I traced my way back the way I came the other day when I stayed in the forest. Eventually, I found what I was looking for. I stood before a large cave that menaced anyone who came near it for a few seconds before swiftly rushing inside.
The last time, I had already familiarised myself with the layout of the cave. I would still get it mixed up sometimes, but I was sure there was no way I would lose to my pursuers in terms of familiarity with the cave. Hence, this base gave me an advantage over them. I could perform sneak attacks through the linked tunnels and hide away somewhere they couldn't even find me.
I followed a very familiar tunnel, turning, winding and branching as it did, until I arrived at the last place I fought magical beasts. I looked all around the empty place and found some places to hide.
I quickly took the initiative to jump in one of those hiding places and bring up a certain dark red screen. If I wanted to go toe to toe against those guys, I would need some insurance. If I was sneaking, however, I would need to be very stealthy still.
I currently had twelve skill points. I got two of them from levelling up twice following when I obtained the sword and got 1000 experience points, while the other ten were from I raining the sword.
'The sword!' I moved my hand through the air and my wrist disappeared. 'I will never get used to this.' I thought as a smile came to my face.
I had unlocked Storage as a skill when I entered level 5, enabling me to preserve anything I put inside the separate dimension it created. The separate dimension, well, I think it was just a whole other plane. Kind of like, The Aether where Olympus was, or The Nether where dead souls went.
As I moved my hand out of the separate dimension, the sword came with it. I had stored the sword on my way here, attempting test the skill. As I brought out the sword, I took a very good look at it, for the first time since I bought it. It was just like any other common sword, except only a little different.
The blade was a dark black metallic colour, indicating the sword wasn't polished like those fancy swords nobles used, which was quite unnatural for me since it ought to have been a mythical item.
The crossguard down to the pommel was red, like the colour of blood. But barely noticeable, on the center of the crossguard and inclining a bit into the rain guard was a dark black symbol of a spiral that gave off a haughty feeling. I remembered feeling something like this before.
I turned my right hand upside down and on my wrist, right there, I could feel the same thing as I looked at the symbol of the bull with a nose ring.
New quest received: Find out the link between the adventurer's guild and thr mythical Sword of The Nether.
Pending quest: Defeat your father in a duel and prove your worth to him.
Reward: +5 skill points, + New skill
'So they are related, huh? I wonder why the system didn't tell me what relations they have this time and actually gave it to me as a quest. Ah, well. More rewards for me.'
As I thought this, I heard a noise coming from the tunnel entrance. It was the sound if footsteps. I stilled my breathing and waited for whoever was passing by to do so, while I made sure to be just alert on whether or not they had found me or were close to doing so.
I looked at my stats. and the skill points and made a decision.
'System, assign five skill points to strength, three skill points to agility and four skill points to dexterity. That should take up all twelve of my skill points.'
Assigning skill points...
Do you wish to assign:
Five skill points to Strength;
Three skill points to Agility; and
Four skill points to Dexterity?
Yes. No.
'Yes, assign the skill points.'
Confirmed.
Strength +5
Strength: 15
Agility +3
Agility: 10
Dexterity +4
Dexterity: 10
User: Jason Xilmoa
Age: Twelve
Race: Human
Level: 5
Experience: 550/800
Vitality: 100/100
Magic Essence: 10/10
Strength: 15
Agility: 10
Dexterity: 10
Intelligence: 5
Stamina: 5
Skill points: 0
Skills:
Last Fortress;
Dauntless (Passive);
Domination;
Storage.
As I took one last look at all the information the system displayed, three of them finally went past me without noticing my presence. They were headed for the other end from where they entered the cave, still searching for me.
Just as I was about to move, one of them spoke up.
"Hey, are you sure that kid came this way? I mean, are you even sure he is some kid of some rich merchant? What if you were wrong?"
"Shut up!" An old man said. "I know what I saw. This kid had coppers falling off of him. If we can capture him, we'll certainly make his parents pay a hefty sum, then we can be rich men. Ain't that what ye be wanting?"
"Hear, hear! 'Tis what we be wanting, sir." The other man who hadn't spoken until now said. "But what if he was already found?" He added.
"You don't mean... " The old man suddenly went into silent contemplation. "It is possible we could have mixed up which direction he went and those guys found him. But I don't think they'll be too willing to share in the profits if they did. I wouldn't."
"Aye, that big bastard and his squas of mercenary adventurers. He be lucky if he find the brat. But we could just ambush them, eh?" This time, it was the first man to voice a complaint that had spoke up. Their ruthlessness made me sick.
I slowly walked out if my hiding place so they could see me as called out in a low voice.
"Hey!" They all turned to look at me as I brandished a blunt looking sword. I wasn't scared. I could go toe to toe with them if I pleased, after all they weren't adventurers. But what I was too eager to try out that made me jump out of hiding was the sword, and it was because of a simple message from the system.
New quest: The Sword of The Nether is hungry for the souls of the corrupt. Do you dare feed it?