When Aldric awoke again, the first thing he noticed was how refreshed and clear-headed he felt. If not for the thick bandages wrapped around his right arm—reminding him just how grievous his wounds had been—he might have been tempted to stretch lazily and loosen up his body a bit.
Opening his eyes, he found himself lying in an ornate bedroom, the décor elegant and filled with religious motifs—cross-shaped carvings, holy insignias, and silver trinkets blessed with light. It was clearly the room of a priest or a paladin. The air was heavy with the smell of herbs, and beside the bed, his young follower Terry was slumped over the mattress, fast asleep.
Aldric didn't wake the boy. Judging from the situation, his mentor must have already taken care of everything else. Both he and Vittoria had survived—and, more importantly, they had completed the mission.
Opening his system interface, a cascade of notifications immediately appeared before his eyes.
"After 18 hours of rest, you have finally awakened from your coma. You gain 100 life experience."
"Thanks to the priests' healing efforts, your [Status: Severe Injury] has improved to [Status: Moderate Injury]."
"You currently have unallocated skill points, and a class skill awaiting selection. Please check your quest log."
"May you carry ambition into this new day."
"For this new day, your [Damaged Pendant] grants you today's random attribute: Dexterity +1."
And then, at the top of the list, appeared the most satisfying message of all—Mission Complete.
Quest: [The Far South in Storm and Shadow – The City on the Brink] (Completed)
You've uncovered a dark conspiracy within the city. Through sharp intuition and sheer luck, you found evidence of the local lord's collusion with the forces of Chaos. Your reckless actions forced the cultists to activate their plans early. Your mentor has sensed the release of chaos energy and is now on the way. Perhaps the two of you still have time to set things right.
Difficulty: Epic
Rewards: 10,000 Experience Points, 1 Free Attribute Point, +2000 Reputation with "Port Anthony" (Current: 2300/3000, Respected), Various tangible rewards (collectable from the city's lord)
"By rescuing the entire city from the Plague Lord's grasp, you gain 1 Legend point (Far South Region). Tales of your bravery are spreading across the Far South region. For now, they are but whispers in back alleys, but this is your first step toward becoming a legend."
"In the fierce battle, you mercilessly slew Vanguard of Nurgle. The enemy's flesh and the blood of Chaos have become your medals of honor. Your body was once submerged in the soil of Nurgle's Garden, your flesh tainted by the Plague Lord's power—but your blood purified the corruption. As a result, you have awakened a new special talent: [Lesser Regeneration]."
[Lesser Regeneration]: There are beings in this world that are nearly impossible to kill—chief among them, the followers of Chaos, Nurgle's devotees, the Flesh Reborn. Even if only a single cell remains, they can regrow their entire body and serve their master again once nourished. Fortunately, that part doesn't apply to you. This ability merely accelerates wound healing and doubles your life and stamina recovery rate.
Should you one day aspire to join the ranks of those immortal horrors, perhaps consider converting to Nurgle. Or, as you did this time, slay more of the Plague Father's chosen ones—higher-ranked ones, preferably. But be warned: keep doing that, and sooner or later, the Grandfather's gaze will find you. Proceed with caution.
The golden text glimmered on his interface. Aldric stared at it for a long time, realizing that this was probably the true reward for the entire mission. Still, the thought of being noticed by that grotesque "Father" sent a chill down his spine. Remembering those Chaos cultists with their twisted, monstrous forms was enough to make his skin crawl.
Then another notification popped up—and this one made a black line appear on his forehead.
"Due to your brutal combat methods, rumors of a bloody massacre in the slums have spread among the young paladins and priests of Port Anthony. Your [Intimidation] skill has improved significantly."
Aldric groaned, rubbing his temples in exasperation. That… wasn't exactly the kind of fame he wanted.
He opened his Character Screen, pondering his next move carefully. After some thought, he decided to allocate his hard-earned attribute point to Dexterity, choosing to enhance his strongest trait first before working on his weaknesses later.
His updated status now read:
Character Profile
Name: Aldric Xune
Race: Human – Loess Branch (Racial Trait: Experience Gain ×1.1)
Level: 3
Status: Moderate Injury
Class: Witcher Lv.3 (12,095 / 16,200 EXP)
Attributes:
Strength: 14
Dexterity: 18 (17 + 1 from equipment)
Constitution: 16
Intelligence: 14
Perception: 14
Charisma: 12
Talents:
[Weapon Mastery] (Starting Talent)
[Still Water, Clear Mind] (Starting Talent)
[Lightning Reflexes] (Starting Talent)
[Enemy of Chaos] (Starting Talent)
[Immune to All Diseases] (Class Talent)
[Low-Light Vision] (Class Talent)
[Iron and Blood: The Slayer's Path] (Special Talent)
[Lesser Regeneration] (Special Talent)
Basic Skills:
Strength: Climbing, Jumping, Swimming
Dexterity: Rolling, Riding, Balancing
Constitution: Concentration
Intelligence: Knowledge (Monsters, Arcane, Geography, History), Spell Identification, Crafting
Perception: Wilderness Survival, Insight, Listen
Charisma: Intimidation
Class Skills:
[Sign]: Aard Sign (Trained) (52 / 100)
[Weapon Specialization] (Unselected, Cannot be Upgraded)
Remaining Skill Points: 36
Weapon Proficiency:
Scimitar: (4 / 800) Proficient
Half-hand Sword: (21 / 800) Proficient
Two-handed Bastard: (2 / 800) Proficient
Straight Saber: (322 / 800) Proficient
Character Background:
As a newly initiated Witcher apprentice, your performance has astonished even your own mentor. During the Chaos Incursion of Port Anthony, you turned the tide of battle, single-handedly delaying the spread of the Plague Garden. You crushed Vanguard of Nurgle and slew it in a brutal manner that shocked all who witnessed it. Among the transcendent beings of the Far South, your name has begun to circulate as that of a fierce and relentless warrior.
…
After reviewing the status screen carefully, Aldric noticed something else—his Aard Sign skill had risen drastically in proficiency. He wasn't sure if it was because the enemies he fought were so strong or if the system had acknowledged his unorthodox use of the spell.
Either way, it was strange—when he had practiced the same skill in the wilderness before, it hadn't increased at all. Until he understood the reason, he decided to hold on to his skill points for now.
Just then, beside him, Terry stirred. The boy had clearly been sleeping for quite a while. Halfway through stretching his arms, he froze—only to see his master sitting up in bed and watching him. His sleepy eyes immediately lit up with joy.
"Master! You're awake! Thank the gods—you're finally awake!" he shouted, springing to his feet in excitement. "I have to tell Sir Gonz right away! He told me that the moment you wake up, I should go and inform him immediately!"
Before Aldric could even respond, the boy darted out of the room like a rabbit, nearly tripping over a chair and knocking it to the ground on his way out. Clearly, his injuries had long since healed.
(End of Chapter)
TN: Damn, I spent more time editing the status screen than the others.