===========
Name: Cheater
Level: 1
HP: 100
MP: 100
Stamina: 100
---------------
Strength: 0
Dexterity: 0
Endurance: 0
Resistance: 100
===========
As I said, the Magic Arrow dealt 10 points of electricity damage. A spear hit did the same amount of stabbing damage. Each rabbit had 40 lives, which mean, it required four hits. Based on my magical rate of fire and speed of movement of the spear, it turned out that magic only makes sense to use it to 'bait' the victims.
I expected that the rabbits would behave the same way as in normal computer games. That is, after the first strike, they should have start attacking me. But after I 'shot' with lightning one of rabbits, it quickly ran away, because of what I had to run after it, in parallel finishing it with magic. After the fourth spell, the furry coward died safely, leaving a couple of ears in his memory. I put the loot into inventory, then thought about a new strategy.
The next victim I pierced with spear, first getting close to it. But this time the rabbit tried to cling to my leg, which caused me to almost fall off. But already at the level of instincts I applied a leap backwards, evading attack. After that, the rabbit immediately tried to run away, but I hit him a couple of times with a spear, and then finished off the magic.
After a while, I got used to kill rabbits with spear, using magic only to finish off those who managed to escape. These furry bastards only attacked if I got too close to them. If I had a dagger or a sword in my hand, it might be a problem. But my spear allowed me to keep distance, controlling the movement of the enemy.
From time to time, I used the Step Forward and Step Back skills, which allowed me to control distance to the enemy. Using skills instead of just taking a step myself made sense, because they worked in any position of the legs. As a result, instead of keeping track of the balance and accuracy of actions, it was much more convenient to start moving in the right direction, simultaneously activating the skill, after which the game took control of the body, leaving me in a stable position at the end. As a result, evasive abilities were a kind of replacement for the trained movements of professional killers. However, I still believe that there is no point in pumping dexterity just for the sake of it.
When I farmed right number of animals, and went back to the camp to change a talisman. Twelve pairs of ears and one tail dropped from a hundred rabbits. I also found out that I don't get any experience for killing these animals. More precisely, that the game does not have any experience or its equivalent. The only thing that was affected by the long-term farm was the restructuring of the points invested in the characteristics. But since their number could not increase in principle, it turned out that killing of the inhabitants of this world makes sense only for the sake of falling out of them items. Also, I didn't know how to increase my level. However, my level is still one.
After changing the mage's spell to the warrior’s skill 'Charged blade', I went back to study the description of my new ability. To be honest, compared to the mages, the warriors on the first level looked much more severe. This skill 'charged' the spear with an aura that dealt an additional 10 lightning damage on the next strike. It didn't seem much different from a wizard's spell. But the aura held on the weapon for five seconds and could fold up to three times. It also consumed only a one mana.
When I got to the nearest rabbit, I decided to test this skill. In three seconds, I put an aura on the spear three times, then hit the rabbit with it. As a result, rabbit immediately died, without even having time to twitch. And I spent three units of mana on it, which was restored in fifteen seconds. In principle, this was not very practical. But when I combined the spear strikes and the use of the ability in the mode: two normal strikes, plus an enhanced aura strike, I began to kill rabbits before they had time to run out of range of the spear. At the same time, my energy consumption was twice as low as that of magician, which allowed me to waste furry animals almost without stopping.
From the next hundred, nine pairs of ears and a 'happy rabbit's foot' fell. What exactly was the effect of this happiness, I did not understand, but put the limb into inventory with the rest of the prey. Or the player should have been happy only from the fact that he managed to knock out a very rare trash?
I changed my talisman to the scout skill 'Poison touch' and sighed heavily. This was essentially a spell that required getting close to the target, which clearly contradicted my religious beliefs, since I didn't want to be bitten by some pathetic rabbit. The spell hung a 'dot' that deals 5 poison damage per second for two seconds. And its 'super-feature' is that this 'curse' could be hung on a single target up to ten times. At the same time, the validity time of all previous applications will be updated each time.
In other words, if I use this spell every second, it first deals 5 damage, then 10, then 15, and so on until I have ten uses. After that, the spell dealt 100 damage per second instead of 50 for two seconds, after which the target will obtain immune to the poison for 5 seconds. In total, in a full 'cycle' of using Poison touch for 11 seconds, the victim will receive 425 damage or an average of 38 damage per second. However, taking into account the time of immunity to the poison, this damage will be reduced to 26 per second.
Such an ability would be very useful when fighting the bosses, but it was a waste of mana and time against rabbits. Since the task did not require the mandatory use of this spell, I just tested it a couple of times, and then began to kill rabbits only with a spear. I has already able to strike four times in a second and a half, so I didn't see any point in using magic. However, the last blow had to be used simultaneously with the Step Forward to catch up with the fleeing prey.
By the time when I completed the task, I had knocked 31 pairs of ears, one tail, and one happy rabbit’s foot.
When I got to the still-full enthusiasm NPC, I informed him about completed task.
“So, you were able to feel the taste of victory, spiced with the power of three professions. Which one did you like the most?”
"A Mage." - I answered to this tricky question with dissatisfaction.
“Congratulations, you get the profession of a magician.”
As I suspected, this bastard didn't offer to choose a profession, but asked me what I liked. It was so obvious a trap that I wanted to take my spear right now and stick it in the freak's mouth. He maybe has seen something in my eyes, because he quickly stepped back a couple of steps, using the same evasive skills.
“Now you have to go to the Island of Crabs, where you can start your journey in the World of Elements.”
With these words, my 'guide' disappeared into the crowd, disappearing from my sight. I snorted in exasperation, then followed the green arrow that indicated the way to the portal. I looked at the inventory and saw that the talismans with the warrior and scout spells had disappeared without a trace. So, I put the Magic Arrow spell in the Poor Dwarf's Spear and went face new adventures.
Island of Crab greeted me with the clamor of a crowd of crabs. The name of this place was quite symbolic, because crabs are usually called inept players, who instead of hands grow claws. I was surrounded by such 'professionals'.
After looking around, I went forward, looking for some useful NPC. My first victim become a guard who was watching a crowd of first-level players with an expression of universal sadness on his face.
“Hello. Can you tell me where I can get information on professions and ways of development?” - I asked him.
"Oh, did I find another person who could ask the right question?" - The guard surprised me with a counter question. - "You're the second one today. And you're really lucky, because I'm the only one in the whole city who knows the answer to that question.”
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
"I am already eager to partake of your wisdom.” - I smiled.
"All information you need can be found in the library. It's a wooden building with a high spire over there. It was specially built to make it easier for any ignoramus to notice it.
“Thank you.” - I thanked the unexpectedly helpful guard.
“Welcome.” - He nodded and looked back at the tumultuous crowd, which made his smile change again to an expression of dejection.
I hurried to the library, looking around for one thing. Then one of the players shouted 'Stolen!', and then a little bit away from my path began to commotion. One player ran away from there, and the other ran after him. I didn't get involved, but I checked my bag just in case. And there was a surprise waiting for me. No, no one stole my lucky paw. On the contrary, the item called 'Diamond Crystal of Glory' shine with a mystical light in the inventory. Why and for what this thing needed was unclear, but judging by their appearance, it was obviously very expensive. However, also in the description of the item was listed as 'cannot be stolen, cannot transferred, cannot be sold, cannot be destroyed'. It weighed one gram, so out of all the losses I had only minus one cell in the inventory. I put the unexpected gift out of my mind and went straight to the library, while making sure that I was not robbed.
The library was exactly the place I needed. It wasn't just a place where books were stored. There were essentially terminals for accessing the local Internet, where I could find a lot of books, official manuals and user guides. Here I sat until nightfall. Only when my head had completely stopped thinking from the amount of information it received, that I interrupted and headed outside.
The night city was fairly quiet, though the streets were crowded. After checking the map of the city, which I looked at in the same library, I went to the market. Here I went through the local shops, some of which were run by player. After comparing prices, I sold the ears to NPC at the price of one pair for a copper. The tail went to the Earth mage for eleven coppers, and the happy foots was really happy, and I managed to sell it for a whole silver coin. Having cheerfully calculated my profit, I went to the local hotel, where I rented the cheapest kennel until morning for only two coppers.
In the morning, I was woken up by the disgruntled voice of the innkeeper, demanding that I should get out of the room. Since I still had paid time, I decided to study the 'Diamond Crystal of Glory'. Yesterday I found out that this item is needed to register a new guild, if you do not have ten friends who want to become members. There were Glory crystals of different quality: bronze, silver, gold and diamond. And don't ask me how a bronze can be crystal. If it is written, then it is true. The Diamond Crystal of Glory allows to create a Guild that could consist of up to a thousand people. Taking into account the ultimate goal of the Game, it became clear that it was a kind of gift from its organizers.
In any case, I was going to use it as intended to create my guild. But not today. And not tomorrow. And not for the next couple of weeks. Why? Because in the interface of the game exist an ability to search and view information of existing guilds on the server. And among this information was the 'class' of the guild and the name of its founder.
After opening the required window, I set the search terms and got thirty-four diamond level guilds. This is despite the fact that the game has just started, and the maximum that players could expect is to get a Bronze Crystal of Glory. I immediately went through the information about the founders of the Guilds, adding them to the list of enemies.
About in the middle of the list, I was 'pleased' with the Guild 'Age of Glory', because its founder was a certain Zinovia Reinhardt. Considering her flawless record and the effort that the Being spent on her release, it seems that they had already written me as 'waste'. If I think about it, almost all games which Being sent me, gave me some ability to successfully complete the task. And now, in the first game after committing this, I'm not afraid to say, an epic feat, I find myself as opponent of a great hero.
Never mind, we'll see who's who. Considering the given name to me at behest of the Being, it is precisely from me victory is expected. Not a bad combination. To release the most famous game figure and to declare her as a future winner, and then waste her, earning the gratitude of Higher Powers that are not exactly waiting her with open arms. Well, at the same time, Being can bet against its own figure and raise a mountain of money on it. But this option looks too obvious. However, it doesn't matter. My task is to win at any cost. And if that price is the Being itself, I won't cry.
When I had finished making a list of future victims, I checked that everything was in place and headed out of the hotel. First of all, I went to the Master of Mages, from whom I learned the spells Magic Arrow, Burn and Discharge. Although I already had a talisman with a Magic Arrow spell, I also needed to know this spell by myself, because it was a 'key skill' for other mage skills.
After spending fifty coppers for three spells, I went to the Artifacts Master, from whom I bought two blanks for talismans. To use the Burn and Discharge spells, I had to first find a red garnet and a rare green orthoclase. However, yellow orthoclase itself were enough for me. I could get these stones from the dungeon bosses. Well at least the first boss was in a dungeon, which I could easily pass alone.
After buying a couple of potions for mana and health restoration from NPC, I went to my first dungeon in this game. The Cave of Stinky Goblin was located half an hour's walk from the city. To get into it, I had to first get to the Cave village, there I should take a quest to destroy the goblins, knock out of them a map of the caves, after which this piece of paper could be used for passage into the dungeon. Fortunately, it was possible to pass the dungeon an unlimited number of times. However, the map had to be knocked out every time.
Fast movement in the game was expensive, so I decided to walk to the right place. More precisely, not even to walk, but to run, which should reduce the travel time from half an hour to fifteen minutes.
When I got to the right road, I turned on the 'auto run mode' and went ahead, overtaking stupid noobs. However, a couple of even dumber noobs started to run alongside me. Most of the guides of the Cave of Stinky Goblin has mentioned the passage of the cave. But in one of them I read that the way to the Cave Village should walked. The fact was that the very same cave goblins were guarding this road, and every time they saw a man running away from them, they immediately tried to stop and kill him, shouting to him to give up a certain treasure.
The first five minutes of running were normal. But then a band of goblins appeared not far from the road. They sat quietly around the fire, waiting for a player who will kill them. The road was outside of their zone of aggression. But for running players the area of aggression has been expanded four times. As a result, as soon as we ran past this group, the goblin shaman cast an area spell 'Hunting Spikes' on me and to the noobs running next to me. The feet of my ‘comrades’ were immediately pinned to the ground, causing them to fell to the ground. But my resistance was equal to 100, so I just ignored the control effect, while the trap itself only dealt to me 5 damage.
Leaving the two losers to deal with the goblins, I ran on. In less than a minute, I passed a small group of players. Immediately, two more noobs followed me, tired of walking, and decided to run along with me. After just a hundred meters, they realized why they shouldn't have done it. Well, at least their comrades managed to catch up with the 'marathon runners' and helped them to fight off a dozen goblins.
In general, when I ran alone, the goblins preferred to throw a Lasso to me, which did no damage and could not hold me back. And only if someone was running next to me, they use Hunting Spikes. In this way, I was able to quickly reach the village, losing only ten health, which by this time had already regenerated.
Quickly taking the necessary quest, I ran into the forest, away from the crowds of people. However, I did not take into account that goblins are much more common here. When they threw the Lasso at me, they started shouting and running after me, but they fell behind pretty quickly, so I just ignored them. But as I ran near a player who was concentrating on fighting with a lone goblin, I heard swearing and shouting in human language rather than goblin.
When I turned around, I was able to see a picture how two dozen goblins attacked a player who previously fighting with one goblin, forgetting about me. As they say, oops! I sympathized to the unfortunate man, who didn't even have a chance to escape, and moved on. At the edge of my eye I saw how the player tried to run after me, but he was immediately captured by Lasso, after which his fallen body was literally swallowed up by a crowd of joyful goblins.
On the way to the caves, I 'rejoiced' couple of lucky people with my goblin locomotive. These two were on one party and even in time was able to see the threat rushing toward them in my face, but they had nowhere to go. Any attempt to run through the forest will end in dozens of Lassos, which they could not Dodge. And just walking, they did not have time to get out of the zone of aggression of the crowd of goblins.
When I got to the right place, I 'suddenly' found that I couldn't stop. I just realized that if I stop, I'd have to face a bunch of goblins. And it was impossible to shake them off from my tail, because while one group decided to return, the other found me running. At least the goblins only 'agitated' when I was running away from them, not towards them. This way, at least, I could avoid groups of opponents, and they would start running after me, already hopelessly lagging behind.
For the next half hour, I ran carelessly through the woods, trying to move through areas that other players had already cleared. But I have never been able to completely get rid of the persecution. But I met at least a couple of dozen teams of different composition, who were very 'happy' to see my escort group. Gradually, the global chat of the location began to fill with the lamentations of the killed players, who demanded to punish me in all possible ways. But to do this, first they had to caught me, and any attempt to do this immediately ended in a their fight with the goblins.
I tried to go back to the village, but there I met by a whole crowd of players hungry for my death. I had to turn around and run back into the woods. The players ran after me, but then three groups of 'local' goblins ran out to intercept them, plus a dozen more groups of those who tried to catch up with me. I even started running circles around the battleground on purpose to see who would come out victorious in this 'crowd on crowd' fight. But trajectory of my movement attracted even more goblins, who eventually all joined in the fun.
About the time when last player died, I realized that no one chasing me new. I had already cleared a good area from goblins, and they were now in the center of a large circle. So, I slowed down and walked slowly through the forest, going around the goblins and reading even more malicious promises to find me and punish me in the chat. It's a pity, of course, that this happened. After all, I lost almost forty minutes of time in all this fuss.