Thanks to passing out right as he got new skill gains, Andius had some very strange dreams. He found it odd that he was having dreams inside of a dream, reminding him of a movie he watched with his parents when he was very young, and giving him the smallest flash of nostalgia before the dreams really took place.

First, he found himself wearing nothing but simple clothes, smirking at a large man who’s muscles bulged with anger. A vein popped out of the mans bald head as he swung at Andius, but his fist couldn’t connect with him, as he would casually step to the side as if the man was moving through molasses. The man then kicked at Andius with his over-large foot, but again it was simply sidestepped, and a simple push to the chest made the man fall over.

Next, Andius was wearing a jesters costume, performing for the masses in the middle of the street, flips and stunts that seemed impossible to humans came easily to him, and the crowd was enthralled by the fluid movements he performed. A guard approached him and tried to grab him, saying something about performing without a license, but Andius just took his arm and used it to flip over the man, taking a seat atop his armored head, getting a roar of laughter from the crowd.

In the next dream, Andius was standing in the middle of a field with throwing knives strapped to his chest. Far away, dozens of archers readied their bows, taking aim and loosing a hailstorm of tipped shafts in his direction. Andius merely smirked and threw his blades at inhuman speeds, each movement causing more and more of the arrows to shatter mid-flight, some throwing other arrows off their coarse, before he caught an arrow as it nearly hit him, and threw it back at one of the archers, taking them in the eye!

When the dreams stopped, his thoughts returned to him. He was still asleep, but he had found that he could still understand what was going on around him. He was in a small room, laying down on a bed, his gear off to the side and a new bow and quiver filled with arrows next to it all. There wasn’t much int he room, a small chest and a window. For some reason his perception didn’t extend outside the window, so he forced himself to open his eyes. As soon as he did, a notification flashed in front of his eyes.

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Hidden Skill: Dreamer Level :3

By experiencing skill memories while dreaming, you have found a skill that eludes even some masters, the dreamer skill which is held only by seers, shamans, and monks who have spent years cultivating. Those with the dreamer skill find that they have complete control of their mental landscape, and never again are they caught off guard while sleeping. It is unknown just what true masters of this skill can do!

100% chance of lucid dreaming while sleeping. +1*(x(3)+y(7)) feet of perception of your surroundings while sleeping, where x is the level of this skill, and y is your wisdom. .

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Well, that explained why he was able to see when his eyes were still closed. Now that they were open he realized it was different. While his eyes were open he saw the world as he always did, but when he was asleep, it was like he knew the area around him instinctually. with a shrug he sat up and groaned, he was hungry! It was just then that he realized he hadn’t eaten or drank any water since he first logged into the game, which made sense since this game was going for realism. He got out of bed and got back into his gear, finding a note on top of his clothes that made him smile.

Thank you for helping me with the Gnolls, if it wasn’t for you my wife would be a widow right now, and I even gained a level thanks to getting the final blow on that beast! I brought you to the nearby town of Woodsdale so you could recover in peace, and even covered a few days stay in the tavern. I included The better of the two bows from the Gnolls too, and some arrows to help you out. Best of luck in your future endeavors!

The note make Andius smile, it felt good that he had helped someone, and that his efforts didn’t go unnoticed. He never really wanted to be a hero, but he wasn’t going to go out of his way to be a villain either. Really all he wanted to do was be himself and do what he could when he saw the opportunity.

The mention of gaining a level reminded Andius that he had gained two whole levels, and had a ton of points to spend! With a big grin on his face his status sheet opened up. With ten points to spend he could get a major boost to his skills. The very first thing he did was put five point into dexterity. It was his primary stat for almost all of his skills, after all, and he needed to be as strong as he could be if he wanted to make gold quickly. That left him with five more points. He sat there in silent contemplation for a moment, thinking over his options.

He wouldn’t waste points in strength again, he was about as strong as was average and he didn’t have any skills that relied on strength. Constitution though was one he considered, since being able to take more hits would mean he would be less likely to die, which probably wasn’t a pleasant experience. Charisma was good where it was at, aside from dexterity it was his highest stat, even though it seems mostly useless. Wisdom was still pretty low, and with his new dreamer skill, he was really tempted to get that stat higher!

Andius nodded and put the points to work, putting three into wisdom and two into constitution, feeling happy with his choices as he watched the numbers increase. Next up were his skills. He had six skill points to use right now, and if he put them all into one skill, he could get really ahead in that particular field. Something told him it was a bad idea to hyper-specialize though, and he decided again it. He decided to try and put a point into the dreamer skill, but it wouldn’t let him, a tiny notification stating that this skill could only be increased naturally. It was worth a shot.

He thought over his options for a bit and tried to think about what play style he really wanted to use. He really liked the assassin stuff he had already done, oneshotting that Gnoll made him feel really good when the other was so difficult to take down, and had nearly killed him in a one on one fight. He had no illusions that he would have been able to beat them in a straight up fight, so being able to assassinate from the shadows would be huge for him! With that in mind, he put one point in daggers and one point in stealth, leaving him with four more to use.

Thinking back, he knew that the dodge skill absolutely saved him, even at a low skill level he had been able to dodge blows that would have ended the fight. The acrobatics skill was shockingly useful too. He had just been trying to dodge the blade but ended up in the perfect position to get off a back-stab. He smiled and put a point in each of those skills as well.

He didn’t know why, but the climbing skill was still interesting to him, maybe it was because it was the first skill he had earned in the world, or maybe he just liked the idea of being able to climb things like a super hero. Either way he knew that he wanted to get better at it, so he put two points into it, deciding to put a point into it at every level up from now on. He hit confirm and a notification appeared in his face that made him grin!

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Congratulations! For reaching level 25 in dexterity, you have been awarded an attribute bonus that will remain active unless you fall below the 25 point mark in this attribute.

25% increased movement speed.

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Name:Andius

Level: 4

EXP:25/400

Specialization: N/A

HP:130/130

Stamina:260/260

Mana:0/0

Strength:11

Dexterity:26

Constitution:13

Intelligence:12

Charisma:23

Wisdom:10

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Climbing level: 6

Not every path is a paved road, those who truly want to get to their objective see every mountain, every canyon, and every wall as a causeway. True masters of this skill can climb a tower wall as if it were a simple paved road!

X(6)+Y(6)% increased climbing speed, where X is the level in this skill and Y is half your strength, X(6)+Z(13)% increased chance of climbing difficult objects, where X is the level in this skill and Z is half your Dexterity.

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Dagger level: 7

It’s not always the size that matters, users of the small blades prove this in strides. Where a warrior might take on his opponent with sheer force, you use finesse, subtlety and stealth to resolve your issues. True masters of this skill can lay waste to entire armies without breaking a sweat! X(7)+Y(13)% increased damage when using daggers, where X is the level in this skill and Y is half your dexterity.. +X(7)% chance to ignore armor and critically strike when using daggers, where x is the level in this skill. Damage with daggers is doubled when backstabbing.

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Light armor Level: 4

Whereas warriors wear metal, and mages wear their fancy robes, you prefer the middle ground, leather armor and the like protect you from minor blows while your agility protects you from the devastating ones.

-X(4)% hindrance while only wearing light armor. +X(4)% noise reduction while only wearing light armor.

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Stealth Level: 3

The oldest and wisest of warriors will tell you that sometimes, avoiding confrontation is better than facing it head-on. Where others charge into battle without a thought, you slink about the battlefield and plan out your first strike. True masters of this skill have been known to hide from even the eyes of the gods!

2*X(3)% increased chance to remain undetected while stationary, where X is the level of this skill. X(3)% increased chance to remain undetected while moving, where X is the level of this skill. Damage is doubled when attacking from stealth.

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Dodge Level: 3

You can wear armor or use a shield to take less damage, or you can avoid it all together, which is better? While others may think heavy armor protects them, you know it’s simply in the way of your true potential. True masters of this skill can stand in a hail of arrows and never take a single blow!

X(3)+Y(13)% dodging speed while in combat, where X is the level of this skill and Y is half your dexterity. 0.Y(0.21)*X(3)% chance to dodge an attack automatically, where x is the level of this skill and where Y is your dexterity.

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Acrobatics Level: 2

Death defying stunts and tricks on the battlefield may seem like a waste of time, but the greatest of duelists know that every movement has a purpose. While others may choose to have a solid stance, you prefer to move more fluidly. Masters of this skill can slay foes without ever touching the ground!

X(2)+Y(21)% increased chance to perform an acrobatic stunt, where X is the level of this skill and Y is your Dexterity. +X(2)% chance to maneuver your opponent to your advantage when performing a stunt, where X is the level in this skill.

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Throwing Level: 1

Some may think it is foolish to throw one’s weapon in the middle of a fight, but few know how truly devastating the effects of such an attack may be! Masters of this skill can throw a blade so powerfully and accurately, it would cut an arrow in half mid-flight!

X(1)+Y(21)% increased accuracy when throwing a weapon you are familiar with, where X is the level of this skill, and Y is your Dexterity. +X%(1) damage dealt when a successful throwing attack is made with a weapon you are familiar with, where X is the level of this skill.

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Hidden Skill: Dreamer Level :3

By experiencing skill memories while dreaming, you have found a skill that eludes even some masters, the dreamer skill which is held only by seers, shamans, and monks who have spent years cultivating. Those with the dreamer skill find that they have complete control of their mental landscape, and never again are they caught off guard while sleeping. It is unknown just what true masters of this skill can do!

100% chance of lucid dreaming while sleeping. x(3)+y(10) feet of perception of your surroundings while sleeping, where x is the level of this skill, and y is your wisdom. .

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A massive grin spread across Andius’ face as he saw the skill gains, he hadn’t been playing long, but already his skill sheet was starting to fill out! There was something primal about seeing the numbers going up and knowing that he would be stronger for it that just made him giddy to go out and improve some more! He noticed that the required experience went up by 100 at every level, and that his experience drained to fuel his level up, which meant that leveling would get harder as he went, so far par with games he's played in the past!

With a smile he leaned down and moved to pick up his new bow and quiver, and found that his body moved faster than he had expected it to. His eyes went wide as he saw his increase in dexterity taking effect already, coupled with the bonus he had from getting the breakthrough. apparently movement speed wasn’t just about walking and running, it was every kind of movement he made! He laughed aloud as he focused on himself to try and see if anything else had changed with his status increase. He definitely felt quicker, but he found that his body felt a tiny but more sturdy, and his vision was a bit better than it had been when he woke up, everything looking a little more crisp and vibrant.

It was interesting to see the effects of increasing his stats, knowing that they were more than just numbers now, this game really was amazing! Now in a much better mood than he had been, he strapped the bow and quiver onto his back, and once again notifications popped into his face.

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Ash Bow

Durability: 43/50

Rarity: common

A simple bow designed for hunting.

Value: ???(Object is not appraised)

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Quiver of Arrows(13 arrows)

Durability: 28/30

Rarity: Very Common

A quiver full of arrows designed for hunting.

Value: ???(Object is not appraised)

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Nothing too exciting, but now he could practice archery if he wanted to. He actually considered for a moment if he would prefer archery over throwing knives, and found that he wasn’t too sure. For now he would avoid spending skill points on either until he came to a decision.

Deciding he’s already spent far too much time in the room, he moved to the door and opened it, closing it behind him before stepping down the stairs into the main room of the tavern. It wasn’t lavish or anything particularly special, just a bunch of tables and a bar that a young woman was working at, looking to be barely in her twenties. She spotted Andius as he came down the stairs easily as there weren’t many patrons in the building at the moment and called over to him.

“H-hey! You’re the guy they brought in, right?” She called across the room, causing a few people to turn and look at Andius, which he really didn’t appreciate. “Come here a sec!”

Not really having much of a choice in the matter, he walked over to the woman and gave her the best smile he could manage, which for some reason made her blush. Oh right, high charisma. “I am, sorry for any trouble I might have caused. What can I do for you?”

The girl cleared her throat and looked around for a second and said, “W-well… The guy who brought you in said you’d be willing to work off the night you rented in our tavern, s-so..” She looked uncomfortable, and Andius could tell that the guy had been rather insistent for her to be acting like this.

Andius could no nothing but groan, is this what that man meant by covering a few days in the tavern? “Right, well I never agreed to that, but I’d rather not have any outstanding debts. What work can be done?” He wanted to scream, but he knew he was backed into a corner here.

The response seemed to relieve the girl and so she nodded with a smile and said, “Simple enough work! Just need to do one of the jobs listed on the board outside of the tavern! Even the smallest of them pay enough to cover your stay, and if the story that man told was true, you should be able to handle it no problem!”

Andius’ eye twitched, that guy was going around telling people about his fight with the Gnolls now? He was starting to regret saving that guy more and more by the minute. He thanked the woman and raised the hood of his cloak, walking out of the tavern as quickly as he could. Once he was outside, he found himself in a pretty small town, which would be better described as a village really. It only had one or two shops, but there were adventurers here and there dressed in armor that ranged from thrown-together, to immaculate steel armor, his own gear resting somewhere in the middle.

He found the job board easily enough, it was right beside the tavern after all. There were a few job listings, ranging from gathering herbs to taking out a pack of goblins that have been attacking the lumber workers. None of them paid all that well, the goblin hunt paying only five silver, which made him wonder why so many adventurers were wandering this small village? He shrugged and decided to go for the top of the list, taking the job to kill the goblins. They were just goblins, how hard could they be?

He had the money to pay for the nights stay in the tavern sure, but he’d rather not spend his coin if he could help it, rather they just take some from his quest reward. With that taken care of, he looked around for a store that might be a general vendor, spotting one building that had a fairly constant stream of armored people going in and out. “That’d probably be it.” He muttered to himself as he headed over there.

Sure enough inside he found all manner of travel goods, water skins, food rations and rope, along with the occasional rope or arrows. He grabbed a water skin and three days worth of rations and moved up to the counter, setting them down, an old man looked them over and said, “Thirteen coppers.”

Andius grimaced and decided he’d try his hand at haggling, “How does nine coppers sound?” Hoping that the man was overcharging by a large margin. This got a grin out of the man and he chuckled.

“Wanna work on the price huh? Tell ya what, I’ll sell ‘em for twelve.” A grin worming it’s way across the mans face, apparently the man liked haggling.

Andius never really got to haggle with customers at his job, the prices were set in stone and if you didn’t like it you didn’t get the stuff, that was the rules. Despite that, he always wanted to give it a try. “Why not ten and we call it good?” He asked with a polite smile under his hood, a mischievous glint playing in his eyes.

The man thought for a moment, and grinned right back, “Can’t part with em for quite that low, why don’t we call it eleven and both leave happy, aye?”

That seemed as good as a price as Andius was going to get, and going lower than his offered price would be like slapping this man in the face. He nodded and took out the coins putting them into the mans hand and swooping up the food stuffs. Strangely he didn’t get a notification for these items, perhaps the system didn’t feel the need to explain food and water?

The man laughed and shook his head, “You come back kid, none of these fools have the balls ta haggle with me after the last one insulted me, I’m gettin’ bored!” Andius’ eyes went a bit wide, realizing that he may have risked angering someone that adventurers feared.

He nodded and headed out of the general goods store and looked at the job listing he had taken again. “Well, I guess it’s time to slay some goblins!”