King of the Mountain

Chapter 51: Unexpected Training Opportunity

It is definitely time to rest up and return home to check on things. I also need to plant this seed and see what it does. After a small break I should still have enough time to get through the Great Pyramids dungeon before the solstice and add some more levels. As soon as the group gets up in the morning I check on everyone’s status and growth. Identify.

Name: Elvira Race: Elemental Air Dragon

Level: 110 - 40% Status: Companion/Pet of Mark Anderson

Name: Esmerelda Race: Elemental Earth Dragon

Level: 112 - 77% Status: Companion/Pet of Mark Anderson

Name: Azure Race: Elemental Water Dragon

Level: 111 - 4% Status: Companion/Pet of Mark Anderson

Name: Sir Bruce Shadow Flaming Ember of Doom Race: Elemental Fire Dragon

Level: 114 - 21% Status: Companion/Pet of Mark Anderson

Name: Walter Race: Incan Wak’a Spirit

Level 175 - 32% Status: Familiar of Mark Anderson

Ok, it seems that I was right in that most of the experience is going to Walter and myself. The dragons for all that we did barely moved up in levels. However, if Walter is level 175 then I have to be a level higher. Time to check. My status screen is starting to get unwieldy though with all of the titles. Help, can I get my status updates without titles listed please until further notice?

Yes

Status.

Name: Mark Anderson

Level: 176 -5%

Unspent Attribute Points: 230

Str: 275

HP: 2,750

Int: 465 +230% MP

MP: 30,690

Wis: 465 +230% MP/Regen

HP/Regen: 632% per 15 min.

Agi: 275

MP/Regen: 1,000% per 15 min.

Con: 275 +130% HP/Regen

Luck: 275

Affinities: Earth - 100%

Water – 100%

Fire – 100%

Air – 100%

It looks like my MP/Regen has hit a limit. I should be above 1,000% but it seems like it is stuck there. Oh well live and learn I guess Wisdom will stay at 465 but I want to up my Intelligence to 600 for more mana and then distribute the rest of the points evenly.

Error, you cannot raise an attribute above 500 points until reaching tier 3. Player is still 15 levels shy of tier 3. Please redistribute your attribute points.

That’s a new message. So I cannot exceed 500 points until level 201 which is tier 3. I have limit break so I can continue leveling but the Earth is only at tier 2. However, since I had to spend a world perk on that tier upgrade it means that we can level faster than most people think. I bet there are very few new planets that get that perk and then use it efficiently before the Great Game competition. So if I can get past 500 in the future I should still raise my Wisdom attribute and keep it parallel with Intelligence. Hmm, I think this should be a good distribution of the points I have then. Status.

Name: Mark Anderson

Level: 176 -5%

Unspent Attribute Points: 0

Str: 315

HP: 3,150

Int: 500 +250% MP

MP: 35,000

Wis: 500 +250% MP/Regen

HP/Regen: 787% per 15 min.

Agi: 315

MP/Regen: 1,000% per 15 min.

Con: 315 +150% HP/Regen

Luck: 315

Affinities: Earth - 100%

Water – 100%

Fire – 100%

Air – 100%

I can’t believe that I broke the Great Game and forced an error message. This fills me with confidence. If I can get an error message about my attributes being too high and I still have a chance to level up more I should be nigh on unstoppable in my first Great Game competition. Calm down Mark, let’s not get overconfident. However, this does suggest some excellent possibilities. It seems obvious now that the Great Game is run by some Artificial Intelligence and not actual living beings. If there was a living person behind it the error probably would have been kicked up to it so they could fix it before it was presented to me.

That means if I can gain enough power or access to the Great Game I can possibly change some of the parameters so Earth is safe and no change over tragedy of the magnitude that hit Earth occurs to another planet in the future. That may be a lofty goal, but it is one that I should definitely work towards. I also need to keep an eye out for other bugs that I can exploit in the future. Time to get back to the castle and check on everything before heading out one more time.

When I arrive back at the castle, Jacob as usual is waiting for me in the throne room. How on earth does that guy always know when I am going to arrive. This is crossing the line of competent and starting to border on creepy. In fact it might even be in the realm of dangerous. If someone else can track my movements that could end very badly if they set a trap. I better figure this out.

“Jacob, I have a few questions for you if you do not mind.”

“Yes sire, I am here to serve.”

“First how are you always here when I teleport in? Can someone else track me? Should I be worried about ambushes?”

Jacob starts to laugh.

“Relax my king and I will explain. I have purchased an enchantment that notifies me and automatically teleports me to the throne room whenever someone is teleporting in. Since there is a very limited amount of people that have permission to teleport into the throne room I will always be present when they arrive. Although slight there is a small difference in time for teleporting into a protected building such as the castle and just teleporting around. This difference in time allows my teleport to arrive before you do, thus you see me waiting as I should be. This is my job to be ready to serve you whenever needed.”

“So if I teleported in at say 3:30 in the morning for no reason, you would appear in pajamas in front of me?”

“Please try and avoid that unless it is an emergency my lord, but yes I would unless I am awake enough to switch out my outfit through the Great Game before you can notice.”

“Alright Jacob I will try to avoid such embarrassing situations in the future. I was more worried about traps and ambushes.”

“The best way to avoid those my lord is to always teleport into what you know is a safe area or vary your teleport sites. Many monarchs have several teleport sites set up and each time they teleport randomly to one of their choice.”

“That is not a bad idea. I will consider it and make a decision soon. Is there anything going on that I need to know about?”

“Nothing that comes to mind sire. There is a delegation from the two kingdoms to the north that is supposed to arrive within the next week we were going to contact you about, but we do not know the exact time of their arrival.”

“Very well, I will deal with it as it comes up.”

I spent the rest of the day catching up with my daughter and extended family. Playing with several children and being an Uncle and father always puts me in a good mood. I actually like children in small doses when I do not have to teach them anything and can give them back. My extended family has adopted several children who were orphaned as a result of the Great Game change over and with my resources it was easy to cement myself as the favorite uncle. It is great goofing around with kids who have no idea that I am king or at least who have no idea what that means and they just treat me like any other adult. I think my 4 little ones were a bigger hit than me though. It is hard to compete with a talking dragon that can fly you around. Innocent times like this will probably be few and far between in the future. I need to remember that this is why I am doing everything I am. I want to keep my family and friends safe.

I may not be the best king or even the most popular person since I took away many rights that people enjoyed. However, I can say that I am protecting a large portion of people in the new world. That fact alone helps me deal with some of the harder choices I have had to make. I hope in the future I can restore some sort of normalcy to the world and to the people. Well enough wool gathering.

“Jacob.”

“Yes sire.”

“Please schedule a meeting with the entire council tomorrow say around 11 o’clock. We will be having a working lunch. I want to make sure everything goes well with the new kingdoms diplomats that are going to be arriving and we also need to discuss the Great Game Competition.”

“Very well sire, I will set it up.”

“Thank You”

Before I head to bed I decide to plant the World Tree seed in the center of the largest courtyard in the castle. As soon as I my Earth Magic and place the seed in the ground I see a Great Game message.

Would you like to germinate the World Tree seed for 5,000 mana?

I select yes and feel mana leave my body.

World Tree has been germinated. A world tree will grow between 1 meter and 5 meters per year based on care. For each meter of growth 10 square kilometers surrounding the World Tree will get a bonus of 2 times normal productivity.

That is fantastic. 2 times growth will really help the kingdom out in a few years as the area grows. More crops are always a good thing. I quickly let Jacob know to have the gardening group take special care of my new tree and tell Randolph to set up protection around it. I do not want some idiot digging up my bonus tree.

The next morning, I resupplied from the castle stores and then headed to the banquet room for the meeting.

“Welcome everyone. I have a few questions, then we will discuss the upcoming diplomats and have a general review of the kingdom.”

“First, does anyone have a better grasp on this whole Great Game competition and what I need to prepare for.”

Randolph is the first to speak up.

“Well sire, we know that there are three tournaments you can compete in this first year and two of them are mandatory.”

“You obviously know much more than me continue.”

“The first year all new entrants have a new comer’s, one vs. one tournament to establish their position. There are always ten new planets inducted each competition year. So you will face nine others in single combat.”

“Sounds easy enough. Anything else I should know?”

“After the new comer’s tournament there will be the general singles tournament. From my understanding the first round is a general melee where everyone fights everyone for 524 spots. The top 500 people from the year before automatically get seeded. It is also single elimination.”

“When I was made Planetary Leader I was given an announcement that I would be exempt from the first round. I assume that means the general melee. Is this common?”

“No sire, I have never heard of that.”

“Interesting, please continue.”

“The final optional tournament is a team tournament. You can enter with any size team up to 10 people. Once again the top ten groups from the previous year are automatically seeded. The rest compete for 22 other spots in a king of the castle tournament.”

“Well that is very interesting. Next question, how do you know so much?”

“Well sire the Great Game allows you to purchase a viewing crystal. It is relatively cheap and many people watch and bet on the results of the tournament. It is the biggest gambling occasion I know of. I have even heard that the participants in the tournament bet with each other.”

“What are the prizes and stakes of this tournament?”

“Planetary Perks my lord. How many I do not know, but I do believe that several can be earned. These allow the upgrades to planets and give immunity from invasion and can also allow you to invade other planets.”

“I see, is there anything else I should know?”

“Not that I can think of my lord. I have never actually talked to a participant before. This knowledge that I have given you is considered common among planets that have been part of the Great Game for a while.”

“Alright then lets move on. The next item is on the agenda is the visiting diplomats. I want them to feel welcome. Trade is always good. However, I will not have the core principles of this kingdom compromised. If they allow slavery, we will not trade. We do not have to be openly hostile, but let them know we do not condone slavery. Also anyone who enters our kingdom must abide by our rules. If they disagree, send them on their way. Any questions?”

Several people started to speak up, but I waved them to silence because I had just received a Great Game notice.

As a new participant in the Great Game you will be transported to a training facility to ensure that you are prepared for your first tournament. You have 60 minutes to prepare.

“Ok gentleman and ladies a new twist. I just got a message from the Great Game that I will transported to a training facility in an hour to make sure I am ready for the tournament. I trust you to keep everything running smoothly. I must go now and prepare.”

I left the room at a run. I have to gather everyone up from my team and make sure I have restocked everything. I am glad that I resupplied this morning it should simplify matters. A little less than an hour later I was saying goodbye to my family and getting well wishes from the staff and councilors.

“Do not worry sire we will take care of everything in your absence and we will be watching you in the tournament.”

“Yes Daddy, have a good time, be strong and win as much as you can.”

You will be transported to the training facility in 3..2..1..

Here we go again.