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13 th Zelyr 1091.

A rat scurried across the dirtied floors of a deserted dungeon, nose twitching in anticipation. Many had died, becoming both food and shelter for the furry little animal, and it knew many more of the giant creatures would soon perish. It made its way into one of the cells where a daeben was sprawled across the floor, dark hair covering his face.

The little creature cautiously approached its potential meal, pausing to stand on its hind legs every few steps check for a reaction. The daeben, however, did not seem to react to its movements. It took a few steps closer, listening for signs of life, but it could not pick up any heartbeat from the body. Yes, the daeben was definitely dead. The rat inched closer to the corpse until it was only a whisker away from his target’s head. Cautious as ever, it once again paused and sniffed the daeben’s hair, but the corpse remained motionless.

The rat finally relaxed and prepared to take a bite of the delicious flesh, but it soon regretted its decision. The mass of hair moved too fast for the rat to react and sharp teeth bit down on its tail as it tried to flee.

The daeben sat up and pushed his hair out of his face to reveal a triumphant Kashi glaring at the squealing animal. He snapped the rat’s neck with his thumb, then let out a sigh. The creature exploded into a myriad of shining light, leaving its bones on his palm. This was an effect of the ‘curse’ placed on all Summoned. The bodies of any creature they killed would return to the circle, leaving only a few randomized body parts behind. In this case, the bones were exactly the drop Kashi had wanted.

“That was close,” Kashi remarked as he let out a breath. “I could not have held my breath a moment longer.”

“Good work,” a voice called from the cell next to his. “Now hand me those bones.”

Kashi obediently dropped the bones through a small hole in the wall. Although there was a chance his newfound ally would betray him, Kashi had no choice but to bank on the other man’s integrity. It had already been a few hours since he woke up in this cell after the brief battle that ended in the daebens’ decisive defeat.

Kashi and the other soldiers had fought valiantly against the coalition, swiftly gaining prestige as he slew the coalition’s commanders. Unfortunately, the numbers were against the daeben army as far too many Summoned had sided with the coalition, compared to the measly dozen or so that picked the daebens.

After the death of their commander, Kashi’s squad could do nothing but wait to be routed by the enemy. Kashi was quite satisfied with his loss. At the very least, he and the remnants of the last company had been able to give the coalition hell before they. As a Summoned, he was protected from death during that mini-event. Instead, he blacked out and later awoke in this cell.

The man in the cell next to his was named Leon, a thief who had been arrested when he tried to steal from the king. Unlike most of the other prisoners, he was human and did not participate in the war. Leon had offered his assistance, saying he could create a skeleton key but needed the bones of a small animal.

The rat could not have appeared at a better time.

While Kashi waited for Leon to finish with the bone key, he examined a pair of system prompts. These prompts showed up as little windows in front of him. If he wanted, he could make them visible to others or not. Currently, it was set to private.

Stat Increase: Stealth (13  14)

New Skill Learned: Play Dead (Level 1)

Play Dead: A basic technique used to hide the Inner Ki of its caster, and slow down one’s heartbeat. It is said that at the expert level, practitioners of this art can completely stop their hearts for lengthened periods of time.

Increases Stealth by 50%

Restriction: User must be stationary to activate.

Consumes: 25% HP per 60 seconds.

Stats and skills governed the core of the game for any Summoned. There were a total of fourteen primary stats. These included, Vitality, Stamina, Wisdom, Intellect, Strength, Agility, Dexterity, Endurance, Charisma, Charm, Stealth, Perception, Leadership, and finally Luck. Stat points obtained from leveling could be applied to all of these, except for Luck and Leadership, which could only be increased through player actions. It was a delicate balancing act to find a build that would complement one’s playing style and also ensure they would survive in this world.

Skills, on the other hand, were abilities which allowed players to perform specific actions. There were two main types of skills: Active skills and Passive Skills. Active Skills needed to consume mana or ki to carry out a particular action. They were only activated when a person had a use for them. Passive skills, on the other hand, were always active. They usually provided buffs to specific stats or activities in the world. Both active and passive skills could only be improved through the continuous use of the skills. Fortunately for Kashi, his little game with the rat not only increased his stealth but also granted him a new skill.

While Kashi doubted he would have much use for this skill in the future, it was always good to have an extra ability in his utility belt. There was no such thing as useless skills. Only underutilized ones.

The sound of a gate creaking open interrupted Kashi’s self-examination. He glanced at the door of his cell. A tall man in an overly broad, tattered, black and white striped jumpsuit with unkempt brown hair and a massive beard stood before the bars.

Leon fought with the lock on Kashi’s gate and heaved a sigh of relief when a clack rang out. The door to the cell swung open, and Kashi calmly walked out of the cell.

“Follow me and be quiet,” Leon said and turned away from the cell to make his way towards the end of the hall. His voice was cracked and hoarse, most likely from the many years spent in the dungeon.

Kashi followed closely behind. The sound of his feet on the hardened earth echoed down the hallway, but he heard only one pair of footsteps. He glanced at Leon, who seemed to glide soundlessly across the floor.

“If it is not too bold of me, may I inquire as to how you move so softly?” Kashi asked. He would never know why he always resorted to this polite, archaic speech whenever he started gaming.

“How you ask?” repeated Leon distractedly as they rounded a corner. He was trying his best to feel the presence of any guards in the area. Either they were none, or he had lost his touch. He prayed it was the former. Kashi’s question finally registered, and Leon answered, “When you walk, try rolling your feet from heel to toe.”

The young elf nodded and glanced down at his feet, trying to imitate the other man’s movement.

New skill learned: Silent Feet (Level 1)

Silent Feet: A basic technique used to reduce the sounds of one’s footsteps. The great elder Wan-Ren was said to have run in a field of broken glass without a sound. Higher levels decrease cooldown time and increase skill time.

Raises Stealth by 2%

Muffles movement by 5%

Reduces speed by 50%

Cooldown time: 30 s

Kashi let out a small smile. It seemed Rika had not been joking when she said the skills were only limited to his imagination. He wondered what other skills he could learn as he activated [ Silent Feet ] .

Kashi did not notice a significant drop in his movement speed, but that might have been because he and Leon were already moving at a snail’s pace, what with Leon stopping every few steps to scan the area for guards.

Leon led Kashi into a room that turned out to be an armory. “Pick a weapon,” murmured Leon to Kashi.

The daeben glanced over the few swords, spears, and axes present. A few bows and arrows at the side caught his eye. Deciding to go a different route than usual, Kashi opted for the bow and picked one up. It was heavy, but not too heavy. He could definitely lift it. Taking an arrow from the quiver, he nocked it to the string and drew it back. He released it, and the arrowhead buried itself in the wall with a thunk . Satisfied, Kashi slung the bow and a quiver with arrows over his shoulder.

You Received Simple Bow

Simple Bow (Common)

Weight: 5 (10)

Durability: (20/20)

A simple bow for basic infantry. Can be found anywhere in the world.

ATK: 10 ~ 13

Additional ATK is dependent on arrow type.

Weapons were classified under five grades. In ascending order, they were: Common (black), Uncommon (green), Rare (yellow), Epic (orange), Legendary (purple). If a weapon were magically enchanted, an extra tag (Mystic) would be added in front of the grade. Similarly, in the event the weapon was runically enchanted, the Runic tag would be attached in front of the class. Rarest of all was the Mythos tag which signified a combination of Runes and Mystic enchantments. More options were added to a weapon as the grades increased.

“Interesting choice,” Leon remarked as he inspected Kashi’s choice. “Not many would go for the bow and arrow.”

“I am not most people,” Kashi replied, eyeing the bow. The bow held a special place in his heart which could not be explained in words. Razznik had never fancied the weapon, but Kashi felt a whole new world would be opened up to him if he stuck to it. Kashi looked away from the bow to the rest of the weapons on the walls and racks.

Leon outfitted himself with two short swords, which he belted to his waist. He also picked up a pair of daggers and hid them up his sleeve for good measure.

Kashi quickly looted the remaining weapons into his inventory. This went smoothly until he tried to pick up a greatsword. Unfortunately, the weapon’s weight was over 5 points beyond his strength so he could not place it in his inventory. L.N.E’s inventory system worked differently from most MMOs. Each individual slot in a Summoned’s inventory could not hold any object that weighed five points above the user’s current strength.

The only way for a Summoned to put an object 5 points above his Strength Stat into their inventory was to break up that object into smaller pieces and put the individual pieces in their inventory. Unfortunately, there was no way to break up a sword without completely damaging it so Kashi could only leave it where he found it.

Leon issued a low whistle as he watched the daeben clear out the room. “I heard about it, but seeing it for myself is something else. The legendary Summoned’s inventory space. That would really come in handy for a thief.”

“I suppose it would,” Kashi shamelessly agreed as he placed the final sword in the inventory. He then turned to Leon. “Sorry for the wait. I’m ready.”

“No problem,” Leon said with a gentle wave. “We have two choices: we charge through the back, or we sneak out the side,” he explained. “The back only has a few guards, and we should be done in a few minutes, although one of us will most likely fall. The other option is to scale the walls on the other side of this building. It’s both more risky and time-consuming. If we fail, we’ll both die. If we succeed, however, we will both definitely survive. You choose.”

Kashi scratched his chin in thought, the bow weighing down on his shoulders. His eyes widened as an idea formed in his head. “Let us go around to the side.”

“Smart choice, kid. I’m beginning to like you,” Leon affirmed, as he opened the armory door softly.

Leon peered through the keyhole into the hallway. He did not sense anyone else’s presence, so he motioned to Kashi to follow him. Kashi continually spammed >, a slight shiver crawling up his legs as the soles of his feet rubbed against the ice-cold floor. Winter had just ended, but the air was was still chilly and cold, as Spring slowly took over.

The duo climbed a flight of stairs, and Leon stopped in front of a steel door. He paused for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. His expression was a mix of anticipation, fear, and joy.

Kashi understood the reason for Leon’s pause when he opened the door. A blast of fresh air rushed in through the opening, forcing Leon to sniff back a tear as he stepped out the door. A soft spring breeze caressed the duo under the starless night sky, washing away their fatigue with the promise of freedom.

Leon forcefully broke out of his reverie and motioned for Kashi to follow him across the outer wall of the garrison. The sound of hearty laughter drifted up from the courtyard below them, the soldiers oblivious to the escaping prisoners.

Leon stopped when he saw two guards with their backs to them, leaning over the wall chatting about the race they had a few days back. He pulled his dagger from its holster, but Kashi grabbed his wrist and shook his head.

Sighing, the older man sheathed the dagger, and the duo crept up behind the guards. On Leon’s signal, they attacked. Leon quickly disabled his mark, slamming the side of his palm into the small curve at the base of the skull where it met the spine.

Kashi copied the older man, but he lacked the strength to completely knock out his target. The guard fell to his knees and opened his mouth to shout. His scream was cut short by a swift punch to the jaw, followed by many more until he was out cold.

Passive Skill: Silent Takedown (Level 1 )

Silent Takedown: Attacking an enemy while under stealth increases critical hit chance. If hit from behind, the ATK is doubled. Critical hit while under Stealth triples damage.

Critical rate +30%

Stun Chance: 50%

Kashi closed the window after a brief glance. There was no time to ponder on the details. They silently took out any guards in their path as they traversed the wall until Leon came to a halt.

“This is where we descend,” said Leon, peering over the wall. Kashi joined him and noticed a stable below them, guarded by a lone soldier. A little further away stood another group of four men, engaged in animated chatter. “I can take out those four without a sound. The problem is the last one by the horses. I can’t reach him once I descend.”

“Leave him to me,” Kashi said, bow in hand.

“Alright,” Leon agreed. “Once I go, fire.”

Kashi nodded and notched an arrow. He raised the bow and lined up a shot at the lone soldier.

Leon jumped down the side of the wall and cushioned his fall with two of the guards. The quick thief left no time for the remaining two men to react. He folded his fingers and struck the guards’ throats with his palms. They coughed and hacked, stunned by the assault. Leon once again was loathed to give them any time. He quickly delivered the final blow. He smacked their heads together and grinned as they crumpled to the floor.

The guard by the stables heard the commotion and hurriedly reached for his sword. He stopped short as an arrow pierced his arm. Kashi’s strength stats were still too weak to fire a fatal attack, but it stunned the guard nonetheless. A shadow crept across the guard’s vision, and he soon dropped unconscious as Leon kicked him in the face.

New Skill: Bow Mastery (Level 1)

Bow Mastery: Those who seek to pierce the heavens with their arrows. Critical rate and damage increases with increase in level.

ATK: +3%

Critical Rate: +4%

Perception: +4%

Kashi examined the new skill. It was quite easy to gain these skills at the lower levels. Once your level increased, it became much more difficult to learn certain skills.

Leon found a rope in the stable and tossed it to Kashi. The daeben secured the line to a parapet, then climbed down. Kashi alighted at the bottom and accepted the reins of a brown stallion from Leon. The older man had already seen to the saddles, so Kashi placed his leg on the stirrup and hopped onto the horse’s back with practiced ease.

The moment Kashi was seated, another window opened, but Kashi shut that one before he could even see its contents, sure it had something to do with horsemanship skills. The skill would increase the chance of taming certain horses and provided a boost to the horse’s speed.

Kashi’s previous incarnation, Razznik already had tons of experience riding horses across long distances, so it did not prove too challenging to keep pace with Leon who had broken into a full sprint. It definitely helped that the horse was a trained, meek animal not used to a single owner, or Kashi’s low horsemanship would have seen him thrown off the beast.

Kashi and Leon rode well into the night without pause until they reached an overhanging cliff. Leon stopped and dismounted, and Kashi joined him with question in his eyes.

“We’re free now,” Leon whispered, and a huge sigh of relief escaped his lips as he fell on his back and lay on the grass.

“We are?” Kashi asked as he took a seat next to the thief while the horses grazed on the grass nearby.

“Just crossed the boundary. They can’t chase us this far.”

A bright orange flame suddenly lit up the horizon, illuminating a magical sight beyond. A magnificent tower of glass at the center of a massive city captured and reflected the sun’s rays, shining like a fountain of light.

Both Leon and Kashi felt the rising sun had never been so beautiful.

As if agreeing with them, a gentle breeze blew across the field, and for the first time since entering the world, Kashi was genuinely impressed. Yes, he could live in this world.

“Beautiful right?” Leon gazed at the landscape with a look of pure bliss.

“What’s that?” Kashi asked, pointing at the glass tower.

“Cat’s Glass. The famous tower in the town of Kerta; our final stop.”

“Um... Leon-san?”

“Still with the formalities? Just call me Leon.” Leon shrugged, exasperated by the young daeben’s formal speech.

“Okay. Thank you for everything you have done, Leon.” Kashi clasped his hands together and bowed.

“O-Oi! D-Don’t go thanking me!” Leon spluttered, face flushed. “I couldn’t have escaped without your help either, so it’s fine.”

The duo mounted their horses and trotted leisurely towards Kerta. They spent the ride chatting amicably about what to do once they reached civilization.

It indeed was a beautiful sunrise.