, it tells that he got dragged here before he got the chance to upgrade his gears and level up. ¡°Anyway, enough about that and let us hear what Deidre is about to say next. I¡¯m sure its content is the true goal of this meeting. Am I right?¡± Trevol said, firing a meaningful look towards her. ¡®So someone actually noticed.¡¯ Deidre nodded admittedly but only after giving Trevol a brief glare. ¡°Yes. As what Trevol mentioned, there are some matters that we needed to discuss in order secure something.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Basche asked. ¡°Our survival.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Before I continue, let¡¯s admit this first. All of us here are contenders and we are all fighting against one another to win Sir Bart¡¯s approval, complete this quest and gain the reward.¡± All of them nodded. There¡¯s no point of denying the obvious. ¡°However, that¡¯s only applicable during our trainings when Sir Bart is around and our safety is secured. But the moment that he departs and leave us on our own, we become castaways. Nine people, left in the middle of an uncharted territory. We are prohibited to leave and we have no idea about the place¡¯s landscape or what kind of creatures lurks around here especially at night. Whenever that happened, in order to survive, helping each other will be necessary.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± said Kylo. ¡°Are you suggesting about working together despite the fact that you¡¯d just bared about the nine of us being competitors, rivals?¡± Deidre nodded. Despite being skeptical about this whole idea, she can¡¯t endanger her life in this place. If she dies, her level and skill masteries will suffer a decline and her items and equipment might get dropped too. However, those are nothing compared to the penalty of 24 hours login ban. If that happens, she won¡¯t be able to login during the next training, thus, eliminating her from the quest. So despite the threat of working side by side with her competitors, she needed to do it to ensure that she will make it until the next training. ¡°There is a gap of four days before the start of the next training. During that time, the nine of us needed to explore the forest, find food, and gain levels. And to accomplish that with a high probability of survival, all of us must work together.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it more convenient if we just logged out while waiting for the next training,¡± Basche suggested. ¡°That won¡¯t be wise,¡± said Gambit. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re forgetting that this hellish training is a Chain Quest that your group had acquired through mere coincidence, which means that in an overall view, this is a quest with a ridiculously low triggering chance. Not to mention that it also required 50 players with no profession for it to be fully functional. The way I see it, aside from stat boosts and some neat gears or weapons, this quest might lead into unlocking a Hidden Profession.¡±