《The Lion Chooses》 Chapter 1 : A Handful of Troubles (Part I) The world was a place filled with wonders. No other planet in the whole galaxy could replace Earth as humanity¡¯s home. The untamed oceans, the vast blue sky, and endless expanses of land all combined to form an excellent habitat. If anyone said that to Lou, he would laugh his ass off before spitting at their faces. In this impossibly large and tall tower, he moved with the best transportation technology had to offer. A purple light formed a thin line to wherever his destination was, and he did not have to do anything but stand. The purple light underneath his feet whisked him through narrow passages. Air resistance was a problem of the past. His current speed rivalled an old supersonic jet, but he didn¡¯t even need to blink. Countless large hexagonal shapes decorated the walls, like a beehive. They extended towards a ceiling hundreds of metres above. The whole structure exhibited a crystalline appearance, just like the rest of the city. ¡°You have reached your final destination¡± An automated female voice entered his ears. ¡°Please enjoy your dream¡± He came to a stop. The purple light faded and disappeared, leaving behind a glittering floor. The Automated Transportation Line had completed its task, and he no longer had a need for it. ¡®There was a million on board of the Styx, and only I got sent to this floor and sector?¡¯ One of the hexagonal panels on the wall lit up with a green light. Tiny jets of vapour hissed out of its edges. In one swift motion, the panel slid out like a drawer and revealed a human-sized capsule attached to it. ¡®Dream Capsule¡­¡¯ Lou stepped closer and examined the capsule. ¡®Looks fancier than I thought¡¯ A bluish glow came from inside the capsule, where he was supposed to lie down in. The shape of the capsule resembled a tube. The logo of a lion¡¯s head displayed itself on the side. White fur, white mane, opened jaws with rows of fangs. ¡®Leo Corporation¡­ I don¡¯t know whether I should call you guys heroes or villains¡¯ He stepped inside, and felt a jelly-like substance under his feet. But it was dry, so he thought of a bouncy cushion filled with water instead. The rest of his body entered the capsule, and he lied down. ¡®This is pretty comfortable¡­¡¯ Just when he thought so, the capsule slid back into the wall. ¡®Whoa! Could¡¯ve warned me first, couldn¡¯t it?¡¯ He stared above. The distance between the top of the capsule and his nose was barely over a foot. The only illumination in here was the blue light from his gelatinous bed. ¡®I might turn claustrophobic from this. Couldn¡¯t they have designed this building better?¡¯ The jelly-like substance moved over his skin, giving a ticklish sensation. It fully enveloped him before he could release a chuckle. A horizontal blue line scanned over his body twice, like a photocopy machine. ¡°Full-body scan complete, executing virtual diving in 3¡­2¡­1¡­¡± The feminine voice announced. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.The countdown ended, and the world vanished. *** Complete darkness. Like an empty space in the universe. Lou floated in this space, wondering where he was. But he didn¡¯t wonder for long.
Please select the name of your avatar
¡®A name¡­ it¡¯s a new life, maybe I should try something fresh?¡¯ Lou thought for a while, then shook his head. ¡°Lou¡± He said. It was a name bestowed by his parents. Even if they¡¯re dead, he would like to cherish it. It didn¡¯t matter if he gave up all his possessions, he shouldn¡¯t leave behind his identity. Yes, he was Lou no matter where or when. ¡®They say people with shorter names are more successful, so that¡¯s a plus¡­ though it didn¡¯t help me in this world¡¯
The system has decided to place you in the Western Continent, Whitemoon Citadel, Armitage Empire
¡®What? I don¡¯t get to choose?¡¯
Welcome to Armus, where your new life awaits
With a flash of light, he appeared in Whitemoon Citadel, Armitage. ¡°Oh¡­ Hohohohoho!¡± Lou feasted his eyes on the medieval atmosphere of his surroundings. Handsome stone buildings, chipped wooden signs, bustling roadside stalls, cobbled streets! He stood in the middle of a large square, where throngs of people made a racket promoting their wares and services. The noise drowned the sound of the fountain behind him. If it wasn¡¯t for the light splashes of water on his back, he wouldn¡¯t even realise it was there. He wasn¡¯t the only astonished one. A quick look around him displayed dozens of people with floating names over their heads. That confirmed that these were avatars of real people, and not NPCs. ¡®Leo Corporation¡­ how the hell did you guys manage to create this¡­?¡¯ While he gazed at the other denizens of his world, or users as he would call them from now on¡­ he noticed that they shot glances at him. For some reason, their eyes widened before turning away in a hurry. He knew he wasn¡¯t gorgeous, but his face shouldn¡¯t hurt their eyes. The capsule did not allow any modifications on their physical appearance to allow complete synchronisation between the real body and the avatar. Hence, nobody had the look of celebrities around him. ¡®What are they looking at?¡¯ Lou scratched his chin. No. He tried to scratch his chin. ¡®Eh?¡¯ He realised it. ¡°They¡¯re not there¡­¡± Both of his hands ended in a stump, just above the elbows. Chapter 1 : A Handful of Troubles (Part II) Lou stared at the useless stumps connected to his shoulders. His mouth opened and closed, like a goldfish gasping for air. His eyes bulged while he breathed in an irregular rhythm. Various sensations flooded his body, just like in real life. But only the sense of emptiness shrouded his hands. ¡®Was it because they were artificial?¡¯ Lou had lost his arms many years ago. Although technology had allowed him to replace them with prosthetics, they weren¡¯t the same. Certain models allowed the user to feel, but they were expensive. The ones he used had no such function. Hence he had adapted to the sensation of having no hands, which is why he didn¡¯t notice them missing a moment ago. ¡®But this was supposed to be a new world, where people could get a fresh new start! What¡¯s the point of restarting if the system can¡¯t even provide me with a pair of hands?!¡¯ His head boiled over the thought. That¡¯s right, he had long accepted his disability. And nothing mattered anymore once he stepped foot inside Dream City. But he never imagined something like this would happen! ¡°Excuse me, sir¡­Lou¡­?¡± Lou turned his head and located the person who spoke. A young Caucasian girl with brown hair looked up at him. It was normal for people to look up when speaking to him. His height was about 190cm, which qualified him to be called ¡®tall¡¯. At least, that stood true where he came from. ¡®How¡¯d she know my name? Oh right, floating nametags¡­¡¯ ¡°You looked like you needed help and didn¡¯t know what to do¡­ so, I wanted to suggest something. Maybe you should report this to the corporation, so they can fix¡ªI mean, redo the scanning procedure¡± She said. ¡®Scanning procedure?¡¯ Lou raised an eyebrow. ¡®Ah¡­ she thought this was because of an error. But¡­ sending a customer complaint is a good idea, maybe I should try that¡¯ His breathing slowed down and stabilised. Sweat stopped pouring out, and his heartbeat returned to an almost normal pace. Yes, he did not have to panic. This was a virtual world. He had paid, no¡­ forfeited all of his possessions for this. The corporation should take care of his needs. ¡°I see, how do I do tha¡ª¡± ¡®What sort of question was that? Was I so shocked that I forgot how technology worked in the 22nd century?¡¯ ¡°Menu!¡± A transparent blue screen appeared before him.
Character Information
Inventory
Quests
Friends List
He stared blankly at the menu. There was no ¡®report¡¯ button. He scanned the menu again and again, looking for something inexistent. After the tenth time or so, he sank on his knees and released a long sigh. The girl frowned and stared at him with furrowed eyebrows. ¡°Umm¡­ Menu¡± She said, then she gasped. Other users around them imitated her and called up the menu screen. Then they realised Lou¡¯s condition. They aimed their looks of pity at him, making him feel worse. But some of them tried to help him. ¡°Report!¡± ¡°Message GM!¡± ¡°Contact Customer Service!¡± They tried shouting various commands, but their ensuing expressions told Lou that none succeeded. It didn¡¯t surprise him that nobody knew about the absence of an important function like customer support. Everyone here were newbies, and Dream City opened up the day before yesterday. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡± He said. ¡°It makes sense that there¡¯s no way to contact the outside world¡± Lou stood up. ¡°We chose this path, remember? We decided to abandon our previous lives and enter a new world¡­¡± He panned his eyes over each and every one of the users around him. Even now, new users appeared in flashes of light. They only tilted their heads in confusion, having missed the beginning of the conversation a few minutes ago. ¡®All of the people here, young and old¡­ everyone had given up on our world. That¡¯s why they¡¯re here, and the same applies to me¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s right, this is a new world¡± Lou gritted his teeth and continued. ¡°This is Armus, a medieval world with swords and magic! This is where we would restart our lives, and this is where we take fate into our own hands!¡± ¡®But I don¡¯t have any hands. Haha, I made a pun¡­¡¯ Lou felt his eyes moisten. ¡°Oh¡­Ohhhhhhhh!!¡± The people shouted in high spirits, taking in the foreign view of the medieval citadel as if fully realising it for the first time. ¡°He¡¯s right! I can start over this time, and actually become someone!¡± ¡°My dreams, yes¡­ if it¡¯s here, it¡¯s possible!¡± ¡°No more living in domed shelters!¡± ¡°Is that guy an NPC, and is this some sort of quest?¡± ¡°Free stuff pleaseee¡± Lou didn¡¯t plan on giving a speech, but he ended up motivating the masses. It seemed that he had drawn out their inner desires when he mentioned restarting their lives. Now the users hugged each other like they were lifelong friends. Some even shed tears. Ding!
New stat generated: Charisma You have shown the ability to charm people and incite their emotions. Everyone could learn the techniques, but you are a natural. Many people would be inspired by your words and actions. Description: -NPCs under you would be more inclined to obey your orders -Chances of getting a good deal in trades had increased -Intimacy with NPC would increase at a higher rate -People would look up to you -Points cannot be distributed to this stat
Charisma + 1
Fame + 5
¡®Wow, this is one sophisticated system. If this was automatically generated based on my actions, then the AI must be capable of understanding human thoughts!¡¯ A few people came forward and embraced him tightly. Tears streamed down their faces for some reason he couldn¡¯t comprehend. Did he really say anything that amazing to move them this much? ¡°Just find me if things get too tough, okay? I know you¡¯ve got a strong will, but don¡¯t hesitate to ask for assistance¡± A man said to him while patting him on the back. ¡°I had a nephew facing your difficulties once, and I helped him regain his confidence. I don¡¯t think you need encouragement, but it never hurts to know that help is just around the corner!¡± A woman who appeared like an ordinary middle-aged housewife claimed. There were others who told him the same thing, all of them rephrasing each other. The meaning behind their words boiled down to ¡®Sucks to be you, but we can help if you can¡¯t wipe your own ass¡¯ Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡®They¡¯re treating me like I¡¯m a baby that hasn''t been toilet-trained!¡¯ Lou grumbled inwardly. But he smiled and nodded with appreciation to the ¡®helpful¡¯ people. They might be hurting his pride, but there¡¯s no need to antagonise their goodwill. Ding!
You have been granted the title: Pitiful One You are a sad existence that deserves the pity of others. But do not be discouraged. Even though the world is a cold place, it is not devoid of warmth. Sympathy is never short in stock wherever you go. Effect: +30% chance of receiving help from NPCs
Lou gaped at the new window. ¡®What the hell? Why¡¯d I get such a pathetic title?! Crap, this is getting out of hand'' He thought, then frowned. ''Out of hand, using anything with that word sends an itch down my back... Okay, I should get away from here real quick¡¯ He cleared his throat before addressing the crowd. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t stay in this square forever, can we? I¡¯ll be off to explore then, good luck to all of you!¡± Lou said while inching away from the masses. ¡®If I don¡¯t get away, this sympathy gathering would never end!¡¯ But things didn¡¯t go as well as he hoped. Hands shot up in the air, and several people pushed past the crowd to approach him. ¡°Oh, I can go with you!¡± ¡°Me too, let¡¯s explore together!¡± Sweat rolled down Lou¡¯s back, like a dam¡¯s been broken. He couldn¡¯t bear the uncomfortable thought of people accompanying him with patronising looks. So he thought of an excuse and gave it. ¡°No. I want to forge my own path, and I wish to do so with my own power. I appreciate your kindness, but please understand that this is the burden I must bear in order to overcome my challenges. I do not want to become overly dependent on others, so please do not follow me¡± His words silenced the sympathising crowd. Their eyes moistened, and their lips quivered. After rubbing a tear or two with their fingers, they nodded with resolution. ¡°We understand. After listening to you, we too, wish to forge our own paths. Good luck¡± ¡®Is it just me, or is everyone here extremely emotional? Who are these people, are they part of charity NGOs or something? God, this is cheesy!¡¯ He slipped away while they blew their noses on their sleeves. If he spent more time here, then he might just lose his mind. But what did he expect? People didn¡¯t come to Dream City because they wanted to play games. These people had their own pains and circumstances in their previous life. Just like him. At least, most of them. ¡®Maybe that¡¯s why they¡¯re susceptible to my condition. Maybe they felt a greater sense of kinship here, where everyone besides themselves had also gone through their own brand of hardships¡¯ Without realising it, he had walked through a number of streets. The hustle and bustle of the square did not reach here. And a quick check revealed that no one had followed him. He smiled, and leant his back against the wall of a building. ¡®What am I going to do now¡­?¡¯ He had prepared many plans before he went to Dream City. He found an abundance of information about this virtual world called ¡®Armus¡¯ on the Internet. Leo Corporation had put them up to attract people, and their advertising power was no joke. Internet, television, radio, booklets, milk cartons, anything, you name it. They gathered a huge fan base before Dream City was even launched, Lou included. The photos of the landscapes, creatures and cities overwhelmed Lou and others like him. The corporation ensured an almost 100% realistic experience, and ¡®almost¡¯ because they reduced the sense of pain to 1% of real life. But then, the corporation released a piece of information¡­ The price to enter this magnificent world was a person¡¯s life. No, to be exact, it was their rights to live on Earth. Shocking, really. Everyone had thought of it as an advertising campaign for a holiday package or a mere virtual reality game. Armus broke through the limitations of present-day virtual reality technology, providing an incredible sense of realism. However, was it worth the price? ¡°A brand new life awaits¡± Lou uttered the catchphrase of the campaign. Nobody thought of it as a scam. No, not if it¡¯s Leo Corporation. When they do things, they¡¯re serious. Obviously, this led to a drastic decrease in the size of the fan base. Lou withdrew himself as well. At first. Even with a huge reduction in interest, close to a million people boarded the Styx on the opening day. The enigmatic train collected passengers from each and every Shelter, blasting a cheerful music at every stop. Lou and others like him stared longingly at the train on the first day. The desire to board the Styx almost overwhelmed them. Earth was barely habitable anymore, and they had to live in the Shelters. Even so, the desire to cling onto the smallest thread of hope proved to be more powerful. On the second day, an increased number of people boarded the train. Faces that merely looked the day before, stepped inside the shining coaches. They must¡¯ve realised that the later they start, the bigger their gap with the pioneers. Lou¡¯s will almost crumbled, but he decided to stay. To sort things out, he should say. He needed to find out whether there¡¯s anything worth staying in the Shelter for. And today, he joined the ranks of the passengers. ¡°No chance of any sword swinging adventure now, is there?¡± He muttered under his breath. The sound of hasty footsteps entered his ears. ¡°Hurry up, we gotta go now before all the spots are taken!¡± ¡°Seriously? Isn¡¯t it still early?¡± ¡°The afternoon is not what you¡¯d call early!¡± A couple of users ran past him. They looked like a middle-Easterner and a European. Lou reckoned the only reason he understood them was the work of a universal translation system. Same thing happened earlier with the multiracial crowd. Nothing surprising, since the technology was one of the first introduced by Leo Corporation. ¡®I wonder where they were going¡­¡¯ Lou thought. Unable to resist his curiosity, he followed them. His pace resembled a person taking a stroll. He wanted to go faster, but¡­ ¡®I¡¯m going to fall if I run. My balance is all screwed up¡¯ Having no hands made things difficult in more than one way. Author''s Notes: Hello! :mowahaha: So... you probably felt like the ''handless'' thing is being thrown at you multiple times. Well, yeah it was. I just wanted my readers to actually feel how shitty it is to live a life without them (for the moment) [th_aji.gif] So what''s up with him losing his hands and all, what happened to him? Well, I''d like to tell that story by slipping in flashbacks here and there. There''s no point telling everything now, when it''s hardly relevant to the present. Oh, and if you''re pissed about a lack of details on his appearance... I''ll put them in later once i get the chance, because it''s weird as hell to have someone describing themselves from top to bottom in their thoughts (narcissistic much?). Chapter 1 : A Handful of Troubles (Part III) Eventually, he arrived in front of a building with the size of a football field. A long line of users extended for a hundred metres or so. The two users he saw earlier stood at the very back of the line. It was like the scene at a cinema when a new blockbuster came out, minus the popcorns and sodas. ¡®What the hell? What are they waiting in line for?¡¯ Lou walked beside the line and checked the entrance for himself. A few people glared at him, probably thinking he was going to cut in line. But their eyes softened when they saw him keeping a distance, simply peeking at the front. His¡­ irregular body might¡¯ve played a part in calming them, too. ¡®Beginner¡¯s training hall¡¯ was written on a huge wooden sign hanging over the entrance. ¡®Ah, this is the place where you can gain stats without levelling up!¡¯ He had read all about this in the database. Although the corporation only released a portion of Armus¡¯ information, they listed basic things like the training halls. According to them, training at these halls will provide the users with combat proficiency and stats. The system prohibited new users from exiting the starting area for the first week. In other words, Lou couldn''t take a step outside the gates of Whitemoon Citadel. Even the first users only started a couple of days ago, so there was no better place to go to than this training hall at the moment. Naturally, running minor errands for the resident NPCs was inferior to gaining hundreds of stat points. Lou smiled after finding one of his planned destinations, but his happiness drained away like water in a sink. What use was the training hall now? He didn¡¯t intend to wallow in self-pity but what could he even do in this state? Cooking, blacksmithing, tailoring, painting, sculpting or any other skills was impossible to learn. ¡®I know there are disabled people who knows how to do things with their feet, but they were born that way. So they had an entire childhood learning and getting used to their condition. But that¡¯s not true for me!¡¯ Even if he practiced now, it would take years before he could do anything in a proper way. There¡¯s a reason why hands and feet were built differently. ¡®Even if I manage to succeed, how would I fight monsters? Kicking might work at first, but for how long could I go on with that?¡¯ His problem was more technical. Fighting with one foot would jeopardise his balance. Lou understood how important it was in a battle. After all, his only defeat back on Earth was caused by him losing balance. With his head hanging low, he moved away from the training hall. ¡®Something. There¡¯s got to be something I can do to overcome this! The corporation must¡¯ve thought of this possibility, so there must be a way. I¡¯ll start with asking the NPCs first¡¯ *** ¡°Hmmm¡­ I would recommend the healer, but the wound has already sealed up perfectly. I¡¯m sorry, I really want to help, but I don¡¯t know what to do. Maybe you can still ask for advice from the healer? Here¡¯s the address...¡± ¡°I see. Thank you¡± Lou bowed gratefully to the NPC shopkeeper and walked away. ¡°Ah, wait! Here, take these. It¡¯s the least I can do to help¡± The shopkeeper said, bringing out five barley breads. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll put them into your bag for you¡± ¡°Thanks¡± Lou said. It seemed that his title ¡®Pitiful One¡¯ had influenced the shopkeeper to provide additional assistance. After receiving this small gift, Lou realised that the title might be useful after all. But it still humiliated him somewhat. ¡®Healer¡­ yes, why didn¡¯t I think of that? Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t seen a single person with a missing limb. That¡¯s strange, since people fight vicious monsters all the time in this world. There must be some sort of magic or potion that can regrow a lost limb or so!¡¯ Clang! ¡°Ouch!¡± Lou grimaced. His forehead throbbed, but he couldn¡¯t even rub it. He had bumped into a lamp post like some old-school comedian. Passersby sniggered after seeing his antics. He couldn¡¯t really blame them, he was the one who made a fool out of himself. Blushing furiously, he hurried away from the scene. ¡®Damn it, that was stupid. Really, I¡¯m past 30 and I can¡¯t even walk properly?¡¯ He continued to admonish himself as he walked through the complicated streets of the citadel. All the time, he made sure to keep an eye out for what¡¯s in front of him. He wouldn¡¯t want to repeat the same mistake, he might end up getting another crappy title if he¡¯s not careful. ¡®Which way was it again? Was it a right after the tavern, or a left?¡¯ A quick question would solve his problem, but he would rather not have any sympathetic reactions at the moment. Once or twice a day was already more than enough. Instead, he racked his brain and trusted his gut instincts in picking a direction. ¡®I can just turn back if I¡¯m wrong¡¯ Lou thought. *** ¡®Is this it?¡¯ He arrived at a building in the inner parts of the citadel. The white paint on the walls had flaked and scattered themselves on the ground, like oversized dandruffs. Thick layers of dust coated the windowsills. The wooden signboard hung dangerously over the entrance, swaying every time a breeze passed by. Lou squinted. ¡®I can barely read the words on the signboard. It¡¯s so old that the writing¡¯s all faded¡­ Let¡¯s see¡­ H¡­er. Hmm¡­ yeah, should be right if I add in ¡®eal¡¯ in the middle. But can this guy really help me? His business doesn¡¯t look that good¡¯ He sighed. There¡¯s no other choice for him anyway. Besides, the shopkeeper wouldn¡¯t have pointed out this place for a prank. *** A cloud of dust fell off the door as soon as he opened it. ¡°Hack! Koff!¡± The fine particles irritated his throat and nostrils, and his eyes itched. ¡°Bah, talk about poor housekeeping! How¡¯d you heal people with all these germs in the house?¡± But no response came. ¡®Nobody¡¯s home?¡¯ He thought the exterior was bad, but the interior proved him otherwise. A white powdery coating blanketed everything leather. From chair cushions to book covers on the shelves, everything was white! ¡®Forget dust, this place is mould hell!¡¯
You have breathed in harmful airborne particles. These particles would continue to damage your lungs until you secure a continuous supply of fresh air. Effect: Inflicts 1 damage every 5 seconds until fresh air is breathed in.
You have received 1 damage
You have received 1 damage
¡°Status window!¡± [tr][tr][tr][tr][tr][tr][tr]
Character Information
NameLouRaceHuman
TitlePitiful One
ProfessionNone
Fame5Level1Health98/100Mana100/100Strength15Agility15Stamina15Intelligence15Wisdom15Luck15Special stat(s)Charisma1
His health continued to decrease every five seconds, even as he read the information window. ¡¯97¡­96¡­ I have about 8 minutes before my health depletes¡¯ ¡°Shit, I¡¯m leaving!¡± Lou backpedalled to the entrance and almost stepped outside when a voice called out to him. ¡°Hey, wait!¡± someone said. His feet froze mid-motion, and he remained where he stood. He panned his head across the room, searching for the person. Once, twice, he could detect no lifeforms in the vicinity. Just as he was about to dismiss the voice as part of his imagination, he heard it again. ¡°I¡¯m over here!¡± There was a difference when one actively looked for something. As soon as Lou heard it again, he turned his eyes in the exact direction of its origin. There, he saw a woman clad in a dark leather vest, complete with a lowered hood. She had her black hair tied back into a short ponytail. A pair of dark trousers hugged her toned legs. Her attire suggested a shady job with plenty of hiding and hidden blades. ¡®I swear I¡¯ve checked that spot more than twice and didn¡¯t see her!¡¯ Lou¡¯s eyes bulged. ¡®No, more importantly¡­ she looks like some kind of assassin. Did I stumble across some secret assassin hideout by accident? No doubt about it, there¡¯s no way this is a healer¡¯s house. This must be some abandoned front!¡¯ ¡°Hey, what are you making that face for?! Didn¡¯t anyone teach you it¡¯s rude to stare at a woman like that?¡± The unnamed woman placed her hands on her hips and growled. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money, and I promise I won¡¯t tell anyone about your hideout!¡± Lou cried out. ¡°Wha¡ª? Money¡­? Hideout¡­?¡± She frowned. Then her eyes widened as she realised what he implied. ¡°How dare you, I¡¯m not a bandit! How could you associate me with those low lives? As a compensation, let me rip another hole on your nose!¡± ¡°Your words are contradictory, are you confused?! Is it the hormones? It¡¯s the hormones, isn¡¯t it? It must be that time of the month. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really sorry, I¡¯ll leave!¡± ¡°What? Hey, wait¡ª don¡¯t leave!¡± ¡®Like hell I¡¯m going to stay here with polluted air and an assassin!¡¯ Lou thought as he resumed his strategic retreat. Of course, that was just a euphemism for running with his tail between his legs. But he was a man, and a man¡¯s got to save his own pride. ¡°Hands! Arms, you want a pair of arms don¡¯t you?!¡± Almost. Just one more step, and he would¡¯ve made it outside. But she just had to say that. Lou put on a painful grimace and stared at his status window. ¡¯82 Health, I¡¯ve got time to listen¡­if she doesn¡¯t kill me straightaway. I hope I won¡¯t regret this¡¯ ¡°Yes, I can help you. Just stay for a bit, and I¡¯ll give them to you¡± She offered. Those words seduced him to linger near the entrance. Somehow, he thought she looked relieved. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m listening but can we talk outside? I don¡¯t reckon you enjoy the constant damage to your lungs either¡± He could feel a scratchy sensation in his throat every time he breathed. It annoyed him, but a small part of him marvelled at the realism of this virtual world. She gave a frown yet again, the one that indicated her confusion. It only lasted for a fraction of a second though, as she glanced at the mould around her. It almost seemed like she wasn¡¯t aware of her surroundings until now. ¡°Yes, I¡­ don¡¯t like it either. But I¡¯m afraid we must talk here, and I¡¯ll make it as quick as possible¡± She replied, her eyes not meeting his. This might be nothing but a ruse, but what choice did he have? It¡¯s sink or swim. If she could truly grant his wish, then it would be great. If not, then too bad. Either way, he knew he had to try. If he ended up dead, then he would eventually resurrect at the save point with a few penalties. ¡°On the wall behind the painting there is a safe. Inside it is a bunch of equipment, including a pair of prosthetic arms¡± She pointed at a large framed picture depicting a war between humans and monsters. ¡°You can check for yourself¡± She added, giving him permission to move the painting. Lou nodded warily, and made his way to said painting. He had to move in eight steps away from the entrance, carrying him deeper into the building. The muscles in his legs tightened, ready to spring at the hint of a threat. The painting was twice the width of his shoulders. He couldn¡¯t exactly lift a foot to knock it off the wall at the moment. Instead, he nudged it with his shoulders. The painting swayed a few times, but didn¡¯t fall down. He tried again, only to achieve the same results. The third time¡¯s the charm they said, and his repeated effort bore fruit. The frame, complete with picture and all, tumbled forward and crashed onto the floor. And behind it was¡­ ¡®A safe¡­¡¯ ¡°There, just like I told you¡± She said. ¡°There¡¯s a dial lock. Give me the password¡± ¡°Hey, this is a trade. You scratch my back, I¡¯ll scratch your back. You fulfil my request, and I¡¯ll give you a pair of arms as promised¡± ¡°So what if there¡¯s a safe here. How do I know if there¡¯s really a pair of prosthetic arms inside it? For all I know, it could be empty. If you don¡¯t want to give me the password, I¡¯ll stay away and you can open it to show me the promised goods¡± He retorted. ¡°¡­Smart. But I can¡¯t open it, even if I know the password¡± Lou sneered at the reply. It was ridiculous no matter how he listened to it. How could she know the password and not be able to open it? There were only two possibilities now. One, she didn¡¯t know the password. Two, the safe had been booby-trapped. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. I¡¯m not lying, I really can¡¯t open the safe. There are¡­ certain limitations that prevent me from doing so¡± She said while sporting a downcast expression. ¡°Should you fulfil my request, you can help yourself to the contents of the safe¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m getting less convinced. The fact that you offered me more rewards proved that this is a trap. I¡¯ll give you one last chance to convince me¡± Lou inched back towards the doorway, careful not to provoke her. ¡°I need you to kill a demon that resides somewhere in this citadel. That is all I ask of you in exchange for my equipment¡± ¡°Ha! A demon. Let¡¯s say that there is one around, but why would you need me of all people to kill it? You look like you¡¯re much stronger than I am, you could¡¯ve done it yourself, couldn¡¯t you? I know what you¡¯re trying to do, you¡¯re trying to send me off as some sacrifice to this demon of yours!¡± Yes, Lou was a level 1 beginner. He didn¡¯t have a single extra stat from the training hall either. His equipment consisted of a basic leather shirt and trousers. With his physical disability, he wasn¡¯t even sure that he could take on a rat. How was he supposed to slay a demon of all things? However, his logical accusations had flipped a switch in the woman. She balled her fists and bit her lips. Fine trickles of blood ran down the corners of her mouth, and her body shook in what Lou assumed to be rage. Her furrowed eyebrows formed a very intimidating glare. Beads of tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°How dare you¡­say that¡­¡± She choked on her words. ¡°I was still fine with you calling me a bandit¡­ but a demon worshipper¡­of all things¡­how dare you¡­¡± The unexpected reaction took Lou by surprise. He didn¡¯t say that to make her cry. Especially making her cry tears of anger at that. ¡°I¡¯LL KILL YOU!¡± She pounced at him faster than he could react. He was right when he said that she looked like she¡¯s far stronger than he was. Even if he was fully alert, he doubted that he could dodge or defend himself in time. But what happened next answered all of his questions. Her hands passed through his throat, and her body phased through his. He heard a loud crackling noise, and in a flash of light something blasted her away from the entrance. Her body passed through a couch, and landed on the floor with a thud. Lou turned around to see the source of the mysterious power, and found a¡­ ¡®distortion¡¯ in the doorway. A barrier blocked the entrance. It crackled with arcs of what Lou assumed to be magical energy, and slowly faded until it became invisible. He tested moving his foot through it, and received no resistance. ¡®This must be a specific barrier made to contain a specific thing¡­or person. Then¡­ the reason why she gave me the request was¡­¡¯ The woman coughed and heaved as she tried to stand. Lou spotted no damage on her clothing, but she must have received quite an injury for crashing against the barrier. Judging from her fierce expression though, she would not hesitate in trying to kill him again. ¡°You¡¯re a ghost¡­ aren¡¯t you?¡± He asked. ¡°¡­¡± She refused to speak with him, and only glared silently. ¡°I apologize for doubting you and accusing you of terrible things. I needed to be wary. You wouldn¡¯t explain things to me, so I had reasons to disbelieve¡± She stopped shaking in rage, and no longer bared her fangs. But the dangerous glint in her eyes told him that she only partially accepted his apology. Even if he prostrated, he probably wouldn¡¯t completely calm her down. No, this had to be settled in a different way. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m a ghost, I¡¯m dead. I can¡¯t leave this damn building, and I can¡¯t touch anything that¡¯s not part of it¡± She explained while directing a bitter look at the walls and floor. A quick demonstration of passing her hand through a table proved a point. The fact that she could stand on the floor with both feet proved the other. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± ¡°Would anyone willingly trust a ghost? You¡¯d probably be afraid and run for your life¡± ¡°Everyone else did. Those that could see and hear me, at least¡± She muttered to herself. ¡°So?¡± She addressed him. ¡°Do you accept my request or not? If not, just scram!¡± Ding!
The unnamed ghost had asked you to slay a demon hiding in Whitemoon Citadel. In exchange, she would grant you a pair of prosthetic arms and other equipment of hers in the hidden safe. You may refuse this quest by exiting the building, but you would never receive it again. Quest Objective(s): -Find the demon and slay it. -??? Quest Time Limit: 7 days from now. Quest Difficulty: D Quest Failure Penalty: The quest cannot be repeated if you fail. Fame ¨C 200 All stats ¨C 1
¡®Quest difficulty D¡­¡¯ The quest difficulties in Armus ranged from S to E, with E being the lowest. This was the first quest he received since he started, and it was ranked D. As a level 1 beginner who had a terrible disability, this quest was exceedingly difficult if not downright impossible.
You have entered a critical condition!
¡®Only 10 health remaining, damn mould. I have fifty seconds to decide. Should I accept and try, or should I back off? The success rate is so low that I might just waste my time. I might end up spending these 7 days without finding a clue as to where the demon is hiding. Failing would also reduce all my stats by 1¡­¡¯ ¡®Wait, why is there a time limit¡­ and unknown objective?¡¯ ¡°Hey, ghost¡± ¡°What¡¯s in it for you? What would you get from slaying this demon?¡± He asked for clarification. ¡°My freedom. My soul is bound to one of the items in that safe. But even if you take it out, I still can¡¯t leave this house because of the barrier the damn demon set up for me¡± She answered. ¡°And what happens if I couldn¡¯t do it in seven days?¡± He probed further. ¡°¡­I disappear forever¡±
You have received 1 damage
¡°What¡¯s your name, ghost?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. She knitted her eyebrows as if he had asked a conundrum.
You have received 1 damage
¡®5 health remaining¡­¡¯ ¡°I can¡¯t keep calling you ghost, tell me your name¡± Lou repeated. ¡°¡­Natalya¡± Ding!
Quest updated! Natalya had asked you to slay a demon hiding in Whitemoon Citadel. In exchange, she would grant you a pair of prosthetic arms and other equipment of hers in the hidden safe. You may refuse this quest by exiting the building, but you would never receive it again. Quest Objective(s): -Find the demon and slay it. -Retrieve the item binding Natalya¡¯s soul, and free her from her prison. Quest Time Limit: 7 days from now. Quest Difficulty: D Quest Failure Penalty: The quest cannot be repeated if you fail. Fame ¨C 200 All stats ¨C 1
¡°Okay, Natalya. I have no confidence that I can succeed¡­But I¡¯ll accept your request¡±
You have accepted the quest. Time remaining: 6 days 23 hours 59 minutes
*** Chapter 1 : A Handful of Troubles (Part IV) A tall man stood in front of a glass window. Short and straight jet-black hair, a pair of equally black almond-shaped eyes, he resembled those of Asian descent. His sculpted body hinted at the intense physical training he had gone through. However, the fruits of his labour did not carry over to this virtual world¡­
Your satiety has fallen. Current satiety level: 12%
¡®Food¡­¡¯ Lou thought. His stomach had been grumbling for the better part of an hour now, and he lost track the number of times that he¡¯d seen the hunger warning window. Right now, he could only stare at a variety of bread and pastries displayed behind a bakery¡¯s window. Now and then, his nose would twitch at the faintest fragrance floating in the air. How was he supposed to search for the demon in this state? ¡°What is he staring at¡­?¡± ¡°Shhh! Stay away, people like that are better left undisturbed¡± Passersby who saw him shied away. He couldn¡¯t blame them, he would¡¯ve done the same in their place. He didn¡¯t even have the energy to blush. For once, his current predicament was not caused by his peculiar disability. No, even if he had no hands, he would still be able to munch on his barley breads some way or another. The problem was¡­ he no longer had any of his bread, or the canteen of water he started with. Everything began when he exited Natalya¡¯s prison...
Due to exposure to dust and mould, your food had become inedible! Your bag provided a small measure of protection from the microscopic particles, but you have spent too much time in the polluted environment. Number of food(s) affected: 15 X Barley Bread
¡°What?! That¡¯s all of my food!¡± Lou shouted in frustration. ¡®Even the extra five bread the shopkeeper gave me¡­Kuhuk!¡¯ ¡®At least I won¡¯t go thirsty¡­¡¯ He thought, as he withdrew the canteen from his bag. With great effort, he managed to open the lid using his feet. ¡®Now, just a sip¡­¡¯ The canteen slipped from his feet and hit the ground. The soil greedily drank the water splashing onto it. Glug, glug, glug¡­ the precious liquid escaped into the earth. Thankfully, the opening of the canteen was narrow and positioned in the centre. Hence, a small amount of water remained inside. ¡®It¡¯s okay, I can still drink from it¡­ Then I¡¯ll refill it from a fountain. Now, I just need to pick it up carefully¡­¡¯ He nudged the canteen with his toes, hoping to flip it over. If he could change it into a vertical position, he would be able to hold it between his calves. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead as he performed the action. The level of precision he needed could be compared to a surgical procedure. Probably. He wasn¡¯t a doctor. ¡®That¡¯s it¡­ almost there¡­!¡¯ Neiiiighh!! Sets of hooves clopped against the cobblestones. Wooden wheels rolled under a posh horse carriage. A coach driver cracked his whip in the air, urging the horses to hurry. This would not have been a problem at all, if Lou wasn¡¯t sitting in the carriage¡¯s path. ¡°Whoa!¡± He rolled to the side and barely avoided getting turned into mashed potatoes. But then, a cracking sound entered his ears. To him, that sound signified his soul shattering into pieces. It was as if fate itself intended to screw him. It was the sound of his water canteen breaking. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, you damn cripple!¡± The driver called back without slowing down the carriage. But Lou didn¡¯t even have the will to get angry. In the space of a few minutes, his entire food and water supply was depleted. Spilt water was still fine. He could¡¯ve refilled the canteen. But now he doesn¡¯t even have a canteen to carry water around in. He¡¯d have to crawl to a fountain every time he needed a sip. At this rate, he might have to search garbage cans for leftovers as well. And thus, that brought him to his present state. ¡®Even my previous life was luckier than this¡­¡¯He moaned inwardly. ¡°Hey, get away from my house. You¡¯re scaring away my customers¡± ¡®Eh?¡¯ Lou turned his head to view the owner of the voice. A plump woman stood beside him with her arms crossed. She donned a clean white apron and stuffed her hair under a tall chef hat. She moved a thick rolling pin up and down in one of her hands, as if she wanted to beat him with it. She called this bakery her house. Now that he took a closer look, all the shops around here were two-storey buildings and sold a small amount of products. So this must be a row of shop-houses. The ground floor was dedicated to modest family-owned business while the top floor housed their bedrooms. ¡°Ah¡­ sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt your business. Well then, I¡¯ll take my leave¡± He bowed and backed away.
Your satiety has fallen. Current satiety level: 11%
Just then, his stomach grumbled again. The woman was obviously a baker, and also the owner of the shop based on her words. But he couldn¡¯t exactly beg her for food. No, that would be too pathetic. He¡¯d rather eat trash or die of hunger than sacrifice his pride. ¡°Forget it, come inside!¡± ¡°Wha¡ª? Huck, cough!¡± She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him into the bakery. Once again he was reminded that this was a virtual world. His current physique was obsolete in the face of stats. Even this baker here exhibited a higher amount of strength than him. ¡®Hmmm? This place¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t realise it earlier because he diverted his entire focus onto the displayed food. But this bakery was¡­ untouched. Not in the sense of an abandoned building, but rather a lack of life. Plates and rattan baskets brimmed with breads and pastries. Yes, that was the problem. It was already evening, and nothing seemed to be sold. ¡®I only stood outside for ten minutes at most. This can¡¯t be my fault, can it?¡¯ He wondered. ¡°Eat¡± The baker said, after shoving a bun in front of his face. ¡°Oh no, thank you for the kind offer but there¡¯s no ne-ghorfgfffh!¡± She ignored him and stuffed the bun into his mouth. ¡®This is abuse! Just because I couldn¡¯t resist, doesn¡¯t mean she could¡ªoh¡­? This, this is pretty delicious¡¯ The bun was still warm. His teeth chewed through the crunchy texture on the outside and he tasted the sweet fluffy insides. It was a simple bun, with no flavouring outside of a sprinkle of sugar. But the taste had beaten every other bread he had ever tasted. ¡°Mom, is that a customer?¡± A boy peeked at him from upstairs. The boy¡¯s cheeks were tinged red. His sunken cheeks suggested that it was due to health reasons rather than embarrassment. He gripped the stair railing with pale fingers and limped down. ¡°He¡¯s just a hungry beggar, go back to your room and rest!¡± The baker shouted. Her tone was rough, and wrinkles riddled her forehead. However, Lou could tell that she was worried rather than angry. Judging from the atmosphere, this was a troubled family. By atmosphere, he meant the sick child and an absence of customers. ¡°If he ate your cooking, then he would return as a customer one day. Customers should always be treated well, isn¡¯t that what you taught me, mom?¡± The child replied, finally clearing the flight of stairs. ¡°¡­I wish I hadn¡¯t. Well, you might as well take a seat¡± She glanced at the door. Customers passed by without even looking at the bakery. She shook her head lightly and pulled out a chair for her son. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve been downstairs. We¡¯ll have an early dinner this evening¡± The baker took off her apron and removed the chef hat. Underneath the apron was a neat brown blouse. Lou wasn¡¯t a fashion expert, but he thought the colour of her clothing had faded. Streaks of grey intertwined with chestnut in her hair bun. But her skin was a bit too smooth for her to be that old. ¡°I thought about sending you off once your stomach stopped making a racket. But since my son put in the effort to move for your sake, you should stay a while and have dinner with us¡± She called out, while rummaging for plates and dining utensils in the kitchen. ¡°My mom¡¯s not a very honest person, please forgive her. She¡¯s actually very kind and generous, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s giving excuses because she¡¯s too shy to help you¡± The boy whispered into Lou¡¯s ears and grinned. Lou felt a stabbing sensation in his heart when he saw the smile on the boy¡¯s face. The boy seemed like he had a chronic disease, but he was still this cheerful. And there was one more thing. This mother and son pair have not mentioned a single word about his missing arms. They didn¡¯t even stare at it. He felt¡­ normal. ¡°My name¡¯s Jim. What are you called, mister?¡± ¡°¡­Lou. Nice to meet you, Jim¡± He answered, and returned a warm smile to the boy. This was the first time he smiled since he arrived in this world, actually. Who would¡¯ve thought an NPC would be the first to make him smile? *** ¡°Demon? In this citadel?¡± The guard asked, a puzzled look on his face. ¡°Yes, have you heard anything strange recently? Like missing persons, unexplainable murders or maybe accursed pentagrams drawn using the blood of a thousand virgins¡± Lou added. The guard stared blankly at Lou¡¯s face for a few seconds. Then he broke into a stream of laughter. His chainmail clinked like a musical instrument as his body shook with glee. After what felt like an awkward thirty seconds for Lou, the guard stopped laughing. The guard¡¯s face was crimson while he gasped for air. Tears streaked the both of his cheeks. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Haaah¡­ that was a good laugh. You Users could crack some mean jokes, eh?¡± Lou flinched when the guard called him a user. ¡®I¡¯m still not used to that. Couldn¡¯t the developers have coined a different term? This really breaks the immersion into the virtual world¡¯ Lou thought. The term ¡®User¡¯ with a capital ¡®U¡¯ meant exactly what it was. To the NPC however, User was a term to refer to a foreign race of humans with immortal lives. They understood that Users could never be killed permanently, and gave out dangerous quests for Users to undertake. "So, is there anything like what I mentioned?¡± The guard blinked once, and said ¡°Oh, so you were serious?¡± Lou nodded in response, hiding all his frustration. ¡°Hmmm, no. Monsters and demons don¡¯t really get into the citadel, you know? I¡¯ve been guarding here for over ten years now, and I assure you that I and my colleagues did our job well. Of course, I couldn¡¯t guarantee the same should the next Cycle arrives¡­¡± ¡°Cycle?¡± ¡°Oh yes, I kept forgetting you Users were foreigners¡± The guard scratched his head before going on. ¡°Cycles are large-scaled wars between the forces of humanity and¡­ every sentient being besides humans, really. Monsters, demons, fairies, you name it¡± ¡®Oh¡­this sounds like a world event? Then maybe the demon hadn¡¯t arrived yet?¡¯ Lou thought. ¡°When¡¯s the next Cycle?¡± ¡°About¡­ another 13 years from now, I believe. You can look at the calendar in the Main Square or barracks, actually. The Cycle repeats every 30 years¡± ¡¯13 years! Then this is unrelated¡­¡¯ ¡°By the way, are you in need of prosthetic arms, perhaps?¡± The guard asked. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I have a blacksmith friend who makes them for war veterans in the army. I can refer you to him and get you a discount. Are you interested?¡± ¡®Huh? I can get prosthetics in another way¡­? But he mentioned a discount¡­¡¯ ¡°How much is it?¡± The guard knit his eyebrows and stared hard at Lou¡¯s stumps. Then he approached Lou and grabbed them, inspecting something. After a moment, he nodded in satisfaction and announced the price. ¡°For this size, probably 300 gold coins. But you should be able to get it for 270 thanks to me¡± He grinned, probably proud of himself. However, Lou¡¯s face turned ashen white upon hearing the numbers. ¡®300¡ªno, 270 gold?! I don¡¯t even have a single copper on me. 1 gold is 10000 coppers so 270 is¡­ 2.7 million copper coins!¡¯ ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t have the money¡± He muttered. ¡°Yes, I thought so. Even for me, that¡¯s a lot of money. But when I mentioned this to you, I meant it as a future reference. For when, you actually have money¡± The guard explained. ¡°I see¡­¡± Lou wondered how long he would take to collect that amount. Even if he could pay in instalments, he would struggle to even get one gold. Who would hire him for any job around here? ¡°But it¡¯s really rare, to see people with missing limbs if not from birth¡± The guard rubbed his chin in deep thought. Then, he crinkled his nose and glared. ¡°Does your pursuit of this demon of yours have anything to do with it?¡± ¡°Actually, I¡ª ¡± But the guard did not stop to listen. Instead, he immediately embarked into a story of his own assumption. ¡°Oh, what a tragic fate! Once a warrior, then you lost your arms to a powerful demon while protecting a maiden¡­ I understand. I really understand you. Why, the same thing almost happened to me once. There was this girl, you see¡­ and this lizardman. And then¡­¡± The guard went on and on telling a tale of how he met his wife. Whether it was true or not, Lou couldn¡¯t care less. He realised a strange occurrence after talking to a number of NPCs. Sometime in the middle of the conversation, they would turn sympathetic towards him and made no sense. Lou highly suspected his ¡®Pitiful One¡¯ title. ¡®I¡¯ll just have to bear this¡­for an hour or so¡­¡¯ Lou groaned inwardly. *** ¡®Finally! That took a good chunk out of my precious time. Damn guard couldn¡¯t shut his mouth¡¯ Lou thought. He headed for the citadel gates early in the morning. He thought asking the guards was the best thing to do, considering the nature of his quest. If a crime occurred, one would call the police. Over here, the guards were the equivalent of the police. And now, the sun stood at its highest point in the sky. He had spent hours, just questioning one NPC. Hours, while doing a quest that had a time limit to complete. He even tried to leave in the middle of the guard¡¯s chattering, but the guard held him back and told him to stay. Twice ¡°Quest log!¡± He yelled, waking a cat that was taking a nap on a trash can.
Natalya had asked you to slay a demon hiding in Whitemoon Citadel. In exchange, she would grant you a pair of prosthetic arms and other equipment of hers in the hidden safe. You may refuse this quest by exiting the building, but you would never receive it again. Quest Objective(s): -Find the demon and slay it. -Retrieve the item binding Natalya¡¯s soul, and free her from her prison. Time left: 6 days 4 hours 17 minutes Quest Difficulty: D Quest Failure Penalty: The quest cannot be repeated if you fail. Fame ¨C 200 All stats ¨C 1
¡°It¡¯s almost been a day since I started the quest, and there¡¯s still no progress¡­¡± He muttered to himself. As a user, he had no need for rest. His true physical body was frozen in a cryogenic sleep. Naturally, he could take a nap if he wanted to. But, it wasn¡¯t a necessity or anything of the sort. ¡®And now, I¡¯ve racked up another two quests!¡¯
The sickly boy Jim had shared a story with you. The bakery he and his mother lived in was once a flourishing business with many customers. But one day, all their customers disappeared. Nobody came to buy anything from them, and the same thing had continued for weeks. Jim wished to help his mother, but he could not do it himself due to contracting a chronic disease. Instead, he requested help from you to bring customers to the bakery and return it to its old days. But you must hurry, because their business would not last for long in its current state. Quest Objective(s): -Advertise about the bakery to Users and NPCs in Whitemoon Citadel -Bring back a sufficient amount of customers for the business to flourish once again Time Left: 13 days 6 hours 24 minutes Quest Difficulty: D Quest Failure Penalty: The quest cannot be repeated if you fail. Fame ¨C 100
He had received this quest from Jim while had dinner yesterday. He was already burdened with the demon hunting quest, but he couldn¡¯t refuse since he had eaten their food. To top it off, an invisible tragic atmosphere permeated the dinner table. In the end, he accepted. Of course, he asked for an advance payment of a few pieces of bread. ¡®But¡­ quest difficulty D, for advertising a shop of all things!¡¯ Lou felt that there was an unforeseen problem in the quest. He might face more difficulties than he expected. However, he couldn¡¯t focus on this quest at the moment. At most, all he could do was to multitask. Whenever he asked an NPC about the demon, he¡¯d inform them of an amazing bakery and its whereabouts. The gate guard¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t favourable, though. The smile on the guard¡¯s face slipped, and he called Lou a liar. Before Lou could even question him any further, the guard chased him away with a pike. That was the only reason why Lou managed to get away from the guard¡¯s incessant chattering. And then there was another quest he received from the guard. Before the guard chased him away, of course.
The western gate guard, Jerry had informed you of his blacksmith friend who made prosthetic limbs. He also told you to mention his name in order to get a 10% discount. Quest Objective(s): -Go to the address mentioned by guard Jerry -Meet the blacksmith -Pay the price for the prosthetic limbs Quest Difficulty: E This quest may be abandoned.
¡®I wonder if the discount is still valid, though¡­ But I should keep this quest around, just in case I fail to slay or find the demon. At least then, I¡¯d have a backup plan in store¡¯ Lou sighed deeply and closed the quest log. He then gazed at the Beginner¡¯s Training Hall down the street. Even today, plenty of other users lined in front of the building. It had been three days since the launch of this virtual world, and other users were leaving him behind. ¡°That was a long sigh. How did your meeting with the healer go?¡± A familiar voice came from behind him. Lou spun on his feet and registered a face that he knew. A hard face that seemed to be chiselled from rocks, a buff body unsuited for his job, and a good posture with his back straight as a sword. It was the shopkeeper that gifted him five barley breads. ¡°From that miserable expression, I suppose it didn¡¯t go too well?¡± He said. ¡®No shit, Sherlock¡¯ *** Chapter 1 : A Handful of Troubles (Part V) In the inner ring of the Empire, eight fortresses guarded the capital. Of the eight cardinal directions, Whitemoon Citadel faced the West. But even the fortresses themselves were protected by countless outposts and fortified towns. An assault on the capital could be considered to be a futile attempt due to the octagonal web of protection. It was this high level of security that allowed the residents of the citadel to live easy-going lives. The markets boomed with trades, despite the ever present monster hordes outside of the walls. European styled shops that belonged to the Middle Ages filled every street and avenue, emptying the pockets of countless adventurers every day. Out of them all, one particular general store was closed on a completely fine day. No shopkeeper with any sense would refuse the opportunity to rake in the money without a good reason. Despite this, the shopkeeper merely spent his time chatting with a tall armless man over a cup of tea. ¡°So that¡¯s what happened¡­ how intriguing¡± The hard-faced shopkeeper said, his eyes gleaming with interest. Lou¡¯s recollection of his adventure around town seemed to be a pleasant surprise for the shopkeeper. ¡°Yes, I obviously remembered the wrong address to the healer¡¯s house. Can you repeat it again?¡± Lou said. The shopkeeper lifted a nouveau riche teacup and sipped on his tea. He stared blankly at the grooves on the wooden table, deep in thought. It didn¡¯t seem like the shopkeeper heard his request, so Lou opened his mouth again to repeat his sentence. ¡°Excuse me, can I¡ª¡± He began. ¡°So why did you accept her request? Do you believe that you could defeat a demon?¡± The shopkeeper interrupted him. Lou closed his mouth and shook his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t even seen a demon before. How¡¯d I know whether I could beat it? Chances are, I won¡¯t be able to¡± He replied. ¡°Then?¡± Lou knitted his brows, finding the right words to explain. Actually, Lou already knew that there was a chance of succeeding the quest. This virtual world, Armus, was a game. A quest handed out in the starting city would have to comply with certain standards. Therefore, there must be a certain strategy behind completing this D ranked quest that involved a bit more thinking than using brute force. The truth was an impractical thing to say to the shopkeeper. Because he was an NPC. ¡°Even if there¡¯s only a small possibility, I wouldn¡¯t know unless I try. Besides, we Users can¡¯t die permanently anyway¡± He paused, then added. ¡°And I couldn¡¯t just leave behind Natalya¡¯s soul to disappear¡± ¡®Better cut out all the excess details for the NPC¡¯s sake. Giving an extra reason might help, too. Not like I¡¯m lying though, I did sympathise with Natalya¡­ a tiny bit¡¯ The shopkeeper frowned, looking unconvinced by his words. He couldn¡¯t really blame him. Now that he thought about it again, his line did sound cheesy. This action proved that the NPCs weren¡¯t so simple, and had the same level of intellect as him. Or maybe higher, he hoped not. ¡°Well then, if you haven¡¯t met a demon before¡­let me just tell you that you have absolutely no chance¡± The shopkeeper said, sizing Lou up with his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no room for any tricks. You won¡¯t have the time to pull it off with your current power¡± ¡®Well, that sucks¡¯ Lou thought. The shopkeeper must¡¯ve been able to check his level and stats in a way. Basing on the shopkeeper¡¯s physique, he reckoned that the NPC had a rough background. So the judgement he gave should be highly accurate and reliable. The shopkeeper realised Lou¡¯s silence, and grinned. He emptied the teacup in one gulp, and banged it on the table. It¡¯s a wonder that it didn¡¯t shatter into a million pieces. ¡°However, things might be different if you beef up a little¡± ¡°If you mean heading over to the training hall, I¡¯d have to decline¡± Lou said. He had seen the monstrous line of users waiting for their turns every day. Even when the hall closed at night, some of them would sleep outside, waiting for the sun to rise. ¡°I don¡¯t have the time to spend on training. If I can¡¯t defeat the demon, then I¡¯ll locate it and ask for help from the guards¡± ¡°Guards, huh?¡± The shopkeeper rolled his eyes. ¡°Yes, guards. As in hired warriors who are paid to protect the citadel¡± The shopkeeper snorted at his words. He then shook his head and shrugged, as if Lou had uttered a very childish sentence. Heat rose up to Lou¡¯s head, but he kept himself in check. ¡®As annoying as he is¡­ this NPC knows a lot more about this world than I do. Maybe I did say something wrong, so I better listen first¡¯ ¡°Okay, Lou. Suppose you find this demon, how would you notify the guards?¡± ¡°If it didn¡¯t notice me, then I¡¯ll go and fetch them. If it did, I¡¯ll scream for help and run away. Next time I see it, I¡¯ll know how it looks like. Even if I die, I can just come back¡± Lou answered. It wasn¡¯t as if he hadn¡¯t given any thought to this. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s a sensible choice that makes full use of your special characteristics. But, let¡¯s analyse your opponent¡­¡± The shopkeeper stood up and walked over to the window. He opened the curtain slightly, just enough for a blade of light to enter. ¡°Your target, Lou¡­ is a demon that had hidden from the eyes of hundreds of thousands of people. Now, try to put that piece of information into your strategy planning and recalculate your course of action¡± Lou frowned, thinking hard about what the shopkeeper implied. ¡®Did he mean I wouldn¡¯t find the demon?¡¯ After all, the demon had hidden in the city for God knows how long. ¡®No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what he meant. We were discussing about what happens after I find it. Then¡­ I see!¡¯ Lou widened his eyes upon gaining an understanding of the shopkeeper¡¯s words. ¡°Since it is a master of concealment, the demon could be capable of altering its appearance! Even if I return with the guards, I might not be able to identify it. That¡¯s what you meant, right?¡± ¡°Partly. You could¡¯ve done better, though¡­¡± The shopkeeper said, turning Lou¡¯s cheeks red. ¡°Changing its looks, constantly moving around, shadow melding¡­ who knows how it hides itself? But that¡¯s only one aspect. Since it had hid itself for quite some time, it must be a cautious one, and avoid appearing in front of many people. I believe you would never find it again if you bring the guards over, not in the one week you have¡± ¡°So in the end, I¡¯ll have to fight it myself¡± Lou muttered under his breath, his head hung low. He released a long sigh, expelling all the disappointment and frustration he had built up since he entered this world. Then, he turned his gaze towards the shopkeeper. Now that there¡¯s only one path to follow, he removed all unnecessary worries in his head. ¡°Okay, mister shopkeeper. Let¡¯s go with your plan¡± ¡°It¡¯s Kyle. Glad to hear you making sense¡± *** ¡°So, this is a new candidate?¡± ¡®Candidate?¡¯ Lou thought. It was his third day on Armus, and he followed Kyle to the Beginner¡¯s Training Hall as instructed. He wanted to camp in front of the hall yesterday, but Kyle told him to stay over at his house. Lou thought the man had his own reasons, and complied. But he almost regretted agreeing with Kyle once he saw the familiar line of Users. Just as he was about to groan, Kyle dragged him to the very front and greeted the instructor like an old friend. In less than a minute, the instructor ushered them in. ¡°Well, not my candidate¡­ but you can consider him so. Anyway, I have to get back to my shop now. Take care of mister Lou here, and toughen him up¡± Kyle glanced at Lou and winked. ¡°Take care then, buddy!¡± Kyle said while waving goodbye at the entrance. ¡®Hey, you¡¯re just leaving me here? That¡¯s it?¡¯ Just as Lou had that thought, he felt a palm grasping his shoulder. A quick turn of his head revealed the bear of a man who people referred to as the instructor. Lou always kept one fact close to his heart. ¡®There is always someone greater than you¡¯, which applied to any characteristics one had. As such, he wasn¡¯t easily shocked by meeting his betters. However, the instructor was the first person to have made him feel like a powerless puppy, both in size and strength. ¡°H-hello, I¡¯m Lou. Nice to meet you!¡± He put on the best smile he could muster, displaying his pearly whites. All that toothpaste he spent his money on better not disappoint him. The instructor¡¯s face cracked into a smile. Cracked, because his jaws looked like they could crunch steel. ¡®All those edges, did his mother sculpt him to life?¡¯ Lou thought. The clean shaved head didn¡¯t make the instructor look any less vicious either. Not to mention the next words he said. ¡°Hello, fresh meat¡± Lou gulped down his saliva. *** The training hall buzzed with activity as usual, but this was the first time Lou observed it from the inside. The football field-sized building housed rows upon rows of straw dummies. Each of them occupied the centre of small areas about nine metres squared in size, enough space for even the wildest sword swingers. The Users wielded a variety of weapons, with varying proficiencies and enthusiasm. The way he saw it, the Users were split into three groups. The first group was the lazy bums, who merely tapped the dummies with wooden swords while chatting with each other. It was probably an attempt to cheat the system. They probably thought the system would award them with bonus stat points after a certain number of hits. Lou couldn¡¯t tell whether that would work or not, but he wasn¡¯t interested in copying them. The second group was the experts, who distanced themselves from each other. From short wooden daggers to quarterstaffs, and even bare-handed, they exhibited a certain level of skill when hitting the dummies. Wasteful movements were rare, and most of their hits landed on precise spots on the dummy. Those without knowledge of the human anatomy wouldn¡¯t recognise those areas as vital spots, which induced death after receiving sufficient damage. The third group¡­ ¡°Yin Yang Dragon Strike of the Heavenly Thunder Cloud!¡± One person shouted as he swung his fist at the dummy. ¡°Ghostly Footsteps: Dance of the Shadow Demon: Version Two: Chapter Six!¡± Another person hopped about the immobile dummy, pretending to evade a storm of imaginary attacks. ¡°Wahahahaha! Once I open my Evil God¡¯s Eye, the seal on my right arm would be broken and the Black Dragon which even my master could not control would raze you to cinders!¡± A small girl shouted, while keeping one of her eyes closed. It also looked like she had bandaged one of her hands, for some reason. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡®How terrible was their life on Earth that they carried over their escapism to this world?¡¯ Lou thought as he eyed the eight-grade syndrome group. He shook his head in pity. ¡°How long are you going to stare at other people? Get started!¡± The instructor¡¯s voice boomed behind him. ¡®He¡¯s got a point. Now¡¯s not the time for this¡¯ Lou cracked his neck and returned his attention to the straw dummy reserved just for him. He adjusted his breathing according to a specific rhythm, and channelled his inner strength throughout his whole body. ¡®It¡¯s been so long since I did anything like this. Have I gotten rusty?¡¯ He spread his legs wider, lowering his centre of gravity. Left leg forward, right leg backwards. Having prepared his battle stance, Lou pumped in his power into his calves. He felt the familiar feeling of his muscles expanding and¡­ He did a roundhouse kick. The twist in his hips, the rotation of his upper body, the pressure he applied on the pivot foot, every movement was intended to combine the strength of his entire body into one explosive attack. As a result, his right leg cut through the air like a guillotine. However¡­ Several inches before his attack connected, he lost his balance. The trajectory of his attack strayed from the target, and he spun in a circle before stumbling onto the floor. The noise he made when falling down attracted the attention of the surrounding Users. ¡°Did he just fall down?¡± ¡°Haha, seriously? He couldn¡¯t even handle a dummy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s armless, AND harmless! Ahahahahahahah, I¡¯m funny, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Dude, that¡¯s just tasteless¡± His noise attracted the surrounding Users, and their conversation attracted even more Users in turn. In a matter of seconds, the attention of every single User moved towards him. The Hall turned deathly quiet, with everyone pausing their practice session. Lou grit his teeth and got back onto his feet. He retook his previous stance, and focused on the dummy. He tuned out the sound of his newly gained spectators. Then, he forcefully excluded everyone¡¯s presence from his senses. To him, in this world right now, only he and the dummy existed. ¡®It¡¯s okay. I was already aware of my balance issues, and I¡¯ve abandoned martial arts for too long. The previous mistake was expected. All that¡¯s left now is to recalibrate myself¡¯ He repeated the roundhouse kick. With a loud thud, he fell onto the floor again. ¡®Almost there, the feeling is just at the tip of my toes. One more time!¡¯ He stumbled. ¡®Again!¡¯ ¡®Another one!¡¯ The same scene repeated itself multiple times, and most of the Users diverted their attention away from him. Some continued to observe him with mild interest. A few hurled insults at him, and laughed at his fruitless efforts. But the experts had their attentions caught by Lou¡¯s movements. They sensed it. They could tell from the flawless technique, that Lou wasn¡¯t a simple cripple. Something big was coming, they could feel it in their pounding hearts. Lou adjusted his stance, and tried again. For the seventh time, his right leg transformed into a guillotine and sliced through the air. However¡­ A loud thud and a crack resounded throughout the hall. The Users who had lost attention earlier returned their gazes towards him. By observing the scene, they understood that Lou had finally landed a hit. But all of them wondered, what was that cracking sound? All, except those near Lou. Upon closer inspection, the dummy was slightly tilted to the left. Thin cracks spread on the stone floor. The cracks originated from the iron pole that supported the dummy. Lou removed his right leg, and the Users gasped. Half of the dummy¡¯s face was caved in. Their reactions weren¡¯t unfounded. No matter how hard they hit their straw dummies, they could only slice off strands of hair. When they used blunt force, the straw would rebound and resume a shape close to its original state. However¡­ the straw dummy head kicked by Lou had been permanently deformed. That one kick from a Level 1 like them had exceeded the tensile strength of the straw! But Lou didn¡¯t realise any of his spectators¡¯ reactions. Until he regained full control of his body, he didn¡¯t dare to remove the mental filter he placed to isolate himself from the surroundings. ¡®More¡­that was still amateurish. I¡¯m still too rusty, I need to practice more!¡¯ Roundhouse kick, axe kick, flying knee, leg sweep. He didn¡¯t even notice the message windows that appeared to warn him of the damages he received from strong impact. Everything that wasn¡¯t a part of his body or the dummy was inexistent. This was the highest state of concentration he had ever reached in life, probably due to the pain reduced to 1% in this world. ¡®Yes, I¡¯m regaining the feeling! This was how it was back then!¡¯ Lou rained a flurry of kicks onto the dummy, steadily deforming it into a pulp. The spectators did nothing but watch him, enraptured by his smooth yet powerful movements. Even the third group stopped their imaginary battles and looked at him. ¡®You¡¯re finished!¡¯ Lou spun his body and jumped. Utilising the rotational force, his legs arced through the air before hitting the battered dummy. With one ear-splitting screech, the iron pole scraped through the floor and uprooted itself from the stone. The dummy tumbled away and knocked a person off his feet. Nobody batted an eye for the victim, since he was the one who hurled the most insults at Lou. ¡®I did it¡­¡¯ With that thought in mind, Lou reopened himself to the world. And a loud round of applause and cheering greeted him. The instructor cupped his hands and yelled at him. ¡°You have skills, fresh meat!¡± ¡®What? Eh?¡¯ He turned his head left and right in confusion, taking a moment to understand the situation. Then, he tended to the numerous system notification windows that had popped up.
Strength + 1
Agility + 1
Stamina + 1
Charisma + 2
Fame + 30
And another half a dozen with the same messages. There was also a few windows displaying different information from the stats he gained.
New stat generated: Fighting Spirit You¡¯ve proven to have strong willpower which is capable of enduring strong psychological pressure. Disregarding the humiliating situation, you pressed on to your goal. Description: -Weaker monsters would avoid you -Monsters with lesser fighting spirit would have a small stat reduction when battling against you -Points cannot be distributed to this stat -This stat would increase when facing difficult situations head on regardless of physical or psychological nature
Fighting Spirit + 5
You have acquired a passive skill: Close Combat Mastery (Beginner Lv: 1 | 0%) You have displayed magnificent control of your body in close combat! Many would scoff at the thought of fighting in close proximity to your opponent, but you have proven that taking the fight up close and personal is a strategy that should not be underestimated. Effect: Increases Attack Power when fighting in close combat (+3% ATK) Increases Attack Speed when fighting in close combat (+3% ATK SPD)
¡®A skill! But that still pales in comparison to this window¡­¡¯
You have been granted the title: Martial Artist Your smooth and powerful use of martial arts had entranced numerous people. Many seek martial arts for the sake of power, but most forget that it is a form of art. Whenever you fight, interest would soar among the spectators. Effect: +1 to all stats +30% to NPC intimacy growth rate if they see you performing martial arts +5% to ATK & ATK Speed when fighting in close combat
Lou stared at his new title in awe. Without wasting any time, he shouted a command. ¡°Apply Title: Martial Artist!¡±
Your active title had been switched from Pitiful One to Martial Artist
¡®Finally¡­ I¡¯m free from that accursed title! Martial artist¡­ this feels so nostalgic. It¡¯s been so long¡¯ Lou panned his head to view the crowd. All of them had resumed their training with doubled efforts. Even the lazy bums group began practicing earnestly. The experts performed flashy techniques, intent on showing their skills that didn¡¯t fall far behind him. As for the third group¡­ they tried to integrate his movements into their imaginary play. As long as they¡¯re happy, Lou thought. ¡®This scene, it¡¯s just like the old days. When my fans and competitors get excited watching me fight and tried out my moves in front of the television!¡¯ Lou paused and smiled bitterly at his missing stumps. Not because he couldn¡¯t accept losing them. The reason was an incident which occurred on the same day that he lost those precious hands of his¡­ The day he first experienced defeat. *** Next part is flashback time! [th_053_XD.gif] But I have a test the day after tomorrow [th_110_.gif], so it might be a bit late. P.S.: I have no idea whether it is humanely possible to exceed the tensile strength of straw with the human body or not. I just added that in for the wow factor. If it offends you in any way, please turn a blind eye to it! [th_0gotas.gif]