Kyros was currently standing in a tunnel, blindfolded.

Left.

Kyros stepped to his right, dodging an incoming strike to his left by mere centimetres. Silence.

“..”

Behind.

He rolled forward and quickly gathered his feet, not knowing when the next strike could come.

Left. Front. Above. Left. Right. Below. Above.

Kyros skilfully dodged a series of strikes.

“Hahahaha not bad, not bad indeed. You’re a fast learner kid.” James said jovially, returned from his instructor mode.

“Well, it’s all because I had a great teacher.” Kyros said with a smile as he pulled off his blindfold, revealing James standing in front of him with a sheathe in hand.

“I like the compliments, you should do it more often haha.”

“I’ll see what I can do haha.” Kyros said with a laugh, before his expression went serious. “So tomorrow is it huh? Goodbye to being a slave for good.”

“Yes, it is. You know what that means, it’s now time to initiate the plan. I’ll come grab you when it’s time.” James said seriously.

“Yes, I know what I have to do. But James…” Kyros dragged off at the end.

“Yes, what is it?” James prodded Kyros.

“Well, actually it’s about master… I feel bad about just leaving without saying anything.” Kyros expressed his worries.

“I see what you’re saying, the healer is a good man. However, we can’t risk it. He is loyal to the Mavis family due to them sponsoring his studies. I’m sorry lad.”

I already knew this… I guess I’ll go with plan B.

“I understand James. Just wanted to check.”

“Don’t worry about it, if you’re destined to meet again, you will. Now I have to go finish my last night doing this shitty guard work, I won’t be missing it when we leave hahahaha” James started to run off to work.

Finally, no more training. Kyros had a peaceful look on his face. Now let’s see what I gained over the past month.

Status Screen

Name:

Kyros

Level:

28

Race:

High Elf

Mana:

480/480

Health:

542/590

Stamina

523/580

Titles:

Gold Class Slave

Stats

Strength:

72

Intelligence:

21

Agility:

63

Wisdom:

48

Vitality:

59

Dexterity:

10

Stamina:

58

Luck:

10

Perseverance:

14

Skill Name:

Skill Rank:

Skill Level:

Skill Experience:

Windsense

Disciple

5

31.25%

The talent of hearing the abnormalities in the wind.

Skill Name:

Skill Rank:

Skill Level:

Skill Experience:

Shadow Step

Disciple

6

64.32%

By moving your legs in the unique way of Shadow Step, it is possible to greatly reduce sound and to improve speed.

Skill Name:

Skill Rank:

Skill Level:

Skill Experience:

Fireball

Class 1

1

2%

Shoots a ball of fire. Standard temperature is 450 celsius.

-50 mana per cast.

At the cost of more mana, flame size and temperature can be increased.

Skill Name:

Skill Rank:

Skill Level:

Skill Experience:

Mining

Master

1

2.32%

Determines how fast you can mine. Higher levels will allow user to mine more precious ores and gemstones.

Can now mine precious ores.

Can now mine mythical ores.

Skill Name:

Skill Rank:

Skill Level:

Skill Experience:

Perception

Intermediate

1

32%

Determines how well you can perceive. Higher levels will allow you to see things others cannot.

Kyros looked over all of his status windows, rather pleased with everything he had gained since first becoming a slave. However, there was something bugging him.

Looking at his stats alone, Kyros figured his true level was closer to 52, however it was clearly only 28. This wasn’t the part that bothered him though, since it wasn’t uncommon to get additional stats in some games he used to play. What was weird was the fact that the additional stats didn’t stop incurring, usually there was a cap on the amount you could gain outside levelling. This issue led to many questions, such as: Is there no cap? or is it that he just hasn’t reached the cap? If he could gain additional stats without affecting his level, does that mean others could as well?

Aside from that, he had reached master rank in mining. It said he could now mine mythical ores, which he figured was Adamantium. He didn’t care much for that though, because tomorrow his mining days were over.

Well, better go see master for the last time… First I got to run back to my chamber and grab that.

Kyros had already been back to his chamber and got what he went back for. He was now standing in front of his masters door as he routinely did, and waited for his master to let him in.

The door swung open.

“Ah Kyros, you’re later then usual.” His master said standing in the doorway.

“Yeah, I had to quickly run back to my chamber.” Kyros replied.

“Well that explains it. Now come inside and let’s get you healed up.” His master was already walking inside. Kyros followed suite and sat down where he usually did, cross legged on the floor. His master stretched out his hands and started his healing spell.

Kyros hadn’t been hurt like he did at the beginning of his training, so the healing was no longer as strenuous as it used to be for his master. The spell was finished without so much as a drop of sweat on his master.

“Alright, so today should have been youe last day with the training right?” His master asked.

“… Yeah, today is my last day.” Kyros answered with a statement that had two meanings.

“Hahaha fantastic! Then you can get your freedom and we can finally get to teaching you the fun stuff.” His master was in a really good mood.

“That’s right.” Kyros replied.

“Come on, aren’t you excited?” His master asked.

“Of course I am master, it’s just... surreal I guess” Kyros was troubled.

“I know how to lift your spirits. How about we test how much World’s Presence you have stored up?” His master offered.

“Yes!” Kyros blurted out almost immediately. Although he had his stats to tell him how much he had, he still got excited at the prospect of how his World’s Presence compares to this worlds standards.

“Hahaha I knew that would do it. Let me go get the Mage’s Orb.” His master walked off to go get the orb.

Alright now!

Kyros quickly got up and ran to his masters desk, where he pulled out the Fireball scroll from his overalls. He grabbed the quill from the desk and dabbed it in the ink, before he started to write on the back of the scroll. Kyros for whatever reason could read the language of the world which means that he knew the characters of this worlds language, however he had never practised it. So what he wrote probably looked like it came from a 10 year old. Kyros could hear his masters footsteps starting to approach the corner. He quickly finished scribbling the last sentence and placed the scroll among the others on the desk.

“Ah Kyros, what’re you doing at my desk?” His master asked.

“I was just curious as to what you were studying master.” Kyros lied.

“Oh I wouldn’t want to bore you with that .... However, I did read something interesting the other day.”

“What was that master?” Kyros asked.

“Well it was very vague, however it had to do with your people Kyros. Well not actually elves, something higher. It didn’t give them a name and only referred to them as highborns.” His master stated.

“What!? Please master, explain what it said.” Kyros asked frantically, since he had been referred to as a highborn by the thing in the hole.

“I can understand why you’re interested. Unfortunately, it was very vague. The scroll itself dates back many years and a lot of the information has faded out, however one passage could be read. It read ’The leaders of elves, the highborn, aren’t born from any living being on this planet; but from nature itself.”. However, don’t take too much of that to heart Kyros, I’ve never heard of anything like a highborn before and I’ve studied much of the elves.” His master said.

Wait! That explains why I just randomly appeared in the middle of the woods… but how can I be born from nature. That doesn’t even make sense… I’ll have to visit the elves at some point.

“Anyway, enough of that Kyros. Let’s get to the testing.” His master said, breaking Kyros out of his reverie, while he held out the Mage’s orb.

Kyros observed how the colour of the orb was the same as it was when he last saw it held by his master, maybe the mist was a bit larger but it was near impossible to tell. Kyros held out his hand to take hold of the orb, and his master dropped it.

Suddenly the mist that was in the orb retracted into a nearly minimal amount and changed into a smokey grey, however not as dark as it was the last time.

“Hahaha!” His master suddenly laughed out loudly. “I thought so. You’ve already reached the necessary World’s Presence storage to be ranked a class 2 mage. Now if you only studied some spells and improved your knowledge you could pass the test easily.” His master was overjoyed at his disciples talent.

“Test?”

“Yeah, you can’t just claim to be a rank 2 mage just because you have the necessary World’s Presence. You have to take a test at the Mage’s Guild, which are usually in most populous cities.” His master claimed.

“Mage’s Guild?” Kyros asked with bright eyes.

“Haha I thought you might be interested in the Mage’s Guild, kind of surprised you’ve never heard of it.” His master said.

“Well, I only lived in the woods until I got enslaved, so I’m new to a lot of this.” Kyros explained.

“That’s understandable. Well the Mage’s Guild has enough power to rival that of most kingdoms or empires on this planet, however it doesn’t belong in one land or province. It has influence in most kingdoms and empires, however it will never side with any power. The guild is open to anyone who is the pursuit of knowledge and not the material benefits of the world. Even I’m a member, although I hold some power here in Callux, I’m powerless in the grand scale of the guild.” His master explained.

“…”

Kyros thought on it.

“Then who’s the leader?” Kyros asked.

“It doesn’t have a leader, but a council. Although there is the head of the council, he represents the Mage’s Guild; He's called the Sageking.” His master spoke with reverence.

“Sageking… is he that strong?” Kyros asked.

“Strong yes, unbelievably so. However, he's known for something else.” His master said.

“What than?” Kyros asked.

“You still remember how I told you that there is a rank above class 10? Where you get your own title.” His master looked for confirmation.

“Yes master, I still remember.”

“Good, well how do you think we differentiate between class 10 and having a title?” His master asked.

“Umm… I don’t know.”

“Let me tell you the dream of most mages. If you can ever absorb enough World’s Presence, then the World itself will gift you with a power. A different sort of magic, separate from elemental magic. It is what makes them so terrifyingly strong. Kyros, his power is believed to be illusions.” His master suddenly said something unbelievable.

“No... way…” Kyros said in disbelief.

“I only say believed to be… Though they say he can make you see things so real that your own mind believes it. If you get killed by his illusions, you’ll die in real life. It’s something that no normal mage can combat.”

“That’s just… unbelievable. Wait, then the Pope you told me about the other week, he should have his own class of magic right?” Kyros wanted to confirm.

“Yes, he does. Although his type of magic is openly known. His magic is an even higher form of light magic, it is Holy magic.”

“Holy magic… what’s the difference?” Kyros asked.

“I truly do not know, most likely only himself and a few others do.” His master said.

“I see…” Kyros felt the desire to improve his magic, he wanted to know what his magic would be.

After a few more minutes of idle chat like he usually does with his master, it was time to go.

“Alright, you better get going so you don't miss dinner.” His master said.

“Yes, I’m going.” Kyros got up and went to the door. “Also master.”

“Hmm what is it?” His master asked.

“I just wanted to say thanks.”

“Don’t worry about it.” His master replied.

“No seriously, thank you master. I understand you’re putting yourself at risk by doing all this, I appreciate it.” Kyros said with gratitude.

“Haha well it would be a shame to let someone of your talent waste away as a slave. Now get going.”

“Goodbye, master.” Kyros said before leaving the room.

Well, it’s time to start the plan. I better get going. Kyros thought before heading off to the tunnel he had completed two weeks ago.

Kyros was now standing at the end of the dark tunnel, facing the cave wall that had the hole in it which he had caused. He looked down at his steel pickaxe which felt as comfortable to him as a sword feels in a knights hand.

I guess after this it’ll be goodbye between the two of us as well, thanks for everything until now. Kyros may hate the life of slaving but he grew to feel comfort in mining, in doing so he grew to appreciate his pickaxe.

Well, here we go.

With one large swing with all his strength, Kyros struck the wall in front of him with his pickaxe. The wall crumbled leaving an opening wide enough for seven men to fit through side by side. Once the dust cleared, Kyros stepped through into the much larger tunnel.

Okay, time to go.

Kyros started to walk down the large tunnel, looking to attract the reason he came into the tunnel. The further he walked down the tunnel, the more spaced out the glowstones were. He had also walked past a lot of connecting tunnels, however he stayed on path. He had been walking for a while now, no doubt missing dinner. The glowstones were so spaced out in this section of the tunnel, giving it an eerie feeling.

The sound of footsteps. Kyros stopped walking and stared down into the dark tunnel.

The footsteps were louder, yet also sounded of the footsteps of a child.

Kyros peered even harder into the darkness, where he saw a small silhouette that was about the height of a 13 year old. After a couple of intense seconds, the silhouette stepped into the light, revealing itself.

It was a hideous creature. It had a greenish-grey skin tone with a hunched figure. It wore only scraps of cloth to hide its genitalia, otherwise the rest of its dirty body was bare. The most hideous part of the creature was its terribly disfigured face, enough to strike fear in Kyros. It also held a sword by its side, well a sword for a goblin but more like a dagger.

Title

Cave Goblin

Name

???

Description

A lone cave goblin.

Level

34

Health

540/540

The goblin started to make a screeching sort of sound when it noticed Kyros.

Dammit, just the one… I need more.

The goblin started to run at Kyros with its sword overhead, showing no caution as all. Kyros’s hairs stood on end, this was going to be his first fight since coming to this world and he was against an armed enemy.

Okay, time to prove the practise wasn’t for nothing.

The goblin was now only a couple of metres away, yet it jumped suddenly, launching itself at Kyros.

Shit!

-38hp

Kyros jumped to the side, yet still received a slash on his upper left arm. He quickly turned to face the goblin, ignoring the blood flowing down his arm and dripping off his finger tips.

The goblin had already turned around and sent a slash at Kyros’s stomach. However, the goblin was way more crude with the sword than James was, allowing Kyros to easily sense the changes in the wind. So Kyros had easily dodged the slash, however the goblin didn’t give up and just kept the strikes coming.

Kyros was stuck in a stalemate with the goblin, as he could easily dodge the goblin yet couldn’t harm it.

Fuck, I really didn’t want to use this. Kyros resolved himself.

The goblin sent a strike towards Kyros’s shoulder, however Kyros easily jumped to the side a couple of metres and prepared his spell. The goblin had immediately started chasing him, however Kyros kept dodging and waiting for his spell to be ready. It was ready. Kyros jumped back and held up his hand. The goblin chased after, ignoring what Kyros was doing with his hand. The goblin was so close to Kyros now, that it jumped at him, much like its first attack.

Kyros unleashed his spell - Fireball.

A ball of fire, scorching hot was immediately sent flying out of Kyros’s hand and into the incoming goblin.

The goblin was set on fire, filling Kyros’s view with status screens.

-48hp

-48hp

-48hp

-48hp

The goblin was screeching in a wailful cry, until it’s voice was no longer heard and it crumbled to the ground.

+1700 EXP

It was dead.

However, at the same time all of this happened, the fireball Kyros had fired was still travelling down the tunnel at an angle. The fireball travelled for a long time until it collided into the cave wall, causing massive vibrations throughout the tunnel.

Once the vibrations came to a stop, it went deathly silent. Kyros had a bad feeling in his gut.

“…”

“…”

Suddenly the familiar sounding screech of the cave goblin rang out, but this time it was coming from many sources and in many different directions.

Oh no. I think the plan is starting early.