First Step (1.6)

I smile a little as I appear in the alleyway near the inn I stay. When I accept the quest to clean the church, I see the building condition and decide to fix it as well. However, if I want to do it, I need help with magic.

That is why I decide to use my skill and choose Merlin as my next legendary figure. Merlin has a massive knowledge of magic, potion-making, and even enchantment. With his magic, I can repair the hole on the church wall and even cut all the grass that, for some reason, has magic that makes it harder to cut and take out from the ground.

After cleaning all the backyard and as I am about to report my quest, the children walk to the backyard planning to play with each other. When they see me, they begin to ask about myself and my job.

After telling them about myself, some of them ask me if I have some story to tell. I think it was the instinct Merlin has who is good with children that makes me want to tell them a story. So I sit down near the ground, under the shade of the tree, and begin to tell them the story of King Arthur.

The adventure of little Arthur from the memory of Merlin. The story of the little boy's journey to becoming the king led Britain to its golden age.

Anyway, I deactivated my skill, and suddenly I feel my body begin to change. I still know about all the magic Merlin has. The robe he wore also stayed on me. The cloak has a special effect that lets me conceal myself. Not only that, but this cloak also gives me a defensive bonus against any magical attack.

The other thing that stays is Merlin staff. It gives me a boost in any magical spell I cast by a good amount and reduces the mana cost for all spells by 85%. If I use Merlin once again, I can invoke the Avalon. The utopia that many people want to reach. This staff is the key to reach Avalon, the key that can open the gate to the utopia.

When I activate this authority, Utopia will open up, and there will be no 'evil' within a two hundred meters radius from me. The evil itself is what I see as evil. Thieves, that steal for survival? It was not evil. Thieves, that steal because they want to get rich? That is evil.

The Authority will then banish the evil from Avalon. Depending on their karma, they will be immediately killed or teleported two thousand kilometers from the Avalon.

The Authority will heal the innocent from all their illness and injury.

It is a rather risky authority because even the king can be considered 'evil' by the Avalon. If the king is banished or killed, then I will get trouble for doing that. I don't want to get into trouble by activating this Authority.

Luckily Merlin has another Authority that I can use if I want to use him once again.

I shake my head and conjure a mirror before seeing my reflection. When I see my reflection, I can see something change. My previous short black hair changed into long white hair that reached my chest. My previously brown eyes change into purple eyes.

I also become more handsome? I don't really know. My face did not really change, but I feel that my face has become more handsome than before.

I shrug my shoulder and begin to walk toward the adventurer guild with my staff in hand. I walk for a few minutes before I arrive in front of the Adventure Guilds. I walk inside the guild and go to the front desk.

One of the receptionists who help me create my adventure ID walks toward me and says.

"Is… That you, Michael?"

"Yup… er?"

"Rina, My name is Rina."

"Yup. This is me. I had a happy accident when I experimented with some transformation magic."

"Ah! I see…. Do you need some help?"

"Not really. I already scanned myself, and it didn't have any bad effects. Other than changing my hair and eyes, there is no other effect."

"That is good then. So! What can I do for you?"

"I want to report a complete mission."

"Please hand me your adventurer ID."

"Here you go."

The process took a few seconds before I got my reward. After I get my reward, I walk toward the inn. For now, I need to see my progress. I can feel my magic get stronger from all the spells I use in the church. From cutting spells to repairing spells really depletes my small reserve. If not for the staff, I will be unconscious on the ground from mana overused.

When I arrive inside my room, I open my status window.

|Name: Michael {Hidden: Michael Davers}|

|Age: 22|

|Title: World Walker|

|Level: 1|

|STR: E (15/100)|

|VIT: E (5/100)|

|AGI: E (9/100)|

|INT: D (20/100)|

|WIS: D (15/100)|

|SP: 6|

I was right. My magic stats grow one level. I guess a continuous use of magic will grow my magic stats. Now, I have a way to increase my stats. I can increase STR by carrying a heavy object. I can increase VIT by receiving some damage or pushing my body to the limit and letting it adapt. I can increase AGI by walking or running around for a while and doing reaction training by asking the other to attack you while you dodge the incoming attack. INT and WIS increase by using your magic to the very limit and let my mana regenerate naturally.

I can earn my living by completing the quest and use it to pay the inn until I reach D-rank adventure. D-rank is the highest rank where a level one adventurer can get. C-rank needs at least level 2 as its requirement.

Tomorrow, I will take another herb gathering quest. While doing that, I will train there and increase my physical stats and magical stats.

~The next day~

Right now, I'm doing a push-up in the middle of the forest. I already gathered around one kilo worth of herbs for the quest, and right now, I'm training in the clearing inside the forest where I will not be interrupted.

The location where I'm right now is a few hundred meters to the east, where I gather the herbs.

Anyway, right now, I'm doing basic training like push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups. After doing that, I take a boulder near me and do a squad with the boulder in my hand. I can create a rune to increase gravity around my body, but it needs a man to feel it. While I have enough mana to fuel it for at least two hours before I feel the effect of mana depletion, I don't have enough mana to create the rune itself.

So, right now, I'm content with this simple training.

".... And fifty."

After doing the squad with a boulder on my shoulder, I cast a healing spell on myself. This healing spell is something Merlin used to Arthur after he finished his training. This spell will make my muscles adapt faster to the strain I put after healing it.

After taking a quick ten minutes break, I get up once again and continue my training. Today is dedicated to training my physical and magical status.