"I'm Tyler Proudly from the Rise Online International News Network. I'm in Holinda City, and leaks indicate that the famous wielder of the game's newest Unique Class was born here."
Journalist Tyler was in the center of Holinda's main square, and a metal ball was floating in front of him, broadcasting his image to TV and Webnet. Tyler had long blue hair, a tired look, and wore glasses.
Next to Tyler was a woman with curly green hair holding a microphone.
"Well, Mr. Proudy. The Starting City of Holinda is world-famous for having troubled adventurers. Will the major local guilds fight to recruit the first Psyker this time, or is this Unique Class as weak as some experts point out? What do you think?" The woman quickly repeated the text she was playing on the semi-transparent Teleprompter on her System.
"Kyoma, it's been more than two months since a single-class carrier has appeared, so I won't risk commenting on this case. To that end, I made some calls and asked one of the Executives from Hónghé Holdings to come here today. No one understands about this more than he does!" announced Tyler, and the camera's field of vision widened, revealing a handsome man with light eyes and blond hair who wore a beautiful white robe.
At the same time, Klaus Park was crossing the same square where the report took place, but he was inside his own world, minding his one business, looking at the ground with his hand on his chin as he walked at a leisurely pace. He was so reflective and distracted that he didn't even notice the journalists.
Klaus had just logged back into Rise Online.
'So, Class Points can only be obtained in specific Quests and contracts or at random evolution moments. Is there really a pattern?' He thought.
Although his research extended to several Rise Online websites and guides, he found nothing much revealing. The game was relatively new, so the only info he found quickly was that usually the first Class Point is acquired by reaching level 3, which only confirmed his first suspicion.
Not sure how he would gain Class Points quickly, Klaus decided he wouldn't overthink about it. If there weren't a pattern yet, there wasn't much he could do until he figured out the pattern on his own, which could take days of analysis… Therefore, without hesitation, Klaus opened the Skill Tree and chose to unlock the <Analyzing Eye>.
[You spent 1 Class Point to learn the Skill <Analyzing Eye>. 0 Class Points are Remaining.]
When Klaus acquired the new Skill, his eyes flickered and glowed blue-green for a second.
"Argh! Why does it hurt?" Klaus felt his eyesight burn as if he were staring at the sun.
Klaus quickly closed his eyes. After ten seconds, he felt that the burning had disappeared, so he opened his left eye first and was surprised by a slightly different perspective on the world, a new look after such a few seconds. At every single person he looked at, there was a system screen next to them, and these screens revealed information that most people typically avoid showing, like Attributes, Class, Title, and Level.
This was something Klaus knew should be impossible to see usually, as all this info was only shown if the users had the System open, which was certainly not the case for all players in that square.
Inevitably, Klaus smiled, excitedly, as he realized this was the power of his new Skill, the <Analyzing Eye>.
'Alright, now how do I disable this thing? Just think: disable?' he considered.
At the same time that Klaus wished to stop using the Skill, the screens with people's information disappeared.
With an Ability like that, Klaus was pretty sure he wouldn't get scammed by any smart-ass.
'Now that I've sorted out the Skills issues, I'm going to look for a weapon to hunt. My weapon must be powerful, resistant, and unbreakable!' Klaus clenched his right fist excitedly and began to walk purposefully to the nearest weapon shop.
*
"Something for three bronze coins? Hmm… I believe I have only this here." The dwarf-smith, who owned the third weapon shop in a row that Klaus had entered, pulled a bow from under the counter and placed it on the table.
[Item: Old Bow (Attack Weapon).
This second-hand bow has passed through the hands of dozens of owners, and all, without exception, have returned it the next day, claiming that this bow is cursed.
Rank: Primal.
Item Level: 1 of 3
Attack: 2
Defense: 0
Physical Fitness Level Required: 1]
Looking at the small old bow, whose string was already worn out, Klaus asked with a disgusted expression to the dwarf: "You don't have anything better? I wanted something like that."
Klaus Park pointed at the main sword in the exhibition. This sword had a slightly curved blade that looked like a diamond stone, whose handle that held it all was so perfectly ornamented with curves to the point of exuding grandeur.
[Item: Sword of Hudyr (Attack Weapon).
The Sword of Hudyr is the masterpiece of the dwarf blacksmith Zahir, and it has been in his family's generation for many generations.
Rank: Mutant.
Item Level: 1 of 5
Attack: 25 (+1)
Defense: 5
Physical Fitness Level Required: 10]
The look on the dwarf's face changed from seriousness to indignation when Klaus laid eyes on the sword. He ran in front of the blade and spread his arms as far as his joints could reach, despite not even being tall enough to cover the item.
"Take your filthy eyes out off my masterpiece! This sword will never be sold to a-an... what the hell are you?" Zahir asked, a little confused; after all, Klaus didn't wear any armor, nor did he carry any weapons.
"I'm a Mage or something." Klaus shrugged and replied, as he didn't find the term 'Psyker' very enlightening.
"Oh, whatever! I will not sell this sword for two thousand gold coins, let alone three bronze coins! Now, take that bow and pay, or get out of my shop!" The dwarf huffed in rage, seeming, in fact, very attached to such a sword.
"Alright, I'll buy the bow." Klaus extended his right arm and spread his fingers, so that the dwarf could see the coins in his palm. "But I'll tell you, if this bow is really cursed, I'm going to burn this place down to ashes, including the sword." He threatened with an evil smile.
For a moment, the dwarf-smith hesitated to take the money after the threat, because Zahir could see in the man's face that Klaus wasn't kidding. However, Zahir's greed for money was so great that he swallowed some saliva and ended the sale with a nervous smile.
A moment later, Klaus left the store and walked to Holinda's north gate, which the map indicated as the closest city exit to the center where he was.
...
Edited by: DrHitsuji
If you want to see original illustrations of Rise Online characters, consider helping me on pa treon: Pa treon.com/NandoFalske
More character images in:
https://discord.gg/bpqq9u4gS8
Like it? Add to library!
Don't forget to vote with Powerstone to support the book if you like it...
Klaus Park walked to a city fountain, filled his canteen with water, and then took a loaf of bread from his inventory.
As if starving, he devoured the whole bread in a single bite, but in reality, he was just in a hurry.
Nonetheless, at that moment, Klaus stopped for a minute and began to chew the soft bread slowly. The sensation running through his mind was definitely strange because he knew that in his mouth it was nothing more than a clump of data, but the bread tasted fantastic, and the texture of it was extremely close to reality.
"VR video games are really awesome." He spoke with his mouth full.
As Klaus was close to Holinda's exit, many users were on the streets; however, none of them even looked at Klaus, even though he didn't care. Walking to the gate in only starter's clothes, deprived of even breastplate armor, he practically showed that he was still a noob.
"We need a Healer Level 22 or above!"
"Hey, guys! We want to buy a Korra Cave map! We pay up to 5 silver coins!"
"We're heading for a raid on the Webbed Woods! Does anyone wanna join us?"
"We need an archer, no matter the level! We just want someone capable of distracting some Black Vultures!"
Klaus Park got up from the bench he was sitting on, opened the system, and equipped the bow. "I think at least today I have some luck."
In the same minute, the old bow appeared in his right hand, and a quiver with ten arrows appeared on his back. With that, Klaus finally felt that he was fully prepared to leave the city and approached the group that needed an archer; after all, a bow was his only weapon.
"Hello, I hear you need an archer. What is the purpose of the mission?" Klaus asked the man who was advertising.
The announcer was tall, strong, and wore metal armor, the only one among all four men in the group who wore such a set. Furthermore, he was the one who seemed to be the strongest as well. His nickname was Magma, and Klaus saw everything he thought was essential to see on Magma's sheet with the <Analyzing Eye>.
'Without a doubt, he is the most dangerous, and that title…' Something was bothering Klaus.
[Statistics Screen
Nickname: Magma | Class: Tank
Current Title: Killer | Profession: Group Leader
Level: 22 | Alignment: ? (Increase your relationship with this user to access this information) | Fame: 5.]
The group that wanted an archer looked ready to go into battle. All four men wore armor and weapons, but none seemed particularly dangerous except Magma. However, everyone looked at Klaus from head to toe, briefly judging him.
"What level are you at, man? Those clothes…" One of the men didn't bother to ask.
"I died recently. I lost everything I had, I'm struggling to get good items again, but if you're so curious, I'm level 14." Klaus replied.
Since the other three men were between level 15 and 16, Klaus thought it best to say he was at a lower level to not intimidate them, and he didn't want to bother Magma. If they let Klaus tag along on the mission, he would be able to kill some monsters as a group and evolve more easily than if alone.
If they let Klaus accompany him on the quest, he could hunt some monsters in a group, so he would evolve more easily than if he was alone.
"It's all right. As I said before, the level is not an issue; even if you can't kill Black Vultures with a single arrow, hitting them will be enough to intimidate them. But you really are an archer, aren't you?" Magma asked, crossing her arms.
Klaus stared at him for a second and replied, "I'm the best archer with my level in this city, I mean, for the right price, of course..."
Magma had long black hair, so his bangs partially covered the right side of his head. His face, but even that look and mannerism couldn't hold back the smile as he listened to Klaus speak with such confidence.
"I liked you!" Magma wrapped his right arm around Klaus's neck and pulled him like a little father. "We are going to the Void Forest. There are rumors of a treasure in the biggest Black Vulture nest there. Will we split the winnings evenly, one-fifth each, no matter how much." whispered Magma and then extended his right hand to Klaus.
"A treasure? I accept!" Klaus instantly shook Magma's hand. Money was all he was after anyway. "By the way, I am Kaizen."
"It's a pleasure, Kaizen. I'm Magma, and the boys are Guava, Proddy, and Lance."
*
Although in Rise Online, there is a system of Classes and Jobs, there are no restrictions on the uses of different weapons. For example, a mage can use a sword if he wants to, just as a warrior can use a bow. Undoubtedly it is a flexible system that leaves it up to the player to decide how he will play. This is one of the reasons why Rise Online is considered the most open VRMMORPG of all.
However, a genuine archer's growth potential is much greater than that of an improvised archer, since a genuine one will have Archer access to Class Abilities. In contrast, an improvised one will not have them.
Thanks to these factors, it would be normal if Klaus Park was a little nervous; after all, he had never played a bow in his life, nor did he have time to practice a little after buying the old bow, but he was confident that the idea that he had when he saw the bow would work. Klaus believed he didn't necessarily need to aim to hit his targets.
Also, Klaus was too focused on the setting of Holinda's exterior to think about things like that.
As soon as the high city walls disappeared from the group's view, and the wheat fields were also gone, they entered this forest completely dominated by a dense creeping mist. The stillness of the forest was sinister, and the wind, which blew every few minutes high up in the bare trees, shook the branches, and the sound produced by this shaking was similar to disturbing laughter.
As the three leather-armored men in the group cowered in fear, Magma noticed that Klaus didn't look scared.
"Have you explored this region, Kaizen?" Magma asked, as not only a way to balance the heavy atmosphere, but also to meet the temporary partner.
"Not yet."
"Oh, I see. And have you ever fought Black Vultures?"
"Neither. How are they?"
Magma looked at the sky when asked, and even with much fog, he noticed the presence of a flight to the south, approximately one hundred meters away. Instantly, he pointed to the right and said,
"Kaizen, don't worry. You will soon meet your targets. Guys, let's go this way. The nest can't be far."
...
Edited by: DrHitsuji
If you want to see original illustrations of Rise Online characters, consider helping me on pa treon: Pa treon.com/NandoFalske
More character images in:
https://discord.gg/bpqq9u4gS8
Like it? Add to library!
Don't forget to vote with Powerstone to support the book if you like it...