Chapter 4 : Assassin Master, Bismarck
The assassin class was one of the many classes available in Apex Online and Nash was already familiar with this because it was the same class he used in his previous life.
Instead of choosing a new class and learning it all over again, he had a better advantage if he used what he was familiar with. The only additional work he would need to do will be to refine his usage of the class.
[Class: Assassin]
[Please choose a race]
"Human."
[Race: Human]
[You have received a racial specific skill]
[Skill: Strength of Mind]
Just as there are many different classes in Apex Online, the same also applied to races. There were many of them and each one had a specific starter skill that came with choosing that particular race.
For humans, it was a skill called [Strength of Mind].
The good thing about race specific skills was the fact that they were passive skills.
————
[Strength of Mind]
Description: Skill can be used to break the player out of a restrained state. (Cooling time: 45 minutes)
————
[Please choose a faction]
[Light Faction]
[Neutral Faction]
Those were the two options available for Nash to select based on his location.
Apex Online was designed in a way that friends would most likely find themselves within the same faction. Having a friend in an enemy faction wouldn't be so nice for a player if conflict or a war broke out between their respective factions.
"Light Faction," Nash answered the AI.
*Ding*
[Congratulations! Your character creation was successful]
[Please enter a name for your character]
"Neon," Nash answered, not wanting to change his old character identity, even down to the name.
[Are you sure you want to save?]
[Once saved, you can no longer make changes]
"Yes. Save."
*Ding*
[Character creation and generation successful]
[Novice starting village will be selected random according to the race you have chosen]
[Novice village selected]
[You will be transported to Novice Village #21]
Nash smiled as this was the same place he was sent to the last time. Now it was even better because he knew how best to approach it.
[Transport in 5]
[4… 3… 2… 1]
[Thank you for choosing Apex Online]
[Enjoy your journey in our world]
*Bzzt*
After the countdown ended, a burst of light followed, forcing Nash to cover his eyes and in a negligible moment, he found himself inside the novice village like the AI had mentioned.
The setting of the locations on Apex Online was a mix of different cultures, styles and traditions considering that it was created by many different companies spread out across the world.
He stood at his spawn spot for a few seconds and inhaled, feeling a rush of nostalgia wash his entire body for a moment.
"I am back," he muttered to himself calmly.
"Status."
…
[Player Status]
Name: Neon
Race: Human
Class: Assassin
Level: 1
HP: 60/60
MP: 40/40
Strength: 7
Agility: 6
Intelligence: 4
Spirit: 2
Attack Power: 7
Defense Power: 1
Magic Casting: 4
Magic Defense: 0
Skill: [Strength of Mind]
Inventory: [Click to view]
…
Nash cross-checked his profile quickly, trying to refresh his memory. After that, he clicked on the inventory to see what he had.
In his inventory was a dagger, being an assassin class player, the dagger was his starting weapon.
The dagger offered little attack points that ranged from 0-2. This meant that when Nash equipped the dagger in battle, his attack power would increase or remain the same, ranging anywhere between 7-9.
Certainly, that was not bad for a level 1 player, who had just entered the world of Apex Online.
It's only been some days since the game launched and everywhere in this novice village was already crowded with both players and NPC. Everyone was bustling and hustling.
Nash decided to walk around for a bit and familiarise himself with the village once more. Nevertheless, that was not the only thing in his mind.
As he moved around the village, he also made inquiries for a certain person—the Assassin Master of the village.
The Assassin Master was a class specific master that would guide him in his journey as an assassin.
Every class had one but not many people knew about it. Nash had only known simply because he was from the future as in the past, he never bothered with one.
Class masters offered an advantage that many players in the past missed and that was the advantage of their teaching. A time spent with a class master guaranteed that one would come to possess class specific skills afterwards.
The Assassin Master for this novice village was an old man called Bismarck.
"Hello sir, I'm here to learn from you," Nash said when he finally came face to face with Bismarck.
The level 1 player lowered his head in respect. "Please teach me."
"Hahaha!" Bismarck laughed mechanically as he stroked his long grey beards while admiring the boy in front of him.
"Fine!" he answered with enthusiasm. "Welcome, boy. To become a member of the assassins, you have to learn a skill. Luckily for you, I have three skills available now but…"
Bismarck grinned and raised his right index finger. "You can only learn one of them for free."
Learning a skill for free was certainly good news to Nash's ears considering that he was just starting as a player.
Bismarck snapped his finger and three scrolls appeared, floating in the air between him and Nash.
Nash stared at the three scrolls critically, not sure of which to choose.
"You can touch any one of them to see what they offer before choosing," Bismarck added.
Another good news to his ears.
Nash smiled and touched the first one.
*Ding*
The scroll opened with a short burst of light.
…
[Plunder]
Description: With this skill, you have a chance to obtain items, coins, skills etc from monsters, players and NPCs that you have killed.
Warning: Because you have to become a killer to use this skill, there is also a chance that you will be tagged and pursued by enemies and other players due to the hatred you will attract.
…
"Geez! Sounded good with the description but that warning… I can't afford to have people chasing me around yet," Nash muttered.
He then clicked the second skill scroll.
…
[Stun Strike]
Description: You are able to strike a single enemy with additional 150% of your attack power with a chance of shocking them with the stun effect.
…
[Thrust]
Description: You are able to hit a single enemy with additional 200% of your attack power.
…
Nash had read through all three of them and made his choice. It was not a hard one to make since he considered what worked best for him right now as a level 1 player.
And so he chose...