Learning Patience

And then he saw her. The rat. No, this wasn't a rat. He saw a monster. One and a half meters tall, sunken eyes with purple haze, teeth like steel daggers, and ribs visible through flesh in some places.

Judging by its level, one could say with one hundred percent certainty that he wasn't on one of the first floors. Because, even if the game had uniqueness, this was too much. Although he realized this when he saw the amount of experience given for completing the mission. They just can't give that much at the beginning.

He thought about the error that occurred during distribution. The reason clearly lay in this. Kane could talk to the game administration and ask them to send him to the first floors, or he could try his luck here. As it was written:

"Even a level 1 player can kill a level fifty monster."

The open door allowed him to see the space and monster inside.

[Name: Cursed Rat

Level: 46

Health: 5100]

"Is this even possible?! I'll be poking it with my toothpick for at least a week while it lazily looks around!"

Plus, he shouldn't forget about the level difference. Maximum he could do to it under such conditions was deal one or two units of damage.

"What to do? Maybe scrape together enough from regular quests for a bow and try to occupy an elevation inaccessible to the monster. Surely you can find some 'exploit' of this place. But I can't get inside, the level difference won't allow it. Its aggro radius is surely fifteen-sixteen meters. That's exactly the distance from the door to it. Even if I learn stealth, it will be useless. Same level difference. Need to look outside, maybe there are windows here."

RAVen walked around the building, but his hopes weren't fulfilled. There were no windows.

"Yes, it would have been too simple."

Deciding to take one last look at the available space visible from the door, he noticed that the top of the back ceiling was somehow strangely constructed. There seemed to be a suspended room there, but he didn't understand how to get there, and who would need to build such a thing. Finding no doors and stairs, he left the warehouse and stopped.

Maybe the entrance was somewhere on the roof. He understood that if there were monsters of such level in the village itself, even on its outskirts, going beyond its limits would be mortally stupid. And in order not to waste time in simple thoughts, he decided to do what all newcomers do who for any circumstances cannot grind mobs.

That is, become an errand boy and do fetch-and-carry tasks, but first...

The ladder, hastily built by a carpenter, didn't look sturdy, but this didn't scare him. If he fell, it would take maximum five percent health, he'd survive in any case. The warehouse height was about seven meters, climbing onto the roof, he began carefully examining it, looking for a hatch, but after twenty minutes of thorough searching, found nothing.

Deciding to think about remaining options later, he started with small errands.

....

It was incredibly tedious. RAVen was mentally exhausted. And after ten hours could collect only twenty-four silver coins. Apparently, the reason was the same: he wasn't on the first floors.

By his calculations, this was approximately the seventh or eighth floor. Based on logic: the higher the floor, the stronger the monsters — he calculated that the first three floors would be teeming with monsters up to level twenty-five-thirty. From fourth to sixth floor, thirty to fifty-five level.

These were rough assumptions, but there was no way to verify them yet. After all, the game had just started. Deciding to have a snack, Kane left the capsule. The guy lay a bit more and, massaging his temples, got up, moving to the kitchen.

Heating up a ready meal, he ate and scrolled through forums, looking for some useful information. But, after viewing a dozen pages, realized there was nothing. Checking email, he saw a message from Park.

"Hi Kane. I think you haven't fallen behind others and acquired 'Empyrean.' Only the blind haven't seen its advertising. I'm writing because if you started playing, we all moved here with our clan from 'Dark Gates,' you can join if you want. My nickname is still the same. Our clan is called 'Soul Reapers.' Write if anything."

Reading the message, Kane smiled. He was lucky to have such a person as a friend. Communicating with him, Kane understood what kind of person Park was. Reliable, open, and sincere. Not without his quirks, but definitely wouldn't betray.

And then it hit him. After all, skill books could be transferred via in-game mail, like items. It had no division by floors and transferable weight, which could play a decisive role in killing rats. If he agreed with Park, he wouldn't have to spend big money on initial skills.

"Hi, Horror =D. Thanks for the invitation, but you remember I was planning to play solo. If something large-scale comes up — I'll let you know, your help will come in handy. My nick is White RAVen, and, by the way, what floor is your clan on?"

Sending the letter, he looked at the clock showing nine in the evening and decided to enter the game and earn a bit more. After three hours, he had thirty-four silver coins in his pocket. Tiredly sighing, the guy disconnected from the game and went to sleep.

Routine was important, and he wasn't going to play until losing consciousness. New day, new ideas. Maybe tomorrow the process would go easier...

No, it didn't. Earning money on small tasks was very hard. But he had a goal, and he stubbornly continued: delivering letters, cleaning yards, searching for lost cats/dogs/rabbits/bears and other animals, digging gardens, collecting fallen fruits, caring for livestock, helping the blacksmith, old lady, boy, and everyone-everyone-everyone.

Progressive virtual reality abounded with small quests. This was a test of his willpower.

While completing another task where he needed to help a hunter skin carcasses, he received a message.

[Player Light Horror wants to add you as a friend.]

Accept.

And immediately after came a message. The guy opened it right away.

"Ho-ho)) RAVen, cool name. You got it, right? Class, like chosen class, and cool, like awesome=) Ah-ha. Our clan has chosen the second floor as base for now. But on first and third floors our branches are open. And you're on which?"

Deciding that it wasn't worth revealing the whole truth yet, Kane replied:

"Got it, of course, that's why I chose such a nickname. I'm on the third floor now. Listen, I'm here on business. How are you with books for rogues? I need 'stealth' and several other books with active skills. I would be grateful if you could send them to me. I always pay my debts, and you can be sure I'll pay this one too. I don't have money now, but be sure, soon I'll return everything."

"Well, now just wait."

He continued his business, and twenty minutes later three books dropped in the mail. One was with "stealth" skill, another with an active skill.

"However, he worked quickly."

[Skill book: "Sneak Attack"

Active skill: Apprentice.

Description: Attacks performed unnoticed receive bonus +20% of your base damage.

Energy cost: 30.

Cooldown: 20 seconds.

Restrictions: Rogue.]

And another with passive ability.

[Skill book: "Shooting"

Passive skill: Apprentice.

Description: Increases mastery of firearms.

+2 shooting speed;

+2 shooting range;

+1 ignoring level difference when using firearms, (rogue class - modifier +1).

Restrictions: None.]

Having learned all three books, Kane read the accompanying letter.

"Take them. Books cost me two silver. Expensive, but consider it my gift, we'll settle up somehow. If you need anything else, write."

Stop... Two silver?! Wait a minute... What floor am I on, damn it?! This means I can acquire what I need through him. Moreover, at reasonable prices."

RAVen didn't delay this matter and wrote to Park about buying a crossbow, dagger, and other things, within thirty silver. Currently, he had forty-two silver. Not forgetting to send Park the money spent on him, leaving himself ten, with calculations for purchases.

"Hey-hey! You said you had no money — and then immediately send it to me? And also ask for items worth thirty silver! Where from?! You play alone, I collected only six silver and forty-three copper coins yesterday. Did you find a treasure somewhere?! Our guys on the third floor are also breaking their backs trying to earn something... Okay. You'll tell if you want. About weapons and gear, can't answer anything yet, definitely nothing in our clan. You understand, second day in game, everything just started. But I'll look in shops, think for such amount can find something worthy. Are you looking for something specific?"

Thinking, Kane wrote to him:

"Preferably without level restrictions. Priority on crossbow and several dozen quivers with bolts. If there are additions to damage from light or holy magic, then buy those too. Rest look by class with focus on damage. Doubt there are cheap potions, but if suddenly there are, I'll be grateful. And, thanks."

Closing the correspondence window, RAVen realized that everything wasn't as bad as it seemed. Only needed to find a way to kill monsters, and things would go uphill. With such level difference, he would surely get lots of titles and levels.

Having completed countless tasks, he received a message.

[You gained a level...]

This was very pleasant. Experience for such errands wasn't much, but it was enough. To understand how little – maximum he received for one of the tasks was twenty-one experience units. For second level needed to collect three hundred. Plus he received a system message:

[You worked hard for residents' benefit, and their attitude toward you slightly improved.

Current relationship with Skiavra residents 32/100 – neutral.]

Each class with level increase received bonus increase of some characteristic depending on class; rogues, for example, were given +1 dexterity for each level, mages — same amount of wisdom, warriors — strength. Having distributed points, he began examining available skills and stopped at lockpicking.

[You learned skill.

"Lockpicking"

Passive skill: Apprentice.

Description: You can pick simple locks.]

Looking once more, he exited the system to have a meal, and after ten minutes entered the game again. Continuing work, he waited for Light Horror to answer him. After an hour and something came message:

"Well, this is all I could find. Look at characteristics and if it suits you, then throw silver. Yes, and don't count on potion, they cost minimum two gold."

"This was to be expected." — RAVen opened items description:

["Brave man's Crossbow"

Rank: Bronze.

Requirements: None.

Characteristics:

12-16 damage;

Miss chance: 19%

Shooting range: 33 meters.

Features: 4 shots at once. Last shot has chance to disorient opponent +4%

Restrictions: None.]

Cost: six silver and twelve copper coins.

With it were offered six quivers with regular bolts, five quivers with holy magic damage +2, three quivers with fire damage +2, and one with light damage bonus +1. Each quiver had thousand bolts, and everything would cost three silver and six copper coins.

["Red Eye Ring"

Rank: Bronze.

Requirements: None.

Characteristics:

+3% to accuracy;

Restrictions: Hunter, Rogue, Pathfinder.]

Cost: one silver and twenty-one copper coins.

["Wind Greaves"

Rank: Bronze.

Requirements: None.

Characteristics:

+3% chance to avoid unexpected hit.

Restrictions: None.]

Cost: two silver coins.

["Wanderer's Jacket"

Rank: Bronze.

Requirements: None.

Characteristics:

+5% to rogue class feature to hide;

+3% to dodging;

+1% chance when searching chests to find rare item.

Features: While in shadow, you enter stealth mode faster.

Restrictions: Rogue.]

Cost: ten and half silver.

"Well, quite decent for my level."

After all, people just started playing. These items would cost about twenty-four silver. But this is better than buying something for several dozens of gold. Kane was sure that the same crossbow here would surely cost about three gold. Just such location.

Giving his consent and forwarding money, adding two coins for effort, he closed mail. Then, thinking a bit, wrote to Park that if any skill books for rogue appear that he would be willing to sell, then he would gladly pay for them.

Answer came when he was already going to exit game. Items were attached to letter.

"I got you. Thanks for bonus. Don't know where you're hanging out, but this is definitely not normal. If books appear, will send immediately."

Kane, without thinking long, put on all sent items. And pressed "exit."