After a while, Michael resumed his training with Annabelle. They moved through grappling, light weapon mastery, and sword techniques. Exhausted, he finally waved his hand and gasped, “Let’s stop here. Thanks for all of this. Huff… I’ll catch up to your strength soon. Huff, huff... It’d be great if I could team up with you someday.”
Crouched over with one hand on his side, his breath ragged, he glanced at her with a tired but determined smile.
Annabelle laughed at his comical appearance, looking tired on one hand but saying he would catch up to her in no time on the other hand.
Michael forced a smile, and straightened up despite his aching muscles.
She chuckled. “Right now, this beginner town is just the tutorial. The quests are basic, and there aren’t even any dungeons. But when we meet in Nebula, we’ll explore together. I’ll even let you carry my loot.”
“Let’s make it happen,” he agreed, though he rolled his eyes. “Carrying your loot wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, though.”
As the conversation turned more casual, Michael grew curious about Annabelle’s motivations. “Do you have a reason why you want to be stronger?” he asked.
“To be honest,” she admitted, “it’s nothing grand or noble. I just want to impress my parents and secure a better future for myself and my loved ones.”
“What about you?” she asked, tilting her head.
“Not really. I’m still figuring it out,” Michael said with a shrug, his honesty evident.
She smiled slyly. “Maybe your reason is to impress me, huh?”
Michael laughed nervously. “Oh, yeah, absolutely. It’s all part of my master plan to gain your approval. Step one: not die during training.”
“Good plan,” she said with mock seriousness. “Step two: stop wheezing like a broken bellows.”
He grinned. “Noted.”
Michael smiled faintly, reflecting on her question. Did he want to protect his family? Impress Annabelle? Become a hero? Or simply gain wealth and authority? He wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he loved the feeling of growing stronger. The deeper reasons, buried in his subconscious, eluded him for now.
For now, though, Michael was content with his life and its trajectory.
That night, Michael logged into Stellarion. Earlier in the afternoon, he had spent hours studying in the sunlight to boost his stats, and his efforts had paid off.
He received 4.31 attribute points to distribute, which he invested entirely in speed and reaction. Understanding the balance between attributes, he knew that stats were interconnected:
* Constitution supported strength; without it, high strength could harm the body.
Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
* Speed was ineffective without reaction, which improved reflexes and combat awareness.
* Similarly, wisdom and intelligence were complementary for magic users.
All linked stats could only be double their respective ones and not more.
Michael carefully adjusted his stats:
[Strength]: 20.57
[Constitution]: 20.06
[Speed]: 16.46
[Reaction]: 15.98
[Intelligence]: 11.20
[Wisdom]: 11.12
Satisfied, he turned his attention to his inventory.
At the equipment shop, he sold off his old gear: an assassin robe, anarmor, the Boros magician staff of excellent quality, and a basic sword. The staff alone fetched 60 bronze coins, and after selling everything, he had 1 silver coin and 50 bronze coins.
“Show me your list of swords and armor,” he requested.
The indifferent middle-aged man behind the counter handed him a catalog. After careful consideration, Michael selected the Swift-Striker Set for 110 bronze coins:
* [Swift-Strike Sword (Excellent)]
* Level 5 Sword
* +7 Strength
* +15 Attack Speed
* +3 Armor Penetration
* [Swift-Strike Armor (Excellent)]
* Level 5 Armor
* +8 Constitution
* +10 Defense
* +20 Movement Speed
With his new gear in hand, he headed to the Warrior Cottage to purchase skills. After some deliberation, he bought:
* [Triple Slash (Excellent)] (lvl 1)
* Class: Warrior, Rogue
* Attack 3 times rapidly, with each strike increasing the next one’s damage by 10%.
* Spirit Cost: 10
* Cooldown: 15 seconds
* [Tornado Slash (Excellent)] (lvl1)
* Class: Warrior, Rogue
* Swing your sword in an arc to attack surrounding enemies. +8% damage to all targets.
* Spirit Cost: 10
* Cooldown: 10 seconds
With only 15 bronze coins left, Michael set out to test his new equipment and skills.
At the zombie hunting grounds, it didn’t take long to encounter his targets. He engaged a group of level 5 zombies, eager to see how far he’d come.
“[Triple Slash]!”
* Shlick
* Shlick
* Shlick
-40
-43
-48
Three zombies fell in quick succession. Michael grinned, his confidence renewed. Moving deeper into the area, he deliberately agroed a larger group, fighting seven zombies at once.
Nearby, a party of four adventurers watched in stunned silence.
“Should we invite him to our party?” asked Paul, a young warrior with a red bandana.
The group’s leader, Arin, a blonde mage with sharp eyes, hesitated. Her ambition to become a foot soldier after graduation made her cautious. Trusting the wrong person could jeopardize her progress. Still, she couldn’t ignore Michael’s skill.
It didn't help that he wasn't bad looking...
“Let’s ask him after he’s done with the zombies,” she decided after a moment.
Michael, oblivious to their discussion, fought with renewed ease. Annabelle’s training had sharpened his footwork and reflexes. With efficient strikes, precise movements, and his new skills, he dispatched the zombies with minimal effort.
As the corpses dissolved into white light, leaving behind coins and materials, Michael felt a surge of satisfaction. He wanted more: stronger enemies, elite mobs, and even bosses. For now, though, patience was key. Nebula City—and Annabelle—awaited.
Just as he began collecting his rewards, a soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Do you have a minute?”
Michael turned to see the blonde mage, Arin, approaching. Her teammates stood a short distance behind her, watching carefully.
Michael’s curiosity was piqued, but he remained wary. “That depends. What do you want?”
Arin gestured to her group. “Let us introduce ourselves. I’m Arin, a level 8 mage. This is Paul, a level 8 warrior, Joe, our level 9 priest, and Kate, a level 8 ranger. Would you like to join our party? We’re planning to hunt in the abandoned city.”
Michael considered her proposal, his mind already weighing the pros and cons.