The call of "Round three, Fight!" always evoked memories of Mortal Kombat in Sinclair's mind. Those days felt like eons ago, rendering him momentarily nostalgic and older than his years, even though his thirties were still on the horizon.
Shaking off the reverie, he refocused on the grassy path before him. He progressed more confidently this time, thanks to his decision to take measured, deliberate steps. He kept a vigilant eye on his dwindling stamina bar, which had already decreased by about five percent. Each strike against him shaved off another percentage point. The combined strain from clutching the rock and the repeated blows to his legs instilled a growing doubt within him. Would he even reach the other side with any stamina remaining?
Sinclair didn't feel like he was overly stubborn. He called it being persistent. Well, that’s what he told himself anyway. His friends sometimes compared him to an old mule when he had made up his mind. This was attempt number twenty-seven; each got a smidge more farther than the last. He had to stop two times and wait until the lumps on his legs would disappear. Walking over to the little stream from the rock face to soak his legs helped. While soaking his legs, he also made another nice discovery.
Base Stat Changes
Strength +3
Agility +4
Constitution + 3
Endurance + 3
New Skill - Beast of Burden - (Uncommon) - You were most likely used to pulling heavy machinery in a past life.
Effects:
1. Stamina cost decreased while doing labor-intensive activities.
2. +4 Endurance
New Skill - Surefooted - (Common) - Your steps, while still heavy, are becoming steadier.
Effects:
1. Small quality increases to stability and balance.
2. +5 Agility
While taking a breather, Sinclair delved into the myriad of screens available, hoping he had noticed all vital information. He methodically navigated through each interface, searching for any indication or hint. The discovery of these screens hinged on thinking the right keyword, which made Sinclair wonder how many hidden features remained obscured.
Then, as if by instinct, he stumbled upon a 'preferences' screen. He configured it to display a small, informative row on the bottom right-hand corner of his main view. It showed the 'local time' and, beneath that, the 'Earth time.' To his astonishment, he had already spent six hours in this trial world, whereas only a little over two hours had elapsed on Earth. This revelation confirmed a 3:1 time ratio between this dimension and his home planet. Although he hadn't packed provisions for the last nine days, that was a concern for later. His primary challenge was clear for now: transport that cursed rock across the field.
Sinclair's patience had reached its limit. Although feeling relatively lighter with his enhanced stats and skills, the Rare Stone was becoming a herculean task to transport across the increasingly hostile field. The attacks, initially just a minor annoyance, were now becoming perilous. They intensified with every step, and he began to see his health decline, bit by bit.
The sensation of being ambushed from all sides finally broke him. The barrage toppled him, making him lose his grip on the stone. After coming so far, the instant teleportation back to the start was like a slap in the face. His frustration boiled over.
Determinedly, he clutched his jacket tightly around him and pulled the twin axes from their holsters. He cast a glare at the seemingly peaceful field before him. If he couldn't walk the stone through by sheer force, he'd pave his way by eliminating whatever was responsible for these attacks.
Walking into the grassland area, he quickly found that the problem was not finding them but seeing them in time to either identify them or strike at them. He still had yet to catch more than a flash of them. His logs only read as an unknown creature.
-10 Blunt damage received from Unknown Creature
Sinclair's gaze was steely, each breath filled with determination. The once gentle grassy expanse now felt like a battleground filled with unseen enemies. He had tried diplomacy - a peaceful passage - but now it was time to defend himself.
He became more vigilant with every step, acutely attuned to his surroundings. The weight of the axes in his hands brought comfort; their tremendous, solid presence starkly contrasted the field's unpredictability. The thought of the hidden assailants lurking, watching, made his skin crawl.
As he stalked forward, the undulating movement of the grass betrayed their presence. Like a seasoned hunter, he noted each ripple, each whisper of movement against the green. It was a game of cat and mouse, but Sinclair was no longer determined to be the prey.
The tactic was simple yet effective. Wait for them to approach, let them think they had the upper hand, then strike with the swiftness of his newfound strength. And as the first assailant dared to come within reach, Sinclair's axes flashed in a dance of steel and precision. He was no longer the outsider here but a force to be reckoned with. And he'd ensure that every hidden foe in that field knew it.
Name: Skallabjörn
Description: The Skallabjörn is a remarkable creature resembling a juvenile wolf with distinctive characteristics. These creatures are adorned with a thick, bony plate atop their skulls, resembling the helmets of ancient Norse warriors. The bone plate is not just for show; Skallabjörns use it effectively in hunting, charging at their prey to stun or incapacitate them with a well-aimed headbutt.
Typically found roaming in small packs, Skallabjörns exhibit remarkable agility and coordination, moving with a grace that belies their formidable hunting tactic. While generally nimble, they become singularly focused and somewhat less agile when charging, putting all their energy into the power of their skull's impact.
That skill, Valkyrie's Gaze, was no joke. It gave quite a bit of information. Checking his system message, he was delighted to see he got his first dose of experience. It was a new green bar under his screen's red, yellow, and blue bars in the top right corner.
Enemy defeated x1 Exp awarded 10. Loot Y/N?
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A soft glow illuminated the area as a wrapped package materialized before Sinclair. He quickly analyzed its contents and discovered it was nothing more than common meat. Despite the underwhelming discovery, a chuckle escaped him. Holding the package, he ambled back to his makeshift camp. This surprise addition to his food supplies was a reassuring backup, especially considering his initial stock might run low. Later, he would gather some firewood and try cooking the meat.
Returning to his experience bar, he saw it read Lvl 0. 10/100. An idea began to form in his mind. If he trained with the Rare boulder, enhanced his natural stats, and leveled up by taking on more of these Boneheads, perhaps he could upgrade to the Legendary Stone. The prospect of such progression energized him, and he felt a renewed sense of purpose, knowing the potential ahead.
Stowing his axes since he was no longer trying to vent his anger, he got up, hoisted the rare rock up to his chest, and returned to the frog, marching it into the field. It would hurt, but if he could play this right, he could come out of this with more stats than expected, and he would have the highest prize level this part offered.
He decided to keep going until the sun started to go down, leaving him about one and a half hours to prep for nightfall. He still had to grab firewood and prepare a sleeping area in the mouth of the cave. It was more of a recess in the rock face than an actual cave but with it at his back and the fire in front of him he should be able to sleep for a couple hours.
Sinclair's determination was unwavering, but the afternoon was nothing short of a trial. The relentless ambushes tested his patience and resilience. The sharp pain from a cracked kneecap or the lingering discomfort of a stress fracture in his shin was maddening. Although these injuries healed relatively quickly, they hindered his progress.
For seven grueling hours, he trudged on, the Rare Stone in tow. The field's end tantalizingly loomed a mere fifteen yards ahead. As he approached his destination, the attacks grew in intensity, their numbers swelling to form small mobs. With increased frequency, Sinclair stopped to fend off these ambushes and "thin the herd," so to speak.
Sinclair achieved his last level-up of the day in an almost comical twist amidst the chaos. He inadvertently dropped the weighty stone atop a Bonehead in a frenzied state, sealing its fate and granting him those precious experience points.
System Message - Level UP!
When humans level up, they receive five free points to spend and one automatically assigned to Willpower and Endurance. To level up, please assign your points.
Sinclair scrutinized his status, trying to decipher the mechanics of his progression. He was still at level 0, which sparked a thought. What would happen if he continued to gain natural stats through rigorous training while stashing away the artificially acquired ones from leveling up? A strategy began to form. He could amass and reserve these points for a more demanding situation or when his natural progression hit a plateau. Determined to exploit this potential advantage, he resolved to employ this tactic, opting to level up only in dire circumstances or when faced with insurmountable obstacles.
Reflecting on his intense training session with the Rare Stone, he felt accomplished. Not only had his stats witnessed a significant boost, but his confrontations with the relentless attacks had also resulted in him leveling up twice after defeating twenty-one of the persistent creatures.
Upon closer examination, Sinclair noted that his automatic stats had been allocated while five points remained reserved. Moreover, the new basic skills appeared in his log. While they lacked detailed descriptions, their titles were self-explanatory. It seemed like only rare or higher skills would get cool names and lengthy details. Everything common and uncommon he had seen so far was just an action or boring name.
What intrigued him about his new skills was the presence of levels following these skills, suggesting they had evolved during his ordeal in the field. Did his earlier skills not display these levels because they were new? These new skills were fast-tracked due to his persistent struggles in the field, thus arriving with levels already attached. Nothing appeared on his status screen until he acknowledged it or read the acceptance message. Not sure why that made a difference he made sure to check in case he had missed anything.
Base Stat Changes
+6 Strength
+3 Agility
+5 Constitution
+5 Endurance
+1 Luck
New Skill - Dual Axes (Common) - A foundational skill that allows the user to wield a pair of axes effectively in combat. level 3
New Skill - Medium Armour (Common) - A foundational skill that allows the user to wear medium armor effectively in combat. level 4
New Skill - Improvised Weapons (Uncommon) - A foundational skill that allows the user to use improvised weapons in combat. level 1
Sinclair's mind drifted as he prepped his makeshift camp for the night. The day's events replayed in his head, from the exhilaration of fighting to the frustration of repeatedly being knocked off balance by the little bastards. While acquiring his improvised weapons skill was unexpected, it was a reminder of his adaptability.
However, as the cool evening breeze rustled the leaves, he felt an ache of loneliness. He missed the camaraderie of his friends - their playful banter, the shared laughter, and the way they always had each other's backs. Their presence would have made this journey a lot more bearable. Pushing aside these sentimental thoughts, he focused on the task at hand.
He gathered armfuls of firewood, using his axes to split logs into manageable pieces for burning. With dusk setting in, he decided to freshen up, braving the biting cold of the stream's water. The icy shock left him shivering, so he hurriedly sprinted back to his camp, eager to be enveloped by the warmth of his blazing fire.
He set about cooking his meal, the scent of searing meat filling the air. As he waited for his food, Sinclair gazed at the panoramic view. The sun painted the sky in hues of orange and red as it dipped below the horizon, leaving behind a serene, starlit canvas. He wrapped his jacket tighter around himself, reflecting on his journey thus far. With determination burning in his eyes, he whispered, "This is only the beginning." With that, he sank into a deep, restorative sleep, eager to face the next day's challenges.
*****
Kafor/Heroti
“Dear, come look at these stat number changes. He is climbing at an unprecedented rate again. The seed did take hold, and the system is not rejecting him. I expected it would allow him to grow quickly but this is faster than anticipated. He will need to take some time to integrate such changes so he can fully use that strength or else they are just wasted numbers.” Heroti couldn’t help but keep staring at the stats and skills Sinclair was gaining. She had no problem with how fast he grew since that was somewhat expected. She had a problem with how the worlds were being generated.
They had put in specific parameters to generate the training realms. But, looking at where he was and what tasks he was performing, they had been altered. They now more closely resembled the strength challenges performed by Vikings on the planet over a thousand years ago. This had to have something to do with the entity watching Sinclair. It shouldn’t be possible, but somehow, it was plain as day here. They had designed tutorials with trainers and guides to help teach people how to excel so many times with no issue. This version of the tutorial was more akin to hard or nightmare difficulty. It only had what the system explained to him, and everyone knew it did not like to give out information unless coerced.
There was also that tiny glitch when Sinclair tried to lift the last rock. They couldn't tell what had been done, but there was a noise causing Sinclair to take that step forward, sticking him with the stone almost too large to lift. Much to their collective disbelief, the human did not back down. He dug down deep and marched across the field over and over again. He was killing the spawns and looting them for hours on end. Something was messing with their tutorial, and they would find out what.
After everything that had happened, with the alluding to being watched during initiation and the broken mana nodes and lay lines, they had downloaded as much of Earth's history as they could find. Scanning the planet with in-depth scanners took time, and those were still processing. Hopefully, they would give them a better idea of what was happening here. She couldn’t leave this sector until she got more answers.
Kafor had went back to his station doing research into the lay lines and mana nodes so she tried not to disturb him. When he got interested in a project, he was in it with complete focus. She would have to see how Sinclair handled the next day. She was excited to see how far he could push himself.
The mana nodes were set to be re-seeded tomorrow. They would use the existing lay lines and nodes, like changing a light. Pop one out and toss a new one in. The nodes themselves were self-governing and would explore the damage, either growing new pathways or repairing and reusing the old ones. That could give them more information on what this strange little blue planet was doing in its condition.