No hockey stick. That was the first thing Frank noticed. Not unexpected. Then he looked at the System displaying its message before him.

Frank HP 14/14 Level 1 Human (0/20EXP) MP 0 SP 15/15 Strength 6 Knowledge 6 Agility 5 Intelligence 6 Constitution 4 Stability 6 Vitality 5 Wisdom 4

The human average was five per stat. Someone had figured that out at some point, or maybe they just claimed to and then everyone agreed. Frank didn't know. He felt weak. He was weak, but those he'd have to face were weaker. The opposite of how it had been in the end. That thought was both relieving and foreboding. Would it turn out any different with a second chance? It wasn't like he was the strongest or most capable. He was just one of the ones who survived.

His stats disappeared, replaced by a new prompt.

The tutorial is now beginning. Think about your status to access it. Think about dismissing it to dismiss it. Your first enemy is a Goblin Rogue Neophyte. Lower its hit points to 0 or completely incapacitate it to proceed.

He glanced around him. He was no longer in his apartment. Instead, Frank stood in the center of a wide hall of wood and stone. The floor underneath had some spring to it. He didn't remember that. He did remember what happened next though. Something struck him from behind. He'd been paying close attention, but it appeared from nowhere. He tumbled to the ground, twisting to see the enemy he already knew was there as he did. His hip ached on impact as he landed on his side, the folded knife in his pocket bruising him. Probably only avoided serious injury due to the floor having some give.

Standing above him, was a gnarled, ugly little creature with pale green skin. Roughly three feet tall, it was much smaller than Frank. It wore nothing, its unnaturally large genitals hanging freely underneath its pot belly. The best target. It smiled, the wide grin on its oversized head revealing sharp needles for teeth, and pounced on him. Frank simply kicked up into its groin as hard as he could as it attempted to pounce.

There was no screeching or yelling. Instead, the pain seemed to immobilize the creature, as it only managed a slight whimper and collapsed, hunched into a ball. Frank pushed it aside as it fell onto him, and then stood up. His left side ached from taking the fall.

Goblin Rogue Neophyte incapacitated. 10EXP awarded. For defeating it in a single blow, awarded 5EXP. For being the tenth fastest to defeat it, awarded with an item. Obtained a stick.

Someone who started in better condition than him probably managed to do it faster. Maybe the goblin hadn't been able to knock them over, and they'd reacted by turning around and swinging. Probably more than a few did it, the nine ahead of him had just been lucky or skilled enough to knock out or kill the goblin instantly. He wondered what they got. If they were lucky, more EXP. It took twenty to hit level two. They'd get a stat point, and if they chose the right stat that'd be a difference-maker.

Congratulations on passing the first part of the tutorial. The next portion begins in 10:00.

Frank remembered how it had gone last time. Bitten on the shoulder, faced bloodied, exhausted. A finger is broken from a poorly thrown punch. The first goblin was dangerous but manageable for almost anybody. Its spasming form was gone, vanishing as soon as the System indicated he'd passed. He looked down at his feet. There was a stick. Just a couple feet of wood, bark still attached. It was grey, not that Frank knew anything about trees. Bent slightly where it had branched off into a smaller shoot. It'd be better than using hands. He picked it up and then walked to one corner of the hall. The hall itself was perhaps thirty feet wide and one hundred and twenty long. On the end across was a door. He knew from trying the first time that it wouldn't let him use it until the tutorial was finished. He carefully removed everything out of his pockets, noting with disappointment that the cigarettes had been crushed. They'd trade for less now if someone had to break them open and use a pipe. It was all placed on the floor against the corner of the wall.

Task done, he stood there holding the stick at his side and waited. The System eventually notified him of the start of the second portion.

The tutorial is now continuing. To level up, access your status and then think about levelling up. If there is enough EXP to advance, a prompt will appear. Defeat two Goblin Rogue Neophytes to succeed.

The door at the other end opened, and two disgusting creatures identical to the first appeared. Frank simply stood and waited. They saw him and immediately broke into a sprint. It wasn't very fast, being they were only three feet tall. They were not clever creatures either, visibly tiring as they neared him. The first one got into range and he simply jabbed it in the eye with his stick. The creature immediately recoiled back, clutching its face with its spindly fingers as it cried in pain. The second was only a moment slower, but there was enough of a gap that it too took a stick to the eye. Frank walked up and nutmegged the second one, which was still closer. It collapsed completely. The first attempted to scramble out of the way, but when it got out of kick range it instead got whacked with the stick right on the top of its head. It fell unconscious immediately. Frank could have just done that from the start, but he hadn't been sure of the stick's durability.

Goblin Rogue Neophytes incapacitated. 20EXP awarded. For completing a tutorial without taking damage, awarded with a length of cord. The tutorial will continue in 10:00.

Frank looked down, and sure enough, there was a length of cord in front of him. He had known there were rewards for performing well in the tutorial, but the specifics he hadn't memorized. Why would he have bothered? The goblins had, like last time, disappeared. He knew what he would do with the cord, but first, he would level up. Frank focused on his status, and then on levelling up. A prompt appeared. He selected Strength.

Frank HP 18/18 Level 2 Human (15/40EXP) MP 0 SP 20/20 Strength 7 Knowledge 6 Agility 5 Intelligence 6 Constitution 4 Stability 6 Vitality 5 Wisdom 4

He felt the change immediately. From being slightly above average for all humans to be stronger than 85% of his species. Familiar power flooded through him. It still wasn't that strong, though. Remove children, elderly, women, the infirm, and the lazy, and he was still below average for a reasonably fit man. Mostly because he hadn't been reasonably fit at the beginning. It would be enough for what was next, hopefully.

Immediately after, he got to work with his cord. First, he pulled out his knife and started whittling one end of his stick with the blade. Eventually, he'd made a decent-sized chunk in it, which he was able to shove the handle into. The cord wrapped tightly around both blade and stick, then smartly knotted, held it in place. Frank moved about carefully, getting used to his improved strength. Somehow going back to his original state hadn't left his movements feeling unnatural, but when levelling up it always did until you adjusted. The time ticked down.

The tutorial is now continuing. Upon reaching level 3, you may select an accomplished deed to boost your stats. Defeat the Young Orc to continue.