Life is More Than a Game: Restart

Chapter II: New Systems, New World

The two of us made the trek north in near silence. Despite wearing what would, in-game, be classified as heavy armor, she seemed to be able to move around in it with absolute ease. She snuck around the woods near the road just as easily as I did, perhaps making even less noise than the rags I was stuck in.

I was not idle during the journey, however. Alright, Voice, you've got some explaining to do. I was doing everything right and proper. I may not have really had too many plans in place, but I don't think I made any mistakes. You even ripped me out of there in the middle of a Dungeon. What the hell?

"Ah, and hello to you too, Mr. Kidwell!" She responded cheerfully, seemingly ignoring the absolute livid tone of my thoughts. "As I pointed out before, the decision was not mine, but that of the Board of Directors. As part of the contract you agreed to when you joined the Beta Program, Second Chances, Inc. may, at any point in time, relocate you to a new afterlife, even if death has not yet occurred."

Are you fucking with me? I could feel Gamer's Mind trying to stamp down my anger, but I was really fighting against it, not wanting to let this go. So, I can just lose all my progress because I'm not leading an exciting life? What's up with that? Not everyone wants Valhalla when they get reincarnated, you know.

"Oh, we are very aware of that, Mr. Kidwell! No, it isn't a case of entertainment necessarily being tied to violence. I do apologize if there was any statement - implied or otherwise - that led you to that conclusion. While I cannot go into detail as to what the Board looks for when determining what makes a good benchmark, suffice to say that they felt this world would simply… be a better fit for your particular personality."

While listening to her, I became acutely aware that I'd lost the battle against Gamer's Mind. Logically speaking, I was aware of the fact that I should still be enraged at my situation. On an emotional level, I simply couldn't find the spark needed to set me off again.

If nothing else, it did clear my head enough for me to bring my menus back up. Specifically, my list of Skills, which was embarrassingly short.

[Elemental Magic (Novice)]: You have a grasp on the fundamentals of elemental magic and can properly utilize it to bend nature to your will. Thanks to your foundational knowledge, you can learn any Skill that is related to Elemental Magic from Books and Scrolls instantly.

[Firebolt Lv. 0]: Launch a bolt of fire from your hand with unerring accuracy that may ignite the target.

[Ice Spike Lv. 0]: Launch a spike of hardened ice from your hand with unerring accuracy. It's critical chance is very high.

[Raise Stone Wall Lv. 0] Manipulating the earth around you, you can create walls from the material. For a price, structures can be repaired.

[Vacuum Palm Lv. 0] Create a vacuum within your palm that draws a targeted object to it. May only affect objects that could be carried with one hand.

Wait a second… I didn't notice that before. I could feel that spark lighting up my mind again. So, I still don't have my Instant Dungeon. Okay, sure. There's basically infinite Dungeons in Skyrim, so that's fine. Where's Observe? And why did Fireball get nerfed down to Firebolt? And what are these levels on my Skills? Is there any part of my System that you didn't change when I got launched back into Skyrim?

"Oh, that's right! This world got a patch update while you were away." The Voice's tone was almost sing-songy. It was really getting on my nerves now that I could be properly angry again. "On that note, the survival mechanics got patched, and you do need to eat, drink and sleep now. Don't worry, though - your HP regeneration rate hasn't been affected! As for Observer, the conclusion has been drawn that it, and several variants of it, are better suited as Class-specific Skills. I cannot go into detail as to which classes will have it, but that's half the fun of getting Class bonuses, isn't it?

"That said, your Skill's leveling should probably be explained. It's honestly not too complicated. We simply integrated a sort of… upgrade system to your Skills into the Challenges system. You can choose one of your Skills to upgrade and it will issue a number of potential Challenges you can complete to upgrade it in a particular way. Be careful though! Skills can only go up to Level 10 in total."

Once more, that anger slipped from between my fingers the moment that I stopped talking. I couldn't even be angry at myself for being unable to get mad. All I could do was let out a sigh. Victoria turned to me as I did, but I simply smiled and waved off her concern.

Internally, however, I was thinking about what the Voice had relayed to me. For one, I'd have to make sure I had enough supplies to not starve, and making sure there was always an inn, or at least a bedroll, to get a good night's rest seemed to be required now.

More importantly, though, I wanted to see this Skill Upgrade system. You said I could choose one of my Skills. Does that mean that I can only do one at a time? It was better to be safe than sorry. I only had a few spells to work with anyways, so I didn't want to be stuck upgrading a Skill that I'd hardly ever use.

"Correct! You really are a great beta tester, being able to pick up on these things so innately!" I really hated that woman's sickly sweet voice. Especially when she tried to hand out compliments like they were hard candies. Maybe I could get her 'decommissioned' as well, like the last one. Someone a little more genuine wouldn't be remiss.

Dark thoughts aside, the decision wasn't that difficult. It was Skyrim, after all. Of the options, Firebolt was really the most cost-effective choice. Even if I liked ice as an element significantly more, I wanted the upgraded spell to actually be something effective against all enemies. Well, nearly all enemies. But if I encountered a Fire Atronach this early on, I'd have bigger worries.

So, with that in mind, I focused on Firebolt in my Skill Menu, and a new screen popped up.

Skill Upgrade Menu Initiated: [Firebolt Lv. 0]

Level 1 Options:

[Efficiency I]: Firebolt costs 10% less MP to cast.

Challenge: Cast Firebolt 100 times.

[Power I]: Firebolt deals more damage, but also increases in cost.

Challenge: Kill 100 targets with Firebolt.

[Conflagration I]: There is a chance for Firebolt to ignite nearby targets, including the environment.

Challenge: Ignite 300 targets with Firebolt.

There's really only three upgrade paths?

"Oh, not at all! It's simply a case that you only get three options each time you try and upgrade a Skill! There's a bit of a randomness factor to it, but if you're ever unhappy with your options, you have two choices! The options are rerolled if you complete an Upgrade on a different Skill, and we also offer an item in the Premium Shop that can wipe away one of your Upgrade options on a Skill! Though, you'll still need to go through the process to acquire the new Upgrade again!"

Of course, microtransactions are merely a way to mitigate - but not even eliminate, the randomness. I'm surprised you guys aren't offering items that ensure a particular type of Upgrade shows up the next time you roll a particular Skill's paths. The thought was formed before I could stop it.

"Oh! That's a good idea! I'll have to bring that up to my manager at the next meeting!" I could hear the Voice scribbling something down eagerly. "I'm sure he'll be pleased with it! He might even make sure you get a little bonus for your input!"

And now I'm helping the greedy MegaCorporation potentially make more money. Well, at least microtransactions can be bought with normal currency… I think. I'm not actually sure since I only ever bought that Clock Widget that one time.

Focusing back on the screen in front of me, I mulled over the options a bit. Honestly, MP had never really been an issue before, and Firebolt was a pretty cheap spell to begin with, so I don't think Efficiency is really what I wanted.

Power and Conflagration were both potentially quite useful, though. Considering what I expected to be fighting in the near future, both of the Challenges seem quite doable as well. I was lacking my Instant Dungeons, but Skyrim's own Dungeons were easily usable. Actually…

Wait, does this world also have those weird Dungeons that you foisted upon me in the last world? Or is it just the ones that are scattered naturally around the world?

The Voice didn't immediately respond, but I could hear the shuffling of paper for a few moments. "Ah! Here we are! It looks like… yes, it seems that both systems are in place in this world. Since it's a replacement for the Instant Dungeons, you'll find the Dungeon Zones scattered about, and the same rules apply. No one but you, and your party, will be able to perceive or interact with them. The reverse is also true in that mobs that might be immersion-breaking don't cross the boundary into this one."

Well, if I could find a good one, I could roguelike my way through grinding and maybe pick up a decent amount of levels. Could be a bit difficult to find the time to do so, now that I had to sleep, though. Hopefully, I'd manage somehow.

Honestly, even though Power would be far easier to pick up, the bonus was kind of boring. On the other hand, if Firebolt could basically have almost a Bloody Mess sort of effect...

Challenge [Ignition Point I] Issued

Objective: Ignite 300 separate enemies with Firebolt.

Reward: Firebolt gains [Conflagration I].

It seemed that I finished up just in time, as Victoria was trying to get my attention. I dismissed all of my menus and focused on the matter at hand. Peering through the trees, I noticed the road that connected Helgen to Riverwood, but there seemed to be a lack of paths to the mine. I don't know how far we traveled, but it seems we still weren't there yet.

"Orpheus, do you hear that?" Her whisper was almost inaudible, but I could make it out nonetheless. I wasn't sure what she was talking about until I picked up something else. It was distant, but I could make out what sounded like two people conversing very far off. "It sounds like they're coming this way."

"Let's wait here a bit and see if they've got the look of bandits. If they do, we can ambush them and find out how many are still in the mines. I'm sure you noticed that that dragon seemed quite a bit larger than the last time we lived through this, right?"

"Aye." She nodded with a sigh. "You think that there might be other changes to the world. I thought it might've been my imagination, but there also seemed to be more people in Helgen than I recall and more buildings too. I've been stationed there for some time, under General Tullius, and I've grown accustomed to the look and feel of Helgen."

I didn't get a chance to notice anything like that. I really should be more perceptive. If Victoria thinks the world might've enlarged from the one she knew, that could be troubling. If it's just the towns, that's one thing. But if Skyrim had received another upscaling since I was here last, as part of that patch update, then I really needed to overprepare as much as possible.

Any response I might've made out loud was cut off, though, as two men came down the road with little regard for any such thing as stealth or quiet. They both seemed to be wearing mismatching sets of armor that clearly came from half a dozen different outfits, with poorly maintained weapons. One, a Breton, had a spear across his back with a head so jagged and rusty, I felt like I might get Tetanus just from looking at it. The other was a Redguard and had a studded, iron club whose studs were so weathered down it was nearly flat.

However, I wouldn't have even needed to get a look at them to tell they were bandits. The godsawful stench they released was nearly visible, which was impressive considering I felt like my eyes might mutiny and pop out at any moment as the wind wafted it towards us.

Victoria seemed able to deal with the odor more easily than I could. She didn't flinch, and I couldn't see any evidence of her eyes watering in the slightest. Blinking a few times and shaking my head, I did my best to focus up. I nodded to her and drew upon my mana in a way that I'd missed as fire danced across my knuckles.

Thrusting my arm towards the man with the spear, I opened up my hand and watched as an arrow of flames struck him squarely in the chest. He was sent to the floor and screamed in agony as the fire spread from his gambeson over the rest of his body. First try, and I'd ignited a target.

Gamer's Mind did help me block out his screams of pain even as the magical flames consumed him. It didn't help so much with the semi-familiar stench of burning flesh, but it was still an improvement over what my nose had been assaulted with before.

Victoria, for her part, had already tackled the other man to the ground. He lay facedown in the dirt and rocks, unable to move thanks to one of her armored knees pinning him where his neck met his back. The padding from his chainmail and the tunic over it, as well as her own discipline, would keep him from sustaining any actual injury.

I knelt down in front of him, and his eyes rose to meet mine. "Now then, why don't you tell me what you can about your buddies down in the Embershard Mine? I'm having a pretty terrible day, and if you don't talk I'll gladly take it out on you."

And that's it!

These shorter chapters are so much easier to crank out, honestly.

Anywho, don't forget to leave a review or let me know what you think through a PM. Also, feel free to head over to the new Discord server. It's not just for my stories, but more of a general fanfiction thing I made with a friend (AlvortheWarhawk on FFN, Scrimshaw on SB). Discord-dot-gg-slash-tAaqnkPEHB

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Orpheus out! See ya!