2 Drink Responsibly Kids!
That day was bound to be a long day.
The first thing Roland notices is that he is cold. Waking up he tries to get the blanket to cover himself, but he couldn't feel it. Thinking the ones by his side may have taken it again, he opens his eyes and moves his face to the right to look for the blanket as normally only Nightingale takes it all, but he finds himself hurt all over.
A bit stunned, he checks the surroundings and sees that he is laying down on the floor while both girls are also next to him, sleeping.
"What am I doing... here..." While he was still a bit absentminded before doing to just waking up, he quickly recalls what had happened the previous night. While it seemed like a dream, finding himself and both girls lying on the floor he finds it hard to believe what had occurred last night was not real.
Was that really a dream? What about that voice that I heard later, was I the only one who heard that, or did others hear that voice as well.
No, if it was only me that heard that voice and losing consciousness soon after, then both Anna and Nightingale heard that. It seems others heard it as well, I just don't know how many heard it or if even normal people did.
It mentioned something about... a new era, right? And that language that didn't resemble a human language, it had strange sounds which seemed not possible for a human to emulate, then... what about the other races... Did they hear it as well?
...
Thinking up to this point, his eyes moving over to the girls still sleeping he clears his mind and decides to wake them up before they catch a cold, even though it can be easily treated, old habits are still there.
"Hey wake up, we may have been sleeping all night on the floor." While he was still talking both girls show signs of waking up soon. Seeing them awake, they soon scan the room with their eyes and seem to be lost in thoughts for a bit. Eyeing each other, and then Roland, he nods to them in return, "I think last night really happened. Let's first get dressed and converse a bit with the other witches about-"
While he was still speaking, he soon hears a robotic voice speaking without emotions in his head, "Subject Roland Wimbledon, there is a first-time tutorial available, self generated by the system. Proceed with the tutorial?" Forgetting what he was going to say, all his attention was now focused on the voice that sounded in his head, still trying to figure out what it meant. While the words and the meaning behind it were easy to comprehend, he couldn't understand how could he hear those strange voices.
"Roland, did you hear something now as well?"
Looking over to Anna, she seems a bit surprised and the same look was on Nightingale as well. "It was something talking about a tutorial? Did you hear the same thing?" Both girls nodding to his words, he was also a bit taken aback.
"Should we listen to what it says first, then we share what it probably means."
Having a feeling due to reading those novels while both girls say yes out loud he speaks inside his mind, "Yes."
"The system has recently upgraded, is now offering more options to the users on this world. Right now, there is only Status and Skills available. Please choose one to move to the next step."
"Did something happen?"
"You have to speak to it on the inside, no need to voice it out loud."
"O-oh..." Nightingale feeling a bit awkward still proceeds to do as told while Anna seems to have realized it earlier.
"Status."
"Displaying Status...
Name: Ronald Wimbledon
Rank: 1
Energy: 1/1
Mana: 334/334
Exp: 0"
Looking them over, Roland felt even more stunned. Although he does understand a little bit about what they mean as having come from modern earth, he doesn't understand how this change had come. Recalling previously what it said about the recent upgrade, he thinks it must have started from that voice he heard last night, which was completely different from this robotic voice speaking in his mind. Furthermore, why he can visualize the things in his mind clearly he still doesn't understand, but his attention is quickly captured by what is shown there.
The name is correct, so he just passes it over, but seeing the other fours, he is stunned for a bit. While he may be able to guess what rank 1 means, as a sort of level from games, he is surprised to see the discrepancy between energy and mana.
Thinking mana may be related to his abilities he got from Zero, he thinks it may be that it is quite a big number comparing it with energy but why is it so low. Exp he links with experience not finding any alternative at the moment, but thinking of his rank and that it looks like it may change in the future he feels he is correct.
While still trying to figure out what they truly mean, he thinks to first compare with the girls in front of him to get a more general feel about the values.
"Did you both do the tutorial, what about Status, did you see them?" Receiving a positive reply from both of them he proceeds to ask about its content and check if they show the same thing.
"So the three of us share the same attributes. Rank and energy being the same is fine, still, why is it only 1, how does it increase, is it related to the rank, or can be increased via other ways. What about mana how much do you girls have?"
"154"
"110"
"I guess for Nightingale to have 154 is quite normal, have been using your power a lot since young, but Anna has a lot as well."
"What about you?" Anna asks a bit interested. She knows he has Zero's abilities, maybe he has it as well?
Roland replies quite smugly "334, I am strong eh."
"Just for sleeping, no other use..." whispers Nightingale to Anna.
"Haa... Anyway, it seems they can be increased later on by showing its value like that."
"Hmm, probably. Can guess from the mana, just now using it to control my flame the first number dropped by 1."
Clearing his mind for a moment, Roland then proceeds to check the abilities. After voicing out his request, a new line of text is shown, while the monotone voice of a robot starts again in his head.
"Abilities: 1. Dream World."
Well, that was to be expected. Before he could ask the girls about their abilities, the robot voice continues,
"The world successfully upgraded, a large quantity of mana was released into the environment during the upgrade and most life forms absorbed a part of it. This has led to the world having a large number of life forms which are strengthened by mana. To increase in rank, continuous absorption of the environment energy will lead to it being automatically converted into suitable energy for the body meanwhile, killing life forms which have lost their will to the wild mana rewards exp to the user. To start absorbing environment mana, the user has to concentrate and feel the energy in his surroundings using a special technique, later try to make his body convert it into energy and store it. The system has a strengthening method saved in its database, the user may use that to start absorbing the surroundings energy and try to increase his limit."
After all that large amount of information was slowly digested by Roland and the others, while he wished to check that method for energy absorption, he had to check with the others first, and see what changes this new era will cause for Neverwinter and all mankind.
"Let's get dressed and check with the others as well. I am afraid we will be quite busy in the coming days."
*****
Meanwhile, on another planet that Roland was very familiar with, Earth, a young girl of 18 of age just got her acceptance letter from her first university of choice.
"Hahaha. Hello mom, do you hear me? I just got the letter from the university, I was accepted. Hahaha, yes yes, I know I won't celebrate too much. Drink responsibly I know... What do you mean I am too young to drink, it is just a little bit don't worry. Hahaha, yes yes I am joking. You are coming tomorrow!? Wonderful! We will celebrate at that time then! See you soon!"
*Tap*
"Hehe, no no, I am already an adult, with mom here I won't have many chances to drink and improve my alcohol tolerance. Barely drinking a half bottle of bear... I need to finish one at least... I can't be the 'Cola girl'. It is time to change it. Right, let's head out."
...
"What do you mean little girl! I turned 18 last month, how can you still think I am little!"
God... who is this little girl making such a ruckus so early, "Kid look, if you want to buy it for your parent or someone else, just take it, I don't care. I am just warning you not to try to drink it yourself, you are too little to bear the alcohol in your body."
Grrr, while I am 18, I really can't bear the alcohol, so that's fine. BUT! This guy is calling me little just because I am a bit shorter than usual!? 152 cm is quite normal, I am almost 160!
You think I can't handle this bottle of alcohol, I will show you! "Give me 2 beers!"
What a kid... She looks angry like she may really drink them herself... Haaa, I don't want to cause someone's death today. "Look, girl, if you want to buy it, you have to come with an adult, or show me proof that you are at least 18 to buy the beer"
"Here you go! Now can I buy them?"
"Ahh..." just a shortie.
"You just thought of something rude didn't you?"
"Nope. Nothing at all. Just pay for those and they are yours."
"Whatever. Here you go" I am not coming back here ever again.
Still, now that I bought them, can I really finish them both... Come on Eliza, you can do it!
...
Bah, such a bad taste, why do people even like those... There is a bench nearby, I think I will sit there and finish them off. Can't bring them home. Mom said she comes tomorrow at the latest, but she may come over today as well. I should at least see how much I can take, maybe with age, it has increased my alcohol tolerance...Bah, it really has a bad taste... Can I really finish them?
...
Just... barely drunk one beer, but I paid for the other as well... Oh, what am I gonna do... Let's keep trying for a bit more Eliza!
...
*Hic* *Hic* ... Really... didn't even finish half of the second beer, *hic* it really is impossible. Whatever I think I will head home, not feeling good. Can't just stay here.
Hmm... That is the green light yes? No cars in the vicinity as well, I better hurry before it switches...
*HONK* *HONK*
CRASH!!
