A sense of bliss led Rafe through the next two weeks.
He'd spent hours after seeing the system notification just staring at his status. But then his stomach had rumbled, and he'd decided it would be a good idea to get some food.
First, he distributed his free stat points. All his mental points went into wisdom, increasing his mana pool. He just didn't see the need for intelligence, yet.
Then he distributed a single point to agility and coordination both. The decision pained him, but what he needed currently was more balance. And survivability too. Which was why he was going to try and bring his vitality up for a bit. The two points to vitality were very painful.
Then, as a matter of course, he distributed his pseudo-class skill spec points to mana density. Control might prove important at some point, but he hadn't reached it yet. And he had no plans of learning spells while in the F grade. Which was why he didn't care too much for intelligence. The regeneration spec didn't really register as important to him.
Health: 290
Stats.
Strength: 42
Agility: 75
Coordination: 60
Vitality: 29
Wisdom: 33
Mana: 330
Offense: 20. Defense: 23.
Control: 2. Density: 12. Regen: 2.
The numbers were still very low. Even his highest stat was almost still half of that of the first person he'd fought against when he started the fourth floor of the training tower. He'd beaten that person though. He'd beaten all those people. Another thing he took note of was how fast wisdom was rising. In a few more levels, it would be caught up with endurance and maybe even strength.
Mana was an important resource. He needed to find ways to leverage it even if he did not use spells. He did have a few skills using mana now but none of them directly helped in a combat situation.
He thought of all that and more over the thirteen days he spent in his little corner of the dungeon. It was easy to find prey when he wanted it, but no beasts accosted his living space. The dungeon core was probably watching out for him, but why?
He did not have time to think about all that though.
When only a few hours were left, Rafe sat in his little cave and waited for the system to make its move.
It was a nerve wracking few hours. He had nothing to do. He merely sat down and watched the timer tick downwards. He wondered if he was the only Earthling stranded in another world at that moment. He wondered if he was the only one actively watching the clock tick down.
He had had many plans when he was in the tower. Plans for how to progress. He needed to start working on his meditation and his insights now he wasn't in the void. He needed to explore that aspect of power too. And yet, when he'd seen that notification, he couldn't think of doing anything else.
The only thing he'd done was hunt occasionally. And the creatures were too weak to give him any reasonable experience.
He sometimes wondered why he'd thought he'd only eat snails if the world were ending. He was fine eating mysterious creatures now.
The timer reached the last ten seconds. Rafe watched as it changed to a red flash with every passing number. A vocal countdown started in his mind. He tried to calm it down, but his heart wasn't cooperating.
And then finally, it was time.
'Ding' People of Earth, do not be scared.
This is the system that unites all the multiverse. I am with you now.
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Though the induction has been popularized as some kind of Apocalypse, be more cautious of neighbours suddenly preaching repentance.
There are no gods on Earth yet.
Still, there are always difficulties when inducting new planets to the multiverse. There will be inevitable losses. Though, for an Essence Desert, the first will be the failure of your local energy sources.
Your mineral and electrical energy will be insufficient, and will thus be eroded by the Essence. In light of these difficulties, mineral deposits (materials that can handle the Essence, unlike those already present on the planet) have already been prepared in assorted places on the planet.
The tutorial system will initialize in a little over an hour, and quests will be handed out. Special permanent tutorial dungeons have already appeared. Users are advised to make use of these, and other dungeons, to get Tutorial points.
These points will be useful in the tutorial store, which has been outfitted with a lot of wares from the multiverse proper. (Essence Deserts get discounts, and a lot more variety of wares: skills, manuals, weapons, pills, and so much more).
In one month's time, there will be a summit where those with the greatest influence accrued will be allowed to request for a specific service from the system. As this is an Essence Desert, two services shall be provided.
There will be other low tier dungeons spawned on Earth. These have to be cleared regularly, lest the Essence overflows and the dungeons break.
Traveling/ Wandering/ Instant dungeons will have to be cleared at least twenty four hours after they appear, otherwise monsters will break out without fail. These types of dungeons usually have simple gimmicks. When a traveling dungeon spawns in an area, all awakened individuals will receive a notification.
In three months time, the system expects an organised, functinal society. Because the tutorial system is similar to the quest system, which is an exclusive service given to only those worthy, the tutorial system will be deactivated in three months. Good luck, citizens of Earth 3079.
The message was long, flowing. It didn't really matter a lot to him. Maybe some people on Earth would be in shock by now. There was a hint in the system message though, that some people at least had known of the system's impending arrival.
The message seemed somehow personal, even though Rafe was sure there was no person controlling the system. The system was supposed to be an unfeeling machine. Somehow, he knew the tutorial on Earth was going to be a little different from tutorials elsewhere. And most people on Earth wouldn't even suspect this.
Rafe had fancied Earth was pretty advanced, technology-wise. Then again, that was in comparison to a place like Aeon, which was a pre-system planet. It was entirely possible some pre-system planets had better technology than Earth.
Although, according to the announcement, the only problem with Earth's technology was that the Essence didn't support their low level materials. That had always been a given though. How the hell could the regular less than basic grade metals back on Earth compete with magical alloys and metals dipped in Essence for thousands of years?
More important to Rafe in the moment though, was the fact that he had not yet returned to Earth.
It was worrying, was what it was. Why was the system taking its time returning him to where he belonged?
The announcement had said something about this tutorial system initializing in an hour. Maybe he needed to wait a little longer.
Still, the fact that he hadn't returned immediately had Rafe completely unsettled. For the first time in the last two weeks, no, even longer than that, Rafe wondered what would happen if he was stuck in some unfamiliar place. Far away from home, without any suitable means to return.
There was no way he could return without the system's help. He knew it. The system probably knew it too. He was still too weak.
He remembered the feeling after his first meeting with the Enchantress. The drive to become stronger. Because once he was stronger, he'd be able to return to Aeon with his own power. To save it.
In all that time, he hadn't considered the same could be true for Earth. He needed to get stronger in order to return to Earth. He needed to return home. There was still a chance in one hour. But what would happen after that one hour?
He had wasted a week hanging on Liam's words, trusting the damn system. He hadn't made any sort of progress whatsoever. And now there was a very real chance he was going to be stuck here.
"Shhhhit!" Rafe cursed, even as he folded on himself like a leaf.
For some reason, he couldn't think straight. He didn't remember ever going through this kind of thing before. His breaths were slow, his body was shaking. And he couldn't think of any kind of solution.
For all Rafe hated to think, he had never had trouble doing it when he tried. Now though. Now Rafe was overwhelmed. He didn't know where to start.
'Ding' Tutorial system installation complete.
Initializing! Initializing!
Welcome to the multiverse, people of Earth 3079.
The tutorial system, just like his quest system, had its own screen, Rafe noted dispassionately. He kept his attention on the blue ahead of him. Waiting.
User identified.
User name: Rafael Kingsley Wilde
Primary status: Level 11 awakened human.
Error! Error! User location unknown.
Requesting higher authority.
Error! This tutorial system is optimized for Earth 3079. User is too far away.
Requesting Emergency transportation.
"Yes…" Rafe said hesitantly. "Yes, yesss. Yes!"
Requesting… Requesting…Requesting.
Now all he had to do was wait. Somehow the system was going to get him back to Earth.
Error! Request denied! Error! Request denied!
Rafe had gotten to his feet, ready to dance a jig or something. He had been smiling, staring at his screen with wide, disbelieving eyes. Now that smile was frozen on his face, he was sure. Because he could not control any part of his body if he wanted to.
User, Rafael Kingsley, has qualified for a special tutorial quest chain.
Punishment for refusal: Withdrawal of the tutorial system.
Possible Reward(s): Return to Earth, ????.
Would you like to Accept: Yes/ No?
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