Feeling the confidence build in him, Brandon began to walk in a way he never thought his aging body would. Back straight, standing tall, he felt better than he had in years—terrified but physically great. "I can't believe it, I'm walking without that fucking cane!" he said, a wide grin spreading across his face. Speed building, he began to jog through the corridors, trying to forget the terrors he had seen in the last few hours.
Lost in his mind as he jogged through the tunnels, Brandon completely missed the slight bulge poking out from the wall on his right.
As he passed, the bulge shifted, and with a shock of horror, he noticed it move—almost as if it were angling toward him. Before he could react, it exploded outward, sending shards of stone directly at him.
In the midst of the debris was a small insect creature at the center of the shrapnel. It flew past the front of Brandon, but not before its sharp claws swiped across his chest, leaving deep cuts.
Brandon was thrown back into the cold stone wall behind him. "Ow!" he complained, rubbing his chest as he winced.
"Why aren't I allowed to feel good?" he moaned, his frustration building.
He scrambled to his feet, scanning the area for his attacker.
He saw the creature as it looked back at him, its red eyes staring from a little further down the corridor.
Brandon focused on it, and his screen read: Stoneclaw Mite - Level 4.
It appeared about the size of a medium dog, if Brandon had to guess, with a chitinous, rock-like exoskeleton. It had four legs, the front two ending in jagged pincers in place of claws, while the back two legs retained sharp claws. Its body was a strange blend of rock and earth, with the rock forming a shield-like covering on its back—or a shell, if Brandon had more time to think about it.
He cringed slightly at the pain radiating from his chest. "Fuck me, you have some sharp pincer-like claw things, little guy," Brandon muttered under his breath. He paused for a moment, wincing as the stinging in his chest intensified. "I don't suppose we can talk this out, huh?"
As he spoke, he quickly smeared another one of his regeneration saps across the deep cuts, feeling a small amount of relief as the ointment began to work. Meanwhile, the Stoneclaw Mite seemed content to watch him, its red eyes locked on his every movement, unbothered.
Unlike in his previous fight with the Rockroot Grunt, where Brandon had made the first move, the Stoneclaw Mite made it for him. It burrowed under the rock it was standing on, using the pincers on its front legs to pull the stone away in front of it.
Brandon was horrified when he saw it make a beeline toward him. He immediately summoned his shield, trying to jump to the side to avoid its attack. To his relief, the creature seemed to not notice that he had moved and instead lashed out from the stone, up at where Brandon had been standing. It spun its body, attacking with the terrifyingly sharp claws on its back legs.
"I guess that’s a no on talking this out, then," Brandon muttered as he watched the Stoneclaw Mite soar through the air in its attempt to kill him. His eyes darted over the creature, and that’s when he noticed something: the underbelly of the mite was completely devoid of the chitinous plating that covered the rest of its body. That, Brandon figured, was probably his best shot at taking it down.
He quickly re-conjured his whip, and with a determined glint in his eyes, he decided it was finally time to fight back.
He walked forward as the Stoneclaw Mite hit the ground, spinning to face him. Brandon figured his best chance was to provoke the creature into jumping at him again, so he decided to go on the offensive, hoping it would burrow for safety. With that in mind, he conjured his shadow distraction next to the mite, which immediately forced it to turn and face the illusion. Meanwhile, Brandon, shield glowing faintly and whip in hand, approached cautiously from the other side.
His heart pounded in his chest, sweat dripping from his forehead. He lashed out three times in quick succession, each strike hitting the mite’s chitinous plating with a resounding thud. The creature’s only response was a loud shriek—an unmistakable cry of anger.
The mite snapped its pincers in both directions, one aiming at the shadow and the other at Brandon. As expected, the shadow took no damage, but the mite’s pincers missed him as well. It followed up with a swift strike from its back legs, aiming to tear into Brandon’s legs.
Brandon was ready. He launched himself backward, just out of reach of the creature’s attack. He heard the mite screech in what he assumed was frustration as it burrowed back under the stone, likely preparing for another ambush.
Brandon grinned—his plan was working. But just as he jumped to the side, his eyes widened in shock. Instead of leaping from the ground as he expected, the mite had burrowed beneath his feet and used the stone to trap him in place.
The grin on Brandon’s face instantly vanished. “For fuck’s sake, can’t I get one break?” he shouted, gritting his teeth as he strained every muscle in his legs, trying to free himself.
The mite, obviously seeing its chance, burrowed up the side of the wall and launched itself toward Brandon’s neck in an attempt to behead him.
"No, you fucking don’t!" Brandon shouted, immediately crouching as low as he could, his knees protesting loudly. With everything he had left, he struck upwards with his whip. It wasn’t the strongest attack—there wasn’t much room to maneuver—but it was enough to flip the mite onto its back.
As it hit the ground, it seemed to lose concentration on the stone holding Brandon in place. The stone cracked and splintered, falling back into the ground and freeing him.
Brandon breathed hard, his chest rising and falling rapidly, his eyes locked on the mite. Enraged, he yelled and charged at the now defenseless creature, struggling to right itself. He struck it multiple times in the soft underbelly, the whip crackling as it lashed across the vulnerable spots.
Just as his fury boiled over, the voice echoed in his mind, pulling him from his rage.
"You have slain Stoneclaw Mite Level 4. Experience gained. Level 3 Wizard gained. Congratulations."
"Ahem," Brandon muttered, standing and adjusting his clothing as he checked over his body for any injuries he might’ve missed.
"I wonder if that sap can do anything for sore knees?" he complained, rubbing the back of his knees after the quick crouch had them protesting loudly.
Brandon decided he was going to take a seat to take stock of this insanity that was happening around him. He realized he hadn’t actually had a moment to think yet, seeing as though the second he arrived here, he was met with the absurdity of being a wizard, then the Hollowhorn Boar, and figuring out how his new abilities worked.
“What the fuck is happening to me?” he muttered to himself with a sad smile as he considered the fact he may never see Sarah again or get to chat shit with Gary.
“Where the fuck am I?” he asked, the situation finally seeming to come into realization.
He sighed to himself. "Nothing to it now but to survive this shit hole," he muttered, bringing up his screen again. This time, he didn't focus on any one thing specifically. Instead, he was met with an overview page that had a message seemingly waiting for him.
This is your first visit to the Overview page. Would you like to take the introduction?
* Yes
* No
"Oh, now I get told how this shit works?" he yelled in frustration, only just managing to stop himself from hitting the ground with his fist. He knew that hitting stone was what got him into this stupid cave in the first place.
He mentally accepted the prompt and was greeted with the following:
----------------------------------------
Brandon Larente
Race: Human Level 1
Note: Your race level increases with 10 levels of your class. Profession levels do not count.
Profession: N/A
Class: Wizard - Level 3
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
Specialization: Conjuration
Note: Class leveling is a direct result of using your specialization. You may gain a new specialization or further specialize in an already chosen specialization every 100 levels.
Abilities:
* Conjured Distraction: Unpractised
* Arcane Barrier: Novice
* Flame Whip: Apprentice
Brandon sat, looking at his overview screen. "Hey, my Flame Whip must have upgraded again," he said passively, barely registering the significance of the update as his mind wandered through the chaos of the last few hours.
He focused in on the system message that had appeared when it happened:
Flame Whip: Novice upgraded to Flame Whip: Apprentice
You gain more control over the flame and heat that comes from this weapon. You now understand the required techniques to both deal lethal damage and protect yourself when needed. Additionally, you gain the ability to make your whip rigid, allowing you to use it as a lance when necessary.
"Something actually useful, wow," Brandon muttered, his mood clearly sour. "Would've been nice when trying to kill the fucking mite," he added, rubbing his chest where the claws had swiped him. He shook his head and stood up. "Can't sit around all day feeling sorry for myself, I guess."
He stopped mid-step. "Is it even still daytime? Does this place have a nighttime?" His mood darkened even more as he realized he couldn't be sure. The idea that this new world might not even follow the same rules as Earth was enough to unsettle him further.
Brandon walked over to the Stoneclaw Mite's body, trying to push aside the discomfort gnawing at him. He focused on it, and the screen appeared: "Would you like to claim your bounty?" He mentally confirmed.
You receive:
* 2 Stoneclaw Mite Claws
* 1 Stoneclaw Mite Carapace
* 1 Stoneclaw Mite Eye
Brandon sighed. "Great, more shit that doesn’t help me," he muttered, pulling up his inventory screen. He focused on the Stoneclaw Mite Eye, curious if it had any sort of description.
Stoneclaw Mite Eye
The glowing red eye of a Stoneclaw Mite. It has a faint magical aura and seems to contain a small trace of energy. It can be used as a crafting material for trinkets or talismans, or as an ingredient in alchemy.
Brandon sighed, the description of the item doing nothing to lift his mood. Now, with the adrenaline completely fading from his system, he realized he hadn't had anything to drink in hours, and his mouth was starting to feel dry.
"One thing after another," he complained, frustration creeping back into his voice.
Deciding he had no choice, Brandon pushed forward, continuing down the corridor with the hope of finding some water—or at the very least, something to drink.
He began down the corridor, keeping his shield and whip ready this time while walking. He wasn’t going to make the same stupid mistake he had before, jogging to his potential death.
As he moved forward, he noticed the surroundings begin to change. The stone walls and floors slowly gave way to something different. The stone corridor, narrow and uninviting, was now transitioning into something far more organic. The walls, now softer in texture, were made of wood and roots, and the floor beneath his boots had become soft earth instead of cold stone. The corridor had widened, too, from a cramped four meters to a spacious ten. Without realizing it, Brandon let out a breath, the subtle feeling of claustrophobia lifting as the environment opened up.
Carefully continuing down the now much wider path, Brandon walked a little longer until he came to a larger cavern. In the center of the cavern was a large pool of water, its surface eerily still.
Brandon's gaze narrowed, and he stared at the pool with suspicion.
"Oh, come on. We both know that's a damn trap," he muttered, his voice cutting through the quiet space. He grabbed a nearby rock, and with a sharp motion, flung it into the pool, watching as it splashed into the water.
He stood still, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of movement. Nothing. The seconds stretched into minutes as he threw a few more rocks into the pool, but still, nothing emerged.
Brandon’s shoulders relaxed slightly, his body beginning to ache with thirst as he tried to resist the urge to rush toward the water. He continued to stand guard, though his vigilance started to wane, his tired mind and body urging him to take the risk. "Maybe it’s just... water. Maybe I’m overthinking it," he muttered to himself, though his instincts still screamed to stay cautious.
Brandon made his way towards the water, deciding he needed to drink, consequences be damned. Just as he knelt at the side of the pool, a voice shattered the quietness of the area.
"You’ve done well, young wizard," the voice began.
"GAH!" Brandon shouted, spinning around and missing his footing on the edge of the water. He fell back into it. It wasn’t that deep, and Brandon could clearly stand in it, though he didn’t hit the bottom when he fell.
"Who the fuck are you?" he demanded of the figure.
The figure chuckled to himself. "My name is Veylan, Brandon, though that is of no import at the moment," he replied.
This only made Brandon more cautious. Climbing out of the pool, drenched and with water dripping from him, he reconjured his whip. The last one was soaking wet and no longer alight. He gripped it tightly, watching the figure.
"How do you know my name? And what the fuck do you want?" Brandon replied, then subconsciously cursed himself. "Is this how you greet the first person you meet? Idiot, be nice."
"I assure you, wizard, I mean you no harm. And if I did, there would be nothing you could do about it at your current level," the figure replied in a calm, low voice. "My friend and I have been watching your efforts in this place, and I must say, you are an amusement. The last person I saw that came from your world was far angrier."
"The last from my world?" Brandon questioned, narrowing his eyes. "There’s others here?" he continued, eyeing the figure intently. He couldn’t see much, as the man was both in the shade and wearing a black robe and hood. However, he looked to stand about the same height as Brandon himself.
"Now that your world has reached maturity, I imagine there will be many of you who are summoned to various other planets and worlds," the figure replied, still not really giving Brandon an answer.
"You still haven’t told me how the fuck you know who I am. Is it you who brought me here?" Brandon shouted, now letting the frustration get the better of him.
"It is of no concern how I know who you are or who brought you here," the figure replied, seemingly unconcerned with the frustration and anger coming from Brandon. "I am only here to offer you a spell that may help in your upcoming fight. Technically, it is an enchantment spell, but you should have the capability for it now. You are aware you can learn magic outside of your specialization, correct? The only downside is that, to do so naturally, it is much harder and leveling them takes much longer."
"To do so naturally?" Brandon asked the figure, relaxing his grip on his whip somewhat, knowing the figure spoke truth earlier. If he wanted Brandon dead, then he wouldn't have been able to do jack about it.
"Without something or someone granting them to you, it will still be difficult for you to level it, but you won't have to do the weeks of studying to understand it fully to begin," the figure replied, walking forward toward Brandon.
Brandon instinctively took a step back, noticing that even as the figure came into the light, he still couldn’t see into the hood of the entity in front of him. It just looked empty.
"Ahh, don't mind the hood. It's a trait of it," the figure said, noticing Brandon's hesitance. "People who I don't wish to see my face cannot see my face. Should you survive, I may allow you to see it."
Veylan reached out, and instantly, Brandon felt a surge of energy course through his body. This one felt slightly different from the one he experienced when he received his first abilities, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on how it felt different. He just knew it did.
Brandon was instantly dried as a byproduct of the imbuement, and Larent said, "I can cover you in water again if you were using it to cool down."
Red instantly came to Brandon's face. He replied, "No, no, I fell. You scared the shit out of me. Could you maybe not just appear in a dark space next time? Wait... were you just over there waiting the whole time?"
His face shifted to confusion the more he spoke.
"No, I teleported in as you entered the room," the figure replied, as if teleporting was a normal, everyday thing.
"To him, it probably is," Brandon thought, shaking his head.
"Fine. What do I do? What did you give me?" Brandon asked the figure, pulling up his overview screen.
Upon opening his overview page, Brandon noticed three new system messages. The first one read:
"Flame Whip Altered to Conjured Whip:
Conjure a whip of arcane energy, empowering it with an element you have the ability for."
The second message read:
"Ability Received: Flame Infusion:
Infuse an object with the properties of fire. Flames last until you deactivate the ability."
The third message read:
"Ability Received: Volt Infusion:
Infuse an object with the properties of lightning. This lasts until you deactivate the ability."
Brandon Larente
Race: Human – Level 1
Profession: N/A
Class: Wizard – Level 3
Specialization: Conjuration
----------------------------------------
Abilities:
* Conjured Distraction: Unpractised
* Arcane Barrier: Novice
* Conjured Whip: Apprentice
* Flame Infusion: Unpractised (Note: This ability is from another specialization and will require more time and effort to level.)
* Volt Infusion: Unpractised (Note: This ability is from another specialization and will require more time and effort to level.)
“Why did you give me this?” Brandon asked as he summoned his whip, which now appeared as a line of blue energy, almost like his shield. He mentally activated his Volt Infusion ability, and it crackled to life, with electricity running the length of it.
"You show promise. Not many I've seen come to this world meet its demands with the courage and wit you have shown," Larent said. "Now, I've kept you here far too long. Take your drink, and I will reactivate the room. You were correct, by the way, that water is a definite trap."
Brandon couldn’t see it, but Larent grinned as he said this last part.
"Wait, do you have a bottle or anything I can use to actually have a drink with me?" Brandon asked, hope in his voice.
The figure chuckled to himself. "You need to prepare for unexpected summonings better, Brandon. I can see a few of them coming your way in the future." He handed Brandon an empty bottle.
Brandon walked over to the edge of the water and filled the bottle, stopping in motion as he did.
"Other unexpected summonings? What do you mean?" Brandon asked, receiving a chuckle in return.
He took a long sip. Then he refilled the part he drank, adding the bottle of water to his inventory. He turned around to look at the figure, but found he was already gone.
"Could have at least said goodbye," he muttered as he returned to a safe spot. He conjured his whip, waiting for whatever enemy was going to show itself, not enchanting his whip with anything yet. He figured the lightning-infused one would be better suited for this, though—why else would Larent have given it to him?
As he expected, Brandon watched as the water exploded outwards and his newest enemy emerged from the pool. Brandon immediately enchanted his whip with electricity and grinned, finally feeling like he was at least somewhat prepared for what he was doing.