ã€ŠCaste as Dustã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1

    I had a premonition of the end, but the next day came anyway.

    ¡°It was New Year¡¯s Eve and I swear I was sober. I was at my parents house as usual, celebrating the passing of another year. Midnight came late and I promptly excused myself to sleep once my obligation was fulfilled. I¡¯m not one of those people who miraculously fall asleep the moment their head touches the pillow, but I was out cold within seconds.¡±

    ¡°Dreams? Yeah I had those regularly, but this wasn¡¯t one of those. If I had a better word I would use it, I¡¯ve tried trance or vision but those don¡¯t feel right. Perhaps a premonition or prophecy but those words scared people so I avoided them. Whatever the case, when I awoke I saw a world filled with terrors that stained my soul and made me a believer. That is, a believer of the end. Notably, there was a voice in the midst of the chaos; a vaguely female voice that lacked emotion or concern. The voice rang in my mind as if I was wearing high-end headphones.¡± Noah paused before continuing in his best authoritative soprano.

    ¡°If only you had been a stronger, less primitive people, perhaps you would have stood a chance. Your lack of cultivation and knowledge of the gates will not be held against you but your judgment remains. From the dust you came, and dust you remained.¡± Noah cleared his throat and continued in a notably less feminine voice.

    ¡°I floated above the earth and watched as civilization crumbled and fell to the hordes. Ah the hordes, yes that is simply my name for them. They appeared to be monsters, vicious beasts of ridiculous size and variety. Like floodwaters, they surged into the cities and feasted.¡±

    ¡°I saw others who managed to repel the beasts, fighting valiantly with swords and axes as if they were from another era. Perhaps they were. They certainly weren¡¯t human. Their eyes were intelligent, and they clearly communicated with one another, but the differences were stark. These ¡°others¡± were larger, the smallest no less than seven feet. And they had horns. Yes real horns, black and shiny protruding from their skulls. I admired them, they were the only ones who seemed capable of repelling the hordes. Though in the end they too fell¡±

    ¡°Other non-sensical images flashed in my eyes before I woke up but the message was clear. We are in imminent danger and must prepare. We must discard our old ways of life and embrace the new!¡± Noah finished.

    ¡°Did you believe right away?¡± A young child from his captive audience asked. Noah smiled at her and shook his head in shame.

    ¡°Regretfully the truth was too much for me to grasp at the beginning and it wasn¡¯t until the third day of the repeated dream that I believed.¡±

    The mother of the child stared at Noah in horror as she quickly snatched her child away upon realizing that her daughter was listening to his message. Noah watched as the woman chastised her curious child and strictly warned her not to believe his raving words. He sighed at the familiar titles of ¡°crazy¡± and ¡°lunatic¡± that were assigned to him. He shook his head again, this time in sadness. As much as he had tried, no one believed his message. These days few would even bother to listen before they scoffed and turned their heads.

    It was compassion and his sense of duty that led Noah to preach on the street corner every few days. It was truly a sacrifice to give up such precious time that could be used to grow stronger, but he wasn¡¯t one to live for himself. No, such selfishness was not part of his path. To forsake others would only doom yourself. He thought, nodding in satisfaction as he made his way home from the humble post.

    Noah lived on the south end of Seattle in a rented warehouse. He had considered moving to an isolated mountain peak to train in high elevations like the monks but chose instead to spread the message. It was the beginning of July now and six months had passed since he received the premonition. He hadn¡¯t wasted a moment of it. Selling his house and possessions had been surprisingly simple. Convincing his family¡­ well that didn¡¯t happen.

    Noah was alone now. The initial ache of it faded months ago, and now he could recognize it for the blessing it was. After all, the best way to help them would be to focus on preparing. He pulled on the large metal doors and stepped inside the wide-open space. With a click and a low hum, the lights came on, revealing what looked like a vigilante¡¯s bachelor pad. A myriad of steel weapons laid on racks, from typical spears and swords to halberds and war axes. Fighting dummies were spread across a padded floor and were marred by heavy use. In a corner, a mattress lay on the concrete floor near a wall of emergency rations and protein shakes. Most of the space was dominated by an adult¡¯s version of a jungle gym, or as Noah saw it, the perfect obstacle course. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Noah smiled as he gazed lovingly across the room. In six months He had blown half a million dollars on personal trainers and martial arts instruction, making use of every spare minute to refine himself. He was no master but he knew that he had only himself to blame. It was only thanks to the premonition, after all, that he had any preparation to speak of. Realizing that he was wasting time staring off into space, Noah moved toward the meditation mat. The voice had specifically mentioned cultivation and the gates, two foreign concepts to Noah. In fact they were foreign concepts to his whole species according to the voice. In the past months, He had sought every single resource he could find on the topics, ranging from engineering manuals to hand-written notes passed down in monasteries. He eventually gave up on the idea that they were a type of physical gate and focused on the more metaphysical concepts. The most promising resources spoke of enlightenment and greater revelation of the world, but according to the voice, they were completely lacking.

    Calming his mind in a now familiar manner he sat down, crossed his legs, and shut his eyes. He didn¡¯t hum or recite sutras, as these methods were debunked, but instead, he became still, allowing himself to become small in the face of the world¡¯s vastness. On the edge of his consciousness, he felt a familiar sensation. A presence. Noah smiled ever so slightly, careful not to break concentration. He felt an attraction to this presence as if every cell in his body was starved for whatever it carried. Yet it remained just out of reach. So it had gone for these past several months. Noah attempted to communicate, prod, or even attack this sensation but remained clueless as to an appropriate method. He considered it to be a presence because he occasionally felt something akin to a will pulse from it. Nothing truly discernible but he couldn''t ignore it.

    As Noah sat, he once again sought to connect with the presence. Feeling particularly vulnerable from today¡¯s failures he tried a new method.

    ¡°Great one, are you there?¡± Noah called out into the recesses of his mind.

    ¡°I am becoming desperate. The end is drawing near.¡±

    ¡°I am helpless and lost but I know something must be done! If you could only help me, perhaps I could rescue this hopeless people.¡± He called out before settling into a long silence.

    Time passed and eventually, his body began to urge him to get up and stretch out his limbs. He, of course, denied himself such weakness.

    ¡°It is time.¡±

    Noah sat in silence as he considered that. Time¡­time for what? Realization dawned on him and his heart leapt into his chest. It responded¡­

    ¡°Yes. Certaintly it is time, Great One.¡± Noah got out, unsure of what more to say.

    ¡°Well child, out with it. What is it that you want?¡± The deep voice echoed into his mind.

    ¡°Ahem. Great One, I desire to cultivate and learn of the gates¡± He managed.

    ¡°That much is obvious child, this is the first gate, why else would we be speaking?¡± It or he replied.

    Noah raked his mind in an attempt to understand. He didn¡¯t though. The first gate? What did that mean?

    ¡°Right the first gate, I am afraid I do not know how this typically works. Could you enlighten me, O Great One?¡± he risked. A warm laugh boomed in his mind as the being responded.

    ¡°Oh-ho! You truly no nothing of the path? Hmm, perhaps I can bend the rules for such an interesting one as yourself. Yes, I think I will, they are my rules afterall.¡± Noah grinned in anticipation at the words, finally some guidance!

    ¡°You are already cultivating if you have reached the first door. It seems you simply lack the mana to actually open the door. That is quite strange, perhaps even a first. Are you a manaless creature?¡± The voice asked.

    ¡°Mana? I don¡¯t think I have mana, or rather, how would I know if I did?¡± Noah asked, now dreading the possibility of an impassible barrier.

    ¡°Truly remarkable, it has been so long since I have spoken to one such as yourself. Mana or life-energy as some call it is something that nearly all creatures possess. It is what enables them to grow and change and become something more.¡± The voice mused.

    ¡°Hold on, could it be? Are you uninitiated?¡± The voice inquired.

    ¡°I am afraid that I don¡¯t know. Initiated into what?¡± Noah replied. Laughter erupted again and Noah struggled to maintain his calm demeanor.

    ¡°It seems that you are indeed uninitiated. Child, you have a very bright future ahead of you, I cannot even remember the last time that the first door was reached before a world was flooded with mana. That is, initiated. You will certainly achieve much if you live to see your world¡¯s initiation. To honor your achievement, I will supply the mana to let you pass.¡±

    The presence left then, and Noah¡¯s mind was once more a vast emptiness. he searched the dark expanse for another sign of being, now deciding that he must indeed be a person of sorts. But he did not find him, not even a trace of him. It was almost like the first time Noah had meditated¨Cnothingness.

    Something about that thought struck a chord in him and he analyzed his inner world once again. Something must have changed. Perhaps related to this ¡°gate¡± business that the voice had mentioned. Scouring his mind he found nothing, that is until he turned inward. There was a dark outline of an entryway that stood in his mental expanse. The first door. Noah peered in only to find that he could not stick his head through the door. He tried his hand and still nothing. It was as if gravity repelled any attempts to enter.

    Noah sat there for a moment, rubbing the now-deeper crease between his brows. His mind was jumping in too many directions at once. On the one hand, he was thrilled at his encounter with the new voice and his apparent success. On the other, he had the morbid realization that the lady who spoke in his vision knew full well that she was addressing uninitiated people. She came to murder us. Noah thought as his heart throbbed. It''s not as if he had praised the mysterious lady whose voice had shattered his world, no he wasn¡¯t that naive¨Cbut he also hadn''t imagined this. He knew she had no real love for his world or its people. To act as if it was their own fault though? That irked him.

    Noah got up from his mat then, too frazzled to continue meditating, and made his way to the weapon rack. He hefted a two-handed long sword and turned toward a practice dummy. She may have no love for Earth¡¯s people but he did.

 Chapter 2

    BANG! BANG! BANG!

    ¡°Mr. Denter! This is the Police, open up!¡±

    Noah sprung out of bed, wincing as his legs protested the sudden movement. He quickly threw on a t-shirt and grimaced as he hobbled toward the sliding metal doors. More banging quickened his pace and he soon lifted the latch and pulled open the door.

    ¡°Good morning to you too¡± Noah muttered as he squinted at the two police officers through the harsh morning light. They looked him over with accusatory scowls before looking him in the eyes.

    ¡°Are you Noah Denter?¡± The shorter man on the left asked. Noah nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s me. What is this about?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Mr. Denter you have been accused of disturbing the peace and we are here to bring you in for questioning. Are you willing to come peacefully?¡± The much taller officer explained while pulling out handcuffs.

    ¡°I am certainly willing to do that, but are those really necessary?¡± Noah responded, nodding to the cuffs.

    ¡°We have witnesses saying that you have violent tendencies so we will be taking every precaution.¡± He responded matter-of-factly. Noah stared into space, his mouth hanging open before he acquiesced bringing his wrists together in front of him.

    Noah lowered himself into the backseat of the patrol car, still baffled by the morning¡¯s developments. He awkwardly rubbed his eyes and attempted to fix his hair but promptly gave up as the handcuffs rubbed uncomfortably against his wrists. The engine was running and the officers barely looked him over before pulling onto the main drag. This is what I get for trying to help people. Noah thought as he stared out the window, recognizing the faces of several street dwellers who had listened to his message. It was making to be a typical summer day for Seattle, the sun was peaking out through some wispy clouds and large patches of blue promised a warm day. In the distance, he could make out Mt. Rainer, only partially covered by the haze. He couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight, no matter how many times he saw it, it always seemed to produce a sense of awe in him. He had never been one for traditional forms of art, paintings, and the like, but there was something about the majesty of the mountains or the sea that made him wish he was.

    Noah sighed as concrete obstructed his path. Sometimes he wished he had chosen a different path, opting to be an environmental scientist or a fisherman instead of a software engineer. Where was the money in that though? That had been his justification¨Cnot that it mattered much now. Now he only hoped that this mix-up would be quickly resolved so that he could get back to training. He somehow doubted that he could keep up his weapon practice in a holding cell.

    Before long they arrived at the station, at which point he was unceremoniously paraded out of the car and into the building where he was then deposited at the desk of a bored-looking clerk.

    ¡°Name please,¡± said the woman in a nasally voice.

    ¡°Noah¡± he replied.

    ¡°Your full name, sir¡± she urged him.

    ¡°Right, sorry. It''s Noah Denter¡± he said.

    ¡°Good. Now I have a series of questions regarding your background. It will make this process quicker for both of us if you answer them truthfully.¡± She glanced up at Noah looking for agreement. He nodded.

    ¡°Very good.¡± She continued. ¡°Do you have family in the area?¡±

    ¡°I do¡± Noah replied, ¡°My parents live in Bellevue and my siblings and their families are all in the area.¡± She nodded.

    ¡°And your parents¡¯ names?¡±

    ¡°Kaitlyn and Daniel Winters¡± Noah supplied, drawing out the last name as he braced himself for the clerk¡¯s response.

    ¡°Alright, Kaitlyn and Daniel Winters,¡± she paused then, her fingers hovering above her keyboard as she turned her gaze back to Noah. She scanned his face with squinted eyes.

    ¡°Care to explain?¡± Noah took a deep, resigned breath.

    ¡°I am adopted,¡± He began, ¡°Though I suppose that much would be obvious,¡± he said as he gestured to his face and stature. ¡°My parents had been waiting to adopt a baby for quite some time, so when the hospital called my family with the news that a child had been abandoned they were ecstatic. The caveat though was that the birth parents had left a note asking that I would retain my name.¡±

    Noah had gone back and forth on that growing up. It was hard enough looking so different than his family and answering the questions that inevitably arose. The name just cemented what he already felt as the black sheep of the family.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    The Winters were well known, referred to as the Rockefellers of their industry¨Cnamely by themselves but Noah had seen the title in the headlines more than once. They thought the name inspired a larger-than-life persona for people to grab onto. Noah knew however that they, particularly his father, were insecure about their lacking height and rotund appearance. Noah of course served to accentuate this with his rather opposing genes. For all their differences though, Noah had been well-loved by his family even if he found it easier to get out of the photo shoots and interviews than his siblings.

    ¡°I see¡± the woman responded and Noah remained unconvinced that she believed his story. This thought was confirmed when she then proceeded to call someone and question them in about his lineage. A few minutes passed and once she was satisfied she hung up the phone.

    ¡°I apologize for the lack of faith, but it wouldn¡¯t be the first time someone claimed to be adopted by some rich family¡± She explained.

    The interview continued on and Noah was soon reminded of the circumstances that the officers had found him in as his stomach began to rumble audibly. After the background examination the clerk, Mary¨Che had learned, led him to another room; one that had the classic one-sided mirror and uncomfortable-looking table and chairs.

    Noah took the transition in stride, happy enough to have things moving along. He followed her instructions and sat in the chair, and she left him to his own devices. Some time passed and the door opened revealing an unfamiliar face carrying what he hoped was a familiar beverage.

    ¡°Mr. Denter. Good morning! I am Detective Billings¡± The man announced, each syllable clear and distinct.

    ¡°Good morning yourself, Detective. Any chance that coffee is for me?¡± Noah asked, eyebrows raised. Detective Billings smiled warmly.

    ¡°Yes sir. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to take it black though.¡± He replied as he set the steaming beverage on the table. Noah grabbed the coffee without hesitation, though he doubted the station was truly lacking in cream or sugar.

    ¡°Ah. Perfect.¡± Noah said as he savored the bitter, stale brew. Many assumed he was a snob when it came to the fine substance, but he had come to appreciate it in nearly every avenue. The detective sat across from Noah and began leafing through a manila folder with a photo of him clipped to the top.

    ¡°Mr. Denter, do you know why you are here?¡± He asked.

    ¡°As a matter of fact, I do not.¡± Noah replied.

    ¡°I see. You were informed that you are accused of disturbing the peace, yes?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Noah agreed.

    ¡°Any ideas why you may be in the situation then?¡± The detective asked, fishing for something incriminating. He had half a mind to just let Noah go, given the evidence. But he would do his due diligence, especially considering who the accuser was. Noah tilted his head and squinted his eyes in concentration.

    ¡°No, I really can¡¯t think of a suitable reason for this investigation. In fact, I am starting to think you may have the wrong person. Who would go so far as to claim I have violent tendencies?¡± Noah considered his martial arts instructors but promptly dismissed the idea. Perhaps if someone was observing my training¡­ Noah shook his head though. It''s not like his warehouse had windows. The detective sighed and made up his mind.

    ¡°Look, I am inclined to agree with you. I need to make a few calls to confirm that I can let you go but if nothing else comes up then you should be out soon. Make yourself comfortable.¡± The detective said before gathering his documents and getting up to leave.

    ¡°Detective, any chance I could get some more coffee?¡± Noah asked, holding the cup up in his still-cuffed hands. The restraints having done nothing to slow down his consumption. Billings chuckled.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone bring you more,¡± He said before stepping out of the room.

    Noah allowed his shoulders to sag as he shifted in the stiff-backed seat. He sipped on the last bit of coffee in his cup and regretted it as the cold dregs from the bottom filled his mouth. His morning had been an unwelcome distraction to his routine, and he was already feeling the loss of missing his morning meditation. He remembered then, the events of the previous night. The first gate. The phrase that the strange entity had offered him in their brief exchange. He had made it through this gate, whatever that meant, but nothing had changed. Noah couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed about that. He had hoped that he would wake up with some superhuman power or maybe a physical boost of sorts but had found nothing.

    Before he could dwell on it too much, the door opened and Mary came in carrying a steaming cup of Jo, a bagel, and to his amusement sugar and creamer packets. With little more than a smile at his thanks, she had left the room again. He didn¡¯t mind enjoying his breakfast in peace and was relieved to find that the coffee was from a fresh pot. Noah finished his breakfast and tried his hand at meditation. Unsuccessful. Well, no time like the present then. Noah thought as he got out of his seat and got into a pseudo-triangle pushup position. One. Two. Three. He managed thirty before he let himself rest. Next came crunches. Then Squats. Repeat.

    Detective Billings watched from the other side of the glass as half an hour passed. He was impressed by the man¡¯s endurance, even more so by his lack of embarrassment at what he was doing. His calls had been unfruitful, the higher-ups wanted to keep him under observation for the night but he didn¡¯t have any legal reason to hold him. Something was off about the whole situation but he couldn¡¯t put his finger on it. For now though, he would avoid the man as long as seemed reasonable and leave the explanations for later.

    Just then, the lights flickered and the room shook. Earthquake? Billings wondered. He never got the chance to confirm before he was plunged into complete darkness.

    Noah finished his last set as the ground shook. But then the lights went out and his lungs failed to fill with air. The voice rang in his head, cold and without emotion.

    [System Initialized.]

 Chapter 3

    [System Initialized.]

    [Scanning...]

    [Mana not detected.]

    [Mana saturation complete.]

    [Essence Grade: F.]

    [Merge successful.]

    [Tutorial Commencing.]

    Noah opened his eyes to find a small white room with neither windows nor doors. He blinked. Where was he? Noah stretched out his hands and saw that they were no longer bound together. At least there¡¯s that. Noah went to take a step when a screen appeared before him.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Caste: Dust

    Gate: 1

    Path: Novice

    Level: 0

    Strength: 12

    Dexterity:14

    Constitution: 11

    Intelligence:11

    Wisdom: 13

    Willpower: 14

    EXP: 0/10

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 0

    Noah fell to his knees as he stared at the screen in amazement. It actually happened. I¡¯m not crazy¡­ Tears welled in his eyes as he read through the screen. This was the measurement of who he was, who he had become. The numbers felt right. He couldn¡¯t explain why but somehow he knew that they were true. It was as if he looked at himself in a mirror and recognized himself. There were several new words that he didn¡¯t understand though. What does it mean that I am F grade?

    [Tutorial will now begin.]

    The same cold, hollow voice from the police station spoke in his mind. Who is that? What tutorial? He thought.  Before he could vocalize his questions the voice continued.

    [Your planet has been initiated into the multiverse. Earth has been merged with additional planets. Planet Grade measured as F. Adjustments have been made. The surface area of the new planet, Unnamed is 150 times that of Earth¡¯s.]

    Thoughts raced through Noah¡¯s head as he tried to take it all in. He could hardly imagine an Earth twice the size, much less 150 times. He was getting distracted though.

    ¡°What does Grade mean?¡± Noah said aloud.

    [Standard definitions are as follows. No further information will be provided.]

    Grade is the multiverse standard for essence density.

    Caste is the multiverse standard for value.

    Gate is the multiverse standard for inspiration.

    Path is the multiverse standard for level progression.

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Noah replied, his question no more answered than before. He was glad to see Gate on his status and he supposed that inspiration made some sense. As he focused on Gate, another screen popped up before him.

    [Congratulations. You have reached the first Gate. Choose a reward.]

    Immediate

    Progressive

    Noah read the options that had appeared before his eyes. Immediate or progressive. This must be what the entity meant when I first reached the gate. Noah raked his mind for the best path forward. He knew he could use an immediate boost, but he had no clue how much he would miss by taking that option. Everyone knew that get-rich-quick schemes were short-lived, and he didn¡¯t want to be that sucker who bought into the instant gratification. He wished he had more information, some numbers to run, or a 30-day guarantee. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Can you explain the options for me?¡± Noah asked hopefully. He waited. Nothing.

    Worth a try. Noah thought before he made up his mind. If there was a way to save his people it wasn¡¯t going to be a quick and easy solution. With that thought in mind, he mentally chose progressive.

    [Progressive: Every time you gain a level, you get one additional stat point to allocate.]

    He had no idea if that was the worthwhile choice but it sounded promising. Noah felt accomplished at his early win, aware that there was no better time to gain this boon than at level 0.

    [Estimated survival rate: 50%.]

    [Error. The survival rate is too high.]

    [Adjustments made. Difficulty increased.]

    ¡°Oh.¡± Noah thought he would have puked if he could feel his body. One benefit to the strange void room he supposed. In a way, he was glad that he couldn¡¯t take back his choice because he would have chosen the immediate boost given the present information. Instead, he closed his eyes and tried to take a deep breath. No luck.

    Noah was still spellbound by the influx of life-altering information. Of course, 50% is too much to ask for, now it''s a more reasonable, say 45%? Noah assured himself even as his heart sank. Noah recalled his vision then, perhaps the hordes, as he called them, were the ¡°adjustments¡± the voice referred to.

    [Placement randomized.]

    [Wildlife enhanced.]

    ¡°Of course its this way!¡± Noah grunted, realizing that his stockpiled protein bars would feed some other lucky soul. All that time and effort he spent procuring the perfect survival gear was now wasted. He could only hope that his preparation would go to use and that he would find himself in some other doomsday bunker.

    [Void closing in 00:01:00.]

    Noah regained his composure. He needed to think. What else could he get from the last minute? This was supposed to be the tutorial? I have barely learned anything. Noah thought with some frustration. Was there anything he could ask that would improve his chances?

    [00:00:30.]

    ¡°Why is this happening?¡± Noah asked, hoping that the voice would deem his question worth responding to.

    [System expansion occurred due to unauthorized contact.]

    ¡°What?

    [00:00:00]

    ~

    Trellian Galaxy, Sector 901

    ¡°So it begins¡± She mumbled as she turned the globe in front of her. The blue and green marble now sat on the floor, a keepsake for the future. As a Bronze, she was allowed certain privileges, though not all were without repercussions. The globe was blue and orange with streaks of purple and patches of green, but that was the extent of her access. The accursed System would keep prying eyes away from the young ones.

    She had often wondered what it was like to be in their position, so ignorant of the broader machinations. It sounded freeing and disastrous. She could only hope that the situation wasn¡¯t too far gone before access was granted. Her plans had certain fail-safes but it pained her to have no control over the outcome.

    Superior Galaxy, Sector 250

    ¡°Father, did you hear the news?¡± Jonash asked.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± The Emperor looked at his son, who once again neglected the formalities that even his children were expected to maintain. Who am I kidding? He thought as he smiled freely at his youngest child.

    ¡°A new galaxy was just initiated¡± Jonash shared.

    ¡°Thats¡­ Odd¡± The Emperor replied, frowning in concentration.

    ¡°What is it, father? The boy inquired, resting his hand on the pommel of the sword at his hip. His father wasn¡¯t one to be concerned over trivialities.

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± The Emperor spoke, his face relaxing and the tension leaving the room. ¡°A young one overstepped their bounds, but it was nothing grievous.¡±

    ¡°What did they do?¡± Jonash asked, his amber eyes bright with curiosity.

    ¡°My son! Did I miss your ascension to Bronze?¡± The Emperor asked doing his best to appear shocked.

    ¡°Still Copper¡­¡± Jonash sighed. The Emperor nodded knowingly.

    ¡°I am afraid I cannot share the details with you then. You will have to wait for the appropriate time, Jonash.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡± The boy acknowledged respectfully.

    After Jonash had run along, The Emperor gestured to the man dutifully standing to the side of the throne room.

    ¡°My Emperor¡± Darius intoned as he came to attention beside the throne.

    ¡°Darius, you are to travel to the new galaxy. I permit you to use the full force of your rank to ensure non-interference from foreign entities.

    ¡°Yes, Emperor.¡± The man responded before bowing and leaving the room.

    The Emperor smiled in satisfaction. It was only fitting that those of his caste shepherd the children the Great System brought into the fold.

    Surden Galaxy, Sector 995

    ¡°Boss! Boss!¡± Came a high-pitched, raspy voice. Surden massaged his temples as he turned toward the voice.

    ¡°This better be important, Chak,¡± Surden growled. Chak swallowed and looked up at the flared nostrils of the bossman¡¯s face. He was mad.

    ¡°Uhh. Yes sir. The galaxy you told me to watch has hatched.¡± Chak managed.  Surden tilted his head as he ran the numbers. That sounds about right. He thought as he gave up on the calculation.

    ¡°Then it''s time!¡± He said with a savage grin. ¡°Ready the men!¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes Boss!¡± Chak said with a haphazard solute.

    Chak¡¯s heart raced as he thought of it. A new galaxy always promised riches, but this one was special. He wouldn¡¯t dare tell his men, but this galaxy marked a unique opportunity to rise above one¡¯s station. And it would be his.

    Milky Way Galaxy, Sector 1000

    In a tiny pocket of the infant galaxy, an invisible pulse rippled across the heavenly bodies. The star in its center blinked and expanded many times over before a wave of blue-white intensity emanated from it. The subsidiary planets and moons morphed and grew, taking on a deeper vibrancy than any untouched galaxy could claim. This solar system¡¯s jewel, that is Unnamed, took on a new form. With an artist''s hand, its landscape transformed. Its blues deepened, its greens scattered; reds and purples were interwoven into its tapestry. A handful of lights joined another, and like seeds were scattered across the canvas. Black pearls were placed just so, adding contrast to the lights. It was complete. A masterpiece.

 Chapter 4

    Noah jolted awake and found himself lying on the ground surrounded by trees towering into the sky. He remembered his time in the white room, the tutorial, and what the voice had said. I could be anywhere. He realized. He moved to stand and was horrified to see his hands once again firmly bound in handcuffs. No, no¡­ this is not good.  Noah scrambled to his feet and took a look at the world around him. The ground was hard, brown dirt littered with twigs and leaves. The trees though¡­ they had changed.

    He walked up to the tree and put his hand on its trunk. It felt like good old Earth bark, and for the most part, it looked like it too. It was the streaks of tiny purple veins running up the length of the tree that set it apart. He worked his fingers between the grooves in the bark and pulled in an attempt to see what lay beneath, but it didn¡¯t budge. He tried again. Then again in a different spot. Nothing, he couldn¡¯t so much as shift the outer layer of the bark. He went to try his hand once more when he heard the crunch of a twig into the hard earth.

    Noah froze. Perhaps it was the wind.

    Crunch! The sound was closer this time. Not wind.

    Noah turned, adrenaline pulsing through his body. He heard another sound, recognizable and terrifying, a thunderous roar so loud that Noah frantically tried to cover his ears. He was only mildly successful with his cuffs. It was then that the beast stepped into view, a bear so large that it looked down at Noah on all fours. Run or play dead? Noah thought, immediately dismissing the ¡®act big¡¯ option. The bear locked eyes with him and huffed¨Cits breath rustling the leaves. Noah knew he had one chance to get the next move right or he would die. Simple as that. So when the bear charged him he waited until it was just a few scarce feet away and dove desperately to the right.

    A loud smack rang out and the tree Noah had been standing in front of groaned in protest. Noah scampered to his feet and ran to the nearest tree, hoping that he could repeat the maneuver. The monster of a bear back-peddled, shaking its head side to side as if it had been stunned. Noah smiled then, perhaps he wouldn¡¯t die today. The bear turned, sniffing loudly, and fixed its gaze on him again. It charged and smashed head-first into the tree as Noah bolted to the side again. It whimpered briefly before huffing in frustration. The next time went less smoothly and as Noah dove to the left, the bear stopped just short of the tree and lifted its paw as its maw shifted in Noah¡¯s direction. Noah¡¯s fingernails dug into the dirt as he threw himself forward, just in time to feel a rush of wind across his back. Wasting no time, he sprung to his feet and dashed behind the nearest tree. He wouldn¡¯t try the same tactic again.

    Instead, he ran, being careful to move between trees to eliminate any straight lines between him and the bear. Loud crashes could be heard behind him as the bear failed to navigate fully between the trees. Noah ran as fast as he could manage, staying just ahead of the massive beast. Its angry snorts were fine motivation to keep him moving and he was thanking the woman from his vision for the heads-up that led to his intense training. The Noah from six months ago could barely run a mile, much less outrun a bear. Just as he had that thought his foot caught a snag and flew forward, the handcuffs digging into his wrists and the breath thoroughly knocked out of him. Noah wheezed and clamored back to his feet, all too aware of the fast-approaching bear. He hobbled for a few steps before regaining a jog. The bear growled behind him and Noah turned to find a straight stretch between them. The bear was already charging when Noah threw himself out of its path. It was too late to completely clear the charging beast and its shoulder rammed into his legs, throwing him at an awkward angle. Noah got to his feet, clinging to the dregs of adrenaline that pushed the pain of the impact to the back of his mind.

    The bear lumbered towards him rising up on its hind legs. It towered over him, easily double his height. I¡¯m sorry. Noah thought as he considered his family and those he would leave behind. As he accepted his fate staring into the eyes of his executioner, an odd thing occurred. A screech pierced the air as something akin to a golden eagle thrust its talons into the bear¡¯s eyes. The bear howled and moaned in agony as the giant bird released its grip and rose to the skies again. Noah, relieved to be alive for the moment turned and ran with all his strength. As he ran the sounds of clashing titans filled his ears and he plowed forward on borrowed breath until he collapsed some distance away. Blood had hardened on his arms and the pain of the bear¡¯s impact was now present in full force. He sat with his back against the tree and rolled up his leg to inspect his injuries. As he feared his left leg was a deep purple from mid-calf all the to the hip, to his relief there were no visible bones or bleeding so he considered himself fortunate. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Noah wasn¡¯t sure what to do next. The survival basics all seemed to be out of reach. Fire, water, shelter, food. So far he had seen nothing but towering trees for shelter and their lowest branches were at least 15 feet into the air. He supposed he could try rubbing twigs together for fire but somehow doubted that it would be a viable option. Food¨Cwell there was bear apparently, but unless he had a fire and a means to attack said bear then it was useless. For now, he would catch his breath and think of a plan. He rested for some time, before standing to his feet, or trying at least. His leg buckled beneath him and he was quickly reunited with the ground. With his new plan decided for him, Noah got comfortable against the tree and hoped that he had made it far enough away from the animals to be spared.

    [5 XP gained]

    The voice startled Noah awake and he braced himself for an attack. Then he realized that it was the same System voice from the tutorial. 5 XP. What is that supposed to mean? He thought as he considered the message. He remembered the status that he had seen on the screen in the tutorial and wondered if there was a way to view it again. As if on queue, it appeared before his eyes as a translucent menu.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Caste: Dust

    Gate: 1

    Path: Novice

    Level: 0

    Strength: 12

    Dexterity:14

    Constitution: 11

    Intelligence:11

    Wisdom: 13

    Willpower: 14

    XP:5/10

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 0

    Noah looked it over again until he found the change. It now listed XP as 5/10 instead of the previous 0/10. Progress! Halfway after one fight! Noah was suddenly filled with elation as he imagined what would happen if he leveled up. Would he gain some new power? How would his stats change? It was as if a flip was switched on in his brain and he was now looking forward to his next fight. That¡¯s probably not normal, right? He considered before dismissing the thought. Normal would have to be discovered in this new world and he was just getting started.

    After the excitement wore off Noah eventually drifted asleep. When he woke he was freezing and he winced at the pain and stiffness in his body. He wondered if leveling up would have some kind of healing effect. He kept that thought firmly in mind as he hoisted himself to his feet. There was only one way to find out. He limped at first, then hobbled and hopped. Noah sighed at his unfortunate predicament. He was lame, handcuffed, and defenseless surrounded by giant predators. He looked down at his handcuffs and was surprised to see rust formed along its edges. Was that there yesterday? I could have sworn they were bright and shiny. Puzzled at the development, he failed to notice a visitor enter his patch of the woods. It wasn¡¯t until he heard the soft thump that he recognized something was amiss. His muscles became taut and he held his breath as he pivoted in place. What he saw brought tears to his eyes¨Cthere on the ground in front of him sat a large fluffy rabbit. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he stared down at it. The rabbit smiled back with a mouth full of needle-like teeth.

 Chapter 5

    Noah gasped in pain as the furry monstrosity latched onto his right forearm, its teeth easily piercing his skin. Lacking the ability to grab onto the creature, he did the first thing that came to mind¨Che jumped like a WWE star and squished it into the ground with his body. He felt the squishy body of the rabbit deflate beneath him as its mouth limply released his arm. He gritted his teeth through the pain and proceeded to stomp on the alien rabbit until he got a reassuring message.

    [1 XP Gained.]

    Noah¡¯s first thought was that he was cheated somehow. 1 XP? Really? He then remembered that his forearm had become a pincushion. He looked around for something to stop the bleeding but came up short. Knowing that this kind of thing was time-sensitive he peeled off his shirt¨Conly to have it get stuck at his wrists. These stupid handcuffs! In a fit of claustrophobia, he strained his arms against the steel. He was rewarded with more bleeding and a wave of anxiety. Noah breathe. In. Out. Pull yourself together. He recited this simple mantra in his mind and eventually sat with his back against the tree. I can do this. I prepared for this. I just need to think rationally. Noah took a deep breath and looked down at his arms with fresh eyes. He lifted his wrists to his mouth and bit down on the left sleeve. He pulled with his hands as he tried to rip the shirt. It didn¡¯t budge. Blasted quality fabric. He tugged more vigorously as the panic threatened to set in again. I only need to tear one side. I can do this. In a new strategy, Noah lifted his good foot into the shirt and pushed out, a thread snapped, then another. With a hearty kick, he tore the shirt from collar to hem, leaving a stretch of fabric dangling from his arms. He grinned and set to work pulling the cloth tight around his arm, tying it tight with the liberal use of his teeth. While the needle-like teeth of the rabbit were effective at piercing his arm, they were thankfully not the worst injury to endure. They left a pattern of pin-prick holes that should heal much quicker than a wide gash, or so he hoped.

    Shirtless, beat-up, and bloody, Noah gathered himself and faced reality. Things needed to change quickly or he was dead. He ticked through his survival checklist: Shelter, fire, water, food. He still couldn¡¯t picture an easy way to gain shelter but for now, the forest canopy would keep him dry and it was still warm enough during the day. Fire and water were the big ones, he had yet to see a water source and though he had studied fire-making methods he simply lacked the needed elements. He would need tinder, small sticks, and eventually larger pieces of wood. When he had tried he couldn¡¯t even budge the bark on the tree, he could hardly imagine being able to break off its branches. The bear did though¡­ He recalled from the day before.

    With a direction in mind, Noah got to his feet, wincing at the effort. On a hunch, he grabbed the rabbit carcass and made his way through the woods, following the conspicuous tracks of a half-dragged leg. It took some time but he eventually arrived at the site of his struggle the day before. It wouldn¡¯t be accurate to say that the bear was picked clean, but it was close. The metallic scent of the blood painted a gruesome picture and Noah was quick to set about his task. Looking around the clearing, he noted the impact sites where the bear had rammed into the trees. Just as he had hoped the bark had splintered, revealing a battered inner layer of the trunk. Shreds of of it littered the ground beneath the crash site and Noah picked it up like candy from a pi?ata. His carrying capacity was limited, but he stuffed the pockets of his workout pants to overflowing and carried the larger bits in his hands. Now to get a spark. The most rudimentary method that he had much success with was flint and steel, and he thought that if he found a water source he may just get lucky and find flint there. Steel would be tricky though he thought as he set his wood in a pile. I¡¯m losing it. He thought as he stared down at his noticeably more rusty handcuffs. Well, steel is covered. The rust struck him as odd, he had never observed metal rust at such a noticeable rate. He figured that if they fell apart it would be all the easier for him so he didn¡¯t think any more of it. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    Noah knew he was being optimistic but he couldn¡¯t help but feel giddy as he looked at his assembled materials. One seemingly impossible task accomplished and the day was still young. Noah was also getting the itch to gain more experience; he almost hoped to stumble upon another killer rabbit. Part of him knew this was a concerning development in his psyche but he would take what small joys he could get in this bleak new world. Next was water. With that in mind, he used the dead rabbit to bundle the wood; it was a morbid choice but it got the job done. He carried as much as could manage between his cuffed hands and chose a direction he hadn¡¯t ventured into yet. He had no bearings for the cardinal direction as he hadn¡¯t seen the sun in days. Nonetheless, he chose and endeavored to walk in a straight line.

    He ambled along as quickly as he could for what felt like hours, surely no less than an hour, until he heard a glorious sweet sweet sound. He followed the rhythmic gurgling at a hurried pace until he saw it¨Cflowing water. The trees parted to reveal a stream, maybe ten feet across. The streambed was rocky and it appeared to meander in a winding fashion through the forest. Noah set his supplies down and approached the water. It was clear like glass revealing minnows and other small waterbound creatures. If he wasn¡¯t so thirsty he may have cried, it hadn¡¯t been his most pressing concern with the various injuries but as he looked at the water he suddenly felt like a dry well.

    He briefly considered drinking from the crystal water but filed that notion away as a last resort. If rabbits and bears could mutate then he didn¡¯t want to imagine what changes the parasites had experienced. Noah set about to find flint and began to comb the river bed for the dark rock. It was noticeably darker when he found his target. In his hand, he held a rectangular chunk of beautiful charcoal-colored rock. His pants were wet, and he was spent, but it didn''t keep him from moving forward. He needed a win. He made a nest from the soft wood shavings that the bear had so kindly prepared for him and gathered piles of twigs by size. Then came the awkward part. He couldn¡¯t hold the flint and strike it against the handcuffs so he wedged it into the ground at an angle with the edge facing him. He placed his tinder bundle at the bottom of the flint edge and knelt down in front of it. Then he swung his wrists forward and struck the flint with the centerpiece of the handcuffs. No spark. He struck it again, and again. He got a spark! It didn¡¯t take. Sweat was beading on his face when a wisp of smoke snaked between his fingers. With all the grace he could manage, he carefully lifted the tinder to his face and blew gently. The wood fibers caught and he set it back on the ground in haste as he grabbed the smallest twigs and began to feed the emerging flame. With the precision of a surgeon, he deftly stoked the fire. He watched as the larger twigs slowly caught fire and was amazed to see how long they burned. The little twigs were dense but even that seemed like a stretch to explain how they produced so much heat. As the flame steadied he relaxed, allowing himself to breathe deeply and savor the moment. He did it. If he could make fire in an alien world, he could do anything. As the wood crackled and popped another pleasant noise rang through Noah¡¯s head.

    [10 XP gained.]

    ¡°No way.¡± Noah whispered as a grin spread across his face. That¡¯s more than enough! He tried to gauge if anything felt different in his body, surely something would have changed. He stretched and examined his body but didn¡¯t notice any difference. Is it too subtle to recognize? He thought as the disappointment crept in. My Status! He remembered. As he did, the screen appeared before his eyes.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Caste: Dust

    Gate: 1

    Path: Novice

    Level: 0

    Strength: 12

    Dexterity:14

    Constitution: 11

    Intelligence:11

    Wisdom: 13

    Willpower: 14

    XP:11/10 [level up available]

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 0

    ¡°Yes!¡± Noah cried in relief. I just have to press the button! No reason to be upset. He looked over his stats and committed the numbers to memory in case they changed. Then he mentally pressed the button.

    [Level 0 > level 1.]

 Chapter 6

    [Level 0 > level 1.]

    Without hesitation, Noah summoned his status again.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Caste: Dust

    Gate: 1

    Path: Novice

    Level: 1

    Strength: 12

    Dexterity:14

    Constitution: 11

    Intelligence:11

    Wisdom: 13

    Willpower: 14

    XP:6/10

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 3

    He scanned through each line but soon realized that the only change was that he now had three stat points available. For the first time, he really considered what the stats meant. Strength was obvious enough, dexterity likely referred to his speed or control over his body, and constitution was likely his physical hardiness. The other stats were interesting, clearly, he knew what intelligence and the others were, but did they do what he thought they did? As a software engineer, he was no stranger to computer games, even if he had never been as avid as a player as some of his coworkers. And in all the games he played with this kind of status, these stats determined magical capabilities. He knew this wasn¡¯t a game, but what if the system just presented him with a familiar interface to help him along? At this point, he just couldn¡¯t risk it, and either way he needed a physical more. That raised another question, would he choose to be a wizard if he could? That wasn¡¯t really his style, but then again he had never seen real magic.

    Noah sighed. This particular decision could wait but for now, he would choose strength, dexterity, or constitution. Based on the intense training he put himself through over the last six months he figured that the base level person would have around 10 points in any given category plus or minus a few based on their lifestyle. If that was true then all his training had amounted to two or maybe three points in strength and around four points in dexterity. That was huge. In an instant, he could accomplish six months of grueling effort for one aspect of himself. What did he need most? He could definitely use the strength, everything around him seemed to be tougher than before the system. Dexterity was less attractive given he hadn¡¯t experienced the lack of it yet. Constitution felt like an obvious choice given the state of his body. As much as he wanted to become super buff he wanted to survive even more. That thought tipped the scales and he mentally assigned the points to constitution.

    [Confirm allocation?]

    He gave a mental nod to the system. Then a fierce tingling raced through his body, like every muscle had fallen asleep and he was all pins and needles. The overwhelming sensation lasted a few seconds and then dissipated as quickly as it had come. When it finished, Noah felt like a new man. His arm still throbbed and his leg ached but something had changed. He felt healthier. Nothing superhuman, but more like how he would expect to feel if he drank a bunch of green drinks, did cardio every day, and managed his gut health. His skin looked more vibrant and his breathing felt deeper and clearer. He could get used to this.

    Noah paused. Where had he gotten the XP? Did he kill something without realizing it? He ran through the day''s events in his mind. The notification came in right after he got the fire settled and sat down. Did I get rewarded for starting a fire? Could I do it again? Easy levels? The possibilities raced through his mind. He was half tempted to start the fire over again, but just a thought of the effort involved and he put that idea to rest. He would have to figure it out but now wasn¡¯t the time. He was hungry and thirsty and he could do something about one of those immediately. Noah fetched the rabbit carcass, the flint, and a few river rocks before returning to the fire. While he wasn¡¯t an expert he knew that flint had been used for bladed weapons for millennia. With that in mind, he smashed his piece of flint with a large rock. He could admit it was a less-than-elegant performance, but the results were workable. He picked up one of the resulting shards and held it in the light of the fire. It certainly looked sharp. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    He began the arduous task that was cleaning the rabbit. He had the good sense to wander to the stream before dumping its guts on the ground. The flint shard was pulling its weight, and the handcuffs were becoming part of him at this point. He knew the entrails could be used as bait but that was tomorrow''s problem. For now, he roughly skinned the animal and rinsed it the stream. He positioned four larger stones around the fire to serve as a grate and set the now-cleaned meat on top. The twigs burned a perfect low and slow so it was just a matter of time. As he waited he had a truly disgusting idea that made him gag to consider. He was thirsty, really thirsty. That¡¯s what he told himself as he returned to the stream and proceeded to rinse and clean the rabbit hide. He tested it in the water, holding the pelt by the four feet and allowing the cavity to fill. His face twitched when it refused to leak. This or die. It''s this or die.

    After the rabbit was thoroughly crispy Noah carried a pelt full of water to the fire and held it over the flame. The fur caught fire as expected and produced a putrid stench as it was burned away. He choked back bile and continued to hold it tightly. For all his drama he knew that if it worked it was another day of living, another day to come out on top. It took altogether too long for the water to boil and he wasn¡¯t stopping short of complete bacterial destruction. The water eventually cooled and Noah braced himself as he lifted the makeshift vessel to his mouth. It had developed a thin layer of fat across its surface from the bits he couldn''t scrape off but he took it all in and swallowed immediately, refusing to let his taste buds stop him. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was in comparison to the smell of the burnt fur, but it wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as he had imagined. It tasted like bland, unsalted, bone-broth. Not good, but not terrible either.

    [1 XP gained.]

    ¡°Huh, I¡¯ll take it.¡± Whether for the effort involved to get himself to drink the water, or the fact that he managed to procure and sanitize it he didn¡¯t know. He guzzled down the remaining water and moved on to the rabbit. It was burnt on the outside, a bit lean, and beyond gamey. It was also the first meal he had eaten in a couple of days so it was delicious.

    [1 XP gained.]

    That makes eight! Two to go. At this point he was pretty sure it was the end result that garnered the XP, perhaps effort was involved but he wasn¡¯t sure what kind of scale he would be working with. He finished his meal as the last light of day faded, his surroundings illuminated only by the flickering fire. He was more than a little concerned about other curious animals as he considered sleep but he didn¡¯t have another option except to stoke the fire and hope it was still as scary to the evolved beasts as to their earthen predecessors.

    When he woke it wasn¡¯t to the rising sun. Judging by the low light of the fire, a couple of hours had passed but morning still seemed to be far away. His heart raced as he looked into the darkness around his little camp. He had his back to a tree with the fire directly in front of him, which in hindsight completely ruined his ability to see into the darkness. He tentatively placed a few more sticks on the fire, urging them to combust and shed more light in his vicinity. He picked up a pomegranate-sized rock and held it between his hands. Whatever had woken him would get more than it bargained for.

    He heard a loud sloshing noise in the direction of the stream followed by enthusiastic chewing. The entrails. The sounds continued for a couple of minutes and then stopped all at once. Noah knew then that he was being watched. He couldn¡¯t explain how he knew, but he did. He readied his rock and sank into a comfortable fighting stance. If there was one thing all martial arts instructors had in common, it was a love for stances. And over the last six months, he had it drilled into him that a solid foundation was the key to all martial forms. He had trained with weapons, without weapons, and in all manners of combat. Whatever this was, he could take it. When the next sound came it was like the twang of a bowstring¨Cif he didn¡¯t move he was done. Noah stepped quickly to the side, simultaneously slamming the rock down on his previous location. It connected with a meaty crunch and the intruder, a wolf with strangely long legs, slumped to the ground. For good measure, he repeated the attack and was awarded with a satisfying ding.

    [10 XP gained.]

    In a single moment, he had gained an entire level¡¯s worth of XP. He couldn¡¯t help but smile as he considered where his new points would go. As he looked down at the beast, his excitement drained away. If there was one wolf, then there would be more.

 Chapter 7

    The rest of the night remained uneventful and it wasn¡¯t long before weariness overtook Noah as the gurgle of the stream lulled him to sleep. He woke the next morning, refreshed and with a spring in his step. Like a kid on Christmas morning, he opened his status to look for new gifts.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Caste: Dust

    Gate: 1

    Path: Novice

    Level: 1

    Strength: 12

    Dexterity:14

    Constitution: 14

    Intelligence:11

    Wisdom: 13

    Willpower: 14

    XP:18/10

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 0

    With a mental prompt, he leveled, welcoming the system message with open arms.

    [Level 1 > Level 2.]

    Noah had already made the responsible choice so without further delay he allocated his points into strength. The fiery tingling returned, bringing with it a pressure that grew throughout his body. When it passed, the results were evident. His already visible abs were now well into the chiseled category, his arms and legs were simultaneously bulked and toned, and he could definitely see more clearly. It was amazing. He felt like he could grapple an Earth bear and come out on top! He chuckled in appreciation and considered the day ahead. It was time to grind some levels. With the most basic necessities covered, the next task was to get stronger. Level up, get a weapon, and level up again.

    Noah walked over to the stream and washed his face, the current moving too quickly to produce a reflection. As he reached his hands into the water he noticed that the handcuffs were entirely orange with rust. He gave them a tug, and they actually creaked. He tugged at them again, this time harder. The handcuffs fractured and with some encouragement, they fell from his wrists. Reveling in his newfound freedom, he stripped and plunged into the glacial water. Streaks of red streamed off his body as he massaged his wounds. Once the caked grime was removed he climbed out of the water and huddled by the fire. The bruising on his leg was now a pale yellow-green and had reduced to a dull ache. His forearm had mostly healed and now his most bothersome injuries were the chaffing of his wrists.

    He got clothed and retrieved the wolf carcass from the night before. As offputting as it may have been a few days ago, he couldn¡¯t afford to be picky now, so he processed the animal to the best of his ability and set it over the rekindled fire. It was smaller than he had remembered from the night before, looking to be more like a coyote than a wolf, though he was unsure what the System¡¯s transition had done to it. He sat near the fire and grabbed the rabbit skeleton he had left in the fire overnight, the bits of meat and sinew now burnt off, and the bones dry. The bones were weak and dainty, so they wouldn''t be suitable for most tools nor could they hold up as weapons. They would however make good arrowheads, sewing needles, or fishing gear. He wasn¡¯t really a nimble person but perhaps with some extra points in dexterity he could work some crafting magic.

    The canine flesh wasn¡¯t bad, and he was able to eat his fill with some to spare. After another rabbit-skin bag of boiled water, he was set to explore the area. He lay the rest of his twigs on the fire and pushed in the river stones, hoping it would protect the coals from going out. He decided to cover some ground by running along the stream. He called this direction North and started jogging along the well-packed dirt. His primary goals were to find a long branch he could make into a spear and to encounter some kind of prey that would take him to level three. He scanned the trees for low branches and signs of activity. The more he looked the stranger it all seemed. The trees were oddly uniform each towering at least 100 feet into the sky with the lowest branches well past 30 feet up the trunk. Even more peculiar was the complete lack of underbrush. Where were the bushes, saplings, brambles, and flowers? There¡¯s no grass. Something about that realization set him on edge, this all felt so wrong. Every forest he had visited was filled with all kinds of critters, plants, and debris. This was more like the Christmas tree farms he had visited as a kid, with perfectly arranged trees and little else. As much as he wanted answers, and to get out of this eerie forest, he had work to do so he forced a smile and continued on. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    He had made it another few hundred yards when a scream tore through the trees. That was a person. Noah sprinted, shirtless and rock in hand, toward the noise. It had come from the Northwest, across the stream. Without hesitation, he rolled up his pants and crashed through the water before pressing on. As he moved into the woods he could only hope that we moving in the right direction and that this wasn¡¯t some new form of monster.

    ¡°No! Help! Stay away!¡± A woman cried out much closer than before. Noah altered his course and bolted in her direction. He saw movement up ahead. He rounded a tree and caught sight of the woman and two companions surrounded by five of the wolf-like creatures he had seen the previous night. One of the men was clutching his arm and bleeding through his sweatshirt, the other seemed to be in shock as he stood there with wide eyes. The woman stood in front of them protectively, wielding what appeared to be an orange frying pan. Not willing to stand and watch, Noah launched himself at the nearest wolf smashing his rock into its rear leg. It whined in pain and soon every eye was on him. He knew the fragile wolves were quick as arrows, so he made use of every moment as he followed up his first strike with a second to the side of the wolf¡¯s head.

    Before he could relish in his feat, a sharp pain erupted from his left calf. One of the other beasts was already latched onto his leg. He frantically bashed its head, losing track of the rest of the wolves. The second one fell but not before another one raked its claws along his back. A pained yelp came from across the clearing followed by a heart-wrenching whimper.

    ¡°Julie!¡± One of the others cried.

    Noah bit his lip and wheeled on the third wolf. He cracked its skull with a single blow and dashed toward the woman¨CJulie. She was on the ground, one wolf standing near her snarling with blood running down its face. The other was biting her foot as she kicked at it with the other. Noah yelled something unintelligible with all his might.

    ¡°Aaaaah!¡± He roared as he barreled into the offending wolf. He brought it to the ground and pummeled it with his rock. When it stopped struggling he lept up and hurled the rock at the remaining beast. The rock struck its leg, and it yelped and started to back away. Noah picked the rusted pan up off the forest floor and delivered a quick end to the scraggy mutt. Not wanting to leave things to chance, he ensured that the other wolves were out cold before returning to the woman.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Noah asked as he stretched out his hand to help her up. It was only then that he noticed the blood covering his arms. The look on the woman¡¯s face confirmed that he looked more like a monster than a friend at that moment.

    ¡°Ah. Sorry, I uh didn¡¯t realize,¡± Noah said as he used his pants to wipe the blood from his hands. It wasn¡¯t working. One of the men ran over then, the one with the injured arm, and helped Julie to her feet. Noah was relieved to see that her foot was still intact, albeit worse for wear.

    ¡°Julie, are you okay?¡± The man asked her, repeating Noah¡¯s question. She nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay, Kyle.¡± She assured him. He supported her with his good arm and helped her over to one of the trees. Once she was leaning against it they both turned back to Noah, seemingly unsure of what to say.

    ¡°Uh Sir¡­ Thank you.¡± The man said. Sir? Noah thought confused at his response. He looked at the pair and realized they were younger than he first assumed. Their rough appearance and grim faces hid their youthful attributes. The boy, he realized was probably in his mid to late teens while the woman was at least a few years younger than himself.

    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± She said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for my reaction, I was just startled by all the blood.¡± He gave a warm smile in return and nodded.

    [45 XP Gained.]

    Noah grinned at the familiar voice of progress only to stumble forward, just barely staying on his feet. The blood, He realized as he started to see stars. In a frantic effort, he mentally commanded the system to level up.

    [Level 2 > Level 3.]

    [Level 3 > Level 4.]

    [Level 4 > Level 5.]

    [Level 6 > Level 7.]

    [Level 8 > Level 9.]

    He barely had time to appreciate the notifications as he fell to the ground. With his last wisp of consciousness, he assigned his 15 points to constitution.

 Chapter 8

    Noah drifted in and out of consciousness. At one point he was vaguely aware of being carried and heard muffled talking, though he couldn¡¯t make out the words. He remembered being set down and then sometime later feeling the cold water on his body. Someone squeezed his hand and whispered into his ear.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright. Keep fighting.¡±

    Julie smiled as she looked down at the man who had saved their lives. He had rushed in like a Viking, war cry and all. He had defeated all of the wolves by himself, and he was human the same as her. He bled and hurt just like she did¨Cshe had watched him do exactly that as he groaned and winced over the last few hours. But he still chose to save them and he did save them. She had never felt so helpless as when the wolf had sunk its teeth into her brother¡¯s arm and then again when another attacked her. When the man had finally finished off the wolves and turned to her she recoiled from his extended hand. I¡¯m so stupid. She remembered the look on his face as he withdrew his hand. She had made her savior feel like a monster.

    Julie steeled her resolve. She wouldn¡¯t be useless next time. She had gotten that notification and knew what it meant. She could become stronger. Seven more XP and she would reach level one. Julie returned her focus to the task at hand. She had made the boys, Kyle, and his friend, give up their shirts to serve as bandages and was now tying the last of the strips around the man¡¯s calf. They had half carried, half dragged the man to the stream where she then cleaned out the wounds. The boys couldn¡¯t handle the blood but it didn¡¯t bother her. She would have become a nurse in just two more months if not for the apocalypse. Part of her felt cheated that she put in all that work and it would never be official. On the other hand, she wouldn¡¯t have to work nights or deal with entitled patients. The man groaned as she pulled the last knot tight. She would save him, that was the least she could do.

    [10 XP Gained]

    She smiled at the confirmation of her suspicion. Killing wasn¡¯t the only way to move forward in this new world.

    [Level 0 > Level 1]

    She assigned her points in the obvious places. One point each to Intelligence, wisdom, and willpower. Classic magic stats. If this world had magic then she would become a healer.

    Noah woke up cold and wet. His whole body protested as he sat up.

    ¡°Wait! You shouldn¡¯t be doing that!¡± Julie yelled as she saw him stir. Noah jolted in surprise, causing arcs of pain to flare across his back.

    ¡°Agh¡­¡± He groaned. He looked up at the young woman who wore a scowl on her face. Right. The fight.

    ¡°Hi. I guess you¡¯re the reason I¡¯m alive?¡± Noah managed.

    ¡°I am.¡± She responded, her scowl replaced by downcast eyes. ¡°It was the least I could do.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± He said, smiling up at her. She stepped forward and stretched out her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m Julie.¡±

    ¡°Noah.¡± He replied, shaking her hand. ¡°Are you guys okay?¡± She tilted her head back and forth.

    ¡°Not really.¡± She started as she sat down across from him. ¡°Kyle, my brother, was bitten in his arm and my foot is a little messed up. But mainly it''s the fear. Kyle¡¯s friend, Matt has been in shock since we appeared here and Kyle is just hanging in there.¡± She paused.

    Noah listened, now understanding why she had been the one fending off the wolves. She was the kind of person he could appreciate. No training but she didn¡¯t hesitate to jump in front of a bunch of vicious beasts for her brother. He made up his mind.

    ¡°What do you plan to do next?¡± He asked. She looked at him without a clue. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°Uhm. I don¡¯t know.¡± She said, glancing at the boys a few yards down.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Noah raised his hand to cut her off.

    ¡°Would you like to come with me?¡± He asked, straight to the point. She hesitated, her brow furrowed as she stared at her feet.

    ¡°All of you I mean, just to be clear.¡± Noah blurted. She gave a small smile.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± She asked. ¡°I will do my best to pull my weight, but I honestly don¡¯t expect much from the boys.¡± Noah sighed.

    ¡°Look, Julie¨CI¡¯m not going to ditch you guys for something like that. At some point though, they will have to adapt. If they need some help getting there, I¡¯m happy to be part of that.¡± Noah didn¡¯t notice the tears that welled up in her eyes.

    ¡°I even had a fire last night, it might still be salvageable if we get to it quick.¡± He said enthusiastically as he started thinking through their next steps.

    ¡°When I left this morning there was more meat by the fire, though I doubt it''s still there. I could go collect one of the wolves for dinner though.¡± Noah paused as he met Julie¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Noah, thank you.¡± She exhaled, a crinkle at the corner of her eyes. He released a breath he didn¡¯t know he was holding.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±

    They gathered themselves and shared the plan with Kyle and Matt. They seemed to be agreeable enough and together they made their way toward his camp. When Noah had motioned to fetch one of the wolves, Julie stopped him.

    ¡°Noah, I don¡¯t think we can manage the extra trip in our state.¡± He looked them over.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Let''s focus on getting set up first.¡± He agreed. On their trip back, he had time to feel out his wounds. In his mind he knew that he shouldn¡¯t be walking, between the calf and back injuries, he shouldn¡¯t be alive at all. Yet for all the blood he had lost, he just felt a bit under the weather. Hungry though, he was very hungry. My constitution increase must have had a dramatic impact. Now curious, he summoned his status.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Caste: Dust

    Gate: 1

    Path: Novice

    Level: 9

    Strength: 15

    Dexterity:14

    Constitution: 29

    Intelligence:11

    Wisdom: 13

    Willpower: 14

    XP: 5/10

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 0

    He let out a low whistle, drawing funny looks from his companions.

    ¡°Sorry, just looking at my status after the fight.¡± He explained. ¡°Actually, did any of you get XP from the fight?¡± He asked on a whim. Kyle shook his head and Matt didn¡¯t seem to hear.

    ¡°I got 3 XP from it!¡± Julie shared, ¡°And 10 from treating you!¡±

    ¡°Huh. I suppose that makes sense. I got 47 XP from the fight so we must have shared the XP from the wolf you hit with the frying pan.¡± Noah surmised. Julie looked at him in shock, obviously having done the math.

    ¡°What level are you?¡± She asked, squinting her eyes at him.

    ¡°Level 9, almost 10 really.¡± He replied easily. ¡°Had a few run-ins before you guys and crafted a couple of things. I was only level two before the fight though.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± She shook her head like it definitely wasn¡¯t right.

    They strolled into camp and found a small wisp of smoke trailing out from between the rocks. Noah immediately went to it, getting on his hands and knees. He gently blew on the ember as he added twigs he gathered on their walk. To his surprise the rest of his breakfast was still there, just sitting out in the open. He put the pre-roasted wolf hunk back on the fire and announced the joyous news to the group.

    Julie and Kyle gave a little cheer but the real shocker was Matt. He cried. Full on, alligator tears cried. No words, nothing. Noah opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before deciding to let it be. He rinsed his hands in the stream and used a sharp bit of the flint to cut strips of meat from the roast. He handed them out to his excited diners. They ate like greedy scavengers and he did his best not to laugh as even Julie seemed to give in to hunger. This is good. This is why I trained. Noah thought as he looked at his new companions. If he did it once, he could do it again. For the first time since the world changed, he wondered why it was he who received the vision. Was it just a fluke or did someone out there look for a person like him? For six months he was the crazy, drugged-out, homeless guy that no respectable person would listen to. It had been hard but it was all for this.

    He looked each one of them in the eye and smiled, pausing to make sure they knew he was looking right at them.

    ¡°Welcome home.¡±

 Chapter 9

    The next day arrived without any surprises and Noah woke with one thing on his mind. Level 10. With only three XP to go, he felt an itch to pass that threshold. The boys were still sleeping and he could hear splashing coming from the stream. Not wanting to intrude on Julie, Noah gathered a river stone, and a shard of flint before stepping into the woods. He went north, planning to go back to the clearing with the wolves. As he went he took inventory of himself, his body was feeling good¨Ctoo good. He lifted his pant leg and found well-scabbed-over bite marks and otherwise healthy-looking skin. The bruising from the bear was nowhere to be seen. Amazing. His constitution was now roughly three times what he assumed to be the human baseline, and it was already quite evident. He wasn¡¯t invincible but he wasn¡¯t so fragile anymore.

    After a while, he saw the point where they had crossed the day before, evident by the parade of footprints. He crossed and followed their tracks, namely the dried blood, to the clearing. As he drew near he slowed, thankful for the sound-dampening effect of the dirt beneath his feet, and readied himself for a fight. They had left a lot of meat on the table for any prospective carnivores, and he was banking on exactly that. He rounded the final tree at a snail¡¯s pace and was thankful he did. Across the clearing was a large deer, with jagged black antlers protruding from its head. From its bloodied mouth he could only assume that it too had gained sharp teeth, a favorite mutation of the System it seemed. Noah crept forward, rock in one hand, flint in the other. He made it two steps in before the buck raised its head and met eyes with him. Dang. He thought, expecting it to spook. Instead, it charged like a raging bull, angling its antlers to pierce him through. He stepped in front of a tree and readied himself to jump, utilizing his favorite move. To the deer¡¯s credit, he hadn¡¯t seen this move before, but when its antlers stuck deep into the tree Noah couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The next part felt a little wrong, but Noah comforted himself with the fact that it had just tried to kill him. It wasn¡¯t defenseless, it had just fallen into his trap. With the moral quandary out of the way, he finished off the deer and waited for the all-too-encouraging ding.

    [10 XP Gained.]

    ¡°Yes!¡± Noah shouted, too giddy to keep it in. He immediately prompted the System to level up.

    [Level 9 > level 10.]

    [Apprentice Path Choices Available.]

    Combatant

    Non-Combatant

    Noah stroked his newly grown stubble and analyzed his options. It appeared that this was a defining choice for his development. What that all entailed he didn¡¯t know. One thing was obvious though, if he chose Non-Combatant and lost his ability to fight then he was as good as dead, not to mention the others.

    [Congratulations, you have taken the next step on your Path. Non-combat activities will no longer grant XP.]

    [Select two primary stats.]

    Strength | Dexterity | Constitution | Intelligence | Wisdom | Willpower

    Well, there goes the chef dream. Noah thought as he took in the news. This was huge. If the inverse was true for people who selected non-combatant then there would be some problems. He didn¡¯t know if the wildlife could level in the same way as humans, but if they could he somehow doubted they would be non-combatants. He moved on to the next message. Why wasn¡¯t this covered in the tutorial? He assumed that his selection of primary stats would somehow influence their growth but at what cost? He felt like a teenager being forced to decide what he would do with the rest of his life. He barely knew how the stats worked. Would too much of one compared to another be a bad thing? Would he still get free points to allocate? What do I want to be when I grow up? Noah thought, amused by a familiar feeling. Do I want to be fast and strong? Strong and tanky? Magic? He laughed. Okay, not magic. He decided to look at the facts. He knew it was between the three physical stats, and his constitution was already double the others. In the scenario that having too great a disparity was a factor then he ought to pick strength and dexterity. It was the safe choice and had nothing to do with the desire to be a ninja. He made his selection. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    [Primary stats: Strength, Dexterity.]

    [Apprentice path grants +2 primary stats per level. +2* free stats per level.]

    Noah let out a breath. This was the best-case scenario. It also pointed out just how valuable his Gate choice had been. If he continued to get an extra stat point per level, he would have 33 percent more stats as time went on. The next message took him off guard.

    [Caste threshold met. Initiating breakthrough.]

    Pain shot through Noah¡¯s body and he felt as if his blood was boiling. He slumped to the ground grateful for the numbness that overtook his senses.

    When his consciousness returned, the first thing he noticed was the smell. He was drenched in sweat and felt like all his pores and been forcefully exfoliated.

    [Caste Breakthrough successful. New Caste: Iron.]

    [Domain granted]

    [Iron caste is the lowest tier of citizenship in the multiverse. Higher caste citizens are now permitted to share System-related information with you.]

    [Congratulations.]

    Noah had a lot of thoughts about those last lines, thoughts that likely wouldn¡¯t get him anywhere. Focusing on the positive, he decided to open his status.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Domain: Self

    Caste: Iron

    Gate: 1

    Path: Apprentice

    Level: 10

    Strength: 15

    Dexterity:14

    Constitution: 29

    Intelligence:11

    Wisdom: 13

    Willpower: 14

    XP: 5/100

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 3

    Several things had changed since the last time he saw it. His path read Apprentice and he now required ten times the XP to level. Additionally, there was a new line called ¡®Domain¡¯ which was somehow a result of his breakthrough, that and he was now an Iron. The System said that he became a citizen, which apparently wasn¡¯t the case before. Then he remembered. She called us dust. Not trash or scum, dust. ¡°From dust, you came, and as dust, you remained.¡± She disregarded us because we were dust, not just to her but to the System. Noah wasn¡¯t sure what to do with that. Was it possible that no one in his vision managed to become an Iron? He shuddered. That seemed hard to believe. Putting it aside for now he allocated his free stat points; one into dexterity and two into constitution.

    He stood up and made a beeline for the stream, intent upon scraping the filth from his body. As he went he noticed something strange. As he walked he could feel the bottom of his feet pressing into his sorry shoes. He experienced each toe flexing and the muscles in his legs tensing and bracing as he ran. It was like he was experiencing every sensation in his body at once. The more he ran, the more convinced he became that that was exactly what was happening. He jumped into the water and submerged himself in the frigid flow. He felt the water in a million places at once as it made contact with his body, yet it formed into one coherent feeling. Domain. This must be my Self Domain. Noah realized. As he washed himself he noticed something else, his body was unblemished. The cuts around his wrists were gone, the scabs on his legs were gone, and the scars on his stomach from the bike accident were gone. He felt strong too, like he had gained several points at once, but when he looked at his status nothing had changed.

    There was so much he didn¡¯t know and it disturbed to think that it was humanity¡¯s ignorance that sealed their fate. He would have to change that. Yelling in the distance caught his attention.

    ¡°Noah!¡± Julia yelled, ¡°We need help!¡±

    Noah bolted from the water and sprinted toward camp. He had been away for too long, lost in his revelry. He moved faster than he thought possible and came upon an unexpected sight. Standing in the middle of the camp was an elf, an honest-to-goodness pointy-eared elf, and he held an arrow to Julie¡¯s throat.

 Chapter 10

    Noah sprang into action, rushing the elf from the side. The elf¡¯s eyes went wide at Noah¡¯s approach and he immediately dropped his arrow and stepped away from Julie. He held his hands up, displaying empty palms in an apparently universal sign of peace.

    ¡°Wait please, spare me, I didn¡¯t know!¡± The elf cried as Noah closed the distance. Noah blinked. The fantasy elf spoke English. Huh. He put on a stern expression and glared at the elf.

    ¡°What do you mean you didn¡¯t know?¡± Noah demanded. The elf shrunk back and stammered out a response.

    ¡°You-you¡¯re an Evolved.¡± The elf man explained. Noah considered that.

    ¡°An evolved?¡± He asked. The elf stared at him, open-jawed.

    ¡°You mean you don¡¯t know?¡± He said, clearly put off by that idea.

    ¡°If you mean that I am an Iron, then yes I am aware of that. But how could you tell?¡± The elf nodded sagely then.

    ¡°Yes, yes Iron is what the System calls it. An elf would have to be blind not to recognize an evolved.¡± He explained, having regained his composure. The whole ordeal was throwing Noah off. He looked to Julie and she shook her head.

    ¡°What do you want from us?¡± Noah finally asked.

    ¡°Want? Nothing. I was mistaken.¡± The elf replied. Noah scratched the back of his neck.

    ¡°What did you want before I arrived?¡± He asked, trying again.

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± The elf started, his eyes lighting up ¡°I wanted levels.¡± Noah frowned.

    ¡°You were going to kill them?¡± The elf¡¯s head teetered back and forth.

    ¡°That or bring them back to the village.¡± He shared. Julie tensed and Noah noticed Kyle¡¯s eyes go wide.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t want to do that anymore?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not! I am unevolved, I wouldn¡¯t dare touch the property of an evolved! On my honor as an elf of the purple grove!¡± The elf stamped his foot and stood ramrod straight as if to emphasize his point.

    ¡°I see,¡± Noah said, massaging his temples. They were speaking the same language but they weren¡¯t the same. The elf slowly began to sport a quizzical look and he cleared his throat.

    ¡°How did you manage to progress your race so quickly? It should have taken a considerable amount of essence,¡± Noah stared blankly at the pointy-eared man.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t progress my race, the System assigned us the F grade and that hasn¡¯t changed.¡± Noah shared. The elf¡¯s mouth opened and closed and Noah worried that he broke him. As he waited he found a seat by Julie and they watched as the elf continued his mental battle. He finally came to and turned toward them.

    ¡°You. Female. Are you also F grade?¡± The elf asked looking pointedly at Julie.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She answered curtly.

    ¡°You lucky creatures. Do you know what elves are born as? H grade! We don¡¯t become G grade until maturity and some never do! Only the great ones have evolved or achieved F grade as the system calls it,¡± he practically spat the last bit. He continued to mutter to himself as he shook his head. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°What should we do with him?¡± Noah asked Julie. She shrugged.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Levels?¡± she replied. He guffawed.

    ¡°I¡¯m kidding! Just kidding!¡± She said, bursting into laughter. ¡°Did you hear him though? I am not sure what to be more insulted about, the fact that I was XP to him or that I suddenly became property when you showed up.¡± Noah laughed and received a quick elbow to the ribs.

    ¡°Hey! You can laugh but I can¡¯t?¡± He protested.

    ¡°Because you didn¡¯t correct the elf in the first place.¡± She accused, giving him a suspicious glare.

    ¡°Fine, fine. Not funny¡± He acquiesced. Noah turned his attention back to the elf.

    ¡°So what were you saying about a village? How many of you are there? Is it nearby?¡± Noah peppered. The elf stopped muttering and met his gaze.

    ¡°Ah yes, the village. It is a couple of hours by foot, and there aren¡¯t many of us yet. Though I expect more to arrive as the days pass.¡± He replied.

    ¡°Why would you think that?¡± Noah asked. The elf shrugged.

    ¡°We are elves, everyone knows how to find the village. It¡¯s only a matter of time before those nearby arrive.¡± Noah nodded at what the elf seemed to consider common knowledge.

    ¡°Do you have a name?¡± Noah asked him.

    ¡°I do. It is Balkendar¡± He said with a proud smile. ¡°Do you have a name?¡± He returned.

    ¡°Noah. And this is Julie, Kyle, and Matt.¡± He said as he pointed respectively.

    ¡°It is my honor to meet you, evolved Noah. I do apologize for threatening what¡¯s yours.¡±

    ¡°Look, Balkendar. Julie isn¡¯t my property, none of them are.¡± Noah explained. The elf looked at him, confused.

    ¡°Does that mean I can take her?¡± Balkendar asked. Noah could see that he wasn¡¯t getting through to the elf.

    ¡°No. It means that while I don¡¯t own her, I also won¡¯t let anything bad happen to her.¡± The elf nodded, seeming to get it this time.

    ¡°Very well. I will leave now. Perhaps we will meet again, or perhaps not.¡± He said, already making his way into the forest. Noah watched, bemused.

    ¡°That was crazy,¡± Kyle said, ¡°did you see his ears? Was he really an elf?¡± He looked to Julie and then Noah.

    ¡°I think so¡­¡± Julie replied. Noah nodded.

    ¡°Wow.¡± Kyle exhaled.

    ¡°We almost died. Again.¡± Matt said in a deadpan tone.

    ¡°But we didn¡¯t!¡± replied Kyle enthusiastically, ¡°Did you see his face when he saw Noah? I think he almost peed himself!¡± Matt shrugged and sat back down against the tree. Kyle bounded over to the adults.

    ¡°Soo what did he mean that you are evolved? And what did you say about being Iron? Isn¡¯t that metal?¡± Kyle asked. Julie sighed but Noah only smiled.

    ¡°I think Balkendar was referring to being Iron though our grade being F  appears to be rare for their kind. I assumed it was a bad thing when I first saw my status but it sounds like we started ahead of them. Iron is my caste, I had what the system called a breakthrough when I hit level 10. And speaking of which, we have a lot to talk about.¡± Noah finished.

    ¡°I¡¯m still level 0.¡±Kyle replied, deflating a bit.

    ¡°We can work on that¡± Noah responded.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Really.¡± Noah saw Julie smile in the corner of his eye.

    ¡°First things first though, let me tell you what I learned.¡±

    Noah shared about his system messages and the choice he had been given at level 10. They speculated on the domain and debated the best path to take. Matt had even contributed to the conversation, excited about the non-combat potential. Julie had been as surprised as Noah about losing the ability to gain XP from non-combat sources. For her part, she was unsure which path would be most conducive to healing as it was dependent on injuries from combat but wasn¡¯t in itself violent. They spent the rest of the afternoon around the fire, appreciating the normalcy of the moment. Eventually, though hunger won out and Noah set out to retrieve the deer he had left in the clearing. At first, they seemed hesitant to let him leave, but he assured them that he wouldn¡¯t be gone as long this time around.

    By the time Noah returned, it was nearly dark and the crew looked restless. Kyle jumped up and ran over to him as he neared camp.

    ¡°What took you so long? Were you attacked?¡± He asked, more excited than concerned. Noah shook his head, dropping the cleaned animal near the fire. Julie smiled at him and mouthed ¡®thank you¡¯ before starting to process the deer.

    ¡°Just took some time to make the trip. No fights this time.¡± Noah explained to a disappointed Kyle. He would have to talk to Julie about showing Kyle the ropes. Matt may want to stay in camp but Kyle was eager to try his hand in a fight. Julie volunteered to cook the meat and they sat around the fire as they eagerly awaited the meal. This would be the first meal of the day for them. Julie mentioned that they tried catching fish and looking for edible plants but were hesitant to venture back into the forest. Noah didn¡¯t blame them but he knew that would have to change. There were more people out there who needed help, and he had to prepare to face the lady from his vision. That meant he needed to level and explore progressing his grade and meditating on the next gate. If what the elf said was true, then he could reason that all of those factors worked together to form his caste. Perhaps if he became valuable enough to the System the woman wouldn¡¯t be able to touch him.

    They ate the deer, which was leagues ahead of its canine predecessor, and bantered lightheartedly. Noah did his best to enjoy it, but he felt uneasy as he considered their lack of progress. But that could wait for tomorrow.

 Chapter 11

    Noah smiled as the light began to filter through the leaves, driving away the dancing shadows cast by the firelight. He had woken early, eager to plot his next steps. He knew exactly what he was going to do and had been twiddling his thumbs over the last half hour while he awaited the dawn. As its rays settled on the sleeping forms of his companions, he grinned.

    ¡°Wake up! Up! Up! Up!¡± He yelled, doing his best bootcamp officer impression. Julie gasped and jumped to her feet, looking for the threat. He nodded at the appropriate response. A bit slow, didn¡¯t grab a weapon. He noted, though the weapon part was a bit premature. The two teenagers also started awake, but instead of looking alive they groaned and rubbed at their eyes. Noah tsked, marking them down on his imaginary clipboard. Dead and dead. He hadn¡¯t expected anything different which was the reason for this abrupt jolting.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are we under attack?¡± Julie asked, eyes wide.

    ¡°Nope!¡± He answered cheerfully. She squinted at him, making for a funny sight between the general disarray of her clothes and the twig sticking out from her hair.

    ¡°Explain,¡± She said.

    ¡°Today is the first day of boot camp, starting with reaction training! You passed this time by the way.¡± Noah said with a big grin plastered across his face. She wasn¡¯t as enthused and looked to have eaten something sour. Noah took that as a sign to start the next phase of training.

    ¡°Welcome to boot camp, cadets!¡± He yelled, ¡°If you want to eat tonight, then don¡¯t fall behind!¡± With that, Noah took to the woods at a brisk pace. The others stared after him for a moment before his words sank in

    ¡°He can¡¯t be serious, right?¡± Matt asked. Kyle was already up and moving, his grogginess replaced by eager anticipation.

    ¡°I imagine that he is,¡± Julie responded, not nearly as bright eyes as her brother. Matt¡¯s stomach growled and he seemed to think for a minute before jumping to his feet and following after Julie. Once Noah could see the last of them he picked up the pace, rounding trees and bends, forcing them to stay close. This went on for some time as he led them in a large circle and he was soon rewarded with gasps of labored breathing.

    ¡°Form up!¡± He shouted, stopping abruptly not far from camp. He doubted they realized that and he wasn¡¯t about to clue them in. The three cadets made for a sorry sight, sweating profusely and red in the face.

    ¡°We. did. It.¡± Kyle said between breaths, beaming with pride. Noah nodded at his most promising soldier.

    ¡°You sure did!¡± He encouraged, ¡°That¡¯s it for warmups, it''s time to get started on today¡¯s tasks.¡± Julie had a ¡°who do you think you are¡± kind of look going on, and Matt looked about ready to faint.

    ¡°Cheer up, everyone! Today is a light day. All you have to do is meet your quota and dinner will be served at dusk.¡± He explained.

    ¡°And what quota is that?¡± Julie asked, taking the bait.

    ¡°One level,¡± Noah said, as he made eye contact with each of them. This was the part he had been waiting for.

    ¡°If you want my help then I expect each of you to be one level higher than you are now by the end of the day.¡± He had learned something interesting this morning as he sorted through his thoughts; he could summon different parts of his status separately. This led to a potentially brilliant idea that he had been waiting to test. He willed the system to display his status to the group.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Level: 10

    XP: 3/100

    They collectively jumped as the screen appeared before them.

    ¡°I take it that it worked, then?¡± Noah asked. Julie nodded, understanding on her face. Matt also seemed to understand the implications and groaned.

    ¡°I am going to hunt. If you are hungry then I suggest you either find your own food or level before dark.¡± Noah had decided on a hands-off approach to start, hoping to see some creative ideas emerge from the pressure. Noah started to walk away from them but Julie called out him.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Hey Noah, can we talk?¡± She asked. He nodded and motioned for them to step away from the boys.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°I get what you¡¯re going for, and I appreciate it¨CI really do. But do you think this is  necessary?¡± She asked. Noah didn¡¯t need to think about his response.

    ¡°It is. You heard the elf yesterday. To them and to the System we are disposable XP farms, you three especially. We need to get you to Iron as soon as possible.¡± He answered, his tone soft but firm. She took a deep breath.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Thank you.¡± She said, her lips pressed into a firm line. She turned back to the boys.

    ¡°You heard Noah, chop chop!¡± Noah laughed as he left them to find the promised reward for their hard work.

    Noah was roasting the catch of the day, a pair of plump needle-toothed rabbits when Julie and Kyle stumbled back into camp looking worse for wear. Julie wore a familiar scowl but her face was red with tear-stained cheeks. Kyle¡¯s torso was purple and he had a noticeable limp, but he victoriously clung to a long narrow branch.

    ¡°Noah, look what I got!¡± Kyle annouced.

    ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± Noah responded, taking an interest.

    ¡°My bow!¡± Kyle proclaimed. Noah frowned.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look a like bow.¡± He pressed. Kyle nodded unperturbed.

    ¡°Well yeah, not yet. But it will be a bow.¡± Kyle assured. Noah didn¡¯t want to burst the kid¡¯s bubble but he felt responsible to point out the obvious.

    ¡°And where do you plan to get a bow string from?¡± He asked, doing his best to sound optimistic.

    ¡°Sinew!¡± Kyle responded immediately.

    ¡°Like animal tendon, sinew?¡± Noah asked not understanding.

    ¡°Exactly! See I told you Noah would understand¡± Kyle said, looking at Julie.

    ¡°You sure did.¡± Julie said tersely. Kyle then proceeded to pull a mess of white strings from his pocket.

    ¡°They are a bit squished from the fall, but they should work fine.¡± Kyle explained. Noah looked at the not-strings in Kyle¡¯s hands and then at Julie.

    ¡°Was this your idea?¡± He asked.

    ¡°No, I just helped him with the¡­ removal. He claims to have watched someone do it on Youtube.¡± She said.

    ¡°Convenient.¡± Noah said, unsure if he should ask about the fall. Not wanting to step on Julie¡¯s toes he decided to get to the more pressing topic at hand.

    ¡°All right cadets, lets see those levels!¡± Noah said, resuming his cheerful drill sergeant persona. The three agreed and shared their status screens, he added his for fairness.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Level: 10

    XP: 5/100

    Status

    Name: Julie Weston

    Level: 2

    XP: 3/10

    Status

    Name: Kyle Weston

    Level: 0

    XP: 0/10

    Status

    Name: Matt Choi

    Level: 1

    XP: 7/10

    Noah looked over the results and was surprised by the outcome. He would have put money on Kyle leveling if no one else, and he half-expected to have a man-to-man with Matt explaining responsibility and the like. Instead, it appeared that Matt had made the most progress, though Julie had gained a fair bit as well. He didn¡¯t fail to notice that they both received more XP than he had gotten from his hunt. Not wanting to be a hypocrite he silently swore to push it hard the next day.

    ¡°Great work Matt, you too Julie.¡± He started, before turning his eyes to Kyle. Before he could continue, Kyle beat him to it.

    ¡°I know I didn¡¯t level, so I won¡¯t be eating dinner. It won¡¯t happen again though.¡± Kyle explained. Noah was a bit taken aback, he had expected an excuse or bargaining. Instead, Kyle just owned up to the situation and accepted the consequences. Now was the hard part though, did he cave and give him food, or maybe just a bit less than everyone else? Julie made eye contact with him then and shook her head as if he reading his thoughts.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You chose what to do today and this is what it got you.¡± Julie told Kyle, taking the burden off Noah.

    ¡°More for me!¡± Matt said in the most enthusiastic voice Noah had heard from him yet.

    After that, they ate and discussed their days. Matt had immediately produced some roughly carved tableware: two-pronged forks and a set of chopsticks. He had gotten his XP from whittling and had learned that the first time you craft an item you get bonus XP and it drops to a lower amount in subsequent recreations. Noah was impressed, both with his productivity and his deduction. Julie had leveled when she set the dislocated shoulder that Kyle got from the fall, which Noah assumed was the source of her tears and frustration. Kyle had managed to climb into one of the trees where he had spotted a loose limb. He had fallen in his attempt to climb down though resulting in his roughed-up appearance. Kyle stayed in good spirits throughout the night and shared his dream of becoming the world¡¯s greatest archer. Noah learned that their dad was a hunter and had taught them both how to shoot bows in their backyard and Kyle had taken to it. The pair had been at home with Matt, and their parents were at work when the System arrived. The memory cast a somber tone upon them, they all had loved ones out there somewhere. There was a new spark of determination in their eyes when they said good night.

    Noah was glad to see it because starting tomorrow, the real grind would begin.

 Chapter 12

    The next few days passed in a blur. Noah had informed the group that the new quota was 15 XP each day and they had all managed to rise to the occasion. Noah had also discovered an alarming development. Instead of having to travel further from camp to find beasts, each passing day seemed to draw them in. They maintained the pace for five days, starting each day with an increasingly dangerous run through the forest. This was followed by the team splitting up to hunt down their XP. Matt had stuck to various crafts, ranging from utensils to some rudimentary rough hide clothes. He also worked with different bone pieces to make some single-point daggers, carving the bone with his growing collection of tools. After Kyle finished his bow, he began on the arrows, working with Matt to shape the appropriate bones. Aiming was a work in progress, and he had had to invest his first several free points into strength to pull back the bowstring.

    Julie was set on learning magic, she continued to use first-aid skills whenever possible but also began to try healing magic on our wounds. This looked a bit different every time. She had tried a sort of chant, a command, yelling ¡®heal¡¯, and ¡®feeling the energy¡¯ but so far we hadn¡¯t seen any results. She was convinced that she was the verge of an epiphany though, so Noah supported her efforts. She made the remainder of the quota through cooking and crafting needles and thread¨Cmaking use of the same dried sinew that Kyle made for his bowstring. For Noah¡¯s part, he was kept busy helping Kyle and breaking in or just breaking Matt¡¯s different makeshift weapons. While he didn¡¯t experience the same explosive growth as the others, he finally got to his next level by the end of day five. He decided to continue with his current progression, gaining two points in both strength and dexterity and putting his free points into constitution. When they gathered at the fire that night they were a changed people compared to just a week ago. They were quite literally¨Cstronger, faster, and better put together. The daily achievement had also done a lot to bolster their spirits and improve their outlook on the current predicament. And so it was with smiling faces and a competitive air that the four shared the status screens.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Level: 11

    XP: 11/100

    Status

    Name: Julie Weston

    Level: 9

    XP: 8/10

    Status

    Name: Kyle Weston

    Level: 9

    XP: 5/10

    Status

    Name: Matt Choi

    Level: 9

    XP: 9/10

    All week they had been discussing their path and primary stats and tomorrow would be the big day. Kyle and Julie had both decided to pursue combatant and Matt had stayed firmly on the non-combatant path. They also discussed the gates, though the concept wasn¡¯t very appealing to them. Even when he explained the perk he got from his first gate choice it didn¡¯t seem to be quite enough. Kyle had tried meditating for a few minutes but gave up when nothing happened. Noah figured that once their leveling slowed they would be more open to other avenues of growth. With the increased beast presence they were now eating at least twice a day and often had extra food. With full bellies, they bid each other good night and dreamt of the coming day.

    Noah woke to the sound of Kyle scrounging his gear. It was barely dawn. Noah grinned, knowing full well that Kyle was trying to get a head start on the others and be the first one. He was already up so he didn¡¯t mind helping the early bird.

    ¡°We can go out, but we¡¯ll have to stay close to camp.¡± Noah told him. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go!¡± Kyle whispered, leading the way into the woods. He carried his bow in hand with a quiver from Matt tied tight to his back. In it he had three arrows, finding it hard to make them as fast as he broke or lost them. Noah carried a pointy wolf-femur that was sufficient for stabbing things and not much else. So far he hadn¡¯t run into anything as strong as the beasts he saw on the first day. His working theory was that it had something to do with territory, but he hadn¡¯t been eager to test it. But with the rising monster population, he was worried that they would be forced to move sooner than later.

    ¡°Up ahead.¡± Kyle whispered, slowing to a crawl. Noah looked over his shoulder and saw what had likely been a bobcat. Now it was a dark brown color with white streaks around its eyes and two fangs protruding several inches out of its mouth. The fangs glinted in low light, wet with a clear liquid. Noah had a bad feeling about it. But before he could alert Kyle of his concern, he loosed an arrow that dug into the cat¡¯s shoulder. At least it hit. Noah thought as he got in front of the boy. The bobcat hissed and sprung across the clearing, pinning Noah to the ground. Its claws dug into his chest and the only grace was the wedged femur now well into the beast¡¯s stomach. It wailed and bit into his left shoulder.

    ¡°Agh!¡± Noah cried in agony. Trying to shake off the cat but to no avail. Then he heard a whistling followed by a meaty thud. The bobcat slumped into him, suddenly dead weight. Kyle helped to drag the beat off of him and Noah saw the arrow protruding from between its eyes.

    ¡°Wow. Good shot!¡± Noah praised. Kyle, normally a sponge to such compliments, instead looked ready to hurl.

    ¡°That was my fault.¡± He said, his voice grave. ¡°I should have waited until we were both ready. You got hurt¡­¡± Kyle finished, his eyes glued to his feet.

    ¡°It¨C¡± Noah was cut off by a familiar notification.

    [50 XP gained]

    ¡°Crap.¡± Noah said, now all too aware of the burning sensation in his shoulder. Kyle must have gotten the notification too because his face paled.

    ¡°We need to get back to Julie.¡± Kyle blurted. Noah was of the same mind and they quickly returned to camp. They were thankful to see Julie and Matt were up and moving. The pair looked up at them and smiled in greeting. Julie however frowned when she noticed the blood and Kyle was quick to explain.¡±

    ¡°Julie you have to save Noah, I messed up!¡± He said, his voice cracking. ¡°I think he¡¯s posioned.¡± Huh. So he did notice. Noah observed, feeling both proud and irritated.

    ¡°What do you mean save him?¡± Julie asked, moving over to Noah. He sat down, wincing, and she began inspecting his shoulder.

    ¡°We got into a fight with a bobcat and its teeth were coated in something. Now it burns and itches like crazy.¡± Noah said.

    ¡°And I got 50 XP from my participation.¡± Kyle shared. Julie¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°Matt, boil us some water. Noah, on your back.¡± She directed. She knelt next to him on the ground and placed her hands on his chest.

    ¡°Julie¨C¡± She shook her head and shut her eyes in focus. She could feel something, she just had to connect with it. It felt like a river of light inside of her, and she knew if she could grab ahold of it then she could heal him.

    ¡°I have the water.¡± Matt interrupted. She nodded, scooping it onto Noah¡¯s chest and cleaning the wounds. His constitution had made his body sturdy, but the beast had managed several deep gouges. As she cleared the bite wound she grimaced. There were dark lines spider-webbing from the incisions. I have to make this work. She told herself. Noah saw the look on her face and his stomach clenched. It was bad. He focused on taking deep breaths. She could do this.

    For the better part of an hour, Julie knelt over him, sweat dripping from her brow. Noah watched her as she tried to save him. It wasn¡¯t working. It was harder to breathe now, a wheeze accompanied every breath. His world was a mix of numbness and pain and he did his best not to let it show on his face.

    More time passed. He could feel himself fading. He couldn¡¯t hear wheezing anymore, that seemed like a positive. He could however feel the warm drops of liquid as they landed on his face. He could just barely make out her face. Her green eyes. Her pointy nose. Her tangled brown hair. His heart hurt as he looked up at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The words no more than breath. He felt a hand, her hand, cup his face. It was warm. Comforting. He wondered if he was crying or if it was her tears streaming down his face.

    It didn¡¯t feel like a choice when the darkness came for him. He resisted it. It barely noticed. He heard a muffled sound. Whatever it was, it was lovely. He clung to it, pleading for a moment more. The moment passed. As the darkness enveloped him, a stream of stars came into view. He wept at their beauty.

 Chapter 13

    Julie chewed the bland meat. Two days had passed since the incident. They had all been rattled by Noah¡¯s quick decline. He was stable now, but he still hadn¡¯t woken up. The beasts were close. The previous night had been a long one, Kyle gained another level and so did she. Matt was a full-time Fletcher with arrows being their most effective defense. All three of them had passed level 10 that day, it was supposed to be a joyous occasion. They were tired. She could hear tinkering sounds from Matt¡¯s direction and a soft snore from Kyle¡¯s. She hated having to depend on him so much.

    So far the daytime had been quiet, but she could feel the tension rising in the forest. Their peaceful days were coming to an end. She needed Noah to wake up. He lay in the center of their camp, his chest rising and falling in a healthy rhythm. She had done it that day, the pressure pushed her forward and she finally grasped the magic. It had happened in an unexpected way as the life was fading from Noah¡¯s form. She had felt a building crescendo within her, a string of notes familiar but unknown. It wasn¡¯t until she put words to the melody that she felt it, a gentle stream and a raging river. Each word seemed to carry power and with each word Noah¡¯s body recovered. She sang until the melody reached its end, at which point she was completely spent. It took a full day to recover the energy source she had depleted, at which point she repeated her performance. Only then did Noah fully stabilize.

    The snap of a twig jolted her awake. No. No. No. She panicked, scanning the perimeter - she was supposed to be on watch. What she saw brought fresh tears to her eyes.

    ¡°Noah!¡± She ran to him only to stop a couple of feet away. She blushed.

    ¡°You¡¯re okay.¡± She said, remembering her hand on his face and the way he had stared into her eyes. Noah stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms. He squeezed her tight as the sobs came. She couldn¡¯t reign them in.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s gonna be okay.¡± He whispered gently in her ear. She leaned into him, giving in to the torrent of emotions.

    Kyle watched from the ground, the pit in his stomach growing as his sister cried. It''s my fault. He wouldn¡¯t let it happen again.

    Matt busied himself in his task, happy that his stalwart protector was back on his feet. He had seen all too much action these past couple of days and was eager to make anything that wasn¡¯t an arrow.

    Noah held Julie until the tears stopped. He hadn¡¯t been prepared for the well of emotion he awoke with. He had a mission, a calling, a purpose, he had to save humanity! He told himself that, but at this moment, the only person he wanted to save was her.

    They separated and Julie took a deep breath.

    ¡°Thank you, Noah.¡± He nodded.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Noah looked around the camp, taking in the rest of his surroundings for the first time. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy.¡± He said, observing the mess of bones and the red-stained ground.

    ¡°Its been a trying couple of days.¡± She agreed.

    ¡°Days?¡± He replied, his eyes wide. She nodded.

    ¡°The nights have been getting worse. The beasts started approaching the camp and we have only managed to hold them at bay with Kyle¡¯s arrows.¡± She explained. Noah looked for Kyle and saw his sleeping form near the fire. Well done.

    ¡°It might be time to find a new home.¡± Noah said. Julie nodded.

    ¡°About time! I vote for something with walls.¡± Matt interjected. They laughed.

    ¡°I hope you guys haven¡¯t been slacking!¡± Noah grinned, ¡°Because the next few days are going to make you miss boot camp.¡± There was a collective groan, the now-awake Kyle joining in.

    ¡°We head out at dawn. Until then, let''s see about getting some food,¡± he finished.

    They spent the rest of the day preparing for their trek. Matt had been busy over the last week and had fashioned clothes for them to wear and packs to carry supplies in. When Noah put his furry garment on he decided that calling them clothes was generous at best. The amalgamation of pelts covered him like a sleeveless dress, stopping a few inches above his knee. At least we¡¯re modest. The garment stank, and would scare children but he was genuinely grateful not to be the bare-chested barbarian anymore. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Over dinner, Noah was pleased to learn that each of his companions had leveled, crossing their level 10 thresholds and becoming apprentices. They went around sharing their choice of primary stats and their progression plan. Julie chose intelligence and willpower and explained what she believed they governed. By her estimation, intelligence was the magic equivalent of strength, though she believed it affected her memory as well. Willpower, then, was the magic equivalent of constitution and she believed it would increase the rate of her magical regeneration. She planned to allocate most of her free points into wisdom, but she promised Noah to put some into constitution as well. Matt had chosen to specialize in dexterity and wisdom, explaining that he would need fine control of both his body and magic for what he had in mind. He had subscribed to Julie¡¯s theory that wisdom was the magical counterpart to dexterity. His free points would then be split between strength and constitution. When it was Kyle¡¯s turn to share, he livened up.

    ¡°As an archer  my choices were clear. All my points will go to strength and dexterity!¡± Julie cleared her throat. ¡°And some will go into constitution!¡± He added, muttering something under his breath. Julie must have heard him because she assumed a motherly tone and made her stance clear.

    ¡°You will put at least one point into constitution every other level. Understood?¡± She said, eyebrows raised. He nodded sheepishly.

    ¡°That sounds fair,¡± he agreed.

    ¡°It sounds like you have all thought this through. I am impressed!¡± Noah said in a grandfatherly tone. Kyle suddenly sported a wolfish grin.

    ¡°Noah, you¡¯re level 11, right?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Sure am!¡± Noah replied. Kyle¡¯s grin grew.

    ¡°Want to arm wrestle?¡± He challenged. Noah shrugged.

    ¡°Sure, why not?¡± They stepped away from the fire and lay on the ground, clasping hands. ¡°Ready?¡± Noah asked. Kyle nodded, beaming. ¡°Go.¡± Kyle threw all of his strength into it, expecting a quick win. Not bad. Noah observed. Noah returned Kyle¡¯s smile before driving his hand to the ground in a slow, controlled fashion.

    ¡°What!¡± Kyle protested, ¡°I am level 13, and I put way more of my points into strength!¡± Noah considered that.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He started, ¡°I think it has to do with my caste though, I had a definite increase in strength after my breakthrough, even though the number on status didn¡¯t change.¡± He shrugged, ¡°Or it could be that I am older and have fully developed.¡±

    Thoroughly shown up, Kyle skulked away from the group and sat crisscrossed at the edge of the clearing. After a few minutes, Noah thought he could hear a humming sound coming from that direction.

    ¡°I think he needed that,¡± Julie said, with a warm smile.

    ¡°Always my pleasure to humble the youth.¡± He said, tipping his imaginary cowboy hat. She giggled. Matt chose that moment to excuse himself and return to his tinkering.

    ¡°Where do you think we should go?¡± Julie asked. Noah shrugged.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. First, I want to get out of this forest. But after that? Part of me is hoping that civilization is still out there. Given what the system told us in the tutorial though¡­ I¡¯m not so sure.¡± Julie looked thoughtfully at him.

    ¡°Even if it is gone, I¡¯m sure someone is already working to restore it.¡± She said. He imagined it¨Cit would be a huge undertaking. It would take a lot of people, and they would need to be organized. Would they welcome elves? Or the other races?

    Julie watched him and could see the thoughts racing through his head. She wondered just how random the system had been when it placed them so close together.

    ¡°Julie, there¡¯s something I want to share with you.¡± He said in a more serious tone than she had been anticipating. She nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡±

    They were interrupted by a howl, piercing the night. Kyle was the first on his feet, bow in hand. Matt, knowing the drill, handed Kyle a bundle of arrows before presenting Noah with his newest creation.

    ¡°I call it shark club!¡± Matt said, giving Noah a double thumbs-up. Noah looked at the weapon, shark club, in interest and horror. It was yet another femur, its origin unclear, and it was studded with sharp teeth everywhere but the handle. He nodded in resignation. Yep. It''s going to be a messy night. Knowing this, he took off his fur dress and readied himself for battle. The group had been ready and waiting, and the wolves didn¡¯t disappoint.

    The hours passed, the levels rose, and to signal their triumph, the sun crested the horizon.

 Chapter 13.5 (Stat Sheets)

    Chapter 13.5

    Status Updates

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Domain: Self

    Caste: Iron

    Gate: 1

    Path: Apprentice

    Level: 12

    Strength: 20

    Dexterity:20

    Constitution: 35

    Intelligence:11

    Wisdom: 13

    Willpower: 14You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    XP: 57/100

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 0

    Status

    Name: Julie Weston

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Caste: Dust

    Gate: 0

    Path: Apprentice

    Level: 12

    Strength: 11

    Dexterity: 10

    Constitution: 14

    Intelligence: 22

    Wisdom: 18

    Willpower: 22

    XP: 52/100

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 0

    Status

    Name: Kyle Weston

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Caste: Dust

    Gate: 0

    Path: Apprentice

    Level: 13

    Strength: 26

    Dexterity:26

    Constitution: 16

    Intelligence: 10

    Wisdom: 9

    Willpower: 11

    XP: 90/100

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 0

    Status

    Name: Matt Choi

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Caste: Dust

    Gate: 0

    Path: Apprentice

    Level: 13

    Strength: 9

    Dexterity: 30

    Constitution: 20

    Intelligence:12

    Wisdom: 18

    Willpower: 9

    XP: 90/100

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 0

 Chapter 14

    The four of them were exhausted. The monsters had come in waves throughout the night, keeping them from catching a moment''s rest. They took turns rinsing in the cold water of the stream and ate a hearty breakfast. While none of them were eager to spend the day on the move, it was clear that they couldn¡¯t stay either. They quietly gathered their gear and strapped on their packs.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Noah asked the motley crew. He was met with determined nods. ¡°Good. We¡¯ll start slow and then ramp up the pace as we go. Say something if you need to rest.¡± With that, they turned north and began trekking along the stream.

    Noah was thankful for the cold morning air as he sweat under the furs. They jogged for a few hours, taking short breaks as needed and snacking on the extra meat they had prepared. It was late morning when they were met with their first opposition, a stag not too dissimilar to the one Noah had fought before his breakthrough. Noah signaled to Kyle, and together they engaged the beast. Noah rushed forward, creating an opportunity for Kyle to hit it from afar. Together they made quick work of the beast and shared in the rewards.

    [5 XP Gained]

    After catching their breath, they continued on, running into the occasional beast, but never more than a couple at a time. By mid-afternoon, Julie was struggling to keep up, having the lowest physical stats of the group. She urged them ever forward but the growing strain was obvious to the rest of them. When evening came, Noah called everyone to stop. As much as he wanted to believe that the end was just around the corner, it very well could not be. That brought an even more disturbing thought though¨Chow were they going to survive the night? Fending off the beast in the firelight was hard enough, he couldn¡¯t imagine managing it in the darkness. He looked around for some sign of a solution but came up empty. He looked up at the branches far above his head. Could we make it? Maybe? He knew the bark was tough enough to hold weight, and its thick grooves gave ample finger holds. They weren¡¯t climbers though.

    ¡°We have a bit of a dilemma.¡± Noah started. The others were too busy catching their breath to comment so he continued. ¡°We might still have days of travel ahead of us, so we can¡¯t count on making it out tonight. We also don¡¯t have a way to make fire. How are we going to survive tonight?¡± He decided to lay it all on the table, hoping that the desperate nature of the situation would open some doors. The boys stared at him like he had cussed in church.

    ¡°I think what Noah means is that we need to find a solution quick.¡± Julie reiterated.

    ¡°One thought is that we could camp up in the trees.¡± Noah offered. Matt and Julie frowned.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how possible that is¡­¡± Julie said. Matt nodded vehemently.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s call that the fallback plan then. Who has another idea?¡± Noah replied.

    Ideas bounced back and forth, ranging from huddling in a big group and hoping for the best to running through the night. It didn¡¯t take much to pick those ideas apart though, and the light was starting to wane. Matt, the most health-conscious of the group noticed this detail almost immediately.

    ¡°Maybe its time to try climbing the tree¡± Matt suggested. Noah looked to Julie, who looked in turn at the tree.

    ¡°Alright, lets give it a go.¡± She agreed. They picked a tree with some promising branches and sent Kyle up to check it out. When he made it to the top and gave the thumbs up, Matt stepped up to the plate. He surprised everyone, himself included when he made it to the top.

    ¡°I guess the stats really work!¡± he shouted down, excited by his newfound powers. He had heavily invested in dexterity, something that Julie had yet to touch.

    ¡°Here goes.¡± She said, letting out a nervous breath. Noah clenched his teeth when her arms began to shake only a few feet from the ground. He moved under her, hoping he could soften her landing if she fell. She made it about halfway before her arms gave out. With a scream, she fell from the tree, landing hard in Noah¡¯s arms. They both let out a sigh of relief as he set her on the ground.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do it.¡± She said, her voice shaky. Noah took a deep breath.

    ¡°I think you might be right.¡± He admitted. She had given everything and barely made it halfway. ¡°Do you think you could hold onto my back?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think so.¡± Julie replied. He nodded.

    ¡°Okay. Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do. I am going to climb the tree solo and see if it feels possible to carry you. If it does, then great. If not we will figure out what to do next together. Sound good?¡± He asked. She agreed and Noah started up the tree. He managed the climb without much strain and climbed back down. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Alright. I think it could work.¡± He said. She grimaced.

    ¡°You think it could?¡± She asked, weighing out each word. He nodded slowly.

    ¡°I do. If you have a better idea, it may be worth exploring though.¡± He said. She shook her head.

    ¡°No. This is the best shot we have. Let''s do it.¡± She said. They waited while Noah stretched and rested his arms. Then it was time, and he knelt down so that she could climb on his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his torso.

    ¡°Ready,¡± She said. Noah bounced on the balls of his feet, testing the weight. I can do this. He moved to the tree and found a handhold. He lifted his first foot off the ground, then the second. His arms immediately felt the strain. He took a deep, measured breath. One at a time. He moved his hand up, finding a groove. In. Out. He did his best to drown out Julie¡¯s anxious breathing. His next hand found its purchase. In. out. His arms were ready to give. One more. Then again. Just one more. He felt two heartbeats racing and dug deep. In. Out.

    ¡°Noah.¡± He kept climbing.

    ¡°Noah. Hey, Noah.¡± She said again.

    ¡°Huh?¡± He grunted.

    ¡°You did it, we¡¯re at the top,¡± Julie whispered gently. Noah blinked. He looked down and saw the boys a few feet below them.

    ¡°Oh.¡± There was a thick branch to their left and Noah shifted positions, stopping just over it. Julie grabbed a supporting branch with one hand and slowly lowered her feet. Together they found a comfortable position to perch and allowed the tension to leave their bodies.

    ¡°That was¨C¡± He tried to find a word.

    ¡°Intense?¡± Julie offered.

    ¡°Yeah, let''s go with that.¡± He agreed.

    The boys waved and they made their plan for the night. They would adhere strictly to the buddy system, and no one was allowed to fall asleep. They desperately needed rest but lacked any reliable way to secure themselves to the tree. Noah thought they would struggle to keep themselves awake through the night, but as the sun set he was quickly proven wrong. Like moths to a flame, the beasts began to appear from the woods, more than they had seen on any previous night. They growled and clawed at the trunk of the tree as if to vent their frustration. They all looked down in terror when a feline monster started clawing its way up the trunk. Kyle reached for his bow and tried to stabilize himself on his branch. Julie looked ready to protest but it was thankfully unneeded as the cat failed to get much further.

    They watched through the night, making small talk in an attempt to pass the time. As the night passed the talking turned to blank stares and the weariness set it. They made sure to shake each other if they started to nod off. Noah had another worry keeping him awake though, getting down. His body was shot and he had little confidence in his ability to carry Julie to the ground.

    When the dawn broke the beasts lingered. It wasn¡¯t until an hour past sunrise that they finally dispersed. Even then, they could hear disturbing noises not far in the distance. Something was changing and each day it was getting worse. Noah took that as a sign to mobilize the troops. They needed to get out of the forest today.

    ¡°So how do we get down?¡± Matt said, voicing the thought on everyone¡¯s mind.

    ¡°I think I can make it just fine,¡± Kyle said, nonplussed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can or not.¡± Matt assessed.

    ¡°Well, one way or another we are getting down. If you fall, then Julie is getting some XP.¡± Noah said, having come to this conclusion late into the night. Matt paled visibly but nodded.

    ¡°I guess that is comforting.¡± He responded.

    ¡°What about me?¡± Julie asked, ¡°I haven¡¯t tested if I can heal myself yet.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll catch you.¡± He assured. ¡°I¡¯m up first!¡± He said, ending the discussion. He did his best to appear calm and started his descent. He found it to be the comfortable kind of challenging and soon set his feet on the ground.

    ¡°Kyle you¡¯re next!¡± He shouted up the tree. Kyle proceeded to scramble down the trunk, making it look effortless. Noah had Kyle stand next to him and ready himself to catch.

    ¡°Matt, your turn!¡± His climb was a slower, more reserved style but he made it nonetheless. The three of them readied themselves.

    ¡°Keep your knees bent. Be ready to roll backward. If she falls, we¡¯ll catch her together. Follow my lead.¡± He instructed.

    ¡°Julie, we¡¯re ready for you!¡± He called out.

    ¡°Here I come!¡± She yelled in response. They all watched as she began to climb.

    Her foot slipped first, failing to find traction, then the other. They heard a whimper as she dangled in the air.

    ¡°Catch me!¡± she screamed as she plummeted toward the ground.

 Chapter 15

    Crunch! Julie crashed into the boys with devastating force. They had only been partially successful in their plan to roll with her momentum, resulting in the limp arm hanging at Noah¡¯s left side. The boys had walked away from the incident relatively unscathed, and Julie had gotten by with some deep bruising across her shoulders¨Cthe primary point of impact.

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Noah groaned as Julie manipulated his arm.

    ¡°Try to relax it. I need to see where the break is.¡± She responded. He clenched his teeth but did his best to follow her instructions.

    ¡°Found it!¡± She said before jerking his arm in a precise motion.

    ¡°Agh!¡± Noah yelled, staring at her incredulously. She smiled.

    ¡°I had to set the bone. It should help it heal faster. Now stay still.¡± Noah nodded reluctantly, still feeling betrayed. Julie wrapped her hands around his arm and began to sing. The words were strange to Noah, it was as if he knew what they meant but couldn¡¯t recognize them. While she sang a warmth permeated his arm, gentle and soothing. He watched in fascination as the bruising began to fade followed by a soft ¡®click¡¯. She finished her song and Noah found that is arm looked and felt normal, perhaps even better than before the catch.

    ¡°Thanks!¡± He said enthusiastically as he tested out his arm.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± She replied, having to catch her breath. With that taken care of, they ate what little they had left and finished off the water they had managed to carry.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of this forest,¡± Noah said as they began their journey north.

    They made good time, breaking less frequently and pushing the pace. None of them were eager to spend another night in the trees and every monster that attacked them served as another dose of adrenaline to help them push forward. As the day went on and the miles passed, Julie began to lag behind. Noah stopped and knelt in front of her.

    ¡°Get on.¡± He instructed. After the previous night, any reservations about such an offer were remedied and she quickly complied. They continued, and Noah was impressed at the boys¡¯ perseverance. With beasts literally nipping at their heels, lesser men would have succumbed to the stress long ago, but they continued to press forward, even cracking jokes when they stopped for breath. At some point, Julie had nodded off and her soft snoring now filled his ears. He smiled. The afternoon came and went and the cool air of the evening settled into the forest. They would have to call it soon.

    Ahead Kyle began shouting and Julie stirred as Noah readied for a fight. He set her down and ran to meet Kyle, grabbing Shark Club from Matt on his way.

    ¡°We made it!¡± Kyle shouted, finally forming recognizable words. Noah came up alongside and saw the edge of the forest just a few dozen yards away.

    ¡°Come on!¡± He shouted, running toward the open space. He stepped into direct sunlight for the first time in nearly two weeks and frowned. He glanced up at the sun and then down at his hands. In place of the familiar orange he was accustomed to, there was a white-blue orb in the sky, and its light felt more akin to the light of the moon albeit much brighter. The rest of them stepped out of the forest gasping in joy before having a similar revelation. It reinforced an uncomfortable truth; they weren¡¯t on Earth anymore.

    As thankful as he was to leave the forest behind, he was unsure of what to make of the scene ahead. Before them, as far as he could see, was an expanse of black earth that seemed to gradually climb into the sky. There was no greenery in sight. It looked like a volcano sometime after an eruption had cleared the landscape but too early for the wildlife to retake ground.

    ¡°We did it.¡± Julie said, high-fiving the teenagers. Noah smiled and joined in.

    ¡°We did!¡± He agreed.

    ¡°Now what?¡± Kyle asked, unwilling to let us just have the moment.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Noah responded. The four of them scanned the expanse, searching for a landmark to make for. In the distance, Noah could make out grey stone jutting from the mountainside. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°That looks promising.¡± He said, pointing in their direction. ¡°Let¡¯s gather some wood and head that way.¡± While the forest floor was nowhere near as littered with twigs and leaves as its earthen counterpart would have been, the trees had begun to shed branches over the last couple of weeks. Their steel had long since deteriorated, but Noah was hopeful that they could find another way.

    With their packs full they began to ascend the dark terrain. The stream they had followed appeared to originate somewhere on the mountain, ensuring the resource would be close at hand if they could figure out their fire situation. They had just arrived at the stone outcropping when the sun sank behind the horizon, revealing a beautiful array of foreign stars.

    ¡°Wow.¡± Julie whispered. He felt inclined to agree. There was no moon visible in the sky but the stars still illuminated the night, casting the foreboding landscape in a dreamlike glow. Living in the city, Noah wasn¡¯t accustomed to such a sight. The closest experience he had was when his family had vacationed in Alaska to see the aurora. That view still failed to live up to the tapestry of colors that he was currently taking in. The System had brought tragedy and vile creatures, but it had also introduced wonders beyond earthly expectation.

    The group settled into the hollow space between the rocky pillars, thankful for the semblance of shelter after their exposed nights. Perhaps it was that comfort or the building weariness that caused the group to fall asleep without a second thought.

    Noah had a restless dream of the woman from his vision. She had changed though, no longer the agent of Earth¡¯s destruction. Instead, she called out to Noah personally as if she cared for his well-being. She looked at him with deep blue eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re moving too slow, Noah.¡± Her voice was like the wind. ¡°Stop getting distracted. You must get to Bronze.¡± She said, her eyes focused and intense.

    Noah started awake, welcomed by the warm glow of dawn. As much as he wanted to berate himself for the impromptu slumber, he chose instead to be thankful for the rest. He looked at Matt and Kyle, sleeping soundly against the rock wall, then at Julie curled up a few feet away. Are they the distraction? He wondered, reflecting on his dream. It had been a dream just like this one that had led him to give up his life and prepare for the end. Could he ignore this one? He shook his head. One way or another, it was time to tell Julie about his premonition and his plan to save their people.

    Quietly, he dug through the packs finding the fire starter kit that Matt had experimented with. It was a puck of animal fat he had poured over wood shavings and charcoal, needing only an ember or spark to get it going. That final piece, of course, was the crux of the matter. He gathered several pieces of timber and sat just outside the outcropping. The view was stunning, a sea of green stretching out as far as he could see. The treetops glistened as the white light of the sun reflected off the swaying leaves. He breathed in deeply, appreciating the chilled morning air. Then he set about his task.

    If he could carry Julie 30 feet up a tree, then he could start a fire. It was with the memory of that superhuman feat that he began rubbing two sticks together with vigorous force. When Julie woke maybe an hour later he finally gave up. The sticks had gotten warm but stubbornly refused to combust. He set them to the side with a sigh.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± She said, coming to sit out on the slope by him.

    ¡°Good morning.¡± He replied, glad for the company.

    ¡°Did you sleep through the night?¡± She asked. He bit his tongue and considered a white lie.

    ¡°I did.¡± He said, deciding it wasn¡¯t worth it. She nodded.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just glad to be be alive.¡± She said after mulling over their near encounter with a quiet death. Noah laughed heartily.

    ¡°Me too.¡± He agreed. It was quiet for several heartbeats and Noah started to sweat as his nerves got to him.

    ¡°Julie,¡± He ventured, immediately questioning his decision. She looked at him.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± She asked, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

    ¡°I need to tell you a story.¡± Noah began, ¡°It started seven months ago at a New Year''s party¡­¡± He laid it all out for her, sharing the highs and lows of his life after the vision. He described his training and his family¡¯s rejection, he shared his experience with the first gate and the subsequent jailing, and finally, he shared his dream from the night before. As he shared her face reflected several emotions: curiosity, confusion, and concern chief among them. She listened intently, letting him get all of it off his chest. He eventually ran out of words and they returned to the quiet stillness of the morning. She took a deep breath.

    ¡°Noah, what are you getting to?¡± She asked.

    ¡°I¨C¡± Noah hesitated, ¡°I believe that our world needs saving and that I¡¯m its only hope.¡± He looked at Julie, trying to find a hint of her thoughts. Her eyebrows creased and she felt away as he waited for her response.

    ¡°Noah, it''s not that I don¡¯t believe you¨CI do, but don¡¯t you think that sounds a little crazy?¡± She said, searching his face. Noah¡¯s heart sank. Her frown deepened.

    ¡°You¡¯re not being serious are you?¡± A quiver in her voice.

    A loud voice rang through their minds, preventing him from responding.

    [Phase two of tutorial completed. Completion rate: 64%. Satisfactory for tutorial end.]

    There was a moment of silence as the message settled in.

    [Safeguards lifted. Countdown to multiverse initiation began. 1,095 days remaining.]

    Another pause in the System¡¯s dialogue.

    [Upon initiation, planets with a Bronze ruler will maintain sovereignty. All other planets will be open to outside harvesting.]

 Chapter 16

    The silence stretched on as they processed the messages. The dream was right again. Noah thought, aware that it had included more than one piece of information. Julie turned a tearful gaze toward Noah, meeting his eyes with a sad smile.

    ¡°I believe you, Noah.¡± She began, the first tear running down her cheek. ¡°I believe you, but I¨Cwe can¡¯t do that.¡± Noah swallowed before asking a question he didn¡¯t want the answer to.

    ¡°What are you saying, Julie?¡±

    ¡°Noah, I¡¯m saying that if you¡¯re going to save the world then you will have to do it without us.¡± She said, ¡°I know that sounds terrible, but I have to think of Kyle. I¨C¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Noah stopped her. ¡°That makes sense.¡± She nodded, hugging her knees to her chest.

    ¡°So what do we do from here?¡± She asked. Noah shrugged.

    ¡°I was hoping we could still be friends.¡± Noah said, hiding a grin. She gave him a playful shove.

    ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± He smiled

    ¡°Yeah I know.¡± She returned his smile.

    ¡°Thank you, Noah.¡± He nodded.

    ¡°As far as our plans go though, I guess it depends on you.¡± He said, ¡°I plan to keep doing the same things but faster. I want to get to the next caste as soon as possible. Where does that leave you?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I want to get us out of danger, and find a place where we can make a life for ourselves. I want to find our parents.¡± She said. Noah listened, though he doubted she would find a genuinely safe place anytime soon.

    ¡°And Kyle? What is he going to think about all of this?¡± He asked instead. She shrugged.

    ¡°He probably won¡¯t be happy about it. He¡¯ll come around though.¡± She said.

    ¡°I guess that begs the question: do you stay here or come with me in hopes of finding something better?¡± Noah offered.

    ¡°Do you mind if I take the day to think about it?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Of course. I was just going to scout the area anyway, and I doubt there is a better place to sleep nearby.¡± Noah replied, only bending the truth a little.

    Noah got up and grabbed his pointy club before starting his trek up the hill. Julie¡¯s heart broke as she watched him go. She had seen the cracks in his goofy facade and knew he was hurting, that she had hurt him. He had taken care of them and given them hope in this new world, and no doubt he would soon be helping some other fortunate person. Part of her knew that it was her own fears breaking them apart and that Kyle would gladly chase after the hero in his quest to save the world. But someone had to be responsible and face reality. Just a few days ago Noah had almost died, if not for her he would have. And he thinks he is chosen. No, it was for the best that they split paths, and the sooner the better. Coming to her decision, she went to share the news with the boys.

    Noah ran up the hill, every step that much further from the camp, from Julie. Tears blurred his eyes as he played the conversation back in his head. Stupid dreams. Every time the lady showed up in his dreams he ended up pushing away the people he loved. And now he would be all alone, again. He yelled in frustration before sinking to his knees, the mantra that he had recited daily coming back to his mind. For the sake of the world, I would gladly give my life. Even if they hate me. He had added the last bit after a particularly loud conversation with his parents. He wondered how they were doing now. He opened up the newest addition to his status and steeled his resolve.

    1,094 days remaining

    No longer frustrated but also not eager to return to camp, he decided to meditate and see if he could feel out the next Gate. He hadn¡¯t visited his mental world in some time and was relieved to see that it at least had stayed the same. He thought about his last advancement through the first Gate. Before he had gotten a response from the voice, he remembered feeling humbled; He was like a speck of dust in an infinitely vast universe. The thought struck a chord with him, and he knew that was it. Seeing himself accurately had been the key to unlocking the first Gate, perhaps he had to see something else accurately for the next one. He continued in his contemplation for hours, lost in the stillness. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    When he finally opened his eyes again the sun had lowered considerably, and he felt a steadiness to his heart that he had lost over the previous weeks. He made the trek down the hill and saw a peculiar sight, a thin line of smoke coming from the outcropping. He smiled. They¡¯re gonna be okay.

    When he entered the camp it was quiet, and he saw that Kyle wasn¡¯t present and neither was Julie. He sighed, walking over to Matt who was hunched over the budding flame.

    ¡°Now how did you manage that?¡± He asked, just a tad annoyed. Matt grinned.

    ¡°Engineering!¡± He said, a bit too quickly. Noah squinted his eyes, looking for some contraption.

    ¡°Is that right?¡± He pressed.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Matt started, ¡°I did try a bit of engineering, but it didn¡¯t work at all. In fact, I am starting to think there¡¯s something wrong with this wood.¡± He explained. Noah nodded sagely, greatly appreciating that particular conclusion.

    ¡°Then how did you get a flame?¡± Noah asked, realizing his question was never answered.

    ¡°Magic!¡± Matt responded enthusiastically, ¡°It¡¯s not quite as cool but it definitely worked!¡± Noah couldn¡¯t help but agree with both sentiments. He was holding firmly to the idea that he could save the world without using magic. Something about it just felt un-American. He chuckled.

    ¡°Where are the others?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Ah. Kyle got mad about the news and ran off. Julie is looking for him.¡± Matt explained.

    ¡°I see. And how are you doing with the new development?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you being around, but I don¡¯t really want to go looking for trouble.¡± He said, seeming to have reached his peace. Noah nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too.¡± He responded. Noah decided to go fetch some water for the group and see if he could stumble upon one of the others.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± He told Matt, grabbing the rabbit-skin bags.

    It took a few minutes to get to the stream and though he looked, he didn¡¯t see either of them as he made his way back. As he carried the water back into the camp he was relieved to see both of them huddled by the fire. It looks like they sorted it out. Noah made his way over to the group, making sure to make eye contact with Julie. The last thing he wanted was to part ways with some unresolved tension between them.

    ¡°Welcome back!¡± He said, positioning one of the bags over the fire. Julie smiled at him but Kyle hid his face. I¡¯ll have to talk to him.

    ¡°How¡¯d the scouting go, find anything interesting?¡± Julie asked. Noah scratched his head.

    ¡°To be honest I didn¡¯t go that far, I just needed some space.¡± He admitted. She blinked at his confession.

    ¡°That¡­ Makes sense.¡± She said, a complicated look on her face.

    ¡°So I heard that you made a decision,¡± Noah said, carrying the conversation forward.

    ¡°Yeah, I did.¡± She said, ¡°We are going to stay. This is a good enough spot for now, and even if last night was just a fluke, this is a defensible position. We have fire and water and just need to sort out food. In time we hope to find other people, but we are going to take some time to get our feet under us.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a good plan,¡± Noah said, doing his best to sound encouraging. He just hoped they could figure it out when things went poorly.

    ¡°What about you?¡± Julie asked him.

    ¡°I will leave in the morning. I plan to keep moving up the mountain and scope out the region. Who knows, maybe I¡¯ll find some people and send them your way.¡± He responded.

    ¡°So you¡¯re just going to leave us?¡± Kyle accused. Noah frowned, taken off guard. He looked to Julie who mouthed ¡®sorry¡¯ and gave a half smile.

    ¡°Kyle, do you mind if we chat, just the two of us?¡± Noah asked, moving toward the entrance. Kyle muttered something unintelligible but followed him out of the camp. They sat on the slope overlooking the forest and remained still for a moment.

    ¡°Kyle, I didn¡¯t want to leave you.¡± Noah said softly. Kyle sat there, his arms crossed.

    ¡°I know.¡± He finally responded. Noah stayed quiet.

    ¡°I can¡¯t leave my sister.¡± Kyle said after some time. ¡°She told me what you plan to do. You¡¯re going to save everyone.¡± He paused, wiping his face. ¡°I wish we were going with you.¡± Noah wrapped his arm around him.

    ¡°I know. Me too.¡±

 Chapter 17

    When the sun rose the next day, Noah was awake to greet it. The skies were cloudy, matching the melancholy air of the morning. It had been another monsterless night, which was eerie in its own way, making one wonder just where the beasts had gone. When the System mentioned the safeguards being lifted, Noah had been sure they would come streaming from the forest at all hours of the day. Given his experience with the System so far, he knew the reality was probably worse than he imagined. He sighed, not for the first time that morning, as his mind produced reasons to stay. Knowing it would be some time before the others stirred, he decided to review his status screen.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Domain: Self

    Caste: Iron

    Gate: 1

    Path: Apprentice

    Level: 13

    Strength: 22

    Dexterity:22

    Constitution: 36

    Intelligence:11

    Wisdom: 13

    Willpower: 14

    XP: 12/100

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 0

    He had opted to put a couple of free points in strength and dexterity, feeling their lack after the night in the tree. Noah considered the steps he would need to take to get to the next caste. If his thoughts were right, he would have to get to the next level threshold, the next gate, and the next grade. He had no clue how he was supposed to increase his grade, or even what grade did. The elf, Balkendar had acted like the elves were aware of grade even before the System¡¯s arrival, but the concept was too vague for Noah to guess at. Perhaps he would track down an elf if that became his bottleneck. As Noah looked at his status, he once again experienced that sensation of rightness, each line a clear reflection of his current state. As he examined his numbers, he focused on the second-to-last line, the one that had escaped his understanding to date.

    Essence. It was yet another unknown.

    When Julie woke sometime later she found him seated upright with his eyes closed and a serene expression on his face. She smiled sadly at him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°Noah, are you alright?¡± She asked. He seemed to have a delayed reaction as if he had been some distance away.

    ¡°Hey, Julie. Yeah, I¡¯m good.¡± He said, opening his eyes. He took in her face, committing it to memory. ¡°Are the boys up?¡± He asked. She nodded.

    ¡°They¡¯re just stirring.¡±

    ¡°Then I think it''s time.¡± He said, making his way into the camp. The teens were sitting up and chatting when they saw him.

    ¡°Hey guys, I¡¯m going to head out.¡± He said, feeling a bit lost for words. Kyle jumped up and hugged him. Noah smiled, squeezing him back.

    ¡°Take care of everyone.¡± He told him. Kyle nodded, his back straightening. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I will.¡± He promised. Matt was next, offering him a collection of weapons instead of an embrace: two curved fangs, maybe a foot in length, and the beloved Shark Club.

    ¡°Thank you, Matt.¡± He said.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I also put a fire puck in your pack.¡± Matt replied. Noah turned to Julie, unsure if he should hug her or shake her hand. He was thankfully saved the decision as she stepped close and gave him a tight squeeze.

    ¡°Take care of yourself.¡± She said.

    ¡°I will. You too.¡± He replied. He stepped to the entryway, clothed in his fur dress and pack, Shark Club in hand. He turned and offered one last smile before he rounded the outcropping, disappearing from sight.

    He was thankful for the memories he had made with them, and for the faces he could call to mind whenever he needed to remember what he was fighting for. He strode up the hill, his walk transitioning into a run. He wanted to be well out of eyesight by the end of the day, knowing it would be too hard if he had the physical reminder of their presence. So he ran, taking in the dark, rocky landscape. Occasionally there was a lone skeletal-looking tree in the distance, or a boulder sticking up a bit higher than the ground, but the terrain was otherwise unmarked. As the day went on the wind picked up, the stronger gusts occasionally pushing him sideways. He followed the stream from afar, hoping the water would draw in other living creatures. His stomach was empty and he could feel the fat being leeched off his bones as he pushed his body. First, he would have to find a way to make fire, then hunt down some prey.

    It was afternoon when he saw his first sign of life, a lone creature a bit over a hundred yards ahead of him drinking from the stream. It was large and on all fours, appearing cat-like from a distance. XP. He thought, grabbing the twin fangs from his pack and stowing his club. The closer he got, the larger the beast appeared. As he came within a hundred feet, the feline creature tensed and turned its head, finding Noah¡¯s eyes. He heard a low growl that was followed by rapid movement in his direction. Noah dropped into a fighting stance, holding the fangs just like the knives he had trained with. The beast was dark purple in color with black spots scattered across its fur, and it was nearly the size of a mature tiger.

    It leaped forward, its razor-like claws extended. Noah rolled underneath its exposed stomach, puncturing soft tissue with a well-timed stab. The cat turned on him, hissing in fury, and swiped its paws in rapid succession. The first swipe just caught his fur dress, revealing lines of his chest beneath and he backpedaled in quick order. They traded swipes, and Noah came out ahead, having lodged a fang deep into its shoulder. It continued to press him, only now with a limp. The fight dragged on as he was forced to prioritize avoiding every blow. One clean hit would gut him through. He eventually took out his club and began tearing shallow gashes across the beast¡¯s body. At that point, it was just a matter of time. It took significantly longer than he would have imagined, and he realized that it must have an impressive amount of constitution. At last, it crumpled to the ground and Noah delivered the finishing blow.

    [100 XP Gained.]

    A whole level. He grinned. So far only the bobcat had been such a high-level target. At some point, he had come to the conclusion that the XP awarded must coincide with the beast''s path because they all seemed to give the exact same value in their relative strength range. He allocated his free points into constitution, regaining a high value for the stat after departing from his healer.

    A rhythmic thudding interrupted his thoughts and he scanned his perimeter for its source. Not more than 50 yards away a long-horned cow was charging in his direction. How did I miss that? Noah puzzled, readying himself nonetheless. As he did, he noticed another body moving in his direction from further off. What¡¯s going on?  He collected the fang that he had lost during the fight and ran toward the bull. I better make this quick. It lowered its horns as it rammed toward him and he launched himself into the air, able to jump significantly higher than his previous self. Like ice picks he dug the fangs into the charging beast, arresting his momentum and giving him purchase to hang on as the beast continued forward. With no small amount of effort, he retracted one of the fangs from the tightly corded muscle of its back and plunged it into the beast¡¯s head. Its front legs buckled and he was thrown off its back. He landed in a sprawl and scrambled to his feet only to find that it lay still.

    [100 XP Gained.]

    He frowned at that, not expecting to have encountered another powerful beast so soon. He collected his fangs and realized that they were only feet away from the feline beast he had killed. Uh oh. The thought raced through his mind as the next creature roared a deafening cry way too close for comfort. This one had a lion¡¯s mane and beak, and its eyes were a disturbing red. Noah positioned himself behind the bull, hoping to take advantage of its body to slow down the beast. It worked for a moment, and both he and the monster were soon circling around the fallen cow. As he looked at the gaunt features of the beast the pieces clicked together. It''s the blood. They¡¯re starving. No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than the rumble of distant feet reached his ears. He lifted his eyes and saw a number of shapes moving in their direction. As he did, the nearby monster lunged for the kill.

 Chapter 18

    The beak tore into Noah¡¯s thigh, his dodge proving ineffectual.

    ¡°Agh!¡± he screamed as he fell to the ground, clutching his leg. Move! He rolled to the side and heard the beak sink into the ground. He desperately swung his arm hoping to hit something vital. His fang dug into the creature''s face and Noah grimaced in disgust. The ugly creature thrashed about, freeing its beak from the dark earth. Both wounded they faced off like a Western showdown, neither daring to make the first move. They were both stunned when a third party joined the fray, its jaws locking onto the fowl beast.

    [50 XP Gained.]

    Noah wasn¡¯t sure how fair that was but didn¡¯t have time to debate, as he found himself in the middle of a frenzy. All around, the sounds of fighting and the rending of flesh made for a gory landscape. He looked around frantically for an escape, but he was surrounded on all sides. Worst yet, more beasts were joining in the bloodbath. This is how they are so strong. He realized, after gaining two and a half levels in such a short span. How strong will the survivors of this massacre become? The interloping party got swept up in another battle and Noah ran over to the corpse of the bull he had fought earlier. He then dragged the body of the purple leopard-like beast next to the bull and crawled in between the two of them. He took a deep breath, quickly regretting breathing through his nose, and pulled himself together. I just need to look at this right. He coached himself, this is an opportunity to level, just like I wanted. He felt at his thigh, it was still bleeding but it seemed to have missed anything vital. He began to weigh his options. I can wait it out and try to take out the last monster alive, or I can join the fight and level in the hope that I get strong enough to either escape or fight my way to the top. Either way, he knew it would be some time before he was making it out of the battlefield.

    Remembering that he had enough XP to level again, he willed the System to do so and assigned his free points to constitution, bringing his total to 42. As impressive as that number felt, he was also pretty sure that the monsters around him were well into whatever stage came after apprentice, which likely meant that they would have no trouble getting past his reinforced skin.

    He tensed as something large stepped on the beast he was under, squishing him into the ground. Thankfully it didn¡¯t stay long and he could breathe again. If he had a sword or spear, perhaps he would feel confident leaving his hiding space, but as it was, his meager weapons felt more like risky toys when faced with his current competition. So he waited. He was stepped on several times, and at one point a beast seemed to discover him only to be attacked by something else before it could act on its discovery. As the time passed, the sounds of battle slowly faded into occasional roars or yelps. After a minute of silence, he slowly lifted himself up and peeked out above the bull, doing his best to keep a low profile. He saw a field of bodies, massive and diverse, barely a duplicate among them. Each of them was a beast beyond him, making him feel like an ant in a giants graveyard. A dozen yards away, the two remaining monsters faced off, both of them bleeding and slowed. One was a massive winged snake, that seemed comfortable both on the ground and in the air, and the other was an enormous bear that looked like the older brother of the one he had encountered on his first day.

    He watched as they clashed, the serpent biting into the bear, presumably injecting its venom while the bear slashed it with its claws. Noah crept forward, sensing that the end of the fight was near. The bear caught the serpent in its mouth and began to shake it with its powerful jaws. Noah dashed for it, fangs in both hands. The mighty serpent bit at the bear with its remaining strength, and after an intense struggle finally became limp. The bear having accomplished its undertaking slumped to the ground, exhausted from the battle and weakened by the venom. Noah arrived at that moment, driving both daggers into the base of its skull, catching the bear unaware. He immediately retreated, taking cover behind a nearby beast. The bear roared in frustration and pain as it failed to make out its attacker. Part of Noah felt like a coward for his underhanded method, but that part of Noah wasn¡¯t going to save his people.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    The bear continued to growl and look around but was becoming increasingly sluggish. Another ten minutes passed before the beast slumped to the ground, joining the serpent in its final rest.

    [1000 XP Gained.]

    Noah blinked. That bear had been worth ten levels and it seemed he didn¡¯t have to share the XP if the other contributor was dead. He grinned, forgetting any reservation he may have had before, and leveled up.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Domain: Self

    Caste: Iron

    Gate: 1

    Path: Apprentice

    Level: 25

    Strength: 46

    Dexterity:46

    Constitution: 42

    Intelligence:11

    Wisdom: 13

    Willpower: 14

    XP: 62/100

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 30

    He looked over his updated status in awe. He now had four times the physical stats he had possessed when he arrived in the forest. While the points didn¡¯t seem to mean that he could lift four times the weight, he did feel far stronger than any normal human could attain. He considered his free points briefly before bringing strength and dexterity to an even 50 and dumping the rest into constitution which now read 64. His body quivered for a moment as the massive amount of stats changed his makeup. When it finished he felt like a new man, he had moved past green juice junkie territory and well into fantasy land. It felt good. That taken care of, he decided it was time to make himself scarce. After seeing how quickly the initial fight had drawn in the beasts, he beelined it to the stream and jumped in bloodstained furs and all, leaving only his pack on the shore. He did his best to scrub out the blood matted into the fur before climbing out of the freezing water.

    He spent the next hour running, thankful that the constitution buff seemed to have quickened his healing dramatically and strengthened his resistance to the cold. As the skies grew dark he settled into a wedge of rocks that offered some protection from the wind and any prying eyes. As soon as he closed his eyes he was asleep and when he awoke dawn had already passed.

    Noah stretched and took in the view from his temporary residence. The higher he went up the mountain the more pronounced the changes to the world became. Even from his new vantage point he still couldn¡¯t make out the edges of the forest below. His stomach rumbled. He went to his pack, pulling out the fire-starting supplies that Matt had packed for him. He had doubled his physical stats since the last time he tried to make fire, if it could be done, he was going to do it.

    Matt had made a spindle and board for him, which he gladly used in place of the rudimentary method he had tried before. He readied his tinder and began vigorously twisting the spindle. Minutes passed and he could feel the heat gathering, he spun the rod faster, desperation pushing him on. Then a beautiful thing occurred¨Ca wisp of smoke rose from the bottom of the spindle, followed by a warm orange glow. With extreme focus and delicate hands he transferred the little ember into the tinder nest. It ignited in a burst of flame and Noah carefully placed it on the puck that Matt had designed. It lit easily, and soon a stable flame glowed in the center of his rock formation. I did it. A sense of achievement washed over him, and he felt that the world looked more beautiful than it had ever seemed before.

    [Global Ranking System online.]

    <ul>

    <li>Dariss Ashfield-Drakon: Iron, Lvl 72</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Malentar Stoneskin-Drakon: Iron, Lvl 69</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Recter Jandon-Drakon: Iron, Lvl 65</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Do¡¯Fon Anzinar-Orc: Iron, Lvl 62</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Ma¡¯tan Anzinar-Orc: Iron, Lvl 59</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Darten Yellowfang-Drakon: Iron, Lvl 54</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Syton Talir-Drakon: Iron, Lvl 52</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Fastion Briner-Elf: Iron, Lvl 51</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Flamir Axehead-Drakon: Iron, Lvl 51</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>En¡¯Do Forsten-Orc: Iron, Lvl 49 </li>

    </ul>

    Noah stared at the screen that had appeared before his eyes¨Cthe global ranking system. If the list had looked different then he might have liked the idea, but at that moment only one thought occupied his mind. None of them are human.

 Chapter 19

    Drakon. The scenes of the last resistance flashed through his mind. The ones who had resisted the hordes until the very end¨Cthese must be the Drakon. Noah had read through the global leaderboard several times, hoping that he would watch it refreshing only to include one of his kind. The rankings did confirm one thing though, he was moving too slowly. The lowest person, or Orc, on the list, was twice his level. He had assumed that his early step into Iron had put him head and shoulders above the rest, yet he wasn¡¯t even close. He shook his head as he ran, returning to his camp with one of the smaller monster carcasses draped over his shoulders. The battlefield had been littered with scavengers, though they seemed more interested in their meal than in a fight. He would eat his fill, but then it was time to grind some levels. If the day before had been any indication, then he knew just how fast one could jump up in power.

    Satiated and stocked up, Noah left his shelter and traveled up the mountain. He moved quickly, eager to find his next XP farm. A few hours into his run he was rewarded with just such a sight¨Csome distance away he could make out the lumbering form of a mutated hippo, sporting a long, serpentine tail. He approached and considered his options. His lack of real weaponry was becoming more and more apparent as his adversaries grew in power. Perhaps I¡¯ll find an antelope with swords for horns. He grinned. Fangs in hand he rushed the beast, hoping beyond hope that he could pierce its leathery hide. What came next was a series of minor inconveniences to the now-aggravated hippo. He had managed to gouge several holes in its sides, but the beast barely flinched at his efforts. The hippo, in turn, had slapped him across the chest with its tail and sent him to his back.

    He desperately scrambled as the thundering hooves moved to trample him. It was too fast. Knowing that he wasn¡¯t escaping, he committed to the next best option and positioned himself to strike. The first hoof crushed his ankle, and the second impaled itself deeply upon his fang. Noah barrel-rolled out of the way, just missing the latter hooves. His ankle was disturbingly flat and he felt bile rising as he looked at it. Thankfully, the hippo was similarly distracted as it hobbled on three feet, the fang almost entirely buried in its foot. Noah gritted his teeth as he crawled toward the reeling beast. He had to finish this. The hippo snorted wildly at his approach, and as the beast turned its maw to snap, it was met with a biting smack from Shark Club. It wasn¡¯t nearly as effective as he had pictured in his mind, and the beast proceeded to snatch the weapon from his hand, swallowing it without a second thought. Noah was wide-eyed as he retreated from the hippo - a now choking, three-legged hippo bouncing after him as he made like a speedy toddler. Perhaps a minute later, the earth stopped shaking and Noah chanced a look at his pursuer. It was as still as a rock.

    [100 XP Gained.]

    Noah grinned. In the end, Shark Club was too hard a pill to swallow for the beast. He hastily leveled and assigned the points to constitution. He would need every point if he was to survive what came next. He cozied up to the hippo, clutching his remaining weapon, and waited for the show to begin.

    He didn¡¯t have to wait long. Within minutes, a swarm of beasts had descended upon his location. In a similar tactic to his previous battle, he played the coward¡¯s gambit, distracting his new opponents just long enough for another creature to take them off the board. Once he had assembled a suitable pile of corpses, he hid away from the chaos, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He wasn¡¯t a coward, he was a practical opportunist. As the giants fell around him, he couldn¡¯t help but question his life choices. If he thought about it, it wasn¡¯t too crazy that the other races had beat out humans on the global rankings. Humans definitely weren''t accustomed to this level of brutality, and this seemed to be the fastest way to the top by far. In fact, if he had just a few more of these brawls, he would qualify for the top 10, that is, if the current leaders stopped leveling. Time passed and soon the sounds of battle faded. Noah peeked his head out from beneath the pile and saw a concerning sight, his XP farm was on its last legs!This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    He pushed his way out of the mess and hopped his way to the center of the carnage where a toothy rhino lay taking in raspy breaths. Noah saw no reaction from the beast as he approached, his mangled limb keeping him from attempting any kind of stealth. Lacking any subtlety, he plunged his fang into the rhino, hoping that he had made it soon enough.

    [1000 XP Gained.]

    Noah sighed in relief, not wanting to consider losing out on the levels after the injury he sustained. He quickly assigned his free points to constitution and sat down to catch his breath. The rush of stats filled his body with a sense of power and vitality, only to fade as his very real injuries made themselves known. He needed to find a place to hunker down for the night and was too far away from his previous shelter to attempt the trip. He scanned the horizon, looking for any sort of natural formation to provide some shelter but came up short. I just had to have those levels. The grim reality of his situation set in when he saw the blurry outline of something large moving in the distance. He started moving, opting for a three-legged bear crawl over his awkward hopping. He had to get away before the next wave of monsters arrived. Exhausted and covered in blood he finally slumped down some distance from the battlefield. His adrenaline gone he fell asleep, his face resting on the black dirt of the endless mountain.

    Like all too many mornings these days, Noah woke with a start in an unfamiliar place. His body ached from the strange position he slept in, and the throbbing in his ankle had barely receded. I have like 100 constitution! He thought bitterly as he gritted his teeth in the pain. As it turned out, even superhumans have to heal from ankle-flattening injuries. After he finished puking up yesterday¡¯s meal he committed to thinking positively which also meant ignoring his uncomfortable situation. He sat up and took a swig of the bit of water he had boiled the day before, munching on some burnt meat. What I would do for a cup of coffee.

    It was funny, even as he had that thought he swore he saw people in the distance. I¡¯m more out of it than I thought. He rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times. No, they were still there. He watched them, at this distance he could make out their general shapes and movements but that was it. They appeared to be gathering the corpses of the beasts. As he watched he realized there were quite a few people in the group, several collecting the corpses and the rest standing in a line. Maybe getting ready to march?  He thought, unsure of what to make of them. People! A lightbulb finally came on in his brain and he started hobbling toward the group. He had opted to hobble because most crawling things were strange, mutated beasts these days. As he neared the group he started to get a funny feeling, the air wasn¡¯t jovial or serious¨Cit was oppressive. That was when he caught sight of one of the collectors¡¯ faces and discovered his mistake. With clay-red skin, pointed ears, and small boarlike-tusks he knew, these were orcs.

    The orc, a woman judging by her physique, shouted something to the others and walked in his direction.

    ¡°Hello!¡± Noah shouted, hoping to come off as friendly. She grinned at him.

    ¡°Hello, human!¡± She said, taking in his appearance with a tilt of her head.

    ¡°Combat or crafter?¡± She asked. Noah frowned.

    ¡°Combat.¡± He replied, wondering if this was a typical kind of greeting for orcs.

    ¡°Perfect, that makes an even number.¡± She said, making it the rest of the way over to him. She put her arm under his, supporting his weight. She wore something like leather armor and had an axe at her side. ¡°Come, this way.¡± She said, pointing across the field. Noah looked where she had pointed and saw other humans standing together in a line. What¡¯s going on? His forehead creased. One of the men spotted Noah and the fear in his eyes was all he needed to put the rest together. They were captives. The orc to his side strengthened her grip and grinned at him, this time a wild gleam in her eyes.

    ¡°Welcome to your new home, slave.¡±

 Chapter 20

    Noah had about ten seconds to make a move before he lost his freedom. He looked around, judging his chances. He could see five other orcs, all equipped like his captor. Even if he did have superior stats to them, he had learned firsthand how easy it could be to take down a stronger opponent. He looked at his fellow captives, to his horror it wasn¡¯t just men they had taken. One look at the children sealed the deal. If he acted now and failed, it would put them at risk. He had to wait until he was certain he could get them all. He allowed the female orc to bind his wrists which were connected to each of the other prisoners and take his pack. He stumbled as soon she let go of him. They have to think I¡¯m weak. He glanced at the others. They were thin and dirty, many of them in the rags that remained from their Earthen clothes. They didn¡¯t look like they would be able to muster much of a fight.

    ¡°Where are they taking us?¡± I asked the man bound to my left once the orc had walked away. He shook his head but kept his eyes on the ground. By the time he heard the crack, it was too late.

    ¡°Agh!¡± Noah yelped in surprise more than pain. A different orc male, strutted up to him, glaring menacingly into his eyes.

    ¡°No talking!¡± He yelled, spit spraying into Noah¡¯s face. He nodded. Weak. It was an interesting thought for the situation he found himself in and yet he couldn¡¯t help it. He had been wrestling monsters with no more than a fang, making this orc¡¯s attempt at intimidation feel pitiful. If it wasn¡¯t for his ankle he would make his move now. When he considered their strength, he had done so with rankings in mind, but now he realized how silly that was. He doubted these orcs were even irons. He paused as he remembered his encounter with the elf, Balkendar. He had been ready to kill or take his companions without a second thought, but immediately begged forgiveness when Noah showed up. Would the same thing work here? Maybe. If things got out of hand he would test that out, but until then he would buy his time and heal.

    A rope was attached to their bindings and they were instructed to drag the beasts behind them. If not for his foot he could have shouldered a majority of the load, but as it was, he struggled to keep up. At first, the orcs had jeered at him, calling him a cripple and laughing raucously. Then he began falling behind, tripping and being dragged. They tried to motivate him to pick up the pace but it soon became clear that he was simply unable to keep up with his injury. Internally, Noah watched as his tormentors gathered to discuss how to best deal with him.

    ¡°You want me to heal that pig?¡± One of the female orcs screeched, throwing her hands into the air. The other one made placating gestures.

    ¡°We have a quota and if we don¡¯t get back before the end of tomorrow we are both dead.¡± The more diplomatic one explained. The healer grunted and began to walk toward Noah.

    ¡°On the ground, swine!¡± She yelled, her voice rough and congested. He hurriedly complied, stretching his legs in front of him. She grabbed ahold of his ankle and he winced at her rough treatment. Her eyebrows raised a bit as she inspected it.

    ¡°How did you manage to stay conscious with such a splintered bone?¡± She asked, a tinge of respect entering her voice. He didn¡¯t answer as she didn¡¯t seem to be looking for one. Soon a familiar warmth pulsed into his foot followed by an excruciating pain that he attributed to the aforementioned splinters. She didn¡¯t sing like Julie, something he was most grateful for. Instead, she just seemed to focus on his ankle. He could feel the bits and pieces of his foot being put back together, and the pain slowly faded away. The healer finished, looking a bit worn out by the experience, and rejoined the others. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Move!¡± The annoying male orc yelled. Together they started forward, everyone finding it remarkably easier to pull their burden than before. Noah was elated. He was pretty sure that he could get free at any time, and even save the others. The only thing that kept him from doing so were the words he had overheard. Wherever they were headed would have more of his people, and he intended to save them all.

    The march continued through the night, and the orcs seemed to be able to navigate without any issues. His fellow captives, however, were struggling. When a small woman in front of him fell, he picked up the slack, then again, and again. The orcs were in a hurry and responded quickly when someone started to lag, so Noah did his best to keep that from happening. The night eventually turned to day, and his legs were burning with the increased effort. Far in the distance, he saw smoke rising into the sky in uniform ribbons. We¡¯re close. The slavers seemed eager to return and began barking at the humans to increase the pace. Someone in front of him started crying, and his heart wrenched in indecision. This would be the last chance to save this small group before potentially losing the opportunity. If there¡¯s a chance to save them all, I have to take it. He reminded himself, deciding to settle for carrying a bit more of the load.

    It was several hours later when they arrived at an astonishing sight. In front of him stood a real village on flat, level ground. There were over a dozen buildings that he could see, with a large opening leading deeper into the mountain. It looked as if a large chunk of the mountain had been chiseled away to accommodate the construction. A sheer wall at the far side of the town while the slope continued on either side. There were no walls around the settlement, but each building was made of a sturdy, dark-colored brick. They were brought into the center of town, where they deposited the animal carcasses. A large male orc, covered in studded armor and wearing a massive hammer, stood watch over their proceedings. As Noah looked at him he got a different sense than the others. While they were sinister and rough, they also felt weak or insubstantial to him. When he looked at this orc though, it was as if he was more real than the others. Iron. He realized. This was the first time he had seen another person of a higher caste, and it was clear that this orc would be his primary obstacle. There was even a chance that he was one of the orcs on the rankings. Any giant can be brought down.

    He seemed to escape notice from their spectator and was ushered to a walled-in corner of the village that butted up against the mountain. They were pushed unceremoniously into the holding area and chunks of stone were moved to cover the entrance. He gasped as he took in the conditions of the people. There were maybe twenty people in total if he counted the seven others he had traveled with. They had the hollow eyes of hopelessness and he wondered just how long they had been there. He walked across the area to an older man who was sitting against the wall, hoping to chat with him. The man briefly met his eyes and shook his head ever so slightly. Enforced silence? Here? Noah walked a bit away and sat down against the wall. Within seconds he was fast asleep.

    He woke to someone shaking his shoulder, and he could make out the face of the man he had approached earlier. The man leaned in close and whispered into his ear.

    ¡°They don¡¯t like us talking, and they hassle everyone if they see us communicating with each other.¡± He explained. ¡°The name¡¯s Bob, kid¡± Noah nodded at him, giving him a smile.

    ¡°What are they doing with us here?¡± He whispered back.

    ¡°Thankfully, little so far,¡± he said, ¡°The first thing they did was get everyone to level 10 though. Then they forced us to select non-combatant, explaining that they would know if we didn¡¯t. Now they just have us spend our days making trinkets and sewing.¡± Bob paused.

    ¡°While they haven¡¯t done anything particularly bad, some of the others are starting to break. A few of us have been here for a couple weeks and its having its toll.¡± Noah listened, taking it all in. He would break them out as soon as he saw an opportunity.

    ¡°Bob¨C¡± Noah was interrupted by the sound of a loud horn ringing through the night. Bob¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡±

 Chapter 21

    ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Bob said, jumping to his feet. Noah followed suit, feeling naked without a weapon in his hands.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He whispered.

    ¡°Monsters.¡± He said, gathering with the rest of the captives in the back corner of their prison yard. ¡°They usually don¡¯t make it to us, but it wouldn¡¯t be the first time one slipped through the cracks.¡± Noah stood on guard in front of the rest of the people, joined by a couple of other able-bodied adults. The stars illuminated the night, but the large walls cast dark shadows around them. He heard orders being shouted and feet stomping through the village, accompanied by a cacophony of roars and bestial howls. Noah clenched his fists as he looked for a way out.

    The ruckus continued for a while, and the longer it went on, the tenser they became. Noah started to wonder if he should act. If the orcs failed in their defense then he would be left to protect the others on his own. When another cry for help sounded a few minutes later, he made up his mind. With a running start, he jumped and scaled the wall¨Ca move his fellow humans would no doubt fail to mirror. He looked out over the city, and saw it overrun with various beasts. More than one orc lay motionless in pools of red and the remaining defenders were being pressed on all sides. The monsters¡¯ attacks were chaotic and just as aggressive toward each other as they were toward orcs, all competing for the same prize. He saw an orc isolated from the rest, desperately staving off a raptor-like creature and falling to the ground. He dashed in her direction, stopping to pick up an axe from a fallen warrior. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw him with his axe raised and she tensed as he swung it down. With a crunch, the axe bit through flesh and bone, bringing a swift end to the beast.

    [50 XP Gained.]

    She looked into his eyes with confusion and he recognized her as the one who had taken him captive. He extended his hand and with hesitation she gripped it, allowing him to pull her onto her feet.

    ¡°Why?¡± She asked. He shook his head.

    ¡°No time,¡± He responded, crossing the distance to the next orc. Catching the offending monster in the back of its hind legs. It crashed to the ground, allowing the orc to end the fight. He ignored the XP message and continued on, hoping to save as many lives as possible. It was his first time attempting to fight in the middle of a monster swarm, and he preferred his method of hiding and waiting it out. The largest group of defenders was in the middle of the village standing around the piled meat. It wasn¡¯t the smartest choice tactically, though his stomach could understand the instinct. Starting from the edge he began attacking the beasts that were already engaged in battle. Every blow would lighten the pressure on the warriors and give them some breathing room. He caught several confused or frightened glances as he wreaked havoc on the invaders. Given what they had done to his people he felt it was a fair response. Noah continued his attacks, but the torrent of monsters didn¡¯t stop. A loud boom sounded across the clearing and a large orc was sent flying toward one of the buildings. He connected with a crash and Noah watched in fascination when he slowly got back to his feet. The Iron.

    Noah turned his eyes toward the beast that had thrown the orc, a massive reptilian beast not dissimilar to a T-rex if all of its legs were the same length. He noticed a disturbing resemblance between the beast and the other creatures. They weren¡¯t the same but they all had reptilian features. Could that one be leading them? The beast crashed through the weaker orcs making its way toward its previous foe. The chief swung his hammer, connecting with the side of its massive head only to be whipped off his feet by its tail. Noah bounded in his direction, exchanging his one-handed axe for a larger one he found on the way. He chopped at its rear calf with all his strength and was rewarded by a loud snap as the tendon gave way. He was rewarded by a swift backhand that sent him sailing through air. He landed on the heap of carcasses with a meaty thud. He gasped as the air was knocked out of him. Noah heard a loud battle cry from the orc chieftain, and he hurried to rejoin the fight. Together they wore down the assailant, taking turns landing blows and being sent sprawling. With a final crunch, the orc delivered the last blow, sending the hulking beast to the ground. A loud cry filled the air as the remaining beasts went into a frenzy, some fleeing and the others attacking in wild abandon.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Together the two warriors entered the fray, ending beasts with deadly efficiency. When the last beast was put down the orcs raised their voices in a roar of triumph. Noah felt himself being swept up in the moment and yelled out his victory. As the shouts came to an end, there was a moment of stillness as the orcs seemed to remember that he had been their captive. The chief made his way across the clearing and stood before Noah, dwarfing in bulk but not in height. He stared deep into Noah¡¯s eyes for a moment before extending his arm, grabbing Noah¡¯s forearm in a warrior¡¯s embrace. He grinned.

    ¡°You fight like an orc berserker!¡± He bellowed, ¡°I, Chief Ro¡¯Kar honor you as a warrior!¡± Without hesitation, the rest of the orcs stomped their feet in unison and held their weapons across their chests. The chief held up his fist and the orcs went still.

    ¡°Why did you hide your strength from us? Is this the way of humans?¡± He asked. Noah considered his response and settled on a blunt approach.

    ¡°I came for my people, but I knew nothing of you. It would have been weakness to fail for lack of information.¡± He replied. The chieftain looked off into the distance, appearing to mull over Noah¡¯s statement.

    ¡°Ah, I was wrong. Orcs have more berserkers than tacticians, but we too recognize knowledge as a form of strength.¡± He said nodding. Noah found himself appreciating the orc¡¯s directness.

    ¡°As for your people, they are weak in heart. Why do you call them your people?¡± The chief asked. Weak in heart? Noah was unsure of his meaning.

    ¡°I did not know these people before now, but they are humans like myself.¡± Noah explained. The orc burst out laughing, a thundering sound that filled the village.

    ¡°You are bold, young warrior! You claim every human as your own! I like that!¡± Ro¡¯Kar roared, slapping Noah heartily on the shoulder. Noah frowned at the misunderstanding but decided to let it pass.

    ¡°I meant what I said though.¡± The chief started again, ¡°These humans will never rise above their caste. They are dust, as the system says. Why do you care for dust?¡±

    ¡°Why do you say they will never rise?¡± Noah challenged.

    ¡°They are weak in heart. They do not fight back, nor do they have the fire in their belly. Orcs do not tolerate this, we are a strong people.¡± He finished. Noah thought about the chief''s words. They weren¡¯t even level 10. He recalled Bob¡¯s story and couldn¡¯t help but understand the orc¡¯s perspective.

    ¡°Ro¡¯Kar, do your people have those that foresee the future?¡± Noah asked him.

    ¡°I have no sages among my people, but there are orcs that do.¡± Ro¡¯Kar agreed. Noah nodded, this would make it easier.

    ¡°I foresaw the collapse of our world and the beasts that have flooded it.¡± Noah shared. The chief narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Is this true?¡± He asked, his tone serious.

    ¡°It is. And what I saw was grave indeed.¡±

    ¡°Tell me.¡± Ro¡¯Kar said, bracing himself as if for battle.

    ¡°We fail. The world will be run over with great hordes far larger and more powerful than the one from tonight. Then a judge will appear and deem us unworthy.¡± Noah shared. Several of those present inhaled sharply.

    ¡°Why do say this?¡± The chief asked.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be this way. We can join together and repel the beasts. But if we fight amongst ourselves we will be too weak for what is coming.¡± Noah explained. The chief listened, his brow furrowed.

    ¡°This will be hard for my brethren to grasp. We recognize power.¡± He began. ¡°I have shed blood with you though, and I do not believe you to be a deciever.¡± He paused before looking at his warriors.

    ¡°We will heed your warning. By what name do your people call you, young warrior?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Noah.¡±

    ¡°No¡¯Ah. A good name.¡± Ro¡¯kar responded, smiling. Then he opened his mouth and shouted forcefully.

    ¡°Release the people of No¡¯ah!¡±

 Chapter 22

    Noah walked over to the entrance of the prison yard, wanting them to have a friendly face to explain the situation. Bob was the first to walk through the passageway, and Noah waved over to him.

    ¡°Bob! Come here, I have a lot to share with you.¡± Bob flinched and looked around nervously. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re free.¡± Noah explained in a soft tone.

    ¡°What do you mean, free?¡± He asked with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Exactly that, Ro¡¯Kar, the chief has agreed to let you all go.¡± Noah explained. Several of the other people hearing the news sank to their knees, crying in relief. Bob however squinted at Noah.

    ¡°How exactly did you manage that?¡± He demanded.

    ¡°Chief No¡¯Ah has claimed you as his people! I wouldn¡¯t be quick to anger such a mighty warrior by taking what is his!¡± Ro¡¯Kar yelled, giving Noah a grin.

    ¡°Why is he saying that we¡¯re your people? What is that supposed to mean?¡± The older man asked. Noah sighed.

    ¡°It seems to be a part of this new world. I am an Iron caste, and so is Ro¡¯Kar. This demonstrates a certain amount of power and authority in the eyes of the System. Iron is the first caste that the System considers to be citizens, and anything below that is considered lesser. I claimed that you were my people and so to the orcs, you are my people.¡± He explained. Bob nodded with a deep frown on his face.

    ¡°I understand but I don¡¯t like it. And what do you plan to do plan to do with us?¡± He said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it either, but we aren''t in a place to change that. I don¡¯t plan to do anything with you, you are free to do whatever you want. I am going up the mountain to fight monsters and see the world, I would suggest however that you head downhill and meet up with some friends of mine. They are hoping to find people and get settled.¡± Bob nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Noah. I shouldn¡¯t have assumed the worst. It''s been a rough few weeks, and now the whole world is telling me that I¡¯m dust. It''s not right.¡± Bob said.

    ¡°Bob, I agree and you guys have been through a lot. Getting to iron is not out of reach though, since you already F-Grade and level 10, all you need it unlock your first Gate. It only took me a matter of months to meditate and figure it out but I think it has something to do with seeing yourself for who you really are.¡± Noah responded.

    ¡°I guess that makes sense.¡± Bob said, his face scrunched in thought. ¡°What do you mean, several months? We have only been here a few weeks!¡± Bob blurted out.

    ¡°No¡¯Ah is a sage, very rare.¡± Ro¡¯Kar interjected. Bob tilted his head in confusion.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, Bob. Maybe if we have some time later, I can explain. For now, we should explain what¡¯s going on to everyone and help them figure out what¡¯s next.¡± Bob agreed and they made their rounds, sharing the updates with everyone. After a while, Ro¡¯kar pulled Noah aside to chat.

    ¡°No¡¯ah, I heard that you plan to travel up the mountain.¡± Statement more than question. Noah nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Then I have a request for you. The higher you go, the stronger the beasts appear to be.¡± He said. Noah frowned.

    ¡°Are you asking me not to go?¡± He asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Not at all! I wish I could go with you! No, I would like to send a warrior with you so they may gain experience and serve as your Dan¡¯Kar. It would be a great honor for them.¡± Ro¡¯Kar explained. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I see. What is a Dan¡¯Kar?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± The orc rumbled. ¡°It means something like stitched warrior, it is a deep bond between warriors to fight to the end for one another. In this case the warrior would fight to the end for you.¡± Noah wasn¡¯t sure what to think. The concept was familiar in medieval history but in reality, it felt like a serious decision.

    ¡°I would be honored, but¨C¡±

    ¡°Fantastic!¡± Ro¡¯Kar cut him off. ¡°The matches will begin after dawn.¡± He finished before walking away. Matches?

    Noah heard shouting from the gathered people and made his way over. Several men were standing in the center of the crowd making loud gestures.

    ¡°Are we just going to let them get away with this?¡± One of the men shouted.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Noah asked, coming alongside Bob.

    ¡°They are angry. They¡¯re looking for justice.¡± Bob replied as the men kept shouting. Noah rubbed his temples.

    ¡°Justice? If they attack, they¡¯re only looking for an early grave.¡± He responded.

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty much what I told them, but they are not in a place to reason. And honestly, I get where they¡¯re coming from.¡± Bob said. Noah saw one of them ball his fists before turning in the direction of Ro¡¯Kar. Noah sighed and ran to intercept him.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Noah asked as he gripped the man¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°Let me go!¡± He said as he tried to free his arm. ¡°These scumbags need to pay! You saw what they did to us, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± He demanded.

    ¡°Do you have family out there?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°What?¡± He grunted.

    ¡°Do you have family out there?¡± He repeated.

    ¡°Yeah, I do, somewhere. What¡¯s that got to do with this?¡±

    ¡°If you attack them you will die. What good is that for your family? Have you written them off already?¡± Noah demanded. For a second, the man looked like he¡¯d been slapped but then a switch flipped and he stuck his finger into Noah¡¯s chest.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to talk about my family! I could wipe the floor with you! Get out of my way!¡± He said, punctuating each word with a jab of his finger. Noah narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Fine. Beat me and I¡¯ll let you pass,¡± he said, raising his hands. The man barely hesitated before throwing a sloppy hook. Noah didn¡¯t move to block, instead letting the punch connect with his cheek. It stung a little. The man stared confused at his hand which he held gingerly with the other. It was quickly becoming red and the man swore profusely. Wanting to drive the lesson home, Noah lightly jabbed the man in the stomach. He doubled over, his attempt at a block ineffectual.

    ¡°W-what are you?¡± The man asked, lip quivering. Noah shrugged.

    ¡°Do you understand now?¡± Noah asked. ¡°If I can do that by barely touching you, what could I do if I wanted to hurt you? Do you think Ro¡¯Kar would let the insult slide if you assaulted him?¡± He nodded in shame and Noah helped him to his feet.

    ¡°Look. I¡¯m not happy about what has happened, but we need to focus on moving forward. We are surrounded by enemies on all sides that are a much bigger threat than these orcs. It is time to grow in power¨Cthat seems to be the only voice people will listen to in this new world.¡± He guided the man to the others.

    ¡°Everyone, let''s try to get some rest. We leave tomorrow.¡± Noah told the group before finding a corner to sink into.

    The next morning he woke up late to the sound of metal striking metal. He jumped to his feet, ready to defend himself. Instead, he saw a large gathering of orcs in a circle in the center of the village. Spotting Ro¡¯Kar, he made his way over to find out what was happening.

    ¡°No¡¯Ah! Good of you to join.¡± He greeted, extending his arm for a warrior''s grasp.

    ¡°Good morning, Ro¡¯Kar. What is this?¡± He asked, seeing two warriors facing off in the middle of the circle.

    ¡°The Dan¡¯Kar matches!¡± He explained, ¡°They are fighting for the honor of accompanying you on your path. Best you watch closely.¡± Noah nodded, having accepted the flow of events.

    ¡°Who should I watch for?¡± Noah asked. The chief grinned.

    ¡°Ta¡¯Ku, my second or Zo¡¯Kati the warrior.¡± He said pointing to them in the crowd. Noah recognized them both, Ta¡¯Ku from the battle and Za¡¯bin from his first encounter with the orcs. She captured me, I saved her life, and I finally learned her name. He chuckled.

    ¡°The rest will still try to earn the honor, but one of those two will win.¡± The chief explained. The battles dragged on for hours, and at some point, the other humans joined in for the show. Food was distributed and the cheering grew as the fights intensified. Noah watched as the orcs fought with practiced motions, accustomed to their weapons. These were true warriors, long before the System arrived. It was amazing to watch as they fought with prowess, eventually maiming their opponent and winning the favor of the crowd. The victor would look to Noah with a grin, his weapon raised, while the loser was brought to the healer. As the hours passed the warriors were eventually narrowed down to two. They strode into the ring, and  Noah joined the crowd roaring in approval. Za¡¯bin and Ta¡¯Ku. The chief lifted his arm.

    ¡°Fight!¡±

 Chapter 23

    The two dashed toward each other, Zo''Kati with a small axe in each hand and Ta¡¯Ku with a large warhammer. Ta¡¯Ku swung in a mighty arc and Zo''Kati rolled to the side, just out of reach. She lunged forward, carving a narrow gash across his thigh before he could respond. She jumped back, just a second too late, and there was a crunch as her left arm absorbed the hammer blow. She roared in rage, closing the distance with her remaining arm. Her axe bit into Ta¡¯Ku¡¯s hip but she was unable to withdraw in time to avoid the pommel strike to the head. She collapsed in a heap and the crowd thundered their approval as Ta¡¯Ku raised his weapon in victory. The healer attended to them both and then Ta¡¯Ku was made to stand before the chief.

    ¡°We have our champion!¡± Shouted the chief, met with yells of ascent. ¡°Ta¡¯Ku, you have earned the honor of the title, Dan¡¯Kar. Do you accept this title?¡± The chief intoned as if reciting ancient lines.

    ¡°I accept!¡± Ta¡¯Ku replied forcefully.

    ¡°Very well.¡± Ro¡¯Kar began, ¡°From this day you are Dan¡¯Kar to No¡¯Ah, leader of the humans. Fight his battles, share his victories, and mourn his losses!¡±

    ¡°His battles are my battles, his victories are my victories, and his losses are my losses!¡± Ta¡¯Ku proclaimed.

    ¡°No¡¯Ah!¡± The chief shouted, motioning for him to stand. ¡°Do you accept Ta¡¯Ku as your bound brother, your Dan¡¯Kar? Will you share your journey with him to the final end?¡± Noah paused, feeling the weight of the moment. Do I want this? His heart replied before his mind could reason.

    ¡°I accept!¡± He yelled. What¡¯s done is done. He extended his arm toward Ta¡¯Ku who instead wrapped him in a bear hug, lifting him from the ground.

    ¡°Brother, I have seen you fight like a raging berserker and think like a great tactician. We will conquer much together!¡± Ta¡¯Ku announced. Noah couldn¡¯t help but smile at his new accolades.

    ¡°Let it be so, Ta¡¯Ku.¡± Noah agreed. There was much joy in the village following the tournament. Even his people seemed to appreciate the sport. Noah enjoyed the festivities but was eager to be on his way. He tracked down Ro¡¯Kar and pulled him to the side.

    ¡°Ro¡¯Kar, I will be leaving to continue my journey soon,¡± Noah said. The chief nodded in understanding.

    ¡°As you should, though I ask you remain for the night. Ta¡¯Ku will need to get ready, and you need new weapons.¡± Ro¡¯Kar advised. Noah nodded considering what kind of weapon he would choose.

    ¡°That sounds reasonable. I will let Ta¡¯Ku know our plan. As for my people, I intend to send them down the mountain to meet with others I have traveled with.¡± He replied.

    ¡°This is good. Now regarding the weapons, do you have any training?¡± Ro¡¯Kar asked. Noah nodded.

    ¡°Only some, and primarily in swords and knives.¡± He said.

    ¡°Ah. Knives we have, But our smith has yet to forge any swords. He says they are too costly with our current metal supply. Let me see what we can do.¡± Ro¡¯Kar explained.

    They left each other to their tasks and Noah made his way to find Bob, stopping shortly to inform Ta¡¯Ku of their plans. Bob stood among the others, looking out of place in their rags. It would be winter soon, probably quite soon on the mountain, and they would need to be better equipped. He reached Bob, waiting while he wrapped up a conversation.

    ¡°Noah, that was quite the spectacle! I see what you meant about not fighting them!¡± Bob said.

    ¡°Indeed. I hope it has done some good for the people to see that. I am not here for that though. Have you made your decisions?¡± Noah asked. Bob nodded.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°We have, Noah. We will go down the mountain and seek out your friends. From what you said, they will be able to help us get on the right path. Most of us are crafters, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t become strong.¡± Bob explained. Noah felt satisfied hearing his conclusion, and he hoped he would get to see his friends again.

    ¡°When will you leave?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°Immediately, we were just waiting for you. The orcs gave us some basic supplies and even some weapons. How we do now is up to us.¡± Bob said. Noah shook his hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad we met, perhaps we will see each other again down the road. And if you do find Julie, would you tell her that I am well?¡± Noah asked. He considered saying more but perhaps it was best to move forward.

    ¡°Likewise Noah. I really appreciate this second chance you have given us. We won¡¯t squander it.¡± Bob said. The group gathered their things and left the village, leaving Noah as the sole human once again. He made his way into town and enjoyed the company of the raucous orcs. Ro¡¯Kar hosted him in his home and they talked late into the night.

    The next morning, Noah met with Ta¡¯Ku in the village center finding him up and ready just after dawn. They shared a meal and Ro¡¯kar found them, bearing gifts. He deposited the bundle in Noah¡¯s arms and he was surprised at its weight. He unwrapped the leather and found two identical long knives in sheathes, alongside an impressive warhammer. It was made of a dark, heavy metal with a large two-sided head. One side was a flat polished square of metal, and the other was a sharp spike. Noah smiled.

    ¡°It is not a sword, but it will serve you well. Ta¡¯Ku is well-acquainted with the warhammer and can teach you of its use.¡±

    ¡°I am very grateful for your generosity. I will teach the monsters to fear an orc hammer!¡± Noah grinned.

    ¡°Hah! Are you sure you¡¯re human? You''re not secretly a half-orc?¡± Ro¡¯kar jested.

    ¡°Definitely human, though my brother¡¯s an orc.¡± He said, pointing at Ta¡¯Ku. The chief bellowed out a laugh.

    ¡°This is a good way to part paths, No¡¯Ah. May your journey be long, and your enemies mighty!¡± He said, extending his arm. Noah returned the gesture.

    ¡°May the hordes break against your hammer!¡± Noah replied. With their farewells exchanged the pair left the village, heading up the slope. They had a long way to travel by day¡¯s end and they set out at a run. Noah took the opportunity to revisit his status, having forgotten about the many notifications from the battle. He used his XP to level, finding he was able to do so seven times. With that he pulled up his screen.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Domain: Self

    Caste: Iron

    Gate: 1

    Path: Apprentice

    Level: 43

    Strength: 86

    Dexterity:86

    Constitution: 97

    Intelligence:11

    Wisdom: 13

    Willpower: 14

    XP: 5/100

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 21

    He let out a low whistle in appreciation. There was nothing quite like progress to make you feel alive. He brought both strength and dexterity to 90 and put the remaining points into constitution, pushing it to 110. This boost in stats felt more dramatic than the previous ones, even though it was fewer stats. He could feel his skin harden, and there was an intense feeling in his gut. He tried to puzzle out the cause but could only guess that it had to do with passing 100 in constitution. Perhaps it''s a threshold of sorts. He continued running, feeling much more durable than a few minutes prior. He smiled. If this was what a few levels could do, then he was ready to get more.

    Ta¡¯Ku watched Noah as he ran ahead faster. How can he do that? His breath was starting to become heavy after the hours of running, and yet Noah didn¡¯t slow at all. Is he going to stop at all before night? He picked up his pace, careful not to fall behind. The boring landscape was numbing to his senses, he was hungry, and his legs hurt. No. I will not fail on my first day. I am a Dan¡¯Kar! Ta¡¯Ku steeled his resolve, if he had to run for days on end without food then it was a price he was willing to pay. It was his responsibility to be good enough to stand beside Noah in battle after all.

    Noah occasionally glanced back at Ta¡¯Ku, impressed by his stamina. He would stop if the orc needed a break but so far he hadn¡¯t said a word to that effect, in fact, he hadn¡¯t really said anything. Must be the quiet sort. Noah picked up the pace, eager to meet the challenge of his new companion. It feels good to have such a capable person along for the ride. Ta¡¯Ku was handsome, he supposed, for an orc. He had the typical light-red skin, and long black hair that he kept in a braid. His tusks were short, straight, and shining white, a trait not shared by all the orcs he had seen. He was about the same height as Noah, around 5¡¯11¡±, if nothing had changed. His eyes were what set him apart the most, they were a bright green¨Ca stark contrast to his skin. Noah found it interesting just how easy it was to interact with a completely alien people. He had really connected with Ro¡¯Kar, and hoped that the same would be true of his new companion. As the day began to turn to night, Noah saw what he had been looking for all day. A beast!

    Ta¡¯Ku¡¯s eyes went wide as he watched Noah charge at a beast in the distance. They hadn¡¯t stopped a single time that day. Not once. I¡¯m going to die. He thought as he drew his hammer from his back and charged after his bound brother.

 Chapter 23.5

    Status

    Name: Ta¡¯Ku Irdenzia

    Race: OrcSupport the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Grade: F

    Caste: Dust

    Gate: 0

    Path: Apprentice

    Level: 21

    Strength: 45

    Dexterity:31

    Constitution: 45

    Intelligence:10

    Wisdom: 12

    Willpower: 14

    EXP: 25/100

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 0

 Chapter 24

    Noah charged at the beast, a gleam in his eye, and a hammer in his hands. The poor creature seemed to crumple from the blow to its back, constitution obviously not its primary stat. Noah sighed as he looked at the furry crocodile. He barely got to test his new axe on that one.

    [100 XP Gained.]

    Still worth a level though. He grinned. Ta¡¯Ku bound up to him and his stomach dropped.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ta¡¯Ku - I didn¡¯t even think to let you get some hits in. I promise to share the XP next time.¡± Noah apologized. Ta¡¯Ku just stared at him with his mouth ajar. Perhaps that was a bigger oversight than I thought. I will have to do better.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, plenty of beasts will be here soon. There will be plenty of XP to go around.¡± Noah assured him. Ta¡¯Ku blinked.

    ¡°We¡¯re staying?¡± Ta¡¯Ku asked, hiding his eagerness with expert subtlety.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. In the past I would hide and wait to kill the final beast, but with the both of us we should be fine to just stand and fight.¡± He replied. Ta¡¯Ku gulped.

    ¡°Oh right, what level are you? And your primary stats?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m level 21. My primaries are strength and constitution and I have been raising dexterity with a majority of my free points.¡± Ta¡¯Ku responded, knowing this question would come up at some point.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s perfect,¡± Noah said. ¡°I specialized in strength and dexterity but I have the most points in constitution.¡± Ta¡¯Ku nodded, a bit surprised that Noah shared his stats as well but not at all surprised by his stat choices.

    ¡°Have you made any progress on your first gate?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°Regretfully, no. I have not.¡± Ta¡¯Ku said, his face falling.

    ¡°We should chat about that later, I may have some ideas that could help. And the sooner you get to Iron, the better. You may get a substantial reward.¡± Noah explained. Ta¡¯Ku was taken off guard, many Dan¡¯Kars were known to benefit from journeying with their stronger partner but it was not common for them to receive direct help.

    ¡°I would be honored.¡± He said, not wanting to come off as rude. Today''s events reinforced the reality that Noah was leagues ahead of him, and it seemed the day was still far from over.

    ¡°Here they come, ready yourself.¡± Came Noah¡¯s voice in a serious tone. In the distance, Ta¡¯Ku could see many beasts heading in their direction, more than he had ever seen at one time. His knees quivered and his heart raced but he held himself together. I am No¡¯Ah¡¯s Dan¡¯Kar. I do not tremble in the face of battle. He breathed a deep, calming breath and clenched his hammer. Then when Noah ran at the nearest foe, he followed only steps behind.

    Noah slammed the blunt end of his hammer into the side of the lizard cow¡¯s head. It let out a pained noise that sounded an awful lot like ¡®moose¡¯. He was impressed when his blow was quickly followed by a second from Ta¡¯Ku, cracking one of its knees and sending it rolling. They descended upon the creature, finishing it off with the sharp point of his hammer.

    [50 XP Gained.]

    Noah smiled. That¡¯s better. They moved to the next target, an oddly normal-looking Gorilla. The two warriors continued fighting from one monster to another, and Noah marveled at the impact his hammer had on the fight. He only took minor blows, and Ta¡¯Ku managed to avoid the worst injuries, only receiving a bite to the forearm so far. They seemed to be a natural team and were efficient in taking down their foes and covering each other¡¯s backs. Noah found himself smiling as they slayed yet another mutated livestock animal. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Ta¡¯Ku stared at his grinning partner, a harrowing sight to the faint of heart. He was covered in the blood of his enemies and seemed to have boundless stamina as he charged into the fray time and time again. Ta¡¯Ku didn¡¯t dare let himself slip from Noah¡¯s side, the one time he fell behind a large creature had sank its teeth into his arm. Noah had quickly flattened the beast, but it wouldn¡¯t have happened if he had been in the proper position. His levels were soaring in a remarkable way and he wasn¡¯t sure whether to laugh or cry. He was exhausted beyond what he had known in this new world and yet his heart sang with pride as he pushed forward anyway. I am a Dan¡¯Kar. He intercepted a stray claw before it could hit Noah, and retaliated with brutal force.

    Noah was sweating with effort as they finished off the last beast in their vicinity. Others were still fighting but they had a moment to breathe. This was a whole new experience, exhilarating and wild. He was already grateful for Ta¡¯Ku, who never failed to cover his back and always seemed ready to multiply his efforts. Noah looked at the other beasts and observed that several of them were at that greater power level. It was obvious in their movement, and types of attack. They seemed to use tactics in their fights and had a sharper degree of intelligence in their eyes. They were still beasts, but they weren¡¯t to be taken lightly.

    ¡°Ta¡¯Ku do you see those four beasts?¡± Noah asked, pointing. Ta¡¯Ku nodded.

    ¡°I do.¡± He replied.

    ¡°They are serious threats. And they are worth 1000 XP. When we fight them, be sure to choose your attacks carefully and be ready for counter stikes.¡± Noah explained. Ta¡¯Ku gulped.

    ¡°I will.¡± He replied. He didn¡¯t dare hope that Noah would avoid the beasts, so he chose instead to focus on the positive. With each kill, he would gain five levels. He shook his head in amazement, he would likely double his level on the first day as Dan¡¯Kar. He could hardly imagine what would happen in a week. When Noah stepped forward, so did he, and together they sprinted toward the largest monster.

    Taking advantage of its recent injuries, Noah slammed the sharp point of his hammer into the lion¡¯s side, directly into a gash that its previous opponent had left. It turned on him in an instant and swiped its paw at his face. Ta¡¯Ku stepped forward, swinging his hammer at just the right angle to deflect the blow. Noah retaliated, catching its jaw with the blunt of his hammer. The lion swayed, unsteady on its feet. Ta¡¯ku struck its knee, bucking but not breaking it. The lion regained its awareness and lashed out at Ta¡¯Ku, catching his leg and knocking him to the ground. He groaned at that pain, and Noah narrowed his eyes at the beast. It¡¯ll pay for that. He slammed the point of his hammer into the lion¡¯s shoulder, like a tent peg into soft ground. The lion growled in pain, finally affected by the wounds. Noah tugged the hammer free and faced the injured beast. With a roar, the lion charged at Noah rearing up on its hind legs to swipe at him with both claws. Noah was ready, already swinging as the lion moved. With a perfect uppercut, the spike of his hammer connected with the lion¡¯s jaw, and its lights went out. It slumped to the ground, dead.

    [500 XP Gained.]

    Noah ran over to Ta¡¯Ku who was sitting up, but not back to his feet. He was clutching his leg with a frown on his face.

    ¡°How is it?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°Not, good. When I try to stand, my knee buckles.¡± Ta¡¯Ku explained. Noah nodded.

    ¡°How many times can you level?¡± He asked. Ta¡¯Ku appeared to focus on the air in front of him.

    ¡°Eight times.¡± He said.

    ¡°Good, that means you can gain 32 constitution if you assign all of your points there. I recommend you do that, it should help with your recovery.¡± Noah instructed. Ta¡¯Ku nodded, it would mess up his progression plan but if this day had shown him anything it was that he wouldn¡¯t last long trying to keep up with Noah if he had a week body. He probably doesn¡¯t even plan to make a camp after this. Ta¡¯Ku joked to himself. He leveled up to 29 and followed his advice bringing his constitution to 77. Intense tingling flooded his body as the stat nearly doubled. He felt amazing and was now hopeful that he would be able to run a bit more comfortably on their next travel day.

    Noah watched as the orc followed his instruction, chuckling at what was sure to be an intense sensation from the large influx of stat points. He was tempted to level up himself, excited to reach level 50, but was interrupted by a spout of flame that lit up the air some 50 paces away. Its source was a jet-black elephant with glowing red eyes and a striped trunk. It turned away from its fallen foe and locked eyes with Noah. Then it charged.

 Chapter 25

    The ground rumbled as the mountainous beast rushed in their direction. Ta¡¯Ku wouldn¡¯t be able to move out of the way in time, so Noah did the only reasonable action. He sprinted toward the elephant, brandishing his hammer wildly to catch its attention. They didn¡¯t exactly collide as Noah jumped to the side at the last moment, narrowly missing its tusks. He did however land a hit on its back leg as it passed, successfully getting its attention.

    ¡°I¡¯ll distract it! Get your hits in from behind!¡± Noah yelled across the elephant. Ta¡¯Ku frowned. Who is he talking to? He can¡¯t mean me, can he? Ta¡¯Ku saw a burst of flame and caught the smell of burnt hair.

    ¡°Hurry up! Another five levels will do your constitution good!¡± Came the coughing voice of the crazy human. He climbed to his feet but fell as his left knee gave way. This is so dumb. He thought as he crawled toward the beast''s earth-shaking feet.

    Noah saw Ta¡¯Ku and grinned, he was as bold as a lion! He wondered if he would do the same in Ta¡¯Ku¡¯s situation. Noah¡¯s fur dress was singed from the last bout of flame but he had learned that it came from its trunk. When it raised its flamethrower again, Noah whacked it with his hammer causing the elephant to trumpet in surprise, it glared down at Noah and bared its teeth confirming their sharpness. The System strikes again! Noah couldn¡¯t help but find it funny that it was teeth that got him, not the flame or coloring, no it was always the teeth.

    It was at that moment that Ta¡¯Ku managed to hit the creature''s calf, opting for the pointed end of his hammer. Its leg buckled and the elephant teetered from the sudden loss of balance. Ta¡¯Ku scrambled away, and Noah made use of his distraction by striking the beast''s front right knee. This seemed to be enough to drive the mammoth to the ground and Noah backpedaled to avoid being crushed. The animal had been too hard to seriously injure with its height, but now it was exposed. Both Noah and Ta¡¯Ku rushed toward the beast, aiming their blows at vital areas. Noah guessed that the elephant had invested points in one of the magic stats for its fireball because it didn¡¯t take long to get the expected notification.

    [500 XP Gained.]

    Noah grinned and went over to Ta¡¯ku. The last two beasts were fighting each other so they had some time before the next fight. Ta¡¯ku was reeling from his latest level boost and Noah gave him a thumbs up when he opened his eyes.

    ¡°Just wait until you hit 100 in it, you will feel like a new orc!¡± Noah laughed.

    ¡°One more level will do it!¡± Ta¡¯Ku replied, eager for the experience.

    ¡°Great job getting those attacks in by the way, I wasn¡¯t sure if you would manage it!¡± Noah complimented. Ta¡¯Ku frowned. But you told me to do it. He scratched his head.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if I would make it either!¡± He agreed. They both laughed, each for his own reason.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re up!¡± Noah said, nodding in the direction of an ambling beast. Ta¡¯ku climbed to his good foot and rested his weight on his hammer. They watched the monster as it sniffed the air and caught their scent. It howled as it turned towards them, looking like a car as it made its way over. Noah picked up his hammer and got into a ready stance.

    ¡°It looks tired, let¡¯s take this one head on!¡± He yelled. Ta¡¯Ku sighed and considered his options. He chose to remain standing and would get at least one good swing at the beast before falling over.

    The wolf approached with a limping run, its fur matted and red in patches throughout its body. Nevertheless, it bared its teeth and growled as it neared, lunging toward Noah. He introduced the wolf to his hammer, in an intimate face-to-face encounter. The beast whined in greeting and was momentarily knocked to the ground. Ta¡¯Ku took the opportunity and hopped into striking distance, throwing his whole weight into an overhead blow, sending the spike of his hammer through its skull. The creature went still and they both sighed as their battle came to an end.

    [500 XP Gained.]

    Ta¡¯Ku rolled onto his back as his heartbeat thundered in his ears. I survived. He wondered if he was the first orc to go through such an ordeal. He leveled again, bringing his constitution to 117. His body lit up as if it was being reforged anew, sending waves of intense but pleasant heat through his bones. He felt accomplished but he had also never been so exhausted. I am a Dan¡¯Kar. He thought as he drifted to sleep. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Noah sat beside his sleeping friend. It was amazing how a battle could connect people, first Ro¡¯Kar and now Ta¡¯Ku. He breathed contentedly as he pulled up his status screen and leveled. For some reason the number stopped at 50, not letting him progress any further. His entire body ceased up, and what was typically a pleasant experience felt more like a nightmare as his bones creaked and his muscles stretched. His primary stats must have passed a hundred, something that he would avoid doing simultaneously in the future.

    [Level 43 > level 50.]

    [Journeyman Path Choices Available.]

    Warrior

    Mage

    Healer

    Noah blinked. Already? The apprentice path had gone quickly and now he was making another life-defining decision. Thankfully though, this one was easy. He selected ¡®Warrior¡¯.

    [Congratulations, you have taken the next step on your Path. Non-warrior activities will no longer grant XP.]

    [Primary stats: Strength, Dexterity.]

    [Journeyman path grants +4 primary stats per level. +2* free stats per level.]

    Noah grinned and pulled up his status.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Domain: Self

    Caste: Iron

    Gate: 1

    Path: Journeyman

    Level: 50

    Strength: 110

    Dexterity:110

    Constitution: 110

    Intelligence:11

    Wisdom: 13

    Willpower: 14

    XP: 1155/1000

    Essence: 0

    Stat points available: 21

    Shoot. Noah¡¯s first thought was that now his primary stats would outgrow his constitution, which had quickly become his favorite. To rectify this he committed to the strict distribution of points to constitution from this point forward. He also noticed that it now took 1000 XP to level, following the same pattern as novice to apprentice. Not seeing any reason to wait, he leveled to 51 and put all 24 free points into their proper place. He had a feeling that journeyman would be a much longer path, and he supposed it made sense. This was the path that would really start to define a person¡¯s combat style, separating the different magic users from the physical fighters in a more tangible way. Perhaps it was time to focus on other aspects of his development. He had one piece of his caste upgrade in place and he didn¡¯t want to neglect the other parts. This brought an interesting thought to his mind. He brought up the global rankings.

    [Global Ranking System online.]

    <ul>

    <li>Dariss Ashfield-Drakon: Iron, Lvl 91</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Malentar Stoneskin-Drakon: Iron, Lvl 80</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Recter Jandon-Drakon: Iron, Lvl 74</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Do¡¯Fon Anzinar-Orc: Iron, Lvl 71</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Ma¡¯tan Anzinar-Orc: Iron, Lvl 69</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Darten Yellowfang-Drakon: Iron, Lvl 65</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Fastion Briner-Elf: Iron, Lvl 63</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Syton Talir-Drakon: Iron, Lvl 62</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Flamir Axehead-Drakon: Iron, Lvl 59</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>En¡¯Do Forsten-Orc: Iron, Lvl 57 </li>

    </ul>

    Noah saw what he was looking for. They were all Iron. Given how many levels Ta¡¯Ku had gained in a day, he highly doubted that these were all of the highest-level people in the world. Perhaps there were even humans that had higher levels, but lacked the fundamental piece that separated these 10. To the System, caste was the foremost measurement of power. He wondered how common it was in the multiverse for people to only level their path but not their grade or gates. Were there people who only had gates but no levels? As he mused he couldn¡¯t help but notice that he closed the gap and was now only seven levels from the leaderboard. He needed to get on it as soon as possible. Humanity had to know that they could rise to the top.

    Noah didn¡¯t want to wake his companion so he dug through his pack for the fire-starting kit and started turning the spindle. Within a half-hour, he had a fire, and he used a knife to clean a large slab of meat from the elephant. He roasted it using his knives as a spit and after some time he had a hot meal ready to eat.

    ¡°Ta¡¯Ku,¡± Noah said, nudging his shoulder. Ta¡¯Ku jumped, reaching for a weapon. Instead, he saw Noah waving two massive hunks of meat, skewered on his knives.

    ¡°Dinner!¡± Noah said, handing one to him.  Ta¡¯Ku took it, the aroma bringing tears to his eyes. He tore into it with vigor, certain that it was the best meal that he had ever eaten.

    ¡°This is amazing!¡± He said through a stuffed mouth. Noah nodded emphatically.

    ¡°No kidding, I was starving!¡± Noah replied. Ta¡¯Ku thought that was interesting and wondered how often Noah went long stretches without food. He decided that he would enjoy it while he had it. Before long the sun set and they spent the night in the open air. When he had asked Noah about finding shelter, his response had been that he didn¡¯t want to miss the chance at XP if more beasts showed up. It was with that thought that he lay down to sleep.

 Chapter 26

    The two companions settled into a rhythm after that. They would travel as far as they could each day, stopping only to sleep or to fight the swarms. Ta¡¯Ku grew to love the fights because that¡¯s when they ate. Noah was increasingly convinced that the mountain was infinite as they traveled, as there was barely any change in the landscape. On nights when they didn¡¯t find beasts, Ta¡¯Ku trained Noah in the hammer. He had been reserved at first, not wanting to offend Noah, but quickly learned not to think such things. Noah didn¡¯t care for that kind of deference; he preferred a genuine equal and a friend. Ta¡¯Ku wouldn¡¯t go so far as to call them friends, as he was Noah¡¯s Dan¡¯Kar, but that didn¡¯t stop Noah from treating him as such. He wasn¡¯t a servant or a battle-slave as many Dan¡¯Kar were. No, to Noah, he was a true brother.

    Their levels climbed even faster than they did, the rate only decreasing once Ta¡¯Ku reached level 50. The higher they moved up the mountain, the stronger and sparser the beasts became. They would still swarm, but nearly all the beasts were of journeyman strength, and the fights lasted much longer. They both received injuries, healed and then were wounded again. Recently, it had become their nightly routine to meditate and work on their gates. Ta¡¯Ku felt close to a breakthrough and Noah assured him that if he continued, he would find it. Noah had also gained a measure of inspiration, though not where he expected. Instead of meditation, it had come through his time training with Ta¡¯Ku and learning to see him. He realized that his next breakthrough was not about himself but about those around him and began to pay close attention to Ta¡¯Ku as they journeyed together.

    Two weeks passed, and they found themselves entering a new biome. Snow came down in wet clumps and only white ground lay ahead. When they finished defeating the swarm that night, they sat down by the fire to discuss their plans.

    ¡°Just three levels from the leaderboard!¡± Noah said cheerily, biting into the haunch of boar. He had hit 59 after the latest fight.

    ¡°Five more for me.¡± Ta¡¯Ku replied, chewing loudly. They were slowly gaining on the world leaders and hoped to reach them within the next week.

    ¡°Just imagine Ro¡¯Kar¡¯s face when he sees us both on there!¡± Noah laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll have to break through though.¡± He added. Ta¡¯Ku nodded.

    ¡°I feel close, it should be any day now.¡± He said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s spend the night meditating then, I am also near the edge and am getting eager for my next choice,¡± Noah announced. They scarfed down their dinners, their stomachs now accustomed to the singular feast of the day and got comfortable around the fire. Well into the night, Ta¡¯Ku yelled and Noah sprung to his feet. He found Ta¡¯Ku lying in a heap and sweating profusely. He did it! Noah realized. He sat down again returning to his own thoughts. What am I missing? He thought through the last few weeks, of all he had seen and heard. He focused on his interactions with Ta¡¯Ku, he had learned much about him and how he thought, but did he really know him? There must be a piece that I am missing. It''s like something is keeping me from actually knowing who he is. Noah puzzled over it, watching as Ta¡¯Ku sat up with a grin on his face.

    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± Noah asked him

    ¡°It''s amazing,¡± Ta¡¯Ku began, ¡°It¡¯s like I had a filter before but I can finally see the truth for what it is.¡± Noah was stunned at his words as that spark of inspiration ignited within him. That¡¯s it! I cannot see him because I am looking through my filter. Therefore, what I see is a skewed reality! As that thought settled in, Noah entered his mental world and saw an exciting development. A gate stood in front of him, its door ajar. He pushed it open and stepped through finding darkness once again.

    [Congratulations. You have reached the second Gate. Choose a reward.]

    Immediate

    Progressive

    Noah beamed. He did it.

    ¡°Ta¡¯Ku, I broke through the next gate! It was what you said that gave me clarity!¡± Noah exclaimed. Ta¡¯Ku grinned in return, knowing how much effort Noah had put into it.

    ¡°Now whatever you do, do not choose immediate.¡± Noah warned. He deflated, he had definitely been ready to select just that. Noah saw the look on his face. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°We talked about this, my reward has continued to give me benefits. Imagine if you only got a few extra stat points.¡± Noah explained.

    ¡°I know, I know.¡± He agreed, choosing progressive. He was relieved to see that he had gotten the same boon as Noah. It was a shame to have missed out on the early levels, but he didn¡¯t plan to stop anytime soon.

    ¡°I got the same reward that you did, what did you get?¡± Ta¡¯Ku asked.

    ¡°Another choice¡­¡± Noah replied looking at the screen that had popped up.

    [You have selected Progressive. Choose a reward.]

    Knowledge

    Stats

    Noah looked at the options, unclear of the better choice. If he assumed that Stats would give him a similar reward to the first, then that would be a huge advantage to take at this point. But knowledge was an unknown. It could be incredibly helpful, or it could not apply to him at all. When he thought about it he just couldn¡¯t ignore the opportunity though, his biggest bottleneck was his lack of knowledge. In fact, the biggest hindrance to his people¡¯s survival was their lack of knowledge. He made his decision and selected knowledge.

    [You have selected Knowledge. Choose a reward.]

    Path

    Grade

    Gate

    Another choice. They would all be helpful but Grade was only one he hadn¡¯t figured out on his own. Noah took a deep breath and selected Grade.

    [You have selected Knowledge: Grade]

    [Grade is the essence density or purity of a being or planet. F Grade is considered the middle point of the multiverse, representing 50% essence purity. Grade is advanced through accumulated essence. The most common way to attain essence is through XP conversion. XP can be converted to essence at a 1:1 ratio through the System.]

    Noah grinned at his fortune. This knowledge could be what saved his planet. That, or the elves already knew and it would just be helpful to him. He shared the news with Ta¡¯Ku, who was similarly ecstatic. Noah, having over 500 unused XP prompted the System to exchange it for essence. He rushed to open his Status, ready for his next Caste advancement.

    Status

    Name: Noah Denter

    Race: Human

    Grade: F

    Domain: Self

    Caste: Iron

    Gate: 2

    Path: Apprentice

    Level: 59

    Strength: 146

    Dexterity:146

    Constitution: 158

    Intelligence:11

    Wisdom: 13

    Willpower: 14

    XP: 0/1000

    Essence: 555/10,000

    Stat points available: 0

    Noah frowned as he looked at it. Perhaps he should have figured that it would be expensive, especially considering that F grade was advanced compared to the elves. Still, the number meant that he would have to delay leveling if he wanted to advance his caste. At the end of the day, only 10 levels of experience stood between him and the next caste.

    They ate a second dinner while they discussed their next day.

    ¡°Same thing tomorrow?¡± Ta¡¯Ku asked. Noah nodded.

    ¡°Until we are on the list, we will keep at it. The snow doesn¡¯t really change anything with our level of constitution.¡± Noah paused.

    ¡°Did you have snow on your planet?¡± He asked.

    ¡°We did, though I never saw it. People from my village had traveled into the distant mountains and shared about it with us, but I never got more than a few days walk from my home.¡± Ta¡¯Ku shared.

    ¡°What was your world like?¡± Noah asked.

    ¡°Hmm. I am not sure about the world as a whole, but my region was a large flat valley with hard packed clay and all sorts of fruit bushes. We hunted drinter, similar to what you called a cow but skinnier, and we farmed the land, producing all kinds of vegetables. Was this mountain from your world?¡± Ta¡¯Ku asked. Noah smiled.

    ¡°No I don¡¯t believe so. If it¡¯s not from yours then I would guess it is from the Drakon homeworld. Were there wars in your region? How did you learn to fight?¡± His eyes wandered, and he stared into the distance.

    ¡°There were regular skirmishes with nearby villages; it is custom for orcs to mature and win mates through battle. That, and most disputes can be solved with a weapon.¡± Ta¡¯Ku laughed. ¡°As for learning to fight, my father taught me from a young age. He was a great warrior, and well-loved by our village. He died a few years before the System.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear it.¡± He said. Ta¡¯Ku shook his head.

    ¡°He lived a good life. My mother is still out there somewhere though, and I would very much like to see her again.¡± He shared.

    ¡°When she sees your name on the rankings, she will know that you¡¯re alive. I would bet that she starts combing the world to find you.¡± Noah mused.

    ¡°Have you already met her somehow? Or are human mother¡¯s the same?¡± He questioned. Noah laughed.

    ¡°I think any mother would search a world to find their child.¡± He said, wondering how true that was of his mother. Is she looking for me?