Chapter 10

Stormrider Ryuuji

 

Walking down the rocky corridor inside the academy, now much brighter thanks to the new funds I provide (not that it was dark before, but you could tell they were saving on all kinds of expenses), the director escorts me to his office , where he has waiting for the nobleman who comes from Galatea.

Apparently it was not more than a week before Iren's attack. He and the members of the Galatea guard who escorted him here are the only survivors we know of, although as the director explained to me, those who don't resist are captured alive to be sold as slaves, so it's likely that good part of the inhabitants of Galatea are still alive, since they didn't possess great military strength to think about resisting.

"We arrived, let me make the presentations".

I nod without saying anything. It is natural for a noble to be presented by someone else in an encounter with another noble, I suppose.

The director opens the door and invites me to enter, at the same time he makes the presentations, bowing his head a little... That's it, you have also become a servant, it's good to see that you behave as such.

"I present Mr. Argent, the illustrious character who came to help us. They are Galatea refugees: Rad, captain of Galatea's guard, Andreu, his second in command and Khaden, a member of his troop. They are the ones who escorted the young noble here, his name is Stormrider ".

¿Stormrider? Is that his name? Sounds like ... OE ... ARE YOU SERIOUS?!

 

NAME:	STORMRIDER RYUUJI	RACE:	HUMAN			1
JOB:	SWORD HERO	RANK:	GERON	LEVEL:		1
VP:	380/380	RESISTANCE:	212	DEFENSE:		241
MP:	86/108	KNOWLEDGE:	84	INTELLECT:		83
ENERGY:	199/220	STRENGTH:	352	MIND:		93
AGILITY:	143	TALENT:	1	SPIRIT:		92
ITEMS▼	EQUIPMENT▼	SKILLS▼	TITLES▼	MONEY:	9856123G

TITLES▼

<< Effort's Master. Ultimate Swordsman >>

What the hell are those stats?!

They are a monstrosity, and if I consider that it doesn't count what he receives from the equipment... This guy is a TLO player, he must be with that name. Fuck! He also has the title of ultimate swordsman, so his class is GERON rank. The other title doesn't ring a bell.

Even taking into account his rank, those stats are at least 50 points higher than they should be, and the strength... I imagine it's due to the title, even so it's too much if you have to add the equipment, which for his rank should be an atrocity.

"This... It's true that you can identify the language the boy speaks?"

"Eh? ... Ah, yes, it is possible".

I got distracted for a moment, I hardly paid attention to what Rad said. This is unexpected... Let's see, if I consider Stormrider to be the name of his TLO character, his real name must be Ryuuji.

"Ahem... Ryuuji... kun. Your name is Ryuuji right?"

"Eh? Do you speak Japanese ?!"

"In fact, yes. I imagine you must be confused since you cannot understand their language, but these people brought you with me in the hope that I could communicate with you and how you see, I can".

"Oh, God! I can't believe it. Finally someone I can talk to! I've been very frustrated all this time, but... How is it that you can speak Japanese? This place... isn't Japan, not even the earth..."

MM ... Weird, I hear it perfectly, but it's different from the others, I really hear him, automatic translation doesn't work. Is it because I know Japanese and it's unnecessary?

"It may surprise you a little, but I also come from Earth. I imagine you were playing TLO".

"Eh? Yes ... So you are also a player?"

"That's right, just like you, I came to this world, I suspect in similar circumstances".

"The last thing I remember is that I reached GERON and then everything went dark and I woke up in a bed surrounded by these people".

"Mm. I also came here after reaching the GERON rank. There may be a connection."

"I see... Eto... what's your name?"

"You can call me Argent. Although my real name is Makoto, I got used to that name. Tell me... How would you like me to call you, Stormrider or Ryuuji?"

"Ah, Ryuuji is fine. That reminds me, how do you know my name? Rad-san knew it too..."

"Well, it's because of your status. Haven't you noticed that there is something similar to the TLO system here?"

"Actually, I noticed. To begin with, I have the appearance of my TLO character and its stats. But how could they see my status? I can't do that."

"Did they ever shake hands with you wearing a glove?"

"Eh?"

"That glove is an artifact that can read the status of people and transmit the information to the user's mind, with that they could know your name".

"So it was that time..."

"Indeed. You know, I was quite surprised when I saw you. I wasn't sure if I was the only one to whom this strange phenomenon had occurred".

"Personally I am relieved to know that there is someone else like me... I was afraid, of not being able to talk to anyone anymore".

For a moment Ryuuji's face looks desolate. The boy has went through a lot.

Arriving in this world suddenly and not being able to communicate with anyone is the same thought that terrified me when I imagined what would have happened to me without <Borderless Trade>.

"Eto... Argent-san".

"Just Argent is fine, I'm not used to honorifics".

"Really? I guess they don't use them around here".

"Actually no. But it's not just that, I don't have the habit of using them, although I do if I have to speak with some Japanese whom I do not know well. Non-Asians don't use them usually".

"Eh? But... Isn't Makoto-san Japanese?"

"Actually I am French, but my mother was Japanese, my father by his side was European. Can't  you tell by my features and hair?"

"Eh? But that's the look of your avatar in TLO, how could I know?

"Oh? This is my real look. My appearance didn't change when I got to this place ... wait, perhaps you ..."

"That's strange, my current appearance is that of my character. Actually I am like any other Japanese boy, with black hair and eyes... and actually a little shorter too".

"... Maybe our circumstances are not entirely the same".

"Apparently not. Tell me, did your stats went down when you got here?"

"Eh? Well, yes .... They went down to those of a level 1 Rookie, are you telling me that your stats were even higher?"

"Well, yes, although mine didn't go down that much. I thought they would go up when I reached GERON rank, but instead I lost almost 100 points in several, except in strength, which didn't go down so much".

"Ah, what happens is that the system of this world doesn't consider equipment bonuses as part of your stats".

"Really? .... Then I got an upgrade, especially in strength".

"Probably for the bonus from the title of <Ultimate Swordsman> I understand that it gives a great increase to the Strength. Even so... Your stats are monstrous. Considering the equipment, you are well above any other swordsman I have seen even in TLO".

"Hehe, you noticed. It's my secret, do you know about class ramifications?"

"Of course. When a player decides to change their class when they level up, they usually have classes available that they wouldn't have otherwise. There are pure classes, which are the perfected forms of basic professions, like mine, which is the ultimate Merchant form, and ramifications. According to the professions you take, you unlock different class routes for your character".

"Merchant? Did you really get to GERON as a merchant? That's amazing, merchants are the weakest class, it must have been a real challenge to level up... Well. Returning to what I was saying. Normally a player reaches a certain level and unlocks a profession of a higher rank to change into. But did you know that you can choose not to do it?"

"Yes, there are some classes that require a certain level, to obtain them you must continue to level up the profession even if you already have the level to change classes. Many did that to obtain some rare classes or simply to get a few extra stats before upgrading... do not tell me that..."

"Indeed. Instead of changing classes, I dedicated myself to leveling up and gaining stats as much as possible before changing my profession. In this way, when I reached level 1 of the next rank of profession, my stats are higher that if I had upgraded immediately".

"I see. That's something quite problematic, to continue leveling up without increasing the skills of the profession, but I see that it gives results".

"Not just that. Did you know that the adventurer can go up even to level 50?"

"WHAT ?! Don't tell me that you level up the adventurer? That's crazy. To think it can level up to such a high level..."

"When I reached the limit, I was enabled a new profession, and with it a branched class route that nobody had taken before".

Interesting, I already said that <Sword Hero> didn't ring a bell. The profession of GERON rank of swordsman class was < Sword Master>. If what this guy says is true, it means that he rose about 40 levels more than any other player, everyone upon reaching level 10 of adventurer immediately goes to some basic class.

The adventurer is terribly weak and leveling up only increases his stats by 1 or 2 points, but 40 levels... That explains why his stats are so high, although on the other hand...

"If what you say is true, some of your stats are too low. Like MP or Knowledge".

"When I chose this secret class, some of my stats went down and their points were transferred to others by force".

"A specialized class ... You are quite surprising, you are probably the first and the only one to reach that class..."

Wait a moment. I was also the first to reach the GERON rank for the merchant class, the <Market Master>. Is that the reason? Could it be that the first person to reach the maximum rank of a class is transported to this place? If so, it means that there is someone from Earth in this world for each final class of TLO.

"What's the trouble?"

"It's nothing. I just thought you were amazing. It must have been extremely difficult to level up an adventurer so much. Maybe you are the strongest player  in the game..."

"Haha, you know, I thought the same... I miss when this was just a game..."

"... Cheer up, in this place, stats like those make you very strong. Astonishingly strong. All the people I have seen don't have professions above PAIS. It means that you have the strength of 6 men or more, and your equipment is GERON rank, also of a combat specialist class, it must have huge bonuses. You're probably the strongest person in this city, maybe in this whole world".

"Haha, that would be amazing, maybe I could really cheer up of my arrival at this place if I could convince myself of that. But... it's not true. Rad-san is stronger than me".

"What are you talking about? His stats are normal for someone of PAIS rank, even if it's a swordsman..."

"I know it's true, because he defeated me effortlessly".

"..."

"Mako ... Argent. I know I haven't stopped talking since we met but ... would you let me tell you about what I've lived in this world?"

"Sure".

"Thank you. But before that, please, could you thank Rad-san and the others for me? I owe them a lot".

Looking around, everyone in the room watches me with attention and expectation. It's not that I haven't noticed their looks before, but nothing they could tell me could interest me as much as my conversation with Ryuuji. I am getting a lot of valuable information, but above all, I may have finally found the tool I was looking for to ensure my protection in this world.

"You're Rad, right? Ryuuji wants to thank you from the bottom of his heart for everything you've done for him".

"Huh. He don't need to thank me, even less at this point ... You can really speak his language..."

I imagine that must be obvious to anyone at this point ...

"On occasion, I met people from the same nation, I visited it myself a few times. I had opportunities and reasons to learn. Ryuuji wants to tell me his story, I don't know how long it will take. Maybe it's a good idea if you leave us alone and go rest, you must have been through a lot".

"Thank you, I'm sure the boy is happy to finally talk to someone, it shows in his face".

"Well, if that's what the young man wants. Gentlemen, join me".

With those words the director goes out the door along with Galatea's men. It's time to listen to what you have to tell me, Ryuuji.

 

 

 Stats of an average citizen of Galia:

Stats of Argent:

Stats of Ryuuji:

 

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