On the way to the armoury, I checked my status.
Status WindowName:NexusAlignment:NoneLevel:2Class:NoneRace:NephilimGender:Male Titles NoneFame:0Infamy:0-Health:110 /110Health Regen:0.5 / SecMana:50 / 50Mana Regen:0.2 / SecStamina:80 / 80Stamina Regen:1.5 / Sec-Strength:11Agility:12Intelligence:8Wisdom:7Leadership:0Luck:0-Physical ResistancesSlashing:0.5%Piercing:2%Crushing:0.5%Elemental ResistancesNone
I got some upgrades to Health and Stamina. Also in Strength, Agility and Intelligence. I thought it had something to do with the fights, since even Piercing resistance went up. So level ups increased my stats based on my actions. Since I fought a lot and exhausted my stamina, my stamina regen and stamina went up. From my first level up, my character build was already becoming unique.
Like in Mapar’s shop, a bell jingled as I walked in.
“Welcome, welcome! What might you be needing today?”
The swordmaster greeted me cheerfully. His bald head shone brightly from the sun’s rays, but his most striking feature was the scar that ran down his face. From above his brow, curling around his eye and ending at his chin. Looked like someone drew on him.
“I need a sword” my voice was a bit muffled as it came through the mask “Of about 3 silvers”
“Sure thing!”
He then went in to a back room, leaving me alone in the shop. Bored, I looked around the shop.
It was filled with swords of all shapes and sizes. Greatswords, bastard swords, katanas. All of them adorned the shelves behind the counter, or in glass cases in front of it. I marvelled at the steel as I waited for the old man to come back.
“Woah... Dual swords...”
I couldn’t help but gaze in wonder at the pair of swords in the top of the case. It was sleek like a katana, but tempered like a scimitar. A curious curve. It’s hilt was wrapped with some green wire.
“Cool... Me want...”
“Do you like them, lad?”
The blademaster’s voice startled me and I turned back, a bit surprised. In his hands were three swords and the smile was still plastered on his face.
“No... Not particularly”
“No need to lie lad! I know someone who likes a sword when I see one. Even if that someone wears a mask”
He laid the swords on the table and pushed them towards me. I stepped closer, and then he began explaining them.
“This is the more commonly bought Iron sword. This one’s the needle. And this one’s a bit more expensive than your budget... by about a silver. A Orihal sword. It’s a bit troublesome to use.”
“Show me the Iron sword.” After all, troublesome to use is troublesome. Maybe I’ll get it when I’m richer. I took the sword from him, ignoring the thin needle and the pencil like Orihal sword. Definitely not buying that.
Hm... Not bad.
“Alright. I’ll take it.”
The sword master looked at me disapprovingly. “That’s it? That’s all you’re gonna check about a sword?”
Huh? What? What else is there to see?
I got a bit puzzled as the man kept looking at me, expecting me to do something. I awkwardly stood there, sword in hand. Sighing, I decided to ask him. “I’m not experienced with swords. So I really don’t know what to look for.”
The disapproval in the man’s face seemed to dissipate a bit. “Oh is that so. Swords must be rare for you otherworlders then.”
I shrugged. “It’s the first I’ve used a knife, much less a sword.” Suddenly, my instincts flared. Could this possibly be a secret class or skill or sub skill? Maybe so. I decided to test it.
“I’m far too inexperienced with such things. Could you teach me?” I asked him, as humbly as I could.
“Of course! You see, the first thing you should check is for the nicks and scratches in the blade. After all, they might reduce the.....” the sword master kept talking, droning on and on about weapons and how to check their quality.
Finally, after quite a while, he stopped. He let out a huge breath, and then smiled at me. “Got it?”
DING!
Iron Sword Damage:5-7Durability:20 / 20Quality:AverageA sword made of iron. It is very sturdy, and quite sharp. Damage dealt will decrease without proper caring.
NEW SKILL OBTAINED!
Weapon Insight: By gaining extensive knowledge about the objects of battles and violence, you have gained an insight about weapons and the way they work.
·
Novice: Able to identify the faults in a weapon
Oh great. A trash skill. A boring lecture and all I got was a skill that won’t be of any use to me. Combining it with some Repair skills might help me out, but I had no idea how to get that. Well, at least these types of skills don’t have a maximum limit. I could learn all the skills I wanted now. But once I obtained a class, restrictions would be imposed and some skills would be removed.
I sighed and placed 3 silvers on the table. The sword master smiled cheerfully as he handed them over to me. “Take good care of it!”
I left the shop, feeling a bit disgruntled. My brand new Iron sword hung at my waist.
I slapped my cheeks in an attempt to clear my mind. Yes! Only part one of my mission was completed.
“It looks quite good on you lad!” the armourer said, looking me over.
“Thanks.”
I left the armourer’s place, my money bag now considerably lighter-metaphorically. I only had about 50 coppers left. I had to buy an iron sword, a leather breastplate and just one beginner’s potion. The beginner’s potion cost 50 coppers.
Counting the 1 silver the breastplate alone cost, I only had 50 coppers remaining. And soon I’d be losing even that too, what with the maintenance costs and stuff. Sigh, maybe this game was made to make people understand the need for money management? Perhaps.
I headed out to the fields, ready to bring down some of the balls. Today, I’ll go for a rapid level up. A thorough grinding. I had a lot of catching up to do after all.
I headed out onto the lush green fields, slowly drawing my sword out as I did so. I really can’t wait to get to a higher level and start exploring. Tharos is a huge place. And I want to see as much of it as I can.
I rushed at the first ball I found, brandishing my sword as I did so. The ball wasn’t so surprised as it had already seen me. It rolled and the shot towards me. The AI assist had already kicked in, so I was in the best state I could be in. I ducked, feeling its spikes graze my back as I narrowly missed it. It shaved off a bit of my HP, but that was no matter.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Right now, I was itching to try out the sword. I swung at the ball as soon as it landed, the back of its body exposed. The sword cut through the air smoothly, and it made a satisfying squelch as it cut through the jelly like body of the ball.
The reach of the sword was quite huge, so it dealt some major damage to the ball. The blood- green goo- flew out, and it yelled in frustration. I didn’t stop there, as I twisted the blade in my hands and raised it above my head. Like an executioner, I brought it down on it.
Definitely a critical hit.
The ball exploded as the sword cleaved through it, giving me some pretty sweet HP.
“Alright! On to the next one!”
I brushed my blood off from the leather breastplate. It was my precious after all. I had killed quite a number of them balls, and successfully got my level to 5. I didn’t encounter any berserk balls too, so that’s a good thing.
Also, Dynamix told me that I could salvage items from the dead bodies of monsters. So, I tried prying off the spikes from the balls. Thankfully, it worked. I collected quite a few of them, so I decided to sell them all to the herbalist. Profit~!
Right now I got about a 100 spikes, by diligently picking up what was left behind. Apparently, minor beasts like the ones here would just explode and leave behind some spikes. After leaving the beginner’s area, the monster carcasses would stay there.
With the spikes I would get about 4 coppers each, netting me a price of about 400 coppers. That’s 4 silvers! I could buy even more armor with that!
But soon enough, silvers wouldn’t suffice. Gold would be what matters. God, I can’t wait to get to a high level. Maybe join Unity? I always wanted to become a high levelled player in a guild. Respected and feared.
With level 5, my stats improved considerably.
[table]Status WindowName:NexusAlignment:NoneLevel:5Class:NoneRace:NephilimGender:Male Titles NoneFame:0Infamy:0-Health:170 /170Health Regen:1.0 / SecMana:70 / 70Mana Regen:0.3 / Sec[tr]Stamina:110 / 110Stamina Regen:2.0 / Sec-Strength:16Agility:17Intelligence:9Wisdom:7Leadership:0Luck:0-Physical ResistancesSlashing:0.5%Piercing:3.5%Crushing:0.5%Elemental Resistances[tr]None