Dante made his way into the hall and down the large double wide stairs to the lobby of the Inn. Leading the way by his side was Virgil who didn't walk so much as floated forward.
Looking out the open doors of the Inn he saw a bustling night time street, filled with many people from earth but also other people. He saw long ears and tails, a mule centaur? They appeared laden with bags, with several well armed individuals surrounding them. He could not determine the gender from here.
He also saw what looked like a minotaur but instead of a bull the upper half was a horse. 'An Equitaur?' He mused for a moment. It had what appeared to be a collar of some kind around its neck. It was about 8 or 9 feet tall and was harnessed to a carriage that it was currently pulling down the smooth stone street.
All about the crowd he spotted several dimly shining golden figures. 'I guess the system really did want people to use the guide.' Dante thought for a moment as he looked upon the Inn's lobby.
The lobby was similar in appearance to his room. Rustic and middle ages in appearance and yet had many modern conveniences in the form of magical items.
Crystal lamps on the walls and an ornate chandelier with the same crystals instead of flames.
As he walked down the double wide stairs he looked right into a dinning area. The windows were clear letting in sunlight.
'Sunlight...' Dante questioned in his mind but withheld the question for the moment.
Virgil lead him through the crowd to the dining area. Several in the crowd took an interest in Virgil only to be pulled back into whatever it was they had been doing before.
However as they made their way through every one of the dozen other system guides all tracked Virgil with their eyes.
Speaking, explaining, giving demonstrations, regardless of what they were doing they kept envious eyes upon Virgil.
Some part of Virgil relished in their attention. He had been granted a name and they knew it.
Then again the man within him didn't much care for the attention.
Looking towards the back of the dining area Dante saw a taller man with pointed ears open what appeared to be a fridge as he looked through the window into the kitchen.
Also he saw several cooks working at grills and with stoves.
On the side of the room opposite from him he could see people that seemed to be getting drinks from red and blue crystals that were slightly glowing.
Everything seemed to have a hint of magic to it, even the appliances being used in the kitchen.
It was someplace straight out of a fantasy and he loved it.
"Hey, it's possible for me to make a village right?" Dante asked Virgil.
"Yes. However there will be several requirements you would need to meet. Would you like to hear them?" Virgil queried.
"Not at the moment. Do you know where..." He was however unable to finish his question as he heard an all too familiar voice.
"Dante!" His mother squealed with joy as she rushed from her seat at a table, nearly knocking it over. He saw his dad catch the table and steady it before he quickly joined them at the enterance of the dining area.
His mother was hugging and kissing him. "How are you feeling?" His mother asked.
"I'm feeling fine mom. Virgil told me that you guys got me here after I passed out. Thanks for that." Dante replied as he hugged his mother.
As his father approached he noticed that he was wearing the same kind of boots as him.
"Hey dad. Nice boots. Do they bring back any old memories from your time in the Navy?"
His father smiled, "More than you know."
Dante looked over to his father, "Are you a bit taller than you were earlier?" Dante could swear that his father had grown a few inches in height and width.
Frank's smile grew, "I'm glad you noticed. I'm finally as tall as you." Dante smiled as he stepped away from his mother who reluctantly allowed it. He stepped up to his father and put out his right hand, which his father grasped. They then embraced each other in a warm hug.
Dante stood to his dad's side and looked up at his mother who blushed. "Mom. Have you grown prettier since the last time we met?" His mother blushed even more and covered her face with her hands. Dante leaned right and whispered to his dad, "She put points into charisma didn't she? Does she have a class yet?"
"Yes to both. She has the class... Lady, but." That worried him, "But what?" Dante asked as he returned to standing straight. "You probably don't have the Observation Analysis skill do you?" Dante was a bit shocked but then again, 'They always did have an eye for the details.' Dante thought.
"Nope." Dante's mother finally removed her hands from her face only for his father to wink. Causing her to blush even harder and cover her face with her hands once more. Dante looked around but no one seemed to pay them any mind. It was as if this was something that happened all the time here.
"Here you go." His dad said as he handed him a blue box. Upon the blue box appeared to be his mother's status information. 'I wonder if he tied the skill's activation to winking?' He thought as he began reviewing her status.
Right away he noticed several issues. 'Her charisma is 23 and her luck is 30!' The rest of her stats were in the low teens, except strength which was 9. Dante looked up at his father, who elaborated, "Apparently this system counts those skills you already had before it came. It quantifies human experience into numerical values." His father stated as if reciting something from memory. "In your mother’s case, that would be levels in house cleaning, cooking, tailoring and such. She is a fine Lady. There is one more thing however."
Dante was trying to recover from the shock of such uneven stats. Then his father tapped the section where it displayed her class.
Classes
Lady Lvl. 5
N/A Lvl. 23
Upon seeing this Dante checked his own classes.
Classes
N/A Lvl. 21
"That's odd. Is it that there is no commoner class?" Dante asked this time Virgil replied such that the three of them could hear him.
"That is correct. There is no Commoner class. There are classes pertaining to professions like carpenter, fisherman and several other variations, including race exclusive classes like goblin skirmisher, I'm told, but there are no classes pertaining to one's birth status in society until you get to royalty." Dante thought about that for a moment.
"So no noblemen class, but there are classes like Prince and King?" Dante asked.
"That is correct." Virgil confirmed.
Dante looked at his dad, then handed him his own status, "And you?" His father took the status page he had been handed and handed Dante another blue box. Before he inspected it however, he tried handing his mother's status back to him. He simply waved his hand and stated, "Look at it and think disperse." Dante did so and watched with mild joy as the blue box crumbled into blue wisps of mana that floated up and dispersed into the atmosphere.
Dante examined his father's status. It was far more rounded. Most of his stats were in the low 20's except charisma 23, luck 19, and spirit 17.
He tapped on his fathers class information.
Classes
Naval Soldier Lvl. 17
N/A Lvl. 25
He could not believe his father was level 42! 'Those medals on his uniform definitely represent something. Holy Shit!'
Frank smiled as Dante stared in awe of his fathers status.
"While you were out we sat down here and started asking Virgil questions. We got to where he said you were at in the tutorial." Frank said, eliciting a look of contemplation from Dante.
"Hey Virgil, I completed the 3rd step of the tutorial right?" he asked.
"That's correct. If you were wondering what the next step of the tutorial is, I can show you now if you would like." Virgil spoke
Thinking for a moment and looking to his parents he decided against it for the moment. 'They waited for me, so maybe it's something better if we did it together.' Dante thought as he pulled up a chair and sat down.
"So were you guys having Lunch? Mind if I join?" He asked with a smile.
Dante and his family had a lovely meal. What had truly surprised Dante was the variety of foods available. The menus were similar to his status box. He could search for anything he wanted. Even when he threw random words that could even vaguely be connected to food, like slime and mud, options came up. Each item had a picture accompanied by a description of the food and how it would taste. Dante was very impressed.
With a full belly Dante and his parents talked for a time.
Eventually about a quarter past 1 his dad resummoned Virgil.
"Alright Virgil. I think it's about time we all move onto step 4 of the tutorial."
Virgil simply smiled before he said, "Would you all like to begin the fourth step of the tutorial?"
Laura and Dante both answered in the affirmative.
So it was with a wave of Virgil's hand, blue boxes appeared for each of them.
Step 4 Explore the Town of Beginnings! You are implored to go forth and explore the town of Beginnings. Across the town are several locations of importance to the tutorial. At these locations you may acquire new skills and make new friends. You will be notified when you have completed this step. You may ask others for assistance if you so choose. Further parameters have been hidden to encourage exploration.
Dante laughed as he rather enjoyed that this was part of the tutorial.
Dante and his parents departed the Inn, which he found out the name of which was, The Crystalfoot Inn. They walked the streets taking in the city's sites.
(The great filter wall. If you are uncomfortable with people being suicidal, skip the next section.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arthur had wanted to watch the inauguration on T.V. before he did it, but it seemed once more things would not go his way.
Words began to roll across his vision.
Welcome to the Upward Bound System people of Earth!...
With the system's arrival you’re warned to prepare for the coming danger...
The tools of your survival shall be granted upon you by the system...
System Integration Proceeding...
System store is Live...
The Road system is Live...
Arrival of System representatives imminent...
So closes the ending of one chapter for Humanity and the beginning of another…
Welcome to the New Age!...
He watched the Golden figure appear and after speaking for a moment it turned and with a snap of his fingers the man who was supposed to become President just dropped dead.
"Well...I guess its time to try killing myself again." Arthur half-heartedly said as he turned off the T.V. and grabbed the last good chair in his house. On his way out the door a blue box appeared before him.
Welcome!
You will now choose the difficulty of your System Tutorial.
Normal
Intermediate
Hard
Very Hard
Near Certain Death
Rewards are given to those who reach higher. With each increase in difficulty comes increased opportunity.
He pause for a moment as the phrase, "Near certain death" held promise to him, but after a moment he rejected the idea in favor of the certain way he had now.
He would choose it when what he was about to try inevitably failed.
He opened his garage door and grabbed the coil of rope he had prepared.
Stepping out of the garage he saw his neighbor Carl staring at him from across the street. Carl began walking down his driveway and across the street to talk to him.
'This asshole always talked too much.' he thought.
"Arthur thank god you're still here! Can you see these..." He didn't get to finish that sentence however. As he had failed to take notice of the car racing down the street.
One moment he was there. The next there was a flash of golden light and he was gone. A second later the speeding car raced past where he had been standing.
He turned to the large tree in his front yard only stopping for a moment as he spotted another flash of light accompanied by the screeching of tires.
Just down the street he saw a golden figure step from the now stopped car. Light smoke drifting off its tires.
The figure looked at him and began walking towards him.
Arthur tied the rope into a noose and tossed the rope over a sturdy branch a dozen feet up.
The Deathwish I Road has opened to you...
He ignored the words in his vision and the text box.
Even as he felt something stir within him, like a road stretching out before him, he ignored it.
He was just tired of this.
Of everything.
He just wanted it to end.
He secured the end of the rope to the base of the tree and stepped up upon a lawn chair, and placed the noose around his neck.
He watched as the golden figure stopped on his driveway several feet away and just watched him.
He paid the thing no heed.
As he was about to kick out the chair from beneath himself, the eyes of the golden figure flashed, then a notice appeared before him.
You have failed to select an option within the allotted time span. The "Normal" option has been selected as default.
In a flash of light he was gone.
Leaving behind the golden figure that smiled as the noose hung empty upon the tree. Then it too vanished, though not in a flash of light, but accompanied by the sound of beating wings.
Arthur blinked as his eyes adjusted only to find he now stood upon an open plain of green ankle high grass.
Behind him he could see trees but as he reached for the noose around his neck he found it missing.
In front of him about a mile away he could see the walls of what must have been a city.
He saw more flashes and many other people appeared.
"Fucking shit...!" He said in a voice that was barely more than a whisper.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
As he watched the people begin walking towards the large walls in the distance he decided not to follow.
Instead he turned and began walking in the opposite direction of the town.
He would find a way to die.
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(Resume reading)
As Dante and his parents walked down the street taking in the sights he spotted a man.
He would have been just like any other man but he sat upon a bench in front of a tea shop with his face in his hands weeping.
He called to his parents to hold on for a minute as he made his way over to the man.
No sooner had he placed his hand upon the man's shoulder did he slap it away.
As his face tired upward his eyes red from his tears were clear to see, as was his anger.
"The fuck do you want?!" The man demanded.
Dante took a step back from the man.
"I just wanted to see what I could do to help you..." Dante said in a calm and quiet voice.
"Yeah? Well riddle me this can you send me home? Get me away from this shit hole? Yeah it looks all cool and shit but my buddy Arthur went dungeon diving and got slaughtered by goblins." The angered man said.
"I'm sorry to hear that..." Dante tired to say but was interrupted. A small crowd of curious bystanders was beginning to form around the pair.
"I don't want your pity! I want OUT!" The man yelled as he stood up, raised his arm and then brought them down upon the ground.
As he made that motion Frank tried to advance through the crowd to protect his son should the man be attacking him, but his progress wasn't fast enough.
The man yelled at the top of his lungs as he pounded against the ground like a child.
Then a notice appeared.
The system offers you safety and comfort working for the Abyssal auction house. Will you accept?"
As he read the notice he spoke, "Does that mean I get to go home?"
Correct. However, you shall be penalized for not completing the tutorial zone...
Do you accept these terms?
"Yes."
In a flash of light the man was gone, leaving the crowd, Dante, and his parents in confusion.
"Are you alright Dante?" His father asked as he finally managed to break through the front of the crowd and reach his son.
"I'm fine dad...I just hope he got what he wanted..." Dante said as he and his father began making their way back to his mother through the now dispersing crowd.
-----------------
Carl blinked only to see he had arrived in a mid sized stone room.
Upon the floor there was a large glowing magical circle the was quickly growing dimmer.
Upon the walls he saw torches, but instead of flames he saw small orbs of floating light.
As he continued to look around the room he spotted a door behind him.
Along the bottom and sides of the door he could see light coming through so he approached the door.
When he reached the door he opened it revealing a magnificent room.
The floor was covered by an expensive looking crimson plush carpet.
A grand staircase laid a dozen feet from him.
He blinked and suddenly a man appeared at the bottom of the staircase.
"Welcome good sir to this humble abode." The human man said whilst bowing and placing a hand upon his chest much like a butler.
Carl inspected the man for a moment.
His hair was salt and pepper pulled back into a braid that reached down to his back.
His eyes were blue as the sea and his voice was calm and reassuring.
"Who are you?" Carl asked as he watched the room vigilantly.
"I do not have a name. I was summoned here to act and be your guide as you had yet to summon one of your own. Now let's get down to business." The human looking man said as he produced a scroll of parchment.
Carl slowly reached out his hands and took the contract.
"I'm reading before I sign anything!" He said with wide eyes as he unfurled the short contract.
---------------------
The signee hereby agrees to wear a band of mana siphoning in exchange for a job working for the Abyssal Auction House.
Said band provided will have siphoning capabilities set based upon the level, mana capacity, and mana regen of the signee.
Said band will grant significant resistance to mana exhaustion for the contracted individual.
The signee will be required to meet a quota for mana every day, with penalties to pay should they fail to do so.
Said quota is declared to be 10 times the signees level on any given day.
Quota rises as the signees level does.
The signee will be paid 1 medium copper for every point of their mana that is siphoned off.
For every 10,000 mana the contracted individual donates they will be granted one respawn at an Abyssal Auction House facility.
-----------------------
Dante and his father were growing a bit bored as all the while his mother was busy browsing clothes in a general clothing shop.
"I'm really surprised they have a Macy's in the tutorial zone." Frank said eliciting a nod from Dante.
As Laura slowly made her way farther into the store, It just so happened that Dante looked out the window behind them and saw a sign that peaked his interest immediately. It read, "Brothel Alley".
Seeing a chance to alleviate their boredom, he grabbed his dad, indicating for him to keep quiet and then pointed to the sign he had spotted. It only took his father a moment to find the sign and a new flame burned in his eyes.
His father smiled then nodded and walked over to Dante's mother.
"Hey honey."
"Yes dear."
"Me and Dante are going to go look around together. Why don't you find something really nice and if we can't afford it at the moment we can come back for it in a day or two."
Laura, Dante's mother, smiled and stated, "I'll hold you to that and I'm going to make it very expensive." She said as she raised her eyebrows. Frank turned back to Dante for a moment who simply gave him two thumbs up for assurance.
Frank turned and said, "Whatever you want dear."
He and his father walked out of the store, not too slowly or too fast. As they did not wish to arouse her suspicion.
------------------
Laura had seen the sign on the way in, knew it was only a matter of time until they spotted it.
She knew her husband would be faithful, and she knew her son had no girlfriend.
She began moving toward the back of the midsized Macy's shop.
Where the more expensive items were.
--------------------------------
Frank and him continued down the long street taking in the sights. What caught Dante's eye was two large three story buildings, of more modern appearances, standing right next to each other. On the right was, The Golem Menagerie, and on the left was, The Work Horse.
Each letter in the sign for the Golem menagerie appeared in varying different colors and patterns. While the Work Horse had a hammer moving back and forth striking a chisel that almost appeared to be carving the W of the sign.
Dante pointed it out to his father who readily agreed to go in, but stated, "If I don't like it I will walk out and let you do you." Dante simply nodded as he thought about a gold coin appearing in his hand, and so one did. "You got the 100 small gold bonus thing too?" His father asked as he also produced a coin, "Yeah, I spent a bit earlier so I have 85 small gold now. We need to start making money sooner or later but for now let's have a good time."
Frank placed his hands upon Dante's shoulder's and stated, "I'm going to teach you some of the things they taught me in the Navy, later anyway. But first let's see if we can't party like sailors."
Dante simply offered his father a warm smile and a laugh.
Out of curiosity he began inspecting the golden coin to see if it had what he needed. On one side appeared to be the face of Virgil, a golden, vaguely humanoid figure. On the opposite side there was an ornate symbol he could not decipher.
'It will work well enough.' Dante thought as he flipped the coin into the air. Catching it with little issue he found it to be heads. "Left it is, and if we don't like that one we'll try the right. Don't like that one either, we move on." He said to his father.
Frank replied, "Sounds like a plan." Dante stowed the coin away where it had come from.
Together they walked into the Work Horse.
The main room of what turned out to be a shop was not exactly what he had expected, aside from seemingly being empty of any other people. There were large and small dildos of every variety to the left side of the store. On the right side of the store were what Dante could only describe as, "Fleshlights!"
There was the sound of shifting from behind the counter. A tall four armed man of midnight skin stood up from behind the counter. He looked like a more realistic enderman from minecraft. He was bald with emerald green eye's much like his own, except instead white around his eyes it was grey.
He wore a large bloody apron and leathers that looked equal parts made for a butcher and a craftsman. Due to all the pockets and tools he saw on it.
His voice was almost like several people speaking in unison. Like a small choir, with a slight French accent. "Ah my first customers! Please come in, come in!" He said whilst motioning with his right top arm. Dante and his father approached the counter as the towering 8 foot figure of the, for lack of a proper term, Enderman, leaned over the counter. "What can I do for you two? I.." He had begun to motion towards the dildo's before something gleamed in his eye's.
"My apologies, it took me a moment to see you were father and son."
"It's fine. Can you please explain your business and maybe the one over that way." Dante asked as he pointed his thumb right to the Golem's Menagerie. It was then that he noticed the empty doorway connecting the two buildings.
The shopkeeper turned to his left, the right of the entrance of the store. "Ah you are interested in my other business?" That increased Dante's interest in this already interesting place.
"Yeah, so you own both, that's pretty cool. Can you tell us about your businesses?" Dante asked. A bit of excitement found its way into his voice.
"Here in this building I sell what is behind you in addition to, how should I say, larger items. This building you see, it extends all the way onto the next street over. However, on that side, the name you would find is the Walking Corpse."
"I'm leaving." Dante's father stated plainly, but was held back by Dante grasping his arm.
"Do you mean it's the place that buys the corpses of monsters by chance?" Dante asked, trying to make a reason for his father to stay.
"The very same! Where do you think I get my inventory from?" Dante released his grip allowing his father to step back from the counter without saying a word.
As the shopkeeper's words ran through his mind. Then it hit him. "Flesh golems! That must mean that...OH my!" Dante exclaimed as he turned to look back at the very large variety of very realistic toys for sale.
"Explain please, Dante." His father asked him.
"This guy turns..." He paused for a moment as he walked over to a 4 foot tall, 1 and a half foot wide reptilian phallus, clearly labeled, Dragon's Pride. "He takes the dicks and stuff off of monsters and magically makes them all shiny and new again. Cuts them off and places them in these enchanted containers to keep them alive." Dante said as he motioned down toward the large metallic cylinder from which the phallus emerged.
"Ok...What's..." Dante's father and him watched as a tall figure walked by the empty doorframe. It was a female Equitaur? The same kind of horse minotaur he had seen earlier. Dante's father's mind swam with the possibilities as he realized just what this guy did for a living. He could not deny it to himself, he was impressed. 'Why am I even surprised a place like this exists?' Dante's father thought as he pressed his hand to his face.
Dante asked the shopkeeper, "I didn't catch your name." The Enderman used one of his upper arms to slap himself on the forehead.
"Oh where are my manners? You may call me..." His eyes went distant for a moment as he raised up one of his six fingered hands raising his index finger.
His emerald eyes returned to their previous appearance, "Oscar Hemsworth. This is not my actual name, as you could not even understand my true one. So, is this acceptable?"
Dante raised an eyebrow and looked over to his father who shrugged, "It's fine Oscar. Hello I am Dante Stone and this is my father Frank Stone." Dante said and both he and his father extended their hands to shake the shopkeeper's. Dante using his right, his father, using his left.
Oscar crossed his upper arms and shook both of their hands. "Ah it is always good to meet new business associates. Tell me would you two like to see what happens in the back?"
Dante turned to his father, "So dad, do you want to know how this stuff get made?" Dante paused for a moment awaiting an answer, but his father simply raised up his index finger and walked over to example the merchandise on the right side of the shop. Towards the items meant for more traditionally minded male clients.
(The right if you are coming in the doorway. I'm just going to call it left and right from now on.)
A question popped into Dante's mind, "Hey you said that this place runs back to the next street over, right?" Dante asked Oscar. "That is correct. Would you like the address for when you and your father return with the spoils of your adventure. I will give you good prices for anything that you bring in." Oscar said with a slight smile, his lips pulling back to reveal, white almost human-like teeth.
"Sure, can I get directions?" Dante wanted to have a good relationship with Oscar. "Do you not have the Map?" Oscar asked, his normally choir-like voice becoming somewhat jumbled, as if to portray his confusion.
"Do you mean a map on my Hud? No I don't." Oscar raised all four of his hands and nodded his head.
"Oh then this is a simple fix. All you have to do is open the system store and request a map. What you are looking for should be the first result." Oscar said, then returned his lower arms to their previous positions. While he rested the elbows of his upper arm on the counter.
Dante did as he was instructed. The top search result was what was described as, "Your video game map comes to life." Dante checked the price and found it to be a modest 20 small gold. With some reluctance he purchased the map. What proceeded was a small download bar appearing. It only lasted for a few seconds however. When it was completed he was greeted by a minimap that hung in his field of vision.
The map appeared in a small black box, which slowly began to fill itself in. He was then greeted by the ping of a system notice that opened up before him.
Thank you for your purchase of the System Minimap.
As an added bonus for your store purchase, you're granted the Common active skill, "Cartography Lvl. 1"
Cartography Lvl. 1
This skill aids in the production of maps. Increased aptitude for drawing per level of the skill. Skill level increases draw range of User minimap. Accuracy and quality of Minimap increases with skill level.
The map however was not like the text that he had read from the system. Instead it seemed to hang in the air up and to his right, away from him by 2 feet, within arms reach.
"By your reaction I can assume you have received the map?" Oscar asked his voice once more like a choir's singing. "Yes, it's not what I had expected though. It's actually a bit better." Dante stated, partially thinking aloud.
Oscar reached across the counter, holding out his hand for Dante to take. Dante hesitated for a moment before deciding to trust Oscar. Dante once more grasped the man's large hand.
Shop, "The Work Horse", has been added to your minimap!
Shop, "The Golem Menagerie", has been added to your minimap!
Shop, "The Walking Corpse", has been added to your minimap!
Being "Oscar" has granted you a portion of his own Cartography knowledge.
Thus your Cartography skill has become level 12 to reflect your newly obtained knowledge.
Shop keep, "Oscar", has granted you his knowledge of his shops!
Trust from, "Oscar", has increased!
The world swirled as Dante felt his mind expand ever so slightly. It felt as if a small door in the back of his mind had opened up for a brief moment, and what he saw before him was the result. He watched as all at once where the minimap had been vague drawings it was suddenly like a satellite overview.
'Holy shit!' Dante thought. His expression became one of disbelief. Oscar smiled wide and laughed a hearty laugh, what he assumed was a laugh anyway. His laugh sounded much more like a church's organ being played.
"You seem shocked. So I shall enlighten you upon what has just transpired. I have granted you my own knowledge of my shops. Thus you can now see these locations on your map and will find it much easier to return to any of my businesses." Oscar said with a bright smile.
Dante spoke to Oscar stating, "I really appreciate you giving us good prices on whatever we bring in. My mom is out browsing and we are going to be drowning in her purchases in none too long." Dante said with an expression of genuine worry, which elicited another cacophony of laughter from Oscar.
"Many who I have met have said the same thing. Some things never change." Oscar said as he wiped some green tears of joy from the corners of both his eyes.
Dante's father finally rejoined Dante and Oscar at the counter and addressed his son, "Ok I have come to my decision. I am ok with this place." He paused for a moment, turning to Oscar, "You seem like a very nice man, and it helps that you speak..." Then Franks eyes went distant for a moment as if he were recalling something. Dante moved to shake his father only for Oscar to motion for him to wait.
A moment later Frank's eyes returned to normal and he said, "You don't speak English do you? It's the system translating."
Oscar's warm smile became a sad one, "I am sorry good sir. You are correct." Everyone was silent for a moment, before Oscar's joyous smile returned.
"However, this is not a bad thing. Though the system's translations are not always perfect. As we come to understand each other, the system learns to better translate. Thus by a simple conversation we help others we will never meet, even long after we are gone." Dante and his father smiled, their enhanced mental capabilities helping them to understand.
Oscar clapped his two sets of arms in unison and the door behind the counter to his left opened up. From the door walked what appeared to be Oscar's identical sibling. "Watch the front I am going to show these two around." Oscar stated, "Sure thing." Not Oscar stated, his voice was identical as well as his appearance, except he was wearing what looked like a blacksmith's attire. Oscar began walking toward a closed doorway to his right.
Dante and his father accompanied Oscar through the door into a large back room that seemed more like a warehouse workshop. Dante asked Oscar, "Was that your twin back there?" Oscar stopped for a moment then turned to face Dante and his father. "No, that was a magical facsimile of myself." A blue box appeared before Oscar who read it for a moment, "The system tells me that you know of similar magics. Is this true?"
Dante immediately understood as he knew of a spell from D&D that did something very similar. Dante's face became one of realization, a fact not lost upon his father who still did not understand. "Yeah I know something similar."
Dante's father asked, "Hey Dante you seem to understand, can you explain it to me?"
Dante turned to his left to face his dad, "Sure, it means that through magic he copied himself. Mind and body, maybe even the soul but I don't know about that. More than likely to help with all the...work." Dante paused for a moment and finished his sentence as he turned and saw no less than six other copies of Oscar working upon various tasks. From directing several individuals of varying races to using a large meat cleaver to chop up what appeared to be a horned rabbit.
Two copies of Oscar were working on what appeared to be a dead minotaur laying upon a large marble table.
"You are quite right. I can always use an extra hand around here. And thanks to magic, I have many. I may not be what you would call a One man business, but I am close." Oscar said with a smile as he held his thumb and index finger together, nearly touching.
"Oh yes I almost forgot." Oscar said as he held out an open palm and therein 3 scrolls appeared. "Go ahead and take them. Should you find and slay a most valuable creature, use one of these scrolls upon them. Then bring the corpse to me." Dante reached out and took the scrolls from Oscar.
The scrolls seemed to be made from some kind of animal skin, and smelled of inks and iron. "I suspect I know what these do, but please explain."
"Very well." Oscar said in an exaggerated voice of tiredness. "These scrolls when cast upon a corpse protect it from rotting for a time, about 1 day." Dante did not have much experience with such spells but he did remember one of his friends using such a spell in their curse of Strahd campaign. "Oh, they're Scrolls of Gentle Repose."
Oscar's face scrunched. Dante finally noticed something he had missed earlier, Oscar didn't have a nose. Instead he just had two slits that opened and closed periodically.
"I do not know this spell..." He paused for a moment as a blue box appeared in front of him and then vanished.
"Ah yes, I would appear to be a very similar spell." Oscar stated.
Dante glanced behind Oscar, he saw a door open and from the room stepped an Oscar clone. Behind that clone was another sitting at a desk with a stack of what appeared to be animal skin pages.
Dante looked back to Oscar, "You used to be an adventure I'm guessing?"
Oscar gave a bitter sweet smile. "That I did. However, I was forced into an early and permanent retirement when an archwizard decided to take my head off with a beam of black energy. I saw a black flash and then that was all I saw, Black. That is what happens to you when you die under the system without any respawns. Darkness greets you, and then the system." Oscar said, stirring Dante's and his father's curiosity.
"Can you elaborate on that please Oscar?" Oscar turned to them, his emerald eyes burning with inner fire.
"Why certainly, It would seem that you have yet to get very far in your tutorial. So, I shall enlighten you upon death within the system. When one dies. Their essence, their mind, their soul, is either moved from this plane to an empty one. There you are greeted by the system itself. Or you respawn at a church or relevant facility." Dante suspected it was something far greater than Virgil.
"In the prior case you are judged. Few people who have been judged have ever returned." Oscar said with resignation.
That led to the obvious question from Dante, "Were you judged by the system?"
"Yes I was. He found me to have been faithful and dedicated to the betterment of my people. I was ready to go and be with those who had gone before me. I could see them there before me, only a few steps away. In a land made of light..." Small translucent green tears rolled down Oscar's face once more.
Oscar used his upper set of hands to wipe away his tears, "However, the system wanted to make a deal with me. I would return to this plane for a time. That my work could help others and when the time expired and I was ready, he would send me on. That was 1000 years ago, even though my contract was only for 100. I got to meet so many new people moving from one of these zone's to another. When the contract expired, I chose to renew it, and I have done so every hundred years since."
He paused for a moment before finishing with, "It helps me that thanks to the system I dream of my family, who I lost so long ago." Oscar once more wiped the tears from his eyes. "I am so sorry, it seems I have gotten myself all worked up."
Dante and his father spoke in unison even without meaning to. "It's fine, Oscar."
Oscar smiled brightly, then motioned for them to follow him. "Come this way allow me to show you my pride and joy."
Oscar and his father followed Oscar though his workshop until they arrived at a large set of double shiny, sleek black, metal doors. They stood nearly to the ceiling 15 feet up and were no less than 10 feet in width. "Behind this door is a project I have been working on for a great many years. Very expensive, but it has finally begun to bear fruit. I have learned much from this."
The closer Dante grew towards that door the more he felt its presence.
Congratulations! Your skill, Mana Sense, has leveled up! Lvl. 3...
By the time Dante stood next to the door, he felt as if his body were vibrating. Much like one would do when they were very cold. His Mana Sense was up to level 6. Dante spoke up, "Where does that door lead?" A bit of worry made its way into his voice.
Oscar turned his head back to look at Dante, "Fear not my friend."
Oscar raised up his four arms and began to chant in a language that didn't translate. Mana poured out from his palms to form two great rings of intricate design. The door responded. A small light began to emanate from where the two door's would part.
Dante's mana sense level jumped to 10, as he was nearly overwhelmed. As the large sleek black, shiny metal door's continued to part light could be seen it was blinding at first but as his eye's adjusted he saw something amazing.
There behind the door was a large field of tall grass. The doorway seemed to be on a hill, granting them a view into the distance. In said distance several villages could be seen. Oscar motioned for them to follow him though the doors that had stopped their opening. They had opened only so wide as to allow a single person through at a time. Oscar went on ahead, and after a moment, Dante and his father followed.