Status System

They noticed a much smaller rock wall on the left that looked like it was just made. Holes were dug into the side as big as a finger, just enough for someone to see through.

Inside, they could see mounds just like what they used to look like back in First Dwarven and holes in the ground where shouts were coming out.

"Hit that one! Grab the ore, we can smelt it!"

"It's like a jackpot!"

"What's going on?" Zeeth asked loudly. Zeeth, Page and Elton stood there with a massive, sleeping bird on the floor.

From one of the holes, a dwarf emerged covered in soot and holding a pickaxe with Lumos gems on his head. It took a minute but they realized it was Gror who was yelling, "guys this place is awesome! The ground hasn't been explored at all, the elves think all this is junk and has just been leaving it alone. I've never seen a motherload like this, everything is still here and it just keeps getting better."

"Gror, you're back already. Why aren't you in the main area?"

"The elves said there were too many of us so we had to situate ourselves outside their walls and create our own space. But honestly, I like it here. I also don't think they trust us all that much."

"Trust you? Why don't they trust you?"

"Us dwarves are known to have a strong natural urge to steal things. High dexterity and natural curiosity get us in a world of a mess sometimes. But we First Dwarven dwarves resist the urge to steal to save us the trouble, it's only the dwarves that left us don't agree and make us seem bad. One of the reasons they left was because they wanted to keep stealing while we wanted to banish it so we split and went our own ways, not dealing with each other. Really wish they would stop, hurts our image too."

"But you guys have really big hands," Elton said, "how do you pickpocket and stuff, they can't possibly believe that."

"Transmogrify magic, another Dwarven specialty developed through the ages. It's to help us change shoes of metals and tools, but we went further and learned how to make our hands smaller and longer. All for the purpose of craftsmanship. But some decided to use it to steal and study things. But we don't do that, not after some ancestors of ours tried to steal from a group of merchants and were nearly robbed of everything they had."

"Well, I'll go clean it up, I'm sure they'll understand. Albas is a good woman."

"She is, and our elders are over there trying to figure something out but we actually like it here. We don't need to be a part of them, we like just digging and making. The overpopulation thing is actually an issue, we don't want to live as crowded as you humans used to. As long as we can trade and freely move around, I think we're all good. We already have a tunnel leading both ways. By the way, what's with the giant bird, and since when were you able to use necromancy?"

"Oh, the bird is Cuddles and the skeleton isn't mine, he's Elton."

"You gave an animated skeleton a name? Is he Page's then?"

"No, you don't understand. The skeleton is its own thing, alive on its own. Neither of us knows necromancy."

"Oh, Zeeth." Page said, "I forgot to mention it, but skeletons don't just come back to life. It's odd, even for us, I just forgot that since I've seen so much before."

"The skeleton's alive on its own?!"

"Hi. I'm Elton."

"It talks!!" Gror shrieked.

"Oh, right, skeletons don't talk either."

"How? What? When?"

"I don't know how, neither does Elton, but we saw him a few days ago. And just became friends. By the way, the pickaxe looks new, what is it made from?"

The pickaxe Gror was holding was a sharp purple pickaxe with a smooth, silky surface like it had no edges. "Right, we don't have a name for it yet, but it's the stuff we found in the meteors. The elves were just trying to break them off and had no clue what they were doing. So in exchange for all the materials, we have to put all the tools in one place that all of us can access for free use amongst all of us. But the metal's amazing! Whatever this is, this is some crazy stuff! I made the tip this sharp yet it hasn't dented at all with all the use, it's been sharp this whole time. And it's light, almost like air compared to some other metals, at least when considering its strength. I wish I could find out where this came from, I want more of this."

"That came from the meteors? Could I see it?" Zeeth studied the pickaxe and could instantly tell how Gror made it. It looked like glass mixed in with purple sand but it had the properties of a metal. The metal was first hammered away but they gave up and began molding with their hands and finally sharpened using a tool.

"How much of it was used so far?"

"Not much, we only made ten pickaxes and four swords. We couldn't make any bows since they don't band, but we made a few arrows."

Zeeths eyes glowed green as he stared at it and a slew of numbers and words appeared that said

Special Space Pickaxe: by Drawk

Materials: unknown space rocks, wood, metal.

Durability: (head) 3460/3460 (hilt) 554/555

Damage: 5860

A few days ago, he called god once again. During the call, God read his memories again. He saw Black trying to make a system for him. God told him, "Are you trying to make your own system of status and numbers? That's funny, but it's boring for me to watch."

At that moment, he seemed distracted by something and said, "How about this. There is someone else who called just now, so if you can defeat this man in a one-on-one fight, I will give you one. Grant you a system to read objects and people, my very own system of my personal creation."

"Really? Can you tell me what the system is like?"

He looked tired but he gave a wave of his hand and Zeeth could instantly see a haze of green which faded away and things returned to normal. A book appeared in front of him, the very rulebook God had when they first met. He stared at it and a swirl of transparent numbers and letters. They read:

Book of God: Rulebook number 15

The rulebook for the Earthlings going to Another World

Indestructible

Within God's Holding

"This is so cool"

"This is my status eye. What I see when I look at this, although I must say it is a much weaker version of my own. Mine can see every detail, every past, and every atomic composition of a person. Yours will only be able to see a bit of its past, the strengths and possible weaknesses and you will fight your life for it. How does that sound?"

"Sounds fair," he said, shrugging.

"Really? People don't usually agree."

"Well, it's a skill you are giving me. There was no obligation or need to help. But you are helping. And if all I need to do is fight, then I don't feel too cheated. By the way, who am I fighting?"

"Another Earthling. Another worlder, but not someone in another group."

"There are more people being sent out?"

"Yes, I find it very fun. And this one is particularly strong, be careful. You won't have your slimes or Black, no friends, just you and your skills. Of course, he will be in the same situation. How do you feel?"

"Bring it on. I've done the same with a Sage Dragon before. Although he was admittedly holding back a lot."

God waved his hands again and a man materialized in front of him. He had black hair, average height, and rectangular glasses. He walked stiffly to god and saluted him, completely not noticing Zeeth. He started saying, "Sir Kami, I am here to kindly ask for some more info- sir, someone else is here."

"Yes, I am aware, Mr.Sato. you have asked for more access to information before. This is your chance. I will grant you the systems and status checks."

"Sir, are you sure? What do I have to do?"

"Fight him. Until one of you passes out, I want you to fight the best you can. You can't die here, when you go back you will not be any different unless you win and have the system. You win by knocking out the other, no surrendering, and no wussing out. the loser is instantly sent out and no further questions can be asked today."

"Yes, sir!"

"Why are you so uptight?"

"What? I am not!"

"When will this fight start."

"It already has. This entire place is your stage, feel free to do what you want. This space is made to feel infinite and unlimited mana to use."

Sato ran forward and applied a speed buff to his legs, two circles drawn onto his pants that he tapped. Zeeth easily dodged him and Sato's face was absolutely shocked that he didn't hit anything. He glanced to the side and saw Zeeths bored but surprised face look at him.

'I missed? But I never miss my first attack. He looks surprised. Is he surprised at how fast I am? Maybe that was a fluke.'

'I thought he was going to be an even match. Why is he so slow?' thought Zeeth instead. 'Surprise attack? No his waist isn't moving at all. His fist hasn't even twisted yet. Should I attack him? What if he has a stronger body that counterattacks? Maybe that's his thing. I should avoid him.'

Zeeth jumped back and summoned water from his hands. He threw five icicles at him, four were dodged but one lodged itself into his forearm.

"Damn! How did you do that?"

"Create ice? It did take me half an hour to learn it too, don't be too hard on yourself."

God chuckled to himself from where he watched in the air.

"I mean the icicles! How did you make them? Where are your circles?"

"Circles? Why would I need those?"

"More fighting!" God yelled.

Sato tapped his chest and a circle he didn't see that was drawn on the inside of his shirt glowed red. A massive burst of flames erupted at him but Zeeth shot out a large tornado of wind magic from his finger like a gun that swallowed the flames, sucked it onto its vacuum, and sent it back. The tornado exploded upon impact against Sato's flames and chest that blasted him back.

He landed on his back, a blue circle was ignited and he was boosted upwards. He tapped his legs again and boosted himself forward.

"What do you mean you don't need circles? How do you manipulate mana then?" he yelled while throwing a punch.

"Through my body." Zeeth replied and punched him in the face, "By the way, I've never seen this circle. How do you do it?"

He took some water, drew the circle he saw shine on Sato's legs on the floor and lit it up with magic. It instantly shone blue and shone on both of them.

"Whuh! How did you-you copy it? You've only seen it twice!" but he said everything quickly, his mouth flying away at a speed he could hardly control.

"Four times. Woah, I really feel the speed! How did you come up with this?"

"I didn't, what is happening?" Sato hit his heel and another circle was revealed beneath his shoes. His shoes grew twice their size and spikes were formed. He swung it down at Zeeth forcefully but all it hit was a solid floor and the water circle. Zeeth hit him in the face again.

"You should teach me something someday."

As Sato held his face, he simply stared at him like he was crazy. Another solid punch to the chin and he was out.

"Winner winner, bonbon liqueur! Ain't that a fun thing to say? Well, Zeeth, you win. Here you go, take the skill."

The first thing he tried to do was analyze god, but as he expected, almost nothing happened. Three letters came up, God, and that was it.

"Alright, I think it's time we leave."

Back in reality, he handed the pickaxe back and was heading to the elves. Tatio was found digging up the floor and watering it when they appeared at the entrance. He stared at them in shock and dropped a large seed.

"You!" he angrily yelled.

"You!" Zeeth exclaimed. Zeeth knew he had tried to kill them, but he felt a little happy that he was able to find his massive stack of artifacts and expose his greedy crew while building good relations with the other elves.

"Welcome back," Alba said kindly.

"Alba! How are you?"

"I am great. I heard about the skeleton and Cuddles there. New friends of yours? Quite an assorted group. Would you like to come in? We made a few changes with your ideas."

The doors opened like a massive pair of treasure chests, the inside was revealed like a treasure. Most of the houses were moved closer inwards while trees and plants were planted on the outside. The houses were made of steel and wood, the steel left over from Gror. Any magnets they had leftover was used either for cannons or parts of the wall. Many people were tending to the new crops. Most of them were the people who had attacked him in the secret tunnel overwatched by Alba and others.

"Everything changed so much, you've got plants and the buildings are inside now."

"Right. After the attack from the dwarf, we have learned a lot about security. The walls are strengthened, the people who enter must state what they want and be led by one of ours. After you left, we made a few more sacrifices to the Hand of Goddess Luik and she gave us things to help us tame, to protect and to build instead of attack and stupid tools like Tatio did."

'Sacrifice?' Black thought.

"Sacrifice," Zeeth said out loud, repeating Black.

"Yes, things like rabbits or snakes, things that we plan on eating, we just need to give her blood in exchange for artifacts. You should know this."

She led them down the steps to the Hand of Luik. Three hands were waving around, grasping at the air and passing through the colorful blobs. "Hello, Zeeth and Page. hello, skeleton and bird."

'I don't like her.' Black said. Elton looked just as suspicious but the bird was pecking at the floor like normal.

'Why? She gives us artifacts.'

'For one, when have you ever heard of a benevolent god who requires blood to work? The gods I've met just require manual labor, material objects, maybe even some mana or blood but nothing life-threatening in exchange for services. Although I must say they don't do anything as big as she does like gifting magic artifacts but none asks for such a price.

And her mana, she tries to hide it, and she does it incredibly well, but it is similar to mine and Eltons. She senses Elton's mana, but not mine right now. Black magic, things that keep people or animals alive longer than they should be, unnatural magic. But just act how you would normally act with her for now I guess, don't talk about her in this village.'