Three shards of arcanite lay atop a small pile of cloth. Even humbled by my near death experiences, I can’t stop the smile that splits my face. Arcanite isn’t the rarest thing in the world by any means, but even when I put everything I could into this expedition, I only managed to get two partially used ones.
They power just about everything in Tyrania, so the demand for them is monstrously high. So high that one of these shards is easily worth a month in an inn. Not with food as well, but still. For someone like me, it's an incredible find.
The moment I reach in to grab them, a new notice appears.
Congratulations!
You have cleared a dungeon and reached its rewards chest.
Rewards available:
Arcanite Shard (Full) x3
Cloak of Self Repair (Rare)
Party Distribution Method:
Not applicable.
Claim rewards?
Yes / No
Well that’s new.
Of course, I claim the rewards. I jump a little when the contents of the chest disappears and I’m suddenly holding the arcanite and wearing the cloak. It just appeared over my shoulders as if it were always there, properly tied and everything. It’s not very impressive appearance wise, with simple black fabric and dark red embroidery around its edges, but it’s comfortable.
And concealing.
I feel a little bad about being so dirty and wearing it, but there’s not much I can do about that right now. After tucking away the arcanite, I make sure I’m not missing anything before touching the door.
Dungeon exit discovered!
Would you like to leave the dungeon?
Yes / No
When I mentally select yes, I’m suddenly somewhere else again. This time is nicer though, given that I'm not actively dying. All around me is a vast space of white nothing for as far as I can see. There’s not even a sky. Before I start to panic though, the new notices in the corner of my vision grab my attention.
Notice
Congratulations, Emilia.
You have successfully acclimated to the System.
As recompense for mishandling your designation for [19 years, 11 months, and 26 days] you, and all like you, have been granted unique quests designed to assist you in integrating fully with the System.
Along with the rewards for completing your respective quests, you have each been granted the title “Faulted No More”.
You are currently in a pocket dimension designed to give you as much time as you need to accept and adapt to your rewards. Please do so at your convenience.
The exit will appear when you are ready to leave.
Notice
Greetings, System Waker.
Your exit from this space will be temporarily delayed.
Once you have accepted and adjusted to your rewards, all missed System Notices will be released for you to view.
The title “Faulted No More” will not be awarded to you, as System Waker is superior in all aspects.
Thankfully, I manage to find a calm from these two notices. A bit of concern, too, at the mention of “all like me”, but I get the feeling that I need to see whatever it is that I’ve missed before I jump to any conclusions. So, without any further hesitation, I pull up my quest and accept the rewards.
You have leveled up! X10
Stats gained:
+10 Strength
+10 Constitution
+30 Dexterity
+20 Intelligence
+40 Wisdom
+20 Charisma
+30 free stat points
The instant I do, a wave of mana crashes into me from all sides, sending me to my hands and knees from the swell of power within me. I can’t even breathe as a mix of pain and pleasure flows through every inch of my body, and for a moment I regret accepting the rewards. Then, as quickly as it came, the sensation fades, and I can breathe again.
“What… the fuck… System?” I say between gasps.
Notice
System granted levels are more difficult for the soul to accept, as they are not earned through natural experience and growth. Instead, the soul is forcibly made to accept growth it is not ready for.
“Well you could’ve warned me!” I say, struggling to hold back a groan as I maneuver into a seated position.
Notice
Advice: Finish accepting your rewards and picking your classes.
“Prick,” I mutter.
I grab the small jewelry box from the floor. It appeared when I accepted the rewards, but I was a little too preoccupied trying not to suffocate to bother acknowledging it at the time. Now, though, I take a good look at it.
It’s a pretty little box, with smooth gold and pale blue swirls and patterns across wood so dark it’s almost black. There isn’t any latches as far as I can tell, so I carefully push the top open and gasp at what I see.
Resting beautifully on a velvet mock-up of an ear much like my own is the most beautiful bangle I’d ever seen. The metal is an incredibly light blue, practically silver color, with tiny interlinked chains and clasps that seem intended to be placed along the outside edge, topped with a pointy bit made to accentuate the tip of my ear.
There are countless speckles of black gemstones all throughout the chains and clasps, making it appear to be an inverse starry sky. Then, in the moment between blinks, it changes. Now it’s a perfectly polished black metal with silvery blue gemstones, and it looks like the stars themselves have come to play in this small box.
Captivated, I reach in and lightly brush a finger along the edge of the masterpiece, prompting a new notice to appear before me.
Starlight Bangle
Legendary, Soul Binding
This item is specifically crafted for Emilia, the System Waker, by the System itself.
Enchantments:
Greater Storage
This item holds up to fifty times its wielders weight in perfect stasis.
Perfect Match
This item can take on any appearance the wearer desires, as long as it still appears as a ear accessory.
Greater Self Repair
This item can repair itself even when totally destroyed, so long as the wielder has mana.
Greater Self Clean
This item can clean itself of nearly any substance, so long as the wielder has mana.
Would you like to bind with this item?
Yes / No
Without hesitation, I select ‘Yes’ and the box vanishes. Thankfully, I’m relieved by the sudden feeling of new weight on my left ear. Reaching up to check, I feel the earring—as expected. It’s comfortable, too, and though it clasps into my ear and even seems to puncture it in certain places, there is no pain or feeling of wrongness.
For a moment I just fiddle with it and think. I have a storage device, a soul bound one at that. I’ve heard of soul bound items before, of course. I’ve possibly even seen one, if the rumors about Darius’ armor are true. Still, they are incredibly rare, even among nobility and high level Delvers.
The same could be said for storage items. They aren’t as rare as soul bound items, but they are still typically only found among nobles and high level individuals. This beauty is both of those things in one, and then some. But it will be easier to keep hidden, so long as I don’t use it in an obvious way around others.
For now, I use the Perfect Match enchantment to change its appearance into a set of bronze earrings running down the outside of my ear. When I touch them, it feels exactly like I imagined. Three little rings pierce my ear, and it doesn't feel like they have any of the gemstones. I can't check without a mirror, but it feels right so I let it be.
Each twitch of my ear lets out a light tinkling of metal on metal as the rings clash. For a moment I'm lost in the fun noise when the thumping of my tail against the floor distracts me, and I realize I’ve been grinning like an idiot. This time I decide to ignore my tails antics, instead focusing on the changes in my status.
Status:
Name - Emilia
Race - Faefox
Age - 19
Level - 19
Health - 476/476
Health Regen - 66.3 per minute
Mana - 9660/9660
Stored - 19,320/19,320
Mana Regen - 3581.4 per minute
Stats
Strength - 37
Constitution - 34
Dexterity - 92
Intelligence - 61
Wisdom - 241
Charisma - 53
Available Stat Points - 48
Combat Class Slot:
Selection Available.
Profession Class Slot:
Selection Available.
The thumping grows louder, but I refuse to give it any more of my time. Instead, I immediately pull up the available options for my combat class. I wasn’t going to spend any of my free points until I had all of my class slots filled. Like my Dexterity, the classes I picked could bring other stats within spitting distance of their first milestones, and I was determined to be smart about this.
This time, a slew of options appears before me, but it’s thankfully sorted by rarity groups, with Common, Rare, and Unique—which encapsulates anything of Epic or higher rarity. This is more of what I was expecting though, as I’d heard that on a person's System Day, they get to choose from every class they qualify for.
Brawler
Common
Wrestler
Common
Street Fighter
Common
Experienced Brawler
Rare
Martial Artist
Rare
Fire Mage
Rare
Of course, I peek through the Common and Rare options available to me, just out of curiosity. My eyes catch on the Fire Mage option for a moment, wondering how I qualified for it, but I shrug it off and open the Unique tab. This time, when I see the last options rarity, I ignore everything else.
Bloodwind Mystic
Legendary
You are the embodiment of the power within blood and the freedom of the wind, their combined might now distilled for you to claim. Become carnage incarnate. Find your path with the easy grace of the wind, and use the life forces within you and others to further empower yourself.
+1 Strength per level
+1 Constitution per level
+2 Dexterity per level
+2 Intelligence per level
+2 free stats per level
Requirements: Have a rage skill (Fae Ferocity). Have all but literally bathed in the blood of your enemies. Have sought and gained freedom. Have soared through the air and nearly killed yourself from the experience. Have experimented with your own body for personal power. Have endured torture. Have healed from multiple fatal injuries. Have dodged multiple fatal attacks. Have reached the first milestone of at least one stat before level ten.
I just gape at the option, my ears and tail rigid. I could have two legendary classes. From the looks of it, it would even synergize well with First Arcanist, at least stat-wise. Seeing the requirements I had to meet to qualify for the class stings a bit, but it’s just the reality of what I’ve done to get here. I won’t shy away from it.
After a quick peek at the three other epic rarity Class options, I decide they aren’t even worth considering. Two of them are Berserker type classes, where it would severely effect my emotional stability. The other just wasn’t anywhere near as good as Bloodwind Mystic
Rereading it just to be sure it doesn’t have any obvious downsides like Berserker did, nothing pops out as particularly sketchy—aside from the whole “carnage incarnate” bit. But even then, it doesn’t outright say I’d succumb to my emotions or something scary like that.
Congratulations!
Combat Class selected:
Bloodwind Mystic
Congratulations!
You have reached the first milestone (100) in the Dexterity stat.
Dexterity now grants more control and understanding of how best to move your body.
Milestone Bonus: Dexterity stat effectiveness doubled.
Congratulations!
You have reached the first milestone (100) in the Intelligence stat.
Your memory and mental acuity has been significantly improved.
Milestone Bonus: Intelligence stat effectiveness doubled.
Another burst of power flows through me, though this time it’s just pleasant. The milestones bring with them a sense of wrongness in my positioning, and I find myself shifting in place to correct it on instinct. With the physical sensation comes a new sense of clarity, almost like my Mental Suppression skills effectiveness tripled, given how clear my mind feels.
Every memory I have is there, easily recalled and dismissed no matter how long ago it was. The influx of knowledge and the detail of it all is almost too much. Blessedly, the odd feelings don’t last long.
When I’m finally situated, the new Dexterity milestone clearly influencing how I move, I find myself sitting with my legs swept to one side, my weight resting on one arm. It’s much, much more comfortable, and I almost can’t believe I hadn’t tried it before just to let my tail lay more freely as I sat.
With a contented sigh, I check over my newest active skills.
Bloodmist Fist
Active, Body, Healing
Use health to empower attacks with your hands and feet, granting increased attack speed and the chance to steal health from those struck.
Each empowered strike costs 1% of your total Health.
Blood Burst
Active, Conjuration
Compress the air around you with an investment of blood and mana to cause an explosion.
The more health invested, the larger the explosion and the more damage it deals.
May invest up to 10% of your total health and mana.
Scarlet Barrier
Active, Conjuration
Use wind and the blood around you to create a powerful barrier.
The barrier can withstand damage based on a fraction of the health and mana invested.
Conversion efficiency is reduced by 95%.
May invest up to 5% of your total health and mana.
Hemokinesis
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Active, Body, Conjuration
You are able to control the air and blood within or around you.
Mana cost varies with scale and distance.
These will be interesting to learn. For a moment I worry that people will think it’s some kind of evil class once I use these abilities—then I remember there are literal Necromancer Classers. They’re regulated, sure, but they’re not illegal. What’s a little blood when compared to undead hordes?
Still, the synergy between Arcane Strike and Bloodmist Fist is clear, and I’m excited to see if the armor piercing of Arcane strike will apply to Bloodmist Fist. Even if it doesn’t, it’s still great.
The other three skills seem like more typical Mage type abilities, but I definitely wouldn’t complain. A lot of my damage is magical in nature already, so they’d fit right in. I needed some ranged abilities, anyways. Nodding contentedly, I move on to my new passives.
Body of Scarlet Skies
Passive, Body, Healing
Your connection with blood and air magics is strengthened and infuses your body.
+5% Constitution, Dexterity, and Charisma.
+50% Health Regeneration
Bloodwind Resilience
Passive, Body
The power of blood and air fuses, empowering you from within.
The density of your blood is reduced, making you lighter and faster.
-25% weight
+25% Dexterity
+25% Health
Bloodwind Harmony
Passive, Body
The knowledge of both blood and air magics is etched into your very being.
+5% Constitution, Dexterity, and Intelligence.
You deal 50% more damage with air or blood enhanced attacks.
Bloodwind Infusion
Passive, Enhancement
Your body is one with blood and air, making you more resilient and harder to hit.
+50% effectiveness of Body and Healing skills.
The others are more standard for passives, so while they are powerful, I don’t pay them too much attention. Bloodwind Infusion, on the other hand, is an absolutely massive boost to my capabilities.
One of the reasons enhancement Skills are so sought after is because they affect everything except for General Skills. All combat skills. All profession skills. And since I already have one, I’m basically double dipping on the enhancements—literally doubling the effects of all of my Body and Healing skills.
My whole body is shivering with a mix of glee and shock. Before I can convince myself to do otherwise, I quickly pull up my status once more to select my Profession Class. I purposefully ignore my stats, wanting to save the reveal for once I’m done getting everything set properly.
Thankfully, Profession Classes only provide Passives and free stat points. Nothing else. They are significantly lower risk Classes, and because of that they level slower and are generally weaker over all. Even so, the abilities they grant are always incredibly useful, and a safe way to level up outside of combat for those who aren’t willing to wade into danger.
Surprisingly, only four options show up.
Perfect Packer
Rare
You are the perfectionist of organization. Each item has a specific place, and none may tell you otherwise. Banish the annoying disorganization of others with meticulously purposeful placements.
+2 free stats per level
Requirements: Extensive experience with organization, packing, unpacking, and condensing all manner of tools and materials. Near obsessive desire to maintain the organization of something you packed. Save your own, or someone else's, life where the difference in outcomes was directly affected by the efficiency of your packing skills.
Okay System, rude. What’s wrong with keeping my packs organized?
Unable to do anything but pout at the System, I quickly move on.
Delver
Rare
The tunnels are where you belong. Dark, wild, and foreboding stone is just a part of life. You take to the mysteries of the depths like a fish to water, and ensure those around you can do the same.
+2 free stats per level
Requirements: Extensive experience delving the tunnels. Survived ten delves or more. Willingness to seek treasures within the tunnels. Willingness to live within the tunnels.
My mild frustration with the System is instantly replaced with shock and disbelief. I had known there was a Delver Profession Class, as many of the actual Delvers did end up choosing it as their path… but for it to appear as an option for me?
Logically, it makes sense. The requirements are specific, but can easily be met by a particularly stubborn Carrier. So it’s no surprise—not really. But I never once imagined I’d have the option to choose such a path for myself.
The fact that it’s there as something I can actually be is proof that the years of training, delving, and suffering actually meant something. It was too much for me to handle right now. I quickly brush away the stray tears and continue, knowing that I’ll pick it if nothing more fitting shows up.
Loreseeker
Rare
To seek knowledge is your path, regardless of the hardships. History is meant to be studied, and you are the one who will do just that.
You are the seeker of lost, hidden, and forgotten truths about the world.
+2 free stats per level
Requirements: A willingness to seek the truths hidden within myths. Extensive experience with researching ancient history. Have filled several notebooks with information in your pursuit of knowledge. Disregarded the nay-saying of all who would prevent you from learning more.
For a moment, I’m confused as to why this is even an option. Then, it comes to me—my book, the 'Story of a Bluebell'. The entire reason I started delving was due to my obsession with that story, since it was almost the last lifeline I had to go off of for gaining access to the System.
It was a myth. Or, I thought it was. The story was about Bluebell, a fairy without wings or the magics granted by them. As far as I knew, fairies weren't real. But... given the requirements of this class, I can only assume that the story is at least based in truth.
It’s a bit cathartic, knowing that I was right after so many others told me it was just a myth. Still, I wasn’t leaning too heavily towards this option. While it was fitting, in a way, it isn’t something that will help me right now. Delver would. Still, given how the System usually saves the best for last, I move on.
Dungeoneer
Epic
Become the explorer, recorder, and researcher of what is hidden, lost, and unknown.
Find the places that are tucked away, and gain the riches and knowledge within.
You are a natural at both finding and navigating Dungeons, whatever form they may take.
+4 free stats per level
Requirements: Enter a Dungeon. A willingness to seek the truths hidden within myths. A desire to find what is lost or hidden, regardless of risk. Extensive experience with researching ancient history. Extensive knowledge on navigation in various environments. Ability to bypass Dungeon restrictions.
Well, I won’t say no to that. While Delver is symbolic to me, Dungeoneer seems almost like an evolution of it, but combined with Loreseeker as well. It's almost like it's the culmination of all of my life's efforts in one class. I don't think I'd hesitate to take it even if it were common rarity, given my current situation.
Congratulations!
Profession Class selected:
Dungeoneer
This time the surge of power is more subtle, but a new sense catches my full attention. It was like a new layer was added onto what I already see, smell, hear, taste, and touch. I could taste the harmlessness of the air, smell the absence of life in this space, hear the thrum of the emptiness here.
Every new aspect of my senses told me just how little danger there was within this room, and it was both incredibly reassuring and utterly bewildering. Gaining an entirely new sense just isn’t something a person can plan for, but thank the Gods for the System granting innate understanding of its skills. Without that, I’d probably have sat here for hours just trying to get a grasp on it.
Either way, it was another thing I’d have to get used to.
Let’s see…
Sense Danger
Passive, Body
Allows you to sense the presence of traps, hostile entities, or other dangerous hazards.
You are able to vaguely sense how dangerous a Dungeon is for you from its entrance.
Your natural senses are enhanced.
+5% increase to Dexterity and Intelligence
Dungeoneer’s Insight
Passive, Body
Enhances your knowledge gathering and researching ability. Improves reading comprehension, memory recall, and helps with connecting pieces of information.
Conversations with those of an equal or lesser Charisma stat flow more smoothly, making it easier to extract useful insights.
+5% increase to Intelligence and Charisma
Seeker’s Patience
Passive, Body
Enhances your endurance and focus for long-duration Dungeon exploration.
You require less water, food, and sleep.
While within a Dungeon, you may push fatigue aside, ensuring it doesn’t hamper you for a time.
+5% increase to Strength, Constitution, and Wisdom
Note: If you push your body too far without rest, you will still suffer the consequences of doing so.
Relic Whisperer
Passive, Body, Soul
You instinctively sense whether an item is mundane or imbued with magical properties, and with some focus you can determine its likely functions and origins.
Cursed items cannot permanently bond with you.
+5% Constitution, Intelligence and Wisdom
I am so glad I took this Class.
Sense Danger is obviously to blame for the new sense I have, and I’m liking what it claims to be able to do. Meanwhile, Dungeoneer’s Insight and Seeker’s Patience are more along the lines of what I had expected. Straightforward enhancements towards the task of finding and exploring dungeons—though I’ll admit the reduced need for water, food, and sleep will be amazing in general.
Relic Whisperer gives me pause though. I’d read stories of cursed items ruining people, or even whole nations, but the stories always seemed like fiction because the good guys always got rid of the cursed items in the end. This skill all but guarantees that cursed items are a real thing, and that some can permanently bond to people.
A shiver runs down my spine and my ears flatten to my head at the thought of a forever curse. But only for a moment.
I, at least, won’t have to worry about that anymore.
Aside from the mild dread the skill induces, it seems like it’ll work even outside of dungeons. There’s a lot of utility in being able to identify magical items, even if it’s a bit of a narrowly focused passive skill. I get the feeling that I wouldn’t be able to identify worn items, but there’s not much to be done about that.
I check my status one more time, and quickly determine where to put my points. I have a whopping 162 free points to spend, and three stats that are just begging to hit their milestones. After I get Strength, Constitution, and Charisma to 100, I’ve still got 88 points to spend, so I split it evenly between Intelligence and Wisdom.
I figure that with those two stats playing such a significant roll in dealing damage and surviving, respectively, it wouldn’t hurt.
So, I lock it in.
Congratulations!
You have reached the first milestone (100) in the Strength stat.
Your muscles are magically condensed, granting your body a level of strength and control that belies your appearance.
Milestone Bonus: Strength stat effectiveness doubled.
Congratulations!
You have reached the first milestone (100) in the Constitution stat.
Your skin becomes more resistant to damage and your bones become denser, making them harder to break.
Milestone Bonus: Constitution stat effectiveness doubled.
Congratulations!
You have reached the first milestone (100) in the Charisma stat.
You intuitively know best how to enhance your features to accomplish your goals.
Others feel more comfortable and at ease around you.
Milestone Bonus: Charisma stat effectiveness doubled.
Congratulations!
You have reached the second milestone (500) in Wisdom.
You are able to control and manipulate ambient mana more freely.
Milestone bonus: +10% magic resistance.
Notice
Milestone granted magic resistance has merged into the Magic Resistant General Skill.
Congratulations!
For multiple feats of significance, your Speedrunner title has evolved.
Speedrunner -> The First
You are The First.
To be integrated into the updated System. To undergo a racial evolution before level 100. To enter a Dungeon. To clear a Dungeon. To reach the first milestone in all stats before level 50. To gain multiple titles before level 10.
None came before you, but many will try to follow.
+1 free stat points per level -> +2 free stat points per level.
+5% Dexterity and Intelligence -> +5% to all stats.
With the milestones and the surprise Title upgrade comes an incredible itchiness, all over my being. Even my bones feel like they need a good scratch, but it’s such a deep itch that I can’t do anything about it except squirm.
Well, I could. My claws are likely sharp enough to do it, but I’m not insane.
So I just sit there like a reasonable person, letting the sensations ebb and flow, all while twitching with discomfort until the changes are complete. I was genuinely surprised at the second milestone for Wisdom, though. I didn’t even know the second milestone was at 500 total points in a stat. It makes me wonder what the third milestone is.
If it follows the pattern, then maybe when a stat reaches 2500? I wasn’t sure. It seemed far beyond me, either way. So instead, I distract myself by watching the fur on my tail change with my Charisma milestone, going from a fluffy-soft into a more silky-sleek coat.
When the itchiness finally fades away, I pull my tail around my waist and start to groom it experimentally. My hand slides effortlessly through the hairs, and any remaining specks of filth seem to almost fall out of my fur on their own. Even a few hairs that were damaged or unhealthy for one reason or another seemingly come loose of their own accord, falling out and getting quickly replaced by my natural health regen.
My skin seems even softer too, and I feel the urge to tidy myself up. Almost like how Dexterity gave me the urge to adjust how I was sitting earlier. I just know what to do, as well as how to do it, to make myself look more presentable in any situation, all the way down to how I smile, stand, or hold my hands.
Even how to seem standoffish, attractive, professional, and more. My ‘quiet hard-ass’ persona among the Delvers is going to see a massive upgrade, that’s for sure.
If I even need it anymore.
I should probably find it odd that my tail is the cleanest thing about me right now, what with all the blood and sweat, but even Charisma is nudging me to use my new appearance as some kind of scare tactic.
In some ways, Charisma contradicts the feelings I get from Dexterity, but it doesn’t surprise me too much. It’s not like the concepts are warring in my mind, it’s just that I now have more options on what to do and how, exactly, I can do it.
With a smile, I continue to groom my tail as I finally open my status to see it in all its glory.
Status:
Name - Emilia
Race - Faefox
Age - 19
Level - 19
Health - 4140/4140
Health Regen - 1077 per minute
Mana - 21,216/21,216
Stored - 42,432/42,432
Mana Regen - 13,116 per minute
Stats
Strength - 104
Constitution - 103
Dexterity - 234
Intelligence - 214
Wisdom - 530
Charisma - 104
Available Stat Points - 19
Titles:
System Waker
Dungeon Pioneer
The First
Combat Class: Bloodwind Mystic
Active Skills:
Bloodmist Fist
Blood Burst
Scarlet Barrier
Hemokinesis
Passive Skills:
Body of Scarlet Skies
Bloodwind Resilience
Bloodwind Harmony
Bloodwind Infusion
Profession Class: Dungeoneer
Passive Skills:
Sense Danger
Dungeoneer’s Insight
Seeker’s Patience
Relic Whisperer
Unique Class: First Arcanist
Active Skills:
Enhance Body
Arcane Strike
Mana Surge
Arcane Regulation
Passive Skills:
Mind, Body, Soul
Arcane Body
Arcane Pugilism
Arcane Infusion
General Skills -
Manaborn
Fae Ferocity
Magic Resistant
Mental Suppression
Pain Resistance (7/10)
Fire Resistance (2/30)
Poison Resistance (4/30)

