Lauri was keen to experiment with his attributes more but as he sat down for dinner, and his mum served plates of chicken and rice, he knew it would be rude. He had questions for his dad anyway. "Say, dad, ever heard of someone getting trapped within the inner chamber during their ceremony?"
"No. There's a barrier preventing interruption but it goes away as soon as a participant makes their choice or states a desire not to choose."
"So once I had my profession I could have walked out on the goddess?"
"I don't know. Never do that."
"Right. So, which attribute effects mana and how?"
"It depends on the class. Ritualists don't use mana, at least not normally. I estimate my mana to be close to ten times Memory before modified by skills and equipment."
"And power points?"
"Either ten times Strength or ten times Toughness, depending on the person. There are some Tank types who where lucky enough to have Toughness for both health and power. You can guess where they put their points."
"Huh. I might still be able to be a tank, just like I always dreamt."
"Healers belong at the back lines, son."
"If I become a tank then I'm not a healer."
Mr Williams continued to smile, he felt like he'd already lost this one. Once dinner was finished Lauri raised from his chair, to depart for his room.
His mum called to him, "how did you like dinner?"
"It was great, thanks."
"Better than steak?"
"Of course not, mum, but tasted worlds better than a saddle."
He reached his room and started using his attributes to learn more about his stats. With 50 points he decided to put 10 into each of his first 5 attributes. He reasoned that once he had them figured out he could better decide which attributes to focus on. Even before starting he hoped that he could double benefit from Toughness and make it his main attribute. Not that he'd forgotten his bubble but more uses of the bubble should win out in the end. Putting points into Strength one at a time, he saw his power go up by 10 for the first point and then again for every 2 more points. "Drats, how does a Ritualists power come from Strength? That's so unfair. A martial artist it'd make sense but come on." Next he put points into Toughness, one at a time, and saw his max health increase by 10 for each point. More interestingly, he also saw his power go up by 10 for the first and then every 2 points. "Huh. It's something." Next was Agility which proved to have no visible change, "not surprising." When he put a point into Memory his mana increased, "20 Memory is 5 mana and 21 is 6 mana? Is it Memory divided by four, rounded up?" He put more points in but his mana didn't increase to 7 until he'd invested 8 points and Memory had reached 29. "That just doesn't track." Finally was Reasoning, which didn't do anything until it reached 27, where mana increased to 8. "Huh?" Soon he was finished but his max mana was a mystery to him. He removed the potentials from the screen for his current preference.
{
Class: Ritualist
Profession: Level 5 Sealer
Effective Level: 5, EXP: 800/1600
HP: 300/300, PP: 100/300, MP: 8
Strength: 30, Toughness: 30, Agility: 30, Memory: 30, Reasoning: 30, Charisma: 81, Destiny: 4
Attribute Points: 50
Skills: 5
}
"Maybe mana is Memory plus Reasoning, divided by eight then rounded up? In which case, is power Strength plus Toughness, divided by two, rounded up then multiplied by ten?" He wasn't convinced but he felt like it was a good theory. "I'm so good at math. I should join the Guild of Mathematicians." Said guild accepted any Class, so long as the person was good at math. A proficiency that increasing ones attributes could apparently speed up calculations but not improve comprehension. Lauri went and did his bedtime ritual before he got into bed. "Oh, better use my remaining power." He thought, then activated Renew Item on his warhammer twice, bringing its durability to 4,002/10,000.
Lauri had gone to bed so early, due to all the exhaustion, that he also awoke unusually early. A new day, a new plan, he decided that Scouts Guild was a better choice. While they were mostly Ranger and Rogue classes, they tried to be well rounded, meaning they took a select few of each other class. One good thing about being a Ritualist, Lauri smirked to himself, was that "I really have no other competition within my class." Either choice the guilds normal operations staff wouldn't have started shifts yet, so he checked the skill-book from the ghast. The System had identified it as Hold Monster but the physical books title read "Paralysibus" which looked Latin. He started reading it but soon needed to head downstairs and borrow the Latin translation book from his dads bookshelf. His dad saw him and commented "good boy, our tradition will lead to our destiny."
Lauri pauses, "as in the attribute?"
"No, son. There's a real destiny prophesised for someone to come of our family."
Returning to his studies Lauri was interested to learn that, while in the 'stun' family, paralysis leaves the mind clear. This being good for if you want to talk to a target while they're held in place. He finished reading the book but still had time to spare so was looking over a few interesting parts when Frank arrived to visit. Letting go of the book before laying his hand back on it, the System prompted him and he consumed the book [Gained Ritualist skill: Hold Monster]. There were minor variations within the translation uploaded to him by the System but translations are never a precise thing. He gave that no thought as he headed outside.
"Hello Frank, what's up?"
"I was giving thought to your attempt at visiting Horses Trot and was musing on what had inspired you to visit said dungeon?"
"Nothing really but after that visit I was 'inspired' to go visit unmanaged dungeons."
"Then you'll be needing a horse?"
"I have a bull so I'm fine."
"Preposterous. One can not ride a bull so far. Not with any good pace of travel. I'd like to offer to lend you the capital you need for entry, alongside me, into said dungeon."
"It's 500 gold."
"An absurd amount but the offer still stands. I can aid you in stabling horses you tame until they can be sold. Catch enough and you could very will find the trip profitable, in addition to gaining a horse for yourself."
"Thanks. I really appreciate it."
"Shall we be off then?"
"Actually, my guild has a really bad rep, you see?"
"You don't say."
"I was hoping to join the Scouts Guild this morning."
"Very well, it can be our foremost destination."
They strolled through town to arrive at a shady looking tavern full of rogues, with crossed daggers mounted on the wall just inside the entrance. Frank looked like he was regretting tagging along, "I'll wait outside."
Lauri headed in and asked around until he found a guild recruiter. Once he introduced himself the recruiter laughed and stated "you're the boy who could only get into the Worst Guild?"
"It's not like that. It's the first guild I applied to and I didn't know how bad their reputation was."
"They're called the Worst Guild and you didn't guess their reputation?"
"Uhhh, I was told a story about Liverwurst."
"Hah! Yeah I've heard that one. Possibly true but we don't need a Ritualist."
"Couldn't I convince you?"
"We're too busy with the new recruits. Wouldn't even know what to do with you. Maybe once you're not so green and we're not so busy."
"Yeah, you'll accept me then?"
"Hah! I'll let you try and convince me, then, that you're not a complete waste of space."
Lauri left dejected and was quickly queried "have you completed your registration?"
"They said no. Could we try the Guild of Mathematicians?"
"A much more sensible choice. We shall carry forth."
"You're in one of your funny speaking moods?"
"Today is a day of grand adventure and we shall do so with style."
"Since when do you go on actual adventures?"
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
"Since I am in aid of a friend and the dungeon is a reasonable one. Also I was impressed by the diligence with which you expressed yesterdays happenings."
"You were impressed that I ran away?"
"I was impressed that you showed finesse in your judgement, as well as speaking to impressionable youths with words of caution and wisdom."
"Don't ham it up too much or it won't be worth the 500 gold loan."
"You jest." He then broke his character for a moment, "you owe me so don't go getting killed in a dungeon in the middle of nowhere."
They soon arrived at the Guild of Mathematicians. "Since you're in a mood, could you wait outside again?" Frank gave a nod so Lauri headed in alone. After asking around one of the members whispers him a word of advice. "Be careful, the initiation makes use of the PvP System and rumour is it's been used before to assassinate people then steal their SP."
He whispers back "I've nothing to be stolen."
"Suit yourself, speak with Guild Master Larry."
Still whispering, Lauri jokes, "sure glad my name's not Larry Two."
Heading to Larry he announces "I'd like to register."
"Excellent. Anyone may join so long as they meet two prerequisites. We use math to study this world and System. New members must bring some knowledge or understanding of this nature with them into our guild. Do you bring such knowledge?"
"Umm. Yeah! My stats as a Ritualist are really peculiar and I've got unique insights about them."
"Is that all?"
"Well... these peculiarities could lead to unravelling mysteries evident within all professions and since I am still low level it's something members of the guild could study along with me."
"Very well, that's convincing enough for me. Second is that you must beat the guilds initiate math challenge."
"Okay. Bring it on."
A contract was brought out for him to sign that he wished to put his life on the line by taking on the guilds challenge. As he read his System prompted [Do you wish to accept the PvP Death Duel?]. Once he'd finished reading over the contract it seemed that only one condition would actually result in death. If an applicant gets a question wrong and doesn't wish to accept their failure then they can challenge the result. The tester can then activate Judgement which will determine the correct answer and basically anyone who'd got the challenged question wrong would lose the duel and die. The System won't kill anyone who surrenders and nobody officially loses until Judgement is resolved. "Yes, I'm game," the System stamps Lauri's signature onto the contract. "The System can do that?"
"I wouldn't accept any other form of signature. There are 12 questions and everyone gets the same question structures, with only the numerical values changed. They get harder quickly but it's usually only the last two to best people game enough to try. You'll have 5 minutes to answer each question but you won't need that long for most. Are you ready?"
"I'm ready."
"First question, what's one hundred and forty two minus thirteen point three?"
"Hmm. One hundred and twenty eight point seven."
"Correct. Second question, what's one plus two multiplied by three"
"Oh wow, I got some real easy numbers there."
"You're right about that."
"The correct answer is seven."
"Sorry, could you say that again?"
"Seven."
Larry is flabbergasted. "Wrong. Sorry, the correct answer is nine. Honestly we've never had anyone fail so quickly. No wonder you got stuck in Worst Guild."
Lauri was shocked. How did he get it wrong? Where did he error? Is it possible that he failed on such a simple question? Silence hung in the air as he stood there, everyone in the guild remained silent and stated. Such an spectacular fail had never been witnessed before. "Wait hang on, no, I was correct. The answer is seven."
"Look, you should just leave before you hurt your dignity and further."
"I challenge."
"You what? Do you plan on dying?"
"My answer is correct."
"We've used this test for generations and everyone here got the answer right. You're just really bad at math. Cray bad. But I'm not going to take your life for it."
"I'm going to enjoy telling everyone that I called for Judgement and I was right and this guild is full of people who don't even understand orders of operations."
"YOU... LYING! LYING LAURI! HOW DARE YOU!?" (I'm trying to stay light on swear words)
Outside the guild a woman called Yasmin had recognised Frank and had been chatting with him when they heard yelling from inside. "Are they talking about your friend?"
"Seems such."
"Is he alright?"
"Who knows."
"Is your friend a liar?"
"Not that he's ever been caught out on. He speaks 'strangely' sometimes so it's probably just a misunderstanding."
Back inside the guild, Frank had guessed correctly, as Lauri explains "I mean after you use Judgement of course. I'm just that sure I'm right."
"I'm not going to kill you. You were a basically a kid good as yesterday. Besides, there's a brand new spell that creates a Zone of Truth and you'll be exposed as liar."
"Then I'll tell them truthfully that I answered correctly and I called for Judgement and you were wrong but refused to call for Judgement."
"You've done it now. I'm going to activate it."
There's a long silence as everyone continues to stare at the spectacle. Even the two outside take peeks in to make sure everything was okay. Finally Lauri broke the silence, "what's taking so long?"
"You have to use your System to surrender, it's an official PvP duel."
"Not happening."
"Fine then!" Larry activated Judgement.
The spectre of a math teacher from long ago materialised between the two. "Whaaat isss the questiooon?"
"One plus two, multiplied by three"
"That's not what you asked earlier," Lauri interjected.
"Yes it was."
"The aaanswer isss nineee." The specter then disappeared.
"No that was a completely different question," Lauri insisted as a System screen popped up for everyone. [Processing result of duel. Loser is Lauri]. "Wait, he's cheating, I won."
"This is what stubbornness get's you. I'm only sorry that you won't be able to learn a lesson form this." [Executing Lauri per contractual... delay requested] "Oh look, the System is letting you make your final plea"
[Goddess Dike has reported breach. Reviewing official recording]
Larry started to look worried. "The goddess?"
[Detected possible System language interpretation flaw. Testing...]
The spectre of a the math teacher rematerialised. "Whaaat isss the questiooon?"
System plays footage of the original question being asked, "Second question, what's one plus two multiplied by three"
A desperate smirk appears on Larry's worried face, "a waste of time."
"The aaanswer isss ssseveeen." The specter then disappeared.
[Behaviour confirmed as type of cheating. Reprocessing result of duel. Loser is Larry]
Larry started to freak out, "we've always used a question like that, that's always been the answer. The brackets are assumed."
[Processing. Reviewing footage of past duels. Confirmed. All losing challengers will be executed]
A man from the audience cries out "I'm not part of this duel!"
[Checking... duel is against guild. Guild master has authority to represent guild. All members will be executed]
"Guild masters can't gamble with other peoples lives like that, can they?"
[Checking... negative]
"Oh, phew." This sentiment was echoed by all of the audience.
[Checking... all persons individually signed waivers, accepting death should a question have Judgement called and be found wrong. Checking all footage... checking updated patters for pauses in question or lack thereof...]
The guild members start panicking and shouting things like "Goddess spare me, I don't want to die."
[Question pattern has been consistent. All guild members are incorrect. Executing, per contracts]
The guild master makes a final plea, "you can't kill us over whether or not there was a pause in a sentence." Apparently the guild master was incorrect, as they all dropped over dead.
[Executed]
Lauri got flooded with prompts, [+1 Potential Destiny] [Defeated Larry] [Awarded 40,771SP] [Level up] [Gained 60AP] [Level up] [Gained 70AP] [Level up] [Gained 80AP] [Level up] [Gained 90AP] [Defeated Jacob] [Awarded 13,418SP] [Level up] [Gained 100AP] [Level up] [Gained 100AP] [Level up] [Gained 100AP]... The prompts kept going until it had listed a total of 142 duel participants. Many whom hadn't even been at the guild to see it coming.
Lauri left dejected. He stood next to Frank and the woman he didn't know for a good ten seconds of silence. Frank finally broke the silence, "are they all dead?"
"Seems so Frank. Seems so."