System Error
I wake up sweating and gasping for air, before coughing violently and nearly hurling. When it passes, I stand up, and look around, trying to slow down my heart before it explodes. Only after a few seconds do I remember that my leg was broken.
Panic and a vague feeling of pain goes through me, but when I look down, I see that my leg isn't injured anymore. Checking closer, I see that the various injuries a sustained are all gone too, and I don't feel any hunger or thirst.
Checking my things, everything is still with me, though it's not like I have much to begin with. Since my gloves are still on my hands, I grab the metal rod, and look around, making a plan with a bit clearer head.
With my injuries gone, the best thing to do would probably be to figure out if monsters will appear again, after I defeat them. I head back down the hall, ready for anything unexpected.
My caution was unneeded, as I reach the area where the first monster was, with the cross roads leading forwards and to the left. As soon as I get close enough, the dark tendrils form again, as the same monster as the first time. Not waiting for it to fully form, I swing the metal rod down on where the head would be.
About how I expected, the rod passes straight through the monster, doing absolutely nothing. The monster continues to form, so I back up and get ready to attack when it finally becomes solid. This time, the attack hits successfully, both stunning the monster, and dealing a good amount of damage.
I remember to use [Gauge] this time, and get the basic information on it. A basic level 1 goblin, most of it's physical stats being similar to mine. A very low intelligence, which is proven true as it mindlessly charges at me, screaming like a crazy person.
Using a similar strategy as last time, I let the goblin get closer, before stepping forwards and to the side, using the momentum from the maneuver to put even more force behind my next attack, which cracks the back of it's skull open, before it dissipates into smoke.
No orb thing again, so they seem rarer than I thought before. Checking my stats, I notice that my DEX went up one, so it likely is because of killing the monsters. Thinking of my stats makes me think about the dream I had.
When I try to remember it, it feels vague, but I remember it being detailed while it was happening. I got most of it still though. The absurd stats and level, along with the different wording. At the end, it said something about floor achievements, I think.
I pull up my status, but I don't find anything about achievements anywhere. Instead, I try to open an "Achievement list", or something similar, and it actually works.
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Floor Achievements
Monsters killed: 3
Artifacts collected: 2
Puzzles solved: 0
Chambers conquered: 0
Acts survived: 1
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Seeing the last one makes me start to sweat. Survived? That means that I could have actually died if I didn't find the scroll, or if it didn't work the way I hoped it did. Good thing it all worked out, so it doesn't really matter too much. Good to know that I can die there, though.
Moving on, I keep going straight, back towards the room that I got the gloves from. I walk past the area where the second goblin spawned from, but it didn't appear this time. That means that each one has different wait times before they can fight again.
Another good thing to know. With nowhere else to go, I enter the room, which looks the exact same as when I was here the first time. A cube room with a pedestal in the middle, holding a now empty wooden chest.
I take a closer look around the room, making sure I didn't somehow miss anything, and my efforts pay off. A glint of light reflects off of a part of the wall, and when I press my hand against it, it passes through.
I pull my hand back, remembering the last time I phased through something. Taking a closer look, I notice that it's always slightly brighter than the wall around it, and it seems cleaner too, with no moss on it anywhere.
Is it an illusion? I think that would make sense, but I don't really know much about how illusions work, or even if they exist here. Considering Magic exists, it would make sense that an illusion would be possible.
With this in mind, I reach back inside the wall. The space inside is small, just a bit larger than my fist. I feel something touching my fingers when my wrist hits the illusion, so I grab it quickly and pull back.
I open my hands and find a blue orb, not too much larger than the marble-sized one from the goblin.
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Artifact Enhancement Orb
Bonding Artifact....
System error detected!
Artifact: Artifact Enhancement Orb can not be Bonded
Resolving System error....
Please stand by
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Ok then. Definitely a few things to look at there. Artifact Enhancement Orb. According to [Gauge], it does exactly what it sounds like it does. It makes artifacts stronger than what they would normally be, and can even bring things that are already powerful enough to the next grade.
Probably the most important part next. System error. I was having some doubts about the system before, since it was being all vague, those weird messages at the beginning, and how crappy it's been in general, but this just makes it worse.
System error. Which means that it doesn't even work properly. Just my luck. Literally.
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System error resolved
Artifact: Artifact Enhancement Orb can not be Bonded
Solution: Increased [Effectiveness] or [Uses]
System update possible
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Closing my eyes, I take a deep, frustrated sigh. Ok. So the system is, in fact, horrible. What kind of magical system needs to be updated? Well, at least I got something out of it. I don't see why it would give me anything, since it only had to bond because of the CURSE, but it doesn't matter.
Looking at the screen, it says that I can increase the [Effectiveness] or [Uses], both of which I can easily guess what they do. [Uses] would allow me to make both of my Artifacts stronger, but I don't know how much stronger. [Effectiveness], however, is sure to make which ever one I choose likely go up in grade.
That is, assuming it only has one use to begin with. While not bad, [Gauge] doesn't really do details. I would rather be safe than sorry, so I'll go with it only having one use.
Looking at everything, I would say that [Effectiveness] would be best. I can only use one weapon at a time, and the gloves won't work against everything. With that, I choose [Effectiveness] and use it on the Quality Metal Rod.
The orb melts in my hand, before it covers the rod, making it glow a light blue.
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Quality Metal Rod
Uncommon
A well made metal rod.
+1 STR
+1 Brute
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The light fades away, revealing the rod. The handle is wrapped tighter around the base, making it easier to grip. Nothing else changed, physically, but I feel my strength increase when it finishes enhancing.
I pick it up and do a few test swings, but it works just as before. My stats are the same, but I can feel the +1 STR from it either way. Looking at the stats, I also see +1 Brute.
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Class orientations:
How a class develops, and the type of weapons that a class benefits from.
Class: Artifact Collector has no orientation
Class development is based purely on Achievements and ??
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