[Job has been classified!]
After the job classification, Arsen's outward appearance changed. He now wore a brown robe and had an ordinary dagger hanging at his waist, giving him the look of an assassin.
He was genuinely excited to dive into the game, knowing his time to play was limited. However, Amelia's words quickly drained his excitement.
[Now that we're done with the first phase, I'll give you some important information that could benefit you in the early stages of your adventure.]
Without hesitation, Amelia explained how players could earn experience. The first method was by killing monsters, and the second was by completing quests.
Completing quests came with corresponding rewards—just like in other games, the rewards would depend on the difficulty of the quest.
Aside from that, Arsen was informed that players could also sell the items they obtained from killing monsters. At the starting stage, each player received 10 low-level HP potions, 10 low-level MP potions, 10 low-level energy drinks, and some Bronze Coins in their inventory.
Low-level HP and MP potions could only restore 25% of the player's current stats, and their effectiveness would vary depending on the player's level. The energy drink helped reduce fatigue, restoring 2% per 5 seconds for a duration of 60 seconds before expiring.
After hearing this, Arsen rubbed his chin. As he had expected, players were given a limited number of utility items, so he would need to conserve them as much as possible. Simply put, if he used up all his potions, he could end up in a tight spot especially since potions might be expensive during the early stages.
"Thanks, Amelia. What about skills? I tried exploring the interface, but I couldn't see my current skills as an assassin or even my status," he asked.
[Regarding that, you can view your status once you're transferred to your designated location,] she responded. [I need to add this information as well.]
In this game, a player's status upon character creation would be based on their real-world attributes. The only difference was that players would see a 20% increase in their status within the game to help them match up against monsters that had extreme strength.
This revelation stunned Arsen. If a player had exceptional status in the real world, it would certainly give them a significant edge in the game, especially in the early stages, where such an advantage could make all the difference.
However, Amelia wasn't finished with her shocking revelations. She continued to explain the skill system, which added yet another layer of complexity. Unlike other games, where players could activate skills simply by selecting them or shouting their names, this game required a more hands-on approach. Players had to perform the skill first, and only when the skill's name changed from grayed-out to color, would it be activated automatically. Moreover, a higher proficiency in a skill directly translated to greater damage.
At this point, the significance of the synchronization rate became clear.
Arsen gave a wry smile, realizing that his first priority would be to increase his skill proficiency before confronting any monsters.
[Any other questions for me, Velnar]" Amelia asked, her voice light and cheerful as she gazed at him.
He nodded slowly. "None for now, Amelia. But thanks for all the information."
[You're welcome! If that's all, I'll begin transporting you to your designated location now. May the gods bless your journey through this vast world.]
Swoosh!
With a swift motion of her hand, blue light immediately surrounded Arsen, swiftly erasing his presence from the white room.
_
Bam!
Welcome to Grook's Town
The small town was located in the eastern part of the map. Led by a mayor, it was home to about 10,000 people, not including the players.
Arsen's foot landed on the cool marble stone. As he opened his eyes, he immediately heard the hum of conversations between players and NPCs. He stood near the shrine, surrounded by NPCs attempting to sell their items, food, and various goods to the players.
Though Arsen didn't pay much attention to the commotion, knowing there was more to explore, he couldn't help but appreciate the town. The atmosphere felt so lifelike that, if he didn't know he was in a game, he could have easily mistaken it for part of the real world.
Opening the map, Arsen was taken aback by the sheer size of the world. His eyes lingered on the grayed-out, unexplored areas, which hinted at regions yet to be discovered. Without wasting any time, he headed straight for the training ground.
At the entrance stood two guards, clad in plated armor and holding spears, standing watch over the area.
As Arsen approached, one of the guards immediately stepped forward, blocking his path. Their eyes met, the guard's gaze unwavering.
"What do you need, adventurer?" one of the guards asked, his voice deep and stern.
"I'm planning to use the training ground," Arsen replied.
The guard raised his palm to halt him. "Since you're the first to visit the ground, I'll give you a discount. It'll be 2 bronze coins for 3 hours."
Arsen's face showed a look of shock. "How about one coin for 2 hours?"
The two guards exchanged a glance before nodding. "Alright, it's better than nothing. But if you exceed even a minute, we'll charge you another bronze coin."
Arsen handed over the bronze coin, and the guard took it, stepping aside to allow him entry to the training grounds. Inside, the space appeared vast—though it could have been the emptiness of the area making it feel that way, with no other players in sight.
Without hesitation, Arsen knew spending 1 bronze coin for access to the training ground was a worthy investment. He needed to improve his skill proficiency before facing any monsters.
It was a common mistake among other players hunting monsters was often seen as the top priority, as it allowed them to earn credits. While that thought crossed Arsen's mind as well, he knew better. For him, it made more sense to first practice with a moving target: the monsters themselves.
What many players didn't realize, however, was that concentration was key to increasing skill proficiency and the training ground provided just that. In fact, the ground boosted a player's growth by 6%. While it might seem like a small increase, even that modest growth could make a significant difference in the long run.
Status!
Name: Velnar
Level: 1 0%
Title: None
Job: Assassin
HP: 75/75
MP: 25/75
Fatigue: 35/35
Strength[+]: 8
Vitality[+]: 10
Dexterity[+]: 7
Agility[+]: 8
Intelligence [+]: 5
Attributes remaining 0
Skill(s)
Stab (Lvl 1) – Deals significant damage to the opponent, increasing critical hit chance by 7% and boosting damage when striking vital points. Cost: 3 Fatigue.
Dash (Lvl 1) – Increases movement speed by 12% for 1 minute. Cooldown: 3 minutes. Cost: 5 Fatigue.
Thievery (Lvl 1) – Allows the player to open locked chests, padlocks, and gates with a success rate of 40%. Cost: 2 MP.
Skill(s) Profiency: Remaing 0
Arsen quickly understood the difference between a normal stab and the Stab skill. A normal stab relied on his character's physical strength, which meant it dealt minimal damage due to his lower strength. On the other hand, the Stab skill not only enhanced his physical strength but also increased the damage output, thanks to the added critical hit rate.
Skill Proficiency
Players can increase their skill proficiency by mastering a specific skill, and they can also earn proficiency as a reward for completing quests or achieving milestones.
Arsen focused on the video tutorials provided for each skill, which served as a guide to help players learn how to perform them. He concentrated on watching Stab and Dash, deciding to leave Thievery for later. He knew these two skills would be more useful in the early stages of his journey. Additionally, there were no items available that would help him train Thievery at the moment.
He didn't spend much time watching the videos just five minutes, to be exact. The skills weren't as technical as others he had encountered.
Swish!
Standing in front of a training dummy, Arsen thrust his hand forward. He struck his target, but the dagger only barely penetrated, as though it had encountered something hard inside. It was a clear indication of how weak he was at the moment.
Swish!
Arsen stepped back three paces from the target, then grounded his feet, just as he had seen in the video. As he closed the distance to the target, he swung his arm.
Swish!
Crack!
A sharp cracking sound reached his ears, as though something inside had shattered. However, it wasn't the sound that caught his attention—it was the notification that appeared right before his eyes.
Stab Skill Proficiency increased by 5% (Lvl 1 - 5%)
Seeing the result, Arsen immediately realized that his execution wasn't perfect. Something was missing from his attack. Undeterred, he continued to train with Stab and Dash, losing track of time as he focused on improving.
A broad smile spread across his face.
"Hahaha! This is gonna be interesting."