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AN: I don't own Kingdom.
Enjoy.
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[Level Up]
'About time.' I pause my swinging, the blunted metal short sword flopped to my side, and the straw encased wooden pole gained a much needed respite from my constant bullying. '-Stats-.'
[Level: 4]
[Muscle Density: 0.4]
[Bone Density: 0.4]
[Reaction Speed: 0.6]
[Agility: 0.6]
[Dexterity: 0.4]
[Vitality: 0.3]
[Stamina: 0.4]
[Charisma: 0.9]
[Spare Points: 0.1]
I was feeling slightly giddy not bothering to suppress the smile; it wasn't that my stats were particularly impressive (though they were above average for my age), but the fact I was finally going to reach 1.0 in one of my stats was an exciting prospect.
I was rather hoping for something special to occur.
With a silent mental dismissal, the menu disappeared from my minds eye. My vision focusing fully on the straw dummy before me once more. I say "focusing fully" because it's not as if the menu takes up my physical view, but rather just appears in my mind.
With some practise I would be able to multitask reading the menu and continuing whatever I was doing externally.
Something I am practising wholeheartedly so as to fully abuse the minimap function.
In a time period like this, with the occupation I plan on undertaking, the minimap may be of more value than all the other system functions combined.
I block the sun's rays with my practise sword. Well calling it a sword is a bit… eh, generous shall we say.
It's a rusted old thing. Doesn't even have a point, having been snapped in half 'n' all. There is no edge, it blunted long ago and cracks splayed themselves all over worn metal.
I suppose it was left on some battlefield or another under the waves of weather for some time. Probably caked in blood and mud too.
Little more than weighted scrap at this point, should any adult give it a half decent swing at anything other than air, it would no doubt snap at the hilt.
Absolutely perfect for myself.
The seller was on his way to have it melted down for slag but I was able to buy the me-sized practise sword at the low, low price of a days chores for the weapons dealer.
I plod over to the weapons rack (self made), basking slightly as I enter the shade of the high barn walls, relieved to be out from under the sweltering sun.
I place the sword on the wooden rack and then cover the rack and its occupants under a tarp. Though it was shining down unholy wrath now, the weather can be most unpredictable.
'Much like Britain, but rarely ever so cold I suppose…'
Rolling my shoulders to rid myself of some of the ache, I take a moment to sit in the shade of the barn wall, not at all in a rush to add that spare point.
'The side of the barn wasn't actually high at all,' I muse. 'I could have easily peaked over it before.'
Alas, as a five year old, that is no longer the case.
'I miss my height… amongst other things… many other things.'
Like my beard.
It says something about me when that's the first thing I think off, but for the life of me I can't tell what.
I guess I've just gone a bit loopy staying here for so long.
I must be to be considering doing what I plan on doing. No one's sane on the battlefield anyway.
Breaktime over, I pick up the weapons rack (really no more that a bundle of twigs tied together) and half carry, half drag the lot into the barn I call home.
Along with a bunch of cows.
'Apologies for the mess, straw just gets everywhere doesn't it? And don't mind the smell, it's only cow dung.'
I roll my eyes with a huff as I mentally grumble about my roommates.
… I really have gone loopy aint I?
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'Sta- eh no wait, -profile- first.'
[Name: Tongsen (Copper Forest)]
[Title: None]
[Job: Farmhand]
[Level: 4]
[Age: 5(?)]
[Health: 83%]
[Afflictions: Slight Hunger]
'Health is never 100% but that's nothing to worry about, it's rare for anyone to truly reach peak condition, let alone lil' old me stuck in the warring states. I'm grateful enough for food each day.'
Everything looked fine, nothing had changed except my level. I nodded and let it disappear.
The fading glow of dusk painted my barn in hazy colours, there was only the wind outside and the shuffling of gradually dozing cows now.
Legs stretched out in front of me, I rotated a foot a little, listening to the small cracks and pops my ankle makes each round. Then laying back on hay and my spare clothes I pulled up the rattan cloth I've taken as a blanket. Slowly, I close my eyes.
'-Stats-'
The mental commands are then made, and changes appear on the screen.
[Charisma: 0.9(+0.1 Assimilating)]
[Spare Points: 0]
'Mmm. As per usual.' Mentally zooming in on the word Assimilating, I checked to see if the time period was any different from normal.
[Assimilating: T- 9 hours]
'Normal then.' I was a bit disappointed. But there was one last thing to adjust before going to sleep.
'-Possessions-'
[Focus: 1/1]
[All: 3/4]
I focused on Focus… heh.
[Skill: Beginner Swordplay Lvl: 3]
'Remove.' I commanded.
[Skill: Beginner Swordplay Lvl: 3 (Removal Pending)]
Same as assimilating points, removing skills also has it's time delay. During this period the bonuses that comes with the skill being placed in the focus slot is negated, and unavailable to other possessions till the skill is fully removed.
Now I brought up All. Having gained a new level there was now a new slot to fill in.
[Skill: Sprint Lvl: 6]
[Skill: Milking Lvl: 7]
[Skill: Observe Lvl: 12]
[ -Empty- ]
First I mentally commanded the Observe skill to remove. It, like the swordplay skill, grayed out gained the Removal Pending sign next to it. As my most valuable skill with the highest utility, it will go into my focus slot and reap all its benefits once more as soon as possible.
The only reason I placed the swordplay skill in the focus slot was to rapidly level the skill level and up my personal level. Once the swordplay skill went from Lvl: 2 to Lvl: 3, there was just enough exp gained for myself to go from Lvl: 3 to Lvl: 4.
But that aside, it was no time to decide what skill to place in the newly opened fourth slot.
I mentally "zoomed in" on said slot, and a list of all my skills appeared.
[Running]
[Fletching]
[Ploughing]
[Plough]
[Broken Sword]
[Long-ish Wood Stick]
[Hemp Shirt]
[Sneak]
[Language]
…
…
There was quite a few. I scrolled up and down, just to check if there was any more recently gained, but in the end I found none.
I had already decided on what to add, having thought of it extensively previously. I had especially aimed for and gained this skill ever since I figured out I got a new slot every time I levelled.
Though language was tempting, and I do kind of want to see what kind of effect the system has on material possessions like my plough or broken sword… the survivability this skill offered was far too needed.
This skill may well save my life in the future. In fact depending on the bonuses it gains when placed in a slot, I might consider placing it in the focus slot for a while to level.
But I will have to wait and see.
[Skill: Sprint Lvl: 6]
[Skill: Milking Lvl: 7]
[Skill: Observe Lvl: 12 (Removal Pending)]
[Skill: Sneak Lvl: 0 (Induction Pending)]
Wait and see till morning…
Gradually my body relaxed, mind now content having finished its business. The aches and dull pains of a hard days worked seemed to melt under the warm, summer-night air.
I curled on my side, snuggling into my hay and cloth bed.
The sounds of a cow tail swishing was the last thing I heard before falling into blissful slumber.
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… All things considered… life was rather good back then.
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AN: Nothing of particular note to say.
Thanks for reading.