Living, Breathing World

Creeping to the entrance of the cave he heard faint noises from within and tensed for combat, a moment later as his eyes were getting accustomed to the dark within he saw the 3 bear cubs move closer to the entrance of the cave while making plaintive noises.

His heart clenching he then understood the quest and took a step back.

"Hang on, I didn't get this with the boars or the rats, why are bears so special?"

"Of course I care but I just don't understand the rules, why do they get a quest but there haven't been any for the piglets? Have I killed only bachelor wolves? Or is it something else, was the honey a quest issued by the bear so I'd dislodge the hive? Was that why it acted weird back then? Is Eden just wanting me to look after some helpless cubs or are their desperate mewlings interpreted by a system and made available to me as quests?"

He took the wolf meat out and laid it down in the cave mouth receiving the completion notification.

Then he sighed and left his 3 fresh fish, his milk jug full of honey he'd brought with him and a water skin.

"I'm sure they'll figure out how to get into that with those teeth. Damn it I can't tell the others about this. Either I'm too soft or they'll make me get rid of momma bears pelt. Oh sorry guys"

The cubs, having lost all caution continued to eat the meat, one of them investigating and spilling the honey. He threw a couple of pears down for good measure and left. Maybe the world was just trying to make him understand it was real and he couldn't just treat these creatures as resources or maybe it was just a beginner quest with cute fur babies.

He tried to leave such thoughts behind and focus, it was weird enough that he'd seen so many earth animals here to begin with, best not to scratch the surface.

As he headed south to work his way back out of the forest he heard the goblin whistle blow again.

His return to the Beachhead was uneventful and must have been about 3pm from the look of the sun in the sky.

He restocked and handed in his quests.

[400 exp]

[Boots of the Wind]

[600 exp]

[Common quality red gem]

[400 exp]

[Bait box]

[Congratulations Hermes, you are now level 12]

"Alright, how we doing?"

Hermes: Level 12

Exp: 0106/1300

HP: 395/395

MP: 95/95

Strength - 17

Endurance - 15

Agility - 17

Intelligence - 19

Wisdom – 15

Free Attribute points: 2

Free Skill points: 3

*Transfer energy – 4282

Skills:

Dimensional Transfer LV 7

Storage space LV 4

Flame LV 1

Grim touch LV1

Radiance LV1

"Not bad. System, time until I can transfer me and Melissa together please"

[3.42 days]

"Nice, okay, now attributes"

[Strength – 18]

[Agility – 18]

"Done, okay, now, boots"

[Boots of the Wind]

[Well-made leather boots, improves Agility stat by [2] when worn]

"Nice! I didn't expect them to have anything like that, weird that my fancy mace doesn't… I never checked"

[Champions Mace]

[An extremely well-made silver mace, improves Strength stat by [5] when used, triple slot handle]

"Ah, that explains why it feels so light but crushes everything I hit. I suppose I should try the Gems really"

He headed over to the crafting section and tried to figure out how to merge the gems with the weapon. When he realised he had no idea he asked the System.

[Functionality unavailable, please see "Blacksmith/Enchanter/Tailor"]

"Can't it be done through the beachhead?"

[Function locked]

"When will it unlock?"

[Unknown, skills available]

"Do the skills I learn unlock functions of the beachhead?"

[No]

"You see why I never ask you anything right"

…

…

"WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY SKILLS AVAILABLE?"

[Certain actions require certain skills, the integration of magic gems with equipment and items are some such actions]

"Damn, I have to spend skill points to combine the gems with items?"

[No]

"Then how else can I?"

[Store, sub category skill books, sub category axillary skills]

"I can buy skills in the store?!?"

[Yes]

"I should have asked, or checked, thanks System."

As irritating as he found the system he really should use it more, it seemed to be intentionally evasive but would give him information if he asked it right, Tom had said how much he was looking forward to testing its limits.

Searching the store he did indeed find skills for sale, the prices however...

"I could literally buy a house for this…"

Eagle eyes – 2 gold

Muffled – 1 gold 60 silver

Sparks - 3 gold

Fairy lights – 1 gold 40 silver

Earth shape – 3 gold

"System, how much silver is equivalent to 1 gold"

[100 silver to 1 gold]

"Okay, phew, these are all from the tier one skill list, they cost one skill point, it would have to be a special situation to warrant this"

Thinking about it he realised what the situation would be in the future, the worst parts of societal divide would be amplified here after a few generations, but for him, for these 3 years, he could easily get 3 gold together through the transfer skill with a single days' worth of dimensional energy.

"This could be just the head start those guys will need with their slow exp gain"

Looking into the auxiliary skill list he breathed a sigh of relief as he found the more utility focused magic to be much more reasonably priced.

Sterilise – 50 Silver

Churn – 30 Silver

Weld – 50 Silver

Enchant – 1 Gold

Absorb – 50 Silver

Green fingers – 1 Gold

The list went on and he found himself wondering how people would get access to these skills, they didn't appear on his status screen when he went to buy them and other people wouldn't have access to a beachhead

"Wait a minute, System, does god intend to create more beachheads during the convergence"

[No]

"Where will other people be able to get access to these skills after the convergence?"

[Column upgrades from their village centres]

"? What is a village centre?"

[The most basic village centre will be the "Gathering stone" from this additional structures can be added to increase functionality]

"How do I build a Gathering stone?"

[Function unavailable, System 2.0 specific function]

"Other people can build their own town but I don't have that because of the beachhead? Kind of makes sense, pity if I want to move though"

[Beachhead is the highest tear construction point, unattainable to System 2.0 users]

"How do the others build a gathering stone?"

[Cost: 1000kg Stone, 400kg wood, 1000 pathetic/ 100 poor/ 10 common/ 5 uncommon/ 1 rare gems, 50 silver]

"Ouch, that'll take awhile, what are the functions unlocked by the Gathering stone?"

[Conversion, Construction, Store]

"No shield?"

[Dome of light Level 1 available from tier 4 buildings and above]

"Is that what I have?"

[Beachhead dome is unique]

"Will they be able to build a building which combines gems with items for a fee?"

[Yes]

"Will the Beachhead unlock all the same functions as the village centre over time?"

[Yes]

"Okay, good info, thanks."

It seemed the others would not be building anything worthwhile for some time.

Seeing the prices of even the auxiliary skills and having finally got the info from the System about such a function being unlockable through the Beachhead he decided to give up on the gems for now.

Tom had predicted this kind of set up, he'd be learning these professions on Earth right now, even if Daniel could afford the appropriate skills right now he thought Tom would want to be doing that, he had coped without gems until now, it could wait.