[Unique Talent Awakened.]
[Infinite Mana (SSS)]
[New Status Screen Loading...]
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[PLAYER STATUS: MAGE - Lv. 1]
ID: BigD
EXP: (0/100)
Rank: Apprentice Mage
HP: 120
MP: ∞
STR: 5
AGI: 7
VIT: 6
INT: 18
WIS: 15
LCK: 5
Talent: [Arcane Sensitivity] – 5% reduction in MP cost for all spells.
U. Talent: [Infinite Mana (SSS)] - Grants the player an Infinite amount of mana.
Weapon Affinity: Staves, Grimoires
Skill: [Mana Bolt Lv.1]; Deals 12 points of damage to target, consumes a total of 8 Mana points and has zero cooldown.
[Attribute Points:] 0
[Equipment:] Wooden Staff (LVL. 1)
----
"Infinite Mana?" Klein reacted. He had unexpectedly hit the jackpot. This had to be the ultimate cheat within the game.
Then,
The angelic figure, whose name Klein still hadn't learned, simply smiled wider, her eyes twinkling. Before she could utter another word, the white room began to distort, the clean walls blurring into spiraling ribbons of light. A deep, resonant hum vibrated through Klein's avatar.
He quickly felt a strong, pulling sensation, as if his very consciousness were being stretched and funneled. The angel's image dissolved into a colorful vortex that sucked him out of the initialization chamber.
One moment, he was in the swirling void; the next, his feet slammed onto cobblestone. He stumbled, catching himself on the smooth wooden wall of a building.
He was no longer alone.
He had landed squarely in the middle of a bustling, medieval-style town. The air was thick with the smells of wood smoke, baking bread, and fresh earth. Overhead, the sky was a vibrant, unnatural blue, and the sun cast a warm, golden light onto thatched roofs and banners bearing unfamiliar crests.
The town square was a chaos of life. NPCs in roughspun tunics hurried along, occasionally shouting greetings to one another. Interspersed among them were Players, easy to spot by their mix of starter gear and powerful equipment.
This was his starting point. This was Another World.
Ding!
[Welcome to Aethel Town.]
[Aethel Town is one of the few sanctuary locations in Another World, meaning PVP are not allowed.]
Aethel Town served as the starting zone for new players, and also as a neutral zone for other players to come and rest.
Klein began to hear the reactions of various new players, as they suddenly spawned in the starting zone.
"Bro... you look like YOU!"
"What? I'm still ugly?"
"This... this is very realistic."
The players retained their exact real-world likeness, down to the finest intrinsic detail. The Nexus VR headset meticulously mapped every scar, blemish, and even pimple, ensuring their in-game avatars were perfectly identical to their physical bodies.
Klein immediately confirmed that, when he saw his reflection on a fountain in the middle of town.
He was clad in a cheap-looking metal breastplate armor, which appeared more decorative than protective. His attire was completed by blue trousers, a pair of brown long sleeves, and a simple wooden staff clutched in his right hand.
Ding!
[Loading Main Quest...]
[Main Quest loaded!]
[Quest: Conquer the Malikai Dungeon.]
[Reach level 10 and conquer the Malikai Dungeon, southwest of Aethel Town. Doing so will unlock the remaining location of the Another World.]
[Reward: World Map, +210 EXP, Azurine Staff (LVL.8)]
The quest was simple, reach level 10 and clear the dungeon boss. This was essential, as it gave players access to the world at large, which is needed if you want to enter the [Draken Tower.]
Klein's goal at the moment was straightforward, simply level up. He needed to reach level 10 to be able to raid the dungeon, and gain access to restricted areas of this world.
'But where next?' was the question at hand. Where would he go? It was obviously too risky for him to venture into any place that wasn't designated as a sanctuary location, especially as a level 1 inexperienced player.
Ding!
[Game Tip Available!]
[Talk with the NPC's as they will provide a sub quest that will be restricted only to sanctuary locations.]
'That's perfect!' Klein taught, that's what he needed at the moment, a way to level up, without risking his own safety.
Klein quickly scanned his surroundings, instinctively searching for an NPC with a telltale side quest icon or the overly dramatic posture of a quest giver. He couldn't distinguish anyone, however, because this wasn't like the generic, bland RPGs he was used to. This was 'Another World,' where all the NPCs acted and behaved with unsettling realism.
He decided to approach a young man selling brightly colored produce from a stall. "Excuse me, I'm new to town," Klein began, trying for an earnest, friendly tone. "Is there anything a newcomer can do to help out?"
The seller looked up, "Help out? Yeah, buddy. You can help out by buying these cabbages before they rot. Otherwise, try the docks. They're always short-handed, but you better be strong." The vendor then immediately turned back to swat a fly, having dismissed Klein entirely.
Klein tried again, stopping an older woman carrying a basket. "Ma'am, I'm looking for some work—anything that requires a bit of effort."
She paused, adjusting the basket on her hip. "Effort? That's what they all say. If you're serious, the tailor down the street needs rare black silk. If you find some, bring it to her. But don't bother her unless you have it; she's got enough people wasting her time." With that, she continued on her way, leaving Klein with a highly specific, but untracked, request.
Klein continued scanning the main thoroughfare, finally spotting a flash of genuine dramatic tension that no amount of realism could mask. At the entrance of a worn, but sturdy building that looked like a tavern or inn, a middle aged woman with tired eyes was vigorously arguing with an average height man.
"I've had it, Mara!" the man roared, his voice filled with frustration. "This place is a cesspool! You promised fresh linens, a decent meal, and maybe a little warmth, and I got none of it! I'm leaving this inn and I'm taking my deposit with me!"
"You'll do no such thing, Tomas!" the woman—Mara, shrieked, planting her hands on her hips. "The inn is well equipped with everything you just mentioned, the only problem are the noises made by the dark spiders that fill the Celler. Where do you expect me to find decent adventurers to exterminate them?"
Mara's last line snagged Klein's attention. Decent adventurers. A specific need that sounded suspiciously like a quest..He immediately strode over, interrupting their quarrel.
"Excuse me," Klein said clearly, his voice steady despite his avatar's frail appearance. "I'm a new arrival, and I heard you need an adventurer. Perhaps I can be of assistance?"