《Skill-Less Swordsman》
1. The Big 20 and 2/3s!
The morning is gray and chilly, as is usual at this time of year. I can tell that winter is close based on the frosty condensation that leaks from my breath. I can even feel the slight chill biting at my muscles, though the cold is the least of my worries today.
After all today¡¯s the day I¡¯m finally going to turn level 1. Though, if that was it I would be feeling a lot better right about now. Because alongside that, today¡¯s the deadline I set for myself to form my core, I can¡¯t turn level 1 without it. Well, I could, but as soon as I learned about cultivation 3 years ago from Uncle Moren, I knew I had to form my core before level.
I¡¯m just so close, I can feel it. Though if I¡¯m completely honest with myself, It probably won¡¯t happen after all less than one percent of people manage it, and though I have my own share of impossibilities, I just don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to do it today. I¡¯m missing something. What it is, I have no clue.
On top of all that, Uncle Moren¡¯s been hyping up some big job he¡¯s got cooking up. I have no clue of any of the details, as he loves to keep me waiting until the last possible moment when it comes to these jobs he gives me, but I know it¡¯s going to be a big one.
¡®Anyway, the day¡¯s not gonna start itself.¡¯ I think to myself as I stretch on last time.
With that I take in my very familiar surroundings. A small clearing in the woods, surrounded on all sides by leafless trees. This has been my go-to spot for almost 10 years now, and though not really the prettiest place in the world, it¡¯s nice enough, and more importantly quiet.
Without this place, I¡¯d be stuck practicing in the loud, annoying cacophony of noises that is the city. ¡®Practicing what?¡¯ you may ask? Well, the sword, of course! I truly believe there is no greater pursuit than the sword in all of the multiverse. The routine of it, the betterment of oneself, it truly doesn¡¯t get better.
I glance to my right to look at my trusty ol¡¯ reliable. The sword isn¡¯t exactly anything special, looking like a typical gladius sword with some slight rust and dirt strewn throughout it¡¯s length, and the cloth tassels slightly unwound. It¡¯s been through thick and thin with me ever since I snagged it from that wandering adventurer so many years back. At first glance it may not look like much, but though my father wasn¡¯t good for much, one thing he always used to say was the better the sword, the worse the swordsman!
Thinking of my father still leaves a sour taste in my mouth, even all these years later. Thinking of his face as I plunged this same sword through his chest. Though he was an asshole and made living my life truly miserable, I always wonder if there was something else I could¡¯ve done¡
¡°Quit getting distracted you idiot¡¡± I chide myself quietly.
I slap my face lightly and begin my usual routine of practicing my swordsmanship for hours and exercising, though for many less hours than I would like. After all I¡¯ve many things to do today, and I need to finish this job AND form my core before the awakening time at 11:39 at night. Don¡¯t ask me why everyone¡¯s awakening time is such a random time, couldn¡¯t tell you, apparently the multiverse isn¡¯t one to care about even numbers.
After practicing my sword skills for a few hours, I close my eyes to cultivate. Apparently forming my core isn¡¯t something physical that happens, instead it feels spiritual, and like I become close with the wider multiverse, whatever that means. I¡¯m half convinced Uncle Moren is messing with me sometimes, though I know he¡¯s not, as I often see what he can do with his own formed core.
The first step to forming my core is to envision what I want my core to embody. Since I¡¯ve learned about cultivation, I knew what it needed to be. There is no greater thing I want my core to embody than the sword. After all, to me the sword represents the best parts of life. Diligence, routine, and most importantly, the betterment of oneself.
The next step is reaffirming your ideals and what your ideals mean to you. Lots of self-reflection type stuff, which is something I¡¯ve never struggled with. After all, life in Justice City is tough, and without self-reflection it¡¯s easy to fall into dark habits.
The last step is the part I¡¯ve been struggling with, and its actualization of those very same ideals. It¡¯s not that I haven¡¯t been diligent or bettering myself, I just have yet to make a breakthrough in further embodying the sword as a whole
I¡¯m quickly shaken out of my musings, much to my annoyance, to see Uncle Moren grinning widely down at me. He looks much the same as he usually does. Bald, strong thick hands, crooked teeth, red graphic crewneck, scraggly gray beard, and that stupid Irish cap on that he thinks makes him seem like some sort of gangster from the old world.
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Don¡¯t let looks deceive you though, Uncle Moren is quite well connected in the City of Justice. He¡¯s easily one of the most trustworthy and reputable underground information broker in the whole city.
¡°I knew I¡¯d find you here Rowan my boy!¡± He practically yells.
¡°Really? I was kinda in the middle of something here. Big day and all that.¡± I say flatly, my tone filled with annoyance. ¡°Also do you really need to be so loud? I come out here for a reason ya know.¡±
¡°Oh don¡¯t be so rough around the edges Rowan my boy! Today is a joyous day! Joyous indeed!¡±
¡°Uh huh, I don¡¯t suppose this has something to do with that job of yours that you¡¯ve been ranting to me about for weeks now, but won¡¯t tell me anything about?¡±
¡°Very astute Rowan my boy! Why yes indeed it does! Trust me, once you learn how much money were gonna be making, you¡¯ll have the same shit-eating grin I do!¡± He says as he slaps his hand on my back.
¡°Uh huh,¡± I ask suspiciously, ¡°If it¡¯s so important why am I going, and not some higher tier? Surely there¡¯s more qualified people than your glorified errand boy.¡±
¡°That¡¯s where your wrong my boy! See this jobs requires a certain amount of, shall I say subtlety. Anyone higher tier, especially on this backwater planet will attract too much attention. Even a tier 1 will always have a few eyes on them. But some nobody who hasn¡¯t even awakened yet? Nobody will bat an eye at them. Also I need someone trustworthy, and whose more trustworthy than the brat who I practically raised.¡± He says confidently, nose pointed high in the air.
¡°Raised is a bit of a strong word, more like took advantage of for free labor.¡±
¡°Oh please, you loved those little nick and run jobs and you know it.¡±
¡°Whatever I¡¯ll be out of here by tomorrow anyways so doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡±
¡°Yeah¡ about that. You really sure you wanna go? I mean, we got a good thing going here, ya know? And after you awaken, business will only get better! After all who knows what kind of awesome classes skills your gonna get to chose from, what with all that training your always doing. No way you haven¡¯t got at least one prodigy feat in that status of your after all.¡±
¡°Sorry Uncle Morin, my mind¡¯s been made up a long time ago, I need to temper my mind and sword with challenges outside of this city.¡±
¡°If you say so kid.¡± He says with a sigh before turning around and beginning to walk towards the city, ¡°Just meet me at my place to go over the details of the job at 3.¡±
As I watch him walk off I can¡¯t help but feel nostalgic for simpler times, times when all I had on my mind was the sword and the simple jobs I used to do when I was younger.
I mentally look at my status before continuing with my cultivation.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
0
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength - 7
Agility - 10
Dexterity - 12
Endurance - 5
Perception - 9
Intelligence - 8
Willpower - 15
Masteries
Swords - 14
Temperance - 12
Stealth - 7
Sprinting - 6
Exercise - 5
Thievery - 3
Deception - 3
Killing ¨C 2
Skills
Feats
Early Killer - The deadliest killers started young, and once you''ve killed once, what''s another? Kill a sentient being before level 1. Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - You''ve trained and begun your path of sword mastery strong. Get Swords Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - You''ve tempered your mind to be as solid as stone. Get Temperance Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Your will remains steadfast and unbroken while holding a sword. Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - A true swordsman needs nothing but himself and the sword. Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Pretty impressive status, if I do say so myself. Looking at my race, though, always takes the wind out of my sails a bit. Apparently, my mother was a Janin, which is basically just a human but green. I¡¯m not exactly green anywhere, so I suppose I took after my father more than anything.
While Janin aren¡¯t exactly common on earth, they¡¯re not so rare that I¡¯ve never seen one. What I will say about them is while they may look almost human, their mannerisms are quite alien. It¡¯s like watching an animatronic walking and talking out in the real world.
Anyway the rest of my status I¡¯m quite proud of, though. When it comes to masteries, even getting one to level 10 is considered to be a 1 and 100,000 genius, so you could say I¡¯m a bit of a genius. Not that I exactly care what other people consider me¡ ok I do a little bit, but not a lot.
When it comes to my three feats, the first one I got immediately after killing my asshole of a father. Though it¡¯s a bit of an open secret that this trait exists, nobody really wants to, or will, talk about it. After all nobody wants to be asked how they came to find out about it.
The last two I got for progressing both my swords mastery and my temperance mastery to level 10 before my awakening. These two are my proudest achievements, the culmination of years of hard work and training put into two little feats.
My traits I¡¯ve almost always had, I remember being 13 and 1/4¡¯s old and unlocking my status for the first time. Seeing these traits made all the tough, hungry nights worth it to me, and still do. If I ever meet whatever controls the system, I¡¯ll have to thank them for both of these traits.
I, of course have no skills yet, as I¡¯ll have to wait until my awakening to even begin gaining skill points.
I sigh to myself, ¡®Alright, enough gawking. My core isn¡¯t gonna form itself.¡¯
2. The Plan
¡°So let me get this straight,¡± I say with an eyebrow raised, ¡°you want me to sneak into some progenitor¡¯s party, find some mysterious safe, then you want me to trust that this so called code for the safe actually works, and on top of all that, you want me to not get caught or leave a trace?¡±
¡°You won¡¯t be sneaking in Rowan my boy! You¡¯ll walk right in! I worked some magic, and was able to secure an invitation, that before you ask, is completely legit! No need to worry!¡± Uncle Rowan says with a toothy, confident smile.
¡°Ok, but again I ask, why not put someone a bit more qualified for the task? I mean, I appreciate the vote of confidence but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m exactly qualified to be stealing from a progenitor. Those guys are monsters who¡¯ve been alive since the old world after all. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re plenty aware of the possibility of someone trying to steal from them.¡±
¡°It¡¯s just like I said, a tierless loser like you won¡¯t be drawing any looks at all, especially considering there¡¯s so many higher tiers out and about for this party! Who expects anyone to try something so stupid!¡± He bellows with a hearty chuckle.
¡°Well if you say so,¡± I sigh in defeat, ¡°but you¡¯re sure things won¡¯t take a turn for the worse? I¡¯m not exactly ready to die ya know.¡±
¡°Quit be such a, as the old worlders used to say, scaredy cat. Plus I have some higher tier guys ready to pull you out if things go wrong.¡±
¡°How high tier we talking here?¡±
¡°All of them are tier 5 minimum, and one¡¯s even a tier 7.¡±
¡°Really that high? How¡¯d you manage that?¡±
¡°Oh you know, pulled some strings.¡± He smiles evilly.
¡°Ok well that¡¯s all well and good, but what if the big man comes after me? Ya know, one of the few remaining progenitors who still live on this shitty planet and tier 11, at MINIMUM.¡±
¡°Oh please, Waylen¡¯s head is so far up his own ass, he wouldn¡¯t be caught dead attacking such ¡®weaklings¡¯ as he would say.¡±
¡°Ok, but if your wrong, it¡¯s my head on the chopping block¡±
¡°Relax, everything is gonna go great, you¡¯ll see.¡±
¡°Rowan my boy! Can you hear me!¡± I hear booming in my ear.
¡°Yes yes, now please quit screaming. Now how far can this thing reach?¡± I say, referring to the old world ear piece I have on that looks vaguely like an earring, ¡°And tell me again why we can¡¯t just use some magitech equipment for this?¡±
¡°We¡¯ve gone over this, we can¡¯t risk being caught out by a magical array. I wasn¡¯t able to find anything saying they have these arrays for sure, but you can never be to safe when it comes to this stuff. Those things should be good for up to a mile. I¡¯ve got a small base set up at about that range outside his mansion, ready to give support.¡±
I look down at my outfit. A simple black tuxedo with a red bowtie and matching red lapels. Apparently the accent color of your tuxedo is supposed to correspond to the element of your core in high society, but seeing as I have yet to form my core, let alone establish my element, I¡¯m supposed to accent my tuxedo with whatever element I believe that I will resonate with in the future.
Of course how could I forget my sword strapped to my waste, which isn¡¯t exactly common, but neither is it uncommon. Ceremonial swords exist all over the place in high society after all, and while my sword doesn¡¯t exactly scream ¡®ceremonial¡¯, I can just say It¡¯s a very old heirloom or something similar.
I chose red because most people see fire-cored individuals as high tempered and underestimate their strategic prowess. It¡¯s a small thing I know, but for such a high-profile mission, every little bit could come in handy. Plus, they may misidentify me if I ever get caught as already having a fire core.
I hear in my ear again, ¡°Anyway, stick to the plan, show them the invite at the door, then wait approximately two hours, enough for people to get a few drinks in them. Finally all you gotta do is find the safe, destroy any wards placed on it with that signal-less disruptor I gave you and get out. Simple right?¡±
¡°Well if you put it like that it sounds easy peezy, you know more than I do that things don¡¯t always go according to plan.¡±
¡°You¡¯ll figure it out I¡¯m sure.¡± He laughs heartily.
¡°Uh huh¡.¡±
I look up to see my magitech carriage quickly approaching the mansion, or should I say palace, in question. How Uncle Moren managed to get his hands on one of these is anyone¡¯s guess.
I looks much like where you would expect a king to live during the medieval times of the old world. Set about 5 miles outside of the city, it had multiple large spires that seem to touch the clouds, with a large, imposing magically built stone wall that seems to be absolutely littered with guards.
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¡°You¡¯re absolutely, 100% sure about this? Those guards look like they mean business¡¡±
¡°Yes, now quit complaining and get ready to show them your invitation.¡±
As I approach the gate, I see many carriages, similar to the one I¡¯m in right now, lined up and waiting in line to enter the gate.
The gate, contrary to the rest of the wall, looks like pure reinforced steel. Not only that but it seems to teem with a low purple magical glow. Clearly not an ordinary gate, and they want you to know that.
Apparently this place was built almost 180 years ago, only 20 years after Earth¡¯s integration. A time when factions vying for control often built large mega structures around dungeons to prevent other powers from coming and attempting to seize control of them. The dungeon in this place is still actively used to build up Waylen¡¯s forces and family.
When it¡¯s my turn to enter, I hand the strange box, given to me by Uncle Moren, to the guard. He pulls out a strange device and presses it against on of the boxes faces.
¡°Moren Investing group?¡± The guard says with a raised eyebrow.
¡®Goddamnit it Moren, why¡¯s he looking at me like that?! You said this thing was legit!¡¯ I think to myself as a bead of sweat rolls down my head.
¡°Yup, that¡¯s me.¡± I say, attempting to sound as non-suspicious as possible
He looks me up and down, and realizing my tier he says, ¡°Whatever, your good to go through.¡±
I nod, trying my hardest to not let out a sigh of relief as my carriage enters the gate.
Well at least I got something out of that whole fiasco. Leveling a mastery gives much more experience, one, the more important an action is deemed, and two, the more stats that went into performing that action. That¡¯s why the higher level you are, the easier time you have leveling a mastery. That combined with the larger amount of feats and traits that boost certain masteries.
Once through, and out of earshot of anyone else, I say, ¡°What the hell Uncle Moren? What kind of name in ¡®Moren Investing Group¡¯? That name¡¯s practically screaming ¡®Fake company here! Come get me!¡¯¡±
¡°Who cares? You made it through, didn¡¯t you?¡± Uncle Moren says, definitely sporting a smug grin on the other, ¡°Anyway with that behind us, let¡¯s focus on what you have to do in the next couple of hours.¡±
¡°And what would that be.¡± I sigh out.
¡°Not looking like you want to rob a powerful progenitor, and acting like a proper member of Moren Investing Group. I.e. making connections and talking to people. Fitting in is the name of the game here Rowan my boy, and you just need to play it for a little bit.¡±
I finally arrive at the mansion, before I hop off my carriage and watch as it goes to park itself. Still don¡¯t understand how some stupid lines in metal can do something like that.
¡®Whatever not the time¡¯ I think to myself.
Looking at the entrance to the mansion, its much as I expected it to be, and that is over the top and gaudy. From the expensive magical floating chandeliers powered on mana cores, to the carpet rolling all the outside that seems to have stat boosting enchantments on it, goddamn enchantments! Can you believe that?! Even if it¡¯s a single stat point, the amount of wealth need to fully enchant a goddamn carpet is probably enough to buy all of Justice City!
The obscene disregard for money is enough to make me sick to my stomach, but I push that feeling down and approach the butler standing at the very large and imposing open doorway.
¡°Hello good sir, your invitation please¡± He says regally.
¡°Uh yeah sure, here it is.¡± I say as I hand the cube to him.
Much like the guard before him, he takes out what I assume is some type of scanner, and presses it to the same face as the guard.
¡°Hmmm, everything seems to be in order Mr¡¡± He says.
¡°Uh Seth, Seth Moren. Daniel Moren is my father and the head of Moren Investing Group of course!¡±
¡°Well Mr. Moren, welcome to Mr. Wayland¡¯s abode, please follow me inside.¡± He says, quickly turning and walking inside.
Following him, I look around and gawk at the obscene opulence of the place. Paintings of epic battles of what I assume take place during the integration, litter every section of the walls of the hallways. Gold tiled floors seem to be omnipresent throughout the whole compound, with that same enchanted carpet that curiously wonder which stat it raises.
I quickly look at my status.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
0
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength - 7
Agility - 11(+1)
Dexterity - 12
Endurance - 5
Perception - 9
Intelligence - 8
Willpower - 15
Masteries
Swords - 14
Temperance - 12
Stealth - 7
Sprinting - 6
Exercise - 5
Thievery - 3
Deception - 3
Killing ¨C 2
Skills
Feats
Early Killer - The deadliest killers started young, and once you''ve killed once, what''s another? Kill a sentient being before level 1. Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - You''ve trained and begun your path of sword mastery strong. Get Swords Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - You''ve tempered your mind to be as solid as stone. Get Temperance Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Your will remains steadfast and unbroken while holding a sword. Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - A true swordsman needs nothing but himself and the sword. Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
¡®Hmm, agility I guess. Now that you mention it I do feel a little faster I suppose.¡¯ I think to myself.
Still, such a small boost for something as large as a carpet that seems to travel across the entirety of this place, is so excessive that I can feel my face turn green with the amount of wasted money.
¡®That much money could feed so many people in the slums¡¡¯ I think sadly.
I¡¯m broken out of my musings when I run into something sturdy. I look up to se the butler glaring at me.
He clears his throat and says with a small hint of annoyance, ¡°We are here Mr. Moren, please enjoy your time.¡±
3. Time to Act
As the butler walks away, I begin to take in the large hall in front of me. The same chandeliers I saw earlier are strewn all throughout the hall, with the enchanted carpet leading up a large, grandiose stairway. The hall itself is almost 5 stories tall, multiple hallways seeming to converge into the hall, clearly indicating the hall as some sort of centerpiece of the compound. There are tables full of food scattered all over, and waiters with trays full of small confectionaries and drinks.
Looking at my fellow guests, I see much of what I expected. Rich, affluent members of Justice City, all sporting tuxedos and dresses with accents that indicate their preferred element. Headbands and earrings, lapels and shoes, all every single possible color imaginable. I spot shades of blue, red, green, purple, grey; you name it I can see it within the large crowd of people.
I walk confidently into the hall like I¡¯m supposed to be there. I begin conversing with fellow party goers about very mundane and bland topics, like how ¡®the representative of the Guild of Merchants in Justice City is a corrupt scoundrel¡¯ or how ¡®Emily Wittensworth¡¯s daughter slept with Justice City¡¯s Leader of Agricultural Commerce¡¯. Very interesting stuff I assure you.
My strategy with this section of the job was to nod my head and say small comments about the topics being discussed. You¡¯d be surprised on how far a couple of ¡®Yes, I heard about that too¡¯ and a ¡®Well you must think about it from a different perspective as well¡¯ will get you.
After about an hour, something at least somewhat interesting happened. I hear a few shouts and squeals from across the banquet hall, clearly indicating some sort of altercation. After a few moments I hear yelled out loudly,
¡°Fine, but if you dare insult my family to my face you must deal with the consequences! I, Worthy Millheart, challenge you to a duel outside this instant!¡±
Gasps ring throughout the hall, but mentally I¡¯m thanking my lucky stars.
¡®This is it! There won¡¯t be a more perfect moment to slip away and into the rest of the mansion!¡¯ I yell to myself mentally.
As people begin to funnel outside through a hallway that seems to lead to a courtyard of some sort, I begin casually walking through the wrong hallway. Not sneaking mind you, as trying to sneak here is just asking to get stopped and questioned. Blending in and acting like I know where I¡¯m going is the much better play here.
¡®Wow, this mission is doing wonder for my masteries right now.¡¯ I think happily. ¡®Anyways back on track.¡¯
After continuing down this hallway for a bit I begin to realize I literally have no clue where I am or where to go.
¡°Uncle Moren! Hello? You there?¡± I whisper loudly.
¡°Yeah kid what¡¯s up? There an issue or something?¡±
¡°Uh yeah, I¡¯m in the rest of the mansion and have no clue where I¡¯m going.¡±
¡°Ok well the safe should be in Waylen¡¯s bedroom on the third floor, so look for a staircase or something. Once your there just, idk, find it¡¡± He says weakly.
¡°Just find it? JUST FIND IT? You don¡¯t know where it is?! I thought you had everything mapped out!¡±
¡°Yeah the whole PLAN mapped out. Where the hell am I gonna find the blueprints to some castle built almost a couple hundred years ago, not to mention a Progenitor¡¯s castle?!¡±
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¡°I don¡¯t know man! But you said and I quote ¡®Don¡¯t worry about specifics until you get in there, I got everything mapped out, trust me.¡± Wow a whole lot that trust did! You know how huge this place is! No way I¡¯m gonna be able to find Waylen¡¯s room on my own!¡± I say as I try my best to not yell to loudly.
¡°Well why don¡¯t you just ¡®enlist¡¯ some help then?¡± Moren says in a guile tone.
¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m doing this¡¡± I say defeatedly.
¡°Come on! It¡¯s not I¡¯m asking you to kill anyone, though this would be a lot easier if you did.¡± I hear in my ear.
¡°I¡¯m not killing some poor maid, I¡¯ve only had to kill like five times, and all of them were self-defense. Killing someone just trying to do their job is well beyond the line I set for myself.¡±
¡°Alright I get it, I¡¯m just saying¡¡±
Ignoring Uncle Moren, I refocus on the maid I¡¯ve been tailing for the last five minutes. I¡¯ve been waiting for her to be alone and far away so that way, even if she tries to scream, I¡¯ll at least have enough distance to be able to bail and get out of here.
Looking at the maid in question, I can tell she¡¯s young. Maybe a few years younger than me, so inexperienced, and more importantly, unawakened.
I place a mask Moren prepared for me around my face. At this point if anyone sees me, the plan is ruined anyways, so no point in revealing my face too.
Five more minutes later, I pounce, placing my hand over her mouth and my sword to her neck.
¡°Scream and I¡¯ll kill you.¡± I say as my heart races. She stiffens, before quickly relaxing.
I continue,
¡°Now, I want you to lead me to Waylen¡¯s room, no sudden movements or¡ well you know.¡±
She nods calmly. Actually, thinking of it she¡¯s acting far more composed than I would expect someone in her position to be. Does she not believe herself to be in any real danger? Why would that be? My sword against her neck is clearly an indication of ¡®real danger¡¯, so why does she seem¡ unbothered.
I suddenly become much more alert, glancing at all my surroundings. I don¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary, so why the hell is she so calm?!
I turn my head back to where she is, only to notice she¡¯s suddenly gone. I look down to see her quickly coming at me with a small dagger. Before I can back up, she¡¯s already on me dagger place firmly in my side.
¡°Shit.¡± I curse to myself before leaping back several steps to create some space between the two of us.
Dagger still in side, I lookup to see her pull out another knife from a sheath strapped to her thigh.
¡°Code red! Compromised, Compromised!¡±
¡°Shit, what the hell happened?! Is she awakened?!¡± I hear in my ear while stuck in a standoff with the maid.
¡°No but she is trained, clearly. Got the jump on me too.¡± I say looking down at the dagger in my side. ¡°Don¡¯t think she hit anything lethal, but I¡¯ll bleed out if this keeps up.¡±
¡°Alright sending my boy in to recover you. Things are about to get loud.¡±
¡®FUCK FUCK FUCK! This fucking sucks! Alright calm down, you must be active in this fight, or else she¡¯ll stand there forever just waiting for you to bleed out.¡¯ I think.
Without further delay I charge at her with no lack of pain bursting from my side. I swing my sword down at her, but as she begins to move out of the way, I redirect my sword directly to where her neck will be.
This move worked for the last guy I killed, but it doesn¡¯t seem to faze her much as she throws her body back to reset the engagement. My swing lands a glancing blow on her calf, but before she can escape my range I continue to press her by thrusting my sword towards where she landed.
Before my thrust connects, she brings her knife forward to parry. While she did manage to remove most of my sword¡¯s momentum, my thrust still lands another glancing blow on her side. Before I can bring my sword forward again, I see a leg coming from my right, ready to cave my skull in.
¡®Damn, this girl must have a few prodigy feats at least! How unlucky can I get!¡¯ I think, quickly ducking below her kick.
I throw out a few light slashes to keep her on her toes, which she follows by trying to gouge my eye out with her knife. As she¡¯s thrust her knife towards my face, I bring my sword into an upwards slash towards her arm, while I move my head to the side.
This seemed to have caught her off guard, as she is slightly to slow to react, allowing me to land a nasty gash on her forearm. I can see her face visibly harden, before throwing her knife full force towards my chest. This catches me way off guard, as what kind of person throws their weapon in the middle of a fight?
Time seems to slow in my head, as I slowly watch her knife fly at my chest. I look down at my sword, somehow knowing that no matter what the situation may be, no matter how dire the situation, no matter how far my sword may be, my sword will always be right where I need it. I know that anywhere I wish my sword to be, it will be there, ready to defend and attack at a moment¡¯s notice.
I feel something deep in my chest form. Something so profound that words will never be able to describe it. It feels as if I connected on a deeper level to the world around me, with the bridge between me and the world being the sword I hold in my hand.
In a flash, my sword appears where the knife is headed, with my hand still somehow attached to it. After a quick spark, and a knife clattering to the ground. I look at the notifications blaring in my head in amazement.
4. Saved
¡®Holy shit, I actually did it?!¡¯ I think to myself while looking back to young maid I so vastly underestimated.
Her face seems baffled, but I can¡¯t blame her! After all I¡¯m just as baffled, and I¡¯m the one who did it! After a few seconds of staring intensely at each other, the only sound being our labored breaths, she pulls out yet another knife from the inside of her bra.
¡®Another one?! How many damn knives does this lady have?!¡¯
Looking down, I remember the knife in the gut situation that I forgot about due to the amount of adrenaline in my system. On top of that, no way I¡¯ll be able to pull something like again. It¡¯s hard to describe, but it¡¯s almost like I¡¯m feeling tired or exhausted but not physically. I¡¯m assuming this feeling means I don¡¯t have any spiritual energy left in the tank.
¡®When the hell is that recovery team gonna get here?!¡¯
Just as she crouches down, ready to begin another engagement, multiple loud explosions ring throughout the mansion. She stops and looks up, seemingly in contemplation, before quickly turning and sprinting away holding her injured arm.
¡°Well that went about as well as I could¡¯ve hoped.¡± I say somewhat sarcastically.
¡°What did? Hello? Kid? You there? HELLOOOOO.¡± I hear in my ear.
¡°Yes Uncle Moren, I¡¯m here.¡± I sigh out.
¡°Jeez finally, I¡¯ve been trying to talk to you for the past three minutes! Are you alright? What happened with the maid?¡± Moren asks quickly.
¡°She¡¯s gone, whenever those explosions rang out, she just up and left.¡±
¡°How the hell did she manage to contend with a sword freak like you? Didn¡¯t you say she was unawakened?¡±
¡°Yeah¡¡± I say glancing towards where she left.
¡®Her knives mastery must be at least 12 if not higher, on top of that, I¡¯m almost sure she had a prodigy feat for some other mastery. Maybe unarmed combat or something similar. What a monster.¡¯ I think to myself as I take my mask off briefly to breath easier.
¡°Anyway, where the hell is this recovery team?¡± I say, flinching at the quickly reappearing pain in my side.
¡°Currently spread throughout the place looking for you. Ope wait, apparently one of them can see you.¡±
I turn around and see what I can only approximate as some sort of old-world ninja running towards me. Before stopping about five meters away from me.
¡°Target found sending out location now.¡± The ¡®ninja¡¯ says as he pulls out some sort of antennae attached to a box and clicks a few buttons.
¡°Yo, you my savior? Let¡¯s make this quick, I¡¯m not exactly in the best condition here.¡± I say somewhat jokingly.
He proceeds to completely ignore me in favor of scanning our surroundings for threats.
¡°Uh ok, rude.¡± I say quietly
He hands me a small red vial before saying, ¡°Here, drink. Take the knife out first. Also this is coming out of your cut of the loot, these things ain¡¯t cheap.¡±
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I nod, before placing a hand on the base of the knife and pulling quick. Immediately my thoughts are overcome by a sharp pain pervading throughout my torso, causing me to fall backwards and writhe on the floor.
¡°Fuck that fucking hurts!¡± I exclaim sharply while my teeth are grit shut.
I then quickly down the vial in one swig, immediately relieving the pain in my side, but causing it to instead become several times itchier.
¡°Make sure not to touch the wound, will only make it heal slower.¡± I hear the man say.
I nod, just happy that the pain is gone. As I begin to get up I hear several footsteps coming from both sides of the hallway. Immediately, seven or eight people with the same old world ninja style outfit turn the corner.
Next to me, I hear the original man say, ¡°Alright kid, you won¡¯t be able to keep up with us, so uh, I¡¯m just gonna knock you out and carry you if that¡¯s cool.¡±
And before I can even process what he says everything goes black.
I wake up in my usual bed, that being Uncle Moren¡¯s extra bed in the attic. I look at the clock on the right, seeing it¡¯s 11:10.
¡°OH SHIT!¡± I exclaim loudly before getting out of bed and running downstairs in an attempt to find Uncle Moren.
I find him sitting at the kitchen table with looking through a stack of documents. He seems slightly annoyed, but honestly, not as annoyed as he should be considering how the job went.
¡°Hey, uh, Uncle Moren, how¡¯s it going?¡± I ask hesitantly.
Immediately he looks up, stands, and walks towards me.
¡°Uh Uncle Moren?¡±
He immediately sports a big toothy grin and says while slapping my back, ¡°Rowan my boy, good to see you awake!¡±
I immediately turn my head in confusion before saying. ¡°Uhhhh Uncle Moren? You ok? Why are you so happy?¡±
¡°Well why shouldn¡¯t I be happy? I just made out like a bandit!¡±
¡°Huh?¡± I say with a dumb look on my face, ¡°But we failed, didn¡¯t we?¡±
¡°Well true, plan A failed, but plan B worked like a charm!¡±
¡°Plan B?¡± I ask continuing to sport a dumfounded look.
¡°Yes, plan B! To have the rest of the guys play it loud and just steal what¡¯s in the safe themselves!¡±
¡°Really? Then what was the point of plan A if we could just do that?¡±
¡°Well now Rowan my boy, see now there¡¯s pretty much an inquisition happening all throughout justice city to find the mastermind of this little heist we pulled off. Not only that, but when they find who did this and who was involved, notice how I said when because they WILL find out eventually who did this, bounties will be put up all throughout earth and the whole of the Laglian Empire.¡±
¡°The entire Laglian Empire?! That serious?!¡±
The Laglian Empire is the technical ¡®owners¡¯ of earth, though you won¡¯t see any of their people anywhere close to here. It¡¯s more of a ¡®We pay taxes and you protect us from any major invasion, dungeon breaches, or similar threats to Earth¡¯ type deal.
¡°Yup the whole Empire. You¡¯ve got to understand Rowan, anyone past tier 10 in the empire is seen as an important strategic asset. After all, at tier 11, power changes immensely. The power gap from tier 10 to 11 is great, greater than all the tiers. They don¡¯t call it the second realm for nothing after all. Plus, he¡¯s a progenitor tier 11 on top of that? We¡¯ll be laying low for at least the next 20 years.¡±
¡°Ok so how long do we have before we should skip town? Or maybe skip the empire as a whole?¡±
¡°We should be good for at least a few weeks. We¡¯ll talk about the details tomorrow but for now, just focus on your awakening.¡±
Looking at the clock, it was already 11:25.
¡°Shit your right!¡± I say before quickly running upstairs.
Sitting on my bed I quickly recollect myself before remembering notifications I still have to deal with on my status.
¡®Hmm already I can see how this would be useful in not only sneak attacks, but catching my opponents off guard. This could especially pair well with my core¡¯s ability.¡¯
¡®Does the system think I¡¯m some sort of sicko?! What the hell are these options?¡¯
¡®Interesting for sure, though I¡¯m not exactly keen on the idea of taking damage in the first place, but who is? This trait definitely would¡¯ve been useful today¡¡¯
¡®This one¡¯s ominous for sure, though it does give slight instead of very slight progression unlike the rest of the options. I think I¡¯d rather play it safe with this one instead of, ya know, risking my sanity.¡¯
I look at the clock again, seeing that it reads 11:34.
¡®5 minutes before its time, better make a decision before then.¡¯ I think to myself before quickly making up my mind and choosing.
5. Its Time
I look at my status briefly before my awakening
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
0
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength - 7
Agility - 10
Dexterity - 12
Endurance - 5
Perception - 9
Intelligence - 8
Willpower - 15
Masteries
Swords - 15
Temperance - 12
Stealth - 7
Sprinting - 6
Exercise - 5
Thievery - 3
Deception - 3
Killing ¨C 2
Blending In - 1
Skills
Feats
Early Killer - The deadliest killers started young, and once you''ve killed once, what''s another? Kill a sentient being before level 1. Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - You''ve trained and begun your path of sword mastery strong. Get Swords Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - You''ve tempered your mind to be as solid as stone. Get Temperance Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - Form your core before level 1. One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Your will remains steadfast and unbroken while holding a sword. Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - A true swordsman needs nothing but himself and the sword. Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Your sword is silent until it strikes true. Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
¡®Coming along nicely I¡¯d say. Choosing Sword of Silence should give me more stealth maneuverability will vastly increase the number of options I have in combat. Anyway, should be any moment now that the good stuff starts happening.¡¯ I think as I rub my hands together greedily.
Just as I¡¯m about to turn to look at the clock, the notification that marks the start of my path to power rings in my head.
¡®Wow, it finally happened.¡¯ I think to myself, ¡®Feels like I¡¯ve been waiting my whole life for this.¡¯
After reminiscing for a little while longer on the past, I quickly recollect myself. After all, I¡¯ve got some interesting choices to make.
First, I look at my options for my free level 1 trait. These traits are almost always guaranteed to be some of the best I can get and core parts of my build, at least for the first few tiers.
¡®Man, two traits in one day! Lucky me!¡¯
¡®This one is just a plain upgrade in every way. If this is the first one, I¡¯m excited to see what¡¯s next!¡¯
¡®Hmm, I know most, if not all combatants who are worth a damn almost all have something similar, but do I really want to get one now? After all I might get a better one down the road when I get my class instead of having to upgrade it, as these types of skills aren¡¯t exactly rare, though I¡¯d have to be alive to get it. Also, the Scouting mastery is damn useful.¡¯
¡®Wow, ok that¡¯s a lot. I¡¯d heard about dedication masteries, and if this is just the level 1 version of the trait, how strong could I be with a sword if I ever decide to upgrade it¡¯ I think while almost drooling.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
¡®Ok anyway, on to the last one.¡¯
¡®Yet another potentially lifesaving trait. Ugh, why couldn¡¯t they make this easy.¡¯ I groan mentally.
The way I see it, both Tempered Body and Dedication to the Sword are offensive traits to help me in fights last longer and deal more damage in drawn out engagements.
On the other hand, Danger Sense and Steadfast Exit are defensive traits, either allowing me to disengage a potentially unfavorable fight or allowing me to defend myself in the case of an ambush or something similar. Both traits I hope I¡¯ll never have to use but will be thankful for them when I need them.
The sword maniac inside of me wants to skip everything and immediately pick Dedication to the Sword. After all, for most of my life, all I¡¯ve ever known is practicing the sword, and to be honest, when am I ever NOT going to have my old reliable with me.
¡®Screw all this other nonsense, all I¡¯ll ever need is you pal.¡¯ I think looking at my sword resting in a corner of the attic.
With that my decision is made and I choose Dedication to the Sword.
One tough decision made, one slightly easier decision left. There are a few ways of thinking when it comes to Attribute Points. One way is to use them for what is immediately useful, and not think at all about the future. People often think like this due to the higher amount of AP available to people the higher level they climb. I can understand where these people come from, as what¡¯s 4 AP when I¡¯m tier 10 and have hundreds of points in each stat.
Another way of thinking is to use them for what you may need in the future, aka use them for what you plan to make your build. This, while not immediately beneficial, is perfect for people who hate being ¡®suboptimal¡¯.
I think a good balance is key in this situation. Nothing good comes from extremes, or so Uncle Moren always says. I think I¡¯m going to invest 3 AP into stats that will help me in the future and 1 more in case I¡¯ll need it.
That being said, where do I invest these 3 points is the real question? Well, looking at my stats, I think investing in what I¡¯m good at is a good move here, so at least 1 point into willpower and dexterity. I¡¯m hoping when I reach level 10 that I get a class that plays off my high willpower. I mean, I already have one trait that does just that, and it is most likely the reason I don¡¯t have a knife in my chest right now.
Spending 1 point to maybe shore up a weakness wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea either. Strength probably isn¡¯t the worst idea here, considering I might be going dungeon diving soon to try and level up quicker.
I¡¯m saving the Skill Point until level 10, as most people do, to get an easy feat that gives +1 to all stats. This is a pretty commonly known trick to help new tier 2¡¯s keep up with the spike in difficulty from tier 1 to tier 2 monsters.
With all that done I take a look at my brand-new and improved stat sheet while holding my sword.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
1
Class
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 10 (+2)
Agility ¨C 12 (+2)
Dexterity ¨C 15 (+2)
Endurance ¨C 7 (+2)
Perception ¨C 11 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 10 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 18 (+2)
(1 AP Remaining)
Masteries
Swords - 15
Temperance - 12
Stealth - 7
Sprinting - 6
Exercise - 5
Thievery - 3
Deception - 3
Killing ¨C 2
Blending In - 1
Skills
(1 SP Remaining)
Feats
Early Killer - The deadliest killers started young, and once you''ve killed once, what''s another? Kill a sentient being before level 1. Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - You''ve trained and begun your path of sword mastery strong. Get Swords Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - You''ve tempered your mind to be as solid as stone. Get Temperance Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - Form your core before level 1. One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Your will remains steadfast and unbroken while holding a sword. Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - A true swordsman needs nothing but himself and the sword. Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Your sword is silent until it strikes true. Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C When without a sword, even the smallest of foes may slay you, but with a sword, giants bow to your might. +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
¡®Finally done, see now that¡¯s a status sheet!¡¯ I think while having a stupid grin plastered on my face. ¡®And I can start leveling.¡¯
Leveling in the multiverse is a widely discussed topic among its inhabitants, in that, no one really can quantify it or really study it more than broad observations. What the systems grants levels for varies widely based on how challenging an action was relative to your level, type of challenge, whether or not you succeeded in overcoming said challenge, how dangerous the challenge was, and a multitude of other factors that add too much variance to any kind of attempt at a research study.
That¡¯s why killing monsters in or outside dungeons is so popular for people looking to level up quicker. Because the ¡®challenge¡¯ is easy to see and understand. Kill thing in front of your, number go up, see very easy to understand. Especially when you compare it to something like an espionage mission or a planet raid.
Also it helps that most monsters aren¡¯t exactly the ¡®smart and sentient¡¯ type, and are more the ¡®rip your throat out¡¯ type. There are people that hunt other people for levels though. These people are called level hunters and usually hunt people of a high level in groups. Almost all of them have crazy high bounties, enough to tempt even people that are higher tiers than the hunters in question.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand, levels just come when they come. Usually by challenging yourself or through just life experience. The harder the challenge or the more memorable the experience, the more levels you get, though you¡¯ll rarely if ever get more than one at a time.
¡®Ok enough thinking, time to turn my brain off and go back to sleep. I got things to do tomorrow after all.¡¯
6. The Consequences
Waylen¡¯s POV
¡°What the fuck do you mean you lost them?! How hard can it be to track down a few low tier scum!? You said, and I quote, ¡®Do not worry yourself sir, you do not need to get involved.¡¯ Big fucking mistake that was! Heads will roll if we don¡¯t find them soon!¡± I scream angrily.
¡°But sir, at the time, we did not fully understand the amount of manpower that was used in this heist. You must understand that the highest tier we have on retainer is tier 7 sir, and we sent him out on a diplomatic meeting last week to Balance City, our options were limited at the time. We have already turned almost half the city inside out with truthtellers to attempt to find the culprit, it¡¯s only a matter of time before we find a lead.¡± The tall, gaunt butler says confidently.
¡°You better, or it¡¯ll be your head to hit the ground first.¡± I state. ¡°Last thing any of us want is to have to tell the empire, I¡¯ll be up to my neck in ¡®favors¡¯ for at least the next 20 years if I have to get them involved with a bounty and such. I¡¯ll give you one week to find these guys. Am I clear?¡±
¡°Yes sir.¡±
¡°Good. Now speaking of leads, I heard one of our top trainees for our new espionage and discretion force was attacked last night during the heist. What was her name again?¡±
¡°Mary sir.¡±
¡°Ah yes Mary, send her in why don¡¯t you. I don¡¯t feel like looking at your ugly mug any longer.¡±
¡°Right away sir.¡± The butler says before quickly turning and leaving.
¡®Man, ordering people around like this sure bring me back to my military days.¡¯ I muse to myself.
After reminiscing for a few more minutes, I hear a short knock at the door. I recollect myself before sternly telling her to come in.
Looking at her come in, I quickly remember which recruit she was. About one year ago one of my guys stumbled upon her sneaking around the slums. He assumed she was up to no good and confronted her. After a short altercation, he was impressed by her knife and general combat skills for someone so young, and unawakened at that, so we through out an offer and here she is.
¡®I¡¯ve got to say I¡¯ve been impressed with her progress in the reports given to me by her trainer. Two combat prodigy feats, and both in combat masteries. She¡¯s got to be one of the strongest unwakened within the region, if not the planet. When she awakens, she¡¯ll just be an even bigger monster. I must find a way to keep her in my retinue.¡¯
¡°Is there something you needed sir?¡± She says, breaking me from my thoughts.
¡°Ah yes, excuse my manners, a lot on my mind. You understand how it is.¡±
She nods.
¡°Well to the matter at hand, I wanted a full combat report of your battle last night. Don¡¯t exclude any details, every bit of information helps.¡±
She nods again before quickly and methodically describing her fight with a young, unawakened man.
¡°You said he used spiritual energy? But didn¡¯t you also say he was an awakened?¡±
¡°Yes sir. It is my belief that he unlocked his core in the middle of our fight, seeing as he was just as surprised as me.¡±
¡°Interesting¡¡± I say thoughtfully, ¡°Any possible idea what he was doing in there? It¡¯s not like he was doing much.¡±
¡°It is my belief that the group who coordinated this heist originally planned for him to disguise as a party goer, then when I exceeded his expectations in combat, he quickly called for a ¡®plan b¡¯ of sorts.¡±
¡°I see, estimation of his combat potential?¡± I ask curiously.
I see her visibly scowl before touching the wraps on her arm and saying,
¡°Most definitely a sword prodigy trait. I estimate his mastery to be about at about 13 or 14, maybe even 15 if he gained a level in our fight like I surmise.¡±
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My eyes widen at this. A mastery at 13 or 14 before level 1 indicates a prodigy only seen on earth every hundred or so years. Even thinking about that last monster makes me shutter in disgust.
¡°How sure are you of this assessment?¡± I ask quickly while leaning forward slightly.
¡°Almost positive.¡±
I lean back and sigh in my chair.
¡®This changes things. If this is true, I want to nip this in the bud, and fast.¡¯ I think.
¡°Ok Mary, good work, you may leave.¡± I say dismissively.
She bows before quickly leaving.
¡°GODDAMNIT!¡± I scream while pounding my fist into my desk, obliterating it into scrap.
After a few moments of heavy breathing, I recollect myself, and call for a butler.
¡°Clean this shit up, and have the troops look for anyone with this description. Tell them anyone unawakened, wielding a beat up sword needs to be investigated. Set this to priority A.¡±
¡°But sir, the items in the safe are already priority A¡¡±
¡°Did I stutter?¡± I growled out.
¡°No sir. Right away sir.¡±
Mary¡¯s POV
¡°Goddamn fucking asshole, fuck this stupid fucking mission¡¡± I mutter angrily while walking away from Waylen¡¯s office.
This last year has been the worst year of my life. Not only does the academy send me out on some stupid mission for the past year in some nobody galaxy, on some nobody planet, in some nobody city, but then they tell me to get a job for some nobody tier 11 who thinks he¡¯s the shit.
On top of that, somehow some backwater hooligan manages to actually keep up with me in a fight. The worst part is, I even helped him! Can you believe it? I helped some loser slum rat who can¡¯t even afford a nice sword become even stronger than he already was!
¡®Though I can¡¯t complain too much, as I got some pretty nice gains from it too. A full level two both my Knives and my Kicking masteries, both of which have only become harder to level since turning mastery level 10. And that fight might¡¯ve given me some insight into my own core.¡¯
¡°Ugh, at least I¡¯ll be graduating to the awakened school soon so I can finally get of this piece of shit planet¡¡± I mumble.
I quickly make it to my living quarters, after which I proceed to do routine checks for wards, electronic signals, or any other oddity. Then I pull up a golden tile, to reveal a box with several wards and locks placed on it.
I bypass the wards and locks, before taking out a thin, rectangular piece of magitech with multiple buttons. I then proceed to fiddle with the buttons. A minute into clicking buttons, a hologram appears with the face of a stern older woman.
I quickly state, ¡°Code is 28756436, Kelath Gammaru, of the 786th graduating class of Rodenburrow¡¯s School of Espionage and Spy Work for the Unawakened, reporting.¡±
¡°Message received Ms. Gammaru, now enough with formalities, what do you have to report dear.¡± The stern lady loosens slightly revealing a warm smile.
I visibly relax before reporting the events of the past couple of days in much the same manner a child would tell a mother what they did at school that day.
¡°Hmm, interesting¡ This boy you speak of might be a rank 3 talent, maybe even rank 2.¡± The older lady says amusingly.
¡°Really?! That high? I¡¯m a rank 4 talent, and he seemed to struggle quite a bit with me.¡±
¡°That¡¯s because of your little knife in the side trick you love to pull so much. If you hadn¡¯t managed such a devastating blow so early in the fight, things may not have been as even as you think.¡±
¡°How would you know? It¡¯s not like you were there and saw the fight happen¡ right?¡±
¡°Oh please dear, you really think we send you guys on these missions alone? They¡¯re training for a reason.¡±
¡°Then what¡¯s the point of all these reports I do if you already know what happened?¡±
¡°Practice like you play Ms. Gammaru, we don¡¯t want you guys thinking you can get lazy, now do we? Plus I love talking to you about how you kid¡¯s missions are going. Ah, I remember when you were all just so little, you all were so spoiled back then.¡± She says, while smiling warmly.
¡°14 is hardly little.¡±
¡°To me it is.¡± She pouts jokingly.
I sigh before saying, ¡°Anyway, so what¡¯s the plan with this kid? Are we gonna catch him and turn him in or what?¡±
¡°Oh gods no, what a waste of talent that would be, for now I¡¯ll let some higher ups in the Empire know to be on the lookout for him. God knows what a disaster it would be if he went running away to another country. For now, we are gonna try and delay his bounty for as long as possible so either our guys or the Empire¡¯s guys can get to him and give him some offers. Most likely we''ll offer him a way to work back what he owes. If he declines, well, let''s just say if we can''t have him, no one can.¡± The once kind smile looking rapidly more and more sinister.
¡°Why can¡¯t the Empire just drop the bounty?¡±
¡°The short answer, politics. The longer answer, the Empire can¡¯t afford to look like it¡¯s giving special treatment or consideration to any matter. This would cause a hell storm of owed favors, political bargaining chips, and litigation. Not to mention the ravenous dogs that are the other surrounding powers, when they get a whiff of political strife in the Empire, they¡¯re going to take as many bites out of the Empire as they can.¡±
¡°I see¡¡± I say, placing my hand on my chin to ponder the sudden implications.
¡°Don¡¯t think to hard about it, as long as we get to him before he can high tail it out of here, all things considered, things would work out pretty well; a new talent for the empire, you get some political favor by finding him, AND it would make our school look better when I show people the recording crystals of your little scuffle.¡±
I tilt my head in confusion, ¡°What recording crystal?¡±
¡°Oh I can see the headlines now. ¡®Rodenburrow¡¯s students can contend with tier 3 talents?!¡¯ Yes this is perfect.¡± She says, smiling evilly.
¡°Hello? What recording crystal?! You better now show people me getting my arm torn open!¡± I exclaim.
¡°Anyways, toodaloo Ms. Gammaru. Good luck with the rest of the mission!¡± She says before the hologram cuts out.
I briefly sigh before muttering, ¡°Why me¡¡±
7. We Gotta Leave!
I awake to the sound of banging on my door.
¡°Rowan my boy! Wake up! We got things to do, and plans to discuss!¡± I hear Uncle Moren shout from behind the door.
I glance at the clock that reads 6:00, about an hour before my usual wake up time.
¡°This early?¡± I moan, ¡°You couldn¡¯t have let me sleep in at least a little?¡±
¡°No time like the present Rowan my boy! Start packing your things too! We¡¯re skipping town in an hour!¡±
I quickly look around at my ¡®things¡¯. A small pouch of credits, my sword, and about two changes of clothes amount to my entire net worth. If it¡¯s any consolation though, I most likely wouldn¡¯t have progressed my Swords mastery this far if I had anything nicer, what with my trait and all.
¡°Relax I¡¯m coming.¡±
After about 5 minutes of getting ready, I head down to the kitchen to see Uncle Moren, along with two strangers I¡¯ve never seen before.
¡°Uhh hello.¡± I say somewhat awkwardly.
¡°Ah nice of you to join us Rowan my boy! You all packed and ready to go?¡±
¡°As ready as I can be I suppose, and uh who are these guys?¡±
I take a closer look at the two strangers. One is a tall, muscular man with green skin that clearly indicates his Janin heritage. His eyes are sharp, contrasting the bored expression that seems perpetually placed on his face.
The other is a shorter, older man with gray hair and fox ears above place on his head. He sports a kind, warm smile when I our gazes lock.
¡°These, my boy, will be our bodyguards for the next few weeks. The tall one¡¯s name is Gerut and the older gentleman¡¯s name is Gael.¡± Moren explains.
¡°Nice to meet you young man,¡± the older fox man says, ¡°please rest assured, your safety is our top priority.¡±
I nod to him before look at the taller man expectantly.
¡°Sup.¡± He says curtly.
¡°Uh yeah, sup.¡± I say, clearly expecting more than a one word greeting.
We sit in awkward silence for a few second before Uncle Moren speaks up.
¡°Alrighty then with introductions out of way, the time to get to business.¡± He says while grabbing a small wooden box from the counter and opening it to reveal an eclectic mix of crystals, treasures, and vials of strange looking liquid.
¡°First, my boy, your portion of the haul from last night.¡± Moren says before grabbing two crystals and a small vial out of the box.
¡°What are those?¡± I ask impatiently.
¡°Relax, I¡¯m getting to it. The crystals are attribute crystals. They¡¯ll give you 2 AP each and can only be used 3 times total throughout your life. The vial is the real thing you should be happy about getting. What it does is tell you what feat you are closest to achieving right now, and what you need to do to complete it.¡± Moren says excitedly.
¡°Uh, that¡¯s it?¡± I say in a disappointed tone.
¡°That¡¯s it? THAT¡¯S IT?! Do you even realize how amazing that is? It¡¯s pretty much a free feat! FREE I tell you! The details of feats aren¡¯t exactly common knowledge you know, besides a few basic ones? Even throughout my entire, thrill filled life, I¡¯ve only ever been able to get seven feats, SEVEN! In 60 years! That¡¯s almost 1 trait every 9 years!¡±
¡°Alright, alright, I get it. The vial is awesome.¡± I say placatingly.
¡°Damn right it¡¯s awesome! Now hurry up and use them both quickly. Unless¡ you want to sell them for money perhaps?¡± Uncle Moren looks at me while grinning, know damn well how little I care for money.
I roll my eyes and use all three items via ingestion.
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¡®Hmm, interesting, shouldn¡¯t be too bad to complete. I¡¯m surprised this one isn¡¯t more commonly known though.¡¯
¡°You done yet?¡± Uncle Moren says Impatiently.
¡°One second.¡± I say, not bothering to conceal my annoyance.
¡®Now onto the AP, I think one into agility, willpower, and dexterity should be good, again saving one point for a rainy day.¡¯
I look at my status.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
1
Class
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 10 (+2)
Agility ¨C 13 (+2)
Dexterity ¨C 16 (+2)
Endurance ¨C 7 (+2)
Perception ¨C 11 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 10 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 19 (+2)
(2 AP Remaining)
Masteries
Swords - 15
Temperance - 12
Stealth - 7
Sprinting - 6
Exercise - 5
Thievery - 3
Deception - 3
Killing ¨C 2
Blending In - 1
Skills
(1 SP Remaining)
Feats
Early Killer - The deadliest killers started young, and once you''ve killed once, what''s another? Kill a sentient being before level 1. Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - You''ve trained and begun your path of sword mastery strong. Get Swords Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - You''ve tempered your mind to be as solid as stone. Get Temperance Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - Form your core before level 1. One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Your will remains steadfast and unbroken while holding a sword. Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - A true swordsman needs nothing but himself and the sword. Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Your sword is silent until it strikes true. Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C When without a sword, even the smallest of foes may slay you, but with a sword, giants bow to your might. +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
¡°You done?¡± I hear Moren say to my side.
¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±
¡°Ok finally. Onto the next order of business. We are leaving the city, the planet, and eventually the Empire. But let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves.¡±
¡°Ok great! Let¡¯s get a move on then, I want to reach the gate at the edge of the city by noon!¡± I say with barely concealed excitement.
¡°Woah woah woah, slow down there big guy. You wanna leave through the gate? Are you crazy? 50 credits says they¡¯ve got guards and truthtellers swarming the gates like flies to shit.¡±
I deflate slightly before saying, ¡°Oh duh¡ so how are we getting out of the city?¡±
¡°Glad you asked my boy! And the answer is exactly what you might be thinking! The sewers of course!¡± Moren says with a hearty chuckle.
¡°Ugh is that really the only way?¡±
¡°Of course not, but it¡¯s definitely the best way!¡±
¡°Won¡¯t they be expecting us to leave through there though?¡±
¡°Right you are! But their patrols will be so scattered that it should be no problem making it through undetected!¡±
¡°Ok but won¡¯t they also expect the patrols to not be strong enough to take us down?¡±
¡°Your two for two today Rowan my boy! Yes they are! That¡¯s why they¡¯ll have each patrol set up with alarms to activate in case they are attacked! But I have prepared us well! While you were busy getting your beauty sleep, I¡¯ve been up contacting a few people, and managed to get my hands on a piece of illegal magitech.¡±
Uncle Moren then pulls out a small, teardrop shaped amulet, with a large red button in the center of it.
¡°All we have to do is press this button as we approach a patrol, and BAM! No more alarm signal in the area for at least 5 minutes. Now we can only use this 3 times a day, so we¡¯ll have to pick our engagements carefully.¡± Moren explains.
¡°What are the patrol¡¯s levels going to be? And are we gonna¡ ya know¡ kill them and stuff?¡± I ask curiously.
¡°Their levels are going to be around tier 1 or 2, maybe tier 3 if we run into a captain. Should be no problem for our two big and strong bodyguards, right?¡± He asks, looking at the two men in question.
¡°Mmm.¡± The Janin nods.
¡°Should be no problem for these old bones of mine!¡± The older Foxman says jokingly.
¡°Now when it comes to killing¡¡± Uncle Moren continues, ¡°Yes, we will be killing them. When they took up a sword and became a soldier, they knew what they were getting themselves into. You¡¯ve got to understand Rowan, it¡¯s them or us here.¡±
¡°But¡ they¡¯re just doing their job¡¡±
¡°And we¡¯re just doing ours, that being getting the hell out of this city. Besides most of these guys are no stranger to all types of debauchery. Bribes, abuses of power, even killing if they can get away with it. Trust me, the world won¡¯t miss guys like this.¡±
¡°Uh huh¡ I guess.¡± I say with no small amount of reluctance.
¡°Great! Now, we¡¯ll talk about what we¡¯re gonna do once we leave the city once we¡¯re well and far away from here, outside the walls.¡±
8. A Cruel Multiverse
¡°God what is that smell?¡± I complain.
¡°What the do you think it is? We¡¯re in a sewer for system¡¯s sake Rowan my boy!¡± Uncle Moren says heartily.
I quickly take in my surroundings, which admittedly aren¡¯t much. Stone brick walls all around us, with metal grating at our feet directly above what I assume is sewer water. Dim, glowing crystals are engraved into the ceiling every 10 or so feet to give us at least a semblance of light.
¡°At least we¡¯re not stepping in it.¡± I say relievedly.
¡°Don¡¯t be so sure of that yet Rowan my boy! These are the nicer area of the sewer, the further we get from the center of the city, the worse the conditions are going to get.¡±
¡°Oh awesome, that¡¯s just what I wanted¡¡± I mutter sarcastically.
¡°It all depends on how well the old-world sewers are holding up. I¡¯ve never seen them myself, as I¡¯m not exactly a regular down here, but who knows what state those old things are in. No one¡¯s probably set foot in some of those tunnels in years.¡± Moren explains.
We continue to walk throughout the sewers, careful to listen for any wandering patrols. After about 1 hour of walking, we hear our first patrol.
¡°Alright first patrol coming up, we won¡¯t be able to avoid this one so get ready to attack.¡± Uncle Moren says quietly.
As the patrol walks around the corner, Uncle Moren quickly presses the signal disruptor, as I¡¯ve learned it¡¯s called, and orders our attack.
All at once, Uncle Moren and both bodyguards take out 4 of the 5 soldiers. The last one is so stunned at the sudden ambush, that he freezes in place wide eyed. He¡¯s young, probably only a little older than me, with brown hair and an oval shaped face.
He attempts to run but Uncle Moren grabs his hand before he even take two steps.
¡°Alright here¡¯s the deal, you,¡± Uncle Moren says pointing at the guard, ¡°are gonna fight him.¡± pointing at me. ¡°If you win we¡¯ll let you go, may the system strike me down if I¡¯m lying.¡±
The nervous guard looks at me and then back to Uncle Moren, before nodding stiffly.
I look at Uncle Moren incredulously, ¡°What are you doing?! Why don¡¯t you guys just finish him?!¡±
Uncle Moren looks at me solemnly, ¡°Listen, Rowan, I understand your aversion to killing, I really do, you¡¯re young after all, but you got to open your eyes. No one, and I mean no one, becomes powerful in this cruel multiverse without having killed hundred, maybe even thousands, or tens of thousands. Either way you get my point, you are going to have to kill people that get in your way, whether you like it or not. Not doing so is only being cruel to yourself.¡±
I remain silent for what seems like hours, my head running at a million miles a second. My face conveying my inner conflict, changing from stunned, to an ugly scowl, and then finally a determined look.
I nod before saying a simple, ¡°Ok.¡±
Moren¡¯s face quickly relaxes, ¡°Ok good, glad that you understand. People like us don¡¯t have the option of mercy. Now your opponent is a tier 1, most likely around level 5 or 6. So be ready to be beat slightly in terms of physical stats. We already found this patrol¡¯s alarm so don¡¯t worry about time. You got this kid.¡±
I face my opponent while both the bodyguards and Uncle Moren give the both of us a wide berth. Both me and my opponent, pull out our swords, his being quite a bit higher quality than mine. After five or so seconds of silence, we both push of the ground at the same time.
He brings his sword in a downward slash, which I attempt to intercept with my own sword. While I¡¯m successful, a sting runs through my hands and arms, clearly telling whose strength is higher of the two of us.
Catching my slight wince of pain, he grows more confident, pressing the attack with a multitude of slashes from every direction.
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I intercept the attacks as best I can, but unfortunately a few make it through, causing minor glancing blows.
In an attempt to reset the engagement, I parry a particularly overconfident shot, before quickly throwing out a slash of my own, dealing a not insignificant slash to his hip and allowing me to back up slightly out of his range. Fortunately, they¡¯re only wearing cheap leather armor, or I¡¯d be in a lot more trouble.
This time, I¡¯m the one who attacks first, sending out a quick slash to his neck. As his sword begins to move up to block, I shift the direction of my sword slightly to attack his unguarded hands of the hilt of his sword.
In a moment, multiple of his fingers are sent flying, causing him to drop his sword at the sudden loss of dexterity and allowing me a straight path to his neck, which I quickly take advantage of.
He looks shocked, as a large gash on his neck spews blood. He covers the gash with what¡¯s left of both his hands in a fruitless attempt to slow the bleeding. He eventually falls to both knees, and then to his sides as I watch the life leave his eyes.
Multiple notifications ring out in my head, but all I can focus on is the overwhelming nausea in my stomach. Immediately, I throw up into the green water below. The realization that I had just murdered some kid hits me. Any of the previous times I¡¯ve killed someone, they¡¯ve always been irredeemable assholes. People with no conscience and no remorse for the evil actions they¡¯ve done.
But here, in this sewer, where it smells like nothing but piss and shit, the only thing I¡¯m disgusted with is me.
After 5 minutes of recollecting myself, I stand up and look around. Uncle Moren is looking at me sadly with a hint of understanding in his eye. The giant Gerut, looks much the same as usual, bored with a flat look on his face.
Gael, the older Foxman beams a friendly reassuring smile at me and says, ¡°You alright young man?¡±
I try to smile back at the friendly old man, but I just don¡¯t have it in me at the moment, so I settle for a nod.
¡°Alright lets get moving guys, we¡¯re officially on a timer, it¡¯s only a matter of time before another patrol comes across these bodies.¡± Uncle Moren says, giving me a welcome distraction from my thoughts.
I look back at the bodies of the dead soldiers one more time before following the rest of the group in silence.
Looking for another distraction from the dark thoughts forming in my head, I look at the notifications I¡¯ve been putting off.
Looking at the notifications causes my stomach to twist. The life of another human, quantified, and processed down into just three small notifications. After about a minute of processing that thought, I quickly spend my AP in much the same manner as before.
I put one point into dexterity and willpower, then one into perception. I again decide to save one to be used for if I ever were to need it. What will I need it for? No clue, but it never hurts to have another trump card in my back pocket.
We continue to walk down the dimly lit sewer tunnel. After about 15 minutes, we hear another patrol. Luckily they pass by the tunnel we are in.
¡°The patrols are picking up, we must be reaching the outer edge of the city. From here on out, we¡¯re gonna have to be extra careful.¡± Uncle Moren says quietly.
We all nod.
We continue with increased caution. Checking around every corner, stopping and listening for footsteps, and looking out for any simple, temporary traps set down here by the soldiers. Apparently that¡¯s something they do when they suspect a person is trying to escape through the sewers, according to Uncle Moren.
After proceeding like this for another 40 minutes, we hear another patrol coming straight towards us. We prepare to attack, myself included. I¡¯m supposed to go for the newer trainee that theses patrols usually have, much like the last one I fought. This time though, we don¡¯t have time to give a proper duel.
Just before they reach the corner, Uncle Moren yet again presses the signal disruptor, giving us the signal to jump around the corner and engage.
I quickly see my target. A young, stout man, with black hair and a missing front tooth. Before he can even think to reach for his sword, I¡¯m on him, slashing towards his neck much like I did with the other young trainee.
This time though, the kill is a lot cleaner, with my slash sending his head flying towards the ground. I again feel that perverse sense of nausea creep into my stomach. This time, though, I am able to handle it without spilling my lunch into the sewer below.
I read my notifications.
This is a well known temporary buff among soldiers, Rowan told me to expect it before we came down here, but seeing it makes me feel a distinct sense of disgust towards the system.
¡®What kind of psychopath encourages killing to this degree.¡¯ I think to myself.
¡°Ok guys, we can take on one more group of those guys. After that, we¡¯ll either have to kill them so quickly that they can¡¯t even press the alarm, or we¡¯re gonna have to avoid them like the plague. Any questions before we move on? No? Good. Remember keep vigilant, its¡¯ been easy enough thus far, but you never know who or what else they brought down here to stop us.¡±
9. Punch Through
We continue walking in the now run-down and decrepit sewers, the only light now being the soft glow of the luminescence moss scattered across the sewer walls.
At this point we have been walking for close to an hour now since having fought that last patrol. Since then, we have come across numerous simple traps and patrols, somehow being lucky enough to avoid them all.
Recently the patrols have begun to slow down, with us not having seen one for at least the last twenty minutes. Though this only causes Uncle Moren and the two bodyguards to become even more alert for some reason.
¡°Hey, why are you guys still so on guard? We are obviously past the worst of it.¡± I say somewhat quietly.
¡°Shh! Goddamnit Rowan! I¡¯m almost positive they got an idea of where we generally are. Must¡¯ve been some sort of magical trap that we couldn¡¯t detect.¡± Uncle Moren quietly hisses.
¡°Why wouldn¡¯t we see more patrols then?¡±
¡°They¡¯re taking their time with it, slowly shrinking the perimeter around us, squeezing us like we¡¯re prey constricted by a snake. I¡¯m almost certain they¡¯ll have at least a few tier 5¡¯s and 6¡¯s with them, maybe even a tier 7 or two.¡±
Uncle Moren stops and pulls out a map of the sewers before ordering us,
¡°Alright here¡¯s what we¡¯re gonna do, we¡¯re gonna pick a direction and start running that way as fast as we can. If we¡¯re lucky, we¡¯ll reach that edge of the perimeter they set up before the other patrols are to close together.¡±
He pauses briefly to think and continues,
¡°Then we¡¯re gonna punch through fast and hard while I use the last charge of the signal disruptor to delay reinforcements. Hopefully by the time the rest of the patrols realize what happened. we¡¯ll be far enough away that it won¡¯t matter. Everyone got it?¡±
We all nod.
¡°Ok good, now lets get moving.¡±
Immediately after Uncle Moren says that, the Garut picks me up and heaves me over his shoulder like a potato sack.
¡°Hey what the hell man!¡± I exclaimed in surprise.
¡°You¡¯re too slow.¡± He says in his usual curt tone before immediately sprinting off behind Uncle Moren and the older man. How the large waisted Uncle Moren and old boned Gael are moving that fast is anyone¡¯s guess.
With the blistering speed I, and the rest of the group are traveling, I quickly realize I don¡¯t know Uncle Moren¡¯s tier, let alone the two bodyguards. I¡¯ll have to ask them when we get out of here.
After about five minutes of full speed travel, we make an abrupt stop, causing my head to spin wildly. I quickly recollect myself, though.
¡°Jeez not even a warning?¡± I groan as Garut sets me down on my feet.
¡°They are directly ahead, I hear about twelve or thirteen. Some higher tiered officers to be sure, based on the uniformity of the footsteps. Rowan, I¡¯m leaving any tier 1¡¯s to you. Assuming this is two patrols combined with some higher tiered guys, should be about two of them. No more than that though. Think you can handle it?¡± Uncle Rowan asks.
I nod confidently.
¡°Good, because we won¡¯t be able to help you out if you get in trouble, depending on how many officers there are.¡±
Rowan looks at Gael before continuing.
¡°Gael, you, obviously, are going to be taking on whoever the highest tier is there. Garut and I are going to split the rest in half. Hopefully we can take our guys down in time to help you out, but its not likely if they have a few tier 5¡¯s on their squad.¡±
Gael nods seriously.
¡°Alright I¡¯ll press the button directly before the engagement, we¡¯ll need the full five minutes on this one, so move as fast as you can.¡±
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Garut then quickly picks me up again, before sprinting full speed alongside the other two members of our group.
After about 30 seconds of running, the patrol comes into view. They are shocked when they see us, barely having enough time to put up a semblance of a defense to our ambush.
Garut, for the first time, pulls out his axe and cleaves it towards one of the more unprepared members of the group while still carrying me. The strike connects, leaving his axe stuck in the chest of the unfortunate soldier.
He sets me down and continues to press his advance towards a few soldiers on the left, though they are ready for him.
I look around at the rest of the fights going on.
Gael has seemingly split into five copies of himself and is engaging what looks to be some sort of senior officer. The fight is almost impossible for me to keep track of, but it seems like Gael¡¯s winning, though I have no clue what is going on in the heads of such high level people.
Uncle Moren is attempting punching his way through soldiers, though it seems to be only marginally successful, seeing as how only one of the soldiers is on the ground. I¡¯ve never seen him fight before, though I¡¯ve heard stories. Tales of the dirty brawler Moren still get told in some of the less respectable bars in the Justice City slums.
Then, I spot my two opponents. One is tall and wiry, with a gaunt, and still shocked, face. I¡¯ll call him tall guy. The other is muscular, a confident smirk plastered on his face, with seemingly no doubt in his mind that his seniors could ever lose. I¡¯ll call him muscles
I quickly run straight at them.
Muscles seems worried for a second, but after gauging my strength, his face contorts into an excited grin. He quickly pulls out two short swords the size of my forearm.
Tall guy looks considerably less excited, and more resolute than anything. He brandishes a spear almost as tall as him from his back.
I go for tall guy first, attempting to get inside the range of his spear. Before I can close the distance though, muscles steps in front of me, bringing a volley slashes with him.
I quickly deflect them as best I can, but the strikes are quick, allowing him to land a few glancing blows on my arms.
As I¡¯m engaging muscles, tall guy attempts to swing around behind me from my left. Before that can happen though, I dive roll right, keeping both opponents in front of me.
Taking the initiative again in an attempt to isolate a fight, I once again try to engage the tall one by getting inside his range. This time I¡¯m marginally more successful in getting close to him, but before I can even try to bring my sword down on him, I see a short sword flying towards my head out of the corner of my eye.
I duck beneath the blow, only to see tall guy already out of my range and backing up. Muscles once again sends strike after strike against me, trying his best to find an opening as the tall one circles around me and pokes at me from afar.
¡®I can¡¯t keep going on like this, I¡¯ve got to find a way to take one of them out of the fight somehow.¡¯ I think to myself while parrying slashes and thrusts alike.
A spear suddenly comes flying quickly toward my head, forcing me duck and parry a downward blow from a quick short sword at the same time.
¡®Hmm, that was quite an overextension by the tall guy, if he does something like that again he won¡¯t be making it out unscathed.¡¯ I think, mentally preparing a plan.
The potshots and quick strikes continue to pile up small cuts and holes all over my body. This along with my exaggerated heavy breathing, makes the taller one more confident. After a short few seconds, tall guy takes his chance, and widely overextends to try and land a killing blow.
I use this opportunity wisely, quickly deflecting a sword from muscles, and rolling towards tall guy from under his spear.
He realizes his mistake too late, and takes a deep slash to his gut. I follow this up with a quick slash to his neck, ending the man¡¯s life.
Muscles takes a second to realize what just happened, but once he processes it, his face becomes twisted with anger. He doesn¡¯t mindlessly attack, though. If anything he seems even more cautious than before.
We look at each other for what seems like hours, just as I begin to think we¡¯ll be standing there all day, he pounces. Both of his swords go flying towards me, one straight to my neck, and the other at my sword in an attempt to throw off my guard.
The unexpected attack works slightly, making my guard against the swords going at my neck wobbly, allowing him a clean strike to my shoulder.
I retreat slightly, now wielding my sword in one hand instead of the two that I¡¯m used too.
¡®Shit, I can¡¯t believe I let him do that! He must¡¯ve put all his AP into agility and dexterity to be moving that fast at his level!¡¯
We, again stare each other down, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
¡®Alright time to gamble.¡¯ I think to myself.
This time, I charge at him with a very obvious overhead strike. He very quickly moves to deflect it, even putting both swords into it, as he should believe the fight to be over once he blocks my ¡®last ditch strike¡¯.
As my sword falls downwards, I begin to channel my spiritual energy. As I take control of the spiritual energy pervading my core, I will my sword under his guard, thrusting towards his neck. Lo and behold my sword appears exactly where I willed it, with my hand yet again somehow traveling with it.
His face is filled with shock as he tries his best to bring his swords down on top of my thrust, but he reacts too slowly.
My sword enters his neck and exits out the back, and he looks at me, shock and despair all over his face as I see his eyes dim.
I pull my sword out and hear the dull thud of his body hitting the floor, and before I can even begin to recollect my thoughts, everything goes black for the second time in the past couple of days.
10. A Valuable Asset
I wake up, laying on the grass. The sun high in the sky, beaming down on my face. I wince and cover my eyes with my arm.
After a few seconds of adjusting to the sudden light, I sit up and take in my surroundings. I¡¯m in a small clearing, much like the one I frequented outside the walls of Justice city.
Both Uncle Moren and Gael are sitting together on some nearby logs, chatting relaxedly. Garut is nowhere to be seen.
¡°Morning guys, where¡¯s Garut?¡± I ask curiously.
¡°Aha! Just the man I wanted to see! How was your little nap? You better be well rested because we¡¯re about to get moving!¡±
¡°Uh yeah, I guess I¡¯m well rested enough. So where¡¯s Garut?¡±
¡°Just gathering supplies over at a small stream. Anyway, why didn¡¯t you tell me you managed to form your core! That¡¯s awesome bud! When did you do it? Was it before you turned level 1? During that last fight? What kind of core is it?¡±
¡°Woah woah slow down! I formed it during my fight with that prodigy maid chick. And yes it¡¯s a sword core. Now any other questions?¡±
Uncle Moren beams a big smile at me, ¡°Nope!¡±
I sigh exaggeratedly before hearing Uncle Moren say,
¡°Anyway, quickly get your status in check, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got at least a couple notifications to look at after that little fight you had. We¡¯ll be going over plans from now on as soon as Garut gets back.¡±
¡®Oh shit, that¡¯s right! I completely forgot!¡¯ I think excitedly before mentally looking at my notifications.
¡®Wow ok. That¡¯s a lot.¡¯
First order of business before even discussing the rest of my gains, is to take care of my AP.
Instead of saving one of these points, I decide to reward myself a little for a job well done and dump all of these points into physical stats. This may hurt me down the line if I were to ever get more willpower-based skills or traits, but I need this points, if that last fight was ever an indication.
So with my mind made up I dump two points into agility and dexterity each. I immediately feel a little bit lighter on my feet alongside a greater sense of touch in my fingers.
¡®I¡¯ve never put more than 1 point in a stat before at a time, I could get used to this.¡¯ I think happily.
Anyway, on to the rest of the notifications. Another level in my Swords Mastery surprises me, though I guess it shouldn¡¯t considering my increasing level and stats.
Another level in Temperance isn¡¯t surprising considering the mental workout my brain has gone through these past couple of days.
Misdirection is interesting and definitely worth increasing some more if I can. A high level of Misdirection could absolutely make or break my chances in any fight that I¡¯m in.
The last notification reels in my excitement slightly as I remember the two young men I killed to get it.
I take a look at my full status to distract myself from that thought.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
3
Class
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Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 10 (+2)
Agility ¨C 15 (+2)
Dexterity ¨C 19 (+2)
Endurance ¨C 8 (+2)
Perception ¨C 12 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 10 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 20 (+2)
(3 AP Remaining)
Masteries
Swords ¨C 16
Temperance ¨C 13
Stealth ¨C 7
Sprinting ¨C 6
Exercise ¨C 5
Thievery ¨C 3
Deception ¨C 3
Killing ¨C 4
Blending In ¨C 1
Misdirection ¨C 1
Skills
(3 SP Remaining)
Feats
Early Killer - The deadliest killers started young, and once you''ve killed once, what''s another? Kill a sentient being before level 1. Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - You''ve trained and begun your path of sword mastery strong. Get Swords Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - You''ve tempered your mind to be as solid as stone. Get Temperance Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - Form your core before level 1. One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Your will remains steadfast and unbroken while holding a sword. Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - A true swordsman needs nothing but himself and the sword. Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Your sword is silent until it strikes true. Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C When without a sword, even the smallest of foes may slay you, but with a sword, giants bow to your might. +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
¡®Still a long ways to go¡¡¯
I look up from my thoughts to notice Garut talking, or should I say nodding, to Uncle Moren.
Uncle Moren notices my gaze and beckons me over.
¡°Alright now that everyone is here, let¡¯s go over what the plan is from here on out.¡± Uncle Moren says as he pulls a large map from his backpack.
¡°Right now we are here,¡± he says point to what seems to be a large patch of forest, ¡°and we need to get further north to Candline City. It¡¯s the closest city with a jump pad available to the public. Now because of this, it¡¯s most likely the largest city in this region. A good thing for us, considering we need to stand out as little as possible, and the more people, the easier it is to blend in.¡±
He stops briefly to gather his thoughts.
¡°We¡¯ll be making about five or six stops on the way there. Most of those consist of small towns or villages, though we will be passing by the major city of Greenwood. If we went full pace towards our destination, I expect we could reach there in about 5 or so days.¡±
He continues,
¡°Though monsters and bandits may slow us down slightly, as I want to use the relatively low level of this planet to get Rowan here some experience.¡±
Everyone nods.
¡°Ok lets get moving then. Gael and Garut, I want you two to scout the area ahead of us. Rowan and I will start moving in a few minutes to let you guys get a sizable enough lead on us.¡±
The two bodyguards nod and head into the trees.
After a few second of silence I look at Uncle Moren and ask,
¡°So what tier are all of you guys? I don¡¯t know how I never asked you before, I guess the thought that you were a relative high tier never came to mind.¡±
¡°No worries Rowan my boy! I was wondering when you¡¯d ask. I¡¯m a tier 5, as is Garut. As for Gael, he¡¯s a tier 7.¡±
¡°Really?! That high?! How are you affording these guys then?¡±
¡°Aha¡ well¡ you see¡ about that¡¡± Uncle Moren looks away, rubbing the back of his head nervously.
¡°What? What is it?¡± I ask suspiciously.
¡°I, um, told them about your ¡®talents¡¯, so to speak.¡±
¡°My talents? Why would they care about that?¡±
¡°By them I mean the Kingdom of Fillith¡¡± Uncle Moren says sheepishly.
¡°You mean the one the Empire is at war with?¡±
¡°Yeah¡¡±
¡°Why the hell would they care about me?¡±
Uncle Moren looks at me as if I¡¯m the stupidest person on the planet.
¡°You¡ Do you know about the talent ranking system most of the multiverse uses?¡±
¡°No, but what does this have to do with anything?¡± I ask curiously.
¡°Well there¡¯s ten ranks that people use to classify a person¡¯s power in the multiverse. A rank 10 talent is someone like homeless person, or a drunkard. A rank 1 talent, on the other hand, is a nation treasure that can single handedly change the course of a battle, or even a war.¡±
He continues,
¡°So a rank 1 talent who is sent into a battlefield of their respective tier can wipe out armies of soldiers that are at the same tier as them.¡±
¡°I still don¡¯t get what this has to do with me.¡±
¡°Well when I told Fillith about a possible rank 3 talent, who is going to defect from the Empire, they immediately redirected their closest agents to us to help us reach the Kingdom of Fillith as fast as possible.¡±
¡°Gael and Garut.¡± I blurt out.
¡°Right on the money kiddo, and with you obtaining your core before level 1, this now means you are probably, at the very least, a high rank 3, maybe even low rank 2 talent.¡±
¡°But I still don¡¯t get what they hope to gain from this.¡± I ask, still slightly confused.
¡°Well, Rowan my boy, what I assume they hope is that you hold some sort of resentment for the Empire, and will be amiable to some sort of lucrative contract with them.¡±
¡°So we¡¯re leading them on?¡± I worriedly ask.
¡°Nonsense! This contract will most likely include full dungeons access across the Kingdom, alongside a multitude of other training activities such as an academy. You¡¯ve got to understand Rowan, when I say lucrative, I mean LUCRATIVE. They will put the entire Kingdom behind you in an attempt to make you stronger. Rank 2 talents don¡¯t grow on trees after all.¡± Uncle Moren says confidently.
I ruminate on this for a few seconds before asking,
¡°And what, per se, were to happen if I was to decline this offer?¡± I ask cautiously.
¡°And see, that¡¯s the best part! Nothing! You¡¯ve got to understand that a rank 2 talent is such a big deal that even keeping you out and away from the Empire is considered a massive win in their eyes.¡±
¡°I see¡¡±
¡°Anyway enough talking, we don¡¯t want to get to far behind those two.¡±
11. Elements Elements Elements
It¡¯s another chilly morning, the cold seems to be getting worse by the day. Though cold, the sky is as blue as can be, with not a cloud in the sky. Next to me is a small stream, adding a certain tranquility that life in the city just cannot match.
We''ve been traveling through the woods for about a day now. Nothing too interesting has happened thus far, but Uncle Moren says we¡¯ll be getting into more dangerous territory pretty soon. For me though, this trip has been great and horrible in parts.
The best part about being in the woods is, well, being in the woods. I¡¯ve always felt an attraction towards the serene calm only found in land untouched by man, and this trip has doubled my appreciation for peace and quiet.
Also training this deep in the woods gives me satisfaction like no other.
Now when it comes to the bad parts¡
¡°Alright Rowan my boy! Time to move!¡± Uncle Moren says as he picks me up like a potato sack and runs at speeds I can¡¯t yet comprehend.
¡°Ugh! Do I really need to be carried around like this every time? Can¡¯t we just, I don¡¯t know, take our time or something?¡±
¡°No can do! We need to get moving as fast as possible! In the mean time, practice what I told you about last night. Too many high ranking talents like yourself get a high evaluation early and then dropping a few ranks because they got careless.¡±
I think about the talk Uncle Moren and I had last night after a day of traveling.
¡°So how do I progress my cultivation from here?¡± I ask Uncle Moren excitedly.
¡°Well you need to strengthen your fundamentals and understanding of your core before you even think of attempting to aspect it.¡±
¡°Ok obviously, what¡¯s involved in that process and what I can do to prepare for it.¡± I say while rolling my eyes.
¡°Well, I suppose telling you won¡¯t hurt too much, but be careful. Seriously Rowan, if your try this too early, you may permanently damage your core.¡±
I nod seriously.
He sighs before continuing,
¡°Ok, well a good first step is at least establishing which element you resonate the most with. This is done with, you guessed it, more self-reflection. The most important thing to remember is to categorize your personality as objectively as possible. Only by being true to yourself, can you reveal the element that matches you most.¡±
He checks to make sure that I¡¯m listening before once again continuing,
¡°Now in terms of the process itself, it¡¯s actually more simple than forming your core was. We just need to buy an aspecting stone for this part, as the process this time is more physical than anything else. It¡¯s essentially physically forming your core in our plane, rather than the spirit plane. The reason we aspect our cores while doing this is because in order to complete that transition, the spiritual energy needs an element to latch onto. You get all that.¡±
¡°I think so, but if its that simple why doesn¡¯t everyone already have an aspect and a core?¡± I ask curiously.
¡°Ah you¡¯d think so right? Well the issue lies in the sheer amount of pain that comes during the process. It¡¯s said to be quite possibly the worst pain imaginable, being painful both physically and spiritually. About 30 percent of people die from shock alone, and another 20 percent fail the process and can never undergo it again. Not to mention the price of an attribute stone can buy you a small house in the city.¡± He says seriously.
¡°Well what about all those people at Wayland¡¯s party? How did all those rich people already have an aspect?¡±
¡°Most of those guys actually didn¡¯t have an aspect, and instead only displayed the color of the element they think the resonate with. It¡¯s sort of taboo subject in high circles to ask someone if they have aspected their core, as a good amount of high-society people have not, or will never.¡±
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
¡°I see¡¡± I say considering this new information.
¡°Anyway, get some sleep. I wanna be on the move early, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll want some time to train in the morning.¡± He says heading inside his tent.
¡®Hmm, element, element, element¡ What is my element¡¡¯ I ponder while getting carried by Uncle Rowan.
¡®Fire? Nah, I¡¯m not exactly hot-headed, or passionate for anything, besides swords of course.¡¯
¡®Water maybe? Hmm, that one doesn¡¯t sound as bad as fire but I don¡¯t know, I feel like I¡¯m not calm enough for water.¡¯
¡®Maybe something a little more abstract. Space? What type of characteristics does space even represent? Vastness? Nothing? How do space attuned people even figure out that they¡¯re meant to be space attuned?¡¯
¡®Ugh so many questions.¡¯ I groan mentally.
¡°Hey Uncle Moren.¡±
¡°What¡¯s up Rowan my boy!¡± He says while continuing to carry me through the vast forest.
¡°What would you say some defining characteristic of mine would be?¡±
¡°Hahahaha, sorry my boy! No can do! The more input I give, the worse off you¡¯ll be. I will say this though, an element¡¯s characteristic are only how you perceive them and your own understanding of them.¡±
¡°Uh huh, maybe in a bit more English?¡±
¡°You know as well as I do the system translates everything perfectly, even if I weren¡¯t speaking English!¡± He chuckles.
I roll my eyes as I begin to think about the implications of what he said.
Before I can think too deeply, though, we suddenly stop. I look up to see Gael and Garut standing in front of us.
¡°What¡¯s up fellas, what¡¯d you find?¡± Uncle Moren asks.
¡°Small horde of goblins ahead, tiers 1-4.¡±
Uncle Moren responds to this news with a large grin.
¡°Well isn¡¯t this perfect! Rowan your up!¡±
I look at Uncle Moren incredulously,
¡°You don¡¯t expect me to deal with tier 4¡¯s do you?¡±
¡°No no, of course not, we¡¯ll be next to you and keep away anything higher than tier 1. Though, we might make you fight one or two tier 2¡¯s just to see how you match up.¡± He says placatingly.
¡°Ok fine, how are we doing this?¡± I ask.
¡°Oh no, we¡¯re not doing anything but defending you from stuff you can¡¯t handle. That includes plans. You gotta deal with this your own way.¡± Uncle Moren says.
¡°Gotta keep your critical thinking skills sharp!¡± Gael says while grinning.
¡°Not a problem, in fact, even better! Though I¡¯ll be taking my time a bit, so be prepared to hunker down for the next few days.¡±
They all nod approvingly.
¡°So how many tier 1¡¯s we talking? Fifty? A hundred?¡± I ask confidently.
¡°Five-hundred.¡± Garut says smirking slightly.
¡°¡ ok maybe be prepared to hunker down for a few more days on top of that.¡± I say slightly depressed.
After a few seconds of deliberation, I suddenly remember a question I had for everyone here.
¡°Hey guys, I was wondering what element your core is aspected to?¡± I ask eagerly.
Both Gael and Garut are slightly surprised at this question.
¡°Now now young man, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit early to be thinking about that? I mean you just formed your core less than week ago. The young these days, always so eager to ruin their bright future¡¡± Gael shakes his head disappointingly.
¡°No no no, you misunderstand, I¡¯m not going to try anything for a long while. I¡¯m just trying to think about which element I resonate the most with.¡±
¡°Ah I see, if its just that then I suppose it¡¯s fine. My element is mist. I found my self attracted to it¡¯s mystical nature, and unknown horrors that lay within it¡¯s grasp.¡±
¡°I see¡¡± I think about his response before turning to Garut and asking, ¡°What about you Garut?¡±
Garut stares at me for a good five second before finally responding before things got too awkward.
¡°Blood. I pump blood, I spill blood, I am blood.¡± He says stoically, like he just said the most profound thing in the world.
¡°Oh wow very nice.¡± I say nervously.
¡®Yup definitely a psychopath.¡¯ I think to myself.
Lastly I turn to Uncle Moren and ask,
¡°What about you Uncle Moren? What element do you resonate with?¡±
¡°Oh I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s a bit embarrassing¡¡± He says while rubbing the back of his head.
¡°Come on! Now you gotta tell me!¡± I say eagerly.
¡°Alright, it¡¯s sight. My element is sight.¡±
¡°Sight? Not really a traditional element wouldn¡¯t you say? I¡¯ve never heard of someone with a sight element before.¡±
¡°Well yeah it¡¯s not a traditional element, in THIS plane that is. The abyssal plane is almost fully composed it along with every other type of sense element, at least according to what a few of my skills say in their description and a few books I''ve found over the years. That''s why so many people make contracts for abyssals, much to those same people''s detriment. Their kind can learn about almost anything. Also, while sense elements are rare, their not so rare as to be Impossible to find.¡±
¡°What made you resonate with that then, if it¡¯s so unorthodox and uncommon.¡±
¡°To me it just made sense. I wanted to see more around me, to have all the information I could need at my fingertips. I wouldn¡¯t allow myself to miss anything ever again¡¡± He says solemnly while trailing off slightly at the end.
¡°What do you mean? Did you miss something important?¡±
He sighs lightly and says,
¡°I¡¯ll tell you some other time kid. For now though, walk me through your game plan to take care of these goblins why don¡¯t ya.¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing crazy. After all, how hard could some damn goblins be?¡±
¡°Kid, you never learn do you?¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°Nevermind¡¡±
12. Little Green Freaks
Dido the Goblin¡¯s POV
Dido walk through the forest with fellow groupmates. Dido hunt for tribe and kill to prove to symbols in head that Dido the best. Stupid humans make symbols in head most happy!
Dido heard from chief that he count us and he think we getting smaller. Dido no care, leave stupid counting to stupid chief and stupid shaman. Chief say someone kill us, chief stupid. No one kill goblins! We too strong!
Dido the real smart one, Dido understand what truly important.
Dido look around and notice less goblin than before. Whatever. Dido not do stupid counting like stupid chief.
Dido continue to hunt. After long time of walking, Dido do it! Dido found a yummy rabbit! Dido run at yummy rabbit and kill it with spear. Dido strong! Dido provide for tribe!
Dido look back to show other goblin his prize, but all other goblins are gone. How dare they run away! How dare they be scared of small yummy rabbit! Dido not scared.
Suddenly Dido feel weird. Why Dido flying? Why Dido see body? Where Dido head? Why Dido seeing black? Weird.
Rowan¡¯s POV
¡®And with that last kill, that¡¯ll mark number¡ let¡¯s see¡ one-hundred-seventy-six?¡¯ I think to myself.
¡®But man I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to keep doing this if the groups get any larger. I already had quite a few close calls in that last group.¡¯
It¡¯s been about three and a half days since the start of the ¡®Great Goblin Culling¡¯ as I like to call it.
My plan thus far has been pretty simple. Wait for a hunt party to split of from the horde, follow them about a mile or two, then slowly pick off the goblins in the very back.
My Sword of Silence trait has been doing wonders for this type of job, making it almost impossible to hear when I slit a goblin or two¡¯s throat, or cut their head off. Though when I do the latter I have to make sure I catch the head before it hits the floor and makes a noise.
All this killing has given my status a not insignificant upgrade, though each level is becoming longer and longer than the last, which is to be expected I suppose. Each level is supposed to take almost double the amount of effort to gain. That combined with the quickly dwindling challenge of my goblin slaughter campaign, and you get levels that take ages to get through.
I look at my status briefly to admire my gains.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
3 ¡ú 6
Class
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 10 ¡ú 11 (+2)
Agility ¨C 15 ¡ú 16 (+2)
Dexterity ¨C 19 ¡ú 21 (+2)
Endurance ¨C 7 (+2)
Perception ¨C 12 ¡ú 14 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 10 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 20 ¡ú 22 (+2)
(7 AP Remaining)
Masteries
Swords ¨C 16 ¡ú18
Temperance ¨C 13 ¡ú 14
Stealth ¨C 7 ¡ú 10
Sprinting ¨C 6 ¡ú 7
Exercise ¨C 5 ¡ú 6
Thievery ¨C 3
Deception ¨C 3
Killing ¨C 4
Blending In ¨C 1
Misdirection ¨C 1 ¡ú 3
Monster Hunting ¨C 0 ¡ú 5
Skills
(6 SP Remaining)
Feats
Early Killer - The deadliest killers started young, and once you''ve killed once, what''s another? Kill a sentient being before level 1. Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - You''ve trained and begun your path of sword mastery strong. Get Swords Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - You''ve tempered your mind to be as solid as stone. Get Temperance Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.Early Enlightenment - Form your core before level 1. One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Your will remains steadfast and unbroken while holding a sword. Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - A true swordsman needs nothing but himself and the sword. Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Your sword is silent until it strikes true. Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C When without a sword, even the smallest of foes may slay you, but with a sword, giants bow to your might. +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
I¡¯m quite proud of the gains I¡¯ve made in the past few days. So many mastery levels in Monster Hunting isn¡¯t surprising, and I expect it to only go up.
The reason Monster Hunting increases and not killing is that goblins were originally spawned from a dungeon at some point, and therefore are classified as monsters, though somewhat smart monsters I will say.
It¡¯s hard to feel bad for the buggers though, considering the horror stories I often hear of the deplorable things they partake and take pleasure in.
I¡¯ve even heard of planet that are now ruled by the things due to a horde getting out of control early in a planet¡¯s integration.
A few of my other masteries received a nice boost too, though I¡¯m most proud of my increased swords mastery, as always.
For my attributes, I decided to much the same as I¡¯ve been doing, that being increasing dexterity and willpower the most and shoring up a few weaknesses. Though I increased perception a bit more, as it never hurts to be able to detect and react to ambushes faster.
Once I¡¯m done checking over my status, I decide to head back to camp for the day. Eighty in one day is a pretty good pace if I do say so myself.
I begin to walk back to camp at a mild pace, taking my time to enjoy the surroundings greenery. The small birds chirping in the distance. The fresh, brisk air that seems to energize me with every breath. The sun setting in the distance turning the sky various shades of purple and orange.
¡®Man this is great, and best of all, I got you right alongside me.¡¯ I think looking at the sword in my hand and feel the worn steel brush against my fingers.
While I continue to take in the scenery, I hear leaves rustle above me. I look up to see a one hundred and twenty pound green mass of muscle quickly descending at me. I do my best to move out of the way and bring my sword up in an attempt to block.
I manage to deflect the worst of it, preventing myself from losing a limb, but I still take a large gash down the side of my leg that is spurting out blood quick.
I take a large step backwards, and take a look at my attacker.
He¡¯s definitely a goblin, but instead of the small, thin goblins I¡¯ve been preying upon until now, this one looks like he¡¯s been taking steroids his whole life, with arms the size of my legs and barrel like chest.
His height is the same as the rest of the goblin¡¯s though, and instead of crude wooden spears, this one sports a large battle-axe held in both hands. That, alongside the big green hooked nose, that¡¯s so common among goblins, makes for an intimidating character.
¡®Fucking damnit! Just had to ruin a good moment didn¡¯t you.¡¯
I look down at my still bleeding leg and begin to think of a plan to take care of this little muscled freak.
¡®Ok think, this little fuck is obviously tier 2, so I won¡¯t be overpowering him anytime soon and with my legs like this running isn¡¯t an option. By the looks of it, he¡¯s willing to wait me out too, so I won¡¯t be using any reckless charges to my advantage any time soon either.¡¯ I think while the goblin and I continue to stare each other down.
¡°Stupid human thought he could kill goblin and live.¡± The goblin says scornfully.
¡°Oh shut up you disgusting green mass of muscle.¡±
¡°I will take pleasure in watching you bleed out, stupid human!¡±
¡®Fuck, what the hell do I do. Wait¡ maybe that would work¡¡¯ I think to myself as a stupid idea hits my brain.
¡®Well I¡¯m not coming up with much better, so let¡¯s try it.¡¯
Then I exaggeratedly pull my arm back and chuck my sword at the goblin.
Clearly surprised at the move, the goblin throws his axe up into the path of the sword. My sword hit the ground with a thud, and the goblin looks up from the sword on the floor to see me charging straight at him.
¡°Hahaha stupid human! You will die for your stupidness!¡± He says arrogantly, while raising his axe in preparation to swing at me.
Then, just as he is about to bring his axe towards my side, I gather spiritual energy from my core and begin to channel it yet again. I will, with every ounce of spiritual energy I can muster, my sword back into my raised hand and bring that same hand downward, not even processing whether my last ditch move worked or not.
A feel a short resistance before my hand stops and I realize quickly that my sword is lodged in this guy¡¯s skull.
Less than a second later, being unable to stifle the axes momentum, I feel a sharp pain on my hip. That fine though, as I¡¯d rather an axe in my hip than my organs.
I fall backwards to the ground and feel the edges of my vision darkening. Through sheer force of will, I manage to stay awake long enough to see three familiar figures coming towards me.
The last thing I manage to hear before I fully pass out is,
¡°Man, this kid really needs to quit passing out so much.¡±
13. Saviors
Gael¡¯s POV
I watch as the kid gets ambushed by the tier 2 Garut and I let through. He puts up a solid defense, but in the end he still gets struck with a debilitating strike.
We let this one through with permission from Moren, I think both Moren and the Kingdom want to see how this kid reacts to uncomfortable situations. If he manages to get out of this without our help, his stock value will fly through the roof.
Fighting up a tier is a tall ask, especially when that higher tier is halfway through said tier, like our green friend over there is.
I personally am rooting for the kid. He¡¯s got a good character, strong determination, and most importantly, he¡¯s got the skills to back it up. If we can get him on our side, that¡¯s just one more step in bringing down the Empire¡¯s rain of terror on it¡¯s own people.
¡°What do you think Garut? You think he can pull this one off?¡±
¡°Yes, he¡¯s smart. He¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Garut says, giving an uncharacteristic sentence rather than the one word answers I¡¯m used too.
When I got paired up with this big lug, I thought he was the usual bruiser, run head first, muscled up idiot that are so common nowadays. Getting to know him a little better during our little scouting trips and such, though, revealed a surprisingly gentle-hearted individual when he thinks no one is looking, and who takes responsibility quite seriously.
I often see him staring at the kid in concern whenever we are watching him for protection, much like he is now. He may try to hide his concern, but to someone as well-versed in the mind as myself, hiding one¡¯s emotions is much akin to hiding a boulder among pebbles.
I continue to watch as the kid throws his sword at the green mass of muscle.
¡°Hmm, are we about to see more of what his spiritual energy can do?¡± I say out loud to nobody in particular, as I notice the rise in spiritual energy around him.
My assumption is proven right as I see the boy somehow bring that worn down sword into his hand from ten feet away.
¡°Oh wow, very nice. Quite the move, though I fear we¡¯ll have to carry him home as a move like that is almost guaranteed to use the rest of his spiritual energy.¡±
I see Garut nod, before watching as the boy¡¯s plan works, lobbing the head off the big goblin. I also watch as the boy, predictably, falls over backwards into the dirt.
I hear a rustle behind and look back to find Moren, grinning happily.
¡°Looks like our boy did it¡± Moren says heartily.
¡°Indeed he did. Now let¡¯s go grab him before he bleeds out.¡± I say warmly.
Uncle Moren¡¯s POV
I watch as Garut sets the kid down on the floor by the fire.
¡°So did you tell the boy where you¡¯re really from yet, Moren?¡±
I look behind me to see the old fox man Gael with his hand rested warmly on my shoulder.
I sigh before responding,
¡°No not yet, I just don¡¯t want him to think the only reason I ever helped him out was to poach him from the Empire. I let loose some info on you guys, but not much besides that you work for the Kingdom.¡±
¡°Well wasn¡¯t that technically what you did? Help him because you saw his potential, that is.¡±
¡°Yeah, originally I suppose, but I¡¯ve grown fond of the kid, watched him grow up. Much like you did for me back in the day. Though back then I wasn¡¯t even close to a high rank 3 talent like the kid is. Maybe a low rank 4 if I¡¯m lucky.¡±
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
¡°Yeah, but back then I saw more than just your rank, I saw guts. They don¡¯t make ¡®em as tough as you anymore, Moren.¡±
¡°I guess¡¡±
We sit in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before I suddenly say,
¡°I¡¯ll tell him when he wakes up.¡±
¡°Oh? Why the sudden change of heart.¡± Gael asks me curiously.
¡°Well, when you told me what was really happening, I didn¡¯t hate you for it. If anything I respected you more for it. For dedicating your life to helping out talented kids who don¡¯t even know they need help. Admirable stuff.¡±
¡°And look at you, following in my footsteps. I always knew you¡¯d turn out alright.¡±
¡°Really? I find that hard to believe. You¡¯re talking about the same Moren that got into bar fights almost every night while still unawakened.¡± I say skeptically.
¡°Yup. It¡¯s even a miracle your alive you know. I¡¯d find you passed out in some alley almost every night, though I suppose all those fights did wonders for your masteries.¡±
¡°Hahaha! You¡¯d be absolutely right!¡± I say heartily, ¡°Gave my endurance a good training too, what with all those broken bones and such!¡±
Another minute of silence passes.
¡°What about you know who, you gonna tell him about that?¡± Gael says solemnly.
¡°Maybe¡ I still haven¡¯t decided¡.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no rush you know. You can wait a little while.¡±
¡°No, if he¡¯s gonna come with us to the Kingdom, he needs to know the real reason it¡¯s better he come with us.¡±
Garut¡¯s POV
I sit by the fire and carefully watch Rowan¡¯s wounds to make sure they are healing alright. Looking over my shoulder, I spot Moren and Gael talking like they¡¯ve known each other for years, though I suppose they have.
Gael let loose to me that both himself and Moren were saved by the poaching program the Kingdom started a few thousand years ago to help talented kids get saved from the Empire.
I¡¯ve seen and experienced first hand what happens to these kids, grown for no other purpose then war. To spill the blood of the Empire¡¯s enemies, and if such a calling were to be refused, there is no other fate then death.
It sickens me to my core, and is the whole reason I¡¯m on this planet in the first place. To help talented kids not end upon victims to the Empire¡¯s endless war machine.
Much like Moren and Gael, I¡¯m someone who was poached from the Empire and brought to the kingdom. After a few years of training and screening, as is the standard for people in this line of work, I was sent to this small planet in the outer rims of the Empire¡¯s control.
So far, no one too talented have hit my radar in my time here, though I was able to secure a rank 5 talent, which is a small, but noteworthy gain for the Kingdom.
The war between the two superpowers apparently has been going on for close to 5 thousand years, which, as a barely fifty year old, is so long that it¡¯s almost incomprehensible to me.
Currently, the war is on standstill as the two power consolidate their gains from the recent wave of new planet integrations that have been occurring the past 5 years, but this temporary peace won¡¯t last long.
The Empire will make damn sure of that.
Rowan¡¯s POV
I wake up on the ground next to a small fire. Immediately my head aches in pain, and I already wish I could go back to sleep.
Garut, noticing the disturbance, nods to me and says,
¡°You overworked your core. Don¡¯t use spiritual energy for a few days.¡±
I quickly nod and lay back down in an attempt to sooth my pounding head. I¡¯m unable to go back to sleep though, so instead I decide to distract myself with the notifications I acquired in my last fight.
¡°Nice.¡± I say quietly to myself in admiration.
I quickly decide to invest all of my new AP evenly among my physical stats. Two into strength, two into agility, two into dexterity and two into endurance. I definitely needed to shore up the physical side of my stat sheet a bit, considering they are the stats I use most often, right now at least.
¡®Now on to the real meat and potatoes.¡¯ I think excitedly.
¡®Hmm, a tough choice I¡¯m going to have to make here.¡¯ I think, before hearing to my left.
¡°Rowan, we need to have a quick talk.¡± Uncle Moren says uncharacteristically serious.
¡®A choice that''s gonna have to wait till later I guess.¡¯ I think before sighing.
14. Setting the Stage
Uncle Moren looks at Garut meaningfully. He nods in understanding and walks over to Gael.
I look at Uncle Moren in confusion before asking somewhat jokingly,
¡°Is everything ok Uncle Moren? Did someone die or something?¡±
¡°No, but¡ listen kid there¡¯s some things you need to know before we continue on this little ¡®adventure¡¯ of ours.¡±
¡°Things like what?¡± I ask suspiciously.
¡°Well first off who I really am.¡±
¡°You name¡¯s not Uncle Moren.¡±
¡°Not what I meant Rowan.¡± Uncle Moren says clearly not in the mood for jokes.
¡°Ok well what do you mean then?¡±
Uncle Moren stops and think for a second, before gathering his breath and speaking,
¡°Well I suppose first off all I should let you know I also work for the Kingdom of Fillith.¡±
¡°Really? So what, are you gonna force me to join their military or something? Is that what this has been about?¡±
¡°No, definitely not. In fact, it¡¯s the opposite. I¡¯m gonna ask that you don¡¯t join their military. Actually even better, I¡¯m gonna ask that you stay the hell away from war as much as you can. I want you to train get strong, fight and kill a few enemies if you have to, but just stay the hell away from War as much as possible.¡±
I stare at him in contemplation.
¡°Why do you want me away from war so bad? It¡¯s just killing, which apparently you deemed so important for me to do that you literally made me fight some guy to the death. So what¡¯s up?¡±
¡°Rowan, you don¡¯t understand. Whether it be the Empire, the Kingdom, or any other multiversal superpower like that, they will squeeze you dry until you¡¯re nothing but a hollow husk of your former self. They¡¯ll make you do things that even the vilest being in the multiverse would think twice about doing.¡±
¡°Like what? Kill people on a battlefield? That¡¯s the whole point of war I thought.¡±
¡°No Rowan, things much worse. This is also the reason the Kingdom is somewhat more favorable than the Empire, they don¡¯t force talented kids, like yourself, into that kind of stuff. For the Kingdom, it¡¯s voluntary whether or not you join the army.¡±
He continues,
¡°Also, the Kingdom is much more reserved when it comes to committing atrocities, though that may be the reason they¡¯re losing the war in the first place. There are some lines they aren¡¯t willing to cross, and the Empire is.¡±
¡°Why are you telling me all this? I mean, I appreciate it and all but if you work for the Kingdom and all, wouldn¡¯t you, I don¡¯t know, get like a bonus for recruiting me from the Empire.¡±
¡°Maybe, it¡¯s definitely a possibility, but Rowan I want you to understand that I don¡¯t do this for money or power or anything like that.¡±
Uncle Moren sighs before continuing,
¡°Rowan when I was your age, I too was poached from the Empire. I was talented, gutsy, and hot-headed, the perfect type of person for the Empire to take advantage of and put through the test of war.¡±
¡°So why didn¡¯t you? Go to war I mean. If you didn¡¯t know anything about multiversal conflict back then, and you were as hot-headed as you say, wouldn¡¯t you be excited for such an opportunity?¡±
¡°So yeah, that¡¯s another thing. I, uh, actually already kinda knew Gael before all this. He¡¯s the one who poached me from the Empire and told me what to really expect from war. That things into perspective real quick, especially when he went into¡ details.¡±
¡°I see¡¡± I say deep in thought.
¡°I¡¯ve seen first hand what the Empire does to it¡¯s talents. I had a friend¡ or more like a brother, and instead of heeding Gael¡¯s advice, he went out to fight the war. A year later when he came back¡ he wasn¡¯t the same. Dull, unfeeling eyes, no trace of humanity in what was once the brother I knew my whole life. He killed himself not two days later, Rowan, dead to the horrors that his mind could not escape from. The horrors that the Empire put on him.¡±
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We sit in silence for what seems like hours, Uncle Moren¡¯s face filled with grief and shame.
¡°If only I had convinced him Rowan, or better yet stopped him before it was too late. If only I¡¯d seen what was going on inside his head, maybe I could¡¯ve stopped him¡¡±
Another bout of silence commences, as I¡¯m utterly flabbergasted at seeing Uncle Moren with such a face.
Of all the however many years I knew Uncle Moren as a boisterous guy with sketchy morals and a soft spot for kids in need. The juxtaposition from that Uncle Moren to the one I see in front of me, conflict ridden on his face, is jarring to say the least.
After a while, Uncle Moren finally speaks,
¡°So yeah, kid, that¡¯s about all I wanted to tell you. Just understand that these superpowers don¡¯t care about you, all they want is an unfeeling machine that the human mind is not ready to become. I¡¯m going to bed, and you should too, you¡¯ve got plenty more goblins to kill after all. Goodnight.¡±
I stare in silence at Uncle Moren¡¯s shrinking back.
¡®Wow ok, that was a lot to think about I suppose¡¡¯
As I slowly walk back to the fire, I quickly make a decision on which trait I¡¯m going to go for.
¡®I¡¯d rather be versatile in all situations than just one or two.¡¯ I think to myself before locking in Willful Gains.
I decide to augment my dexterity, my thinking being that the more I increase my dexterity, the more progression I¡¯ll have with Swords Mastery, which means the stronger I¡¯ll be and the more stats I¡¯ll gain. Snowballing further and further in strength.
I take a look at my status sheet.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
8
Class
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 13 (+2)
Agility ¨C 18 (+2)
Dexterity ¨C 24 (+2)(+1)
Endurance ¨C 9 (+2)
Perception ¨C 14 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 10 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 22 (+2)
(7 AP Remaining)
Masteries
Swords ¨C 19
Temperance ¨C 14
Stealth ¨C 10
Sprinting ¨C 7
Exercise ¨C 6
Thievery ¨C 3
Deception ¨C 3
Killing ¨C 4
Blending In ¨C 1
Misdirection ¨C 5
Monster Hunting ¨C 8
Skills
(6 SP Remaining)
Feats
Early Killer - The deadliest killers started young, and once you''ve killed once, what''s another? Kill a sentient being before level 1. Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - You''ve trained and begun your path of sword mastery strong. Get Swords Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - You''ve tempered your mind to be as solid as stone. Get Temperance Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - Form your core before level 1. One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Reversal ¨C Become critically wounded in an ambush and escape/kill your ambusher(s). One trait can be chosen related to your recent ambush.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Your will remains steadfast and unbroken while holding a sword. Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - A true swordsman needs nothing but himself and the sword. Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Your sword is silent until it strikes true. Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C When without a sword, even the smallest of foes may slay you, but with a sword, giants bow to your might. +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
Willful Gains ¨C Permanently gain 5% of your willpower in any stat. Affect continues to scale with willpower. (+1 Dexterity)
While one dexterity may not seem like a lot, and it isn¡¯t, in the future when I have thousands of points in willpower, I¡¯m hoping that my dexterity will increase by the hundreds.
Who knows maybe I¡¯ll get a few more traits that do something similar, allowing me to stack even more points into other stats from my willpower.
I get back to the fire to find Gael sitting by the fire alone. I¡¯m not quite ready to go to bed just yet, so I decide to sit across from him and engage in some conversation.
¡°So you and Uncle Moren have known each other for a long time?¡± I ask curiously.
¡°Hmm I suppose a long time from your point of view. I¡¯m almost 500 hundred years old young man, so you¡¯ve got to understand what may seem like a long time to you, is not so much to me.¡±
¡°Well how long ago have you known him?¡±
¡°Well, it must¡¯ve been close to thirty years at this point. Back then he was so foolhardy, so oblivious to the outside universe, much like yourself right now.¡±
I want to argue against that, but deep down I know it¡¯s true. After all before this, I barely left the perimeter of Justice City. A small, inconsequential city on some nobody planet.
¡°I want to change that, I want to see more of what the multiverse has to offer, good and bad.¡±
¡°Do you though? Many think that¡¯s what they want until it¡¯s too late. So I ask again, are you sure that¡¯s what you want?¡±
¡°I¡¯m positive. I want to see and change the multiverse for the better.¡±
Gael grins excitedly,
¡°Well if that¡¯s so, then I might have just the opportunity for you young man.¡±
15. An Opportunity
¡°An opportunity? For what?¡± I ask skeptically.
¡°Well it¡¯s nothing crazy, but there¡¯s this organization built to give young talents with no backing a place to go. They¡¯re called the Saving Face Corporation. It¡¯s a place for talented individuals to go that are in need of opportunities, such as say arena tokens, or trial keys.¡±
¡°Oh yeah? What¡¯s the catch?¡±
¡°No catch young man. The reason this organization sounds too good to be true, is for most people, it is! Only the best of the best rank 1 and 2 talents can make it in. In return for sponsoring such talented individuals, said sponsored people are often recruited into the company. Also the organization makes trillions of credits in donations from its beneficiaries.¡±
¡°Do I have to be recruited at some point?¡± I once again ask skeptically.
¡°Nope! The company gets plenty from the amount of pr the numerous powerhouses in the universe generate. You¡¯ve got to understand young man, the amount of prestige in which people in this organization are held is only matched by a very few similar organizations.¡±
¡°So the best of the best come from these places, or what?¡±
¡°No no no, not at all though a lot of powerhouses do come from such organizations, you¡¯ve got to understand there are countless talents that are either entrapped in Kingdoms and Empires alike.¡±
He continues,
¡°Also many just decide not to go to these organizations, instead forgoing the attention these places can bring and gaining strength quietly on their own.¡±
¡°I see¡ so where is this so called ¡®organization¡¯?¡±
¡°Well there is a branch stationed on the Kingdom planet we will be warping to, registration ends in about two or so weeks, so we¡¯ll get there just in time for the examinations!¡±
We sit in silence while Gael allows me to think about what he said.
¡®It sounds like a good deal on paper, but at the same time, it seems like joining will be blaring a big spotlight on me. Do I really need that sort of attention?¡¯
I continue to think,
¡®No, no not really, but the chance to get an arena ticket or even a trial key. Now that¡¯s a chance I can¡¯t miss.¡¯
Arena tickets allow a person to enter a special type of dungeon, usually referred to as the Arena. These dungeons appear once every five years, and goes on for close to 3 months. During that time, anyone who entered the arena can then enter contests.
Anything from cooking to alchemy, and especially arena fighting, are all on the table. Each of these events are further separated by tier.
Millions of people of all tiers, from all around the multiverse try their luck at these contests, as doing well can net a person substantial gains.
Trials keys are similar in that they allow access to a special type of dungeon knows as trials. There are hundreds of thousands of trials spread all over the multiverse, and are usually a tier 20¡¯s legacy before they ascend to the greater realm.
Do well in one of these, and you can gain unique skills, treasures, stats, traits and even cultivation. If it¡¯s on your status, you can gain it in these trial planets. Wars are constantly fought over planets holding these trials, as they can singlehandedly increase a talents rank.
That¡¯s why the opportunity is so tempting, as gaining access to the Arena or a trial are once in a lifetime chances.
¡°Think on it kid, we still got a about a week and a half before we reach the jump pad depending on how long we spend here, so no need to rush. In the meantime focus on what¡¯s in front of you, that being some goblins that need killing.¡± He says before going back to his tent to rest.
¡®Well I¡¯ll think more on it in the morning for now back to slaying goblins. My class is right around the corner, hopefully I¡¯ll get some good options.¡¯ I think excitedly before slowly closing my eyes inside my tent and falling asleep.
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I stalk slowly behind the group of goblins. This group in particular is the largest one I¡¯ve come across thus far. The goblins are losing it¡¯s members, and they know it.
Alongside the larger group, they¡¯ve also added a couple tier 2¡¯s into the mix. They are going to be the real problem, as with heightened senses and a larger capability for complex reasoning, these goblins will notice far quicker when something is off.
For now I decide to avoid the tier 2¡¯s and slowly chip off member at the edge of the group, and leave whenever I think they might realize what¡¯s happening.
I go in for a swift strike on the goblin I¡¯ve been eyes for the past 2 minutes, quickly and cleanly cutting his head off before catching the head and quietly dragging the remains into a nearby bush.
I do this about ten more times, before I notice the tiers 2¡¯s looking around suspiciously. That¡¯s my signal to lay low for a bit, at least until the group reaches close to the rest of the tribe and lets their guard down slightly, allowing me a few more kills.
Continuing like this for the next few days, I¡¯m able to slowly but surely whittle down the tier 1 goblin population until there is close to none left. This unsurprisingly nets me only one more level, as repeat actions combined with the increasing level gap between the goblins and I, result in much less experience.
The groups now are almost entirely made up of 5 or 6 tier 2¡¯s. I decide to try my luck at using the same tactic as with the tier 1¡¯s and slowly pick off one or two that lag behind the rest of the group.
The first time I tried this went about as bad as it could, with me getting detected very quickly while stalking my target. Escaping out of that situation was not fun, and I was done for the rest of the day after that.
Trying again the next day, though, yielded much better results. I was able to secure two tier 2 kills, almost three, but I was forced to use my spiritual energy for the second kill, leaving me to low on energy to attempt a third.
Somehow this still wasn¡¯t enough to net me my final level, which apparently is known as a bottleneck level, taking almost three times the amount of experience as the level before it.
This little goblin excursion has done wonders for my masteries though, showing marginal gains in a lot of key areas.
I also was able to net that feat that was revealed to me a week or so ago.
I look at my status to admire my progress.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
9
Class
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 13 ¡ú 14 (+2)
Agility ¨C 18 ¡ú 20 (+2)
Dexterity ¨C 24 ¡ú 26 (+2)(+1)
Endurance ¨C 9 ¡ú 10 (+2)
Perception ¨C 14 ¡ú 16 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 10 ¡ú 11 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 22 ¡ú 24 (+2)
(7 AP Remaining)
Masteries
Swords ¨C 19
Temperance ¨C 14 ¡ú 15
Stealth ¨C 10 ¡ú 12
Sprinting ¨C 7 ¡ú 9
Exercise ¨C 6 ¡ú 7
Thievery ¨C 3
Deception ¨C 3
Killing ¨C 4
Blending In ¨C 1
Misdirection ¨C 5 ¡ú 6
Monster Hunting ¨C 8 ¡ú 9
Skills
(9 SP Remaining)
Feats
Early Killer - The deadliest killers started young, and once you''ve killed once, what''s another? Kill a sentient being before level 1. Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - You''ve trained and begun your path of sword mastery strong. Get Swords Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - You''ve tempered your mind to be as solid as stone. Get Temperance Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - Form your core before level 1. One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Reversal ¨C Become critically wounded in an ambush and escape/kill your ambusher(s). One trait can be chosen related to your recent ambush.
Punching Up ¨C Defeat 5 opponents of a higher tier than yourself. +1 to all stats.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Your will remains steadfast and unbroken while holding a sword. Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - A true swordsman needs nothing but himself and the sword. Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Your sword is silent until it strikes true. Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C When without a sword, even the smallest of foes may slay you, but with a sword, giants bow to your might. +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
Willful Gains ¨C Permanently gain 5% of your willpower in any stat. Affect continues to scale with willpower. (+1 Dexterity)
Unfortunately, my Swords mastery has also hit a bottleneck. A person''s first mastery to reach level 20 is a big deal, as that¡¯s the level that I receive a special feat for that specific mastery.
¡®Alright enough stalling, Uncle Moren said we leave tomorrow, so I want to get my class before then.'' I say to myself resolutely.
16. Sealing the Deal
¡°Alright kiddo, last day until we head back on the road. We¡¯ll be doing a sweep of the area to try and kill the rest of the goblins. We¡¯re gonna send a tough one your way though, so be ready.¡±
I nod as I watch Uncle Moren and the two bodyguards disappear into the trees. I sit in the clearing with my sword on my lap waiting. I continue to enjoy the chill that continues to grow colder by the day, along with the rustle of leaves and bushes.
I look down at my beat up sword and meditate on what it means to me, how it has affected my path to power.
¡®Who would I be without you? Where would I go? What would I do?¡¯ I think to myself.
Hearing a slight rustle in front of me, I open my eyes to see a goblin, though this one is a bit different than the rest I¡¯ve seen.
It¡¯s smaller than the rest that I¡¯ve seen, by almost half a foot, with scrawny, twig like limbs and two daggers in it¡¯s hands.
¡®Is this really supposed to be my opponent? What were they think sending a runt like this to me? Is this supposed to be like some sort of test?¡¯
Before I can ponder these questions further, the skinny goblins, charges me at blistering speed.
¡®Holy shit this little fuck¡¯s fast!¡¯
I throw my guard out sloppily at his dagger heading straight for my artery in my thigh. I try to counter with an attack of my own, but it backs away swiftly before my sword even comes close to landing a blow.
¡®Ok so this is a new one, how the hell am I supposed to do this?¡¯
I press forward my attack and continue to swing towards the little guy, but it¡¯s far to agile for me, deftly evading every single one of my blows. At the same time, he peppers my arms and legs with small cuts that, while not an issue right now, can quickly grow out of control if continued.
Deciding this fight needs to end quickly, I swing my blade and wait for when it comes in close to counterattack.
When it does, I quickly summon my spiritual energy and will my blade downward towards it¡¯s neck. The little thing somehow keeps it¡¯s calm during this though, and pivots out of the way. All I got for my efforts was a small gash on it¡¯s chest.
It pivots again, this time towards me and scores a gash on my side in return. I swing quickly towards it, and it yet again evades, continuing out game of cat and mouse.
¡®Goddamnit, how many points of agility does this asshole have? He¡¯s running circles around me!¡¯ I exclaim to myself while gritting my teeth.
I press my attack further, sending out a fury of well placed slashes. Finally I start to make progress as my attacks seems to be putting more pressure on the goblin.
The pressure of the engagement seems to be to much and the goblin decides to try and disengage. I¡¯m not having any of it though, as before it can jump backwards out of my range, I once again summon spiritual energy and will a slash that was originally heading for his head to his leg.
This shocks the little thing, and fruitlessly tries to pull it¡¯s leg back. My sword lands, dealing a wound so deep I can see bone.
With the goblins mobility hampered I press once more, slashing out towards it¡¯s neck.
It manages to put it¡¯s daggers in the way of my strike, though it gets sent flying for it¡¯s efforts. I charge at where it¡¯s about to land, and send a quick thrust into it¡¯s chest.
Understanding that dodging won¡¯t be possible, it instead allow itself to be pierced like a kabob on it¡¯s shoulder, and slides down the length of my blade while sending it¡¯s dagger straight towards my face.
Before this can happen, I swing my blade to the side, sending the little bugger tumbling yet again.
I stare at it as it slowly attempts to stand up, to no avail. Deciding to end it¡¯s misery, I walk up to it and bring my blade down, swiftly severing it¡¯s head from it¡¯s body.
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I sit in silence for a few seconds before I hear clapping coming from the trees. I turn and see Uncle Moren smiling from ear to ear.
¡°Rowan my boy! Congrats on tier 2! Good to see you didn¡¯t pass out this time! You did make it to tier 2 didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll finally get a class.¡± I sigh in relief.
¡°Well good! Head back to the campsite and get your status all sorted, I wanna be outta here by noon.¡±
I nod and make my way back.
While walking back I continue to think about my cultivation, specifically what element I resonate with. It¡¯s been a constant presence in my thoughts over the past few days.
I¡¯ve thought over almost any element I can think of, including some weird ones Uncle Moren has been telling me about.
Things like sound, crystal, even space or time, though the latter two sound way to complicated for me.
¡®Hmm, maybe that¡¯s it¡. Something uncomplicated, something¡ simple. Definitely on to something there, I can feel it.
I make to the camp before I have time to continue that train of thought any further.
Gael noticing me, walks up to me and pats my shoulder while saying enthusiastically,
¡°Congrats young man! I heard the good news from Moren! Tier 2 is a big deal! Its going to be your first class after all. The foundation of all your future class upgrades. Now do you understand the specifics of class rarities?¡±
¡°Uhhh¡¡± I stupidly mutter out.
¡®Guess I forgot to read up on it.¡¯ I think to myself sheepishly.
¡°No worries! Ill give you a quick refresher!¡± He says while chuckling.
I nod.
¡°So first thing you need to understand is that rarity does not equal strength, a common misconception among youths. All a rarity means is as the name implies, how rare it is. A legendary class is just as strong as a common class, where the legendary class differs is that higher rarity classes are often more tailored to the person who has it.¡±
"Also, each class will give a certain amount of AP and SP. Some classes give less SP and more AP, and vice versa. Some classes give less of both in favor of stronger starting traits or class exclusive skills. Some classes even allow for status upgrades instead of multiple skill selection options or traits, such as a racial or attribute enhancement. Sometime in really rare cases, they can give you a brand new stat entirely. Really what I''m trying to say is that every class will give you something different, but most of the time they''ll equal out in terms of benefits."
I nod once again to indicate my attention. He continues,
¡°What this means is that people with higher rarity classes are usual more dynamic and synergistic with their class. Oftentimes, though, some people are just more suited to less rare classes. A compatible person with the common Soldier class with be just as strong, if not stronger, than a lot of people with higher tiered classes.¡±
¡°So how do I know which class I¡¯m most compatible with when I look at my options?¡±
¡°Gut feeling.¡± Gael says seriously.
¡°Uh that¡¯s it? No, like, scientific method or reasoning? Just gut feelings?¡±
¡°Yup, trust me kid, almost any class the system shows will be at least somewhat compatible with you, but the one that you want, like really really want deep down, you¡¯ll pick. Ask anyone with their class, they¡¯ll tell you the same thing. Plus, if somehow you don¡¯t like the direction your class is going, there¡¯s always class upgrades given by the system every once in a while.¡±
¡°Gotcha, anything else I need to know?¡±
¡°Nope, though there are a few rarities outside of the common to legendary spectrum. Unique classes are classes specifically developed by the system for a person, These are only really given out as some sort of reward though, so unless you¡¯ve done something crazy while we haven¡¯t been watching you, you don¡¯t have to worry about this.¡±
¡°What are the others?¡± I ask curiously.
¡°Legacy classes are classes created by people who have ascended past tier 20, and have given specific requirements to the system for acquisition. A commonly known example is of the former Emperor of the Laglian Empire, Mythos.¡±
He continues,
¡°It¡¯s said that he created a class and whoever acquires it is the rightful heir to the throne. The current Emperor is just his son and is constantly on the lookout for people that may have this class, though I suspect it¡¯s not to willingly give up control of the Empire.¡±
I nod, indicating for him to continue,
¡°The last type of classes are virtue classes and sin classes, and unlike the others, these classes are a step above the rest in terms of power. This power comes with great restrictions though. For example, a person with a sin Greed class are required to embody greed at all times of the day. Most of the time this isn¡¯t an issue, as the people acquiring these classes do so anyway.¡±
¡°What happens if they don¡¯t embody it?¡±
¡°They die.¡± Gael says seriously.
¡°Oh¡¡±
¡°So if you¡¯re offered one of these classes, just know the risk you take. Anyway I¡¯ll leave you to it, I need to start packing up and gathering supplies.¡±
I nod appreciatively, before he turns and walks towards our tents.
¡®Ok time to check out my options.¡¯ I smile eagerly.
17. Class
¡®This one is to be expected, and I know Gael said that rarity doesn¡¯t necessarily equal strength, how the hell am I gonna be proud of a common class? Like come on, my pride as a swordsman won¡¯t allow it!¡¯
¡®Okay this one is obviously off the table, though if I wanted a more quiet life, I might have considered this.¡¯
¡®Again no, though that last part about teaching being the highest form of learning is interesting¡ something to think about later I suppose.¡¯
¡®Yeah no, I am not becoming some baldy in a robe meditating in a temple, no thanks!¡¯
¡®Hmmm, this one is interesting at least. If I was planning to join some sort of army this class may make me a valuable asset.¡¯
¡®Ok now were talking! This one is definitely closer to my style. Kind of a boring description if I¡¯m being honest though, not that I care. Sometimes simple is best. Now on to the real meat and potatoes!¡¯
¡®Ok why the hell did the system give me this one? I only talk to my sword sometimes¡ ok maybe I do slightly deserve it. Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m picking though!¡¯
¡®Wow, this one is¡ interesting. I don¡¯t exactly know if it¡¯s my cup of tea though. A bit too serious for my liking.¡¯
¡®Yup this one is the one, exactly what I want in a class. It sounds like it will play off my willpower too, which is definitely a bonus. On top of all that, it just sounds cool too! I¡¯ll check out the other options but this one is gonna be tough to beat.¡¯
¡®Yep no thanks, though this one does sound interesting. Better understanding my sword is a goal of mine, but do I really want to dedicate my whole class to it? No thanks.¡¯
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¡®Ok so these are the ones Gael was talking about, the risky ones that could kill me if I act contradictory to it. The Temperance class is worth thinking about though. After all, my Temperance mastery is already quite high, so adhering to that class may not be to bad. Greed on the other hand, sounds like a no go to me. To me its seems like a class like this will only lead to bad endings.¡¯
¡®Wow a legacy class? I don¡¯t know though, it sounds to me like the class won¡¯t use skills. Why would I pick a class that hinders me like that? Who the hell wants a class that gives me no skills?! Why would a person who ascended make a class like this?¡¯
My head begins to hurt from all the questions this class is causing me.
¡®He must have made it for a reason right? This is his ultimate legacy after all, permanently imprinting himself into the system before he ascends. No way he would just make a class that disallows skills for no reason, right?¡¯
I look back at the epic class I was thinking about taking earlier, and when I look at it in comparison to the legacy class, I don¡¯t know, it just feels¡ wrong. Like it doesn¡¯t fit me like the legacy class does. It feels like it was made for me.
¡®Is this the feeling Gael was talking about? This gut feeling I get when I look at the legacy class? But objectively it should be the worse option.¡¯ I think to myself before sighing.
¡®Who the hell am I kidding, I know what class I¡¯m taking, no point in being indecisive about it now. Gut feelings are the way to go here according to Gael, so maybe I¡¯m missing something here. Only one way to find out.¡¯
¡®Seeing this, I decide to put this into dexterity and agility.¡¯
<7 AP acquired from class level up.>
¡®Ugh yet another important decision.¡¯ I bemoan.
¡®Alright lets go down the list of stats, starting with strength. For me this is a probable no, just because my philosophy has always been skill rather than raw power.¡¯
¡®Agility is definitely an option. It would allow me to move around a fight quicker and would also do wonder for any ambushes I plan to do. Though high agility without a high perception is just asking to get caught in a trap before I even realize what¡¯s happening.¡¯
¡®Now dexterity, on the other hand, is the one I¡¯m most inclined to upgrade. It¡¯s the stat that most improves my swordsmanship, as it gives an increase to coordination and more tactile feedback from my hands.
¡®I¡¯m also interested to see what an enhanced dexterity would look like. Would it just give me MORE coordination, or would it do something else.¡¯
¡®Perception would also be a good shout, increasing my reaction time would be a huge boon in fights, allowing for even quicker responses to attacks.¡¯
¡®Intelligence is a definite no, as I¡¯m not a magic user, though the increased IQ and EQ would be much appreciated.¡¯
¡®Willpower also could be good, increasing my tenacity, but I mostly use willpower as a dump stat, that, in the future, will buff my other stats and provide temporary buffs to me¡ hopefully anyway.¡¯
After thinking on it for another minute or two, I decide to increase my dexterity. This is for many reasons, but the main one being I just want to be a better swordsman. I want to be in complete control of my sword and my body.
Immediately I feel a tingling all over my body, like small itches all throughout the inside and outside of my body. It¡¯s not exactly comfortable, but it¡¯s not unbearable either.
After a few minutes of this, it suddenly stops and I reassess myself.
It feels alien how well I can control my body. I feel like my body is a well programed robot that does exactly as I want it before I even realize I want it.
I itch myself before I even process the itch, I walk before I even process that I want to walk. It¡¯s somewhat¡ unnerving.
¡®This is going to get some getting used to.¡¯ I sigh mentally.
Before I can walk over to the rest of the crew, I get one more notification.
¡®What the hell?! A message? From a person who ascended? Is this normal for legacy classes? If so, why didn¡¯t Gael tell me about it?¡¯
18. What is This?!
I continue to stare at the notification baffled.
¡®Do I tell Uncle Moren about it? Gael maybe? Or do I just say screw it and receive the message. Ugh why is everything so complicated, I just wanted a goddamn cool class! Is that so much to ask for?¡¯
I look over to see Uncle Moren and Gael talking amicably.
¡®Maybe I do just tell them, after all what¡¯s the harm?¡¯ I think to myself.
¡®No, I need to do this myself, I won¡¯t always have him around. Plus as much as I trust Uncle Moren, in case this is some sort of big deal, I¡¯d rather him not get him, or Gael for that matter, involved.¡¯
With my mind made up, I firmly press that I¡¯d would like to receive the message.
Immediately my vision goes black, and suddenly I¡¯m inside the body of a tall man with four arms, and what seems like lusty golden skin. I can¡¯t move or control my body though, as if I were watching a first-person movie.
I¡¯m on some sort of mountain, and below me are what seems like an endless tide of soldiers, each uniformly marching towards the mountain in the distance. It seems like some sort of scene from an old-world movie that I would see every once and a while.
Suddenly, I hear the old man speak.
¡°Hello future successor to my legacy, whoever you may be! My name is Solace, and today will be a day for the history books! Today, I will annihilate over 3 million soldiers of the Interplanetary Alliance in just a short few seconds with nothing but my sword and my cultivation! Bear witness to what can be done without the poison that the system so heavily pushes for that are skills.¡±
I watch as he unsheathes a sword so large that he uses all four of his hands to bear the full might of it. The sword itself is golden, even more golden than his skin, and is possibly one of the most beautiful swords I have ever witnessed.
It has detailed and intricate filigree all throughout it¡¯s length, and a ornamental type of bird placed directly on the bottom, below the handle.
I stare as he bring the golden blade above his head, and begins channeling spiritual energy so strong and palpable, it can be seen in golden wisps that are beginning to coalesce towards the now shining blade.
The sword begins to slowly grow brighter and brighter, until I begin to wonder how the man is even seeing anything right now, as the swords is quite literally becoming as bright as the sun.
¡°Let my blade shine untainted, and the might of my purity banish those who stand before me!¡±
Suddenly, before I can even process the words Solace spoke, a projection of golden light forms into what seems to be a sword as tall as the eye can see. Then the sword falls, straight into the never-ending tide of soldiers.
When it lands, every single soldier within a mile of the impact zone immediately evaporates. Any soldier not close enough to be evaporated, falls into the rapidly expanding fault line that the impact caused.
I continue to stare dumbfoundedly as millions of soldiers die in an instant, death on a scale I haven¡¯t even come close to seeing before.
He begins to speak again,
¡°This is the path to power you now possess without the disgusting eyesore that are skills to misguide you on your path. Understand this young fellow, life is cruel, even more so is the path to acquiring power.¡±
He pauses briefly,
¡°They will wipe any records of this battle taking place, I guarantee it, but if the Alliance still stands in your time, know that they are your enemy, and anyone you love¡¯s enemy now that you have my legacy. I have left you a little present once you leave this message, use it wisely. Good luck on your path young one.¡±
Once again, my vision goes dark. I wake up standing exactly where I was before the message, with Uncle Moren and Gael standing around me with concern written all over their faces.
¡°What happened kid, you okay? You¡¯ve been standing there with a blank look on your face for almost twenty minutes.¡± Uncle Moren asks.
Before I can respond, I get another notification.
I sigh, once again having a million and one questions, but instead I first placate the two men in front of me.
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¡°Yes yes, I¡¯m fine, just some status stuff. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±
They both stare at me suspiciously.
¡°What kind of status stuff turns you braindead for twenty minutes?¡± Uncle Moren asks.
I glance at Gael before looking back at Uncle Moren with a conflicted look on my face.
Handing out info about one¡¯s status is sort of a big deal. Most people do it with their closest family and friends, some don¡¯t even do that.
He sighs and says, ¡°Alright, you don¡¯t have to tell us if you don¡¯t want to, but just know that we have your best interests at heart here kid. Whatever it is though, Gael and I are knowledgeable enough to know what¡¯s up.¡±
As they begin to walk away I quickly say,
¡°Ok I¡¯ll tell you, not you though Gael, sorry, I just don¡¯t trust you enough yet.¡±
¡°That¡¯s quite alright young man, trust me, I know better than most that trust is earned.¡± He says as he quickly walks over to the former camp and begins small talk with Garut.
Uncle Moren turns to me and asks,
¡°Alright kid, what happened.¡±
I take a few second to collect my thoughts and say,
¡°I got a legacy class.¡±
¡°Wow, good for you kid, I knew you¡¯d get something nice. Now what does that have to do with that little episode of yours.¡±
I then explain what happened, from the notification I received, to the army I saw get slaughtered, to the cryptic message I got about the alliance, and finally to the soul shard that¡¯s now in my status.
¡°Hmm, Interesting¡ this could be a common thing with legacy classes, I wouldn¡¯t exactly know though, as legacy classes are the rarest type of class behind legendary classes and unique classes.¡±
He pauses slightly before continuing,
¡°Though it is somewhat well-known that a person who inherits a legacy class, also inherits the class¡¯s creator¡¯s enemies and allies along with it. While the Interplanetary Alliance does still exists today, they are probably one of the weakest independent nations out there. The only reason They haven¡¯t been invaded already is because the planets they control have little to no value at all.¡±
¡°So should I worry about this alliance coming after me?¡±
¡°No, probably not. Just don¡¯t go advertising your legacy class and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±
I sigh in relief before asking,
¡°What about this soul shard thing? What is it?¡±
¡°Soul shards are usually given out as rewards from the system, they¡¯ll allow you to talk with whoever¡¯s soul shard it is. Usually hey have unlimited uses, but I suppose that would be a bit too much for a starting class reward, so they weakened it slightly.¡±
¡°How long does each use last?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never had one so I couldn¡¯t tell you. That¡¯s for you to find out I suppose. Anyway, we¡¯re leaving in five minutes, so be ready.¡±
He walks away and I¡¯m left standing there in thought.
¡®So many still unanswered questions. I still have no idea who the hell this Solace guy is or why the hell he killed millions of people that day. For all I know he could be a psychopath or something.
I decide to think more on it later, and take a look at my status.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
10
Class
Legacy: Skill-less Swordsman - Your blade shan¡¯t need any frivolous skills. Understand that only the truly weak use such measures, while all you need is a sword in your hand. May your will stand firm and your sword stand strong (7 AP per level).
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 15 (+2)
Agility ¨C 24 (+2)(+3)
Dexterity+ ¨C 33 (+2)(+1)(+3)
Endurance ¨C 11 (+2)
Perception ¨C 17 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 12 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 25 (+2)
(45 AP Remaining)
Masteries
Swords ¨C 20
Temperance ¨C 16
Stealth ¨C 12
Sprinting ¨C 9
Exercise ¨C 7
Thievery ¨C 3
Deception ¨C 3
Killing ¨C 4
Blending In ¨C 1
Misdirection ¨C 7
Monster Hunting ¨C 10
Skills
Feats
Early Killer - The deadliest killers started young, and once you''ve killed once, what''s another? Kill a sentient being before level 1. Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - You''ve trained and begun your path of sword mastery strong. Get Swords Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - You''ve tempered your mind to be as solid as stone. Get Temperance Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - Form your core before level 1. One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Reversal ¨C Become critically wounded in an ambush and escape/kill your ambusher(s). One trait can be chosen related to your recent ambush.
Punching Up ¨C Defeat 5 opponents of a higher tier than yourself. +1 to all stats.
Starter¡¯s Blade ¨C Reach mastery level 20 in Swords. +3 AP, +3 to dexterity.
Smart Spender ¨C Save all of your SP until level 10. +1 to all stats.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Your will remains steadfast and unbroken while holding a sword. Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - A true swordsman needs nothing but himself and the sword. Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Your sword is silent until it strikes true. Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C When without a sword, even the smallest of foes may slay you, but with a sword, giants bow to your might. +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
Willful Gains ¨C Permanently gain 5% of your willpower in any stat. Affect continues to scale with willpower. (+1 Dexterity)
Skill-less ¨C All SP gained up to this point and onwards will be transferred into 2 AP each. Unable to acquire skills through any means. Bonus (2 * Tier) AP gained per level.
Sword of Will ¨C Gain 10% of your willpower in any other stat. Can be changed once a year. (+3 Dexterity)
Items
Solace¡¯s Soul Shard (Three uses left)
¡®Damn that¡¯s a lot of attribute points! I¡¯m rich!¡¯ I exclaim mentally to myself.
¡®Now for one more hard decision, where do I spend all of them?¡¯
19. The Future
My first immediate reaction is to dump a good amount of them into Dexterity and Willpower. I think thirteen into both stats is fair. I have to remember that each point into willpower is actual equivalent to 1.15 total stats, so investing into it is smart, especially if I get more traits and feats like the two I have now, in the future.
With nineteen points left, I decide to put 8 points into agility and perception each, and the remaining three points into strength.
I take a look quickly at my upgraded attributes.
Attributes
Strength ¨C 18 (+2)
Agility ¨C 32 (+2)(+3)
Dexterity(+) ¨C 48 (+2)(+2)(+4)
Endurance ¨C 11 (+2)
Perception ¨C 25 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 12 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 38 (+2)
¡®No wonder the difference between tiers is so tough to beat! Though my attributes are slightly inflated than what would be normally expected due to my class.¡¯
With that all done and squared away, I head over to Uncle Moren and crew.
¡°Ok I¡¯m all ready, lets finally get the hell out of this place.¡± I say eagerly.
¡°Sounds good Rowan my boy!¡± He says as he grabs me once again like a sack of potatoes and begins travelling at rapid speeds.
¡°Goddamnit! I forgot about this part.¡± I say defeatedly.
¡°Haha! Don¡¯t worry kid, we¡¯ll make it there in no time!¡±
Empire Lieutenant Harvey¡¯s POV
¡°What the HELL do you mean you let him out of the city?! Do you even realize what a talent like that could do for the Empire?!¡± The general spits out on the other side of the hologram.
The general continues to lecture me.
¡°As our system given right, we must do all we can to spread out influence and conquer the multiverse. You keep up this kind of behavior, and I¡¯ll have to assume your attempting to impede that goal. You don¡¯t need me to tell you what we do to people who impede our goals, do you?¡±
¡°No sir!¡± I say with as neutrally as possible to disguise my dissatisfaction.
¡°Good, if you don¡¯t get this kid into the army with the week, it¡¯ll be your head Harvey. YOUR HEAD!¡± He quickly says before hanging up.
I bang my fist on the table, causing a loud bang to reverberate throughout the small office.
¡°Why the HELL, was I assigned to this godforsaken planet!¡± I scream out in anger.
I think back to what got me in this position.
Three years ago my future looked bright, I was just promoted to lieutenant, I had won multiple large victories, on admittedly small planets, but victories nonetheless.
Being such a rising star in the Empire¡¯s military, granted me a big networking opportunity, an invite to one of the largest military celebrations in the capital. A few of the Emperor¡¯s sons were even going to be there.
So I wore my finest black suit with green accents, as my core is of the wood attribute, unaware that this is the same attribute as one of the princes attending the party.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Apparently, this is a big social faux pas, as anyone with the same element as royalty must not display their element openly, as that could be considered saying that you are of the same level as that royalty.
No one had told me this though, so during the event, the prince in question said nothing to me, making sure that everyone in the room saw my mistake,
The next day, I was reassigned to this shitty planet, and was resigned for my career to stall for the next few years before I¡¯m sent back out to active battlefields.
Here I find out the Empire has their eyes on some superstar young talent that appeared on this planet, and now it¡¯s my ass on the line because of it.
¡°Gearald! Get the hell in here, NOW!¡±
The door quickly opens, with my assistant scurrying in.
¡°Yes sir.¡± He says seriously.
¡°Any luck in the closest few cities to Justice?¡±
¡°No sir, but we have increased security in Candline city, the nearest city with a jump pad, and also where we believe he may be headed.¡±
¡°Good, I want no stone unturned in that city. Remind all of out soldiers we are looking for a twenty year old male, holding a worn down sword, and has cultivation unlocked despite his young age. Strength is tier 1, possibly tier 2. Three to six accomplices too as well.¡±
¡°Yes sir.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t let me down soldier.¡± I say solemnly.
Chairman Jolix¡¯s POV
I sit in my office reading through the list of this years applicants at rapid pace, taking only fractions of a second to read through multiple names and descriptions of applicants.
¡°Oh wow, some real talent this year! The Saving Face Corporation is looking to head into another successful year!¡± I say boisterously.
¡®Only a weeks left until registration, I¡¯m hoping a few more stragglers pull through. Already seventeen rank 1 talents and forty-six rank 2 talents is quite the haul though, so I suppose I shouldn¡¯t be too greedy. One of them is even a probable rank 0 candidate too!¡¯
As an influential independent organization, separate from the large superpowers that squabble over land, we don¡¯t need to play by their rules. After all, if we were to pull our branches from their country, they wouldn¡¯t have a convenient gathering place of talent to make very generous offers too.
The chairman of such a well-connected and influential organization, myself, often find themselves stuck with the tough decision of how to test these talents to find out if they have what it takes.
Usually what I do is come up with some sort of challenge for them to complete. This year¡¯s challenge is going to be a little unorthodox for these types of things, but a perfect challenge nonetheless.
Anyone who is actually a rank two or above, as their recruiter stated, should face little difficulty at all! I don¡¯t know why so many higher ups are worried, it¡¯s not like too many of these kids will die.
¡®The multiverse is cruel, and these kids need to grow up quickly if they want to hold on to their power.¡¯ I think to myself solemnly.
Sinny''s POV
I float down the halls of the Saving Face Corp''s branch in the Kingdom of Filith.
As a member of the Nilid race, my tentacled limbs and humanoid face make for quite the odd appearance, at least in this part of the multiverse. Usually most races are either humanoid, or not, usually never in between.
Though I suppose I''ve never had a problem with bullying or the like, anyone that even tried such a childish thing has long learned their lesson, eternally.
After teaching one of these so called ''bully''s'' a lesson, a recruiter for the Saving Face Corporation found me and brought me in. This place is much better than where I used to live, that being nowhere. I lived wherever the tide would take me. Oftentimes I wouldn''t eat for weeks, or months sometimes if I was unlucky enough, but here I''m fed everyday and given a place to sleep. It''s quite nice I must say.
Apparently I''m a rank 1 talent or something, whatever that means. I''ve never been fond of labels. All I''ve ever cared about is my people''s calling, the mastery of the mind. True mastery and comprehension into my own thoughts and ideas are what every true Nilid seeks.
I was able to attribute my core before I even awakened, which I''m told is quite the impressive feat, and if my status is to be believed, I''m inclined to agree. I won''t allow such a small accomplishment relax me, though. This is only one step into the boundless path I have ahead of me.
While floating through the halls, I hear one of the maids whisper under her breath.
"Freak." she says quietly while walking past me.
Before she can even think another thought, she disappears, like she never existed.
"The void''s wrath takes another, maybe you will learn your lesson in nothingness, wench." I say silently continuing along like nothing happened.
20. Getting In
I watch as the large walls of Candline City grow closer. Thankfully I¡¯ve been allowed a reprieve from my potato sack ways, and we are now walking at a normal speed towards the city.
The city itself is something you would see in old-world tales of what the future may be like. Flying magitech pervading the air, with large towers made of steel that seem to reach t6he cloud.
It¡¯s quite the contrast to Justice City, where every thing looked rustic and old-world medieval.
Around us are endless hills filled to the brim with farmland. The closer to the city we get, the more high-tech and expensive looking the crops become.
Excited about the prospect of finally venturing outside to a new city, I barrage the trio with questions.
¡°Have you guys ever been here before? What¡¯s it like? What do I need to look out for?¡±
¡°Kid relax we¡¯ll talk about it more once we actually make into the city, which might I add, will be a bit difficult.¡±
¡°Why will it be difficult?¡±
¡°Do you really think the Empire doesn¡¯t know that we plan on heading here? Obviously they¡¯ll have increased security in the city closest to Justice with a jump pad.¡±
¡°Oh¡¡±
¡°Oh, is right Rowan my boy. Don¡¯t worry though, I have a plan for when we reach the gate.¡±
¡°We¡¯re going through the gate? Why not just go through the sewers again?¡±
¡°You think we¡¯ll be as lucky as we were last time? No chance. Not only will they be ready for that, seeing as that what we did last time while killing a bunch of them, they¡¯ll use the exact same type of trap that got us surrounded last time. I bet there isn¡¯t an inch in that sewer that isn¡¯t filled with those type of traps, whatever they were.¡±
¡°Ok well I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll just let us through, they must know our names and description by now right?¡±
¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯ll be wearing these!¡± He says, pulling two suits of armor out of a special bag.
¡°Uh ok, but what about the other two?¡±
¡°They don¡¯t need ¡®em, they weren¡¯t involved in our little heist, so the truthtellers won¡¯t have their information!¡±
¡°Ok but why would they just let us through without showing our facing if their looking for us so bad?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll see Rowan my boy! You¡¯ll see!¡±
We walk towards the end of the line to get into the city. The line is moving at a snails pace, which is to be expected with the amount of security I see at the gate.
Soldiers are at the gate in swarms, question every single person that enters or leaves. Truthtellers are with them, with their white robes and embroidered symbol of an eye in a mouth on their shoulders.
¡°Uh Uncle Moren, I don¡¯t mean to doubt you but how the hell are we gonna get passed the truthtellers?¡±
¡°Just trust me kid, and don¡¯t say a single word. Don¡¯t even nod your head if they ask you a question, just let me do all the talking.¡±
¡°If you say so¡¡±
Garut and Gael are directly behind us, but are acting as if they are separate from our group.
We eventually make it to the front of the line, and as expected we are questioned immediately by a truthteller.
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¡°Why are you hiding your face?¡±
I look over at Uncle Moren nervously behind my helmet.
¡°We are the sanctioned guards of progenitor Maria Steel! You shall allow us to pass at once!¡± Uncle Moren shouts.
The soldiers immediately look at the truthteller.
¡°He¡¯s telling the truth but¡¡± the truthteller says suspiciously.
Just as I begin to think Uncle Moren¡¯s ¡®plan¡¯ wont work, we immediately hear a powerful voice from behind the group of soldiers shout out,
¡°No buts! Let them through! We cannot afford to offend the Steels!¡±
Stepping forward is a large, what seems to be high-ranking officer.
¡°And please gentlemen, tell Maria Antonio Gavoli sends his regards.¡± He says in an attempt to seems regal.
¡°Will do good sir.¡± Uncle Moren says dramatically.
We then begin to walk confidently through the gate.
¡°Wait!¡± I hear behind me.
I turn around nervously to see the officer staring at us.
¡°What would be the names of you fine gentlemen?¡±
Beads of sweat pour down my face as I wait with bated breath at what Uncle Moren will say.
¡°I am Sir Gale, and my companion here is Sir Wyle.¡± Uncle Moren once again says confidently.
¡°I see¡¡± The officer says while in thought.
¡°If that is all, then we must be on our way, gentlemen.¡±
We once again confidently turn around and begin walking away. Once we are far enough away, I finally relax.
¡°How did yo-.¡± Before I can finish my sentence, Uncle Moren slaps my back.
¡°Wyle, please quite the chatter my friend! Our mission requires no dilly dallying on our part! Wouldn¡¯t want to Disappoint Lady Steel, now would we?¡±
My thoughts run a million miles a minute, trying to comprehend what he means. Finally it clicks.
¡®We¡¯re being followed.¡¯ I say mentally.
I move my eyes around without moving my head in hopes of finding our pursuers. Gazing over at Uncle Moren doesn¡¯t give me much either, as I can¡¯t see what he¡¯s thinking behind the helmet.
We continue walking for five or so minutes throughout the city, with no particular destination in mind.
Finally after what seems like hours, Uncle Moren stops. Before I can ask what¡¯s wrong, he says,
¡°Ok kid looks like we¡¯re clear, I think Gael and Garut got to them. We already discussed a meeting point beforehand, so for now we¡¯ll meet them there to not attract to much attention.¡±
I breath a sigh of relief.
¡®I don¡¯t think my heart can take anymore of this.¡¯ I say to myself.
While we walk I ask Uncle Moren something that¡¯s been bugging me.
¡°How did you manage to fool the truthtellers? I thought that was impossible.¡±
¡°Oh please,¡± Uncle Moren says scoffing, ¡°the Empire just wants you to think it¡¯s impossible. While I will say it¡¯s not easy, I have a truth core, and one of the things I can do with that is bend the truth to my will.¡±
¡°So a truth core and a sight aspect huh. What an odd combination.¡± I say surprised.
¡°Not really, in fact almost every single truthteller you see also has a truth core and some sort of sensing aspect. Where I differ is what my core resonates with. While a truthteller might resonate with finding the truth, I resonate with seeing every facet of the world around me and using that to aid in my deception. It also helps that my Deception mastery is my highest by far.¡±
With my curiosity satiated, we continue to walk until we reach a run down inn called The Traveler¡¯s Rest. The sign is almost falling apart and the wood is rotting is several places along the wall.
¡°You sure this is the place Uncle Moren? Not to doubt your expertise, but this place doesn¡¯t exactly scream welcoming.¡±
¡°We¡¯re fugitives Rowan my boy! You really think you can be picky now? Also the owner of this place is, shall I say a coworker. He helps agents like myself, Garut, and Gael funnel you guys through the jump pad.¡±
¡°Wait your not coming with me?¡± I say confused.
He sighs before saying,
¡°Afraid not kiddo, as much as I would like to be there with you when you become something great, I¡¯ll only hold you back unfortunately. I mean look at me, I¡¯ve given up on getting any stronger, but you, you¡¯re going places kid, I can tell. That¡¯s not just me saying that either, it¡¯s literally an aspect of my cultivation to see talent, and you¡¯ve got it in spades.¡±
¡°I guess¡¡±
¡°Besides, wasn¡¯t that the original plan anyways? To leave this sketchy old guy behind, find your path, get stronger, all that?¡±
¡°I suppose so, where are you gonna go then?¡± I ask curiously.
¡°Dunno, wherever the Kingdom wants me I suppose. Won¡¯t be able to this kind of work anymore, what with the criminal status and all that.¡±
¡°About that, why did we even do all those stupid missions if your supposed to be some sort of spy or whatever. I mean I doubt you need the money.¡±
¡°Ha! Don¡¯t need the money, he says! Rowan my boy, I¡¯ll always need the money. I can never have enough of that stuff! Also what better way to train you than sending you out into the real world, doing some dirty work! Sure the last mission didn¡¯t pan out perfectly, but we made it out fine in the end didn¡¯t we?¡±
¡°Well either way, won¡¯t the kingdom be upset that your mission got ruined?¡±
¡°Ah they can go fuck themselves, they don¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass about me or you. No superpower does or will. You¡¯d be good to remember that.¡±
Finally we walk in and, contrary to my expectations, the inside of the place is actually nice. Polished vinyl flooring, clean tables, and a wonderful smell wafting through the air from the kitchen.
¡°MOREN YOU ASSHOLE! HOW DARE YOU COME BACK HERE!¡±
21. Whose Following Us?
I look over to see probably the largest man I¡¯d ever seen, standing at easily 8 feet tall, wearing a typical chef hat and apron that says ¡®Kiss the Cook¡¯ on it. Alongside his impressive stature and chef outfit, he had four arms that were bigger than my legs and an angry scowl on his face.
¡°Delorie! My friend! Its has been too long!¡±
¡°Not long enough you asshole! You have the nerve to show yourself after what you did here last time I saw you!¡± Delorie shouts angrily.
How Uncle Moren is staying calm in front of this hulking beast is anyone¡¯s guess, but I know damn well I wouldn¡¯t be calm in his situation.
¡°Oh please that little incident? Your still hung up on that? That guy had it coming and you know it. Also, didn¡¯t I reimburse you for all that?¡±
¡°Ha! Reimburse my ass! For the repairs maybe, but the amount of lost revenue from being out of business for 2 months still hasn¡¯t been paid.¡±
¡°Whatever. Anyway, on to more important things. I got a transfer here.¡± Uncle Moren says while motioning towards me.
Delorie grumbles angrily before looking me up and down. After a few moments, he sticks an arm out in front of him.
¡°Nice to meet you kid. I¡¯m Delorie.¡±
¡°Rowan.¡± I say while shaking his hand.
He then looks over at Moren.
¡°So why are you here? Usually if one of you agents finds one, you just send ¡®em here.¡±
¡°Well myself and Rowan here are wanted men right now, so I¡¯ll be heading out with him. Also he¡¯s a rank 2 talent, so the Kingdom placed him on high priority. Even got Gael and some other guy on protection detail for him.¡±
¡°That so¡¡± Delorie says while assessing me once again.
Just as Delorie opens his mouth to say something, the door swings open, revealing Gael and Garut both holding a suspiciously human sized sack.
¡°Ah perfect just the two men I wanted to see!¡± Uncle Moren says loudly.
¡°Got the two guys who were on your tail. Haven¡¯t interrogated them yet, but hopefully they¡¯ll be ¡®susceptible¡¯ to a little questioning about this situation.¡± Gael says while sporting a ¡®warm¡¯ smile that sends a shiver down my spine.
¡°Gael! Old Friend! How have you been?¡± Delorie says heartily.
¡°Very good, very good! Stomach could definitely use some food though, if you catch my meaning.¡±
¡°Hahaha! Of course my friend, of course! And who might you be?¡± He says turning to Garut.
¡°Garut.¡± He says curtly.
¡°Man of few words I see! Well I¡¯m sure your hungry from the long trip no?¡±
Garut nods.
Uncle Moren pipes in,
¡°I could definitely go for a nice stew!¡±
¡°HA! You can go to hell and starve!¡± Delorie says boisterously.
¡°Uh guys not to interrupt, but what are we gonna do about those guys.¡± I say pointing at the two unconscious sacks on the floor.
¡°They¡¯ll be fine, won¡¯t be waking up anytime soon, that¡¯s for sure. They were only tier 4, poor guys had no clue who they were messing with.¡± Gael says sagely.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Delorie then brings out a whole feast for us, with Uncle Moren somehow convincing him to give him a plate too. Don¡¯t know how he managed to do that.
The food itself was probably the most delicious thing I¡¯ve ever had, not that I¡¯ve had a lot.
¡°This is amazing!¡± I say while stuffing my face with some sort of beef kabob.
¡°Haha! It¡¯d better be! I got a subclass for it and everything!¡± Delorie says boisterously.
¡°You have a chef class?¡± I ask confusedly.
¡°No no no, subclass. Big difference. Also it¡¯s battle chef to be more precise.¡± He says proudly.
¡°When will I be able to get a subclass?¡±
Not till tier 5 kid, sorry. But hey, there¡¯s plenty of things to upgrade in-between. You still got a status upgrade at tier 3 to look forward to.¡±
¡°What¡¯s that?¡±
He stares at me confused before turning to Uncle Moren.
¡°Moren, what the hell¡¯ve you been teaching this kid? Actually never mind, I¡¯m not surprised.¡±
He turns to me and continues,
¡°A status upgrade just lets you upgrade literally any part of your status that you want. You can upgrade an existing attribute, get a brand new attribute, upgrade your class, your race, a mastery, a feat, a skill, anything you can think of. A person will only get two of them before they reach the second realm, at least through leveling, so use it wisely when you get there.¡±
¡°Will do.¡± I say seriously.
Once we¡¯re done eating, Gael and Garut tie up the two unlucky prisoners onto a chair with some sort of enchanted chain that Delorie has for some reason. I assume for situations like this.
¡°So uh¡ how do we wake ¡®em up?¡± I ask.
¡°Simple, Rowan my boy! Watch and learn.¡± Uncle Moren says before slapping them both on the face and shaking them violently.
Somehow this works and they both start to slowly come to.
Before the two can fully come to, I take a look at the two men. The left one has a wide nose, with almost caveman like features. I¡¯ll call him caveman.
The right one seems to be of the same race as Delorie, sporting four arms, though this guy is no where near as huge. I¡¯ll call him four-arms.
¡®Guess that¡¯s just a Delorie thing then.¡¯ I think to myself.
¡°Wha-What¡¯s happening? Where¡ Where am I?¡± Caveman says in a slight stupor.
¡°What the hell? Who the hell are you fucks?¡± Four-arms says.
¡°Gentlemen, gentlemen. Relax for a second will you? We just have a few question and we¡¯ll send you on your way.¡± Gael says sweetly.
¡°Why should we believe you? Who the hell even are you?¡± Four-arms says angrily.
¡°Enough questions. Talk or we break you.¡± Garut says sternly.
They both gulp nervously.
¡°Ok so question one, why were you tailing those two fine gentlemen in armor?¡±
They both look at one another and nod, before remaining silent.
¡°Anyone? No? Ok first one to answer doesn¡¯t die right now. If neither of you answer, I¡¯ll pick at random¡± Gael says calmly.
Once again silence from the two men.
¡°Fine. Garut.¡± He says while motioning towards the two.
¡°Ok ok! I¡¯ll answer! Just don¡¯t kill me!¡± Caveman says pleadingly.
¡°No you idiot! Don¡¯t tell him shit! We were trained for this!¡± Four-arms says, scolding caveman.
¡°Screw the training! I don¡¯t want to die yet!¡±
Garut halts and motions for him to speak.
¡°Rodenburrow! We were sent from Rodenburrow!¡± Caveman says quickly.
Garut nods and begin to walk towards four-arms.
¡°To hell with all of yo-¡° Four-arms says while Garut brings his axe down on his neck, severing it.
¡°Rodenburrow huh? What the hell do they want I wonder¡¡±
¡°Uh who¡¯s Rodenburrow?¡± I ask.
¡°One of the largest espionage schools in the Empire. It¡¯s where a large portion of the Empire¡¯s elite spies come from. The question is what the hell are they doing here and why did they send some nobody weaklings.¡± Gael says while looking at caveman expectedly.
¡°We¡¯re part of a large scale investigation into Lady Mary Steel. I don¡¯t know much, but we think she¡¯s been actively working against the Empire¡¯s interests. We were following those two armored guys because they said they had some association with Lady Steel. Plus those two didn¡¯t look like they¡¯d be able to detect us so we tried our luck in hopes of a promotion¡¡± Caveman says nervously.
¡°I see¡ so you aren¡¯t aware of who this young man is right here?¡± Gael says while pointing at me.
¡°No, never seen him before. Though looking at him now, he does look strikingly familiar¡¡±
¡°Shouldn¡¯t have said that kid, now there¡¯s no chance I can let you go. Sorry.¡± Gael says sadly.
¡°W-wait, no! No, don¡¯t do this please! I have so much ahead of me. I don¡¯t want to die please.¡± He says while Garut slowly walks towards him.
¡°Wait! If you kill me they¡¯ll know! They have life sensors on me! You can¡¯t kill me!¡± He says quickly.
¡°Fat chance of that, he¡¯s just making excuses. Garut kill him.¡±
¡°Wait.¡± Gael says, causing everyone else to go silent. ¡°Is this true.¡± He says looking at caveman.
Caveman nods.
¡°Where is it.¡±
¡°U-under my shirt, where my heart is.¡±
Gael looks at Garut and motions him forward.
Garut tears off his shirt and does find some sort of circular magitech device surgically implanted in front of his chest.
¡°Shit! Check the other one! Quick!¡± Gael says urgently.
Garut does so and finds the exact same device.
¡°We need to get the hell out of here! NOW!¡±
22. The Underground
I watch in shock as Garut immediately decapitates the last prisoner. Everyone then bursts into action, packing bags and preparing to leave.
¡°How long do we have?¡± I ask Gael.
¡°No clue, but I¡¯m guessing not a lot of time. Put your helmet back on, they only have a location right now. They have no reason to believe this is related to you.¡±
I nod firmly.
¡°GODAMNIT, I knew Moren being here was a bad omen. Now my beautiful Inn is gone.¡± Delorie says sadly.
¡°Hey it¡¯s not all ba-¡° Uncle Moren attempts to say.
¡°SHUT UP, you fucking asshole! I don¡¯t want to hear your voice right now, it¡¯ll only make me angrier.¡± Delorie interrupts.
We all eventually make it outside, including Delorie, and begin walking down the street.
¡°What¡¯d you do with the bodies?¡± Gael asks.
¡°Left them, no time.¡± Garut quickly says.
¡°Damnit! Let¡¯s just hope they don¡¯t have a spirit caller or a necromancer on call. Garut, you stay here and monitor the situation. We¡¯ll meet up at Hoggle¡¯s place.¡±
¡°Who¡¯s Hoggle?¡± I ask
¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±
¡°Ugh, of course it¡¯s another sewer, but I thought you said this place would be teeming with traps and guards?¡± I ask Uncle Moren.
¡°Not this far into the Inner-city. On the outskirts of the city yeah, but the people above us right now are so filthy rich that the local guards can¡¯t afford to offend them.¡±
¡°How would they offend them by patrolling the sewers?¡±
¡°The black market, that¡¯s where were heading right now. It¡¯s also where a large amount of the wealthy make most of their money.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t get it, if the guards know about it, why don¡¯t they bring it to a stop?¡±
¡°Because THEY don¡¯t care about it, but the Empire does. Anything sold down here has some sort of government sanction by the Empire. The city itself could care less if these items are sold. That¡¯s also why the city has been so restless recently, lotta outside people poking around, looking for you.¡±
We continue walking through the sewers, until finally we reach what seems like a large cavern that seems to be the inside of a nearby hill.
All around us are various stalls shouting items and prices. People with and without anything covering their face walk around, browsing items at their leisure, as if we were in some sort of shopping center.
The items themselves are a large variety of things. Skill crystals, illegal magitech, strange books with spells for magic users to practice, if the Empire has it sanctioned, it¡¯s down here.
Walking throughout the market, I notice the large neon magitech sign all over the place, and colorful and animated people behind the stalls.
¡°What¡¯s with the signs?¡±
¡°Advertising is important down here. People will only buy from someone with a good reputation. Now quiet with the questions we¡¯re almost there.¡± Uncle Moren lightly chides.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Finally, we reach our destination, a smaller tunnel in the side of the cavern with a large, broken down wooden sign that reads ¡®Hoggle¡¯s Emporium¡¯. Inside is a litany of rotting, wooden shelves that display all manner of illegal good. I¡¯m pretty sure I even saw a few organs.
¡®Don¡¯t even want to know where he got those.¡¯
As we walk through the tunnel turned store, we reach a counter. Behind it, is what looks like some sort of hairless mole man sleeping.
He has an old-world baseball cap and thick leather overalls on.
Uncle Moren walks up to the counter and bangs his fist on the counter. Not enough to break it, though I¡¯m sure he could, but enough to cause a loud bang.
The mole man startles awake and reaches for some sort of gun underneath his counter.
¡°Who the hell is it? Who¡¯s there? I¡¯ll shoot I promise!¡± Hoggle says while pointing the crossbow at the air next to us.
¡°Hoggle! How¡¯ve you been old friend?¡± Uncle Moren says heartily.
¡°Oh it¡¯s you. What the hell do you want. I may be blind, but I can tell when you¡¯re here for trouble.¡±
¡°Oh come on! Don¡¯t be like that ol¡¯ chap! I was just in the area, wanted to stop in, see how it¡¯s going.¡± Uncle Moren says placatingly.
Hoggle scoffs,
¡°Ha! Fat chance of that.¡±
¡°Hoggle we need a temporary place to stay for a day or two. We got a transfer here, and we need a place to plan out how we¡¯re gonna get him on the jump pad.¡± Gael says.
¡°Gael? Haha! Why didn¡¯t you speak up sooner! How¡¯re you old friend!¡±
Uncle Moren mumbles angrily under his breath while Gael replies.
¡°Very good, but we got Empire trouble we need help with, so do you mind?¡±
¡°Of course, of course! Not at all! But if you don¡¯t mind me asking, what happened to Delorie¡¯s place? I thought that was the usual staging ground in this city for this kind of stuff.¡±
¡°Moren the bad omen happened¡¡± Delorie says sadly.
¡°Even Delorie¡¯s here too? Wow it¡¯s a party then huh?¡±
¡°Hmph, I wish, anyway so what happened was this¡¡±
Gael then proceeds to explain what happened with the prisoners and the life-sensors.
¡°So now we have Garut, another on standby, assessing the situation. Hopefully he¡¯ll be able to give us some info on how much they find.¡±
¡°Well won¡¯t they find the tunnel to the jump pad?¡± Hoggle asks worriedly.
¡°Hopefully not, but it¡¯s definitely a possibility depending on how much importance they place on those two spies. There¡¯s a lot of what ifs that we simply won¡¯t know until later on.¡±
¡°And I¡¯m gonna have to leave Earth too¡ this place was awesome, very quaint.¡± Delorie says while sulking.
¡°And that.¡± Gael says empathetically. ¡°For now though, we need a plan, and fast. We need to get ahead of this before they have time to realize our mistake. We start when Garut get¡¯s back. Hoggle, do you mind if we use the back of your store?¡±
¡°Not at all, though it¡¯s a bit messy back there I will say.¡± He says pointing to the wooden wall behind him that separates his home from his store.
We all enter the back portion of the shop through a wooden rickety door, and Hoggle wasn¡¯t lying when he said it was a mess back here.
I have to wade through piles of scattered metal trinkets and discarded food items to get anywhere. The amount of cockroaches and spiders I¡¯m able to spot would lead me to believe he¡¯s some sort of bug whisperer.
¡°Come here my pretties.¡± Hoggle says as hundreds of bugs bunch up beneath his feet like dogs.
¡®Right on the money I suppose.¡¯
¡°You ever gonna introduce yourself kid? Or are you just gonna stand there quietly all night.¡±
¡°Uh right, sorry. I¡¯m Rowan, Rowan Attain.¡±
¡°Well it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you Rowan. Hope that bastard Moren hasn¡¯t rubbed off on ya too much.¡±
¡°Yeah¡ hey what¡¯s with the bugs? Is that like part of your class or something?¡±
¡°Bit rude wouldn¡¯t you say young Moren? Status details are supposed to be private ya know.¡±
¡°Right uh, sorry I just-¡°
¡°Haha, I¡¯m just messing with you kid. I don¡¯t mind telling you what my class is, as long as you don¡¯t mind if I don¡¯t go into specifics. My real class is Sly Merchant, but my sub-class is Bug Tamer.¡±
¡°Why¡¯d you pick that as your subclass?¡± I ask curiously.
¡°I like bugs! What else?!¡± Hoggle says while chuckling like he just said the funniest thing ever.
¡°Ah got ya¡¡± I say somewhat awkwardly.
I watch as they clear out a nearby table of scraps and place some sort of map down. What the map is of, I couldn¡¯t tell you. Way too many lines and symbols to try and decipher.
¡®Man, why can¡¯t I just go back to sword practice. All this stuff is too complicated for me¡¡¯ I think sadly to myself.
They begin to discuss some things like optimal travel routes and expected patrol regions. At a certain point I just tune it all out. I can¡¯t even begin to contribute to this conversation anyway. Hopefully one of them will dumb it down for me when it¡¯s time for action.
Suddenly Garut enters the back room, having to duck to enter through the doorway.
¡°Finally, what¡¯s the situation big guy? How deep in shit are we?¡± Uncle Moren says nervously.
Garut opens his mouth to speak with a dark look on his face.
¡°Bad, it¡¯s very bad.¡±
23. Comprimised
Garut then brings out a recording crystal of his findings. We all watch with bated breath at the crystal¡¯s contents.
¡°What the hell?!¡± Uncle Moren exclaims.
¡°Its worse than we thought. They brought a Spirit Caller AND a Necromancer. They even brought an Empire Hound if it couldn¡¯t get worse.¡± Gael says darkly.
¡°What¡¯s an Empire Hound?¡± I ask.
¡°A person who¡¯s hyperspecialized in investigation an detective work. It¡¯s a legendary class, so the amount of them that the Empire has on hand in numbered in the single digits.¡±
¡°So we¡¯re screwed?¡±
¡°Seems so young man. Our plans kind of hinged on that tunnel not being found, and with the hound there, it¡¯s almost guaranteed to be compromised. Not only that but Garut, Delorie and I are also now compromised agents.¡±
¡°There was a tunnel? Why didn''t we just, ya know, leave right away?¡±
"It''s not that simple, before we can even try to use that tunnel, we need to disable the wards they have placed directly around the warp pad itself. Which might I add, also reach underground. Not only that, but we would''ve also had to find the perfect time in between guard shifts to use it. Point being, it takes a lot of planning."
"Oh..." I say dejectedly.
¡°Oh is right.¡± Uncle Moren says while sighing.
¡°So what are our options?¡± I ask.
¡°Well there¡¯s not many, but with the hound sniffing around, we¡¯re going to have to make a decision quickly.¡±
He continues,
¡°Option one is to leave this city and head to the next closest one with a jump pad. This is the safest option in the short term, but long term is dangerous as this city¡¯s jump pad is unregulated while the nearest city¡¯s is. Meaning more eyes and more guards. That¡¯s not even considering the fact that now that the hound has our trail, he won¡¯t be letting go any time soon.¡±
¡°Ok, so what¡¯s option 2?¡±
¡°We gather more agents and prepare for a frontal assault against the jump pad.¡±
¡°How long would that take? Do you even have enough time to wait for agents to get here?¡± Uncle Moren asks.
¡°That¡¯s the thing, their way of getting here is exactly where we want to get to.¡± Gael says while slightly smirking.
¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s genius! We attack from the front, meanwhile the guards defending the jump pad get stabbed in the back from their ¡®civilians¡¯!¡± Delorie exclaims boisterously.
¡°Exactly. Now we just need to send out a message to the Kingdom so they can relay our plan to any agents who have access to a jump pad. The only issue is that a few agents may become compromised, but the Kingdom will see this as a worthwhile trade, I¡¯m sure.¡± Gael says confidently.
¡°How do we even know we can beat them? I mean wouldn¡¯t they have a lot of high tiers to help them?¡± I ask.
¡°Yup, but so will we. Don¡¯t underestimate the number of high tiers the Kingdom has hiding in the Empire.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Uncle Moren pipes in, ¡°don¡¯t think you won¡¯t be getting your hands dirty too kid. The high tiers won¡¯t be able to be everywhere at once, so I¡¯m sure a few lower tiered guards will slip through the cracks.¡±
¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± I say seriously.
Uncle Moren nods proudly at my reply.
Empire Hound¡¯s POV
¡°Why the hell did Lady Steel finally make a move here of all places? I mean, if your gonna make a first move, you might as well make it big right? Not kill two nobodies.¡± The guard captain says to me.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
¡°Yeah, doesn¡¯t exactly make sense¡ maybe¡ maybe they got caught up in something else? Maybe instead of getting killed by Maria Steel, they were somehow involved in something else¡¡± I say quizzically.
¡°Could be, what else is going on that they could¡¯ve gotten wrapped up in though? There was that new underground crime boss that just popped up right? Could it have been him?¡±
¡°No, he¡¯s too careful for something like this¡ hey what about that kid we¡¯re supposed to be on the lookout for? Didn¡¯t the reports say he had some higher tiers with him that could do this? Maybe they caught the wrong trail¡ maybe instead of following one of Steel¡¯s guys at the gate, he accidently followed one of the kid¡¯s accomplices, or even the kid himself.¡± I say while thinking out loud.
¡°But why did they bring them here? What¡¯s the significance of this place?¡± The guard captain asks.
¡°I¡¯m not sure¡ hopefully our Necromancer friend can shed some light on this for us.¡±
We both look over to the gloomy fellow in dark robes chanting quietly to himself while pointing his hand towards the two bodies.
¡°Man those types always send chills down my spine.¡± The guard captain says quietly.
¡°You¡¯re telling me.¡± I agree.
After five minutes or so, finally something happens. The two headless corpses begin to shake violently.
They then slowly rise off the floor. At first the rate of ascent is slow, only about an inch or so at a time, but each minute they grow further and further from the ground, until they are 5 feet off of the ground.
Another minute passes, and finally the bodies drop to the floor and the Necromancer stops chanting.
The room is so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and just as I¡¯m about to ask if it worked, both bodies spill some sort of blue smoke into the air.
The smoke shapes itself into the form of two faceless bodies.
¡°Yes, master.¡± They both recite in unison.
¡°Answer that man¡¯s question to your best abilities.¡± The Necromancer says pointing at me.
I nod to him, but he ignores me and walks away.
The two¡ things, walk up to me in a robotic fashion.
¡°Uhm, ok, first, who killed you?¡±
¡°A large Janin wielding an axe.¡± They answer in unison.
¡°Do you know his name?¡±
¡°No.¡±
¡°Was there anybody with him?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Who were they?¡±
¡°Young and thin human male, older and larger human male, very old fox-man, and giant four-armed Korlok male.¡±
¡°Young human male you say? Describe him further.¡±
¡°Black hair, skinny, wielding a worn down sword on his waist, medium length nose ridge, average eyebr-¡°
¡°Wait. You said he has a beat up sword? Your sure?¡±
¡°Very much positive.¡± They both say.
¡°So it must be related to the kid¡ hey captain, who did you say owned this place?¡±
¡°Uh let¡¯s see¡¡± He ruffles through some papers, ¡°Aha, a Korlok with the name of Delorie.¡±
¡°What¡¯s his background? Anything of note?¡±
¡°Says here nothing special, born on the east side of the city as an orphan, became a chef at awakening¡ now that you mention it, it¡¯s odd how little we have on this guy. Almost every business owner in the city has had some sort of run-in with trouble at some point. Thieves and drunks are our main arrests after all, and this place looks like an easy enough target for both¡¡±
¡°When did he buy this place? What¡¯s the deed say?¡±
¡°One sec¡ says he never bought it, it was given to him buy¡ Stegar and Co. about four or five years ago.¡±
¡°Hey, wasn¡¯t that the company that got outed as a Kingdom controlled shadow entity a few years ago.¡± I say skeptically
¡°Yeah I think so, nasty stuff. Plenty of innocents went down because they had some sort of relation to them.¡±
¡°Could this whole thing be kingdom related? Maybe they¡¯re trying to get the kid out of here and take him for themselves¡ I have heard some rumors about an underground Kingdom poaching operations that¡¯s been going on for a couple hundred years now¡ could those rumors be true? And if so, why would they bring him here?¡± I say to myself while my mind runs a million miles a minute, putting my hundreds of intelligence points to good use.
¡°Get guys to search the whole building, I want this entire place flipped inside out.¡± I tell the captain.
¡°You got it.¡± He says walking outside towards the rest of the guards.
I begin a cursory search through the building. I walk into the kitchen, every upstairs guest room, the main dining hall, behind the bar, everywhere. Nothing obvious is wrong at first, but I can¡¯t shake the feeling that something is missing.
¡°Where¡¯s the cellar captain?¡± I ask.
¡°Cellar? I don¡¯t think this place has a cellar.¡±
¡°No cellar? At a bar? Fat chance of that. There¡¯s got to be a cellar somewhere, and I¡¯ll bet whatever it is we¡¯re looking for is down there with it.¡±
I once again do another lap through the building, this time being more thorough. I check under every floorboard and in every nook and cranny. I use my skill Investigator¡¯s guidance to lead me to where I want to go.
Finally, I find it. Behind the oven is a switch flush with the wall. When I press it, the whole oven moves, revealing a staircase underneath.
¡°I want guys in there NOW! They could be hiding in there as we speak.¡± I shout.
My order cause the guards to go into a flurry of motion, with tens of soldiers entering the staircase, with me following close behind.
The staircase, rather than leading to a cellar, leads to a long tunnel. I travel through the tunnel, using my skill Eye for Detail to inspect every inch of the place.
Eventually I reach the end, and above me is a moved floor tile. I jump up and out of the tunnel, and I find myself in the jump pad travel point, along with the several other guards that went in before me.
¡°Holy shit, the Kingdom is poaching talents from the Empire!? How long has this been going on? How many planets and city are they doing this on?!¡± I ask out loud to the captain.
¡°I don¡¯t know, but when the Empire find out about this, the Kingdom is gonna have hell to pay.¡±
24. Soul Shard
It¡¯s been about two days since we sent out the message of our plan to the Kingdom, and that¡¯s all the time we¡¯re gonna get. No time to count the amount of support we¡¯re gonna get, just got to hope it¡¯s enough.
I look around me to see the familiar faces of the people I¡¯ve met these past few weeks preparing for war.
Garut sharpening his blade, Gael meditating quietly in a corner of the cave, Delorie doing one-handed push-ups, even Hoggle is building some sort of device that only he knows what the hell it does.
The person I¡¯ve known longest out of these people, Uncle Moren, is chatting rapidly to a clearly not paying attention Garut, something he does when he¡¯s nervous.
I don¡¯t blame him though, in approximately three hours, we are going to be running head first into system knows how many soldiers and guards, praying that enough reinforcements arrive from the teleporter.
Mostly likely one of them is going to die, maybe more if I¡¯m being honest. Originally it was just me that needed to get off the planet, but now all of us need to somehow make it through that teleporter. Even Hoggle isn¡¯t safe now that the Empire Hound is around. He¡¯ll track us right to his front door.
¡®All of this because we wanted to get me off planet and out of the Empire¡¯s army. Am I really even worth it?¡¯ I ask myself.
I sigh before deciding to review my status quickly.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
10
Class
Legacy: Skill-less Swordsman
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 18 (+2)
Agility ¨C 33 (+2)(+4)
Dexterity(+) ¨C 48 (+2)(+2)(+4)
Endurance ¨C 11 (+2)
Perception ¨C 25 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 12 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 38 (+2)
Masteries
Swords ¨C 20
Temperance ¨C 17
Stealth ¨C 12
Sprinting ¨C 9
Exercise ¨C 7
Thievery ¨C 3
Deception ¨C 4
Killing ¨C 4
Blending In ¨C 1
Misdirection ¨C 7
Monster Hunting ¨C 10
Skills
Feats
Early Killer - Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Reversal ¨C One trait can be chosen related to your recent ambush.
Punching Up ¨C +1 to all stats.
Starter¡¯s Blade ¨C +3 AP, +3 to dexterity.
Smart Spender ¨C Save all of your SP until level 10. +1 to all stats.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman ¨C Gain 10% of your willpower in perception when in a tough situation.
Meager Swordsman - Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.Willful Gains ¨C Permanently gain 5% of your willpower in any stat. Affect continues to scale with willpower. (+2 Dexterity)
Skill-less ¨C All SP gained up to this point and onwards will be transferred into 2 AP each. Unable to acquire skills through any means. Bonus (2 * Tier) AP gained per level.
Sword of Will ¨C Gain 10% of your willpower two other stats. Can be changed once a year. (+4 Dexterity/Agility)
Items
Solace¡¯s Soul Shard (Three uses left)
Not much has really changed since the last time I looked at it, though it does help to reaffirm my goals for the future I suppose.
My eyes are drawn to the last section of my status, the Soul Shard.
¡®Maybe I should use it. I mean I could be dead in a few hours anyway, no point in wasting it. I should ask Uncle Moren first though I suppose.¡¯
So I begin to do just that, and I walk over to where Uncle Moren is having a one-sided conversation with Garut.
¡°Hey Uncle Moren, I¡¯m gonna use ¡®that¡¯ before we leave.¡±
¡°Huh? What¡¯s ¡®that¡¯?¡± He asks.
¡°You know, the thing from my class.¡±
¡°Thing from your¡ oh that¡¯s right. Go ahead kid, I¡¯ll keep an eye out for you. Remember, it¡¯ll be longer in there than it is out here. Depending on the creator of the soul shard, the time dilation could even be as strong as 60:1, no way to know until you leave it, I suppose.¡±
I nod and click on the soul shard on my status.
After a moment of hesitation, I click yes.
Immediately my vision goes dark. Not in a passing out type of way, but looking around me, literally everything around me is a dark black void.
¡°Hello my successor!¡± I hear behind me.
I look back and see the man who decimated millions of people right in front of me. His features are much the same as I remember, with four arms and golden skin that seems to sheen in the light, which is weird considering there is no light around us at all.
His face, to my surprise, sports a kind and gentle smile that makes me feel at ease around him. Whether that¡¯s a skill or something similar is hard to tell.
¡°Uh, hey¡ Solace right?¡± I reply.
¡°Indeed that would be my name young successor, what would be yours?¡±
¡°Rowan. Rowan Attain.¡±
¡°Ha! What a strong and powerful name! Fit for the successor of my divine legacy! So, Rowan, what guidance do you seek? Information on the history of the multiverse? Training with the sword perhaps? Insights into the great mystery of cultivation?¡±
¡°Uhm, I don¡¯t really know. Maybe a little bit of all of it? How long do we have in here?¡± I ask.
¡°Well if the real me set it up right, you should have about an hour in the real world, so I¡¯d say about a hundred hours in here.¡±
¡°A hundred?! That¡¯s a 100:1 ratio?! Uncle Moren said even the best soul shards only go up to 60:1!¡±
¡°Really? I don¡¯t know much about other soul shard creators I suppose. After all, I did kind of figure all this stuff out on my own. I was a bit of a recluse if you can believe it.¡±
We sit in a somewhat awkward silence for a few seconds.
¡°So, where are you now? Are you like, still alive?¡± I ask.
¡°Well not in your realm I¡¯m not, I¡¯ve long reached tier 20 and entered into the ascension plane, as did everyone else who created a class with the system. Now whether I still live up there is anyone¡¯s guess, my guess would be probably not.¡±
¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±
¡°Well, from what little we know of the ascension plane, war is constant, and from what we understand, people of the third realm are often at the forefront of the conflict, until they can rise above their station to become something greater. That being fourth or even fifth realm practitioners.¡±
He stops briefly before continuing,
¡°But you don¡¯t need to worry about that for a very, very long time. From the looks of it, your barely tier 2, meaning you¡¯ve got another few hundred, or even thousands of years ahead of you before you can start to worry about that, if you even make it that far.¡±
I nod before changing the topic.
¡°So who are you? What has your life been like?¡± I ask curiously.
Solace shakes his head.
¡°I¡¯ll tell you that and a lot of other things on your last visit to me, which by the way I expect to be at tier 10 or higher. I don¡¯t want my soul shard to be wasted while your at such a low tier. Also your next visit should be when or after you reach tier 5. If you decide to go earlier I wont teach you anything, understood?¡±
¡®There goes that plan to shoot myself through the lower tiers quickly.¡¯ I think to myself before nodding seriously.
He nods in satisfaction.
¡°Now with this Q&A complete, I want to leave you with this piece of advice. The Multiverse hates you. It hates life, it hates planets, it hates everyone you know and love. The multiverse hates, and don¡¯t ever believe that it¡¯s your friend.¡±
I tilt my head in confusion.
He sighs before saying,
¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t understand now, but you will, and when you do you¡¯ll thank me for that advice.¡±
I nod skeptically.
¡°Anyway, lets get to some fun stuff eh?¡±
25. Training of the Spirit
¡°Okay first I¡¯m going to have you do, bring out your spiritual energy, but don¡¯t use it for anything. Just bring it right on the edge of use, and then slowly redirect it back into your core.¡±
I nod and begin gathering it. Instead of using it in a slash like I usually do, though, I instead attempt to hold it in place right before I would use it.
It feels as though I¡¯m holding my breath. Now I try to do the second part of the exercise, that being slowly releasing all this built up spiritual energy back into my core.
The instant I relieve the pressure on my spiritual energy, though, it instant shoot outward and leaves my body.
The sudden loss of such a large amount of spiritual energy is enough to send my vision swirling for a few seconds.
Surprisingly, this feeling doesn¡¯t last long, and I¡¯m quickly back to a hundred percent almost instantly.
I stare down at my hands confused before looking at Solace sporting a cocky grin.
¡°Pretty neat huh? I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s figured out how to restore someone¡¯s spiritual energy so quickly in one of these yet. Gotta say though, took me decades before I figured out the trick.¡±
I nod absentmindedly.
¡®Who the hell is this guy? Why have I never heard of him before? Something like this is revolutionary for soul shards!¡¯
I did some research during our little down time that we¡¯ve had these past few days. The way normal soul shards work is they transport both your mind and spiritual body into the soul shard.
This means that any spiritual energy you use is real, and you have to wait and recover it when it¡¯s used.
But here, it feels as if I have an endless supply of spiritual energy to draw from. It¡¯s almost as if the soul shard itself is made of spiritual energy.
¡°Anyway back to the exercise.¡± He says, snapping me from my thoughts. ¡°Your first mistake was you tried to relieve the pressure as a whole. You can¡¯t do that. What you need to do is increase the outward pressure and decrease the inward pressure. It might take you a bit, but it¡¯ll be worth it once you finish it, trust me.¡±
I once again nod seriously, as I dive head first into the exercise.
My second and third attempt go much the same as the first. I seems to be having trouble distinguishing where I¡¯m supposed to relieve pressure and where to increase the pressure.
I know he said inward and outward, but to be honest, I have no clue what that means. When questioned further, he just said, ¡®You just got to try it a bunch of times and you¡¯ll get it. You¡¯ll know the feeling the first time you make progress, from there it¡¯ll just be practice.¡¯
My fourth attempt almost showed some progress¡ maybe. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m just feeling things or not, but it almost felt like I was treading in the right direction.
My fifth attempt finally showed tangible progress. I was able to redirect a sliver of spiritual energy into my core, not a lot by any means, but it¡¯s a start.
I¡¯m beginning to feel the general forces acting upon my spiritual energy, though very vaguely. It¡¯s almost like I¡¯m searching around a mountain sized boulder, looking for the exact spot that I need to push. Twice.
For now though, I¡¯ve seemed to rule out about half of the boulder, and now I¡¯m searching the other half.
After about ten more hours of constant practice, I finally make some more progress. I¡¯m able to absorb about thirty percent of my spiritual energy before I lose control.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
It may not seem like a lot, but for nine of those ten hours, it felt as if I was searching blindly in the dark for something that I¡¯m not even aware of.
Solace just lazes around while I do this. Occasionally offering me such helpful advice like, ¡®You got it, just keep doing what you¡¯re doing.¡¯
Another ten hours pass, with the amount of spiritual energy I¡¯m able to keep reaching about fifty percent.
Progress from here slows considerably, with barely noticeable increases in the amount of spiritual energy I¡¯m able to redirect.
After another ten long hours of practice, I¡¯m only able to make it to around sixty percent.
At this point I stall even further.
¡®I must be doing something wrong or maybe I¡¯m thinking about this all wrong. At the rate I¡¯m going now, it¡¯ll take me much more than a hundred hours to do this.¡¯
I stop and think to myself
¡®There¡¯s no way he would give me a task that¡¯s impossible to do in the timeframe we have together. Either way something needs to change.¡¯ I say mentally, deciding to take a quick five minute break to brainstorm some solutions.
¡®Maybe¡ maybe instead of trying to find the perfect spot to push the boulder, I need to increase the area that I¡¯m pushing¡ yeah that could work.¡¯
With my plan formulated, I once again dive into the exhausting work that is controlling my spiritual energy. Not physically exhausting, but mentally exhausting. After all I¡¯ve been hard at work for close to thirty hours now.
I close my eyes and focus on my spiritual energy gathering. I make sure to get it as close to release as possible before I begin to hold it there. Slowly I release the energy towards my core, and this time, instead of attempting to perfectly control the ebbs and flows of every single movement, I instead guide it broadly, almost like waves in the ocean.
At the same time, I create a wide ¡®barrier¡¯ to prevent the spiritual energy from leaking outwards. This seems to be working, and in no time I¡¯ve redirected almost seventy percent.
¡®Yes! Finally some progress.¡¯ I exclaim to myself.
This short celebration, though, causes me to lose focus, and immediately the rest of the spiritual energy bursts outward like a broken dam.
¡°Damnit I had it.¡± I curse out.
¡°There you go kid! I was wondering when you¡¯d figure it out!¡± Solace says somewhat cheekily.
¡°You couldn¡¯t have helped me at least a little?¡±
¡°I find students often learn better when they figure out things themselves. I was one such student.¡±
I grumble angrily quietly.
¡°You know I can hear everything in here right?¡± Solace ask while giggling like a little school girl.
I sigh before replying defeatedly,
¡°Whatever.¡±
After another five hours of practice, I finally get it. One hundred percent of my spiritual energy was redirected from the edge of use, back into my core.
¡°Finally.¡± Solace says, ¡°Took you long enough, I did it in less than ten hours when I was learning, what took you so long?¡±
¡°Ten hours?! What kind of a monster were you?¡±
¡°Well to be fair, I was kind of already doing something similar to that exercise on my own anyway. So it wasn¡¯t very hard to extrapolate.¡±
¡°How did you figure that stuff out on your own?¡±
¡°Talent.¡±
¡°Oh¡¡± I say slightly disheartened.
¡°Relax kid, everyone¡¯s got their strengths, mine just so happens to be cultivation, swordsmanship, battle IQ, strength, speed-¡°
¡°Okay okay, I get it, you¡¯re the best.¡±
¡°Ha! Please! As if I¡¯m the best. You¡¯ve gotta understand kid, there¡¯s always gonna be somewhat better than you in the multiverse. Always. Even if you can¡¯t find them, they¡¯re out there, I promise. Don¡¯t underestimate anyone.¡±
I nod and a bout of silence ensues.
¡°See, I can give some good advice when I want to!¡± Solace says with a hearty laugh.
I wait for him to finish laughing before asking,
¡°So uh, what now? What else are you gonna ¡®teach¡¯ me?¡±
¡°Well, I suppose I can show you a little sword practice. Won¡¯t hurt.¡±
Suddenly my worn down blade appears right in front of me.
¡°Wow uh, quite the sword you got there. It¡¯s really, uh, nice.¡± Solace says awkwardly.
¡°I know right! It¡¯s perfect!¡± I say not catching his trepidation.
¡°Any reason you use it and not, ya know, a better sword?¡±
I stare at him like he just said the most blasphemous thing imaginable.
¡°Are you crazy? This ol¡¯ girl¡¯s been with me since I can remember! Plus, The better the sword, the worse the swordsman!¡±
¡°Uh huh, well if it works for you, I don¡¯t mind I suppose. Now on to some practice. I want you to attack me. I¡¯ll bring all of my stats down to your level, even my masteries.¡±
¡°You can do that?¡± I ask surprised.
¡°Well not in the real world, but in here, yes. Another work of genius implemented by yours truly!¡± He says proudly.
¡®I¡¯m just going to have to accept that this guy¡¯s clearly some sort of monster.¡¯ I sigh mentally.
I pick up my blade and inspect it, it¡¯s much the same as the outside world, but something feels¡ off. It¡¯s a hard feeling to describe, but it¡¯s there.
I look forward to see Solace wielding the same gigantic blade as I saw in the vision.
¡°You ready kid? Come at me!¡± He says confidently.
I oblige.
26. The Student vs The Master
Chapter 26
Immediately I charge at the four-armed man. I attempt to bring my sword into a upwards swing into his sides, but his sword seems to flow straight into my sword¡¯s path.
I then decide to use this moment to redirect my sword to a different path, hopefully landing at least a glancing blow, but he effortlessly move his sword slightly once again into my sword¡¯s path.
Our swords collide, sending my sword rebounding backwards.
¡®Holy shit! What is that sword made of! My hands sting like crazy!¡¯ I exclaim to myself.
With what looks like no wasted movements, he takes advantage of my failed attack, and slashes at my side quickly.
I somehow manage to get my sword in front of it, but I¡¯m subsequently flung backwards. He continues the pressure, and charges forward quickly.
Instead of retreating, I hold my ground.
¡®If I can maybe get a read on his attack, with a sword that big, no way he¡¯ll be able to stop a counter-attack. All I¡¯ve got to do is dodge.¡¯
The swing comes, coming as a downward slash straight towards my skull. Before I can even process the swing though, it goes wide left and transitions into a sideways blow.
I manage to somewhat dodge the surprise attack, but not without taking a large gash on my shoulder, that seems to instantly heal.
This time I take the initiative, and prepare a powerful thrust straight towards his chest.
This proves ineffectual, though, as he smoothly sidesteps it and brings his foot down trapping my blade beneath it on the ground.
I let go and retreat quickly, while rematerializing a new one at the same time.
This time we stare at each other for a few moment, before he smirks cockily and jumps up high into the air.
He brings his sword down on me during his quicker than expected descent. I mange to roll to the side, but before I can get my bearings, he is once again upon me. He readies a wide, but quick swing at my head.
I throw my sword up clumsily.
At the last moment, before I can even reacts, he pulls a familiar move and redirects the swing to my arm.
The swing lands, severing my arm and the next instant another swing connect at my waist and everything goes dark as my body separates at the waist.
I wake up groggily. Looking around confused, I notice Solace to my left lazily sitting down, with a bored expression on his face.
Slowly, I begin to remember the events of our fight.
¡°Finally, took you long enough.¡± He says while yawning.
¡°How long was I out? And did you kill me?¡± I say while slightly panicking at the idea of wasting precious time.¡±
¡°Relax, you¡¯ve only been out for 5 minutes or so. You can¡¯t die in here remember? Your spiritual body died though, but once again my genius allowed it to reform quickly with spiritual energy.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
This calms me down slightly.
¡°So what was the point of that? I don¡¯t really get what beating me up does for me.¡±
¡°It was mostly for me to gauge where your at, and to be honest, it¡¯s horrible. You¡¯ve got a lot to learn kid.¡±
I nod, indicating for him to continue.
He says nothing while staring at me. We sit in silence for a few awkward seconds before I finally ask,
¡°So¡ you gonna teach me or what?¡±
¡°Oh sure, uhm let¡¯s see¡ sorry, first time being a teacher and all that. First off I have to ask, are you planning on using that sword forever?¡±
¡°Of course!¡±
¡°Sit and think about it, like, really think about it, it¡¯s important.¡±
I stop and do as he says.
¡®I mean, I love this sword, it means more to me than anything else, but will I really be able to reach the top with it? Will this run-down sword allow me to become the best swordman in the multiverse?¡¯
After a few more moments of deliberation, I make my decision.
¡°Yes, I¡¯m positive.¡±
He nods seriously before saying,
¡°Good, now I want you to pick up your sword again. Notice anything wrong with it? Anything, unusual?¡±
I look down at the sword in my hand.
¡®Now that he mentions it, even before our fight, it did feel a little¡ I don¡¯t know, odd? Wrong? Different than it usually does.¡±
¡°Yeah, it feels¡ off. I don¡¯t know why it does, but it does.¡±
¡°That¡¯s because that sword is based off of your memories and yours alone, I¡¯ve never met you or the sword in real life of course, so that sword is based on how you think it looks and feels.¡±
¡°So, what does that mean?¡±
¡°It means, you don¡¯t know your own sword as well as you think you do.¡± Solace says while grinning.
I think about what he says.
¡®Do I really not know my pride and joy as much I think I do?¡¯
I¡¯m somewhat disappointed in myself. How could I become strong when I don¡¯t even know my own weapon?
I look up at Solace and ask resolutely,
¡°So how do I fix this?¡±
¡°Well, there¡¯s a Mastery you can unlock called Item Understanding. It¡¯s your understanding of one singular item. The deeper your understanding, the higher your mastery. You get me?¡±
I nod.
¡°So what I¡¯m going to have you do is attempt to think about every single aspect of your sword. It¡¯s weight, it¡¯s feeling, It¡¯s size, everything you can think of, and then materialize it in this soul space until you feel that it¡¯s as close to perfect as you can get. Now the system won¡¯t tell you when the mastery is unlocked, but you¡¯ll feel your understanding of your sword deepen drastically when you¡¯ve unlocked it.¡±
¡°Okay, I¡¯ve got this.¡± I say to myself as I once again dive into practice.
Kingdom Agent Rolfoy¡¯s POV
Life is tough for Golems in the multiverse. Oftentimes people think we¡¯re less than people because we¡¯re artificial.
This causes many backwards nations and superpowers to enslave any golem they can find. After all, without the need to eat or sleep we make for the perfect workers. Especially if you don¡¯t have to pay us.
The Empire is one such backwards superpower, enslaving our kind like cattle. Wringing us dry until our power cores run out.
My mission currently is to gather intel on a slave encampment somewhere on this planet and incite a slave uprising, hopefully recruiting a few into the folds of the Kingdom¡¯s army.
The going¡¯s been tough so far though. The Empire has got a strangle hold on any relevant information pertaining to the encampment.
I look in the mirror and take in the all too familiar features. Golems as a whole are quite the diverse looking species, but even considering that, my face is quite an oddball of our kind.
My dark, red, metallic skin is the first thing people usually notice. I personally think it¡¯s quite charming, but if was just that, I wouldn¡¯t be odd.
My face, like most golems, is devoid of human features. Spread all over my face, though, are small glowing rivets in multiple colorful and creative shapes, almost as if a chile drew them.
Where a human¡¯s eyebrow might be is a pink unicorn, where a mouth may be is a yellow smiley face, etc.
Unsurprisingly, these features make me quite popular with children, the retched things. They always want to touch them or color them in.
¡®Wonder what my creator was thinking when he made me¡¡¯
Unlike most golems, I was not born from a rare dungeon or created by the system. Instead I was created by a person. Who that person is, I still do not know, but I hold hope that one day I¡¯ll get to meet him.
While inspecting my face, I suddenly get a message on a circular implement on my wrist.
It reads, ¡®Emergency assistance need on planet Earth, teleporter #4587A0 at approximately 35:00 multiversial standard time. Be ready for combat at the instant of teleport. Heavy resistance expected.¡¯
If I could breathe out a sigh, I would¡¯ve.
¡®At least it¡¯ll give me a break from all the nonsense going on over here, system knows I could use it.¡¯
With that I grab my weapon and armor, and prepare for a fun little war.
27. Practice Makes Perfect
¡®Okay, visualize my sword, let¡¯s see¡¡¯
First, I try to think about my sword¡¯s shape. I need to be exact as possible here as the length and width of my sword are important pieces to understand. Length-wise, the blade is about two feet long, with the pommel adding another foot.
I would say it¡¯s about three inches wide at the bottom, making it on the wider side of these kinds of swords, but I love it all for it.
The second step is visualizing it¡¯s weight, which is hard to do surprisingly. I try to materialize as many swords as I can until I get it just right. Even after twenty tries, I fail to somehow get the weight perfect, which is worrying really.
¡®I expected better of myself honestly¡¡¯ I say sadly in my head.
Another hour passes before I finally get it just right. In total It took me about a hundred or so tries. Materializing it perfectly without the real thing in front of me as a reference made this quite the challenge it seems, but I think I¡¯m all the better for it.
Finally, I begin to try and think of as many smaller details as possible. The small chip at the bottom of the blade, the worn-down but still sharp edge, the torn apart leather wrapping on the handle, even the now slightly uneven line going down the center of the blade. I visualize every detail I possibly can about my well-known companion.
Unsurprisingly, this last step takes the longest amount of time, just due to the pure amount of details in my sword, or really any item if you think about it.
Once I¡¯m done, the total amount of time to get the seemingly perfect sword materialized took about another twenty hours, though Solace said there¡¯s no way that I would be able to get it exactly perfect.
I still have fifty hours left so at this point my mind is so exhausted that I almost want to puke at the thought of more training.
¡®I¡¯ve got to push through.¡¯ I tell myself.
Looking over, I once again see Solace lazily napping to the side. I walk up to him and ask,
¡°What now? I¡¯m ready to get stronger.¡± I say seriously.
Solace startles awake exaggeratedly and looks at me curiously before seemingly deciding on something in his head.
¡°Nothing, we¡¯re doing nothing.¡± He says while flicking his hand backwards indicating for me to go away.
I stare at him dumbfoundedly before a heavy silence pervades the room.
¡°What do you mean nothing?! Don¡¯t you want your successor to be strong?!¡±
He looks at me annoyed before replying,
¡°Listen kid, I can tell when someone is strung too tight, and your it. You obviously need a break.¡±
I clench my fist angrily,
¡°I know I want a break, but I can¡¯t afford to quit now! I¡¯m about to fight for my life when I leave here, I need every ounce of strength I can get! The multiverse is dangerous, like you said! I need to prepare for it!¡±
He sighs,
¡°Rowan, I know I said the multiverse was dangerous, but if you live your life like it¡¯s a rat race to the finish you¡¯ll live a sad and lonely existence. Trust me kid, I would know. When you¡¯ve lived as long as I have, you¡¯ll begin to appreciate the smaller things in life, a trait my younger self definitely could¡¯ve used. Plus, whatever training or whatever I have you do will be twice as effective if you¡¯re rested.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
My anger slowly subsides as I take in his words. I let out a deep breath and nod in understanding.
¡°Good! Glad to see you¡¯ve calmed down. Now come, sit next to me and meditate, it¡¯s a great way to clear your head and balance your spiritual energy.¡± He says while patting the floor in front of him.
I oblige him and do just that, closing my eyes and sitting in front of the golden man.
I take the time to clear my head and relax my thoughts. My mind becomes stuck in a trance, somehow finding a perfect equilibrium of tranquility and awareness.
It feels as though all my life¡¯s memories are flushed clean into the back of my mind, giving my brain a clean slate on which to think on.
All my wants, desires, worries, and fears gone to the void as if they didn¡¯t even exist.
I wake up calmly to a grinning Solace.
¡°What¡ what the hell was that?¡± I ask.
¡°Pretty cool huh? Soul spaces are the perfect environment for meditation it turns out. Not many people know that, as who the hell would waste their time sitting doing nothing in one of these.¡± He says holding back a laugh.
¡°I feel¡ amazing? Clean? Fresh? I¡¯m not sure how to describe it.¡± I say to him.
¡°That¡¯s what happens when you let your spiritual self become one with the multiverse. It¡¯s technically possible to do in the real world too, but I know of very few people able to do actually pull that off. In here, it¡¯s easy as pie! As you people of Earth would say.¡±
I stare at him confused,
¡°How do you know Earth sayings?¡±
¡°Secret. Sorry.¡± He says cheekily.
¡°Whatever.¡± I say while sighing, ¡°Anyway how long has it been?¡±
¡°Mmm, about ten hours.¡±
¡°What?! Ten whole hours?! It felt like ten seconds, how the hell did ten hours pass? Ugh, what a waste!¡±
¡°Oh please, I wouldn¡¯t call it that. Now you''re ready and rested for what I¡¯ve prepared for you! Plus, that little meditation session might get you a few surprise notifications when you get out of here, who knows.¡± Solace says mysteriously.
I stare at him suspiciously.
¡°Nothing bad I swear!¡±
¡°If you say so¡¡± I say, not fully believing him.
¡°Anyway, on to some more training! What do you say?¡±
I nod eagerly.
¡°So what I¡¯m going to have you do next is pretty advanced for someone of your level, but I believe you¡¯ll manage! First though, I need to ask. What does it say on your status when you look under your sword core. What does it say you resonate with?¡±
I think back to my status, unable to bring it out in the soul space.
¡°It says my sword resonates with omnipresence.¡±
¡°Oh wow, very nice. That¡¯s a good one. Why didn¡¯t you try and use it during our little fight?¡±
¡°Uh, I suppose I just thought you wanted to test my sword skills rather than my cultivation skills.¡±
¡°Rowan, kid, you have a SWORD core, that IS part of your sword skills.¡±
I blink multiple times, before I think about what he says.
¡°Huh, I guess I never though of it like that. I always imagined them as two separate things. My swordsmanship mastery, and my cultivation.¡±
¡°That¡¯s how it is for most people, but for people like us with weapon cores, they are mutually inclusive. Now the next step in your cultivation after you declare you element, is going to be adapting your core to your body, essentially making your entire body your core, we call this stage the Elemental body stage. You following?¡±
I nod.
¡°In order to reach this stage, you must embody your core with every fiber of your being. You must walk, talk and act like a sword would, whether it makes sense or not. Now, what if I told you there¡¯s a way to acquire a psudo-elemental body way before this? Like say, when you still have an unattuned core.¡±
¡°I¡¯d call you crazy.¡± I say jokingly.
He smiles and replies,
¡°Well crazy I am young Rowan!¡±
¡°So how do I do it?¡± I ask excitedly.
¡°Woah woah, calm down. You probably won¡¯t be able to do this anytime soon. It took me weeks of practice when I was around your age, so you can imagine how long it¡¯ll take you. But with me here to guide you along, it should smooth the path out a bit for you.¡± He says confidently.
¡°Wow, thanks for the confidence.¡± I say sarcastically.
¡°Of course! Now first thing first, you know how I taught you to control your spiritual energy by holding on the edge of use and resorbing it back into your core?¡±
I once again nod.
¡°Well your going to have to do that every second, also while you¡¯re moving and fighting.¡±
¡°Haha! Very funny. Now how do I actually do it?¡± I laugh.
¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± He says, while taking pleasure in my face slowly turning from a joking smile to shock as I realize that he is in fact, not joking.
A few seconds pass in silence.
¡°Oh come on! It¡¯s not THAT bad. Once you get the hang of it, it¡¯ll do wonders for you control of spiritual energy! Plus, the boost you¡¯ll receive when you master it is worth it. Trust me.¡±
¡°It took me thirty STRAIGHT hours of practice to redirect my energy once, with full concentration. And that was without breaks or other things to do in between. It¡¯ll take me months to be able to do what your saying any sort of regularity, and system forbid I try this in an actual fight! I¡¯ll lose all my spiritual energy at once and pass out!¡±
¡°Quit being so dramatic, you¡¯ll be fine. As I said before, you have me!¡± He says while sticking his nose in the air.
¡°Great, just great.¡± I grumble.
28. Aura Body
I concentrate as hard as I can, moving my spiritual energy throughout my body as fast as I can, while at the same time being as delicate as possible to prevent it from escaping.
It¡¯s been close to twenty hours and at this point, I¡¯ve managed to get close to one revolution, as I call it, every 5 or so seconds. That¡¯s about five times slower than I need to be. Now if it was just that, I¡¯d have no problem with it at all, but sadly¡
¡°Ow!¡± I exclaim while a large wooden stick hits my head, ¡°Do you really have to hit me so hard?¡±
I rub my head in pain.
¡°Pain is the mightiest of teachers, Rowan. You must find a balance between your opponent, and your ¡®Aura Body¡¯ as you call it. Quite the name by the way, I think you might have poetry in your future!¡± He laughs out.
¡°Thanks.¡± I say dryly. ¡°Maybe you should lay off the stick and instead try the carrot, if you know what I mean. Some positive reinforcement goes a long way you know.¡±
¡°Ha! I had no clue the generations after me had grown so soft! If I was raised on positive reinforcement, I¡¯d be nowhere near where I am now!¡±
¡°Whatever, let¡¯s just keep this thing moving, we don¡¯t have all day.¡± I sigh out.
¡°Right you are young Rowan! Right you are!¡± He says as he moves across from me.
I close my eyes briefly and collect myself, before I start churning spiritual revolutions.
One revolution, two revolution, three revolution, and finally, just as I¡¯m about to begin my fourth, he swings, aiming directly for my ribs. Quickly, I bring my arm out in defense, somehow blocking the strike. At the same time as this is happening, my fourth revolution continues, marking the first time I was successfully able to multitask.
Before I can celebrate though, I feel a sharp pain on my forehead, and I almost immediately lose concentration. My spiritual energy flies outwards, escaping my body instantly.
¡°Ha! Good job kid! Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re not supposed to stop once you get it!¡± Solace says while barking out a laugh.
I nod somewhat groggily.
¡°Okay, get up, no rest for the wicked, as they say!¡±
¡°Seriously, where the hell are you learning these Earth sayings from¡¡± I mumble.
We continue like that for hours on end. With my head or stomach getting smacked on repeat every single time I fail.
As much as I hate to admit it, Solace was right that pain was a good motivator, as nothing is more motivating than preventing the harsh sting of the stick hitting my head.
After ten more hours, I manage to get my speed down to one revolution every three seconds, and I¡¯m able to last almost ten revolutions with Solace attacks barraging me.
The next few hours bring slow, if unnoticeable increases. Seems like my rate of improvement has slowed down considerably. Most revolutions, I have Solace time me down to the hundredths of a second just to even track my gains.Stolen story; please report.
¡°Look at you kid! You¡¯re a natural! You¡¯re going much quicker than I did! To be fair though I didn¡¯t exactly have this perfect training environment like you do, but still. I¡¯m quite impressed all things considered.¡±
¡°There¡¯s that positive reinforcement I needed!¡± I say jokingly.
¡°Don¡¯t let it get to your head though; you¡¯ve only got about eleven hours left in here. I¡¯ll be pushing you hard the next 10 hours, so be ready. After that, I got a little surprise for our last hour together.¡± He says somewhat ominously.
¡°Is it more training?¡± I say expectantly.
¡°Mmm, something like that. Anyway enough about that, get in your ready stance. We¡¯ll be picking up the pace, so be ready.¡±
I nod seriously and begin to once again churn my spiritual energy. Compared to when I began, my revolution speed is at a lightning quick two and a half seconds!
Okay maybe it doesn¡¯t sounds that impressive, but it is. Getting to that number took almost thirty hours of pure training in the perfect environment and teacher for said training.
Not that anyone could progress at my pace, were they given the same opportunity as me. Solace even said himself that my talent when it comes to spiritual energy control is in the ninety-ninth percentile.
One revolution passes, then two, and once again Solace swings his ¡®weapon¡¯, this time quicker than I should even be able to react, but I do. I somehow manage to throw my guard up to my head.
I¡¯m baffled at this, as there would usually be no way I could react to an attack like this normally. Even if I was a tier 3 I would have trouble even tracking that attack, let alone defending against it.
¡®Holy shit!¡¯ I think as I continue the revolutions of my spiritual energy.
Solace smirks at my reaction and swings his stick once more, this time aiming for a low sweep at my legs.
I somewhat clumsily jump over the blow, as I try my hardest to continue focusing on my revolutions. Each second that passes only increases the strain on my mind, as I dodge and weave successive blow just barely.
I sidestep an overhead blow, deflect a sideways strike to my head, backstep a thrust towards my sternum. I enter a sort of flow state, as I maintain my concentration for as long as I ever have. One blow after the next seem to fly by instant after instant, with each coming closer and closer to reaching me.
Finally, I make a mistake, and Solace manages to land a clean strike at my ribs, causing me to lose my concentration and spill my spiritual energy into the air.
I fall backwards exhausted, not physically but mentally. It feels as though I just ran a marathons, but instead of my body being tired, it¡¯s my soul that¡¯s worn out.
Solace just stares at me, deep in thought. After a few moments he grins widely.
¡°How¡ how long was that?¡± I say in-between breaths.
¡°You know you don¡¯t need oxygen here, right? Spiritual body and all that.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a habit I guess, now answer the question!¡± I say excitedly.
¡°About twenty-three seconds, give or take.¡±
I frown at that.
¡°No way, that had to have been at least five minutes!¡±
¡°Nope, only twenty-three seconds, I promise.¡±
¡°How could that be?¡±
¡°Well, we were moving about double the speed we normally do.¡±
¡°What? That¡¯s impossible. How the hell did I manage that?¡±
¡°I have a bit of an idea, I think. If it¡¯s anything close to what I think it is, you¡¯ll be a very happy camper when you get out of here my young successor, a very happy camper indeed!¡±
¡°What? What is it?¡±
¡°Not telling! Don¡¯t want to ruin the surprise! Anyway, your aura body that round was great! I clocked you in at about a revolution every two point three seconds. A new best!¡±
I sigh.
¡°That¡¯s cool and all, but I have no clue what just happened, or how it just happened. Can I do it again?¡±
¡°Most likely not.¡±
This causes me to deflate slightly.
¡°Don¡¯t be so down about it. Think about it, now you have a benchmark of what your peak is! Now all you have to climb until you reach it again!¡±
¡°That¡¯s a real nice way of saying my peak is behind me.¡± I say sadly.
¡°Oh please, quite being so negative. Anyway, let¡¯s get moving!¡±
We once again continue the aura body practice.
Just as I thought, I have absolutely no clue how to reach that ¡®flow state¡¯ again, or even what triggered it.
My time go back down to two point five seconds per revolution, and I¡¯m not lasting anywhere near twenty-three seconds, with my best being twelve, and that was at much more normal speeds.
¡®Hopefully the system explains what happened when I get out of here.¡¯ I think to myself.
29. Solaces Surprise
Empire Lieutenant Harvey¡¯s POV
¡°Gerald!¡± I shout.
¡°Yes sir.¡± He says while rushing quickly through my office door.
¡°What have we learned about the situation in Candline City? Any reports on the kid?¡±
¡°No sir, not yet. We believe that now that their original plan has been ruined, they will escape the city. Afterwards, the Hound on site should be able to handle things from there in terms of tracking them down.¡± Gerald reports succinctly.
¡°Hm, how positive are we that they will escape? Couldn¡¯t they, I don¡¯t know, make a rush for the teleporter?¡±
¡°That is unlikely sir, considering their lack of manpower, an attempt like that would result in their deaths.¡±
¡°Couldn¡¯t they bring backup?¡±
¡°Hmm,¡± Gerald stops and thinks, ¡°I do suppose that¡¯s a possibility, but gathering enough troops to combat the soldiers stationed there is logistically impossible. The only way to do that would be through quick teleportation, but even then, all Empire teleporters are only accessible by Empire citizens.¡±
¡°What about spies? Wouldn¡¯t they be able to use our teleporters?¡±
¡°With all do respect sir, I think your overthinking things. Besides, how many spies could these Kingdom degenerates realistically have?¡±
¡°Hmm, I suppose you¡¯re right. Just in case though, I want to go down there myself, make sure everything goes smoothly.¡±
¡°Right away sir, I¡¯ll have the teleporter ready by sundown.¡±
¡°Good. Now, any word back from the Empire on what we discovered?¡±
¡°No direct messages back, but I¡¯ve been hearing talks of supposed inquisitions in the works. Also, rapid military deployment suggests that the Empire will be responding to this slight. Heavily.¡± Gerald says darkly.
¡°I see. Well, that will be all. Let¡¯s hope this whole thing blows over. System knows I don¡¯t need more trouble on this forsaken planet.¡±
He nods and walks swiftly out the door. A few seconds of silence pass, before I let out a deep sigh and rub the bridge of my nose.
¡®Why the hell does this stuff always happen to me.¡¯
Rowan¡¯s POV
I collapse to the floor in mental exhaustion.
¡°Finally done, thank the system!¡± I say exasperatedly.
¡°Not to bad kid, pretty good all things considered. Your time on that last one almost made it into the two point fours! Plus, thirteen seconds is impressive, especially considering I sped up a little bit on those last few rounds!¡± Solace encourages.
¡°Thanks.¡± I say, trying to hide the pride in my voice.
We sit in silence for a few minutes while Solace waits for me to take a small break.
¡°Well, only one hour left, and as promised, I¡¯ve got a bit of a surprise for you!¡±
This perks me up slightly, as for the past few hours, Solace has been hyping up whatever this surprise is.
¡°The surprise is¡ a movie! Well, more accurately, another immersive message like the first one you received. Thought his one is a bit longer!¡±
I deflate slightly.
¡°Why the long face? This will be awesome!¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
¡°No secret technique or anything like that? I don¡¯t know, I just thought that this would be some way to get stronger¡¡±
¡°We¡¯ve had plenty of time for that! Ninety-nine hours of it to be exact! This is something special, trust me, because to be honest, I¡¯m putting a lot of trust in you showing you this. Though, this is what the original me wanted I suppose, but still.¡± He says uncharacteristically serious.
¡°Uh, okay.¡± I say somewhat taken aback by his serious tone.
¡°Great! Now I¡¯m going to send you in. You¡¯ll be sent back out after this, so this is goodbye for now, young Rowan. Next time I¡¯ll see you is when you¡¯re a Bonafide tier 5!¡±
This sudden news shocks me, as I was expecting to be able to save the goodbye¡¯s for after the ¡®movie¡¯.
I nod seriously,
¡°Thanks Solace, I¡¯ll do your class proud.¡±
¡°I should hope you would! Now till next time!¡± He says as everything around me goes black once more.
I wake up in the body of a small child with the same familiar golden skin. The child is wandering around a pond, looking at his reflection in the unmoving water.
The kid I see in the reflection has a small button nose, with eyes like saucers that seem to shout innocence at any who looks at them.
¡®This must be a young Solace. I¡¯ve got to say, not the kid I was imagining.¡¯
I watch on as the child wanders through around the pond, admiring the alien looking trees, with green bark and purple leaves.
Some sort of butterfly flies around his head, before softly landing on his nose. This causes the child to giggle furiously as it chases the butterfly happily.
¡°Solace! Solace where are you!¡± A worried voice shouts to the child¡¯s left.
¡°Over here Mom!¡± He says calmly.
A rustle in the bushes reveals the most beautiful four-armed lady I have ever seen, though surprisingly, her skin is a pale white.
¡°Oh thank the system! I was worried sick about you! You can¡¯t keep running off whenever you like young man!¡± She says sternly.
Solace proceeds to tilt his head and flash his big eyes at his mother.
This causes her to forget any thought of discipline against the child.
¡°That is so unfair young man, you know that¡¯s my weakness, she says as she hugs him tightly.¡±
Solace giggles.
They walk slowly through the forest, stopping each time Solace finds something interesting or see some sort of animal.
Once they reach some sort of village gate with two guards who look at the pair with disdain, before opening the gate quickly.
Walking through the small town, many of the village people sport similar signs of disgust or disdain towards the pair. All of them similar to Solace, though without his characteristic golden skin.
They utter curses beneath their breath and some even voice their disdain loudly, for all to hear.
¡°Don¡¯t mind them sweetie, just keep your head down and keep walking.¡±
Solace nods at this.
Finally, they reach a small house on the edge of the village. They walk inside to reveal a humble, but homey house.
As soon as they enter, they are assaulted with the clamoring of a small girl. The girl seems to be around Solace¡¯s age, if a little bigger. She gushes to the two all about her day, and how she found new flowers growing around the house.
A stern looking man comes from inside a room and greets the woman with a peck on the cheek and Solace with a ruffle of his golden hair.
A warm atmosphere pervades the small house, ass they all group together and eat dinner together.
The next day Solace sneaks out of the house once again after his father leaves for work and his sister leaves to go play.
On his way to the walls, he spots three older four-armed kids, beating up a little girl in an alleyway.
As I approach them I hear them shout,
¡°That¡¯s what you get for being a part of that cursed family you little wench!¡±
Solace stops and says to himself quietly,
¡°No, no it can¡¯t be.¡±
He quickly rushes at the three children. Unsurprisingly, as the three kids are much older and bigger than Solace he¡¯s unable to do any damage to the boys.
¡°Oh shit! He touched me! Am I cursed now!? Am I going to die!?¡± The kid shouts panickily.
They all run off in a hurry, with scared look on their faces.
Solace look down at the figure on the ground. Just as thought, the child is his sister, bleeding and unconscious.
Solace quickly struggles to pick her up, but somehow wills her into his arms. He runs off back to his house.
He bangs on the door and cries out,
¡°MOM, MOM QUICKLY! SIS NEEDS HELP!¡±
Their mother panics as she take in her unconscious sister. She quickly rushes to the nearest doctor with Solace¡¯s sister in her arms.
Unfortunately, every doctor in the village says the same thing when we arrive.
¡°Get out, I don¡¯t want your cursed family around my house any longer!¡± They shout before quickly slamming the door.
Unable to get the child medical attention, there¡¯s nothing they can do except bring her back home and attempt to treat her themselves.
After a few hours, she stops breathing, and Solace¡¯s cloudy, tear-filled eyes watch as his mother weeps and mourns. She screams every curse imaginable, before becoming hollow after a certain point. Solace¡¯s father watches on stoically, clenching his fist in subdued rage.
Solace asks his dad while tears run down his face, ¡°Dad, I want revenge on those kids that did this, I want them to hurt too!¡±
He looks at Solace sadly, ¡°No son, that will only make things worse.¡±
¡°But how could they do this! They can¡¯t get away with this! They just ca-¡°
¡°Enough!¡± He shouts out, with a tear falling down his face, ¡°If we do anything, it¡¯ll only make it worse son, I already lost one member of my family today, please, just please don¡¯t make it worse.¡±
Solace bits his lip hard enough to make it bleed.
¡®If you won¡¯t do anything, I will. One day.¡¯
30. Decisions
The message goes black once again, before reappearing. This time, Solace seems to have grown considerably, appearing to be around the age of fifteen or sixteen.
I watch as he trains silently, alone in the woods, much like I used to do.
While practicing, a familiar but changed voice shouts out.
¡°Solace! Solace where are you!¡±
¡°Right here mother.¡± Solace says stoically.
A slightly older version of Solace¡¯s mother trots through the brush.
¡°Solace, please stop this nonsense! We haven¡¯t seen you in weeks! Your father and I miss you, not to mention your little brothers.¡±
¡°I¡¯m busy¡¡±
¡°When are you going to let it go Solace! Please! There¡¯s nothing we can do to bring her back Solace! All we can do is move on! When are you going to stop this nonsense and be a part of out family again!¡± His mother shouts with tears filling her eyes.
¡°So what?! I should just forget she ever existed! Just act like the people here didn¡¯t murder her!¡±
¡°No Solace! No. We should cherish what we have now, together! You have a beautiful family waiting for at home! Getting stronger won¡¯t bring her back Solace!¡±
¡°But it¡¯ll stop me from losing any more of you! I¡¯m doing this for you, Mom! For Dad! For my two baby brothers!¡±
She bites her lip, and turns around, running away as a trail of tear follow in her wake.
Solace stand there and grips his sword tight, before swinging it at a nearby butterfly, slicing it half.
¡°I¡¯ll get strong enough that no man, machine, or beast shall dare take what¡¯s dear to me!¡±
The message then cuts multiple times to Solace adventuring throughout his planet and gaining his strength. Going in dungeons, killing bandits, he even manages to assassinate a king. Years pass as Solace continues his quest for strength.
Finally at the peak of the first realm, tier 9, he travels back to his small, isolated village for his revenge against its people.
When he finally reaches it, there¡¯s nothing but rubble where the village once was. The once large and towering gates are far gone.
I watch as he shakily runs through the ruins, searching for any sign of life in the small village. Finally he reaches the familiar small house he use to know, but it is now destroyed and crumbling.
He tears through the rubble gently, searching for anything, something to tell him his family is still out there.
After a few minutes of searching, he finds the very thing he dreaded to see, four skeletons huddled up together in their last moments.
Solace screams out in disbelief, falling to the ground, covering his face with his hands.
Then he screams out again, but this time in anger, and brings his sword to bear against anything in his sight. Trees, rocks, plants, animals, nothing is safe from the devastation he brings in his wake.
I watch on as the man I¡¯d come to know as relaxed and unserious, demolishes miles and miles of forest in his rage.
His rampage continues, until finally, he stops and falls to the ground once more.
¡°What has this all been for?! WHAT THE FUCK WAS THE POINT!¡± He shouts out bitterly.
Everything goes black and instead of cutting to another part of Solace¡¯s life, I wake up, back in the real world.
My eyes are wide in shock at what I had just witnessed.
¡®Was¡ was that really Solace?¡¯ I think to myself while comparing the person I had just saw with the person I had spent ninety-nine hours with.
¡®I guess Solace showed me that at a cautionary tale of sort, of what happens when you get blinded by the pursuit of power or revenge¡¡¯
I allow my thoughts to stir for a few more minutes, until my contemplation gets interrupted by a firm hand on my back.
¡°Rowan my boy! How was it? Useful I hope?¡±
I turn and see the familiar man smiling widely.
I nod in response.
This causes him to tilt his head in confusion.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
¡°You okay kid? You look¡ I don¡¯t know, shaken up? What happened in there?¡±
¡°Well, a lot of things, but I just got a glimpse at the creator of my class¡¯s past, and it was¡ interesting to say the least. I¡¯m fine though really.¡±
¡°If you say so kid¡¡± He says skeptically as he turns and walks towards Gael.
¡®Alright I can think about that later, I¡¯ve got things to do and notifications to go through!¡¯ I think excitedly.
I go through the first couple of notifications.
¡®Those must be from the first exercise Solace had me doing. Five mastery level in less than one real time hour is absurd though, and that was only the first thing I did!¡¯
¡®Well, I got the mastery Solace wanted me to get, but I¡¯m still not exactly sure what this does for me. I mean sure I know my sword¡¯s weight and dimensions better, but there¡¯s got to be something more that he¡¯s leading me towards¡¡¯
¡®Woah! What the hell? This is a crazy upgrade! Add a new attribute or upgrade my race? That¡¯s only something people get as some sort of special reward for doing some amazing, or as a trial planet reward! This is incredible!¡¯
As I revel in my amazing new feat, I come to a daunting realization.
¡®Oh no, that¡¯s means I have to make another hard choice! Damnit why can¡¯t it just give me one thing! There¡¯s always so many options!¡¯ I bemoan to myself.
¡®Whatever, let¡¯s look through the rest of my notifications first. That¡¯s a future me type of problem.¡¯
¡®Holy shit! This one is great too! Although I¡¯m not exactly sure what constitutes as ¡®perfect concentration¡¯. I¡¯ll have to find a way to practice my concentration somehow¡¡¯
I decide to look at my upgraded status.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
10
Class
Legacy: Skill-less Swordsman
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 18 (+2)
Agility ¨C 33 (+2)(+4)
Dexterity(+) ¨C 48 (+2)(+2)(+4)
Endurance ¨C 11 (+2)
Perception ¨C 30 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 22 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 43 (+2)
Masteries
Swords ¨C 21
Temperance ¨C 17
Stealth ¨C 12
Sprinting ¨C 9
Exercise ¨C 7
Thievery ¨C 3
Deception ¨C 4
Killing ¨C 4
Blending In ¨C 1
Misdirection ¨C 7
Monster Hunting ¨C 10
Spirit Control ¨C 5
Item Understanding - 3
Skills
Feats
Early Killer - Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Reversal ¨C One trait can be chosen related to your recent ambush.
Punching Up ¨C +1 to all stats.
Starter¡¯s Blade ¨C +3 AP, +3 to dexterity.
Smart Spender ¨C Save all of your SP until level 10. +1 to all stats.
Novice Spirit Controller ¨C Very slight increased progression towards your Spirit Control mastery. Any cultivation abilities are slightly enhanced. +5 willpower and +5 intelligence.
Connected Mind ¨C You may upgrade your race or add a new attribute to your status. +5 intelligence and + 5 perception.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
Willful Gains ¨C Permanently gain 5% of your willpower in any stat. Affect continues to scale with willpower. (+2 Dexterity)
Skill-less ¨C All SP gained up to this point and onwards will be transferred into 2 AP each. Unable to acquire skills through any means. Bonus (2 * Tier) AP gained per level.
Sword of Will ¨C Gain 10% of your willpower two other stats. Can be changed once a year. (+4 Dexterity/Agility)
State of Concentration - When you achieve perfect concentration under stressful circumstances, increase your agility and perception by 1.5 times. Duration is based on willpower.
Items
Solace¡¯s Soul Shard (Two uses left)
¡®Hmm, I like what I see so far, but I still have one tough decision to make.¡¯ I think while looking at my new Connected Mind feat.
31. More and More Choices!
¡®Let¡¯s see my race or a new attribute¡ What would an upgraded race even look like? Would I gain a third eye or something?¡¯
After thinking about it for a few more minutes, I give up and decide to just ask for some advice.
¡®A second opinion from people much more knowledgeable than me can¡¯t hurt I suppose.¡¯
So with my mind made up, I walk over to Gael and Uncle Moren.
¡°Hey I need your guys¡¯ advice about something.¡± I say casually.
¡°What¡¯s up kid? You want some secret epic battle advice or something?¡± Uncle Moren chuckles out.
¡°No, but I need some info on racial upgrades and new attributes. What would a new stat or a racial upgrade even look like?¡±
They both stare at me wide-eyed.
¡°Holy shit kid! What the hell happened in there that you got a racial upgrade and a new attribute?!¡± Uncle Moren says.
¡°In where?¡± Gael says confusedly.
I stare at Uncle Moren in scornfully.
He rubs the back of his head sheepishly.
Sighing, I reply,
¡°I guess it¡¯s not really that big of a secret but I got a soul shard from my class, and I just used it this past hour.¡±
¡°Ohoho, very nice! I was wondering what you were doing over there, I assumed a quick pre-battle nap, but a soul shard makes much more sense. I assume your time inside was well worth it?¡±
¡°Very, but anyway I need some advice. And by the way, I didn¡¯t get both, I get to choose one or the other.¡±
¡°Hmm, quite the conundrum indeed. There have many a studies done on your exact problem.¡± Gaely says sagely.
¡°Really?¡±
¡°Oh yes, people have debated for millennia what the best status upgrade is. Most people often put new attributes ahead of racial upgrades, but I am of the opposite mind.¡±
¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±
¡°Well first, I¡¯ll go into what both options can do for you. The racial upgrade you will be able to choose from most likely have something to do with how you came to acquire the upgrade. So for example. If you got the upgrade by say, walking a tightrope, you may get an organ that increases balance or improves motor coordination, or even gives you longer arms to balance on tightropes better.¡±
I nod to show my attention. He continues,
¡°The same can be said with new attributes. If we use the same example, you may get a balance stat, or some sort of coordination stat.¡±
¡°So what if I were to say, meditate and briefly become one with the multiverse¡ hypothetically.¡± I ask.
¡°Well in that case, the amount of things a racial upgrade would bring you is really all over the place. Maybe you get a spiritual third eye, maybe you acquire a second core, you might even gain increased consciousness.¡±
¡°What the hell would increased consciousness do?¡±
¡°Wouldn¡¯t know, but I have met someone who has this same upgrade. He describes it as having a ¡®better understanding of the laws and rules that govern our realm.¡¯ What the means is really anybody¡¯s guess.¡± Gael says somewhat humorously.
¡°Okay what about a new attribute? What would that look like?¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯d say you might get some sort of understanding stat or something similar. Comprehension maybe. It¡¯s hard to say, as information about new stats and racial upgrades is a highly guarded secret.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡°I see¡¡± I reply in thought, ¡°So what are the benefits of both?¡±
¡°Well I¡¯m glad you asked young man! You see, Racial upgrades are often seen as short term power and nothing more than a gimmick, and new attributes and attribute upgrade are often seen as long term upgrades.¡±
¡°But¡¡± I say expecting the next words.
Gael smirks and replies,
¡°But¡ What a lot of people don¡¯t understand is, no matter how many stat points you invest, nothing is easier and more intuitive to control than your own body. Think about it, do you even need to think to breath? Or walk? Or digest food? No, of course not! Racial upgrades increase your floor and allow a person to have more potential!¡±
I nod in understanding.
¡°Stat upgrades, while nice in the long term, rely too much on the system for assistance. A mistake I see a lot of young power hungry folks make is that they don¡¯t need to train or practice because the system does everything for them, but what they don¡¯t understand is that your stats only show what a person is capable of theoretically, not necessarily if they CAN bring out that power. You get me?¡±
¡°I think so¡ but how do I prevent myself from becoming like this? To reliant on the system I mean.¡± I ask worriedly.
¡°Training, hard work, and progressing at a steady, even pace. If you level and progress to fast, without taking the time to consolidate your gains, you¡¯ll be no scarier than a paper tiger.¡±
I ruminate on his words for a few moments before turning to Uncle Moren and asking his opinion.
¡°You want my opinion? Do whatever you want. A talented kid like you, no matter what the hell you do, you¡¯ll end up fine, I know it.
I nod at this and turn around to think about what the pair told me.
¡®While Gael did advocate for racial upgrades more, it doesn¡¯t mean I should take his word as law. Realistically, picking a new attribute would benefit me just as much¡ I think. Really I have no clue, but to me it sounds like racial upgrades have a wider range of stuff that I could get.¡¯ I think to myself,
¡®Plus it¡¯s not like I have to pick something that changes my appearance. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get some sort of organ or something too.¡¯
¡®Ugh why do they make this so hard! Fine I¡¯ll pick racial upgrade before I change my mind again!¡¯
With my mind made up, I make my decision and choose the racial upgrade.
¡®Okay, here we go, let¡¯s see what we get.¡¯ I think nervously.
¡®Ok, good start with that one, I can already come up with multiple good uses for that. Detecting hidden wards, leveling up my spirit control mastery, plus I can use it to tell things about my environment. So overall pretty good first option.¡¯
¡®Uh, totally not ominous at all¡ Don¡¯t exactly know what to think about that one. Could definitely be useful though. How many realms are there though?¡¯
¡®Wow, okay, this one is awesome. Who doesn¡¯t want to teleport? I can imagine myself in a tense fight and all the sudden, boom teleport and the fight is over. Might be a bit rigid in it¡¯s use though I will say. Also I expect this organ to fall of in usefulness the stronger I get.¡¯
¡®Hmm this one is interesting, if a bit complex. I can see how in the long term this one could be the most useful. Especially since I¡¯m limited to having no skills with my class, any tools I can use would be quite useful. The warning at the end is a bit worrying though.¡¯
¡®I¡¯m not really liking this one. I mean, not having to eat or sleep is cool and all, but it doesn¡¯t exactly help me in a fight, and while the second part sounds interesting, I¡¯d rather have a more permanent boost. Sometimes I won¡¯t get to prepare for a fight beforehand.¡¯
¡®This one is a definite no. I don¡¯t need the warning at the end to tell me something fishy is going on with this one. Multiverse¡¯s agenda? What the hell kind of agenda does the damn multiverse have? Can it even think? Does it know it has an agenda? These are questions I don¡¯t wasn¡¯t to know, or find out, so respectfully no thank you. Anyway, last one, let¡¯s hope it¡¯s good.¡¯
¡®Another weird one, again not really a lot of combat applications here. Though I suppose there are a lot of people out in the multiverse that would pay top dollar for an ability like that. Any ancient relic, any corpse, I could even learn the code to any safe if I really wanted to¡. But I don¡¯t.¡¯
I look over the options over and over, hoping that my mind will make a decision for me. Sadly that doesn¡¯t happen and instead I¡¯m forced to make the hard choice myself.
¡®Okay I¡¯ve decided, I¡¯m picking¡¡¯
Quick Interlude
Hey guys, no chapter today unfortunately. I appreciate all the support I''ve been getting for the story though! I''m glad you guys have been liking it thus far! Make sure to go check out my patreon if your interested in showing a little support, still working on getting more advance chapters done, but I probably won''t be done until after the writathon sometime. Another way you can support me is leaving a rating or following the story! If you guys have any questions, be sure to comment them here, I''ll be replying to them when I can!
Anyway, here Rowan''s full status as a quick reminder.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
10
Class
Legacy: Skill-less Swordsman - Your blade shan¡¯t need any frivolous skills. Understand that only the truly weak use such measures, while all you need is a sword in your hand. May your will stand firm and your sword stand strong.
Race
Human/Janin(+)
Formless Skin ¨C Allows one to adapt their skin to take on the properties of any creature of any realm in the multiverse. Requires in depth knowledge and analysis of said creature¡¯s physiology to work. Warning: Does not change musculature or internal processes.
Attributes
Strength ¨C 18 (+2)
Agility ¨C 33 (+2)(+4)
Dexterity(+) ¨C 48 (+2)(+2)(+4)
Endurance ¨C 11 (+2)
Perception ¨C 30 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 22 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 43 (+2)
Masteries
Swords ¨C 21
Temperance ¨C 17
Stealth ¨C 12
Sprinting ¨C 9
Exercise ¨C 7
Thievery ¨C 3
Deception ¨C 4
Killing ¨C 4
Blending In ¨C 1
Misdirection ¨C 7
Monster Hunting ¨C 10
Spirit Control ¨C 5
Item Understanding - 3
Skills
Feats
Early Killer - The deadliest killers started young, and once you''ve killed once, what''s another? Kill a sentient being before level 1. Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - You''ve trained and begun your path of sword mastery strong. Get Swords Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.Temperance Prodigy - You''ve tempered your mind to be as solid as stone. Get Temperance Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - Form your core before level 1. One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Reversal ¨C Become critically wounded in an ambush and escape/kill your ambusher(s). One trait can be chosen related to your recent ambush.
Punching Up ¨C Defeat 5 opponents of a higher tier than yourself. +1 to all stats.
Starter¡¯s Blade ¨C Reach mastery level 20 in Swords. +3 AP, +3 to dexterity.
Smart Spender ¨C Save all of your SP until level 10. +1 to all stats.
Novice Spirit Controller ¨C Cultivation is a deeply personal journey, and you have added one more aspect of that journey to discover! Control spiritual energy. Very slight increased progression towards your Spirit Control mastery. Any cultivation abilities are slightly enhanced. +5 willpower and +5 intelligence.
Connected Mind ¨C Peeking behind the veil of the multiverse, no matter how quick the look, is an impressive feat! Become one with the multiverse. You may upgrade your race or add a new attribute to your status. +5 intelligence and + 5 perception.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Your will remains steadfast and unbroken while holding a sword. Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - A true swordsman needs nothing but himself and the sword. Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Your sword is silent until it strikes true. Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C When without a sword, even the smallest of foes may slay you, but with a sword, giants bow to your might. +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
Willful Gains ¨C Permanently gain 5% of your willpower in any stat. Affect continues to scale with willpower. (+2 Dexterity)
Skill-less ¨C All SP gained up to this point and onwards will be transferred into 2 AP each. Unable to acquire skills through any means. Bonus (2 * Tier) AP gained per level.
Sword of Will ¨C Gain 10% of your willpower two other stats. Can be changed once a year. (+4 Dexterity/Agility)
State of Concentration ¨C When you achieve perfect concentration under stressful circumstances, increase your agility and perception by 1.5 times. Duration is based on willpower.
Items
Solace¡¯s Soul Shard (two uses left)
Big plans for this story going forwards so be sure to stay tuned!
32. The Plan 2
¡®Formless skin.¡¯
I finalize my decision with the system.
Immediately I feel a tingling sensation all over my skin. This tingling sensation quickly turns to an annoying itchiness on every pore of my skin. Then to a painful itchiness that makes me want to claw my skin off.
Thankfully it doesn¡¯t get worse, but for five straight minutes I had to endure what felt like bugs crawling underneath my skin.
Once all is said and done, I don¡¯t actually feel or look that different. I don¡¯t really know what I was expecting to be honest. I¡¯d say the only thing that may have changed is my skin feeling slightly softer if anything.
There were a lot of reasons I went with this one, but the main reason is my lack of skills. Without the versatility that skills provide, I need to find a way to make up for that lost versatility, hence what better option than the billions of creatures that exist in the wider multiverse.
¡®Though I will have to do some research on how ¡®in depth¡¯ my knowledge needs to be for me to use it. Hopefully this Saving Face Corporation can get me a few books to read about skin types in the multiverse. I especially hope I can find something on some creatures from other realms.¡¯
With that business finally taken care of, I once again walk towards the group of five who are talking to one another seriously.
¡°Hey guys, how long we got?¡±
¡°Ah yes, Rowan my boy, perfect timing! We were just about to go get you. We have about half an hour before we need to leave, so in the meantime, we are going to do a quick run-through of the plan.¡±
I nod seriously while I take in the group I hadn¡¯t seen for what has been a week for me.
Delorie looks uncharacteristic morose and serious, and to be honest I don¡¯t blame him. It¡¯s impossible for us to know the type of resistance we¡¯re going to receive, and if things go badly enough, one or more of us could die.
Hoggle looks about the same as last time I saw him, flippant and uncaring. Surprising really, when you consider the fact that he¡¯s completely blind in both eyes, you¡¯d think he¡¯d be a little more nervous for war.
Garut is looking fondly at his axe like it¡¯s speaks to him or something.
¡®What a weirdo, he looks like he¡¯s about to make love to it.¡¯ I think to myself unable to realize the hypocrisy of my statement.
Gael look about the same, except far more deadly. His eyes sharper, his body more tensed and ready for action, even his usually gentle smile screams battle-ready.
Finally Uncle Moren is sporting his characteristic ¡®nervous but doesn¡¯t want to show it¡¯ smile. TO be honest, I don¡¯t really think he¡¯s fooling anyone, as his sweaty forehead and palms pretty obviously give him away.
I tune back in to the conversation.
¡°Alright so with the small details out of the way, let¡¯s talk about broader tactical options. Now this plan isn¡¯t concrete so if you have any suggestion, please feel free to voice them.¡±
Everyone nods.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
¡°Okay good, so the plan starts when we reach the warp pad building. Initially, we¡¯re gonna go as silent as possible, while picking off as many outer guards as we can without getting noticed. I expect this to last about five or ten minutes depending on how disciplined these guys are.¡±
We all nod once again to show our attention.
¡°Now, phase two of the plan is delaying any wide scale alarms as fast as possible. If we can keep the heavy hitters away from us until the teleports arrive, we will be in a much better spot tactically than if we don¡¯t.¡±
¡°What will these alarms look like?¡± I ask.
¡°Well, there¡¯s a few different kinds that we can look out for. The portable ones that the soldiers in the sewers used are the most dangerous ones by far. All it takes is one soldier to see us and decide to hide, and we¡¯ll have soldiers swarming us like flies. ¡°
He continues,
¡°Another type that is less worrying, but still a concern, are the blue levers on the wall. While these ones are easier to prevent from going off, these ones cause a blaring alarm that can be heard throughout the city to go off. I hope I don¡¯t need to say how bad this would be.¡±
I nod.
¡°Okay, phase three is when we¡¯ll be fighting a full frontal assault, I¡¯ll go over the formation now. Gael and Delorie will be at the very front. They¡¯ll be filtering any opponents Garut and I can take back and to the side where the two of us will be. Hoggle and Rowan will be in the very back, picking off any stragglers and giving us any support. For Hoggle this will be in the form of his bugs and weaponry. For you Rowan, this will be by killing any weaker opponents harassing us while we fight bigger fish. Understood?¡±
Everyone nods again.
Uncle Moren sighs,
¡°Now, there¡¯s a lot of things that can go wrong with this plan. For one, our teleporter reinforcements could literally just not show up, or not enough of them show. I¡¯m hoping that¡¯s not the case, but with the limited time we have, we won¡¯t know.¡±
He continues,
¡°Also we could get discovered to early and blow our cover. If this happens we¡¯re really screwed, and most likely dead. Well, except you Moren, you can plead ignorance I suppose if you get caught, but even then I wouldn¡¯t risk it.¡±
¡°The last problem that could arrive is they have too many heavy hitters on their side. We have no clue what kind of soldiers they have stationed here, could be a tier 10 for all we know, if that happens we¡¯re double screwed. Unless a similarly powered reinforcement comes through the teleporter, But I wouldn¡¯t bank on it.¡±
Uncle Moren look around at each and every one of us.
¡°I¡¯ll be honest here guys, I don¡¯t like our odds of everyone making it out of this thing, but I want you guys to know that I¡¯m sorry for dragging you into this.¡±
Everyone looks at Uncle Moren¡¯s guilty look and all the sudden burst out in laughter.
¡°Hahaha! Moren apologizing? I must be dreaming!¡± Delorie shouts out while holding his stomach in laughter.
Even Garut chuckles slightly.
¡°What the hell guys! I was being serious you know! This is my fault!¡±
¡°Oh please don¡¯t flatter yourself! We all new what we were getting into when we became informants for the Kingdom! To be honest, we were bound to get caught eventually!¡± Delorie once again shouts out.
¡°No you weren¡¯t! You could¡¯ve been here for years, if not decades longer!¡± Uncle Moren says turning a slight shade of red.
¡°Ha! As if, did you know that seventy percent of all kingdom informants get caught after a decade or less? Granted this time is a bit worse considering we got caught smuggling talents out of their hands, but still my point remains.¡±
¡°What about Gael then? He¡¯s been an informant for decades, maybe even centuries and hasn¡¯t gotten caught! What¡¯s up with that then?¡±
Gael chimes in with a smile,
¡°I¡¯m an outlier, but my retirement would¡¯ve been soon anyways, what better way than to go out with a bang.¡±
¡°I personally wanted no part in this, but whatever I¡¯m over it, so don¡¯t go and feel guilty about it, quit being dramatic.¡± Hoggle says while leaning his chair back dangerously far.
¡°Listen guys I appreciate the very ¡®kind¡¯ words, but it doesn¡¯t change the fact that this is my fault to begin with. I shouldn¡¯t have sent the kid to do that stupid mission, I shouldn¡¯t have gotten Delorie or Hoggle involved, a lot of shouldn¡¯t haves that I can¡¯t change anymore. All I can do now is focus what¡¯s in front of me, that being getting myself and you all to the teleporter¡ alive.¡±
¡°If you say so.¡± Hoggle says.
¡°Yeah, lets do this.¡± Delorie says with a stomp.
Even Garut lets out a grunt.
While everyone is hyping themselves up, I look over at Uncle Moren who seems to have solemn look on his face.
Seeing him look so serious sends a wave of ominous foreboding in my mind.
¡®Please just let everyone make it through this.¡¯ I silently pray to myself.
33. Picking Them Off
I watch as Gael veils himself and the rest of the group to become nothing more than a blur in the dark.
We silently creep closer to the building with the warp pad station inside. As we thought the building is absolutely swarming with soldiers of all tiers. Alongside the soldiers are a good amount of people walking in and out of the large building, each being furiously scanned and questioned multiple times.
Once we reach a small alleyway, Uncle Moren speaks quietly,
¡°Okay, from here on out, we are gonna split up. That includes you Rowan, we¡¯re putting a lot of trust in you to only deal with situations you can handle.¡±
¡°Right.¡± I confirm out loud as he can¡¯t see my nod.
¡°Now, with these veils Gael has placed on us, it should be next to impossible for anyone below tier 7 to notice us, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can get careless. Stick to the plan, and only take out individual soldiers at a time. Remember to make sure you can take them out quickly, the less noise, the better.¡± Uncle Moren declares.
I assume everyone nods at this, though I can¡¯t really tell, what with the veil and all that.
¡°Gael says this should last about an hour or so, as long as you don¡¯t take any direct hits. Good luck out there guys, and remember to meet up back here if any sort of wide scale alarm goes off.¡±
This cause multiple whooshing sounds to ring out around me before it suddenly turns quiet.
¡®Well, nothing more to do but to get to it I suppose.¡¯ I sigh out mentally.
I begin my slow walk towards the building. Once I¡¯m there, I¡¯m astounded by the fact that none of the soldiers directly in front of me can see me. It¡¯s one thing to be told your practically invisible, but it¡¯s a completely different thing to actually BE invisible.
¡®No wonder Gael said this skill is on a half year cooldown, this would practically trivialize low-level infiltration. Gael even said the cooldown gets lower the higher tier he gets!¡¯
With my astonishment behind me, I swiftly and deftly hop the outer wall and enter the main courtyard.
Looking at the building up close is almost jaw-dropping, and not really in a good way. It looks as if some sort of ai combined every single detail of some of the greatest buildings from around the old-world, and melded them together.
Size-wise, the thing is ginormous, easily one of the largest buildings in the whole city, being about three quarters as large as Progenitor Waylen¡¯s mansion.
According to Uncle Moren, that¡¯s about right, as the system generates these warp pad buildings based on ¡®popular¡¯ architecture from earth. I had no clue it would be so¡ eclectic though.
I look around in search of my first target. Almost immediately I find it. A stern looking young man, who must be around my age, if not a few years older.
Following him reveals that he is heading for the bathroom. This causes a wave of guilt to run through my mind. I push it down quickly though, in favor of sweet sweet apathy.
¡®I¡¯ll try to make it quick.¡¯ I say to myself.
Surprisingly, time only made the people I¡¯ve killed run through my mind more and more. It seems I¡¯m just fully used to the idea of killing people based on trivial things such as factions or sides.
I ignore the useless thoughts running through my mind and focus on my target. After a little less than a minute of walking, my target reaches his destination and enters inside, with myself entering swiftly behind him.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
As he begins to enter the stall, I swoop in above him before he can undo his pants, and slice sideways, causing a large, lethal gash to form where his jugular is. Before the blood gets too messy, I grab his head, and stick his neck overtop of the toilet, preventing any blood from reaching the floor.
I hold his head there until he quietly passes away. I do myself the favor of not looking at his face at all, as to prevent to many memories from forming that I¡¯d rather not remember.
After a minute or so, I prop his body on the toilet in a way that allows all the blood to continue to flow into the porcelain throne.
¡®Definitely not the way I¡¯d like to go, that¡¯s for sure.¡¯ I sigh to myself.
I continue my exploration of the building, and after a few minutes of walking, I stumble upon what seems to be tens of higher tier soldiers guarding the main warp pad.
I watch as they interrogate and search every person entering and leaving using the pad multiples of times before they are allowed to either leave or use the passage.
Most of the people using the pad are incredibly wealthy, as using warp pads cost millions of credits for someone not associated directly with the Empire. Apparently in the Kingdom, while it does cost a good amount, it¡¯s nowhere near the absurd price the Empire charges.
I decide to back away slowly, as Gael and Uncle Moren informed me multiple times of the types of wards that are standard around these things, and if they are to be believed, if even one of my hairs gets to close, I¡¯m a dead man ten times over.
After another few minutes of wandering, I once again find a target suitable for me. This one seems to be about tier 3 or so, and at least thirty years old. The tired, unfocused look in his eyes as he walks around the perimeter of the building makes for what should be an easy elimination.
Once he walks far enough from any other patrols, I once again make my move, this time decapitating him in one feel swoop.
As much as I would like to celebrate the increase in my mastery levels, there is ticking time-bomb at my feet known as a dead-body, and I need to get rid of it quick before someone comes over here.
I pick up the body and find a nearby bush to set it in. Someone would probably find in in a couple hours or so when it starts to deteriorate, but there won¡¯t be a couple hours anyway so who am I to care?
After my quick body disposal, I run back to where I killed him and rub away all the blood in the dirt with my feet. While not perfect, it¡¯ll have to do.
¡®Let¡¯s just hope no one looks too closely at the floor.¡¯
Resuming my perusal of the building, I find myself wondering what the rest of the group are up to.
¡®How many have they been able to take out?¡¯ I ask myself.
Gael¡¯s POV
I end the tier 6 man quickly before shoving him in my dimensional space. This is something not even Moren knows I have, and I have to say it is quite useful.
I mentally look inside the ten-foot cube to see six bodies above tier 5, and four bodies below that.
¡®Not too bad for an old man like myself.¡¯ I say mentally.
I look around the large complex once more.
¡®I have to say, there are a lot less soldiers here than I thought there¡¯d be. I assumed it be in the five-hundreds but I¡¯d be surprised if there are half that here. Something must be going on, but what¡¡¯
After I¡¯m done ruminating, I use one of my signature skills to teleport behind an unsuspecting tier 5 soldier, and quickly shove a dagger into his heart.
¡®Welp, whatever it is that¡¯s going on, I just hope we can survive it.¡¯
Uncle Moren¡¯s POV
I end the middle-aged man with a my precise blow skill, punching straight into his heart.
I stuff the body haphazardly into a nearby closet and place a towel to on the floor of the door to prevent any blood from leaking out.
¡®Number five down, hopefully I can get a few more before they start figuring out what¡¯s happening.¡¯ I think to myself.
As I wander through the building, I can¡¯t help but feel guilty yet again for getting us into this situation. While I may have told Rowan that the mission we were attempting to complete was for money, and to be fair there was a good amount of valuables in that safe too, what I really needed was the a piece of high level magitech purchased straight from the Empire¡¯s capital.
I¡¯m not sure exactly what it does yet, but I¡¯m hoping that when I get back to the kingdom, they can hopefully shed some light on it.
All I know about it is its value, and from what I can gather, It¡¯s worth a lot, and I mean a lot.
How the hell that asshole Waylen managed to get his hands on it is anyone¡¯s guess, but from the shitstorm he¡¯s been causing in the Empire¡¯s higher circles, he¡¯s definitely pissed about it.
Suddenly, a loud, blaring alarm breaks me out of my train of thought.
¡®Goddamnit! What the hell happened?! I thought we had at least a little more time!¡¯ I exclaim to myself before quickly escaping before the revealing arrays come online.
As I retreat through the building, I notice the increased number of soldiers around me.
¡®Must be easily double, maybe even triple the number of soldiers we saw when we got here! What the hell is going on!?¡¯
34. This Could Be Bad....
I end the poor guy quickly with a precise slash to the throat. Looking for a place to shove the guy, I conveniently find an empty trash can, perfect for short term storage of a dead body.
¡®Holy shit! I forgot how many raw stats my class gives me! This is great!¡¯
Deciding that investing my AP now would probably be a good idea considering the upcoming fight, I put two points in strength and willpower, four in dexterity, and three in agility.
¡®I¡¯ll have to put more in willpower later, for now though I need short term gains that can help me immediately.¡¯
I once again continue my search for soldiers that I can pick off. Already I¡¯ve been able to take out nine tier 3 or lower soldiers.
While it may not sound like a lot, it took a lot of hard work and careful planning to take out nine and still not get caught.
Just as I¡¯m about to begin trailing a soldier, immediately a loud siren blares out, indicating my time to retreat.
Running through the complex though reveals swarms of soldiers already in action looking for suspects.
¡®Holy shit that¡¯s a lot! How the hell did they mobilize so many so quickly?¡¯ I ask myself.
Deciding that the time for questions is over, I begin my rapid escape. I weaving my way through the scattered trees and bushes on the outer edge of the property, just in case a higher level soldier with some perception skill sees me.
As I reach the wall, I attempt to jump over it swiftly, only to faceplant into some sort of invisible barrier, much to my dismay.
I try again, this time sticking my hands out in front of me, and I come to the same result.
¡®We¡¯re trapped in here¡¡¯ I think to myself while sporting a solemn face.
Almost immediately after this realization my mind begin to panic, running at a hundred miles a minute to explain how this could of happened.
¡®How the hell did they have this set up so quick? Were this many soldiers really just coincidentally nearby? How could they have known¡¡¯
Instantly I come to a conclusion. A conclusion I would much rather have not come to, but a very real possibility that I just can¡¯t for the life of me get out of my head.
¡®Someone betrayed us. It has to be. How the hell else, did they set up something like this? They allowed us in and gave us a false sense of security by allowing us to take out a few of their guys. Meanwhile they use our own underground entrance to trap hundreds of soldiers in here with us. How the hell else would hundreds of soldiers just appear out of what seems to be thin air.¡¯
¡°Damnit! Damnit! Damnit!¡± I exclaim as quietly as I can.
Now with my conclusion drawn, there¡¯s only one, more scary question that I¡¯m almost terrified to approach.
¡®Who did it? Was it Gael? Maybe but I just can¡¯t picture the gentle smile with someone who would do something so evil, but I guess that¡¯s how they get you¡¡¯
¡®What about Garut? He was always a bit of unknown, never talking, or showing any real emotion.¡¯
¡®Delorie? Hoggle? Both are possibilities for sure, as I haven¡¯t exactly been around either for very long. If anything Hoggle¡¯s personality most lines up with who you¡¯d think would do something like this¡¡¯
¡®Ugh! Why the hell did this have to happen! Why the hell can¡¯t things just go right! FUCK!¡¯ I think while almost pulling out my hair.
Deciding that panicking is probably the worst way to deal with the situation, I look down at the sword in my hand and use it to center myself and calm down.
¡®Okay relax, breath. Think about what can be done, not what has happened.¡¯ I tell myself.
After a few more seconds, I feel as calm as before and begin to reassess the situation, this time with a clearer head.
¡®Alright, what do I know for sure. I¡¯m trapped in here with a few hundred soldiers, my invisibility is going to wear off in about half an hour, and the reinforcements should arrive in about one hour.¡¯
I look around and take stock of my immediate surroundings.
¡®I don¡¯t think they know exactly where we are, and by their frantic searching, they have no clue where any of us are. Good thing we split up.¡¯This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
I begin moving once again around the edge of the building, making sure there are no holes in the barrier. Once that¡¯s done, I quickly decide on a course of action.
¡®Alright, well nothing left to do but to try my best to whittle them down before the reinforcements arrive. Hopefully Uncle Moren and the rest of the crew have some way to meet up before then. Actually, maybe I don¡¯t want that, considering the possible traitor.¡¯
So with that I resume my hunt, this time quicker and less careful then before. After all they already know we¡¯re here and killing people, no point in hiding it. Though I am still careful to pick my engagements wisely, and only attacking isolated targets.
My first target is two younger men, once again only slightly older than myself. They both seem to be searching the compound nervously, while one of them holds on to the familiar portable alarm.
¡®That one¡¯s first.¡¯ I tell myself, while sneaking up behind the young man.
I use my upgraded dexterity to the fullest, landing a precise thrust towards the man¡¯s temple, ending him instantly.
The second I make my move, the other soldier looks over in shock and immediately turns around and attempts to open his mouth to scream. I don¡¯t let him, obviously, and pierce the back of his neck, severing his spine and filling his throat with steel.
I quickly move on, leaving the bodies there.
I almost immediately find my next victim. This one is a middle aged man who seems to be right on the edge of tier 4, if not already tier 4. Up to this point, I¡¯ve only killed one other tier 4, and while that one went smoothly, I¡¯m not one-hundred percent sure of a clean kill.
Tier 4¡¯s have not only gone through the tier 3 status upgrade, but they also have a subclass, so who knows what tricks they have to save themselves.
I decide to go for it, against my better judgment.
¡®Each soldier I take out now is one less we¡¯ll have to deal with later. Plus if I fail initially, as long as I don¡¯t get hit, I should be able to escape thanks to the invisibility.¡¯
Once again bringing the full weight of my dexterity and my Sword of Silence trait to bear, I once again manage to land another clean thrust to the temple.
¡®Hmm, my first uncommon mastery, I was wondering when I¡¯d get one.¡¯
Just like classes, the higher rarity a mastery has isn¡¯t necessarily an indicator of strength. Usually, it just indicates a higher degree of specialization.
So for example, a general mechanic would have more common masteries to deal with the wide variety of machines that he deals with, but a magitech mechanic would need more uncommon and sometimes rare masteries in his line of work.
There are a number of uncommon masteries I was planning on working towards once I got out of the Empire, but I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get one so quickly, never mind such a useful one.
Usually to get higher rarity masteries you need more in depth knowledge or better intrinsic intuition about the mastery.
¡°Maybe I¡¯m a natural born killer.¡± I say quietly to myself half jokingly, but a shiver runs down my spine as I say that.
¡®Not exactly what I want to be known for¡¡¯
Deciding that I don¡¯t have time to ponder such things, I quickly just decide to dump all of my recent stats into willpower and dexterity, with six going into the latter.
I quickly look at my status before moving on.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
12
Class
Legacy: Skill-less Swordsman
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 20 (+2)
Agility ¨C 37 (+2)(+5)
Dexterity(+) ¨C 59 (+2)(+3)(+5)
Endurance ¨C 11 (+2)
Perception ¨C 30 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 22 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 50 (+2)
Masteries
Common
Swords ¨C 21
Temperance ¨C 17
Stealth ¨C 13
Sprinting ¨C 9
Exercise ¨C 7
Thievery ¨C 3
Deception ¨C 4
Killing ¨C 7
Blending In ¨C 1
Misdirection ¨C 7
Monster Hunting ¨C 10
Spirit Control ¨C 5
Item Understanding ¨C 3
Uncommon
Assassination - 1
Skills
Feats
Early Killer - Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Reversal ¨C One trait can be chosen related to your recent ambush.
Punching Up ¨C +1 to all stats.
Starter¡¯s Blade ¨C +3 AP, +3 to dexterity.
Smart Spender ¨C Save all of your SP until level 10. +1 to all stats.
Novice Spirit Controller ¨C Very slight increased progression towards your Spirit Control mastery. Any cultivation abilities are slightly enhanced. +5 willpower and +5 intelligence.
Connected Mind ¨C You may upgrade your race or add a new attribute to your status. +5 intelligence and + 5 perception.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
Willful Gains ¨C Permanently gain 5% of your willpower in any stat. Affect continues to scale with willpower. (+3 Dexterity)
Skill-less ¨C All SP gained up to this point and onwards will be transferred into 2 AP each. Unable to acquire skills through any means. Bonus (2 * Tier) AP gained per level.
Sword of Will ¨C Gain 10% of your willpower two other stats. Can be changed once a year. (+5 Dexterity/Agility)
State of Concentration - When you achieve perfect concentration under stressful circumstances, increase your agility and perception by 1.5 times. Duration is based on willpower.
Items
Solace¡¯s Soul Shard (Two uses left)
35. Search
I continue to move from one target to the next, moving as fast as possible to take out as many as I can before my invisibility is up. Once that happens, I¡¯ll have to find a spot to hide until the reinforcements arrive
If we do have a traitor like I suspect, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll have the warp pad surrounded on all sides. We just have to hope they¡¯ll be ready for it, if not then we¡¯re triple screwed.
After about twenty more minutes of sneak attacks, I begin my hunt for an adequate spot to hide. I¡¯m hoping that wherever I find will also have one or two member of the group looking to hide there as well.
My masteries have also shown a nice improvement, and while I wasn¡¯t able to get a full level, I feel like I¡¯m close.
Traversing the building, I look around for anywhere small and inconspicuous enough to fit me. It would also be preferable if it was at a vantage point to be able to take stock of the situation, though I don¡¯t suspect I¡¯ll get that lucky.
After enough looking, I find it. A small storage closet with a window that faces the font courtyard. Inside the closet is a small locker with three small slits at around eye level that face directly to the window.
I wait in the room while my invisibility is active to see if anyone searches the room. Luckily and unluckily, a few soldiers stumble in and pretty much ransack the poor closet. Luckily, because then they may not check it for a while or see that it¡¯s already ransacked and has been checked. Unluckily, because it means this closet isn¡¯t as inconspicuous and out of the way as I thought.
¡®Too late now though, it¡¯s do or die in this locker.¡¯ I say to myself as I begin my stakeout just as my invisibility runs out.
I carefully control my breathing and movements to emit as little noise as possible. I can never be too careful as who knows what kind of sensory abilities people have.
Surprisingly, this comes naturally to me. I think it may have something to do with my upgraded dexterity.
Either way it¡¯s a welcome surprise. I watch outside the window through the locker for any movement.
Squads of soldiers weave through all directions, searching for any sign of us. While they seem to be patrolling aimlessly for now, with the invisibility worn off, it¡¯s only a matter of time before one of us is found.
I can only hope that they are instructed not to kill on sight, or else a few of us might be seeing an early grave.
¡®So much for our plan, no way we stood a chance against this many soldiers anyway, even if we weren¡¯t locked in here.¡¯
I continue my soldier watching.
After about five minutes, something interesting happens. I see a tall, important looking figure walk through the main gate like the barrier isn¡¯t even there. Around him are several elite and professional looking guards and what looks to be some sort of assistant scribbling in a notepad furiously behind him.
I watch as soldiers seem to quickly follow wherever he points his finger. Several men come up to him and salute before he seems to barrage a mound of orders at the men. What those order may be, I haven¡¯t the faintest clue, but they seem dangerous.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡®Shit, he¡¯s got to be some kind of general or something. That¡¯s bad news.¡¯
He continues to point in seemingly random directions, as his assistant furiously writes down system knows what.
Finally, after another five minutes, a somewhat meek-looking soldier comes up to him with some sort of flat looking device.
The soldier holds it up to him as the general, or whatever he is, considers whatever information is on the flat device. His face grows more and more solemn by the second, until his fist are practically shuddering in rage.
He turns to his assistant in barely contained rage, and gives him some sort of order. The assistant salutes and runs quickly into the building.
¡®Holy shit he¡¯s pissed, I wonder what kind of information would piss off someone that important¡¡¯
Empire Lieutenant Harvey¡¯s POV
I watch from outside the warp pad building as the alarms go up and the barrier ward goes up. If all things go right we should have these guys either dead or caught before these so called ¡®reinforcements¡¯ arrive.
I mean really, how the hell did they expect to stack up to hundred of soldiers with a few puny Kingdom spies.
¡°Gerald, when we walk in there, I want you to take note of any abnormalities you may notice. Anything from a strange noise to maybe a passing shadow, anything. Use that skill of yours too, they¡¯re obviously using some sort of invisibility, which is a bit unexpected, but besides that everything is going according to plan, let¡¯s keep it that way.¡± I say sternly.
¡°Yes sir!¡± Gerald replies quickly.
¡°And you guys.¡± I say looking at the small crew of elite guards around me, ¡°I want you guys on full alert, if they are planning on taking me down, shortly after I enter the ward is the time to do it.¡±
They all nod and salute.
¡°Good, now let¡¯s move in and start getting some status reports on the situation. Time is of the essence here, so no point in wasting it.¡±
We begin to move briskly to the gate of the building. When I reach the ward itself, a system notification plays out in my head.
I click yes and a another system prompt appears allowing me to give my assistant and bodyguards access to leave and enter as they please.
Once we enter, we are immediately hit with a wave of noises. Shouting soldiers giving orders, sounds of banging, and hundreds of hurried footsteps.
I start taking charge almost instantly, guiding soldiers to more optimal posts based on the floor plans I saw. I use my skill Multmanage to even boost my own and the soldiers performance in completely their designated tasks.
Multiple higher level soldiers come up to me and salute looking for orders. I oblige them and immediately dish out a handful of orders, making sure to convey the seriousness of the matter in my tone.
Once that¡¯s done, I wait for status reports from each squadron and for the logistical officer to give me a casualty report.
This takes a few minutes for the reports to come through, but the reports aren¡¯t encouraging. Somehow no trace of any of them yet, even though their invisibility should already have run its course.
¡®Unless he lied to me, but that¡¯s not probable considering the circumstances¡¡¯
I¡¯m broken from my train of thought by a young man holding a celestial tablet with a bunch of statistics on it.
¡°Casualty and status report sir.¡± The man says nervously.
I look curiously at the man¡¯s reaction before turning my head towards the tablet. Immediately my face goes dark.
¡®I can¡¯t be reading that right. How the HELL did they manage to take out so many men so quickly.¡¯
¡°Two-hundred and thirteen dead? How did this happen soldier?¡±
He gulps nervously,
¡°Well, sir, the number of missing or dead increased slowly at first, with only about thirty or so missing, but once the alarms and wards went up, we saw a drastic increase in the number of bodies we were finding. It seems that now that they had no need to worry about being caught, they went on a rampage of sorts.¡±
¡°And we haven¡¯t found a trace of them? Surely we must have found one at least.¡±
¡°Well that the thing sir, they are constantly moving, employing guerilla tactics to keep us guessing. That combined with their invisibility spell made it almost impossible to lock them down. Now that the invisibility has run out, we hope that entrapping them should be much easier.¡±
¡°I should hope so, you are dismissed.¡± I say with gritted teeth.
As the officer walks away, I turn to Gerald.
¡°Gerald, I want you out there, you¡¯re my guy when it comes to this kind of stuff. Find whoever you can, and bring them back to me, dead or alive.¡±
¡°Yes sir, right away sir.¡± He says as he puts his notepad away into his breast pocket before walking towards the building casually.
¡°Two-hundred fucking soldiers, dead in an hour. Unbelievable.¡±
36. Under Pressure
As the important looking man on the front courtyard continues to convey his stress, suddenly the door to the closet opens suddenly, revealing two stern soldiers who seem to be on high alert.
¡®Shit! Already? I thought they wouldn¡¯t be checking her at least a few more minutes! Though with how many of these guys around, I¡¯m probably lucky I made it this far without anyone coming in here.¡¯
I use my high dexterity to it¡¯s fullest, allowing for complete control of my body. No twitches, no audible breathing, and as little sounds as physically possible. I even use my stealth mastery to it¡¯s fullest in hopes of making the locker I¡¯m in as inconspicuous as possible.
Gauging both of their levels, I estimate both of them at around tier 5, maybe slightly lower. Definitely not an opponent I can take care of quickly.
They slowly pan their head around the rooms, looking for any hint that someone else may be in here with them.
Then, to my horror, they move deeper into the room and begin to rummage through it. They check under and inside some boxes, inside the trash can, they even feel around the room in case someone is using some sort of invisibility.
Finally, they both walk towards the locker with their guard up, anticipating some sort of ambush when they open the door.
I sigh and think to myself, ¡®Welp, nothing much I can do now, just have to hope I can somehow take out one of them quickly enough to give myself a one on one.¡¯
Just as they reach to open it, a loud explosion rings out throughout the building, causing both men to look in the direction of the blast.
I use this opportunity wisely, and quickly burst out of the locker and place my sword into the neck of one of the two men, causing him to stare in shock at me before he quickly falls to the ground gurgling and holding his neck.
The other man reacts quickly and swings his sword in rapid swings towards my center of mass. I somehow am able to throw my body backwards and away from him.
Luckily it seems I was able to kill the stronger of the two, as this guy seems at most mid-tier 4. Unluckily, taking on a tier 4 of any level in a straight up fight is a tough ask. After all, while he may not gain as many stats per level as myself, a forty or more level lead is a lot of levels to overcome.
Seeing as the only possible way I¡¯m going to be able to get out of this is either through running away, or out-swording him, I decide to risk it and take him on.
My thought process being that even if I¡¯m able to outrun him, there¡¯ so many soldiers around the place that I¡¯m bound to run into one that¡¯ll catch me.
With my decision made, I place all of my eleven newly gained AP into dexterity, bringing it to a nice even seventy.
Seeing that I¡¯m not immediately making a move, the soldier reaches into his pocket searching for something.
Understanding that he¡¯s attempting to grab his alarm device, I react quickly and change at him full speed.
At the same time, I begin to funnel my spiritual energy into my sword, hoping to bring my sword directly at his arm to stop him.
At this point I¡¯ve learned many things about this power, one of them being that the further my swords needs to travel to get to where I want it, the more spiritual energy I need to exert.
After some testing I did during our two days of waiting, I found that I can pull off about three or four medium length slashes before I give out.
Unfortunately my attack misses, though it does do the job of preventing him from triggering his alarm. I continue to pelt the man with attacks, hoping to draw out some sort of opening, but alas it¡¯s for naught, as his raw stats allow him to maneuver deftly around my strikes.
I make sure to keep my back to the doorway to prevent him from trying to escape.
¡®I need to think of something quick before someone else shows up.¡¯ I think to myself as I try my best to rack my brain for ideas.
¡®Hm, that could work¡ maybe. It¡¯s risky but it should give me chance here.¡¯
With my mind made up, I quickly channel my spiritual energy throughout my body, bringing to the edge of release, before redirecting it back into my core.
One revolution passes, then two, then three. I start slowly at first, making sure my technique is perfect, before I increase the pace.
Eventually after a few seconds, I make it back to my top revolution speed, cycling my spiritual energy all throughout my body.
While the boost I receive isn¡¯t anywhere near the real thing, this ¡®pseudo-aura body¡¯ gives at least a small, but noticeable, boost to my overall physical prowess and cognitive processes.
Seeing me not moving for ten or so seconds, the soldier once again begin to reach for his pocket, and like last time, I charge at him to prevent this from happening.
This time he expects it though, pulling his body backwards while bringing his sword down on my neck.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Time seems to slow down to a halt, and my vision narrows. Gathering my spiritual energy, I bring my sword to my nape, parrying the attack perfectly so that his attack hits the floor instead.
Seeing this perfect opportunity my vision narrows even further and I bring my sword perfect towards his stomach. He manages to get out of the way for the worst of it, but he still takes a good gash to his stomach. Even half an inch further and his entrails would be spilled on the floor.
My focus continues to grow through the roof, as I keep on the offensive, swinging blow after blow, slowly breaking his stance further and further.
To me it seems as if he¡¯s moving at a snails pace, as I perfectly place each strike to get him deeper into my trap.
Finally, he slips up, sending a wide block left way too early, which allows me the opportunity to once more gather my spiritual energy into my sword and bring my sword striking towards his neck on the right, where he¡¯s completely exposed.
The strike lands, sending blood flying from his neck. Instead of going down though, he just continues to attack and defend like his neck isn¡¯t bleeding.
¡®Must have some sort of skill or something, because a wound like that would send any man to the ground normally.¡¯ I think quickly before diving back into the fight.
So we continue our dance, this time it¡¯s even more one-sided, as while he doesn¡¯t go down to the gash in his neck, he sure as hell feels it.
Seeing the situation turning worse for him rapidly. He attempts to maneuver around me and get to the door.
I allow him to and he quickly turn his back to me in an attempt to sprint into the hallway. Just as he¡¯s about to reach the the door. A long worn out piece of metal enters through his back and out his front, piercing his heart and pinning him to the wall.
He looks back to see me just where I was but with my arm extended and my hips turned as if I was some sort of old-world baseball pitcher.
Finally, his face finally realizes what happened as shock turns to agony, which finally turns to death.
¡®Ha! That little goblin was onto something with this! That was awesome! They never expect it!¡¯
¡®Woah an upgradable mastery? That¡¯s awesome!¡¯
Upgradable masteries are masteries that can evolve and change to fit your need over time. At level twenty is the first possible upgrade, allowing you to upgrade it into an uncommon mastery. There are any number of possible upgrades for each mastery, but usually your three options will be for more niche situations.
You also have the option of just not upgrading at all, as when you upgrade, you completely reset your mastery¡¯s level. Surprisingly a lot of people do this when they acquire an upgradable mastery. Sometimes you just can¡¯t beat the original I suppose.
Though in this case I¡¯m hoping that when it reaches level 20 I¡¯ll be able to select some sort of specializes sword option, or maybe even an option that allows me to regain my sword after I¡¯ve thrown it. Though this is just wishful thinking on my part.
For my AP in decide to put the smaller half into agility and the larger half into willpower. I put none into dexterity as I just put a whole level¡¯s worth into there, and I want to remain at least somewhat of a balanced fighter.
I take a quick look at my status.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
14
Class
Legacy: Skill-less Swordsman
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 20 (+2)
Agility ¨C 43 (+2)(+6)
Dexterity(+) ¨C 70 (+2)(+3)(+6)
Endurance ¨C 11 (+2)
Perception ¨C 30 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 22 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 56 (+2)
Masteries
Common
Swords ¨C 23
Temperance ¨C 18
Stealth ¨C 14
Sprinting ¨C 9
Exercise ¨C 7
Thievery ¨C 3
Deception ¨C 4
Killing ¨C 10
Blending In ¨C 1
Misdirection ¨C 8
Monster Hunting ¨C 10
Spirit Control ¨C 5
Item Understanding ¨C 3
Weapon Throwing (Upgradeable) - 1
Uncommon
Assassination - 2
Skills
Feats
Early Killer - Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Reversal ¨C One trait can be chosen related to your recent ambush.
Punching Up ¨C +1 to all stats.
Starter¡¯s Blade ¨C +3 AP, +3 to dexterity.
Smart Spender ¨C Save all of your SP until level 10. +1 to all stats.
Novice Spirit Controller ¨C Very slight increased progression towards your Spirit Control mastery. Any cultivation abilities are slightly enhanced. +5 willpower and +5 intelligence.
Connected Mind ¨C You may upgrade your race or add a new attribute to your status. +5 intelligence and + 5 perception.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
Willful Gains ¨C Permanently gain 5% of your willpower in any stat. Affect continues to scale with willpower. (+3 Dexterity)
Skill-less ¨C All SP gained up to this point and onwards will be transferred into 2 AP each. Unable to acquire skills through any means. Bonus (2 * Tier) AP gained per level.
Sword of Will ¨C Gain 10% of your willpower two other stats. Can be changed once a year. (+6 Dexterity/Agility)
State of Concentration - When you achieve perfect concentration under stressful circumstances, increase your agility and perception by 1.5 times. Duration is based on willpower.
Items
Solace¡¯s Soul Shard (Two uses left)
My eyes are drawn to the last trait on my list, that being State of Concentration. That skill one hundred percent saved me in that last fight. While I didn¡¯t realize it at the time, my capabilities were improved by leaps and bounds once I reached that flow state.
¡®The only problem is that I still have no consistent way to reach that state. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to reach it again, but what if I try too hard to reach it at some point? To me it seems like it only really occurs when I¡¯m not thinking about it. Hmm, something to think about I suppose, for now I need to deal with these bodies and this blood all over the floor before someone else shows up.¡¯
37. Gerald vs Gael
I move both bodies into a corner and place a box over them. While it definitely wont hold up to further scrutiny, I¡¯m hoping the reinforcements arrive before anyone gets the chance to check.
Speaking of reinforcements, they should be arriving in about ten minutes, which should give me some leeway to move around the building if I need to. After all, because of our traitor situation, it¡¯s almost guaranteed they¡¯ve got the warp pad stock full of soldiers ready to barrage them.
I look out the window, and the lack of soldiers in the courtyard seems to affirm my hypothesis.
¡®Hopefully whoever teleports can handle it, because I¡¯m pretty sure that important guy was at least a tier 8.¡¯
I take five minutes to rest and regain some of my spiritual energy. While it may not be a lot, it should be enough to get me at least one more of my spiritual attacks. I do this while in the locker of course, don¡¯t want any stray soldiers to out me.
¡®Man I really need a name for those attacks. Maybe¡ spirit blade? No that¡¯s way to simple, there must be millions of spirit blades out in the world already. What about¡ teleporting strike? Nah, a bit too on the nose for my liking. Ugh whatever I¡¯ll think about this later.¡¯
After my short rest, I get out of the locker, careful of any soldiers that may be nearby, though I suspect their full numbers are occupied at the teleporter.
Making my way carefully throughout the corridors, I watch for any sign of movement or sound. Every now and then I pass by a hurried soldier running to where I first saw the warp pad earlier at the center of the building.
Deciding that this is a good opportunity to scope out the situation, I begin to follow the flow of soldiers from a distance while making sure there are no soldiers behind me.
Once I see the entrance to the large, cavernous room, it immediately hits just how many soldier are here.
¡®Holy shit! There¡¯s gotta be at least four hundred in this room alone!¡¯ I exclaim in my head.
Looking at all these soldiers sends sweat pouring from my forehead.
¡®Can we really get through all of these guys? These reinforcements better be on their A-game or we¡¯re screwed!¡¯
I look on the outskirts of the soldiers, looking for any sign of my teammates. Not that I would immediately go up to any of them if I could, I can¡¯t exactly trust any of them, though I may not have a choice.
¡®I wonder what the rest of those guys have been up to. Hopefully they haven¡¯t been caught yet...¡¯
Gael¡¯s POV
Once the barrier wards came up, I knew there was no point in playing the stealth game any longer, we¡¯d been had. Someone betrayed us and to be honest, it wasn¡¯t entirely out of the realm of my expectations.
I can think of a million reasons alone why someone would defect. Maybe they wanted to guarantee their safety, maybe they got offered a lot want to take of money, maybe they just hate Moren enough that they¡¯re willing to let us be collateral damage just to take him out.
In the end their reasoning doesn¡¯t matter, they¡¯ve betrayed not only us, but the whole kingdom, and for that they cannot be forgiven.
With full stealth now pointless, my next best option is to use full guerilla tactics. Taking out as many of these assholes as I can without getting caught.
As a practitioner of illusions such tactics are somewhat of a specialty of mine. Evading and misdirecting are the name of the game here, as well as maximizing the amount of soldiers I can kill before I have to leave.Stolen novel; please report.
So with my mind made up I do just that, attacking whole squadrons led by a tier 7. My plan for these is to usually take it slow and pick them apart piece by piece, but as I¡¯m on a strict time limit, I¡¯ve got to speed things up a bit.
I first take out the tier 7 by ambushing him first. If this doesn¡¯t kill him outright, then it should at least be enough to take him out of commission for the remainder of the engagement.
Then, I proceed to systematically dismantle their psyche using my spiritual energy, spreading a disorienting mist across the area.
Once that¡¯s done, it¡¯s only a matter of time before they fall, allowing me to end the fight with a clean 20 or so kills.
I continue doing this at a rapid pace, and while I do manage to take out a good amount, my spiritual energy isn¡¯t infinite.
At this point my invisibility skill has long worn off, making me worry for the fates of my fellow crew members, though I can only hope that they are doing well for themselves.
¡®The reinforcements are arriving in about ten minutes, so I¡¯ll find a place to rest until then. I¡¯m going to need all the spiritual energy and mana I can get for this upcoming fight.¡¯ I think to myself.
Just as I begin to sit down and recover, I suddenly feel my danger sense skill blare at me from behind. Understanding that I won¡¯t be able to move out of the way in time, I decide to use my mist step skill to teleport four feet forward.
This separation gives me enough time to take a look at my attacker. He¡¯s some sort of officer clearly, and by the skill and precision executed in that sneak attack, clearly some sort of stealth specialist.
We stare at each other briefly before he pulls a notepad from his breast pocket and scribbles something inside.
Once he¡¯s done, he looks up at me and says sternly,
¡°Your good, must be at least a rank 3 talent if I¡¯m not wrong. Unfortunately, I must ask you to give yourself up. Keep in mind the Empire would be willing to reduce your sentence if you are willing to participate in some sort of military service though.¡±
¡°Sorry, no can-do young man. I have to say, you¡¯re quite the talent yourself, and so young too! Even now when you¡¯re standing right in front of me I can barely keep track of you.¡±
¡°Ah, that would be a trait of mine. No matter though, if you refuse to comply, I¡¯m sure the Empire wouldn¡¯t mind sending the full force of our mind user department at you. Maybe then you¡¯ll be a little more ¡®amiable¡¯.¡± He says as he disappears completely.
¡®Shit not a light user! These guys are always the worst!¡¯
Having no choice but to fight, I use my mist close skill to create multiple copies of myself. Now all I can do is wait for the man to show himself to attack.
What he¡¯s doing is reflecting all light off of himself, causing him to be almost impossible to spot with your eyes. The weakness of such a skill, is that any other senses aren¡¯t as affected. The problem with this guys is he surely has multiple traits and skills to mitigate that weakness.
Something like a Silent Step trait, alongside considerable skill, would make him a troubling opponent for most people.
¡®Though I¡¯m not most people of course!¡¯ I laugh to myself.
Out of seemingly nowhere, a light beam forms and flies at one of my clones, dissipating it.
¡®These guys really are the worst.¡¯ I think to myself. Before sending waves of regular mist outward from my palms.
While I do this, he continues to barrage my clones with beams, occasionally they are able to dodge, but most of the time they are destroyed in one or two attacks.
Finally one of beams targets me and being to focused on releasing mist into the area, I¡¯m unable to fully dodge in time, allowing him to land a good blow on my shoulder.
I quickly pause my mist spewing and spawn more clones for him to attack.
¡®This won¡¯t last long, I need to increase the mist density in here and quick!¡¯
So, I do just that, pumping my entire focus into spewing mist around us. Unlike when I was ambushing squadrons, this mist isn¡¯t a disorienting mist. Instead, it¡¯s just regular mist, allowing me to save my spiritual energy.
After a minute or so of this back and forth, finally my plan bears fruit, and I¡¯m able to see the man¡¯s outline in the mist. Instead of revealing my cards right away, I decide to play it slow in hopes of baiting out an attack.
I allow him to slowly whittle down my clones one by one, until finally there¡¯s only one left, that being me. I play up my injury, making grimaces and acting like I¡¯ve lost full control of my arm.
¡°Last chance.¡± He says confidently.
I spit on the ground.
¡°Fair enough.¡±
He slowly approaches me and pulls out some sort of invisible blade. While I can¡¯t see it perfectly, the faint outline I CAN see is more than enough.
He brings his sword down on my neck in a wide swing downward. Just as it¡¯s about to reach me, I use mist step once more, this time appearing right behind him.
Before he can even react, I shove my hand into his back and out his chest, bringing his heart with it. The shocked look on his face tells me he still hasn¡¯t comprehended what happened.
He falls over limply and I fall to the ground on my ass while breathing heavily.
¡®That took quite a bit of effort. Too much effort if you ask me. Now I¡¯ll be running on empty for when the reinforcements get here. Which speaking of, should be in¡ 5 minutes? Wow time sure flies when you¡¯re my age I suppose.¡¯
38. It Starts
I check my watch to see only two minutes left until the Kingdom reinforcements arrive. The soldiers¡¯ numbers grow with each passing second.
While some of them are tense, the vast majority of them seem unworried. They talk animatedly with one other, some of them even lightly joking around.
¡®What the hell is this? Do they really think it will be that easy? How many agents are they expecting? Uncle Moren said we should expect at the very minimum fifty, though most likely there will be more.¡¯
¡®And it isn¡¯t as if these guys are pushovers, most of them should be tier 5 or higher. Do they know something we don¡¯t or are they just underestimating how many people the Kingdom has inside Empire borders.¡¯
The important-looking person seems to contradict this cheerful atmosphere, sporting a dark, solemn face. Why this is, I have no idea, maybe he¡¯s just trying to look tough in front of the soldiers, who knows.
With only one minute remaining, I look around in an attempt to find one of my crewmembers.
Unfortunately, I¡¯m unable to spot anyone, which is probably a good thing if I¡¯m being honest. After all, if I can spot them, one of the soldiers can too, and even if I somehow saw them, depending on who it is, I might not even want to be around them what with the ever looming threat of the traitor hanging over my head.
Mr. Important begins to rapidly shout out orders left and right, causing the once carefree soldiers to tighten up a bit.
I watch as archers draw their bows, mage-types summon their projectiles, and everyone else readies their weapons.
With thirty seconds left, I prepare to begin my self-named ¡®operation goblin take out part 2¡¯. My plan being to do exactly what I did with the goblins and take out target that are in the back and separated from the group.
My hope is that when I inevitably get spotted by someone, they are going to be too busy dealing with bigger, more pressing problems than myself.
I find my first target about ten seconds before the reinforcements arrive, a somewhat meek looking archer at the very back of the crowd of soldiers.
Five more seconds remain, and I begin to make my way to the target, slowly creeping up behind him.
Finally, the moment arrives, and a flurry of arrows and explosions ring out onto the warp pad. Luckily, as the warp pad was system generated, it is almost indestructible.
As the loud explosions and projectiles ring out, I make my move and slice the neck of the archer clean open.
Looking to take advantage of the large distraction occurring right now, I move to the archer directly in front of the one I just took out and give him a good slice to the neck as well.
Unfortunately, the explosions grow quiet and a cloud of dust obscures what happened to the reinforcements.
Everyone stares in anticipation, wondering if it was enough to end this whole debacle right then and there
As the dust settles, an odd scene is uncovered. A large red barrier encompasses the entirety of the warp pad. Behind it stands some sort of strange metallic red man covered with seemingly childish glowing drawings covering his face. His arms are spread wide indicating that he is the source of the red barrier.
Behind him stands an eclectic group of about a hundred or people seemingly of all shapes and sizes. Red skinned people with black horns sprouting from their forehead, ten-foot giants with swords the size of pillars, even some sort of strange goo person.
Suffice it to say, none of these people are native to planets anywhere near earth.
¡®Man, I¡¯m really going to have to do some homework on some of the races that are out there in the multiverse.¡¯ I say to myself.
Meanwhile, the battlefield seems to have gone to a standstill, with both sides seemingly content to just stare each other down.
A few more tense seconds pass before Mr. Important shouts out to attack and chaos begins to ensue.
I watch in awe the four hundred plus soldier begin to collapse onto the wrap pad. Mr. Important jumps up and flies into the air towards the metallic fellow who put up the initial barrier.
Deciding this is a good moment to continue my operation, I find more people on the edge of the battle.
My first target is an older man who seems to be pelting the reinforcements with some sort of lightning bolt projectile. I sneak my way behind him and take him out with no problem.
A nearby soldier catches my sneak attack though and moves in to intercept me. Luckily, he seems to be only a tier 3, meaning I should be able to take him.
He uses some sort of movement skill to close the gap with me quickly, bringing his mace over his head, ready to bash my skull in.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
I decide not to allow the man to do that, surprising I know, and I skillfully deflect the attack to the side. He doesn¡¯t let this deter him though and spins with the deflection, bringing his mace around to my side.
I duck hurriedly under the strike and attempt to lodge my sword inside the guy¡¯s stomach. My thrust lands, piercing his armor, but to my surprise, the strike doesn¡¯t penetrate more than an inch. I look up at the man to see him smirking and his skin turned a metallic gray.
Hoping to avoid whatever counterattack the man has planned for me, I try to pull back. Unfortunately, my sword seems to be lodged inside the man¡¯s skin, allowing the man to land a clean punch directly to my face.
Thankfully my sword gives as I¡¯m blown backwards from the blow, causing me to land not-so gracefully on the ground.
I look up to see him charging full force at me, once again bringing his mace overhead. I roll to my left, somehow managing to get out of the way.
As the mace smashes into the group, I roll backwards and get back to my feet. I follow up by immediately thrusting forward, aiming my sword straight for his neck.
This catches him off guard, and he puts his arms up in a panic. I throw my full force into the thrust, and manage to pierce straight through his unguarded arm and into his neck. He falls limply to the ground, allowing me to breath a quick sigh of relief.
Taking in the rest of the battlefield, I manage to catch glimpses off various fights. Mr. Important and the red robot guy seem to be duking it out, with everyone around them giving them a very wide berth.
The red guy seems to be some sort of jack of all trades fighter, changing his hands into different weapons and implements. He frequently swaps from one to the other depending on the distance to his foe, from up close knives and daggers, to ranged projectiles and beams.
Mr. Important is far less flashy, but still and impressive fighter nonetheless, sporting a rapier that¡¯s seemingly as long as himself. He ducks and weaves gracefully, clearly displaying his years of training behind him.
I surprisingly see Uncle Moren and Garut together fighting off five or six guys at once. Uncle Moren throwing haymakers left and right, each strong enough to take off a person¡¯s head. Meanwhile Garut swings his axe wildly, causing the soldiers to stay back and away, wary of the deadly attacks.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, the reinforcements are somehow managing to hold their ground against the soldiers.
I keep on the lookout for any gaps in the soldiers¡¯ formation that I can use to get to the warp pad. While it¡¯s easy to forget, what with all this chaos happening around us, our main objective is to get the hell out of here, first and foremost.
Two soldiers on my left take notice of me and begin walking towards me, guards up and ready. I also ready my stance and wait for the two of them to engage.
Deciding that now is a good chance, I begin circling my spiritual energy. Just like last time, I go slow at first, making sure to use proper technique. Then I begin to speed up, and by the time the two men reach me, I¡¯m able to get my revolutions up to my top speed.
Both men wield spears, clearly intending to use their distance and numbers to their advantage, hoping to wear me down slowly.
Not letting them get the chance, I rush the man on my left, trying to close the distance. My plan is ruined, though, when the second man attacks me from behind. At the same time the first man backs up, once again keeping me out of his range.
I manage to dodge the attack from the second man, but as soon as I dodge the first guy attacks me. This continues like clockwork, over and over again. I dodge the other guy attacks, I dodge again, the other guy attacks again.
¡®Fuck this is tiring! These guys have clearly trained together before, they¡¯re not leaving me any room to breath!¡¯
Finally, I slip up. I react a fraction of a second too slowly, and they manage to pierce my calf about an inch deep.
While not a big deal on its own, this slight misstep allows them to ramp up the pressure on me even more.
My concentration increases, as I focus every ounce of my mind on dodging, while at the same time looking for any gap in their formation that I can.
After another minute of this, I find my chance. One of the men loses their footing slightly on a nearby puddle of blood.
Immediately I take advantage, charging rapidly at him. Unable to back away in time, I manage to land a deep cut onto the inside of his thigh. The gash starts to bleed profusely, indicating that I managed to hit a vein.
The other guy doesn¡¯t relent though and continues to pelt me with attacks, but without his friend, the tides of the battle quickly switch, with him going on the defensive.
Eventually, he falls to a clean slice to the neck. I walk over to the other man who is on the floor bleeding out and end his suffering.
I quickly throw all of my stat points into agility, willpower, and dexterity, with four going into agility and three into the rest. I put the most in agility because I figured at some point soon I¡¯m going to have to make a break for the warp pad, and some extra agility definitely couldn¡¯t hurt with that.
Looking at the state of the battle now, things seem to have some to a standstill with neither side able to hold ground for very long.
Deciding it¡¯s time to start making way towards the warp pad, I look over to Garut and Uncle Moren struggling against ten men.
I sneak up onto the edge of the small battle, and look for the weakest guy I can. I find him almost immediately, another young, clearly nervous guy. I slowly walk behind him and pounce quickly, taking him out instantly with a slice to the neck.
This cause the rest of the guys to look over to see what all the commotion was allowing Garut and Uncle Moren the perfect chance to strike.
They take out two guys almost instantly with a third and fourth being severely wounded. This tips the scales to my two crewmates heavily, allowing for them to quickly dispatch the rest of the soldiers.
¡°What the hell are you thinking kid?! Those guys could¡¯ve killed you ya know! One of thyem was even tier 6 for system¡¯s sake!¡± Uncle Moren shouts quietly as to not draw any attention to themselves.
¡°Um¡ sorry? It worked out anyway so who cares.¡±
¡°Who cares?! You know what nevermind. For now we need a plan to get past that wall of soldiers, waiting here all day for them to create an opening isn¡¯t a viable option.¡±
¡°Okay well what do you suggest then?¡± I ask
¡°Step one is to group up with Gael.¡± He says quickly.
¡°Are you sur-¡° I get cut off.
¡°Listen you a smart kid, so I assume you came to the same conclusion I did, but I trust Gael with my life. Out of everyone on our crew, he¡¯s the least likely to betray us, and considering Garut here just fought right next to me without any signs of betrayal, I think it¡¯s safe to trust him too.¡±
He pauses briefly before continuing,
¡°My top suspects right now are obviously Delorie or Hoggle. Knowling both for years now, it definitely lines up with what I would expect from someone like Hoggle, slightly less so Delorie. Though I suppose maybe I don¡¯t know them as well as I thought¡¡±
39. Weakness
We aren¡¯t given much time to rest, as several soldiers take notice of us almost directly after our discussion.
They are a group of four, with one of them seemingly their leader. The leader seems to be about a low tier 6, which could cause some trouble for the Uncle Moren and Garut.
The others seems to be either tier 3 or 4, which ordinarily would be no trouble for the three of us, but with the big guy around, it¡¯ll be tough to focus down any of them.
They approach quickly, and in no time, they are on us. The main one seems to be using some sort of elaborate great shield, while the rest of the group use spears.
Immediately their tactic becomes clear. Surrounding us and poking at us with their spears, all while the shield guy uses some sort of advanced shield skill to move into the way of any attacks we throw out towards his teammates.
¡®Man what is it with all these soldiers and using the ¡®poke you from a distance until you give up¡¯ technique! I hate to say it, but it works.¡¯
Every time any of us try to put up some sort of counterattack, that asshole with the shield gets in out way, almost as if he¡¯s teleporting to exactly where he needs to be at the perfect time.
¡®We can¡¯t keep going like this! At this rate we¡¯ll be Swiss cheese in no time!¡¯
¡°Protect me a second would ya!¡± Uncle Moren says as he goes completely still.
Garut and I both nod, and surround Uncle Moren on both sides. Without a third person to help deflect attacks and keep the shield guy occupied, the group increases the pressure drastically.
Unfortunately, I¡¯m unable to help as much as I¡¯d like, with Garut bearing the brunt of the attack. We continue our struggle against the four men, dodging blocking, attacking back every once in a while to make sure the shield guy is still on his toes.
¡®No way he can keep that up forever!¡¯ I think to myself.
Finally after a minute of standing still, Uncle Moren opens his eyes, all three of them to be exact. Alongside his two regular eyes, is a third one right smack dab in the middle of his forehead.
¡°What the hell?!¡± I exclaim out loud once I see Uncle Moren.
¡°Relax kid, just watch.¡± Uncle Moren says confidently.
Then, he walks slowly towards one of the spearmen, who then begins to back up quickly. Instead of following him, Uncle Moren winds up a big haymaker. Around his fist glows some sort of black miasma and he almost comically slowly releases the blow.
As soon as he does, the shield bearer gets in front of him quickly, but instead of the attack getting blocked, it hits the shield bearer directly on the chin, sending his jaw flying off its socket, and his body tumbling away.
The spearman watch in shock and horror as their leader and barrier between us and them is sent flying 10 feet away. Before they can even look back at us, we¡¯re on them, taking advantage of their defenselessness.
¡°Woah, that was awesome! How¡¯d you do that?¡± I ask, eager to learn his trick.
¡°Sorry kid, it¡¯s nothing you can learn, it¡¯s from my cultivation. It allowed me to see any gaps in their formation. It¡¯s quite useful all things considered, though the long startup time often makes it a bit too situational.¡± He explains as the eye in his forehead closes out of existence like it was never there.
We look around the battlefield once more. The tides of battle seem to be shifting, and not in our favor. While the soldiers¡¯ number have been almost cut in half by this point, the kingdom operatives have lost about a third of theirs, with the rest of them very clearly tired and exhausted.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
The red guy and Mr. Important on the other hand, show no signs of slowing down. In fact, if anything their fight has only gotten MORE intense throughout the past five minutes or so.
I watch in shock and awe as laser beams fly out at lightning speed towards the rapier wielding military man. They are unable to hit him though, as he dances gracefully around the attacks, constantly closing the distance between the two men.
I even watch as he manages to cut a beam in half like it was nothing.
Deciding I¡¯ve watched enough I turn to the two men beside me.
¡°So what do we do now? Just wait for Gael or someone else to show up?¡± I ask.
¡°No, we only have so much time, we need to make a move now. Protect me again, I¡¯m using the same thing that I did during our fight.¡± Uncle Moren says quickly, before once again closing his eyes and standing still.
Luckily no soldiers turn and spot us, or else we¡¯d have a tough time depending on how many there were. Most if not all of the remaining soldiers seem very much occupied by the opponents in front of them.
Each of the Kingdom agents somehow able to take on three or four meant a time. Though with each passing second, their exhaustion only grows.
Moren opens all three eyes once again.
¡°Okay follow me, I found a spot where we might be able to make it through. It¡¯s going to be tough though, so fair warning.¡±
We both nod at this.
Uncle Moren then begin to sprint quickly around the group of soldiers until eventually, we stop at a seemingly random spot, with no differences to the rest.
¡°Here it is, right through there is the weakest spot.¡± He says pointing to the backs of the crowd of soldiers.
¡°Uh¡ not to doubt you or anything, but our reliable is this eye of yours?¡± I ask.
¡°Very. Now here¡¯s the plan. Garut and I will charge forward as hard and fast as we can. You¡¯ll follow us kid, and just do your best to keep them off our back as much as you can. Make sure to not bring too much attention to ourselves. The moment that big guy in the middle catches sight of us, he¡¯s going to ditch his fight with the red disco ball over there and fly straight towards us.¡±
Just as we prepare for our charge, a rock looking object falls at out feet. Garut and Uncle Moren show immediate panic at this and quickly dive out of the way, bringing me with them.
The next instant, an explosions rings across the entirety of the battlefield. Everyone goes silent and turns to see us on the floor about seven or so feet from the explosion.
¡®Welp, so much for not drawing attention to ourselves.¡¯ I sigh in my head.
The three of us look over to see the culprit of said explosion, and much to our surprise, we see Hoggle and Delorie standing there.
Uncle Moren¡¯s face goes red with anger.
¡°Goddmanit both of you! I¡¯d expect such a thing from Hoggle but you too Delorie? Is that how little you think of the Kingdom? That you¡¯d betray it on a dime like that?¡±
Both Delorie and Hoggle look at us solemnly.
¡°I don¡¯t think you get it Moren.¡± Hoggle says with disgust and vitriol in his voice, ¡°We haven¡¯t turned out backs on the Kingdom, the Kingdom¡¯s turned it¡¯s back on you.¡±
¡°Wha-what? What do you mean?¡± Uncle Moren asks stunned.
¡°You know what I mean. They told us what you did Moren, how you went against your original orders. You¡¯re a liability, and the Kingdom doesn¡¯t want or need liabilities.¡± Delorie says darkly.
¡°I had it under control! There were better options than that! You couldn¡¯t have actually expected me to do something like that could you?¡±
¡°Does this look under control to you? Look around Moren, this is your fault, all because you couldn¡¯t take out some kid. I¡¯m sorry Moren, but the Kingdom¡¯s all I have, I can¡¯t betray it, even for you¡¡± Delorie says, somewhat sadly.
Uncle Moren¡¯s face turns red with anger.
¡°What do they mean Uncle Moren? What did you do?¡± I ask, confused at the turn of events.
Uncle Moren turns to me and opens his mouth to speak, before closing it. After a second or two, he explain,
¡°Originally, I was supposed to¡ ya know¡ kill you. The Kingdom deemed you too much trouble than it¡¯s worth, and well, I didn¡¯t agree.¡± He says ashamedly.
¡°You didn¡¯t think to tell me that?!¡± I exclaim out, in shock at the revelation.
¡°Well I didn¡¯t want you to think any less of the Kingdom, but with what¡¯s happened now, I suppose you would¡¯ve been right to think those things¡ What the hell are they still doing here then, if not to help us? Shouldn¡¯t the Kingdom have called them off already?¡±
¡°Their here to make sure that you die. Can¡¯t let the Empire¡¯s mind mages get a hold of you after all. Plus, with the whole poaching operation now revealed, this planets a great staging ground for the rapidly escalating war between the two superpowers. We plan to take hold of the warp pad and funnel troops to take over this planet.¡± Delorie explains calmly.
I stare in shock at the situation that¡¯s unfolding. I almost went to the place that tried to have me killed.
¡®Well I dodged a bullet with that one for sure.¡¯ I sigh out in my head.
¡°Alright that¡¯s enough talking. Garut, you had no part in this, you can still join us if you¡¯d like, but know that if you stay with them, you¡¯ll be a wanted man by the Kingdom.¡±
Garut¡¯s stares quietly at the two men in front of us for a long second before slowly walking up to them.
¡°Good, now lets-¡° Hoggle¡¯s words get cut off by an axe flying directly for his face. Delorie manages to get in the way of it, but Hoggle is clearly shaken up by the sudden attack.
Delorie stares intently at Garut while their axes interlock.
¡°Your loss kid.¡± He says before we are once again thrust into battle.
Happy Thanksgiving!
No chapter today unfortunately, sorry I know thing were just getting good! Thanksgiving has me all tied up! Here''s a quick status update in the meantime!
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
15
Class
Legacy: Skill-less Swordsman - Your blade shan¡¯t need any frivolous skills. Understand that only the truly weak use such measures, while all you need is a sword in your hand. May your will stand firm and your sword stand strong.
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 20 (+2)
Agility ¨C 47 (+2)(+6)
Dexterity(+) ¨C 73 (+2)(+3)(+6)
Endurance ¨C 11 (+2)
Perception ¨C 30 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 22 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 59 (+2)
Masteries
Common
Swords ¨C 25
Temperance ¨C 18
Stealth ¨C 14
Sprinting ¨C 9
Exercise ¨C 7
Thievery ¨C 3
Deception ¨C 4
Killing ¨C 11
Blending In ¨C 1
Misdirection ¨C 8
Monster Hunting ¨C 10
Spirit Control ¨C 5
Item Understanding ¨C 3
Weapon Throwing (Upgradeable) - 1
Uncommon
Assassination - 2
Skills
Feats
Early Killer - The deadliest killers started young, and once you''ve killed once, what''s another? Kill a sentient being before level 1. Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - You''ve trained and begun your path of sword mastery strong. Get Swords Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - You''ve tempered your mind to be as solid as stone. Get Temperance Mastery to level 10 before level 1. Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Stolen story; please report.Early Enlightenment - Form your core before level 1. One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Reversal ¨C Become critically wounded in an ambush and escape/kill your ambusher(s). One trait can be chosen related to your recent ambush.
Punching Up ¨C Defeat 5 opponents of a higher tier than yourself. +1 to all stats.
Starter¡¯s Blade ¨C Reach mastery level 20 in Swords. +3 AP, +3 to dexterity.
Smart Spender ¨C Save all of your SP until level 10. +1 to all stats.
Novice Spirit Controller ¨C Cultivation is a deeply personal journey, and you have added one more aspect of that journey to discover! Control spiritual energy. Very slight increased progression towards your Spirit Control mastery. Any cultivation abilities are slightly enhanced. +5 willpower and +5 intelligence.
Connected Mind ¨C Peeking behind the veil of the multiverse, no matter how quick the look, is an impressive feat! Become one with the multiverse. You may upgrade your race or add a new attribute to your status. +5 intelligence and + 5 perception.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Your will remains steadfast and unbroken while holding a sword. Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - A true swordsman needs nothing but himself and the sword. Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Your sword is silent until it strikes true. Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C When without a sword, even the smallest of foes may slay you, but with a sword, giants bow to your might. +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
Willful Gains ¨C Permanently gain 5% of your willpower in any stat. Affect continues to scale with willpower. (+3 Dexterity)
Skill-less ¨C All SP gained up to this point and onwards will be transferred into 2 AP each. Unable to acquire skills through any means. Bonus (2 * Tier) AP gained per level.
Sword of Will ¨C Gain 10% of your willpower two other stats. Can be changed once a year. (+5 Dexterity/Agility)
State of Concentration ¨C When you achieve perfect concentration under stressful circumstances, increase your agility and perception by 1.5 times. Duration is based on willpower.
Items
Solace¡¯s Soul Shard (two uses left)
40. Fight!
Hoggle and Delorie are both mid-tier 6, and definitely not slouches when it comes to combat ability. Fighting off both of them at once is somewhat of a tall ask of Uncle Moren and Garut, but hopefully they¡¯ll be able to manage.
I decide to stay out of the way as much as I can this fight, as I¡¯m more of a liability than anything. If nothing else, I can hopefully deter some of the clearly watching soldiers.
Delorie Swing his quite larger axe fiercely, hoping to use his raw strength and size to his advantage. Unfortunately for him, Garut doesn¡¯t allow him, and uses his smaller relative size to maneuver around the wide blows.
Hoggle quickly backs up, trying to gain as much distance as he can away from the two axe wielders. This is to be expected as Hoggle doesn¡¯t exactly strike me as the close range-type.
Uncle Moren, deciding it unwise to allow a long-range fighter to use his range rushes him down, hoping to keep him out of the fight between the two giants.
Hoggle tries to keep him at a distance, using some sort of smoke grenade to help separate the two. Uncle Moren remains unfazed though, and rushes through the smoke. In a second, a purple light flashes out from the smoke, and the smoke instantly disappears like it was never there.
I continue to watch as the distance between the two get smaller and smaller, until Uncle Moren ends up in striking range. He swings a wide haymaker directly at Hoggle face, but instead of seeing him get sent flying like I expected, instead he doesn¡¯t budge inch.
Upon closer inspection, he seems to have some sort of helmet around his face. It warps and shifts clearly indicating what the helmet is, that being what seems to be hundreds of cockroaches.
Surprisingly, instead of continuing to retreat, Hoggle stands his ground and looks ready to brawl. Almost immediately after Uncle Moren punch, Hoggle begins gathering more and more cockroaches around his whole body, until they completely cover every inch of him, almost as if it were some sort of weird old-world medieval suit of armor.
Meanwhile, Garut and Delorie have continued their all-out axe battle. Blow after blow fly by each other, each attack going so fast that it¡¯s almost impossible for me to track.
Garut is on the backfoot, constantly being forced to dodge wide, sweeping strikes. Delorie clearly using his superior reach to his advantage, keeping Garut away and constantly moving.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
The rest of the battlefield seems to be continuing its standstill, but it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯ll last long. The two powerhouses in the middle are breathing heavily, and both are clearly looking to put an end to the battle. Once that happens, we¡¯re screwed, no matter who wins.
Uncle Moren¡¯s fight with Hoggle as seemingly come to its own standstill, with Uncle Moren throwing haymaker after haymaker, but either not landing or hitting Hoggle¡¯s seemingly indestructible armor, all the while Hoggle pelts him with random weapons that he is somehow pulling from out of nowhere.
Clearly deciding that something need to change, Uncle Moren pulls some sort of spherical device from out of his pocket. He clicks a button on the top of it and instantaneously some sort of barrier appears around him.
Uncle Moren then instantly closes his eyes and standstill, obviously intending on using his third eye to find any weaknesses in Hoggle¡¯s armor.
Hoggle, not willing to wait for him, moves in on Garut, sending out a wave of random bugs and critters at the green axe-wielding man.
Garut, not wanting to die by a thousand bites, opens a wide gash in his own arm. Blood rushes out of it, swirling and rushing through the air. Finally it circles Garut, and settles. What¡¯s revealed is his own set of blood-red, intimidating armor, alongside a now similarly blood-red axe.
¡®What the hell?! Does everyone just have some sort of secret armor ability now?! Where my super cool armor?¡¯ I exclaim to myself.
Garut then brings his axe high into the air, before swinging it rapidly, causing a gust of wind to ring out. The gust was enough to hold the wave of creatures back, who now all scatter in various directions.
Charging fiercely, Garut¡¯s speed and strength seemed to have almost doubled with his menacing new armor, sending Delorie on the defensive this time.
At the same time, Uncle Moren finally wakes up, and begins to look around and take stock of the situation. Quickly finding Hoggle, he turns off the device before once again charging directly at his target, this time with a distinct third eye placed on his forehead.
Hoggle confidently holds his ground, assuming Moren incapable of penetrating his ¡®roach armor¡¯ I as I¡¯m now going to call it.
I watch in shock and awe and Uncle Moren¡¯s fist glows brighter and brighter with a sickly black. He winds up widely and throws a punch that sends wind flying at his face. Finally, the punch connect, landing directly on Hoggles solar plexus. Unlike last time though, this punch sends him careening through the air, only stopping when he hits the outer wall of the cavernous room.
Hoggle remains unmoving for close to five seconds before he finally manages to get up. I watch as he struggles to get his shaky feet under him as he constantly struggles to breath. His once covered chest is now completely bare, and now sports a nasty looking crevice that would kill most people.
Hoggle then begin to twitch. Small twitches at first, either his fingers to his eyes, but it rapidly shifts into something more disturbing. His bones cracking and his face shape morphing violently, it¡¯s quickly revealed what he is turning himself into.
¡®He¡¯s becoming a goddamn cockroach! What the hell is wrong with him! Why in the FUCK would he want to be a cockroach!¡¯
This isn¡¯t just any cockroach either. No, instead it¡¯s clearly some sort of monstrous version of the creature, easily standing taller than me and maybe even Garut, with a beautiful golden carapace that contradicts its monstrous form.
41. Battlefield Tragedy
¡°What the hell is that?!¡± I exclaim out loud.
¡°That¡¯s his signature skill that he got from his legendary class.¡± Uncle Moren says solemnly.
¡°Legendary class?! Why the hell did know one tell me about this?!¡±
¡°It¡¯s rude to tell people about someone else¡¯s status, you want me going around telling everyone about your status?¡±
¡°I guess not¡ but why the hell is he here on Earth if he managed to get a legendary class? Wouldn¡¯t the Kingdom keep him locked away somewhere safe if he was able to do that?¡±
¡°Some people would rather not live in a cage, myself included. I¡¯d do the same thing if I were him. Keep the Kingdom in the dark and while you lose some benefits here or there, you get to keep your freedom.¡±
I nod at this and look back to see Delorie staring in shock and fear at the giant cockroach, and quickly begins to attack Garut with renewed ferocity.
The giant bug charges at us rapidly, bowling through a few Kingdom agents and Empire soldiers on the way.
Delorie even has to roll out of the way to avoid getting trampled by the thing. This allows Garut, for the first time since the fight has began, to land a large gash onto Delorie¡¯s leg.
The bug continues its charge, heading straight for Uncle Moren, until finally its upon him. Fortunately Uncle Moren is able to avoid the blow, but only barely.
Uncle Moren quickly reorients himself, and turns to face the thing that used to be Hoggle. He sends a giants blow straight into his carapace, but to Uncle Moren and I¡¯s surprise, the attack seems to do absolutely nothing, other than annoying the giant creature more than it already was.
It turns to look at Uncle Moren as if it were mocking him, before ramming its head straight towards him. The headbutt lands, and sends Uncle Moren tumbling backwards several feet.
¡°Fuck, this thing is stronger than I thought! Garut you done over there yet? I need your help over here!¡± Uncle Moren says while spitting out a wad of blood.
Garut grunts angrily as he continues his relentless fury of attacks at Delorie. With Delorie¡¯s now injured leg, he¡¯s having more and more trouble defending himself, though that¡¯s not to say he¡¯s completely out of the fight yet.
Each time Garut manages to land an attack, small as it may be, Delorie¡¯s face becomes more and more red, twisting with rampant fury and anger.
¡®Oh god don¡¯t tell me Delorie¡¯s a berserker! Goddamnit! At this rate Uncle Moren AND Garut are going to be screwed! Fuck! There¡¯s got to be something I can do!¡¯
I think as Uncle Moren continues to get thrown around like a ragdoll and Delorie slowly gains the upper hand against Garut.
My mind races to think of some sort of plan, but unfortunately I come up blank I just can¡¯t find a way to insert myself into either fight without becoming a detriment.
With each passing second, my panic only grows. I watch as Delorie lands a devastating blow against Garut¡¯s armor, causing cracks to ripple all throughout it.
Uncle Moren isn¡¯t doing much better, in fact he¡¯s doing significantly worse I¡¯d say, with blood coating his entire body and his left arm hanging limply to the side.
Just as I think all hope is lost, I feel a hand rest calmly on my shoulder. I look behind me to see a somewhat ragged Gael smiling warmly at me.
He chuckles lightly before saying with a dark look on his face, ¡°I see our little traitor situation has figured itself out. No need to worry young man, the Kingdom¡¯s actions here today have firmly told me what kind of direction they plan on heading. Needless to say, I¡¯m quite disgusted by it.¡±
I let out a breath of relief and watch as the old fox-man walks up to an angry looking Delorie slowly.
¡°GAEL! HOW DARE YOU BETRAY THE KINGDOM! AFTER ALL IT¡±S DONE FOR YOU?!¡± Delorie screams out.
¡°I¡¯m sorry Delorie, but what the Kingdom has attempted to do here today quite frankly sickens me, and its sickens me more that there are people out there who blindly follow orders like yourself. I joined the Kingdom because I thought the people here were better, more moral than the Empire, but clearly I was mistaken.¡± Gael says with a sad look on his face.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
¡°GRAHHHHH!¡± Delorie shoves Garut out of the way and charges like an angry gorilla at the old man.
Gael seemingly disappears, causing the large man to look around in confusion. Eventually he looks up to see a rapidly falling Gael heading straight towards him. He tries to react, but he was to late and Gael shoves his entire hand into his left eye, causing him to go stiff,
After a few moments, his body finally realizes it¡¯s demise, and the big man falls with a loud thud. Gael swiftly jumps off the corpse before it hits the floor, landing gracefully to the side while breathing heavily.
He looks towards the half-dead but still standing Moren, and charges at his large, golden, six-legged foe.
The giant cockroach sees him and screeches loudly, once again garnering the attention of the entire battlefield.
Once Uncle Moren sees Gael, he smirks lightly before falling backwards. I see this and begin to run towards the fallen man in a panic.
I reach him after a few moments and, much to my horror, his wounds are much worse up close than from far away.
Sickly purple bruises cover his torso, his right eyes is swollen completely shut, and his arm is so broken that I can see the bone protruding slightly. Not to mention the rapidly increasing pool of blood surrounding him.
In that moment, I felt the most powerless I ever have. Before then, I understood conceptually how little comparative power I held in the multiverse, but right then, as I watch the long-time father figure in my life bleeding out on the floor while hundreds fights and skirmishes happen around me, I understand it better than I probably ever will how weak I really am.
¡°Fuck! Fuck! FUCK! Uncle Moren! Can you hear me!? You better not fucking die on me you asshole!¡± I say with tears welling up in my eyes.
Surprisingly, he opens his eyes.
¡°Relax kid.¡± He says with a small chuckle that turns into a coughing fit. ¡°That asshole of a bug hit an artery. I¡¯m done for unfortunately.¡± He says weakly.
¡°No you¡¯re not! There¡¯s got to be a field medic somewhere around here!¡± I say as I begin searching the battlefield for just that.
¡°Kid, ain¡¯t no field medic around here willing to take care of me. They¡¯re our enemies, remember? Ha, I¡¯d be surprised if they were even willing to spit in my direction!¡± He once again says in a chuckle turned cough.
¡°We¡¯ll get you into the warp pad then! You¡¯ll be fine!¡± I say, tears falling quickly down my face.
¡°Listen to me Rowan my boy, I¡¯m a gonner. Don¡¯t try to fight it, just let me die like a hero alright? Now before I die take this.¡± He says as he hands me some sort of cube with complex runes and symbols engraved on it. ¡°That was in that asshole Waylen¡¯s safe, don¡¯t know what it does, but it¡¯s important, so don¡¯t lose it.¡±
¡°What the hell¡ WHAT THE HELL?! I don¡¯t want this? I don¡¯t want you to die! I don¡¯t want any of this?¡± I cry out.
¡°Kid, you¡¯ll be something great one day, and I¡¯m not just saying that. I SAW your potential, in more ways than one. So don¡¯t waste it thinking about some asshole like me, your better than I ever will be.¡± He says while smiling.
Tears continue their descent down my cheek, as the pool of blood around the two of us grows with each passing second.
Finally, I see the light slowly leave his eyes, and I¡¯m left alone, in a pool of blood and tears.
I feel a hand on my back, I look back to see a disheveled and exhausted Garut kneeling mournfully next to me.
After a few seconds, I stand in frustration and sadness. Tears continue to fall down my cheek as I take in the empty shell of the man I used to look up to.
Wiping my eyes one last time, I turn back to the fight between Gael and Hoggle. It¡¯s clear that Hoggle isn¡¯t long for this world, as pools of blue blood and shattered golden carapace litters the floor.
The giant bug, clearly on it last legs, tries to open its wings and escape away from the ruthless old fox-man. Unfortunately for it, Gael has no intention of letting it escape, as he sends a black ominous looking cloud of mist at the creature.
The creature then falls back to the ground, twitching and screeching. The giant golden cockroach begins to rapidly transform back to the blind mole-man we are all more familiar with.
After a few second of violent morphing of skin and bones, a half-dead Hoggle in revealed, breathing heavily on the floor.
Seeing the man who betrayed our trust and killed Uncle Moren causes anger to well up inside of me. I take my sword and slowly walk up to the mole-man.
¡°I hope you rot in hell you fucking bastard.¡± I say with spit and vitriol. I look at Gael and he nods in affirmation.
I then bring my sword up high and bring it down onto his heart, twisting it violently. The pain and shock in his eyes bring me no amount of pleasure, though. Instead, it only makes me angrier.
Deciding now is not a good time to process my grief, I move to reconvene with my now only two companions.
Gael and Garut both stand solemnly over the dead body of Uncle Moren. I watch as Gael¡¯s fist clenches up.
Then he relaxes and shakes his head, and places his hand on the body. In an instant the body disappears.
¡°What¡¯d you do?!¡± I say, panicked.
¡°Relax, I just put him in my storage space, we¡¯ll have a funeral for him once we get the hell out of here.¡± Gael says tiredly.
I take stock of the rest of the battlefield.
What was a room teeming with hundreds of Empire soldiers, now sports only about seventy or eighty, with the Kingdom agents only numbering about a quarter of that. Each side very clearly exhausted and ready to retreat at any moment.
The main fight in the middle is coming to its conclusion, with the red metallic person about to end the military man.
I say quickly, ¡°We need to hurry, before their fight ends! Or else we¡¯ll be his main focus, and exhausted or not, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll last long against a tier 9!¡±
42. Final Charge
The exhausted pair of bodyguards nod and we quickly begin our sprint for the warp pad, all the while trying to remain as unnoticed as possible.
Unfortunately for us, it was hard for people to miss the giant golden cockroach that we were fighting, so the moment we begin moving in the direction of the warp pad, various soldier move in our way in an attempt to slow us down.
We try our best to move around as many as we can, but eventually our sprint for the finish line slows to a crawl. While the soldiers move to block us, the Kingdom agents take advantage of the decreased attention, and begin to slaughter any soldier that turns their back.
This causes the already dwindling number of soldiers to fall even further, until only about fifty or sixty remain.
Eventually the Kingdom agents join in the fight to impede our path to the warp pad too, causing everywhere around us to be a chaotic free for all where any semblance of order is tossed out the window.
We do our best to keep moving forward, but the sheer number of bodies in our way force us to stop. While Gael and Garut are doing most of the crowd control work, I still manage to hold my own, picking off weaker soldiers every now and then.
The agents are a different story, though, as they all seem to be of a much higher quality than the random Empiric foot soldiers. I¡¯m lucky if I even manage to land a single attack on any of them. Thankfully Gael and Garut pick up the slack slightly in that department.
A soldier sporting two hatchets charges us from behind, I move in his way, while at the same time blocking one of the axes from above. The second axe swings straight for my stomach, clearly intending to disembowel me.
Surprisingly, I¡¯m not in the mood to have my guts spilled on the floor, so I step back slightly and out of the range of the swing. The unexpected miss throws him off balance, allowing for a clean shot to his neck¡. Or that would be the case had another soldier not intervened, by sending his longsword straight for my own neck.
I try to step back once more, only to bump into a furiously swinging Garut. Not wanting to leave him vulnerable from the back, I decide to take a risk and step forward. The moment I do, the axe man swings both axes at either of my sides.
Unable to take a step back I duck quickly, practically laying myself on the floor. Unfortunately this leaves me open for an attack by the other soldier¡¯s longsword. I roll out of the way, and send my sword straight towards the outstretched arm of the sword wielder.
This does the trick as I send his arm flying through the air and he screams wildly. Seeing his fellow soldier¡¯s distress, the axe man charges at me in hopes of avenging the lost arm.
Instead of blocking or dodging, this time I do something he doesn¡¯t expect, I simply just thrust my sword forward towards his neck, banking that my attack will be the first one to land.
Not wanting to take that risk, he opts to instead pull back his attack and maneuver around me in hopes of reaching my side. In response, I stick out my leg and trip him, much to his dismay. The instant he falls onto the floor, I¡¯m upon him, thrusting my sword straight through the back of his neck.
I look behind me to see the other two have made small but noticeable progress forward. Not wanting to get split up, I rush behind them, dodging stray attacks from the surrounding fights at the same time.
While I manage to avoid most of the stray swords and projectiles, A stray arrow manages to embed itself into my thigh. I roll clumsily onto the ground in surprise and pain, clutching my leg.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
At the same time as my fall, a Kingdom agent sees my misfortune and decides to take advantage, rushing me and bringing the full might of his flaming morningstar to bear.
Unable to react in time I cover my face with my arms in hopes of at least somewhat mitigating the damage. Luckily for me, Garut saves my ass, putting his axe in the way of the menacing morningstar.
While I may have avoided damage to myself, Garut has put himself in harms way from the various attackers he ignored to defend me. He takes a throwing knife and a small gash to the back, forcing him to turn his back on me to prevent any further damage to himself.
The morningstar soldier, hoping to take out the stronger opponent in Garut, swings quickly at his newly turned back.
Unable to accept this outcome, I throw my sword and myself into the way of the attack. Much to nobody¡¯s surprise, I¡¯m immediately flung to the side, crashing into several soldiers and agents.
¡®Godamnit! This asshole a tier 6 at least!¡¯ I groan to myself.
I try my best to get up and on my feet as soon as possible, but with an arrow still sticking out of my leg, it makes standing substantially more difficult, not to mention painful.
The soldiers around me still in shock at what could have possibly knocked them down so hard, all turn and stare at me.
¡®Man we really got to work on our ¡®not attracting attention¡¯ skills.¡¯ I sarcastically think to myself.
Gael and Garut instantly rush to my side, forming a perimeter around me. Thankfully about half of the soldier and agents that got knocked over go back to fighting with one another, but that still leaves about half of these asshole left.
At this point we are a short fifty or so feet away from the warp pad, a distance that, while short, is going to take all the effort our three exhausted bodies can muster to cross.
Gael shouts out,
¡°Don¡¯t breath! I¡¯m going to do something risky! Garut, you may have to carry me across the finish line!¡±
Garut nods and I¡¯m left panicking at what he may do.
¡®What the hell is he going to do?! It better not be some sacrificial bullshit! I¡¯ve had enough of that for today.¡¯
Gael seeing my face, says quickly,
¡°Relax, I¡¯ll live, but I may be out of commission for a few days¡ or weeks.¡±
The next instant, he begins spewing some sort of red mist straight from his hands in large quantities. Within less than ten seconds, the entire area around us becomes covered in a thick smog.
Gaels continues with a strained look on his face. I watch as his face grows paler and paler by the second, sweat slowly begin to drip down from his forehead.
Once the smog surrounds about thirty feet around us, his eyes roll into the back of his head and he falls limply to the floor.
Garut then swiftly picks him up and we begin to make out way towards the warp pad while holding our breaths the best we can.
All around us, I watch as soldiers begin screaming in agony and pain, some holding their ears in distress, some of them even banging their heads on the floor begging for death.
¡®Holy shit, thanks god I knew to hold my breath. I wouldn¡¯t wish whatever the hell is going through their minds on anyone.¡¯
We push and shove our way through the crowd, putting one foot in front of the other, taking each step more painful than the last, as the pain in my thigh only continues to worsen.
Finally, we reach the end of the thick mist, only ten feet away from the warp pad. We let out our held breaths, breathing in the comparatively fresh air.
We stare back at the quiet battlefield, the only noises being the screams and shouts from the soldier in the rapidly disappearing mist, and the few skirmishes and fights still happening.
Hundreds of bodies lay scattered on the stone floor, all dead from a series of events that were ultimately set off by me.
The weight of my actions begin to set in, the amount of people killed, all because of my selfish desire for ¡®freedom¡¯.
I look to where the two tier 9¡¯s were fighting, to see the metallic red man, beaten and broken in several places, standing overtop the dead body of the military man.
Perhaps sensing my gaze, he looks over at me, and watches as Garut and I slowly limp towards the warp pad.
¡®Fuck!¡¯ I exclaim in my head while gritting my teeth, ¡®One of those laser beams I saw him use and we¡¯re dead in an instant!¡¯
To my surprise though, instead of charging up some sort of attack, he just nods at me and places his index finger where a person¡¯s mouth would be.
In my shock, I nod back gratefully, as Garut and I finally reach the teleporter.
I look to Garut and ask,
¡°You know where the hell we should go?¡±
He nods and presses a button on the teleporter. As soon as he does, a notification pops in my status.
I click yes, and in a moment, I¡¯m finally off the planet that I¡¯ve spent almost twenty-one years on.
43. Interests
Kingdom Agent Rolfoy¡¯s POV
I watch as the kid leaves through the teleporter, where he went, I¡¯ll probably never know. Hopefully he went somewhere that the Empire and Kingdom can¡¯t get to him.
Personally, I think the Kingdom made a huge mistake in not recruiting the kid. He has grit, and will probably make it to a decently high tier if he lives long enough.
As for why I let him go, it¡¯s really nothing crazy. I just like to root for the underdog in the story, and it¡¯s not like the kingdom will ever find out, well that is if that kid and that green fellow never snitch to them. Though, I find it hard to believe they would.
I look back down at my former opponent. He was good, like, really good. Way to good to be on a small, nobody planet like Earth. He had to have been at least a rank 3 talent, if not rank 2. I look around the battlefield to the few remaining soldiers and agents.
Most of the ones left were the people who got caught up in that red fog or whatever, though most of them seem to have severe lasting psychological effects. The thirty or forty soldiers that are left take in the battlefield, and, seeing their leader dead, all immediately surrender to the ten or so agents that are left.
I nod at this and bring out my communication device that I had imported straight from the technocrats in the Merchant Republic of Klemmings. These things are the best money can buy, and allow me instant communication with people not even in the same universe.
I press a few buttons and, after a few seconds of waiting, a serious looking human woman with black hair and a neat bun pick up.
¡°Yo! Clarissa! How¡¯s it going? Good to see you¡¯re the bundle of sunshine and rainbows I remember!¡± He says as the scowl on the woman¡¯s face grows deeper with each word.
¡°Now is not the time for games Agent Rolfoy. What¡¯s the status report?¡± Clarissa says with an annoyed look.
¡°Oh please, it¡¯s always business with you, what¡¯s wrong with a little small talk.¡±
I watch as her face begins to turn red with anger.
¡®She needs to quite being to easy to rile up.¡¯ I say with an internal smirk.
¡°Alright, alright. Relax. The primary mission is success, though not without heavy losses. We lost about ninety percent of the agents that decided to take this mission on.¡± I say with a bored tone.
¡°WHAT?! How is that possible? On a planet like that there should be no way anyone could keep up with you!¡±
¡°Well, there was. He was damn good too. No clue why the Empire had him stationed out here, but they did. It¡¯s over now, so nothing we can do about it anymore, I suppose. Anyway I¡¯ll be updating the warp pad¡¯s permissions to allow Kingdom planets entry.¡±
¡°I see, well in any case good job I suppose. Now, what about the secondary mission? I assume Agent Moren is dealt with, alongside that kid? Also what did Agent Gael decidie to do? Did he betray us like we expected him, or did choose rationally?¡±
¡°Woah, slow down. I¡¯ll get to all that. To start off, yes Moren is dead.¡±
¡°Ok good, and the possible rank 2 talent?¡± She sighs out.
¡°He escaped.¡±
Her eyes open in shock and panic.
¡°WHAT?! How the hell did you let that happen?!¡± She exclaims out.
¡°Uh, I was busy fighting that asshole tier 9, if you forgot.¡±
¡°Do you even know what this means? A rank 2 talent is no joke! We don¡¯t need someone like you running around with a vendetta against the Kingdom! And system forbid he makes it to the second realm¡ or higher!¡± She says with fear on her face.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
¡°Relax, jeez you need a cigarette or something. You humans love those, no? Anyway, there¡¯s no guarantee he¡¯ll come after the Kingdom, for all we know he could just live a quiet life somewhere.¡±
¡°Rolfoy, we killed what was basically his father. Rouge rank 3¡¯s and 2¡¯s are the biggest threat to established powers like the Kingdom. They¡¯re unpredictable, uncontrollable. Remember what happened with that Meteor fellow? He probably destroyed hundreds of Kingdom planets! All because we apparently killed his sister a thousand years ago or something! That was a disaster, and I don¡¯t want a repeat of it occurring.¡±
¡°If you say so, I still think your overreacting.¡± I say while beginning my repairs on myself with some tools I brought.
¡°I do say so. The worst case scenario is he stays rogue and bides his time, but if he decides to join another superpower, at least we can predict his movements somewhat. Any ideas of where he may have gone?¡±
¡°Besides away from the Empire and the Kingdom? No clue.¡±
¡°Ugh. Well for now just adjust the warp pad and quickly. We don¡¯t want any Empire reinforcements to get any funny ideas. We¡¯ll be sending a few platoons your way. We expect you to take control of them until we can someone more¡ suitable, to the task.¡±
¡°You got it. See ya ¡®round!¡± I then cut off the transmission suddenly, reveling in the thought that I know Clarissa is annoyed at that.
Woking so long for a superpower that does everything besides outright say they look down on golems, has revealed the need to get one over on them at any chance I get. While the Kingdom may have technically ¡®freed¡¯ golems, I see the looks my people get, as if they were some sort of stupid machine with no real thoughts or feelings.
In fact, the only reason the Kingdom hasn¡¯t enslaved us like the Empire is because they can take the moral high ground and use the freedom of enslaved golems as an excuse to steal planets.
¡®Well whatever, for now all I can do is bide my time and grow my strength, and what better forge to do just that than the Empire.¡¯
Waylen¡¯s POV
¡°WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN THEY GOT OUT!?¡± I scream out to my assistant, who, much to my annoyance, stays calm and collected in the face of my anger.
¡°Yes sir, not only that, but we believe the Kingdom has used the Candline city warp pad as a staging point for a larger takeover of Earth.¡±
¡°WHAT?!¡± I scream out, my face blaring red.
¡°We believe the Empire lieutenant severely underestimated the number and strength of Kingdom agents stationed within the Empire. Also, it seems the kid and the one known as Moren were double crossed by the Kingdom, and they had hoped to eliminate the two. Both¡¯s statuses are now currently unknown, as well as the contents of your vault.¡±
I contemplate that news for at least a minute, thinking about the potential ramifications.
¡°Alright, tell those Empire higher ups to increase both of their bounties. Tell ¡®em if they don¡¯t I¡¯ll kick of a storm at the next High Council meeting. We both know they don¡¯t want or need that. In addition, I want bounties on any other accomplices they may have had. Am I understood?¡±
¡°Yes sir.¡± The assistant says quickly before walking out.
¡®Goddamnit! That piece of magitech cost me almost as much as a damn planet! If I don¡¯t get that back, I¡¯ll be down trillions!¡¯
I think to myself while rubbing my face into my hands.
¡®Not only that, but I¡¯ll have to somehow explain this to them¡¡¯ I think while a shudder runs down my spine.
¡®Maybe they¡¯ll let me borrow some personnel to deal with this¡ yeah, that could work. I¡¯ll have to send out feeler agents all throughout any possible locations they may have gone. Once I get a hit, it¡¯s fair game in my eyes. Though if he aligns himself with a power or joins one of those schools things could get tricky¡ oh well. I¡¯ll just have to deal with it as it comes.¡¯
I pull out my communicator device and press a few button. In the next few seconds, someone pops up, a hooded figure, with an ominous symbol of a dagger piercing an eye glowing in multiple places throughout the robe.
¡°Well, well, well. If it isn¡¯t Waylen. To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±
¡°Oh cut the shit, you know why I¡¯m calling.¡±
¡°Do I?¡±
I sigh at this and rub my hand in between my eyes.
¡°Listen, I¡¯m going to be working on a multiversial wide manhunt for these guys, and I need a few of your people to do some scrying here and there for me.¡±
¡°And why would I do that?¡± The man says with a shit-eating grin on his face.
¡°If you do this for me without letting the rest of the conclave know I lost you know what, then I¡¯ll owe you one, big time.¡± I say seriously.
¡°Oh? How are you so sure that the conclave hasn¡¯t already found out?¡±
¡°Because I¡¯ve been keeping these things under wraps. Not even my closest assistants know. All they know is I got robbed of a few skill shards and a spatial bag of few thousand gemstones by some petty thieves, and me, being the prideful person I am, want revenge. The only person who could find out is you. Now do we have a deal or not?¡±
He goes silent in contemplation for a few seconds before nodding.
¡°Yes we do, though when it comes time to collect debts, you better be able and willing to pay.¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
¡°Good, I¡¯ll send over a few hundred of my guys tomorrow.¡±
The transmission then gets cut off.
¡°Fuck, this better be worth it¡¡±
44. New Places
In an instant, I appear in what seems to be some sort of church. Looking around, I see about twenty or so other warp pads funneling people to and from their destinatations.
Above are intricate stained-glass murals depicting some sort of battle. The room is quite an impressive size, being about half as big as the cavernous room we had just come from.
I¡¯m woken up from my observation by a very clearly annoyed voice.
¡°Sir please clear the warp pad for the next person.¡±
I look back to see a floating humanoid with pale gray skin and fully black eyes staring at me with a displeased look.
I nod somewhat embarrassed, and limp off the warp pad to Garut, who was waiting patiently for me on the side, Gael still in hand.
Gael then gives me a shoulder to help support me as we slowly make our way out of the church-esque place.
As we make it outside, the sheer scale of the place makes my jaw drop. Not only does the cathedral stand at least half a size larger than the system generated building on earth, it¡¯s also almost double the width.
It¡¯s clear now that there are probably tens of those same rooms, each one fitted with the same amount of warp pads as the one we had just come from. Lines of people leave and enter from all sorts of various entrances scattered around the building¡¯s exterior.
¡°So this the Temple of Archania?¡± I ask in awe.
Garut then shakes his head and points towards the center of the city, past the hundred of thousands of various buildings, all impressive in their own right. There I find a large mountain, or rather, a cathedral.
It dwarfs what I even thought was physically possible, with it beating easily one hundred times the size of the building we just left.
My mind struggling to comprehend the sheer scale of the building in question. After a few moments where my body is paralyzed in shock, I exclaim loudly.
¡°Holy shit! Do giants live there or something?! Wha-what do I even¡ what the hell?!¡± I say, completely overwhelmed.
Garut just nods before beginning to walk in a seemingly random direction. I catch up quickly with a few one-footed hops, and use the large man¡¯s shoulder as a support once again.
Walking through the city only heightens my amazement, as I stare at the impossibly sized houses that, while not even close to competing with the scale of the Temple of Archania, are still impressive in their own right.
Another thing that quickly catches my attention is the sheer amount of diversity among this city¡¯s population. Everywhere I look I see a new race that I¡¯ve never seen before.
Everything from a strange blobs, to humanoids with every shade of skin, every type pf facial feature, and every combination of limbs and appendages you can imagine.
I even saw a guy¡ girl? Person, that seemed to change appearance with ever look. They change from a young boy human boy no older than ten, to a floating person covered in writhing tentacles. Upon further inspection, it begins to straight up hurt my eyes to look at them for too long.
¡®Weird¡¡¯ I think to myself.
With the amount of culture shock I¡¯m experiencing right now, my mind grown more and more exhausted. That, combined with the fact that not only did I just go through the most stressful fight of my life, I also haven¡¯t even really come close to processing Uncle Moren¡¯s death¡ and I¡¯m not even sure I want to.
To keep my mind away from the thought of Uncle Moren, I look at my status notifications that I haven¡¯t had the chance to look at yet.
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¡®As per usual, my status notifications never disappoint. Okay let¡¯s see a lot to go over here. First let¡¯s get all this AP out of the way.¡¯
I have a total of 33 AP to spend. There¡¯s a lot of ways I can spend it, but I think I have the right idea so far. That being, sticking most of my points into willpower and dexterity, while investing a small amount into perception and agility.
My new Limitless trait, if anything, incentivizes me to not invest practically anything into endurance, as my endurance will increase when I really need it all the way to my highest stat.
¡®Quite the boon if I do say so myself.¡¯
So, following my line of reasoning, I put ten points each into willpower and dexterity, leaving me with thirteen. I invest six points into perception and the rest into agility.
I then take a look at my full status.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
18
Class
Legacy: Skill-less Swordsman
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 20 (+2)
Agility ¨C 56 (+2)(+8)
Dexterity(+) ¨C 86 (+2)(+4)(+8)
Endurance ¨C 21 (+2)
Perception ¨C 36 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 22 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 79 (+2)
Masteries
Common
Swords ¨C 26
Temperance ¨C 19
Stealth ¨C 14
Sprinting ¨C 9
Exercise ¨C 7
Thievery ¨C 3
Deception ¨C 4
Killing ¨C 12
Blending In ¨C 1
Misdirection ¨C 8
Monster Hunting ¨C 10
Spirit Control ¨C 5
Item Understanding ¨C 3
Weapon Throwing (Upgradeable) - 1
Uncommon
Assassination ¨C 2
Struggle - 1
Skills
Feats
Early Killer - Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Reversal ¨C One trait can be chosen related to your recent ambush.
Punching Up ¨C +1 to all stats.
Starter¡¯s Blade ¨C +3 AP, +3 to dexterity.
Smart Spender ¨C Save all of your SP until level 10. +1 to all stats.
Novice Spirit Controller ¨C Very slight increased progression towards your Spirit Control mastery. Any cultivation abilities are slightly enhanced. +5 willpower and +5 intelligence.
Connected Mind ¨C You may upgrade your race or add a new attribute to your status. +5 intelligence and + 5 perception.
Boundless Determination ¨C Grants the Limitless trait. +10 Willpower and +10 Endurance.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
Willful Gains ¨C Permanently gain 5% of your willpower in any stat. Affect continues to scale with willpower. (+3 Dexterity)
Skill-less ¨C All SP gained up to this point and onwards will be transferred into 2 AP each. Unable to acquire skills through any means. Bonus (2 * Tier) AP gained per level.
Sword of Will ¨C Gain 10% of your willpower two other stats. Can be changed once a year. (+6 Dexterity/Agility)
State of Concentration - When you achieve perfect concentration under stressful circumstances, increase your agility and perception by 1.5 times. Duration is based on willpower.
Limitless ¨C In extreme circumstance, your endurance will become equal to your highest stat.
Items
Solace¡¯s Soul Shard (Two uses left)
I marvel at the progress I¡¯ve made in these short few weeks, though I wish all this progress didn¡¯t cost me so much stress¡ and Uncle Moren.
Unfortunately, this time I¡¯m all out of notifications to keep my mind off his death, and I¡¯m left sullenly stewing in my thoughts. Finally after what must have been a few hours of walking, we stop.
I look up to see us standing in front of a seemingly normal-looking, ranch-style house. In fact, it¡¯s so normal looking that it stands out among the sea of extravagant and large house around it.
Garut knocks on the door, and we quietly wait a few moment. Just as I begin to think no one¡¯s home, the door swings open to reveal a stout, grandmotherly looking dwarf.
¡°Who might you two be?¡± She asks confused and somewhat weary.
Garut then hold the unconscious Gael outwards so that the woman can see him.
¡°Oh my system?! Is that Gael?!¡±
45. Medical Attention
¡°Please, please, come in. Set him down on the guest bed, let me get some supplies!¡± The woman says hurriedly while running into another room.
We walk inside and I take in the house. The interior very much matches the humble and cozy vibe of the exterior, with a fireplace roaring in the living room, fur skin rugs on the floor, and comfortable looking furniture.
Upon further inspection, though, a few things stand out. One being the pictures on the wall depicting a slightly younger version of the sweet grandmotherly person fighting daring battles with various beasts and monsters.
In one of the pictures, the woman is shown to be slicing the head off a bear that¡¯s probably three or four times her size. In another, she¡¯s shown to be wrestling some sort of impossibly large snake that¡¯s body is as big as she is tall.
The contrast from the woman in the pictures, to the sweet grandma I just met makes for quite the shock.
The guest room is about what I¡¯d expect. Simple d¨¦cor, a plain bed, and a window facing out into the pleasant looking garden.
Garut sets Gael down onto the bed, and quickly sit himself down onto the floor, before closing his eyes and meditating.
I sit on a wooden chair in the corner of the room and as soon as I do, I get the urge to close my eyes and rest.
I try my best not to, as with Garut as silent as he is, and Gael unconscious, it¡¯ll be up to me to explain to the nice lady what happened.
Finally, after a minute or so, the woman comes rushing in with a satchel draped around her shoulder. She sets the bag down on the bed next to Gael.
Opening the satchel, she reveals a very orderly set of potions, balms and everyday medical equipment.
On the side of the satchel, is a strange magitech device that is shalpes like some sort of remote. She takes the device and presses it gently to his stomach. After a few moments, a beep rings out and she pulls the device back to look at it.
Fiddling with the machine for a few moments, she gasps out in surprise.
¡°What the hell were you guys doing that he needed this much spiritual energy! His elemental body is practically drained dry! You guys are lucky he¡¯s not dead!¡±
She quickly uncorks one of the potions and dumps the whole things in Gael¡¯s mouth. As soon as she does she turns to me.
¡°Well? Wanna shed some light on what you guys are doing here this banged up?¡± She asks sternly while crossing her arms.
Sweat drops down my back as images of the small woman wrangling mighty beasts with her bare hands flash in my head.
¡®I better answer her quick or who knows what the hell she¡¯ll do to me!¡¯ I think to myself.
¡°Sure, it¡¯s somewhat of a long story though, but could you fix me real quick first?¡± I say while gesturing at the now broken arrow in my thigh.
She nods and grabs some tools from her back including a pair of crude looking pliers.
¡°Your not planning on just ripping it out are you?¡±
¡°Well how else am I supposed to get it out?¡± She asks confused.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
¡°Isn¡¯t there, idk, a more delicate way of doing this? I thought the multiverse would have advanced past such measures, no?¡±
¡°Nope, those would cost money, and the last time I checked, you bums haven¡¯t paid me a dime!¡± She says chuckling to herself, ¡°So quite whining and sit still.¡±
The next moment my mind flashes with pain as the arrow is ripped unceremoniously out from my leg. Before I can complain, she pours some sort of green liquid onto the wound. To my surprise, the pain almost immediately melts away, giving my leg a relaxing, cooling sensation.
I sigh out in relief. Unfortunately, it seems the liquid hasn¡¯t done anything for the bleeding or the actual wound at all, though that¡¯s not to say I appreciate the lack of pain.
Next she pulls out a thread and needle, and begins to sew the wound shut. She then gives me some sort of red potion to drink, which I oblige.
¡°The next few days, that leg is going to feel a bit itchy, but whatever you do, DO NOT ITCH IT. I won¡¯t be giving you any more potions to fix it if you do. Am I understood?¡±
I nod repeatedly.
¡°Good, now what¡¯s up with the big guy on the floor over there? Does he need any medical attention?¡± She asks.
¡°Uhm, I¡¯m not really sure to be honest. I think he has some sort of self-healing skill or something. I would check his back though to be sure. Got a knife lodged in there not to long ago.¡± I reply.
¡°I see¡¡±
She then walks over to him, and pulls his raggedy shirt up to reveals a whole host of scars, but no wounds.
¡°Welp, I¡¯m not seeing any blood your friend here looks like he¡¯s fine for the time being.¡±
I nod at this and ask, ¡°What about Gael? Is he going to be alright?¡±
She sighs before replying, ¡°Yeah he¡¯ll be fine, probably would¡¯ve been fine even if you hadn¡¯t brought him over. He just needs to rest a bit and he¡¯ll be as good as new. I gave a spirit revitalizer just in case though. He¡¯s lucky he didn¡¯t use any more spiritual energy than he did, just a little more and the news I would sharing right now would be a lot more grim.¡±
¡°When do you think he¡¯ll wake up?¡±
¡°Should be sometime tomorrow. For now though, I suggest you take a shower and head to bed. I¡¯ll be honest the lot of you look like shit.¡±
¡°I can imagine¡¡±
She once again sighs, ¡°Tomorrow though, I want an explanation of what the hell you guys are doing here. I¡¯m Bretta by the way.¡±
¡°Rowan, and the big guy is Garut.¡±
She nods, ¡°Okay well it¡¯s nice to meet you. The guest bathroom is at the end of the hall, and I¡¯ve got another guest bedroom with two more beds to the right of it.¡±
She then leaves, blanketing the room in silence.
Groaning, I stand up and stretch, careful not to put too much weight on my injured leg. Though, she didn¡¯t say I had to be careful with it, I¡¯d rather be safe than sorry.
I walk slowly towards the bathroom and take a shower. I practically melt in the shower, washing of not only the dirt but the fatigue that has built up over these past few weeks without almost any breaks.
¡®Man I¡¯ve barely even had time to train or anything.¡¯ I think to myself as I think about everything that¡¯s taken place this past month.
Not even a month ago I was relaxing in a forest, with nothing but the wind in my face and my sword in my hand.
Eventually my mind turns to Uncle Moren. As much as I want to ignore him and just keep moving and doing things to distract myself, at some point, I¡¯ll have to confront my feeling about his death.
That time isn¡¯t now though, as my mind is too tired to really think about anything.
I walk out of the shower and into the guest room with two beds like a zombie. I collapse onto the bed on the right and in an instant, I fall asleep.
The next morning, I wake up feeling better than I have in weeks, maybe even months. I stretch and yawn, looking to my left to see a passed out Garut snoring loudly.
I stand up and head to the bathroom briefly, before walking outside into the backyard to do some exercises.
First I do some basic sword swings to loosen my body and mind. This is a great tool to balance my thoughts relax my body a bit.
After that, I sit down with my sword on my lap and begin training my Item Understanding mastery. I do this by looking closely at every detail I can, and visualizing that detail in my head.
A small scratch towards the base of the sword, each ridge and groove on the leather wrapping around the hilt, I take in every detail possible.
Once that¡¯s done, I begin meditating on what my element could possibly be. This is a question I¡¯ve been really thinking about these past couple of weeks, and if anything, the more I think about it, the harder it becomes to answer.
¡®I know Uncle Moren said that I¡¯ll unconsciously choose the element that right for me, but I can¡¯t help but be paralyzed with indecision. After all, what happens if I somehow choose wrong? Then what?¡¯
I¡¯m broken from my musings by a hand on my shoulder. Looking back I see Garut gesturing back towards the house.
I sigh.
¡®Alright, time for relaxation is over I guess.¡¯
46. Day After
I follow Garut back into the house and into the guest bedroom where we put Gael. To my surprise, he¡¯s already awake and being cared for by the old dwarven woman.
Well, cared for is a generous term. She¡¯s really just sitting on the edge of the bed talking away about various things she¡¯s done and encountered recently.
¡°Ah! Look who it is! Looks like we made it out fine all things considered!¡± He says loudly, clearly hoping to escape the one-sided conversation with the woman.
She looks at us in somewhat mock-anger, but it still sends a shiver down my spine.
¡°Yeah looks like it.¡± I say while rubbing the back of my head.
The room goes silent for a few moments, before I finally decide to speak up.
¡°So, uh, what now? I mean we did what we originally set out to do, no? Where do we go now? What do we do?¡±
¡°Well, for you, I think you should still head to the saving face corporation. As I said before, they have a lot of unique opportunities if you manage to make it in.¡±
¡°Do they have a branch here?¡± I ask.
¡°I believe they do, though I¡¯m not exactly sure where it is¡¡± He says looking at Bretta hopefully.
She sighs out, ¡°Fine I can take the kid over and put in a recommendation or two.¡±
¡°You can give out recommendations?¡± I ask, surprised.
¡°You bet, I¡¯m technically on the local branches board of directors, though I haven¡¯t gone to a board meeting in years. It¡¯s mostly an honorary position if anything.¡± She says proudly.
¡°I see¡¡± I say sinking to thought before asking, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how do you know Gael? Like what¡¯s your relationship?¡±
She looks at Gael in faux shock and anger.
¡°Gael! You never told your friend about your dear wife!¡±
¡°Your wife?¡± I say somewhat shocked.
Gael sighs before replying, ¡°Yes, technically she¡¯s my wife. Though we haven¡¯t seen each other in decades, if not centuries. Though for us that practically feels like a blink of the eye, considering how old we¡¯ve gotten.¡±
¡°Yes indeed, how quickly time flies.¡± She says nostalgically
¡°I¡¯m confused, why haven¡¯t you guys seen each other in so long?¡± I ask curiously.
¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit of a long story, but to get to the point, we were both Kingdom agents on earth, and we had differing views of the Kingdom. I still believed that the Kingdom was good, she thought it was bad. I¡¯m simplifying a bit but all you need to know is, she technically betrayed the Kingdom. Though maybe she was right to do so after all. I didn¡¯t think the Kingdom would stoop to as low as it had yesterday. I mean seriously, killing a not even twenty-one-year-old kid? Ridiculous.¡±
¡°I hate to say I told you so, but I saw the path the Kingdom was heading towards. It felt like every year there was a new line they were willing to cross. So I moved here, to the neutral territory of the Temple of Archania, where not even the most bold of superpowers dare to cause trouble, lest the meet the might of the crusaders.¡± Bretta says seriously.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
¡°Crusaders? I haven¡¯t seen any of them around, where are they? Actually thinking of it now, I haven¡¯t seen any type of police force, what¡¯s up with that?¡±
¡°The city doesn¡¯t need a police force to keep watch to criminal or anything, they have the watcher for that.¡± She says mysteriously, very obviously hoping I¡¯ll ask who the watcher is.
I sigh.
¡°Ok who¡¯s the watcher.¡±
¡°A mysterious figure who sits at the top of the Temple of Archania. He watches every street, every alley, and every corner of the Temple to make sure no crimes can be committed without punishment.¡±
I stare at her skeptically, not believing a word that she just told me. I look over at Gael, my face looking for what the real answer is.
¡°What she said is all technically true, though a bit dramatized. The watcher does indeed sit at the top of the Temple of Archania, and is most likely a tier 19. He or she most likely have some sort of special class that allows them to create a domain around them in which they can see all of it. In this case that means there¡¯s pretty much security cameras places on every street, alley, and public building.¡± Gael clarifies.
¡°But, isn¡¯t that a bit, I don¡¯t know, invasive? Can they see into houses?¡±
¡°Well most foreigners do think it¡¯s a bit invasive, but if you don¡¯t like it, everyone is free to leave. To answer your second question, no, only public building are able to be seen into. This used to not be the case, but a law was passed a few hundred years ago that stopped the surveillance of private homes. Though in a sense, none of them are really private considering the Temple owns all of them.¡± Bretta answers.
¡°How does the Temple own all of it?¡±
¡°Well technically this whole city is part of the Temple, that¡¯s why you don¡¯t hear people call it a city name or whatever, the whole things is the Temple of Archania, and therefore sacred. That also why there¡¯s such an emphasis on security, as any crime or similar shenanigans are seen as tainting the holy land, or whatever.¡±
¡°I see¡¡± I say sinking into contemplation at the amount of info I just learned.
On one hand, the city seems like a paradise for hardworking, honest citizens, but on the other hand, it¡¯s almost dystopian, with no freedom and no right to privacy.
¡®Guilty until proven innocent is the rule of the land here, I suppose.¡¯
¡°Alright, well, that¡¯s enough questions for today. I made some breakfast for the lot of you. Maybe you can fill me in on what exactly happened. Gael told me the gist of it, but a good story ain¡¯t nothing without the details!¡±
As she says that, we all funnel into the kitchen, Gael using Garut as a support. Once we are all sat around the table, I begin to tell Bretta the series of events that took place this past month, including the death of Uncle Moren, which blankets the table in a solemn atmosphere.
We quickly change the subject to other matters though, and during one of these conversations, I ask Garut a question that¡¯s been burning in my head for a few hours.
¡°So how did you even know to go here Garut?¡±
He looks at me then gestures to Gael, ¡°He told me.¡±
I look at Gael to see him rubbing the back of his head somewhat abashedly.
¡°Well, to be honest, I wasn¡¯t sure who would make it. Just in case I was one of the ones that didn¡¯t, I told Garut where he could go to help get you both set up nicely.¡±
¡°How wouldn¡¯t you be able to make it out? You¡¯re the strongest out of all of us, if anyone was gonna make it out, it would be you, no?¡±
Gael¡¯s face takes on a dark tone.
¡°Rowan, you must understand, the amount of luck required to do what we just did was, quite frankly, astronomical. There were about a million and one things that could, and probably should, have gone wrong. Like for example, what if the Kingdom and the Empire didn¡¯t both have tier 9¡¯s that showed up? No chance in hell we¡¯re making it out then. Also what about if instead of fighting each other, the Kingdom and Empire soldiers decided to team up to take us, a mutual enemy, out. You get my point?¡±
I nod.
¡°Good, now, we¡¯ve been given pretty much a second chance at life. I don¡¯t want to see either of you two waste it. It¡¯s not what I want, and it¡¯s sure as hell not want Moren would have wanted either.¡± Gael says seriously.
With that, our dinner ends.
¡®Gael said applications for the Saving Face Corporation end in two days. I want to make it there by today. No point in waiting.¡¯ I say to myself as I get ready to once again head out.
47. Quick Goodbyes
We begin to make our way outside, and just as I¡¯m about to begin walking down the street, my wrist is grabbed, firmly stopping me in place.
Looking back, I see Bretta holding my wrist and looking at me as if I were some sort of idiot.
¡°Where do you think your going?¡± She asks.
¡°Uh, the Saving Face Corporation?¡± I say, confused.
¡°First off, not looking like that you aren¡¯t. If I¡¯m going to recommend you, I at least want you dressed better than some rags.¡±
I look down and take in the poor state of my clothes, with rips and tears all over the place.
¡°Also,¡± She says grinning, ¡°who the hell said anything about walking?¡±
She then pulls out a flat metal disc and sets it on the floor. Once she does, it quickly expands to a size that could easily fit four or five people.
¡°Woah¡ are we going to get to fly?¡± I ask eagerly.
¡°You bet kiddo!¡±
¡°Ah sweet!¡± I say before hopping onto the strange disc.
Once on it, I turn around to see Gael smiling lightly and Garut, as per usual, stoically watching me.
I quickly ask the two as a realization sets in, ¡°So, what are you guys going to be doing from now on?¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m about ready to retire. This place doesn¡¯t seem to bad all things considered. Maybe I have enough juice in me to get one more tier if need be, but for now I¡¯ll just be taking a break.¡±
I turn to Garut, and to my surprise, rather than grunting or nodding as usual, he speaks up, ¡°I¡¯ll find work here. I need to get stronger. Much stronger¡.¡± He says while gripping his axe tightly.
¡°I see¡¡± I say somewhat sadly.
¡°Don¡¯t worry young man, we¡¯ll be around. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be seeing and hearing all about you. Besides, I¡¯m sure Bretta and I wouldn¡¯t mind having you over for dinner sometime. That goes for you too, Garut. Also, I¡¯ll be arranging a funeral for Moren sometime soon. I¡¯ll be sure to let you both know about it when the time comes.¡± Gael says lightly smiling.
I nod seriously before walking up to the two men I spent the last month of my life with, and stick out my hand.
Gael smiles and shakes my hand firmly. I do the same for Garut and as expected, he grunts approvingly and shakes my hand as well, maybe a bit harder than I would like.
We nod and I make my way back towards the metal disc, and stand precariously on the metal object.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°So how does this work, are there like hand holds or something?¡±
¡°Nope, you¡¯ll be fine though.¡± She says as we begin to float into the air.
¡°Are you sure. Because I don¡¯t exactly feel very safe right now¡¡±
¡°Oh quit complaining, I said you¡¯ll be fine now lets go.¡±
I then fall backwards and towards the edge of the flying disc, and to my surprise, instead of flying off, the back of my head hits some sort of barrier
She laughs and says, ¡°See I told you that you¡¯d be fine.¡±
I rub my head abashedly as the disc begin slowly picking up speed and height. I watch as the numerous impressive looking buildings pass by faster and faster, until we¡¯re high enough so that I can see the real scale of the city before me.
Endless waves of buildings reaching out past the horizon. As far as the eye can see there is a never ending bustle of movement and activity. The sheer size of the city once again sets in, causing my eyes to pop and my jaw to drop.
¡°Pretty impressive right? This city is so big it reaches to about a fourth the size of the entire planet.¡±
¡°How big is the planet?¡± I ask.
¡°About as big as Earth I¡¯d say, maybe a bit bigger.¡±
¡°Seriously?!¡±
¡°Yup, you¡¯ve got to understand, this city has been around for hundreds of thousands of years, possibly longer.¡± She says as we both continue to watch the city beneath us pass by.
We pass by neighborhoods and districts, each one with a unique aesthetic and purpose. Eventually we reach some sort of large shopping district, with food venders, multiversial department stores, and all other manner of stores that one could possibly think of.
¡°So where are we heading anyway?¡± I ask.
¡°A small local clothing store that my friend runs. I¡¯ll cover the cost this time, but don¡¯t go around destroying clothes willy nilly thinking I¡¯ll buy you new ones. You¡¯re lucky Gael likes you so much.¡± She says chastising me.
I nod in understanding.
Eventually we seems to reach our destination, as the flying disc begins to slow down and descend. In front of us is, to my surprise, an actually small looking clothes store. I say to my surprise because I had assumed small meant Temple of Archania small, that being, not very small at all.
The exterior of the store is that of like a mom and pop shop you¡¯d often see on earth. With a dull tiled exterior, one-story, and a small wooden sign in the front.
Walking in, find the inside to be the opposite of what I would expect it to looks like. With shelves and shelves of clothes that seemingly reach an impossibly high ceiling, and rows and rows of displays and racks of various shirts, pants, and other fashion accessories for seemingly every race you could ever conceive.
The size of the inside contrasts great to the humble exterior I saw walking.
¡°How the hell is this even possible?!¡± I say in amazement, my jaw dropping for the thousandth time since coming to this city.
¡°Spatial expansion. Quite tricky to pull off I must say, and also exorbitantly expensive.¡± A serious, but delicate voice says.
Looking around at who may have said that, I see a small, hand sized figure dressed in business attire flying towards us from above. The palm sized woman, sporting a neat bun and thin square glasses, looks at the both of us apathetically and unemotive.
¡°Ah, good to see you Bretta. It¡¯s been sometime.¡± The small woman says.
¡°Oh please, can you pixie quite being so damn serious all the time? I swear, the only time I see a single emotion cross any of your faces is when your talking about business.¡±
¡°That¡¯s because money makes the multiverse go around, as they say. Now what can I help you and your ¡®friend¡¯ here with.¡± She says with a hint of disgust as she takes in my outfit.
¡°Well he needs some clothes, he¡¯ll be joining Saving Face pretty soon on my recommendation, so I want him looking at least somewhat presentable.¡± Bretta says relaxedly.
The pixie woman looks at me skeptically.
¡°Him? I thought Saving Face had a strict ¡®no nepotism¡¯ rule.¡±
¡°Of course! But this kid here is the real deal! My husband tells me he¡¯s a lower rank 2 talent at minimum!¡±
¡°Hmm, is that so¡¡± The pixie woman says staring at me is if I¡¯m some sort of test subject. ¡°Well, either way, a paying customer is a paying customer. Lets get you sorted.¡±
48. Apply
I walk out of the clothes store dressed in somewhat simple, but still better-looking clothing than what I had on previously.
I sport a simple white shirt and pants underneath a black robe. Apparently the outfit is quite popular with the city¡¯s youth right now, or at least, according to the pixie.
Bretta and I hop onto the disc and make our way in another seemingly random direction.
¡°So where are we going now?¡± I ask.
¡°Where else? The local Saving Face branch of course.¡±
¡°Just like that? No prep pr anything? Just heading straight there?¡±
¡°Well if you¡¯re as good as Gael says you are, should be no need for prep, you¡¯ll pass the assessment with flying colors! Speaking of, that should be coming up in the next couple of days. I won¡¯t spoil the surprise, but just know, you better be ready for a challenge.¡± Bretta says mysteriously.
¡°Uhm, okay?¡± I say confused.
¡°Also don¡¯t die.¡± Bretta says offhandedly.
¡°What was that?¡± I ask, concerned.
¡°Nothing! Now let¡¯s get moving!¡± She says as we once again begin to float gently upwards.
Deciding to ignore the ominous warning, I try to distract myself by once again staring around at the scenery.
The fantastical nature of the buildings around me continue to leave me awestruck. It¡¯s still hard for my mind to comprehend the outlandish scale of some of the buildings in particular.
One such building, being some sort of arena, is easily the size of seven or eight football fields, a long forgotten sport from the old-world.
¡®What do they even need such a large stadium for?¡¯ I wonder to myself, before deciding to posit the question to Bretta.
¡°Well there¡¯s a lot of events and things that it¡¯s used for. The main thing, though, are fights or disputes that large superpowers want to settle slightly more diplomatically rather than involving planets or thousands of soldiers. For example, just a month ago, a diplomat from the Augustine Empire was insulted by a warrior from the Nomad¡¯s Conclave. The diplomat challenged him in a duel by proxy, and the resulting battle took place in that arena. The warrior lost by the way, if you were wondering.¡±
¡°Really? Punching someone in the face doesn¡¯t seem very diplomatic.¡±
¡°They weren¡¯t ¡®punching¡¯, they were slicing and maiming, duh.¡± Bretta says as if I¡¯m stupid.
¡°Wait it¡¯s to the death?¡±
¡°Uh, yeah. Wouldn¡¯t be very entertaining if it wasn¡¯t.¡±
¡°And people are cool with this? I would¡¯ve thought the wider multiverse would have evolved past such barbaric means.¡±Stolen story; please report.
¡°Nope. Plus, with the higher tiers, there really is no way to ¡®referee¡¯ a fight between them. The best way is to just stick ¡®em in the arena and see who comes out alive.¡±
¡°Woah, brutal.¡±
¡°You¡¯ll get used to it kid. Anyway, we¡¯re here.¡±
We slowly descend as I take in the building in front of me. All things considered, it seems to be a normal office building all things considered. Actually when compared to the whimsical and fantastical nature of the surrounding buildings this one stands out. The tall imposing stature and concrete-like gray exterior really scream ¡®all business¡¯.
¡°Uhm, are you sure about this place? This place doesn¡¯t exactly look very inviting.¡±
¡°Always the complainer, aren¡¯t you? Geez, what was that Earth saying? Don¡¯t judge a book by it¡¯s cover? It¡¯s great inside, with great people. C¡¯mon you¡¯ll see.¡± She says as she beckons me to follow her inside.
I do so, and I¡¯m greeted by an extravagant lobby, flush with art and expensive looking d¨¦cor. The floor is lines with a blue and gold carpet that seem to be the organization¡¯s defining colors.
In the corner, there¡¯s even a¡ man? Woman? Creature thing, playing some sort of complex stringed instrument with all eight of his appendages.
Around us, are various gatherings of important looking people talking and chatting animatedly as if they all are old friends.
The atmosphere of the place immediately puts me on edge, as the last time I¡¯ve been to a place this fancy, I was stabbed in the side by an inconspicuous maid girl. Plus, I¡¯m not exactly used to this kind of environment. I¡¯m more used to run-down, wooden, and dirty environments. Places like this, where people probably shit gold, are foreign to me.
Bretta walks confidently to the pretty lady at the front desk, clearly hired for her good looks. As the lady looks up she first spots me and puts on a fake smile that she must use for people she doesn¡¯t know. Then she looks down at Bretta, and immediately her smile fades to nervousness.
¡°Hey call Jimmy down here, I got a recruit for him.¡± Bretta says sternly.
¡°I¡¯m sorry Mrs. Thornburg, he¡¯s currently busy. If you-¡°
¡°No! Tell him that I¡¯m here. If he¡¯s still in his little ¡®meeting¡¯ or whatever. Then I guess I¡¯ll have a talk with the debt collectors and seize a few assets that he owes me¡¡± Bretta says casually, but it comes off as threatening.
¡°Uhm, right away ma¡¯am! I¡¯ll go get him!¡± She says as she races away quickly.
I stare blankly at where the lady once was.
¡°What the hell was that?¡± I say looking down at the small woman.
¡°Oh nothing, let¡¯s just say that Jimmy is in my debt because we made a few deals with each other under oath of a balance guardian, and let¡¯s also just say his debt is a lot. I mean, a lot, a lot.¡±
¡°Uhm okay. What¡¯s a balance guardian.¡±
¡°Hmm, it¡¯s like, an overseer of trade deals of the highest order. If I so wish, as long as he doesn¡¯t pay me, I can send the balance guardian his way to siphon of pieces of his status. Levels, skills, traits, feats, you name it. Even body parts if he had something particularly valuable, like say a special eyeball or two.¡±
The next moment, a frantic looking man dressed in formal business attire races towards us. His pale skin and black hair would usually make me believe him to be human, but his two glowing purple eyes make me seconds guess that claim.
¡°Oh, those eyeballs.¡± I say.
¡°Yup!¡± She says sweetly as the man arrives before the both of us.
¡°Bretta¡ nice to¡ see you¡¡± He says in between breaths.
¡°Really Jimmy, you need to get a few tiers on you. You tire much to quickly.¡± Bretta says jokingly.
¡°I must¡ agree. Though you know how it is, business is always busy.¡±
¡°I suppose it is.¡± Bretta says.
¡°So, what did you need? Sylvie said it had something to do with a recruit?¡± He says looking me up and down.
¡°You bet! This one was sent straight from Gael himself!¡±
¡°Gael? Really? Shame he never passed tier 7. That man would¡¯ve been a legend¡¡± Jimmy says, reminiscing.
After a few moment of silence, Bretta coughs quickly, breaking the man from his trance.
¡°Ah well, you made it just in time young man. Applications end in two days! Meaning you won¡¯t have to wait long for your test! After all, we can¡¯t just have someone walk in and say they¡¯re a rank 2 talent, they¡¯re gonna have to prove it.¡±
49. Interview
Jimmy then takes both myself and Bretta to a meeting room where he then sits in front of me and begins to ask me batches of seemingly eclectic questions.
Some of then about where I come from, some about how I feel about certain subjects, sometimes he even asks me to give a list of foods that I like the most from worst to best.
Bretta, sitting to my left, says nothing at this, simply passing the time by leaning back in her chair and smirking.
The question continue coming for another thirty minutes or so, each question becoming more pointless than the last.
The whole thing felt very, I don¡¯t know, odd? So I ask a question that been burning in my mind ever since we¡¯ve started this ¡®interview¡¯.
¡°Hey, uhm, Jimmy, I don¡¯t mean to be rude or anything, but what¡¯s the point of these questions? Most of them seem pointless and unrelated if I¡¯m being honest.¡±
¡°Ah, I suppose it would seem that way to you. Very well, I think I¡¯ve gathered enough information either way, so no harm in telling you now. I was obtaining a detailed model of your personality based on the questions.¡±
¡°Uh¡ okay? How¡¯d did you do that?¡±
He then smirks and points to his eyes.
¡°These things aren¡¯t just for cosmetics you know, though I must say, they do look rather dashing, but I digress. No my eyes allow me to make models and breakdowns of various things, one of those things are personalities, as I¡¯ve decided to use them for. It¡¯s why I¡¯m the head of recruitment at not only this branch, but nineteen other branches as well!¡± He says as he spreads his arms wide apart in a grandiose manner.
The room goes silent, the only noise being Bretta¡¯s quiet snickering.
¡°Cool? So how¡¯d you get the eyes? They seem useful, maybe I could try and get them too.¡±
Jimmy stares at me as if I just said something obscenely blasphemous. He recollects himself by clearing his throat and answers.
¡°I¡¯m afraid that would be unlikely, dear Rowan. Unfortunately these eyes were a blessing from a god, so no dice for you, unfortunately.¡± He says while exaggeratedly shaking his head.
¡°A god? Really? You can just say you don¡¯t want to tell me where you got it from man.¡± I say deadpanned.
He once again stares at me, this time as if I were stupid. He then look over to Bretta, who is also looking at me as if I were stupid.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡°Uh yeah, a god? You know that gods are real right? I guess it makes sense considering that backwater planet you were born on, you haven¡¯t had much contact with a god yet.¡± Jimmy says.
¡°Wait really?¡±
¡°As serious as I¡¯ll ever be.¡± He looks at his watch quickly before saying, ¡°I guess I have a few spare minutes to give you a quick crash course on god.¡±
¡°Okay¡¡± I say still somewhat confused.
¡°So you know that when a person reaches tier 20, they ascend to a higher realm, correct?¡±
I nod.
¡°But did you know, in that higher plane, is a final plane above that one that can be reached once a person reaches tier 40? Well now you do, once one reaches that plane, they essentially become a god, able to influence and impact the planes below them.¡±
¡°So even I can become a god one day?¡±
¡°Yup, though becoming a god is probably one of the hardest achievements one can accomplish. Ever.¡±
¡°So one of those people that reached the highest plane gave you those eyes?¡± I ask.
¡°Yup, specifically someone named Mortar, a god who specializes in acquiring knowledge and power through wealth.¡±
¡°He doesn¡¯t fight?¡±
¡°Well, he can fight, but his specialty is money and analyzation.¡±
¡°But I thought in order to get stronger you had to fight things?¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s certainly one way, and most likely the easiest, but think about it, with enough wealth, almost anything can be bought. If not, you can pay someone to go get whatever it is you need. The problem is that the amount of wealth this requires is quite frankly insane. That¡¯s why this way to power is so much rarer. On top of that, the assets and wealth you can bring with you to the higher plane is limited, so you¡¯re essentially starting from scratch. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so impressive that Mortar made it to where he is now.¡± Jimmy says in admiration.
¡°Wow, sounds impressive.¡± I say genuinely.
Jimmy nods his head multiple times in agreement before replying,
¡°That¡¯s right! Also the whole of the Temple of Archania is dedicated to one such god. If you couldn¡¯t guess, it¡¯s Archania, probably one of the oldest beings to reach the highest realm that we know of.¡±
¡°I see, that makes sense I suppose. So how many of these gods are there?¡± I ask.
¡°Well, really it¡¯s impossible for us to know. Most likely in the thousands, though any exact guess is unknown. I would assume the people in the higher plane would have a better estimate than us.
¡°That¡¯s it? I would¡¯ve though there would be a lot more with how long the multiverse has been around and populated¡¡±
¡°I still think you¡¯re underestimated the task at hand. Becoming a god and reach that 40th tier is quite literally almost impossible. There are endless challenges with accomplishing that feat, most of which we don¡¯t even know about yet, at least, not until we ascend.¡±
I nod at this as he checks his watch.
¡°Well, I¡¯ve got to run. I¡¯ll have my assistant take you to your temporary room, or show you around the building if you so wish.¡± He then bows slightly to the both of us and makes his way to the door.
Before he leaves though, he turns his head to me and says quickly,
¡°Oh an make sure to try and not anger any gods. They can be a real pain in the side, if you know what I mean. Anyway, see ya.¡±
Bretta and I sit in silence for a few moments before we both stand up.
¡°Alright kid, I¡¯ll be heading out too. Just remember to at least try and be a bit social. Gael told me how you were on Earth. A good friendship or two never hurt anyone, right?¡±
I nod.
¡°Good, well then, I hope to hear good things about you in the future. I¡¯ll be keeping my eye on you, so don¡¯t let me down. Also I¡¯m sure Gael will be in contact somehow for the funeral.¡± She says.
I nod solemnly, as I remember once again something I would rather not think about for as long as I can.
She nods back and makes her way out the door of the meeting room, leaving me alone in silence.
50. Tour
After waiting a few minutes, a large bespeckled man with two black horns protruding from his forehead enters the room.
¡°Please follow me sir.¡± He says succinctly.
I nod and do so. As we begin our walk, he quickly asks me.
¡°Would you like a tour or would you like to be shown to you room?¡± The man asks.
¡°Uhm, a tour please.¡±
¡°Right away.¡±
We begin my quick tour around the building. Most of it is what I would expect from a building like this; lot¡¯s of meeting rooms, some offices, and some small kitchenettes.
Though there were a few interesting places to see, most of which giving me some small insight into the logistics of the wider multiverse.
For one, there was the power room, which consisted of a large ¡®crystal¡¯ in the middle of a room witch multiple wire and cable with runes engraved on them. Around those, are multiple researcher type people who mess with some nearby magitech and look at sensors all day.
The assistant person summarized briefly how it all worked, but to be honest most of it went over my head. What I got from it was that mana and energy is sucked from the property¡¯s atmosphere, shoved through this crystal, and then finally moved throughout the building to wherever it may be needed. They also supplement the energy with some imported energy if they need to do so for a special event or project.
Another interesting place was the gym, which featured much more than the average gym on earth would. There was a full blown simulation room where I could test my strength against combat AI¡¯s or practice using some sort of skill or ability in whatever environment I wish.
There was also gravity rooms, meditation/cultivation rooms, and even gaming pods. I asked the assistant what they were in the gym for, and he replied by saying that I could have simulated fights against other real opponents all sorts of different games. He told me a few examples such as a sniping game, a racing game (on foot or in vehicles), and, to my interest, a dueling game where I could challenge other opponents one on one in an arena-style challenge.
¡®Very interesting, I might have to come back here at some point after the test is over with. Assuming I pass and all that.¡¯ I say to myself.
The next interesting place I was shown was the talent and strength calculation center, where a generative ai gathers as much information about current events and happenings from across the multiverse to give a generalized guideline for multiple individuals, organizations, and superpower¡¯s strength.
What interested me the most about it, wasn¡¯t so much the technology behind it, though that in and of itself is at least somewhat interesting, but the names and faces of the individuals at the top of the ranking.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Reading the top names, unsurprisingly I fail to recognize any them. The top spot is taken by someone named Faolin, followed by Brutox and followed then by someone named Formilocke.
I ask the assistant about these people, and he tells me that most of the top people are leaders of major factions. He points out the watcher at rank 42 and a few other notable figures to take note of on the list.
All of the top one-hundred people on the individuals list are tier 19, and the same would¡¯ve been said for the top five-hundred were it not for one name that is tier 18, Panzer. At rank two-hundred and seventy-five, somehow the ai ranks him higher than half of the peak existences of power in our plane, and he¡¯s not even at the max tier or level yet!
I decide to also ask him about that person in particular and he immediately begins sweating profusely.
¡°All you need to know about that person is he¡¯s dangerous, really dangerous.¡± Is what he replies with.
I stare at him confused but decide to let the matter go.
¡®I¡¯ll ask Gael or Bretta next time I see them.¡¯
Looking at the rankings of the superpowers, I¡¯m surprised to learn that neither the Empire, nor the Kingdom, are ranked in the top hundred. The Empire placing one-hundred and seventh and the Kingdom placing one-hundred and eighty-fourth.
It really puts things into perspective on how large the multiverse is. My entire life I thought of the Empire as this unstoppable force of nature that no one can contend with, but here I find out there are about a hundred of superpowers that could do just that.
The last interesting facility I saw was library, which, contrary to my expectations, did not have a single book in sight. Instead, there were tens of towers of magitech that reached close to ten feet tall. Apparently all the information available is accessible inside those towers, all one needs is a company tablet and permission from the librarian to access certain information.
Looking around for the librarian, I¡¯m stumped as I don¡¯t find her in the relatively small room. Seeing my confusion, the assistant says quickly.
¡°Ah, the librarian is a Praxorian, a race of worms that gains consciousness once inside a piece of magitech. Very nice fellow that man, so please be kind and courteous should you ever get the chance to speak with him.¡±
I stare at him blankly before shaking my head and deciding to ignore the litany of questions in my head right now.
Finally, after passing by a bunch of classrooms I¡¯m told are for prospect and branch associate training, we reach my room. Walking inside, I¡¯m immediately blown away by the luxury of the place. Tall ceilings, chandeliers, my own kitchen, a full hot-tub sized bath, and everything over the top and expensive you could think of.
Rather than be impressed and excited to live there, I¡¯m filled with dread at the possibility of living in, or worse getting used to, such an uncomfortable and imposing environment.
¡°Well, if that¡¯ll be all, I¡¯ll make my way out and allow you to get settled in.¡± The assistant says as he begins to walk out the door
Before he does, I stop him, and say quickly.
¡°Uhm, not to be rude or anything, but are there any other rooms I could have?¡± I ask.
He tilts his head in confusion.
¡°Is there something wrong with this one? If I may say, this type of room is quite literally the best there is in the whole building, only reserved for prospects, potential prospects, and visiting associates.¡±
¡°Uh yeah, I know, but it makes me feel, I don¡¯t know, uncomfortable? Listen, are there any other rooms I could have? Ones that are a little more ¡®humble¡¯?¡±
¡°Hmm, yes I suppose we could do that, though second room changes, so no changing your mind once it¡¯s decided.¡±
I nod at this.
¡°Alright, if you say so. Follow me.¡±
51. Delightful Conversation
I¡¯m in my much smaller and¡ easier to digest, room. The walls are wooden and while I can¡¯t quite touch the ceiling, I¡¯m close. There is a small stove, but it¡¯s no kitchen like it was in the previous room. The bed is twin sized and while I¡¯m a bit of a tight squeeze on it, it¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m used to, so I don¡¯t mind a bit.
Overall, a substantial upgrade from the last room in my book, though, I have a feeling not many people would agree with me on that.
I passed out almost immediately after the assistant showed me my room, I couldn¡¯t help it. While yesterday may not have been the most physically taxing day of my life, it definitely was one of the most mentally exhausting. Between the new revelations about gods, the countless people I was forced to stop and talk to while the assistant showed me around, and the countless snippets of new information about the wider multiverse given to me on the tour, I was dead tired by the time we reached my new room.
I sit up and prepare to get ready for the day. I stretch briefly before heading out to where the food court was. Sometime during the tour, the assistant, who I somehow never got the name of, gave me a temporary card to use here for three free meals a day.
Entering the food court, I see a whole host of professional looking people all over the place, with suited, business-like attire on. Each person converses calmly with each other, giving the atmosphere a very relaxed tone.
Looking around, I do notice a few people that stand out from the rest. All of them are wearing some sort of martial arts garb with the side profile of a face engraved on the chest.
One is a human man with black hair and some sort of runic tattoo on his face. He¡¯s sitting very stoically next to the other two people I notice with the same garbs.
The next one is some sort of floating devil-looking woman with ash colored skin and red hair. I watch as she floats lazily in the air above the black haired man while she chews on some sort of fruit.
The final person is a meek looking person with a robe draped over their face, obscuring all their facial features besides two ominous glowing green orbs that I can only assume are their eyes.
¡®Those must be the branch prospects that the assistant was telling me about.¡¯ I think to myself.
I remember him telling me that these people were all recruited right from this branch, one of them is even a rank 1 talent as I¡¯m told, though I¡¯m not sure which one. Apparently where you are recruited from is important, as you represent that branch in any organization wide events.
Most branches are lucky if they have one, though with the size and scale of this city, it¡¯s unsurprising that there¡¯s more than that. Also it doesn¡¯t help that most talents get recruited by lucrative deals from large superpowers at some point in their career.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
That¡¯s why so many powers not only allow, but even pay for branches to be opened within their borders, as it¡¯s a great way to get talents without the hassle of training them. The very generous donations from former members, as well as tickets to events held by the organization, are plenty enough to not only keep Saving Face afloat, but also profitable
Remembering what Bretta said I sigh and decide to go talk to them, though to be honest, none of them exactly look like conversationalists. So I bring my food over and sit down at the same table as them.
¡°Hello.¡± I say somewhat awkwardly.
They all look up and stare at me weirdly. When the robed fellow looks up, I notice that actually, the robe doesn¡¯t obscure his face at all, because he doesn¡¯t have one in the first place. Instead, in it¡¯s place is some sort of black mist with two glowing orbs inside.
The woman speaks up first,
¡°Hello? Do you need something?¡± she asks somewhat rudely.
¡°Ah, no I¡¯m just I just thought I¡¯d introduce myself, considering we may be fellow members pretty soon. My name¡¯s Rowan.¡± I say.
¡°Oh, another one. Listen, you potential prospects are a dime a dozen around here. So many of you come and go, it¡¯s pointless to remember all of your names. How about this, you can talk to us whenever you actually pass the test.¡± She says dismissively.
I stare at her somewhat baffled before recollecting myself.
¡°I didn¡¯t know there were so many applicants. Do you know how many there are this year at this branch?¡± I ask.
¡°Yeah well, a lot of people think their top shit and like to just assume their a rank 2 or higher. In terms of numbers this year? Hmm, I think I heard Jimmy say there were around twenty or so. Though I¡¯d be surprised if any of them made it.¡±
¡°Really? That many? I thought there¡¯d be less¡¡± I say.
¡°Nope, rich assholes love to just assume their better and stronger than everyone else, and in this city, there are rich assholes aplenty. All of them got in on ¡®recommendation¡¯ but really it was just their parents paying for it. I mean really at least try the trial test first so you¡¯re not wasting anybody¡¯s time.¡± She says, clearly annoyed.
¡°Trial test?¡± I say right before instantly regretting my decision.
She stares at me blankly before bursting out laughing.
¡°Oh my system! You¡¯re one of ¡®em! This is great! No seriously! This is awesome!¡± She says, continuing to hackle like a witch before continuing, ¡°I should¡¯ve known, I mean look at you! Nice new clothes, clearly fresh out of awakening, innocent, hopeful eyes. You¡¯re just another rich asshole who used mommy¡¯s credit card to buy your way into a chance at joining! I mean seriously, do people like you really think you have a chance?! And the gall to come up and talk to us like you¡¯re guaranteed to join! Ha! It¡¯s great, really great!¡±
As she speaks, my face morphs slowly and slowly, not out of anger, but of confusion.
¡®What the hell is wrong with this lady? Is she alright? It feels like I¡¯m witnessing some sort of manic episode.¡¯ I say to myself.
¡°Uhm, not to be rude or anything, but I think you¡¯ve got the wrong idea here.¡± I say calmly.
¡°Ha! Fat chance of that! Now get the hell out of here so we can enjoy our meal in quiet. Thanks!¡± She says waving her hand, motioning for me to leave.
Sighing, I decide to just make my leave. After all, it wouldn¡¯t do any good to cause trouble now, only one day away from the test.
¡®Well, that could have definitely gone better.¡¯
52. Relaxing Day
I make my way else where to eat my food, away from the cafeteria. As I¡¯m walking out, I receive numerous glares and angry looks from people who I assume what listening to the very passionate chastisement that I just received. To be fair, though, it wasn¡¯t very hard to hear, as she was practically screaming towards the end there.
Really I¡¯m still confused about the whole thing, as I still have no clue why she yelled at me, Do the people here hate rich people or something? And do I really come off as some sort of rich scion? It must be a common occurrence to see people coming in and trying to join based off the achievements of their parents.
¡®Man I wish. If my parents were half as useful as that girl said they were, I would be living easy right about now.¡¯ I think to myself.
Deciding it wise to lay low for a bit, I walk back to my room to eat. Enjoying the silence of the humble place that I assume has some sort of soundproofing, I eat a relatively peaceful meal all things considered.
The meal itself is some sort of lunch meat in between two slices of a purple-ish bread. Don¡¯t ask me what anything I¡¯m eating is called because I have no clue. For all I know, I could be some strange and disgusting looking alien creature, though it tastes just like turkey.
After eating, I¡¯m suddenly hit with the realization that I have no clue what to do with my day. I hadn¡¯t really thought this far ahead yet, and with the test being tomorrow, it¡¯s a bit of an awkward time to try and fall into new habits.
¡®Maybe I¡¯ll go check out the gym, get used to all the new and weird equipment they have there.¡¯ I think to myself.
So, with my mind made up, I begin to make my way to the gym. As I walk down the halls, though, I begin to notice the looks of disdain and disgust radiating off anyone who walks by me. From janitors to wealthy-looking businessmen, all of them clearly hold some level of dislike towards me.
¡®Man what the hell is up with people? What did I do? Is this really all because of that incident that occurred earlier this morning? How did people already find out about that?¡¯ I ask myself as I continue my tread through the jungle of disgruntles looks.
¡®Did I really commit that much of a social suicide by trying to talk to those people? I mean really what the hell was her problem anyway? No way people take anything those people say or do to heart¡ right?¡¯
Finally, I make it to the gym. Entering, I find a surprising number of people inside considering the fact that this place almost has zero active combatants, well, besides the three people I attempted to talk to before. I guess people here are well-focused on their physical health.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Looking at all the people on the machines and equipment make it clear to me just how short-sighted I was being when I called a lot of the equipment ¡®weird¡¯. Almost every single machine, exercise room, or piece of equipment is able to be used by as many races as possible.
For example, I even see a blob type person using a type of squat machine, but instead of a bar or anything similar like I¡¯m used to, there is just a flat surface that he can use to push up. Right next to him, on the same type of machine, is a bar version for humanoids.
I walk throughout the gym, just getting a feel for the layout out of all the equipment and trying to piece together what I may include in my training. Really though, I¡¯m just heading towards the part of the gym that interested me the most when I saw it.
Finally I reach the seemingly endless rows of ¡®gaming pods¡¯ as the assistant called them during my tour. The thought of fighting someone full force with no risk of death or injury is one that I just couldn¡¯t ignore.
Unfortunately, it¡¯s also one that it seems a lot of people can¡¯t either, as there seems to be a small line for the pods, as they are seemingly full right now. I can¡¯t really say I¡¯m surprised, as it¡¯s what I assume to be peak gym times right about now, with everyone trying to exercise before work.
¡®I¡¯ll have to come at better times in the future, so I don¡¯t have to wait in line.¡¯ I think to myself.
So, with nothing better to do today, I resign myself to waiting in line. As I do, I¡¯m bombarded with more looks of disgust and disdain. I try my best to ignore it, but it¡¯s really hard with the sheer number of looks I¡¯m getting.
¡®Ugh, this better not be a trend that continues into my time as a full-time prospect. If it does, I might just have to leave, benefits be damned.¡¯
Eventually someone comes up to me while waiting. A younger guy, about as tall as me at around six foot, dark brown skin that, upon closer inspection, is made up of small scales, and straight purple hair that is parted in the middle of his head, hanging gracefully to the sides.
¡°Are you Rowan?¡± He asks me confidently.
¡°Uh yeah?¡± I answer confusedly.
He smirks and replies,
¡°So you¡¯re the asshole who disrespected the entire branch by trying to worm your way into prospect status by paying for an application and attempting to peruse your way into the prospect inner circle!¡± He says loudly and dramatically.
¡°Uh¡ what?¡± I say, my face completely baffled at this point, unable to comprehend the string of words this man just spoke.
¡°Don¡¯t play dumb! I know you may not have face much adversity in your silver spooned life, but I¡¯ll have you know that I, rank 2 talent Regalius Concord, do not appreciate your kind in this great organization! Some of us, like myself, actually had to pass the trial test to get a spot in this upcoming test!¡± He says, emphasizing his talent ranking and the words ¡®pass the trial test¡¯.
I once again stare baffled at what I¡¯m listening to and seeing.
¡®Am I being¡ called out? What is this? He¡¯s trying to gain some clout or something off me right? But how does verbally assaulting me do that? Unless¡¡±
¡°Nothing to say? Are you to good to talk to me? Well in that case, this disrespect will not be tolerated! I challenge you to a duel in the virtual arena!¡± He says loudly.
¡®Yup, there it is. Goddamnit it man, couldn¡¯t you just me relax for a day? This was the one day where I had nothing to do except relax and enjoy training.¡¯
I sigh and answer,
¡°Alright man, let¡¯s go and get this over with.¡±
53. Arena Melee!
We both walk over the pods, with everyone making way for the both of us. I hear some murmuring from the small crowd about getting the displays in the facility working so people can spectate the now very public fight.
This whole situation clearly has gone far out of my control and I can only hope that I can beat this asshole and move on with this whole thing.
As soon as two free pods open up, we each head inside. Finding myself unfamiliar with the pods, I¡¯m awkwardly at a loss as to what the hell I¡¯m supposed to do. Luckily for me, there are some instructions conveniently placed on the side of the pod for me to read. So I take a moment to understand what to do, causing the crowd to begin to accuse me of stalling.
Once I figure out the gist of it, I open the pod door and lay down flat on my back, while at the same time equipping some sort of headgear attached to the inside of the pod.
After a few seconds of not knowing whether I did something wrong, in the blink of an eye, everything around me changes, and I¡¯m suddenly standing straight up inside a white room. In front of me, is some sort of menu, where I can pick certain games to play.
Remembering that Regalius fellow mention the arena, I click on the one that appears closest to a standard coliseum type arena.
Once I do, the world around me once again changes, this time into the center of a massive coliseum, the likes of which were often seen in roman times during the old-world on Earth.
Crowds and crowds of what I assume to be fake people, cheer boisterously as I begin to read the options in front of me. Before I can click anything though, I get a pop-up notification.
{Welcome to the Arena! Where might makes right and power dominates all! Please select a username, keep in mind, this username will be used in all future Gaming Pod experiences you may play! So choose wisely!}
The message puts me on the spot, as I¡¯m unwilling to delay this little duel any longer I pick my name.
My first few tries are already taken. A shame because Mr. Sword would¡¯ve been an amazing name. My next try is Mr. Sword Fellow, but unfortunately, that one¡¯s been taken too. Deciding to continue this trend I have going I keep adding words until finally one lands.
{Mr. Sword Fellow Guy Dude Man has been selected. Are you sure about your decision?}
{Y/N}
¡®As I¡¯ll ever be.¡¯ I think to myself before clicking yes.
{Name confirmed! For our player¡¯s safety, please select the type of identity scrambler you would like.}
¡®What the hell is this?¡¯ I ask myself before a series of options appear before me.
{None}
{Mask}
{Mask and Skin Color}
{Silhouette}
¡®Uhm, mask I guess?¡¯ I think before selecting it hurriedly, not wanting people to think I¡¯m stalling.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
{Please select your mask.}
This time I¡¯m presented with hundreds of thousands of options. Not willing to go through each one, I just select random. As soon as I do, it shows that I selected a simple white mask with a black geometric mandala pattern engraved on it.
¡®Alright come on, hurry it up here.¡¯ I think anxiously.
{Congratulations! Your account has been registered and you may now enjoy the fully immersive gaming experience.}
¡®Finally¡¯
Looking at my options, I select local duel, and I¡¯m immediately teleported to a different arena, this one smaller in size and, instead of a sand floor, has some kind of metal tiled floor.
Across from me I see a familiar punchable face sitting on the floor with his head resting in his hand.
¡°Finally!¡± He says jumping up quickly, ¡°Ha! I knew you¡¯d be a coward and have a mask on! True men show their face behind their actions!¡±
He then begins to stretch exaggeratedly.
¡°No more stalling now! You¡¯re about to learn the difference between bought talent, and true talent! And don¡¯t forget, the whole gym is watching! So try not to look too sorry!¡± He says smirking as if he just said the most scathing thing in the world.
Rather than entertaining him, I look around the unfamiliar place, taking in myself and my surroundings.
On my hip, to my surprise, is my trusty sword.
¡®Crazy that this place can quite literally replicate anything.¡¯ I think to myself.
I touch my face, and rather than feeling a mask placed there, instead there¡¯s nothing, as if it¡¯s not there at all. Also It¡¯s confusing that I saw no eye holes in the mask, yet I can see perfectly fine.
¡®Weird.¡¯ I think quickly.
Looking up, I see him still stretching and immediately I notice something wrong.
¡®Where¡¯s this guy¡¯s weapon? Is he really that arrogant?¡¯
Just as I¡¯m asking that, a countdown appears above the both of us, starting from ten, and slowly decreasing with each passing second.
¡®Well, if anything, this should be a good benchmark on where I compare to other people.¡¯ I think before quickly drawing my sword and entering into a ready stance, leaning forward with my muscles tensed. Across from me, I watch as Regalius squats down with one hand pointed forwards.
As soon as the counter reaches zero, I pounce, speeding towards Regalius with all I can muster. Almost immediately, his plan become clear, as he begin to pelt me with various ranged attacks that, while not threatening individually, will quickly add up if I¡¯m not careful.
The projectiles themselves are quite eclectic, from ice shards to even poison orbs, it seems anything is on the table for this guy.
I do my best to stay out of the way as best I can, but with the sheer volume of attacks he¡¯s throwing out, some of them are bound to break through.
And I¡¯m proven right, as eventually I get nicked on the leg with an ice bolt, causing a small but noticeable wound to appear.
Seeing that his barrage tactic is working, he quickly amps up the pressure sending projectile after projectile flying towards me.
I duck under a lighting bolt, roll away from a fire ball, and jump away from a wooden spear, all in the span of a couple seconds.
¡®At this rate, it¡¯ll be a test of what can last longer, his mana, or my life!¡¯ I think to myself, trying to find a way forward and towards Regalius.
I make up my mind quickly.
¡®Well, sometimes the simplest option is the best option.¡¯ I think before begin my charge forward towards the projectile blasting man.
I do my best to prioritize any object that may cause more damage than I would like, and just decide to straight up ignore anything that isn¡¯t heading for anything major.
Like this, I make my way forward, slowly at first, but eventually I step into the rhythm of things.
I block a metal throwing star and dodge a lightning bolt, stepping forward and taking a nasty bruise to my arm from a thrown rock.
This continues until, eventually, I manage to reach him and throw my sword towards his neck.
Instead of panicking like I half-expected, he quickly maneuvers into a more physical fighting style, deflecting my attack with his fists and throwing out a barrage of punches towards me. Each punch having some sort of different color around his fist, clearly indicating his wide use of elements transfers over to his physical attacks too.
Fists full of various shades of blues, greens, reds and any other color you can think of enter my vision, causing me to scramble at the surprising swiftness of the blows.
¡®Holy shit! This guy¡¯s better than I thought he¡¯d be!¡¯ I think as I block a pink covered fist heading straight for my face, sending me flying backwards.
I deftly flip in the air, managing to land on my feet, but only barely. As soon as I look up to continue the melee, I see a black bone heading straight at my chest. I roll to the side, but just like before, a barrage of projectiles follows, sending me back to square one.
¡®Goddamnit! This asshole doesn¡¯t quit!¡¯
54. Ramping Up
I quickly make the decision to try and use my aura body, as the way things are going now, I won¡¯t last more than a few more minutes.
Almost immediately after making up my mind, my leg gets pelted by a poison orb, causing a nasty, festering wound to appear.
I try my best to focus and cycle my spiritual energy as carefully as I can be with a million projectiles flying at me, but still, I manage to do it. Slowly at first, but then eventually I fall into the rhythm of things, completing each cycle faster than the last, while at the same time being extra cautious to not release my spiritual energy.
By the time I manage to reach max revolution speed, by body has been riddles with various small wounds, cuts, and bruises. I¡¯m pretty sure a rib or two is broken too, so all things considered, not the worst outcome.
Now that I¡¯ve got my revolutions going to the max, my speed and strength experience a small, but still noticeable increase.
¡®Man I really need to get the full version Aura Body! If it¡¯s even half as strong as Solace implied, my strength would be off the charts!¡¯ I muse to myself while stepping hurriedly to the side of a wooden spear.
I once again begin gaining ground towards the sly asshole, making my way forward step by step. Unlike last time though, almost none of the projectiles are able to hit me due to my increased speed.
Seeing that ranged strategy is beginning to come to an end, he does something unexpected. He begins summoning more and more projectiles, but, instead of throwing them straight at me, he somehow controls them, gathering them in a large ball above his head.
This clump of random elements then increases in size rapidly, until it¡¯s about as wide as my whole body.
The huge ball then begins to morph into two long whips before lowering quickly into Regalius¡¯ hands.
¡®Shit I see where this is going!¡¯ I say to myself before charging him quickly, trying to stay as close as possible, unwilling to let the whips use their range effectively.
Seeing me run towards him rapidly, he remains unfazed, and begins to control the whips independently from his hands, as if they had a mind of their own.
One comes racing towards my neck, forcing me to duck quickly. The other whip, not remaining idle, racing for my legs at the exact same time that I begin to duck.
It manages to reach, and instead of the sharp sting of a whip, it wraps around my leg tightly, as if it were unable to let go.
This immediately sends me into panic mode, and before I can think of a countermeasure, The whip begins dragging me upwards into the air. Unwilling to be left defenseless in the air, I resist with all the might I possibly can, all while running my revolutions fast, faster than I ever have been able to before.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
My vision grows narrow, with all my focus concentrated on one thing, the whip around my leg. My mind moves swiftly, swifter than I¡¯m used to. Just my resistance is beginning to fail my brain comes up short with ideas, other than one thing that is.
¡®SLICE THIS DAMN THING!¡¯ My mind shouts, with my body doing just that, slicing as hard as I can with all the effort I can afford.
Unfortunately my first slice does nothing, but after taking a quick breath, and I mean super quick, I once again try to slice it, as while the first attack may not have done anything significant, what it did do is delay the whip/tentacle thing.
This time, instead of slicing without thinking, I put some thought into it. I scan the tentacle for any weak points it may be suffering within a fraction of a second, wasting no time at all. I find it, a thinner spot composed of mostly wood elemental projectiles. Next, I bring my sword up, imagining the exact pressure, angle, and spot that I need to slice.
All this thinking being done before one second can even pass, with my mind moving so fast, it¡¯s almost unbelievable to me, and I¡¯m the one doing it!
The next instant, my sword flashes, slicing the whip perfectly in half, allowing for my escape from its clutches.
I immediately look towards my opponent with my still narrowed vision, and begin running yet again, this time moving even faster than before.
This time, his face betrays a hint of his panic, as he send both whips at me yet again. This time, I throw my sword at both whips, one after the other, managing to stall them long enough to finally reach my target.
Seeing that his whips are now useless, he lets go of them and begins to once again fight with his fists, while at the same time, the whips begin to morph quickly into five floating swords. This forces me to attack carefully, as not only do I have to be wary of his fists, but also the five floating clumps of elements shaped into a sword.
Luckily for me, my raw stats are enough to set the both of us on even ground. I¡¯m even able to land a blow glancing blows on him, the first since this match has started.
I parry an incoming sword while also sidestepping an incoming fist filled surrounded by a green gas. He swings blow after blow, each one swift and precise, with clear training put behind it.
I dodge and weave with the grace if a butterfly, my agility and precision to quick for him to hit by himself. His swords are the real problem, as focusing on so many things at once, even with my enhanced stats, is a tall ask.
I swing and dodge and parry and sidestep my way through the fight, each passing second longer than the last, my focus completely absorbed by the intense battle.
Eventually, I¡¯ve had enough and look to end the fight. Doing so with any normal attack would be to difficult, so I decide to take a risk.
He swings a fist once again, this one covered completely in steel. Instead of dodging like I usually would, I take the blow directly to my stomach, knocking the wind straight from my lungs and sending me to my knees.
Seeing his chance, Regalius steps in boldly, looking to finish the fight himself with an exaggerated haymaker to the face, assumedly for the people watching in the gym. As he steps into the punch, I churn my spiritual energy, stopping my revolutions, but allowing me to transfer my sword exactly where I need it, even if I¡¯m unable to bring it there myself.
In a flash of light, my sword appears directly in front of his heart. Unable to stop his momentum, he impales himself, sending my sword straight through his heart and out the back.
Shock and confusion appear on his face, before surprisingly, a small laugh trickles out of him before his body disappears into motes of colorful light. At the same time, my body is healed completely and text appears in front of me announcing my victory.
55. Reconciliation
As soon as I win, I exit the gaming pod. I¡¯m so mentally exhausted that I quite literally feel like throwing up. I do my best to look normal though, as I begin to make my way out of the gaming pod area.
Outside, I find a rapidly shrinking crowd of people animatedly talking with one another about the fight, seemingly loving every minute of it.
Contrary to the hateful glares I was getting before, I get nods of acknowledgement from various members of the crowd. I even get a few pats on the back and a couple of ¡®good fight¡¯s¡¯ or ¡®congratulations¡¯.
I feel an arm wrap itself around my shoulder, and to my surprise, I see Regalius. Rather than being bitter or angry like I would expect, he instead sports a wide, happy grin. I look at him in confusion.
¡°Man you¡¯re good! That was the most fun I¡¯ve had in ages! We should do this again sometime, but know that next time I won¡¯t be holding back!¡±
¡°Uhm¡ ok?¡± I say, confused and baffled at the scene in front of me.
¡°Oh, yeah sorry about all the trouble I was giving you before. You¡¯ve got to understand, my people, and specifically my family, hate people who don¡¯t work for what their given with a passion. So when I had heard all the rumors going around about you, I just had to come over and confront you. Plus, it would be a good way to get some extra brownie points with the fine people of this organization!¡±
¡°Uh, I¡¯m sorry, rumors?¡± I ask.
¡°Yeah, there¡¯s all kinds of stuff going around about you right now. After your very public ridiculing by Prospect Kitania, people starting going wild with rumors. Things like you being the scion of a slave trading family, or that you are so rich that you¡¯re even able to pay your way through the actual test. Lots of nasty stuff.¡± He says sagely.
¡°Really? Why the hell is that happening to me?¡± I spurt out/
¡°Well, I think your underestimating just how much pull a full prospect has in this organization. People practically worship those guys, so if someone gets denounced or criticized by one, that person¡¯s career is pretty much over at that branch. The only option is to move branches or find a new job!¡± He says giggling to himself.
I sit in silence for a few moments, taking in everything I was just told.
¡®If what he said is true, I severely underestimated just how screwed I may be. Hell, my social life may never recover!¡¯ I think to myself while sweat drips down my back.
¡°Hey hey, no need to look so gaunt! Things aren¡¯t all bad now! This little squabble we had will do wonders for your reputation. Think about it, you not only showed that you have at least some skill, enough to beat me which is impressive on it¡¯s own if you knew who I was, but us tailing like this right now looks great to the people around us. Just being around me is a good reputation boost, especially if we look all buddy buddy. So let¡¯s just say you owe me one.¡± He says, flashing a somewhat evil smile.
Hearing that last part causes me to somewhat panic.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t make you do anything unreasonable, but when the time comes, assuming you pass the upcoming test, I may need your help with a thing or two.¡± He says seriously.
I relax slightly at this and nod.
By now the crowd has almost completely disappeared. Seeing this, Regalius unwraps his arm from around my shoulder.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
¡°Well, I better head out, lots of prep work to do before the test tomorrow. You know how it is. Good luck tomorrow!¡±
With that he makes his way out of the gym. This whole ordeal still has me, quite frankly baffled. From the indiscriminate taunting, to the intensive battle, to the complete one-eighty of Regalius¡¯ demeanor, I¡¯m left staring at nothing in straight bewilderment.
I shake my head and decide to think about it later. For now I want to get at least some training done.
¡®It¡¯s already almost three o¡¯clock, so that leaves me with about three more hours before I should head back to the food court for dinner.¡¯ I think to myself
First though, I have a few notifications that need to be looked at.
It¡¯s quite surprising that I managed to gain a few mastery levels, as the assistant told me during the tour that it¡¯s about twice as hard to gain mastery levels, and actual level once inside.
It just goes to show how hard I had to push myself in that last fight that I managed to gain so many levels.
I quickly admire my status before heading off.
Name
Rowan Attain
Level
18
Class
Legacy: Skill-less Swordsman
Race
Human/Janin
Attributes
Strength ¨C 20 (+2)
Agility ¨C 56 (+2)(+8)
Dexterity(+) ¨C 86 (+2)(+4)(+8)
Endurance ¨C 21 (+2)
Perception ¨C 36 (+2)
Intelligence ¨C 22 (+2)
Willpower ¨C 79 (+2)
Masteries
Common
Swords ¨C 27
Temperance ¨C 19
Stealth ¨C 14
Sprinting ¨C 9
Exercise ¨C 7
Thievery ¨C 3
Deception ¨C 4
Killing ¨C 12
Blending In ¨C 1
Misdirection ¨C 9
Monster Hunting ¨C 10
Spirit Control ¨C 6
Item Understanding ¨C 4
Weapon Throwing (Upgradeable) - 1
Uncommon
Assassination ¨C 2
Struggle - 1
Skills
Feats
Early Killer - Very slight increased progression towards your Killing Mastery.
Swords Prodigy - Slight increased progression towards your Swords Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Temperance Prodigy - Slight increased progression towards your Temperance Mastery. +1 to all Stats.
Early Enlightenment - One trait can be chosen related to your core.
Reversal ¨C One trait can be chosen related to your recent ambush.
Punching Up ¨C +1 to all stats.
Starter¡¯s Blade ¨C +3 AP, +3 to dexterity.
Smart Spender ¨C Save all of your SP until level 10. +1 to all stats.
Novice Spirit Controller ¨C Very slight increased progression towards your Spirit Control mastery. Any cultivation abilities are slightly enhanced. +5 willpower and +5 intelligence.
Connected Mind ¨C You may upgrade your race or add a new attribute to your status. +5 intelligence and + 5 perception.
Boundless Determination ¨C Grants the Limitless trait. +10 Willpower and +10 Endurance.
Core
Sword ¨C Your sword resonates with omnipresence.
Traits
Indomitable Swordsman - Receive a slight boost to perception when in a tough situation. Scales based on willpower.
Meager Swordsman - Increased progression towards your Swords Mastery while living humbly.
Sword of Silence - Harder for enemies to detect your sword coming. Very slight increased progression towards Stealth.
Dedication to the Sword ¨C +2 to all stats when holding a sword, -2 to all stats when not. Increased progression towards Swords Mastery, decreased progression towards all other weapon and combat masteries.
Willful Gains ¨C Permanently gain 5% of your willpower in any stat. Affect continues to scale with willpower. (+3 Dexterity)
Skill-less ¨C All SP gained up to this point and onwards will be transferred into 2 AP each. Unable to acquire skills through any means. Bonus (2 * Tier) AP gained per level.
Sword of Will ¨C Gain 10% of your willpower two other stats. Can be changed once a year. (+6 Dexterity/Agility)
State of Concentration - When you achieve perfect concentration under stressful circumstances, increase your agility and perception by 1.5 times. Duration is based on willpower.
Limitless ¨C In extreme circumstance, your endurance will become equal to your highest stat.
Items
Solace¡¯s Soul Shard (Two uses left)
56. Dinner is Served
I make my way towards the gravity room. While a got a brief look at it yesterday, once I really take it in, it¡¯s something impressive for sure.
The room itself is somewhat bland d¨¦cor wise, but what really makes it stand out is the size of the place. It¡¯s about a football field in length, width and height, making for a giant cube of a room that really shouldn¡¯t even be able to fit inside the building.
¡®I¡¯ll just chalk it up to that fancy spatial magic I learned about.¡¯ I say to myself.
Walking inside, I find about twenty or so people, each one at a different spot in the room. The assistant let me know that the further I travel into the room, the more intense the gravity becomes. From one point one times all the way to twenty times.
Surprisingly, I see the male prospect from earlier, with the black tattoo on his face, all the way at the end pf the room, with no one even coming close to him.
¡®Holy shit! That guy¡¯s a maniac! How do even manage to do that?!¡¯ I think as I watch him practice some sort of martial arts as if he wasn¡¯t affected by the gravity at all.
Not wanting to waste any more time, I begin to walk forward. I start at one point one times. While I do feel a small difference, I can easily go further.
I take one more step into one point two, which still isn¡¯t enough to get me to feel anything.
This continues all the way until I reach one point nine. At that point, moving is becoming difficult and I need to spend a considerable amount of effort for even the smallest of movements.
I decide that this is a good place to give it a go, and with that I begin my training in earnest, bringing out my sword and practice my basic movements.
Almost immediately I begin to sweat buckets, doing my best to control my movements as precisely as possible.
After an hour, I make my way towards the rest area with heavy steps, bathing in the relief I feel when I finally reach normal gravity.
My current state can only be described as sorry. With my hair stuck directly to my head with sweat, and my clothes looking like I just came out of a swimming pool.
Seeing the people around me with minimal clothes, I¡¯m guessing that most people elect not to ruin their clothes in such a way every time they enter, which makes sense all things considered.
I take off my shirt and slowly recuperate my stamina for a few minutes. Seeing as I managed to gain a whole mastery level doing this, I must be doing something right. As the old-world used to say, ¡®if it ain¡¯t broke, don¡¯t fix it.¡¯
So with that I head back in for round two, I decide that I should lower the difficulty a tad, just so that I can actually make it for another two hours.
I swing my sword over and over, each swing harder than the last, but still I persist, unwilling to allow myself to give up.
¡®Man this is awesome! This is just like the good ol¡¯ days back home! Training like it was nobody¡¯s business!¡¯ I think as I continue to find my rhythm.
Finally, I end my little training session almost immediately after receiving those two notification. At the point, I¡¯ve been going for close to three and a half hour total. Most everyone who was here when I when I arrived is long gone, except for that prospect who is still exercising like it¡¯s nothing in the twenty times zone.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
Sensing my gaze, he looks up from his training and sees me staring at him. His face shows a hint of surprise, assumedly at the fact that I¡¯m still here, and he nods to me.
I nod back before grabbing my shirt from the rest area and leaving the gym entirely.
¡®Man this place is great! I¡¯ve made more gains here today than I would have in almost a week of training on Earth!¡¯
With that being done, I make my way back to my room, shower, and head over the food court for the second time today, this time hopefully less eventful than the first.
As soon as I enter, I notice the sheer quantity of people in the court. Granted it is around dinner time, so it really shouldn¡¯t be surprising, but it still baffles me how large this place is sometimes.
I grab sort of stew along with a small loaf of purple bread, and look around for a seat. As I do, People all around me continue to look at me, but this time instead of angry glares, I seem to be getting a wide variety of looks.
Some very openly hostile, some curious, even a few friendly smiles here and there. It seems everyone has figured out their opinion of me already. It¡¯s really quite unfair because I know literally none of these people, and I guarantee they don¡¯t know me. All they know is I had a public spout with that Kitania person, and I had a spar with Regalius, though I suppose that¡¯s just how it is around here, for better or for worse.
¡®Hopefully when I actually become a full-time prospect things will be at least a bit better. Eventually I spot Regalius at a table with a small group of people around him at a table, all with heavy mugs in their hands.
Spotting me, he gives me a friendly smile before beckoning me over. The group at the table, all wondering what Regalius is looking at, all see me and like the rest of the crowd, a variety of looks pass over their face.
The group itself is quite eclectic in terms of race, size, and shape, but one thing they all have in common is that they look tough, dirty, and gritty.
I walk up to the group just as Regalius introduces me.
¡°Fellas, this here¡¯s Rowan as I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard. Don¡¯t let the rumors going around about him fool ya, he¡¯s a good guy!¡± He says as everyone at the table looks at me to get my measure.
¡°Uh yeah, thanks. Yeah I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve heard about me, but it¡¯s probably not true.¡± I say, wondering how Regalius could possible determine if I¡¯m a good guy or not considering we¡¯ve only had one interaction that could be considered neutral at best.
¡°Yeah? What about all that talk of the silver spoon you¡¯ve had your whole life huh? You tellin me you¡¯re not rich, cause by looks of it, you¡¯ve got rich kid screaming all over you.¡± A dwarf says while glaring at me.
¡°Uh nope, actually quite the opposite if anything. I come from the slums on a backwater planet so it¡¯d be tough to consider myself rich, though recently I¡¯ve had a bit of a lucky streak in terms of making connections.¡± I say while nervously scratching the back of my head and finally taking the seat in front of me.
¡°That so¡¡± the dwarf says, clearly not convinced.
¡°Oh please, no need to be so wary. Rowan, these guys are all the company¡¯s mechanics. This whole system runs thanks to them.¡± He says while waving his finger around us.
The group then swells with pride at that, with grunts, laughs and cheers resounding through the group of ten or so men and women.
¡°Really sounds hard.¡± I say genuinely.
¡°Your damn right it¡¯s hard! But with what this place is payin, it¡¯s damn worth it if you ask me!¡± A green humanoid that I assume to be a Janin says while laugh boisterously.
With that I¡¯m promptly told various times about how hard their job is but how much they love it anyway. I swear it¡¯s like they have Stockholm syndrome or something.
I manage to finish my meal quietly, luckily not having to interact with people too much, though I do give a few nods here and there when people ask me something.
At the same time, Regalius interacts with the group as if he¡¯s just like them, a mechanic at a large organization with a tough job but a good, honest living. He blends in so well in fact, that it¡¯s almost scary.
Eventually the group all head off, ready to head home for the day and one by one, the table clears out until it¡¯s just me and Regalius left.
¡°Man how the hell do you do it? Those guys loved you, it¡¯s like you guys have been friends for years.¡± I ask him, curiously about his wicked and twisted ways.
¡°Ha! It¡¯s not hard! You just gotta treat them with respect, and in turn you shall receive respect! You¡¯re overcomplicating things my friend! Plus, the more people I get to know now, the easier my integration will be into this organization when I inevitably pass tomorrow¡¯s test!¡± He says, smiling from ear to ear.
¡°Uh huh.¡± I say, clearly not convinced, ¡°What makes you so sure you¡¯re gonna pass anyway?¡± I ask.
¡°Well I¡¯m an actual rank 2 talent, for starters. The main purpose of this test is to test whether a person really is a rank 2 talent or if they¡¯re lying. Also, while you may have beaten me in today¡¯s battle, that wasn¡¯t even close to my full capabilities. Some people even like to call me a rank 1 talent, though I still believe I have a bit to go before I can call myself that.¡±
A few moments of silence pass before I finally say,
¡°Man you¡¯re awfully chatty huh.¡± I say with a smirk.
Regalius stares at me for a few seconds, clearly processing the fact that I made a joke, before dying of laughter, slapping his knee and all.
¡°Man, I knew you were a good guy! You¡¯ll do great tomorrow, I¡¯m sure of it my friend!¡± He says, still wiping his eyes from laughter.
¡°Yeah, I sure hope you¡¯re right about that¡¡±