Player Reached the Top. LitRPG series. Book I Page 6
“Well? Are you just going to stand there like a spare prick at a wedding? What do you want?” asked the man in a distinct monotone. He clearly didn’t entertain guests much.
“To ask you something.”
“Something like…--why do I live, alone, in the center of a lake, guarded by dogs? Something like, how do they walk on water? Things like that?”
“Not at all,” Will said. “That’s your business. I have no intention to pry.”
“Oh, yeah? Some serious change is coming because of you, and I don’t have time for every nosy stranger.”
“Why did you ask me inside, then?” asked Will, struggling to follow the man’s train of thought.
“I saw your ring.”
“I see.” Will wondered how the man could possibly see it from fifty yards away. “I want to offer you a trade — I help you to prepare for the things to come, and you give me answers.”
The hunter looked at his guest with doubt and distrust. Finally, he let out a deep sigh. “What do they call you, messenger?”
“White Raven. And what should I call you?”
“You don’t need to know my name.”
Will shrugged.
Inspect.
Chapter 14. Trial
“???: level ???
HP:???”
Raven felt anger burn inside him, and had to fight to keep his cool. He barely had time to ask himself what kind of monster sat before him.
“Hey!” growled the man. His eyes became black, depthless pits, and the aura that emanated from him brought Will to his knees. The dog, calm and serene a moment before, now snarled in Will’s face, green smoke oozing from its snout.
“You don’t want to abuse my hospitality, kid!” The man’s aura and his aggravated voice held his guest in a steel grip.
Will became gravely serious. Everything felt so real, he forgot that he was in a game. Kneeling? Never! He struggled against weight that held him down with all his might. Drops of blood trickled from his nose and splattered on the floor. Then he started bleeding from his eyes.
“Goddamn! It hurts!”
The last thing he saw before everything went dark was a name flash before his eyes. Then the system notification popped up.
“Warning! You lost sight under pressure. The effect will last for 12 hours. Further resistance will increase damage. Death is imminent.”
“Aaargh!”
Will felt his eyes burst. Little by little, he kept pushing, too stubborn to quit. Never had he knelt before anyone. His pride would not allow him to do it, even in the game. Mopping floors, taking out trash, serving the wealthy — he was not beneath such menial work, but the principles his father instilled in him were set so deep, that even if he had been unconscious, his body would have resisted on its own.
“It’s an illusion! It’s not real!” He kept repeating this, like a mantra, suffering tremendous mental pressure.
-300
“You’re in mental shock.”
-300
“You’re in mental shock.”
-300
“You’re in mental shock.”
“Aargh!!!”
The pain was agonizing. It felt like someone was sticking burning hot needles into his brain. In a semi-delirious state, he knew he should have died and been respawned in the village a long time ago. Negative numbers that flashed before his eyes exceeded his health limit ten times over, for some reason, though, the torture continued. He continued to struggle and read the notifications, each one worse than the last.
“Warning! You went completely deaf under pressure. The effect will last for 16 hours. Further resistance will increase damage. Death is imminent.”
“Holy mother of…”
He didn’t know why he was doing it — why he kept fighting, instead of just giving in. The pain was unbearable, as if his mind was tearing itself apart. It was all in the game; no living person saw him on his knees, but, deep inside, Will was irate that a bunch of ones and zeroes might succeed in pulling off what others couldn’t.
“It’s all in my head, I’m going to be OK. I’m not in any paaaa–”
Will lost all sense of time. How long had he been enduring this torture? A minute? A day? Time collapsed and surged, flowing forwards and backwards. He thought about surrendering. Why couldn’t he just drop?
Will heard a smooth, lulling voice. It was fading in. A voice he wanted to follow. It sounded familiar, like… his father?
“Stop fighting, son. Just let go,” it said. “Why keep punishing yourself? Just let go, and it will be all over. Think about your sister. Do you really want to die and leave her alone? Just kneel, and all will be the way it was before.”
“What the hell kind of game is this?!”
No! He would have believed his dream of being able to provide for his family not to coming true. What he couldn’t believe was his own father telling him to give up. Hell would freeze over first.
Finally, he stood up straight, which should have been impossible. His legs were broken his tendons lacerated. The game kept him posted about every mutilation he had suffered Raven’s body lay shattered in a pool of blood, broken bones poking through broken skin.
It was difficult to remember that all this was happening in his head. The capsule was retrieving only information, which Will believed to be true. Once he managed to stand, this entire delusion would be gone. Just like that.
Raven found himself lying on the floor. Health bar at 5%; his eyes were hurting, he couldn’t hear, and he could barely move.
“Unique quest complete! You’ve done the impossible!
You are the only person who has completed it on max sensitivity settings. For showing exceptional persistence, you have earned the following rewards:
+500 Influence points
+100 Will points
+30 to all stats
+20% Physical resistance
+20% Magic resistance.”
“Awarded the title: Adamantine.
Your Spirit is strong and undefeatable.
+60% Mental resistance
+10 Main attack against ethereal type targets.
“Soul Cry. Unique skill. Active (Apprentice).
Produces a wave that damages the enemies in your vicinity. Causes piercing damage and ignores all armor.
Damage: 350-400
Attack range: 33 feet
Inflicts Dismay. Affected target can’t move.
Duration: 30 seconds
Energy required: 250
Cooldown: 2 days.”
Chapter 15. Radermin
“In the Face of Death. The spell is cast on you. Your wounds are healing.
Regeneration: +35%
Duration: 1 hour.”
Will read the message, completely exhausted. Maximum sensitivity was no joke. The machine was right about the reward — it was too generous. Nonetheless, he wasn’t sure he would ever do it again. The pain felt too real. Shivers would, every now and then, run down his spine, paralyzing his entire body for a short period of time.
Two hours later, when his vital signs had returned to normal — the spell was, apparently, on a legendary level — the executioner spoke.
“How are you holding up?” asked the man.
“Do you really want me to answer, Radermin?” he asked disrespectfully. “That’s right, I saw your name before my eyes exploded, you bastard.”
Radermin’s expression flickered from impressed to furious and back again.
“Ravens are harbingers of either change or bad news. Which are you?”
“I’m the one that can help. I’m not clairvoyant, but I know you need me.” Will staggered to the other chair and sat in it.
The hunter gave a groan of disapproval, but didn’t rebut Will’s assertion.
“You didn’t answer.” Radermin paused, then continued. “You’re not as tough as I thought you’d be. Your body is weak, but your spirit is like that of a dragon — tempered in battle. I have a mission to offer. It won’t be a walk in the
park, but we’re running out of time. A sorcerer from Taargada Forest currently possesses a box that belongs to me. I can’t reveal details, all you need to know is that I want it back. You’ll know what I’m talking about when you see it.”
“Do you want me to kill the sorcerer?”
“Hahaha! You? Kill him? He will end you in a blink of an eye! Even I, with all my powers, couldn’t kill him. He tricked me, and took my last chance… I mean, my box. You’re a rogue, aren’t you? So, I want you to steal it. If you bring back what’s mine, I’ll thank you.”
“You’ve earned Radermin’s approval by demonstrating your willpower.
Pandora’s Box (Epic quest chain, part I).
Find the sorcerer and locate the box. The sorcerer must not know anything about your mission, otherwise you will never find the box. You have three months.
Reward: +11000 XP
+100 gold
+15 Approval points
Also, you get to ask Radermin one question and get one answer.”
“No pain, no gain,” said Will, and gave the hunter a crooked smile.
Generally, Epic quests were not single-player quests unless stated otherwise. But three months? That didn’t sound like a lot of time to Will. He tried to imagine what level the sorcerer might be.
“Accept? Yes/No.”
Chapter 16. Sis
With a bitter smile, Will accepted.
“You’ve accepted the quest. The countdown starts now. Good luck!”
Seated in the chair, he leaned on his elbow and addressed the hunter.
“Radermin, you said I was weak and that we were running out of time. Does that mean getting this box is a pressing matter to you?”
The hunter narrowed his eyes. His voice remained quiet, but threatening.
“Don’t forget who you’re talking to, boy. You may be a messenger, but you’re mortal. Where are you going with this? And don’t lie to me. Time may be short, but I can wait for someone who would do it three times faster.”
“I wasn’t going to lie. I was going to ask you to give me some of your friends there, to hunt.”
“My friends?” Radermin asked, glancing at the dog.
“Yes.” “You’re too impudent. I’m not going to help you. You’re on your own. Think of it as another test. But I’ll tell you what, if you can get me what I need within six months, I’ll give you one pup.”
“A task is added to Pandora’s Box.
Retrieve the box within six months to get a Smoke Hound puppy from Radermin.”
Well, it was worth a try.
“How long are you going to sit around?” The aura around Radermin thickened, like he was preparing for round two.
“I’m going, I’m going. One final question, though.”
“What?”
“Where do I find you when I get the box?”
“I’m not going anywhere. But… you never know, right? Here. Bring it back with my box.” Radermin fished a small dog-shaped figurine from his bag and tossed it to Will.
Inspect.
“Item: Forerunner (Unique).
When activated, the item emits a howl that will locate Radermin on the map.”
Outside, exhaustion hit Will full force. So much had happened. He looked at the dogs, then at the clock, and felt like taking a break.
Reality welcomed him with the sound of running water. Either Dad was back, or his sister had come to visit. Will exited the capsule, stretched his back, and went to the kitchen. It was Leah.
“Hey, big bro,” she said without turning around, and continued washing the vegetables. “You hungry?”
Will’s stomach growled. He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled.
“A bit. I’m sorry, how long will you be staying?”
“Couple of days. They’re staging a play at school, and everyone not in it gets a couple days off.”
“I see. How is school, by the way? You are managing?” He stood at her shoulder, and began peeling onions and carrots.
“Don’t you go worrying about me.” She grinned “So what’s your plan? When are you going to tell me?”
“Not today, sorry. You speak with Dad recently?”
“Like, yesterday. Told him I was going to see you.”
“How is he?”
“Fine.”
Darius Thompson was practically living out of a suitcase, working for a small business selling refrigerators. He had a reputation as a good, reliable, hard-working man.
“Are you done with your game for today?”
“I think so.”
“Good. I missed you, you know. It’d be great if we could spend some quality time together.”
“Yes, I’m sorry. I was really busy lately.”
Over dinner, they shared the latest news, and laughed; Leah told funny stories from school, and Will just listened. All the while, a part of his mind prepared for what lay ahead.
Chapter 17. Planning a kill
The following morning, while Leah slept, Will prepared a breakfast of ramen noodles as he switched on his computer.
The online auction was linked to the game — purchased goods, as well as money, went straight to the player’s personal storage. Anyone could get a storage unit if they were renting a piece of real estate, like a room in the tavern. Renting a safety deposit box was pricier, but safer. Those were the so-called provisional storages. To get a permanent one, a player needed to actually own realty.
Will wasn’t sure if he wanted to auction off a level 40+ helmet, as it might draw unwanted attention. Hoping nothing bad would come of it, he anonymously set the starting price at fifty gold coins.
“Rat Grin (Gold).
A helmet in the shape of a giant rat’s lower jaw. Its damage-proof fangs are perfect for protection against slashing attacks. Beware thrust damage, daggers, and crossbow bolts.
+110 Physical resistance
+48% Protection against slashing attacks
+15% Protection when Stone Pillar is activated
-20% Protection against thrust attacks
Skill: Cursed Hit (Active).
When activated, grants 33% chance to cast either Weakness or Fear on the target upon successful attack.
Cooldown: 3 minutes
Level requirement: level 45
Class Requirement: Warrior.”
In the meantime, the sun came up in Ascension. Raven reappeared right where he had left off. The hounds were on alert. They bared their teeth the moment he appeared. Not wanting to tempt them, he left the area. He took the long way back to the village, avoiding every possible danger, hoping to find a monster he could kill. Three hours later, he spotted a suitable candidate, near the rocky hills. An anthropomorphic monster, holding a huge pick hammer, stood at the entrance to a cave in the hill. A distinct rumbling sound emanated from its direction.
Apprentice level Inspection skill worked only within a forty-yard radius, but the monster was, at least sixty yards away. Will picked up a bunch of rocks and started throwing them at the monster. The first one landed thirty feet away from the target, who raised its head and looked around for the source of noise. It muttered something under its breath, but didn’t move. Will threw another, which landed closer to the monster. This time the monster bought it, grabbing the pick hammer with both hands and leaving to check it out.
Will went Stealth. Knowing the distances, he retreated to a better position to study the area. The ledge overlooking the entrance didn’t look promising. Plotting against the monster, Raven couldn’t help but feel there was something wrong about this whole situation. The one on the lookout seemed ugly enough to qualify as a monster, but monsters weren’t miners.
Raven didn’t want to blow the 40% XP in case he was wrong, but neither did he wish to waste precious time. He removed his gear as he didn’t want to lose in case he died. Then, gathering his courage, he strode straight to the monster.
“Rargh! Stop, human!” it growled.
Will was already close enough to inspect the creature.
<
br /> “Lekhor: level???
HP:???”
The eight-foot-tall Lekhor had pale skin, slightly bulging eyes and a wide, powerful body. His forked, snake like tongue flicked in and out of his mouth when he spoke.
“Me say stop, stranger!”
“I’m sorry. I heard the rumble, and came to see. I didn’t mean to bother you.”
“No step forward more, or you dead!”
“I gotcha,” Raven nodded. “Can I ask a question before I leave?”
“Hrr…” Lekhor narrowed his eyes at Will. “Me see you alone here walk. No danger. Ask question.”
“What race are you?”
“We Horghs! We best miners!”
Chapter 18. In the right place at the right time
Will decided to put the killing part of his plan on the back burner. “What about Dwarves?” he asked.
“Ghrr… You not mention measly rats in Lekhor presence, or you suffer!”
“Fine, you win. You’re the best… But why are you all alone out here, and who are you on the lookout for?”
Will wasn’t going to keep his word — he intended to ask question after question, thinking that the monster wasn’t too bright an interlocutor.
“You ask many question. You not tell truth.”
“Huh! This world is full of surprises,” murmured Will. “No, no, I’m just glad to know that such strong warriors are in charge of mining around here, not those pathetic Dwarves. I merely wanted to know more about your noble race, that’s all.”
Raven shrugged and turned to leave. He wasn’t sure if flattery would work, but preparing to flee in haste seemed a smart move.