Gamer Emblem Awakening Chapter 1, a fire emblem fanfic

Hello, dear readers. CrossVipeR 316 here.

After reading and enjoying so many different kinds of fanfiction, I decided to try my hand on it myself. Before we begin, however, I have some important information.

Copyright disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Fire Emblem franchise or the "The Gamer" manga. Nor do I own anything related to any other kind of media/story referenced or mentioned in this story. The only things I own are the plot of this story and its two OC:s. Any other element referenced or mentioned in this story belong to their respective owners.

There, that should do as a proper copyright disclaimer. Without further ado, enjoy!

Chapter 1: Obligatory tutorial level (or: Is it wrong to pick up random women on the field?)

It quickly became clear to me that I woke up in a place that I wasn't supposed to be in. How, you ask? Well, the first clue was that I know for a fact that the mattress on my bed is nowhere near as hard as what I felt on my back when I regained consciousness. The second clue was that I saw grass. Really high grass. My room has no grass in it. The third clue was that I could see the sky above. My room has a ceiling. Conclusion? Wherever in the world I was, it was clearly NOT my room. Sitting up, I had a look around me. I was in a field. A giant freakin' field in the middle of who knows where. Okay. Slow, deep breaths. I was in an unfamiliar place, with no civilization in sight and I had no idea how I ended up here in the first place. What was I supposed to do? Step 1: minor panic attack. Step 2: pull myself together. Step 3: check myself to make sure I was in good health.

Well, my limbs were working at least. No wooziness, no fever, no feeling as if my stomach wanted to turn itself inside out either. Good, at least I was physically fine. Huh. A closer look on my body showed that I wasn't wearing any of the clothes that I went to sleep with. Instead, they looked more… medieval? 16th century? Eh, close enough. A beige long sleeved shirt with the sleeves slightly rolled up. Red pants held up by a rope for a belt, and a pair of brown leather boots on my feet. The weird thing about my outfit was that it fit me perfectly – despite me wearing it for the first time. And thank goodness for the warm weather, 'cause I had no cloak!

"So, I'm in a place I don't know, with clothes I never remember owning and I'm absolutely clueless about what's going on. Now what?"

As if answering my spoken question (which was pretty silly since I seemed to be completely on my own here), a blue rectangle with text popped up right in front of my face.

Quest alert
Main quest: Where am I?
You wake up in the middle of a field with nothing but the clothes on your body and more questions than you're comfortable with. How did you get here? Where did those clothes come from? Does the toast really hit the floor butter side down every time? Better find out where you are and what's going on.
Objective: Find out about your situation.
Rewards: Not being clueless, ?, ?, ?, 1 000 EXP, 1000 gold
Failure: You remain clueless and fade away in the annals of history as nothing more than a foot note, if even that.

Waaait a minute. I recognized this text box! Something like this happened in those fanfics that I had grown fond of. You know, those where the main character wakes up and finds out he/she somehow gained the gamer abilities from the… Gamer… manga…

No way. There was no way! I had the abilities of a Gamer!? Wha- How- I thought that kind of stuff was only fictional! Still, that quest alert before was a dead giveaway. But I couldn't be certain yet. I had to find out whether this was the case. And what better way than to try creating one of the most well-known Gamer abilities there was? And I did it by looking at my boots and muttering

"Observe"

A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Observe"!

Observe, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 10 MP
The ability to analyze just about anything and anyone you see. The better you are with this skill, the more information you can gather from an observation. A master can glean myriads of info with just a single glance.

New item observed! Discovered leather boots!

Leather boots, Clothing, Very common
Simple boots made of leather. Worn by most common folk due to being fairly affordable. Not the most stylish or protective footwear, but definitely comfortable. Though I wouldn't smell their insides if I were you!

Welp, that did it. I had officially confirmed that I had the abilities of a Gamer. A quick look around me (and rapid spamming of Observe while I was at it) showed that I was still alone on the field. Okay. Take a deep breath and-

"Oh my goodness, I'm a Gamer! I'm a freakin' Gamer! I wake up in the middle of nowhere and now my entire life is a video game where I'm the main character! Somebody slap me! If this is a dream, I better wake up right now! Holy smokes! Holy-"

"Ungh… Who´s screaming over there?"

I froze. I heard a voice (miraculously over my frantic screaming). A distinctly female one. So I wasn't alone after all. Cool. Then came the realization that she most likely heard me while I was busy freaking out. Uh, wow… this was awkward. Still, better being in company and embarrassed than having some dignity intact and zero company. So I ignored whatever awkwardness I felt and ran to where I heard the voice. That's when I saw her. Lustrous, silky hair colored the purest silver with two hair clips on the sides keeping the bangs out of her eyes. A face whose beauty could never be fully captured by any picture, be it painted or photographed. A body that was mostly covered by a thick black coat with purple accents (though my more hormonal side noted that it wasn't enough to completely hide the distinctly feminine figure underneath). Her hands wore black leather gloves, her legs – from what I could see – wore beige pants and like me, she wore brown leather boots on her feet. Back to her face. Her face! That face could only belong to one person in existence. A fictional person commonly known as Robin, the avatar from Fire Emblem Awakening.

So I'm a person turned Gamer who somehow ended up in southern Ylisse right next to the female avatar from one of the most famous Fire Emblem games in the series. That…was a lot to take in.

Quest alert: Where am I?
Congratulations! You've learned at least the basic gist of what happened to you and discovered that you ended up in the world of Fire Emblem Awakening. Looks like you get to join Chrom and his merry band of Shepherds on their wild adventure across the world. Have fun and don't die!
Objectives cleared: Find out about your situation.
All objectives cleared!
Rewards: Menu is now available! You got a mysterious bag! You gain 1 000 EXP! You gain 1000 gold! You recovered a lost memory!

You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up!

I completed my first quest already. Neat. But wait, lost memory? What´s that supposed to- AAAAARGH!

Flashback:

I'm late! I'm sooo late! The graduation ceremony's starting in five minutes and I'm not even at campus! Come on, this is supposed to be the crowning of my three years of hard work and studying! And I was about to miss graduation because I happened to oversleep? No! I refuse to let that happen. If my current pace won't get me to the gathering hall in time, I'll just have to increase it! I'm pushing my legs to the limit. Not sure if my bike has ever gone this fast. No matter. The last cross roads before campus is coming up and the signal shows green! I'll make it, barely! Keep going! Don't stop! Wait, why is that car crossing at red sig-

Oh, my aching head! What was that? Wait, I think I remember. Before I woke up in this field, I was a university student. I was studying… What was it again? English? No. Environmental protection? Familiar, but still no. Oh yeah, engineer! I was studying to become an engineer! Pretty strict education I got too. Everything in my studies were finally done after three years of hard work. All that was left was attending the graduation ceremony and receive my diploma. And I would've made it too if it wasn't for that traffic accident. Man, talk about tripping at the finish line. But I knew I had a choice here. I could either let the sadness over my untimely demise bring me down in depression and anchor me where I stood, or I could try to move forward in what had become my new life, starting with helping the woman lying in front of my feet.

BGM: Id (serene version), Fire Emblem: Awakening music

Robin slowly opened her eyes and blearily blinked her eyesight into focus. Being so close to her, I was naturally the first one she saw. I reached out my hand and offered to help her up.

"Hey, you okay down there? The ground's not exactly a good place to sleep on. Trust me, I know." I said in a somewhat concerned voice. Robin blinked a few more times before grabbing my hand. A little effort on my part, and she was back up on her feet. Hm… she was about as tall as I was, which would be around 167 cm (or roughly 5 ft 6 inches if you're using the English units of measurements).

"Thank you" she said with a smile. "I really appreciate it, um…"

I could practically read the question on her face. Should I tell her my name? Hmm, nah. Maybe something else. New life, new name.

"My name is Jack. You?" I asked back.

"My name is… Robin. And oddly enough, that´s the only thing I can remember." Robin replied.

"The only thing?" I asked. Of course, I knew all about her amnesia. I've played through the game after all. Still wouldn't hurt to show at least some concern though. Naga knows I'd be in a pickle if I lost my memory. "That… sounds awfully troubling."

"Tell me about it." Robin sighed. "Here I am, waking up in the middle of a field right next to a stranger with no memory of my past. What do I even do in this situation?"

That's when I decided to do the gentlemanly thing; help a lady in need, no matter the situation. "Well, we could always travel together, at least until we reach the next village or town. Whatever comes after that, you can figure out when we get there." I offered.

"Really?" Hope seemed to rise in Robin´s eyes. "I mean, we just met, and you'd help a complete stranger just like that?"

"Wouldn't you?" I immediately fired back. "Heck, I'm about as lost as you here, except I still have my memories."

"Huh?"

"I've never traveled these lands before. The only travel plan I have at the moment is finding the nearest dirt road and hope that a village or town lies at the end of it." I said while looking around for said dirt road. "Might as well have you along, since you could use some help. Besides, traveling is always more enjoyable with company."

Robin smiled when hearing that.

"Thank you. I hope I can return the favor someday. So, which way are we going?"

Well, Robin, you might return that favor sooner than you think. But she raised a good question. Where were we supposed to go? I just met Robin in the middle of the field right at the beginning of Awakening. Normally it's Chrom and Lissa who pick her up and take her to the town where the first real battle begins. With no Ylissean royalty in sight, it fell on me to get Robin to that town, preferably before Chrom and co decided to leave and camp in the forest.

Quest alert
Main quest: The verge of history
Now that you and Robin are fast friends, you´re ready to get the show on the road. Problem: Chrom's not in sight and you know how important it is that Robin joins up with him and demonstrates her awesome skills. So it's up to you to help everyone's favorite tactician meet the prince of Ylisse and join the ranks of the Shepherds. Maybe you could sign up yourself while you're at it.
Objectives: Escort Robin to the Southtown, ?, ?
Rewards: 1 500 EXP, 1 500 gold
Bonus objectives: ?, ?
Bonus rewards: ?, ?, 500 EXP, 500 gold
Failure: You and Robin wander the land aimlessly, never knowing about the grand fate you two missed.

Well, looks like we had our next objective. But how was I even supposed to find Southtown? My sense of direction honestly left a lot to be desired, but I knew how to read a map. Now where could I get a map of Ylisse in the middle of nowhere? Wait, that quest alert back then told me that a menu was available. Let's see if I could access it. If I remember correctly, I could activate any skill or function with just a mental command instead of saying it.

BGM ends

"Menu"

And just like that, the menu popped up in front of me. Fortunately, Robin didn't seem to notice it. Or else that would result in quite a few questions that I was not comfortable with answering, or even try to answer. I went back to the menu and had a look at its contents.

Status

Equipment

Skills

Inventory

Quests

Observe log

Options

At the bottom right of the menu, my current money count was displayed. Looks like the currency was the same as in the game: gold pieces. There were a few other options in the menu too, but they were blurred out. Maybe I could unlock them through some action?

Quest alert
Side quest: Expanding possibilities
You finally checked the menu and found a lot of important functions, but some functions seem unavailable to you at the moment. There's got to be a way to unlock them.
Objective: Unlock all functions in the menu
Rewards: More stuff that you can do, 2 000 EXP, 1 000 gold

So there were side quests too, huh? Looks like I had my work cut out for me if I wanted to get as good at this whole gaming thing as possible. Good thing there was no penalty for failing the quest though, except for those options still being unavailable. Now to look at those contents that I could access in the menu.

Hold on, could I use Observe on these?

New mechanic observed! Discovered Status!

Observe is now level 5!

Status, menu screen
A screen that displays the most immediate info about your character, such as your name, level, EXP, HP, MP, status ailments and much more. You're bound to check this screen quite often, as this is where you spend stat points to increase your abilities.

Looks like I could. Cool. Now let's see what the other contents had to offer.

New mechanic observed! Discovered Equipment!

Equipment, menu screen
Equipment is only good if you wear it. This screen allows you to check the gear you're currently wearing, what gear you have available and change your gear as you please. Just don't try putting your footwear on your head. Not only does that option not exist in this menu, it just looks plain ridiculous.

New mechanic observed! Discovered Skills!

Observe is now level 6!

Skills, menu screen
Knowing what you can do and what you can't is a basic awareness that every gamer worth their skillset has. This screen displays every skill you have and all you need to know about them. Check this menu often. Forgetting about a skill that could've helped you out in a sticky situation isn't just bad in general; it´s embarrassing too.

New mechanic observed! Discovered inventory!

Inventory, menu screen
Keeping stock on your stuff can be just as important as knowing the full extent of your skillset. This screen shows what items you're currently carrying and what can be used at the moment. Just don't get greedy and carry everything you get your hands on. That gets cumbersome very quickly – unless you find a way to carry more than you should be physically capable of.

New mechanic observed! Discovered Quests!

Observe is now level 7!

Quests, menu screen
You'll probably be busy between everything you want to do and everything happening around you. This screen keeps track of which quests are ongoing and which quests you've already completed. Feel free to check this screen if you ever need a refresher on what you need to do. Sure beats jotting down everything on a bucket list.

New mechanic observed! Discovered Observe log!

Observe log, menu screen
It is said that knowledge is power. However, you need to keep track of your knowledge if you even want to make use of it. That's what this screen is for. Here you can find records of everyone and everything you've observed over the course of your adventure, including a picture of any object or person on this list. Should you discover anything new about someone/something already observed, the information is automatically updated. You can even sort the records according to a variety of criteria to make it easier finding the entry you want to read. It's like having your very own database, except it's all in your head. Eat your heart out, academics!

New mechanic observed! Discovered Options!

Options, menu screen
If you've ever played a video game, chances are you already know the purpose of this screen. Want help keeping track of the time? Wanna see your HP and MP at all times? Do you hate having alerts getting in your face every three seconds? Maybe you're the kind of person who can't go without a mini-map? All this and more can easily be changed in this screen. A minute here could streamline your gaming experience for a long time to come.

You gained a new title! You gained "Self-aware observer"!

"Titles" has been unlocked in the menu!

Whoo… That was a lot of info. At least now I knew where I could configure stuff if I needed to. And I got a title just by going through the menu. Nice! Better check that "Titles" menu too. But before that, I'd better look for that mini-map in the options menu. Robin was getting impatient and we really needed to get going if we wanted to catch that Shepherd train in time. It was a good thing the menu was so easy to maneuver around. Sure enough, the mini-map popped up in the top-right corner of my field of view. A circular map with me at the center, a dot right next to me, presumably Robin, and a rough display of the surrounding terrain. All in all, a decent mini-map.

Do you want to display directions for your next quest objective on the mini-map?

Yes, please. A yellow arrow popped up at the upper edge of the mini-map, signifying that Southtown lay north of our current position.

"I think I have an idea of where we're supposed to go." I told Robin.

"Finally. You sure took your time."

"Sorry. Had to get my bearings first." I scratched the back of my head in embarrassment. Kinda made me feel like an animé character. "But like I said, I think I know where we can start searching for civilization." I pointed in the direction that the arrow on my mini-map showed. "That way."

Robin raised an eyebrow at my seemingly random choice of direction, but then shrugged and went with it. It's not like she had any better idea of where to go than I did. And so, we walked. Hm, now that I had a closer look at that mini-map, its design reminded me of the mini-map from The Legend of Zelda; Breath of the Wild, right down to the shape of the guiding arrow. Hopefully there were more mechanics from that game in here. I love that game! But enough about my Zelda-fandom (which I'm sure is shared with many others). I had some more stuff to look at in the menu. Like observing the new screen.

New mechanic observed! Discovered Titles!

Observe is now level 8!

Titles, menu screen
Titles are bestowed to people who have achieved feats that range from noteworthy to godlike. Some people even receive titles due to the circumstances around their birth. Regardless of how you got the title, though, they work the same. This menu lists all titles that you currently have. Titles may not seem like much at first, but the right title at the right moment can have a tremendous impact.
Note: Multiple titles can be equipped simultaneously (this is done in the Status menu), so long as they don't contradict each other. A title can also be lost under certain conditions. Tread carefully! Reclaiming a lost title can be much harder than when you first gained it.

Titles, huh? Sounds useful. Better check the title I just got.

Titles:

Self-aware observer
You're the kind of person who leaves no stone unturned, always ready to pursue more knowledge. In fact, you're so meticulous in your search that you even observe the game itself! Just don't get too detached from the game. It's supposed to be immersive. Heck, this is supposed to be your life now! Live a little! Passively increases INT by 5 %. Gives EXP equal to your INT stat (base level) every time a new entry is added to your Observe log or any information is updated in an already existing entry.

The Gamer
The bearer of this title lives the dream of many serious gamers; being the main character in a video game instead of just playing as one. Games are meant to be fun, but in your case, things might get serious pretty fast. Good thing you've got plenty of possibilities for facing the hardships ahead. Just don't forget to live and have fun while you're at it. This IS your life now after all.
Grants the skills Gamer's body and Gamer's mind.

So this title granted me the primary skills that every character in those Gamer fanfics that I've read received, and the other title supposedly made me more intelligent and helped me get stronger the more stuff that I discovered. Yeah, I was gonna abuse the living daylights out of this, especially Self-aware observer. Seriously, Observe was a great skill on its own, but leveling up just by observing stuff AND making that skill better in the process made for one potentially OP combo. Next up, the status screen.

Status

Name: Jack Lvl: 4 EXP: 400 / 1000

Class: Traveler (+10 % EXP when reaching new area in city/town/village or landmark)

Titles:
The Gamer (Grants Gamer´s body and Gamer´s mind)

Status condition: None

HP: 600 / 600
HPR: 5, 45 (5*1,09) / minute

MP: 1 018 / 1 100
MPR: 14, 08 (11*1,28) / minute

STR: 5
VIT: 4
DEX: 3
INT: 36
WIS: 28
LCK: 4
CHAR: 9

POINTS: 30

Gear:

Mysterious medallion
Common shirt
Common trousers
Mysterious bag
Leather boots

Items:

None

Dear me, look at that INT stat! It was at least four times as high as all other stats except for WIS which was high on its own! I'd better check this stuff. Or… wait a minute. Maybe I should spend some points first. I did say that I would abuse the living daylights out of Self-aware observer after all. An INT-stat of 50 should do for now.

A new skill has become available due to your high intelligence! You gained "Telekinesis"!

Telekinesis, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 1 MP = 1 Newton of force
An ability only available to those with a strong mind. By using the energy known as mana, the user can manipulate anything that has substance and mass by using their mind as if it were an extension of their body. The cost of this skill depends on how much force the user exerts on an object. The higher the skill level, the more force can be exerted for the same amount of mana.

Wow. Not only would I get more EXP now for every new observation, I also gained a new skill. A pretty versatile one too. I could use a place for practicing this skill. Until then, I equipped the Self-aware observer title and started observing my status screen.

New mechanic observed! Discovered Name! You gain 50 EXP!

Name, character aspect
Your name. Not much to be said about it, other than what others will call you.

New mechanic observed! Discovered Lvl (level)! You gain 50 EXP!

Observe is now level 9!

Lvl (level), character aspect
Your current level. A person's level indicates how experienced they are. They're usually stronger too. Don't let this fool you, though. Some characters with a low level have been known to possess immense amounts of power, allowing them to defeat opponents with significantly more experience than them.
Every time your level increases, your maximum HP increases by 100, your maximum MP increases by 50 and you gain 10 POINTS.

New mechanic observed! Discovered EXP (experience)! You gain 50 EXP!

EXP (experience), character aspect
The amount of experience that you've accumulated during your current level, as well as the amount of experience needed to reach the next level. The higher your level, the more EXP you need in order to gain another level.

New mechanic observed! Discovered Class! You gain 50 EXP!

Observe is now level 10! The cost of Observe goes down by 1 MP per use!

Class, character aspect
Your current class. Each class comes with its own strengths and weaknesses. Or only provides a few strengths at the trade-off of not having any distinct weaknesses.

New class observed! Discovered Traveler! You gain 50 EXP!

Traveler, class
A stranger traversing through unfamiliar lands. With no clear goal in sight, they try to keep their options open and commitments few.
Gains 10 % more EXP when reaching a new area within a city/town/village or a new landmark.

New mechanic observed! Discovered Status condition! You gain 50 EXP!

Status condition, character aspect
Displays any condition your body is in that affects your performance in battle. These conditions can range from buffs that temporarily
increase your movement speed to debuffs that make you slowly lose HP due to a bleeding wound. Always be aware of your status condition.

New mechanic observed! Discovered HP (health points)! You gain 50 EXP!

Observe is now level 11!

HP (health points), character aspect
Displays how much health you have left. If your HP hits 0, you die, no ifs or buts. Always make it a top priority to keep your HP at a good level.

New mechanic observed! Discovered HPR (health point regeneration)! You gain 50 EXP!

HPR (health point regeneration), character aspect
One of the most fascinating aspects of the body is its ability to heal on its own, provided it has enough nutrients and gets plenty of rest.
Automatically restores your HP without having to use healing spells or items, though at a much slower rate. Base rate is 1 % of maximum HP. The multiplier increases by 0.01 times the sum of you STR and VIT (base stat).

New mechanic observed! Discovered MP (mana points)! You gain 50 EXP!

MP (mana points), character aspect
Mana is an energy that exists in every living being. Through hard work and ingenuity, man learned to harness this internal energy to suit their needs, be it in combat, magecraft or even mundane tasks. This stat displays the amount of mana you can access at the moment. Mana is necessary in order to use skills. If you run out of MP, you cannot use skills until they've recovered.

New mechanic observed! Discovered MPR (mana point regeneration)! You gain 50 EXP!

Observe is now level 12!

MPR (mana point regeneration), character aspect
Every living being has a natural source of mana inside their body. Even if they run out of mana, this internal source slowly restores the mana lost.
Automatically restores your MP without the use of items, but at a much slower rate. Base rate is 1 % of maximum MP. The multiplier increases by 0.01 times your WIS.

New mechanic observed! Discovered STR (strength)! You gain 50 EXP!

STR (strength), character aspect
Displays your physical strength. The higher your STR, the more damage you do through physical attacks in combat. STR is also useful for everyday tasks like lifting and carrying heavy objects. Lots of muscle mass does not equate to high STR. Some muscle heads only flex for show.

New mechanic observed! Discovered VIT (vitality)! You gain 50 EXP!

You have leveled up!

VIT (vitality), character aspect
Displays your life force. The higher your VIT stat, the more resilient you are against attacks.
Every point in VIT (base stat) increases your maximum HP by 50.

New mechanic observed! Discovered DEX (dexterity)! You gain 50 EXP!

Observe is now level 13!

DEX (dexterity), character aspect
Dexterity covers several aspects of your physical abilities, from how well you can move your body even at high speeds, to how well you can aim with a bow. To summarize, the DEX stat displays how well you can control your body.

New mechanic observed! Discovered INT (intelligence)! You gain 50 EXP!

INT( intelligence), character aspect
One of man's greatest assets is their mind. The ability to store information and apply it to solve all manner of tasks and problems has allowed man to flourish in environments that would normally be uninhabitable. The INT stat displays your ability to memorize information as well as your ability to use that information to solve problems. It also affects the power of your magic-based skills, be they offensive, defensive or supporting.
Every point in INT (base stat) increases your maximum MP by 25.

New mechanic discovered! Discovered WIS (wisdom)! You gain 50 EXP!

WIS (wisdom), character aspect
While intelligence is considered a mark of how well you can solve a problem, wisdom is considered a mark of how well you can make the right choice. This stat displays how well you can discern which option has the best outcome.
Every point in this stat increases your MPR by 1 % unit.

New mechanic observed! Discovered LCK (luck)! You gain 50 EXP!

Observe is now level 14!

LCK (luck), character aspect
LCK displays how often things go in your favor. This ranges from how easy it is to dodge enemy attacks or scoring a critical hit to how often an enemy drops a rare item upon defeat. A high amount of luck can bring great fortune and advantages without needing any effort, but it can also abandon you in your moment of need should you rely on it too much. It's all a matter of, well, luck.

New mechanic observed! Discovered CHAR (charisma)! You gain 50 EXP!

CHAR (charisma), character aspect
The ability to sway another person's opinion to match your own has been a hallmark of many great leaders. Whether it's negotiating a business deal or inspiring an army before a battle, having a high CHAR stat makes it easier for you to have another person agree with you and go along with what you say. You, too, can be a great leader. Just make sure you can back up your words with your actions.

New mechanic observed! Discovered POINTS! You gain 50 EXP!

POINTS, character aspect
The easiest way to increase your stats is by spending POINTS on the respective stat. Take heed, however. Leveling up may be the simplest way of gaining more stat points, but leveling up in itself becomes harder the higher your level is. Now if only there were an alternate way too gain these points…

Phew. Going through all those things in the status screen was really taxing. Though I didn't feel particularly tired mentally, even with all that info crammed into my brain. I think I knew why, and I could confirm it by checking my skills.

Skills:

Gamer's body, Lvl MAX, Passive
You have the body of a video game character. Eating, training, meeting with people, everything has been translated into game mechanics for you.
Allows the user of this skill to interact with the world as if they were playing a video game. Sleeping in a bed restores all HP and MP and removes all negative status ailments. Sleeping on a bed roll restores HP and MP by 50 % of their maximum value and removes all negative status ailments. Other sleeping arrangements restore HP and MP by 10 % of their maximum value.

Gamer's mind, Lvl MAX, Passive
You perceive everything in the world as if it were part of a videogame. This allows you to see things others don't see, like all the menus, alerts and whatnot.
Gives total immunity to all negative mental status ailments.

Observe, Lvl 14 [66.7 %], Active, Cost: 9 MP
The ability to analyze just about anything and anyone you see. The better you are with this skill, the more information you can gather from a single observation. A master can glean myriads of info with just a single glance.

Just as I thought. The reason why I could take in all this info was because of Gamer´s mind. Looks like mental exhaustion counted as a negative mental status ailment.

"Jack, look!"

You have arrived at Southtown! You gain 220 EXP!

We got there already? Huh. Looks like going through all those parts of my status screen distracted me long enough for us to reach the town.

Never mind that though, the town was on fire! Looks like the bandits had already started pillaging. Since no one could be seen trying to put out those fires, it was safe to assume that Chrom and co were still fighting those bandits (or worse, they hadn't even arrived).

"Looks like trouble. Come on, Robin!" I called before running towards the burning town.

"Wait! You can´t just run in there without a plan!" Robin shouted behind me before following suit. Maybe I should've listened to her, 'cause next thing I knew, an alert popped up in my face.

A new skill has been unlocked due to certain circumstances. You gained "Detect bloodlust".

Detect bloodlust, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive
Not everything in the world greets you with good intentions. This skill allows you to detect when someone approaches you with a genuine desire to harm or even kill you.
Range: 3 meters.

Bloodlust detected!

That alert probably saved my life, as I barely managed to dodge a sword thrust towards my chest by throwing myself to the side.

"Tch! Missed that one. Lucky feller, ain't ya?"

A quick Observe informed me about all I needed to know about my assailant as I stood back up.

New enemy observed! Discovered Bandit! You gain 50 EXP!

Observe is now Lvl 15!

Bandit Lvl 4 Class: Mercenary
A lawless thug who resorts to violence and pillaging for a living. While not much of a threat against a trained soldier, untrained civilians would do best to keep their distance, lest they get assaulted with no way of defending themselves.

HP: 400 / 400
MP: 50 / 50

STR: 6
VIT: 6
DEX: 5
INT: 4
WIS: 2
LUCK: 3
CHAR: 0

Items:

Bronze Sword (Equipped)

New class observed! Mercenary discovered! You gain 50 EXP!

Mercenary, class
Combat professional for hire. This unit makes combat and open warfare a livelihood but can get paid for doing all manner of odd jobs. As a result, mercenaries are typically well-rounded physically and skilled in many areas.
Passively increases STR, VIT and DEX by 3 %. Increases attack power and attack speed by 5 % when attacking with a sword. Magic spells of any element do 10 % less damage. Damage taken from magic spells of any element increases by 5 %.

New weapon observed! Bronze Sword discovered! You gain 50 EXP!

Bronze Sword, Sword, Base damage: 20, Very common
A weapon favored among town militia and travelers who prefer to travel armed. Cheap, durable and easy to wield, it's the ideal weapon to pick up for anyone who wants to learn how to wield a sword. But don't expect to deal any devastating blows with it unless you're an accomplished sword wielder or just ridiculously strong.

So… my first enemy and he already looked ready to tear me to shreds. I saw Robin run towards me with a Bronze Sword of her own already drawn, but she quickly dodged to the side as another bandit tried to get the jump on her. S-it! Looks like I was on my own here. I may have superior intellect compared to this mook, but I knew fighting against him unarmed would be a terrible idea. So I employed the secret Joestar strategy for whenever facing a superior foe; Run for your life!

"Hey, get back here!" I heard the bandit shout behind me. I ran as fast as I could, trying to dodge left and right in the hopes of shaking him. But, man, that bandit was persistent in chasing me! I eventually lost him by dodging into an alleyway and immediately hiding behind some crates and barrels. I forced my breathing to a calm level so I wouldn't give away my position. I could hear the bandit slowly stalking the alleyway on the other side of my hiding spot.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are~." he said in a sing-song voice. Just great. I just managed to escort Robin to Southtown, and now I was separated from her with a bloodthirsty bandit hot on my trail, not even knowing if Chrom and the others had found the Tactician. I had to make an escape fast and find her, but how was I supposed to get past that mook? The guy was patrolling the whole freakin' alleyway now!

Hm… A closer look at my hiding spot indicated that I had hidden myself among the supplies of a merchant's stall. I might find something useful here. Checking that I was still out of the bandit's line of sight, I started to carefully look in an open crate.

You got a Frying pan!

New weapon observed! Discovered Frying pan! You gain 50 EXP!

Frying pan, Blunt weapon, Base damage: 10, Very Common
A tool often found in homes for cooking. It might deal a good wallop if swung with enough force, or it could even be used as a shield. It's made of cast iron, after all.

Not what I was hoping for, but beggars can't be choosers. And hey, if Flynn Rider could do it, so could I. Now all I needed to do was get past that bandit. Facing him head on would be a bad idea, so a sneak attack might work better. Fortunately for me, he made a return trip down the alleyway, right past where I was hiding. Steady… Slow, quiet breaths… I carefully peeked from behind the barrels as his footsteps passed me. His back was exposed. I tensed and lunged with the Frying pan held over my head. Eat cast iron, chump!

*Wham!*

A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Stealth"!

Stealth, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive
The art of staying undetected is a vital skill for any thief or assassin. After all, if no one knows you're there, they can't prepare any defense in time.
Passively reduces an enemy's range of detection by 3 %. Reduces the likelihood of an enemy spotting you by 3 % when sneaking or hiding. Performing a successful sneak attack guarantees a critical hit. Additionally, any damage dealt increases by 100 % and ignores all defenses.

A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Blunt weapon mastery"!

Blunt weapon mastery, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive
Weapons don't need to be sharp and pointy to be dangerous. Wielding a blunt, weighty weapon can reduce even the toughest fighters to mush with a heavy enough blow.
Increases attack speed and attack power by 5 % when attacking with a blunt weapon such as a hammer or any object with a dull impact surface.

Sneak attack successful! Critical hit! You deal 90 damage! Bandit has been knocked unconscious.

Bandit Lvl 4 HP: 310 / 400

I managed to land a clean blow to the back of the bandit's head. He immediately went down face first, dropping his sword in the process. That gave me an idea. I quickly picked up the bronze sword, stood over the unconscious bandit and held up the sword, tip down. Taking aim, I plunged the blade straight into the back of his neck.

Fatal blow dealt! You killed Bandit! You gain 160 EXP! You gain 120 gold!

You got a Bronze Sword!

A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Sword mastery"!

Sword mastery, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Passive
The sword is quite possibly the most well-known weapon in history, often being depicted as the weapon of choice by hero and villain alike or even as a symbol of power. While swords generally deal less damage than other weapons, they make up for it by being easier to wield.
Increases attack speed and attack power by 5 % when attacking with a sword or dagger of any kind.

That… was not pretty. Blood went everywhere when I stabbed the bandit in the neck. At least he was unconscious when it happened. That's when it hit me that I just took a life for the first time. Sure, I had killed my fair share of enemies and engaged in plenty of violence in the video games I had played in my previous life, but there was always a sense of detachment when it happened. This time, a man had been killed by my own hand directly. I had heard that killing a living creature was often a difficult and even traumatic experience for many people, yet I felt as calm as if the dead bandit at my feet was just another enemy I had "killed" while playing a game. But I had precious little time to think about it. That bandit was far from the only one raiding this town, and I still hadn't found any signs of Robin since we got separated. Sure, I was convinced that she could handle herself in a straight up fight, but she was only one person, and bandits didn't exactly fight fair. After wiping the Bronze Sword clean of the blood using the bandit´s clothes, I set of with my new weapon in hand in search for a Shepherd. I didn't make it far though, as I heard a woman scream. I immediately turned right to a street and saw the woman backed up against a wall with a frightened look on her face. In front of her was another bandit, this one wielding an axe, slowly stalking towards her.

Bandit Lv 5 HP: 550 / 550

New class observed! Discovered Barbarian! You gain 50 EXP!

Observe is now level 16!

Barbarian, Class
Big and burly, these units emphasize brute force and resilience over finesse and defense. Their swings come with a lot of power, but they also tend to leave themselves open after the swing.
Passively increases HP and STR by 10 %. Increases attack power by 5 % when attacking with an axe or a blunt weapon. Magic spells of any element do 10 % less damage. All physical damage taken increases by 5 %. Damage taken from magic spells of any element increases by 10 %.

New weapon observed! Discovered Bronze Axe! You gain 50 EXP!

Bronze Axe, Axe, Base damage: 30, Very Common
An axe that was made by attaching a sharpened piece of bronze to a wooden shaft. While common folk usually use it for cutting wood, the simple yet effective design makes it the weapon of choice among many bandits since they're also easy to wield. Not the strongest weapon around, but it gets the job done.

"Hey now, missy, don't go all screamin' on me now, ya hear? Jus' come along quietly an' me and me pals might give ya a good time and even let'cha live afterwards."

Angry couldn't even begin to describe how I felt at that moment. It was bad enough that these bandits were pillaging a town and hurting innocents in the process, and now this piece of filth was trying to force a defenseless woman into choosing between getting murdered or raped – with a strong possibility that they would murder her afterwards anyway! No man worth his manhood does that! And yes, I was referring to that manhood. I had to stop him fast. Hopefully I stood a better chance now that I had a proper weapon in hand.

"Hey, you!" I shouted from the other side of the street.

The bandit turned around and locked eyes with me. Surprise quickly turned into a sneer when he got a better look at me.

"An' what do we have here? Some boy tryin' to play the hero? Think you'd save the damsel in distress an' ride of with her to some happily ever after? Well, not today, kid! Yer gonna die, and then the lassie's next!"

Bloodlust detected!

Detect bloodlust is now level 2!

Well, it was do or die now. We carefully circled each other on the wide street, trying to find an opening to attack. The bandit gave up pretty quickly though and charged me with a war cry and the axe held high. If he was going for an overhead swing, then that meant I had to dodge to the side. And just as I thought, the bandit brought his axe downward. What I didn't count on was that the axe would sink a bit into the ground. Yikes! That blow would've been bad news if it connected! Instead, the bandit struggled to pull his axe out. That gave me the perfect opportunity to aim for his arms. The bandit noticed and immediately backed off. It saved his arms but left him weaponless.

"Hey, that's dirty!" he shouted.

"Says the one threatening a defenseless lady and stealing from the innocent." I immediately fired back. "Besides, it's not my fault you have no skill using an axe."

A new skill has been created due to a special action. You gained "Taunt"!

Taunt, Lvl 1 [0.0 %], Active, Cost: 0 MP
A sharp tongue can have just as much effect as a sharp blade. Hurling insults at someone can make them angry, and angry people make rash decisions and ultimately decisive mistakes.
Has a chance of inflicting an enemy with the "enraged" debuff. Chance of success: 1 * (your total CHAR – enemy´s total CHAR) %.

Taunt successful! Bandit has been inflicted with "Enraged"!

Bloodlust detected!

Detect bloodlust is now level 3!

Really, Game? Well, I'll take whatever advantage I can get here. The bandit sure looked pissed when he heard that. Wonder what Observe has to say about that debuff?

New mechanic observed! Discovered "Enraged". You gain 50 EXP!

Enraged, Status condition
Anger can be a source of power and motivation, but it can also blind us from important information and even make us act carelessly. An angry opponent is a predictable opponent. Use it to your advantage.
A unit suffering from this debuff deals 15 % more damage, but their attacks become sloppy and predictable.

Judging by the look the bandit sent my way, I´d say it was a pretty accurate description.

"That's it, I'ma punch yer face into the ground!" he roared before rushing me with his fist cocked back and ready for a vicious haymaker. Unfortunately for him, it was easy to read and dodge. The anger seemed to build on his face as he kept swinging at me, to no avail. The more he missed, the angrier he got, which made his attacks even sloppier and easier to predict. One particularly big swing sent him off-balance, giving me the perfect opportunity to stab him in the side.

Critical hit! You deal 72 damage! Bandit now suffers from "Bleeding". Bandit´s movement speed is reduced by 10 %.

Bandit Lv 5 HP: 478 / 550

New mechanic observed! Discovered "Bleeding". You gain 50 EXP!

Bleeding, Status condition
Blood is essential for life. This makes a bleeding wound a potentially serious ailment. Not only do you lose blood, it could also lead to an infection, which only makes it worse! Always treat a bleeding wound as fast and thoroughly as possible.
A unit suffering from this debuff slowly loses HP over time, even when they are not hit by any attack. Additionally, their movement speed is reduced. The extent and duration of this debuff depends on the severity and size of the wound.

The bandit cried out in pain as he held his bleeding side. Try as he might, though, the blood still seeped between his fingers. With him so off-balance, I decided to try one of Chrom´s moves in the hope of finishing this fight quickly. While he was still bent over, I shoulder charged him to knock him onto the ground. Then I jumped and slammed my sword into his back when I landed on top of him.

Critical hit! You deal 180 damage!

Bandit Lv 5 HP: 298 / 550

This made the bandit roar in even more pain. Still alive, huh? Must've hit a non-vital area. Looks like I would need to polish on that move in the future. Until then, I decided to end his life the same way as the previous bandit; by stabbing him in the neck.

Fatal blow dealt! You killed Bandit! You gain 180 EXP! You gain 120 gold!

Phew. That went better than expected. But I couldn't celebrate just yet. I still had things to be done. But first things first. Check on the poor lady.

"Are you alright?" I asked her.

"Y-yes." she answered shakily. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." I said with a smile. "Sorry, but I can´t stay here for long. I still need to find my friend. It's not safe out here. Find someplace to hide until the sounds of battle stop." I soon realized that I had completely missed something important in my haste to find Robin. I only needed to consult my mini-map and look for people. Hopefully she or Chrom were at the place with the highest density. A quick glance told me were to look. Destination decided, I started running. It took a while, especially since I had to dodge a few bandits running around town. I was NOT in the mood for another fight alone right now. Heck, Stealth even gained a level. Eventually I reached the spot where the mini-map showed the most dots in the area.

You have reached Southtown plaza! You gain 110 EXP!

The place was in chaos! Chrom was running around slashing left and right, sending bandits flying either in one or more pieces. Frederick rode around on his armored horse and mowed down any bandits unfortunate enough to get in his way while rallying a few men armed for combat – probably the town militia. Lissa was off to the side in a secured area, healing injured people. And in the middle of it all was Robin standing on a crate, directing everyone and shooting the occasional Thunder spell at any bandit sneaking past whatever Chrom, Frederick or anyone else dished out. Chaotic as it looked, it seemed like the good guys had the battle under control thanks to Robin´s guidance. I quickly ran up to her.

"Robin!" She turned my way the moment she heard my voice.

"Jack!" The relief on her face was almost palpable. "Thank goodness you're alright. When we got separated, I got worried about you."

I soon stood right beside her. "I'm thankfully unharmed, but I had to cut down a few bandits before I could look for you. Who are the others?"

"The blue-haired one is Chrom. He found me while I was busy fighting some bandits myself." Bandits as in plural? Yikes! I had enough trouble facing down one and she held her own against multiple opponents at once. I felt outclassed.

"The knight on the horse is Frederick. He´s Chrom's second in command. The girl by the edge of the plaza is Lissa, Chrom's sister. She's a cleric, so she's in charge of healing anyone injured." And she said all that while blasting a couple of bandits with another Thunder spell. Girl's got skills! Now I felt REALLY outclassed! She then turned back to me.

"You said you cut down a few bandits before arriving here. Does that mean you can fight?" she asked.

"I did it only for my own survival and protecting someone else, but yeah, a little." I replied. Robin nodded.

"Good, then join up with Frederick and the militia in taking the bandits down. We should have this area under control soon enough."

Wow, Robin in tactician mode was awesome, especially considering she had lost her memories. Well, she was the tactician. Better go along with her plan and put a stop to the bandits. Working with the militia was easy enough as they had already gotten some momentum up thanks to Robin's leadership and Frederick's sheer power. A few minutes later, the plaza had no living bandits left. The ones alive were either running around in other parts of town or simply fled for their lives.

You have leveled up!

Robin slumped down on the crate with a sigh.

"How are you holding up?" I asked. "Great work on directing us in all that chaos by the way."

"I'm fine." she said with a smile. "Just a little tired from keeping stock of everything happening around me. But I think I have this whole tactics thing down now. It almost felt…natural."

"I'll say. You looked like you've done this for years. Hidden talent of yours?"

"I'm not sure. I lost my memories, remember?"

That…was a good point. I heard footsteps approaching and looked up to see Chrom. Man, all that fighting, and he hardly looked winded. And how the heck did that cape on his back keep billowing so majestically? There was hardly any wind blowing here, for Naga's sake!

"Those strategies of yours worked out really well, Robin." he said smiling. "Honestly, I didn't think even half of them would work out." Then he looked at me. "Oh sorry, my name is Chrom."

"My name´s Jack." I answered back. "Robin told me about you and your companions during the battle. It's good to have people like you on our side, especially with the way you were fighting."

Chrom chuckled. "Yeah, I get that a lot. So, you're a friend of Robin's?"

"Well, more like a temporary companion. I'm the one who found her outside town and led her here."

"Well, it's a good thing you did. Thanks to you, Robin managed to find us and help seize the plaza from the bandits. Now driving them out should be easier." That's when Frederick walked up to us.

"Milord, I am done searching the streets with the town militia. It would seem almost all bandits that attacked the town are either dead or ran away."

"Phew, looks like it's over then." Lissa said as she followed soon after.

"Not quite, milady." Frederick corrected. "It would seem their leader has yet to give up. Some of the townspeople claim that they saw a particularly savage looking bandit head for the town cathedral."

Chrom scowled in the general direction of the cathedral, which was easily visible from the town plaza. "Then that's where we're going too. It's high time this town got free of bandits once more so the people can rebuild it in peace. Who's with me?" Chrom began walking towards the cathedral, Frederick, Lissa and Robin following him without another word. Oh, and I tagged along as well.

Chrom joined your party!
Frederick joined your party!
Lissa joined your party!
Robin joined your party!

"Party" has been unlocked in the menu!

"Jack? You're coming too?" Robin asked surprised.

I nodded. "I want to finish this just as badly as the rest of you do. Besides, I'm the one who got you into this mess in the first place. It's only right that I help you out of it."

"I appreciate your concern, but we're up against a bandit, a stronger one than what we faced previously at that. Facing him down will be dangerous."

I could say the same to you, Robin, but I had to do this.

"Look, I know facing down bandits with little to no combat experience is a bad idea, but I'd say I've been doing pretty well so far. And if things get hairy, well, that's why Lissa's here, right?"

Said Cleric turned to me with a smile. "Right! Just give me some cover and I'll have you right as rain in no time. That should teach my brother who's delicate!" Then her expression became concerned. "By the way, how are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm fine. A bit shaken after a few one-on-ones, but I'm unharmed."

"That's not what she meant, Jack." Chrom said from the front. "What she's worried about is how you feel about having taken a life."

Oh yeah, the whole "first kill" thing. I set my face in a grimace to make my next words more believable.

"Honestly, it was not a pretty sight. I took no pleasure in it if that's what you're worried about. I'd prefer not killing anyone, but if there's no other way to protect someone I care for, I think I can bear staining my hands in blood."

Both Chrom and Lissa nodded at that.

"Good. You're taking your first kill pretty well, all things considered."

"Yeah, it would be scary if we found out you turned into some serial killer because you thought killing others felt good."

Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Lissa.

"That being said, I find it quite odd that someone, who claims to have practically no combat experience, singlehandedly managed to defeat two brigands who can kill without a second thought and come out unscathed. It's almost unheard of." Frederick said while frowning at me. Man, I forgot how difficult Frederick could be in the game until you fought your way through the first three chapters or so.

"Believe me, I'm as surprised as you." I replied. "Must've been a combination of a little talent, dumb luck and the fact that they didn't have any real training themselves. They weren't really any more skilled than some violent civilian who got their hands on a proper weapon and practiced for a day or two."

Frederick didn't seem too convinced at my explanation, but let it slide with a "Hmph."

"Don't mind him. Frederick's always wary of strangers. As long as you behave, he won't do anything to you." Lissa said with a smile.

"Alright, enough chat. Get ready, everyone." Chrom said while drawing Falchion.

You have reached Southtown cathedral! You gain 220 EXP!

Just in time too. We all noticed a man with very defined muscles and a bigger axe than the ones we saw the other bandits use, sitting right at the cathedral entrance.

WARNING! WARNING! Boss level enemy detected!

New enemy observed! Discovered Bandit leader! You gain 50 EXP!

Observe is now level 17!

Bandit leader Lvl 7 Class: Barbarian
In the world of thugs and rouges, strength is the only law. And this particular thug is much stronger than the average pillager, making him both respected and feared among most of his peers. While he prefers letting his underlings do the dirty work for him, he's more than ready to take matters in his own hands should the situation call for it. Approach with caution.

HP: 1000 / 1000
MP: 75 / 75

STR: 12
VIT: 13
DEX: 5
INT: 5
WIS: 3
LUCK: 4
CHAR: 3

Items:

Steel Axe (equipped)
Hand Axe

New weapon observed! Discovered Steel axe! You gain 50 EXP!

Steel Axe, Axe, Base damage: 45, Rarity: Uncommon
An axe made of steel. Improved design makes this weapon more practical than the bronze or iron variants. Its increased heft also makes the blows dealt much more damaging. While quite uncommon among trained soldiers, axes are favored among bandits due to their high attack power and simplicity. Just aim and swing, right?

New weapon observed! Discovered Hand axe! You gain 50 EXP!

Hand Axe, Axe, Base damage: 20, Rarity: Uncommon
An axe with a peculiar design that allows it to be thrown like a boomerang. This allows it to be used both in close combat and at range, though accuracy when throwing the axe tends to be quite low. The design makes forging Hand Axes more difficult and expensive than the conventional axe. As a result, these weapons are most often found among experienced axe wielders who can afford the time and coin needed.

"Feh! I let the lads run free in an unpatrolled town and they all end up gettin' killed by the only armed people in the whole d-mn area or just run away. Those no-good blokes! When I get my hands on 'em, I´ll give 'em a piece o' my mind!" the bandit leader yelled angrily as he stood up. "But first, I'll take all ya sheep an' bring ya to the slaughter."

Bloodlust detected!

Detect bloodlust is now level 4!

This one…was definitely stronger than the other bandits. One-on-one, he would've given me trouble for sure. But I wasn't alone; it was five against one! Chrom alone could hold his own against the bandit leader thanks to being plenty strong himself and backing it up with some really good technique. Frederick came rushing in on his horse whenever the two broke up in order to take passing hits with his lance. Between the two powerhouses, it was easy for me and Robin to sneak pot shots through sword or magic, slowly wearing the bandit leader down. And if anyone suffered any injuries, Lissa was always ready to heal their wounds while the others provided cover. Long story short, the guy didn't stand a chance. Eventually, the bandit leader was on his last legs, wobbling uneasily on the spot and bleeding from several wounds that had piled up over the course of the battle. Right as he overextended an axe swing, I took my chance and rushed him while shouting.

"You're right where I want you!"

Critical hit! You deal 39 damage! Bandit leader is suffering from heavy bleeding! Bandit leader´s movement speed is reduced by 30 %!

Bandit leader Lvl 7 HP: 142 / 1 000

Did I just make a critical quote on instinct? Eh, I could think about it later. While I normally would've pulled out the sword when retreating, I left it in his side for a very specific purpose.

"Robin, now!"

I wanted Robin to aim a Thunder spell right at the blade still stuck in his body. And she caught on to my plan immediately. Sure, bronze may not the most conductive material in the world, but it was a great deal better than the bandit leader's clothes. The result was immediate when the spell hit the blade of the sword and went straight into his body. The leader roared and spasmed for a few seconds before he collapsed face-first on the ground. We all stood silently a safe distance away in case he was still alive. After a minute, Chrom walked up and flipped the bandit's body over with his foot. The bandit leader was, beyond the shadow of a doubt, dead.

Bandit leader has been killed! Nice assist! You gain 300 EXP!

Chrom has leveled up!

Frederick has leveled up!

Lissa has leveled up!

Robin has leveled up!

Due to constant strenuous activity, STR goes up by 3!

Due to prolonged exhausting activity, VIT goes up by 3!

Due to plenty or running and quick maneuvering, DEX goes up by 2!

Quest alert: The verge of history
Escorting Robin to Southtown led you straight into the prologue battle of Fire Emblem Awakening. You not only helped the tactician meet with the Shepherds, you even had a hand in driving those pesky bandits out of town yourself! You won't get to savor your victory for long, however. We all now what's waiting at nightfall…
Objectives cleared: Escort Robin to Southtown. Defeat all bandits, either by killing them or forcing them to flee. Don't let Robin, Chrom, Lissa or Frederick die.
All objectives cleared!
Rewards: You gain 1 500 EXP! You gain 1 500 gold!
Bonus objective cleared: Save the town librarian's life. Prevent the library from being burned down.
All bonus objectives cleared!
Bonus rewards: You gain 500 EXP! You gain 500 gold! You gain a skill book! You gain a skill book!

You have leveled up!

Whew! Finally it was over. I fell down on my butt as I read the quest alert in front of me.

"Jack, are you okay?" I heard Robin shout.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think exhaustion finally caught up with me now that the fighting is done." I replied back. "I should be good in a few minutes." Honestly, I think it was mostly realizing that I had survived multiple life-or-death scenarios that exhausted me more than the physical activity. My body didn't actually feel that tired. Must've been thanks to Gamer's body.

A few minutes later, we were all gathered back in the town plaza. The townspeople were hard at work rebuilding any damages done to the buildings. Things were shaping up fine now that no one had to look out for bloodthirsty bandits. Lissa was busy more or less fangirling over Robin's skills.

"Holy wow, Robin! You were incredible! Swords, sorcery AND tactics! Is there nothing you can't do?"

Frederick decided to add his own two gold coins. "I am curious about that myself, milady. For example, perhaps she could explain how she could direct others in battle like a seasoned tactician despite claiming to remember little more than her name. If anything, a tactician of your caliber should be at least somewhat famous, yet I've never heard of any tactician by the name of "Robin"."

"I wish I could, sir Frederick" Robin sighed. "But I'm afraid I've already shared everything I know."

"Well, you fought to save Ylissean lives, and my heart tells me that's enough." Chrom said smiling. "That goes for you too, Jack. This was your first time fighting against trained killers, yet you willingly took up arms to help defend the people."

"Thanks, Chrom. That means a lot hearing it from you." I said. Man, I love this guy, and that's not even in a romantic way.

"And your mind, milord? Will you not heed its counsel as well?" Frederick asked.

"Frederick, the Shepherds could use someone with Robin's talents and Jack's bravery. We've brigands and unruly neighbors, all looking to bloody our soil. We'll need every able man and woman we can get if we're to fulfill our duty, wouldn't you agree?" Then Chrom turned to me and Robin. "So how about it, Robin? Jack? Will you join us?"

"I would be honored." Robin replied.

Time to play the ignorant one. "Wait a minute, you guys are shepherds? As in tending to sheep? Why in the world would brigands and your neighbors want to steal and slaughter your livestock? That sounds petty, by any standard." I said with a bewildered expression.

Chrom chuckled. "Well, we don't tend to sheep in the literal sense. It's just a manner of speech."

I pretended to mull it over in my head, but really, I had already made up my mind from the moment I met Robin on the field outside of town. "Alright, Chrom, I accept your offer as well. I don't think I'm that capable of fighting and protecting others just yet, but I refuse to stand by and watch innocents get plundered or murdered."

Displaying your sincerity and resolve has increased your CHAR by 1!

"And I'll gladly accept the both of you. Welcome to the Shepherds, my friends." Seriously, Chrom must have the most charming smile in the whole halidom. No wonder Cordelia went all ga-ga over him, despite never having the option of marrying Chrom in the game. That was a pretty sad move from the game developers, especially with how they interact in the DLC episodes. Awakening is still an awesome game though. No hate.

Now that all the Shepherd business was taken care of, there was still one thing that kept bugging me. Among the rewards in the quest alert, two skill books were mentioned, yet I had yet to see hide nor hair of any books after the battle except for Robin's Thunder tome.

"Um, excuse me." We all turned to the voice to find the lady that I saved before arriving at the plaza. Were those books she was carrying?

"Oh, hey." I greeted back. "You made it. How are you feeling?"

"Jack, who is this?" Robin asked.

"Well, before I found you guys in the plaza, I heard someone screaming as I ran through the streets. This lady here was about to get assaulted by a bandit, so I rushed to her aid. It took some struggling, but I managed to kill the bandit and save her life. After telling her to hide somewhere, I found my way to the plaza and, well, you know the rest."

The lady in question nodded. "It's true. If it wasn't for him, I would most likely be dead or-" she shuddered "worse. Much worse."

"Well, I suppose all's well that ends well." I commented with a smile. "So what can we do for you?"

"Well, you see… I never got to thank you properly for all that you did for me. You didn't just save my life. You saved the town's library too."

"I did?"

She nodded. "Yes. I am the town's librarian. I was trying to stop the brigand that you killed from destroying the library. That's why he attacked me. If you hadn't come along, he would have most likely set the whole library on fire after he killed me."

Oh, so that's how I completed the bonus objectives. The pieces were starting to fit together. "So then…?"

"I know it´s not much, but I would like to give you these books as thanks for saving both me and the library. Don't worry, we can manage with a book or two missing on the shelves."

You got a skill book for "Basic mana manipulation"! You got a skill book for "Mimicry"!

New item observed! Discovered Skill book! You gain 50 EXP!

Skill book, Consumable, Unique
To the untrained eye, this is nothing more than an ordinary book containing instructions about how to perform certain techniques. In the right hands, however, these books can unlock new skills and powers, even those beyond the scope of human ability.
Can only be consumed by a character with the skill Gamer's body. When consumed, the character will immediately gain a new skill. Which skill that is gained depends on the skill book. A skill book cannot be consumed if the character already has the skill that the skill book grants.

"Thanks!" I said smiling. "I'll definitely put these to good use."

That seemed to please her. "Oh, thank goodness! I wasn't even sure if you were interested in books."

"No, no, these look great! I'll take good care of them." As in consuming them at the first opportunity I got, which was away from prying eyes.

"Did you notice, milord?" I heard Frederick say. "The brigands spoke with a Plegian accent."

"Plegian? What's that?" Robin asked.

"Plegia is one of Ylisse's neighboring countries. I've heard that there's quite a bit of bad blood between Ylisse and Plegia that goes back over two decades." I replied.

"You're not wrong, Jack" Chrom said. "They send small bands into our territory, hoping to instigate a war."

"And it's the poor townsfolk who suffer! Totally innocent, and totally helpless…" Lissa commented sadly.

"They have us, milady." Frederick corrected. "Shepherds to protect the sheep. Do not be swept up in your anger. It will cloud your judgement."

"Oh, so that's how you came up with the whole shepherd concept." I said. "It makes sense when you put it that way. Well, Chrom, if I had any doubts about joining the Shepherds, they just got swept away. I'll help you in protecting these people."

That's when some of the townspeople approached us.

"Milord, please! You must stay the night! We are simple folk of simple means, but we would gladly toast your valor with a feast." Yeah, I remember these guys offering a party for us after wiping out the bandits. Well, prepare to get disappointed, Lissa.

"A most generous offer, sir, and no doubt your generosity would be grand. But I'm afraid we must hurry back to Ylisstol." Frederick said smiling.

"Dark meat only for me, medium well, and no salt in the soup. I simply-" And then Lissa registered Frederick's words. "Wait, what!? We're not staying!? But Frederick, it's nearly dark!"

Frederick turned to Lissa, still smiling that content smile. "When night falls, we'll camp. Eat of the land, make our bed of twigs and the like. I believe you mentioned you would be "getting used to this"?" I swear, he almost sounded sadistic at the end.

"Frederick? Sometimes I hate you." Poor girl looked like someone kicked her non-existent puppy.

Robin sweatdropped. "You've quite the stern lieutenant there."

"Yeah, well, "stern" is one name for it. I can think of a few others!" Lissa said tiredly.

"Frederick only smiles when he's about to bring down the axe." Chrom added.

"Duly noted." me and Robin said in unison. And yes, I totally planned that.

"*Ahem* You do realize I AM still present?" Frederick said.

Chrom smiled. "Oh, we realize." That had the rest of us laughing.

Frederick's eyebrow started twitching. "Milord remains as amusing as ever. Now then, shall we be going?"

"Alright, alright. Ready to go, Robin, Jack? The capital isn't far."

With that, we set off for the capital, with only me knowing what awaited us in just a few hours.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. This is the story of how I became the most powerful warrior in the history of the realm.

To be continued

Preview of next chapter

*"Marth" dives out from a time portal*

Lissa: He's so dreamy...

Jack: Not now, Lissa! We've got a zombie apocalypse to stop!

Robin: Zombie? What's that?

*Risen rise up and glare at Chrom*

Risen: Ueeeeergh…

Jack: THAT is a zombie.

*Risen starts fighting with Chrom*

Chrom: We can't let these things run loose. We have to stop them here!

Virion: Then it is a good thing that the archest of archers is about to make his grand debut.

Sully: Save the drama for later, Ruffles. Get moving!

Virion: Oof! Please ease up on that lance, dearest Sully.

Next time on Gamer Emblem Awakening:

Only you can stop forest fires! Attack of the undead in the dead of night!

Jack: Brook, pass me the salt! Wait, wrong series…

Jack´s character sheet, post chapter 1

Name: Jack Lvl: 7 EXP: 1 020 / 2 800
A youth who woke up in the world of Fire Emblem Awakening with abilities tied to a storyline known from his home as "the Gamer". Jack joined the Shepherds after helping Chrom and Robin drive out a group of bandits who were pillaging a town. Pragmatic and intellectual, he is a natural problem solver who always tries to find ways to put his knowledge into practice. The one with the fastest thought process. Born on June 21st.

Class: Traveler (+10 % EXP when reaching new area in city/town/village or landmark)

Titles:

The Gamer (grants Gamer's body and Gamer's mind)
Self-aware observer (+ 5 % INT, gains 50 EXP for new observations)

Status condition: None

HP: 1050 / 1050
HPR: 12.08 (10.5*1.15) / minute

MP: 1 600 / 1 600
MPR: 20.48 (16*1.28) / minute

STR: 8
VIT: 7
DEX: 5
INT: 52.5 (50 * 1.05)
WIS: 28
LCK: 4
CHAR: 10

POINTS: 46

Gear:

Mysterious medallion
Common shirt
Common trousers
Mysterious bag
Leather boots

Items:

Bronze sword (Equipped)
Skill book (Basic mana manipulation) (1)
Skill book (Mimicry) (1)

Skills:

Gamer's mind, Lvl MAX, Passive
You perceive everything in the world as if it were part of a videogame. This allows you to see things others don't see, like all the menus, alerts and whatnot. Gives total immunity to all negative mental status ailments.

Observe, Lvl 17 [75 %], Active, Cost: 9 MP
The ability to analyze just about anything and anyone you see. The better you are with this skill, the more information you can gather from a single observation. A master can glean myriads of info with just a single glance.

Detect bloodlust, Lvl 4 [0.0 %], Passive
Not everything in the world greets you with good intentions. This skill allows you to detect when someone approaches you with a genuine desire to harm or even kill you.
Range: 4 meters.

Stealth, Lvl 2 [0.0 %], Passive
The art of staying undetected is a vital skill for any thief or assassin. After all, if no one knows you're there, they can't prepare any defense in time.
Passively reduces an enemy's range of detection by 3 %. Reduces the likelihood of an enemy spotting you by 6.7 % when sneaking or hiding. Performing a successful sneak attack guarantees a critical hit. Additionally, any damage dealt increases by 100 % and ignores all defense.

Will there be detailed fighting scenes? Well, I've seen and read my fair share of those, so I should hopefully be able to write up something good in future chapters.
Will there be romance? A little bit further down the chapters, but that's not the main focus of this story.
Will there be humor? I'll try.
Will there be references? Oh, you can bet your magnificent looks there will! This chapter was only the warm-up.

I mainly decided to write and post this story as a way to nerd out. Hopefully you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoy putting this idea into words. With that being said, please rate and review.

Sincerely: CrossVipeR316