《Forged in Fear and Fury - An Apocalyptic LitRPG》Chapter 4: The First Paths
Advertisement
I think Paths and the screen pops up. Damn this is nice. I've had one hell of a day now and the fact that this one thing is simple is an absolute relief.
Paths can be completed using Aether Crystals (AC) which are gained primarily through leveling skills. You currently have 41 AC.
Paths: Path of the Beginner (0/3), Path of the Deprived Soul (0/50), Path of Humanity (0/?), Path of Reflex (0/100), Path of Retaliation (0/50), Path of Brutality (0/25), Path of Fear (24/100)
That's... quite a range of options. Humanity doesn't tell me how long it is so no thanks. I don't even know if I get anything from a path until it's complete or not. Also, I don't even know if this will actually do anything at all. I'm hesistant to waste points on the Beginner choice given that it seems like it'll be the worst, but it's only three points. And I already have 41. Granted, I almost died multiple times to get those but that seems par for the course now. I sincerely hope that changes, but if hope affected anything none of this ever would have happened in the first place.
Mentally clicking on the Path of the Beginner shows it change to (1/3).
Congratulations! You have earned 3 Health!
Well that is a damn sight better than nothing. It raises my HP from fourteen to seventeen and I feel... nothing. No change. Much better than my senses lighting on fire and my nerves going haywire that's for sure.
I put two more AC into the path and finish it off.
Congratulations! You have earned 3 Mana!
Congratulations! You have earned 3 Stamina! All Titans of the Universe have at least two things in common. First is their myriad immesurable powers. The second is humble beginnings. Most beings need a hand at the start and in that there is no shame.
Advertisement
Titans of the Universe, huh? Sounds pretty insane if I'm being honest. But hey, I can definitely use the help. Finishing the path leaves me with sixteen mana and eighteen stamina. A pretty big increase all things considered.
Hopefully the other paths are as good. With 38 points left I can only finish the Path of Brutality and as helpful as that seems like it would be, I'm not too psyched about unleashing the beast, so to speak. I've been able to control my anger issues thoughout most of my life but something about willingly walking that path puts me off. I want to complete the paths I got as a reward as well as the Path of Fear weirdly enough, however, I know I need to finish the Path of Brutality. This isn't the world I'm used to any more and my old attitude doesn't apply; at least not fully. I wonder if this is the same fear humanitys ancestors felt when up against wooly mammoths and sabretooth tigers and whatnot?
I finish the path and check my status.
I don't get a reward with every single point, but instead on every fifth.
Congratulations! You have earned 1 Strength!
Congratulations! You have earned 1 Physique!
Congratulations! You have earned 1 Endurance!
Congratulations! You have earned 1 Willpower!
The first instinct of most when confronted with death and the unknown is to flee or hide. While you may know the value inherent in these options and prefer them immensely, they are not your first instinct. Yours is the instinct of your anscestors honed over countless generations and millenia. While you may fear where this path takes you, remeber that it is the path that begat and ensured your race's existence. Dead men walk no Path.
You have earned the skill Savage Instincts®!
Savage Instincts®: Receive a boost to detecting hostile intentions. Receive a slight boost to your ability to detect and strike the weak points of your enemies while in hostile situations. Receive a slight boost to Perception, Reaction, and Strength while in life-threatening conflict.
Advertisement
My spine and muscles lock up and it feels like I've gotten a intense brain freeze. It ends quickly and I stumble but manage not to fall on my ass for once.
I feel amazing! I glance at my body and notice it looks moderately sturdier. I clench my fist and can hear the muscles and joints crack and pop. I can feel the difference. I'm more solid and I feel more alive than I ever have before.
This is so much better than the first path that I almost can't believe it. I pull up my status to confirm and I'm surprised when my screen comes up.
Health: 19/19 (+2/H)
Mana: 4/16 (+8/H)
Stamina: 12/24 (+8/m)
Physique: 3
Endurance: 4
Strength: 3
Willpower: 3
Aether Crystals: 14
Paths: Path of the Beginner (3/3), Path of Brutality (25/25)
I suppose it somehow senses if I only want to look at what's changed which is, again, really damn nice. I'm sure I can figure out how each of those stats affects my pools now but that can wait. I thought I'd be at thirteen AC but it looks like I gained one from unlocking the new skill.
The new skil that came with what seems like a warning. I feel like I made the right choice but at the same time it rings hollow. I don't know if I want to be the person I worry I'm going to need to become in this new, fucked existence. Sure, outsmarting and killing something which was going to kill me felt amazing. But that terrifies me down to my core. How long before I start looking at everything as a threat? As soon as I heard that... Stone Pangolin? come up the stairs I completely neglected the fact that it could have just been another scared human. Sure, I stopped long enough to see that it wasn't human but if I keep down this path I can't guarantee I won't make a mistake. And with the benefits of the new skill and the attitude I'll likely have to adopt I worry it won't be just a small mistake.
Ugh. I can fret more later. I don't know when (definitely not if at this point) more monsters will appear but I don't want to be staring off into space when they do.
I dump my fourteen points into Path of Reflex. Maybe the Path of Fear would be better since it seems like the breakthrough counted for double by partially filling out the path as well as awarding me the same number of AC... However, I earned a path by being the first at something. On the entire planet. That seems absolutely absurd but so does the fact that I literally would have died before even noticing the new messages and learning what was going on.
Whatever, I'm not going to question it any more.
Congratulations! You have earned 1 Perception!
Congratulations! You have earned 1 Reaction!
Huh, the same two I chose to improve firs-
I clench my jaw and twist my head around in a fit; I forgot again about the intensely uncomfortable sensation that comes with a stat increase. Except this time it is only moderately uncomfortable. Hopefully this will keep getting easier to bear.
Now that everything is out of the way it's time to get my stuff together and figure out how to make my way home without, you know, dying a painfully gruesome death.
Advertisement
- In Serial8 Chapters
Into What Is Impossible [Special Forces In Another World]
Delta Force operator and team leader Richard 'Fly' Hoyer is assigned to 'Area Zero'- a base in a world different from our own.Third rework of into what is impossible. Feedback is highly encouraged and appriciated.
8 156 - In Serial9 Chapters
Shatter
Inke is a Shatter: a high-tier adventurer focused on hunting down and destroying rogue dungeon cores. When she's given her oddest assignment yet, to secretly supervise the growth of a unique young dungeon, she doesn't know what to expect. Especially since her task is to prevent people from destroying it. Except that quite literally everything about this dungeon is abnormal, from its monsters to their loot, and Harin, the unusual adventurer in her party. ...Not that she's starting to form a bond with Harin or anything like that. And then Inke runs into the dungeon fairy. A dungeon core novel, but one told from the perspective of a dungeon slayer. Currently participating in NaNoWriMo, so updates are either daily 1.5k chapters or longer 3k/4.5k chapters with gaps in between. Also participating in the Royalroad Writathon.
8 88 - In Serial14 Chapters
The Rabbit And His Lover
Lark, who was born into a poor family, suffered separation from his parents when they were framed and murdered by the scheming government officials trying to survive and swearing revenge he becomes a thief (and a murderer). But the destination seems far when he suddenly gets killed and then reincarnates in the body of a rabbit. Trapped and force-fed carrots by an unexpected love interest, will he be able to get accustomed to his new life, and can he exact his revenge on the corrupt government and the empire that oversees it all without getting fat?
8 171 - In Serial10 Chapters
Storm of the Elementals
The apocalypse was something that people were expecting to happen sooner or later, rising sea levels and everything. What our protagonist didn't expect was it to be from a system, let alone the fact that he missed it. Waking up as an elemental and being given frighteningly little info from a system that seemed a little off , stuck with 3 other eccentric individuals that he could almost swear are a bit dodgy, and not being quite sure he was human anymore, it was the start of a long day. It only got longer when he found out he was moved to a whole different world. ~ This is a slow burn story, focusing on the world and what happens if an eccentric historian gets transported in a world with systems and power that are not quite meant for him. ~ Some things you can expect: -No harem, god no. -Yes the protagonist is strong, no he isn't completely OP. -Other people who have been changed, he isn't the only special or chosen one who got transported or messed with. -It is sad to actually have to put this here, but the main character does shockingly have common sense.
8 173 - In Serial20 Chapters
Gods of Arkanoth
The hunter has been betrayed, left alone in the streets of a lugubrious district. Only one goal appears in his eyes: to avenge himself. In his quest to avenge himself, he'll encounter an enigmatic scientist who seems to hide his true nature, a savior pretending to be a God, and the terrible truth of those words, bringing him against something he'd never thought he'd have to affront. This is the odyssey of the hunter, in a quest to put a long overdue end to a war between two worlds. // What to expect:The beginning will surely be intriguing, most of what's happeing won't be directly explained, although there will be some hints about their true roles, but do not worry about some subjects never leaving that misty fog that is unanswered questions! The novel is divided in two parts, the first focusing on uncovering the well-hidden secrets the city of Arkanoth hides, be it concerning its making or its inhabitants. As for the second part, it will be an expedition into the unknown, we could, in a way, say the true start of the journey our three heroes will undertake! I won't say anything more about the second part or else I might tell you an important detail without realizing... As for magic, because yes, there is magic! Although you might not see the shadow of a spell in the first chapters, it will appear in later chapters and will be one of the main subjects of volume 2. There are three heroes, yes, but they will not appear directly. While the first two protagonists appear in quite the beginning, the third will take his time, taking some stroll in the Districts of Arkanoth while we focus on the story of the hunter. But that does not lessen his importance in the story a bit, trust me. What about these three heroes, you say? Well, they all have their own issues, from their character to their torments, and as the story progresses they will have to come clean with their past (character development is to be expected) and will find their reason for fighting, braving all odds. I draw my inspiration from mythology, more precisely Aztec mythology. I want to stay true to a certain extent about it and all the relations between the gods and their role, however I will still change some things to my liking, so do not expect for all of the mythology to be respected to the letter. Finally! I have to say English is a foreign langage for me, so I might not choose the best words or straight-up miswrite something, if it bothers your experience, just tell me in the comments and I'll look into it! It is also my first time writing a book, so some parts might seem sloppy, but I hope I will be able to improve throughout this journey so as to give the most enjoyable reading experience to you. // Who might enjoy this story: Firstly, if you like deep lore and stories in which past plays a big role, you will like how everything unravels to show the hidden truths of the world. However if you do not appreciate not instantly understanding what's happening or who - or even what - this person might be, then you might not appreciate the story. There will be disturbing and gore descriptions, so if you're sensitive, don't like reading about someone being beheaded and such, you should probably pass this one. There is strong langage, although I won't abuse it, I won't be lying saying no insults will appear. Finally, the heroes will not always win, they will sometime lose battles, be it important ones or unimportant, and they will, most of the time, not come out unscathed from those. // Time Schedule : once every two sundays at 7:pm Ps : feel free to tell me if something is bad, or feel wrong with the book, it really helps me. I've written till' chapter 4 (in my mother tongue, so I'll still have to translate), however I'll make some minor and major changes, thus it will take some time to post them. Schedule will probably not change after releasing chapter 4, so don't worry, it won't take even longer to post a chapter than it already is. Enjoy the ride :)
8 91 - In Serial12 Chapters
Heroes need saving too: A Daredevil fanfic
Daredevil has become on of my favorite shows. I ship Clairedevil SOOOOOO MUCH. This fanfic shows that Matt is human too and he has emotions and goes through pain just like all of us.
8 179
Prev Chap
Next Chap
Chap List
Boy
Girl
