Arthur Black considered himself quite the normal person, average even.
Good enough grades to get a good enough job with a good enough position to have a good enough life. He worked hard in school and then worked hard at his job, got promoted and celebrated with his father. There were a few problems however. He was terribly awkward and made few friends. Then again that only made him part of millions with social awkwardness, according to himself anyway.
His father came from a lower middle-class background and his mother left a few months after he was born according to his dad. This left him with a vicious urge to prove himself at a young age. He regularly ignored making friends just to get a few extra marks or squeeze to an upper grade.
However, even after all of that effort he finally realized one crucial thing. Hard work couldn’t get you everywhere. Connections mattered; Talent mattered. Hardworking effort and discipline can be cultivated. Talent was innate. In the end people would rather have talented geniuses who could be hardworking instead of simply hardworking, Who could have guessed.
Of course, Arthur had no way of knowing but his assumed uneventful life would quickly turn into an adventure really quickly. All it took was one simple message.
[Integration Successful, Welcome 7th Universe]
[Initiating Tutorial]
[Tutorial Created; Transport Complete]
[Grade assignment beginning]
[ERROR!! Grade Assigned ‘G’]
[Grade incompatible with Tutorial, New Tutorial created]
[Beginning Pre-Tutorial]
‘What in God’s green earth’, Arthur thought speechless.
The blue screen in front him was baffling and looking around he wasn’t the only one with such a screen.
The world started fading to black and the last thing Arthur heard was the screaming of his coworkers as they, presumably, saw the same thing. ’Well, that was one weird lunch’, were his final thoughts before the darkness overtook him, still catching up to what was happening.
[Welcome to the pre-Tutorial]
[Your assigned grade was too low and the regular tutorial was extended by another month. Please try to reach ‘E’ rank by this time]
[Failure to do so will result in Penalty: - Penalty being death]
The world came back to color once more. Well white and blue at least did. Arthur saw a myriad of choices in front of him with the title of the system banner being ‘Pick a class’.
The choices below him were as follows
TUTORIAL CLASS-SWORDSMAN
Wielder of the blade, the first tool made solely for war, a sword has no purpose but to kill.
TUTORIAL CLASS-SPEARMAN
Mixing dexterity and speed, you make use of your extended reach.
TUTORIAL CLASS-ARCHER
Hunt indiscriminately from afar. Your sight knows no bounds.
TUTORIAL CLASS-MAGE
Wield the mana around you to bend the world to your will.
That was it. ’Very elaborate’, Arthur though sarcastically. ‘Also magic! Mana!’ he thought excitedly. ‘This definitely wasn’t something put into his food. That and no way would everyone else have the same publicly visible screens in front of them.’
Arthur’s brain worked fast on wondering what class to choose. With the limited descriptions he didn’t have much to go off of. Still if he was in a tutorial, then safe to assume he was in a videogame like situation. That meant enemies both man and beast. Later on, it would be wiser to assume the more unscrupulous men and women would be more dangerous than the wild life.
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In the end he disregarded spearman and archer. He had no idea how to use any weapon but he knew that bows required years of training. Spears however was a personal choice. He simply found sword as the cooler weapon. ‘Heck even maces and hammers are cooler’.
It was a difficult choice to make but he chose not to take Mage either. The description was basically nothing and it was too volatile .to trust.
In the end his finger hovered over the SWORDSMAN option ready to pick humanity’s oldest weapon. With a deep breath he pressed the option.
[Excellent. Beginning Pre-Tutorial]
The world went black once more.
[Welcome to the Pre-Tutorial]
Arthur spawned in a damp dark tunnel looking structure. His eyes quickly adjusted toward the light. He saw that he had a two-handed longsword in his hand. Clasping it tightly he read the screen in front of him.
[Arthur Black]
[Race-(human)-level 1
Class-swordsman(tutorial)-level 1
Profession- N/A
Grade: - ‘G’ level 1
Strength-5 Intelligence-10
Agility-10 Widom-5
Vitality-50 Perception- 10
Will-5
Endurance-200/200 Mana-50
Skills:
Race:- Identify{Unique},Language{Unique},Star-Touched Generation{Unique}
Class:- N/A
Profession: - N/A
]
“Well, that was interesting”, Arthur spoke out loud. He seemed to be more intelligent, perceptive and agile than average. “Or perhaps I have below average strength and wisdom”. He had no way of checking whether his vitality was average or even his endurance or mana. Strange enough he still had mana even though he didn’t pick the mage class.
He was a bit sad and confused on how he had no class skills if he had a class. That and whatever Star-Touched Generation meant
Arthur looked toward his right and saw another screen
[You have Notification(s)]
With barely a thought the screen expanded
[The pre-tutorial teaches you how the new world will work along with your new abilities]
[Please Steel yourself and continue]
Arthur did as he was told. No sense on pissing off a system that, in his mind, could bring him to new heights.
[This tutorial will teach you how to level up, progress and the general rules of the multiverse]
Arthur’s curiosity knew no bounds as he continued to forge onwards.
After two minutes he heard a savage cry. A small green, ugly thing was in front of him. It was shirtless and wore what could barely be counted as a loincloth. It bore its fangs towards him and waved a crude looking stone sword at him.
[In order to understand the world around you use Identify]
Again with barely a thought and the knowledge flowed directly into his head.
[Goblin- G-Grade level 1]
‘Wait, the system said the world around me.’
Arthur looked at his sword and willed his ability to work and work it did.
[Tutorial steel sword +2 strength]
Arthur heard two pings go off in his head.
[You have Notification(s)]
He opened them and smiled.
[Achievement: Use Identify- You have gained experience]
[Achievement: Use Identify on an object without being told to do so- You have gained bonus experience]
[Human level 1à2]
Once again, a blue screen popped in front of him.
[Please attack that goblin]
‘Well won’t say no to that’, Arthur walked forward with a smile
However, with a burst of speed the goblin rushed towards him, a war cry erupting from his lips. Caught off-guard Arthur barely raised his sword in time in order to stop the oncoming stone blade.
He was slightly pushed back but regained his footing and pushed the goblin off. Unfazed the goblin went for another attack, “Now that’s just unfair at least give me one”, Arthur spoke with a grin.
The goblin didn’t seem to appreciate his humor though. The blade came at his left once again Arthur held it off.
A ping went off in his head but he paid it no mind and went for an attack. He slashed wildly at the goblin. The goblin ducked but Arthur managed to change the momentum to a downward slash and sever the goblin’s head
It fell on the ground lifeless and he heard another ping go off.
Checking his notifications he saw several notifications that answered questions and then raised a few more.
[Class Skill- Block (level 1) obtained]
[Class skill- slash (level 1) obtained]
[You have killed G grade level 1 goblin – You have gained experience]
[Swordsman level 1 à 2]
He checked his status again
[Arthur Black]
[Race-(human)-level 2
Class-swordsman(tutorial)-level 2
Profession- N/A
Grade: - ‘G’ level 2
Strength-5 Intelligence-10
Agility-10 Widom-5
Vitality-50 Perception- 10
Will-5
Endurance-150/200 Mana-50
Skills:
Race:- Identify{Unique},Language{Unique},Star-Touched Generation{Unique}
Class:- Block{level 1;Common}, Slash{level 1;Common}
Profession: - N/A
]