|Personal Announcement
Congratulations on meeting the requirements to fight for a City Entry Ticket.
Requirements:
1. Ten days post-release.
2.1. Interact with all natives in Lesotte.
2.2. Reach a certain ability threshold.
2.3. Survive a connected seven days inside the game.
Rules:
To get a City Entry Ticket, pass the Test of Worthy.
Challenge Options: Monster Subjugation, Collecting Coins, Creation Challenge, Brains over Browns...
Details:
1. You can't know the details of a challenge option before it is selected.
2. You can select only one challenge option at a time.
3. Your selection can be changed a maximum of two times.
4. Forgoing your selection and changing it is equivalent to a failure.
5. In case of three failures, forceful account termination will take place. The following Mute Penalty is 2 months Earth Time. Meanwhile, the player won't be able to create a new account and will lose all items, properties, and special skills from their old account.
6. There is no time limit for this test.
7. Rewards are given upon success:
City Entry Ticket - Choose your city-state and have one chance for free-of-charge teleportation.
Unique Chest - The type of chest depends on your challenge options.
Note: Please work hard to escape the village!|
"The long-awaited migration opportunity...Heh, so that's how you are gonna do it.
My dearest AI, let me remind you that it's already an afternoon! You should have prompted me at 8 am. Did you think I wouldn't notice? Were you waiting for the timing that would inconvenience me most? You sneaky bastard! Is this your way of teasing me? Just because I jested that I am your adoptive son! So childish and immature!"
Midnight ground his teeth and shouted in the air.
Even an introverted person like himself, one who rarely spoke more than three sentences at a time, had a bottom line. He felt exasperated by this treatment, It was glaringly obvious that the AI held a grudge or two!
Phew
He regained his breath, cracked his fingers, and waved a fist above his head. He was only short of flipping it the finger.
He waited for a moment. Naturally, there was no further development or notifications. The AI fell silent and ignored him.
"Coward" He scoffed and glared randomly. He lost interest in continuing this one-sided banter and thought about the announcement's content.
I know barely a couple of natives. I definitely haven't met the two-point-one requirement. This means a player has to pass only one of the three options in the second register. In my case, I cleared the last and likely the second point. It may be luck, but I killed a boss before. It should count as meeting the ability requirement. Unlike common monsters, the Lord will not respawn. If this doesn't count, most players will never pass the threshold.
Of course, the 'ability' mentioned doesn't equal battle prowess. It's obvious enough by the diverse challenge options that the system gave. It caters to everyone's strengths and weaknesses.
The first point only inconveniences the first batch of gamers. One, it exists to give us time to get acquainted with the game. Two, it is a chance for those who start later. They won't be bound by it. If they have the strength, they can directly leave the newbie village. Rather fair. Why is the AI only mean to me? Do I seem gullible and easy to bully?
He moved his eyes downward and concentrated on the details. At the same time, he kept on scratching the numerous mosquito bites covering his hands. In the spirit of realism, the virtual world didn't spare players from annoying pests. Be it mice, flies, mosquitos, fleas, or ticks, there were aplenty around and in Lesotte.
The penalty seems harsh, but it is only natural. We are given three chances for success. There is no time limit and we can change the challenge twice. Heh, if even then, one can't pass the test, then there must be something wrong with their choices, abilities, or drive. As such, it is actually for the best to reset your character. The two-month prohibition can be used to train and grasp new skills in real life. After the new character creation phase the player will have better Origin Title and abilities...
I can't find any hidden pits and traps this time. It seems even the naughty AI has an unexpected side. A semblance of kindness and consciousness?...
He felt annoyed again and harrumphed. It was stupid to describe the system with these words.
Euclex's God was like a naughty child. It was a logical wunderkind, but it wasn't flawless. It wasn't omnipotent either.
In these ten or so days, Midnight began to wonder about the nature of the system.
On one hand, it created a brilliant and complex world bound by fair and reasonable rules. It accessed and utilized vast amounts of information, oversaw Euclex, formed its own criteria, and tried to judge everything accordingly. However, on the other, it was playful, cruel and mischievous. It often made some rude remarks and wasn't entirely objective and mechanical.
Currently, it resembled an emotional newborn that learned how to handle matters. It constantly observed the players. It used the 'notes' in appraisal windows and notifications to indirectly interact with them. To stir them, gather data, and upgrade itself.
At least that's what Midnight thought. Therefore, he decided to deliver his displeasure by chiding it directly. He believed that his honest feelings may reach the 'ears' of the so-called deity.
He glanced around the room and his eyes stopped above the bed. Standing up was tiring, but he didn't dare lay again. He gave up on this option, walked toward the table, and plopped himself on the wooden chair. It creaked out threateningly, but it didn't break.
Although I dislike describing the system as kind-hearted, for once it seems to be rather mellow to the players. It gave us a lot of different options. No matter what, unless one is truly naive, everyone should be able to earn a city entry ticket. There are challenges catering to every type of character out there.
Judging by the names alone 'Monster Subjugation' is for fighters, while 'Collecting Coins' can relate to most, especially the merchants. 'Creation Challenge' is for craftsmen, and 'Brains over Browns' benefits the physically weak. Hehe, there is even a 'Gathering the Eyeballs' challenge. I believe it fits the preferences of artists and swindlers. 'Mine is Mine, and Yours is Mine' is for those criminals with sticky fingers.
Very well! All I need is to make an ok choice. Passing shouldn't be that difficult.
Let's see, with my sleight and appearance, I can successfully act as a thief. However, I don't fancy the idea and I may get caught. What fits me most would be 'Brains over Browns' and 'Creation Challenge'. Then, the answer is just one.
"I select Creation Challenge!"
Uncharacteristically, he didn't overthink and spoke directly. Creating items was his goal, there was no time limit, and he could always try again. Today, he decided to listen to his inner voice and follow his dreams and aspirations.
Ding.
|Player Midnight's Test of Worthy - Creation Challenge.
Details:
Use your knowledge, skills, and experience to craft one Rare Grade item or above.
Conditions:
1. The recipe can be an original or a bound reward from special chests.
2. Recipes obtained in stores or by favor of natives and players are not applicable.
3. There is no time restriction.
4. There is no item restriction.
5. There is no craftsmanship sphere restriction.
6. All materials should be gathered by the player personally or by a team that includes them directly.
7. Materials obtained by any other means are not applicable.|
The message was precise and conscious. It listed all possibilities and prohibitions. An unchanging fact about this game. The only thing it lacked was a grumpy dad-joke note. Perhaps, the AI understood a thing or two from over-teasing Midnight.
To craft a Rare item...rare...Woah, this is rather ambitious, but I like it! The test makes my blood boil. I can finally see my first goal appear on the far-away horizon. It is distant, and the path is treacherous, but at least I can lay my eyes on it.
The item and the craftsmanship sphere are up to me to choose. Good. I can attempt my hands at jewelry. I should utilize my tools. Wait a second... Now that I think -
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Ding.
His thoughts were interrupted by another message. The typical genderless and ageless voice of the AI happily announced.
|Continental Announcement:
Congratulations to Player Raven for his feat. He is the first player in the Southern Continent who successfully passed the Test of Worthy!
Everyone, dance and sing praises for his feat! And don't forget to strive hard and follow in his footsteps!|
"... The 'note' is back... But damn! That was quick! I just received my test, and this guy Raven already succeeded?!" Midnight exclaimed and kept on listening until the illusory voices disappeared. The announcement was repeated thrice, similar to what had happened when he killed the Lord. It seemed to be the standard protocol for being first at something.
When the noises died down, his lips twitched and he felt certain of a fact. For Raven to pass the test in 15 minutes was virtually impossible. This meant that he must have received it earlier. Which in turn proved his prior speculations.
I want to slap myself for thinking that the system had a sudden change of heart.
Well, there may be some unknown factors playing a role. Anyway, it's not important. I have heard of Raven. He is a famous guy in the previously popular World of Oblivion...DId he chose 'Monster Subjugation' or another challenge? What were the details?...
He rubbed his chin and tried to recall this famous player. Unfortunately, he hadn't played World of Oblivion and wasn't sure about the details.
A minute later he gave up. He only felt some simple curiosity. It wasn't strong enough for him to dwell on topics that did not concern him. Putting away his speculations, he concentrated on his test instead.
He felt like he was about to grasp at something. Before the AI interrupted, he had a spark of vague inspiration and realization.
What was I thinking about? He closed his eyes and yawned. His mind was groggy and remembering proved difficult. Thus, he changed his way and gave up on rekindling the idea. Instead, he retracted his actions from the start, reread the test details, and looked at the conditions.
Crafting a Rare item will be difficult. I need to make a draft...
Hmm, this will be my long-term goal. Using the Epic Toolkit I will Craft a Rare piece of jewelry. Then, the mid-term one is to gather the materials and rent a smithy. This will cost more coins... Yes, the short-term one is drawing the design and deciding on the materials I need. If it is jewelry, I will need metal ores and gemstones. Thankfully I have to collect them by myself. It's dangerous but cheap! Finally, a purse-friendly happenstance...
Ah! Yes, I remember my past thoughts! I was curious if there was a connection between the first blood chest and the Test of Worthy. It felt too good to have a crafting challenge with an epic tool in hand. Way too good actually. It feels like destiny...
With the return of the idea, his thoughts swirled, and he chose to strike the iron hot. There was a way to check it.
He reached forward and fiddled with the half-material half-imaginary windows. With a few swift motions, he opened the Archive of his past notifications. He didn't need to scroll, the chest reward notification was just above the newest three. His Archive only held his private prompts and the rare public ones. He gently clicked on it and soaked in the content.
Money, Weapon, Armor, Skill Book, Tool, and Recipe. Recipe. The reward is bound and untradeable... The recipe for my craftsmanship test can be an original or a bound one from a special chest reward...
Heh
He scoffed and clicked his tongue. At this moment, he felt a mixture of happiness and anger. The happiness came from cracking up this puzzle, while the anger resulted from the fact he had ultimately fallen into a sophistry trap. The system swindled him.
There is an obvious connection, but, at the time, I didn't think that far ahead. It pulled a fast one here. I admit defeat.
The treasure chest is actually a ticket for easier completion of this test! The chest winner has the best chance to get another First. Not that it matters anymore. Raven was too quick. Besides, I am not interested in such competitions. Nothing good will come from public display and attention...
But to think this makes one huge circle. The money I evaded was the best reward to choose. Isn't this equal to completing the 'Collecting Coins' challenge in an instant?
It is fine. All rewards have a purpose. Tool and Recipe aid one greatly in the Creation Challenge. Especially the latter. A Rare recipe will save lots of time, materials, and experimentation efforts. If you have the skills you can quickly pass the test. At most, you'd make one or two mistakes.
As for the other three rewards, they will play a role in 'Monster Subjugation' or aid the user in some other crafty ways.
Phew
Exhaling slowly, he pursed his lips and whispered, "Overthinking is indeed the worst of habits...I thought myself a smart ass..."
The exhaustion he had pushed away reared head again.
Acting straightforwardly without a thought was foolish, but, at times, considering too much wasn't any better.
His expression oscillated between amusement and annoyance before he shook his head and smiled.
Next, I will go with what I planned. I will keep on studying and hunting, make some cash, buy supplies, and bring forward the exploration of that cave beyond the Northern Woods. It fits well with this new challenge. The cave probably contains some minerals that I can use.
At the same time, I will pay attention to my secret stalker. There are two ways to deal with this.
First, I will fork some coins and prepay the rent forward. That way even if I die, he will not access my room before the death penalty is over. As for his familiar getting in and out, it doesn't matter. A mouse can't lift a heavy bag. Until I die, it can't even check the items placed inside without permission.
Second, I will use my senses and stay vigilant about any changes in my immediate surroundings. Any whiff of danger will be timely taken care of. If worse comes to worst, I can always turn into a cat and flee. I will lose my clothes and the items on my person, but the most important stuff will be kept inside this room. The loss will be bearable...
He quickly finalized the details of his plans. His head was pounding, but any rest would be postponed for later.
He blinked and a wry smile tucked the corner of his lips. Then he murmured with a nasal voice, "The next couple of days are outlined to be monotonous, exhausting, and routine. Euclex is nothing like a game. If gamers had to always work so hard, perhaps gaming would have been prohibited long ago. Heh, just like the government did with the night shifts. I am somehow worried about the future of this game..."
He stood up, reached the bed in two big steps, and once again crawled under. After adjusting his items and adding another tiny spell, he crawled out and cleaned his clothes. Or at least what little was left of his attire. Then he let his spirituality disperse throughout the inn.
Indeed, I can sense two beings on the same floor. One is larger, probably the player. The other seems to be his mouse? As expected of a Covert Night Mouse. Even tho he isn't actively diminishing his presence I can hardly sense him. The image is too blurry for me to read his strength. Heh, this indirectly exposes his identity. I can ignore the two people on the first floor. It should be the owner and another player. It may be a native too. The owner is here. That's perfect...
Heh, how bold! He actually rented a room inside this inn. Do I look that gullible and stupid? The AI may bully me, but I won't let you do the same! Sorry, but I am not that kind. If you want to keep an eye on me, then you will have to work a sweat!
He sneezed and rubbed his nose. The rotting meat could not be left inside his room for any longer, but he couldn't mind it now. There were more important matters.
He glanced toward the door, turned around, and slowly reached the window. Looking at the street below he chuckled, "Now, let's put on a performance for my lovely stalker and his pet. When one lacks the necessary skills pretending to be smart and strong will do just fine. Just like how some animals make themselves look bigger when they face a predator...
Do not resent me much. Creating some inconvenience for you is just a bonus."
He mused and concentrated. Flickering mysterious symbols assembled in a spell. With a gentle push, the structure was expelled and following his guidance passed directly through the wall. In just a few seconds, it silently reached a particular room. As it wasn't active it didn't gather the player's attention. Instead, it kept on flickering sustaining its higher dimensional state.
At the same time, Midnight cracked the window open and left the tiny room. He was physically hopeless, but climbing down the second floor was simple.
He gauged the moment, when the alley was deserted, and reached the ground without attracting the passersby's attention. Then he hurriedly slipped away. He used the winding streets and the randomly placed buildings to hide from prying eyes.
Meanwhile, in a room not far from his. Popo held Ro inside his hand and glanced toward the street. His lips twitched and he audibly exhaled. "He noticed faster than expected. From the looks of it, I can't stay here any longer. It is too dangerous! Let's retreat for now and observe him from a distance.
Sigh, It is all your fault! Why are you always making trouble?" He glared at the mouse and scolded. Then he used a finger to flick the glutton's forehead as a punishment.
Squeak! Squeak!!!
Ro retaliated and slapped him with its tail. Then it wriggled out and jumped inside his pocket while arguing. It wasn't its fault that Midnight had tempted it with a delicacy! The half-ling was too crafty, laying such a trap.
"As if! You-" Popo grumbled, but his words fell short. His nose twitched and his pupils dilated. He had sensed the activation of a spell! Without a second thought, he took a step and agilely jumped on the bed. Then he looked behind.
In thirty seconds the air turned dry and crispy. It felt like the moisture mixed in it was drawn away by force.
The past few days the weather was unstable. It often rained and even in this room, the air was quite heavy. And now, under the spell's effects, the scattered water fumes gathered in a cloud. It lurked above the floor and precipitated its content.
Pitter Patter
This peculiar rain wasn't dangerous at all. However, in one or two minutes, the wooden planks making up the floor, and the furniture inside the room were soaked. The water even flowed between the gaps and began dripping down the first floor.
"...He...he forced a flood inside my room. And because this is natural water gathered with magic, it won't disappear together with the spell." Popo pursed his lips and had a headache. "How villainous..."
Squeak?
Ro glanced toward its master and asked what the problem was. The spell was childish and didn't bring them harm. If anything, it thought that Midnight was surprisingly benevolent.
"What, you ask? It is a harassment! In Trevor's eyes, I, the resident of this room, will be at fault. Do you think he will let us stay inside his inn? He will even ask for compensation... Besides, he will complain about me to his native friends. It's not a big deal, but it is still a black spot to our names. Gossip travels fast, especially inside Lesotte. You can bet. In less than two days, we will be deemed as troublemakers..." Popo explained exasperated.
This was a very mild yet mean retaliation from the mage.
Squeak...
"Indeed. Thankfully, we already established a good connection with the natives. Otherwise, this would have raised the difficulty quite a bit. The society here is rather conservative and comprised of older people. They wouldn't want to have anything to do with a prankster youngster like myself..." He turned to look beyond the window and slowly shook his head.
Like his prior speculations, Midnight was not the adorable kid portrayed by Anna. He made it clear that Popo's actions were annoying. Yet the spell he used only left a bitter taste with no wounds. The path for future cooperation wasn't burned at all. The half-ling was a shrewd and meticulous person.
Besides, the spell he used was harmless but wasn't simple. He obviously had rather powerful magic capabilities.