---Maddy---

It took a while for Maddy and Troy to finish up their delving experience. Immediately after the encounter with a lunatic, they had been accosted by a native guide – a woman who sought to bring them towards some ceremony.

The town they were in had some cultural relationship with their dungeon.

The natives had figured out how to alert anyone when the dungeon was cleared – something to do with lights – and heavily heavily pushed for those who completed it to come to a ceremony. They really wouldn’t take no for an answer – at least they wouldn’t take the miming Maddy and Troy did as they tried to communicate…ignoring them pointedly with a one sided onslaught of facts and information.

Supposedly, the ceremony was only held two to three times a year – the locals didn’t seem to clear the dungeon often – and it was a big deal every time it was cleared.

Those who cleared it for the first time were usually young adults seeking to prove themselves.

They went through once, gaining power and then joined one of the towns…army positions? The translation seemed off whenever they spoke of the army and its tasks.

The ‘army’ itself was split into three main sections. Hunting bands that went out of the town's walls and fought regularly. Public servants that seemed to have the equivalent of desk jobs. And guards who acted as policemen, bouncers, or hirable bodyguards. All were theoretically in the reserves for if the town went to war… but that hadn’t happened in recent memory.

The citizens who cleared the dungeon were well known to be stronger than normal humans – anywhere from twice to three times as strong due to stats – and a majority of them gained a skill from the experience as well.

This was the first time Maddy had heard about how these locals interacted with the system. Stats and skills were common knowledge – you could even read them using a status stone for a fee – but they didn’t seem to gain achievements randomly or know anything about them. Occasionally a warrior would suddenly get much stronger after killing some large monster and stats were well known to be raised through effort…

The attendant kept talking, her words translated into box after box as the trio walked up stairs and down stretches of street. Maddy really wanted to know Jess was okay. She knew there was some delay before resurrection, but not how long it was or how it actually worked.

Jess had literally saved her life. She wouldn’t be satisfied until she could see the straightforward and soft-spoken girl with her own two eyes.

…I’ll try and make it up for her.

The attendant finished her background knowledge sharply – trailing off her description about multiple dungeon clears not being worth it. They had arrived at the ceremony location.

Two thirds up the colonized section of pit, there was a stage jutting out into empty air. Like a reverse amphitheatre, there were several ringed seats facing outwards from the stage, and on top of it, a single man stood – awaiting their arrival.

A last hurried blue box by the attendant stated this man was someone called the general and ‘to be respectful but not sycophantic’ – the pair was already staring.

The general was the leader of this town. He was an imposing figure – stern with military vibes. Probably the perfect type for girls who were into uniforms and rugged looks.

As a leader, he wore a long bright green cape and held a king’s sceptre. As a spokesperson he delivered his “speech” to a crowd of citizens. Natives and curious travellers gathered around them – boxing the pair between the stage and themselves.

After a moment of muttering from the crowd, the general raised his hands high and began his speech.

Welcome future pillars.

You come from afar instead of growing up in our great nation. A foreigner to our ways and lands.

Despite your outsider status, you have proven yourself as a pillar – we don’t ask pillars to hold up ours but urge yourself to carry something – someone or someplace and carry it high. Aloft and above the dirt.

For strength is needed to hold back the darkness. Strength is needed to defend the cattle. Strength is needed to eye the fires and hear the shakes in the black.

Come closer small stones and appreciate my glory. Come close and receive the sticker of approval – for I promise with all my heart not to kill you.

Stunned silence met the general’s speech as he trailed off. The crowd looked shocked – some looked confused, some like they wanted to laugh, one or two seemed angry.

Maddy locked eyes on the manic eyes of the lunatic who mouthed “sticker of approval” and doubled up in silent laughter. Wiping his eyes, the traveller Maddy had seen outside of the dungeon stepped back into the mass of people and vanished – disappearing as people began to murmur and wave the general down.

An aid rushed up and inspected the general's scepter, shaking his head. A second aid climbed up onto the stage and passed a translating bracelet over to the man who accepted it with grace. After letting everyone murmur for a moment, he raised his fist high and continued as if nothing had happened.

Now, young outsiders. This badge will designate you as an honorary member of the guard. You’ll be able to accept quests and the simplest jobs through the employment office.

It's also all you need to become a full member of the army should you so desire – but know this. Citizenship is much easier to bestow then revoke. You will be accepting responsibilities with said status that cannot be ignored as easily and refusing your duties will have harsh penalties.

The general beckoned and the pair approached.

An awkward half clammer had the two climb the large steps and then they were in front of him.

He smiled. The general's eyes were sharp and stern, but with kind undertones and his stiff smile was obviously genuine.

Jess should be here. It's not fair that she is missing out just because she failed near the end.

Slowly the man reached out and placed a circular pin of sorts on Maddy’s arm. It stuck almost like a magnet – pulling close and affixing itself in one go. Below the crowd let out polite hums and smacked their hands against their chest.

I guess that’s their version of applause?

Everyone seems to be leaving now. Guess we are free!

Looking around Maddy nudged Troy who seemed to be frozen in an awkward but happy sort of stance as he took in the ceremony. “Hey, ready to go? Let's head back to the translator store, I want to communicate with people and figure out more about our situation.” She whispered.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

“Huh? Oh sure.” Troy agreed.

And then we have to find our last member and I need to contact the person reviving us. Also should find something to eat. I’m suddenly starving – not that I want to pretend that has priority.

…okay yes it has priority. Let's get something to eat.

----------------------------------------

---Richard---

📣 Achievement get: Crowd Deceiver. (Rare)

Description: Interfere with a public ceremony without getting caught.

----------------------------------------

Stat: +6 mental power.

Richard stumbled out of the crowd smiling widely. He had done it. He had pulled it off.

Was it worth it? It was probably too small of a result to warrant the effort he had put in... but he was still pleased with himself.

How fun it had been was slightly overshadowed by how much fun Richard had had killing the would-be muggers… but he kind of hated how much he had liked that. It hadn’t been funny – okay seeing the shocked onlookers had been pretty funny – but it hadn’t been intended as a joke.

…and the system had sucked some of the fun out of it afterward when it mentioned picking on the weak.

Making me seem like a shitty ass bully – I’m not a fucking bully! Muggers are fair game for merking. Its karma. Instant karma is funny right?

‘Karmas a bitch isn’t it.’

Richard’s mind flashed for a half second back to the time his prank had been twisted into a simple case of bullying and the rest of his mood soured.

Fuck. Did I advance too far and now I’m sitting around in the newbie zone picking on weaklings? That’s it isn’t it? If I want to feel less like a prick I have to find a higher levelled hunting ground.

…alright. Let’s go find a map or some shit.

…

Richard found a bookstore containing a map and some hastily piled-together books.

They seemed out of place – like someone had picked them out then left them here…

Curious despite himself, he read through and remembered a few things.

‘R’ Mentioned breaking my skill into chaos magic. This book describes how to do so…while also mentioning there are other ways of breaking your skill. So, ‘R’ wants me to break into magic right? I wonder what he would think if I broke my skill one of these other ways…

Fingering his translator, Richard turned and asked the shopkeeper about the surroundings. Something about the map seemed weird…

Looking about secretively then leaning close the NPC spoke.

Yes, that way is a land of fabulous machines. Why – look at this book translator! I imported it all the way from Ser. Some of the folks around here look superstitiously upon those contraptions but you have to admit its practicality.

So what do you say. Planning on buying that are you? Or do you have anything you are looking for instead?

Richard paused… he could ask about skill breaking outside of magic but he was probably better off just looking for that in this direction instead.

“Thanks mate but I’m good,” Richard nodded then left to retrace his steps. Back towards the path he had reached here on. Off to see what Ser was like.

----------------------------------------

---James---

James worked out till exhaustion again and again. His workout achievement ticked into the double digits over the day his blood, sweat and tears poured into his body.

As time went on he felt stronger – his stats returning to him, his new stats adding to his total. As he left his weakest point, it took longer to gain the stacking achievements – working out till exhaustion took dozens and dozens of reps – he had to either completely switch muscle groups or wait a decent amount of time before he could try again – working out till exhaustion didn’t seem to mean anything if he was already exhausted…he had to actually work for these points.

After hours of rest and workout he started to get thirsty – ravenously thirsty and hungry as well. Turns out sweating left you dehydrated – who would have thought.

James hadn’t yet worked off his penalty so he went in search of something to drink cautiously – he didn’t want to spend more time than needed in this weakened state.

Walking across fields for a while James grew steadily more and more thirsty. It felt different from normal – worse somehow – a building cloud of dread covering his tracks.

It hadn’t even been a day – sure he was exercising for most of it, but he shouldn’t feel this bad. James had gone days without drinking before and felt fine. What was happening?

Throbbing spikes of both pain and ominous danger rang out through James’s body as he searched for a river or pond or cactus – any source of liquid. Anything to quench his thirst and stop the pain radiating out from his kidneys.

From his weak spot.

Finally James spotted the mushroom trees once more.

At this point he would probably die if he didn’t drink anything – that was how bad he felt. Poison was a risk he was willing to take. Running up to the side of the tree he stared up at the trailing strands high above it. They reminded him of an upside down jellyfish – floating about lighter than air.

They were lighter than air mostly hollow strands of gossamer thin cloth.

No liquid to see there.

The bark of these trees looked damp – beads of dew or sap or something glistening on its side. Taking a brief breath at how dumb his only option was James closed his eyes and licked the tree.

It tasted like dirt.

Slightly herby dirt water…but at least it was liquid.

Looking around for a tool James spotted a sharp stone and picked it up aiming at the mushroom tree's side.

He stabbed – puncturing it roughly and with a almost anticlimactic ease.

He stabbed again – the consistency of the trunk was softer than he would have thought it needed to be to hold up such a large tree… but stiff enough his hacking was slow going.

Digging deep into the trunk James was thankful to see more dirt water beginning to pool and drip. The mushroom sap from inside of the tree was slow to trickle out but it was constant. Soon James was scraping his hand around the inside of his hole and bringing life-saving nectar to his lips repeatedly.

Inner sap tasted... less like dirt. If James could compare it to something, he’d probably say it was almost tea-like – an unidentifiable herby flavour that was not quite unpleasant, but also not something he personally liked.

Slowly he began to feel better. Tired but better. He was slightly hungry as well but the mushroom husk tasted like rubbery dirt and he wasn’t ‘that’ hungry.

Searching around James picked a second tree and began to climb it – he didn’t want to sleep on the ground outdoors. Kicking and jabbing his arms and legs into the trunk he created foot holds and easily scaled the trunk. Pulling himself around a flap he found himself on top of the mushroom's cap – surrounded by the trailing jellyfish legs.

Picking an empty spot, James sunk back into an incredibly comfortable bed and fell asleep.

…

😴 Achievement get: Exposed sleep. (uncommon)

Description: Survived a night outdoors. Congratulations! You weren’t eaten by monsters.

----------------------------------------

Passive skill: A deep but light sleep.

With deep sleep you remain well rested after a nap. With a light sleep you will awake at the slightest noise or touch.

Knowledge of how best to apply your stats to increase this natural ability has been gained.

James awoke and stared about – to his side at the far edge of the mushroom cap a smoking husk of some bird lay cooked through to the bone. It had wicked looking talons and a sharp carnivorous-looking beak... and it was most decidedly dead.

From what James could tell, this bird had flown towards him in the night and then collided with the jellyfish tentacles before ending up in this state. Cause and effect weren’t confirmed... but he looked at the drifting tendrils in a new light.

“I’m not touching those” James spoke his voice losing its sleepy tinge.

Moving to leave, James paused, before turning and carefully crawling back towards the smoking bird.

“Breakfast.” He muttered to himself while staring at the prize.

Carefully reaching past the dense – probably dangerous – drifting lines, James pulled the smoking carcass back towards himself. Ripping burnt feathers and skin off a portion, James carefully took a bite.

It tasted awful – a sharp and bitter slice of dried stringy chicken.

James took another bite. Most of the flesh was on the rare side of things – some of it was decidedly burnt. All of it was unappetizing.

James finished eating – most of the meal untouched – then left for his day. He slid down the mushroom stalk easily enough, then made the quick stop at his mushroom hole.

He needed to wash the bitter taste away.

A few gulps of herby water later and James was set for the day.

The mushroom had made a wonderful bed and his death penalty was gone. It was time to brave the badlands once more.

This time he wouldn’t be hunted by invisible creatures.

This time he would make a difference.

He was stronger now.

This time he would win.