There are three NPC that will guide the players to which path they want to choose. Each one of them has different offers and different objectives. The players will choose the one that suits their desires, personalities, and which that most beneficial for them. In the end, all of them are connected to each other. Whether they will be enemies or allies depends on what they choose.
I walk towards the first tutorial NPC that is feeding the horses in the stable. He looks buffed compared to the other villagers. I know the truth about his identity. His name is Safran. He was the captain of the 41st Division, Templar of the Aarus Empire. His level is 250.
He was deployed to the borderlands where the 2 Empires and the Alliance Kingdoms meet, The Triangle of Ruinations. To put it simply, he's one of the heroes from the Aarus Empire who retired and live a quiet and peaceful life.
"Ah! I've seen you around for a month. Are you here to start your tutorial?"
I nod. He cleans his hands and approaches me.
"Alright! But first, Chief Kalman told me to give you a recommendation letter. But before that, how about I test your skills? If you can survive from my attacks then I will give you the recommendation letters."
Recommendation letters from the tutorial NPCs are hidden achievements. It can only be triggered when the players reach Level 10 before they talk to those NPCs, but if they failed, they can't restart the quest to get recommendation letters and the NPC will complete the tutorial quest.
Becker wants the players to enjoy the tutorial to the fullest before they start their adventure. But the players are racing and competing with each other to be the best and forgot about enjoying the game. These recommendation letters will take an important role in the future.
A notification appears in front of me.
[Survive for 1 minute. Accept the challenge? Y/N]
Yes.
Safran immediately punches me but I dodged it. He keeps attacking and at the last second, he disappeared and reappeared behind me. This is where the players almost impossible to dodge his attack because Safran's attack is programmed to have a 100% chance to hit. He kicks above my head and misses. I chuckle mischievously. Thanks to my high status on LUK, these Lazy Luck Daggers, and Luck Potion (U). I have a fixed 90% chance to dodge all kinds of attacks. Everyone can also dodge his last attack, but they only have a 0.05% chance since they only have 1 LUK. So basically only the luckiest players can get Safran's recommendation letter.
Safran surprised. He sighs.
"I guess I'm getting soft. Alright, you have passed my test. Here's my recommendation letter."
I grab it from his hand.
[Tutorial 1/3 completed.]
[Safran's recommendation letter. Obtained!]
[Safran's recommendation letter: This player named [Trevor] has an amazing talent, I personally tested him and I would like him to be a part of The Aarus Empire.
- Captain Safran of the 41st Templar Division.]
I smile and thank him and then go to the next tutorial NPC. She's meditating in the middle of the training ground. Her name is Avriel, the master assassin from Eluna Empire. I approach her and she immediately stands up and turns around.
"I heard about you from Kalman. He asked me a favor to give you a recommendation letter. I have seen you around and I believe that you have experienced a lot in exterminating monsters, but what about humans? I will test your skills before I give you the recommendation letter. It is as if you can pass the test."
Avriel pulls out a blindfold. She wraps my eyes with that, then she's walking away from me and starts to walks around me.
"I will give you 3 attempts to guess where I'm standing at. I will try to deceive you with my presence. If you succeeded to detect where I'm standing, then I will give you my recommendation letter. How is that? It's easy right?"
I nod and she's starting to move around. I can hear that there are more than 2 footsteps around me, and I can hear her voice from all directions. All the footsteps then stop.
"Guess where I'm at"
I can hear her last steps are from the far right where I'm standing at. But I'm pointing my thumb on my back.
"You're behind me."
Avriel unwraps the blindfold and walks in front of me. She smiles and scoffs.
"I never thought that anyone would be able to detect my presence. Here, take this with you."
[Tutorial 2/3 completed.]
[Avriel's recommendation letter. Obtained!]
[Avriel's recommendation letter: A new player with undoubted talent has appeared. Tell "them" if this player goes to Eluna Empire, I sent him here.
- Avriel, Mask of the Moon.]
The reason why I know where she's standing is because of the book from the Eluna Empire library. The story about Avriel assassinated hundreds of nobles that threatening the empire by slitting half of their heads off from behind. It's even written in that book that if her footsteps sound so far away, that means she's already standing behind them ready to slit their throat.
I leave the training ground and Avriel is watching me the whole time.
I'm on my way to the last NPC which is a kid from Alliance Kingdoms, his name is Gervase. His parents are a refugee from one of the kingdoms. A lot of things are happening in Alliance Kingdoms and their people are suffering from those conflicts. Many refugees are going to Aarus and Eluna Empires, except for this one. His dad is actually the heir to the throne but his younger brother's scheme made him leave the kingdom and live in this village. Many of his loyal followers are still waiting for his come back, but it won't happen because he's no longer alive.
Gervase will give the player a choice. First, he offers them his heirloom from his father. If they chose that, they will have a different quest which is to go to the Alliance Kingdoms to take back what's Gervase's father should have, and the player will be rewarded plentifully. It's the hardest main story than the other two, but it's worth it. The second option is, he will offer an old blank scroll with a red ribbon wrapping the scroll. If the player chose this option, Gervase will tell them to be free, and when they discovered the truth, be ready. It's a bit ambiguous since that's the only thing he said to the players and has no main story quest. The story quest needs to be triggered when the players discovered "the truth".
I approach Gervase, he's fishing in the river while playing with his dog. He looks at me.
"Good evening! Are you here for the tutorial?"
I nod. He stands up and the dog is sitting behind him while wiggling his tails. He grabs something from his pocket and it's a watch, then he grabs something out from his other pocket and it's an old scroll. He lifts both of his hands towards me and then starts to tell his back story to me.
"So, which one will you choose?"
I grab the old scroll. Gervase smiles and nods.
"I hope you for the best and may the Betelgeuse bless you!"
[Tutorial 3/3 completed.]
[An old scroll. Obtained!]
[An old scroll: A scroll that never been opened for a long time. So many cuts and stains on it. A long scribbles in the middle of the scroll. Maybe it's nothing important. Or is it...?]
I'm drinking at the pub after receiving two recommendation letters and an old scroll. I'm thinking which path I'll choose this time. Since last time I chose the Aarus Empire since it has all the facilities for the players to grows compared to the Eluna Empire and the Alliance Kingdoms.
I'm staring at those three while chugging my beer. A woman player walks past me and then wraps her arms around my neck. I'm surprised and trying to remove her arms from me, but the more I'm resisting, the tighter her arms wrapping my neck. I want to turn my head to see who is she, but her head is in the way. She whispers into my ears while chuckling.
"Hello, babe. You should've told me that you're playing this game so we can play together."
I stop resisting and grab her arms.
"Emma?"
She removes her arms from me and walks in front of me then slides the chair and sits in front of me. She's grinning at me and bite her tongue cutely. Her appearance is the same as she is in real life, except she made her character smaller. She grabs my beer and chugs them all. She sighs in relief. I still can't believe she would play games, especially this kind of game.
"What are you doing here?"