Chapter 3

[Name - Vergil]

[Species - Human]

[Class - Commoner]

[Occupation - None]

[Level - 0]

[Comprehensive Strength - 0.2]

[Comprehensive Intelligence - 0.2]

[Skills - None]

The status, unlike most games was pretty barebones. Most of the stats were actually hidden and as time went on, players had to use a variety of tricks to guess a person's approximate strength based on their levels and other factors. While it was not an issue at level 0, as the players level would increase, the players would give out a n atmospheric effect called aura that could be sensed by other players like a sixth sense. It was this aura coupled with the players level from the inspection system that players could determine the strength of opponents.

Vergil wasn't surprised by what he saw in the status. Instead he was relieved. Reincarnation hadn't changed the core settings of the game, which meant that his plans could be effective. He first took a walk through the town, which wasn't too big. The realism ensured that Vergil still had to take at least fifteen minutes just to walk around the entire town. He quickly noted down the important landmarks, quickly completing the introductory beginner quests that introduced the various buildings to him. From the temple, the blacksmith, the alchemist, the merchant store and the mage's tower to finally the adventurer's guild. Completing the quests gave him some exp, but not enough to raise his level. Raising levels in Stellar Ambitions wasn't an easy feat and Vergil wasn't in a hurry.

Once he finished those quests, he ignored all the other beginner quests and quickly rushed out to visit a small house at the corner of the town. This town belonged to a woodchopper who prepared firewood for the entire village. Vergil walked to the door and knocked on it. After an irritated grumble, an old man opened the door with an irritated expression on his face. "What is it?" He growled menacingly.

"Greetings old man. I heard that you needed some help."

"Help? I always need help. Come in!" The old man snarled, but didn't reject Vergil's offer. Vergil could see a dialogue box appear in his vision confirming that a hidden quest had been activated. The old man motioned for Vergil to sit down on the couch before he started explaining his ordeal.

"I usually chop wood for a living using my blood and sweat going to the neighboring forest and dragging them trunks back. And what do these yappers in the town do? This neighbor of mine has been growing termites in his backyard for some who-knows alchemist! The fool's infestations has ruined my entire supply of firewood! What am I to sell? huh?" After listening to the man go on a long and angry monologue, Vergil patiently asked in response. "Do you need me to do something?"

The old man looked around to make sure no one was listening then he slowly nodded and sat down as well. "I want you to burn down that arse's termite nest! Only when he suffers a loss will he understand the pain I am suffering from!"

Vergil took in a deep breath as if he was expecting this chain of demands. "But your demand... is asking me to commit a crime."

"I'll give you a good reward if you do it. I have an old heirloom here that I am too old to use and have no descendants to give to. If you do this job for me, it can be yours." The old wood chopper walked to the back of his house and brought back a simple looking axe. Vergil immediately used the inspect feature on the axe.

[Festering War Axe]

[2-handed Bronze Weapon]

[Secondary Effect - Persistent Blood Loss]

Vergil wasn't an axe user or a two handed weapon user, however, before a class change, any weapon could be used by players. Not to mention that it was a bronze weapon! Items of this grade wouldn't be available for a long time in game through ordinary means, not mention so early in the game, players didn't even have weapons! If Vergil obtained this weapon, he could easily go out of the town to hunt and farm exp before the hunting grounds were crowded.

There was only a single downside to the quest. Performing it was sure to give him a red name in the town right in the beginning, and he was too low leveled to reach the monsters who could be slaughtered to remove the red name. Still, the gamble was worth it. Vergil quickly accepted the quest. The action was relatively a simple one that the old chopper could have performed himself, but he needed someone else to take the blame. Vergil grabbed the flammable materials and quickly set the gigantic termite mound in the neighbor's backyard on fire.

The quest was designed in such a way that no matter how the quest was performed, Vergil would be caught and held responsible. AS such, the neighbor immediately began screaming loudly.

"Vandal! Arsonist! You destroyed my termites! To hell with you!"

[Reputation in Red Leaf Town -10]

[Quest - The Chopper's Petty Revenge has been completed]

[+200 EXP, x1 Festering War Axe(Bronze)]

[Warning - You are now a red name. Other players can attack you within the boundaries of the Town]

Vergil ignored the warnings and looked at the axe that appeared within his hands with some interest before equipping it. He couldn't stay in the town now, but he couldn't exit so quickly either. He first headed to the local tailors store. Due to his bad reputation, the tailor snorted in anger and disgust when he saw Vergil.

"What do you want?" He asked rudely. "Do you want to burn my store down to, huh?"

Vergil shook his head bitterly. "Nothing of that sort. I heard you make clothes in exchange for rabbit pelts?"

"I do, but not for scum like you!" The tailor snorted. Vergil knew that with his lowered reputations, some quests would be out of reach, but he wasn't too worried. "What if I got mutated rabbit pelts?"

"What?" The tailor suddenly looked back at Vergil with greed. "If you can procure those, of course I can make exceptions."

[Quest - You enticed the local tailor with the allure of Mutated Rabbit Pelts. Deliver on the promise for a significant trade.]

Vergil smiled and walked out of the town gate from whence he entered. The old guard saw the red name on Vergil's head and got angered. "Waste! You already broke the law in the town? Don't think of entering again!" Vergil simply shrugged and walked away.

The other players who were still exploring the quest to enter the beginner town looked at Vergil leaving with a red name in surprise. However, before they could approach him, they noticed the fancy bronze axe hanging by his waist and were even more shocked. Vergil ignored them and ran straight into the woods.

Some of the greedier players looked at each other with clear signals in their eyes but could only lament a they had no weapon at all. Entering the woods at this time would be a death sentence for them.