CHAPTER 3

Six hours later just before the sun set for the day I arrived at the clearing where my house was located. Leading the donkey to the makeshift stable at the back of the house I unloaded the supplies and tied the donkey to one of the pillars of wood stuck into the ground with enough leeway for the donkey to move around.

Slowly I move all the supplies into the underground bunker, opening the player menu and check my stats only to see that they have risen as I have leveled up from fighting the assassin in Elmond and the goblins I just killed.

Player: Michael

Level: 5

Race: human

Title: none

Mana: 500

Strength: 30

Speed: 15

Agility: 10

Stamina: 30

Luck: 3

Respect: 3

Buffs: none

Intelligence: 10

Wow seems like my level has gone up though compared to the people topping the player made top 50 strongest player ranking I am still an amateur .Sighing I load the, gun strap it to my waist and retrieve one of the goblin sword from the inventory and head into the forest to hunt monsters

The forest was dark with only the light of one of the moons of terra illuminating only a few feet in front of me. The only blessing this brought was that if I couldn’t see then my prey would be able to see too. I wandered about in a two kilometer radius with my house at the centre and with my gun I killed another three goblins and level up once, after a while I saw a dim light.

Quietly moving towards the fire I found a creature that would have been mistaken for a human or elf if not for the light from the small camp fire exposing its hideous face. Lifting my gun from its strap I take aim at the creature and fire only for it to roll dodging the bullet picking up a sword from the floor as it stood up.

 “Your puny gun won’t save you from becoming my dinner” the creature growls out as he looks at my direction. Walking into the clearing I fire a nearly the whole clip, five bullets at the creature only for him to dodge some and use his sword to deflect others into the forest around us.

 As the last bullet is deflected the creature charges at me with a speed that shocks me giving me barely enough time to unsheathe my sword and block a slash that would have separated my waist form my legs.

The force of the strike pushes me and I can feel my arm vibrating .this time I charge at the creature and try to stab his chest only for it to grab my wrist and hit my face with the pommel of his sword. The familiar feeling of blood sliding down my face tells me that the skin on my face broke. “Is this the best you can do? “The creature taunts

”just what are you?”I ask. “You are in the presence of an orc elite in training and you are this weak “I guess they only need to send trainees to destroy your race” the creature replies. Even if you are stronger and faster than me a bullet I wonder how fire proof you are I think to myself as I remember the first spell I read about.

Firing the last two bullets in the gun drop the gun as I use the time the orc uses to deflect the bullets to get closer to the orc and stab at him with my sword, this time as soon as he grabs my wrist I place my left palm on his chest and cast the fireball spell at point blank range twice.

The result is a whole the size of my palm in his chest, the creature thrusts his sword at my chest but I manage to wiggle away with my left should sporting a deep wound.wow even with a small hole in its chest it can still have enough strength to move, my respect for this orc increases .my vision is getting blurred from the rapid blood loss and the head trauma I have to end this fight soon or else I might just drop dead.

looking at the mana bar at the edge of my vision I have more than half mana, with this information I bombard the orc with fire balls the size of my fist from both hands .with his speed already slowed by the first two fireballs the orc fails to dodge most of the spells coming at him and by the time my mana is finished his corpse is burnt beyond recognition .

Tearing a strip from the sleeve of my shirt I tie the shoulder wound and reduce the blood loss, checking for any loot I find a small knife with a wooden handle that is polished picking up the orcs’ sword I notice that the design is simple but the sword looks as taken care of as Shiva’s sword picking both weapons I leave the camp and make my way back home to tend to my wounds.

After twenty agonizing minutes spent stitching the wound on my shoulder I lock the house and move underground to allow my avatar sleep I in safety while I log out .When I logged back in the pain in my shoulder was faint but due to the stitches I couldn’t move the arm much or risk ripping the stitches. Since fighting in the forest was going to be difficult with creatures like that orc forms before I decide to go through the library and find something to read while my arm healed.

 Whilst checking out the books in the library I found one titled The Foundation of Magic. Removing it from the shelf I set on of the lanterns in the room on the table and begin to read through the book. The first three chapters were all about finding your mana and how to project it outside your body.

 There were also an exercise written that helped mana growth, closing the book I sat down on the floor and crossed my legs just like the monks in movies I watched back in the real world .though I had used the teleportation and fire magic according to the book not having a grasp on your mana could make spells fail to work even if the right incantations were made, focusing on myself I try to sense any form of mana in me.

After what seemed like hours I felt something small like a light the size of a tennis ball, ignoring the notification sound I continued focusing on the light and it began to grow larger before it reached the size of a soccer ball and refused to grow larger.

Guess that’s it for now, opening my eyes I see that my mana has increased. The last time I checked it was 500 now it’s on 1000 double its previous capacity and all this just from meditating. Finishing the book I discover there are different types of magic but the one that caught my interest most was the elemental magic and the power to summon elemental spirits in battle.

Unfortunately for me the book had only a small definition on elemental magic though I do believe that somewhere in the library a book contains the information I need to begin my learning. With this in mind I begin at the first shelve grab a book and start reading jotting down some points in a small blank book I found.

As I go through the different books I begin to feel that just maybe learning swordsmanship was easier than this, with one mistake here a person could blow up an entire city or turn a peaceful dog into a mutated half dog half wolf.

 Now I understand why the previous owner had a cell with chains, my shoulder healed faster after I learnt how to heal from one of the books though it still took me three healing sessions for three days it was better than waiting for it to heal naturally and with that came another problem I was out of bullets .seems like I will be visiting that old man again to see if he has any ammunition laying around, this time will be using the non lethal way I think to myself as I remember how I got to the village the first time.

Releasing the donkey I had taken to calling Daisy form the small pen I made for her I strapped my sword to my waist put a book and some herbs I found in the forest into a knacks sack I bought from the first journey .with no attacks which is strange on its own for a forest that previously was said by the villages to be filled with bandits and creatures I arrive at the village.

Now I know why there wasn’t any attack on me while on the way here because the things that should have attacked me where all here both goblins and orcs with the village burning all around them as they gorged themselves on human flesh. Tying Daisy to a tree I grab the orc sword and begin the strongest incantation for lighting I know for the first time.

”I call on thee thunder god bless me with your favor, punish my enemies with your wrath come from the heavens I plead” as soon as I finish the incantation I feel the constant presence of the ball of light that is my mana disappear and watch lightning in the shape of a bird crash down from the sky onto the village .shrugging off the dizzy feeling I unsheathe my sword and charge the few survivors I see trying to get their bearings.

A slice here another stab there moving through the village I lost track of how many I killed with my sword when there was nothing to kill anymore I drop to my knees palms and sword slick with blood ignoring the notification in front of me I walk to the old man’s shop and see his corpse or at least what’s left of it, the lightning spell that had killed most of the monsters had burnt most of the villagers and their homes.

 Walking around I search for any monster that I might have missed and find two goblins crawling away from a smoking house, killing one I tie up the other after knocking it unconscious with the pommel of my sword. Time to gather my loot I think to myself as I begin searching all the dead bodies monster and human ,checking the houses that I could for anything valuable .

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“Have you heard a guild went and killed an army of orcs elites”, “no I heard it was a single player”. “Both of you are wrong they said a dragon came and burnt everything to the ground.

The rumors about what happened to Ritz were numerous; the truth was that no one really knew what happened there .the king of Roland had always left the people of Ritz to their own devices and was only bothered when two weeks after his taxes were supposed to come in they were yet to arrive.

Sending a small regiment of soldiers to collect the taxes they came back with the news of the burnt down village with monster and human corpses littering the streets.

Most players that teleported to the area for the loot left behind by such a massacre were disappointed as the entire village was picked clean ,nothing of value to a player at least was left behind giving the impression that it was a group of players that had attacked the village while they were defending against the orcs .

”Hey, Tara lets go everyone’s waiting” my friend Beatrice says to me interrupting my thoughts .the both of us had bought the game at the same shop and had bumped into each other. Now a week after the Ritz massacre as everyone was calling it we were off to see what we could gain there.

We had paid the city lord to use his mages to transport us to Ritz as the both of us used guns and didn’t know how to use mana. Most players had given up going to Ritz because of the forest around it had strong monsters but I believe that between me and Beatrice we can manage.

 “Your spacing out again is something wrong.”Beatrice says as we walk to the city hall were the teleport portal was located. “Nothing just thinking about the monsters around Ritz” I reply.

The group travelling with us consisted of a woman wearing robes and three guys wearing chainmail and with swords .finally the teleport spell was casted and we appeared in a burnt down room the walls were blacked and most of the ceiling was missing.

Leaving the other players we moved out the building to see little reconstructions going on in the village. People were hesitant to live somewhere that had been recently attacked.

Walking around there is very little to find in the village, deciding to see what the fuss about the forest is Beatrice convinces me to join her and explore it. After an hour it was clear that we were going around in circles “I don’t see what so bad about this place” Beatrice says.

Feeling tired I sit down on a fallen log just as something passed where my head was, looking behind I see a large flaming hole in the tree I was leaning on behind me .Removing my guns from their holster I watch as Beatrice does lifts her sniper rifle from her back.

 Both of us crouch low as we look around for the person attacking us, another fireball flies from a bush towards me. Rolling to the side I unload ten bullets into the bush as soon as I complete the roll. Coming out of the bush is an ugly looking monster with a staff in one hand and a sword in the other.

The creature rushes at me while his staff shoots multiple fireballs at Beatrice while dodging the bullets we shoot at him. Once he gets close to me he swings the sword in a swipe that would have decapitated me if I didn’t use my guns to block his sword.

Beatrice mean while begins to shout as I dodge and block some of the creature’s sword strike gaining a slice on my arm and a nick on my face. Sparing a glance at Beatrice I see that she has sunk into the ground up to her knees the frightening thing is another of the creature currently beating me advances on Beatrice with only a sword in hand.

The time I use to check Beatrice seems to be my undoing as the creature I am battling plunges its sword into my stomach. It’s not the first time I am dying in game but I still haven’t gotten used to the pain that comes from a stab wound and watch a fireball forms at the tip of the monster’s staff and after some seconds the fireball begins to grow as the knowledge that this monster intends to burn me to a crisp.

 Now I know why people are scared of this forest I think to myself. Just as the fireball is the size of two basketballs a white light strikes the chest of my attacker and I pass out from the blood loss.

The shouting lead me to the orcs as they toyed with two girls, one of them had a sword in her stomach pinning her to the ground .definitely not an exercise I wanted to practice, the other girl was knee deep in the ground .Feeling like being good I fire a lightning spell at the orc shaman first, those guys were hard to take down I knew from experience. The spell makes a hole right where the creature’s heart was place killing it instantly.

 Pulling a sword I got from the orcs I had defeated before I watch as the orc near the other girl sizes me .walking closer to the orc I watch as fear shows on the orcs’ face as it looks at the sword in my hand, suddenly the look of fear turns to that of anger as the orc charges at me with a roar.

As the orc rushes at me I move behind it with a flash of white and stab it through the heart with my sword, looking at the girl stuck in the ground I move to her friend on the ground and heal her wound .lifting her unconscious body on to my shoulder after grabbing the staff of the first orc .I walk back to the girl in the ground and remove the spell and say to her “come with me if you want to live”.

I can’t believe these girls; they had absolutely no talent other than shooting things with their guns .I had been carrying the unconscious girl for the last three hours and I was getting tired. Dropping the body on my shoulder to the ground I lean on a tree and watch the second girl.

”Why did you drop her like that she could hit her head and die “the girl says as she rushes to her friend to check her for injuries. “Stop disturbing me if she dies then she dies not big there” I reply. Seeing that her friend is still breathing she sits on the ground and asks me “what were those things back there”.

”Orcs, elite orcs in training from how easy they went down “I answer as I pick a leave and begin passing my mana from one end of it to the other making it glow.

“Easy, those so called orcs almost killed Tara and I “the girl screams at me. “It’s not my fault you are weak” I tell her as the leave turns to ashes after I add lightning to the mana running in it. Dusting the ashes off my hands I ask “so what’s your name”.

She answered “Beatrice”. Picking up Tara I am glad my strength has leveled up a lot” it seems miss Beatrice you girls owe me 10 gold coins for saving and leading you back to Ritz “ I tell her as we continue walking. “How come you are charging us “she says in disbelief?

“Nothing comes free “I tell her. Another two hours and the forest becomes too dark to walk in without stumbling ,”let’s make camp here” I tell Beatrice as I place Tara gently on the ground and begin looking for pieces of wood to start a fire. “So what level are you” Beatrice asks as I return with the wood and use a small fire spell to get the camp fire going.

”level fifteen” I reply.”You’re not higher than Tara and I so why could we fight the orcs but you defeated them easily” she complains to me. “because he is a mage and a sword user but we only use guns” a voice says to my side .turning to the voice I see Tara trying to get up .moving to her I gently push her back to the ground, ”rest you almost died back there” I say.

“Tara, you’re awake” Beatrice exclaims as she moves to her friend and they share a hug and begin talking most likely about me and the orcs from before. Giving the girls space I move to the other side of the small camp and begin my usual mana exercise expanding my raw mana out of my body and drawing it back into my body for ten minutes when I hear a gasp.

“What is it “I ask with my eyes closed. “You are glowing white” a shocked voice says. From the tone of it I know its Tara. “yes I glow now any other thing you want to say before I continue my exercise” I ask.” no “Tara replies. “then while I meditate talk with Beatrice and find a way to pay me my saving fee” I say as I continue meditating spend the night meditating as I don’t trust these girls enough to log out or even sleep.

By morning when I wake up Tara and Beatrice up my mana has leveled up twice. After moving for three hours we reach the village whose name I found out from Beatrice was Ritz, “now that you are out of the forest safely I will be collecting my money now” I say to the girls. “Let’s go to the tavern our things are in the room we rented there” Tara says as she begins walking after giving Beatrice a look that I miss. We move around the village that is slowly recovering from the orc attack. We enter a one storey building and make our way upstairs where Tara enters a room after unlocking it with a key she pulls from her inventory.

 Following Tara I walk into the room only to meet the barrel of a gun at my face, “is this a joke?” I ask. “What does it look like” Tara says as she shoves the gun closer to my head. “open your inventory let’s see what you got from the fight with the orcs” Beatrice says to me as she pushes me deeper into the room and locks the room .releasing a sigh I open my inventory as Tara watches the interface with her gun still pointed at me.

“Wow seventy gold coins and look at those weapons “Tara says.”So seventy gold coins and thirty gold coins for the bounty add the weapons we can make a hundred and twenty gold coins minimum” Beatrice says after some calculation.

“What bounty are you talking about” I ask shocked that someone would pay to have me dead for thirty gold pieces. “Here read this” Beatrice says as she tosses me a paper with my face with a price tag of thirty gold coins as the reward. “Just get on with it a simple bullet to the head so I can continue on my way after I spawn at a temple” I say with a smirk.

”Oh I forgot to say the bounty wants you alive to be imprisoned “Tara says with a giggle. Things are about to go down I think to myself as I push a small trickle of mana towards my back where Tara stands and add lightning to the mana after it forms a rope round her waist “I call on thee THOR” I chant as the room explodes.

The explosion rocked the small room, looking around I see pieces of what I think is Tara and Beatrice missing an arm. Jumping through the missing wall I roll as soon as my feet hit the ground and begin running towards the forest.

 “Capture him and get twenty gold coins” Beatrice yells at the small crowd that begins to run. Not now I think as I dodge an arrow from a player and punch the stomach of the first person to block my way lifting the person two meters into the air. Unsheathing my sword I parry a katana aiming for my chest and stab the owner.

The crowd has started growing; at this rate I will be dead or worse captured. Reaching deep into my mana I release a wave of pure mana that pushes everyone one around me away. “Earth golem” I shout and pour mana into the ground through my feet and humanoid monster seven feet tall, made of earth rises from the ground.

“Kill them all” I order my construct as I feel a slice on my back. Turning to face my attacker I see a knight with a sword and shield behind me. “Fire bomb “I say as I throw a fire ball the size of a basket ball at the knight and watch it kill the knight with a few players around him.

The heat of a fireball that sings my hair returns my attention to the fight at hand. A girl about sixteen years stands before me wielding a mage staff as she shoots balls of fire at me. Today isn’t my day I think as a ice spike goes through my left shoulder from behind.

 Casting heal on myself I call out “minion defend me” as three knights surround me. The construct returns from its rampage and barrels into the knights.

Drawing all of my mana I open a portal and six orc elites emerge .I had found a way to force the orcs to my will in one of the books in my library and stored them in a pocket dimension that I made “destroy my enemies and I will free you” I tell the orcs as they spring into action and the fight begins to turn in my favor.

That’s until I see a two man team made3 of a man wearing robes wielding a katana and a woman with a mages robe making mince meat of three orcs. Putting my palms together I make the largest fireball I have ever made, one the size of a fridge and shoot the pair causing havoc.

The swordsman jumps in front of his partner as the fireball gets close to them swinging his sword in a way that releases mana which cuts the fireball in half. Docking out of the way  see a lightning spell coming at me from the mage, cant they be weak like everyone here I think t myself as I dodge the lightning only to see it curve and hit my back pushing me off my feet.

 Now I know how the orcs feel when I use lightning on them as my body refuses to move to my commands. The last thing I see is the staff crashing into my face as I lose consciousness and everything goes black.