"Let's see my Roads."

Road of Blood

0/25

Road of Earth I

0/10

Road of the Burning Heart

5/25

Road of Family

0/100

Road of the Unyielding Will

0/50

Road to Everlasting Life

0/1,000

Road of Courage II

0/50

Road of New Beginnings

0/20

Road of Radiance I

0/50

Road of Light I

0/20

Road of the Tireless I

0/50

Road of Water I

0/10

Philosopher’s Road I

4/20

Dante turned to his new paths, noticing that the road of dust was no longer available.

'Perhaps it's for the best.' he thought before he began to weigh the Roads he still possessed.

He stood for a moment looking over the room as he decided. Watching the Priests whom were watching him in turn from beneath their hoods.

Even though he knew it was the right path for him, he felt he needed to wait on the Road of Blood.

He decided and pressed forth down the Road of Earth.

The earth has been your home for all your life, you find yourself in a forest clearing. +2 Con...

You breathe in the fresh air and dig your feet deep into soft fertile soil. +2 Str...

You see the paths before you are as numerous as the tree's themselves, but you must choose one. +2 Will, +1 Wis...

...

Another decision along the Road, since he had little description he simply chose North. It was as good a direction as any.

You pull up your feet and choose a direction, this is the way you choose. +1 Will, +1 Luck...

You walk through the clearing and pass into the treeline, this path is well worn. +2 End...

Congratulations! You have completed the Road of Earth I! +100 health and stamina, +2.5 health and stamina regen...

You have obtained the, Uncommon, skill, Seed Creation Lvl. 1...

Seed Creation- Create one or more seeds of a plant you are familiar with. Cost is variable...

The Road of Earth II opens to you!...

He felt the soft earth beneath his feet, and his feet digging in. He felt the grass as he put one foot in front of another. He felt the crunch of dried leaves beneath his feet as he walked the road coming to it's end after a short time.

Dante appreciated the increases. The skill however, could be very interesting. He looked upon the 39 free stat points he had.

'If I really wanted to...I could get Con or Will up to 100. Will contributes to mana I think but not nearly as much as INT. Con give me more health which is almost always a good thing. If I get Con to 100 that'll increase my health by...370? That may not be right, it sounds a little low. It's not as large of an increase as I would like but could be of use. Screw it we'll wait on the stat points.' He debated in his mind for a moment.

'66 left now what?' After a moment he decided to complete what was currently his cheapest Road. The Road of Water. The notices came every 2 points.

As the sun sets you find yourself upon a cliff overlooking the sea. Hearing the distant peel of thunder you look to find a storm brewing on the horizon. +2 Perception...

The storm has come in. You are drenched in the freezing rain, but to you this is nothing. +2 End...

Though the storm rages around you, you feel not fear. Instead you find this moment a comfort. You marvell upon Nature's fury. +2 Spirit...

The sun rises and the storm has passed you by. You watch the sunrise and marvel upon the beautiful sight. +2 Cha...

You smell the salt of the sea and take in this sight while you can, as you can see yet another storm is already brewing out to sea. +2 Wis...

Congratulations! You have completed the Road of Water I! Your affinity for Water has increased...

The Road of Water II has opened to you!...

This Road was different from the other's he had walked before. Instead of walking he felt himself sitting upon the soft grass. In his mind's eye he watched the sun set and the raging wind and rain of a storm. He felt a dampness and cold chill wash over him but as he felt around there was no water. He smelled the salt of the sea and watched the sunrise from the horizon only for another storm to come across the horizon.

As the experience ended he couldn't help but wonder what affinity did, shaking his head he turned back to the task at hand. He had 56 points now and the Road of Water II was 25 Rp. After a moment of consideration, he decided on two more Roads he would complete. The next one was the Road of Light. He input the 20 Rp and got a notice every 4 points.

The world is often dark, and yet, you seek not to find the light, but to become it! +50 mana...

You seek not to tear others down but to raise them up. +1 Spirit...

You tread forth seeking those lost to the darkness to show them the light. +3 Spirit...

You know how it feels to suffer and that is what makes your light shine ever brighter! +100 mana...

You bask in the light for soon you shall tread through the darkness. +2 Spirit...

Congratulations! You have completed the Road of Light I!...

Your Affinity for light has increased!...

The Road of Light II has opened to you!...

As the words rolled across his vision he felt his feet moving forward and a feeling of joy welled up in his heart. He closed his eyes and turned his head to bask in the warm artificial sunlight. Even as he read that soon he would tread through darkness he wasn't afraid.

Burning Heart has leveled up! Lvl. 4...

He smiled before checking the Road of Light II and finding it to require 50 Rp. He wanted to finish the Road of the Burning Heart but something told him to wait, and so he would.

'Let's do something else then... The Philosopher's Road.' He thought as he put 16 points needed into the road to finish it. Less than 20 rp left.

For you're not one suited to be content with what is, no, you're one who questions the greater things in life. +3 Int...

Where others do as has always been done you wonder if there's a better way. +3 Wis...

The wind whispers secrets with every gust, and the trees know all for they’re ever watchful. +3 Per…

For one to understand the world beyond them, they must peer within themselves. +1 Wis, +1 Per, +1 Int, +1 Spirit…

Congratulation! You have completed the Philosopher's Road! +5 Wis, +100 mana...

"Awesome, let's test out that skill now." He said simply drawing even greater scrutiny from the priests who still stood around the intricate circle carved into the floor.

Before he activated the skill however, a bit of new knowledge surfaced in his mind. A cantrip from D&D his lady had taken a liking to when she learned the system had made it real, Druidcraft.

He knew how to use the spell and the skill, but what if he combined them?

He first used the seed creation skill, thinking of sunflower seeds.

He closed his hand for a second and lost a few mana.

He opened his hand to find five sunflower seeds in his hand.

He smiled and dropped the seeds into his hat for later, "Now let's bring them together." he said as he closed his hand once more, he thought of a single plant, the rose his lady had given him.

Much more mana was consumed this time around.

Congratulations! Your skill, Seed Creation, has leveled up! Level. 2!...

Congratulations! Your skill, Seed Creation, has leveled up! Level. 3!...

When it was done he had lost 50 mana and in his hand he saw but one small crimson seed. It was no bigger than the fingernail on his pinky.

He smiled and inspected it.

Seed of the Blood Rose

This spured yet another idea in Dante's mind. 'I love wisdom. It gives me such awesome ideas. Intellect may be smarts, but it's not... ' Dante thought his smile growing wider.

He tossed the seed on the ground and cast Druidcraft upon it, willing it to grow. The seed sprouted growing quite quickly but not as fast as he needed.

He poured on his will and forced his own mana through the cantrip.

As he tried forcing his mana through the cantrip he found something akin to a wall blocking his progress.

He pressed against that wall with all his might, and slowly it gave way.

Then it fell, and he felt his mana pour forth.

The plant's growth accelerated, growing faster and faster until the plant's growth became explosive.

A few notices appeared in front of him as he watched the writing mass of green vines.

You have taken a few steps down the Road of Earth II!...

From your own being you craft the seeds of what is to come. +2 End, +1 Int, +2 Luck...

You have created the Rare skill, Vines of the Blood Rose!...

Vines of the Blood Rose

Bind a target in thorny vines that inflict magical piercing damage. Slows a target with strength less than your Intellect. Inflicts the bleeding condition if successful in drawing targets blood. Cannot bleed targets that don't possess blood.

Bonus to skill strength when used in tandem with real seeds. Doubles skill strength when using real seeds of the Blood Rose.

Grants the user a small amount of the damage dealt to targets as healing. Life steal effects can be shared with others.

Mana cost: 100 per plant

To take a cantrip meant for druids, and craft from it, a Rare skill. Congratulation Dante. -Rosana

Congratulations! Your mana has surpassed 2500! The Wizards Road III has opened to you!...

He was mildly concerned by the first road notice, but pleased by the second.

Then there was the skill.

'Doubles skill strength when using real seeds of the blood rose? Does that mean I can slow people with a strength less than twice my INT...Awesome. Probably could use this to lock down lots of little enemies. Not a terrible mana cost either.' He thought before one of the Priests stepped forth.

"You seem to be well." spoke the priest as they felled their hood revealing a face much like Oscar's.

Bald with a smooth head, fairly featureless save for his mouth and eyes.

He too lacked a nose, instead only having slits, like Oscar.

The only real difference between him and Oscar were the color of their Iris's.

Oscar's were hazel like his own, but the Priest's were golden.

"Little thanks to this ritual of yours." Dante spat back not content with having been lied to.

"I would have put more points into Con If I had.." he was abruptly cut off by the priest.

"If you had known? No. That couldn't have been allowed, and thus you were lied to. What is that plant you have made to grow upon the floor of our beautiful temple?" Asked the priest as he motioned with one of his four arms towards the plant produced by Dante's skill.

"It came from a skill I just made. Here." He said as he handed the blue box to the priest.

After a moment of reading the priest spoke.

"Not bad, but it likely won't be of much use against anyone more than a few levels above you. Even less if they're warriors..." The priest looked up from the blue box to Dante. "Fair warning." said the priest.

Dante nodded as it made sense.

"Thanks for the warning." he said as he stretched out his hand to shake the priest's hand.

The priest looked confused for a moment before he outstretched a hand of his own and they shook.

"Now we shall conduct a few tests to ensure all is well, and that we may allow you to leave this place." As he said this he motioned for Dante to once more enter the circle.

"Is this going to hurt? You're part of the clergy here right? You've been bound by your god to be unable to lie?" Dante asked none too pleased by the thought of going back into that circle.

The priest furrowed his brows for a moment before he looked to Oscar then back to Dante.

"Who told you such things? Did he?" The priest asked while motioning to Oscar.

"No...Status..." Dante said before presenting the upper half of his status to the Priest who looked upon it with a confused expression.

"You've become a cleric? When? You were without a class when you walked into this temple. I would ask if you had chosen our lord ^**%*^&%*% due to your relationship with *^*%*$*^% but by the notation next to your class I am doubtful that's the case." the priest said as he tapped the small notation next to Dante's class on the blue box.

The priest froze for a moment before looking back and forth between Dante and the blue box.

"Level 26? You were level 23 last we were informed! We expected you to level from the ritual but 3 levels?...Blood and Life are your clerical domains? If you're a cleric then it would seem I can trust you to tell us the true name of your god." the priest said, leaning forward whilst crossing his arms. His face displayed a deep frown while his eyes spoke to his worry.

Dante simply smiled, undaunted by the attempt at intimidation.

"My Lady's name is Rosana. She is the Lady of Life and Blood. I met her after I managed to take down the wall that had been erected between me and the Road of Blood." He said, his smile dropping to a more blank expression.

"Why did you seek to regain that Road?"

"I was in..." Dante's head twitched to the side at the memory still fresh in his mind and yet he could feel his mind building a wall between him and that experience. He was happy with that.

"...pain. It was excruciating, and I felt the means to end that suffering was behind the wall and it seems to have been true. I felt something that connected us and soon learned that it was at least in part this robe." He said motioning to the prismatic colored robe that adorned him complete with the symbol of his lady embroidered on the chest.

He heard several small gasps from the priests still standing around the circle.

The priest before him however simply stated, "You arrived here in that robe. Where did you get it?" He asked, his voice edged with anger and a hint of...fear?

"I obtained the Robe of Everlasting Life along with several other items including this..." He paused for a few seconds willing the crown to revert to its default form for the moment.

The priest took a step back.

Clearly beginning to put the pieces together.

"Robe of...That's..." The priests were lost for words.

"The crown that once belonged to the Crimson King. But it's mine now. I took it and several other things after a skill of his turned his body to dust. As to how he obtained it, I don't know." Dante said calmly and clearly.

The priest before him placed all of his four hands upon his face and sighed.

"The system must be plucking upon the strings of fate. It's the only reasonable explanation. An insane gamble with an unknowable number of lives hanging in the balance. All hinged on an individual barely introduced to the system. ^%*%&^% help us all..." the priest stopped for a moment before lowering his hands trying to regain composure.

'Plucking the strings of Fate? No wonder I survived that encounter with the Crimson King!' Dante pondered as he tried to process what had just been said.

The priest began to brush off the chest and legs of his attire with his top and lower arms respectively, as if by some reflex.

"I'm sorry for my unsightly behavior. Thank you for that information. I will inform the high priest once we're done here. As for your question earlier. No, It shouldn't hurt you. Yes I am bound by my lord to be honest. Now...Please just get in the circle again." The priest asked his air of authority crumbling somewhat with his words as he pointed towards the circle.

Dante looked to Oscar who looked back to him in turn. They both simply nodded to one another and so he walked slowly back into the circle. The Priests once more assuming their proper positions began to chant.

---------------------------------

Dante and Oscar were on their way back to Oscar's shop.

Oscar held Califa in his lower arms as they walked. It was only about half a mile to the shop.

A distance Oscar had covered in less than 10 seconds.

"Hey Oscar, If you don't mind me asking. What level are you?" He said as he turned toward Oscar.

Oscar, in turn, looked at him.

"I don't mind you asking. I am level 256." Oscar said in a low voice.

"Holy shit!" Dante exclaimed, causing Oscar to cover his mouth.

"Keep your voice down..." Oscar said, pausing as he looked around.

He spotted several people who had their attention drawn to the sudden noise.

"I don't see how excrement can be holy anyway." Oscar said with a small smile on his face.

Dante reached up and tugged gently at Oscar's massive hand.

Taking the hint, Oscar removed his hand.

"It's an expression, don't worry about it. Sorry for yelling, I just wasn't expecting...that." said Dante.

Oscar chuckled and shook his head while he smiled.

"I understand your confusion. You learned of the zone's level limits correct?" Oscar asked.

"Yeah, I did." He replied.

"Those who run these system towns are not bound by that rule. There are several others with levels comparable to my own. Many dozens over level 100. Many are like me. Individuals killed but given the opportunity to continue by the system. Given the chance to give back to new players what we might have found lacking in our own tutorials." Oscar said with pride. Pride for all he had done to give back in the many years he had worked for the system.

Dante smiled as they kept walking.

---------------

About halfway back to Oscar's shop Dante saw something.

He saw a man eating a piece of beef jerky.

'Ummmm Beef jerky. Can I get a machine or something that makes beef jerky? Like on demand beef jerky?' he pondered.

He pulled up the system store and after a moment found several interesting things.

'Food replicator from star trek... too expensive.' He thought, disqualifying the large, probably heavy item with a 5 digit price.

He saw the 3rd level spell, Create food and water from D&D.

"That's a cleric spell, I'll probably get that after I get a few more levels in cleric so that one's out...What's this?" He paused as he examined the small object displayed for sale.

'Is that the breadstick wand from Adventure time?' He asked himself.

Upon further inspection he saw that the wand had been magically replicated.

It could make bread of course but could have blueprints of other things uploaded to be able to produce them.

"Hey Oscar, take a look at this item in the store and tell me what you think." Dante said as he swiped the blue box over to Oscar.

After a quick look of curiosity towards Dante, Oscar inspected the item presented on the screen.

He began tapping on the screen causing it to fritze for a half a second before returning.

"I can make it for about 80% of the price the system store will charge you. But you will still have to buy the blueprints from the store." Oscar said as he looked at Dante.

"Good to know..." He said as he began to ponder.

'If I have him make an upscaled version can I use it to greater effect? If it's sturdy enough I could use it like a monk's staff. I'll table that until I have more information on the costs. I have a bit of money but not infinite.' he thought. Then he had a thought.

"Oscar, why can you make it cheaper than the store?" He asked Oscar.

"Oh that's quite simple as you'll learn. The system upcharges for anything you buy in the store for several reasons. You can buy something from the store almost anywhere within the range of a system pylon so long as you have the coin. This is also to discourage people from using the store for everything, while still giving them a place for emergency purchases. It's done to get players to go out and seek cheaper ways of having items made, or obtained, if they prefer not to pay the system's price. This, much of the time, results in them going to find merchants much like myself for items. Wizards for spells. Churches for divine spells and such. In short, the system gives players the store but incentivises them to use it sparingly. It incentivises them to meet and form connections with their fellow players." Said Oscar.

Dante thought about that for a moment.

'Incentives players to interact with one another rather than solely relying on the system. Certainly one way to try and prevent people from getting an MC complex...' His thoughts were interrupted when Oscar continued.

"Another thing. Normally one cannot buy certain spells from the system if they lack the requirements, even if they have the gold to buy them." Oscar said whilst holding up an index finger and looking at Dante.

"So it's like class restrictions? You can only get something if you meet the requirements?" Dante asked.

"Yes and so much more. There may be stat requirements to a spell, or ability you wish to purchase. Then again one can even buy status multipliers if they're willing to spend astronomical sums of money." Oscar said, bringing his open palms above his head for emphasis.

"Status multiplier? Like my robe? Can I pay to have my stats increased?" He asked his voice a little too loud in his excitement.

Oscar placed one of his hands over Dante's mouth.

"Yes and no. You can buy consumables and/or gear to raise your stats, but that isn't what I meant. You were close when you mentioned your robe. One can only pay to have their resources or regenerations multiplied. The price for such things isn't cheap though. If that robe were only the regen multipliers you could sell it for several hundred large platinum. Need I say more?" Oscar said, raising an eyebrow.

"Wait...When did you scan my robe?" Dante asked though he suspected the answer.

"Before we left my shop, after I discovered what it was that you're wearing upon your head. '' Oscar said as he pointed towards the crown currently disguised as a black stetson upon his head.

-----------------------------------

Several minutes passed and they arrived once more at Oscar's shop.

Oscar asked Dante to wait in the lobby for a moment so he could set Califa in a room upstairs to allow her to rest.

A moment passed and Oscar returned.

"So, you wanted this wand of bread creation?" Oscar asked as he pulled back up the item in the system store.

"Yes, how much would that cost me if you made it?" He asked Oscar.

"Without the system's 20% markup it would come to around 4 small platinum, if you include the original blueprint which I would have to buy to load it onto the item." Said Oscar.

"That's not a bad price. 20% markup for everything in the system store though? Damn. Anyway, I had an idea. Could you upscale this to about the size of a staff? Maybe make it sturdy enough that I could use it like a monk's staff in addition to the creation aspect." Dante asked of Oscar.

"Let's hammer out the details. The design would have to be changed if you wished for it to be upscaled, and be an effective staff." Said Oscar with a smile.

------------------------------

"So what kind of blueprints would you like on your, "Staff of Creation"?" Oscar asked.

"Let me see the blueprint for it. Can make many things from...how small is that?" He asked getting a reply that it was about the width of a #2 pencil.

"Ok, and up to the limits of the staff’s...orifice. Not the word I would use but whatever. So, up to about 2 inches thick, not bad. I can see that being used to get out of some very tight spots. Like making stone rods or..."

+1 Wis...

"...That merits further investigation, but later..." said Dante.

"Did you gain a point in Wisdom?" asked Oscar.

"Yeah." he said in return.

Oscar smiled as he stroked his chin with one of his hands.

"It's always fun to be rewarded by the system for being clever." Oscar said.

Then Dante smiled as he realized Oscar was right, so he enjoyed the feeling for a moment before he continued.

"...So, it seems it can create each material for a mana cost dependent upon the scale and the material in question. I can add new blueprints through the system store..."

-------------------

About an hour later Dante had finished up the designing process with Oscar and was on his way back to the Crystal Foot Inn.

Having given a list of blueprints he wanted the staff to have, to Oscar.

He had been surprised by the wide variety of materials he could get as blueprints for the staff to make.

‘Diamonds are surprisingly cheap. That blueprint only cost 5 small gold. Metals, liquids, some gases...' He pondered.

What had surprised him most was that there seemed to be a restriction in place.

'No blueprints for metals above Zinc. Can get water, but not acids or even stuff like gasoline. Can't get most kinds of gases but I could get scented air. Might have been a waste to get pine scented air but I'll be thankful for it when I have the chance to use it.'

'Diamond rods as a material component. A diamond the size of a jumbo marble is only 1 small gold. It can act like a fan... but in a sealed environment would result in an increase to air pressure over time.

+1 Int...

"On second thought that’s probably not a good idea." he said.

+1 Wis...

"Ok then. All said and done the staff cost me 150 large gold and the blueprints cost another 50 large gold. Oscar said I could pick up the staff tomorrow. Even if it was a little expensive, it was well worth it in my opinion. Now then, Status. Time to distribute my stat points."

Dante A. Stone

Race: Human

Class: Cleric (B,L)

LVl. 26

EXP: 965/5,300

Gold: 1088.5 Large gold

Stats

Resources

Total

Regen.

Strength 54

Health

1,803

(69.3x2=138.6/min)

Constitution/Vitality 69

Mana

2,547

(75.3/min)

Endurance 50

Stamina

1,326

(63.3x2=126.6/min)

Dexterity 38

Road Points

25

Willpower 70

Stat Points

90

Intellect 62 Luck 37 Wisdom 70 Perception 37 Charisma 52 Spirit 76

He could get Con and End up to 100 with the points he had but the more he looked at his Luck and Perception lagging behind he wanted to raise them more.

23 points went into Luck and Perception.

That leaves me with 44 points.

"I'll throw the rest into Spirit and Wisdom, I could use the mana regen."

30 points into wisdom, and 14 into Spirit.

Congratulations! Your Wisdom has reached 100!...

You are granted the title, "Sage"...

Sage- Your mind is strong and you are wise to the ways of the world. You use all that you know to the best of your capabilities. You're granted the Uncommon skill, "Meditation Lvl. 1"...

Meditation

Allows users to enter into a focused and restful state, increasing regen for Physical stats by 1% per skill level. Increases regen for non-physical stats by 2% per level. Small increase to all resources and regens per level of the skill.

Meditation while under mental debuffs can help to alleviate the conditions.

Users may be knocked out of meditative state due to disturbances. Increasing the skill level will allow for greater freedom of actions for the user to perform whilst maintaining meditation.

Meditation will automatically activate in the proper situations.

Dante felt his mind expand as meditation immediately self activated.

'Ain't that just the skill I needed.' He thought with a smile.

He stopped for a moment in the street as he felt a wave of peace wash over him.

He looked up to the sky as the day was drawing to a close.

It wasn't long till sunset.

He closed his eyes for a moment, drinking in the feeling.

Meditation has leveled up! lvl. 2...

Meditation has leveled up! lvl. 3...

Then someone pushed his shoulder and the skill canceled.

As he opened his eyes again he found the sun had already set.

Checking the time he had been standing out here for a little more than 20 minutes.

"Are you alright sir?" Asked the male, human, guardsman in front of him.

A few seconds of blinking brought Dante back to reality.

He saw that the guardsmen wasn't alone, there were 5 others with him. 3 other guys, and 2 women.

"Sorry If I worried you guys. I was just a little too absorbed in this new skill I got." He said, rubbing behind his neck in mild embarrassment.

"Meditation?" The guardsmen asked with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smile.

"Yeah...how did you know? A skill of yours?" Dante asked, surprised that the guardsmen figured it out so fast.

"Pay up boys and girls, told you. No skill sir, just old fashioned experience. What happened to you happens to almost everyone when they get that skill. I remember when I first got it..." the guardsmen paused for a moment, closing their eyes and smiling. He also held his hand behind his back and seemed to receive several small bags of coins from the others in his group.

"You guys were betting why I was standing here?" Dante asked with a small chuckle.

"Damn straight. It helps pass the time. Makes the job more interesting..." He seemed about to say more but was cut off.

"And profitable!" Another cut in.

"Maybe if you guys raised your wisdom you could actually win!" said one of the two female guardsmen with a laugh.

The two male guardsmen glared daggers, but said nothing to the woman who simply smiled smugly as she crossed her arms over her breastplate.

"Anyway good sir..." The man seemingly to be the leader of the group started but Dante interrupted.

"Please my name is Dante. I'm a Cleric." He said as he held out his hand to shake the guardsman's.

The leader of the guards group reached out and shook Dante's hand.

"Ah, where's my manners? My name is Oswald Smith. Been captain of the guards now for 12 years. It's the first time this place has been accelerated since I became the Leader of the Guard."

"Ah! So you're from a family of smiths?" Dante asked only to see the expression of the guards darken, or sadden. Save for the captain and the woman who had mocked the men, both of which wore blank expressions to hide their emotions.

"Did I say something wrong?" He asked hoping he hadn't insulted them.

"No, its just that many of us never meet our parents. Or we're handed over to the system by our parents due to poverty. For those lucky few of us who have parents that love us they often send some of their pay back to their families. If nothing else the system pays the family a stipend for every child working for the system..." The captain paused as one of the men behind him cut in.

"Some of us even take vacations back to our homes." He said with a measure of pride. Eliciting glares from two of the other men and the women who hadn't insulted him.

"Holy Shit." Dante said as he thought how sad that was. 'But it's not unheard of in other parts of the world.' He thought to himself.

"...Those the system takes in are given an education. Some of the best education there is mind you. Each child is taught in a way that best suits them. We're given everything we could need. We are trained for what we're most naturally gifted for. Be it magic, physical combat, ranged combat, Art, a variety of things. And if we're not especially talented in anything we're given more general courses and then a choice of what we want to do when we're old enough to appreciate that choice. Some ask if we were forced into our jobs but that couldn't be farther from the truth. We all choose our jobs." The captain said as he motioned towards the rest of his group who had snapped to attention. Legs spread apart and arms behind their backs in a military style.

"We're not trapped here. We chose to make the best we could of what fate had bestowed upon us. So thank you Dante." The captain said with a genuine smile.

"For what?" Dante asked, not thinking he'd done anything special.

"For caring." Was the captain's simple reply.

"It was nothing." He replied to the captain.

+3 Cha...

"Nothing?!" Another of the men, a younger man about his age chimed in. Not allowing Dante to process the growth to his Charisma.

"You know how often we're asked for anything besides direction? Very seldom! A ton of the people who came in with you keep calling us NPC's whatever that is. What even is that?" the man asked while looking at Dante.

"It means Non Player Character. It basically means they don't think of you as a person. It also means they're fucking idiots who think the world is a game now! This world is no game..." Dante looked to the ground angered by the stupidity of others.

+5 Wisdom...

'Why the fuck did I get that much wisdom?' He asked the system but received no answer.

Then he felt the captain touch his shoulder.

"Thank you, Dante." The Captain said as he stood straight and saluted Dante, those in his group following suit.

Dante saluted them back and then they went on their way.

As they left however, he fired off a friend request to the captain who paused for a moment before nodding and continuing.

Your friend request has been accepted!...

Dante smiled as he began walking the opposite way back towards the Inn. Watching as the street lights began turning on.

He decided to inspect his status again, and then he swore.

"Damn it. My mana regen is still too low for my liking, only 93.7. At least it takes a little less than half an hour for my mana to regenerate now." he said, trying to look on the bright side.

-----------------

After making it back to the Inn and having dinner with his parents who were eager to share what they had learned from the church, and discuss the notices they had received pertaining to him. All under the anti sound barrier courtesy of Virgil. Dante retired for the night to his room.

However, he had trouble sleeping.

So he decided to check his status again, and seeing the 28 rp he had, he decided to check his roads again.

What he saw surprised him.

Road of Blood

0/25

Road of Earth II

0/25

Road of the Burning Heart

5/25

Road of Family

0/100

Road of the Unyielding Will

0/50

Road to Everlasting Life

0/1,000

Road of Courage II

0/50

Road of New Beginnings

0/20

Road of Radiance I

0/50

Road of Light II

0/50

Road of the Tireless I

0/50

Road of Water II

0/25

Fate's Clockwork

0/1

"Fate's Clockwork? Reminds me of stuff like Scp-914 and the Broken God..."

Mana sense has...

Error...

Breakthrough!...

His mana sense went wild for a moment as he felt something coming from the sky above him.

He looked up flicking on true sight and it was like staring into the sun.

He had to look away.

——-

Error!...

Portion of divine entity has spawned within tutorial zone!...

Ejecting!...

——

A man fell from his chair having just returned from the normal tutorial. Clutching himself as he labored to breath uncertain what had just transpired. He felt no pain and yet he was sure he had been run through by that goblin war chief. His fears were confirmed as he found the hole in his armor where his own sword had been run through him.

Immediately he noticed it. There was no blood.

He fumbled to get the armor off and a moment later he starred at himself in the mirror without the chestplate.

There was no scar. No evidence he had been run through.

Nevertheless he was certain he had been killed.

Remembering something he went back through his notifications.

You have died...

You have not made any meaningful connections to the local places of worship, thus no god has chosen to sponsor your revival...

You will not respawn in the normal tutorial zone...

You have been given a free revival due to your low level and due to having been in the normal tutorial zone...

You cannot return to the normal tutorial zone for 10.08 minutes, (7 days of accelerated time)...

Reviving in place of departure...

He looked upon his computer still displaying the same youtube video he had been watching when the system arrived. "Scp 001, The Broken God..."

Had it not been for his increased perception and the light reflecting off of it, he might have missed the small golden colored gear falling from the sky past his window and into his parents yard. He ran down stairs and out the front door to collect the item.

He tore open the door in his haste litterally tearing it from its hinges.

"GOD DAMNIT!" He swore as he set the door against the wall and raced to find the gear.

After a few seconds he found it and retrieved it.

But when he touched it, he felt something.

It wasn't a voice.

More a simple feeling.

Images.

Return...

An image of a man in vibrantly colored robes flashed through his mind.

Find...

He saw himself meeting the guy in what appeared to be the dinning room of an Inn.

He saw himself giving the gear to man and for but an instant, as they both held the gear he saw threads of light connecting each of them to the gear.

Give...

You have received a Legendary quest!!!...

"OH SHIT!" the man exclaimed in joy.

Divine Quest! Bring the gear to its intended destination and let none take it from you save the intended recipient! Quest rewards: Variable Quest Failure: Death of the Earth

"OH FUCK!" the man exclaimed in horror.

Recalculating!...

Exception has been created....

You may return to the normal tutorial zone in 4.32 minutes, (3 days of accelerated time)...

—-

Mana Sense has become level 20!...

"Virgil." Dante spoke, expending 50 mana to bring forth his guide.

A few seconds later Virgil was there.

"Please state the nature of your inquiry." He said calmly with his usual smile.

"Can you explain this to me please?" Dante motioned towards his Roads menu.

"A rewards path? Fate's Clockwork? Dante I cannot give you any information on that Road. All I can say is that it's something the system wants to give you, but for whatever reason It can't just give you it directly. So this is the work around. Things like this don't come around often so I suggest you take it." Virgil said sternly. His usual smile was gone and replaced by a serious expression.

Dante tapped the plus sign for the path inputting the 1 point needed.

For you the threads of Fate were rewoven that you may live and the Crimson king may fall...

Congratulations! You have completed Fate's Clockwork Road!...

You're granted the Legendary, semi-active, skill Fate's Clockwork Lvl. 1...

"What the fuck? Legendary? Where's the blue box? What does it do?" Dante asked in excitement and panic as he pulled up his skills.

Clicking on skill in the menu only revealed that it cost 5 mana a second to run.

So with encouragement from Virgil he activated the skill.

But nothing seemed to change.

He left it on for a minute but got the distinct feeling that no progress was being made.

"Well at least it gives me experience." he said as he decided it was probably best to just go to sleep.