Chapter 5: Arrival To Mining Town

The game's tutorial system guided my every move, offering a crash course in essential gameplay mechanics. It first urged me to navigate the bustling plaza, an exercise in acclimatizing to the virtual world. As I roamed, a few fellow players joined me, their avatars darting about in a lively dance. Though I was no stranger to this introductory ritual, it was a necessary means to claim my coveted starter gear package.

With the tutorial behind us, we received our initial equipment and learned the ropes of logging out and accessing the user interface. These were well-trodden paths for me, like revisiting a familiar haunt. As the tutorial wound down, I consulted the in-game map and marked my next destination.

This marked the inception of my journey: Mining Town. Thousands of players swarmed the area after the tutorial's conclusion, creating a chaotic, lively atmosphere. Today marked the grand opening of the game's servers, attracting an influx of eager adventurers. Soon, the starting point would become a sea of humanity, making it a challenge to navigate until the initial frenzy subsided. Seizing the opportunity, I made my way from the bustling plaza, opting to explore the nearby stalls, hoping to uncover any hidden changes. Despite not being a day-one player, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd missed any significant developments during the game's launch.

Mining Town, despite its quaint charm, offered little in terms of intrigue. A cursory exploration revealed no secrets, leaving it as little more than a gathering spot for newcomers, devoid of current excitement.

Finding the beginner's haven lacking in stimulation, I turned my attention to my character's profile, diving into the intricacies of my statistics. Understanding the stat distribution was essential, especially for a Versatile Class like mine. Unlike the Magic Knight, whose strengths lay in STR and INT, my character's stats were a puzzle waiting to be unraveled.

...

Character Profile:

- Name: Bladeheart

- Level: 0

- EXP: 0/1000

- HP: 200/200

- MP: 100/100

Attributes:

- STR: Very Poor[AP:5/100]

- AGI: Very Poor[AP:5/100]

- DEX: Very Poor[AP:5/100]

- END: Very Poor[AP:5/100]

- INT: Very Poor[AP:5/100]

AP left to spend: 10

Title: None

Skills: None

SP left to spend: 50

Equipment:

- Head: None

- Upper Body: Normal Shirt

- Lower Body: Normal Pants

- Shoes: Normal Boots

- Gloves: None

- Necklace: None

- Left Arm: None

- Right Arm: None

- Ring: None

- Weapon: None

Looking at the daunting numbers in my EXP bar, it hit me like a ton of bricks - I needed a whopping 1000 experience points just to level up to level 1. A seemingly insurmountable task compared to the other classes, which required a mere 500 EXP for their first level-up. It was a tough pill to swallow, especially considering that the required EXP would double with each subsequent level. Level 1 meant 2000 EXP, Level 2 meant 4000, and so on. The grind ahead was going to be a marathon, not a sprint.

My attributes, labeled "Very Poor," were a stark reminder of how far I had to go. To improve my stats, I'd have to invest in Ability Points (AP), which I earned with each level-up. Special achievements and quests could also net me extra AP, giving me a fighting chance. Each attribute had nine levels of mastery, from "Very Poor" to "Perfect Mastery," and I had a meager 5 AP invested in each. It might not look like much, but it was a start, leaving me with 95 AP to allocate and dreams of reaching "Perfect Mastery."

Oh, and as for the levels of mastery, these are the nine mastery levels:

1. Very Poor

2. Poor

3. Fair

4. Good

5. Very Good

6. Excellent

7. Expert

8. Master

9. Perfect Mastery

The level cap remained a mystery, but I vaguely recalled it being set at 1000. That meant I had plenty of room to grow, with my stats potentially reaching "Very Good" as early as level 200. But if I wanted to ascend to the god-like heights of "Perfect Mastery," it would take blood, sweat, and a lot of quests offering AP as rewards.

AP wasn't the only path to strength; equipment played a vital role. Equipping items with stat bonuses could widen my AP bar, but the catch was that it was temporary. Unequip the gear, and my stats would revert. Balancing gear and permanent stat growth was the name of the game.

Attributes were just part of the equation. Weapon and armor stats factored in too. Boosted by gear, my attack power and defense could skyrocket. The ultimate goal was to become overpowered, rendering farming for AP unnecessary. Some players swore by this approach, while others, like monks, embraced a challenge by relying solely on their stats.

Checking my skills, I discovered a treasure trove of possibilities. I had access to all class skill trees, a perk of the "Versatile" class. Typically, players earned Skill Points (SP) as they leveled up, but "Versatile" players had a unique advantage. By using specific weapons or skills belonging to a class, I could gain class-specific SP. It was a grind, but it unlocked a world of skills without relying solely on the standard SP earned through leveling.

In summary, if I craved a specific skill but lacked the Free SP from leveling up, I could immerse myself in grinding. Using class-specific weapons and skills would reward me with the needed SP, making skill acquisition a flexible and dynamic journey in my quest for power.

Now, let's dive into my inventory – a treasure trove of pockets, each with its own unique purpose. Picture it like a well-organized backpack, but with a mystical twist. There's the Equipment pocket, the Scrolls pocket, the Consumable pocket, the Miscellaneous pocket, and the enigmatic Key Items pocket. Each one boasts an impressive 300 slots, but here's the kicker: when it comes to stacking items, the sky's the limit. No more frustrating back-and-forths, dumping stuff, and rushing back to collect the rest. It's inventory bliss!

First up, the Equipment pocket – a safe haven for weapons and armor, a true warrior's sanctuary. Meanwhile, the Scrolls pocket is like a wizard's library, housing scrolls, contracts, and even blank paper and map fragments. As for the Consumable Pocket, think of it as your survival kit, stocked with potions, food, magical trinkets, and any consumable goodies you can imagine. The Miscellaneous pocket is the place for those oddities – ingredients, monster parts, and anything that defies easy categorization. Lastly, we have the Key Items pocket, the Fort Knox of inventory, where crucial items are stashed away, safe from accidental drops – unless death himself demands it.

Sounds fantastic, right? Well, there's a catch. Those 300 slots might seem generous at first, but as the game unfolds, they'll feel as cramped as a sardine can. Fear not, though, for you can expand your inventory with special items – a game-changer in the making.

I eagerly delved into my Equipment pocket, only to find a collection of underwhelming default armor and weapons from the tutorial. They might as well be made of cardboard for all the good they'll do me now. The Scrolls pocket was empty, but the Consumable pocket held a lifeline in the form of nine small HP potions and nine small MP potions – the remnants of my tutorial rewards.

...

[Small HP Potion]

Duration: Instant

Type: Consumable

Effect: Restores 100 HP upon consumption.

Note: This potion might be sweet, but it's just a small sip of relief.

[Small MP Potion]

Duration: Instant

Type: Consumable

Effect: Replenishes 50 MP upon consumption.

Note: This potion might taste like sh*t, but desperate times call for desperate flavors. Perhaps, you would soon take a liking to it, unless you like to eat sh*t in the first place.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the familiarity of these potions; they were still the same old remedies. A quick scan of the other pockets revealed emptiness, except for the mysterious chest nestled in the Key Items pocket. Could this be the item bestowed upon me? My curiosity piqued, and I decided to investigate further.

Unveiling the contents of my inventory, I discovered a solitary item nestled in its own glory:

-----

[The Mysterious Gift]

Type: Enigmatic Treasure Chest

Notice: Contains *****'s Gift for you.

------

Enigmatic chest? That is a new term I just encountered by now. But it does have a nice ring to it, making the chest very important. With a sense of intrigue, I couldn't help but wonder who this enigmatic gift was from. Though my hunch led me to believe it might be a token from Nobuhiko, the uncertainty gnawed at me.

Suddenly, a chiming sound rang through the air like a mystical bell.

BING!

"You have acquired a God Tier treasure, the Versatile Weapon!"

My curiosity piqued, and I swiftly navigated to my Equipment Pocket, eager to uncover the nature of this newfound treasure. There, I spotted an empty slot adorned with a perplexing question mark icon. Could this be the Versatile Weapon I'd just acquired? I wasted no time in clicking to inspect its hidden potential:

Name: Versatile Weapon

Weapon Level: 0

Type: Weapon Equipment

Rarity: God Tier

Usable at Level 0

Usable by: The Versatile

Strength: +10

Agility: +10

Dexterity: +10

Endurance: +10

Intelligence: +10

Special Abilities:

1. Devour - Capable of consuming other weapons and armor to enhance its own power. Its appearance morphs to match the consumed item, and it can even assimilate select artifacts and souls. This process of devouring is akin to a divine alchemy.

2. Shape-Shift - Can seamlessly transform into various weapon forms currently available.

[Additional abilities remain undiscovered; please allow the weapon to consume a few items with unique abilities.]

Notice: Forged from a mysterious material, of an unknown civilization's origin, this weapon adapts and evolves according to its wielder's desires. Legend has it that it was crafted for deities, but fate led it into the hands of mortals.

Restrictions: Impervious to dropping, unyielding to sale, impervious to trade. Forever bonded to its rightful owner.

Bound to: Bladeheart

Durability: Infinite