The Beginning of Tragedy! (2)

Tristan and Darian arrived in Wyrmford.

"We're finally here! Tired out, Tristan?" Darian asked.

"A bit, sir. My back's sore from all the bumps in the cart. This is my first time riding in one."

"Haha, really? If we had more coin, we could've rented a cart with softer seating, but it's costly, just from Wyrmford to our village would cost ten silver coins."

"What? So, I'd have to work for six months just to afford that?" Tristan replied, surprised.

"Haha, exactly. It's ridiculous, isn't it?"

"Completely, sir."

"Well then, let's go see my brother, Baren, so he can show us to the black market."

"Yes, let's go," Tristan agreed.

They arrived at the administration office, and as they entered, they were immediately greeted.

"You're here already, brother?" the man said, approaching Darian.

"Yes, Baren," Darian replied, smiling as he embraced his younger brother.

"So, this is the boy who wants to check his status?"

"Yes, his name is Tristan," Darian introduced.

"Hello, Uncle Baren. I'm Tristan; it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hey, Tristan, it's great to meet you too! Are you sure about using the black market, though? The prices there are sky-high," Baren warned.

"Yes, Uncle. I'd rather not have my status known by anyone in high society," Tristan replied firmly.

"Huh? Why not? Isn't it a good thing to be noticed by the elite? They could elevate you to a knight or even a commander and you'd live a much better life," Baren explained, almost lecturing him.

"If we look at it from a benefits perspective, sure, it's tempting, Uncle," Tristan said thoughtfully. "But in terms of freedom, it would only end up chaining me down. And you know how dangerous most nobles can be."

"Hmm… you're right. Very well, if that's how you feel, let's go," Baren agreed.

"Let's go, Uncle," Tristan replied, and Darian nodded in support.

On the way, Darian started recounting their encounter with the monster horde earlier.

"What?! A monster horde? That's extremely dangerous! There's never been a horde in Wyrmford before. Usually, it's just a small pack here and there, since adventurers regularly clear them out," Baren exclaimed in shock.

"Exactly. This was the first time I've seen such a large group myself, but luckily, Tristan took care of them all," Darian said.

"What? Tristan handled them all by himself? Haha, come on now, don't joke around, brother," Baren laughed, thinking it was a jest. But Darian just looked at him silently.

"Wait, you're serious? Tristan… really is that strong?" Baren's eyes widened.

"Not at all, Uncle. My father was far stronger than me," Tristan replied modestly.

"Really? Who was your father?" Baren asked, curiosity piqued.

Tristan hesitated, unsure of how to respond, and Darian quickly intervened. "Are we almost there, Baren?"

Realizing Tristan didn't want to talk about it, Baren nodded. "We're close, just a few more turns."

"Alright," Darian replied, relaxing a bit as they neared their destination.

"Oh, by the way, Tristan, I didn't see you carrying a sword earlier. But when you fought those monsters, you pulled one out. Where did it come from?" Darian asked, curiosity glinting in his eyes.

"Oh, that? It's from my storage space, like this…" Tristan reached into a small portal and pulled out a handful of berries.

"What? How did you do that? Can you use spatial magic?" Baren asked in amazement.

"No, I'm using an item my father left me that has spatial magic embedded in it," Tristan explained.

"Whoa, your father must have been an incredible person," Baren replied in awe.

"Of course," Tristan replied confidently.

As they reached their destination, Baren said, "We're here. No one talk—I'll handle the conversation."

"Yes, Uncle," Tristan replied, and Darian gave a silent nod.

They entered an old building, descending down a dark staircase until they reached the basement, where they were greeted by a large figure with animal ears.

"Is that… a beastkin? He has an energy that feels different from mana," Tristan thought, observing the figure.

"We'd like to see the manager," Baren said. The beastkin opened a door and said, "Go ahead. Third door on the right."

They stepped through without a word, entering room number three. Inside, a table was set up behind a black curtain. Baren took a seat and gestured for Tristan to come closer. The person behind the curtain produced a crystal orb.

"Here it is, Tristan. Place your hand on the crystal," Baren instructed.

Tristan leaned over and whispered to Baren, "Are you sure this won't be traceable?"

The person behind the curtain interjected, "Relax, kid. This is a single-use item. Once you're done, it'll crumble to dust."

Tristan looked to Darian and Baren, who both nodded. He whispered another question to Baren, "Will the person behind the curtain be able to see my status too?"

With a hint of irritation, the person behind the curtain muttered, "Don't worry, kid. No one's interested in a child's status. Just do it and get it over with."

Tristan cast a wary glance at the curtain and channeled mana into his eyes to try and see through it. "Hmm… it really doesn't let anything through," he thought to himself, deciding to proceed.

Suddenly, Baren turned to Tristan and asked, "Is it alright if we see your status?"

"It's fine, Uncle," Tristan replied, placing his hand on the crystal orb. Instantly, a floating screen appeared above the orb, displaying Tristan's status.

Name: Tristan Ciyane-Level 45**

Occupation: All-knowing Sage

Attributes:

Strength: B

Vitality: B

Agility: A

Mana: A

Luck: A

Skill:

1. Trap Setter-Level 22*

2.Throw-Level 15

3.Observation-Level 15

4. Thurst-Level 7

5. Pain Resistance-Level 18

6. Cold Blooded-Level 9

7. Strong Will-Level 10

8. Swordplay-Level 20*

9. Crafting-Level 16

10. Cooking-Level 10

11. Meditation-Level 4

12. Tracking-Level 5

13. Stab-Level 9

14. Enhanced Vision-Level 1

15. Mana Control-Level 20*

16. Tamer-Level 1

17. Regeneration-Level 20*

18. Spell Creation-Level 5

19. All-knowing sight-Level 1

Passive Skill:

1. Double-Level Max (You give two times damage)

2. Poison Immunity-Level Max (Immun to all poison)

Overall Score: S

Darian and Baren's eyes widened in shock at the sight of Tristan's skills. "Haha… What kind of status is this?" Baren stammered, visibly stunned. Darian remained silent, overwhelmed by the extraordinary sight. Even the person behind the curtain, who had sneaked a look, was left gaping at Tristan's status.

Tristan, however, was lost in his own thoughts. "Hmm, I'm Level 45, with a job title of 'All-Knowing Sage'? What does that even mean? And…what? I have 21 skills? How did I get all of these?" He carefully examined each one, realizing, "So, my skills are based on things I've done… And it's this Double Skill that's been amplifying all my attacks. No wonder I could take down so many monsters. Isn't this kind of… overpowered?"

He glanced over at Darian and Baren, feeling a pang of regret. "Maybe I shouldn't have let them see my skills." He looked back at his status, noting that some of his skills were marked with stars. "What could that mean?" he wondered, deciding to ask.

"Uncle," he called.

"Huh?" they both responded in unison, snapping out of their daze.

"Ah, sorry, Tristan," Baren said, still awestruck. "Your status is incredible… No, miraculous might be a better word. What did you want to ask?"

"I noticed that some skills have stars next to them. Do you know what that means, Uncle?"

Baren nodded. "Skills with stars usually have special effects that unlock at a certain level."

"Is that so? How do I view these special effects?"

"I'm not sure, Tristan. Normally, in the administrative office, you'd see details alongside the skill, like your passive skill there." Baren admitted.

At that moment, the person behind the curtain interjected. "I apologize, but skills with stars won't display their special effects with this crystal orb. It's a low-grade item. My deepest apologies." He then handed another crystal orb to Baren. "This orb is a special compensation for my oversight. Please, feel free to use it."

"Alright, then," said Darian, accepting the crystal with a nod.

Tristan placed his hand on the crystal orb once more, this time channeling his mana to analyze the magic within it. He thought, "Uumm, so that's how this crystal works, I can make one later. Alright, at my level, the stars indicate that I've unlocked the passive Double skill and the All-Knowing Sight skill. Wait… All-Knowing. Does that mean I can interpret things now? How do I even activate it?"

Trying to focus, Tristan looked at the crystal orb and mentally called out "All-Knowing Sight," but nothing happened. "Hmm, any skill using mana usually requires a mental image," he reasoned. "I'll try channeling mana to my eyes and visualize a window displaying item descriptions."

As he did this, a floating window suddenly appeared, detailing the item: "Measuring Crystal Orb. Description: A crystal orb condensed from mana."

"It worked!" Tristan murmured. "This will make survival so much easier. Still, something feels off… like something isn't right." He glanced around cautiously. "Hopefully, it's just my imagination."

He turned back to his status, reviewing his starred skills. Aside from his All-Knowing Sight, he saw that the other starred skills doubled the impact of his attacks and reduced mana consumption for each of his spells. "Alright, I've memorized all my skills now. I know what I need to do."

Looking up, Tristan said to Darian and Baren, "Uncle, I'm done. Let's head back." The Crystal turn into dust.

"Alright, Tristan," Baren replied, then turned to Darian. "About the payment it's five silver, right?" he asked as he took out the coins from his pouch.

"Got it, Tristan," Baren replied, taking the silver. "I'll handle everything from here. You and my brother can go ahead back to Allrose. We'll meet there later."

"Thank you, Uncle," Tristan said gratefully.

"Safe travels back, you two," said Baren with a wave.

"Will do," Darian replied.

With that, Tristan and Darian left the old building and began making their way toward the city gate, preparing for the journey back.

***

"What do you think, Elza?" asked a man.

"I never expected his level to be on par with a knight commander's, especially for a child. But the most surprising part is his family name. Could he be the illegitimate child of a noble? or a noble child it self? Whatever the case, it doesn't change our plans. Is everything set?" replied a woman.

"Yes, everything's in place. Now, we just wait for the signal, monsters will reduce Allrose Village to ashes," the man replied.

"Hahaha, how ruthless of you, Baren, to destroy your own hometown."

"All for the glory of our master, who will soon descend," Baren responded, his voice laced with dark satisfaction.

"Then let the slaughter begin. For the glory of the Demon God."

"For the glory of the Demon God," they chanted together.