Trying out colours to differentiate text better!

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Looking at my dumbfounded face, Ecila could not help but chuckle aloud. She walked over to me and hung her arms around my neck, bringing her face closer to mine with every breath. I felt intoxicated by the sweet scent of her sweat and breath as her face closed in within inches of mine.

(Damn, even though she is evil... why must she be so beautiful.)

Closing my eyes, my heart thumped stronger than an iron hammer at a steel forge, I stood there awaiting the first kiss of my miserable love life, but it never came. I looked around frantically for her but to no avail, only to hear her words resound throughout the alley "If you can guess my real name, the next time we meet, I will leave you breathless. Oh and thank you for the flower!"

I clenched my teeth hard, causing a series of cracking sounds to reverberate in the quiet alley. Was she the one who stole my flower? Even though I knew it was wrong, my heart ached for her presence, yearned for her affection and I needed to know the truth, which lead to her departure leaving my heart in turmoil.

Walking out of the alley, I overheard a certain interesting conversation between two players.

Player 1: "Hey, have you heard about the training hall? If you train hard enough you can get the sword mastery and fighting spirit skills along with some stat increases!"

Player 2:" Eh, I did, but apparently it is not easy though, you need to train for long hours to get those skills, but I also heard if you train hard enough the instructor will give you a free sword!"

Of course, since there was a golden opportunity to gain free skills, stats as well as vent my frustration, I jumped at the chance. The training hall was a dome shaped building with a bright red roof, it stood out among the sea of brown in its vicinity. Inside, I could see more than 30 users already engaging in combat with various arms, swinging their swords at thin air to practice their forms and footwork or swinging at bamboo posts to train their endurance and strength.

Walking up to the mass of muscle people call instructor, I bowed respectfully " Sir, I would like to practice sword combat!"

"Oh, another greenhorn eh? Hmm, your muscles aren't too bad and your attitude is good, very well! Go ahead to the rear and grab a training sword and practice against any post you wish."

"Thank you, sir."

I swung the training sword with all my might, like demon-possessed, trying to rid any lingering thoughts of Ecila from my mind. Even as my muscles groaned from the constant stress, far from relenting, I applied even more force into my strokes using my stolen flower as my motivation. Eventually, after hours of hard work and swinging my training sword like a mindless bloodthirsty ghoul, I was rewarded with a clear ring to inform me of my achievement.

*Ding*

System:

For continual long hours of dedication to the way of the sword you have gained - , Endurance, Strength, Dexterity.

(Passive) - Basic Lv.1, 1% Proficiency

Endurance +2

STR +2

DEX +2

For swinging with such vigor and blood thirst instead of fighting spirit, you have gained a unique skill - .

 - Basic Lv.1, 1% Proficiency

"Info - "

(Passive) - The expertise of using a sword, the more one masters the use of the sword, the greater expertise one can use it with, enabling one to strike faster and stronger. Speed and Strength of sword strikes increases as skill level rises.

Attack Speed (with sword): +1%

Damage (with sword): +1%

Current level: Basic Lv.1, 1% Proficiency

"Info - "

- The user emits his blood thirst to surroundings, exerting his savage viciousness instead to instill fear into beings in the vicinity. Possibility of dominance over enemies. The area of effect, possibility of fear and possibility of dominance grows with skill level as well as Blood Thirst gauge. Weaker beings will be more easily influenced. Feared beings have lower attack and movement speeds, dominated beings will seize to attack and may even be controlled while duration of blood thirst lasts.

Area of Effect: 5m around user

Possibility of Fear: 5%

Possibility of Dominance: 1%

Skill Cost: 5MP per second

Current level: Basic Lv.1, 1% Proficiency

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

(SWEET! Although it was a unique skill, I was afraid it was weaker than fighting spirit, thank god it lives up to its name! Blood Thirst gauge eh? Oh it should be this gauge below my MP [Mana Points], currently 0/100, probably because I have no blood thirst at the moment.)

Seeing as I have completed the my strenuous training, the instructor comes over and gives me a pat on my back, congratulating me.

"Good job boy, I have seen how hard you trained, although it is strange how you swung with such ferociousness, you are now a member of us honourable swordsmen, take this iron sword as a reward for passing your training."

"Thank you honourable instructor."

*Ding*

System:

Obtained: Iron Sword

"Info - Iron Sword"

Iron Sword - A basic double-edged sword made out of iron. It is more durable than a wooden sword.

Quality: Common

Attack: 3 - 5

Durability: 20

(Wow, looks like common items don't give much damage, at least it's better than pinching though.)

"Status"

Name: Ripple

Race: Human

Level: 1

Class: None

Affiliation: Good +5

Family: None

Title: Master Pincher

FAME: 1

Money: 0G  0S  50C

HP: 120/120

MP: 100/100

Attack: 12 (+2 when pinching, +3-5 when wielding sword)

Defense: 10

STR: 7 (+5)

DEX: 7 (+7)

INT: 10 (+5)

LUK: 20 (+5)

Sadism: 2

Charm: 1

Endurance: 2

Affinity: 0%

(Finally, my stats are on par or rather slightly better than the average user, of course not taking into account my absurd LUK stat. Hmm, so STR increases my damage in a 1:1 ratio and allows me to wield heavier weapons and armor the higher it is, DEX increases my accuracy and attack speed and INT increases my magic damage but not MP.

Although my LUK stat serves no combat purpose, it helps me get better chances of good drops and possibly also get good rewards from quests. I have no idea what sadism does... and I guess charm is to raise intimacy with NPCs, Endurance raises my HP in a 1:10 ratio and *sigh* my affinity is still 0%.

Apart from telling us that only our STR, DEX and INT rise when we level up and that we do not have skill points to increase our attribute like other games, why doesn't Kotrax give us any other information about stats at all..)

(Now that I got myself a good weapon and worthwhile stats, it is time to do some good old grinding. Fighting mobs in Second Dream should prove much more challenge than the mundane games of the old generation.)

I needed to get to level 10 so that I can finally choose my first class and start off on a proper adventure. With my body more or less used to swinging a sword as well as gaining sword mastery, there was without doubt that the Warrior class was the one for me.

As I was heading out of the gate towards the woods, the town guards came over to stop me.

"Hey, I heard about you from Rosalia, thanks for helping us take care of those scoundrels, are you heading out to the Teris Woods? Why don't you help us clear some of the wild dogs in the area, they are giving us guards much trouble because of their sheer numbers, I will give you 1 silver for clearing 20 of them."

Quest:

Wild Dog Massacre

Difficulty: F

Details: The wild dogs in the Teris Woods area are breeding much too fast and are getting out of control, help the town guards kill 20 of them to get the situation back under control.

Reward: 1 Silver, Intimacy with Town Guards +5, Intimacy with Teris Residents +5

Upon Rejection: Intimacy with Town Guards -10

(Nice, looks like my high intimacy helped gain the guards trust, getting me a new quest. Since I was going to kill some dogs to level up anyway, this is killing two birds with one stone.)

"I will gladly help keep the dogs in check for you honourable guards who protect our great town of Teris."

Reaching the woods, I spot various groups fighting large dogs in various clearings. Some of these parties have quite decent equipment such as chainmails and hard leather, compared to my basic leather equipment, perhaps that is why they choose to ignore me as I walked. I was starting to doubt my own capabilities since everyone around me fought in groups and was about to turn and head back to get a party when a dog the length of 1.2m pounced out from behind a tree, growling and baring its vicious fangs at me. Its eyes were black with hints of grey hue and its fur a glossy grey.

"Info - Wild Dog"

Wild Dog - A wild dog that breeds and hunts in the woods of Teris. They are hostile to strangers and like to use their sharp fangs to attack, occasionally slashing with their claws as well.

Level: 2

Rarity: Common

HP: 120

MP: 100

Attack: 20

Defense: 10

(Since I've come this far, no point running back to town, let me see how well I fare against this stupid mutt. At long last it is time for some real PvE [Player versus Environment] combat.)