When it comes to taking lives and having the experience to do so, I can say that I’ve done it before. In my situation, just to stay afloat, I’ve done countless things, many of which fall into the territory of criminality. Being an underpaid and unregistered mercenary made my previous boss comfortable assigning me to a lot of shady work. A ghost who can’t be traced back is a suitable person for such tasks. During that time, I learned quite a lot and coped with it. Personally, if it weren’t for my mother, I might have turned into a psychopath. Still, I don’t consider myself one because I never enjoyed the deed. I did it because I stressed to myself that it was my job and necessary for survival.
Let’s be honest: taking a life is never easy. Yet, many novels and stories feature an obese geek as the lead, who gets thrown into another world and somehow knows how to wield a weapon and go on a killing spree. Meanwhile, in this world, they can’t even stand up to their bullies or anyone else. These are the same people who might slit their wrists, hang themselves, or suffer years of torment only to bring an AK to a school and go crazy. Yet, for some reason, they become godlike figures in another world. Yeah, what a believable story. Yes, a human can do unbelievable stuff when pushed to the limit, but there needs to be some foundation first. If someone can butcher an animal, gut a fish, or smack a cockroach without batting an eye, then maybe, just maybe, they might have the capacity to take lives in extreme situations. But that’s a big ‘maybe.’
If you can’t do those small things first, then it’s going to be hard to do something bigger. If the monsters, say a goblin in another world, look like little humans, it’s a big leap to be able to kill it and not feel anything. Sure, it’s a monster, but its appearance still impacts your mentality because it resembles something you’re familiar with. So, it’s not easy to do something of that magnitude, especially for someone not used to it and able to deal with the repercussions. When the System told me that I’m capable of it and that it suits me, I could only nod my head. Now, I’m thinking more about leveling up and that sweet, sweet safe floor, rather than killing the monsters in it.
“Alright…there are 100 floors, and every 10 floors the region changes…so I have 10 safe floors that I can use as I please…that’s good enough, I guess…”.
It’s like free real estate to do what I want, and I imagine those safe floors won’t be small. They might be the size of a stadium, a farmland, or maybe just a big warehouse. With a mini boss on each floor, there must be a standard for it.
“[As for your world destination, [Lothenheim], it is a world already known to Earthlings. It exists in the form of a game that has been widespread on Earth for several years…and it’s the same world that Mr. Mizan Cain is already aware of…This world is also being chosen for Mr. Mizan Cain because it is deemed suitable for you, and you specifically are believed to have the highest probability of surviving in it…The world of [Lothenheim] differs greatly from Earth…it not only has an improper gender balance, teems with monsters and dungeons, and is in a stunted and regressing technological state…it is also a world where the gods have the lowest tier of power and distorted influence…There are barely any followers who spread the true gospel of their gods, instead twisting it for their own benefit…[Lothenheim] is categorized as ‘Extreme Hard Mode’ due to this collection of factors…Once again, our Mother Earth believes that this is the world for you, one that you will be pleased with…As a reminder, this world/reality will have a 98% similarity to the one you have already known as the game…but that similarity percentage might fluctuate as you live in it…exercise caution, or do as you please…]”.
“It’s a sandbox world anyway…there’s no story to it…sure, there are some world-threatening mobs…but overall…it’s quite steady…I guess even in a fantasy world, religious devouts are still chaotic…”
There were faith systems in the game, and I even knew the gods of it as well. There were some quests related to the many churches that gave out sweet items and skills. But I guess these religious freaks were using their gods and faith to further their own benefits. Typical, I suppose—not unlike the situation here on Earth. I guess that world is also progressive in its own way.
This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.
“[Please be prepared and ready in all forms to start your new life…in…365 Days….As it was already predetermined that your world is categorized as ‘Extreme Hard Mode,’ and since you are numbered at No. 200 and the previous candidate took 6 months to confirm his decision, these factors have been calculated in advance…Hence, your departure date is delayed by an entire year…giving you ample time to prepare yourself and ensure you are satisfied and at peace with everything…As an additional perk, you may use your System Specialty [Personal Portable Dungeon] skill from this moment forward…Once again, on behalf of Earth, Mother Nature of Earth, we thank you again and hope you have a wonderful new life and fulfilling future…Thank you and Good Luck, Mr. Mizan Cain…TERMINATING ALERT FUNCTION…TING!..TERMINATION COMPLETE…]”
With that last robotic bold-lettered message, I was kicked out of the !ALERT! window and sent back to the main menu of my system. The Alert option was no longer there, leaving me with just three clickable options. It turns out I have an entire year to prepare myself for my new journey, which is quite generous of them to give that much time. Also, it turns out Mother Earth doesn’t just transfer people out of nowhere; instead, they are given a prompt before they are sent out. Very motherly of her to do so.
“…Okay, let’s explore…then…”.
-Status-
Name: Mizan Cain Level: 0
Job: - (+)
Title: -
HP: 10/10 MP: 20/20
-------------------------------------------------------
[Attributes]
Strength: 15 (+) Agility: 8 (+)
Intelligence: 7 (+) Sense: 16 (+)
Free Status Point: 1
Free Skill Point: 1
------------------------------------------------------
[Skills]
[Passive Skills]
-Inventory (Lvl. 1)
[Active Skills]
None.
[Class Skills]
None.
[Special System Skill]
-Personal Portable Dungeon (Lvl. Max)
-------------------------------------------------------
“…It’s barren and basic…well, can’t complain…I’m just at level 0 right now…still, my status attributes are quite impressive for a no level…”.
In Lothenheim the game, a level 0 always starts with 5 points across all attributes, and that’s the standard. But right now, I actually have all four attributes above 5, and two of them are even above 10 points. This is a level 10 status attribute, and I have them at level 0. Also, it turns out that even though [Inventory] was in the System menu starting selection, it’s actually derived from my passive skills, and it can be leveled up. I guess leveling it up will net me more space. I’ll check the Inventory after this.
All the attributes are self-explanatory as they state the obvious. Strength influences my physical prowess—my physical strength, physical outlook (to some degree), physical defense, vitality, healthiness, fitness, and, more importantly, my HP. Each level up grants me 10 HP, and adding 1 point to Strength also gives me 10 HP points. Agility corresponds to my movement speed, flexibility, and, I guess, my motor system. Intelligence is simple: it’s related to my brain, my thought-processing power, memory capacity, critical thinking. The higher the points, the more of a genius I become. Most importantly, each increased point in this stat grants me 10 MP points, and leveling up also gifts me 10 MP points, just like Strength.
As for Sense attributes, this is quite important too: from reaction speed, intuitions, sixth sense, all sensory reception, fluidity of motor speed, nervous system, body immune systems—all those unseen aspects. Sense enhances and upgrades these aspects of my body, meaning the higher it is, the more superhuman I become. And that’s very important. Most protagonists in the novels I read always dump their free status points into Agility or something like that, then somehow become the new speedsters. It doesn’t work like that—if your physical speed gets faster but your reaction speed and motor speed can’t keep up, you’ll look like a mannequin, a stiff doll that has speed but can’t use it to its fullest potential. Personally, I want to balance things out. Also, I tend to feel more at ease when I see my status sheet with similar numbers across the board. It’s pleasing to the eye.
“…This free attribute point…let’s add it to my Intelligence…
Eager to see uniform numbers and also experiment with how it feels to add a point to my stat, I pressed the (+) prompt beside the Intelligence wording. As soon as I did, I felt a cool and pleasing sensation all over my head. It felt like my head was being gently massaged with a cold pack. As for whether I got smarter, well, I guess I did a little bit. I think I can solve a Rubik’s cube a little faster now, maybe.
“Let’s explore the Inventory and Skill Tree next…owh…so it’s like this…”.
I backed out from the Status page and returned to the Main menu. Right now, beside the [Skill Tree] option, there’s a small number ① beside it, reflecting my 1 free skill point. Very game-like, this entire thing. Ignoring the Skill Tree option for now, I pushed the [Inventory] first.