NOVEL WEB V1 Chapter 36: Announcement
- 1st Person POV (MC)
-Present Time-
“Haaaaah...”
Done! I don’t need to do these again for good. Ugh... My body shivers whenever I recall the feeling of passing through the horde of zombies with their rotting bodies and scent.
Just in the nick of time, I restock my shop and recraft potions. While doing this my mind goes elsewhere, especially regarding Alchemy.
I have a {Skill} for enchanting. That means there is one of alchemy too. I got it from The Academy’s Library so it must be there as well...
I nodded to myself several times and besides, I also asked about grimoire from the receptionist. Plus!!! Time to upgrade my elements {Trait}, I’m going to burn all the Zeni in my wallet for this.
At least I’m hitting three birds in one stone!
-The Academy-
Purchase this... this... and... That.
Done! I am now low on Zeni but my elements {Tier} is now VI skipped a step since we just powered through the Jagged Highlands and Fields of Sorrow. Plus, I have several {Spell} added to my arsenal.
“*KAWK* *KAWK* Welcome, Mage. Do you need anything?” -Crow NPC-
“I do... *Ehem* do you know anything about grimoires and how to make them? And... Is there a book regarding learning alchemy?”
The crow NPC took their time thinking before plucking two feathers from its plumage. Then threw it mid-air as it transformed into two cute chunky birds.
They fly towards the second floor where the library is as quickly as they did they returned carrying thick books.
Contrary to their agility, these birds lay the books gently as if scared to harm the receptionist's table.
“*KAWK* *KAWK* Books!” -Crow NPC-
“Thank you very much for your assistance.”
I slightly bowed unconsciously and took the two books to the nearby table for me to read.
Titled ‘Grand Alchemist’ and ‘DIY: Spell Book’. My eyebrows raised in curiosity regarding the title of the latter one.
I started reading the former book and it tells a biography of a man whose curious nature tried as many ingredients as he could. Even as to try it on himself. Granted the title of ‘Grand Alchemist’ in the later years of his discovery and alchemical talents which provided many with life-saving potions. Including the now-renowned alchemy method that many people use to brew their potions. He fell in love with Fay and then passed his skillsets to his children.
“Oho!? How romantic.”
I got a {Skill} in return once I finished reading this book. Named <Alchemy I> the description is simple but powerful. It allows me to add another ingredient to the cauldron in a total of 4 ingredients.
(“Perfect!!!”)
Satisfied with the results, I began reading the other book.
Rather than a biography or a lore book. This one is simply a ‘How-to-do’ guide.
Step 1: To create a grimoire, one needed leather for its cover. A leather made from the hide of a mutated beast, the stronger the better.
Step 2: Papers! Made from trees that grow in areas rich in mana.
Step 3: Bound them with the {Spell}: [Bind]
Step 4: Profit
“Haaaa....”
I rested my hand in front of my face as I sighed exasperatedly. It’s simple enough but the delivery is... I cannot say anymore. Let’s think of the positive, I can make a grimoire now.
Judging by the red dot in my crafting {Skill}. I can tell a new recipe has been added to it. By navigating through that {Skill}, the red dot is in the Magicraft section, particularly Enchanting. With that done as well, I sighed in relief. I thought it would be harder but turns out it wasn’t...
Now...
I have some Zeni left, and I’m thinking of purchasing the materials from the players’ market.
Oh my God...
I stare at the price of a piece of leather from LV 100 Monster. Unfortunately, the size of that leather is medium which cannot be spawned with my ability.
It's ridiculously pricey!!! I can buy it but... Agh... No matter. It’s for my good!!! I pressed the purchase button and got the item in my inventory. The Zeni I have left has taken a big hit.
I bet paper from high LV areas will be cheap as it is a simple chop and gather wood then convert it to paper using Artisanship crafting skills.
Good! Haaaaaaaaah... At least this is incredibly cheap. I purchased in bulk like a full stack of papers since that is what the crafting list needs.
I am now officially, broke in Zeni. I cannot purchase anything...
Nevertheless, I completed the list. Once I pressed the auto-craft and it is currently in crafting. A smile adorned my face. It does take an incredibly long time but I am sure it going to be worth it!
(“I can’t wait to get my grimoire!”)
-My Home-
Arriving here, I took a deep breath of My Temple's crisp fresh air. Gaia stood beside me, as usual, being my cute bodyguard.
Hmm? Why is this place a little bit empty? I thought I had captured a lot of critters prior.
Glancing to the sides, my Mini Deep Woods biome is desolate of animal sounds. Most of the time, I heard birds chirping or rustling in the bushes where squirrels settle.
Oh well... I guess I’ll use my ability then. It has been a day passed in-game, as I can see my {Trait} hasn’t faded out like before in my {Status}.
“[Create: Forest Squirrel]”
Soon after I declared it, several squeaks and fluffy textures rested on my hand. Three brown chubby looking squirrels spawned and they immediately jumped towards the Mini Deep Woods.
“[Create: Song Birds]”
The same thing but in this case, three chunky white birds with various colours of feathery plumage on their heads and the end of their wings. They flap and chirp singing the song of avian leaving to the same location where the squirrels were.
I still have one usage left, so I decided to spawn in Adamantine Ore. Building up materials for the [Summon Golem] {Spell}. After all, my Mini Biomes project is getting bigger and bigger. Resulting in more ingredients planted but not a lot of golem to take care of it.
Sighing, I simply sat on the soft grass while lazing around with Gaia. He curled his body and let me lean my back on his soft fur.
Strange isn’t it? I can feel his heartbeat and breathing pattern. Even the warmth that a living being emits. I know that they are data but the way it felt and visually looks so real...
Once I feel mentally refreshed from this, I stand up to start on my next task which is to discover the observatory in Astera for my advancement.
But before I can tap on the Safe Points though...
A panel appeared all of a sudden. Instead of the usual blue colours highlighting its borders. This one has sharper and lighter blue-like sparks.
Wait... It is sparking! It caught my attention well as I read the panel intently.
-News!!-
Hello everyone! We have been travelling with you for a week since the start of O.w.O
As such, to commemorate this adventure together. We hereby announce the very first event of Open World Online...
Champion Battle Royale!!!! (C.B.R)
Only players that are around 50 or above can participate in this event. We will give 3 days in real life for players to register for participation.
After three days have passed, the fourth day will be the day of the event. Players who register their names in the participation list will be teleported to Areas that we have designed into random spots.
Each area will divided according to player levels. LV50-59, LV60-69, LV70-79, LV80-89, LV90-99, and LV100. In there, players will battle till time out! Players that survive and gather the most points will be ranked. There is a big reward for players who win 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in each area.
In the event, players can wear and bring (Common) to (Rare) equipment and tools. Potions will be given in a set amount once the battle commences.
We have waived the penalty of PK once defeated, players will be teleported to the spectator seat. Players below LV50 and can also spectate. Both defeated players and players below LV50 can bet Zeni for which player will win the battle Royale of each Area!
Please Register Here
Name: ...
-News!!-
Hm~ Hm~ Hm~ I see I see...
I let out a few hums of understanding while reading the announcement that the devs gave. I wonder what is the big rewards?
Well... It doesn’t hurt to just participate, nothing to lose if I get defeated so might as well put my name on it. Once I did, the news panel slightly altered to display my name as a participant.
Hmmmmm... I need to get better gear especially if I want to try winning. Plus! Advancement of my class as well.
Alright!!!! I feel fired up already. Time to get going to Astera. An excited smile crept up on my face as I tapped the ‘Astera Safe Point’.
-Astera, City of Magic-
My view changed in the blink of an eye. The green grass of my home and its wonderful marble temple simply vanished.
Replaced with well paved roads and is that... streetlights? Even Frontera doesn’t have one. The buildings' architecture is also markedly different. People here have second-story or third-story buildings smushed together like a sandwich.
They dress differently too. More than a simple tunic or gown. The only thing, I can describe that struck my head when I saw them is...
Sherlock Holmes kind of fashion era.
Men with top hats, Women with bonnets. Each carries either a cane or parasol as they go to their business.
I also see some guardsmen or guardswomen patrolling around with their striking colour of clothing and have something at their waist. A sleek case containing a wand of some kind plus a rapier at the other side. The handle has a beautiful gem embedded in it.
Then from a distance beyond just at the edge of my view. Several towers with their peak spiralling onto the skies and clouds.
Huh...
It is certainly a unique experience. I shrugged my shoulder and then immediately walked towards that location. I’m pretty sure that’s the place for my advancement.
While I was moving through, I saw a lot of mage classes or at least related class players. Also walking the same path as me towards the crowd of spiralling towers.
Once it comes into clearer view, a huge gate with lavish adornment is wide open for us to enter. Beside the gate is two guards standing watch and since I’m a mage class, they let me in easily.
Then, I arrived in a large plaza.
There are several signs to tell me which direction I need to go. Observatory... Observatory... Aha!!
I just need to turn left after the first intersection then go straight until I see a white tower. Simple enough...
Following the sign, I also see several other players on this path. Each has either the Sun, Moon, or Stars on their forehead.
It reminds me of orientation day when I first entered university. I get a bit nervous now about what to expect.
After reaching the designated point, I heard a gasp from players behind me and I finally saw what they saw.
A tower made from pure white marble, which reminds me of something. The sheer height of it went through the clouds far behind my view so I cannot see the top of it.
Stained windows with constellations as decoration adorned the tower’s walls spiralling to the top. It is remarkably beautiful to look at.
Upon closer look, a grand staircase leads me to the massive entrance of the tower. Surprisingly like with the gate, I gained entrance easily. Probably due to my class being a Celestial Mage. Similar to other players besides me.
Now that I think about it, there are a lot of different races out there huh?
I saw elven race players, beast-kin race players, particularly the ones with herbivore horns and bird-like characteristics, some with dragon scales, and many more. But of course, around 60-70% of players are humans. I... uhm technically looked like a human maybe that’s why the NPCs don’t give me those sharp looks.
Entering the tower, I can feel a shift in the air uncannily similar to when I use the {Spell} [Teleportation].
But then... My eyes are greeted with a large astrolabe in the middle and some sort of light at the bottom of that astrolabe. It glows and shows myriads of stars, planets, and galaxies on the dome ceiling. Like a planetarium...
Scribblings of paper in harmony as many students began writing some lectures that the professor was talking about. It is so similar to the university that my body shivered in response.
Ah... an NPC is being crowded by a lot of players. I assume that’s the one for the advancement quest. Upon approaching him, a notification echoed in my ears as I stared at the panel.
-System-
Advancement Quest!
There will be a series of questions relating to constellations. By answering correctly, you can enhance your class skills.
Start? (Yes/No)
-System-
IT IS AN UNIVERSITY!!!
Ugh... now there is an exam. Let me just whip up a copy of these books.
Opening my inventory, particularly my Safe, I read the book of my class parts 1 and 2. It seems many players conclude the same result as me.
--
Done! I’m confident enough to tackle this... with a firm breath, I tap the word ‘Yes’ as the panel disappears. It was replaced by several panels showing questions.
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaah... at least it is a multiple-choice question.
Hm? Wait a minute, waving my hand I tried to open the system. The usual panel of blue greeted me and of course contained options to navigate through my {Status}, {Skill}, and the likes.
Which means... I can open my inventory. Holy!? Is it an open-book kind of test? Without further ado, I opened the book part 1 and part 2 to the side while doing the test.
--
“That’s done... so tiring. 100 questions, why do they put it like that.” -Mage Player-
She slumped her shoulders in exhaustion while her friends gathered around with the same expression. Misery loves company I suppose, I too have the same feeling.
The panel is currently buffering with the title saying ‘Assessing Answers’.
*TING*
My heart leapt a beat upon reading the exam results.
YAAAAAAYYYY!! I certainly didn’t miss what I was looking at. A big word of ‘You Passed’ stretched across the panel before vanishing and being replaced by a big panel describing my improved {Class Skill}.
-System-
{Skill}: <Celestial State>
Description: Harnessing mana from celestial bodies. You attuned yourself to them giving you a state reflecting which celestial bodies you have chosen. You gain new effects while attuned to a celestial body.
Solar State: Attuning yourself to the Sun. A symbol of the sun will be engraved upon your forehead. While in this state, moderately enhance your damaging {Spell}.
A solar ring will be glowing atop your head. Upon casting damaging {Spell} to a target or targets. Another smaller and weaker version of the {Spell} will be simultaneously cast dealing a quarter of the damage from the original {Spell}.
Lunar State: Attuning yourself to the Moon. A symbol of the moon will be engraved upon your forehead. While in this state, moderately enhance your defensive {Spell}.
Phases of the moon will be displayed atop your head. Upon casting a defensive {Spell}, you will gain temporary HP called ‘Ward’ based on your INT {Status} and the Tier of the {Spell}. Whenever you take damage, The Ward will take the damage for you and if it is reduced to 0, you’ll take the remaining damage. The Ward will last until it is reduced to 0.
Astral State: Attuning yourself to the Stars. A symbol of stars will be engraved upon your forehead. While in this state, moderately enhance your supportive / utility {Spell}.
Glimmering stars will swirl atop your head. Upon casting a supportive / utility {Spell}, you will gain [Guidance] buff. You can freely transfer the buff to an ally or an enemy. If an ally and/or you are under the buff [Guidance], non-detrimental chance effects will be affected (for example; resist status effect chance rate, dodge rate, critical rate, drop rate, etc). If an enemy is under the buff [Guidance], the detrimental chance effects will be affected (for example; reduced status resistance chance, reduced drop rate, reduced dodge rate, reduced critical chance rate, etc). Only one [Guidance] buff can exist in an ally, an enemy, and you.
Each of the states has infinite duration and has a 30-minute cooldown in between state changes.
Requirement: LV 50 Celestial Mage
-System-