1.07 Meeting A Legend

Chapter 7

“So the team was killed during the waves of goblin attacks, leaving you, eventually, as the only survivor. You killed the goblins that came for you, and eventually got the timer to run out and complete the quest?” Lucilla sat across from me now, having settled in as my story got longer and longer.

“Correct.”

“You say there are stats, and level ups? A Class system, with… loot and items?” She scribbled down notes on the small pad in front of her.

I found it a little weird that she wasn’t using a datapad or a digital note app on her phone, instead of going at it analog. But, I wasn’t the super highly trained investigator, so what the fuck did I know, right? I ignored that fact and focused on the story I was feeding her.

“Again, correct.”

“Explain this screen you say you can see, and the information it gives you,” Lucilla continued to write notes as she talked.

As I said, I lied to her about quite a few things. The true state of my stats, and abilities were one of those things. What kind of idiot would I be to give the government complete knowledge of my status screen, after all.

I brought up my status as I sat across from her.

[ Name: Adam Pierce

Titles: Pioneer, True Prodigy, Death Harbinger, Heir to Death

Class: Death’s Disciple

Level: 10

Unspent Stat Points: 0

Stats:

Strength: 14

Dexterity: 41

Vitality: 34

Intelligence: 30

Willpower: 30

Skills: Inspect [Max], Shade Stealth – Lvl 1- Beginner, Marked to Die – Lvl 1 Beginner

Abilities: Soul Usher (F)
Spells: N/A ]

My eyebrows raised for a moment as I took in the display. Things had changed a lot since I last saw it. It took me a moment to realize the +2 bonus to certain stats due to my class was retroactive to all my previous levels, not just for future ones.

That didn’t explain all the bonuses, though, and looking into my earned titles explained a few things further.

[Titles:

Pioneer: Be one of the first 1,000 to complete a Tutorial Dungeon. Reward: +1 to all stats.

True Prodigy: Show exemplary talent and achievements inside a Tutorial Dungeon. Reward: +3 to all stats.

Death Harbinger: Be the only survivor of a Tutorial Dungeon; Reward: Increased Experience From Kills

Heir To Death: ??? ]

Besides the mystery that was the final title, which I received from my class, the first three were rather interesting. Pioneer and True Prodigy essentially gave me six extra levels worth of stat points, not accounting for class contributions, of course. But that was still a rather large boon so early on.

Death Harbinger was not immediately as powerful at first glance. It didn’t say how large the boosted experience gain was. 10%? 50%? More? There was no way to tell, as the System apparently refused to give any additional information even when I mentally clicked on the titles.

After a few seconds I looked back to Lucilla, my lies already sorted and ready.

“I’m a level ten Shade Knight. I have an Inspect skill, along with a stealth skill, and a skill to mark enemies for extra damage,” I said.

Her notes continued.

“My stats are 12, 30, 20, 22, 22, respectively. I have titles for being the first 1,000 to complete a tutorial, and the only survivor of the tutorial. As well as one that says I showed great talent.” I chose not to lie about the titles. As I assumed I wouldn’t be the only exceptional prodigy across all of earth, and my lies on verifiable information would be easy to expose once more information began rolling in from other survivors.

So I told that part to them straight. Except, I kept my last title to myself. I didn’t even know what it did yet anyway, so it wasn’t like I was lying about that part. If you don’t count omissions as lies, that is. It was a scammer’s truth, a politician’s truth. My grandparents had wanted me to go into politics, so it looked like they knew I was good at that kinda stuff after all.

I brought up my inventory next, which showed as a little tab on the screen.

[Inventory:
Main-hand: Steel Runic Sword (Uncommon)
Off-Hand: N/A
Helm: N/A
Armor: N/A
Shoulders: N/A
Waist: N/A
Feet: N/a

Accessories:

Neck: N/A

Ring: N/A

Ring: N/A

Inventory Space: (38/550)
Currency Credits:
Copper: 374
Silver: 12
Gold: 0
Platinum: 0
Crystal Mana Shards: 0 ]

It was about as basic as any RPG game on Earth. Item slots, an inventory space, currency calculator. All things I didn’t bother hiding from Lucilla as I read it all out.

“You have a sword? Show me.”

I gave a shrug at the request, and mentally clicked the item in my main-hand slot.

A glimmering steel longsword suddenly appeared in my grasp as if conjured from thin air. The blade contained a glowing symbol at the base, near the cross guard. But it otherwise looked like I would imagine a basic steel sword to appear. I barely even contemplated the sheer fucking absurdity of being able to summon an item out of nothingness, or that such an item was somehow magical, given the glowing symbol it contained.

Once one got past the whole stat points, quests and goblin slaughtering, the existence of items was rather bland. The average person adapted quickly, and for me it was the same.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Goddamn, where did… nevermind, put it away.” Lucilla practically jumped from her seat as the weapon came out.

Perhaps, up to this point she thought I was lying about it all, or that I had gone insane and was babbling nonsense due to having almost died. Regardless, the conjuring of a fucking medieval-style longsword meant she believed me now, she had to.

It took only another mental nudge for me to return the item to my system inventory, the weapon shimmered faintly at the edges then vanished as quickly as it had come.

“Okay then,” she said slowly through long measured breaths. “Looks like we have a lot to talk about, after all. You will have to come with us to a new location, Mr. Pierce. There is more we must learn.”

I knew what that meant. Tests, experiments, things that I wanted to avoid but seemed inevitable.

“Fuck,” I muttered.

***