As the mask covered his face, his went blind for a second. A large surge of power passed through his body from the mask. It felt like hot molten wax was poured on his face. His body was paralyzed, and his level began to fall down but the attributes of his body remained the same.
It had improved his constitution, but it threw him back to level 2. This allowed him a great deal of advantage at the initial stages of the game. If he received the same amount of free attribute points and fixed attributes with every level up, he would be stronger than all the others at the same level.
He finally realized how the experts who had the unique equipment could be so tyrannical. With better attributes than the rest of the crowd, it would be easy work to dispose of them. "I guess this is the reason, we never became a first-rate guild in my previous life," thought Balthazar.
"I wonder what more features does a unique equipment provide?" wondered Balthazar as he checked the stats of the Mask of Shadows.
[Mask of Shadows] (Unique Mask, Upgradeable)
Level 0
Bound to Shadow Tyrant.
Focus/Search +10; Willpower+5; Magic Resist: +10;
Intelligence +5; Vitality +5; Perception +5;
Increase Free attribute points by 2 points for every increase in level.
Passive Effects:
1. Enhanced Stealth: Stealth can't be detected by higher-leveled monsters up to 5 levels higher.
2. Enhanced Perception: Can identify higher-leveled monsters up to 5 levels higher when they are in stealth.
Equipment can be leveled up by absorbing the life essences of 500 creatures of the dark faction.
Additional skills:
1. Shadow Clone: Instantly creates a clone with 50% of the attributes and all equipment and skills. It can be controlled by the user. Duration: 20 seconds; Cooldown: 5 minutes.
2. Shadow Swap: Can swap one's position with that of an ally or clone. Cooldown: 10 minutes.
3. Disguise: Can change one's appearance to another form. Cannot change to another occupation or race. Duration: Persists until any damage is received or till the user stops the skill manually;
Cooldown: 20 minutes. (Warning: Higher-level monsters and NPCs would be able to see through your disguise.)
A mask whose story is lost to the ages past. Damaged to an extent that it could hardly be recognized, the fae and elven magics cast on it barely protecting it. Find out more about its heritage for without knowing its past, it wouldn't stay long in your hands.
Balthazar was giddy with excitement when he saw the attributes and effects of the mask. Just the stealth features alone would make him extremely strong at PVP.
The shadow clone and swap are game breaking as much as he was concerned, but the only problem was that the swap could only be done with an ally. If it were possible even with enemies, he could swap himself with them whenever he was in a troublesome situation.
Luckily, he could do the same with his clone. As for swapping with an ally, that sounded something that would be useful to a guardian.
Disguise skill can be used to escape from players, but the warning made him wonder the situation with NPCs. Almost all the NPCs in any village, town or city were higher-leveled than him. It looked like a practically useless skill as he would never have much problem escaping from other player with his enhanced stealth and perception.
The only thing he was confused about were his level dropping down and the upgrade condition. What does creatures of the dark faction mean? Any creature affiliated with the dark faction, dark attributed creatures or does have to go to the lands of the dark faction. The last one is mostly unlikely as access to those lands was obtained a long time later.
"Anyway, I will learn about it after I kill a few monsters," thought Balthazar. He quickly checked his attributes panel before he departed back to the village.
Character: Shadow Tyrant (Human)
Affiliated Village: Black Rock Village
Title: None
Job: Assassin
Level: 2
Exp: 0/400
HP: 1200/1200; MP: 600/600;
Physical Attack: 25
Defense: 16; Attack Speed: 19; Movement Speed: 21; Willpower: 11; Balance: 20; Focus/Search: 25; Reflect: 1; Magic Resist: 8; Luck: *; Charm: *;
Attributes: Strength 12, Agility 14, Endurance 5, Intelligence 11, Vitality 13, Perception 11.
No Special Racial Attributes or weakness.
Free Attributes Points: 4
"The unallocated attribute points from the previous level still remained," thought Balthazar. "I will use them later." He also noticed that the attributes and the effects of the gloves and shoes he was wearing grayed out. The attributes from these equipment weren't showing in his attribute panel as well. "The probably will become available after I reach level 3 again," thought Balthazar. He never faced the scenario where he could equip the equipment before he reached the required level.
Along the way, he managed to clear a few more elite wolves by the time he reached the river over the bridge. The riverbed had a lot of blue weed and red weed which were quite useful in creating potions. As soon as he began to collect them, a notification popped up.
"Secondary profession Herbalism acquired. All four slots for secondary professions filled."
"Herbalism proficiency +1; Experience points +1;"
"Well, I can leave the alchemy later, if I want something else," thought Balthazar and continued to collect the weed along the river. He slowly moved away from the bridge along the river till he began to see the members of the Sirius Imperials who were searching along the opposite bank of the river.
"I better make myself scarce before these guys come after me. They were already angry that I came into the Blackrock hills. After the world announcement they might even be actively searching for me," thought Balthazar as he made his way back to the bridge.
Reaching the bridge, he went into stealth, crossed the bridge and made his way to the village. By that time, he had already gathered 5 stacks of blue weed and 5 stacks of red weed. Each stack consisted of 20 weeds. He had also gathered about 100 experience points and herbalism proficiency by 20 points from gathering the weeds. After gathering a few herbs of the same type no more proficiency would be gained.
He had already finished the requirement for the quests he had taken but the experience gained would immediately level him up. So, he decided to the teleportation portal to go to the dungeon. Else he wouldn't get any decent experience from the dungeons if he was higher leveled.
As he reached the village gate, he noticed that the Sirius Imperials had already men positioned at the gate in search for him. He was sure that they would also be position at the teleportation point.
"Well, the disguise skill of my mask would finally be of some use," thought Balthazar. He immediately selected the disguise skill.
"Is there any character you want to disguise as?" came the notification.
"If I took the appearance of someone else, it might cause troubles. It is best if I just change my appearance a bit," thought Balthazar and clicked no.
"You can change to any random appearance or slowly modify your appearance," came another notification. Balthazar chose to change his appearance. As soon as he selected that a 3D image of him appeared in front of him.
He changed his facial features to match his sisters and also changed his eye and hair colors and increased his hair length. It gave him a feminine appearance. But he was fine with it. He also changed the appearance of his equipment slightly. Once, he was satisfied that he wouldn't be identified, he confirmed the appearance.
"Would you like to change the name of the disguise?"
After a minute of thinking, Balthazar decided on a name typed it in.
Disguised as a different thief named 'fleet-footed rogue' he walked through the gate. He first made his way to the thief trainer. He still hasn't learned the skill lockpicking. This would be a very useful skill, even in dungeons. He quickly paid the trainer for the skill and received 5 lock-picks and the skill book from the trainer.
After that, he went to the teleportation point and quickly teleported to the dungeon entrance. As he reached the dungeon entrance, he found a large number of players in groups going in to the dungeon - Corrupted forest. The maximum limit for a team entering this dungeon was 5 members.
There were a lot of independent players too. They were talking to each other trying to form groups for the dungeon. Some groups who required were even shouting that they required a tank or priest or a DPS class for their group.
He also kept hearing players talk about the progress of teams belonging to various guilds. Most them were guild members publicizing their guild. Some were even telling that a team in the fae country managed to clear the dungeon and they didn't receive notification as it was a different race of the light faction.
The dungeons were always a good source of equipment at the early game stage. When the player levels were below 5 the dungeons were especially useful for collecting Black Iron quality equipment. These were hardly dropped by mob. Only boss level monsters would drop them and dungeons always spawned boss level monsters.
Though Balthazar had equipment better than most of the players, there were still various kinds of equipment he could use. Even his weapon was a White trash one. So, dungeon was definitely a good method. He would also get decent amount of experience along with equips in a dungeon.
He quickly began to search for people asking for DPS members or scouts. He also started to shout that he was a DPS and a scout. He went to ask a couple of small groups whose composition looked like they required. But they replied that they had a member coming.
Suddenly a mage from a group of females called out to him. "Are you any good at scouting?" she asked. It was an elementalist.
"I am good enough for the Corrupted forest dungeon. I have already reached till the boss once. I can lead the way up till Vultarc with ease," replied Balthazar looking at the elementalist. She was a group of three with a priest and a female knight. The priest and knight alongside pulled her to the side.
"What are you doing? I told you that I can ask my friends from Sirius Imperials to help us" asked the priest named little white feet. She was short and cute and looked like a secondary school student.
"Yes. It is better we go with them rather than a completely new face. Moreover, he has only reached level 2 and looks weird. He couldn't have reached till the last boss. He is obviously bluffing," said the knight named Tang and Spicy.
The elementalist quickly put up her hand to stop them. "I already told you that I have received a special quest from the temple and learnt a special inspection skill, right? I already checked him twice. He is wearing level 3 equipment somehow and also his character goes all grey when I examine it. He might be using some kind of disguise. He definitely has some secret and is definitely capable as evident from his equipment," she said.
"All the more reason for us to not trust him," said little white feet in a way that suggested it was an obvious choice.
"Still better than the idiots from Sirius Imperials. I know that your boyfriend is in that guild, but they have been nothing but an obnoxious lot who took anything we gained from the dungeon. I am at a loss after the first run and was very glad when they told that they had already finished 3 runs," said the elementalist.
"That part is true. Why don't we try it with him? He is obviously not a part of any guild. Else, he wouldn't be asking independent members to join for a dungeon," said Tang and Spicy outvoting the priest.
With that settled the elementalist contacted Balthazar who had moved on and was talking to a lone female paladin. "Hello, I am Quiet Fire. This is our knight Tang and Spicy and priest Little white feet," said the elementalist introducing the team to Balthazar.
"Quiet fire? Isn't she the leader of the Blazing Fury adventurer group?" thought Balthazar being reminded of the name from his previous life. "I am fleet-footed rogue. Glad to make your acquaintance. You can call me fleet or rogue if you like," said Balthazar shaking her hand.
"OK. Now, that you are acquainted with each other. Could you introduce us to your lady friend," said Quiet Fire pointing at the paladin he was talking to.
"Oh! I just met her. Her name is Blinding White. Apparently, she had been kicked out of the team after she broke up with her boyfriend. Could we have her with us. A paladin would be very useful in the Corrupted forest," said Balthazar explaining the gist of his conversation with the female paladin.
By the time, Balthazar finished telling them about the paladin being kicked out after breaking up both Quiet Fire and Tang and Spice were already moving towards her. It was a common thing for a girl to console others in pain and they both instinctively decided to let the paladin join their team.
"Why were you talking with a single girl if you didn't even know her?" asked Little-white feet looking at Balthazar suspiciously.
"I found a single paladin at the dungeon entrance who was looking to join a team. Why wouldn't I talk to her?" answered Balthazar with another question. The priest just rolled her eyes and went toward the rest of her team. "Shameless fellow. He is shameless avoiding my question," thought Little white feet. "Why would a single paladin not be able to find a team?" she thought as she reached her friends.
"How come someone who is a paladin, not be accepted into a team at the corrupted forest," she asked as soon as she met the paladin.
"My boyfriend was a member of Sirius Imperials. He shouted around that he would kill anyone who would take me into their team about 10 minutes ago," replied Blinding White.
"How arrogant!" said Quiet Fire in an angry voice. "These idiots think they are the rulers of the game. Such shameless behavior."
"Yes. Yes. They have been overly tyrannical. They didn't finish the dungeon nor were they in any announcement. Still they are so oppressive," chimed in Tang and Spicy.
"We don't mind if you join us. We don't like them too," said Quiet Fire ending the discussion.
"Damn, I have ended up with a couple of fiery girls," thought Balthazar looked at the angry duo. Meanwhile the priest had a sullen face. She had good relations with Sirius Imperials and her boyfriend was also a part of them. It was hard for her to see her friend badmouthing them. But she decided to finish the dungeon runs with them.