The Trial Lands (3) (Re-written)

I finally entered the Trial Lands. Like RPGs, every new awakener begins their journey at a starter village. It is completely random. Though it appears completely random, every starter village gets new awakeners from the same region.

The region was decided based on where one enters the gate. The region here doesn't base itself on just kingdoms but also races too. Several other factors decide that matter but it is not important.

The important thing is that the new awakeners that appear here, would one day would most likely meet in Athos as they are near to each other.

Sometimes, there would be a mix in the distribution of the awakeners. The region the Trial Lands considers would be part of two or more kingdoms/nations.

When one enters the trial lands, they have to fight with others for resources, whether they are from the same kingdom or not. It doesn't matter here. Only strength matters here.

Most of the time, what happens here reflects the situation back in Athos. The nations could become allies and fight together or become enemies fighting each other.

The observed fact is that the awakeners of a race or nation are most likely to spawn within reach of someone of their race or nation. The scholars confirmed this after observing for a long time.

Only in Ascended Space could one meet people or races from the other regions of Athos.

Oh, there isn't one Ascended Space. No one knows how many there are.

When the gates opened, new races entered our world. With them, they brought information that not only astonished the people of the world but also put fear in them.

The reason for them to enter our world was that they lost theirs during monster attacks. They used to have their own Ascended Space, which collapsed when their own worlds died out.

The interesting fact was that none of these races had contact with each other before but they knew other races existed. This knowledge would be available through our own, as we make progress. What we uncover about the universe would depend on our luck.

The knowledge we uncover may not be the same that they did in their Ascende Lands but probably different but one remains constant. There would come a moment when everyone would go through the trials of survival, whether they wanted it or not.

This they can't say for sure as it differed for different worlds.

Athos, would one day go through a Trial that would determine its fate. Also, it happens multiple times. They don't know how many times.

The highest was for the world where the Elves migrated from. It was the fourth time when they failed to save their world and had to leave for a new world.

Once they lose their world, they will be given a chance to survive in another world. Survive or not, depends solely on their own strength and luck.

Our Ascended Space's designation is X324. This can be seen on our Identity device given to the hunters. One would get this after they enter Ascended Space. From this one can say that there are many spaces like ours or at least there were.

The question no one knows the answer to is do all the numbers before us still exist or not. Whatever the answer might be, they can fall at any time, like the ones that belonged to races that migrated to Athos.

The Identity device that every Ascended was provided with is very important as this is the only way one could enter 'Ascension Tower' and 'Ascended Market'.

Ascension Tower is where one takes their Rank-up trial. Ascended Market is where everyone from Ascended Lands can sell or buy items. From what the other races said, Ascenders from other Ascended Lands can trade here, once you pass through the first trial.

The friendly races say that it is worrisome that the first trial has yet to come. From what they came to know, the longer it was before the first trial, the more difficult the trials would be.

It is worrisome but these are the topics I should think about after I become an Ascender. For now, I should just try to level up.

---

<You now have access to Inventory.>

Ah, yes, my inventory. Let's check if all the items are there.

Hmm, good. Let's use the Dexterity Stone before checking the status.

"Use the Low-Level Dexterity stone".

<Using the low-level Dexterity stone.>

Ahh, that was a cool sensation, unlike when I merged with the physique.

"Status"

--

Name: Tyler

Age: 16

Race: Human

Class: Divine Necromancer - Cosmic (Unique)

Level: 0

Rank: None

Talent: Evolution

Physique: Griffin (F)

[Griffin (F): +1% Strength; +1% Constitution; +1% Dexterity]

Strength (STR): 8 (0.08)

Constitution (CON): 10 (0.1)

Dexterity (DEX): 9 (0.09) + 3 (0.03)

Wisdom (WIS): 10

[Determines the defence and evasion from magic attacks.]

Intelligence (INT): 11

[Determines how effective the spells are. As INT increases, mana wastage decreases thereby reducing mana requirement.]

Vitality (VIT): 10

[Health= Vit X 10]

Mana Points (MP): 100

[Base MP= 10 X WIS]

[Increases with increase in WIS, level or Rank.]

MP regeneration: 11 MP/ 100 min

[Depends on INT]

Skills: Eyes of Fallen; Flame Retard; Lesser Regeneration; Lesser Magic Reflect; Double Loot;

--

<Evolution detected for the Human Race.>

<Requirements for Race upgrade to High Human: Reach 3-Star Rank; Rank-4 Monster Meat; Medium Regeneration Skill>

<Requirements not fulfilled. Upgrade postponed.>

--

<Evolution detected Griffin (F) Physique.>

<Requirements for upgrading to Griffin (E) Physique: Rank-1 Giffin's Blood, Core, and Meat.>

<Requirements not fulfilled. Upgrade postponed.>

--

<Evolution detected Five Skills: Eyes of Fallen; Flame Retard; Lesser Regeneration; Magic Reflect; Double Loot>

<Eyes of Fallen is a unique skill. Unique Skills can't be evolved.>

<Requirements 100 for Flame Retard: Rankless Fire-Type Monster cores and Meat.>

<Requirements 100 for Lesser Regeneration: Rankless Monster Cores with Regeneration Skill.>

<Requirements 100 for Lesser Magic Reflect: Rankless Monster Cores with Reflect Skill.>

<Requirements for Double Loot: 1,000 Rank-3 Monster Cores.>

<Requirements not fulfilled for any skills. Upgrades postponed.>

--

Wait, so these are the requirements I would need to evolve.

Looking at the requirements I would need a lot of resources but I believe that they would be worth the effort.

I think upgrading the race would give me some benefits.

My Griffin Physique, though rated F, gives a 1% increase in three of my attributes. Even if they look small at present, once I level up, they will give a great boost.

Wait, it looks like the physique would only improve not only my original stats but also if they were increased using treasures and such. This is fantastic. If I find more attribute stones or items that can improve my attributes, I will become strong enough to beat down someone of my rank.

The ranks above are not easy as when upgrading from one rank to another, the person's power increases a lot even though the level difference would only be one.

I believe upgrading the physique is of utmost importance but the resources aren't easy to obtain. I can only scrap the idea for now.

Looking at the skills, they do require a lot of cores to evolve.

Hmm, looks like unique skills cannot evolve. No problem with that. It would be too OP if everything could be done with a snap of the finger. I should think about these later when I have enough resources.

I should start my journey as soon as possible. By looking at things, I believe that I am already late.

I should go to the quest board and try to complete the quests as soon as possible.

I started towards the village gates, where the quest board would be located.