In the end, everyone had touched the portal.
The race transformation happened a few more times. A dwarf had joined us, a centaur, a wood-nymph and a spider.
The spider had immediately disappeared into the woods. A short panic had occurred, but the person didn't have any relatives or friends in the group. And people generally wanted to take the odds for gaining a skill, so they had continued to touch the portal in turn.
Concluding the beginning of the camps transformation. We sent all the people back to the camp, escorted by all my units.
Thomas, Charlotte, Calf, Rolf, Chioma and myself, entered the portal to destroy the orc threat so close to camp.
I spend some silver and provided everyone with a health potion. Rolf had his staff and skill. Chioma her 2 daggers. I had my sword.
So additionally I provided a cheap bow and arrows for Charlotte, as she had been a competitive marksman before the shockwave.
Thomas had the taunt skill, so I provided a cheap sword, but a full set of leather armor, equal to my own, and a rather expensive shield. As he could be a very important character later on. His health jumped from 40 to 120 from the equipment alone.
Calf had explained his skills. Apparently he could channel and greatly increase his mana regeneration during moonlight. And the energy bolt was a low cost mana cheat, low damage, but fast bolt of energy that could potentially stun a foe. His title had provided him with a minor attribute boost and the bow mastery skill. So I provided him with the same bow and arrow as Charlotte.
I was starting to regret it, as I saw my silver reserves plummet to zero. But helping these people now, could help us later. Letting me farm and grow alone, without having to worry about Rolf and Chioma.
Thomas, Chioma and I took the frontline. With Rolf, Charlotte and Calf in support.
The dungeon was a cave again, similar to the first goblin cave we had entered. The tunnels just seemed slightly larger, and every group of orcs we met, was in a pack of 6. Mostly scavengers, but occasionally a warrior or mage would be in the pack.
It didn't take long for the newbies to get accustomed to fighting, in this new way. But their mana had long been exhausted in the exception of Calf, who seemed to have an unnatural amount of it, being an elf.
Chioma and Thomas had each received a Healing bolt from Charlotte. It was super effective, a potential High rank healing skill, if she kept training it.
It didn't take many packs of orcs, before they all leveled up. Including Rolf and Chioma.
Rolf Raven. Level 5
Health: 85. Mana: 120. Fatigue: 49/125
Class: Arcane Mage
Skill: Fireball. Frost Nova. (Item skill: Entangle). Arcane barrier. Arcane knowledge. Arcane missiles.
Rolf was particularly happy about the arcane knowledge skill. It let him channel for 5 seconds every 10 minutes. Completely restoring his mana and revealing information about a single object, similar to my eternal eye skill.
Chioma Adewale. Level 5
Health: 95. Mana: 65. Fatigue: 135.
Class: Scout
Skill: Strength punch. Camouflage. Dagger throw. Dagger mastery (F-Rank.)
Her camouflage skill, was the first passive skill we had encountered, apart from the weapon mastery ones. Whenever she squatted, or sneaked around, her entire body would become transparent, not invisible. But simply hard to detect, as she would blend in, with whatever background she was in.
We had a small break, eating some ash bread and drinking some water, getting our mana reserves back. We implemented some rules. You get to loot your own kill. That seemed fair to everyone, as the newbies knew they would get access to the shop at level 5. Besides that, we discussed that it had taken longer for them to level up, since there were more of us to share the experience, how ever that was defined.
The tunnels were long, and it took almost two hours before we reached the end cave. The newbies had reached level 3 at this point.
The cave was almost barren. 4 orc mages was performing some kind of ritual, around a huge black-polished stone, enlightened by 6 torches in the ground.
A huge green orc, covered in tattoos was kneeling to the stone.
Orc Chief. Level 12
Health: 330. Mana: 135. Fatigue: 1/450.
Class: Monster boss.
Skill: Berserk. Axe mastery (E-Rank). Regeneration.
The mages was common orc-mages with frostbolt skills.
"Are you all ready? According to our previous encounters. The boss, the orc with tattoos, wont engage before the others are dead." Rolf looked around to see how we fared.
The newbies caught on fast, desperate to learn everything they could.
"I think Thomas and the others, should stay back until the boss is engaged. If we time it properly, Thomas can taunt the boss, while I slow him with entangle and nova. Leaving it completely helpless by any attacks."
"I think that's a solid plan Rolf. According to the skills it have, I don't think it stands a chance against our setup." I nodded to the others and we engaged it right away.
Killing the mages was easy. The boss fixed on me, only to stop and look towards Thomas, who had his shield held high, and starring directly at the boss.
It let out a huge ferocious roar and started to trash its way to Thomas, swinging its giant axe about.
Rolf kept rooting it, only halting it for a second before it tore itself free, but it was enough to slow it down. Calf spend all his mana, hammering it with energy bolts, occasionally making it tremble in place, before it continued its trashing towards Thomas.
Charlotte fired arrow after arrow, barely scraping the huge orc, but enough to piss it off. Chioma had a hard time landing a blow, as the orc's axe was flailing wildly as it went.
But eventually they tired it enough for me to jump in and claim the loot for myself. It's head skewered in a single slash of my blade.
*Level up*
Level 10! I almost expected the time to slow. But nothing happened. I was mildly disappointed as I looted the boss.
*Looted 3S, 57C.*
*Looted item: Chief's battle axe*
*Looted Minor healing potion x2*
The axe was a large 1-handed axe, with +7 strength and + 2 stamina. The first double attribute I had seen. But I didn't like axes, so I didn't want to use it myself. However, I would hold on to it for now. Maybe someone in the camp would buy it, for a good price, before we left this place.
"Search the area, sometimes there are chests that contain additional treasure!" Rolf spoke loudly and happily.
It didn't take long before I noticed the chest, it was hidden behind the dark stone in the center.
"It's over here!" I didn't wait for them, I was greedy, I wanted an offensive skill!
I leaned on the stone, reaching down to touch the chest.
But time slowed down, eventually stopping.
I was floating in the familiar darkness.
*Spin the profession wheel*
A tiny version of the giant wheel appeared before me.
It was much smaller, enabling me to grasp its entirety. No light was flowing, yet the triangular roulette sections was the same. But they were all dark, hiding the information beneath.
I was used to the deal by now, so I spun the wheel without further notice.
Tic tic tic tic tic tic...
*Profession gained: Mining*
*Ending session 3..... Error*
"Activating title: the first*
*Updating professions*
*Processing..... Succes*
*Spin the profession wheel*
I spun it again.
Tic tic tic tic tic...
*Gained profession: Constructor*
"Anomaly detected*
*Two professions not possible*
*Calculating solution*
*Merging professions..... Succes*
*Unique profession obtained: Ore manipulator*
*Ending session in 3. 2. 1.*
"What the! STOP everyone!" I was back in the cave.
They gathered around me as I explained this new turn of events.
Getting them up to speed, they all touched the stone.
Chef, herbalist, Alchemist.... Different professions was provided.
"I can't wait to try my Chef profession! It looks like I can add flavors to our fucking ingredients!" Chioma was ecstatic beyond belief, by the prospect of actually tasting food again.
As they were all preoccupied, studying and discussing the professions. I quickly touched the chest.
A golden flash covered the cave, as the chest opened.
*Looted skill: Dual-sword mastery.*
"Hey hey! Shouldn't we decide who get that loot?* It was Calf. Why did he have to be so righteous? Annoying elf.
On the way back, I had to hand over the skill tome to Rolf for safekeeping.
"If we can't decide who should have this skill, we should sell it later and split the money." Rolf was logical as ever.
I quickly sold all my inventory trash, that didn't have attributes or the ingredient description to it.
"How much copper have you guys earned, clearing this place?" I asked.
They all stopped and waved their hands in the air.
"24 copper." "19 copper." "41 copper." "33 copper." "31 copper." They all answered in turn.
"Allright, as you all know by now, that shop is a sure way to boost our gear, and hence our chance of survival. It's also possible to buy food and water, though without taste, it is equally important for survival."
Rolf smiled at me with a glint in his eye, knowing exactly what i was trying to do.
"That's right folks, also remember that Frey provided you all with equipment to protect you before we entered here."
"Oh don't mention that, I just wanted to keep them safe!" Rolf had played his part well. "I have saved up some silver, and I want to offer all of you 1 silver and 50 copper for the tome."
They were all thinking about it for a while. Except Rolf and Chioma, they had a basic understanding, that with this new reality, a skill like this could be worth, potentially, a whole lot more.
But as the newbies thought about it, with an average of 30 copper, they realized that 1 silver and 50 copper would boost their own currency by about 500%. So they all agreed.
I emptied my currency and handed them each the coins, while Rolf, with a big smile, handed me the tome.