"The life we are living now.
Seriously, with over thousands of ways to die and suffer on Earth you shouldn't be surprised. At least in Hell you know you're dead so you can be as carefree as you want.
by Changler245 June 22, 2011" -Urban Dictionary
"Hell huh?" Looking around "hell" didn't look anything like Anon expected. He was sprawled unceremoniously in a field. The grasses and flowers surrounding him swayed in the soft delightfully smelling breeze; the sound of bugs and birds, soft breath of wind and distant sounds of a river floated into his ears all while the warm rays of a gentle yellow sun baked into his body. Huh... seems good.
It took some time for his muscles to unknot themselves from however long he had been sitting in that damn chair. But as he slowly began to be able to stretch, and before doing anything else, Anon giggled, yes... giggled. He couldn't help it. Then Anon said in a whispered voice, "status." Before his eyes pale green translucent lines and text appeared overlaid on top of the world around him.
Name: Anon
Class: None
Bloodline: Basic Human (+1 str, +1 dex, +1 int)
Talent: New Game+
Cultivation: None
System Add-ons: None
HP: 100
Stats:
Strength: 6
Constitution: 5
Dexterity: 6
Intelligence: 6
Wisdom: 5
Charisma: 5
Skills: None
Techniques: None
Abilities: None
Magic: None
Experience: 0/100
Bloodline Human (+1 str, +1 dex, +1 int): Basic humans are very creative and adaptable. They breed easily and can use almost any known abilities.
"Hmmmm..." sure, ok. Well it isn't much but it's a start. Sitting up, Anon looked around. There were trees, some clouds, distant mountains, and it seems like the current terrain around him was rolling terrain, with a mix of grassland and scattered trees. The sound of a stream or river was good enough to get Anon up and moving.
"This is not going to work out well if I can't find some kind of society soon. I've got a wallet, and a tiny little pocket knife, a shirt, a pair of jeans, socks, and a pair of cross trainers... and nothing else." Talking to himself at least passed the time. "What if there's no one here at all? I don't even know how to make fire. Shit."
After walking for about an hour Anon started to hear the sound of two voices coming from up ahead. Quickening his pace he burst from the latest tree line onto a path startling a young man and perhaps his sister? "Hey! My name's Anon. I'm not from around here. Can you help me?"
The young girl, stood about five feet high, dressed in a lovely peasant maid dress of green and white, with milky white skin, and pale brown hair clutched a tall shepherd's staff while looking anxiously up at the young man who was perhaps her brother and said... something.
"Oh shit. I can't understand them." Anon muttered to himself.
The young man seemed to understand the gist of Anon's latest statement and began to speak hesitantly in what appeared to be several local languages before giving up after it was clear Anon had no idea what he was saying in any of them. Then his eyes snapped up and he and his sister began backing away from Anon toward a wooden bridge across the river behind them.
Confused, Anon turned around to stare into the face of a wolf. "Shit," without thinking about it Anon started to back up toward the bridge too. He couldn't take his eyes off the wolf before him. Strength rippled from every muscle, his claws glinted at the end of large paws connected to what to Anon looked like huge legs stretching up into a huge body perhaps twice as big as the dogs Anon was used to. A long neck ending in the brutal looking head and mouth, that mouth full of obviously sharp and dripping teeth. The two young people were trying to say something to Anon, but he didn't understand them. So he, equally meaningfully shouted to them to run away.
After stepping back onto the narrow wooden bridge Anon stopped. I may not be able to kill this wolf, but I can at least slow it down, give them a chance to get away, Anon thought. The wolf seemed to understand his intent and lunged at Anon who knew he couldn't fully evade but he shifted and as the wolf's teeth tore through his shirt and ripped at his side sending burning pain exploding in his mind. Evaded just enough that his hand slammed down his pocketknife into the wolf's wild left eye blinding it and causing it to leap back howling loudly.
A bright green glow began to glow around Anon and he felt the pain recede and his side heal and was amazed to see a rock flash through the air impacting with a brutal whack on the wolf's head clearly causing it significantly more damage even than Anon's lucky stab. The rock clearly broke part of the wolf's skull and he was now wobbling on his legs. But even with this damage it was very clear he was not ready to give up, if anything he appeared further enraged and a wicked looking red glow began to emit from his body as he lunged at Anon again, this time his body seemed to blur and Anon knew he had no chance.
Anon managed to land a glancing blow on the wolf's neck that might perhaps give the wolf a cute little scar someday while the wolf's fangs sunk into Anon's upper leg ripping open his jeans like they were made of tissue paper and sinking his fangs deep into his body. Anon's brain stopped working well at that point. Part of his mind knew a wolf was eating his leg, felt the excruciating pain, mind numbing pain, the sawing and tearing of the wolf's fangs as they tried to rip his leg off his body. Part of his brain calmly noticed that the system was recording the damage he was taking, hmm interesting, how useful. That girl must be named Cloveth, she healed me for 20 hit points and cast a regeneration spell on me. It's a shame the wolf nearly tearing my leg off has done 43 damage and 18 bleed damage per second while the regeneration seems to only be healing me for five each second. Oh well, I do hope they get away. Another part of Anon's brain thought and had time in some strange mental space to notice the light filtering through nearby trees in lovely golden beams and to admire the aim of the young slinger, perhaps Cloveth's brother and notice that the system called him Glenn, as another rock smashed into the wolf's head. Another part of Anon's mind was screaming and crying.
Meanwhile, the wolf, hit in the head by another well placed stone from the young man's sling backed up snapping it's jaws when suddenly four slightly smaller wolves burst from the trees. Anon's vision was starting to fade as he watched the wolves lunge forward only to be hit by arrow after arrow and drop one after another.
**You have killed an Alpha Leader. You gain 85 experience.**
Anon's eyes were covered with something, how odd. Reaching up he removed two coins and realized his clothes were different. He was now dressed in a nice adventuring outfit, linen top, jerkin, light boiled leather chest armor, linen short pants, and a short sword was strapped to his waist. Hmmm... and two copper coins. Yeah, he was back in the wooden chair. Blinking in front of him was a system message.
**New Game+ system ready. Initiate Y/N**
Initiate it, yes.
**What entity?**
"That's it? That's all I get? Shit." Anon thought long and hard. He had only seen two people, both youths had some obvious skills, but neither seemed really revolutionary. He might get some minimal skills and stats, but neither would be really dramatic. But... wait.
"I pick the Alpha Leader."
Loki immediately reappeared in his old man form, saying, "Wait just a minute! You can't do that."
Despite his complaints the system had already begun to work.
**Alpha Leader Selected**
Name: Alpha Leader
Class: Pack Leader
Bloodline: Lupine (+2 str, +1con, +1 dex)
Talent: Stamina Boost (C rank)
Cultivation: None
System Add-ons: None
Level: 8
HP: 360 SP: 50
Stats:
Strength: 11
Constitution: 7
Dexterity: 8
Intelligence: 4
Wisdom: 3
Charisma: 4
Skills: Howl of the Pack (C rank), Rage (D rank)
Techniques: None
Abilities: Scent Tracking, Alpha's Aura, Monster's Communication
Magic: None
Experience: 0/800
Anon quickly selected **Select All** and said "Yes." While Loki's voice howled in the background the system started popping messages up as Anon started to scream. Pain, lots and lots of pain. Worse than being ripped apart by the real Alpha Leader. This time it was like his entire body was being ripped apart and remade.
**Class Pack Leader Added**
**Bloodline Lupine Added**
**Talent Stamina Boost Added*
**Stats Added: HP: 360, SP: 50, Str: 11, Con: 7, Dex: 8, Int: 4, Wis: 3, Cha: 4**
**Skills Added: Howl of the Pack (C rank), Rage (D rank)**
**Abilities Added: Scent Tracking, Alpha's Aura, Monster's Communication**
Anon couldn't help but smile and Loki continues to sputter and fume. "Status"
Name: Anon
Class: Pack Leader
Bloodline: Basic Human, Lupine
Talent: New Game+, Stamina Boost (C rank)
Cultivation: None
System Add-ons: None
Level: 1
HP: 460 SP: 50
Stats:
Strength: 17
Constitution: 12
Dexterity: 14
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 8
Charisma: 9
Skills: Howl of the Pack (C rank), Rage (D rank)
Techniques: None
Abilities: Scent Tracking, Alpha's Aura, Monster's Communication
Magic: None
Experience: 85/100
Hmmm, what does all this new stuff do?
Class Pack Leader: You are the Alpha. Other Lupine will treat you with respect and deference, or challenge you for pack leadership if your stats are significantly lower that theirs. You are more fertile and females are naturally drawn to you.
Bloodline Lupine (+2 str, +1con, +1 dex): You are naturally drawn to build and defend your pack. Having at least two members of your pack nearby increases your attack power, defense, and SP regeneration by 20%
Stamina Boost (C rank): Your natural stamina and stamina regeneration is increased by 50%
Howl of the Pack (C rank): 50 SP cost, Summon nearby pack members. Cause a fear effect in nearby enemies that causes them to have a 20% chance to freeze for one second once per second for one minute. Cool down one hour.
Rage (D rank): Triggered automatically when hit points drop below 50%. Attack, defense, movement speed and hp regeneration increase by 10%. Cool down 24 hours.
Scent Tracking: Your ability to smell, process smell information, and track scent in space is increased greatly.
Alpha's Aura: In interactions you are more likely to be taken seriously, be believed, and be obeyed when interacting with those who are weaker than you and this effect is doubled with females.
Monster's Communication: All monsters have universal communication with other monsters. You're welcome.
"Hmmmm that worked out well." Anon said. "I mean I admit getting ripped up by that wolf sucked, but totally worth it. I thought you said you were sending me to hell... Was that really your idea of hell Loki?"
"Oh, you finally decided to say something to me. You deigned to acknowledge my presence?" Loki fumed. "Ok, so the first realm you got sent to wasn't that bad, but still. Just wait till you get used as food and a breeding host by the bugs. Now that will be funny!"
"Oh... so it's not up to you where I get sent. How interesting." A whole new world of thoughts flew through Anon's head when he understood that whatever Loki thought he was he clearly had far less power than Anon had initially assumed after he had in fact sent him to some simulacrum of a real world.
"Well I do hope you enjoyed that last bit. But, I'm ready for the next world, let's go...."
"I may not be able to send you exactly where I want, but I can pick many things about where you go. Somehow I doubt you'll like this world at all." The world slowly dissolved around Anon to the sound of Loki's laughter.