《Sealed Within》 Prologue Many thanks to Wei (waffie) for editing this chapter.
Prologue This is not a game anymore. This is a nightmare. ¡ªan unending nightmare. The armor weighed down heavily on my shoulders. However, I''ve long since grown accustomed to it. I''m used to pretty much everything. The pain and the sadness. The bloodshed and the madness. All of which surrounded and trapped me within this accursed cycle. As far as my sight reached amidst the darkness, I saw candles. They were placed around the room, their quivering flames casted an eerie glow onto the vicinity. The black walls seemed to stretch out into the terrifying abyss. The tattered, crimson carpet beneath my feet further enhanced the heavy atmosphere in the room. The room belonged to me... It was mine. Abruptly, I heard footsteps. As faint as they were, I knew whatever, or whoever it was, was creeping closer. The door creaked open, gradually revealing a lean man donned in gleaming white armor... and I knew him... He was my previous guild leader, whom I admire, whose strength I adore. Somewhere in my mind, I missed him. I missed the day where we hunted monsters and completed quests. Though he didn¡¯t say much, I know he was caring for his guild members. Now the feelings had vanished. I saw him as someone I must kill. No, I had to kill everyone to survive, be that my former comrades or even my former guild master. I would live. He didn¡¯t say anything to me, and neither did I as we stared at each other. It wasn¡¯t destiny that we would kill each other. It wasn¡¯t a destiny. Players, all of them, wanted something from me. I knew sooner or later they would come and kill me. ...including my former guild leader. I didn¡¯t want to die. I didn¡¯t want to feel pain. It hurt. Pain hurt. It hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hate seeped into my veins. The longer I saw him, the angrier I became. Madness overcame my mind as I stepped down from my throne. I would kill him. Yes, I would kill him. No one could stop me. I would kill everyone. And I would live. 0000 A spectacled woman walked past a string of doors and arrived at her destination. In the darkened room, a figure sat on the sofa, gaze glued to the screen. On the right of the room was a surgical-looking bed.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. It was not empty. A teenager, probably was in his sixteenth, was sleeping shirtless. A peculiar-looking helmet was covering his head. His face was covered partly with an oxygen mask and was put on a drip. He was being surrounded by medical equipment suitable to a critical patient, although the odd helmet was not. An induced coma. The boy was forced to be in a coma. The assistant moved her gaze to the screen on the wall. From a glance, it seemed that the figure, a man, was watching some kind of anime. The monitor was showing a battle between two men, one had green unruly green hair in white armor and the other was a man clad in full black body armor. A sinister helmet covered his face. By design, the last man looked like a final boss. ¡°Die, bastard!¡± the green-haired man shouted, swinging his sword downwards and created three waves of energy towards his enemy. The energy waves were repelled by a mere swing of a sword. The black-armored man lifted a hand, directing it towards his foe. His greatsword, with half black and half white sides, moved by itself and mimics the action. It was an enchanted sword, in a game term. ¡°I will not die,¡± the hateful words came from the final boss, ¡°I will not die. I will live, and you will die. You all will die...¡± He made a sudden move with his hand and then multiple runes appeared in front of him. They shone and shoot a massive amount of energy beams. The hero dodged the first beam, deflected others using his sword, and attempted to reach the final boss. He clicked his tongue at the invading beams of energy and decided to play it safe. After multiple dodging and defending, the moment to strike finally came. The hero activated a skill, Surging Rush, which allowed him to gain massive speed for a short time. He dashed towards, like a bolt that had been released from a crossbow. He readied his sword and was about to activate a combo skill, Blinding Slash... ...but was quickly slammed to a nearby pillar by a powerful force. That attack hurt so much, leaving his health bar to one tenth. Another attack and he would die and respawn in a town in a different continent. He must heal... He couldn¡¯t afford to be defeated here. If he did, he¡¯d have to fight numerous monsters again. He would kill the last boss, got his legendary sword, and rose to the number one player in GeaOnline. Before he could drink a potion, the last boss appeared right in front of him. ¡°Wai¡ª¡± ...and slashed his head. The ball of green rolled in a circular motion before it stopped. Blood splattered everywhere, forcing those who weren¡¯t used to seeing blood vomit. Several minutes later, the corpse disappeared along with the blood. The challenger was killed. The last boss walked to his throne and collapsed on it, leaning against his hands. He has won, yet the pose was that of a defeated person. He stared at the screen, an amused gleam in his eyes, ¡°Oh, another victory. Bravo.¡± The assistant glanced at the boy on the bed and nodded. The man was talking about him. She put his soda on a table nearby. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s that?¡± She blinked, ¡°Me-melon soda, sir. As you requested.¡± ¡°Ah, good. Good,¡± he praised her. Standing up, he walked to the table and took his melon soda. ¡°It¡¯s amazing how pain can morph someone into a completely different person,¡± he spoke aloud, never leaving his gaze to the big monitor. ¡°I remember exactly what kind of boy he was.¡± ¡°It is fear that distorts his mind, sir,¡± she voiced her mind, ¡°fear of dying. Fear of pain. They played a good part in corrupting the once innocent kid into what he is. We should have looked for another guinea pig who is stronger and has a stable emotion.¡± ¡°No. That kid suits this game too well. A weak, cowardice boy like him is being dragged into a death game. It¡¯s so entertaining and educating. I¡¯ve gotten many kinds of information thanks to the kid.¡± The assistant didn¡¯t say anything. The man let out a small laugh. Lifting his glass of melon soda to the unconscious boy, he murmured, ¡°Survive, kid, and give me enough data to reach the utopia I wanted.¡± Chapter 1: An Ordinary Day Chapter 1 ~ An Ordinary Day ~ SW/SW/SW A solitary figure sat on the balustrade. One leg dangling above the cold stone while other was folded, making a triangle symbol on the stone barricade. The night wind was gentle yet chilling. However, he didn¡¯t care if his clothing had the barest warm to combat the cold. A simple, white buttoned t-shirt and black pants. The wind played with his long bangs, the black strands flying happily in the air as he stared at the solitary silver moon. How many days had it been? How many weeks had it been since his first day coming into this world? Ever since he had accustomed himself, he had stopped counting. He had been living in this world for a long time that the world he came from seemed like a passing dream. He heard rustling of clothes. From the corner of his eyes he found someone approaching. A woman. He didn¡¯t bother to look at her, let alone acknowledge her presence. A minute later she asked, ¡°¡­can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°No,¡± he answered curtly and tilted his head to the left. An elf, with blonde hair and blue eyes, blinked back her fear and stood straight before him. ¡°Mind your own business, slave,¡± he spoke in a chastising tone and her face flushed under his harsh words. ¡°Is that how you repay my worry?¡± she quietly demanded. ¡°Need I remind you that your performance greatly affects the safety of your great kingdom?¡± he delighted in seeing her trembling with fear and hate. Enough in making fun of her, he asked something different, ¡°Your lips still hurt?¡± She averted her eyes at the question, pale cheeks lit aflame in pink. Her left hand instinctively reached to her groin and gone was her pride, replaced by meek submissiveness, ¡°Y-Yes¡­ the ointment works fast.¡± He said no more and continued moon-gazing. ¡°¡­reminiscing about your hometown?¡± her clear voice, like the sound from an angelic bell, didn¡¯t even manage to break through his black heart. He looked at her and then inclined his head a little. She didn¡¯t know the truth about him. If she indeed knew, she¡¯d use the words ¡®your former world¡¯ instead of ¡®your hometown¡¯. Not only was he reminiscing about his previous world, he was also remembering the day where it all began¡­ 0000 ¡°Kail, how long you are going to sleep? Wake up! It¡¯s six thirty!¡± A voice echoed in the morning. It came from the floor below. A teenager, dressed in school uniform, was brushing his teeth. Hearing the all too familiar voice, he turned his head to the bathroom door, thinking that it was annoying. Had been living with him for such a long time, she should have known that he was a morning person. ¡°Kail, wake up!¡± The teenager called Kail didn¡¯t answer. How was he supposed to answer with a mouth full of liquid? Besides, she had lost his respect a long time ago and didn¡¯t feel the need to say anything to her, let alone answer to her calling. He gurgled and checked if his teeth were brushed perfectly. They were, so he walked down the stairs to the first floor, taking his brown bag along with him. It was yet another day. His family members, which were his dad, mother, and little sister, were waiting for him in the dining room. Yep, it was just another ordinary, repetitious, boring, and normal morning... ...except that it wasn¡¯t. Wearing her usual soft pink apron, his mother was staring at him in annoyance. Arms akimbo and a nasty expression on her face, she looked mighty pissed. Kail knew what the reason was, ¡°I was brushing my teeth.¡± ¡°You should have stopped and answered me! You¡¯re always like that! What have I done to deserve this treatment?¡± You¡¯re always like that. Like what? Kail made no effort to say sorry. She always made every trivial problem bigger than they were, while making herself looked like the victim, regardless of whether she was right or wrong. ¡°While my mouth was full of water and toothpaste?¡± he sat down and ate his sunny-side up.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Still, you always wake up late every morning and I¡¯m tired of waking you up! I hope you¡¯d be more like your nephew! Oh, he¡¯s such a sweet child!¡± Why would she compare him to his nephew, anyway? Why wouldn¡¯t she accept him just like the way he was? His dad wasn¡¯t even listening. He was too engrossed in his newspaper to notice. Another figure Kail hated in this household. Even though they were a family, his dad seemed to live in a different world. He was just an ordinary salaryman, but all he cared about was politics, politics, and politics. His parents were stupid, egoistical beings, but not his sister. Kail felt she was the only one who cared about him. She was making that sad look again, but it disappeared once he flashed a small smile at her. He didn¡¯t want to worry her too much. After taking a bite of his sausage, Kail heard his father speaking, ¡°How¡¯s school?¡± He stopped eating and answered nonchalantly, ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°I hope you aren¡¯t doing something that will embarrass us.¡± Kail¡¯s grip on his fork tightened. Was this just his imagination or was everyone ganging up on him on purpose? Around seven o¡¯clock, Kail and his sister, Nia, walked together to school. The morning air was fresh, helping his mind to recover from the over-reacting mother. He had been thinking of escaping for some time now, but he needed to save a lot of money to rent an apartment and to support his well-being. ¡°Mother is being unreasonable again,¡± Nia murmured. Kail snorted, ¡°She isn¡¯t. She is unreasonable to begin with. How could father marry someone like her? All she can do is make me feel guilty all the time and compare me to someone else.¡± ¡°B-Brother, that¡¯s a bit...¡± He exhaled and closed his eyes for a while. ¡°...sorry, Nia, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Nia smiled a little, but said nothing. Focused on their thoughts, they remained quiet during their walk. It took fifteen minutes to reach the school by foot, but they went to a nearby park to relax. There was still 45 minutes until the first period started. Suddenly his phone rag. Kail took out his phone from his pocket and saw that there was one new message in his inbox. The sender was Alisa. He read it... His heart warmed up at the message. Alisa was Kail¡¯s childhood friend. A totally different being from him, she was kind and a bright student, whereas he was ugly and stupid. Living several meters from his house, she loved to visit him on several occasion, usually bringing cookies and cakes along. The last time she visited him, she brought a small box with a half-cut Black Forest Cake inside, saying that it was a leftover. A tasty sweet like that a leftover? Ha! Kail pushed several buttons on his old cell phone and sent a message... Kail smiled slightly and put his cell phone back inside his pocket. Alisa was in the track and field club and usually had a mornin-g practice every Tuesday. It had decent runners, though not as good as the other schools. He¡¯d love to join sports clubs, but the idea of him leaving late from school was horrible. He hated school. That place was a nest for vultures. They preyed on the weak, extorted their money, and beat the shit out of their victims. He¡¯d stay away from that place as possible. Finally, they arrived at the school after spending a couple of minutes in a park nearby. There was still thirty minutes until the first period started. They separated since they were in the different classes. Kail was in 2-B, while Nia was in 2-E. Since the distance between two classes was quite far and the break was only thirty minutes, he rarely went to her class. It would seem that talking to his twin sister sped up the time without him realizing it. The last time he went to 2-E, the bell rung while he was still in her classroom and he ended up standing in the hallway as a punishment. However, they always made it a habit to go home together after school. He had nothing to do in the classroom and decided to see Alisa. She must be in her clubroom, either preparing for the first period or chatting with friends. Kail walked down the stairs leisurely to the first floor and headed to a long building located behind the main school building. The place housed many clubs, from normal ones to unique ones. There were sports clubs, a manga club, a choir club, and even an otaku club. He wouldn¡¯t join any of the clubs, anyway. They didn¡¯t interest him that much and he preferred to be on his bed reading a book. Knocking twice, he entered the girls¡¯ track and field club to find Alisa reading a book. Her club friends stopped talking when they caught sight of him. One of them nudged Alisa and the other teased her by saying, ¡°Your prince is here.¡± The brown-haired girl blushed and smacked her fiend¡¯s arm slightly with her book, ¡°Wh-What are you talking about?! Kail is just my friend...!¡± hurriedly, as if to prevent another merciless tease, Alisa dragged him away from the two mischievous girls to the corner of the room. ¡°S-Sorry about that, okay?¡± her face was still red as she murmured. Alisa was a bit shorter than him with a slim, yet fit body. Her brown hair was let down and her emerald eyes captivated him the most. It was like he was seeing lush greenery and could stare forever without blinking. For a runner, Alisa¡¯s complexion was little bit pale. He flashed a smile at her, ¡°No problem. We¡¯re nothing but friends, so it¡¯s okay. Just relax.¡± ¡°Friend, is it? I... I guess you¡¯re right.¡± Kail saw disappointment on her face, but it quickly disappeared as soon as it came. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he leaned closer. ¡°You don¡¯t look well. Are you sick? Are you hurt somewhere?¡± Alisa shook her head no, a whisper escaped her mouth, ¡°...no, I¡¯m okay. Just a little tired from the morning practice.¡± ¡°In that case, you probably should go to the infirmary. I don¡¯t want you suddenly collapse during lessons,¡± he took hold of her hand, ¡°c¡¯mon, I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Alisa jerked her hand with a face as red as a tomato, ¡°N-No! I¡¯m okay, really! A-A-Anyway, I¡¯ve made you a lunch! Will you eat with me later?¡± Kail placed a hand on his hip, leaned sideway, and tilted his head, a habit when he was annoyed by someone¡¯s stubbornness, ¡°Again? I told you; you don¡¯t have to. I can buy lunch for myself.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Alisa¡¯s enthusiasm faded gradually and Kail felt like he¡¯d done something stupid. Quickly he apologized, ¡°Sorry, Alisa. I¡¯m grateful that you have cooked something for me, but I feel kind of bad for making you do this kind of thing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Kail. I like cooking and I want to show you my skill. You said that my cooking is delicious and it matters so much to me. Besides, eating lunch together means we can talk and relax in the rooftop, right?¡± Kail didn¡¯t deny it, though. Eating with her brought calmness to his mind, not to mention the breezy wind out in the rooftop. Spending his time together with her helped him forget the unfairness of life. He smiled, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡± When he smiled, Alisa beamed, and Kail felt like he wanted to freeze the time. Her smile always made him at ease. As much as he wanted the time to stop, the bell to the first period was ringing, harshly dragging the two back into reality. They turned around to see that the clubroom was totally empty. Kail slapped his face. He had forgotten that there was another person who, when talked to, made the time went a little bit faster than usual. That person was Alisa. Alisa gasped and ran outside, before she realized that she was leaving Kail behind. A moment later Kail showed up running. Alisa waved at him to go faster and the two darted quickly to their classroom. Chapter 2: Kails Misfortune Chapter 2 ~ Kail¡¯s Misfortune ~ SW/SW/SW They made it in time before the teacher arrived. Calming down his breathing, Kail quickly sat on his chair. Alisa was already there on his right, all fine and beautiful. As expected of a track and field runner, she didn¡¯t break a sweat. He didn¡¯t expect her to answer his glance. She winked as she mouthed something, ¡°That was a good workout.¡± He held the urge to laugh. A good workout? Ha! As if running from the club building, through the stairs, and to the classroom counted as a workout! A bespectacled teacher went inside the class not too long after. He held a World History book in his hand. ¡°Morning, students,¡± he greeted out of habit and opened a document when they answered. It was more like an automatic chorus. After checking the attendance list, three students were missing his class but the teacher didn¡¯t make a fuss about it. ¡°Okay, now open your book at page¡ª¡± 0000 The lecture was boring. Kail didn¡¯t know if the problem lay with the teacher being too damn genius that he couldn¡¯t teach properly or if World History was just a boring subject in the first place. Maybe it was a bit of both. The teacher was knowledgeable, sure, but the lesson was so intense that Kail couldn¡¯t keep up with him. He was shocked to hear that there was going to be a quiz on the next meeting. There was no lesson in the third and fourth period because their Math teacher was hospitalized due to food poisoning. They were free to do whatever they wanted, as long as they didn¡¯t act like rabid monkeys and disrupt their neighboring classes. Alisa shifted her chair to face him, ¡°Did you get what the World History teacher was saying? He totally lost me.¡± He shrugged, ¡°He must¡¯ve been practicing the language of the extraterrestrial beings.¡± Then Alisa laughed. He grew up with her laughs, yet never once did they bore him. Alisa¡¯s laughter was like a gentle breeze, comforting, light, and brought happiness to those who felt it. ¡°Oh, Kail! You¡¯re so mean!¡± He snickered, ¡°Did you listen to him? Did you even take notes? If you did, then I was wrong.¡± She was shaking, trying so hard not to laugh. A minute later, she stuck out her tongue. Kail pointed a hand at her face as an exclamation of surprise escaped his lips, ¡°Aha!¡± ¡°Aha, what?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me! You accused me of being a meanie but you yourself are no better than me!¡± Alisa pouted, trying to appear hostile but she couldn¡¯t with that cute face of hers, ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything. I¡¯m innocent.¡± ¡°Lies! Sticking out your tongue and holding your laughter prove you guilty enough! You didn¡¯t take notes, did you? You sneaky, little fox!¡± ¡°I plead the Fifth,¡± was solemnly spoken. ¡°This isn¡¯t America!¡± Kail instantly spewed out a comeback. To ordinary people, the way they argued about unimportant little things might be disgusting, but they didn¡¯t care and kept talking. The teacher¡¯s explanation wasn¡¯t that important and there was no use gossiping about him. It was the exam that was the most important, yet it was easily forgotten. Jokes, friendly banters, and comebacks quickly took control of their minds. It was easily proven how close they were, perhaps even closer than they both realized themselves. 0000 After boring lessons, the long awaited break had finally come. Kail stretched his body, feeling the weight on his shoulders and back slowly disappearing. Then he shuddered. He needed to pee. ¡°Uh... I have to go to the toilet,¡± he scratched the right side of his neck and whispered to Alisa, ¡°can you go ahead? I¡¯ll be in there just a second.¡± Alisa nodded, ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t be long.¡± He waited for her to disappear before exited the classroom hurriedly. The hallway was kind of deserted. The students must¡¯ve been in the cafeteria fighting for food or in their own classes, enjoying lunch with their classmates.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Kail wasted no time and went to the toilet on the first floor. Opening the door, it was empty. Quickly he took a leak and he sighed. Thank god he made it. He washed his hands and wetted his bangs, running his fingers through to make it tidier. ¡°Well, well. If it isn¡¯t Kail. Fancy seeing you here,¡± a voice echoed in the restroom. Kail froze. He knew this voice. He knew it well enough. Run... Run away... He couldn¡¯t think, he couldn¡¯t breathe, he couldn¡¯t scream. In the blink of an eye, his happy-go-lucky attitude changed. His hands trembled and pupils dilated as the owner of the voice came closer. Run away... If miracle truly existed, Kail wanted this person beside him dead. Yes, Kail wanted the person dead so he could have a normal two years school life. Much to his annoyance and grief, there was no such thing as miracles. Since they didn¡¯t exist in the first place. Kail flinched when a hand came into his view, resting near the sink. An arm snaked itself around his neck. The position soon turned into a headlock. It wasn¡¯t tight, but the closeness robbed him of his ability to breathe. ¡°Kail, would ya lend me some money?¡± the stranger said. Kail kept his gaze locked on the sink, not to the mirror. He didn¡¯t dare to. He didn¡¯t have the guts to. Why didn¡¯t anyone come inside the toilet? Why wouldn¡¯t anyone save him? He was scared. He wanted to be saved. Save me. But no one was coming. Sick of Kail¡¯s silence, the stranger tightened his grip on his neck, ¡°Hey, are ya deaf or something? I said lend me your money, man. Aren¡¯t we friends?¡± Trembling beyond belief, Kail¡¯s hand went to his pocket, taking out a few notes, and handed them to the stranger. He snatched it and laughed, ¡°Thanks, man.¡± Kail was quickly being left alone. He gritted his teeth in anger and shame. Since he was a boy, he should¡¯ve fought back, but he just stood there the entire time trembling like a fool. He couldn¡¯t do anything. When that person was here, his mind blanked. There was nothing to think about and there was no use thinking since the result would be the same. He would either be beaten up or extorted. There was no use fighting back. He was weak and stupid. He didn¡¯t have any knowledge in martial arts. Even if he did and fought back, everyone would label him as a punk. However, he did fight back several weeks ago and the result wasn¡¯t all that satisfying. He came home with bruises and cuts, and his mother acted like he was the one who had bullied others. Instead of asking why and being supportive, he received insults. Kail leaned down, fists tightened. He was helpless, he was weak. There was no way out of this. Maybe if he jumped from the second floor, everything would be fine. But no. He couldn¡¯t do that. He couldn¡¯t do something as cowardly as suicide when there were Alisa and Nia by his side. Their laughter held him together and mended his half-broken heart. For their sakes, he wouldn¡¯t do it. He had to somehow endure this bullying and look for another way to escape this harsh reality. 0000 ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± Alisa was upset, he knew it. He apologized profusely while taking a seat beside her. ¡°Fine, I forgive you this time,¡± she huffed and gave him his lunchbox, ¡°don¡¯t do it again.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am...¡± Kail scratched his head in guilt. The lunch was quiet as usual. Alisa wasn¡¯t the type to talk all the times during a meal and Kail preferred to be engrossed in his food instead. That way, he could taste them better. ¡°Kail, what¡¯s wrong?¡± he looked up to meet Alisa¡¯s emerald eyes. ¡°Has something happened? You¡¯re acting a bit strange.¡± Alisa, who was just a childhood friend, sensed his distress effortlessly, but his own mother, with whom he had been living for so long, couldn¡¯t. Maybe the two had their souls switched? He bluffed, ¡°I was just thinking about my mom.¡± Alisa¡¯s gaze softened at his answer. She knew what kind of circumstances Kail was in. The boy was living in a pressure from his parents. His mother was constantly in a state of dissatisfaction with the way he was. This led her to continually compare Kail to someone else. And his dad was far worse. To him, scores were everything. Kail was a normal teenager with no outstanding brain functions. He didn¡¯t excel much at his studies and his scores were average, but he had a kind heart. Apparently that wasn¡¯t enough for his dad. ¡°I don¡¯t know, it seems that she blames everything on me lately,¡± Kail munched on his omelet and then stuffed rice into his mouth angrily. ¡°And always tell me to become like my nephew. Why didn¡¯t she adopt him instead?¡± ¡°I guess daily chores stress her out.¡± ¡°Please,¡± Kail rolled his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m the one who sweep and clean the house. She¡¯s just, like, lazing around reading magazines.¡± ¡°You¡¯d be a great wife, Kail,¡± Alisa laughed. Kail¡¯s face went red, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you make fun of me!¡± The lunchtime returned to its usual silence. It was relaxing to be able to eat with friends. Kail tilted his head when he saw Alisa. She was playing with her cell phone as she ate. It irked him. ¡°Hey, no texting during meals.¡± ¡°Eh? But I¡¯m not texting, just reading news,¡± Alisa showed him the phone, as if wanted to prove that she was innocent. Kail leaned closer to read. It was some kind of casual web, hosting different kinds of news. The one Alisa was reading was about the release of some new online virtual reality game. It dated four days ago. ¡°GeaOnline? What kinda name is that? It sounds like GayOnline! Hmm, online, huh?¡± ¡°This website called it VR MMORPG, Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. Wow, that¡¯s quite a mouthful,¡± Alisa scrolled down the page, ¡°It offers possibilities that regular games can¡¯t ever dream of achieving, one of the quotes says.¡± ¡°Virtual reality? Does it mean that we see what¡¯s inside the game with our eyes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m... not really sure, but it would seem so,¡± the news glued Alisa¡¯ eyes to her cell phone. ¡°Do you want to play it? Most of our classmates play this game.¡± ¡°Really?¡± he arched his brows. ¡°And by the way, ta-da! Look at this!¡±Alisa pulled out something from her skirt pocket. They were two small packets of micrSDs, made in a cute design. The label read ¡®GeaOnline¡¯. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you too?¡± he asked incredulously. Alisa wasn¡¯t the type to indulge herself in games. ¡°My mother bought several kilos of red meat for yesterday¡¯s dinner and she was given these.¡± He gawked at his childhood friend. Red meat was expensive and she said her mother was... ¡°I don¡¯t really like games, so you can have one. Maybe I¡¯ll give the other one to my friend.¡± ¡°Thanks, I guess. How do you play this, anyway? Isn¡¯t this a micrSD like the one you put inside your cell phone?¡± Alisa nodded, while making a sound of agreement, ¡°You just need to insert it somewhere inside the visor, said the web. By the way, you have to buy it yourself.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll save up money, then.¡± Honestly Kail wouldn¡¯t play the game. Although it was a perfect means to escape reality, it wasn¡¯t worth it when he played it alone. Also, he needed money to buy the visor. It must be very expensive. No way. He would keep this microSD for now... Chapter 3: The Decision Chapter 3 ~ The Decision ~ SW/SW/SW The school was over and Kail was getting ready to go home. This was his first time doing homework until four o¡¯clock. Honestly, he was uncomfortable, but for Alisa, he would do anything. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, Kail. The sun will set and we don¡¯t want to worry our parents,¡± Alisa smiled widely, leaning at him, who was practically shoving his books into his bag. ¡°It¡¯s been ages since we went home together. Speaking about going home, how is your sister? I heard she¡¯s not feeling well.¡± ¡°Nah, just a cold. She¡¯ll be alright in two or three days,¡± Kail stretched down before standing up. He had texted Nia to go home early, so she wouldn¡¯t wait for him. ¡°C¡¯mon. Let¡¯s go.¡± Opening the door half-way, his vision was met by a familiar face leaning against the wall. He wasn¡¯t alone. His two friends were there, waiting for him. In that instant, Kail felt like the world was ending. He was the guy who extorted his money that very same afternoon. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Kail?¡± Alisa popped out from the classroom. She smiled to the new guy, ¡°Good afternoon, Wawan. I¡¯m surprised to see you here. Do you have any club activities after school?¡± ¡°Nah. I¡¯m in the go-home club,¡± Wawan stepped forward and hugged Kail with one hand, ¡°But today, I¡¯m going to a bookstore nearby with him.¡± Alisa blinked, ¡°Eh? But Kail was supposed to go home with me.¡± ¡°Huh? He¡¯d asked me during lunch break, though.¡± Wawan would make an excellent villain actor if only there were no vertical scars on his left cheek. The scars looked like a cat had scratched him and would never heal. ¡°Kail, would you mind explaining things to us?¡± Alisa looked at him and Wawan secretly tightened his hug, a signal for Kail about the consequences he would face should he tell her the truth. Driven by fear, Kail obeyed immediately. Scratching his head and faking guilty, he apologized, ¡°S-Sorry, Alisa... I just remember that I did promise to hang out with him and I forgot to tell you. Looks like we can¡¯t go home together.¡± Alisa gave him a reassuring smile and Kail gulped, wishing that Alisa wouldn¡¯t be so dense at a time like this, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kail. No problem. But you have to show me that comic when you¡¯re done with it, okay? Bye, and have fun!¡± Kail waved back and wished that Alisa wouldn¡¯t run. Once she was out of their sight¡ª ¡°That was awesome, Kail,¡± Wawan praised him, pushing Kail into a wall. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had it in you.¡± Wawan¡¯s two friends quickly stood on Kail¡¯s sides to prevent him from escaping. ¡°Give us your money.¡± ¡°B-But you already did...¡± Kail flinched in fear when Wawan slammed his fist to the wall. A little bit left, and his head would be the target. ¡°Shut up, stupid motherfucker! Don¡¯t lie to us. I know you must¡¯ve had some in your bag.¡± He was scared. He was so scared. Why wasn¡¯t anyone coming? Why wasn¡¯t anyone coming to rescue him? Wawan, irked just by seeing Kail¡¯s expression, punch him in the face. It acted like a cue to his friends, who soon joined the party. They kicked, spat, punched, and hit Kail until he was black and blue. After rummaging through his bag, they found that he had no money left. Angrily, they left grumbling and cursing. Kail was alone in that hallway, lying on his side and crying. It hurt so much. It hurt. His left eye was black from Wawan¡¯s punches and his body ached all over. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. He gathered his belongings on the floor and put them back inside his bag. Feeling dizzy, Kail leaned against the wall. He spent quite a time sitting like that, harnessing the energy to move. He slowly stood, ignoring the gnawing pain in his body. ¡°Gah...! Ah....¡± Kail coughed, placing a hand on the wall to steady himself. ¡°Ah....! Ghhh...¡± His chest was throbbing as he lifted his body. His head was spinning and his vision was blurred, but he had to go home. He couldn¡¯t stand being inside this place any longer. Dragging his feet, he managed to reach the stairs. Very slowly he stepped down, cringing in pain from.every step he made. Finally, he made it to the first floor and was glad that it was empty. ¡°Someone there?¡± Ignoring his legs¡¯ protest, Kail sprinted outside the building and hid behind the wall, under a window. It was the school caretaker. Someone, in fact, was there in the school, but why didn¡¯t the caretaker show up when he was getting beaten?! Stealthily Kail peeked through the window to see the man walked up the stairs. He inhaled and was once again back on his feet. His face must¡¯ve been awful and he could taste his own blood just by wetting his lower lip. He should get home quickly... 0000 ¡°Do you know what time it is?! Where on earth have you been?! What have you done this time?!¡± his mother¡¯s outrage greeted him. She was literally blazing with fury at his appearance. ¡°Why must you always into fights with people?! What if they reported you to the police?!¡± Instead of helping, his mother was confusing other people with her unending rant. ¡°They won¡¯t,¡± Kail applied disinfectant to his bruise after washing it off. The instant the disinfectant touched the bruised area, it burnt like hell. Kail held his pained expression in well. Nia carefully placed a band-aid on the surface and proceed to clean other dirty bruises with warm water. ¡°But what if their parents came here and demanded compensation?! What would our neighbors say?! You¡¯re always making us look like a bad family, Kail! Why can¡¯t you be like your nephew?!¡± You are always¡ª The pattern would always be the same. You¡¯re always making us look like a fool! You¡¯re always involved in a fight! ¡°Mom, could you make something for big brother? It would help us,¡± it wasn¡¯t apparent, but Kail heard Nia¡¯s irritation under the layer of sweetness and politeness. She smartly requested their mother to cook something for him, which she gladly did. Kail¡¯s mother was a sucker for Nia. He was done getting all patched up. Although he wasn¡¯t fully healed, the pain subsided. To his surprise, his mother had made him crispy, deep-fried chicken thighs. He happily ate them, marveling at how crunchy they were and how tasty the rice was. In an instant, he felt his energy coming back. The clock pointed to six p.m. He was now resting on his bed. Arms and cheeks were covered in band-aids, but he was used to it by now. When he lay on his side, he felt something pricking his skin. He took it out. Turned out it that it was the MMO-something game, GeaOnline. He took a good look at it and then closed his eyes. If he played the game, then he could easily forget about the reality. If he played the game, he¡¯d find a world where he could walk in peace without fear of being bullied. Yes, everything was possible. Slowly he opened his eyes and tilted his head to the left. There, on the table, stood his piggy-bank. Pink and cute, he¡¯d gotten himself that piggy on his tenth birthday and he¡¯d been saving up money since then. He wondered if the money could get him the visor, whatever that was, to play the game? Nah. He¡¯d save the money to escape from this house and all the while get rid of this stupid game. He never played any MMO games but he believed that they were nothing but ordinary, cheap, and time-consuming games. Why would this GeaOnline be any different than any other MMO games out there? ¡°Brother, dinner¡¯s ready!¡± Kail sat up immediately upon hearing Nia¡¯s voice. Turning his head towards the door, he shouted, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be right there!¡± He changed into some comfortable clothes and quickly descended the stairs. A familiar scene filled his eyes. His father was reading a newspaper, Nia was placing the food on the table, and his mother was taking off her apron. The instant Kail sat down, his father opened his mouth, ¡°What happened to you?¡± Kail looked at him distrustfully and whispered, ¡°Nothing happened.¡± He ignored the disapproving look his father gave him and filled his plate with rice. ¡°You knew the consequences, right, Kail?¡± He stopped moving and looked up to meet his father¡¯s stern gaze. ¡°You, teenagers, are useless ruffians. All you do is use your faces as punching bags.¡± The time had come to a halt. Kail felt blood rising to his veins, making them swell and explode powerfully. Lost was his appetite, only rage and anger remained. ¡ªAll you do is use your faces as punching bags. ¡ªuseless ruffians. He changed his mind. He really needed that visor now. Chapter 4: The Character Creation Chapter 4 ~ The Character Creation ~ SW/SW/SW ¡ªYou, teenagers, are useless ruffians. ¡ªAll you do is use your faces as punching bags. The fire of hatred engulfed his mind and this reflected visibly in his eyes. For the very first time in his life, Kail wanted to punch his father in the face. Never before he had felt so humiliated in front of everyone. His father¡¯s disgusted expression implanted itself into the deepest reaches of his mind. Frowning, scowling, and scrutinizing. ¡°You¡¯re a disgrace¡±, was how anyone who saw it would describe his father¡¯s expression. Kail landed a hard punch into his pillow. He missed the pillow on the second punch and it hit the bed. His fist bent awkwardly and bounced back from the impact. He didn¡¯t care and continued to hit his pillow until he ran out of breath. No matter how hard he punched the pillow, anger was still the only emotion Kail could feel flowing through his veins. It was pathetic, really, to be chastised by his father, but he wasn¡¯t at fault. Those scumbags were. He collapsed onto the bed, face upward. Shielding his face from the light, Kail gazed at the ceiling. His mind recalled the events up to this point as he collected his breathing. Do you want to play it? Most of our classmates play this game. You just need to insert it somewhere inside the visor. Give us your money. ¡ªbe more like your nephew! And it finally ended at the memory where his father insulted him. You, teenagers, are useless ruffians. All you do is use your faces as punching bags. Driven by his subconscious desires, Kail rose from his bed and picked a hammer from his hardware tool. Covering the piggy-bank with the blanket, Kail broke it and then carefully put the shards into the bin. Silently he counted the money, taking all the notes he could find, and he left the coins inside his drawer. He wore his jacket and left the house silently, hoping that the store had the stock ready. 0000 The department store was full of people buying things or just window-shopping. In this city, the true embodiment of ¡®the city that never sleeps¡¯ could accurately be used to describe it. The haven of shoppers and window-shoppers alike, it was almost open for a full twenty four hours per day. A teenager wandering about this place at this hour wasn¡¯t a particularly strange sight. It was past seven o¡¯clock and students were expected to be home studying, but Kail wasn¡¯t alone. This place was crowded with high school students. From the direction opposite the exit door, gaming store was on the third floor so he took the escalator to reach it. He reached the store easily enough. The store was near the famous fast food chain, MacDanield. A perfect spot for the hungry gamers to grab a bite. The gaming store might look shabby outside, but it was surprisingly clean and colorful. Hanging on the wall, there were headphones and mice for gaming. There were also a huge variety of CPU casings. Kail noticed some kind of weird helmets in the corner of the room. Could they be...? He approached the store attendant and asked, ¡°Excuse me, do you still have the visor for GeaOnline?¡± The attendant smiled and went to the corner of the room, ¡°Of course! Which models would you like?¡± Kail looked at the supposedly visor. Now that he thought about it, they looked more like a helmet! Why were they called visors, anyway? ¡°Models?¡± ¡°The old models GX-001 is a dream-tool among graphics-lover, but requires more energy input to compensate for the amazing graphics it has. The latest model GXF-002 offers stable graphics and performance, and requires less energy to function. I¡¯d say the latest model is better, because it¡¯s mom-friendly.¡± They laughed. The attendant got it right. If the electricity bill skyrocketed, there¡¯d be a hell to pay. ¡°I¡¯ll take the newest one,¡± Kail said after weighing down the pros and cons. After buying the gadget, Kail went straight home. There was no point in hanging out in the department store any longer unless he wanted to evoke the wrath of a mother. Inside his room, Kail opened the box and picked the latest model virtual game visor. It did look like a helmet, with a blue visor that covered upper half of the user¡¯s face, leaving the upper below bare. The thin visor itself was permanent and could not be moved. The streamline design allowed maximum comfort while being used. There was an on and an off button there, as well as a microSD slot. On the side of the visor, there was a cable connected to a power cord. ¡°Al~right...¡± he said in a singsong. ¡°So what next?¡± He rummaged in the helmet¡¯s box to find its manual. Kail spent several minutes to understand how the visor worked. GXF-002 with build-in Li-Ion battery provides a high voltage, a long life cycle, and a high charge rate. The battery pack''s discharge rate on GHX-002 is directly affected by the graphic management settings. Higher quality of graphic consumes more power than the standard graphic settings. This graphic management setting can be found in GeaOnline¡¯s option. ¡°So, this helmet-like thing has a build-in battery, huh? Like the latest laptops?¡± he examined the inner side, but didn¡¯t happen to find where the battery was. He decided to read the manual again. GXF-002 is also able to momentarily cut the electrical current if the battery is full. Once the battery falls below 50% of the max value, GXF will resume the charging. It takes approximately three hours to charge the battery to full. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s quite cool,¡± Kail grinned. Flipping the book, he read the next instruction on how to install GeaOnline. GXF-002 is designed to support and play GeaOnline. Users need to insert the microSD inside microSD slot located on the left side of the GXF-002. Once it is in, GFX-002 will automatically install the game. Make sure GFX-002 is turned on. Once the installation is finished, GFX-002 will produce a beeping sound. Unload the microSD by pressing a button located beside the microSD slot. Kail followed the instruction dutifully. While waiting, he read several mangas and munched on a packet of biscuit. One hour later the visor beeped, signaling that the installation was finished. Kail took out the microSD as instructed. Feeling excited already, Kail held the helmet in his hands, eyes focused on the paper below him. To use GXF-002, simply wear it on the head. During GeaOnline playthrough, GFX-002 will momentarily block the signal the brain sends through the body, rendering the users in a state of unconsciousness, and emits its own unique wave to stimulate the five senses. It is advisable for the users to play in somewhere safe and comfortable, preferably on the bed. Our visors series are well equipped to catch nearby Wi-Fi signal from our specially constructed towers. This allows users to play GeaOnline without needing additional programs or application. We have extended our towers even to rural areas. In that regards, users do not need to worry about the lack of signal to go online. Currently, GFX-002 is only capable of projecting two senses, sight and hearing, from five traditional senses, which are sight (vision), hearing (audition), taste (gustation), smell (olfaction), and touch (somatosensation). In development, the newer version will be able to stimulate all of them and possibly more. He placed a hand on his chest. His heart was beating like crazy. Of course it should be, after all he was going to experience his first VR online game. What would the GeaOnline look like...? ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll play just for two hours,¡± Kail lay down on the bed and wore the helmet. Several seconds later, there was some kind of inscription appeared on the visor. He tried to read it, but sleepiness quickly overcame his mind. [New ID detected. Load previous character or create a new one?] Suddenly a grey window appeared in front of him. Using an invisible hand, he touched the ¡®create new¡¯ choice box. He typed his e-mail address and password, and waited. [ID_2666383=created.] [ID registered.] [Preparing to log in.] Everything was dark, but Kail could sense his limbs and arms. He was nowhere and there was nothing to be seen. Slowly a figure appeared from the seemingly empty space. It was a woman, dressed in fantasy-themed secretary clothes, complete with a pair of glasses. Her golden hair was tied in a simple bun. She smiled at him and he smiled back. ¡°Thank you for purchasing GeaOnline and we welcome you to the world of Tel Nevos. We offer you our humble gratitude for your patronage.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. You¡¯re welcome,¡± Kail answered back with a bow. The woman was smiling. Was something funny? ¡°My name is Alice 146, your guide in starting out as a new adventurer,¡± she bowed. ¡°Before we begin creating your avatar, is there something you would like to ask? Or to complain, perhaps?¡± ¡°Are you a living person?¡± Kail blurted it out and Alice laughed. ¡°Of course! In reality, I am one of many employees whose job is to help a newcomer. Like you, we are also wearing the visor. Anything else?¡± Face red, Kail let out a nervous laugh, but swallowed his uneasiness and asked, ¡°By a guide, you mean...?¡± ¡°I will direct you and provide you with voice support during your first playthrough for one hour. There is no tutorial area since we believe that the best experience is to jump straight into the wilderness. More information can be accessed on our website. At any rates, I will do whatever I can to make you experience heaven in GeaOnline!¡± she gave him a thumbs up. Kail nodded in satisfaction. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Then let us begin creating your avatar. Please note that one account only supports one avatar, so create carefully. You cannot change your gender, unfortunately. Then...¡± with a flick of her wrist, a blue window appeared between them. Inside, there were several sub menus, each representing a race in the world of Tel Nevos. Human, Elf, Beastman, Draconian, Demon, Devil, and Vampire. Kail tapped Draconian. It was his first time seeing that race.
Draconians are hardy, strong people. A distant cousin of the Dragon race, Draconians gain STR and VIT at a fast rate, suitable to players who prefer a solid attacker. Also, they can breathe fire and fly at will, making them dangerous opponents to fight in close range. Best Attributes: STR and VIT
So they could roast the enemies, huh? Pretty handy, considering that firebreath skill in RPG games was an AoE skill. But what about Beastman?
Living in a hidden village somewhere in Alrua Mountain, Beastmen are strong and fast attacker. They are able to dish out significant damages. So precise in their attacks, beastmen almost never miss. What is more, they are immune to poison, making them a deadly living weapon. Best Attributes: STR and DEX
Beastmen... So they were like dogs, furry and fluffy? The words ¡®never miss¡¯ tempted him, but he resisted. Melee didn¡¯t appeal much to him. He, then, tapped Human.
Humans dominated several parts of Tel Nevos and the most commonly found race in GeaOnline. Excel in everything, Humans display outstanding survivability and adaptability of all races. Best Attributes: Jack of all trades
He was a human to begin with, so it made sense that he chose to play as Human. Kail tapped it and confirmed. Alice smiled again. This time, the racial window disappeared and was replaced by a big job window, ¡°Which job do you prefer? Please swipe left or right to read each job¡¯s description.¡± The initial class being presented to Kail was, of course, the mighty warrior.
Warrior An expert in clobbering, bludgeoning, striking, and cutting, any weapon is a tool of destruction in the hands of a Warrior. They prefer to defeat their enemies in close-range attacks.
Equipment Skills STR 14
Head: Leather Helmet Healing Hammer VIT 15
Body: Leather Vest Medium Armor Evasion DEX 11
Arm1: Iron Sword Heavy Armor Survival PER 7
Arm2: Buckler One Handed First Aid INT 5
Two Handed WIS 5
Shield WILL 5
Sword CHA 8
No. He didn¡¯t want to play as a Warrior. They reminded him of Wawan, someone who resorted to violence to solve everything. Kail swiped to the right to find magic-oriented jobs. He decided to read each description.
Shaman The Shamans are friends of nature. They can channel the power of nature to bring justice upon their wretched enemies. Proficient in close-range, a Shaman can summon animals and sacred animals to their aid.
Equipment Skills STR 8
Head: Fur Helmet Healing Casting VIT 7
Body: Fur Vest Medium Armor Control Magic DEX 6
Arm1: Whip One Handed Literacy PER 8
Arm2: - Mace Survival INT 15
Whip Herbology WIS 16
Taming Gardening WILL 11
Meditation CHA 8
A Shaman looked good, except that it didn¡¯t appeal much too him. Okay, they could attack and do magic. They were versatile enough, but a Shaman excelled nothing in particular. That was what Kail thought. The next job was the all too familiar one.
Magician Ah, a Magician. What would a fantasy world be without one? Conjuring flame pillars, water needles, and thunder rains, there isn¡¯t anything that a Magician cannot do, assuming that it has something to do with magic.
Equipment Skills STR 5
Head: Mage Hat Healing Memorization VIT 6
Body: Robe Light Armor Evasion DEX 6
Arm1: Staff Staff Alchemy PER 5
Arm2: - Meditation Herbology INT 17
Casting WIS 13
Control Magic WILL 15
Literacy CHA 7
He was through playing as a Magician. Keeping his distance away from the enemies and then blasted them into nothingness. Maintaining distance and attacked, rinse and repeat. It was kind of boring.
Summoner While Magicians blast the enemies using three basic elements and Shamans the nature, Summoners flatten the enemies using otherworldly power of the Summon Beasts. With a Summon Beast, this class is a formidable foe in battle.
Equipment Skills STR 5
Head: Circlet Healing Memorization VIT 6
Body: Robe Light Armor Literacy DEX 7
Arm1: Staff Staff Evasion PER 8
Arm2: - Meditation Alchemy INT 16
Casting Herbology WIS 11
Control Magic WILL 11
Control Beast CHA 14
The instant Kail saw the Summoner job, his heart cried out to choose it. There was something mysterious and new about the Summoner that intrigued him, tempting him. Without a slight hesitation, he chose it. ¡°Ah, a Summoner. That¡¯s a good job, although you will later tend to be a support character for your Summon Beasts. Starting out quite weak, they are a force to be reckoned with at higher level,¡± Alice commented. ¡°For your information, a Summoner doesn¡¯t always need a Summon Beast to kill the enemies.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re armed with offensive spells?¡± ¡°Of course, as well as defensive ones to increase a Summoner¡¯s survivability, but the choice of spell is not as diverse as the Magicians since Summoners themselves are support characters. On the other hand, Shamans use nature-based spells, such as debilitating Vine Whip, poisonous Crimson Petal, Wind Tornado, and so on.¡± Kail nodded. Alice waved her hand and a naked body appeared in front of Kail, along with a customization window. Kail then pushed several buttons, designing his avatar. He had the avatar looked like him, but changed the hairstyle and hair color. ¡°Alright,¡± he said after he¡¯d done designing everything. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Then please type in your avatar¡¯s name. Please be careful. You cannot change your name later.¡± Kail crossed his arms, frowning. He played this game to escape reality. He wanted to be an excellent student. He wanted to be perfect so that his mother wouldn¡¯t compare him anymore and his father wouldn¡¯t insult him. Kail finally found a name that suited him. ¡°That¡¯s quite a unique name, I must say.¡± He flashed a smile at her and looked at the name he had typed. AceKivras. Ace¡ªthe name was a reminder for him to change himself. Ace meant number one, champion, excellent, and perfect. Weak and wimp in the real world he might be, but he vowed not to cower in this virtual game. He hoped to change himself in the virtual world first, then his real self would follow suit. Though he didn¡¯t know what Kivras meant. Alice smiled one last time, ¡°Okay. Close your eyes. Open them when I tell you to.¡± Following her command, Kail closed his eyes and felt wind under his feet. The wind began enveloping him, but he kept his eyes closed. The wind raged furiously until everything was quiet. Around him, the birds were chirping and people were talking. He was in a place completely different from before. ¡°You can open your eyes now.¡± ...and Kail did. Chapter 5: First Day in Dragonis [Unproofed] Chapter 5 ~ The First Day in Dragonis ~ SW/SW/SW He gawked at the scenery that greeted him. He was standing in a city square with stalls surrounded it. Many people wearing strange clothes or armors, who Ace assumed was adventurers, were walking to and fro. Looking behind, he saw a huge circular-shaped mirror being held by an equally huge dragon statue. The inside of the mirror was swirling around and around, making him dizzy. Ace looked up to read the name. It was called {Dragonis Portal}. Far behind the portal, there was a richly decorated fountain surrounded by adventurers like him. Behind the fountain, through the flower-flanked road, was a three-story building. It was all white, except the red banners that were hanging on the second floor wall. Everything was so real he could die from shock. He pinched his cheek, but felt nothing. Yep, the manual didn¡¯t lie. The latest visor could only stimulate sight and hearing. It was a pity, though, but at least everything was awesome. {{That is the Guild Hall, if you¡¯re wondering.}} Ace jumped out of surprise. Ignoring the weird look the passerby gave him, he searched for the source of sound, but found nothing. {{This is me, Alice. Remember?}} the sound came again. ¡°Ah,¡± he finally remembered. The guide lady. For a split second, he thought that he was hearing things. {{Currently, I¡¯m using private chat to talk to you. Here, I¡¯ll add you to my chat list so that we can talk in private. You just need to voice the words in your mind to respond, by the way.}} Ping! A notice window appeared in front of him. [Alice 146 wants to add you in their private chat list. Confirm?] Then two window boxes appeared, each read Yes and No. Of course he pushed the Yes box. {{Great! Then I¡¯ll brief you on this place. This town is Dragonis, the starting town for beginner. That white building with red banners is the Guild Hall. That is where you can create a new guild. However, to create a new one, you will need more than six members and have to pay weekly rent for the room. It sucks, I tell you.}} Then Alice instructed him to go back to the marketplace near the portal. {{Good job, you find it. The market is the perfect place to buy potions at a discounted price. Unlike the Potion Shops, these market stalls don¡¯t have great variety of items, but it¡¯s the cheap price that makes you coming back. If you¡¯ve got Negotitaion skill, the price will be cheaper.}} Ace approached one stall and looked at the potion being displayed. He¡¯d never played any virtual games before, but he knew his way in RPG games. This game was just another RPG games to him. The amazing stuff happened when he laid his eyes upon a potion. Suddenly a label appeared above it, read {Red Potion}. ¡°Huh? That¡¯s weird...¡± Ace lifted the potion closer as if to check whether his eyes were working properly. They were. The potion was named {Red Potion}. {{Ah, sorry! I forgot to give you the basic items knowledge. You see, any items you may encounter are not identified and you won¡¯t know their properties until you test them yourself. There! All done! Now the potion will have a name. Please open your main menu. Tap the air in front of you and it will appear.}} Before Ace opened the menu, he gave one last look to the potion. It was now identified as {Minor Healing Potion}. Tapping the air, Ace found a circular shaped window with his name, HP and MP, job, and level. There were other circular but smaller windows, each connected with a line to the first window. These smaller windows must be the sub menus. {{Great job! The bigger window is your basic status screen and the smaller windows around it are the sub menus.}} Yep, he guessed it right. There were seven sub menus, namely Status, Equipment, Items, Personal Data, Guild Information, Item Appraised, and Option. {{Next, open up the Item Appraised menu. Here you will see what kind of item you¡¯ve had discovered. You can search for any specific item you¡¯ve had appraised by typing the keywords in the search box located on the above right of the window.}} Ace tapped the Item Appraised sub menu. The display disappeared altogether and was replaced by a rectangular window. The interface was shaped like a notebook. There were two sections, which were Identified Items and Unidentified Items. He immediately noticed several list had already been filled. There was a search button on the upper right of the window, as well as a question mark icon below it. His item lists in Identified Items page were...
Red Potion Minor Healing Potion
Blue Swirling Potion Minor Mana Potion
Snazzy-looking Scroll Scroll of Identify
Old book Book of Firebolt
Glittery Book Book of Protection
A Strange Stone Low-level Summon Beast Stone
Yellowish Scrolls Scroll of Return
It didn¡¯t discourage him how abysmal his list was. In time, it would evolve into a bigger, more complete list. {{What¡¯s this Summon Beast Stone?}} he asked. {{It¡¯s an item to get a Summon Beast, the heart of a Summoner. There are several ways to get one, such as defeating a boss raid, as a reward from the arena battle, and even from a chest within a dungeon.}} {{What is a boss raid?}} he asked. {{We have prepared many bosses in this game. They are of every monster type, ranging from goblin, lamia, and so on. These bosses are tough to handle alone, so it¡¯s better to beat them together with your friends. This is what we call a raid boss, meaning that you storm a boss¡¯ lair with friends and defeat it.}} Ace made a mental note about it as he listened. {{Back to the Beast Stone, the stone itself is basically a gatcha. Open it and you will get a random low-level Beast. Although, among the common ones, there are powerful Beasts with a drop rate lower than 2%. You¡¯d be lucky if you get one!}} At the mention of powerful, rare Beasts, his heart raced a little. Rare Beasts? They must¡¯ve had better stats than the normal ones and it meant better protection! Besides, he wanted to be the center of attention. Walking around in town with a rare Beast in tow would surely raise jealousy among fellow Summoners... {{Enough with the introduction! Let¡¯s find ourselves a quest and explore the wilderness!}} He didn¡¯t reply, though. It was embarrassing. Ace didn¡¯t miss that enthusiastic tone of voice. Was the person behind Alice 146 so energetic? He walked further away from the marketplace to the city garden. As he roamed the streets, he kept an eye on quest boards. They were one of several ways for adventurers, or players, to get a quest. Ace found them, finally, after walking around the town for fifteen minutes. The quest boards were located in the center of the town, near Item Shop and Equipment Shop. He approached one that was empty and began searching. For a start, he should find a low level quest, probably a quest that had something to do with cleaning NPC¡¯s cellar from rats, or looking for a certain herbs. They sounded easy enough.
Labor Quest
Level: Medium
Prereq: Smithing skill lv.6
Lucreota the Smith
The busy time finally comes again! I need someone skilled enough to smelt metal and create weapons! If you¡¯re up to the task, I¡¯ll be waiting in the Weapon Shop.
Rewards: 4300 Gold Coins and several ingots.
That was an impossible task for sure. He didn¡¯t even have Smithing Skill. He checked another quest, hoping to find something suitable to his level.
Gathering Quest
Level: Easy
Prereq: None
Mishella the Trader
I sell Potions to adventurers, but I realized that I¡¯ve ran out of the most important ingredient: Riselicium Herb. Someone get five of them for me!The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Rewards: 500 Coins and two Minor Healing Potions.
Ace whistled, ¡°This one is nice.¡± The quest sounded easy enough and the payment was okay. A bottle of Minor Healing Potion cost 150 Coins, while a bottle of Minor Mana Potion cost 200 Coins. {{Have you found a quest?}} asked Alice. It freaked him out a little how she suddenly spoke out of nowhere, like a ghost. {{Yeah. It¡¯s a Gathering Quest. How do you accept one?}} {{Just take the paper and the system will treat it as accepting the quest, or you can talk to the NPC directly, but that¡¯s such a hassle. Once you get what the quest-giver wanted you to do, a guidance arrow will then point you to them. Give the item and done. You¡¯ll get the rewards.}} How simple. He had been thinking that virtual reality games were cheap, complicated, and time-consuming. In fact, it depends on the game. This GeaOnline was awesome. {{But Gathering Quests don¡¯t offer you EXP upon completion, though.}} No, he took it back. Virtual reality games suck. Ace prepared everything (reading the Book of Firebolt and Protection, buying more Mana Potions, and such). Currently, his inventory held:
  1. Five Minor Healing Potions
  2. Six Minor Mana Potions
  3. Two Scrolls of Return (teleported him to Dragonis)
  4. Three Scrolls of Escape (teleported him out of a dungeon)
  5. Five bottles of mineral water
  6. Five bags of ration
Ace stared at the two items on his five and six item slots, but decided to ignore them for now. The guards paid him no attention as he passed through the gate. It was grassland as far as his eyes could see. There was a patch of thick forest in the distance and a mountain in the west. None of them was his destination, though. He followed the road to the right until a trail replaced the cobblestone. It led him to a forest near Dragonis. Alice said it was a nice training ground for a newbie. The enemies were common animals found in real life, such as rabbits, snails, hedgehogs, and even wild sheeps. ¡°Firebolt!¡± a small ball of fire flew at a rabbit and exploded, bringing its full HP to zero. The corpse didn¡¯t disappear. Instead it stayed there, burned. Ace tilted his head as he took several steps to the dead rabbit. As silly as he always been, he poked it with a stick to make sure it really was dead. ¡°Yep. It¡¯s dead alright.¡± He opened his item window and placed the animal inside, thinking that the roasted rabbit could somehow be sold. He kept his item window active and had it located at a comfortable place somewhere his right hand could reach. Just in case, the shortcut window full of potions was above the inventory. Ace opened his status window and arched his brows. Only 299 EXP needed to the next level. How fast. This game had the most unique EXP system. In RPG games, he¡¯d earn EXP upon killing the enemies. In GeaOnline, EXP could be gained by doing skill-related action. Several examples were reading a spellbook, using a scroll, and casting a spell. Killing an enemy netted him the most EXP, though. Right, he almost forgot what he was supposed to do. The quest-giver wanted him to collect five of whatever-Herb. It had a strange name, almost biological sounding, so it wasn¡¯t a surprise that he had forgotten it. At any rates, it was a tier one Herb. Although a little ignorant, Ace felt like he should check the quest again. It wasn¡¯t fun when he brought back so many only to realize that he had picked the wrong herb.
Deliver five Riselicium Herb to Mishella. Riselicium Herb gathered 0/5
So, the name was Riselicium. What a strange name. Since the genre of this game was fantasy, he had no right to judge. He saw a strange plant in the distance, growing between a bush and a tree. As usual, a label appeared above it. [Riselicium Herb] ¡°Aha!¡± Ace pointed a hand at the innocent herb and placed it inside his inventory. He spotted another one hiding behind a tree, which went straight into his inventory. Ping! [Your Herbology Skill increased in level!] He was shocked to see the notification. He was alone in a forest, and all of a sudden a sound was played and something appeared in front of him, as if the system wanted him to suffer from a heart attack. For now he¡¯d focus on the task at hand. Customization came later... Ace had collected more than enough and was ready to head back, before he heard his stomach growling. [You are hungry. Find something to eat!] Confused, he couldn¡¯t distinguish if the sound was coming from his avatar or his real self. {{Relax. It¡¯s your avatar who¡¯s hungry. You will receive a small notification every hour being spent in the game, as well as the time in real life.}} Ace exhaled in relief. As he remembered it, there were food rations and several bottles of mineral water in his inventory, occupying two slots of total 50 items. He didn¡¯t think of them as useful, but seeing that this was a virtual reality game, he now understood that hunger and thirst were implemented to make it more realistic. He ate the ration and drank the water. They were tasteless. Sad... [You are satisfied! HP and MP regeneration increased by 10% for ten minutes.] ¡°Nice! So food also serves as a temporary buff, huh?¡± Ace exclaimed. This game had become more interesting the longer he played it. {{Alright! Now that you¡¯ve got yourself nice buffs, go get some EXP!}} {{OO!}} this time, he replied as enthusiastically, lifting his fist in the air. He didn¡¯t mind staying a little bit longer in this world. After all, it had been a long time ago since he had come late to school. He missed standing in the hallway. Yeah, real world sucked. GeaOnline was much more fun. Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 5 HP (150)
Level 1 287/586 Def: 3 MP (225)
Human 299 to lv. 2 M.Atk: 15 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 125 Coins M. Def: 13
Independent Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment No perks or abilities*
STR 5 Worst Head Circlet
VIT 6 Bad Neck Amulet
DEX 7 Bad Body Robe
PER 8 Normal Back -
INT 16 Superb Arm (main) Staff
WIS 11 Best Arm -
WILL 11 Best Waist -
CHA 14 Superb Legs Pants
* (tap to see) Feet Shoes (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 2.100
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 2.000
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 4.956
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 5.023
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 5.374
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 5.000
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 4.121
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 2.010
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 3.031
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 6.175
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 6.000
Chapter 6: An Unexpected Encounter [Unproofed] Chapter 6 ~ An Unexpected Encounter ~ SW/SW/SW He had gotten himself more than ten Riselicium Herb. Looking at the detailed description, it seemed that eating the herb would restore his health. Although the amount was 15 HP, it was great nonetheless. He could save up money to buy gear and books. Alice said her goodbye as soon as he had killed bunnies and collected another five herbs. It was a bit sad, though. His selfish side wanted Alice to be around when he logged in and kept guiding him, but that was such a convenient wish. Alice was human, not a program. A red arrow pointed at the city. Ace opened the map by using voice command. Making his way to the exit of the forest, he stumbled upon a strange-looking plant. The fruits looked like a strawberry, but bigger and multi-colored. Sweet smell invaded his nostrils and his body moved itself to the strange plant. Looking at the label above it, Ace¡¯s smile went wider.
Apuberry A berry with pleasantly sweet smell. It can be eaten to restore HP and satisfy hunger, and be sold for quick cash. Plantable, but needs Gardening skill level 5 to cultivate this plant.
Smiling, he reached out to pluck the fruits one by one. They soon found themselves stacked inside his inventory. Ace looked up to see the berry at the top of the plant. It was way above his arm reach. Thinking that it was such a waste to leave one unpicked, he used his staff to get it off. The stalk was tougher than it looked. Suddenly, an exclamation point appeared in front of him, signaling of a danger nearby. He stopped moving, noticing that he wasn¡¯t alone. There was something behind him. Something dangerous. So dangerous that it was better not mentioned. Something scary... He was scared... Even though this was but a game, he was scared. The tension threatened to destroy the remaining courage he had. As a result, the hair on the back of his neck stood straight and he was trembling. His heart stopped moving and there was no blood moving to his brain. Ace gulped, gripping the staff tighter as he remembering Alice, the guide. {{Let¡¯s go to Dragonis Forest. It¡¯s beginners¡¯ spot for leveling up. After you¡¯ve reached level three, you may want to change place. North from Dragonis, you¡¯ll see a wide patch of forest, hiding a pond and a tower. That¡¯s your next destination. Gain level in the pond, but steer clear from the tower.}} This place was supposed to be for beginners, right? ...right? But, there was really something... something scary behind him, one that was beyond his level... Mustering up courage, Ace turned around ever so slightly to find something that would haunt him in his sleep. Spoiler: Spoiler It wasn¡¯t a deer, yet it wasn¡¯t a horse, either. The animal was more like both of them. Its body was green, with sacred patterns all over its body. Flaming mane of pale green produced ever present crackle sounds as it hovered. What made Ace cringe was that there was nothing under the deer¡¯s body. Instead of hooves, thick vines replaced them. Ace gulped yet again and took a step back. Just by looking at the detail, Ace could guess that it was a boss... [Daucaryon, the Forest Deity lv. 14] Ace yelped in fear. The Forest Deity? What¡¯s more, its level was way above him! This had to be a dream! He was just starting out, weak, and still hadn¡¯t used his Beasts Stone! For a boss to appear in front of him like this... Seeing that a battle was impossible, Ace slowly moved backwards, keeping his eyes on the monster. It was still staring at him. Ace spun on his heels and ran. The forest deity neighed just like a horse, and flew after him. Ace let out a scream and dodge aside, scraping his side against the path, when a big stalk came thrusting at his heart. [You take 2 damage!] HP [148/150] Hurriedly he stood on his feet and ran away. He sprinted as fast as he could and was glad that he didn¡¯t have any stamina bar. If this were real life, he wouldn¡¯t last long running like this. His lungs would have been burning and his legs hurting. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Thank god this was a game. Ace opened the map and headed to Dragonis, all the while dodging the venomous stalks and vines that came after him. Ping! [Running skill acquired!] ¡°Why are you popping out at a time like this?!¡± Ace managed to shout a comeback to the system¡¯s stupidity. Losing his concentration momentarily, he tripped over a stone, but managed to steady himself and kept running. Coming into a clearing, Ace found two newbies¡ªa warrior and a priestess¡ª who were sharing their loot. They were shocked to see the newcomer, all panting and panicking from something. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± the warrior greeted with a smile. ¡°Running from a boar?¡± Looking behind, Ace quickly ducked when a stalk came after his head. One wrong move, he might end up dead. Ping! [Evasion skill increased tremendously!] [Light Armor skill increased!] The warrior and priestess screamed. The elf priestess trembled in fear and the warrior was already running away. Ace made no hesitation to follow the warrior¡¯s lead. Defeating the monster at his level was impossible. All he could do was to get out of this godforsaken forest and head to Dragonis. In a state of complete panic, he didn¡¯t remember the use of the Scroll of Return. In RPG games, monsters wouldn¡¯t attack the cities and Ace was one hundred percent sure that the rule applied to GeaOnline. ¡°{Bestiary}! {Daucaryon}!¡± he shouted his voice command and a small window appeared in front of him.
Daucaryon, the Forest Deity Level: 14 HP (890) MP (600) A deer with glowing symbols on its body. Flaming mane adorns its back and stalks are its tail. Has no leg, thus it flies above the ground. Is normally neutral or even docile unless angered. Its diet consists of Apuberry and will be hostile if someone is seen stealing its favorite berry.
¡°Ah, goddammit! Why didn¡¯t you say sooner?!¡± Ace cried out in frustration. Using his right hand, he reached out for Apuberry stashed in his inventory, stopped to aim, and threw a berry to the abnormal deer. Seeing the familiar berry in the air, the monster stopped moving and chased the berry instead. Smiling, Ace quickly got away, running as fast as he could manage. Parting branches, stepping on the grass, jumping on shrubs¡ªAce frantically ran, following the map on his left side. It was just several meters from Dragonis gate. He would make it. Ping! [Running skill increased!] ¡°Shut up!¡± Ace shouted in surprise when something grabbed his right foot, causing him to fall face first. His face made an unpleasant sound when it kissed the ground. [You fell down! You take 8 damage!] HP [140/150] Looking down, he found that a strong vine had snaked itself around his foot, firmly keeping it immobile. Mind in a state of panic, he attacked the vine with his staff, but did little damage. Then he realized that he was a magician. ¡°Firebolt!¡± he conjured his fire magic to the vine and it was burnt instantly. Finally free from any obstacle, Ace stood up only to see Daucaryon hovering several meters from him. It was staring at him with its red, evil eyes. It wanted nothing to make mincemeat of him. Ace bit his lower lip. It was so persistent it was annoying. If that was the case, then he had no choice but to use his Beasts Stone. He hoped that he would get a powerful Beast, not some mere Slime. Daucaryon waited for him as if it understood that its opponent wanted to fight. ¡°Give me a good Beast!¡± Ace used his Beast Stone and in an instant the stone flashed brightly. He forcefully closed his eyes, shielding his face from the blinding light. When everything returned to normal, Ace was flabbergasted to see his Summon Beast. Long, flowing golden hair, fair skinned, and wearing a blue claw on her left hand. She was almost human. Almost, if only her lower body wasn¡¯t composed of the body of a snake. She turned around to face him, and Ace was dumbstruck by her mesmerizing light green eyes and warm smile. ¡°Did you call for me, Master?¡± Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 5 HP (140/150)
Level 1 287/586 Def: 3 MP(157/225)
Human 299 to lv. 2 M.Atk: 15 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 125 Coins M. Def: 13
Independent Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment No perks or abilities*
STR 5 Worst Head Circlet
VIT 6 Bad Neck Amulet
DEX 7 Bad Body Robe
PER 8 Bad Back -
INT 16 Superb Arm (main) Staff
WIS 11 Best Arm -
WILL 11 Best Waist -
CHA 14 Superb Legs Pants
* (tap to see) Feet Shoes (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 2.151
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 2.098
Running VIT Affects your running speed 2.322
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 5.867
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 7.723
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 5.401
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 5.061
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 4.445
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 2.332
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 3.414
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 6.175
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 6.000
Chapter 7: The Danger Passed [Unproofed] Chapter 7 ~ The Danger Passed ~ SW/SW/SW He gawked at her. Gawked at his Summon Beast. She was half-woman half-snake. In RPG games, she was known as lamia. Ace blushed heavily when he learned that his Summon Beast wore nothing. The flaming red scales only covered half of her breasts and he could clearly make out their shapes. ¡°Master?¡± she tilted her head, confused as to why her Master was covering his eyes. ¡°C-Can you just defeat the enemy, please...?¡± Kail ordered weakly, still had his eyes covered. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want...¡± she trailed off and faced the enemy. Pointing her claw at the forest deity, she shouted, ¡°You dare to attack my master?! You deserve nothing but a painful death!¡± As if understood her language, Daucaryon neighed angrily. The tendrils on its body vibrated violently as it charged towards its opponent. Ace opened his eyes to see his Beast fighting Daucaryon. Looking at her, there were two panel bars above her head, each colored red and blue. In an instant, Ace knew what those bars represented. Above the health and mana bars, Ace found something intriguing. It was bracketed and obviously was her name. Agriella. He felt his heart skipped a beat. Agriella, huh? It felt so natural when he said it, flowing nicely out of his mouth. Was it normal for him to fall in love with something unreal? With something that was clearly not a human? Since the first time they locked eyes, Ace knew he had to protect her. Sounded so stupid, he knew that, but wasn¡¯t it natural for boys to protect the ones they loved? Daucaryon¡¯s swipe attack was quickly blocked, but the difference in strength sent Agriella flying several meters away. Ace gasped when one third of her health bar disappeared. He wanted to protect her. Even though she was just a Summon Beast who he could call so conveniently, he still wanted to protect her. Lifting his staff to the air, he shouted, ¡°Firebolt!¡± and watched as a small ball of fire flew to Daucaryon and exploded. To his horror, he had just dealt two HP damages. The wide gap in their level was too much. What was worse, he had gained Daucaryon¡¯s attention. Instead of attacking Agriella, it came to him. Angered, Ducaryon let out multiple sharp vines out of its body. They cut anything it their path as they travelled in the air, aiming to end Ace¡¯s life in an instant. Driven by reflex, Ace dodged aside, but one of the vines got through his right arm. It successfully created a hole in there. [You take 103 damages!] HP [37/150] Ping! [Light Armor skill increased!] ¡°Damn!¡± Ace cursed, quickly healed himself with a spell. It was just a small attack but it hurt like hell. One more and he¡¯d die. Agriella took the perfect moment to backstab the forest deity. The attack caught it by surprise and dealt 68 damages to its HP. Ace flinched when the forest deity stabbed Agriella right in the chest. That was a critical hit! She took 267 damages and nearly died. Without thinking, Ace took a bottle of Minor Healing Potion from his inventory and threw it at her. With a loud crack, it shattered when it came in contact with her head. The content drenched her body but restored her health. ¡°Master, why did you have to throw it at me?!¡± she shouted angrily, her cheeks ballooned. Although relieved that the potion recovered a little bit of her HP, now it wasn¡¯t the time to relax. They had to distract the stupid deer and run away. Ace grabbed another Apuberry and threw it so far that it was almost impossible to find. Daucaryon neighed and ran towards the berry, leaving the two alone. ¡°Agriella, run!¡± he shouted. ¡°Y-Yes, Master!¡± she slithered to him at surprisingly fast speed and the two of them ran. Ace was in front, running along the familiar road leading to Dragonis with Agriella in tow. Ace looked back and was grateful that the forest deity didn¡¯t follow them. Ping! [Charisma increased!] Finally they arrived in Dragonis with their lives intact. Slowly he regained health as he walked inside the walled city. Many eyes followed them as they walked. It was obvious that people looked at his Summon Beast. Curious, Ace used his voice command to open Agriella¡¯s status.
Agriella EXP Chart* Atk: 77 HP (233/453)
Level 7 2568/6577 Def: 55 MP(223/223)
Lamia 4009 to lv. 8 M.Atk: 32 Does not worship anyone
Warrior - M. Def: 35
Summon Beast Friend -
Uncommon Summon Beast
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment Apprentice Fighter
STR 29 Superb Head -If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
VIT 23 Good Neck -
DEX 31 Best Body -
PER 17 Normal Back -
INT 11 Worst Arm (main) Azure Claw
WIS 10 Bad Arm -
WILL 14 Normal Waist -
CHA 21 Good Legs -
* (tap here to see) Feet - (Help)
Skill Description Level
One Handed STR This skill powers up your one handed weapon attacks 15.123
Healing VIT Recovers your HP over time 21.204
Medium Armor VIT How effectively you act while wearing Medium Armor 18.009
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 15.335
Sewing DEX Allows you to sew different kinds of clothes 10.000
Evasion DEX Helps you evade attacks easily 10.552
Archery DEX Discipline in mind increases your attack with bows 9.000
Survival PER Helps you find food in the wilderness 12.110
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 3.000
Cooking CHA Allows you to cook healthy meals 17.296
Ace couldn¡¯t believe what he just saw. She had an excellent stats, as well as nice range of skills. She had high level of Healing, too. It was no wonder that her HP was almost close to half of its max value by the time they reached Dragonis. What piques his interest was that she had Casting skill. For a Warrior, it was kind of weird. The dangerous thing was that she didn¡¯t have Control Magic. It would be disastrous when she cast AoE spell. It kept bothering him for a while, but what the heck was perks? He tapped Agriella¡¯s perks table and something popped up.
Perks are passive abilities that helped you in or out of combat. Perks can be obtained when you reach level 3. After reaching level 10, Perks can be obtained once every 10 levels. For more information, please see Perks section in the Help option.
Apprentice Fighter
Weapons deal 4% more damage
¡°Oh, awesome!¡± he exclaimed and turned his head to find Agriella. She was staring at him with her head tilted to her side. She looked cold and unfeeling without a smile. ¡°Y-Yes?¡± he asked, a little bit uncomfortable being stared at and with her looking almost nude like that. ¡°What are you reading, Master?¡± she slithered closer. Her smooth shoulder touched his arm and he blushed. Preoccupied with her status window, she didn¡¯t notice his discomfort and exclaimed happily, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s me!¡± ¡°Uh... I-I was just looking at your attributes. No weird stuff,¡± Ace stuttered as he closed the status window. ¡°B-By the way, aren¡¯t you cold?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ace wished that she would stop tilting her head while displaying that innocent look. He was literally melting like a chocolate in a hot pan. Afraid to meet her eyes, he glanced somewhere, but then cursed himself. His eyes refused to leave the valley of her breasts. They looked so soft and he wondered if the look and the feel were the same. Some high-level players passed them, snickering, ¡°Look at that guy talking to an NPC.¡± ¡°Must be a weeaboo.¡± ¡°Loser.¡± Ace glared at them, but they continued on and laughed so hard it hurt. NPC or Non Playable Character was just programmed to say specific lines when interacted to. They were known to repeat the same things over and over, earning them a title ¡°Broken Recorder¡±. ¡ªthat guy talking to NPC. Gulping, Ace looked at Agriella, who was fixing up her hair. Dread filled his mind. ¡ªtalking to NPC. Summon Beasts were NPCs, too, and they were supposed to say the same lines. But... But here Agriella proved it wrong. She... she was able to display so much emotions. She was angry when he threw a potion at her and exclaimed happily upon seeing her own status window. She even responded to his question, displayed curiosity, and tried to strike a conversation. Realizing that Ace was staring, Agriella stopped fixing her hair and looked back. They locked eyes. ¡°Yes, Master?¡± she smiled warmly. His eyes widened. ...no matter how he looked at her, she was just a normal lamia girl instead of an NPC. Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 5 HP (55/150)
Level 1 431/586 Def: 3 MP(181/225)
Human 155 to lv. 2 M.Atk: 15 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 125 Coins M. Def: 13
Independent Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment No perks or abilities*
STR 5 Worst Head Circlet
VIT 6 Bad Neck Amulet
DEX 7 Bad Body Robe
PER 8 Bad Back -
INT 16 Superb Arm (main) Staff
WIS 11 Best Arm -
WILL 11 Best Waist -
CHA 15 Superb Legs Pants
* (tap to see) Feet Shoes (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 2.643
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 2.098
Running VIT Affects your running speed 2.641
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 6.401
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 7.955
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 5.401
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 5.667
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 4.445
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 2.431
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 3.503
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 6.175
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 6.573
Chapter 8: Agriellas First Flag [Unproofed] Chapter 8 ~ Agriella¡¯s First Flag ~ SW/SW/SW What was an NPC? Were they actually alive? Were they nothing but codes? If that was true, then were Agriella¡¯s smiles a fake? Was her genuine worry of his wellbeing programmed? Ace threw his fist to a wall nearby. It angered him so that it didn¡¯t hurt. He wouldn¡¯t feel satisfied otherwise. [You take 3 damages!] ¡°M-Master! What are you doing? You are hurting yourself!¡± See? How could that possibly be programmed? Her emotions were real! He took deep breathings. Let¡¯s not jump to conclusion. Those three adventurers earlier... what did they say about him...? Look at that guy talking to an NPC. Ace put a hand on his chin, frowning. Wouldn¡¯t it mean that they couldn¡¯t? This was certainly odd. He could understand her and even talking to her. If the NPCs were created to behave as humans would, surely the news would be all over the internet. And surely everybody would be talking to NPCs by now. This must be a bug. Before he reported it to the developer, he needed to check few things first, namely confirming his suspicion. ¡°Hey, Agriella,¡± he called her name and she gave him that sweet smile again. ¡°How do level up system works?¡± If she was programmed to respond to the player¡¯s question, she wouldn¡¯t be able to answer since the level up system wasn¡¯t even there in her database. Plus, Agriella wouldn¡¯t know a thing about it since she was programmed just to attack. She put a hand on the edge of her lip, eyes looking at random places, ¡°Let¡¯s see... to level up, you just need to defeat monsters and get EXP. If bloodshed is not to your liking, you can try earning EXP through more peaceful ways, such as gardening, cooking, and others.¡± She continued, ¡°To see how much EXP you need to level up, open your status screen just like you opened mine a while ago. Once you leveled up, you will be given four points, which you can spend to raise your attributes. I¡¯m a Warrior, so I spent mine on Strength, Vitality, and Dexterity.¡± Ace couldn¡¯t believe what he just heard. She responded and she knew about that sort of thing! Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be a normal NPC without much dialogue options?! He decided to press on, ¡°Then how about this potential column? I see weird descriptions such as good, superb, and worst. Honestly, I don¡¯t understand a thing about it.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s called attributes potential. It measures how fast you get a raise on a certain attribute. Raising attributes don¡¯t rely heavily on leveling up, you know. If your potential is high enough, it will increase by one point. As your attributes increase, your potential will go down to the point where an increase in attributes is almost impossible. But you can use certain potions to elevate the potential.¡± To be honest, this was one good bug. It would be a waste to report to the developer and had Agriella formatted. Having a bugged NPC like her was very, very useful. Whoever heard of a Summon Beast that could give some good advice? Ace decided that he wouldn¡¯t report it and pretended that Agriella was just another normal player. Following the quest arrow, Ace approached the NPC trader in the market. Of course Agriella tailed behind him like a puppy would to its mother. The trader thanked him and gave him his reward. It shocked him that he was given another Minor Healing Potion, which meant three as a reward for collecting herbs. For such a long time, the trader praised him for being such a good boy and started giving him a sermon about her family member. It took him long enough to finally be free from the torture. Ace tried so hard not to think about it, but it seemed weird. Why was he able to witness NPCs behaving like humans while the other players couldn¡¯t? Did his installation disc contain viruses? Dang, he couldn¡¯t ask for a refund since he¡¯d gotten the game for free. Well, whatever. He didn¡¯t care. It was more fun this way. ¡°Master, I¡¯m tired...¡± slowly Agriella whispered. For a second, Ace nearly forgot that she was there. He apologized, ¡°Sorry, I kind of spacing out. Let¡¯s go to the inn, then. Are you hungry?¡± She nodded, ¡°I¡¯m so hungry I could eat a house¡ªno, on a second though¡ªa castle.¡± Honestly Ace didn¡¯t expect her to say something like that. Summon Beasts were NPCs, so hunger and thirst wouldn¡¯t apply to them. ...but It looked like Agriella was a special case. Anyway, his avatar was kind of hungry, too. Maybe it had something to do with running from the forest deity. Ace fiddled with his map, ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ the nearest inn is¡­¡± Oh, but wait. He needed to buy something first... 0000 ¡°Here, wear this,¡± Ace gave her female commoner¡¯s clothes he had bought in the market. Struggling with money, he couldn¡¯t buy her anything spectacular. These clothes were the cheapest that he could afford. It was discounted, even! The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What for?¡± and here she asked the obvious. Ace tried so hard not to blush, ¡°Listen, Agriella. You¡¯re a girl and I¡¯m a boy.¡± ¡°And...?¡± crap, she made things even harder for him to explain. He slapped his face. ¡°The way you look like makes me uncomfortable.¡± Especially those half-shown breasts. She looked at her own body while twirling around, ¡°But this is what we, lamias, look like. Am I not to your liking?¡± Now he blushed. Very hard. She made it look like they were married and he was dissatisfied with her appearance. This was his first time seeing girls¡¯ boobs through his own eyes, not from the television screen. The real things were pleasing and smooth... ¡°J-Just wear these, will you? You¡¯re my shield and sword; of course, I bought these clothes for you! I figured you¡¯d need a boost in your defense!¡± Ace was proud that he was good at bluffing. ¡°Oh, I see! Thank you, Master,¡± she took the clothes happily and tried them on. They covered her upper body perfectly, but weren¡¯t constricting. That was better. Now that the breasts were out of the way, it was time to go down and order some food. Ace stopped himself half-way. What would the other players say if they ate together? He should be careful. Even if Agriella changed her appearance, others would immediately recognize her as an NPC. ¡°Hey, Agriella, can you guard this room? I¡¯ll go down and buy us some food.¡± She nodded obediently, ¡°I live to obey my Master.¡± Attempting to hide his embarrassment, Ace spun on his heels and went outside. She was so damn cute, but she had no idea what kind of damage that beauty could do to his insanity. Also, she was so eager and pure... ...that he didn¡¯t want to make her fight monsters just for his sake. The first floor of the inn was full of players. Most of them were newbie just like him, judging by their plain-looking equipment. The pros were hanging out in the corner, talking seriously about raid bosses and drop rates. Their weapons were glowing with potent enchantments, and their levels were way above him. ¡°Welcome!¡± said the inn owner¡¯s daughter. ¡°How can I help you?¡± Then three dialogue boxes appeared in front of him.
Dine In
Buy Ingredients
Take Out
¡®Buy Ingredients¡¯? Oh, right. There was a skill named Cooking, wasn¡¯t there? Ace spent several minutes thinking. Eating ration earned him HP and MP regeneration buff for ten minutes, but what if he ate Agriella¡¯s cooking? If her Cooking level was high enough, wouldn¡¯t it mean that the food she prepared had better buffs? He only had 305 Coins left, so he spent it wisely. He bought two dishes of roasted Peko thighs with herbs. Since Coins were hard to get in earlier level, he had to be careful not to overbuy. Ace chose ¡®Buy Ingredients¡¯ and bought eggs, potatoes, and carrots. Looking at his inventory, Ace sighed. He had bought the ingredients too many and now he was broke. Two dishes of roasted Peko thighs were 140 Coins, while the rest was 160 Coins. It left him with five Coins. Five! God, he should¡¯ve limited his spending... Well, whatever. There was no use crying over spilled milk. After eating the meals, Ace dismissed Agriella. Their parting ended with a smile. Agriella was so happy to be of some use to him, while he was happy that she was there with him. Looking at the new notification, Ace closed his eyes. It was past 11 p.m., but he didn¡¯t want to go. He didn¡¯t want to be away from this world. He tilted his head to look up at the blue sky. His dark-colored eyes gazed at nothing. He didn¡¯t want to log off. He was afraid of the reality. He was afraid of being bullied. Why should he go to school? That place was hell and those bullies were its gatekeepers. Trapped and couldn¡¯t get out, all he could do was to obey the gatekeepers¡¯ whims. He wanted to be saved, but no one came. No one noticed and no one cared. Was it so wrong for him to be saved? Was it wrong for him to wait for a savior? Ace sighed heavily. If only he could live in this world forever... Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 5 HP (55/150)
Level 1 431/586 Def: 3 MP(181/225)
Human 155 to lv. 2 M.Atk: 15 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 5 Coins M. Def: 13
Independent Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment No perks or abilities*
STR 5 Worst Head Circlet
VIT 6 Bad Neck Amulet
DEX 7 Bad Body Robe
PER 8 Bad Back -
INT 16 Superb Arm (main) Staff
WIS 11 Best Arm -
WILL 11 Best Waist -
CHA 15 Superb Legs Pants
* (tap to see) Feet Shoes (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 2.643
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 2.098
Running VIT Affects your running speed 2.641
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 6.401
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 7.955
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 5.401
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 5.667
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 4.445
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 2.431
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 3.503
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 6.175
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 6.573
Chapter 9: Snippets of GeaOnline [Unproofed] Chapter 9 ~ Snippets of GeaOnline~ SW/SW/SW Kail opened his eyes to look at the usual scenery before him: his room ceiling. He sat up, removing his visor. Looking around, his room seemed emptier than before. Maybe it had something to do with Agriella¡¯s presence. They just met once, but she brightened his day and mended his bleeding heart. Having her around was a joy. He recalled the events in GeaOnline and a smile graced his lips. ...why did you have to throw it at me?! ...so hungry I could eat a house¡ªno, on second thought¡ªa castle. Yes, she was a Summon Beast, but he found her beautiful and real. It was but a brief moment, but he already missed her. He missed everything about her¡ªher smile, her laugh, her annoyed voice, and her kindness. Kail sighed and reached out to charge his visor. Now that she wasn¡¯t here, things started to get depressing. Turning off the lights, he went to sleep. He didn¡¯t dream... 0000 It was a fine morning. Nia woke up at five thirty. She made her bed and opened the window, taking in healthy morning air. After a quick stretching, Nia took a warm bath and went to the first floor in her school uniform. To her surprise, there was no one in the first floor. Normally her brother was the first to wake up, cleaning the house until six before preparing himself for school. Looking at the clock, it was six fifteen. Until five more minutes before her mother and father coming down for breakfast. Placing her bag on the sofa, Nia walked up the stairs and went to Kail¡¯s room. Leaning against the door and listening, she frowned. It was unusually quiet. She knocked, ¡°Brother, are you awake?¡± There was no response. She knocked again, ¡°Brother, it¡¯s six. If you don¡¯t get up, mother will be angry.¡± Still there was no response. It was weird, seeing that the mere mention of her mother would send Kail to a momentary speed boost. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m coming in,¡± Nia slowly opened the door and was shocked to see that everything was dark. The window was shut, the curtains blocking the light from entering the room. In the dim-lit room, she noticed a weird helmet on her brother¡¯s bed. Kail was, of course, sleeping. Pouting and arms akimbo, Nia strode to the window and opened it wide. The ray of light illuminated the dark room, making Kail flinch in his sleep. 0000 It was so bright it hurt. Kail instinctively covered his head with his blanket, attempting to cross the bridge to the dream world again. ¡°Brother, wake up already!¡± that familiar voice broke the bridge he was crossing and he instantly opened his eyes. Pushing the blanket aside, he saw Nia standing in front of him. He rubbed his eyes wearily, ¡°What are you doing here...?¡± ¡°Why are you asking the obvious? Of course I¡¯m here to wake you up! Unless you want to stand in the hallway, then you¡¯re free to go to sleep again.¡± Sitting groggily, he rasped, ¡°...what time is it?¡± ¡°Six twenty.¡± Crap! It was the time his mother started preparing breakfast! He scrambled down and ran to the bathroom on the second floor. He took a quick shower, and emerged ten minutes later fresh and clean. By the time he got downstairs, his father had left and Nia was sipping his tea, waiting for him. ¡°And now you woke up late,¡± was his mother¡¯s greeting in the morning. Seriously, why wouldn¡¯t she say something nice for once? ¡°Doing some homework,¡± he didn¡¯t bother explaining and just bluffed like usual. He munched on his toast and took a bite of his sausages. Fifteen minutes later they walked outside. There was still approximately one hour before the school started and, as usual, they took their time and went to nearby park to talk. Around seven thirty they left the park. This time, they walked in silence, savoring the tranquility between them. Kail took out his cell phone and stared at the clock. Six more hours until he was free from school. He couldn¡¯t wait to see her, to see Agriella. He missed her voice, her kindness, and especially her smile. ¡°Waiting for Alisa¡¯s message?¡± Nia asked out of the blue. Kail smiled slightly, bluffing, ¡°Yeah. She always sends me a message around this hour.¡± Nia didn¡¯t answer, but nodded. Finally they arrived at the school. ¡°Good morning, Kail,¡± he couldn¡¯t get bored listening to the soft voice. In an instant, his heart warmed up and positive energy spread all over his body. Turning around, he saw Alisa, who had her hair tied up in a low twintail. Letting her hair down, having it in a ponytail, or even a twintail, the style would always suit her. Her green eyes soothed his loneliness and he smiled, ¡°Hey.¡± Nia bowed her body a little, ¡°Good morning, Alisa.¡± The friendly gestures earned a sweet smile from the green-eyed girl. The expression soon disappeared when she noticed his colorful face. ¡°Kail, what happened? You got a black eye!¡± Kail grimaced at the memory and instinctively covered his right eye, ¡°Nah, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s nothing, then why you have your arms covered in band-aids?¡± Noting that it was the time to act, Nia approached Alisa and whispered something. Alisa then pursed her lip while saying, ¡°You idiot! Why didn¡¯t you call the police when you were mugged?¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Kail blinked in confusion, but understood that Nia had just saved him by lying. Though she didn¡¯t know that he had been bullied, she would always there ready for an excuse. He went along, ¡°I-I didn¡¯t remember their faces clearly! Besides, they didn¡¯t steal much from me!¡± ¡°Where did it happen?¡± ¡°Somewhere in a park near the mall. I was... taking a break from shopping and all of a sudden they attacked me.¡± ¡°But you were going with Wawan, weren¡¯t you?¡± If the cooling fan inside a laptop could spin at a certain speed per minutes, Kail¡¯s brain spun way faster than it was. He was best when it came to lying, but doing so required unbelievable concentration to make up for one, and superb determination to look at someone¡¯s eyes. ¡°Wawan already went home. At that time, I was buying the visor for GeaOnline,¡± it was a white lie. He lied to her, but not completely. He did go out to the mall and buy it. ¡°So that¡¯s what the strange helmet was,¡± Nia murmured, finally enlightened. ¡°A-Anyway, I¡¯m going to the class first! See ya!¡± and he hurriedly left before he could spill anymore nonsense. Once he was inside the class, he put away his bag and sat down. Looking around, he noticed that something was missing. It was an unusually quiet day. Then he slapped his face. Of course it was, since a certain lamia girl wasn¡¯t there. Since he played the game, it was normal for him to be curious about GeaOnline. Kail took out his old cell phone. It wasn¡¯t a smartphone, but still could be used for surfing the web. He entered the keywords and the result popped out. The Wi-Fi was fast. The tuition fee didn¡¯t go to some fat rat¡¯s pocket, then. He clicked the official page, but only found general information such as Races, Tel Nevos, Story, and recent updates. There weren¡¯t any detailed information about Summon Beasts. Sad... He had no choices but to browse other websites. He found a trustworthy website that housed much information about GeaOnline. He started with Summon Beasts. Summon Beasts in GeaOnline were divided by their primary roles: Attacker, Defender, and Support. He scrolled down to find Agriella¡¯s name on Support-type Beast. Her rank wasn¡¯t very high since she was a low-level Uncommon Beast. He read the comments about Agriella and shook his head. They said that she was useful on house chores only and that was why she was an unpopular Beast despite her being an Uncommon Beast. What was more,she had low HP for an attacker and mediocre MP for a supporter. She had Casting skill, but unable to learn any spell before reaching level 10. She started out wearing almost nothing but a claw and veteran Summoners called her a glass cannon Support Beast. Kail didn¡¯t know what a ¡®glass cannon¡¯ meant, but it sounded awful. The meaning must be awful, too. Tired of Summon Beasts, Kail browsed through the Boss section. There was a long table filled with each of the bosses in GeaOnline. This bosses list was sorted based on levels. However, we decided to sort the Dread Trinity (Azariel, Etherios, and Hathor) based on their difficulty. Kail frowned. The... what?
Ranking Name Level HP/MP Attack Defense Resistance Race
1 Etherios 350 550,000/67,000 2,290 1,690 2,070 Human more information
2 Hathor 366 785,000/45,000 4,560 2,000 1190 Succubus more information
3 Azariel 390 628,000/56,500 3,115 2,800 1800 Demi-Human (?) more information
4 ..... 310 ........ .... .... .... Fallen Angel more information
So, these three bosses must be the... uh, Dread Trinity, as the web said. These three bosses were ranked by their difficulty, huh? It meant that this level 350 boss was harder than the level 390 boss? That was kind of weird. What was more, their status gap was like heaven and earth. Curious about the level 390 boss, he clicked the link on the right side and gasped.
Azariel the Chaotic Madness
One of the main villains of GeaOnline, Azariel was created to fulfill the descriptions of what a final boss looked like. His attributes were once so high that even 10 of 300-leveled players couldn¡¯t bring his HP below 50 percent. In the latest update, Azariel is much more tolerable and easier to beat. Although most of his deadliest movesets were deleted and replaced, he is still as dangerous as he once was. In GeaOnline story, Azariel is a ruthless king who governs without mercy. Aided by Etherios and Hathor, they gleefully spread terror throughout the land. Epic drop: Soul Slicer sword [Legendary] approximately 0.0045% chance Alignment: Neutral-Evil Race: Debatable (currently Demi-Human) Element: None
Moveset: click to view Habit: click to view Status attack and element effectiveness: click to view *Credits goes to Invisipen of DeviateDrawing for the fabulous fanart
Hmm, Invisipen, huh? Sadly Kail wasn¡¯t into arts and obviously clueless to the name. But he knew which art was good and which was not.This one was epic. He scrolled down to see the comments.
Kulaima78
Thank god the developer is back to their senses Azariel was too damn hard to kill Now if only they could make Soul Slicer easier to get... T.T
Mi-Mi-Mirakuru
dude, thats the thrill of grinding the legendary sword =.= it wont be a legendary anymore if the drop rate is so high
Kulaima78
@Mi-Mi-Mirakuru I have killed him more than fifty times, but he doesn¡¯t drop the damned sword... ?
Panko
@everyone tough luck to you guys jajajaja I happen to got one and it¡¯s just rarity one Soul Slicer theatp is 2400 so high! can you belive that
A legendary weapon! Kail grinned widely. If only he could obtain such an awesome weapon, he¡¯d be invincible! But wait. He was a summoner, so he couldn¡¯t use it. Dang... Were there legendary staves for magic users? They should exist. There were a lot of bosses and there were bound to be many kinds of legendary weapons, not just swords. Kail clenched his first in determination. Next time he was online, he¡¯d definitely going to find those weapons! Of course with Agriella¡¯s help!If he could get a hand on one of them, he¡¯d sure be able to protect the lamia girl he loved¡­ Chapter 10: A Day Out with Alisa [Unproofed] Chapter 10 ~ A Day Out with Alisa ~ SW/SW/SW Kail stretched his body. The school was over and he needed to go home quickly. Agriella must be waiting for him in GeaOnline and he couldn¡¯t just leave her alone. She was a bug, he knew that, but he decided to overlook that abnormality. For her, he¡¯d do anything. Now that he thought about it, where did Agriella go once she was no longer needed? Was there something like a ¡®Summon Beasts world¡¯, a place where the Summon Beasts wait for a summoning? Or had she been wandering in Dragonis while he was away? He made a mental note to ask her later. ¡°Hey, Kail,¡± a familiar brown-haired girl made her appearance, complete with a charming smile. ¡°Are you free right now?¡± He crooked his head to face Alisa, who was standing beside him. Kail looked at her expression closely. It seemed that she wanted to hang out with him. This was bad. He didn¡¯t want to make her sad, but he didn¡¯t want to make Agriella wait either. ¡°No. Why?¡± he decided to go with Alisa first. Once they were done, he¡¯d directly go home and play with Agriella. She gave him a cute grin, ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun in town! I know this place where they serve the most delicious meat dishes!¡± ¡°Like¡­ yakiniku or something? I¡¯ve never tried one.¡± ¡°Yup, like that Japanese dish! I¡¯m so hungry right now! I¡¯ll eat your table if you¡¯re not hurry!¡± Kail scratched his hair. He¡¯d love to, but¡­ ¡°I¡¯m kinda broke. Why don¡¯t we go somewhere more¡­ affordable?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be shy! I¡¯ll pay, so c¡¯mon!¡± she insisted. ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea¡­¡± he was happy to eat for free, but to have a girl paid for his bill was kind of¡­ pathetic. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s my treat! Just be quiet and follow me!¡± she was now practically dragging him outside, ¡°guys should eat plenty of meat. Just look at you! You¡¯re like a stick!¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡± Along the hall, Kail didn¡¯t miss many murderous stares directed at him. It made sense because he was holding hands with (read: being dragged by) Alisa, who was popular with guys. She was beautiful, smart, kind, and rich¡ªwhat more could a guy ask for? Countless guys had had proclaimed their undying love to her, but they were all gently rejected. Up to now, Alisa must¡¯ve been a constant target of confessions. She always said that having a boyfriend would surely limit her freedom and ended up friend-zoned them all. And now that she¡¯d been seen with a random stranger, holding hands at that, Kail knew that he had just awoken vicious monsters called jealousy. But that was okay. He just needed to explain it to them that Alisa was just a childhood friend. Nia wasn¡¯t there waiting for him near the school gate. She had a study session with her friends and possibly wouldn¡¯t come home until six. 0000 The restaurant was called Niku-Niku Paradise. In Japanese, niku meant ¡®meat¡¯ and how true the name reflected in the restaurant¡¯s menu list. Seventy percent of it consisted of dishes with meat in them¡ªJapanese yakiniku, Japanese takoyaki, hotpot with vegetables and meats, grilled chicken thighs with herbs, hamburger, and many more.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Although their specialty was meat, the restaurant also served sweets, hot chocolates, and salad. They even had sundae. The visitors were mostly males, but there were several girls in the corner of the room. They sat in a table for two people, facing each other. Kail ordered two hamburgers and a glass of carrot juice while Alisa had a bowl Japanese yakiniku and three bowls of rice. Kail stared at her in silence. While it was true that running took a lot of energy, it didn¡¯t make sense how her small stomach could manage to digest that much food. He knew that Alisa had a huge appetite, but it never ceased to amaze him how much she could eat. ¡°So you can use chopsticks?¡± he asked and took a big bite on his hamburger. Alisa just nodded as her mouth was full. Kail was used to seeing her wolfing down her meals, but the men around them were not. Some were staring at her in disbelief and some were whispering while giving her occasional glances. The hamburger was so good and Kail was glad that he ordered two. This place really was the best when it came to meat. Alisa was on her second bowl and her eating speed hadn¡¯t slowed down a bit. Kail held the urge to laugh. Maybe the girl had worms inside her stomach. He picked up Alisa¡¯s fork. They served yakiniku with fork and spoon since the majority of people in the city used them, but apparently they had several chopsticks ready as well. Kail stabbed a slice of meat and stuffed it inside his mouth. Wow, it was heavenly! ¡°Do you want some rice?¡± Alisa offered. Kail opened his mouth to say yes, but then Alisa did something that he¡¯d never forget. She used her spoon to feed him the rice from her bowl. ¡°Delicious, isn¡¯t it?¡± she smiled brightly. ¡­Kail was speechless until she finished her meal. 0000 They weren¡¯t just eating. Alisa dragged him to the arcade and spent hours playing games. At first he was quite reluctant since he had to play GeaOnline. However, he slowly began to enjoy it and had completely forgotten about Agriella. Around five in the evening, they left the Arcade and took train to home. The distance between their houses and the city was quite far, taking almost two hours by foot. They didn¡¯t have driving license yet, so they took train. Alisa had been giving him occasional glance ever since they¡¯d gotten off the train. Getting annoyed and uncomfortable, Kail turned to see her, ¡°What? Is there something on my face?¡± She shook her head, chickening out, ¡°N-Nothing¡­¡± Kail frowned. Girls really were confusing. But anyway, he¡¯d had some fun today. He really couldn¡¯t express it aloud, but it seemed like some of his burdens were leaking out. He felt refreshed. ¡°Alisa,¡± his call was but a murmur. ¡°Yes?¡± she answered. Slowly, a hand came behind his head and it scratched his hair. He smiled shyly, ¡°¡­thanks for today. It was fun.¡± Suddenly Alisa grabbed both of his hands and jumped happily, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so happy! You enjoyed it! Are you feeling alright now? Are you happy?¡± Blushing, Kail hastily broke the skin contact despite the vehement objections his mind declared. ¡°Wh-What¡¯re you doing? Don¡¯t hold my hands so suddenly!¡± ¡°Oh! I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ but are you happy?¡± ¡°¡¯Course I am.¡± She nodded vigorously, ¡°Oh, thank God! I was beginning to think that you hated it! Thank goodness you¡¯re smiling again!¡± He frowned, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve been down since this morning and I thought I should cheer you up. I¡¯m glad that the plan worked!¡± Never before had Kail felt so speechless twice in a day because of the same person. Alisa¡­ she did this for him. She purposefully dragged him around the town so that he¡¯d lose the sultry look on his face. Kail felt stupid. He lied to her. He lied to her about the bullying he constantly received. He lied to her about him getting beaten up by Wawan. He lied about everything. He wanted so much to apologize to her, but he had no guts. He was a coward. He just didn¡¯t want to be saved by a girl. He just¡­ he just needed time to build his strength and finally fight back. He just needed time. Kail leaped out of his trance and murmurs softly, ¡°¡­thanks, Alisa. I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯ve been worried about me all this time.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ll be since you¡¯re so quiet. It¡¯s so unlike you to act like that.¡± She was so supportive. She cared about him. ¡­and Kail wouldn¡¯t let her down. He must be cheerful, just for her. ¡°Sorry, there¡¯s something on my mind lately, but thanks to you I feel better.¡± Alisa smiled ear to ear. ¡°Alright, since you¡¯ve felt better, let¡¯s race to your home!¡± and she took a sudden leap forward, leaving Kail behind. Her quick movement surprised him and he ran after her, shouting, ¡°Hey, you cheater! Come back here!¡± ¡­and the two ran happily as if they were just little kids. Chapter 11: Leveled Up! [Unproofed] Chapter 11 ~ Leveled Up! ~ SW/SW/SW Dinner was quiet as usual. Kail¡¯s household believed that meals should be enjoyed without useless talks. That way, one would concentrate only on their meals, savoring the delicacy in solemn quietness and making the meals taste better. After the dishes were washed, Nia turned on the TV and watched some news. Surprisingly, GeaOnline was on the news. Kail read the big heading near the bottom of the screen since it piqued his interest. The developer of GeaOnline was raking an astronomical amount of income. It was bound to happen. The game was beautifully made, had plenty wide selection of races, and allowed the players to do anything they wanted. Kail hadn¡¯t played it long so he didn¡¯t know most of the options provided in-game. But he bet they were going to be awesome. Kail personally thought that the race selection was pretty lacking. He hadn¡¯t seen any dwarf character so far. Dwarves were an integral element in any RPG games since they were known for their tough characters and blacksmithing skill. Hmm¡­ maybe the developer would add Dwarf race selection in the next update? Knowing how popular GeaOnline was, they must¡¯ve had some future planning already to keep the players glued to the game¡­ and to keep the money pouring. Kail excused himself, saying that he needed to do some homework. Only his mother and sister said good night. That son of a bitch father kept reading his newspaper. Kail gritted his teeth. How on earth his mother could bear living together with someone like him? All he could do was read those goddamned papers all day! Like I care, Kail spat inwardly and headed to his room. He then turned off the lights and wore his visor. He didn¡¯t forget to charge the thing. Tonight he¡¯d go all out and obviously he didn¡¯t want any notification telling him to charge it. As usual, strange inscriptions appeared on the visor, but he felt weary when he focused his sight on them. [ID_2666383 logged in.] When Ace opened his eyes, he was met with familiar surrounding: Dragonis Market. He stretched his body and checked his status. Only 155 EXP to level two. Ace scratched his chin with his index finger, kind of confused of what should he do. There were so many options that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to choose! For now he¡¯d do quests. He really needed the money to buy good equipment. Since he had a Summon Beasts, his spending increased twofold. While he completed quests and buy stuff, he¡¯d also search for information regarding the legendary weapons. He found a quest that required him to slay two two-horned wolves. Looking at the job description, this person wanted him to go to Antle Pond, wherever it was. It seemed easy enough and the rewards were quite satisfying. Ace took the paper from the quest board and in an instant the map opened by itself, revealing blinking red dot north of Dragonis. It must be the destination. Speaking about pond made him remember about Alice. She said to further level up near a pond somewhere, but avoid going inside the tower. She must be referring to this Antle Pond. After checking his inventory, Ace went through the Dragonis gate. Making sure that he was alone, he summoned Agriella. Since she was way stronger than him, it took him a half of his total MP to summon her. Upon seeing her master, Agriella let out a squeal and hugged him like she hadn¡¯t seen him in a thousand year. ¡°Wh-Wha!¡± Ace blushed heavily when his head came into contact with her soft breasts. ¡°What do you think you are doing?!¡± She broke the hug and answered innocently. ¡°I¡¯m hugging you.¡± Ace threw his staff to the ground, ¡°I know that! And why are we acting like some sort of comedy duo?!¡± ¡°We are?¡± Ace held in his comeback well and picked up his staff. ¡°¡­we¡¯re going to slay some wolves today. Are you okay with that?¡± To his surprise, Agriella bowed respectfully, ¡°Your words are my order.¡± She successfully made him blushed again. He averted his gaze, ¡°B-Before that, there¡¯s something I want to ask.¡± ¡°What is it, Master?¡± ¡°When I¡¯m gone, are you still roaming this place?¡± ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯d return to my true self.¡± What did she just say? ¡°We, Summon Beasts, have our real bodies in a different plane. What you summoned--this body--is nothing but a copy. One Summon Beast may be summoned by multiple Summoners, but none of them summoned the real body. Only the copy.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re not real?¡± ¡°Physically speaking, I¡¯m as real as my original body. However, we don''t share experience. When I¡¯m hurt, my original body doesn¡¯t feel it. When I gain experience, my orginal body will remain stagnant.¡± ¡°From the way you describe it, this original body of yours sounds like a vessel.¡± ¡°Correct. She is but a vessel, created to hold Agriella. Inside her, there are many copies of myself. The me summoned by you and by someone else can be totally different in terms of level, but we are the same in appearance. The risk of wrong summoning is nonexistent. It¡¯s as if each of us has a label. Other Agriella belongs to other Summoner, while I belong to you.¡± ¡°Oh, I see...¡± Agriella smiled sweetly, ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like to ask?¡± Ace blushed again, ¡°N-No¡­ w-we¡¯ve got to go¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Agriella bowed once again before tailing him like a puppy. 0000 Ace readied his staff as they came closer to the forest that housed the pond. It was thick with vegetation and too many shades for the sun to pierce through. The paths were snaked and winding, but thank goodness Ace had his minimap ready. Halfway in the forest, they came into a big clearing. There was a big pond in the middle with clear, stagnant water. Around it, there were many kinds of herbs and fruit trees, as well as flowers of many colors. A fox was seen drinking the pond¡¯s water, but scampered when it sensed trespassers. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°This forest seemed empty,¡± Agriella commented while looking around for a sign of monsters. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why.¡± Ace stared at the lamia girl with a blank look on his face. He moved his eyeballs to look at the frightened animals hiding behind bushes and trees. Agriella, I think the problem lies with you, Ace thought. Seeing that the hostile mobs were hiding, Ace wasted no time to gather some stuff. He picked a lot of herbs, mostly low-tier ones, several ripe fruits, and also filled some water into his bottle. Agriella also helped. With her, he obtained more ingredients. They were all stored in the inventory. Of course there were no notifications since he had disabled them earlier. They were annoying rather than helping. Level up notification couldn¡¯t be disabled, but why would anyone do that? ¡°That reminds me, where are the wolves?¡± Ace asked, finally remembered what he was supposed to do. ¡°Did you know anything about the two-horned wolves?¡± Agriella put her fingers on her chin, ¡°Well, they mostly hunt on easy games, never humans. I doubt they would come to us directly. Haha, it¡¯s understandable since humans are all bones.¡± Ace glanced at the lamia girl worryingly. She was dangerous in a sense¡­ Agriella then spoke, ¡°Using baits may be a good idea, but they will be more effective if we had some sleep-inducing herbs or mushrooms. We could mix them with a meat to put them to sleep.¡± Wait, what? So there was some sort of combination list? He didn¡¯t know that there was a way to beat monsters other than dealing damages and status ailments. In most RPG games, these combination list and traps didn¡¯t even exist! ¡°Could you open your inventory, Master, and see if we have any Sleep Mushrooms or Sleep Herbs?¡± she asked gently. Ace was thankful that Agriella was kind of bugged. Otherwise, he¡¯d be extremely clueless in this game. Oh, there were two Sleep Mushrooms and three Sleep Herbs in his inventory. All that was left was to look for the meat. ¡°We have both the mushroom and the herb. Agriella, can you look for the meat?¡± She nodded, ¡°Leave it to me, Master.¡± The lamia girl turned her head around for a suitable prey. Suddenly, a bow materialized in her hands and a set of quiver on her side. She drew an arrow and concentrate on an unwary wild sheep in the distance. It was munching on grass leisurely. The arrow was shot and landed on its body. The location wasn¡¯t fatal, but with Agriella¡¯s level of Archery, it was a one-hit KO. Ace now understood why Agriella was categorized as a Support Beast. She was flexible, able to switch from melee and to ranged. Not to mention the Cooking and Sewing skills, she was a great Summon Beast no matter what other players said about her. ¡°That was awesome! I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯re adept in archery!¡± She giggled, ¡°Well, I am a Support Beast and I like bows, so¡­¡± ¡°So, the archery damage is based on your dexterity?¡± They approached the dead sheep. It turned into heaps of meat and several pieces of skin once Ace touched it. He put them inside his inventory, but left one slice of meat in Agriella¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh, no. Strength also plays an important part in archery. Larger bows require more strength to wield. Thank you,¡± she thanked him when he gave her a Sleep Mushroom. She crushed the mushroom, letting the meat absorbed the juice. Ping! [Combining unlocked!] ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Ace looked dumbfounded. He just unlocked Combining? But it was Agriella who performed that! Hmm, could it be that the reward the Summon Beast obtained went to the Summoner instead? ¡°Here you go, Master. We just need to place this tainted meat somewhere and hide,¡± she handed him the purple-colored meat. He nodded and placed it under a flowering tree. They quickly hid behind nearby bushes, observing carefully for any movements. Several minutes later, a pair of two-horned wolves approached the meat. One of them sniffed the meat while the other looked around for dangers. ¡°What level are they?¡± Ace whispered. ¡°Three, Master, but they don¡¯t look that strong.¡± One of them took a bite and swallowed the meat. One moment later it fell into a deep sleep. Ace nodded to his Summon Beast, who quickly shot the other wolf and it was dead instantly. They came out from their hiding place and walked to the sleeping wolf, but maintained a good distance. Ace then attacked it with Firebolt, dealing a critical hit. A deadly hit it might be, but it wasn¡¯t enough to kill it. Before the wolf could flee, Agriella switched to her claw and slashed it in half. Ace closed his eyes from the gory sight. This game was too real in some scene¡­ Ping! [You have leveled up to level 2!] [You have 4 points to distribute] ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nice, Master! You just leveled up!¡± Agriella clapped. Ace smiled shyly, not used to being congratulated, ¡°Th-Thanks¡­ Now I should distribute my points.¡± Since he was a Summoner, INT (Intelligence) was a must, but here he had Control Beast skill that had something to do with CHA (Charisma). From that, he drew a conclusion that a Summoner relied on INT and CHA. He spent two on INT and one in CHA, and the rest gone to VIT. It earned him a slight HP increase. More HP wouldn¡¯t hurt, seeing that his Evasion skill wasn¡¯t that high. ¡°One more and you will get yourself your first Perk,¡± Agriella smiled. ¡°Yeah, and looks like we cleared the quest.¡± The wolves turned into bits of meat, horns, and pelts. Soon they found themselves in Ace¡¯s inventory. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go back to Dragonis,¡± Ace said, before an explosion was heard in the vicinity. The Summoner and the Beast shared a wary look before heading to the source of sound. They hid behind thick bushes and observed what was going on. A female pink-haired elf, dressed in white light armor, was surrounded by two players who carried glowing weapons. From the way they looked, they must be quite high leveled players. ¡°Master, let¡¯s get out of here. We don¡¯t stand a chance against them,¡± Agriella urged. Ace looked at the elf¡¯s face and was unable to grant the lamia her request. He had to save the elf. He had to. ¡°No, we¡¯ll save her from those players, whoever they are.¡± ¡°Why? You are endangering yourself!¡± Ace knew that, but he just couldn¡¯t leave the elf alone, whimpering in fear. He had to save her since the elf looked exactly like his sister, except the long ears and pink hair¡­ Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 5 HP (180/180)
Level 2 207/765 Def: 4 MP(110/245)
Human 558 to lv. 3 M.Atk: 19 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 5 Coins M. Def: 13
Independent Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment No perks or abilities*
STR 5 Worst Head Circlet
VIT 7 Bad Neck Amulet
DEX 7 Bad Body Robe
PER 8 Bad Back -
INT 18 Superb Arm (main) Staff
WIS 11 Best Arm -
WILL 11 Best Waist -
CHA 16 Superb Legs Pants
* (tap to see) Feet Shoes (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 2.643
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 2.098
Running VIT Affects your running speed 2.641
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 6.401
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 7.955
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 5.401
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 5.706
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 5.121
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 2.431
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 3.677
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 6.175
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 7.073
Chapter 12: Forest Encounter [Unproofed] Spoiler: Characters so far.... [I''m suck with tables]
GeaOnline ID Real World
AceKivras Kail
? ? Nia [Kail''s sister] ?
? ? Alisa [Kail''s childhood friend]
? Elvaria [Newbie elf] ? ?
Chapter 12 ~ Forest Encounter ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°¡­we¡¯ll save her from those players, whoever they are.¡± Ace gritted his teeth. Now that he had said it, how on earth he¡¯d save that elf? Those two hostiles were definitely ten or twenty levels way above him. A draconian and a vampire. The draconian was tall and lean, with heavy armor protected almost all of his body parts. He wore no helmet since his protruding horns were in the way. Every time he breathed, wisp of smoke came out from his nostrils. In his right hand was a big, but richly decorated sword. The vampire was a bit shorter than the draconian, with jet black hair that reached to his lower back and sickly pale skin. His smile was evil with many hints of arrogance. A slender sword rested in its sheath, dangling on his left leg. ¡­but what were they doing? Were they going to kill her? What for? ¡°Just stay there and let me kill you, bitch,¡± the draconian spat. ¡°Why are you resisting, anyway? It¡¯s not like your real self would die if your avatar¡¯s dead.¡± The vampire laughed, ¡°Yeah! This isn¡¯t some dead game like the one in comics! You¡¯ll respawn in Dragonis when you die.¡± Respawn? What the hell was that? Gritting his teeth, Ace¡¯s mind was in a mess. Between Agriella and him, it was obvious that the lamia was the strongest, but Ace didn¡¯t think that she¡¯d stand a chance against them. Her armor was so crappy that it couldn¡¯t be categorized as armor and his level was way too low to fight back or support her. What should he do¡­? ¡°What do you want for me?¡± the elf demanded, ¡°if it¡¯s money you want, I don¡¯t have any!¡± To her surprise, they both laughed. The draconian in blue armor snickered, ¡°Money? Who needs that crap? We¡¯ve plenty to swim in it!¡± ¡°Th-Then why?¡± the pink-haired elf squeaked, her hands which were holding a sword were trembling. The vampire sighed, ¡°This is why I can¡¯t stand noobs. Asking stuff and getting so giddy and shit. They¡¯re annoying as fuck. Oh, well, since you¡¯re going to die, might as well tell you everything. We need points.¡± Points? Ace repeated with a frown. What points? The draconian played with his sword so casually while explaining, ¡°We need ¡®em to equip special weapons, noob. They¡¯re more powerful than your regular weapons. We want them. We want to be the strongest. And for that, you exist. You¡¯re a points fodder for us.¡± Ace held in his scream when the vampire dashed at the newbie player. He sent a slow vertical attack, which was quickly avoided. The vampire didn¡¯t look that shocked. Instead he was smirking. ¡°Hey,¡± he exclaimed, ¡°this is fun! An energetic prey makes it more interesting!¡± The elf girl was visibly shaking, either from humiliation or fear. Maybe a little bit of both. The elf was bulllied... In an instant, Ace was filled with dread. Unpleasant memories resurfaced along with his fear. He knew this situation. He experienced it firsthand. He couldn¡¯t forget the nightmare. It wasn¡¯t the elf who was shaking, but Ace was. Hands trembling and pupils dilated, he looked like he had seen ghosts. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Kail, would ya lend me some money?¡± ¡°Hey, are ya deaf or something? I said lend me your money, man. Aren¡¯t we friends?¡± He was scared. They punched and kicked him. They cursed and spat at him. He was there, lying battered and hurt. It hurt all over that he felt like he was dying. It hurt. It hurt. ¡ªter... It hurt. He didn¡¯t want it. He didn¡¯t want to get hurt. ¡ªMaster¡­ Ace didn¡¯t¡ªno, more like couldn¡¯t¡ªhear her as he writhe in agony. More and more memories of being bullied tortured him, breaking down his sanity. ¡°¡­no more¡­¡± he plead helplessly to no one, ¡°n-no more¡­ it hurts¡­ it hurts¡­¡± ¡ªMaster! Ace woke up from the unending nightmare that assaulted him. Agriella¡¯s voice brought him back to reality. He repeatedly blinked, unsure of what happened and was confused to see the lamia almost on the verge of crying. ¡°Master, what is wrong?¡± she whispered her question, ¡°¡­you were mumbling and scary¡­¡± Ace collected his thought and tried to open his mouth, but was unable to. It was as if his mouth was sewn shut. He averted his gaze and stare at his trembling hands. The palms were sweaty and looked paler than they were. He didn¡¯t quite remember what was going on. All he could recall was that he was suffering from Wawan¡¯s punches, money all taken away. He was crying in that quiet hall, alone and helpless. Then everything was repeated again and again¡­ He was trapped within, unable to break through the vicious cycle. Ace dismissed the thought and gave Agriella a reassuring smile, ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve made you worry. It¡¯s just that the elf reminded me of something...¡± ¡°Are you alright? Do you have any Scroll of Return? We can go back to Dragonis safely that way¡­¡± Ace lifted a hand, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. We will use the scroll once we have the elf safe and sound.¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± Agriella objected but was quickly interrupted. ¡°No buts. We will safe her.¡± Agriella¡¯s normally pointed ears were now slumped along with her body. She seemed dejected. He knew that the lamia was worried about his safety, but he was fine. The nightmare was gone and he was refreshed. Thanks to her. The draconian player lifted his big two-handed sword, intending to slice the elf into two. The sight of a majestic sword paralyzed the elf. She did nothing but stare warily at the big, metal thing. The elf was either charmed by the sinisterly design or realized that resistance was futile, and accepted her fate to be killed by fellow players. Right before the draconian slammed the sword, a small ball of fire exploded on his hands, thus broke his stance. ¡°Who the fuck was that?!¡± the bulky draconian roared with madness. The elf girl took the opportunity to leap to safety. She ran to the source of the fireball and readied her weapon. Beside the elf girl, there was a newbie Summoner. The end of his wooden staff was pointed at them. He wore a fierce expression across his face, although the fear that nestled deep inside many layers of expression could only be seen by trained eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t let you harm her!¡± his voice was slightly trembling. ¡°The fuck are you?¡± the draconian shouted angrily. ¡°Are you her friend? Heh, doesn¡¯t matter! I¡¯ll kill you along with that bitch!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten that I¡¯m here all along. You can take the girl. I¡¯ll kill the Summoner,¡± the vampire took out his weapon. It was glowing sinisterly, a clear sign that it was a rare weapon, or possibly a legendary one. Ace gulped. Two veteran players versus two newbies. ¡­how could he defeat them¡­? Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 5 HP (180/180)
Level 2 207/765 Def: 4 MP(110/245)
Human 558 to lv. 3 M.Atk: 19 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 5 Coins M. Def: 13
Independent Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment No perks or abilities*
STR 5 Worst Head Circlet
VIT 7 Bad Neck Amulet
DEX 7 Bad Body Robe
PER 8 Bad Back -
INT 18 Superb Arm (main) Staff
WIS 11 Best Arm -
WILL 11 Best Waist -
CHA 16 Superb Legs Pants
* (tap to see) Feet Shoes (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 2.643
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 2.098
Running VIT Affects your running speed 3.004
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 7.145
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 8.430
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 5.610
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 5.917
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 6.078
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 2.819
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 3.677
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 6.175
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 7.931
Chapter 13: Lord_DPS [Unproofed] Chapter 13 ~ Lord_DPS ~ SW/SW/SW The vampire player licked the sharp edge of his sword, sneering, ¡°Summoner, huh? Awesome! I happened to hate them! Soo hate them! I¡¯ll toy with you for a while before I kill you! [Triple Waves]!¡± With a swing of his sword, he unleashed three waves of energy towards Ace. He was in panic to see such a tremendously powerful technique. So powerful that it shattered the ground. The admiration soon faded, however. He needed to evade the energies or else he¡¯d die! Before Agriella could save him, the vampire cast some kind of paralyzing spell on her. As a result, she was unable to move and was forced to see her master killed in front of her eyes. His eyes darted around, frantically trying to find some kind of fault in the attack. Gasping, he found one mistake in the technique. The farther it went, the wider the gap created by the energies as they traveled in this [\ | /] pattern. Ace ran away to make the gap bigger, but it was seen as a cowardly act. ¡°Master?!¡± Agriella called him. She was utterly confused. The vampire laughed, ¡°Look at that noob! Acting so high and mighty, but runs away! What a coward!¡± Ace ignored the insult and stopped. The distance was good. With this, he could evade the incoming energies aimed at him. His prediction was correct! The technique¡¯s biggest flaw was that it could only be used in close range attacks. The gap became wider and wider as the waves travelled. Maneuvering swiftly, Ace placed himself in the middle of the gap and came out unscathed. Everyone was flabbergasted. ¡°No way!¡± the draconian shouted in disbelief, ¡°he avoided Triple Waves?!¡± ¡°My¡­ technique¡­¡± the vampire stuttered, ¡°¡­it failed¡­?¡± So shocked at his attack was dodged, the vampire¡¯s paralyzing spell grew weaker, allowing Agriella to break free. The lamia counter attacked. She successfully slashed the vampire veteran on his left arm. It only did 47 damages, but it was a satisfying attack nonetheless. Now that he took damage from a lowly Beast, the vampire stood eerily quiet. A second later, his face contorted in madness. He was mighty pissed and the air he blew through his nostrils seemed to be on fire. ¡°How dare you?!¡± he screeched, ¡°how dare you ruin my super rare armor, you son of a bitch?! Do you understand how expensive it is to repair this?!¡± The sword he held suddenly was burning in black flame. It looked like the vampire just lost his control and Ace knew exactly why. ¡°I can¡¯t forgive you¡­ I can¡¯t forgive you¡­! I will find your real self and kill you!!¡± he charged forward. His speed was insanely fast. Ace couldn¡¯t find his voice, let alone opened his mouth. His feet were firmly planted on the ground, as if they were cursed. He couldn¡¯t move them no matter how hard he tried. In an instant, the time seemed to stop. The vampire thrust his sword at Ace¡¯s heart, attempting to OHKO him. Ace was leaning back, petrified, and didn¡¯t know how to act. Before the blade reached him, Agriella jumped between them. It was unavoidable. She was pierced right in the middle of her chest. Blood instantly gush out as if it was molten lava from a raging volcano. Ace, unused to seeing blood and someone murdered in front of him, suddenly lost his ability to think. Agriella was lying there in the pool of blood, unmoving. ¡­she was sleeping, right? If she was sleeping, then why was there so many blood coming out from her body? Ace lifted his palms and his pupils became nothing but tiny dots. Blood. Blood on my hands¡­ Blood¡­ Is this a dream¡­? ¡­fresh blood¡­ ¡­I saw murder¡­ ¡­should I call the police¡­? Blood¡­ ... ¡­Agriella was dead. Ace shrieked in fear when Agriella¡¯s body disappeared into nothingness, along with her blood on his palms. He was trembling and kept babbling about murder or some sort. Thinking that an ordinary insult wasn¡¯t enough, the vampire began to make fun of his Beast, ¡°That was Agriella, wasn¡¯t she? What a pathetic Beast. Excel at nothing but was labeled as an Uncommon Beast. What a joke. What a weak Beast like her could do, anyway?¡± Ace was unresponsive and it irked the vampire. He kicked Ace on the stomach, shouting, ¡°Don¡¯t you go ignoring me, you piece of shit!¡± The elf girl called him from the distance while evading the deadly attacks from the draconian, ¡°Hey! What are you doing?! Help me!¡± She let her guard down and was easily thrown at nearby tree from the impact. She had blocked the attack, but suffered major physical damage, leaving her HP at two. If there wasn¡¯t a sword pointed at her neck, she¡¯d riseto her feet by now. The long-haired elf gulped. They were really going to die¡­ ¡°Looks fun,¡± an unfamiliar voice joined in. They all looked at the source to find a green-haired teenager, dressed in shining white armor, stepped closer. The newcomer had messy hair that reached to his shoulder and a pair of red eyes. They were piercingly cold, similar to a lion that stalked its prey. In both of his hands was a pair of white sword. The design was intricate, indicating that they were super rare swords. ¡°And who the fuck are you?!¡± the vampire demanded angrily, ¡°why can¡¯t people keep their shit away from us?!¡± ¡°H-Hey, hold it!¡± this time it was the draconian. Apparently, he recognized the newcomer. ¡°That green hair, that armor and weapons¡­ He''s DPS!¡± ¡°The fuck?! That¡­ the one who ranked five in the Arena?!¡± Realizing that they were no match for him, they ran away. Ace regained his sanity several minutes later. He blinked for a while and then jerked up with an alarmed stance, ready to fight. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°They are gone, you know¡­¡± the elf spoke. She received a sigh of relief. Their savior walked near. His red eyes made them uneasy. ¡°Th-Thank you for saving us¡­ we¡ª¡± the elf wanted to offer him their gratitude, but was cut short. ¡°Okay?¡± Both Ace and the elf locked eyes, confused. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°O-Oh! Y-Yes, we are alright! I didn¡¯t know what would happen if you weren¡¯t there!¡± The green-haired teenager, a human, tilted his head. He had his gaze locked on the elf, ¡°Just passing through.¡± Ace stared into space as they conversed with each other. He just lost it back then. He was completely lost it when Agriella was dead. Now that he could think clearly, Agriella wasn¡¯t a player. She was a Summon Beast, an NPC, so she could be summoned back. He didn¡¯t want to be reminded of it. He was acting like an idiot back then, screaming and shivering like a coward. But it was his first time seeing people bathed in blood. Anyone normal would be completely freaked out! ¡­but why was he the only one who was scared? Didn¡¯t the others see the blood? Ace looked at his savior. His armor clearly showed that he was a Warrior. The armor was white from top to toe, giving him the look similar to that of a holy knight. His eyes were scary, though, red like blood. His appearance looked like a holy knight who went berserk with rage. The white-armored warrior lifted his head and looked at Ace. There was an indescribable feeling when their eyes met. Ace shivered, feeling the back of his hair rose. The air he was breathing was heavy as if he was inhaling metal. It wasn¡¯t fear. It wasn¡¯t happiness. All of a sudden, something flashed inside Ace¡¯s mind. They were memories. No. They were more like visions rather than memories. Someone took a stance¡­ ¡°¡­guess I can¡¯t make you return to Travonka anymore, huh?¡± Someone was laughing in madness¡­ ¡°A¡­ ha! Hahahahaha! He died! He died!! Blood, killing¡­ taste so good¡­ Kill¡­ I want to kill more¡­¡± A familiar person murmured, with tears on their eyes¡­ ¡°¡­how could you? This is not you¡­¡± ¡°...this world is not real...!¡± ¡­ ¡°¡­we miss you¡­¡± What did they mean? What were these visions trying to tell him? No. He must¡¯ve been hallucinating. Yeah. They were hallucinations¡­ ¡­but was hallucinating even possible in this game? Ace shook that terrible thought, focusing on the savior in front of him instead. Glancing up, Ace found his name easily. Lord_DPS, he was called. What a weird name, that was what he thought, but well¡­ he was the one to talk. The name AceKivras didn¡¯t make any sense at all. The elf was Elvaria, a name befitting a beautiful elf. Judging by her equipment, she was also a newbie like him. It would be good if they could team up¡­ To his surprise, DPS also felt the same feeling like Ace had felt earlier and asked, ¡°¡­have we met somewhere?¡± Ace shook his head, ¡°No. This is our first time.¡± He asked no further and instead gave him a key. ¡°Take it and go to Dragonis Guild Hall.¡± With that he left, disappearing into the tower entrance. ¡°¡­what was that about?¡± Elvaria frowned in confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me.¡± It seemed that he had met someone¡­ weird. ¡°Hey, thanks for saving me,¡± the elven girl smiled sheepishly. How cute¡­ ¡°Nah, no prob. We have to help each other out, right?¡± She frowned and bit her lower lip. ¡°Are you okay? You were screaming like you¡¯ve seen murder. That was scary, you know?¡± What? There was a flicker of emotion on Ace¡¯s face before it was replaced by a cheerful one. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ uh, my installation disc happened to be a special one, where you can see blood and stuff and I forgot to deactivate it. Sorry if I scared you back then.¡± Thank God the elven girl accepted that bluff. If she asked of such thing, then it meant that¡­ ¡°By the way, are you starting out as well?¡± she asked innocently. Her face looked exactly like his sister, Nia. ¡°I¡¯m kind of lost¡­ This game confuses me.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Alice guide you?¡± Ace asked back. Elvaria nodded but scratched the back of her neck, ¡°I have, but this is my first time playing games, online at that. Even with her guide, I still don¡¯t know what I¡¯m supposed to do¡­¡± Whoa¡­ it was Ace¡¯s immediate comeback. She hadn¡¯t played any games at all, but suddenly played an online game? That was crazy. She would need tons of things to memorize. Ace himself just a regular gamer, who played normal RPG games on consoles. From those games, he understood mostly the basics. When your HP went to zero you will die, you couldn¡¯t cast any spells when your MP was too low, by drinking potions you could recover HP or MP. But this girl¡­ it was just wow. ¡°Y-You¡¯re joking, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Ace looked around and noticed that several mobs had begun to show up from their hiding places. This place wasn¡¯t safe anymore since Agriella was gone. They should do the talking in Dragonis instead¡­ Ace gave her a Scroll of Return, ¡°Here, read this. We should go back to the city and talk there.¡± Elvaria murmured her thank you and read the scroll. In an instant, she was swallowed in a white light and disappeared, leaving behind several balls of light shining brightly for a moment before they completely vanished. Ace wasted no time and used the scrolls. The same thing happened to him. His entire body was glowing brightly. The blinding light hurt his eyes, so he forcefully closed them. He was already in front of Dragonis Portal when he opened his eyes, Elvaria stood beside him. ¡°So, what are we going to do?¡± she bit her lower lip. Ah, Ace remembered something. Lord_DPS gave him a key, didn¡¯t he? [Travonka Guild Key] popped up above the key when he withdrew it, along with a blinking dot in his map. To be honest, he was taken aback. Guild Key? Didn¡¯t it mean that Lord_DPS was actually inviting him to join? He moved so that he could have a clear look at the Guild Hall beyond the Dragonis Portal. Joining a guild, huh¡­? Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 5 HP (180/180)
Level 2 227/765 Def: 4 MP(110/245)
Human 538 to lv. 3 M.Atk: 19 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 5 Coins M. Def: 13
Independent Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment No perks or abilities*
STR 5 Worst Head Circlet
VIT 7 Bad Neck Amulet
DEX 7 Bad Body Robe
PER 8 Bad Back -
INT 18 Superb Arm (main) Staff
WIS 11 Best Arm -
WILL 11 Best Waist -
CHA 16 Superb Legs Pants
* (tap to see) Feet Shoes (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 2.667
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 2.098
Running VIT Affects your running speed 3.004
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 7.145
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 8.430
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 5.610
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 5.917
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 6.078
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 2.819
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 3.677
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 6.175
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 7.931
Chapter 14: Travonka [Unproofed] Chapter 14 ~ Travonka ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°Sir, why are you hesitating?¡± a bespectacled woman enquired. ¡°The CD contains advance coding has already been activated. We should capture him right this instant.¡± The boss laughed. His warm voice hid his rotten ibtentions well. ¡°Impatient now, aren''t we? Everything isn¡¯t ready yet. It¡¯s just been three or four days since the activation. Besides, we should give him more time. He couldn¡¯t possibly be an expert in such few days. Be patient.¡± The woman sighed at her boss¡¯ decision, but remained silent. She averted her eyes to the huge monitor on the wall and gritted her teeth. It had Kail¡¯s identity displayed on it. 0000 ¡°Are you sure this is your first time playing online games?¡± Ace queried as they walked in the streets of Dragonis. Elvaria pouted, seemingly annoyed by the repeated question. ¡°I told you, dimwit! I have zero experience in games!¡± ¡°Well, surely you must¡¯ve played one in cell phone¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Then are you familiar with GeaOnline¡¯s basic?¡± Ace sat on a bench near a fountain. Elvaria crossed her arms and frowned, ¡°Well, there¡¯s this HP and MP. HP represents my health and MP my mana, whatever that is. Umm, so when my health reaches zero, I will unable to fight.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Ace gave her a genuine smile. ¡°To make it simple, just take care not to let your HP goes below 50 percent or you¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°D-Die¡­?¡± Elvaria¡¯s expression was of a pure horror, ¡°die? As in goes to heaven?¡± Hearing her answer, Ace couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°No, no. Alice told me that we¡¯ll revive in Dragonis when we are defeated in battles. Unless we¡¯re level five above, there¡¯s no penalty in dying.¡± ¡°Pe¡­ nalty?¡± Ace nodded. ¡°Yep. In RPG games, the penalties of dying usually involve EXP reduction, loss of items or even equipment. But in this game, it is EXP reduction.¡± ¡°¡­this EXP has something to do with level up, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Once your EXP reaches a certain amount, you¡¯ll level up and get stronger,¡± actually there was more to it, such as attributes, attributes potential, and such. Ace took it easy, however. Elvaria couldn¡¯t digest so much information in a day. Now that he thought about it, this game mechanism similar to those rogue-like games... ¡°I see. In short, I have to get stronger while keeping an eye on my HP, right?¡± ¡°Yep. That practically sums it up,¡± Ace nodded. ¡°Are you ready to go to the Guild Hall?¡± Elvaria smiled enthusiastically, ¡°Mh-hmm!¡± 0000 The Guild Hall was a high-class place. Big, golden chandeliers hung above them, the ground was covered in thick, red carpet, and intricate chairs and round tables gave the place a sophisticated feeling. Everything was covered in rich golden and red colors. Directly in front of the entrance was a square shaped desk with five NPCs behind it. Many adventurers swarmed the guild staff, ranging from newbies to advance-looking players. Ace didn¡¯t know what they were doing, but assumed that they were looking for guild quests. Ace made a mental note to talk to the NPC later. Past the square shaped desk, there were four doors. The first one was decorated in golden banners, signifying the champion, while the rest was just given silver banners. ¡°Guild Hall?¡± Elvaria was in awe from the amount of players inside, ¡°what is this place for?¡± Ace knew sooner or later she¡¯d ask something like that. ¡°I¡¯m new myself, so there¡¯s a probability that my answer is wrong. From what I understood is that Guild Hall is a place to create a guild.¡± ¡°What is a guild?¡± ¡°In most games, guild is a place for people with mutual interest gather, like Warrior Guild or Mage Guild. Usually they have many quests for you, but in this game I¡¯m not so sure. It may be different.¡± They followed the dot in Ace¡¯s map and climbed the stairs. The interior wasn¡¯t any different from the one below. There were many doors inside, as well, but they didn¡¯t have banners. Ace approached a door that was labeled as Travonka. ¡°This must be the place,¡± he remarked. ¡°Wait, so we¡¯re going to join a guild?¡± Elvaria tilted her head, seemingly confused. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. I¡¯m as confused as you are, but I think we should at least go inside. I¡¯m sure there¡¯re people who are eager to answer our questions. Besides, you could also get some help with this game¡¯s mechanism. It¡¯s worth checking out.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Elvaria nodded, seemingly reaching an understanding. Ace then used the key. The door was opened easily and they went inside. Travonka Guild was a spacious place with decorations that screamed homey. The first thing they saw was a big, burning hearth. In front of it were comfy pink sofas, a chocolate table, and a rug underneath. There were paintings scattered on the wall here and there, but were placed in an orderly way. Their sudden appearance shocked the only female mage in the room. She rushed to the two, asking, ¡°Vho are you? Are you a new recruit?¡± Wow, what a unique accent. ¡°Uh¡­ no? One of your members gave us the key,¡± Ace answered truthfully. ¡°Vho?¡± Elvaria opened her mouth, ¡°A guy with dark-green hair. He was in white from top to toe.¡± ¡°Yep. If my memory served me correctly, his name was Lord_DPS,¡± Ace added. The female mage nodded in understanding, ¡°Oh, him. If he gave you ze key, he must¡¯ve trusted you, huh?¡± ¡°Wait, what do you mean?¡± Ace frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but he haz ze eye to spot ze right person. I didn¡¯t mean zat you vere untrustvorthy. Sorry if you misunderstood my meaning. By the vay, vhat level are you guys?¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing, but we are just starting out,¡± said Ace, glancing above her HP and MP bars to find her name. She was called TongsisQueeN. ¡­another weird name showed up¡­ ¡°Umm, what should we call you?¡± asked Elvaria nervously. TongsisQueeN laughed like a villain in shoujou mangas, ¡°Call me QueeN!¡± ¡°Eeh¡­ I prefer Tongsis instead,¡± Ace interjected. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m Ace.¡± TongsisQueeN had her arms folded below her bosom and gave each of them an appraisal look, ¡°Ace, huh? Und you are Elvaria. Right, right. A Warrior and a Summoner, hmm? A vunderbar combo. I trust zat you know how to pull, Elvaria?¡± The look on the elf¡¯s face was priceless. Her eyes were staring blankly at the mage and her mouth was slightly ajar. A weak ¡®eh?¡¯ then came out from her mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to? You are¡­ not online gamers, aren¡¯t you?¡± QueeN leaned to Elvaria, who quickly shook her head. QueeN straightened her posture and sighed, ¡°God¡­ I zink DPS ist vrong this time. You guyz are complete noobs.¡± ¡°Noobs¡­?¡± ¡°Newbies. It¡¯z kind of gamers¡¯ slang,¡± ¡°It seems you are having fun, TongsisQueeN,¡± suddenly a soft, motherly voice joined in. The three of them turned their heads to find a woman dressed in black. Her long, black hair was braided and reached to her lower back. There was a pair of black wings tucked behind her. She wore an equally black gown that hugged her figure. It wasn¡¯t revealing, but still gave her an elegant look. ¡°Ah, Maria!¡± TongsisQueeN beamed. ¡°New members?¡± ¡°Nein. They said DPS just handed ze key over,¡± QueeN answered. Suddenly she looked at the newcomers, ¡°Sie ist Maria, ze one in charge here!¡± Maria arched her brows, ¡°You should not confuse the new recruits, TongsisQueeN. I am the vice.¡± ¡°But it¡¯z you who sorts out all ze guild¡¯s problem, isn¡¯t it? Ze Guild Master hardly does anything.¡± ¡°It is part of my job and I¡¯d prefer you to not badmouth him.¡± Maria then focused her attention to Ace and Elvaria. Her eyes were closed the entire time and it was a wonder how she could perfectly see her surroundings well. ¡°Excuse our ramblings. As TongsisQueeN mentioned before, I am Maria, the vice Guild Master of Travonka.¡± She lifted a hand to touch her cheek, ¡°Oh, dear me¡­ if this was the real world, I¡¯d have prepared you some snacks and tea¡­¡± her worried expression disappeared as she smiled, ¡°but make yourself at home.¡± Ace didn¡¯t know why, but the way Maria spoke warmed his heart. He felt like he spoke to a loving mother. Did the lack of a motherly figure play a big part in this? In any case, he wanted to know her better¡­ Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 5 HP (180/180)
Level 2 227/765 Def: 3 MP(200/245)
Human 538 to lv. 3 M.Atk: 19 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 5 Coins M. Def: 13
Independent Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment No perks or abilities*
STR 5 Worst Head Circlet
VIT 7 Bad Neck Amulet
DEX 7 Bad Body Robe
PER 8 Bad Back -
INT 18 Superb Arm (main) Staff
WIS 11 Best Arm -
WILL 11 Best Waist -
CHA 16 Superb Legs Pants
* (tap to see) Feet Shoes (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 2.667
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 2.098
Running VIT Affects your running speed 3.004
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 7.145
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 8.430
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 5.610
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 6.214
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 6.078
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 2.819
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 4.005
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 6.175
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 7.931
Chapter 15: Joining a Guild [Unproofed] Chapter 15 ~ Joining a Guild ~ SW/SW/SW Maria gestured towards the sofas in the middle of the place and the two were more than glad to sit. Ace and Elvaria sat close to each other, facing Maria while QueeN stood behind Maria, acting like she was some sort of bodyguard. ¡°Thank you,¡± he subconsciously changed the way he spoke, ¡°but we still don¡¯t know if we want to join or not.¡± ¡°But you were given the key, weren¡¯t you?¡± Maria smiled, ¡°the fact that you are here holding the key means that you have consented.¡± ¡°But we weren¡¯t told anything,¡± Elvaria explained. ¡°We were just given the key without knowing anything.¡± ¡°It was Lord_DPS who gave you the key?¡± Elvaria nodded at Maria¡¯s question. ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything and off into an ominous looking tower deep in the forest.¡± ¡°Tower?¡± QueeN repeated while arching her brow, ¡°Must be Antle Pond. Ze average monsters level in zat place ist five. Vhat are you doing zere?¡± ¡°I was¡­ kind of lost¡­¡± Elvaria meekly answered, blushing furiously. ¡°I was looking for two-horned wolves. A quest,¡± Ace laughed nervously, pretending to be innocent. ¡°Thank god DPS saved us when those nasty players showed up.¡± There was a deep line between Maria¡¯s brows as she listened, ¡°Come again? Nasty players?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ace nodded, ¡°they attacked Elvaria and said something like ¡®points¡¯ and such. Honestly we didn¡¯t know what they meant.¡± ¡°Gott¡­¡± QueeN spoke grimly, ¡°zey were PKs.¡± ¡°P¡­ PKs?¡± Ace¡¯s eyes widened at the unfamiliar term. Maria lifted a hand and explained, ¡°PK stands for Player Killer. As the name suggested, they hunt players, mostly newbies, for points. I believe that it is fun they are after, rather than points.¡± ¡°By points¡­¡± Ace trailed off. ¡°In this game, there¡¯s certain equipment such as armor or weapons that require you to have sufficient points to be used. These points can be obtained by defeating players. Logically speaking, the stronger the enemies are, the more points you will get. But it is also means harder fights, so most players resort to kill newbies instead.¡± ¡°What happen if they killed us?¡± Elvaria squeaked, horrified expression was plastered across her face. Maria gave her a reassuring smile, ¡°No need to worry. You will respawn in Dragonis, assuming that you haven¡¯t changed your respawn point, but that is highly unlikely as you don¡¯t have access to other continents.¡± Wait, wait. What? What on earth was respawn? Was it re+spawn? Laying eggs over and over? Or was it the same as ¡®revive¡¯? Seeing their confused faces, Maria¡¯s hand once again graced her soft cheek. ¡°Oh, dear me¡­ I forgot that you are new to this game. I¡¯m sorry. In short, you¡¯d best be careful out there. PKs are easy to spot by their red names. True that getting killed by them doesn¡¯t lower your EXP, but it is terribly frustrating.¡± ¡°I know!¡± suddenly QueeN exclaimed, ¡°why not hev zem join Travonka?¡± Ace lifted his hands, ¡°W-Wait, we aren¡¯t here to join! Besides, we know nothing about guilds and what we should do once we¡¯re in!¡± ¡°I won''t force you to, but I agree with TongsisQueeN has said. It is certainly safer for you if you joined a Guild. If you were chased by PKs, our members will immediately help you. Good items will be given to any guild member who succesfully defeated PKs, after all." "But your Guild..." Ace tried to make an escape route, but was cut short. "Well, I suppose it is appropriate if I tell you about our goal,¡± Maria spoke softly. ¡°We aim to be the number one guild in GeaOnline. Currently, we are not even in the big ten yet, so that¡¯s why we need as much manpower as we can. It is as simple as that.¡± ¡°So, what is the connection between having many members with being the number one?¡± Elvaria asked with a blank look on her face. ¡°Guild War,¡± Maria answered simply. ¡°Have you heard of it? In this game, a guild can advance in rank only after they defeat a team whose rank is above them.¡± ¡°Sounds simple enough.¡± Maria didn¡¯t seem to be amused by Ace¡¯s casual remark. ¡°It is easier said than done. Our opponent, Muhehehe¡ªa funny name, I know, don¡¯t laugh¡ªis infamous of using Eye of Gorgon, a rare Summon Beast, to petrify the enemies. In the last battle, they summoned five of them and it was disastrous.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The winged woman smiled ever so slightly, ¡°That¡¯s why additional members are always welcome. If you join us, you will level up faster than you¡¯d imagine, as well as obtain good equipment appropriate for your job. Not only that, you two will also receive detailed guidance from us. In return, we want you to participate in the Guild War, no matter how small your contribution is in the battle.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Ace interrupted. The offer was tempting, but there were some things that he needed to confirm, ¡°We are just newbies. Are you okay by giving equipment to us? This must cost you a lot, not to mention this free level up. This doesn¡¯t seem right.¡± Ace gulped when Maria opened half of her eyes, still in her charming smile. The lack of iris frightened him. Her beautifully eerie orbs were white and the pupils were bright red, the shapes were sharp oval and thin, similar to a cat¡¯s pupils. They sent a chill down his spine¡­ ¡°I think you have misunderstood me, AceKivras. We don¡¯t buy them. We take them from our storage and give them to you¡ªfree. One of our policies is to forc¡ªno, to have each member donated their unused armors and weapons. How many members do you think we have? There are over sixty members in Travonka.¡± Ace and Elvaria didn¡¯t dare to look at each other. They heard it. They heard her said ¡®force¡¯, although she stopped herself midway¡­ ¡°¡­and about this ¡®free level up¡¯, you got it all wrong. You don¡¯t sit like a princess and then level up just like that. We will notify you of a boss battle and send you a party invitation. You don¡¯t need to fight, just stay hidden the whole battle, but still within the same place as us. Once the boss is defeated, you will earn hefty amount of EXP, sufficient for you to level up four or five times. It is okay if you can¡¯t arrive, everybody has their own schedule.¡± ¡°What about the PKs?¡± this time it was Elvaria who asked. ¡°Currently there is nothing we can do about it, but if our members are in the vicinity, they will immediately rush to your aid. However, we can¡¯t depend on that possibility alone. That¡¯s why you will be given several Scrolls of Return each time you login. Don¡¯t worry, they are pretty cheap.¡± With that last explanation, Maria closed her demonic eyes and smiled meaningfully, waiting for an answer. Ace tapped his chin, pondering. It¡¯d be nice to get free equipment plus the scrolls. Excessive scrolls could be sold for quick cash for greater survivability. What was more, they could get free tutors about GeaOnline, further maximized the enjoyment of playing the game. He didn¡¯t know about this Guild War, but it sounded challenging and fun. ¡°Alright,¡± Ace nodded, ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± ¡°If Ace¡¯s joining, then I¡¯ll join, too!¡± Elvaria nodded vigorously. QueeN beamed and hugged both of them, ¡°Zat¡¯s super! Velcome to the family, guys!¡± ¡°H-Hey, stop hugging me!¡± Ace stammered, cheek went red in embarrassment. ¡°Aw, you¡¯re blushing! How cute!¡± Maria didn¡¯t cease smiling. Even though her eyes were closed, she could see them perfectly. She didn¡¯t hug them, merely welcomed them with words. Slowly she centered her attention to the Summoner, AceKivras¡­ She gave his name one last check and returned to PMing with someone¡­ Maria didn¡¯t know why DPS asked for such thing. The Summoner was nothing but a newbie and he didn¡¯t look all that strong or experienced in MMORPG. She dismissed the thought and focused on her task. For DPS, Maria would do anything¡­ Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 5 HP (180/180)
Level 2 227/765 Def: 3 MP(245/245)
Human 538 to lv. 3 M.Atk: 19 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 5 Coins M. Def: 13
Travonka Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment No perks or abilities*
STR 5 Worst Head Circlet
VIT 7 Bad Neck Amulet
DEX 7 Bad Body Robe
PER 8 Bad Back -
INT 18 Superb Arm (main) Staff
WIS 11 Best Arm -
WILL 11 Best Waist -
CHA 16 Superb Legs Pants
* (tap to see) Feet Shoes (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 2.643
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 2.098
Running VIT Affects your running speed 3.004
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 7.145
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 8.430
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 5.610
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 5.917
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 6.078
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 2.819
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 3.677
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 6.175
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 7.931
Chapter 16: An Irreversible Mistake [Unproofed] Chapter 16 ~ Am Irreversible Mistake ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°Once again, congratulations on joining Travonka,¡± Maria¡¯s smile made Ace all giddy inside. His inside was practically a melting pot consisted of different emotions stirred together. Her motherly manner brought peace to his mind¡­ ¡°Thank you.¡± She observed his and Elvaria¡¯s equipment and her charming smile gradually disappeared. ¡°Wait just a second. What level are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m two and Elvaria¡¯s one. As I told you before, we are total newbies.¡± ¡°Oh no,¡± she frowned, a hand on her cheek, ¡°we have no good equipment to those below level four. How come I just realized this¡­? It¡¯s as if I have tricked you into joining¡­¡± Ace lifted both hands to calm her down, ¡°Ah, no. It¡¯s okay, really. It certainly feels safer now that we have joined a guild. It¡¯s like we have somewhere to return to.¡± ¡­and a mother figure to talk to, Ace added inwardly. Ace¡¯s kindness and sincerity were reciprocated. ¡°Thank goodness¡­! I¡¯m glad you feel that way, but here you go. Take this¡­ This is a compensation for my incompetence.¡± There was a green potion with a hint of bluish color on each of her outstretched hand. Ace inclined his head to see the label. [Mixed-colored Potion] Of course it was unidentified. He looked up to meet her (closed) eyes, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°This is a Defense Potion, useful to bolster your defense for a period of time. You¡¯d need this more than I do. Survival is everything in the earlier level. I do have spare equipment, but they won¡¯t be useful to you since there are level and attributes requirements, so I think this potion is the most appropriate.¡± Elvaria shifted in her seat, a bit tempted by the potion. ¡°Are you sure? It looks expensive¡­¡± Maria smiled in a motherly manner, ¡°It is alright. It¡¯s quite affordable at my level, so here you go. Don¡¯t be shy.¡± Ace gladly took the potion and stored it inside his inventory. A moment later he gave Elvaria a glance and felt a wave of relief enveloped his mind. At least the elf knew how to open her inventory¡­ After a quick chat, Maria took her leave and went outside to look for DPS. QueeN approached them. Leaning forward, she whispered, ¡°Drink zat in an extremely dire zituation.¡± She didn¡¯t miss those confused looks. She further explained, still whispering, ¡°Ze potion ist called Aqua Secunda, an exclusive potion only available through Alchemy. It increazes your defenz by 500 plus ze Alchemy level of ze creator.¡± Ace stared at her disbelievingly. ¡°Is that a joke?¡± ¡°Look at mein face and tell me if I¡¯m joking.¡± She wasn¡¯t¡­ ¡°Maria said it vas quite avordable, ja. Vhat she meant by zat was ze materials. Ze potion itself needz Alchemy skill level 78 to be unlocked and created, so don¡¯t waste it on a weak enemy, okay?¡± ¡°Why would she give us something so¡­ exclusive?¡± Elvaria mumbled under her breath as confusion began to spread on her beautiful face. ¡°To put it simply, she wanted to apologize,¡± QueeN answered with a wide grin, ¡°but on a ziirious note, it vas also her tactic to build trust and rezpect. She¡¯s not a bad person, really, just a bit vorkaholic in my opinion. There¡¯z no one vho vorks harder than she ist. Maria really cares about us, about Travonka.¡± The atmosphere turned somber by the time QueeN finished her talk. Her eyes widened a bit and she waved her hand apologetically, ¡°Ich bitte Sie, didn¡¯t mean to sully your mood. Vas just kinda carried away for a moment.¡± ¡°No worries,¡± Ace dismissed, swallowing his confusion on her language. ¡°That reminds me¡­ what do you know about the legendary weapons?¡± QueeN sighed, ¡°Forget about zem. No matter how hard you try, you von¡¯t get a hand on zem. Ja, zey¡¯re super strong, but ze chance vor ze boss to drop it ist below your patience limit.¡± ¡°So, how low is that? One percent?¡± She rolled her eyes, ¡°Below half of it, Ace. Nowadayz only Perfektionist or rich brats go after zem. Zere ist plenty of legendary equipment to be found, actually.¡± QueeN continued, ¡°It¡¯s not just weapons. Zere are armors, helmets, and even items marked vith legendary on ze name tag, but az I told you all of zem are hard to get. Some are randomized, but some are not. One of zem ist Soul Slicer, ze last boss¡¯ weapon.¡± Ace suddenly remembered that fanart. A man dressed in all black, carrying a gigantic sword with dual colors resembling yin and yang. ¡°It¡¯s ze strongest weapon in GeaOnline, but also haz ze lowest drop! 0.000 something like zat! It¡¯z a miracle if you get it,¡± suddenly she laughed hard, ¡°but you don¡¯t hav to be so worked up like zat! After all, minimum level to tackle Azariel¡¯s castle is 250! You still hav a looong vay to go!¡± That was kind of discouraging¡­ ¡°By ze vay, vhat¡¯re you going to do now? Leveling up?¡± she skillfully steered the conversation away from the legendary equipment. ¡°I¡¯m going to finish my quest and probably do some more questing,¡± Ace answered, then glanced aside to find Elvaria, ¡°what about you?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°Umm¡­ I guess I¡¯ll follow you around,¡± Elvaria meekly answered. ¡°Together is better than being alone.¡± ¡°In that case, be careful,¡± QueeN warned, ¡°if you spot players vith red names, don¡¯t hesitate to use ze Scroll of Return. You¡¯ll get six Scrolls of Return once a day, so yuz wisely. By now zey should be inside your inventory.¡± ¡°Yeah, will do. Thanks, Tongsis,¡± Ace stood, followed by Elvaria. They exited Travonka guild room after adding each other in the friend list. 0000 Ace returned to the quest-giver and finished his quest. The girl was thanking him profusely that he held himself so strong not to stop her. He wasn¡¯t alone and he didn¡¯t want to attract unwanted attention. His installation disc was kind of corrupted, allowing him to witness NPCs acting like humans. The NPCs laughed, cried, and fumed. Unfortunately, Ace was the only one to see such things. He considered it as a blessing and a curse. It never ceased to amaze him how real the NPCs were, how¡­ alive, and human they were.He could talk to them easily and they responded. In the eye of other players, Ace was a weirdo who talked to NPCs. They couldn¡¯t strike a proper conversation to them, let alone watch the change of their facial expressions. It baffled him to no end. Why was he the only one¡­? He couldn¡¯t understand no matter how hard he squeezed his brain. He really had no idea why he was the only one who could understand them.He should stop thinking about it for a while. This kind of technical problem should be handled by someone, a player, who understood what actually was inside the installation disc. Ace and Elvaria took several easy quests, basically to help Elvaria level up. When they finished a hunting quest, both leveled up. ¡°How should I spend my points?¡± she asked as they enjoyed a quiet moment in the forest. Ace stopped munching on his ration and spoke, ¡°As a Warrior, it¡¯s important to have high STR and VIT. DEX is also important. Strength increases your overall damage as well as your HP. Vitality determines how strong you are getting hit by poison. It also increases your HP. Higher Dexterity means more accuracy and higher agility to evade enemies¡¯ attacks.¡± In this game, agility and dexterity were merged into one. Elvaria went quiet and crossed her arms. She looked as if she was between a life and death choices. It was kind of cute. ¡°Alright!¡± she beamed in happiness, having found enlightenment. Elvaria spent one point on STR and VIT, and the rest went to DEX. She preferred an agility-based fighter, huh? Ace himself distributed one point on INT, two on DEX, and one for CHA. His body felt more agile somehow¡­ To his surprise, there was a new notification window, telling him that he met the requirement for his first perk! He tapped the window to let it disappear. A second later, a big window with multiple small tables appeared. Each of them contained a Perk¡¯s name and its description. Neat! ¡°Whoah! So many¡­¡± There was an interesting Perk located at the very top of the list. It read¡­
Ancient Force
Legendary equipment will be 5% more effective
Was this a joke? Legendary weapon itself was already so strong, but here there was a Perk that further enhanced its effectiveness! How tempting! What¡¯s more, it said equipment; not weapons, not armors, not items. It meant everything that was labeled as legendary would get 5% buff when equipped! Wow, talk about epic! This Perk was certainly a worthy investment! Ace¡¯s mind wandered to Soul Slicer, Azariel¡¯s weapon. If he somehow got his hand on that sword, he¡¯d be invincible! Without hesitation, Ace chose [Ancient Force] as his first Perk. ¡°Ace?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± he still had that stupid smile on. Elvaria hesitated for a bit and then pointed out, ¡°Why did you choose [Ancient Force]? Did you forget what TongsisQueeN just said a while ago? Legendary equipment is very hard to get.¡± Then realization washed over him. Forget about zem. ¡­also haz ze lowest drop! 0.000 something like that! It¡¯z a miracle if you get it¡­ ...minimum level to tackle Azariel¡¯s castle is 250! You still hav a looong vay to go! HOLY SHIT!!! No! What had he done?! God, how stupid could he be?! Why the heck did he chose Ancient Force?! He should have chosen carefully, not on a mere whim! He tried meddling with the Perk window, but there was no ¡®revert button¡¯ there! He opened the option, but found none! It was irreversible¡­ Shit. ¡­he was doomed. Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 5 HP (190/190)
Level 3 20/1005 Def: 4 MP(265/265)
Human 985 to lv. 4 M.Atk: 21 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 1890 Coins M. Def: 13
Travonka Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment Ancient Force
STR 5 Worst Head Circlet
VIT 7 Bad Neck Amulet
DEX 9 Bad Body Robe
PER 8 Bad Back -
INT 19 Superb Arm (main) Staff
WIS 11 Best Arm -
WILL 11 Best Waist -
CHA 17 Superb Legs Pants
* (tap to see) Feet Shoes (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 3.109
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 2.098
Running VIT Affects your running speed 3.453
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 8.009
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 8.544
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 6.937
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 6.265
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 6.734
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 4.207
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 3.813
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 6.175
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 7.931
Chapter 17: A Tiring Day [Unproofed] Chapter 17 ~ A Tiring Day ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°Kail? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Alisa cast a worried look at Kail, who was literally dragging his feet to the school building. His body was slumped, looking tired and somewhat sad. ¡°He¡¯s been acting like that since morning,¡± Nia whispered in Alisa''s ear.¡°He isn¡¯t sick. Maybe he¡¯s lost something important.¡± ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± Alisa offered. ¡°Well¡­ can you keep watch over him? Just text me if something happens.¡± The corner of Alisa¡¯s lips curved upwards, ¡°Leave it to me.¡± 0000 How could he be so stupid? He used his very first Perk for something that had no value at all in his current level. On top of that, it was irreversible! He couldn¡¯t even find an Undo button and stuck with that useless Perk for the rest of his life! He really should have used his brain instead of letting his emotion ruled his judgment. What use did the Ancient Force do for a newbie? Knowing the legendary equipment, they must¡¯ve had attributes requirement! Maybe one of the equipment had 100 STR minimum or something. Someone with crappy attributes like him couldn¡¯t even equip it! Goddammit. He was so stupid¡­ Frustrated, he ran a hand through his black hair. The act only aggravated him even more. No, he shouldn¡¯t act like a brat. It was just a game. Losing a Perk wasn¡¯t the end of the world. He still had many Perks remaining until he could no longer level up. Yeah, GeaOnline was just a game. It was just a game. Kail then decided to browse the GeaOnline wikia again, believing that the information could distract him from the misery somehow¡­ He slumped, his upper body was on the desk, hands dangling on the edge. In one of his hands was his old cell phone. Activating the wi-fi on his phone, Kail began scanning through the history. He found what he was looking for and pressed a button on the phone. Now that he was browsing the wikia, what should he search for? Oh, yeah. Kail was kind of curious about Lord_DPS. Those PKs said that he ranked five in the arena. Or was it four? Maybe if Kail clicked on the Arena, then his name might come out¡­ The page about the Arena mainly talked about PvP and type of arenas used in GeaOnline. Kail learned that the Arena was a place for fighters to duel each other till they were dead. ¡°Looks like a brutal place¡­¡± Kail murmured, quickly losing interest. He didn¡¯t know. Violence didn¡¯t suit him at all. It just reminded him of Wawan and he hated it. He didn¡¯t know why, but he was back on the boss section. Their designs helped him forget about his stupidity. There was this boss who looked like a giant mosquito. Oh man, it was disgusting! And there was one who looked like a minotaur, with a heavy armor and a huge axe in his hands. Kail wished that he didn¡¯t have to fight him¡­Stolen story; please report. Quickly, Kail came to the top of the boss list and found a familiar, level 390 boss there. He looked scary as always, with that black heavy armor and horned helmet. The unique, huge sword attracted Kail¡¯s attention. He wanted it. If he had that, protecting Agriella would be as easy as pie. Agriella wouldn¡¯t have to suffer horrible death like yesterday. It was his fault to begin with. If he wasn¡¯t that weak, Agriella wouldn¡¯t have died. That was why he wanted to get legendary equipment. With them, Kail believed that he¡¯d be stronger. Yeah, the equipment would give him strength. He wondered if the heavy armor was a drop item, too, beside the sword. ¡°Hey, Kail,¡± he straightened himself too forcefully that he almost fell to the floor with the chair along with him. He quickly balanced himself by latching one hand to the desk and faced the newcomer with wide eyes, panting heavily. ¡°A-Alisa! What¡¯re you doing there?! Where did you come from?¡± Alisa¡¯s cheek ballooned as she answered, ¡°That¡¯s rude! I was here all along, you know? You looked pretty serious that you didn¡¯t even notice me.¡± ¡°R-Really¡­? Uh, sorry¡­¡± Kail then faced his cell phone again, this time with Alisa along. ¡°What is that?¡± she lifted a finger towards GeaOnline¡¯s final boss. ¡°A human? It looks weird.¡± ¡°This one is a boss.¡± ¡°Boss? Like some sort of CEO?¡± she queried further. Kail grimaced inwardly. Alisa didn¡¯t play games and obviously didn¡¯t know game terms. ¡°Yeah. That sort of thing¡­¡± Kail then closed his phone to better focusing his attention to Alisa. He didn¡¯t want the square thing to erect a wall between them. It was rude to play with his phone while someone was talking to him. When he put the phone back inside his pants pocket, Alisa murmured something, ¡°It looks lonely, the boss.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Kail turned his head inquisitively. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Alisa shook her head gently and smiled, ¡°Nothing. Just thinking out loud. By the way, have you studied?¡± Kail leaned back against the wall, ¡°Study¡­? Why? Is there a quiz or something? Didn¡¯t hear anything these days.¡± ¡°Kail, how could you forget? Today we¡¯re having World History quiz!¡± He laughed, ¡°Haha! That¡¯s a good joke!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking! Did you remember what the teacher said several days ago? There¡¯d be a quiz in the next meeting and that quiz is going to happen now in the first period!¡± Before Kail opened his mouth, the said teacher came into the class, ¡°Alright, take a seat, everyone. No papers on the desk. If I catch you cheating, you¡¯re out.¡± Alisa disappeared through the crowd of buzzing students, leaving Kail alone agape. HOLY SHIT!! There really was a quiz!! 0000 ¡°Okay. I¡¯m dead,¡± Kail whimpered, ¡°my mom is definitely going to kill me. I feel I¡¯m going to fail this quiz.¡± Alisa patted him on the back, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kail. You can retake it if you fail. Our teacher isn¡¯t some kind of horrible monster, you see.¡± Her words made him feel better, ¡°Thanks, Alisa. You¡¯re so kind.¡± Apparently, his unintentional praise set a flame on her face. It was so bright red and she quickly looked away to hide it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you sick?¡± Kail reached out to touch her forehead, but Alisa was already on her feet. ¡°N-No, I¡¯m not sick! I just feel hot all of a sudden! Sorry, I-I have to go to the bathroom!¡± With that she ran from the classroom. Thank god the teacher hadn¡¯t arrived. If they had, Alisa would be forced to hold it until the lesson was over. But that was unusual. She was so red like a forest on fire. Kail wondered if she was okay¡­ Kail laughed at the idea of Alisa getting sick. There¡¯d be no way a runner like her got sick! Finally the school¡¯s out. Kail hastily made his way back to his home. Nia couldn¡¯t come, saying that she had another study session. Man, his sister sure was smart. This was the third study sessions she had with her friends. Kail smiled sadly. If he was as bright as her, then everything would be fine. No more hating parents and no more red marks. It wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t try hard. He tried, but he reached the limit of his brain real quick. It wasn¡¯t suited to studying hard, much to his annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m home,¡± Kail spoke aloud while taking off his shoes. There was no one in the house. This was Friday, so her mom must be on her regular visit to Aunt Martha¡¯s house, gossiping and all. Kail cooked three cups of rice. While waiting for the rice cooker to make a ding sound, he made a simple omelet and croquette dish. Everything was ready once he rinsed the croquette. The omelet and croquette were so delicious. Satisfied, he went to his room after washing the dishes. He changed into comfortable clothes and put GeaOnline¡¯s helmet on his head. He¡¯d play for two hours while waiting for his family to come home. Chapter 18: Trouble in Dragonis [Unproofed] Chapter 18 ~ Trouble in Dragonis ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°I heerd from Elvaria zat you zpent your Perk on something stupid. Of all Perks you chose ze Ancient Force¡­¡± TongsisQueeN¡¯s oblivious remark hurt him a little. Embarrassed, Ace used his hands to cover his crimson colored face, ¡°Don¡¯t remind me of that again, please¡­¡± She sighed, ¡°Be more keerful next time. Seeing how low ze legendary equipment drop rate ist, the Perk ist basically near to yuzless.¡± ¡°Can I undo it?¡± ¡°You can. Vith cash and it¡¯z hella expensiv. Zey hav to make a living, you know?¡± Ace let out a desperate moan, ¡°My first Perk¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Ace. Just liiv vith it. Vho knows, maybe you¡¯ll get legendary equipment vor real in the near future?¡± she pat his arm in a reassuring manner. ¡°Choosing ze vrong Perk ist not ze end of ze verld, Ace.¡± After moping for a long time, Ace let out a sigh. ¡°¡­yeah, you¡¯re right. Thanks, Tongsis¡­¡± She gave him a huge grin, ¡°Super! Zat smile suits you best! You know vhat, let¡¯s do a quest! It¡¯ll cheer you up vor sure!¡± ¡°Quest, huh? What kind? I¡¯m kind of bored of Gathering Quests¡­¡± To his surprise, QueeN snickered. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Ace felt kind of insulted. She leaned towards him and whispered, ¡°Hav you heerd of Taming Quest?¡± Ace arched his brows, ¡°Taming? You mean we have to tame a monster like it¡¯s a cat?¡± ¡°Ja, something like zat. It¡¯z fun, you know? Ze monsters are zcary at first, but zey¡¯re super cute once zey¡¯re tamed! You¡¯v got Taming skill, right?¡± ¡°¡­mine is called Control Beasts¡­¡± QueeN slapped her head, cursing, ¡°Mein Gott! Forgot zat you¡¯re a Summoner! But you gotta do it at liist once. It¡¯z fun! I guarantii it!¡± Sighing, Ace lifted his hands in surrendering manner, ¡°Alright, alright¡­ let¡¯s go.¡± As expected, QueeN cried in joy and sent him a party invitation. Ace accepted it. ¡°Are we really gonna do that quest? I don¡¯t have the skill to tame animals,¡± although disagreeing, Ace kept following her out to the streets. ¡°Oh, yeah!¡± she answered happily, ¡°no vorries! QueeN here haz it covered!¡± ¡°You mean you have the Taming skill? For taming monsters? Are you supposed to be a Mage instead of a Shaman?¡± ¡°Vell, I may be a Mage, but it doezn¡¯t mean zat I can¡¯t learn it. I just got it zree dayz ago.¡± ¡°From where? Chests? Boss?¡± Tongsis laughed, shaking her head, blonde tresses swaying around elegantly, ¡°Of courz not! I learned it from ze trainers. There¡¯re many trainers zroughout Tel Nevos who you can learn skills from! You hafta hav Black Coins to pay. Nothing ist free! Logically speaking, the more useful the skill ist, ze more expensiiv it vill be to learn.¡± Yep, this online game was becoming more and more like rogue-like games. ¡°So, where did you get them?¡± ¡°From quests. Just browse zrough until you find Black Coins in ze revard panel. Ze quest ve¡¯ll going to do vill give you some Black Coins as a revard.¡± Ace covered his mouth with one hand. His expression was utter shock.Holy shit. He¡¯d get rare coins just from hanging around with a guild member. Was this the power of a guild? Ace waited for QueeN to finish looking for a quest. Folding his arms, he looked around for a familiar face and then let out a silly laugh. Of course there wouldn¡¯t be any. This was not a real world. Everyone had different name and face. Ace secretly hoped for Nia or Alisa to join him. They could hunt, have fun, and laughed together¡ªjust like in the real world. ¡°Vaiting long?¡± QueeN appeared beside him, ¡°found an easy quest. Ve each hav to tame a Bibbit. It¡¯s a ball-like bunny. Cuddle-able and super extra cute!¡± ¡°C-Can we really tame them? These Bibbits?¡± ¡°¡¯Courz yeah!¡± QueeN grinned from ear to ear. After rummaging through her inventory, she tossed him two packs of ration and ten apples. ¡°Zey like apples and can¡¯t get enough of ¡®em! Ze rations are vor you.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks... but is this okay? Buying me these stuff¡­¡± She laughed, slapping his back in a friendly manner, ¡°¡¯Courz okay! Don¡¯t be so tense, Ace! Ve¡¯re friends!¡± Friends. Ace¡¯s heart warmed at the thought. Why did it feel so¡­ comfortable and powerful when he repeated that? With QueeN, he no longer felt the loneliness he always had.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Friends, huh? Finally he was able to smile confidently, ¡°Thanks, Tongsis.¡± She gave him another slap before lifting her fist mid-air, ¡°Zat zmile suits you best, Ace. Listen, can you zmile more? It makes your day divverent. In a positiiv meaning. Pluz, you¡¯ll make otherz happy just by looking at you.¡± ¡°Promise,¡± Ace nodded. ¡°Great! Zen let¡¯z go! Ve hav zose Bibbits vaiting vor us!¡± They departed to Dragonis Plain. 0000 Bibbit indeed a cute creature. Their bodies, white and furry, were in a size of a basketball and their eyes were as green as the plain they lived in. Generally docile, they would attack if threatened. Their attack consisted of firing their target with condensed air shot from their small bodies. All of them were around level six. It was disastrous if one was surrounded. Ace fed one of them the apple and felt in a total bliss. How cute! If only he could take one to the real world as pet¡­ Meanwhile, QueeN was chatting (making high ¡®yip¡¯ sounds) with several Bibbits, who amazingly listened with great attention. Ace felt kind of jealous with her skill. ¡°Do you study their language, too?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but ask, seeing how vocal she was. ¡°Nein, it vas automatically tranzlated, you know. Others vithout Taming skill may hav a hard time understanding animals.¡± ¡°Dang, now I really want that skill¡­¡± Ace collapsed onto the grass back first and went cloudgazing. It was so peaceful here unlike the real world¡­ Tilting his head to his right, a small smile made its way to Ace''s mouth as he watched QueeN feeding and talking to the Bibbits. Everything indeed tasted better with friends¡­ Several minutes later he got up and tamed more Bibbits. It earned him much EXP and he leveled up to four. To his surprise, his WIL and PER increased by one. Ace spent two points in CHA and two in INT. They finished the quest. The EXP reward was satisfying and he was close to reach another level up to six. Also he earned himself four Black Coins. Neat! Three points were spent on INT, two on CHA, one on STR, and the rest went to VIT. WIth that they returned to Dragonis. ¡°You dirty cheater!¡± The accusation gained Ace and QueeN¡¯s attention. They turned their heads to the central marketplace to find several people arguing. Curious, they got near. It was Lord_DPS and Maria being surrounded by some unknown players. ¡°That¡¯s DPS,¡± Ace remarked, ¡°what¡¯s he doing there?¡± QueeN frowned and bit her lower lip. Apparently she recognized some of them, ¡°Oh, no. Zose two are vrom Muhehehe. Zis won¡¯t be good¡­¡± A blonde woman whose haircut similar to Dora pointed a finger at DPS, ¡°I knew it! I knew it from the start that you cheated! Who else did?¡± ¡°Do you have any proof?¡± Maria demanded, protecting DPS. ¡°Proof? Proof? Proof, you say?!¡± she repeated, each question ended with a tone higher than before. ¡°You need proof?! Just look at his inventory and you¡¯ll know! There¡¯s a Soul Slicer in it! You know that the drop rate is almost zero! Plus it¡¯s not an ordinary Soul Slicer! It¡¯s rarity one plus two! Getting plus in any weapon drop is the same as cheating!¡± Soul Slicer? Oh, was that the name of a sword the last boss used? The sword which had 0.00 something drop rate? Ace¡¯s jaw dropped in realization. DPS got the sword? Holy cow! ¡°He is just lucky is all,¡± Maria didn¡¯t lose her composure. ¡°All this time, DPS has been building his LUCK stat to boost the Soul Slicer¡¯s drop rate. It¡¯s not fair if you call that cheating.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± the Dora-girl challenged, ¡°and do you ever know how large his LUCK is? It¡¯s completely hidden, you fool! I bet you¡¯re in league with him! You Travonka are cheaters!¡± ¡°I suggest you watch what you are saying,¡± Maria frowned. ¡°We are not cheaters and we are deeply insulted to be accused so.¡± ¡°Ha! Like I care. You want a fight here? Then let¡¯s fight!¡± the blonde taunted, readying her dual swords. ¡°Bet you¡¯re bunch of weaklings like you were in the last Guild War! To hell with PvP, I¡¯ll kill you right now!¡± Looking around in panic, Ace saw the sky changed color into deep red. Scared, he turned to QueeN for guidance, ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯z ze Guards. Zey¡¯re coming.¡± Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 5 HP (230/230)
Level 6 2557/3560 Def: 6 MP(330/330)
Human 1003 to lv. 7 M.Atk: 31 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 2300 Coins M. Def: 15
Travonka 4 Black Coins Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment Ancient Force
STR 6 Worst Head Circlet
VIT 9 Bad Neck Amulet
DEX 9 Bad Body Robe
PER 9 Bad Back -
INT 24 Superb Arm (main) Staff
WIS 11 Best Arm -
WILL 12 Best Waist -
CHA 21 Superb Legs Pants
* (tap to see) Feet Shoes (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 3.109
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 2.098
Running VIT Affects your running speed 3.453
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 8.249
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 8.544
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 6.937
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 6.265
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 6.734
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 4.207
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 3.813
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 6.175
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 7.931
Chapter 19: Last Boss Battle [Unproofed] Chapter 19 ~ Last Boss Battle ~ SW/SW/SW Several hours earlier¡­ The dark hall was illuminated by candles. Their eerie lights casted a gloomy curtain upon their way. Foreboding and haunting were this place. Heavy curtains, tall windows, stone walls, and chasm as far as eyes could see¡ªthey were the depiction of what the final boss¡¯ lair looked like. Seven players moved between the dark pillars. They did not talk to each other, instead focusing on how to beat the last boss without having to redo the whole thing. If they died, they would respawn at the nearest town and had to wait for a long time to be able to set a foot into this place. Azariel¡¯s castle, the final and ultimate challenge reserved to those above level 250. To reach Azariel, one had to defeat two mid-bosses consecutively before facing the final boss. These mid-bosses were Etherios and Hathor. Originally, there were thirty members, but the number dwindled until few were remained. Most had fallen from facing Etherios and other from Hathor. Now they were only seven. Seven people to defeat the final boss. DPS checked his shortcut belt, making sure that everything was perfect. Aqua Healia for HP restoration, Recti Mana for MP restoration, Blade Gale for ATK and AGI buff, and other rare items filled his belt. A slight line appeared between his brows. Hathor¡¯s attacks were fiercely brutal that it left him with only thirty bottles of Aqua Healia. She¡¯d got many AOE attacks that caused bleeding. Not to mention her high attack power and agility. She was a nasty succubus for sure. {{What¡¯s wrong, DPS?}} Maria talked to him via private chat. {{Nothing. How many potions have you got?}} {{Around forty. I hope they are enough¡­}} They had arrived to the destination. Ahead of them was a pair of heavy double door. Intricate carvings decorated the surface and a handle of gold was fastened on its edges. DPS glanced around the last remaining members. Two from their rival guild, Muhehehe, one was independent, and the rest were from other guild. If there was someone untrustworthy among them, DPS would say the ones from Muhehehe. They would always cause trouble. The door slammed shut, preventing any escape. Each knew that the moment they stepped into the arena, the escape route was nonexistent. They had to battle to death for EXP and items. Silently DPS thanked that there was no realistic pain feature in the game¡­ The throne room was dimly-lit as usual. As far as his eyes could see, it was darkness. He spotted several pillars here and there with candles on them. There was a hanging candle, too. The weird thing was the lights were inadequate to light the darkness surrounding the place. Far in the darkness, there were two statues depicting a gargoyle, each holding a torch. It illuminated the surrounding area. Behind the majestic statues sat a throne made of ivory. On each side was a pair of wings carved from the same material. ¡­there was a heavily clad figure on it. DPS readied his dual blades the moment Azariel stood. Clank sounds resonated within the quiet room as he stepped down the stairs. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Holy geez¡­ No matter how many times I face him, his face still scares the shit outta me,¡± someone in the group commented. DPS¡¯ eyes looked up to meet what someone had commented. Azariel looked like a demon in human¡¯s physique. He wore a helmet with three pair of horns, two pointed backwards and one forward. There was no normal eye socket in the helmet. Instead, his ¡°eyes¡± were located right at where his forehead would be, in the shape of three diamonds. The irises were red and the pupils were black. They darted around menacingly and hauntingly. The appearance was enough to send any sane human being on their knees. After some buffs here and there, they were ready. Maria cast [Debilitate] to momentarily lower his high defense and resistance. She was good at toying with others¡¯ statuses and she was proud of it. A dark rune appeared under Azariel¡¯s feet. He was trying to dispel the magic. ¡°You¡¯re open!¡± one shouted, running towards the last boss with confidence. He shouted as he swung his sword horizontally, but it was easily blocked with a hand. The last boss grabbed his hair and ripped his head apart from the body. The remains disappeared right that instant. He was OHKO-ed¡­ DPS cringed at his stupidity. ¡°That idiot! Who told him to melee Azariel when he¡¯s casting [Dispel]?! Didn''t he read the walkthrough?!¡± a mage cursed, ¡°he¡¯ll be killed for sure! We need to attack him from a distance to aggravate him!!¡± DPS didn¡¯t remember what happened next. It happened so fast and so intense that he couldn¡¯t even recall the memory. All he remembered was a cheer of victory from his team and Azariel was lying down on the floor¡ªdead. There was no blood and his armor wasn¡¯t damaged, but the empty HP bar above him was all DPS needed to confirm that he was indeed dead. After the victory fanfare being played, the team got their prizes. Everyone got fair share of the fight. Most leveled up twice from the sheer amount of EXP Azariel had, but DPS leveled up just once. His loot window opened automatically and it shocked him that there was a Soul Slicer among the prizes. It was rarity one but it had plus two at the name, meaning that it was stronger than an ordinary rarity one Soul Slicer. It wasn¡¯t as big as the real one and easy enough to hold in one hand. Everyone congratulated him, except those two from Muhehehe¡­ 0000 A glowing rune appeared above them and summoned heavily black armored men wielding a poleaxe in hands. Their black wings flapped eerily. They didn¡¯t land, merely waiting and watching. Dora-girl cursed and made her weapon disappear, ¡°Damn it, forgot about those damned Guards,¡± she then glared at DPS and Maria, ¡°just you wait, cheaters! In the next Guild War, I¡¯ll kick your asses and expose you!¡± What that, she and her companion left. Seeing that hostility was no more, the Guards flew through the giant runes and gone, as if the runes ate them. The sky turned blue once more. ¡°What level do you think she is?¡± DPS asked Maria. ¡°She sure does talk big.¡± ¡°From her equipment, I assume that she¡¯s around 260. Probably a Destroyer like you. I can¡¯t tell. Any melee fighter can go dualwielding.¡± DPS smirked, ¡°Know what, I can only tell that she¡¯ll going to die from my swords.¡± ¡°Heartless as always. It doesn¡¯t suit you well,¡± Maria made her bangs look neater and by the time she finished that, Ace and QueeN drew near. DPS didn¡¯t answer their greetings. He didn¡¯t show it, but he was wary of the new face especially after he had seen those visions. Absentmindedly, his mind recalled the scenes¡­ A man bellowed to someone... ¡°An elf like you should be raped to death!¡± A deep voice was heard in a hall¡­ ¡°Do you think I¡¯d let you go unharmed? Fool¡­¡± Ominous visions. Unfortunately DPS was unable to see the speaker. Their heads were all black, only the bodies he was able to see. They were all the same, heavily armored and black. Cloak occasionally shielded his sight to see the armor better. DPS was sure that the visions somehow had a connection with the newbie. He hadn''t experienced this kind of otherworldly phenomenon. Only when he saw Ace that the visions appeared. They haunted him, forcing him to seek the truth. What was Ace¡¯s intention? Who was he? Was he really a noob? Was he a friend or was he a foe? The more DPS thought about him, the more he wanted to know about Ace. The noob was like his puzzle toy at home waiting to be solved. He had to extract any information from the newbie and used it to his own advantage. Chapter 20: The Chaotic PK System [Unproofed] Chapter 20 ~ The Chaotic PK System ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°The Guards?¡± Ace frowned. ¡°Zey''re some sort of defense mekanizm to privent PKing in town. Bunch of OP NPCz. No matter how ztrong you are, you von''t be a match vor zem.¡± Ace nodded, ¡°Oh, I see... wait, why are we talking so leisurely! Let''s go!¡± QueeN followed Ace to where DPS and Maria was. ¡°Guys, are you okay?¡± Ace asked, worried. DPS acted like the usual silent, cool guy he was. Maria nodded, slowly smiling at the familiar faces, ¡°We are. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Gott, sie had the neerv to try killing people in town!¡± QueeN fumed, ¡°if I hadn¡¯t be zo underleveled, I¡¯d go kick her azz!¡± Looking at the Dora-girl in the distance, Ace spoke out loud, ¡°Who were those guys?¡± ¡°Muhehehe,¡± if it wasn¡¯t DPS who answered, Ace would¡¯ve laughed nonstop. Was it just him or this guy spoke so¡­ little? ¡°Come, we shouldn¡¯t talk here. Otherwise, we¡¯ll attract unwanted attention,¡± Maria urged them to return to the headquarters. Once they had arrived in their guild room, QueeN growled, ¡°How despicable, accusing uz as cheeterz! I¡¯m ztill zo mad at zem! Did you heer me? Mein biiutivul zelf ist holding an unholy grudges!¡± ¡°What I understand is they were mad at you, right? Because you got a Soul Slicer?¡± Ace turned to DPS. He just nodded. Seriously, this guy needed to talk more¡­ Was he a chuunibyou imitating 2D anime character or something? ¡°I can safely assume that you have read about Azariel, then?¡± Maria began, ¡°most guides labeled Soul Slicer as the hardest weapon to get and here DPS got it. To be honest, I was shocked myself.¡± ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is that they¡¯re acting like a jerk.¡± ¡°Most of the online gamers are jealous kids.¡± ¡°Are you serious? For a sword they called us cheaters? That¡¯s way too much!¡± Ace shook his head disbelievingly. ¡°Oh, believe me they will do much more than that. Once I was their target because of these wings,¡± Maria patted her neatly folded wings. ¡°These are quite rare and they wanted these for themselves. Fortunately I managed to survive those nasty PKs attacks. Dear me, DPS is clearly in danger now¡­¡± Ace felt something nagging on the back of his mind and he demanded, ¡°What¡¯s this about PK and fights that you don¡¯t tell me?¡± The atmosphere turned several degrees colder as Maria went to a complete silence. QueeN scratched her nose in an attempt to busy herself and pretended not to hear anything. It was DPS who spoke, ¡°Losing to PKs means they can rob your equipment.¡± Ace returned his gaze with wide eyes. Every word he spoke was articulated so slowly, ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°No,¡± was his answer. ¡°Can we get the equipment back?¡± Ace pressed on. ¡°Yes, we can,¡± Maria murmured, ¡°but do you think they would let us do that easily? Oh, no. That¡¯s why the system offered great rewards for killing PKs. Also, that is the reason why we and Muhehehe quickly become enemies. They attacked us and we retaliated. Our relationship is going south ever since.¡± Sighing, Ace put his hand on his forehead, ¡°¡­why do I see a guild as a corporate company now? Well, at any rates, we should plan a strategy to keep them at bay.¡± ¡°Why?¡± DPS asked. ¡°We need to keep you safe?¡± Ace frowned at his question, ¡°you¡¯ve got yourself a nice weapon and Muhehehe certainly has placed a huge bounty on your head.¡± ¡°True,¡± Maria nodded, ¡°as our Guild Master, your safety is important.¡± Ace turned sharply to Maria, a hand pointed at DPS, ¡°He is the Guild Master?!¡± Maria was taken aback at his sudden outburst, ¡°Y-Yes. I had this assumption that you already knew. I mean he had given you the key. Only the Guild Master can send guild invitations. The vice then selects promising candidates and rejects the rest.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know¡­¡± actually he hadn¡¯t a thought about that. DPS didn¡¯t look like a Guild Master at all. He¡¯d got a look of a lone wolf, who preferred to hunt and live by himself. This came as a surprise to him. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Don¡¯t need protection,¡± DPS spoke, baited everybody¡¯s attention. ¡°Can protect myself.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be zilly! Of courz you can¡¯t!¡± QueeN pouted, ¡°vhat if zey bring vriends? You can¡¯t pozzibly handle zem alone!¡± ¡°I said I don¡¯t need it. That¡¯s final,¡± with that he ended the discussion and left the guild room. Maria sighed, ¡°Goodness, that boy¡­¡± From the way she said it, Ace had a feeling that Maria knew DPS in real life. QueeN smiled uncomfortably at him, blue eyes shining apologetically, ¡°Zorry ¡®bout zat, Ace. He¡¯z kind of¡­ vell, grumpy and zelfish. Don¡¯t take it to heart, okay?¡± ¡°Is he always like that? He looks like he belongs to himself.¡± ¡°Vell, zat ist also korrekt. DPS rarely talks, so ve don¡¯t know vhat he ist zinking avout. Quite ovven ve hav some mizunderstanding. Some ov uz zink zat he hates us. I vish he vould talk more¡­¡± So he was an introvert? Ace had this introverted classmate in junior high and he kept everything by himself. It took Ace ages to make him open up a little but there was no progress after that. It was easy to get close to him since they were classmates, but in DPS¡¯ case they were total strangers. Getting through his barrier would prove to be an arduous task. Hmm, maybe Agriella knew how to deal with someone like that? 0000 ¡°Eh? How to befriend a private person?¡± she asked back, blinking repeatedly. ¡°hmm, I¡¯m not so sure. I¡¯m so sorry, Master¡­¡± ¡°Eh, uh¡­ don¡¯t bow. It¡¯s alright,¡± he lifted his hands in the air, face red. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m angry or something.¡± When Agriella straightened out her body, Ace could see that her clothes were intact. There was no indication of Agriella ever being stabbed on the chest, which was good. He wondered if she experienced pain¡­ Slowly the lamia grasped his hands and placed them on her breasts. ¡°Wh-Wh-Wh-What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Ace blushed heavily. His attempt to withdraw his hands fell to no avail under Agriella¡¯s surprisingly strong grip. ¡°Well, you were staring at them, so I thought you wanted to feel them. So here you go. Touch them to your heart¡¯s desire.¡± Her honesty only made him blushed even harder. ¡°I-I-I did stare, but I didn¡¯t think about them that way!¡± Ace was still struggling to break free. Agriella cocked an eyebrow, ¡°So you say, but why do you grope me?¡± Looking down, Ace realized that his hands had instinctively grabbed the chunk of tender meat. With a cry, he withdrew his hands and apologized profusely. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Master. I¡¯m yours so feel free to do that again.¡± Ace¡¯s hand slowly went to his eyes, covering them. ¡°Please, don¡¯t say something so misleading¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t feel what her breasts felt like since this was but a game. Ace bet that they were soft to touch¡­ No! No, no, no! What was he thinking?! Girls are not squeezing toys! Ping! [Tel Nevos time: 9.20 a.m/ real world time: 6.00 p.m] ¡°Oh, crap! It¡¯s that time already? Sorry, I have to go!¡± his mom would be angry if he was late for dinner. ¡°See ya, Agriella! J-Just don¡¯t go shoving my hands on your breasts again, okay?¡± She waved her hands as he disappeared into nothingness. 0000 Agriella¡¯s eyes stared into space as she put her hands in the middle of her chest. ¡°¡­I feel so warm. What is this? This feeling¡­¡± Her murmur was left unanswered. Spoiler: Spoiler
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 5 HP (230/230)
Level 6 2557/3560 Def: 6 MP(330/330)
Human 1003 to lv. 7 M.Atk: 31 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 2300 Coins M. Def: 15
Travonka 4 Black Coins Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment Ancient Force
STR 6 Worst Head Circlet
VIT 9 Bad Neck Amulet
DEX 9 Bad Body Robe
PER 9 Bad Back -
INT 24 Superb Arm (main) Staff
WIS 11 Best Arm -
WILL 12 Best Waist -
CHA 21 Superb Legs Pants
* (tap to see) Feet Shoes (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 3.109
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 2.098
Running VIT Affects your running speed 3.453
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 8.249
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 8.544
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 6.937
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 6.265
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 6.734
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 4.207
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 3.813
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 6.175
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 8.662
Chapter 21: Kail in Love Chapter 21 ~ Kail in Love ~ SW/SW/SW The school was boring as usual. All he had to do was sit on a chair listening to the teacher¡¯s otherworldly speech. Why wouldn¡¯t they create fun learning and teaching activities? Not all students love to sit tight like this. Sometimes Kail wondered why he was born in this stupid world. It was boring, dull, and cruel. He didn¡¯t know what he was going to be or what he would like to do. In short, he was clueless, weak, and helpless. Oh, he wished that he could really live in the world of games. With a sword, he could kill goblins, orcs, or even dragons! Or he could go dungeoneering with friends! Discovering untold treasures and riches, slaying undead for fame and glory, or even defeating the evil, bad demon lord for a princess¡¯ hand in marriage! Those were what a fantasy world RPG games told him about¡­ If he could live in that world, he¡¯d be so powerful that he was adored and worshipped. No more bullies, no more demanding parents, no more shitty life. But he realized that it was nothing but a dream... Finally it was time for lunchbreak. He didn¡¯t pack a lunchbox so he had to queue in the cafeteria. Boy, it was crowded and the waiting lines were long. Kail didn¡¯t particularly want to eat something specific, so he randomly queued. Turned out he was queuing for sandwich. In the midst of crowds and noises, someone whispered to him... ¡°Heya, Kail.¡± Kail¡¯s heart stopped beating, literally. He knew this voice. He knew this tone. This¡­ this sly tone of voice demanded something¡­ Wawan! He leaned closer, ¡°Could ya lend me some money, man? Ran out when I was in the arcade.¡± He should¡¯ve said no. He should¡¯ve fought back. ¡­but no. He just couldn¡¯t and he wanted to cry. What the name Ace he had created mean? Hadn¡¯t he promised to be stronger? No. Kail was not AceKivras. Kail was an ordinary human with no outstanding power or magic. With a punch in the gut, he could pass out. With a stab in his heart, he could die. Where was Agriella when he needed her? Where are you? Help me¡­ No. She wouldn¡¯t come. She wouldn¡¯t come since he wasn¡¯t AceKivras. He was Kail, a weak human being. AceKivras was strong. He could conjure flame by incantation, run without being fatigued, summon otherworldly beings, and kill monsters. AceKivras was strong. But Kail was weak. Hate, hate, hate, hate. He hated this world. If there was a chance for him to live in the world of magic, in the world of a game, he¡¯d take it. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Heh, thanks, Kail. You¡¯re a great friend,¡± Kail heard Wawan chuckled and he cringed inwardly. Friend? Friend? The hell with that. Let this guy die¡­ Let this guy die¡­ Once he was done queuing, Kail put down his sandwich on the table and sat. He ate it but it was tasteless¡­ 0000 ¡°Hi, Kail!¡± Alisa called when they met in the corridor. She wasn¡¯t alone. There was a black-haired girl standing next to her. He had never seen her before and assumed that she was from the neighboring class. Ba-dump! When they locked eyes, there was something growing inside Kail¡¯s heart. Her eyes were sharp, radiating some sort of arrogance and coldness. What captivated him the most was the color of her eyes. They were darkest of dark but shone beautifully like obsidian. She was of an ordinary height, not to tall and not too short either. The top of her head reached Kail¡¯s shoulder if they were to stand side by side. Her figure was slim with balanced proportion for a high school student. ¡°I want to say sorry. I haven¡¯t the time to prepare a lunchbox for you¡­ Yesterday I got home quite late from my cram school,¡± Kail¡¯s eyes quickly darted to Alisa, hoping that she didn¡¯t find him staring at her friend. Sometimes she pointed out the wrong thing at the wrong time. ¡°Ah¡­ Ah, don¡¯t worry. Queuing at the cafeteria isn¡¯t a big deal. Uh, listen Alisa, can you stop making lunchbox for me? I know it¡¯s tiring to cook for both of us. If you keep this up, you¡¯ll get sick.¡± To his surprise she laughed, ¡°Haha! What are you talking about, Kail? There¡¯s no ¡®sick¡¯ in my dictionary. I cook for you because I want to. B-Besides,¡± she looked away, seemingly uncomfortable, ¡°there¡¯s no harm for me to cook for my¡­ childhood friend, is there?¡± Kail scratched his head, ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn. But do as you like. Don¡¯t blame me if you get sick, okay?¡± To his surprise, she chuckled, ¡°Do you ever see me get sick?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯m super extra healthy that I¡¯m immune to any diseases,¡± then she slapped his shoulder playfully, ¡°you¡¯re so tense sometimes, Kail! It¡¯s okay! Just relax! I do this because I love to, not because I have to.¡± ¡°Uh, if you say so¡­¡± Alisa gasped, realizing that she had someone with her, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right! I believe this is the first time you meet her, right? She¡¯s my cram school friend, Hilda.¡± The black haired girl nodded slightly to Kail. She hadn¡¯t the slightest intention to say hi or something similar to it. The more he looked at her, the more she radiated DPS-like vibe. Was it just him? Kail smiled, lifted his hand in a friendly manner, ¡°Hi. The name¡¯s Kail Rega Ardanta. Kail for short.¡± ¡°So you two go to the same cram school? How did you two met?¡± Alisa held her laugh as she explained, ¡°Did you believe that we met in the toilet?¡± Kail¡¯s expression was utter disbelief when he heard that. ¡°Hilda has a habit to hog the bathroom,¡± Alisa ignored Hilda¡¯s red face and continued, ¡°I was suspicious of someone because she used the same toilet at the same hour. Instead of hearing what you should be hearing in the toilet, I heard rustles of book!¡± Kail didn¡¯t expect Hilda to be so¡­ well, unique. Every beautiful person had flaws and Hilda was no exception. ¡°Curious, I climbed the toilet seat to peek! Turned out that it was Hilda, reading a magazine inside! And after that we got to kno¡ª¡± ¡°Wait just a second!¡± Kail interrupted, ¡°you peekedwhen someone was using the toilet?! What kind of girl are you?!¡± ¡°Oh, Kail, you dummy! It¡¯s not a big deal! Normally you¡¯d be curious when there¡¯s someone hogging the toilet all the time! Makes you want to peek!¡± ¡°Like hell I want to!¡± ¡°Aw, just admit it!¡± ¡°No! I¡¯d rather peek at girls instead of boys!¡± By the time Kail realized what he had just said, it was too late. Alisa and Hilda narrowed their eyes distrustfully as if they had discovered a pervert. Alisa leaned at Kail, smiling dangerously, ¡°Hm? What was that, Kail? Something about peeking girls?¡± ¡°N-No¡­ It was¡­ I was just¡­¡± he didn¡¯t mean it like that! He said such thing since it was the most logical answer, not because he liked to peek at girls! ¡°How often, Kail?¡± Alisa¡¯s smile was scary. ¡°Eh? Eeeh? How often? Twice a day?¡± ¡°I-I think you¡¯ve misunderstood something¡­¡± Kail cowered. The bell rang, signaling that the lunch break was over. Silently Kail sighed in relief, having been saved by pure luck. He awkwardly apologized to the girls and dashed to the classroom. The chance to regain his dignity to impress Hilda had slipped away¡­ Chapter 22: The Vampires Vengeance Chapter 22 ~ The Vampire¡¯s Vengeance ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°Ice Ball!¡± a small ball of freezing ice flew at a distracted orc, impaling him at his middle. The chilling spell prevented him from regenerating and his dead was an agonizingly slow one. One orc, enraged that his friend was dead, charged at Ace. The attack hit the summoner¡¯s barrier, which was instantly destroyed due its low level. The impact left the orc vulnerable. Ace called a dagger from his inventory with a thought and slashed the orc¡¯s left hand. Agriella was busy dealing with three orcs, so he had to defend himself. ¡°Woah!¡± the orc¡¯s kick caught him off guard and the attack connected with his stomach. Ace doubled over and quickly stood on his feet, only to see the orc charging at him. Its face was contorted in anger that Ace cringed. ¡°Th-Thunder Ball!¡± this time, a ball of crackling thunder went to the orc. Just because it was a low tier magic didn¡¯t mean that it was weak. It sent the orc flying to the nearby tree. Ace¡¯s Thunder Ball was level seven, after all, and the orc was level five. It was all thanks to the multiple Thunder Ball books QueeN gave him. It took him a long time to read them all, but once he did, his Thunder Ball spell level rocketed. Yep, they were bunch of weak orcs. In human¡¯s terms, they were just greenhorns, teenagers. Not an adult orcs. Ace finished the orc with a Fire Ball. The spell leveled up from four to five. By the time Ace was done dealing with the orc, Agriella was also finished with her task. Two orcs were lying on the ground, lifeless. He wiped the barely existent sweat from his forehead and grinned ear to ear, ¡°Good work!¡± ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± she bowed. Ace looked at the remains and held the urge to vomit. The pool of blood sickened him, twisting his stomach around and around. After looting everything, Ace opened his friend list. There were three people in his friend list, namely Elvaria, Maria, and TongsisQueeN. All of them were offline. Were they doing their homework? It could be, since it was around seven in the real world. That sucked. He sighed. What did Hilda do right now? Was she doing her homework? Or was she studying instead? Did she play GeaOnline? Pfft, the last question sounded so stupid. Hilda looked like a normal girl. She must be thinking that games were just a waste of time. There was no way she¡¯d play games, much less online games! Oh, Elvaria just logged on! Ace snickered. She was still level two while he was way above her. Giddy with mischief, Ace finished his rest and returned to town with Agriella in tow. Just by looking at the player location in the friend list window, Ace easily found Elvaria. She was hanging around in the guild room. When Ace stepped inside, the spacious guild interior was filled by members of Travonka. ¡°Woah¡­¡± he let out a gasp of amazement as he saw different kinds of players inside. This place just like a pot filled with different kinds of ingredients¡ªah, no¡­ races. Ace wasn¡¯t able to tell exactly their levels, but he had a feeling that most of them were level 67 above. From what he understood from this game was that the more intricate the equipment worn by a player, the higher their level was. The world of online games was clearly different from RPG games. How fascinating¡­ 0000 ¡°That brainless, buttface maggot!¡± a vampire screamed, hurling a stone at a lake. It travelled above its surface for a while before the depth of the lake swallowed it. ¡°How dare he¡­?! How dare that stupid summoner harm me?! Harmed my beloved rare armor?! I swear, the next time I see him I¡¯ll kill him!¡± ¡°Calm down,¡± the draconian behind him turned his head around, ¡°shouting like that will only heat your brain even more. Besides, you¡¯re making my meat taste awful.¡± ¡°The hell?¡± the vampire spat, ¡°GeaOnline doesn¡¯t support taste and smell yet, you idiot.¡± ¡°Well, I was joking. Don¡¯t take everything seriously. Just come here and sit down, man. You¡¯ll feel better.¡± The vampire took a deep breath and sat on a stump near the draconian. He sat in silence, obviously trying to cleanse his thought from the raging hatred. Several minutes later, he felt his mind beginning to get clearer. ¡°Ah, now that I think about it, that summoner looks like someone I know¡­¡± the vampire murmured, more to himself. ¡°Your real world friend? Well, it¡¯s not that surprising to have a player who look-alike to someone in the real world.¡± ¡°No, not a friend,¡± the vampire shook his head, a wry smile on his lips, ¡°no, more like¡­ an acquaintance. We go to the same school, but in different classes. He¡¯s your average guy.¡± ¡°Ha! You¡¯re being paranoid, Reeve. He can¡¯t be your acquaintance! What kind of idiot plays a game with a character modeled after his real world self? That¡¯s so lame!¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Reeve the vampire laughed, ¡°You¡¯re right! They¡¯re just an idiot!¡± 0000 Ace sneezed. Covering his mouth with the hem of his robe, he looked around to see if there was anyone who was talking behind his back. ¡°Hello, Ace,¡± Elvaria greeted. Her smile was contagious and Ace felt his mouth moving, ¡°¡¯Sup, Elvaria? What level are you now?¡± ¡°Oh, umm¡­ still two. I haven¡¯t had the time to log in recently,¡± sheepishly she answered. ¡°Pfft! I¡¯m already level seven and you¡¯re still two?¡± Ace patted her shoulder sympathetically, ¡°I perfectly understand. You have your boyfriend to care about¡­¡± Elvaria¡¯s face went redder as she stammered, ¡°I-I-I don¡¯t have a boyfriend! I rarely online because of cram school! S-Stop teasing me¡­!¡± Ace still had his snicker on his face, ¡°I know, I know. Well, now that you¡¯re here, how about questing? I¡¯ll help you level up so that you can spend quality times with your boyfriend.¡± ¡°I-I told you already; I don¡¯t have a boyfriend!¡± Elvaria shouted as she followed Ace out of the guild building. After a quick searching, Ace decided to do a Hunting Quest. He had gotten himself a nice quest that involved slaying a boar. It was a common enemy in the forest near Dragonis. ¡°A boar? Aren¡¯t they brown, vile tempered pigs that love to headbutt strangers?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ some kind of definition you have, but you¡¯re right. They love to ram intruders, so we have to be on guard.¡± ¡°Oh, wait!¡± Elvaria stopped in her track. She had her finger pointed in a direction. ¡°Can I pick that herb? I promise I¡¯ll be quick.¡± Ace arched his brow, ¡°Yeah. Go on. I¡¯ll wait here, but be careful.¡± This girl was being too polite sometimes¡­ After waiting for approximately ten minutes, Agriella asked, ¡°Master, aren¡¯t you hot? You are wearing too much clothes for this early summer.¡± Ace looked at his own clothes. They were rare equipment, given by Maria. A dark blue robe with delicate embroideries on several parts of the robe, a dark green turtleneck knit vest, a pair of black pants, and black shoes. Yep, he looked like he was ready for winter. ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t feel anything. Besides, I don¡¯t have summer in my town, so I don¡¯t know how hot summer actually is.¡± ¡°Oh, by the gods! You don¡¯t have summer? How about autumn? Spring? Or winter? You don¡¯t have seasons? He scratched his head, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like we don¡¯t have them. We just have two seasons: dry and wet. In the dry season you don¡¯t get much rain.¡± ¡°So it rains frequently in the wet season?¡± ¡°Yep. It could rain every day. Actually we have a season somewhere in the middle of them. In the morning until noon, it¡¯s so very hot, but in the evening it¡¯s freezing. Oh, and also it¡¯s the time for people to easily get sick due to the extreme weather change.¡± ¡°Oh, how interesting!¡± 0000 Thinking that it was quite enough, Elvaria left the herb patches and returned to where Ace was waiting. In the middle of the way, she noticed that the summoner was¡­ talking to his Summon Beast. Curious, she hid behind a tree and eavesdropped. Ace apparently was talking about seasons and whatnot. ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t feel anything. Besides, I don¡¯t have summer in my town, so I don¡¯t know how hot summer actually is.¡± Agriella said, ¡°I will defeat those who oppose you, Master!¡± He scratched his head, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like we don¡¯t have them. We just have two seasons: dry and wet. In dry season you don¡¯t get much rain.¡± ¡°Leave the enemies to me, Master!¡± ¡°Yep. It could rain every day. Actually we have a season somewhere in¡ª¡± Elvaria gulped in fear. Who was he talking to? Was he¡­ normal? The Summon Beast was repeating those words, yet he¡­ yet he talked as if she understood him. Was he normal¡­? ¡­ Was he sane? Elvaria wiped her fear and came out from her hiding place. As soon as she was within Ace¡¯s sight, they stopped talking. Only once in a while did Agriella spoke and it was the same phrases that left her lips. Elvaria caught Ace secretly nod. ¡°Done already?¡± he asked with a smile. ¡°Yes, thank you for waiting.¡± Elvaria made a mental note to ask QueeN about this¡­ 0000 ¡°Hey, Reeve,¡± a draconian called. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the summoner you talked about?¡± Reeve the vampire came and silently peeked behind thick bushes. His eyes caught sight of a familiar summoner in the distance with an equally familiar-looking elf. He licked his lips and murmured evilly, Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 8 HP (230/230)
Level 7 3210/4569 Def: 19 MP(330/360)
Human 1359 to lv. 8 M.Atk: 66 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 760 Coins M. Def: 33
Travonka 4 Black Coins Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment Ancient Force
STR 6 Worst Head Ranagaad''s Circlet {Rare} [4 INT, 8 M.ATK]
VIT 9 Bad Neck Amulet of Wisdom [2 INT]
DEX 9 Bad Body Valende''s Runed Robe {Rare} [8 DEF, 18 M.DEF, 5 M.ATK]
PER 9 Bad Back -
INT 30 Superb Arm (main) Halcyon Staff [3 ATK, 6 M.ATK]
WIS 11 Best Arm -
WILL 12 Best Waist -
CHA 21 Superb Legs Black Pants [3 DEF]
* (tap to see) Feet Magician''s Shoes {Rare} [2 DEF, 5 M.ATK] (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 4.521
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 3.112
Running VIT Affects your running speed 4.785
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 10,472
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 9.125
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 8.153
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 7.579
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 8.053
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 5.609
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 4.094
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 12.578
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 10.105
Chapter 23: The Knight in a Shining Armor Another chapter updated from my mom¡¯s cell phone! He ha! Feel the taste of a penniless student! Thanks for reading this story, guys! I really appreciate it. I would be so happy if you leave a comment If you want to suggest, ask, or point out mistake, just do it. Type it and let me know Chapter 23 ~ The Knight in a Shining Armor ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°Where¡¯s the boar?¡± Elvaria looked around but found nothing except the birds chirping. ¡°They should be around here somewhere, right?¡± ¡°The game implements some realism factors so no matter how hard you try the monsters won¡¯t show on the map,¡± Ace explained. ¡°So we have to use everything we got to find the monster we are looking for? Like traps and such?" ¡°Yep. For that purpose, Bestiary is important. It stores information of any monster we¡¯ve encountered so far. If you feel stuck and don¡¯t know what to do, just open it. You¡¯ll learn useful tidbits there. More complete information can be accessed in GeaOnline wikia.¡± Elvaria stared at Ace in awe. Subconsciously she clapped her hands. ¡°Ha! Praise me! Worship me! My knowledge is never-ending!¡± Ace laughed in vain, ¡°I¡¯m a sage when it comes to stuff like this!¡± ¡°A sage, eh?¡± a foreign voice broke their private moment. Elvaria gasped at the familiar faces that showed up behind the bushes. She screamed, a hand pointing at them, ¡°Ah! Y-You¡¯re the PKs from the lake!¡± Reeve laughed and sneered, ¡°Yeah, so what?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Ace spat, his grip on the staff tightened. The vampire looked at his draconian friend, ¡°What do we want, Shabu-Shabu?¡± ¡°A tea time.¡± Reeve turned to look at Ace and Elvaria. There was a nasty gleam of murder in his eyes, ¡°Right, a tea time¡­ with your blood in it!¡± As soon as he finished his words, Reeve charged at Ace, his weapon in hand. As he was stronger than Ace, his agility was much, much higher and Ace dumbly just stood there unmoving. Thankfully, Agriella acted fast and saved his life in a pinch. ¡°Master, what are you spacing out for?! I know his speed is worth admiring, but it¡¯ll be over if you¡¯re dead!¡± Agriella¡¯s scream broke Ace¡¯s trance. In a mere second, he was focused. Reeve clicked his tongue, ¡°This Summon Beast again¡­ It was her at that time and now it¡¯s her again. Don¡¯t you want to get a new Beast? She¡¯s so damn useless.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you insult her!¡± Ace snarled, ¡°she¡¯s been protecting me all this time and I don¡¯t want to hear any insult coming from you!¡± Agriella was easily pushed aside. Reeve pulled another blade from his inventory, a mocking smile on his face, ¡°What kind of Summoner are you? Do you intent on using just one Summon Beast forever? What an idiot.¡± ¡°Yeah, so what?¡± Ace taunted, repeating what the vampire said. Reeve took the bait and it meant both good and bad thing. While he was in anger, it would be easier to toy him to Ace¡¯s content, but at the same time Reeve would never target anyone but Ace. Burning with rage, the vampire unleashed his combo attacks. Before he could reach Ace, Agriella leaped between them. She could follow his movement and defend, but couldn¡¯t retaliate since he was too fast. Meanwhile, Elvaria was busy dealing with the draconian. He slammed his two-handed sword at Elvaria, who at that time successfully evaded the attack. Seemed like he went easy on her. Ace had to fight back, but it sounded pointless. Their level gaps were way too far and one hit might kill him. Ace shook that thought out of his head. Agriella was fighting for his sake and it wasn¡¯t fair that he just stood there watching. ¡°Thunder Ball!¡± thunder spell was Ace¡¯s strongest magic, but against someone like Reeve, it was useless and dealt only one damage.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The vampire laughed, ¡°Is that the best you¡¯ve got?! Ha! This is why I love killing newbies!¡± Ace cast another Thunder Ball, but it was in vain. The armor seemed to have high magic resistance. Shocked that his attack did no damage, Ace¡¯s hands trembled. We are going to die¡­ If only I had a legendary weapon¡­ ¡°What are you daydreaming of?!¡± Reeve¡¯s punch landed in Ace¡¯s face, sending him flying several meters ahead to a tree. Reeve¡¯s strength was overwhelming that the tree was knocked down. ¡°Ace!!¡± Elvaria shrieked, unbeknownst to her that a sharp edge was falling from the sky¡­ Blood splattered everywhere. Ace screamed as Elvaria¡¯s body was shredded into two. Intestines naked, shown to the whole world and Ace felt a sudden urge to vomit. Stop this¡­ Stop¡­! What¡¯s wrong with this game¡­? Don¡¯t they see her blood¡­? A moment later Elvaria¡¯s body disappeared in an instant, her remain was cleansed. ¡°Got 50 points,¡± Shabu-Shabu the draconian grinned ear to ear. ¡°Be quick, Reeve.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ll stop playing around,¡± the vampire took a new stance. It was a stance that meant to kill. Ace trembled. His end was near¡­ he¡¯d die a painful, yet quick death. No, GeaOnline didn¡¯t support pain¡­ yet. He saw Agriella slithered closer. She stood in front of him bravely as if she had no fear of dying. Stop¡­ you¡¯ll die¡­ Forget about me and run¡­ ¡°[Phantasm Nova]!¡± Reeve shouted a skill Ace didn¡¯t know and his body was enveloped in black haze. Red electric sparks occasionally could be seen and the blade of his swords changed into deep red. The vampire leaped, his demonic look sent a chill down Ace¡¯s spine. Swirling dark energies made him sick and he felt so weak that he couldn¡¯t move¡­ This is the end¡­ We¡¯re going to die¡­ Ace heard clang of sword and followed by a loud boom. Opening his eyes, he gasped as he saw a big crater before him. His knees trembled under the great relief. Somehow the vampire missed¡­ No. It wasn¡¯t like the vampire had missed his target. He couldn¡¯t hit him because of an intervention. There were two figures in the crater. One was Reeve and the other was a familiar green-haired guy in a shining armor. ¡°DPS¡­¡± Ace murmured in awe. 0000 DPS withdrew his other sword. It was a sword of black and white. ¡°S-Soul Slicer! How¡­¡± Reeve screamed in disbelief, but a moment later he regained his composure, ¡°I see! So it¡¯s true that you cheated! Ha! The great DPS cheated to get a Soul Slicer! The forums are talking about you! Let¡¯s see how you handle my attacks, cheater!¡± Reeve¡¯s swings were so fast that his hands looked like a blur. However, DPS apparently was stronger than Reeve. He easily dodged and parried his attacks. Composed and ever focused, DPS found an opening and dished out a combo attack after another. The vampire was down with DPS¡¯ sword at his neck, HP nearing zero. In front of DPS, he couldn''t stand a chance. ¡°¡­I¡¯m the strongest, but why¡­¡± he rasped, ¡°I¡¯m 255! How could I lose to a cheater like you?!¡± DPS stabbed his neck. It was a critical hit. Reeve¡¯s body disappeared from the crater. He probably was respawned in Dragonis, might be losing a level or two. ¡°¡­I¡¯m 291, vampire,¡± DPS murmured before turning around. He looked up to see Ace waving at him. He couldn¡¯t sense the draconian, must¡¯ve been fleeing the scene. Too bad. A pop up window appeared and he was given random rare loot from defeating a PK. Nice. He closed it and escaped the crater with a jump. 0000 Silently Ace cursed himself why did he choose to be a Summoner. If only he could turn back the time, he¡¯d be a fighter instead just like DPS. He wouldn¡¯t be so weak and could protect everyone. If only he could turn back the time¡­ ¡°You okay?¡± DPS asked after dismissing his dual swords. ¡°Thanks¡­ you saved me¡­ but Elvaria, she¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s in Dragonis, already respawned,¡± he turned around, ¡°I¡¯ll walk you back to town.¡± Ace followed DPS quietly. He bit his lower lip. If only he was a fighter like DPS¡­ ¡°Something wrong?¡± DPS stopped walking. His red eyes implanted their gaze deep into Ace¡¯s heart. It was as if he knew what Ace was thinking about. At first, Ace was reluctant to talk about it. He was uncomfortable at sharing his problems with others thanks to his stupid parents, ¡°I¡­ I want to be like you.¡± A line appeared between DPS¡¯ brows, ¡°Meaning?¡± Ace averted his eyes, ¡°¡­I want to be strong like you so I can protect my friend. Elvaria was¡­ she was killed because of me. If only I had the legendary weapon, if only I was a fighter like you¡­¡± DPS spent quite a time analyzing Ace, as if he was appraising a gemstone. Then he turned around seemingly uncaring and apathetic, and Ace felt like an idiot for telling him the truth. ¡°Ace,¡± DPS called, ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of circumstance you have and I¡¯m not the type to burn your ears by preaching.¡± Ace went mute. ¡°¡­I started out weak. Those PKs targeted me. I died so many times I forgot to count. I rose and I fell. I tried, failed, but learned from my faults.¡± ¡°All I can say is¡­¡± he turned his body half-way to meet Ace¡¯s eyes and spoke, ¡°¡­power doesn¡¯t come to those who wait quietly. You obtain power through struggles no matter where you are¡ªin the real world or in the game world.¡± Ace¡¯s eyes widened a bit. ¡­power doesn¡¯t come to those who wait quietly. You obtain power through struggles. That was right¡­ All this time he was waiting, sitting, doing nothing. He was waiting for a savior to change his life without trying to do it by himself. He depended too much on others that he demeaned himself. He believed that he was worthless. The words he kept repeating on and on eventually became a reality when he was bullied. He didn¡¯t retaliate, he didn¡¯t fight back, he didn¡¯t resist since he had a belief that he was unable to. Thus he was weak. He was worthless. He was a coward. Ace felt something growing deep inside him. It wasn¡¯t hatred, it wasn¡¯t fear. It warmed his heart¡­ Placing a hand on where his heart was located, the warmth spread through his hand. It slowly went to his arms, to his torso, feet, and finally his mind. You obtain power through struggles¡­ Ace took a good look at DPS. The knight was enjoying the scenery before him. His white armor shone majestically under the sun. Posture straight and ready, anyone could see that he was clearly a veteran player who had unparalleled skills. He spoke so little, yet it wasn¡¯t just blathers. It had weight... ¡­and it moved him. Never before Ace respected and adored someone this much in his life¡­ Chapter 24: Love-Love Girls Squad Chapter 24 ~ Love-Love Girls Squad ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°Elvaria!¡± Ace ran to the pink-haired elf. ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did you lose equipment? Or EXP?¡± The elf shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Ace, thank you for asking. As I remember, GeaOnline didn¡¯t support pain yet so it¡¯s impossible for me to feel it.¡± Ace took a heavy breath, ¡°Y-Yeah, you¡¯re right. Thank goodness you¡¯re okay¡­¡± without realizing it, Ace was hugging Elvaria. The intimate act caused the fair skinned elf to blush heavily. ¡°A-Ace¡­?¡± she stammered. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­ because of me, you were¡­¡± Ace murmured apologetically, ¡°I promise to get stronger and protect you! This way, you¡¯ll be safe! You can play GeaOnline without worrying of getting killed!¡± It sounded silly to DPS, but the simple promise charmed Elvaria. She hugged Ace back and smiled, ¡°Thank you, Ace¡­¡± 0000 Meanwhile in a place somewhere in the real world¡­ ¡°Sir, everything is ready,¡± said a bespectacled woman. ¡°To tell you the truth, the test result shocked me. It is outstanding.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± said a man haughtily, ¡°we have the best coders. It¡¯s¡­ a blasphemy if the result is not even satisfying.¡± ¡°If I could be so bold, sir,¡± the woman interrupted, ¡°this advance AI system¡­ seeing that the NPCs are pretty much like normal human, this development will eventually interfere with the main story of GeaOnline. The storyboard team will not like this¡­¡± His brow arched, ¡°Ah, I see. You weren¡¯t there in the last meeting. Actually, they supported our plan, saying that this world was in need of dynamic, ever changing stories. Our previous storyline was just too linear, but now the players can unlock secret branches and ultimately decide their standing¡ªto uphold evil of defeat it, or even take no part in it. It¡¯s more interesting that way.¡± ¡°When will they announce it? The update?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ probably in a week or so? But we still have so many bugs to fix, so I¡¯m not so sure. Ah, deadline~ deadline~¡± he said in a singsong while moving to grab his cell phone on a table near the entrance. 0000 Elvaria felt something moving inside her. That something was normally dormant until someone specific came into view. This someone was Ace. She¡¯d tremble, act like a klutz, and stammer like an idiot when he was around. Elvaria herself didn¡¯t know what was wrong with her body. Could it be that she had gotten sick in-game? She took medication earlier and the system informed her that she was totally healthy.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. But why was she acting this way¡­? Could it be that her game was infected by viruses? She silently thanked the god that Ace had logged off, but part of her wished that he¡¯d stay longer. What a contradictory wish. ¡°Wie geht''s, Elvaria!¡± QueeN slapped her butt playfully, earned a squeal from the elf. ¡°QueeN! What do you think you are doing?!¡± reddish color crept onto Elvaria¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Hmm? Zlapped your butt?¡± ¡°Stop doing that, please! You just hurt my innocent heart!¡± ¡°Ach, come on! Zis ist just a game. Bezides, ve¡¯re both girlz zo zere¡¯s nozing vrong.¡± ¡°But even we¡¯re girls¡­!¡± slowly Elvaria went quieter, no longer wishing to voice her objection. ¡°You look down,¡± QueeN tilted her head. ¡°A family problem?¡± Elvaria evaded QueeN¡¯s curious gaze and spoke. Her voice was nothing but a whisper, ¡°¡­It¡¯s just that¡­ I feel something... umm, strange¡­¡± ¡°Ach, you¡¯re sick. Hav you taken zome medizine?¡± ¡°I have, but it seems that I¡¯m not sick. It¡¯s something else entirely¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t underztand if you¡¯re being cryptic like zis,¡± QueeN¡¯s hand flew to her chin as she took a good look at the pink-haired elf. A second later, a big, sly grin bloomed on her pretty face. ¡°I get it! You¡¯re in love!¡± ¡°Wh-What? O-O-Of course not! Th-This is just a common cold in-game!¡± ¡°Your red face can¡¯t fool me!¡± QueeN reached out and had Elvaria¡¯s head in a headlock. ¡°Zo vhen vill you confess your viiling, ey? I¡¯m eagerly vaiting vor a vedding invitation!¡± ¡°Th-This is just a game! The idea of marrying a stranger who happens to be your party member is kind of ridiculous!¡± ¡°Party member?¡± QueeN¡¯s sly gaze was becoming to get annoying. ¡°Did I say zat? I just said zat I¡¯m vaiting vor your wedding invitation¡­¡± ¡°S-Stop teasing me¡­! I-I don¡¯t love him! I¡¯m not in love with Ace!¡± By the time Elvaria realized it, it was too late. QueeN was smiling like an idiot and her eyes clearly spoke mischief. ¡°Ey, you confezzed. Zat was cute.¡± ¡°I¡­ Umm¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t vorry, Elvaria. Your gender in zis game reflects vho you are in ze real world, zo I¡¯m hundert percent sure zat Ace iz really a guy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the problem here!¡± she cried, ¡°I just can¡¯t say love to a stranger! A stranger I¡¯ve never personally met in real life, at that!¡± ¡°Zo vhy don¡¯t you two meet? It¡¯z zimple.¡± Elvaria really wanted to meet Ace in real life, but she chickened at the idea, ¡°B-But it¡¯s not that simple¡­ what if¡­ well, what if he¡¯s not what I think he is? What if his real world doesn¡¯t match the one in the game world? It could be that he¡¯s a pervert, a shut-in or even a weirdo?¡± QueeN placed a hand on her chin, ¡°Zat¡¯s true. Zere¡¯s a chance zat he¡¯s totally a different person zan ze one in ze game vorld¡­¡± her musing came to a halt and suddenly she slapped Elvaria¡¯s arm playfully, ¡°vhy are ve being so siirious ov? Just meet ze guy und be done vith it! Play a vast ball!¡± ¡°Vast ball?¡± Elvaria frowned in confusion, ¡°¡­your thick accent is really something, isn¡¯t it? Can¡¯t we do something about it?¡± ¡°Actually everyzing ve say or write ist automatically tranzlated into ze language ve use ze most, but you hev ze freedom to partially turn off ze system. Ze result ist mein vay of spiich. It¡¯z to make it uniiq, you know? You can identify vhich nationality a person ist vrom zeir accent.¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­ I guess Ace doesn¡¯t know about this feature, does he? I can hear him perfectly fine without any distinct accent. I wonder where he comes from¡­¡± As soon as she finished saying that, Elvaria look up to meet QueeN¡¯s meaningful stare. A pervert grin made its way to her lips as she whispered conspiratorially, ¡°Ve vere talking avout mein accent, but you hav him inside your mind all ze time. Quite ze love struck girl you are, ey?¡± The elf stammered, ¡°It-It¡¯s not true! I¡¯m not i-in love with him!¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you want to know hiz type?¡± QueeN asked, ¡°iich man haz different type of girlz he likes and to know vhat kind ov girl Ace loves ist a must! It ist cruziel in ze matter ov love!¡± ¡°B-But I¡­ this is my first time¡­¡± Elvaria¡¯s answer was spoken in a quiet, shy murmur. ¡°Pfft! I zought so! Liiv zis to me, ze Queen ov Love! Come here¡­¡± she motioned Elvaria to come closer and QueeN murmured something in her ear. Elvaria blushed, ¡°Th-There¡¯s no way that¡¯d work¡­! I¡¯d¡­ I¡¯d rather die than¡­!¡± ¡°Vhat are you saying? Do you vant it to be an unrequited love?¡± Taken aback, Elvaria began fiddling with her hair, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s not love¡­ I just¡­¡± QueeN put a hand on Elvaria¡¯s shoulder, ¡°It¡¯z okay, Elvaria. Trust me on zis.¡± Sighing, Elvaria nodded. Chapter 25: Seeking Strength [Unproofed] Chapter 25 ~ Seeking Strength ~ SW/SW/SW What was ¡®strong¡¯? What was ¡®power¡¯? Kail was desperately in need of enlightenment. Was the adjective ¡®strong¡¯ meant someone with overly bulky body? The day was Sunday, yet there was no one in the streets. It was quite understandable since it was cold. Kail looked at his watch, which was blown repeatedly by his breath as he ran. The clock pointed to four forty seven. It had been ten minutes of jogging, but he had already lost his breath. This was not good. After taking a break, Kail resumed his jogging. This time he measured his pace carefully, breathing through his mouth instead of his nose, and regulated his supply of oxygen wisely. He wouldn¡¯t want to waste time resting. Staring at the wide paved road ahead, Kail¡¯s mind darted back to the meaning of ¡®strong¡¯ and ¡®power¡¯. He contemplated about it since yesterday and still he couldn¡¯t figure it out. When people heard of the words ¡®strong¡¯, they often thought of a big, muscular man. But Kail doubted it. To some, ¡®power¡¯ meant money. To some, however, it could mean social standing or even jobs. What was ¡®strong¡¯? What was ¡®power¡¯? What did he need to be stronger? He gritted his teeth at his weak lung capacity and stopped to rest again. Although he had run longer than the previous session, Kail wasn¡¯t satisfied. He must push his body to the limit. Physical strength was definitely the key to be stronger! He¡¯d definitely teach that bastard Wawan a thing or two should they met. This time, it wasn¡¯t just a thought. He¡¯d definitely do it. No more whimpering. No more shaking. No more regrets. And more importantly, no more wishing to be saved. He¡¯d get strong so that he could protect the ones he loved, both in GeaOnline and in the real world. 0000 The sound of an alarm woke Nia up. With a groan, she groped around and smacked her alarm clock. The room regained its quietness once again. Rubbing her eye, Nia yawned and looked at the clock. It was 6 thirteen. After a quick stretch, she made her bed and lazily came downstairs, still in her pajama. ¡°Ah¡­¡± the kitchen was unusually empty. Kail would always been in charge of the kitchen on Sunday. Nia blinked repeatedly at the vegetables lined up near the washbasin. Beads of water trickled their shiny surfaces. In a plastic bowl, the ground beef was left untouched. Looking on their left, a knife was laid on a cutting board but there was no vegetable yet to be diced or chopped. Where is he¡­? She wondered. Come to think of it, her brother had been acting kind of weird yesterday. He kept staring into space, but his expression was grave as if he was pondering about a matter between life and death. To be honest, it was her first time seeing Kail act like that. She was worried sick about him, but he¡¯d always dismiss her question saying that everything was okay. Several days ago he came home with bruises and a blackened eye, but he said nothing about it. Her mother complained about boys in his age getting into fights, but Nia had a feeling that his brother was bullied.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Thinking about getting bullied, her brother didn¡¯t look the type to be bullied. He was good with everyone and helpful to anyone in need. It was silly picturing Kail getting beaten up. ¡°I¡¯m home,¡± Nia turned to the dining room entrance to find Kail drenched in sweat. Looking at his clothes, she assumed that he was out jogging, but she asked about it nevertheless, ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°Jogging,¡± Kail slopped down on the chair and gulped down a bottle of milk. ¡°Ah, that hits the spot!¡± he put the nearly empty bottle on the table and leaned against the comfy chair. There, that serious, distant look again. Nia wondered what he was thinking about. That expression made her feel like Kail wasn¡¯t Kail anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll cook,¡± Nia informed, donning the pink apron. ¡°Hey, what are you doing? You cook on Friday, right? Sit down and leave this to me,¡± Kail stopped her tomato cutting and took away the knife from her hand. ¡°But you¡¯re tired¡­¡± ¡°No buts. Mom will scold me if she sees me lazing around on Sunday,¡± he also stole her apron and wore it despite the feminine color. ¡°Get out of the kitchen, will you?¡± Nia couldn¡¯t help but giggle as he made a gesture to shoo her. She didn¡¯t leave him alone, instead watching TV as she waited. Their dining and living room were merged into one. Actually, it included the kitchen as well. A half wall divided the kitchen and the dining room. While there was no partition to divide the space between dining and living room, the sofas placement was enough to tell which room was which. It may sound cramped, but the place was big for four people. Nia repeatedly pressed a button on the remote to find morning cartoons. Her eyes lit up once she found what she was looking for. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Pucchamon! Great! It¡¯s still in the intro song! Oh, no¡­ the recorder is off!¡± Kail stopped shaping the thumb-shaped hamburger and spoke, ¡°Pucchamon?¡± ¡°Brother, you¡¯re so clueless! It¡¯s the famous cartoon where the main character goes on a journey to catch monsters!¡± Kail fried the already-sliced sausages and continued shaping the hamburger, ¡°Eeeh, sounds tiring and boring.¡± ¡°Of course not! Coal Ketchup and his friends always get into an exciting journey! Also, they have to fight the big, bad Team Missile from enslaving all monsters in Tojoh! It¡¯s awesome! You¡¯d be surprised how high this cartoon¡¯s rating is!¡± ¡°C-Coal¡­?¡± ¡°The hero, Brother. The hero. Geez, watch cartoons sometimes,¡± Nia spoke in a chastising tone of voice. 0000 Coal Ketchup¡­ What a lame name for a popular hero¡­ the writer must¡¯ve been drunk. Kail shook his head and focused on cooking. Kail rolled the mini hamburgers atop a bowl full of bread crumbs and then fried them. He sniffed and let out a satisfied sigh. The smell was delicious. While waiting for the hamburger to golden brown, he prepared vegetable salad. Hmm, his mother loved dipping anything in chili sauce so he prepared some on a different, but small bowl. Nia liked the salad half-cooked without any weird sauce, so it meant no mayonnaise. He took out several plates and placed his cooking on them. On each plate he put the omelet he first cooked, sausages, and the last was the mini-hamburgers. He added more portions to his plate since he was quite famished from jogging. As he prepared the food, the question came to haunt him again. Power. Strong. Kail stared at his palm and was lost in thought. Even after spending quite a time jogging around the neighborhood, he still couldn¡¯t come up with a good answer. What was the strength DPS talking about? Was that Kail¡¯s strength, not AceKivras? No. He said about struggling both in real and game world. Struggling, huh? If he won against Wawan and his rotten friends, could he be ¡®stronger¡¯? Grooooowl¡­. Ah, right. They said you could never win fight with an empty stomach, let alone think¡­ 0000 Kail took a stroll in the mall, as well as window-shopping. The place was full of couples and families, making him jealous. For once Kail wished to spend holiday together with his family, but well¡­ it was just a stupid wish. Bored and desperately in need of change of scenery, Kail entered a shop. It was full of weird, backpack-wearing teens and figurines. Ah, crap. It was a figurine shop, a place where otakus gathered. Well, there was no use chickening out. Besides, he was already inside so might as well explore the place. The figurines mostly were females from famous Japanese animes. In the corner of the room, where the label read ¡®western¡¯, he saw complete figurines of DB heroes and characters from Harry Potta. In the southern part of the shop, there was a label read ¡®online games¡¯. As the name said, the shelves were full of characters from famous online games. Kail had no clue who they were since he didn¡¯t play any except GeaOnline, but he took one that looked epic. Wait, was that¡­? Kail hurriedly snatched Azariel¡¯s last figurine on the shelf before anyone else could. Amazing! They even had this one stocked up! He entered this shop out of boredom, but found a gem instead! Talk about lucky! He paid for the stuff he bought and then looked around for a vending machine. Putting in several coins, he gulped his chocolate drink down in one go and let out a satisfied exhale. What an exhilarating flavor! Kail left the mall and sat on a bench in a park nearby. Relaxing, he leaned against the bench and drew a long breath. The air was crisp. ¡°Well, well¡­ look at this,¡± a familiar voice came from Kail¡¯s right. ¡°If it isn¡¯t Kail.¡± The said teenager sat straight, face turned to the source of the voice. In an instant he saw the newcomer, his face hardened. Wawan! Chapter 26: Fighting Back Chapter 26 ~ Fighting Back ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°Don¡¯t be so tense. We¡¯re friends, right?¡± Wawan lifted his hands in a peaceful manner. Friends? Yeah, right. Kail grimaced. His hands itched, ready to pounce anything, especially the disgusting face of someone who stood in front of him. I want him dead. Dead. ¡­should I kill him? Yeah¡­ if I killed him, then I¡¯d be free¡­ ¡­I think I should kill him¡­ Something inside Kail cracked and he snapped, ¡°Oh? Someone who extorts money from someone else counts as ¡®friend¡¯? That¡¯s news to me.¡± To his surprise, Wawan laughed and walked closer, leaning to him, ¡°You¡¯ve got yourself a nice mouth, eh, Kail? Want me to break it?¡± I will kill him. Kail grabbed the front of Wawan¡¯s t-shirt and punched him in the face. Wawan didn¡¯t fall, considering that it was a weak punch. Kail had never used his fists for violence, until now. Snarling, Wawan retaliated and slammed his forehead into Kail¡¯s, ¡°You¡¯ll pay for that!¡± With a painful cry, Kail fell to the floor back first. Understood that it was a vulnerable position, Kail hastily stood. His movement wobbled a little due to headache. With a shout, he charged into Wawan¡­ 0000 Kail was released along with Wawan for fighting in the park. The police officer gave them one good, long sermon. With occasional slams on the table and harsh intonation, it was clear that the officer was pissed. Thank goodness he didn¡¯t call home. Otherwise, Kail¡¯d be dead. Instead of feeling sore, Kail felt relieved. It was as if the burden on his shoulders had been lifted. Had it something to do with him punching Wawan? Was this the meaning of ¡®stronger¡¯? Kail smiled. Somehow, he felt strength flowing into his veins. It was a pleasant feeling, almost addictive. He wanted it again, he wanted the feeling to come crashing down on him like a raging tsunami. Never had he thought before that being stronger was¡­ fun and pleasing. Was this the feeling of a high leveled player when he killed a newbie? The feeling of total control where the victim couldn¡¯t even retaliate? If he was stronger both in real life and GeaOnline, would he experience that kind of feeling once again? 0000 ¡°QueeN, I told you this isn¡¯t a good idea¡­!¡± Elvaria¡¯s weak whimper came to a deaf ear. She wriggled uncomfortably against her green bikini that, to her dismay, showed her assets a bit too much. ¡°Oh, zuush! It ist a part ov ze taktik!¡± QueeN chastised, ¡°if Ace reacts to you looking like zis, zen it¡¯z a success! You agreed to zis, didn¡¯t you?¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Eeeh¡­ but¡­¡± Elvaria started to whimper before it was cut short. ¡°No buts! Besides, ze Summer Event ist already started and girls out zere vill be all in bikinis! No need to vorry! Also, you¡¯ll get a nice revard if you got enough points from ze judges.¡± ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you in a bikini?¡± QueeN laughed, ¡°Vhat are you saying? A bikini alone can¡¯t capture meine beauty.¡± The door to the guildmaster¡¯s room opened and Maria stepped out, still in her usual gown. Her face lighted up once she saw Elvaria and QueeN. ¡°Participating in the Summer Event?¡± she asked with a smile. Elvaria nodded but then tilted her head at Maria¡¯s clothes, ¡°You aren¡¯t?¡± She let out a motherly giggle, ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m not at least interested in showing off my body. Besides, DPS warned me not to. My party is waiting, so I will take my leave. Be sure to have some fun.¡± ¡°Cee ya!¡± QueeN waved. When Maria was no longer in the room, Elvaria whispered, ¡°Say, what¡¯s going on between Maria and DPS? Are they lover?¡± ¡°Ze rumor ist zat zhey¡¯re living together. Maria never says anyzing avout it, though. If you ask DPS, he¡¯ll pretend zat you veren¡¯t zere. Very hush-hush zose two,¡± QueeN whispered back as secretively. ¡°Umm, what do I need to do again? D-Do you think it¡¯ll work?¡± ¡°You are chickening out again!¡± QueeN scolded, ¡°you¡¯re cute in zat bikini! Ace vill be spiichless vhen he sees you! I vill do vhatever I can to make you two togezer alone! So you¡¯d better yuz your time visely!¡± Elvaria nodded weakly. All of a sudden, QueeN placed two hands on Elvaria¡¯s back, pushing her out of the guild room, ¡°So vhat are ve vaiting vor? Ve got somezing ve hav to do! Let¡¯s go! Out, out!¡± ¡°But I-I¡¯m not ready¡­!¡± It was too late. By the time Elvaria whimpered, they were already in the hall of the Guild Hall. Elvaria¡¯s body attracted a lot of attention, especially from males. She was a beautiful elf, had a slim body at that! Some cheered on her and took turn shaking her hand. It looked like Elvaria had a fanbase coming up. After a tiring pushing and screaming, finally QueeN was able to drag Elvaria out of the hungry crowds. ¡°Let¡¯s go to ze Dragonis Park. Everyone¡¯s gathering zere.¡± ¡°E-Everyone?! A-Ace, too¡­?¡± in an instant, Elvaria lost her courage. ¡°He izn¡¯t online yet, silly! But I zink he vill soon,¡± she dragged the elf again to the streets of Dragonis. ¡°Oh! Look at zat! Vhat a crowd! Let¡¯s look for an ice cream!¡± The girls explored the big park, which now was full of contestants of Summer Event and stalls. Elvaria blinked in confusion, realizing that the stalls were run by players, not by NPC. Some of them sold rare items and equipment and the rest sold food. As they licked their ice creams, the person they were talking about came. Embarrassed, Elvaria nearly dropped her cold treat upon Ace¡¯s arrival. ¡°Yuuz, Ace!¡± QueeN greeted him in the weird way. He lifted a hand. ¡°Yo.¡± ¡°Look at zis!¡± QueeN pointed a hand to Elvaria¡¯s bikini-wrapped body. Ace went agape, blood flowing though his nostrils, ¡°W-What are you wearing, idiot?!¡± Elvaria evaded his stare and stammered, ¡°I-I¡¯m participating in the Summer Event¡­¡± ¡°But your bikini¡­ it¡¯s almost see-through!¡± ¡°More importantly, Ace, are you alright?¡± QueeN stepped between them, ¡°you got blood coming zrough your nose.¡± Ace took her tissues and plug his nostrils with them. His face was deep red as he spoke, ¡°W-Well, it-it¡¯s not my fault! Elvaria is dressed rather¡­ lewdly! I can¡¯t help it!¡± ¡°Ey, I can¡¯t help vhat, Ace?¡± QueeN teased. Ace blushed even redder, ¡°B-Beats me! I-I¡­ let me buy an ice cream first!¡± and he quickly ran to the ice cream stall. It was probably just an excuse to get away from them. QueeN paid Elvaria a perverted glance, ¡°It vas a success.¡± ¡°What was?¡± Elvaria asked innocently. ¡°Ze plan, Elvaria! Ze plan vas a success!¡± ¡°I think we succeeded in making him nosebleed,¡± Elvaria murmured her sarcasm. ¡°Vhat are you talking avout?! He was bleeding! Face red! Stammered! Zey were signs zat he likes you! He cares avout you! If you veren¡¯t his type or he didn¡¯t hav any affection to you, then he¡¯d definitely stare vithout saying anyzing.¡± ¡°T-That certainly is true¡­¡± QueeN slapped her arm, ¡°Rejoice, Elvaria! You viiling vill definitely be reciprocated.¡± A moment later, Ace came back with a chocolate ice cream in his hand. Face still red, he ignored the two completely and focused on eating his food. The girls snickered silently. ¡°By the way, how does the event work?¡± Elvaria asked, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen the judges at all.¡± ¡°Ze rumor haz it zat ze judges mingle vith ze contestants, ziicretly judging. Ze winner vill be posted in ze official site, complete vith pictures.¡± Elvaria gasped, ¡°Th-Then some of the contestants are¡­ Oh, no¡­ I feel so nervous¡­ What if I did something wrong¡­?¡± ¡°Relax, Elvaria. Zis ist not avout vinning or lozing. It¡¯z all avout participating and hav some fun vith friends!¡± QueeN then whispered in Elvaria¡¯s ear, ¡°and vith boyfriend.¡± ¡°Ah, you are right,¡± Elvaria let out a shy giggle. Secretly, she stole a glance to her right and saw Ace. He was staring into space, no longer licking his ice cream. Seriousness taking over his usually cheerful personality. Elvaria felt something inside her begun to stir. What was he thinking about so seriously? Even though it was highly unlikely, Elvaria wished that it was her who Ace was thinking about. Chapter 27: The Purple Dream Chapter 27 ~ The Purple Dream ~ SW/SW/SW I¡¯d been having the same dream for days¡­ A dream of being molested. It was¡­ quite pleasant to tell you the truth. I was lying down on the bed, someone atop me. Purple skin, soft and silky-like to the touch and deep, wavy crimson hair caressed my body softly. Soft melons met my chest as I relaxed to her touches. I vaguely remembered red lips roaming my body before they crushed themselves into mine. I saw tattoos on her arm and cheek. They were gleaming faintly, looking eerie as well as sacred. The mouth, it moved as she spoke mutely to me, and I swore I could see fangs behind her luscious upper lip. I saw pale arm, laced with wounds, flew to her face. The hand caressed her cheek and she leaned against it, smiling. Who was she¡­? What were we doing¡­? ¡­who was I? I had never had such a dream before. Not until I saw the vision in the pond, where I met DPS. It was¡­ a dream, right? ¡­or maybe it wasn¡¯t a dream at all? 0000 ¡°Ace? Ace, are you listening?¡± QueeN¡¯s voice brought Ace back to reality. He blinked dumbly before he set his eyes to where QueeN was. ¡°Ah, sorry. Did you say something?¡± ¡°Geez, I vas saying if you liked zat girl in ze stripped bikini. Her boobs are quite large,¡± QueeN pointed to the female elf in the distance. Ace squinted his eyes to see better and answered, ¡°Yeah, they are. Are female elves always so¡­ endowed?¡± ¡°Zey are elves, Ace. Obviously zey hav to be large.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Ach, just answer it already! Do you like her or not?¡± Ace was taken aback at her persistence, ¡°Uh, personally, I think she¡¯s quite okay. It¡¯s just¡­ I don¡¯t like her hair. It¡¯s too short for my taste.¡± To his surprise, Elvaria and QueeN shared a knowing nod and begun whispering to each other. They ignored him completely. Sighing, Ace shook his head incredulously. Girls sure were weird. The dream occupied his wandering mind once again. The red lips, purple skin, tattooed cheek, and crimson hair¡­ It was so real. Too real that he felt like she existed. Surely, there was no way normal beings could have such a weird pigmentation. Not to mention that pair of fangs, too. The fangs made her look like the fabled creature of the night, vampires. Ace ran a hand through his hair. Maybe he was playing too much GeaOnline that he dreamt of playing it¡­ ¡°H-Hey, Ace,¡± Elvaria slowly approached him. She averted her eyes, absentmindedly playing with her fingers as she murmured, ¡°L-Let¡¯s take a walk¡­¡± ¡°H-H-Haaaa?!¡± Ace took several steps backwards, blushing feverishly, ¡°w-w-w-why sh-should I? Y-Y-You can take Tongsis with you!¡± ¡°B-But QueeN said she had something to do¡­ Look,¡± Elvaria pointed to the place where QueeN was standing. The devilish mage was no longer there. Ace gulped nervously. This was bad. He was standing too close to a girl clad in a deliciously revealing bikini, showing her cleavage and half of her ass too much. Damn, Ace felt like he was ogling at his sister. Elvaria and Nia were truly look-alike. Admitting defeat, Ace took her for a walk. It was all bikinis as far as his eyes could see. He wasn¡¯t a pervert, so he wished that the girls would wear a modest bikini. Sighing once again, Ace realized that that kind of bikini would never exist. ¡°Ace?¡± he heard Elvaria calling his name. ¡°What do you think about my bikini? Does it¡­ suit me?¡± Ace spared her a glance before looking away, face painted in red, ¡°Y-Yea¡­ it looks good on you.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Th-Thank you¡­ QueeN picked this for me,¡± came her meek reply. Ace knew it. There¡¯d be no way a kind and pure-hearted girl like Elvaria would wear something so revealing. That stupid mage¡­ Ace definitely would give her a piece of his mind later. ¡°D-Do you think I¡¯ll win? QueeN said the prize is a rare item and I want it¡­¡± ¡°Y-Yeah, you¡¯d definitely win.¡± This conversation had turned awkward! Ace had no idea how to talk to a girl when she dressed up so¡­ sexy like this! ¡°B-By the way, it¡¯s not like you to try so hard. What¡¯s the prize? Is it so rare that you, a shy girl, go all out with this getup?¡± To his surprise, Elvaria giggled, ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°Aw, you¡¯re no fun. C¡¯mon, tell me!¡± Elvaria placed an index finger on her lips and winked, ¡°A secret makes a woman woman.¡± Ace arched his eyebrow and laughed, ¡°Well, suit yourself then. They¡¯d announce the prize in the official page sooner or later anyway.¡± They walked in silence, either was busy with their own world. Sometime later, Elvaria¡¯s cry caught Ace¡¯s attention. ¡°Th-They are playing beach ball! But look! Beach ball but is not played in the beach!¡± Elvaria eagerly pointed a hand at several girls playing volley ball right in the park. They even set up the net as well. It looks more like a park ball rather than a beach ball. Ace¡¯s sarcastic side resurfaced. ¡°Do you want to play?¡± Ace asked good-naturedly. Elvaria nodded. ¡°Y-Yes! Oh, but it seems like it¡¯s full¡­¡± Ace smiled and then grasped her wrist, ¡°Let¡¯s look for a free court. With how crowded this place is, I¡¯m sure they have some free courts ready to use.¡± Ace might not realize it, but Elvaria was smiling. Her eyes were glued to their hands, linked together, like a bride and groom who walked down the aisle. Absentmindedly, she strengthened her grip on Ace¡¯s hand. Unlike real human¡¯s hand, she couldn¡¯t feel anything from it. There was neither warmth nor cold. But that was okay. As long as it was Ace, Elvaria was fine with it. 0000 ¡°Ace, isn¡¯t that DPS?¡± Elvaria asked meekly as she pointed at a lone figure in the distance. Yeah, it was him alright. That messy, green hair and white armor were unmistakable. ¡°But what is he doing here?¡± Elvaria shrugged. ¡°Shall we go to him?¡± Ace offered, but was immediately rejected. ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± Elvaria then gasped when she realized what she was saying. Quickly she attempted to cover her mistake, ¡°I-I mean I¡­ DPS looks like he wants to be left alone, so¡­ so I think we shouldn¡¯t bother him.¡± Ace paid DPS a good look and nodded, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. His face clearly screams ¡®leave me alone or else¡¯.¡± They both laughed at that. ¡°C¡¯mon. You still want to play beach ball, don¡¯t you?¡± Ace tugged Elvaria¡¯s wrist and she let him guide her. Unfortunately, DPS saw them and quickly approached. ¡°Wait.¡± Elvaria screamed inside her mind, wishing that DPS would just leave. She secretly made a gesture for him to scram, but being oblivious as he was, DPS just lifted an eyebrow. ¡°Seen Maria?¡± as usual, the guild master spoke very little. ¡°Told me to wait there, but hasn¡¯t showed up.¡± ¡°Huh? Did Maria say she had her party waiting for her?¡± Ace asked back. ¡°You can just PM her, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°Something came up, so she told me to enjoy the event.¡± Ace chuckled, ¡°And here I thought she was in danger. In that case, why don¡¯t you come along with us? I¡¯m sure Elvaria doesn¡¯t mind.¡± Elvaria¡¯s mouth went agape. No! If he came along, then the love-love tactic she and QueeN had painstakingly planned would go to waste! She made a gesture again for him to go away. This time it was a bold gesture, which was shaking her head. ¡°A good idea.¡± 0000 Ace didn¡¯t know why Elvaria was pouting the entire time. They were no longer holding hands since the elf herself broke it in the middle of the walk. She looked terribly pissed. As for DPS, he walked in silence. Not a talkative person, he mostly listened to Ace¡¯s remark and answered if necessary. Now they were talking about bosses in GeaOnline. ¡°I haven¡¯t faced any bosses yet,¡± Deucaryon didn¡¯t count as boss, Ace thought. ¡°Who do you think is the most annoying boss in this game?¡± ¡°Etherios.¡± Wait. Ace recognized the name somewhere, but the memory slipped from his brain. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because she sings,¡± DPS stopped to watch a beach ball play. Ace had no choice but stop, too. ¡°She¡­ what?¡± ¡°She sings, Ace,¡± DPS repeated, then explained, ¡°she is proficient in what we call Song Magic. Different song has different effect, from healing to status attack.¡± ¡°¡­and it makes her the strongest boss? I saw it in GeaOnline wikia.¡± ¡°Well, not only that.¡± Ace caught DPS making a small smile, but it vanished after he blinked. When he was about to ask more, DPS cut him in the middle, saying, ¡°You¡¯ll know sooner or later.¡± Their conversation stopped when the beach ball ended. The victory team cheered, followed by its supporter. Their ecstatic cheers completely deafened any attempt of conversation. Ace waited until it wasn¡¯t noisy enough and asked something else instead. ¡°Say, do you know anything about demon?¡± DPS inclined his head but said nothing, waiting for him to continue. Ace didn¡¯t have the gall to look at DPS in the eyes. He was afraid that the guild master would see through him with his sharp eyes. His eyes found solace in the volley ball net instead. ¡°I seem to recall seeing a purple-skinned woman somewhere, but couldn¡¯t remember who she was. She had strange tattoo on her cheek and this wavy, deep red hair. It was like blood rather than hair.¡± ¡°It was probably from the wikia, huh? She is famous and eye-catching. Can¡¯t believe you¡¯d forget her name easily.¡± ¡­I saw her in my dream¡­ From the corner of his eyes, Ace noticed DPS pushing buttons in his PM. Ace let out a snort. Maybe it was a mistake telling him about it. He didn¡¯t even take him seriously. A second later, a PM notification popped out. He clicked it and the message appeared, containing a picture of a woman. ¡°In her true form, she is purple-skinned,¡± Ace didn¡¯t hear what DPS was saying. His eyes were glued to the picture DPS sent him. Thump! There was a rock inside his throat, rendering him unable to breathe. ...been having the same dream for days¡­ ¡­purple skin, soft and silky-like to the touch and deep, wavy crimson hair, tattooed cheek¡­ What the heck was going on? This woman¡­ she was clearly a succubus, a being existed only in fantasy and game world, but he¡­ He encountered her almost every night in real world! Plus, it was his first time seeing her and knew that she existed! What was going on¡­? Was he going crazy? Yeah, maybe he was going crazy. DPS'' call broke his train of thoughts. As Ace listened to what he said, the rock inside his throat became bigger, almost stone-like. ¡°For your information, she is Hathor, one of the mid-bosses in Azariel Castle Raid.¡± Chapter 28: A Misguided Goal Chapter 28 ~ A Misguided Goal ~ SW/SW/SW A lone figure was battling against a band of orcs in a forest. The sound of lightning crackled continuously in the area, followed by series of agonized cries. As the sound died out, the lone figure stood in the middle of corpse, bathed in blood¡­ ¡­with a crazed look on his face. He lifted his hands and stared at the bloody palms, smiling like a madman. ¡°Stronger¡­¡± he muttered under his breath, ¡°more power¡­¡± Stronger. Stronger. Stronger. Power¡­ power¡­ power¡­ He wanted to taste ¡®power¡¯ again, similar to the feeling when he punched that maggot Wawan. It was truly addictive, the taste of power. It warmed his body, gave him a sensation he¡¯d never felt before. He wanted to crush someone under him, someone so weak, so that he¡¯d undergo that sinfully satisfied feeling once again. The prideful and satisfied feelings of having defeated opponents in battle had been haunting him. Succumbing to the desire, he embraced one of human¡¯s natural instincts¡ªthe instincts to rule, to be in power. However, the instinct was twisted along with his addiction to trample others and so he wanted power¡­ ¡­so that he could beat others to pulp. Power. Stronger. ¡­more power¡­ Yes, this must be what DPS meant by getting stronger... He spotted several orcs in the distance, gathering some food. With a maniacal grin, he unleashed his stronger spell, Thunder Ball, to obliterate them. The surprise attack turned into a deadly critical hit, the power tripled. The orcs were electrocuted and he leveled up twice from the sheer experience. ¡°¡­ha ha¡­¡± it was faint, but slowly it turned into a mad laugh. Yes, this was power taste like¡ªtermination, superiority, and ruthless. It was twistedly addictive, like drugs, and he couldn¡¯t live without it. He¡¯d be stronger. He needed more power so he could set a foot inside Azariel¡¯s castle and faced that succubus. He¡¯d torture her to the point that she¡¯d do anything for him just to be free. He¡¯d use whatever means necessary to make her spill out the truth. His game contained virus that allowed him to talk to NPCs and the slutty succubus was no exception. He¡¯d have a nice, pleasant talk about her invading his dream in the real world. To reach her, he had to be stronger. His hands then trembled as his body shook in sheer giddiness. What would it feel to have beaten a boss stronger than him? Would it feel as addictive as he was experiencing now? 0000 Ace came back to Travonka later after reaching level 16. He was definitely stronger than before, yet something seemed so off. There was no smile on his face, only a grim expression remained. Occasionally a sneer would make it to his lips. ¡°Tongsis,¡± he called the blonde mage who was reading a spellbook. ¡°Yuuz, Ace,¡± QueeN waved, a big grin on her face. ¡°Vhat level are you?¡± ¡°Sixteen,¡± he answered curtly, ¡°hey, I wanna take down a boss. Know someone who needs a Summoner?¡± QueeN fiddled with her PM for a while and then shook her head, ¡°Sorry, Ace. Ze friends I know are mostly offline. I can give you ze boss¡¯ locations, but it¡¯z safer vor you to be vith my friends instead ov partying vith strangers.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Zere are many cases ov players turned PKs during or after a boss quest. And you know vhat zat means, don¡¯t you?¡± Ace nodded. Yep, EXP reduction. The worse case would be the loss of equipment. PK system in GeaOnline was simple. The winner could take the loser¡¯s equipment like it was nothing. A simple, yet twisted system for a famous online game. ¡°Before you ask me, I¡¯m not in ze mood to fight a boss right now. Sorry. By ze vay, vhat kind ov boss do you vant to fight?¡± ¡°Anything will do, as long as it¡¯s strong. I want to level up faster.¡± She placed an index finger on her cheek and tilted her head, ¡°Hmm¡­ How avout talking to Maria? Sie knows everyzing. Kind of.¡± Ace flashed a small smile, ¡°Thanks, Tongsis. See ya around.¡± He waved as he made his way to Guild Master room. After knocking and indentifying himself, Ace entered the room to find Maria knitting. He arched his brow at that. ¡°Scarf?¡± he asked. ¡°Oh, no. A sweater. I had too much time waiting and before I knew, these hands moved by themselves.¡± ¡°Waiting for DPS?¡± She shook her head, ¡°No. My party,¡± she set aside her knitting needle and smiled, ¡°now was there something you¡¯d like to ask?¡± Ace sat down on the sofa, ¡°I want to level up faster. Do you know any strong boss that can be soloed?¡± There was a slight movement on Maria¡¯s brow before she spoke, ¡°I do not think that there is any. Bosses in GeaOnline follow the same movesets patterns, one for melee and one for ranged, and the rest are unique to themselves. Often they would unleash melee and ranged attacks in short delay. If that happens, can you handle it? One mistake will end your life.¡± No. Ace¡¯s mind replied immediately.By the way, what the heck was moveset? ¡°Besides, a boss character has insanely large HP and it means to be taken down with a party.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°What about the final boss?¡± Ace suddenly asked a different thing, ¡°do you perform parties as well?¡± ¡°Oh, no. The event Dark Lord¡¯s Crimson Nocturne, or widely known as Azariel Castle Raid, forbids us to choose our own party. We have to queue first to fight him. The system then decides the rest. Most won¡¯t make it through the first fight and some will fall during the second battle. The victory against the final boss is always uncertain.¡± ¡°But you survived.¡± ¡°That I did,¡± Maria nodded, ¡°it was a miracle that I made it along with DPS, considering how hard the battle with Etherios was.¡± ¡­because she sings, Ace¡­ Ace was genuinely curious about this boss. What caused the players to harbor such hatred towards her? Right, she could sing, but that¡¯s it. He bet the effect wasn¡¯t all that great and would fade the instant she stopped. ¡°What about the succubus? Who was she again?¡± ¡°Hathor.¡± Yeah, right. That purple-skinned succubus he saw in his dream. It defied science when he dreamt of her, someone he¡¯d never seen. Not to mention that she was a game character. There must be something ominous behind it. ¡°Say, Ace, what about joining my party? An acquaintance asked for my help,¡± Maria smiled, a party window appeared before her as she waited for his response. ¡°The boss is around 86. You don¡¯t have to do anything. Just hide until we defeat it.¡± Ace secretly gritted his teeth. She cut him right at the most important part of the questioning, diverting the topic to something else. What was this woman planning? Whatever. He¡¯d ask someone else. For now, he had to get stronger. ¡°Count me in.¡± 0000 They departed to the southern part of the first continent, Vandarius, towards a burned forest. It was surrounded by thick mist. The trees were all black, a horror reminder of an unknown power that caused the once lush forest to become a lifeless, horrid mass of sticks. They departed with Maria¡¯s pet, a two-tailed wyvern. It wasn¡¯t a Summon Beast, just a pet gained from rare loot. From the distance, Ace saw three adventurers standing near the forest¡¯s entrance. One of them waved at their appearance. Once they landed, the three ran to them, all with a smile on their faces. ¡°Hm? Who¡¯s this?¡± one of them asked. A fighter, he was, with black hair that was tied on low a ponytail. His medium armor was glowing with potent enchantments and lance shining in deep, red color. Deep, red color. Just like her hair. Purple skin, red lips, wavy, crimson hair¡­ [KnightofDoom], he was called. Though his friendly demeanor contrasted to his name. ¡°This is a new member from Travonka,¡± Maria explained, ¡°he is striving to become the strongest in GeaOnline. I hope you won¡¯t mind him joining our party.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not as long as he could take care of himself,¡± a fairly cold voice came from the female beastgirl. She was a dog-morph, with a cute human face, and fluffy ears and tails. Her dark blue hair was tied into a twintails. They sashayed as she spoke, ¡°I won¡¯t help you out even if you were surrounded by monsters.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not very nice, Asla,¡± a human archer, Mia, commented. She smiled apologetically to Ace, ¡°Sorry about that, okay? She¡¯s just a bit angry from yesterday¡¯s quest.¡± Asla the beastgirl had her arms akimbo, ¡°We could¡¯ve gotten rare equipment if only that stupid noob stayed quiet! The monsters got their eyes on him and our formation crumbled thanks to him! I got so mighty pissed that I PK him every time we meet!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of cruel¡­?¡±Mia commented, then turned to face Ace. ¡°Don¡¯t mind Asla, okay? But we¡¯re very grateful if you don¡¯t do the same thing as that noob did. If we tell you to hide, then please hide and don¡¯t move even a muscle. Also, don¡¯t provoke hostile monsters.¡± Ace frowned, ¡°In short, you want me to stay out of trouble, right? And do nothing to attract the monsters¡¯ attention to myself.¡± Mia nodded cheerfully, ¡°Yep! You got it right! In turn, we will help you gain level. Oh, if you know any healing spell, feel free to use it on us. It will help you level the spell much quicker.¡± ¡°What about the reward?¡± Ace asked, ¡°how to divide it evenly between us? Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to be rude, just curious.¡± Ace heard Maria giggling behind his back, ¡°The quest reward is divided by the system, but it is a different case with the monster loot. Roughly speaking, you can scavenge the loot we don¡¯t need and sold it in the shop or store it for later use.¡± ¡°Everything settled?¡± KnightofDoom asked, ¡°right, let¡¯s go.¡± Maria dispelled her pet and followed the party to the burned forest. Far inside the forest, there was a tree bigger than the rest, half the width of a football stadium. Behind one of its many hollow barks, a yellow eye stared menacingly at the unwary intruders... Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 9 HP (340/340)
Level 16 490/15312 Def: 21 MP(470/470)
Human 14822 to lv. 17 M.Atk: 166 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 4012 Coins M. Def: 81
Travonka 4 Black Coins Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment Ancient Force
STR 7 Hopeless Head Ranagaad''s Circlet {Rare} [4 INT, 8 M.ATK]
VIT 11 Worst Neck Amulet of Wisdom [2 INT]
DEX 12 Worst Body Valende''s Runed Robe {Rare} [8 DEF, 18 M.DEF, 5 M.ATK]
PER 11 Worst Back -
INT 43 Normal Arm (main) Halcyon Staff [3 ATK, 6 M.ATK]
WIS 18 Bad Arm -
WILL 20 Bad Waist -
CHA 35 Normal Legs Black Pants [3 DEF]
* (tap to see) Feet Magician''s Shoes {Rare} [2 DEF, 5 M.ATK] (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 12.991
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 5.085
Running VIT Affects your running speed 6.721
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 17.009
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 12.419
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 21,553
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 14.512
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 9.012
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 8.884
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 9.716
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 14.591
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 17.119
Chapter 29: The Queen of the Dead Forest Chapter 29 ~ The Queen of the Dead Forest ~ SW/SW/SW As far as his eyes could see, it was all but scorched forest. Occasional caws echoed in the distance and the never ending mist caused him to be alert at all times. There was no sign of enemies yet and that was exactly Ace had feared. The thick fog nearly robbed his visions. The thing he managed to see several meters away was just whitish blur. ¡°What are we hunting for?¡± Ace couldn¡¯t help but ask. This dreadful forest was inhabitable and there was no sign of civilization whatsoever. The monsters that came to mind were lamias, dragons, skeletons, and dark elves. Ace hoped that it wouldn¡¯t be dragons¡­ ¡°Have you heard the myth of Scylla?¡± Mia suddenly asked out of nowhere. Ace frowned in confusion, ¡°Scylla?¡± ¡°It originated from Greek Myth. It is a tale about a woman who was turned into a gigantic, multi-headed snake.¡± ¡°¡­and you¡¯re going to fight that monstrosity,¡± it was more like a statement rather than a question. Mia nodded, ¡°Yep. And it isn¡¯t just an ordinary Scylla, but a Scylla Queen. Relax, her design is totally different from the myth.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve arrived,¡± KnightofDoom informed, gripping his lance tighter. Ace went agape as his eyes bulging through the sockets. Before them stood a huge tree, distorted so that the limbs stretched out to many directions. Like the rest of the burned trees, it was as black as coal, yet still stood with dignity. It was a miracle how one could survive in this horrid, desolated place. Thump! He felt someone staring at him. ¡­staring at him. Bead of sweat slid to his cheek. His fists couldn¡¯t stop shaking. What was this awfully ominous feeling? He couldn¡¯t even move his body, let alone his legs. They keep shaking no matter how hard he tried to regain his self-control. Was he shaking because he knew that the boss was too strong? Was he chickening out because of the wide level gap? Who is staring at me? Why me? Why can¡¯t I shake it off¡­? He wanted to run. He wanted to hide. Anywhere was fine¡­ as long as he could get that terrifyingly wrong stare off of him. Ace felt a hand pressed itself against his shoulder. Looking back, he saw Maria with her usual motherly smile. ¡°Feeling ill?¡± she asked. ¡°A little.¡± Her smile went wider for a second, ¡°It is to be expected. After all, the boss is 70 levels stronger than you. The hopelessness you feel is real, no? It is the same once you are stronger. The monsters weaker than you will flee.¡± She then handed him three scrolls, ¡°Scroll of Cloaking. Use these once we fight the Scylla Queen. It will render you invisible.¡± ¡°I recall seeing a Scroll of Invisibility. What''s the difference?¡± ¡°Body heat, Ace,¡± Maria explained as they went inside the gigantic tree. ¡°By race, the Scylla Queen is categorized as a snake, thus she can see your body heat easily. Think of this scroll as the upgraded version of the Scroll of Invisibility.¡± Ace stashed them carefully. Looking around, the interior was totally different from the outside. The tree created some kind of wood wall to separate each room. Of course the walls were burnt, yet the strangest thing was they didn¡¯t crumble on touch. In front of them there was a set of stairs, made of branches entwining each other, leading upwards. The funny thing was that there were torches. The fire didn¡¯t roast the tree. It was warm, but not scorching or damaging. Must be a work of magic. There was a lot of furniture in the room, belonging to a royal family. Ace swept his finger through a table¡¯s surface. His finger caught so much dust. Was this some kind of common code for villains to have a dirty, horrid place for living? In most RPG games he played, the boss would always live in a secluded area, his castle stood in the middle of a chasm of unfathomable depth or even flowing lava. He could understand it if the villains wanted to ensure their safety. And also, the way to where the boss was waiting would always be winding. Levers must be activated to advance. If it wasn¡¯t lever, then he had to have a certain item to bypass some kind of barrier. Why the complicated mapping was a must in a boss¡¯ castle? What would happen if one of the minions, or even the boss himself, wanted to take a leak but couldn¡¯t find the toilet? But judging by the dirtiness in this awful place, the said queen lived by herself. Quite an irony. Cleaning his finger with his clothes, Ace grimaced. She was an NPC, but what would happen if she were a real being? Wouldn¡¯t she die of loneliness? ¡°Hey, noob, c¡¯mon!¡± Asla the beastgirl called urgently. Ace quickly regrouped, walking between Maria and the archer, Mia. They entered every room they saw, looting nearly everything. Ace got himself nice set of magician clothes, though he couldn¡¯t equip them because of level restriction, as well as many high tier potions, scrolls, and several mid-level weapons. Talk about lucky. Then it came. The horrible feeling again. Ace¡¯s eyes darted around the wood corridor nervously. It was empty. No enemies in sight. Was that just his imagination? He felt someone staring at him a while ago¡­ No, it wasn¡¯t his imagination! He heard shluck sounds, as if someone was dragging something wet across the ground. The fear multiplied as the stare grew more sinister. With a shaky hand, he read the Scroll of Cloaking¡­ ¡°We¡¯re not alone,¡± it seemed that Asla caught the sounds as well, readying her dual claws. Doom carefully looked around, but was met by emptiness, while Maria cast protection spells to everyone.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Then it appeared. Ace was shaking beyond belief as he saw her, the Scylla Queen. She was a beautiful woman, with flowing purple hair and white, pale skin. Her yellow eyes, with a slit similar to those of a snake, were glowing with contempt. Tribal tattoos decorated her unblemished cheeks. The underbust corset she wore accentuated her figure well and the gown complimented her statuesque, regal posture. Looking at her upper body, she was indeed human. However, down below, she wasn¡¯t. What ought to be two human legs, she had big, ten snake bodies growing within her gown, each ending in a snake head with a jaw of an alarming size. They served as her legs as well as weapons. ¡°¡­adventurers. You have pillaged my home again. What more do you want from me?¡± her voice was melodious and cold, but had a slightly hissing quality in it. ¡°Huh?¡± Ace swore he saw tears in those striking eyes of hers, but it disappeared when Asla leaped forward. The attack was blocked easily with one of the snakes. Although they looked weak, their skins apparently were harder than steel. With a hand gesture, one snake leapt in the air with its mouth open, aiming to end Mia¡¯s life. Doom quickly thrust the head in time to alter its course. The snake ended up eating the wood floor as dinner. I can¡¯t see a thing, Ace shivered. Their speed was too high that he couldn¡¯t catch a glimpse of what they were doing. If only his perception was much, much higher, he¡¯d have the chance to. Doom charged, the tip of his lance was aflame. The thrust didn¡¯t connect with the Scylla Queen, however, as she shielded her body with her snake leg. The fierce attack depleted its head about a third of its HP. Each head has its own set of HP? Ace was astonished. If this was true, then they had to kill the snakes before they could attempt direct attacks. Several snakeheads launched themselves to the trio, leaving Ace and Maria alone. Ace had already used the Scroll of Cloaking, so he was safe as long as he didn¡¯t attack and blew his cover, but Maria was in danger of being attacked. The continuous attacks made it harder to attack and aim properly, especially for Mia. She hadn¡¯t the time to support others as she had two snakeheads aiming at her. Asla was in a pinch, too. All she could do was dodge incoming attacks as the best she could. She jumped in the air, readying her deadly airborne skill¡­ ¡­but she didn¡¯t realize a maw coming to get her. Ace screamed at her in time. In the air she couldn¡¯t dodge and relied on her guard. The attack connected, causing her to be thrown aside, breaking many walls in her wake. ¡°Asla!¡± Mia screamed. Unfortunately, the scream attracted Scylla Queen¡¯s attention. Again with a wave of hand, Mia became the target. Numerous gaping jaws were heading towards her. Instead of running away, Mia closed her eyes forcefully, surrendering herself to death. A loud boom was heard in the area. Opening her eyes, the snakeheads were no more. They were blasted into dust. There was a huge hole in the wall beside her, evidence that a powerful magic had been casted. Dumbfounded, Ace stared at Maria. He knew that she was so powerful, above the level of 250. But seeing her actual power was¡­ beyond imagining. Now that five of the heads were gone, the fight would go easier. Maria cast area healing and everyone was as good as new. ¡°Get up and fight!¡± Maria suddenly shouted. ¡°She has a superb regeneration trait. If you spend your time attacking a different head, it won¡¯t end! Focus your attack on a single head and move to another once it¡¯s dead!¡± ¡°You¡­ You little¡­!¡± Ace heard Scylla Queen muttered angrily. Aura of death surrounded her body as she shrieked, ¡°You adventurers! All of you are the same! Coming and leaving as you please, stealing my treasures, and wreak havoc upon my home!¡± ¡°Shit, she¡¯s angry!¡± Doom blocked a sweeping attack with his sword-shaped lance and then launched a counter attack. Scylla Queen screamed in pain when the lance impaled one of her many snake legs. ¡°The snake is weakening!¡± Mia fired her imbued arrow. Once it homed in on its target, it suddenly crackled, sending paralyzing toxin to the Scylla Queen¡¯s body. Asla break through the rubble she had been lying and slashed the snake. The severed head disappeared into nothingness. ¡°We did it!¡± the beast girl smiled. The smile faltered¡­ The Scylla Queen was fuming. The tribal tattoos on her cheeks were glowing ominously and her eyes seemed brighter than they were. ¡°I can¡¯t forgive you¡­¡± she muttered, ¡°I can¡¯t forgive you¡­ I can¡¯t forgive you all¡­¡± A powerful energy shocked the trio and sent them flying. Within seconds, the severed legs grew back. This time it wasn¡¯t the head of a snake, but weapons. Weapons made out of flesh. Ace covered his mouth. The regenerating process was disgusting that he wanted to puke. Doom took several steps backwards. His voice trembling as he realized the futility of fighting, ¡°How can this be¡­? We killed the snake legs, but she¡­ she turned the table in an instant¡­¡± Mia¡¯s hold on her bow weakened, ¡°This¡­ this can¡¯t be¡­!¡± To everyone¡¯s surprise, Maria giggled. Calmly she walked past Mia, Doom, and then Asla. Standing in front of them was Maria in her glory, body surrounded by a black aura that reeked of death. She opened her eyes and smiled. There was a pair of fangs on her upper teeth, apparent to all, when she spoke, ¡°¡­let me take care of you, little snake.¡± Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 9 HP (340/340)
Level 16 490/15312 Def: 21 MP(470/470)
Human 14822 to lv. 17 M.Atk: 166 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 4012 Coins M. Def: 81
Travonka 4 Black Coins Minimum piety
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment Ancient Force
STR 7 Hopeless Head Ranagaad''s Circlet {Rare} [4 INT, 8 M.ATK]
VIT 11 Worst Neck Amulet of Wisdom [2 INT]
DEX 12 Worst Body Valende''s Runed Robe {Rare} [8 DEF, 18 M.DEF, 5 M.ATK]
PER 11 Worst Back -
INT 43 Normal Arm (main) Halcyon Staff [3 ATK, 6 M.ATK]
WIS 18 Bad Arm -
WILL 20 Bad Waist -
CHA 35 Normal Legs Black Pants [3 DEF]
* (tap to see) Feet Magician''s Shoes {Rare} [2 DEF, 5 M.ATK] (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 12.991
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 5.085
Running VIT Affects your running speed 6.721
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 17.009
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 12.419
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 21,553
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 14.512
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 9.012
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 8.884
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 9.716
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 14.591
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 17.119
Chapter 30: A Scylla Queen as a... Friend? Chapter 30 ~ A Scylla Queen as a Friend? ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°¡­who are you?¡± Scylla Queen hissed, though the answer fell to a deaf ear since Maria heard totally a different thing: ¡°Kill all non-Scylla!¡±. The statement was repeated over and over again through the course of the battle. Who are you? This time it was Ace. He couldn¡¯t help but curious about her. Was Maria a human? Or was she something else entirely? ¡°Since you were going all out, it is appropriate for me to do the same,¡± Maria discarded her staff and shifted to a different stance. Her side facing the enemy, right hand dropped loosely in front, the fingers looked as if she was holding something invisible. It appeared. A pure white lance materialized out of nowhere. It was the strangest spear Ace had seen, the handle was long and ended in a thunder-shaped sword. The spear itself was quite normal, long and sharp. The menacing one wasn¡¯t the lance, but the weird rings that magically surround the lance, as if they were socks and the lance was feet. There were countless blades protruding from the rings. They looked incredibly sharp, long, and the worst of it all¡­ the rings were rotating, promising unimaginable tortures to the victim. The only thing Ace could think of Maria¡¯s weapon was¡­ brutal. ¡°H-Here it comes!¡± Doom exclaimed, ¡°the Torture Maiden, Maria!¡± The name fit her appearance perfectly. With a single leap, she was already in front of the Scylla Queen. Her terrifying rotating rings and expression made her looked more like an angel of death than a human. Her quick thrust was avoided, but Maria grinned. In the air, she twisted her body around, bringing her lance along with her and aiming to shred the Scylla Queen to pieces. The queen blocked the attack with half of her snake legs. However, Maria¡¯s power proved too much for her to handle that her legs got destroyed. Screaming in pain, Scylla Queen retreated several meters, panting and shivering in fear. Maria¡¯s smile was scary, almost unsettling. Thinking that she had no chance of winning, she turned around and fled. In her desperation, she cast fog spell so that she might escape unscathed. ¡°Oh, no! After her!¡± Asla hurriedly got up to her feet, but was stopped by Maria. ¡°Don¡¯t. Just leave this to me.¡± The winged woman angled the tip of her spear ahead. The rings¡¯ rotation sped up as ancient patterns appeared on the lance¡¯s surface, charging with magical energy. The spear was suddenly enveloped in white light and it fired a huge, beam of energy towards the fleeing Scylla Queen. They heard ka-blaam sound, followed by an inhumanly cry of agony, and then everything was quiet. Once the cloud dissipated, the Scylla Queen was lying down on the ground, her lower body was destroyed. Apparently she was still alive, coughing up blood. ¡°Hey, she isn¡¯t dead yet. Let me deal with this,¡± Doom walked forward, before Maria stopped him. ¡°That is not necessary. Although it is hard to do, incapacitating the boss nets rarer reward quest.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave her as she is,¡± Asla summed it up. A pop up window appeared out of nowhere, signaling the completion of a boss quest. Ace gaped at the experience and rare loot. The instant he pushed the ¡®Okay¡¯ button, he felt strength bursting from his body. He was now level 42. ¡°Alrghty, we did it!¡± Mia and Asla high fived, while Doom ran a hand through his hair, satisfied. Maria dispelled his lance and approached the group. Mia hugged her, ¡°Thanks a lot, Maria! Without you, we¡¯d be a goner!¡± ¡°I could never say no to a friend in trouble,¡± she replied with a smile. Asla slapped her hands and exclaimed, ¡°Hey, what about we hold a party in Dragonis? We defeated the Scylla Queen, after all! I just want to celebrate it before the feeling fades!¡± ¡°Oh, I love party!¡± Doom grinned, ¡°I¡¯m in! What about at the usual inn?¡± ¡°Sounds good! Maria, can you come? And Ace, too!¡± Ace scratched his hair, ¡°Ah, sorry, guys. I still have some business in this place.¡± Asla frowned, feeling suspicious of the newbie. ¡°And what could that be? Do you know how dangerous for you to be here, alone at that?¡± ¡°Well, from my observation, this castle is dirty and full of dust. That only translates one thing: the Scylla Queen lives alone. I can roam this place without worry once she¡¯s been taken care of, right?¡± Asla shrugged, ¡°I never thought that you¡¯re a greedy pig.¡± ¡°I do need money, so it¡¯s perfectly understandable. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll be fine. Look, I still have Scrolls of Cloaking Maria gave me, as well as plenty of Scrolls of Return. Just go without me.¡± Doom nodded and gave him a thumbs up, ¡°Right. See ya, dude. Be careful.¡± Ace waved to the party, watching them go until they could no longer be seen. Making sure that he was alone, Ace came near the mortally wounded Scylla Queen. She was a mess, bleeding, and in shock of extreme pain. The statuesque woman slapped his hand when he leaned closer to touch her. It took her the last of her energy as she was now lying weakly. Yeah, he was addicted to victory, but when the enemy was on the death¡¯s door, especially if the enemy was a woman, he felt sick all over. There was still a part of him that pitied her. Taking out a stolen, high-grade healing potion from his inventory, he attempted to heal the Scylla Queen, but was met with resistance. Since he had no choice, Ace touched one of her severed legs, making her cry out, and roughly shoved the healing liquid in her mouth.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. She choked and coughed, struggling to break free, but Ace kept her jaw in place and she had no choice but to swallow it. A moment later she felt energy pulsating inside her belly. Albeit weak, it fueled her body, restoring her senses. All the pains she had were now disappeared. As distrustful as ever, she pushed Ace and crawled away from him. She had an iron will, he gave her that. ¡°¡­why?¡± she cautiously asked, ¡°you were with them. What are you scheming?¡± Ace raised his hands, ¡°Nothing. You just looked horrible I couldn¡¯t stand it.¡± She didn¡¯t buy it. Of course she wouldn¡¯t. ¡°You stole from me, harmed me to the point that I can¡¯t walk. Did you expect me to believe you?¡± ¡°No, but I said what I actually felt. Whether you want to believe it or not, it¡¯s your call,¡± Ace stood. The difference in height made her shook in fear. It was all thanks to a certain winged woman. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you. I just want you to know that,¡± Ace lifted his hands again, though his attempt to gain her thrust failed considerably. Seeing no way to befriend her, Ace turned to leave. ¡°Where do you think you are going, adventurer?¡± a sharp voice halted his movement. Looking behind his shoulder, he saw the queen crawling miserably towards him. She stopped to catch her breath and commanded, ¡°Take me to my chambers. You did this to me and you must take responsibility.¡± Sighing, Ace complied half-heartedly. He carried her bridal style, careful not to brush his skin against her broken snake-like legs. Apart of the queen showing him the way, no words had gone through their mouths. The queen kept her gaze forward and lips set in a thin line. Meanwhile, Ace was busily keeping his eyes on the road instead of on her cleavage. But damn, her breasts were big. Bigger than Agriella¡¯s. Wait, he wasn¡¯t a pervert! It was just that at a glance they looked¡­ ¡°¡­you have no shame, staring at my breasts with those perverted eyes of yours.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your fault for showing them off in the first place.¡± ¡°¡­do you realize that I am, in fact, stronger than you?¡± Ace hesitated a bit, but gave up and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Once they had arrived in the destination, Ace pushed the door with his foot and laid her on the four-poster bed. The queen collapsed on her plush pillows and let out a happy sigh. She quickly regained the dignity she had momentarily discarded, completely forgotten the fact that she wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°¡­I am hungry. Hand me one of those apples over there,¡± she then ordered rather haughtily for Ace¡¯s taste. He clicked his tongue, dislike being treated as a mere lackey. However, he had no choice but to obey her. Weakened and disabled she might be, but her power was greater than him, who had nothing but mere beginner spells and Summon Beast. Ace took an apple from a fruit basket nearby and gave her what she wanted. She didn¡¯t eat it, though. She stared at the apple for a long time that his butt started to itch. ¡°¡­you can understand me,¡± finally she spoke. Her yellow eyes slowly met his dark ones. ¡°Out of many adventurers, only you can understand what I am saying. To tell you the truth, I am¡­ happy.¡± ¡°It gets lonely living alone, huh?¡± He didn¡¯t bother with formality and she didn¡¯t mind it a bit. ¡°Indeed it is.¡± Hearing her blatant confession just made him feel worse. She had been living alone in this place without anyone to talk to and all of a sudden a band of rampaging apes (him included) raided her home, taking her belongings with them. He took a long sigh and opened his inventory. He took all loot he found, excluding the potions. As expected, she was staring at him dumbly. ¡°I feel kind of bad for stealing these from you, so I return them back,¡± he couldn¡¯t look at those beautiful eyes, so he looked away. ¡°Although I won¡¯t hand the potions over. I need them.¡± ¡°¡­I am genuinely surprised,¡± she commented softly, ¡°a shameless pervert who can¡¯t keep his eyes off my breasts, an imbecile plunderer, a dastardly womanizer, yet a kind and half-honest person. I have taken interest in you, but don¡¯t get your hopes up. I still don¡¯t trust you.¡± ¡°¡­you know, that didn¡¯t sound like praise at all.¡± And now she giggled. ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ace leaned closer, frowning in distaste, ¡°tell you what, I¡¯m not enjoying this at all. As compensation, you have to answer my question.¡± Her smile faltered and was quickly replaced by a foreign, emotionless expression. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this? Interesting¡­ Let¡¯s hear it.¡± Ace cleared his throat, steeling his nerves, and opened his mouth, ¡°Do you know anything about Hathor?¡± To his surprise, Scylla Queen grinned, her long fangs were at full display, ¡°¡­interesting question indeed.¡± Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 9 HP (740/740)
Level 42 5512/142200 Def: 21 MP(1230/1230)
Human 136.688 to lv. 43 M.Atk: 166 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 4012 Coins M. Def: 81
Travonka 4 Black Coins Minimum piety
104 Points Left to Distribute/ 3 Perks Available to Choose/ Job Change Available/ Additional HP and MP Waiting to be Added
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment -Ancient Force [Legendary equipment will be 5% more effective] -Apprentice Magician [Spells deal 4% more damage]
STR 7 Hopeless Head Ranagaad''s Circlet {Rare} [4 INT, 8 M.ATK]
VIT 11 Worst Neck Amulet of Wisdom [2 INT]
DEX 12 Worst Body Valende''s Runed Robe {Rare} [8 DEF, 18 M.DEF, 5 M.ATK]
PER 11 Worst Back -
INT 43 Normal Arm (main) Halcyon Staff [3 ATK, 6 M.ATK]
WIS 18 Bad Arm -
WILL 20 Bad Waist -
CHA 35 Normal Legs Black Pants [3 DEF]
* (tap to see) Feet Magician''s Shoes {Rare} [2 DEF, 5 M.ATK] (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 12.991
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 5.085
Running VIT Affects your running speed 6.721
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 17.069
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 12.419
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 21,553
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 14.512
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 9.074
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 8.884
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 9.780
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 14.905
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 17.119
Chapter 31: The Scylla Queens Gift Chapter 31 ~ The Scylla Queen¡¯s Gift ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°It is ¡®Queen Hathor¡¯ to you, adventurer. Or you can simply call her Her Majesty,¡± she admonished. ¡°I will not siy idly by knowing that my queen¡¯s name has been dirtied by your uncouth mouth.¡± ¡°¡­queen?¡± Ace asked very, very slowly. ¡°Yes. Our queen.¡± ¡°But you are a queen,¡± he objected. ¡°Indeed I am, but only to my race. There is a greater ruler than I am. Someone who rules over the entire races in Tel Nevos.¡± No way. She was lying, right? No¡­ looking at her expression, Ace didn¡¯t think that she¡¯d lie. But if that was the truth, then¡­ then who was he when she invaded his dream? ¡­I was lying down on the bed, someone atop me. Purple skin, soft and silky-like to the touch and deep, wavy crimson hair caressed my body softly. ¡­tattoos on her arm and cheek. They were gleaming faintly, looking eerie as well as sacred. The mouth, it moved as she spoke mutely to me, and I swore I could see fangs behind her luscious upper lip. I saw a pale arm, laced with wounds, fly to her face. The hand caressed her cheek¡­ Then, who was he? Who was the man underneath her? Was it Kail, AceKivras, or was it someone else? ¡°I do not know what kind of circumstance you have against her, but all I can say is¡­ forget her. She isn¡¯t someone you¡¯d mess around with.¡± ¡°Are you afraid of her?¡± Scylla Queen stared at him incredulously, ¡°Fool, everyone is afraid of her! Between His Majesty and her, the real demon is her! Before you ask anything else about the royal family, stop. I will not answer it. Their names bring bad omens.¡± Ace grimaced. She was kind of useless. He was expecting her to divulge any information regarding the stupid succubus, but oh well¡­ Seemed like he had no choice but to go to the forum. ¡°Thanks for the information. If there¡¯s nothing to talk about, then I¡¯ll leave,¡± he stood leisurely. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet soon.¡± As soon as he turned around, he heard her voice again. ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡± Ace growled, his patience was at its limit, ¡°What do you want? I got some business in the city!¡± She pointed a finger to her lower body, which was badly destroyed by Maria¡¯s energy beam. The bleeding had stopped but she could no longer be able to walk. ¡°I will not let you go before you heal my legs,¡± she threatened. ¡°That woman¡­ she was your comrade, was she not?¡± ¡°It was her fault to begin with, not mine!¡± Ace snarled, ¡°don¡¯t you have Regeneration skill? Use that if you want to walk so much! I¡¯m outta here!¡± ¡°You imbecile!¡± she hissed. Somehow her figure got bigger and bigger in Ace¡¯s eyes and he trembled. He had forgotten one thing¡­ ¡­she was much stronger than he was¡­ ¡°Have you no manners? Is that how you talk to a queen? Remember, you and your comrade barged into my home like barbarians and stole my treasures! Do you think I¡¯ll ever forgive you for that?¡± ¡°...what do you want me to do?¡± Ace crossed his arms over his chest, signaling his hostility. ¡°Heal me and I will let you go,¡± she answered sternly. ¡°That is all I ask for.¡± He stared at her for a long time. Thinking back, she grew back her limbs at a cost of MP and as he remembered it, her MP bar wasn¡¯t empty. She had mana left around 9/10 of the total MP! Why wouldn¡¯t she use magic to heal herself? What was she thinking? Was she testing him? He snorted, ¡°You can¡¯t fool me. Once you regain your full strength, you¡¯ll lock me in this place. Or worse, eat me alive.¡± The queen laughed at that. It wasn¡¯t a mocking laugh, instead it was an honest one. ¡°Eat you? A human like you? Oh, please. I¡¯d prefer fruits or vegetables than you. You are all bones.¡± Can I hit her? Ace¡¯s fists clenched in fury. He felt something had just exploded inside him. After a while, she stopped laughing and was back to her usual aloof persona, ¡°Oh, well. I suppose this is a¡­ rather one-sided coercion. How is this? If you heal me, I will teach you Alchemy. It is a give-and-take world, after all.¡± Wait, what? What did she just say? ¡°What are you planning?¡± Ace asked cautiously. He wouldn¡¯t fall into her trap just like that. He wasn¡¯t the weak Kail. He had grown and he was different than he once was.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Nothing. I offered you Alchemy because I am interested in you. No more than that,¡± she casually said. Noticing Ace''s stiffness, she added, ¡°I offer this chance only once.¡± She smiled rather slyly and spoke, ¡°Well, what say you?¡± 0000 ¡°Thank you,¡± Scylla Queen patted her new snake-like legs. ¡°This is wonderful.¡± Ace went and healed her. Of course, he used the rarest healing potion he had found from scavenging. Thank god she didn¡¯t recognize the potion or else¡­ ¡°As promised, I will share my knowledge of Alchemy with you. Come closer,¡± she beckoned him with her fingers. Ace gulped. Now that he thought about it, he was alone with a woman! Wearing a half-torn gown at that! The worse of it all, Ace could perfectly make out her breasts¡¯ outline. He restrained his lust when he saw something poking on the surface. She wore no bra?! Agh, he was dead! DEAD! Here he was, together with an almost naked woman, no, a monster. Still, she was a beautiful monster. He wondered if she had the same genital as a regular woman¡­ But if she indeed had it, where could it be? Her stomach below was combined with snake bodies¡­ Noooo! What was he thinking about?! Bad Ace! Really, really bad Ace! ¡°Come here,¡± she repeated and Ace nervously obliged. She caught him by his shoulders and cupped his cheek. Closing her eyes, she planted a chaste kiss on his forehead. Everything was enveloped in a bright light for a moment until it faded.
Alchemy skill learned!
Alchemy skill leveled up to 72!
Holy shit!! The notification system was broken! Quickly he opened his status skill and was flabbergasted. He had an Alchemy skill of level 72! He turned to Scylla Queen for enlightenment. ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± she asked back, ¡°having no one to talk to, I spend my days mixing potions.¡± So that was the reason of the ridiculous amount of potions he had found! ¡°Th-Thanks¡­¡± he had finally overcome his shock. ¡°This is a great gift. Is it okay for you to share it with me?¡± ¡°You have saved me from death and healed my legs, and I believe the reward is nothing compared to your deeds. Even though you are a philanderer, you have my utmost gratitude, I suppose.¡± ¡°E¡­ you know, that wasn¡¯t very sincere.¡± ¡­and what part of me that¡¯s a philanderer? The queen smiled sweetly, ¡°Really? What would you want me to say, then?¡± Ba-dump! Ace stared at the woman in front of him. Her shining yellow eyes, her radiant smile, and unique personality¡­ she was beautiful. ¡­and he fell in love with her. ¡°What¡­¡± Ace hesitated for a bit, ¡°what¡¯s your name?¡± She arched her right brow, ¡°Hm? Is it not a common sense to tell your name first before asking mine?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ace,¡± he offered a handshake. ¡°Helluva," she smiled, though it was more like a sneer rather than a smile. "I know it is a weird name. Regarding your handshake, I regret to say that I¡¯m allergic to thief.¡± Ace wasn¡¯t insulted at all. Instead, he was happy that he got to know her name. Spoiler: Status
AceKivras EXP Chart* Atk: 9 HP (740/740)
Level 42 5512/142200 Def: 21 MP(1230/1230)
Human 136.688 to lv. 43 M.Atk: 166 Eiredrahl the Impure*
Summoner 4012 Coins M. Def: 81
Travonka 4 Black Coins Minimum piety
104 Points Left to Distribute/ 3 Perks Available to Choose/ Job Change Available/ Additional HP and MP Waiting to be Added
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment -Ancient Force [Legendary equipment will be 5% more effective] -Apprentice Magician [Spells deal 4% more damage]
STR 7 Hopeless Head Ranagaad''s Circlet {Rare} [4 INT, 8 M.ATK]
VIT 11 Worst Neck Amulet of Wisdom [2 INT]
DEX 12 Worst Body Valende''s Runed Robe {Rare} [8 DEF, 18 M.DEF, 5 M.ATK]
PER 11 Worst Back -
INT 43 Normal Arm (main) Halcyon Staff [3 ATK, 6 M.ATK]
WIS 18 Bad Arm -
WILL 20 Bad Waist -
CHA 35 Normal Legs Black Pants [3 DEF]
* (tap to see) Feet Magician''s Shoes {Rare} [2 DEF, 5 M.ATK] (Help)
Skill Description Level
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 12.991
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 5.085
Running VIT Affects your running speed 6.721
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 17.069
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 12.419
Alchemy INT Allows the creation of potions 72.000
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 21,553
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 14.512
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 9.074
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 8.884
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 9.780
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 14.905
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 17.119
Chapter 32: The Day that Ends Everything Chapter 32 ~ The Day that Ends Everything ~ SW/SW/SW Kail wolfed his breakfast down, leaving nothing on this plate. He ate with surprising speed that shocked even his family. The bruises he received from Wawan hadn¡¯t healed yet, but they weren¡¯t hurt. It was because of GeaOnline. Yeah, it was because of the famous online game. He just couldn¡¯t wait to go home from school and play it. Would the Scylla Queen be waiting for him inside that burned tree? Would she feel alone without him? Was she thinking about him right now? Dang, he just couldn¡¯t wait to find out. ¡°Thanks for the food! I¡¯m going ahead, Nia! Bye, Mom, Dad!¡± Kail took his bag and dashed outside, leaving his family member agape. Mom locked eyes with Nia. ¡°What¡¯s he up to? Getting so overly energetic in the morning¡­¡± Nia laughed nervously and continued eating. As if she would know! 0000 ¡°Good morning, Kail!¡± Alisa waved besides the school¡¯s main building. From the way she dressed and the broom she was holding, she must be in the middle of cleaning the track and field club. Kail approached her, smiling, ¡°What¡¯s up? You¡¯re early today.¡± She nodded, ¡°I feel like cleaning the club building, so I got up early than usual.¡± Kail put a hand on his middle and frowned, ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa? By yourself? Where¡¯re the others?¡± ¡°Ha ha, they usually come late. No, you got it wrong, Kail. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m bullied or something. They will help me once they arrive. It¡¯s just that¡­ I¡¯m getting an itch to clean something.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Hilda, by the way?¡± ¡°Hm? She isn¡¯t a track and field member, Kail. Do you have something to tell her? I can relay the message if you want.¡± ¡°Nah, it¡¯s not that,¡± Kail shook his head. His lying skill activated itself without him controlling it, ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you alone without her. You¡¯re her best friend, right?¡± At this, Alisa smiled serenely, ¡°Yes, we are.¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. Gotta take a leak,¡± Kail made a nervous gesture, ¡°see ya in class.¡± Kail saw Alisa waved before he went to his class. Pee? Nah, it was just an excuse. He didn¡¯t want Alisa to interrogate him. He didn¡¯t want her to know what he was feeling towards Hilda. It was¡­ a love at first sight. At that time, Hilda was the most beautiful girl he¡¯d ever seen, as if she was an angel who descended from the sky. Purging a sinner was her intention. The sinner was none other than him. He wanted to confess his love, but he was afraid. If this was a game, he¡¯d just reset and load the game. It was as simple as that. However, this was the real world. Such rule didn¡¯t apply. Once rejected, it would take some time for his heart to heal and accept the truth. Of course, there¡¯d be a chance for Hilda to dislike him after the failed confession. He just¡­ couldn¡¯t. Not now. Not now¡­ Kail sat down on his desk and took his cell phone out. There was no text since yesterday. A sad smile graced his lips as he murmured, ¡°¡­pathetic.¡± He put the cell phone down. His hand unintentionally went inside the space under the desk. His fingertips touched a piece of paper. Curious, Kail took it out and read it. He grimaced in anger. We¡¯ll be waiting for ya behind the school building. Come alone after the school¡¯s out. There was no sender¡¯s name, but Kail knew instantly who wrote this. Wawan. Right, so he wanted revenge, huh? Bring it on. He wasn¡¯t afraid at all, even if Wawan brought his two friends with him. If the odds were against him, he¡¯d push the record button on his cell phone and pretended to be innocent (well, he was innocent to begin with). Yeah, he was ready. He wasn¡¯t the same Kail, who¡¯d chicken out with a mere threat. The wimpy, weak Kail was dead. He was burned into ash and was blown by the cold wind. If someone tried to mess with him, he¡¯d pay back twice as painful. 0000 ¡°I have to say, this omelet roll is super duper awesome!¡± Kail gobbled the food. It was an ordinary omelet, without milk. Just egg battered, seasoned, and fried. Then it was rolled and wrapped with a long piece of nori. ¡°Look at this! The color, the taste, the size! All perfect! And this rice, too! So tasty!¡±Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Kail, eat slowly,¡± Alisa scolded. To be honest, she was happy that Kail enjoyed it, but if he was exaggerating like that, she¡¯d afraid that Hilda would know what was going on between them. Actually, they were friends, but if Hilda knew her real feeling, she¡¯d be teased to death! Alisa didn¡¯t want that! But it was awful if she and Kail secretly going steady. If would feel as if she didn¡¯t trust Hilda. Friends were supposed to trust and support each other, right? She took a bite of her croquette and smiled inwardly. She wasn¡¯t that bad at cooking! In fact, this was delicious. When she was going to take another bite, Alisa¡¯s eyes went to her best friend. Hilda was glaring daggers at Kail, who obliviously was enjoying his lunch box a little bit too much. Alisa wondered what about Kail that she didn¡¯t like. Hilda looked like she wanted to kill him. Was it about Kail¡¯s purple cheek and the bruises on his arms? Come to think about it, Kail had been involved in a lot of fight these days. What seemed to be the problem? He hadn¡¯t told her anything at all and Alisa felt kind of¡­ alone. It was like she was the one out, with no one telling her the truth. ¡°Hey, Kail,¡± Hilda opened her mouth. Kail stopped eating. He looked at her with mouth still full of food. The black-haired girl looked at him right in the eye, ¡°I want to confirm something. Can you wait at the school¡¯s roof?¡± ¡°Ue? Swure,¡± Kail glanced at Alisa, asking for guidance. She shook her head in confusion. They both didn¡¯t understand what exactly Hilda was trying to say. Thinking that it was a trivial matter, Kail brushed it off and continued eating merrily. Somehow, Alisa felt like it would end badly¡­ She had to stop them from fighting. A minute later, Alisa¡¯s smartphone rang. She took it out and ran her finger on it, reading the message. Unconsciously, she bit her spoon hard as she read the message. 0000 ¡°I wonder what is it that Hilda wanted to say¡­¡± Kail murmured out loud as he put his Chemistry book inside his bag. She looked serious¡­ had he insulted her without knowing? In that case, he¡¯d better straighten this out quickly and apologize. Looking to his right, Alisa wasn¡¯t there amongst the crowds of students. She said her niece who had been living in her house collapsed from overwork and was hospitalized. She''d got a complicated family tree and it was better not to ask why she had a niece who was working. Aside of that, said she¡¯d be back for their ritual after school: walking home together. Slowly the number of students decreased. They waved good bye and gone, each had different goal to do after school. Kail just took it easy and waited until no one was present. Gathering up his courage, he went to deal with Wawan. As expected of that rotten boy, he was there waiting for him with his friends. They appeared to have nothing equipped. Wait, no! This was the real world, not a game! Stop applying game terms in the real world! Wawan sneered as he stepped closer. His right eye was blackened and Kail was proud at his doing. ¡°Ya know why you¡¯re here, right?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah, but what¡¯s with the crowds? Afraid of getting beaten up?¡± Kail taunted. Wawan stood slowly, cracking his knuckles, ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just making sure to beat you up till you can¡¯t get up.¡± Kail returned the hostile glare with the same animosity. That was right. He wasn¡¯t the same Kail. The wimp Kail was dead. Dead. Thanks to DPS, he felt alive. His advice about getting stronger was right. In this world, the strong won everything. Politics, war, education¡­ they didn¡¯t need the weak. This world was a gargantuan jungle, built by God to select the most outstanding individuals. Those who emerged victorious from the survival-of-the-fittest world gained everything¡ªposition, money, strength, and women. ¡­that was DPS wanted to convey to him!! The strongest won! Kail vowed to survive inside this jungle and stood above all!!! With a violent cry, Kail ran towards Wawan. Unbeknownst to Kail, there was a figure hiding behind the main building, observing their fight with a black look. 0000 Kail was lost, but not completely. He had injured Wawan enough to force him to run away. Even though he threatened to gang up on him, Kail wasn¡¯t afraid. Let them come, his fists were ready to taste blood. He groaned in pain. They had him pinned on the ground and took turn kicking his stomach. He managed to free himself, though, by grabbing one of their legs and turned around, making whoever it was fall. Then the rest was history. His face was sore and his arms hurt like hell. He¡¯d wanted to use his Chemistry book as a shield, but somehow his arms reacted first. Well, there was no use crying over pained arms. Kail took his discarded bag, dusted it off, and then wore it. Now it was the time to look for Hil¡ªoh, damn¡­ he¡¯d gotten himself bruises and cuts¡­ How on earth should he face Hilda now? He should¡¯ve met Hilda first before fighting Wawan¡­ ¡°You clearly enjoyed yourself during that fight,¡± a familiar voice caught his attention. It was Hilda. She came from the other side of the building and slowly neared him, but maintained a distance. For what? Kail didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Ah? I-I wasn¡¯t!¡± in front of the girl he liked, Kail didn¡¯t dare to show her the real him. ¡°I was just defending myself! They were the one who started first¡­!¡± ¡°Defending yourself?¡± Hilda snapped. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid? I saw it. I saw you smiling when you punched him! Is that what you call ¡®defending yourself¡¯? You looked like an animal that fights for territory rather than human!¡± In that instant, Kail¡¯s eyes lose focus. ¡­the fuck¡­? She put a strand of hair behind her hear and sneered, ¡°What else will you do next? Smoking? Taking drugs?¡± ¡­the fuck is this girl talking about? ¡°I thought you were a normal student. I was attracted to your kindness, so I asked Alisa for help. But who could guess that you¡¯re not what you seem to be? You¡¯re just a good-for-nothing delinquent who uses his punches to settle everything down.¡± You, teenagers, are useless ruffians. All you do is use your faces as punching bags. ¡­are useless ruffians. ¡­You¡¯re just a good-for-nothing delinquent¡­ What was wrong with people around him?! They were all judging him because of what he looked like, not because of who he was! They were all loved jumping to conclusion before asking him what actually was going on! First his father, next his mother¡­ ¡­and finally Hilda, the girl he loved¡­ ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Kail felt anger rushing through his veins. ¡°You called me here just to listen to this nonsense? You talk as if you know me. Who the fuck do you think you are? God?¡± ¡°No, but I know the likes of you,¡± Hilda spat, ¡°you¡¯ll definitely smoke in a few days, then take drugs several months later. Trust me, I know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± I want to punch this girl¡­ Kail gritted his teeth. Hilda turned around, no longer interested in seeing his face, ¡°You remind me of my damned father, who abandoned my mom when she was carrying me. Yeah, he was just like you¡ªgetting into fights, smoking, and then taking drugs. Oh, and indulging in sex, too. I¡¯m the product of that forceful union. You really disappoint me, so this is a good bye. Don¡¯t talk to me when we see each other again.¡± Kail didn¡¯t care about her. She called him here¡­ just to listen to that bullshit? ¡°Come back here, you shitty bitch!¡± Kail roared, but Hilda had already run away. He chased her with an inextinguishable anger. She¡¯d pay for that¡­ She¡¯d pay for that!! Kail panted, sounded more like an animal than a man, eyes glaring daggers at everything he had his eyes on. He¡¯d definitely found that bitch, beat her up till she was all black and blue. He wouldn¡¯t forgive her. He would never, ever forgive her!! Lost was his innocent love for Hilda and was quickly replaced by untold fury. I hate her¡­ ¡­hate everything¡­ ¡­this world¡­ ¡­. ¡­I want it gone. Chapter 33: The Day that Ignites Corruption Chapter 33 ~ The Day that Ignites Corruption ~ SW/SW/SW He felt like someone was tailing him. Kail stopped walking, noticing that it had turned quiet. He continued walking, but then stopped abruptly and ran towards the source of sound. There was no one. Kail frowned and clicked his tongue. He was sure he felt someone¡¯s presence. How odd to see that it was gone. He arrived in school. Silently he looked at the school building. His eyes were empty. School, school, school¡­ School was useless. It was the stupidest thing he¡¯d ever heard. Why did he have the wish to destroy it? He hated this world, so why should he follow this world¡¯s custom? His parents were trash and his friend¡ªno, ex-friend¡ªHilda was a bitch. Girls¡­ they were all bitches. Kail gritted his teeth in anger. ¡­I want to kill them all¡­ Then a part of him protested. His parents raised him patiently, paid for his tuition, and provided him a comfortable place to sleep. That was right. They gave him a place he could call home and here he was, fuming like an ungrateful bastard! ¡­he loved his parents. They meant so much to him. Without them, he was no one¡­. And not all girls were like that! There still a lot of girls with a pure heart. Alisa, for example. She was the kindest girl Ace had ever met. Hilda on the other hand¡­ 0000 ¡°So what did you two talked about?¡± Alisa leaned at her best friend, Hilda. Curiosity glowed in her beautiful eyes. Hilda took the pencil from her mouth and filled the crossword puzzle, ¡°Nothing much.¡± ¡°Aw, tell me! I wan¡¯t to know!¡± ¡°Just this and that,¡± Hilda answered vaguely, ¡°nothing worth mentioning.¡± Alisa pouted and cupped her chin on the table, cheeks ballooning. ¡°Stingy!¡± Hilda lolled her tongue at her, earning a playful pinch on the nose from Alisa. 0000 ¡°Sir, is that what I think it is?¡± the bespectacled referred to a new machine beside the computer. It looked like a surgery table and full of ominous-looking cable. ¡°Yes, Vera, it is,¡± a man in dark blue suit answered, before sipping his melon soda. ¡°With this, we can improve GeaOnline beyond its capability.¡± ¡°I take it that he consented to this plan? Using human for the sake of research?¡± ¡°He did,¡± the boss smiled, putting his cup down and moving to the said machine. ¡°The rest of the higher ups ticked him off by complaining how unreal GeaOnline is. Being a VR MMORPG and all, they said that we should put extra effort in it, like implementing 99% pain or whatever it was. What greedy pigs!¡± Vera observed him for a while and spoke, ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten your goal, sir.¡± ¡°Me? Vera, don¡¯t be silly. Of course I haven¡¯t. With that machine, my wish to create a utopia is one step ahead. That machine is constructed using the latest technology available, allowing us to take sample of emotions from any living beings,¡± he ran a hand on the metallic surface. ¡°And this sweet baby will grant those pigs their wish, as well as mine. Killing two birds with one stone, right?¡± Vera smiled. The plan, which had been stagnant for some time now, finally continued, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. Now that the foundation had been set, it was time to lay out the bricks¡­ ¡°We¡¯ll get the boy once you¡¯re ready, sir.¡± 0000 Between the real world and GeaOnline, Ace chose the latter. The world GeaOnline was like a paradise, where dreams were fulfilled and wish granted. There was no pain, only happiness that never ended.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. PKs distorted that happiness, though. With a sigh, Ace entered Travonka guild room to find Elvaria and QueeN there, chatting hotly. ¡°Ace!¡± QueeN quickly beckoned him to come closer, ¡°here, here! Elvaria said zat sie haz fallen in love vith ze vrong guy!¡± ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t falling in love!¡± Elvaria meekly screamed, ¡°¡­I was just¡­ I adored him, but¡­¡± ¡°What did he do to you?¡± Ace asked, genuinely interested. Elvaria bit her lower lip and muttered under her breath, ¡°¡­he got into a fight with my classmate¡­ to think that I¡¯ve adored someone so brutal like that¡­¡± ¡°Ach, forget ze guy and look vor a new one! He¡¯z not ze only man in zis vorld, Elvaria!¡± The elf took a deep sigh, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll try¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s he look like, anyway? If he¡¯s as good as that idol Anza, I can still get the reason why you admired him,¡± Ace commented, ¡°my sister is one of his fans, but not that fanatic. Girls are all crazy about good-looking boys, right?¡± ¡°You got zat right, Ace!¡± QueeN exclaimed, ¡°biiutivul boys are haven vor our poor souls!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you.¡± ¡°How mean!¡± Elvaria giggled slowly, finding their friendly banter super funny. At this, QueeN and Ace shared a knowing smile. ¡°¡­thank you, everyone. You always make me so happy¡­¡± Elvaria didn¡¯t look so sad anymore and even managed to form a small smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this is a coincidence, but the brute guy looks exactly like you, Ace.¡± ¡­what? ¡­the brute guy looks exactly like you, Ace. ¡­the brute guy looks exactly like you¡­ ¡­ ¡­looks exactly like you¡­ Ace¡¯s eyes widened as he realized who Elvaria was talking about. I adored him¡­ ¡­he got into a fight with my classmate¡­ ¡­to think that I¡¯ve adored someone so brutal like that¡­ ¡­the brute guy looks exactly like you¡­ His mind was clouded with fury and veins filled with vengeance. There was no mistaking it. Elvaria¡­ she was¡­ her real world self was¡­ Hilda. Ace held his hand with the other. It¡­ the hand¡­ it subconsciously went to Elvaria¡¯s neck, attempting to strangle her to death¡­ thank God he managed to stop it. ¡°Ace?¡± Elvaria¡ªor Hilda¡ªtilted her head, ¡°why are you holding your hand like that? Is it bleeding?¡± It¡¯s because of you slutty bitch that I¡¯m acting like this! Normally he¡¯d answer something like that, but his anger momentarily robbed him of his ability to speak. He was just¡­ so shocked. So shocked to find that Elvaria, the party member he trusted, was actually Hilda. He felt betrayed. He felt sick. He felt awful. ¡°Guys, I¡­ sorry, I remember having homework due tomorrow,¡± he informed the two without triggering any suspicion. He was really the best when it came to lying. ¡°So, I guess I won¡¯t be able to play with you tonight.¡± QueeN pouted, ¡°Aw, Ace, you¡¯re such a spoilsport! Liiv ze homework alone for once! I¡¯ve been dying to hang out vith you guys, questing and stuff!¡± He scratched his hair, ¡°Sorry, Tongsis. This homework is really, really important for me. My Math teacher is kind of mad at me for being such an idiot. Well, math isn¡¯t my forte, so¡­¡± QueeN patted him on the back, nodding, ¡°I know, Ace. I feel you. Math ist a curze, vith all zose stupid formulas, calculation¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll be logging off now. Sorry, guys, and see ya!¡± A moment later, Ace was gone, leaving Elvaria and QueeN alone. Turning to face Elvaria, the mage chirped, ¡°Tell me more avout zis brute guy!¡± 0000 GeaOnline tasted like shit. Kail threw his helmet aside. It clanged against the wall and fell to the floor. He didn¡¯t care if he couldn¡¯t use it anymore. GeaOnline, real world¡ªthey were all shit. Thanks to that bitch, Hilda, everything he saw, hear, feel, transformed into a puddle called disgust. All the memories they had created so far, were they fake? She was a totally different person from the real world. In GeaOnline, she was meek and shy but it was the other way around in the real world. Who was the real Hilda, then? Kail gritted his teeth and hurled a pillow out of anger. Why was he thinking about her, that bitch? She insulted him directly and went so far to spread a vicious slander on him in GeaOnline! He hated her. He hated her to the point that he¡¯d kill her. Kail made a mess out of his hair, frustration crashing down at him. He sighed heavily. Thinking would lead nowhere. Taking his jacket, Kail descended to the first floor and took a walk. 0000 Two workers walked in a street somewhere near Kail¡¯s neighborhood, each carrying a small bag. One of them, a bald man in his forties, complained, ¡°¡­why is it so cold?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s never been so cold before,¡± his workmate agreed and rubbed his hands. ¡°Say, what¡¯re we going to do again?¡± ¡°Ya idiot! Forgetting your job! This is why the boss ain¡¯t so happy about ya! Stop drinking too much!¡± the baldie shouted. ¡°S-Sorry, I can¡¯t help it. More importantly, can¡¯t you scream? It¡¯s eight already.¡± The baldie sighed, ¡°Sorry, Jo. Got so many things in my mind.¡± ¡°Heh, you still owe me a bottle of Brandy, Muro,¡± Jo snickered. ¡°Asshole, aren¡¯t ya?¡± Muro chuckled. He stopped to check his GPS and nodded to Jo. ¡°This park is the place. Hard to imagine in this calm neighborhood, a toddler had been kidnapped.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s how the world is now. Crazy stuff happens,¡± Jo handed him a small CCTV camera. Muro took it with a sigh. ¡°By the way, you should stop sighing and install it.¡± ¡°Sorry, man,¡± Muro took out his equipment, ¡°worried about my daughter¡¯s safety, is all... She¡¯s still four.¡± 0000 He felt that he was being followed. Again. Kail turned around, but found none. Who the fuck was that? A stalker? But who? In mangas he read, the stalker would always be armed with a cutter, scissors, or even a kitchen knife. If somehow the MC caught them, they would snap and screaming nonsense about they were the only one for him. Damn, he didn¡¯t bring anything with him beside his wallet¡­ He heard footsteps again Wait, maybe it wasn¡¯t a stalker? ¡­a kidnapper? Kail ran. He wasn¡¯t hearing things. There were hasty footsteps following him. Judging by the intensity, it seemed that whoever followed him were more than one people. Clicking his tongue, he needed to shake them off and went back home. It was a mistake to have a night stroll! Right, there was a small park nearby! He recalled seeing huge pipes that fit for an adult to hide. He had found the park and quickly located the said pipes. He held his breath as the pursuers getting closer. They chatted for a while, then informed the boss via call, and returned to their HQ, wherever it was. Once it was quiet, Kail peeked cautiously. Looked like they were gone for good. He crawled out the pipes, but didn¡¯t realize that someone was waiting above it, holding a wooden bat¡­ WHACK!!!! Chapter 34: Sealed Within Chapter 34 ~ Sealed Within ~ SW/SW/SW When Kail woke up, everything was blurry. Shaking his head, he blinked several times and peered to the distance. He was in a place so¡­ ancient-looking. There were two stone sculptures and looked a lot like the gargoyles in those RPG games, mouth open in a screaming-like posture and hand holding a torch. Was he still logged on? That was weird¡­ the last thing he saw was a park. Oh! Those pursuers! Kail stood and hastily spun around. Instead of human beings, he saw an ivory throne with a pair of wings extended to its side. Flabbergasted, he tried to rub his eyes, but something was in the way. It was solid and cold. Another surprise caught him off guard. When he lifted his hand to feel the weird thing, his hand was¡­ covered in a sinister-looking gauntlet. He let out a snort. He played GeaOnline until he was around 40 or so and got himself a nice set of demon armor from a quest reward. Then he donned it because QueeN pestered him to. No wonder everything about him was different. ¡­ ¡­wait. He was a Summoner, wasn¡¯t he? For him to be able to wear melee character¡¯s armor¡­ it was quite a subject of ponder. No, no, no. This was GeaOnline and everything was possible. Maria¡¯s main weapon was a lance, but she was able to cast spells. A devastating one, at that. QueeN was able to learn Taming skill, which a Magician didn''t have. Based on evidence, Kail drew a conclusion that anyone could do what they wanted to do and wear the gear they want to. But he couldn¡¯t make the head nor tail of this place. How come could he end up standing in this¡­ eerie throne room? On that note, whose throne was that? Kail looked around but everything was dim, but the strange thing was he could see perfectly in the dark. Far in the distance he saw windows. They were without glasses and looked like they belonged to a castle in middle-ages. Looking ahead, he saw nothing but a gaping chasm. There seemed to be a city in the distance, but he wasn¡¯t sure. Might be his imagination. Anyway, he was kind of curious about this place. It might be a boss¡¯ lair and he couldn¡¯t wait to explore the place. Rare treasures awaited him. A huge double door¡­ Kail walked towards it. Clank! Clank! Clank! He stopped, realizing that the sounds were coming from his armor. Curse you, QueeN¡­ Hmph, there was no need to hide. If something were to happen, he¡¯d surely spawn in Dragonis, anyway. The intricate double door opened by itself as soon as his hand reached out to touch it. It came as a surprise to him. The outside was no different than the throne room. The wall was solid, black rock and decorated with paintings that belonged to some kind of royal family. Deep red carpet was laid out on the floor, promising comfort to anyone who walked on it. Countless chandeliers were floating magically on the ceiling, illuminating the vicinity in a rather calming, yet sinister light. Such a contradiction. Kail held back his breath when he saw knights dressed in black standing on either side of the door. They didn¡¯t seem to feel his presence or realize that the door had been opened. How odd. Experimentally, Kail walked outside while noting the knights¡¯ reaction. They were as silent as a statue. It could be that his armor rendered him invisible. As much as he wanted to check it, Kail didn¡¯t want to risk blowing up his cover. The greater the benefit of an armor was, the stronger the drawback. Surely there must be some kind of restriction to keep his invisibility going¡ªfor instance, when invisible he couldn¡¯t attack enemies or else it would blow his cover. While he was still invisible, might as well as looting the entire place. 0000 The place was quite winding. Kail couldn¡¯t remember how many floors this place had. More than five? Quite possible. There was no use for a map since it was blackened, meaning that he hadn¡¯t explored this place or hadn¡¯t bought the map yet. How he wished he¡¯d turn back the time and bought the map to this place. ¡­wait¡­ Just wait. ¡­how was he able to think normally? He meant, after all of this weirdness and stuff going on and about, how come he¡¯d able to solve everything with a cool head? And he had cursed QueeN using archaic words, not ¡®fuck¡¯, not ¡®shitty¡¯, not ¡®bitch¡¯. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t shouted his shock at all and regarded everything so calmly. So calmly that it scared him. What was going on? He really needed a quiet place to think. Looking around, everything was the same. Winding corridor, tall doors, royal paintings¡­ was this place enchanted so that whoever might enter but none return? If that was true, then it was strange. He didn¡¯t feel any changes in the air. Kail opened a door cautiously. Seeing that the room was empty, he quickly entered, making sure to lock the door. He tapped the air to open up his status. Surely he had caught some kind of disease in-game. Kail¡¯s hand stopped moving. He stared at his basic status for a long time. With a trembling hand, he tapped the Status menu and was in utter disbelief.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡­what awaited him wasn¡¯t an answer, but more questions instead... Spoiler: Status
Azariel EXP Chart* Atk: 3.245 HP (630.000/630.000)
Level 390 -/- Def: 2.870 MP(57.000/57.000)
Chaotic Angel - to lv. 391 M.Atk: 3.080 Atheist
- Unlimited Coins M. Def: 1.865
Travonka 4 Black Coins -
104 Points Left to Distribute/ 3 Perks Available to Choose
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment -Divine Curse -Ancient Force -Apprentice Magician -Cool Headed -Heavy Armor Mastery -Heavy Sword Mastery -Accomplished Fighter -Ever-present Madness -Maddening Madness -Overwhelming Madness -Autocracy -Master of Dark Arts -Scholar -Corrupted Charisma -Growling Voice -Imposing -Cruel
STR 329 Hopeless Head -
VIT 387 Hopeless Neck -
DEX 344 Worst Body The Dark Lord''s Crest {Legendary} {Full Set} [1400 DEF, 600 M.DEF, 40K HP, 10K MP] => [1470 DEF, 630 DEF, 42K HP, 10.5K MP]
PER 278 Worst Back -
INT 310 Hopeless Arm (main) Soul Slicer {Legendary} {Unique} [3000 ATK, 700 DEF, 2000 M.ATK] => [3130 ATK, 735 DEF, 2100 M.ATK]
WIS 300 Bad Arm -
WILL 263 Bad Waist -
CHA 400 Hopeless Legs
* (tap to see) Feet (Help)
Skill Description Level
Sword Mastery STR Increases damage dealt when using Swords 155.000
Two-Handed Mastery STR Increases damage dealt when using Two-Handed Weapons 189.000
Lance Mastery STR Increases damage dealt when using Lances 121.000
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 120.000
Heavy Armor VIT How effectively you act while wearing Heavy Armor 200.000
Shield Mastery VIT How proficient you are using Shields 110.000
Blocking VIT Affects your blocking effectiveness with equipped weapon 182.000
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 5.085
Running VIT Affects your running speed 6.721
Flying VIT Affects your flying speed 188.000
Claw Mastery DEX How proficient you are using Claws 144.000
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 17.069
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 150.000
Keen Eye DEX Helps you score critical hits 166.000
Alchemy INT Allows the creation of potions 72.000
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 178.000
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 160.000
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 9.074
Divination WIS Gets you closer to God -
Darkness Magic Affinity WIS Powers up your Darkness Magic 199.000
Necromancy Affinity WIS Powers up Necromancy spells 171.000
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 100.000
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 125.000
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 200.000
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 17.119
Perks Description
Divine Curse You have forsaken God by succumbing to corruption and madness. All parameters are reduced by 50%
Ancient Force Legendary equipment will be 5% more effective
Apprentice Magician Spells deal 4% more damage
Cool Headed You are cool headed, both above and below. You are always calm, even under extreme pressures. However, you are quite hard to get turned on. Looking at nude women will not even arouse you in the slightest
Heavy Armor Mastery Negates speed penalty when wearing Heavy Armor
Heavy Sword Mastery Negates speed penalty when using Heavy Sword.
Accomplished Fighter You are the master of all sorts of weapons. Gains 30% damage bonus by using any weapon
Ever-present Madness The afflicted will slowly go mad in the middle of the battle
Maddening Madness STR, DEX, and INT increase as the afflicted goes mad
Overwhelming Madness All stats boost by 20% during battle, but defense and resistance down by 10%
Autocracy 50% ATK, DEF, and M.DEF boost when fighting own citizen
Master of Dark Arts Darkness Magic spells deal 20% more damage
Scholar You learn skills faster than ordinary people
Corrupted Charisma Everyone will have a hard time refusing you, even when they were told to kill their family members. Half as effective to people with Free Spirit perk
Growling Voice You have a growling voice like that of a monster. Gains 40% boost to intimidation and -40% to friendly attempt
Imposing You are so intimidating people will not look at you in the eye any more. 30% boost to intimidation and -20% to friendly attempt. In addition, you can no longer be able to conceal your daunting presence, making hiding a difficult task
Cruel You have no problem impaling people or burn them to ashes. To you, death means nothing
Chapter 35: Meeting the Queen Chapter 35 ~ Meeting the Queen ~ SW/SW/SW The fact that his GeaOnline avatar had changed didn''t confuse Kail at all. Indeed this event came to a shock for him, but it lasted just mere seconds. He should''ve been screaming, trembling in fear, or shouting his anger¡ªbut he he didn''t. For some reason, he just couldn¡¯t¡­ He crosses his armored arms over his chest, deep in thought. Why he was no longer AceKivras? Virus was something that came to mind. Once again, he couldn¡¯t panic. Instead, he chuckled at his stupidity. It was his fault to begin with. He continued playing an online game that was obviously infected with viruses. He brought this upon himself. He shifted his attention to the gauntleted hand. The nails were too long for his taste and he wondered if looking demon was one of the effects of a bugged game. Out of curiosity, Kail moved them. He balled up his fist and gasped at the familiar sensation on his palm. There were four small holes there, from where blood leaked out. His composure didn¡¯t waver a bit from the revelation. He put the other hand on his chin. Was GeaOnline this realistic? For as long as he could remember, pain hadn¡¯t yet implemented at all. But his palm was dripping blood. Fresh, warm blood. ¡­and it hurt. Hurt? Wasn''t GeaOnline able to support realistic pain? Ignoring the slight pain on his hand, Kail opened his Friend List menu. The window transformed itself into square-shaped one.
Friend list
Private Message (PM) [6 new]
Add Friends
Block Friends
Hm? Six messages? Kail tapped the PM sub-list. The UI changed to that of a mail provider inbox. There was this one eye-catching mail on the very top of the list.
From Title Date
Your Beloved :3 Hey... One minute ago
Elvaria Where are you? Yesterday
Maria Guild War Yesterday
TongsisQueeN We''re hunting together!! Two days ago
Maria Job Change... Two days ago
Lord_DPS Hathor Three days ago
Ignoring the message, he tapped the message from Maria instead. ¡®Job change¡¯, the title alone was too irresistible. It was impossible not to open it. ¡­spend your perk point wisely this time¡­ Something popped in his veins. That imbecile magician and her big mouth¡­ Wait, there was something off about this message. It dated two days ago, Sunday, and based on the content, Kail concluded that two days ago was the day where he and Maria went to the Scylla Queen¡¯s lair. And Monday¡­ he went to school early and saw Alisa. They chatted for a bit¡­ ah, his memories were slowly slipping away that he had a hard time recalling what had happened.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. All he could remember was the park, the pursuers, and those pipes¡­ Oh, there was a message from Tongsis. He read it with a smile. She was having fun with Elvaria, huh. They even had pictures attached. Elvaria. Suddenly the name triggered many unpleasant memories. The fact that Elvaria was Hilda soured his mood. Just looking at her name in his inbox maddened him. So mad that he deleted her message and blocked her account. He read another message from Maria¡­ That was right. Guild War. In exchange of Travonka membership, free beginner equipment, and EXP, he had promised to help in the next Guild War. Sadly with him looking like this, it would be unlikely that he¡¯d go. He didn¡¯t want to risk spreading the virus. ¡­all of a sudden Kail heard someone whispering inside his mind. What if I don¡¯t want to? ¡­I don¡¯t have anything to do with Travonka. ¡­ ¡­¡¯honor the agreement¡¯? Such thing does not exist in my dictionary. Kail realized that it wasn¡¯t someone. It was him all along! It was him who thought of something so low. Instead of feeling shameful, he chuckled. Just like what his status had displayed, his voice wasn¡¯t normal. It was deep, growling, and rumbling. What is ¡®promise¡¯? What is ¡®honor¡¯? I have neither. ¡­that is right. I have neither. He deleted Maria¡¯s messages. All of them. Scanning through his remaining messages, there was one that was out of ordinary. It wasn¡¯t DPS¡¯ message. Rather, the one that gained his full attention was located at the very top of the list, recently sent. This message again... Kail was tempted to delete it, but hesitated. Something at the back of his brain told him that this was an important message. Really, who was this person called ¡®Your Beloved¡¯? It was kind of¡­ creepy, considering that he was single (in-game). On top of that, what was with the emoticon? It annoyed him to no end, but he tapped the message nonetheless, driven by curiosity. Wrong message. He closed it immediately. Wait, was that¡­? He opened it again and gave it a reread. Kail made quite a scary grin and headed out. This woman, she was here! How stupid of her, sending a wrong message to the wrong person and now he knew that she was here in this place. How would he know? His guts told him. How delightfully lucky¡­ He couldn¡¯t wait to torture her, relishing the thought of her skinless body. Ah, the delight¡­ the screams¡­ the pleads¡­ 0000 This castle seemed to be never-ending. Countless doors and corridors had been explored, yet there was no sign of that succubus yet. Kail was beginning to get really, really impatient before he accidentally set his eyes on a set of stairs. It was grand, decorated with jewels and intricate carving. Multiple soldiers were stationed near it. His guts told him that she was up there¡­ Still in a belief that his armor granted him invisibility, Kail calmly ascended the stairs. Everything was deathly quiet. There was no single soul to be seen. It seemed that he was on the top floor. He explored the place carefully, taking note on almost everything. After spending two hours getting lost and all, Kail was finally able to fill out the map. The top floor was a quite big place. Most of the rooms were huge, four times bigger than his room in the real world. The nice thing about the map was that everything was labeled automatically. As he was clueless to whose rooms on the top floor belonged to, most of the labels were read ¡®room¡¯. There was this room that bigger than the rest, complete with bathing room, library, and anteroom. The size alone was bigger than the size of Kail¡¯s house. Curious of whose room it was, Kail wasted no time and went there. He opened it and was in the anteroom. Quietly opening a door to the other side, he was met by furniture one could find in a bedroom. A bed, a hearth, sofas, armchairs¡­ Strange smell permeated in the air, but he didn¡¯t cover his nostrils. It was as if he was used to it. Was this some kind of magical incense? If he showed no reaction, did it mean that he was immune to it? He straightened his posture. He wasn¡¯t alone. Kail dodged the sudden attack, made a swirl, and slammed whoever it was to the wall. He heard yelping, feminine voice and looked down to see her, the red haired succubus. ¡°¡­that hurts,¡± she whimpered, struggling to free her forehead from his grasp. Up close, she was indeed a slut. She wore a kinky, indecent leather... suit (was that a suit? Or was it a leather belt? Kail couldn''t tell) on her torso, leaving her breasts almost bare with just a slab of metal covering each nipple. Stomach below, she wore a long, furry skirt with a long slit in front that barely gave her any modesty and a pair of stockings. They accentuated her slim, supple legs. Her clothes were all black in color, in contrast to her pale skin. ¡°Ah! S-Stop it¡­!¡± the succubus begged when he pushed her head more forcefully. Despite her indecent clothing, Kail felt nothing about her. It just made him all the more apathetic. Even if she spread her legs before him, he wouldn''t even care. Kail didn¡¯t know what possessed him, but he released her. Just like that. To his surprise, she threw something that resembled a ball at him. It exploded once it came in contact with his armor. It didn¡¯t have any effect at all and they stood facing each other awkwardly. However, Kail soon regretted that he underestimated it. ¡­he felt¡­ tired¡­ The last thing Kail saw was the succubus flashing a wicked grin at him. Chapter 36: …Log… Out…? Chapter 36 ~ ¡­Log¡­ Out¡­? ~ SW/SW/SW Kail felt someone touching his dormant member. They gave it a lick at the shaft, making him shudder. He heard them giggling softly and slowly something wet and warm enveloped his member. It felt wonderful. With a groan, his eyes stirred open was at loss of words. He was greeted with a succubus sucking at his penis while he sat in an armchair. She stroked the shaft up and down sensually, tongue lazily licking at the drop of pre-cum that came from the head. As soon as she stopped her ministrations, his arousal was slowly falling. Maybe it had something to do with his buggy perk? ¡°Told you¡­ I feel so extremely aroused,¡± she whined, taking hold of his erection and rubbed it against her cheek, sighing in bliss. Then she proceeds to straddle him, positioning her entrance to his throbbing member. Discarding the metallic plates that covered her nipples and her long skirt, she grabbed his hands and guided them to massage her breasts. Kail could never take his eyes off the luscious pink buds being presented right in front of his eyes. What was he doing? ¡°Stop being so grumpy and let me take care of you¡­¡± Hathor teased breathlessly as Kail (subconsciously) kneaded her ample breasts. Kail couldn¡¯t help but feel mesmerized at the sight of her. It was his first time groping someone¡¯s breasts and, to be honest, it felt¡­ so heavenly he couldn¡¯t stop. They were as soft as silk and bouncy like a pudding. When he flicked both her nipples, Hathor¡¯s moaned out loud, tongue lolling out in carnal bliss. Her legs were shaking. Eventually, she lost her control over them due to untold pleasure and fall down butt first on his middle. In an instant, Kail felt something warm wrapping around his sword and he let out a grunt. ¡°H-Harder¡­¡± she panted, impatiently moved his fingers on her aching buds. She was in rapture that she cried, salty tears slowly drenching her breasts and his gauntlets. What was he doing¡­? ¡°This isn¡¯t you¡­ harder¡­¡± she commanded weakly and began riding him in earnest, her generous udders bouncing vigorously. The lewd display turned him on a little¡­ What was this feeling? This¡­ unexplainable feeling? Having her impaling herself on him was truly¡­ new. It was as if he was melting. The wet sounds of their connected, separated, and reconnected genitals sent a heat wave through his body, and Hathor¡¯s wild and lustful moans burned his loins with lust. ¡­was this ¡®sex¡¯? It was¡­ It was¡­ It was so good¡­ Truly was impatient, Hathor slapped his hands and mauled her own breasts, forcing Kail to grab her hips for balance as she rode him. ¡°Y-You are so passive today¡­ if I don¡¯t get a r-rough sex, I¡¯ll go to own gang rape cult instead¡­!¡± ¡°¡­what an utterly disgusting threat.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. She flashed him a smug smile, ¡°¡­and you love me.¡± ¡°Who will love someone who invades my dream every night?¡± Kail countered. The succubus frowned, stopping for a while to catch her breath, ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡± He snorted, ¡°Stop acting innocent, slut. You corrupt my dream with magic every time I go to sleep. I don¡¯t know what you are aiming for, but if it¡¯s my mind you seek to break, then it¡¯s fruitless.¡± Hathor¡¯s frown grew deeper as she put more effort to understand what he was saying. Then she looked up to face him and said her defense, ¡°Why would I do that? You are already broken from the start, anyway. Just shut up and let me continue¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t fool me,¡± he growled, ¡°I know your race. You invade men¡¯s dream and suck their energies dry. Tell me, why do you always invade mine?¡± The redhair sighed, ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what you are blabbering on, but I assure you I don¡¯t do stupid thing like you said.¡± She yelped when he pulled her hair, a terrified expression on her face. Kail leaned forward, whispering dangerously in her ear, ¡°¡­answer me honestly or else¡­¡± ¡°I-I swear¡­! J-Just let me go! It hurts¡­!¡± Hathor pleaded. Kail then realized what he had done. If he acted out of character, this succubus would know that he was an imposter. As he remembered, Hathor was ranked twice in the boss list, meaning that she was stronger and more experienced than him. To have her as an enemy would prove to be disadvantageous. He gritted his teeth and let go of her hair. Seemed like he had no choice but to go all out with his acting skill. However, there was a problem. Who was he to her? He stared at the woman in front of him. She was called [Hathor]. Suddenly he remembered his conversation with Helluva, the Scylla Queen. ¡°It is ¡®Queen Hathor¡¯ to you, adventurer¡­¡± ¡°But you are a queen.¡± ¡°Indeed I am, but only to my race. There is a greater ruler than I am. Someone who rules over the entire races in Tel Nevos.¡± ¡­then followed by another memory. One of the main villains of GeaOnline, Azariel was created to fulfill the descriptions of what a final boss looked like¡­ ¡­In GeaOnline story, Azariel is a ruthless king who governs without mercy. Aided by Etherios and Hathor¡­ Tch, he had no choice¡­ he hoped this¡¯d work. But looking at how slutty Hathor was, it was quite unlikely that she¡¯d notice difference between him and the real Azariel. Sluts got nothing inside their brains, right? A hand slowly caress the succubus¡¯ cheek as he murmured, ¡°Forgive me, Hathor my love. I have so many things going on in my mind lately.¡± Kail swore he saw movement on Hathor¡¯s brows, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. He exhaled his praise to God. It was just an imagination¡­ She chuckled, licking her lips so sensually slow, and cleaned his member instead of taking it inside her wet cavern again. ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll leave you alone for now. This is clearly not the right time to have sex. Next time, probably.¡± ¡°Will you be okay?¡± he asked, ¡°you look pretty¡­ needy.¡± Finished redressing him, Hathor let out a snort and winked, ¡°Everything is okay. Besides, I still have my beloved pet. If you can¡¯t make me happy, then he will. Good night, sweetheart.¡± ¡°¡­you forgot your skirt,¡± Kail reminded the succubus. Now that the big breasts were out of the way, he could see all of her. Her groin was hairless, valiantly presenting her delicious pink snatch to the whole world to see. It was wet and dripping whitish liquid, a proof of their corrupted activity. Had this woman no shame? But then again she was a succubus¡­ Hathor lifted a brow and casually asked, ¡°What is a skirt?¡± Kail chuckled and made a gesture to shoo her. He made sure Hathor was really gone from the room and took a deep sigh. That was close. Thank God he managed to fool her, but he just couldn¡¯t trick her forever. Sooner or later, she would find out the truth about him. ¡­but why bother? Why should he care about her when he¡¯d be gone from this game forever? He was through with this godforsaken game. It had viruses and Elvaria in it. He knew it was childish of him, but he didn¡¯t want to play the same game as she played. Once he was out, he¡¯d contact the developer and be done with it. Hell, even if they decided to erase his character, he¡¯d be fine. He wouldn¡¯t even play this game anymore. Outside of the room where Kail was in¡­ Hathor was leaning against the door, a finger on her lips. An evil smile was plastered across her inhumanly beautiful face. ¡°¡­an imposter, hmm? This will be fun¡­¡± Back to Kail¡­ Kail was fiddling with his main menu. Hastily he browsed through the options, desperately searching for something. Eventually his speed decelerated until his finger stopped completely. Kail gulped hard. ¡­where¡¯s the Log Out button? Chapter 37: Clash! Kail versus Hathor! I Chapter 37 ~ Clash! Kail versus Hathor! I ~ SW/SW/SW ¡­it this some kind joke? I can¡¯t find the Log Out button¡­ What on earth was wrong with his game? First it was bugged, causing him to see blood and gore, and then suddenly his avatar changed thoroughly into an NPC¡¯s avatar. Even though the parameters he had now were so high, almost OP, somehow he couldn¡¯t smile. The whereabouts of the Log Out button threw him in a pit of confusion¡­ although he calmed down afterwards. ¡°[Log Out]!¡± this time he tried to use voice command, but failed. No popup window appeared. ¡°[Quit]!¡± nope. ¡°[Exit]!¡± nope. ¡°[Escape]!¡± Nothing popped out! As realization came crashing down at him, Kail felt despair enveloping him. ¡­I¡¯m trapped¡­ Trapped¡­ Crash!!! Kail managed to dodge a vertical attack, which was aimed at his head. The surprise attack was so fast that Kail didn¡¯t think he¡¯d manage to dodge it if he were AceKivras. His heart stopped beating once he knew who the attacker was. Hathor. It was¡­ horrifying¡ªa buxom succubus (naked at that) was holding a great axe twice her stature. Other than her big breasts bobbing as she moved, the great axe¡¯s unique shape caught his attention. The handle itself defied logic and religion, as it was in the shape of the Cross. He was under a false assumption that it was Holy-elemented, when it wasn¡¯t. The long hilt was utterly black with vines in the color of blood decorating it. His keen eyes captured weird words around the axe¡¯s sharp edge, which he recognized as Arabic. It started with letters kaf, fa, and ra¡ªand the rest was unreadable due to dry blood splattered on it. In an instant Kail knew what they meant¡­ ...the symbol of the one-eyed deceiver. The meaning horrified him to the core, although his Cool Headed perk calmed him down afterwards¡­ Why a succubus carrying around a Cross-shaped greataxe? A conspiracy? Hathor let out a sexy, breathless giggle that¡¯d excite even the holiest of men. ¡°What is wrong? Does my dazzling, perfect body send you crazy? Or, possibly, are you thinking about¡­ our unfinished ritual?¡± she teased, hand traveling down to her most sensitive part, rubbing it vigorously. Noticing that it didn¡¯t have any effect, she licked her lips and pushed two fingers inside, whimpering like a whore she was. Kail wasn¡¯t all that impressed, though. Thank god he had the perk Cool Headed, or else his other half would be standing proud at this point. ¡°¡­what on earth are you doing?¡± he asked. Hathor gasped, retracting her slimy hand from her lower region, ¡°Why are you still sane? That is weird¡­ My passive skill always works 100 percent with men¡­¡± What kind of passive skill is that¡­? Kail queried inwardly. The succubus swung her giant axe as if it was a dagger, didn¡¯t mind at all of her nudity, ¡°Oh, well, not that it matters. You¡¯ll die soon, anyway.¡± ¡°Wait, it¡¯s me, Hathor. Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± ¡°Oh, I do,¡± Hathor paused several seconds, ¡°an imposter.¡± He¡­ he was found out? That fast? So much for that act¡­ ¡°No, I¡¯m your husband.¡± She snorted, ¡°Oh, please. I¡¯ve been married for hundred years! I know what Azariel¡¯s like! A mere, petty imposter like you hoping to impersonate him? Ha! The delusion! Give up so I can mutilate you and dance on your corpse!¡± Disturbingthoughts invaded Kail¡¯s mind. This¡­ this was just like those mangas¡­ those¡­ isekai-something mangas where the main character got reincarnated or sucked into another world¡­ Amongst those mangas, there was this one manga that haunted him. A manga where the death of the avatar meant the death of the player in the real world¡­ Would he¡­ would he die if he was killed in-game? Kail gritted his teeth. As if he¡¯d let her kill him! He had to fight back! Hathor leaped forward. Thanks to his high perception stat, he was able to see Hathor¡¯s movement and evaded just right before the sharp metallic blade met his head. She really intended to end his life¡­ He had to retaliate, but what kind of spells did he have? After voicing his voice command, a window appeared before him, filled with Darkness Spells. With a thought, he changed the filter to ¡®most frequently used¡¯.
Darkness Ball [lv.37] Basic spell. Fire a darkness ball to the enemy. 30 MP
Dark Aura [lv.20] At the cost of MP, coat yourself in an evil aura and freeze enemies for four minutes. 60 MP
Pillar of Death [lv.43] Summon six damaging pillars of dark energies that cause fear and despair. AoE spell. 210 MP
Sigil of Despair [lv.87] Cast destructive black energy beams to incinerate your enemies. AoE spell. 920 MP
Warp [lv.56] Using the power of darkness, teleport yourself to the designated target. 80MP
Mass Destruction [lv.40] Summon creatures of darkness to massacre your enemies. 100 MP
Twisted Verdict [lv.50] Curse the enemies and cut their parameters in half within duration of the battle. AoE spell. 400 MP
Dispel [lv.48] Cleanse any negative status effects from your body. 60 MP
What was going on with these¡­ dreadfully dangerous spells? And what did AoE stand for? Was that some kind of formula? Or was it a code? Out of these dangerous spells, the safest ones were Darkness Ball and Dark Aura. Unlike Pillar of Death, Sigil of Despair, and Mass Destruction, they were low-leveled and quite possibly weak. Kail didn¡¯t want to attract any more attention than it already was. Hathor¡¯s attack threw him off guard. In a split second, Kail managed to recover from the shock and blocked it with his hands. The attack sent him flying outside, breaking furniture and walls in his wake. Oh no!! As he didn¡¯t know how to fly, Kail¡¯s body quickly gravitated towards the hard, cobblestone ground. The approximated distance until his inevitable death was roughly 200 meters ahead. He¡¯d better think of something fast! Hathor had not the intention of leaving him alone. A moment later she emerged from the castle, flying at him, nude, while swinging her huge great axe. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you die just like that?!¡± [Darkness Ball]. To Kail''s surprise, a huge ball of darkness flew towards Hathor and it exploded violently. Oh, crap... His prediction was false. Despite having ''Beginner'' in the description, the size and explosion were the other way around... Hathor emerged from the smoke, a bit burnt. The attack caught her off guard. She, too, was as surprised as he was.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. As an ex-Summoner, Kail wasn¡¯t familiar with sword and used his hands as a shield instead. In this close proximity, magic was dangerous because of incantation, unless he created some space between them. While short, the incantation left a clue for Hathor to attack because when he spoke the incantation, a rune appeared below him and around his hand. He needed to fall back, but he couldn¡¯t move while in the air. Again, Hathor¡¯s attacks were viciously fast and aimed at his head. She swung such a heavy axe with ease and there was no bead of sweat on her jaw-droppingly beautiful face. How true what the Scylla Queen said. She really was the most dangerous succubus ever lived. But he didn¡¯t want to die yet! [Dark Aura]. Purple, almost black aura wrapped his body, making him seem bigger and bigger in Hathor¡¯s vision. There was sinister shadow behind him, grinning fiendishly at her, sending unfathomable fear through her body. Kail reached out to disarm her, but was shocked to see that Hathor maneuvered behind him. ¡°Did you think it¡¯d work on me?¡± as soon as she ended the explanation, Kail saw a long hilt in front of his neck and quickly realized what she was thinking. Hathor was going to suffocate him using the handle of her axe! With her pulling the hilt closer to his neck and him pushing away, they had quite a strength contest for a while until Kail growled in anger. He jabbed his armored elbow to her unprotected rib and she cried out, losing her power momentarily. Kail took the moment to spin around and deliver a punch in her face. Hathor screamed in pain and spun around, her bat-like wings stretched out to prevent her from crashing into the castle wall. Rubbing her sore cheek, she screamed, ¡°How could you hit a woman?! You are the worst!!¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. It was on impulse,¡± Kail lightly answered. This time he used [Warp] to appear directly behind her. His punch was evaded and Hathor counterattacked with her axe, dishing out a flurry of mad combos. Despite its weight and appearance, her swinging it around didn¡¯t leave an opening for Kail to retaliate. Although he could see her axe¡¯s movement, synchronizing his eyes with his limbs was easier said than done. Kail didn¡¯t know what possessed him, but he glanced down. Only 70 meters until his death¡­ ¡°Got you!!¡± Kail heard Hathor screaming and he twisted his body at the source of sound. Oh n¡ª It was too late. Kail was sent flying through the wall. The attack connected with his torso, leaving a horizontal wound on his chest. Her axe was sharp as it was deadly. He coughed. Somehow everything was spinning and his head felt heavy. With a groan, he pulled himself to his feet. The attack hurt like hell, but he was saved from an imminent death. Hurt¡­? Hurt like hell? ¡­how was he able to feel pain? A notification window popped out of nowhere, breaking his chains of thoughts.
Hathor slashed you with her {Bloody Ka¡¯Fa Roth}!
You are [bleeding]!
You are [bleeding]!
You are [bleeding]!
¡­what the...? Spoiler: Status
Azariel EXP Chart* Atk: 3.245 HP (612.600/630.000)
Level 390 -/- Def: 2.870 MP(56.810/57.000)
Chaotic Angel - to lv. 391 M.Atk: 3.080 Atheist
- Unlimited Coins M. Def: 1.865
Travonka 4 Black Coins [Bleeding] -
104 Points Left to Distribute/ 3 Perks Available to Choose
ATTRIBUTES POTENTIAL Equipment -Divine Curse -Ancient Force -Apprentice Magician -Cool Headed -Heavy Armor Mastery -Heavy Sword Mastery -Accomplished Fighter -Ever-present Madness -Maddening Madness -Overwhelming Madness -Autocracy -Master of Dark Arts -Scholar -Corrupted Charisma -Growling Voice -Imposing -Cruel
STR 329 Hopeless Head -
VIT 387 Hopeless Neck -
DEX 344 Worst Body The Dark Lord''s Crest {Legendary} {Full Set} [1400 DEF, 600 M.DEF, 40K HP, 10K MP] => [1470 DEF, 630 DEF, 42K HP, 10.5K MP]
PER 278 Worst Back -
INT 310 Hopeless Arm (main) Soul Slicer {Legendary} {Unique} [3000 ATK, 700 DEF, 2000 M.ATK] => [3130 ATK, 735 DEF, 2100 M.ATK]
WIS 300 Bad Arm -
WILL 263 Bad Waist -
CHA 400 Hopeless Legs
* (tap to see) Feet (Help)
Skill Description Level
Sword Mastery STR Increases damage dealt when using Swords 155.000
Two-Handed Mastery STR Increases damage dealt when using Two-Handed Weapons 189.000
Lance Mastery STR Increases damage dealt when using Lances 121.000
Healing VIT Lets you recover your HP over time 120.007
Heavy Armor VIT How effectively you act while wearing Heavy Armor 200.114
Shield Mastery VIT How proficient you are using Shields 110.000
Blocking VIT Affects your blocking effectiveness with equipped weapon 182.000
Staff VIT How proficient you are swinging your staff 5.085
Running VIT Affects your running speed 6.721
Flying VIT Affects your flying speed 188.000
Claw Mastery DEX How proficient you are using Claws 144.000
Light Armor DEX How effectively you act while wearing Light Armor 17.069
Evasion DEX Helps you to evade attacks easily 150.081
Keen Eye DEX Helps you score critical hits 166.000
Alchemy INT Allows the creation of potions 72.000
Casting INT This skill helps you power up your spells 178.012
Meditation INT Gradually recovers your MP 160.054
Herbology INT Lets you identify any herb to its fullest potential 9.074
Divination WIS Gets you closer to God -
Darkness Magic Affinity WIS Powers up your Darkness Magic 199.031
Necromancy Affinity WIS Powers up Necromancy spells 171.000
Control Magic WIS Prevents your ally to get hit by your spells 100.000
Memorization WIS This skill slows down the decay of your unused skills 125.000
Literacy WIS Allows you to read more difficult spellbooks 200.000
Control Beast CHA Lets you control higher-level Summon Beasts 17.119
Perks Description
Divine Curse You have forsaken God by succumbing to corruption and madness. All parameters are reduced by 50%
Ancient Force Legendary equipment will be 5% more effective
Apprentice Magician Spells deal 4% more damage
Cool Headed You are cool headed, both above and below. You are always calm, even under extreme pressures. However, you are quite hard to get turned on. Looking at nude women will not even arouse you in the slightest
Heavy Armor Mastery Negates speed penalty when wearing Heavy Armor
Heavy Sword Mastery Negates speed penalty when using Heavy Sword.
Accomplished Fighter You are the master of all sorts of weapons. Gains 30% damage bonus by using any weapon
Ever-present Madness The afflicted will slowly go mad in the middle of the battle
Maddening Madness STR, DEX, and INT increase as the afflicted goes mad
Overwhelming Madness All stats boost by 20% during battle, but defense and resistance down by 10%
Autocracy 50% ATK, DEF, and M.DEF boost when fighting own citizen
Master of Dark Arts Darkness Magic spells deal 20% more damage
Scholar You learn skills faster than ordinary people
Corrupted Charisma Everyone will have a hard time refusing you, even when they were told to kill their family members. Half as effective to people with Free Spirit perk
Growling Voice You have a growling voice like that of a monster. Gains 40% boost to intimidation and -40% to friendly attempt
Imposing You are so intimidating people will not look at you in the eye any more. 30% boost to intimidation and -20% to friendly attempt. In addition, you can no longer be able to conceal your daunting presence, making hiding a difficult task
Cruel You have no problem impaling people or burn them to ashes. To you, death means nothing
Chapter 38: Clash! Kail versus Hathor! II Chapter 38 ~ Clash! Kail versus Hathor! II ~ SW/SW/SW Kail placed a hand on his wounded chest, from which stream of blood leaked. It hurt. It hurt. What was the deal with that axe? He activated his voice command for Bloody Ka¡¯Fa Roth¡¯s information. Unfortunately, there was no information about it, much to his annoyance. Damn it; where was the internet when he needed it the most? What should he do now? Running away? But where? How? In the state he was in, was he capable of leading a normal life? He was trapped in this game forever as a monster, a final boss no less! However, if he fought back and killed that succubus¡­ what would happen to the world of GeaOnline? As far as he knew, the developer had a total control of the game. If they noticed that Hathor was missing, it would be effortless for them to find out the truth. If that happened, then¡­ He¡¯d be formatted¡­ ¡­or worse, deleted permanently¡­ Kail flinched at the pain on his chest. This armor was supposedly had enough defense and stopping power, yet it was helpless before a mere axe. It was terribly hurt when she slashed him. It was different from the wounds Wawan and co. had inflicted on him. This one¡­ this one was much, much worse. Uneasiness crept inside him. Earlier, three popup windows appeared, all informing the same thing. Quickly he opened his basic status screen to see his HP bar moving steadily towards zero. Hastily he casted [Dispel] and the bleeding slowly stopped. To bring his HP bar to maximum, he casted [Magna Healia], an advance healing spell. The gash gradually healed, but seeing how powerful the axe was, the attack was very likely to leave a scar there. If it was bruises or cuts, he didn¡¯t mind. But this¡­ this wasn¡¯t a normal wound. He didn¡¯t want to experience this kind of hurt ever again¡­ If only he knew that everything would turn out like this, he should¡¯ve used that spell [Twisted Verdict] to lower Hathor¡¯s parameters! As much as he was tempted to, he just couldn¡¯t ignore the suspicious AoE word. Until he could figure it out, he¡¯d refrain himself from using it. Kail jumped to his right and rolled on the ground like some sort of a hero on TV, before a violent crash almost slashed him into two. Of course it was Hathor. She stood on the edge of her great axe¡¯s handle. The blade was impaled deep in the cold, stone ground. ¡°You have a good reflex, imposter. I dare say it was just luck,¡± she sneered, half-praising half-insulting. ¡°And you are running out of it,¡± she said, jumping to the ground. Her breasts bounced when she landed. ¡°Tell me where the real king is and I will let you go.¡± Kail held the urge to laugh. That was impossible. ¡°¡­Between His Majesty and her, the real demon is her!¡± ¡°¡­forget her. She isn¡¯t someone you¡¯d mess around with.¡± Those were sourced from one of her citizens. Of course with the descriptions so awful, who would believe in everything Hathor said? She¡¯d probably tortured him to death should he give himself up. Oh well, even if he escaped, he¡¯d probably die sooner or later in the hands of other players. Between the players and a succubus, he¡¯d choose the former. At least, they didn¡¯t have any bad intention. On the other hand, Hathor¡­ looked exactly like someone who loved to prolong the torture. I don¡¯t want to die¡­If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡­I don¡¯t want to die¡­ Hathor leaped with just one step. Determined to make it out alive, Kail wouldn¡¯t let himself be defeated and spammed multiple [Darkness Ball]. As expected of her, she swiftly evaded them with an agility of that of a monkey. Other balls of magic he casted were then slashed and exploded, creating some kind of epic scenery behind her as she travelled in the air. ¡°Useless! Useless! Useless!¡± she screamed, swinging the axe to counterattack Kail¡¯s spells. She gasped when Kail disappeared, not knowing that he had casted [Warp] and appeared behind her. Hathor turned around too late to retaliate and her cheek had fallen into a victim of Kail¡¯s powerful punch. The succubus crashed into the solid, rock wall, and buried beneath the rubble. Kail sneered. Served her right. ¡­the sneer vanished. After hearing a weird ¡®creak¡¯ sound, his stomach felt¡­ cold¡­ ¡­and wet. Looking down, Kail¡¯s vision was met with black, metallic pipe-like thing. It pierced his abdomen right in the middle. There is something poking out of my stomach¡­ ¡­how strange¡­ here he had a thought that the heavy armor was impenetrable¡­ It didn¡¯t make sense¡­ Blood seeping out. Kail let out a blood-curdling scream. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. It hurt!!!!! It hurt¡­.!!!!! Get it out!! Get it out!! Get it out!! Get it out!! Get it out!! PULL IT OUT!!!! GET IT OUT ¡­.!!!!! Hathor broke free from the rubble she had been buried in. A small stream of blood came down from her forehead. Several minutes later, reinforcement appeared. Heavy armored soldiers marched towards the succubus. One of them, looking like the captain, rushed forward, ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°All of you, get that imposter!¡± Hathor shouted her order. With trembling hands, Kail pulled the pipe out, not knowing that it would worsen his wound. Blood burst from the hole, drenching the ground in red, thick liquid. His pupils dilated as untold pain begun assaulting his body. It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! IT HURT!!!!! I don¡¯t want to die¡­ I want to live¡­! ¡°I will live!!!¡± Kail screamed as he charged at Hathor. Having been consumed in madness, he couldn¡¯t see anything but her. He wanted to skin her alive, pour hot water on her body, and rape her until she was completely broken. He moved as if he was possessed, without regard of his health anymore. Every attack was perfectly delivered, with speed that couldn¡¯t even be seen by trained eyes¡ªthe madness drove him to a berserk state. If I was destined to die in this game, then I¡¯ll bring you along with me!!! Without slight hesitation, Kail casted different spell at once, incinerating everything in his path. The soldiers were either burned to death or turned to cinder. Kail couldn¡¯t see sense. He couldn¡¯t tell what was wrong and what was right anymore. All he cared about was to lay waste to everything that was within his sight. He wanted to destroy, to plunder, to rape, to kill¡ªhis mind was utterly consumed with madness as he danced, spilling blood and fresh mutilated body parts around his feet. A straight line appeared in the middle of his helmet, in which his mouth should be. As it grew wider, the line expanded vertically, creating a mouth, with freakishly sharp fangs and animalistic saliva. The ¡®mouth¡¯ made him looked like some sort of unholy, psychopathic demon more than anything. ¡°Stop this!¡± Hathor¡¯s scream didn¡¯t even manage to bring him to his former, calm self. Her attacks were easily parried, every move was predicted. Kail even managed to slam Hathor to the cold ground, still consumed with madness. Kail then coughed, feeling his control over his right arm disappeared. Looking aside, he saw his shoulder bursting out blood, like some sort of a broken faucet. He let out a pained howl, allowing Hathor to escape from his clutch. ¡°You¡­ die¡­¡± he muttered under his breath and snarled, ¡°¡­you¡¯ll die¡­ you¡¯ll pay for this¡­ you women, all of you are scum!!¡± Kail didn¡¯t even know what he was doing anymore. He jumped and hovered in the air. Around him, multitude of red runes materialized out of nowhere. All of them were aligned to different direction, vary in size. They shone brightly, like blood under the sun. Hathor gasped, her red eyes were filled with despair, ¡°Oh, no! That¡¯s¡­!¡± [Sigil of Despair]. At once the runes fired black beam of energy. The runes rotated, bringing along the beam with them, spraying the vicinity in rays of death. The wall, which was unfortunate enough to get hit, was corroded as if the spell had an acidic property. Kail landed on his feet, mind finally cleared from madness. Due to extreme pain, he dropped on his knee, clutching his severed arm tightly to keep him conscious. It took him quite a while to gather his power and looked around. The top floor was obliterated. His spell reduced everything to rubble and Hathor was nowhere to be seen. He gritted his teeth. He had done it. He killed her. He killed her. ¡­and he had to figure out a plan to escape the all-seeing developer. As he was seriously thinking of a plan, little did Kail knew that Hathor was alive, buried under the rubble on his right. With the last of her power, she controlled her axe and swung it full force against Kail¡¯s head¡­ SLAASH!!!! 0000 Nia took a sharp breath and looked at a direction frantically. She heard her brother screaming her name somewhere. Realizing that it was just her imagination running wild, she sighed and back to staring outside the window, waiting for somebody to come home. Behind her, the television was set to a news channel. It had Kail¡¯s identity on it, labeled as ¡®missing person¡¯. Chapter 39: Their Resolves Chapter 39 ~ Their Resolves ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°Hey, did you hear? They said someone has been kidnapped.¡± ¡°Really? Who?¡± ¡°Someone named Kail from 2-B.¡± ¡°Never heard of him.¡± ¡°You know, some sort of ordinary-looking guy. They said he¡¯s been missing for two days.¡± Nia mentally plugged her ears and quickened her pace. Her brother had been kidnapped. What was worse, the kidnapper hadn¡¯t contacted them. Normally they would demand ransom, right? With police detectives out there investigating Kail¡¯s whereabouts, Nia didn¡¯t feel as secure as her parents did. She felt that they weren¡¯t enough. Those detectives just weren¡¯t enough. Was this insecurity because of her being Kail¡¯s twin or something else, Nia couldn¡¯t tell. Her brother was kidnapped while he was taking a walk. Before he went out the house, Nia saw Kail¡¯s face and was quite speechless. He looked so troubled and angry, something that Nia had never expected to see. Her brother was kind and patient, although a bit ordinary. What was the source of his concern? Was he being bullied real? Lately he came back home carrying bruises along with him¡­ No, he wasn¡¯t. Kail wasn¡¯t bullied. He just got into fights with his fellow classmates over trivial things. But why didn¡¯t he tell her he had problems? She was his sister, wasn¡¯t she? Nia let out a deep sigh. That¡¯s right. Maybe we aren¡¯t really close, after all¡­ 0000 Later that evening,,, Something was missing. No, someone was missing. Without him by her side, Elvaria couldn¡¯t find the reason to smile. He was her sun, her flower, and her reason to keep playing GeaOnline. He was online since yesterday, that was what the login record reported, but Elvaria felt like something was off. It was as if Ace was gone and wouldn¡¯t come back. Not to mention that someone from her school had been kidnapped, Elvaria was scared to the bone.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. What if¡­? What if real world Ace was kidnapped, too, along with that boy, Kail? She opened her PM and sighed. There were no new messages. She was sure that the message had been sent, but why wouldn¡¯t he write back? She tried sending him a new one, but the system told her that she couldn¡¯t. ¡°Have you seen Ace?¡± Elvaria, or Hilda, approached QueeN. The said magician was sitting on the sofa, looking serious in customizing her wand. She shook her head, ¡°Vhat, you two broke up?¡± ¡°N-No. I haven¡¯t confessed yet, but suddenly I can¡¯t contact him. He is on all the time, but I can¡¯t send any messages¡­¡± ¡°Simple. He¡¯z blocked your account.¡± Elvaria gasped in shock. Myriad of memories of her with Ace suddenly flooder her mind. ¡°I won¡¯t let you harm her!¡± his voice was slightly trembling. --- ¡°Hey, thanks for saving me,¡± Elvaria smiled sheepishly. ¡°Nah, no prob. We have to help each other out, right?¡± --- ¡°I see. In short, I have to get stronger while keeping an eye on my HP, right?¡± ¡°Yep. That practically sums it up,¡± Ace nodded. ¡°Are you ready to go to the Guild Hall?¡± Elvaria smiled enthusiastically, ¡°Mh-hmm!¡± --- Ace went agape, blood flowing though his nostrils, ¡°W-What are you wearing, idiot?!¡± Elvaria evaded his stare and stammered, ¡°I-I¡¯m participating in the Summer Event¡­¡± ¡°But your bikini¡­ it¡¯s almost see-through!¡± --- ¡°H-Hey, Ace,¡± Elvaria slowly approached him. She averted her eyes, absentmindedly playing with her fingers as she murmured, ¡°L-Let¡¯s take a walk¡­¡± ¡°H-H-Haaaa?!¡± Ace took several steps backwards, blushing feverishly, ¡°w-w-w-why sh-should I? Y-Y-You can take Tongsis with you!¡± ¡­ ¡°Ace? What do you think about my bikini? Does it¡­ suit me?¡± Ace spared her a glance before looking away, face red, ¡°Y-Yea¡­ it looks good on you.¡± Where those memories they shared together¡­ fakes? They hunted together, laughed, and exchanged friendly banters¡­ Was he just pretending to be happy? Was he using her? ¡­how could you do this to me¡­? ¡°But why? He¡­ He¡¯s always happy being with me! There¡¯s no way Ace would do such a horrible thing! Have I unknowingly said the wrong thing¡­?¡± ¡°Hmm, as far as I know, no. You¡¯ve been zuch a sweet girl. Zink avout it, zere¡¯s no vay Ace vould ban you. Maybe he pressed ze vrong button and didn¡¯t know how to undo it? Just like zat incident vith his first perk?¡± ¡°Then why isn¡¯t he here?¡± ¡°Pfft! Elvaria, you¡¯re zuch a na?ve girl! I bet he¡¯z so busy vorking part-time he doesn¡¯t hav time to play games!¡± ¡°No, QueeN! He¡¯s been online all day long! Normally you¡¯d stop to eat and rest, right? But he isn¡¯t! His log said he is on the whole time!¡± The cheerful look on QueeN¡¯s face disappeared. ¡°¡­zis ist bad¡­ I¡¯ll contact ze developer. Gimme a sec, okay?¡± Elvaria watched in worry as QueeN disappeared, logging out. The elf closed her eyes as myriad of emotions clashed inside her heart. Worry, fear, hate, love, adoration, and much more¡­ Several minutes later she opened her eyes, determination blazing in her eyes. I¡¯ll get stronger, Ace. Wait for me. I''ll definitely find and save you! 0000 Nia stared at the GeaOnline visor she held in both hands. This game was the start of everything. Ever since Kail had played GeaOnline, he started changing. This game caused my brother to disappear¡­ ¡­perhaps this game had the answer for everything that had happened. Determination filled her mind. After exhaling slowly, Nia put on the helmet and lay down. A moment later, everything blackened out. With an invisible hand, Nia tapped ¡®create character¡¯ box in front of her¡­ Chapter 40: A New, Powerful Ally Chapter 40 ~ A New, Powerful Ally ~ SW/SW/SW Kail woke up with a gasp. His demonic eyes darted around swiftly and carefully, taking notes of his surroundings. He was in a dimly-lit throne room, sitting on his throne. Slowly he brought a hand to his face, exhaling in relief. It was a dream. Just a dream. However, it was too real that Kail¡¯s hands trembled just by recalling the nightmare. He dreamt of being impaled and his arm severed. Not to mention that he had killed someone, a woman none the less. ¡­and it ended with him getting guillotined. Kail¡¯s hand automatically reached out to his neck, which was covered in armor. Was it just nothing but a terrifying nightmare? ¡­I want to go back¡­ I want to go back¡­! I don¡¯t want to die! Everything hurt. Being stabbed hurt, being slashed hurt, being slammed against the wall hurt¡­ Everything hurt¡­ I want to go home¡­ Kail¡¯s breath became quite erratic for some time, before he calmed down thanks to his perk. However, the shock was too great that he felt as if a hammer was pounding at his head. Feeling exhausted all of a sudden, Kail opened his map to see that a room, which was the biggest one in the top floor, had been marked. It read ¡®Azariel¡¯s Room¡¯. Without question, he went to that room. As much as he wanted to slouch as he usually did, he couldn¡¯t. Something unknown forced his posture to remain straight, with chest jutted out confidently and head pointed straight forward. The door opened by itself before Kail and he was grateful for the nifty enchantment. His eyes immediately settled on the huge, four-poster bed that often appeared in fantasy stories. It needed him just one look to know one thing: it was soft. Kail let his leg hit the edge of the bed. As he fell onto the bed, his armor shattered, turned to cinder, and disappeared, leaving him with just a pair of black pants. The softness of the pillow quickly brought him to the dream world¡­ 0000 He sensed someone nearby. They climbed the bed, their silhouette was tall and their cascading hair gave them a look similar to a lion. Kail faintly saw coal-colored eyes with a red slit staring at him lustfully. In an instant, Kail knew who it was. Hathor. ...then it was not a dream at all. The succubus let out a shriek when a hand flew to her throat. Kail spun, pinning down the succubus. The succubus was in her true form. Her body was light purple and devoid of any clothing except the metallic slabs on her chest. She looked terrified yet quite aroused. Her lips were slightly parted and cheeks reddened. He still couldn¡¯t forgive her for what she had done to him¡­ ¡°What now, cunt?¡± he asked threateningly slow. ¡°¡­are you going to cut my feet? Or is it my middle? Or skin me alive?¡± ¡°¡­what are you talking about?¡± Hathor asked back. ¡°You¡¯re acting weird¡­¡± ¡°Let me tell you something, slut,¡± Kail leaned forward, their faces just mere centimeters to each other. ¡°¡­that imposter you just killed¡­ is me.¡± Kail didn¡¯t know what possessed him, but he loved that hateful expression on Hathor¡¯s face. It¡­ made him happy for some reason. ¡°Surprised?¡± Kail tightened his grip a little, just enough to threaten her not to do anything stupid. ¡°I, the imposter, am pretty much alive. Thanks to you, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever have a peaceful sleep.¡± Hathor had the gall to smirk, ¡°And? Is that all you have to say?¡± He slapped her. ¡°You know what, slut? I hate women, so you¡¯d better shut your mouth if you don¡¯t want to get hurt.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Oh, he loved it. He just loved her face, which was blazing with impotent anger. If only he could make Hilda express such emotion¡­ He caught Hathor¡¯s arm, which had grown razor sharp claws, before it cut his head off. He drunk on her misery and laughed rather maniacally, ¡°Bad succubus. What were you trying to do? Slashed my head like you did last time? Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± she spat angrily, ¡°where is the king?¡± Kail shook his head and pretended to be shocked, only to aggravate the succubus even more, ¡°Hathor, how could you do this to me, your own husband? Don¡¯t you recognize me? We¡¯ve been married for hundred years!¡± ¡°Stop imitating him, you bastard! Tell me where you are keeping him in!!¡± she kicked him forcefully, but to no avail. Her effort to free herself was rewarded with a hard slap on the cheek. Kail felt nothing but insulted. Her rabid behavior slighted his dominance and he was terribly pissed. Maybe gouging her eyes would do the job? ¡°If you kill me, it won¡¯t do you any good,¡± she chuckled evilly, ¡°I will revive again and again, no matter how much you kill me. Why don¡¯t we call a truce?¡± Kail arched his brow, ¡°Oh? Why should I?¡± ¡°Mainly to prevent any useless bloodbath,¡± Hathor explained with her trademark smug smile. ¡°You can pretend to be our king, do whatever you want within our castle, while you let me roam free.¡± Kail didn¡¯t believe in that one-sided compromise. It was too good to be true. ¡°As I said before, I let you be the king and in exchange you let me free. Seeing that Azariel was pretty much a worshipper of autocracy, agreeing to my offer makes you nearly invincible. What I¡¯m going to do is to look for the king you have hidden from us. Don¡¯t get me wrong. This is a game. Whoever discovers what others are thinking wins,¡± even if the situation was unfavorable for her, she was still trying to tease him by discarding those metallic slabs covering her breasts. Her silly antics amused him. Wanting to see more of her stupid act, he decided to play it along. ¡°Do you realize that I can obliterate any search parties you¡¯ll be sending?¡± That smug expression clearly expressed confidence, ¡°And do you think my soldiers are a bunch of weaklings?¡± Although the proposal was quite stupid, it was the thrill that tempted him. It was like playing hide and seek, with death in every corner. One thing Kail didn¡¯t understand was her statement about letting her roam free. Kail was not an expert in politics, but Civics taught him that a king was in a much higher position than the queen. If she said about Azariel being a tyrant was true, then she was clearly in a disadvantageous position. He could easily overrule her orders and hinder her aim to search for the real Azariel (who ironically was right in front of her). Why was she so confident? ¡°Before I say anything, does being a king make me own you?¡± the question didn¡¯t catch her off guard. Rather, she looked like she had been expecting this. Kail understood her intention clearly. While they were playing a deadly hide and seek, she¡¯d use his body to sate her thirst. A pretty bold move. ¡°Of course. Want me to pleasure you? I¡¯m quite needy¡­¡± and she was smiling like she had won everything. He didn¡¯t know what she was planning, but he knew one thing. She was a sly, rotten woman who thought nothing but sex. He was the one to talk, though. Finally Kail released her, chuckling, ¡°No. I¡¯m impotent.¡± He caught a weird look on her face before it vanished completely. Did he say something wrong again? Suddenly she pulled him closer and, with unbelievable power for someone who had a slim figure, spun around, bringing him under her. Deftly Hathor undressed him and take hold of his member, giving the sensitive head a lick. It remained limp. She let it go and all of a sudden threw herself into his body, snuggling at his neck, ¡°¡­it¡¯s you¡­¡± What? ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± she apologized profusely, ¡°I thought you were¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­ I hurt you and¡­ and¡­ oh, I¡¯m so sorry...!¡± Kail didn¡¯t know why, but it seemed that she believed that he was the real Azariel. That was such a good turn of event. It made everything easier. All he needed to do now was manipulate her to his liking. Her brute power might come in handy later on. ¡°You are forgiven. Hathor, actually I¡­ don¡¯t really know who you are,¡± he began bluffing, ¡°it seems that when those adventurers killed me, some of my memories disappeared. I didn¡¯t know what magic they used, but when it was all over, I forgot all about you and myself.¡± ¡°Ah, it makes sense why you were acting so suspiciously,¡± Hathor placed her hand on her chin, ¡°if that¡¯s true, then we should strengthen our defense before they attack again.¡± ¡°Again?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but those adventurers always attack this castle on Friday. Always Friday. It¡¯s kind of creepy, don¡¯t you think? But you don¡¯t have to worry,¡± at this, she cupped his cheeks and pecked on his nose, ¡°because I definitely will protect you. If you still can¡¯t figure it out who I am, I¡¯m your queen. Your only queen¡­¡± Kail was taken aback. This woman¡­ she was serious! So trusting, so sincere, so loving¡­ She was totally different from what Helluva, the Scylla Queen, had said. Giggling, she stamped his torso with her luscious lips and it ended with them making out. To be honest, it was his first kiss and he was doing it with an NPC. He discarded the pathetic thought as she lay down on his strong body, her big, smooth chest creating a delicious friction against his skin. ¡°I love you,¡± she murmured before grinning, confidently showing her pair of fangs to him. Touched by her loving persona, Kail lifteda hand to caress her tattooed cheek. She leaned against his palm, smiling as sweetly. All of a sudden a flash of memory played itself in Kail¡¯s mind. --- I¡¯d been having the same dream for days¡­ A dream of being molested. It was¡­ quite pleasant to tell you the truth. I was lying down on the bed, someone atop me. Purple skin, soft and silky-like to the touch and deep, wavy crimson hair caressed my body softly. Soft melons met my chest as I relaxed to her touches. I vaguely remembered red lips roaming my body before they crushed themselves into mine. I saw tattoos on her arm and cheek. They were gleaming faintly, looking eerie as well as sacred. The mouth, it moved as she spoke mutely to me, and I swore I could see fangs behind her luscious upper lip. I saw pale arm, laced with wounds, flew to her face. The hand caressed her cheek and she leaned against it, smiling¡­ --- Finally Kail knew what the dream was about. It wasn¡¯t a dream. Rather, it was a vision. A vision of the future. As he embraced his ¡®wife¡¯, his mind wasn¡¯t right in its place. He stared into space, pondering on his unforeseen fate and completely ignoring the notification of a perk acquisition:
[Skillful Liar] has been unlocked!
[Skillful Liar] Lying is as natural as you breathe air with your lungs. Gain 30% successful chance of deceiving others.
Chapter 41: Unveiling One of the Mysteries Chapter 41 ~ Unveiling One of the Mysteries ~ SW/SW/SW Kail had never been so comfy lately. It was as if he had slept on a bed of clouds. Opening his eyes, the very first that came into view was a weird hole, sandwiched between round disks. He rubbed his eyes, thinking that he might be imagining things, but he was indeed face to face with a hole. The hole was pinkish deep inside and seemed to be pulsating. Outside of the hole, Kail could see a small, protruding nub, seemingly attached to it. It was slowly getting bigger. The weirdest of it all was that the hole produced thick, whitish liquid nonstop. ¡­it smelt nice. A quiet giggle broke Kail from his trance, ¡°Like what you see?¡± Hathor¡¯s face appeared behind one of the round disk. Her face was beet red and slightly covered in white liquid, tongue lolling a little. Realization smacked Kail in the face. He was not just staring at an ordinary hole. The disks surrounded it were actually butt cheeks and that meant one thing. The hole was Hathor¡¯s very own pussy. ¡°What on earth are you doing so early in the morning?¡± if Kail didn¡¯t have his amazing perk, he¡¯d scream like crazy and had a nosebleed by now. To be honest, her pussy intrigued him a little. It was¡­ incredibly beautiful and erotic. ¡°Servicing you,¡± and she was back to sucking his manhood. Kail touched the little bud experimentally, arching his brow at Hathor¡¯s helpless moan. The hole suddenly became wetter, somehow¡­ Kail pinched it and was amazed to hear Hathor¡¯s cry of delight. Watching the bud swelled under his ministrations, it became clear to Kail what the tiny bud actually was. He nodded in understanding. So this was what a clitoris actually looked like. It was clearly different from what he had seen on Biology textbooks, where everything was shown sideway. How interesting¡­ Although Hathor¡¯s sitting position showed him much of her inner wall, Kail gently parted the folds to grasp the picture better. It was clearly pulsating with warmth, but where did the liquid came from? It kept coming out so endlessly. How mysterious. ¡°W-W-Wait¡­!¡± Hathor stammered. She was struggling to maintain her balance when Kail sat, his hands taking hold of her smooth back. In the end, her body slid down to the bed, face half-buried in the plush furniture while her below was held so close to Kail¡¯s torso. Kail was quite oblivious to the fact that the new position aroused her even more and she didn¡¯t dare to meet his eyes, but kept moaning as Kail experimented with her pussy. What annoyed her most was that he didn¡¯t let her soar too high for a climax and left her just like that, as if he was bored toying with her sacred area. ¡°¡­what am I to do now?¡± Kail asked, ¡°I mean¡­ I have the slightest clue to my duty as a king due to memory loss. What are my routines? Do I have to go to social parties? Do I have a special advisor who I can consult to?¡± Hathor laughed at the questions. She waved her hand in a ¡®no¡¯ gesture as she spoke, ¡°Advisor? You are your own advisor! Didn¡¯t I tell you about it the night before? Our system is autocracy, in which you are the sole ruler of the country. You hold a complete control of everything.¡± In my world, that kind of system would be quickly abolished¡­ ¡°What about you?¡± he asked while fixing his pants that Hathor had messed a while ago. Hathor flashed a sneer at him and let out an annoying laugh, ¡°I am your trophy. Even though I am technically your queen, I hold little power. Oh, but don¡¯t underestimate me. Everyone loves me to the point that they would die for me. They have fallen prey to my beauty. Ah, it¡¯s so hard to be so beautiful.¡±Stolen novel; please report. What a haughty woman¡­ Kail muttered inwardly. The succubus flew towards him and embraced him tightly, ¡°Don¡¯t get jealous. I love you. I really do, but I belong to no one. Do you understand?¡± Kail held the urge to slap her. She annoyed him to no end, ¡°¡­you are just messing around, that¡¯s what you are trying to say?¡± ¡°Oh, how cruel!¡± Hathor feigned hurt, ¡°I love you, but why are you doubting my love to you? This is so cruel¡­! Oh, so cruel¡­ I am such an ill-fated, gentle succubus¡­¡± Really, she annoyed him. ¡°Hathor,¡± Kail called, suddenly remembering something important. ¡°About yesterday¡­ I need more capable people to fortify the defense.¡± ¡°Ah, that. It¡¯s underway, sweetheart,¡± that pet name was spoken rather¡­ coldly for some reason. ¡°I¡¯ve stationed more men near the entrance. Are two hundred warriors enough, one hundred mages and archers enough? Ah, we also have numerous traps in this place, but as far as I remember they are malfunctioning and can¡¯t be used.¡± ¡°Oh, a good news indeed,¡± Kail sneered, but inside he was anxious and afraid. He¡¯d end up dead in the hands of players if the traps weren¡¯t fixed! As they had always said, surprise attacks were a sure ticket to victory. Hathor stopped hugging him and landed to her feet, ¡°¡­don¡¯t ask me why. I barely have memories of them existed.¡± Noticing his confusion, Hathor sat on a stool and explained, ¡°Let me be honest with you. I can¡¯t remember what we were before we married. How we met, how we built relationship¡ªthe memories aren¡¯t stored. No matter how hard I try to remember, nothing comes up. Creepy, isn¡¯t it?¡± She crossed her arms under her large chest and frowned, ¡°I, too, don¡¯t quite get it why we were married. I mean, I don¡¯t even know you and all of a sudden we are together as a husband and a wife? What¡¯s more, I have no recollection of ever holding a marriage party, but the weirdest thing is that I know that you are my husband.¡± ¡°¡­since when did you realize this?¡± ¡°Hmm, a week ago, maybe?¡± Kail¡¯s eyes widened a little. A week ago? It was around his first time playing GeaOnline, wasn¡¯t it? And at that time, he saw something that couldn¡¯t be seen by other players, which was NPCs acting like humans. Everyone had different expression on their face and they responded to him, especially Agriella, his Summon Beast. She was upset when he threw a potion at her, she got hungry as well, and she even explained basic things about attribute potential and such to him. At first, Kail didn¡¯t think of it much, thinking that it was a clever bug. But now he realized that it wasn¡¯t just a bug. ¡­he logging on the first time was the trigger of everything. No one could talk to NPC and understand them but him. No one could see blood and intestines but him. Based on those facts, Kail concluded that his installation disc contained some kind of viruses or maybe a special coding that could alter the NPC¡¯s behavior. They started to remember things, questioning their pasts, and much more. That was his deduction based on several events and facts that he had experienced, saw, and heard. But a question remained unanswered. Why was he the only one? If the viruses or a special coding was true, then why it didn¡¯t affect everyone? He played the same game. Computer viruses spread easily through the internet. Or was he wrong with that last statement? From the corner of his eyes, Kail saw Hathor walking closer. She was pale as if she was sick, but she looked beautiful at the same time. ¡°Never mind that, Husband. We can think about it later. I¡¯m sorry to be a bearer of bad news, but I need you to solve this quickly,¡± gone was the playful Hathor. Someone standing in front of him was not a lowly succubus, but a queen with a stern look on her face. ¡°¡­the House of Eldran is here again with their proposal.¡± ¡°Proposal?¡± for some reason, Hathor seemed unhappy about it, which poked his curiosity. ¡°¡­a proposal to, let¡¯s say, plant their daughter in this castle.¡± ¡°¡­if you put it that way, it sounds like they¡¯re going to make her a spy.¡± Hathor snorted in disgust and approached nearby window, ¡°With their kinky names, it¡¯s obvious to me what kind of intention they have. ¡®Take my daughter as your whore and let us milk your riches dry¡¯. Oh, I can see it pretty clearly. They just wanted money and privilege.¡± Aren¡¯t you a kinky one yourself? Kail secretly let out a sigh. It was a relief to see that there was similarity with real world people and Tel Nevos people: greedy politicians. ¡°Ah, those types. But aren¡¯t you too early to draw conclusions?¡± ¡°What are you saying? My instinct is always right. You may not remember this, but the wife has a name that sounds like ¡®cunt is good¡¯.¡± Kail stared at her, dumbfounded. ¡°I swear! Their names are all so kinky that I can¡¯t forget them. The husband is called ¡®cunt eat dick¡¯, the wife is ¡®cunt is good¡¯, and the daughter is ¡®anal a lot¡¯. Hmph, with names so weird, who in their right mind would trust them?¡± ¡°Are you sure that it¡¯s not just your deepest desire?¡± Her usual trademark smug resurfaced, ¡°Oh, please, I have little interest in getting filled in one hole. I¡¯d rather be gang raped. At least, those brutes know how to make me feel real good.¡± ¡°¡­you are such a slut, Hathor.¡± She smiled, ¡°Oh, no, sir. I am a professional slut, born with a perfect vagina. There¡¯s no penis that I can¡¯t take. On that note, want me around your girthy love stick?¡± ¡°No, thank you,¡± Kail refused icily. Hathor just giggled and made her way to the mirror, where she combed her hair and admired her face. Kail shook his head disbelievingly. It looked like he¡¯d be stuck with this insane, slutty woman for a while. Now that he thought about it, he had several attributes points and Perk points waiting to be distributed. With his insanely high attributes, would several points make a difference? Well, he had hundreds to distribute, so he might as well use them all up. It might be a good idea to increase his INT¡­ As soon as Kail turned away to modify his status, Hathor paid him a distrustful stare from the mirror¡­ Chapter 42: Tyrant for Eternity Chapter 42 ~ Tyrant for Eternity ~ SW/SW/SW Staying alive was Kail¡¯s priority. It was quite convenient for him to be able to revive after being killed. He hadn¡¯t had a thought about death before, but he now knew what it was like. It hurt a lot and it traumatized him. Certainly it was better to stay alive first and getting to know how this world worked. Gathering information on how to go back came later once he had settled in. To realize his goal, first he needed protection. Preferably something or someone strong enough to be his meat-shields. Hathor quickly came to mind. Her power was deadly and Kail was grateful that she was on her side. However, there was something off about her, which Kail could not mention. He¡¯d better be careful around her. He learned it the hard way that women were not to be trusted. They were all trash, scum, filth. Done. He spent 40 points on his INT, 50 on STR, and the rest went to VIT. He felt the surge of power within¡­ ¡°Before you greet them, I want you to remember one thing,¡± Hathor approached him. ¡°The matter of you losing your memories is between us. Take care not to act too suspicious, or you¡¯ll risk unending assaults.¡± ¡°Assaults?¡± Kail repeated, ¡°as in assassination?¡± ¡°That, too. I¡¯m talking about political assaults, however. If they know of your personal circumstances, there¡¯s no telling what they¡¯d do to you.¡± Kail frowned, suddenly his mouth tasted very sour. He was just an ordinary high school student and she expected him to act like the real Azariel? ¡°I thought nobles serve the king.¡± Hathor¡¯s dainty finger trailed down to his stomach, ¡°Most of them are untrustworthy and there are many who¡¯d appease you for their own benefits. Well, from my observation, not all of them are corrupt. If I were you, I¡¯d be careful not to reveal too much.¡± Kail nodded mutely. 0000Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Kail explored the castle that¡¯d be his home until he returned to the real world. He needed to know the layout of the castle to better use it to his advantage. In addition, knowing what Azariel was like was his ticket to survive and the servants were the best when it came to it. He didn¡¯t dare to ask Hathor since he guessed that the answer might be changing the more he asked. He also craved some sort of normal conversation with equally normal people. Hathor was way out of his league. She was crazy. That last desire proved to be impossible, however, because no one greeted him ever since he had arrived on the fifth floor. The servants were either scurried away at the sight of him or bowed so low their bodies almost made 90 degrees, eyes glued to the floor. Those signs were saying something. His [Imposing] Perk was nothing but useless. How could he get into a proper conversation with someone if all of them were running away from him?! This way, there was no way he¡¯d know what Azariel was like! Getting very impatient, Kail shouted to a nearby female servant, ¡°Hey, you! Come here!¡± The poor girl squeaked in fear and trotted towards him. She was trembling and unconsciously biting her lower lip, must be thinking that she¡¯d be tortured to death. The hostile presences (the guards) behind him worsen the situation. Three demonical eyes stared at the girl, never batting an eyelash. ¡°What kind of king I am?¡± The girl almost jumped from shock. It looked like his rough, bestial voice scared her to death. Finally mustering up her courage after being silent for so long, the girl stammered, ¡°¡­y-y-you are a-a a wonderful k-king, Y-Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°In what way?¡± Kail pressed on, ¡°stop being so vague.¡± ¡°Y-You are a strict, but j-just king¡­¡± ¡°I can see through your lies.¡± One of the guards took a step forward, a hand on the handle of his sword. Kail stopped him before he chopped the girl¡¯s head off. ¡°Listen, girl,¡± Kail murmured, ¡°I need answer, fast. What kind of king I am? No need to worry. I will not let them harm you. Just answer my question truthfully and you will be spared from torture. I promise.¡± The girl played with her fingers, her body couldn¡¯t stay still. It was apparent to Kail that she was nervous, in addition to be in fear. ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry for being bold, Y-Your Majesty¡­ You are¡­¡± she hesitated for a bit, but continued, ¡°¡­you are a cruel king. I often hear of you twisting your words of promise. But you lowered the taxes, so I¡¯m not really sure¡­¡± Kail grinned evilly and ordered the guards, ¡°Give her 25 lashes on the back.¡± The girl shrieked when two guards each took hold of her arm. She cried help but no one came. The servant hid somewhere and pretended that they did not hear. ¡°P-Please, no¡­! Y-You promised¡­!¡± she begged, salty tears trickling down her cheeks. ¡°You promised not to hurt me! Why¡­? I-I was being honest and¡­! Mercy, Your Majesty! Please, have mercy¡­!¡± Kail laughed maniacally, without knowing that the same ¡®mouth¡¯ that appeared on the night when he killed Hathor reappeared. As he grinned at the girl, the ¡®mouth¡¯ followed his lead. Sharp, carnivorous teeth scared the girl so much that she went limp. ¡°You lied to me earlier, that is why,¡± Kail spun on his heels and turned a deaf ear on the girl¡¯s desperate pleas. There was no need to ask around. He knew exactly what kind of person Azariel was like. Chapter 43: Bolstering the Ranks Chapter 43 ~ Bolstering the Ranks ~ SW/SW/SW Far on the outskirt of the magical castle, which floated above a chasm, there was a unicorns-drawn carriage accompanied by unicorn riders. A symbol of a rose with four white wings was painted on the carriage doors, signaling commoners that it was not just an ordinary carriage. It was the symbol of the House of Eldran, a family of a respectable origin. Someone peeked from the carriage towards the castle. It was a woman of her early twenty. She was pretty, with a heart-shaped face, a small nose, and adorable green eyes. Her blonde hair was ornamented with hairpin and left down, loosely braided over her right shoulder. At the sight of the black castle, her eyes widened in curiosity. She had heard tales of the king of the floating castle, who was infamous of his cruelty. The stories seemed to picture him in fiendishly cruel acts. They said he often captured women and ate them alive. Others said that he loved eating human meat. If those were true, they why was she here? It was a simple question. The House of Eldran was declining. Many of the great descendants were either died in wars or being assassinated. Now, the once strong family was just a mere shadow of its former self. Her hands trembled slightly. That was right. She was a sacrificial lamb to regain her great family¡¯s power and honor. Even though she was offered as a concubine, it was an important position nonetheless, albeit less dignified. The master of the floating castle was regarded as the strongest being in Tel Nevos and surely forming an alliance with him was a huge stepping stone to restore her family power. But why him? She didn¡¯t dare to ask such a simple question. Born as the daughter of a noble count, she knew that her life was a family property. If her father wished to marry her to a man-eating monster, then she¡¯d obey. For her family power, she would do anything. The question was¡­ would she still be alive to see the fruit of her effort? Soft hands grasped her own. She looked to her right to see an older woman smiling. ¡°Nervous, Annelotte, sweetheart?¡± The younger woman nodded slowly, ¡°Yes, Mother¡­ very much.¡± ¡°¡­I know this can be hard for you,¡± the mother murmured, ¡°¡­let us hope that the king accepts you. This is our last chance.¡± ¡°I will not embarrass you,¡± Annelotte spoke in a determined tone of voice while looking at her parents. Not long after, they had arrived. With a heavy sigh, Annelotte exited the carriage, following her parents behind. She didn¡¯t pay attention to several soldiers talking to her father. Instead, her eyes darted around the place. Everything was black, crimson, silver, or gold in color. Although there were quite a number of flowers, their presences could not manage to lift the somber and terrifying atmosphere. Slowly they were being led inside. Annelotte¡¯s eyes were still travelling. This time they caught a majestic sight of a painting. It was huge, the frame was engraved with jewels and complicated patterns. The painting was about the royal family. They were two figures: a male, who was standing, and a female, who was sitting on a chair. The male was heavy-armored and wore an unusual, horned helmet with such a sinister design it sent a chill down her spine. His three eyes seemed to be staring at her as if they were alive... The woman, meanwhile, was dressed in a shocking manner. She was almost nude. A pair of horns, bat-like wings, and a tail that ended in a spade confirmed her race¡ªa succubus. It explained why her beauty was almost¡­ unearthly. The worse of it all, she had an evil look in her eyes¡­ Annelotte breathed in and out to calm herself. She promised not to embarrass her parents. She¡¯d do whatever she could so that the king would notice her. ¡°Annelotte, take care not to see the king in the eye,¡± her mother warned her. Once again, Annelotte obeyed unquestioningly. The throne door to the throne room was opened by itself. Anelotte straightened her posture and walked inside with her parents. It was dark, only illuminated by candles and the moon. There were many soldiers flanking the red carpet she walked on, each had an overly serious expression on their faces. They made her nervous. ¡°The Lord and Lady of Grivenska, and their daughter, the Lady Annelotte Eldran,¡± the speaker announced. The man fell on his knee and the women curtsied until the king addressed them. Annelotte could not help but feel curious and peeked at the king from the corner of her eyes. It seemed that he was whispering with the queen. They were as the painting had portrayed. The queen was dressed rather vulgarly for her title and the king was as scary as he was in the painting. Her father was the one to do the greetings, ¡°His Majesty, the King. Her Majesty, the Queen.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Annelotte could not stand the hostile stare from the queen. It was according to her prediction earlier: the queen was not a good person. Sometime later, Annelotte faintly heard murmurs ¡­ ¡°¡­I don¡¯t see¡­ kinky¡­ them.¡± ¡°¡­their names¡­ not the title¡­ anal¡­¡± What on earth they were talking about, she wondered¡­ ¡°Rise,¡± they did so. Annelotte¡¯s father spoke again, ¡°Thank you for the kind hospitality, Your Majesty.¡± The king leaned against his palm and spoke in an almost-bored tone, ¡°What is it you want, Grivenska?¡± Annelotte was shocked to hear it. Grivenska was her father¡¯s title. Calling him just ¡®Grivenska¡¯, which was reserved to someone who was dear or close to her father, was considered rude. Annelotte believed that her father and the king were just acquaintances. ¡°I have come yet with the same proposal, Sire,¡± her father explained, keeping his eyes off the king¡¯s demonic ones. ¡°We are terribly concerned about the terrible event that befalls the royal family. Her Majesty the Queen is still childless after twenty years of marriage.¡± ¡°Ah, you just wounded my poor, gentle heart,¡± Hathor made a quizzical look. ¡°I deeply apologize, Your Majesty. I know it is not my place to speak, but I was born here in Difterion Continent, and without a doubt have fallen in love with its royal families, especially the royal family of Kolatzvia. You are one of the most powerful royal families in Difterion and it is sad to see such a great family without an heir,¡± he lifted a hand towards Annelotte. ¡°Therefore, we humbly offer you our daughter, Annelotte, in hope that she would give Your Majesty many wonderful children.¡± As if on cue, Annelotte curtsied again, waiting for the king to say something. ¡°Let me be bold,¡± finally he spoke, ¡°are you treating her like some sort of brood mothers?¡± Annelotte gulped in fear and ceased curtsying. Now that she thought about it, the king was right. Her family gave her to a stranger just like that¡­ to be impregnated like an animal! Was this the right thing to do? To be tied with a man for the rest of her life? To be bound in a never-ending sorrow? Her determination was waning rapidly¡­ ¡­I want to go home¡­ ¡­I want to flee¡­ ¡­I wish I was born a man¡­ ¡°N-No, Your Majesty. We are both concerned with Her Majesty¡¯s childless state and at the same time, we are both worried about Annelotte. She is shy and pure, and our greatest fear is that she¡¯d fall in love with an uncivilized, barbaric man. It is best that she is paired with you, Sire, who is the most respectable person in this continent and as well as being the most powerful.¡± No, please no¡­ ¡°What is her skill?¡± No¡­ ¡°She is quite adept in Alchemy, Sire.¡± No, Father, no¡­! Please, stop¡­ The king was no longer leaning against his fist. Now his three eyes were directed at her, appraising her up and down. ¡°I¡¯ll take her as my concubine under one condition.¡± Everyone could not miss that look of pure disbelief on the queen¡¯s face. ¡°What could that be, Your Majesty?¡± Annelotte sensed that he was deeply amused, but there was nothing funny to be laughed at! ¡°¡­I¡¯ll take her only if she can get me erect.¡± Annelotte did not quite get what it meant, but judging from everyone¡¯s reaction, it was a vulgar word. To everyone¡¯s surprise, the queen giggled. ¡°Oh, I doubt she would.¡± Her mother coughed, ¡°I-I am very sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty, but surely you must be joking¡­?¡± ¡°I am serious.¡± ¡°H-How?¡± her father stammered, ¡°I believe that kind of topic is terribly improper to be shown in public¡­¡± The king suddenly stood, ¡°Follow me. Hathor.¡± With the same mocking giggle, the queen rose to her feet and followed the king. The Eldrans were looking at each other before a feminine cough brought them to reality. ¡°The king is making fun of us¡­¡± her mother whispered, as they followed him. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but he sounded serious¡­ what do you think we should do?¡± her father whispered back. ¡°How would I know? This shocking turn of event almost made my heart skipped a beat!¡± Annelotte couldn¡¯t even speak, let alone think. They were led into a simple, empty room, seemingly for a guest. Inside, the king took a seat on the side of the bed, facing them. Meanwhile Hathor was leaning on one of the posts. Annelotte stared dumbfounded at the king, unsure of what she ought to do. ¡°Sire, about that condition¡­¡± her father began, but was cut short by the king. ¡°Hathor.¡± The succubus came near and pulled down his pants. Annelotte could hear her gasping and she immediately looked away. She was sure her parents did the same. ¡°This is to make it fair. Now undress,¡± the king ordered. Annelotte bit her lower lip, trembling both in fear and humiliation. To her horror, her father had already closed the window. Although it was dimly-lit inside, she just could not bring herself to undress before a man, a stranger nonetheless! ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Losing your nerve?¡± the king taunted. Annelotte could feel her father¡¯s intense stare even though she didn¡¯t look at him. ¡°Hathor.¡± The succubus clapped once and Annelotte was as bare as a newborn baby. She gasped, embarrassed to the core, and instinctively covered her breasts and lower belly. ¡°I want to see all of you.¡± Annelotte closed her eyes forcibly. This was so embarrassing she wanted to die! ¡°Anne,¡± she heard her father¡¯s warning. With a defeated sigh, she lowered her hands and tried as best to stand straight. It was hard to do, however, as she was deeply embarrassed. She hunched her body slightly. It seemed like eternity until the king commented, ¡°Ordinary.¡± Looking ahead, there was nothing wrong with him. Her being naked did not arouse him at all. Annelotte did not know what was the indicator of him getting aroused and all, for she was a virgin. Also, what was the point of him showing her his belonging and getting aroused? Was it supposed to be that weird? It looked like a mushroom, limp, and big¡­ ¡°Too bad, Lord Grivenska,¡± the queen chirped, obviously in a happy mood. ¡°Even though your daughter is beautiful, alas, she had no charm. Ah, my deepest condolence.¡± Annelotte managed to keep a straight face, but deep inside her emotions were boiling. This succubus was really rotten¡­ She was sure her parents were thinking of the same thing. ¡°It seems so, Your Majesty. My daughter lacks a certain skill as she has never been in a deep relationship with a man before,¡± Annelotte¡¯s mother agreed. ¡°And this means that she is not a suitable concubine for His Majesty.¡± Silently, Annelotte sighed in gratitude. Finally I can go home¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll accept her,¡± suddenly the king spoke. His declaration shocked everyone in the room. Done with fixing his pants, he slowly rose and approached her. Annelotte felt a sudden chill. It was as if something really wrong and nasty was approaching fast. Her brain urged her to flee, but she could not. The longer she was being stared at, the stronger the feeling was. This man is not normal¡­! She was scared¡­ A gauntleted hand cupped her chin, tilting her face up, but Annelotte was too enveloped in fear that she avoided looking at him at all cost. ¡°Welcome to the family, girl,¡± the king sneered, ¡°we expect great things from you.¡± Annelotte¡¯s happiness sunk. From the corner of her eyes, she could see her parents smiling. She, however, could not find the reason to. ¡­she was finally sold. Chapter 43 Extra: The Daily Life of the Chaotic King I Chapter 43 Extra ~ The Daily Life of the Chaotic King I ~ SW/SW/SW Kail yawned lazily, stretching his arms upwards, and then rubbed his eyes. The same scenery greeted him so early in the morning: satin cover of his bed. Looking down, there were myriad of red locks cluttering on his neck. He brought a hand to cover his eyes. It was not a dream. He did get sucked into GeaOnline, for reason and method unknown. The red-haired female muttered incorrigibly in her sleep and shifted. Turning around, she had her head on his chest, half of her body touching his own, and one leg entered an empty space between his strong legs. She sighed when her thigh touched his member. Kail caressed her hair, paying little attention to her weight. It actually was nice to wake up with someone so close to him. It made him feel a little bit safe, like he was no longer alone. He then instinctively did his morning ritual: checking his phone for time and messages. Kail groped around, completely ignoring Hathor¡¯s ample, naked breasts on his chest. To his surprise he found nothing on the bed. He slapped his forehead, realizing his stupidity. ¡°¡­looking for something¡­?¡± Hathor¡¯s hoarse voice echoed in the quiet room. ¡°I was just thinking about caressing your tail, but I couldn¡¯t find it,¡± he lied. Hathor¡¯s thin eyebrow knitted together and she cursed under her breath, ¡°¡­kinky.¡± But she gave him her tail nonetheless¡­ ¡­and wagged it, even. 0000 The bed was amazingly comfy that Kail did not even want to leave it and neither was Hathor. She was being talkative today and blabbered about many things. It was interesting, however, to see her talking. He was curious to hear through the end, even if it was just trivia. It must¡¯ve had something to do with her charisma. Kail bet that it was higher than him. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go on a date.¡± Kail arched his brows, ¡°What are you saying all of a sudden?¡± ¡°In books I read, lovers always do that.¡± Well, that was surprising. A slut like her was keen on reading books. She pouted cutely, ¡°I want to ride the wyverns. You and I soaring the sky, the sun beaming softly at us, and we holding hands¡­¡± she sighed dreamily, ¡°¡­oh, how romantic¡­¡± ¡°Why the wyverns? You can fly on your own, can¡¯t you? What¡¯s the difference, anyway?¡± Kail had no time to do stupid thing like that.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. To his surprise, she pounded his chest, whining, ¡°You idiot! It¡¯s different! Different! It¡¯s not romantic at all! Come on¡­ let¡¯s go on a daaate!¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°Ditch your work¡­ Pretty, please¡­? I¡¯ll suck your love rod dry as a payment! I¡¯ll let you put it in my ass, even! Please¡­?¡± Kail grimaced and pushed his wife¡¯s face away, ¡°You are such a dirty cunt.¡± Hathor resisted, however, and managed to encircle her arms around his neck. She rested her face on the nape of his neck. ¡°¡­I just¡­ want to create sweet memories¡­¡± she whispered weakly. ¡°We¡¯ve been married for so long, yet¡­ yet we don¡¯t have a single memory of us together¡­ It¡¯s so ironic. So sad. So wrong¡­" A moment later she pushed her body away from him, smiling sadly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That was childish of me, asking for a date. We are not even young anymore.¡± She turned around to leave, but stopped. It was faint, but Kail heard her sighing in disappointment. He might not know who she was, but it was different for her. Before Kail got sucked into this world, this man¡ªAzariel¡ªwas her husband. Now that he thought about it, it was indeed pretty sad to see a married couple without any memorable moment. Kail slowly hugged her from behind and murmured, ¡°When things have settled down a bit, I¡¯ll take you on a date.¡± She broke the hug, staring at him wide eyes and mouth agape, ¡°P-Promise? Promise, promise, promise?¡± He chuckled. She was kind of cute, ¡°I promise.¡± With a happy cry, she threw her body in his arms and they embraced each other tightly. Kail stared into space. ¡­I wish I still had my phone so we could take a picture¡­ 0000 He was flabbergasted at the sheer numbers of his personal servants. The amazing (or ridiculous) thing was he had four servants who aided him in getting dressed. It was as if he was a baby who couldn¡¯t get dressed by himself. Not that he complained, but it was annoying. He also had six servants in charge of bath: three servants had something to do with his clothes, two for preparing the perfect bath temperature, and the last one in charge of preparing the towel. Totally ridiculous. It made him wonder if kings, who appeared in World History books, were all like this, swimming in pleasure and lazy. Speaking of getting dressed, his armor was also ridiculous. He had to wear layers of clothes to finally wear the armor. First, the servants aided him with his tight, black pants, before moving to fasten the metallic armor around his feet and thighs. Next, he had to wear a white, turtleneck clothes with patterns on the neck and on top of it, a long, high-collared outer garment with belts in front, similar to that for a vampire. It was tight around his arms. His body armor was next and then gauntlets and arms protection. One of them fetched his heavy, black cloak and draped it across his back to his front, shielding his arms from sight. A piece of black cloth was fastened on either side of the cloak, right in front of the chest. One thing that was out of place was the long, pale pink cloth that was draped around his neck. It nearly reached his thighs. Kail felt his shoulders getting heavy all of a sudden. The servants had placed the shoulders protection on its places, pinning everything underneath them. Not only that, they put on the neck armor that was as stiff as a wall. Looking behind his shoulder was now quite hard. He looked at the mirror. Staring back at him was a human male, with solidly built body that was covered entirely in heavy armor. He was tall, nearly 190 centimeters, with short, black hair but long bangs. There were two old, war wounds on his cheeks, each starting from the jaw and ending at the cheek. His eyes were of a normal shape, like those of a human. The irises were bottomless. Instead of the normal-colored pupils, they were piercing red. He had deep shadows under his eyes, as if he hadn¡¯t had sleep for days. A scowl was forever etched on his face. Kail felt that he was looking at the mature version of himself, only darker, more sinister and twisted. For the final touch, they put on his helmet. Opening his eyes, Kail¡¯s vision was met by the picture in his status screen: the three-eyed demon, Azariel, who was also known as the Chaotic Madness. He then strode out of the room confidently and regally. Following behind him was Hathor, dressed as indecently as she had always been. This was him. This was the real him. He was Azariel, the last boss of GeaOnline, not Kail. ¡­and he was ready to survive¡­ ¡­until the day he could finally return to the real world. Chapter 44: His Whereabouts Chapter 44 ~ His Whereabouts ~ SW/SW/SW Where are you¡­? Elvaria stared sadly at her friend list window. Her eyes were glued to the very first entry of the friend list, which was AceKivras. It had been four days since the last day she saw the summoner. QueeN said that GeaOnline developer sent their apology in the e-mail, saying that AceKivras¡¯ log was somehow quite buggy. Messages had been sent to Ace, but none arrived. He had indeed blocked her account from his private message. Fear doused her like a waterfall and unknown guilt burdened her delicate heart. Why¡­? Why did you do this to me¡­? What have I done¡­? ¡­what exactly is going on? Elvaria was confused. They were sharing happy memories together, but why¡­? She did not understand what a boy his age was thinking about. Wait. Speaking about what boys were thinking about, there was something off with him on Sunday, the last day they saw each other. She remembered him reaching out to her, but a second later he stopped. Hatred flashed in his eyes before it disappeared. Was he reaching out to touch her face? Or was it something else? Elvaria had a bad feeling. One just didn¡¯t disappear in the same day when a kidnapping took place. Something must¡¯ve happened to Ace, or worse his real world self. Aside of that, Dragonis was unusually merrier than before. The Dragon Portal was packed with players of many races. Their equipment varies, the complexity of the designs were the only thing to tell what level they were. Elvaria saw a girl, hair tied in a ponytail, running away happily from their friends, who were chasing her. Their simple clothes were telling her that they were NPCs. She cocked an eyebrow at that. Was it a new event? ¡°This is awesome! I just talked with the shopkeeper and he gave me discount!¡± a female archer exclaimed with a grin to her friend. ¡°For real?! That announcement isn¡¯t lying?!¡± the friend shouted his question, ¡°then we could really talk to the NPCs?!¡± The female archer nodded vigorously, ¡°I told you! I just talked to him and he answered back! He¡­ he wasn¡¯t repeating words! C¡¯mon, I¡¯ll take you there!¡± Elvaria watched the two with an incredulous expression. Talk to NPCs? ¡®Talk¡¯, like what AceKivras had done with his Summon Beast? It was certainly odd to see him talking to NPC prior to the recent update. Was it due to viruses? In any case, if this new development was true, then searching for Ace¡¯s whereabouts would be easier. Assumed that he was missing two days ago, the NPCs would surely recall seeing him somewhere. All she could do was to trace his whereabouts and voila! But wait. Did the NPCs were capable of memorizing? Did memories even stored in their minds? They were just artificial intelligences, not real people.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Elvaria sighed. For now, she¡¯d ask Travonka members first¡­ 0000 The strategic meeting to defeat Muhehehe took one hour and it ended by DPS reminded the members to come to the Viewing Dome to watch the upcoming event, the Dark Lord¡¯s Crimson Nocturne. He said that it was the first time for the fight to be fully aired, with the NPCs (including bosses) getting a makeover and all. It was such a shame to miss such an important event. Elvaria was quite interested. After all, completing the story of GeaOnline was considered sacred to her. She would not feel satisfied until she had everything discovered and finished. However, there was a pressing matter at hand that could not be ignored. She approached DPS. It came as a surprise to see him alone without Maria by his side. ¡°Where¡¯s Maria?¡± ¡°Neighborhood event.¡± Oh, she went out to a neighborhood event. Elvaria then asked him whether he knew Ace in real world or not. ¡°Ace? No,¡± Lord DPS answered with his usual cool demeanor. ¡°I thought you did, because you two seemed close,¡± Elvaria said. ¡°Not that close. Acquaintances.¡± Elvaria just wished that this guy would talk more¡­ She sighed, ¡°With this, no one¡¯s seen him these four days¡­¡± Hearing such an interesting murmur, DPS¡¯ brows knitted together, ¡°What happened? He¡¯s offline?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the other way around. He¡¯s been online for four days without stopping, but we haven¡¯t seen him at all! With Saturday being our very first Guild War, coming to the guild room for strategic meetings is the most logical thing, right? Unless he has the reason not to¡­¡± He nodded. ¡°But that¡¯s not the only thing that¡¯s off! The day when Ace disappeared was the day when one of my schoolmates disappeared, too!¡± ¡°Have you e-mailed the helpdesk?¡± ¡°Queen have, but they told her that Ace¡¯s log was quite buggy that they needed time to fix it.¡± The guildmaster let out a snort, ¡°Buggy it is. Why being so paranoid?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s weird? Two people have disappeared on the same day?¡± ¡°Elvaria, Ace¡¯s log is full of bug. Why isn¡¯t he here? Simple. He¡¯s busy of work. We have two lives, in this game and in the real world. Never forget that. ¡± DPS might be right, but Elvaria felt that there was something more than Ace¡¯s disappearance¡­ 0000 Even though Hathor showed no sign of emotions, her insides were literally blazing with infernal rage and jealousy. For her, his decision to take that Anal-something woman as his concubine was maddening. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she spat icily, shrugging his hand away. ¡°I knew it. I knew everything. From the night you looked at your status, I knew that you¡¯d need stupid, brainless meat shields. Do you not trust me?¡± ¡°I do, Hathor. I do.¡± Lies. ¡°Then why?¡± she demanded. ¡°I am your shield and your sword! Why do you need another when you have me?¡± ¡°Hathor, you have misunderstood me. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t trust you. Have you heard of ¡®strength lies in numbers¡¯? I need capable hands so that I can increase my chance of survival. You couldn¡¯t possibly protect me while you are busy fighting those adventurers.¡± She sighed and sat on the sofa, looking dejected and miserable. Taking her pride seriously, she would not surrender her position as his protector to anyone else, especially to a petty, human woman like her. Although she hated to admit it, Azariel¡¯s logic did sound. He squatted before her and grasped her hands, ¡°Listen, Hathor. Adventurers¡­ they are wicked creatures and I¡¯m sure they have several tricks under their sleeves. This is why I recruit her. I need her Alchemy skill. Do you understand what I¡¯m trying to say?¡± She did. No matter how high one¡¯s Alchemy skill was, without recipes it was basically near to useless. Once he had gotten all recipes she¡¯d known, the probability of him discarding her was quite high. From the corner of her eyes, Hathor saw him reaching out to cup her cheeks. At the gentle gesture, she smiled. ¡°Hathor, you are the only one for me. This woman, whoever its name is, is nothing more than a dispensable toy. The brainless thing is not worth thinking about.¡± Hathor laughed, surprising him a little. Well, he should be. After all, she was angry. Despite the confusion she felt surrounding her husband, she smiled and closed her eyes. What she was so afraid of? It wasn¡¯t like Azariel would cheat on her and leave her alone. He was her only husband, with whom she had bonded, and she knew that he¡¯d honor the sacred vow of marriage. After exhaling slowly, Hathor opened her eyes. He was still there, squatting in front of her. He might have hidden his face from everyone, but he could not fool her. He was worried, confused, and speechless. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she murmured, ¡°I was being... childish. I believed that I alone was enough to protect you, but I realized my mistake. You are no weak being and obviously can protect yourself. Now that I think about it, I was being overprotective, too.¡± To her surprise, he patted her head, like he was doing it to a confused child. She should¡¯ve been angry at the insolent gesture, but she could not find the reason to. Instead, she was smiling, savoring the way he moved his hand through her red locks and his warmth within her body. Hathor took his hand in her own smaller one and placed it on her left cheek, ¡°While I¡¯m getting ready for tomorrow¡¯s battle, why don¡¯t you go visit your other shield? You may have some recollections about her.¡± ¡°¡­who?¡± She gave him a devilish smirk, ¡°Etherios.¡± Chapter 45: The Woman in the Cave Chapter 45 ~ The Woman in the Cave ~ SW/SW/SW Etherios. It wasn¡¯t his first time hearing that name. In fact, he had heard it from when he was still in the real world. Etherios was the boss who was known as the hardest boss to beat, according to GeaOnline wikia. He did not know what she looked like or what sort of techniques she used to defeat her enemies, but one thing Kail knew about her. She sang. Was the song powerful enough to decimate several players at once, Kail wondered. What kinds of effects did the song have to the listeners? Were they causing poison and paralysis? Or were there some more effects other than the ones aforementioned? It was better for him to meet the woman face-to-face instead of pondering about it. That being said, this Etherios woman was certainly most unique. ¡°Is this the right place?¡± Kail murmured the question out loud. What was he going to say? Oh, right¡­ The woman was unique. She did not live in the castle. Rather, she had her own special place down below. Kail did not know that there was a huge, dark cave underneath the castle, illuminated only by shining mushrooms that grew here and there. There were many tunnels, which he suspected would lead him to nowhere if he wasn¡¯t being careful. Looking above, his eyes were met by various sizes of stalactites, and looking down, there were stalagmites. Occasional drops of water were falling down from the darkness-shrouded ceiling, forming murky, small ponds on the ground. Paying a look at one of the ponds, Kail noticed that the color was sickly green. Whatever happened, he definitely would not touch it. Lifting his head, he could see that the path was divided into four. He immediately remembered what Hathor had said... When you see branches, examine the ground for any white thread. It¡¯s small and hard to miss, but once you find it, then the branch where you find the thread is the right one. He did as he was told. Carefully he examined the entrance of each branches, being very careful not to miss anything. Then he saw it. He saw a very short, white thread, hidden behind a fist-sized rock. Curious, he picked it up and examined it. The label was [Unidentified Object]. From the look of it, it was hair, but at the same time it was not. It was too thick and¡­ furry (?) to be called hair. He put it in his inventory just in case. Kail ventured the correct tunnel, being mindful not to touch anything. It could be trapped and he did not want to lose his arm again. Too painful.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. The end of the branch led him to a cavernous place, with a clear-watered pond in the corner and huge stalagmites protruding from the ground. Everything was sinisterly white. The stalagmites and the rocky walls¡­ even the ground was white. The ceiling was too dark to make out anything, however. Kail frowned. Was that¡­ a spider web on that corner? It was, and not just one, but two, three, four¡­ Spinning around in place, Kail was taken aback at the sheer numbers of webs in the vicinity. The place was white not because of magic. This place was white because it was covered in spider webs! Suddenly Kail felt a presence. It was from a corner of the dark ceiling. The presence was there, unmoving, blending in the shadow. It didn¡¯t say anything; merely watching and observing him. It must¡¯ve been Etherios. ¡°Hathor sent me here,¡± he spoke carefully. The atmosphere felt colder than before and Kail instantly knew that he had made a mistake. Would he be killed again? Would she consume him alive? To his surprise, she didn¡¯t. Red-colored sentence appeared several meters away from him, read ¡®What have I done to incur the wrath of the demon queen?¡¯ Incur? Talk about formal. Should he speak formally, too? No, he feared that his lack of formal vocabulary might piss her off. ¡°She just told me to see you in person.¡± This time, a blue-colored sentence appeared, ¡®What can I help you with, Your Majesty?¡¯ Kail frowned. It was just him or this Etherios could not speak? ¡°I want to know you better,¡± no, more like¡ªI want to use you better, was what Kail meant. He needed to see what she was capable of and used her to his heart¡¯s desire. This Etherios woman might be a good meatshield candidate. He couldn¡¯t possibly divulge his ¡®amnesic¡¯ condition. This woman might be more dangerous than that insane, lusty succubus. Why, she might be thinking of backstabbing him, just like that bitch Hilda. Women are scum. They aren¡¯t trustworthy. Yes, that was right. They deserved only to be manipulated, nothing more and nothing less. Another sentence appeared. ¡®Your wish flatters me, Your Majesty, but I fear that I have to refuse. I do not wish to anger Her Majesty even more.¡¯ ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Kail realized his mistake. He should¡¯ve explained it more, rather than stopping it half-way. It wasn¡¯t her fault that she misunderstood his intention. ¡°I want to understand all of you¡ªyour skills, your magics, your capabilities as a person, everything. I heard that the adventurers are getting bolder and I must implement some new strategies to keep them from reaching this castle.¡± Lies. All of them. I need to understand you better, so when the time is right I can sacrifice you for my own safety. ¡®I am quite adept in magic, Your Majesty,¡¯ the sentence read, ¡®both healing and attack magics.¡¯ Kail crossed his arms. That was quite convenient. A healer and a mage in one person. Despite her useful abilities, he¡¯d bet that she couldn¡¯t take getting hits too often. Hathor, on the other hand, was the type that excelled in attack and agility. But what of him? His understanding was that he was a balance type. Jack of all trades, master of none. The only thing that was good about him was his powerful spells and necromancy. Necromancy? Hmm... ¡°Do you understand what day tomorrow is?¡± ¡®I do, Your Majesty,¡¯ the sentence was colored in green. ¡®The day of a deadly battle with the adventurers. I shall not hold back for I am your shield.¡¯ Kail¡¯s brows twitched a little. This woman was quite loyal¡­ No, Kail shrugged the thought off. She definitely would backstab him after she had gained his trust. He should not trust her so easily. ¡°Not holding back? I¡¯m not convinced,¡± he decided to test her a little. ¡®What shall I do to prove your statement otherwise, Your Majesty?¡¯ Lifting his right hand, Kail spoke, ¡°Show me the power of your song. If the result is satisfactory, I might think twice of trusting you.¡± Lies, lies, and lies. Seeing was believing. He just wanted to see how fearsome the mid-boss who was infamous of being the hardest to kill. A red-colored sentence appeared before him, read¡­ ¡®You wish you wouldn¡¯t hear it first-hand, Your Majesty. There is a reason why I do not speak.¡¯ Was her song or her voice that dangerous? ¡°All right, then. Show your true color to the adventurers instead. I¡¯ll be watching you.¡± ¡®Very good, Your Majesty.¡¯ With that, Kail left with a curiosity-plagued mind. Chapter 46: The True Power of Song Magic Chapter 46 ~ The True Power of Song Magic ~ SW/SW/SW Friday came quickly than everyone realized. Friday meant one thing: the long-awaited event of the Dark Lord¡¯s Crimson Nocturne, a unique quest in which players must defeat two mid-bosses consecutively before they faced the final boss. This event was seen as a mission to hone their skills. Some were aiming for the legendary weapon, Soul Slicer, while others were participating just to level up their characters. This event, however, was different than before. Prior to (the jaw-dropping) Thursday update, the players were directly transported to the inner side of the floating castle. Now they had to fly there by themselves. The castle itself was limited to the listed players. Outsiders could not enter. Also, there were guards in the last boss¡¯ castle, where it was empty saved from the bosses. It translated as double the EXP, but triple the difficulty. Reaching Azariel seemed like a dream now. Players, aside to the listed ones, were already inside a special viewing dome, which could be found in large cities throughout the continents. The dome was designed to view the intense battle. With its size and comfortable seating, the dome was enough to house approximately 50,000 players. Travonka members were among those spectators, sitting calmly in a viewing dome in Dragonis. The screen showed an exciting airborne battle between the players, riding their pets, with the enemies¡¯ troops. Too bad two got killed, leaving 28 members left. After an intense battle at the front gate, the party split into two groups. First party, 20 members, stormed the front door, while team two, 8 members, were attacking from the sky. 0000 ¡°Oh, they were quite good,¡± one player commented. Team one was able to make it through multiple hordes of enemies inside the castle. Despite their small number, they were able to display a surprisingly good team work. The mages were adept in assisting the fighters and the healers knew what to do with their jobs. Once the coast was clear, they immediately went to the first mid-boss was waiting. The place was on the second floor of the floating castle. Maria crossed her arms over her chest. They were quite skilled, but the question was¡­ ¡­were they good enough to face Etherios? 0000 The adventurers found the battle arena quite easily with the help of their maps. It was a huge pentagon-shaped room, with a circular-shaped arena between the doors. Past the boundary of the arena was a gaping hole with depth unknown. Players who accidentally being thrown out of the arena and fell into the abyss was instantly respawned and never to come back for several weeks. There were heavy-armored knights blocking the way to the next level and behind them was a familiar mid-boss, Etherios. Etherios was a human woman of pure white. Everything about her was white¡ªfrom the color of her mane, her skin, the cloths that covered her left arm and lower body, and to the two pairs of wings stretched behind her. Most of her face was covered with a black cloth, leaving only her nose and mouth visible to all. There were multiple runes encircling her body, rotating nonstop, illustrating dread and untold power within her lithe body should the runes were destroyed. ¡°Right, let¡¯s do this!¡± one of the fighters screamed and dashed to the enemies, slamming the ground with his hammer. The impact sent several guards flying away. Etherios regarded everything calmly and opened her pale mouth. -- Vidinopel iusevii ovelia vali leshia ¨CIf you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. 0000 Maria grimaced at the familiar sentence. Off all many songs, Etherios started with that one. That special song was intended to destroy a large army with numerous status effects, such as confusion, poison, berserk, and many more, leading to infighting and total annihilation. The drawback was that it took quite a long time for the effects to finally kick in. It would end up disastrous if no one managed to wound her enough to make her stop. -- Ii tin oh sevrahavi, livorime estoog a see -- -- Ilveenah fiusevi elvrashta -- -- Fakrasii firomineskroo seeh -- The song started with her soloing. Her voice was too good that it was scary. It sounded ancient and sacred. What baffled Maria the most was that no one hit the singer. No, more like¡­ they ignored her, and were busy dealing with the guards who were protecting her. She had already repeated the first verse. If they did not aim at her right away¡­ -- Ivaa voelia fali, sekraiva javhy -- -- Seluna sakraa vistera -- -- Svraats iu seluno sala ouveh halanost -- -- Sefra havii sekraha lah -- Beside her, DPS grimaced. They ignored her still, even if she was in the middle of the second verse. He didn¡¯t know whether they were foolish or confident. Anymore than this, then¡­ -- Kravii, kravii isli sevaha, yarveulishea vumea -- -- Liiiv mushvalyn ii sa leoro me sefa li, iislia voshtuvi lee -- ¡°What the fuck are they doing?!¡± one player shouted, standing up and lifting his fist in an angry manner. ¡°Hit her, dammit!!! She¡¯s finished her second verse!!! Do you all want to die?!¡± Triggered by one player¡¯s rage, several insulted them of being stupid and some urged them to harm Etherios so that she¡¯d stop singing. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain. The raid team could not even hear their voices. Elvaria was intrigued, and honestly did not want her to stop. What would happen if the ritual had finished? What would happen to the players? Was Etherios summoning a demon? Her heart was beating so fast! 0000 Etherios even extended her hands as she sang, because she put all her effor into it. She poured her energy, mind, and MP into her most treasured song, morphing it, which would''ve given hope and joy to people, into a tool of complete destruction. The witch of destruction--that was who she was after they had shunned and betrayed her. They called her names. After accusing her of following the mad fallen-archangel''s footsteps, they then destroyed everything she held dear. ¡°...she is beautiful and has a great voice to match.¡± ¡°...it''s too much of a coincidence, don''t you think? She is just too perfect.¡± ¡°...indeed, she is. I suspect she''s sold her soul to the demons to obtain perfection...¡± ¡°...she''s fallen! Burn her to cinder! This place welcomes no demons!¡± ¡°...we curse you, demon slut, for deceiving us and entering this sacred land with your dirty, cursed feet!¡± ¡°Curse you, demon scum!¡± ... The song was her sadness. The song was her grievances. The song was her vengeance. -- Minva? Krendy? Seta? Verde? -- -- Visa nova? Delusefama li? -- -- Fibra? Usve? Krovaha luste? -- -- Fibra vstela vste sta -- The song stopped for a second, then resumed, accompanied by scary, yet beautiful orchestra. She finished the interlude and yet no one hit her. -- Vidinopel iusevii ovelia vali leshia -- -- Ii tinn oh sevrahavi, livorime estoog a see ¨C Etherios repeated the first verse again, this time with a faster tempo, signaling that this was the most important part of the song. -- Minva? Krendy? Seta? Verde? ¨C As soon as she sang the third verse, five players were paralyzed. They stood helplessly watching the guards clobbering them. They were still safe, however, because their key healers weren¡¯t paralyzed. -- Visa nova? Delusefama li? ¨C All of a sudden, the spellcasters were silenced, blinded, and badly poisoned. -- Fibra? Vste? Krovaha luste? -- -- Fibra vstela vste ra -- As she hit a high note at the end of the verse, approximately thirteen of the players were confused. -- Kravii, kravii isli sevaha, yarveulishea vumea -- -- Liiiv mushvalyn ii sa leoro me sefa li, iislia voshtuvi lee -- The players who were confused now were afflicted with berserk state, attacking their own teammates. Chaos ensued and the tide turned. 0000 ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± someone beside Elvaria murmured. ¡°They are dead. No one can stop Etherios now.¡± It was quite a frightening scene to see team one beat each other to death. The longer Etherios sang, the more status effects assaulted them, from Cursed (decreased target¡¯s DEF and Magic Resistance), Badly Poisoned (HP rapidly decreased overtime), Confusion (the target attacked their own friends), Berserk (the target¡¯s ATK increased greatly at the cost of severed DEF), Thirst (movement speed deceased by 30%), and many more. Several players stood and left the dome, predicting that defeat was inevitable. It wasn¡¯t fun watching a team that could properly fight. Their ignorance invited total annihilation upon them. -- Vidinopel iusevii ovelia vali leshia -- -- Ii tin oh sevrahavi, livorime estoog a see -- -- Minva? Krendy? Seta? Verde? -- -- Visa nova? Delusefama li? -- -- Fibra? Vste? Krovaha luste? -- -- Fibra vstela vste ra ¨C 0000 Etherios stopped singing when the last of the team one had met their doom. She exhaled and floated to her starting position in the castle. Thanking the guard who brought her a glass of water, she sipped it slowly. She had done her job. The rest of the adventurers were up to the monarchs. Chapter 47: A New Meat Shield? Chapter 47 ~ A New Meat Shield? ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°¡­make it stop¡­ please make it stop¡­¡± Hathor¡¯s painful and breathless whisper made him all the more nervous. She was doubling over in pain on the bed, hands on her stomach. Everything was fine the night before, where she happily cleaned her oversized greataxe. From the look on her face, she couldn¡¯t wait to fight. She was a fighter, so it made sense if fights gave her an immense thrill. Yes, everything was fine¡­ until she collapsed in the hall this morning. And she kept moaning ever since. Kail did not know that stomachache could be so serious. He wanted to take her to the doctor, but he remembered where he was. With teary whimpers, Hathor moved towards him and rested her head on his lap, still with her hands on her stomach. She shed tears on his clothes, murmuring how painful it was over and over. Her unidentified illness struck him dumb. Her handmaidens helped her drink some kind of potion, but so far the effect remained to be seen. Since then, she told them to leave, saying that his presence alone was enough to lessen the pain. Kail didn¡¯t think so. ¡°¡­how do you feel?¡± he stopped caressing her hair. She let out a weak whimper. Her condition worsened, it seemed. He had to do something fast. ¡°Want me to heal you? I¡¯m quite confident in my magic.¡± She shook her head weakly, ¡°¡­you can¡¯t heal it¡­ you can¡¯t¡­ it¡¯ll go away¡­ eventually¡­¡± ¡°When?¡± Kail unintentionally raised his voice. Seeing her writhing like this rubbed his patience. It totally defeated the purpose of her being his meat shield if he was the one taking care of her. ¡°You are in pain! Stop being so stubborn and let me heal you! At least, let me try.¡± The sooner the better. He didn¡¯t want to miss how Etherios fought those stupid players. ¡°¡­I told you; you can¡¯t¡­!¡± she sobbed. ¡°Just let me lie down like this¡­ just a little longer¡­¡± ¡°Your stomachache is serious, Hathor. If we don¡¯t treat it soon¡ª¡± ¡°¡­not stomachache¡­¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± Hathor gathered her power and spoke, ¡°¡­menstrual cramps¡­¡± Kail blinked for several seconds and continued caressing her hair in silence. Slowly he asked, ¡°¡­want me to lend you a hand?¡± She nodded and gripped his left hand so tightly it hurt. 0000 Hathor finally had fallen asleep. It was quite funny to see her sleeping. Being a succubus, a demoness that preyed on sleeping men, he thought that she didn¡¯t need sleep. It seemed that he was wrong. Talking about sleeping, if only he could create sleeping powder imbued with strong, magical blood, he might be able to defeat fellow players easily. Just scattering the powder, concentrating while muttering the incantation, and voila; the enemies were sound asleep.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Well, it was just a wild imagination. There was nothing like ¡®sleeping powder¡¯ in this game. It sounded more like cheat. Aside of that, he didn¡¯t watch how Etherios fought those empty brained players. He was going to, but that insane succubus confined him in the bedroom. Curse her! He wanted to strangle her to death, but it was useless. She¡¯d respawn, anyway, and would definitely retaliate. He jumped in shock when a fireball exploded nearby. The room was shaking violently for a moment until it returned to its quiet atmosphere. He heard weak whimper and his eyes darted to the red-hair on the bed. Being awoken forcefully, she was crying miserably, her expression radiated ¡®feisty¡¯ no more. Now she looked like a recently divorced widow, stressed and depressed. ¡°¡­make it stop¡­! Just¡­ just told them to stop¡­!¡± she hiccupped, ¡°the sounds¡­ the sounds are making me crazy¡­! It¡¯s like¡­ it¡¯s like hundred nails are pressed into my head!¡± ¡°It will over soon.¡± She pulled the blanket over her head weakly, hands shaking and panting, ¡°¡­please¡­¡± God¡­ Violent shakings, deafening booms, warcries, whimpers, curses, and shouts all rushed into Kail¡¯s mind at the same time. His left brow twitched as the sounds getting louder and crazier. Snap! It broke. His patience had just broken into tiny pieces. Goddammit!! With a rough bang, he opened the French window leading to the veranda and stepped outside. Turning his head to the source of sounds, Kail¡¯s vision was met with violent, ongoing battle scene. To be honest, it was his first time seeing this scene before him¡ªa scene like that inside of a cathedral. It was mesmerizing. Players riding their pets¡ªsymbolizing justice and a group of black-armored soldiers riding wyverns¡ªsymbolizing the dark side. Kail wished that he still had his cell phone with him so that he could capture this picturesque scene and treasure it for eternity. Snapping out of his thought, Kail summoned his spells window and changed the filter into Necromancy. There were tons of spells in it, all of which involved the summoning of the deceased, ghosts, and other otherworldly beings. Kail chose one of the most safest-looking spell¡­
Bloodthirsty Beloved [lv.65] Offer your blood and MP to summon a skeletal pet 60 HP, 100 MP
Summon? This spell was not Necromancy! It was a summoning spell, for a Summoner! Not that it mattered, as long as this pet killed those pesky, meatheads. There was no need to fear or hesitate. Why, his pet might be just a dog or maybe a cat! Kail would like it to be a cat, but the thought of seeing a skeleton cat was kind of disturbing¡­ To his surprise, a rune materialized even before he began chanting. Then he felt something unknown pricking his index finger and he grimaced at the sudden pain. The space in front of him¡­ on the air, a big circle materialized before him. The inside was so pitch black he could not see anything. It appeared from within the circle. It was nothing but a formless, black mist and huge. Kail felt scared already. He had just summoned a demon, which was a very, very dangerous thing to do in real world. Looking at the size of it, he had just summoned a skeletal dragon that was too powerful for him to handle¡­ The black mist dissipated and Kail¡¯s jaw dropped at the figure before him. It was¡­ it was a doll! A tiny, skeletal doll with 30 cm height! It has the head of a skeleton, but unbelievably had hair and it was blonde. It was tied in a twintails, even. The body was just a simplified version of human skeleton, just a small, upright bone. The arms and legs were also small bones with four smaller ones serving as their fingers and toes. It was kind of cute, but Kail felt like he was a total failure. His level 65 pet was tiny, feeble doll. He felt like he wanted to cry¡­ ¡°Ay, it¡¯s Master Azariel!¡± It talks! Kail shouted his response inwardly. The doll, which magically floated in the air, jumped happily towards him, its small jaw moved as it spoke, ¡°What did Master Azariel want Shapon to do?¡± Kail stared skeptically at the doll, thinking if sending such a tiny doll into a frenzy battlefield was the right thing to do. Holy slut¡­ were those eyelashes on its eye sockets? He was not seeing things. It had eyelashes! The skeletal doll was a girl, no doubt about it. ¡°Hey, hey, Master Azariel! What we are going to do today? What will it be? What will it be? Hide and seek? Counting to 100?¡± Oh, gods... Kail contemplated for a while. Sixty HP and 100 MP sacrifices to summon this untrustworthy midget, she had to be powerful. She had to... well, that what was Kail wanted her to be. She looked so... weak she could die by just a mere touch. If she perished, he could summon her again as he wished. However, Kail felt his dignity disappearing for making his brittle pet a meat shield candidate. He stopped thinking once the doll spoke again, ¡°Let¡¯s play, Master Azariel! Shapon wants to kill humans! Shapon looves blood!¡± Kail gulped¡­ ...he understood why it was named ''Bloodthirsty Beloved''... Chapter 48: Dance of Death Chapter 48 ~ Dance of Death ~ SW/SW/SW Reeve the vampire had been in a bad mood these few days. Many factors contributed to his absolutely foul mood. First, his classmate punched him in the face twice¡ªtwice! The first punch was rather clumsy, which made sense because he was a perfectly good kid. The last punch was aimed at his eye and he was grateful that his eyeball was still intact. It surprised him how hurt the attack was. Second, before he could think of a proper payback, the kid suddenly got kidnapped. It was all over the neighbor, saying that he got himself kidnapped during a night outing. Reeve did not know whether he was happy or sad. It had got to be karma for punching him in the face, but his disappearance was truly a blessing in disguise. The kid surely was lucky. Reeve¡¯d just thought of a wonderful way to pay his thanks. Third, everyone was being an idiot¡ªalways annoyed him. His real world friends, his mom, and his dad¡­ all of them were idiots. Even his teammates, too. They all got killed by Etherios before they could touch a hair of her head. Well, served them right. Who told them to ignore the witch? They were a bunch of idiots who thought that they were immune to her song and now they reaped what they sowed. What were they, noobs? Four, this floating castle annoyed him to no end. Soldiers kept coming; there was no end of them. Before the latest update, they did not even exist! The path to Azariel was quite straightforward, with Etherios and Hathor on the way. No stupid wyvern riders, no annoying archers, and certainly no dumb mages! Damn! Shabu-Shabu wasn¡¯t even here, saying he¡¯d got some homework to do. The traitor! ¡°Now what?¡± he muttered as he saw more and more soldiers coming out from the castle. With only eight players, clearing this event wasn¡¯t even possible. From the start, they knew that the castle would be full of soldiers, but the sheer numbers threw them in a pit of confusion. No matter how much AoE spells the spellcasters used, they kept coming. There were just too many of them! ¡°Take this, dammit!¡± Reeve threw a yellow-colored sphere at the archers. As soon as it crashed against the ground, nearby archers were struck by lightning bolts from the sky. Most of them were dead, but some survived with only a little HP remaining. Ah, that was quite a rare item. He hoped the sacrifice was worth it¡­ He didn¡¯t know whether failing the quest would earn him money and EXP based on how many soldiers he had killed, but honestly Reeve couldn¡¯t care less. To hell with this quest. He had teamed up with rubbish and there was no way that they¡¯d succeed. To hell with his rare items, he¡¯d just hurl them straight into hordes of enemies. Jolts of lightning stroke the ground where they crashed, electrocuting nearby enemies. One player, who rode a big wyvern, muttered something that sounded ancient. The spiky-scaled wyvern opened its mouth and fired huge fireballs. They scorched platoons of archers, turning them to cinder. At least, someone useful appears, Reeve grumbled inwardly. Reeve commanded his blue phoenix to smother the castle with blue flames. The sacred bird cried and flapped its wings quite fast. As soon as countless blue balls emerged from the wings, the phoenix hurled them towards the castle. The blue flames exploded violently upon impact and gave birth into uncontrollable fire that ate everything in the vicinity. But shockingly the flame dissipated without anyone tending to it. ¡°But that was one huge flame!¡± one player exclaimed. Reeve in disbelief. It was indeed a huge flame, but it gradually disappeared just like that. What was going on? Damn, could it be that the castle was alive¡ªa super rare item? This didn¡¯t even exist before the update! ¡°Hey, is that¡­?¡± one female archer asked, trailed off, a finger pointed at a direction. Reeve turned his head to see what distracted her so much. ¡­and he gaped. It was a tiny¡­ a tiny doll flying at them! What was more, it was holding a pair of kitchen knives! ¡­and behind it was the final boss himself, flying towards them, with hands that looked so bestial they didn¡¯t resemble a human¡¯s hands anymore. ¡°Azariel!!!¡± a player exclaimed in panic, taken aback at the sudden appearance of someone who was supposedly waiting for them in the upper level throne room. ¡°Azariel¡¯s here! What should we do?! Should we focus on him, the soldiers, or the doll?!¡± an archer shouted in confusion, her wyvern blocked most of the arrows with one of its wings.Stolen novel; please report. Before they could think of a plan, the doll screeched at them, forcing them cover their ears. The ear-splitting screech drove them crazy. One player, who was too late in doing so, was suddenly got his defense drastically lowered and stunned. ¡°Hey, someone punch that mage!¡± Reeve bellowed, but it was too late. The soldiers were quickly focused their attacks to the mage and she perished from the battlefield. Seven players remaining¡­ Despite the chaotic turn of event, Reeve managed to hold on to his composure. Barely. He dodged arrows and retaliated with his phoenix. Too bad one arrow got him in the back and it was laced with deadly toxin! Thank God he brought Antidote with him. Finally, no more soldiers coming out. Still, they were greatly outnumbered and Reeve feared that they were going to lose. His phoenix suddenly screeched and maneuvered to the left. The sudden movement almost made him fall. Quickly he grabbed the reins to stabilize himself. Turning his head to his right, he was met by a huge, black beam that corroded anything that touched it. It was coming from the final boss! ¡°Oy, Vampire, what did you just do?!¡± a player holding lance and shield shouted. ¡°Let me take the hits! Use Shadow Scent quickly!¡± Fuck him! He knew that! Reeve took the said item and crushed it in his palm. The item released green cloud that surrounded him, reducing exposure and masking his presence. To his surprise, Azariel was still aiming at him! This time he hurled five black balls at him in quick succession. The homing balls were quite huge and evading proved to be so difficult. Missing his target, Azariel laughed maniacally instead. He got a rune that glowed eerily on each hand. Those runes didn¡¯t look so good to Reeve¡­ Out of that rune, a large beam of energy was released. On the left was black and the other one was white¡ªthe worst thing was that he aimed them at him! Reeve drove his phoenix in sheer terror. Why was the last boss focusing on him? Why not the knight? Was the Shadow Scent not working? Was this some kind of bug!? Reeve had no slightest clue! ¡­was this karma? Karma for thinking about revenge? ¡°Hey, someone take care of that doll for me! I can¡¯t aim at it! It¡¯s too damn small!¡± an archer ordered, which sadly was ignored. The rest of the team was too engrossed in staying alive that they didn¡¯t respond to anything. The said doll was also fighting with the players. Due to it being tiny, it easily flew around with cuts and blood in its wake. ¡°Someone, get him off me!¡± Reeve pleaded to the deaf players. ¡°He¡¯s been attacking me like crazy! Someone throw Blinding Flask!¡± He was ignored again. With one flap of his wings, Azariel flew towards him, his ¡®mouth¡¯ was making a scary, twisted grin. Somehow, Azariel¡¯s figure was getting bigger and more sinister. There was something really sinister behind him, grinning so evilly at him. It was something¡­ unearthly, dangerous, and wrong¡­ [Dark Aura]. Reeve screamed in horror before his head was cut off. 0000 Kail stared mutely at the severed head in the air. The face was forever painted in pure terror. The mouth was wife open and the pupils dilated. Reeve had died. The monster who bullied him in this game was dead. He defeated him. He was beheaded. Suddenly Kail laughed. He laughed so hard that it sounded like a madman¡¯s laugh. ¡°A¡­ ha! Hahahahaha! He died! He died!! Blood, killing¡­ taste so good¡­¡± Kail covered his face with a hand. The taste of blood, the taste of killing¡­ they were very addictive, just like drugs. It was satisfying to be able to defeat someone he hated the most. ¡°Kill¡­ I want to kill more¡­¡± ¡°Eeek¡­! He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s crazy¡­¡± a female healer squeaked in fear. ¡°I know that he¡¯s mad from the character profile, but this is way too wrong¡­ Is¡­ is he programmed like that?¡± Look at that guy! He¡¯s talking to NPC! Must be a weeabo. Master, why did you throw it at me?! I¡¯m so hungry I could eat a horse¡ªno, on a second thought, a castle! Is he programmed like that? NPCS WERE LIVING BEINGS!!! With that thought, Kail disappeared behind the mage and ripped her to shred. No remorse ever crossed his blackened heart. Her question destroyed the last remain of his sanity and kindness. He talked to NPC! ¨C So they thought NPCs were nothing more than decors in a game? There was nothing wrong with talking to NPCs. Kail asked something and they responded. They could reach mutual understanding. Is he programmed like that? ¨C Programmed? Programmed?! She knew nothing about him and about NPCs! She hadn¡¯t experienced it first-hand! NPCs he¡¯d had interacted with were so real they looked exactly like humans! Agriella¡¯s concern, her laughs, her fears... Hathor¡¯s feisty nature, her charm, her smug smiles, and everything about her weren¡¯t programmed! They weren¡¯t codes! They weren¡¯t formulas! All of them were genuine! How dare them¡­? How dare these players insult NPCs¡­? He couldn¡¯t forgive them. He wouldn¡¯t forgive them. Kail swore he¡¯d kill those who belittled NPCs, no matter who they were. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± one soldier approached him. ¡°What now?!¡± Kail roared. Despite the intense anger he displayed, the soldier remained calm and informed him, ¡°Her Majesty insists on fighting alongside you! We can no longer convince her to rest!¡± Out of habit, Kail placed one hand on his hip and tilted his head to his right, ¡°Goddamn¡­! That cunt is truly the death of me! I¡¯ll pull back! You finish them!¡± 0000 Elvaria couldn¡¯t believe what she just saw¡­ ¡­the minions were repeating words like normal NPCs while the last boss wasn¡¯t. Azariel did not repeat words like the rest of his minions. He responded to question and even asked one. His anger, reason unknown, seemed so real to her that she felt like he was a human trapped in a game. But that couldn¡¯t be, could it? That sort of thing happened in comics and cartoons. Could it be that the Advance AI System was partially finished? Honestly Elvaria didn¡¯t know much about technical stuff like that and could not care less. Too bad that they had failed the quest. The battle was epic, though a bit one-sided. She loved the clash between players and Etherios. Her voice was melodious, like an angel¡¯s trumpet¡ªof death. It was eerily unique, distinguishable, and somewhat bitter. Elvaria made a mental note to read the wikia later. This Etherios intrigued her¡­ As she stretched in her seat, she saw a newbie just like her sitting two rows ahead of her. She was an elf, just like her. Instead of blonde hair elves usually had, she had auburn hair, which was tied in a loose braid and put on her left shoulder. If Elvaria was into animes and mangas, she¡¯d immediately know that the hairstyle was the infamous Hairstyle of Death. Elvaria approached her, hoping to get to know her and make friends. Once she was close enough, Elvaria noticed that the girl¡¯s eyes were fixed still on the screen, a hand covering her mouth. Elvaria¡¯s race had keen ears. Despite the girl¡¯s mouth being covered and she spoke rather breathlessly, Elvaria caught a familiar name from her lips¡­ ¡°¡­Kail?¡± Chapter 49: Outside of the Box He is Trapped Within Chapter 49 ~ Outside of the Box He is Trapped Within ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°Did you see the battle yesterday?¡± ¡°I did! It was kinda brutal, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ was Azariel supposed to act like that? He looked alive and it was scary¡­¡± ¡°Dude, you can stop playing this game if you don¡¯t like it. Go play dressing up games instead.¡± ¡°Sir,¡± a bespectacled woman greeted, a bottle of melon juice in hand. The man turned his gaze from the huge screen to face her. He raised his hand in acknowledgement. She put the juice on the table, nodding to fellow programmers she met in the area. Her eyes went to the familiar figure resting on the table, whose head was covered with a helmet. He was paler than he once was and his figure was slightly thinner. Exchanging a glance with her boss, she knew that this plan worked just like what they had planned. ¡°Mr. Johan, the website is full of players questioning our Advanced AI System, especially asking about Azariel. He was inhumanly unstable yesterday and didn¡¯t follow the rule as a boss to battle last. They want us to change him back,¡± a programmer informed. He apparently had quite spare time to open the official website. Johan, the figure sitting in front of the huge screen stretched, ¡°Well, duh, we can¡¯t. That¡¯s what Advanced AI System is all about. The NPCs are living beings in the game. They act based on their programmed personalities. Azariel was designed to be a mad king, of course he is mad,¡± he scratched the back of his neck while giving the helmeted figure a glance. ¡­I¡¯m quite surprised to see him play the role of Azariel so perfectly. As if he¡¯s mad himself. Johan continued inwardly, a wry smile on his lips. ¡°Leave that to other department. We¡¯re programmers. We work with codes, not people,¡± Johan sipped his favorite melon juice, eyes never leaving the machine the higher ups had sent. It amazed him how¡­ advanced the machine was. It allowed them to gather basic human needs data in the form of codes to develop GeaOnline further. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the game was able to support the so-called 99% realistic pain. Deus ex machina, if he said so. ...and it wouldn''t be long before he could realize his own dream... 0000 Hilda hated Kail, that was for sure. He reminded her of her son of a bitch father, who had left her family alone to rot. He lived a corrupted life, just like Kail. He fought, smoke, and took drugs. Her mother even told her that he was a frequent visitor to a red district in a nearby town. Being a child of a diplomat had its own merits as no one dare to question him. Well, humans were hopeless when came in contact with money.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Her mother was even worse. How on earth she could fall in love with someone so¡­ stupid like that. She must¡¯ve been drugged or something. Or worse, hypnotized. Hilda took a deep breath and stared straight ahead. She indeed hated Kail, but why was she here standing right in front of his house, still dressed in her school uniform? Why, she even missed her cram school! She hoped it was worth it! She could not care less about what happened to him, but seeing as they knew each other at least she ought to pay her condolence. Who knows, she might get information about his mysterious disappearance. It sounded silly, but it might have something to do with Ace¡­ Hilda pushed the fence and stepped into the front yard. Turning her head to the left, she was met by a chubby, calico cat sleeping under a shade of an apple tree. Her lips formed a small smile as she approached the said cat. It stirred awake when she patted it and then continued sleeping as if nothing happened. She left the cat alone and knocked at the front door. Several minutes later it was opened by a girl around her age. She was dressed in a simple, soft pink cardigan and skirt. Underneath, she wore a white t-shirt. Her luscious black hair was braided on her left shoulder. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Kail¡¯s friend¡­¡± Hilda murmured and the girl smiled ever so slightly. ¡°Come on in,¡± the girl spoke, opening the door wider. ¡°Thank you,¡± Hilda murmured and entered the house. She took off her shoes and placed it near the door. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Hilda called to the girl. ¡°Is this¡­ is this our first meeting?¡± The girl cocked her head to the side, ¡°Why yes. Something wrong?¡± Hilda frowned at this, ¡°I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s just that¡­ it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve seen your face somewhere¡­ I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°Maybe you saw me around the neighborhood?¡± she, then, gestured towards Hilda to follow her, which Hilda quickly complied. Seeing the girl from behind made Hilda¡¯s memories ticklish. She was one hundred percent sure she saw the girl¡¯s face before, but she forgot where. It was not from the neighborhood. Ah, Hilda wished she could remember! Oh, well¡­ that was not important. She was sure she could remember it sooner or later. They sat on the sofa in the living room, facing each other. Hilda was the first to speak, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear the news. What did the police say? Have they found him?¡± Kail¡¯s sister shook her head slowly, keeping a neutral expression on her face, ¡°Still no clue. It¡¯s not like them to be so unmotivated in solving my brother¡¯s case. I¡¯ve called them many times, but they said they had no idea where to look. Besides, the kidnappers haven¡¯t contacted us yet. It¡¯s really, really weird¡­¡± The police detectives had no idea and no contact yet from the kidnappers? Hilda wondered. ¡°That¡¯s odd. I¡¯ve heard about the CCTV being placed in that area. Have they checked the recording?¡± The little sister bit her lower lip and linked her fingers together, as if in prayers, ¡°They have, but saying that there¡¯s nothing wrong recorded on it. Just people passing through.¡± There was a wrinkle on Hilda¡¯s forehead as she listened to her. The police detectives had inspected the recording but refused to say anything? There¡¯d be no way they¡¯d do that unless¡­ unless¡­ Hilda dreaded the outcome of this thinking. ...could it be that someone in power had Kail kidnapped? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I seem to have a knack for worsening the mood¡­¡± Kail¡¯s sister said, eyes downcast. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± Hilda shook her head, ¡°if someone were to blame, then it should be me. I was the one asking for a depressing question.¡± A silence ensued. Neither Hilda nor Kail¡¯s sister spoke for a long time. Both were swimming in the depths of their minds. Finding that it was the time to leave, Hilda excused herself, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry but I have to go. It¡¯s already dark out there, so¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes, you¡¯re right. Oh!¡± suddenly she exclaimed, ¡°I forgot to brew some tea¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay really. Anyway, I have to go. Sorry to intrude on you so suddenly.¡± The little sister smiled and led her to the front door, where Hilda quickly put on her shoes. After double-checking everything, she waved to the girl, ¡°I hope they find him soon. Be strong.¡± With that, Hilda left the house. Standing beside the lamp post, she sighed. Why did she go to his house? He had nothing to do with Ace¡¯s disappearance. They might have the same face, but that did not mean that they were the same person. Kail was kidnapped and there was no ransom still. Ace¡­ he was gone, too, but there was the probability that he might be busy with his work and personal life. Hilda covered her face with one hand. DPS was right¡­ ¡­it looked like she was back to square one¡­ Chapter 50: A Sudden Participation Chapter 50 ~ A Sudden Participation ~ SW/SW/SW Kail stared at the sleeping figure next to him. Slowly he moved his hand to caress that soft, tattooed cheek and down to those inviting lips. How beautiful, how perfect. She was the very definition of what a succubus would be. Finally she was able to get a good night sleep after causing a commotion yesterday. She was angry. Angry of being left alone. Her battle instinct had been gnawing at her mind and her pride as his queen had foolishly made her jealous at others who had risked their lives for him. Despite the ever growing instinct of protecting him, she was unable to do anything. She was forced to lie on the bed, listening to the sounds of battle that continued to trample her pride. She was a mighty warrior, but in the end¡­ she was but a woman. Kail placed his hand on her forehead to see if she caught a cold. Absentmindedly, Kail shifted his line of sight to her tattoo and was slowly lost in thought. His mind recalled the event he had gone through yesterday¡­ ¡°...what is the meaning of this?¡± Kail gestured towards Hathor, who was leaning against the wall. One of her guards carried her oversized greataxe. ¡°I will fight them. No one can stop me¡­¡± Hathor spoke. She sounded angry for no apparent reason. ¡°You could barely stand upright and you want to kill those adventurers? Are you drunk?¡± Kail didn¡¯t know why, but the atmosphere turned several degrees colder. It might have something to do with what he had said, but seriously? He didn¡¯t mean to insult her. To his surprise, Hathor let out a single drop of tear. She stared at him, dejected painted in her dark-colored eyes. She was not even batting her eyelashes. Kail held the urge to slap his own face. Was this the infamous PMS, a time in which women became feral, emotionally unstable, and wild? ¡°¡­how could you say that to me?¡± her squeaky, pitiful voice scratched his patience. ¡°I¡¯m your wife! We¡¯re bound together for eternity! You and I are one, yet you¡­ you broke the sacred vow and hurt me¡­¡± Everything was deadly quiet. No one moved a finger. With such a tremendous speed, Kail rushed to Hathor, encircling an arm around her stomach. She yelped when her body was easily lifted in the air. Kail hauled her like she was a sack of grain. ¡°Put me down, you beast¡­! Is this how you treat me, your own wife?!¡± Kail paid her no heed and kept walking. He felt poundings at his heavy armor but he pretended not to feel anything. ¡°Put¡­ me down, you unsightly, disgusting, rotten sausage! I swear if you don¡¯t put me down, I¡¯ll skin you alive¡­!¡± She was quite vocal for someone who was supposed to be sick. ¡°You shut up, Hathor,¡± Kail spoke curtly. ¡°I have no use of you right now.¡± Kail felt the shocked stare of the servants nearby as he passed by them. Great, he just created a huge commotion. Hope there would be no trouble tomorrow. Hathor still made a fuss even when they have arrived in their private chambers. Without an inch of pity, Kail tossed her on the bed and then closed the curtain. By the time Kail turned around, Hathor was already on the ground, trying to crawl at the door. Kail grimaced and grabbed her hair, ultimately keeping her in place. He was very rough, but it did the job well. ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡± he asked threateningly, releasing her hair briefly to deposit her back to the bed. ¡°¡­unhand me¡­¡± she weakly demanded and pushed his hands away, but her power was nearly useless in her state as of now. ¡°You¡¯re sick,¡± Kail spat, ¡°stop struggling and accept it, you bitch!¡± She was quite a stubborn one and kept fighting him as if he was some kind of deranged rapist. Annoyed, Kail tossed his helmet and kissed her right on her lips. Since he was quite inexperienced, it was but a simple kiss. Still it was effective. Hathor ceased struggling and exhaled through the kiss. They separated, each had their eyes on each other¡¯s. ¡°¡­my stomach hurts¡­¡± Hathor whined and lay on her side facing him. ¡°What about that potion? Is it effective?¡± Hathor sighed, bending her body so that she could hug her left leg. ¡°¡­it¡¯s to lessen the pain. There¡¯s no potion to alter this cycle¡­ but I feel much better if lie down like this...¡± ¡°Then do that until you¡¯ve recovered,¡± Kail spoke with the tone of finality and went to retrieve his helmet. ¡°¡­are you angry?¡±slowly came her weak voice. ¡°I am. You are sick, but you¡¯re pushing yourself as if you¡¯re blinded with pride. Sick person should stay in bed, not in the battlefield.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. To his surprise she giggled. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±he snarled. ¡°¡­no, nothing. It¡¯s just that¡­ you have such a sharp tongue. Careful so that you won¡¯t tear someone¡¯s heart in half. Oh, well¡­ that¡¯s what I like about you.¡± ¡°Flattery will get you nowhere,¡± he reminded, ¡°just sleep and recover already. You¡¯re beginning to look like a hindrance.¡± Kail felt that she was smiling behind the curtains, ¡°All right, I will¡­¡± After that, Kail had to check hundreds reports and make decision based on what had been written there. It was quite easy because the reports mainly had something to do with improving the castle¡¯s defense. If only they had heavy weapons such as cannon, equipped with cannon ball imbued with status attacks¡­ it would be fun if it went kablaam on the enemies. Sadly there weren¡¯t. Based on the previous battle, Kail assumed that the players would¡¯ve needed to ride their pets to reach this place. In some games he played, aerial troops were weak to arrows and other ranged attacks. If that was true, then it would be a perfect moment to shoot them all down before they arrived. With arrowheads tipped with deadly status attacks such as poison, paralysis, sleep, and, if possible, confusion to the enemies, this battle would be piece of cake¡­ ¡°Oh,¡± Kail spoke out loud, remembering something important. He had the perfect slave for that purpose, hadn¡¯t he? 0000 ¡°Lady Annelotte, His Majesty requires your presence in the Alchemy Room.¡± The blonde-haired woman stared nervously at the female demoness before her. It had been two days since her residing in this place and she did not feel comfortable at all. For a human to live in the nest of the demons was beyond any sane person¡¯s understanding. However, for a better future for her family, she was forced to sell her soul to the devil. And this devil is the infamous master of the floating castle, who was rumored to be a man-eater. Since she was sold to this demon, she had considered herself dead. There was no point in struggling. Her family¡¯s fate rested on her shoulders alone and that was why she could not fight. She could not afford to make mistakes either¡­ If she accidentally did, then¡­ ¡­then everyone would be dead. ¡°Y-Yes, I¡­ I will ready myself. I will arrive in thirty minutes,¡± she spoke rather nervously. To be honest, it was her first time seeing a demoness and she couldn¡¯t help but stare. Annelotte didn¡¯t know what kind of demon the servant was, but she had a dog tail and a pair of horns. How weird. Being lead by the demoness, it took her around fifteen minutes to reach the said Alchemy Room. It was spacious and, of course, full of alchemical stuff such as cauldron, shelves packed with materials and books, and much more. Annelotte took a glance towards the sealed jars on the shelves and nearly fainted in shock. They were full of high-grade materials. In the far reach of the room, there was a familiar person. The flickering flame of the torches cast malignant shadow over his already black armor. His three evil eyes were staring ahead, the red pupils were dilated and looked feral. One would mistake him as a fire-breathing monster at a glance. Annelotte looked down in an instant. Those eyes were so wrong in many ways¡­ ¡°You sure took your time, huh?¡± She held herself strong from the bestial voice and bowed down, ¡°F-Forgive me, Your Majesty! I prepared too long and I¡­ I wished to look presentable and certainly did not see the time¡­! I-I¡­ f-forgive me¡­!¡± ¡°That was a joke, so stop blabbering.¡± Annelotte felt that somewhere a vein exploded. This monster¡­ if only he weren¡¯t so strong, she¡¯d have him punished! ¡°Let¡¯s get to the point,¡± finally he said after an uncomfortable silence, ¡°I want your Alchemy skill.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­?¡± Annelotte tilted her head in confusion, but keeping her gaze on his chest armor. She didn¡¯t dare to look up. She wasn¡¯t sure if she heard it right, but he told her to give up her Alchemy skill. It could not be passed on, unfortunately. Skills existed to be learnt. ¡°Ah, let me rephrase it¡­ I want every single Alchemy recipes you¡¯ve obtained so far. It¡¯s not hard for you to do it, right, considering how high your Alchemy skill is.¡± She gulped. She could do what she was told, but it wasn¡¯t about her skill level! It wasn¡¯t about whether it was hard or easy for her to do so. It was about the sacrifices and the effort she¡¯d put into it. Creating Minor Healing Potion took her only two tries, but creating others advanced healing potions took her forever! Saying that it was easy for her to share the recipes so calmly was¡­ was¡­ absolutely rude. Annelotte calmed herself slowly. Patience would bring victory. The time to turn the table would surely arrive to those who waited calmly. ¡°As you command, Your Majesty,¡± Annelotte opened her inventory and took out the Alchemy flask and the burner. She tapped the air to summon her Alchemy recipes and put the flash and the burner in place. ¡°¡­isn¡¯t that the Erlenmeyer flask¡­?¡± As much as she wanted to look at him in the face, Annelotte couldn¡¯t. She prevented herself from looking above his chest area. Tilting her head, she slowly asked, ¡°¡­Er-Erlen¡­? This is a Portable Alchemy Station, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right¡­¡± he sounded hesitated, which she found strange. ¡°Continue¡­¡± There is something definitely wrong with this man¡­ the woman thought. Howver, she swallowed her curiosity and began her demonstration on how to create Minor Healing Potion. 0000 It was eleven o¡¯clock when Kail decided that it was enough. He had learned seventeen good recipes, which include poison and restorative potions. Twelve recipes were practiced on the spot, while the rest were given. He had one recipe that was quite potent for paralyzing the target for fifteen seconds upon being ingested. However, the problem was that he did not have the necessary materials and did not recognize the materials needed at all. They were all displayed as ??? herb or ??? scale or even ??? blood. Should he identify them all to be fully understood what they really were? This world was beginning to give him headache¡­ As usual, the servants were hiding when he was near. Kail was getting used to it, but somewhere in his mind he hoped that they did not flee. He wanted someone (normal) to talk to, preferably (normal) human who had healthy (and normal) thought, unlike a certain succubus he knew¡­ Kail took off his helmet with a sigh. He placed his helmet on the bed and then stared into his own reflection in the mirror. He wasn¡¯t dreaming. ¡­he was indeed a king now. The once weak, wimpy Kail was no more, only a cruel boy remained. The once kind boy was gone, being corrupted by the reality, and was turned into some kind of loathsome, sick-minded boy. Was the change a sign that he was weak? ¡­or was it because of his strong will to survive and get stronger? Kail didn¡¯t understand. He obtained power and authority that he could manipulate to his liking, yet there was something amiss that he could not comprehend. He did not understand. Kail took a deep sigh and went to his study. If he really got reincarnated or transported into the world of game, then might as well live in this world to its fullest. He should look for information about this world. It would be nice to look for blackmailing materials for future use¡­ ¡­and no, he wouldn¡¯t join a guild and set for adventures. No. Kail picked a book about demons and opened it, still standing before the shelf. However, before he could take a glimpse of that was inside, a notification popped up and in an instant he was gone. The book he was holding fell to the ground with a thud. The last message Kail saw was¡­ [The Guild War will begin in fifteen minutes. Muhehehe and Travonka members will be teleported to respective guild¡¯s waiting room.] Chapter 51: Meeting Her Chapter 51 ~ Meeting Her ~ SW/SW/SW The waiting room was more like a big tavern, complete with several alchemy stations and smiths in one place. The smiths were in the corner of the room and were packed with players who eagerly used them to manually enhance their weapons. Mithril and adamantite ingots were needed to upgrade a weapon by one level. Beyond level ten, however, the material was totally different. The higher the level, the harder it was to upgrade the weapon and here the blacksmithing skill played a significant role. The tavern was quite merry as usual. Beverages were passed, clinks sounds were heard as the players toasted, laughter echoed¡ªeveryone created a relaxed atmosphere despite the fact that they were about to enter a big battle. The waiting room door was never empty. In every one minute, there was always someone going in. Two high leveled warriors stepped in, merrily greeting the masses. The greeting was quickly reciprocated. A second later a shy mage trotted in, followed by a band of low-leveled players. ¡°I leveled up my spells just for this!¡± a blue haired mage exclaimed enthusiastically to his friend, who was eating the mouthwatering beef steak ala waiting room. It raised his maxHP and strength. ¡°Just you wait, you scum! I¡¯ll skewer you with my thunder spells!¡± ¡°I know. That stupid guild beat us to pulp in the previous battle,¡± his friend laughed heartily, stopping ever now and then to eat. ¡°But today it¡¯s different. I bought myself a premium greatsword for a payback time. We¡¯ll kick their sorry ass and rank up!¡± ¡°Dammit, I can¡¯t wait to beat them to pulp!¡± the mage lifted his fist in the air. ¡°By the way, how many Travonka members are participating? It was really a mistake to underestimate that stupid guild¡­¡± ¡°Not sure, but I guess it¡¯s around 120.We lost in numbers, sure, but at least we¡¯ve got ourselves pro players.¡± ¡°Just like the guild master.¡± The mage nodded, ¡°Yep, the guild mas¡ª¡± his voice trailed off as he felt something weird coming closer. Suddenly he shivered, feeling scared. The back of his mind told him to run away from this place. Laughter that had been echoing in the tavern gradually subsided as heavy clank sounds closing in. Waiting in a baited breath, no one dared to leave their sight on the door. Then he appeared. He was clad in a heavy, black armor. The cloak danced menacingly behind him as he walked, creating some sort of sinister shadow behind his already malevolent appearance. His hair, the same color of his armor, looked messy and the long bangs half-covered his right eye. A scowl, a sign of hostility, was plastered across his thin lips. There was no way this guy would smile. His red eyes darted across the tavern, seemingly looking for someone, but then he took a seat in the far corner of the room. Arms crossed in front of his chest and a gaze directed to the outside of the window were all everyone needed to know that this man neither wanted company nor small talk. ¡°¡­BloodAce? Never seen him before¡­¡± ¡°¡­who¡¯s that guy?¡± ¡°¡­isn¡¯t that Azariel¡¯s armor? How did he get that?¡± ¡°¡­it must¡¯ve been a limited edition armor set, huh?¡± The new face, BloodAce, did not seem to mind everyone whispering about him. He continued to gaze ahead, keeping his face free from any emotions. There was something off about him that everyone in the tavern could not name and it scared them a little. 0000 ¡°Still suspicious of AceKivras?¡± Maria asked as they shared a comfortable silence in Travonka Guild Master¡¯s Room. Leaping out from his trance, DPS looked up to meet Maria¡¯s neutral gaze and opened his mouth, ¡°Always.¡± It took Maria a moment to ask a question, ¡°Why are you so interested in him? From the way I see him, he is just a normal player. Everything about him is ordinary. To put it simply, he lacks experience in online gaming. Why bother?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Something¡¯s just off. I feel bad when I see him¡­¡± DPS just could not shake that uneasiness ever since he had met Ace in that pond. He saw them, those visions, and they kept haunting him. He wanted to know what those meant at any cost. A part of him was scared, but his undying thirst of answer pushed him to stand tall. ¡°¡­how¡¯s his progress, by the way?¡± ¡°He leveled up quite fast from the last boss battle. It was the Scylla Queen. I don¡¯t know why my friend prefers that boss over the others. She doesn¡¯t drop any equipment whatsoever and is quite unpopular with players, but I stayed quiet the whole time. I felt that it was impolite to ask.¡± ¡°For healing items, obviously. Her lair is full of intermediate healing potions and scrolls. What level is he now?¡± DPS leaned further against his comfy armchair like a boss he was, looking up at Maria who gave him an odd stare. ¡°You have your own guild member list. You can see it for yourself, can¡¯t you?¡± Maria sighed but summoned her guild member list nonetheless. She just couldn¡¯t get angry with him. There she typed AceKivras on the search bar. ¡­then confusion marred her beautiful face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Maria put a hand on her chin and typed AceKivras¡¯ name again. A second later her frown deepened. ¡°Hey,¡± DPS called, not too happy to be ignored. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense¡­¡± Maria murmured, typing Ace¡¯s name again. The system showed error. ¡°¡­we don¡¯t have a member named AceKivras,¡± Maria informed grimly. ¡°I did add him and his name was on the list, but now it is gone. Can you take a look on your member list? Mine seems to be¡­ bugged, I¡¯m afraid.¡± DPS sure took his time summoning his guild member list. His hawk-like eyes glanced through the list of names and stopped at a peculiar name.
Blood Ace Level Unknown
Job Unknwon
¡°¡­do you know this guy?¡± it was the most obvious question DPS voiced right away. Maria opened her eyes and was quite taken aback at what she saw. ¡°Know or not?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t added anyone by that name¡­¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Then why is he a Travonka member? What¡¯s this, going against the system by adding members behind my back?¡± DPS pressed further with a voice heavily seasoned with anger. ¡°DPS, I swear I don¡¯t know!¡± Maria retaliated with the same force. ¡°I¡¯m proud of my acute memory and I don¡¯t even recall inviting someone like him, much less inviting members without your approval!¡± He pointed a finger at the name, demanding her answer as a guild master. ¡°Then care to explain this? A stranger in our guild?¡± Anyone couldn¡¯t just ask for Travonka membership as they like. They had to be at least teamed up with him five or six times, during which he analyzed their personalities and playstyle before making the final decision. There¡¯d always be one who charged rashly without regards of their teammates, or someone who prefer to watch their teams from afar, doing nothing. He wanted to make sure Travonka did not have rotten members. When Maria went mute, DPS let out a sigh and stared at the ceiling. As far as he knew, Maria had no talent of lying, at least in front of him. If she said that she did not know, she really meant what she said. ¡­but who invited a stranger without him knowing? He turned his head to Maria and spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll see if this guy is worth of Travonka¡¯s name. If he isn¡¯t, I¡¯ll kick him ASAP.¡± 0000 Kail swallowed his nervousness as he made an entrance to the waiting room. Everyone stopped what they were doing and focused their attention solely on him, as if he was a truly exotic human being ever existed. How he wished he could delete that stupid [Imposing] Perk. Everyone was staring. They did not even bat an eyelash either! His perk made him really impossible to ignore. Kail took a seat far in the corner of the room, hoping that they would somehow pretend that he was not there, but it backfired. They whispered about him right in front of him, making a fuss about his appearance and identity. Damn, how Kail wanted everyone to disappear. From the corner of his eyes, he could feel their intense stares. He did his best to ignore them, but the consciousness of being the center of attention elevated his nervous level. Damn them. He felt his nervousness level rising again so he crossed his arms and stared at the scenery outside. The tranquility of the garden gradually helped him relax. There was a reason why he could change his name and hid his level. It was Etherios. Without her, everyone would¡¯ve freaked out by now. He took a brief glance to the ring Etherios gave him and thankful that she had stopped him several days ago, right before the start of players raid. 0000 ¡°Your Majesty,¡± a blue sentence materialized in front of him. Kail read it for a while and turned around to face the darkness, in where Etherios hid, once more. A ring and a white feather appeared out of nowhere, hovering in front of his eye level. He took them in one hand, gently touching the feather as not to ruin the delicate thing. ¡°¡­and these are...?¡± ¡°The ring is the one you requested a week ago, Your Majesty¡ªthe Ring of Personae. It will hide your identity as long as you are wearing it and the feather¡­ it is a necessary item to summon me to your aid. No, please¡­ don¡¯t use it as a pen.¡± Kail somehow felt that Etherios was rather¡­ exasperated for some reason, but he quickly buried the curiosity. He did not know her well enough to ask. ¡°Hide how? Does it automatically change my name or something?¡± A grey sentence appeared in front of him, ¡°¡­sadly I do not know, Your Majesty. I have never tested the ring myself, but I do know that it will hide your identity. I have always been in this place as far as I can remember, only to venture out when the adventurers are attacking.¡± Then it changed into blue, ¡°As for the feather¡­ hold it close to your heart and whisper my name. I shall respond to your calling, provided that I am free. I am not gods and I still have needs¡­¡± Kail felt the sudden urge to embarrass her, ¡°What kind of needs?¡± A rather pinkish sentence appeared, signaling his success, ¡°¡­n-not sex, Your Majesty¡­ Basic needs such as hunger, thirst¡­ You wouldn¡¯t want me to reply you with my mouth full of food, would you?¡± ¡°What do you eat, anyway? Humans?¡± ¡°Gods heaven, no!¡± this time a red-colored sentence appeared, before changing into its usual blue color, ¡°I do eat meat, but not human¡¯s¡­¡± Kail let out an understanding hum and stashed the gifts in his inventory, ¡°My bad¡ªI mean, sorry for the horrid joke. It was really rude of me. About these gifts¡­ thank you. Now is there anything else you wanted to talk about?¡± ¡°No, Your Majesty. That would be all. If there is anything you¡¯d need, just send me a message or we can talk via private chat.¡± What the¡­? So this woman knew the existence of private chat? So that meant Hathor, too, knew about it? What a discovery! ¡°¡­right. I¡¯ll be leaving, then,¡± Kail shook the disbelief out of his mind and turned around, ready to leave. ¡­as he walked out, little did he realize the movements of extremely long legs in the shadow of the cavernous room¡­ 0000 As soon as he was teleported somewhere, he wore the ring before anyone could catch a glimpse on his name. The ring changed his name, but unfortunately hid his job and level. It would definitely make him stand out like a rotten tomato amongst a sack of grain. Well, whatever. As long as he could remain hidden, although not completely¡­ Didn¡¯t he want to go home? Yes, he wanted to return to see his sister and Alisa, and to escape the game where meeting Hilda/Elvaria would be possible. He hated that bitch. So hateful that he loathed to walk on the same soil as she was. But what can a pitiful human being like him do? He had only one life and he did not want to end up in jail because of her. ¡­but not in this place. Kail¡¯s eyes widened a little. Yes, that was right. In this world, he was not human anymore. He had power unmatched to normal players. His wealth was unlimited and he had everything to his disposal. He was strong, stronger than any other being. He was immortal, undying. Any death would grant him a new life. ¡­he was strong. He was the pinnacle of power. But why was he hiding? Shouldn¡¯t he take off that ring and show it to the whole world that he was a human, trapped in the world of game? Why was he hiding? Was he afraid of being woken up from this utopia, in which he was the strongest, only to be reborn as a helpless boy in the other world? Was he scared of being compared to someone again? Was he tired of fulfilling his parents¡¯ expectations? ¡­do I want to go home? ¡­or not? He was utterly confused. Suddenly a small window appeared in front of him.
[Your Beloved :3] wants to talk
Accept Reject
Ugh, that emoticon¡­ He ignored that completely, in a dire need of distraction, and pushed the ¡®Accept¡¯ button. A breathless, needy alto voice greeted him immediately. [[What are you doing in Dragonis?]] [[How did you know?]] Kail asked back. [[I can see your whereabouts clearly in the friend list. What, are you taking a walk? Isn¡¯t that several continents away from here?]] Kail opened his friend list to see several names in there, complete with ¡®job, level, place¡¯ columns. Hathor was in the very first list, with her location revealed: Floating Castle, Difterion. So that was how she was able to find him. Oh, but wait¡­ There was a Relationship column on the very right on the table. His relationship with Hathor was 78 percent, while it was 91 percent with Etherios. He and other players did not have relationship level. What was this, a dating sim? [[¡­do you need something from me, Hathor?]] somehow Kail got the feeling that she wanted something¡­ unusual. [[I¡¯m wearing panties right now.]] [[¡­ah?]] [[Don¡¯t you want to see my perfectly glorious body? It¡¯s a limited edition, you know, since I¡¯m on my panties right now. These are quite expensive and I love the design, but I wish these were crotchless¡­ Oh, but then again I can¡¯t wear them during my monthly period!]] [[¡­]] he knew that Hathor was clearly something, but she had always made him speechless. [[Usually I don¡¯t need my stupid underwear, but this is a special monthly occasion where I¡¯ll be forced to wear one. I need something to attach my pad on. Changing it every three hours is so bothersome. Oh, by the way, do you want me to send you a pic¡ª]] [[¡­no, thank you.]] he interrupted. [[Why? Do you prefer my breasts instead? I have hundred pictures of them in really, really stimulating poses. Ah, talking about this makes me so needy¡­ I need cum¡­]] This woman was in need of a brain surgery. All she could think about was sex. [[This woman is mad. All she could think about is sex.]] It wasn¡¯t him who spoke. It was Hathor instead! [[How in the world did she know what I was thinking about?]] she continued, seemingly bored the more she spoke. [[Being belittled and insulted for so long gave me wisdom unattainable by mere means, Lord Husband. I know exactly what you are thinking.]] This sent an alarming revelation to him. This woman was dangerous. One wrong move and he would lose control over her¡­ [[That aside, how are you feeling?]] Kail knew the tactic was cheap, but he did not care as long as he could steer the subject away. [[Hmm, what a low diverting tactic, but I¡¯ll play along with you. I am fine, thank you. My stomach doesn¡¯t hurt anymore, but I still have to drink potions every now and then. Ah, I wish I had a normal monthly cycle¡­]] From the corner of his eyes, Kail felt a figure walking closer. It was a blur until Kail moved his head. In an instant, there was a lump of dirt in his throat. [[Hmm, why are you quiet? Is something wrong?]] Standing in front of him was a familiar pink-haired elf with the same face as his sister. She donned a different light armor with intricate elven-style embroideries. A scabbard hung tightly against her left thigh. ¡°Is this seat taken?¡± she smiled at him, but it worsened his now foul mood. It was Elvaria. Chapter 52: Her thoughts Chapter 52 ~ Her Thoughts ~ SW/SW/SW Elvariadid not even realize that her avatar¡¯s face was a complete reflection of Kail¡¯s little sister¡¯s face. In all her life, she didn¡¯t even know until she met the girl in question. The hairstyle, her brows, the shape of her eyes, her small nose, and her lips¡­ her features were the exact split of Elvaria. ¡­and the conclusion? Nothing. She didn¡¯t want to know where the heck Kail was, nor care about his disappearance. All she cared about was Ace. He was missing, but he had been logging in until now. A big company couldn¡¯t have overlooked this simple bug since this game was not a beta anymore. If anything, it should¡¯ve been fixed. And her avatar having the same face as Kail¡¯s sister had nothing to do with that. Speaking of Kail, his whereabouts and the police being reluctant to solve the case were also suspicious enough that they worried her. She hadn¡¯t had serious trouble that needed police intervention so she didn¡¯t know what they usually did, but was the police this¡­ lax? Goodness, she needed to refocus her aim! Her first priority was to find Ace, not Kail! She had tons of questions ready for him! How dare he leaving her alone like this? A small gasp escaped from Elvaria¡¯s small lips when her eyes captured a familiar figure. He was sitting in the corner of the room, crossing his arms and seemingly sulking. That face, that hairstyle¡­ ¡­it was Ace! While Elvaria did well to hold the swelling emotions deep within, she just wanted to run and gave him a tight hug, but she resisted. She didn¡¯t want to embarrass him in public. Calmly she took step forwards, her heart beating like crazy as she studied his features. He looked older and somewhat¡­ crueler? However, Elvaria just couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was Ace. He had to be. He had to be¡­! ¡°Is this seat taken?¡± when she spoke, his broad shoulders tensed almost immediately. However, if he was indeed Ace, why would he give her that foul look? No, her intuition couldn¡¯t be wrong¡­ she must¡¯ve mistaken that look as contempt. He just nodded, lips set in a tight line. She had to make sure he was Ace all along, ¡°Are you new here?¡± ¡°¡­yes,¡± Elvaria held the urge to cringe. His voice was awfully¡­ hoarse. She almost mistook it for a monster¡¯s voice. ¡°Oh, that makes the both of us! This is so exciting! I¡¯m Elvaria, by the way. Oh, silly me¡­ of course you already knew,¡± she referred to the name above her head, showing who she was. ¡°¡­so, what level are you? My friends helped me reached level thirty seven.¡± He appeared reluctant to answer, ¡°¡­one thirty.¡± ¡°Oh, my god! Thirteen hundred! You¡¯re way above me!¡± ¡°¡­I was helped,¡± somehow Elvaria felt that he was lying, but he maintained eye contact with her the entire time. He couldn¡¯t be, could he?The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Hmm, really? You look like someone who needs no help. In a good way,¡± she quickly added, fearing that he might have misunderstood her meaning. He nodded silently and focused his gaze on the garden outside, ending the conversation. But Elvaria wouldn¡¯t have it that way, so she murmured, ¡°My friend¡­ he was missing.¡± 0000 ¡°Who the hell is this girl?¡± Johan sipped his melon juice as he looked at the big screen in front of him. ¡°Coming in out of nowhere and talking bullshit.¡± ¡°We can track her IP address,¡± a familiar bespectacled woman spoke, halting her coding for a brief moment, ¡°if you want, sir.¡± Johan studied the girl¡¯s expression. It was just him or she seemed¡­ giddy at the prospect of talking to his puppet. He snorted, not quite understand how a teenager could fall in love with someone so unreal. What a silly teenager crush. ¡°Just leave her be. She¡¯s no threat to the project.¡± With that decision, Hilda¡¯s life was miraculously spared¡­ 0000 ¡°Really?¡± he arched a brow, seemingly uninterested.¡°Can you just PM them?¡± Elvaria shook her head no, ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as that. He¡¯s blocked my account, so I can¡¯t send messages anymore,¡± then she inclined her head to see him in the eyes, ¡°isn¡¯t that just cruel?¡± ¡°¡­it is.¡± Elvaria studied his face, but sadly found nothing. He seemed to be incapable of projecting emotions, which was weird. But Elvaria wouldn¡¯t give up just like that! She had to push harder! She had her fingers interlocked and slowly murmured, ¡°The weird thing is¡­ he is logging in all the time, but he hasn¡¯t showed himself at all. It¡¯s as if he was isolating himself in the world of game. No matter how beautiful or perfect this world is, he has to realize that this isn¡¯t real. It¡¯s just codes.¡± As soon as she finished talking, Elvaria noticed apparent changes in his facial expression. His scowl deepened and his jaw hardened. His normally cold, bottomless eyes were now engulfed in unspeakable fury. ¡­and in that instant Elvaria knew true fear. There was something unearthly about him that was capable to break the border between virtual and real world. She had no idea what that was, but it terrified her to the core. Her knees were trembling and hands shaking under the table¡­ ¡­she was scared¡­ ¡­so scared¡­ When the bell signaling the start of guild battle rang, she sighed in relief. She had a hunch that it had saved her from a fate worse than death. Reluctantly she waved goodbye. Even with her back facing him, she could easily feel his hostility as she followed the rest of Travonka members to the teleportation sphere. Could it be that he was Ace? 0000 As soon as Kail stepped outside of the waiting arena, someone had already waited for him. Crossing his arms and leaning against the wall was LordDPS himself. Amber eyes met bottomless ones. ¡°¡­can we talk?¡± he cautiously asked. 0000 The great arena was unlike any she had imagined it would be. It wasn¡¯t based on Roman gladiatorial arena. Rather, it was a huge deserted capital. Where the cloud would be blue, this one was murky purple and there was no wind blowing. Looking back, Elvaria was met by a swirling prismatic crystal as big as a one story house. She tilted her head, not entirely sure what it was. ¡°Welcome to the 87th guild war with I, the esteemed and beloved speaker you all adore!¡± a cheerful male voice spoke out of nowhere. ¡°The theme of today¡¯s guild war is desecrated capital! We¡¯ve hidden multiple single-use spells in this arena, so use them to your advantage! You have three hours to either annihilate the enemy¡¯s guild master or destroy the crystal in their base camp! If the result ends in a draw, then the winner will be decided by the least amount of death! Remember, if you can¡¯t revive your teammates less than five minutes, it¡¯s your loss! They won¡¯t ever come back to the arena!¡± Elvaria effortlessly summarized what he had said. Travonka had three winning conditions in this battle: kill the enemy¡¯s commander, destroy their crystal, or kill the enemies as much as possible while keeping an eye on Travonka¡¯s death count. It was quite simple. To be honest, she had expected more complicated rules. She turned on her heels and gave the swirling crystal a long stare. This crystal represented their lives. If it got destroyed, then Travonka would lose and ultimately had to step down from rank 17th (out of 56 guilds). It wasn¡¯t such a big number, but DPS said it took forever for them to remain in what they currently were. Elvaria nodded, finally understood what the crystal supposed to be. ¡°Make use of buildings for protection and ambush, and lay waste to the opponent just like the theme that¡¯s presented before you! Let the war begin!!!¡± Elvaria placed a shaky hand on her chest in attempt to tone down the loud beatings in her heart. The energetic cheer and the heated atmosphere... they sent a chill down her spine. So this what a guild war felt like¡­ Summoning her rapiers, Elvaria steeled her determination to win. Chapter 53: Guild War Chapter 53 ~ Guild War ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°Heh, we have no use of this stupid war. The victor has already been decided from the start,¡± Reeve let out a self-satisfied smirk as he watched the battle between two guilds atop a building. It looked like Travonka was sending out low-leveled players again, just like last time. How pathetic, considering their rank. Well, it couldn¡¯t be helped since the guild master was cheating. Suddenly there was a huge explosion far from his left. The sudden, deafening sound was enough to make him jolt. ¡°Oh, there she is! There SHE IS!!¡± the commentator cheered, ¡°the infamous Torture Maiden is on rampage! Blasting 3 players at once with her spell! Holy shit, she¡¯s summoned that dangerous, rotating spear! Anyone nearby better be on guard!¡± ¡°This will be a full frontal assault, don¡¯t you think?¡± a female commentator spoke for the very first time. ¡°It seems like it. Both Muhehehe and Travonka have their best fighters charged head-on! I can¡¯t help but feel intrigued! What would become of this area should they meet?! What kind of high-level battle would they perform?!¡± Damn, they do talk too much, Reeve frowned in distaste. But they wouldn¡¯t be in this place if they were as quiet as the dead. Looking at the hubbub in front of him, he thought that infiltration would be the best choice for a sure win. First, charging head on would attract unwanted attention. Second, the crystal had pretty low HP. A couple of attacks would destroy it pretty quickly. He had explained that brilliant idea to his guild master, but unfortunately the stupid swine was way too confident with his guild¡¯s manpower and believed that brute force was way better than sneaking like a rat. Their way of thinking was clashing pretty badly. Damn, it was all Shabu-Shabu¡¯s fault for choosing such a crappy guild. And it was also his mistake to blindly follow his friend instead of double-checking the guild¡¯s reputation. He whistled when something exploded far ahead in a ruined coliseum. Judging by the color, it must¡¯ve been a high-tier spell. It could be either Travonka mage or his own guild mage. In any case, it would be fun to look around. Who knew, he could find the said one-single use spell and use it to his advantage. Reeve jumped down and begun spying¡­ 0000 Victory for Travonka. Maria held that determination close to her heart as she impaled a player with her spear. Without mercy she pushed him to the wall, letting the spinner do the rest. Thinking of nothing but victory, Maria ran after the ones who escaped to a coliseum, where several minutes later she emerged victorious. Hiding behind a broken pillar, Maria cautiously looked around to see if it was safe to heal. She produced a high-grade healing potion from her inventory and brought it close to her mouth. But the enemy had no intention of ever letting her catch her breath. Maria frowned at the newcomers. One glance was enough for her to see that they were pay-to-win players. She tsk-ed. Maria dodged a fireball aimed to her with ease, her wings made her hard to hit. This time arrows and then throwing knives¡ªshe survived the relentless assault. Maria landed on the ground soundless, posing for deadly attacks. ¡°¡­got you,¡± a masculine voice from behind made her gasp. She evaded the sudden attack, but not without price. Her left arm got shredded from the skill he had used and was now dripping blood. Out of nowhere, someone invoked a powerful thunder spell. Maria gritted her teeth and casted a protective barrier just in time before she was electrocuted to death. To her annoyance, several mages decided to interfere and each of them launched their most powerful spell with a clear intention of killing her right there. Maria gasped in horror when the barrier cracked a little. Any more than this¡­ Suddenly one of the mages was killed by an unknown assailant. The assailant attempted to one hit kill another mage, but he missed the vital spot and left the mage badly wounded.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Maria¡¯s barrier shattered and she was blown to a nearby wall. Quickly she flew before melee fighters could take advantage of her vulnerable position. 0000 ¡°Holy cow! What the heck?!¡± the commentator¡¯s shocked comment caught everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Holy look at that! Isn¡¯t that Azariel¡¯s Aegis that guy¡¯s wearing?!¡± he referred to the short haired youth in the decrepit coliseum. ¡°Holy hell, how did he get that thing?¡± ¡°Where? Where?¡± asked the female commentator. ¡°I can¡¯t see¡ªoh, there he is! Gosh, you¡¯re right! That¡¯s the Aegis! Oh~ let me check my equipment guide! I want to get that armor, too!¡± she opened her key item and read the guide. Several minutes later she frowned, ¡°¡­this is weird. Are my eyes gone blind or is the aegis unobtainable at the moment?¡± ¡°It is unobtainable, you silly,¡± he muttered. ¡°That¡¯s why I asked.¡± ¡°Gosh! That means we¡¯re the first to discover this¡­ this interesting stuff!¡± ¡°Riight~!¡± the male announcer sang, ¡°so that means Travonka will have to withdraw from this guild war! Too bad, but we won¡¯t allow cheater into this sacred area, isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Yep, pretty damn right!¡± she cheered. 0000 ¡°What the hell?¡± a knight voiced his disbelief when he heard the two commentators spoke. Then he stared at the person in question, ¡°You¡­ cheated? Those two said so!¡± The accused said nothing. His quiet stare was unnerving. ¡°Damn, you Travonka are full of cheaters! First your Guild Master and then this guy!¡± he roared to Maria, who landed soundlessly to the ground. She paid him a menacing glare, which he answered as menacingly. Then he laughed, ¡°Oh, well. Not that it matters to me. You¡¯re soon gonna be disqualified, anyway. Although it was kinda short, it was a fun fight. Don¡¯t blame me. Blame your Guild Master and that guy.¡± Maria stared disbelievingly at the new member of Travonka. Who would have thought that he was a cheater? This Guild War¡­ this was a very important event for Travonka. To have that new member destroyed their dream, DPS¡¯ dream¡­ Maria gritted her teeth. ¡­how unforgivable¡­ 0000 All said and done, Travonka had lost the battle and have to wait for the next guild war to once again challenge the higher ranking guild. It was truly a humiliating battle and ended with Kail¡¯s membership revoked. ¡°¡­no hard feelings,¡± DPS flatly murmured as he banned Kail from ever joining Travonka. ¡°Seems that you lied to me about that armor. Are all of you items cheat, too?¡± ¡°I told you the truth, didn¡¯t I?¡± Kail asked back. He wasn¡¯t lying. The armor had been on his body ever since he had awoken in that dreary throne room. Maria glared at him. Her hostility was at its peak, evident in her poison-laced tone, ¡°I hope you will never set your foot here ever again. You have dirtied Travonka¡¯s name.¡± Kail had a staring match with Maria for quite a while before he spoke, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was just fulfilling my promise, after all. And with this, I¡¯m done.¡± How he hated women. They were all the same. Hilda, Maria¡­ they were all the same. Kail turned on his heels and marched towards the exit. Now that the guild war was taken care of, his shoulders felt lighter somehow. It was as if his burden had disappeared into thin air, never to come back. ¡°Look, it¡¯s the cheater!¡± someone said as he walked along the hallway. ¡°He¡¯s still on? I thought he had been banned already!¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t like how he got everything so easily while we had to grind to get rare equipments! It¡¯s not fair¡­¡± ¡°Damn cheater. Die already, noob!¡± Kail ignored them all. Those humans¡­ they did not worthy of his attention. More importantly, he had to go home. Hathor said there would be a strategic meeting for the next Friday. If it could dramatically increase his chance of survival, Kail wouldn¡¯t miss it. ¡­but how to go home¡­? He slapped his face. God, he didn¡¯t even know how to change continent. Moreover, he didn¡¯t even know where his home supposed to be! He probably should call that whore, but she said she was in the middle of a massage and would like to be left alone. Damn! Who cared about that stuff? He was his king! ¡°E-Excuse me¡­?¡± Kail turned around to see an elf with unusual hair color¡ªauburn. Kail looked up to see her name¡ªVeria. ¡­somehow he felt that he knew it¡­ ¡°¡­what do you want?¡± he did not feel bad for being too rough. He hated women and that was final. ¡°I saw your fight earlier¡­¡± she meekly murmured, ¡°¡­I want to be as strong as you.¡± Kail stared at the girl for a while and turned on his heels. ¡°W-Wait¡­!¡± the elf ran after him. She was struggling to keep a steady pace against his powerful stride. ¡°I¡¯m new to this game and I¡¯d like some help!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Alice good enough for you?¡± he was referring to the newbie guide. ¡°She is. I¡¯ve finished the tutorial, but I barely able to understand things. To be honest, I¡¯m not a gamer¡­ I didn¡¯t even know what I was going to ask Alice¡­¡± Kail frowned at that. Not a gamer, huh? That certainly was familiar. Elvaria used to say the same thing. ¡°¡­why me? You see those players with high-level armor? They are better than me. Besides, I¡¯m a cheater. Why would you ask a cheater to help you?¡± ¡°¡­um, those players are scary¡­ Someone shooed me earlier, saying that I¡¯m a nuisance, but¡­ but I just want to ask for help.¡± ¡°What? Help on leveling you up?¡± She shook her head, ¡°No. I can manage that on my own. I just need guidance about things related to this game, such as EXP, status¡­¡± Kail stopped in his track to turn around. The elf yelped at the sudden stop and bumped into him. Quickly she took a step backwards to give him some space. Kail narrowed his eyes, ¡°¡­you mean you need a guide just like Alice, not a party member?¡± ¡°¡­um, I don¡¯t know what a party member is, but yes that¡¯s right. I can google everything, but I think it¡¯d be better to be explained by a more experienced player¡­ Please, I promise I won¡¯t bother you! Just private messages!¡± ¡°Do as you like,¡± Kail sent her a friend request, which was instantly accepted. Great, one more useless thing in his friend list¡­ ¡°Hmm, making friends?¡± Kail turned his head sharply towards the source of voice and his eyes widened. Standing beside him was Hathor herself. Chapter 54: Battle in Dragonis Chapter 54 ~ Battle in Dragonis ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°Hathor!¡± ¡°What the hell is she doing here?!¡± ¡°The mid-boss is here in Dragonis!!¡± ¡°Should we kill her?! What should we do? Is she hostile?!¡± ¡°All of you beginners leave this place!¡± Veria looked around in confusion. Why did everyone suddenly seem so¡­ alert? Their face was so pale. Did it have something to do with the newcomer? Veria attempted to look at her, but found herself blushing. The redhead was truly stunning, with captivating eyes and a bewitching smile. But those weren¡¯t the ones that made her blush. Her choice of apparel turned her face bright red. She once read an adult fashion magazine for references in business attire, but she found something interesting instead. In the middle of it, she found a rather¡­ weird fashion sense. It looked exactly like what the newcomer was wearing. If the memory served her right, it was called leather harness¡­ And God, it looked like she was naked¡­ She was called Hathor? What a weird name¡­ The redhead leaned to BloodAce, reading his friend list without an inch of shame. ¡°Oh, who is this Maria? Your new slut?¡± Veria¡¯s eyes widened at the vulgar words. ¡°¡­an acquaintance,¡± he replied curtly. Hathor let out a long and calculating hmm. Her slit-eyes slowly shifted to Veria. She gave her a small, but mocking smile, ¡°And this one?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m BloodAce¡¯s new friend!¡± Veria stuttered slightly, feeling small in Hathor¡¯s imposing presence. She didn¡¯t know how to explain it, but it was as if she was standing in front of a respectable royal family. ¡°BloodAce?¡± she looked at the man beside him and a small oh escaped her red lips. ¡°Ah, I see. Hmph, BloodAce, isn¡¯t it?¡± The person in question didn¡¯t look comfortable to be talked about, ¡°What are you doing here? You¡¯re scaring those players¡ªI mean adventurers.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, I came to take you home.¡± Veria realized that those two were married in-game just by looking at Hathor¡¯s ring finger and the way she called him. But why was her tone had slight mockery in it? Was that how she normally spoke? ¡°Oh, umm¡­ about what we were talking about¡­¡± great, now she had them staring at her. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll e-mail you later! S-See you!¡± Veria hurriedly left those two, fearing that she would only get in the way. 0000 ¡°What is wrong with that girl? Suddenly leaving like that,¡± Hathor arched her brow. ¡°Ah, I see. A good and pure girl, thinking that she¡¯s disturbed our precious moment together and decided to leave. How cute.¡± And you¡¯re not cute at all, Kail paid her a glance. Hathor gave him a sultry smile. ¡°Did my beauty render you mute?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­you could at least say yes.¡± She was ignored. Kail stared at the elf girl who had disappearing into the crowds. Veria, wasn¡¯t it? He swore he had read that name somewhere¡­ 0000 ¡°Hathor in Dragonis?¡± Maria replied abruptly when a Travonka member reported what he had seen. ¡°Your joke is as nasty as an empty bottle of Elixir. She is inside that floating castle and will never, ever travel outside of her domain.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s here! I swear! A newbie like me didn¡¯t dare to go to that place! Please, do something!¡± Maria was about to discipline him before DPS stormed in. ¡°Bad and good news! Hathor is in East Dragonis, near the Dragon Statue! Inform all members who are above 160 to come ASAP! If she is hostile, we¡¯re after her EXP!¡± ¡°See; I told you!¡± Holy¡­ Maria muttered under her breath as she listened to their stories. ¡°I-I¡¯m on it! Please be careful!¡± DPS nodded and exited the room, followed with the newbie. All this time boss NPCs would never, ever leave their designated area. They did wander, but still within their respectable domain, waiting to be killed by players. But now that Hathor proved her knowledge wrong, could it be that boss NPCs now had the ability to travel? Was this had something to do with the Advanced AI System? After she had finished what she had ordered to, Maria hastily made her way to the East Dragonis. To her surprise, the place had already been crowded with high-level players. Several famous Guild Masters were also there, probably with the same intention as her¡ªkilling Hathor.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The succubus herself was in a conversation with the ex-member of Travonka, BloodAce. This meant another surprise for her because hostile NPCs (boss at that) would attack players on sight, but this¡­ Hathor was talking to a player¡­ And why that cheater, of all people? ¡°Maria,¡± called DPS as he approached her. ¡°Bad news. Every guild has sent their best fighters. I fear it would turn into a dog fight. If that happens, I don¡¯t think we could stand a chance.¡± When DPS talked too much, everyone knew in an instant that this was serious¡­ ¡°But PK is forbidden in town.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s about Hathor, then this is not PK anymore, Maria,¡± DPS cut her sternly. ¡°That succubus is a hostile NPC. I don¡¯t think it would count as PK if we kill her. But I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s about these crowds of EXP-hungry players.¡± Maria gulped. Her mind was playing the worst possible outcome right now. DPS had that face full of worry as he watched the crowds, ¡°¡­what I fear the most is that the dev will turn this battle-forbidden area into¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Maria lifted a hand to stop him. ¡°Please don¡¯t¡­¡± Those two stood in silence for a long time, before Maria asked, ¡°¡­what should we do? Should we wait until they are finished and then attack?¡± ¡°¡­too bad that I don¡¯t have the answer to that. Guess we should wait and see.¡± Far in the distance, Hathor seemed to be opening her inventory. She took out a thick book and gave it to BloodAce. It was unknown what the book was, or what was the purpose of her coming here and giving a book to a player. For a brief moment, BloodAce sighed heavily as he read the cover. ¡°¡­are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking?¡± DPS asked. ¡°Yes. That book¡­ it¡¯s probably a quest item. I suppose we could PK him and steal that. Who knows? It may be an important item to a hidden quest?¡± Far away, a swordman finally readied his double blade, ready to attack at any given moment. Hathor easily noticed it first, given that she was facing the swordman. Her slutty personality crumbled and was replaced by that of a fighter. She lifted a hand towards him, ¡°Give it up, meathead. Do you think you could stand a chance against us?¡± Maria and DPS shared a confused look. Us? 0000 ¡°¡­you talk too much, Hathor,¡± Kail spoke disapprovingly. Hathor let out a maniac chuckle and summoned her infamous, huge, two-handed axe. In an instant, everyone in the vicinity was holding their weapon. ¡°This will be fun!¡± she giggled excitedly. ¡°I didn¡¯t get so much fun several days ago, but I suppose this will make me giddy for the rest of the day!¡± ¡°Hathor, no,¡± Kail ordered, ¡°avoid unnecessary fight and return.¡± ¡°You are no fun. I will teach him manners,¡± she pointed at the dual blade user. ¡°Draw your sword as well, Husband. We will kill that meat and then everyone will follow his step¡­ to hell!¡± This woman¡­ Kail felt a cold sweat trickling down his face. Normally she wasn¡¯t this uncontrollable. He wanted to go home as soon as possible, but it would cause suspicion if he continued to reject her, seeing how perceptive Hathor was. On the other hand, he didn¡¯t even know how to summon that damn weapon. He had tried calling it mentally and by using ritual, but no nothing came up. He was treading on a thin ice¡­ No, he wouldn¡¯t lose to this whore. If he wasn¡¯t convincing enough, he was obviously not using his power to make her bow down. All of a sudden, Kail saw something flashy moved towards Hathor, followed by cracklings similar to that of a thunder. Hathor swung her oversized axe fast enough to made it disappeared, a feat awesome enough to widen his eyes. 0000 One by one those players took turn attacking Hathor, making sure that they didn¡¯t attack fellow players or the system would treat it as PK. No matter how strong they were, their attacks weren¡¯t enough to kill the succubus. In the midst of confusion, five players sneaked on the guy behind her. ¡°I¡¯ll take your life and that book with you!¡± an assassin shouted, using his skill to slice him to pieces. However, the target was way too fast for him, even with his high perception and speed, and retaliated with a darkness spell. ¡°That cheater isn¡¯t a warrior! He¡¯s a mage!¡± the assassin informed his teammate. ¡°To hell with the guards! We¡¯ll kill him right here!¡± With that order, the remaining discarded the thought of getting labeled as PK and charged. Their eyes glinted with bloodshed and greed. It didn''t cross their mind that BloodAce wasn''t a player. He was considered as a boss NPC, but no one paid attention to that, much less concerned about getting labeled as PKer. Even with high-level players going after his life, BloodAce didn¡¯t look scared. He dodged a flurry of attacks one after another despite his heavy armor. However, the weird thing was he didn¡¯t retaliate. It was as if he was just playing around. While he was dodging, he didn¡¯t realize the presence of the sixth member who had been hiding for a surprise attack. She jumped from her hiding spot and swung her sword at him from behind, sending him towards a fruit stall. With a loud crash the stall crumbled, burying BloodAce along with it. ¡°Regroup! He won¡¯t die by that attack!¡± Slowly BloodAce rose from the pile of rubble with a murderous expression on his face. ¡°¡­enough is enough,¡± he muttered, cracking his fists as he moved towards them. One appeared behind him, attempting to slice his throat but was quickly grabbed and blasted in the head. His corpse disappeared, awaiting revival. With one glare, BloodAce dashed to the nearest player, making a hole through her chest. Of course it didn¡¯t hurt, so he grabbed the front of her clothes and cut her arms. ¡°You damn cheater! Get your hands off her!!¡± a knight ran with his halberd ready to kill. BloodAce sidestepped the attack after throwing the amputated girl away mercilessly. He ducked the horizontal slash and muttered something. ¡°Oh sh¡ª¡± Before the knight could even finish his cursing, he was thrown into a wall, his body crackling with electrical residue. ¡°FraGranada!¡± a woman shouted. ¡°Damn you, cheate¡ª!¡± BloodAce was looming before her. ¡°Lietha!¡± an elf cried as her friend¡¯s body was blasted to pieces. BloodAce fought unlike what mages commonly did. Instead of managing his distance, he preferred to stay as close to his target to easily blast or melee them. As the time progressed, however, BloodAce began to make irregular and unpredictable movements. And finally he showed them all his true color. Three pair of white wings sprouted from his back. He flew above, eyes clouded with what seemed to be madness. ¡°Don¡¯t let Hathor escape!¡± someone shouted as the succubus flying towards BloodAce. ¡°What the¡­? What the heck is she trying to do?!¡± ¡°What on earth¡ª¡± Everyone screamed in terror once they saw what BloodAce did. He summoned multiple runes, each facing different directions. ¡°Holy shit, that¡¯s¡ª¡± [Sigil of Despair] Before they could finish their sentence, everything was quickly incinerated. Black beams corroded everything, be that stall, buildings, or players. No one was spared, nothing was left standing. 0000 Hathor watched in horror as her husband destroyed everything. Once Azariel was consumed in madness, he couldn¡¯t differentiate which were enemies and which were friends. How she was grateful that she was hiding close behind him. ¡­else she would be dead, too. Hathor landed on the ground after making sure that it was safe to step on. Azariel was behind her, covering his head with a hand. ¡°Are you all right, Husband?¡± she extended a hand to caress his pale face. ¡°¡­I¡¯m all right, I guess¡­¡± ¡°Did you hurt somewhere?¡± she knew how silly the question was, seeing how heavily armored he was, but it wasn¡¯t hurt to ask. ¡°No, just scratches. Let¡¯s go back before they send more of their kind.¡± Hathor nodded and led him to the Dragon Statue¡­ 0000 DPS coughed as he crawled out of the rubble he had trapped in. Miraculously he was spared from the destructive magic. He was shocked to see everything was ruined. No players were seen aside of him. Hathor and BloodAce were nowhere to be seen. How a mere cheater able to unleash [Sigil of Despair], Azariel¡¯s ultimate move?! What was more, he had Hathor fighting alongside him, something that would never happened with the aid of cheats! DPS had used cheats with his old character and got banned. Among stat-boosting cheats and armors, there wasn¡¯t any cheat to make boss-type NPC your ally! DPS ran a hand through his messy hair in frustration. He did not understand a single thing! No matter how hard he tried to think, nothing came up! ¡­wait, how about posting this on the GeaOnline wikia and see how many people commented on it? Chapter 55: The Forum Chapter 55 ~ The Forum ~ SW/SW/SW
The_Noobie
Hello, I¡¯m new here and I want to ask something. Yesterday I saw Hathor in Dragonis. Is that normal for a boss to appear in cities? Or was it a bug?
liebeFrauMilch
Wth? o.o Raid boss (hathor, azariel, etc) cant even go outside of their area, much less travel to another continent!
PorPaDor
If I could mention my GM im sure he¡¯d say the same thing Hathor did appear in dragonis he said but the wierd thing she talked to a player
PorPaDor
If I could mention my GM im sure he¡¯d say the same thing Hathor did appear in dragonis he said but the wierd thing she talked to a player
IntheGraad
@PorPaDor A boss npc talking to a player?? wtf is going on? btw fix your sentence man. it made me dizzy. and plz dont spam -__-
KYllA
Oh, I knew him! he¡¯s the cheater who had Travonka disqualified from guild war.
EmylieSyndromE
But she didn¡¯t seem hostile yesterday. She even gave a book to the cheater. My team thought of PKing the guy but he was so strong¡­Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. he even did azariel¡¯s ultimate move. what was it called again?
KYllA
Sigil of Despair you mean?
EmylieSyndromE
@KYllA ye that one! Then some said he left with Hathor to who knows where. why he could perfectly casted sigil of despair? you cant even learn it :/
He let out a self-satisfied smirk as he scrolled down the page. It needed him just one post to make things going. Forum was the best place to either spread rumor or start a discussion, which he was doing now. His chocolate-colored eyes read every post quickly, hoping to find some kind of answer to yesterday¡¯s unexplainable event.
Mumukyu
What I don¡¯t get is that Hathor left with the cheater, right? Why? Was it truly a bug?
Li128
Maybe it was a part of a hidden quest?
IntheGraad
@Li128 remember hathor is a hostile boss, meaning you can¡¯t even talk to her let alone get a quest Impossible man, impossible... As of hathor in dragonis, have you checked geaonline official website? it must¡¯ve had something to do with that advance ai sytem
Nothing noteworthy came up. He sighed and threw his body back against the chair. Staring at the ceiling, he wondered what the connection between BloodAce and Hathor was. The more he spent his time thinking about them, the more unlikely that he was cheating. Although he was sure that the armor was a cheat, BloodAce¡¯s relationship with Hathor wasn¡¯t. After stretching his body, he stood to fetch some milk downstairs. The sounds of someone chopping something followed him as he made his way to the kitchen. He was greeted with a scene of a woman there, making dinner. Her luscious black hair was loosely tied in a braid. Sensing that she wasn¡¯t alone, the woman looked behind her shoulder and smiled. ¡°Dinner isn¡¯t ready yet, sweetheart.¡± He nodded and pointed at the fridge. She understood it perfectly what he wanted and gave him a carton of chocolate milk. He didn¡¯t say his thanks, but she didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by it. She stopped chopping to look at him, smiling, ¡°Guess what¡¯s for dinner?¡± Oh, he knew that smile. It was his favorite food, stew! 0000 He patted his stomach contentedly. She had the amazing ability to make every food tastier. The seasoning was just right and the rice was cooked to perfection. Ah, now that he had sated his hunger, it was time to check the forum. He scrolled down slowly as he read each post. It was boring. Either they repeated what someone had previously mentioned, or dismissed it as a cheat. As soon as he reached the end of the discussion, however, he found himself gaping at the screen.
Veria
Have you ever thought of someone getting sucked into the world of game?
...someone getting sucked into the world of game... Chapter 56: Once Again to That Place Chapter 56 ~ Once Again to That Place ~ SW/SW/SW Kail slept on a soft cushion, which strangely emitted heat. It was so warm that he felt it through his bones towards his brain, calming him, making him at ease. With a sigh, he snuggled to the warm thing. To his surprise, the thing embraced him closer as if it could not live without him. Slowly he opened his eyes to see pale, unblemished skin. Lifting his head, his vision was met by familiar bottomless eyes. Red slit replaced what would a cornea normally be. He did not protest when the owner of the eyes grasped his cheeks to seal his mouth in an ardent kiss. This felt wrong. This felt amoral. He, a high school student, was engaging in an intimate act with a woman way older than him, not to mention that she was not human. He should¡¯ve been studying, not whoring. What was he doing? Despite the turbulent emotions deep in the bowel of his mind, he replied her kiss. He had gotten better at it, using his tongue to fuel her lust all the more. Hathor sighed in her kiss as he groped her jiggling rump. This felt so wrong¡­ ¡­yet this felt so right. They parted, gasping for breath. The edge of her lips slowly curved upwards to make a smile. ¡°¡­good evening. Feeling better?¡± He collapsed onto his own pillow, staring at the ceiling. His mouth opened a little to catch his breath. How long had he been sleeping? One day? Two days? He did not remember anything ever since he had returned from Dragonis. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I had to use a sleeping potion. You weren¡¯t quite all right in the head after the accident in Dragonis, muttering and mumbling something weird. You scared me.¡± He shifted his stare and looked straight into her eyes. She averted her vision, feeling uncomfortable under his sharp, scrutinizing gaze. ¡°You¡¯ve been sleeping for six hours. How are you feeling?¡± To be honest he didn¡¯t feel so good, which was weird, ¡°¡­I feel tired somehow.¡± She covered her mouth with the end of her fingers in an attempt to suppress her evil giggle. It failed considerably. ¡°Thank you for the meal. You are tasty as always.¡± Looking down, he found out that he was stripped bare. Damn her! He should have known this¡­ Hathor let out a self-satisfied chuckle and rested her body on his chest. He hated to admit it, but her melons felt so deliciously good against his skin. Leaning her head against her hand, she flashed him her usual smirk. Her fangs added more plus point to her malevolent appearance. But somehow he felt that those sharp teeth made her beautiful all the more. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to read it,¡± she reminded. ¡°It will help you remember who you are, and the people around you.¡± Hathor was referring to the book she gave him. It was entitled ¡®people¡¯. Most likely it contained the floating castle¡¯s residents. He hadn¡¯t had the time to read it, given how chaotic that event in Dragonis was. As much as he wanted to read it, though, reading wasn¡¯t his strong suit. What was more, the book reminded him of his English dictionary¡­ thick and boring. ¡°I¡¯ve added pictures just in case,¡± Hathor seemed to know what he was thinking about and casually remarked. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t forget about the meeting in two days from now. Use your time reading so that you¡¯d know how to act in front of our subordinates.¡± Before he knew what was going on, she had her sharp nails on his neck. Her gaze was fierce as she hissed, ¡°¡­and do not mess this up. No one has to know that you are not what you once were. Do you understand?¡± The sudden change of her attitude caught him off guard, ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Do you understand?¡± she repeated; this time with a higher, much deadlier tone. ¡°¡­yes.¡± ¡°Good,¡± she withdrew her hands with a sultry smile, back to her usual self, before she captured his lips into yet another enflaming kiss.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. 0000 The dinner was, as usual, lavish. Meats, fruits, breads, alcohols¡ªhe could almost find anything on the table. It was supposed to be called a feast rather than dinner. Over time, he began to see it as a ritual to throw out valuable food since it was just them who partake in it. Even though the concubine had started to show up, there would always be untouched dishes. To make the matter worse, the foods were all tasteless. Kail sighed as he opened his inventory. Now that he had a moment to think, he had stopped taking care of his inventory and now it was full of trash: cheap rations and bottles of water, the rest were healing and other items. He had several low-ranked items, such as a couple of Minor Healing Potions, three Minor Mana Potions, and several Scrolls of Return. Now that he was no longer a Travonka member, he had stopped receiving the scroll. Oh, it seemed that his inventory was not fully cluttered with trash. He still had the potion Maria gave him after he joined Travonka and other high-ranking potions. What was it called again? Aqua¡­ something. Supposedly it would temporarily bolster his defense, but he had completely forgotten about the detail. It was such a long time ago. That reminded him¡­ he should do something about his item list. Almost eighty percent of it was labeled as ¡®???¡¯. He just could not go on like this forever if he wanted to stay alive. Everything should be identified and besides he¡¯d like to try Alchemy for the first time, unless he wanted the gift from that person go to waste. ¡°¡­oh.¡± Kail remembered something. That person. How could he forget about Helluva, that snake? And speaking of snake, he had almost forgotten the fact that Agriella existed! She was just too weak to be of any use. It was not his fault to forget that she was there in the first place. That scylla woman looked capable, not to mention her high Alchemy skill. She would definitely make a good alchemist, albeit under level 100. Actually the concubine was a good alchemist, but she was untainted. Her heart was pure and he feared that it would be the end of him. To be honest, he could corrupt her, but he had no confidence in sort of things. That was why he needed someone close to ¡®evil¡¯ in nature. Having two puppets that were familiar with Alchemy was better than one. That meant double production and just in case if he needed to sacrifice one, he still had another. Actually there were many merits of having two alchemists, but those two were quickly come to mind. He had decided to recruit that snake. That meant he had to go to Dragonis once again and then towards the burned forest. And speaking of Dragonis, had the city be repaired yet? It wasn¡¯t long that he had destroyed it, so it could still be rubbles. For now he needed to find Hathor and ask for her guidance. According to his friend list, the succubus was on her own chambers, not too far from his. It took him just ten minutes walk. He did not bother knocking and entered. Turned out it was the antechamber with a lone door at the far side of the room. That must be it. He pushed the handle and saw something that he could not forget. Hathor was sitting on a windowsill, a book in her hands. She was absorbed in her reading, whatever that was, and failed to notice his coming. Kail knocked at the door behind him, earning a sharp look from the redhead. They had a staring competition until she broke the silence. ¡°I know what you are thinking,¡± she closed her book. ¡°I need to read every once in a while. It is boring here.¡± ¡°¡­you like reading?¡± ¡°Yes, although not as much as sex.¡± This woman really had no shame. ¡°I''m going to Dragonis,¡± he informed. ¡°¡­again? What is it this time? You have turned that place to dust. There is nothing left there.¡± ¡°Scouting for potential allies,¡± he answered curtly and immediately added before Hathor could even open her mouth, ¡°no, I will go alone. Your useless mouth almost had me exposed. You will stay here, guarding this place as punishment.¡± She narrowed her eyes at him, ¡°I had overstepped my boundaries, I know, but to go alone to that place¡­ it is adventurers¡¯ hive. You are signing to your doom.¡± ¡°¡­do you think I¡¯d go looking like this?¡± he referred to Azariel¡¯s three-eyed, menacing, twisted form. Hathor lifted her right brow, looking amused rather than offended, ¡°No, of course not. Although, to say it bluntly, it would be fun fighting those meatheads. Oh, imagine the thrill, the melodies when you exchange blows¡­.¡± Ugh, this woman really needed her head fixed. ¡°¡­any thoughts about recruiting competent ally?¡± ¡°Hmm, Dragonis, isn¡¯t it? And that means Vandarius continent¡­¡± she placed her fingers on her chin. ¡°If it¡¯s Hefpestra or Difterion continent, I¡¯d tell you which person to recruit. Since this is Vandarius¡­ to be honest I have little knowledge about it. Why bother going to Vandarius when you could get powerful allies in Difterion?¡± ¡°¡­let¡¯s say I have my eye on somebody,¡± he hoped that half-assed reasoning was sufficient enough to convince her. ¡°A perfect piece for my plan.¡± When Hathor chuckled, Kail sighed inwardly. It looked like she was convinced, which was good. ¡°See you¡­ tomorrow, I suppose. Ah, don¡¯t forget to remind me of that meeting.¡± ¡°Why, of course. After all, we can¡¯t start without you. If you are ever in danger, use the Scroll of Return to go back to any cities you have visited.¡± Damn, so that was how it worked. He had misunderstood the usage of Scroll of Return, it seemed. He thought that the scroll would only teleport him to Dragonis. He and his stupidity¡­ ¡°If you want to go to another continent, then go to Teleportation Room on the underground level. Wait¡­¡± Kail could not believe what he saw. Hathor pushed the air to summon her inventory and produced two scrolls. ¡­NPCs had inventory, too? Interesting¡­ ¡°Here, Difterion and underground level maps. Be careful out there. Eat healthy and don¡¯t stay up late.¡± To his surprise, Hathor was quite caring, in contrast with her whorish appearance. Sex-crazed and bimbo-brained woman were the first impression Kail had gotten from her. It seemed that there was another side of her that he didn¡¯t know. Kail began to respect her. Just a little. Hathor tilted her head and smirked, ¡°¡­by the way, do you want to take my panties along? Just in case if you are lonely and need quick relief.¡± ¡­.he took it back. She was crazy. 0000 ¡°¡¯I have my eye on somebody¡¯?¡± Hathor scorned when he was no longer around, ¡°that is not scouting if you have already found someone, you foolish angel! Do you think I¡¯m stupid?! I saw through your lies! Let us see what kind of woman you¡¯d bring home this time.¡± Chapter 57: The Man Behind It All Chapter 57 ~ The Man Behind It All ~ SW/SW/SW They said there would always be a limit to everything, be that studying, sports, or even eating. Too much eating would make you fat, too much exercising without regards to resting was hazardous to health. True, there¡¯d always be a limit to everything, however, Johan believed there was no limit to effort. He believed that effort symbolized determination to achieve something, thus he worked hard, harder than anyone. This earned him isolation during his teenager days. Worse, he was labeled as eccentric by his colleagues just because he was always ahead of them, rarely coming out from library to hang out. Why on earth would he mingle with them and wasting his time laughing like a fool? Oh, no. What was wrong with working so hard? It wasn¡¯t like he was hurting anyone. He worked, failed, and succeeded¡ªall alone. He saw friends as nothing but disposable tools. Nothing more, nothing less. He, then, took an interest in game industry. At first he was developing a game by himself, a simple puzzle game, but it was not successful. He tried another, trying to figure it out why it did not sell. Same things happened. His second game was not welcomed. Finally Johan understood that puzzle games were not his strong suit. Tired, he rested his weary mind in a fast food shop. There, he overheard a bunch of high school boys talking about Last Fantasy. From their discussion, it seemed to be a game¡¯s title.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. That event led him to take a second chance in RPG. ¡­and Johan was really grateful to be in that place, for he was now the lead GeaOnline programmer. If there was a wish Johan dreamed of achieving, that would be¡­ ¡­to be able live inside the world of game. Having no fear of old age and diseases, living forever in a fantasy world where magic and sword met¡­ what more could a gamer like him asked for?! Real world was a hive of scum, pollution, and evils, with reality waiting to crush hopes in every corner. He, a mere normal human, was hopeless against the cruelty of life. Fates had not been as kind to him as of late and he was forced to accept the reality that was shoved to him. Thus he agreed to join Project Utopia, in which the goal was to create a habitable virtual world where senses were as real as in the real world with the help of Reality Render. Reality Render was a machine that reflected codes into what they were written by tweaking nerves. It was also capable of detecting basic emotions, categorizing, and displaying them as codes. They could modify these codes to produce myriad of human emotions, which in turn help him accomplish his life goal. However, Reality Render had a fatal weakness. Although the user might experience pain, it was nothing more than the result of complicated codes. He might have eaten in-game, but that did not mean his real world self would feel satiated. That was the only fault the Reality Render had. It dealt with nerves, not body. GeaOnline visor was based on this concept, although it was clearly a downgraded version of the real Reality Render. Johan was not quite satisfied with it and wanted more. He wanted to see Reality Render self-nourish the user as long as he was in the world of game. That way, the dream of living in the world of game forever would come true! 0000 ¡°Updating the Project U!¡± one programmer spoke aloud. Another beside her announced, ¡°Momentarily disabling the Reality Render! Inputting sweet script!¡± Johan smirked to himself as he looked at the big screen before him. It wouldn¡¯t be long¡­ ¡­yes, it wouldn¡¯t be long¡­ Chapter 58: Through the Queen’s Eyes Chapter 58 ~ Through the Queen¡¯s Eyes ~ SW/SW/SW In all her life, Helluva hated those adventurers. They pillaged everything they could get their hands off and destroyed natures, as well as killed its inhabitants just for their selfish desires. They were a bunch of cowardly apes, always bringing along their friends to indulge in obliterating anything that moved. Unforgivable, they were. And for some weird reason, her beloved home would always be on their top priority. They came, wounded her, and left her alone to die before taking away the potions she had put so much effort in creating. What was more, they were always speaking in loop. It scared her that she wished the earth would swallow them whole. However, there was this odd one amongst them. A male, he looked like a magic user. Living in loneliness, he was the first she could talk to for years. Different from the rest of those heartless adventurers, he understood what she was talking about, even followed her orders albeit half-heartedly. What was his name again¡­? She swore it started with Ace¡­ AceMagician? AceKool? No, the latter seemed off¡­ She frowned when an intruder stepped inside her domain. Being the ruler of this dead forest, she could detect anything that did not belong to this place with ease. She slithered to the uppermost level of her home, peeking through a hole in the wall. Even though her eyes found no one, her guts told her that there was someone up north, in that thick fog. How strange¡­ All of a sudden she felt fear creeping up to her mind. Untold fear, it was as if something terribly wrong coming to reap her life, to sever her head with the most dreadful way ever existed. Looking down, she found her hands shaking and her snake legs cowered. Then she spotted him, wading through swamp. His lean body was covered in a simple, leather armor, holding nothing in his hands. His black hair was left in a messy state, truly in contrast with his deadly pale skin. It was so pale that she could make out his veins, pulsating with blood. Her shaking worsened and she couldn¡¯t help but shed tears. ¡­what are you? That man stopped and slowly lifted his head to see the spot where she had been standing. Of course he found none, since Helluva was cowering underneath the hole, trembling uncontrollably. ¡­what is he¡­? Panicking, she ran as far from that place, her heart beating like crazy. That man¡­ he was not normal. Helluva was deeply ashamed for running away, but she was so cared. He might be dressed in simple garment appeared to be in low level, but he was emitting a horrible aura that reeked of bloodlust. He was the same with that woman¡­ that woman with a spear who severed all her snakehead legs¡­ ¡­he is Death¡­ Helluva escaped to the underground cavern. It was full of poisonous mushrooms that were deadly to anything but snake. It, once inhaled, was capable to kill not only humans, but also the most powerful dragon. She had planted those mushrooms just for this. Of course it was dark down there, but given that she had spent much of her life planting mushrooms, she could see everything so clearly. As she made her way to the biggest room in the cave, she was being careful not to accidentally brush the fungi with her snake legs. She knew they were fragile. She finally arrived at her destination. The cavernous room was big enough for a four people battle. Toxic mushrooms sprouted in every nook and cranny, promising an unimaginable death to those foolish enough to explore this place. He¡¯s here. How foolish. Helluva aimed her snakehead-legs in every direction. Once he stepped inside, she¡¯d shoot the mushrooms nearby with her snake¡¯s fangs. The fangs regenerated almost instantly, making them a deadly, short-ranged weapon. The drawback was that the fangs were quite weak and would deal measly amount of damage. He was coming closer. His faint footsteps became clearer as he stepped closer to his destination until she could finally see him with her own eyes. Up close, he truly was a human with characteristics that described him as such, but her heart thought otherwise. He was not human. He was something more than that. ¡­something sinister¡­ ¡°¡­stop,¡± she demanded sternly, although her snake legs shivered a little. Fear had made her forgotten about her tactic earlier, ¡°Who are you? What do you want? Oh, forget the last question; you¡¯d probably here to kill me and steal my potions!¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in them.¡± She gasped. His voice was far from a normal human voice. It sounded¡­ monstrous, as if his voice was composed of ten different people speaking the same thing at the same time! ¡°I see. You are after me, then. Do you think I am some sort of EXP cattle, adventurer? All of you¡­ all of you are selfish, greedy beings! You kill everything just to satisfy your needs! How many deaths would it take to make you all satisfied?!¡± His refusal to answer made her angrier. ¡°Tell me, do you know ¡®pain¡¯? Do you know ¡®fear¡¯? Thanks to you, I am living in fear! Fear to be killed, to be tortured! All I want is to live in peace, but you have destroyed that! And now you are here with the intention of killing me¡­!¡± She drew in a long breath to help her concentrate. She would not let her emotions took over, ¡°Look at what I have, adventurer.¡± He narrowed his eyes as he studied his surroundings. Helluva smirked, finally seeing a glimpse of fear in those bottomless eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be foolish enough to venture here, adventurer. This cave is full of deadly, fragile mushrooms which gas could even poison the mightiest of all to death. It only takes one shot from my snake to kill you.¡± ¡°¡­toxic,¡± he mumbled it aloud. ¡°Highly toxic,¡± she laughed, feeling triumphant. ¡°You will die, writhing in unimaginable pain while I dance in front of you, unscathed! I will have you know that I am immune¡ª¡± ¡°¡­basically it won¡¯t happen once you¡¯re unconscious.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± She did not know if he was using magic or was moving too fast for her to see, but all of a sudden he was behind her! Obviously he was a magic user, but he made a fatal mistake. Standing so close behind her, he was obviously within her snakeheads¡¯ reach! Competent spellcasters always maintained good distance between them and their enemies, but this man was the very definition of an idiot. ¡°Fool!!!¡± Helluva shouted, twirling her body. She aimed one of her snake-legs towards him, intending to rip him apart. However, he was gone before the attack connected, eliciting a surprised gasp from the scylla queen. This time he appeared beside her, but he easily evaded her next attack. His figure disappeared as soon as it came and it annoyed her. ¡°Fight me fair and square, adventurer!!¡± she demanded through gritted teeth. ¡°Stop running away like a coward!¡± Helluva stopped dead in her track. Standing before her was him with face so close to her she could felt his hot breath against her skin. Up close, he looked more twisted than she had thought despite him having a perfectly normal human appearance. ¡°¡­running away? You are just too slow,¡± he gripped her slender neck and slammed her against the uneven ground. She let out a cry of agony when her head made a contact with sharp stones. Multitude of pain assaulted her, making her vision blurry. Such strength¡­ ¡­what level was he¡­? ¡°¡­are you¡­ satisfied¡­?¡± she coughed weakly. Blood seeped through her head, slowly making a small puddle around it. ¡°¡­you adventurers¡­ all of you are the same¡­¡± A self-satisfied smirk was the last thing Helluva seen before she blacked out. 0000 The bed underneath her body felt soft and cool against her skin. A blanket covered her body, making her safe and warm. Slowly her eyes stirred open. Her vision was met by a familiar surrounding that was her bedroom. Weird, she remembered fighting the scary adventurer in the underground cave¡­ She suddenly sat but collapsed with a soft groan. She tried to touch her head, but found out that her hands were tied together. Confused beyond belief, she moved her legs to break the rope, but she couldn¡¯t. Her legs could not even move an inch. It was as if someone had chained all of her snake-legs... ...and indeed they were chained! ¡°¡­awake, I see,¡± a bored voice murmured. Helluva turned sharply towards the source of voice and her body sprung to a sitting position. That adventurer was there, reading what apparently was one of her books. She hissed when he stood. ¡°You bastard! What do you want from me?¡± ¡°¡­nothing. Howerver, it''s just that... a crazy acquaintance of mine gave me this,¡± he produced a familiar choker from his inventory. ¡°And I¡¯d like to give this a try.¡± Helluva gasped. That was a slave choker! Once worn, she¡¯d not be able to lay a hand on him, let alone disobey his order! To become a slave to an adventurer¡­!! ¡°No! Y-You are crazy! You can¡¯t do this to me!¡± she struggled when he tried to leash her. ¡°No! No! I don¡¯t want this¡­! Get this off me¡­!¡± ¡°That choker looks good on you, snake,¡± he commented venomously. ¡°Well, let¡¯s try this thing¡­¡± No¡­! No¡­ ¡°Close your eyes,¡± he commanded. Due to the magical choker around her neck, she obeyed almost immediately. ¡°No, no. That was too easy.¡± She opened her eyes in time to see him standing before her, arms stretched out to her. She forcefully closed her eyes, bracing herself from any impact. Thankfully it never came. He didn¡¯t hit her. Instead he released her bindings and stood motionless, looking at her intently. His facial expression clearly told her that he was planning something really, really bad. ¡°¡­ah, how is this¡­¡± he sneered, ¡°undress.¡± ¡°N-No¡­¡± her hands moved against her will. She cried when they threw away her girdle. ¡°Please, stop¡­ stop¡­ Stop this, I beg you! I will¡­ I will do anything, so please¡­!¡± His face lighted up when he heard that, ¡°Ah? What did you just say?¡± ¡°I-I will do anything, but please don¡¯t make me do this¡­!¡± she was still a virgin, of course she was deathly afraid of what would become of her. She was not clueless about sex, but to have her first time with a filthy adventurer¡­ cruel no less¡­ ¡°Alright, stop.¡± Helluva let out a sigh of relief when her hands ceased their movements, but terror overcame her a second later. Out of fear, she had unintentionally accepted her role as his slave. Now everything was over. She was on the mercy of this man¡­ it would be a matter of time until he forcefully took her virginity away¡­ When she looked up to negotiate, the adventurer suddenly collapsed face first. Helluva turned her head around, looking for the savior who had saved her life, but there was no one beside them in this place. Looking at the unmoving figure on the carpet, Helluva gulped and shook his shoulder. He did not wake up. Turning him around, Helluva yelped in fear to see his eyes were opened. She waved a hand, but he didn¡¯t blink, let alone move his eyes. ¡­he was dead. ¡°I¡¯m free!!¡± she yelled while taking a hold of the slave choker. Now that her master was dead, the choker should lose its power and she¡¯d able to tear it to pieces with ease! ¡­to her horror, it wouldn¡¯t come off. ¡­she could not destroy it¡­ Panicking, she searched his body, hoping to find some kind of key. She checked his pockets, his neck just in case if he wore it like a necklace¡­ ¡­but she found nothing!! ¡°What on earth is this choker? It is supposed to lose its power once the owner dies!!¡± she pulled it out the second time but to no avail. This time she decided to let her legs did the dirty work. However, no matter how many times they pulled, they could not even scratch the damn thing. Slowly, she prostrated, losing her energy. Her master was dead, but she remained a slave. What was she supposed to do; taking care of a dead body? Protecting the corpse of her ex-master forever? ¡­what was she supposed to do now¡­? Chapter 59: A Flicker of Reality Chapter 59 ~ A Flicker of Reality ~ SW/SW/SW ¡­where am I¡­? He was standing in a void of complete darkness. No sound was heard and nothing could be seen. Slowly he lifted his hand experimentally, only to realize that it was a futile thing to do, as he could not even feel his fingers moving. Was this¡­ Hell? Was he dead? Was he killed? He could not remember anything¡­ his mind was blurry¡­ ¡ªther! He heard something calling him. ¡­or rather someone. Where did it come from? It might have known something about this place! ¡ªother! He led his formless body aimlessly, unknowingly returned to the same spot as he was before. The sound seemed to come from all directions, confusing him all the more. ¡ªbrother! He froze at that. Brother, it said¡­ ¡­who¡­? He swirled anxiously, but all he could see was never-ending darkness. ¡ªBrother! ¡ªBrother? Wak¡­ ¡­what¡­? ¡ªBrother? Wake up! 0000 He woke up with a scream, followed by a feminine yelp beside him. Looking around, his vision was met by a somehow familiar park. ¡°Brother, you scared me! You started dozing off and then woke up screaming like that!¡± a girl frowned worriedly. ¡°Bad dreams?¡± He placed a hand on his forehead, murmuring, ¡°¡­maybe.¡± How could he forget? He was Kail¡­ and this girl¡­ she was Nia, his twin sister. ¡°Are you okay? Want something to drink?¡± she pointed at a vending machine nearby. ¡°¡­Dirabela Wine,¡± he blurted it out unconsciously, earning a long stare from his sister. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re playing games too much! You silly!¡± she laughed at him, ignorant to his confused look, ¡°I¡¯ll get you some choco milk, okay! Be right back!¡± He stared into space. Why did he answer that¡­? What the heck was Dirabela Wine? Then a memory flashed inside his mind. ¡­I knew you¡¯d love this Dirabela Wine! How does it taste, sweetheart? ¡­tasteless as always¡­ ¡­hmm? ¡­ah, no. It¡­ tastes like you, Hathor. His eyes widened in response. Who was that? Who? Who was Hathor? Why could he not remember a thing? His mind was in a complete mess that it hurt just to try to remember. What was going on? Was he sick? ¡°Here you go,¡± she presented him a can of chocolate milk. ¡°Careful, it¡¯s hot. Drink slowly, okay?¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He murmured his thanks as he reached out his hand, ¡°¡­thank you.¡± ¡°Yum! It¡¯s so sweet! I like sweet things! Don¡¯t you too, brother?¡± she chirped happily. Was he? He couldn¡¯t remember a thing¡­ As soon as he sipped the drink, a look of pure disbelief and horror formed on his face. ¡­it was tasteless¡­ ¡°Y-Yes,¡± he hastily (and nervously) agreed. ¡°I like it when it¡¯s sweet.¡± Then a comfortable silence befell them. Kail stared into space as he tried to remember his dream. He recalled a woman with white, unblemished skin and hair as red as blood. Oh, and her smile. The smug smile he loved so much. Who she was, he had no idea, but he felt that he knew her. Who was she? Who¡­? ¡°Brother?¡± came Nia¡¯s murmur. Kail turned to his side and gazed into Nia¡¯s black iris. ¡°Mind sharing your dream to me? I know I¡¯m not really that helpful and certainly can¡¯t tell you the meaning of your dream, but talking heart-to-heart will lighten the burden on your mind. And heart, too!¡± He shook his head slowly, ¡°Nah, it¡¯s okay. You¡¯ll laugh, anyway.¡± ¡°I promise not to!¡± Seeing the determination in her eyes, he gave in. Like there was any harm in telling her his dream¡­ So he told her. He began with how his dream started. He told her about his castle, rich in tapestries and furniture, about his role as a king, and lastly about her although he couldn¡¯t remember her name. Nia listened attentively, mesmerized by his tale. At the end of the story, she stared at her hands which were folded neatly on her lap with an unreadable expression on her face. ¡°¡­it¡¯s kind of unbelievable. I mean, of all dreams your mind decided to place you as a king who has literally everything. Not to mention you had your own castle! And it was floating to boot!¡± Kail leaned against the bench, sighing, ¡°Yeah, I know. Crazy, right? But that world isn¡¯t real. It was just a dream and I don¡¯t really want to go back.¡± ¡°Why? It sounded amazing and magical, from the way you described it. It suits a gamer like you.¡± He lifted his hands, frustrated, ¡°Aw, c¡¯mon, Nia! That world isn¡¯t real and cruel, too. I mean, after living as a filthy rich and powerful king, and you woke up to realize that you¡¯re just an ordinary kid with no talent¡­ it¡¯s trolling at its finest.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not without talent, Brother. You¡¯re an amazing cook!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you get tired saying things like that to me? Too bad I can¡¯t taste anything in that dream¡­¡± I can¡¯t taste anything in that dream. His eyes widened slightly. Now that he remembered, his drink earlier was tasteless, wasn¡¯t it? Wait. Did that mean this world was also a dream? Nia looked at her wrist watch and gasped, ¡°Oh, no! It¡¯s already that time! C¡¯mon, we have to go! Don¡¯t want to stand in the hallway now!¡± ¡°Y-Yeah right!¡± he groggily followed her, passing through a puddle on the ground. Accidentally he looked into his reflection and stopped dead. There in the water, staring back at him, was not a high school student, but a mature man clad in heavy armor. 0000 ¡°Brother?¡± His eyes stirred open to see Nia beside him. Looking around, the sun was almost set and the school was empty, save from those who had club activities. She giggled, ¡°You hibernated too much today, Brother! I might as well call you bear!¡± He let a hand through his hair, murmuring, ¡°¡­sorry.¡± ¡°Why are you apologizing? Let¡¯s go home. I¡¯m starving!¡± He packed his belonging and followed her outside. Either from walking too fast or just a plain bad luck, he slipped and fell down torso first. Nia made a sharp turn and shrieked, ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°Oh, no. Look at your arms¡­¡± Nia whispered as she examined his arms. Then she looked at him in the eye, ¡°Did you hurt your knees, too?¡± He stared at his wounded arms with an unreadable expression on his face. ...it didn¡¯t hurt. His hands were bruised from the impact, but he did not feel anything¡­ ¡­is this a dream¡­? ¡­this has to be¡­ ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine, really,¡± her concern did not make sense to him. Why was she so worried? It was just a light fall and scratches here and there; nothing to worry about. Moreover, it did not hurt. ¡°Are you sure? Can you stand? Can you walk? Our home is thirty minutes walk from school¡­¡± ¡°This is nothing,¡± and he proved it by getting up by himself. ¡°Oh, alright then¡­¡± Nia wasn¡¯t as cheerful as before, evident by her slow, tired pace. He did not know whether to be grateful or not since everything had gone quiet. 0000 He threw his body to the bed. With a heavy sigh he stared at the ceiling with a hand on his forehead. This world must have been a dream, but somehow he could not wake up. He had tried pinching his cheeks but nothing happened. ¡­and it didn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Brother, dinner is ready!¡± He lazily dragged himself to the door. Midway, he caught sight of a wall mirror ahead. Remembering his reflection in the park, fear crept inside his mind. Would that mirror reflect the man again? Although afraid he might be, Kail stepped in front of the mirror nonetheless, being driven by curiosity. It reflected the same man he saw in the puddle. ¡°¡­this is nuts¡­¡± Kail mumbled disbelievingly. ¡°¡­come back¡­¡± He jumped in fright to hear his reflection speaking. It was a very rough voice, unfit for a human. ¡°¡­come back to me¡­ to us¡­ this world is nothing but illusion¡­¡± Talk about yourself, Kail replied inwardly. ¡°Come back. She¡­ needs you. You need her¡­¡± She who¡­? ¡°Brother, come down quickly or else it¡¯ll get cold!¡± As if magic, Nia¡¯s voice dispelled the illusion. The man was gone, leaving no trace that he was there, if there was any. ¡­was he hallucinating? Desperate, he gripped his hair, finding it hard to identify which one was real and which one was not. Was this world he lived in real? Or was it just an illusion? Or was the dream the real one? He just¡­ didn¡¯t know what to do anymore¡­ 0000 Everything was fuzzy. His ears rung, his lips were dry¡­ ¡°¡ªthe subject has regained conscio¡ª¡± he heard a voice¡­ ¡°¡ªhow could that be? He¡¯s not supposed t¡ª¡± and another voice¡­ He could not hear well¡­ He felt something heavy on his head. Some kind of motorcycle helmet. He tried to touch it, but his arm muscles were so stiff it hurt just to move. Somewhere nearby, he heard something beeping constantly, like that of a heart machine or whatever it was called¡­ It was faint, but something smelt like that of a hospital. ¡­where was this¡­? ¡­who were these people¡­? ¡°¡ªn¡¯t matter. Start the Reality Render.¡± ¡­Reality what¡­? What were they talking about¡­? ¡°¡ªhile the subject is conscious? Sir, it will increase the burden on¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªook like I care? Once we complete this plan, we have no use of him. Just do it¡ª¡± All of a sudden, a familiar inscription appeared in front of him, reminding him of his GeaOnline helmet at home. ¡­and with that, he was unknowingly forced into the world of game once again¡­ Chapter 60: The Spoken Truth Chapter 60 ~ The Spoken Truth ~ SW/SW/SW His eyes fluttered open to see a ceiling made of wood, dirty and covered in web. He sneezed when some dust got into his nostrils. Propping on his elbow, his gaze was met by a familiar woman sitting on the edge of a plush bed. Her expression was pensive with a hint of submission. Now he remembered. He needed more useful toys to keep him alive in this world and that was why he was here. The woman gave him a look full of contempt, lips set in a tight line. It definitely had something to do with a curious collar on her neck, which he had forced her to wear. As long as she wore that thing, she¡¯d never be able to lay a finger on him. Kail stretched out a hand to touch her, but she flinched, instinctively pulling back. The rebellious act earned her a disapproving look. ¡°Do not touch me,¡± she spat. ¡°Do not touch me with your dirty hand.¡± He did not have the time for idle chatter, so he reached to grab her by the collar, yanking it roughly. He had to go home as quickly as possible. Unimportant as she might be, she was still a boss and finding her being dragged by someone against her will would surely cause nothing but trouble. Plus, he needed her alchemical formulas for his survival. She shrieked in pain, struggling to break free. Her snake legs hissed at her captor in attempt to eat him alive. The collar sensed the dangerous intention and zapped her, ignorant to her painful scream. He flashed her a cruel smile before once again pulled her by the collar. Finding herself be dragged on the floor like trash, her cheeks reddened in shame. Tears that were formed on the corner of her eyes were now falling; wetting her cheeks as she gave her home a long, last look. The burned tree gradually became smaller until the fog covered it completely. ¡°Unhand me, you brute!¡± she demanded angrily. She whined when pebbles and other hard things came in contact with her lower body. It hurt. ¡°That would definitely defeat the purpose of me coming here, now wouldn¡¯t it?¡± his over-one-shoulder sneer made her blood boiling in unspoken fury. ¡°I swear¡­ I swear to God; once I am free, I will definitely kill y¡ªaaah!¡± again, the collar zapped her until she was unconscious, making her look like the very definition of a helpless toy. He arched a fine brow at that, ¡°Hoo¡­ what a nice little thing,¡± before dragging her to the teleport portal. As he interacted with it, several menus appeared.
Return to Dragonis
Return to previously visited Teleport Portal
Manage Items (will connect inventory and home box)
No, he didn¡¯t need to store his items, so he tapped the second choice. The interface changed.
Vandarius (first continent)
Hefpestra (second continent)
Difterion (third continent)
If he remembered it correctly, his home was in Difterion. He tapped the last choice. ¡°Home sweet home,¡± he murmured to himself as he read the only teleport portal in the screen.
Floating Castle
Before he was able to tap it, however, several players appeared around the portal. ¡°Haha, I know, right?¡± a familiar pink-haired elf chirped, ¡°QueeN really should change her language opt¡ªoh.¡± She stopped mid-sentence as soon as she saw him and her eyes widened. ¡°You!¡± he swung his head to his left to find a furious Maria. ¡°What in blazes do you think you are doing?!¡± She must be referring to the toy lying on the ground beside him. ¡°It is strictly forbidden for a player character to enslave any boss NPCs in this game! A crime worse than player killing! You cheated that armor and shamed us, and now this! What is it do you want now?!¡± He chuckled, finding her funny. She behaved as if she knew what was going on with him¡ªno, what was going on around him; the pain, the ever-present madness, the fear of being killed. An ignorant like her¡­ how dare she say something she knew nothing about?! ¡°There¡¯s no point in telling you people. You won¡¯t understand, anyway. Now if you excuse me¡­¡± he bowed to gather his toy, only to feel a cold steel on his neck. It wasn¡¯t a lance. Instead, it was a sword. ¡°¡­let the NPC go,¡± a weak but commanding voice behind him demanded. ¡°Or I¡¯ll cut your head off.¡± He hated women¡­ ¡­and now he had reasons to hate elves¡­ ¡°Take off the collar, cheater,¡± Maria hissed, summoning her lance in one swift movement. ¡°Or you will be killed right here. I wonder why the game master hasn¡¯t removed you yet, but I bet it¡¯s only a matter of time. You¡¯d better enjoy your last game while it last.¡± He did not respond, merely glaring. Maria frowned in disgust, ¡°I said remove the damn collar and revoke your ownership of her!¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯d do that?¡± 0000 Before Maria could lash out more threats, the cheater shift behind Elvaria so fast and slammed her to the ground. To her horror, the elf¡¯s HP bar was almost empty. Barehanded and wearing armor seemingly for low-level, Maria couldn¡¯t tell whether he cheated his ATK point or he was in fact a high-level player. Maybe it was both. She evaded his hand as soon as she saw it reaching out to her and jumped backwards, giving them some space. Looking at how he carried out his attack, Maria assumed that he was after critical hit¡ªmeaning the neck and head. This was bad. She was fighting a high-leveled player. On top of that, a cheater. She really needed to call DPS¡­ 0000 ¡°¡­what are you, BloodAce?¡± she queried, keeping her eyes locked on to his figure. ¡°An Assassin? A Mage?¡± What was she planning to do? He mused, studying her closely. She was still the same as the day he first met her. Dressed in a black gown that hugged her body and sleeve-like collar, also black in color, she was the very epitome of the angel of death. It was still a wonder to see her eyes closed in close quarter combat. Was that done on purpose or was she mocking him?Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Kail gritted his teeth. He was at a disadvantage. With his trait, there was no way to tell how much he¡¯d last. The longer he dallied, the quicker he¡¯d lost all reasoning and went berserk, attacking anything be that foes or friends. His newly acquired slave would likely vanish due to his insanity. He lifted a hand for her to see, ¡°Wait. I¡¯d like to talk.¡± ¡°What is there to talk about after you¡¯ve sullied Travonka¡¯s name, cheater?! Our guild¡­ DPS¡¯ guild¡­ his dream. All those hard work are for naught! It was all thanks to you! A cheater like you should¡¯ve just died!¡± What the¡­? It was his first time to see Maria like this, screaming in hatred. This woman was normally kind and motherly, someone that would never raise her voice. Why did she get so overly emotional when it came to DPS? Who was he to her? He smirked. Interesting¡­ ¡°I¡¯d like to request a momentary truce,¡± he continued. ¡°Truce? Are you out of your mind?¡± I am crazy to begin with, woman. He scorned inwardly, but kept his composure. ¡°Do you want to kill me, right? Now it¡¯s not the time to do that. We both have¡­ inconveniences that should not be here.¡± Kail saw her brows furred, catching on. ¡°You have that elf girl to protect. She¡¯s greatly underleveled and I¡¯m sure you¡¯d rather not let her die. On the other hand, I have that snake whom I want the most. Her presence distracts me from fighting you at full force. So that¡¯s why I¡¯m proposing you this,¡± he elaborated while observing her reaction. ¡°We hold ceasefire and return, but the next time we meet we¡¯ll settle this once and for all.¡± Maria¡¯s grip on her lance tightened, ¡°And why should I comply when I just could kill you right here for a reward?¡± Crap, he reached a dead end. What should he do¡­? Was there no chance to convince her? ¡°Look, I¡¯d rather not complicate things, but let¡¯s be realistic. You accused me of chea¡ª¡± She interrupted him, ¡°Which you did. Full set Dark Lord¡¯s aegis. That thing you wore during the war was a solid proof.¡± Kail clenched his fists and inhaled. Let¡¯s hope this reason suffice, ¡°If that¡¯s true, then you should really be wary of me. I could hack the database and got myself unobtainable equipment. To be honest here, I¡¯m a greedy person. Do you really think my armor was the only thing I hacked? Care to look at my status screen?¡± His (false) confession made her jaw drop, ¡°Y-You bastard! You hacked your attributes, too? How much Attack do you have? Did you also hack the damage calculation?!¡± She took his bait. Great! Smirking in triumph, Kail shrugged, ¡°Think of this ceasefire a mercy, Maria. What would happen if I decided to end you right here? How much experience you¡¯d lost? Do you think I¡¯d just leave you alone? I most certainly will take a peek at your inventory and¡­ borrow some stuff. To tell you the truth, I¡¯m in love with those wings of yours.¡± Maria gritted her teeth. Anger was bubbling inside her veins, threatening to burst at any given moment. Several moments later she exhaled, nodding in agreement albeit begrudgingly, ¡°Alright. You win. I¡¯ll leave you alone with your reward. Remember that the next time we meet it¡¯ll be your end.¡± Kail gave her a triumphant smirk, crossing his arms over his chest as Maria exited the area. Once they were truly alone, Kail returned to his newly-acquired slave and once again interacted with the teleporting device. 0000 The queen was currently attending to the most important needs; staying perfect. She was lying face down on her bed, wearing no article of clothing except her panties, with a pillow underneath her head. Once a while a satisfied moan escaped her lips as her trusted beauticians massaged her body. Her personal guards stood close with eyes as sharp as a hawk. Ever aware, ever cautious. She gazed lazily at her nails and extended her arm towards a beautician, ¡°Change the color. I¡¯m not in the mood for purple.¡± ¡°Would Queen Sister like red?¡± asked the lowly succubus. Hathor considered it for a bit but shook her head. ¡°Too much red these days. Make them black for a change.¡± ¡°Very good, Queen Sister.¡± The way she called her would probably be funny to outsiders, but it was a tradition among succubi to refer to each other as sister even if they weren¡¯t biologically related. ¡®Sister¡¯ with addition of the succubus¡¯ name was normally used to refer to another within the same caste; the ¡®sister¡¯ part was frequently omitted if talking to a lower class succubus. Interacting with a higher level of succubus, however, one should be very careful not to call her name. It was seen as blasphemy; a greater insult. Hathor threw her head towards her right shoulder and her eyes fell onto a heavily armored succubus, ¡°Any news about the king?¡± ¡°Apologize, Queen Sister. His Majesty¡¯s whereabouts disappeared as soon as he stepped in the teleportation gate. Even with our connections in Dragonis we could not track him.¡± Hathor¡¯s facial expression changed dramatically and she spat, ¡°Useless.¡± ¡°Our deepest apologies, Queen Sister.¡± ¡°How about you do your job properly instead of apologizing like a fool? It hurts my ears.¡± The damn girl should¡¯ve known that she hated apologizes more than anything. If she had the time to say sorry, it¡¯d be better if she worked twice as hard to make up for her stupidity. She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about her husband. He claimed to be amnesiac yet there was something bugging her whenever they met. She did not know what it was, but it was clearly there and she felt it in her bones. What could it be¡­? Her train of thoughts was interrupted by the appearance of a black-haired succubus. She served as her messenger, bringing back information about the noblemen¡¯s state of affairs, or whether her husband was cheating, and much more. What piqued Hathor¡¯s interest was her fearful expression. The beauty attendants then swiftly stepped back, allowing her to unload whatever it was that had been scaring her so. ¡°¡­the king brought with him a slave and is currently resting...¡± Hathor quickly bolted towards the door, as naked as a babe. Her anger had made her ignorant to the servants¡¯ stare. She gritted her teeth as she marched to her husband¡¯s room. 0000 Kail rested atop a lounge chair, gazing outside the window. The scenery bewitched him and he hardly could take his eyes off it. This place was amazing. Elevated and overlooking the great city, lake, and forest beyond, he felt like he owned the topmost floor of a condo. His eyes darted swiftly from the window to a nearby table, where a servant had put a bowl of tasty fruits. Apples, pears, banans, pomegs. The beautiful sight made his throat dry, but he wouldn¡¯t let himself swayed. Those fruits were all tasteless. Everything in this world was tasteless. He wouldn¡¯t fall for that cheap trick. All of a sudden the door was kicked open and he nearly jumped in surprise. Storming into the room was Hathor, wearing nothing but her lacy, black panties. ¡°You foolish, disgusting virgin!¡± she seethed, her huge breasts jingling sensually as she closed the distance between them. ¡°W-Wait just a moment. Aren¡¯t you aware that you are naked?¡± ¡°How do I look is not important! I thought you were recruiting some useless meathead, but why did you bring home a slave?! Are you out of your mind?!¡± ¡°Now why are you being so angry for? Forcing her to be my slave simplifies many things.¡± ¡°Simplifies many things? Oh, please enlighten me!¡± she taunted, plopping into a nearby sofa. The succubus crossed her arms under her breasts, making the hefty lumps of meat even more desirable than ever. It might not be her intention to flaunt her udders, but those pink, luscious nipples distracted him. ¡°Stop staring at my breasts and just answer the damn question!¡± He brought his attention back to her eyes. The red slits amidst of black pool met his eyes. He begun, ¡°I wasn¡¯t confident in my persuasion, so I came to Etherios for a slave collar. She had one with her so I took it and tested it on the girl. Isn¡¯t it efficient when you have a slave instead of an underling? With a slave, you¡¯ll never ever worry about being backstabbed.¡± ¡°Am I your slave now?¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± her question caught him off guard. ¡°Tell me. Am I your slave? Is that white bitch your slave, too?¡± ¡°If this white bitch is Etherios, then no. And no, you¡¯re not my slave.¡± ¡°Dearest husband, do you know the true power of your trait? That so-called evil charisma or whatnot,¡± she murmured but her eyes hostile. ¡°That damn trait is there for you to exploit so you can charm her your fucking way, to make her instantly obey you! But instead you went and destroyed the chance god gave you by enslaving her! How stupid can you be?¡± To be honest her reasoning was sound, but Kail was too long gone to be thinking clearly. ¡°Shut your mouth, you useless cunt! It¡¯s sickening when you act as if you knew me!¡± ¡°Oh, please!¡± she rolled her eyes. ¡°I had been changing your diaper even before you lost your mind!¡± ¡°I wear no diaper, you brainless hag!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way!¡± she groaned, lifting her hands in frustration. The two spent the last thirty minutes glaring daggers at each other before Hathor threw her hair behind her shoulder, breaking eye contact. In a moment she was back to her usual calm and apathetic manner, ¡°Oh well, whatever. I suggest you free that slave of yours. It¡¯d be disastrous to¡­ whatever it is you are planning if she learns the truth about her slaver¡¯s identity.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it, but I can¡¯t promise you anything,¡± he didn¡¯t want to let her go. The slave collar reassured him of her complete obedience, just in case. Food poisoning was clearly a bad idea to die. To make the matter worse, Hathor saw through him and asked, ¡°Why are you being so paranoid of? I know you¡¯ve lost your memories, but you are showing extreme fear of dying and betrayal. You have literally hundreds of men to protect you, me and white bitch included.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand! The pain is real even though this isn¡¯t the real world!¡± Kail slapped his mouth shut, realizing the grave mistake he had done. He stole a glance to the succubus before him. Her face was a mixture of disbelief and cautious. ¡°¡­what did you just say?¡± How Kail wished the ground swallow him whole. Chapter 61: The Road to Omnipotence Chapter 61 ~ The Road to Omnipotence ~ SW/SW/SW ¡°What¡¯s this thing you spoke of? Something about this world being unreal?¡± ¡°You misheard me.¡± ¡°You clearly said that.¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Hathor summoned her greataxe and sandwiched him between the shining metal and his chair. ¡°Who are you?¡± she spoke imperiously, her slutty demeanor disappeared completely. ¡°Speak or I¡¯ll swipe your head clean.¡± Sweat beading Kail¡¯s forehead as Hathor pushed her axe, the metallic edge cut a small amount of his skin. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything; I swear! Just¡­ just get this thing off me!¡± A sense of relief washed over him when Hathor withdrew her weapon. With her predatory eyes on him, she sat down again. This time her posture was rigid. Heaving a big sigh, Kail began telling her his real story¡­ 0000 ¡°¡­wait,¡± Hathor lifted a hand, the other massaging her throbbing temples. ¡°Are you saying that you came from another world, where technology is so advanced humans could fly without magic? Then you woke up in my husband¡¯s body without knowing how?¡± Kail gave her a solemn nod, ¡°That practically sums it up.¡± Having lost of words, Hathor leaned back to the sofa, staring into space. Although her breathing was normal, she could not hide the distress that was plastered across her face, which made the silence even more unbearable. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, this¡­ this is just too much even for me,¡± finally she confessed. ¡°I¡¯m just telling you the truth. Everyone has freedom to believe and you, too, have it. Your choice.¡± ¡°¡­so where is the king now? His soul, I mean.¡± He shrugged, ¡°Honestly I have no idea.¡± Heavy silence befell them again until someone knocked on the door. Their eyes landed squarely on a new figure entering the room. Heavy armored from top to toe, covering almost her body part except face, was the leader of Hathor¡¯s personal guard. Green slits replaced what ought to be irises on normal people, moving gracefully about until they found the mistress. ¡°Your Majesty, Queen Sister,¡± she bowed mechanically, ignoring Kail¡¯s curiosity. ¡°Apologize for the intrusion, but I believe Queen Sister has left something behind.¡± With that she produced a thick, crimson cloak from her inventory and draped it on her mistress¡¯ shoulders. Hathor smiled at the purple-haired succubus, ¡°My, how thoughtful.¡± ¡°Thank you for the compliment, Queen Sister. I shall take my leave, then.¡± Hathor waited for her to disappear and turned towards Kail. ¡°A fine specimen, isn¡¯t she? Not a virgin if you are wondering.¡± Kail rolled his eyes. ¡°So, what now?¡± she put a strand of hair behind her pointed ear. ¡°Knowing who you are, our relationship won¡¯t work just like before. We are no longer husband and wife. And what am I to do? Rescuing my husband¡¯s soul is out of question as we don¡¯t even know where he is.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for a way to return to my own world as of now. In order to do that, I may need your help. As you know it¡¯s quite painful to get your head chopped off and I¡¯d like to stay alive whatever the cost. The safer it is, the better for me to concentrate on gathering information. Hopefully your husband¡¯s soul may return once I get back.¡± Hathor went quiet, taking in his plan slowly and carefully. ¡°Whatever the cost, hmm? Quite a bold statement.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Something on your mind?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re trying to survive to the very end, I¡¯d suggest you remove the curse my husband has. Something about fifty percent status penalty. If you can free yourself from it, your safety will be guaranteed. No one could stand in your way, well except me because I am the view.¡± He really wanted to slap her. Talking about curses and stuff, he remembered having unspent perk points. Better see to it later. ¡°Do you know how? I¡¯m itching to get it removed as well.¡± ¡°By worshipping a primordial deity. Once they deem you as a precious believer, they will bless you. This also removes any curses you¡¯ve had contracted. Now while religion can be complex, it is actually very simple. You come into a deity¡¯s temple, pray, kiss their asses while you¡¯re at it, and get their blessing. Ycan only worship of a maximum two deities. One major and one minor, who is within the same axis as the major one.¡± ¡°Elaborate, please.¡± ¡°We only have two major deities. Leitha-Val Gahdiz the Goddess of Light and Deivillezareth the God of Darkness. The most powerful ones, they are. Note that it is imperative that you choose a minor deity align with the major one, or else all hell would break loose. You could also keep yourself loyal to one deity, however. Whichever works for you.¡± What was with those tailored titles? ¡°I bet the latter is evil,¡± Kail chuckled, more to himself. ¡°There is no evil or good. It¡¯s a matter of perspective. Take sinners for example. Leitha believes compassion can save even the most depraved sinners, while Deivillezareth believes that merciless judgment is the only way to set them straight, hence their titles.¡± Kail put a hand on his chin, ¡°I think I¡¯ll worship this goddess. She seems easy enough.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± she asked incredulously, ¡°my husband has forsaken that goddess for the pursuit of power! Do you really think she¡¯d let you go alive?¡± ¡°W-Well¡­¡± he hated to admit it, but she was right. Hathor put a leg atop another, looking every bit like a dominant queen that she was. Her idle fingers began toying with her nipple. Slowly a smirk made its way to her full lips, ¡°Seems you have no choice but to worship our deity. Oh, don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s not that bad.¡± ¡°I have no choice in this, anyway. Where is his temple located?¡± ¡°Why in Difterion, of course. It is the biggest temple in this world.¡± ¡°By Difterion you mean this continent?¡± ¡°Each continent is named after the biggest city located within. In this case, Difterion is not a continent, but a capital. It is the heart of Difterion continent and ultimately the nest of high level adventurers.¡± Kail shivered at that. It would be foolish to march openly amongst hundreds, no, thousands of high leveled players. He¡¯d end up dead¡­ ¡°If you have made up your mind, I can arrange high leveled knights to guard you. Of course I will come, just in case. ¡± He shook his head, remembering the accident in Dragonis. ¡°No, no. What would they think if they saw us marching with hundreds of knights into their city? It¡¯d be an all-out war! Dragonis is enough proof of that and it was just the two of us!¡± Hathor sighed heavily, ¡°Husband, leave that to me. All you need to do is concentrate on your part. There will be no war. I promise.¡± Begrudgingly he agreed. 0000 ¡°¡­you what?¡± DPS repeated slowly, tearing his gaze from the weapon customization window he had been engrossed in. ¡°You met him in Shimmering Swamp with the Scylla Queen in slave choker? You let him go just like that?¡± ¡°While I¡¯m obliged to defeat a cheater, it was the most reasonable decision I could think of. I didn¡¯t want anything bad happened to Elvaria and also it was suicidal to fight him head on without knowing full well what it is that he cheated. True, he did say he cheated his attributes but was it really?¡± DPS stopped to think. What was BloodAce planning to do? ¡°Did he know about that?¡± he asked, referring to the curse of enslaving boss NPC, which was 80 percent status penalty. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. It¡¯s a matter of time until he realizes that it¡¯s too late.¡± All of a sudden he slammed his fist on the desk, ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Maria tilted her head to her side, confused written across her face, ¡°¡­which is?¡± ¡°Listen, the curse can only be removed by the blessing of a major god and that means he¡¯ll either visit Leitha or Dei¡¯s temple. We will assign guild members inside each temple and ambush him. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d escape now.¡± ¡°DPS, that¡¯s brilliant! I can¡¯t wait to get the reward box!¡± Unlike many MMORPG games, GeaOnline actually rewarded cheater and PK hunters upon killing in-game. Once spotted and proven guilty, a cheater earned a unique icon beside their name, making it easy for cheater hunters to track them. A handsome reward awaited those who killed cheaters before they got banned. While the cheaters were dwindling in number, PKs grew mostly due to exclusive equipment that needed PK points to equip, thus created somewhat harmonious yet vicious cycle of kill and to be killed. PK hunters needed PKs for reward, and PKs needed players for PK points. ¡°Now¡­¡± DPS smirked, opening his guild member list, ¡°I need help with¡ª¡± ¡°Excuse me, boss.¡± Both head turned towards the door. A blonde haired man stood proudly, yet his face was grim. ¡°We found the girl who seen talking to BloodAce.¡± Maria¡¯s face brightened at the news, ¡°Ah, about time! So who¡¯s this girl? Did you bring her along?¡± DPS silently eyed Maria. He didn¡¯t even give her the order, but she acted by herself, driven by vengeance. ¡°Sorry, we didn¡¯t. She refused to and left before we even explained everything.¡± ¡°Her name?¡± ¡°If my memory served me well, it¡¯s Veria.¡± A glimmer of memory flashed inside DPS¡¯ mind. Memory of him browsing the GO unofficial forum, reading a post¡­ Have you ever thought of someone getting sucked into the world of game? Chapter 62: The Ritual Chapter 62 ~ The Ritual ~ SW/SW/SW The great city of Difterion, as the name suggested, was a grand capital located in the middle of Folnea Plains. Protected by tall walls, it was beautiful as it was impenetrable. The streets were never empty, markets were open throughout the night, and more importantly it was full with players above level 200. The capital, according to GeaOnline storyline, was the last bastion of humanity in Difterion. While there was an elven kingdom deep in Myr Woods, they never took an interest in other races and rarely took part in war against the tyrant, Azariel. From a tavern¡¯s balcony, DPS gazed at the waves of players coming in and out of the northern gate. He had been coming here in his spare time, but no sign of BloodAce yet. This was the hassle of MMORPG. You¡¯d never know when to run into someone you were looking for. Sometime later a hand tapped his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Maria with a cup of tea in hand. He mumbled his thanks as she placed the beverage on his table. ¡°Remember what I¡¯ve always told you?¡± He averted his eyes from her figure. Right. Don¡¯t get your hopes up. We can¡¯t always get what we want. ¡°Failed again, I presume?¡± ¡°¡­not giving up yet,¡± he scanned the surrounding for any sign of BloodAce. ¡°DPS, this is the third time you¡¯ve been keeping watch here and so far no result. The others in different gates told me the same thing. You are¡­ grasping on a thin rope, waiting for a miracle,¡± she pursed her lips, frowning. Still he paid her no heed, keeping his gaze locked squarely on the entrance gate. Maria shook her head and continued. Her tone was reprimanding, ¡°I don¡¯t like this, Evan. Reward box is full of rare items, but I¡¯d like you to reconsider other things as well. BloodAce might¡¯ve been banned, so there¡¯s no reason to hang around on this balcony anymore.¡± She was wrong. He wasn¡¯t after the reward, but he was after the man imstead. While waiting for his friends to find the elf, Veria, he¡¯d like to meet him once again. There were so many things that needed answers. ¡°Evan,¡± she called again, this time louder, ¡°I¡¯m worried about you. You neglect your health just to pursue a cheater you don¡¯t even know. Remember yesterday¡¯s dinner? I cooked you breaded fish but you only ate half of it. You also left the veggies untouched. Is there something you don¡¯t like about how I prepare the meal?¡± ¡°Not now, Maria.¡± He heard her sigh, followed by fading footsteps. ¡°Fine. Do as you like. We¡¯ll eat stir fry tonight. Without meat; period.¡± DPS glared at her retreating figure. 0000 ¡°Hey, got Gravoite? Need one for customization,¡± a mage approached a player-run stand. ¡°How much is it?¡± ¡°120k each. No haggling, mate.¡± ¡°What the heck? You serious?¡± ¡°Take it or leave it.¡± ¡°Listen here, you idiot, this¡ªhuh?¡± the mage noticed the crowds rushing towards the entrance. ¡°What¡¯s going on over there?¡± 0000 DPS couldn¡¯t believe his own eyes. The last and mid-boss marched inside the city, hundreds of knights in tow. People hurriedly made the way, some NPCs prostrated before the tyrant, and some cowered in fear. The last boss kept walking forward, his stride long, stern, and confident. Not wanting to be left out, DPS hastily made his way outside. Crowds of confused players greeted his vision as he followed Azariel¡¯s army. What¡¯s he doing in this place? Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Can we get Soul Slicer if we kill him? Hathor is here, too! Where is he heading to, DPS wondered. When he tried to get closer, one of the knights noticed him and withdrew his blade, a warning for him to keep his distance. He did not know why he backed off, though. Deeper towards the center of town he followed. His jaw dropped when he realized that Azariel was marching towards Dei¡¯s temple. So he was religious? DPS thought of informing the rest of Travonka members for a long, boss battle. As if to mock his inability to catch BloodAce, an alert window popped up, read ¡­
Enganging disabled.
Baffled, DPS could only stare at the bosses as they made their way to Deivillezareth¡¯s temple. Azariel and Hathor entered the temple, but the main door was sealed shut before DPS could catch a glimpse. The tyrant¡¯s army formed several lines in front of it, preventing anyone to come in. Groaned, DPS was left amongst answer-hungry players on the staircase. Driven by curiosity and wanting to test the Advanced AI System, DPS stepped forward. ¡°Back off, adventurer,¡± a heavy-armored succubus appeared behind the many knights. Her green slits eyed him cautiously. ¡°Peace,¡± he lifted his hands, wondering who this was. ¡°I just want to talk.¡± The corner of her mouth curved to make a mocking smile, ¡°Oh, talk? Interesting. Speak, then.¡± ¡°I was wondering why the bo¡ªI mean the monarchs are in this city, inside the temple no less.¡± ¡°Oh, one cannot pray in peace anymore? What are you; Leitha¡¯s devout follower?¡± ¡°Judgment to us all.¡± To his surprise, she smiled. A follower of Deivillezareth should¡¯ve known the greetings. ¡°Good choice, brother. He is better than Leitha.¡± Ping! A popup window materialized in front of him.
Special Quest
Level: Unknown
Prereq: ????
Liviella the Succubus
You have made a good first impression. See if you can deepen your relationship with her. (Cannot be canceled)
Rewards: Relationship bonus and random items
What¡­? 0000 They went deep into the heart of the temple, where the head priestess of God of Darkness was waiting. The heart of the temple, the Communing Room, was an eerie, hexagonal-shaped place. A pillar stood tall in each corner, bearing the symbol of the god, a sword and a greataxe. In the center of the room was a huge archaic circle. The symbols changed color every minute, seemingly alive. The high priestess of Deivillezareth stood proudly in the center, a figure garbed in darkness. ¡°May merciless judgment enlighten your heart,¡± the priestess greeted them. Kail could only see her red lips moving since the rest of her face was hidden by her hood. ¡°It is unusual for the monarchs to ask for spiritual guidance.¡± ¡°Some things are better be handled by the expert.¡± ¡°Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty. Now how may I help you? I¡¯m sure the royal family of Kolatzvia didn¡¯t come all the way here for a sermon.¡± ¡°Indeed. We need to commune with him, asking for a blessing.¡± The priestess went mute, considering the request. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve had contacted him directly. Our glorious god is known for being¡­ a recluse. To be honestly speaking, we do not recommend it.¡± ¡°Are there risks involving forced communing?¡± he asked for the first time, intrigued. ¡°Curses, mostly. A powerful curse that can only be removed by primordial deities.¡± Holy¡­ Hathor didn¡¯t even mention this part. If the god decided that he was a nuisance and cursed him, where would he get the blessing from? The goddess was off limit and the minor gods were useless. ¡°Prepare everything. We will proceed regardless of the risks.¡± ¡°O-Oi¡­!¡± Kail warned her, but Hathor was already too far away to listen. He went after her, yanking her arm. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what she said? One wrong move and I¡¯d end up cursed!¡± But Hathor was simply did not care. She flipped her blood-colored hair over her shoulder and smirked knowingly, ¡°I have this under control. No need to worry.¡± ¡°Are you mad? This isn¡¯t some stupid playe¡ªI mean adventurers! We¡¯re talking about a god, a being far more powerful than you!¡± She looked straight into his eyes. There was something in those red slits that made Kail stop talking. The succubus murmured, ¡°Husband, trust me on this. Please. I¡¯m trying to help you stay alive so that you can safely look for a way to return to where you came from.¡± He grumbled, ¡°Fine, do as you like. It¡¯s not like I have any choice in this¡­¡± ¡°Are you ready? We will begin the ritual,¡± the priestess asked from the corner of the room. Was that a¡­ bowl in her hands? ¡°We are. Please begin.¡± Once Hathor had given the signal, the priestess kneeled near the archaic symbol and poured the bowl¡¯s content, which was blood. In an instant the symbol glowed purple. She murmured something weird, probably mantra and then stepped out from the room, closing the door shut. The symbol faded away into mere drawing. ¡°Close your eyes and don¡¯t open until he speaks first. Since I¡¯m¡­ unclean, I will have to wait for you. Don¡¯t worry. You will be fine.¡± A bit unsure, but Kail slowly shut his eyes. He waited, waited, and waited yet nothing came up. He was about to insult Hathor for playing a trick on him, but his guts told him not to. ¡­and it was at that time that Kail felt they were not alone¡­ ¡°¡­well, well. Look who¡¯s here.¡± Snapping his eyes open, Kail looked ahead. He wasn¡¯t in the Communing Room anymore. Instead a lush garden with broken pillars caressed his eyes. There were several patches of flowers here and there, and also fruit trees. The ripe fruits were shining deliciously, yet no one seemed to bother plucking them all. His eyes travelled from one edge to the other, where he caught sight of a figure¡­ ¡­sitting on one of many broken pillar was an old man dressed in all black.