Chapter 4: Level Up!
[Your high Luck has begun to take effect!]
[You have acquired another 3x Tier 0 Magic Crystals!]
…
Jin's attention was caught by a jewel hidden amidst the lifeless bodies of vampiric bats.
Its surface shone like a diamond, reflecting his face back clearly yet its interior glowed with a mysterious, almost otherworldly energy pulsing within.
Driven by curiosity, he reached out and picked up the peculiar gem.
Like usual, a screen signaling the start of a game materialized before his very eyes.
[
Name: Tier 0 Magic Crystal
Type: Material
Rarity: Common
Effect: Crush this stone and the user would get experience to level up and random rewards.
Requirements: -
Description: Purely made from the soul of a dead being. Every being that has been acknowledged by Aetheria has their soul transformed into a magic crystal the moment they die. The quality of the magic crystal depends on the being's Tier.
]
As he read the information on the transparent screen, a piercing human scream shattered the eerie silence, forcefully shifting his attention.
Reacting swiftly, Jin reached for the shotgun resting beside him, deftly loading another shell from the ammo pouch.
His amber eyes narrowed as he peered through a narrow gap in the bar counter.
Under his vision, he saw the whole club was engulfed in utter chaos.
Streams of lifeless human bodies were torn apart as the bats feasted ravenously.
Yet, amidst the carnage, a few patrons had managed to fend off the relentless attacks.
They had taken refuge in a corner, assembling a makeshift barricade of chairs and tables while defending themselves with iron bats.
"Back off, you beasts!" one man shouted.
"You disgusting animals! Go away!" cried another.
Jin recognized the trio of young men - the 'young master' and his lackeys.
A sneer crossed his face. "Heh, didn't expect you guys to still be breathing."
As he searched for the woman called Li Mei, disappointment showed on his face to find she had already met her demise.
"It seems the trouble-stirring woman got what was coming."
Observing the group's struggle, Jin could care less if they survived. In fact, he hoped the bats would finish them off.
After assessing the situation, Jin leaned back against the bar. "Now, most of the bats are drawn to their resistance or feeding. I can use this chance to check the gains."
[
• Name: Jin Tianyi
• Class: -
• Level: 0
• Race: Human
• Health: 19/24.72
• Mana/Stamina: 20/20
• Attributes: Strength: 6 | Agility: 7 | Intelligence: 5 | Dexterity: 8 | Luck: 20 | Charisma: 20
]
After thoroughly examining his stats, Jin attempted to summon the skills panel or something similar.
SCREEEECH-!
But was abruptly halted as he heard the sound of furniture falling echoed repeatedly from the barricaded group.
"No....!" one man cried out.
"Argh!" shouted another.
Simultaneously, the sonar-like calls of the bats and the flapping of their wings grew louder coupled with the screams.
"They can't even hold for a minute, tch!" Jin clicked his tongue in annoyance, gazing at the peculiar gems.
With no time to delve into or check his theory, he followed his instinct and placed his trust in their description, crushing the magic crystal under his grip.
The sound of crushing stone filled the air, reducing it to dust.
But Jin didn't stop here, without even waiting to see a transparent screen appear, he crushed another magic crystal.
[You have destroyed a Tier 0 magic crystal!]
[Your high Luck has begun to take effect!]
[You have absorbed +0.10 Strength!]
[You have destroyed a ….]
[A skill scroll has dropped!]
…
Jin's attention was briefly captivated by the notifications popping up on the screen.
From the corner of his eye, however, he noticed a descending white glimmer, beckoning for his attention.
"Is this a skill scroll?" Jin muttered inwardly, carefully grasping the object that had materialized before him with care.
It was a glimmering, golden parchment, tightly rolled and emanating a lustrous hue of pure gold.
Its otherworldly aura was undeniable...
Without hesitation, he seized the parchment, half-anticipating something extraordinary to occur.
Yet, to his surprise, nothing out of the ordinary happened.
He had anticipated a notification unfolding before him, like when learning a new skill in a game, but...
"Should I unfold it?" he pondered for a brief moment, but his attention was drawn away as the screams grew fainter in the distance.
"Let's continue destroying the magic crystals first."
It was clear the crystals granted attributes he urgently required to face the incoming attack, once the bats finished feeding on the trio.
...
[You have destroyed a Tier 0 magic crystal!]
[You have destroyed a Tier 0 magic crystal!]
[You have absorbed +0.10 Strength!]
[You have destroyed a Tier 0 magic crystal!]
[Your high Luck has begun to take effect!]
[You have absorbed +0.10 Agility!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You gained 2 points to freely distribute between your attributes!]
Several magic crystals were crushed, dispelling Jin's weariness with invigorating sensations.
He even noticed his scratches healing before his eyes.
"Incredible!" he thought.
Now Jin paid attention to the screen saying "two free attribute points to allocate."
In addition, crushing all six tier 0 crystals ascended him to the next level, gaining +0.20 strength and +0.10 agility.
After calculations, he deduced each crystal had a 50% chance of bestowing random attributes.
However, one lingering question troubled him:
"Could this be due to my high Luck points?" His assumption held true - others might receive rewards less than 25% of the time.
"Well, it's none of my concern. At least now I have a basic understanding of this game entity called 'Aetheria.'"
Aside from scrutinizing facets, he also realized he couldn't view other beings' stats, nor receive damage notifications.
Not all features mirrored a typical game.
With the thoughtful question now put to rest, he redirected focus to the golden parchment.
Though the gain was small, it gave him a boost of confidence.
Not wanting to waste more time, the golden parchment was rolled under his grip, and at last, the long-awaited screen materialized.
As he unraveled the scroll, the strange symbols sprang to life with sudden intensity, momentarily stunning him.
[Congratulations, you have learned a non-class active skill!]
[Your non-class active skill slot has been used, only 2 remaining.]
When he regained his senses, a wave of excruciating pain washed over him, causing a low groan to escape his lips and drool to trickle from the corner of his mouth.
Jin instantly placed his hand on his mouth, suppressing the groan so hard.
It felt as if his mind was being torn apart and reassembled, a pain like nothing he had experienced in his twenty years of life.
Gradually, the pain began to recede, and he felt relief as his forehead veins retreated beneath his skin.
Once regained his composure, he surveyed his surroundings, scanning left and right.
The atmosphere was quiet, instantly raising his eyebrows in wariness.
[New non-class active skill acquired: Gunslinger!]
[Gunslinger(Active): When activated, the user gains a temporary increase in firearm accuracy and reload speed by 10% for 20 seconds. Additionally, any critical hits dealt during the duration of the skill deal an additional 50% damage]
"I feel as if the gods are favoring me," Jin said, a grin spreading across his lips.
However, the joy was short-lived.
As if the gods' smiles had turned wicked, suddenly his hand, resting on the edge of the bar counter, accidentally brushed against something button-like.
CLICK!
The sound echoed like a mouse click, leaving him in shock as he witnessed the floor move.
With a bewildered expression, he withdrew his hand slightly, realizing he had unintentionally pressed a hidden button.
"Crap!" he exclaimed, aligning his vision despite the dim lighting.
His accidental trigger had caused the floor to shift, the loud rumbling shattering the previous silence.
His palms grew sweaty as he swiftly rose to his feet, shouldering his shotgun.
Yet the sight before him was horrifying.
The nightclub was bathed in crimson, the floor strewn with dried corpses and walls splattered with sticky liquid.
Numerous pairs of eyes glared at him, and some bats, now seeing the foolish target standing before them, emitted shrill sonar sounds and charged.
SCREEEECH-!
"Activate Gunslinger skill!" Jin shouted, his voice resounding loudly.
A radiant light materialized, first enveloping his guns then spreading to encompass his body.
[Skill: Gunslinger Activated!]
[A temporary 10% increase in firearm accuracy and reload speed has been applied for 20 seconds!]
[Any critical hits dealt during the skill's duration will deal an additional 50% damage!]
BAM-!
Without even glancing at the screen, he pulled the trigger.
In the next instant, another screen appeared before him.
[You have successfully killed a Tier 0 - Level 0 Vampiric Bat!]
[You have successfully killed a Tier 0 - Level 0 Vampiric Bat!]
[You have successfully killed a Tier 0 - Level 0 Vampiric Bat!]
[You have successfully…]
…
The shotgun shells unleashed their devastating area damage, empowered by the additional buff, instantly obliterating more than ten bats.
KACHA-!
Once the shot fired, the empty shell automatically ejected, and with swift precision Jin's hand delved into his ammo pouch to retrieve another shell, swiftly loading it.
CLICK-!
Unknowingly, the speed of his movements was still discernible to the human eye, but surpassed his normal reaction time.
BAM-!
Another shot rang out, but this time, only a couple of bats fell victim as the rest, nimbly evaded his attack, halting their flight.
BAM-!
Jin's eyes gleamed like a tiger as his slit pupils narrowed, his body swiftly turning to the side as he reloaded and fired once more.
This time, a few bats met their demise simultaneously.
BAM-!
"This is not good," he muttered, his brow furrowing as he glanced towards the side where the bats were attempting to encircle him.
"They've become more cunning, and I'm exposed." It wasn't that he feared being surrounded, but who knew if there would be any adverse effects after being bitten?
CLICK-!
Amidst contemplation of tactics, Jin's eyes narrowed.
Suddenly, a clicking sound reminiscent of an opening door reverberated from below.
He glanced downwards, discovering the bartender's corpse had vanished, replaced by a narrow staircase to a hidden basement.
His expression transformed to one of anticipation, and without hesitation, he leaped and rolled down the steps.
THUMP-!
The impact and stirred dust were inconsequential but Jin quickly regained balance and position. To his surprise, the basement was empty.
From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a bed and lever that could seal the entrance.
For a moment, he hesitated - should he close the entrance or leave it open?
However, hesitation lasted only seconds.
Upon hearing familiar bat wing flaps and gazing at the entrance, remembering attributes from magic crystals, he made up his mind.
"My condition isn't dire. I can still take out a few more bats," he said.
The allure of leveling up was too intoxicating to resist.
Jin swiftly adjusted stance to absorb recoil, aiming at the entrance from which bats emerged.
BAM-!
BAM-!
BAM-!
…
After what felt like an eternity, Jin found himself panting heavily, leaning against the bed for support, his vision blurred.
He noticed the torn and reddened skin on his palms.
"N... not too shabby," he muttered gazing at the pile of lifeless bodies now filling the staircase, a sense of satisfaction washing over him.
Just as he was about to seal the door, a familiar screen materialized before his eyes.