.....
A group of player is passing by when Shin is talking to 'Trainer Paul', one of them happens to hear Shin.
He look at Shin skeptically before saying to his friends. "Look! Another idiot accepted that 'Scam Quest'."
They look at Shin and started laughing loudly. When Shin heard them he turn around and look at them and fiercely.
"Yo, you're quite fierce for a newbie Huh?" said by a middle age man while walking out the group, he stops in front of Shin while adding "Don't get offended. They laugh because we are also a victim of that quest."
Shin look at the middle age and probe him up. When The middle age man see that kind of look from Shin he smiled and said " Cautious Huh? Well let me tell you this kid that quest is impossible to complete. A lot of people try but all of them got stocked at 60%."
"Even though some of them manage to train in seven days the result is the same, they still failed the quest."
"So don't waste your time doing that stupid quest, don't get carried away because of some rumors saying that you can get a 'Special Skill' on that quest." Advice the middle age guy.
When Shin heard that he give him a slight nod and said before turning around "Thanks for advice".
...
Base on Arthur's stories the System will not give an unsolvable quest, so there must be a reason why those players are still failed he quest.
Shin look at the training ground and see a row of dumbbells neatly arrange at the corner. He walks towards it and inspect it.
[ Lifting Weights ]
Type: Etc.
Weight : 5 kg
Prerequisite: 5 STR
Details: Use to build up muscles and strengthen it. (can only increase STR, VIT and Endurance up to 5)
There are different size and weights in the rows. He take the smallest one and do some lifting with it and after ten minutes he heard a system notification.
SYSTEM: Your body is strengthen through repeated training. +1 STR, +1 VIT, +1Endurance
When he saw it he smiled and continue lifting but thirty more minutes later that smile is wiped out his face because his stamina has been drained.
Base on his estimate every minute of lifting consumes five stamina and his stamina and it is fully drained after forty minutes. He then fully recovered his stamina after six minutes of rest.
Every Forty minutes of lifting gives him two STR, VIT and Endurance. So he can get the max +5 in two hours.
He look at the next dumbbell and check it's details and compare it to to the one he is using.
[ Lifting Weights ]
Type: Etc.
Weight : 10 kg
Prerequisite: 10 STR
Details: Use to build up muscles and strengthen it. (can only increase STR, VIT and Endurance up to 5)
It is almost the the same as the previous one. Then he look at the other dumbbells and see that five of them are almost similar, so if his estimation is correct then he can get the maximum +25 in less than ten hours or ten hours at most.
While lifting a sudden thought sink in his head. Then he do some squats while lifting the dumbbells, after ten minutes of squatting a system notification rings in his ears.
SYSTEM : Your body becomes flexible because of repeated training. +1DEX
When he see that he formed a satisfying smile. This time he do some jogging while lifting after ten more minutes another notification rang on his ears but this time his AGI is the one that increases. So he continue lifting while doing some squats and jogging in the mix.
Shin didn't get bore of the repeated movement, since back when he is in the 'Black Serpent Mafia' camp he do a similar regime.
.....
After ten hours of boring training Shin heard the final system notification, and after that he take a look at his status window.
Name: Sickarius
Race : Human
Level: 0
EXP: 0/100 = (0%)
HP: 600 (+ 3 regen/sec)
MP: 100(+ 0.5 regen/sec)
Stamina: 1200 ( + 3 regen/sec)
Physical Attack : 60 - 60
Magic Attack : 10 - 10
Physical Defense : 30
Magic Resist : 17.5
Major Stats :
STR - 30
INT - 5
AGI - 30
VIT - 30
Minor Stats :
DEXTERITY : 30 WISDOM : 5
ENDURANCE : 30
Special Stats : (Not yet available)
Title/s : None
Fame : None
Skills : (Currently None)
Undistributed Stats : None
Available Skill point : None
.....
Shin looks satisfied when he see the fruit of his labor, he then look at his quest window and see that it is only in 60% progress.
He fall in a deep thought, if most of the other people stops here then this quest is too easy and there is no reason for the system to put that seven day limit (In game Time).
While he is thinking his sight accidentally land on Library across the Training Ground. Then he suddenly remembers his Master's words the first time they have met. "A real training method trains both the body and mind." after that a sudden thought enters his mind.
'There is nothing to lose if I give it a try, since I have a lot of time to spare.' said Shin to himself before walking towards the Library.
The ratio of Real world Time and In game Time is 1:3 so he still a lot of time before dinner time.
The moment Shin enters the Library, the NPC Old woman librarian greeted him " Hello young man, how can this humble library can help you?"
'No quest initiated? Well I guess I'm being greedy?' said Shin in his heart before saying to the old lady "I wish to increase my knowledge, can you give me your guidance senior?"
"Hmm. What a polite young man. This is my first time seeing an 'Otherworldly Individual' treating me like this. Well if you want to broaden your horizon then you should read some books, the more books you read the smarter you become." Said the Old lady librarian.
In this world the NPCs called themselves as the 'Natives', they are the true residents of the world. While they addressed the players as 'Otherworldly Individual' they are summoned in this world by gods and goddesses to become it's savior against the evil forces.
'Huh? Arthur is right the NPC of this world really acts like a real person, so it is better to treat them as one.' muttered Shin quietly before bowing to the Old lady librarian while saying " Thank you for your guidance senior. "
Shin walks towards one of the shelves and pick a book to read, it only have two sentences in it and after reading it a familiar sound rings on his ears.
*DING*
SYSTEM : you have read an entire book your knowledge increases. +1 INT, +1 WIS
'So it really work' When Shin see the notification he pick another book and read it, this time there is no notification when he finished reading it so he pick another book and read it too what follows next is the notification that he is waiting.
'So I need to double the number of books that I need to read before getting the increase Huh?' muttered Shin in his heart before trying his theory and sure enough his INT and WIS only increase when he finished the forth book.
When he confirmed his theory his face become gloomy. " What the hell? If the maximum stats that I can earn here is also 25 then I need to read at least 16 million books in this library? No! to be exact it should be 16,777,216 books! Even though each book only have a two or three sentences in it, it is still a lot of books. What is more, is an almost 17 million book can fit in this small library? "
Shin look around the library before cursing "D*mn! is the System is joking? Now I know why those guys is saying that this Quest is a Scam, whoever discovered that they need to read an almost 17million books is going to be insane."
"How the hell am I going to finish that number of books? Especially in seven days." said Shin while scratching his head. But moments later he stops when he said the keywords of the quest. "Wait, 'Seven Days'? Of course seven days is not enough finish that numbers of book. So why did the System put the seven days limit?"
Shin sank in deep thought while looking around the library, then he muttered to himself " It is unless I don't need to read that number of books to raise my INT and WIS to the limit, so should I need to read all the books in this library before confirm my new theory? "
After some consideration he still choose to read all the books in the library. " I don't believe that I can't finished reading all of you. After all there is a reason why Arthur is calling me a studious type. "
After a few more hours of reading he logout of the game to eat dinner with the other members of the family then after that he go back to his room to continue reading the books in the game.
.....
An entire day pass since Shin start reading the books inside the library. And the moment Shin is done reading the final book the long awaited system notification sounds on his ears.
*DING*
SYSTEM: You finished reading all the books in the library you become more intelligent and wiser. +10 INT and +10 WIS.
"I knew it! I know that the system is not going to give me an impossible quest from the get go." said Shin when he heard the notification.
Then he exitedly looks at his Quest Window to see his progress.
Special Quest
Quest Name : Training
Quest Details :
Trainer Paul thinks highly of you so he invited you to train in his 'training grounds'. Go train your body and build up some muscles so that you can be more powerful than your peers.
Quest Conditions :
Train for a week
Quest Progress (90%):
Training Period 1/7days
Quest Reward:
???
...
Shin frowned when he see that his progress is only 90%. " What? There is still 10% missing? "
Shin walk out the building and go back to the training grounds. The moments got back he see Trainer Paul overseeing the village soldiers training in the field.
Shin walks towards Trainer Paul, as he get near him Trainer Paul look at him and said. "Oh! You are here young lad come let me see your progress."
The moment Shin is standing in front of him Trainer Paul nods his head while saying "Hmm. You build up some muscles and I can see wisdom in your intelligent eyes. But a true soldier do not only have strength and knowledge, they also need some skills so go to that training dummy and figure out your own." He give Shin a wooden sword while pointing at the training dummies in front of him.
The moment Shin heard what Trainer Paul, his eyes turned bright because of the sudden enlightenment he then said to himself "So that's how is it. So that is the last piece of the puzzle."
Shin heard from Arthur that you can create your own 'Self Created Skill' in this game. There are two ways of creating it.
First is by combining different kind of skills in the game . You can combine any kind of skills you what as long as in complement the other skill/s or as long as you can execute it properly.
That kind of skill is called 'Combined Skill' and a combined skill can be replicate by other players as long as they know the right skill combination and know how to execute it properly. And a 'Combined Skill' do not share a cool down time with the original skill/s that have been used in the combination.
And the other way is creating a skill starting from the scratch.
It is even more challenging to do this one because you need to properly execute the skill a hundred of times perfectly or even more, just to create this skill. What is more the skill that have been created needs to be accepted by the system for it to be recognize as a new skill.
The skill that is created this way is called 'Personalized Skill'.
A 'Personalized Skill' can't be replicate by others since it have been created yourself, unless you teach that skill to other person.
And the final part of Shin's quest is for him to create a 'Self Created Skill'. Or more likely a 'Personalized Skill'.
Shin takes the wooden sword and inspect it while walking towards a Training Dummy.
[ Wooden Sword ]
Type: Weapon
Rarity: Normal
Physical Damage: 1 - 2
Details:
A sword that is being used in training
When Shin is in front of a dummy he also inspected it as a form of habit.
{ Training Dummy }
HP:1000
Physical Defense: Default
Magic Resist: Default
Description:
A Dummy use for training (Well quite obvious)
...
After calming himself he try to swing the wooden sword on the dummy three times.
- 1
- 1
- 1
The moment he see the damage he dealt he frown and said to himself. "So the Default Defense means to reduce any damage dealt with it to the minimum?"
"Hmm. So what skill should I create?" Shin sank on a deep thought.
"Now I know why it have a time limit. Let's see if I can create one in seven days." Then he swing his wooden sword ones again, but this time in proper order and with an extreme speed.
The first strike is a diagonal slash from upper right to lower left, next is a horizontal cut from left to right and then using the momentum from that cut he turn around and do another diagonal slash this time from upper left to lower right.
- 1
- 1
- 1
After the consecutive damages a system notification follow up.
*DING*
SYSTEM: You have initiated the 'Self Creation Skill' system, please do it repeatedly to make it a real skill.
SYSTEM: You can turn off this kind of notification, to avoid distraction in the future.
After turning off the 'Self Creation Skill' notification he continue the repeated movement of his, while doing a calculation in his mind.
A single normal attack consumes 5 stamina, so his entire movement consumes 15 stamina in 2 seconds, if he can regen 6 of it in 2 seconds then he consumes 9 stamina each second. Therefore he depleted his entire stamina in a minute and a half.
He can destroy a dummy in 13 minutes including an entire rest.
'OK, let's see if a single dummy is enough to create a single skill.' said Shin before continuing after his first rest.
.....
After an entire day of training, Shin got frustrated because he still can't create a skill even though he destroyed more than a hundred of dummies.
'Where it did go wrong? Is my way of doing things is not right? Let's endure it a little more and see what will happen.' said Shin to himself while looking in the sky. 'I need to hurry up and stop doing boring things or else the readers will get bored.'
Two more days had pass. Shin destroyed another dummy, he already lost count how many of it have been destroyed, but this time the long awaited sound ring on his ears.
*DING*
SYSTEM: Congratulations you have created a skill. Please give a name to your skill.
Shin almost jump because of joy, but he calm himself and said "Yeah! I almost lose my patience there. So what should I name this stupid skill? I'm not good at naming things so let's just call it 'Triple Slash'."
SYSTEM: Skill Name confirmed.
SYSTEM: Congratulations you have created a 'Rare rank Skill'. You have been rewarded a +10 Fame for creating a Rare rank skill.
"What? It is a Rare rank? So is it the reason why it is so hard to create?" When Shin saw the notification he got startled at first before looking it's details.
...
Self Created Skill (Personalized)
Skill Name: Triple Slash
Rank: Rare
Details: Consume 100 stamina to execute three consecutive slashes. The first slash deal 100% damage while the second deals 150% damage and the third is 200% damage
Cool Down: 30 sec.
.......
"Strong Huh? As expected of a Rare Skill, looks like my 2 days of training is not a waste." said Shin the moment saw the skill details.
He look at his quest window and see that his progress is in 100%. He smiled and walks towards Trainer Paul to submit his quest.
When Trainer Paul saw Shin, he form a satisfying smile while nodding his head. "Not bad Kid, you have created a powerful skill. Looks like your future is going to be a bright one. Here this is the reward of your hard work."
Trainer Paul give Shin a three types of items.
A sword in a sheath, a scoll and a purple book.
Shin eyes turned bright not only because of te quest reward but also a bonus reward given by the system.
....
....
*DING*
SYSTEM: You cleared the Special Quest: Training.
SYSTEM: You get a special reward for clearing the quest ahead of time.
SYSTEM: You have been awarded a unique title 'I Know It All'
Three consecutive system notification echoed on Shin's ears. He take the rewards from Trainer Paul before leaving.
Then he take a look at Title that he got.
...
Title : I Know It All (Evolvable)
Rating: Unique
Details: You have trained your mind and body, so you are ahead of your peers.
Effects:
+20 to all Stats
+50 Fame
.....
"COOL!!! My sacrifice is not in vain! Master is right, Every sufferings have a corresponding reward." said Shin while thinking. " With this my Character Stats can almost rival a level ten Player Stats."
In this game, Every single level-up of a human race increases all the available stats by 5 points. And currently Shin have 45 bonus Stats.
Then Shin look at his other rewards. An unremarkable scroll, A sword in sheath, and A purple book. The scroll is a recommendation letter for the Village Chief.
The sword is ordinary looking but have a decent stats and an Iron rarity. The items in this game are divided in 8 different ranks such as Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Black Mithril, Obsidian and Stellar and it is ranked from weakest to strongest respectively.
The first five ranks are the items that can be dropped from monsters and NPCs, or a reward from a quest. While the last three ranks are the items that can only be get by crafting items using specific materials.
There are also some items that are lower that Iron rank and they are the so called trash items.
....
[ Beginner Sword ]
Item Type: Weapon
Rank: Iron
Details: A Sword the is specially crafted for the graduates of 'Training Ground'.
Requirements: Level 0
Graduate of the Training Ground
Stats:
Physical Attack: 20 - 30
+3 STR
+3 AGI
.....
And what is the most important reward is the purple book because it is a 'Special Skill Book'.
.....
Skill Name: Equalizer (Passive)
Rank: Special
Details: You are a person that can train both Physically and Magically.
Effect: Convert half of your Magic Attack to a Physical Attack and Vice versa.
Requirements: Can only be learn by a graduate of 'Training Ground'.
.....
"So the rumors are true. You can have a special skill by finishing that quest. What's more an OP(Over Powered) skill like this" said Shin after learning the skill directly.
Special Skill don't belong to any class and it can be learned by anyone as long as they meet the requirements of the Skill. And it's Skill book color is Purple which is also not included in skill rankings.
There are five skill ranks Basic, Rare, Epic, Legendary and Myth. And the color of its skill books are White, Yellow, Orange, Red and Black respectively.
The higher the rank, the stronger the skill and harder to execute. So even if you have a powerful skill and you don't know how to execute it, it is meaningless because you can't learn it or use it.
Aside from Common Skills, Special Skill and 'Self Created Skill', there is another skill that can be learned. It is called 'Legacy Skill' , this skill can be learned from Special NPCs or inherit from Hero NPCs.
Most of the Legacy Skills are learned by the Players that have 'Special Classes' but it doesn't mean they are only one that can learn that skill. As long as someone is recognized by the NPC and know how to use the skill then they can also learn that skill.
The only difference of Special Skill and Legacy Skill is that A Special Skill book can be dropped by monsters while the later is not other than that Legacy Skills are stronger, it can even rival a Myth Skill if used properly.
...
Shin form a very satisfied smile as he check his rewards. Then after that go to the Village Chief's house.
When he get there, he got doubtful because there are no Players visiting the Village Chief. From what he know about the game, The Village Chief should be the most visit place in a Beginner's Village.
Even though he is suspicious he still walks towards it, and the moment he stands at House entrance a group of Players is passing by, when Shin see who they are he frown because they are the same group that saw in the Training Grounds.
The group of Players also notice Shin and they also remember him.
"Hey look isn't it the Newbie that we saw three days ago? He he is still 'level 0' even though it's already been three days?" one of the said.
The middle aged man in the group walks towards Shin and said "Kid don't tell me you are still doing that 'Scam Quest'? We told you that you are just wasting your time there. How about come with us we will help you gain a few Levels?"
Shin look at the middle age man and see that he is not hiding his in information.
...
Name: Dan
Level: 9
Race: Beastman
...
'Boasting about your level on a Newbie?' said Shin to himself before saying to 'Dan' "No thanks senior I want to level myself and I'm here to see the Village Chief."
Dan frown when he hear Shin and said "Oh, is that so? What a pity then. And if you are thinking to get some quest on the Village Chief then you are going to waste your time ones again because that Old Man didn't give a quest, all he is doing is to talk for entire two hours and give nothing. So if I were you, I should go outside the village and kill some monster to get some EXP." Then he turn around and walk away having his boys in tow.
"What a 'Goodie two Shoes'. If you want to boast then do it once you become an expert player." muttered Shin to his heart before knocking on the door while saying "And if you say that there is nothing in here means I can get some from here."
After a few seconds the door opens revealing an hunchback elderly and full of white hair. He smiled at Shin and said "Oh! A young visitor come in and tell me what did I owe you for this visit."
Shin enters the house and sit opposite the Village Chief, then he give him the recommendation letter he got from 'Trainer Paul'.
The Village Chief take it and after reading it the look in his face become even softer. "So you are a graduate. It been a while since the last one leave this village and embark to his adventure."
"You came at the right time, since I have some problems that I need to solve. But before that do you want to listen about the history of this world?"
*DING*
SYSTEM: The Village Chief wants to tell you about the history of this World. Do you want to listen to him.
SYSTEM: You can skip this phase since what's the Chief about to say is the introduction of the world and you can read it of the «Destiny's Fate» main page. CONTINUE or NOT?
"There is other people that managed to finished that special quest? Well I'm not he only one that can think about those things" said Shin to himself before considering whether he continue or not.
And after few moments he still choose to continue since he believe that there is a reason why the system put the introduction inside the game.
"The Atlas World is have survive a three kinds of Era. The Dark Era, Warring Era, and Repelling Era. In the Dark Era..." After Shin nodded his head the Village Chief starts telling him the history of this world.
He talk about the different races the Ancient one or Hybrids, he also talks about the legend of the different Heroes of each Era and races.
Shin tries to listen carefully and try to note down the important figures and events. And after two hours of listening an unexpected system notification pop up in front of him.
*DING*
SYSTEM: You learned about the history of this world your Title: I Know It All gains some EXP.
'Oh! so this Evolvable Title can improve like this Huh?'said Shin to his heart, then he heard the Village Chief said. "Thanks for listening, it has been a long time since someone listen to me like this."
"And before I forgot the defenses of our village is weakening, and it is because we are sort of supply of weapon. So can you help our blacksmith to gather some supply?"
*DING*
SYSTEM: Quest initiated. The Village is running out of supply on weapons, and as a graduate of the Training Grounds the Village Chief asked you to help Blacksmith Orn. do you accept the quest? Yes or No
'So my first quest is somehow related to this one' without hesitation Shin accepted the quest
SYSTEM: Quest accepted
Quest Name: Helping the Village
Quest type: Main Quest (A Grade)
Quest Details: The Village is running out of supply on weapons, and as a graduate of the Training Grounds the Village Chief asked you to help Blacksmith Orn.
Quest Condition: Go to Blacksmith Orn for more details of the Quest.
Quest Progress: (0%)
Quest Reward:
1000 EXP
????
...
Shin walks out the house and take a look at time (Real World Time), It is about time for him to get up and do his morning exercise.
Even though the game can be played while sleeping Shin still needs to take care of himself so that he can maintain his healthy condition. What's more he is just using a VR helmet and not VR Capsule where you can use a 'S-class Serum' to replenish the energy in your body even if you didn't eat anything.
What's more he needs to practice regularly so that his strength will not detoriate. Especially since he is in the early phase of 'Qi Regiment' stage.
After his morning practice and duel with Arthur, he chat with him about the game while eating before coming back to his room and taking a shower and then logging in back in the game.
....
The moment Shin get back in the game he go straight to the Blacksmith Shop and look for Mr.Orn.
The blacksmith shop is quite ordinary, it looks like a simple house with a signboard in front of it. There words written in it is 'Orn's Blacksmith Shop'.
And when he enter all he saw is a furnace in the side and shelf of different kinds of tools and weapons.
Few minutes later a person enter a shop, no to be exact it s a dwarf. He is almost a meter in height, chubby face and fat belly. He is also wearing a working apron. From the looks of it he is Mr. Orn.
When Mr. Orn see Shin enters his Shop, he said to him directly " I heard from Chief that you are going to help me. Then take this pickaxe and help me mine some Iron in the cave in the forest in the south of the village. And while you are at it help me kill some boar in there and take their tusk and skins."
Mr. Orn give Shin a pickaxe and a gathering knife together with two production type white skill books
.....
Skill Book: Mining
Description: Help you learn a basic mining method
Skill Book: Gathering
Description: Teaches you how to basically gather materials from dead animals/monsters and a knowledge how to pick some herbs.
[ Pickaxe ]
Item Type: Etc.
Rank: Common
Details: Use for mining Ores and Minerals
[ Gathering Knife ]
Item Type: Etc.
Rank: Common
Details: Use for gathering materias
.....
Shin stared blankly on the four items in his hands and process what was just happened. Then he learned the two production skills and put the two items in his inventory, then he sank in a deep thought. "Two production skills from the get go? is it luck or...? That right the 'Fame' base on what Arthur said I can easily get a quest from the NPC if I have a higher Fame, I can even get an extra reward every time I finished a quest."
"And 60 Fame is already high in this place". conclude Shin before looking in the updated quest.
Quest update
Quest Progress (0%)
- Mining
Iron (0/20)
- Gathering
Boar Tusk (0/10)
Boar Skin (0/10)
.....
Shin run out he southern part of the village with his sword in his waist. When he get there he saw a lot of players busily farming for EXP, he walk pass them and enter the forest and continue going deeper.
There are fewer and fewer of Players he come across as he walk even deeper in it. He didn't get scared of the monsters since his current stats can rival a normal level 10 Players so he just continue walking leisurely.
'A Level 0 walking on Level 5 - 7 field is that noob lost or is he just an idiot or is just looking to die.' These are the thoughts of the other players when they saw Shin walking pass them.
'What a pity, there are enough monster here but I can't grind some EXP since those people will get suspicious when they saw me fighting this monsters. I'm not like Arthur that always want to be in the spotlight, I need to keep a low profile for now.' said Shin to himself when he is looking around.
After of an hour of walking he finally get at his destination. There are a lot of wild boars walking to and fro few distance away from him.
There are a lot of monsters here because the boars here are troublesome to deal with. Even though their attack pattern is simple and predictable, they still have very high defense so you have to spend a lot of time and effort just to kill one. And they also have a swift movement speed when they are attacking on a straight line.
What's more there are some monsters that are easier to deal with and give a similar amount of EXP.
Shin observe the boars carefully, their physic , movements and their habits. Then an expected notification ring on his ears.
SYSTEM: You have met the requirements for Observation Skill.
SYSTEM: Your 'Title: I Know It All' compliments your Observation Skill. Because you have read a lot of books you have learned about different kinds of plants and monsters around and village and some other palaces.
SYSTEM: Your 'Observation Skill' is upgraded to Scouting.
...
Skill Name: Scouting (Active/Passive)
Rank: Rare
Details: You can see your targets details by observing them carefully.
...
"Eh! Titles can also affect skills? I just want to learn 'Observation Skill' base on Arthur's instructions, I didn't expect that I will get an extra reward. Looks like I'm really a lucky guy." Shin got startled because of the unexpected discovery.
Then he look at his surroundings and walks towards an isolated boar. " OK, looks like it is time to work."
.....
To my readers.
Thank you your support and encouragement .
And I'm sorry for the grammatical mistakes.
I'm just writing this using my android phone, since I don't have budget to buy a Laptop or a PC, as well as any money to hire an editor and I also don't know anyone to do the job for free.
I'm very sorry for the inconveniences, and I promise to do my best for your enjoyment and minimize my mistakes.
Sincerely yours,
Proud Monkey