Elliot was on his way to the forest when he realized he didn't have a torch. His eyesight wasn't clear at night time since he was still a low-ranking Adventurer.
He was carefully walking inside the forest, making sure not to wake any bears or large predators. If he encounters one, he would instantly leave the forest and head back tomorrow.
The Midnight Pheasant's den wasn't too deep inside the forest, which Elliot found comforting. He didn't have to face the voracious beasts that lied inside the deeper part. Since he still wasn't strong enough, he would be mauled by the larger predatory beasts inside.
Hunting Midnight Pheasants was a good choice.
A sound interrupted his thoughts. He crouched and headed towards the direction of the sound. He hid behind a bush and looked around.
There, he saw a group of magnificent birds. Their feathers were black with white detailing. Their black claws shined like they were made of precious minerals.
<< Midnight Pheasant >>
Level 20
HP: 8,000/8,000
Strength: 3,000
Speed: 6,500
Magic: 5,250
Defense: 2,750
This should be easy. Elliot thought and drew his sword.
He was waiting for a perfect moment when a pheasant would go near him. He would strike it down and follow the ones near it before they hide.
A beast was walking a few feet away from him that he decided to target that. His grip on the sword tightened as his eyes fixated on the bird. Breathing in, he relaxed his muscles and prepared to attack.
With a dash and a swing of his sword, the pheasant's head was slashed off in a flash.
'Midnight Pheasant killed. 500XP gained.'
Before the others could hide, he rushed towards two more pheasants and slashed their necks, instantly killing them.
'Midnight Pheasant killed. 500 XP gained.'
'Midnight Pheasant killed. 500 XP gained.'
The other beasts used their ability to become invisible and ran away. Elliot wanted to kill more but 3 would surely be enough for him to level up. The recipe didn't specify how much a piece would be, but he expected something like the Slime Juice to happen.
Black Rice and Shadow Pepper were ingredients that anyone could find at the local market. The streets would still be filled with stalls and booths tomorrow, so he decided to go home and study The Manual instead.
Carrying the three birds, he got home and changed. It is, after all, his first time to sleep comfortably in a bed. After sleeping inside the cold Forest of Gray Lake, his bed felt like heaven.
"Home sweet home," Elliot said to himself before drifting away.
The morning came and he went to the market before the dawn broke. He was excited to level up, after all. If the Midnight Pheasants could at least provide him 9,000 XP, it would be great.
After buying the ingredients he needed, he thought of going go to the Azure Scorch Guild but decided not to. He was going to surprise Frederick that he made it to Level 10. He was going to show everyone that he wasn't as weak as they thought. Especially now that he had The Manual.
Setting everything up, he placed the bag of rice and the container of pepper on the floor. The birds were too big and heavy for the table that he was afraid that it might collapse if he crafted there.
After placing the birds near the others, the ingredients pulled themselves towards each other as he thought. When all the ingredients came in contact, it glowed and formed small bowls.
Items spewed out from the light before it died out and 9 small bowls with a dark gray soup appeared.
"So, it automatically ejects the items?" Elliot was amazed and was even more amazed when a message popped up.
'Craft Skill Level Up.'
'Reach Level 3 to increase XP gained in crafting food.'
'Reach Level 4 to increase attributes in crafting equipment.'
'Reach Level 5 to increase quality in crafting items.'
He was surprised that the Crafting had its leveling system. As far as he knew, an Adventurer can only choose their Occupation at Level 20 and Subclass at Level 30.
"Status."
<< Elliot Max >>
< Owner of April >
Creator Level 1
HP: 10,000/10,000
MP: 500/500
Level 9 XP: 1,650/10,000
Owner of April? Creator? What does this all mean? He asked himself and sat down.
Everything seemed to happen so fast. Why would he have a title and a subclass? He wasn't even in the right level tier.
He knew about the title but the subclass was suspicious.
There weren't any books about Classes mentioning a Creator subclass too. It was not an occupation either. His gaze landed on his bed. He crawled towards it and grabbed the book.
The Manual didn't mention anything about the title and subclass either. If anyone would find out about this, he'd be in trouble and the King had to question him. This is suspicious for them and they might sentence him of treason.
Elliot held the book closer and asked himself, "What is this book?"
A message popped up.
'The Manual is a book that will instruct you to become strong.'
"You can understand me?"
He waited for a message but there was no response.
"How do I become strong anyway?"
'Through Crafting.'
"So, you mean the secret to become strong is through Crafting?"
'Creation is the secret.'
"That wasn't the right–"
Elliot sighed after realizing that he was arguing with a book. It might just even be pre-coded messages anyway. There was no use in getting so worked up over it.
'But I hold one more secret.'
His eyes widened after the next message popped out.
"What secret?"
'What maximum Level can an Adventurer reach?'
Elliot's eyebrows met and thought it was a stupid question.
"Easy. 100."
There was a pause before another message popped up.
'I know how to surpass that.'
His eyes widened at the message. No one has ever surpassed Level 100. Even the strongest Adventurers were all capped up to 100, no more.
"And what is that secret?"
'I already told you.'
Elliot talked more after, but the messages stopped. It was as if The Manual had a mind of its own. And it was troublesome.
This was very unusual. First, the tree that teleported him to the Forest of Gray Lake, then the book, then the man, now this. Elliot was starting to get confused until his eyes landed onto the portrait of his mother.
His eyes widened after seeing small letters on the frame. Being an Adventurer sharpened his senses, which includes his eyesight. The letters he could easily miss when he was still a civilian.
The letters carved on the frame shocked Elliot. He was looking back and forth from the book and the letters.
C-R-E-A-T-I-O-N
"Creation is the secret."