“You are just at Level 100?” Stylo asked.
I got the feeling he knew but was just being polite. I’d been stuck at the Level 100 threshold for a long time and knew my Status by heart.
NICHOLAS MARCUS HOWELL
Path Of The Blitzstriker
Level 100
Strength: 145
Endurance: 160
Dexterity: 165
Willpower: 175
Perception: 145
Arcanum: 2,450
Primary Essence: Motion Level 100
Secondary Essence: Manipulation Level 100
Support Essence: Force Level 100
Support Essence: Resistance Level 100
Support Essence: Regeneration Level 100
Support Essence: None
I didn’t bother pulling up my Achievements. There were a lot of them, more than anyone else I knew including the other Level capped Adventurers. And it wasn’t like they really did anything to help me beyond receiving the first time. I had gotten some Leveling Crystals and Essences as rewards. A lot of Stat Points but. My Stats were pretty high for my Level thanks to the Achievements.
“Yeah,” I told Stylo.
“Most of the first floor will be available for you. As you do not have a party yet, then you cannot do those quests and Dungeons. I would suggest you start working to form a party.”
I nodded.
“That’s on the agenda but I figured it would be best to get some of the quests and solo dungeons done first. Start building up a reputation. If I remember right, the times and such are kept with a ranking right?”
“Indeed,” Stylo replied. “That is a very good plan. If you do well in the quests and solo dungeons, then that will garner some interest from other factions and will help in building a party.”
“That’s what I was thinking. Clan Howell isn’t the largest on Earth and definitely not the most powerful. We won’t attract much attention just by what Clan Howell has to offer. I need to make it more enticing.”
Stylo tapped a long gray finger against his chin as he thought about what I’d said. He looked off into the distance, over the longhouse. Was he watching the eagle that was still flying overhead? What was that eagle looking for? Was it even real or just an image the System put in the background of the compound?
“If I may make a suggestion,” Stylo said, looking back down at me. “The first floor has three biomes. Each of those biomes has six solo dungeons and six repeatable floor quests that can be soloed. There are also three dungeons in each biome that can be done with a two person party. Each biome also has three Elite Arcanebeast Hunting Permits. Typically those Elite Permits are meant for a small party of three but they could be done solo.”
I nodded, thinking about what Stylo was saying. The two person and Elite Permits would be dangerous to do solo but Stylo knew what my Essences and Abilities were. I had a feeling that he was giving me good advice. Basically the guide was telling me that I could handle those dungeons solo because of my Abilities.
Which was great because that would definitely draw some attention.
And I could give myself a little bit of a boost to start. Accessing my Spatial Bag I pulled out the Leveling and Essence Crystals I’d been gathering. Stylo raised an eyebrow at the collection. Three Level Crystals, those things were hard to get once reached the cap. Nearly impossible. Really had to show the System that you were challenging yourself. These three weren’t the only ones I had.
Once I’d hit the Cap, since I’d done it a couple years ago, I had started giving the Essences I got to the rest of the Clan. It was only in the last month that I’d started keeping them for just this moment. It wasn’t much as the ones I needed were pretty rare drops.
Three Motion, four Manipulation, two Force, six Resistance and five Regeneration.
None of it would give me a huge increase in power but every little bit would help.
Holding the first Leveling Crystal in my hand, I focused on it. The crystal started to blink rapidly and then disappearing, becoming a swirl of light that flowed into my hand and then up my arm, into my shoulder and through my body to my Core.
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YOU HAVE GAINED ONE LEVEL. YOU ARE NOW LEVEL 101. YOU HAVE GAINED +2 ENDURANCE, +1 DEXTERITY AND +2 WILLPOWER.
I quickly absorbed the other two Crystals and was now Level 103. The stat gains were typically random, but it was always a total of five. Some theorized that the Crystals governed what Stats we got and it was based on the actions that had earned the Crystal. No one knew for sure but as I felt Stylo looking down at me, I realized there was someone here that could answer it. So I asked him.
“Your theory is mostly correct,” Stylo answered. “The stat rewards are not based on just what actions you took to earn the crystal but also the System deciding which Stats you would most benefit from.”
“So mostly random,” I said.
Stylo smiled.
With the other two crystals, I’d gotten +3 Dexterity, +2 Strength, +2 Perception, another +2 Willpower and +1 ENDURANCE.
I had so many Leveling Crystals that I couldn’t remember what Achievements or things I had done to earn them. Not to brag, but I was always doing some pretty big things. That was kind of my thing.
Next were the Essence Crystals. Each one was held in the palm of my hand, turned to light or really its component Arcanum, absorbed into my hand, through my arm, shoulder and then into my Core. I could feel the energies moving around my Core, making me a little stronger. The increases weren’t much overall, but every little bit helped.
“I am impressed,” Stylo said. “Not many Adventurers arrive in the Nexus with extra Leveling Crystals. Some do come with Essence Crystals but not many. I am surprised that you did not give those to your Clanmembers.”
“Who says I didn’t? These were the ones I got in the last month or so.”
Stylo’s eyebrow raised again.
“If I may ask, when did you reach the Level 100 Threshold?”
“Four years ago,” I replied with a shrug.
I was the first on Earth to get to Level 100 by a good margin. Had the Achievement to prove it. Fred Douglas was the fifth. Over beers and a fire, we reasoned out the other five based on intel from around the world. Subutei had been second and a full year after me.
“Four years?” Stylo said, obviously surprised. He looked past the compound, finger tapping on his chin. I took that gesture to mean he was thinking, or accessing the System Data. “And your Clan and home of Solace is in the top five for Earth? That is truly impressive.”
“Thanks, I guess,” I shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious. I mean I knew what I’d accomplished as something special, I had the Achievements as proof of it, every step I took, but I just felt it was what I needed to do. “Thanks to the Tutorial, I knew what would happen when Earth was opened to Crossroads, so I wanted to be prepared and wanted my Clan to be in the best position they could be. I wanted to be in the best position I could to help them as soon as I stepped into the Nexus.”
“And now you want to start climbing the Tower? Most first arrivals wait some time. They take a few days to get to know the Nexus, start forming connections and learn more about the Multiverse.”
I started walking around the longhouse, Stylo following.
“That’s not really my strong suit,” I said honestly. “I’m the brawler. I have people that are better at the politics and merchant stuff. The plan was to bring them over in a couple days. My Clan doesn’t have any other Level 100 Adventurers and won’t for at least six months. I can’t wait that long to start Climbing, so if I establish a reputation now, I should be able to find a multiversal party.”
“That is a sound strategy,” Stylo said.
We stopped in front of the portal. The entrance looked like an old mine. Gray stone blocks formed the side and top, a large keystone with what I assumed was the symbol of the Multiversal Nexus carved into it. The portal was green, shimmering between the rocks, which looked odd and worn, green moss covering some.
“When you step through the portal, you will have the choice of any of the Nexus Districts or the Infinite Tower. Once you have established connections with other Factions, if given it, you will have access to their Compounds through this portal.”
“Sounds great,” I said, walking forward. “See you in a few.”
“Indeed,” Stylo’s voice came as I walked into the green portal. “Good luck Nick.”
***
I stepped out of another portal into a large room made of gray stone blocks stacked on top of each other. The floor was light gray marble, very shiny and the ceiling was more gray blocks about thirty feet high. The portal was one of a dozen arrayed along the back wall.
Stepping out, turning around and looking, I saw windows above the entrance portals. Blacked out so couldn’t see the other side. The sidewalls were blank but ahead were only five very large portals, the rest of the wall blank.
Most portals were door sized, made for one person to walk through at a time. The portal in the mine at my compound was a little bigger to fit the image of the mine it was replicating. The ones across from me were at least twenty feet wide and that much high. They shimmered a very dark green. The one on the left was the darkest, the others lighter shades, which meant the left was the only one I could enter.
All portals were green, all different shades. No one on Earth knew why. Someone on the Crossroads probably did. I was fine with green because green was the best color.
In the middle of the room was a large obelisk, similar to the one in the Market District. This was bigger and dominated the space, the tip only about five feet from the ceiling. The base was about ten feet square, the obelisk itself eight or so, angling up to the point.
I walked forward into the room, seeing groups of Adventurers moving around. Some were in five person teams, a couple three, only a handful solo. Lots of different beings. Beastmen, elves, dwarfs, halflings and some others I hadn’t seen yet. I watched people walking out of the Infinite Tower Portals, most looking bloodied and weary. Some needed help as they walked out.
“First time climber are yer?” a deep and growling voice asked from the side.
At least I’d seen this guy and knew he was there, even if hadn’t expected him to talk.
I turned and looked up at a furry tiger-like face.
