He woke up still a bit tired, none the less he logged into the game and entered Destros. He appeared inside a huge tent, like those used by a circus.

Around him were three sleeping players and one who was awake.

There were some players who slept inside the game but due to there not being a cozy bed in-game most players didn't have the habit of doing so.

The awake player had his back turned to him and was working on some leather, Darknym went behind him and with a fast movement of his hands he snapped his neck in one go. Next he went to the sleeping players and one by one first putting one arm on top of their mouths and with the other on their heads, he drained them of all their health.He could see his own name floating above his head clad in red light, as he drained the last one of them a beautiful girl out of her last Hp, She gave him a hard on as her tongue touched his hand.

'If only she weren't a player'

He thought that they could have become "friends".

He had gained a level and his agility and speed stat had risen a bit.

He didn't lose time, he went to the entrance of the tent and heard the two guards talking, they were players and In a few moments they would be warned by the dead players.

He took out the sword and pierced it through the tent into one of the two guards, he then jumped to the other side of the entrance and as the guard entered he snapped his neck and next caught the other guard's face blocking his vision while draining him of his Hp. He then went for their flag, which was positioned high on a pole. He climbed it rather skillfully and took it down.

-Land raiders have lost the ownership over the desolate farm spawn point -

-As a penalty they will revive at the Last visited safe spawn point -

He saw two players rushing from the desert towards the big tent, holding lightning staffs. He climbed down and waited behind a tent, he didn't look at all just listened to their footsteps coming closer to the main tent.

"You check inside while I'll hold guard"

One of them said.

Darknym took out the lightning staff and aimed at the one In front of the entrance, a hand came from Inside touching him and with one lightning shot they both fell to the ground. He finished them by draining their remaining life while they were under the numbing effect of electricity.

There were Two tents one being the Large and another smaller one, he had already taken a glance Inside and found many boxes with stuff, maybe useless for them but for him they were a treasure, they were device components and also the things he had buried underground.

He looted all the corpses of all of their belongings and moved them to the entrance of the now buried lab. He also moved all the stuff from the tent and afterwards he dug out the entrance fried the door once more with a lightning staff and opened the door, by using the out of charges lightning staff as a lever.

He threw all the stuff he had gathered inside and then closed the door behind him as he went in. The robots were already scavenging for stuff between the fallen objects. He didn't care as he now had plenty of corpses to use for his gene Integrity.

He didn't know if the spider robots could repair the door but he didn't care. He had 100% gene Integrity and 8 corpses, with that In mind he went and put all the books back to the library and begun looking through the loot, one of the eight corpses even had a shotgun with 23 shells. The dead chick had a pistol with 20bullets.

In Destros all your equipped Items fall so If you don't want to lose any there are two tip, first don't equip them, second don't become a PKer.

PKers dropped their entire Inventory on death. Four of the players in the group he killed were PKers by the way, leaving him loads of Items.

he called out his status.

=======================================================

Race - Mutated Scavenger

Subspecies - Alpha version

Gender - Male

Level - 4

Experience - 310/400

Unused stat points - 30

Physical

Hp 844(health)

Sp 417(stamina)

Tp 900(Tech)

Gene Integrity - 99%

Mind

Knowledge - 5

Charm - 0

Morality - Chaotic

Soul

Aura Color - Dark Purple

Integrity - Unharmed

Ki - 1000

Detailed stats

Physical

+Strength - 18

+endurance - 21

+constitution - 16

+Agility - 14

+speed - 6

+reflexes - 10

+Intelligence - 16

+wisdom - 25

+leadership - 0

Mind

radiation resistance - 15.8

Social status - Outcast

Fame title - None

Soul

Daily luck - (default)

Karma - (-8)

limit break - Astral projection

Techniques

Scavenging - N/A

Hand-crafting - beginner 5

Digging - beginner 7

Soft walk - advanced 1

Assimilate genes - N/A

reading - N/A

writing - N/A

climbing - beginner 2

sprint - beginner 4

Traits

-10% bonus to radiation resistance(race)

-10% better luck(race)

-can carry more items(10 extra item slots)(race)

-Night sight(race)

-Special gene - None(subspecies)

-Regeneration gene - None(subspecies)

-Genebomb gene - None(subspecies)

Professions

Researcher - common Novice (219/1000)

=======================================================

It was a pity that his Stats still hadn't reached 100, 100 is when you can start allocating your stats, although the optimal time is when they reach 1000 but that's wishful thinking, because even If you begin grinding stats like crazy you will need 900000 Hp or Sp or Tp to raise from 100 to 1000.

Chris was a patient man he could wait for ages for his stats to rise till the 1000, before he would allocate points to the stats.

After sorting out the loot he had many components but most were for different things, the most priceless being the dirty devices that they had unearthened. Darknym put his handmade flag and put in on a bed at the living quarters.

-Player Darknym has gained ownership of desolate farm spawn point now -

-all future scavenged materials from the area belongs to him -

Darknym laughed as he had failed to create a spawn point. He heard some noise coming from downstairs and rushed down to see what was happening fearing that intruders had came inside the lab. The sound however came not from the entrance but from the capsule room. He peeked Inside and saw a naked Ellie walking and making strange noises that sounded retarded.

'Did her brain go dead or something'

he thought, but changed his mind when he saw her going to the table and reading the letter.

He went fast to take her husband's love letter, but not for the love letter. Behind he had recorded the letters and their corresponding symbols. When he came down again, he saw Ellie wearing the clothes he had left for her on the table. She was saying something when she saw him without restraint. He signed her to stop and then showed her the letters, he said the letters out loud and she as if understanding what he meant to do said the letters in her own language.

After an hour of repeating the letters he had gained the speech skill.

"Finally, I had gotten bored of this"

He said now relaxed.

"Who are you and what does this mean that I will die in ten hours"

She said in an angry and distressed voice.

"Lets start from the start, Welcome to the future"

"Are you kidding me and are you posing as a caveman?"

"Well lets go to the PC you probably know about the passwords right?"

"Well lets say you are who you say you are and we are in the future, why are you wearing rags?"

"Just enter the password and all the answers will come to you I'm sure your father has left you some message there"

"And you are supposed to be?"

"I'm Darknym a scavenger who ended finding your father's lab, in the middle of the desert and put you inside the mutator capsule in order to revive you from the cryogenetic sleep you were put on"

"And the 10hours?"

"Well The mutation has a few side effects, if you don't assimilate organic matter you will die, the place had no useable genetic material so I brought some food"

She was a bit confused but didn't have more questions at the present and went towards the computer. She typed "Maribelle" and a strange pedestal came out of the flour with a palm on it.

Ellie put her hand there and the screen shifted it had four ten records each in a distance of a hundred years from each other. Last being at a nearby date, about a year in the past.

Ellie begun from the start and went forward one by one. Her father was a handsome man at least in the first video. In the second he was an old scientist and talked about the war and how the planet was dying.

In the third he looked like a mad scientist, he only talked about his work, about how the others had all abandoned him, how even her mother had given up on their dream of reviving her, he also talked about the organization called the Immortals who helped him for a while but after copying his data left him to his own fate.

The ninth video was hideous to see, his face was burned and he looked disfigured, he talked about his stealing data from the Immortals, data about genes he could use and even develop his own genes out of them.

This was the last of the videos, the disfigured man whose head now looked like a mummy talked.

"I failed, for a hundred years I tried and failed at the last final gene, the Z-gene"

He stopped for a little and after a lot of thought.

"I'm going to do something I vowed to never do again but there's no other way, my facilities are outdated and my specimens are all mutated by the Radioactivity of the planet, making it Impossible to complete the Z-gene"

He stopped once again

"I might not return so at least you should know that I have left the X and Y genes inside the specimens closest to the screen, If you have used the mutator or some of those accursed scavengers used it on you, you must absorb the two specimens, or you won't survive for more that a year due to your Terminal decease, I love you and I'm really sorry"

The screen turned into black and files appeared in a specific order by Research number and results.

Darknym's eyes flared from Interest while Ellie's were wet in tears. She hadn't believed Darknym but her father had just said the same thing as he did.

Darknym passed through a list that contained all the genes and their effects on the three mutant species going from A-Z but it went even further analyzing the genes from gene A1-A99 which was more exciting for him than spells, he saw all the potential paths he could take and then he reached the X and Y genes. X-gene was the "gene manipulation" gene some sort of power to mutate others, although many of it's capabilities were only useful against Npcs and monsters. The Y-gene was the gene of youth but it's power was extracted in a way that it would grand a tremendous Hp,Sp,Tp regeneration, far superior to the H-gene, which was considered the health gene.

"Ellie since your father left you the genes it is your duty to take them, even if you are still lost and in sadness, life sure is a wonderful thing"

Darknym said while gulping his own saliva from envy. He wouldn't take her father's legacy from her, well at least he had the data of how to reproduce.

Ellie didn't answer and just looked at him and then the two test tubes. Inside she saw two familiar faces and screamed.

"Iris? Robert?"

Now he understood where the sorry stood in her old man's speech.

"Just absorb them already they are long dead anyway"

Darknym said still a bit jealous of her getting the two secret genes, no one else in the game has yet to see.

She was a bit irritated by his words but was also curious as to why he acted so strange about the matter. 'Did he know something she didn't?'

She did the Absorption to the two dear friends of hers, she gained the X1 and Y1 genes but didn't see any difference in how she felt. 'What's so great about them?'

she though as she saw Darknym letting a tear fall from his face.

'What, why is he crying, he didn't even know them, was it because of the genes?'

Darknym stood for a while until a popup message came out.

Quest rank D

Explore the last door of the forgotten laboratory, find the treasures that might be hidden within its walls and you will be rewarded.

A strange sound like an explosion and an earthquake, could be felt at the same time. If he didn't know better he could say it was coming from somewhere nearby as the whole Laboratory shook by the quake.

"So what will you do now?"

Darknym asked.

"Well I will probably wait for father to come back"

She said although there was a strange feeling of insecurity in her words.

"Well since you will be here, that makes us sort of roommates since I'm also staying here until I end reading the books in the library, although that might take some time, I also would like to know the password, I would hate to have to fry the lock each time I want to enter"

"Just type ******* or my name Maribelle, and you can enter but please be sure not to let any wild animals in here and no pets, I hate all animals in particular dogs and cats anything with a fur"

Darknym Ignored her bubbling and went to the locked door at the third floor, Ellie just followed him not knowing where he was going.

He unlocked the door as the quest said and entered a long dark corridor, he could see unlit lamps fixed to the walls as he went on his road. Ellie moved more slowly in the dark but still followed him. Darknym saw light coming at the end of the corridor, and looked behind to see Ellie struggling to follow behind him in the straight corridor.

The room he was in now was a small Hangar, with one strange flying saucer inside. As he went near it he saw it open a strange mechanical tentacle coming out.It was the width of his arm but it's length was double his size.

Another came a bit afterwards but before he could even say "Alien" he saw a brain in a jar mounted on the metallic frame of the strange robotic tentacles. It looked like a robotic octopus, only a bit more bizarre.

When It spotted him, it said

"Cursed scavenger you will regret even stepping foot to my laboratory"

Darknym instantly understood whom the octopus was.

"So the Great Professor Richard, turned himself into a robot?"

"What a scavenger that can talk?"

They were both a bit amazed with one another, until Ellie arrived.

"Ah I forgot to tell you that your daughter is coming"

Darknym said irritated by the Brain's last remark.

"What did you say?"

Two voices said in absolute unison.

"I.."

The both of them said again in unison.

"Let me go first"

Again in unison, the both of them said and stopped for a bit.

"You have all the time of the world to talk later, let's first talk about the real issue, did you find the Z-gene?"

He asked the Professor or what was left of him.

"Who do you take me for, of course I have, a perfect specimen of Z-gene, only problem is that it's unstable and entirely dangerous at the moment"

"Well I have 8 corpses so that should make up for two and a half days for your daughter till you make the last gene, afterwards we will talk about rewards and a bit about gene engineering, I'm sure I can learn the gene engineer profession if you taught me, right?"

"Why should I, I would prefer passing all my knowledge to my daughter"

Darknym laughed under his palm before even hearing Ellie's response.

"I don't wanna do anything with genes and scientific staff, I only like flowers"

She pouted

"Well flowers have genes too you could make your own garden on this accursed desert world"

Prof. Richard said in a smart tone

"Why should I do that, you do it, I only like to see and smell them, looking after plants is what we have science for"

She said with confidence

Darknym just continued laughing under his palm as they prattled nonsense. Some half an Hour after he went out of the corridor and into the library, found the gene engineer guide book but his Intelligence wasn't enough to read it. He found Iris' diary and begun reading it in an attempt to raise his Intelligence.

The diary said about how they started working in the lab, the arrival of the "Immortals" and how the professor was like a father to them but then it changes.

Ellie's mother turned to be a member of the Immortals, Robert wants to defect to their ranks, I hope the professor doesn't find out.

Ellie is a test tube child, I saw a video her mother showed me, they created her from, their combined genes, in order to create a genius. Her mother said she was the hugest failure of her life.

Robert proposed to me, he is married to Ellie but Ellie isn't even human, I think I shouldn't accept his love but he's just too gorgeous, where did he hide such biceps under that suit.

The professor is mad, he has begun mutating subjects one after another saying that he has some sort of plan.

The professor is a genius he has created three mutogenetic genes that can lead to the change of society as we know.

The Immortals have copied the data and left us saying that the professor had dried out of Ideas, they don't even care about his goal, they withdrew their support and left, Ellie's mother left with them.

Robert is crazy, he thinks the Immortals will welcome him if he brought to them professor's latest data, we had an argument.

Robert disappeared, I can't believe he left without me, strange thing is he left his locker locked, good thing I know everyone's passwords.

Robert didn't leave, the Professor has done some really hideous things to him, he has made him into a statue of muscles, experimenting on how to freeze and unfreeze beings from cryogenetic sleep.

Robert's brain is dead, it died little by little each time he did the experiment he had a better chance of success but now I think it's my turn.

The experiment was a success it was a miracle my brain didn't die like Robert, the professor has turned us both into labrats for his experiments.

He had changed the passwords to the exits, how I hope I were an electrician. Unable to escape I and the brain dead Robert await our death in his arms.

the diary ends there with many blank pages afterwards.

Next he looked through the books and found an Interesting book called foundation of genetics.

He put it with the Gene engineering book on the table.

He begun trying the books one after another until he found a book he could use, called History of Destros.

He hated those boring history books at school but he needed the Intelligence. He used his skill to make the reading faster but it only made the world around him slower, but he gained some skillpoints for his researcher skills. He went on until he run out of Tp to use but he didn't care since he hadn't another use for Tp.

The book was as plain as any history book just dates and facts, although for the game it was more like fiction. He had to read 60 pages of fictional history till his Intelligence to reached 20. An hour had passed since and the professor and Ellie were nowhere to be seen.

Out of curiosity he went to the hangar only to see them still arguing about stupid things.

"Professor Richard White, can I speak with you for a second, in private?"

Darknym said.

"Young lady don't you think I'm finished with you, I'll be back shortly"

He said as they both went inside the spaceship to talk.

"What do you want, I thought you had already left the lab by now"

"Well I have a few questions with the genes that your capsule enhanced me with"

"You mean mutated, don't add sugar to words it won't help you with me"

"I want to be able to clone myself, Is that possible and if yes will the clones be the same as the original, meaning think alike?"

"Where did that come from?"

"Didn't you create a daughter?"

"You know I've started to dislike you even more, every passing minute"

"And you call yourself a father, you can't even tell your child that she's a failed clone"

"Don't ever dare call her a failure, she is the light of my life"

"Which cost you a thousand years to repair and even your whole body and even your whole fortune, isn't that right"

"How dare you"

The mechanical arms twisted and turned around him in an attempt to terrorize him but Darknym laughed

"Do you think that If I die I won't come back, I know where this place is and can enter it whenever I want even without the passwords, I'm not one of your lab mice"

"Yes you aren't you're a despicable rat that pokes his nose in the affairs of others"

"Here is where you are wrong, your affair affects me greatly because although your daughter did gain the X and Y genes but I have earned nothing off the whole affair, if you don't make ends meet, then you can forget about the happy life, I will show her something that will make her hate you to death"

"And that might that be?"

"Why should I tell you!"

Darknym said in a fake rage.

The robotic arms so wanted to break his every bone but he was afraid, Darknym could tell.

"What I want Is to learn about gene engineering and create a skill that makes a clone out of me, I need at least enough to survive in this place"

"Well sorry but it's forbidden for players, the best you can create are afterimages that are like real bodies, meaning can damage and kill enemies"

"Then how does the X gene mutation work anyway"

"Well large story short it is like the gene assimilation, it drains life while at the same time modifying the target's abilities"

"Then why does Your daughter even need the gene engineer class"

"Are you stupid, the two will compliment one another perfectly"

"Then what would happen if I killed her right now and here"

"As if you could her healing factor is as high as god's"

"But her health is as low as an ant's right?"

The professor panicked but didn't attack he wanted to see where Darknym would lead the discussion.

"Even so Once I give her the last gene she will become Immortal"

"And live forever looking at the flowers from a test tube of some other scientist"

The professor was once more at a loss for words, it was true that she would become Immortal but her powers would all be completely useless in a battle, and he could not see her doing anything but watering flowers, she raised herself. The worst thing was that the New order would find her and as a mutant try to destroy her.

"What do you propose?"

"A simple deal"

Darknym said with an evil smirk on his face.

"And what can you offer?"

"New Ideas and Revolution"

Darknym said with confidence.

The professor said nothing and nodded as if saying, I'm listening go on.

"First of all, what would happen if you set the X-gene in the healing factor?"

"At first constant Instability and Immense pain but after some levels you should be able to change your other two genes at will"

"That's exactly what I mean, you can get the Y-gene or Z-gene just by having the X-gene in the healing factor's position and you searched 100years for the Z-gene, second If you could create clones, then why create only one, when you can have an army, last We can always trade for things, that I can provide from outside"

"Oh and what's that you can provide, scrap metal from the surface world?"

The professor said full of conceit.

"Well at least I'm not a brain on mechanical limbs, and also don't you want to work on the Z-gene without disturbances?"

"And why should I trust you?"

He said still not fully convinced it was a good Idea.

"First of all you can provide me something that I want, while I can in turn help you with small tasks your robots cannot"

"And these are?"

"can your robots crawl through the desert to find you specimens or find components buried under the sand but still usable, last time I went they did like crazy for just a few components"

"I really wonder why they would unless someone broke something in my lab there would be no need for that to happen"

"Haven't you heard of maintenance?"

"Well indeed I have but I didn't think one year would degenerate the place that much"

"So I want three genes that will help me hold my own against beasts, and the gene engineer profession training, In exchange I will provide you with material and try to my best to keep your location a secret"

"As If I care about all that, I already have my own way of procuring materials and as for the secrecy and security, I can just fix the work drones to attack on sight anyone except My daughter or me, However since you have done me a favor and haven't disclosed any Info about Iris and Robert, as well as other matters to my daughter I will reward you with One gene of your choice"

"Well since you are so generous I will take the X gene in the healing factor, so that I can mutate myself on will"

The Professor had an evil smirk on his face when he said that.

"It will take me three days to make you the gene sample but know that for that time you can't exit the lab"

-Spawn point set at lab's Prison room-

"At least remember to bring me books so that I'm not bored"

"Don't tell me you can even read?"

The professor said in surprise

"What did you take me for, some sort of savage, I'm already a researcher and with a little push I will become a gene engineer and after that a scientist and an engineer"

"Well how about I make you into a gene engineer and a Genetist Instead"

The Genetist thing sounded strange but he didn't know why the professor had such a strange expression on his face, an expression full of victory.

"Alright but I will need the Scientist as well and chemist, since I'm going to be making a lot of things afterwards"

"Believe me once you become a Genetist You won't want anything else"

"well I won't disagree with that but is there anything even superior to a genetist?"

"truth is there Is but unless you prove yourself worthy I won't be making you a genemage"

"alright when do we begin?"

The professor took out three books and to him and said to him to follow him. Ellie looked a little lost as always, if he didn't know better he would tell she has some strange syndrome that make a person retarded.

"Now enter there, the books will teach you everything you need to know about the genetist profession since your Intelligence is still too low for the gene engineer profession, If by the end of the three days you have ended the three books, I will teach you the gene engineer profession"

The professor said with a smile, that showed confidence that he would take on the challenge, he was sure that Darknym would study the books as fast as he could, to acquire the power he wanted.

The three books were, Basic gene theory, Genetist guide book and The Principles of mutation.

He wanted to start from the Genetist guide book but he only could read the Basic gene theory due to low Intelligence and stuff.

He spent 6 hours reading before dying and appearing inside the prison and reading for 5 hours and dying again. In a circle of a mad concentration, he wanted to know what the book was about and he wouldn't give up until he had gained the Genemage profession.

In the next 24 hours he had read the first book, his stats had Inflated a huge deal since he used his ability to read faster and only logged out to eat for a few hours, he even forgot to sleep those hours.

The basic book was so big that it could easily be considered a 1000pages book. From the things he found inside, some gave him goosebumps but he needed the Profession in order to make his gene manipulation better in the future.

The professor and Ellie came rarely to see what he was doing and If he was still alive.

At first Ellie looked at him with pity but soon she got bored of him reading the book and Ignoring any of her attempts to free him. He had died 5 times in the meantime and gained the pain resistance skill, training it every time his gene Integrity reached the 10%.

He took a small break to sleep after he ended the first book and went for the second. The genetist profession was a strange profession that mostly passed down skills to others. A pity that most of its skills needed special equipment he lacked at the moment.

It only took him half the time to read it since his researcher fast read bought him time and the reading power skill made his Tp inflate like crazy. Not to say the book had less pages than the book before.

He had gained all the basic genetist skills but he didn't even care to look at them.

he took another break and at the third day by using his fast reading skill he read the last book in 14 hours, breaks included. In the breaks he also made plans on what to do with his village and guild in Allastar. He had a whole notebook full of Ideas that he would transfer into the game at a later date.

"So, how did it go?"

Asked the professor, a bit excited but also anxious for a positive answer.

"I have become a Genetist but for the next profession, I will need more time, I have some other things to do in Allastar"

Darknym said

"Alright but you can't take more than 30days to pass the next step, Its important"

He said as he passed Darknym another five books taking the three books away.

-Genes for dummies

-A day in the lab

-foundation of genetics

-Mutants and mutations

-gene engineer guide book

-Know your genes

-The genes of the future

-Richard White's premature research data

-Richard White's data on skills 1

-Richard Whites's data on Genes 1

The first few books were Large while the next ones went smaller and smaller, He logged out and Entered Allastar, the reason for the request was a message that he had a guest in Allastar.

=======================================================================

Allastar

He exited his Inn room to find, Girdan the Minotaur slave hunter and Irma the Prophet waiting for him sitting at the same table.

"You have two guest sir"

Said the Innkeeper when he saw him.

"I will rent two more rooms for my guests, make the two royal suits like mine, for 1 month each"

and gave him 600gold coins.

The barkeeper took the money and gave him two keys. Darknym went to the two people waiting at the table and said.

"I see you were the first ones to come"

The two of them rose and knelled before him.

He put the two keys on the table and said.

"Here, these are your rooms, mine you probably know where it is"

"There's no need for rooms"

Girdan said making Irma look a bit nervous.

"What leader would I be if I didn't even offer you a room to stay until the City is ready"

Darknym said with a hidden smile on his face.

He went to the Innkeeper and said,

"I want to book another eight rooms for my other guests to come"

and passed another large amount of gold.

Gold was now a easy to earn, but he could only gamble 1-2 times a day thing that he did from now on.

He also begun absorbing all the basic spells, one by one, all the 1249 spells gaining an Intelligence of 1550 points. He then went for the advanced spells and absorbed all 1020 spells, gaining another 1020 Intelligence, normally you would need to travel all around the world to acquire all those spell so he was plainly lucky to find all spells in deerg's possession, although they were still far from all the spells the game had to offer, His Intelligence and wisdom were high enough to absorb the higher spells but his wisdom was not enough to absorb even one of the Superior ones.

He then begun casting spells like crazy, they were all simple light spells but the speed with which he cast them was insane.

Within an hour he had mastered simple spell casting,control as well as Apprentice spell casting and elemental attunement. Next he cast the elemental shield, altering it between his newest skills.

(Fire Shield)

Grants fire Invulnerability for a short time duration,

time duration depends on Mp used for the skill.

Can also be used on others.

(Water Shield)

Grants water Invulnerability for a short time duration,

time duration depends on Mp used for the skill.

Can also be used on others.

(Earth Shield)

Grants earth Invulnerability for a short time duration,

time duration depends on Mp used for the skill.

Can also be used on others.

(Air Shield)

Grants air Invulnerability for a short time duration,

time duration depends on Mp used for the skill.

Can also be used on others.

(Physical shield)

Grants a considerable physical damage resistance for a short

time duration, time duration depends on Mp used for the skill.

Can also be used on others.

(Magical shield)

Grants a considerable magical damage resistance for a short

time duration, time duration depends on Mp used for the skill.

Can also be used on others.

And since he could only have one active shield skill at a time they substituted one another.

He did so until He reached them to the master level of the skill. Normally for someone with low Mp that would take a considerable amount of time and magic potions but for him a few breaks for medical soup was all it took. Although it took a little extra of his time.

He was now recovering his Mp when Theo came storming in.

"How come you reserved eight rooms for your guests and I have to share a room with you!"

She said dissatisfied.

"Well there are two reasons, first is they don't owe me money and second they will be with me longer than you, since some time in the future you will pay off your dept and leave, however if you like you are free to rent a room of your own, either by paying for it from your pocket or by taking a small loan from me"

Theo pouted and went for the bed.

"So how is your stupid disciple doing?"

Darknym asked

"Just fine, he is almost close to call himself a blade dancer trainee"

She said with pride but a little concerned at the same time.

"Well that's fine and all but how come you didn't charge him for the lessons, you could have made a few change"

"Who said I didn't but for a level 7 noobie he has little to pay and due to him not disclosing all the info on your case he has been suspended from entering the guild till he can pay the 50gold they lost on the tavern, which will cost him a lot to do, not to say he is not allowed to join any other guild"

She said with pity for some reason.

"Do you like him?"

He asked with a dotting voice as if he cared about her.

"Well he is pretty and has real potential but why must he be so stupid"

She said while pounding the pillow.

"Well if he likes you say that I'll sell your debt to him for 300dollars, but only if you agree to it"

Theo seemed skeptical but her eyes told him otherwise, she was happy inside.

In truth it was an elaborate plan to make her forget about him, even if he was rich in real life spending half worth of a paycheck for an Npc that might die in the adventure to come was stupid. Many players discourage taking companions or slaves for their high price and their loyalty factor that needs to be looked after giving no little headache to players who couldn't enter the game for an extended period of time.

Since she seemed to like the player it would be a shocking experience of betrayal of one's trust. Well, it was quite a strange thing to expect from an AI but he knew that since they have a like factor there must be more to their program. Darknym wasn't a good guy, at least not to an AI, a programed npc that didn't spare a second without having something bad to say to him.

"Is 300dollars a big amount?"

Theo asked after a little more consideration.

"Almost as big as the amount you owe me"

He said with a smirk on his face. Truth was it was much lower than the amount she owed him since the exchange rate for in-game gold was done in secret forums and was now at 5:1 dollar/gold ratio, for silver it was 1:20, while the copper which is the most common of the goods goes for 1:2000.

Meaning that for her 450 gold dept would cost a shocking 2250dollars to pay off.

While Fayte's debt would cost him 250dollars to if he was to buy gold.

Darknym however already knew that Fayte was a teenager, even with a part time job that would cost him too much and any sane parent would rather sent him to the psychologist than give him 300dollars to buy an Npc inside the game, when the real worth of an Npc started from 10-100dollars at the slave market or the pet shops. Not to tell that their levels would range from 50-100 anyway. So she was no big catch in the ocean, other than her well designed body and face she had nothing.

"Well just forget about it I'm sure he won't accept since he has problems paying his own debts"

He said that to make her a bit more depressed.

'Carrot and stick' that's the plan he was trying to execute, he would raise her expectations and then bury them in the mud. He quite liked her sad face, he went close to her bed and coddled her hair. She looked at him full of hate and he let a single laugh leave his mouth.

"You should have thought more before accepting co-ownership with that specific guild, didn't Sylvie say the same thing, I'm sure it's not entirely Fayte's fault that you are in your current situation but none but your own, you made the wrong choices and this is but one of the many possible results, might even be a better than some of the other results available"

The effects of his words only made her more angry, as she rushed out from the room.

'This must be one of those moments'

He thought and sneaked after her.

Theo had run towards the Training hall, where Fayte was, It was good that she didn't look behind cause Darknym's stealth had expired somewhere in the middle of the road.

It was like one of those cheap love dramas where the two lovers try to overcome all obstacles just to be together, only that he knew that the happy ending was not meant to be, cause she was a program and he a human being. They say love can overcome anything but being in love with a program was plainly stupid. For him it was always an ownership thing, he hated when others meddled with something he owned, like with the time with the beautiful fairy.

He had already differentiated reality and game, the kindness and love were feelings he kept for real people and not programs made of data. Although he found her sense of love interesting, he had already decided that if Fayte felt the same for her he would let him buy off the debt. Of course, the money were a matter of pride, since he was still angry at him.

Darknym was wearing his drama mask, which hid his face, but he hadn't activated it yet, concealing his name that would normally reveal him momentarily.

Theo rushed into Fayte's armed and kissed him, he seamed to accept her feelings. Darknym activated his stalking skill in order to hear better what they were talking about.

"Fayte, that moron Darknym said that if you paid 300dollars we could finally be together"

Theo said while tears were falling from her eyes

"Did you say to him that we were meeting, I told you to hide it from him"

Fayte said a bit startled

'probably because of the money issue'

"But you said you were rich in the other world and that if only it was a matter of real money you could have solved it in mere seconds"

He could hear Fayte muttering under his nose "curse you Darknym" and then talk normally to Theo.

"You don't understand, the amount he told you to pay is even greater than your own debt"

'That's a big lie but she will probably believe him over me'

Darknym thought while laughing at the stupidity and naivety of the two elves.

"But you are rich so what does it matter to you, does our love matter so little to you?"

Theo said a bit angry at him.

"Wait my love, in six months I will turn 18 and then I will be able to get a job at my father's convenience store, I will be able to make ends meet and pay both our debts"

Fayte said with a deceitful smile.

Theo was bit disappointed but she believed every word that left his mouth and then they kissed only to be Interrupted by a coughing sound.

"I won't say I dislike love stories but I hate relationships based on deceit"

Darknym said in a serious tone.

Fayte was shocked seeing him there and left Theo's hands as if to hide the fact they were kissing.

"Did you say something about six months, real life or the in-game ones, because if they are the real life ones, you should have said one year instead, also although I can't forbid you from loving one another, If you want her you must defeat me first"

Fayte had a smirk full of confidence, it must be from his training.

"Will you keep your word?"

"Only under the condition that you will keep away from her after losing without your usual complains"

Darknym answered

"You heard him Theo, you should get away because this is going to get a bit messy"

Fayte said with a smile

Theo was about to tell something but with one wave of Darknym's hand she was blown to the other side of the room and pressed to the wall.

"You really should learn to keep your mouth shut Theo, although I already knew you liked him, don't you dare betray me, ever"

and he let his hand fall and she fell to the floor. The damage was not serious enough, at least not inside the game but the pain for her was the full 100% impact.

"I hated you from the first moment you killed me at the plaza, now chose your weapon and fight"

Darknym laughed out and cast some spell, making all the weapons in the box fly into the air, like a pile of garbage.

"I will chose all"

Darknym said with an evil smile

"As you like"

Fayte said with confidence

Theo stood up but was to late to warn Fayte of Darknym's change, the past few days he had become a specialist mage, specialized in speed casting, meaning he could cast spells faster than a normal mage, the reason was that he spammed spells to raise his skill proficiency, making his spell casting speed faster but his spell power lower.

Fayte was equipped with two training swords but he also had two wooden dual knives stuck in his boots.

Darknym took a staff from the flying pile for his starting weapon.

"Lets us start"

Darknym said but the one who charged forward was Fayte, knowing that mages suck at close combat. Maybe a week's worth had made him forget about his earlier defeats to Darknym's close combat skills but his speed had surely went up by leagues and bounds.

In mere seconds he was in front of him and ate a hit on the head, it was a hit made out of mere reflex.

Darknym didn't even control how much power he put into it, not that he could since it was a game, but the effect was a bit disappointing.

Fayte just lost a few health points and turned his face, towards him once more with a self-satisfied smile. He had gained three fighting professions in the past few weeks, making him a worthy warrior for his level, but the real battle had yet to begin.

Fayte crossed his dual blades and begun an endless flurry of blows. Which however couldn't even scratch Darknym's passive shield. He did so little damage it wasn't even considered as damage.

Darknym threw the staff at him and took two swords from the pile of weapons, still floating behind him.

"Lets see how much you have improved"

And charged at Fayte with the same crossed blades stance.

Fayte was a bit late on catching up the bluff and ate a kick before a training sword hit his ribs followed up by another sword to his neck.

It didn't do any damage since they were training swords but with real swords it would make at least one critical blow. Their duel was more of a game than real battle because their weapons were no longer in par with their inflated stats.

Each blow from Fayte's swords was very heavy to Darknym's weapons, while each time Darknym attacked it was some bluff or an elaborate plot to make Fayte dance to his tune.

It was a battle of brawn and mind and though normally anyone would acknowledge Fayte's superiority as a warrior, they would still value Darknym a step higher due to him being a mage and still fighting on par with a fighter in close combat.

Darknym switched weapons as if they were cards, every time Fayte was getting used to his attacks he switched to a different weapon, untill the floor was full of them.

"I think it's time to get serious now"

Darknym said as the last weapon from the pile fell to the floor.

"What do you mean serious?"

Fayte shouted as if he was being Insulted or something

"Just draw your real weapons and wear some real combat gear, you don't expect to withstand my magic with beginner gear"

Darknym explained but Fayte's silence and nervous behavior made it clear to him that that it was useless to expect any real combat from him any time soon.

"I'll give you 6months to train and get into gear, the prize is Theo if you will still like her by then, but know that for these six months you will not receive training from her unless you can pay one gold per training session, also If I catch wind of any hidden lovey dovey situations among you two the deal will be off, you hear that Theo?"

Fayte was at a loss he knew that his gear was terrible as he was in great debt to the guild and all his profits from the hunts went towards repaying the guild, leaving him with worthless gear. By now he knew Darknym a little and remembering how Theo was blown away with a simple motion of his hand made Darknym's words more credible.

Darknym with a motion of his hand made Theo levitate and pulled her towards him.

"You do understand Theo that you won't see him for some time until he gets stronger, as he is now the only result I see for you is a miserable death in the jaws of some monster the young man here won't be even able to scratch"

Theo didn't talk trying to hold back the tears that left her eyes.

"No, no no don't cry"

Danknym said while cleaning her eyes with a black handkerchief which had two letters, "CR" sewed with golden thread. He bought it at the black market as he liked the color and the letters were a lot close to his real world name Chris.

"You see now you made me make her cry, Fayte"

Darknym paused for a moment there and continued.

"You know I'm still mad at you for killing Princess and Aretea but I'm probably at fault there too, for not knowing that stuff would corrupt her data, nether the less you must know that this is just a game, so I want you to know that I don't have anything personal with you, it's you who's screwing with me and my belongings"

He said that and left taking the floating Theo with him.

Fayte was left alone in the training hall, he was conflicted as to why he even had to challenge Darknym. It was a game after all but he couldn't leave the challenge unanswered because that would be like admitting defeat and he was a winner.