I shrugged my shoulders and went for the door of the Building. It sure could come in handy to take a few training swings before going out of the town.

There was a group of boys swarming around a beautiful girl that went into the [Training Hall] just before me. But I ignored them completely.

I entered a gigantic room with wooden floor and wide over 200 Straw puppets all around the room. Each of them was 8 Feet away from each other to ensure a lot of people had room to take some swings. Including the group of boys and the girl there were only 20 People in here. I took a straw puppet at the far end of the room but before I could even enter the training ground there was a well built man stopping me and the others.

Trainer: "Listen Well. I don't want anyone of you to cause trouble or I will whoop your asses. Understood?"

It was the first time for me seeing and hearing a NPC that looked so real.

In all seriousness it could very well be a player and you wouldn't even notice. The only thing that gave his identity away was the [NPC Trainer] text that floated above its head.

I answered with a friendly "Yes" and then proceeded onwards to my straw puppet. I heard some other people enter and this time to my own surprise he said something completely different.

I however figured he had a few options so that he wouldn't reuse his one text all the time.

I was still thinking about that NPC as I had already reached my straw puppet. Blocking out every thought I drew my sword and held it before me trying to mimic a fighting stance.

But since I never held a sword before I imagined that I failed miserable in both taking a reasonable fighting stance as well as looking cool while doing so.

I didn't knew much about sword fighting but even I was so far to see that this wasn't a stick you could flail around like a child. A sword had to be used with care.

Its blade wasn't thick or wide so I figured it was more of a stabbing weapon although I was sure with such Durability it could take a few misplaced swings without a problem.

My first slash ever with a real sword was square across the Helpless Targets wanna be face. Without thinking about it I swung full force not realizing there was the massive wood holder in the middle of the straw. So instead of a clean cut I got a numb arm from the swing and my sword was now stuck.

After I embarrassedly pulled my sword out of the wood I realized that I just learned a useful thing. Hitting the Wood was akin to hitting a bone of a creature. While the Creature would surely suffer the probability of my sword getting stuck in the bone and muscles around the bone was there.

And of course in a group battle a numb hand even for a second could be deadly.

So I learned one of the most important Rules of Combat 101: "Aim for the Weak Points you Idiot"

I shrugged my defeat by a wooden stick of and concentrated on gaining more experience in handling my sword. So I started again with taking a few test swings. First they were rather light and I barely got any variation in my horizontal swings. But later I realized that this wont get me far in a real fight not talking about fights with skyscraper big monsters. If there actually were some.

And so I started to do some stabs and quick foot movements.

I imagined that not a straw puppet but a intelligent enemy would stand before me swinging his sword like I a sentient being would.

This may looked stupid from the outside but for me this already became a fight for life and death. That was because my Parents and Teachers always told me that I had a rather vivid imagination and that I was good at visualizing things. And they were right.

For me standing before me was a Humanoid shadow with a sword identical to mine. He swung from my left and I blocked him. I tired to attack him by sliding my sword down his sword but he captured me with his sword hilt and pierced my throat before I could do so much as flinch.

I shock my head and started anew. I continued to dodge attack and block my imaginative opponent until someone shoved me forward and staggered right into my enemies attack.

As I turned around with a curse on my lips I was meet by the angrily stomping of three guys all at least two heads bigger then me. Luckily they hadn't seen me turn around since they already were on there way. I figured it was more of a accident and before one of them noticed i turned around again avoiding any unnecessary conflict.

But as I looked at the mutilated straw puppet I figured that my imaginative skills only reached so far because I never actually was in a fight before. Therefore I couldn't really imagine how someone would react to a sword coming closer.

I sheathed my sword and turned around to walk back to the door. Only to find my way blocked by over 50 People swinging there swords between me and the door. Some of those people with a style others with wide formless swings that looked rather random and dangerous to slip by. Compared to those I wasn't in a bad light. Or at least I thought that.

Before I could make myself known to the first one in my way however someone flung the door of the [Training Hall] open. The Teenage boy that flung the door open was sweating and breathing heavily. He gasped for breath before screaming.

Boy: "Hey they open the gates now. Come on everyone."

Apparently the Gates of the city had been closed for the first few hours so that people could get accustomed to the new world.

That was a thing I completely missed but which made me very happy. I thought in the time I had trained there were people already leveling up by killing monsters.

Together with the majority of the others that were in the [Training Hall] before I rushed outside and we turned left away from the fountain to go towards the main Gates.

We arrived and this was the first time I realized how many people were in this beginner City alone. It must have been over 700 People standing before the gates right now and accounting that those weren't even all of them I guessed there were around 1000 or even more.

Leveling with so much people would surely prove as difficult. Because there probably wouldn't even be enough monsters to fight one 1v1.

Next to me was the group of boys swarming around that one girl from before and as I looked around I noticed a trend already growing. Boys and Man grouped around the most beautiful girls. ´Bunch of morons. Imagine how they must look like in real life.´

I laughed inwardly but stopped in awe as the Giant ass gates slowly started to open, illuminating the shadowy area behind the walls were we currently stood.

The sunrays reflected on the drawn swords and as soon as the gates were opened enough a huge battle cry erupted from the peoples throats. The rush of people trying to get out left one no other choice but to go with them or get trampled to death.

I jumped while getting pushed forward seeing a huge grassy plain laid out before us. There were gentle hills and flowers everywhere. Just like you imagine a beginner area.

But what confused me was there were no enemies to be seen.

I managed to slip out of the rush of Player that pressed forward and came to a stop directly on the right side of the gate entrance. The first few player had almost reached the first hill as it happened. I got to know why the Game was Named "Crows Feast".

Suddenly out of the high grass jumped our first enemies. But they were no rabbits, slimes or some other kind of Starting monster. Oh No.

6 Feet Green Skinned Humanoids armored from head to toe with crossbows ready to shoot. Around 10 of them and as they released there crossbows people got shot. And wherever a Player was hit he instantly exploded into a dust cloud.

This however didn't slow down the other players how still pushed not seeing the one hit kill crossbows getting reloaded. But this was just the beginning. Because as soon as the Crossbowers had started to shoot there were more of those Orc like creatures appearing on top of the hill. They swung barbaric looking sabres and with a scream that was somewhere between joy and battle cry they rushed at the players.

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

As they meet the first line of players I thought they would get some resistance since they were outnumbered 10 to 1. But again I was wrong. They cleaved trough the players like they were sheets of paper.

And so thanks to the mixture of the Players pushing from behind, the crossbow fire and the mad Berserkers in there ranks I saw over a Hundred players die in less then a minute.

The flow of people coming out of the town slowly diminished and I decided to get the fuck back inside. Although I was nowhere even close to the slaughter I was breathing heavily as I finally got back into the town.

I couldn't believe that over 700 Players were outclassed by around 30 Monsters.

While I thought this I saw the first ones that died respawning at the fountain. Most of them were a little more then confused on what just happened. And since I didn't want to be the one to explain what happened to them I decided I took a turn and then headed down some back alley between two buildings.

As I walked down the alley I calmed down a bit and remembered myself that this was just what I had expected when I found out that not even the producers thought it could be beaten. But I was sure there was a trick behind it. ´There had to be. I mean no on...´

???: "Hello There Sir."

I flinched a bit before turning around to see what was going on this time. Behind me and to my left side was a free square of ground crouched between to buildings and a dead end. While I say free it was actually filled with things. Most notable a person sitting behind a crudely made wooden counter.

The Person had almost grey skin and one could see his bones under his skin. But he wasn't a homeless person or poor.

He rather looked like a monster himself. He wore a black cloak that hid his face and amulets of clearly occult background were hanging around his neck. As he noticed my gaze upon him he looked up at me and his hood shifted of his head. It revealed a sinister smile and a face that would normally scare you right out of the country.

Lets just put it like that. He looked like a fucking vampire fangs and everything included!

Yet I didn't run away for I was interested what he wanted from someone like me.

???: "You seem like a rather perceptive person."

I made a questioning face at that statement.

???: "You are more intelligent then the bunch."

I tilted my head and raised and eyebrow. ´I would rather have it if he would stop talking In cryptic messages.´

???: "Perhaps...... No.... You wouldn't......"

Taru: "......."

???: "........."

Taru: "Oh! Just come to the point. What is it you want from me?"

???: "Hihihihi. Fine then Adventurer. You saw those beasts outside?"

´Is this perhaps some kind of quest?´

I tried to stay calm but couldn't stop a smile from spreading on my face.

Taru: "Yes. What of it?"

???: "Simple Really. Bring me one of there heads and I shall reward you richly."

So this was a quest. But yet again the game didn't act like you would expect. There was no such think as a quest window with a time limit or anything. It was simply a contract by mouth. If I didn't fulfill it I wouldn't gain anything from it but wouldn't suffer any consequences either.

Taru: "Fine i´ll bring you one."

I left the weird man and presumed my walk down the alley.

I grinned as I kept on walking.

´ Sweet First Quest acquired. Now I only have to find a way to kill one of those...... Lets just call them Orcs for now.´ 

The alley ended on a side street that led back to the fountain and directly besides were I came out was another stall. This time however it was well made and looked rather tidy. Laid out on the counter were what looked like Books. The NPC Merchant that probably owned the stall was just conversing with a friendly looking old lady which of course was a NPC too.

I leaned over from the side and saw that the books that Person sold were in fact great treasures. They were Skill books for Players. Or Adventurers like we were called by the NPCs. Or at least I guessed that from the conversations I had so far.

I knew I had no cash therefore a skill book was far out of my reach not talking about if I could even learn one. And yet they looked so inviting.

´I could just grab one and if he catches me I say It was a mistake.´

I grinned and with shaky hands reached for one of the books. I grabbed it the second he finished his conversation. He turned around and it scared me so much that I simple took of with the book I currently held in hand running back into the alley from before at high speed.

After I took a few turns and didn't even know were I was myself I calmed down. I checked again if someone followed me and then sat down at a conveniently placed crate.

I held the simple small white book before my face and almost threw it across the alley as a pop up window appeared.

Back StepLevel Requirement0 Mana Usage10/Use Upon Reciting the Name in your Mind you instantly Retreat Back 7 Feet.

Taru: "...."

You Fulfill every Requirement. Do you wish to learn the skill

[Step Back]

YesNo

Taru: "Are you kidding me? Of course I want to learn it."

I clicked the Yes button without Hesitation although I knew that I couldn't even use the skill right now.

Congratulations You have learned your first skill.

+500 EXP

Stunned I looked at the pop up window that appeared after the skill book had vanished in a white light. But before I could even Process what stood in that pop up window another one overlapped it.

Congratulations You have managed to learn a skill within the first 8 Hours of the Game

+500 EXP/+2 Status Points

I shook my head in disbelief but the game wasn't done with me yet.

You have Leveled Up

+2 Status Points

----

Hello Everyone. I am very sorry that i couldn't upload a chapter yesterday but i had some trouble with my electricity and therefore couldn't get to my computer.

I am also sorry that it is so late already before i even upload the chapter but i kept deleting the chapter on accident so it took me a while to rewrite it and then do it one more time. ^^

I believe you all already got it but

´This means he is thinking´

"This means he is talking"

`And that signals soundeffects in conversations like sighs and so`

I will also mark anything important like Scalings or NPC and Game Stuff with those [ ]

Well. Ok. That's it. See ya next week. BYE.