“Yu-kun…Don’t give up, I’ll be right by your side…”
“…”
Waking up from his short nap, Yuki had already forgotten what he dreamed of. Although he had forgotten, he felt oddly refreshed and ready to tackle the issue of getting back his lost stats. Getting up from the pod, Yuki looked around the house for Rika. Wanting to thank Rika for consoling him earlier, he arrived at Rika’s bedroom door.
*Knock knock*
‘No answer, she must be in the Dive Pod. I’ll thank her when I see her again.’ Making a mental note to thank her, Yuki went back to his pod and logged in.
----------
Appearing once again in the city square, Yuki was surprised to see how dark it had gotten.
‘Show clock’
*Ding*
Second Start Online: 2:00 AM
Earth: 3:00 PM
‘It seems time flows faster ingame than in reality. Let’s see…I logged out around 8 AM game time and 11 PM real time. Went to sleep at about 12 PM. I slept for about 3 hours and got back on. Now it was 2 AM, so approximately 1 hour in real equals 4 ingame. I’m a genius aren’t I?’
‘Show status’
Status WindowName: YukiLevel: 1 – 0.00%Class: NoneAlignment: NeutralTitle(s):
God of VengeanceHealth: 50Stamina: 25Mana: 30Gender: MaleStrength1Vitality1Agility1Dexterity1Intelligence1Wisdom1Luck5Fame0Willpower109Endurance10Charm51SkillsPassives
Physical Resistance [Beginner 2 - 53.50%]
Seeing if he could interact with the Status Window, Yuki pressed on the special stats one by one.
Charm
The Charm stat determines the attractiveness of the individual. The higher the higher the Charm stat, the more attractive the individual looks. Charm makes it easier to gain intimacy with NPCs. While at the same time lowering the damage, speed, movements of an enemy. High levels of Charm can cause a stun-like affect called ‘Charmed’ upon the enemy.
Willpower
The Willpower stat affects the individual’s mental resistance. For example, if a debuff spell like ‘fear’ was casted upon the individual, it would have a shorter effect duration or it won’t work all together. Willpower also affects the rate at which stamina and satiety decreases
Endurance
The Endurance stat affects the individual’s physical resistance. The individual will receive less damage and less likely to flinch from taking damage. Decreases the rate at which stamina decreases when performing an action. Stacks with Willpower.
‘Wow…I gained three stats that reduces the damage that I will receive. Amazing!’
Yuki proceeded to look at the rest of the normal stats. Strength determines Yuki’s damage and how much he can lift. Agility determines his movement speed. Dexterity determines his how much his critical’s damage and will auto correct his attack to make it strike where he tries to target. Vitality affects his stamina and health; for every point in Vitality, you will gain 10 HP and 5 STAM. Intelligence and Wisdom affects his spell power/increases his MP by 10 and MP Regen. Being uninterested in becoming a caster, Yuki hardly paid much attention to it.
Skill Name:Skill Rank:Skill Level:Skill Experience:Physical ResistanceBeginner253.50%Reduces damage of incoming physical attacks after subtracting how much damage the armor had already blocked.
Currently reduces 5% of normal damage and 1% of piercing damage.
Satisfied at what he had gained, Yuki’s mood brightened a little. By the time Yuki was done looking over all his stats, the city started waking up. Player’s started opening stalls in the city square, shopkeepers were opening up their stores, the smell of food wafting through the air.
‘I need to find a way to get back all the stats I’ve lost, it seems because I kept dying at level 1 I lost stats instead of levels.’
“Ano…Can you show me where I can get stronger?” Yuki, had seen a passing guard and had decided to ask him for help. Expecting that NPCs have secret knowledge, Yuki thought that if he asked around a bit, he would eventually stumble upon something interesting.
The tired guard without even glancing in Yuki’s direction replied, “Try the Training Hall, if strength is what you look for. It’s just down the street, you won’t miss it.” Without another word, the guard walked away, heading back to the guardhouse and getting some sleep.
Excited, Yuki walked towards the direction the guard was pointing at.
Before he knew it, Yuki was standing outside a large building, above the entryway was a banner that had a set of crossed swords over a golden shield. ‘I assume this is the training hall.’ Yuki entered the large building and looks around for someone he can ask for help.
Inside the training hall were players hitting dummies all around. There was a myriad of different weapons being used to strike at the targets. Swords were the main weapons though, ranging from giant bastard swords to the refined rapier.
Yuki could occasionally see some polearms, clubs, and the occasional brawlers who chose to go weaponless.
Next to a doorway at the far end of the building, there was a sign that even said ‘Archery Range’.
‘I guess this place has everything.’ While Yuki was examining was examining the players, he didn’t notice how everyone secretly started working harder and harder.
“Welcome to the Lucierna’s Basic Training Hall, I’m Master Jiero, How may I help you little girl?” Approaching Yuki was an overbearing thick man, there were many scars on his huge arms, showing how many battles he’s been through. The man was two heads taller than Yuki, so about 6’7”. His face was covered by a week-old beard along with nose that looked like it may be been broken and fixed multiple times. Lastly though were his eyes, they were intense, as if they were able to gaze into a persons mind.
“I’m a man! Oji-san I would like to train here, I want to become strong, stronger than anyone else that has ever existed.” Once again, being mistaken for a girl, Yuki couldn’t help but retort before answering Master Jiero.
“Hoho! You’re the first one that’s ever raised their voice at me.” Master Jiero led Yuki before a door behind a counter.
“Through this door are the training weapons, if you have an idea of what you want just tell me and I’ll go get it. Or if you want to look for something yourself just go right ahead.”
Not knowing what he wanted, Yuki accepted Master Jiero’s second offer and proceeded through the door. Inside the closet, which looked bigger than how it looked from the outside, had weapons lying on shelves and along the walls (Think of the Matrix). On the walls and shelves were all kinds of weapons possible, Yuki could see a weird sickle that was fixed to the end of a pole and adjacent to it was a war axe. On one of the shelves was that giant sword from earlier, Yuki couldn’t help but try and pick it up.
Training Great Sword Type:SwordDurability:N/AQuality:CommonDamage:1 – 1A weapon obtained from the Training Hall.
Feeling that the sword wasn’t meant for him, Yuki put it back. The problem wasn’t because the sword was too big, because as soon as Yuki picked it up, it shrunk to fit Yuki’s size, although still large enough to be considered a great sword for someone of Yuki’s size. The actual problem was that the sword felt awkward in his hands, he couldn’t pinpoint the reason but, he knew he wouldn’t be able to master that weapon.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
For the next 20 or so minutes, Yuki repeated the same thing with some more weapons. Occasionally Master Jiero would come in, grab a sword or an axe and walk back out. By this time Yuki was losing hope, none of the weapons he tried felt comfortable. Thinking back on how Trey and even Master Jiero thought he was a girl at first lit a flame in his ego. He would pick the manliest weapon!
‘I gotta choose a manly weapon, so that means ranged weapons are out of the question’ Yuki considered ranged weapons as cowardly, he views it as not manly enough for him, so he never gave it a second thought.
‘The perfect image of a man…hm…just like the hero in every fantasy story, it has to be a sword! Now what kinda sword…’ While thinking of swords an image of Akari slowly emerged in Yuki’s mind.
----------
While taking off her Bōgu, Akari looked at Yuki, “You know, you should try it sometimes, it is a really good way to relieve some stress. Plus I’m pretty sure girls won’t pick on you if you do this.”
“Nah, Aka-nee smelling sweaty is enough, I don’t think Okaa-san will enjoy it if both of us come home sweaty everyday haha.” With this reply, Akari starts profusely blushed.
“B-b-b-baka! I don’t smell!” Akari suddenly ran to the changing room leaving behind a stunned Yuki with the rest of the envious boys.
----------
‘The katana, a symbol of my past, a symbol of Japan, a symbol of Aka-nee…’
With that single thought in mind, Yuki started looking around for the katana, and its’ shō. Ironically enough, the Japanese blades were hidden away, under a pile of junk weapons at the far end of the closet. ‘I can’t believe MT, a company stationed in Japan, doesn’t have its’ symbolic weapon near the front.’
Picking up the Katana, Wakizashi, and Kodachi, Yuki exited the closet.
“Finally! Took you long enough! Let me see what you chose.” Yuki showed Master Jiero the daishō and the Kodachi. A grin spreading from one side of his face to the other, “Oh so you found them, those blades were usually never chosen, so I threw them in the back. It suits you nicely. I can’t deny that the deadly beauty of the weapons from the east matches you, if I have to say something I would say that you were born to wield those blades! What was your name again ‘boy’?!”
Excited about what Master Jiero just told him, Yuki couldn’t help but smile at his words, “My name is Yuki.”
“Well then Yuki, feel free to keep them, you can go practice on that dummy over there.” With that, the burly man walked off to talk to another player who just walked in.
Yuki enthusiastically skipped towards the dummy that was located near the center of the training hall, all the while drawing the attention of every person in the room. The happy attitude combined with his Charm stat indirectly captivated all the people in the room. Even some of the girls were staring at Yuki with blank gazes.
Putting the Training Wakizashi and Training Kodachi away, and equipping the Training Katana, Yuki was intently focused on the dummy in front of him. Sliding the sword out of its’ sheath and holding it at an angle from his perpendicular body, Yuki assumed the position that he had seen Akari been in so many times before. Time stood still, as if the before the storm. Everyone waited with bated breathes. All eyes were on him, interests were peaked left and right as they watch the short boy[girl?] move his[her?] arms up to go for an overhead strike. In a single fluid motion, as a blade of grass waving in the wind, the blade slashed down.
“HUP!" *Thwack!*
‘…’
“Owwwieee~!” Everyone fell on the ground at the sudden anti-climactic ending.
Dropping the sword and hugging both his arms to his chest, Yuki was tearing up. What had happen just now was, the vibration that was generated from when the sword made contact with the dummy actually hurt Yuki instead.
Trying not to cry, Yuki was silently trying to stop the shaking that his arms were doing.
“Hey…did you see that?! It was kinda cute don’t you think?”
“HAHAHAHA! That was too funny, hey little girl why don’t you just let this guy protect you instead hahahaha!”
“Sure, with you protecting her, she’s more likely to wait for you to revive; after you trip and kill yourself with your own sword than to be protected!”
“What did you say bastard?! Wanna go?! Huh?!”
“Alright then buddy! Bring it!”
“Hey fatso, watch where you’re swinging that thing!”
“Ouch! Hey idiot, don’t hit me, I didn’t do anything!”
Pretty soon a huge fight involving everybody in the training hall started, even the players outside in the archery range came in and joined the fray.
“Winner gets to protect the pretty Bishoujo!!!”
With that last scream, the fighting got more intense and confusing than before. Master Jiero just stood there shaking his head, since he knew that they were only using Training weapons, so he didn’t have to worry about them killing each other. They would lose all their stamina before their Health.
The only one that didn’t join the fray was Yuki, who was trying to crawl away and remain inconspicuous. Yuki finally arrived back at the entrance and bid a farewell to Master Jiero before leaving the Basic Training Hall.
‘I gotta stop crying…*sigh*’
----------
Trying to find somewhere quiet to train, Yuki walked out of Lucierna, where he saw a bunch of newbies just like him, running around trying to kill defenseless looking bunnies. Yuki approached one and got back into the stance from earlier. He kept eye contact with the dangerous looking bunny for a full 5 minutes, without moving a muscle. Time seemed to stand still once more as the staring got more intense.
“Squeak!” With a loud squeak, the bunny went back to chewing on a dandelion that he found.
‘…’
Letting the katana fall back at his sides, Yuki had already lost interest in fighting the deadly bunny.
‘A true man does not take a life without reason.’ With that thought, Yuki proceeded to walk towards the edge of the forest. Along the way to the forest, Yuki met some foxes, but just like the bunnies, they didn’t make any moves to attack Yuki.
‘…’
‘What’s happening? So far, nothing is attacking me…’
*Ding*
Because of your high amount of Charm, weaker creatures are passive towards you.
‘Really?….I came here to train damnit!’
Yuki reached the edge of the forest and kept walking, into the forest. Looking for something to fight, Yuki had forgotten to remember where he was going. When he remembered, it was too late. He was lost.
Starting to panic, Yuki looked around wildly, in hopes that he sees something familiar. The hopeful expression soon turned into dread, because approaching Yuki were about a dozen growling wolves. Trying to put up a fight, Yuki held up his katana.
“Stay back!” he cried out.
At the shout, some of the wolves had flinched and drew back, leaving 3 wolves that were standing side by side. The wolves at the front were not openly hostile towards Yuki, just watching his actions, how Yuki was glaring at their alpha wolf in the center, how his breath was quickening, and last of all, how his tail is tucked in near his legs, a sign of fear.
While watching the wolves, Yuki looked up above their heads, all he could see was ‘???’. So it seemed he was too weak to see the wolves’ levels. These wolves looked strong, they were twice the size of normal wolves in reality, plus these wolves look well fed. They were successful predators. His hopes were dashed after seeing the how the three wolves at the front did not react to his shout. Yuki was trying to bluff his way out of his predicament. Suddenly, without warning the wolf in the center dashed.
Yuki didn’t have time to react, all he saw was the image of the wolf flickering and before he knew it he was on the ground.
“Kyahhh!!!!” Covering himself from being chewed to death, Yuki screamed as hard as he could. However, the painful sensation of something ripping his flesh apart didn’t happen. Instead a cold, wet nose was sniffing around Yuki’s face. The warm, wet tongue was moving back and forth across his face. Hearing the constant sniffing, Yuki couldn’t help but open his eyes and look at the friendly animal that was on top of him.
“Hahaha, stop it! It tickles!” Trying in vain to stifle his giggling and laughter, Yuki smiled and tried to get up.
After getting up and dusting himself off, Yuki looked at the pack of wolves that were calmly waiting behind the alpha wolf in front of him. “So…Um I’m not going to get killed?”
‘…’
‘…’
“Can you understand me?”
‘…’
‘I guess they can’t, wait! I’m part wolf right?! That means I can partially communicate with them right? Let’s find out!’
Giving off the most courageous pose to show he meant no harm, which involved laying on his back, Yuki opened his mouth and…
“Wan Wan~!”
‘…’
‘…’
“Ookami-sama, we can understand you just fine you know…”
‘…’
“Eh~?”
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