As Vincent walked alongside Caelius, exploring the sanctuary, he absorbed the wealth of information his new acquaintance shared, solidifying the knowledge he'd gleaned from his prior research.
"The No. 3 Novice Sanctuary is under the rule of the Crystallians, a neutral race," Caelius explained, his voice tinged with a hint of admiration.
"They're known for their fair governance, which is a blessing in this melting pot of races."
Vincent nodded, committing the information to memory.
"What about the living arrangements here?" he inquired, his eyes scanning the impressive structures around them.
Caelius's lips quirked into a knowing smile.
"Ah, that's where it gets interesting. For newbies like yourself, the first two days are on the house. After that, you'll need to pay taxes to stay."
"And if I choose not to pay?" Vincent asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Then you're on your own in the wild," Caelius replied, his tone turning serious.
"Trust me, you don't want that. If you leave the Origin World while outside the sanctuary, you'll spawn back in the wild when you return. It's a death sentence for most newbies."
Vincent felt that it does makes sense.
"I see. What else should I know about the sanctuary's layout?"
"The sanctuary is divided into three districts: outer, middle, and core," Caelius continued, gesturing to different areas as they walked.
"Living in the middle or core districts comes with perks, but you'll need to earn contribution points to gain access."
"What kind of perks?" Vincent asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Discounts, valuable connections, access to special trade routes," Caelius listed off, a glint in his eye.
"But don't get ahead of yourself. For now, focus on understanding the system and surviving."
Vincent nodded, his mind already working on strategies to climb the ranks.
"Where to next?"
"The Novice Center," Caelius announced, pointing to a grand building ahead.
"It's the go-to place for newbies and unaffiliated individuals. You can gather and sell info, take on missions, and trade items there."
As they approached the imposing structure of the Novice Center.
The building's architecture was a testament to the advanced civilization of the Origin World, its sleek lines and imposing presence a stark contrast to anything he'd seen on Earth.
Upon entering, Vincent was immediately struck by the diversity of races bustling about inside.
Beings of all shapes, sizes, and colors moved with purpose, their conversations creating a low hum of activity.
Human faces were few and far between, most hidden behind masks or concealed beneath hooded robes.
Vincent touched the black mask Caelius had given him earlier, grateful for the anonymity it provided. Through the mask, only his striking purple eyes were visible, a feature he hoped wouldn't draw too much attention.
As they made their way through the crowd, Vincent couldn't help but notice the sideways glances and hushed whispers directed at Caelius.
His companion seemed either oblivious or deliberately ignorant of the attention.
"Man, why is that demon here?" Vincent overheard someone mutter.
"I heard he massacred a group of rogue warriors again," another voice added, tinged with fear.
"Yeah, and didn't he kill the youngest master of the Blackthorn clan?" a third chimed in.
The whispers continued, painting a picture of Caelius that was at odds with the helpful, almost cheerful demeanor he'd shown Vincent.
Curiosity gnawed at him, but he pushed it aside for the moment. There were more pressing matters at hand.
They approached a long counter where five women of various races attended to visitors. Vincent stepped up to an available attendant, an Almaurian woman with almond eyes and copper skin.
"How can I help you?" she asked, her voice professional and courteous.
"I'd like to register," Vincent replied, keeping his voice steady.
The woman nodded. "Certainly. Do you have any affiliation?"
Vincent questioned. "What's the difference if I'm affiliated or not?"
The attendant's expression softened slightly, recognizing a newcomer.
"Well, if you're affiliated with a guild, clan, or sect and want to join our organization, you'll have access to special missions with amazing rewards. Without affiliation, you'll only be able to access normal and some elite missions. You can still join other registered warriors for special missions, though."
Vincent nodded, suddenly recalling the District Leader's offer. He filed that information away for later consideration.
"I'm not currently affiliated with any organization," he stated.
"I understand," the attendant replied, tapping on a digital screen beside her. With a fluid motion, she dragged a virtual screen towards Vincent.
"Please fill this out."
Vincent quickly completed the form, providing his chosen alias 'Shroud', his current rank, and confirming his unaffiliated status. As he passed the screen back, the attendant continued working, her fingers dancing across the interface.
A moment later, a faint light shimmered before her, coalescing into a circular token. She handed it to Vincent with a smile.
"This will be your identification token."
Vincent accepted it, marveling at the strange material. It seemed almost alive, with lines of green and blue pulsing across its surface. The inscription "Tier 1 - 1★" was prominently displayed, with 'Shroud' written beneath.
"The token serves multiple purposes," the attendant explained.
"It's your ID when leaving the sanctuary, grants you two days of free lodging in the outer district inns, and allows you to track mission progress. It also has an emergency signal function."
Vincent nodded, absorbing the information.
"Where can I accept missions?" he asked, eager to get started.
The attendant pointed to a large virtual screen on the far side of the room.
"You can check and accept available missions on that Novice Mission Board."
After thanking her, Vincent turned to Caelius, who had been waiting patiently nearby.
"You're accepting a mission now?" Caelius asked.
"Yes, that's my plan," Vincent confirmed.
"Is there a problem?"
Caelius paused, seeming to choose his words carefully.
"Nothing specific. Since you've explored the outer district and have a plan, I'll take my leave. I have some matters to attend to."
Vincent wasn't feeling disappointed he just nodded in understanding.
"Thank you again for your help earlier and for the tour."
"Don't mention it," Caelius replied with a wave of his hand.
"Good luck, and see you around."
As Vincent watched Caelius's retreating form, he couldn't help but feel a mix of gratitude and wariness.
The first human he'd encountered in this new world had been unexpectedly helpful, but the whispers he'd overheard left him with more questions than answers.
Shaking off his musings, Vincent steeled his resolve. The memory of his encounter with Grarik in the Spawn Field still burned in his mind, a stark reminder of his current weakness. It was time to start improving, to get stronger!
With determined steps, he approached the Novice Mission Board. The massive virtual screen displayed four columns, one for each tier from 0 to 3. Vincent focused on the Tier 1 missions, scanning the available options:
Gather 6 Tier 1 - 1★ Black-Iron Bee Stingers! Reward: 100 origin crystals.
Gather 5 Tier 1 - 2★ Green-Horned Boar Horns! Reward: 200 origin crystals.
Kill 4 Tier 1 - 3★ Corrupted Hyena! Reward: 300 origin crystals and 1 recovery potion.
The list continued, offering missions ranging from one to five stars within Tier 1. Most rewards were in origin crystals, the currency of the Origin World, with a few offering additional items like potions.
Recalling his humbling experience with Grarik, Vincent decided to start small. Overconfidence could be deadly in this new world.
He had limitless potential, true, but he needed to be cautious and mindful of his actions and surroundings.
After careful consideration, Vincent accepted the first mission: Gather 6 Black-Iron Bee Stingers. A soft 'ding' sounded from his token, confirming the acceptance. He pulled out the token and tapped it, revealing a small virtual map showing the location of the Black-Iron Bees.
With the information committed to memory, Vincent left the Novice Center.
It was time to hunt some Black-Iron Bees!
The outskirts of Verdant Wilds, a vast rainforest west of No.3 Novice Sanctuary, teemed with life.
Vincent treaded carefully along the forest path, his newly acquired pair of dark-steel alloy daggers clutched tightly in his hands. The weapons, purchased from the Astrum Origin Online Market, felt reassuringly solid in his grip.
As he ventured deeper into the forest, Vincent finally spotted a group of Black-Iron Bees in the distance. The creatures were enormous, easily 130 cm tall, with yellow bodies and menacing black stingers that gleamed in the dappled sunlight.
Despite his mission, Vincent didn't hesitate to retreat. He wasn't about to risk taking on a whole group without knowing their true strength.
For the next fifteen minutes, Vincent scouted the area, searching for a lone bee. His patience was rewarded when he stumbled upon a solitary Black-Iron Bee resting on an enormous, vibrant flower.
The opportunity was too perfect to pass up.
Gripping his daggers tightly, Vincent focused on channeling his Origin Power to his feet. A warm energy suffused his lower limbs, and when he was about ten meters from the sleeping bee, he sprang into action.
In an instant, Vincent appeared behind the unsuspecting creature, driving his daggers towards its wings with all his might.
To his shock, instead of piercing the delicate-looking appendages, his weapons rebounded with a resounding clang, leaving only faint white marks.
The impact sent painful vibrations up his arms, nearly causing him to drop his weapons.
"So hard!" Vincent gasped, his eyes widening in disbelief.
The disturbance roused the Black-Iron Bee from its slumber. Its body shook with anger, wings vibrating to produce an ominous buzzing sound.
Fixing Vincent with a furious glare, it launched into the air, diving towards him with frightening speed.
Vincent didn't dare underestimate the creature now. Drawing upon the basic origin movement techniques he'd practiced relentlessly for a month, he managed to dodge the bee's initial assault.
But the Black-Iron Bee was relentless, swooping down again and again, its massive stinger a blur of motion as it sought to impale him.
For fifteen grueling minutes, the dance continued. Vincent dodged and weaved, occasionally finding openings to counterattack.
Slowly but surely, injuries began to accumulate on the Black-Iron Bee's body, and its attacks grew sluggish.
Vincent, too, was feeling the strain. Maintaining his Origin Power while constantly evading and counterattacking was taking its toll.
But he pressed on, knowing that victory was within reach.
Finally, as the bee swooped down for another attack, Vincent saw his chance. With a precisely timed strike, he severed one of its four wings, sending the creature crashing to the ground.
Seizing the moment, Vincent pounced, driving his daggers deep into the bee's ocelli and compound eyes, not stopping until he felt the weapons pierce its brain.
A system notification chimed in his mind:
You have successfully killed a Black-Iron Bee!
You have received 5 exp!
Talent activated! 10,000x Exp!
You have received 50,000 Exp!
As his talent activated, a surge of warm energy burst forth, flowing directly into Vincent's Origin Core. The sensation was indescribable, a rush of power that left him feeling invigorated despite his physical exhaustion.
Before his eyes, the defeated Black-Iron Bee dissolved into a shower of digital lights, leaving behind its prized stinger and a mysterious white orb of light.
Curiosity overcoming his fatigue, Vincent reached out and grasped the glowing orb.
The moment his fingers touched it, the orb shattered into motes of light, coalescing into a small white book that hovered before him. The title shimmered into view:
"Common Stinger Skill Book."
Vincent's eyes widened in surprise and excitement.
"It dropped a skill book?!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing in the now-quiet forest.