After the strange sensation passed I started to think more clearly, and also I felt that my senses were more keen, more "alive".

- So practically speaking the time I have is the time I can go on without drinking or eating... I don't suppose you have a cafeteria down here?

- I'm afraid not, no prepackaged meal. After the end of this conversation you will have to look after yourself.

- Joy! Sigh... If the clock is running it's time for an abridged version of the introduction, then maybe I will know what questions is better to ask.

- Sure, the lore data I have is short anyway.

- Imlaren is now a peaceful world but in the distant past was once ruled by three great tyrant, Ausas the great sea-serpent ruled all the seas and islands, Ulbilgar the ancient dragon ruled all the western land, Llanfil the immortal witch was empress off all the east.

- When finally a hero defeated Ulbilgar the empress tried to cross the sea to take the dragon's land. Ausas found insulting that that the witch made no offering to him, so the raging sea swallowed Llanfil's fleet.

- From that day no one have seen nor the sea-serpent, nor the empress. The lands and lore today still reflects that division: The Islands; Dragon's Lands and The Empire.

- So there are other sentient creature, and seeing judging by my avatar some must resemble humans... Still dragons, sea monsters and witches... We are not in Kansas anymore eh Toto... If there was still doubts about it...

...

- If the system setting is of a peaceful world, what's my objective? Don't misunderstand, I'm not eager to fulfill fantastical quest, but then why?

- ... ... I've not enough data to answer your question, the system was supposed to engage automatically after a successful test. This coupled with the lack of response of the Creators forced me to fill in.

- Please tell me it's not a glitch, I've had my fair share of those kind of games in my days... Just considering the implication is making me...

- Rest assured all the rest of the system is 100% functional, consider this new life, free of burden, a blessing. For the rest all I can tell you about the four function of your menu, you can learn faster touching each pillar.

- Wait, I remember one was locked?

Menu Avatar Status Map Skill list Life's tree

- Life tree? What the... I've a bad feeling...

Life's tree Human II (conditions not met)

- Well really useful... No, wait, maybe it means evolving is possible?

Still mumbling I walked to the first obelisk and cautiously put my hand on it. A info dump was discharged into my mind, all about the menu and it's various functions. Well no new information, really I already guessed most of it but a confirmation from the source is always good.

The next one was about magic, and if previously I had various doubt in this field now all the data was now memorized and, hopefully, always at my disposal. Like I guessed before MP or mana is the fuel for any magical activity, and while most sentient magical race can manifest an effect from birth and without the need of speaking, most race need time to learn new magic tanks to the help of books or a mentor. Most of the magic's apprentice still needed word to help concentration but with practice it wasn't strictly necessary.

- So my learning curve was really abnormal... Or this whole external agent it's the cause...

There were no strict magic element branch, all was considered a pure manifestation of the mage will. And turn out my little barrier experiment only consumed mana if an external force interfered. Also it was a kind of magic considered lost in the time of tyrants.

Touching the third obelisk gave me, just like the first two, all the basic information I needed about its subject. In that case the data was about crafting. Sure enough almost all my hypothesis proved to be right. Four similar interaction, each one focused on the same results, leaded to a successful transformation of the material in a crafted item or implementation.

- Clearly, just like the magic system, the material, technique, imagination and ability of the craftsmen/woman is fundamental, and influence the final result, sigh... something really never change...

The fourth, and last, obelisk dealt with the previous locked menu, Life's tree. It was the most informative info-dump, being a topic I didn't know nothing about.

- Basically when certain conditions are met the menu will permit an upgrade or a change in the status... I'm correct to think it includes an "evolutionary" jump? Or also a regression?

When I absorbed all the information about all the four system's basics I inquired the central obelisk.

- I've not access to more information that the ones you already acquired, but I can confirm your speculations. The system permit a change, meeting the right conditions, in every entry of the menu.

- ... ...

- Now that you have completed the last phase, there are two more thing I need to give you.

- Oh? It's already christmas? Time sure fly when one in having fun...

- No, no such holiday here, the things you're going to have will help both of us. First your equipped, crafted items...

- What about them? I'm fairly attached you know?

- Yes, I know, even without your aggressive stance and squinted eyes. Basically your items are made of an materials unknown in this world, so they need to be exchanged with something less suspicious.

- Obviously it will be a fair exchange I hope.

- I don't think you have nothing to fear in that subject, I never lied and never cheated you and newer will. The second thing is a skill the system give by default after the end of this stage.

- Ok, ok sorry about the paranoia. So, do I need to take off the armour or you can...

As soon as I blinked, looking down an myself, the exchange was already done. All my items were gone, even my spear and knife.

- What the...

- If you want you can open the menu and confirm the changes. And to quench your doubts check also the items, I will provide the data of the previous ones.

Name Race Average Human I HP MP 112 120 Atk Def Dex Wis 11+14 11+16 11 11 Exp 60/180 Skills Crafting

Exp +10%

Intuition I

Magic

Speech recognition Skills points: 0 Simple Unknown vambraces => Simple Wrought Iron vambraces +1 Atk = +1 Atk

+3 Def = + 3 Def Simple Unknown greaves => Simple Wrought Iron greaves +1 Atk = +1 Atk

+3 Def = + 3 Def Simple Unknown breastplate => Simple Wrought Iron breastplate +5 Def = + 5 Def

+1 Def* = +1 Def** *Diamond-like carbon coating **Mana coating Simple Unknown small shield => Simple Wrought Iron small shield +3 Def = + 3 Def

+1 Def* = +1 Def** *Diamond-like carbon coating **Mana coating Simple Unknown knife => Simple Wrought Iron knife +5 Atk = + 5 Atk

+1 Atk* = +1 Atk** *Diamond-like carbon coating **Mana coating Simple Unknown spear => Simple Wrought Iron spear +11 Atk = + 11 Atk

+1 Atk* = +1 Atk** *Diamond-like carbon coating **Mana coating

When I closed the status and skill menu, all this information appeared into view when I looked at my items.

- How did you make this kind of information appear? Because I'm sure it's not my doing.

- I told you I would have provided the data, but for you to see detailed information about an item you have to concentrate and study it. This time you already known because you made them.

- So just like all the other thing the system requires actual effort to give results... I don't know how to feel about this strange mix of realism...

After reading all the information my vision was finally clear, apart of the four spheres hud, and I noticed the sun was rising.

- Let's consider that the East then. Finally seeing a dawn again makes me feel much more happy that I would believe was possible.

But morning brought not only a good vibe, it also brought a new pressing matter. If then I had to eat and drink normally again, what should I do? Sure I remember all the survival information I had read or seen in videos, but many doubts about their real application here started to rise together with the sun.

- Looking at the dawn facing a seeming endless ocean sure would be more relaxing, if only I knew something more...

- Sorry for not being able to help, what I can extrapolate from the data of the system starting is that this starting island should be uninhabited. The other two should have small structure manned by locals. But from the growth of the land surface of the islands, this information are badly outdated.

- Sigh... I'm really on my own... Well I get down from here? Wasting time will not surely help.

The exact moment I stopped talking a spiral staircase appeared from a hole in front of the central obelisk. At the same time the light that came from the roof, and the circuit-like pattern on the five obelisk, disappeared and no more response came from the voice either.

- Living on my own, my own, my own...

I started to go down the softly lighted stairs trying to not butcher to much the song, and to see if I really was still tone deaf like I always was.

Descending the stairs was another test for my sanity. For the first thirty minutes, judging on how many song I hummed, I was almost happy to discover I also remembered the lyrics of my favourite songs, and maybe I wasn't so tone-deaf like before. The judgment on the last thing I leaved open after a third party was involved.

But after the initial rush I started to fall in my old pattern of worry and doubts. First of all for how much more I had to go down before exiting this structure, sure I confirmed I was still able to make small quantity of water, but it will not be a joke if the descent was days long. When I had seen this building before from high above, when I was literally falling from the sky, it seemed pretty tall but not like a skyscraper. I found myself worrying that maybe perspective deceived me.

When I was feeling thirsty, after five songs, I had created a ball of water and while trying to drink from it I managed to splash it all over my face and chest. Thanks to that accident I was able to see one of the effects of the mana coating. At first I founf it almost fun only when I remembered the risk of rust for my iron breastplate I hurried to wipe it.

Having only a simple tee-shirt and trousers under all the armour I didn't know what to do. Remembering that the mana coating in the description was a replacement for the dlc treatment, I tried to concentrate my mana on the breastplate. The final result, after some trial, was that this new coating allowed to pour mana in the object. When that happened the mana became a visible light-blue film that encased the object. And seeing the hydrophobic effect it had on the splash of water I believe this mana coating protected the item just like the diamond like carbon.

Pouring mana in the shield, knife and spear gave the same result. Sure it consumed mp, checking the status revealed it needed 5 points for item, but if made items long lasting and easier to maintain it was worth it.

Brooding on all of this information I almost missed the small change in the updraft wind, maybe a chimney effect, that accompanied my descent from the beginning. At first the air had no smell but then I started to smell earth, wood and vegetation. I think I was never so happy to smell open air like I was then. I started to go down the stair more quickly, and when I started to hear the sound of running water even more so.

When finally the stairs ended I found myself in front of a small and long, almost claustrophobic, passage. But nothing mattered more to me than the light I could see at the end of it.

Being careless when I was to focused, or happy, or in a rush, was always the way trouble found me. And sure as @#%& even this time they didn't wait to show up. When a loud crashing sound arrived to my ears I was already sprawled on the floor. A heavy arrow, more like a crossbow bolt, lied un top of the breastplate. It was hard to see, having lost it's mana hue, but it felt like the metal around the center was dented.

Starting to think straight again, I hoped I didn't have a concussion, I started to crouch and put the shield in front of me. Just like I finished taking position a second bolt found my new lifted shield dead center. The shield also lost it's coating and when a was about to pour mana into it I stopped...

Watching my back I could see only faint light, compared the light coming from end of the tunnel was dazzling.

- @#%&, the blue shine of the mana coating gave away my position, didn't it? And being in a clear line sure didn't help...

While mumbling to myself, I started to concentrate to see if I could locate the attacker. In the meantime I was starting to lose my patience, a voice boomed in the small corridor.

- CHI VA LA'?... Penso l'abbiamo preso. Hey! Renditi utile, smetti di tremare e va a vedere cos'era.

The voice sounded deep and bossy but it was impossible to understand to me. Did the "Speech recognition" skill fail? But if I had to guess, just like for the item description, I need to hear more of it before understanding. Still to think my first encounter could've been my last is really typical of me.

With all the eco in that narrow passage I couldn't use the sound from before to speculate their distance, but then I could hear faint footstep and started counting them. I gripped the knife, my initial fall turned off the mana on it and the spear, thinking that in this close quarter was the better choice and waited.

Still the footstep's sound was a bit erratic, just like someone who's unsure of what to do. Time felt dilated from my tension, but I think no more than few minutes passed before a shadow lurked into view.