Enjoy the chapter.
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"..."
'I still can't get used to this…' Dale thought as he walked on the streets
He felt like an animal in a zoo due to all of the stares coming from the people around him, some interested, some curious, some just checking things out, and a few even followed him...
'Hum… Soon enough I'll have to start dealing with them, especially those with high Reputation scores…'
'But not now.'
Due to his current standing as an Elder, he could now see the Reputation values of other players atop their heads, this allowed him to more effectively control his actions towards them.
He wouldn't talk with those with negative values, while he would nod to those of higher values… Although there weren't any like that right now.
Besides, he also felt that people would soon start coming for him due to Quests, either the ones given by the other Villagers or to get one from him.
Aside from that, he can't reward people with Gold all the time, no one would work solely for that…
So if he wants the players to work for him, he'll have to pay them with experience, or something else of equal value such as gear and... Other exotic things.
But can he? As a player himself, every bit of experience was of great value… And gear and such exotic things weren't that easy to acquire.
'This is making me go nuts, I'm completely filled with problems I either can't resolve, or it would take me a massive amount of work to solve.'
'For now, I'll do that. I'll reach Level 30 first.' Dale thought as he stared at the Church on top of the hill
The main reason why Dale wanted to raise his Level was due to his current situation.
Due to everything that happened recently, remaining in the Village to train with the others was more worthwhile than adventuring out there, not that he could in the first place.
A proper term would be to say he was in a training Arc, though he wasn't the only one in it.
He was also very close to Level 30, being Level 27 and just a little bit shy of 28, together with his double rewards from hunting, he could do so within a few hours inside a Dungeon.
According to the official website and rankings, the average of the players was still below Level 5, just like how Dale had predicted, but this was mainly due to the constant flow of new players.
After a week or two, this flow would likely stabilize and the values would start to go up as the overwhelming majority of Players wouldn't be complete newbies anymore.
But those people were far from his current Level, the ones he paid the most attention to were those whose names weren't in the leaderboards.
People that hid their true capabilities from the world, just like him...
Still, there is no point in worrying about something that may not even exist.
So in the end, what mattered to him was the top 10%, the competitive people.
Dale expected these players to reach Level 10 within the first week of the game, and that was proving to be true, in fact, they may be growing even faster than he expected.
Rodi was a good example, being already over Level 15, but he was special, he was the 1%... No, even higher than that.
1% of Azimuth's expected full player base would be over a million players.
Previously, he expected the people within this percentage to reach somewhere around Level 20-30 within the first in-game month, but this may end up happening a week or two faster.
And beyond these people were the players backed by large organizations and the crazy people, the ones that could Level up fast like a speeding train.
Rodi was likely within this category... The 0.1%.
The margin his Granduncle and friends were part of surprisingly.
In comparison, around this time 2 days ago, the highest confirmed Player was Level 14, now, he was Level 23... Such a leveling speed was truly frightening, although that may come ironic, considering what he had done so far.
But his situation is different, his stats do not conform with his Level at all, this allows him to defeat monsters of higher Levels than him with considerable ease, essentially power-boosting himself.
The Quests of this region were higher than his current Level, and the rewards he has received so far are also equally as powerful.
Had he remained within the Catacombs the first time he found out about it, making use of its XP multiplier bonus, how high would his Level be now?
He knew that when compared to others, he hadn't put as much effort into leveling... But that wasn't because he didn't want to.
He was trying his best to tackle his responsibilities and issues in an orderly manner that not only grew his strength organically but also developed his relationships with the Villagers.
Yet, with the fast approach of the other players, he started to realize it may be time to set some things aside and grind a few levels first.
As the books wouldn't go anywhere... His Level bonus would be if he neglected it.
If Dale were to rest for even a single moment, he may be surpassed if said players were to complete a fat Quest and Level up a few times at once, and how terrible would losing the bonus for being the first to hit Level 30 be?
And if he is lucky, perhaps the Bonus for being the first will be beneficial for his current circumstances.
The bonus for Level 10 was focused on Reputation, while the bonus for Level 20 was focused on Hunting, so what would be the focus for the Level 30 threshold?
Whatever it was, Dale was determined to be the first to find out.
…
/A few minutes later.../
As he made his way to the Church, he stopped, seeing someone familiar.
It was an old woman with an empty basket in her hands, it was Tina, the oldest person in Resko, although she would never admit to that.
Seeing her here made a few memories go through his head, it seemed she had never missed her daily venture into the forest, always scavaging for fruits and plants...
She also noticed him, waving toward him.
"Good morning. Overslept?" She asked with a small smile
"A little bit, yesterday was quite tiring." Dale replied with an awkward smile as he approached her
'There is a minimum time I need to have my Character's body rest for me to get the sleeping Bonus.'
(N1)
"Indeed it was, although this time, I won't tell you to rest, I'm tired of repeating myself, so I'll just trust that you know what you're doing, just don't come crying to me if your shoulders start to stiffen up after a few years." She replied with a small chuckle
She then put her basket on the ground and asked:
"Dear, can you bring this back to my home? There is something I would like to do."
Without thinking too much of it, he accepted, however, he asked:
"Are you going back to the forest?"
'That is unlike her, she normally goes there to get a few fruits every day but that's it…'
"Oh dear, didn't they say to not inquire into the matters of a lady?" She said with another chuckle
Dale rolled his eyes, looks like she wasn't going to share her plans, but that was fine for him.
"Just be careful."
She smiled.
"Do I look that old to you? I'll be fine, I've done this for longer than you've been around." She said as she turned around
"No matter how old you are, I'll say it every time, be careful." Dale replied as he grabbed the basket on the ground
"Hahaha… I'm the last person you should say that to…"
But her smile seemed to brighten a little, even though she had already turned back to where she came from.
Dale remained there, watching her go further and further away… He felt like he should go after her, but...
"Leave her be." Someone said next to him
"Hum?"
Dale turned around and saw Edimund coming out from behind a house.
"You're here too?" Dale asked with a frown
"Of course, just like you, I'm worried for her, even though she doesn't quite appreciate my actions."
Dale turned his face towards Tina's back and asked:
"But why is she like this? Given her age, shouldn't she be enjoying sewing in her old house or something?"
"Wow wow wow… Calm down there buddy, say that a bit louder and you'll be bedridden for a few days." Edmund said as a small bead of sweat dropped down from his forehead
"Just like you, I was confused as to why she decided to change her schedule, the same one she had been repeating for the last 2-3 decades…"
He then looked at Dale and said:
"And it seems you were the cause of it."
"Me?"
"Yes, you. Your recent actions have caused many to change their behaviors..."
"To give their best, something I haven't seen in a few years if not for all of my time acting as the head of this village."
"Be it Testros' massive change, the books you brought, and the looming danger around us, the combination of these factors have made them strive for something instead of losing hope…"
"And she is no different, albeit, the most pitiful of us."
"Pitiful?... Why is that?" Dale asked with a little bit of concern
"Sigh… Tina is old, really old, she grew up in a time when Resko was still a town, despite one falling into ruin, it was still a proper town."
"Being over 100 years old isn't easy, and I'm sure she has long abandoned any hope of advancing or growing stronger, I would be surprised if she even remembers why she took up a blade in the first place."
"She never had any family, at least, if she had, they kicked the bucket before I was even here... I can't even begin to imagine how she feels about everything."
"For her, I imagine it must've been extremely painful to see Testros succeeding in something she hasn't been able to do, something she threw towards the back of her mind."
"She is the strongest in the Village, her repertoire of knowledge is massive, but she is… Old."
"Tina is probably fighting herself. Everything that happened recently must've given her the desire to try again… And that makes me worry."
"She'll definitely live a decade or two more if she remains calm, but if she risks herself in the forest, I can't say for certain if she'll last even a quarter of that…"
"I was always against her going to the forest, but it's not like I could've stopped her even if I wanted to."
He looked at Dale and said:
"I never said this though, if you tell this to her I'll push all the blame back to you without hesitation."
His expression was serious, he would truly kick Dale aside if this were to happen...
"..."
Dale smiled awkwardly, just one more thing for him to worry about.
"What about you?" Dale asked suddenly
Edimund was caught by surprise.
He stopped talking and thought for a moment.
"Hum… I don't quite know, since, in the first place, I have no idea what to strive towards..." He said deeply
"I was never the warrior type, ever since I was small, I always preferred the simplicity of the farm as compared to the battlefield…"
"I took up arms because I had to, not because I wanted to, but for the sake of myself, my family's, and my friend's lives, I did it… Yet the longer I held onto it, the more I understood how good I was at it."
"Before long, I was slashing the same monsters my parents used to mention to scare me at night..."
"Not long after, I was giving orders, and in no time at all, I took over the position of the Village Head… Yet I never wanted to do it, I simply wanted to..."
He stopped, dropping his head as he said deeply:
"Sigh, I don't quite know what I want to do, if I once did, I already forgot."
He then quickly said slightly embarrassed:
"I'm not saying I dislike the ways things are right now, someone has to do it, better me than someone incapable…"
"I would like to give it my all, seeing that everyone is trying their hardest, to change too and seek something..."
"I can see the path ahead... I always did, I just refused to follow it... Laziness, work, you can pull many excuses, but they're just that in the end."
"... I'm not as eager as her."
"I just... Need to figure out where should I put my efforts."
Dale remained silent, this was a side of him he didn't know.
'He is confused, but I have no words for him... I don't know him enough to guide him onto a path... This is something he'll have to figure out on his own.'
'And... He's a 60-year-old man, I'm a 19-year-old kid, what advice can I even give him?'
'It already feels weird as it is...'
'Though... This may be the clue to getting his exclusive Quest.'
'He, Tina, and Ophelia are the only ones that I have yet to get an exclusive Quest from, all of the other Elders have one.'
'Mineral Chain for Jyter the Miner...'
'Blood and Iron for Barme the blacksmith...'
'Rise of the Southern Wall Corps for Testros...'
'Material gathering for Adamante the... Do all?...'
'Even Yumi has her own exclusive Quest, Herb Chain.'
'Hum... I guess I could say Misgurd also has no Quest, albeit I already have an idea of what to do.'
'I have to wait for the Mercenary Guild caravan to arrive, until then, I'll just raise my Rank, there could also be some development with Illia since she is his daughter.'
'Looking for his brother should also be on my list... But I'll eventually meet with all Villagers, so it's something that will happen eventually.'
"... Anyway, I ended up talking a lot and taking up quite a bit of your time."
"I'll be in the Mercenary Guild together with the others, it's getting quite stuffy there with everyone reading those books… Or trying to, not everyone knows how to read after all."
He turned around and started walking away, but he stopped to say one more thing:
"Also, Dale, if you have time… Try to talk a bit more with the others… Especially the kids around your age… Some of them are very curious about you, and now that they have time, they would be very eager to get to know you."
"If you have some extra time, perhaps you can even spar with them… But of course, as long as that doesn't bother you."
"Until next time, young man." He said as he turned around, waving back at him as he walked away
"... Until…"
Dale remained there, gazing at Edimund's back as he walked further and further away.
'It's not just me, everyone has their own worries and priorities... They're all doing their best.'
Dale turned his head towards the Church, but not before quickly passing through Tina's house.
'If I have some time, I wouldn't mind visiting them, it was within my list of tasks after all.'
'To uncover more of Resko, I obviously need to talk with its inhabitants… Something that so far was very difficult to do given that they remained close to ? of the day on the crop fields.'
'But for now, I have some things to do.'
With a slight shake of his head, Dale made his way through the busy streets of Resko.
…
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Notes
N1
I actually just realized I never showed what the Well rested Bonus looks like, well then, allow me to make it right now!
...
Dead Tired -> When your character feels extremely tired from lack of sleep after staying up well beyond his maximum tolerance threshold.
(Calculated by Constitution value?)
All Stats -5 for each extra hour after this debuff first appears atop the previous one.
If Constitution reaches 1, the player will be immediately thrown into a sleeping Status regardless of where they are.
All Experience gain -35%.
Skill Cooldown +50%.
Stamina Regeneration is set to -0.1% -> Meaning your character is effectively losing energy every second.
Health Regeneration -50% -> If you had 0 health regen, your character will lose health over time at a decent rate until death
A few more things if you're a standard player, such as reduced Crit change and increase enemy Crit chance, reduced Accuracy, enemy Accuracy increased, and so on.
...
Extremely Tired -> When your character feels like sleeping but didn't.
All Stats halved.
All Experience gain -15%.
Skill Cooldown +35%.
Stamina Regeneration -100% -> Meaning, no Stamina regen
Health Regeneration -20% If you had 0 health regen, your character will lose health over time at a slow rate until death
A few more things if you're a standard player, such as reduced Crit change and increase enemy Crit chance, reduced Accuracy, enemy Accuracy increased, and so on.
...
Tired -> It's time to hit the bed and call it a day
All Stats -10, in case a Stat is beneath 10, the Stat is set to 1, in case Constitution is the Stat in Question, the player will be immediately thrown into a sleeping Status
All Experience gain -5%.
Skill Cooldown +10%.
Stamina Regeneration -50%
Health Regeneration -5% If you had 0 health regen, your character will lose health over time until death, not really noticeable, and it's likely that normal regen will counterbalance it, but annoying nonetheless
A few more things if you're a standard player, such as reduced Crit change and increase enemy Crit chance, reduced Accuracy, enemy Accuracy increased, and so on.
...
Rested -> When your character had a decent night of sleep, lasts 2 hours (Minimum of 4 hours of sleep, less if in better sleeping conditions)
All Experience gain +5%.
Skill Cooldown -10%.
Stamina Regeneration +20%
Health Regeneration +1% -> If you had 0 Health regeneration, you'll gain a little bit of it.
No other Bonuses
...
Well Rested -> When your character had a satisfying night of sleep, can't get better than this, lasts 6 hours (Minimum of 6 hours of sleep, less if in better sleeping conditions)
All Stats +5
All Experience gain +15%.
Skill Cooldown -30%.
Stamina Regeneration +50%
Health Regeneration +5% -> If you had 0 Health regeneration, you'll gain a little bit of it.
A few more things if you're a standard player, such as increased Crit change, Accuracy, and so on.
...
?? -> Something better than a very nice night of sleep? A perfect one?!
Dale's current sleeping conditions are -> Decent, just enough to get the second Tier resting bonus, but not enough to reduce the time needed for him to get the Bonus.
With this, I'll effectively try to add the sleeping bonus to his Status from now on.
What do you think? Should I add more things to each stage of the buff or should I remove something from it?
I accept ideas.
Aside from that, that's about it, Peace!
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