Chapter 2: Frostblade
"Hurry, pack it up inside the sack and make sure no one can see it!" Eirwyn hurriedly gave his extra sacks to Terrell.
"I know. I know." Terrell put the carton in a sack and then put it inside of another sack. Terrell tied it tightly.
Terrell and Eirwyn carried a box and bunch of sacks. They departed from the landfill and walked to go home.
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Nightfall. Terrell and Eirwyn arrived at their house. The sound of crickets disrupted the silence. The moonlight shone at the darkness of the dusk.
Eirwyn light up the oil lamp. Terrell excitedly placed the carton on the top of a wooden table.
"Eirwyn, open up the box! Karma makes up my bad luck! Hehehe!" Terrell chortled.
"Alright." Eirwyn opened up the carton, he smiled from ear to ear. He picked up the contents and put them one by one. A plethora of smartphones with different types and sizes arranged on the table. Big and small, thick and thin, old and latest, touchscreen and keypad.
"It seems these can still work properly. I bet we can earn a lot from this." Eirwyn grinned as he examined the smartphones.
Meanwhile, Eirwyn halted. He felt something was amiss.
"What the... I've never seen this kind of model before." Eirwyn somewhat surprised when he saw and picked up two pocket-sized black objects with sleek design and circuit patterns inscribed on the surface. A faint white glow radiated from the patterns.
"Let me see it." Terrell extended his hand to Eirwyn.
"Here." Eirwyn handed over the object.
"Cool. I want to keep this smartphone." Terrell raised his arm while holding the object. He inspected it thoroughly.
Suddenly, an intense flash emitted from the patterns of the object.
Terrell fainted. White particles of light covered his entire body and turned to various numbers and symbols hovering over him. Terrell vanished from his sight.
"Terrell?" Eirwyn was dumbfounded. He gripped the object on his own hands. Unexpectedly, his vision darkened.
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A black open circle was spinning midst of the white background.
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Initiating the installation sequence...
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Establishing the connection to the cyberspace...
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Connection established successfully.
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Connecting to the primary database...
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Connected.
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Connecting to the secondary database...
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Connected.
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Downloading the data...
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5%
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25%
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50%
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75%
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100%
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Download completed.
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Extracting the data...
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Extraction completed.
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Installing the data...
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10%
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30%
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70%
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100%
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Installation successful.
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Synchronizing the game system to the player...
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Synchronization successful.
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Scanning the player's physique...
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Scan completed.
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Analyzing the player's data...
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Analyze completed.
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Loading the user interface...
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Load completed.
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Starting up Stratus Isle...
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ー 〔 Stratus Isle 〕 ー
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The loading screen faded, the spinning circle disappeared.
Fluffy white stratocumulus clouds floating in the clear blue sky.
An isle was levitating in the air.
At the center of the island was a park. It was paved with white marble tiles with elegant and sophisticated designs that makes one cannot step on it carelessly.
Every four corners of the park stood a tall and wide cylindrical pillar made of quartz. It was carved with futuristic wing symbols and patterns similar to a circuit board, emitting bright white light. On the top of each pillar was a floating crystal-clear cube.
The park had gorgeous and elegant gardens. Trees and shrubs were lined up orderly. The arrangement of plants and flowers are symmetrical and modern. It was pleasing to the eyes.
Eirwyn was bewildered from the events that he witnessed as he stood in the middle of the plaza. He regained his senses when a 'Cling' sounded and a holographic window appeared in front of him.
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ー 〔 Character 〕 ー
〖 Player 〗Eirwyn Ferrer
〖 Elemental Affinity 〗Ice & Water
〖 Merit 〗Excellent
〖 Charisma 〗35
〖 Appearance 〗80
〖 Luck 〗22
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"Where am I?" Eirwyn scratched his head as he surveyed the environment.
A small grey bird wearing a tiny checkered scarf wrapped around its neck flew towards Eirwyn.
"Greetings player, welcome to Stratus Isle! Chirp!" The bird spoke with a high pitched voice. A wooden bird stand appeared, the bird perched its tiny claws on it.
"Thanks, but who... uhm... what are you?" Eirwyn asked as he bent his head sideways with a confused look.
"Chirp! I'm Wren, one of the game masters! Chirp! I will help you to start up! What class will you choose? Chirp!"
"..." Eirwyn became speechless. He didn't understand what the bird was talking about.
"You can choose any class that you want. The system is not restricted to conventional class types such as Warrior, Mage, and Assassin. Chirp!" Seeing the handsome young man didn't reply, the bird continued to speak.
"The game allows the players to choose what they want to be. A privilege of flexibility! Chirp Chirp! The player can create, build and customize their own class!"
"However, the system will automatically balance it. The system will not allow any class to become overpowered. Chirp!"
"For example, if you choose Chronomancer, you are able to stop and control the time. However, the skills and abilities were diminished. Such as, Backtrack, a skill that allows you to return a few seconds back in time, but it has a very long cooldown and huge mana consumption. Nonetheless, being a Chronomancer is powerful even the skill effects are weakened. Chirp!"
"Did you understand? Chirp!" Wren rotated and tilted its head abruptly at a breakneck speed.
"Let me think and decide for a while." Eirwyn was unresolved.
He absorbed the information and tried to understand what he heard from the talking bird.
"Okay then. Chirp!" Wren flew and doing aerobatics.
Eirwyn kept silent and contemplated for a while. He saw the window displaying his character and noticed his elemental affinity, Ice and Water.
"Two affinity elements?" Eirwyn talked out loud.
"Hmm? Do you have two element affinity? Oh, I see! Well, you are fortunate! Chirp!" The bird saw the window, the elemental affinity displayed on Eirwyn's character piques its interest.
"What happens if I got two element affinity?" Eirwyn asked and he furrowed.
"You can use two elements. Chirp! Each player possesses a unique elemental affinity. The elements they can utilize are based on their affinity. You have Ice and Water affinity, then you can only use Ice and Water elements. Chirp!" The bird started to explain.
"Actually, there are many factors that can affect which elemental affinity you will obtain, but I shall not tell any further about it! Chirp!"
"Usually, players can only have one elemental affinity type! I can say, you are a very lucky player! Chirp!" The bird added as it crossed its wings.
"..." Eirwyn remained speechless. An idea flashed on his mind.
"Are you decided what class you will choose? Chirp?"
"Frostblade."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone