The bright sun peeked from the horizon, colouring the lake, trees and his skin golden. Drifting light mist enhanced the enchanting view, his black eyes glimmered witnessing in wonderment, the untainted beauty of the world.
In his previous life, his time was spent gaming, streaming or trading. He only ever visited nature was when he went on dates with his girlfriend. As such, he was thin and unhealthy. He would not deem it necessary to stretch unless his body would feel sore.
When he gained a status boost from passive skills, he could feel his body becoming stronger and more flexible. Although, only a slight improvement nevertheless, a welcome improvement.
The fresh dew on the soft grass freshened his named feet and mind. He had never felt this good before. He ran, stretched, rolled and laughed. If it was all a dream, then he wished it would never end.
A thought suddenly crossed his mind. The memories of his mother, father, little brother and sister played inside. He wondered if they would be worried about him. He had not been in contact with them for over 3 months except when his brother and sister would miss him.
'It doesn't matter… after all, I'm dead already. It's a good thing, I had prepared a will in case of an accident. The money should be enough to let those four live a comfortable life and pay for those little shits tuition and marriage.' he chuckled and reluctantly pushed those memories in the deepest corner of his mind.
But soon his hands clenched and tore the grass mercilessly. This reaction was caused by the image of a girl, the love of his life. And the words he heard at the time was chipping away his sanity.
He rose to his feet, summoned the heavy hammer and slid into a stance; frown so deep, glare so dangerous that it would make one with weaker heart retreat in fear.
The hammer was swung once, then twice, then thrice. His unused muscles would tremble against the forceful and rage-filled movements. Despite the pain, the mind had been already corrupted by madness.
[War Hammer Arts: 11.00%]
[War Hammer Arts: 12.00%]
[War Hammer Arts: 13.00%]
[Strength +1]
[Vitality +1]
[Agility +1]
[Dexterity +1]
....
Two hours had passed since the beginning of his furious hammering.
Venus was taking in large gulps of air. His body resisted any movement he attempted to make. Sweat bathed his body and clothes, while he was struggling to eat juicy fruits gathered by his bird friend, a notification materialised.
[War Hammer Arts: Neophyte 100.00% >> Experienced Rookie 3.30%]
[Strength Limit has been reached. Please level up to further your limits.]
[Dexterity Limit has been reached. Please level up to further your limits.]
[Vitality Limit has been reached. Please level up to further your limits.]
[Agility Limit has been reached. Please level up to further your limits.]
He stared at the window, eyebrows creasing and lips pursing before sighing in defeat, "I tried. I don't understand. What is it, system?"
[Host's base status has limits. This means that the Host cannot increase his status after reaching a certain value, only by levelling up the Host can increase the limits. Please keep in mind that Host cannot level up without first training Host's status to their limits.]
"I understand." said he, "But why did my Dexterity, Vitality, and Agility increase? I don't think dangling around a hammer can increase anything other than my strength."
[War Hammer Arts is created by the system to not only help the Host learn the basics of hammer-wielding but also to condition the Host's body equally.]
"Okay then, why did my Magic and Spirit not increase?"
[To increase Magic and Spirit status, Host should train skills which consumes MP.]
"So, if I train my Iron Burst skill my Magic and Spirit would increase?"
[Yes. However, the increase will not be drastic like with War Hammer Arts because they are not purely magical.]
"Awesome. Thanks, system." Venus smiled, "Open Status."
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Name: Venus Atlanta
Gender: Male
Age: 21
Level: 1 (0/100)
Race: Human
Class: Blacksmith (0/100)
[Statistics]
HP: 40/40
MP: 105/105 (+100)
Strength: 15 ⟨Max⟩ (+5) (+2)
Dexterity: 15 ⟨Max⟩ (+2) (+3)
Vitality: 15 ⟨Max⟩ (+6) (+3)
Agility: 15 ⟨Max⟩
Intelligence: 10 (+10)
Magic: 0 (+5)
Spirit: 0 (+5)
Charm: 8
Luck: Error
[Abilities]
+10 Intelligence
+5 Magic
+5 Spirit
+100 MP
» Charm doubles when trying to communicate with a herbivore.
» Gain the ability to understand Herbivores.
» Effectiveness of elemental magic will increase by ×1.5.
» Any class related to nature will gain ×1.5 more EXP.
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"Nice!" He grinned.
His eyes closed, for exhaustion was prominent within him as such he decided that a nap was needed.
After some time, someone was calling for him and a stinging pain was felt in his head.
Slowly, he roused, vision blurry and dazed. It took a while for his head to clear and as soon as it did, he shot up holding his head, "Ow ow ow! What's the big deal, bro!?"
He glared at the small bird who was flying at the same altitude with his head.
"Incoming! Incoming! Incoming!" the bird repeated like a broken record, one could hear the anxiousness within its voice.
"What's incoming!? Speak clearly!" He rubbed his head as the glare intensified, "And it better be serious or I'll roast you for dinner.".
"There is a territorial war going on between the three emperors of the forest and a new beast who migrated here. All the weaker beasts are running away, we better start running too!" It hastily recounted what it heard, "And many beasts are coming our way. We would die if we don't hurry up!"
"Shit!" he sprung to his feet. And started running, "Where are you going!?" the bird asked.
"I am running!"
"That's where the beasts are coming from!!"
"Fuck!"
He then began running in the opposite direction, and a few distances away he once again turned around.
"Now what!?" the bird was getting irritated at its friend's erratic behaviour.
"I forgot my hammer!" He quickly picked his hammer and put it back into his inventory.
Once again, he began running in the opposite direction from where the beasts were coming. As he ran, the juggling contents of his pockets were bothering him. While sprinting, his hands swiftly pulled out the wallet throwing it away, his other hand opened the zipper of his hoodie halfway and placed the phone and earbuds in the inner pockets.
With this done, his speed increased. They went around the lake and he finally shouted the question plaguing his mind, "Where are we running to?"
"There is a human village not far from here. We can take shelter there." From his shoulder, the bird replied.
"Okay, what direction!?"
"Keep running straight for now until we reach grasslands, then we go northwest."
"Alright!" The trees around him blurred past him as his speed increased. Even after running for a long time, he only got a little tired which surprised him as he used to get tired after running 20 metres.
It was a good thing that they were deep into the forest. He could see the exit to the forest in a distance. Soon, they were greeted by the limitless green stretching far into the horizon.
The bird flew ahead of him shouting, "Follow me."
He tailed the red bird who led him in the direction of the village. In the sky, he could see many flying beasts going in varied directions.
Three hours had passed, the scorching heat of the sun and continuous running had depleted his stamina at a faster rate. He staggeringly ran, droplets of sweat would fly from his face.
"Waaaait fooorr meeee~" He drawled, calling for the bird.
"Come on, you can do it!" The bird descended before him, "If we keep going at the same pace, we can reach the village by the night."
Venus dropped on his back, "I can't. I'm too tired. My legs won't move anymore."
"If you don't move, we'll die." The bird pecked his forehead.
"Ow! Stop doing that! I want to move but, as I said my body won't allow it. I'm exhausted."
"What kind of human are you?!" the bird yelled, "I've heard that humans are one of the strongest races in Detya. Why are you so weak? I am beginning to doubt the hearsay."
"Well, not every human can fight a dragon. I'm only a little strong but I'm sure I'll grow stronger with time." He said in conviction.
"I highly doubt that. Either you're not human or you're a disappointment to your race." Venus did not how he knew but the bird sneered.
"Bro!?" The shock and sorrow on his face. Guilted the bird into saying, "I'm sorry, alright. I'm frustrated, you see. I was just about to get a mate but then this commotion happened."
"You were about to have sex?" asked he, in confusion.
"Is that what you humans call mating? Sex?" the bird tried the word, "Hmm, Sex? Not a bad word. Yes, I was about to have sex but then some idiot ran around shouting…"
It then coughed. And began shouting in a high-pitched mocking voice, "Run! Run! Everyone run! The lords of the forest are fighting a foreigner." It then stopped running around in circles with its wings raised, "Then it, fortunately, flew away somewhere. Good grief, it was so loud I thought I would go deaf. When I turned around to help my mate make eggs, everyone had disappeared. You can tell by this how irritated and frustrated I was. Anyways, later I learned that the lords of the forest were fighting a dragon. So I came to wake you as soon as I could."
"I see." Venus smiled brightly, "Thanks for waking me. I would not have known if it weren't for you."
"Don't mention it." He felt that it smiled as well.
Silence embraced the two as they rested in peace. Venus looked at the drifting clouds when he suddenly said, "So, you're a male. I didn't know."
"What gave it away? My voice?" The red bird said sarcastically, in his deep voice.
"Ah no. I don't know how to identify the gender of birds. I just thought that you could be a female with a deep voice." Scratching his cheek, he confessed.
"I see." He said.
As they talked and rested, a thudding sound came from behind them. They turned around and saw a horse coming to them.
Venus instantly recognised what it was. A Unicorn! It was a legitimate Unicorn. He never expected to see one so soon after staying in this world for a day.
The Unicorn had a shining white body and light blonde hair on its neck and tail. It had a spiralling horn that was straight and pointy. The elegance and dignity were exuding could a person stare in reverence.
It slowly halted before them and started examining the two with confusion being superior on its face, "A Human and a Vermilion?"
It questioned the bird politely, "Anyways, have you seen a group Unicorn?"
Venus was lost in a daze hearing the refined and heavenly voice. The Vermilion as the Unicorn called the red bird, pecked him out of his stupor and asked, "Did you?"
Venus shook his head. The Vermilion turned to the Unicorn and said, "No, we did not."
"I see." The unicorn was dejected to hear that.
"Are you lost?" Venus decided to ask.
"Do not speak to me, Human." The unicorn replied as if his very existence was offensive.
Venus clamped his mouth shut. He wanted to avoid offending a creature who was seemed stronger than him.
The Vermilion repeated the question asked by his friend, "So, are you lost?"
The unicorn glared at the human for a moment before sighing, "Unfortunately, yes. When we received the news that the three lords of the forest were battling against a three-headed dragon. The followers of the dragon had invaded the forest and were fighting the three lords followers. On the tumultuous battlefield, I was separated from my parents. I have been searching for them since then. However, as you can see my search has not been a fruitful one. After all, I have never left the forest before."
"I am sorry to hear that," Venus said, sympathetically.
"Have I not told you to not speak to me, Human?" She darted a glare at him.
Venus wondered about her rude behaviour towards him, thus he decided to question her.
"Why do you hate me so much? I did not do anything to you." Asked he, trying to fish for information.
The unicorn might be a majestic creature but, it was inexperienced in the ways of life it seemed and could not keep herself from pouring out her hate. And his double charm might have hand in it as well.
"Why? You ask?" She seethed, taking a step forward. The Vermilion became alert at her seemingly hostile gesture. It would help his first good friend even if it cost him his life.
"You humans are a greedy and vile race." She snapped, "To sate your greed you would destroy, annihilate and kill anything or anyone in your path. All you humans are the same. Disloyal, avaricious, worst scums in the entirety of Detya."
"You're right. Humans are greedy and hateful." Venus' voice contained a hint of disgust and contempt, which surprised the two. It was not every day for them to hear a Human show such loathe towards their race.
"Hmph. At least you are self-aware." She scoffed.
"However, I can assure you that not every human is like that. Or at the very least, I am not. So, don't associate me with the humans you have known or heard about." He said confidently.
"I do not trust the words of you humans. If given enough incentives, you also will backstab your allies. Just like your kind tends to do." Her voice was sharp.
"I will prove to you that I am nothing like my kind." He declared with a frown.
"You can prove all you want, it will not change the fact that you would abandon your friends or allies at the first sign of danger or found something more useful." Her tone and sneer were irritating him.
"I'll show you how wrong you are."
"And you will find it yourself how right I am."
"Oh yeah? Fine then, challenge accepted. If I can prove to you that I am nothing like the rest of my race then, you'll have to apologise to me."
"I will not apologise to a vile Human like you. However, if you lose what will I gain?"
"If I lose, which of course will not happen, I will offer you my life. You are to do as you like with my life. Do you dare to accept?"
She became irritated at his challenging tone and said, "I dare. You better keep your words, Human."
"I will." He smirked. The Vermilion felt something was off about this deal that they had made but he did not know what.
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{Quest Initiated}
{There is light where there is darkness} (Rank C)
» The unicorn has a deep-rooted hatred for humankind, which has been bred for a long time. And now that hatred is going to affect you.
Objective:
» Raise your reputation with the Unicorn from ⟨Hated⟩ to ⟨Revered⟩
» ???
Penalties for failure:
» Host's death.
» Annihilation of Humankind.
Completion Reward: 1000 SP (System Points), 2000 EXP, 2000 Class EXP
Time Limit: 1 Month
(Quest cannot be declined. It will be automatically accepted.)
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Venus could not understand. The rank and penalties of this quest did not match at all. However, it did not matter since he had already accepted the quest, even if he did not have any say in it.