Going forward, releases here on Webnovel will be two chapters / week. September is my busiest work month of the year. I will update the frequency once September is over!
Welcome to Volume 3!
Volume 3: The Real Grind!
I've tweaked the Status Window yet again. I think it is much more presentable now. Thank you to everyone who has given input thus far.
It is posted at the start of Chapter 3. As suggested, I will not post the full Status Window again until vol 4. When Myles looks at it, it will be the Status Preview!
Happy reading!
*
[Ding! It is a brand new day. March 3rd, 2006.]
[Ding! Current Time: 06:50 AM.]
[Ding! You have enjoyed a good night's rest.]
[Ding! Through a special Action, a new Passive Skill has been generated!]
[Ding! Passive Skill, Rest, has been added to your list!]
[Ding! Your HP and MP have been fully replenished!]
"Yawn...", I said with a quiet yawn.
I had a fun little dream. I dreamt of soaring the clouds with Thor, striking against Frost Giants in Jotunheim. It then switched to fighting Kobolds and slicing through them one after another in the Kobold Nest. Was this the sign to come? I'm not sure, but it was a pleasant dream nonetheless. I wonder, will Thor accept to accompany me in battle if I ask nicely?
I mustn't forget that I am in the Realm of the Gods. Asgard. They watch over the entirety of the Nine Realms. If I venture out to the other Realms, I can relax a little bit, but until then, I'm still taking caution with each step I take. I do not want to run out of Soul Protection this early on. Thankfully, I didn't cause much of a mess during the banquet. If Odin, Frigga, and Thor weren't around to watch over it, I'm sure Loki may have tried to do something by now. I'm glad he didn't.
Still, I checked the time. It read March 3rd, 6:50 AM. I was beginning to wonder when I would get Rest as a Skill. And it finally came! I didn't bother deciding how it was generated. Instead, I checked its details.
[Rest]
You can now enjoy a full night's rest and receive benefits from it. An iconic Gamer Skill.
Name: Rest
Rank: F
Special Effect 1: Fully restores HP and MP upon sleeping.
Special Effect 2: Cleanses all ailments and status effects.
Special Effect 3: Temporary buffs gained from Skills like Consume will be removed.
Makes sense. Even though it was almost a seven hour sleep, I feel completely refreshed. Taking a moment, I glanced through my Status Window, and saw that it changed again. Everything appears much more concise and presentable, and I like that. I could see icons above various options. Plus and minus icons to expand and minimize various pieces of information. All with the tap of a button.
Seeing this Status Window prim and proper now, I was satisfied with how it looked. In due time, I'll be able to truly grind on all the Skills and Spells I have obtained during my first two days in the MCU. Today marks day three, and huzzah, I am not dead!
I call that a win!
Staying alive is key with danger lurking around every corner, regardless if I am presently in Asgard or not. This isn't like my previous earth where we didn't even know whether aliens existed or not, let alone realms.
Beside that, I saw my Status Window changed how my Skills are categorized. The Spell Book is still the Spell Book, that did not change. Instead, Field Skills split off into two separate categories. Passive Skills, and Field Skills. Active Skills also split off into Active Skills, and Ultimate Skills. Passive Skills do not contain Levels whatsoever. They do what they are designed to do, nothing more, nothing less.
Field Skills now have Levels assigned to every one, and so do Active and Ultimate Skills. I even have more to grind now, and honestly, I like that. It'll help make these next two years go by in a blink of an eye. I have various means to pass the time now, I can't wait till Iron Man I rolls around!
Feeling excitement, I closed my Status Window for the time being, and focused on my new task at hand.
Learn Asgardian Magic: 0/1.
I do not know how long it will take me to learn Asgardian Magic. If the Gamer System behaves the same way it did for Water Magic and Light Magic, then it could trigger instantly. But I am not one to take guesses right now. I don't even know what Asgardian Magic all entails, apart from Illusions and Enchanting. That much I know.
For the time being, I unrolled the covers of the comfortable bed I slept in. It isn't as grand as the double king-sized bed Azure Point has in the penthouse, but it serves its purpose. It's warm and comfy. I thought I would wake up feeling cold, but this is Asgard's Royal Palace we're speaking about here. How could rooms here not be of high standard already?
And thanks to Poison Resistance filtering out any negative effects from the Asgardian Ale, I felt really good! I could get used to this.
Smiling, I looked downward, and saw I was mostly bare, still dressed in my boxers and nothing else. I chuckled seeing that, only to see the white and gold-lined robe neatly folded on the nightstand nearby. Reaching for it, I put on my clothes, and soon heard a voice reach my ears.
"You have awoken on time, Lord Alex. The Allmother is expecting you in her study. We will guide you at once. Afterward, a midday meal will be prepared, and from there, you will have free time. Whether that is to explore Asgard on your own, or reach out to Sir Loki and Sir Thor, it will be up to you to decide.", Astrid said, greeting me. Seeing a powerful-looking shield that towered over her body was a sight to behold. Sigrun was with her, patiently waiting for me.
I saw their tags again, and sure enough they're part of Odin's special forces. It's called the Valkyrie, a very powerful group within the Einherjar who serve directly under Odin, protecting him from any and all harm. With Frigga on the same level, no doubt she has several Valkyrie under her, but likely not the strongest ones.
Even Astrid and Sigrun are 237 levels higher than me. I should not take them lightly. I doubt I'd even do any damage if I were to attack them right now.
So I kept my distance, and nodded my head at Astrid's words.
"Very well. I just have one thing to do before we depart.", I said, and raised a ringer, only to point it toward myself.
[Ding! You have activated Cleanse!]
Wooosh!
A gentle light covered my body, eliminating any grime and germs. I did not take a shower since one wasn't around. Not until I have more free time. Perhaps after today. Cleanse is such a handy skill to have. Astrid's gaze faltered slightly. She raised her eyes, observing the gentle light.
"You...really can use Magic, Lord Alex?", Astrid asked.
"Something like that. I just cleaned off any dirt accumulated during the night. It's pretty handy. Want me to use it on you two?", I decided to ask. Hearing that, Astrid and Sigrun glanced at each other.
"Well, if you insist, we accept.", Sigrun answered.
Reaching my hand out, it swiftly moved between the two.
[Ding! You have used Cleanse!]
[Ding! You have used Cleanse!]
Two gentle lights encompassed their bodies, getting rid of any impurities. They now felt clean.
"That felt nice. Thank you, Lord Alex.", Astrid said.
"You are most certainly welcome.", I happily said. "Let us go. I do not want to keep the Allmother waiting."
"Very well. Please follow us. We will guide you to her study.", Sigrun said.
The two led the way, and I followed them out of the room that had been assigned to me. But man, this palace really was huge. We crisscrossed through several corridors, passed more doors and branching hallways than I could keep track of. We even climbed a flight of stairs before finally arriving at a somewhat decently sized room, tucked away in a quieter section of the palace.
"Welcome to the Allmother's Study, Lord Alex.", Sigrun said, welcoming me inside.
"You came on time. And not a moment to soon.",
A familiar voice spoke from further inside the study. I turned toward its source, and spotted Frigga seated at a large wooden desk. Several open books and sheets of parchments were spread out before her.
"Good morning, Allmother.", I said, greeting Frigga with a respectful bow.
I don't know if they do bow here in Asgard, but I did it as a polite gesture. I know some cultures do, but back in the United States, it's a concept many aren't too in touch with.
"And a good morning to you as well, Myles.", Frigga smiled warmly before closing the book she was presently reading. "Although, considering what I have requested of you, your morning will become considerably less peaceful from this day forward."
"I am guessing learning Asgardian Magic isn't as easy as reading a book and speaking a few words in a tongue I am not familiar with?", I asked. I couldn't help but reveal a grin.
"If it were that easy, every scholar here in Asgard would be a sorcerer already.", Frigga said. A hint of amusement appeared in her eyes. She took a moment to rise from her chair.
With a simple motion of her hand, several books that were open over Frigga's desk began to suddenly close by themselves. They then gently lifted upward, floating neatly through the air. Seeing Magic performed in front of my own eyes without me being the one to do it really is such a marvel. It gives me Harry Potter vibes seeing these books move by themselves before they line up on the bookcases nearby.
"It might be already clear to you, but Magic requires far more than knowledge alone. It is merely the foundation upon which everything else is built. Unless you know what to do, nothing will happen.", Frigga continued.
Yeah, that about sums it up. You can't be fed with a silver spoon when it comes to Magic. I say that, but I have the Gamer System on my side. It automatically knows when to use Magic and when not to use it. I can already skip several steps of the foundation building, but I am not going to do that. I want to start from the very bottom.
"I take it we'll be starting with the basics.", I said.
"Yes. You must first learn what Magic is before I start teaching you Spells, Enchantments, Illusions and other forms of our Asgardian Magic. As I have said, knowledge is everything.", Frigga explained, causing me to smile. "Magic exists all around us. Most just fail to see it, or refuse to believe in it."
Now in front of me, I saw Frigga lift one of her hands. Opening it revealed her palm. A faint, golden light emerged out of nothing. My eyes were immediately locked on it. Real Magic! Not Magic tied by the Gamer System!
It wasn't exactly like fire. There wasn't any smoke or heat. Nor did the light covering Frigga's palm flickered the way a flame should flicker. Instead, I saw countless, tiny strands of pure, golden energy twist around one another, almost as if it was a miniature branch of the World Tree. They slowly gathered around one another until a small sphere formed above her hand.
"Do not merely look at the light, Myles.", Frigga said. "I asked you to see it. Well, did you?"
Hearing that, I frowned. All I saw was the light and its strands.
This is going to be harder than I thought.
"No.", I said, gently shaking my head.
"Good. Not everyone does at the start. We shall work on your foundations first.", Frigga responded and smiled back at me. "From this moment onward, you are to address me as Master. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Master Frigga.", I said, nodding my head.