Nathan woke up with a pounding headache. His stomach still felt woozy and his vision seemed to blur together. He blinked a few times and the blurriness disappeared. He looked over at his fire. It had turned into smoldering embers sometime throughout the night.
A ding sounded to his side.
[Achievement get: Touched By Fate]
By all rights, you should’ve died. The odds were against you. Your soul touched death’s borders repeatedly. Yet, you survived.
How disappointing.
+15 Luck
Nathan breathed a sigh. He wasn’t feeling great, but compared to yesterday, he might as well have been in perfect condition. The rock dug into his spine. He forced himself to a sitting position and looked back out over the lake.
Nathan was hungry.
He reached over for his fishing rod, then paused and winced when pain flooded over his hurt arm. He dropped the fishing rod, and it clattered to the ground.
Damn it, my arm’s still messed up.
Nathan picked up his fishing rod with one arm instead. He cast his fishing rod with one arm, then slouched.
His wrist throbbed with pain.
I know how to blame for that.
All he could think of was how it looked at him, with its oversized jaws and sharp teeth. If not for the fishing pole, he would’ve lost his right hand.
Nathan shivered. That was his favorite hand! Or, er, not really since he was ambidextrous, but still.
He smiled, though it didn’t touch his eyes.
Still no catches. He wiggled the fishing rod from left to right. Come on, had all the fish vacated when he wasn’t looking? Nathan glanced around.
Did he have any extra fish that he’d left lying on the stone? No, he wouldn’t have that. Why would he? That food would rot.
I need food, damn it.
He might have to head outside and try to find another source of food if this place didn’t have anything. This wasn’t an option he was interested in pursuing, given what had happened last time.
But he’d have to face that thing again, anyway.
No matter how much he might want to avoid the conflict, the Circle Boss had to be defeated to move on.
I need food… but I also need an edge. Something that’ll give me a chance against the Gliding Eel.
He shut his eyes and felt a tug. Nathan started and pulled back as hard as he could. Shimmering metal flew out of the water with a loud splash. It fell to the ground next to him with a clang.
[You have leveled up!]
[Sink or Swim] (15/15 Lv.) COMPLETE!
A box appeared to Nathan’s left. He ignored it and took a closer look at the odd weapon. It was some sort of spear with a particularly large tip. Similar to the fishing rod, it had a distinct aura of power emanating from it.
Mystic Harpoon of the Shifting Tides (E-rank)
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Weapon Type: Harpoon
Rank: E
Enchantment Slots: 3
Weight: Light
Forged from the bones of a deep-sea leviathan and imbued with ancient aquatic magic, this harpoon is the perfect tool for any adventurous soul who doesn’t mind getting a little wet. Wield it wisely, and the ocean might just call you its friend. Or... its snack.
Enchantments:
Tidecaller
Grants the ability to summon a surge of water with every throw, providing extra momentum. The water does nothing else. It's mostly just for dramatic effect. Might look cooler if you have a crowd watching.
Abyssal Pull
Once thrown, this enchantment creates a gravitational pull that draws weaker enemies toward the harpoon's impact point. Use it to reel in fish... or unsuspecting goblins.
Barnacle Shield
Summons a temporary shield of enchanted barnacles when the harpoon is held defensively. Beware: the barnacles are alive and may try to start a colony on your equipment if you’re not careful.
Nathan’s jaw dropped. It seemed incredibly powerful. He glanced to his side at the box he’d ignored earlier.
[Would you like to obtain a Copper-ranked class?]
Accept/Deny
----------------------------------------
Nathan slammed the accept button. Instantly, a new box appeared, revealing three new options.
[Gatherer]
[Farmer]
[Fisher]
“Seriously?” he said. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Not one combat-related class? No Warrior? No… I don’t know, Mace User?”
He sighed and took a look through each of the class options.
[Gatherer]
Description: Congratulations! You’ve chosen the Gatherer class—a shining example of resource collection at its finest. With your unparalleled talent for picking up herbs, rocks, and the occasional shiny pebble, you’ll be the go-to hero for all your friends’s “not-so-urgent” quests. Who needs combat skills when you can spend hours collecting dandelions? Just remember: in a world of monsters, someone has to keep the flower supply thriving!
Class Bonus:
Resourceful: Gain a 10% bonus to gathering speed and a 5% chance to find slightly rare items (like a rock that looks like a face).
Nathan did a slow blink. “Yup, exactly as expected.”
He wouldn’t have minded doing something focused on gathering if he were playing one of his games. Unfortunately, he wasn’t. This was life or death. His eyes wandered down to the next option—farming—and dismissed it out of hand. Realistically, there was only one option, wasn’t there?
[Fisher]
Description: Ah, the Fisher class! Nothing says “adventurer” quite like standing on the shore, waiting for a fish to bite. You’ll master the art of baiting hooks and telling fish tales that nobody believes. Enjoy the thrill of catching fish that are probably smaller than your shoe, and revel in the glory of... having a mediocre hobby! Who needs fancy magic or combat skills when you can just sit back, relax, and hope for a catch that’ll impress literally no one?
Class Bonus:
Reel Master: Gain a 15% bonus to all fishing-related weaponry, including fishing poles and harpoons. You’ll also get a 5% chance of catching a fish twice the size of your harpoon—if only to ensure everyone believes your stories.
It offered a 15% boost to fishing-related weapons. With his current gear, this was his best option.
He sighed and pressed the accept button. Immediately, a wave of power and knowledge surged within him, a refreshing cooling sensation at the core of his being.
[Class quests for REEL, BAIT, and CAST already fulfilled. Disabling.]
[New Class Quest Unlocked: Upgrade class to Bronze]
[New Class Quest Unlocked: Throw Harpoon (Copper)]
[New Class Quest Unlocked: Fundamental Cooking (Copper)]
[New Class Quest Unlocked: Suspicious Gathering (Copper)]
[New Class Quest Unlocked: Gardening (Copper)]
[Special Side Quest: Catch the Phantom Minnow]
Nathan’s jaw dropped at all of the class quests. For a moment, his mind was filled with dreams of picking strawberries in the forest… until he shook his head and remembered that he couldn’t do that. He had to focus on getting EXP by grinding—no matter how much he might’ve wished to do something less terrifying.
Nathan started by checking his class-up quest.
[Upgrade class to E-rank]
Congratulations, aspiring angler! You’ve managed to flounder your way into the prestigious realm of F-rank! To advance to the next level, you must demonstrate your skills in the most fundamental aspects of your craft.
Objectives:
Get Copper+ in each of the fundamental fishing skills: CAST, REEL, and BAITTTTTTTTTT
The box started to ripple like the surface of water. Before Ezra’s eyes, the words changed and shifted.
[Upgrade class to Bronze]
The sea smiles upon you. If you give a strong enough offering, she will grant you a boon.
Objectives:
Make an offering to the sea (0/1)
Rewards:
Bronze class upgrade
Heed this calling, and tread carefully—great rewards await those who dare to listen to the whispers of the waves instead of the static of the System.