My eyes jolted open. For a while all I could see was an expanse of nothingness when in the distance I could note 3 more figures. One woman and two men. Of the two, one had black hair the other blonde.
"Oh, there's another person over there!" the lady yelled.
"Hello!" black hair greeted.
"Hello, where are we?" I asked approaching them.
"Dunno, pretty dead though," the blond answered, "what's your name?"
"Greg, Greg Quagmire."
"Uh-oh, we got a sex offender here! Giggi-"
"No! I'm nothing of the sort!" I said clenching my fists in fury.
They were all taken aback for a moment.
"Whoa! Calm down, it's just a joke!"
"Sorry and what're your names?"
"Oh, I'm Jay, the blonde's name is Himmler-"
"Don't listen to the deft cunt, I'm Justin."
"I'm Veronica."
"So, what happens now?" I asked
"Pretty sure we're gonna get ISEKAI'd!~"
As if on cue, a brilliant white light flashed and an ethereal beauty materialized before us.
"That's correct, I'm your god here to guide you to another world," she said jubilantly.
The others leaped for joy but I was silent. The rage still festered in my heart and I wanted answers.
"Are you the Lord?"
"Why of course I am mortal. Do you want me to grant you the honor of answering your inquiries?"
"Yes, thank you your grace but why do you let so much injustice occur?"
To that she immediately burst out laughing, "Mortal, I am a god! Why would we bother ourselves with such measly activites?"
(We?) I thought.
I stood there speechless for a moment.
"Excuse me?" I said.
"I don't appreciate your tone mortal. Watch it or I won't grant you my blessings!"
My face contorted with anger, the festering flames now bellowing up into an inferno.
(This is a god?! The same ones we worship and praise on Earth? Self-centered narcissists?!)
"Bless me with nothing! Do it then! Why would I even want to associate myself with false gods such as yourself!"
"Calm down Greg! You'll get us killed!" Jay fervently begged.
"Stop it, this our second chance not just yours!" Veronica rebuked.
"You cowards can go ahead then," I turned and stared directly into the false god's scowl, "I'd rather die than be under an empty headed brat that confuses verbosity for intellect."
"Watch your language morta-"
"Am I wrong? You're a sorry excuse of a god, no wonder hyena's cackle all night long. You must be their greatest joke."
"That's it!" thunder crackled as she spoke, "I'll grant you a miserable death no one ha-"
"Shut it."
A vein popped on her face and she immediately snapped her fingers. A brilliant white light engulfed me and I could feel my consciousness fade.
"Good riddance!"
The moment I opened my eyes I could instantly feel the cold bite into my skin. My eyes strained to get used to the darkness and only then could I make out old crumbling walls around me. Just as the confusion started taking hold of me, in the distance I could see a light. It was slowly approaching me before abruptly stopping. It was a flaming torch. A child-sized figure held onto it. The only thing I could make out was it's disgusting long nose.
(SHIT!)
It instantly threw the torch at me. I staggered to the side, barely dodging it but the goblin closed the distance. Slash! My blood spattered in the air as the deep gash sent pangs of pain through my body. It tried slashing again but I managed to kick it away. It staggered back and glared at me. I held my chest. Blood. Tons of it. I could feel the dizziness approaching.
(This is bad! I have to finish this quick!)
It lunged at me again. I managed to sidestep while trying to punch it but misplaced my foot and lost my balance. However, I felt my punch connect with its face, the momentum of my fall amplifying the power and sending it crashing straight into the uneven ground. I smacked face first into the ground, the momentary dizziness stunning me.
Abruptly, it seemed like time stopped.
[Casuality correction. Target: Greg Quagmire]
(Huh?)
[Due to an immature dungeon dive without a cypher because of divine intervention, the target shall be presented with 3 basic cyphers to choose from:
Mage Cypher {Rare}:
Description: A cypher that enhances one's ability to manipulate mana, conjure and configure the world as they see fit.
Initial Stat buffs: 2x Mana, 1.5x Mana flux.
Increased Stat Gain: 1.5x Mana, 1.25 Mana flux
Warrior Cypher {Uncommon}:
Description: A cypher that enhances your capabilities with various weapons and tools making you a devastating and versatile foe.
Initial Stat buffs: 2.5x Strength.
Increased Stat Gain: 1.25x Strength.
Pugil Cypher {Common}:
Description: A cypher that specializes in hand to hand techniques.
Initial Stat buffs: 1.5x Strength.
Increased Stat Gain: None
Please select your cypher.]
(Hand to hand...)
He remembered his last moments on Earth. The anger at his own incompetence still eating at his mind. He thought for a moment and came to a decision. He knew it was a petty decision. He knew it was foolish. Hell, in most RPGs he was usually a mage but no. He wanted to distance himself from his pathetic self.
(Pugil Cypher!)
[Understood, the world shall have it configured to correct earlier casuality.]
[Dreadnought Pugil {Unique}:
Description: An enhanced pugil class with drastically increased endurance and strength stat, able to shrug off the deadliest of blows, deal immense damage to opponents and offers greater recovery speeds when resting.
Initial Stat Buffs: 2.5x Strength, 2x Endurance, 1.5x Dexterity.
Increased Stat Gain: 2x Strength, 1.5x Endurance
Skill earned: Powershot {Multiplies a punch's dmg by 2x, 4 mp}
]
Instantly I could feel an immense burn searing itself into my chest. My skin sizzled and crackled from the burn. I grit my teeth and endured. Soon the pain faded and the cypher was imprinted onto my chest. I touched it, the wound already healed, and immediately it vibrated for a moment before white characters started floating before me.
[Greg Quagmire:
Class: Dreadnought Pugil {Unique}
Class Level 1: 0/100
Level 1: 0/7000
Strength: 2 -> 5
Endurance: 3 ->6
Dexterity: 6 -> 9
Mana: 10
Flux: 4
Skills: Powershot (Lvl.1).
]
[Additionally, extra rewards granted include:
Stat view: Able to see other's stats if their cypher is within visible range without the necessary job requirement. You can also view that of objects.
The world wishes you the Best of Luck. You'll require it.]
(...I don't like the implications of that.)
Pained groans startled me back to reality. The goblin lay there, the back of its head profusely bleeding but still alive. A stone having cracked its skull. A miracle its still alive.
(Let's test out this class.)
I slammed my fist into its face breaking its nose and fracturing its skull with a loud crack. The boney bits, however, stabbed my hand and I was bleeding.
(I need to wr-)
[+2 Vitalis, +1 Exp,+1 Strength,+1 Endurance, +1 Dexterity]
(Huh? Vitalis?)
[Greg Quagmire:
Class: Dreadnought Pugil {Unique}
Class Level 1: 1/100
Level 1: 2/7000
Strength: 6
Endurance: 7
Dexterity: 10
Mana: 10
Flux: 4
Skills: Powershot (Lvl.1).
]
(Just great. I have to kill 3500 of these fucks. That's a genocide at that point.)
Despite my frustration at the low reward, I couldn't help but feel joy. The joy of working your body to perfection! I had never known such joys but now I wouldn't turn back. I still remembered. I swore never to be as pathetic and weak as I was in my last life. I would make sure of it! I raised my fist to the air. I winced. Blood spattering onto my face.
I tore a piece of my cloth, fixed it up and started exploring the area. The moment I turned the next corner I was met face to face with two goblins. One with a bow and another a dagger. Immediately the one with the dagger lunged at me. This time, I sidestepped without fumbling and moved past it charging straight at the bow goblin. However, I noticed a feint glow surround its body before, almost instantaneously, it shot 3 arrows straight at me.
(Crap!)
I raised my hands and managed to block 2 while the other whizzed past me. My left arm wailed in pain. I winced and stumbled. It got ready again but I quickly gathered my composure. Powershot! The punch destroyed its jaw and sent it crashing into the wall with a thunderous boom.
[+2 Vitalis, +2 Experience,+1 Endurance,+1 Strength]
I instantly sidestepped and dodged the dagger goblin's jump attack. I countered with a gut punch before it could recover sending it sprawling onto the floor, clenching it's stomach. I stomped it's head, killing it.
[+2 Vitalis, +5 Experience, +2 Dexterity]
I took a moment to catch my breath and stare at the carnage. That was me. I did that. The addictive euphoria set in momentarily numbing the pain. I stared at the stat gain. I noted I earned more stats and experience the more skillfully I fought. Even predictions of enemy movements counted and boosted whatever stat was used. Vitalis seemed to be a constant though. I also made sure to note that feint glow. I had played way too many games to not be able to figure out it was a skill being cast. I wasn't sure if it was the same for spells though.
I examined my arrow wounds and found that one was just barely stuck. I safely removed it and examined it. Luckily it was a field point type of arrow. Meaning it was significantly safer to pull out the more embedded one unlike hunting types. At least it hadn't done significant damage to the bone. I grabbed the arrow near the entry point and pulled it out, immediately applying pressure with a cloth and sitting there for a while.
My mind wandered. I was thankful for all those years of nerding out with my friends. I wondered how Ben was doing. We were supposed to game that night. I sighed. I wondered how the news got to him. I was sure he wouldn't believe that bullshit but...
I shook my head. It was time to focus on my present. After about ten minutes, I quickly wrapped up my wound and continued on with my exploration. Luckily I managed to find a treasure chest.
I smirked as I opened the chest.
(Hiding treasures behind a wall. Classic.)
[Lesser Health portion: Heals minor wounds]
[Skillbook(Dash): Instantly cover a short distance in the direction of movement. 3Mp.]
[You have gained skill Dash(Lvl.1)]
I thought of using the portion too but chose not to. I didn't know if there'd be a more desperate situation upcoming. Classic RPG hoarding. However, I didn't have an inventory no matter how many times I chanted 'inventory' like a madman. Lucky for me the goblins had a pouch I could use. I took the dagger too.
After what felt like an hour's worth of exploration I had come across a goblin camp. A sharman led the group of a hobgoblin and about 45 goblins. The goblins consisted of 13 bows, 17 daggers and about 15 tanks. The tanks particularly looked bulkier. That number of goblins on it's own was terrifying but adding a hobgoblin and sharman on top of that was just straight up cruel. Luckily I was in no rush and could whittle down their numbers. I had to look for a hideout. I quickly left the area to go look for a camp and a while later, I started hearing the sound of water.
(An underground river?)
As I made my way toward the sound and carefully peered, I knew I had found my hideout. It was a pristine looking waterfall crashing into a river that snaked its way into the darkness. There were also some trees, though their leaves seemed to glow an ambient blue. That mattered not however. I had secured some safe-looking water and a possible escape route by following the river. Now I had to resolve myself to a daily meal of goblin meat.
*Squeak, Squeak*
(Squeak?)
Instantly a white light crashed straight into my gut, punching the air straight out of me. I crumbled to the floor, the pain temporarily dazing me. Another blow to the side knocked me back a couple feet. I desperately scanned around me only to see a snow bunny. I staggered to get up.
I noticed the feint glow, only this time more apparent, and I quickly clasped my hands together and preemptively struck downwards hitting it squarely on its head making it crush into the ground.
[+3 Vitalis, +7 Experience, +2 Dexterity,+1 Endurance]
I took a deep breath and sighed holding my aching abdomen.
(There's the food, just have to find more of them.)
I grabbed the bunny and made my way next to the waterfall. After examining it for a bit I found a small cavern behind it.
(Classic.)
I broke off some branches from the trees and started a small fire despite the high humidity. I butchered the bunny and cooked it by the fire. My stomach already demanding its rights. I was glad once again to be a nerd in my last life. Not everything was bad.
I paused for a moment and reflected upon that. My wandering mind brought me back to my daughter and son. The mere thought of that man abusing them stoked my flames violently but I had to calm down. There was nothing I could do. I sighed. I could feel the exhaustion my body had but I knew I could squeeze a bit more out of myself.
I started working out as the meat cooked. Careful not to overcook it. I aimed to start with plyo-pushups, I remember reading somewhere that they were good for punching power. Didn't know if it was bro science or actual science but I had no choice at this point. However, I could barely even do 3 before smacking face first onto the floor.
(Maybe normal pushups.)
With that I managed to get a workout out of my chest and arms and moved on to back and finally core workouts.
[+4 Strength, +2 Endurance, +1 Dexterity]
(Working out seems to be the best for strength gain. The stat buff gain must've helped too.)
It was then that it struck me.
(Would practicing punches and kicks gain me experience points? Everything seemed to follow similar logic as that of Earth so it should be so only tallied this time.)
By this time an hour had passed, my body aching all over. I decided I'd try that after sleeping. I was glad though. Progress was progress. I sat down and begun eating the meat. I activated my cypher to view my stats.
[
Greg Quagmire:
Class: Dreadnought Pugil {Unique}
Class Level 1: 15/100
Level 1: 11/7000
Strength: 11
Endurance: 11
Dexterity: 15
Mana: 10
Flux: 4
Skills: Powershot (Lvl.1), Dash (Lvl.1)
Mp: 6/10
]
I smiled.