《GENERIKA 0FFLINE》That Novice, Trying His Best - Pt. 1
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"NPC-RND-4394! Please come to the front. You're up next."
I shoot upright in my seat and salute the clerk from across the reception room. The 1st Class Trial Dungeon was completely stuffed when I arrived this morning; several hours later, the crowd of aspiring adventurers has thinned out just enough that I can squeeze past everyone by holding my breath.
Sucking in my chest, I fight my way to the front desk. Bigger, badder guys than I'll ever be shoot me dirty looks as I accidentally half-trip over their feet and jab elbows into their sides.
"'Scuse me--pardon me--sorry, coming through!"
If my heart wasn't already racing, their narrowed eyes might do the trick. For better or worse, though, the excitement-anxiety cocktail swirling through me's already beat them to the punch.
"Hello, there." A sparkling service-desk smile lights up the clerk's face when I arrive. "Sorry for the wait. Ready for your test, sir?"
I scratch my cheek with a single finger, a nervous sound bubbling from my throat.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"Hey, have some confidence! You'll do fine."
Bet she says that to everyone, I think, while the clerk pulls a clipboard from a hook on the wall behind her. If not, she's got more faith in me than I do.
Humming to herself, the clerk flips through the clipboard's contents. The butterflies in my stomach flutter to my throat and tangle there, drying up my mouth and turning my breaths to shallow puffs. Everyone in the room's been sitting here for half a day. A dozen impatient glares drill through my skull, and cold sweat prickles fresh at my hairline.
"No worries," mutters one of the giants I elbowed. "It'll be our turn soon. That li'l shrimp won't last a nanosecond."
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The man's colleagues snicker, just loud enough that I can hear. I prickle with indignation and square my posture. Shrimpy though I might be, I can't give them the satisfaction of intimidating me. I've come too far for a couple thungs to get between me and becoming a [Drifter].
"Your chosen name is... Quinn?"
My thoughts scatter at the clerk's curious voice. I shake my head, grounding myself, then reply with a resolute nod.
"Yeah. That's me."
She slides a pen across the desk, followed by the clipboard.
"Please sign on the dotted lines."
I flip through page after page of legalese. I was told to expect a waiver or three, but the length of these documents has me throwing the clerk a nervous look.
"It's just a formality." She giggles and taps the first line, leaning forward so that the ribbon circling her collar brushes against the paper. "Go on. If it helps any, only twelve people have had to respawn mid-trial. Each time we managed to recover most of their inventory, too."
Just like that, all the blood drains from my face. My eyelid twitches.
The clerk simply continues smiling, of course.
"Twelve, huh...?"
I sign with my system ID and a shaky hand, clearing my throat to conceal my fear. Twelve's no small number.
"I'll be careful not to add a thirteenth to the tally."
"I'm sure you won't. Good luck, Mr. Quinn."
She directs me towards a pair of ornate double doors flanked by two sleepy-eyed guards. If I properly recall, these guys have always been sentries, even during the Heroes' time. I murmur a friendly greeting while the doors swing open before me. No-one replies.
"Okay, then... sheesh."
Somewhat discouraged, I step past the doorway. A long, dark corridor decorated by twinkling crystal lamps and little else surrounds me. I swallow nervously in the shadows. No windows; no warnings; not a single blinking arrow to guide me towards the dungeon proper.
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The doors squeal shut behind me, then latch with an echoing ka-chak.
It's really happening now, huh...
Recalling the others' impatient stares, I move on. The hovering lamps brighten when I pass, chiming and bobbing as if cheering me on. Their glow dyes the smooth marble floor an inviting blue that seems to say, 'You can do this, buddy'.
I straighten my sleeves with one sharp tug apiece. The default newbie 'armour', hardly more than glorified layers of cloth and leather, hang awkwardly from my body. I adjust the heavy mantle and triple-check my bootstraps.
That's right... I can do this. Keep going, Quinn.
As I round my first corner, the dread threatening to overwhelm me starts ebbing away. Perhaps it's the crystals' soft lamplight easing my nerves. Perhaps it's the reliable rhythm of my own footsteps. Perhaps I've grown so anxious that I've crossed the line twice and--I don't know--achieved inner peace.
So long as I pass the [Drifter] exam, I could glitch a second head for all I care.
Onward and onward. I thumb at my belt, reciting the promise I made to myself:
"Someday I'll swap this cheap leather strap with a [Marksman's] holster."
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ALL HOLLOW
The Teir, a tiny machine powered by long-lost magic, has predicted the end of the world. Only two students from a prestigious university can stop it by mastering that same magic. Malou Lamaire’s biggest secret is that she can use what little magic is left in the world, but then she uncovers a plot to steal the Teir. So she steals it first and goes on the run to protect it from those who wish to use its power for their own gain. Gavriel Eng, her willing accomplice, is accustomed to running from his secrets, but he can’t run from his true identity any longer. Not when it requires him to seek an ancient, dangerous magic to make his own—and he’s not the only one on the hunt for it, either. Their combined power is the key to rooting out an evil that defies the laws of life and death—and their failure means the end of everything.
8 192Spell Crafter's Journey
A professor of physics disillusioned with bureaucracy associated with academia becomes transmigrated into the world of magic and rediscovers his love for research in the field of spell crafting.
8 149Digital Sorcery (A LITRPG Adventure Series)
New Chapters Release Weekly on Saturday at 2:00 P.M. Eastern. Book #1 is published on Amazon! Get it Here Book #2 is published on Amazon! Get it Here Book #3 is published on Amazon! Get it Here For news and subscribing to the newsletter, please check out my site: http://davidmzahn.com/ Dive in to the Comedy LitRPG series for terrible people! Old and dying, Ryland is ready to start a new life in game so naturally he studies night and day for his new life. He’ll exploit every weakness, get all the legendary loot, and rise to be the most powerful being in all of Alderoth. Just kidding! He’s not even going to read the instruction manual before jumping in and bumbling around. He’ll be joined by a racist NPC, a black man from Mississippi, and the world’s biggest online troll. With such an exceptional group of people and a level of competence to match what could possibly go wrong? Yep he’s probably getting fish herpes… Note: The author takes no responsibility if you get in trouble for laughing yourself stupid. I'm always happy to receive feedback. Thank You all for reading my work and supporting this story!
8 72The First Dragonborn
It was Aden’s dream of becoming known around the world, as one of the greatest adventurers ever known! Aden was your average 13-year-old boy who wanted to explore the world and live a life full of freedom. He dreamt of many such things and would dream of him and his best friend, a smart 13-year-old boy named Charles, as they traveled through those dreams and slay beasts beyond human imagination. That was what Aden could ever wish for, but like many other dreams, they are bound to be crushed by a certain person. Aden was still able to continue on fulfilling his dreams, but is now bound as nothing more than an entertainer and slave for the Princess of Destruction, Lilith, who destroyed Aden’s home and turned him into a Dragonborn. Permanently making him part-monster. Now for his entire life, along with his friend Charles, they are to entertain the princess and not bore her throughout their adventures… or else she’ll kill them. Author's Say: You might be wondering why the chapters were released so long ago and why I'm posting them again? All I'm going to say is, "Don't ask." I have gone through so much school, work, depression, and pain that I don't want to think about it anymore. And all of those combined didn't help with the fact that I'm also lazy. So, please, don't mind the time difference. Because I've gone through a lot of pain. PAIN, I SAY! Oh, also, chapters will come out when I believe they are ready. They can come from a few days to months on end. So keep that in mind when wondering when the next chapter is coming out. Alright, peace!
8 208Hes Too Good For Me (SouDam)
Ehe! this is my 21st SouDam story!
8 155Secrets in the Moonlight (Lloyd Garmadon x reader)
(y/n) is the oldest Jade Princess, adopted much like Harumi. (y/n) doesn't know much about life outside of the palace, but this changes when the Sons of Garmadon rise up, causing a certain green ninja to stumble into her life. The closer she grows to Lloyd, however, the more she learns about the people she thought she could trust, as well as discovers more truth about her previously unknown heritage.
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