The sword which manifested in my hand was certainly deserving of its name.
Long and slender, it was nearly the length of my entire leg. The blade itself was narrow and straight, tapering into a needle like end, with a faint sheen of grey rippling through it.
The guard was minimal, nothing more than a thin, darkened crosspiece which flowed seamlessly into the grip that was wrapped tightly in black leather. At the pommel, sat a small, intricate cap of dark steel.
At first glance, it seemed to be made for piercing rather than cleaving. But a few practice swings, ultimately showed my lack of understanding. Especially, once I began to infuse the beginning steps of Astral Melody into my movements.
Whilst my knowledge was limited due to the Attribute being at such a low level, the System had still implanted enough information within my mind to begin utilizing the beginning steps of this battle art.
It wasn't much but knowing how to hold a sword and swing it properly went a long way.
"System, show me my stats please." I requested, finally coming to a stop.
A screen blinked into existence.
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[Name]: [Artorias Regulus]
[Level]: [4]-[0/2500]
[Health Points]: [600/600]-[+500]
[Mana Points]: [1100/1200]
[Stamina Points]: [988/1050]
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[Vitality]: [10]
[Strength]: [8]
[Dexterity]: [8]
[Intelligence]: [12]
[Wisdom]: [12]
[Luck]: [10]
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[Stat Points]: [34]
[Perk Points]: [10]
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"Four levels from five-thousand experience…does the level cap go up by 500?" I wondered, looking at the progression bar. A quick mental calculation all but confirmed it. "I wonder if it'll get steeper in time."
In addition to my four new levels, my Stamina, Health and Mana points had also received a boost, though I didn't feel much different for it.
Either way, it was good to see the System working properly. Now, it was finally time to decide what I wanted to spend my Stat Points on.
My Strength and Dexterity stats were my weakest, and, in a fight, they would be the stats I relied on most.
"Invest ten separate Stat Points into Dexterity and Strength." I told the System, watching as both mentioned stats rose and left me with fourteen points to use. "Then let's put four points into both Intelligence and Wisdom, the remaining six can go into my Vitality."
Whilst I knew that most people would focus on levelling up a singular stat, my System required me to be as versatile as possible. The changes took effect instantly, leaving my body with a slight itching sensation.
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[Name]: [Artorias Regulus]
[Level]: [4]-[0/2500]
[Health Points]: [750/750]-[+500]
[Mana Points]: [1170/1350]
[Stamina Points]: [1000/1300]
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[Vitality]: [16]
[Strength]: [18]
[Dexterity]: [18]
[Intelligence]: [16]
[Wisdom]: [18]
[Luck]: [10]
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[Stat Points]: [0]
[Perk Points]: [10]
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Though my stats had grown, the changes I felt settling over my body were only minute. Small, subtle things that only made me slightly stronger and faster. Which was fine, any progression forward was still progress to me.
"Now then…" Dismissing the screen, I turned to look at the darkening forest. With nowhere else to go, I knew my only way forward was through it. "…Let's see what I can find."
A dagger made of brilliant light appeared in the palm of my left hand, my right still gripping Weeping Milady. With the sun setting and the dark rising, having a light source in the forest would make me stick out like a sore thumb.
But it was a necessary sacrifice I had to make, otherwise I risked getting lost or worse, falling in some ditch. My eyes weren't made to pierce the dark, so if anything did try and come after me, I'd just have to stand my ground and fight.
I reached the edges of the forest in only a few minutes. I felt a flicker of nervousness run through me, before the System ruthlessly quashed it. With a steady mind, I took my first steps into the dark forest.
***
The first thing I noticed about the forest was its quiet. It was almost unnaturally silent as I walked through it. I couldn't hear any crickets, hoots or howls. In a forest as vast as this one, the quiet immediately set alarm bells off.
The second thing I noticed was a small dirt footpath. Not manmade, but it had been walked over enough times to stop anything from growing on it. It gave me hope that I wasn't the only person around this area.
Though with the setting dark, it was becoming harder and harder to see the damned thing. The dagger in my left hand had changed as time passed, growing longer and larger until it became a claymore.
With the subtle light it produced, I used it as all but a cane to guide me. My mana was slowly trickling away for it, but it wasn't by much, so I didn't find myself being concerned over it.
The trees I passed were large, larger than any I had ever seen before. It took entire minutes sometimes just to pass the width of one. It cemented the idea that I was no longer in my own world.
Mind of The System did wonders with stopping the emotions building within me. Being displaced from a world you had grown up in was an emotional rollercoaster, after all, and one that I had no wish of going through.
At least, not yet.
My nose twitched as I smelt something new suddenly. Whilst the air I breathed in was purified of any negative elements, I was still able to catch subtle whiffs of things if I concentrated hard enough.
Travelling through the forest, I became weary and paranoid, especially as the silence became downright dead, broken only by the sounds of my steps. So, I forced myself to occasionally break through Aerify to take sniffs of the air.
So far, it had just been urine and excrete, but now…
Wordlessly, I activated Bloodhound—my Common Attribute—and smelt the air again. My steps came to a slow halt, as I recognised the familiar, metallic smell for what it was.
Blood.
My Attribute guided me towards the source, a small red gas trail that I quietly followed. Soon enough, I found it.
Sitting directly on the dirt path, sat a behemoth of fur and stone. The System came to life, a screen flashing by my face a moment later, a singular message held within it that filled me with subtle dread.
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|| [New Quest] ||
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