After exchanging information with Kevin, Lucius expressed his need for some personal space to gather his thoughts. He placed his sword carefully into the inventory, ensuring its safety, and left Kevin behind.
Walking to the door of the house, he entered his room and closed the door behind him, shutting out the noise and commotion from the outside world.
Seeking a moment of respite, he made his way to the window and peered out at the chaotic scene unfolding outside.
The air was thick with the clamor of panicked voices and the sound of people shouting and swearing as they desperately sought answers in the midst of the unknown.
Among the chaos, Lucius noticed a group of individuals who, like him, seemed to be observing the situation rather than falling into panic.
They appeared to be deliberating their next course of action, their minds working to grasp the reality of the world they now found themselves in.
Feeling the weight of the moment, Lucius slowly lowered himself onto the chair in front of a sturdy wooden desk.
Taking a deep inhale, he leaned forward, delicately resting his head on his arm. He allowed himself a few moments of quiet contemplation, recognizing that he couldn't remain in this position forever.
Bringing himself back to the present, Lucius summoned the panel before him, revealing that he had 10 free attributes to allocate.
As he pondered his choices, he considered how to distribute his attributes, aiming to enhance his chances of survival and success.
[Status Panel]
[Name: Lucius Maxwell]
[Age 36/200]
[Level 1 Exp 10/100]
[HP 97/100]
[MP 100/100]
[Free Attributes 10]
[Strength 10]
[Health 10]
[Agility 10]
[Intelligence 10]
[Mana 10]
Skills
Gold 1
Lucius witnessed his health rise from 95 to 97, observing his wounds healing, and a sense of relief washed over him.
His gaze shifted towards the longsword in his inventory, knowing it would be essential for his journey. With that in mind, he decided to allocate 3 points to Strength, increasing it to 13.
Recognizing the importance of agility and reflexes in combat, he also allocated 3 points to Agility. These enhancements would enable him to move swiftly and react promptly to threats.
As for his intelligence and mana, he postponed allocating points to those attributes for now, unsure of their immediate significance.
Finally, he invested 3 points in Health, understanding the importance of endurance and survivability in his harsh new world. With one point left, he added it to Strength.
Clicking the "Okay" button to confirm his attribute allocation, Lucius felt a mild wave of discomfort, though it was less intense than his initial encounter with the system.
He clenched his fist, sensing a surge of power coursing through his body. Glancing at his updated stats, he could already see the noticeable difference his attribute allocation had made.
[Status Panel]
[Name: Lucius Maxwell]
[Age 36/200]
[Level 1 Exp 10/100]
[HP 97/130]
[MP 100/100]
[Free Attributes 0]
[Strength 14]
[Health 13]
[Agility 13]
[Intelligence 10]
[Mana 10]
Skills
Gold 1
Seeing he had grown stronger, he started thinking about his next move. He had to step outside the city's safety. Inside, he felt safe, but he knew it was a false sense of security. He understood that the system was trying to push people forward.
Not fooled by the safe haven it offered, Lucius left the room and met up with Kevin, who had just finished inspecting his own place closely.
''Do you want to come and check the surroundings?'' Lucius asked and Kevin nodded following him as they headed downstairs, ready to explore the surrounding area.
Over time, the crowd began to disperse, with people selecting rooms and finding spaces for themselves in their search for answers.
As they continued walking, Lucius's attention was drawn to a prominent sign indicating "Sector 1." Intrigued, he followed the sign and eventually arrived at a grand portal-like structure positioned at the end of the district.
As they neared the imposing portal, a digital interface materialized before them, displaying the words "Commercial District." Kevin, who had been closely observing alongside him, asked if they should check it out.
Taking a brief moment to reflect, he then nodded, his curiosity piqued by the prospect of exploring the commercial area.
Upon their approach to the portal, a selection materialized on the panel, its "Yes" and "No" blinked as choices. Following a moment of contemplation, Lucius clicked on "Yes," and an abrupt rush of dizziness overcame them.
Standing their ground, they regained their balance, and as the dizziness subsided, their vision cleared, revealing the vastness of the commercial district.
The area was void of houses, instead brimming with numerous empty shops. Just as Lucius was about to venture towards these deserted storefronts, he heard Kevin's voice calling out to him.
Kevin was standing by a map displayed on a wall, studying it intently.
The map provided a detailed layout of the round city they were in, marked with various locations like a tourist guide. They were currently situated in the heart of the city, specifically in the "Commercial District."
Examining the map closely, Lucius noticed the presence of the "Residence District" surrounding the central area, divided into sectors numbered from 1 to 100.
Drawing his attention further, Lucius discovered two highlighted spots on the map: the Northern Gate and the Southern Gate.
These gates served as the entrances and exits to the city from the outside world, providing a glimpse of the world beyond their current location.
Upon examining the map, they gained a clear understanding of the city's colossal size and shape.
With the map left behind, they embarked on a walk, taking in their surroundings and noticing several individuals who also seemed captivated by the impressive architecture and large vacant shops.Lucius and Kevin swiveled their heads in response to a voice calling out to them. "Wait!''!"
Their attention was drawn to an enthusiastic girl energetically waving her arms as she approached them.
Intrigued, they paused their walk and waited for her to catch up.
The girl, appearing to be around 25 years old, immediately caught their gaze with her slender build, vibrant green eyes, and long, flowing silver hair. At a height of 1.6 meters, she stood notably shorter than the two men. Lucius and Kevin stood still, allowing her to draw near.
While running, the girl whispered something under her breath. Lucius strained to listen, but her words were muffled and unclear, something like, "s... w... ..ve.m. po...to ..ill my...es."
However, as she got closer, her mutterings became more discernible. "Sword, give me power to kill my foes," she repeated.
She sped up and reached them in a flash, summoning a longsword with remnants of goblin blood on it.
Pouring all her energy into the sword and using her own weight, she leapt towards Lucius, bringing the sword down and shouting, "MOONLIGHT SLASH!"
But instead of hitting its intended target, a protective barrier appeared with a ding sound, deflecting her attack and sending her flying to the side of the road. She rolled on the ground, struggling to get up.
Lucius was left speechless. Initially, he flinched a bit in response to the incoming sword, but quickly calmed down, remembering the barrier, and felt reassured.
The outcome was as expected, and he stood there, observing the girl attempting to recover. Glancing at Kevin, who also appeared dumbfounded, scratching his head, he remarked aloud, "What an idiot."
With one last look at the girl's futile attempts to stand, Lucius and Kevin decided to simply walk away, leaving her behind.
As Lucius and Kevin continued walking, they couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and confusion at the encounter with the energetic girl.
They exchanged glances, silently acknowledging the oddity of the situation. Lucius, still processing what had just happened, couldn't resist asking Kevin about his reaction.
"What was that? She just pulled out a sword and attempted to strike me; do you know her?" Lucius voiced, still finding it odd.
Kevin chuckled, shaking his head. "No idea; that was something. 'Moonlight Slash,' was it? Quite the dramatic entrance."
Lucius shrugged, still slightly bewildered. "I guess some people have just lost it. But did you catch what she was muttering before she reached us? Something about a sword and killing her foes?"
Kevin frowned, recalling the words. "I couldn't make out the whole thing, but it sounded like she was asking for the sword to give her power to kill someone."
"Wait up, I didn't mean any harm," the girl said, now walking towards Lucius and Kevin with a hidden expression of panic.
She explained that she had only intended to test if the protective barrier was functional in this area.
Lucius looked at her curiously, raising an eyebrow. "Why would you want to test the barrier?"
The girl blushed and scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Well, you see, I'm a bit of a sword dao enthusiast, and I wanted to see if the barrier could withstand the power of my Moonlight Slash. I didn't mean to startle or harm anyone," she explained, a hint of embarrassment in her voice.
Lucius couldn't help but be surprised by her statement. "Moonlight Slash? Do you have a special skill?"
The girl shook her head, clarifying her point. "Oh, no, it's not a known skill or anything. I actually invented it myself and gave it the name 'Moonlight Slash''.
Lucius blinked, momentarily lost for words.
He glanced at Kevin, who also seemed a bit perplexed. Though he kept his thoughts to himself, Lucius couldn't help but think, 'What a moron.'
Deciding it was best not to dwell on it, Lucius simply nodded and said, "Well, that's quite creative of you. We all have our own ways of expressing ourselves, 'I suppose'."
The girl beamed, appreciating his understanding. "Thank you! I've been practicing it for a while, and it's a personal source of inspiration for me."
With the initial confusion settled, Lucius and Kevin continued on their way, occasionally stealing glances at the girl as she walked with them.
Despite their initial skepticism, they couldn't help but be intrigued by her unique personality and the passion she had for her self-created normal slash.
-----
[Author's Note Update (13/09/2023): After writing over 150 chapters for this book, I revisited the earlier ones and noticed at how much I've grown as a writer over time.]
To my readers, I can only recommend continuing your journey through this story until you reach chapter 40. If you find it doesn't resonate with you by that point, if you don't like it by then you can drop it.
The early chapters are a bit shaky as this was my first book, but going down the road the plot becomes mind-blowing, especially in the letter chapters, as everything comes together like a puzzle, making you shocked!
[Best of luck, Crown Nyx.]