Beginner Quest: A LitRPG Cultivation Series (Towers & Rifts Book 1)

by Nephilim Night

  The image in my mind shook its head. “No, I’m not. One of the Karmag true Gods begged me to help you out once you woke up. I just fumbled with Sandro’s mind to take you to the ryokan. Everything else is your doing.”

  “Karmag’s Gods? What… wait, I’m not so trusting, truth be told.”

  “And you don’t have to be. Take it for what it is. I knew about her past after offering you the body you’re in, so I decided to steer you in the right direction, is all.”

  “What about the changes happening to this world? Can you give me any pointers?”

  He let out a deep sigh and replied, “I can’t really tell you anything about that, but trust me that it will become a lot worse before it becomes any better. Do your best and protect the woman at your side if you want any semblance of happiness.”

  “Can I ask one more thing?”

  “Only one more question and I’m off. I have other—people to contact.”

  “What are my chances to get back?”

  He remained silent for several seconds, but then replied, “Slim to none, but don’t give up. I’ve seen things play out that had an even worse chance than you. Good luck, Viktor.”

  His presence disappeared from my mind just as time picked up again.

  “Vik? You ok?”

  “Huh? What? Did you ask something?”

  Melina frowned, but I didn’t care about that at the moment. Krajolik had acted slightly different than when we met, I was sure of it. Something had happened, but he wasn’t going to tell me. Right, I’d have to stay alive long enough and find out on my own.

  One thing made me feel slightly off, though. He’d said that all he did was nudge me in the right direction. Sure, I could take that at face value, but what if there was more at play? Whatever the case, I agreed with one thing, though. Melina was all I had right now.

  “Yeah, but why are you spacing out? Thinking about Lana?”

  I shook my head. “No, sorry. I was just thinking of what’s yet to come and what I’ve seen so far. The only thing I find strange is the lack of looting and burning.”

  “People are afraid. The rich are afraid of the poor, and the poor are afraid of other poor and the monsters.”

  I let out a sigh and closed my eyes for a moment. “I guess we never change no matter what world we’re in, huh?”

  “I guess. Anyway, do you know what’s going to happen? I feel you’re holding stuff back from me on purpose.”

  “Of course I don’t, but you know what the first messages said when we got the quests, right?”

  She nodded. “We’ve got several things left to do. One is to kill a boss, and another is to close a rift. If we finish all that stuff, then we get to enter that tower downtown.”

  “You’re right,” I whispered. “Is it worth worrying about, though? Especially when we’re enjoying ourselves?”

  I smiled and moved my fingers through her hair. It was so soft and silky smooth. The makeup around her eyes was slightly smeared and told me she was going to be pissed once she noticed. Whatever. I liked it either way, which made it much more personal.

  “No, it isn’t. Things are looking better by the day for us. That’s all I really care about.”

  “And the scars are almost gone as well. They still itching?”

  She shook her head and grinned that Cheshire-cat grin. “No, they aren’t, but only thanks to you.”

  Melina rolled over and showed me her back. I leaned to my side and traced my fingers along the gorgeous flower tattoo that ran from her neck to her tailbone. She tensed her back for a moment as goosebumps ran down her spine, and she wiggled her body, but I didn’t stop and traced back upwards.

  “Who made the tattoo?”

  “Someone I never want to see again.”

  Her voice was neutral, but I could swear there was a hint of hatred present.

  “Ever thought of finishing it?”

  “Some years back, yeah, but not right now. Do you think it needs finishing?”

  My hand slid down on her ass and I squeezed hard. “You’re perfect the way you are. I wouldn’t change an inch of you, not even your snarky character.”

  Melina rolled over on her back and giggled. “You make me sound like a model or something when I’m far from being one.”

  “You are to me,” I whispered. “And so much more. You got no idea how valuable you are, Melina. Don’t sell yourself short, as I’d rather watch the world burn than see a strand of your hair hurt.”

  The familiar rage from when I was with Krajolik crept out from the depths of my soul and gnawed at the surface. Melina smirked and watched me as if I were prey. She pushed herself up and sat on my hips.

  “Boss?” Mark’s voice rang out from outside.

  “Fuck,” I hissed under my breath. She rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. “What?”

  “I think you need to come down.”

  “Can’t it wait?”

  “Not really. The groups can’t get home because of the elite outside. I’m afraid to go out alone. I don’t want to die yet. I’m too young.”

  My heart skipped a beat at the thought of fighting an elite again. Shit, maybe we’d get more of these gems or another pouch!

  “I’ll be there in a few minutes!” I yelled back.

  My hands moved up her legs and squeezed her hips. She let out a little yelp and caught herself before giggling like a young girl.

  “You want to have another round? Real quick?”

  “No,” I replied, shaking my head weakly. “I don’t think I can do anything quickly when it’s you.”

  She planted her lips on mine and traced my lips with her tongue. I pushed her off me and got up on the side of the bed.

  “Want to come with us? You and Sandro can take care of the smaller monsters.”

  “Like this?” She grinned, motioning at her naked body.

  “I’d pry everyone’s eyes out if they saw you like that. And I mean it.”

  “Pfft, don’t tell me you’re one of those possessive fools.”

  “And what if I am?”

  She narrowed her eyes and smirked. “It’s not like the other women don’t have what I do, right?”

  “So? Let them show off if they want. I’m not letting anyone stare at what’s mine. See, I meant it when I just said that I’d rather watch the world burn. I’m a compassionate man, but when it comes to something that’s mine… I don’t play the sharing game well.”

  “I can tell you he’s not joking with you,” Scar said as he appeared lying on the floor. “Viktor didn’t have many friends back when we were living our previous lives. I remember him slaughtering entire sects for trying to spread rumors about his previous wife. Then there was the time he singlehandedly attacked the imperial court to clear Lana’s name. He killed three princes, and the emperor just let it slide.”

  Melina’s eyebrows rose slightly. I didn’t respond, as I had no idea if it was true or not, but it felt as if he was telling the truth. The bastard shouldn’t have been so blunt about it, though. He was portraying me as a mass murderer, though it’s exactly how the rage made me feel. There was a lot I needed to remember, and what better way than during embarrassing moments in front of Melina?

  “I think we need to talk about this, but at another time. Right?”

  “Yeah,” I muttered. “I don’t think it’s quite the time for this, you damn wolf. Don’t you have any sense of tact?”

  He shrugged and disappeared as if nothing had happened.

  “Right. So what should I wear to battle? I don’t have any clothes I can use to move around in quickly other than the short yukata. Didn’t need anything like it over the last few years.”

  “All you’ve been wearing is this stuff?”

  She nodded and skittered up to me. “Why? Don’t you like them?”

  “I’d be a fool not to, but it’s impractical to be throwing your ass around with every swing. Come on, let’s ask the two newcomers if they got a sports outfit for you or something. Then we’ll head
out to the store tomorrow and get you some new clothes you can use when fighting.”

  “You go down and wait with Mark. I’ll go see them alone. Just give me five—no, ten minutes.”

  I waited down at the fountain with Mark. He shifted from foot to foot, eager to go out but unable to do so without me. Melina arrived just when he was about to nag. She was all energetic. Her hair was tied in a ponytail that dropped halfway to her back over the tight black top. It went perfectly with the too-tight black yoga pants and ended with shite sneakers.

  “You’re going out for a run, Lady Melina?” Mark asked.

  “No, I’m going out to kill some kobolds. Didn’t he tell you?”

  “Oh, I did, but Mark doesn’t believe me.”

  Melina waved her tetsubo around like a club, and Mark stepped back, holding his hands up in defense. I caught the weapon and pushed it down slowly.

  “She’s feisty, so you don’t want to provoke her, Mark.”

  “Yeah, just as he said!” she mock snapped, then burst out giggling. “You should have seen your face!”

  Mark first stared at me and then at her. “Whatever. I’m ready, so… or do you need more time?”

  “No, let’s go. I don’t want to keep the others waiting. They must be tired already.”

  I pulled the nodachi from my pouch and then the gladius, holding the prior over my shoulder as the second sword dangled next to my leg. We moved toward the barrier and stopped there. I glanced over my shoulder at Melina and then Mark. They both nodded as they held their weapons at the ready.

  “Melina, you cover him until he’s up on the small tower. Once there, you will join me at the kobolds.”

  She nodded and wrapped both hands around the tetsubo hilt. There was a hint of nervousness present, but not so much that she’d be frozen in place, or I’d have her stay back. I took another deep breath and stepped through the domed wall, praying to whoever wanted to listen that a boss didn’t spawn on top of us.

  The elite kobold spotted us the moment we walked out onto the road leading to the park. The smaller ones started moving back and forth, then charged us. It was the usual group of the smallest gray and the slightly bigger purple ones. No goldilocks today. At least there was that.

  “Move it!” Mark yelled as he started running.

  Melina needed a second to stop gawking at the elite. It was taller than any of us, so it was only a natural response. She shook it off and started running after Mark, keeping a position between him and the small horde.

  I kicked the first kobold and killed him with a single blow, stopped and pulled the nodachi back, then swung it in a wide arc as the rest came into range. The sword cut through their limbs and bodies with ease, leaving piles of withering ash in their wake along with a single crystal. I didn’t pick it up, not wanting to risk getting hit while doing so.

  The elite moved toward me, readying its long iron club, then swung it in my direction. I lunged back and then bolted right at it as several of the purples darted past me and toward Melina.

  The gladius sang and came upward in a stabbing motion, slamming against the shield and deflecting into the air. I almost lost my balance and cursed at having forgotten that they had shields just like we did.

  << SPIKE >>

  The gladius switched directions and dropped downwards, stabbing into the shield from overhead, just around its left shoulder.

  Damage Notification:

  You have inflicted 197 damage to Elite Kobold.

  You have inflicted 37% Defense Debuff.

  The elite staggered backward as the shield cracked but then regenerated a second later. I stepped out of its arm’s reach, but instead of lunging at me, it made a full circle around and slammed the club in my side, sending me flying.

  Damage Notification:

  You have received 79 damage from Elite Kobold.

  I ground my teeth together and pushed myself up using the gladius. The elite hadn’t followed up with a charge. It just stood there. I took in a deep breath and stashed the gladius away, then clenched my hands around the nodachi’s hilt.

  “You good?” Melina yelled from my side.

  “Yeah, give me a sec!”

  I breathed out and in again as I thought about my approach. Deciding against anything fancy, I went right at him, swinging the nodachi just like a club, as he had moments ago. It slammed into the shield and deflected. I had to use all my strength to stop the sword from going wide and then brought it down again, this time against the head. The shield cracked and the sword struck the side of its skull.

  The elite let out a scream of pain and grabbed for me. I let go of the sword and dodged, then stepped in and pulled at the nodachi as I kicked out to get leverage. My foot connected and the nodachi came loose with another deafening roar. A single boom resounded behind me, just before the elite’s head exploded and it turned to dust.

  A green gem dropped from the kobold along with what looked like vambraces. As in armor. Armored vambraces. I rolled my eyes and picked the two up.

  Notification:

  ITEM RECEIVED:

  NAME: Kobold Vambraces

  PHYSICAL ATTACK: 9

  ENMA ATTACK: 7

  HEALTH: 20

  SPEED: 0.2

  ITEM RECEIVED:

  NAME: Green Gem Rank 1

  QUANTITY: 1

  STAT: 0.2 Speed

  DESCRIPTION: Used to slot armor.

  I was rather surprised by the equipment. It didn’t give a great bonus, but considering there were a lot of body parts to cover, I assumed the stats would come up pretty high if I got my hand on all of them.

  The blue gave Health and Defense, the green gave Speed, but what did the red give? I pulled it out of the pouch, remembering I’d just closed the notification when I picked it up.

  Notification:

  ITEM RECEIVED:

  NAME: Red Gem Rank 1

  QUANTITY: 1

  STAT: +15 Physical Attack, +10 Enma Attack

  DESCRIPTION: Used to slot weapons.

  “I got a crystal as well!” Melina yelled from over at the tower.

  I raised my hand and walked over to join them. “Yeah, I got three things this time. A crystal, a green gem, and kobold vambraces.”

  “Wrist-what?”

  I pulled them from the pouch and showed them to Melina just as Mark dropped from the roof and landed next to us.

  “Honest-to-god vambraces,” he murmured. “Have you tried putting them on?”

  I shook my head. “No, why?”

  “Well, if the crystals are anything to go by, then shouldn’t something the monsters drop be good?”

  “Yeah, I thought the same, especially since they’re giving some decent stat points. Still, what if they merge with my hands and I get stuck with kobold hands?”

  Melina snorted and prodded me with her index finger. “I’d never let you touch me again.” She laughed and then caught herself as she spotted Mark.

  “Yeah, I’m still here, Miss Melina.”

  I let out a sigh and slid the right one on, then the left. Nothing happened for a few seconds, but then they started adjusting and turned translucent to the point all I saw was a very faint outline. A notification accompanied the slightly sweet feeling of adding more stat points.

  Notification:

  HIDDEN QUEST COMPLETED:

  Equip first armor or weapon drop

  ARMOR SYSTEM UNLOCKED:

  TYPE: Armor

  Helmet, Pauldrons, Vambraces, Gauntlets,

  Breastplate, Tasset, Leg Guards, Greaves, Sabatons

  “I just got a new notification,” I said after reading the message, and then read it out loud for them to hear. Voices from the other side of the park echoed out in the cool night. I turned to look and saw all five groups running toward us.

  “Keep this to ourselves for now?” Melina asked.

  I nodded. “You alright with it, Mark?”

  “Sure am. I don’t care as long as we get me a better gun.”

  I chuc
kled. “Sure, we’ll hit the streets tomorrow and go see if there’s a shop anywhere. I gotta say, your support means the world. I don’t have problems getting their shield down, but it’s damn hard to go for their weak points.”

  “I don’t think there are many stores out there people haven’t looted yet,” he murmured. “Don’t you think after the world changed so badly that the first thing people would do was get armed?”

  I shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. Whatever the case, if we keep fighting these things, I’m sure we’ll get enough stuff for everyone.”

  “Speaking of which, did it change anything?” Mark asked.

  “Well, if I knew how to check.”

  “Isn’t it shown on your stats window?” Melina asked. “It’s the only logical place.”

  I opened my stats window, but I couldn’t see anything different other than the numbers. No images and no vambraces, but the stat points had been added.

  Status:

  NAME: Viktor

  AGE: 31

  LEVEL: 3, REALM: 1, RANK: 3

  HEALTH: 380

  ENMA: 150

  SPEED: 1.4

  PHYSICAL ATTACK: 84

  ENMA ATTACK: 86

  DEFENSE: 50

  ENMA SHIELD: 260

  The rest of our group arrived just then, so I pushed it aside for the moment.

  “Boss!” Gary yelled once they caught up and stood around us. “Marvelous battle! What a kill!”

  “Yeah, Mark here is doing quite well when it comes to hitting heads.” I chuckled.

  “I hope you’ll be equally happy with us. We gathered a total of thirty-two crystals, and an elite dropped a purple vial. Here, take them.”

  He started pulling the crystals from his pockets and the others followed. Some weren’t as quick to hand them to me, but I couldn’t blame them.

  I put up my hand and stopped them before I spoke. “Everyone takes two. With eleven of you, that’s twenty-two. Mark and Melina get two each, which makes it twenty-six in total. You can share the rest among your girls.”

  “You sure?” Kang asked as he handed the vial to me.