After getting a sudden quest, I had no clue what to do. From the books, I had learned that people could learn to use skills by repeatedly doing an action, they wouldn't be that great, of course. Most self-learned skills were E rank, the lowest rank of skills. They could be ranked up by constantly using the skill, by getting enlightenment and finding out a new way of using the skill that would upgrade it, or by skill leveling pages, which were rewarded by dungeons.
Level 15's and up usually had 4-5 skills and two passive skills. Passive skills were usually learned along with the class since the passive skill was usually linked to the class mastery itself. For example, Corbis's Path of Fire or Jorr's Path of Earth, both were linked to their mage class but since Corbis combined mage with mage his passive was much better than Jorr's, but Jorr had one warrior passive and one mage passive.
That was only one of the many reasons why I hadn't chosen a class yet, besides, I had to gain at least 1 XP before getting a class. After reading the quest notice and thinking about The Tower's mystical powers, I thought about what skills would be suitable for my future self for a long time. Jorrud immediately came to mind, he had earth affinity like me and was also suitable as a warrior. My Ganesha's Constitution leaned towards a physical warrior with earth affinity, just like Jorr.
After recalling his status board for a bit, I knew that Muscle Strengthening or Earth Infusion would be great skills to learn. Charge and earth shield didn't catch my attention that much since they weren't at all compared to the usefulness of the other two. Thinking about it for a bit, I was leaning more towards trying to get a magic skill since those were the hardest to upgrade, therefore, the earlier I could learn one, the better.
Jorr would be coming tomorrow from his expedition, but there wasn't enough time to wait for him to teach me, so I immediately went to my garden and began to connect with the earth. I slowly began to resonate with the old, ancient mountain that had seen the stories of innumerable dwarves. I realized how horrible it must have been if I was in its position. Seeing time go and go, while I remained still, lifely, yet emotionless. Our connection showed how much the mountain hated time, the relativity of it, the existence of it. It had taken people he didn't want it to take, it had left people he wanted for it to take. In the past, a month wouldn't be anything for it, but as time went by, it became painful. So painful, in fact, the lifely mountain had lost its emotion.
Like everything in nature, despite its beauty, it remained neutral and emotionless. Witnessing everything yet witnessing nothing. Contrary to the emotional people who loved nature, it was more fitting for the emotionless. Tears fell from my eyes as felt the earth resonate within me, strengthening my body, in front of me, I saw a small mountain of the earth rise from the flat ground, I felt I could direct it, control it as if it was another limb.
I could make it grow into a column, let it become flat as it once was before, I could feel its inner constitution, its inner structure, its core. The power I felt when resonating with the earth was enormous, I felt it giving me power at a pace I had never felt before, I could make the pile of earth float, I made it become a ball, a spike, a lance, I had complete mastery over it. More earth rose from the ground and slowly covered me, it embraced me, it became one with me. I immediately knew I had gained power like never before. The year I had trained along with earth felt as if it all had been for this one, single second, in which I became earth, and earth became me.
[Gaia's favours you, her descendant]
[Quest Completed]
[Quest reward: 100 XP, Skill Page]
[Level up! Choose a Class]
[Unique Class Unlocked, Gaia's Warrior]
[Gaia's Warrior][Archer][Mage][Healer]
[Achievement unlocked, Earth Mastery]
[Reward: Passive Skill, Title]
[Title gained - Earth Emperor]
- - - -
Name: Nýr
Titles: Earth Emperor
Race: Demigod
Age: 1 year
SP: 100
Level: 2
XP: 0/200
Class Mastery: None
Class: Gaia's Warrior
Subclass: None
Professions: None
Passive Skills:
[Ganesha's Constitution] SSS+
Gain 5 Free Physical Stats per level
50% Stamina Recovery
Elephant Thermoregulation
Seismic Communication
Musth - Increase of Testosterone and Aggression
One with the earth - Godly Magical Affinity
[Gaia's Blessing] SSS+
One with nature - Titanic Magical Affinity
80% Resistance Against Elemental Magic
Complete form and mental stability
Increased affinity with elemental beasts
100% Increase in physical stats
[Sin of Wrath](Sealed)
[God Eyes] (Sealed)
Active Skills:
[Earth Manipulation] SS
Freely manipulate earth, its form, constitution, energy, and characteristics, depending on mana used.
Stats:
HP:550/550
MP:600/600
[Strength: 10->20][Agility: 9->17][Stamina: 12->20)][Magic Power: 12->20]
Stat Points: 5
Free Physical Stat Points: 5
[Gaia's Warrior Stats]
[Strength: 40][Agility: 34][Stamina: 40)][Magic Power: 40]
[Intelligence: 4.8->5/10][Perseverance: 7.6->10/10][Luck: 5.1->10/10][Charm: 4.5->7/10]
Unique Points: 0
- - - -
After the notification bombardment I received, I stayed still, calmly thinking and consuming the new information and skills I had received. I concluded the new passive skill from Gaia, gave me mental stability which greatly aided me in calming down and comprehending everything quicker than usual. I had become stable just like nature.
From what I understood, after becoming connected one with the earth, it had embraced me and just as I became earth, I received Gaia's favour. From what I knew, Gaia was a titan, the mother of earth, and everything beautiful. She gave me a unique class, from what I had read in the books, there were 5 different rarities in classes, common, rare, epic, legendary, and unique.
Common classes where the normal warrior, mage, healer, and archer. Rare classes would be compared to a class mastery, fire mage would become a class or subclass instead of the main class, for example. Epic classes would be an advanced form of fire mage, like fire archmage. Legendary classes were so rare and unique that there were less than 500 in the whole of Ethax. Legendary classes usually ended with their owner becoming legends and then they would impart the class upon someone else, chosen by the class itself.
Unique classes, as the name says, were unique. There was only one person in the whole of Ethax with a unique class. For example, there were two dwarves with unique classes as I read in the dwarven hierarchy. The Dwarven Emperor, Moradin, and The Gnome Emperor, Felbis. They were so skilled and powerful they were chosen to be the leaders of the races, their classes were mostly not mentioned, since they didn't flaunt them as enemies could learn their weaknesses through a class name.
On the other hand, legendary classes weren't as rare. There were many blacksmiths blessed by Hephaestus, they were the most prestigious of blacksmiths and only numbered five, but it was five times more than the unique class of Moradin. Well, I had just received many things, in one day. I had received a system upgrade, one level up, a UNIQUE CLASS, 100 sp, I had to look at the new system shop, two new skills, and a skill level-up page. I immediately used it on Earth Manipulation and it ranked up.
[Earth Manipulation] SS+
Freely manipulate earth, its form, constitution, energy, and characteristics, depending on mana used.
Its description didn't change what-so-ever but I knew the skill was incredible. The range of use within the words form, constitution, energy, and characteristics left me the potential for everything. I could change solid earth with soft sand, making soft sand as durable as the hardest earth and make the hardest earth as soft as sand. Besides, I could easily make earth float, I couldn't test how much I could carry since I didn't want anyone seeing but it was an incredible skill with immeasurable amounts of potential.
Besides all of the classes and stuff, my stats received an immense boost from Gaia's Blessing, I had 80% resistance against elemental magic, which would make me a monster against elemental mages or warriors, and my stats were doubled, plus the upgrade in stats I got from the earth. My stats had risen from meager 10's to three '40s and a 30+. Agility was my lowest, for some reason earth and agility didn't seem to work as well as the other stats. The most important thing, though, was that I gained Titanic Magical Affinity with nature elements from Gaia. If I had managed to accomplish this much with Godly Magical Affinity from Ganesha, I couldn't even begin to fathom what I could accomplish with Gaia's favour.
I opened the system shop to see what I could buy with the 100 SP I had. I knew SP wasn't so valuable since I would gain it by killing monsters, just as XP.
[System Shop]
[Random Item Roulette]
[Weapons]
[Armor]
[Random Beast Roulette]
[Beast Synthesis]
[More]
I immediately closed the shop after checking the amazing options I had, it seemed I could combine beasts to upgrade them, buy a random roulette ticket that would give me a beast or a random roulette item. I also had the option to buy weapons and armor which was pretty interesting, however, most items were really expensive, 100 SP wasn't even enough for a common item.
The next day, when I went to breakfast, Jorr was eating with my parents.
"Good morn, kid." He loudly said with his characteristically brusque accent.
"Good morning Jorr!"
"How are ya?"
"I'm very very good, thanks!"
"Ready for today's trainin'?"
"Yes!" I kept trying to speak minimally, after all, I was one year old.
"Corbis told me you be interested in tha earth magix."
"Yes, sir, I feel a strong connection."
"Hmm, ye ken that dwarves ken be a mighty foe?" Dwarves usually had a strong accent. Ken was usually used as can or know.
"Yes sir!"
"Hmm, I won't be soft, little gangler!"
We immediately headed to the backyard, it was quite ample since Dürandal was such a huge city for an under crowded population.
"Okay kid, keep yer feet on the ground! I'm not an easy teacher" Jorr immediately warned me, considering I was one year old, it might seem too harsh, but since kids started leveling from 5 years and I was already Jorr in height my appearance might've subconsciously confused him.
"Show me what yer can do kid."
I immediately thought about what I should show to Jorr. I knew I could freely show my powers since Dwarves and Gnomes were very affectionate with nature, they wouldn't kill me despite showing abnormal abilities. I knew it would be good to show them my full abilities since that way, as proper wise adults, they would take care of me and help me reach a great height. The earth around Jorr immediately became sand and wrapped around him, enclosing his body completely, I then used my magic power to imbue the earth as strong as possible, making it impossible for Jorr to move one bit.
Jorr's reaction was immensely funny, he was dumbfounded.
"By the beard of Reorx!" Jorr freely threw dwarven curses because of his surprise.
"Sandstone! What is this! Are ye a spirit?"
"No, that's my skill, I told you I felt a connection with earth." I spoke quite fluently to leave a great impression of my talent.
"That's not funny, kid, you should tell me the truth."
"I'm serious, I strengthened the earth around you, try breaking out."
Jorr immediately began struggling to break out of the cocoon.
"You're startin' to bother me."
I retracted my magic power and freed Jorr from the strengthened sand.
"I have quite the affinity with earth, I would like to know what you can teach me."
"I don't know how much I can teach ya, kid, I can't be movin' earth arround like ye do."
"I can show you my earth barrier and earth infusion, try doing something similar."
Jorrud created a big half-dome of earth in which ten me's could fit in.
I tried to make the same thing, what happened was that I could not only make it quicker, mine was more durable as well, Jorr tried destroying mine with some impressive axe swings, yet couldn't leave a dent, that's how durable my earth imbued with magic was.
"Now try this."
Jorrud infused earth magic in his weapons and armor, making them have a cool looking effect as if sand was falling from the border of his axe and his gear looked brownish.
I immediately brought the strength of the earth within me, I felt how my body began getting stronger and more powerful, it wasn't such a huge augmentation but I felt it.
[Active Skill Gained]
I immediately checked my status
- - - -
Name: Nýr
Titles: Earth Emperor
Race: Demigod
Age: 1 year
SP: 100
Level: 2
XP: 0/200
Class Mastery: None
Class: Gaia's Warrior
Subclass: None
Professions: None
Passive Skills:
[Ganesha's Constitution] SSS+
Gain 5 Free Physical Stats per level
50% Stamina Recovery
Elephant Thermoregulation
Seismic Communication
Musth - Increase of Testosterone and Aggression
One with the earth - Godly Magical Affinity
[Gaia's Blessing] SSS+
One with nature - Titanic Magical Affinity
80% Resistance Against Elemental Magic
Complete form and mental stability
Increased affinity with elemental beasts
100% Increase in physical stats
[Sin of Wrath](Sealed)
[God Eyes] (Sealed)
Active Skills:
[Earth Manipulation] SS
Freely manipulate earth, its form, constitution, energy, and characteristics, depending on mana used.
[Elemental Constitution] S+
Imbue your body with elemental energy, strengthening your muscles which raises your Strength, Agility, and Stamina by 50%.
[Since Earth Manipulation and Elemental Constitution have extreme synergy, do you wish to combine?]
[Earth Emperor]SSS+
Freely manipulate earth, its form, constitution, energy, and characteristics depending on your will. By imbuing your body with earth energy, freely manipulate its constitution and characteristics.
Stats:
HP:550/550
MP:600/600
[Strength: 10->20][Agility: 9->17][Stamina: 12->20)][Magic Power: 12->20]
Stat Points: 5
Free Physical Stat Points: 5
[Gaia's Warrior Stats]
[Strength: 40][Agility: 34][Stamina: 40)][Magic Power: 40]
[Intelligence: 5/10][Perseverance: 10/10][Luck: 10/10][Charm: 7/10]
Unique Points: 0
- - - -
After checking my new skill, I immediately chose to combine it with Earth Emperor, no more than 100 individuals could get an SSS+ skill in the whole of Ethax, that's how impressive the skill is. It might've not sound very specific or strong but after learning about the world, I knew that a skill as vague as this one, could have a wide variety of usefulness.
"What's wrong kid?" Jorr asked after seeing me stand for quite a while.
"You can't do this? Don't worry, it took me a lot of effort to get this skill! Hee hee hee." Jorr gladly laughed.
I chose to show him my newly gained skill and converted my hand into sand, which managed to stay together by my manipulation.
I threw my hand, or the sand it was made of towards Jorr and after hitting him softly I immediately re-gathered back in my hand.
"THE F*****CK?" Jorr cursed so loudly Corbis and Fiona immediately came running towards us.
"What's going on Jorr? Is something wrong with the child?"
"Yer child is defectuous, He's an earth spirit! He can do anythin' with earth! He could be ma master!" Jorr dumbfoundedly responded
"Is that right Nýr? Are you talented in magic?" Asked the smart Corbis.
"I think I am, dad, I feel a really strong connection with the mountain."
I decided to show them my talent through actions, not words.
My small hand became sand once again and started falling to the ground before I gathered the sand back to my hand again and made it normal. Fiona was covering her mouth, greatly surprised and Corbis was still as if rapidly thinking.
"Kid's no joke. Talent is amazin'. Boy could be next Emperor!"
"I see. Why didn't you tell us earlier about this Nýr?"
"I-i w-was scared dad." I kept my baby act up, despite being a genius, I was one year old after all.
"I haven't finished my trainin' yet, gonna try him a fight, Corbis, at least I can teach the kid some battle techniques. Get ready kid!"
I was happy to see how Fiona and Corbis quickly calmed down by Jorr's down-grading of the situation.
Jorr waited for me to get in position and then quickly charged towards me, I could see him move slowly, yet incredibly quick. He appeared before me in but a second and immediately swung his right fist towards my shoulder. I couldn't react, it was too quick, yet when his fist reached my shoulder, it went through it as my whole left hand had become sand, I knew the earth might've protected me, or maybe it was some weird instinct, but I quickly dodged to my right and willed the earth around him to wrap around him.
Jorr immediately knew what I was trying to do so he quickly jumped towards me and tried to catch me. My left hand had already become normal again but I turned it into sand, it became a long sand spike which immediately hardened at my order. I threw it towards Jorr but he managed to dodge it. I kept running from Jorr while throwing him things made of my sand.
"COMERE KID, I'M GETTIN' IRRITATED!" Jorr yelled while hitting my spear with his axe.
My parents were quite shocked by my physical and magical prowess, they were somewhat amused by how Jorr couldn't even catch me. I willed for more sand to rise from the ground and created circular balls of mud with my magic power, I threw the balls towards Jorr and most of them managed to splash him, the mud that had gotten to him quickly got up to his face and blinded him as it became sand and entered his eyes. Jorr had to stop and use both hands to intensely rub his eyes
"SLAG! DIRTY SCOUNDREL!" Jorr continuously screamed while I had already continued my plan, I created a big column of earth that immediately hit Jorr in the stomach.
The column hit Jorr and the impact threw him immediately to the other side of the backyard, a whole 20meters away. It was as if he flew! I was astonished by the strength of my earth, it didn't even cost me mana! I immediately went running towards Jorr, worried to see if I had hurt him.
"Jorr, are you okay?" I timidly asked when I saw him rubbing his belly while sitting in the ground.
"Darn you kid. Yer could be softer!" he sounded indignant, completely different from how he sounded when he came to train me.
"I'm sorry!"
"If I had used my bears you woun't even have a chance, kiddo!"
After the intense battle, I realized I wasn't tired at all. The fight wasn't tiresome at all, the problem was, I was too inexperienced fighting, considering it was my first fight in this world, it wasn't that terrible. I had my experience as a Combat Medic in the past, so I didn't freeze in place, but my combat capabilities were terrible. I'm sure I'm completely wasting my powers' potential. I realized how lacking I was, I decided the next most important thing in my priority list would be to practice combat daily.
"Dad, would it be possible to have a combat trainer?" I asked Corbis to see if we could afford one. Corbis was looking at me while slowly thinking about everything, as he usually did.
"Yer should get Drakemane, ganome. Any other teacher would waste his potential."
I maybe hadn't thought about it, but my family was quite well off, being an alchemist was quite profitable, since adventurers wouldn't spare money for a potion that could potentially save them, life was priceless after all. They could still recuperate the money they spent on consumables and everything since most of the dungeons had precious herbs everywhere, you just had to know which were valuable.
"Do you think Gatgras would accept my son as a disciple? I thought he would retire after what happened to the last one."
"I mean, it's yer son and Gatgras will accept easy money, dwarves not dumb."
"Hmm, I'll ask him later today, thanks for the help Jorr."
We headed towards the house and quickly said farewell to Jorr. After this, Corbis immediately got ready to get out and told Fiona to get me ready. I already could use gnomish clothing, due to my size. I began going up with Fiona and she helped put me a nice gnomish outfit, despite how our house looked simple, it was just because Corbis and Fiona loved it, not because we lacked any money, as I already said with Corbis being an alchemist and Fiona being an excellent tailor we didn't lack anything, even less in the clothing department.
Fiona chose to stay home, she had to cook dinner, Corbis took me hand and after kissing goodbye to my loving mother Fiona, we left the house. It had been 1 year and a week or so since I got to this world, yet I couldn't even begin to imagine what would happen today.
Today would mark the beginning of my story, it would mark the beginning of it all. Today was the day demons finally attacked.