Chapter 2: Fenrir Squad
Not far away, there seemed to be a faint commotion. If Mo Tan remembered correctly, that direction should be the recruitment office the innkeeper had told him about earlier. Thinking of this, Mo Tan immediately strode toward it, hurrying along. Who knew how long he'd have to wait until dawn if the recruitment office closed? Besides, he had no money left to stay another night at the inn, so it was best to get there early.
This small city, named Layered Rock City, wasn't very large, but there were quite a few pedestrians coming and going on the main road. Although the sunset had already appeared on the horizon, the city was still bustling. Aside from ordinary residents, many people dressed as combat professionals or spellcasters were everywhere you looked.
The recruitment office wasn't far from the Green Meadow Inn. It was an enclosed area, with seven or eight soldiers of various races maintaining order nearby. Many onlookers had gathered to watch. When Mo Tan squeezed in, he happened to see a tall, green-skinned orc snap a thigh-thick log in half with his bare hands, letting out a crisp crack.
"Pass. You there, take him to the back to get his military tag." A lizardman officer sitting behind a long wooden table lazily waved at a dwarf soldier beside him, then turned his head to the crowd and yawned. "Anyone else?"
Mo Tan waited for a moment. Seeing no one step forward, he slowly walked into the area and smiled at the lizardman, who looked about to fall asleep. "I'm signing up."
"Human?" The lizardman officer narrowed his long, slender blue eyes slightly. "And no weapon. A spellcaster?"
Mo Tan nodded readily. "Yes."
"Pass." The other replied without hesitation. "Care to demonstrate?"
[Tutorial Quest Completed. Optional Class Rewards: Ranger / Sorcerer / Priest]
[Tutorial Quest Completion Rate: 100%. No Additional Rewards]
[You Have Acquired New Skills and Attribute Points]
Only after a series of system prompts sounded did Mo Tan's slightly anxious mood settle. He had been afraid the other would first ask him to cast a spell or inquire more carefully before saying the word "pass."
But fortunately, everything was still under control.
Typically, in a Dungeons & Dragons world setting, magic was always powerful and dangerous. Whether it was various elemental forces of different natures or mysterious divine arts, not a single mistake could be tolerated. Otherwise, suffering backlash or losing control of magic would be the least of one's worries; spontaneous combustion wasn't out of the question either.
So, since this lizardman captain had asked, Mo Tan decided to take the opportunity to go along with it. He was at least seventy percent sure that even if he said he couldn't demonstrate on the spot, others would understand. But now it seemed this quest was quite simple. After Gat said "pass," Mo Tan immediately completed the quest, and among the rewards, two happened to be spellcaster classes.
So...
"Of course, no problem~" Mo Tan quickly operated on the interface, which was invisible to others, using his mind. Then he extended both hands, and a soft, pale golden light shimmered between his palms, illuminating the increasingly dim ground as sunset approached.
**【Light Condensation】**
Holy Light School Active Skill
Prerequisites: Holy Light School Level 1, Intelligence 5
Cost: 1 Faith Point per second
Effect: Illuminates the environment within a 5-meter radius around you, reducing enemy stealth level by 1 within the area. No cooldown.
[Note: Say 'Let there be light' for your god.]
Two seconds later, Mo Tan ceased the Light Condensation, and then received a rough iron military tag and sixty copper coins.
"You've been assigned to the Fenrir Squad, recruit," the lizardman officer Gat muttered to Mo Tan. "Report to the barracks before noon tomorrow. You can go to the church during breaks, but no preaching in the unit unless you want a beating."
Mo Tan naturally had no objection to this. After asking about the barracks' location, he took his leave, and that day's recruitment officially ended. Captain Gat waited for a few soldiers to pack up the registration forms and such before taking his men out for drinks.
Five minutes later, Layered Rock City Dawn Church
"Welcome, child. What can I do for you?" the elderly priest bowed slightly to Mo Tan, looking at him kindly.
Mo Tan smiled back at the old man, then gazed up at the Dawn Goddess statue at the center of the church's first floor, saying softly, "In my wanderings, I was blessed by the holy light. In the name of the Dawn Goddess Paxie, I wish to join the church."
Though just a few minutes ago, he had no idea what the Dawn Goddess even was...
The Dawn Church, which worships Paxie, is one of the most deeply rooted factions on the Innocent Continent. Even Layered Rock City, the smallest settlement in the Marshall Dominion, had its church. So Mo Tan, having chosen the Priest class—a Holy Light Controller—as his basic profession, came here immediately after learning this information and expressed his desire to join.
"Blessed by the holy light? Oh, Goddess above..." the priest exclaimed in surprise at the pale golden holy light flickering at Mo Tan's fingertips. "Of course, of course you can. Go pray before the statue. If the Goddess acknowledges you, you can proceed with the Initiation Rite. Hehe, don't look at me like that—of course you'll be acknowledged~"
Seeming to notice Mo Tan's awkward expression, the priest patted his shoulder with a smile. "You are a blessed one who can comprehend the mysteries of the holy light on your own. The Goddess will surely favor you."
[I hope so...]
Kneeling on the cushion before the Goddess statue, Mo Tan couldn't help but feel uneasy. This unease didn't stem from himself, but from other concerns...
However, no surprises occurred. Almost the moment he closed his eyes, a gentle and ethereal voice echoed in his mind...
"My grace will be with you, child. Are you willing to become my agent in the mortal world, spreading my glory and defending my dignity?"
[Do you agree to become a follower of the Dawn Goddess Paxie?]
[Warning: Betraying your faith will come at a great cost.]
"Yes."
Mo Tan replied casually. The current personality didn't mind becoming a follower of anyone; from various perspectives, he was someone who went with the flow. Although he lacked ambition and obsession, and wasn't as distinctive as his other personalities, it was precisely this trait that allowed him to blend easily into society, just like any ordinary twenty-year-old.
Choosing the Priest as his base class was also because, rather than striving alone to become a hero or a legend, he preferred to coexist with others while keeping himself in a safe environment. This not only boosted his survival ability but also ensured that healers were always well-received, whether among NPCs or players~
From this, it was clear that as one of Mo Tan's multiple personalities, the player Hei Fan was more like someone playing a game.
[Congratulations on becoming a follower of the Dawn Goddess Paxie. Faith Points have been fully unlocked.]
The moment Mo Tan finished speaking, the system notification followed.
[Your Priest class has been upgraded to Level 2. Current experience: 90/150]
[You have obtained new attribute points]
[Unlocked Item Encyclopedia, Character Encyclopedia, Story Encyclopedia]
[The Dawn Church has been added to the Encyclopedia]
Mo Tan didn't immediately stand up. Instead, he slightly opened his eyes to confirm his updated information.
[Hei Fan]
HP: 170/170
MP: 190/190
Stamina: 140/140
Faith Points: 100/100 (Paxie)
Class: Priest Level 2, Current Experience 90/150
Faith: Dawn Goddess Paxie
Alignment: True Neutral
Base Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 5, Intelligence 9, Constitution 7, Unallocated: 2
Combat Attributes: Holy Light Knowledge Level 1
Skills: Light Condensation, Holy Healing, Tough Prayer, Light Arrow
Here, it was worth mentioning that as a seasoned old driver... veteran player with rich gaming experience, Mo Tan was a bit stunned when he first saw the skill 'Holy Healing,' considering he was only Level 2 at the time~
So he clicked to check...
[Holy Healing]
Holy Light School Active Skill
Mastery Requirement: Holy Light Knowledge Level 1
Cost/Restriction: 20 MP
Effect: Restores a small amount of HP to the target. Cooldown: 1 minute.
[Note: What did you think this was? That 'Holy Healing?' Stop dreaming!]
Three letters popped into his mind, but this was clearly not the time to say them out loud...
However, after reviewing his attributes, Mo Tan nodded with relative satisfaction. He allocated the two unassigned attribute points entirely to Intelligence, then stood up and bowed slightly to the priest who was standing nearby with a beaming smile: "Thank you."
"You're welcome, child." The priest handed him a thick tome: "This is your Teaching Book. Wherever you go, never forget the goddess's teachings."
Mo Tan reached out and took it. As expected, this book was indeed a piece of equipment.
[Teaching Book]
Weapon Type: Off-hand
Quality: Common
Attack: None
Attribute: Intelligence +1
**Equipment Requirement:** None
**[Note: First of all, it would be strange if this thing had attack power; secondly, it's just a book—what kind of equipment requirement could you expect from it? Literacy?]**
Mo Tan rolled his eyes after reading this malicious note, then thanked the priest again and prepared to leave, but unexpectedly...
"Hold on, my child." The priest called out to the slightly puzzled Mo Tan, smiling as he extended his hand and said, "The standard edition of the Teaching Book costs 1 silver coin. Just give me the cost price—20 copper coins."
...
After leaving the church with a darkened face, having gained an extra book, a new faith, leveled up once, and lost 20 copper coins, Mo Tan found that night had already fallen. He honestly didn't know which of the two angles—the fact that the Teaching Book cost money or that its profit margin was as high as 400%—to complain about. After holding it in for a long time, he only felt mentally and physically exhausted.
Innocent Realm had no main quests, so Mo Tan planned to report to the barracks early and then just go with the flow. After all, while he was quite enjoying the game, he didn't have any clear goals—at least not yet.
Within a few minutes, Mo Tan arrived at the Territorial Guard barracks in Layered Rock City. After subconsciously glancing around his surroundings, he stepped forward and greeted the guard at the gate.
"A new recruit?" A balding dwarf warrior in plate armor looked at Mo Tan suspiciously. "Got your Dog Tag?"
Mo Tan nodded, took out the military tag that the Lizardman Captain had given him earlier from the small pouch (Pack) at his waist, and handed it to him.
The dwarf warrior, who was inexplicably balding at a young age, nodded after taking the tag, then tossed it back to Mo Tan. "You're No. 9527, Hei Fan, right? Go inside, take the second entrance on the left, and that's the Fenrir Squad's station."
Mo Tan, who hadn't looked closely at the tag before, twitched the corner of his mouth with a look of resignation. After a brief thank-you, he walked through the main gate, only to hear the dwarf warrior's voice from behind: "You're a Priest, right? I heard the Fenrir Squad is just missing a Priest. I like making friends with healers. I'm Hephis Desak, from the Beaver Squad."
"Pfft!" Mo Tan nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. He turned back to Hephis with a twisted grin, then covered his face and quickly walked toward his destination, muttering to himself, "Hephis Desak from the Beaver Squad?! And he's balding?! Hah... that's way harsher than No. 9527..."
After about five minutes of walking, he arrived at the Fenrir Squad's station. There was a slightly shabby tiled house that looked pitch black inside, but a few people were gathered at the entrance chatting.
"Hey, you over there!" A middle-aged man holding a shield waved at Mo Tan while chatting with a few others. "You look a bit unfamiliar."
Mo Tan flashed his No. 9527 military tag again and said, "My name is Hei Fan. I'm new here and have been assigned to the Fenrir Squad. Greetings, senior."
The reason he said this was because Mo Tan saw a white giant wolf painted on the chest of the chainmail worn by the man in front of him, and the same emblem appeared on the armor of the few people beside him. It would be a bit foolish not to notice that...
"Yo! So you're the priest that Gat guy found for us?" The man looked Mo Tan up and down for a moment, then extended his hand with a hearty laugh. "Alright, I'm Ned, captain of the Fenrir Squad, a shield warrior. You all introduce yourselves too—we've got a healer now!"
The last sentence was shouted to the people around him.
"Klab, warrior~" The tall, burly black-skinned orc standing beside Ned crossed his arms and winked at Mo Tan. "Ever seen blood, little sprout?"
Mo Tan shrugged. "I'm better at getting rid of blood, but if you want me to take a good look at it, I'll do that when you get injured."
This slightly provocative reply wasn't made on impulse; Mo Tan knew well that a gentleman who constantly backs down in the face of provocation would never earn the respect of a normal orc.
Sure enough, Klab didn't get angry at all. Instead, he burst into laughter, stepped past Ned, and slapped Mo Tan hard on the shoulder, grinning. "You've got guts, kid!"
"Heh, got burned there, big guy~" The elven girl sitting cross-legged on the ground made a funny face at Klab, then turned to Mo Tan with a friendly smile. "I'm Yinna. Yinna. Morning Dew, apprentice ranger~ Hope we get along!"
Mo Tan smiled back at her. "Likewise."
"I'm Salazar." The blue-skinned lizardman leaning against the tile-roofed house wore leather gloves on both hands, his tone aloof. "Monk."
Mo Tan nodded, then looked with interest at the last person, who had been staring at him from the start.
"I'm Futaba." The orange-haired girl with a pair of black-rimmed round glasses smiled. "Mage, 2D otaku."
Without a doubt, she was also a player.
Ned gave Futaba a somewhat strange look, then shrugged at Mo Tan with a smile. "She's new too, a bit eccentric. Anyway, welcome to the Fenrir Squad, Hei Fan."
"An honor." Mo Tan gave a comical bow to everyone.
"There aren't any missions during these two days of recruitment. Just show up at noon each day. If you have property in the city like Futaba does, you don't have to stay in the barracks." Ned shrugged. "After all, the place isn't that great."
A player naturally couldn't have so-called 'property' in this small town on the first day of the game's launch, but Mo Tan still nodded. "That's great. So, is the registration done now?"
"Of course~" The girl named Futaba gave Mo Tan a playful smile, then stretched lazily. "I'm heading home. Since you've got a place in the city too, want to walk me?"
Mo Tan blinked at Ned. "Can I go?"
"Go ahead." Before Ned could speak, Yinna chimed in with a smile. "Just don't forget to show up tomorrow. We're planning to rest too."
After briefly saying goodbye to the others, Mo Tan left the barracks with Futaba.
This slow-paced little city had no curfew, and the not-so-strict Territorial Guard didn't mind soldiers leaving their posts when they had no tasks.
"You must have joined the Territorial Guard today too, right?" Walking along the wide avenue of Layered Rock City under the moonlight, Mo Tan initiated the conversation, turning to the girl beside him with a smile. "You know a lot."
Futaba curled the corner of her mouth slightly. "I thought you'd ask me first about the trick to getting a property on the first day the server opened."
Mo Tan shrugged. "Anyway, I think logging out in the barracks is a bit inconvenient."
So, conversations between two smart people are often very simple.
"I arrived earlier than you," Futaba said with a small yawn. "I just listened to a few more rules and thought about scouting for some intel or background, but unfortunately, I'm not very good at socializing."
Mo Tan nodded. "Maybe I can try tomorrow."
"Sure," Futaba said, rubbing her eyes listlessly. "I have to log off now; I've got things to do today. By the way, if you log in around 8:30 PM real time tomorrow, you'll make it in time for the assembly. See you then~"
Without waiting for Mo Tan's response, she vanished on the spot in a flash of white light.
"That's a pretty standard logout effect," Mo Tan remarked. "But how did she know..."
Before he could finish, something unexpected happened.
[You have been forcibly disconnected. Please choose whether to reconnect.]
"?"
[You have been forcibly disconnected. Please choose whether to reconnect.]
"Yes~"
[Reconnecting...]
[Connection established. Loading character information...]
[Innocent Realm is open for you. Character creation process is about to begin...]
"What?!"
Chapter 2: The End