Cast through a vortex of light and shadow, he landed on a grassy lawn within a medieval city. As he rose, a blue screen materialized before him.
[Congratulations, Host, for acquiring the Merchant System, courtesy of Goddess Gaia.]
[The Host may exchange Merchant System Points to purchase items from the Store System.]
[Items in the System Store are categorized:]
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[The Host can earn MSP by trading items or creatures. (Note: Corpses will fetch half the original price. The more damaged a corpse, the less its value. "Aim to keep them intact.")]
[The Host has been granted a super-rare, gold-grade item: comprehension of all languages. The user can understand, speak, read, and write in any language.]
[There is a 50% chance the Host will sustain brain damage.]
Suddenly, his head was assaulted by the sensation of a hundred needles stabbing into it, as if gasoline were being poured into my brain. The agony was so intense that he lost consciousness. Upon awakening, using the water fountain for support, he realized that what had transpired was not a dream. It explained the gaps in his memory—he had suffered brain damage from the Goddess's 'gift.'
"That shitty Goddess! She will pay for this!"
Out of the blue, he was struck by a small bolt of lightning. It inflicted minor damage but was not lethal.
[Warning to the Host: The Goddess is ever-watchful.]
After being struck by lightning by the capricious goddess, Eli began to inventory his equipment. He examined his attire first: a blue tunic paired with a dark brown vest, cuff-anchored pants, leather boots, and a cloak enveloping his frame. Additionally, he carried a short elven sword and two hefty silver coins.
"Where to first?"
Eli pondered.
"In tales such as this, the protagonist usually seeks out the Adventurers' Guild. That shall be my first stop."
Inquiring at various shops, Eli received directions to the Adventurers' Guild. However, each interaction was a struggle against his innate high elf superiority complex, urging him to view others as insignificant pests.
To mask his contempt for those not of high elf descent, he would close his eyes and muster the most insincere smile whenever making eye contact. He hastened to the guild, suppressing the urge to assert his dominance over those he deemed inferior.
Upon reaching the Adventurers' Guild, he observed numerous adventurers reveling together. To them, it was a festive gathering; to Eli, they were no more than boisterous primates engaged in frivolous antics. Like monkeys throwing their feces at each other.
"Maybe they'll eat it too."
Eli covered his mouth with his hands, shocked by the words that had just slipped out. He knew he had to be cautious with his words, or his mindset could land him in serious trouble.
"Damn, I must watch what I say, or it could be the death of me, especially if someone takes offense to my backhanded compliments."
Eli navigated through the throng of partygoers, skillfully avoiding any potential trouble. Upon reaching the front desk, he observed one of the guild clerks. She resembled a blonde, buxom model straight out of a fashion magazine.
"Great, another Dark Elf from the sticks here to sign up as an adventurer. I don't have time for these country bumpkins. I'll just pass him off to another clerk."
She muttered under her breath as she caught Eli's gaze and directed him to a colleague.
The clerk who assisted him stood out with her long brown hair, red eyes, standing 152 cm tall, and an hourglass figure. But it was the pair of bunny ears atop her head that truly made her unique among the clerks.
"Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild, sir. Would you like to register, change your profession, or is there another way we can assist you?"
Eli, puzzled, inquired about the meaning of 'jobs.'
"Yes, miss. My name is Eli, and I wish to register. But could you explain what 'changing jobs' entails?"
Removing his hood, he revealed his visage to her.
"Ah, you must be a young Dark Elf embarking on his pilgrimage to adulthood. I am Bonnie Eclair, your personal clerk. Don't worry; it's common for elves to come to Carthage to start their adventures."
Bonnie noticed Eli's gaze fixated on her ears throughout their conversation.
"If my ears intrigue you, it's likely you've never encountered a Therianthrope Bunny before, have you?"
Eli rapidly shook his head, eliciting a light chuckle from her at his naivety.
"My apologies, Eli. I didn't mean to laugh; it's just that Therianthropes are quite prevalent in these lands. They are humanoids with animalistic features and some traits of their respective animals."
After her apology, she retrieved a stack of books from the backroom.
She then presented various tomes about the world.
"To start, Eli, you'll need 40 gems to join the Adventurers' Guild. Are you familiar with our monetary system?"
Eli shook his head, indicating his lack of knowledge about the currency.
Bonnie then began to extract various coins from beneath her desk.
"Eli, I'm going to teach you about the forms of currency and their values. First, there's the copper coin, worth one gem in our currency. Ten copper coins equal the value of one large copper coin. Two large copper coins are worth one silver coin. Ten silver coins equal one large silver coin. Five large silver coins make one gold coin. And finally, ten gold coins are worth one large gold coin."
Copper coins= 1 gem
Big Copper coin= 10 gems
Silver coin= 20 gems
Big Silver coin= 200 gems
Gold coin= 1,000 gems
Big Gold coin= 10,000 gems
"Do you have any money for the registration, Eli?"
He rummaged through his pockets and produced two large silver coins.
"This is all I have at the moment."
This meant that Eli had a total of 400 gems.
Bonnie observed his gear as he searched for his coins. His clothing was of the highest quality, in near-perfect condition, and all of elven design.
'Incredible! Most elves arrive with a single silver coin if they're fortunate, and most novice adventurers don't encounter a large silver coin in their first year. A commoner wouldn't carry so many gems; this boy must be of noble or affluent lineage.'
'Perfect! He could become an excellent client and possibly aid in my advancement. Plus, he's quite handsome for an elf. If he's wealthier, perhaps I could even consider him as a benefactor.'
She exchanged one of his large silver coins for eight smaller ones, along with a metallic card and a needle.
"Now Eli, you must prick yourself with the needle and place a drop of blood on the card to initiate your registration."
Eli pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the card, which immediately began to glow, displaying his name, race, stats, and job level, which was listed as none.
"Excellent. You're now registered. Remember not to divulge your card details to others. Your information could be exploited, a lesson many new adventurers learn the hard way."
She then retrieved a crystal orb from beneath her desk while he waited for further instructions.
"Eli, place your hand on the crystal orb; it will disclose your potential jobs. The first selection is complimentary. Subsequent changes will cost forty gems, and you'll begin at F rank. Everyone starts there and advances to higher ranks by completing quests. S rank is the pinnacle for adventurers, with F Rank being the lowest. Our city boasts a single A Rank adventurer and several at B Rank. Only the Royal Palace and major cities have multiple S Rank adventurers."
Eli did as Bonnie instructed, touching the crystal orb, which illuminated, revealing various job titles: Rogue, Wizard, Archer, Swashbuckler, Merchant, and Adventurer. Then, the sound of a bell resonated in his mind.
Ding!
[Host! The Goddess Gaia has offered a Quest]
[Secret Quest: Break the norm and take the Adventures Job title]
[Reward: 500 MSP and 10 gold coins]
He would have accepted the offer if it had come from anyone else. But not from that detestable Goddess! His trust in her was as limited as the distance he could throw her.
"Bonnie, what can you tell me about the Adventurer job title?"
"Eli, I must caution you regarding the Adventurer job title. It might seem appealing initially, but it's fraught with disadvantages. Anyone who has taken on this title has quickly abandoned it, and those who have declined it have regretted the decision for life. Job titles are tiered. Each advancement grants one skill point for your skill tree, capping at a hundred points per title."
"Each skill can only be allocated a maximum of S Rank. Distributing points across skills can elevate your proficiency from Beginner to Average, then Proficient, Expert, and Master. Each title comes with a distinct skill tree, inaccessible to other titles, except for the Adventurer. This title grants access to all skill trees, but limits their skill to D Ranks, rendering the holder versatile but not specialized."
"The catch is significant: holding this title incurs a 15% penalty on all earned experience. Reaching level 100 solidifies the title permanently, perpetuating the experience loss indefinitely. Most Adventurers abandon the title before advancing too far. Switching titles locks the Adventurer title until reactivation is chosen, which is rare. However, skills acquired are retained. This rule applies to all titles: upon switching, the title's benefits are lost, but the skills remain."
RACE: Sun Elf
NAME: Eli Rivers
Job Level: 0
Health Points: 130
Mana Points: 65
Stamina Points: 170
Attunement: 13
Vitality: 13
Endurance: 17
Strength: 14
Dexterity: 19
Perception: 15
Skill: 16
Charisma: 16
Luck: 18