Cthulhu spoke again, this time a bit mechanically. The voice reminds Lee of the RPG games he loves dearly. A fresh memory of his mother’s final embrace hits him like a tsunami, and he brushes it aside.
“Hello user, welcome to Terra. You are reborn as a human. There are four classes that you can choose from. I will now list them clearly and divulge details regarding their strengths and weaknesses. Are you ready user?”
Lee answers with an impassive Yes.
A blue window pops up which covers the entirety of his line of sight.
“Alright. Here you go. Look closely, and if you have any further questions do not hesitate to ask at any point.
Class 1- Infantry. Armed with a 2-handed broadsword or a spear, these individuals are adept at attacking foes at close range. However, their usefulness is inversely proportional to the distance between the user and the enemy. In other words, the closer you are to your enemy, the more lethal the damage shall be. If you choose a broadsword, you will be slower and the attacks will inflict heavy damage. A spear will ensure that your movements are fast and enable you to attack with higher frequency, but damage will be low.
Class 2- Archer Caster. Armed with a bow or a magic staff, this shall help the user fire at enemies who appear far away from him. For the archer, decent equipment is of utmost importance; for instance, a Grade S bow will administer terrifying damage even if a single arrow is fired at a large group of opponents. Whereas a low-grade bow is only suitable for tackling packs of goblins and zombie rabbits. Target practice is of utmost importance. Those who have high-grade bows are faced with an increase in difficulty when firing an arrow or a volley towards enemies. On the other hand, the one who bears a staff needs to build up his skill level to let his power grow. Decent gear will exemplify the user’s strength but in the case of a mage, the ability to channel large amounts of magic without consuming too much stamina takes precedence over equipment.
Class 3- Knight. Armed with a sword (heavy or light) and a shield, the knight can be a formidable defender or a peerless warrior. Some can afford to operate in both capacities, if their skill is high enough. A knight can assert dominance even if the adversary (singular or plural) is near or far off. Hardware is just as vital for the user as mastery over the sword and the shield. This class is exceedingly difficult to mature in because of the wide variety of applications on the field of battle.
Class 4- Healer. If equipped with a decent grimoire, a healer can assist by casting buffs and promoting wellness amongst combatants. However, the major drawback of a healer is that he cannot attack, so he has to be in the company of those who can protect him, especially if the gang of bandits facing the user’s party appear fearsome. Grimoires are a lot easier to obtain (including the mid-level ones. They can be purchased from professional elven smiths inside capital cities.
Spectacular (S-Grade) gear drops in case an Ultra Boss is defeated, or once the innermost chamber of a high-difficulty domain gets breached. You shall encounter these domains and bosses very rarely. But there exists a saying that goes Fortune Favours the Bold. Which class would you like to pick, User?”
The boy knows what he has to go with. In this life, he wishes to be a hero who doesn’t back down no matter what circumstances come his way.
Lee: I choose Knight. And please address me as Lee, it feels less weird that way. You shall be with me every step of the way, so we might as well drop the formalities. You had previously remarked that I was reborn as a human here, so what about the scaly wings? Are you going to do something about those?
System/Cthulhu: Reinforcing Command “Hide in Plain Sight”. There you go Lee, I hope you are satisfied with the results.
The wings appear to be not visible anymore.
Cthulhu: Here are your current stats. You can open this window whenever you wish to check them.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Username - Lee
HP - 900/9999 [Health Bar]
MP - 500/9999 [Stamina]
AP - 900/9999 [Attack Potential]
Agility - 500/9999
Luck - 900/9999
Battle IQ - 900/9999
Will - ?/9999
The final state leaves the boy in visible confusion. Of all the games he is well-versed in, he has never come across such an attribute.
Lee: Hey Cthulhu, what is the nature of the Will attribute? Why is there nothing but a question mark in that area?
Cthulhu: I am sorry I am not authorized to give you any information pertaining to that specific stat. If you have any other questions feel free to ask. Please note that Agility and Stamina will grow slowly in comparison to the rest because of the nature of your chosen class [ Agility and Stamina are key traits that shall help facilitate the wins of a knight when facing Ultra Bosses ].
Lee: Oh come on, what am I supposed to do with ‘will’? I am here, aren’t I? Is there no data available on that stat at all?
Cthulhu: I am sorry I am not authorized to give you any information…
Lee: Got it. Where can I find the nearest city and the domain closest to it?
Cthulhu: Based on your current needs as a fledgling Knight, I would recommend heading out in the direction of San Uber. The difference between you and this particular city is less than 2 miles. Please note that San Uber is the capital of the Kingdom of Bulls. Here, humans and all other races are encouraged to prove their mettle by battling one another, and the strong receive quicker promotions if they operate as adventurers. Gladiator battles are commonplace, which has aided many to soar through the ranks and thus these warriors live better than those mediocre and inferior. The Kingdom of Bulls is the most resourceful Empire on Terra. There is also a High-Difficulty domain close by. However, please note that the innermost chamber has never been cleared, and not a single fighter or team that has entered have been able to exit the domain alive. Would you like to proceed towards San Uber?
Lee: Affirmative Cthulhu. Is there a map or…
A compass opens up at the bottom left side of his line of sight.
Cthulhu: The red dot is San Uber. The blue dot is you. Are you ready boy?
Lee starts walking towards the red dot. He does not wish to enrage the Great Old One who has given him a second chance.
On his way, he comes across a peculiar creature. A violet ant, slightly larger than a St. Bernard comes up to him as the boy takes a defensive stance.
Cthulhu: Not to worry, Lee. This creature is harmless and rather docile. It will flee even if you attack it barehanded. Would you like to tame it? The Vagabond Ant can carry tons of supplies when petted, and its poop is exceedingly poisonous. It can be used to deal with strong enemies if your gear is not great. A Weapon laced with the poop can work wonders even against a hardcore veteran adventurer. Also, a Vagabond Ant will eat pretty much anything so you need not worry about fetching specific kinds of food.
Lee: Poop? Ewww. But you are right. Taming this beast can help me become a force to be reckoned with.
The boy relaxes, he extends his hand towards the creature as the latter’s mandibles perk right up. The jaw feels gentle to the touch.
Cthulhu: Taming completed. Assign a name to your Vagabond Ant. You can choose to name him later if you’d like.
Lee: Na, that’s ok. I shall call you Viola. I hope we remain good friends.
Cthulhu: It is funny to see Viola act this way. Usually, these ants are overcome with shyness when they are aware of humans or bigger beings heading their way. I guess you are a bit different.
The master and the subordinate keep moving. It seems to be high noon, as the heat makes the boy feel slight discomfort. Lee has always hated the sun, he is more of a nocturnal animal.
After 10 minutes, they arrive at San Uber. 2 guards block his path. Their expressions remain inscrutable as they peer at the boy and his companion.
Guard 1: What is the purpose of your visit?
Lee ponders for a moment or two before answering.
“I hail from a village nearby. My maa has sent me here because she believes that adventuring will help feed our family. My dad is bedridden and thus can’t afford to be the breadwinner anymore. Please sir, let me pass, and I promise to prove my mettle as soon as possible.”
The two exchange looks. They then face the boy and grin.
Guard 2: Sorry mate we must ask these questions to all those who come this way. San Uber is the capital after all. What if you’d been a threat?
Lee: What would you have done if I had lied?
The guards point their fingers upward and the boy looks to see an entire row of soldiers, with arrows pointing only at him and Viola. There was a woman clad in silver regalia amongst them, her hair was white than snow. She seems to smiling at him as well, but rather ruefully.
Cthulhu’s voice reverberated throughout his body. “Attention, Attention, Danger Close, Danger Close. Tread lightly Lee, you cannot fight that woman right now. Avoid confrontation by any means necessary.”
The boy pranced into the city as Viola followed him closely while shuddering. The Ant has great sensory capabilities after all.