World Witout Wizards: Guard

Glowing blood

Enemies will easily find you in the dark if you bleed

Shoulder injury

Dexterity and Stamina get a -1 penalty (they'll be leveled by Regeneration)

Recovery—2 days

Half-blood bastard, no race will accept you

If your parents leave you an inheritance, you'll have to defend it

Most people don't like half-bloods, considering interracial marriage to be a sin

The Servant of the HAND, you have accepted the power of the HAND, and it's visible to everyone

Once you have chosen this path, you will not be able to turn off it

Any opponent of the Empire will want to kill you

I was incredibly pleased. The MESSAGE somehow was duplicated. I decided I didn't have to worry about inheritance. My parents' only possession was their house and the forge.

Both buildings were strong and reliable. They could be used for several more decades. My parents were going to live a long life. Mom, being an elf, would probably outlive both me and my dad.

The life expectancy of half-bloods was almost half of that of the elves. My mother was very young. She's only three hundred years old. Most likely, she would live another seven hundred years, and I should live for about five centuries. The stones would turn to dust, the rivers would change their course in that time.

But the Empire would continue to exist because the real Demon reigned it. The Demon was the Lord of all demons and warlocks. His black HAND meant power as long as the continent had been existing. Why am I thinking about this?

Mother once told me that Light Gods had ruled the world in the beginning. Then came the war with the demons. They won and spared only those who obeyed them.

Maybe magic affects my thoughts... It's time to stop thinking and go get ready for the road.

I mentally opened the list of daily tasks, as I had done every morning for many years. There always used to be something like 'chop the wood' or 'bring the water'. Today was different. I didn't just need to get to the Baron's property. There was an incredible number of tasks and possible achievements on the list. There were specified conditions and possible bonuses for their performance. For example, to get the skill of a 'Beatmaster', I needed to catch a dozen animals of any sort with homemade traps. Some tasks were extremely unusual.

I sat on the bed and started looking through the list. All achievements were divided by difficulty. There were simple, advanced, rare, epic, legendary and divine ones. One of the achievements stood out from the rest.

Svyatogor

Divine achievement

Requirement: to get to the Core of the world and to return Light

Bonuses: all Dice Rolls and skills +10; Invulnerability from attacks +5

Oh, motherf.u.c.ker! For a measly +2, I killed a dragon, and I get + 10?

It seemed amazing. I wonder how these achievements manifested themselves in everyday life? If now I hit a stone with a hammer with all my strength, I'll leave a small mark. And what will happen if I hit it with the bonus of +10?

As soon as I asked myself that, my subconscious gave me the answer. Nothing will be left of the stone and other objects within the radius of thirty-two feet. There will be an even funnel.

I wouldn't need a hammer for this; I could just tap my finger on the mountain. It's creepy to realize that such powerful creatures inhabited our world. I shuddered and looked at the easier tasks. Maybe I should have focused on them.

I had already unlocked some achievements regarding skills and abilities. Even being a half-blood was an advantage. However, the more powerful the reward, the more efforts it required. These awards were mainly related to reputation.

Giant Killer

Requirement to destroy the Giant, robbing the northern territories

Reward Reputation (people's attitude) + 1

Drake Hunter

Requirement to get rid of the dragons in the canyon

Rewards 1. Reputation (the dragons' attitude - 5

2. Reputation (the Iron Mountain dwarves' attitude + 1

3. 50 gold coins from Krass Bank

I read about these young dragons; I thought the reward for such a great feat was too small. What does a hundred and fifty gold coins mean? Each gold coin is worth a hundred silver coins and a thousand copper coins. Therefore, I'd have five hundred thousand copper coins. I couldn't take so much money on a cart and hide it at home. If each coin weighed two grams, that would be about a ton. So much copper!

Scrolling through the list, I realized that achievements rarely offered a reward in gold. Often the reward was a passive skill or a skill increase by +1. Few achievements, requiring the learning or use of magic, had a reward above + 2.

The assignments or tasks were a better option. The MESSAGE indicated the exact type of reward and the person presenting the reward. I noticed that many of the tasks were of the same type.

The day had just started and so many tasks were already available for me. Well, I'll go to the forge at first and see what my father and mother have in store for me. I dressed quickly and ran to the forge. I could hear the banging of a hammer from the street.

"Oh! You've recovered so quickly—in a day," mom said in surprise, holding a long blade with her hands. I saw the same in my vision... However, there was one difference...

"Why isn't it black?" I said

"Black?" my father wondered, hammering on his anvil. "Why? It's an excellent flexible and durable grey steel. Ancient technology. You can attack and parry. It won't break or let you down. I think you'd better go for a walk. You're not helping."

"But I…"

"Dad's right, Sonny. Go for a walk. We'll need another twelve hours; we can't be distracted or stop…"

"Let me get you some food and water, I want to help…"

"Oh, John, he's so thoughtful," Naomi smiled. "Just like you!"

"Don't distract me," the blacksmith waved his hand and continued to work, "Don't bother me, son. Take that two-handed sword in the corner and practice... This sword is the right weight…"

I sighed as I walked over and picked up the heavy sword. A MESSAGE immediately appeared above the blade: 'Splendid Greystle's two-handed sword +1'

Wow, I've never seen anything like this before. Moreover, now all weapons had not only a name but also an indication of the bonuses.

I knew that no weapon could compare with the sword my parents were making for me. 'Splendid Greystle's two-handed sword +2' lay before the elf... The MESSAGE hadn't been formed yet, because mom was enchanting the sword.

Meanwhile, the dwarf was hammering workpiece, which was already named 'Splendid Gryestle's B.r.e.a.s.tplate +1'. I thought my father wasn't very satisfied with the result, and he still had a lot of work to do…

"I'm going to practice!" I shouted. They nodded and continued to work. Well, it's twelve o'clock now, I can do part of the tasks specified in the MESSAGES:

1. To accompany the skald Joker to the Mountain village—11 miles. Reward: 10 copper coins;

2. To accompany Defector Lysandra on the court to the River village—15 miles. Reward: 30 copper coins;

Additionally, bonuses to the reputation of the Black guard +1

3. To accompany Glavasd's guards to the border outpost—20 miles. Reward: 25 copper coins;

Additionally: Increasing the ability 'To use short swords' +1