They spent the next hour clearing out goblins. It was slow work, but not overly dangerous, since only the unranked goblins remained. Sam and Sarah both rested and recovered mana, while the warriors, plus Alex, took care of the leftovers. A few of the freed people helped, including Morgan, who had scrounged up more arrows from the killed goblins.
Alex used his [Earth Magic] to harden the ground around the camp, with a few other earth mages helping. They made the area much flatter and harder, especially near the cages where people rested. Alex raised platforms there, giving everyone dry ground to rest on as well.
When the goblins were taken care of, they gathered loot. While a majority were shitty goblin items, some would prove helpful for people to use, and others could be melted down and reworked if someone found how to get professions. Alex took everything he could and put it in his storage.
The bronze ranks were where the loot became much more interesting. Loot from the commanders, shamans, and, of course, the general.
While it sucked during the fighting, now that it was over, it was a good thing that the goblins had loot from the troll dungeon. It would give them all a wide range of items. Alex imagined there would be at least one piece of equipment here, for each of them, even him. But they would need to find it all first; it wouldn’t be easy in this mess.
A second hour passed as they gathered equipment and any valuables they could find. Alex’s [Dimensional Storage] was bursting at the seams with items.
I’m going to need to dump all of this when we get back to our camp. It’s packed full, and most of it is junk.
The better items he laid out on a small platform off to the side, giving his team time to go through them and pick out anything they wanted. There was a lot of stuff.
Boots of Forest Walking (Uncommon)(★)
These boots allow the wearer to become one with nature. While traveling through a forest, they provide instinctive direction, preventing the wearer from getting lost or confused. The boots will also make footsteps much quieter and more sure-footed while in a forest.
+2 Agility, +1 Endurance
Hands of the Earth (Uncommom)(★)
Gloves imbued with energy from the earth. While holding or gripping a natural earth mineral, such as stone, the wearer’s grip will be more solid. Whether climbing a mountain or just playing with rocks, your hands will stay attached if you want!
+2 Strength, +1 Endurance
Ring of Might (Uncommon)(★)
A ring empowered with the strength of a troll. It will boost the wearer’s strength stat.
+3 Strength
Amulet of Darksight (Uncommon)(★★)
This amulet grants the wearer the Darksight passive effect while worn. Darksight improves nightvision 2x. It will not allow someone to see in pitch-black; it improves night vision, not grants it.
+3 Perception
Sword of Bloodletting (Rare)(★★)
A sword that thirsts for blood. When it leaves a cut or wound, it will bleed more than usual, and the wound will heal more slowly.
+3 Strength, +2 Toughness
…
…
…
There was so much equipment that they couldn’t even fit it all on the table. However, a majority was common or uncommon. Only a few pieces were rare.
He let his team pick the pieces they wanted. Everyone got a piece or two from the pile. Derek took the bloodletting sword, while Rykos took the Darksight amulet. With him already having decent night vision, the amulet should improve it drastically.
Korgrith had an idea about the Hands of the Earth. If he added a little stone to the grip of his axe, it would make it almost impossible for him to be separated from it, while also increasing the weight of the weapon for more devastating blows.
There wasn’t much caster gear in the pile for Sam or Sarah, but they at least got something they could use. Alex even replaced some of his equipment, too, upgrading it in a few places. He replaced his two worst pieces, both common previously.
Leather leggings of Protection (Uncommon)(★)
Leggings made with a padded leather, plated with a thin metal in some areas for increased protection.
+2 Toughness, +1 Endurance
Hands of the Channeler (Rare)(★★)
These gloves were explicitly created to improve mana channeled through them. When the wearer channels mana through the gloves, the gloves reduce the cost by 10%, increasing efficiency. This also boosts the purity and damage by 5%.
+2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom
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While the legs are a nice, but standard upgrade, these gloves are perfect for me when I channel mana into my sword. Very nice find! Alex thought, smiling as he looked at his new gloves. They weren’t perfect for protection, but that's what his vambraces were for.
There was so much gear, though, that his team definitely couldn’t use it all. Plus, some of the pieces didn’t fit their builds very well. Some, like Rykos and Korgrith, didn’t wear certain armor pieces because of their beastkin race. Neither wore boots, and Rykos didn’t wear gloves either.
“Morgan, come over here,” Alex called out.
He watched as Morgan walked towards them, dirty, half-naked, and only equipped with a shitty goblin bow.
“Take some equipment you can use,” Alex said, motioning towards the table filled with loot.
“No, I didn’t earn it. I don’t need your pity,” he replied instantly, surprising Alex, causing his eyebrows to rise up.
“Relax, man. It wasn’t pity. It was payment for helping us. You killed your fair share of goblins, and I also need your help protecting these people during the trip to our camp.”
Morgan stared at him for a moment. One thing he had learned living on his own was not to take handouts. People always came to collect what they felt owed. Charity was a lie. But if it's a straightforward transaction…
“Fine. But the terms are clear. I earned some of this, and the rest I take is payment for helping guard those people.” Morgan stuck his hand out, ready to shake hands on a deal.
Alex chuckled and accepted, shaking his hand. Severe trust issues, then? Could be worse.
He didn’t mind. He was never the underhanded type of guy to take advantage, and always preferred clear-cut terms, too.
Morgan took some equipment and put it on, looking very much less naked now. He didn’t know what had happened to his previous gear, but at least he had some now.
If only we could find him a better bow.
The main course finished, Alex put all the items back into his inventory, and then pulled out dessert.
The loot from the General.
Robes of Incineration (Rare)(★★)
Black robes infused with fire mana during their creation. They are highly fire resistant due to their natural affinity with fire, and this affinity also increases the control and damage of fire spells used by the wearer by 5%.
Can only be equipped by someone with a fire skill.
+3 Intelligence, +1 Willpower, +1 Toughness
Staff of Dark Conflagration (Epic)(★★)
The staff will add a tinge of Dark mana to all fire skills used through it. The Dark mana cannot be controlled unless the wielder has at least one Dark skill. It is secondary and will remain inside the fire mana that is channeled. Dark mana is hungry. It will feed on mana and weaken those it touches temporarily.
Dark Magic is an advanced element and should not be taken lightly.
+3 Intelligence, +1 Willpower, +1 Wisdom
Wand of Absorption (Rare)(★★)
A wand that absorbs mana. It can absorb ambient mana or other mana sources, assisting with the user’s regeneration by 10%. The wand is capable of firing the absorbed mana with a 10% damage boost applied to it. The user of the wand can also add their own mana or affinity, changing the mana type of ambient mana fired.
+2 Wisdom, +2 Intelligence, +1 Willpower
Intelligence Loop (Uncommon)(★)
A gold ring that boosts the wearer’s Intelligence.
+3 Intelligence
Wisdom Bracelet (Uncommon)(★)
A silver bracelet, adorned with wood trim, that raises the wearer's Wisdom stat.
+3 Wisdom
Damn, that's some good loot. The general seemed strong as hell. He was hoarding all the good loot.
His team stood around, wide-eyed, mouths open, gawking at the loot Alex had laid about. It took all of his effort not to laugh at them, barely restraining the smile on his face.
“So as you guys can see. The general's loot was mage-type stuff.”
“You can say that again!” Sam said with glee in his voice. “This stuff's awesome, dude! Soooo… who gets what? You killed it, bossman, your loot.”
“You and Sarah can split it all. The warriors on our team have gotten most of the loot lately; you both haven’t gotten much.”
“Well, Sam, half those things are fire-related. So I’ll take the Bracelet and Wand? Is that okay?” Sarah asked, looking at Sam.
“Works for me! That leaves me with the robes, staff, and a ring!” Sam said, grabbing all his loot and equipping it before anyone changed their minds.
“Try the staff. Channel a fireball through it, I’m curious to see,” Alex said.
Sam began channeling his fire magic, focusing fire mana into the staff, allowing it to travel through the staff and converge in the air above it. The fireball looked normal on the outside, a deep orange-red, but inside… it was dark, almost pitch black at the core.
“How does it feel?” Alex asked him.
Sam looked thoughtful for a moment, trying to put his feelings into words, before he spoke. “It feels strange, the fireball is almost normal, but different at the same time. I do have slightly less control over it than I would a regular fireball. That’s probably the dark mana effect, because I don't have a dark skill.”
Alex stepped toward it and examined it with his abilities. “Hmmm, yeah. It definitely has some of the dark mana inside. It feels similar to the general’s spells. It’ll be interesting to see you try it.”
“Hell yeah, I’m excited to test this baby out!” Sam said with a wide grin.
“If we are finished with the equipment, perhaps we should take these people somewhere safe,” Korgrith asked, chiming in on the conversation.
Derek nodded. “We have about an hour before the next announcement. We won’t get back to camp before then, but we could at least start the journey. It’ll take a few hours, I reckon. We’ll have to travel at night for half of it, but it's better than staying here until morning.”
“Good idea. Let's gather everyone up and get a move on. Sarah, can everyone walk?” Alex asked.
She shook her head, looking sad. “No. Some of the people were badly maimed or wounded, and I can’t heal all of the injured.”
“I see. Well, we need to move. With everyone's new stats since the integration, we should be able to carry the people who need it. Get everyone to start making stretchers, or different ways to carry them.”
Everyone nodded and got to work. Sarah and Derek went to talk to the rescued people, making sure they helped make stretchers too.
Almost the entire third hour had passed when they got everyone moving toward the camp. At least twenty people had to be carried, so it took some coordination, but they got going. Soon after they began walking, the expected announcement arrived.
*TUTORIAL ANNOUNCEMENT*
Event 1 has fully concluded.
Rewards will be available momentarily.
A restricted Universal System store will be available for all tutorial participants.
It will be limited until the tutorial ends. Only essential items and event rewards are available for purchase at this time.
Essential items may include blankets, food, or other necessities.
Event rewards will not be available to everyone. Only those who earned System Points during the event and were offered rewards can see the items on the list. Some items may be free, depending on the sponsor or the item, while others may have a cost.
Only one reward can be chosen at this time. Any other items left will still be available next time.
Rewards can be claimed between now and the start of Event 2. After it begins, the store will be locked until its conclusion.
—
Now that the first event has ended, Professions are unlocked and available. There are different ways to obtain a profession; one way is to use a Profession Guide. Some of these are available in the system store now, unlocked in the store after future events, or offered as a reward.
Someone with focus, consistency, knowledge and skill can also learn professions without a Guide.
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