The trip, the rise, the princess

All the years I spent in this city I never explored it as I wasn't old enough to leave the manor without fathers permission. Yet, now that I am instead of exploring the rest of the city I exited through the north gates to make my way to Hakuna Village. My mother's birth home.

It would be a three day journey on horseback but that wasn't my plan. As soon as I was out of sight I immediately tried to put the horse in my inventory, and it worked. So I began to run home on foot. At times I would sprint, at times I would walk, sometimes I would do workouts while still in motion.

The three day trip became nearly six. A good thing that Hakuna isn't that far from Borat city or something like this would never happen. The roads closest to the city are the safest as the bandits and beast don't dare trespass so I went about uninterrupted. Well except for breaks as many times throughout the journey I had to break to refresh.

By the time I arrived at the village my S.A.V.I. was all maxed out for level 4 and I was ready to drink the next bottle and get my first power but let me get situated first. I entered the village around dusk and went straight to my mother's old home. I then climbed onto the bed and calmed my mind.

I already had experience drinking the potions and they were perfectly normal. Like drinking a cup of a well flavored drink. So I had no hesitation as I threw it back. That was when I realized that this time was different. Pain, a lot of pain. It felt as if something was squeezing my stomach so tight I couldn't breathe. Soon after I passed out.

When I awoke the bed was drenched. I couldn't move so I decided to just check to see what happened to my energy. It was still there, thank god. I wonder why it hurt so much this time. Wait, now that I look at it again my energy has gotten smaller. It went from a lake to a marsh. Though, I can say it is denser. Maybe that's the point.

Well then why are my muscles sharper and more defined?

'New Ability available for selection'

Shadow walk

Shadow step

Shadow grab

What only three choices? Well, at least it is letting me choose. Don't be greedy. Wait, I can't see descriptions either? Awe, this sucks. I guess we will use the eye test. Shadoe grab is probably for thieves or control types. Shadow step sounds like a movement technique, but what is shadow walk and how is it separate.

Forget it, risk it for the biscuit.

'Shadow walk skill selected'

Ok now let's look at what I have right now.

Genetic Decoder Lvl. 5

Stats

Strength 5/60

Agility 5/60

Vitality 5/60

Intelligence 5/60

Abilities

Basic Knight form training 3/3

Basic Staff arts /10

Gentlemanly fist arts /20

Shadow walk /50

Summonings

Nightcrawler LVL. 20

Inventory

Runic Dagger

Can siphon the essence of living being to convert into shadow energy

6 Level up potions

5 bloodhill seeds

Mission: Record 10 kills: 9 left

32 lucky draw

Gambling

Wait, what happened to my stats? Well I guess that explains why muscles feel like this. I must be a lot stronger now. Hmm, I shall not leave this village until my abilities are maxed out. First let me use these lucky draws.

'Using all…'

'13 Mangy Melon seeds'

'8 strange water pots'

'10 Shadow ants LVL 1'

'1 Basic Summoning technique'

More seeds, some water to water them with and more summons. As well as a summoning technique. Everything is starting to look good now.

Day in and day out he worked cultivating himself and the land. In the morning he would exercise. Then around noon he would practise each of his abilities. His knight form was already mastered and could go no further. As for his other arts they saw steady progression. He bought a nice looking staff from a vendor in one of the caravans so that he could practice his staff arts.

Then he would summon the ants so they could help with the farming. Which they did extremely well, while also eating and scaring off other pests. Although he couldn't summon too many creatures he could affect their growth.

From the test he ran he learned that creatures under his control can only level up from shadow energy. So having them constantly sit in the shadow realm also causes them to passively level up.

Speaking of the Shadow realm his mental energy has reached the point where he can do a lot more. With all of his summons already being there he didn't have to waste energy. So they explored there every night expanding their territory even laying claim to a manor there. Although killing stuff there doesn't help him level up, it does give him more shadow energy. The marsh now starts to look like a lake once again.

During his free time he even tried creating mini-skills on his own. Like the new shadow slash that has been recognized by the decoder as an ability. Ever since he figured out that he can create some on his own he has been working even harder. Even still he finally made it to level 14 max.

As he prepared to level up he made his way to this week's caravan. For some reason this week seemed to draw in a lot more people. Even some nobles arrived. Once there he began to look for some books on pill and potion making. For some reason the strange water in the strange water pot has been making the plants grow out of control.

It has only been a month and the plants have already become ripe. Although he knows what they are and what they do, because of the system, no vendors in the caravans are interested in buying them so he must find something else to do with them. Then he found it. Potion Making for Dummies, and Pillmaking 101. He bought these off of the book vendor as well as a few other books for a decent price and was on his way home when he saw a group of little kids going around pickpocketing. Well not really little as they were all about his age or older except for a few.

He recognized them as the village orphans and they spotted him as well and gave him the shh sign and sped off. He just laughed and went about his day. He was already acquainted with them as they have attempted to rob him on many occasions but as they say 'you can't finesse a finesser'. They failed miserably each time before finally giving up.

Before he went home though, he wanted to see what all the commotion was about. As he asked many passersby he finally found out. Her highness, the princess was there. Well technically she wasn't a princess as her family was never declared king and only had the title of Viscount before the war, but they are the closest thing to a ruler here just not in name. As he drew closer to the front of the crowd he saw her sitting there watching a display of a royal knight fighting against one of the vilages strongest soldiers.

Well then again fighting is a strong term more like toying with. The royal knights go around every year to the outskirts to test the strength of the villagers. Even sometimes recruiting them. Only this time the princess came with it seems. As I stood there to watch the fight, it came to an end with the only part of the villager sticking out of the ground being his head.

"Would you like to fight?" She asked. Blindsided I immediately assumed she wasn't talking to me and began to look around like everyone else.

"Did you not hear her highness boy? Kneel and answer." A brash young man yelled at me. From the looks of it he is the young master of the Ragnir family. Although they are a high tier clan they are a bit on the weaker side. They mostly deal as merchants. Why he is yelling at me I have no idea. Can he not recognize me? "How dare a peasant ignore her highness." Ah, I see he is showing off. Well I can definitely fix that.