Chapter 37 : Treasure Chest
Amidst the skirmishes with mobs and the discussions on tactics, Noah and Wilhelm suddenly stumbled upon a discovery. Nestled in a dimly lit alcove, obscured by the gnarled roots of a colossal tree, lay an old and ornate chest. The sight of it stirred their excitement, as both players recognized this as a rare and exhilarating opportunity.
A treasure chest!
The chest, seemingly worn by time and sealed with a lock, exuded an aura of mystery. Its oak panels bore etchings of age-old looking symbols. The metallic clasps, rusted with the passage of time, clung tightly to the chest''s wooden frame, as if guarding its hidden contents.
"Welp, would you look at that. Luck is on our side today. We''ve found a treasure chest, dang." Wilhelm, his eyes gleaming in lit, turned to Noah.
"Yup, luck seems to be on our way. Let''s see what this chest holds," Noah''s expression mirrored Wilhelm''s enthusiasm. The allure of treasure chest in any game was irresistible, let alone in this New World.
Though it seemed to be more enthusiastic than Wilhelm, as if he was truly mesmerized by the treasure chest itself just like how a person that found its first treasure chest.
… Or because of something else, like how he was mesmerized by a certain attribute that could possibly influence this to happen.
With caution, Noah approached the chest, examining it closely. He traced his fingers along the carved symbols.
"I am sure that this one is a Rare Rarity Treasure Chest. Very good." Wilhelm observed with keen interest, offering his insights regarding the type of treasure chest as he nodded his head.
"This lock seems troublesome. It might require a specific key or combination." Noah explained after he realized that there needed to be key inserted in it.
Wilhelm nodded, reaching into his inventory. "I have a few tricks that might do the thing. Let''s give them a try."
Noah was quite surprised as he looked at Wilhelm, "I didn''t know that you had some specialty in this field."
Wilhelm only smiled in return.
Their eyes soon focused on the delicate task at hand. Wilhelm inserted a slender lockpick into the keyhole, and Noah observed the internal mechanism of the lock.
Seconds passed like hours as the lock''s inner workings slowly revealed their secrets. The last tumbler clicked into place, and with a grin, Wilhelm turned the lock.
Clack
The chest''s clasps relinquished their grip, and the aged wood creaked as it opened, revealing the treasure concealed within.
The sight that met their eyes left them awestruck. Within the chest lay an array of items, each radiating with a faint, otherworldly glow. Ancient looking scrolls, glittering gemstones, and enchanted weaponry were neatly arranged, waiting to be claimed.
"... We should’ve hit a jackpot. Wild." Wilhelm sighed in melancholy.
Noah’s eyes fixed on the treasure as he nodded his head. "...Well, let''s examine these items first closely and determine their worth."
As Noah and Wilhelm marveled at the treasure chest''s contents, their initial excitement gave way to a stop as if they realized something.
They weren''t alone.
With a calm glance, the two players sensed a presence behind them. Slowly, they turned to face a group of players who had emerged from the shades of the surroundings, where their eyes fixed on the open chest and its contents.
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The newcomers, a motley crew of various classes and levels, approached with a mixture of curiosity and interest in their gestures. It was evident from their expressions that they, too, had been drawn by the allure of the chest. Their numbers, while not overwhelming, presented a form of intimidation.
The group''s leader, a seasoned looking warrior clad in formidable armor, stepped forward. He bore the emblem of a guild known as the Iron Might.
Noah and Wilhelm exchanged a silent understanding. They had two choices: assert their claim to the treasure or confront the newcomers. The latter seemed inevitable, given the newcomers'' glinting eyes to seize the treasure for themselves.
As for letting these guys get it? It seemed to be not in their list at all.
Without words, Noah gripped his halberd and stood as a sentinel before the chest. Wilhelm, his hand aglow with energy,also stood calmly beside the chest.
"Step aside. It’s better not to die senselessly after all."
Thornshard, the leader of the Iron Might, addressed Noah with a tone that brooked no compromise.
...
[Name : Thornshard]
Level 105
Class : Bloodrager
...
Thornshard looked at Noah and Wilhelm with a look of intimidation as he wanted to avoid clash if possible and get the loot freely. Cause he knew that that Wilhelm guy was strong. He believed that he could take on him. After all Wilhelm was alone, while he had team mates here.
But what made him be daring to act tough was because he had a guild behind him. A pretty powerful guild in a city called Havenholm.
And for the level 31 player, Noah, he didn''t even put him in his eyes. He could just let a level 50 person deal with him.
“Yup, you heard what he said." Noah''s response was steadfast.
Tension hung in the air like a storm gathering strength. The forest, once a tranquil backdrop to their adventure, now bore witness to a clash of wills.
The members of the Iron Might fanned out, surrounding Noah and Wilhelm. The confrontation was poised on the brink, waiting for the spark that would ignite the inevitable conflict.
“As you wish… Brother Demerit!”
Wilhelm shouted while clasping his hands which coalesced the ambient energies that danced around him, outwarding the energies in his grasp toward the surrounding players quickly that gave no room for them to even act in time.
Bhaammmm….
And then it came. The energy surged in a brilliant light. Like a tidal wave of incandescent power, the force spread rapidly,
“You…” Thornshard looked stunned.
The others, caught completely off guard, could only watch in stunned pause as the attack shattered their formation, sending shockwaves through the ranks. And that single attack disrupted the circle that they had formed.
“Ohhhh!!!”
“Go!”
“Get them!”
Still, a fierce battle cry erupted from the Iron Might in order to rally their core and with that, the clash was inevitable.
Dasshh
Thornshard, the leader of the Iron Might’s party, surged forward with his massive greatsword flashing in the dappled light as he aimed a swift lethal strike toward Noah.
He appeared so fastly that his allies weren’t even halfway toward Noah and Wilhelm. As the mage had directed his attacks toward his subordinate, then he would return it in wise by attacking Wilhelm’s lower levelled ally too!
Yet, just as his momentum built to deliver the decisive blow, a brilliant surge of energy erupted from Wilhelm’s outstretched hands.
The air trembled as his spell materialized, a pulsating blast of kinetic energy bursting forth in an instant. The spell struck Thornshard with crushing force, intercepting his attack and halting his momentum mid-charge.
“Gah—!” Thornshard grunted as the sheer impact sent him staggering back, his boots scraping against the rough forest floor as he struggled to regain his footing. His iron grip on the greatsword wavered for just a fraction of a second as his body instinctively bracing against the sudden magical force that had blindsided him.
Wilhelm smirked, his hands still surrounded with energy. "You''re too slow, big guy."
Thornshard’s expression darkened, a flicker of irritation flashing in his eyes.
After all, Thornshard knew it himself just how fast he had moved in that instant. His speed had always been one of his greatest assets.
Yet, despite the sheer velocity of his lunge and the sudden arc of his greatsword carving through the air, it hadn’t been enough.
The mage had seen through his movement the very moment he initiated it. Grinding his teeth, he steadied his stance, gripping his greatsword tightly as his muscles tensed. His eyes flickered toward Wilhelm.
“Come on then…”