[Congratulations! You have defeated the 1st Area Boss of the Trial Grounds, Guardian Stone Hound. Exp earned. Tower Credits earned.]
[Calculating results.]
[Fighting the 1st Area Boss solo has been taken into account.]
[Calculations completed. Appropriate loot suitable for performance and involvement has been determined.]
[You have been awarded +5 Free Stat Points for defeating an Area Boss!]
[Congratulations! You have been awarded an extra 5 Free Stat Points for fighting and defeating an Area Boss solo!]
[Congratulations! You have received the Title: Solo Hound Discipliner!]
[Title: Solo Hound Discipliner. Solo fight, and put this bad boy in its place by having it bash its own head into the wall. Title: Solo Hound Discipliner awards +5% to Stat Strength.]
[Congratulations! You have leveled up! You have reached level 5! 5 Free Stat Points are available. 6 free Skill Points are available!]
Kenny breathed a sigh of relief as he felt his tensed body start to relax. That was a mistake on his part since the moment he relaxed, he felt his knees give out underneath him allowing him to fall to his back, arms and legs sprawled out. His chest heaved up and down as he gasped for air like it was something he hadn’t had for the longest time.
Once again, he was feeling the burning sensation of pouring everything he had into his attacks hoping the fight would end. He was starting to think this pattern of his was going to become a bad habit. One that could end up killing him if he slipped up and timed it wrong.
He called it a pattern because he had use every last once of Stamina he had left at the end of his important fights so far. Not just with this fight, but it happened when he fought the Feral Orange Feline and the Grey Haired Alpha Rat as well. Both fights he poured every last bit of his stamina to either keep going, to launch some unplanned strike, or to survive. He needed to change that. And the only way to change that, that he was aware of, was through his stats.
Luckily for him he was awarded ten Free Stat Points. Five for defeating the Area Boss, something he didn’t know he would be awarded with, and another five Free Stat Points for soloing the Area Boss. Again, something he didn’t know he would get. Adding those ten Free Stat Points with the five he received from leveling up, he now had a total of fifteen Free Stat Points to allocate.
This fight with the Guardian Stone Hound was an eye opener for him. Something he was both happy to learn early on as well as unhappy that he was an idiot for overlooking it. Like he had thought, he was too complacent with how his Endurance was. Fighting the Grey Haired Colony Rats made him think he would be able to handle any attack that successfully landed on him.
The Feral Orange Feline had shown that some creatures would be able to hit a bit harder, but at the same time it wasn’t at the level of the Guardian Stone Hound. The Feral Orange Feline’s strikes were only dangerous if he couldn’t dodge them. While one could argue that it was the same for the hound, the sheer difference in damage done when their attacks landed were completely different.
The force of the hound leaping and pushing him down took more of his health than when the feline pushed him down from behind. The bite the hound locked on Kenny’s wrist also did a lot more damage than anything the feline had done. It even kept doing more damage the more it tightened its jaws on his wrist, something the rats didn’t do when they clenched down hard.
While he was kicking himself for being too overly reliant on his Endurance it was also something that had saved his life. He didn’t want to think about how much damage would have been done if his Endurance Stat was much lower than it actually was. It was a double edge sword to him right now.
As a current solo trial taker, he needed to have a strong defense when fighting monsters. To be able to negate some of the damage done to him was a godsend, but if he believed that stat would help him sail through Trial Grounds without any issues, then he was in for a bad time or even worse…death.
He needed to plan how he was going to allocate his Free Stat Points going ahead. He was starting to get better at fighting these creatures with his fists and feet, or so he believed, but he needed to understand what he needed going forward in order to continue fighting this way. After fighting a Strength Stat Talented creature, he knew he needed more Endurance. He needed to be able to take the damage being thrown at him.
However, when the Guardian Stone Hound was able to swiftly lock its jaws on his wrists without him being able to react, that meant he lacked in reacting with his reflexes. From what he knew so far that area was in Agility. Another stat he needed to start investing in more was Vitality. He needed more health if he were going to continue fighting in melee range and couldn’t avoid taking damage. He needed to have a Health Pool that he would not have to worry about. The hound’s attacks and continual damage had him panicking a bit just after he was bitten.
Those were the areas he needed to focus on. He didn’t want to minmax his stats, but as it currently stood, he needed to focus on survival more than just preparing for something he wasn’t sure about yet. In a way he was already doing it since he hadn’t really touched his Intelligence, Wisdom, and Perception Stats. Those being tied together at the lowest. He was really hoping that wouldn’t come back and bite him in the ass later.
He opened up his Stats page and got a good look at it.
Stats
Health Points – 97/210
Mana Points – 120/120
Stamina Points – 24/300
Strength – Base – 21 + Percentage Bonus (5%) + Equipment Bonus (4). Total – 26.
Agility – Base – 20 + Percentage Bonus (5%) + Equipment Bonus (+1). Total – 22.
Endurance – Base – 26 + Equipment Bonus (+4). Total – 30.
Vitality – Base – 17 + Percentage Bonus (5%) + Equipment Bonus (+3). Total – 21.
Intelligence – 12
Wisdom – 12
Perception – 12
Willpower – 25
Free Stat Points Available: 15
Free Skill Points Available - 40
Seeing his current stats made him wonder a bit. His Endurance was at twenty-seven with the bonus stats given from his equipment, but now it was at a total of thirty. He didn’t feel that tightness in his arms, legs, and bones like when he had reached over level twenty in that stat. Was that a one-time thing? Or was it because his overall total was at level thirty and not his base in the stat? Again, something he needed to pay attention to. Maybe he would solve it soon since he had planned on increasing that stat anyways.
Looking over the stats he had thought about, he believed he was on the right track. Increasing Agility would help him not only land his attacks faster, but faster movements would allow him to dodge faster with his legs, and if he were right, it would also help him react faster. He figured he would put five of the Free Stat Points into this.
As for his Endurance, if this Guardian Stone Hound was any indicator or foreshadow as to what’s to come in the next areas, then he needed to increase his defense as best as he could. Especially if he continued to solo in his fights. So, increasing this stat was a no brainer. He just needed to remember that the stat was not an invincible one.
While he was thinking about splitting the three he had thought about evenly, he changed his mind and decided to give this Stat six of the remaining Free Stat Points. As for the last stat he was going to invest in, Vitality, he was going to put his remaining number of Free Stat Points into it.
As the screen asking for his confirmation on locking in the allocated points appeared, Kenny paused. He felt like there was something he needed to invest in as well. He wasn’t sure why, but his gut was stopping him from continuing. So he declined and looked over his stats once more.
As he skimmed through them he couldn’t understand why he had stopped. That was until he came to his last Stat. Willpower. He wasn’t sure why he was getting a strange feeling when he decided not to invest any points into it, but the more he thought about it, the more his gut kept urging him to put something there.
Feeling a bit flustered, Kenny rethought his allocation. He needed the four points into Vitality so he could get more health. He wasn’t going to budge on that. Endurance? He shook his head. He needed to be prepared for tough future fights. So that just left Agility. While being able to attack faster, land more hits, and react faster was great, he could spare some points from this to give to Willpower.
He started with placing one point into it. His guts nudged him for more. Two points? While the nudging decreased a bit, it was still there telling him more. It was the third point that the feeling in his guy had quieted down some. It was still there, but it wasn’t as bad as the last two times. So he decided this should be fine. Agility would get two, Endurance would get six, Vitality four, and Willpower three. After accepting he looked over his stats once more.
Stats
Health Points – 111/250
Mana Points – 120/120
Stamina Points – 36/360
Strength – Base – 21 + Percentage Bonus (5%) + Equipment Bonus (4). Total – 26.
Agility – Base – 16 + Percentage Bonus (5%) + Equipment Bonus (+1). Total – 24.
Endurance – Base – 32 + Equipment Bonus (+4). Total – 36.
Vitality – Base – 21 + Percentage Bonus (5%) + Equipment Bonus (+3). Total – 25.
Intelligence – 12
Wisdom – 12
Perception – 12
Willpower – 28
Free Stat Points Available: 0
Free Skill Points Available - 40
As soon as he closed the stats screen he felt the familiar feeling had felt when his Endurance hit twenty. The muscles around his chest and stomach as well as his arms and legs tightened like they were being compressed. His bones started straining under the pressure like they slowly about to break. During this familiar pain he also felt something new. A burning sensation swam through his veins making him feel like his blood was boiling inside his body.
Just like last time the compressing and bone breaking feeling sudden disappeared. Making his body loosen up a bit. The burning sensation suddenly vanished and was replaced with a refreshing cooling one like he had just received an I.V. drip after being so dehydrated for so long.
To his surprise as he felt the release and relieving feeling he also felt a surge of energy wash over him. He quickly looked at his resources and noticed that his recovery speed in his Health and stamina had increased a bit. It wasn’t by much but it wasn’t so slow anymore. He then felt an itching feeling around the wrist that was bitten.
Kenny quickly unraveled the hand wrap and saw his skin that was pierced was slowly starting to heal. It wasn’t fast but he was able to see the bloody areas start to scab over. Remembering he still had health potions to spare, Kenny got to his feet and jogged to his pack. After getting there he pulled out a potion and drank it. He then looked at his wound and was shocked to see it start to rapidly heal. It was so fast he grew concerned about it. The question that was starting to form in his mind was soon answered as a screen suddenly appeared in front of him.
[Bone Vitality Bracelet of the Alpha Rat’s special effect, Nourishment Consumption, has been activated.]
He had forgotten that the bracelet he had gotten as a bonus loot from that rat’s nest had the special effect of a burst of health regeneration. The rapid healing of his wound must have been the result of not just the health potion, but the bracelet’s special effect. That was amazing. A double heal, now that was an amazing thing to be able to have on hand.
Before he began thinking more on anything else, a sudden thud echoed in the room, along with the sounds of metal grinding against stone. He swirled around to see the gate that had closed on him earlier was now starting to go up.
However, the sound wasn’t only coming from that door. As Kenny turned back around to the spot where the Guardian Stone Hound appeared, a chest was sitting there. Behind the chest spaced evenly on the wall were opened spaces with a strange looking spinning oval of colors.
As Kenny stared at them something tickled in the back of his mind. He knew what these were, but since he had never seen them before it had taken him a while to figure it out. These were portals. Specifically, these were portals that would take him to the next area. His only problem was there were no indicators saying where they would lead. The spinning oval portals of color weren’t see through either. They didn’t show what was on the other side.
Kenny let out a sigh of irritation. He didn’t know which one he should take and since he felt nothing coming from them, he was stumped even more. He cast his irritated thoughts aside for now and focused on the chest instead. There was loot to reveal.
Kenny made his way over to the chest and placed a hand on it. He heard a click and felt the top of the chest release and slowly move to open. After the top was fully opened, Kenny looked inside to see a pile of dark metal loops. He wasn’t sure if he was disappointed or excited. Instead, he reached for it and pulled it out to get a better look at it.
After pulling it out and getting a better look at it, he finally understood what it was. It was a sleeveless metal vest. The dark metal loops were chainmail bindings that were linked together to make this into a chest piece. A screen popped up in front of him giving him a better understanding of what the item was.
[Guardian Vest of the Stone Hound (Common) Tier 1.]
[Guardian Vest of the Stone Hound. A vest made with the material off of a Guardian Stone Hound. The blackened fur and bones melted down into the metal materials used to make this armor piece grants this item a +4 in the Endurance Stat as well as granting you the ability – Stone Skin. Stone Skin – the ability to harden your skin making your opponents feel like they struck a solid boulder. For you to be able to harden their skin, you must pour your mana into the vest. The amount of mana poured into the vest equals to how long the effect of the vest will last.]
Kenny’s eyes widened as he read the description of the item. He knew that the strange phenomenon had to have been an ability and this confirmed it. He also got his answer as to what resource the hound needed to use in order to harden their skin like that. They were using mana.
Kenny frowned at that. While it was good he didn’t need to worry about draining his Stamina to use the effect on the item, it was still a problem because he didn’t know how to pour his mana into the vest. If he was going to use the special effect of the item, then he needed to understand this.
A growl suddenly rumbled from his stomach, bringing his thoughts to the present. He was hungry. Very much so to boot. He decided he would take a break to eat and try to figure out how he could pour his mana into the equipment.
If he didn’t figure it out before he finished, then he would need to figure it out as he moved. If he was being honest, he was simply happy he had something to replace with his ridiculous looking shirt he was currently wearing. At least now his stomach wasn’t exposed like a preteen girl wearing a tube top.
Dozens of figures sat around a circular object that sat in the middle of the room. The object hovered freely as it moved up and down. The movement wasn’t a problem for everyone since their seats were stationed slightly higher than the orb, so they were still able to see the faces of the people sitting around and the images being projected in the orb.
A teenaged girl sat in her chair wearing a flowing pure white gown that was both beautiful and ethereal in nature. Her flawless fair skin paired well with the outfit and brought out the redness of her long flowing hair and eyes. She smile as she watched the young man named Kenny sitting there making himself something to eat.
If she was honest, he was doing better than she had hoped for. He did have a lot of things he needed to work on and gain better knowledge of, but his ability to adapt, understand, and grow was more than she could ask for.
He wasn’t rushing head long. Although that mistake of walking into the Grey Haired Colony Nest without a care in the world could have been avoided, he still came out victorious in the end. He was also able to get that bracelet which no one else had come across. For someone like him, this item would be the perfect thing to have if he were to awaken the Skill Tree she was guessing he might have. However, that was if he inherited the requirement for it.
Her thoughts were pushed aside as her smile was replaced with a frown as someone scoffed, “You’re saying that he had a choice between a wand and punching things and he chose to punch?”
“A little rough around the edges. Could use a lot more training in some areas. Nothing too special to make note of though,” another commented. This speaker had a rich accent making her speech passable to be understood. Even though in the Tower everyone could understand one another, accents were still hard to break through the translation.
“Nothing too special to make note of?” Another spoke out with some disbelief mixed with a playful tone. This voice belonged to an older man. It was rough and seasoned, making everyone know automatically that he was a proud warrior.
He sat in his chair with his arms crossed. His sleeveless shirt showed off his huge defined muscles. Strands of white hair fell loosely from the braided dark brown hair he had in a ponytail. His salt and pepper hair color matched the shortly trimmed full beard style he had going on. His wild blue eyes matched the grin on his face as he stared happily at the young man.
“I think soloing a Mid-Area boss, a whole nest, and even an Area Boss with as much knowledge as he currently carries is something to note. Hell, he’s even killing things with his hands and feet. And the way he used that rat to beat the Feral Feline earlier.” The man let out a short laugh. “That was great! I agree with you that he still needs training in certain areas, but nothing a good mentor can’t handle.”
“A good mentor can help further what he already knows,” a third person chimed in. This voice belonged to another man, however, instead of a rough and seasoned voice, it sounded more sharper and stricter.
Unlike the more barbarically dressed older man next to him, he looked more disciplined. His muscles weren’t as big as the other man’s, but from the way his clothes fit on him you could tell he was fit as well.
His clean shaven face and crew cut blond hair made his sharp green eyes look as strict as he sounded. “It looks to me like he received training in the basics as a melee fighter. Maybe that’s why he looked so comfortable right from the start when he attacked the Grey Haired Colony Rats. I feel that if put through the ringer, like he did through so many fights already, he could make proper adjustments where they are needed.”
“I think you all give this soon to be dropout too much credit,” a fourth voice jumped in. This voice belonged to a female and sounded both irritating and angelic at the same time. She had long golden blond hair that seemed to shine no matter the lighting allowing her amber colored eyes to stand out even more. Her lithe body figure made her light blue dress seem to fit perfectly on her.
“He’s too far behind to be able to make it to the end on time. Maybe if he finds someone to team up with his chances could rise, but there isn’t anyone he could till the third area and that’s if he chooses the portal that leads to where that failure is. I don’t see why we’re wasting our time watching this guy when we could be watching Victor’s accomplishments instead.”
Groans of irritation filled the room as some of the people whispered not this again. They were getting irritated that when each time they looked at a potential ascender who would make it far this woman would complain that the person they were looking at wasn’t anywhere near the potential of the young man named Victor. They all knew she had her eye on the boy. It was painfully obvious. Some could agree with her assessment of him so far while others couldn’t care less.
“Be careful Maneater, your bad habits are out on display,” someone said teasingly with a slight hint of venom in her voice.
The words from this speaker sent everyone into a shocked silence as they looked at the figure still wearing her white robe and mask. While no one particularly liked the golden blond woman, they also didn’t try to annoy her. Some didn’t because they found it annoying when she spoke while others had a more, trying not to have her sights on them approach with her.
However, there were some who didn’t really care for the woman and called her out whenever they like it. This speaker in particular was one of them. She pulled the hood down to reveal long curly venomous green and toxic purple locks that matched her neon green eyes peering through the mask almost overpowering the purple mixed within them. She pulled off the mask to reveal a young, smoothed skin face that hid her actual age.
This woman didn’t care for the golden blond haired woman’s games nor her way of trying to push the others’ opinions or wants out of the way just for her own amusement. They weren’t here for her to coo over one of these trial takers. They were here for all of the trial takers.
The golden haired woman’s amber eyes narrowed as she locked eyes with the one who the gall to say that to her. Even though her amber eyes seemed to be simmering with a low heat of anger, her voice was calm and even barbed as she said, “Bold of you to say those words you bogsucker. I didn’t peg you to be someone with a death wish.”
The other woman let out a laugh as she retorted, “Bogsucker? Really? Is that the best you can come up with? I thought someone as old as you would have a better list of insults…you twice expired dried up siren.”
The golden haired woman felt her left eye twitch violently as she heard the insult. The simmering anger in them was now starting to boil. She was about to explode when Ayla, the teenager sitting the highest and looking down at them, finally got annoyed and commanded, “That is quite enough out of both of you. Estrella…Vesely. We are here to witness the potential of each person who has accepted to challenge the Trial Grounds. While certain comments are allowed, general and educational comments related to the attendees I should clarify, we are not here to comment upon nor make a habit of pointing out someone’s hobbies, no matter how unpleasant they are.”
Estrella went to make a comment, but was stopped once more as Ayla continued, “Nor focus on a single person. Before you all make any comments about us coming back to this certain individual when conflict arrives, it is because of his late entry that we are seeing if he has any potential at all. He is doing something that hasn’t happened before. He is taking on the first two sections by himself. Whether he survives or not is something I believe we can all agree we would like to know. We will be switching around to other…favorites…” Ayla narrowed her eyes at Estrella as she said the words. “But we will not solely fixate on one. We will see each and every one fairly. During times when there is a lull in everyone’s activities I will permit you to use a separate device to watch the ones you have an eye on. Do I make myself clear?”
Nods and murmurs of yes were either seen or heard as they answered the teenager. Ayla felt her annoyance start to slip away as she felt the people around her start to calm down. Estrella was anything but calm, but that wasn’t new to her.
Ayla was about to shift her attention back at the orb but stopped as a hand raised up. Ayla looked at the person who raised their hand and felt another wave of irritation start to grow within her as she replied, “Yes Mimi. What is it?”
“I’ve got a couple questions I would like to ask,” Mimi started as she gave Ayla a smile that was both wicked and playful.
This woman sat right next to Estrella. She was smaller in height than Estrella and had wavy navy hair that barely poked out of her white and forest green Padua style hat with matching eyes. Her fancy silk dress gave her a doll like appearance which made some of those who didn’t know her think was adorable while those that did cringe.
Ayla felt like she was going to regret permitting it, but still said, “Go ahead.”
“Um, my first question is for you,” Mimi started. She gave Ayla a curious look as she tilted her head and asked, “Why are you in that form? I know you can choose freely what form you wish to take while in here, but I don’t think I have ever seen you in that form at all. Why is that?”
Ayla raised a brow as she stared at the girl. While the question felt genuine, she also felt there was an agenda behind it. If she were honest and said the truth it would be along the lines of she was happy to hear Kenny’s response when she spoke to him about this form. She was so pleased with it she had decided to stick with it for a while. However, after being around Estrella and now Mimi, she was starting to regret it.
Waiting patiently for an answer, Mimi stayed quiet. So did the others in the room. Ayla could see they were curious as well. Knowing she wasn’t going to be able to get out of this without giving an answer, Ayla responded, “I’m in this form because it has been a long time since I took it. I felt a need for change and that’s why I stayed in it. If you’d like I can switch to my older and wiser form.”
“No need. I was simply curious,” Mimi swiftly stated. After seeing the smirk on Ayla face and no response followed, Mimi continued, “My second question is for Vessie. Is it true you had to go down there and personally ask him if he wanted to come to the tower or not? Did something happen when you visited him? Is that why you looked so annoyed when people were badmouthing him?”
Ayla’s eyes narrowed as she heard the question. She was about to say something, but was beat as Vesely replied, “Yes. It’s true that I had personally went to his place of living and had to figure out why he never replied to the Calling.”
Everyone’s interest was piqued as they focused on her words. “Did something happen when I visited him? Yes. I saw his living conditions, how the people he lived with treated him, and how he pushed on with a strong mind. When he was told that he did receive an invitation and was informed about the odds that he would have to face he didn’t accept right away. Instead, he used his mind to think it through.”
She looked them all in the eyes and continued, “I don’t know how many, if any, of you ever converse with these potentials, but if I had to say; majority of the ones I have interacted with would have jumped right away without thinking anything through. He weighed the possible pros and cons and made the decision afterwards. You want to know why I looked so annoyed when certain people…”
Vesely side eyed Estrella, making it clear who she was talking about. Before the vile woman could say anything Vesely continued, “Badmouth this young man. It’s because they aren’t seeing what I am.”
“What are you seeing that we aren’t?” Mimi inquired.
“How serious he is taking this. He isn’t rushing head long into tough battles. There were moments when it looked like he was going to die. The Grey Haired Colony Nest and the fight with the Guardian Stone Hound. The odds were heavily stacked against him, especially with the hound. Even though he panicked briefly he still was able to calm himself and win that fight.”
“I’m curious what he did to make the hound go so loopy at the end there,” the rough sounding older man commented. “From what we know he hasn’t unlocked his Power or Support Skill Trees and should only have the Defense Skill Tree awakened. Did he receive an ability that he decided not to use until now?”
Everyone looked to Ayla. She let out a breath and replied, “You know the rules Gunnar. I cannot reveal what a Trial Taker has awakened. They need to reveal it themselves. Whether we can see what that ability does or not is up to situation.”
Gunnar, the old man, clicked his tongue upset that he couldn’t get the information out of the younger looking girl. Ayla smirked at his wily antics. She couldn’t fault him for being curious. Especially when it came to someone who was fighting like he does.
Vesely stared at Ayla for a long moment. While she was order to meet the young man under Ayla’s orders, she wasn’t given any information on what he awakened. Vesely knew that as watchers they would learn of everyone’s Skill Tree Focuses and abilities as time went on, but she didn’t really care to learn about the others. She wanted to know his specific focuses and abilities.
After meeting with Kenny, her thoughts couldn’t stop working on overtime. Her focus on him wasn’t the same kind that Estrella’s was on Victor. She would never look at him that way. No, her focus on him was because of something else. However, she needed him to awaken a certain Skill Tree Focus in order to approach him without breaking any rules. Whether or not he was destined to get that though…his time in the Trial Grounds would only tell.
Mimi looked puzzled as she asked, “I’m confused.” She stared at Vesely as she asked, “You’re basing his success off a simple talk? How his living conditions were?” She scoffed as she added while looking at the others, “If that’s the case then there are plenty of others who fit that criteria. Plenty of those who think before rushing in. Plenty of those who are surviving tough fights. He’s not special. He’s just another trial taker who entered later than everyone else.”
Vesely gave her a sad smile. She understood what she was doing. She was trying to underplay what Kenny was doing. She was doing this under Estrella’s behest. Probably to help play up any achievements Victor got. That was alright. There wasn’t a rule that they had to agree on what they believed or valued in a trial taker and that was okay.
She didn’t want them to have their attention on him. The less they focused on him the more she could hopefully snag him when he claimed the one Title that mattered most. Tower Titan.
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