《Infinite Dendrogram - Fame through Feats》


 hopeful beginning

    real world, oct 1st 2043


    Kai dropped off by the bus station to his home, holding in a bag the box for his newly bought headset for Infinite Dendrogram. He tried to make sure the bag didn''t hit anything while he went home. It was very worrying that the headset only cost him $150 and yet he made sure nothing happened to it before he got to try it and see if the game was as great as Tam told him, or honestly if it was even half of what he said. At least Tam would stop pestering him about it.


    Opening the front door and sliding the bag to his side to avoid his mom catching a glimpse and asking him about it before he had anything of value to say about it. It wasn''t that Kai''s mom really worried about what he chose to spend his money on or if he was taking on bad influences. She was quite trusting of him, probably a lot more than many parents did their kids. But Kai wanted to have something to talk about if his mom asked, rather than stand and twiddle his thumbs trying to think what he currently had to say about the game.


    His mom wasn''t in the living room and Tina, his dog, was probably sleeping in his big brother''s vacant room. Kai went straight to his room and sat down in his chair. He knew it shouldn''t be possible, but he didn''t want to end up falling asleep while playing the game by mistake. Putting the bag on his work desk, he opened the box inside and took out the helmet console. He then stretched his other hand onto the box, finding a short manual but no additional cables. "Wait, what?" Kai took a look in the box and saw there was nothing else inside. When he examined the helmet, he saw it had no cable entrance anywhere either.


    Thinking in dismay that he might have actually been scammed, he opened the manual. All it said was to put on the device and click the power switch. Deciding to check it before going to the store to accuse them of any foul play, he clicked the power switch and wore the helmet. A sudden flash of colors assaulted Kai''s eyes before the scene settled onto a small study.


    infinite dendrogram, ???


    Kai was almost scratching his eyes out of habit to ease them from the quick burst of light before realizing he didn''t actually feel any discomfort. "Well, at the very least, this is a pleasant surprise."


    "Ahem...?" Moving down his hands, Kai saw that opposite him sat a white cat wearing clothes with a hand to his mouth. "Wait, was it him that spoke?" Kai thought before the cat spoke again. "Welcome to Infinite Dendrogram, a world of infinite possibilities!"


    Turning his head to take in the new space before laying his gaze back on the cat, Kai responded, "So this is Infinite Dendrogram? I can''t imagine you can do much of anything in this place like you say."


    "Oh, don''t worry. The world will open up in just a bit. This is more of a character creation screen, if you may," the cat jumped from his chair down and went on his two hind legs to a mirror set behind Kai''s chair.


    Kai spoke while following the cat, "Oh, okay. I guess that makes sense. It would be weird if you couldn''t change your appearance before starting the game." Kai stood in front of the mirror and tried to change his hair color to silver by thought. Surprisingly, his image in the mirror and from his peripheral vision, he could see his hair also changed color. "Cool, are there any templates or limitations on customization?"


    The cat quickly replied, "No templates. We discourage any idea of players having too similar looks on purpose. As for limitations, you can''t make yourself bigger than what this room can accommodate or too small either. But otherwise, it''s pretty open to your imagination."


    Kai focused on making his belly area a little slimmer, "Don''t judge," he added before Cheshire spoke. He turned his hair back to its normal color and added his glasses from real life. He looked at his reflection and noticed it said at the top, "Real life view." Kai asked about it, and the cat replied, "Oh yeah, you can choose the visuals of the game between real life, cartoon, and anime style." Kai didn''t bother changing the style, but the idea was pretty cool.


    Finishing with his avatar, Kai turned back to the cat, "Done. Anything else before starting the game? Also, sorry for not asking before, but what is your name?"


    "I''m Control AI No.13, also called Cheshire. Now, for your other question, I need to explain to you about your starting gear. Have you chosen a starting country, and most importantly of all," Cheshire took a small box from its pocket, and Kai instinctively put his hand forward to take the box before Cheshire opened it. The rock inside disappeared, creating a simple circle mark on Kai''s hand. "I give you your embryo. Glad we got that done," the cat continued to walk towards a large table in the corner of the room, spread on it a large map.


    "You may choose any of the countries shown here on the world map. Grenvola, the sea-faring..." Kai interrupted Cheshire before he continued, "I can replace my starting country after I start the game, right? I actually checked on the countries. I think I''ll go to Legendria."


    Cheshire responded a little irritated, "Yes, you can switch your country after starting, though it''s somewhat difficult based on the distance. Are you sure about your choice?"


    Kai responded somewhat disinterested, "Yes, I''m sure. Also, it''s fine if I choose to use an alias here, right? I''d like to use the name Shek¨­ Ruun." The cat replied cheerfully


    "Certainly, Shek¨­ Ruun. Now for equipment, every player starts with simple leather armor, a hunting knife, and 5000 Lir, each Lir having a worth of 10 yen in your world," Cheshire said with a smile.


    "Yen doesn''t tell me too much, but I think I''ll get used to it. Thanks for the introduction," Kai said with a nod.


    "No problem," Cheshire replied as the floor opened below Kai''s feet, and he started falling from the sky towards a gigantic tree. This is a very aggressive start, Kai thought in panic before landing on the ground seconds later, somehow not hurt in the slightest. "Okay, it''s not so bad," he said, looking around and seeing the giant tree surrounded by colorful balls of light. Kai confirmed he was in Legendria and opened his inventory to find he had a knife equipped and leather armor, just like Cheshire said. "Cool, I guess I should find someone to give me a quick beginner''s tour."


    Walking through the front gate of the city, Sheko saw other people materialize from thin air wearing all kinds of sets of clothes. He had a certain thought in mind, "The fashion coordination of equipment in this game is so much better than normal. At least I won''t look like a lunatic by end game."


    He then spotted a group of five weird-looking people walking with a direction in mind. At the front, leading them was a strongly built centaur wearing emerald boots from his hooves all the way to his horse body, lugging with him a lumpy sack that looked almost empty. Someone else at the back of the group had a short stature, a blue zipper coat, and a completely white skull for a head. "Those guys must be other players. No way a roaming NPC would look so weird," Sheko thought before going to ask them for some tips.


    Stolen story; please report.


    Not wanting to beat around the bush, Sheko turned to the centaur at the front and said, "Hey, can I bother you for like an hour max to get a grip on the game? I assumed there might be a tutorial, but I guess I was wrong."


    The centaur stopped walking and turned to look at Sheko. He was about to start speaking before pausing and then starting to speak a moment later with a deep, serious tone. "Sure, we took a job recently to find a bounty and bring it to the guild. I tracked its spot; it''s staying around a dingy shed in the woods. There''s a farming spot nearby for low levels. You can tag along, and we''ll intervene if you''re close to dying. GasStar wants to pick up a second job anyway, so go with them and pick the scout job. They already know the spot I was talking about, so we''ll see you there." Sheko thought, _I guess he wants to stay in character in front of his friends. Guess it''s fair._ Once the centaur finished speaking, the skeletal person walked by Sheko and pointed to him the guild building at the end of the street and started walking, but Kai stayed.


    "Not to disrespect, but I was thinking of taking a combat class to start as early as I can," Kai said. The centaur responded with a lower, more morose tone, "Well, whatever. The scout job gives you threat detection, which could be really useful for a noob." Kai cringed a little at the use of the word at him. _Everyone has to start somewhere. Noob isn''t really something to point out. What a jerk,_ he thought. Sheko turned to the other three party members for their opinion, but they simply stared and sort of avoided making eye contact with either Sheko or the centaur. But then GasStar spoke from the opposite direction Kai was looking at.


    "Leave him, Kaizo. Let him do what he wants." _I guess Kaizo is the centaur,_ Kai thought.


    "Oh, don''t be nosy. I''ve played for a month more than you, I know quite a bit more than you," Kaizo replied.


    "Well, then you''re supposed to know by now like me that Dendro isn''t a game like that. There isn''t a universal tip for beginners, and there isn''t a best choice," GasStar was almost seething by that point. But before it could get worse, a girl from the other three in the group stepped in and pulled Kaizo towards the direction of the city gate. "Come on, we don''t have so many hours in the day, right?" the girl piped quickly. Kaizo let the subject drop and walked to the city gate with the other three party members, and GasStar pulled Sheko with him.


    "What''s the deal with the Kaizo fella?" Sheko asked.


    "I don''t really know. He''s been making this party for quite some time and apparently records everything for his channel to get donations for his friend," GasStar replied.


    Sheko got somewhat frustrated with himself. "Anyway, so what job should I take?"


    "Well, if you ask me, I''d probably still suggest scout."


    "Wait, but you just argued with Kaizo for telling me to take scout," Sheko said.


    "Yes, because he told you to take it without even asking for your opinion," GasStar said, getting a little worked up. But then he continued, "Listen, this is really important. In this world, everyone gets a chance to leave a mark. Don''t let yourself get pushed around."


    "Wait, world? Dude, I think you''re taking all of this way too seriously, but I get what you mean," Sheko said.


    "Okay, well, as long as you at least get what I meant, it''s fine," GasStar said.


    The conversation died down, and they both walked to the guild building.


    Once they got close, Sheko realized two things about the city:


    1.  There were at least mermaids and avians living in the city because the streets included some wide, clean waterways, and on various buildings, there were warning signs and the occasional avian passing by.


    2.  The guild building was so frequented that, unlike other roads in the city that had vegetation growing in patches, any major road leading to the guild building was completely flattened. As dozens of people at a time went to and from the guild building, Sheko now saw from this closer point of view that it was a building large enough to accommodate maybe 300 people easily and had doors large enough to accommodate two giants walking in at the same time, even though Sheko didn''t see any giants in the area.


    "Why is the guild building so huge? It''s like someone got the measurements for a skyscraper and decided to make it cubical," Sheko asked as they walked with the rest of the crowd into the guild building.


    "Well, we are in Legendria. Just about any good potter wants monster parts for his work, so almost 30% of the population has some levels in combat jobs to hunt for materials. The other 70% of the population buys their materials from the first group, and so there is always a great influx of quests," GasStar explained.


    After going up the stairs to the entrance of the building and going through the doors, GasStar pointed to a corner in the room with another crowd around a door to a separate room. "That is the job crystal room. There are a lot of other job crystals around the city, but this one is accessible, and you can immediately go take a quest after." GasStar walked to join the crowd, and Sheko followed, but once they got close, Sheko split from GasStar and snuck between the crowd whenever some open space had been made by the shuffling people. He got inside the room after just a minute inside, he got a quick look at his options and chose to take the lancer job in the end. *I''ll fix the ''not having a spear problem in a moment,''* he thought to himself.


    By the time Sheko got out of the room, GasStar was still about two minutes from entering. Sheko poked him on the shoulder, ending up missing any muscle and touching a neck bone that made GasStar turn. Sheko told him he was going to pick a quest, but GasStar asked him to wait a second. "How did you already get in? We got here at the same time," GasStar said.


    Sheko replied simply, "Well, I''m really good at quick reading, so going through the jobs was easy. And also, people in a crowd are not very good at realizing someone is going around them to get to the front. Shuffle a bit, and you''ll end up in the front pretty quickly."


    GasStar dropped any further questions, and Sheko asked a receptionist for a starter quest and a map of the area. He bought the map for 1000 lir and was told to take a slime-killing quest, but Sheko requested a quest for a more humanoid monster. However, the receptionist warned him that there was a small kobold tribe north of the town, but they didn''t really suggest that he go straight for that elimination quest.


    Sheko lifted his left hand, showing his embryo. "I''m a master. Even if I die, no real damage has been made, and the quest remains open for the taking, right?"


    "Well, there is the death loot drop, but otherwise, yes, you''ll be fine after three days to recover in the other world, and the quest will remain open"


    "Then it''s fine, I will take the quest," Sheko insisted on the point, and the receptionist conceded at last, marking the spot on his map. The exchange was long enough for GasStar to finish choosing a job and come to call Sheko to get going, but before leaving, Sheko discreetly took a discarded broomstick from one of the walls and put it in his inventory. Once they started walking, Sheko took out the broomstick and inspected it. "Doesn''t count as a spear. Well, I still have an idea. GasStar, do you have some sturdy rope?" GasStar answered a little confused but gave Sheko some length of rope anyway. "Thank you." Sheko then took out his knife and tied the knife to the end of the broomstick. Once he finished, he inspected it again. "Yup, it worked. ''Homemade spear.''" GasStar quickly snapped to take the spear from Sheko to inspect it as well, surprised that the knife stayed completely still. Inspecting the spear, he was surprised after confirming what Sheko said. "Yeah, you definitely shouldn''t get stuck with Kaizo. You''d figure out any tips he would give you in the first day. He won''t have anything to tell you by the end of the 3rd day."


    "I think it''s a problem with people exclusively playing video games that they make some assumptions, but this is more like a tabletop RPG than a normal MMO."


    "That''s a pretty good description of it, but don''t forget that it''s also a video game, so it has some mechanics that make less sense if you were playing a tabletop game."

 pvp at level 10

    After about 30 minutes of walking in the forest, they stopped. According to GasStar, this was the farming spot, but he saw nothing before a moment later a pair of kobolds jumped from the treeline and charged at them with chipped and rusty shortswords. Some orbs started to bubble out from the ground where GasStar stood, and Sheko took his spear, striking very hard into the sword-wielding hand of the first kobold before striking at his head with the butt of the spear, making the kobold dazed. But the other kobold was just behind the first and ready to cut into Sheko before one of GasStar''s orbs crushed powerfully into the chest of the kobold, popping to reveal a large rock inside it, going on to crush the kobold and killing it immediately.


    What job is that? ''Cause it looks really cool. sheko thought to himself


    "So, how do I get to do that?" Sheko asked as he was taking out his map, then continued, "Ha, lucky. This spot is like 200 meters from the kobold tribe for my quest."


    GasStar replied in turn to both, "I''m just a geomancer; it was the rock missile spell. The bubble thing is my embryo, though, so you can''t really replicate the entire thing. Don''t worry about it, though; the bubble is more to make the attack stronger, but you can still use the spell like that." Sheko and GasStar continued like that for the better part of an hour. Sheko killing kobolds as they appeared with his homemade spear, and GasStar crushing any kobold that might''ve hit Sheko. The tactic wasn''t perfect, as Sheko still took some hits. One time, a kobold even jumped GasStar from behind and cut him on the arm, but the damage was pretty minimal, and GasStar had potions he was willing to share with Sheko, so they were fine. Sheko stopped for a bit to check his level, seeing he got all the way to level 10, and In his kill count, it showed he killed 32 kobolds, but it was weird. He felt he was moving faster but also, since his pain was turned off, all of his scratches were unnoticeable, and he didn''t feel winded as much as he thought he should. "This thing can really be addicting. How isn''t there dozens of people staying in the game for days?" Sheko did think in the right direction, and it was true that many people have stayed in the game for days at a time. At this point, however, the triple time the game offered meant that people could enjoy several days on the weekend and even several hours each day, so most people would be satisfied.


    "So how many kobolds am I supposed to kill to finish my quest?"


    "What do you mean? The quest is to eliminate the kobold tribe. We are just killing some wandering foot soldiers. You''d have to kill the kobold war master to disperse the tribe and finish the quest."


    "How hard would that be to do then?"


    "Our group can definitely do it with all of us here. Kaizo can probably solo the quest with Summer."


    "Wait, so he''s really good, no? What do you mean by Summer anyway?"


    "I wouldn''t really say he''s very good. It''s a matter of leveling and your build, but some people from the same time he started can probably level that tribe. So in reality, he''s just fine, even a little slow." About 5 minutes and 3 more dead kobolds, the other 4 members of the group entered the forest clearing, Kaizo with his lumpy bag now much fuller than before.


    "So, Nooby, had fun? I see you didn''t go for scout."


    Sheko cringed again at the use of the word.


    "Yeah, I got hit a few times, but GasStar shared some health potions, so it''s fine."


    "So, you got hit and wasted potions that each is worth 1000 lir. I told you that you should''ve gone for scout. You would have avoided them if you had better awareness."


    "I was doing fine, thank you very much. We used only 2 potions. If you want me to pay back--"


    GasStar piped in, "It''s fine. Don''t worry about it. I got plenty of potions. The drops you got from the kobolds definitely would cover it and still leave you a bit more even if you had to pay for the potions. Which, like I said, don''t worry about it." Sheko''s image of GasStar improved quite a bit by this, but he still didn''t want to offend Kaizo or insert himself into whatever was happening in the group.


    The walk back to the city was silent, with minimal conversation. Once in town, they took a different route from the one GasStar guided Sheko through to the guild building. Before feeling like he spent quite a bit of time in the game, Sheko was ready to split from the group and check some sellers for better equipment as his makeshift spear was almost broken. But it was nice to see the game immediately understood what he did when he made it. Before he told the group he planned to split, the sack Kaizo was holding started to wiggle frantically, and then someone inside it shouted, "Help! I didn''t do anything to deserve this!" There was a silent moment as Sheko made sense of the situation. "Kaizo wanted to improve quickly and needed money to get ahead, so he kidnapped someone. No, the group kidnapped someone. I''ll be grouped with them if anyone sees this." Panic crept into Sheko as he thought, If I end up getting blamed for This now, I probably won''t be able to return to the city later. I have to make it clear I''m not with them, quickly making up his mind, Sheko sprang into action, slashing with his spear the top of the sack, causing it to tear apart and release the victim who promptly got on his feet and started to run away.


    "You idiot, Pearl, get this guy back."


    The girl that pulled Kaizo from the argument parked and replied, "Why? What did he do? You told us it was a bounty mission, not a kidnapping."


    "Do as I say and get him! He''s worth 100000 lir. You hear me? I''ll punish this idiot for ruining my quest."


    The girl reluctantly turned after the kinappy joined by the other girl now wearing a spotless guard uniform. Kaizo then walked purposely in a slow rhythm toward Sheko before rearing his front left leg for a kick. Sheko held his spear in a defensive stance, using the broad broomstick to block the incoming kick, but Kaizo kicked right through it.


    Time moved in a cruel manner as Sheko tried to think of anything. "Move, duck, block it, anything." All those thoughts passed through Sheko''s mind, and yet, trying to move, he already realized he was too slow to prevent his death. "I''ll get back at you, Kaizo. What a jerk." Sheko gave a mental sign, ready to receive his death penalty, before his left hand glowed with a bright white light. Just before the great kick of the centaur connected, Sheko spun around, moving at the last moment, the hoofed leg stopping in front of his eyes where his head was a moment ago.


    "What the hell?" Sheko exclaimed. The centaur replied in a heavier tone, "Congrats, nooby. You got your embryo. You''re still doomed, though." Sheko knew he was right, but there was no reason not to give his best right here. Before he could truly decide what to do next, the centaur stomped his currently lifted leg and with such force, it dug into the soil. Sheko felt a tingling sensation - somewhat like the distant feeling when the kobolds cut him - on his left knee, or at least what was once his knee before it was apparently pulverized by an ice stalagmite that suddenly burst from the ground.


    Sheko, focusing on staying upright, looked at the centaur as he spoke again. "Like I said, even if you got a great embryo, I''ve got more experience than you, better equipment, lots of levels higher, some reinforcements, and we can''t forget my embryo, Chiron. Now, I''m not totally for griefing new players, s..." Before he finished, Sheko jumped with all his strength, holding in each hand a remainder of his makeshift spear, slashing with the sharp end at the foe''s smug face.


    Normally, Kaizo Tremor would have dodged Sheko easily, but both sides failed to account for the new status correction given to Sheko from his embryo, Odysseus. And Sheko, trying to use his embryo like before, added immense speed to his attack, letting it just barely pierce Kaizo''s skin when he raised his body in reaction. The strike, insignificant as it may be, triggered Odysseus'' first ability on contact, wrapping the centaur''s horse body in a blue fractal whirlpool pattern.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    However, as impressive an attack as it was for Sheko to land a strike on Kaizo using Odysseus like he did, it dislocated his shoulder and broke it a little, causing him to drop his knife from his now gloved hand. "Ok, you had your fun. Now you''re really dead." Kaizo kicked with a raised hoof once more, but before his leg fully stretched into a kick, his body spun sideways like Sheko''s did. But realizing quickly what happened, Kaizo took a hatchet from a belt on his human torso bottom and cut through Sheko''s head, killing him immediately.


    In the real world, Kai stood up from his chair, taking off his helmet. "Damn it! I''ll get back at you, Kaizo!" Kai raised a hand in obvious, pretended theatrics, trying to make himself feel better about his death. "Is everything alright, Kai?" Kai''s mom called from her bedroom. "Yeah, just got killed in a game." Kai looked up, seeing barely 10 minutes had passed since he powered on the device. "I guess it''s true." Kai spoke to himself, then put the helmet back on. Trying to power it on now, it simply displayed to him a counter. "23:58." "I guess it also means I really did die and need to wait 24 hours. Damn it." Putting the helmet aside, Kai then opened his computer and sent a message to Tam.


    KaijuMonster(kai): "So I checked it. I''ve got to say, I really like the design of the game. It has a real powerful ''lived-in'' aesthetic. It does seem like people are a bit too invested in it though."


    Tam: "I told you it''s good, right? I guess you met a worlder. Don''t worry, they are usually inviting. Where are you at? I''ve got free time as well. We can hang out. I found an awesome ore mining spot. It''s pretty safe. You can level while I do my stuff."


    KaijuMonster: "Actually...I didn''t pause to talk with you. I got killed in the middle of town by another player. He was a real jerk from what I got from one of his teammates. I guess it''s a little more complicated than that."


    Tam: "Bummer. Did you get to see what embryo you got? Did you get a rare type?"


    KaijuMonster: "Wait, embryos are a gacha? So, you could get screwed by luck from the start and be stuck like that? Anyway, I did get my embryo, but it was when I was fighting the centaur player, so I didn''t get to check anything about it."


    Tam: "Bummer. Well, did you get anything about it?"


    KaijuMonster: "Before he punched me to death, he was about to kick me with his front leg, but I shifted to the side without any movement just before I would''ve been hit. Still, he destroyed my leg with an ice attack, and then killed me a second later after I broke my shoulder cutting him a bit."


    Tam: "So, meet tomorrow, I guess, at the gate?"


    KaijuMonster: "Oh, sorry, I forgot to tell you. I went to Legendria."


    Tam: "What, dude? Come on, I told you I''m at Caldina. Why do you gotta be a bummer?" KaijuMonster: "Well, I read about the starting locations, and it said Caldina isn''t really recommended for beginners because it''s a giant desert with strong monsters. Also, I want to get going on my own. I don''t want to feel carried around by you all the way to the endgame. The other player I met was pretty clear that it was a good decision."


    Tam: "Wait, the one that killed you?"


    KaijuMonster: "No, the one that argued with him."


    Tam: "Well, whatever. I guess I''ll tell you good luck and have fun." The snide from that last message was pretty obvious.


    Before Tam might take off, Kai continued.


    KaijuMonster: "You mind helping me plan a build? I wanna get back at this Kaizo guy."


    Tam replied with an animated picture of a sinister-looking man smiling and rubbing his hands.


    Tam: "It will be my pleasure. So, explain to me how your embryo works again?"


    KaijuMonster: "From what I gathered, I spin my entire body or a specific part of it super fast, but I can be hurt from it. Considering my shoulder immediately broke from using it to barely cut the other player."


    Tam: "Could you figure out what limitation it has?"


    KaijuMonster: "Nope. I''m sure I got a bit faster after I got the embryo, but it could''ve been adrenaline. But I don''t think it had much of a limitation of the spin, except I guess hurting me from using it."


    Tam: "No, that can''t be it, I don''t think so. You probably have a delay limit or an activation cost, I guess. Now, I''m not sure how you should go with this for your build, but maybe you should consider using an axe thrower build since you could probably give the spin to the axe, adding to its attack power without taking damage. But you would have to practice the timing of it. Everyone trains; it''s part of the fun. You could use a chakram instead, but I don''t think those are common to buy in Legendria. It''s very little to go on from what you told me. Did you get a job before ending in the fight?"


    KaijuMonster: "Yeah, sure. I took lancer, but I doubt it would be very effective with the whole spin thing. The only skills from it were _brace_ and _charge_."


    Tam: "Well, you should remember that embryos are made around the user, so you probably don''t know everything about your embryo that could synergize with the job you decided to take. Actually, I think I remember hearing about a flow fighter high job, but I don''t have a clue about how to get it. You could maybe go for ninja, but I''m not sure it''s available in Legendria. I think you should just try to train and see how it gets going. Oh wait i found something you might like, Matador the job has a skill that gives you a buff when you dodge an attack"


    KaijuMonster:" I think I will mix them I''m sure theres space for that in the build. well thanks I''ll be ready for him next time I''m sure"


    Kai closed the chat and decided to look up Kaizo on the internet. It wasn''t too hard as he was surprisingly popular, using the same name for his channel - KaizoStomp - and Dendro. He was livestreaming at the moment, but Kai wasn''t interested in waiting for anything that slow. Instead, he went to look at Kaizo''s past videos and noticed a clear change in them after a period in the channel that had no videos.


    The last video before that period had GasStar prominently featuring with Kaizo, but the first video after that period had GasStar nowhere to be seen, replaced by a picture of all the other masters in the group he met. Collectively taking less space in the picture than GasStar did originally, it seemed that GasStar wasn''t fully honest about when he met Kaizo, but it was clear they had a serious falling out. Probably Kaizo took down the videos that clearly showed their falling off.


    Ignoring all of the personal drama the group had, Kai chose to look up some fighting footage. The naming scheme of the videos didn''t help one bit, but after another hour of looking at Kaizo''s channel, he believed he had a good idea for his fighting style, at least in 1v1 settings in the arena. Kaizo usually started by surrounding himself with a field of thorny veins to stop any advances from his enemy. Then, using a long warhammer, he would charge into his vein field and run around his enemy to push them deeper into the vein field.


    Once inside, Kaizo continued with a barrage of hammer strikes and sometimes kicks, like he did to Kai. If his enemy proved problematic, Kaizo would use a skill to light his entire field on fire. This seemed to harm Kaizo as well, but his embryo, apparently his centaur body, had high resistance to both cold and heat. Together with Kaizo''s job focusing on creating the field of fire, once he did that, Kaizo focused mostly on defense until his enemy died from his fire.


    It seemed that Kaizo had quite a lot of success with this strategy, both when fighting in random encounters and in the arena, boasting around an 80% win rate in his videos. But clearly, he probably didn''t upload all of his fights, and many of the fights that he did lose featured a player with a pyromancer or a cryomancer build that countered his setup or had embryos that did similar stuff to those jobs.


    After thinking about it, Kai realized that in all the fights Kaizo uploaded, he never used that ice stalagmite attack he used against him. He probably wanted to end Kai quickly, and that attack was weak, but there were plenty of times for him to use it in his fights that could have won him the battle if it was just used as destruction.


    Kai realized that Kaizo''s ice attack wasn''t too weak to be used in fights. Instead, Kaizo was probably angry and accidentally revealed his embryo''s power to create ice when he tried to kill Kai quickly. Kaizo''s embryo replaced his lower half and created ice when he stomped the ground. It wasn''t as confusing as whatever Kai had, but he still considered getting a pyromancer job to counter it. However, there was a simpler option to learn how to fight Kaizo, and that was to ask GasStar for tips. Kaizo had been acting like a jerk to GasStar for weeks, so GasStar would probably know the best way to beat him. Setting aside his plans, Kai went to the kitchen to grab a snack before doing his boring homework.


    Later, Kai went to make dinner, and his mom entered while he was cooking some sweet chicken breast. She mentioned that she was planning to cook an omelet for dinner, but she was happy that Kai took the initiative to cook. When everything was ready, she called Kai''s sister to sit down with them. She came quickly without someone having to call her from her room. When Kai went to call her on those occasions, he wondered how she wasn''t completely deaf when he could easily hear the chatting from her earphones almost a meter away. The dinner was calm, and they fell into their routine conversation, talking about something mundane like problems with public transit. They ended up talking about the old Hercules and the turtle paradox, concluding with Kai''s sister saying that Hercules should have put his leg on the turtle so he would stop moving. They all agreed that the paradox was just silly.


    After dinner, Kai returned to making his build. He decided to start by taking the matador job for its abilities and the irony of using it to fight a centaur. He would focus on improving the matador buff skill and try to get its high job. This could take a week or two, so the first thing he would do is meet GasStar and get whatever information he was willing to share about Kaizo and his embryo. After that, he would see if he could find any blacksmiths who knew how to make a custom chakram for him. He had always wanted to learn how to use throwing knives but thought it was too time-consuming and dangerous to practice. However, in dendro, it might end up being useful, and the triple time meant it was much less of a waste of time.

 home issues

    Kai was pretty distracted the entire school day after his plotting the previous day - if you could even call it plotting though - so he was pretty much matching the class speed for a change. Instead of reading a book between assignments, his teachers did notice, but Kai wasn''t really distracting any other students, and he was pretty amenable usually, so they didn''t say anything. The short school day passed by, and after finishing the homework he was given, he set to play cards with some friends - Tam included. All the while, Kai was looking often at his phone to check the hour.


    "You are checking to see if you should ditch us to play Dendro, aren''t you?" Tam spoke between shuffling cards for another round.


    "Well, I mean, yeah, it''d be a shame to waste an extra hour outside when I already have a bunch of things to do in the game," Kai replied.


    Tam was about to reply, but Pen, the third person in their group, spoke first. "You should just focus on other stuff. Dendro is gonna stay there for a few years; I''m pretty sure about that. Anyway, you shouldn''t get yourself burnt out on the game. It''d be a real shame to spend 100$ on the game just to quit it after a week."


    "Actually, I paid 150$ because I had to buy it from a scalper in the end. But either way, I played for only like 2 hours, and it seems like there''s a lot to do. So I think I''m fine. If burning out is your concern. Anyway, I guess you also play, then, Pen?"


    "Well, yeah, of course. I don''t get how you didn''t end up being the first between us to start playing."


    "It''s just that I was skeptical about the tech. It''s not like I didn''t try, but my stomach is apparently really weak when it comes to VR games. So like a year ago, after trying for a bit another VRMMO, I almost puked from just 15 minutes playing. But surprisingly, I didn''t feel any of that in Dendro, even though I had more range of motion than in the previous two games I tried, both like I said, almost made me puke," Kai explained.


    Tam inserted himself back into the conversation, dealing the cards to them. "So, Pen, guess what starting country Kai chose?" Tam said it with a mischievous smile. Kai didn''t understand what was funny about his prompting.


    "Let me guess, you went to Dryfe for mech combat? Or did you seriously go to Tenchi?" Pen replied simply.


    Kai answered instead of Tam. "No, I chose Legendria. The high fantasy sounded cool."


    Pen didn''t listen, instead starting to chuckle before speaking. "You seriously didn''t check any forum or anything about the countries, did you? Apparently, there''s been a large influx of weirdos into the country after some of the features of Infinite Dendrogram became more public knowledge."


    Kai thought for a moment what Pen could mean by that before instinctively groaning. "No, this can''t be real. Are you serious?" Kai composed himself and then spoke. "Fine, fine, whatever. I just need to deal with one thing in Legendria, and then I''ll go to my next option. Sure, why not? This shouldn''t take long to beat some rando, right?"


    "Well, it depends. What level is this guy? I know grinding can take a pretty long time," Tam chimed.


    "Yeah, and even then, sometimes embryos can totally disregard levels because they can be really strong and not dependent on your level to evolve," Pen added.


    "I checked the guy''s videos yesterday to plan my fight, and in his arena fight, he fought someone at level 150, so I guess he''s probably around that level, but his embryo isn''t that impressive. It''s just his centaur body and creating ice. I''ll make sure to notice any sneak attacks from it this time," Kai replied somewhat indignant at their lack of faith in him.


    "Wait, the embryo is the centaur body? Dude, it''s a rare type. Who knows how powerful it actually is, then?" Tam chimed in.


    "I don''t know about rare types, but I don''t think it''s actually the entire body, just the lower half," Kai said.


    "Oh, I see. Well, still, don''t be cocky. You are playing against a stacked deck. You still have school, and from what you said, this guy made his job in dendro. He probably has more time than you to power level," Pen warned.


    They went on to talk about their upcoming tests and worried about getting good recommendations from their teachers to get picked as programmers in the army. Kai was actually quite worried about recommendations, even though he was sure 2 out of 4 of his teachers would be glad to give their recommendation. He felt that his antagonism towards the principal of his school could end up canceling out any favor from his other teachers.


    Another half-hour passed as they talked about one of the subjects in class that Kai didn''t completely understand. Tam helped him understand it, realizing he actually missed part of the lecture because of his distraction that day. The subject simply didn''t pop up meaningfully in the assignments, so it didn''t give him trouble in class. But the explanation was useful to solve those assignments more quickly.


    They closed their stuff and took off, with Kai and Tam taking the same bus while Pen went in the opposite direction. Once home, Kai checked his phone and saw that it was only 2:30 pm. He had to wait another hour and a half before his death penalty ended. He went to his room to take off his bag and found his sister wearing the game helmet in his chair, pretty much motionless. For once, he couldn''t hear the sound from her headphones.


    "I looked into the helmet yesterday, and it didn''t have a screen, so maybe it''s all supplied directly to the brain. This would be awful if someone convinces the developers to put ads in the game. Every time someone invents new tech, companies will definitely use it for marketing," Kai thought to himself, annoyed at the idea that he knew would come sooner or later, but had to accept the reality of it.


    "Hey, Tsuno, what are you doing with my game?" Kai asked, stopping for a moment to think about how she even got it to activate before the death penalty ended.


    "You better not reset my save," Kai quickly warned, realizing that she already might have done so.


    Tsuno took off the helmet a little disoriented and spoke disconnected from Kai''s conversation, "Oh hey, Kai, I was just playing it a bit. I didn''t see any save, and you weren''t coming for another hour, so I thought it''s fine."


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "What do you mean you didn''t see any save? I played for an hour yesterday. Where did you spawn?" Kai asked.


    "I appeared in a study with a pair of twins sitting in the same chair in front of me. They gave me a tutorial and an embryo egg. I did ask about the save, and they said that each account is linked to the unique brainwaves of each user, so I wasn''t playing on your save or deleted it. Can I play for like one more hour?"


    "Well, my death penalty only ends in an hour and 20 minutes from now, so I can''t do anything about it but move to the public space, please," Kai replied.


    Tsuno took the helmet and played in the public space like Kai asked while he took out his computer and started reading and printing some practice tests for school to do later. 25 minutes passed, and Tsuno knocked on the door. "Hey, I finished. You wanna play now?"


    Kai replied offhandedly, "Look at the clock, Tsuno. You still have 50 minutes. I''ll tell you when the death penalty is over."


    Tsuno quickly walked to the public space to check the clock, realizing that only about 30 minutes had passed. "Wait, but I checked the in-game clock. It said 12:50 PM when I went back inside."


    "Did you not ask anyone for tips or something?" Kai reflected on that question, realizing how much good it actually gave him. He simply explained to Tsuno, "the game moves at three times normal speed."


    "But I did a lot in 25 minutes. I don''t think I would''ve been able to do all of that in 25 minutes," Tsuno protested.


    "It''s not that the clock and day cycle move at triple speed. The entire game gives you triple the normal time," Kai clarified.


    Tsuno stood there for a moment with realization before she ran quickly back to the public space to play her remaining hour or three hours in Dendro time. Kai waited and read, ending up reading more than 10 minutes past 4. He went to the public space and tapped Tsuno on the shoulder, and she took off the helmet.


    "Can I please play for another half an hour?" Tsuno asked.


    "No, I already gave you plenty of time. Come on, I want to check on my account," Kai replied.


    "Fine," Tsuno said, giving Kai the helmet before quickly going to their mom''s room. "I guess she went to ask Mom to buy a helmet for her as well." Kai went to his room and put on the helmet.


    ¡ó


    lancer , Shek¨­ ruun, Amneal


    Sheko appeared again at the city gate. The first thing he did was to check his inventory. He now had 2200 lir and no weapon, but he was equipped with a new glove. his embryo was named "Odysseus, Clever Voyager," and looking at its description gave Sheko the full explanation of his embryo''s two abilities.


    The first ability was called "Ignorance Is Bold." It allowed him to create a mark on himself and move it freely around his body and equipment or even envelop his entire body with the mark. The ability also had the capability to create a mark on someone or something else that he touched with his gloved hand or touched directly with the gloved hand in the case of ranged weapons the projectiles he shot would be temporarily marked without a limit on their number and hitting someone with a marked projectile counted as hitting them for the creation of a new mark. That mark could then move like his own mark but was limited to the major body part that was hit by it. He could not make more than one of each mark at a time, meaning he had to dismiss a mark he put on something or someone else before he could make a new one. The ability did nothing beyond a visual change on its own and cost nothing to activate.


    The second ability was much more interesting as it had an actual effect. The ability was called "Ride Through The Storm," which allowed Sheko to activate any number of placed marks created by "Ignorance Is Bold" to turn the target around the mark in increments of quarter rotations. Each increment of turning cost 1 SP, and the turning speed was a fixed 5 times Sheko''s AGI. However, the amount of increments when activating the ability was not limited beyond the amount of SP Sheko had. This did, however, put a limit to Sheko''s control over the ability, as he always moved his targets in a fixed increment, and he could not move himself and a target at the same time unless he was willing to turn the same way his target did. All of this seemed to guide him towards his planned build, most likely Kai''s interest in creating a quick and versatile build, led to his embryo fitting it quite well.


    After that lengthy reading and consideration, Kai set out to the guild building to take the Matador job. It was apparently only available in cities that had a colosseum, but Sheko was lucky in that matter as Amneal had a colosseum. However, when Sheko asked about it, he was told by the guild register that he could not fight in the arena until level 50 for safety reasons. Sheko was not interested in cutting his playtime short today. After taking care of his job situation, Sheko asked for directions to a bar called The Four Wagons, which was special for its accommodations for the large residents of the city. Sheko was not interested in alcohol whatsoever, but checking Kaizo''s channel, he knew the group was supposed to gather soon at the bar. So if he ran there now, he might have a chance to speak with GasStar.


    Finding the place was very simple, as you''d imagine a bar serving customers that loom over normal people close to nighttime was pretty eye-catching. However, when Sheko was about to enter, a gray-skinned giant blocked his entry.


    "What are you looking for, little human?" the giant asked with a rumbling slow voice.


    "I was looking for a master called KaizoStomp. I heard he''s a regular here."


    "It''s none of my business to go into master problems, but I''ll tell you Kaizo is not here and was already told yesterday that he shouldn''t come to the bar for a few days. Some rumor spread that he kidnapped Mr. Chanter. The man is a character, I''ll tell you that, but he hired some regulars in the bar from time to time, so people have respect for him, and more importantly, it paints a bad picture on them if they get associated with Kaizo now. Their potential employers might suspect them, so it''s best to let it cool off."


    Sheko listened to the explanation carefully, somewhat impressed by the articulation of the situation by the giant guard.


    "Thank you, sir. Do you know where Kaizo might''ve gone instead?"


    "I think I might''ve given you the wrong idea. We prefer to give privacy to all of our patrons, so I will not answer your question."


    "Well I do appreciate your values, if I ever decide to start drinking I''ll take you into consideration"


    "Sure, that is if you''d even be able to finish one mug in our pub"


    Sheko turned around from the pub and went on to find a blacksmith that might be selling a weapon he could use like a spear, a throwing axe, or a shotgun if that was even an option in this country. The search wasn''t long considering that after he was told by the first blacksmith he found that many of the blacksmiths in town didn''t even deal with the budget range he was currently in, and gave him an address for a blacksmith he knew had stock he could afford.


    The shop he was referred to wasn''t large, and the shopkeeper was standing outside shouting deals to the general crowd. Sheko went up to the man and asked, "Sir, I''d like to check your shop if you''d allow." The man replied quickly before returning to shouting, "I have a price list behind me. I''ll get your request out once you''ve made up your mind."


    The list he was referring to listed the prices for 10 items, including a full set of leather armor for 4000 lir, an iron pickaxe for 750 lir, and an iron spear for 1000 lir with no job to use with the axe that was also listed. Sheko''s limited funds made him hesitant on gambling his chances with learning a new, less reliable weapon than a spear. He did consider getting both but decided against it as he realized he was feeling somewhat hungry, or at least his avatar was.


    He quickly bought a cheap batch of fruits after paying for his new spear and ate on his walk to the forest. It was a truly weird sensation tasting the fruits, not because they tasted weird, but because they tasted exactly as he had expected fruits to taste. This technology alone should have cost a fortune to create. Testing even just a few basic food items to then replicate the taste was still probably more advanced than any other VR technology made public yet.

 hunting trip

    Sheko went to the same spot where he farmed kobolds with GasStar yesterday, and simply getting to the clearing caused 2 kobolds to rush from the trees and immediately charge at him with raised knives. Sheko was already faster than the weak kobolds he was facing before, and with his embryo to help, Sheko simply set his spear in the headline of the kobolds, lightly gripped, and used his mark to spin the spear through the skull of one kobold and then through the neck of the other. Sheko, however, was unharmed from the attack as he simply let the spear turn around his abdomen, immediately releasing it from his light grip. However, after the attack, his spear fell at his side, leaving him in a defenseless position and the spear unmarked. It was better to realize the problem with that tactic now than when fighting a serious enemy.


    Sheko crouched to lift his spear and just then an arrow flew towards him - it''s from the same direction the kobolds came from - just as Sheko gripped the spear, he marked his whole body and spun it backwards to duck at the last moment. This also activated the new acquired "Matador" skill, giving Sheko a slight buff to his status for the next 10 seconds. Sheko then rolled to the side to avoid another arrow, prolonging his buff, and then stood up and charged at the archer. He received a buff to his AGI and STR from his "Charge" lancer ability. The archer was poorly concealed with its red scales in the green fauna, and with a quick stab to the abdomen, Sheko dispatched that kobold too.


    However, this approach to the kobolds seemed to have been a bad idea. Once the kobold archer fell to the ground, the thump of heavy boots running towards Sheko''s location was frightening. Someone was leading the kobolds, and what he dealt with was just a simple scouting group in comparison to the hunting group that was quickly approaching the area.


    Sheko quickly returned to the forest opening, waiting for the hunters to arrive. Within 30 seconds, the group of four scaled humanoids appeared before him - three half-dragon warriors and one kobold shaman. they had likely discovered his location through arcane means. if this is anything like a normal RPG this is the biggest difficulty spike I ever saw. The half-dragon charged at Sheko with its sword aimed low, while the shaman conjured a pair of flaming orbs.


    Sheko stepped into the attack, striking the half-dragon lightly on the side with the butt of his spear. He used Odysseus to turn the half-dragon around, causing it to lose balance, and launched it into the air, intercepting the hurling orbs. Sheko took a breath "that was close", As the monster disintegrated, the remaining two half-dragons defended the shaman, who was concentrating on creating a lightning strike.


    Sheko charged at the shaman, spinning his spear''s tip to push him above the guards to land behind them. He grasped the shaman''s neck and spun it, causing a crunching noise before the shaman died, launching a bolt that grazed one of the guards. Sheko was now unarmed and facing two half-dragons. He lunged at the monster to his left grappling it, spinning both of them 180 degrees, letting a slash from the other monster strike the marked one.


    Both the marked monster and Sheko crashed onto the ground landing close to Sheko''s spear, Sheko took hold of his spear and got up. He snapped the marked monster''s neck, but the half-dragon resisted with damage to its neck. Sheko spun the monster''s neck once more, killing it. Now, he was bruised and bleeding, facing the healthy half-dragon.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Sheko charged at the half-dragon, dodging its first attack by jumping to the side. He spun his spear into the monster''s armpit and then ducked, spinning the spear horizontally to cut its stomach, giving it a fatal wound. But the monster''s attacked one last time almost breaking Sheko''s upraised left arm. Sheko took a look at his bleeding arm flailing without his control "i hope i could get back to the city in time" and walking dizzily to the town.


    Call it luck or fate or just good timing, but GasStar, for some reason, was walking to the forest clearing and met Sheko just in time to give him a potion that would close his injuries so he wouldn''t die from bleeding out.


    "It''s good to see you," Sheko spoke as he chugged the potion down.


    "Can''t say the same honestly. After your little trick 3 days ago, Kaizo has been seething about me setting you against him. And now he''s said I gotta repay the group for almost losing the bounty. I thought to get the money by killing the kobold settlement, but I''m at it for 2 days now. Each time a few kobolds appear, and once I kill them, a much stronger group appears eating all my resources."


    "I think I can say with confidence how that feels."


    Sheko and GasStar spoke together, "It sucks."


    "So how many did you kill before running away?"


    "Counting the 3 normal kobolds at the start? 7 in total."


    "For someone with barely any combat time and not even one maxed low job, it''s pretty impressive."


    "Thank you. So how many did you kill so far?"


    "It''s a little hard to count the kills sometimes, but I think I''ve taken down close to 30 of those shamans, half dragons, and rogues," GasStar replied.


    "Wow, that''s much better than me, considering you didn''t die from all of that. So there are also rogues?" Sheko asked.


    "Yeah, they suck. They poison their weapons, so even a scratch can have you killed," GasStar explained.


    "So anyway, wanna team up for this hunting trip?" Sheko prompted.


    "Did you not hear what I just said? Kaizo is blaming me for your little prank. How do you think he''d take it if he discovered I''m letting you tag along for this?" GesStar almost shouted back.


    Sheko started again with an almost whispered reply, "So what? He''s been giving you crap for a few weeks now, real-life weeks. Why do you care? Does he usually give a reason for you to not come with the rest of the group?" Sheko finished almost as loudly as GesStar.


    GesStar was shocked but replied almost immediately, "Whatever happens between me and my friends is none of your business! How long are you stalking me to know about any of that? I''m giving you one chance: shut up, go away, and don''t show your face to me ever again. It''s a large game, I''m sure you can do what I ask of you."


    Sheko stood up and took a step backwards, keeping his hands clear tucking his spear between his armpit. "I didn''t stalk you. This whole drama is pretty clear to see on Kaizo''s channel. You were part of the group, then suddenly a large pause, and Kaizo is back with you missing from much of the videos."


    GesStar didn''t make any moves but was still glaring at Sheko. "Good, so you aren''t stalking me, but instead, you''re stalking my friend. How is that better?"


    "Well, I''m just in the business of dispensing justice against a griefer. Kaizo has gone directly to killing me for my honest mistake, and that''s just unfair." Sheko then added in a lower than "and then proceeded to bad-mouth me on his stream afterwards."


    "Okay, this isn''t great, but I''ll make you a deal. I will let you continue farming in this spot and won''t tell Kaizo about this meeting. However, you won''t get any help from me, and if I ask you to free up the spot, you do so."


    "Agreed for the most part. However, I want to challenge myself, and this sounds like a good option for me, so you''ll just have to learn to share the spot without making it seem like we work together." GesStar moved the staff at his side upwards and launched a rock at Sheko, who dodged at the last second by spinning the tip of his spear and turn him aside.


    "Okay, fine, you can stay, but don''t give me any trouble," GesStar replied in an exhausted but somewhat jovial tone.

 a long road ahead

    After Sheko''s meeting with GesStar, he decided to head back into town to buy supplies. He realized he would be too weak to continue farming without SP, and he couldn''t just farm a tiny amount after talking a big game to GesStar. So, he needed to do some market research. The loot Sheko got from the shaman and three half-dragons was substantial, with the shaman dropping an ingredients sack and each of the half-dragons dropping the sword they used and a claw.


    seems like the first guy I asked was honest, this stuff is alright for a beginner i guess. if i go to the third shop i asked i can sell everything for 6000 lir, going around selling optimally everything sounds boring anyway


    the seller he went to had the second-cheapest prices for both SP and HP recovery potions from the sellers Sheko deemed trustworthy. He had paid close to the offers he received for the loot from other sellers, with the cheapest healing potion selling for 250 lir and recovering 100 HP. Sheko could fully heal drinking two potions, at least for now. The cheapest SP recovery potion was worth 500 lir to recover 50 SP. It was somewhat frustrating to end up wasting some SP because his max SP was too low. But on the other hand, it meant that SP potions were probably easy to come by, and they wouldn''t be completely useless once he leveled up further. However, predictably, he had to pause and exit the game since someone outside the game had entered his room. "This isn''t completely creepy, knowing the helmet knows when someone entered my room, right?" he said to no one in particular.


    _Real world_


    "Kai, Tsuno told me you had a new game, and she wanted to play as well. Can you give her some time with it?" Kai''s mom asked.


    "I did give her time, and she played a bunch before I got home. It''s an online game anyway, so it''s not like I can pause the game all the time," Kai replied hastily.


    "Can you maybe play turns on it?"


    "But it''s not fair. I bought the game myself, and it wasn''t cheap."


    "What if I paid it back for you?"


    "It''s not that, really. I just want to have time to play myself. I know a place that still has the game for sale," Kai knew his mom wasn''t convinced, so he added, "And with the game''s time acceleration, Tsuno could finish homework, print it out, and have time to play."


    "How much does the game cost?" Kai''s mom then paused. "Wait, what do you mean by time acceleration?"


    "The game cost $150 from the place I bought it, and it''s a little hard to explain, but everyone I checked with and the game itself made it pretty clear that the game has some sort of time acceleration. You can try for yourself to confirm,"


    Kai passed his mom the helmet, and after a bit of convincing and a warning from Kai not to choose a starting country yet, she put the helmet on. Kai barely finished reading about communication accessories before his mom took off the helmet.


    "So, the game is just talking to the cat in the room? That is crazy. For $150, the graphics aren''t worth it, even if they are very realistic."


    "No, no. After you talk to the tutorial character, you choose a starting country, and then it''s sort of a choose-your-own-adventure. Well, actually, from what the cat told me, you can choose to do pretty much whatever you want. So, maybe do stuff like go on trips?"


    "Alright, but what about the time acceleration thing?"


    "How much time were you talking to the cat?"


    "About fifteen minutes."


    "Well, I checked the clock, and it says five minutes have passed."


    "I''m pretty sure more than 10 minutes passed."


    "Exactly." kai tried to put energy into his reply to sell her on the game


    Kai''s mom considered for over 2 minutes before replying


    "Alright, I''m fine with buying Tsuno the game, but buy me a copy as well."


    my mom might be the least likely person to become a gamer what is she on about


    "Okay, but please make sure not to play more than three hours a day."


    "Alright." kai''s mom replied evenly


    she is weirdly understanding on this usually she is just conceded when tsuno wants some new thing. i gotta ask


    "why did you change your opinion so quickly on the game after I told you about what it''s about?"


    "Well, after you explained the game, I realized it''s the same game a teacher I work with was talking about, and she gave it really great praise, so I want to see it as well. oh and what country did you start in?"


    knowing my mom there''s almost 100% she will search me and Tsuno immediately so she could force us on some trips together. i could lie to her... but she''d be angrier for the lie than if i refuse to go on some trip "me and Tsuno both started in Legendria"


    once Kai was finished with his mom he took the helmet and went back to the game it was still only about 4 pm dinner was at 7 so he had plenty of time to grind and if he did well he could simply rush back and forth to resupply and than return to fight


    Legendria


    "Oh, you''re back. So, what can I do for you?" the merchant asked Sheko as he reappeared where he logged off before. "Yes, I want to buy 8 health potions and 3 SP potions," Sheko replied, handing over his loot. In return, the merchant gave him a sack containing the potions and his change.


    After Sheko had sorted everything out and drank one of the health potions to heal himself, he set out to look for GesStar. Kai waited in the clearing where they had talked for ten minutes and got jumped by another pack of kobolds just as the headset warned him someone was at his door, the door was locked and after he dealt with the kobolds he forgot about it, Sheko decided to avoid grinding in the forest area for the rest of the day. Instead, he went back to the city and, after a short online check, he figured out that the Dendrogram Information Network, the in-game newsletter comprised of NPC posts and roleplaying masters, collected info about spawn areas and supplied that info in-game. While the information itself wasn''t very expensive, costing 1000 lir, it still hurt Sheko''s pockets. The newspaper listed a few grinding areas to try out, with a special note stating that thanks to the charitable actions of several masters in the area, the Crystal Mammoth cave had been culled of powerful monsters for the foreseeable future, leaving behind a large number of low-rank monsters and some more powerful ones, perfect for all masters and tians looking to start their adventuring careers.


    Since I''m already here, I think it''s fine if I opt for some power leveling, the journalist job trades its ability to fight at all for a powerful EXP boost to its entire party and passive EXP gain from the rest of the party Sheko thought as he walked back to the receptionist who had helped him navigate the DIN shop moments ago.


    "Sorry, sir, can you tell me if you have any journalists I can go to the crystal cave to grind with?"


    he asked the receptionist.


    The receptionist straightened up a little to look at him, then responded with slight mirth in his tone, "Yes, certainly. Honestly, it''s quite disheartening. I wish more masters like you asked.


    We opened a party queuing system a month ago, but adoption is a bit slow.


    The masters that promoted it told me that making other masters follow the idea might be tricky, but they took responsibility to head it themselves,and we got pretty good results at training our journalists with the program.


    We, however, require at least 2 combat jobs to protect our journalists, even in a low-risk environment. Lucky for you, there''s another master waiting to go out to the crystal cave.


    Just join with them, and you can go out in 10 minutes."


    "Thank you so much; you were very helpful. I''ll make sure to leave a good comment about the program after we finish," Sheko said gratefully before heading to meet the other master in the waiting room. This girl had white silvery hair with surprisingly vibrant blue eyes, under the gentle light of the hanging crystals, her skin shone with milky hue, all of this, combined with her choice of clothes, a strange mix of a black coat and pants, gave an illusion of moonlit aura, like a detective from a fantastical mystery novel it seems whoever this master is had spent a considerable amount of time in the character creation, she sat in a chair in the corner of the building, absentmindedly staring at walls and furnishings. Accompanying her is a life-sized doll slightly taller than herself, donning a soldier attire so realistic one might think they''re in a military encampment, that is, if not for its comically large head and smiling face made of sewn yarn, taking some seriousness away after a few good seconds the doll soldier prompted its master, who while a bit startled, finally turned to Sheko and beamed with a smile.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.This is kind of funny seeing a puppet prompting a grown woman to talk to someone. Wait, is she an adult or just a kid playing an adult avatar? Before Sheko could ask she spoke


    "Hello there sir, my name is Mai a master and an alchemist, this cloth golem is my embryo: Raggedy Ann. Are you here for the grinding as well? anything you need?" She tilted her head, in contrast to how she first greeted him, her face was a bit more blank, but she quickly returned to smiling.


    The puppet waved amiably at the two of them, smiling her thin smile. _How would she even look frowning? Her face is literally made to smile,_ Sheko thought, shaking himself from his distraction. "Yeah, nice to meet you. I''m... Sheko. You are an adult, right? The doll is giving me mixed messages, but I don''t want to make a wrong guess. Don''t tell me your age, just tell me if you are over 18," Sheko inquired. Mai turned to look at Ann, and the doll simply waved her hand to signal _don''t mind it,_ then replied with a bit of hesitance, "Ah, yes, I''m over 18. Don''t worry about it."


    Sheko and Mai talked a little while Ann seemed to hover around them, giving support to Mai without saying much herself. Eventually, three journalists came to join the two masters. Two were young, about Sheko''s age, maybe a year or two younger if he had to guess, though one of them seemed high enough to fool some people if she didn''t reveal herself by being so energetic. Meanwhile, the third journalist was an older woman who bore a striking resemblance to the tall girl, though she had the build of a bouncer, not a journalist. Her chin even sported a noticeable scar, and frankly, she looked a little comically pressed into the journalist suit she was wearing. "Hoping not to offend, miss, but are you some sort of war journalist? You look like you could beat a professional boxer instead of interviewing one," Sheko asked with as sincere a tone as he could muster. The tall lady replied with a happy tone and a chuckle, "Ah, eh... no, no such job as War Journalist as I know of. But I''m formerly a full-time Monster Rencher. My name is Emilia." She paused to point at the other tall girl. "This is my daughter, Nue. Be polite, dear." Nue quickly replied, "Hi, I''m Nue, and this is my friend Till," then offered Mai a handshake. Mai seemed apprehensive for a second before shaking her hand. Nue then quickly shook Sheko''s hand as well, and her mother spoke again, "Now, onto business talk. I''m helping as a third journalist for you today, but I will be on call with a Monster Rencher job crystal if danger arises. Just find cover and let me take care of it. Now, let''s get going."


    Mai retrieved Raggedy into her crest, and with that, the group set out to the crystal cave. The walk was uneventful, with a steady stream of adventurers traveling between the town and the cave.


    The cave itself looked mostly mundane. However, as the group ventured further inside, larger and larger crystal clusters protruded from the stone walls. Once they entered the enormous main cavern, the constant noise of masters activating numerous skills and blowing chunks off the cave, along with the presence of several small monsters, worried Sheko.


    "Miss Emilia, are you sure this is actually safe? I don¡¯t worry about the monsters as much as the cave collapsing over our heads," Sheko asked, just as a cannonball the size of his head exploded in a giant chromatic cloud a hundred meters from them, rocking the entire cave section. "See what I mean?"


    Emilia replied calmly, "I guess you are very new, right? Well, I think as long as we don¡¯t have a dozen more people like the last one all attacking the same area simultaneously, we will be fine. This cave is a source of many types of crystals we use to make equipment. Normally, it houses much more powerful monsters. It might look mundane, but it''s actually very well fortified. There are plans every several decades to try and make it a permanent mine, but there are too many areas we can¡¯t clear of monsters to succeed. Many of the monsters are crystalline lifeforms, so controlled plagues or flooding them with toxic gas doesn¡¯t work."


    Emilia stopped for a moment, seemingly reminiscing about something. "I guess when you say ''we,'' you mean it on a more personal note, right?" Mai interrupted.


    Emilia answered happily, "Yes, indeed. I was a young woman when the last attempt was made some twenty years ago. I gained quite a reputation and great experience from that expedition. Even if we failed our main goal in the end, I still have the head of a great chimeric crystal scorpion we fought together."


    Till interjected for the first time, her voice surprisingly strong. "I''ve seen it. It''s huge. Its eyes are the size of large grapes. What happened with the other heads again?"


    "Philip got the cockatrice head, and no one got the goat head. I remember that day vividly. We lost over ten men because of that chimera. My team alone lost two men."


    Sheko listened from the sidelines of the conversation, not paying much attention. Mai whispered to him, "So they are just talking backstory right now, right? We should get prepared for the chimera then, since it¡¯s clearly set up as a boss."


    Sheko answered back, "Maybe, though I think it''s just backstory. I read this game has really deep random history generation. You have anything against giant scorpions though?"


    "Raggedy is really tough and can take any debuffs I have and transfer them to herself. She is a cloth golem, so she¡¯s immune to a lot of debuffs," Mai replied.


    Nue spoke up to catch the master''s attention, "Are you done with your master''s talk? Not that I will ever disrespect the wisdom you have to share in private, but we should get going. We are wasting daylight. Getting killed in the dark by some vampires isn''t on my to-do list."


    The team set up a formation and chose a less-trodden side cavern with a light tanzanite entrance to start their grinding. Till was a great help with her knowledge of monsters. The group avoided getting stunned by a group of Shrieker Bats, dodged an ambush by a lesser Crystal Naga that hid in a tiny crack in the ceiling, and even helped Sheko kite the one Giant Crystal Scorpion they found.


    She was shouted at by Emilia for her recklessness and was commanded not to move to the frontlines unless given a direct order again. Mai seemed to want to say something but held her tongue. With Emilia''s expertise and Sheko''s reluctant following of her orders, they went deep into the cave. Sheko had almost maxed his matador level, now sitting at level 45, and had leveled his red cape ability to its cap at level 5 for the moment. Sadly, Mai had to depart for the day.


    With Emilia''s approval, Sheko went ahead to scout on his own since he too would have to disconnect soon to work on his homework. Sheko was almost killed when a Lesser Crystal Cockatrice jumped at him and nearly hit him with a crystallizing eye beam. He was adamant about keeping Odysseus''s abilities a secret since he didn''t know Mai very well, but he was alone at the moment. He sacrificed his spear to block the petrifying gaze and then ran back to the main cavern.


    When he emerged from their cavern, he encountered a scene similar to what he experienced earlier as another group ran out of a ruby-lined cavern. Sheko talked to the other team of masters, confirming a similar situation but with a crystal drake instead. However, the team was able to defeat the drake, but it respawned two minutes later. This time, when they beat it, no loot was spawned, and the cavern hit a dead end. The drake continued to spawn until they were out of resources to keep killing it.


    Sheko tried to call to some other masters in the cavern but couldn''t be heard. The master he spoke to on the other team was quick to summon a robotic chair mounted with many computer screens¡ªprobably his embryo. A moment later, a floating screen appeared in front of Sheko. It said "Crystal Cave Puzzle Meeting" with a prompt to confirm or deny. When Sheko confirmed the invitation, he was linked to a voice chat with around 20 other masters. Hoping to keep his momentum, Sheko spoke up, letting the master who opened the chat speak out of courtesy.


    Sheko explained his theory: based on how there are seven side caverns, each loosely corresponding to a color of the rainbow, and with five groups already confirming that there was a tougher mini-boss at the end of those caverns, the present groups agreed to meet in 51 hours Dendro time - 17 hours real time - and make a combined effort to kill all seven mini-bosses simultaneously. The master who initiated the meeting, calling himself Fogbank, would be the group coordinator for the effort.


    Sheko agreed on behalf of Mai, and Emilia confirmed she''d be ready with her monster rancher job. She informed the group about Mai''s embryo and their relatively low level. Consequently, Sheko and Mai were given the task to defeat the lesser crystal basilisk in the emerald cavern since Mai was well-equipped to deal with its poison.

 making family deals

    Real world, Tsuno Meddox


    After talking with Kai and her mother, Tsuno went back to her room and opened the chat to talk to her online friends. She chose Legendria for the aesthetic, but when she asked her friends, she discovered most of them weren''t in Legendria. The two that were had already teamed up with other people almost a month ago, so she''d just slow them down.


    "Damn it! Why''s no one else in Legendria? It''s the best choice. It''s close to both Caldina and Altar, but you don''t need to be rich like in Caldina, and Altar is just lame in comparison." Tsuno continued to seethe in her room before trying to call Kai on the chat to play a game together. When he didn''t answer, she walked to his room, but the door was locked. When she tried to knock on it anyway, her mom shouted at her to leave Kai alone and said he''d probably play with her later.


    Still dejected, Tsuno went over to play on her computer. She had a school project to do, but there was still a week before the deadline, so she had time. She spent the rest of the day playing. When dinner came, Kai made some omelettes, and they talked about their day. Kai talked about his plans for tomorrow. He said he couldn''t play with Tsuno yet, but he knew some people that might be helpful to noobs like her.


    Their mom interjected and convinced Kai to play at least an hour with Tsuno the next day to help her get her grip and to do the same with her as well. Kai looked annoyed but agreed, though he told their mom that he might have to cut the hour short. Once that was settled, Kai said he was off to finish last-minute planning and ran to his room before their mom could object.


    Come the next day, Tsuno was ecstatic to start playing. When Kai walked into the living room, she was immediately dejected as he held a single large black box with the words "Infinite Dendrogram" on it. However, their mom had told Kai to buy two copies since she wanted to play too. Tsuno wasn''t too distressed and tried to take the box immediately from Kai''s hands, but he stopped her long enough for their mom to hear the commotion.


    "You never played games before, and you always get bored when I try to explain D&D or fantasy movies to you. You barely stay awake whenever we watch a movie. This game is expensive; it costs $150 each. I paid for my copy on my own," Kai immediately explained.


    "I would''ve given you the money if you had told me. Anyway, you said you''d buy me a copy too. It''s not fine for you to go back on your word, even if you did get Tsuno her headset. So, for today, I will use your headset for an hour."


    "But if I can''t log in when Tsuno logs in, I won''t be able to help her find my friends. I need to make sure it works with them still. Could Tsuno wait the hour while you go first on the new headset?"


    Tsuno spoke up, "I can wait the hour. It''s fine, as long as it''s fine with Kai''s friends."


    "Thank you, sweetie. Fine, but I''ll make my final judgment on the game by then. If I see anything wrong, you won''t play. Understood?"


    "OK, but in that case, please turn on the children safety filter, since Tsuno would play with it on by default and won''t be able to turn it off anyway."


    Kai opened the box and helped their mom get it fitted correctly before connecting it to the supplied charger by her bed and turning on the headset. Once it was done, he sprinted back to his room and closed the door. "I''ll be doing a raid today, so don''t bother me after I set you up with my friends," he shouted from his room.


    Tsuno went to her room and chose to pass the time getting ready to play. She started reading starter guides, all of which stressed the importance of taking into account what your "embryo" could do, whatever that was. After looking up the term¡ªand dismissing any NPC marriage guides¡ªshe found that embryos were special personalized starter items or abilities. The technology used to create them was protected by a patent of the Infinite Dendrogram company, but they were a major selling point of the game. Thanks to the synced progression mechanic built into embryos, they grew in power and abilities as you leveled up, with some generalized thresholds of EXP for when they evolved all the way to the 6th rank.


    Some players had already reached the 6th form, but it was known very early on thanks to a group of GM PCs that could be found around the world. The most well-known was Tom Cat, the Altar Battle Arena champion. His embryo was unique even among the most powerful embryos, allowing him to duplicate himself eight times. He seemingly could do so without limit on recreating them. Many of the arena duelists had called out against the clear unfairness of what the company was silently letting be confirmed as a challenge to the players. For now, he remained undefeated.


    With the importance of how embryos could turn an entire playthrough on its head and the limit on character slots, a save was kept based on a brain scan of the player. The only known way to reset your playthrough was by leaving the game for an entire half-year and letting the save be deleted from the server automatically.


    Tsuno spent the rest of the hour frantically reading guides on embryo formation, but it took a solid 30 minutes to even find any guides that discussed the subject. Most guides she found instead talked about directing existing embryo evolutions. The guides talked about making a mental image of what you wanted in your mind. For example, if you wanted to get a Castle embryo, you should get a crafting job and work in it the entire time before your embryo hatched. If you wanted a Chariot type, you should try to travel as much as you can before it hatches. For Arms, it was pretty simple¡ªjust getting in dangerous fights made it likely.


    It did note, however, that the Arms hatching method was a good way to get the rare "Maiden With" type, which usually required doing something very hard while explicitly trying to help an NPC. Type Territory embryos were usually given to support or backline playstyles, while the Gardener type was as of yet unclear beyond seeming to appear for players with a party-centric playstyle even more than Territory types. The weirdest starter type found so far was the Body type, with only one reference for it even existing. All that was known about it was that the player with it was an extreme roleplayer, never breaking character, and that the embryo itself replaced the entire avatar of the player.


    A loud timer rang from Kai''s room, and Tsuno got up and went to her mom''s room. "Mom! The hour is over. Can I come in?" Tsuno''s mom yawned loudly from her room before opening the door.


    "Yes, just a sec," she said as she turned around and gave Tsuno the helmet. "It was nice. I felt so energetic. I climbed over the giant tree in the city. The view was amazing, and the breeze was so nice," Tsuno''s mom said in a sleepy, dreamy tone.


    "Did you fall asleep?" Tsuno asked.


    "Yeah, I fell asleep. I don''t feel rested, though," her mom replied.


    "Oh yeah, I should''ve told you not to ignore the warnings the game gives you. Even when you sleep in the game, you''re technically awake while connected, so you don''t really get the benefits of sleeping. I heard some people were trying to do something about that," Kai answered from behind Tsuno.


    "Can you explain it more simply?" their mom requested.


    "Eating or drinking in the game doesn''t actually mean you eat or drink, right? It''s the same for sleeping or going to the bathroom," Kai explained.


    "I don''t completely understand it, but I guess it makes sense," their mom responded.


    "That''s why I have to stress that you shouldn''t play the game for too long because the time dilation might give you jet lag, like a plane. People aren''t totally sure about it. The publishers stated that so far they couldn''t find a confirmed case of the matter except in extreme cases of game addiction, which is hard to conclude. Just don''t go on 24-hour binges or anything like that, alright? At least if you have to, do it in extreme moderation."


    Kai went back to his room, telling Tsuno to meet him at the city gates.


    Logging in, Tsuno appeared in her avatar, Hok¨­ Nun. The changes she made to her image were much more drastic than Kai''s. While Kai mostly made himself look average instead of a little short and slightly overweight, Tsuno shaped her avatar to be an adult version of herself. Her hair was long and clear, and her real-life figure, which was unflattering, was now an elegant hourglass. She mostly kept her face unchanged, just a little skinnier, which gave Kai a troubled look when he found her. She had to find him first and call to him, as he was walking alone even though he had logged in a few minutes before her.


    "Where are your friends? Aren''t we supposed to meet now?" Tsuno asked incessantly.


    "Well, I guess I should actually explain since it''s more complicated. Well, not really complicated, just a lie. I''m busy today and don''t really know anyone who can tutor you on the basics. I''m flailing in the dark almost as much as you. But here''s the deal... When I entered the game, some centaur guy tried to be nice to me and delegated his friend to help me grind in some forest clearing. Apparently, he went on a mission to kidnap an NPC while we were at it. I freed the NPC when we met back up, and he chose to kill me on the spot. I want revenge on this guy."


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.Kai paused for a moment. "Would you mind helping me with that? I know where he is right now, so just try to join his party and see how it goes. You don''t have to commit that much." Kai was rambling, getting short of breath by the time he finished talking.


    Tsuno considered the idea. It could be fun, like a project with Kai but in a game. It''d be like when I helped him run the D&D club last year. And I''ll still get a tutorial from someone who could beat him in a second, so they should have a clue what they are doing, considering how quickly Kai usually makes something broken when he''s interested in a game.


    "OK, fine. It sounds like it could be fun. But wait, how do you know where this guy is right now? Did you stalk him or something?" Tsuno asked, while Kai recoiled from the accusation.


    "No, this guy is just a game streamer. I asked a friend to help me coordinate when he comes to town today so you can meet him and his party. I do think you should do something to hide your face if you don''t want to be recognized in his videos."


    "You know this is barely better than stalking, right? I still want in on the plan, though."


    "It''d only be bad if I was harassing him. This is just roleplaying. I don''t see any problem with planning revenge against someone who killed you before," Kai argued weakly before turning to explain where Tsuno would find the target, KaizoStomp. He suggested Tsuno try to lie that she is a fan of his and then tried to walk the suggestion back, but Tsuno was already planning her exciting introduction. All Kai could do was cover his eyes and shake his head.


    Kai reluctantly shared some information about the player he was hunting, KaizoStomp, including his appearance and his current work on his channel. Apparently, KaizoStomp was acting as a debt collector for various fey circles. Honestly, Tsuno felt like it would be poetic justice if she and Kai succeeded in taking him down. This guy was supposedly a veteran of the game and a skilled fighter, but all he did right now was track down debtors for some faeries. Sometimes there would be a fight, but usually, he just galloped to his bounty and kidnapped them like some raider.


    Tsuno found Kaizo''s party waiting outside of the giant tavern, just as Kai had said. She started to walk towards them, stopping about 20 meters away to take a moment to breathe and focus on how she should approach them. Tsuno was an alright actor for her age, but for a 13-year-old, the bar wasn''t very high. Her most convincing act was her bubbly, overexcited self, which was perfect for the role of an emotional fan. She exclaimed at Kaizo''s party, "Oh my gosh, I can''t believe it! It''s really you, Chiron''s Stampede. The Chiron''s Stampede!"


    Suddenly, Tsuno''s vision shifted. She could now see herself upside down and barely caught herself, closing her eyes to stop the dizziness.


    "Oh, sorry about that. I thought you were looking to settle some score. I just heard you shout our name. You can open your eyes now, it''s fine, I stopped the skill," a raspy but kind voice called out.


    When Tsuno opened her eyes, she saw the black-and-white-clad person she had seen from afar had taken a step towards her. He was clearly the one who had spoken. The other two party members present were an elvish-looking girl in a long, fancy dress with long faerie wings extending from her shoulder blades almost touching the ground, and a monotone white girl who bore a striking resemblance to the first but didn''t have wings or elvish ears. The description "white" was no exaggeration; she looked like an extremely detailed pencil drawing with barely any shading. After trying to look at her for a few moments, Tsuno was sure that even in the light, it was like she didn''t have proper shading.


    Tsuno kept observing without talking, keeping her astonished and confused look. It required very little acting, as she was genuinely excited to see the living drawing-like girl and confused about what had happened to her vision.


    The pixie princess girl broke the ice, "You''re a fan of Kaizo? We''re waiting on him just now. You can wait with us to get your autograph if you want. You won''t be able to get in; the tavern exclusively serves large non-humans."


    Tsuno quickly replied, "Yes, I''m a fan of his, but I like all of you guys! Can I get an autograph from you too?"


    The black-clad man chuckled at her statement, while both girls stood up a little straighter. Tsuno started to rifle through her small starter inventory, realizing that beyond the starting money and a knife, she didn''t have anything with her. "Eh, I don''t have anything on me. Do you have something you can write on for me?"


    The black-clad man replied in a smooth, cheerful, but still deep voice, "Oh, I think I actually have something perfect for this." He took out a piece of parchment from his small, unseen satchel. Tsuno looked at it and realized it was a bounty notice with a big picture of a deep navy creature with four green and purple eyes and spider fangs over his upper lip. Its ears were dark gray and sharp, like the pixie girl she was standing next to.


    "This is the last bounty we caught. He actually put up a fight. Some sort of illusionist that made some of the illusions solid. I actually had fun because my embryo, Cassandra, let me see through the illusions," the man explained before being interrupted by the pixie girl.


    "You had fun? This idiot made a whole pit trap with some sort of liquid shadow at the bottom. Kaizo and Changeling almost died in that pit."


    "Well, yeah, but you have to agree it was fun to push him into his own pit right after," he retorted.


    "You and Kaizo had fun. I was busy healing him and helping Changeling recover," she replied.


    The man continued to argue lightheartedly with the girl while he signed the bounty and passed it to her to sign as well. She looked happy to sign, and with a great display of coordination, she signed the bounty at the same time as the drawn girl. The man''s autograph was pretty simple, while her autograph was amazing to look at. She made a simple "CW" with the drawn girl, giving it a stunning 3D effect. Tsuno thanked them and put the bounty away to wait for Kaizo.


    It didn''t take long for Kaizo to come out, just five minutes later. With his mechanical lower half replacing his normal legs, he looked like a majestic centaur. His upper half was shirtless and muscular, with proportions so wide on the shoulders compared to his waist that Tsuno was pretty sure he had also touched up his avatar.


    KaizoStomp, the player who killed Kai on his first day, was a huge man, thanks to his embryo and avatar. He had an intense air about him as he called to his teammates, "Listen up! GasStar is still on his clean-up duty. I seriously thought he''d finish with it already, but it seems to be getting worse. He''s adamant that he can finish it on his own, though, so we''re going forward with our usual plans anyway. At least we''re finally back in the black now, right?"


    Kaizo let out a hearty laugh, but his three friends weren''t very excited about what Tsuno thought were good news. Kaizo went on, not noticing her yet, taking out three bounty posts from a fancy leather satchel at his side. "These are our targets for to¡ª" the black-clad man interrupted Kaizo, "Eh, Kaizo, we have a fan with us. She asked for an autograph. We can also give her a small tour before we go. The danger is low today, right?"


    Kaizo kept his serious face as he gave them a so-so gesture. Then the man continued, "Great, so she can probably join us. She seems nice and also..." The man jumped to whisper something to Kaizo, who smiled a little at that.


    "Alright, I think it''s fine then, as long as you want, of course, miss..."


    Tsuno wasn''t actually very impressed with the player once he started to talk. He sounded bossy, and even when he asked her if she wanted to join them today, his tone made it clear he considered it a great favor from him. _Well, he thinks I''m a fan of his, so I guess it makes quite a lot of sense actually, but it still feels rude._ She kept her face excited and quickly took out the bounty the man gave her, "Tsuno sir can i have your autograph?" she finally answered his prompt


    KaizoStomp took the bounty and looked at it, noticing the two existing autographs, raising an eyebrow at his other three party members, but they didn''t react as much as Tsuno could notice. Kaizo quickly took out a stylized stamp and imprinted it onto the bounty. "I''m sure this will do," he said, handing it to Tsuno. The imprint was a very well-made, vibrant red "KST" made up of what looked like an arrow, horseshoe, some vine, and a hammer or maybe an axe. _Wow, that is one very fancy signature. I kinda want one now._ Tsuno stuffed the bounty into her bag before excitedly shouting, "I would love to join you! I don''t have a job yet, though. Sir, what would you suggest I take?"


    Kaizo took a moment to think, rubbing his well-groomed beard. "At least for today, you can take Enchanter. Nothing you can immediately take now would help that much on the mission, except that Enchanter is great for buffing, so you''d help us."


    After that, Kaizo took Tsuno around the town, stopping by the guild so she could take the Enchanter job. They also went into a few shops where Kaizo said he was friends with the owners to get some equipment. Tsuno only had her starting money, so she couldn''t buy the entire set Kaizo suggested. Instead, she bought an Enchanter''s staff, which allowed her to set the staff to boost one of the buffs she cast for an extra 10% of the stat increase the buff gave.


    After that, they set out on a winding walk towards a nearby town. Along the way, Tsuno had a chance to grind a few levels so she wouldn''t be a total sitting duck. The job went easily with Kaizo, buffed by Tsuno and the two other girls in the party. He simply ran straight through the wall of the building where the debtors they were looking for were hiding after the black-clad man confirmed somehow that they were inside. Kaizo immediately went back outside with three men¡ªtwo held in his arms and one bound with vines to his trunk.


    Once back in town, they handed their targets to their patron and took the group to a small meal. Everyone except the drawn girl received an equal payment of 4,000 lir, which was enough to cover the staff Tsuno had bought. She was pretty happy about it; the others, though, seemed not so much.

 Raid Preperations

    Legendria, Sheko ruun, knife thrower


    Finally, Tsuno is off to Kaizo''s group... I just realized she doesn''t actually know any of their names other than Kaizo''s. Well, I guess the damage is done. Live and learn, I guess. She didn''t bother asking either. Better for me, I guess; I don''t remember their names either.


    Sheko chuckled a little before letting out a yawn. His eyes had bags under them, and he could still feel the exhaustion from the all-nighter he pulled yesterday in the game. Sheko took out one of the metal contraptions he worked on late yesterday. The item had no name initially, so Sheko named it "Lethal Spring." He really hoped it would live up to that overly edgy name, or he''d be really embarrassed if anyone got their hands on any of the ten springs he made and they were duds.


    The "spring" was an actual spiral spring made from steel he bought yesterday. He had to test several different materials to get one that felt right. If he had been ready to spend more, he definitely could''ve gotten much better quality material, but he assumed it''d be fine. Connected to the main spring were three wires made of more durable steel, with their other ends connected to a ball weight. All of that was wrapped in a metal housing to allow for a better grip. It was actually amazing considering Sheko was at best a metalworker with only hours of experience, if someone was extremely charitable with what one considered metalworking.


    I think my avatar has talent with metalworking and, actually, now that I think about it, definitely at combat as well. Even with stats that are starting to get ludicrous, I''m way more skilled than I could logically be unless I''m much more talented than I realized, and I don''t think so. It''s sad there''s such diminishing returns for crafting from high AGI. I could get the concept work a little faster, but even though I could move and think over ten times faster than a normal person now when I focus, I was exhausted after just a few minutes at most. Worst yet, when I tried working the actual metal, I got damaged from each strike because my body couldn''t handle the strain well enough.


    Once the prototype for the lethal spring was done, Sheko could finally use the main effect of the smithing skill he acquired from the smith job he took. This skill allowed him to rely on a DEX-based check to convert the materials he already had into the finished product. Originally, the skill only permitted simple options like swords, knives, armor pieces, and even simple gears and springs. However, after making his first lethal spring with traditional, albeit supernaturally assisted metalworking, the lethal spring was added as an option for him to automatically craft. The DEX requirement for it was quite ludicrous in his opinion, requiring 1000 DEX for the spring he made out of cheap steel for 100% success.


    If he had started with the smith job, he would''ve probably only had two products. Despite his other jobs having minuscule DEX growth compared to the smith job, it was still growth. He had maxed his matador job yesterday and was already planning his next job. Since the requirements for the next matador job required him to beat at least five worthy enemies without getting hit to unlock it, Sheko had to take a different job for now. He let out another yawn and stopped for a coffee on the way to the guild building, but before he went in, he remembered that he was completely broke.


    I had to insist on buying the steel in bulk, didn''t I? I even got it at a discount. Either I make bank today or I''ll be starving if I die.


    After a short while going through the free job catalogue, Sheko found a job that fit his current plan. The "Knife Thrower" was perfect. The job focused on more DEX growth with a hefty bonus in SP growth as well.


    It''s a good thing it has SP because, between Odysseus and the knife thrower skills, I''m probably going to need the Knife Thrower high-rank job to cover the SP costs for anything longer then a short skirmish. At least the requirements for it are simpler. Maybe it has to do with the Knife Thrower being in the performer grouping. I get it, but it''s still weird for how combat-focused it looks.


    Sheko looked at the mark on his hand and summoned his embryo, Odysseus. It had evolved while he was working on his new weapon. At first, he panicked, thinking he might have triggered the evolution by crafting the "Lethal Spring" and inadvertently shifted Odysseus¡¯s evolution path towards a production-based embryo. While he wasn¡¯t opposed to growing his power through crafting, he had read that embryos stretched thin across multiple powers or themes tended to have weaker outputs compared to more specialized embryos.


    There were already stories about incredibly focused embryos with extraordinary abilities. For instance, someone in Caldina had an embryo that converted any damage they took into money. This person didn''t seek out fights, suggesting that either the embryo had a significant limitation, or they had an incredible combat ability they were choosing not to reveal. Sheko wondered how someone like that ended up with an embryo granting damage immunity. It was a curious reflection on how the game¡¯s embryos fulfilled their masters'' wishes, often in unexpected ways.


    Contemplating these thoughts, Sheko examined the new design of Odysseus. The leather was now stark black, extending past his wrist. The previous whirlpool design imprinted on the leather had transformed into a gauntlet. The metal followed the whirlpool pattern, allowing full range of movement through minuscule gaps in the design, making it more flexible than a typical gauntlet.


    somewhat sleepy and distracted Sheko almost walked in with Odysseus still on his hand. Sheko preferred to hide his embryo if he could. any player''s strongest asset was their embryo after all. Mai''s build was reliant on her doll so she couldn''t hide it.


    As he entered the DIN office, Mai immediately charged at him. Sheko¡¯s heightened stats allowed him to dodge her tackle, but Raggedy appeared right behind him and restrained him. He wasn¡¯t sure if he could force his way out, but he decided to let Mai explain herself instead of escalating the situation. Truthfully, being restrained by Raggedy wasn¡¯t even entirely unpleasant. It felt like being wrapped in a giant, thick blanket.


    ¡°Hi, Mai. Do you mind explaining the assault?¡± Sheko asked casually.


    ¡°You promised a bunch of people we would help with grinding today while I was offline. What the hell?¡± Mai was fuming, and Raggedy tightened her grip, causing Sheko some discomfort. He started resisting to ease the pressure.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I''m sorry i should''ve waited for you, even if this is a bit extreme of a reaction. Still, you¡¯re already here, and we have two hours before the raid-¡± Sheko explained, hoping to calm her down but was interrupted.


    ¡°A raid?!¡± Mai¡¯s voice rose. ¡°Emilia told me you made some plan with the other masters, not a whole raid. I only have four hours to play!¡±


    ¡°Wait, four hours Dendro time or real-world time?¡± Sheko asked, trying to gauge their available time.


    ¡°Real-world, And I¡¯m not even fully equipped!¡± Mai scratched her head and fidgeted, clearly worried about the promise Sheko made in her name, though she was undoubtedly still furious.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Sheko tried to calm her. ¡°I kind of got myself broke experimenting for the raid, but I gained some levels in smith. I can also take the alchemist job and help you get ready, alright? We¡¯re the newest members in the raid anyway. Everyone else was already going to be there grinding. I''m sure it¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Raggedy finally released Sheko, and he fell to the ground from the sudden lack of support. She moved much faster than expected a doll to move, definitely quicker than when I last saw her.


    Sheko noticed the changes in Raggedy since they last met. guess she evolved as well, better not to remind her I didn''t tell her what my embryo does yet


    ¡°Well, we need to make some stuff right now anyway. Can you help with that?¡± Mai asked urgently


    "Alright I''ll go grab the alchemist job from the guild, tell the journalist to meet us at the cave" Sheko replied


    ¡°Let''s get to it then. We should hurry,¡± Mai continued.


    ---


    The next two hours were a mad dash between stores and the guild building. They worked on Mai''s poison cloud potions and some normal poisons for her new Poisonmancer job. With a few levels under her belt, she could now create poisons twice as fast and send her stronger concoctions as clouds or projectiles without needing special potions. It cost MP to activate these skills, but Mai assured Sheko she had a workaround.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Eventually, they arrived at the cave, thirty minutes late after running most of the way. Emilia and Nue were already there, dressed in completely different gear than before. Emilia wore a thick, opalescent gambeson jacket, while Nue held a three-piece staff and wore a fur coat. She looked much more competent with this new equipment.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this? I thought you didn¡¯t know how to fight,¡± Sheko said, impressed. ¡°Why be a journalist if you can kill monsters and make good money that way?¡±


    Nue quickly responded, proud, ¡°Well, I am my mother¡¯s daughter. And I¡¯m still a journalist, but thanks to yesterday, I unlocked the higher-tier job War Journalist. Now I can fight with the exp buff active, so it¡¯s no problem.¡±


    Emilia added, ¡°I don¡¯t fully approve of sticking with the journalist path. I keep it just for the day job. As adventurers, we should fight at full capacity when we expect a challenge. Yesterday was just training, but I can tell you the depths of this cavern will be trouble.¡±


    Sheko glanced around, noticing the absence of their third journalist. ¡°I take it that¡¯s why your friend isn¡¯t with us today? Also, you mentioned fighting at full capacity, but you said you don¡¯t approve of staying a journalist. Aren¡¯t you losing stats by keeping that job? Why not just take the War Journalist job instead?¡±


    Nue burst into laughter at Sheko¡¯s question, and he was about to respond angrily when Emilia answered calmly, ¡°You Masters really don¡¯t understand how things work. It¡¯s like you think you¡¯ll unlock The Hero and save the world from a horde of land dragons. Listen, we tians have limits. Not all of us can reach the level cap like you Masters. Some of us can¡¯t even achieve high-rank jobs or are limited to what we¡¯re talented at. My level cap is 450. Even if I wanted to be a War Journalist, I wouldn¡¯t be able to level it up to its full potential without losing my Strong Swordswoman job and starting from scratch.


    "As for losing stats from removing a job, there¡¯s something you should know: Portable Job Crystals. They¡¯re expensive, but worth it. You can store a job in the crystal and later destroy it to get your job levels back. I used one to regain my Scout levels and stored my Journalist job. And just so you know, today you¡¯re hiring me as a mercenary, not a journalist.¡±


    Sheko groaned for five whole seconds at the mention of more expenses. ¡°Fine, fine, you¡¯ll be paid! I¡¯m going to be in debt at this rate.¡±


    Mai chimed in, ¡°You deserve that, you know.¡±


    Sheko retorted, ¡°No, I don¡¯t. You¡¯re still pouting even though I helped you in the end.¡±


    Emilia cut them off by pushing both of them toward the cave. ¡°Get moving. We¡¯re losing daylight and my patience. The first sign of failure from you two, and I¡¯m out of here.¡±


    Once inside, the same Master who had contacted Sheko earlier met them at the entrance. Sheko hadn''t met him in person before and was surprised to find himself face-to-face with a young child, around 14 years old, wearing a fully metallic helmet with one glowing green eye. The child was connected to a chair with six spider-like legs, and in front of him was a panel full of levers and buttons. It looked completely out of place in this fantasy setting, yet still terrifying, even though it was proportioned for a child.


    Sheko wasn¡¯t sure how to greet him, but Mai stepped in quickly, offering a friendly hand. ¡°Great to meet you. I just wish I¡¯d known we¡¯d be meeting in a less rushed timeframe,¡± she said, sending a glare at Sheko.


    The kid responded by shaking her hand with one of the chair¡¯s needle-like legs. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Name¡¯s Finn. We¡¯re still waiting on one last party, but we¡¯ll set off in ten minutes if they¡¯re late. They¡¯re one of our stronger members, but we¡¯re mostly noobs here anyway. Me and Mister Prismo are in the level 300 range, but we¡¯re quick evolvers, so Arachne and Bifr?st are both rank 4. I¡¯ve been rank 4 for a month now, so I might even evolve today if I¡¯m lucky.¡±


    Sheko was surprised to hear they were much lower level than Emilia. ¡°Has anyone else brought NPCs? We¡¯ve got one at level 450. Is that rare or something?¡±


    Finn paused to consider. ¡°It¡¯s not unheard of, especially since we¡¯re in the capital, but it¡¯s definitely lucky. Do you know what her jobs are? It¡¯s ¡®her,¡¯ correct?¡±


    Sheko nodded while Finn turned to talk with Mai and gather the others. _I¡¯d assumed this society might resemble medieval Europe with fantasy elements, but there¡¯s no reason for it to follow historical accuracy. And history often omits things based on who¡¯s in power,_ he thought.


    Finn raised himself to head height with the other players using his spider legs and called out, ¡°Listen up, everyone!¡± Conversations quieted as the room gave Finn their full attention.


    It felt strange to Mai and Sheko to see such respect given to a kid, but they remained silent as well.


    ¡°We have a lot of first-timers today, so let¡¯s go over raid etiquette, rules, and what to expect,¡± Finn began. ¡°First, Dendro doesn¡¯t use instances, and there¡¯s no mechanical definition for a raid, although some quests will be classified as such. This means all raids are world raids that can be joined by new players entering the area, which may include hostile players. Keep an eye out¡ªplayers are often more dangerous than monsters, even bosses.


    ¡°Second, most raids are structured like this one, with barriers we need to unlock. So, today¡¯s objective seems clear.


    ¡°Third, boss monsters are always empowered to be a significant threat. Their stats are extremely high, and they have strong resistances. If you¡¯re used to overpowering monsters with your embryos, that probably won¡¯t work here. Bosses have forgiving attack patterns, but they can still kill you in one or two hits if you¡¯re not careful.¡±


    He then moved on to player etiquette. ¡°Be generous with potions. Keep track when you share and reimburse others later. Losing a player we could have healed is worse than losing a potion. However, this doesn¡¯t extend to Lifesaving Brooches¡ªthose are incredibly expensive. I¡¯d recommend not risking them. If you have one, deposit it in the bank before we start. Don¡¯t trade them around unless you¡¯ve got a broken embryo and can throw them around like candy. Don¡¯t expect anyone to be able to repay for them.¡±


    Sheko leaned over to ask a better-equipped player about the brooches. The player explained, ¡°They¡¯re accessories that prevent lethal damage, no matter what. There¡¯s a small chance they¡¯ll break when used, depending on how much damage you would¡¯ve taken. Now, pay attention.¡±


    The player gave Sheko a quick shush, turning back to listen to Finn.


    "I feel like an idiot saying this, but all normal etiquette rules should extend to people here. I know this is the internet, but please humor me and act as if you''re face-to-face. Dendro, for me¡ªand I think many others¡ªis a place to experience another life. No point in making it stressful."


    "Now, it seems the grace period has ended, so we shall move out. But, Sheko, please wait a moment." The other 20 players moved towards their assigned tunnels to prepare for the delve, leaving Sheko, Mai, Finn, and his three friends behind.


    Finn addressed Sheko and Mai, explaining, "Since GesStar and his team are a no-show and your team, with your tians, is the second strongest here, we''ll roll to see who has to split two mini-bosses. Sound fair?"


    Sheko was actually excited by this, though he kept a straight face. _Now I¡¯ve got a reason to go all out. This is gonna be fun. I wonder if Kaizo isn¡¯t coming because of Tsuno. Yeah, that¡¯s probably the reason._


    "Uh, yeah, that¡¯s fine with me, right, Mai?" Sheko answered, turning to her.


    "Yeah, sure. We knew our cave would be simple thanks to Raggedy, I think," she responded happily.


    Finn took out a pair of dice¡ªone red and one blue¡ªand let Sheko choose. Sheko rolled a 5, and Finn rolled a 3.


    "Guess that''s that. Lorence, Jake, you¡¯re up," Finn started as two of his party members began to split off. But Sheko interrupted, "No, wait. I won. I want to take the extra cave. The remaining caves are the basilisk or the two-headed golem, right? Let us take the basilisk. You go for the golem. I think I¡¯ve got a solution; it might just take a little longer."


    The groups split, and Mai and Sheko returned to regroup with Emilia and Nue, who were inside the main cavern farming low-level monsters to warm up.


    Sheko explained the delay and sought a second opinion from Emilia on Finn''s explanation. Emilia, after considering it, said, "That kid doesn¡¯t talk like a child. It¡¯s weird. Raids among us tians exist, yes, but we¡¯re not immortal like you. They¡¯re a grand expedition for us. I¡¯ve been on two raids before¡ªone to destroy a juvenile Yggdrasil treant that got corrupted, and the other to stop an Unseelie court from wiping out a village. I fought in the first but not the second. The fey are too much trouble to fight on their terms.


    "To the point, though, yes, the treant was incredibly durable. The leader of the raid was a UBM reward holder, and after the fight, he said the UBM was maybe a tenth as durable as the raid boss. But the fight was simple¡ªmostly a matter of good coordination and focus, unlike the complete unpredictability UBMs possess."


    With that, the group finally turned to their first cavern to slay a crystal cockatrice.

 The Cockatrice

    Legendria - the tanzanite cave, Sheko ruun, knife thrower


    Sheko, Mai, Raggedy, Nue, and Emilia walked in a V formation into the cavern, with Raggedy at the front to draw the monster¡¯s aggro. Sheko and Mai stayed at the back since they were both ranged fighters at the moment. After a short distance, Mai slowed down to get some space to talk to Sheko.


    "First the whole raid¡ªfine, I¡¯ll give you that, I think it will work out. But now, you''re volunteering us to clear two caves? We don¡¯t even know if we can beat the Cockatrice, and you insist that we¡¯re going to fight the basilisk as well? You are so full of yourself!" Mai fumed, stomping her foot. "I didn¡¯t want to make a scene outside where the others could hear us, but I¡¯m telling Finn to switch with us."


    Sheko jumped at her before she could send a message to Finn.


    "Stop, stop, please! I¡¯m not delusional. The Cockatrice is just level 30. I checked with the group that scouted it yesterday. It¡¯s strong for its level, but manageable¡ªeven for one of us. Besides, we have Raggedy. I¡ª"


    "It¡¯s a level 30 monster!" Mai interrupted. "They only go up to level 100, or did you forget? That means it''s a higher level than both of us combined. And again, it''s a Cockatrice¡ªthey petrify you with a look! You¡¯re not the only one doing research here. I hope you didn¡¯t plan on using Raggedy for this without knowing that cloth golems aren¡¯t immune to petrification. A normal golem might not be immune either, because this is a Crystal Cockatrice!" Mai continued, not letting Sheko argue before she finished.


    "Are you done?" Sheko replied, keeping an annoyed tone to mask his worry. He had actually forgotten that monsters scale differently than players and tians. _So stupid,_ he thought. "I didn¡¯t forget. We have Emilia. She isn¡¯t worried, and you haven¡¯t given up on it either, so I¡¯m assuming it has to do with Raggedy¡¯s evolution. Or... you do trust me. So which is it?"


    Mai paused at Sheko¡¯s response before answering in a hiss, "So you made the decision based on a bunch of assumptions? This is idiotic."


    Sheko, now with a smug tone, replied, "But I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I? Raggedy has evolved, and you probably think that even if I¡¯m full of myself, her new form could beat the Cockatrice."


    Mai, now in a more subdued tone, said, "Fine, yes, you jerk. She has a new skill that I think will probably be enough to beat the Cockatrice. You happy? But since you¡¯re so adamant about calling me out, why don¡¯t you tell me what your embryo does? It¡¯s the gauntlet on your left arm, isn¡¯t it? Nothing else looks like a unique item¡ªwell, except maybe that pipe bomb-looking thing on your belt." She pointed to the lethal spring on Sheko¡¯s belt.


    "Okay, fine. Yes, it is. It¡¯s called Odysseus. It makes things spin. It¡¯s pretty distracting to use, so I don¡¯t use it much. Also, until yesterday, the SP cost was pretty high for me to use it consistently," Sheko explained, more frustrated than he actually felt. He had wanted to keep Odysseus a secret so people wouldn¡¯t know what his abilities were. Plus, he liked the idea of being mysterious¡ªDendro was a big, open-world fantasy to play in, and he could be mysterious if he wanted. There was nothing wrong with that.


    Mai responded in an even tone, "Oh, I see. Sorry, I guess it wasn¡¯t fair to assume the worst since I didn¡¯t actually ask you about it. I hope it evolves soon, then." Her tone brightened. "Well, don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll carry us for now."


    Sheko wanted to argue that he didn¡¯t need carrying, but decided against it, wincing inwardly. _This girl is really flippant. I don¡¯t know what she thinks, but it¡¯s not okay that I¡¯m using her._


    "Eh, yeah, thank you, but really, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m plenty happy with Odysseus," Sheko answered as sincerely as he could.


    They closed the distance to Nue and Emilia, picking up the pace. "You finally done with all your master talk?" Nue asked.


    "Eh, sorry, yes," Sheko replied, "although we did slide a bit into planning, so I¡¯ll catch you up. It¡¯s really short. One of the master groups that was supposed to participate hasn¡¯t shown up, but we¡¯re still going for the raid. Since your mom is the highest level person here by a pretty big margin, we got the task of clearing two cave bosses. I hope we can take care of the Cockatrice, and then I¡¯ll rush to the basilisk cave and clear it."


    Emilia interjected, "I agree that we can probably do it, but you¡¯re crazy to think you can take the basilisk by yourself. No, I¡¯ll handle the Cockatrice. You three will kill the basilisk."


    "What about Raggedy?" Mai asked, noting they had five people in the cave.


    "I didn¡¯t count her. She¡¯s your monster, right? Then she goes with you," Emilia replied, growing impatient.


    "But wouldn¡¯t you be petrified by the Cockatrice without her around?" Mai pressed.


    Emilia smiled. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a veteran. I came prepared. This is a Prism Lion Gambeson. It¡¯s not a monster that appears in this cave, so you wouldn¡¯t know about it. Prism Lions are mage-killers¡ªthey reflect spells back at their enemies, and this gambeson has the same property. Now, stop yapping and let¡¯s do our job."


    Their progress was quick and easy, thanks to Nue and Emilia supplying a substantial DPS boost beyond Sheko''s and Mai''s improvements from the previous day. Emilia''s Strong Swordsman job had granted her the Quake Strike skill, making her their best area suppression fighter. While it might have been dismissed as a simple fact since no one else had skills suited for the job, every time she cracked the ground with her strike, the entire cave rocked. Sheko assumed that, like her armor, the granite-colored sword she now wielded was also an incredibly potent item. None of the monsters that had posed issues the previous day could survive Emilia¡¯s violent onslaught.


    Sheko, however, was concerned about her liberal use of such powerful skills. "Emilia, shouldn''t you slow down? We''re almost at the cave''s edge, but you¡¯ll run out of SP at this rate. You''ve already used that skill a dozen times."


    Emilia scoffed. "Your worry is misplaced, but you''re somewhat correct. I still have over three-quarters of my SP, thanks to my Restless Berserker job. It gives me back some SP whenever I kill an enemy."


    Sheko began thinking about the possibilities of such a skill. Odysseus, his embryo, used SP to activate its abilities as well, and was probably much more efficient¡ªat least against single targets¡ªthan Emilia''s Quake Strike.


    "With that skill, you probably never run out of SP in a fight. It sounds amazing. What are the requirements for the job?" Sheko asked, giving Emilia his full attention.


    She smirked at his question and spun to look at him, pretending to size him up as she continued walking backward, keeping pace. "Just because you''re a master doesn''t mean you can just get any job you want. You''re not even on the right path to consider the job. But to give you a basic idea, you have to kill many enemies moments after meeting them¡ªno hesitation once a target is known. Past the time limit, they become ineligible. There¡¯s a minimal power requirement too, but I wouldn¡¯t worry about that. There¡¯s no point in a prospective Berserker hunting goblins to train. You have to be brave for this path, right?"


    She paused, expecting a response. When Sheko didn¡¯t realize she was waiting, she raised her voice. "I said, right?!"


    Sheko replied hastily, "Yes, of course! A Berserker should train against a challenge, not a safe bet."


    Emilia gave him a scrutinizing look. "And what do you think of that idea¡ªas a fighter at the start of his journey?"


    Sheko paused, then answered honestly. "I think it¡¯s a stupid philosophy to follow as a warrior. You should go into battle assuming you¡¯ve done everything in your power to hedge the odds in your favor. That mindset is for duelists and crazy people."


    Emilia relaxed her expression and turned back around to face forward. "Then you see what I meant? Your mindset is just fine, but it¡¯s not the mindset of a Berserker. And if you can¡¯t change that, you¡¯ll only be a mediocre Berserker at best. Now be quiet¡ªwe¡¯re close to the Cockatrice. My danger sense is telling me we¡¯ve been spotted. Eyes forward, 50 meters ahead, slightly to the left."


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Mai took out four poison cloud vials strapped together from her inventory and handed them to Raggedy. The giant doll started to spin, turning her arm into a giant sling in the process, but she was built for bulk, not speed. Sheko stepped forward, dodging under her outstretched arms, and touched her torso. The blue spiral fractal spread over her body, and he activated Tied to the Mast, linking her orientation to the ground he had marked earlier. Raggedy¡¯s spin immediately slowed as her motion was now connected to the ground¡ªits weight and friction with the earth too much for her to continue. Sheko then deactivated his skill to preserve his SP.


    Both Raggedy and Mai jumped at him simultaneously. "Why did you stop me?! How did you stop me?"


    Sheko answered simply, "I wasn¡¯t sure you¡¯d be able to hit it from this far away at that speed. Were you going to hit it?"


    Mai thought for a second. "Oh, I think so? But what does it matter? It would¡¯ve just cost me some potions¡ªit¡¯s not the end of the world. But how did you stop her? Raggedy definitely has higher strength than you."


    Sheko pointed to the similarly marked patch of ground and his gauntlet. "I told you, my embryo spins things or well its theme is spinning. In this case, I linked Raggedy and the ground, so she had to spin with enough force to also spin the ground. I actually evolved today, same as you. My new ability lets me link two marked targets. Now, great idea on the poison¡ªjust let me help."


    Mai slapped her forehead. "Oh yeah, of course! I¡¯m here making a slingshot, and you have a spinning embryo. Let¡¯s do this."


    Sheko explained his ability fully this time, then marked Raggedy again before moving away. Raggedy stood still for a moment, then, in the blink of an eye, spun twice. The vials almost slipped from her hands prematurely, but she managed to hold on until the last moment, launching them before falling to the ground. The vials flew like projectiles, breaking mid-flight and releasing their contents. The Cockatrice¡¯s exposed head between its wings was coated in the potion, which quickly evaporated into the air, masking the creature in a green cloud.


    The Cockatrice let out a horrifying shriek before running out of the toxic cloud. It seemed unfazed as it spread its wings and blasted forward, closing the distance in three seconds flat. Sheko, behind Raggedy, had no clear line of sight, and Mai was out of position to his left. Nue and Emilia, however, showed their experience. Emilia quickly retreated, grabbing Mai¡¯s wrist to pull her back into position, while Nue held her ground against the Cockatrice. As the monster attempted to peck her skull, Nue intercepted the attack with the middle of her staff, turning her defense into a counterattack, striking the Cockatrice¡¯s neck before swinging at its head with the staff''s other end. Her staff glowed with golden power, but the Cockatrice recovered in time to block with its tanzanite wing and retaliated by kicking Nue in the torso, launching her back several feet but failing to knock her down.


    The Cockatrice then turned its attention back to its original target: Raggedy.


    Raggedy was back on her feet but was still disoriented, barely able to protect herself. She raised her arms defensively as the Cockatrice leaped into the air, coming down with a vicious strike, its gem-tipped talons aimed for a simultaneous rending attack. Just then, a blue throwing knife hit the Cockatrice''s right leg, cutting it slightly, but more importantly, transferring the marking from the knife to its leg. The Cockatrice''s leg immediately jerked to the left, twisting its body and throwing its attack off course.


    However, the Cockatrice quickly adapted, slashing again still midair with its left leg, which was still in reach. Though this weaker attack nearly sheared Raggedy''s arm off at the elbow, it was a far better outcome than the devastating, likely fatal blow that had been intended.


    "Get back! Clear the area!" Emilia shouted as she leaped into the air, easily clearing five meters. Her warning gave Nue just enough time to escape the area of effect of Quake Strike.


    Emilia''s attack landed squarely on the Cockatrice just as it was recovering from its own assault. The creature was only able to defend itself with its wings as it braced for impact.


    Emilia was launched backward safely, while the Cockatrice was crushed under the force of the strike. Both of its wings, nearly shattered, now lay motionless over its head. The shockwave traveled through its body, and the leg Sheko had cut earlier broke under the force. Finally, the impact reached the ground beneath the Cockatrice, cracking the earth.


    Disoriented and on its last sliver of health, the Cockatrice defiantly unleashed its most powerful attack¡ªits petrifying stare. Mai, Sheko, and Raggedy were caught in its deadly gaze. Raggedy, mid-step and rapidly crystallizing, managed to land a final strike to the Cockatrice''s beak with her damaged arm, now glowing green. Her arm fully detached from her shoulder and detonated in a green cloud. Then, her second arm, fully crystallized, detached as well, halting the spread of the crystal over her body.


    The Cockatrice began to disintegrate, leaving behind a pair of undamaged wings, talons, and a pair of large tanzanite gems. After inspecting the remains, Sheko and Mai realized that the tanzanite gems were, in fact, the Cockatrice''s eyes.


    Emilia convinced Sheko and Mai to leave the loot with her, promising to split it later. She put the items into a spare inventory she had brought specifically for that purpose, giving Sheko the key. Without the key, Emilia could only store items but wouldn¡¯t be able to take them out.


    Once they were done, they contacted Finn to update him, explaining their plan to move on to the emerald cave next. Emilia would handle the Cockatrice on her own when it respawned, while Sheko, Mai, and Nue would deal with the basilisk.


    Mai then began the process of breaking apart Raggedy''s crystallized body while repairing her using her new skill, Arts and Crafts, which allowed her to heal Raggedy by directly spending MP. The efficiency of this skill would improve as her DEX increased. The process of freeing Raggedy was tedious, as completely breaking her body would kill her. Since Raggedy''s crystalized form had lost many of the immunities inherent to a cloth golem she couldn''t survive the injury debuffs she''d receive, no to mention the damage she''d receive.


    In Dendro, HP represented the amount of damage a body could handle, but complete destruction was far more than what was needed to kill someone. When a player hit negative HP, a timer would begin, counting down to their full death. The more damage beyond 0 HP, the shorter the timer. Healing could extend the time before death, but it couldn¡¯t restore someone to positive HP unless special skills or items were used.


    As they worked to free Raggedy, Mai explained the skill she had used to finish the Cockatrice.


    Fumigate with it Raggedy could detach a limb from her body, transferring any debuffs afflicting her to that limb. Once detached, the limb became a weapon, similar to Mai''s poison vials. The detached limb would store the debuffs until it was detonated, either by destroying it or by Mai''s mental command, releasing the debuff in a small area and affecting everyone inside.


    After explaining this, Mai walked over to where Raggedy''s crystallized arm rested on the ground and placed it in her inventory.


    "Off to kill a basilisk, right?" Mai said cheerfully.


    Sheko, realizing the weapon they now had, smiled back. "Absolutely, let''s do it."


    With just five minutes left until the Cockatrice would respawn, Sheko, Mai, Nue, and Raggedy set off in a race toward the emerald cave.

 The Basilisk

    Legendria - the emerald cave, Sheko ruun, Knife Juggler


    Although Sheko didn¡¯t do much in the Tanzanite Cave, he still gained a few levels in his Knife Juggler job, unlocking the first tier for all three of his skills. With Sting Like a Bee, his thrown attacks now reduced the enemy¡¯s END by 10% of his DEX if they couldn¡¯t defend against the attack. The other two skills were active: Sleight of Hand was a simple but common skill that allowed him to equip an item that fit in his palm directly from his inventory, and Steady Hand, Eyes On The Target was an incredibly powerful skill in Sheko''s opinion. It gave his thrown attacks some level of homing, based on his AGI, which had reached a surprising level.


    Sheko realized the extent of his agility when he exited the cave in just 10 seconds during what he considered a light sprint, without even pushing himself to his limits. Starting from a standstill, and considering the cave¡¯s length of about 400 meters (by his rough estimate), his speed was impressive. The cave¡¯s winding paths, with sections rising or dipping at angles as steep as 45 degrees, made it difficult to judge the exact distance. However, Sheko estimated that the cave¡¯s farthest edge was no more than 10 meters below him and possibly within a 100-meter radius. He could sense the unknown beyond the cave''s walls, likely separated only by layers of hard rock.


    After waiting another 20 seconds, Mai and Nue finally reached the entrance. Raggedy wasn¡¯t with them, and Sheko was about to ask about her when Mai raised her right hand, showing her Master Crest¡ªa symbol resembling a raggedy doll with pins sticking out, like a voodoo doll.


    Mai took a moment to catch her breath. "How... are... you... so... fast?" she panted. "And why do I feel short of breath here?"


    Nue answered the first question for Sheko. "Well, he¡¯s an AGI build. For him, that was just a short sprint. But if he had to run for a while, he''d probably fare as well as you, having to sprint the whole way. If I had to guess, he probably has a little less AGI than me. Maybe around my mom¡¯s level. Considering he''s still under level 100, and he finished yesterday at level 67, his AGI is impressive. It would be a little less impressive if he had a high-rank job, though."


    Nue then turned to Sheko. "You don¡¯t have a high-rank job yet, right?"


    "No, I just maxed out Matador yesterday with you. Now I¡¯m working on Knife Juggler. But wait, why did it take you so long to get out of the cave then? And no, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re feeling short of breath, Mai. That sounds awful."


    Nue answered Sheko with a playful tone. "Because I¡¯m here to escort you and fight by your side. Since you decided to rush ahead, I figured you¡¯d survive alone for a bit, so I prioritised escorting Mai instead."


    She teased "Your choice of jobs confuses me though. Matador is a strictly melee job. Why would you switch to a ranged job? Are you getting scared of the frontlines?"


    Sheko, annoyed by the insinuation, replied, "I¡¯m not afraid. Knife Juggler is a mid-range job. I¡¯m planning to mix up my combat style with ranged attacks since Odysseus has a synergy with ranged attacks, allowing me to temporarily mark them."


    Mai interjected, "That sounds less like a synergy and more like an enabler so you can even use it with ranged attacks."


    "Fine, fine," Sheko grumbled. "But I didn¡¯t hear you complaining when I saved Raggedy from the Cockatrice."


    Mai shrugged. "I thought it might¡¯ve been a concussion from Nue¡¯s hit to its head."


    "I wish! I do have a skill that stuns enemies, but the Cockatrice resisted it," Nue responded,


    "Come on, its whole leg turned blue with Odysseus''s pattern. You didn¡¯t realize? What, you thought I just nicked its leg and that was it for the entire fight?" Sheko complained


    Nue and Mai both answered in unison, "Yes."


    Mai added, "I assumed you were just weak for your level and needed time to get your embryo up to par. I mean, it didn¡¯t even deal damage in the end¡ªyou just threw its strike off course. Someone throwing something bigger could¡¯ve done the same."


    By now, Sheko was getting angry. "I was trying to be a team player and stay at the back. But if that¡¯s how you feel, why don¡¯t you stay back and I¡¯ll show you what I can do?"


    Nue and Mai shrugged and whispered to each other. Sheko knew Mai was provoking him on purpose, but he didn¡¯t care. He was feeling wound up too, especially with the ticking clock and the entire raid depending on him.


    "Keep up!" Sheko shouted, equipping a pair of knives in his left hand while holding his spear in his right. With that, he sprinted into the cave.


    Legendria - the emerald cave, Mai Higaisha, Venomancer


    Mai was starting to grow tired of  Sheko getting on her nerves. He acts like an overactive child. Maybe he is and just lied. But I doubt a child would have his level of understanding about skills and game mechanics. Then again, he is somewhat forgetful and prideful. Not to mention Finn¡ªhe¡¯s a child or at least a teen, and he''s pretty composed. Maybe I don¡¯t know him well enough to judge. Either way, Sheko will either learn a lesson in humility and teamwork, or I''ll need to reassess my opinion.


    Mai was jolted from her thoughts when Nue began running ahead, following Sheko into the cave and calling for her to catch up. She started sprinting forward but felt sluggish compared to Nue¡¯s practiced running form and Sheko¡¯s shrinking silhouette, moving in a controlled, deliberate pace. Weird to think I¡¯m running faster than a world record pace right now. I know AGI has strange scaling¡ªit¡¯s not like I¡¯m 15 times faster than when I started¡ªbut still, probably around 10 times faster now.


    Between breaths, Mai called out to Nue, ¡°So, what do you think about him?¡±


    ¡°I assume you mean Sheko? Or maybe Finn?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sheko,¡± Mai replied. ¡°Though I guess we have time, so tell me about Finn after.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll reserve some judgment for now. But from what I¡¯ve seen, Sheko¡¯s a self-centered ass with just enough talent and skill to justify it. Unless he¡¯s a smurf, his save back in the tunnel¡ªthrowing the Cockatrice off course¡ªwas either the luckiest thing I¡¯ve seen or proof that he¡¯s more talented than my mom, at least in knife throwing. Also, I think you¡¯re underestimating the force behind his embryo¡¯s ability. The Cockatrice might look like a giant chicken... well, it is, but it was also as strong as my mom. Or at least, as strong as she was when she dueled me. I don¡¯t think she was using her full strength, though. The only reason I wasn¡¯t smashed into the cave wall was because I activated Immovable Stone before it hit me.¡±


    As Nue finished, Sheko hit the first turn, prompting Nue to increase her pace. Mai had to push herself harder to keep up. A sound like a whip cracked ahead of them.


    What was that? Did he bring a whip, too? How much gear did he buy? No wonder he¡¯s broke.


    A second crack echoed further ahead, and they finally reached the turn in time to see the disintegrating bodies of two giant, poison-spitting lizards¡ªboth with their heads twisted nearly 360 degrees.


    Up ahead, Sheko was engaged in combat with a pair of quartz golems, each standing a head taller and half again as wide as him. The left golem swung its right arm at Sheko, but he slid under it, grabbing the swinging arm with his gauntleted hand. Using his embryo''s ability, he twisted the marked arm, cutting it off at the elbow and sending himself into the air, just in time to dodge the other golem¡¯s overhead strike.


    Midair, Sheko stabbed forward with his blue spear, which spun as it bore into the second golem¡¯s head. As he landed, the first golem moved to attack again, but Sheko parried the strike with his spear, cutting off the golem¡¯s arm just as he had done with the first. Disarmed and desperate, the golem tried to crush Sheko with its body, but he dodged easily. Without hesitation, he bore into its chest, just as he had done to the second golem¡¯s head.


    Mai was about to congratulate Sheko on his impressive display against the golems, but he wasted no time and simply started running ahead again. She saw his next pack of enemies¡ªa group of six spiders with crystal-tipped legs. The spiders dropped from the ceiling to block his path, but Sheko didn''t hesitate. He threw a knife at the closest spider on his left. The knife flew unerringly at the spider, and then, mid-flight, it suddenly accelerated its spin, cutting through the spider''s head effortlessly. It continued on, altering its trajectory to slice through a second and then a third spider before Sheko reached melee range. He stabbed the first spider on his right through the abdomen with his spear as it tried to lunge at him, then threw another knife at the two remaining spiders, cutting through them just like the first three. Sheko quickly grabbed the knife closest to him and bolted ahead once more.


    Yeah, I think I''m with Nue here. He''s definitely skilled. Maybe he is a smurf, but then how does he only have a second-form embryo? Mai took a moment to think about the lizards at the entrance. They were weak, but I don''t know if they were one-hit weak. Maybe he lied about his embryo level. Actually, it would make more sense if he wasn''t worried about the Cockatrice because he thought he could solo it. I''d like to see that if he really thinks so.


    As they passed by the spider corpses, the one Sheko had stabbed through the abdomen suddenly jumped at Mai. Nue intercepted it with a lightning-fast strike, obliterating its head.


    "I thought he killed it," Mai exclaimed in surprise.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "I guess he''s just focused on clearing the path forward as quickly as possible..." Nue paused as a realization dawned on her. "Oh, he''s definitely crazy."


    "What? What happened?" Mai asked quickly.


    "He''s not looking to defeat the Basilisk after the Cockatrice respawns. He said, ''we have 5 minutes''¡ª5 minutes until the Cockatrice respawns, and my mom will have to defeat it alone. He''s trying to race my mom."


    Mai thought it over and agreed with Nue''s assessment. Yeah, that''s pretty crazy.


    Nue called to Mai again, "You think you can move faster? I wanna watch."


    "No, I''m already at my limit," Mai admitted.


    Nue then slowed down a bit, crossed her hands behind her back to make a cradle, and said, "Get on."


    As she said this, another crack echoed from up ahead, followed by two more.


    Come on, I can run on my own. This is humiliating.


    "Don''t think of this as getting carried. Think of this as doing me a favor," Nue added when she realized Mai wasn''t going to let her carry her.


    "Okay, fine," Mai answered reluctantly. She stopped to let Nue carry her, fumbling with her dress for a few seconds as the sounds of combat grew distant. Once Mai was finally stable, Nue shot forward, bounding off the walls and even the ceiling to avoid the few monsters Sheko had left alive. Sometimes she would drop down and finish off a monster mid-move. Despite all the acrobatics, which slowed her down a bit, and the fact that she was carrying Mai, it was clear that Nue was probably faster than Sheko. They finally caught up to him, and surprisingly, he seemed to hear their approach, sparing a glance back. They had already passed what they assumed was the 400-meter mark where the other cave had ended, but still, they couldn''t see the Basilisk or the end of the cave. I guess the caves aren''t all the same length. Makes sense. This one had fewer twists and turns and just went in a steady incline the whole way.


    They caught up just in time to see Sheko struggling with a pack of ten small lizards.


    Did he run out of SP and can''t use his abilities anymore or something? This should be easy after all the other things he¡¯s killed so far.


    As Mai and Nue watched, they realized why Sheko hadn''t finished them yet. Four of the lizards attacked from behind, transforming into green lightning bolts. Sheko spun on his leg to dodge three of them, making a painful-looking motion as he abruptly stopped, then tried to hit the last lizard with a knife but missed as it changed its path and struck his unprotected arm. Even from a distance, it was obvious that Sheko had taken a serious hit from the shock. But there was no time to rest¡ªanother three lizards launched themselves at him. Holding his spear awkwardly, he spun towards them, using skillful footwork instead of his embryo. The wooden shaft of his spear hit the lizards, leaving two of them marked by Odysseus''s blue pattern. However, the lizards weren''t ripped apart as Mai had expected; they were dazed but not seriously injured.


    The last three lizards attacked, but this time Sheko was prepared. He threw his spring device at them, jumping as high as he could. The device unfurled mid-flight, and the three transformed lizards passed through the metallic spring unharmed, preparing to land and attack again. However, the device wasn''t intended to take out the transformed lizards. As the strings connected to the weights reached their maximum length, the Lethal Spring, as Sheko had dubbed it, turned under his skill''s influence, crushing and cutting the four lizards that had attacked Sheko first. The device then began to retract, but the metal weights went wild and crushed it, rendering it useless. Sheko gritted his teeth as he saw the device break down, then took another hit¡ªone on the leg, another on the back. He turned and threw a knife at the lizard that hit his back, missing, but managed to redirect the knife to hit one of the lizards still on the ground.


    Mai noticed that the two marked lizards hadn''t attacked in a while. Looking back, she saw them trying to run in opposite directions but unable to move, as if they were tugging on an invisible rope. Sheko looked hurt, but not critically. With five lizards left and two incapacitated, Mai was sure Sheko would beat them. Almost like clockwork, Sheko threw another knife, cutting down three lizards just as they reverted to their physical forms after he disrupted their attack by swinging his spear shaft. He didn¡¯t hit any of them, but they aborted their attack to avoid the wooden shaft, giving him the opening he needed.


    Sheko then approached the two remaining lizards, swinging his spear to launch them into the air. He swung his spear downward, causing the lizards to accelerate and slam into the ground. He repeated the process until he was sure they were dead, finally taking a long, exhausted sigh.


    Nue walked over to Sheko and offered a hand as he lay on his back, catching his breath. "Had enough, mighty master?" she said, her tone playful, like a friend teasing, not just a colleague.


    Sheko responded, "Yeah, fine. God, you make it sound so awful. Please, never call me ''master'' again. Use my name or my job." He lifted his arm and took hers, rising to his feet, still dazed from the last fight.


    "So, how much time do we have?" he asked.


    "Until the time runs out and the Cockatrice respawns a second time, or until your crazy idea of finishing the cave in five minutes fails?" Nue replied, teasing him again.


    "The second, please. Come on, there''s no way there are more fights like this. Maybe one more harder fight, and we''re at the Basilisk, right?"


    He seems more reserved now. Maybe he learned his lesson, or he''s not a complete moron but still learned nothing, Mai thought to herself.


    "Why don''t you check your HUD? We have a minute, though," Mai interjected.


    "It distracts me too much. Whenever I tried to keep track of it while training, I ended up getting hit. Now, let''s get going," Sheko said, turning to move forward again. But Mai caught his arm.


    "You proved you can fight. You don''t need to take an insane gamble to show how cool you are. How much HP do you even have right now? Turn on your HUD," Mai insisted.


    Sheko reluctantly complied and winced. "I have a bit over half HP, 80% SP, and apparently my leg has internal bleeding." He took a moment to drink three health potions in a row. "Happy now? Let''s go. The other teams are almost done; I checked with Finn."


    Mai confirmed what he said, then nodded and let go of his arm.


    "Let''s take the easy way, though," Mai said, taking out Raggedy''s crystallized arm.


    A smile spread across Sheko''s face as he realized her plan. "Agreed."


    They ran forward together, and as the Basilisk appeared, Mai released Raggedy from her crest. Once more, they worked together. Sheko spun Raggedy, sending the crystallized arm at the Basilisk. Their aim was good but slightly off. They thought their plan could still work, but then the Basilisk struck the ground with its tail, and an emerald wall appeared, blocking the projectile. The magic released turned the crystal tanzanite purple but left the Basilisk unharmed.


    Their line of sight was blocked, so they reacted too late when the Basilisk dropped from the ceiling, almost swallowing Raggedy whole as the others retreated. Sheko was the first to act, trying to stab the Basilisk''s side. However, its instincts were sharp, and its tail swung toward Sheko. All he could do was use Odysseus to turn and take the impact with his spear to avoid being killed. Sheko was sent flying, crashing against the cave wall, and dropped the broken spear from his shaking hands.


    Nue attacked as the Basilisk sent Sheko flying. Her three-section staff ignited as she started pummeling the Basilisk, breaking two of its six legs. Loud cracks echoed in the dark cave. The Basilisk continued trying to swallow Raggedy whole, swinging its morning star-shaped blue tail at Nue. From the backlines, Mai ineffectually shot poison bolts at the monster. She was sure Nue would be taken out like Sheko, but she was surprised when Nue unleashed a bestial roar and struck back at the Basilisk''s tail, parrying its strike and intensifying her assault.


    The Basilisk spat out Raggedy and straightened, backing up as Nue finally stopped her barrage, winded and breathing heavily. Desperate to make a difference, Mai drank five full doses of poison, transferring all the debuffs to Raggedy. With their mental link, Raggedy struck the Basilisk just as Mai drank the poison, and her arm detonated, blanketing the Basilisk in toxic gas. However, the Basilisk seemed unaffected, shrieking and trying to slam its tail to the ground again. But the tail was stuck mid-air.


    Oh, the marking. Sheko managed to mark its tail when he was launched backward. Mai glanced over to where Sheko had landed. He was standing over his broken spear, planted in the ground, cackling. "Should''ve finished me off when you could, you fat iguana."


    Mai returned her focus to the Basilisk, which was thrashing, trying to move its tail. Nue had recovered, and with only 20 seconds remaining until the Cockatrice respawned, she relentlessly bashed the Basilisk''s head until it was dead. To Mai, the scene was almost sad; the creature was pinned down, helpless, until it nearly broke free by dragging the spear tip its tail was linked to out of the bedrock Sheko had anchored it in.


    Finally, the emerald door at the end of the cave opened, and Finn sent them a message:


    "Good job, everyone. Congratulations to Sheko''s and Mai''s teams for beating two caves."


    The chat, supported by Finn''s embryo, continued to send supportive messages. Mai was reminded of what Finn had said at the start of the raid and ran over to Sheko, offering him a potion, which he accepted gratefully.


    "Ha, this potion healed me a lot more than the ones I had. Where did you buy this?" Sheko asked curiously.


    "I didn''t buy it; I made it," Mai beamed. You might be better in direct combat, but I''m an alchemist. I''m a fighter and a crafter. Remember that.


    "Wait, when? Didn''t I help you brew everything when you logged in?"


    "Well, I gave you the easy job with the poison since you were just starting. I thought they''d be useful and had some time after finishing my batch, so I made a few."


    "Well, good job. I hope it wasn''t too expensive. You got another?"


    Mai wasn''t sure about potion costs yet but handed him another potion regardless.


    "How are you on SP? I got one, but they were harder to make, so I didn''t have time for more," she said.


    "I still have about 70%. Oh, wait, my HUD is updating because I leveled up. Says 72% now."


    "How much SP do you have to keep going like this?" Mai asked, incredulous.


    "Well, Odysseus is multiplying it by 2.5, so that''s helping a lot," Sheko answered casually.


    "By 2.5? That''s insane."


    "Well, don''t you have a similar Status Correction?"


    Mai remembered then that Raggedy gave her the same 2.5 multiplier to her MP. "Yeah, okay, fair. For me, it''s MP. It just feels like it''s not as useful in comparison."


    Raggedy then spoke up, "Complain about it while you heal me from the crazy lizard, if you may?"


    Oops. Mai quickly apologized and began healing Raggedy from the chemical burns she had received from the Basilisk. It had something like acidic bile or acid magic; Mai wasn''t sure, and Nue didn''t know either.


    After resting for another five minutes, they finally confirmed with the raid that they could move on. Together, all the teams emerged into a giant, opulent cave that glowed with magical light. The ceiling was filled with intricate, curved imagery of unicorns made from intertwined crystals in all the colors of the rainbow. The raid stood overlooking a forest-like scene in the center of the cave. The plants appeared so lifelike, but the way light refracted off them broke the illusion. The entire clearing was made of precious gems, and at its center stood an enormous crystalline unicorn, shining brilliantly.

 Intermissions

    Legendria - the ruby cave, y¨³sa rerush¨­, squad leader, member of Wiki Editors - Legendria  branch


    Yusa relaxed as his crystal soldiers took down another group of monsters with a wave of arrows fired from their small, custom-made bows. He was running low on mundane arrows, and he hoped they were close to the end of the cave. The Wyvern, like all the cave bosses, was level 30. This could be valuable information for the guild as dungeon raids were quite rare based on what they had discovered so far. Across all the branches of the Wiki Editors Guild, only three other dungeon raids had been documented, and their findings were inconclusive about the rules for raids, assuming there were any.


    Two of the raids had scripted sequences that caused the dungeon to be destroyed once the raid boss was defeated, while the third dungeon remained intact, with its raid boss respawning every three days¡ªthe same duration as a player''s death penalty.


    Yusa rotated positions with Ginburu, leaving his crystal soldiers with him for buckup. The group had encountered issues with loot distribution, so they were rotating, taking turns dispatching groups of enemies, with the loot going to whoever defeated them. Thanks to Chris and his embryo, Hestia, bad loot rolls weren''t as much of a problem for their guild branch. As long as they didn¡¯t die and lose their items, they¡¯d be able to return to the guild house and exchange them through Hestia''s abilities.


    Ginburu was just finishing off a fire-breathing lizard when the cave suddenly shook around them. Everyone jumped to take cover, shielding their heads, but stood back up when they realized the cave wasn¡¯t going to collapse.


    _What kind of monster did that? Were we wrong? Was the unlock requirement for the doors not killing all of the mini-bosses?_ Yusa wondered, a hint of concern creeping into his thoughts.


    Temmi called from the front, "We should hurry if we don''t want to lose loot privileges!" She then whispered excitedly, "And miss seeing the Tian Sword Master in action," before revving up her embryo, Xiuhtecuhtli. In her Chariot form, Xiuhtecuhtli appeared as a solid light monowheel, she was an extremely rare type called a Maiden. While the term "Maiden" might have seemed an odd description for her short, beautiful yet savage human form, it didn¡¯t change the fact that Temmi had a unique embryo type. Because of this, she was part of their team despite being underleveled.


    "Damn it," Yusa and Ginburu exclaimed simultaneously.


    "Run after her! We can''t lose someone before the boss fight even starts," Yusa urged.


    Yusa, Ginburu, and Bob rushed after Temmi, hoping to reach the Wyvern in time and join the raid before they were too late


    ~~


    Legendria - the topaz cave, Prismo, Great Gunner


    The cave Prismo had chosen was starting to get on his nerves. Thanks to his skills and high level compared to most of the other players who had joined, the frequent monster attacks didn¡¯t pose much of a threat. Yet, almost as if the cave was targeting him, monsters kept spawning behind him. For the first half of the journey, he thought he might have been paranoid, but that changed when he turned around just as a raptor, fully clad in topaz armor, finished spawning and immediately lunged at him. It actually managed to penetrate his defense, which was mediocre for his level.


    He responded by kicking the raptor squarely in the throat, crushing and killing it instantly. However, before he could summon Bifrost, two more raptors bit down on his arms from behind, drawing blood. They clamped their jaws with all their might, while a third raptor¡ªhidden inside a large crack that Prismo had carefully checked earlier¡ªjoined the fight, trying to bite his hooded head. Prismo reacted immediately, stepping forward and headbutting the topaz-covered face of the raptor, shattering it and stunning the creature.


    He then tore his arms free from the jaws of the other two raptors, taking more damage in the process, but pressed his advantage by summoning Bifrost. The large cannon materialized in his hands, and he instantly pulverized the skull of one of the raptors that had attacked him. After almost half a year in Infinite Dendrogram, the cannon felt comfortable in his grip. Work had been slow lately¡ªthanks to Infinite Dendrogram¡ªso he had spent more days in the game than in the real world over the past month.


    _I should start looking for a job. The studio won¡¯t survive for long with Dendro around,_ he thought as he continued to destroy the remaining two raptors and another four that rushed at him from up ahead. _This cave seems to have it out for me, but even if it¡¯s just my imagination, being able to create the feeling of tailor-made content in an MMO is unthinkable. How could a company just appear out of nowhere like this? The helmets alone are worth shelves of academic papers. The AI, tested as thoroughly as possible by myself and my colleagues, was leagues above other existing models, and in the three months since release, nothing beyond articles from the Dendrogram Information Network has come from the company to their official website._


    As he pondered this, Prismo continued to blast away at the raptors, killing them one by one. Just as he was about to finish off the last one, his thoughts drifted to something that had come from the company¡ªnot a public announcement, but a private message sent to their company. _On one hand, I¡¯m thankful the CEO¡¯s idea to have us work in Infinite Dendrogram because of the time acceleration didn¡¯t pan out. On the other, we hadn¡¯t spoken to the company before setting up some workstations in Dryfa, and less than a week later, the office was broken into, and the CEO received an email warning him not to abuse the game for profit. When he broke the news, I was sure he¡¯d ignore it. But when he told us that the email was sent from his own company address, he swore off the idea. I even somewhat respect him for trying to sue the publishers for that stunt. He was doing it to make us work extra hours, though, so screw him._


    Prismo then spoke out loud to the cave, "I hope this obvious targeting now isn¡¯t because of the office thing. I want to be perfectly clear: I didn¡¯t suggest it or support it." Nothing happened to indicate that his apology was heard, or even if it was needed, so he just kept walking until he reached the end of the tunnel, where he encountered a T-rex. _It was a giant snake with snakes for arms yesterday. Whatever._


    He loaded Bifrost with a special cannonball made of perfectly cut, clear crystal and shot the T-rex right in the head before it could take a single step toward him.


    The crystal exploded, shaking the cavern and releasing a green cloud that quickly dispersed. As the mist cleared, it revealed that half of the T-rex''s head had melted away, and the monster began disintegrating before it even hit the ground.


    ~~


    Legendria - the Citrine cave, Phantasm, High Summoner


    Phantasm wasted dismissing his illusions after entering the cave. He didn¡¯t need to keep up the charade for now, and it was best to save his MP for the actual boss. The three illusions he had conjured for the raid master meeting were based on his last party, which had ditched him. They left him to seek greater adventures and ignored his opinions. Better off without them, he thought, still bitter about the split. No one even noticed the illusions or asked about them, so obviously they¡¯re still nobodies.


    His thoughts continued to spiral. Useless fakers, riding on my back and then telling me what to do. I should¡¯ve given them a death penalty for their ungratefulness. He let out a calming breath and then spoke to seemingly no one in particular as he pulled a palanquin from his garage inventory. ¡°All of those fakers will regret how they treated me after today. Those two noobs even brought NPCs with them, so they¡¯ll probably post about it on the DIN. Sad how blind they are if they wasted time hiring NPCs instead of joining me.¡±


    Surprisingly, a reply came, not out loud, but in Phantasm''s mind: "Yes, of course, Master. Just focus on the raid, and I¡¯m sure things will turn out well." The tone was somehow apologetic and¡ªat least to Phantasm¡ªsincere.


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    ¡°I don¡¯t need to focus, Wukong,¡± Phantasm replied immediately, ¡°not since I got these shadows in the dungeon.¡± He lifted his hand, revealing the dark medium gem mounted on his glove. Its inner darkness intensified as four shadows flowed out, one after another. Thanks to his Multiple Simultaneous Summoning skill, he could duplicate his shadows up to five times, as long as he had the MP to spare. They moved without delay to lift the palanquin. So convenient, and they don¡¯t complain.


    Wukong responded again, addressing both Phantasm''s words and thoughts: "Well, even if you don¡¯t need to actually focus, maybe try to keep up appearances when you¡¯re with the others?" His tone was as diplomatic as possible.


    Phantasm accepted the suggestion dismissively, and Wukong sighed in relief to himself.


    Seriously, why is he so worried? I¡¯m twice the level of the second strongest master here. It¡¯s not like we¡¯d lose¡ªnot as long as I have my ultimate skill.


    ~~


    Legendria - the Sapphire cave, Stain, Echo Boxer


    Stain was feeling a bit bored as he and five other masters made their way through the cave. He found himself in an unusual position during this raid. He was invited by the other five masters just yesterday while he was grinding against some of the cave bosses. These bosses were surprisingly challenging, considering how weak the rest of the cave''s monsters were. However, with Philo by his side, any advantage the mini-bosses had over him was quickly nullified.


    Philo''s first ability allowed him to switch the status of himself or whatever he hit by up to half, moving the exchanged status to a different attribute. This versatility meant Stain could fill just about any role in a party¡ªfrom a hulking tank to a berserker, a lightning-fast melee combatant, or even a ranged fighter. With his recently unlocked Far Swing skill, he was even more flexible. And as long as he kept his wits about him, a well-timed activation of Philo against an enemy could cripple them. He wasn¡¯t sure what Finn had discussed privately with Sheko and Mai, but he was patient enough to ask once they completed the raid.


    Maybe the conversation was about them bringing Tians to the raid. The older woman, Emilia, seemed experienced, so he hoped she understood the dangers well enough. Still, a master''s life was worth less than that of a Tian since they did not have second chances. Emilia could probably take care of herself, but Stain resolved to keep an eye on the younger girl. Despite her equipment being more advanced than anyone else¡¯s, except for Emilia¡¯s and Prismo''s, she was in greater danger than everyone else fighting.


    If the raid ended up surprising him, he still had his trump card. Maybe he was lucky, or perhaps the other masters he suspected of being capable of beating a UBM were hiding their rewards as well. Whatever the case, together with his partner and embryo Philo and his UBM reward, the Atmospheric Converter, Kemisuri, Stain was confident the raid would succeed.


    As they progressed, Stain¡¯s party of six began to struggle without his active contribution. It wasn¡¯t due to a lack of power or ability from the other five masters; instead, it was a combination of the limited MP and SP reserves the newer players could call upon, and a more concerning increase in the cave''s difficulty. The monsters that spawned weren''t stronger than the previous day, but the encounters became more cunning, setting up ambushes through unfair spawn locations.


    The monsters that spawned, while not objectively stronger than what he had expected, were far more challenging for the group by targeting their weakness.


    At first, the other party members adapted their tactics after every one or two fights. But by the time they were three-quarters of the way through, the cave began focusing multiple encounters together, giving them more time to rest between much more difficult fights. By the time they finally reached the mini-boss, Stain had taken on the role of the main frontliner and had used a few potions to heal the damage he took on the way when he had to intervene saving some of the group from death.


    The boss in front of them was completely different from the giant, ice-shooting bat he had fought yesterday. Instead, they were facing what looked like a large dragon skeleton made entirely of sapphire, with golden glyphs covering its entire frame.


    _What the hell is a Dracolich doing here? Even if it''s a small one, this is solidly in the high demi-dragon realm. Hell, it might even be in the pure dragon realm if I¡¯m wrong... Well, maybe it¡¯s just a special golem._


    But his worries were confirmed as both of their scouts identified the monster¡¯s name using reveal: "Lesser Sapphire Dracolich."


    Anyone unfamiliar with what a Dracolich was might have felt relieved by hearing the word _"lesser,"_ but Stain knew that simply meant a difference between certain death and an uphill battle. Even for himself, he was certain they would lose at least one master, maybe they''d even suffer a total wipeout.


    _What changed? What did we do wrong? Is there some timer for the challenge? Yes, that must be it. We thought we were being cautious by resting between fights, but I bet the other groups have already killed their bosses, and so the challenge increased to accommodate what it thought was appropriate._


    The Dracolich raised its head and released a concentrated beam of cold, sweeping it from right to left like a knife, trying to take them all out with the opening attack. Stain, however, was ready. Already anticipating what he would need to do, he summoned Kemisuri, the green-and-black cloak covering his entire body. He leapt in front of the beam, blocking it with the arm protected by Philo, the golden gauntlet and chest piece granting him an END stat that even a dedicated tank build would envy. As the beam closed in, its color shifted to a vibrant green. The attack struck Stain, and the Dracolich halted its swaying head to focus the beam on him.


    The attack continued for a whole ten seconds, but Stain remained standing. At a glance, he appeared unscathed, but beneath the cover of Kemisuri, his arm up to his shoulder was chemically burned. Even so, this was an incredible feat of endurance, made possible by Kemisuri¡¯s exceptional chemical damage resistance and Philo''s ultimate skill, which allowed him to convert the frost damage into chemical damage.


    The other masters wasted no time in revealing abilities they had been holding back. _I guess it¡¯s a universal habit of masters to keep their hands hidden. Who knows how many people have lost a fight because they were too stubborn to go all out._


    Stain joined the devastating counteroffensive against the Dracolich, laughing at himself for forgetting that Infinite Dendrogram was a game like no other. There wasn¡¯t truly a case of over-leveling. You could avoid danger, but if you sought a challenge, Dendro would accommodate you.


    ~~


    Legendria - the Amethyst cave, Finn, greater enchanter


    Finn was struggling with a headache, trying to keep up with all the information his embryo was feeding him while also following the conversations in the various chat groups he had set up. He had never led a raid in Dendro before, and he initially thought it would be like other MMOs. In reality, it felt more like trying to coordinate a game of capture the flag with strangers in the dark. Maybe if he could finally overcome his instinct to freeze during combat, things would have been simpler. But even with the game''s visual filters, he still couldn''t fully separate himself from the experience.


    Despite the stress, he enjoyed playing with his friends and progressing, though he was beginning to wonder if the game was affecting him too much, even in real life. He had already developed a habit of instinctively reacting to any open door nearby after getting caught off-guard one too many times.


    In truth, he knew managing the raid was contributing to his headache, but the main source of his frustration was GasStar. GasStar was Finn''s first friend he met exclusively in Dendro. After Finn made a few more friends and joined up with some people from school, he met with GasStar less often. Still, he thought they were good friends. But this was the second time GasStar had bailed out on him. Finn didn¡¯t know why and wasn¡¯t sure he actually cared anymore.


    GasStar was the last person to join the raid plan. Initially, Finn thought they would need to split teams to fill the last cave slot, with only six parties. But with GasStar and his other friends, they had seven parties. The night before, Finn went to sleep reassured by GasStar that everything was set, only to wake up and discover that it was all a lie at the last moment.


    Never mind him. I''d be happy if he''d made it, but we haven''t been in contact much lately. Maybe he does have a good reason.


    In Finn''s opinion, he wasn¡¯t a particularly skilled Dendro player. He was slow to react when attacked and had chosen a support role specifically to avoid confronting this issue. All he had to do was use healing skills when others were hurt, keep everyone supplied with potions, provide buffs where needed, and track cooldowns and resources to coordinate attacks. His younger friend group would probably agree with his self-assessment. But they didn¡¯t fault him for it because he was an alright buffer and, more importantly, a great friend.


    However, his older friends saw Finn¡¯s potential and knew he was capable of much more. Despite his doubts, since the start of the raid, Finn had been using his embryo Loki to analyze the skills and stats of each raid member, cataloging their strengths, rationing potions to the parties that needed them most, and speaking with those he felt comfortable with to devise a plan. If his friends knew that he was doing all of this while also juggling various buffs and coordinating their efforts, they would have been justifiably impressed.

 Phase One - Status Creep

    Each team took their time observing the chamber as they arrived. They all entered through nearby doors on the same side of the circular cave, confirming Sheko''s theory that all the caves led directly to the same place. Finn was waiting for everyone to gather, preparing potions to pass before a final planning session for the fight.


    Suddenly, Sheko and the others turned toward another entrance, positioned on a level below his,


    its ruby doors ajar as the loud sound of a motorcycle echoed through the cave. The source of the noise soon appeared: a young woman riding a monocycle made of sunlight, leaving a trail of sparks behind her. She paused at the edge of the terrace, and the monocycle transformed into a young girl wearing a long, radiant dress made of the same yellow sunlight.


    "We made it in time!" the woman shouted back toward the entrance she had come from. Her team quickly followed, stopping at the same spot to take in the vastness of the giant cave.


    Sheko had thought the main cave entrance above was enormous, large enough to accommodate dozens of parties without them interfering with each other. But now, as he looked around, he realized just how vast the boss''s chamber truly was. The ceiling was about 15 meters high, stretching over a hundred meters to the other side, and another 30 meters down to the bottom of the egg-shaped chamber. To his horror, he saw the trees and, more importantly, the unicorn at the center¡ªthe boss monster. It was three times the size of a normal horse, easily bigger than an African elephant, and it was staring back at them, seemingly indifferent to the assembling raid.


    Emilia entered next through the tanzanite doors, her imperious gaze scanning the chamber before spotting Sheko, Mai, Raggedy, and her daughter. Without hesitation, she jumped down to their level, landing steadily but with improper form. She quickly closed the distance and placed a hand on Nue''s shoulder, releasing some of the tension as she congratulated her daughter on defeating the Basilisk so quickly, her tone carrying a hint of ridicule¡ªa skill unique to mothers, Sheko thought.


    "Thanks, Mom, but honestly, Sheko did a lot more than I first expected. Just don''t die in the first 10 seconds, right?" Nue said, directing the last part to Sheko.


    "Duly noted, but I still saved you afterward," Sheko replied, matching her teasing tone.


    "Sucks about the spear, though. It''s totaled," Sheko added, taking out the remains of his spear. Its head was left stuck in the ground of the emerald cave, and its shaft was bent in several places.


    "Yeah, that won''t do against that beast. I only have a guess at what it is, and if I''m right, raid boss or not, I wouldn''t be able to take it on my own¡ªnot even with the best equipment money can buy," Emilia responded. "I don''t have a spare spear with me. How are you with a sword, though?" she continued.


    "No way I can handle a huge sword like yours. I don''t even know if I could dodge while wielding something like that," Sheko answered, waving his hands before she could take out a sword.


    Emilia, however, ignored his protests and took out a conventional longsword, its length curved and adorned with glowing runes. "I don''t expect you to use a sword like mine; I''m not crazy. This is a ''whole longsword,'' a well-designed standard magic blade. Less specialized builds often get one when they reach their first high job. It adds 10% from each stat other than HP, MP, SP, and STR to your attack power. Don''t break it, you hear me," she said, her tone carrying both a warning and a threat.


    If it''s a weapon high-rank jobs get, then I better listen to her. I''d be stuck paying her back if I break it. Sheko took the weapon, swinging it experimentally. Nue and Emilia watched him skeptically but refrained from commenting.


    As they spoke, one of Finn''s friends approached Sheko''s group, handing Mai and Sheko three potions each. "Any of you need immediate healing?" he asked. Both of them answered in the negative, and he nodded. "Come join us¡ªNue and Emilia, as well. We''re almost ready to start, just waiting on two more groups. Not sure what''s taking them so long; Finn said they''re probably topping off since Stain''s group was almost spent after their mini-boss. He sent Lorence to check on them," the young healer added.


    "Thanks, James, right?" Sheko replied as he started walking in the same direction.


    The healer missed a step and corrected him with less enthusiasm, "Jake. Don''t worry about it."


    Sheko winced and didn''t continue, while Mai and Raggedy snickered behind him. Mai sipped her MP potion and exclaimed, "Amazing! It completely filled my MP and even gave me overmana. Apparently, mage burn too, but Raggedy took care of that."


    They joined the others and saw Stain''s party not far away, climbing up the 5-meter-high terrace with some assistance from Stain and Lorence, Sheko had assumed.


    Just as the last party member reached the top, shouting erupted from the Citrine Cave as the final party charged through the doors, leaping down into the crystal forest. For a moment, everyone except that reckless group froze, stunned by their madness. The Prism Unicorn, the raid boss, rose to its full height, black flames igniting around its hooves as it let out a deafening blare. The reckless party froze in their tracks, their summoner stumbling down.


    Emilia was the first to react, quickly followed by Prismo. Both began shouting commands: "Spread out!" "Seek cover!" and "Apply any beneficial effects while you still can!" Contrary to these orders, Sheko, Mai, and Raggedy ran in the same direction, dropping to a lower level and taking cover. Raggedy, not fully hidden, stayed exposed. Sheko couldn¡¯t see what was happening beyond the treeline, but a blinding light illuminated the area where he had last seen the reckless party. When the light dimmed, Sheko peeked out just in time to see the summoner flying through the air, faster than when he had been struck by the basilisk earlier. Remarkably, he appeared mostly intact, with some bruises and bleeding, despite likely being kicked by a hoof almost the size of his torso. He was caught mid-air by his pack of summoned shadows, but the rest of his team was nowhere in sight.


    Well, who would''ve thought we''d get Leeroy Jenkinsed? I''m going to kill that moron. Screw Kaizo; he''s someone for later. This guy is right in front of me. Sheko took a moment to compose himself. Later, we''ll grief him like civilized people. For now, we have a raid to manage.


    Just as Sheko and his group prepared to go on the offensive, a powerful blast struck the Prism Unicorn¡¯s ruby-colored side. A white cloud of frost enveloped the boss, quickly freezing its trunk. Must be Prismo and his giant cannon, Sheko thought. Another blast followed, but when the frost cloud cleared, the Unicorn was unscathed. Its hide had turned sapphire blue, and its mane was gleaming purple. It blared once more, the purple hue spreading to its clear crystal horn, and it shot a beam upward. Sheko initially thought the Unicorn was confused and attacking wildly, but then he realized the beam was aimed at the ceiling.


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    The beam was absorbed by a mural on the ceiling, spreading colors across it before redirecting beams of light downwards, bathing random sections of the cave. Moments later, a rain of sharp, bullet-sized crystals began to fall.


    The crystals pelted the raid group. While the cover offered some protection, it did nothing for their flanks and sides. Everyone scrambled, trying their best to dodge. Nue spun her staff in a blur, blocking the crystals, while Raggedy threw itself over Mai to shield her. Sheko tried to retreat but took a hit to his arm. The crystal pierced through it, causing significant pain, but luckily, it wasn¡¯t a fatal blow. Still, a hit to the head could be lethal.


    Meanwhile, Finn was already taking command, dodging the crystal rain while issuing orders through Loki. He split the parties into roles: Mai was assigned to the ranged DPS group, positioned in pairs to spread out the Unicorn¡¯s aggro. Nue joined the melee DPS, while Sheko was designated as a Tank, with a focus on survival. Raggedy was left on standby.


    Tank? Tank? How the hell am I with the tanks? I might die if that thing gallops over me, Sheko panicked internally but kept running toward the danger as instructed. He noticed he had accumulated some stacks of his Red Cape skill from the boss''s initial attack. Who makes a boss that starts with a battlefield-wide attack? Oh, right. That makes perfect sense, actually.


    As Sheko and the other melee fighters closed in, the Unicorn predictably charged at the center of their group. The sound of its hooves on the crystal grass echoed like breaking glassware. Everyone scattered, trying to avoid the massive creature. Stain struck its side, while Sheko threw a knife at its neck, surprisingly chipping the crystal body.


    "I was sure this thing was indestructible! This might not be as bad as I expected!" Sheko shouted.


    "You''re welcome," Stain replied, much to Sheko''s surprise.


    Their exchange was cut short as Emilia struck the Unicorn, the sound of cracking crystal resonating through the chamber. She raised her giant blade for another strike but had to abort the attack when the Unicorn attempted to impale her on its horn. She managed to block the strike, holding her ground for a few seconds, but the towering beast pushed her back. A wave of magic hit the Unicorn¡¯s flank, distracting it. Though the spells didn¡¯t cause much damage, the Unicorn blared, shifting its colors once again to emerald and ruby, while a part of its neck still remained marked in blue. The red from its mane spread to its horn, just like before.


    Sheko pushed as much as he could with Odysseus, trying to pivot the Unicorn''s aim, but it was too powerful and resilient. It fired the beam anyway, striking the ceiling once more. This time, the raid members were more prepared, but that didn''t mean they all had the speed to dodge. Sheko threw a Lethal Spring out of the red light that enveloped him, using Odysseus to link himself and the spring, gaining just enough distance before the lights transformed into pillars of fire.


    Even with buffs from Finn and another master, three members of Stain''s team were instantly disintegrated in the flames. There was no way to resurrect them, as there was nothing left to resurrect.


    ¡°We have to break its horn!¡± several people shouted at once. With confirmation from both Prismo and Finn, the melee fighters began to focus on the Unicorn¡¯s horn, which was nearly as long as a person. The Unicorn turned its attention to them, and each member took their turn trying to break the horn whenever an opening presented itself. But after Emilia struck it without effect, they quickly realized they were wasting precious time on an impossible task.


    Meanwhile, the reckless summoner ignored Finn¡¯s orders and joined the frontlines, resulting in another raid member nearly being killed when cornered. The Unicorn began kicking wildly, creating a safe zone around itself as everyone scrambled away. Taking advantage of the brief lull, the ranged fighters unleashed their attacks without fear of hitting allies.


    Either I¡¯m getting used to its speed, or it¡¯s slowed down a lot, Sheko thought, narrowly dodging another hoof aimed at his face. Just as everyone began to relax, the Unicorn shifted colors again, turning green and yellow. Realizing what was about to happen, Sheko shouted, ¡°Prismo, what element was the boss using in the Topaz Cave?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t check today, but it was electricity yesterday. Good catch. Everyone, get ready for lightning!¡± Prismo bellowed.


    A second later, the Unicorn shot a beam at the ceiling. But instead of lights and expected lightning, black clouds began to seep out of cracks in the mural above, quickly filling the entire ceiling and crackling with yellow surges. Some of the masters were caught off guard, narrowly saved from trampling by Emilia and Nue. Damn, I was only safe because of my position. The Unicorn usually doesn¡¯t attack until after the AoE ends¡­ or maybe it¡¯s meant to target fliers, which we don¡¯t have, Sheko thought, feeling a brief sense of relief.


    But he was quickly proven wrong. The lightning surged faster, striking one of Finn¡¯s party members, then he was struck again then two more times before a ranged master wielding a bow was struck next. The strikes came faster, almost exclusively targeting the two masters. Why is it only attacking those two? How are they even still alive? he wondered as the bowman finally fell, burned to a crisp. The other fighter, however, remained unharmed and seemed even stronger, electricity wreathing around him.


    Wielding a double-pronged staff, the fighter raised his voice, which thundered across the cave: ¡°Tame the Skies, Zeus!¡± He began to gather the lightning to himself, then launched himself at the Unicorn, looking like a figure from myth. The Unicorn rose to meet him, but the master¡¯s spear pierced the Unicorn¡¯s chest a few centimeters deep. Electricity surged through the beast but had no effect.


    ¡°Damn it, electric immunity! Don¡¯t just stand there¡ªkeep attacking!¡± he yelled, and everyone redoubled their efforts. Thanks to Finn, they were aware when the Unicorn hit 70% HP, though it might have been obvious by its sudden color change. Instead of taking on the color of any specific cavern, it now glistened like a diamond.


    ¡°Anyone know what that means? Did we miss a cave somehow?¡± Sheko shouted in alarm.


    The Unicorn didn¡¯t shoot a beam this time, but something changed. The dark clouds parted, revealing sunlight that bathed the raid in a warm glow, reminiscent of sunrise. The crystal forest surrounding them began absorbing this light and transforming.


    Finn quickly shouted, ¡°It¡¯s healing¡ªstop it, now!¡±


    What sadist designs a regenerating boss? Sheko thought, then yelled his suggestion with Finn. They disagreed.


    ¡°Attack the ceiling!¡± Sheko called.


    ¡°Attack the forest!¡± Finn countered, then quickly revised, ¡°Split efforts! Half on the ceiling, half on the forest. Melee fighters, slow it down and offset the healing!¡±


    ¡°So keep doing what we were already doing. Got it,¡± Stain replied with a hint of sarcasm. Despite his tone, he followed up with an impressive attack. He threw three vials of water into the air, then delivered a barrage of punches, distorting the air around his fists. The vials exploded, not with water, but with lava, covering the Unicorn. Prismo joined in, blasting the lava-covered Unicorn with frost magic, encasing the monster in cooled basalt.


    Sheko, meanwhile, chipped away at the Unicorn¡¯s leg with his borrowed sword. Every bit matters if it prevents a wipe from whatever else this thing has up its sleeve. As he continued his attack, he noticed the girl on the monocycle speeding up as she circled the Unicorn along the cave walls. She had been shooting weak light projectiles, but now, a stream of light shot from her, growing larger as her speed increased. Eventually, the river of light connected with the forest, and the crystals began to absorb it. At first, it seemed her efforts were wasted, but soon the entire forest grew blindingly bright. Suddenly, a cascade of shattered crystals filled the clearing, angering the Unicorn as the crystals began to disintegrate.


    The girl slowed, then dropped several stories. Sheko wasn¡¯t sure if she survived, but her display had been impressive. Second strongest team here, my ass, Finn. What am I even doing here?


    He nearly fell as the ground beneath him transformed into a barren crater, dotted with clear crystal spots along its edges. Great, another boss surprise.


    He didn¡¯t have time to linger as the mural on the ceiling started breaking apart. Smaller pieces fell first, followed by giant slabs of crystal. Acting fast, Sheko marked one of the crystals next to him with his sword and threw a knife at an incoming slab, stopping it just before it would have crushed him. However, the clear crystal broke before Odysseus''s tether, and he only had a second to run from under it before the Unicorn, broke free from its basalt prison, now focused solely on him, its form sprouting enormous, razor-sharp rainbow-colored wings.

 phase 2 unshakable focus

    The message was clear: the raid was far from over, and it was only going to get harder. Resistance would be trampled under the rage of the transformed Unicorn ¡ª now an Alicorn ¡ª and unfortunately, Sheko was its first target. Another blast from Prismo struck the Alicorn¡¯s head, encasing it in a thick layer of granite. The Alicorn shook its massive head, breaking free from the rock with ease, and flapped its wings to dodge an incoming lava wave from Stain.


    Sheko had no time to react as the Alicorn¡¯s horn pierced his chest. The sudden halt in momentum sent him hurtling through the air toward the backline¡ªwhere Mai and Raggedy happened to be stationed. What was that? It moved twice as fast as before¡ªno, four times as fast. Even if I wasn¡¯t surprised, I couldn¡¯t dodge that, Sheko thought as he reached up to take off his game helmet before realizing he was still in the game. Is this a bug? Did I survive?


    Refocusing, Sheko opened his eyes, his vision shaky from a concussion debuff that Raggedy hurried to cure. Focus. What¡¯s happening? He examined himself, noticing his rugged leather armor breaking apart and feeling the warmth of blood on his chest. That¡¯s probably bad. Then, he noticed a crumbling dragon scale fall from one of his bracers. Where did that come from?


    Before he could ponder further, the Alicorn took to the sky, scanning for a target. Its gaze fell back on Sheko. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it have better things to do? Like kill one of the actual damage dealers?¡±


    Finn, standing nearby, shouted, ¡°No idea, but it¡¯s fully focused on you! Try to hold out!¡±


    Sheko steadied himself as the boss approached. Relaxing his posture, his body swayed almost drunkenly, tuning out Mai¡¯s shouts for him to run. He focused entirely on survival. Activating Sleight of Hand, Sheko equipped one Lethal Spring in each hand. The Alicorn, now in full descent, closed in, its massive body eclipsing not only Sheko but Raggedy and Mai as well. With seemingly minimal effort, Sheko threw one of the circular projectiles over the Alicorn¡¯s head, allowing himself to be pulled along as a blue mark spread across his chest.


    In the split second when Sheko passed by the Alicorn, it aimed its horn to impale him again. In response, Sheko twisted his body midair, parrying the horn with his borrowed sword. This maneuver altered his trajectory, allowing him to avoid the deadly wings as he passed under them. Simultaneously, Sheko¡¯s flight slowed as his Lethal Spring embedded itself in the now rough stone ceiling.


    The Alicorn landed gracefully, averting its attack in the last moment before being bombarded by magic and projectiles. It shielded itself under its wings, keeping a close eye on Sheko as it spotted him dangling from the ceiling, suspended in midair. Sheko oriented himself upright, remaining as still as possible while Odysseus¡¯s power kept him tethered to the freely moving weight of his Lethal Spring.


    It actually worked. How the hell did that work? I¡¯m surviving on pure luck, Sheko thought, panicking inwardly as he finally stabilized himself and locked eyes with the boss once more. Cheers could be heard from far below him in the newly made crater, but Sheko¡¯s brief distraction was a mistake. The Alicorn, proving it was more than just a mindless beast, launched its next attack.


    Instead of focusing solely on Sheko, the Alicorn sent out four compressed air currents, blowing six masters down the terraces. Then, it swung its wings forward, releasing crystal shards the size of arrows and as wide as a forearm. Luckily, the arc of the crystals kept most of them from hitting Sheko directly, but when he tried to block an incoming shard with his sword, it exploded in a fireball that scorched his arm, leaving him reeling from the shock and empty handed.


    The Alicorn spread its wings, intent on closing in on Sheko as he swung did his best to keep return to the correct mindset. All the while, the continuous barrage of spells and arrows chased the Alicorn across the vast chamber.


    Legendria - the Sacred Grove, Finn, greater enchanter


    Unknown to the rest of the raid, Finn and his team did their best to keep Sheko alive. Unlike the flashy abilities of other masters, Finn¡¯s embryo wasn¡¯t visually impressive on the battlefield, and he couldn¡¯t turn the tide of battle alone. But his ultimate skill was a tool that anyone with experience would recognize for its value. Killer of Truth - Loki was an active ability that allowed Finn to spend varying amounts of MP to change the target of phenomena affecting his allies. While he could protect Sheko by redirecting damage to others, this approach was inefficient. Instead, Finn tapped into his own potion supply¡ªand the supply Mai had donated¡ªto heal Sheko. One of Finn¡¯s friends would drink a potion, which was amplified by their Drunken Master job, then transfer all the healing to Sheko.


    Keeping Sheko alive and the Alicorn distracted was a solid strategy, but Finn had bigger ideas. ¡°Prismo, I have an idea. You have a big attack, right? How many times can you use it?¡±


    Prismo answered over the chat. "I have another 30 crystal shots, but only enough MP for about 10¡ª8 if I empower them for extra damage, though I can only do that once per minute."


    Unable to contain his excitement, Finn shouted, ¡°Fire at will! If all you need is MP and time, I¡¯ll provide them!¡±


    Prismo hesitated for a moment before pulling a folding base from his inventory and setting up Bifrost. He took out another item¡ªa metal cage¡ªand connected it to Bifrost¡¯s side, dumping all 30 crystal cannonballs into it, which stacked all the way to the top. The first shot flew forward, crackling with electrical energy, growing in size as it sailed through the air. By the time it reached the Alicorn, it had swelled to the size of the creature¡¯s shoulder, striking beneath its wing and actually pushing it back. This was more impact than most previous attacks had managed as the Alicorn continued its pursuit of Sheko.


    Meanwhile, Sheko adapted quickly. Releasing his tether to the Lethal Spring, he sprinted across the Alicorn¡¯s back as it dipped beneath him in midair. He threw his second Lethal Spring, embedding a new trapeze for him to catch onto as the Alicorn turned once more.


    Prismo was about to fire a regular follow-up shot when he noticed that the cooldown on his Big Score Shot hadn¡¯t applied. Turning his head, he caught Finn smirking, his expression more like that of a seasoned rogue than a child. ¡°I get your meaning,¡± Prismo muttered to himself.


    ¡°Fire in the hole!¡± Prismo shouted enthusiastically, his MP surging and depleting rapidly as empowered shot after empowered shot blasted the Alicorn. With each reverberating hit, the cave trembled violently, and cracks spread further across the Alicorn¡¯s body. Meanwhile, Sheko remained locked in mortal combat with the massive beast, spinning and swinging in midair.


    One moment, he jerked violently to avoid an attack; the next, he began to freefall, only to swing back into an arc again. His sword was long forgotten, lost during his desperate defense against the first wave of deadly crystals. With the healing support from Finn and his team keeping him alive, Sheko resorted to using kicks to propel himself away from the Alicorn¡¯s relentless strikes. Each impact produced a cracking sound, faint enough that only Sheko and perhaps the Alicorn noticed. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Had anyone been able to pause and look closely, Sheko¡¯s mangled state would have been clear. His limbs were broken in multiple places, and while the healing had stopped the bleeding, there was no way to mend his shattered bones during the fight. Yet, despite his grievous injuries, Sheko kept moving, his sheer willpower and resourcefulness buying precious time for the raid.


    After about 15 consecutive shots, Prismo finally stopped firing. Bifrost¡¯s barrel steamed ominously, its rainbow-colored ice and wood frame visibly cracking in several places. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Bifrost could even be damaged like this! Any other plans, fearless leader?¡± Prismo called out to Finn with a good-natured grin.


    Finn, however, was deep in thought, his expression unusually serious. His eyes darted between the disorganized melee fighters on the ground, the backliners who had started to falter in their assault, and Sheko, who was somehow still alive after over a minute of the Alicorn¡¯s relentless attacks. Finn was beginning to suspect that Sheko might have been lying about his level and skill set. What he was doing should have been impossible.


    But Finn had no choice but to accept what he was seeing. Loki¡¯s first skill, Web of Secrets, confirmed Sheko¡¯s stats as legitimate. Even the reckless Phantasm who had initiated the fight hadn¡¯t been able to hide his boosted level from Finn. A shame someone past level 500 is so incompetent. It¡¯s obvious his embryo is carrying him, Finn mused grimly, refocusing on the battle ahead.


    The Alicorn''s wings had gradually become streamlined as the fight progressed, shedding bulky crystals¡ªeither to attack Sheko or protect itself. Now, what remained of those once-majestic wings were two long, thin structures, resembling the sleek design of modern airplane wings. Their edges, acting like prisms, refracted light in dazzling colors.


    Finn, noticing the ominous shimmer, paused his planning to warn the raid about the light. Thankfully, his warning wasn¡¯t necessary; the group had already been vigilant about light-based attacks since the first phase. When one of the tanks failed to avoid the light and emerged unscathed, they realized it was mundane and harmless.


    ¡°Okay, I think I have an idea,¡± Finn said. ¡°Stein, can you slow it down again?¡±


    Stein snapped out of his trance, eyes still glued to the aerial fight above. ¡°Only if I can get close to it again,¡± he replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle that,¡± Finn assured him, sending instructions to Sheko through the raid chat. After ten agonizing seconds with no response, Finn resorted to shouting: ¡°Sheko! Drop closer to the ground! We¡¯ll try to ground the Alicorn to finish it off¡ªit¡¯s at 25% health! Just a little more!¡±


    Sheko glanced down at Finn, bewilderment flickering across his exhausted face, before turning back to the Alicorn. He maneuvered his body to take a grazing hit from its horn on his charred arm, only to twist and avoid another attack. The second maneuver ripped his arm clean off. His expression of sheer exhaustion remained unchanged, even as Mai and Nue shouted in horror at the gruesome sight. Remarkably, Sheko stayed focused, dodging the Alicorn¡¯s relentless attacks.


    "ok no such luck, what else? oh" realizing Sheko couldn¡¯t manage more. Desperate, he turned his attention to a shadow-wreathed figure clinging to the cave wall. It was Phantasm, the reckless master who had prematurely initiated the raid. Using his summoned shadows, Phantasm struggled to close the distance to the Alicorn.


    ¡°Phantasm!¡± Finn sent through chat. ¡°The boss is fixated on Sheko. Use your illusion skill to distract it. We need to ground it!¡±


    Phantasm replied, oozing arrogance: _¡°More like it¡¯s running away from me. Why aren¡¯t you trying to catch it, idiots?¡±_


    Finn blinked, momentarily dumbstruck by the tactless response. Then, with an edge to his tone, he typed: _¡°I was trying to be polite, but you don¡¯t deserve it. Listen carefully: my embryo can redirect the damage Sheko is tanking. If you don¡¯t cooperate, I¡¯ll redirect all that damage to you¡ªand unlike Sheko, you won¡¯t get healed.¡±_


    _¡°Fine, but I want one of those brooches you talked about,¡±_ Phantasm replied smugly.


    Ignoring the unwarranted demand, Finn waited and watched as Phantasm finally acted. Five illusory copies of Sheko appeared, swinging in the air. Though they lacked Sheko¡¯s frantic movements even after two minutes of attack after attack, the illusions distracted the Alicorn. It paused for the first time, allowing Finn to hope for a brief reprieve.


    The Alicorn, as Finn had suspected, had one last trick. It suddenly nosedived toward a random spot in the middle of the chamber, its massive body glowing faintly. As it opened its mouth, everyone¡ªincluding Sheko¡ªbraced themselves, covering their ears in anticipation of another deafening screech.


    Instead, what followed was a harmonious melody of harps and flutes. The sound resonated through the chamber, soothing yet alien. A moment later, the group felt the effects of a grand healing spell washing over them.


    Perplexed, the raid stood frozen for ten seconds, trying to understand why the Alicorn would heal its enemies. Then, the true purpose became clear. The clear crystals that were revealed under the crystal grove they destroyed began to morph and transform, taking the shape of unicorns identical to the Alicorn¡¯s first-phase form. These facsimiles were smaller, about the size of a normal unicorn, unlike what Finn assumed was their ¡°mother.¡±


    There were six in total, each one reflecting the color of the cave¡¯s entrances¡ªexcept for sapphire. Finn¡¯s mind raced as the pieces clicked into place: _Sheko must have damaged or destroyed the sapphire unicorn egg when we broke the mural. That¡¯s why the Alicorn is so focused on him._


    Confident that its children would handle the illusory Sheko''s, the Alicorn turned back toward the real Sheko, resuming its relentless pursuit. However, Emilia, the berserker, couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Fueled by pent-up rage, she charged at the nearest unicorn and decapitated it in a single swing of her massive sword.


    Her daughter, Nue, and the remaining masters followed her lead, possibly underestimating the unicorns after witnessing Emilia¡¯s swift kill. their zeal living them open to attack. Each unicorn retaliated with a unique, colored beam aimed at a different target based on whoever hit a unicorn first.


    Emilia and Nue were both shot at. Nue took a tanzanite-colored beam to the chest. At first, her body appeared to petrify, turning to solid granite. Finn, watching intently, assumed the beam had turned her to stone. But moments later, her form returned to normal, with no visible damage or lingering afflictions.


    Others managed to dodge or find cover behind chunks of the broken mural that lodged themselves in the ground where they fell.


    Meanwhile, the Alicorn was visibly distracted, its gaze shifting between Sheko and Emilia. Prismo, seeing an opportunity, rallied the backline fighters for another coordinated assault. A flurry of spells and arrows rained down on the Alicorn, forcing it to dive toward Emilia, its horn glowing with a menacing blue light.


    The Alicorn unleashed a beam unlike the others. This one was wide, unstable, and filled with chaotic energy. It struck Emilia directly in the chest. Instead of incapacitating her, the beam ricocheted back, hitting the Alicorn squarely.


    The result was instantaneous and spectacular. A thick layer of sapphire-colored ice, at least 10 centimeters deep, enveloped the Alicorn¡¯s body. Immobilized, it plummeted into the crater where four of its children already lay broken.


    Sheko, ever determined, made his way toward the crater, finally balancing himself above the frozen Alicorn. His focus, unlike that of his opponent, remained unshaken.


    The remaining unicorns were swiftly dispatched with the aid of Prismo and the other ranged fighters. As the last one fell, Finn shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t relax yet! The boss still has 5% left!¡± Then, glancing at Sheko, he added, ¡°Well, except for you, Sheko. You¡¯ve earned a rest.¡±


    But rest was a luxury they didn¡¯t have. As the last unicorn¡¯s life faded, the Alicorn began to glow ominously. Cracks formed across the ice and its body. Sheko, who had stopped his frantic movements, now lacked the momentum to dodge the impending blast.


    In a blinding explosion of beam attacks, Sheko, Jake, and two other masters were instantly wiped out.


    When the dust and steam cleared, the Alicorn was gone. In its place stood a smaller unicorn, slightly larger than the six they had just defeated. Its horn was broken, and its mane was a dull, lifeless patchwork of colors¡ªa sad remnant of the brilliance it once held.

 phase 3 unsurprising disappointment

    Legendria - the Sacred Grove, Mai higaisha, Venomancer


    "Everyone, get away!" Mai shouted, her voice desperate as the light shining through the cracking ice reached its crescendo and exploded. She was too late. Although she noticed the attack moments before the others, the distance was too great for her warning to reach them in time.


    Standing far from the chaos, Mai cursed herself for not being more instrumental to the raid. Her abilities, while impactful alongside Raggedy, often left her feeling sidelined. Finn had reassured her before, empathizing with her struggle, not every problem could be met with greater brute force, that was when people like them were indispensable . If the raid had simply rushed the boss, they would have been wiped out in under three minutes. or maybe not considering Phantasm was still alive.


    Mai¡¯s gaze shifted to Phantasm, the idiot who had prematurely initiated the fight. She hadn''t bothered to learn most of the other masters'' names, but his she would never forget¡ªat least not until they dealt with him. Still, she had to move closer, assess the situation, and help finish what remained of this sad excuse for a final stage.


    Her thoughts then drifted to Sheko. Initially, she had resolved to part ways with him after the raid, irritated by his arrogance and rudeness. But after his incredible performance, she reconsidered. Was he just out to prove himself? Or was there something more to him? She hoped there was something deeper¡ªsomething more interesting than mere bravado.


    As the light subsided, it revealed the disintegrating bodies of four masters, including Sheko and one of Finn¡¯s teammates. Entire chunks of their forms were missing, likely from the attack. Mai noted how the game¡¯s eerie disintegration effect¡ªturning players into white dust blown away by an invisible wind¡ªseemed almost poetic in its uniformity.


    She thought she saw the particles drifting toward the unicorn but dismissed it quickly assuming she was imagining it.


    The boss¡ªor perhaps its final minion¡ªopened its eyes and emitted an angry blare. Mai, Nue, Raggedy, and a few other masters couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the sound.


    "What¡­ is that its voice now? Did Sheko punch it in the mouth? It sounds like a squeaky toy!" Mai quipped.


    "More like a deflating sheep bladder," Nue interjected.


    ¡°People, I¡¯m right here,¡± Finn interrupted, his tone stern letting slip some amusement. ¡°Let¡¯s keep it together, okay?¡±


    ¡°Stein, Casper, would you like to do the honors and hog-tie this thing? Prismo, can you manage a finishing blow?¡± Finn resumed his role as the competent leader.


    Prismo began to answer but was cut off by Phantasm. ¡°I can grapple it on my own! Stop ignoring your best fighter!¡±


    Emilia, visibly annoyed, started marching toward Phantasm, ignoring the boss.


    It was chasing Stein shooting a flame made of prismatic glitter from its broken horn, Stein however moved with surprising speed, leaping as deftly as Sheko had during his earlier battle. Mai suspected Stein might have been prepared to take Sheko¡¯s place if necessary. Admirable, she thought, at least for anyone who noticed how much Sheko had sacrificed just to stay alive.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Finn sighed, his patience wearing thin. ¡°Help us tie it down, but don¡¯t make things worse.¡±


    Prismo readied his ultimate attack while Stein engaged the unicorn, delivering a flurry of punches. Oddly, his strikes seemed far less effective than they had been in the first phase. Casper and Finn paused momentarily to reassess the situation.


    Phantasm, for once, contributed meaningfully. Using his horde of summoned shadows, he added pressure. Casper realized together with Finn that Stein was focused on slowing down the unicorn like he did in the first phase and proceeded to attack with conjured ghostly hands to push the boss into a pit of quicksand he created under it, meanwhile Finn spun steel webs to trap it further. Together, they forced the unicorn to the ground, its movements slowing until it lay motionless.


    Everyone retreated as Prismo unleashed three perfectly aimed crystals in quick succession, striking the same spot. The display of precision left nothing behind but innumerable shards of broken crystal.


    Maybe he went a little overboard, Mai mused, but I¡¯d do the same if I could.


    As the dust settled, Mai reflected on how much easier the fight might have been with backup from the missing team. Her frustration burned as she weighed who infuriated her more: Phantasm or the absent allies.


    Everyone except Phantasm remained on edge, unsure if the battle was truly over. The fight had been chaotic: a gigantic mural to destroy, a fake forest, buried minions emerging unexpectedly, and a suicide attack during what seemed like the final phase. No one wanted to be caught off guard.


    Their caution proved unnecessary. The chamber glowed once more, and an announcement appeared before each participant, congratulating them on conquering the Sacred Grove. The announcement listed various stats and recognized major contributors.


    Prismo unsurprisingly claimed the top spot as the highest damage dealer. The announcement displayed total damage numbers but no percentages, which Mai found mildly annoying. Still, I can tell at a glance that Prismo¡¯s damage is over ten times that of the second-place finisher... Jake, was it? she mused. Jake¡¯s transformation during the unicorn¡¯s lightning beam attack had clearly been significant. Mai wasn¡¯t surprised Emilia was ranked highly, but seeing Stein just below her was unexpected. If his waves of lava didn¡¯t outdamage her sword strikes... I¡¯m definitely not beating her anytime soon.


    Next was the assists category. Finn topped the list with an impressive score, though Mai had no idea how to interpret the exact numbers. What truly surprised her was her own ranking: second place. Overcome with happiness, she almost cried.


    Then came the "Most Damage Taken" category, which Phantasm ¡°won.¡± Mai didn¡¯t bother checking further.


    Finally, the aggro category listed the total time each participant was targeted by the boss, along with timestamps. Sheko was, of course, at the top, with more seconds of aggro than everyone else combined. Being the boss''s punching bag isn''t exactly a badge of honor, Mai thought. Sheko¡¯s supposed to be an agility-based melee DPS, but he didn¡¯t even crack the top 10 damage dealers. Makes sense, though¡ªhe¡¯s a... matador.


    Suddenly, the realization hit her, and she burst out laughing, falling to the floor. ¡°Ha! He forgot to turn off his aggro ability!¡±


    Others who understood who she was referring to joined in the laughter, though none matched her intensity.


    The announcement ended with a timer above a button, prompting each player to confirm they had read the information and were ready to receive their rewards. Once everyone confirmed¡ªor the timer expired¡ªa treasure chest materialized in front of each raid member, including those who had perished.


    The chests varied by the player¡¯s performance and survival:


    - Those who died in the first phase received small, copper-inlaid chests.


    - Those who perished in the second phase, including during the phase change explosion, received larger, silver-inlaid chests.


    - Survivors were rewarded with large, crystal chests, fitting for their accomplishment.


    Each chest had the player¡¯s name carved into it. On Mai¡¯s chest, she noticed a badge marking her assist contribution beside the latch, filling her with pride.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Stein promised to ensure his party members who had fallen would still receive their rewards, and this became the general consensus for handling the losses.


    Mai eagerly prepared to retrieve Sheko¡¯s chest, planning to deliver it to Nue and Emilia¡¯s office before checking her loot. However, when she reached for the chest, her hand passed through it. Suspicion struck immediately, and she called out.


    ¡°Phantasm! You¡¯re not escaping! He stole Sheko¡¯s chest! Everyone, get him!¡±


    Mai¡¯s accusation ignited the group. Everyone was more than happy to target Phantasm, as nearly all had grievances against him.


    To his minor credit, Phantasm didn¡¯t flee. Instead, he casually walked toward the exit, stopping only to retort. ¡°Yeah, so what? Finn promised me a lifesaving brooch for my illusion that brought the boss down.¡±


    Finn, grinning but clearly furious, snapped back. ¡°If anyone wants proof, check the chat logs. I never promised you anything. You just assumed¡ªas you always do. And you assumed wrong, just like you assume anyone here respects you. we don¡¯t. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re level 500, 700, or 3,000¡ªyou¡¯re a liability to this raid.¡±


    Wait, Mai thought, is he stronger than Emilia? I thought Prismo had the highest level among masters here.


    Phantasm, undeterred, doubled down. ¡°What a load of horse crap! You¡¯re a hypocrite. You sat on your ass the entire fight and attacked once! No one needed you to point out the big scary monster!¡±


    Phantasm¡¯s rant devolved into insults toward Stein, accusing him of being all show and no results. As he spoke, Emilia silently closed the distance between them, sword in hand. She raised it high, prepared to strike.


    Just as her sword fell with earth-shaking force, Phantasm unleashed a blinding golden light¡ªsimilar to the unicorn¡¯s rainbow-colored flashes, but purely gold. The light subsided, revealing Phantasm clad in full plate armor.


    A broken gauntlet on his arm had blocked Emilia¡¯s blow. The group gasped in shock, their astonishment palpable.


    Emilia stepped forward, her voice cutting through the chaos as she demanded an explanation, applying greater pressure to Phantasm¡¯s arm, which began to tremble under her grip. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of master tricks¡ªkids flying recklessly, crushing themselves with no concept of self-preservation, and now a petty thief shamelessly defending his actions. I agree this traitor must be dealt with, but I¡¯m not leaving this matter to be dealt between you masters.¡±


    Prismo quickly chimed in. ¡°I don¡¯t fully appreciate the tone, but I understand the sentiment. Thank you. Now, if you would kindly move, I¡¯d like to shoot the bastard. Finn, any clue what his deal is? Is this some kind of transformation ultimate?¡±


    Before Finn could respond, Emilia took the initiative. Instead of stepping aside, she released one hand from her sword and grabbed Phantasm by the arm. Letting go of her blade entirely, which crashed to the ground with an earth-shattering impact, she spun and twisted his arm painfully over her shoulder. With a swift motion, she swung Phantasm like a weapon.


    A loud snap echoed through the chamber at the apex of her swing before she slammed him into the ground with the same force as her sword. ¡°Okay, I feel better now. He¡¯s yours,¡± Emilia declared, tossing his flailing body into the air.


    Phantasm was utterly helpless against the incoming onslaught. Prismo fired another crystal, glowing green, identical to the one that had destroyed the T-rex skull earlier. The crystal shattered and released a corrosive substance that ate through Phantasm¡¯s armor rapidly.


    ¡°Keep the pressure on him! Apparently, he can take it¡ªthat only took off about 10% of his HP,¡± Finn instructed, addressing the group. ¡°There¡¯s a good chance he¡¯ll drop the stolen chest if we kill him, but it¡¯s not guaranteed. Try to steal his inventory or apprehend him. Given his lack of skill, common sense, or any obvious embryo ability, let¡¯s assume that''s his ability. He¡¯s currently level 700 and has over 12 jobs active.¡±


    As more masters joined the fray, juggling Phantasm with continuous attacks to prevent him from countering, Nue interjected. ¡°So he¡¯s sort of like the Hero? This is absurd! Are you saying masters can mimic a superior job¡¯s power?¡±


    Finn, satisfied with how things were progressing, watched as Phantasm was battered by the melee fighters. Meanwhile, Mai had been organizing the backliners, who were drinking poison potions like madmen. Despite their alarming behavior, none of them were in danger of dying.


    "I don¡¯t know about the Hero¡ªit sounds interesting, so please tell me about it later¡ªbut I¡¯m familiar with some embryos that can be this powerful. I think I¡¯m doing quite well for myself. Who knows? Maybe he¡¯ll even understand what I was doing the whole raid... after he dies," Finn said with a faint smirk.


    Nue responded quickly, her tone carrying a mix of curiosity and concern. "It just sounds unfair. In the stories, there were only a few masters who appeared throughout history to battle Tiens and monsters. They became legends on their own. But now? Now, there are thousands of you. Would there even be space for Tien adventurers or craftsmen in the future?"


    Finn froze, startled and frustrated by the question. It was a heavy thought, one that began to burrow into his mind like an unwelcome guest. While he prided himself on being a competent leader, he couldn¡¯t deny that, outside of the game, he was just an above-average kid trying to find his place in the world.


    Sensing his unease, Emilia and Prismo stepped in, their actions snapping Finn back to the present. Together, they shifted his focus away from the philosophical dilemma and redirected it toward something far more satisfying: dishing out some well-deserved payback on Phantasm.


    Finn had fulfilled his threat without Phantasm even realizing it. Much like the potions that healed Sheko earlier, Finn was now redirecting the poison Mai was delivering to the backliners straight to Phantasm. While Finn could pass phenomena onto enemies, doing so was significantly more resource-intensive¡ªone or two magnitudes more expensive¡ªthan targeting willing allies.


    Oddly enough, Phantasm was considered a willing target because he was still connected to Loki¡¯s web, a connection he had given consent for. If he had realized the danger, he could have ended the link instantly with a simple mental command, much like accessing the game menu.


    Unaware of the peril he was in, Phantasm continued to suffer. He was now losing 1% of his HP every second while simultaneously being pummeled by melee fighters and smothered by Raggedy. Finn, though, was running out of resources, and he suspected many others were in a similar situation.


    Even if Phantasm had more tricks up his sleeve and managed to kill all of them, Finn felt a grim satisfaction. He knew that, with the sheer amount of poison they had afflicted him with, Phantasm wouldn¡¯t survive another 30 seconds.


    Phantasm did have another surprise in his arsenal. Finn noticed his MP rapidly depleting. With the sheer number of mage jobs Phantasm had accumulated and likely significant Status Correction from his embryo, his MP pool was formidable. It was enough to fuel a superior job¡¯s ultimate skill¡ªif only he had such a job. Instead, he relied on a rare item favored by summoners like him: Big and Small.


    The item allowed summoners to adjust the summoning cost of their creatures, increasing or decreasing their size. A larger summon meant higher damage and HP, while a smaller summon was the opposite but the reduced cost was valuable. However, it seemed Phantasm had only one bound monster: his shadow.


    This move wasn¡¯t worthless, though. Seasoned adventurers like Nue and Emilia immediately disengaged when the empowered shadow emerged, surrounding Phantasm and trapping Stein and another master within its form. Stein, unfortunately, was killed instantly by the shadow¡¯s STR-sapping touch¡ªthe primary reason shadows were feared by adventurers. Even brief encounters with a shadow nest could leave one debilitated for days unless an elixir was used. Fortunately, masters didn¡¯t rise as new shadows after being slain by one. The second reason shadows were so reviled was their immunity to regular attacks; only spiritually empowered attacks, magic, or divinity could harm them.


    Finn, however, already had a response. "Leave him be," he commanded. "He¡¯ll be dead in 10 seconds. Thank you, everyone on the poison team."


    The backliners, some visibly ill from their efforts, raised their fists in a weak cheer. Phantasm remained hidden within his shadow, his HP ticking down toward zero. Watching yet another group reject him and revel in his downfall, his eyes burned with anger. Everyone expected him to succumb to the poison.


    What surprised them all was Mai. She stepped directly into the shadow¡¯s radius, trembling under the weight of its chilling touch. The shadow attacked her while Phantasm tried to move lethargically; Stein¡¯s debuffs had reduced Phantasm¡¯s AGI so severely that it had gone negative.


    Mai raised her arm, catching Raggedy¡¯s thrown limb¡ªblackened as if soaked in petrol¡ªand slapped it across Phantasm¡¯s face. The impact detonated, throwing him to his hands and leaving him afflicted by his own shadow¡¯s affliction.


    Before he could die, Mai ripped his backpack from him. Once dead, without its summoner, the shadow dissipated shortly after. The stolen chest was finally secured, along with the bonus contents of Phantasm¡¯s bag.


    Everyone sighed in relief, their exhaustion mingled with joy at the raid¡¯s conclusion¡ªand especially at finally being rid of Phantasm. With Stein gone, Emilia stepped forward and offered to safeguard the loot he had dropped, as well as the chests meant for his allies. While the remaining masters were hesitant, they reluctantly agreed. Emilia¡¯s accessibility made her the most logical choice for now, though they recognized that distributing the loot to its rightful owners would likely present challenges later on.


    After some deliberation, they decided to entrust Phantasm''s belongings to Mai. The plan was for the loot to be shared between her and Sheko. Mai had played a crucial role in securing the items, and it was Sheko¡¯s reward that Phantasm had stolen in the first place. This solution seemed fair, given their respective efforts and the circumstances surrounding the theft.

 what was so important

    Legendria, Hok¨­ ?Nun


    Hoko began walking toward Kaizo and the others, just as Kai had instructed, but paused mid-step. She hesitated, wondering if this decision might hurt her chances of receiving a maiden embryo¡ªthe type she wanted. Opening her menu, she checked the in-game timer and felt a wave of worry. Her character''s age timer had surpassed 50 hours.


    According to the article on embryo cultivation she had read, the first hours with an embryo egg were crucial. Evidence suggested that maiden-type embryos often awakened in less than 12 hours, and most embryos awakened by the 24-hour mark.


    Something¡¯s wrong, she thought. Maybe it¡¯s because I didn¡¯t do anything during those first hours. I should probably focus on that instead¡­ but Kaizo is right there. Kai would be furious if he found out I ignored him right away.


    Hoko started pacing nervously, creating a bubble of space in the otherwise bustling crowd. Some people stopped to glance at her, hesitating at the sight of a pretty girl before continuing on their way. Then, someone from Kaizo¡¯s party approached her. The person was short, dressed in dark clothing, with a large obscured snout.


    ¡°Eh, what seems to be the issue? Are you looking for someone?¡± he asked, giving her another once-over. His gaze landed on the purple gem on her left hand¡ªher embryo egg. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re a newbie, right? Overwhelmed? Would you like an introduction to the game?¡±


    Hoko stopped pacing and visibly relaxed. Well, I guess the choice has been made for me. It could¡¯ve been worse. At least I didn¡¯t stand here panicking until my embryo hatched¡ªthat would¡¯ve been utterly embarrassing.


    She replied, ¡°Oh, uh, yes, I guess. I wanted to play with my brother, but he has an exam to prepare for, so he had to ditch me at the last minute. I didn¡¯t want to wait, but I think I might''ve skipped the tutorial.¡±


    Hoko kept a hint of nervousness in her voice, hoping it would conceal the slight lie she had told. As she finished speaking, she realized she probably didn¡¯t need to lie so directly. However, she let it go before her doubts could spiral.


    Kai asked me to join them, and this is an opportunity served on a silver platter, she thought, steadying herself.


    The concealed figure motioned with his arms, encouraging Hoko to take a breath and calm down. Behind him, the rest of his friends began gathering. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you didn¡¯t miss a thing. The intro to the game is personalized by the control AI, but it¡¯s almost always pretty light on details¡ªjust enough to give you the vibe of the starting countries. That¡¯s intentional because each player gets to be the master of their own fate,¡± he said, emphasizing the word master with a playful tone.


    Hoko relaxed further and snorted at the pun. ¡°That was bad, but good delivery.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he replied with a small bow.


    Turning to Kaizo, Hoko noticed just how massive the man was up close. He carried a polearm strapped to his back, the shaft adorned with a striking blend of the four primary colors¡ªred, green, yellow, and blue. But something seemed off. He wasn¡¯t a centaur like Kai had described.


    Maybe Kai mistook him for another Kaizo. This one seems pretty calm, Hoko thought.


    The man in black turned his back to Hoko and began an exaggerated game of charades with Kaizo. After a few seconds of silent communication, Kaizo nodded. The dark-clad figure turned back to Hoko and spoke again.


    ¡°So, would you like to join us on a mission? It¡¯d give you a chance to see the game in action for a bit. But I should warn you before you get the wrong idea. We work as professional debt collectors. We get assignments from the bank, and it¡¯s our job to ensure debts are collected. It can get a little messy sometimes, though.¡±


    He hesitated for a moment, scratching the back of his head. ¡°Actually, we had a bit of a mix-up with another newbie recently. I hope he hasn¡¯t quit because of it¡ªwouldn¡¯t do our rep any good. Honestly, we¡¯re hanging by a thread as a niche filler. But it helps that Kaizo takes the game very seriously.¡±


    Hoko took everything in and considered well this seems like the best confirmation I''d get that this is the right Kaizo without just asking. what is it about niche fillers though? she then replied and asked directly "eh, sure i guess i can understand it, sounds a little dark but i guess someone has to do those quests as well. what did you say about niche fillers though?"


    Kaizo began to speak, but Hoko was immediately distracted by his voice. It was strangely normal for someone so large, which reminded her that this was, after all, a game. She knew players could customize their voices too so she was confused a little.


    Wait, no! Get these thoughts out of your head. The article said you need to believe the game is real to get a maiden embryo, she chastised herself.


    Kaizo paused, coughed into his fist, and deepened his tone before starting again. ¡°I think I should explain that part. I¡¯m KaizoStomp. I stream our Infinite Dendrogram sessions on my channel. We started as regular adventurers, but some real monsters showed up over time, and we had to pivot. Now, we¡¯re a team covering the dark side of Legendria. Is it okay if you appear in the video? We could edit around you, but that¡¯d mean extra work for Kurt.¡±


    Hoko, only half-paying attention as she tried to block out Kaizo¡¯s immersion-breaking honesty, nodded. I can¡¯t blame him for being straightforward with another player, but it¡¯s annoying. Just like how Kai can make me start breathing manually with his convincing tone¡­ Damn it, now I¡¯m doing it to myself!


    ¡°Yes, please! Can I be in the video? Just¡­ after this, keep the real-world talk to a minimum. I¡¯m trying to get a maiden type,¡± Hoko replied, her enthusiasm catching Kaizo off guard.


    Kaizo raised an eyebrow in surprise before responding. ¡°Well, alright then. Just keep it PG. Sorry, sorry, that¡¯s the last one. Though, I have to say, I¡¯ve never heard of anyone actually succeeding at getting a rare type on purpose. I know the rumors, but it all sounds like people justifying delusional behavior. Sure, being protective or friendly with an NPC is fine, but it¡¯s starting to become a problem for some players. It¡¯s even making the rounds in the streamer community.¡±


    Hoko¡¯s excitement gave way to slight embarrassment. ¡°Alright, just¡­ do you mind indulging me until my embryo hatches?¡±


    Kaizo sighed and replied in a heavier tone, ¡°Fine. Now, let¡¯s get to it.¡±


    The group guided Hoko to the guild building, suggesting that she pick either a healer or tank job, which could potentially improve her chances of getting a maiden type. Despite their advice, they continued to insist there was likely no guaranteed way to control which embryo she¡¯d receive.


    As they walked, they introduced themselves. The short, black-clad figure who had first approached her was Kurtulmak¡ªor Kurt for short¡ªa kobold. The two girls were Pearl and Changeling, with the latter explaining she was Pearl¡¯s gardener-type embryo.


    Upon entering the bank, they were immediately stopped by another player. A wide-brimmed leather hat shaped like a perfect circle, in earthy colors resembling various types of rock sat upon his stark white skeletal face. His robe was a deep brown, with armor protecting critical areas, and every piece of his gear looked as expensive as Kaizo¡¯s polearm. The metallic staff he carried, however, was even more impressive, with a pure black orb floating in the middle of two rings of orbiting black sand.


    ¡°Finally! Kaizo, we¡¯re late for the raid. You told me two days ago¡ªDendro time¡ªthat you¡¯d remember. I waited with Finn in the guild hall until he left. I like you, man, I really do, but you¡¯re really hard to be friends with sometimes. If we rush, we might still make it; they left 20 minutes ago, but I don¡¯t think they were in a hurry,¡± the newcomer said, his tone exasperated.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Hoko observed the conversation from the sidelines while Kaizo¡¯s party members filled her in. Pearl explained that the man¡¯s name was GesStar. At the start of the game, he and Kaizo were close friends and played together all the time, even before Kurt and Pearl joined the group. They suspected Kaizo and GesStar knew each other in real life but never asked directly. Now Kaizo and GesStar weren''t open to talk about the subject.


    However, after Kaizo pivoted his streams to focus on the dark side of Legendria, a rift had formed between them, and they played together less often. Apparently, Kaizo had agreed to a plan with GesStar and another player two days ago but had completely forgotten about it.


    While the backstory was explained to her, Hoko noticed her brother running past their group and then rushing back out moments later.


    What are the chances these things are related? she wondered.


    The argument between Kaizo and GesStar shifted to Hoko¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to drop her on me like last time you found a newbie,¡± GesStar accused.


    Kaizo retorted, ¡°Okay, I get that you¡¯re pissed, but one: Kurt suggested she join us. And two: I already told her what we do, so there won¡¯t be any surprises like last time.¡±


    "Okay, but let me ask this¡ªwhat level are you?" GesStar asked. "Also, your name? So, two things, I guess," he added quickly.


    "I''m level 0. I just started and picked Earth Priestess as my job. My name is Hoko Nun. What''s yours?" Hoko replied easily.


    GesStar took a few moments to think, his skeletal face remaining eerily still as his mind churned. Finally, he spoke. "I believe in supporting newbies, but she¡¯ll die before we even reach the start of the raid boss fight. How much do you want this?" He directed the last part to Kaizo.


    Before Kaizo could answer, Hoko interrupted. "I don¡¯t mind if I die. I¡¯m going to get a maiden embryo. They have ''giant killer'' abilities, right? Then it doesn¡¯t matter what level I am."


    GesStar pinched two skeletal fingers together where his nose would have been, then quickly lowered his hand. "Not again. First, dictating Shoko¡¯s job; now, you¡¯re trying to somehow control someone¡¯s embryo. For a moment, I¡¯ll ignore the fact that you can¡¯t choose an embryo type¡ªor any other aspect of an embryo. An embryo is supposed to reflect its master. What you¡¯re trying to do is downright abusive to a new player. How old even is she? I hope you didn¡¯t just look at the avatar and assume she¡¯s an adult."


    Kaizo, grinding his teeth, replied slowly, emphasizing each word. "I. Didn¡¯t. Force. Anything." He then continued in a calmer tone, "She hasn¡¯t stopped talking about getting a maiden embryo since she joined us. And we both know Kurt would never put that idea in someone¡¯s head. You are correct, however. Hoko, how old are you?"


    Hoko shrank under the sudden intensity and answered in a tiny voice. "I¡¯m 13. I¡¯ll turn 14 in less than half a year. GesStar, I promise Kaizo didn¡¯t force me to do anything. He just suggested I take a tank or healer job to improve my chances of getting a maiden."


    Kaizo facepalmed before speaking. "Kid, do you understand how much trouble I could¡¯ve gotten into if you were younger than 13? I could still get into minor trouble because you¡¯re under 18. What the hell are you doing walking around looking like¡ªdon¡¯t judge me here¡ªa beautiful woman in her early 20s?"


    Before Hoko could respond, GesStar interrupted. "Damn it. Okay, I¡¯m sorry for assuming. Still, Kaizo, ask next time. And Hoko, tell people your actual age. This situation could¡¯ve turned awful in so many ways. Why are you even looking like this?" He tried to keep his tone approachable.


    Hoko mumbled something incomprehensible, fidgeting with her hands. When GesStar coaxed her again, she blurted out quickly, barely intelligible, "I just don¡¯t like how I look in real life."


    GesStar softened his tone further, trying to reassure her. "It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sorry for making you answer if you didn¡¯t want to. Let¡¯s lighten the mood. So, how are you handling the extra height? Not to shame anyone, but it took someone I know four days to get used to walking on four legs."


    Kaizo immediately interjected. "Hey, fu...dge you." He mumbled under his breath, loud enough for Hoko to hear, "Can¡¯t curse with a child around. That¡¯s bull."


    Hoko snickered at the exchange, wiping away a few tears that had started to form. "It¡¯s weirdly easy," she said. "Me, my big brother, Mom, and sometimes my big sister used to go to a local circus that had open days every summer for a few years. My brother has really impressive balance, but I always liked the stilts. It¡¯s a little like that, except the knees are shifted downward. The change isn¡¯t that dramatic, I think."


    GesStar chuckled and kept the jovial tone. "So, are you still adamant about going on that raid?"


    Shoko answered with a thoughtful tone. "I... uh, answered a bit in the heat of the moment earlier. I¡¯d actually prefer not to die immediately. Maybe we could do something simpler? Does Kaizo have anything like that we can do? I¡¯d still like to be in the video if possible."


    Kaizo paused to think before replying. "I forgot I agreed to that. Hmm... I don¡¯t want to ruin the mood, so... Kurt, you share some blame here. Mind aging her down in the video?"


    Kurt jumped at the mention of his name. "Ah, sure. Yeah, sorry¡ªI wasn¡¯t thinking when I asked her to join us. Though, to be fair, she looked pretty panicked at the time. Also, she¡¯s kinda short, so I assumed she wasn¡¯t over 18. Like, 17 or maybe 18, not 13."


    Hoko immediately objected. "I¡¯m perfectly normal height! I used my oldest sister¡¯s height as a reference, and she¡¯s over 21!"


    Kurt retorted, "Then your family is just short in general. Anyway, are we good now? Can we move on?"


    Kaizo, GesStar, and Hoko responded in unison. "Fine."


    Pearl moved toward Kurt as the group reconvened, whispering something that seemed to lift his spirits.


    Kaizo guided the group through the grand reception halls of the bank, eventually leading them through a discreet door off to the side. "I guess this spot won¡¯t cause too many problems. Kurt, if you would?"


    A thick, dark, sparkling vapor began to rise from between Kurt¡¯s wrappings before surging toward Hoko.


    "Hey, wait¡ªwhat are you doing?" she protested. But her objections were cut off as the starry darkness enveloped her. The white dots in the vapor seemed to wink before vanishing, taking the mist with them. When it cleared, Hoko¡¯s avatar had been altered¡ªa slightly shorter and more realistic version of herself stood where her exaggerated hourglass figure had been.


    Hoko examined herself, poking her belly with a frown.


    Kurt noticed and asked, "What¡¯s wrong? I can adjust the illusion a bit."


    Hoko answered flatly, "I don¡¯t like how this looks. The belly, I mean. The height is fine."


    Kurt started to respond but stopped, choosing his words carefully. "I can change it back, but I think you¡¯re being too critical. It¡¯s not life-threatening in real life, is it?" He waited for her answer.


    "No, nothing like that," Hoko admitted in a steady tone. "Most of my family is overweight, though. I¡¯m the most extreme. My sisters are sports nuts instead."


    "Well," Kurt said, "the women you were emulating have their own issues. Those beauty standards? Completely unrealistic. They¡¯re literally impossible if you¡¯re a normal person." He paused awkwardly before continuing in an assertive tone. "Maybe gather your strength, work out a little in real life if you aren¡¯t already, and find someone you can talk to¡ªsomeone in real life. Dendro is a good second option, but you should open up to someone you trust more than someone wearing a fake face. Okay?"


    The exchange looked strange from the outside, as Kurt carefully kept his gaze at eye level with the real Hoko, while her illusionary self looked up at him, while he seemingly spoke to the air.


    Hoko stopped poking her belly and after a few moments of silence spoke up "Thanks. I think it does help. I¡¯m not sure if I have anyone to talk to about this in real life, though. Do you mind listening from time to time?"


    Kurt nodded. "Sure." Then, turning to Kaizo, he added, "Sorry for the hold-up. We should be ready now."


    Kurt simply replied with a sure and then turned to Kaizo "well sorry for the hold up we should be ready"


    Kurt¡¯s wrappings bulged again, releasing more vapor. This time, the mist coalesced into a saucer shape behind Kurt¡¯s head. The white spots formed an oval constellation before a line appeared in the middle, spreading open to reveal a glowing white eye with a black iris and another white circle as a pupil.


    "We¡¯re rolling," Kurt announced once the eye finished forming.


    Kaizo adjusted his voice back to a deep, dramatic tone. "Welcome back to KaizoStomp in  ''The Unseelie Courts'' As usual, we have with us the dragon¡¯s eye¡ªthe trickster, Kurt."


    Kurt waved briefly, ensuring his hand passed through the eye¡¯s sightline.


    "We also have the disguise duo, Pearl and Changeling. Hopefully, we¡¯ll get to see another performance by them today." Pearl waved enthusiastically with both hands, while Changeling¡¯s parchment-yellow face flushed red.


    "And, always a crowd-pleaser for the fighters out there, we have another appearance from GesStar. Finally, please welcome our guest today¡ªthe brave Miss Hoko!"


    Hoko opted for a quick wave, blending Kurt¡¯s relaxed style with Pearl¡¯s exuberance. She cheekily turned her hand to display the unhatched embryo resting on the back of it.


    With introductions complete, the group entered an office marked "Head Hunter¡¯s Entrance"  to receive their mission.

 a Training Regimen

    real world, Kai Maddox


    What?! No¡ªthe light! I have to move!


    Sheko''s thoughts were frantic as he watched the supposedly subdued boss escape its prison¡ªnot through sheer force like before but by unleashing a suicidal torrent of magic. It poured out, raw and uncontrolled, from every possible outlet, as if the Alicorn¡¯s very existence was tearing apart.


    The beating heart Sheko had heard earlier was fake. His ragged breaths were unnecessary. Yet, in that moment, none of it mattered. Details blurred into the singular reality that he was fighting for his life. His body, patched together through the artificial means of potions, protested against his desperate movements. Twisting to gather speed, he aimed to escape the deadly light.


    He knew he was doomed. Somewhere deep down, a part of him recognized the falseness of it all. But as the Alicorn¡¯s magic tore through him, the phantom pain felt horrifyingly real. He couldn¡¯t run any longer. The light consumed him entirely.


    And then, silence.


    Kai was back in his room, staring blankly at a black screen. The words Death Penalty glared at him, the timer beneath reminding him of what he already knew five minutes ago. He had lost. The Alicorn had killed him. He had failed.


    For the first minute, Kai lay completely still, as though frozen in time. His motionlessness might have been mistaken for sleep. But then, silently and without warning, a tear traced down his cheek.


    He didn¡¯t sob. He didn¡¯t scream. He just let the tears fall, slow and steady. Failure pressed heavily on him as he replayed the fight, trying to dissect every decision, every move, every moment. His mind always circled back to the phase change¡ªthe kick that should have killed him.


    Someone had saved him. He didn''t fail once he failed twice.


    Who even saved me?


    Kai¡¯s thoughts raced. Mai is the most likely... but I don¡¯t think her Venomancer or Alchemist jobs could do something like that. Raggedy patched the hole in my chest, sure, but she only healed the damage after it happened. There¡¯s no way I could¡¯ve survived that hit. It had to be the scale¡ªthe one I didn¡¯t notice in my bracer. But... where did it come from?


    He had checked all his equipment before the raid. It wasn¡¯t there when he logged in. It wasn¡¯t there after helping Mai with her poison either.


    The events following that moment felt muddled, like a cheap battle anime lazily reusing footage. The memories refused to line up, frustratingly fragmented. Still, some parts were clearer. He berated himself for trying to block the crystals with the borrowed sword.


    What was I even thinking? Not only had it failed, but now i owe even more.


    Unless... unless I¡¯ve doomed the raid entirely. What if Emilia and Nue died because of me?


    In the chaos of battle, Kai had believed he was truly fighting for his life. And if he had died a ¡°fake¡± death in what felt like a real fight, didn¡¯t that mean the others had been in a real fight too? Were Emilia and Nue¡ªfake or not¡ªsacrificed because of his mistakes?


    He thought of everyone¡¯s sacrifices, of the risks they had taken. And now, he couldn¡¯t ignore the possibility that he had wasted all of it.


    The path in front of him began to clear. He needed to get stronger.


    For a brief moment, everything clicked. Years of martial arts training resurfaced in his mind¡ªtechniques he could still recall and emulate, albeit to an embarrassing degree. His awareness, already sharp in real life, was further enhanced by the game¡¯s special abilities. Coupled with the avatar¡¯s body, optimized to assist rather than hinder him, he felt invincible.


    His stats in the game would improve over time, making him stronger. But it wasn¡¯t just about numbers. When he could bring his full focus, skill, and physical enhancements together, the results would be exponential.


    Tomorrow¡­ no, not tomorrow. Today. I will start training again. I can do this for myself. It will be good.


    Kai knew he was deluding himself, imagining himself as some competent fighter in real life. He understood¡ªor at least hoped he did¡ªthat these fantasies were born more from boredom than reality.


    What he did know was that real-life combat wasn¡¯t his thing. He enjoyed casual scuffles with friends, but he had never and would never enter a real fight. Yet, even knowing this, the resolve to start again¡ªto train and improve¡ªfelt like the first step toward something fulfilling.


    Not wasting any more time, Sheko removed the helmet, wiped the tears from his face, and began doing sit-up crunches on his bed.


    I¡¯m allowing myself some leniency here, but hopefully, this will balance out by letting me do more when I¡¯m not bothered by the feeling of the floor underneath me, he thought.


    Normally, when a whim like this struck, he aimed for 50 sit-ups. But today, he decided to alternate between a few exercises he knew well, going for two minutes each with a half-minute pause in between. After so much time spent lazing around, the workout was excruciating. He hated every moment of it.


    After 25 minutes, he thought he had done a reasonable amount of work for now. As the physical exertion started to take its toll, he noticed his thoughts settling, the stress from before gradually ebbing away. Lying on the cold floor for five minutes to rest, he felt oddly accomplished.


    Finally, he stood up and put on his running shoes. They were lightly used despite being years old and fit a bit snug. When was the last time I even wore these? he wondered. Probably more than a year ago. Maybe even two.


    Determined, he headed toward the front door but was intercepted by his mom, who noticed him from the couch.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± she asked.


    For once, Kai didn¡¯t feel like he had to hide anything. ¡°I¡¯m going for a short run. I¡¯ll probably be back in like half an hour. Maybe I¡¯ll stay out a little longer.¡± He paused for a moment and added, ¡°You can use my helmet while I¡¯m gone. The death penalty timer won¡¯t end until tomorrow anyway.¡±


    ¡°Alright, good. Have fun,¡± she replied, mumbling to herself about how nice it was that the game didn¡¯t let him spend the entire day glued to it.


    Once outside, Kai realized he hadn¡¯t done any stretches yet. Awkwardly, he took a few minutes to prepare his muscles, hoping to avoid being terribly sore the next day. He skipped a few stretches he knew but couldn¡¯t do very well, lamenting that he would almost definitely regret it later.


    With the stretches done, Kai rushed down the walkway in front of his house, nearly falling in his carelessness. Damn it, I forgot it rained last night, he thought as his foot slipped. Catching himself at the last moment, he took a moment to check that nothing hurt before finally starting his run uphill toward the town center.


    Known simply as "The Center," it was a small shopping hub with a handful of good restaurants unique to towns like his. Opposite the shopping center was a large grassy hill, carefully maintained year-round for the events held there every few months. These events were popular with the town, so much so that even recluses like Kai and Tsuno often ventured out to check them out. The music was always pleasant, and the vibe stayed relaxed, even when the organizers added elaborate light shows.


    Today, however, was an ordinary day. No events, no crowds¡ªjust the familiar hill in the distance.


    After a short, exhausting one-kilometer run¡ªduring which Kai huffed and paused far too many times¡ªhe finally reached the hill, standing on the other side of the road from him. There are a few sports devices in the corner near the playground at the top, I remember, he thought, catching his breath and gearing up for the next part of his journey.


    He noticed something else midway up the grassy hill: a group of people around his age wearing long white pants and sleeveless sports shirts, all featuring the same or similar bold logos at their centers. They were old acquaintances from his days practicing capoeira. Normally, when he saw them, Kai tried to avoid them, embarrassed by the memory of why he had quit after years of practice.


    It had been almost four years ago, a moment that stood out clearly in his mind despite so many other dates blurring together. It was during the summer break between 9th and 10th grade. Their trainer had received permission to use the school¡¯s massive gym for practice and had even gone to the extraordinary effort of renting an inflatable trampoline for the occasion.


    The practice itself had been fine until the trampoline came into play. His friends had been incredible that day, each showing off their skill and fearlessness. Their trainer¡ªa huge, powerfully built man with a natural athleticism, not the overly sculpted look of a bodybuilder¡ªhad set the tone. With three bounds on the long track trampoline, he launched himself into the air, performing a corkscrew, landing smoothly before executing a backflip, a front flip, and finally finishing with an impeccably steady landing.


    Kai¡¯s nervousness grew with each display of talent, but he refused to back down. He told himself he would be failing himself if he didn¡¯t at least try. The question of whether he could match even a fraction of what his friends and trainer were accomplishing felt too important to leave unanswered.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    But the answer turned out to be worse than the doubt.


    Kai ran almost to the end of the trampoline, hesitating just before slowing down and awkwardly attempting a backflip. His spin was too slow. His head hit the trampoline with a crushing force, his pathetic momentum causing his entire body weight to collapse onto him.


    The first second after the impact brought the worst pain he had ever experienced. Worse than the time he was kicked in the face. Worse than the time he cut himself with a Swiss army knife. And then, as if his body had given up, he assumed he went into some form of shock. He couldn¡¯t move. Breathing became difficult. His vision blurred.


    He barely remembered anything after that except the way he cried as his trainer and friends helped him, checking to make sure he was okay.


    Kai never told his mom the real reason he quit, nor did he explain it to his friends or trainer. But he was sure they had figured it out on their own.


    He had been stagnant, not setting out to change his situation. He thought the extra training their trainer had provided wasn¡¯t essential for continuing. This, combined with the fact that Kai had been stuck in a mental rut for years, made him hesitant to push forward.


    Even before quitting, Kai had struggled to progress beyond a sideways back jump into a handstand¡ªa flashy way of admitting he couldn¡¯t quite master a backflip. He let out a tired sigh as he thought about it all. After years of doing nothing, his only strength was his good memory, which allowed him to imitate what he had learned during training.


    Finally, on the grass, he took a moment to make sure the group wasn¡¯t paying particular attention to him. With a deep breath, he attempted a hand spin. His stance was off, but not terrible. His kick upward was half-hearted, and his second leg was slow to follow. He barely got his feet above his head before his balance broke, causing him to land awkwardly¡ªstable but low.


    This failure made him question his plans, but he knew the group was supportive. They wouldn¡¯t belittle him for quitting or for asking to join after such a long time.


    Kai looked towards the group once more, checking to see if they had noticed him. It didn¡¯t seem so. He made his way up the slight incline, and thankfully, the only friend whose name he remembered stepped forward to greet him.


    The next words surprised Kai.


    ¡°Would you like to join us? We have another half hour before we finish,¡± Tom asked, his voice tentative.


    This scene had happened a few times over the years, even when Kai was still training, but his answer had always been "no."


    The look of surprise on Tom¡¯s face when Kai answered ¡°yes¡± was priceless. However, there wasn¡¯t much time to savor the moment, as they didn¡¯t pause for long to let him get into the rhythm. Kai rushed to take off his shoes.


    He always felt better training barefoot, and with the wet grass, the extra grip his bare feet offered would be necessary to avoid slipping and rolling down the hill.


    Tom set the pace, and Kai was sure he wasn¡¯t going easy on him. First came 100 straight kicks. Kai managed only 60 before he was back to huffing and puffing.


    This brings back memories. It¡¯s weird that I feel nostalgic about this, Kai thought to himself.


    Next came five cycles of moving from one side of the hill to the other and back. They alternated between stances or took steps after a kick. It sounded simple, but with the others also tired from an hour of training before Kai joined, it wasn¡¯t as easy as it seemed. The whole remaining half hour was spent finishing this task.


    With the hill being about 40 meters across, moving in a way that was similarly demanding to a crab walk, covering almost 400 meters in total wasn¡¯t something to scoff at. Kai had to give up on finishing when he had just started the fifth cycle. As the others began to disperse, he caught Tom before he left and asked if he could plan something to train with them again.


    Tom invited him to their chat group and told him they usually trained there every week. He also mentioned that their trainer was still teaching and would likely be happy to have Kai return.


    However, Kai was apprehensive about the offer. His friends were one thing, but even though he knew his trainer wouldn¡¯t care if he came back, there was always a sense of judgment in the trainer¡¯s eyes whenever they ran into each other after Kai had quit. His trainer couldn¡¯t force him to do what he believed was good for him, but Kai couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the man was still disappointed that Kai hadn¡¯t made the decision to return on his own.


    Tom had already left when Kai started to realize how pathetic he would sound if he explained that he wanted to train again because of a video game.


    he didn''t have much time to dwell on that when a notification went on his phone


    ```


    Tam: "Kai, are you on right now?"


    KaijuMonster: "I assume you mean on Dendro. Then no. How would I even answer if I was?"


    Tam: "You can connect your phone to the helmet. I''ll send you a link in a sec. Never mind that¡ªdid you catch that raid in Legendria?"


    KaijuMonster: "How do you know about the raid? They probably just now finished."


    Tam: "Wait, you were in the raid? Lucky! Since you aren''t logged in, I assume you died. When was that?"


    KaijuMonster: "Why? So you can chastise me? I don''t think there''s anything wrong with how I died. I was too close when the Alicorn changed to phase 3."


    Tam: "Wait, wait! Don''t spoil it for me. I''m at the cave-wide AoEs, just got to the part with the lightning storm. Where are you? I might be able to spot you."


    KaijuMonster: "I''m really close to the Unicorn the whole raid, honestly¡ªexcept, I guess, when it switched to phase 2. Where is the video perspective from? The entrance, I guess, is the best reference spot."


    Tam: "Oh, it''s really close to the entrance. I think it''s nearby the raid leader''s team."


    KaijuMonster: "Finn''s group? Oh, then you should at least keep watching for a minute. I''ll wait; it''s really cool."


    While Tam went back to watching the video, Kai started checking the tutorial Tam had sent him for connecting his phone to his helmet.


    Hmm, I''ll probably want to disconnect it when I let Mom borrow it. Hopefully, it¡¯s not too much of a hassle, he thought.


    The tutorial was hosted directly on the official Infinite Dendrogram website¡ªprobably to prevent hackers from spreading malicious code¡ªand was concerningly simple. According to the guide, there was a hidden port at the back of the helmet. The website made a specific statement noting that, unlike other modifications, accessing the helmet as shown in the tutorial was permitted. The company warned, however, that tampering beyond what was shown could lead to legal trouble, especially if there was any attempt to replicate the technology.


    Curious, Kai clicked on the provided link explaining what constituted illegal tampering. The document was worryingly long and detailed. He was diligent when it came to legal agreements, so he took his time going over the finer points of the terms.


    Engrossed in reading, he didn¡¯t notice when Tam tried to get back to him¡ªuntil his phone rang, snapping him out of his focus.


    KaijuMonster: "Sorry, I was going over the tutorial while you caught up. Did you notice the anti-tampering agreement is like 20 pages long?"


    Tam: "I didn¡¯t worry about it too much. You were right¡ªthe lightning attack was cool! I didn¡¯t see you, though. The Unicorn growing wings was brutal. Poor Sheko. I wonder what caused the focus on them."


    KaijuMonster: "Dude... I¡¯m Sheko. I have no clue what made it want me dead so badly. Honestly, everything after it kicked me into the wall is kind of a blur."


    Tam: "BULLSHIT! You are not some acrobatic god. Did you somehow miss how to connect your phone to the helmet while downloading hacks?"


    KaijuMonster: "Hey! I¡¯ve been training for years in capoeira¡ªbefore we even met! Don¡¯t immediately disregard that. It¡¯s a video game anyway. I bet that girl on the light monowheel doesn¡¯t have a clue how to drive a bike in real life either."


    Tam: "I doubt there¡¯s any level of training someone can do in real life to get results like that. What build do you have, anyway? And your Embryo?"


    KaijuMonster: "Oh yeah, I guess you don¡¯t know¡ªit evolved. Anyway, I took Knife Juggler as my second main job, and Odysseus got a new ability that links two marks together. Honestly, that¡¯s how I did all the swinging... I think. It¡¯s seriously blurry in my mind."


    Tam: "Oh, I see. Okay, it makes a lot more sense if you had something pulling you back to make it look like you were flying instead of kicking that thing. Honestly, that evolution sounds fire. Wait¡ªyou said you died in the shift to the third phase. How?"


    KaijuMonster: "Okay, so on the kicking thing¡ªthat¡¯s where I¡¯m most blurry. But I¡¯m pretty sure I actually did kick it to gain distance. The fight in the air wasn¡¯t that long¡ªsomething like five minutes."


    Tam: "Sounds brutal. Well, fine, I¡¯ll come check your ''mad gamer skills'' later to confirm. Are you planning to retry the raid?"


    KaijuMonster: "Honestly, I was worried that after I died, they might¡¯ve been wiped. But after taking some time to relax, I¡¯m sure Finn, Prismo, and Emilia got it handled, together with whoever else was left. Mai wasn¡¯t a great fighter, but she¡¯s not reckless. She prepared more than I thought, so maybe she survived until the end too."


    Tam: "Yeah, you¡¯re probably right. I just got to the part where you died. Wow¡ªthey¡¯re wrecking that baby Unicorn! I want to say it feels personal for your benefit, but I think everyone hates it by now. A healing raid boss? What bullshit."


    KaijuMonster: "Right? Anyway, yeah, I guess I¡¯ll check back with Mai and Emilia at the news office once I¡¯m back. They probably got my loot. Emilia will probably hunt me down for losing that sword she gave me."


    Tam: "Oh, yeah, that¡¯s the woman with the giant sword¡ªI can see it. Is that her Embryo? What sword did she give you?"


    KaijuMonster: "It was called a ¡®Whole Longsword.¡¯ Bad name, but it had a really good ability. She¡¯s not a player, though. She¡¯s a reporter NPC."


    Tam: "Oh, yeah, I heard about those. They became really cheap recently. Probably some Master got... Wait, what do you mean a reporter NPC? The woman who just picked up someone over level 500 and used him like a hammer is an NPC? By the way, someone just tried to steal your raid loot and got absolutely crushed. No clue how they¡¯re still alive."


    KaijuMonster: "Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh... It¡¯s that idiot Phantasm, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll put him on my list of grudges."


    Tam: "Yup. Don¡¯t worry¡ªthey got him. I don¡¯t know what you meant about Mai. I think she¡¯s just not the best for fighting bosses. But she landed the final hit on this guy¡ªwent through his giant shadow and hit him with a sock or something. LOL."


    KaijuMonster: "Fair, well... It¡¯s getting cold, so I better run back home."


    Tam: "Do you mean figuratively or literally? I remember how you used to shortcut runs back in high school."


    KaijuMonster: "Ha ha. Yes, literally. You saw what I did with the boss¡ªI barely know how I did it. It was luck on all fronts. I want to actually be able to fight like that on command instead of hoping my body knows what to do¡ªwhich apparently involves breaking every bone I have in the process."


    Tam:"Alright good luck with that, bye for now see in class"


    KaijuMonster:"Yeah see you in class"

 Better Be Honest

    Legendria, seelie bank, Hok¨­ ?Nun, earth priestess


    The door to the large office opened, and to Hoko''s displeasure, she had not been warned about the overwhelming smell that wafted out from the other side. It was intense, earthy, and unmistakably reminiscent of blood. The sensation hit her mouth, and the taste, though different from the metallic tang of sucking a scraped finger, was just as unsettling.


    "What is that smell? Is that blood? Why didn¡¯t you warn me?!" she cried, her voice laced with incredulity. Her companions, however, appeared entirely unfazed.


    "Oh, sorry. We forgot¡ªwe turned off the smell sense a long time ago," Kurt whispered, leaning slightly toward her while keeping his glowing ever-watchful eye on the now-opening door. "Honestly, with the chance of meeting undead or poisonous plants, it¡¯s saved us a few times... not to mention dealing with Axrithena¡¯s peculiar preference for perfume."


    Damn it, is this some inside joke? Hoko thought, frustration bubbling within her. No matter¡ªjust find the smell option in the menu and carry on. She quickly opened her menu, navigating through the settings in search of the elusive option to mute her olfactory senses.


    Before she could act, GasStar abruptly pulled her hand down. "You gotta stomach it for now," he explained in a hurried tone. "Axrithena doesn¡¯t like others being distracted by anything other than herself in her presence. We¡¯ll stop for something nice later to make up for our mess-up, okay?"


    He didn¡¯t bother lowering his voice, even as the door fully opened to reveal an old, crotchety hag. Her dark complexion stood in striking contrast to the luxurious red silk wrapped around her, embroidered intricately with black roses and wild animals ensnared in thorny vines.


    The office itself was a tasteful blend of brightness. The wooden walls curved delicately, seamlessly merging the four primary colors into a harmonious design. Is this the same kind of wood Kaizo¡¯s weapon is made out of? That has to be expensive, right?


    The thought distracted Hoko from the unpleasant smell as her eyes wandered over the room¡¯s furnishings. Her gaze fell on a longsword mounted on the wall behind Axrithena''s desk. It was simple, far removed from the exaggerated or magical designs typical of video games. Yet, it carried such an air of significance that Hoko might have believed it to be Excalibur if told so.


    Noticing Hoko¡¯s focus on the sword, Axrithena tsked softly, and before Hoko could react, her leg was yanked forward, forcing her to step into the office. Her attention snapped down to her leg, where blood was pooling over the new boots the game had recently bestowed upon her.


    Hoko opened her mouth to voice her displeasure at the unprovoked attack, which she assumed had come from the hag. Before a single word escaped, Kurt clamped his hand over her mouth.


    "Child, don¡¯t you know it¡¯s rude to ignore your host?" Axrithena spoke, her tone dripping with mirthful cruelty, like that of a disdainful teacher lecturing an unruly pupil.


    Kurt immediately bowed and apologized in Hoko''s place. Catching on to his signal, she quickly followed suit, bowing and offering her own apology. "I''m sorry. I was simply impressed by the beauty of your office and your silk robes."


    The hag grimaced slightly, prompting Hoko to hastily add, "And your beauty, of course, as well."


    "Good catch, girl. You are learning," the hag replied, her voice dripping with condescension. "A shame, though, this isn¡¯t my office. These bankers are as cheap as they are ostentatious¡ªI only use it for meetings. But tell me, what did you think of me when the door opened?"


    The massive eye hovering over Kurt swiveled between the hag and Hoko, clearly focused on capturing their conversation. It turned fully toward Hoko, awaiting her response.


    "I was expecting a hunter carrying a recent kill or a ritual sacrifice, with how heavy the smell of blood was," Hoko answered sincerely, keeping her eyes down to avoid meeting the hag''s piercing glare. "I can still smell it, but I¡¯m starting to get used to it."


    "You said you were expecting a hunter," the hag retorted, her cruel tone sharpening as her robe began to darken ominously. "Do you think me incapable of hunting after seeing me?"


    Hoko panicked and quickly tried to explain herself. "Well, I mean, you just look so majestic in these pristine robes. I didn¡¯t think someone could hunt something so large¡ªsomething that would have such an overwhelming odor¡ªwithout dirtying themselves. I didn¡¯t mean to suggest that you might be weak."


    The hag paused for a moment before responding, her tone more natural but no less commanding. "Passable. Just be quiet for a while, and I¡¯ll consider it repayment for your rudeness."


    Hoko, eager to avoid further displeasing her, immediately replied, "Yes, miss. I¡¯m sorry, miss."


    GasStar tried to motion her to stop, but it was too late. He groaned and explained, "Axrithena is a fey queen of blood and plants. You just agreed to a verbal contract to be silent."


    Hoko opened her mouth to respond, but no sound came out. Startled, she looked at her HUD, where a new icon appeared¡ªa mouth with a red "X" over it, accompanied by a timer reading 32 minutes.


    I think I understand why Kai wants to kill them already... Well, Kaizo and GasStar at least. Kurt wasn¡¯t so bad, and Pearl just seems very reserved, she thought bitterly.


    Frustrated, Hoko stomped her foot, wobbling slightly from the height mismatch between her real body and her avatar. She crossed her arms and glared at the fey hag, her displeasure clear, though it''s subjects less so.


    Kaizo quickly picked up the conversation, hoping to prevent the cruel fey queen from deciding that Hoko¡¯s defiant posture was grounds for further punishment. "I apologize for bringing an uneducated Master to our meeting," he said smoothly. "I do value my fellow Masters quite a bit, so I gave her permission to come. However, I barely know her, so I thought it best to see if she could handle you on her own. I apologize if this displeased you, Axrithena, Queen of Blood."


    The hag smiled coldly. "Oh, you don¡¯t have to apologize. Her actions are her own, and you know I enjoy toying with Masters who don¡¯t know their place. Now then, since you have more hands to assist you, I assume you can handle a larger task. That¡¯s good because one has come up. The target is a Master, believe it or not."


    "A Master?" Kaizo raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "We¡¯re immortal. They¡¯d only stay dead for three days. This isn¡¯t some kind of setup, is it?"


    "No, the request is as usual," Axrithena replied, her tone amused but firm. "We¡¯ve caught wind of a Master making incredible progress in the Peaceful Penal Colony dungeon. We do not wish to allow them to conquer it. Not only is he a skilled golem maker, but he also seems capable of putting foes to sleep¡ªeven those that should be immune, including elementals and spirits.


    Golems, like his own appear unaffected by his abilities. However he has managed to fend them off regardless. The deeper he progresses, the harder it becomes to follow him. Your task is simple: kill him. If he tries again, we will contact you for another job¡ªassuming you succeed, of course."


    Kaizo nodded, though he remained cautious. "Well, that sounds fine, but why are you so concerned about someone conquering a dungeon? There are random dungeons scattered everywhere. Does this one contain a UBM or something?"


    The hag¡¯s expression grew serious. "No, no. Well, perhaps. But this dungeon is unique. Conquering it will provide a reward greater than a UBM could offer¡ªor so my lord says. Now, go. I do not wish to fail him due to your tardiness."


    The group accepted the quest, and Hoko felt a mix of relief and apprehension. At least they were going after another player instead of an NPC this time.


    To reach their destination quickly, they rented a "dragon carriage." However, Hoko¡¯s excitement at the name quickly turned to disappointment. She had imagined a grand carriage carried on the back of a majestic dragon. Instead, the dragon carriage was just a heavily armored vehicle pulled by tamed monsters instead of horses.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    With little fanfare, the group set out, the rhythmic clanking of the carriage''s reinforced wheels marking the beginning of their journey.


    Kurt dispelled his giant glowing eye, and the group settled into the carriage. With nothing better to do during the journey, they distracted themselves by catching up on real-world topics. Hoko, who hadn¡¯t connected her phone to the helmet, found herself with nothing to occupy her time. Curious, she leaned over to see what Kurt was watching. To her surprise, he was watching streams of Infinite Dendrogram.


    That seems a little obsessive, but I won¡¯t bother him about it, she thought.


    They browsed through videos until they found a stream that caught their interest: a raid happening near the city they had just left.


    Wait, is that the raid GasStar said we were late for? Hoko thought. Now I kind of wish we had gone. Even if that unicorn would¡¯ve killed me in two seconds flat, it looks amazing.


    The raid had just reached the second phase when the unicorn transformed, sprouting wings as massive mural pieces fell around the battlefield. Hoko watched, captivated, until the boss suddenly impaled Sheko, one of the players in the raid.


    She gasped audibly, even though the game¡¯s graphics toned down the violence significantly.


    "Are you okay? Don¡¯t worry," Kurt said, trying to calm her. "No one¡¯s stupid enough to turn on the pain settings. They¡¯d feel weird, but nothing worse than that."


    "Eh, yes," Hoko stammered. "It¡¯s just... I recognized my brother. He¡¯s the one who got impaled by the unicorn just now."


    "Ah, I see. Unlucky," Kurt replied. "Well, don¡¯t worry. Look!" He pointed to the video feed he was sharing with her. "He survived somehow. His team is healing him. Nothing to wor¡ª"


    Kurt stopped mid-sentence as the unicorn dove straight toward Sheko.


    "Okay, I might¡¯ve spoken too soon. He¡¯s definitely dead now."


    The two of them sat in silence, continuing to watch. The rest of the group seemed indifferent to whatever had caught their attention.


    Hoko watched in awe as her brother began dodging the unicorn¡¯s attacks with incredible, superhuman skill.


    This game is amazing, she thought. It lets you achieve such impossibilities. Kai is unfit like me, but here, he could probably beat our old capoeira tutor in 10 seconds flat.


    As this thought crossed her mind, the gem embedded in her hand glowed briefly before disintegrating. In its place, a mark resembling a winged sandal wrapped around a heroic figure¡¯s head appeared on her skin.


    Everyone in the carriage immediately looked at Hoko, then shouted in unison, "Congrats!"


    She was so distracted by the video that she didn¡¯t respond right away. It wasn¡¯t until Kaizo knocked on the side of the carriage to signal the driver to stop that she snapped out of her daze. The rest of the group stepped out, just as the video reached the point where Sheko finally died.


    Kurt gestured for her to get out of her seat. "Wha¡ªwhat? Are we already there?" she asked, confused.


    "No, dufus," Kurt replied. "We¡¯re almost there, but look at your hand."


    She quickly glanced at her hand and was shocked to see the mark.


    "It awakened," she murmured. "But I didn¡¯t do anything! I must¡¯ve messed up¡ªI definitely did!"


    "Calm down," Kaizo reassured her. "You can¡¯t mess up awakening your Embryo.


    Whatever it is, it¡¯ll serve you well. Now summon it so we can see.


    If it hasn¡¯t manifested itself yet, it probably means it¡¯s too big to fit in the carriage.


    That rules out smaller items like armor or weapons. Who knows?


    Maybe this is a good sign and you got exactly what you wanted."


    Hoko sighed to calm herself before summoning her Embryo. It was surprisingly easy¡ªbarely an effort to focus on what she wanted. The mark on her hand glowed, and light began to coalesce into a humanoid form. For a moment, Hoko felt a spark of hope, but as the figure''s details became clearer, her expression turned to one of mortified embarrassment. The form was a marble statue of a large man, bearing her brother¡¯s unmistakable features.


    She choked in shock, unable to form words.


    Kurt, ever tactless, broke the silence. "Please tell me there isn¡¯t something weird between you and your brother."


    Pearl immediately facepalmed, and Hoko opened her mouth to retort, but before she could respond, the statue moved with incredible speed. It punched Kurt squarely in the face, leaving him momentarily stunned.


    "Don¡¯t throw out such stupid ideas," the statue said in a deep, stern voice. "She isn¡¯t mad."


    Kurt, nursing his face and testing his teeth with his tongue, muttered an apology. "Sorry, that was stupid of me. I shouldn¡¯t have suggested something so ridiculous. But... what¡¯s the deal with him?" He pointed at the golem, which simply stared at him without making another move.


    GasStar chimed in with a smirk. "You kind of had that coming, Kurt. But seriously, Hoko, what¡¯s the deal with your Embryo? Why does he look like that?"


    He leaned closer, squinting at the golem¡¯s features, as if he¡¯d noticed something but decided not to voice it.


    Hoko, her face still burning with embarrassment, finally managed to find her voice. "It¡¯s nothing complicated. I just really look up to him," she explained quickly. "Come on, Kurt, you just saw him in that video. And in real life, he¡¯s always helping me with stuff. He knows so much about so many things, and he¡¯s always so serious about his studies. He''s also very judgmental so any praise from him is at least honest"


    Kurt, now genuinely contrite, apologized profusely, and an awkward silence settled over the group. After a few moments, it was Changeling who finally broke it.


    "Well, what does he do, then?"


    Hoko raised a finger, intending to explain, but froze. She realized she didn¡¯t actually know. Turning to the golem, she asked, "What do you do, really?"


    The golem mimicked Kai¡¯s familiar exasperated sigh before replying, "You can check your character sheet, but if you¡¯re sure you want me to explain, I will."


    He even copied Kai¡¯s annoying habits perfectly, Hoko thought bitterly. Just answer me if I ask.


    She was taken aback when a voice¡ªidentical to the golem¡¯s¡ªsounded directly in her mind.


    "I apologize if this tone annoyed you, but you understand you plan to betray this group, right? It would be better if they didn¡¯t know my abilities."


    Hoko blinked in surprise, grounding herself before replying mentally. "How are you reading my mind? Stop that! And I don¡¯t care if they know your abilities¡ªI¡¯m not planning to betray them right away, and keeping secrets now would make me look suspicious."


    The golem finally responded aloud, rather than telepathically, as Hoko had requested.


    "I think my explanation will make the most sense if I first share my name. My full title is Achilles, Eternally Running. I possess only one ability: it allows me to mark a hostile target within range for one minute. During that time, for each attribute I have that is lower than the target¡¯s, I will increase that attribute by half the difference. When the minute is over, I will reassess the difference or switch to a new target. The boost to my attributes persists for one minute after either switching targets or when there is no longer a valid target.


    "Now, while this isn¡¯t technically part of the ability, I recommend you consider picking up a buffing job. The boost I gain is treated as part of my base attributes, which means any buffs applied to me will enhance those attributes as well."


    Hoko frowned slightly, clearly irritated by the unsolicited advice. "Suggestion appreciated, but I think I¡¯ll choose my own build, thank you."


    "That¡¯s entirely your right," Achilles replied calmly. "I simply thought it would be useful to know."


    "Alright, thank you," Hoko said, her tone slightly softer.


    While Hoko and Achilles conversed, the rest of the group observed from a distance.


    "Is it normal for a Gardener Embryo to be so... opinionated about their Master?" Kurt asked.


    Changeling and Pearl exchanged a glance before answering in unison, "No."


    Changeling elaborated, "We¡¯re supposed to assist and support our Masters. An antagonistic Gardener won¡¯t be very effective at that."


    Pearl added, "I agree. Maybe it¡¯s because her Embryo is based on a real person¡ªand an arrogant mythological figure as well?"


    "Well, I hope it mellows out over time," Kurt muttered.


    Kaizo interjected, "Either way, I doubt it will outright ignore her commands, so it should be fine. Besides, it was quick to defend her."


    "Defend her from what?" Kurt asked, confused.


    Kaizo mimicked the golem¡¯s exasperated sigh. "From you, Kurt. You realize how awful it must feel to be accused of that? Speaking of which, how are you holding up?"


    Kurt winced, realizing the weight of his earlier words. "Yeah, I get it now. Your reactions make it clear I stepped way out of line. Let¡¯s just never bring it up again. Honestly, I barely felt that punch anyway."


    Kaizo smirked. "Damn. So, it¡¯s not that strong."


    Kurt raised an eyebrow. "Wait¡ªyou were hoping it would knock out a tooth or something?"


    "Well, I mean, you kind of deserved it," Kaizo said with a shrug. "But more importantly, it would¡¯ve been useful if it were powerful. Aside from Changeling, we don¡¯t really have anyone to fight that Master unless you want to tell me you can fight asleep. And, no offense, Changeling isn¡¯t exactly the best combat Gardener."


    "Alright, fine, fair point," Kurt conceded. "So, back to the carriage?"


    "Yes," Kaizo confirmed.


    The group returned to the carriage, now slightly more crowded. GasStar, meanwhile, occasionally shot suspicious glances at Hoko whenever she wasn¡¯t looking.

 Social Webs

    real world, Kai Maddox


    Kai made his slow way back home, still covered in sweat. At first, the breeze felt nice, cooling him down after his workout, but now the autumn chill was starting to creep in.


    When he walked through the front door, he was surprised by how quiet the house was. At this hour, his mom was usually in the kitchen, cooking something for dinner.


    "Mom, I''m back!" he called out.


    A few seconds later, her voice came from his room. "Oh, hey! Sorry, I didn''t make anything. Do you want to eat out?"


    Kai paused, considering her offer. He was still buzzing with excitement from the fight earlier, even though he''d lost, and he''d gone out to train afterward. He convinced himself he¡¯d earned it.


    "Yeah, alright," he replied.


    "Okay, ask Tsuno as well. What do you want? The usual?"


    "Hey, I''m not that predictable," Kai complained as he walked to Tsuno''s room.


    "So, what do you want?" his mom asked again.


    "I don¡¯t like being predictable. I didn¡¯t say no, though. Let¡¯s go for Chinese," he answered before knocking on Tsuno¡¯s door.


    "Hey, Tsuno, you wanna go out to eat?"


    Five minutes passed without a response. Annoyed, Kai knocked again, this time harder.


    A minute later, the door opened.


    "What is it, Kai?" Tsuno asked, her voice laced with annoyance. "I¡¯m still playing with them like you asked. Now I¡¯ll have to make my way back to the grinding spot. Well, maybe GesStar will go back to pick me up?"


    Ah, that explains why she¡¯s grouchy, Kai thought.


    "We¡¯re going out to eat. You want to join?" Kai asked again, just in case Tsuno hadn¡¯t heard him the first time, ignoring her comment about GasStar.


    Tsuno paused longer than usual before replying, her tone subdued. "Okay. We¡¯re going for Chinese, like usual?"


    Kai let out a short sigh. "Yes," he said, turning to go change clothes.


    But then Tsuno wrinkled her nose suddenly. "You smell. What did you do?"


    "Hey, it¡¯s not that bad! I just went out for a workout. It¡¯s just sweat," Kai replied defensively.


    Apparently, their mom overheard and chimed in from the other room. "Kai, don¡¯t go out like that. Take a shower."


    Kai almost protested but stopped himself after taking a sniff. The smell was more noticeable than he¡¯d thought.


    "Fine, I¡¯ll go take a shower. We¡¯ll leave in half an hour, alright?"


    "Alright," his mom replied. "It¡¯s a little early for dinner anyway."


    Kai glanced at the clock, which showed 6:30 PM¡ªdefinitely late enough for dinner in his opinion¡ªbut he didn¡¯t comment.


    After taking a shower and changing into fresh clothes, Kai joined his family in the car for the short drive to the restaurant. As they rode, he opened his chat with Tam again.


    I need some way to find Phantasm if I want to set up a fight. I could ask Tsuno, but she¡¯s with Kaizo, and I shouldn¡¯t interfere with her playthrough¡ªat least not until she gets her own bearings. I probably should decide what I want to do in the long term anyway. Maybe raid hunting? Hmm... but Emilia has years of experience, and she could count the number of raids she¡¯s participated in on one hand. But she¡¯s an NPC¡ªa very complicated NPC¡ªbut it¡¯s all scripted anyway. The devs probably wouldn¡¯t give her blatantly confusing dialogue that could hurt someone¡¯s experience, so she¡¯s probably reliable. Maybe there¡¯s something like more traditional world bosses I could hunt. First things first, though: somehow find Phantasm and set up a duel.


    Kai typed out a message.


    KaijuMonster: "Hey, you know how I could find someone to challenge them to a duel?"


    A few minutes passed. By the time Tam replied, they had already arrived at the restaurant¡ªironically, just across the road from where Kai had worked out earlier.


    Tam: "There are a few forums for that. I¡¯m not the best person to ask¡ªI¡¯m mostly a monster slayer. Why not ask the guy who uploaded the video?"


    KaijuMonster: "Well, I don¡¯t really know them, but I¡¯ll try. Thanks anyway."


    Kai started searching the video again to find a way to contact the uploader, but he was interrupted.


    ¡°Put the phone away. We¡¯re eating,¡± his mom requested somewhat forcefully.


    Kai complied, setting his phone aside, and they had an enjoyable dinner. He stuck to his usual order¡ªa large bowl of fried chicken with a side of heavily seasoned fries. His parents often complained about his simple eating habits, though their complaints had lessened since he started cooking for himself.


    Typically, there wasn¡¯t much left for Kai to finish because Tsuno would sneak some from his plate before finishing her own meal. However, today she ate much more slowly than usual. Neither of them commented on it, though Kai was sure their mom noticed. He figured it was best not to bring it up since Tsuno didn¡¯t seem particularly bothered.


    Toward the end of the meal, after they had exhausted their usual topics of conversation, their mom surprised both of them.


    ¡°I saw you fighting that unicorn. It was very impressive. That woman with the giant sword told me all about it,¡± she said.


    Before Kai could think of a response, Tsuno chimed in. ¡°Yeah, can you take me to fight it sometime?¡±


    ¡°How do either of you know about it?¡± Kai asked, startled.


    ¡°I told you,¡± his mom replied. ¡°Some woman named Emilia walked into the news office while I was looking up places for a trip. People told me that¡¯s where I could find information. She looked a bit beat up but recognized me and asked if we were related.¡±


    ¡°Mom, you shouldn¡¯t be so open to stuff like that online. You¡¯re lucky she isn¡¯t actually human,¡± Kai said, shaking his head.


    ¡°What do you mean by that? She looked human to me,¡± his mom replied, her tone defensive.


    Tsuno answered this time. ¡°Kai didn¡¯t mean her race. She¡¯s an NPC¡ªor a Tian, by game terms. She¡¯s not a real person, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Emilia is a Tian. Thanks, Tsuno,¡± Kai confirmed.


    ¡°Wait, but how can you even tell? She acted perfectly human,¡± their mom asked again, still puzzled.


    Kai sighed but explained. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the fact that you probably haven¡¯t played a video game in 20 years, if even that, so you wouldn¡¯t know how NPCs talk. But there¡¯s a more concrete way to tell. Players always have a mark on their dominant hand or a gem. If they¡¯re wearing armor, it might hide it, but you can also ask them a question about real life¡ªlike the capital of some country. A real player would at least try to guess, but a Tian wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Well, I still think she was human. I think you¡¯re just being dismissive,¡± Trisha said.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not dismissive! Emilia is awesome, and I loved seeing her beat up Phantasm afterward. But still, she isn¡¯t human. She doesn¡¯t exist outside of the game. It¡¯s not like you can talk to her on social media, you know,¡± Kai replied, shaking his head. ¡°Now, Tsuno, how do you know about the raid? I thought you were playing with someone else the whole time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, you see, Kaizo got a job outside of town, so we had some time to kill on the way. Kurt was watching videos, and I had nothing else to do, so I joined him. That¡¯s when we stumbled upon a video of your raid by chance,¡± Tsuno explained.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯m surprised you both found it randomly.¡±


    ¡°That video has like a million views. It¡¯s not that surprising,¡± Tsuno replied.


    ¡°I just checked¡ªit has 200,000 views right now. Huh. When I say it like that, it¡¯s actually very impressive,¡± Kai admitted.


    The conversation shifted to a new topic. Tsuno described Kaizo¡¯s group, her tone surprisingly positive. Meanwhile, their mom¡ªwho apparently used her real name, Trisha Maddox, for her avatar¡ªtold them about the various sights she¡¯d discovered on the city¡¯s giant tree. These discoveries were thanks to Emilia¡¯s directions.


    As the conversation continued, Trisha mentioned a film camera she¡¯d found in her inventory. This sparked an enthusiastic but somewhat chaotic discussion, as Tsuno and Kai tried to explain that the camera was likely her embryo.


    Kai, growing exasperated by her confusion, eventually said, ¡°Just forget about it for now. The next time you play, concentrate on observing the camera. It should display its name, and that will confirm what it is.¡±


    They bid farewell to the restaurant and prepared to get into the car when Tsuno spoke up.


    ¡°Kai, do you want to walk back home?¡±


    Kai felt exhausted¡ªthe large dinner and his earlier workout had drained him¡ªbut he answered yes anyway.


    Their walk was mostly silent, both of them focused on their phones. Kai used the time to resume his efforts to contact the video uploader.


    KaijuMonster: "Hi, we didn¡¯t really interact all that much, but I¡¯m Sheko¡¯s player. It might be a bit rude, but I was wondering if you could help me find some way to get to Phantasm for a duel."


    By the time they arrived home, Tsuno and Trisha both dove back into Dendro, while Kai was left to languish in the real world. At first, he tried playing on his computer, but his thoughts inevitably drifted back to Dendro and his plans.


    First, he would contact Mai to find out what was left of his funds and what treasures he¡¯d received from the raid. He hoped she¡¯d be charitable enough to commission a weapon using the cockatrice eye as material. After that, he¡¯d see who was still close to the capital to assemble another raid attempt.


    From there, another cycle of theory crafting awaited. He was pretty sure he didn¡¯t yet meet the requirements for Great Matador, so he looked for other jobs to potentially integrate into his build.


    The job system in Dendro was somewhat frustrating. Many jobs had their skills locked unless your main job belonged to the same job grouping. For example, even though he still had the Smith job while he was a Knife Thrower, he couldn¡¯t just craft something as he could when his main job was Smith. To craft, he would have to visit a job crystal and switch jobs.


    Kai suspected his Spearman job was holding him back. While its skills weren¡¯t technically locked, they were effectively unusable since they required a spear to activate.


    Recently, a heated forum discussion had been running for over a week about an unarmed build nicknamed ¡°The Pugilist.¡± While there was a Pugilist job in Dendro, the discussion didn¡¯t focus much on it. Instead, it proposed a build combining various jobs, all linked by having powerful skills that required the user to be unarmed.


    Among the most intriguing jobs suggested was Philosopher. This job featured a skill called High Speed Speculation, which increased the user¡¯s mental combat speed by 200%. However, the idea was quickly dismissed by most participants.


    The upgraded version of the skill, Silent Tactician, had a significant drawback: it required the user to remain completely still to activate. Additionally, it was locked behind the Great Philosopher job, meaning it would consume one of the player¡¯s two limited High Job slots to use.


    Initially, Kai found the concept appealing, but after reading through the forum thread, he was convinced otherwise. While the mental speed boost sounded impressive, Philosopher suffered from low attribute growth across the board, except for SP. Additionally, in Dendro, AGI already increased mental speed during combat. Simply raising AGI provided the same benefit as High Speed Speculation, with the added advantage of increasing physical speed as well.


    Some suggested Philosopher could work in a spellcaster build, but the lack of stat growth and the need to forgo using staves, wands, or even a shield were significant drawbacks.


    Still, Kai thought it might be a temporary solution¡ªa stopgap until he unlocked Great Matador.


    Kai spent an hour and a half immersed in theorycrafting before noticing that the video uploader had replied to him ten minutes ago.


    "Oops, better reply to him before he disappears for another hour," Kai muttered, quickly opening the message.


    Gungnir:"Hello, while I¡¯m happy to help you as a fellow player, if you really are Sheko, I can¡¯t promote or assist in what appears to be an unsolicited griefing attempt. Honestly, I¡¯ve been flooded with almost as many hate comments about Phantasm as any other type of comment (hate unites, I guess).


    If you are Sheko, I¡¯ll just say that the survivors of the raid have been discussing having a party once everyone has respawned. Your friend Mai survived and can fill you in.


    Sincerely,


    Gungnir"


    Damn, well, I guess I prefer talking to someone with reasonable considerations over someone who¡¯d jump at the idea of hunting Phantasm. This is a bit troublesome for me, but still, it¡¯s a better outcome than being totally ignored¡ªeven if this reply reeks of soft influencer talk.


    KaijuMonster: "I¡¯m sorry if my previous reply came off as hostile; it wasn¡¯t directed at you but another player nonetheless. Regardless, I¡¯d like to clarify that my desire to fight Phantasm is for a friendly duel in an arena¡ªnot an ambush in the middle of the street. However, I respect your choice to stay away from this subject.


    On another note, I hope you can help me with something else. It¡¯s a bit awkward, but I¡¯ve only known Mai for a short time, and we haven¡¯t exchanged contact details (which has already caused some issues, I¡¯ll admit). If you could let her know how to contact me, I¡¯d appreciate it.


    She should be in a rented alchemist lab¡ªspecifically, Lab #5, in a facility named ''Seelie Court¡¯s Labs Facility #2.'' If she isn¡¯t there, she¡¯s probably at the news office. Ask for Nue, she is probably with her"


    Gungnir:  "Fine, I guess this is at least indirect proof that you¡¯re linked to Mai. Nue¡¯s name isn¡¯t very well-known, as she wasn¡¯t in any top 10 contribution category. If Mai really is in the lab like you suggest, it means you¡¯re either definitely Sheko or someone stalking Mai.


    In the latter case, I¡¯ll inform her¡ªand if I find out you¡¯re stalking, I won¡¯t hesitate to beat you up."


    KaijuMonster: "threatening but respectable, thank you Mr. Gungnir"


    Kai went back to reading on the forums. He wanted to link his phone to the helmet already, but his mom was using it at the moment. Another 20 minutes passed before a new message appeared in his inbox.


    Luna-tic:  "Well, took you long enough to call back. I thought you might be sulking or something. /hj"


    KaijuMonster:  "I''m fine. How are you? What did I do to deserve the snark?"


    Luna-tic:  "First, you agreed for me to join the raid¡ªwhich, to be clear, I am happy worked out in the end¡ªbut it still wasn¡¯t nice. Then, I thought someone from the raid had come to talk with me specifically, but it was you again. It doesn¡¯t feel great being known as just someone else¡¯s teammate."


    KaijuMonster:  "Okay, I see. I¡¯m sorry¡ªI didn¡¯t know it really bothered you that much. I think I¡¯ll hold off on my plans for now. Where are we supposed to meet tomorrow, though? Also, it was only like four hours ago¡ªwhy are you saying it took me that long?"


    Luna-tic:  "It¡¯s been almost a whole day here. I¡¯m starting to actually feel tired. It¡¯s kind of weird. Never mind that¡ªI¡¯ll hear you out. What do you need?"


    KaijuMonster:  "Is the phone connection thing part of the manual or something? How does everyone else know about it?"


    Luna-tic:  "I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re a massive troll or not 50% of the time. Yes, it was in the manual that came with the helmet."


    KaijuMonster:  "Oops. Well, I guess I should¡¯ve just read it. Anyway, I want you to check what I got from the raid and tell me what¡¯s in my treasure chest. Hopefully, there¡¯s some useful material to commission new equipment from a smith. I was absolutely underequipped. If I want to get a revenge match on Phantasm for trying to steal my chest, I¡¯ll need better gear."


    There was a short pause before Mai answered back.


    Luna-tic:  "Sorry for the pause there. This actually means quite a bit to me¡ªthat you trust me to open your chest. Anyway, helping you kill Phantasm again? Yeah, I¡¯ll help. It was very satisfying killing him the first time. Finn actually gave us his loot chest and some of the stuff he dropped when he died. He was very unlucky¡ªhe apparently dropped the Medium he used for his summons."


    KaijuMonster:  "Thanks. And I guess I should say, maybe people didn¡¯t realize how much you and Finn helped the raid, but know that you were indispensable. Equally so."


    Luna-tic:  "Thanks. I¡¯ll see about your loot, though I think you¡¯d better wait for it. Finn said he plans to reserve a restaurant called The Silly Daredevil ¡ªsome sort of bakery, coffee, and Italian mix-up. That was the best description I got. Anyway, we¡¯ll open the chests there. You got a special reward for surviving so long while avoiding the boss, so it¡¯ll be fun."


    KaijuMonster:  "Alright, see you there then."


    Kai logged off. He thought Mai seemed much less friendly before, but now that he¡¯d had a chance to cool off after rushing for two days in a row, he realized he might¡¯ve put the wrong foot forward with her.


    See ya, guys... Good luck, Phantasm. You¡¯re gonna need it.

 Superiors

    Waking up after a good night¡¯s sleep, Kai still felt restless. He was an early riser, even on weekends, so waiting until late afternoon to get back into the game felt like an eternity. He had already retrieved the helmet from his mom''s room, though the whole situation left him a bit uneasy.


    His mom had gone to bed still wearing the helmet. Normally, she stayed up much later than he did if she was feeling well, but this behavior was unusual. With the game¡¯s time acceleration, she must have been logged in for over 12 hours straight. Kai could understand someone like Mai¡ªa dedicated player¡ªspending that much time in the game. However, his mom barely touched video games and could never tolerate an RPG for more than an hour.


    That morning, she was utterly exhausted, lying in bed and not waking up even when he opened her door or touched the helmet. It was a slight relief to find the helmet turned off, meaning she wasn¡¯t still playing. She looked so drained that Kai worried she might be sick, but after checking her temperature and breathing, he decided she was probably just extremely tired. Quietly, he took the helmet and closed the door behind him.


    Before heading back to his room, Kai stopped by Tsuno''s room to check on her as well. He carefully removed her helmet, which was also turned off but felt slightly warm¡ªlikely from being used for so long. Tsuno had noticeable bags under her eyes, as she always did when she got obsessed with a new game.


    I really hope I didn¡¯t bring something terrible into this family, Kai thought. It¡¯s bad enough trying to keep up with whatever my dad decides is a breach of the custody agreement every few weeks.


    Still, so many hours till the party... Guess I¡¯ll get a workout in while I have nothing better to do. At this rate, with how often I keep dying, I might end up with abs before I hit max level.


    Another run to the Center was as slow and exhausting as yesterday''s. Kai stood in front of the snack store. He had resisted going in yesterday, but today, he didn¡¯t hold back. He went in and bought a bottle of cola and a sour lollipop. Then, he walked to the grassy hill. This early on a weekend, the place was mostly empty, save for a family with their toddler enjoying the relaxing breeze and some fruit.


    Now standing alone on the hill, with a few onlookers in the distance, Kai started to feel nervous about training on his own. However, going back home just to wait felt pointless. At first, he stuck to simple kicks and the basic exercises he had practiced with the group yesterday. He skipped the back-and-forth walks, telling himself he¡¯d save them for later once he had rested a little. Deep down, though, he knew he was just trying to avoid them.


    Instead, Kai substituted the awkward back-and-forths with upper body athletics, starting with cartwheels for a solid 10 minutes. He had to be reminded to put away his glasses after almost crushing them on his third cartwheel. After that, he made sure to clear the area of all thorns¡ªmost of which had already stuck to his hands and feet. After the cartwheels moved on to make his way across the hill a few hand steps at a time. Then, he attempted to relearn a one-handed back handspring for 15 minutes. This entire phase of training took about 40 minutes.


    By the end of it, Kai felt exhilarated. Part of it came from being able to perform the moves again, and part of it came from the claps and praise he received from the couple watching with their toddler. The child seemed intensely focused on him, which made him smile. In the end, Kai practiced for a full hour and 20 minutes. He didn¡¯t let himself stop until he had completed at least four back-and-forths. On that front, he had improved massively from yesterday. Thanks to the corrections he had received from his workout buddies, his form was better, and he could keep his balance more easily. This allowed him to practice longer, though he nearly collapsed from exhaustion in the end.


    Sitting on his hands and knees, Kai glanced at his watch. It was only about 12 a.m. That left three hours until the death penalty expired, and then 40 minutes or two hours in Dendro Time to gather everyone and head to The Silly Daredevil, - With what he now realized was likely a small fortune - everyone would bring their loot to examine at the party.


    What are the chances someone is selling us out for all this loot? he wondered. Wait¡­ are they going to invite Phantasm? He¡¯d probably try to kill someone before we even sit down.


    Putting most of these thoughts aside, Kai let himself collapse onto a softer patch of grass. He rested there, somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, completely exhausted, for about 30 minutes. When he finally convinced himself to get up and head back home, Kai sprang up with energy but was immediately struck by the cold breeze. The family from earlier had long since left, and now he stood alone.


    Satisfied with his workout, he walked back home, arriving just in time for lunch. However, he was surprised to find his mom in the kitchen. She was making eggs and sipping from a mug of black coffee. Her hair was completely disheveled, which wasn¡¯t unusual for weekends, but waking up after 10 a.m. definitely was.


    What really caught him off guard was Tsuno being awake and sitting at the table. Usually, she slept in for as long as possible. Not that she looked fully awake¡ªher head drooped constantly, and the massive bags under her eyes were still there.


    "Hey! You¡¯re finally back. Where have you gone to?" his mom asked good-naturedly.


    "Went for another workout. Still can¡¯t play, after all. How long have you been up after dinner?" Kai answered and shot a question back.


    "Not too late, only three hours. Thanks for taking the helmet off me. I was just so sleepy I fell asleep with it on. It¡¯s pretty tight."Stolen novel; please report.


    "There¡¯s an adjustable strap on the back. I just fit it for myself. I¡¯ll get the last helmet tomorrow, don¡¯t worry. I didn¡¯t expect you to take to the game so much."


    "Well, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d call it a game. The people are very nice, and what I saw was just amazing. When you get me the helmet, I want us to go on a little trip. I found a wonderful, quiet pastry shop hidden in the tree. Did you know that the city is actually split into three parts?


    "The largest part is where most people live and do business¡ªit¡¯s on the ground. Then there¡¯s the upper city, built directly into the magic tree. It¡¯s as large as the main city but has a lot fewer people. Apparently, it¡¯s closed to most people. Only people from the Seelie Court¡ªI think that¡¯s what Frieda called it¡ªor those invited by a member can enter. And then there¡¯s the undercity, built in the tunnels of the tree. Frieda said the entrance isn¡¯t forbidden there, but it¡¯s controlled by some bad elements, so there¡¯s not much point in going. The environment there is dreary."


    "Didn¡¯t expect you to go deep into fairy history¡ªor I guess, at least basic info about the city. To be honest, I wasn¡¯t sure what you were doing. Wouldn¡¯t it be a problem to go to the bakery if you need someone to invite you?"


    "Well, hopefully, I¡¯ll settle that by then. Don¡¯t worry, there are plenty of other things to do in the city."


    "Well, what about you, Tsuno?" Kai asked.


    "It was miserable," Tsuno replied. "We got a quest out of town from some Unseelie Court lady who loves pranking players. We were supposed to hunt down another player who could put you to sleep, but she completely forgot to tell us that he does it by spreading some sort of disease!


    "We thought it¡¯d be a breeze since all the monsters he beat in the dungeon were asleep, so no new ones spawned. But then Kurt accidentally grazed a monster with his foot and just dropped immediately. We tried to convince Kaizo to go back, but he wouldn¡¯t listen. We ended up fighting the master, who had giant golems carrying him¡ªand he was asleep the whole time!


    "When his golem barely grazed me, I fell asleep too. It was awful." Tsuno had so much hatred in her voice that their mom interjected.


    "Well, maybe if it¡¯s so bad, why not take a break? Come have a shopping trip with me!"


    "Mom, we barely have enough money to buy healing potions," Tsuno replied, sounding annoyed. "I asked about food, and apparently, a good meal costs like 10,000 lir. We have enough between us for one meal."


    She sounded frustrated, though it might have been because she was so tired.


    "Well, I found a way to talk to the people from the raid in the real world, and we¡¯re going to a party today. I¡¯ll see about saving you something then," Kai said.


    "Okay, but Kaizo wanted to regroup around 2 today," Tsuno answered.


    After finishing his late breakfast, Kai went back to his room. He checked the forums and discovered that in the hours he was away, they were completely on fire with a new topic dominating every subforum and chat: Superior Jobs.


    Before yesterday, information about Superior Jobs had been sparse. What the community did know was that certain special NPCs were considered masters of their professions, an entire caliber beyond other NPCs. These Tians were usually stronger than players, even if their expertise was something as simple as cooking.


    Now, something groundbreaking had come to light. A player who trained under such an NPC challenged their master to a duel to the death. The details were murky, but after an intense fight that reportedly wiped out an entire city block, the player emerged victorious. Both combatants were said to be ninjas or something similar. Once the battle ended, the player went to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and, moments later, proclaimed himself the "King of Sabotage"¡ªthe best infiltrator player in Infinite Dendrogram.


    Since then, the Wiki Editors Alliance¡ªa coalition of player clans spread across every country¡ªhad been working tirelessly to compile as much information as possible. They gathered intel from players who supposedly had been pursuing Superior Jobs even before the news about the King of Sabotage broke, as well as from NPC experts suspected of holding Superior Jobs or knowing how to acquire them.


    So far, there had been no other known incidents of players killing NPCs to obtain their jobs. However, speculation ran rampant. Some questioned whether the Wiki Editors would even reveal such cases or if the game¡¯s publisher was censoring information to prevent a total collapse of the in-game simulated society.


    As Kai scrolled through the forums, trying to keep up with the flood of information¡ªnone of which anyone knew for sure was reliable¡ªa new thread popped up. Its title read: "Royal Family Declaration."


    The post was short. The poster, claiming to be a paladin employed by the royal family of Altar, explained that the recent rumors and fights surrounding Superior Jobs had reached the royal family. In response, the king had declared it a crime for any master (player) to attack a resident Superior Tian (NPC). Such an offense would brand the offender as a wanted criminal.


    The post further elaborated on what being "wanted" meant. Beyond being hunted to death by the country¡¯s law enforcement, a wanted master could not respawn at any save point within the country. Worse still, if a player had no respawn point to return to after dying, they would be sent to The Gaol, a prison server. This server was a desolate place populated only by other wanted players and low-level monsters.


    The company behind Infinite Dendrogram had clarified that the only way to leave The Gaol was to serve one¡¯s sentence.


    As expected, the comments section was immediately flooded with speculation and dissent against the royal family of Altar for targeting players in such a manner. Many players hid behind arguments that Tian crime lords were being given a free pass, but it was clear that most of these arguments weren¡¯t made in good faith.


    Meanwhile, others demanded proof from the poster, questioning his identity and claiming that anyone could make up statements supposedly from the royal family. Credit where it was due¡ªthe poster didn¡¯t cave in or lash out. Instead, he edited the post to include a measured response, addressing key concerns in a series of points:


    1. I do not know what the royal family will do if criminal elements were to be targeted.


    2. Players employed under the crown are not exempt from the law.


    3. For all those demanding proof, simply wait a little bit for the news to make its way through Altar.


    4. No, this is not a uniform declaration by any other region or entity, but I stand with the royal family on this. We cannot let players hellbent on becoming powerful destroy the game in the process!


    Finally, the hour came, and Kai put on the helmet.

 Meeting Familiar Faces

    Legendria, Sheko Ruun, Knife Juggler.


    Sheko spawned in and immediately felt a difference from the last time he had logged in. Examining himself, he quickly realized that he was only wearing simple cloth and Odysseus instead of the leather armor he had before.


    ¡°Wonderful. Hopefully, they weren¡¯t burned off,¡± he muttered.


    Checking his inventory, Sheko discovered it wasn¡¯t just his clothes that were missing¡ªhis entire starter inventory was gone as well.


    ¡°Great. Just great!¡± he shouted in frustration, drawing the attention of those around him.


    A nearby master, dressed in golden silk robes accented with royal navy details, approached him. ¡°Are you alright? You¡¯re making quite a scene. People are already on edge from the rumors, so I suggest you don¡¯t make yourself look suspicious.¡±


    Sheko took a deep breath to calm himself. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m mostly fine. It¡¯s just that I lost literally everything I had when I was killed yesterday.¡±


    The other master nodded sympathetically. ¡°Boy, I know that feeling. Never duel a fairy lord¡ªthey¡¯ll make you give up everything you own, no matter the result.¡±


    Sheko relaxed a bit more and asked, ¡°Okay, thanks for the advice. You¡¯re talking about the Superior Job thing, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I guess everyone logging in now probably knows about it. Wild, huh? Makes you wonder what the max level for embryos is. There are already a few of us who¡¯ve hit Rank 6.¡±


    ¡°Wait, us? You¡¯ve maxed out an embryo? Who the hell are you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not that special. Nate Azure, 21st in the kill rankings and 8th in the duel rankings¡ªthough the dueling scene here in Legendria is pretty disappointing because we have Gideon not too far away.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just humblebragging now,¡± Sheko retorted with a smirk. ¡°Well, I¡¯d guess you know where The Silly Daredevil is?¡±


    ¡°Guilty, and yes, I do.¡± Nate gave him directions before adding, ¡°Though I think it¡¯s closed today. I passed by earlier, and there was a sign saying it¡¯s reserved for an event.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, that¡¯s probably us. Finn reserved the place for the raid party.¡±


    Nate looked at Sheko again before snapping his fingers. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re that crazy acrobatics guy! I saw the video¡ªvery cool. Not sure what your glove does, though. I hope to see you in the arena sometime.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, that¡¯s a big compliment. Anyway, I think I¡¯ll be off now.¡±


    ¡°Good luck. Enjoy the party!¡± Nate said with a wave.


    Sheko made his way to the news office, his thoughts racing.


    Wait... damn, why didn¡¯t I ask Nate about Superior Jobs? He almost definitely would¡¯ve known more than whatever scraps of information you can get from the forums. Then again, maybe I would¡¯ve just made him hostile. If those jobs truly are so formidable that they elevate Tians to the level of players¡ªplayers who all possess some broken abilities¡ªcould Emilia have been lying about her level? It would make so much more sense if she had a Superior Job. I can¡¯t imagine someone being so powerful as to manhandle someone supposedly boosted to over level 500 by their embryo otherwise.


    As he approached the doors to the news building, he was met with a chaotic scene. A mob of players crowded the entrance, while a few Tian employees appeared to be stuck in the middle, trying to push their way inside. Sheko¡¯s eyes scanned the crowd, and to his surprise, he recognized some faces from the raid¡ªsome of them worryingly more than once.


    Unless an inordinate number of raid party members decided to randomly choose the same generic avatar design, this must be a case of identity theft, he realized grimly.


    Damn it. Of course there are shapeshifters in this game. Why wouldn¡¯t there be? There¡¯s an entire subsection of fey monsters that can create illusions or shapeshift to steal someone¡¯s identity. And if there are players with abilities like that, they could probably mimic equipment too. Identifying someone by their unique embryo alone wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    His unease grew as his gaze landed on undeniable proof of his fears: someone wearing his face. The imposter was clad in a replica of his leather armor from the raid, complete with a copy of Odysseus¡ªworn on the right arm instead of the left. The fake Sheko made his way into the building, and the shouting from the mob surged around him, echoing Sheko¡¯s own rising voice.


    ¡°There are imposters trying to steal the loot!¡± many people yelled, their accusations blending into a chaotic chorus.


    Sheko froze, debating his next move. Before he could act, the doors swung open, and Emilia emerged. She carried his imposter by the neck, the look of calm authority on her face unshaken as the imposter squirmed in her grasp. The fake clutched a copy of one of Sheko¡¯s throwing knives and flailed, trying to stab her.


    Without missing a beat, Emilia hurled the imposter to the ground. The crowd grew silent for a brief moment as she clapped her hands together with enough force to make those closest to her cover their ears.


    ¡°Shut up and form two ordered lines!¡± she commanded, her voice cutting through the noise. ¡°On the right, anyone who wishes to enter the DIN archives. On the left, any other miscellaneous reasons¡ªthat includes fellow employees. I¡¯m sorry, but our doors will remain closed until there is order.¡±


    Sheko forced himself to ignore the massive line forming ahead of him as the chaotic mob began to organize. He had already spotted another imposter of himself in the crowd. The one Emilia had thrown out earlier had slipped away into the street, lost among the sea of people.


    As the mob reshuffled into two lines, Sheko realized with growing unease that there weren¡¯t just one or two imposters mimicking him¡ªhe had spotted at least five so far.


    Why are so many of them impersonating me? They¡¯re sabotaging themselves. Emilia, and whoever else is checking visitors, will only scrutinize them more because of this. Emilia knows me personally¡ªmaybe they don¡¯t realize that. They¡¯re probably using my identity because I¡¯m not part of a large group and had still managed to secure one of the top contribution slots during the raid. That must mean they think the extra challenge is worth the reward, he speculated.


    The left line was moving at a snail¡¯s pace compared to the right. The right line, which was at least twice as long, admitted groups of ten every few minutes. The doors would open briefly, allowing a cluster of people inside before shutting again. In contrast, the left line admitted individuals one by one, with the doors opening just enough for the person to pass through before slamming shut.


    Whoever was filtering the left line was meticulous. Decisions on whether to admit or reject people often resulted in loud protests from those turned away. The presumed imposters yelled in frustration as they were escorted out, their complaints blending into the general cacophony of the crowd.


    More people joined the left line as Sheko continued to observe. Among them, he noticed Stein. He was fairly certain this was the real Stein because of the distinct dark green cloak he wore, identical to the one from the raid. Beneath the cloak, Stein sported the two-piece gauntlet and chest plate armor set that matched perfectly with his raid outfit.


    Stein waited in line for about five minutes before losing patience. Stepping out of the line, he began marching toward the doors, but he stopped when he spotted Sheko.


    "You look pretty convincing," Stein said. "At least you had the sense not to copy the armor. Someone sent me a carrier sprite asking me to come help with the mess here. They didn¡¯t explain much, but I get it now. Tell me quietly what your embryo does, and I¡¯ll get you and the others inside quickly."


    "I believe you¡¯re really Stein," Sheko replied, "but I don¡¯t think this crowd is going to let us pull that off. Better to just wait. Besides, you died in the raid too. Why would they let you pick people randomly and bring them in?"


    "Come on," Stein said. "There aren¡¯t that many imposters mimicking me anyway, and they¡¯re all terrible. Not one of them even bothered to copy my chest piece. Seriously, how does anyone plan to impersonate someone without replicating their entire embryo?"


    The line progressed slowly as they talked. Sheko was now closer to the entrance, though there were still four more "Shekos" ahead of him¡ªand one behind him.


    "I was wondering," Sheko said, "what is your embryo? How does it work with two armor pieces?"


    Stein was about to answer when the door swung open forcefully. Mai stepped out onto the platform, her presence commanding attention.


    "Okay, that¡¯s it!" she called out. "We¡¯ve already had five Shekos try to get in. Everyone who¡¯s supposedly Sheko, raise your hand and come up here."The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Sheko immediately forgot his conversation with Stein and rushed up the stairs to form a new line alongside the imposters. Mai, channeling the stern demeanor of a drill sergeant from a movie, began walking down the line of identical faces. The effect was somewhat undermined by Raggedy walking beside her, looking entirely out of place.


    Once her performance ended, Mai got straight to business. "What is your embryo¡¯s name?" she asked.


    Everyone answered in unison, "Odysseus," each adding some kind of title.


    Damn it, Sheko thought. I didn¡¯t tell her the full name.


    Mai didn¡¯t seem fazed by the variety of responses. Moving to the next question, she asked, "What does it do? Answer individually."


    Sheko tried to match the words he had used originally. "It spins stuff," he said, then added, "You thought I was disappointed with it."


    The others leaned toward him but said nothing. However, the imposter next to him added a similar anecdote, likely trying to seem credible.


    This question was enough for Mai to dismiss three of the five imposters immediately. Then, she asked the question she probably should have started with: "What is your chat app name tag?"


    The imposters visibly faltered. Both tried to explain that they hadn¡¯t shared their tags, claiming they were new and barely knew each other at the time. While their excuses were true, Sheko¡ªor rather, Kai¡ªactually had spoken with Mai in the real world.


    "Hi, Lunatic," Sheko said confidently.


    Mai silenced him by putting her index finger on his lips, then took him firmly by the arm and led him inside, ignoring the imposters¡¯ indignant shouts that he was the fake.


    "I actually met Stein outside. We should probably let him in as well," Sheko began, but Mai quickly stopped him.


    "Maybe in a moment, but just listen," she said. "I need a few minutes to rest. Finn is in the back with Jake, helping to guard the loot. Either help identify people or go to the back to help them. We already had someone slip by and almost get out."


    "This has all been going on since today?" Sheko asked.


    "No, it started yesterday," Mai replied, rubbing her temples, "but today has been so, so much worse. Why is everyone trying to get into the archives? There are so many inside that Emilia said they had to start a time limit for visitation."


    "It¡¯s probably because of the King of Sabotage and the superior jobs stuff," Sheko explained. "Honestly, I¡¯d be going crazy too if I thought I had a chance of getting one."


    "Okay, you know what? Let¡¯s go to the back, and you can fill us in on what you just said. Are you telling me that someone called the King of Sabotage is making people storm the DIN archives somehow?"


    "Yeah, I guess I didn¡¯t explain that very well. I¡¯ll wait so I don¡¯t have to repeat myself," Sheko said.


    They walked quietly for a minute before stopping in front of a dark metal door. Mai knocked on it in a peculiar rhythm, and Jake opened it from the other side.


    Before they entered, Raggedy spoke softly. "Welcome back, Sheko. We¡¯d be happy to have you back on the team."


    "Raggedy, don¡¯t make us sound desperate," Mai interjected, "but yes, I agree. It¡¯d be... nice to have you back on the team."


    "Is there even a team without me, though? It was just me and you last time," Sheko teased as they stepped into what appeared to be a fortified archive.


    "Why did you have to ruin something nice?" Mai retorted. "Anyway, yes, the two noobs who miraculously survived the raid came to me and asked to join us. They figured since we both had similar playtime to them but greatly outperformed them, we¡¯d could help them improve. Also, Nue is still with us¡ªshe¡¯s halfway to maxing out War Journalist."


    "That¡¯s good news. Anyway, I don¡¯t see any noobs here, so I guess I¡¯ll meet them later. Let me get to the superior job stuff," Sheko said.


    Finn, who had been sitting quietly with his head drooping, suddenly perked up. "What?"


    "Uncanny," Sheko murmured absentmindedly, reminded of Tsuno that morning. Refocusing, he continued, "It¡¯s all still not fully confirmed, but apparently someone killed a special NPC with a unique job and supposedly took it from them. That person claims to be the King of Sabotage. Kind of ironic to announce publicly that you¡¯re the best infiltrator, huh?"


    "Anyway, since about three hours ago¡ªreal-world time¡ªthe forums have gone absolutely wild with speculation. A group of people claiming to be wiki editors has started an in-depth investigation to gather any information they can about it."


    That¡¯s just what they call their multinational clan. One of the teams from the raid is part of it. They¡¯re pretty good¡ªthey only lost two members, and one of them was just level 50. Anyway, they came back with their two respawned members and then went to the archives. They said something similar about superior jobs. Go on."


    "Eh, yes," Sheko continued. "Well, maybe they can explain it better than me. But anyway, I think the story is pretty trustworthy since Altar''s royal family has declared that any player who kills a superior job holder will be put on the wanted list and hunted down."


    "How is that any different from what they already do against cold-blooded murder?" Jake asked.


    "Well, I think putting someone on the wanted list is supposed to be an extreme measure," Sheko replied, though he began to doubt the seriousness of the threat himself.


    "Well, I don¡¯t know about it," Mai said. "Anything else you can share?"


    "Otherwise, I think from the rumors that superior is the right term," Sheko said. "People who¡¯ve challenged NPCs with superior jobs have all confirmed that they¡¯re incredibly powerful. Powerful enough to beat high-level players with high-rank embryos.


    "It doesn¡¯t even seem to matter what job we¡¯re talking about. For instance, a Tian with a job called The Gourmont apparently managed to defeat¡ªwith great difficulty, mind you¡ªthe 10th-ranked duelist from Granvaloa. Or so the story goes."


    After that, the conversation shifted to catching up on the last three days from the Dendro side. This was followed by another round of light cursing at Phantasm and the process of handing over the loot to its rightful owners as they arrived. Fortunately, less than an hour had passed before everyone but one player had come to claim their chest.


    Finn confirmed that a majority of the remaining raid members had agreed to hand over Phantasm''s chest to Mai and Sheko.


    "I think it''s too much for us to keep it all," Sheko said. "If it¡¯s fine with you, Mai, I think we should each take one item from it and share the rest with the others."


    "Yeah, alright," Mai replied. "I was thinking something similar."


    They took the chests, and Finn handed Sheko a small pouch¡ªa temporary inventory for him to use. Heading toward the exit, they were stopped by Emilia, who held the door shut.


    "It''s that idiot, Phantasm," she said, frowning. "I don¡¯t have my sword with me, and no one else wants to take a chance with him. Mind getting it for me?"


    "Why don¡¯t you just carry your sword with you?" Sheko asked.


    "I¡¯m strong, kid, but not strong enough to lug that thing around all day. Just go get it."


    "I think I have another option," Sheko replied.


    "Please don¡¯t tell me you think you can beat him," Emilia warned. "You¡¯re quick in the air, sure, but you wouldn¡¯t kill him even if he let you try. If he could block my strike, he¡¯s way out of your league."


    "I¡¯m not sure I can¡¯t fight him," Sheko said, "but I wasn¡¯t planning to anyway." He pulled a black gem from the borrowed inventory pouch. "This was among the stuff Finn said was for us after you killed Phantasm."


    "When you say us, you include me and Nue, right?" Emilia interjected.


    Sheko hesitated but knew better than to argue. "Yes, obviously. Anyway, this is his shadow summoning medium. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll want it back. Open the door¡ªI¡¯ll talk to him. Maybe he won¡¯t assume I hate him as much as you do."


    Emilia stepped aside, and the heavy wooden door flung open. Phantasm, apparently pushing against it the whole time, stumbled in.


    "Give me my raid reward chest!" he shouted. "You can¡¯t steal my stuff like that!"


    How old is this guy? He has to be a child. There¡¯s no way an adult could be this blind.


    "You tried to steal from others," Sheko replied calmly. "This is only fair. But I¡¯m willing to talk¡ªif you stop screeching for a moment."


    "Who the hell even are you?!" Phantasm snapped. "I¡¯m here to demand my stuff from Finn, and I expect compensation as well!"


    "I¡¯m the guy you tried to steal from, you¡ª" Sheko started angrily, but Phantasm cut him off.


    "Oh, that loser who danced around doing no damage for so long you had to beg me to distract the boss so you could kill it? Good job dying to an immobile monster with less than 10% HP left."


    Sheko took a deep breath and raised the gem in his hand. "Here¡¯s the deal. You can try to take back your stuff from four battle-ready players, or you can listen. I¡¯ve got your precious summoning medium. Which means you don¡¯t, and right now, you¡¯re more bark than bite.


    "I¡¯m generous, so here¡¯s my challenge: a duel. One week from now, Dendro time. If you show up, you get your shadow back. If you win, you¡¯ll also get your loot chest from the raid. But if I win, you owe me two Lifesaving Brooches."


    "You¡¯re insane to demand that!" Phantasm scoffed, though a smirk crept onto his face. "You¡¯ve already stolen my items, and now you¡¯re holding them hostage for negotiations." He paused, chuckling to himself. "You know what? Sure, I accept. I can wait a bit longer to publicly humiliate you. I¡¯m sure you know you can¡¯t win, so you made your demands as ridiculous as the idea of you beating me."


    With that, Phantasm spun on his heel and marched away, his black trench coat flaring dramatically behind him.


    Once the bizarre master was out of earshot, Finn broke the silence. "Is he roleplaying, or is he an actual walking parody?"


    "I wish he was roleplaying," Mai replied with a sigh. "But I don¡¯t think he is. Sometimes, people are just that awful in reality. It¡¯s kind of sad that, in here, he gets superpowers to match his awful personality."


    "You should''ve made him sign a contract," Emilia said, looking after the retreating Phantasm.


    "What would that have done?" Sheko replied. "It¡¯s illegal for players to make legally binding contracts with other players for in-game actions."


    "Not a basic contract," Emilia clarified. "A magical contract. They¡¯re used everywhere in Legendria because the fey love them so much. Magical contracts bind both parties to fulfill the agreement or face a fitting penalty for breaking it."


    Mai jumped in before Sheko could respond. "How could a contract catch when there¡¯s a breach by players? What, does the game scan your brain constantly?"


    "It¡¯s not a game," Emilia said, her tone serious. "Binding contracts have caused the downfall of royal houses and even famines in the past. But yes, once a contract is formed, the magic evaluates the intent of both parties and any specific stipulations. It enforces itself when necessary."


    The group fell silent after that, none of the masters pursuing the subject further. Sheko suspected they all individually reached the same conclusion: they didn¡¯t want to know more.

 starting the party

    Sheko and the other masters had started walking but paused when they noticed Mai still standing in the doorway.


    ¡°What¡¯s the holdup?¡± Sheko asked, turning toward her. His voice was patient.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we waiting for Nue and Emilia to join us?¡± Mai asked.


    Emilia, standing behind Mai, spoke up. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll join you. There are kids around, which means no alcohol, and I¡¯m not very fond of chummy get-togethers. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll have a great story to tell the other mercenaries at the pub now that I can finally get away from that dusty archive you basically forced me into.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sorry,¡± Mai said, rubbing the back of her head. ¡°Alright, but what about Nue? She won¡¯t come either?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken with her, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯d mind too much,¡± Emilia replied.


    ¡°See? It¡¯s not a problem,¡± Sheko said. ¡°It¡¯d be nice to have her, but I don¡¯t see why you care so much. She¡¯s just an NPC, after all. This is a party for us to relax. What would an NPC even do while we talk about real-life stuff? She¡¯d just get lost.¡±


    ¡°Sheko, this isn¡¯t nice,¡± Mai said, her tone sharp. ¡°You¡¯re just cutting her out. She saved your ass¡ªyou owe her that much. You¡¯re being a bully right now. How is she different from any other raid member?¡±


    The others stood in silence, not picking a side. Mai¡¯s accusation was a deep cut, though she probably didn¡¯t realize how much it hurt Sheko. To her credit, he had learned to hide his emotions over the years. They might simmer beneath the surface, but she likely couldn¡¯t tell.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sheko said after a moment. ¡°You¡¯re right. Even if I didn¡¯t owe her for saving me from that attack, I shouldn¡¯t have said she shouldn¡¯t come. Where is she, though? We¡¯re cutting it close, right?¡± He turned to Finn.


    ¡°I¡¯m the organizer for the party, so don¡¯t worry,¡± Finn said. ¡°I¡¯m sure some of the others are even grateful we¡¯re running a bit late so they can take care of things while we¡¯re gone. But yeah, if she wants to join, she should get here soon. Let¡¯s give her, like, five minutes.¡±


    Mai turned back to Emilia. ¡°Do you know where she is?¡±


    ¡°Well, she said she had training to do,¡± Emilia replied. ¡°I approve. She has a lot of room to grow, and even if the raid was a bit too dangerous, it was a wake-up call she needed. We both did.¡±


    Emilia¡¯s gaze grew distant for a moment before she spoke again. ¡°Take a look at these.¡± She held up her wrists, showing a pair of leather cuffs studded with a ruby and a sapphire. ¡°These are telepathy cuffs. They allow you to contact your friend¡¯s corresponding pair within a limited range. The quality and size of the gems determine their grade. Anyway, she got my message. She says she¡¯s about ten minutes away from The Silly Daredevil. You can meet her there. Have fun.¡±


    The group walked along, making small talk as they did.


    ¡°What do you think Emilia meant with the whole ¡®wake-up call¡¯ thing she was talking about?¡± Mai asked, breaking the silence.


    ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s obvious,¡± Finn replied. ¡°Even the most veteran master has only been adventuring for a year and a half. Emilia¡¯s no slouch, but I think that¡¯s part of what¡¯s making her so worried. Prismo has outshined her in her area of expertise¡ªand not by a small margin either¡ªeven though she¡¯s probably a decade more experienced and over 100 levels higher than him.


    "Even if she fully understood how Prismo did so much damage, it wouldn¡¯t matter. She couldn¡¯t have accomplished the same feat, even with the kind of support I gave Prismo.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Mai said, nodding slowly. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s kind of depressing to think about. She told us she hit her limit already at level 450. What can she even do to improve? Oh, and run me through how you made Prismo deal so much damage.¡±


    Finn smiled slightly. ¡°Well, I do like explaining my embryo¡ªit¡¯s a really fun subject. Embryos in general, I mean. You know how each embryo has a name based on some Earth-based myth?¡±


    Sheko interrupted, ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re pretty fitting, but it¡¯s weird. It feels like we¡¯re outsiders in this world, bringing items and monsters with names from Earth.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, but please don¡¯t interrupt me again,¡± Finn said, clearly wanting to stay on topic. ¡°We can talk about that stylistic choice later. So, each embryo has a name, and their abilities are somewhat based on that myth. And before you ask¡ªyes, embryos can share the same myth, but their full names are always unique.


    ¡°Where the myth name seems most important is when the embryo reaches rank 4. That¡¯s the earliest point a normal embryo can develop an ultimate skill. That skill closely relates to the myth and is typically some kind of trump card that drastically alters how you use your embryo.


    ¡°My embryo is Loki, the Weaver of Lies. When Loki evolved to its 4th form, it developed the ability Killer of Truth. It lets me pay MP to redirect phenomena to someone else I¡¯m connected to via its Web of Lies ability. I knew Prismo had a big attack skill with a cooldown, so I worked with him to make it so everyone else in the raid received the cooldown instead of him.¡±


    ¡°That was a very thorough and yet still confusing explanation,¡± Mai said, quickly summarizing. ¡°So, to simplify, you basically cheated the system by making the game think someone else used Prismo¡¯s ability, so he didn¡¯t go on cooldown?¡±


    ¡°Well, if you understood it, then it wasn¡¯t that confusing, right?¡± Finn replied apologetically.


    Realizing Finn seemed bothered, Mai quickly added, ¡°No, you¡¯re right. The explanation was fine. Maybe just explain your ability separately from the whole thing about rank 4 embryos.¡±


    Finn nodded and started again. ¡°The official name people are using now is high rank for embryos at ranks 4 through 6¡ªkind of like how jobs are categorized into low rank and high rank. Rank 6 is the highest we know of. But with the new development of players being able to get superior jobs, I think there might be a rank beyond 6.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I heard that,¡± Sheko said, jumping in. ¡°Actually, just by chance, I met someone called Nate when I respawned. He said he¡¯s a duel ranker. I assume that¡¯s impressive?¡±


    "Somewhat. He probably told you how Gideon is better, right?" Jake jumped in to answer. "I saw him fight his rank match against the previous Rank 8. It was completely one-sided¡ªembarrassingly so. Nate went straight for his ultimate, transforming into a living whirlpool and crushing his opponent."


    "Ha, cool," Sheko replied succinctly. Then, steering the conversation back, he asked, "Well, back to the start of the conversation¡ªwhat could Emilia even do to compete with masters? She told us raids are a serious deal. I don''t think this raid was actually that hard, all things considered.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "We beat it with a group of barely prepared and under-leveled players. The challenge level of the game would have to grow to accommodate higher-level master. Do you think NPCs will just become useless at higher levels?"


    "Hard to tell," Finn replied honestly. "I honestly hope not. Tians are such an integral part of the game¡ªboth as quest givers and allies¡ªthat I don''t think the devs would let them become useless. But I also have no clue how they¡¯re going to prevent that when embryos are so powerful. Maybe there¡¯ll be a game-wide embryo nerf?"


    "Sounds like a recipe for disaster if you ask me," Sheko shot back. "Can you imagine the community actually accepting that?"


    "Well, there is another way to improve NPCs..." Jake trailed off before adding, "Actually, let¡¯s wait on that. Stein would be able to explain it a little better."


    Finally, the party of masters arrived at The Silly Daredevil, fashionably late. They walked through the door of a small hut at the edge of the food district, only to find that the interior revealed a space much larger than what the hut¡¯s exterior could possibly accommodate.


    "Cool! A space-compressed restaurant!" Mai exclaimed.


    Sheko followed her, awe in his voice. "How common is that? This is Legendria, nation of magic, after all."


    A broad-shouldered, red-skinned, Tiefling-looking bartender spoke from behind the bar. "Always fun to have newcomers impressed by my little abode. And no, buildings like this one are very rare in Dendro. Space manipulation is something pretty uncommon."


    "Sheko, Mai, meet Chris," Finn said, introducing the man. "He¡¯s the proud owner of The Silly Daredevil and the first player restaurant owner in Legendria."


    As if on cue, steam carrying tantalizing smells wafted from the kitchen behind Chris.


    The other raid members had already settled at six round tables, some biting into appetizers made with special ingredients exclusive to Dendro. Some ingredients were simple, like blue tomatoes, while others were completely alien¡ªwhat Sheko assumed were huge steamed insects. It seemed most players shared his opinion that the latter was too weird to try.


    Fortunately for Sheko, there were also simpler dishes he could eat to fill up.


    The raid members turned toward the doorway to greet the incoming group. Jake and Finn joined their respective party members, while Sheko sat at an empty table. He was surprised when Mai chose a different table to talk with others.


    Why did I sit down here? I thought this was like a wedding, where the tables are set in groups. That was stupid. Well, where¡¯s Stein? At least Jake said he had something interesting to share, Sheko thought, glancing around.


    He quickly spotted Stein in his cloak and realized that Mai had sat at the same table. Now I look desperate for company. Well, it¡¯s not like I actually have much else to do here.


    As Sheko was about to stand and walk over to Stein¡¯s table, someone sat down across from him. Sheko didn¡¯t recognize them at all, but they quickly broke the silence, offering a handshake.


    "Yusa, from the Wiki Editors clan, Legendaria branch¡ªobviously. I wanted to ask about your embryo. It¡¯s something we do as we try to map out the game. You don¡¯t have to answer any questions, but you¡¯ll get a 10% discount on your meal if you do," Yusa said.


    Finn, overhearing the mention of a discount, chimed in from his table. "Don¡¯t worry about it, Sheko. It¡¯s already been paid for. Pay me back later. Believe me, covering for a party is much cheaper than paying per meal."


    Well, I don¡¯t know. This place looks fancy. What if there¡¯s nothing I actually like to eat here? Sheko shrugged off the thought and turned his attention back to Yusa.


    Just then, dishes began streaming out of the kitchen, carried by a squadron of jade statues that reminded Sheko of old plastic army man toys.


    "Oh, I think I remember you now," Sheko said to Yusa. "You were the guy controlling the jade soldiers. Do you work here?"


    "Yes, most people recognize me by my embryo. I sometimes help here. The Silly Daredevil doubles as our clan base now. Can we refocus?" Yusa replied.


    "I don¡¯t know... Giving all the details about my embryo feels kind of wrong. I like saving it as a surprise for anyone who wants to pick a fight with me," Sheko admitted.


    "You mean like how you requested a duel with Phantasm?"


    "Wow, they didn¡¯t waste a second spilling the beans," Sheko said, shaking his head.


    "Well, it¡¯s probably going to be entertaining. Seriously, no one likes Phantasm. I actually have a theory about him and his embryo, but it¡¯s against clan policy to speculate on stuff like that. Let¡¯s make a deal¡ªI¡¯ll share what I know on a few subjects and let you know when I think I¡¯ve shared enough. In exchange, you answer some questions first," Yusa offered.


    "Okay, fine. Let¡¯s begin," Sheko agreed.


    "First question¡ªwhen did your embryo awaken, and how?"


    "Somewhat of a two-for-one question," Sheko replied. "Honestly, it¡¯s been, like, what... three or four days ago in real-world time? I grinded with someone for a few hours, then returned to town to meet his friends. I remember it pretty well because they apparently kidnapped someone, and I ended up freeing them.


    "Their leader, a centaur with a mechanical lower half, tried to stomp my head. My embryo awakened and made him miss, but he immediately attacked again and killed me."


    "Ah, that¡¯s actually interesting. You¡¯re a triggered awakening," Yusa noted.


    "What does that mean?" Sheko asked.


    "Not too much," Yusa explained. "But there¡¯s a higher chance of getting special-type embryos when it happens, from what we¡¯ve seen so far."


    "Well, mine is a territory-arms hybrid, but I assume you¡¯re talking about something like Maiden or Angel types?"


    "Yes. Didn¡¯t realize you¡¯re well-read. Let¡¯s jump ahead to my next question¡ªdo you think you had a counter awakening?"


    "I¡¯ve had time to read, and I like theory crafting," Sheko admitted. "Anyway, no, I¡¯m almost sure I didn¡¯t. From what I understand, the concept of counter awakening means your embryo is made to counter someone else¡¯s. But I didn¡¯t even know what the centaur guy¡¯s embryo was. Even now, the best I¡¯ve got is that it¡¯s some kind of control over the four elements. My embryo isn¡¯t a very good match-up for that."


    "Well, that¡¯s rough. But what does your embryo do? Maybe you¡¯re missing something," Yusa suggested.


    "I don¡¯t know about that. But anyway, it¡¯s my turn for some questions," Sheko said, shifting the focus back. "Jake told me Stein knows about some way to power up Tians or at least offset the broken balance embryos cause."


    "Okay, that¡¯s pretty vague, but I think he was talking about UBM rewards," Yusa replied. "Actually, that makes some sense¡ªas a way to balance masters and Tians. Like with superior jobs, our alliance has already gathered some info about UBMs and UBM reward holders, both Tians and masters."


    It¡¯s like he¡¯s dangling bait in front of me, Sheko thought.


    "I remember Emilia mentioning UBMs along with raid bosses, mostly to explain how different they are," Sheko said.


    "Well, she¡¯s right," Yusa continued. "UBMs are unique event monsters the devs release every so often. This fits with what Tians told us¡ªthat there¡¯s been an uptick in UBMs ever since masters started appearing in droves.


    "Anyway, UBMs come in four tiers: Epic, Legendary, Ancient Legendary, and Mythical. They¡¯re incredibly tricky to defeat. A lot of them have abilities similar to embryos. People usually like to keep it a secret if they own a UBM reward. Stein¡¯s a bit of an exception in that regard.


    "Epics are hard to beat, but with good compatibility or a well-prepared group, they can be defeated. I think that¡¯s a big part of why Stein advertises his UBM reward so much. According to him, he beat his solo. The coat he got from it gives him inhaled poison immunity and lets him generate most gases passively..." Yusa paused, glancing toward Stein¡¯s table before adding aloud, "Which is just a little bit rude to do when there¡¯s good food going around."


    Stein immediately replied, clearly annoyed, "You could just ask. I didn¡¯t realize it was bothering anyone."


    Yusa turned back to continue his explanation about UBMs, but the door suddenly opened, drawing everyone''s attention. A familiar figure stood in the doorway. Kaizo.


    Though he wasn¡¯t in his centaur form at the moment, Sheko recognized him instantly. Any lingering doubt disappeared as the rest of Kaizo¡¯s group¡ªincluding GesStar and his sister¡ªentered the room. Tsuno commented on the size of the building as they walked in.


    Yusa started speaking again but stopped when he realized Sheko wasn¡¯t listening. Sheko¡¯s eyes were on Finn, who had stood up to greet GesStar and welcome the group to the party, joking about their tardiness.

 Unwelcome Guests And Uproaries Celebration

    Why are they here? I thought this place was reserved for the raid party. There¡¯s no way I would¡¯ve missed them in the raid. Even if I don¡¯t remember half the faces here, I¡¯d at least somewhat remember them. I¡¯ve been grinding as hard as I could, setting up Tsuno to follow him, and now he¡¯s right here. I wanted to ambush him, attack him right in the middle of town like he did to me. If he recognizes me, I won¡¯t get a chance to do that.


    While the group was talking, a familiar figure snuck into the restaurant. Nue finally made it, quickly sitting down with Mai and seamlessly joining her conversation with Stein as if she had been there from the start.


    The group finished their greetings at the door with Finn, all the while Sheko stared daggers at Kaizo. He spared a moment to glare at his sister for not telling him they were coming. Tsuno caught his stare and took a step to hide behind GesStar. They followed Finn to the empty table Sheko had left. GesStar was saying something, his tone apologetic, while Finn replied in a strained voice, ¡°Yes, I heard you the first two times¡ªyou¡¯re sorry. Just, at least announce next time if you aren¡¯t coming. You¡¯re lucky that I value new players getting to enjoy the game over my own fun. You definitely would¡¯ve gotten killed if you¡¯d brought her to the raid.¡±


    Kaizo interjected, even though Finn was talking to GesStar. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. Your lineup looked kind of stacked for a beginner-area raid.¡±


    At this, Nue stood up, offended by the insinuation that the raid had been easy. ¡°My mother has fought in other raids before this one. She said that all raids can pose danger, even for veterans.¡±


    ¡°Your mom? Come on, what would she know?¡± Kaizo shot back. ¡°Listen, I¡¯ve been playing almost since launch. There absolutely are beginner dungeons and bosses. I didn¡¯t get the chance to go on a raid, but I bet I know almost as much as someone¡¯s mom¡ªconsidering everyone has, at most, a bit over two years of experience.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe you don¡¯t have someone to teach you respect,¡± Nue retorted. ¡°But if you lot had any formal training, Phantasm wouldn¡¯t have been able to join. In any normal sense, our raid lost more than half its members. If you weren¡¯t immortal, we wouldn¡¯t be having a celebration but a funeral. My mom wasn¡¯t even going all out, and she still contributed more than most of the Masters.¡± Nue turned dismissively back to the appetizers on the table, gulping down a steaming gyoza.


    Kaizo seemed stunned for a moment before comprehension dawned on his face. His voice was heavy with condescension as he replied, ¡°You¡¯re a Tian, right? I bet you¡¯d say you helped even if you had players carrying you on their back the entire fight.¡±


    He raised his hand forcefully, stopping Nue from replying, and continued as he began walking away from his group toward Sheko, still talking. ¡°I don¡¯t care for a Tian to argue with me on this again. Leave it be¡ªI won¡¯t be convinced. We caught the second half of your raid, but other than Phantasm¡¯s attitude, I don¡¯t understand. It¡¯s just a game, guys. I don¡¯t see how you would¡¯ve changed things so much as to save most of the people that died in the raid, anyhow.¡±


    Kaizo paused and stopped in front of Sheko, waiting for a handshake.


    This guy is obnoxious. He¡¯s right on some things, but he has zero tact. Maybe he just doesn¡¯t care. Still, I¡¯d rather not fight him now, so I¡¯ll humor him.


    Sheko turned in his chair to face Kaizo. His eyes initially locked on Kaizo¡¯s belly before he looked up and met Kaizo¡¯s gaze as they shook hands.


    ¡°Tsuno told us you¡¯re her brother,¡± Kaizo said. ¡°Nice to meet you. I hope talent runs in the family. Very impressive acrobatics in the raid¡ªsad you weren¡¯t high-level enough to deal much damage.¡±


    ¡°Well, thanks,¡± Sheko replied, his tone neutral. ¡°Though that sounds a bit hollow when you just said it was a raid for beginners.¡±


    ¡°Why are you taking it hard? Most of you are beginners, after all. And for that, you definitely should celebrate being able to beat it on your first try.¡±


    Nue whispered behind them to Mai and Stein, loud enough for Sheko and likely Kaizo to hear. She laughed at the idea of a raid failing on its first try being an expected outcome.


    Well, I mean, realistically, she¡¯s right. You should never fight to the death in a losing battle if you have a choice. But this is still a game¡ªnot everyone has to play perfectly.


    Kaizo immediately flared up at the comment. ¡°Shut up. You shouldn¡¯t even be here. This should be a party for Masters.¡±


    Sheko seized the chance to deflect. ¡°Why are you arguing with her? You said yourself there¡¯s no point arguing with a Tian, right? Anyway, last I checked, this was a party for the raid¡ªall of us. We came together one random day, wandered into some random caves, and immediately assumed we¡¯d found a raid. Why are you here, though?¡±


    GesStar stepped between Sheko and Kaizo, effectively separating them. ¡°He¡¯s part of my party. Finn invited me, which was kind of him, and I¡¯m sorry we¡¯re being poor guests. Right?¡±


    Kaizo stopped, took a deep breath, and then replied, ¡°Yes, I guess you¡¯re right. Still, it¡¯s just a game. Sounds to me like Phantasm is excluded while he got replaced by an NPC. He¡¯s still a player. Even if he wasn¡¯t the best teammate, he still helped.¡±


    Finn sighed, visibly exasperated. ¡°You know what? I¡¯m getting tired of explaining this to anyone who asks about Phantasm. Anyone here actually think he should be here?¡± He paused, looking around. ¡°Anyone? Does anyone want to explain why he isn¡¯t welcome?¡±


    The party fell silent. After a moment, Sheko decided to speak. ¡°Phantasm didn¡¯t just have an attitude problem. I¡¯ll start by saying that, from what we¡¯ve seen, he might¡¯ve been the strongest participant in the raid. He would¡¯ve been invaluable to us if he weren¡¯t the worst kind of player to encounter. I watched the recording of the raid. Unfortunately, it missed the start of it¡ª¡±


    Someone piped up from another table, ¡°Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sheko replied to the interruption before continuing. ¡°What it missed was Phantasm running straight for the boss with his team¡ªwhich, correct me if I¡¯m wrong, were illusions¡ªand starting the fight before we had any chance to come up with a strategy or proper positioning. A bunch of people died for nothing because of him. Maybe, if that was all, I could forgive him. But then he tried to steal loot. I don¡¯t know if he chose it on purpose or by chance, but he tried to take my raid reward. Thankfully, I have a wonderful and attentive teammate who noticed it in time. Honestly, I kind of wish I¡¯d survived just to see the beatdown that followed, even if all my limbs were barely attached at that point.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sounds reasonable not to invite him and to kill him in response,¡± Kaizo said, nodding slightly. ¡°But you should¡¯ve made agreements about how to share the loot in the end. I mean, lots of other people died besides you. What did you do with their loot?¡±


    ¡°We handed it to their teammates. Mostly, we put the loot from the teams that got wiped out with Emilia, which was very gracious of her.¡± Sheko nodded toward Nue.


    ¡°And who is Emilia, exactly? Someone you trusted so much with all that loot?¡± Kaizo asked, his tone carrying an unusual sincerity.


    ¡°Nue¡¯s mom,¡± Sheko answered simply, pointing toward Nue, as he hadn¡¯t actually been told her name.


    ¡°So, you left all that loot with a random NPC who¡¯s part of your team? How is that much better than Phantasm stealing your loot?¡± Kaizo finished, his voice cutting through the room.


    The accusation sparked an eruption of shouts from players at various tables. Some rebutted the claim, arguing that they had received their loot chests from Emilia without issue. Others sided with Kaizo, voicing suspicion over whether leaving such a large share of loot with an NPC had really been the right call.


    Finn and GesStar shouted together, ¡°Stop that!¡±


    Then Finn continued, ¡°This should¡¯ve been done in a much more relaxed environment, but we were planning to open the loot chests from the start anyway. To remove all suspicion¡ªwhich, I assure you, is misplaced¡ªwe¡¯ll open the loot together in celebration. Is that okay with everyone?¡±


    Everyone voiced their agreement, though some were far more enthusiastic than others.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it in ranking order,¡± Finn proposed. ¡°Everyone who died in the first phase goes first, then the second phase, and finally¡ª¡± Finn paused for effect. ¡°Third phase.¡± He said this last part dismissively, as if the final phase barely mattered.


    ¡°I was hoping we could wait for the last person who hasn¡¯t arrived yet¡ªnot including your mom, Nue, of course.¡± Finn¡¯s words were casual but carried a note of welcome. Nue simply nodded, acknowledging both the sentiment and the exclusion.


    Stein then stood up from his seat as conversations speculating about the rewards filled the room. ¡°Yeah, I just got an update from them. Phantasm ambushed them to force them to tell him where we put the loot¡ªand then killed them.¡±


    The room shook as almost everyone struck their tables in outrage at the bad news.


    Sheko spoke up, trying to cut through the tension. ¡°Well, not to steal the spotlight, but at least I¡¯ve got him locked into a duel in a week. I hope you all come to watch. I¡¯m not so sure about my chances, but he doesn¡¯t seem very skilled, so I promise I¡¯ll give him a good thrashing. Now, let¡¯s get on with the main event!¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The group cheered again as the first-phase victims pulled out their simple copper-lined chests from their inventories. The sight was comical, reminiscent of old cartoons, as they seemed to produce the large chests from tiny traveling packs or purses. The chests started small but grew to their original size as soon as they were removed from the inventories.


    The party waited eagerly as the first-phase victims prepared to open their chests. They called out in unison, ¡°Three¡­ two¡­ one!¡± and opened them simultaneously. A golden light flashed across their faces before their expressions soured.


    One of them shouted across the room, ¡°There¡¯s barely anything in here! Just a leather bag, some potions, and some sort of fancy pin. What the hell? You were right¡ªthey ripped us off!¡±


    Some of the raid members shouted in agreement, while others looked stunned.


    ¡°Stop that! Stop it! You weren¡¯t robbed¡ªinspect that pin!¡± Jake shouted, his voice cutting through the noise.


    The player who had accused them grumbled but picked up the pin anyway. His eyes widened in surprise as he examined it. ¡°It¡¯s a Life-Saving Brooch! How much did you say these were worth?¡±


    Jake replied quickly and authoritatively, ¡°Life-Saving Brooches can only be found from strong bosses. Their supply is very limited. At the cheapest, they¡¯re worth 5,000,000 lir.¡±


    The entire raid erupted in cheers at this explanation. The happy new owners quickly pocketed their brooches before anyone could get any ideas about stealing them.


    Even the first-phase victims received a reward worth 5 million lir. My entire kit was worth less than 20,000. Either I haven¡¯t noticed that the economy is broken, or that sounds like enough money to get top-tier gear up to the mid-game¡ªmaybe even better, Sheko thought.


    While the rest of the first-phase victims finished securing their rewards, one member sat frozen in shock. She finally revealed what had surprised her so much: a clear crystal jewelry box. She placed it on the table for everyone to see. Inside, on a red pillow, sat ten small emerald apples.


    ¡°What is it?¡± one of the other victims asked impatiently.


    The girl, whom Sheko finally recognized as the one who had destroyed the forest clearing, opened the box and picked up one of the cut gems. ¡°It just says it¡¯s a Sacred Apple Tree Seed. It says my perception isn¡¯t high enough to know more. What does that even mean? I didn¡¯t know there was a perception attribute.¡±


    This time, Kaizo offered an explanation. ¡°Perception is a hidden attribute, like defense power or attack power. It¡¯s derived from other attributes, mostly dexterity. There are also several skills that improve perception, either generally or in specific cases¡ªlike the Researcher job, which boosts perception for gaining info on monsters.¡±


    I should write that down, Sheko thought. I don¡¯t know if I really plan on getting a job for perception, but it could be important in case there are cursed items or monsters with really dangerous abilities.


    A moment later, Chris came from behind the counter carrying some first-course meals and a mysterious box. The box glowed orange, like the embers of a fireplace, through intricate engravings that resembled ancient Greek mosaics.


    "You can let Hestia inspect one of those seeds, and we¡¯ll know what they do by the end of the party," Chris said. "I promise you¡¯ll be able to take it back later or redeem items from the clan hall based on their value¡ªplus a tip for bringing something new."


    Noticing Sheko''s confusion about the clan hall, Yuso began explaining. ¡°It¡¯s not something all clans do¡ªit¡¯s unique to ours, or at least to how Hestia does it. She¡¯s Chris¡¯s embryo and the reason this building is larger on the inside. She enhances the building¡¯s durability and facilitates the clan¡¯s reward system.


    ¡°You see, you can either bring in completed missions or donate items to the clan to earn additional rewards, with a share going to Chris. You can then redeem these rewards¡ªusually, the items gain some fire- or healing-based enhancements.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± Sheko said. ¡°It¡¯s like you guys get double rewards. How doesn¡¯t that break the economy if you can just drop a normal sword and get a magic fire sword out of it?¡±


    Yuso laughed. ¡°Well, for one, it takes time for Hestia to process requests. She¡¯s gotten a lot better since the early days, but it¡¯s still not immediate. And Chris prefers to keep this place chill and enjoyable for himself and his friends. If he had to constantly make swords to sell, he¡¯d be miserable. For now, only clan members are allowed to use the system.¡±


    Is this a recruitment pitch? Well, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have issues if I do join them, so why not? Sheko thought. ¡°So, are you recruiting for your clan?¡±


    ¡°We almost always are, but we only allow members in after running them through a check¡ªmostly focused on their embryos. We usually recruit veteran players. Temmi is an exception because she has a Maiden-type embryo. As you saw in the raid, she¡¯s no joke. We¡¯re pretty sure she was able to destroy the forest because of her rare type. You were quite impressive yourself, but rules are rules.¡±


    So it¡¯s back to questions? Well, this is probably a much better deal than just answering a few questions I could ask. If I¡¯m part of their clan, they¡¯d have a reason not to reveal what Odysseus does as well.


    ¡°Fine, but let¡¯s talk about it after the party,¡± Sheko replied.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s get on to the second phase!¡± Jake called.


    Time to see what I got, Sheko thought as he took out the silvery chest from his borrowed inventory. He couldn¡¯t feel the strain on his muscles, but it was heavy, taking him a few seconds to extract it. Others had similar issues. One of the lucky noobs who survived the first phase even had to ask for help pulling his chest out. When they were finally set down, the chests thumped heavily on the tables.


    The devs are crazy for actually making these out of metal¡ªthey¡¯re huge, Sheko thought.


    Just as he was about to open his chest, he noticed the winged boot symbol engraved onto its clasp. ¡°Hey, Finn, you got a clue about this symbol?¡± Sheko asked, slowly pushing the chest to show Finn.


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Finn replied. ¡°The top rankers got that to signify an extra reward. Now let¡¯s see what you got.¡±


    Sheko didn¡¯t delay further and opened the chest. Inside, he found a sheet of crystal feathers. Wait, is that... He reached in and pulled out a giant wing¡ªpart of the Alicorn¡¯s wing. While it was larger than Kaizo¡¯s massive frame, the Alicorn¡¯s full wings were each double that size.


    Mai stood from her seat to congratulate Sheko, while a few others sneaked touches of the wing to inspect it. Sheko confirmed through inspection that it was indeed the ¡°Crystal Alicorn¡¯s Wing.¡± As suggestions for its use flew at him, Sheko grinned. I already know what I¡¯m going to make with it. This will look so good as a duster coat.


    Once the wing was removed, taking up almost all the free space in his borrowed inventory, the rest of the chest¡¯s contents were revealed: four leather bags filled with gems, a Life-Saving Brooch, potions for HP, MP, and SP, and three all-purpose elixirs to remove debuffs. Not like I need those with Mai around, Sheko mused. Additionally, there was a topaz unicorn horn wrapped in silk, labeled Juvenile Topaz Unicorn Horn. The name made Sheko feel a little bad.


    Finally, the main event was at hand. Sheko¡¯s reveal had been distracting, but everyone knew the raid winners¡ªthose who went the whole way¡ªwere about to become very wealthy.


    The winners took a moment to confer before Finn addressed the group. ¡°We decided that, since Sheko¡¯s reward was special, we¡¯ll split the final phase rewards between the category toppers and the rest, to give the toppers the respect they deserve as well.¡±


    Sheko rose from his place to look at what Mai had received, while Temmi and a girl Sheko hadn¡¯t noticed before moved beside Nue, awkwardly asking for permission to see her rewards.


    These chests were true works of art, crafted entirely out of gemstones. The flat tops bore replicas of the giant mural from the cave, while the clasps featured intricate artwork depicting seven unicorns, each in a different color. The designs alone drew another round of gasps from the gathered participants, building anticipation for the great rewards within.


    When the chests were opened, the anticipation proved well-founded. Each participant received not one but two Life-Saving Brooches. In addition, there were eight leather bags, which someone eventually opened to reveal large, perfectly cut gems. The chests also contained potions of noticeably higher quality than those from the earlier phases. Beyond these, the group found four unicorn horns in different colors, similar to the one Sheko had received. If the logic held, there should have been two or three more horns if the boss¡¯s own horn was part of the loot.


    The top rankers stood up from their tables, gathering together to open their chests. Seeing this, Sheko joined them.


    ¡°We already saw what you got,¡± Finn called out, sounding somewhat confused as to why Sheko was joining the group.


    Sheko didn¡¯t respond immediately. Instead, he reached into his inventory and pulled out Phantasm¡¯s chest. Its clasp was marked with a symbol of a broken heart, signifying that he had tanked the most damage during the raid.


    Realizing Sheko¡¯s intent, Finn grabbed his arm and whispered, ¡°You promised to give that back to him if he wins the duel. You just said you¡¯re probably going to lose. You can¡¯t take this stuff¡ªwhere¡¯s your honor?¡±


    ¡°Down in that cave,¡± Sheko replied flatly. ¡°When I was close to passing out from stress, Phantasm was holding out on helping us just to get extra rewards. Anyway, I don¡¯t plan to take his stuff. I¡¯m just going to look at what he got.¡±


    Finn sighed but relented. ¡°Fine, but it¡¯s your responsibility to guard it. If you lose it¡ªon purpose or otherwise¡ªI¡¯m not letting you join the next raid. I¡¯m starting to understand how someone who decides to break their own limbs to stay alive thinks. You know healing broken bones is really difficult here, right? Even high-rank healer jobs can¡¯t do it on command. You probably would¡¯ve had to die anyway, unless you were planning to play around in a wheelchair for a month or two.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Sheko agreed. ¡°You always have the final decision on who gets to join your raids, so it¡¯s only reasonable. I¡¯ll keep in mind not to get broken bones the next time I fight.¡±


    Finally, they opened the chests. The rewards were the same as before, with the exception of the rank-specific rewards.


    Prismo received the boss''s horn. Unlike the other horns, this one was the size of a lance, almost as long as the wing Sheko had received. It was made of diamond and seemed to shift colors on its own, shimmering with an ethereal glow.


    Finn''s reward was an oblong gemstone, dark purple in color, with black flames rising from its base to the surface before dissipating. He held it up, inspecting it closely. ¡°I guess it¡¯s an egg? That makes sense. I¡¯m mostly support, so getting an ally to help me fight seems reasonable.¡±


    The prize for most healing went to Finn¡¯s friend, who received a glowing miniature replica of the mural. It perfectly captured the mural¡¯s appearance when it was healing the unicorn before the group had destroyed it.


    Finally, against Finn¡¯s better judgment, Sheko opened Phantasm¡¯s chest. The contents drew everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Hair?¡± Sheko questioned aloud, lifting a shimmering strand from the chest.


    The moment he touched it, the strand cut his finger slightly. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s sharp.¡± He took a moment to inspect the strands more carefully, realizing they were flexible threads of gemstones. Like Prismo¡¯s horn, the strands constantly shifted colors.


    ¡°This is cool and all,¡± Sheko continued, ¡°but what does the unicorn¡¯s hair have to do with tanking damage?¡±


    Prismo answered as if it were obvious. ¡°The unicorn¡¯s mane kept changing colors. Whenever I hit it with an element that matched the color, the unicorn was completely unphased. You can probably make a shield¡ªor maybe a whip¡ªout of it.¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± Sheko declared with a grin, ¡°I have all the more reason to actually beat Phantasm now. Who¡¯s with me?¡±


    Surprisingly, despite Sheko¡¯s declaration being one of the most selfish things someone could say, some people cheered. It was both impressive and disheartening to see how quickly people would support something if it hurt someone they didn¡¯t like.

 Preparing For The Duel

    Once the chest-opening ceremony was over, Sheko was about to return to his seat to finish his chat with Yuso. However, he was stopped by GesStar, whose expression was unreadable since his avatar had a skull for a face.


    ¡°We need to talk. In private, please. It¡¯s important,¡± GesStar said, his tone serious and more urgent than Sheko had ever seen.


    ¡°Okay, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s made you so alarmed, but I¡¯ll come with you,¡± Sheko replied, trying to mask any signs of stress. Does he know I want to ambush them? Did Tsuno tell him about it? She¡¯s known these people for one day, and she¡¯s already betraying me?


    GesStar led him toward the tavern''s stairs. Though the building appeared to be a single story from the outside, Hestia¡¯s modifications seemed to disregard such limitations to accommodate the guests. Yuso said they also have a private hall. How big is this place?


    Once they were out of earshot of the rest of the party, GesStar sighed and began, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s about your sister...¡±


    Thinking he understood immediately, Sheko jumped to defend her. ¡°I know she¡¯s prone to anger, but it¡¯s manageable, and I think she¡¯s trying.¡±


    GesStar paused, momentarily stunned by Sheko¡¯s response, before shaking his head and continuing. ¡°That¡¯s not what I was going to talk about. Honestly, I haven¡¯t seen anything like that from her. No, I¡¯m worried because of her embryo. Did she tell you anything about it?¡±


    ¡°No. I know she wanted a Maiden, but I think she would¡¯ve told me if she got one. I thought she might be sulking in secret or maybe she hasn¡¯t gotten it yet.¡±


    GesStar considered his words carefully before replying. ¡°She did get it, and I don¡¯t think she¡¯s unhappy with the outcome. But that¡¯s what worries me. She got a Gardner-type embryo¡ªa marble golem... with your face.¡±


    Sheko¡¯s thoughts scrambled. What does that mean? Embryos are supposed to be based on a person¡¯s personality. Feeling a deep sense of unease, he asked, ¡°What do you think this could mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll start by telling you what Tsuno said, since her perspective shouldn¡¯t be entirely dismissed¡ªdistorted or dishonest as it might be. She said she looks up to you and values your opinions very deeply.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good explanation. It could be much worse, but I should probably tell her not to put me on a pedestal... almost literally like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear you think so,¡± GesStar replied, ¡°but that doesn¡¯t erase all my concerns. For one, you¡¯re an adult¡ªyou could be lying to me."


    ¡°Rude. Well... a little,¡± Sheko said with a weak laugh. ¡°Sorry, please continue.¡±


    ¡°Second, it has more to do with embryo personality theory. Everyone has their own interpretation of how embryos work; it¡¯s literally impossible not to. From what I can tell, Gardner-type embryos, in particular, usually manifest from their master¡¯s feelings of neglect or a need for protection.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for coming to me with this before jumping to conclusions. I¡¯m not sure what to say to Tsuno about it, but I¡¯ll try to find the right words. I¡¯m not the best at voicing my feelings... especially the ones I find hard to accept myself. Oh, I¡¯ll tell someone if I don¡¯t like them¡ªI might even mock them¡ªbut when it¡¯s something important, I freeze up.¡±


    "Well, you should think about working on that. I don¡¯t want to pressure you, but I¡¯ll check with Tsuno to see if you¡¯ve talked. Not now, of course¡ªI¡¯ll give you some time, but don¡¯t forget it. Anyway, I heard you¡¯ve got a duel coming up in a week. I tried getting some info on Phantasm since I plan on watching your fight. From what I¡¯ve found, surpassing level 500 generally requires a superior job. That makes me believe he has a truly horrifying embryo. You probably won¡¯t close that level gap even if you forgo sleep entirely. So, what¡¯s your plan?"


    "Honestly, I haven¡¯t thought about it much," Sheko admitted. "I¡¯ve got a cockatrice eye that I could maybe use to petrify him. Or, I could just make it a timed duel and run away until the time¡¯s up."


    "Both are terrible ideas," GesStar said flatly. "The first might work, but I doubt it. His END is probably high enough to completely resist petrification. If he has any equipment with protection against it, it¡¯ll definitely fail. As for the second idea, yeah, you can¡¯t do that. You¡¯re the challenger¡ªhe gets to dictate the type of duel."


    "I see. Well, I guess dying again won¡¯t be the worst. My track record¡¯s already bad," Sheko said dejectedly.


    "Don¡¯t be like that. Where¡¯s the crazy pirouette that distracted a raid boss for five minutes?"


    "But you already said I can¡¯t make it a timed fight. I barely did any damage to the boss during the raid. I did less damage than some level 50 noobs!"


    "I wasn¡¯t talking about damage; I was talking about spirit. Don¡¯t give up. You have potential. I suggest you focus on learning how to duel as much as possible. Go to the arena and make it a show. Give everything you¡¯ve got to capture the attention of the regulars. If you convince them to duel you, it¡¯ll be worth as much as ten raids¡ªwell, maybe."


    "You think you can help me with that? I mean, making a show?"


    GesStar stared blankly for a moment, tilting his head slightly. "Sorry, still not fully adjusted to this avatar. I was thinking... yeah, I think I can help. But you¡¯ll have to bring your best. Some people in the arena know me. If they see me going easy on you, they¡¯ll lose interest."


    "I think I¡¯ll be fine. You¡¯re a geomancer throwing rocks. I¡¯ve seen how they move. They¡¯re fast for giant boulders, but I¡¯ve gotten much faster since the last time we met."


    "Last time we met?" GesStar asked, puzzled.


    "Ha...? It wasn¡¯t long ago. In the forest clearing¡ªwe met by coincidence while hunting kobolds in different spots. I was going to bleed out, and you gave me a potion."


    "Oh yeah, I think I remember now. That quest was a chore. Apparently, a master was behind it all. He was farming monsters in one area and released his kobolds to hunt players and NPCs."


    "Wait, hunting NPCs? Why do that? Sounds like being evil for the sake of evil. And a quest? I thought you were doing it because Kaizo made you."


    "For your first question, don¡¯t tell others, but Tians are worth a lot of EXP. Like, way too much for their average strength. As for the second... yes, technically Kaizo told me to finish that quest. I screwed up our last job because. Of. You," GesStar said, pausing between each word. "You made me lose two days playing cat and mouse with that fat dragon. I¡¯m not forgetting that. Now, about those leather bags with the gems¡ª"


    Damn it, why did I remind him?


    "Yeah, what about those?"


    "I want one of them. Repayment for the potion and my time."


    "That¡¯s insane, dude! You said the potion was a gift. And it¡¯s not my fault I noticed you were kidnapping someone!"


    "Fine. Half a bag. Half a bag, or I¡¯m not helping you get noticed in the arena."


    "Damn it, fine. But this is payment. You give me at least two hours of your time in the arena. I want to train against you as well."


    "Sure. So, are we done here?" GesStar asked, starting toward the stairs.


    Sheko followed him, handing over five zircons from one of his gem bags.


    When they reached the first floor, they were surprised to see the dining hall transformed. Instead of the well-lit space filled with dining tables and chairs, there was now a raised fighting ring made of basalt in the center of the room. The room itself had been altered to emphasize the ring.


    Inside it, a duo of small jade soldiers¡ªone with a spear and the other with a bow¡ªfaced off against a marble golem of ...


    me? That has to be Tsuno¡¯s embryo, like GesStar said. Seeing it for myself makes this so much more surreal. I get why it worried him so much now. Not to mention, she hasn¡¯t even seen my in-game avatar to base him on. But he has a chiseled body like some Greek hero myth.


    The fight was already underway, and cracks covered the marble doppelganger. One of its palms was missing, and a deep crack ran along the shoulder on that same side. In contrast, the jade soldiers remained unharmed. They appeared to be giving the golem a moment to recover, as it was clearly losing the fight.


    Confused by what he was seeing, Sheko quickly caught up to GesStar and asked, "What¡¯s going on here?"


    "This is a variant of summoner duels adapted for masters," GesStar explained. "We call it Gardner duels. Yeah, it¡¯s not the most creative name, but it¡¯s fun and relatively safe. There aren¡¯t always enough arenas available for proper duels, but at least with Gardner-type embryos, they have healing as a built-in feature¡ªusually. Then again, with embryos, it¡¯s more about exceptions than rules.


    "Anyway, in Gardner duels, each master puts up their embryo, and they fight it out, usually until one submits. That way, the loss isn¡¯t too devastating."Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Okay, that explains part of it," Sheko said. "But how is it fair to pit Tsuno against Yuso? He has way more experience and is probably close to fourth rank, while Tsuno is only first rank."


    "Yuso isn¡¯t using his full strength," GesStar pointed out. "His other soldiers are still busy catering the event."


    Sheko glanced around and noticed GesStar was right. Several jade soldiers were still moving among the crowd, serving drinks and snacks.


    "And second," GesStar continued, "Tsuno might actually have this in the bag. The golem¡¯s been resting for about 30 seconds now. I think it¡¯s ready."


    Sheko was about to ask what GesStar meant when the marble golem suddenly dashed forward. The jade soldiers were caught off guard but managed to react in time. The archer released an arrow aimed at the golem¡¯s cracked shoulder, but the golem seemed to anticipate the attack, sliding beneath it.


    The spearman attempted to intercept the golem, thrusting his spear toward its face. However, the golem dived even lower, landing on its hands and spin-kicking the spearman off his feet. Before the archer could release another arrow, the golem struck its arm with a punch, disrupting its aim.


    At the same time, the golem grabbed the butt of the spearman¡¯s weapon. Despite fighting for control of the spear with only one arm against the soldier¡¯s two, the golem was winning!


    The archer dropped its bow and drew a short sword, lunging at the golem. Somehow, the golem moved even faster than it had moments ago, launching a high kick at the jade soldier¡¯s head. The attack was obvious, and the soldier blocked it with its forearm before delivering a downward slash.


    The golem twisted its body, dragging the other soldier with it as it continued to wrestle for the spear. The slash struck the golem¡¯s less-damaged shoulder, causing a large crack to spread across it, mirroring the one on the other side.


    Despite the damage, the golem didn¡¯t falter. It reacted to the archer¡¯s follow-up attack¡ªa straight kick aimed at its chest, likely intended to push the golem off its ally and regain the advantage.


    Before the kick could connect, the golem pulled the spear with all its strength, lifting the jade spearman off the ground and hurling him into the archer. The impact sent both soldiers tumbling out of the ring, making Tsuno the winner.


    Sheko mimicked Yuso''s expression, his mouth falling open in disbelief. She¡¯s still in her first form, right? How has less than four days with Kaizo¡¯s group allowed her to catch up to me so quickly?


    Tsuno walked up to the ring to celebrate her victory with her embryo. It smiled¡ªa sight that felt alien to Sheko, as he rarely smiled with her or otherwise. In a sad way, it looked idyllic¡ªa brother and sister celebrating together. However, when Tsuno noticed Sheko in the crowd, she immediately recalled the golem back to its crest and tried to disappear into the gathering as the next fighters were announced.


    The next duel was between Yuso and Mai. Since there weren¡¯t many Gardner-type masters around, Yuso seemed eager to redeem himself, sending four soldiers into the ring this time.


    Sheko was interested in watching the duel, but he knew his sister likely took precedence. He wandered through the crowd, figuring she was hiding somewhere away from the others. It took him less than a minute to find her curled up in a ball in the middle of a darkened hallway.


    "You wanna talk about it?" Sheko asked gently.


    Tsuno looked up, surprised to see him. ¡°I... uh, yes. I was afraid you¡¯d be angry about Achilles. Please, I don¡¯t know why he looks like you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry,¡± Sheko assured her. ¡°Mostly just confused¡ªand maybe a little flattered. Listen, GesStar already told me about it. That¡¯s actually why he pulled me aside earlier. He¡¯s a good person. He said you told him it¡¯s probably because you think highly of me and value my opinions. Was that a lie?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s really how I feel,¡± Tsuno admitted. ¡°You¡¯re just so hard to talk to sometimes. You barely spend time with us. But you always rush to help when it matters. Mom knows she can count on you, and Dad really misses you too.¡±


    The subject of visitation days with his father was complicated for Sheko. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t know how he felt but because his family seemed to think his opinion wasn¡¯t valid. He didn¡¯t want to see his dad much, but his mom believed cutting ties wasn¡¯t an option. Tsuno, being under 18, didn¡¯t have a choice in the matter. Out of empathy for her and to ease his mom¡¯s stress, Sheko spent every other weekend at his dad¡¯s place.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Sheko said after a pause. ¡°I just wanted to say that I¡¯m not angry, and I¡¯m happy you could talk to me about this. But you should value my opinions a bit less. I think I have a reasonable outlook on life, but I can tell you my standards are unreasonable.


    "I compare myself to great people in history who changed the world¡ªor at least became famous. I think people who are okay with being ¡®just fine¡¯ are giving up too much. That said, I¡¯ve been failing my own standards for years now. It¡¯s probably not healthy, but that¡¯s just how my brain works. Don¡¯t make yourself miserable trying to follow my standards just because you think I know better.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not saying you should slack off. You¡¯re probably as talented as me¡ªmaybe more so. You¡¯re starting from a better place than I did, so make the most of it. Just don¡¯t let it weigh you down.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I guess,¡± Tsuno replied. ¡°What do you plan to do about Kaizo¡¯s team now, then? You said GesStar is a good person, but it doesn¡¯t feel right to repay him by planning to kill his friend.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still a game,¡± Sheko said. ¡°Player vs. player is fair. You just kicked someone¡¯s ass with your first-form embryo. This isn¡¯t that different. It¡¯s tit for tat, you know? ¡®Those who kill must be ready to be killed in turn.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Tsuno said reluctantly. ¡°I guess I should tell you what Kaizo¡¯s embryo does, then, if you¡¯re still planning to fight him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, do tell. I was starting to worry you were backing out of the plan.¡±


    ¡°It still sounds fun,¡± she admitted. ¡°Anyway, his embryo is called Chiron. It¡¯s that metal horse body thing¡ªyou¡¯ve seen it. It has four modes based on the seasons, which you can tell by its current color and slight changes in shape. Each mode gives him different stat boosts and abilities. He said it¡¯s stretched very thin, so it¡¯s a lot weaker than other fourth-rank embryos.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thanks. Want to come see me fight GesStar?¡±


    ¡°Wait, what? Why? I thought you just talked and were fine.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. He¡¯s helping me train for my arena fight against Phantasm.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay. Sure. The party¡¯s getting a bit too long anyway.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I agree. Grab some takeaway for Mom and meet me there.¡±


    Tsuno picked herself up, summoned her embryo now that she wasn¡¯t worried about his reaction, and ran off to grab something for their mom. Sheko waited a moment before heading off to find GesStar, ready to tell him he had spoken with Tsuno and was ready to begin training.


    <hr>


    After a brief stop by the guild to acquire a new job¡ª Philosopher ¡ªSheko and GesStar continued onwards to the arena.


    They reached the arena quickly. GesStar wasn¡¯t kidding¡ªhe was a wizard. Despite Sheko¡¯s AGI-based build, enhanced by his embryo to increase his speed by 150%, GesStar kept pace with him by making powerful leaps that clearly relied on his STR stat.


    I guess that¡¯s how Emilia could supposedly clear the cave faster than me, Sheko thought. Probably just cutting through monsters without stopping to stabilize. There¡¯s a lot to learn from these pros. Even their running is unique.


    Once inside, Sheko was surprised by how active the arena was, contradicting Nate¡¯s disparaging comments about the dueling scene in the city. There was a constant stream of people entering and exiting, including would-be fighters and spectators. The building itself was enormous. Sheko hadn¡¯t seen the Colosseum of Rome firsthand, but he was pretty sure it wasn¡¯t even half as large as this arena.


    At the edge of his vision, he noticed the glowing dome of one of the fighting grounds and asked GesStar about it. GesStar explained that the domes served two purposes: to slow down fast fighters so spectators could follow their movements, and to ensure the safety of onlookers by containing accidents within the arena.


    The building was covered in overgrown foliage, but it seemed intentional, adding to the aesthetic rather than being a sign of neglect. Maybe Nate is just a snob, Sheko thought.


    GesStar quickly led Sheko through the halls and filled out a form. ¡°We¡¯ll get the arena in about 15 minutes. We¡¯ll have two hours, like you asked. After that, if other people are waiting, we¡¯ll be kicked out. Tough but fair. I¡¯ll be leaving in two hours anyway, but if you don¡¯t get kicked, you¡¯ll be listed as LFD¡ªlooking for a duel.


    ¡°Try to be accommodating, even if someone is clearly out of your league. Getting beaten down looks bad, but throwing a fit about it looks worse.¡±


    The wait was short before they were led to one of the smaller fighting pits. The arena was a simple flat grassland, fitting the natural aesthetic of Legendaria without turning it into an obstacle course of trees and vines.


    GesStar wasted no time. Using magic, he raised the ground beneath him and flew to the other side of the arena just before the barrier activated. Without checking if Sheko was ready, GesStar picked up another patch of dirt. It condensed into a solid boulder, and with a swing of his staff, he formed a bubble around it that resembled the night sky. The bubble enveloped the boulder, accelerating it toward Sheko as if gravity were pulling it down rather than magic flinging it forward.


    I think I understand now. He showed this to me before, but it was too fast for me to follow. His embryo creates bubbles where he controls gravity.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need more than this to beat me!¡± Sheko shouted with bravado. He jumped onto the boulder, nearly slipping off as his gravity shifted toward the arena wall. Regaining his balance just in time, he leapt off and started running toward GesStar.


    Focusing intently, Sheko activated his newly acquired skill, High-Speed Speculation. The world seemed to slow down around him. He resisted the urge to equip his knives, using his enhanced mental speed to predict GesStar¡¯s barrage of boulders. A small hill began forming behind Sheko as GesStar dug a moat around himself, using the earth as ammunition.


    When Sheko finally got close enough, he used his homing skill, Steady Hand, Eyes on the Target, throwing three knives at GesStar by using every charge of Sleight of Hand at once. The sudden dip and return of his mental speed was disorienting, and he was nearly crushed by a boulder. However, thanks to his Matador job, which increased his speed with every dodge, he avoided the attack in time.


    Sheko paused, expecting to see GesStar skewered by his knives. Instead, three rock walls had risen to shield him.


    He¡¯s taking this lightly. He isn¡¯t even dodging. Well, I¡¯ll show him a new trick.


    The knives left temporary marks on the walls. Sheko hadn¡¯t tested what would happen if he tried to create more marks than his ability allowed. The result was that only the front and left walls were marked by Odysseus. Undeterred, Sheko spun the left wall toward GesStar, who dodged easily by jumping back.


    Then, Sheko spun the front wall twice around its top, successfully striking GesStar¡¯s head. The wall shattered from the impact, but GesStar wasn¡¯t seriously hurt. He wasn¡¯t even knocked down.


    His eyes, however, were alive with excitement. Sheko had seen GesStar angry and relaxed, but now he could tell GesStar was smiling.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten a lot better since I last saw you,¡± GesStar shouted across the pit. ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me, you hear?¡±


    The duel began in earnest.


    GesStar¡¯s staff broke apart, its pieces circling around him as black particles multiplied and blocked Sheko¡¯s knives. Sheko couldn¡¯t even use Odysseus effectively, as the marks landed on tiny particles, rendering them useless.


    Once the black sphere fully enveloped GesStar, he rose into the air and shot forward like a human-sized cannonball. Sheko barely dodged, but GesStar immediately doubled back, igniting into a giant white fireball that incinerated Sheko before he could recover.


    Sheko reappeared on his side of the arena, staring at GesStar. The pit GesStar had created was completely repaired.


    These are going to be the longest two hours of my life. Who am I kidding? Nothing feels longer than the SATs.

 an appetizer for revenge

    Fighting a player¡ªespecially someone as skilled as GesStar¡ªwas nothing like battling a raid boss. The Alicorn had been huge and struggled to maneuver, while a mage like GesStar had no such limitations. The open area of the arena made Sheko an easy target. In this situation, he felt like the Alicorn, chasing after GesStar, who was remarkably adept at evasion.


    It took the entire two hours they had agreed upon for Sheko to finally formulate a strategy to get through GesStar''s conjured walls. However, just as he thought he¡¯d closed the gap, GesStar enveloped himself in a bubble as black as outer space and shot upward to the top of the dome.


    Sheko improved significantly during those two hours, but GesStar didn¡¯t allow him to close the gap entirely. Instead, GesStar adapted his tactics to counter Sheko¡¯s growing skill. Out of nearly 30 duels they fought in the arena, Sheko managed to win only once¡ªand even that was by technicality.


    In his sole victory, GesStar allowed Sheko to land a throwing knife on him, which allowed him to target GesStar¡¯s neck with the mark left by **Odysseus** and behead him. This little stunt garnered significant attention from viewers glancing at their pit. A player getting repeatedly beaten by another player more than twice their level wasn¡¯t particularly remarkable. However, it was much rarer to see someone with Sheko¡¯s build land a one-shot kill on their opponent.


    Even though GesStar was a mage build with low END and STR stats, the stats granted by a single maxed out high-rank job made his overall stats much greater than the combined sum of six maxed-out low-rank jobs. He was still almost able to resist Sheko¡¯s one-hit-kill attack. This point was further proven in their next bout when GesStar allowed Sheko to try the same tactic again. This time, GesStar nearly nullified the attack, taking less than half the damage he should have. He had clearly cast some sort of buff spell, as a bronze-colored aura appeared around him.


    GesStar was generally open about his embryo¡¯s abilities and job skills once he¡¯d used them in combat. However, when Sheko asked about the mysterious buff spell, GesStar¡¯s lips were sealed.


    After their agreed two hours, GesStar departed. To Sheko¡¯s surprise and delight, a line had formed at the entrance to the pit. At the front of the line stood an arena attendant, who informed Sheko that there was no urgency for him to leave. The ten or so players in line were apparently there to fight him.


    At first, Sheko found this odd. Then, he overheard some of the players murmuring about his fight with the Alicorn. Some were fans, while others were skeptics. Although Sheko had struggled against GesStar, the comparison wasn¡¯t entirely fair.


    The arena dome was some sort of energy construct that **Odysseus** couldn¡¯t mark, significantly limiting Sheko¡¯s mobility. Moreover, GesStar¡¯s experience as a player meant he didn¡¯t give Sheko any exploitable openings.


    Feeling tired from his defeat by GesStar, Sheko decided to prioritize fighting the more enthusiastic players in line.


    _At least they won''t scorn me like the skeptics. If I lose, I lose. If I win¡ªwell, I could use a confidence boost right now._


    However, his plan backfired quickly. The most enthusiastic players turned out to be newer ones, only recently past the minimum level 50 required to fight in the arena. Sheko tried to make the most of these matches, opting to fight in close quarters and consciously attempting to mix capoeira kicks into his fighting style. Unlike his proficiency with spears and throwing knives, Sheko¡¯s martial arts skills weren¡¯t enhanced by his jobs¡ªthey came entirely from him.


    If not for **Odysseus**, which allowed him to perform seemingly impossible moves like spinning in midair to deliver a devastating axe kick, Sheko might have lost to these players. One particularly cocky **Master-Gardener** pair tried to overwhelm him with simple attacks but was soundly defeated.


    The newer players quickly left when one of the skeptics pointed out that Sheko wasn¡¯t fighting in earnest. The skeptic complained that Sheko was wasting their time fighting weaker players instead of challenging someone on his level. Sheko didn¡¯t want to admit they had a point, but after a fourth duel in which he won easily without being hit, he knew he wouldn¡¯t get much value from training with his newly acquired fans.


    The skeptics, on average, were more skilled. But even among them, there were exceptions. One such exception immediately reminded Sheko of Phantasm, carrying himself with unearned confidence. Trusting his emotions rather than logic, Sheko decided to challenge the pompous player first.


    It took less than 10 seconds for Sheko to determine that this player was no more formidable than his fans¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t much. The opponent¡¯s **embryo** created a small area filled with weak shadow minions that mimicked his appearance. Unbothered, Sheko used the player as a test dummy, spinning like a tornado to avoid slow sword swipes. After 10 seconds of spinning, which gave him a headache, Sheko ended the fight with a single knife to the chest.


    _Got to get used to all that spinning,_ he thought.


    With the weaker players sorted out and a few new challengers joining the end of the line, Sheko¡¯s training began in earnest again.


    For the next 10 hours, Sheko accepted any challenger who stepped forward. Among them was a surprise visit from Mai, who was eager to show off her newest job. Without explanation, she started their fight by drinking a handful of potions. Sheko initially thought it was her usual poison bomb routine from the raid, but instead, Mai¡¯s muscles and height doubled before his eyes.


    ¡°**Mutagenesist!** What do you think?¡± she shouted from across the arena.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thanks!¡± she replied. ¡°I realized I could just overdose on all the buffs it gives and cancel out the debuffs. Sad thing is, it¡¯s quite expensive to get the full effect. I probably won¡¯t do a rematch.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to fight other people first, but don¡¯t worry about the potions. The arena gives them back after the fight,¡± Sheko explained.


    Mai¡¯s face twisted into a predatory grin.


    _I might¡¯ve unleashed something terrible on the arena right now,_ Sheko thought.


    His fears were confirmed. In her powered-up state, Mai became a fully offensive frontliner. Her strength was probably ten times higher than normal, likely from a static STR buff. Her speed had doubled or even tripled, almost matching Sheko¡¯s base speed. However, this only put them on roughly equal footing when it came to stats.


    Sheko¡¯s tripled mental AGI made her amateurish attacks easy to predict. Like him, Mai¡¯s job gave her no formal hand-to-hand combat skills, but unlike him, she lacked any real-world training. Though it had been a while since Sheko had trained regularly, his technique allowed him to counter her easily. Using his END-negating skill from the Knife Thrower job, he cut through her hardened skin and won the short bout.


    Still, Mai¡¯s performance was impressive. She had only just acquired the **Mutagenesist** job, and her buffs would undoubtedly grow stronger with time. It was a shame that Raggedy, her **embryo**, had to bear all the debuffs instead of Mai. Technically, Raggedy was part of the fight, but she looked more like a pile of rags than the human-sized doll she actually was.


    After those 10 intense hours, Sheko had to take a break. He stopped by the adventurer''s guild for a quick check and was pleasantly surprised to find that his guess was correct. The requirements for the **Greater Matador** job had been fulfilled by his fights in the arena. Although he didn¡¯t gain any levels in **Philosopher** from those battles, he had earned himself a new job.


    <hr>


    The week had flown by, but the last six hours were the hardest. As Sheko gained experience fighting players in the arena, Kai¡¯s doubts grew. Over the past two and a half real-world days, Kai had slept for less than 10 hours in total, while his in-game avatar, Sheko, had only managed eight. Very late in his week-long training session, he had been warned that if his avatar never slept, it would accumulate sleep deprivation debuffs. While high **END** stat could help delay the issue, it was still better to let the avatar rest. The best solution was to find a place for Sheko to sleep and log out, allowing the avatar to recover while Kai was offline.


    Sheko rushed to the magic tailor shop where he had placed a commission. The rush order had burned through his pockets like a hot coal, but when he saw the glistening coat made from his raid reward, he knew it was worth it. Three days earlier, he had picked up a new spear. That request had been much simpler than the coat.


    The spear, crafted from enchanted electrum, was stronger than steel and highly resistant to magic. While it had a minor paralysis effect, replicating the petrification effect of the cockatrice had proven unfeasible, even if he had both eyes as materials.


    The coat, on the other hand, was a masterpiece made from every part of the Alicorn¡¯s wing. Sheko had been given a choice between a **self-repair function** and a **flight enchantment**, but he requested something entirely different. Feeling that his offensive capabilities were lacking¡ªaside from his one-hit-kill option, which wasn¡¯t effective against high-level targets¡ªSheko opted for a feature that would enhance his versatility. The coat was enchanted to conjure up to 50 throwing knives every three days.


    The knives could be picked up and reused, but if a new knife was summoned while all 50 were still in existence, the oldest knife would disappear.


    Whenever Sheko wasn¡¯t waiting in line or fighting in the arena, familiarizing himself with some of the regulars, he went on more grinding sessions with Emilia and Nue whenever they were available. He might have burned through the goodwill he¡¯d earned with them, along with almost half of his remaining funds, as long as he kept the brooch and continued trying to pay their fees.


    Grinding was much slower with his new **Greater Matador** job, largely because, after the raid, he was over-leveled for almost any monster in the crystal caves. The bosses, however, were now his best option. He could handle them solo, albeit not easily.


    Ignoring the cockatrice¡ªwhich was still too risky to fight without Mai¡ªthe other mini-bosses proved relatively straightforward. Thanks to the impressive stat scaling granted by the **Greater Matador** job, Sheko had doubled most of his stats. This significant boost also brought about a curious phenomenon, one he hoped to surprise everyone with in his upcoming fight against Phantasm.


    <hr>


    The entire raid party had already entered the arena. Mai, Emilia, and Nue waited by the contestant entrance, joined by the surprising arrival of Kaizo''s group. Against all conventional wisdom, Tsuno had been as active as Sheko over the past week. She had already evolved Achille to its second form and taken her second job, almost maxing it out as well.


    Sheko had a few more duels with GesStar during that time and even one with Tsuno. However, Achille''s effectiveness was hindered by the fact that, once its ability was known to the enemy, the strategy to counter it became simple. Tsuno tried to make up for this with vines, but against a strong target, they were almost useless. Sheko was tempted to goad Phantasm into fighting her, knowing how full of himself he was, but he didn¡¯t trust Tsuno¡¯s chances enough to risk damaging her self-esteem.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    They shared quick greetings as they walked in. GesStar¡¯s demeanor shifted, becoming more serious and focused, almost like a personal trainer¡ªan apt description, considering his support over the past week. He had recommended the tailor who made Sheko''s coat and checked in on him almost daily.


    Kaizo, on the other hand, seemed less enthusiastic, clearly annoyed by the antics of the brother-sister duo. Still, he remarked, ¡°As long as the fight¡¯s good, I won¡¯t care,¡± his tone making the statement sound more like a warning.


    Surrounded by his team and a few others, Sheko arrived at his reserved pit. Phantasm was already there, impatiently lounging in a corner that somehow appeared darker than it should have in the small waiting room. As soon as he spotted Sheko, Phantasm raised his arm.


    ¡°Give it,¡± he demanded.


    Sheko immediately understood but feigned ignorance. ¡°Give what?¡±


    ¡°My shadow medium.¡±


    ¡°How do I know you won¡¯t run off with it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already here¡ªthat was the deal. So give it.¡±


    ¡°The deal was for a duel. A best-of-three deathmatch sound good to you?¡±


    ¡°Sure, fine. Let¡¯s get on with it, then. The gem¡ªnow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you when we get inside. Then you can¡¯t escape.¡±


    ¡°Such a paranoid coward. You think everyone is as big a loser as you? Fine. It changes nothing, so I¡¯ll accommodate you. But when I beat you, I¡¯m coming for your head. And if I find out you didn¡¯t get the message the first time, I¡¯ll come back. Over and over, until you do.¡±


    Phantasm left for his side of the arena, and Sheko went to his.


    As Sheko entered the pit, he was caught off guard by the crowd. Usually, around 30 people watched his matches, but today was different. His former raid members had come in force, bringing friends along. Among the spectators, Sheko spotted the tailor who had made his coat, likely there to see his creation in action. Sheko could understand his excitement¡ªhe, too, hoped his investment would pay off.


    What surprised him most was the dozen or so spectators who seemed to be there solely for Phantasm. Some carried the same dark aura as him, watching silently. However, most were clearly players who Phantasm had wronged in the past. Sheko guessed as much when he noticed a group of four behind him, hurling insults that matched the personas of the illusory team Phantasm had brought to the raid. Not only had Phantasm lied to the raid, but he had also impersonated other players, tarnishing their reputations with his actions.


    The dome closed around the arena, and the battle began. Phantasm wasted no time, shouting, ¡°Happy now? Give me the gem!¡±


    _With the battle underway and Phantasm accepting my terms, there¡¯s no reason to keep the gem. For now._


    Sheko no longer had any use for his lethal springs¡ªnot that they had ever been particularly effective. He placed the gem into a spring and threw it at Phantasm, who jumped away as it flew across the 60 meters between them.


    _Not as stupid as I expected._


    The spring landed inert. Phantasm retrieved the gem, sneering. ¡°Trying more dirty tricks, are you?¡±


    He placed the gem into his glove and activated his embryo. Gold light mixed with the rapidly growing shadows spreading beneath him. To gloat, now that he was in his boosted state, Phantasm kicked the lethal spring. It locked onto his leg, but instead of cutting him, it simply pressed against his boot. With a single finger, he snapped the cord effortlessly.


    _Yeah, okay, that¡¯s pretty freaky strength. And that throw was crap. I aimed for shoulder height, but the coat locked up. Guess there¡¯s not enough magic in the world to make crystals flexible like leather._


    Taking into account the resistance from the coat, Sheko dashed forward as more shadows were conjured by Phantasm. Each shadow was only about half as tall as the one Phantasm had summoned during the raid, but they were significantly faster. Sheko met the shadows 20 meters from Phantasm, throwing three flaming knives through the shadows and toward Phantasm.


    There was no fancy trick or physics-defying flight pattern this time. The shadows were momentarily stunned while Phantasm parried the knives with a metal staff.


    _Fire is extra effective against them¡ªgood to know. He probably equipped the staff using **Instant Equip**, which means¡­_


    Sheko jumped through a gap between the shadows to create some distance while adding pressure by throwing a pair of force-enchanted knives. Phantasm moved to block, but the staff spun out of his grip, spinning at supersonic speed and almost shattering his hand and launched itself 20 meters away. The knives struck Phantasm simultaneously, pushing him back but causing no visible damage.


    *that he cannot use instant equip for another minute*


    Even with **Sting Like a Bee** at level 5, which reduced Phantasm¡¯s END by 50% of Sheko¡¯s DEX, the attacks weren¡¯t effective¡ª_yet._


    The shadows doubled back to attack him again, but Sheko was warned by his **Danger Sense** and dodged five attacks with ease. **Red Cape** boosted his AGI by 25% and his other stats by 15%. Thinking quickly, Sheko activated **Seeing Red** against all five shadows simultaneously, burning more than 10% of his SP in an instant.


    **Seeing Red** was an aggro management skill from the Greater Matador job. It afflicted recent attackers with the _Berserk_ debuff for one minute. While useless in a 1v1 fight, as Phantasm was about to discover, it could wreak havoc on summoners and tamers.


    Phantasm had finally set up his counterattack, conjuring 20 illusory clones to hide among. The illusion overwhelmed Sheko¡¯s **Danger Sense**, causing him to lose track of the real Phantasm. However, he didn¡¯t have to search long, as Phantasm shouted from behind him, ¡°What are you doing, stupid shadow? Attack him, not me!¡±


    One of the shadows struck Phantasm while attempting to attack Sheko. The warning didn¡¯t help much, as moments later, Phantasm closed the distance and was right next to Sheko. Still turning and dodging shadow attacks, Sheko noticed Phantasm preparing a devastating right hook aimed at his chest.


    Just as the fist was about to connect, Sheko vanished in a sonic boom, reappearing behind Phantasm. His heavy-duty boots were burnt and shredded from the friction. He threw four flaming knives, which spun around him, taking down one shadow and stunning the others before homing in on Phantasm.


    Phantasm had already anticipated the incoming attack and managed to dodge the knives with ease. The entire exchange, from start to finish, lasted about 15 seconds.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how you handle this,¡± Sheko announced, his eyes locked onto the real Phantasm as the illusory clones converged on them. Phantasm prepared for another surprise attack, but Sheko remained calm, dodging sluggish and discordant shadow attacks.


    Sheko then leaped into the air, clearing more than 20 meters as he avoided another wave of shadows. Maxing out his **Red Cape** ability, he soared over some of the lower seats, pulling out his electrum spear.


    _This is the first test run for this. Hopefully, it¡¯s worthwhile._


    In addition to aggro management skills, the Greater Matador job granted Sheko access to martial spells called flourishes. These didn¡¯t use SP but instead consumed **Red Cape** buff stacks. Now, Sheko was about to show Phantasm the first flourish he had unlocked.


    Phantasm quickly jumped to follow Sheko, but it was already too late. Without worrying about friction in the air, Sheko unleashed another sonic boom as he spun and threw the spear. Empowered by **Odysseus¡¯s Spin** and the **Return Strike** flourish at maximum power, the spear tore a fist-sized hole through Phantasm¡¯s chest, sending him crashing to the ground before exploding under its own force.


    Phantasm lay motionless on the arena floor as Sheko landed. His left arm, which had thrown the spear, hung limp, profusely bleeding. His hand was completely gone. The shadows resumed their attacks, and dodging them became challenging again until Sheko built back his speed¡ªonly to lose it once more as white light enveloped his arm, sealing the bleeding wounds.


    It was his second flourish, **Second Wind**, which let him healbased on the number of **Red Cape** stacks he sacrificed, once activated it had a cooldown of one minute. While his arm remained limp and amputated at the wrist, he was no longer at risk of bleeding out. In contrast, Phantasm seemed beyond recovery. Repairing massive damage¡ªlike a missing heart, lungs, or broken bones¡ªwas no easy feat. By all accounts, Phantasm was on the verge of death, while Sheko was fully healed.


    Even so, Phantasm proved more durable than expected. He sprang back to his feet.


    ¡°What was that spear? I couldn¡¯t move at all,¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Well, just a little bit of paralysis. Guess that¡¯s what happens when it deals massive damage. Why did you even stand up? You¡¯re about to die in a few seconds anyway. Don¡¯t worry¡ªyou still have a chance to win.¡± Sheko mustered the most encouraging tone he could, clearly trying to get under Phantasm¡¯s skin.


    ¡°This whole fight lasted a few seconds! You¡¯re unarmed, one-armed, and have no weapons that can hurt me,¡± Phantasm spat back, blood dripping from his mouth. He started healing himself with the **Revitalize** spell from the Earth Priest job¡ªthe same spell Sheko had seen Tsuno use before.


    Something clicked for Sheko. He threw another volley of knives at the four remaining shadows, tearing them apart before speaking again.


    ¡°You¡¯re at best half correct. Anyway, I can beat you unarmed easily. You aren¡¯t level 700, or whatever it says¡ªat least, not the way you play. You¡¯re a half-assed one-man party, all in service of wanting to be the best. You might even have a shot at that¡ªyour embryo is amazing¡ªbut you¡¯re wasting it by pretending to be more than an egotistical jerk. No one owes you adoration. You¡¯re not entitled to do whatever you want.


    ¡°You talk about teaching me a lesson, but there¡¯s an entire section of the stands here just to see you lose. I don¡¯t know how you are in real life, but you¡¯re a horrible player to be around. And if you¡¯re young, you should stop before things get worse.¡±


    Enraged, Phantasm tried to attack Sheko but found himself unable to move forward.


    ¡°My whole week here, and I didn¡¯t reveal my second form ability. I hope you appreciate that I saved it for you since you think you¡¯re so special.¡±


    Sheko had prepared for this. Using the marks left on Phantasm by the spear and his footsteps, Sheko linked him to the arena floor, making movement impossible. Or so he thought. Phantasm, aided by some skill, shattered the arena floor and freed himself, charging toward Sheko.


    Even so, Sheko was ready. Barefoot and unable to move at full speed, he dodged with **Odysseus**, barely escaping danger. Before Phantasm could attack again, his injuries caught up with him. He collapsed to the ground and died.


    Both fighters appeared on their sides once more¡ªSheko with his head held high, while Phantasm looked completely exhausted, both physically and mentally. Even so, Phantasm activated his embryo¡¯s ultimate ability once more. However, no shadows emerged from his feet.


    Still dejected, he slowly raised his head to look at Sheko, who was holding the shadow medium gem in his grasp. Fully expecting Phantasm¡¯s confusion, Sheko spoke.


    ¡°Real nice of the arena to make sure you get all your items back after the fight. Lets you go all out, right?¡±


    Before Phantasm could demand the gem back, Sheko dropped it to the ground and crushed it under the weight of his fully intact electrum spear.


    What followed was a disheartening experience for everyone except Phantasm¡¯s most dedicated detractors. He released a scream that quickly turned into sobbing as he threw himself at Sheko in a desperate attempt to rip him apart.


    Their speed was comparable at base, but Sheko¡¯s skill was leagues ahead. It became evident to all that Phantasm was just a child¡ªbarely aware of his own fighting. He lashed out with strength that could shake the ground, but without clever tricks or shadows to preoccupy Sheko, all that strength was wasted.


    Sheko moved with precision, marking Phantasm with quick stabs of his spear before tearing apart the marked spots with **Odysseus**. The fight was relentless but one-sided, and soon enough, Phantasm fell once more.


    When the arena reset their positions, Phantasm continued to sob, overwhelmed and broken. Then, without a word, he simply logged out.


    Sheko had won, but the victory felt worthless. He couldn¡¯t shake the bitter truth¡ªhe had been a hypocrite. In every way that mattered, he realized he was worse than Phantasm.


    Sheko was supposed to be the adult in this situation, but he had let the moment take hold of him. He¡¯d acted manipulative, treating Phantasm like an NPC in a D&D session. But Phantasm wasn¡¯t an NPC¡ªhe was a kid. A bit of a jerk, sure, but whatever goodwill might have been guiding Sheko¡¯s actions was marred by his own need to bask in the spotlight.


    It was Kai¡¯s problem, not Sheko¡¯s. He¡¯d caused real-world harm for no good reason.


    All Kai wanted now was to try to make amends. He retrieved Phantasm¡¯s reward chest from his newly purchased inventory and logged out, leaving Mai a message:


    ¡°Give Phantasm his chest if he comes back.¡±

 More Then A Mask We Wear

    Real World ¨C Kai Maddox


    I''m such an idiot. The shadows were useless at that point¡ªthere was no reason to do that other than to piss him off even more. Of course he''s a kid. I... No, we should''ve all realized it sooner. Maybe Finn did. He''s probably around the same age.


    Kai took a deep breath, trying to recompose himself, and checked his phone. Mai had responded to his message:


    "No can do. Emilia won¡¯t do this again. ''Sort your problem on your own,'' she says. I sort of agree¡ªyou totally went too far. Come back when you sort yourself out."


    Crap. Better to just try and fix it now.


    Kai quickly put his helmet back on and launched the game.


    <hr>


    Legendria ¨C Sheko Ruun, Greater Matador


    Sheko turned toward the gate behind him, only to realize he had been sent back to the city gate.


    ¡°Damn. Better hurry.¡±


    He broke into a sprint toward the arena but was quickly intercepted by Finn and his party. They had clearly been looking for him.


    ¡°You happy with yourself? Congrats on the win, by the way,¡± Finn said, his anger palpable.


    ¡°You know why I was running this way, so you already know my answer,¡± Sheko replied, his voice calm but his mind racing. He wanted to slip past them before things got worse in the arena, but this conversation couldn''t be left unresolved either.


    ¡°Oh, can I really?¡± Finn scoffed. ¡°It seemed like you told Mai you¡¯d take some time off to clear your head, but here you are, back online. So what is it? Regretting your choice and trying to take back your prize?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t regret giving it back¡ªeven if Phantasm doesn¡¯t know. I came back because I realized I can''t fix things from outside of Dendro.¡±


    Finn studied him for a moment before responding. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll take your word for it. But you¡¯re still banned from my raids until you actually do fix things. And if you pull something like that again, no second chances.¡±


    ¡°Fine. But in that case, I should tell you¡ªI have a score to settle with Kaizo.¡±


    Finn let out a deep sigh, rubbing his temples. ¡°Were you even talking about Phantasm in the arena, or was all of that just projection?¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s uncalled for,¡± Sheko shot back. ¡°I get the hostility, and I know I screwed up. But I¡¯m being honest with you¡ªKaizo killed me on my first day in the Overworld. It¡¯s only fair that I get to pay him back for it.¡±


    Finn exhaled through his nose. ¡°Fine. I can see that. Does your sister know you¡¯re planning to kill her party leader?¡±


    Sheko whispered his answer before repeating it louder so they could hear. ¡°I set her up to join their group. She¡¯s fully aware of it.¡±


    Finn fell silent, turning the information over in his head. One of his friends¡ªSheko thought it was their alchemist healer¡ªspoke up.


    ¡°Finn''s right. This whole getup you¡¯re wearing, your constant self-focused attitude... You¡¯re exactly what you accused Phantasm of being. No wonder your embryo makes you spin everyone around you¡ªlike a metaphorical sun.¡±


    Sheko¡¯s rage flared as they ganged up on him. He instinctively reached for a throwing knife, gripping it tightly in his hand. The others noticed and shifted their stances, ready for a fight. But before things could escalate, Sheko took a deep breath and slid the knife back into his trench coat.


    He''s right. Even my items are screaming for attention... but this isn¡¯t right either.


    ¡°It¡¯s uncalled for!¡± Sheko snapped. ¡°I didn¡¯t stalk him or turn everyone against him! I screwed up once¡ªafter he screwed up too! I¡¯m not a bully! You have to give me a chance to fix things. Otherwise, people will just isolate themselves and never try to form connections again.¡±


    His voice cracked.


    The group collectively winced, realizing the situation was more serious than they first thought.


    Finn was the first to speak, cutting through the tension before it could spiral into a shouting match.


    ¡°Sheko, you¡¯re right. That was uncalled for. Thomas, drop it. And don¡¯t judge someone by their embryo ever again. What would that make me? A spider, trapping people in my webs?¡±


    Finn injected a little humor into his final words before stepping aside, motioning for Sheko to pass. His party followed without another word.


    Sheko moved quickly, outpacing the carriages that shared the road with him. Yet, to him, it still felt agonizingly slow. After how terribly his conversation with Finn had gone, he didn¡¯t want to imagine what might happen in the arena. If not to at least apologize, then he needed to find someone who knew how to contact Phantasm.


    After a few minutes, Sheko arrived at the arena. The constant stream of people coming and going made it easy to blend in. Among the crowd, he spotted a group dressed in black¡ªthe same people who had cheered for Phantasm earlier. They were just leaving the gate, starting to split up, when Sheko called out to them.


    ¡°Hey, you guys. You know Phantasm, right?¡±


    They all started talking at once.


    ¡°The loser¡ª¡± Sheko managed to make out before their voices clashed, overlapping in a mess of noise.


    Yeah, obviously, that¡¯s the kind of company he¡¯d end up in.


    ¡°Sure, him. So, do any of you know how to contact him?¡±


    Again, they all tried to speak at the same time before one of them silenced the rest.


    ¡°We don¡¯t give out real-world information. Ever. You can join if you want, though. We let Phantasm hang around, but it¡¯s not like anyone ever lost to him, when fighting seriously. Still, you¡¯re showing potential, newbie.¡±


    Sheko narrowed his eyes. ¡°Does he speak for all of you?¡±


    The group gave a general confirmation.


    ¡°Great. Then you can all scurry away. Clearly, you¡¯re cut from the same cloth Phantasm is.¡±


    The group immediately turned hostile.


    This is getting ridiculous. If I were definitely weaker than them, they probably would¡¯ve already killed me... like Kaizo did.


    As they squared up against him, one of them lunged forward with a dagger, trailing behind it a row of mirror images. The attacker was slow and unskilled¡ªa pattern Sheko was certain the rest shared. With a quick sidestep, he dodged the dagger and countered with a straight kick, sending the attacker stumbling backward.


    Despite the hit, the group snickered. Their confidence was misplaced. Even so, they all rushed in at once, attempting to gang up on Sheko in the least coordinated attack he had ever witnessed.


    Jumping back, he narrowly avoided a wave of shadowy arms grasping at his legs¡ªone of them even tripping another attacker. Before the first attacker could strike again, Sheko caught their arm mid-swing, spun them around using Odysseus, and flung them into the last approaching melee fighter.


    He quickly scanned the group¡ªone of them was missing.


    Behind me.


    Sheko spun around just in time to dodge a throwing knife aimed at the back of his head. Reacting instantly, he threw a knife of his own, but the attacker vanished into the shadows of the alley.


    ¡°Okay, we had some fun,¡± Sheko said, dusting himself off. ¡°Now stop this! I came here to ask about your friend, but I realize you¡¯re just a bunch of edgy kids hoping people will tell you how cool you are.¡±


    Realizing he was about to go on another rant, Sheko took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He had grown up as the weird kid, and there wasn¡¯t much good to remember from those years. Conforming just to be a little less ostracized had only left him feeling pent-up. Hopefully, what he said next would make some kind of difference.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Listen, it¡¯s fine that you all share an aesthetic¡ªeven if most people probably think it¡¯s goofy.¡±


    The group, who had been ready to attack again, froze in confusion.


    ¡°Maybe one day, you¡¯ll look back and agree it was silly,¡± Sheko continued. ¡°Or maybe, if you just loosen up a bit, you¡¯ll actually have fun. We¡¯re in a game, after all. I¡¯m not much of a people person either¡ªjust like I assume you guys aren¡¯t¡ªbut it¡¯s a good thing you have people who share your interests, right? That¡¯s the wonder of the online world. Don¡¯t go following random people to the ends of the earth, but... the friends you meet here¡ªand I think you are friends, at least in the loose sense¡ªare real people. These relationships have value.¡±


    Seeing that the group wasn¡¯t moving to attack again, Sheko let out a sigh of relief before continuing.


    "Now, I think I¡¯ll look to see if someone else might help me find Phantasm."


    As he finished speaking, the missing member of the group suddenly appeared midair behind Sheko, ready to strike again. Sheko ducked under them and raised his fists, but the attacker relaxed their posture when they saw the others had stopped.


    "I guess we¡¯re good now?" they said, their calm tone throwing Sheko off. He hadn¡¯t expected them to accept a withdrawal without some kind of explanation from either side.


    Before Sheko could reply, the attacker continued, "Combat with masters is pretty common, don¡¯t worry about it. I assume we¡¯re fine now? If you wanna find Phantasm, maybe talk to his previous party."


    This guy is throwing me into a spin. I guess not all of them are identical. Maybe he''s really more about the aesthetic than the edgy personality the others have.


    "Eh... yeah, thanks," was all Sheko could string together.


    The one who had hushed the group at the start turned and departed with the rest. They all still walked with their eyes staring at the floor and their hands in their pockets. Sheko figured what he had said was just a convenient excuse for them to cut their losses in the fight and would soon be forgotten as ignorant ramblings. But as the last of them joined the others, he noticed them starting to talk amongst themselves.


    Maybe it was arrogance on his part. Maybe he knew nothing about them. But he could hope¡ªjust hope¡ªthat this was actually a change for the better in that group.


    If these weren¡¯t Phantasm¡¯s former party, though, then I guess it¡¯s gotta be someone else.


    As he thought about it, the answer practically walked into him.


    A group led by a knight in full plate armor greeted him.


    "Congratulations on beating that menace. Maybe he¡¯ll quit, and we can finally stop hearing about someone complaining that we led a horde of aggroed monsters into their grinding spot. Or stop having to explain that the guy they constantly see with us and who killed them is actually impersonating us."


    Sheko was a little confused that someone would congratulate him for winning in earnest after that second round. But these were probably Phantasm¡¯s biggest victims and detractors.


    "Could you tone it down maybe? I''m actually kind of down from that second round..."


    Before he could finish, the knight interrupted him.


    "Yeah, breaking down like that made you look like a villain. Feels kind of crap, huh? Never had it this bad with Phantasm before, but he¡¯s thrown tantrums with us before¡ªespecially a big one when we finally kicked him from the group. Don''t worry, I''m sure it''ll blow over in a bit."


    "That''s actually almost the exact opposite of what I wanted to say. Listen, I''m sure he earned your animosity, but I don''t think we''re doing any good holding grudges against an obvious kid. I let the moment get to me and made myself say stupid stuff."


    "Why should you apologize for something that''s right? When someone steals from you in real life, you don''t feel bad for kicking their ass."


    "Well, maybe we shouldn''t take it so seriously in a game. Dendro is a completely closed economy¡ªyou don¡¯t actually lose anything if someone steals digital money from you. And I think if you almost kill someone for stealing from you¡ªor in this case, publicly shame someone¡ªyou¡¯ve crossed a line. Not every wrong justifies any and all consequences."


    "Hey, publicly shaming him after he tried to do the same to you¡ªor how he constantly hurts our reputation¡ªis just an eye for an eye. Maybe you think you''re better for turning the other cheek, but that''s a good way to end up taken advantage of."


    "Well, to that, I¡¯ll say that the entire quote is ''An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.'' I assume you''re a bit more mature than Phantasm and can figure out your own issues. I hope. But if you please¡ªcan you tell me how to contact Phantasm?"


    "Sure. I still think you''re making a huge mess out of one of Phantasm''s tantrums, but whatever. He blocked me almost immediately after we kicked him, but it should still be active, I''m sure."


    The knight took a notepad from their backpack and wrote down Phantasm¡¯s username for a real-life chat app.


    Sheko made sure to copy it to his phone using the camera function before continuing to his hopefully final stop for the day. A small nap before the fight had been enough, but now his avatar''s sleep deprivation was really starting to mount. Unlike pain or injuries, sleep deprivation was pretty much identical to the real world¡ªwhich meant he was agitated and felt a constant pressure at the back of his mind.


    He made his way back to his pit in the arena, but other than a long line of people waiting for their turn¡ªsome of whom recognized him and reacted as he''d expected¡ªMai was gone. Either she had let the chest be stolen or had taken it with her. Gambling on the possibility that she had taken it anyway, and knowing Emilia absolutely wouldn¡¯t let them store it again, he ran to the Silly Daredevil.


    Sheko walked into the hall just in time to see Mai opening the game menu to log out for the day. Phantasm''s chest was left on the table behind her for some reason. She spotted him at the doorway and dismissed the menu. Before she could rip into him, Sheko spoke first.


    "Listen, I''m dead tired and had to talk with Finn, Phantasm''s murder, and his real fake team. I know I screwed up, but I''ll talk with him. I already got his contact¡ªI just didn¡¯t want to pass up a chance to tie things up all at once if I could."


    Mai cracked a smile when he listed his encounters but quickly returned to her stoic expression.


    "What did you mean by the second two you mentioned?"


    "Well, the edgy all-black group that Phantasm seems to be a part of¡ªthe ones that watched him in the arena. They reminded me a bit of crows, so I thought it fit because..."


    "Yeah, a group of crows is called a murder," she finished for him. "And the real fake people?"


    "Yeah, apparently, the illusions he brought to the raid weren¡¯t random or a one-time thing. He uses the image of his original team after they kicked him¡ªimpersonating them. You probably noticed them booing him. It was honestly bizarre. They were trying to cheer me up and told me that I shouldn¡¯t worry about Phantasm¡¯s tantrum."


    "Oof. I hope you don¡¯t actually think what you did was fine and are just apologizing now to cover this up. Because let me tell you¡ªI really can¡¯t figure out your deal. One moment, you¡¯re telling me how important I am to the team, then the next, you say it¡¯s fine that I¡¯ll never be as good a fighter as you because I¡¯m not a combat job like you. Then, you argue with someone who could squash you for disrespecting Nue and Emilia. What is your deal? Tell me, if I had slighted you and we decided to settle it in a duel, would you have gone and ripped into me as well?"


    Sheko bit the inside of his cheek, trying to figure out how to calm Mai down without lying to her. He was a good liar, and he could think of a dozen lies that would make him look better.


    I could say I knew the real team before and was doing it at their behest. Or maybe push GesStar under the bus and say it was originally his idea to mess with Phantasm. But any of those would just shift her anger onto someone else, and if she cared to check, she wouldn¡¯t just cut ties¡ªshe¡¯d call me out. And Finn would probably support her because I¡¯m already on thin ice.


    "Listen, I assure you that I¡¯m trying to answer as truthfully as I can," he finally said. "I think my only excuse for why I ripped into Phantasm so badly is because it was a sort of perfect power fantasy at that moment. That small crowd looked bigger, and I thought it¡¯d be so cool to be some mastermind. But I guess even when villains are cool, they¡¯re still hated for a good reason."


    Sheko paused, hoping Mai would lighten up, but he didn¡¯t notice any change in her expression, so he continued.


    "Maybe I had a right to his loot, maybe not, but how I handled it was awful from the very start. I even planned the whole thing with the medium from the beginning. I had turned that rant over in my mind and just didn¡¯t think there was any possibility other than fury as a result. And yeah... even that is pretty bad."


    Mai opened the menu again, ready to quit, but Sheko pressed on.


    "I don¡¯t know what I can say¡ªwhile staying honest¡ªthat will make it fine. I guess it¡¯s best that I¡¯m at least trying to correct it. As for you and Nue... I really can¡¯t say, because I never thought this would come up. You¡¯ve been charitable and supportive since we met, and I¡¯ve been worse. But I don¡¯t think that if we had come to a head, I would¡¯ve ripped into you like I did Phantasm¡ªeven without hindsight.


    Now, with Kaizo and me protecting Nue¡ªI''ll be frank. It was about half about Nue and half me having a beef with Kaizo. The first day I logged into Infinite Dendrogram, I met him and went to grind with GesStar for a short bit. Honestly, I got nothing against the rest of the team. From what I can gather from Tsuno and my own experience with GesStar, they¡¯re fine¡ªor at least as fine as someone could be as a debt collector for the bank... kidnapping people."


    Mai jumped in with an outburst.


    "What?! They¡¯re kidnappers? And you knew about it? How did you let them stay around?"


    "If it makes it better, I did do something about it back then. When we met back in town, Kaizo was carrying a sack with a debtor inside. I cut the sack and let them free¡ªbut Kaizo killed me two seconds later. And I got an extra second only because Odysseus awakened. I still don¡¯t know if Kaizo ended up screwing with my Embryo. So yeah... that¡¯s my grudge with him."


    "Okay, I guess this is better. You¡¯re just a thrill-seeker, then? Still doesn¡¯t excuse how you dealt with Phantasm, but I can forgive¡ªas long as you really follow through. I do wanna kill Kaizo now. How the hell is he walking around freely when it¡¯s easy to find out he¡¯s a kidnapper?"


    "Well, he¡¯s acting fully within the law. Now, whether the law is just is a different story. But if you care so much about that, I think I can tell you the whole truth. My sister didn¡¯t end up with his group by coincidence."


    "Please, no. Another mastermind revenge plot?"


    "Come on. Kaizo totally deserves it. I promise I won¡¯t make it a personal attack¡ªit¡¯s just tit for tat. He killed me in open-world PvP, so I get to kill him in open-world PvP."


    "That¡¯s stupid. There¡¯s gonna be a ton of collateral damage. Why not just do it in the arena?"


    "Not the same thing, not the same price. I want it to be exactly the same. But I did consider collateral damage. Well... sort of. In a month, real-world time, there will be the anniversary event. On one hand, there will be larger crowds, but on the other, security will be higher for this kind of thing. And there will be a lot more high-level Masters around to play damage control.


    Now, if you help me set up the situation beforehand, we can definitely prevent any collateral casualties. I¡¯ll be honest¡ªI thought GesStar and Kaizo were on strained relations right now based on my skimming of Kaizo¡¯s streams, but that seems incorrect. Tsuno was supposed to stop his team from interfering, but now I think I need extra help with GesStar. What do you say?"


    "I say that this is insane, and you probably shouldn¡¯t go through with it. But also that it sounds exciting, and it¡¯s totally against someone who deserves it. I¡¯d prefer if we could ensure there won¡¯t be casualties for sure."


    "Fine, I¡¯ll see what we can manage. So... we¡¯re good?"


    "Not yet, but I¡¯m amiable. That¡¯s three months away¡ªI¡¯m sure I can forget until then. Well, I should get to sleep. And I think your avatar needs to sleep as well."


    "Yeah. Good night."


    "Good night."

 Second First Impressions

    Real World ¨C Kai Maddox


    Putting down the helmet once more, Kai took a glance at his phone¡¯s clock¡ª11:30 PM.


    These jumps are starting to mess with my head. I''ve been rushing around for an hour and a half now. I''m definitely as tired from those conversations as if I had actually talked with people that whole time. It certainly doesn¡¯t feel like only half an hour has passed. Well, I''m not rushing toward anything now. I¡¯ve got a whole month until I go after Kaizo. I should remember that it¡¯s actually a month and not three months¡­ I''d kill myself if I forget again.


    Kai spent a few minutes scrolling through his phone, eventually finding Phantasm¡¯s profile. He debated sending a message but reasoned that he should wait until he was well-rested to avoid saying something stupid by mistake. It didn¡¯t help that seeing Phantasm¡¯s profile picture reminded him of who he was trying to contact in the first place.


    It was an image of an old manga character. From what Kai knew¡ªand from general consensus¡ªit was a great story with themes of redemption and acting kindly in a world that seemed to have forgotten such things. But he was pretty sure Phantasm had simply chosen the image because it looked cool, which, to be fair, it certainly was.


    It was strange that he hadn¡¯t realized before¡ªEmilia might have been a reference by the devs to that manga.


    Kai sat on his bed for a few more minutes before starting a light exercise routine. He had tried to follow through with his new training regimen but had completely forgotten about it for the last two days. The lack of sleep and almost no real movement had probably done more harm to him than whatever he had gained so far from training.


    Still, at least he was able to convince himself to train more easily than he had at the very beginning.


    Another half an hour passed as Kai watched videos until he noticed the late hour and went to sleep.


    <hr>


    He arrived at class first, as usual. In Kai''s opinion, tardiness was always a matter of rudeness and mismanagement. His friends would probably arrive in a few minutes, so with nothing better to do, he checked the news, skimming through the headlines.


    It was mostly the usual¡ªcelebrity stories, economic opinion pieces, and reports. At first, he thought he had quickly jumped to the science section because he saw a mention of the Institute of Science in one of the headlines. But then he reread it:


    "Computer Lab Explosion at the Institute of Science."


    Normally, Kai would have dismissed it as a sensationalist headline on a slow news day, but it was near the top of the page. Curious, he clicked the link.


    The synopsis at the top provided a brief summary along with an image showing the aftermath of the explosion. It was nothing like he had assumed¡ªthe entire lab was hit. The picture must have been taken moments after the event, as smoke was still rising.


    "Details are unknown yet, but the occupants of the lab¡ªwho were thankfully unharmed, as the incident occurred while they were absent¡ªhave suggested the incident to be a sophisticated cyber-terror attack, citing a few similar incidents in the past year. However, with the subject of their research becoming obsolete due to the advent of Infinite Dendrogram, some postulate that it could be an insurance scam."


    Who in their right mind would try to scam insurance on a computer lab? Kai thought. Probably just some extra drama the news is injecting to make it more newsworthy.


    As Kai continued reading the article, Tam approached him and reached out to tap his forehead, trying to get his attention. Kai took a step back, avoiding the nudge.


    "I saw you coming. Just reading something," he said.


    "What is it? Another fantasy book?" Tam asked sincerely.


    "Actually, no¡­ I forgot to charge my e-book. Did I tell you what I''ve been up to for the last two days?"


    "No, but I assume it has to do with your fight with that Phantasm kid?"


    "We didn¡¯t talk the whole time I was training. How do you know about my fight?"


    "Same way I knew about the raid. That streamer was in the crowd. Congrats on breaking the 10K wall so fast."


    "Wait, so the whole thing was filmed? Including that ending?"


    "Ah, yeah. Though the audio wasn¡¯t the best, you could make it out on a rewatch."


    "So now everyone who watched that fight thinks I¡¯m a toxic player to avoid?"


    "I don¡¯t know about that. When it came out, opinions were split. Most of the people who watched the video came from the raid video first, so I think it was biased in your favor anyway. And the streamer also uses the channel for blogging, so he gave his own opinion after the whole thing. I still think they were a bit harsh. Phantasm has been a toxic troll even before the raid. I assumed maybe you knew all about it before the fight. But still, they didn¡¯t say anything strictly bad about you," Tam surmised.


    "You should contain your violent outbursts better, maybe," he added with a smirk.


    "You know I¡¯m joking when I say those," Kai replied, shaking his head. "But it¡¯s good to hear I¡¯m not a pariah. I do deserve a lot of it, though. Mind helping me write something to apologize to Phantasm?"


    "I don¡¯t think trying to ambush him on Dendro is a good way to apologize."


    "No, I got his chat profile from someone. Actually, that¡¯s probably the weirdest encounter I had after the fight ended the way it did. I tried to find someone who knew Phantasm, and I thought the group of people all dressed in black and wearing edgy coats like him would know how to contact him. But apparently, they¡¯re a bunch of ''lone wolves.'' They wanted to invite me to their group, which¡ªhonestly¡ªI can¡¯t imagine why they thought I¡¯d agree to after what I said to Phantasm."


    Tam interrupted him. "Have you looked at your avatar in a mirror?"


    "What, I can¡¯t thin myself out? I know I have a problem. Actually, I¡¯ve started working on it."


    "Okay, well, congratulations. But I really didn¡¯t mean that. I meant your coat. It¡¯s a duster. You look like a final boss henchman¡ªand not the cool, honorable-defeat kind."


    "Oh. Oh no¡­ I really do look like that," Kai groaned. "And it wasn¡¯t even worth it. The coat is stiff and hard to move in. And it¡¯s heavy, even though I have decent STR for my level."Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "I checked your build, and it¡¯s below average for a frontliner. But that¡¯s fine. The coat, though? Yeah, that¡¯s not great if that¡¯s not the look you were going for," Tam said with a grin.


    "Wait, what were we talking about?" he asked quickly.


    "The group of edgy kids I thought knew Phantasm. Anyway, after I told them that they shouldn''t throw Phantasm out just because he lost, and that what I said to Phantasm could, in part, apply to them too, they attacked me. They¡¯re really bad at the game."


    "Maybe your standards are screwed from fighting in the arena for a whole week, but you know you''re actually insane in a fight, right? Where the hell is that even coming from? You got bullied in high school¡ªyou probably could''ve fought back."


    "One, I¡¯d been training in capoeira for years before quitting when I got to high school. Two, do you remember who was actually in our grade? We had seven kids who almost broke the pull-up and running records, and two of them actually did break those records. Three, I don¡¯t know¡­ even as I am now, I can throw kicks with alright form and do flying cartwheels. In Dendro, my body feels so light, and I don¡¯t really need to worry about getting hurt, so it¡¯s just much easier like that."


    "Eh, I guess that''s fair. Wait¡ªyou can really do a flying cartwheel?"


    "Yes. I can show you in a sec. Now let me just finish. Anyway, I got them to back off and was blindly looking for a clue when a group of players ran into me. They were Phantasm¡¯s old team. They seriously hate him. Hopefully, they just never run into each other again. But their leader did have Phantasm¡¯s profile. It¡¯s actually kind of funny¡ªit¡¯s the same name. I guess I should¡¯ve known."


    "Yeah, well, maybe what you said was correct¡­ just in the wrong circumstances. Wait¡ªwhere are you going?"


    "To show you I can do a cartwheel," Kai answered, as if it were obvious.


    Kai put aside his backpack and glasses before jumping¡ªhis left leg kicking up high as his right leg pushed him off the ground. His past practice helped his form, but it had been years since he could do the move correctly. Instead of stretching his feet outward in opposite directions from his head, they were tucked close, and his chest was raised away from the floor so he could land on his feet more easily.


    Still, the move was impressive to Tam and the others who had just walked in through the gate toward the academy building. Some of them asked how he''d done it, and he explained once again that he had practiced for several years before stopping a few years ago but still remembered the techniques.


    The day passed unremarkably. They received the dates for their upcoming tests, confirming to Kai that he wouldn¡¯t have nearly as much free time as he had last week. With a test every week for the next month, some subjects required no studying at all, while one completely stumped him. Worse, he didn¡¯t even have anyone to ask for help¡ªeveryone else was just as confused as he was.


    As usual at the start of the week, Kai stopped by the cinema and the connected mall to grab something to eat. He noticed a new stand near the cinema entrance. Previously, there had been a VR experience pod there, but it had been replaced by a pair of chairs equipped with Infinite Dendrogram helmets, each connected to a small TV screen.


    Good riddance. Those pods were more nausea-inducing than a carousel. This is kind of cool, though. I guess it¡¯s set up to be a live feed of whoever plays. Maybe I¡¯ll check it out another time.


    As he walked through the mall, he also noticed ads for a movie that had been fully shot in Infinite Dendrogram.


    That sounds stressful. The game¡¯s only been out for 11 months¡ªeven if they started shooting on release, that¡¯s less than three years of development, not even counting whatever they had to set up in the game to make it possible. It¡¯s probably crap, then. Feels like the whole world is caught up in Infinite Dendrogram though¡­ Actually, I really hope that movie fails, or the industry might start using the game as a cost-saving measure to underpay employees.


    As Kai ate his lunch, he stared at the empty chat with Phantasm, trying to decide what to say.


    There¡¯s nothing really linking me to my in-game identity, so maybe I should just try talking to him without saying I¡¯m Sheko right away.


    KaijuMonster: "Hi, I watched your fight in the arena yesterday and wanted to offer my condolences for how it ended up. You were actually fighting pretty well, even in the second round¡ªjust not as much."


    Kai continued eating, unbothered, until he noticed Phantasm was typing.


    Phantasm: "Yeah, well, I don¡¯t need your worries. I will show that idiot. The arena was totally unfair for me. If he knew any better, he would¡¯ve just shut up and given me my stuff."


    KaijuMonster: "I was just checking in on you. So, are you fine?"


    Phantasm: "I¡¯ll be fine when I crush him. Does that answer your question? How did you even find me?"


    KaijuMonster: "I asked one of your friends after the duel because I was worried. It looked like you weren¡¯t fine back then."


    Phantasm: "Whoever told you I¡¯m his friend lied to you. My actual friends don¡¯t share real-life contact information. What we do offline is our business only."


    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s better that he considers them his friends or worse, since they were pretty ready to throw him away after his televised tantrum.


    KaijuMonster: "Yeah, ¡®friends¡¯ was totally the wrong word. They were actually pretty insensitive. I guess you parted ways on bad terms?"


    Phantasm: "You could say that. They used me to finish quests for them while I did all the heavy lifting. Then, they made up a bunch of stuff to be angry about, insulted me, and tried to kill me. I easily kicked their asses since they were hopeless without me, but they still try to ambush me from time to time."


    Both sides are bad, and I can¡¯t even guess how much of what he¡¯s saying is a complete lie. What does he actually tell himself happened in the raid? I guess I should segue back to the topic of myself anyway.


    KaijuMonster:"Well, I¡¯ll remember that if I see them again. Is Sheko linked to that group or something? How did you end up fighting him?"


    Phantasm: "The usual grinding spots dried up for a few days about a week ago, so I went to grind in the crystal caves. I beat a monstrous dracolich in one of the caves, and it revealed a crystal door. I figured that since there are six sub-caves like the one I was in, if each boss was beaten, the door would open.


    I tried opening it on my own¡ªgot like five or six of them down¡ªbut then the timer reset. So, I talked with a few other players to beat the last two bosses I needed. They forced me to team up with, like, twenty other players, but those were their terms, so I agreed. Sheko and his team of NPCs joined us for that.


    Honestly, that should¡¯ve made me suspicious already. NPCs are weak, so only someone trying to look like they had a team would get NPCs like that. Anyway, I ended up waiting for the other players to beat the bosses, even though I could¡¯ve done it just as fast alone, and I wanted to fight the boss already.


    Long story short, he died in the fight along with most of the other weaklings. I tried to collect the loot, but he must have set his NPCs to target me or something, because they immediately jumped on me. I was already tired from beating the boss, so my MP was low, and they stun-locked me to death. Then, they stole my stuff and forced me to duel them to get it back. I think that was his whole goal from the start¡ªwhat with his hired NPCs and sending them after me."


    Wow, those are a lot of delusions. He¡¯s about as fast as me, but the caves aren¡¯t completely trivial to traverse. I could probably run through all of them in ten minutes, but not while avoiding monsters and beating the bosses. And considering his combat prowess, neither could he.


    Also, does he think Mai is an NPC? She has a giant Raggedy following her around and wears a white dress everywhere. Before I got the ridiculous coat, I could understand someone mistaking me for an NPC if they missed Odysseus on my hand, but Mai? Really? And he completely ignored the fact that he was taking my loot. Then, he thinks I set up a trap just to force him into a fight?


    Calm down. Don¡¯t let this just become an argument.


    KaijuMonster: "That¡¯s rough, but are you sure that¡¯s really what he planned? Seems to me like he mostly got pissed because you made the raid harder by triggering it early. I don¡¯t know¡­ he actually seemed pretty worried after the fight. He left a loot chest behind before logging off, and some other player went down to take it. Maybe it¡¯s the loot he was supposed to give you back?"


    Phantasm: "How did they look? Either way, I don¡¯t know¡­ but at least if that smurf isn¡¯t holding onto the chest now, I can probably find that player and take it. Just tell me what they looked like."


    KaijuMonster: "They wore a white dress and had a large doll walking beside her. She left after that, but I think I heard her say she¡¯d put the chest in the Silly Daredevil¡¯s vault."


    Phantasm immediately disconnected from the chat after that.