Chapter 15: I Want Power (Part 3)
Arthur:
What a wonderful new skill, it's a good addition. I was happy with it and looked at the twenty mana gems.
It was time to end the day, I was really tired, I would go exchange these gems into points and choose dinner.
I headed towards my goal and exchanged the gems for points. With those points I took two soups for 20 points. Each soup was 10 points.
"Here, grandpa, this is a good soup for you. Did you rest a little?" I gave a soup to the old man leaning on the stone wall.
"Don't worry, young man, really thank you for what you did for me today, I will never forget your favor. But tomorrow don't exhaust yourself, I will be able to work." He looked at the soup and the expression of depression appeared on him.
"As you wish, old man, but I will not stop giving you food. I even challenged that damn guard." I grabbed a spoon full of soup and put it into my mouth.
After a little chatter with the old man, tiredness reached my eyes. They shut down the place.
After a harsh sleep on the stone floor, all my muscles were aching, especially my neck. Ah, ah, ah, ah.
Tch, but the pain did not last until it vanished. What a wonderful skill, the skill [Skill I Pain Resistance (Level 1)].
[Speaking of this skill]
[Skill I Pain Resistance (Level 1) —> Skill I Pain Resistance (Level 2)]
Well… well… well… evolving while you sleep is wonderful. Time for mining and providing food for me and the old man.
---
Day Two:
In the morning:
I collected 15 mana gems.
One of my skills leveled up.
[Skill I Muscle Strain (Level 1) —> Skill I Muscle Strain (Level 2)]
[Increase +1 Strength permanently]
I converted my points into 2 waters and yesterday's bread.
I begged the old man to eat yesterday's bread and take the water. But he refused because he collected about 5 gems which gave him yesterday's bread. So he only took the water from me.
In the evening:
I collected about 20 mana gems.
Two of my skills leveled up.
[Skill I Muscle Strain (Level 2) —> Skill I Muscle Strain (Level 3)]
[Increase +1 Strength permanently]
And also,
[Skill II Warrior Miner (Level 1) —> Skill II Warrior Miner (Level 2)]
[Increase +2 Strength permanently
Increase in chance of obtaining mana gems]
I also went and brought dinner consisting of two soups. I gave one to the old man, because he only had 1 mana gem. Despite his words, he could not mine in the evening.
---
Day Three in the mine:
In the morning:
I collected 25 mana gems. Yes, the skills started to show their quality, hahahaha…
No skill leveled up yet.
I exchanged them for water and two soups. I gave one soup to the old man, since he provided water from mining in the morning.
In the evening:
I collected 30 mana gems! A new record, and I celebrated it.
I exchanged my points for a vegetable soup. Yes, no longer just water soup. I felt tears about to fall from my eyes.
The rest I bought soup and water.
It seemed the old man was suffering from illness, he coughed a lot, maybe water would help moisten his throat.
Ah, also,
[Skill I Muscle Strain (Level 3) —> Skill I Muscle Strain (Level 4)]
[Increase +1 Strength permanently]
---
Day Four:
In the morning:
I collected 30 mana gems.
I divided them into 2 waters and two soups. The old man couldn't work.
In the evening:
I collected 40 mana gems. A strong breakthrough, thanks to this in the middle of work.
[Skill I Muscle Strain (Level 4) —> Skill I Muscle Strain (Level 5)]
[Increase +1 Strength permanently]
[Skill level has increased]
[Skill I ----> Skill II]
[You have reached the limit of Skill I evolution]
[You can choose between the following evolutions:
– [Explosive Muscles]
[Description: A sudden increase in strength, but comes with a weakening effect when the time ends.
– Duration: 10 seconds. Increase Strength by 20 points.
– Negative effect upon ending: Decrease Strength by 40 points.]
– [Big Muscles]
[Description: An advanced version of a skill only.
– Increase Strength by +10.]
I chose without hesitation the second option because of the negative effect of the first. I don't even have the energy, so why would I waste it on a sudden increase in strength, while I can gain it with time.
[Skill II Big Muscles (Level 1)]
[Description: A day will come when your muscles grow big]
[Level 1 —> Level 2
Condition: Move muscles and tear them more than before.]
A wonderful addition to my collection.
And also,
[Skill II Warrior Miner (Level 2) —> Skill II Warrior Miner (Level 3)]
[Increase +2 Strength permanently
Increase in chance of obtaining mana gems]
Great!! I also have stat points from leveling up when I found the mana gems.
[Level 3 (400/190) —> Level 3 (400/400)]
[Your level has risen]
[Level 3 (400/400) –––> Level 4 (800/0)]
[You have gained 5 stat points]
[Level 4 (800/0) —> Level 4 (800/800)]
[Your level has risen]
[Level 4 (800/800) –––> Level 5 (1600/0)]
[You have gained 5 stat points]
[Level 5 (1600/0) —> Level 4 (1600/590)]
I distributed these points as follows:
[Properties:
– Strength: 13 + 4 + (34)
– Agility: 5 + 3
– Defense (Vitality, Resistance): 4 + 3 + (20)
– Intelligence (mana): 10]
Today's harvest was more wonderful than ever, if I keep working hard I will truly become overpowered. Hm?
While I was walking and as usual going to exchange my gems into points. Someone stopped in front of me preventing me from passing.
He was huge and bulky with height, about 2 meters tall, taller than me, I am 1.85 meters. He had good muscles and was wearing an undershirt, showing his sculpted muscles.
I frowned and looked at him. "Is there something you want from me? I don't have time for your kind right now." I knew him, he was one of the members of a group formed here, who extort their fellow slaves and take their gems, to enjoy the tastiest meals. A group that always exists no matter the place or time, enjoying the suffering of others.
I wanted to avoid them, no matter what. But when it comes, what do you do? I sighed.
"Wait.. wait… wait, brother don't be upset… I just wanted to talk to you… you know we are in the same boat in this cursed cave." He approached me as he spoke.
He reached me, he was only 30 cm away from my face, and lowered his head looking at my shortness.
He said with a disgusting smile, "What do you think of sharing half of what you have of gems with me?"
I smiled while putting down the bag that contained my gems on the ground. Immediately I grabbed him by his shirt at his neck, lifted him with ease and smashed him into the wall beside me.
"Listen… I can't stand people like you, you hear me. I don't want trouble, just get out of my face and let me live in peace here, really."
I raised my other free hand, which held a light flame and struck the wall next to him, cracking it into a spiderweb.
"Hmph… I hope you heard my warning…"
I picked up my bag that contained the gems and went to exchange them for points. I left behind a man gasping for air.
The day ended in peace and celebration with taking two vegetable soups and 2 waters. I shared them with the old man.
---
Day Five:
In the morning:
I collected… no, not yet.
As I mined with all my strength I heard someone speaking behind me. I sighed and wiped the sweat on my forehead, turning around to see a person with others.
"Hey man, I heard that you taught my follower a life lesson, didn't you?" A huuuuge man, brown-skinned, about 2.30 meters tall I think, spoke with a loud tone while looking at me as if I was easy prey.
He was surrounded by a large group of muscular men.
"Isn't it unfair, one against all of you?"
—--------
[States]
[Character:
– Name and surname: Arthur Field
– Ethnicity: human
– Ability: Learning – Rank S
– Level 3 (400/190)
– Statistics Points: 0]
[Properties:
– Strength: 17 + (34)
– Agility: 8
– Defense (Vitality, Resistance): 7 + (20)
– Intelligence (mana): 10]
[Skills:
– [Skill I I'm not thirsty (Level 1)]
– [Skill II Stacked Damage Resistance (Level 1)]
– [Skill I Sword Art of the Field Family (Level 1)]
– [Skill II Rapid Cell Evolution (Level 1)]
– [Skill I Burning Hand (Level 1)]
– [Skill II Warrior Miner (Level 3)]
– [Skill I Bleeding Resistance (Level 1)]
– [Skill I Pain Resistance (Level 2)]
– [Skill II Big Muscles (Level 1)]
]