Ultimate Level 1

Max couldn’t help but smile as he put the pants he had just purchased from Aest in storage. The elf was red in the face, having haggled once again with Max only to find out after he agreed on a price that there was a ten percent discount to apply now.

Still, the deal had been too good to pass up for Max, even without the discount. A pair of black leather pants gave one point to each Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity. All for the final price of two gold and thirty-five silver.

“Holy elf tits,” Aimee gasped as she reached level eight. “This is insane.”

Max grinned, yanking his spear free from the orc he had just killed.

“That good?”

Aimee nodded, her eyes staring at what Max assumed was her status screen. She had a blank look on her face, and her mouth was slightly open.

“You don't understand… I’m now a higher level than my father,” she whispered.

“Holy elf tits…”

Max saw her bobbing her head as she slowly turned her eyes toward him, tears starting to well up in them.

“Seth… do you realize what you have done?”

He moved over, putting a hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Yes. I helped out someone who helped me. Someone I would like to call a friend. Nothing more.”

Those tears that had begun to form rolled down her cheeks, massive drops rolling down her jawbone and falling onto the leather armor Max had gotten her.

“More than that… If I can… I mean, if you keep doing this and I manage to hit ten, I can level up my skill, and then I’ll be able to help my dad even more.”

“Then stop crying and harvest these things. There are still a few more left.”

Grinning, she wiped the tears from her cheeks and moved toward the closest orc, pulling out her dagger as she moved.

Two more levels. I can make that happen.

Max had made Aimee wait around the corner as he entered the room with the three orc warriors, each with a shield and a mace this time. He knew this was doable and it was time to see what was beyond these guys.

Stealthing in he killed the first in one strike, attacking from the side and driving his spear into the orc’s neck.

As the other two rose from the small logs they sat on around the fire, he thrust his spear in the second orc’s direction, its head exploding in a shower of gore so it never made it to its feet.

The third came at him, roaring in anger, but it gurgled as he pulled his spear from its throat, having blocked its strike with his shield and then used it to deliver a bash that staggered it.

As he turned to move toward Aimee and the orc gurgled its last breath on the stone tiles, an unexpected wave of power flowed through him.

[Consume has successfully Consumed a skill]

[Would you like to learn [Blunt Weapons]?]

[ Yes / No]

Max glanced back at the last orc that was now dead, and he felt shocked at knowing he had just learned a skill.

How many of these have I killed and never gotten that before?

Choosing yes, a rush of knowledge flooded his brain, prickling like a cold wind inside his head.

Knowledge of one-handed maces, clubs, war hammers, and even larger two-handed ones now filled his mind. He was keenly aware of how to hold them, swing them and more.

“Holy elf tits,” he muttered out loud.

[Status Check]

*****

Max Hoste

18-Year-old Human Male

Level 1

Exp 1/1000

HP: 190/190

MP: 60/60

Stamina: 92/95

STR: 13+7

DEX: 9+2

CON: 12+7

INT: 12

WIS: 9

Skills:

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Baking - Common

Consume - Rare

Spear Handling - Common

Shield - Common

Berserker - Common

Ice Magic - Common

Stealth - Uncommon

Swordsmanship - Uncommon

Fire Magic - Common

Blunt Weapons - Common

Equipment:

Berserker Spear - +1 STR/CON/DEX, 25% bonus damage to a higher level target

Black Bracers - +3 STR/CON, 15% damage decrease to slash and pierce attacks

Enchanted Helm - +1 STR

Reinforced Shield - +1 CON

Lizard Boots - +1 DEX, 5% speed bonus when running

Spiked Tunic - +1 STR/CON

Black Pants - +1 STR/CON/DEX

*****

“You ok?”

Max looked up, seeing Aimee peeking around the corner of the hall, watching Max standing there and looking at nothing.

“Yeah! I just was admiring my stats. I do it when I’m alone and want to feel good about myself.”

She chuckled and pointed at the corpses at his feet. “Do you want to be left alone with them and your stats, or can I come and take care of those?”

He snorted and nodded. “I guess it does sound bad when you put it like that.”

“Just a little,” she teased. “This is the first time we've made it past these. What’s next?”

“I have no clue. I’ll go scout while you take care of these three.”

Thirty minutes later, they stood outside of an orange portal, and Max sighed.

“We can’t do this right now. If we do then we can’t farm here anymore. Everything after that gets a lot more dangerous and I won’t risk you like that.”

She nodded and shrugged. “I won’t complain. You can tell me to do whatever and I’ll do it.”

“Anything?” Max asked, raising his eyebrows playfully.

“Yeah… anything…” she replied, tone flat as she smirked. “Just remember my father, who might not go along with what you say.”

Laughing so loud it echoed off the stone walls, Max spun on his heels and motioned for her to follow.

“I’m just thinking I need some more desserts. A guy can’t have too many of those, can he?”

Max stood between the bookshelves, watching Sam as he stood on a small ladder and scanned the spines of books.

“It’s here somewhere unless someone didn’t mark they sold it,” the older dwarf grumbled.

“I believe you. I have no doubts your mind is still as sharp as ever.”

Sam’s bushy eyebrows touched in the middle of his face as he slowly turned his head and glared at Max.

“You seem awfully comfortable running that mouth of yours. If you keep it up, I will find one of my daughters and make you take her out on a date. Especially now that I know you’re famous.”

It was Max’s turn to groan as he saw Sam start to smile. He had already endured enough people congratulating him at the adventures' hall. Now, Sam would not pass up an opportunity to goad him once the old dwarf found out how much it bothered Max.

“Ah, here it is,” Sam exclaimed, pulling a thick book off the shelf and handing it to Max. “This is the one you need to read next. It will help with what I have no doubt you are about to experience in the coming month.”

Glancing at the spine, Monsters - Level Twenty to Twenty-Five, he nodded and put it in his storage.

“Good thing you paid already or I’d be forced to beat payment out of ya,” Sam huffed as he climbed down off the ladder. “Make sure you give that a good read-through. The next level of monsters can get downright ugly. Not that I think one of your renown will have to worry about it.”

Resisting the urge to say something he might regret, Max just smiled and turned to leave.

“I guess I’ll need the next book after this one soon enough,” he called out over his shoulder. “Should I ask you to find that now or in three days?”

Sam started to roar with laughter, its deep sound carrying through the area of the warehouse they were in.

“Boy, if that happens, I’ll give you that book for free.”

Big D had stopped by at least three times before his wife had made him stay away.

Max couldn’t help but chuckle as the old man seemed to fawn over him now. Aimee’s news had already reached his and Linda’s ears and Big D was extremely happy about it.

Max, however, didn’t have time to deal with that as he knew tomorrow would bring a new dungeon and, the truth was, he was a bit scared from the things he had read so far.

A dungeon filled with ogres and improved hobgoblins was planned for tomorrow. Everything he had read so far had his body tingling with excitement. These things were supposed to be ten feet tall, almost two times his height, and super strong. Their health was considered one of the highest of the creatures he would face for a while.

The problem was the hobgoblins that spawned in the dungeon. They specialized in fast attacks with either melee weapons or bows.

Fowl had told him the little they knew about the dungeon. This was considered the first make-or-break area for most parties as the ability not to get overwhelmed by the smaller creatures so that the ogre could come in and mop up limited the speed at which one leveled. If the team couldn’t handle that combination, they were forced to fight in lower-level dungeons, slowly earning experience. The only other option was to travel to the capital and try their luck there.

As he wrote down notes on the paper he had, Max’s neck tingled.

Glancing up, out of the corner of his eye, Max saw someone sitting in a corner, wearing a hood but obviously staring at him.

His increased Wisdom and Intelligence had made him more aware of people and things around him, and at first, he thought the guy was just another admirer, but the man had been sitting there for over an hour, barely drinking.

Popping his neck slowly and stretching, he scanned the inn and saw no one else who was new. The dozen or so other people inside were regulars.

Running his tongue across his teeth, Max sighed and got back to what he was doing.

No point in trying anything right now. I doubt they are stupid enough to try something here.

Twenty minutes later, Max froze, a chill running down his spine.

“Max, is that really you?”

He tried to ignore that question, writing something else in his notebook before he saw the man slide into his booth.

Glancing up, Max saw before him his best friend from home.

“Max, it’s me,” Caleb whispered, glancing around the room as he pulled the hood off his head. “What the hell are you doing here, and why does everyone call you Seth?!”

Caleb looked different. Fitter and yet thinner. He had a sword on his hip, which meant he most likely had gotten the sword skill he had hoped for. He had on decent leather armor and was in need of a haircut.

Glancing around the room, Max saw no one had paid any attention and then turned back to see Caleb’s eyes still wide in shock.

“Call me Seth,” he snapped quietly before taking a small breath and letting it out. “What are you doing here?”

“Me?” Caleb’s question was louder than he had anticipated, and he leaned over the table. “I’m an adventurer! I have a skill! You are the one who the adventurer advisors said had no skill! How did you get credit for defeating a shade?!”

Max held up his hand. He knew his frown wasn’t because he was upset with Caleb. He was upset because if Caleb found him, it meant that he had been recognized. If Caleb had done that then…

He saw Big D watching him and Caleb from behind the bar. The older man had an expression on his face that meant he was aware things weren’t ok.

Waving his hand, Max summoned Big D who came over with two drinks in his hand and a smile that showed every one of his missing teeth.

“What can I do for you two?” He asked, words as sweet as honey as he put both drinks before each man.

“I need a place to talk to an old friend in private. Got one?”

Big D glanced between Max and Caleb and then nodded. “I do. Come with me.”

Max stood up, grabbing his books and putting them in storage, noticing Caleb’s eyes go even wider when he did.

“Grab your drink and come on. You will want it.”

Max didn’t wait, moving to follow Big D and listening for the sounds of Caleb following.

Seconds later, he heard them, a slight sigh coming from his lips when he did.