After the Aldus Potion and Knowledge mission was completed, Ryu felt a familiar urge to check his progress.This was his favorite part of playing the game, and in Aethelgard Online, the thrill was even more satisfying.
With a gesture that was now starting to feel natural, he summoned a virtual status panel. The translucent screen appeared, emitting a soft glow, displaying updated information:
[Character Name: Ryu]
[Race: Human]
[Class: Thief]
[Level: 2 (XP: 140/200)]
[HP: 110/110]
[Stamina: 105/105]
[Basic Statistics]
Strength: 6
Dexterity: 10 (Class Bonus: +2)
Intelligence: 8
Vitality: 7
[Available Skill Points: 1]
[Skills]
Short Sword: Novice
Evasion: Novice
Sneak: Novice
Observation: Novice
[Class Ability (Thief)]
Dark Crevice: (Active) Performs a quick and stealthy attack. (Locked: Requires Level 5)
Silent Steps: (Passive) Reduces the sound of footsteps when moving slowly.Reconnaissance (New!): (Active) Increases visibility and detection of nearby dangers for a short time. (Requires Stamina)
[Inventory]
Gold Coins: 68
Rabbit Teeth: 8
Rabbit Skin: 3
Light Leaf: 1
Healing Potion: 3
Basic Potion Recipe: 1
Beginner's Clothes (Equipped)
Beginner's Short Sword (Equipped)
Ryu looked at the numbers carefully. Level 2! The level up gave him a significant increase in base stats, and he now had one Skill Point to allocate.
The most interesting one is the new class ability: Reconnaissance. This will definitely come in handy for exploring new areas or sneaking around in future missions.
His inventory also grew, with newly acquired gold coins and healing potions. It all felt incredibly satisfying, giving him a real sense of accomplishment.
Boredom is now a very distant memory.
Ryu stared at his status panel, specifically at the words [Available Skill Points: 1]. There was a temptation to immediately allocate them, feeling the instant power boost it promised.Maybe he could improve his Dexterity further, or unlock new skills like Short Sword.
However, Ryu decided to hold off on it. His cunning nature reminded him that sometimes, it's better to save resources until they're really needed.He didn't yet know what challenges awaited him with the Traveling Merchant, or what missions might open up afterward.
Perhaps these skill points would be more useful if allocated to specific skills that are relevant to upcoming challenges.
His current priority was to complete the automatic mission 'Visit the Goods Merchant'. It would clear his Quest Log and possibly open up a new path.
After all, he was already Level 2 and felt strong enough for now, thanks to his clever victory in the jungle.
Ryu walked through the gravel streets of Eldoria, his eyes scanning the surroundings. The smell of fresh bread mixed with the scent of the blacksmith, creating a comfortable atmosphere.
However, amidst the hustle and bustle of the busy NPCs, Ryu's gaze caught a different figure.
Two individuals who did not look like ordinary villagers. Their clothes seemed more modern, though with a touch of fantasy, and The way they moved—more fluid, more aware of their surroundings—gave Ryu the feeling that they were other players.
One of them was a burly man in new-looking leather armor, wielding a large axe.His companion was a red-haired woman in a shabby robe, holding a two-pronged staff. They stood near the north gate, seemingly in discussion, occasionally glancing in Ryu's direction.
Ryu, with his Thief instincts, felt something was amiss. He decided not to approach immediately, but to walk leisurely headed to the nearest bulletin board, pretending to read the mission. From there, he could observe them without looking too obvious.
"Look who's here," the burly man's voice was faint, but clear enough for Ryu's keen hearing. "A Level 1 just emerged from the forest. He probably has some good loot."
The red-haired woman laughed sarcastically. "Or maybe he only has small change. But it's enough to cover our drinks."
Ryu's heart beat faster. He knew what this meant. They were Player Killers (PK), looking for weaker players to kill and steal their items.
Ryu felt irritated. He had just enjoyed the euphoria of winning over the goblins, and now he had to deal with a self-proclaimed hero like this? His boredom had gone, but he didn't want to problems at this time.
Without warning, the burly man charged forward. His great axe was raised high, emitting a menacing aura. A warning notification appeared before Ryu:
[WARNING! Player 'Brutus' has declared PK!]
[Enemy Status: Brutus,Level Unknown (Suspected Higher)]
Ryu didn't wait. His instincts took over. He was a Thief, not a frontal fighter. With surprising speed, Ryu jumped to the side,avoiding Brutus' axe swing that hit the ground, creating a small crack. Dust and gravel scattered.
"Tch, quite nimble too," grumbled Brutus, his ax ready for a second swing.
The red-haired woman raised her wand, and a small fireball began to form at the tip. "Move aside, I'll take care of it!" she shouted.
Ryu knew he couldn't fight both of them at once in the open. He had to use his wits. His eyes darted around, looking for cover, looking for an opening.A narrow alley between the tavern and the blacksmith's house looked promising.
"Let's see who gets taken care of!" Ryu replied, his voice more confident than he felt. He darted into the narrow alley, using his small body to maneuver between the barrels.
Brutus and the woman immediately chased after her. However, in the narrow alley, Brutus's great axe was less effective, and the woman's fireball had difficulty aiming without hitting Brutus.Ryu, with his passive "Silent Steps", moves more silently, the shadows being his companion.
He had to admit, this was a different kind of adrenaline rush. Much more intense than fighting monsters controlled solely by AI.
This is a battle against human intelligence. And Ryu, with his cunning nature, loves this challenge.