Krez remained in the comfy recliner throughout the night, thoroughly reading the first book, "History of Gorark." The book elevated Krez's understanding to a new level. The first revelation was that Gorark was a continent in this world.
Nevria was the name of this world, and Gorark was situated as the southernmost continent. The northern parts of Gorark were described as blazing hot and sunny, gradually becoming colder as one traveled south until daily snowfall and ice. The "History of Gorark" also mentioned the existence of three other continents but provided no further details, not even disclosing their names.
As Krez pondered the contents of the history book, he discovered that Gorark lacked a centralized government. Instead, the continent was governed by the 3 families and the Supreme sect, each specializing in their unique areas of expertise.
The Voight family excelled in body cultivation and crafting, dominating the blazing north of Gorark. The Lin family specialized in soul cultivation and alchemy, situated in the temperate east. The Castor family prioritized magical insights, focusing solely on their mage expertise in the frozen south.
Lastly, the Supreme sect was an all-rounder, encompassing crafters, alchemists, body cultivators, soul cultivators, and mages, with its primary focus on combat. The Supreme sect was located in the west.
In the center of Gorark lay a colossal city named Arbon, serving as the continent's capital. It surpassed the combined size of the main cities controlled by the powerful families and the Supreme sect. Arbon's governance was a joint effort of the three families and the Supreme sect, providing a neutral ground where members from all factions could convene.
Even armed with all this new information, Krez was still uncertain about his current location. However, he acknowledged that when he eventually reached civilization, the acquired knowledge would provide him with a foundational understanding, ensuring he wouldn't stand out like a sore thumb.
The history book also offered insights into how each power rose to its current status, and Krez found many of these stories intriguing. However, he decided it was time to move on. While he planned to delve into the other two books during his free time, for now, he felt he had spent enough time in the hidden study.
As Krez made his way back to the campground in the warded grove, he encountered a snake along the route, dispatching it added the last bit of experience required for a level up and dinner. Eager to see the results, he accessed his stat page, choosing to evenly distribute the attributes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Krez~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Level: 35
Body Realm: 1st stage Mercenary
+ Strength: 113
Agility: 200 (Locked)
+ Vitality: 113
+ Stamina: 113
Available Attributes: 1
(Exp): 40/3500
________________________________________
Krez made a plan. He put points into strength, stamina, and vitality equally, but saved one point each time. These saved points were like a secret stash, waiting for when he advanced his body cultivation realm. Krez had a clear strategy: once he reached stage 2 Mercenary, unlocking his agility, he would unleash his stockpiled attribute points solely on agility. After all, Krez was building for speed.
While reflecting on his progress, Krez couldn't help but wonder about the potential of leveling up his talent, The Gamer, once more. The question lingered in his mind: would another level up grant him additional attributes, further enhancing his capabilities?
As Krez waited for the snake to cook over the campfire, he took out the second book, Beast and Plants Compendium. Immersed in its pages, he discovered that it essentially served as a dictionary, offering comprehensive details about various plants and beasts.
The book covered a range of information, including proper techniques for harvesting specific plants and the main weaknesses of various animals. This resource became a valuable reference for Krez, providing insights into the diverse flora and fauna of the world.
While engrossed in the Beast and Plants Compendium, Krez made a significant discovery. He unraveled the meaning behind power levels that he saw when using Inspect on the skeleton boss. This numerical system was a tool widely used in Gorark, serving as a measure of a Enemies strength. It provided crucial information for adventurers and cultivators, helping them gauge if they were formidable enough to confront a particular creature or Monster.
Krez found the power level system ingenious in its simplicity. The number before the decimal point indicated the realm of the beast or monster, while the number after the point represented its stage. For example, a creature with a power level of 2.4 would be akin to a soul cultivator in the Foundation Establishment realm at the fourth stage. This straightforward system provided a clear and efficient way to assess the strength of creatures.
Krez stowed away the Beast and Plants Compendium in his inventory and approached the campfire where the snake was cooking. Grabbing the cooked snake, he headed to his bed and sat in the tent pulling out the third readable book, The Art of crafting. As he delved into its contents, Krez discovered valuable insights on hammer techniques, metal resonance, and crafting one-star items. The book provided essential information on creating a blacksmithing bench and furnace, offering the potential to elevate his crafting endeavors.
Realizing that this knowledge could transform his makeshift fur armor into something sturdier or even unlock the creation of one-star items, Krez became motivated to delve into the world of crafting. The book also introduced him to the star system, a rating system that assessed items, armors, martial arts, spells and cultivation techniques from one to nine stars. Krez realized The Art of crafting was a series he had vol.1 it focused on the basics and crafting one-star items, Krez speculated that there might be subsequent volumes for higher-level crafting.
Krez made a decision to begin gathering materials the next day to construct a crafting table and a furnace. This initiative aimed at crafting a 1 star armor. His plan involved merging the metal plate armor pieces acquired from the skeleton boss with leather components, creating a set of armor that prioritized lightness, flexibility, and durability.
With The Art of crafting book safely stored in his inventory, Krez reclined on his bed, gradually succumbing to the embrace of sleep. The knowledge he had gained and the plans for crafting better armor lingered in his thoughts as he welcomed the tranquility of the night.