《Of Kings and Commoners》 Chapter 1 - The End and the Beginning The double doors of the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center swung open, releasing Renly Alfred into the harsh afternoon light. He squinted, his hazel eyes struggling to adjust after eight hours of staring at exam screens. A hollow feeling lingered in him, the weight of months spent studying for an 8-hour licensing exam still sinking in. The thought alone made him feel drained, as though the effort had cost more than just time. His phone vibrated in his pocket. Renly fumbled for it, his fingers still cramped from furiously clicking through question after question of pathophysiology and pharmacology. Jake: Survived the slaughter? A weak smile crossed Renly''s face. Jake Moreno had been his roommate since undergrad¡ªthe one constant through four years of pre-med hell and now two years of actual medical hell. While Renly buried himself in textbooks, Jake balanced his own engineering coursework with an almost supernatural ability to maintain a social life. Renly: Barely. Brain feels like scrambled eggs. Jake: Perfect time for beer then! Meeting some people at Murphy''s at 8. You in? Renly stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk, catching himself on a light pole. The thought of shouting over music in a crowded bar made his head throb harder. Renly: Rain check. Need sleep for approximately 72 hours. Jake: Weak sauce, Ren. But fair. I''ll drink one for your dead brain cells. Renly: Make it two. He pocketed his phone and continued his zombie shuffle toward the bus stop. Three blocks had never felt so far. Eight years of education, thousands of flashcards, and endless nights of study had culminated in today''s exam¡ªthe gatekeeper to his clinical rotations. A car horn blared nearby, making him flinch. Renly realized he''d been standing at a crosswalk, staring blankly at the pavement. The walk signal had cycled through twice without him noticing. He crossed the street, his body moving on autopilot. Jake would understand his absence tonight. That was their friendship¡ªJake pulled Renly out of his study cave when the isolation grew too heavy, and Renly kept Jake grounded when his spontaneity veered toward self-destruction. They balanced each other. The bus stop bench appeared before him like an oasis. Renly stepped onto the bus and collapsed onto a seat, his backpack sliding to the ground. For the first time in months, he took a deep breath that wasn''t tinged with anxiety. One hurdle cleared. A moment to breathe before the next. The bus lurched forward, its ancient suspension creaking under each pothole. Renly slumped against the window, his temple pressed to the cool glass. The world outside blurred into streaks of autumn colors, buildings and trees melting together as his eyes unfocused. Three days. Three blessed days of nothing but his bed and his tablet. No more cramming pathology terms, no more practice questions. Just him and his growing collection of webnovels. His fingers twitched toward his pocket, already itching to pull up the latest chapter of "Of Kings and Commoners." The protagonist had just unlocked his system, discovering his hidden talent for the sword arts. Renly''s lips curved into a tired smile. There was something satisfying about watching the downtrodden rise up and demolish their oppressors. It played a stark contrast with the current state of the world. As a medical student, Renly wasn''t ignorant to the fact that the healthcare system was broken. He hated that despite his best intentions, he knew entering the healthcare system was to become a cog in a machine ¡ª submitting to the pressures of the healthcare conglomerates and pharmaceutical corporations that prioritize your net billing numbers over patient outcomes. The bus hit another pothole, jarring him from darker thoughts. This was why he escaped into stories. Tales where the peasant boy discovered he was actually the strongest mage in existence. Where corrupt nobles trembled before the might of the common folk. Where justice actually meant something. His stop approached, the familiar sight of College Square''s run-down shops coming into view. Renly pulled the cord, shouldering his backpack as the bus wheezed to a halt. The walk to his apartment complex stretched before him¡ªfive minutes of putting one foot in front of the other. The setting sun painted long shadows across cracked sidewalks. His building rose ahead, a testament to 1970s architecture with its weathered brick facade and rusted fire escapes. Not pretty, but the rent fit a student''s budget. Besides, the wifi was decent enough to stream his novels without buffering. The security door''s lock stuck as usual. Renly jiggled his key, throwing his shoulder into the push until it gave way. The fluorescent lights in the lobby flickered in greeting, casting their sickly glow over peeling wallpaper and stained carpet. Home sweet home. At least for the next forty-eight hours, it would be his sanctuary. Just him, his bed, and countless chapters of common-born heroes bringing arrogant nobles to their knees. ~*~ Two days later, Renly''s apartment resembled a disaster zone. Empty energy drink cans formed a metallic constellation across his desk. Takeout containers created their own miniature skyline on his nightstand. His sheets lay tangled at the foot of his bed, kicked off during hours of restless tossing. His bloodshot eyes burned as they tracked across his tablet screen. The clock in the corner read 4:37 AM. Another sleepless night. "You''ve got to be kidding me!" Renly muttered, scrolling frantically through the latest chapter of "Of Kings and Commoners." His thumb jabbed at the screen with increasing force. "No, no, no, no, NO! Not her too!!" Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The protagonist, Alfred, had just watched his fianc¨¦e die in his arms¡ªpoisoned by the same duke whose father had murdered Alfred''s adoptive parents fifteen years earlier. It was the third person Alfred had loved and lost in as many story arcs. Renly threw the tablet onto his pillow and stressingly pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. The advertisement that had hooked him flashed through his mind: "Read this satisfying tale as Alfred, a commoner, rises up to fight for justice in a corrupt magical world, reclaiming what was rightfully his." What a joke! Satisfying?! You had got to be kidding!! Nothing about this story delivered on that promise. Alfred never reclaimed ANYTHING! Every time he gained something¡ªpower, allies, love¡ªit was violently stripped away. Born in secret to a queen who couldn''t acknowledge him, abandoned in a forest as an infant, Alfred had been taken in by kind villagers. For eight brief years, he''d known happiness. Then a passing noble killed his adoptive parents on a whim, simply because they hadn''t bowed low enough. From that moment, Alfred''s life became an endless cycle of struggle and loss. He''d fought, schemed, and sacrificed to rise above his station. He''d uncovered ancient magic, built alliances, and challenged corrupt aristocrats. But the cost was always too high. Now, 978 chapters in, Alfred teetered on the edge of insanity, his quest for justice warped into a thirst for vengeance that consumed everything good about him. Renly dragged himself to the kitchen and filled a glass with tap water. His reflection in the window above the sink looked ghostly¡ªpale skin, dark circles under his eyes, three days of stubble shadowing his jaw. He too felt like he was teetering on the edge of insanity. The author had to be a sadist! Just when he thought there would be a satisfying end, the author had to make Alfred suffer through another traumatizing experience, all in the name of ''character building.'' Fuck that! The sound of a key in the lock made him turn. The door swung open, revealing Jake, his roommate and best friend since freshman year, dressed in hospital scrubs. "Dude, you look like actual death." Jake dropped his backpack by the door. "Please tell me you haven''t been reading that novel for two straight days." Renly leaned against the counter. "I can''t stop. It''s like watching a train wreck in slow motion." "You know normal people read happy stories to escape reality, right?" Jake opened the fridge, grimaced at the contents, and closed it again. "Not... whatever masochistic thing you''re doing." "I keep thinking it''ll get better." Renly ran a hand through his unwashed hair. "The advertisement promised a satisfying story about justice and reclaiming what was stolen. Instead, it''s just endless suffering." "So stop reading." "I can''t. I''m invested now. I need to know if Alfred ever catches a break." Jake sighed, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl. "From what you''ve told me, that seems unlikely." "You don''t understand." Renly''s voice cracked with frustration. "Alfred deserves better. He''s spent his entire life fighting against a system designed to crush him. He watched his adoptive parents die when he was eight. Eight, Jake. And every time he builds something¡ªa relationship, a home, a purpose¡ªit gets destroyed." "It''s just a story, Ren." "Is it, though?" Renly stared into his water glass. "UGH! Whatever. I''m going to sleep." Renly pushed himself off the counter and turned to head for his room. As he took a step, the floor seemed to ripple beneath his feet. A deep, low rumble filled the air, and he stumbled. "What the¡ª" Renly managed before a violent tremor shook the apartment. The glass of water slipped from his hand, shattering on the tile floor. His legs buckled, sending him sprawling next to the shards. He could feel the cold seeping through his clothes, but his mind was elsewhere. It was like a thousand voices whispered in unison, muffling Jake¡¯s frantic shouts. "Ren! Hey! Renly!" Jake''s voice wavered with panic. "What¡¯s happening? You¡¯re supposed to be the medical student, not me!" Renly¡¯s vision blurred. Jake''s face hovered above him, a look of fear etched into every line. His mouth moved, but the words seemed distant and garbled. "I¡¯m calling for help! Don''t die on me, Renly!" The world around Renly felt like it was dissolving into darkness. A swirling vortex of thoughts and memories sucked him in¡ªimages of Alfred''s countless struggles and defeats flashed before his eyes. ¡°Damn this novel... Damn medical school... Damn it all¡­¡± His body grew heavy as though gravity itself had multiplied tenfold. He tried to focus on Jake¡¯s face, on anything familiar, but it was like grasping at smoke. His consciousness slipped further away, leaving behind only a sense of helpless frustration and bitter resignation. The whispers grew louder, blending into a cacophony that drowned out everything else. The last thing Renly saw before darkness claimed him was Jake''s tear-streaked face mouthing silent words that he could no longer hear. ~*~ Renly''s head throbbed as he regained consciousness. He squinted against the dappled sunlight filtering through the dense canopy above, the earthy scent of the forest assaulting his senses. His mind swirled with confusion, memories of his apartment and Jake''s frantic shouts fading into an incomprehensible haze. "What the fuck... how did I get here?" Renly muttered, his voice hoarse and disbelieving. His hand pressed against his aching temple, feeling the rough dirt beneath him. This wasn''t a dream; it was too vivid, too painfully real. His muscles protested as he pushed himself upright. The forest around him was alive with the sound of rustling leaves and chirping birds, but it did little to calm his racing heart. The last thing he remembered was collapsing in his apartment, and now he was¡­ in the middle of a forest? He must be dreaming. A sudden rustle nearby snapped him out of his daze. Renly''s eyes darted toward the source of the noise, just in time to see a rock hurtling toward him with alarming speed. He barely had time to react before it whizzed past his ear, missing him by mere inches. "Shit!" His heart pounded in his chest as he scrambled to his feet, his mind barely able to keep up with his body. Instinct took over; he dashed to the nearest tree for cover, pressing his back against the rough bark. His breath came in quick gasps as he scanned the forest floor. To his surprise, everything seemed sharper than before¡ªthe leaves were more defined, every blade of grass crystal clear. He could see further into the forest than he''d ever thought possible. Everything felt off ¡ª it felt like more, but Renly couldn''t explain it, but he tucked the thought away for later, assuming there was a later. Steps crunched on the other side of the tree, and Renly held his breath. Whoever¡ªor whatever¡ªwas out there was closing in fast. He strained to hear more clearly, trying to gauge their movements. Before he could react, pain exploded in his right abdomen, a gash opening way to blood as Renly ran in the only direction he could ¡ª forward. His mind was rushing faster than it ever had before, trying to come up with an explanation, a reason, a plan. But there was no time. Renly could hear his attacker getting closer and closer, the sounds of leaves crumpling under feet getting louder as he ran. Ducking behind the closest tree, Renly immediately turned and grabbed the hand pushing the knife into his body, twisting the knife and falling onto the ground ¡ª into his attacker''s chest. Coming off a high of adrenaline, Renly hyperventilated, and he could feel his consciousness leaving him a second time. Except, this time, it wasn''t surrounded by his kitchen counter with the words of his friend Jake echoing in the background. This time, he lay bleeding on top of a dead green goblin-looking creature, with words that seemed to go straight into his mind replaying in his head: [Congratulations. You have slain: Low Goblin. +1 Level. System initializing. Generating rewards¡­] Before Renly could process the glowing text searing itself into his mind, the world tilted, his vision darkening as unconsciousness dragged him under a second time. Chapter 2 - The End and the Beginning Pt. II Pain erupted through Renly''s side as consciousness returned, each breath sending fresh waves of agony through his body. The forest floor pressed against his back, and his blood soaked shirt was pressed tightly against him. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." His voice cracked as he pressed his hand against the wound. Warm liquid seeped between his fingers. The dead goblin lay a few feet away, its grotesque features frozen in a permanent snarl. Renly''s head spun as he pushed himself up, teeth clenched against the stabbing pain. He stumbled, catching himself on a nearby tree trunk. The rough bark dug into his palm as he leaned against it, fighting the urge to vomit. "This can''t be real. This isn''t happening." But the pain felt too sharp, too present to be a dream. With trembling hands, he peeled off his blood-soaked shirt. The gash along his side wasn''t as deep as he''d feared, but it needed attention. His medical training kicked in through the haze of panic. He folded his shirt into a makeshift bandage, wrapping it around his torso. Each movement sent fresh spikes of pain through his body. "Shit, that hurts like a MOFO!" The forest stretched endlessly in every direction, identical trees creating a maze of shadows and filtered sunlight. No paths, no signs of civilization. Just wilderness and the corpse of something that shouldn''t exist. "Where the hell am I?" Renly slumped against the tree, his legs weak beneath him. "Jake? HELLO?" His voice echoed through the trees, answered only by birdsong and rustling leaves. "This is insane. I''m in a hospital somewhere, right? Bad reaction to stress or something?" But even as he said it, Renly knew it wasn''t true. The forest felt too vivid, his senses too sharp. The way he could pick out individual leaves fifty feet away, hear the scurrying of small animals in the underbrush. His fingers traced the makeshift bandage, already soaking through with blood. "What the actual fuck is going on?" The words came out as a desperate laugh. "One minute I''m reading that stupid novel, the next I''m fighting for my life against a goddamn goblin? Can''t I catch a goddamned break?" The pain in his side throbbed in time with his racing heart. Renly closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing. "Okay, okay. Think. You''re not dead. That''s good. You''re hurt but not critically. Also good." He opened his eyes, scanning the forest again. "But you''re completely lost in the middle of nowhere, possibly hallucinating, definitely bleeding, and talking to yourself like a crazy person. Less good." A flicker of movement caught Renly''s attention - something in the corner of his vision. He blinked, focusing on what appeared to be a floating box with [Notification: 1] written in it. The text hung in the air like a hologram, but moved with his vision as he turned his head. "Great. Now I''m hallucinating." His fingers pressed against the bandage, the pain sharp enough to confirm he wasn''t dreaming. The notification stayed put, hovering just at the edge of his sight. Renly reached out, trying to touch the floating text. His hand passed through it, and the box followed his eye movement perfectly. "Of course it does." He let out a bitter laugh. "Because why wouldn''t there be video game mechanics after fighting a goblin?" "Notifications?" The word fell flat in the forest air. Nothing happened. The box continued to mock him with its presence. "Status?" Renly tried, feeling ridiculous talking to thin air. The notification box remained unchanged. "Menu? Options? Help?" Each attempt met with silence. Blood seeped through his makeshift bandage as he slumped against the tree. The novels he''d spent countless hours reading flashed through his mind - all those stories of people transported to other worlds, usually with some kind of system interface. "System." The air in front of him shimmered, and a translucent blue screen materialized: [System configuration processing...] Renly''s breath caught in his throat. "Holy shit." The words came out as a whisper, his heart pounding against his ribs. The forest around him suddenly felt more alien, more dangerous. This wasn''t just a strange dream or hallucination - this was real. ===Status=== Name: Renly Alfred Rank: G- Strength (STR): G- Agility (AGI): G+ Stamina (STA): G+ Intelligence (INT): F- Luck (LUC): G- Charm (CHA): G- Talent: ??? Summary: Weak. Below average. ============ [Notifications: You have pending notifications. Would you like to see them?] Renly''s eye twitched at the ''below average'' classification from the system. Seriously? If he were going to be dumped into a forest with goblins to fend for his life, he''dve hoped for some sort of compensatory buff. But no, fuck that, he had nothing but his sleep-deprived self and a weird-ass system. "Yes," he sighed. [Notification [1]: Welcome User Renly to the world of Kabsoth. You have accepted your summons and have slain your first monster, activating this system. As repentence for these sudden summons, you may select (1) Skill and (1) Manual. Choose wisely, as your manual will determine your battle style in this new world. Please see below: [Manual]: Would you like to select a learning manual? (Y/N) [Skills]: Would you like to select a skill? (Y/N)] If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Selecting Yes to both, he looked down upon his options. [Manual: Mage Manuals (Expand) Requires F-tier INT Swordsman Manuals (Expand) Requires F-tier STA Assassin Manuals (Expand) Requires F-tier AGI Martial Manuals (Expand) Requires F-tier STR Tamer Manuals (Expand) Requires F-tier CHA ¡­] Renly stared at the floating requirements, a bitter laugh escaping his throat. His side throbbed with each heartbeat, blood seeping through his makeshift bandage. Some otherworldly summoning system had dragged him here, and it couldn''t even give him decent stats? "F-tier intelligence? Really?" His medical degree apparently meant nothing in this world. The rest of his stats were even worse - mostly G-tier. What kind of shit build was this? A rustling in the distance made him flinch. The dead goblin''s blank eyes stared at him from the forest floor, a stark reminder that he didn''t have time to whine about his stats. Whatever had brought him here hadn''t bothered with his safety - he needed power, and fast. "Expand Mage Manuals," Renly muttered, his fingers pressing harder against his wound. At least he qualified for something. The screen shimmered, revealing a list that made his eyes widen: [Mage Manuals: "Holy shit." Renly''s breath caught in his throat. These weren''t just spell books - they were paths to godlike power. Each description promised abilities beyond his wildest dreams. But something felt off. Why would a system that labeled him as "weak" offer such powerful manuals? There had to be a catch. His years of reading web novels had taught him that much - nothing this good came without strings attached. His wound pulsed, reminding him of his precarious situation. Blood loss was making his head spin, and who knew what other dangers lurked in these woods? He couldn''t afford to waste time overthinking this. "I need something practical," he muttered, scanning the list again. "Something that can keep me alive right now." Renly''s fingers traced the edge of his blood-soaked bandage. The Manuscript of Blood and Bone''s description called to him - the power to manipulate his own life force, to potentially heal himself. Plus, he wondered if his medical knowledge could give him an edge in understanding it. Still, he had some issues with the option. "Blood magic." He grimaced, letting his hand fall away from the wound. "Because that always ends well for the protagonist." The dead goblin''s blank stare seemed to mock his indecision. In every story he''d read, blood magic practitioners either went insane or became social outcasts - or both. His intuition screamed at him about the dangers of messing with blood flow and life force. One wrong move, one miscalculation, and he could kill himself faster than any goblin. Plus, he had no idea how this world viewed such practices. For all he knew, blood magic users, like necromancers, might be hunted down and executed. It was common enough in the novels he read. "Not worth the risk." He shifted his focus to the other manuals. As much as he thought mind magic, space magic, and void magic were cool, he knew he needed power fast, and he doubted those manuals promised immediate power. His eyes shot instantly to the Magus-Knight and Arcane Vanguard classes. "Arcane-forged weapons, enchanted armor, and spell-infused strikes allow the user to dominate in both ranged and melee battles. Every spell is a blade, every swing a storm of magical destruction." It seemed like compared to the Arcane Vanguard, the Magus-Knight class relied on weaponry, like a magic swordsman, but one that prioritized magic over swordsmanship. He figured there would be a similar manual option under the Swordsmanship manuals tab. Still, he dismissed those options. He had to prioritize the now, and right now, Renly was stuck in the middle of a forest with no food, no resources, and no idea of where he could find local civilization. In other words, he was fucked. The pain in his side flared as he straightened up. "Show me the Arcane Vanguard details." [Arcane Vanguard selected. Warning: This path requires intense physical conditioning alongside magical training. Are you sure? Y/N] "Yes." Physical training he could handle. He was sure regardless of the manual he chose, each would have similarly difficult conditions. He wasn''t left with much of a choice. [Manual acquired: The Arcane Vanguard (Lvl 1) Description: An ancient battle doctrine refined by the legendary Arcane Legions, mages who stood at the frontlines thousands of years ago, wielding raw elemental force with unparalleled precision. This manual does not teach mere spells¡ªit engraves an instinctive understanding of the fundamental forces that shape the world. Masters of the Arcane Vanguard do not simply cast fire, water, wind, or earth; they move with them, strike through them, and weave them into seamless, fluid combat. [Acquiring knowledge¡­] The knowledge flooded into his mind, not like reading a book but like remembering something he''d always known. His body tingled with newfound awareness of the elements around him - the air currents, the moisture in the soil, the heat in his own blood. Renly stared at his palm, the knowledge of elemental manipulation humming through his mind like a half-remembered song. He focused on heat, on the essence of fire, and a small flame burst to life above his hand. "Holy shit." The flame danced, responding to his thoughts. "I''m like a fucking firebender." He waved his hand, watching the fire follow his movements. The warmth tickled his skin without burning, completely under his control. The novelty wore off quickly as another wave of pain shot through his side. "Right. Cool powers later, survival now." He extinguished the flame with a thought and turned his attention back to the floating interface. "Skills." A translucent list materialized before him, dozens of options scrolling past his vision. Renly scanned them rapidly, most blurring together in a haze of pain and desperation. One skill caught his eye. The description was frustratingly vague, but he knew that this was what he needed. Especially now. "If I can''t see what''s coming, none of these other abilities will matter," he muttered, pressing his hand against his wounded side. The goblin had almost killed him because he hadn''t seen it coming. In this world, the next surprise might be his last. "Select Eternal Vigilance." [Skill acquired: Eternal Vigilance (Lvl 1) Processing... Integration beginning...] The world shifted. Colors became sharper, shadows deeper. Renly blinked rapidly as his vision adjusted, details jumping out at him that he''d missed before. The pattern of bark on trees seemed to hold meaning now, the movement of leaves telling stories about wind currents and hidden paths. He looked at the dead goblin, and information flickered at the edges of his awareness. Not words exactly, but impressions¡ªweak points in its armor, the way its muscles had been tensed for attack, the slight favoring of its left leg that might have been exploited. "Okay," Renly breathed, his heart racing with possibilities. "This... this I can work with."