Upon waking from his nightmare, Maximus felt disoriented as he shook his head and let out a deep, tired yawn. However, as he opened his eyes, he was jolted by the realization that the nightmare was not merely a dream. Memories of the mythical world rushed back, leaving him struggling to comprehend it all. Why was he still alive? The pool of water he had plunged into should have been fatal multiple times over. The impact, the weight of the water, and the unforgiving stone below should have combined to spell disaster. Yet, here he was, still breathing and thinking. Maximus pushed aside the rising panic and the urge to break down. He slowly pulled himself up, his stiff joints protesting, and moved away from the pool. The cool shade of a large tree called to him, and he stumbled toward it, collapsing against its solid trunk. As he sat there, he looked down at his palms, his mind racing with questions while his body protested, stiff from the ordeal.
* [Quest: Cruel New World. Status: Completed. 1 Magical Tome of Ruins has been added to your inventory. 250 Bronze Gryphon Coins have been added to your inventory. 100 Iron Golem Coins have been added to your inventory. 50 Copper Agoa Coins have been added to your inventory.]
* [Quest: Immense Climb. Status: Completed. 1 Combat Art of Twin Blades has been added to your inventory. 100 Iron Golem Coins have been added to your inventory. 25 Copper Agoa Coins have been added to your inventory.]
* [Quest: Evade the Mother Dragon: Status: Completed. 1 bottle of rare healing potion has been added to your inventory. 5 uncommon healing potions have been added to your inventory. 20 pairs of common healing cloth have been added to your inventory. 250 Bronze Gryphon Coins have been added to your inventory. 100 Iron Golem Coins have been added to your inventory. 50 Copper Agoa Coins have been added to your inventory.]
* [You have been changed by [Pond of Tormenting Souls]. The Pond of Tormenting Souls has infiltrated your body. Altering your blood and soul. Survival rate of altering blood and soul: 5%. You have successfully survived the change from Pond of Tormenting Souls. You have increased damage resistance to soul and blood attacks. You have increased resistance to poisons and toxic effects. You have reduced pain modifiers. Set pain modifier to 7/10.]
* [Pond of Tormenting Souls is bound to you. As your protector and friend, you must nurture the young pond. Would you like to take Pond of Tormenting Souls? Y/N? Note: If you accept, the pond will be drained into a small bottle on a necklace chain. You must wear it at all times.]
> Sure, I'll take the magical water of death and tormented souls.
Of course, the water was siphoned into a magical vial that appeared out of thin air. Placed neatly onto a chain loop. Grabbing it out of the air, he placed it around his neck. Walking around, he sighed, now feeling more secure. He had a magically powerful water elemental around his neck. It was time to see what other delicious looks he had been able to acquire.
After reviewing the prompts he received, he instinctively scanned his surroundings, his senses heightened. Fortunately, nothing had attacked him while he was dealing with his prompts, which he considered a small blessing. He speculated whether the creatures had mistaken him for a lifeless body or if the water itself served as a protective barrier, acting as a mysterious guardian. Unsure of how to interpret this, he decided to take a moment to assess his situation. He sifted through his inventory, carefully examining each coin. While inspecting them, he noticed a distinct color variation, but it was the symbols etched on their surfaces that defined their unique names and values, seemingly linked to the type of metal from which they were crafted.
* After placing the coins back, he cautiously retrieved the magical tome of ruins he had received. The substantial black book felt heavy in his hands, its cover embellished with intricate red and blue symbols that appeared to dance across its surface. As soon as his skin touched the tome, another prompt flashed before his eyes, presenting a message that awaited his interpretation.
* [Item: Magical Tome of Ruins. Description: This tome contains extensive knowledge of the lost ancient ruins around the world. The ruins hold hidden treasures, dangers, and opportunities. Would you like to absorb this knowledge? Yes/No?]
> Of course! If I can get all this knowledge, that means I can become more powerful, so yes!
In that brief moment, the large book transformed into a vibrant blue and red powder, resembling a fireworks display before his eyes. The confusion on Maximus's face quickly shifted to shock. As the powder entered his mouth, ears, and nose, he experienced an intense burning sensation, as if his brain were being seared repeatedly. His mind was overwhelmed with knowledge, similar to being submerged in the pond water that had expelled him, but this time it was a torrent of information. Hours passed before he collapsed to the ground, panting heavily as if he had just completed a marathon.
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The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt, but in its wake, it bestowed upon him the knowledge of every ruin on the planet. A surge of gratitude washed over him as he instinctively opened his map, his eyes widening at the sight of numerous locations marked with ruins in various stages of exploration. There were harvested ruins, partially explored ones, and countless unexplored ruins, each a mystery waiting to be uncovered.
* Each ruin featured a rating system, similar to a grading scale, where ancient structures were ranked from 1 star to 7 stars, indicating their secrets and dangers. Groaning from the persistent headache, Maximus braced himself for another wave of knowledge as he retrieved the combat arts of the Twin Blades book. Its substantial size rivaled that of the tome of ruins, and he examined it carefully before receiving a prompt as if the book was preparing him for a new challenge.
* [Item: Combat Arts of Twin Blades Form 1-4 of 7: Way of Stream, Way of Darkness, Way of Death's Embrace, Way of Heaven's Descent. Description: This book will seal all other combat art styles. It contains four out of the seven combat arts of twin blades. Would you like to absorb Combat Arts of Twin Blades Forms 1-4 of 7? Yes/No?]
> Shit. This is gonna hurt worse. I might black out from the pain. Well... wouldn't be my first time. You're stalling for time, Maximus. Yes, I want to absorb the painfully magical knowledge.
He found himself once again overwhelmed by a familiar wave of pain. The moment he uttered "yes," the book transformed into a thick cloud of smoke that enveloped him completely. It rushed into his nostrils, ears, and mouth, even invading his eyes, causing them to sting. The strong scent of ancient knowledge overwhelmed his senses, twisting his body in agony as he writhed on the ground. His mind felt as though it were being scorched and frozen simultaneously, pulled in two opposing directions.
The pain was unlike anything he had ever experienced, surpassing even the torments of the Tome of Ruins. In his desperation, he pleaded with the gods for relief, hoping to quiet the overwhelming flood of knowledge that threatened to fracture his mind. Yet, his cries went unheard, and he continued to lament, his voice echoing in the stillness.
Hours passed, each one stretching into an eternity of torment, until exhaustion finally took hold. He lay on the ground, his skin pale and his limbs trembling with every breath. Although he had gained unfathomable knowledge, the cost had been exorbitant. His mind reeled, struggling to comprehend the vastness of what he had absorbed.
As the sun began to set, he crawled toward a large tree stump hidden in the brush. He covered himself with various branches and shrubbery, nestling against the soft blades of grass and leaves. His mind was fatigued from the suffocating magic piercing his body as he drifted off to sleep.
Upon awakening, he yawned softly before getting up. He still had no idea where he was; pulling up his map, he read the top part of the screen, noting the name: Forest of Kingdom Slyven. Groaning, he slumped against his newfound companion and pillow, the tree stump. Focusing, he tried to devise a plan as he waved the map away. Maximus could explore the forest and potentially locate this kingdom or continue encountering beasts, which his magical water friend would assist him with. The prospect of finding a kingdom was daunting, but it would at least offer a chance for shelter.
His stomach growled with hunger; he hadn't thought to eat anything in the rush of adrenaline. Looking around, he grimaced at the uneaten corpses of the monsters surrounding the now-empty pond. Walking over, he collected a few, contemplating his next steps.
> I’m not familiar with skinning animals and I don’t have the necessary equipment, like a knife. How will I be able to prepare these animals for food?
Reflecting on the situation, he felt a deep reluctance about his next actions. He carefully collected the animals and removed their eyes. Once he completed this task, he sighed, his stomach rumbling in anticipation. He began to gather some branches and two rocks, working to create a fire. After some effort, he successfully ignited it.
As the flames flickered to life, he took a sturdy branch and skewered the eyes onto it, grimacing at the sounds they made. He then proceeded to roast them over the fire. Unbeknownst to him, he was being observed from a distance by a group of elves hidden among the trees.
> "Tell me he's not going to eat those eyes? Humans are disgusting," a stocky wood elf said.
>
> "Let's assume he's human, even if he looks like it. I've never seen him do something like that willingly. Oh gods, that's vile," a lithe, beautiful dark elf replied.
>
> "He actually ate the eyes. Oh, he's going to be sick," another smaller dark elf said.
>
> "Agh! He swallowed it back down. I think I'm going to be sick," the stocky wood elf retorted.
>
> "Now, let's not judge. He's alive and probably starving. Let's just keep an eye out for what he does next," the lithe dark elf responded.
>
> "That joke was in poor taste, and you know it," the smaller dark elf commented.
>
> "Whatever, just watch him. Tempest, go alert the castle guards that a human might head for our kingdom, and tell them not to shoot," the lithe dark elf said.
The strong forest dweller dashed away without hesitation. As the others looked on, he clutched his stomach and groaned. Rising to his feet, he slowly made his way through the forest, using the trees for support. He continued until he discovered a cave, where a smile spread across his face—until he encountered a large bear-like creature.
He quickly unleashed water from the vial, striking the bear in the face. The liquid burned away the bear’s skin, leaving only clean meat behind. Grateful for the fresh meat, he stored it in his inventory and entered the empty cave. He cleared out the bones and decaying flesh.
Once he was finished, he gathered large leaves to cover the cave entrance, effectively camouflaging it. After completing this task, he took one of the bear's leg bones and began to dig a sizable hole away from the entrance. The elves watched curiously but soon turned away in disgust. Maximus cleaned himself off with soft leaves after his grim task, then covered the hole with dirt before returning inside the cave.