The first thing I did the next day was ask the innkeeper if there was a library in the town which there was, but it was connected to The Adventurers Guild, and you needed permission to enter or pay ten copper. I asked him directions and ended up 'tipping' him three copper before he finally told me. I could have just asked outside, but I might come back and I had plenty of coin left. I guessed that 100 copper probably translated to 1 silver and I had at least ten silver, just over a hundred copper left, so I wasn't going to be starving or dunning out anytime soon. Thank god I'd been smart enough not to flash money. On Earth, in certain places that was stupid, here it would be worse. I wasn't aware of how the law worked here and how the guards functioned. Best to just continue to stay out of trouble.
The library was on the other side of town, but despite asking for payment his directions proved true, and soon I was moving past a richer part of the town and towards an area full of what I assumed were adventurers. People in different sorts of armor, robes, and other such forms of clothing moved about. The guild building was quite large, and honestly, the entire area looked like a small school campus. There was a large building and a front reception area that was open.
The woman, an elf, smiled as I approached. "How can I help you today?"
"I'm looking to use the library."
"Are you with the guild?"
I shook my head. "Then it's ten copper for the lower level, thirty for level two. As you are not a member of the guild I'm afraid you won't be able to enter the third and fourth floors." I handed her the coin and got a card in return which read library pass and had glowing symbols etched into it.
"How does one go about becoming an adventurer?"
"Oh, that's easy, you just need a certain level of stats, skill, and abilities, after which you simply need to fill out a form."
"Do you have the requirements on hand…"
She pulled out an odd-looking smooth stone tablet. Swirling symbols appeared on its surface then a screen was projected up. I held back a sigh. I could not join. You needed at least five in every stat, ten in two stats, three skills with one being at the novice level or above, and at least one ability.
"These are the stats of the lowest of the low, a rank F9 adventurer. If you can't even meet these, then I'm afraid you cannot join, and…" she lowered her voice. "I'm not meant to say this, but don't join until you are at least F3 or above or else no one will take you seriously. You might be used as fodder or as a pack mule." She smiled. "Is that all?"
I nodded. "Thank you." So, I wasn't as far away as I thought. I had two novice skills, and two abilities, albeit I had no idea what they did, but I was planning on testing them after I left the library. The library was pretty big, and luckily for me, there was an index that I could look through and labels around the shelves. It was one of those tablet things and was actually really easy to use. I was able to find the books I was looking for.
It was mostly history books, and one book in particular called 'The Basics of The System'. It was by far the most helpful and quickly put into perspective just how different it was. This world didn't function with level-ups, and the system was actually complex in many ways. Stats were gained through a very of means, but most of all through training, thought repeated actions and constantly pushing yourself higher. The book spoke of different methods, training regimes used by the upper class, and different exercises for each different attribute. It was a quick thing either, it could a while to gain a single point if you were taking it easy, and taking it hard meant the risk was greater. Combat and actually using the attributes in real situations was also required as training was not the same as the real thing.
It spoke of how some mages would enter trap and puzzle areas in dungeons, usually not too dangerous, but some risked their lives for that stat increases. Pressure was needed to turn coal into diamond is what the book said which was actually a quote used on Earth as well.
It was a grind fest. All those motivational videos talking about grinding. Well, they were far more suited to this world. You wanted to get stronger. You have to push and grind.
It was a bit of a bummer but made sense and my dad had taught me not to wish for an easier life, nor less of a burden but broader shoulders. This wasn't like those novels. They were just killing monsters and getting better. You actually had to get better here. The stats were earned in a way that correlated to the attribute. Also, the book confirmed that there didn't seem to be a limit for Growth, and points weren't as simple as doubling or adding a set amount of increase with each point. The book didn't go into detail, but it made it clear that things weren't so simple.
Next came the stuff about skills and abilities which was just as in-depth. It spoke of how certain methods had been developed to help people gain skills quicker, and that they increased just like attributes, but once you hit a plateau you needed to change. You couldn't go at things from a narrow perspective or else you'd limit yourself and the skills would stop growing. The book stated it was this that really changed things and was the difference between the masters of the skill, and the masters of only some of the skill. You had to open your eyes. That section sounded philosophical.
Abilities came in different ranks, and there were tiers. Some were just worse than others and abilities could grow, but some had limits, so the wealthy would always go for abilities with a lot of potential for Growth while those of lesser means would go for the abilities with less potential but maybe a better start off since they weren't planning to push so hard. There was a balance to things and thought it was like some novel back, there was a structure to things, to everything.
I devoured book after book, going from the basic of the system to dungeons and bestiary on common monsters outside and within dungeons. It was a lot, and I didn't stop until I was shaken and told the library was closing for nonguild members. Apparently, if you weren't part of the guild you had to leave sooner. It was a shame but I had learned what I needed to. Now I just had to figure out what the hell my abilities were and how to begin increasing my stats. I also know knew about loot, how you could get more abilities, dungeon monsters, and even a bit about magic
There was a dungeon near the town, a small one, and anyone could enter, but usually, only adventurers did since they weren't taxed as everyone else. If you weren't an adventurer you had to pay to enter the dungeon and didn't get the same prices for sale when selling at the guild. This wasnt too much of a problem since the requirements weren't so bad. Although for those who were poorer getting a good ability would be harder. Ability books and tokens ranged in price from cheap to astronomically expensive in the cities for certain abilities. In one paragraph it spoke of an ability token that had once sold for the price of a kingdom. You could also get them as dungeon rewards or sometimes very rarely from a monster core, at least on the top floor, and a ritual had to be removed for the ability to be transferred to a person. The deeper you go, the better and more rewards, but the more danger and risk.
With my stats, I couldn't learn any more abilities, and although abilities could be forgotten, I didn't want to until I knew what they could do and if they were worth something. As I was leaving the guild, I heard a commotion and turned to see a group trudge in. They looked battered, beaten, and bloody. But that's not what caught my eye. One of them was tied in glowing blue chains.
They approached the receptionist who looked surprisingly calm.
"Got a DS to report," the man in the lead said. He was wearing chain mail and had a sword with some bright red symbols finally glowing. "Got split up, turned on our healer after they found two tokens." His face darkened. "He used both."
I left the guild, realizing that I would need to be careful if I decided to enter the dungeon. Not just of the monsters, but of the people as well. Greed was a very dangerous thing, and in this world, it would be worse. An ability token, a good one, could change a person's life, and the book had said there were rituals to take abilities from people though most nations outlawed them, and it created a certain level of distrust to those who dabbled in necromancy and soul magic.
Before I headed back to Stoll's, I made my way to Karra's Kingdom which was in a nicer part of town and looked clean outside and in. The room I entered smelled wonderful, the air was clean, and everything was neat and orderly. It wasn't gaudy or expensive looking, just nice. I walked across the tap room and towards an older woman behind a counter.
Her smile was as bright as Stoll's innkeeper look had been blank. "Welcome to Karra's, looking for a room or just a drink and food?"
"Depends on the price."
"Twenty-two copper for a night, forty for food, drink, and a go at the baths upstairs." It was far more expensive than Stoll's and even though I really wanted to, I stopped myself. Nope, I wouldn't waste my money like this until I had a source of stable income. I ended up just paying for a bath which took half an hour. I headed back to Stoll's and paid for a week which cost less than paying for each separately. I was surprised at that but happy.
When I was back in my room, I pulled up my stats.
Name: Jericho Law
Titles: Interdimensional Traveller
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 22
- Attributes -
Strength: 4
Endurance: 3
Constitution: 3
Dexterity: 5
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 7
Perception: 5
Sense: 2
Willpower: 3
Wisdom: 4
Luck: 3
- Skills -
Weaponry(Swords)(10)[Novice]
Persuasion(10)[Novice]
Hunting(2)
Foraging(2)
Crafting(General)(2)
- Abilities -
-----
Growth(?)[?]
Growth: ?
Time: 1 Week
Cooldown: 1 Day
Type: Active
-----
Boost(?)[?]
Boost: ?
Time: Varied
Cooldown: Varied
Type: Active
-----
Language Comprehension(60)[E]
Language Comprehension: The Ability to understand and comprehend languages.
Time: N/A
Cooldown: N/A
Type: Passive
-----
- Magic -
Magical Skills: None
Spell List: None
As I looked over things, I wondered about my persuasion skill. I had felt that I could have used it, but so far there hadn't been a reason to be persuasive. Stoll which was the innkeeper's name had been fair, and I didn't feel the need to persuade him to lower prices. The guild receptionist had been kind. So far, things had gone well. As I looked over things, I once again stared at my abilities.
The names of each were simple and could mean a lot of things. Was Growth a nature skill? What about Boost? Did it allow me to Boost things? They were both very vague and had no descriptions whatsoever, but I could feel that I could use them, so I focused on Growth and activated it. Another screen popped up.
Select Attribute for Growth:
Strength: 4
Endurance: 3
Constitution: 3
Dexterity: 5
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 7
Perception: 5
Sense: 2
Willpower: 3
Wisdom: 4
Luck: 3
I stared at the screen. Was it going to increase an attribute? If so, then I needed to think about this. Firstly I needed to get all my stats up, but I decided to begin with something very useful, not that they weren't all useful.
"Constitution."
The screen vanished and a little timer appeared before vanishing, although I could sense it at the back of my head. If I focused I could check how much time I had left. I looked over my attributes and found no change.
"What…?"
What exactly had I just done? I frowned and tried to puzzle it out, and in the end, I came to a few conclusions but each required testing, physical testing. "Maybe endurance would have been better." I had read descriptions for each attribute, but honestly, the training for the constitution scared me. The book had said it was widely considered the most unpleasant and painful of all the attributes to train. And I had just picked it.
I stared at my attribute for a while, knowing that I needed to do something, but the book had said attributes didn't just grow so easily. Even if I punched myself I would need to do it a lot to gain a stat increase and would have to inflict real damage. Or use poison just enough not to kill or have an antidote on hand, or burning, or drowning, or acid, or a hundred other messed up things that I was not ready for, but I had to do something.
I shook my head and turned to my other skill. It was just as vague, and when I used it, it didn't show another screen. All I felt was a surge of energy go through me, but unlike Growth, I felt that I could use it again. So I did, and another surge of energy flowed through. My mind became clearer, and my thoughts moved faster, more easily. Aches I hadn't known were there healed, fading and I felt an odd weight to my hand. Not that it was heavy, but like all of me had increased in weight. I put a hand against my nose as scents assaulted me, and the room became clearer. I tried to deactivate it, but that was a mistake. It didn't fade, it just vanished. Like that it was gone and I was hit with an overwhelming feeling of nausea alongside a banging headache and a burning in my eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin. It lasted only for a few seconds, but after it was done I was on the bed panting.
"Oh fuck." I had never felt so bad in my life. Not even when I'd gotten covid. That had been terrible, but this had been on a different level. However, I couldn't help but smile. "So… that's what Boost does." I had felt like I could do it again. I glanced down at myself and realized I needed to get into the dungeon. I could fight, and handle myself with my skills, and Boost would give me an edge. The weakest monster could be taken out by a farmer with a large stick. The book had said a lot of early floors for small dungeons were full of weaker monsters that alone were nothing, but in twos and threes could kill a weaker adventurer. But, I had felt so powerful at that moment.
I lay back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. I would need to be careful, but I could do this. Although I was still worried about the whole constitution thing, maybe with Boost I could take weaker attacks. I wasn't going to test it out some more today. I felt like I was about to throw up and pass out. That had been a high followed by a low. Although it wasn't a surprise. My body had gone from drastic changes back to normal. Whether or not there had been physical changes was something else I needed to know. I hadn't felt it, but maybe there was. I imagined myself going from skinny to muscular. Like Clark Kent to Superman, except he was also attractive. I was just average, but… maybe not for much longer.