“Welcome to God’s Paradise.” The robotic voice echoed.
Carn looked all around and all he could see was his body glowing with everything else seemingly pitch black.
“God’s Paradise is Earth’s way of fighting back against the gates. One’s progress in the game will strengthen the body outside of the game. The amount of strength that can be gained in the outside world is different for everyone however inside the game all people remain relatively similar in strength. The only difference between one player and another is their TR, which is enabled in the game in order for the user to be more familiar with using their TR in combat on Earth, and their lineage which isn’t alterable for the same reason.” The robotic voice stopped.
A transparent window appeared in front of Carn’s face. It read: Would you like to replay the information? Yes. No.
Carn moved his hand and touched the No button closing the window.
The robotic voice began talking again, “God’s Paradise uses a brand new technology for server times. Players can access the server by being asleep at 10 pm and the servers remain open until 6 am the next day. Besides the sleep technology two other pieces of technology allow for the interaction of players across the globe and more in game time. Using time dilation with the human brain we made it so each hour in the real world is 3 hours in God’s paradise. Finally, using new magic technology we made it so that even if a player falls asleep at 10:00 pm in China while another falls asleep at 10:00 pm in Mexico players will enter the server at the same time and their in-game time will be synced. For more information visit our website.”
The window popped up again but Carn had heard most of this information before so he quickly hit the no button.
“We will now start class selection, as the game affects the outside body once a class is chosen the player will be locked in to that class forever. Classes can upgrade and mutate infinitely however so you will eventually have a class that fits you perfectly,” explained the robotic voice.
Carn was presented with a multitude of classes each showing a sort of holographic silhouette of the class in action and a short description beside them.
The classes were separated into groups with giant letters in the sky depicting the groups general role as well as a general description for its general role in a party and helped the player understand what type of person who is best suited to the role.
Under the physical melee damage dealers there were: Swordsman, Axeman, Spearman, Brawler, and Assassin. It had a description that read: Their role is to use weapons to heavily damage opponents at close range and be able to take a couple of hits. They are primarily invested in physical strength, durability and speed with each class investing more or less in these categories.
Under the magical melee damage dealers there were: Warlock, Monk, and Druid. It had a description that read: Their role is to use magic at close range debuffing/weakening the enemy they face and be able to take a couple of hits. They are primarily invested in magical damage, physical durability, and speed.
Under the tanks category there were: Paladin, Barbarian, and Guardian. It had a description that read: Their role is to absorb damage from the enemy protecting their teammates behind them while sustaining their own life in the process. They are primarily invested in physical, magical resistance, and charisma.
Under the physical ranged damage dealers there were: Archer, Crossbowman, Gunner, and Bomber. Its description read: Their role is to use weapons to do massive physical damage from a distance as well as scouting ahead for the party. They are primarily invested in physical strength, will, and agility.
Under the magical ranged damage dealers there were: Wizard, Sorcerer, Summoner, and Necromancer. Its description read: Their role is to use magic to do massive magical damage from a distance as well as strategizing for the party. They are primarily invested in magical damage, wisdom and magical defense.
Under the healer role there were: Priest, Shaman, Templar, and Bard. Its description read: Their role is to heal and empower their allies and is recommended for players who want to stay out of danger. They are primarily invested in wisdom and charisma.
Lastly there was an uncategorized role area with the classes there being: Ranger, Rogue, Zealot, Pirate and Spiritualist. Its description read: Classes in this category usually take multiple of the roles in one. Each one varies wildly from the other, read their individual descriptions to get a better understanding of what they do.
Carn was overwhelmed by the plethora of options and took his time to look at each individual description. After narrowing it down for about half an hour he heard the robotic voice, “Player has been fully analyzed. Would you like class recommendations based on what fits you as a person best?”
“Yes,” Carn said out loud, hoping it would help him decide.
“After scanning all facets of yourself we have determined the top 5 classes you can pick from. Please note that this is only a suggestion and can be ignored,” said the robotic voice, “From worst to best we have: Druid, Templar, Swordsman, Sorcerer, and Ranger. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.”
Of the five only one was in the running before the suggestions were announced. He went over to the hologram of the class and looked at its description: This class specializes in magical and physical ranged damage with a bow and close ranged damage with a shortsword or dagger. They excel at speed and damage output however, due to their wide variety of options sometimes they can be a master of none. This class is very prone to mutating due to its high volatility.
Carn decided and picked this class. He was now a ranger.
A light fell over his body and he saw himself reflected in front of him. He hadn’t seen himself in a full body mirror before so this was a new experience for him. Carn stood at 6 foot 6 inches tall and was white with brown hair that had a tinge of blonde that shined in sunlight. His eyes were a deep green and he had a calm look to him.
His reflection was then clothed with simple white cotton garments with a small recurve bow appearing in his right hand while a dagger appeared in his left. a quiver appeared on his back and a small leather pouch was on his side.
Slowly his black murky surroundings faded away and he appeared within a small town in the woods that smelled of smoke.
The voice spoke once more, “This is a tutorial zone that allows new players to familiarize themselves with their new abilities, complete the objective as fast as you can in order for the system to place you accurately according to your skill level. For now your character screen will be locked but you can look at your new skills by saying ‘Skills’. The tutorial will start in 5 minutes. Take this time to get to know your skills and weapons.”
Carn looked around and didn’t see any people and noticed that leaves falling from the trees around him hung in mid air, clearly this area had its time stopped for a moment. Seeing that this was the case he spoke and said, “Skills.”
A gray and gold projection appeared in front of him, the display showed the following:
Tutorial Menu:
Skills:
Name: Hunter's Accuracy
Type: Buff
Tier: Wood | Level: 0
Cost: 5 Aura/min
Name: Magic Arrow
Type: Attack
Tier: Wood | Level: 0
Cost: 15 Mana
Basic Info:
Health: 210/210 | Aura: 50/50 | Mana: 50/50
Carn scratched his chin and tapped Hunter’s Accuracy and Magic Arrow and new windows appeared with descriptions of the skills on them.
Hunter’s Accuracy: The ranger uses aura in their eyes to help boost the accuracy of ranged weapons and allow for more deft close-range strikes. (Ranged weapons have 15% accuracy and weak spots may reveal themselves in close ranges.
Magic Arrow: The ranger conjures an arrow made of mana which can penetrate most physical defenses (can penetrate defenses attack does 1.5x magic damage)
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Feel free to test your weapons and skills, costs of skills and ammunition will be refunded before the tutorial begins,” Said the robotic voice.
Carn grabbed the bow from his back and an arrow from his quiver. The quiver had 25 wooden arrows which were basically just sticks that seemed to have been sharpened with a knife, they didn’t even have any fins on the back of the shaft. The bow was made of rough wood and was even hard to draw.
Carn knocked an arrow into his bow and aimed at a tree a good distance away. The wood of the bow creaked as he drew back the string, he pulled all the way back and released. A satisfying thwip was heard as the arrow flew towards the tree, only to miss entirely. Carn wasn’t surprised, he had never used a bow before and really wasn’t even sure how to aim.
He tried a couple more times and hit about 1 in 3 shots on average. When the target was around 10-20 meters he hit with relatively good accuracy. Carn decided that the 10-20 meter range is what he would try to stick to during the tutorial.
Carn then decided to activate Hunter’s Accuracy, he felt his eyes warm and his vision sharpened. He tried shooting a couple more times and he could tell that his shots were far more accurate and precise.
Before he had time to use the Magic Arrow the voice sounded again, “The tutorial will now begin, eliminate 30 goblins and 1 goblin rider as fast as possible. Your time starts now.”
All of a sudden a timer appeared in the sky and the leaves started falling to the floor.
As high pitched laughter echoed in the distance, Carn darted inside an abandoned house nearby. Peering through a window, he spotted several groups of goblins slowly converging on the deserted village. One group stood out as a goblin perched atop a large black porcupine.
The goblins sported slimy, brown-green skin and beady, red eyes, their bodies covered in welts and deformities, hidden only by loincloths. Each wielded a wooden spear that matched their small stature.
Carn observed as the goblin groups systematically cleared each house in the village. When one group began searching the house next to his hiding spot, he knew it was time to act. Two goblin guards stood watch outside while the other three scoured the interior.
With Hunter's Accuracy activated, Carn emerged from the doorway, bow drawn.
THWAP!
The first arrow was loosed and struck a goblin square in the head, killing it instantly. Before the other goblin could sound the alarm, a second arrow pierced its throat, leaving it to bleed out while clawing at its neck.
Approaching cautiously, Carn retrieved the arrows and the goblins' spears, noting their similar sharpening technique. Using the doorway as cover, he readied himself to ambush the goblins who ventured inside.
As the goblins emerged from the doorway, Carn fired an arrow at close range, causing one of their heads to explode. Two spears were thrust at him, but he deftly parried them with his bow. Drawing his dagger, he slashed at one of the goblins' throats.
The remaining goblin let out a fierce scream as it lunged at Carn with its spear. Reacting quickly, Carn grabbed the weapon and plunged his dagger into the goblin's head, ending its attack.
Surveying the five lifeless goblin bodies lying in their own blood, Carn retrieved their spears. With the cries of other goblins growing louder, alerted by the screams of their fallen comrades, Carn knew he needed to find a way to survive their inevitable assault.
Deciding to climb atop the nearby house, he checked his ammunition and took note of the 25 remaining goblins and the rider who had now surrounded his position. Their screeches sent chills down his spine, but Carn steeled himself for the fight ahead, reactivating Hunter's Accuracy to enhance his aim.
As the goblin rider raised its spear and let out a blood-curdling scream, the horde of goblins rushed towards the house. Reacting quickly, Carn drew his bow and began firing arrows as fast as he could. One by one, the goblins fell to the ground, screaming in agony with every shot.
When his quiver ran empty, Carn improvised and used the spears he had collected earlier as makeshift arrows. The first one he launched pierced through a goblin's chest as it climbed onto the roof.
Despite his valiant efforts, Carn was soon left with no ammunition and was cornered on the rooftop by a group of five goblins and their rider. The rider's black porcupine glared at him with ravenous hunger as its drool dripped onto the rooftop.
The rider pointed at Carn and the remaining goblins charged at Carn.
Carn, armed with only a dagger, stood on top of the thatch roof, facing off against a group of five small goblins wielding wooden spears. The goblins circled around him, their beady eyes fixed on their prey.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Carn dodged the first spear thrust and lunged forward with his dagger, slicing through the air. One of the goblins stumbled backward, clutching its wounded arm.
But the other goblins were quick to retaliate, thrusting their spears forward with deadly precision. Carn parried their attacks with his dagger, the sound of metal against wood ringing out in the air.
Despite being outnumbered and outmatched, Carn fought on with fierce determination. He ducked and weaved, dodging the goblins' strikes and striking back with his dagger.
As the battle raged on, the thatch roof shook and creaked beneath their feet. With each passing moment, it seemed as though the roof might collapse at any second.
But Carn refused to back down. With a fierce cry, he lunged forward once more, driving his dagger deep into one of the goblins' chests. The creature let out a gurgling scream before falling lifeless to the ground.
The remaining goblins, now more desperate than ever, redoubled their efforts. Carn parried and dodged as best he could, but it was clear that he was reaching his limit.
Just when it seemed as though all hope was lost, Carn spotted an opening, the goblin with the injured arm had stumbled. With lightning-fast reflexes, he seized the opportunity and lunged forward, driving his dagger deep into its heart.
As Carn stood panting, he saw the last three goblins quickly approaching him with their spears raised. He held his dagger tightly, ready to take on whatever was thrown his way. The first goblin lunged at him with its spear, but Carn deftly sidestepped the attack and swiftly sliced his dagger across its throat. Blood spurted out as the goblin fell to the ground, lifeless.
The second goblin was not as easy to take down. It swung its spear with all its might, but Carn dodged and ducked, narrowly missing the sharp end. In a quick and calculated move, he grabbed the goblin's wrist and twisted it until he heard a sickening snap. The goblin howled in agony as Carn plunged his dagger into its chest, putting it out of its misery.
With just one goblin left, Carn knew he had to end this quickly. The last goblin tried to take him by surprise, but Carn was ready. He caught the goblin's spear mid-air and kicked it in the stomach, knocking it off balance. As it stumbled, Carn brought down his dagger with all his might, plunging it deep into the goblin's chest. The goblin gasped for air and fell to the ground, its eyes staring lifelessly at the sky.
Carn stood there for a moment, catching his breath as he surveyed the carnage around him. The rooftop was now littered with the bodies of the small goblins, their blood pooling around them. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and sheathed his dagger, ready to face the goblin rider with bloodshot eyes.
Carn took a deep breath and braced himself as the goblin on its giant black porcupine charged towards him. The roof shook beneath him as the creature came closer, its beady red eyes fixed on him with malice.
Without hesitation, Carn pulled the bowstring back, and a shimmering light began to materialize around the arrowhead, forming an ethereal arrow made of pure magic. The arrow glowed with a bright intensity, almost blinding in its radiance, and a low hum filled the air as the magical energy coalesced into a potent force. With a steady hand, Carn took aim at the porcupine and readied to fire. With all his might, he released the arrow and it soared through the air, hitting the creature right in its side tearing through its flesh. The porcupine howled in pain, its movements faltering.
But the goblin was not deterred. It raised its spear and charged toward Carn, hoping to take him down before he could fire another arrow. Carn dodged to the side, barely avoiding the attack. He knew he had to be quick if he wanted to survive this encounter.
He summoned another magic arrow as he drew back his bow, taking aim once again. The goblin rider charged towards him again, but this time, Carn was ready. As the goblin drew close, he released the arrow, blowing a basketball-sized hole in its chest. The goblin couldn’t even scream as it slouched over dead on the porcupine's back.
But the battle was not over yet. The porcupine, enraged by the loss of its rider, charged toward Carn with renewed vigor. Carn quickly drew his last magic arrow and aimed for the creature's head.
Carn watched as the arrow hit the porcupine in its right eye, causing it to scream in pain and throw its rider off its back. The goblin rolled off the roof and fell to the ground with a sickening thud, lying still. However, the porcupine did not die, and it continued to writhe in agony on the roof.
The porcupine screeched in pain as it shot its massive quills toward Carn. He quickly dodged and rolled on the roof, avoiding most of the quills. However, he wasn’t fast enough as one of the impaled his arm.
“AHHHH!” Carn screamed as blood poured out from his arm.
Carn realized that he had to act fast. He grabbed the quill in his arm and pulled it out with all of his strength. The beast tried to swipe at him with its claws, but he managed to dodge the attack and stabbed the quill deep into the porcupine's neck. The porcupine screeched and tried to slam itself into Carn.
Carn grabbed his knife and rolled out of the way of the porcupine. The porcupine barreled past and Carn reached out and grabbed its saddle. He heaved himself onto the back of the porcupine, and plunged the knife into the creature's neck. The porcupine howled in pain, bucking wildly and throwing Carn off its back. Carn hit the roof hard and rolled to the edge, but he managed to keep hold of his knife.
Carn, with fierce determination, charged toward the injured porcupine, grabbing two spears along the way. He leaped into the air and plunged the spears into the porcupine's skull. The force of the impact finally caused the weak rooftop to give way, and the two combatants tumbled through.
Carn hit the ground hard, his body aching from the fall, but he quickly scrambled to his feet. He looked around and saw the porcupine lying motionless in front of him, its black quills contrasting sharply against the rubble around them.
Carn limped over to the porcupine's body and retrieved his knife from its neck. He took a deep breath and looked around, assessing the damage. The house was in ruins, with debris and dust covering the area.
As Carn staggered away from the rubble, the mechanical voice boomed above him, "Congratulations on completing the tutorial! Calculating rewards... At 19 minutes and 37 seconds, you have finished with one of the top 5 fastest times, all goblins and the obsidian porcupine eliminated," The voice paused momentarily to calculate the rewards, "A title will be bestowed upon you, and you will receive an additional 10 stat points. Please confirm to enter the main area of God's Paradise."
But before Carn could respond, his vision blurred, and he collapsed onto the ground, his eyes slipping shut as he fell into a deep slumber.
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In a massive room with a control center resembling that of a military operation, hundreds of people manned computers while a wall of screens loomed at the front. At the back of the room stood Mr. Cho, who peered at the giant screen displaying Carn sleeping next to a collapsed building.
"Quite the show," he muttered to himself.
A burly guard standing next to him nodded. "The kid's got talent. It's a shame he didn't start earlier."
Mr. Cho agreed, but then a thought struck him. "Is my appointment with the principal still scheduled for tomorrow?"
"Yes, sir. Tomorrow night at 8 pm," the guard replied promptly.
"Good. I'll have something to discuss with that old hag," Mr. Cho chuckled to himself.