Adventure in Edenawe

Chapter 1: Prologue

Paul’s life was lonely, or so some would say, but he didn’t mind. He was perfectly content with his routine. He had no real friends, just acquaintances from work, school, and his neighbors. His greatest joys were TV shows, comic books, novels, and video games—anything with a compelling story, especially if it involved fantasy elements. Every day was the same: work, then immerse himself in reading, watching, or playing.

One evening, as usual, he finished work and settled in front of his computer to read something new. Suddenly, he heard a strange noise coming from the kitchen.

“It’s just my imagination,” he muttered.

But the noise grew louder, and then a voice emerged from the din: “Come to me…nture avaits. Come to me…ure avaits. Come to me…avait.” The voice gradually faded away.

Startled, Paul grabbed a baseball bat and headed to the kitchen. He slowly opened the door, only to be struck by a severe headache. He collapsed to his knees, unable to see anything but blinding white light.

“Who? Who are y—”

Everything went dark, and he fainted.

When he came to, Paul thought it was all a dream. He began to wake up, expecting to go to work. As he opened his eyes, he was confused.

“Huh? What is this? Where am I? What’s going on? Am I still dreaming?” He slapped himself. “Ouch…no, I’m not dreaming. But what is this bed, this room, and where are my clothes?” He screamed in panic.

An old man with a broad grin suddenly burst into the room. “Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho…I see you are awake. Good. Very good.”

“What? What is this? Who are you?” Paul’s panic increased.

<<Have I been kidnapped?>>

“Relax, relax, young man. You’re just weakened from what’s happened,” the old man said soothingly.

Realizing the old man meant him no harm, Paul calmed down and started to piece together his situation.

<<The last thing I remember was the kitchen, the powerful headache, and the white light. And the voice…>>

The old man watched Paul with a smile. “Good, you’re calming down and in good health. I know you have many questions, and I will answer them while we drink tea.”

“Huh? Oh…ok. Thank you,” Paul said, still bewildered.

“First, let’s introduce ourselves. My name is Jonathan, and I am 257 years old.”

“Ummmm… my name is Paul and I’m… wait, how old did you say you are?”

“257, ho ho ho.”

“But how… you don’t look older than 60.”

“Thank you. Now that we know our names, I’ll explain a few things to you, and then I’ll answer any questions you might have,” Jonathan said with a smirk and a glint in his golden eyes.

“Okay…” Paul replied, noticing the glint in Jonathan’s eyes.

Chapter 2: New Beginning

“...Now that we know our names, I’ll explain a few things, and then I’ll answer all your questions,” the old man said with a smirk and a glint in his eyes.

“Okay...” Paul replied, noticing the glint in the old man’s golden eyes.

“First, I’ll cover some basics about this world. Please wait until I finish before asking questions.

1. This world is called Edenawe. It’s vast and mostly unexplored. So far, there are 10 kingdoms, each roughly the same size. You don’t need to know about all of them right now, but the kingdom you’re in is called Calvarno.

2. Each kingdom has 1 or 2 major cities and several villages, depending on the area. We’re near a village called Farhav, about a day’s journey from here. This house is deep in the forest.

3. Every town has a special dungeon beneath it, connected to the town’s ruler. A new ruler can only be established in one of two ways: the current ruler must give up the town, or you must defeat them and conquer the dungeon alone, reaching the throne and touching it with a bracelet. I’ll explain the bracelet later.

4. There are various races in this world: elves, dwarfs, humans, and advents. Elves, dwarfs, and humans have a peace treaty, though they still distrust each other. Advents are a wild card—feared by some, loved by others, and the least numerous. I’m a human, and you’re an advent.

“But I am—”

“I said wait until I’m finished, then you can ask questions,” Jonathan said firmly.

5. There are many monsters in unexplored areas. Some have special abilities, some are harmless, and some are very dangerous.

6. Each kingdom has a guild that recruits adventurers and assigns quests, often involving monster hunting.

7. Everyone receives a bracelet on their 16th birthday from the guild or a mage. This bracelet bonds to you and connects you to the world.

8. Adventurers fall into two main types: warriors, who enhance their physical prowess, and magi, who study and use magic. I am a magi, specifically a grandmaster magi.

9. The bracelet displays your stats, skills, and guild level. Your guild level determines the quests available to you, ranging from H to SS. Higher-level quests yield better rewards and fame. You earn guild points from quests and monsters, which can be converted into money.

10. Your kind, advents, appeared in this world 20 years ago. Since then, one advent appears in most towns every 5 years, typically during the summer. Due to your special skills and high stats, many kingdoms send armies to recruit advents, often by force. Therefore, advents are either great heroes or criminals.

Jonathan paused and looked at Paul. “Did you understand everything?”

“Well, I believe so.”

“Do you have any questions?”

“Hahahaha, not for now,” Paul laughed, tears in his eyes.

Jonathan was taken aback by Paul’s laughter. “I can’t believe it... hahaha. This is my chance for my own adventure!” Paul was thrilled to finally have his own adventure like the stories he loved.

The old man left the room and soon returned with a set of clothes. He handed them to Paul, instructing him to change and saying he’d wait outside.

Paul looked at the clothes, his smile fading. They were plain, like something villagers would wear in games, and seemed a bit small. <<Maybe he doesn’t have my size... well, at least I won’t be naked. I can’t stay under the sheet forever.>>

He put on the clothes, finding they fit perfectly. When he went outside, he saw his reflection in a mirror.

“What?! What’s going on?!” Paul was shocked to see he looked younger, with jet-black hair and purple eyes.

Jonathan looked alarmed. “What? Are you injured?”

“No... it’s just that my appearance changed.”

“Changed?”

“I looked older before. My eyes were green, and my hair was brown.”

“Oh, that. A few years ago, an advent mentioned a similar change upon arriving. It must be true for all advents.”

“Really? It’s not that I hate it... just surprised me.”

Jonathan hurried to another room and returned with a wooden box and a crystal the size of a fist. “I almost forgot to give you this bracelet. To bond it, put it on your wrist and add a drop of blood. It will then change shape to suit your personality and abilities better.”

Paul put the bracelet on his right wrist, adding a drop of blood. The bracelet glowed purple, expanded nearly to his elbow, and began to change. It transformed into a sleek, black-metal bracelet with silver elvish writing, looking like an ancient artifact. After the transformation, steam rose briefly before it settled.

Jonathan watched in awe. “I’ve never seen a bracelet transform so dramatically.”

Paul felt pleased, thinking this must mean he was powerful. Jonathan then took out several items from the chests.

“This ring is a magical storage device. You can store anything you can touch with it. It requires a drop of your blood to bond.” Paul tried it, finding the ring now fit perfectly and was nearly weightless.

“To retrieve an item, just think of it, and the ring will handle the rest. It opens a pocket dimension, so it has limitless storage.”

Jonathan also handed Paul a bag with 50 pills. “These pills will eliminate your need for food, sleep, and rest for a week, but afterward, you’ll need to sleep for 24 hours to avoid danger.”

Paul was amazed by the gifts. Jonathan then handed him three old leather-covered books. “Touch these with the hand your bracelet is on and say ‘LEARN.’”

Paul followed the instructions. The first book granted him the skill “Identify” at Beginner level 6, the second “Mana Sight” at Beginner level 5, and the third “Monster Tamer” at Beginner level 7.

Jonathan was delighted to see Paul’s excitement. He then revealed a wooden box and a crystal. “You’ll understand these in time. Don’t try to figure them out now. After some adventures, their purpose will become clear.”

Jonathan made all the books float in front of Paul. “Absorb them into the ring quickly. I can’t hold them much longer.”

Paul absorbed the books into the ring over the next few hours. Jonathan finally gave him a big book and a map. “This journal contains all my adventures and knowledge. The map shows your location and paths you’ve traveled. It will improve as you explore.”

“Thank you, Master. I will make you proud,” Paul said with a grin.

“Call me Jonathan. I’m your friend, not your master,” Jonathan said, turning away to hide his blush. “Let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow is a big day.”

They both went to bed. Jonathan was too excited about meeting Paul to sleep, while Paul, mentally drained, tried to rest and figure out if this was reality or a dream.

Chapter 3: Message from a Friend

“Now let’s go to sleep. It’s already late, and we need to rest. Tomorrow is a big day.” Jonathan’s voice was filled with anticipation.

They both tried to sleep, but Jonathan was too excited to finally meet Paul, the advent he had waited for almost five years. Paul, on the other hand, was unsure if this was real or a dream. He was too mentally drained to think and tried to get some rest.

Paul slept deeply, unaware of the noise and rumblings around him. A few hours later, he woke up with a sharp pain in his neck and back.

“Owowowow, what happened… Did I sleep wrong?” He looked around, realizing he was on the ground under a massive tree whose top he couldn’t even see. He noticed he was all alone in the forest—no bed, no house, and no old man. Only a small bag with a note on it.

He picked up the note and began to read:

---

**From your friend Jonathan,**

I'm sorry I didn’t tell you everything yesterday. I didn’t want you to witness my death; it would have been a burden I didn’t want you to bear.

If you’re wondering why you were on the ground, it’s because the house is magical, and it vanishes if I leave. I left some food for you in that bag and gave you everything you need to reach the village alive.

Don’t be sad for me. As I said, I had a happy life, and now that I’ve fulfilled my promise to my savior, I have no regrets.

Be careful in this world; it’s full of danger, and I don’t mean just the monsters. People are even more dangerous. Be careful who you trust with your life, and never forget that there is more to life than fame. Fame brings friends and riches but also enemies and jealousy.

I’ve said everything I wanted to… now go and have as many adventures as you can.

So long, my final friend.

---

Paul finished reading the letter with a sad smile and whispered, “Thank you.” He stood up, absorbed the bag into his ring, and looked around.

“Everywhere I look, there are only trees. What kind of forest is this that even the sky isn’t visible…”

<<Map>> he thought, and a map appeared in his hand. He decided to head to the village.

*Rustle, rustle* He heard a noise and looked around to see what was making it. The noise came from a large bush. Suddenly, a horn appeared from the bushes. <<Don’t tell me it’s a unicorn!>>

Nope… It was a huge creature that looked like a large pig with a long horn on its head. The creature started stomping the ground and charging at Paul.

“What the heck is thiiiis?!!!!!” He started running as fast as he could through the forest, tripping and falling several times. Fortunately, the creature wasn’t very fast and had trouble changing directions.

Paul ran, hoping the creature would give up. When he looked back, he saw the creature’s face. “Did it just smirk at me? That stupid pig.”

The pig enjoyed the chase. Paul realized he couldn’t escape just by running and looked around for a tree to climb. After a few minutes of searching, he finally found one and climbed it faster than he expected.

From the tree, he saw that the pig-like creature had become more enraged and was charging at the tree. The tree didn’t budge, but the pig’s horn was stuck, preventing it from getting free.

“This is my chance!” Paul broke a branch the size of his arm and jumped onto the pig’s back, stabbing it in the neck.

The creature, feeling its life threatened, squirmed desperately, trying to throw Paul off. Paul took a deep breath and, with all his strength, stabbed again in the same spot.

The beast stopped moving and fell to the ground, its legs giving out. Its horn remained stuck in the tree. Paul, exhausted, climbed off the creature and stabbed it again to ensure it was dead, then fell to the ground on his back, breathing heavily.

After a few minutes, he tried to absorb the pig into his ring but couldn’t. He tried again with no success. He realized the horn was likely preventing absorption. After nearly an hour of struggling, he managed to remove the horn from the tree and then absorbed the pig into the ring.

“Finally, it worked. This ring probably can’t absorb things beyond a certain size…”

Paul decided it was time to eat and rest. He climbed back up the tree, found a suitable cavity, and took out some food from the bag.

As he ate, he remembered that the bracelet had been sending him small beeping notifications. “I wonder what that was…” Suddenly, windows began to appear in front of him.

**Stats Update**

Because of your actions since the last check, you increased the following stats:

+5 Agility

+1 Strength

+2 Intelligence

+2 Wisdom

**Skills Update**

Because of your actions since the last check, you acquired the following skills:

- Perception

- Running

- Climbing

- Naturas

“Wow… so this bracelet automatically tracks what I do, how I do it, and how I think. It’s a bit creepy but pretty useful.” Paul looked at his bracelet, eyes shining, grinning like someone who had lost his mind.

“STATUS”

Name: Paul Silver

Title: N/A

Guild Level: N/A

Guild Points: N/A

Health: 12

Mana: 24

Strength: 11

Agility: 10

Endurance: 3

Stamina: 10

Wisdom: 32

Intelligence: 38

Charisma: 5

Leadership: 0

Luck: 328

Fighting Spirit: 0

Fame: 0

**Skills**

- Humble Mask: -

- Aura Shift: Beginner LVL.1 (50%)

- Memos: -

- Identification: Beginner LVL.6 (0%)

- Mana Sight: Beginner LVL.6 (0%)

- Creature Tamer: Beginner LVL.7 (0%)

- Perception: Beginner LVL.1 (20%)

- Running: Beginner LVL.1 (50%)

- Climbing: Beginner LVL.1 (14%)

- Naturas: Beginner LVL.2 (21%)

“What are these skills… I recognize only a few.” Paul stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I wonder how I see what each skill does.” Suddenly, windows began appearing in front of him.

**Humble Mask (active)**

This skill is innate. It allows you to decrease any of your stats to any level you choose. After activation, you can lower any stats to zero. Lowering stats is equivalent to sealing your extra stats.

You will not receive new stats while this skill is active.

It activates and deactivates according to your will, just like your other skills.

Special: ????????????

Warning: This skill will not change no matter how much you use it. Mentioning this skill to anyone will result in severe punishment.

**AURA SHIFT (active) - Beginner LVL.1 (50%)**

This skill is innate. It allows you to emit an aura that influences how others perceive you through their instincts, rather than their eyes.

Special: ????????????

**Memos (active/passive)**

This skill is innate. It allows you to memorize everything you see, hear, smell, taste—everything you experience.

You can relive any experience from the past 24 hours.

You can learn languages faster.

Languages known: Human (100%)

Warning: This skill will not change no matter how much you use it.

**Identification (active) - Beginner LVL.6 (0%)**

You can identify items more easily and discover if they have special characteristics.

You can instantly identify common-grade items.

Identifying higher-grade items depends on luck.

**Mana Sight (active) - Beginner LVL.6 (0%)**

You can see the flow of mana in your own body and control it to a certain extent.

**Creature Tamer (active/passive) - Beginner LVL.7 (0%)**

Any creature that doesn’t perceive you as an enemy can be approached under certain conditions.

You can understand some basic words from certain creatures.

Any creature that considers you a friend can enter into a contract with you and become your pet.

Number of pets: 0

**Perception (active/passive) - Beginner LVL.1 (20%)**

Within a 5-meter range, all your senses increase by 20%.

You can see in the dark 20% better.

**Running (active) - Beginner LVL.1 (50%)**

You can run 10% faster and consume 10% less stamina.

On rough terrain, you won’t trip as easily.

**Climbing (active) - Beginner LVL.1 (14%)**

You can climb structures faster by identifying gripping points.

**Naturas (passive) - Beginner LVL.2 (21%)**

In non-populated areas, you get a boost of:

10% in speed

15% in sight

20% in hearing

5% in healing

5% in mana regeneration

Paul carefully studied the skills. “All these skills will definitely help me, but what is this Humble Mask…” He focused on the description and then tried using it. As described, he could control how low his stats would be.

He remembered that the kingdom was searching for him and that starting next week, he would need to use this skill to hide his luck if necessary.

“After all, I don’t think anyone has ever seen such a high luck stat.”

The bracelet alerted him again. “Hmm… +1 Wisdom.” He smiled briefly, then remembered that he couldn’t stay here forever.

Just as he was about to jump down, he saw three wolves sniffing the blood of the horned pig. One of them even began to mark the tree he was in. He covered his mouth, breathing slowly, and tried to sneak back into the tree to avoid detection.

<<Great, now I’m stuck here… Well, I need to think of a plan to reach the village safely and determine what I want to do in this world.>>

Paul closed his eyes and thought about everything that had happened and what he knew. Then he remembered, <<This is just like an RPG… So, I need to gather the skills I need to survive alone and learn as much as possible about everything. I need to become stronger before heading out again.>>

<<First things first…I need to get to the village safely. I don’t want to die like a loser in the middle of the forest. Then I need to go to the guild, learn about the city, who is who, where to find things, and find a place to sleep and eat while in town. I should try to improve my relations with the people by doing tasks for them so they will help me later. I need to learn some skills… If I’m right, there should be a blacksmith, a tailor, an alchemist, and someone to teach me how to fight. Finally, I need to find the library and see if they have books other than the ones in my ring. I want to read as many as possible.>>

After a few minutes, Paul opened his eyes slowly, and the bracelet sent him another window.

**New Skill Learned - FOCUS**

<<Show Skill Focus>>

**Focus (passive) - Beginner LVL.1 (80%)**

You can easily focus. Your mind works 10% faster.

In dangerous situations, you can make decisions faster.

<<Great, this will also help.>>

He climbed down as quietly as possible and activated his skills before starting to run toward the village. He needed to stop and rest every two hours.

After several hours, he took out his map and food. While eating, he noticed he was almost at the village—just a few hours away.

After finishing his meal, he put the map back into the ring and continued toward the village. After three hours, he reached the edge of the forest and felt something he had nearly forgotten: “Ahhhhh… the sun. I almost forgot how good it feels.” He lifted his head, smiling, closing his eyes, and spreading his arms to absorb the rays of pure bliss.

He saw the village in the distance—just a tall wooden fence was visible. He looked at himself and saw that his once plain clothes, which had seemed like a large piece of leather, were now ripped, scratched, and covered in blood. <<Stupid pig! I can’t go into the village like this.>>

He looked around and saw a stream of water near the forest. He ran as fast as he could, but ten meters before the river, he tripped and fell on his face. A window popped up in his mind informing him that he had lost 1 health.

He got up, a mix of embarrassment and anger on his face, and looked at the cause of his “accident.” Instantly, his anger and embarrassment dissipated, leaving only shock on his pale face.

Chapter 4: Weakling

Paul’s eyes widened as he saw the body of a bald, thin man dressed in black leather armor. Shocked, this was the first time he’d encountered a dead body, but he quickly managed to calm himself.

“This is strange… It’s my first time seeing a dead body, yet I’m adapting so quickly. Is something wrong with me? No, it can’t be. Something must have changed in me since arriving in this world, making me adjust more easily to its situations. If nothing had changed, I’d probably have lost my mind or died before reaching this point.”

Paul approached the body and examined it closely. The man’s face was pale, his lips were purple, and a foul smell emanated from his mouth. Paul quickly recoiled. “Poison, huh?”

Paul said a brief prayer and began searching the body. The clothes were slightly large for him but better than his current tattered outfit. He also found a leather pouch containing 5 gold, 8 silver, and 35 bronze coins. He put the gold coins into the ring and left the rest in the pouch. Additionally, he found a letter that he couldn’t open no matter how much strength he used. All he could discern from it was “Mrs. Onca.” After gathering everything into a pile, Paul dragged the body a few meters into the forest, took a branch, scratched the dead man’s arm, and left it there with the thought:

“If any creature comes to smell the blood and feast on the body, it will be poisoned and die. I’ll then take the creature’s body.”

Remembering his original objective, Paul realized, “I need to clean myself… I probably smell like a dead animal.” He rushed to the river and began washing off the blood, sweat, and odor.

After two minutes, he emerged from the water and tried on the new clothes. The shirt was similar to his old one and fit him well. The pants, however, were too long, so he had to rip the ends a bit. The black leather armor he found was too big, so he stored it in the ring and attached the pouch to his belt.

Entering the village, Paul decided to rest and eat. While eating, he checked his bracelet for updates, having been too focused on escaping the forest to look earlier.

**Stats Update**

Due to your recent actions, the following stats have increased:

- +10 Agility

- +3 Strength

- +10 Stamina

- +5 Health

- +5 Fighting Spirit

- +1 Luck

He also noticed some skills had leveled up and that he had acquired a new skill called **Detective**.

“I wonder what that is… Show skill Detective.”

**Detective (active/passive) - Beginner LVL.1 (58%)**

You can find what you are searching for more easily. Clues that your subconscious notices will faintly glow white to your eyes.

“Wow… I wonder if Sherlock Holmes had this skill.” Paul laughed at the thought and decided to review the rest of his skills.

**Skills**

- Humble Mask

- Aura Shift - Beginner LVL.1 (80%)

- Memos

- Identification - Beginner LVL.6 (0%)

- Mana Sight - Beginner LVL.6 (10%)

- Creature Tamer - Beginner LVL.7 (0%)

- Perception - Beginner LVL.3 (24%)

- Running - Beginner LVL.8 (10%)

- Climbing - Beginner LVL.1 (14%)

- Naturas - Beginner LVL.3 (29%)

- Focus - Beginner LVL.2 (44%)

- Detective - Beginner LVL.1 (58%)

After resting and eating for thirty minutes, Paul went to check on the body. His eyes widened in shock as he saw that the body had vanished, replaced by three creatures: two grey wolves and a black one. Paul recognized them as the same wolves he had seen earlier. The wolves had followed his scent to the body, which had been a trap.

The wolves had consumed the poisoned body, and the poison spread quickly through them, killing them within minutes. Paul approached cautiously, aware that there might be other wolves nearby. After putting the bodies into the ring, he hurried towards the village.

As Paul neared the village, he was impressed by its size and the imposing wooden fence. At the gate, two guards stopped him.

“Halt! State your business in Farhav!”

“I was hired to deliver a letter.”

“Oh really? And for whom might this letter be?”

“Mrs. Onca.”

The guards blushed and coughed at the mention of the name. Paul was surprised by their reaction. His bracelet sent him another message indicating he had learned a new skill: **Deception**. He didn’t check it immediately, as he understood what the skill entailed.

The guards let him in and even provided directions to Mrs. Onca.

Paul maintained a calm exterior as he entered the village, but inside, he was excited. He had finally arrived and, thanks to the letter, entered without any issues. The village appeared even larger from within, with various types of houses—some wooden, some stone, some large, some small. In the village center, he saw several significant buildings: the inn, the general guild testing facility, the brothel, the barracks, a guild called Sun Star, and a gate leading to the crafting market.

According to the guards, Mrs. Onca was at the brothel. Summoning his courage, Paul headed there. Upon entering, he was greeted by a beautiful young woman dressed in revealing clothing.

“Welcome, handsome. How can I make you happy?”

“I have a letter for Mrs. Onca.”

“Wait here. I’ll let her know.” She ran to the back and up some stairs into a room. Five minutes later, she returned and informed Paul that Mrs. Onca was waiting for him in her office. She led him to the door, opened it, and told him to enter. Paul walked in, and the door closed behind him.

Inside, the room smelled pleasantly. A tall, strikingly beautiful woman with long black hair and green eyes stood by a table. Her figure was slim yet curvaceous. When she spoke, Paul’s heart skipped a beat.

“I heard you have something for me.”

“Huh? Oh, yes. A letter.” Paul handed her the letter, which she opened effortlessly. After reading it with a serious expression, she looked at Paul and smiled seductively. In an instant, she vanished.

Paul was stunned, staring at the spot where she had been. Suddenly, a knife appeared at his neck from behind. He froze, aware that any wrong move could be fatal.

A voice whispered in his ear, the same voice as the woman who had disappeared. “Don’t move. Answer all my questions truthfully, and I might let you go.”

“I understand.” Paul knew better than to lie or offend her.

“Where did you get this letter?”

“From a dead body I found outside the village.”

“Did you kill him?”

“No!”

“Do you know who did?”

“No, but he was poisoned.”

“Poisoned, you say… How do you know that?”

“His lips were purple, and his mouth smelled really bad.”

“Hmmm…”

“I’m telling the truth.”

“I know.” Paul relaxed slightly as he felt something soft and warm against his back. He realized it was the woman’s body—specifically, her breasts. He blushed deeply as she released him, chuckling softly.

The woman assured him she wouldn’t harm him and asked if he was okay.

“I’m fine, but I have a question.”

“Go ahead.”

“I see you’re wearing only thin clothing.”

“Yes. What’s your question?”

“Where did you keep your knife?”

The woman burst into laughter, continuing for several minutes. As she laughed, Paul noticed an increase in his stats:

- +15 Fighting Spirit

- +10 Charisma

Once she stopped laughing, she introduced herself. “I’m Onca Nori. A pleasure to meet you, handsome. I’m the owner of this establishment.”

“My name is Paul Silver, and… you’re very beautiful.”

Paul blushed slightly, and Nori did too.

“Oh, brave, funny, and charming. Everything I want in a man. Since you helped deliver the letter, I’ll assist you in any way I can.”

“Was that letter important?”

“Yes. It was from a friend in the capital, informing me that a small army will arrive sooner than expected. We need to be prepared.”

“Prepared for what?”

“For the possible arrival of an adventurer in this village.”

“Why send an army for just an adventurer?”

“Don’t you know? Every adventurer who arrives in this world is at least Class A, and they sometimes destroy the villages they appear in. To prevent this, the kingdom sends small armies to every village to restrain and escort the adventurer to the nearest fort, evaluating if they’ll work for the kingdom.”

“And if they refuse to work for the kingdom?”

“They’re removed from this world, obviously. But some are too powerful and escape the army, becoming considered criminals.”

“How do they identify an adventurer?”

“When they arrive, they often go berserk. Additionally, they can be identified by the lack of a bracelet. Adventurers typically don’t have one.”

“What if they get one?”

“That’s almost never the case. If they do, the army locks down the village, not allowing anyone to leave and checking everyone’s stats.”

“They lock down the village? For how long?”

“They’ll arrive tomorrow to start preparations. The second sun will appear next week, which means the adventurer can appear anytime the second sun is visible. The second sun usually remains visible for about

three months. No one is allowed to leave the village until the second sun disappears.”

“So, for the next three days, no one can leave the village for quite some time?”

“Yes. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to prepare for the army’s arrival. I’ll arrange a room for you. Just return in two hours and find the girl you met earlier. She’ll lead you to your room.”

Paul left and headed to his next destination, the guild testing facility. The building was empty except for an old lady at a desk. He approached her.

“Hello. My name is Paul Silver. I’d like to know a few things.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just ask your questions.”

The old lady’s tone was gruff.

“What can you tell me about the guild testing facility and process?”

“Are you an idiot? Did you live under a rock or something? Well, the guild testing facility was created to test the strength of wannabe adventurers like you. The first test is free. After that, you need guild points to retake it. Higher guild ranks require more points.”

“How do you earn guild points?”

“Another stupid question… Well, there are a few ways. First, do quests from the quest board by absorbing the quest into your bracelet. You can only take quests that match your class or are lower. Second, take quests directly from individuals; these are absorbed automatically by your bracelet. Third, kill living beings. After killing them, touch them with your hand and say ‘Slayer’s Touch.’ The stronger they are, the more guild points you receive. Finally, discover new places like dungeons or ruins. Your bracelet will know when you discover such a place, and you’ll earn guild points accordingly.”

“Can I take the exam now?”

“Sure. Just place your hand on that crystal ball and say ‘UPDATE.’ It will scan your stats and rank you. Your rank will then appear on your stats.”

Paul walked to the crystal, activated **Humble Mask**, and lowered his luck to 10. He placed his hand on the crystal, which warmed up, then glowed brightly as it scanned his stats. It cooled down and returned to its original black color.

His bracelet shone briefly. Paul checked his status.

**Status**

Name: Paul Silver

Title: Weakling

Guild Rank: H

Guild Points: 0

Health: 17

Mana: 24

Strength: 14

Agility: 20

Endurance: 3

Stamina: 20

Wisdom: 32

Intelligence: 38

Charisma: 15

Leadership: 0

Luck: 329

Fighting Spirit: 20

Fame: 0

“Oh, it worked… huh? What is this?! Why is my title WEAKLING?! I’m not that weak.”

The old woman, now laughing, added, “+1 Fame – An old lady will remember you as the weakling until you prove otherwise.”

Embarrassed, Paul left the building hurriedly, still hearing the old lady’s laughter.

He returned to the brothel to find the accommodation promised by Nori. The young girl from earlier greeted him.

“Please follow me, Mr. Silver. I’ll lead you to your room.”

“Just call me Silver.”

The girl blushed and quickened her pace, guiding him behind the brothel to a rundown cottage. She pointed toward it.

Paul thanked her and entered. The interior wasn’t so bad—a single large room with a table, a chair, and a bed. The table held enough food for two days. His stomach rumbled loudly at the sight of the food.

“I should eat as much as I can and then get some rest. Tomorrow the army arrives, and I need to be careful with my actions.”

Paul ate until he was full, then went outside to see the moon shining brightly. He stared at it for a few minutes before going to bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he fell asleep.

The next morning, he felt as though he was floating on clouds. Still sleepy, he reached out, trying to grab the cloud. Instead, a loud moan filled his ears.

“Aaaaah… not so hard… you pervert!”

Surprised, he opened his eyes to find that he was squeezing someone’s breasts. For a moment, he forgot and focused on the soft, warm sensation in his hands. Then he blushed deeply, yanking his hands away and falling from the bed in his confusion.

Looking up, red-faced, he saw the woman he had been groping.

“You… what? What happened?! Wh-why are you here?” he stuttered, completely embarrassed.

Chapter 5: A Plan

On the bed, smiling at Paul, was Nori.

“I figured you would be lonely, and I did say I would help you however I can. And you seemed to enjoy it.”

“Th-th-that’s….”

“Relax…I’m only joking,” she said, grinning and fixing her gaze on Paul like a hunter eyeing its prey.

After dressing up, they went to the inn together to eat. As they walked, Paul felt the stares of every man and even sensed some killing intent. When Nori linked her arm with his, the killing intent intensified. Paul could hear men swearing and cursing him.

When they reached the inn, Nori ordered food for both of them. Paul looked worried when he saw the spread; it looked expensive.

“Don’t worry. My treat,” said Nori, enjoying the expressions Paul made.

While eating, Paul mentioned that he wanted to learn crafting skills and other skills necessary for surviving in the wild. Hearing this, Nori gave him some advice.

“Paul, I know you want to learn these skills, but people don’t trust strangers. Especially if you want to learn from the best, you’ll need to learn from the dwarves and elves. And they don’t like humans much, especially trusting them with their skills.

First, you should do some quests for them. Look at the quest board; it’s filled with H-rank quests since the guilds don’t really do those quests—they don’t pay well. The only ones tackling them are young kids, and some quests are impossible for them. These quests will help you get to know the village and the people, and, most importantly, the people will get to know you and, in turn, trust you.”

She had a point. Paul had planned this to some extent, but hearing it from someone else was reassuring.

“Thank you, Mrs. Onca, for your advice.”

“Call me Nori!”

“Thank you…ehmmm, Nori.”

Hearing her name from him, she blushed. Paul didn’t understand why, but seeing her blush made him feel happy. Then Nori held out her hand, touched Paul, and said, “Register friend.”

The bracelet displayed a window in front of Paul.

**You received a friend request from OncaNori**

Accept by saying YES or deny by saying NO.

Paul looked at Nori. She was smiling.

“YES.”

“Okay, Paul…now I can talk to you anytime I want. If you need anything from me, just think of me and say ‘Contact,’ and we’ll be able to talk.”

Nori kept grinning like a child who had received a present.

After finishing, Paul left Nori at the inn, as she mentioned having some business there. Paul headed to the quest board. The board was enormous, filled with hundreds of quests. He started examining the different H-rank quests—some were for cleaning, some for gathering apples, others for chopping wood—mostly boring tasks, thought Paul.

Then Paul remembered he didn’t know how to accept quests. He knew he had to absorb them but wasn’t sure how. Paul placed his hand on a quest and said, “Absorb.” Nothing happened. He then tried, “Quest Accepted,” but again, nothing happened. A young kid, about ten years old with brown hair and eyes, appeared next to him. The kid reached for a quest, placed his hand on it, and said, “H Rank quest…” then whispered something Paul didn’t catch. The quest disappeared from the board, and the kid ran off.

Paul placed his hand on the board and said, “H Rank quest.” Suddenly, all the H-rank quests were accepted by Paul. The board was now almost empty, with only about 50 quests remaining, due to their higher rank. A window appeared in front of Paul, and his jaw dropped.

**H Rank Quests Accepted**

You have accepted 265 quests!

You have two weeks to finish the quests before you lose them.

Warning: Not finishing a quest will decrease your familiarity with the quest giver.

“265 quests for 153 people. Great, just great… How did this happen? Don’t I have a high luck stat?”

Everyone around was staring at Paul with their mouths open, thinking they must be dreaming. No normal person could finish that many quests in a month. Paul then received a notification:

+30 Fame

Paul looked around, and seeing everyone staring at him, ran into a back alley. There, he sat on the ground, having a bit of a panic attack.

Then he remembered, “Jonathan’s pills.” He retrieved the pouch from the ring and looked inside.

Inside the pouch were pills that looked like black peas. He then realized there were only about 20, not the 50 Jonathan had mentioned. Jonathan probably forgot; he was old after all.

Paul then used his skill, Identify, on one of the pills.

**Limit Pill**

Ingesting this pill will eliminate the need for food, water, and sleep.

It will also increase stamina regeneration by 300%.

Duration: 7 days

Warning: After 7 days, you must sleep or you might lose your life.

Paul checked the ring:

**Storage Ring**

Durability: Infinite

This ring can store any item by opening a pocket dimension and preserving it in the same condition that it was absorbed in, as time stops in this dimension.

Able to send and bring back anything from this dimension.

Living things cannot be absorbed.

Bond to Paul Silver.

He got up and, seeing the number of quests, yelled, “CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!”

Paul ingested one of the pills, put the rest back, and spent the next 5 hours running around the village, finishing as many quests as possible. He completed 4 quests before stopping. The first 3 were easy and took him about 3 hours. The last one was hard; he had to clean a large garden full of weeds without any tools. He stopped because the army arrived in the village. Paul took the next 30 minutes to check out the army and rest his eyes from the weeds.

There were about 60 soldiers. They all wore identical shiny white armor. Some carried swords, while others had spears. The only exceptions were the 5 leaders. Three were huge and looked like barbarians, wielding large swords and riding horses. In front of them was a man in a brown robe, who didn’t have any weapons. He must be a mage.

Finally, the leader, a tall man with huge muscles and golden short hair, rode the biggest horse Paul had ever seen, which looked like it was on steroids.

They stopped in the center of the village. With a voice as clear and loud as thunder, the leader announced, “We are here to prepare for the possibility of an advent! Starting this moment, no one is allowed to leave the village until the second sun disappears! We will start checking the stats of everyone suspicious once the second sun appears! If you do not follow my instructions, I’ve been given permission to throw you in prison or kill you on the spot. That’s all!”

The soldiers then spread out and closed the village gates. Twenty of them and one of the barbarians made camp at the entrance. Another was stationed in the village center, and the last was in the crafting district. The leader, along with the possible mage, headed towards the inn, probably to get a fancy room.

Paul decided to return to the quests since he didn’t have time to deal with the captain yet.

For the next 10 hours, Paul continued doing quests like a madman, but from the villagers’ perspective, he looked calm, with a polite smile on his face. While doing the quests, he kept his Aura Shift activated. He completed another 15 quests, paying extra attention to those related to the blacksmith Teo, the tailor Jinx, the cook Archie, and others from whom he could learn useful skills.

Paul used Aura Shift to appear hardworking, happy, and slightly noble, making the villagers feel like he was doing them a bigger favor than he actually was. This approach earned him better rewards and increased their familiarity with him.

When he stopped to relax, he noticed it was dark, and only a few people were outside. Most were sleeping. While relaxing, he checked his stats since the bracelet kept sending him notifications.

**Stats Update**

Because of your actions since the last time you checked, you increased the following stats:

+10 Health

+5 Mana

+15 Agility

+10 Strength

+25 Stamina

+5 Intelligence

+10 Wisdom

+15 Charisma

+1 Luck

+50 Fame

**Quest Update**

You finished 19 quests and received a total of 50 silver coins and 40 guild points.

246 quests remaining.

Time remaining: 13 days.

**Skills Update**

Because of your actions since the last time you checked, you increased your skill levels of:

- Aura Shift to Beginner LVL.3 (50%)

- Identification to Beginner LVL.7 (11%)

- Perception to Beginner LVL.4 (58%)

- Running to Intermediary LVL.2 (5%)

- Focus to Beginner LVL.9 (76%)

“Running reached intermediary? I think that’s good. Show skill Running.”

**Running (active) - Intermediary LVL.2 (5%)**

You can run 50% faster and consume 50% less stamina.

On rough terrain, you won’t trip.

Your steps while running don’t make any noise.

Since the people had gone to sleep, Paul focused on quests that didn’t require the quest giver to be present. For the next 8 hours, he completed 12 quests, which were mostly similar and repetitive

.

As the sun began to rise and people started waking up, Paul sat on a bench in the village square, watching them prepare for the day. Even the soldiers became more active, walking through the village. Paul avoided them, not wanting to raise suspicion. At night, he hid from soldiers to avoid drawing attention.

He decided not to check his stats and skills until he finished the quests. The only time he saw a window from his bracelet was when he looked at his next quest.

For the next 15 hours or so, he completed another 20 quests. At night, he finished 13. The next day, he saw that there were indeed two suns, as he had heard, and the soldiers became more vigilant, so he had to be more cautious with his movements. At night, he used to sneak, jump, and climb a lot to avoid the soldiers. This became a routine—doing a similar amount of quests every day.

After a week, with 63 quests remaining, Paul returned to his room and sat on the bed. He wanted to check his stats but had promised himself not to do so until he finished the quests.

“That will be my reward for all this work. Now I must go to sleep. I already told Nori not to disturb me for the next 24 hours, so I should be okay.”

Mentally exhausted from focusing all the time, he collapsed onto the bed.

That day, while Paul was sleeping like he was in a coma, rumors started spreading about him. The rumors were spread by the people he had helped with quests. By the end of the week, when they gathered at the inn, they talked about their experiences. They all described a young man who had been incredibly helpful. When they compared notes, they realized that if the young man was the same person, he hadn’t slept for a whole week and had helped 118 people by completing around 150 quests on his own. They agreed to call him the “Hardworking Noble” because they felt he had the demeanor of someone with noble blood.

Fortunately, the villagers didn’t trust the soldiers and didn’t inform them about Paul. That day, they kept looking around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Hardworking Noble to see if the rumors were true. After all, the rumors sounded almost too good to be true.

The next morning, Paul woke up feeling rusty from sleeping for 24 hours. He started stretching for about half an hour when he was interrupted by Nori, carrying a huge plate of food. Paul hadn’t needed to eat for a week, but now he was ravenous. He began eating voraciously, grabbing as much as he could. Nori watched him, smiling. As soon as he slowed down, she said, “There’s a rumor about someone who looks like you…you know.”

“Mmm, and what do these rumors say?”

“That there’s someone who helped a lot of people for very little, for a whole week without sleeping.”

“So?”

“So… I want you to know that if you need help, just ask. I’m your… friend, you know.”

Paul looked her in the eyes and, with a grin as if he knew something, said, “I know. And just so you know, you can also ask me for help.”

“What? How do you know I need help?”

“I didn’t say you need help. I just offered. Was I right?”

She blushed a bit and, slightly annoyed at being tricked, said, “Well, it’s true that I have a problem, but I don’t think you can help me. After all, you’re not powerful enough.”

“Maybe not. I know you’re powerful and can’t solve it, so maybe I can help in another way. Just tell me, and maybe together we can work something out.”

“Well…”

“I’m more dependable than I look… After all, I’m the famous helper, hahahaha.”

“All right, I understand. I have a problem with… *mumble mumble*”

“Sorry? Didn’t quite catch that.”

“I said, I have a problem with Rocka.”

“Huh? Rocka? Who is… ohhhh… you mean the army captain. What’s the problem?”

“Well, since I run the brothel, he thought I am, you know…”

“I know you’re not. You only run the place instead of your friend. And?”

“Well, he tried to buy me, but when I refused, he got angry and started shouting. Thankfully, there were many people around, and he left, promising that I would be his.”

“Hahaha, really?”

“Yes… Now stop laughing and help me out.”

“Okay, okay. To help you, I need to know a few things… about you.”

“What do you want to know?”

“I want to know who you are exactly… You’re definitely not just a regular person. You’re very strong, and when we first met, I didn’t even see you move.”

“Ahmm… I’ll tell you if you promise to keep it a secret.”

“I promise.”

“Well, I am… one of the lieutenants of a guild that specializes in… how should I put this… information gathering.”

“So, you’re thieves?”

“NO! Well… sometimes. We use our skills to gather information that was requested and sometimes perform assassinations. I only gather information, just so you know.”

“Wow… and what are you doing here?”

“I am watching a branch of one of the guilds from the capital. You know, the only one in the village, but sadly only a few low-level members are present at the moment.”

“I see… Anything else I should know?”

“No… that’s all.”

“I hope so…”

Paul looked at her, running different plans and simulations in his head when suddenly he got an idea.

“I have a plan to help you, but you’ll need to use some of your particular skills.”

“Already? Do tell.”

“Well, I’m sure you have a few people under you.”

“Yes, I have around 5 girls, one of whom you already met.”

“I met one already? Who?”

“When you first came to me, you talked to a girl…”

“Really? Oh well… Either way, I need you to ask them to spread rumors about you being engaged to me and also spread different rumors about how I look.”

She looked at Paul, a small smile forming on her lips, and asked, “Are you asking me to marry you?”

“What? No! It’s part of the plan.”

“I see, I see… then continue.”

“When Rocka approaches you again, say that you are engaged, confirming the rumors he has definitely heard. He will then try to find me. Since he doesn’t know how I look, it will take some time. While he is searching for me, I will try to gather some information about him and see what his weaknesses are.”

“What about when he finds you?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll have something by then. For now, try to always be surrounded by people.”

“I sure hope this plan of yours works…”

Paul then took another Limit Pill and resumed doing quests while avoiding Rocka and his soldiers.

For the next week, Paul continued doing quests, and at night, he spied on the soldiers and Rocka. The last quest took him the longest—the first 62 he completed in 3 days, but the last one, which involved cataloging all the books in the library, took a while to finish.

This week, Paul avoided having his stats read by soldiers who were randomly asking people for their stats. Paul then went to bed and slept soundly.

Paul, being mentally exhausted, didn’t realize the transformation he had undergone over the last two weeks.

Chapter 6: The Bet

While focusing on finishing quests, Paul significantly increased his stats and became considered a friend by everyone in the village, even the dwarves and elves who generally didn’t like humans. Everyone viewed Paul as reliable and hardworking. Physically, he hadn’t changed much at first glance, but a closer look revealed that his muscles were now perfectly defined. Though he didn’t have the massive build of the soldiers, he still possessed their strength. Of course, he wasn’t more powerful than the average soldier from the army, as he lacked combat skills and battle experience. Paul’s stats showed he was an H-ranker, but that was only because he hadn’t been to the guild tester yet.

The next day, Paul woke up to find a large amount of food and some new clothes on the table next to his bed.

Paul knew who had brought him the food and clothes.

"Thank you, Nori."

He ate all the food and then tried on the new clothes he received from Nori.

The clothes were a huge improvement over his previous ones. They included a pair of black pants, a white shirt, and brown furry boots. He also noticed he had received some light, reinforced leather armor and a pair of gloves that went up to the elbow. The leather armor, which included a hood, was comfortable and light but still offered protection. The gloves were similar to the armor but had bits of metal for increased protection. The armor provided light protection and looked good on Paul. He didn’t put on the hood, though.

Paul then looked at his hand. Although he couldn’t see the bracelet, he could finally see what he had gained in the last two weeks.

"Show updates."

**Stats Update**

Due to your actions since the last time you checked, you have increased the following stats:

+220 Health

+200 Mana

+159 Agility

+90 Strength

+30 Endurance

+240 Stamina

+20 Intelligence

+23 Wisdom

+70 Charisma

+10 Luck

+300 Fame

+94 Fighting Spirit

**Skills Update**

Because of your actions since the last time you checked, you have acquired the following skills:

- Stealth

- Listening

- Deception

- Iron Will

**Skill Combo**

By reaching an advanced level in Running and an intermediary level in Climbing, you have acquired a new skill: Parkour, which starts at the intermediary level.

**Quest Update**

You finished all 265 quests and received a total of 10 gold coins and 660 guild points. By completing a large number of quests in a short time, you received a bonus of 140 guild points and an additional 100 fame.

You now receive a 20% discount from every shop owner you helped.

Paul was shocked. The hard work had paid off. He was satisfied with the rewards he received for completing all those quests. Next, he wanted to see everything else he could.

“Status.”

**Name:** Paul Silver

**Title:** Weakling

**Guild Level:** H

**Guild Points:** 835

**Health:** 237

**Mana:** 224

**Strength:** 104

**Agility:** 179

**Endurance:** 33

**Stamina:** 260

**Wisdom:** 64

**Intelligence:** 76

**Charisma:** 85

**Leadership:** 0

**Luck:** 338

**Fighting Spirit:** 94

**Fame:** 405

“Show skills.”

**Skills**

- Humble Mask

- Aura Shift: Intermediary LVL.2 (12%)

- Memos

- Identification: Beginner LVL.9 (87%)

- Mana Sight: Beginner LVL.6 (0%)

- Creature Tamer: Beginner LVL.7 (0%)

- Perception: Intermediary LVL.3 (60%)

- Parkour: Intermediary LVL.2 (50%)

- Naturas: Beginner LVL.2 (21%)

- Detective: Beginner LVL.5 (91%)

- Deception: Beginner LVL.5 (23%)

- Stealth: Intermediary LVL.1 (10%)

- Listening: Intermediary LVL.3 (0%)

- Iron Will: Intermediary LVL.8 (60%)

“So, some skills reached intermediary, even the new ones… I probably used them without even realizing it. I’ll check them later.”

Paul then remembered that he still had the bodies of the three wolves and the horned pig in the ring. He took them out, touched the pig, and said, “Slayer’s Touch.” He was notified that he received 5 guild points. He did the same with the wolves. Each grey wolf gave him 10 guild points, and the black one gave him 20. He absorbed them back into the ring.

Paul went out and headed toward the guild testing facility. On the way, people recognized him; everyone was smiling and thanking him for his help. The soldiers watched him with confusion, having no idea what was going on. Paul felt quite proud of his achievement. Just two weeks ago, everyone had ignored and distrusted him.

The soldiers were already a bit suspicious of Paul, but when they tried to approach him at the next corner, he vanished. They reported to their captain that Paul was heading to the village center. Paul, unaware of this, was too busy enjoying the attention.

When he reached the guild testing facility, just before he went in, a hand grabbed him from behind and threw him onto his back. Confused, he looked around and saw that he was surrounded by soldiers holding their swords ready. Paul realized that the one who had thrown him was Captain Rocka, who was smirking at how weak Paul seemed.

Rocka said to Paul, who was dusting himself off, “You have been reported suspicious! Show me your stats! Fast, before I behead you!”

Thinking quickly, Paul used Humble Mask to lower all his stats to an average of 30 and displayed them for Rocka to see. Rocka looked at the window and suddenly exclaimed, “You’re Paul Silver!? The one engaged to the woman I desire?!”

“Yes, I am. A pleasure to meet you… Ah, who are you?”

Paul asked with a straight face, tilting his head as if pretending not to know him. Rocka turned red with anger and said proudly, in a loud tone, “I am Rocka, Knight Captain of the 12th Division of the Royal Army of Calvarno. I am one of the heroes sent to protect this village from the cursed advents!”

Then he stopped, and all of a sudden, the soldiers started applauding. They didn’t look happy.

"It looks like they are made to do this quite often."

Rocka then examined Paul’s stats more carefully and began laughing. “Hahahahahaha, are you telling me that she loves such a weak worm like you??? Even your title is Weakling!!! Hahahahahahahaha!”

“I may be weak, but you would lose to me.”

Rocka stopped laughing and, with an angry face, asked, “Are you challenging me to a fight?!”

“No, no… nothing like that.”

“I want to make a bet with you—a bet that you will surely lose.”

Paul had learned while following the soldiers at night that Rocka loved to fight and win. What he loved even more than fighting were women. But what he loved most was gambling—he loved to win.

“Hohoooo, a bet, you say? And what makes you so sure I would lose?”

“Take the bet, and you’ll see.”

“What is this bet and its conditions?”

“If you win the bet, I will never see Mrs. Onca again and will be your slave for three months. I will do whatever you want. But if I win the bet, you must leave Mrs. Onca alone and owe me a favor. While the bet is on, you cannot bother Mrs. Onca. What do you think of these conditions?”

“Interesting… but what are we betting on?”

“I bet that while the two suns remain in the sky, you can’t find the advent in this village, prove that he is an advent, touch his head, and say ‘CAPTURED.’”

Rocka didn’t hesitate and agreed to the bet. They shook hands, and the bracelets shined, creating a contract between Paul and Rocka. Paul had expected Rocka to agree to the bet but hoped he would hesitate.

Paul knew Rocka would accept because he had overheard Rocka talking to the mage about how the kingdom’s most famous seer predicted that an advent would appear in the village. The seer never made mistakes, so Rocka was convinced an advent would appear. He accepted the bet, confident he would win. Rocka ordered the soldiers to return to their posts and walked away, feeling as if he had already won.

After the soldiers left, Paul let out a small “Heh…” while smirking.

When the soldiers were gone, Nori appeared next to Paul and kicked his shin. Paul started hopping on one leg in pain.

“What did you do that for?!”

“What do you mean, what I did that for??? What did you do!? Why did you make that bet with him?! What if you lose?!”

“Stop, calm down… Don’t worry, I won’t lose.”

“How do you know that?!”

“Trust me… and until the two suns disappear, he won’t bother you. After that… well, we’ll figure something out.”

“I hope you’re right. As a thank you for this, I transferred 200 guild points to you.”

Nori and Paul then went their separate ways. Paul headed back to the guild

testing facility and entered. The old lady there started smirking when she saw him.

“Hehehe, the Weakling returned. I heard some rumors about you even here, where people only visit once or twice a week. So? What do you want?”

“I’m here to check if I still get the same rank.”

“You do know that you still use up guild points even if you get the same rank, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, just head to the crystal and repeat the drill. The crystal will automatically absorb the required guild points. For you, H rank will use, if I remember correctly, 600 guild points. So be sure you will rank up.”

“Yes, I’m sure. Thank you.”

Paul activated Humble Mask, lowering only his luck to 50 while leaving the rest unchanged. He placed his hand on the crystal, which emitted a bright light and then stopped. It was exactly the same as last time. The first thing he did was check his title.

“Well, at least it’s better than the last one.”

Chapter 7: Chase

"Hmmm... Noble Peasant. I feel like the crystal is making fun of me. At least I ranked up to G," Paul said, satisfied, as he showed his new title to the old lady. “Show title to the old lady.” She was surprised by the window that appeared in front of her, but her face remained composed. She continued to smile with satisfaction at the title. Paul, still a bit disappointed by not receiving a more impressive title, left the building with his shoulders slumped.

He then used his bracelet to contact Nori and found out that she was waiting for him at the inn. Paul made his way to the inn, feeling unusually relaxed for the first time in a long while. He had no major worries at the moment.

As soon as he entered the inn, he saw Nori sitting at a table, drinking some ale. Paul approached and sat next to her.

“Well, look who it is... The snail finally arrived,” Nori teased.

“Snail? What do you mean?” Paul asked, puzzled.

“You’re late—two hours late!”

“I apologize. I was... enjoying the peace.”

“Are you saying I’m noisy?!”

“What?! NO! I meant that I finally ranked up and wanted to see my stats, title, and skills.”

Nori calmed down and smiled. “You swear?”

“Yes, I swear.”

“Now that I have you here, join me for a drink while we talk.”

“Sure.”

They talked for a while about recent events, laughed about the captain, and then the conversation fell into silence. Nori spoke up first.

“So, how can I help you? I know you didn’t come here just to chat.”

“I figured that. Do you have any tips on improving my nonexistent fighting skills?”

“Haha, that’s true. Well, I know of a way to improve yourself. First, you need to learn how to avoid and defend against attacks. I only know how to avoid, so that’s what I’m going to teach you. Secondly, you need to learn how to attack. The rest comes with experience from fighting different types of enemies.”

“I see. When can we begin?”

“Right now, if you want, but you can’t use any skills...”

“In here?”

Nori gave a mischievous smile. “Yes. Then let’s begin.”

“Sure.”

She stood up, climbed onto the table, and, with a voice louder and clearer than the captain’s, yelled, “Attention, attention! I have an announcement for all of you.”

Everyone went silent and turned to watch Nori, who was spreading her arms and speaking with a voice that resonated deeply. She continued, “Anyone who catches this man, Paul Silver, before tomorrow’s last ray of light will receive a special reward from me.” She said the last part especially loudly and then winked at Paul. “If not, the reward goes to him,” she pointed at Paul.

The entire inn erupted in chaos. The patrons cheered and screamed at the top of their lungs. Suddenly, they all fell silent, staring at Paul with intense focus. The air was thick with killing intent. In the next moment, everyone jumped up and tried to catch Paul. Thanks to his high luck, Paul managed to evade the initial rush and made his way to the door. As he ran out, he shouted, “Damn you, Nori!!!!” Hearing her name only fueled the villagers' motivation, shifting their goal to stopping Paul from getting the reward.

Outside, people were shocked to see a man running from the inn with 70 villagers hot on his heels. Paul sprinted as fast as he could, not daring to look back. After a few hours of exhaustion and close calls, he managed to lose them momentarily, resting and drinking some water from a barrel he found. He noticed that the number of pursuers had doubled. He now realized how popular Nori was among the villagers.

After resting for a few more minutes, he was spotted by a kid. In an instant, he was surrounded again. The villagers launched at Paul, who struggled to avoid their grasp. Just as he evaded one hand, another appeared. After half an hour of intense struggle, he finally broke free and escaped.

Every time he managed to escape and rest, he would soon be spotted and surrounded again. The villagers grew smarter, working together to set traps and move faster. Just as Paul began to get used to their tactics, their numbers increased again, making the pursuit even more challenging.

About 15 hours had passed, and the villagers were more determined than ever. They were driven by their desire for the reward and to stop Paul. During the night, soldiers began joining the chase, adding to the difficulty. Each soldier was as tough as ten villagers. Fortunately, the lieutenants and captain did not join, though some soldiers had to continue their duties.

By the end, Paul was chased by the entire village—children, men, women, the elderly, and soldiers. Exhausted and beyond his limits, he collapsed on the ground just as the last ray of light disappeared. Seeing this, everyone’s first instinct was to grab him, but they were halted by Nori’s appearance. She chuckled as she looked at Paul, who had already passed out. Under the villagers' angry stares, she knelt beside him and whispered in his ear, “That’s what you get for keeping me waiting. But I guess you succeeded and deserve a reward.”

She glanced at the villagers, who watched her every move, and slightly blushed before giving Paul a kiss on the forehead. Everyone froze in shock. Nori blushed even more and then slapped Paul, waking him up with a jolt. The villagers’ faces shifted from anger to their original expressions. One person’s small laugh triggered a wave of laughter from the crowd. It was the most fun they’d had in a long time.

Confused, Paul stood up and looked at the scene before him. People, as far as the eye could see, were laughing so hard that some had trouble breathing. While some stood, most were on the ground, laughing. Seeing this, Paul felt a warm sense of contentment and started smiling. He didn’t care about what had happened earlier. After everyone laughed their hearts out, they began to leave. Paul, with Nori’s help, went back to the shack, as his legs were sore. When they arrived, Paul fell onto the bed. Nori then said, “Tomorrow we’ll start learning how to attack. Don’t worry; it will be easier than this. Now go to sleep.”

Nori left, thinking Paul would go to sleep. She was wrong. Paul decided he needed to review the past 24 hours to improve himself further. He activated his Memo skill and relived the last 24 hours, realizing how much wasted movement he had used while avoiding the villagers. Though he relived the experience, only 30 minutes had passed in reality. Paul used the skill two more times to gain further insight.

He then remembered his bracelet and decided to check for updates.

**"Show updates."**

**Stats Update**

Due to your actions since the last time you checked, you have increased the following stats:

+2 Health

+10 Agility

+5 Endurance

+20 Stamina

+50 Fame

+54 Fighting Spirit

**Skills Update**

Because of your actions since the last time you checked, you have acquired the following skill:

- Insight

“So, I did get something out of this... torture. Show skills.”

**Skills**

- Humble Mask

- Aura Shift: Intermediary LVL.2 (12%)

- Memos

- Identification: Beginner LVL.9 (87%)

- Mana Sight: Beginner LVL.6 (0%)

- Creature Tamer: Beginner LVL.7 (0%)

- Perception: Intermediary LVL.3 (60%)

- Parkour: Intermediary LVL.2 (50%)

- Naturas: Beginner LVL.2 (21%)

- Detective: Beginner LVL.5 (23%)

- Deception: Beginner LVL.3 (23%)

- Stealth: Intermediary LVL.1 (10%)

- Listening: Intermediary LVL.3 (0%)

- Iron Will: Intermediary LVL.8 (60%)

- Insight: Beginner LVL.3 (66%)

**“Show description for all skills.”**

**Humble Mask**

This skill allows you to decrease any of your stats to any value you want. After activation, you can lower any stats to 0. Lowering stats is equivalent to sealing your extra stats. You will not receive new stats while this skill is active. It activates and deactivates at will, just like your other skills.

Special: ????????????

Warning: This skill will not change no matter how much you use it. Should you mention this skill to anyone, you would suffer a severe punishment.

**Aura Shift - Intermediary LVL.2 (12%)**

This skill allows you to emit an aura that controls how others perceive you through their instincts rather than their eyes. The higher the level, the more influence you have over people.

Special: ????????????

**Memos**

This skill allows you to memorize everything you experience. You can relive any experience from the last 24 hours and learn any language faster.

Languages known: Human (100%)

Warning: This skill will not change no matter how much you use it.

**Identification - Beginner LVL.9 (87%)**

You can identify items more easily and discover if an item has special characteristics. You can instantly identify any item of uncommon grade. Identifying higher grade items depends on luck.

**

Mana Sight (active) - Beginner LVL.6 (0%)**

You can see the flow of mana in your own body and control it to a certain extent.

**Creature Tamer - Beginner LVL.7 (0%)**

You can approach creatures that do not perceive you as an enemy under certain conditions. You can understand some basic words from certain creatures and enter into a contract with creatures that consider you a friend.

Number of pets: 0

**Perception - Intermediary LVL.3 (60%)**

Within a range of 20 meters, all your senses increase by 20%. You can see in the dark 50% better.

**Parkour - Intermediary LVL.2 (50%)**

You can run, climb over obstacles more easily, and reach your destination faster and more efficiently.

**Naturas - Beginner LVL.2 (21%)**

While in unpopulated areas, you receive a boost of:

10% in speed

15% in sight

20% in hearing

5% in healing

5% in mana regeneration

**Detective - Beginner LVL.5 (23%)**

You can find what you’re searching for more easily. Clues that your subconscious notices will faintly glow white to your eyes.

**Deception - Beginner LVL.3 (23%)**

You can deceive people more effectively; they are more likely to believe your lies.

**Stealth - Intermediary LVL.1 (10%)**

You are less visible in shadows and make less noise. While stationary, you are 50% less visible.

**Listening - Intermediary LVL.3 (0%)**

You have enhanced hearing and can hear a whisper up to 10 meters away.

**Iron Will - Intermediary LVL.8 (60%)**

The strength of your mind is 100% stronger than the average human. You can focus on a task for extended periods and experience 10% less pain. This skill absorbed the following skill: Focus.

**Insight - Beginner LVL.3 (66%)**

By observing the muscles of your target, you can foresee their movements.

The next day, Nori woke Paul and took him to the guild testing facility. Noting their destination, Paul mentioned he had already visited the facility.

“Don’t worry. That’s not why we’re going there today. Many might not know, but the guild testing facility has a... method that can also teach you how to fight, though not many are aware of it,” Nori explained.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you taught me? Or someone you know who is strong?” Paul asked.

“No. My style doesn’t suit you, and learning from a teacher might do more harm than good. This method I’m talking about is more... flexible. You’ll develop your own moves and gain experience fighting,” Nori replied.

“I hope it isn’t another situation like yesterday.”

Chapter 8: Transformation

Nori laughed softly and reassured him that this was a rare opportunity.

“If it’s that good, why isn’t it more popular?” Paul asked.

“Well, people in your situation are quite rare.”

“My situation?”

“Being a ranked guild member who hasn’t learned how to fight yet. Many people train from a young age with different teachers so they can join a guild.”

“I see…”

As they walked in, they greeted the old lady and asked if the fighting test facility was free. With a suspicious look, she nodded in agreement. Nori smiled and led Paul further back through some doors. They arrived at the back of the facility, where Paul saw a huge cube with a small door and a small crystal next to it. Nori enjoyed shocking Paul. She chuckled and said,

“This is your new teacher. You’ll be learning how to fight here for the next period of time.”

“It’s a big cube with a door. It looks like a prison.”

“Appearances can be deceiving. This is a magical building that… I won’t ruin the surprise.”

“Nori?!”

“Calm down… don’t worry.”

“I can’t calm down seeing you smile like that.”

“There are a few things you need to know before entering.”

“What?”

Paul looked at Nori with suspicion as she chuckled.

“Don’t look at me like that. You’ll like this. I promise.”

*sigh* “I understand.”

“To enter through the door, you need guild points. The more guild points you use, the longer you can stay inside. It costs one guild point per hour. When you touch the crystal, you choose the type of weapon you want. Then the door opens.”

“I understand.”

Paul headed to the crystal, and as Nori left, she yelled,

“And remember, you can’t get hurt inside or die!”

Paul looked back and yelled, “What is that supposed to mean?!” But Nori was already gone. Paul gathered his courage and approached the crystal. The crystal scanned his stats, and a large array of weapons appeared in front of him—swords, knives, daggers, bows, and even some strange weapons. He liked the idea of using swords but realized they might attract too much attention. Remembering that Rocka also used a sword, he quickly removed swords from his options. Then he saw the daggers and liked the idea. Deciding that dual-wielding daggers would make him look cooler, he selected that option. As soon as he chose dual-wielding daggers, the door opened, and the guild points were deducted.

He peered inside and saw that the interior of the cube was larger than the exterior. The terrain was flat and empty. At the entrance on the ground were two daggers. Seeing that no one was inside, he went in, and the door closed behind him. He looked at the daggers suspiciously before picking them up. As soon as he did, something began to form in front of him.

Within 30 seconds, a replica of himself from Earth appeared in front of him, holding two daggers like his. The replica looked just like him, except it was naked and as smooth as a Ken doll. Paul was shocked by this sight.

The two stood still, staring at each other. Paul, thinking this would be easy, let out a small “heh.” The doll, as if sensing Paul’s thoughts, started attacking him. Paul froze, unsure how to react, until a knife cut deep into his arm. Paul screamed out loud, but when he looked at the wound, there was nothing there. Meanwhile, the doll continued attacking. The doll had no skills; it was just like Paul, thinking and moving like him, but without hesitation or fear.

As the doll kept attacking and Paul was hit multiple times, the pain felt real. Frustrated by constantly dodging, Paul decided to attack. He started to strike back, but the doll dodged narrowly. Paul didn’t manage to scratch the doll. After several hours of being hit by attacks that would have been fatal, Paul began to scratch the doll more often and evade attacks better. He was improving.

After 14 hours, the door opened, and Paul walked out, exhausted. He only emerged because he was worn out, while the doll seemed unaffected. Paul had become slower and increasingly frustrated, leading to more frequent “deaths” and his eventual exit.

He dropped to the floor and looked at the cube. The door was closed, and the daggers had disappeared. On the door was the number 232-0. Paul instinctively knew this was his death count versus the doll’s. Embarrassed by the number, he felt shame. Then he checked his updates and felt a little better.

**Stats Update**

Due to your actions since the last time you checked, you have increased the following stats:

+10 Agility

+20 Endurance

+10 Stamina

+20 Fighting Spirit

**Skills Update**

Because of your actions since the last time you checked, you have acquired the following skill:

- Dual Wielding Daggers

He went to the inn to eat, as he was starving. After eating, he went to talk to Nori at the brothel. Nori saw him approaching and chuckled.

“So, how did it go? Did it hurt?”

“I died… a lot.”

“Don’t worry, everyone goes through that at first. Even those who know how to fight die about 20 times after 10 hours.”

“…..I died 200 times.”

At this, Nori started shaking, trying to stifle her laughter. Seeing her attempt to control her amusement, Paul felt better and decided, “I will definitely kill that stupid doll.” After she stopped laughing, Nori tried to comfort Paul.

“That doll is you without fear or hesitation. What that doll can do, you can do as well. The doll gets your stats each time you enter and stays at that level until you enter again.”

“How long can I stay inside?”

“So far, the official record is 20 hours. But after 24 hours, the door opens and your copy disappears. One advantage of this method is that no one can enter, hear, or see inside the cube while someone is inside.”

“That’s good… really good…”

“So will you continue or give up?”

“Never! I will definitely get strong.”

“Good.”

“From tomorrow for the next week, I’ll be busy with my training, so I won’t be able to talk or meet. But please bring some food to the shack after 8 days. I will be starving.”

“I know you can manage for 7 days and then need to sleep. I won’t ask more since everyone has secrets. I’ll wait until you’re ready to tell me.”

“Thank you… I really mean it. You are my only true friend in this village.”

Nori looked down and turned away, her face briefly showing sadness before returning to happiness. Paul then left, as she had work to do. He arrived at the shack, lay down on the bed, used Memo to relive the cube experience, and then went to sleep.

The next morning, as the two suns rose in the sky, Paul went to the inn to eat. He ordered some food and started eating. Using his Listening skill, he overheard Rocka talking to the mage.

“The adventurer hasn’t been found yet, Commander.”

“Don’t worry, there is still time. After all, the seer is never wrong. There will definitely be one.”

“I understand.”

“And after I find him, that weakling will suffer. I will destroy his mind. Hehehehehe.” Rocka laughed, imagining the things he would do to Paul.

Paul, hearing this, decided he must try harder at the testing facility. He headed there, entered the building, and went past the old lady. Just as he passed her, he heard, “232-0 hehehehe.” He realized she could see the score but couldn’t see his stats since she didn’t say anything. Paul wasn’t angry anymore; he knew he was weak, but that only meant he could get stronger.

He arrived at the cube, took out a Limit Pill, and consumed it before going to the crystal. He repeated the process from before and entered the cube, ready this time.

Inside, everything was exactly the same as before—daggers on the floor and nothing else. He took the daggers, and the doll appeared in front of him. This time, he didn’t wait and attacked first. The doll evaded most of his attacks but was still cut a few times.

The doll and Paul moved more skillfully now, as if they were dancing. The doll used various attacks—stabbing, slashing, and even throwing one of the daggers at Paul. It even used kicks. Surprised by the doll’s moves, Paul realized he could replicate them. While he copied the moves, he still couldn’t match the doll’s precision.

After 24 hours, the door opened as Nori had said, and the doll disappeared. Paul emerged and looked at the door. The score read “100-0.” He had died 100 times but had managed to land a few successful attacks. Exhausted from the pain over the past 24 hours, Paul sat on the ground to meditate for an hour before checking his stats. He then got up and went back inside. He repeated this process for a whole week. A normal person might have gone crazy from the constant pain, but Paul persisted. On the last day, he looked at the door, smiling. He had finally managed to kill the doll a few times. The door read

“40-20.” He had delivered 20 killing attacks and only died 40 times.

He went to the shack and fell asleep, satisfied. For 24 hours, he didn’t move at all. Nori brought him food as promised and waited for Paul to wake up. As she waited, she hummed a song.

Paul woke up to the sound of singing. He followed the sound and saw Nori outside the door. As soon as he opened the door, Nori stared at him, her mouth agape. Paul felt worried as she didn’t make a joke or anything and just stared.

“You… your hair…”

“Yeah, I know it got a bit long. I need to cut it.”

“No, no, that… I mean, yes. But that’s not the problem.”

“Huh? Then what?”

“The problem is… WHY IS YOUR HAIR WHITE?!”

“Ahhh… that…” Paul grinned at Nori. He went to the table and started eating. Nori sat next to him, staring as Paul ate. After he finished, Nori saw Paul’s grin and, despite knowing him for a while, was surprised by how much he had changed in such a short time. Besides his hair, there was a different aura about him. Most striking were his eyes—they were no longer gentle but a bit wild, as if they could see into her very soul.

Then Paul said something, and a window appeared in front of Nori, explaining everything.

**Mind of a Warrior**

Because you endured excruciating pain multiple times, you have achieved the Mind of a Warrior. From now on, you will instinctively know your health and mana levels. These two stats will no longer appear in your stat window.

**Side Effects:**

- You can now see 30% better.

- Your hair is now white.

Nori stared at the window in disbelief. She had only heard of such things happening to veteran AA rank adventurers who had fought for years. She was impressed but didn’t show it.

When she realized she had been staring too long, she finally spoke.