Chapter 32

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Finally, I was able to concentrate on the scrolls, but with difficulty. However, the excessive relaxation had some effect: I could only get a "masterpiece" at the fourth dozen, and only one of them. But that was enough for me.

There were all kinds of monsters in the mines, and I took a moment to grab all the spells that were there. Mostly trash, variations of magical "arrows," "fists," and other junk for inexperienced newcomers. I had to hunt for the really decent loot, the buffs, but I finished putting the first ranks of "Magic Armor" and "Elemental Barriers" in the book, which increased the protection from damage by various classes of magic for fifteen minutes. Along the way, I grabbed a spell called "True Vision," a strange mix of all sorts of detects - invisible, infravision, magic, and other things, up to and including stealth detection.

It's a shame that the first rank only lasted five seconds. It's not fair because the gargoyle I got this spell from had it on all the time. I searched through the possibilities for using it to get quests - there's nothing in the public domain. It's a shame. It must have some sort of unobvious bonus! Just in case, I prepared a dozen scrolls. Now I can detect hidden passages and hiding creatures - five seconds is enough to turn my head, waiting for the illumination of the target alert.

All right, it's time to go to work.

Putting on the modules, checking, entering.

Interesting: I no longer perceive the game from a monitor or tablet as the true one, only from the virt.

"You seem to have made considerable progress in your quest for power, Brother Paladin. My advice to you is to go and see a Mentor!"

I raised my hand and silently blessed the priest and waited for a blessing in return. The trick of the voiceless cast was a forced one when my voice dropped to a hoarse bass because of a cold. The microphone, of course, still recognized the words, but I didn't feel like talking.

"Is everything quiet in the city and the surrounding area? I spent almost a week cleaning the undead out of the old mines... though I don't know why. They're empty: no ore, no stones. Nothing but creatures hungry for warm blood."

"You're wrong, there are new mines being planned near those places, and the old evils must be contained. Besides, the Sentinels told me that there are slave traders nesting somewhere near the entrance. Have you seen anything suspicious?"

I smiled happily. A quest, really a quest!

"No, but now I'll take a closer look."

"And don't forget to go to the Mentor of magic."

"Yes. Thank you!"

I turned around and went to the stairs to the interior of the Temple.

I picked up the habit of asking people around me about this or that place from the Q&A record. I was too lazy to talk to Mentors, and my buzzing head was not conducive to clarity of thought, so I downloaded a few dozen other people's advice on Creators, a dollar a dozen, and had fun listening to strange answers to stupid questions. But a few ideas, such as the same spells without words, were picked up and implemented. At the same time, I learned about hidden passages, hidden treasures, and dangers connected with them, about irregular quests like this hint to the Slave Traders' camp. Yes, in my day, there was no such abundance of opportunity. A chain of quests to get to the highest level and keep the player busy for all that time with at least some meaningful activity, then a linear storyline to access a dungeon with a strong boss, well, and daily "kill ten trolls" style quests to make a meaningful presence in the game after killing all available bosses.

Things were more complicated in The Creators.

The game appeared on the new wave of "popular technology" and the jump in power and at first was more like a chat room in a fantasy setting. Then the developers added Plot-AI changing the behavior of NPCs in accordance with the actions of the players and developing the surrounding world under the watchful eye of the writers. Already at the stage of the closed beta, it was decided to abandon the standard attitude to the quests: "go-get-find-perform-report". Of course, now it is a common principle, but the "Creators" were among the first and managed to skim the cream, gaining an audience. And now players had to work hard to figure out where the quest and the empty scripted chatter were. Everyone was satisfied, though.

But actually, it's a strange situation. Apparently, the game is designed for virt and a full set of modules. They allow you to open inaccessible tasks and do all sorts of useful tricks for the player, besides, they simply increase the character's potential by at least twenty percent, if not more. But at the same time, there is no disadvantage to be seen.

Of course, this is only for now. The first breakpoint begins at the seventieth level when resistance counting and rank factors come into play. At level seventieth, the newbie leaves the safe "sandbox" of the initial zones and enters the life of the big world. There it is already difficult, sometimes very difficult, to play alone. You have to cooperate. The second breakpoint is on the one hundred and twentieth, where one cannot survive alone. The third break is in the one hundred and eightieth, where you need not just a group but a guild. And a strong guild. One can only guess how they live on the 200th and above. The information comes from there in small doses because it's too expensive to get.

But that's where you have to use a full set of modules. So it turns out that modules are one of the growth steps? Then why are there so many ways to use them at entry levels? Why such a waste of resources?

I stopped suddenly, barely having time to grab the handrail of the treadmill. Then I turned, changed my mind, and went to the Spell chamber. Later, training first.

There was a line in front of the entrance to the Spell chamber. What I didn't expect to see in the game was players standing in a line. I had to stand behind the last one and wait my turn. As luck would have it, no one was behind me.

The training went quickly. The priest was obviously exhausted and dumped both spells on me at once, not bothering to sort through them. After checking what I'd learned, I activated the voice commands I'd prepared a long time ago and went to the familiar drain into the sewers to test the idea.

The quest was given to me, although the assistant manager looked suspiciously, obviously not understanding why such a well-dressed paladin like me, to engage in such a dirty business.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

I found the elemental's mud ball quickly, and without delay, I slashed it askew. A pop, a nauseating splash of slime, and a poisonous puddle on the floor. I'm getting strong. Let's try it another way.

I hit the next elemental with my fist, then retreated and stopped defending myself. The monitor flashed red, and the life bar slowly crept down. I got it. Finishing off the elemental I took off the virt and, pulling the keyboard, went to find a new one. The other one could not take off at least five percent and be killed in two blows.

So it turns out that virtual is a double-edged sword. I can cut the stronger monsters, but the weaker ones don't become safe for me as the level difference grows. I could have guessed earlier that there were no free cakes.

And what follows from this? What is the purpose of such a system? I can't think of anything. But from now on, it is worth being more attentive to low-level monsters.

Okay, I didn't understand anything, but I confirmed the idea. Now it's time to do something useful. After I finish another seventeen elementals, of course.

In the trading house, the dwarf quickly stowed the mirror in the drawer of the desk at the sight of a visitor.

"Hello, esteemed Drori! Is everything going well in your business?"

Dwarf bowed: "Thank you, Brother Paladin, it's all right!"

"I see you followed the call of common sense after all." I looked at the clerk's beard, which was fastened with two silver rings.

"This? With the new caravan from the Capital came new trends. Now beard pins must be paired!"

"You are undoubtedly the most enlightened dwarf on the subject! But, speaking of the caravan..."

The clerk, proudly stroking his beard, immediately fidgeted.

"Everything you ordered has arrived! And I'll tell you, it wasn't the easiest path! It's still hard for caravans; not as hard as it was ten years ago, but still. Bandits, bad roads, and the worst of it..." He paused, waiting for my question, and I couldn't help myself:

"The Customs?"

Drori snorted.

"I see you know a lot about trade, don't you? They're all thieves to thieves, aren't they? But here it is, your order. Plate armor with ringed inlays of steel-silver alloy with sockets for magical essences, a longsword of the same alloy without enchantments, and a round shield with two sockets, forged and reinforced, Although, it's not the right thing to order weapons and such armor by sight without testing and fitting.

I nodded in agreement.

"What can I do, Esteemed Drori? My old armor has fallen into disrepair after spending a full week fighting crap in the old mines. By the way, do you have any idea why they are abandoned?"

Going through the armor in my inventory, I listened absently to the standard story. The dwarf didn't tell me anything new, though I'd expected otherwise.

"I see. Is there enough money in my account to pay for the order and delivery?"

"Of course! You still have forty-seven gold pieces... with change. Would you like to take it?"

"No, let them stay with you. Coins are no good against monsters."

"That is if they are not undead! Silver is not only beautiful! I heard of a treasure hunter who used to tie a scrap of cloth to coins and throw them in dangerous places."

"How was this supposed to help?"

"So he wrote spells on the rags!"

With a skeptical look at the dwarf, I asked: "Why to the coins?"

The clerk went into his mind for a moment, and then shrugged: "There must be some kind of superstition. So you won't take it?"

Here are four scrolls for sale.

"One moment... that's it, the data is in. Anything else?"

"Thank you, esteemed Drori, no."

"Well, it was a pleasure to be of service, come again."

It's a shame. Still, I have to search for information on the mines in the game. I would sit there for another week, no less; it would be good to gut all the secrets. But I looked at everything available on the Net, and the NPCs stubbornly refused to give me any clues. It turns out that temporary quests and a changing world are not always what the player needs.

But I like it anyway.

"Duel?"

Some young warrior blocked my path. A player, judging by the belt, with a critical hit bonus.

"No, I beg your pardon business of the temple calls me."

I tried to go around, but the player took a step to the side, blocking the way.

"What are you, an NPC or something? Let's have a duel, shall we?"

"Sorry, stranger, but I'm in a hurry."

"Are you chicken? Let's have a duel!"

I shrugged and went back. It's not much of a detour.

"You won't get away, don't get your hopes up! A duel?"

Once again canceling the invitation to fight, I called up the map, examined it carefully, and in two leaps bypassing the molester, who was once again standing in the road, walked to the door of the inn.

"Hey, coward, let's have a duel! Draw your weapon, Templar!"

The screamer tried to block my way, but I managed to open the door first and entered.

"Good afternoon, sir. May I be of service to you?"

A short innkeeper hurried toward me from the counter, holding a towel in his hand. The towel was clean, the innkeeper was not at all suspicious, and the place was quite cozy, contrary to all stereotypes.

Okay, now that I'm here...

"Pack a small basket for the road. I think the food outdoors will be just as good as in your fine establishment."

"Thank you for your flattering review, dear guardian. Now I..."

"Duel?"

"Excuse me?"

The screamer spat at the owner's feet and turned sharply toward me.

"Duel? Come on, come on, say yes!"

"Excuse me, sir, is this... warrior with you?"

"No, not at all. It's the first time I've seen him."

"Aha. Hawry! Help the esteemed warrior leave the establishment."

A half-troll separated from the wall, grabbed the duelist by the scruff of the neck, and carried him toward the exit.

"I'm sorry, he sticks to me in the street. So annoying. So what about the basket?"

"I can suggest..."

I have agreed to a long list of products. The basket would appear when I camped and give me a ten percent recovery buff.

The innkeeper left, and I sat down at the table, waiting for the order to be collected. So, what was I thinking?

"Duel?! I won't quit." How tiresome he is.

The half-troll reached out and pushed the fool out the door. But he immediately rushed back in. The bouncer sighed, tapped the screamer gently on the helmet, picked up the stunned man, and carried him outside. You should study the world more carefully. All the bouncers here can stun for five minutes. I indeed read it in a manual for mercenary thieves as a means of one hundred percent successful robbery of the players.

"Your order, Brother Paladin."

"Thank you."

I thoughtfully shuffled through the items in my inventory. I leave the replacement armor I got on the cheap. I put on the new armor right now... it's done. Now the essences.

I stood up and began to touch the equipment one by one, selecting essences. Sword - slowing, like any weapon. Shield - one percent chance of blinding my opponent for two seconds, one percent for each slot. Armor, Pants, Leggings - Armor Enhancement, one point of protection for each. Gloves - Hard Arm, minus the probability of being disarmed. Armour - Damage Bonus plus one. Not much, usually, this essence is not used a lot. It is only to pump the craft, but it's useful to me. Helmet - the reduced likelihood of stun. On the boots - "Road Claws". Now I will not slip, the most expensive of the essences, but worth it. That's all for now. Both the ring and the necklace already have the temple bonus to experience. Luckily I can now cure poison before the helmet had to be enchanted on the healing, and that's minus a slot. If I were a guildmate, I would have been able to enchant a guild mantle. It has one slot there, a free one.

In general, to be in a guild is advantageous, even in the smallest and undeveloped.

First, a bonus to experience. Up to ten percent; in fact, the seven strongest guilds who rose to the tenth rank had that much. Smaller guilds settled for two or three percent. Second, discounts on materials, cheaper repairs, and free treatment from NPC healers in guild houses. Third, it was easier to gather a group. The minus was the need to constantly develop the guild. Already the second rank demanded to have property, even the smallest, let it be even a tiny crypt with a dozen monsters, but to own. Where there are possessions, there are fights for them. There's the Flame of Anor trying to get a city for a reason. They're already the third rank. They need to open the guild parameter "Politics," and it's a lot of headaches.

Although, of course, if you're smart, you can get good bonuses.

No, to hell with it. I didn't run in a pack, so I won't start.

After shuffling the armor in my inventory, I put the basket in the corner slot, marked it for recall, and closed the menu. It was getting late, and I still hadn't gained a single EXP, only some reputation. It's not right. I need to fix it.

After bypassing the duelist still lying at the door, I headed for the Marketplace.

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