THE SYSTEM I MADE
Chapter 9
"Ambush at Emberfall"
"Notice, you have entered the Emberfall forest, the territory of the orc clan," AIDA, the AI system, announced, its voice a steady whisper in Alexander Eldraine's ear. Clad in a dark cloak, Alex's face was obscured by a mask that transformed his voice, adding another layer of mystery to his already enigmatic presence. The forest around him was draped in darkness, with only the occasional rustle of leaves and distant howls piercing the silence.
"It's so dark out here," Alex murmured, pushing through thick underbrush and avoiding low-hanging branches. His eyes, glowing a subtle blue under the mask, scanned the environment, every sense alert.
Ahead, a flicker of light caught his attention. It wasn't the gentle glow of fireflies but rather the harsh, warning blaze of fire, signs of life and, potentially, danger. Alex treaded carefully, his thoughts racing. Could there be villagers foolish enough to reside in such peril? Or was it something more sinister?
His question was soon answered as AIDA issued another alert:
"Warning, strong magical energy has been detected towards your direction."
"That means no humans, only the orc clan," Alex deduced, his heart rate picking up. He approached a cliff overlooking the light source, providing him a strategic viewpoint. Below lay an orc village, crudely built but bustling with activity. Orcs of various sizes and builds milled about, their grunts and shouts creating a cacophony of chaos.
"There are so many orcs... A direct attack would be suicide," Alex whispered to himself. His gaze landed on a group of smaller, nimble figures patrolling the outskirts of the village, scout orcs.
"AIDA, confirm the identity and duties of those smaller orcs over there," he commanded, focusing his enhanced vision on them.
"Orcs identified as Scout orcs. Smaller, quicker orcs tasked with patrolling the clan's territory. They use stealth and speed to report on enemy movements and ambush intruders," AIDA replied, providing tactical data.
"Perfect, they'll be the ones ambushed this time," Alex smirked beneath his mask. "AIDA, activate night vision mode."
"Activation complete. Night vision mode is now enabled," AIDA confirmed. The world before Alex transformed, details sharpening under a greenish hue.
He descended the cliff silently, blending into the shadows as he positioned himself above a patrol route. Not far from his location, he placed a small, glowing blue magical item as bait, a simple but effective lure.
The scout orc, intrigued by the sudden appearance of the glowing object, deviated from its path, drawn like a moth to flame. It reached out, its rough, calloused hands inches from the magical bait.
"The orc is in position," AIDA noted.
With precision Alex dropped from his perch, sword in hand, plunging down onto the unsuspecting orc. The impact was lethal, the sword's blade piercing through the orc's skull with a sickening crunch.
"You have successfully killed one scout orc. You have earned 10 distribution points. You have earned 20 points," the system's screen flashed before his eyes, signaling the completion of his grim task.
As he retrieved his sword, wiping the blade clean on the orc's tunic, Alex's mind was already moving on to the next phase of his plan. Tonight was just the beginning, and Emberfall forest was about to reveal its deeper secrets.
"Great, I won distribution points!" he said, looking at the screens. "Stats," he said, activating a command. All of his stats appeared on the screen. "Affirmative," the AI said.
- Strength: 7/100
- Dexterity: 5/100
- Constitution: 3/100
- Intelligence: 6/100
- Wisdom: 4/100
- Charisma: 5/100
- Stamina: 8/100
- Fatigue: Low
- Agility: 5/100
- Magical Abilities: 0/100
- Luck: 3/100
Available distribution points: (10)
"I see, there are more of those scout orcs around. I'll need to increase my agility to match their speed. After killing them, I'll focus on distributing my points on strength considering there are orcs with enormous strength," he thought to himself. "Aida, distribute all ten points to agility," he said.
"Affirmative, distributing all points to agility. Process completed. Player's agility has risen to 15 of 100," the AI said. A blue aura appeared on him, a clear indication of increased speed.
"Time to hunt," he said, but just as he was about to leave, three scout orcs appeared, brought by their missing comrade. The other two scout orcs went after Alex as the other one sprinted to alert the others they are under attack.
"Dammit, it's escaping," the two scout orcs charged at him with incredible speed, attempting to finish him, but Alex quickly maneuvered and counterattacked by stabbing the heart of one orc and beheading the other. The orc ran and ran to report, but its steps slowed down as if time was being slowed or in slow motion as it looked down. Its head slowly separated from its body; its body fell down.
'You have slain a scout orc'
'You have slain a scout orc'
'You have earned a total of 20 distribution points'
'You have used 10 distribution points'
'You have 10 distribution points remaining'
'You have slain a scout orc'
'You have earned 10 distribution points, you have 20 distribution points remaining'
All these popped up on the system's screens and were narrated by the AI. Alex was breathing heavily under the mask, his sword full of monster blood after successfully slaying four scout orcs in total.
As Alex wiped the blade of his sword clean, the display in front of him flickered to life, a notification pulsing in the corner of his vision. His heart quickened—rewards were few and far between in this merciless game.
"You have been awarded an Assassin's Robe," announced Aida, his AI companion, her voice a calm constant amidst the chaos of the orc village.
"An Assassin's Robe?" Alex echoed, his interest piqued. He hadn't expected such a specialized item this early in the game. "Aida, use appraisal."
"Affirmative," Aida responded promptly. Her circuits hummed softly as she accessed the data. A moment later, the air before Alex shimmered slightly as the robe's statistics materialized in a holographic display.
Assassin's Robe
- Stealth Bonus: Increases wearer's stealth capabilities, rendering them nearly invisible in low light.
- Shadow Blend:Allows the wearer to meld into shadows, becoming undetectable to the naked eye.
- Reduced Weight:Enhances mobility by minimizing encumbrance.
- Critical Hit Increase: Boosts the likelihood of landing critical hits by 20%.
- Poison Resistance:Provides 50% resistance to common poisons.
- Agility Boost: Increases agility by 30 points.
Alex's eyes widened at the last feature; a boost of 30 points to agility could drastically alter his combat dynamics. "Aida, equip the robe."
"Processing request," Aida confirmed. A soft glow enveloped Alex as the robe materialized around him, replacing his cloak with its sleek, dark fabric that seemed to drink in the light around it.
Instantly, he felt lighter, his movements more fluid than ever before. He flexed his fingers, the fabric whispering against his skin, and a slight thrill ran down his spine. With this robe, he was a shadow, a whisper of death unseen and unheard.
"Time to put this to the test," Alex murmured, eyeing the orc patrol lazily guarding the next encampment. Clad in the Assassin's Robe, he felt the rush of confidence swell within him.
With a strategic plan forming in his mind, Alex blended into the shadows cast by the dying light, moving closer to his unsuspecting targets. The game had changed, and he was now its deadliest player.