51 Reality
Time went by in a flash. VidBro, SaintessKatrina, and SwordSlasher had all returned nearly 23 days ago. In all this time, Luke had been cooped up in his room. He had only ever exited once, and that was to acquire the materials from OriginalMagus.
However, in order to keep the players with him, he continuously gave them missions non-stop. This had greatly improved their levelling speed, and each of them had already gotten past their first race evolution.
Somehow, all of them got the 'Draconic Spectator (The Sage)' evolution. The system did not even bother to ask Luke this time, and directly gave him the penalties.
The 4 players currently following had gotten significantly stronger, all reaching level 6, while OriginalMagus was at level 7, and VidBro had just gotten to level 5 a few days ago. Each level became increasingly harder to cover, since you needed more and more exp for it.
The worst part would come at level 30. All players at level 30 received what was widely known as an exp-hole.
It differed from player to player, depending on their evolutions and specialisations, along with their pathway.
What was common was that this was a place where players would endlessly dump exp. Why? Because they needed to in order to get a competitive edge over the other players.
For Luke, back in the future, his exp-hole was the most common one for mages, 'Spell Gambling'.
There were ways to learn spells normally, however, one needed to spend lengthy amounts of time to understand the principles behind them, etc. However, with the spell gambling, one could spend exp for a chance to get spells.
To do this, all players with this type of exp-hole needed to use their 'elemental spell' skills using different combinations to achieve a desired spell. Naturally, the possibility of getting what you wanted were incredibly low, and therefore it was known as the exp-hole.
But this was a topic for later, when Luke actually reached level 30. He did not know what he would get, and there was no need to bother worrying about it. He might get the plane general one he had gotten in the past future, or he might get an ultra-rare, legendary exp-hole. It didn't quite matter since both would such up his exp like a hog.
Luke took a look at his status.
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NPC Status
Name: Lucas Ferland (The Sage)
Legendary point: The Fool (Gamin Continent point)
Legendary point: Dragonborn (Dimensional point)
Level: 26
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Race: Draconic Overseer I
Path: Magician (Intermediate Mage II)
Specialisation: Sun, Unshadowed Infancy
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Vitality: 120
Stamina: 100
Intelligence: 120
Perception: 115
Strength: 105
Dexterity: 95
Charisma: 120
Luck:2
Energy:180
Fire Affinity: 45%
Water Affinity: 45%
Wind Affinity: 45%
Earth Affinity: 45%
Mind Affinity: 50%
Space Affinity: 1%
Recovery Affinity: 80%
Magic Damage Resistance: 100
Physical Damage Resistance: 100
Status Ailment Resistance: 25
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Skills:
- Undying Will Lv 1
- Intermediate Cooking Lv 5
- Intermediate Hunting Lv 5
- Advanced Hand-Hand Combat Lv 4
- Intermediate Swimming Lv 5
- Advanced Smiting Lv 5
- Intermediate Sewing Lv 5
- Advanced Meditation Lv 5
- Advanced Fire Spells Lv 5
- Advanced Earth Spells Lv 5
- Advanced Water Spells Lv 5
- Advanced Wind Spells Lv 5
- Beginner Soul Spells Lv 0
- Inferior Space Spells Lv 0
- Intermediate Magic Runes Lv 4
- Intermediate Crafting Lv 5
- Advanced Purification Light Lv 0
- Advanced Regeneration Lv 5
- Advanced Recovery Spells Lv 5
- Draconic Tongue Lv 0
- Draconic Scale Lv 0
Skill points: 27
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Talents:
- Intermediate Spell Casting Lv 5
- Intermediate Energy Absorption Lv 5
- Beginner Soul Perception (Inherent)
- Intermediate Regeneration Body Lv 0
- Draconic Blood (Inherent)
Talent Points: 12
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Mutations:
- Draconic Eyes
- Overseer's Eye
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Note:
Beta testing ends in 00 days, 00 hours, 05 minutes, 44 seconds.
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-Forums-
-Logout-
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'Huh, 2 minutes remaining?' Luke thought to himself as he looked at the note at the end of his status.
A moment later, he looked up at the 5 payers gathered in front of him, waiting to see why the Sage had summoned them.
"Let me inform you guys about something. Around a month back, I made friends with someone incredibly strong, and did him a favour. In return he has decided to take care of the one who caused me this much harm, Rachel, the leader of the Resistance. Therefore, I will no longer need to remain in hiding. Our organisation will no longer need to remain in the shadows, hiding from a grave threat."
Luke let this concept stew in the minds of the players for a while before one of them finally understood and whispered to the rest of them.
"This is progression in the storyline of the hidden organisation 'Cards of Destiny'. Changes will occur soon. Such drastic changes in the scenario means that a main-storyline will begin soon."
"Ah"
The others also began to understand the graveness of the situation. They had all received the hidden main storyline from The Sage a long time back, however there wasn't much progress in it for the past 23 days.
However, with the leader of the target organisation gone, the hidden main storyline would get completed sooner than expected. Also, this major change in the circumstances of the Leon kingdom will also cause a lot of changes in the entire Gamin continent!
"This threat has been reduced; however, it has not been eliminated. I will endeavour to complete uproot this parasite from Leon kingdom's backside. And I need to do this fast. A war is immanent. A war of disproportionate scale. A war that will sweep across the entire continent. A war for Gamin is coming."
Notifications popped up on the player's screens.
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Version 1 Main Storyline Quest
A Bloody Gamin
The Flames of war are threatening to rise up on the Gamin continent. The three major nations will soon be enveloped in an all-out war over control over the entire continent. The Sage requires your help.
Follow the Sage to war against The Roland Theocracy and the Holy Kingdom of Islesat, in order to protect the sovereign Kingdom of Leon.
Note: Due to your race evolution, no other option is available. You cannot go against The Sage's wishes.
Mission difficulty: S
Mission completion reward: ??????
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This was the main storyline quest Luke had gotten some time back when he completed 'Spies' mission, resulting in it rewarding him with this quest.
Luke did not stop there as he continued to speak.
"I know a few things which most people in this dimension do not know."
He had purposely used such language, to make it feel as though he knew what he was saying. The 'Dimensions' part especially grabbed the attention of the players.
"I know that there exist a sort of people, like you, who do not cease to exist unless they want to. Even if you try to explain this to other normal individuals, their mental capacity cannot handle this abnormality that is your kind. However, I am different. I know some things which normal individuals should not know by the might of the creators. I cannot reveal how I know this, but I do know that the world we live in is not the only world."
"I also know that this dimension is in contact with a higher form of dimension, and that is where you people come from. And the most important thing, is that this higher dimension where you hail from, is the world of the creators. The ones that created everything in this dimension, and countless other dimensions. The Creators, that, through the help of what 'they' called 'Programming Language' created all existence."
"Naturally, they created me in a different way. The creators put a little 'spark' while creating me. I am… 'Unique'."
"I know of things which others cannot know about. Which includes the fact that you and your people will have to return soon to your home dimension."
"I do not know when you will return, but I sincerely hope that those who have battled with me will return soon. I will be awaiting your return, and in your memory, I will grow the Cards of Destiny."
Luke bent over and gave a rather deep bow to the players, just as the players were beginning to understand what was happening, as their bodies began to turn into blue cubes and fade away. The Sage was not like the normal NPCs of the game. He was a true Sentience who knew some bits about the true world.
However, they did not feel afraid about this fact. Rather, they felt happy for some reason. It was not fear of some unknown AI becoming completely sapient, but rather a feeling of belonging. A feeling of finding a commonality with someone, or something in this new world called 'Ultimatum'.
It was at this moment that the players felt like 'Ultimatum' was not just a simple game. It was more than a game, more than just a simulation. At least for The Sage, it was reality!
