Chapter 6 - Beginning of a Journey, First Blood, Dark Side of Climbing

Floor 1: Forest of Beginnings

Threat Level: H

Standing in the glade, taking in the sights around me, 'Forest glade, empty for now... nothing of immediate concern.' waving the popup away mentally. It fades quickly as the sounds of the forest come into focus, 'I must really be out of it, or the system hit more than I thought.' doing a small once over for my stats. 'Only thing that is my concern is those errors, sure the previous log stated that issues would be fixed from gaining levels, some issues regarding speaking and emotions are now freer than they were before. Does my Energy error mean i can't use skills that require different forms of energy? or how will it interact.. only time will tell, maybe look at some methods for energy control from others and test them.' Taking a quick glance at my stats for being a newly awakened.

Strength: 8

Endurance: 10

Dexterity: 15

Agility: 10

Perception: 25

Intelligence: #ERROR#

Wisdom: #ERROR#

Charisma: 8

Luck: #ERROR#

Total stat range for a common newly awakened is usually around 35-50. 'Though even with my errors my stat range is still on the higher end. 76 total stat distribution, dexterity explains my bodily control being higher than normal. Perception, a given due to some bleed over even with Seals in place on memories.' staring annoyingly at the errors. The classes section is also interesting though probably won't unlock mine any time soon with a level 10 threshold and my experience being an unknown variable that might increase even more with each level gained... though some classes are excempt from the level restriction in unique circumstances. The hair on the nape of my neck rising slightly, my eyes sharpen as I quickly turn on heel staring in the direction of the feeling that started prickling at my senses.

A green humanoid is crouching a couple arm lengths away, its the size of 10 year old child. Beady eyes staring at me, seemingly giving up that it couldn't sneak up on me, it lunges forward quickly with a shriek, clawed hands outstretched. In The Academy, my rank was N/A, simply due to me refusing to participate in any of the ranking matches or sparring sessions. However this didn't mean I slacked off. 'Even with my memories and the skills gained that are sealed. Didn't stop me from training using methods from those memories. Always have in some way, shape, or form.' reaching out my left palm taking a low stance for a small opponent the moment it reached me, using my palm I slide my hand across the back of its right grasping claw, the goblin releases a snarl. "No chance." comes from mouth as I grab its right wrist yanking it past me, my right arm cocking back and shooting out quickly landing a punch squarely on its' temple. Dropping to the ground in a heap.

Combat Log

Damage Inflicted on Goblin(Lvl:???)

10 Unarmed Damage

Critical Hit to Vital.

Inflicted Stun to Goblin(Lvl:???)

Goblin(Lvl:???) has fallen unconscious.

A low hum escapes my throat as I stare down at the unconscious goblin. Bringing a foot up kicking the goblin onto its back. 'Ugly little bastards no matter the world..' I lift my leg up in a arc above the goblin and bring down my foot with all the force in my body, slamming into the throat of the unconscious goblin with a solid crunch, its eye's jolting open, shock and pain evident. It's clawed hands twitching frantically as it tries to move them, it gurgles choking on blood and bone trying to breathe through a crushed larynx and broken neck.

Combat Log

Damage Inflicted on Goblin(Lvl:???)

25 Unarmed Damage

Critical Hit to Vital.

Inflicted Internal Bleeding

Crippled Goblin(lvl:???)

Damage caused: Broken Neck

Damage caused: Crushed Larynx

Goblin(Lvl:???) is suffocating from wounds.

Staring down at it uncaring. It's light dimming from its eyes. The gurgles from the goblin die out as it stops twitching. 'Took long enough, hopefully I can get a weapon soon to make this quicker.' The goblin dissolves into shreds of glowing gold energy, some flowing off into the air dissipating into nothing, while the majority flows into me.

Combat

Goblin(Lvl:???) has been killed.

Experience earned: 5

Tower Coins Earned: 1

Staring at the combat log, 'With that little experience earned, per goblin, this is going to take forever... Still the benefits outweigh the alternative. And I still need to find whoever called out. Though i feel that I will find out when i get higher in the Tower.' Looking at my holo-watch which was based on the system for unawakened use. Accessing the map function of the system, creates a small minimap in the top righthand corner of my vision. 'Better map detail based on perception? Explore a bit more, look for the floor exit to head to the next floor from what i remember I should be able to exit the Tower if needed from any floor exit up until floor 10... then it's every 5...' I study the area that my mini-map shows, judging that the north direction that I was currently facing in was as good as any to start my floor search in.

Stepping out of the glade as I continue north based on my mini-map, not coming across anything as the time passes by slowly as I stroll along keeping an eye on my surroundings, small regular animals run by every now and then but killing them doesn't even provide a fraction of a single experience point. Since they wouldn't be worth chasing down or killing, I continue on walking keeping an eye on my surroundings as the fight with the goblin replays mentally. I assumed that with the display and use of hand-to-hand, I would have unlocked the skill instantly, but maybe not. Looks like it will take more usage alongside the system to gain it and most likely other skills now will require repetition.

Tilting my head as I come to a stop, dropping low to the ground as I hear shouting, "ARGH?! Get back here you Wench!" a voice seething in malice shouts, "You two, go after her, newly awakened fresh meat sells well!" Hearing footsteps rushing in my direction keeping low I move behind a tree to my left, covering the line-of-sight from that direction. A head full of white bolts past me, the "wench" as the angry voice from earlier called her. Wearing a dark brown leather jerkin, and leggings, with cuts and scrapes adorning her arms. She jumps back against the tree opposite of me after almost passing me. Her brown eye's going wide, breathing rough, she holds a small shortsword in her left hand pointing it at me warily. My palms are immediately up in a surrendering position, which does little to calm her. I bring a hand to my mouth slowly as i crouch back down putting a finger on my lips, "shhh.." quickly taking the hint, she drops almost immediately to a crouch hiding behind the tree. "Slavers?, How many of them are there?" asking softly. She raises a shaking right hand with 3 fingers up, but quickly drops it to two. "One injured, two following?" she nods quickly. "I'll take one, you take the other." pressing up against the tree I take a quick look as I hear footsteps approaching quickly from the direction she came from.

Even as advanced and as far as society has come laws, rules lose meaning in places such as this. Do not get me wrong the atrocities committed were always the same no matter the world, committed in the view of public and in private. Slavery, Murder, more. Due to the system some have gained skills or classes that make theses crimes easier to commit or benefit somehow from those acts, some have gained classes like [Victim] and more from what they have endured or caused. Common in the beginning was people killing people to gain experience, because why kill a monster in the Tower or dungeons and risk your life to gain power when you have power outside of it with money or influence to level yourself with other means.

Though from some "public" research these acts have diminishing gains or side-affects supposedly. Looking at the woman who is yet another victim. I spot a small dagger on her belt. Point a finger at her then tapping my belt where the dagger would be. She looks at me confused and wary, before putting it together she pulls the dagger smoothly from its sheath and tosses it to my feet, landing point first in the dirt. The footsteps are rapidly getting closer. My fingers slowly wrap around the hilt of the dagger, a small thing, but deadly all the same. A smile graces my face for the first time in 14 years, 'And we begin our journey once more.' A foot comes into my vision as I lunge up from the floor where a head will be based on foot placement. Surprised eyes as are the first thing that greet me as slaver lurches forward, shifting his body to avoid the surprise dagger aimed at his jugular. The blade catching on the side of his neck creating the start of a cut through as his eyes go wider with terror quickly bringing his sword in a sweep toward me while he rotates. the sword catches the edge of the dagger blade pushing it away from his neck pulling it out of flesh in a spurt of blood. He quickly dodges past completing a stop an arm length away from us.

Combat Log

Damage Inflicted on Human(Lvl:???)

22 Slash Damage

Critical Hit to Vital.

Full Damage Interruption by Human(Lvl:???)'s Parry

Inflicted Bleeding I

The woman lunges out just as the man that i cut passes, swinging at another in the corner of my eye. Pressing forward in my attack going low to high lunge the man open's his mouth, "How Dare-" he swings his arm down attempting to cut me in two. The world around me slows as his sword starts to come into my personal space. Shifting on the balls of my feet the sword misses by a hairs breath, I slide to a stop around his side, he turns slowly my perception altering my view, my dagger slips into the crack between his jerkin and pants on his left side. Gripping the dagger solidly I twist, "URGH!" blood starts to seep from the slavers mouth as he loses the grip he had on his sword, dropping to his knees' and quickly slumping over onto the forest floor.

Combat Log

Damage Inflicted on Human(Lvl:???)

30 Piercing Damage

Critical Hit to Vital.

Inflicted Bleeding III

Human(Lvl:???) has been killed.

Experience earned: 258

"You filthy dog! Got Help?!" a clang of metal on metal pulls my attention to the woman and other slaver. Watching how she moves, the quick transition between stance defense and offense with the shortsword she is experienced with the weapon but was probably a freshly awakened such as myself. I notice the moment she leans in towards the slaver in a feint, immediately I knew she had won, the slaver biting off more then he could chew as she grips the shortsword with both hands bringing it up knocking the slavers sword up, she pulls it back down just as quickly putting a deep cut into the slavers chest. The slaver sputters out, "You won't get-" but his words are interrupted by her sword swiftly turning to a lunge going through the simple shirt on the slaver she was fighting. Piercing his heart presumably, the light quickly dims from his eyes as she kicks him in the chest taking him off the sword. Turning wide eyed and breathing heavily she keeps her sword pointed in my direction.

'How nice it is to talk to someone finally through my own voice.' I stare at her utterly silent, then jolt slightly, "Relax, Relax.. The last one, how badly injure was he?" making a calming motion with my hands. She continues to stare at me, after taking a couple lung fulls of air, "Enough to stop pursuit, sword was his.. Mine now." nodding in understanding, I lean down to loot the man I killed. 'Damn nice experience, maybe..' looking back up at her for a moment then shaking my head. 'No reason to kill her, even if experience is good. Besides she said another free source is already injured in that direction..'

"Well since that is taken care of.. to the victor goes the spoils." slipping the dagger into the ground next to the dead slaver, I strip him out of his leather gear, 'hopefully it is-', 'Fantastic,' a sarcastic smile slips onto my face as a popup shows up for the Jerkin, leggings and boots.