Jolting awake in an unfamiliar environment can be deeply unsettling, but nothing quite compares to the sudden assault of a Skallabjörn while ensnared in the clutches of sleep. With the fire's protective glow diminished and its embers cooling, the lingering scent of a recent meal seemed to have drawn a pair of the creatures up the trail. They likely hadn't expected to stumble upon a man nestled in an odd bag, with only a gleaming ax for company. The tandem attack of the Skallabjörn, capitalizing on Sinclair's vulnerable state, dealt significant damage as he lay unsuspecting on the ground.

You have received damage

15 Blunt damage

18 Blunt damage

New Debuff: 2 Cracked Ribs

Description: Your ribs are cracked. It hurts.

TIme Remaining: 30 minutes

Wincing from the searing pain, Sinclair mustered enough strength to roll and snatched up his ax. Roaring, he swung it at the closest assailant. The blade struck true, landing just behind the creature's ear and dispatching it instantly, but as Sinclair attempted to rise, the pain in his ribs flared, sending jolts of agony through his torso. Off-balance and weakened, he became an easier target for the remaining Skallabjörn, which lunged at him for another vicious strike.

You have received damage

8 Blunt damage

2 Fall damage

With labored movements, Sinclair managed to slowly rise and launch a calculated swing at the Skallabjörn's head. His aim was true as he brought the ax down and the Skallabjörn's frenzied assault ended immediately, along with its life. Breathing heavily, Sinclair collapsed back to the ground, each breath sending jabs of pain through his battered body. "What a horrendous way to start the day."

The prospect of being immobilized for half an hour due to his cracked rib debuff wasn't appealing, although he didn't think he had any other option. Gently—so, so gently— he turned on his side, and reached for his water container, taking careful sips. He reached out to grab some jerky to nibble on, along with some of the delicious meat he'd prepared the previous day. He gestured at the dead Skallabjörn and dryly stated, "Hey, you little bastard, I'm eating your best friend".

With nothing better to do, Sinclair's thoughts drifted to his stats. Curious to see any progression after his rude awakening, he was pleased to see the changes as he pulled them up.

Name: Sinclair Hagerson

Race: Human

Level: 0 (2)

Rank: F

Path: None

Class: [Blank]

Health: 310

Mana: 240

Stamina: 340

Strength: 37

Agility: 27

Constitution: 31

Intelligence: 24

Willpower: 27

Endurance: 34

Luck: 22

Available Points: 10

Sinclair was far from reaching the status of a demi-god. However, by Earth's standards, he was undoubtedly on par with some of the world's strongest men. The flip side of this newfound strength was its perceptibility. He was bound to appear even more massive in the eyes of his friends. He was just going to have to tell them when he got back; no more dawdling.

As the timer on his debuff dwindled, Sinclair decided to use those fleeting moments to meditate. Initially, he was skeptical of the skill, dismissing it as somewhat whimsical. But with each session, he began noticing a palpable sense of rejuvenation. Once the debuff cleared, he sprang to his feet, stored his belongings to the side, and readied himself for the impending challenge: navigating the treacherous field with that vexing stone, all while evading the relentless assault of those irksome Boneheads.

The subsequent five hours were intense. It was an exercise in resilience as he attempted to develop enough strength and endurance to handle the Legendary Stone. This next step was a one-shot opportunity; if he managed to lift the last stone, the previous one would vanish. He'd then be left with the choice of either aborting the quest for 24-hours Earth-time, or returning home to train further. Basically, the same option in either case.

Your base stats have changed!

+8 Strength

+5 Endurance

Sinclair felt a thrill as he ran his hands over the surface of the Legendary Stone. He'd been waiting for this challenge. This was an opportunity to test his limits like never before. He was built for moments like these. Challenges arose, and he would conquer them, time and time again. It was in his nature.

A sense of unwavering calm washed over him, leaving him with an unshakable confidence. A heat bloomed in his chest filling him with energy, strengthening his limbs and fortitude.

Crouching, he carefully positioned his hands beneath the stone, seeking the perfect grip. As he exerted force, the rock resisted before slowly beginning to rise. Its weight was staggering. Sinclair did the rough conversion from kilograms to pounds and realized it was almost 460 lbs. He could feel every ligament and tendon stretching, adjusting to the immense burden. After a moment, he stood tall, holding the enormous stone he'd previously believed was impossible to even roll, let alone lift.

Upon his first step, Sinclair quickly realized an issue he hadn't anticipated. The size of the stone forced him to tilt slightly backward for equilibrium. This position restricted his sight and exerted so much on his chest that his breathing was hindered. Ahead lay a monumental task, and Sinclair considered that he might end up invoking Æsir's Resilience, even if it meant shaving off some health. An inner voice urged caution, but he was steadfast, believing his recent improvements would be enough.

Steeling himself, Sinclair murmured, "one step at a time." Venturing into the grass, he fixed his gaze, intent on maintaining a firm grip on the stone. Every inhalation became a conscious effort, but he remained unwavering in his resolve. He would cross that field.

The first bonehead to attack him knocked itself unconscious. Sinclair's stance was so anchored by his enhanced strength and the stone's weight that the creature might as well have collided headfirst into a solid oak. He silently prayed this stroke of luck would persist. His stamina plummeted at an alarming rate. Brief respites to regain his breath restored only a scant amount of stamina but helped stave off its rapid decrease.

By the midpoint, a pair of the little monsters had zeroed in on him, although their vision was so poor—and his movement so slow—that one of them mistook him for a motionless object and wandered off. With stamina precariously hovering around two hundred and forty points, and health dwindling by forty-eight due to attacks from the relentless Boneheads, each progressive step seemed to shake the ground with the effort he exerted.

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A whimsical thought bubbled up: What if I could keep this boulder? Imagine the workouts! Sinclair's determination could not waver. He would carry this behemoth of a stone across the entirety of the field without once relinquishing his grip. Somewhere during this journey, a mental paradigm had shifted. Breaking for rest wasn't an option; he was now irrevocably committed to completing this arduous task in a singular effort. It wasn't merely personal pride at stake—he felt compelled to show the enigmatic force that had thrust him into this ordeal that placing faith in him was not a lost cause.

With each determined step, Sinclair felt the persistent pummeling on his legs intensify. Every few seconds he caught a brief sight of a blood-smeared creature darting to and fro, a testament to their persistence and the accumulating harm they were dishing out.

Sinclair's stamina bar was perilously low and soon began blinking a warning. He was now encircled, relentless strikes reverberating through his weary legs. The warm sensation of his own blood, trickling down and pooling within his shoes, produced a discomforting squish with every step. As his health dwindled, the edges of his vision took on a disturbing and extremely alarming crimson hue, a sign that his health was reaching concerning levels.

The finishing line was practically calling out to him, so close in terms of distance yet so far in terms of effort In response, a peculiar energy began to coil within him, manifesting as a pulsating warmth in his core. Pain, blood loss, fatigue—all seemed to blur into insignificance against the backdrop of his augmented capabilities. Summoning every ounce of remaining strength, he lunged forward with a climactic effort he thrust the massive stone beyond the grassy finish line. The resulting thud echoed, causing the Boneheads to skitter back out of sight.

Exhausted, Sinclair collapsed beside the immense boulder, drawing ragged breaths. Tears mingled with sweat carved trails down his dirt-streaked face—a testament to the torment he had endured. His trembling muscles threatened to seize up, betraying the toll of his ordeal. That was... brutal, he mused internally. Towards the end, his stamina had bottomed out, compelling him to expend his remaining health. A mere moment longer, and he might've been forced to abandon the stone, relying on the system's auto-evacuation to spare him a grisly fate. Though he reveled in challenges, Sinclair recognized the need for caution in gauging his own limits. The persistent blinking of notifications beckoned. He had acquired stats and new skills, and there was a system message awaiting his attention.

Your base stats have changed!

+8 Strength

+3 Agility

+5 Constitution

+2 Intelligence

+9 Endurance

+3 Luck

New Skill: Punching Bag (Uncommon)

Description: You are able to absorb more damage.

Effects:

+5 Endurance

New Skill: Pain Tolerance (Uncommon)

Description: You can more easily tolerate physical pain.

Effects:

Reduced pain sensations 10%

You have leveled up!

As you are a human, you receive plus one to Willpower and Endurance each time you level up

As you are a human, you receive five free points to spend on the stats of your choice

To level up, please assign your points.

You have cleared the first of four challenges.

Rewards:

100 experience3

30 silver

1 Golden Chest.

Continue? Yes/No

After a thorough examination of his status updates, Sinclair couldn't help but marvel at the transformation. A sensation akin to an adrenaline surge coursed through him—except it lingered, stoking the fires of newfound power within his veins. His once-average physique was now the embodiment of Herculean might. The skin that once easily bruised now had the taut resilience—though not the look—of aged leather, and every muscle fiber appeared to have magnified in density. Every step he took now, once light and inconspicuous, seemed to resonate with a palpable weight, imprinting the ground beneath. Clearly, reaching a stat threshold of 50 in strength was more significant than he'd anticipated.

His contemplation was interrupted by a golden glint at his feet. The small chest, so out of place amidst the verdant landscape, was a tangible reward for his endeavors so unlike the gains in stats. Inside sat a gold ring and a leather pouch, each of which promised potential power or utility.

Picking up the leather pouch, he felt a slight heft, suggestive of something within. The strings, intricately braided, held the pouch's mouth securely shut. Curiosity piqued, he gently pulled at the strings, revealing a collection of—decidedly standard looking—silver coins.

His attention then shifted to the ring, which had a hammered texture. Slipping it on to his left index finger, he wasn't sure for a moment if it was going to fit, but to his surprise it grew slightly to accommodate his increased girth. Normally he hated jewelry, but this ring felt like nothing was there.

Unable to resist, he decided to analyze the items further. He was sure they weren't just decorative trinkets—they had a purpose, and he was eager to discover what that was.

New Item: Money pouch (Common)

Description: Attach this to your waist to carry your money. Contains 30 silver as a reward for trial completion.

IMPORTANT: The item has been upgraded in capacity and Soul Binding has been added due to the difficulty of the trial being completed.

Do you wish to bind this item to your soul? Yes/No

New Item: Merchants Ring (Uncommon)

Description: This ring is a spatial storage device. It can store up to 250 slots.

IMPORTANT: The item has been upgraded in capacity and Soul Binding has been added due to the difficulty of the trial being completed.

Do you wish to bind this item to your soul? Yes/No

As he inspected the two artifacts, Sinclair's appreciation grew exponentially. For someone who had marveled at the mysteries of magic and the allure of artifacts even when they were only being transmitted through screens and pages, holding genuine enchanted items was an overwhelmingly surreal experience. The simple act of rolling the bag between his fingers elicited a sense of wonder that he hadn't felt since childhood.

Sinclair was particularly fascinated by the Merchant's Ring. Is an item a slot, or does an item sometimes take up more than one slot? And does it act like some sort of preservation magic? Can I stick a cheeseburger in there and eat it fresh two months later? That would be so awesome.

As the last tendrils of pain receded and his stamina and health returned to full, Sinclair's psychological exhaustion was not relieved. The ordeal had taken its toll, and apparently there was a level to his unconscious that could not be modified so simply. Even so, the adrenaline of the moment, and the excitement of discovery, kept fatigue at bay.

Binding the items to his soul—which surely wasn't as creepy as it sounded—was as simple as selecting yes. As he did so, he felt an almost imperceptible tingle, perhaps best described as a sensation of connection, or of two ghostly fingers gently touching fingertips together. At once, the pouch on his waist—and the ring now snugly secured on his index finger—felt like natural extensions of his own body. He was also pleased to note that he could adjust the pouch position on his belt just by thinking about it, customizing it to his comfort. Slightly weirdly, the ring appeared to have melded into his skin, leaving a slight dark discolouration–almost the opposite of the tan line left by a wedding ring. I wonder if that's because it's soul bound? Anyway, I don't like rings much, so I prefer it this way.

Drawing a deep breath, Sinclair contemplated his next moves. Right, I need rest, for sure, but I also really, really want to play with my new toys. He also needed more meat for the future. His body needed a lot more fuel post-transformation than it ever had before, and his appetite had not reduced with his temporary move to the training zone. Sinclair figured that he might as well stock up on meat here, by clearing out some more of these Skallabjörn. Call it a final act of vengeance.

When Sinclair attempted to loot the creatures, nothing happened. Puzzled for a moment, he recalled the mechanics of his newfound items. He thought of his Inventory and, as usual, it brought up a picture of him and his equipment. Hmm, no change there. On a whim, he thought Storage and a screen materialized with fifty grid squares in a ten by five grid. Scanning the screen, he noticed tabs at the bottom. Accessing these, he discovered four additional pages of squares, totaling the expected 250.

Transferring gear into this digital storage was intuitive. Each item responded to a mental command and moved seamlessly into the storage grid. With his gear now secured, Sinclair sat down, enjoying the outstanding sunset before him and wondering if he'd ever see the like again back in the 'real' world.

Sinclair opted to rest on the spot for the night, and was astounded on waking that a mere few hours had rejuvenated him as if he'd been mainlining coffee.

Surveying his status, the progress he'd made was evident. Although still at level zero, his accumulated titles, rigorous training, and honed traits had boosted his stats by an impressive 163 points.

However, an imbalance was emerging. Most of his enhancements leaned towards physical prowess. In the days ahead, he resolved to prioritize speed, agility, and mental acumen in his training. After all, he didn't aspire to be just a muscled bonehead, rather, he sought versatility. A broader skill set, he reasoned, might afford him a wider range of class options when the time came.

Prompted by that thought, he clicked on Class to see if the ability to select a choice had now opened to him. A small box popped up, overlaying his main screen.

You have not completed the tutorial.

Class choice is not available

Please complete the tutorial before attempting to select class choice.

Yeah, I got it. You didn't need to say it twice. With mild frustration, Sinclair pushed any lingering questions to the back of his mind. With only a limited number of days left in this virtual world, and a clock ticking down, he had no time to ruminate. Besides, there was a real risk that he would run out of provisions before he ran out of time.

As Sinclair internally decided he was ready to proceed, the world around him responded. With a flash, he found himself outside the strange house again. The once-glowing Uruz door, the portal to the initial test, now appeared dormant.

Surveying the other doors, uncertainty crept in. If the first trial was an indicator, then he had a vague blueprint of what awaited him, and a hint to how much it would be down to him alone to decide upon when to claim victory. Of course, he knew better than to assume every challenge would be similar, as such would be against the nature of a tutorial. The very nature of trials was to test adaptability and mettle in various circumstances; the next door might just surprise him.

Am I ready? Only one way to find out!

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