Once I stepped thru the door I stepped on lush green grass as far as the eye could see. The wind was gentle, blowing, causing the grass to dance back and forth. The air smelled pleasant, showing a distinguishable lack of burning fossil fuel and pollution. The sun was high in the sky and the grass was still moist, assuming this world doesn’t have sprinklers and this was actually dew it was still very early in the morning. I haven’t been outside in years and now I was outside in a world I always dreamed of, my heart quivered with excitement.
There was no sign of any form of intelligent life within my line of sight, which due to my foresight skill was pretty far; I would say I could see anything within a mile clearly.
“So much for putting me near a city. Tasa can you point me in the right direction.”
<< Request Received>>
Activating Map
A map of the area was suddenly displayed in my head. It was vivid and I felt as if I was reading a map laid out in front of me. I tried to reach out in front of me just to have my hand phase through.
“There’s a small village about five miles east of me, but there is a large city fifteen miles west. That complicates thing a little. Tasa Recommendation”
<< Request Received>>
Answer: I recommend going to the small village prior as you have no form of identification or funds necessary to pay entrance to a large city.
“Good point, also can you please stop being so formal and systematic, it makes me feel a little weird.”
<< Request Received>>
“Normally when you find yourself lost in the wilderness the 1st thing you should do is secure water and shelter, but I don’t even own a canteen to carry the water in. I should just hurry to that village. I also need to verify my strength.”
So I proceeded east to the small village, which according to my map was Poten Village. I carried myself at a brisk pace my energy and excitement level was thru the roof.
I was walking on a dirt path that resembled a camping trail. It was very well maintained free of weeds and debris. It was as wide as a two-lane road and could easily manage multiple carriages.
Along my walk, I did some practice punches, like a boxer to feel my new body out.
I was impressed, to say the least; my stamina was leaps and bound more impressive. The old me would exert himself and become short of breath just trying to sit up in bed.
After thirty mins of walking and imaginary combat, I didn’t come across any monsters or any creature bigger than a rabbit. I stopped in front of a large boulder I found serval feet off the path sitting on the plain. The boulder was about the size of an SUV, so I decided to use it to test my abilities.
“Tasa how do I use magic.”
“You currently do not know any magic spells thus you are unable to use it.”
Her tone change, she no longer sounded robotic at all but came off like a teacher.
“Can you teach me spells?”
“No, spells may be acquired thru a scroll, a grimoire, or from a mage teacher.”
“Well, that just made its way to the top of my to-do list. Very well I will try my new sword.”
Who would want to come to a fantasy world and not be able to use magic? That’s like a blind man being stuck in a library.
I stood facing the boulder; my advance weapon skill was obviously helping me here. I got in my stance widening my base. Everything was coming to me instinctually I have never held a sword in my hand, but my body was reacting off muscle memory as if it knew exactly what to do. It was as easy as holding a pen and writing a sentence.
I wrapped my fingers around the hilt of the sword, I felt the intense jolt of energy shooting up my arm. I couldn’t let it go; my hand was not reacting to my instructions.
“You feel you are worthy of wielding me.” the voice spoke directly into my mind, it took a few seconds to click that this was the voice of my sword.
“Is my sword talking to me?” I responded.
“Not exactly talking, but communicating with you yes. I am an advanced spirit weapon As I attempt to sync my magic with you I am determining your worth. If I determine you to be unfit to wield me I will snuff out your life right here and now. Like all the others before you.”
The pain in right arm grew intense and brought me to my knees. I felt my conscious fading away as the edge of my sight grew black, No matter how much strength I put into my hand I was unable to let this sword go.
“Ahhhhhh!!” I screamed unable to bear it anymore. I fell to my knees
Red lines of light began climbing the veins in my arm up to my body.
My heart began palpitation and my body temperature was rising as my blood began to boil.
I did not know what was going on or why it was going on, but I did know that if I don’t fight here my life will come to an end before it ever got started.
“I refuse to die here,” I resolved.
I found the strength in my legs to climb back on to my feet.
“I see. This is interesting; I’ve never had anything like you try to wield me before. I will grant you approval to use me.”
Thing?
The red line slowly began to fade. I was finally able to release the hilt and it fell face blade first into the ground splitting it smoothly as it stood in front of me.
I gripped my wrist trying hoping it would help with the burning pain in my hand which was now emitting dark steam.
“T-Tasa.”
I needed to know what the hell just happened. I have a pain resistance skill and ultra-regenerative skill, but it didn’t seem to be working.
“Pain Resistance still active and Ultra-regeneration and in progress, Level of the spirit in the blade exceeded to level of the skills you used.”
“What Spirit is that?”
“Unknown”
“What? How is that possible? Am I able to use it? Was the binding a success?”
“I am not Omniscience; I am able to provide knowledge that is known. The binding was a success the blade is now usable.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
I see I get it now, although I felt there was some sarcasm in her tone, I declared it to be my imagination.
Tasa is like a search engine in a way. She’s able to tell me anything that is known. Similar to how you can try and use a search engine to find out what life after death is like; however you would not be able to get a factual answer because that knowledge is unknown.
I stared at the hilt of the blade, thinking about trying it again or leaving that dangerous thing where it is.
“As if I’d leave a weapon from heavens armory.”
I fired up my resolve and gripped the blade again, though a lot more timidly than my first go round.
I pulled it out of the ground verifying there were no repercussions. Holding it felt strangely comfortable.
I stood in front of the boulder again ready to do some practice swings; I wasn’t planning on trying to hit the boulder because I didn’t want to chip the blade.
I did a simple overhead downward slash at the boulder. I didn’t use a lot of power as it was only a practice swing, however not only did the boulder split in two so did the ground it was on.
“This sword is incredible.”
After another 30 minutes of testing it on the surroundings, I was able to say I got the hang of it. The blades magic power and my own were linked so I can control how much I want it to use. Though most of my combat with other humans would require me to use no magic power or their death would all but guaranteed.
As I continued my walk to the village I was finally able to encounter some wildlife and trees began sparsely appearing on the plains. Still, nothing big appeared nor monster of any kind just Rabbits, birds, and things of the sorts.
After another half an hour of walking, I found myself at the front gate. The Village was indeed small, but not tiny. From the size, I would say 100-200 villagers.
It was surrounded by a log fence similar to what farmers would use to keep livestock from wandering off, but it didn’t seem like it would offer any real protection. Most bandits and monster could just climb right over the top. The Village resembles a wild west town, the houses were all plank made with small porches’ overall small in size about that of a studio apartment. The grass in the village was still green and looked very fertile apart from the pathways born from frequent communing.
However, something was wrong. It was way too quiet and there wasn’t a person in sight. I began picking up a lot of noise coming from one corner of the village and hurried over.
I reached the largest building in the village it was two stories resembled an inn, but there seems to be a lot of commotion.
“Get out and leave me the hell alone!” The voice came from inside the large building and then a girl came flying thru the door. She was tossed like a rag doll right into my arms. I managed to catch her prevent her from hitting the floor.
“Don’t think I’m done with you!” She barked back and shot back into the building without even giving me a glance. I don’t even think I existed to her.
I followed her into the large building to find out it was a large saloon and almost every villager in town was in here day drinking, partying, and carrying on.
I caught a few glances from some folks, but overall everyone seems to be minding their own business.
A lot of the ladies though continued staring, I few even spilled their drinks.
“What is this?” I asked myself.
I did manage to get the attention of the bartender who was in a new tuxedo drying a glass with a rag waiting on me to approach with a very inviting smile. The girl from earlier was arguing with a large hulking man in a corner of the room. He was massive easily at least 6’7, He had a bear pelt draped over him as some form of a coat. The bear’s arms extended into sleeves and he wore its head atop him as if it was a hoodie. It was very cool and I was pretty impressed. At his waist hanging from his kilt was a spiked mace, He also wasn’t wearing a shirt just the straps from his black kilt.
“What may I do you for stranger?”
The bartender spoke first once I reach the desk. He was still smiling. This form of hospitability wasn’t common in the world I came from.
“Is there a charge for water?” I asked.
“O and a broke stranger at that,” He responded.
He didn’t need to put it like that. He did, however, slide me a glass of water.
“Don’t worry about the cost.”
“Thank you, kind sir. What is going on here everyone seems to be celebrating.”
“Well we are, we far exceeded the kingdoms crop requirements and all the villagers were rewarded for the surplus with extra funds and relief on this month’s taxes. So everyone took the day off to celebrate. “He answered.
“Is there any work around here I can do or a guild of any kind? I’m seeking to make some money.”
He shot me a peculiar look at my question.
“This is a village lad there is no guild hall here. However, that young lass over there has been searching for adventurers for a week now, but she doesn’t have much to offer for what she is asking so no one has been interested in it.”
“Do you know what the entrance fee is to get into the nearest city?”
“The nearest city here is Falmouth City; the city entrance fee is one silver.”
“Thank you for the information.”
“It’s my pleasure, now if you excuse me I have other patrons I must attend to.”
I turned my line of sight to find the young lady he was referring to still trying to convince the large adventurer.
“Excuse me,” I approached the girl.
She turned to face me, and I was awestruck by her beauty, the dress she wore was as green as the grass on the plain, it hugged her body accentuating her voluptuous chest, she had an hourglass shape that would make any fabric that touched it look much better. Her hair was long and full down to her mid back, midnight violet matching the color of her eyes.”
The gasp when we made eye contact but, quickly regain herself and became as abrasive as she was earlier.
“Is there something I can do for you?” she had a quizzical look on her face.
“Yes, the bartender told me you are looking for someone to take up a quest. My name is Joten and I would like to offer my services.”
“Yes! Are you an adventurer? What rank? Is your party here with you now?” Her excitement forced me to take a few steps back but to no avail. Soon she was close enough for us to breath in the same air.
“No, I am not an adventurer yet I was hoping to head to the guild to register.”
“Hahaha, yes please take this nobody and leave me the hell alone you.” The booming laugh of the massive man interrupted our conversation.
The girl hung her head displease by what I told her.
“You really got my hopes up,” there was clear disappoint in her voice.”
Her downcast expression hammered my observation home.
“Listen I know I am not an adventurer yet, but I am a very capable warrior. I am confident I’m greater in skill than that the person your begging and frankly I need the reward.”
“Hey, listen here brat, I’m a bit insulted by that last line.” He stood from his seat and reached for his mace.
The people in the bar began taking notice to the sudden rise in hostility and the eye began to gather.
“Calm down, I do not want any troubles, and I don’t want to interrupt these kind peoples festivities.”
“tshh it’s too late for that brat.”
He raised his mace and brought it down with immense force.
CRASH!
The mace made contact a few inches in front of me, where I was standing. The hit split the floorboard leaving a basketball size crater in the ground.
“Insolent brat, I am Barlaam the smasher, a gold rank adventurer.”
“Gold? I'm sorry I am not familiar with the ranking system here yet.”
“All you need to know is I am stronger than you!”
Barlaam Sommers Lv 65
Job: Adventurer
Physical: Lv 60
Null: Lv 5
Titles: None
My appraisal skill showed me his level and information but I didn’t think to check my own, so I didn’t know the difference between me and him. Judging from how slow he was moving to my perception on that last attack, he would never be able to touch me.
He lunged at me this time with a flurry of horizontal, diagonal, and vertical swipes. The way he handled the mace was truly masterful. He was able to get off more than twenty swings in a less than five seconds. I nimbly sidestepped and parried every attack. As fast as his assaults were to the eyes of onlookers for me he was moving in slow motion.
“I cannot allow you to continue causing a ruckus here, and ruining these peoples good time,” I casually spoke in between his assault attempts with no trouble.
His swings began slowing down as his breathing grew heavier, he was exhausting himself.
He took a step back and regained his composure.
“Are we done here?”
“We will be done when I kill you, you’re a quick fucker, but let see you dodge this.” His body began glowing a bronze hue.
“Martial Arts heavy thrust!”
I watched with more curiosity than anything, an opportunity like this won’t come often.
“Wow are you going to show me a cool move?” my enthusiasm and lack of fear only angered him more.
He widened his base and retracted his mace back to the side of his face.
“So it’s a thrust attack with a mace. That’s a new one I’ve never seen one used like that.”
“That’s a really dangerous technique! He will kill you get out of here now! That’s how he earned the nickname the smash, he used that move and leveled an entire guild hall.”
The girl was standing behind me yelling while a group of onlookers stood there with terror in their eyes worrying.
The women were looking with concerned eyes and the men grabbed the cup with their liquor and held it close.
If dodge this attack innocent civilians will be caught in its path.
“Here I come!” He lunged at me putting everything behind his mace.
“Where I’m from there’s is a widely debated question; what would happen if an unstoppable force met an immovable object. Let’s test it.”
I put my arm out and caught his mace with my hand. His momentum being stopped suddenly sent a gust of wind thru the saloon. He was frozen in his tracks.
“I guess the immovable object would win, I could hardly call such an attempt an unstoppable force.”
I maneuvered to his side and kicked him in the crease behind his knee. He fell to both knees and with a chop to the back of his neck, he fell unconscious into a prostrating position.
“This is his apology for causing such a mess during your celebration.” I address the crowds of onlookers.
I grabbed his limped body from the waist of his kilt and effortlessly tossed him out the front door.
The crowd was still stunned, and no one made a peep.
“I hope that demonstration showed you I’m more than capable.” I turned to face the lady who was standing behind me with her jaw agape.
She bobbed her head up and down unable to find the words to respond.