Light started to pierce through the darkness that covered the Hoarfrost Highlands. The nocturnal creatures that roamed around looking for prey started to head back towards their dwellings.
One creature that spent the night awake, that remained awake even after the darkness had disappeared from the sky, a human called Archie.
Eyes bloodshot, staring at the entrance of his cave fixed in the position that he had stood in after the surprise attack that awoke him from his slumber. The wolf that had attacked him remained in the same spot, dried blood surrounding its corpse, was the only company for Archie watching the entrance.
As a ray of sunlight touched the slightly frosted face of Archie, Archie felt warmth for the first time in a long time; the branches that he brought for fuel that he expected to last a few days had run out a few hours ago.
The warmth of the sun caused Archie to release a sigh of relief. The tenseness of his body vanished; his shield and sword fell out of his hands and thumped onto the floor.
Sliding down the wall, he collapsed onto his side with a thud. Archie’s eyes closed and fell asleep. Finally.
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Archie’s eyes slowly opened, slowly pushing himself off the floor of the cave and into a sitting position with his back against the wall.
Looking confused as to where he was, he looked at the sword and shield on the floor beside him. As he did, the memories of the day before and the surprise attack from last night suddenly flashed through his mind.
Archie’s head placed in his palms realizing the realness of the situation that he was now in and said, “Fuck…Fuck…FUCK!” shouting by the end.
“I’m so fucking stupid, why did I cook food in a cave without finding something to close the entrance, when there are fucking wolves and god knows what outside!” Archie berated himself while curling himself further into his legs, feeling the pit in his stomach act like a black hole getting larger.
Memories slowly replayed in his mind; Henry and him as kids running around shooting each other with water guns, his dad and him lounging side-by-side in front of the fireplace reading books, his mom berating him over his grades, Daniel...
Tears welled up, falling onto the ground.
“I’m going to survive…I swear it.” Archie swore to himself looking at the now bright forest, wiping the tear marks across his face. Grabbing ash from the campfire, Archie rubbed the dried blood with it, intent on getting rid of the scent of blood filling the cave and replacing it with the scent of ash.
Strapping his potion satchel around the back of his waist, Archie grabbed his shield and sword off the ground fully equipped. He then grabbed the wolf’s corpse and carried it into the forest, ensuring that no creature would be drawn into his home by its lingering scent.
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Status, Archie thought as he trekked further into the forest of the Hoarfrost Highlands. He had learned that there wasn’t a need for him to verbalize a skill a few hours back while messing around.
Archie Gracefield
Race: Human F-Grade Lv 4
Class: Warrior Lv 4
Profession: *Empty*
Health: 315/315
Mana: 110/110
Stamina: 130/130
Stats:
Vitality: 30
Strength: 21
Endurance: 13
Agility: 16
Intelligence: 12
Wisdom: 11
Willpower: 12
Perception: 11
Free Points: 8
Skills:
Basic One-Handed Weapon Mastery (Initiate)
Basic Light-Shield Mastery (Initiate)
Identify (Initiate)
Bloodline:
Adrenaline Junkie (Unique) [+5% to Strength and +5% to Willpower]
Titles Collected:
Bloodline Patriarch [+10 Vitality, +5% Vitality]
Tutorial Points:
15
“I’ve recovered from last night, but that’s not enough. I need to level up,” Archie muttered, scanning the area between the trees for his next target after dismissing his status page. “Thankfully, it looks like it's midday. So, there should be some weaker beasts around.”
But suddenly, he came to a full stop. Wait, I didn’t have these stats last night, he thought. Then it hit him—he had forgotten about the notifications he had dismissed the night before.
“Bloodline? Titles?” Archie read aloud, staring at the notifications he had overlooked in confusion.
Adrenaline Junkie (Unique):
A unique bloodline originating within Archie Gracefield awakened due to an overwhelming rush of adrenaline. Your unending adrenaline courses within you; throughout your life adrenaline has been a constant companion. When adrenaline courses throughout your being, your physical prowess and mental fortitude are enhanced. Enhancing Strength and Willpower: +5% to Strength and +5% to Willpower.
Bloodline Progenitor:
Gained by originating a bloodline. You have awakened a bloodline that laid dormant within you. Deeply ingrained within your records, your bloodline is uniquely yours. For your bloodline starts with you and shall be passed on by all those who descend from you. Gain: +10 Vitality and +5% Vitality.
“Holy Fuck! That’s an insane stat boost. Also, the hell?... I’ve always had this? Even when everything was normal?” Archie muttered in disbelief, staring at the notifications. “I mean I might have been a bit too much into mountain biking, but I stopped before entering college.”
Reopening his status page, he saw his stats had changed.
Archie Gracefield
Race: Human F-Grade Lv 4
Class: Warrior Lv 4
Profession: *Empty*
Health: 315/315
Mana: 110/110
Stamina: 130/130
Stats:
Vitality: 30(31)
Strength: 21(22)
Endurance: 13
Agility: 16
Intelligence: 12
Wisdom: 11
Willpower: 12
Perception: 11
Free Points: 8
Skills:
Basic One-Handed Weapon Mastery (Initiate)
Basic Light-Shield Mastery (Initiate)
Identify (Initiate)
Bloodline:
Adrenaline Junkie (Unique) [+5% to Strength and +5% to Willpower]
Titles Collected:
Bloodline Progenitor [+10 Vitality and +5% Vitality]
Tutorial Points:
15
Looking at the numbers, he noticed his Vitality, Strength, and Willpower not adding up.
“It shows that I have 315 health, meaning I do have 31.5 Vitality, but it doesn’t show stats in decimal form. I can see these percentages increasing my stats by an obscene amount when I reach higher levels.” Archie reasoned, pushing aside a snowy tree branch.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“Wait, are the bonuses from my bloodline still active? I thought they activate when I get an adrenaline rush?” Archie asked, his voice tinged with confusion. He then recalled the exact wording of the notification, rubbing his forehead in frustration while grumbling, “I’ve got adrenaline constantly coursing through me. Guess I’m not well-rested enough to think at 100%.”
Looking back around him, to his right he saw a river a few minutes away from where he was currently standing. The sound of rushing water caused his lips to smack; his throat parched.
“I should go there; animals need water and so do I. That way I’ll be killing two birds with one stone,” Archie reasoned and headed towards the river.
A couple of minutes into his trek towards the river he noticed movement a few meters ahead of where he currently was, revealing a grey fat boar; a fourth of his height with a single tusk half as long as his own sword digging into the bottom of a tree, feasting on the roots of a tree. Since when do boars eat roots?
[Hoarfrost Boar Lv 6]
Attacking up front would be stupid, it’s probably twice as strong as a normal boar, and I’ve heard of people dying to them. I need to surprise attack it, Archie reasoned with a hard expression contorting his face.
Archie slowly shuffled toward the boar, which was completely focused on gorging itself on tree roots, letting out snorts every few seconds.
Once Archie was directly behind the boar, he poised his sword to strike. Just as he was about to lunge at the boar, a loud squealing pierced the air from behind him.
Archie whipped his neck so quickly; it felt as though he had whiplash. The adrenaline coursing within him started to slightly spike; goosebumps prickling across his back and a smile growing on his face.
Archie saw two more boars emerge from behind the bushes, their eyes locked on him as they prepared to charge from ten meters away. One had two thick tusks protruding from the sides of its skull and the other had one thick tusk protruding from the top of its skull.
Archie immediately turned back to the boar he was behind and drove his sword deep into its upper back. The tip of his sword pierced through the boar's hide with ease and emerged from its stomach. The boar squealed in pain from the sudden attack and instinctually jerked its head into the tree roots it had been gorging on; two roots, in particular, sharpened from its teeth pierced through its eye.
Archie quickly ripped his sword out of the boar and lunged to his right, narrowly dodging the two boars. They slammed into the corpse of the now-dead boar, their charge spearing through its body and driving it into a tree.
Archie stood up from where he lunged as fast as he could trying to get into a fighting stance; legs firmly planted on the ground, his left arm holding the shield in front of his body and his right hand firmly holding his sword, looking at the two boars.
One of the boars’ tusks was firmly stuck into the side of the tree he previously was next to. The other boar squealed loudly in pain as its lone tusk became lodged in the tree, snapping off from the force of its charge. Nevertheless, the boar was still standing, its fury directed at Archie for the pain it was currently having. Filled with rage, it charged at him once more, intent on making him pay for its suffering.
The snow that was on the ground started to fly into the air due to the power of the boar’s charge.
Emboldened with his enhanced Vitality and Strength stats, Archie lowered his shield and crouched slightly, fixing his feet into the ground, intending to take the boar’s charge directly. Adrenaline surged with every stomp the boar made as it charged at Archie, its pace quickening with each step.
THUD!
The boar’s head slammed against the shield, unable to pierce the iron shield with a broken tusk. Archie, using all the strength in his left arm, shoved the boar's head off his shield, pushing it away from him. With his right hand, he swiftly stabbed into the side of the boar.
Archie quickly yanked his sword from its torso and across its neck, spraying blood onto the snow.
Looking at the last remaining boar still stuck in the tree, Archie made his way towards it; not giving the newly dead boar another glance. His armor clinking with every step he took towards the boar.
The twin-tusked boar was still lodged in the tree, desperately trying to free itself, but to no avail, as its tusks were firmly stuck in the tree’s base.
Taking heavy breaths, he stabbed into the two tusked boar similarly to when he killed the first boar. But the sword did not pierce through the boar completely, stopping only a couple of inches deep.
The two tusked boar squealed in pain, its bones and muscles were dense enough to stop Archie’s sword from piercing deeply.
Archie yanked the sword out, pivoted to its side and stabbed again where he assumed the heart or left lung would be.
Hearing another ding, adrenaline coursing throughout him falling into a lull, causing him to breathe a sigh of relief while wiping his forehead with his right hand. Looking at the three boars he killed he smiled in accomplishment, before deciding to climb up the tree the boar got stuck in.
I don’t know if the fight attracted even more boars or other creatures to wander over. Archie thought to himself, better safe than sorry.
Looking at his notifications he saw:
*[Hoarfrost Boar Lv 6] has been slain – XP has been given. 6 Tutorial Points given*
*[Hoarfrost Boar Lv 9] has been slain – XP has been given. 9 Tutorial Points given*
*[Twin-Tusked Boar Lv 13] has been slain – XP has been given. 26 Tutorial Points given*
*Your Class has reached Lv 5 – Points allocated, +1 Free Point*
…
*Your Class has reached Lv 7 – Points allocated, +1 Free Point*
*Your Race has reached Lv 5 – Points allocated, +1 Free Point*
Smiling at his levels, he pulled up his status:
Archie Gracefield
Race: Human F-Grade Lv 5
Class: Warrior Lv 7
Profession: *Empty*
Health: 388/388
Mana: 120/120
Stamina: 100/140
Stats:
Vitality: 37(38)
Strength: 24(25)
Endurance: 14
Agility: 20
Intelligence: 13
Wisdom: 12
Willpower: 13
Perception: 12
Free Points: 12
Skills:
Basic One-Handed Weapon Mastery (Initiate)
Basic Light-Shield Mastery (Initiate)
Identify (Initiate)
Bloodline:
Adrenaline Junkie (Unique) [+5% to Strength and +5% to Willpower]
Titles Collected:
Bloodline Progenitor [+10 Vitality and +5% Vitality]
Tutorial Points:
56
“Huh, killing the level 13 boar gave me twenty-six Tutorial Points, instead of 13…If my math is correct, does that mean for every ten levels a monster has, the Tutorial Point multiplier increases?” Archie wondered out loud.
Looking around the area where the fight took place, he waited a couple of minutes before jumping down after seeing nothing approach the area where the fight took place.
Landing on the ground with a thud, he continued his journey towards the river.
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Archie slowly crept between the trees trying not to alert any hidden creature around him. Looking at the river now, fully encompassing his view, he saw many creatures lounging around and drinking from the river.
Oddly though, these creatures seemed to ignore one another, perhaps due to the large packs they were in.
Identifying a creature in each group:
[Hoarfrost Goats Lv 8]
[Springed Hare Lv 10]
[Caribou Charger Lv 12]
[Snow-striped Leopard Lv 15]
[Stout Marmot Lv 11]
Each group consisted of around three to five pack members, except for the leopard, it stood by its lonesome.
It seemed that after reaching level 10, beasts began to mutate. The level 13 boar I killed had two tusks so that was its mutation, the beefy reindeer gained a lot of muscle and larger antlers, and the squirrels look...roided as hell...does every beast get some sort of steroid mutation? Maybe something similar happens to me when I reach level 10, Archie thought, whilst intensely observing the beasts.
I’ll start with goats, Archie decided while heading towards their direction, he still had a couple hours of sunlight left for the day.