Chapter 37
This is a fictional story by realTensai
Alvis felt a stinging sensation in his brain as soon as he opened his eyes. He grabbed his head, still moaning, wondering what had happened. With half-closed eyes, Alvis relaxed again, trying to embrace the comfort of his bed, but another stinging pain in his head didn't let him rest. Clicking his tongue, Alvis focused on his system. He didn't expect to see any changes. It has been updating for almost a month now and Alvis didn't know when it would be over. However, when he tried to open it up, a new screen met his eyes. Instead of the usual SYSTEM UPDATE LOADING a SYSTEM UPDATE FINISHED greeted him.
Alvis almost fell out of his bed. His heart raced while his eyes sparkled more than a shooting star. If Alvis would go about this rationally, he knew he shouldn't be excited. The Devil was the one who gave him the system and this so he could take over Alvis. But in the end, Alvis was just a gamer too. How could he not be excited after waiting a month for the update?
Not able to wait any longer, Alvis opened up his system.
Level 3: Trial Of Insanity
Mission: Survive
STATS
Name: Alvis Silva
Level: 10
Class: Mage
HP: 150
MP: 200
-----
Strength: 12
Agility: 11
Health: 10
Sense: 10
Intelligence: 15
----
Available Ability Points: 0
Skills
Skill slot: 4/7
[Passive]
New Evasion Lvl. 1
[Active]
Advanced Mana Manipulation Lvl. 3
New Assassin's Eye Lvl. 1
Mastermind Lvl. 8
Inventory
No Items
Daily Quests
- Push-ups [0/100]
- Sit-ups [0/100]
- Squats [0/100]
- Run [0/10km]
Alvis' eyes moved faster than his brain could even keep up as he tried to make sense of this new screen. To see all these changes at once felt like a sensory overload, and Alvis had to take a mental step back to clear his mind. By taking a deep breath in and out, Alvis sorted his mind.
Let's start at the top.
The name of his new level was "Trial of Insanity". Alvis gulped after reading this hardcore name. After inheriting the system, he more than once realized his insane traits. He knew no one could keep their sanity after having to die multiple times, yet the way Alvis handled it wasn't one's normal choice, either. Alvis used his ability to respawn as a tool to become stronger. However, a level called "Trial of insanity" would even be too much for him. He could only imagine how high his death count would go.
The fact that his mission this time was only to survive didn't let him relax either. It was more straightforward than saving a girl, though that didn't mean it would be easier. Because he was now at level three, it had to be more difficult than level two. In other words, just surviving would be more difficult than everything he had to do to save Lia.
How hardcore!
Alvis sighed before moving on to his updated stats.
His class as a mage didn't change, but his health and mana did. His HP was at 150 and his MP was at 200. Instead of having mana as a stat, he now had it as mana points. From his gaming experience, he knew his MP would decrease as soon as he used mana to perform a spell. Though Alvis believed this way was better. He could now always see how much mana he had left, which would help him in his future battles.
What made Alvis' heart stop for a second were his other stats. Pure horror was displayed on his face as he saw how low they had dropped. The stats he put so much sweat and tears into leveling up were now lower than they were at the time he got his system. However, the shock soon faded away, replaced by a calm observation of the situation.
Alvis knew he hadn't gotten any weaker, yet his stats were lower. The only explanation would be that just the number decreased, but not the magnitude of his powers. His intelligence was at 130 before the system updated and now it was at 15. Alvis assumed that this 15 would be equivalent to a 150 in his old system. That made the most sense.
With this cleared, he focused on his changed stats. Instead of endurance and reflex, he now had agility and sense. He knew agility was probably the same as reflex and sense had to be just his senses.
Perhaps the biggest change to his stats was the ability points. Until now, Alvis couldn't control which of his stats would increase and by how much. After he died, they gained stat points based on which abilities he used the most.
This has changed now.
With his ability points, he could decide which stat he wanted to level. Alvis had played several games, so he knew how it worked. First, he had to get some ability points by performing quests or leveling up, and then he could distribute them under his stats as he liked.
Alvis took a deep breath in and out.
This change is immense.
The entire concept of his system changed. How strong he would get in the future was now up to him. He felt as if the Devil was testing him. As if he were challenging Alvis to try to defy him.
A grin that would even make the Devil shiver formed on Alvis' face. By clenching his fist, he gathered his resolve.
I won't let you have your way!
Alvis then moved on to his skills. The new system had active and passive skills. After defeating the boss of the Assassin Organization, Alvis got two new skills. The first was a passive one called Evasion. The other was an active one called Assassin's Eye. By focusing on them, an explanation popped up.
Evasion: Increased chance to avoid incoming attacks.
Assassin's eye: Estimate your opponent's strength.
The easy-to-understand explanations left Alvis with no further questions. His other active skills were the same as before, so he didn't bother analyzing them. What he did analyze, though, was his skill slot. It limited him to only seven skills in total. Frowning, Alvis shook his head.
"He won't make it easy for me, huh?"
Alvis wanted to fly over his inventory, seeing how he didn't have any items yet. However, he still took his time to understand this new feature. Alvis knew what an inventory was. Even non-gamers would know. But what kind of influence it would have on him was a different story. However, he would try something.
He grabbed his phone and focused on his inventory. The next second, his phone vanished.
"W-Wow!"
Alvis opened up his system to check if his assumption was right.
Inventory
Phone
"This is amazing!"
Just like he had expected, he could store things in his inventory. A wide grin flashed on his face as countless ideas crossed his mind. However, he calmed down his rising heart, focusing back on the other aspects of his system.
"I should finish my analysis first."
He cleared his throat, and with one mental command, his phone was back in his hand.
Now to the last new feature and perhaps the most interesting one. Daily Quests. From now on, Alvis would have to complete daily quests. They were simple things like push-ups and running, which would help him to get a fit body. Through many deaths, Alvis had strengthened his ill body to a level he could be proud of. Even though he started with such a weak base, his body right now would be considered fit, but nothing one couldn't reach by going to the gym for a few months. However, Alvis would have to become even stronger if he wanted to survive. That was why those daily workout quests came in handy. He would do them and get stronger and also get the rewards one got after completing a quest. Two in one.
Alvis closed his eyes, the system vanishing, and relaxed on his bed. He had completed his analysis of his updated system, so he could rest now. Even if he went over all these changes, it would take some time before he would get used to them. If he had this time, was another question.
His long-awaited class trip stood on for next week. What normally would have had him grinning all day was causing him more than a few headaches now. The main assassin organization just had to be in the same city they would go to. With their headquarters in Awaniko, Alvis couldn't feel safe. His system awakening this close before the class trip wasn't a good omen, either. Everything aligned perfectly to make Alvis' first-class trip to the worst he would ever have.
Alvis considered not going, yet he had his reasons for changing his mind. The messenger of the Assassin Guild said Alvis would have one month to accept their offer. This time wasn't over yet. One week ago, the messenger had approached him and in one week they would be in Awaniko. They would stay there for one week, which would mean Alvis would be back home whilst the time for his offer still continued. It was because they gave him one month, he knew they wouldn't attack him before that. It wouldn't make sense for them to give him a time limit if they didn't intend to keep it in the first place. Even if Alvis were to be in their city. Going by that, Alvis classified his trip with his class as safe. Yet he would still watch out and be careful while being in Awaniko.
Of course, he had already informed Lia about all of this. At first, he didn't want to tell her so she wouldn't worry, yet he knew he had to. Lia was involved in all of this and even if Alvis had tried to hide it from her, he wouldn't be able to do it. She was an empath, so she would have noticed that something was off.
Her reaction had been complicated. Even though she didn't spell it out at first, Alvis knew there was nothing she despised more than joining the Assassin Organization again. It was also her reaction that had strengthened Alvis' resolve.
He would not accept their offer, even if that meant becoming their enemy!
After this one month, a confrontation with the Assassin Guild would be unavoidable. He would have to prepare for it and get stronger! It was his responsibility as a man.