by J. J. Thorn
And it was my Energy that was straining whenever I tried to move around. My Energy was taking the brunt of the weight until it couldn’t anymore.
Is this what it felt like to augment your body at higher proficiencies? Did they rely solely on their Energy to propel them faster and further?
It was now very late in the evening, but I decided to do one final test. In the previous test, I felt the 25 pounds hit my body immediately, but it hadn’t caused any strain at all. Even then, by the time I had collapsed, I felt the additional weight leave my body entirely. This is likely why I hadn’t hurt myself more when I fell with 200 extra pounds. The majority of the weight had probably left by the time I’d dropped, and my body was able to deal with the rest.
I went through the same processes again after an hour of waiting and found myself seated on the ground. This time, after following the same steps, I was 420 pounds and sitting in the grass.
Instead of waiting, I immediately willed myself to drop the excess weight as quickly as possible. Lower and lower it went until I was at 200 pounds—20 pounds above my original weight. I tried to go lower, but the strain caused a headache of its own.
With little Energy remaining, I stood up. This time, before walking, I focused on the Energy in my body. Similar to my initial exercises, I willed my body to let me take on the weight. I didn’t ask for it to increase the weight, but instead, I asked it to stop supporting the weight for me.
I stood there foolishly for minutes, but I pressed on. With my eyes closed and my focus squarely on my body, I eventually felt a difference. It was very slight, but I could feel the extra 20 pounds across my body. I knew my Energy was still holding the weight in place, but instead of the Energy supporting the weight, I allowed my body to do the work.
I laughed at the idea of trying to lose weight my whole life, only to now hope for some of it to come back in an instance. I laughed in my mind, but I knew this Skill had considerable potential.
For now, I let the thoughts of potential subside as I focused on one thing and one thing only. Walking.
I took one step and then another. With each step, my Energy barely reduced as my body took the brunt of the weight. I had been over 200 pounds for most of my life, so the excess weight was scarcely an issue. Even then, it still felt odd. Like I was wearing weighted clothing.
I kept walking for twenty minutes until I got used to the feeling.
Every step made me happier as I walked in circles in the grass. Each step proved that I could use a Rank 2 Skill. My Rank 2 Skill.
As I sat back down to deal with my latest case of Burnout, I couldn’t help but smile at the progress that I’d made. Each step was another milestone in my progress towards becoming the best Dungeoneer.
Zane might call me foolish when I got back to the dorms, but those steps had been some of the most exhilarating moments of my life.
My environment had changed, but my goals had not. Each step was one closer to those goals.
Current Progress.
Affinity: Weight
Rank 1 – View Weight – 100%
Rank 2 – Increase Weight – 8%
Energy 0/43
Terrence Fighting F-Rank Monkin in Black & White
Glossary of Characters
❖ Adam Ranger – Wagon Guard on the way from Huag to Krader. Guide for Ren's Dungeoneering team.
Affinity: Bow
❖ Albus Charles - Guest Instructor for Professor Gaunt's General Training Course. Specializes in hand-based combat.
Affinity: Unknown
❖ Amanda Gallet – Classmate from Huag who loves animals.
Affinity: Animal
❖ Booth Benet – Bullly from Terrence's youth. Guard in Huag.
Affinity: None.
❖ Britta Rolle - Terrence's friend and teammate. Daughter to Favian and Eleanor Rolle.
Affinity: Shield
❖ Cassie – Terrence’s friend and teammate.
Affinity: Heal
❖ Chet – Dungeoneer from Terrence’s General Energy Manipulation Course.
Affinity: Wind
❖ Claire Valk – Renowned Dungeoneer known as ‘White Lightning’ who teaches General Magic Studies.
Affinity: Lightning
❖ Clifton Bolbek – Guest Speaker for General Magic Studies. Head of Guard in Krader.
Affinity: Sword
❖ Donald – Guild representative that is disliked by all.
Affinity: Identify
❖ Dungeon Collapse Team:
Doc – aka Dr. Desmond Grey. Affinity: Cure
Rocky – identity unknown. Affinity: Earth
Shield – identity unknown. Affinity: Shield
Slash – aka Captain. Real identity unknown. Affinity: Sword
Toxic – aka Jasmine Kolo. Affinity: Poison
❖ Eleanor Rolle – Britta’s father.
Affinity: Unknown
❖ Elise Stine – Terrence’s younger sister. An aspiring Dungeoneer.
Affinity: None
❖ Emmett Prost – The Crown Prince.
Affinity: Sand
❖ Erik Braun – Headmaster at Krader’s Prep.
Affinity: Cloth
❖ Favian Rolle – Britta’s father and merchant in Krader.
Affinity: Knife
❖ Francis – Head Advisor to the king, William Prost.
Affinity: Unknown
❖ Franklin Temple – Bully from Terrence’s youth. Guard in Huag.
Affinity: None
❖ Gaunt – Professor for General Training.
Affinity: Unknown
❖ Gavin Valis – Team leader for Favian’s Skink Hunt. Friend to Favian for years and mentor to John Stine.
Affinity: Ice
❖ Gavin Valis’ Team:
Barda. Affinity: Shield
Quinn. Affinity: Sword
Tara. Affinity: Nature
❖ Graham – Wagon driver. Loves his horses more than people.
Affinity: Unknown
❖ Grant Ang – Guest Instructor for Professor Gaunt’s General Training course. Specializes in leg-based combat.
Affinity: Unknown
❖ Howard – Head Advisor to the king, William Prost.
Affinity: Unknown
❖ Jennifer Gleam – aka Jen. Terrence’s friend and teammate.
Affinity: Sword
❖ John Stine – Terrence’s cousin and bully growing up.
Affinity: Ice
❖ Lance Drower – Professor for Monster Behaviour class. Former Guild Employee.
Affinity: Unknown
❖ Louis Fox – Classmate from Prep whose family is part of the prestigious Fox Family.
Affinity: Foxglove
❖ Luke Renault – Professor for Dungeoneering. Owns RenArt in Krader.
Affinity: Drawing
❖ Martha Stine – Terrence’s mother.
Affinity: None
❖ Melony – Assistant to the Mayor in Huag.
Affinity: Unknown
❖ Noah Baker – Terrence’s friend and aspiring Alchemist. Trevor Baker’s twin.
Affinity: Flame
❖ Omar – Expedition leader to the northern Dungeon expedition. B-Rank Dungeoneer.
Affinity: Unknown
❖ Ron – Friend to Trevor and Noah Baker.
Affinity: Shield
❖ Sarah Wilks – Professor for General Energy Manipulation. Owns Wilks Pots.
Affinity: Clay
❖ Stella Fox – Cousin to Louis Fox
Affinity: Foxglove
❖ Stewart Teller – Zane’s father. Powerful merchant on the Continent of Terna.
Affinity: Identify
❖ Tanner – Classmate in Dungeoneering.
Affinity: Fire
❖ Terrence Stine – aka Ren. Aspiring Dungeoneer.
Affinity: Weight
❖ Todd Rugar – Teammate in Terrence’s Dungeoneering team.
Affinity: Shield
❖ Tom Stine – Terrence’s uncle and
John’s father.
Affinity: Sword
❖ Tom Stine’s Dungeoneering team:
Griff Termon. Affinity: Shield
Holly Duffen. Affinity: Heal
Lin Zha. Affinity: Dark
Rana Ranger. Affinity: Bow
❖ Trevor Baker – Terrence’s friend and aspiring blacksmith. Noah Baker’s twin.
Affinity: Fire
❖ Trish – Terrence’s friend. Childhood friend to Jen, Cassie and Britta.
Affinity: Glasses
❖ Wally Stine – Terrence’s father. Blacksmith in Huag. Retired Dungeoneer.
Affinity: Metal
❖ William Prost – King of the Prost Kingdom.
Affinity: Royal
❖ Zane Teller – Best friend to Terrence. Son of Stewart Teller.
Affinity: Identify
Thanks for Reading
Hey! First off, thanks for reading. Really and truly appreciate it. If you enjoyed the book I would love if you could rate or review it on Amazon and Goodreads – either way, thank you! It really helps me and I love reading them. Reviews help others find out about the book, so they really do help a lot.
If we haven’t talked, my name is J.J. and I’m a Canadian who has always wanted to write. I have been reading LitRPG, Portal Fantasy, Gamelit, etc. books for several years and I wanted to work towards one of my own. The story has turned out differently from what I had expected, but I find myself enjoying every moment. If you have enjoyed any specific chapter, please reach out and let me know. I’d love to hear from you to find out what you enjoyed or didn’t enjoy.
Since we last ‘spoke’ I’ve created a website. Nothing crazy, but if you want to check it out please head to the following link: https://www.jjthornbooks.com
I’ve added some of the full cover artwork there (without any text). Piere really did an amazing job! I hope you liked it as much as I do. I plan on putting more content there and you’ll also be able to find out when I put out book 3 (and beyond). If you want to be notified first, please reach out!
You can reach out to me directly at the following email as well if you want to be considered as a future beta reader or just to let me know what you think about the book: [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you! Otherwise, I’m available on facebook, where I have created a group for the series. Find that here: https://www.facebook.com/HeavyTheWeightOfItAll
Here are some facebook groups with similar LitRPG and GameLit content:
LitRPG Forum Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/litrpgforum
LitRPG Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPGsociety
GameLit Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GameLitsociety
LitRPG Books Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPG.books
Amazing cover artist found here: https://99designs.ca/profiles/pieredarterie
Amazing map creator found here: https://www.fiverr.com/thiagoliuth
Amazing editor found here: https://www.fiverr.com/ky_bateman