On everyone's blue message panel around the world, the timer finally came to an end.
<00:00:00>
The count down to what most people thought would be the apocalypse has finally reached its end. Everyone was waiting for the change to happen but... nothing did? The earth was silent, no one could be heard, not even a mouse. That is until something decided to break the fragile silence.
_________________
Qualifications include:
1. Must reach lv.10
2. Must have a class
3. Must have at least killed 500 monsters
__________________
It seems the tower was not as cruel as people thought and was even throwing them some freebies. That is, until the next set of messages appeared, which erased those thoughts from the peoples' minds completely.
__________________
Description: Earth has been merged with the "Ruined Tower". Soon various monsters will invade the Earth, and you'll be caught up in the shit-show. That said you must survive this mayhem.
Quest clear objective: survive for 3 days
Quest reward: based on individual actions
___________________
The messages ended with that, leaving everyone contemplative about their next step.
***
A young man who was witnessing all this turned his attention to the blue window in front of him.
Some distant memories, which he didn't want to remember, came back to him. After shaking his head a few minutes later, he opened his status window. Apparently reading those novels in the past hadn't been a waste of time after all.
"Status," he called out.
____________________
Name: Shiva
Race: Human
level: 0
sex: Male
status: Virgin
Class: none
subclass: none
Titles: Challenger, Crafty vengeance
----------
Strength - 5+1 (measuring physical power and carrying capacity)
Constitution - 8 (measuring endurance, stamina, and good health)
Dexterity - 6 (measuring agility, balance, coordination, and reflexes)
Intelligence - 10 (measuring deductive reasoning, cognition, knowledge, memory, logic, and rationality)
Perception - 6 (measuring self-awareness, common sense, a person's surroundings, and the ability to see vague details)
Charisma - 10 (measuring force of personality, persuasiveness, leadership, and successful planning)
-----------
free attribute points - 0
-------------
Skills: -
->Active: none
->Passive: none
________________
{Note: The stats for an average healthy individual is 5}
As he was seeing his status, he stopped at some point and started cursing, "F*ck this Tower! I know you're mocking me." (You know what he is talking about, :-| ) "Anyway, my stats are pretty great, aren't they? Only my Strength is a little lacking, but what was that +1? Compared to that stat, Charisma and Intelligence are way better. That said, let's check out my titles now." He focused on the title part and a new window opened in front of him.
______________
1. Challenger (Unique): -
Granted by the "Ruined Tower" to everyone who takes up the challenge to climb the Tower.
Effect: - increase the lowest Stat of the host by 20%
Currently: strength +1
_______________
"Whoa, seems like I found where that "+1" came from. Isn't the Tower way too generous? Giving a 20% boost to the lowest Stat is busted! Then again, I guess it makes sense since to use this effect, one must maintain a particular stat to always be the lowest. If you get greedy, it will basically change its effect to a useless stat," saying so he looked at the next title.
________________
2. Crafty Vengeance:(unique)
You are a sly and vengeance full person and as such, you will never let anyone who wronged you go. You will always repay everything you experience: a favor by ten times and revenge by a hundred.
Effect 1: If the opponent attacks you first, your next attack will deal 100% more damage.
Effect 2: if an enemy is included as a vengeance target is killed, you will take 5% of the target's stats.
_________________
Seeing the title, he was a little uncomfortable, but he readily accepted reality. The first effect alone was broken! Imagine striking with a powerful skill after a 100% damage boost. Isn't that pretty much overpowered? But he was confused with the second effect, more specifically, on how the Tower will consider one a "vengeance target". That said, right now, effect one was more than enough. He also didn't know if his title was a good one or not, since both the titles he got were unique.
He was currently inside his room when he suddenly heard a loud noise outside. While hesitant to check out what the noise is and risk danger, he knew sitting in his room doing nothing wasn't helping the situation. He walked to the door and opened it, and finally came to see what was happening, but what he saw was not what he was hoping to for. Instead, there were thousands or tens of thousands of dark red space ruptures all over the sky and with different types of monsters pouring out of them. There were some green-skinned monsters, short red creatures with wolfish-lizard-like features, and even something that seemed like ghouls.
He hurriedly went to close the door, while simply saying, "Nope! not in a mood to party" As he started closing the door an ugly, green-skinned m*dget monster noticed him and ran towards him. Shiva noticed the unfriendly green Oompa Loompa making its way towards him, to which he responded by slamming the door shut.
The little guy seemed to have already arrived at the door since he could already hear it start to beat on the door. Luckily such a small creature didn't magically break down the door in one hit. Due to its weak strength, it appeared as if he wouldn't be able to break it.
But Shiva was worried for a different reason, "If it continues to attack the door another monster may get attracted to the noise. I have to kill it right now." He took his knife, which was sheathed by his waist, and hid behind the door. After getting ready, he opened the door. The puke green baby-man bum-rushed in as soon as the door was opened, thus showing its back to him.
He silently moved to its back and slit its neck. He didn't even flinch while doing it, maybe because he was experienced... anyway, the green-skinned rage toddler gives a brief gurgle before it fell lifelessly.
"easy-peasy"
"Agh!" Shiva cried out in pain. He lowered his guard while he was checking the messages, so he didn't notice a second Goblin sneak up behind him and shank him in his calf with its rusty knife.
<'Crafty vengeance' has been triggered; your next attack will deal 100% more damage>
He glared at the Goblin and groaned, "Arh... You little shit." He hurriedly moved around for a better position to confront the Goblin. Shiva directly aimed the knife towards its head and slashed at it, but the attack missed in his haste. He panicked and kicked the Goblin in the stomach, hoping to buy time, but to his surprise the Goblin was punted 2 meters with its head slamming into the doorknob, caving in its skull, and ending its life.
Without deliberating on his superhuman feat or punting a small child-sized creature that far, he quickly closed the door before any other monster came in for round 3. Only then did he read the messages and figure out the Goblin's flight was because of his title. Apparently, a 100% damage boost was more effective than he thought. That would mean his Strength reached 12 which was equal to an average lv. 5 person.
As he continued to read the text messages, he came to understand that a lot of people had already started killing monsters, which was bad for him since it meant less loot, but of well. There were also some new messages:
Strength/Dexterity/Constitution> ---***---