《New Life Online: Battle Against The Strongest》


 Prologue: New Life Online

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    Prologue: New Life Online

    In a world where peace has already been achieved and people are happily enjoying their time, they say that men are never satisfied and nothing is enough.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Thanks to the government funding the New Life Online Company, dreams became a new life.

    Technology has improved dramatically making people able to create themselves in a New World.

    A New World full of adventures and action that they can never do in real life.

    New Life Online was released to the public and it boomed like crazy. Most of the entire population of the World started playing the game and even the government insisted people to participate.

    A peaceful normal life in the real world and an adventurer in another world, what could you ask for more, right?

    After almost a year, a guy named Aries Kim who just woke up from a long-term comma decided to join this so-called perfect life. Will his life be as perfect as everybody else as well?

    - Aries Kim, Author of New Life Online

 Chapter 1: Welcome To New Life

    -City Hospital-

    -20XX-

    I... woke up with a girl crying beside me.

    Everything was all hazy. I remember being in a car with my Mom and Dad. It was my high school graduation day. Dad was driving. I remember the trip being mundane up to this point before the car lurched violently as Dad tried to avoid something on the road. Then it all went dark.

    Ugh... My body feels so weak. My head really hurts, so hungry and I''m thirsty as hell.

    "Thank God you woke up! It''s been three years since the accident," Her familiar voice rang out softly in my head in between sobs. I tried opening my eyes and I still can''t see properly.

    "Hey is that you Mari? You''ve grown really cute," Trying my best to speak with my groggy voice just to see her smile. I don''t want to see her cry. She must have been in a lot of pain by herself.

    She grew up really cute with that baby face and mid-length hair.

    "You still haven''t changed brother. You can still joke around even after what happened. I really missed you. I''m so happy that you woke up!" She''s smiling while wiping her tears. She''s really happy. Thank God, I still know how to make her smile.

    Then it dawned on me, I''ve been lying down here for three years. Three years huh... on the plus side, that would mean that I have three seasons of my favorite TV show to watch.

    "By the way, where are Mom and Dad?"

    The question brought a fresh wave of sorrow across her face. With her expression like that, I already know the answer. It felt like everything happened yesterday. I know that I should cry or be sad about it but for some reason, I only feel empty inside. Am I really a bad son for not grieving for my parents? No, because I know that wherever they are, they will be always with me in my heart and right now I need to face the present and try to live my life with my sister.

    She looked away softly and said, "Mom and Dad didn''t make it."

    "I''m sorry, brother,"

    "You don''t have to be sorry," I paused, thinking for a moment.

    "Wherever they are, I know Mom and Dad are happy,"

    -After a couple of months-

    The next couple of months passed by in a blur. With my medication and rehabilitation, I am able to walk by myself now without help from anyone but it was tough. I regain my strength by doing what my doctors told me to do which really did great for me. After all that, Mari helped me settle the paperwork needed and I was discharged from the hospital. Some doctors told me that my body healed so fast but maybe that''s just because I''m eager to go home.

    We went to visit where Mom and Dad are resting. I really miss them. Fresh flowers lay beside each of the graves. It must have been hard for Mari. I allowed myself a weak smile.

    She must have had to really go through a lot these past few years alone, having to deal with Mom and Dad''s death, while I laid in a coma. The doctors told me she would visit the hospital almost every single day, waiting for me to wake, her only family.

    "Thank you, Mari," I said, so softly I wasn''t even sure she heard it.

    -Present Day, Morning-

    The house looked pretty much the same as it always had. Mari did her best to keep the house clean, another thing to add to my sister''s list of achievements in the last three years.

    "Hey bro, your room is clean as always! Thanks to your sister," Yeah, she''s pretty proud of it. You could almost see her pride beaming through.

    "Thanks, Mari, I know it''s sad to be alone for three years. I promise you I won''t leave you and will always be here for you," Your brother got you.

    "Thanks, bro, I really missed you," She smiled and tugged me towards my room.

    "I''m sure you have a lot of catching up to do now, so I''d leave you to it!" She left me alone in my room.

    It looks like my computer is still working fine. I surfed through some of my social websites, the first few months were filled with friends posting their get well wishes and then posts fizzled out into occasional pictures they had of me. It was heartwarming.

    As I was scrolling through some of the more recent feeds, something popped up on my chat - a message from Jay. Jay is my best friend, looks like he saw me online.

    Jay Renzo: "Hey Aries? Is that you?!"

    Yup, I''m Aries Kim. Right now, I feel like I''m still 17 years old but in reality, I''m a 20 years old college student... or I would have been if not for the accident. I''m your regular normal looking guy, tall and pale skin. Why am I talking like someone''s listening though?This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Aries Kim: "Yup it''s me, Jay. I just got out of the hospital. My sis is with me here in our house,"

    Jay Renzo: "Why didn''t you tell me?! Ok, I''ll contact Son and we will be there for a minute! Stay there!"

    Aries Kim: "You don''t have to-"

    He was already offline before I could hit "Enter". Now I kind of remember the reason why I did not tell them I woke up.

    -Afternoon-

    Only took about fifteen minutes before there was a loud knock at the door. Looks like those two are here. I feel like it''s just yesterday since we last saw each other, though.

    "Hi, Jay! How did you know Aries is here?" Mari answered the door, surprised to see the grinning faces of my best buddies.

    "Oh Mari, Jay saw me online earlier and with Son, they rushed here," I replied happily, ushering my friends in.

    They entered the house while carrying a bag of food. I hope they brought me my favorite food.

    "It''s so nice to see you moving and talking. Looking at you sleeping is boring, dude," Laughing at me while hugging me pretty hard, you''ll pretty much get me into the hospital again. I''m pretty sure there is no bromance going around.

    "You should have contacted us when you woke up! Aren''t we your friends?" Son added in accusingly.

    "Are you really ok now?" Now now, no need to be emotional.

    "Yeah, I''m okay now, you guys grew up a bit. It''s been so long since I last saw you both," I replied.

    Jay, Son and I are always together in high school and an inseparable group of friends.

    They quickly filled me in on what''s happening in the world right now as we ate. It feels surreal to be talking and laughing with my best friends. They also mentioned a Game that was released a year ago. Not just any game but the most popular game in the world right now. According to them, the Game was played through its own device, like unique console built exclusively for it. I promised to check it out later because we became friends in the first place mostly because we love games.

    Time passed quickly and before long the evening had set.

    "If you need anything just ask us, alright bro? It''s good to see you back on your feet again," Jay stepped out and ready to-

    "Don''t be a stranger!" There you go, he shouted.

    -Night-

    The game''s website is impressive, bright steel letters on the front showing that it was called "New Life Online", almost as if it was calling out to my current situation. It also shows some pictures of top players in the game which are really awesome wearing armor and having those breathtaking weapons. The device used for it was expensive but not so much that I could afford it.

    I also checked the game''s forums and guides. It seems like New Life doesn''t have any NPCs in this world, not even for quests. Players would be able to control the whole game''s ecosystem, from its economy and hierarchy to politics and laws. Players are free to create an alternate world of their own. It all seemed pretty cool, a game that could mirror reality.

    "Brother! Dinner is ready!" Mari''s voice echoed through the house, breaking my concentration.

    The food looks good but... if memory served me right, Mari doesn''t know how to cook. The last time I taste one of her dishes, I almost lost consciousness. But I guess things could have changed in the last three years.

    "Let''s eat now bro, I made this food and I hope you''ll like it," Mari''s eyes are sparkling. I guess she really put effort into cooking this so I have high hopes. I scooped a mouthful and...

    Ugggggghhh!!!

    It tastes like Satan cooked it himself! And why on earth do I taste toothpaste in it?!

    "So, did you like it, brother?" Don''t cry, Aries. Don''t cry...

    "It really tastes unique... in a good way. Thanks, Mari," I forced out a clenched smile. What else should I say? I didn''t want to hurt her feelings. I just hope she doesn''t see my smile.

    "I want to help you Mari so from now on I will do the cooking for us is that ok?" I said trying to still chew the food... or whatever you call it.

    I continued, trying to save myself from further horror. If I need to eat this every single day, hell wouldn''t be that bad anymore.

    "Sure Brother, I learned it from a friend but bro cooks better than me so it would be great!" Still beaming with happiness... like she''s enjoying my suffering or just thinking I really liked her food. Just who the hell is this friend she''s talking about? This doesn''t taste like the food at all!

    "By the way Mari, where did you get the money for my hospital bills and for yourself?" I asked.

    "Oh, Mom and Dad left a really good amount of money in the bank for our college fees. They''re gone now... We both have access to it," She said, handing me a bankbook - our parent''s final gift to us. I can''t believe we got this kind of money. Holy sh*t! I can''t really count how many zeroes are on it. It looks like Mom and Dad really worked hard for us.

    "Brother, I saw you earlier checking out New Life Online. I''m currently playing it with my friends too. If you want you can buy the device and play it too. I know you like playing games but promise me when enrollment comes, you will also enroll ok?" Well, I think going to study again isn''t that bad. It looks like the game is really a thing now, huh.

    "Sure, it looks like we are going to be in the same year too! Let''s enroll together Mari,"

    She smiled and nodded. I really can''t believe my sis and I will both be freshman students soon.

    -After a week, Morning-

    The game finally arrived, after almost a week of waiting. The packaging was unimpressive, just plain box. The device itself looked like a headgear of some sort with a power adapter attached to it. There didn''t seem to be another wire connected to it. Reading the manual, it says all I need to do is put the power adaptor to the power outlet and the device will connect itself to the game. So suspiciously simple for an amazing game they''re talking about.

    Playing a game without a controller seemed foreign to me, how would I be able to control my character? I asked Mari about it and she said that controls were done using the brain, the device would read the player''s thoughts and send it as command actions to my character... like seriously? Are we that far ahead? Also, it lets me play while awake and if I fall asleep the game will still go on and I won''t lose consciousness, it will also tell me if my body is sleeping or not and there is also time so I won''t be late if I need to wake up. If you ask me, that would be a gamer''s freaking dream!

    The technology in this thing is pretty much way too far ahead. In just three years, they developed gaming technology that could sense your thoughts and transport you into an alternate world. There are lots of games released on the same console but the only one left right now is New Life Online.

    Ok, I think it''s time to test it out. I started to put the helmet thing and started to lie down. Oh, an interface is asking me something.

    A mechanical female voice sounded from nowhere in particular.

    "Choose your character''s name," A mechanical female voice sounded from nowhere in particular.

    Name huh... Somehow, a name popped out of my mind.

    "Scythus,"

    "Scythus registered," So cool!

    "Welcome to New Life Online, Scythus!"

 Chapter 2: Green Leaf Village

    -Beginner''s Area-

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    Suddenly, a bright light caught my eye. While it fades, I started to see what''s happening. I was teleported to a place. A place where players like me begin their adventure. The place has small houses and shops, also has walls that surround it. Houses and other buildings, even the walls, are made of rocks. A stone masonry expert should have done this.

    Man... It''s like I''m really inside the world. I feel everything. The feeling of softness of clothes that I wear, my dagger''s handle is hard as it supposed to be, and even the smell of the place. Every sense I have is working here like it''s real.

    Players are everywhere asking questions. Most of us wear the same clothes so I''m pretty sure most of them are beginners as well.

    The game didn''t ask me about my appearance or class like any other games so, just as I expected, my appearance is the same in real life. I wear a simple shirt, pants, and boots. The equipment is probably for beginners. I have a dagger which I presume a starter weapon. I also have a small sack made of leather which has bread and herbs. not bad for freebies.

    It was mentioned in the game manual that we can check our characters stats by opening a window by tapping our head. I was curious so I tried it.

    Scythus

    Health: 100%

    Fatigue: 0%

    Hunger: 0%

    Class:

    -

    Masteries:

    -

    Nothing much as I expected. They say that the game doesn''t really give any information about the character but instead, it''s based on Rank which I don''t see anything. So I guess I''m currently unranked.

    Wait, there''s someone approaching accompanied by two girls.

    "Hello fellow adventurer, we just started the game and we want to hunt some monsters. Would you like to join us?" So formal, this guy looks like he''s clueless, same as me.

    His aura is somewhat like a playboy, with a blond long-layered haircut. He''s good looking and probably the same age as me. I won''t say I like any company but it would be a great start.

    "Sure, why not. I''ll accept your invitation." The guy smiled at me and told her friends that I agreed to join them.

    They all came to me and started introducing themselves.

    "Elou''s my name and this is Akko and Lili." He waved his hand introducing the others. Are they shy or something?

    Akko is the taller girl with long straight black hair, pretty much same age as me. Lili, on the other hand, reminds me of my sis when she was younger, from the look on her face, she''s a teenager. She''s cute and somehow, I want to hug her for some reason. They didn''t tell me much but Elou wants to be an archer while Akko and Lili are thinking of becoming a magician or a healer. That would be a good party set.

    "I''m Scythus. I just started playing the game as well so I can''t really help much. So, what''s the plan?"

    "No worries. We''re beginners as well. I asked the guys around here about the monsters and they said that the places around the beginner''s area are safe. No aggressive monsters, just some low-level animals like Rabbits, Wild Cats, and the Wolves. Wolves are a bit aggressive though so we should be careful. What do you think?" Elou''s pretty handy when it comes to asking people questions. He exude confidence yet it''s pleasantly acceptable.

    "Wild Cats would be a good practice for our teamwork," They look at each other after I said that and I think we made the decision.

    Hunting Wild Cats would be a stepping stone because we are four in the party and we can easily defeat one. Wildcats are located at the east side of the Beginner''s area.

    -East of Beginner''s Area-

    We arrived at the Wild Cat''s area which is just outside. The place is filled with small grass and you can easily see some cats roaming around. After checking the place, we decided to target one Wild Cat to separate it from its friends. We basically hit one of them using a rock to catch its attention.

    "KssssssSSSS!" The cat is pissed and rushed towards me.

    (WILDCAT: RANK E)

    I''ve felt a little pressure after getting its attention which only means that the monster is either slightly weaker than me or almost the same as my strength.

    *SLASH*

    The Wildcat suddenly attacked me using its fierce claw. I was caught unprepared and got hit. The attack was just a scratch so it didn''t do much damage. I guess, it''s weaker than I expected.

    *TIIING!*

    A high-pitched sound suddenly echoed in my ears and then a window popped out of nowhere.

    "CLASS UNLOCKED: THIEF / BATTLE RANK: E" Uhh... Thief... I guess it doesn''t mean I''m really a thief or anything.

    "Light Armor Mastery learned!" I got this mastery and unlocked a class after just being hit while wearing a light armor.

    *BAAAAM!*

    I aggressively attacked the Wild Cat using my dagger I found from my bag.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Light Weapon Mastery learned!" I''ll check those masteries later, I have some cats to take care of!

    The others also attacked the cat simultaneously. The Wildcat sometimes can avoid our attacks. It is really agile but because we outnumbered it, we managed to defeat some of the cats. It wasn''t that hard. We decided to hunt more. Whenever we kill something we carve the leather and meat out of it. It''s disgusting but it''s supposed to be that way according to the game manual. We also saved the bones in case we need it. We also decided to share the loot evenly. The girls did well too. It wasn''t a bad start and we did really well.

    -Green Leaf Village-

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    After several hours of hunting, we decided to leave the Beginner''s Area and go north to a village nearby. Yep, it took us quite some time. I feel sorry for those cats but we needed their materials. According to the guide, materials we gathered can be crafted to create weapons and armors. Cool!

    The village is just a ten-minute walking distance.

    We asked one of the guards in the village some questions. It''s called Green Leaf village, unique name huh, and the place has lots of vegetation inside, where trees are all around, flowers and other plants are also beside the walls. The leader of the village ordered people to only use rocks when building houses because, with the trees and plants all over the city, fire outbreaks would be too hard to handle. Guards also mentioned a story when the village was still made out of woods and the village was devastated because of a small fire outbreak.

    There are a lot more buildings here compared to beginner''s area. There are Inns where players stay when they don''t own a house to rest, armor and weaponry shops, miscellaneous shops, Trading area, Blacksmiths shops and even Schools for masteries which will be really helpful for new players. We decided to visit the blacksmith to make them craft for us.

    "Do you need equipment? You have no money but have materials? Handy will help you with those!" Shouting lively, I hope he doesn''t disturb other shops around him.

    "How about we get new gears? Our weapons look like they''re worn out from our last hunt." I looked at them and suggested a good idea.

    "Not a bad idea. I guess it''s time to change outfits. Our gears are covered in blood too and I even unlocked Theif class which suits for me but not for those two." Elou''s scraping off the blood on his shirt and he''s right. It''s not the class the other two girls wanted.

    "I need to wash my hands as well." Akko''s hands are covered in blood as well and need to clean up. I don''t want them to do the messy stuff with me and Elou but with their help, we were able to gather more.

    "..." Lili''s just looking at me. Should I say something to her?

    "Let''s go then," So we went to the loud blacksmith.

    -Handy''s Crafting Station-

    The blacksmith is wearing an apron, maybe a protection for crafting. He''s tall, with really masculine feature and bald. Looking at him right now I can guess that he''s in his thirties, a normal looking blacksmith. Why do they all look the same...

    (HANDY / BLACKSMITH: B

    EQUIPMENT: WARHAMMER / HIGH-QUALITY LEATHER ARMOR

    MASTERIES: CRAFTING / HEAVY WEAPON)

    "Hello, Mr. Handy, we have some leather and bones gathered from wildcats and I heard they can be used to craft some gears. Is this enough for you to craft some weapons and armor for us? We just came here," Elou started talking to the blacksmith.

    "Yes of course. I am happy helping noo- I mean beginners with their equipment. The fee is ten percent of the materials needed for my working time and I am the best blacksmith here so far, so I guarantee you guys that you''ll have the best gears! HAHAHA!" He sounds arrogant but doesn''t matter as long as he helps us. He laughs so hard too.

    He asked leather and bones so we gave almost all of our loot. I hope it''s worth it. Anyway, he said we should come back around an hour because it takes some time to craft those.

    "By the way, don''t try to travel North of here. The monsters are stronger than those you''ve faced so far. Not only that, if you die, all your equipment will drop including your bag. You will also be out of the game for 4 hours. Your rank''s progress will also be reduced by ten percent. So, make sure to travel safely," The penalty sounds awful. This is a huge loss for those who have higher ranks. Man, I know myself and one of my best traits is being reckless!

    "Thanks for the advice, Mr. Handy. We will keep that in mind. Do you know what we should do next?" That''s a good question, Elou. I don''t want to just wander around and let myself get killed.

    "Learning masteries or improving ranks is what you should do next. Beating up monsters is not the only way to increase the Ranks. Like myself, most of the time, I''m here crafting stuff and using Crafting mastery, it increases my Rank Progress of Blacksmith Class. So, you should hunt more for a while. Also, some guilds are also looking for new members. They will assign you some quests which are collecting or killing stuff, depends on what kind of request. Many of the high-ranked players are trying their best to explore the world which is really big! But for now, increasing your rank is your top priority," That''s a lot of explanation but it was really informative.

    "Thanks, Mr. Handy, we''ll be back later," We said our goodbyes. We''ll return later for the equipment.

    "WAAAAAAAH! Goblins are attacking at the East Gate!" Loud noises echoed throughout the whole village.

    What fresh hell is this? Players are running away from the goblins. Goblins are slightly stronger than wolves but in a group, they can cause a large damage to the village, according to NLO Wikia.

    (GOBLINS: RANK E)

    Handy become so enraged that he grabbed his giant hammer and went outside of his shop and I''m not exaggerating! He''s really mad!

    "Hey you guys, go through the South gate and go back to Beginner''s Area, you''ll be safe there!" Handy''s not going to let beginners like us stay.

    "Hey Scy, we should leave or we''ll get killed here," Elou''s face is filled with doubt and fear. But I may be new but I won''t just stay away from an opportunity to try a battle like this. I might also learrn new masteries or increase my Rank Progress if I manage to survive here.

    "I''m going to help them here. A little help won''t be that bad right?" I said with confidence. And of course, dying here won''t matter that much because I''m just a newbie and I won''t lose that much.

    Elou seems to be troubled by what I said. Then the three of them decided to stay.

    "I didn''t expect you to be this risky Scy! But of course, you make sense and I like it! Akko and Lili decided to stay too!" While trying to hide his shaking knees.

    "IDIOTS! You better not die!" Handy worriedly shouted at us.

    "DEFEND THE VILLAGE FROM THESE FILTHY GOBLINS!" Handy shouted furiously.

    ***

    CLASS RANKS

    - Class ranks starts from E(weakest) and end with SSS (strongest). Rank progress increase when using the masteries that corresponds with the class. Example is Defender using Shield and Heavy armor mastery increases the Rank progress and when using Fire mastery, it doesn''t affect the Defender class but affects the Mage Class instead. Ranks: E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS

    MASTERIES

    -Masteries starts with basic Mastery name and ends with God prefix. Using mastery increases the rank progress of the corresponding class stated in Class Rank description. Example Mastery: Fire, Mid-Rank, High Rank, Master, Grandmaster, Legendary, God.

    CLASS PROMOTION

    -Class promotions happens when one or more classes reaches a specified rank to unlock a new class. The affected classes will turn into one superior class while the affected classes will disappear and using the masteries of the affected class will increase its rank progress. Class promotions can be cancelled and the affected classes will be back with ranks affected by what the player mostly uses. Superior classes has slower rank progress than basic classes. Example: Defender Rank B and Light Mage Rank B can be promoted to Paladin Rank B.

    MONSTER RANKS

    -Like players, monsters have their own ranks as well but there are two types of monster ranks, Regular Ranks and Boss Ranks. Regular Ranks are the ranks of regular monsters while Boss Ranks are mostly the superior type and are commonly for leader of packs or basically the stronger version of monsters. Example: Goblin: Rank E and Goblin Chief: Rank C

 Chapter 3: First Day, First Death

    -Greenleaf Village, Goblin''s Raid-

    "Hey, you guys! Just stay at the back and don''t make contact unless you were attacked." Handy''s worriedly barking at us.

    "Don''t worry Mr. Handy, we don''t look like it but we can handle ourselves," Elou, I don''t think we really can but good job staying.

    "The nasty goblins are just low-level monsters but be careful because they can easily kill you in a group." Handy''s pretty much leading the guards and defenders while getting ready for the goblin''s raid.

    "But why are the goblins attacking right now? Isn''t this town supposed to be safe?" All of us are clueless about what''s happening because it''s our first day in the game. Not to mention it''s not normal when monsters just raid out of nowhere.

    "There is no safe play in this game. Players protect each other but some don''t. When monsters have high numbers, they sometimes raid some places and loot them. That''s why right now we are defending the village. There are some abnormalities happening and our scouts are still investigating." Handy sure knows a lot about the game. The gate can''t hold the gates any longer. The Goblins are trying to break through. If this keeps up the gate will be destroyed.

    "OPEN THE GATE! PREPARE TO BATTLE!" Handy roars like a thunder echoing all over the village.

    Handy is different from earlier. Now, he''s wearing a thick armor made of a shiny metal helmet that cover''s most of his face and a hammer with unimaginable weight. I''m pretty sure he can destroy the wall made of rocks in just a single hit. The players in front line are also wearing some heavy equipment and wielding a large shield good for defending, also the weapons they use are long swords and spears. The players at the back are mostly for long-range attackers and supports wearing light armors. I''m still new so I can''t really tell their ranks.

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    The goblins rush to the players. Goblins are a small type of Goblinoids that mostly the weakest. They have a scary looking face; pointy ears, sharp fangs, and their skin mostly are green. Goblin''s weapons are some hammers made out of stones and twigs. Some goblins use stones as range weapons as well.

    Every time the goblins try to attack the defenders, they were pierced to death that they can''t get near them. Also, the spellcasters use long range magic to damage the goblins from afar. Handy, on the other hand, swings his Giant Hammer like a madman hitting the goblins and making them fly around.

    Goblins'' numbers are still increasing. Some of the goblins made their way through inside. Supports and caster are having a hard time avoiding the goblins.

    "Scy! Let''s help them!" Elou insisted.

    I rush towards the goblins that are trying to attack the supports.

    "KACCHAAAA!" I got one nasty Goblin''s attention.

    He started to attack me using his hammer, but I manage to dodge it. Fighting those agile wild cats made me more flexible. I tried to attack back using a stab move with my dagger. I pierced his shoulder which dealt a good damage.

    "KYAAAAH!" The goblin cried while he grasps its shoulder, bleeding. I didn''t stop with that and I continuously stab it from its side making it cry with pain and suddenly met its bitter end.

    The battle feels like endless chaos. Corpses of goblins flying over the place, the place is filled with blood and cries and roar of both sides can be heard like theirs an ongoing thunderstorm. Jeez, I am not happy with what I''m looking at.

    The numbers of goblins are reduced. Most of the goblins are fleeing from combat. The battle was really one-sided, slaughtering every goblin. They''re dropping tons of loots but we don''t have time to pick them up. Looks like the battle ended. That''s what we thought.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    "GWAOOOOOOOHHH!" A powerful and intense roar rumbling outside the gate sent fear to all of us. Even Handy was startled by it. It''s undeniably a Boss type monster.

    A large boulder came from above and squashed players to death.

    "What the hell was that?!" Players were confused about what happened. But it didn''t stop from that. Another boulder is flying towards the support and spell caster. Some of them avoided it in time but others died helplessly.

    "AWOOOOOHHHH! KACCHHHHAAA!" Goblins that are riding wolves started to appear. I looked around and we''re pretty much not in a good spot.

    (WOLF: RANK E)

    (WOLF RIDER: RANK D)

    The first wave was easy, but the second wave is something. Wolves are agile. They jumped above the defenders and managed to avoid them. They are targeting the rest of the supports and casters who are still alive and injured. This is bad. Most of them are running out of mana too.

    "WOOOOAAAAHHH! Don''t you dare touch them?!" We still have Handy smashing those Wolf Riders. Most of the defenders are still trying to defend the frontline.

    We beginners, on the other hand, are trying to catch the attention of some monsters away from our support and casters. Without them, the defenders will die.

    The battle was fierce. I managed to kill some of the goblins but it was tough. If you count the dead bodies of goblins it would be like 400 to 500 including the wolves. After the long battle, we managed to stop the invasion of the goblins and wolf riders. The remaining monsters scattered and run away from us. Suddenly we started to feel like there''s an earthquake going on. The boss showed up. It''s the Goblin''s Chief! How did I know that? Thanks, NLO Wikia.

    (GOBLIN CHIEF BOSS RANK: C)

    "GWOOOOOOOAHHHHHH!" The Goblin''s Chief is here! He looks the same as the normal goblins but his body is way larger than a normal goblin, around nine feet in height. His body is filled with scars from battles. He doesn''t have a normal weapon but with uprooted tall trees on his both hands.

    He started swinging the trees to the defenders but the force is too much knock backing them away. Supports are still doing their best to heal the defenders from the boss attacks.

    Casters magic spells are ineffective. The boss just swings the trees whenever a spell was flying towards him. Frontal and obvious attacks won''t work! We should attack the boss in his blind spot!

    Handy rushed towards the boss and smashed his hammer to the boss'' arm. It was a heavy attack but it doesn''t seem to affect the boss that much.

    "Normal attacks won''t work. RAGE MODE!" He shouted fearlessly! His body releases an aura turning his body to red.

    (RAGE MODE: Increases defense significantly while taunting enemies nearby. Increase the next attack depending on the damage taken upon using the skill.)

    The boss just swings the trees towards Handy and he just defends from the attacks. He maintained his stance. The strange red aura started to become stronger and stronger. It''s like he was building power from receiving hits. Handy''s health is definitely dropping even with the help of supports. After defending enough, he prepared an all-out attack.

    "WARHAMMER''S WRATH!" He caught the Boss by surprise! He used a powerful attack that after hitting the boss, the ground shakes like there''s an earthquake! The boss took a direct hit. It didn''t kill the boss but it stopped from moving! The Boss was stunned! Taking hits from the boss was reckless but it was worth it. Casters focused their most powerful spells and defenders stab the Boss like it was a training dummy from side to side. The Boss was injured badly. Handy though was also at his limit.

    The boss regained consciousness and started to move again. He''s slower now but still can hit hard. I can''t just stand here doing anything. I need to do something!

    I search the place to find some sort of diversion. I smell alcohol coming from those barrels, one of the products of a shop nearby. I rolled it to the boss and upon reaching the Boss, he smashed it with his feet. I used the torch from the shop and throw it to the boss which made a huge fire burning him!

    *TIIIIIIING*

    "Fire Mastery learned." A new mastery! Nice!

    "CLASS UNLOCKED: MAGE" A new class too!

    The boss tried to put out the fire but casters from the back shot fire magic which maintained the fire from the boss. The defenders tried to poke him with their spears but the boss just swings the large trees around making them stop the attacks. Even Handy now can''t go near because he''s almost dead too. I decided to sneak at his back undetected.

    *TIIIIIING!*

    "Stealth Mastery Learned." I discovered another mastery. Lucky! Sounds like it''s a creeper mastery.

    I jumped to the boss and stabbed him in the back of his neck hoping he would be killed by that. It was a solid hit and the Boss cried out in pain! He didn''t die from that?!

    I suddenly feel a pain over my head. It all went black, lots of emotions surround me and I once again remember the accident.

    Then I suddenly logged out from the game.

    "Hmm, I didn''t log out though. What happened?"

    I tried to log in but it says...

    "You can''t log in for four hours due to death."

    "EHHHHH?!"

    ***

    Death Penalties

    -Can''t log in for 4 hours

    -Deduction of 10% Rank Progress

    -Current Gears and items will drop at the exact location where the person died.

    -Will be teleported to the last non-hostile town or city.

    RABBIT RANK: E

    WILD CAT RANK: E

    WOLF RANK: E

    GOBLIN CHIEF BOSS RANK: C

 Chapter 4: News

    -Aries'' House-

    No wonder I can''t log in. I died from the Boss'' attack which I didn''t even know what happened and it''s my first day too. Fighting a Boss was fun but scary as hell. It was a good experience. My hands are still shaking from the intense battle. Suddenly, I hear soft footsteps coming from the hallway.

    "Hey, Bro, I''m hungry. Let''s go and have our dinner," Marie requested. It looks like she was waiting for me.

    "Sure! I''ll be right there in a minute,"

    -Kitchen, Evening-

    I''m making a simple tomato omelet which is easy to cook, while my Sis is preparing the table. We still haven''t gone shopping for groceries. Eating here by herself would be really sad. I should stop this gloomy mood. I should just do my best with her.

    While eating, we also talked about some news around the neighborhood, on what''s new and other stuff. I also mentioned that I died from my first day and right now I can''t log into the game.

    "Ehhhhh? Did you die on your first day? That''s really clumsy of you, brother. It''s not normal to die on your first day you know. So how did you die? A rabbit bit your foot? Haha," Nice one there, Marie and I can say that she''s having fun.

    "Way to comfort your brother. Anyways, looks like I can''t log into the game for four hours, any reason behind it?" Because I know everyone''s not happy with that kind of rule.

    "Well, it''s because of the PVP system like guild wars, which also happens throughout the game or some greedy players want to capture some villages or cities made by some guilds to make their own. The death penalty makes players think twice when going to wars and the four-hour penalty is to end the battle. It would be annoying if players can just respawn after dying right? Also, some players abuse others so a four-hour break is needed to protect them. You will also be teleported to the nearest friendly village or city," She really knows her game and that all make sense.

    "It sounds reasonable. You mentioned last week that you play the game too right, any information about your character right now?" I''m excited to know about her character. Would be fun to hunt monsters with her sometime.

    "I''m Marie in the game and I''m a Rank A Priest. I have pets which are the ones who do the fighting for me if I can consider them pets. I only use support spells but I also use offensive spells when needed, how about you?" Rank A Priest huh... that''s pretty huge gap.

    (MARIE / PRIEST: A

    EQUIPMENT: HIGH QUALITY MAGIC STAFF / ROBE OF MAGICIAN

    MASTERIES: LIGHT MAGIC / CLOTH ARMOR)

    "I use Scythus as my name in the game and I''m still new so I don''t have much to tell. But earlier today, Green Leaf village was raided by some goblins, they even brought their Boss and that''s how I died, unfortunately. Seriously though, your rank is high! How long are you playing this game?" Yeah, that''s what happened. I still can''t believe I died, though.

    "Awww! That was awful," Is it just me or for some reason, she''s grinning.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    "Well, since they released the game. I was kinda lonely when you''re not around so I spent my free time playing the game. Most of my classmates at our school play it too so I tried it and it was really fun. I don''t do much fighting in the game though but I have to because right now, I''m the best Priest we have." Wow, she''s really into the game! Well, at least she''s still having fun.

    "Thanks for the info, Sis! Just go ahead and let me do the dishes."

    -Living Room-

    After the chat we had, I did clean up the table and washed the dishes. I''ve got nothing to do so I thought of watching TV. After switching it on, a news program is currently just starting. This would be informative.

    "Hello, again guys! As you all know my name is Aika and I am the host of the "What''s new in New Life Online!" program!" A beautiful girl wearing formal attire is doing the report professionally. Did she just say New Life? Is this a program made for the game? Maybe I should pay attention to it.

    "We''ve got a report of some casualties around the Green Leaf village. The report happened an hour ago. Mr. Handy, the village leader and Blacksmith Rank B, said that they were attacked by a group of goblins , wolf riders and even the Goblin Chief which is a Boss type and Ranked C monster because of its abnormal strength. A lot of players died from the raid. Thankfully they managed to stop the raid and kill the boss with the help of an officer of Order of Light guild. For now, they are doing their best to fix the damage and fortify their defenses from future attacks,"

    The program showed some battle scenes from the raid. Our device records our gameplay which can be viewed by using a computer.

    "Vanguards guild also discovered a new biome far North of their Stronghold. Vanguards Stronghold guild is one of those that focus on military power. The biome is tundra, which is the coldest part of the world of New Life we discovered so far. Access to tundra is limited because the danger of tundra is not yet determined. Some of their scouts died from the monsters living in that biome. Better wear thick clothes and jackets to fight the arctic climate!"

    After the first report about the raid, she managed to wear thick clothes before reporting about the new biome which is really entertaining. Good job for that Aika!

    Cold weather means a new mastery. I might learn a new mastery when I go there, like Ice magic mastery or something. I should visit it sometimes.

    "People are very excited for the coming of the monthly tournament held by Order of Light guild! They are doing their best to improve their ranks to be able to pass the preliminaries. And because the number of players is increasing, the test would be really difficult this time according to our sources. Players enjoy this kind of events where the strongest players compete. We will also interview the winner of the tournament who will earn a good amount of in-game currency. The game company supports this and also will give a handsome cash reward. I hope we get to see new faces this month. Zeth, Rank A Warrior is still the top champion of the tournament and still undefeated until today! The tournament will start after 2 weeks so guys, enjoy getting stronger!"

    (ZETH / WARRIOR: A

    EQUIPMENT: IRON LONGSWORD / HIGH-QUALITY IRON ARMOR

    MASTERIES: HEAVY WEAPON / HEAVY ARMOR)

    She did wear a cosplay of a girl magician this time.

    A tournament, not bad! I really want to join but with my current state, I will be a laughing stock. I need to grind somehow to rank up fast to improve my stats. For now, I need to research a bit more about the game while waiting.

    -Aries'' Room-

    Marie is already playing the game. According to the website, there are more biomes that haven''t been discovered yet. grassland, forests, and the new tundra biomes are the only biomes players discovered so far. Villages, Castles, Cities and even strongholds are common throughout grasslands because it''s easier to build on flat surfaces. Tundra would be a hard place to live in so I''m pretty sure they will only build some watchtowers and other scouting buildings for them to check if monsters will raid.

    They will only choose 256 participants in the tournament, that number is really low compared to the numbers of all the players who would participate in the test. Zeth also is still undefeated. Maybe he''s not only strong but also smart and not to mention he is the one on the cover of the game. He''s really popular. Well, I should do some training to catch up. One year is really a long time. Anyway, the tournament will start in two weeks so I don''t think that''s enough time.

    It''s already 10 pm, time to log in!

    "You successfully logged into the game!"

 Chapter 5: The Cave

    -Greenleaf Village-

    "Hey, Scy! Welcome back! Here''s your backpack. You were really reckless earlier you know," Elou and the others greeted me with heartwarming welcome.

    "I finished crafting your equipment, Scy. Next time, please be more careful. A noo... a new player like you should know it. And that was one awful way to die, you know," I don''t know if I should be happy or not but Handylooks like he''s bullying me. Handy handed me the leather equipment including the bone weapon and shield.

    Leather equipment is considered light armors so it would be perfect for my mastery. Also, they are not just light but also have good protection. With a shield, I can easily block some light attacks easily but heavy attacks still should be avoided.

    "Thanks, Mr. Handy. It''s really worth it!" I gladly expressed my gratitude.

    "You''re welcome. Anyway, here is your share of the loot from earlier. Goblins don''t really drop anything but just useless weapons they used which crafters like me will just disassemble to gain low-grade materials. So, we agreed to just buy it and distribute the profit to those who participated. Here are your 10 silvers," Well, 10 silvers are equivalent to 1000 coppers so I think it''s not that bad.

    Akko and Lili are now wearing hooded clothes made out of leather. Also, they have their own staves and backup daggers in case they ran out of mana.

    "Hello there, did you manage to learn any new spells when I''m gone? I learned Fire mastery earlier," Not to brag but I am about to set monsters on fire soon.

    "Oh, that''s great! Lili and I learned Support Mastery, by treating other players'' wounds earlier. We would like to learn Fire Mastery too if you can teach us," Lili is a bit shy so Akko was the one replied to me.

    "You just need to create a fire with something and use it as a weapon to attack enemies. I tried it earlier by creating a fire using a torch and the alcohol from the barrels," Akko and Lili''s eyes are beaming with excitement.

    "Thanks! If we discover a new mastery we will inform you too!" That''s good to hear.

    It''s time to check my Stats again because the last time I checked it was when we were in beginner''s area. A window popped up after tapping my head.

    SCYTHUS

    THIEF: RANK E

    MAGE: RANK E

    Health: 100%

    Mana: 100%

    Fatigue: 0%

    Hunger: 70%

    Stats

    Strength: E

    Constitution: E

    Dexterity: E

    Agility: E

    Intelligence: E

    Wisdom: E

    Charisma: -

    MASTERIES

    Battle Mastery

    Light Armor Mastery

    Light Weapon Mastery

    Fire Mastery Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Stealth Mastery

    These are my stats today.

    According to the guide, Strength improves the overall physical damage dealt by most weapons. Constitution enhances our overall physical protection including our health. Dexterity is the best partner of those who use long-range weapons even those who use melee weapons because it increases your accuracy enabling to hit your target easily, also improves your critical damage from attacks. Agility, on the other hand, makes your body nimbler and reflexive enabling you to avoid attacks easily and increase your movement and attack speed. Intelligence raises your affinity to spells making you deal more damage using destructive spells, also strengthens the effects of support spells. Wisdom reduces the mana consumption of your spells to cast more, also reduces magic or spell damage taken from enemies. Charisma affects the way monsters and players behave when they see you, characters with high charisma are well respected, even monsters will even obey your commands, good for leadership and taming. I heard that you will be favored by Gods too which increases your overall luck.

    About my Masteries, Battle Mastery''s potency increases when fighting which improves your overall stats and the most basic fighting mastery of players. Light Armor mastery increases my defense and evasion using light armor. Light Weapon Mastery improves my accuracy, attack speed, and damage when using a light weapon. Fire Mastery is the most powerful offensive magic, it lacks utility but it''s purely used when doing explosive damage. The mastery improves my intelligence and damage using fire spells and also increases your resistance to fire. Stealth Mastery is for scouting or assassination purposes. It''s harder for players to detect your presence, also increases the damage of your surprise attacks. This increases my agility by a lot but reduces your charisma, no wonder it''s zero at the moment.

    They are all good Masteries but stealth reduces my charisma which is not good. Well, I will do something about it later. For now, I need to develop my Masteries.

    "Hey guys, I really want to try something out on my own. Is that ok with you guys? I''ll be back later," I asked my group in case they need me.

    "Sure, we will be just hunting again anyway. If you want to join again just whisper us later and don''t die," Elou, I won''t die. It would be hilarious to die twice in one day.

    The plan I mentioned earlier was to improve my rank by fighting stronger enemies and it would make me attack and defend more which will increase my mastery''s level faster. Wolves would be the best monster to hunt. It''s faster and stronger than Wild Cats. The location of Wolves is just south of Wild Cats area and near the Beginner''s area.

    -Far East of Beginner''s Area-

    I arrived at the location. Wolves attacks in a small group about three to five of them. The only way to fight them is a head to head battle. Luring a wolf will not work because of their strong sense of smell which my stealth''s effectiveness will be reduced and I''m sure my stealth ability is useless right now. I decided to attract a group of three wolves'' attention and run towards an open area. Fighting them in a narrow area and near the other packs is suicidal. Most of them are showing their fangs already.

    (WOLF: RANK E)

    "GRRRRRRR!" Ready to bite me any moment.

    Thankfully I now have Shield that can protect me from their attacks. I readied my Bone Dagger and Bone Shield to counter their attacks. They surrounded me and they moved really fast.

    "RAAAWWRR!" Suddenly, the wolf behind me tried to bite me with its fierce fangs but I evaded it successfully because I was prepared and I countered by stabbing its belly dropping him to the ground and finished it by stabbing its neck afterward. The new dagger is so powerful it pierced like it was a needle. The other wolf tried to bite my leg but instead, I surprisingly stabbed its head from above before it could even reach my leg. It was super effective and instantly killed the wolf. The last wolf called for help with its loud howl. Another three wolves appeared but I didn''t have the slightest doubt or fear. Compared to the Boss we fought, these wolves are just like pawns.

    After a while, I survived the fight and hunted more.

    Of course, I didn''t forget about the loot. I one by one picked the most precious loot from their dead bodies. Suddenly I sensed a sudden attack from the back! A surprise attack! I wasn''t ready and used my hand to hit the enemy instead.

    "Bare Hands Mastery Learned!" It doesn''t sound any good mastery. But it''s still a mastery so I wouldn''t be picky. With limited time, I need to only choose a couple to level up.

    "CLASS UNLOCKED: FIGHTER" Sweet!

    The attacker which is a wolf seems to be affected by the attack. It wasn''t powerful but it''s fast that it caught the wolf off guard. Now it''s time to teach it a lesson!

    Wolves started to scatter and leave the area knowing someone would hunt them. I searched the area and found some bones from their prey. Nothing much, oh well. At least I earned some loot and learned new mastery and class.

    It''s almost the end of grassland which leads to the forest. Forests are mostly filled with tall trees. There is a suspicious cave behind the trees, but it''s really not normal. It''s like someone made it and I don''t think I can enter alone. I should go inside with my party members.

    "Hey guys, are you busy? I found a cave here. Would you like to take a look together?" I whispered to them. Whisper function works if you are trying to contact a friend or a party member. This only works when they''re not that far. Thankfully, they are still not that far for Whisper feature to work.

    "Sure, we''re done hunting. So, where is the place?" Elou asked.

    "It''s at the end of the wolves'' area, south of Wildcat''s," I answered.

    "Sure, wait for us! We''ll be right there!"

 Chapter 6: In Trouble

    -In Front of the Cave-

    While waiting for them to come, I should check my masteries.

    Masteries

    Battle Mastery

    Light Armor Mastery

    Light Weapon Mastery

    Fire Mastery

    Stealth Mastery

    Bare Hands Mastery

    I got a couple of Masteries to use and I wasn''t able to use my Shield so I didn''t have the chance to learn it. Maybe there''s a point where I can use it.

    Bare Hands Mastery increases my unarmed combat abilities also greatly improves my movements because of weight reduction from not using weapons. It increases my agility. Basically, my last resort when I am disarmed or my weapon''s broken.

    (Warning: Hunger - 95%

    Overall stats are halved.)

    I heard my belly growling really loud. I can feel that I''m already hungry from all the hunting. I still have some bread here. It''s not really satisfying and filling but I don''t have a choice. I have wolf meat but never had the chance to cook once. Rested for a bit, I hunted non-stop earlier which made my body heavier.

    -After a While-

    I saw three people wondering around the wolves'' area. I think it''s them.

    They are using torches to see through the darkness of the night. The sky is filled with thick clouds which hid the moonlight. I concentrated my mana through my hand and created a fireball, the light spread wider which made them see me.

    Elou''s walking towards me, "There you are Scy! Is that the cave you are talking about?".

    "That''s right! It doesn''t seem to be your normal cave. It''s as if it was made like a base of some sort," I replied while trying to clean up my mess from idling earlier.

    "Yeah, you''re right. We should enter inside with caution guys. We don''t want to end up dying in such place," Yeah, and basically I don''t want to die twice in a row.

    -Cave-

    Entering the cave was easy. The Entrance isn''t that big but when you''re inside it''s really spacious as if the place is a hideout of some monsters.

    (BAT: RANK E)

    *FLAP FLAP FLAP!* We heard loud flaps of wings nearby and there are bats flying towards us!

    "Kyaaaahh!" A loud scream from the startled girls echoed throughout the cave. It scared us. The girls are trembling with fear. Though the bats just exited the cave and didn''t harm us.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    "That''s a good way to welcome their guests," Elou joked trying to calm the girls.

    We heard light footsteps coming from inside of the cave. We hid behind big rocks lying around while preparing for an ambush.

    "Kaa Kaacha Kaacha," Two Goblins! This time they have long spear and shield made of wood. They copied the defender''s equipment from the previous raid. They''re not that dumb after all.

    (GOBLIN: RANK E)

    After they walked passed us leaving their backs exposed and unguarded, I took advantage of the situation stabbing a goblin with brute force killing it in an instant without making a sound. The other one got killed by Elou with a precise shot of his arrow through the goblin''s head. We''re good when it comes to ambushes. Saving Akko and Lili''s mana is our plan in case we need their support later.

    We advanced inside silently killing every single goblin around.

    We found the end of the cave after few minutes of walking. It''s not that deep yet I feel uneasy. There are chests lying around and there''s a Goblin guarding them. It wasn''t a normal Goblin, though. It''s larger than normal ones and a giant wolf is lying beside it.

    "Isn''t this a Boss type goblin?" I whispered. Even a slight sound would wake the wolf up.

    "Yeah, I think so, but I think it''s a mini-Boss because most bosses are guarded by monsters," He answered silently.

    We planned the attack. My job is to sneak at its back and try to land a deadly blow on the Goblin while Elou will try to kill the wolf. Akko and Lili will support us if something goes wrong.

    I equipped my shield for precaution. I sneaked towards the back of the goblin. I tried to focus my strength on my dagger but before I land the hit I felt a sudden burst of pain on the left side of my body. It didn''t end with that. I hit the wall made of rock and dropped on the ground!

    "GRRRRRRRR!" The giant wolf woke up and managed to tackle me! It was so fast I didn''t see it coming!

    (GIANT WOLF BOSS RANK: D)

    "Hey, Scy! Are you ok?!" Do I look ok? I just got hit by a giant wolf!

    "Yeah, I was caught off guard. But it didn''t damage me that much," The attack was at a different level than those normal wolves. Its giant body adds force to its attacks. It may not as fast as the small ones but it has the strength and endurance. My health decreased by a lot. It was a solid attack.

    "FIRST AID!" Lili shouted pointing her staff towards me. I felt a relief after that.

    "Thanks, Lili!"

    The Goblin woke up and rode the Giant Wolf. They look bigger now. The Goblin picked up its long spear. I readied my dagger and shield waiting for it to attack.

    (GOBLIN RIDER BOSS RANK: D)

    The Goblin tried to stab me with its spear! The attack was so fast that I can''t avoid it. Instead, I used my shield to block the attack.

    *TIIIIING!*

    "Shield Mastery Learned!" I knew it!

    "CLASS UNLOCKED: DEFENDER" A defender huh... I guess that''s what they call their tanks.

    I still receive damage but it was not that much. Arrows came from Elou and hit goblin from behind. Akko focuses its fire spell on the wolf. The wolf is afraid of fire and it panicked! But it wasn''t enough to dismount the goblin.

    I can''t move that much while trying to block the attack from the Goblin. The Giant Wolf also is trying to scratch me with it''s giant claws like blades but I still blocked them. Elou and Akko still focus on their attacks while Lili heals me. The boss'' Hp is going down for sure. It can''t attack all of us so he tried to focus its attacks on me. If this goes on Lili''s mana will go down too and I might die because she can''t heal me anymore.

    "KACHHHHAAAAAAAAA!" The Boss was enraged! It cries so loud that you can hear it even from outside the cave!

    A couple of Goblins came from the outside and targets Elou and others. Lili can''t heal me now trying to avoid the attacks of the Goblins. This is bad I might die if don''t do something!

    Even Elou can''t shoot his arrows. Instead, he grabbed his dagger instead and tries to kill the goblins as fast as he can. But they lack the strength to kill the goblins that fast!

    *CRAAAAAACK!* My shield broke leaving me defenseless! Jeez!

    The boss swung his spear hitting my side and pushed me to the ground. It is now preparing to stab my head with the blade of its spear!

 Chapter 7: Surprise Visit

    -Inner Part of Cave-

    "KAACHHAAA!" Damn Goblin, focusing its strength on its attack trying to pierce my skull with its long spear! I need to get out of here!

    "I''m not going to die here!" Screaming with all the energy I have left! I lifted my dagger and parried the attack of the Goblin making it pierced the ground beside my head! It was so close! If it hit me it''s an instant death for me.

    The Goblin''s spear is stuck to the ground and it can''t pull it up. I took advantage of the situation, rolling below the giant wolf and stabbed its belly mercilessly without any second thoughts.

    "This is the payback from your attack earlier!" I repeatedly stabbed it and hot blood gushing through my face! Disgusting!

    "WOOOOOOH!" It cried in pain! That''s more like it! The Giant Wolf became so weak, dropped to the ground. I was able to get out in time before it drops on me. The Giant Wolf is in its last breath. How did I even managed that! The Goblin is still strong, I need to do something or we will be wiped out.

    The Goblin finally pulled its spear and swung it trying to do the same attack again! But I''m not that dumb, it''s fast and hard to avoid so I once again parried the attack.

    *BAAAAAAM* Man, the impact was too powerful. I almost lost my grip!

    In an instant, another swing of its spear is heading towards me and I tried to parry again but it shattered my Dagger. This is bad. I can''t get my old dagger from my bag!

    The Goblin''s trying to hit me again. This time, the attack of the goblin isn''t a swing but a piercing attack aiming for my head! Again! Why does it like my head so much!

    I don''t have ways of blocking it so instead, I tried to avoid it and it was a successful evasion! Without any weapon or shields, my body is so light, I can easily evade the attack. The goblin was surprised and started to attack again, swinging and stabbing its spear but all they hit was the air. I countered the attacks with light punches. The attack wasn''t that strong but managed to land several hits.

    The Goblin was so pissed he just attacks recklessly without any plan or thoughts. It''s just a mini-boss but we''re low-ranked so we''re still having a hard time. I repeatedly attack it until the Goblin is almost dead. The fight was tough but I turned the table around.

    I know that the Goblin''s strength is almost dropping so I decided to unleash the last hit. It was a heavy punch focusing a ton of force. The attack has a disadvantage when used, it slows you down after the attack.

    "HEAVY PUNCH!" But I still tried it and finally, I managed to kill the Boss with a powerful blow to its head.

    "THIEF RANK UP! THIEF: RANK D" Neat! Finally managed to increase my rank. I guess a life and death situation like this gives more rank progress.

    The guys are still trying to kill the other goblins. I helped them and managed to kill most of them.

    "Wooooh! I thought we''re going to die here but we managed somehow. Scy I''m pretty sure you''re in a tight spot earlier, how did you manage to kill the Boss by yourself?" Elou asked while gasping for breath because of physical exertion. I can even hardly move my body.

    "I just caught it off guard and took advantage of it, nothing worth mentioning. The important thing is we are all alive," I replied while trying to look for a rock to sit on. That cut their curiosity.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    We rested for a while, eating what''s left in our bags. It was really a tough fight and there''s no one to help us. We really need to find a high-ranked comrade to help us in these kinds of dungeons.

    After resting for a bit, we looted the area. The chests contain some shiny jewelry made out of different kinds of gems. Also, there are gold coins and silver coins. It was very rewarding. It looks like that this place is the hideout of the goblins that raided the Green Leaf village and robbed other players. We decided to go back to Green Leaf village to sell and divide the loot.

    -Outside the Cave-

    We came out of the cave safely. The cave wasn''t deep but it took us a while conquering it because of goblins lurking around inside.

    *WOOOOOOOSH!* We heard a flying projectile on its way towards me! I completely avoided it easily. It was fast but the accuracy wasn''t that high. The attacker purposely missed.

    Just who the heck would attack us, though.

    A guy behind the bush showed himself with other four of them. This ugly looking guy started talking. What the heck''s with his teeth? He only has two teeth at the upper part.

    "Hey, you guysh! We can shee that you jusht manage to finish the dungeon. We want you to give ush the lootsh and no one will get hurt!" Hahaha. He talks like a granny with his teeth like that. Even his comrades are laughing at him from behind.

    "We don''t want to fight, ok? And I know we''re outnumbered but if you touch us we will defend ourselves and we are also friends with Handy if you know him," Nice going there Elou! Even saying the name of Handy who''s a monster! Their facial expression also changed upon hearing the name Handy. Does that mean, saying his name did help?

    "Damn, that baldy! He''sh the reashon why my character has only two teeth at the upper part! Shmashing that big hammer on my fache! I want justiche!" He''s the one to talk, coming from someone who just shoots an arrow at others out of nowhere.

    "Hey, boss maybe we should back out, for now, if Handy hears about this I''m pretty sure he''ll get mad and I love my teeth you know," One of his goons said which is really in a panic right now.

    "Grrrrr! Ok! Let''sh move out! If I shee you again I''ll make shure you''ll give me what I want!" He sounds angry but I''m pretty sure he''s afraid of Handy.

    -Greenleaf Village-

    After all that trouble, we entered the Green Leaf village. You can still see the aftermath of the previous raid. I can still feel the intensity of the fight.

    We found a shop that buys and sells stuff for coins.

    "Hello, Mr. Shopkeeper! We have some stuff to sell. Are you interested?" Elou is energetic as usual even after that fight we''ve been through.

    "Of course, you''re always welcome my precious customers! You can call me Gario. Let me see your stuff," His eyes were sparkling, telling us that he will get tons of profits from us.

    We showed him our stuff and because we don''t know the actual prices of our loot, we let him do the checking. We did not stay for too long as it''s our first dungeon hunt. We got a good amount of gold coins so as long we can buy stuff then there''s no problem and divided it evenly.

    "With this, I can buy some good equipment!" Elou pretty excited. It really shows how happy he is. We just changed gears but I''m sure with our money, we can really get better ones. I as well might get something good from it.

    "Thank you for the honest business!" Gario said while we are leaving the shop.

    Sunrise can be seen east of the village. It was beautiful.

    "Hey Scy we will be waking up soon for breakfast and we''re kinda busy but we''ll be back after lunch. Will you be alright by yourself?" He still thinks about me before logging out. I can say he''s really good-hearted.

    "Yeah, I also need to prepare breakfast later so I think I should wake up soon too. Anyway, see you later guys!" The girls just wave their hands. I hope they can join in our conversation too later.

    -Aries'' Room-

    I logged out from the game and decided to wake up. I woke up without any problems with my body. It''s like my everyday sleep but with just a helmet thingy on my head.

    I washed my face and brushed my teeth. Before my sis wakes up, I need to prepare our breakfast first.

    I prepared ham and egg toast cups with hot chocolate.

    "Marie it''s time for breakfast. I''ll wait for you downstairs!" I said while she''s stretching out her arms and legs.

    "I''ll be right there, Bro, I''ll just wash my face for a sec here," She said with deep morning voice.

    *DING DONG* The sound of the doorbell echoed throughout our house. Since when did we get a doorbell? No one has ever visited us before... and who would visit us at this ungodly hour!

 Chapter 8: To Order of Light City

    -Aries'' Home-

    *DING DONG!* The person at the door pressed the doorbell again making me rush to the door.

    "I''ll be right there!" I yelled. I opened the door hoping the person is someone important or it''s just a pain in the butt. The sunrise is really beautiful from the outside.

    I was surprised by what I have seen. A girl, long straight black hair and a pretty face, she does look the same age as my Sis. She''s really pretty.

    "Hello! Who might you be?" I asked friendly.

    "Oh, did I go to the wrong house? I''m pretty sure the girl I was looking for is living by herself. I''m sorry for the intrusion" She replied politely. Hmm, maybe she''s a friend of my Sis.

    "Sis, I think someone is looking for you! Come here and check if you know her," I shouted so she can hear me from the dining room. I heard her strong footsteps, likely running towards us.

    "Oh! Azalea, how come you''re here early in the morning? We were about to eat breakfast. Come let''s have a table talk! And also meet my brother!" She said happily. We exchanged greetings. I''m pretty sure she forgot something because Azalea is wearing a casual shopping outfit.

    "You forgot about our plan again! We are supposed to go shopping today. Jeez!" Well, my sis is kind of an airhead. She''s really forgetful...

    They need to get up early because going to the city from here takes two hours of riding the bus. That''s why my parents did buy a car even though they don''t like it.

    "Yeah! I''m so sorry Azzie. Let''s eat for the meantime and I''ll prepare super-fast. I promise!" She said while inviting her into the house. They look so close, They should have become friends when I was in a coma because my sis was with other girls at that time.

    "I prepared the breakfast. Please enjoy!" I said cheerfully. I thought I can eat more, but I have to share it with the visitor. Oh jeez.

    "Hmm. Tashte good! I think your bro ish better than me. Haha!" She said while her mouth is full. I do think It''s a bad habit but who cares. I''ll just say that it really compliments my cooking.

    "Yesh, you even taught me and cooked by myshelf but Bro ish shtill better!" Damn, my sis is also talking with a mouth full of food. They really need proper table manners. Wait... Is she the one who taught my sister how to cook? Then that means- nevermind-

    Mari rushed towards the bathroom after eating. I guided Azzie to the living room while waiting for Mari though, it feels like she''s really familiar with this place. She probably had a lot of sleepovers here.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    They left the house as soon as Mari finished preparing. I told them to take care because riding vehicles are dangerous. Sadness embraced my feelings. Well, I should move on.

    After all that, I decided to get back to the game.

    -Greenleaf Village-

    I''m now in-game. It''s almost nine AM. The itchiness I felt on my skin is coming from the sunlight.

    So, what should I do next? I need to do something while the guys are away. It''s time for me to check my stats I think.

    Scythus / THIEF: D

    Health 100%

    Mana 100%

    Fatigue 0%

    Hunger 30%

    Stats

    Strength Rank: D

    Constitution Rank: D

    Dexterity Rank: D

    Agility Rank: C

    Intelligence Rank: E

    Wisdom Rank: E

    Charisma Rank: E

    Masteries

    Battle Mastery

    Light Armor Mastery

    Light Weapon Mastery

    Fire Mastery

    Stealth Mastery

    Bare Hands Mastery

    Shield Mastery

    Shield Mastery is new. It increases my defensive capabilities while using a shield and increases my constitution. Wow, my total level increased dramatically. My Stats are starting to increase but my Agility is already at C so I guess it means my speed increased at some point now. I should look for a job, with this level might get a job but still for a beginner.

    Wait... where''s the other classes I''ve unlocked before?! Hmmm... I guess it only shows the highest class I have.

    So, I went to the center of the village where lots of people gather. You can hear people selling and buying stuff, looking for a party, hiring an escort and other. The escort job sounds good. The only problem is taking care of monsters along the way.

    So, I approached the person looking for an escort.

    "Hello, Mr. Are you looking for an escort or a bodyguard?" I asked politely so he could hire me easily. The guy looks like a merchant. He''s all covered so I can''t see much of his face.

    "Yeah. My name is Tyblon and I''m a merchant. There''s really no requirement for the job as long as you can handle low-level monsters because the monsters on our way are mostly low-level," Sounds reasonable and it looks like I passed.

    (TYBLON /MERCHANT: C

    EQUIPMENT: GLOVES OF LUCK / SILKY MERCHANT CLOTHES

    MASTERIES: SPEECH / COLLECTING)

    "I somehow know how to fight now so I think it would be ok. I''m sure I''ll be a help," I said with a voice that sounds like a cute puppy asking for food.

    "Sounds great! I''ll pay you 50 silver coins before we leave and I''ll pay the other 50 when we reach the destination. The destination is Order of Light City and it takes a one-hour walking distance." Order of Light city sounds lame but I didn''t care. Also, one gold in total for one hour, that''s a fair deal.

    "Sure! Thanks. Just tell me what to do and I''ll help you out," I offered my help so he won''t think that I''m a leecher.

    "Ok. Will you please pick up the chests with my merchandise? They cost a fortune so be careful," I just nodded while smiling.

    Ugh! Holy crap! It''s really heavy as hell! The chest must have some expensive gems or stuff. A carriage is outside the village. It is waiting at the village''s north gate. The carriage can only carry one person so that means I''ll be walking.

    A girl wearing a robe was beside the carriage. It looks like she also took the job. She doesn''t look that strong but kind of suspicious. Anyways, the merchant told us that we need to keep going.

    "It''s time to go! To the Order of Light City!" He shouted excitedly. Well, everyone will be this excited if he thinks he will get a good amount of profit.

 Chapter 9: Earth Magic User

    -Greenleaf Village-

    After all the preparations we decided to go on our way. The carriage is being pulled by domesticated wolves which are bigger than normal. I''m pretty sure they were tamed well.

    "So that fatty hired you huh. You look so weak, better eat your bread. It might make you strong a little. Tsk," Did this girl just click her tongue? You spoke for the first time but I want to kill you already! And what do you mean I look so weak? You''re one to talk.

    "Sister, I''m just a newbie. You don''t have to be that rude," I said trying to suppress my anger.

    "Tsk," She once again clicked her tongue. Damn it! I better not talk to her. I don''t want to ruin my morning.

    Roads look pretty good which are made of gravel. That''s a lot of work. The environment mostly filled with tall grass and some trees. We''re getting a little bit farther and I can tell that there''s a lot of stronger monsters now.

    The guide on the game''s website shows some information about the monsters around the north part of Green Leaf Village. Monopods are one of them and they have only one leg and are wonderfully speedy. When it is hot they lie on their backs on the ground and are shaded by the great size of their feet. Most of the time, they just lie around and only move when they need to eat. Tigers cannot be spotted near the road because they are in a far part of the grasslands. Hobgoblins, on the other hand, are more dangerous because they are aggressive.

    We managed to avoid the monsters and somehow, we didn''t encounter any trouble but just minor ones like hobgoblins trying to ambush us. They are slightly stronger than normal goblins.

    After walking for about forty minutes, we''re almost near the city but...

    "Hello there! We can shee that you guysh are going inshide the chity. Oh well, it happensh that we are here to get the toll fee. Jusht leave your carriage here and we will not dishturb you anymore. You got that?" Jeez, it''s him again even though he wears a face mask I''m pretty sure it''s two teeth guy. He also brought more goons. We''re basically outnumbered. This time, the target is the merchandise.

    (TWO-TEETH / WARRIOR: C

    EQUIPMENT: MERCENARY SWORD / NORMAL LEATHER ARMOR

    MASTERIES: ARTISAN / SNEAK)

    This is bad. Merchants are useless in combat and I don''t know about the cheeky brat. It''s better to surrender and save my stuff. I haven''t really bought anything with my gold.

    "What the hell are you talking about?! And you talk funny! BWAHAHAHA!" She laughs with satisfaction on her face. Man, we''re screwed.

    Aren''t we supposed to just leave? There are eleven of them for hell''s sake and now you just pissed them off!

    "Hey hey hey- let''s don''t talk hastily here. We''re almost at the gate. If the guards see you here I''m pretty sure it will get ugly right?" I said calmly trying to reason out and avoid casualties.

    "NO! Thish freaking b*tch laughed at me! Shoot them! Don''t let them get away!" He''s pretty pissed.

    I can defend myself just by dodging but the problem is the merchant because he can''t!

    *WOOOOOOSH! WOOOOOSH! WOOOOOSH!*

    Arrows are flying everywhere. The merchant quickly hid behind the carriage! I tried to defend the wolves that pull the carriage but my shield can''t defend from all the attacks! We need to do something or we''ll die here helplessly!Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    "Oh, Goddess of Earth who protects the land, please give me the power to defend my comrades! EARTH WALL!" In a blink of an eye, a giant wall made of solid rock erected from the ground! She didn''t defend that fast because she was preparing a spell!

    (EARTH MANIPULATION: Can use earth spells using mana. Effectiveness, power, speed, and quantity is based on mana consumed to cast the spells.)

    (CELESTE / MAGE: A)

    EQUIPMENT: HIGH QUALITY MAGIC STAFF / ROBE OF MAGICIAN

    MASTERIES: EARTH MAGIC / CLOTH ARMOR)

    Holy crap this girl is on a different level than us!

    "Hey boss, she managed to create a large amount of earth spell. This is not your everyday spell Boss!" One of his lackeys said.

    He''s right! The spellcasters from the Green Leaf village only used basic elemental spells.

    "I know someone who can do thish and she is one of the officersh of Order of Light!" He''s trembling in fear.

    Is she an officer? She doesn''t look like it! Maybe she''s wearing cloth armor because she''s a spellcaster. That''s the only possible reason. Damn it. What matters now is that we are safe.

    "I didn''t sign up for this boss! I thought this would be easy because they''re from Green Leaf village!"

    They started to panic! So, they''re tailing us from the start!

    "You can''t jusht shcare ush with your tricksh brat! If we can''t shoot from here, attack them with our shwordsh instead! GYAAAAAAH!" Oh, jeez! Just freaking stop it already!

    What''s your next move girl?! This will be bad if they get near us!

    "Oh, Goddess of the earth who controls the land, please allow me to borrow your strength! SUMMON EARTH GOLEMS!"

    <figure>

    </figure>

    Five angry looking giant golems made of rocks erupted from the ground! Every time the giants move a small tremor can be felt! She''s out of our league!

    "Go my Golems! Capture those smelly and ugly thugs! BWAHAHAHA!" Someday, someone is going to rip your tongue off. Just believe.

    The group of bandits tried to attack the golem but it didn''t work. Their swords and arrows didn''t even leave a scratch. You can''t even call it a fight.

    Golems, one by one, grabbed them and manage to capture nine of them including the leader. Other bandits managed to run away. I didn''t do anything. Thanks to her I am alive and safe.

    "Good job hiding you weak! BWAHAHAHA!" Now she''s trying to bully me.

    "I didn''t hide you know, I protected the carriage. But you were really cool back there. Good job," I smiled at her. It was a fake smile though but her face suddenly became red. Pretty weak for compliments huh...

    "Nice work Ms. Celeste you are indeed the greatest earth spell user. Paying you ten gold is really worth it!" What?! He''s trying to praise her. Did he just say ten gold coins? I''m pretty sure mine''s one gold! Well, it''s understandable because of the difference in our abilities.

    "You will pay for thish brat! Our mashter won''t be happy with thish! You''ll be shorry!" He said trying to scare us. He doesn''t really know how to shut up.

    "Just shut the f*ck up or I''ll smash you to death!" The threatening voice of hers made the bandits cower with fear. Jeez, don''t shout like that it even scared me.

    Traveling became easier because mobs just run away when they see the golems.

    -Order of Light City-

    We finally reached the Order of Light City!

    Wow! The city is unbelievably big and beautiful! The walls are so high, made of concretes. Monsters can never climb this kind of wall! The buildings here are all well-made, like those medieval times. Most of the buildings even the roads are made mostly out of concrete. You can see the giant castle from here. It is big and magnificent. Lots of people are passing by. Different kinds of noises can be heard everywhere. All kinds of shops are also here.

    "Ok, so this is the time I give you the other fifty silver coins. Here you go," Merchant said while handing me the coins. That was easy income.

    "Ok. Goodbye, now Mr. Bodyguard. If you have time you can visit my shop in the inner part of the city. Just tell the guards my name and they will tell you where to find me. See you again next time," He said his goodbye. He''s a good guy but kind of not much of a talker when traveling.

    "Hey Weakling, better train yourself so you can do your job well. I hate to say this but you suck," She''s really into bullying huh...

    "I will take that as a compliment Ms. Celeste. You were really awesome back there. I hope we can meet each other again next time. Thank you for saving us. I owe you one," I said trying to improve our relationship a bit because I might need her help someday.

    "Hmph," She just walked away. I hope I didn''t make her mad or something.

    Now it''s time to go shopping!

 Chapter 10: Hobgoblins Massacre

    -Order of Light City-

    Time to go shopping... I said but I have no idea where. This place is huge and crowded, and most of them are traders. Maybe I should ask the guard about the good shops.

    I approached one of the guards to ask.

    "Hello Mr. Guard, I''m looking for shops that sell equipment and supplies for travelers, any recommendations?" I asked politely.

    "Oh, hello there, most of the shops that sell good stuff for adventurers and travelers are at the center of the city near the castle. People around here are selling that cheap stuff which is not so good but good enough for those who doesn''t have much which are basically, just for low-level players. Anyways if you got the gold, go to the center of the city and you''ll find good shops," He''s trying to point the way to the center of the city. He also said that I need a good amount of gold, though... I hope I have enough.

    -Light''s Marketplace-

    I''ve reached the center of the city which they call the Light''s Marketplace. You can see people with good equipment walking around and looking for stuff. This place is for those high-ranked players. Jeez, I''m pretty sure I look like a beggar compared to them. Some of the players even look at me thinking I might be lost or something.

    There are auction houses, equipment shops, supply shops, stable, pet shops and much more. This place is filled with different kinds of shops where adventurers gather around. This is the haven for shopaholics.

    "Hello Mr. Guard, do you know the shop of Mr. Tyblon? He''s one of my friends and I''m looking for him. Can you help me, sir?" I once again approached another guard to ask. He''s the merchant I guarded earlier.

    "Oh, Mr. Tyblon''s shop is around here. It''s called the Accessory shop. He sells really good accessories. Just go straight here and you''ll find it," He pointed out the direction and I said my thanks while walking away. Wow, nice shop name.

    Guards here are very helpful and even with many people around, there are no troubles so far.

    So, this is Mr. Tyblon''s shop. It is really big and it looks like a place for luxury. Am I out of place? This place is for rich people damn it. Why did he even invite me here?

    -Accessory Shop-

    I finally decided to enter the shop. Damn, the place is covered with shiny things. I am really out of place!

    "Oh, you came! I was waiting for you, Mr. Bodyguard. Come here let me show you my merchandise," He''s pretty excited to get his one piece of gold back. I was supposed to get out earlier... but I don''t have a choice now that he saw me entering his shop.

    He toured me around the shop, showing his most valuable and most precious accessories which I definitely can''t buy. Well, he might think that I''m going to be a potential buyer someday. Good investment.

    "Mr. Tyblon, do you sell any accessories that have special effects? I''m kind of short when it comes to gold so I''m looking for stuff that will actually help me," I said trying not to be rude.

    "Of course, of course... It''s around here. This one gives you additional constitution. This ring increases your movement speed. This one-," He showed me the accessories that boost your capabilities and stats. Pretty neat but I want something that can really help what I''m trying to become.

    Some of the accessories are insanely expensive but they''re worth it when it comes to special effects. For now, I decided to buy the necklace which increases my movement speed when running because I don''t have any mount to use. Running takes more energy, while mounts greatly reduce the energy consumption. I used half of my entire gold buying it, though.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    (NECKLACE OF SPRINT: Slightly reduces the energy required when running.)

    I came out of the shop and decided to check more.

    -Near Light''s Castle-

    It took me 2 hours just to window shop and buy stuff. I bought foods, herbs, and other supplies. I also visited the blacksmith for them to repair my equipment.

    *TOOOOT TOOOTOOTOOOT!*

    I heard a sound coming from the gate of the castle. Everyone in the marketplace went to the place to check it out.

    "The Order of Light Guild is looking for adventurers! We are going to explore a cave, far North of Grassland, so we are gathering all help we could get. Of course, if you perform well you will be rewarded handsomely. The exploration will be tomorrow morning so if you want to join, you can sign up now till six pm," A guard declared.

    Wow, a cave! It must be a dungeon or another hideout for monsters. I should sign up for that and get good loot! Gold is good.

    So, I went to the place to sign up and a lot of people are already in line. I waited for a bit and then it''s finally my turn.

    "What''s your class and rank?" So, there are requirements. I hope I can get in.

    "I''m a Rank D Thief and my specialty is light weapon. Can I join up?" I said trying my best to be accepted.

    "Oh, I''m sorry but the requirement is at least Rank C. Maybe you can join us next time. Train first and come back again," The guard explained. Well... at least, I tried.

    -Outside Light''s Castle-

    Too bad they didn''t accept me. No wonder, my level is too low. Worth the shot though. A rank C is like a whole week of gameplay based on guides. When a rank reaches D, it will take some time to improve it. I need to improve my rank first. Well, if I want to rank up then I need to fight monsters again. So, I went outside the city through the south gate where monopods and hobgoblins lurk around.

    (MONOPODS: RANK D)

    (HOBGOBLIN: RANK D)

    So, what''s my goal this time? Should I increase my Fire mastery or focus or my light weapon? Bare Hands saved me from the boss Wolf rider so it''s also a good one. I think it would be better if I rank up my Fighter Rank first to improve my melee abilities. I should also block using my shield to increase my Defender Rank and increase my defense.

    Some players also hunt here. It would be great if Elou and others are here too. Oh well, I should wait for them later. For now, I need to do it myself.

    -Hobgoblins Area-

    I went farther this time, away from the players. I don''t want them stealing my mobs. This area is the place where hobgoblins lurk. They ambush their prey mercilessly but I hope I won''t get killed that way.

    "GRRRRRRRRR!" A Hobgoblin showed up and it looks angry! Well, they always look angry even without reasons.

    The Hobgoblin rushed towards me without any warning. He uses a big club as a weapon which is kind of heavy so if it hits me, I''m pretty sure it''ll hurt. but-

    *WOOOOOSH!* It also means that I can easily avoid.

    The swing was really fast but I managed to predict the movement of it and evaded easily. Wow, my agility really helps.

    *BAAAAAM!* I blocked its second strike with my shield which created an impactful sound. It was a hard hit. I blocked it but I still received damage. Kinda stings too.

    I attacked him with my fist but it wasn''t that effective. It is sturdier than I thought. My shield decreases my evasive capabilities. I need to do something about it.

    *BAAAAAAM!* Damn, another strike from the Hobgoblin! I am suffering from its attacks just by blocking them. So, I decided to drop my shield to improve my movement this time. I am having troubles dealing with a single Hobgoblin.

    *BAAM BABABAAAM!* My consecutive attacks did a good serious amount of damage. The Hobgoblin is tough but with a couple of good attacks, it looks like it''s already at its limit already.

    "HEAVY PUNCH!"

    *BAAAAAAM!* I used my heavy punch which ended the fight. It was easy but if my movement was restricted, I will be having a hard time.

    I need to do something about my shield, though. What if I put it on my back instead? It won''t hinder my fists and at the same time, I can defend my back without reducing my movement speed that much. Yeah, that''s a great idea though it limits my defensive abilities upfront.

    So, I put my shield on my back and placed my dagger behind my waist for surprise attacks.

    I hunted for hours again. I didn''t get bored. My sis isn''t at home right now so I can eat later. I hunted like there''s no tomorrow. Sneaked and used surprise attacks, I threw fireballs to deal damage over time and let mobs hit me on purpose to increase my ranks.

    I realized it''s already dark and corpses of hobgoblins are everywhere.

 Chapter 11: Tavern

    -Order of Light City-

    "Hey, did you hear the rumor? They say a player slaughtered the hobgoblins! They didn''t see the face of that person because he was covered in blood,"

    "No, I''m pretty sure it wasn''t a player. Some witnesses said they saw a humanoid type Boss because who would literally kill that many, right?"

    "Oh really? I thought I heard it was a group of assassin''s aiming to get the blood of Hobgoblins for some experiments,"

    I returned to the city and random rumors can be heard. In reality, it was just me who killed them. I''m sure they didn''t saw my face because as the other one said, I was covered in blood but I managed to clean myself with the lake''s water I found just far part of the Hobgoblin''s area. Killing monsters are common, so why are they making a big deal out of it. It took me the whole day and all night too.

    It''s almost six pm and it''s getting dark. I should check my rank to see if I can join the dungeon exploration.

    Scythus / THIEF C

    Health 100%

    Mana 100%

    Fatigue 90%

    Hunger 95%

    Stats

    Strength Rank: D

    Constitution Rank: D

    Dexterity Rank: C

    Agility Rank: B

    Intelligence Rank: D

    Wisdom Rank: E

    Charisma Rank: E

    MASTERIES

    Mid-Rank Battle Mastery

    Mid-Rank Light Armor Mastery

    Mid-Rank Light Weapon Mastery

    Fire Mastery

    Stealth Mastery

    Bare Hands Mastery

    Shield Mastery

    EQUIPMENT

    Weapons: Bone Dagger / Bone Shield (Almost Broken)

    Armor: Low-Quality Leather Armor (Almost Broken)

    Accessories: Necklace of Sprint

    Well, my agility is abnormally high and wait... Thief Rank C! Holy... how long did I grind to reach this rank so fast?! Well... why am I even complaining anyway...

    The thing is my strength is really low. My attacks wouldn''t deal much so I need to rely on my speed and spells.

    (WARNING: FATIGUE AND HUNGER IS EXTREMELY HIGH!)

    Yeah, yeah... I''ll go get something to eat and rest after but first...Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    I decided to come back and apply again for the exploration and I''m on my way but...

    "Hey weakling, it''s you! What are you up to?" The sharp-tongued brat or who they call, Ms. Celeste, saw me walking to the castle gate.

    "Hello, Ms. Celeste! Are you going to the castle? I''m on my way there to apply for the exploration," I said trying to smile.

    "Oh, what a good timing, I''m the one who''s in charge. I''ll tell the guards to let you join, weakling! Haha!" She laughed wholeheartedly. She should stop saying, weakling, it''s not really funny.

    As soon as we arrived at the gate, the guards salute as if their lives are on the line. It looks like this brat is really a big shot.

    "Hey, you there! Let this man join our exploration. His name is wea... what was your name again?" She said scratching her head trying to remember something, though we never had the chance to introduce ourselves.

    "It''s Scythus. I came here earlier to apply but the guard said I can''t because my level was too low," I said trying not to look pathetic.

    "Yes Ms. Celeste, yesterday, he came here and he said that his Rank is D which is really low for this mission so I don''t think we can accept him," He said trying not to look at the brat''s eye.

    "Is that so... Just do what I say and add him up!" She shouted. Even the guards outside trembled from fear.

    "But Ms. Celest-,"

    "It is ok Mr. I''m now Rank C so I think it is OK for me to join you guys now," I stopped him from talking because he would be in trouble if this brat gets mad.

    "Are you really sure? It''s impossible to rank up that fast in just a short period of time unless you kill hundreds of monsters. But ok, if you say so," He said. He accepted me in request of Ms. Celeste and not because of what I''ve said. But you''re right.

    "We will travel tomorrow at exactly eight o''clock in the morning so make sure you come in time, ok? You''re not such a weakling after all. Haha," She laughed again. Jeez, how can she be this arrogant?

    "Alright, see you tomorrow!" I said waving at her while she enters the castle.

    -Aries'' Home-

    Mari should be home by now. I forgot to get her number. Jeez, she''s really taking her time.

    "KRIIIIING KRIIIIIING!" A telephone call, it should be Mari who is calling.

    As soon as I answered the phone she started talking.

    "Hey Bro! I''m going to stay here at Azzie''s house for tonight. Is that ok?" She asked. She didn''t check if I was the one who answered the phone because she knows that I''m the only one here.

    "Sure, just make sure you don''t bother her family ok? And come home safe tomorrow," I answered.

    "Ok, thanks, Bro! You take care of yourself too," She said and hung up. I guess I can grind again later.

    -Kitchen-

    I just prepared instant noodles for my dinner because I''m kind of lazy to cook.

    After eating I took a nice bath and brushed my teeth, living a life like of a NEET which stands for "Not in Education, Employment or Training". That is very common in manga and anime.

    As soon as I finished all my necessities, I entered the game.

    -Order of Light City-

    "Hey Scy, are you there? It''s me Elou we just entered the game. It took us longer than we thought," I heard his whisper from Elou so I answered.

    "It''s ok, but right now I''m here in Order of Light''s city. It is a one-hour walk north of Green Leaf village. You should come here too. It is really beautiful," I replied.

    "Wow, really?! Of course! I''m with Akko and Lili right now. We''re going there. Is the way safe though?" He asked worriedly.

    "Yes, just make sure you run if you see bandits around." I tried making a joke to lighten up the mood.

    "Ok, we will be there as soon as we can. Anyway, let''s hunt later! See you!" He said and cut off the whisper.

    I went to the shop to sell my loot from the hobgoblins earlier but the shopkeeper tried to ask a question.

    "Ehh- Mr. Traveler, are you the one who slaughtered the Hobgoblins? From the looks of your loot, it seems it''s you," Well, it''s really obvious, right?

    "Yup, that''s me! But don''t say slaughtered, just say hunted ok? I''m not that bad to say slaughter, right? Please make it a secret between us. I promise to sell all my loot to you," I smiled at him trying to look good.

    "Of course, of course, Mr. Customer. They say the customer is always right," He smiled hiding his fear. His face looks like he was afraid that he forced to smile but also needed the materials.

    Did I do something wrong? Well, as long as I gain gold I don''t really care.

    After selling all the loot and earn a few gold coins, I walked around the marketplace. It''s almost night time but the place is really bright. People use elemental sprites for daily purposes.

    Elemental sprites are like fairies but cuter and usually like big droplets with wings floating around. Fire sprites for creating fire easily, Water sprites provide clean and pure water, Wind sprites can freely harness the power of wind and air and other more. They are really convenient to have. I''m going to have one of that someday.

    (SPRITES: Creatures that are peaceful and only created by the Gods to help new players in their daily lives.)

    -Light Tavern-

    While walking I saw a tavern filled with people. The tavern is where people meet, drink and trade information. Better check it out.

    I entered the place and people are cheering everywhere. There''s an arm wrestling going on between two adventurers, what is going on?

 Chapter 12: Rumors

    -Tavern-

    It''s too loud in here. People are cheering and laughing. It''s quite the scene you always see inside a tavern in a big city like this.

    I approached the tavern keeper to ask what is happening. I sat one of the chairs and relaxed for a bit.

    "Hello Mr. Tavern keeper, I can see that people here are cheerful. So, what''s going on?" Maybe the arm wrestling is a contest or something. The Tavern Keeper is wearing a simple uniform, common for shopkeepers. He looks decent and has a beard too.

    (TAVERN KEEPER / MERCHANT: A

    EQUIPMENT: HAT OF SPEECH / TAVERN KEEPER CLOTHES

    MASTERIES: SPEECH / COOKING)

    "Oh, it''s just a simple arm wrestling and adventurers make a bet, earn some extra cash and have fun at the same time. New face huh, is this your first time here?" He asked. He''s smiling having fun watching the match. Though, he sounds feminine...

    "Yes, that''s right. So, is there any news going around lately?" I asked, looking for information I might need.

    "Oh, I will answer that question if you order a drink first." It looks like I''m obliged to order. Well, it''s common to buy something first before asking stuff. I have lots of gold coins right now so it wouldn''t be a problem.

    "Of course, give me the best drink you''ve got. Oh, and please no alcohol. I will meet my friends later," I laugh. Gaining a tavern keeper''s favor is really important. The more they''re close to you, the more they give you valuable information.

    "Here you go, Light''s Berry Juice! This is the best juice here in Order light city. It will melt your brain!" He proudly presented the juice and the color is kind of weird. Doubts embraced my feelings.

    "Did he just say Light''s Berry Juice?!"

    "Yeah, I heard it too!"

    "Isn''t that the legendary juice they''re talking about?!"

    "Yup, that''s right! Even the Guild leader loves it!"

    "You must have heard it wrong! It was the most expensive juice in the city!"

    Ehh? People suddenly are talking about my order. I''m pretty sure I said the best drink, but I didn''t expect I would get this much attention. They suddenly came to check it out and waiting for me to drink it.

    "Hey boy, you should drink it, people are getting excited you know," The tavern keeper insisted.

    "Well, if you don''t mind me asking. Just how much is this juice?" I shyly asked hoping that I can afford it.

    (BERRY JUICE: Currently the best tasting drink in Order of Light City that is famous around the world of NLO. Price: 10 gold coins.)Stolen story; please report.

    "It''s ten gold coins. I''m pretty sure you have that kind of money, right? You even asked for the best," He smiled. I felt like I was scammed! But it''s partly my fault. Ten gold coins for a drink? Are you joking? It''s half of my money, damn it and it took me a whole day of farming for it!

    "Can I just give it back? I realized I am not that thirsty. Ha ha-" I tried to laugh but my throat can''t. I checked the tavern keeper''s face but it was like he is getting serious now. Damn it!

    "Ha ha- It was just a joke. Ha ha- Alright, I''ll give it a shot!" I slowly drink the freaking expensive juice.

    The smell is really good tickling my nostrils! The juice has tangy, viscously fresh, naturally sweet and has a sharp taste which made my tongue melt in enjoyment! This is the best juice I''ve ever tasted. Though, I think ten gold coins for the price of it is too much.

    "So how was it? I can see on your face that you really enjoyed it. You''re even blushing!" He smiled knowing I was satisfied.

    "Yeah, it was great! Thanks! So, I guess it''s your turn to answer my question, right?" I grinned. You won''t get away this time.

    "Alright, alright,"

    "Well, I heard a rumor that there is an undiscovered dungeon if you cross the lake near the hobgoblin''s area. Players are scared to get near it because there''s a rumor that a madman will kill anyone who gets near it, even hundreds of hobgoblins didn''t make it," Yeah, of course, it was me. But I''m pretty sure I didn''t see any entrances to a dungeon there. Maybe I missed it. Better check it out later with the party.

    "There are also sightings of a giant bear west of here. They said it was so big and considered as a Rank C Boss type and even as strong as the Goblin Chief. Better stay away from it. Hunters failed to hunt it and died. They just leave it alone after that," A Giant bear! Sounds nice but it would be a pain if I go there unprepared.

    "Also after the coming tournament, there will be a new update to the game. I haven''t heard any solid proof but it wouldn''t hurt to prepare for it right? It''s an uproar now on the internet," Well technically it would be the game''s anniversary after the tournament.

    "And because you did buy the most expensive drink here, I will tell you a big secret. Order of Light is secretly recruiting military forces because nearby cities are aiming to capture Order of Light city soon. Order of Light city is the biggest, richest and at the center of the grassland so it would be the number one target. Better leave the city when the time comes. That''s all I have, boy. I hope you get that all," Well, that''s unexpected. I thought the cities are peaceful but of course, there are always going to be a greedy one, right? I shouldn''t join the political affairs, it''s troublesome.

    "Thanks, Mr. Tavern keeper! I''ll make sure to visit you from time to time!" I bid my farewell. Well, I think it''s worth it.

    -Order of Light''s South Road-

    In the meantime, a group of travelers saw a giant wall made of rock blocking the way.

    "Holy crap! That''s a giant wall! It''s incredible!" A shout from a familiar face, it was Elou.

    "Yeah, it was really awesome right, Lili? Should be many spellcasters had built it," Akko said who was really amazed by the wall.

    "You''re right. It is in the way, though. They should remove it somehow because it''s troublesome," Lili said but wasn''t really that much interested.

    They didn''t know that Scy was here when it was erected.

    "We should hurry up. Scy is waiting for us. I guess that he is now stronger than any of us." He surely loves to laugh.

    "You know that you are with two young maidens, right?" Akko frowned.

    "Yeah Yeah- Sorry." He said while smirking.

    -Order of Light City-

    They arrived at the gate of the city in no time.

    "WOOOOOOAAAAAH! This place looks amaaaazing! I should have brought a camera!" He laughed earnestly.

    Both of the girls were amazed too. The gate is so high even a bird needs to fly higher to just pass.

    They were amazed when they entered the city. Outside the city was so dark because it''s already night but inside is really bright. The roads have a lamp post everywhere. Shops, houses, and other buildings are also bright, attracting customers even at night time.

    Unlike in the real world, players are more active around night time because most of the people are at home and probably playing while sleeping.

    They spent their time trying to check shops and visiting tourist spots.

    They forgot to contact Scy that is waiting for them.

 Chapter 13: Lost in the Dark

    -Order of Light City-

    I was able to sleep in the Tavern and replenish my fatigue. And now, I''m about to meet the others but they should be here by now. It''s impossible to get lost. Maybe I should whisper Elou.

    "Hey Elou, are you there?" Hoping he could hear me.

    "Yeah yeah, we just arrived. The city is so awesome, dude!" He sounds like he''s having fun.

    "Ok, wait for me at the south gate. See you!" I said.

    I finally arrived and they are already waiting for me.

    Hmm, is it just me, or they are carrying a lot of stuff? Maybe they hunted or something.

    "Hey. What''s with the bags, guys?" I asked while walking towards them.

    "Oh, we just went shopping and found some tasty food," You can see Elou almost drooling. The other girls are blushing maybe because they realized they bought too much.

    "So, what''s the plan, Scy? We''re kind of clueless on what to do here. Maybe you''ve got some info," He asked.

    "Well, I heard a rumor that there is a dungeon nearby. It''s near the hobgoblins area. You want to check it out?" I''m pretty sure they''re up for more dungeon runs.

    "Are you sure about that, Scy? I mean, we heard that there is a psycho lurking around the hobgoblins area and we don''t want to be the next victim," I know he''s being cautious but I can see he''s trying to hide his fear.

    "I''m pretty sure he will not target us.," Yeah, it''s because I''ll be with you the whole time.

    "Sure... if you say so. It will be a lot easier if we have you right," Maybe, I hope the dungeon is not that hard or it will be troublesome for all of us.

    "By the way, if you don''t mind me asking. What are your Ranks? It would be good to know what the team''s capable of, right?" Trying not to sound like I''m spying or anything.

    "Sure, our Ranks are all still the same which Rank D after we fought with the Goblin Rider Boss. Range and spellcaster classes basically rank up slower than any other masteries because we don''t get hit that much so our defensive capabilities are quite low," Yeah, it''s really reasonable, unlike me who specializes in melee combat, I hit and get hit a lot. Though I already expected that they''re still Rank Is.

    "Of course. It sounds good. The surrounding areas only have a few strong monsters so it wouldn''t be that hard. I''m not that sure about the dungeon, though. Just make sure to be ready and be alert always. It''s already night now so ambushes would be great," I need to calm them down before going to the dungeon.

    -West Forest of Order of Light, near Hobgoblin''s Area-

    After buying and restocking our supplies we decided to move out.

    It was really dark here outside. Moons and stars are hiding behind the thick clouds making it darker as usual. I concentrated my mana to my hand and created a small fireball. Maintaining one fireball with mana makes it last longer but slows down my mana regeneration.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    While walking, we heard some scratches on the bushes. I''m pretty sure I killed most of the hobgoblins so it should be some wild animals roaming around.

    "KYAAAAAAH!" The girls panicked! I was startled by their shouts. Don''t surprise me like that!

    "Don''t worry guys, it''s just the wind. I''m familiar with this place," I eased them up.

    -Hobgoblins Area-

    We are now in the hobgoblins area, just southwest of Order of Light city. The corpses of hobgoblins are everywhere, covered in blood. Even the grass is red as a ruby. I overdid it. I should control myself sometimes. I was in my zone at that time.

    "Scy, shouldn''t we wait for sunrise? This is bloody scary as hell," Elou''s worried. The girls are almost crying in fear. Jeez, this is the best opportunity to ambush.

    "If we arrive at the dungeon, it will be a lot easier. It''s just that this place is the remnant of the bloodshed left by the psycho, right? I''ll protect you no matter what so just trust me. I''ll lead the way," It somehow convinced them to go on.

    Though, I feel like we are being watched. I''m sensing an anomaly in the air. Even I am trembling but I''m doing my best to hide it. This is really strange. It wasn''t like this the last time I''m here.

    Hmm. I don''t see any lake? Did we walk in the wrong direction? I think I''m making a mistake here. Tall grasses are nowhere to be found. The light of fireball I created can''t reach any end of this place. It feels like we were in endless darkness.

    Our feet are covered in some kind of black fog.

    "Hey Scy, are you sure this is the right way? I don''t see anything around this area. It is like an empty map. We don''t even see what we are stepping on. I''m kind of feeling bad about this. We should head back." Elou whispered to me. I can see on his face that he is really not feeling well.

    "Guys, it seems that this is not normal. We should be at the lake by now. But I think we are trapped in an illusion or something. The place shouldn''t be like this. Are you aware of abilities that alter what people see to create confusion? I''m entirely sure this is like that. Only a coward or weak monster would do this," I hope what I''m telling them is really what''s happening.

    "Are you sure? Because if we''re not, we will be in some kind of trouble, right? I am telling myself not to be afraid. It feels like this is a horror movie or something. I want to get out of here as soon as we can," Akko said. We need to do something or we will be trapped here until morning and achieve nothing.

    "Should we just log out? I think it would be better?" Elou suggested.

    "No, that would be a bad idea. You do know that if you logged out of the game, there''s a ten-minute time that you will leave your character, still online, right? That''s why we should log-out at places where it is safe,"

    "At least we won''t see what will happen here," Damn it... stop being a coward for a second Elou. You''re a man, dude up.

    "Don''t panic, I have a plan. Hey, Akko and Lili, are you still ok?" I asked them knowing that they can''t move on anymore.

    "Maybe. So, what''s the plan?" Akko answered.

    "Just create simple fireballs and throw it in some places far ahead, so we can see more," I suggested.

    The girls threw fireballs at some random places. I hope we are far away from grassland or we''ll create wildfires.

    I threw a fireball at my side too but...

    "PSSSSSHHHHHH," My fireball hit something but in an instant, it died, leaving a sound of a fire touching water.

    I knew it! This was an illusion! It must be the doing of a monster!

    "OOOOOOOOHHHHH!" A deep loud noise can be heard below the ground!

    A giant Shadow looking monster popped up! It was a Shade they called the Death Shadow! A Rare Boss Type monster! I saw a picture of it online and they said that no one survives against it and it shows up at night where there are dead spirits, maybe it was attracted by the dead hobgoblins. It''s probably eating the hobgoblins souls.

    (DEATH SHADOW BOSS RANK: B

    -A Rare boss that only appears to gather souls of enemies and mostly attracted by corpses. Uses high-rank dark spells related to illusions and kill their targets on their sleep, yet defense of this monster is way too low.)

    "Guys this is our chance to defeat it! I know you''re freaking scared right now but it is now or never! We will defeat that Death Shadow!" I shouted trying to boost our moral back!

    "Of course! Lock and load guys! This will be a hell of a fight!" You''ve got that right Elou!

 Chapter 14: Death Shadow

    Shade''s Illusion-

    Elou said it will be a hell of a fight. But...

    "Hey, guys why are we running away from it again?" You''re the first one who started Elou! He''s even having a hard time catching his breath.

    "Well, it''s because we can''t literally hit the shade physically so we need to use magic attacks and because it''s so fast, we can''t hit it," I said while also running away.

    "Guys I''ll catch its attention and focus your magic attacks on it. I hope can make it go somehow," I suggested. We can''t think of a solid plan because we didn''t expect it to be immune to physical attacks.

    I changed my direction to pull the aggro away from the team. I spammed my fireballs and it wasn''t that effective but at least we can still attack it.

    How can it attack me with physical attacks when he''s a shade? It would be logically impossible to use physical attacks. Maybe I''m missing something out.

    "Hey, Scy I heard that it usually has immunity to physical attacks but when it uses its attacks, the immunity will be disabled for a moment. It will be our chance to strike a solid blow," He said. Nice Elou, you did your research.

    "Here it comes! Focus guys!" The shade is preparing to unleash its attack on me!

    I turned around and blocked it using my shield on my back. At the same time, I once again made a turn grabbing my hidden dagger from my waist slashing its body.

    It worked! I tore a part of its body. Its body is as soft as cloth but hits like a boulder. They also manage to land a blow and magic spells.

    "I told you it was weak to use those cowardly skills!" I laughed trying boosting our fighting spirit.

    Suddenly, the Shade got pissed! He disappeared again from our sight! It was planning a surprise attack! Our support would be in trouble if they get caught by its attacks.

    "Regroup guys! Get ready to defend. It''s its cowardly tricks again!" I ordered. I need to order them or they don''t know what to do.

    "When it shows up use range spells to stop its movements. Elou, prepare to counter," I ordered.

    "Ahhhhhh!" Elou cried!

    The Shade grabbed his leg from below and pulled him away from us! As soon as we get near him, he looks like he''s already asleep with a face like having a nightmare. We tried our best but we couldn''t wake him up! This is bad.

    (DARK MANIPULATION: Creates illusions that mainly causes targets to be afflicted by fear, sleep or other negative effects that weakens the mind.)

    Nightmare is a spell which causes the target to have the worst dream when a target is affected by a sleep spell. If in that dream he dies, he will also die here in the game. That would be bad. The only way we can cancel the nightmare is to have a good support that cancels a curse or we defeat the one who used it. Our only choice is to defeat it because Lili can''t remove debuffs yet.

    Sleeping while sleeping huh...

    We didn''t expect it to go below the ground. Damn it!Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    It disappeared again.

    "Be careful guys! We don''t want to end up like Elou," I said but...

    As soon as I check the girls, they are already lying on the ground! Holy Cow! Not again! Damn it to hell! It''s just the Shade and me.

    So, I''m the only one who can save them. Jeez, I just said that they should be careful.

    I''ve felt something is coming from below so, I reflexively avoided its grab! It decided to show up. I can read its tactics. He''s thinking like, "He''s the only one left. It will be easier" But I''m aware of that. You think I''m just your typical adventurer? You''re wrong.

    "You know, I want to try something out. But I can''t show it to the team. It''s what I call fiery fists," I tried to talk to it but I think it can''t understand me.

    I concentrated my mana into my fists. They said your own magic won''t hurt you. I hope so because this won''t be as pleasant as I imagined.

    My hands started to ignite. Both my hands are covered in flames. It doesn''t hurt. I hope it won''t burn my equipment, though.

    The shade rushed towards me and used its normal attack. I avoided it by cowering below its hand and I launched my counterpunch targeting its scary face from below.

    "FIERY FIST!"

    *BOOOOOOOOM!* The intense explosion burst from my hand. It was like my hand was a dynamite. Thank God it didn''t affect me or I''ll be in pieces by now. It was so powerful, the shade flew away and hit the ground. It was still covered in flames, caught it by surprise.

    (PHYSICAL AND MAGIC COMBINATION: Consuming Energy and Mana at the same time to cause more powerful attacks. This kind of attacks can easily deplete the energy and mana of the user but it also is good to end a battle.)

    What? He was trying to escape! If it manages to escape my friends would die! It tried to escape but for some reason, it couldn''t escape to the ground and it''s maybe because he is affected by burn status from my last move and it can''t use its spell.

    "RAAAAAAWR!" I concentrated my mana below my feet and it created an explosion again and I flew in an in instant and caught up to it. That was insanely fast that I wasn''t expecting to catch up to it in just a mere second!

    "Taste my HEAVY FIERY PUNCH!" I concentrated all my remaining mana to my right fist and punched the Shade''s back with all I''ve got! If this won''t kill it, then we''re screwed because I''m all out of mana.

    The moment I landed the punch, the shade shattered in pieces like it was a spilled ground coffee. Just like that, I was able to defeat it. I''m so tired because of mana exertion.

    (DEATH SHADOW HAS BEEN DEFEATED.)

    "Wooooh. That was fun. Hmm?" I saw a black color gemstone from the remains of the Shade. Maybe I can use it to create jewelry or something, I should save it.

    (DEATH SHADOW SOULSTONE: A stone that contains the soul of the Death Shadow.)

    "Hey Scy, what happened? Ouch, my head hurts. I remember dreaming the same scene over and over again. It was like a freaking Genj*tsu man," Elou''s grabbing his head because of the pain he''s feeling right now. And I think he is talking about a technique of some kind by a ninja if I remember it correctly.

    "Yeah, are you guys ok now?" I asked them. Akko and Lili look ok now too.

    "Yeah, Scy is there a big hole like this earlier? And where the hell did the shade go?" Elou asked.

    The shade shattered into pieces and the hole was made by me. As if I can say that to you guys.

    "Well, I was also sleeping earlier so I didn''t see what really happened. I was the last one that''s left and I tried my best but like you guys, I fell asleep too. The important thing now is we are all safe, right? Want to check the dungeon now?"

    "Are you sure? After that scary monster, you still want to continue?" Well, it wasn''t that bad, Elou.

    "Of course, I mean we just had a good sleep, right? Just ignore the nightmare part." They just showed me the look that they''re tired but they''re still up for more adventure.

    -Hobgoblin''s Area-

    Everything is back to normal. The moonlight is out now and the place is brighter so we decided to rest for a bit. We created a campfire beside the lake and ate some food. We talked a bit but Elou mostly is the one talking. He''s really a funny person.

    I checked my equipment. They are still in a good shape. My mana is a bit low but I''m pretty sure it would be full when we reached the dungeon if we find it soon.

    That new technique I created was really good. I''m pretty sure I can beat any foes with that. I better not overestimate myself.

    It''s almost midnight. It took us a lot of time being lost and fighting that freaky shade they called Death Shadow. Well, now he retired being a shadow and permanently became dead. Haha! Ahem ahem.

    "Alright, guys! Let''s go find the dungeon!"

 Chapter 15: The Bet

    -Hobgoblin''s Area-

    We searched the whole area but we didn''t find any trace of a dungeon entrance, not even a hint. Maybe the one that started that rumor is a troll or something. This is just a waste of time...

    "Hey, guys? Did you find anything? It''s really hard to see clearly when it''s too dark," I thought you want to be an archer... you should try and use your eyes a little bit better... He''s pretty much just checking out some boulders.

    "It should be here somewhere. Tavern keeper said it would be near the lake. We''re missing something out here,"

    I started touching the big rocks around the lake like an idiot. There should be some sort of hidden entrances. It''s common to most of the puzzle games.

    After spending a lot of time grabbing and checking I found a suspicious rock. It''s like it was built and unnatural. I decided to break it with my fiery punch when my teammates weren''t looking.

    *BOOOOOOOOOM!* The rock shattered into pieces! I knew it! I found a stairway below the ground! It was a small narrow way but I''m pretty sure they must be hiding some important stuff inside building a place like this.

    "Scy! Are you alright? What the heck was that explosion?" Elou''s worried.

    "Oh, I pressed something and then bam, an explosion out of nowhere," I looked around and I don''t see any company.

    "Nice! We found it! Get ready for some loot," I can see an evil grin coming from his face and it was me who found it.

    -The Entrance of the Dungeon-

    So, we didn''t waste time and entered. It''s so dark here but finally, we''re now below the ground and inside the dungeon.

    "Hey guys, it''s pretty common that dungeons have some traps so be careful," I am not sure if this place is safe.

    The inside looks like a normal cave but it was built like rooms. There''s a door that leads to the other rooms. Thankfully it wasn''t like a maze. There''s only one door each room. It must be a hideout of some sort.

    Every room is empty. It''s really unsettling. There should be something inside the rooms but cleaned out instead. I''m getting a bad feeling about this.

    We''re now in the fifth room but there are no traces of loot inside. This place must be a hideout of bandits and maybe they just left and found another place.

    "Hey Scy, we should go back. It doesn''t look like we will get anything from here. It is empty," Yeah, he''s right. Maybe we should just go back to the city.

    "Oh, you''re not going anywhere!" A group of men is walking towards us. Bandits! I knew it!

    "How did you find our hideout? Hey, you said no one can find our hideout, you jerk!" He scolded one of his lackeys.

    "Sorry, Boss but we''re already playing almost eight months now and this is the first time someone discovered our hideout," So they''re really bandits!This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    "Hello Misters, we are very sorry for trespassing. We''re lost and we mean no harm. Will you let us through? We won''t tell a soul. We promise," Elou''s trying to avoid further casualties.

    "Well, that''s too bad. Even if we kill you right now you''ll just respawn. You know that Order of Light guild is looking for us, right? So basically, we will just need to find a new hideout. How about you leave your belongings here and we will let you pass?" He said. Well, it''s better to do as they say or we will be outnumbered but we got really nothing to lose.

    "Alright Sirs, we will leave our bags here. Just stick to your promise," Elou, good job. I hope they just let us pass.

    After we drop our bags we move out.

    "Ladies first," I said and the girls started moving. I walked out last.

    The moment I went to the fourth room a lackey stabbed me in the back!

    "Eh? It bounced back!" He said, surprised by what happened. The lackey thought I wasn''t prepared.

    "Jeez! We just gave you our bags. Why do you have to kill us? You leave me no choice,"

    *BAAAAAM!* The moment I finished my sentence, I knocked out the lackey who tried to stab me.

    "I admire your dedication, boy. But do you think you can defeat all of us? Not to mention your teammates are cowering in fear," The leader is pretty confident. We''ll see about that.

    "Hey Scy, do you think we should run? We''re totally outnumbered right now," Elou whispered to me full of doubts. If you want to go, just go. I need my stuff back.

    "Don''t worry, let me handle this," I need to look confident.

    "How about I challenge your leader one on one and if I win, give us back our belongings and let us go but if you defeat me instead we will not tell anyone about your little hideout and just go on our way," I said. If their boss is really strong he will just take the bait.

    "How about you leave the two girls with us if I defeat you instead? It''s been a long time since we got girls'' company BWAHAHAHA," He laughed so hard that he might even throw up. Nasty Bandits...

    "Sure. Just this time, make sure you fulfill your promise," I have to do something.

    "Hey wait a minute Scy. You''re scaring the girls. If you have a plan please don''t involve them. They might get hurt, you know. Elou whispered to me.

    "Don''t worry I have a plan. Just trust me," I replied.

    "You think you can beat me? I''ve been playing the game since they released it. Be ready or you''ll be dead in an instant!" He confidently said while doing his protective instance.

    (LEONIDUS /DEFENDER: C)

    EQUIPMENT: BANDIT''S AXE / TOWER SHIELD / BANDIT''S HEAVY ARMOR

    MASTERIES: NORMAL WEAPON / HEAVY ARMOR)

    He''s wearing a heavy armor making him slower and he''s using a tower shield to defend from frontal attacks. Unlike his lackey, they wear simple light armors for tracking and assassination purposes. He uses a one-handed ax as his primary weapon. His head is also well protected.

    He is now walking towards me without leaving his protective stance. It''s easy to read. The moment he gets near me he will just swing his ax. But there''s a disadvantage using that kind of instance. He is vulnerable to magic attacks.

    I created a fireball and used it to attack him but he managed to defend from it, swinging his shield to put out the fire. I knew it! I saw an opening.

    "Haha! That won''t work! I fought a lot of stupid spell casters and died with a single blow from my ax!" He''s really full of himself.

    I concentrated my mana on my hand again to create a simple fireball at the same time I''m also preparing to use the booster I used to chase the shade earlier.

    I threw again the fireball towards his shield.

    *BAAAAM!* That shield is tough but-

    "Haha, I told you it won''t- Ehh?"

    The moment he swung his shield to put out the fire again, I rushed towards him and used my fiery punch in his chest. He was caught off guard.

    *BAAAAAAAAAM!* The explosion echoed throughout the room. Everyone got knocked back because of the force and the boss got smashed to the floor.

    The boss lost his consciousness in an instant but he''s not dead yet, I can tell.

    "We made a promise guys, give us back our items and we will leave the place peacefully," I said intimidating the rest of them. I know I used a lot of mana again and for the meantime, I can only use physical attack so if they decided to fight back, we''re in serious trouble.

    So far, my plan worked. They gave us back our belongings and we decided to leave the place. Being Rank C Thief has its perks.

 Chapter 16: Bandit Leader

    -Bandits'' Hideout-

    "Ugh!" The Bandit''s boss is holding his head trying to gain composure.

    "What happened? Ouch, my chest hurts," He asked.

    "Boss we thought you were dead! The boy punched you in the chest with a powerful move. Are you ok?" The lackey worriedly asked.

    "Of course, I''m ok, I just passed out for a bit but my health didn''t even drop that much. It''s just a lucky shot. So, did you kill them while I was out?"

    "Eh? We thought you were defeated so we just let them leave," The face of the Boss became so mad that it''s hard to describe.

    "Hurry up and catch them! Morons! What a useless bunch!" They immediately left the hideout to chase the lucky ones.

    -Hobgoblin''s Area, Near Bandit''s Hideout-

    "Wow, that was cool Scy! How did you do something like that?" Elou''s pretty much amazed of what I did. I was just lucky, though.

    "Oh, to tell you the truth I didn''t knock him out. Earlier while we were looking for the entrance to the dungeon which is technically the hideout, I found a sleepy mushroom which I used earlier. We should hurry they might be chasing us by now," I once again made an excuse.

    What really happened is the fiery punch has stun effect, the more effective the hit the longer it lasts. I caught him by surprise so he should be awake by now. It''s been 30 seconds when we left the area and haven''t gone that far yet.

    We need to reach the city as soon as possible or else it would be really bad.

    "Can you go on ahead? Don''t wait for me I''ll just need to do something important. And hurry up or they''ll catch up," I said. It would be better if I can buy them time. It''s my fault why we''re here in the first place.

    "Ok, just be careful. We will meet you in the city," He said. We bid our farewells.

    I came back and waited for them to pass by.

    Three of them are running... It''s a good time to execute an ambush.

    *BAAAAAM!* I stopped one of them with a surprise attack punch. He was out as soon as he landed.

    "Damn you brat! You will pay for this!" He slashed me with all he''s got but even a baby could dodge that.

    *BAAAAAAM!* He tried to slash me again but I was able to dodge it and counter with a powerful two body blows. Another one bites the dust.

    "Shit!" The other one said while trying to run away to get the other members but of course, chasing is now one of my specialties not to mention I have the necklace that increases movement speed which I bought from the shop before.

    *BAAAAAM!* I outran him and this time, I once again used a couple of blows to defeat him. You need to rest for four hours bro.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    It''s easier when you ambush your foes when it''s dark. Based on their abilities, I can tell they''re Rank D. They probably haven''t met strong opponents to be this weak after playing the game for a long time or they''re probably new recruits.

    After that, a couple of them showed up. Now five of them are here, should I stop them? Oh well, as if I have a choice.

    "Take this!" I said but...

    *BAAAAM* What?! He blocked my attack with a shield. They are probably Rank C... I could be in trouble fighting them head on.

    They are stronger than those I fought earlier. They wear heavy equipment like the boss but a little weaker.

    "You think it will work on us? Dream on, boy. They rushed towards me with intent to kill. This time, simple tricks wouldn''t work. I need to think something.

    They attacked me at the same time by swinging their weapons but I managed to block and evade them. Blocking their attacks takes a chunk of my health... these guys are strong. If I''m not careful I will be dead for sure because of my low defensive abilities.

    I landed some counter attacks after evading but it''s not enough to defeat them.

    "FIERY-" I shouted pausing for a bit.

    "I said it wouldn''t-" he stopped talking after I landed my attack.

    "KICK!"

    *BAAAAAAM* My kick solidly hit his face. A loud explosion banged through the area. His helmet shattered into pieces and he died with a single critical hit.

    They started to panic. And of course, I took advantage of the situation. They may be strong but their teamwork and coordination are not so good. My random attacks were effective. My kicks and punches were like needles piercing their defenses.

    I managed to kill all of them but it was a tough battle. My HP and mana are almost out too. I really need to go back to the city now or if another batch comes here, I''d probably die.

    "HOHOHO... so you''re really that strong. But do you think I''ll just let you get away?" Damn it to hell. Their boss is here. I can''t use my boosters anymore because I''m all out of mana.

    "I was just going to pee you know but you''re here so let''s get on with it," I tried to make a joke out of the situation. I''m too tired and I can''t even move that much anymore.

    (WARNING! FATIGUE IS HIGH AND MANA IS AT 20%) Alright, alright... I can see it.

    "You got some real confidence there. You of all people know that you can''t even stand straight right now," Yeah, yeah... stop talking already.

    Now he''s serious. He changed his equipment and now uses his full battle set. His weapon is a long sword and still using his tower shield. Jeez. I''m so tired.

    "WAAAAAAAH!!!" He shouted while running towards me.

    He''s aiming for my head. A powerful Overhead Slash! If that attack hits me, I''m totally screwed!

    *BAAAAAAM!* A fireball hits the boss'' shield. I and the boss got knocked back. Who''s that?!

    "Geez, do you think we don''t know what you''re planning?" It''s Elou! It looks like Akko''s the one who used that fireball.

    "How about we do it four versus one? It will be a lot easier, right Scy?" He said. Thank God they''re back.

    "Thanks, guys," I think the explosion earlier was the reason they''re back.

    "We''re a team after all, right?" Akko said and smiled at me. She''s an angel.

    "So now you think you can defeat me by increasing your numbers? What cheeky brats?!" He looks pissed. He needs to do something about his anger issues.

    We are now preparing to attack him. Elou shoots his arrow aiming for his head and feet to reduce his focus. Akko is preparing to cast her spells while Lili is trying healing me. Thankfully, my health is starting to get better. Her heal, so far, is quite low but it''s still a huge help.

    I spammed my punches every time he leaves an opening. His attacks are nothing but useless. He can''t attack while defending from arrows and spells. It''s really not a fair fight but who cares, as long as we win and survive.

    My mana is recovering. A little more and I can use my ultimate attack.

    My punches are really weak. With that heavy armor and large shield, it''s hard to do any damage.

    "Is that all you''ve got brats? Stop tickling me, this isn''t a children''s game!"

    "RAGE MODE!" Eh? He used the same spell similar to the one Handy used when we fought the Giant Goblin boss!

 Chapter 17: Protection Squad

    -Near Hobgoblin''s Area-

    His body emits a red strong aura. It was horrifying!

    (WARNING: STRONG ENEMY NEARBY!) Even the system tells me that there''s a strong opponent.

    This is troublesome, I think it''s better to just run and leave him behind. Wearing armor like that would just slow him down.

    "Hey, guys... want to just run? This will be a tough fight. If he attacks me with that I''m sure I''ll get killed." I am now trying to convince them to just run away.

    "This is the first time you said something like that. Are you going to back out now?" Elou raised his one brow.

    Really? Are you telling me that now? Damn it Elou, I thought you would just say ok...

    "Fine! Don''t attack him yet. He will just absorb your attacks and buff himself." It will not be good if he reaches the same power as Handy. That attack would be a taste of hell.

    "Hey, midgets! Are you just going to stand there? That archer looking guy looks dumb, I''m pretty sure he loves to eat a banana with that face. BWAHAHAHA!" Haha. You think it will work? Provoking us won''t...

    "DON''T MAKE FUN OF MY FACE! TAKE MY ARROWS!" Jeez. Elou! He''s too easy going. I never thought he will get mad so easily. (Rage Mode has high rate of taunting lower rank enemies.)

    Elou shoots arrows like a speed of light. Damn it!

    "Elou! Stop that you''ll just buff him up!" I shouted but... he doesn''t look like he wants to stop at all.

    The boss'' HP is still going down. He can only use rage mode if his HP is below fifty percent. That''s good news to us but the rage mode effects are really bad. The lower his HP is, the more powerful his attacks are.

    "Don''t get near him! Spam your long-range attacks!" I said while charging my mana.

    "Your attacks are pitiful! You think I''m going down without a fight?" Yeah, yeah, you can''t even get near us and you talk like that.

    "He''s just bluffing. Just spam your long-range attacks and don''t let him make a move. BWAHAHAHA!" Now it''s my turn to piss him off.

    I can see that he''s having a hard time. Defending from multiple attacks without support is like just being a punching bag. He may be strong but if he can''t get near us to attack then it will be useless.

    He glows even more! This time I''m sure his HP is almost out.

    My party is almost out of mana and ammo too.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    It''s time for some explosion!

    I rushed towards the boss and prepared my attack.

    "I know you would run for the kill! But do you think I''m going down?! Take this!" From the position of his sword, he will use a side slash.

    "SONIC SLASH!" Eh? That''s a different move. In a panic, I rolled down to avoid the attack. It created a massive wave which cut the trees near us. But thankfully my reflexive instinct saved me. The others are pretty much scattered and none of them got caught by his attack.

    (PHYSICAL RANGE WAVES: A skill that melee players could use by spending mana making a long range waves made of pure physical power.)

    And now he''s preparing an overhead strike. But I anticipated that move...

    The moment he slashes his sword to the ground, I spun fast enough to avoid it.

    "SCISSOR FIERY KICK!" I furiously kicked him in mid-air creating a powerful attack fast enough to hit him unguarded. It was so powerful his face hit the ground breaking every bone he has. I know it''s the end at that time.

    (ALL HOSTILE PLAYERS HAVE BEEN DEFEATED. ITEMS HAVE BEEN DROPPED.)

    Player killing is normal to the game. It''s not considered illegal or bad but Order of Light Protection Squad is one of those groups who maintain the peace in the city. They are like the police but in medieval costume.

    "Are you guys ok?" I asked them. From the looks of it, they are exhausted. It''s almost morning already. We can see the sunrise from here. The battle happened near the lake.

    "Yeah, we''re alright. Thank God, we defeated him because he can''t use long-range attacks. He was a monster! " He said while sitting down with a look of relief.

    He and I looted the dead bodies. It will be such a waste if we just leave them, right?

    After that, we headed back to the city.

    -Lake Near the Hobgoblin''s Area-

    Meanwhile, the lake that was clear as crystal is now as red as a ruby.

    A patrol from Order of Light saw the abnormalities of the lake.

    "Holy crap! It''s really red! I''ll need to go and check it out!" He said to himself and rode his horse to the way the red water came from.

    There he discovered the remains of the players who got killed. The bodies of dead players will remain for four hours until they re-spawn.

    "This should be reported to the higher-ups. Bandits are still players. If you can capture them alive it would be better. But it looks like they''re not just bandits. They are the Wild Lions Bandits! They should be High-ranked party to do something like this!" He exclaimed.

    -Order of Light Tavern-

    I feel so tired. I want to relax and eat some good food.

    After reaching the city, we rushed to the tavern.

    "Hey, you''re back! Did you find the dungeon?" The tavern keeper''s smiling as usual.

    "Bring us some food and we want to rent a room. Also, you''ve got the wrong information about the dungeon. It was a hideout of bandits. I''m pretty sure they created that rumor to attract victims. Thank God we escaped from them." Better to lie now, because we killed them. It''ll be bad for us if the guild hears about it.

    "Oh, is that so? I should be more careful giving out information like that. It might affect my reputation." Just bring our food already.

    After eating our meal, we rested for a bit. We checked the loot we gained from the bandits and most of them are medium quality. We might sell them for a good price. I don''t need the longsword because I only use light weapons. The shields are too large for my back to carry. I only use light shields so I can hide them at my back.

    After resting for a bit...

    "Is Scythus and his party here?" A group of guards came to our room looking for us.

    "It depends on what reason and who are you guys?" I know who they are but it''s better to ask them. They might give us the name of the one who ordered them or the purpose why they''re here.

    "Order of the light''s Guild Leader is looking for you. You need to come with us." Why, the heck, is he looking for us? Is it about the bandits? Jeez.

    "Sure, sure, let''s go guys."

 Chapter 18: Preparation

    -Order of Light Tavern-

    "So why is the guild leader looking for us again?" We''re now on our way to the castle. I''m not really sure why... unless that tavern keeper figured it out.

    "It''s something important. Just follow us," He said. Why so serious all of a sudden?

    We entered the castle. It was really impressive. The castle has barracks, stables, even archery training ground. It looks like it was built for the purpose of defending the most important people in the city. There are more guards here. Most of them are wearing really good equipment unlike us who are only using beginner equipment.

    "We''re almost there, make sure to respect the leader later," Well, that''s obvious, Mr. Guard.

    We arrived at the Leader''s roundtable where high ranking officers conduct meetings and talk about political stuff. How did I know this? It''s just a hunch.

    "Here they are Sir, Mr. Scythus, and his party members," Wow, they''re pretty formal towards him.

    "Oh, if it isn''t the party who defeated the Wild Lion Bandits. Nice to see you guys doing well after taking down one of the notorious gangs around the city." He excitedly proclaimed.

    "They don''t look that strong, though," He whispered to the guard. We can hear you, you know.

    (MAXIMUS / MAGE: A

    EQUIPMENT: CANE OF MAGIC / GRAND MAGE CLOTHES

    MASTERIES: SPACE MAGIC / SPEECH)

    "Sir, they can hear you," The guard whispered back to the Leader.

    "Ahem, Ahem. Did I say that loud? I thought I was on mute. Sorry about that. Hahaha!" The leader said. At least make a good excuse and please stop laughing. We all know that there''s no such thing as a mute feature here.

    "So how did you find the gang? My trackers can''t even find their hideout but you didn''t just find it, you guys executed them all. Good work decreasing their ranks. Anyways, I sent my officers to wait for them to re-spawn and catch them. Our prison is large enough to accommodate more guests. Hahaha!" He said and once again, laughed. The guild leader sounds like an easy-going person too. How is he a leader?

    "Well, we just lure them out and ambush them when they''re not in a group. Somehow, we managed to defeat the boss," I explained what happened briefly.

    "But if I''m not wrong, their ranks are way higher than you guys. You got some good strategy there. How about you let me see all you''ve got and given you a job based on your talent?" Is he trying to hire us? I don''t want to join the political affairs. It''s a no-no for me.

    The guards led us to the training ground and after looking around, this place is really a good way to practice but I prefer fighting monsters for better results.

    "You, taller missy, you can hit Mr. Deandre here. He''s one of the guards that have the highest constitution. Even a dragon''s breath can''t scratch him. Get ready missy," He ordered Mr. Deandre to use his protective stance.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    (DEANDRE / DEFENDER: B

    EQUIPMENT: IRON SWORD / HIGH-QUALITY TOWER SHIELD / IRON HEAVY ARMOR SET

    MASTERIES: SHIELD / HEAVY ARMOR)

    "My name is Akko Sir. FIREBALL!" She focused all her mana and created a large fire projectile that exploded on impact. It was so powerful that the guard got knocked back, though it didn''t deal a good amount of damage, I can tell.

    What do you expect? The attack was so obvious and the guard was in his best protective stance. I can tell that he has a higher rank than most of us here.

    "Oh, it was a nice hit. You can be one of our offensive magic spellcasters. You''re next little missy," He''s kind of rude, though.

    "Her name is Lili Sir and she uses support spells to heal allies," Akko said on behalf of Lili.

    "Of course, of course, Supports are always the best class in a fight, how about you Mr. Archer?" Elou has good aim and good physical attacks. He also uses his bow really well. The arrows are so fast the Bandit Boss had a hard time dodging and blocking them.

    "My name is Elou and I''m an archer. Sir Deandae, you better prepare," It''s Deandre, not Deandae. You should at least listen when people are talking.

    He knelt to the ground and pulled the string and timed his shot perfectly.

    "SNIPE SHOT!" He shot the arrow and it was so fast that I can I hardly see the arrow. It slightly pierced the shield of the guard but that''s it. It would be really a good way to murder those light geared like me, also good for assassination but not so good against a full heavy armor targets.

    "Nice shot Mr. Archer. That was enough to assassinate a bandit without him knowing. Lastly, Scyfus If I''m not wrong. Do your best," It''s Scythus, damn it. Elou and this leader would really get along.

    "It''s Scythus Sir," I grabbed my dagger and use simple side slash that the guard blocked effortlessly. I don''t want to use my techniques just to impress this Guild leader. And as I said earlier I don''t plan on joining them.

    "Alright! That''s the power I was looking for! Well, for a janitor that is," He is really pissing me off.

    "Hold it right there!" I heard a familiar voice not far from here. Oh jeez, it''s her again.

    "Ms. Celeste, nice to see you here," I mumbled.

    "I know it''s the weakling. Sss... I''m pretty sure I know your name but I think I forgot it somehow. Haha," She laughed. It''s so annoying. Is it just me, or these guys have a problem remembering or even saying names.

    "It''s Scythus Ms. Celeste. Anyways, what''s with the shout?" I scratched my head trying to look for an answer.

    "So, is that all you''ve got? The wounds we found from the corpses earlier weren''t from stabs or blades against their leader. And I''m pretty sure no one here in your party can use that kind of attacks," Good job investigating the corpses, my lady.

    "Well, I really don''t know how to answer that but I''m pretty sure it''s just us who did that. We used spells so maybe that''s why" I excused.

    "Maybe you''re right. We found some burnt wounds which came from fire spells," Just stop blubbering already and let us go...

    "So, what do you think? Do you want to join our little guild?" The guild leader asked us.

    "Nope, I''m sorry Guild leader but I don''t think I can join your guild I don''t think I have what it takes," I said.

    "Ohh, I wasn''t talking to you. I''m talking to your teammates, they look so helpful. We are currently recruiting for members," Damn it, what a way to embarrass me, Mr. Guild Leader.

    I just walked away and left them. I have exploring to do later with the cheeky brat so I need to prepare.

    "Hey Scy, why did you leave? He even offered us a good job you know," Elou asked worriedly.

    "Then why didn''t you accept it? Jeez," I implied.

    "Well, you declined the invitation so we also did. We are a party, remember? But will you at least tell us the reason?" He insisted.

    "It''s because if we join them, the time for us to get even stronger will be limited. We can''t explore freely because of the political issues between guilds. Look at their members, they may be well geared but their guards are at least Rank C at most due to standing all day and doing nothing. It will be troublesome for me, not to mention, he sounded so arrogant," I explained.

    "Well, that''s reasonable," He replied.

    "Anyways. I have a mission later with Guild of Light. They will explore a dungeon in the forest later. Want to join us?" I asked them.

    "Are we qualified, though? I''m pretty sure it''s for higher ranked players,"

    "Don''t worry. Just leave it to me. And let''s prepare our supplies," I confidently said.

 Chapter 19: Giant

    -Near the North Gate of Order of Light City-

    We packed our supplies and sold the loot we gained from previous battles. We got lots of gold coins. I bought new equipment made out of good leather for better protection. The weight of the armor is also light which won''t slow me down that much. I also bought a cloak and hood to hide my face. I don''t want players to recognize me when I''m in my zone again. I bought a light shield and it will greatly improve my defense. A new light dagger is good for surprise attacks too. Rings that improve my mana regeneration also didn''t hurt. I spent a large amount of gold but it''s worth it.

    -High-Quality Light Leather Armor Set

    (High increase in Light Armor Benefits.)

    -Thief''s Cloak

    (Slightly increase in Stealth benefits.)

    -High-Quality Light Shield

    (Intermediate Damage Reduction from Physical and Magical Attacks. Strong attacks might still damage and knockback the user when blocking.)

    -Light High-Quality Bone Dagger

    (Intermediate increase in Light Weapon Benefits.)

    Ring of Mana Regeneration x2

    (Slightly increase in Mana Recovery Speed)

    My party members are well equipped now. New weapons for them to boost to their damage output, better armors for better protection too.

    *TOOT TOOOTOOTOOOT!* A loud sound of horn echoed throughout the city. It was the signal to assemble in front of the north gate.

    "So that''s our signal. Get ready guys!" I excitedly marched towards the North Gate with the others.

    We arrived at the entrance and it is so crowded. It is eight am in the morning, aren''t they supposed to be at work? Jeez.

    "Hey hey hey! It''s me, your Lady Celeste! The total names of the players who applied are about 723 people. Wow, I was expecting less but a couple of noobs won''t hurt the dungeon run. Is there anyone here who doesn''t have their name on the list?" Man, she''s still pretty rude.

    Elou, Akko, and Lili raised their hands. They''re so honest.

    "Oh, I remember you guys. Hey you, put their names on the list. They''re the ones who defeated the Wild Kittens gang or something," Celeste ordered. Why do people always forget about names? And why would you reveal something like that in front of hundreds of people!

    "The rules are simple. First, we need to travel to the forest and find the dungeon. Second, exploring the dungeon is our main goal but if the dungeon is hard for the players to handle we will go out and regroup for further planning. Third, no killing of fellow players. Fourth, dropped items of dead players will be automatically collected by guards and transfer them to the warehouse in town. We have the magic spell to do that. Lastly, if you get loot from the dungeon, it will be yours as long as you''re the one who got it first," Well, sounds reasonable. If you die, you only lose level points and save the items you got so far. Not bad.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "If there are no questions, get ready!" She''s pretty excited. She explained it very well.

    We marched like a bunch of ants towards the forest. It''s a long travel. Players who don''t have mounts are having a hard time catching up. I should save some gold to buy my own mount. I always forget to buy one.

    The monsters, on the way, are fiercer than any monster we''ve met so far. Grims, Centaurs, and Ogres can be seen on the way. Grims are a jet-black dog of Giant, bear-like size and pertained to be spectral. It has a pair of yellow eyes that can gleam in an ominous way. Centaur has the head, arms, and torso of a humanoid and the body and legs of a horse. Centaur also uses a giant ax to attack enemies. Ogres are closely linked with giants and human cannibals. They are inhumanly large and tall and has a disproportionately large head with abundant hair.

    (GRIM RANK: C

    CENTAUR RANK: C

    OGRE RANK: C)

    While we''re traveling, we saw a really big monster from afar. It has the size of two Ogres! It was a Giant! Giants are larger than orcs and have some grim pets around him. Giant''s main weapon is a giant Club. This monster is way stronger than the Goblin Chief!

    (GIANT BOSS RANK: B)

    "We won''t let a Boss Giant roam around the area! Prepare for Battle!" The brat shouted without fear.

    "EARTH SUMMON! Go as tall as the giant!" She created a Golem that is so big that it''s as tall the Giant. The players surrounded the giant to kill it. Fighting a Rank B boss requires ten players of Rank B to kill it but today the giant will be facing hundreds of Rank C and above adventurers, too bad for the giant.

    The giant''s hands were preoccupied with the golem which restricted its movement. The archers and spellcasters focused their attacks on the Giant. It was a one-sided fight. The Giant didn''t last a minute. The other mobs also had to leave the place as soon as they can. I just watched them kill the giant, though.

    (GIANT HAS BEEN DEFEATED NEARBY.)

    "That was good! Good warm up guys!" The brat said. It wasn''t even a warm-up. You didn''t even break a sweat. She got a stone I received from before.

    We continued on our journey. The estimated time to our destination would be around four to five hours. It''s only been an hour when we fought the Giant boss.

    The pace of the journey is faster than usual. I''m pretty sure we''ll get exhausted when we reach the forest. Jeez, I even forgot to eat my breakfast.

    They said that elves protect the forest. As long as you don''t do anything bad with the forest they won''t hurt you. Though, with our numbers, they might get the wrong idea. If something wrong happens, it may lead to war between players and elves.

    Elves are considered "Creatures" because they''re not as aggressive as normal monsters. Elves have their own random personalities. They don''t have specific tasks, automatic responses or triggered by certain actions or dialogues which made them not "NPCs". But it''s not only elves that behave that way, there are Orcs and other races too but most of them are not discovered yet.

    I hope the brat has a plan if we reached the forest. She may look and sound like a b*tch but she''s really smart.

    It was a long journey but thankfully we arrived at the forest without us noticing because we enjoyed talking to each other while traveling. It took us three hours. There were no monsters that dared to get near us. If it was just a regular party they would really take longer because of the monsters around.

    The forest is not as hot as the grassland. It''s because the tall trees provide us cover from the sunlight. Till now, we still haven''t seen even a single elf. Maybe they''re in the deep part of the forest.

    "We are near the cave. We should take a break here. I''ll give you an hour break to do your stuff at home. Be back at twelve noon," She ordered. Well, thank God, I can now have my brunch.

    Most of the players logged out from the game.

    -Aries'' Home-

    I also did. I spent my hour just eating brunch and brushing my teeth.

    *RIIIIIIIING! RIIIIIING!* I heard the phone ringing so I picked it up.

    "Hello Bro, sorry I forgot that I have something important to do. I''ll be back when I finish it as soon as possible," The call was from Mari and she talks so fast. It looks like she''s really busy.

    "Ok, just be careful out there and don''t get too late. It''s dangerous outside," I answered and we before I could finish my sentence, she already hung up.

    I logged in back to the game. Most of the players are back too. This is one of the most important explorations so far prepared by the Order of Lights because Vanguards Stronghold guild is the one who does it mostly.

    "Ok, guys! Time to move out!" The brat is always excited.

 Chapter 20: Elf

    -South Part of the Forest, Far North of Order of Light City-

    We continued our exploration through the forest and it was peaceful. There are no signs of elves or any monster in the area. It wasn''t supposed to be this easy. They should know by now that we are in their territory.

    We arrived at the dungeon they were talking about. The entrance was really big but the big question is why is it still unexplored knowing that elves know this area? They should have already explored it by now but they didn''t.

    I went to Ms. Celeste because my guts tell me that this is not normal. When it''s quiet and peaceful, most of the time, that''s when the horror starts.

    "Ms. Celeste, I don''t think this is a good time to explore the dungeon. There are no elves in the area. They should have already explored it by now but instead, they are nowhere to be found," I whispered to her.

    "Yeah, I already thought of that but what can I do? It''s the order from the higher ups," She whispered back. Well, that sounds awful. If some of us start exploring the dungeon team by team, it will be a great time for foes to ambush us when there only a few people left outside.

    "How about you go scout the area with your party? Then report back if you get to see something suspicious," She asked. Well, I don''t have any confidence that we would survive if we get ambushed in this forest. It''s a good place to set up traps and ambushes for crying out loud.

    "Hmm. Sure. It will be dangerous, though,"As if I have a choice.

    "Nah. You managed to defeat one of the most notorious gangs around the city so I''m sure you will survive somehow. Haha," She grinned with a face that looks like she''s having fun. She''s the leader of the expedition so... somehow, I need to do it. What a sadist...

    I returned to my group to tell them the plan.

    "Guys, I know this sounds stupid but Ms. Celeste asked us to check the area because the place is really suspicious," I explained to them what is happening right now.

    "Sure, and it sounds really stupid, but are you really ok with that? We might get killed there, not to mention we just bought our equipment. There will be no guards to collect that for us," Elou got a point. That sounds awful to us but it''s a good way to explore the forest. Though they''re still Rank B even after defeating the Bandit Boss.

    "Well, as if we have a choice, right? Just don''t get too far away from me," They just nodded and decided to just go with it.

    We left the area near the dungeon and started to explore more.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    -The deeper part of South Forest-

    I realized that our party is almost three days old now yet we still don''t know much about each other. I think it''s time for small talks.

    "Hey guys, I don''t want to be rude or something but we are traveling and exploring for days now maybe we should open up for a bit. It would be awesome if the girls could speak up a bit, right?" I suggested, without a feeling of intruding or something.

    "Oh Hello, we just thought that we don''t want to disturb your concentration or something but yeah, we''ll try," Akko''s pretty open but doesn''t have the chance to talk. Oh, well so far, Akko can talk a bit but her little sister is too shy.

    "I sometimes get too serious when fighting but at times like this, it would really great if we can chat, right? Anyways, how''s the adventure so far for you?" I asked.

    "The new scenery doesn''t hurt, though the silence is a bit disturbing," Akko right. It''s pretty quiet It''s so silent that it''s really unsettling.

    "Yeah that''s why we are checking the area out, how about you Lili?" I asked.

    She just looked at me with a blank expression...

    "Well, to be honest, we''re tired of running and walking. Our feet hurt and we''re really hungry," Akko said. Oh right. We have a one-hour break but didn''t have the chance to eat in the game.

    "How about we rest for a while and eat? I''m pretty sure the players are doing the same," I suggested.

    "Oh ok, we should try the food we bought earlier today. Let me just prepare it for you guys" Akko''s really helpful and cheerful while Lili''s the opposite. It''s like she''s bored but I''m not sure.

    "Elou is the one who''s in charge of buying the food. So just eat to your heart''s content," I said.

    "Hey! Who said I''m the one in charge of buying our food?" He exclaimed.

    "Haha. I was just kidding. By the way, I''m planning on buying a wagon for us to travel easily. We have two girls in our party, right? What do you think?" I asked them.

    "They say that horses are kind of expensive. Can we really afford it?" Akko asked.

    "Well, maybe not now but how about taming our own? Well, there are some other animals that we can use other than the horse, right?" I suggested.

    "..." Lili just stared at me while eating. It''s like she wants to say something but I''m not sure...

    "I''m sorry Scy for the behavior of my Sis. She can''t really express her feelings but I can tell that she enjoys the adventure," Akko explained.

    "No worries. I find it cute, though," I smiled at them. Lili blushed for a moment and looked away. She''s cute.

    *WOOOOOSSSSHHH! TIIIIIIIING!* A sudden attack out of nowhere. It was a throwing knife! Thank God, I have a shield on my back and managed to react on time and blocked it with my shield as soon as I heard the sound of the projectile.

    "It''s really rude to just attack you know," I said.

    "Oh, good defense there human. I''m pretty sure you''ll be dead by now if you got hit by that," He said provocatively. A male elf! And I thought it was a female, what a disappointment. Why show up now?

    (ELF THIEF RANK: B)

    "Hey there. It''s nice to meet you too. Though, it wasn''t fun what you just did," I looked at him pretty serious.

    "So, you''re acting like you did nothing, Humans! You raided our village and for us who escaped the raid are doing our best to survive! You filthy humans!" He rushed towards us this time and so I stood up to intercept his attack.

    He tried to stab me with blades both in his hands but I stopped him by holding his wrists. He''s not that strong but he was agile. I forcedly kicked his legs to cause him to stumble into the ground. Elou helped me tie him with some ropes.

    "Now, now, I think it''s time we talk peacefully or it will be unpleasant for you, ok?" I suggested.

 Chapter 21: Ravens

    -Near the Center of the Forest-

    "By the way, why attack us by yourself? Where are the rest of your group or tribe?" Elves are smart creatures. They won''t just attack alone.

    "As I said earlier, we were raided by your kind. Most of us got captured and few of us escaped. That''s why we hunt solo to get more food. Why do you ask these questions as if you know nothing about it?" Hmm, these elf is really angry. Raided huh, it looks like he''s not really enjoying the company of humans.

    "Well to tell you the truth this is the first time we heard something like that. Anyways, are the humans that raided your village still around here? Because we''ve been here for hours but we haven''t seen any signs of them," From the looks of his face, I can see that he knows where they are.

    "Bunch of guys won''t do! There''s a hundred of them. They use some metal armor to protect themselves. Even the best of our magicians can''t hurt them because they are being protected by some priests who use some kind of magic to nullify our spells," So they are a well-made group. They can easily eradicate a village with that some kind of force. It''s certainly a raid.

    "How about we help you save your friends?" I suggested.

    "Hey Scy, are you out of your mind? This fellow said that there''s a hundred of them and they''re well organized. And do you think the others will join us? Jeez," Elou''s pretty worried. I know it sounds like a dumb idea but I got something.

    "Don''t worry I have a plan,"

    -South Forest-

    I left the group where the elf is being held. I returned to the brat to make a report.

    "Ms. Celeste, can I talk to you for a sec?"

    Most of the players went inside the dungeon. There are no casualties so far and there''s also no sign of monsters nearby.

    "So, did you find something worth my time?" She asked arrogantly, as always.

    "We found an elf and he said that some guild raided their village. Most of them got captured and I think they will be sold as slaves to the black market," I explained.

    "It''s not our business, creatures are still considered as monsters so I think it''s not what you can call as a crime," I thought you would be better than that, brat. What''s with that thinking? They are still creatures even if they are monsters, they have feelings too. (coming from someone who slaughtered hundreds of them.)

    "I heard they said that they are the number one guild and no one can beat them so they just do what they want and no one can stop them. Too bad, I thought Order of Light Guild is the best guild,"

    "What the hell?! I''m going to murder them! Where are the chickens?!" She yelled. I know my plan would work! Though I lied, she''s prideful enough to not see it through.

    "Though the elf said the enemy''s force is about a hundred, will you bring some of your guards?" I was hoping we get more back up from her.

    "Nope, I''m enough to murder those punks alone! Let''s go!" I''m not feeling good about this. Even if she''s really that strong, with a hundred foes I don''t think she can do it alone.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    -Center of the Forest-

    We arrived where the elf is being held. We untied him and told him to lead us the way.

    "Uhmm, I hope I''m not rude but only five people against a hundred of them?" The elf asked bluntly.

    "Shut up, pointy ears! Just do what I asked you to do or you''ll be squashed to a pulp!" The elf cowered in fear. You can sense the murderous aura from her.

    We managed to sneak up to their camp. It came from far the east part of the grassland that''s why we didn''t see them in the way.

    "I will create a diversion while you girls join me here. Scy and the Robin Hood wanna-be here will sneak out to the cages and let the prisoners escape. You got that?" She ordered silently. I like the new nickname of Elou.

    "Wow, that''s pretty ru-" Elou...

    "Uh uh uh... she''s somewhat accurate," I said and stopped elou from talking.

    She focused her mana on the ground and released a tremendous amount of magic!

    "Once again, I all summon you my precious masterpiece... SUMMON EARTH GOLEMS," She whispered.

    In an instant, the ground near the humans split and five giant golems were summoned. They panicked out of surprise! They tried to fight the golems but it will be hard because the golems are tough as hell. The only way to defeat the golems is to defeat the caster which is currently hiding right now.

    "Golems out of nowhere! Get ready for battle! Defenders, protect the support and spellcasters! Warriors, attack the golems with all you''ve got!" A man wearing a full set of heavy armor is ordering the group. They have a raven logo on their capes and banners.

    "They are from the Ravens Guild, a guild that is not really into doing something good but they own a city far east of our city. These bastards, doing something like this, UNFORGIVABLE!" We can see how angry the brat right now is.

    Elou and I managed sneaked swiftly and we were able to let the prisoners escape. They are too focused on the golems that they forgot to check their prisoners. The elf led the prisoners to the safe area.

    "What did you say? The prisoners escaped? Damn it! There goes our profit!" The leader''s pretty angry.

    "You know selling creatures is really bad. So why don''t you taste my, EARTH GOD''S STOMP!" The brat yelled and showed up at last.

    A massive giant foot like a mass of rock is falling above the foes. It squashed a lot of them and instantly killing them. She needs to at least manage her mana or she will be running out of it sooner.

    "It''s her! The Earth Witch is here! She''s the one who summoned and killed our guys! Kill her!" The leader ordered his lackey to focus their attack on her.

    "What did you call me f*ckers! Instead of trying to defeat me, how about running for your lives?! EARTH GOD''S CLAP!" She summoned another one of her spells.

    Gigantic hands clashed together and squashed the players who got caught in it! She loves to squash her enemies mercilessly.

    "BWAHAHAHA! How about that you stupid chickens!" She laughed like a villain.

    There are still about sixty of them left. We are still outnumbered and I''m not sure if the brat''s mana can keep up.

    "We''re not chickens! We''re ravens! Damn it!" The leader looks really pissed.

    *WOOOOOSH! BZZZZZZZT! FOOOOOOOW!* Random spells and projectiles flew and they are aiming for the brat but one of her giant golems protected her. The defensive capabilities of a golem are way higher than any elemental spells. Earth spells are slow to cast but they are really good when it comes to defense and power.

    The golems are trying to attack the enemies but golems are slower which made them hit nothing.

    "How about this?! GOLEMS, MULTIPLY!" The Gigantic golems were crushed to rubbles and became human-sized golems instead. This time they are faster and agile but their defense is significantly reduced.

    The small golems managed to attack the enemies but with their supports and healers managed to destroy most of the golems.

    "So, what is your next move, Earth Witch?" They were like fighting a Boss type humanoid.

    "EARTH GOLEM''S WRATH!" She brought out her wand with a green gemstone. It was like the gemstone I''ve got from the Shade! Her last golem transformed into something more powerful.

    (EARTH GOLEM BOSS RANK: B)

    The Golem released a green aura. It was like the energy of the earth bends with the Golem!

    The fear can be seen from the face of her foes.

 Chapter 22: The Backup

    -Center of the Forest-

    "What is that kind of power?! Don''t panic guys! Focus your mana and use your best spells!" The leader is doing his best to command and defeat the brat. I didn''t know she''s this strong.

    I really need to ask her about the gemstone because I also have one that I got from the Shade. She''s really using it pretty well.

    In an instant, the Golem attacked the group in fast motion. It''s incredibly faster this time! How come a Golem that big can move that fast!?

    "WAAAAAAAAAAAH! HEEEELP!" The enemies yelled asking for help. They are flying everywhere. The golem is like a mad God longing for the kills.

    The brat, on the other hand, looks like she''s exhausted. I''m pretty sure she used all of her mana.

    "Don''t break your formation Guys! The witch is weakening!" The power-up of the golem didn''t last that long, it started to slow down after killing a lot of them. She needs to rest for a bit. Without mana for a spell-caster is like a suicide.

    They focused their attacks on her. The golem is not with her so it will be a bad time! The golem tried to make it in time to defend its master but it was too late.

    "BARRIER!" A shield protected her from the attacks! It was Lili''s support spell! I didn''t know she can use that kind of spell.

    "Thanks, kid. I hate this mana thing. I can''t use any of my spells. Damn it!" The brat complained while you can hear her voice weakening.

    "So, you brought some backup huh! Go, warriors! Attack them! That barrier won''t last long!" The leader ordered.

    "FLAME EXPLOSION!"

    *BOOOOOOOOOM!* A powerful fire magic blasted to the warriors! They got knocked back and the area is now burning. It''s Akko''s spell!

    *SWOOOOOOSH! SWOOOOOSH!* Consecutive arrows flew towards some of their supports and spellcasters which killed them in an instant. It was so fast they didn''t know what happened. Elou''s attacking ability and accuracy is pretty good too.

    Their numbers are going down so fast. The golem without the power-up is still strong enough to keep the defenders and warriors busy.

    "Damn it, they''re outnumbered but we can''t do anything! Sneaky bastards! I guess it''s time for me to use our last resort!" Warriors and defenders drank some kind of potion.

    "AAAAHHHHH!" Their physical appearance became more masculine and larger! It''s some kind of power-up potion! Nasty beefcakes!

    "That''s the one they used when they raided our village. They are not affected by our attacks. They are like some kind of madmen!" Thanks for the info Elf.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    So, they hide something like this. The defenders and warriors only used it so that means it doesn''t give much power to those intelligence and wisdom type players.

    They ganged up to the Golem! Every swing cracks the golem''s body. Even their weapons shattered to pieces! Their weapons can''t keep up with their power.

    The Leader who uses a giant greatsword wrecked the golem in pieces. They rushed towards the girls and attack them like crazy! The barrier won''t last long! The more they got hit by the attacks the more mana it consumes. Even the powerful fire spells of Akko can''t stop them anymore!

    This is bad! I need to do something!

    "Just try to buy me more time. I can use my most powerful spell, just a little more," The brat whispered.

    Jeez, I was saving my mana for later but I guess I don''t have a choice!

    I flew using my boosters and twirl in mid-air. Then,

    "SPINNING FIERY PUNCH!"

    *BOOOOOOOM!* I hit one of the warriors and he flew towards the others and broke their formation.

    They stopped hitting the barrier and focused their attention on me. More than ten of them jumped at me but I managed to dodge every attack they made deflecting their attacks with my dagger and moving away as soon as they reach me. Good thing my agility is abnormally high. It was tough and they may be powerful but they lack the speed to hit me.

    I crushed every single one of them with my powerful attacks. I was like an invincible berserker destroying every enemy in the path. I don''t remember the last time I checked my rank so maybe I really developed them.

    "Hey, who''s that guy?! He''s just punching the hell out of us! Leave the boy to me and focus your attacks on the girls!" The leader said. He wears black heavy armor which is hard to penetrate. Though I don''t think he has the speed to defeat me.

    Every swing of the boss hits only nothing but air. I countered with cheap strikes which made him more irritated. They said that a calm mind will overcome even a storm which I think only applies to me here.

    Elou didn''t stop doing his thing. Akko didn''t stop using her powerful spells. Lili''s on the verge of giving up too but she''s still trying to maintain the barrier.

    Every counter I made left a dent in the Leader''s armor. His lackey decided to help him up but they didn''t do much but just tiring themselves from attacking. Man, I love my evasion.

    There are only fourteen warriors and defenders left. The brat also is now starting to recover her mana.

    "So, what''s your plan next, Chicken?" The brat provocatively said.

    "GRRRRRRR! You will pay for this witch! You started a war! We will never forget what happened here and wreck your city!" He said knowing that they are on the verge of death.

    "Stop the chitchat and just crumble to pieces! EARTH GOD''S CATASTROPHE!" The ground is shaking like an earthquake!

    The ground beneath the enemies started to crumble and made a giant hole. They all fell while I jumped back to avoid falling. After they reached the bottom of the hole, it closed crushing them inside! That''s not a good way to die I think.

    "That used all my mana again. That was fun, Haha!" Yeah right. Being evil isn''t fun...

    "So, you really are strong, I knew it. That explains a lot. Anyways, we should gather those loot," Oh right, she didn''t know I can do something.

    Well technically, you were the one who mostly did the fighting. I''m pretty sure she was exhausted enough.

    We gathered the loot from the dead bodies. Looting from dead players isn''t really cool. They''re still dead bodies of humans you know...

    After all the trouble we decided to rest for a bit. WOOOH... That''s a hell of a fight.

    While resting and cooking some food, the elf came back. He said their thanks and invited us to their current location.

    "How about you go to our place and let us express our gratitude? We''re sure you are exhausted from all of that fighting. There will be a small celebration for you," That sounds like free food!

 Chapter 23: The Celebration

    -Way to Elf Village-

    I still can''t believe what happened earlier. The brat is really stronger than I thought, though, those spells require a lot of mana.

    "Hmmm, how far is your place again?" I''m getting impatient. We were walking deep into the forest. We''re heading pretty far that I don''t even remember the path back.

    "Oh, we''re near, just keep on walking," He replied. We''ve been walking for thirty minutes now and we aren''t still there. Not to mention, how do they plan on celebrating when they just escaped? This is kind of suspicious.

    "Guys let''s be careful, I don''t trust this guy," I whispered them.

    -Elf Village-

    "We''re here!" The elf showed us the place. Well, I was wrong. They really prepared a simple celebration. There are fruits on a wooden table, some meat from the forest animals, and even musical play from their culture. There are dancing and singing in the middle of the day. It should be at night but we can''t stay that long.

    "Thanks for this Mr. Elf, but I don''t think this is necessary. You''ve lost more than what you can give us. How about we plan on what to do next? The humans who raided your village might be back to capture you guys again." I explained.

    "Sure but at least eat something, we really prepared it for you guys," Though it was a celebration, no one is eating any.

    "Thank you, how about we make a toast? Haha," I suggested.

    "Uhm... Sure why not," He grabbed the coconut shell which they use as a drinking vessel. I can tell that the atmosphere right now is weird. I waited for him to drink it but instead... They grabbed their weapons and pointed it at us.

    "Just so you know, we actually killed more than a hundred of our kind to just save your as*es and now this is how you''re going to repay us? And for your information, we actually defeated the ones who raided you. Do you think you have a chance?" The brat said and scared them really bad.

    "Hey guys, just stop doing that. We will just leave if that''s what you prefer. Do your thing and hide in the forest," I calmly said.

    "We are just making sure that you won''t do the same thing they did. Most of us are really scared. Even just by looking at you guys, makes us wet our pants. We''re sorry. Please don''t squash our hideout?" He explained while trying to stop his tears from falling.

    "Ok, ok... but you''re not literally wetting your pants, are you?" The brat asked with a bit of disgust on her face.

    A pretty young elf came out from a small house, made of twigs and leaves. She must be their leader but she''s too young to be one.

    "Thank you, filth... kind humans for rescuing our fellow elves. If you weren''t there, they might have been in the hands of those dirty fat faced humans. To show you our gratitude, please eat some of our freshly harvested fruits and our jerk meats. Oh, and they are not poisoned. So, don''t worry. "She must have bitten her tongue earlier but who cares.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    (ELF LEADER: S)

    The elves grabbed the food just to let us know that they''re not really poisoned. The food they prepared is better than those we bought from the shop. The girls are eating shyly at first but then they forgot their manners after tasting the foods. It is really delicious. They are definitely a better cook than my sister.

    Elou started to dance and it is embarrassing like hell. The brat is eating like crazy a lot of meat, just meat. Lili and Akko are also eating the fresh fruits and meat without even blinking. They must be hungry for all the fighting. I am also eating but not too much.

    I approached their leader.

    "How can a young yet elegant elf maiden be their leader? You must be their princess right?" I charmingly asked.

    "Oh, a sweet talker but I''m not going to fall for that flattery. You''ve got that right, though. Do you need something?" Well, at least I got your attention.

    "Well, I know that you''re familiar with this place but why didn''t you explore the dungeon that is near the grasslands, south of here? I don''t want to be rude, I am just curious my lady," I asked nicely.

    "Well for us creatures, we have an instinct that we feel fear when getting near to dangerous other creatures. So basically, we have a hierarchy. If you don''t want to die just avoid them. When we get near the entrance of the dungeon, we''ve felt really terrible like we want to throw up. That''s the kind of signal that says, do not go near that place," She explained, and I can see that she is telling the truth because we didn''t see any monsters around the dungeon.

    "Well, most of the other humans in our company went inside but as far as we know, they didn''t see any strong monsters there. Well, maybe inside? Thanks for the warning, though,"

    "No problem. But if you value your lives, please don''t go inside that dungeon. That''ll be suicide. Anyway, take this gemstone we found in the forest after defeating a monster which I don''t remember what. We don''t know if that has any use but so far it just became a display in my room. And also take this Elf flute. When you''re in the forest just play the flute and if an elf is nearby they will come to you in case you need some help. Thank you again for saving our kin," She expressed her gratitude. She''s pretty nice.

    (THUNDERBIRD SOULSTONE - Contains the soul of the Thunderbird.)

    (Elf Flute - When played, Elves in the area will come to your aid.)

    "I just realized that you, elves, don''t have your own language or accent. Is that normal?" I asked curiously.

    "Well don''t ask me, ask the game designer about that," Is she supposed to even say that? She gave her thanks again and continued the celebration.

    After all that, I approached the brat.

    "Hey Ms. Celeste, can I talk to you for a sec?" I asked while she continuously munches the meat. When will she ever stop eating?

    "Whatch do you wantch?" Girl, stop eating and don''t talk when your mouth is full...

    "It''s really important. Can you stop eating for a bit?" She finally stopped eating.

    "Make sure this is important. No one interrupts me when I''m eating!" She pretty pissed.

    "Well, I found the reason why there are no monsters or any creatures near the dungeon. It''s because they can sense a tremendous fear when getting near the area. There''s a different level monster that even us will be having a hard time to defeat, with our numbers we might try. But what happened was, we entered the dungeon party by party which lessened our overall power. If the players who came first inside met that monster, they might get killed. I think we should go back as soon as we can!" I explained.

    "Too much jibber jabber, how about we just kill it after I''m done eating? I almost slapped you in the face when you were talking, you know that?" Jeez. I know your strong but at least worry about your people.

    After all the eating and dancing, we decided to go back to the dungeon.

 Chapter 24: Chimera

    -Elf Village-

    "I''m a bit worried about the chickens if they want to start a war, that would be a disaster. Our guild leader might get angry at me," The brat''s starting to realize what she''s done. I think it''s partially my fault but I''m sure she doesn''t care about me to blame it on me.

    "Well, it''s kind of your fault because of your pride. I guess," I bluntly said. I hope she doesn''t take it in the wrong way.

    "Hmmm. You''re actually right. No one insults our Guild!"Ok... She''s back to not caring.

    "Ha ha- calm down, everyone knows that your guild is the best. Right?" She needs to relax sometimes.

    -Near the Forest Dungeon-

    We''re almost near the dungeon. You can already hear the people talking about something.

    "There you are, Ms. Celeste. Where have you been? We were looking for you everywhere. And where did you get those piles of equipment on your backs." One of the guards asked the brat.

    "Oh, I''m just patrolling with Scy''s party and we found some evil doers and punished them slightly. So, what''s new?" She asked. Slightly? Really?

    "The players who went inside still haven''t come back yet. We''re kind of worried," The guard answered.

    "You worry too much. Did you already send our guards to check? They must have gone deep into the dungeon. Maybe lost or something?" She doesn''t show any signs of worry on her face. A leader should always retain composure.

    "Yes, but they should be back by now. There are around 200 people left here outside and because no one has returned yet, they are having second thoughts of entering or not," He''s troubled by the current situation. Also, he''s right.

    "Ok, I, with Scy''s party, will enter. You should stay here and guard the place. We''ll be back as soon as we found something. "Why do you need to bring us? If you want to die, do it yourself. Jeez. I just warned you earlier, didn''t I?

    -Forest Dungeon-

    After some preparation, we decided to enter the dungeon. There are no signs of monsters or any creatures and I was hoping we could at least get some action. Also, no corpses around which means there were no monsters from the start.

    The place looks normal. It''s like a simple cave, nothing''s interesting... really. The path is straight, no mazes whatsoever. The dungeon looks like a giant hole. We can still see the light outside though we are already walking almost thirty minutes yet we didn''t even see anything.

    "It''s just a normal cave. Where could hundreds of people possibly go? There''s no way you could get lost here," Celeste is pretty irritated. I know this is really simple but people who went first aren''t that dumb you know.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    We focused on getting deeper but finally, we found the end of it.

    "It was a dead end? There''s nothing here but walls," She''s right. There''s nothing here.

    "Above us! BARRIER!" Lili warned us and made a barrier at the same time. A monster with three heads, Dragon, Lion and a goat''s head with a tail of some kind of Snake, showed up and attacked us!

    (CHIMERA BOSS RANK: A)

    As soon as the monster landed his claw on the barrier, it broke it instantly and knocked back us from the impact.

    "What is that creature?! It broke a barrier in just one hit! Get back!" The brat shouted!

    Lili lost her consciousness from the attack, consuming all of your mana in instant results to that. Jeez. I carried Lili like a princess. She''s light, though.

    "EARTH WALL! That would buy us some time," She created a giant wall and blocked the way. Though... when I looked back, the wall collapses after the monster knocked it down!

    "You clearly said that it would buy us some time! You''re right, it bought us merely two seconds!" I shouted while running!

    "What?! Damn it! SUMMON EARTH GOLEMS!" This time she created five of his giant golems to restrict the movement of the monster.

    The monster just crushed them like they were made of glass! How are we supposed to kill that thing if even the brat doesn''t stand a chance!

    "It''s not a monster we can fight right now. Even Zeth who is the strongest in Order of Light city wouldn''t stand a chance here! Just keep running and don''t look back!" She said while trying to summon more golems.

    "KYAAAAAAAAAH!"

    *PAAK PAAK PAAK!* Lili slapped me multiple times in the face as soon as she woke up. Is that supposed to be your way of saying thanks? Where''s the clue?

    "Jeez. Look behind me and just relax, will you?"

    "KYAAAAAAH!" She hugged me after looking. That''s more like it.

    "Use my power..." I heard a silent whisper from nowhere.

    "Did you hear that, guys?" I asked them.

    "Hear what? The roar of that monster?! It''s almost catching up! Hurry!" Elou''s the fastest right now so he''s ahead of us.

    "The black gem, use my power," Is it talking about the gemstone I got from the Shade?

    I took it out and I can feel something strange from it.

    "Can you run Lili? I''ll try to stop the monster," I asked Lili.

    "Sure, thank you for earlier Scy," She showed her gratitude and started running. Wow, she can talk!

    I focused my mana on the gemstone hoping something would happen. I feel nothing... Jeez. All that crap and nothing! I need to do something or we will die like the rest!

    "Here goes nothing! HEAVY FIERY PUNCH!" I used my ultimate attack while holding the gem and punched the ground to create a hole to trap him.

    *BAAAAAAAAAAAM!* What the hell?

    Instead of a regular flame, I released a black flame that absorbs the light around it! The Flame scattered in the area and created an absolute darkness in the place! I can''t see what''s inside! The darkness devoured the light coming from outside!

    I don''t hear any movements from the inside! I decided to run again to the outside.

    "Geez, what was that monster?! Thank God, we managed to reach outside of that dungeon or technically, a normal cave. And what''s with that flame you used earlier? It was pure black and darkness," She asked and was surprised.

    "I don''t know... I just use my normal power. Thanks to that we''re alive," I said while catching my breath.

    "Ms. Celeste! Are you alright?! We heard a strange noise from inside!" One of the guards asked.

    "WOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" I think it finally broke from the darkness and managed to escape.

    "Just wait and I''m sure you''ll see," The brat answered.

    Finally, the monster came out of the dungeon!

 Chapter 25: Return

    -Outside the Forest Dungeon-

    All of us tried our best to hide because we all know that there''s no way we can defeat that monster. Those 500 people were crushed, burned or eaten to death, I''m pretty sure! We didn''t make a single move. The monster who just came out from inside the dungeon decided to fly and leave the area.

    Thank goodness. Maybe it''s full and doesn''t want to eat us anymore. We''re just happy that we are safe, too bad for those greedy people who went inside first. After it had left the area, we regrouped and planned what to do next.

    "That monster is a Chimera, a Ranked A monster! It''s one of the legendary monsters that no one has beaten yet and requires at least 10 Ranked A players to defeat it. I heard that when the game just got released, they had already seen the Chimera but they said it was just a rumor. Today, I have the evidence that the chimera is really real!" A not really important guard is talking to himself.

    "So, what''s the plan?" The brat must know what to do next because we came here and we only lost a lot of people and gain nothing... Well, I gain some few.

    "Nothing, we just need to go back to the city and make a report. Don''t worry you will be rewarded for your troubles," She answered like she''s out of energy. I can say that she''s not really happy with what happened.

    Well, we didn''t get anything but just information about some legendary monster we were not aware of.

    "Get ready to move out guys. We will leave as soon as you''re ready," She ordered.

    My party looked really exhausted after all that happened to us. We were packing the loot from earlier and it will be harder to travel with all of it. We will get rich after selling the armors and weapons we got from those members of the Ravens Guild. More money!

    From 723, now we''re just less than 200 are left now. We traveled again back to the city. The path was peaceful again. Even with just 200 people, monsters are still afraid to get near us. The adventure was fun. At least we didn''t end up like those who died from that monster and got killed like the Ravens.

    "Hey Scy, it was fun! We''re alive too. That monster was really scary, though. I thought I was going to die there you know. Haha," Elou started to talk to me. I know traveling back to the city will be boring and we need to at least talk to lessen the lifelessness.

    "Yeah, that was really unexpected. Thanks to Lili we were alive. " I smiled.

    "It was... really embarrassing," Wow she replied. She''s really shy, and now she''s blushing.

    "Well, that was cool. My Sis protected us, which is supposed to be my work for being the older sister. I''m happy you were so dependable when we fought with the Ravens. Come here and hug your big Sis," Akko''s showing her affection towards her sister, they''re so close and cute.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "And I thought we would be eating different kinds of animal heads tonight. Haha," Elou just made a joke about the Chimera.

    "EEEEEEEEEEW!" The girls showed their disgusted face and laughed.

    We chit-chatted for hours. It was really fun. Getting scared, laughing and traveling with your friends are the best.

    -Order of Light North Road-

    We didn''t realize it but we''re almost near the city. Time really flies fast when you''re having fun. Also, it''s almost getting dark. We traveled for four hours. Earlier we were faster because most of us were excited but now, we were very disappointed in what happened. Many people died but we gained nothing, technically "they" is the best word to use because at least my party got some loot from the Ravens.

    We arrived in the city and it sure is lively as usual.

    "Fellow Adventurers! Your rewards will be given later. Get back here around eight pm," The brat announced with a face of tiredness.

    They already switch the lights on, as usual, it is magnificent. Looking at some places relieves our stress. As soon as we entered, our first destination is the Tavern! A fresh beverage and good food are the best to clear our frustrations.

    "So, what happened? Did you guys find anything?" The tavern keeper asked.

    "Yeah, we found a freaking Chimera. It was so powerful it killed 500 of the adventurers. We didn''t even hear any screams from them," I said looking awful.

    "That''s great. At least we already know that the Chimera wasn''t just a legend but real! How about that?" He said with excitement on his face. Did you just hear what I had said? It killed 500 people for Hell''s sake.

    "Here are your drinks and food! Eat and drink to your heart''s content!"

    After that, we hung out for a while, visited some shops to sell our loot, and restocked some new supplies.

    "Hey, guys, how about we buy our own wagon as we planned earlier?" I excitedly suggested.

    "Let''s see here. How many gold coins do we have so far?" Elou asked. We still haven''t distributed the gold coins yet.

    "Around 300 gold coins, I think this should be enough to buy one," I said after checking it.

    In the end, we decided to check the stable.

    -Light''s Stable-

    We arrived at the stable where they sell mounts and other stuff for traveling purposes. We''re here to just check.

    "Welcome customers! So, what do you need from my humble stable?" He politely asked.

    "We need a wagon that can accommodate six to eight people but not that fancy. Do you have something like that?"

    "I''m very sorry sir but all of our wagons and carriages have already been sold out. It will take us three to four days to create a new one. We can create a custom design if you want," He said. He has really poor marketing skills.

    "So, what do you think guys? Should we order one?" I asked.

    "Hmmm sure, as if we have a choice. This is the only place that sells traveling vehicles and we can''t create one, right?" Elou suggested.

    "Of course, how much is the cost for the one I ordered again?" I asked the merchant.

    "It''s 200 gold coins without the horse. If you want to buy a horse it will be 50 to 60 gold coins, depends on what kind of horse you picked," Wow that''s expensive as hell... I don''t think he''s lying though, base on his face, he doesn''t really know how to sell stuff.

    "Oh, alright. We would like to order one wagon with six seats inside and two seats at the front for the driver. About the horse, we''ll think about it," I answered.

    I paid 100 gold coins for the first payment and will give the other 100 for the finished product. That was a good deal, I hope.

    We decided to log out of the game and get back at seven thirty pm.

 Chapter 26: Training

    -Aries'' House-

    I prepared our dinner though I''m not sure if Mari would come home later. As usual, I''m done with my necessities. I''m really wondering if I''m having a healthy life, lying around all day and doing nothing.

    *Ding Dong!* That must be Mari.

    I opened the door and Mari''s with... Azzie. It looks like she''ll sleep here for tonight.

    "I''m Home! Azzie will stay here for tonight bro, is that ok?" She asked excitedly. I don''t think there''s another answer here other than saying yes.

    "Sure, no problem, and welcome home! The dinner is ready. You girls should change your clothes so you can eat now. I already prepared the food,"

    -Living Room-

    After all that, I checked the TV because it''s still early and that''s my life now.

    "Hello, again guys! As you all know, my name is Aika and I am the host of the "What''s new in New Life Online!" Oh, nice! Good timing. So, what will be the news today?

    "Today, the guild, Order of Light, caught a video of the Legendary Monster Chimera, a Ranked A monster! Would you believe that? Until now we thought it was just a legend but who would have thought that the legendary and magnificent monster Chimera would finally show itself! We managed to have an interview with someone who saw what happened," Oh, too bad I wasn''t in the video. And now she is wearing a costume of a cute lion... Good costume.

    "Oh, I''m one of the guards of the Order of Light guild. I had the chance to fight it but sadly it flew away. If I could land a hit then there''s a possibility that I might defeat it. Too bad," It''s the "not important guard" earlier. What confidence.

    "The Vanguard guild hasn''t progressed yet on exploring the Tundra. We all know that it is a dangerous place and the climate is not favorable but they are still doing their best to send scouts to draw the map of it. We will know more if we can get an interview with their leaders,"

    "The Ravens Guild, which is the guild who does some nasty stuff, has declared a war against Order of Lights. This will be the first Guild battle in case they agree to it. I know people want to see some good action but massive casualties will occur, like the destruction of properties that took a lot of days of works, the environment will be a mess, the economic downfall, and other stuff. What will happen to the monthly tournament? We will be having an interview sooner or later. " I knew it... we overdid it. Well, who cares.

    "Dark Brotherhood guild, the most notorious and dangerous guild, has done it again. They raided the Stone Summer village, The far East of the Order of Light city. Most of the villagers are miners who sell good quality minerals. How cruel! There are slight casualties but so far, they only robbed them of their products. What are they planning? The Order of Light guild is now doing their best to track down the raiders," Nasty bastards! They''re the reason why players are having a hard time.

    Players have different reasons why they''re playing the game. Some want to train to be the strongest, trains to practice mentally, to improve their real-life capabilities, others do it for fun, others are to annoy other players and some are the ones who will do anything to just be the strongest even using the wrong ways.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "The player who massacred the hobgoblins is still unknown as of today. We don''t know why he did that but thanks to him their numbers so far were dramatically reduced. Someday we will see him again. Anyways that''s it for today! Have a good night" That ended the program.

    Mari and Azzie already went inside to her room. I think they already are playing the game. I should get back to the game too.

    I successfully logged into the game.

    -Order of Light City-

    "Hey, Scy! You logged in early!" Elou, sitting on a bench, called me while eating something.

    "Yeah, I just finished watching the news about new life. It was really informative. Anyways how long have you been here?" I asked.

    "Oh, just a minute ago, I visited a shop that sells some good cookies. Want one?" He asked.

    "Sure, thanks!"I grabbed one and it tastes good!

    We sat on the bench eating some cookies. We talked for a while. It was fun and relaxing. Other than hunting and training, eating and sitting all night is fun too.

    "Did you hear? The raven wants to wage a war against Order of Light city," I asked.

    "Really? Should we leave the city? That would be bad if we got caught in the fight, right?" He said worriedly.

    "Yeah, that would be the case but I think it will not happen soon, not to mention there will be a tournament and the rumored new additions to the game," I answered. We continued to discuss some stuff random stuff.

    -Order of Light Castle-

    It''s almost eight pm and the girls are also already here. We decided to go to the castle gate to get the rewards though, the brat didn''t specify how much.

    *TOT TOTOTOT!* The sound of the horn is so annoying and always the same...

    We gathered at the place and the reward has been distributed. It was twenty gold coins for each adventurer. Not bad. It''s a day''s worth for me.

    "Yay! Lots of gold would really make you happy!" Elou excitedly said.

    "So, what do you want to do next?" I asked.

    "Well, any advice on how we could increase our Ranks?" Akko asked.

    "Yes, but it will be a lot of training. Are you ok staying up all night? Well, not staying up literally but staying in the game." I asked.

    "Sure! That''s our plan from the start!" Man, these girls need a life.

    We went outside of the city to practice.

    -Outside of Order of Light City-

    "So, here''s the plan. Akko and Elou will attack me with all they''ve got. Me, on the other hand, will be supported by Lili with her Barrier and Healing spells." This will greatly help both Akko and Elou''s attacking capabilities while increases my defenses and Lili''s support spell.

    "Are you sure you can survive from our combo? Those are physical and magic attacks for you," Akko provocatively asked while grinning.

    "Just give me with your best shot,"

    "Try not to get hit by my arrows, they would sting." Wow, they''re really excited to kill me.

    They started to attack me with multiple attacks. If I blink even a second, that would be the end of me. Thanks to Lili''s barrier I would survive somehow.

    *SWOOOOOOSH! SWOOOOOOOOSH!* Arrows and Fire projectiles were just hitting nothing. I successfully evaded and blocked every single one of them by running around. My agility is pretty good considering how accurate Elou is.

    "Hey, you didn''t mention that you''ll dodge our attacks!" Akko bluntly said while annoyed.

    "My defensive stats are bad. With those powerful attacks, I won''t survive even with a barrier," I laughed while they furiously attacked me.

    Few spells and arrows got me and I also used my shield to increase my defensive class rank progress. Thanks to Lili''s barrier, I survive till the end.

    We stopped after they had used all of their mana and ammo.

    They checked their mastery and they were happy with the results. Their offensive capabilities rose dramatically, though for me I only had my defensive capabilities increased.

    "Yay! That was a good boost to stats! Nice job!" Akko''s exhausted but also happy after what happened.

    "Our next training would be a bit different. You will let the monsters hit you on purpose. That will increase your defensive rank progress and the best spot is in the lower rank monsters'' area. What do you think?" I suggested.

    "Sure, where are we going next? She asked.

    "Oh, I will not accompany you guys. For me, I need to improve my attacks so I''m going to be somewhere else. The wildcats attacks are really weak, how about it?"

    "Oh ok, we will just contact you later after we''re done,"

    Ogre''s area will be my next grinding spot! I hope I don''t overdo it this time.

    (OGRE RANK: C)

 Chapter 27: Giant Bear

    -Order of Light City-

    "Did you hear the new rumor? The mysterious man who slaughtered the hobgoblins did it again! This time the Ogres were his prey. Ogres are way stronger than hobgoblins too!"

    "I heard it! They said he wears a hood and wearing a cape. They said he was protecting his identity. He used a dagger this time and slashed every throat of the Ogres. Nasty, if you ask me,"

    Random rumors around the city can be heard. And I thought I controlled myself this time. Oh, Jeez.

    "Hey, Scy there you go! You were right. Our defensive masteries went up really good!" Akko excitedly said.

    We met up after the training.

    "That''s good to hear, mine also increased a bit. How about we grab a bite?" I''m seriously hungry.

    -Light''s Tavern-

    We went to the tavern once again and fed ourselves with good and satisfying food.

    "Hey, fellas. Did you hear the rumor? The Reaper did it again," The tavern keeper said.

    "What Reaper are we talking about now?" Showing a curious look but deep inside, I already know who was it.

    "He''s the one who slaughtered the Hobgoblins. The other players call him The Reaper because he kills the monsters like a Death God. This time it''s the Ogres. Jeez. Ogres are so totally scary because they''re ugly," He said with a face of a bit scared. That''s what scared you? The Ugly face? Really?

    "Oh, that guy, I''m not that interested,"

    "Anyways, if you met him don''t get too close he might get mistaken and kill you out of the blue." Am I that bad? I only kill bad people and monsters.

    "Aren''t you interested Scy? I think he''s cool! Like a monster hunter!" Elou excitedly said.

    "Nope, I don''t think he wants attention that''s why he hunts by himself... maybe,"

    "Jeez, what a Kill Joy. Don''t mind him Mr. Tavern Keeper and thanks for the info," Elou smiled at him while drinking.

    After that hearty meal, we decided to hunt this time for loot. We asked the Tavern Keeper the best spot and he said that if we can hunt the Giant bear he was talking about. The guild would really pay us handsomely which made us more excited.

    "So, you heard the man guys, to the Giant Bear!" Elou excitedly said.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "They said the Giant Bear is really strong, are you sure we can defeat it by ourselves?" I worriedly asked. I thought I could hunt it by myself.

    "Yes, of course, we are stronger now. After all the hunting, exploration and training, I''m pretty sure we can manage somehow," Overconfidence is bad. You might get killed by it.

    "Okay, we can always run if we can''t defeat it. Just stay close guys," I strictly suggested.

    -West of Order of Light City-

    We went to the west of the city trying to look for the giant bear but so far, we don''t have a clue where to look. Also, tigers can be seen from far away. If they get hungry, they might attack us.

    "Sorry guys, my tracking mastery is quite low. That''s why we''re having a hard time looking for it," Elou apologized.

    "It''s ok. No one really has expected that you even have a tracking mastery." I smiled at him.

    "Jeez, anyways I think the bear is around this way because the tracks show that he went this way not long ago," At least you can find some clues that might lead to the Giant Bear.

    We searched the whole area but we still can''t find it. Maybe it was already have been hunted by some hunters. If I remember it correctly, burning sugar would attract bears. I read it somewhere though I can''t remember when and where.

    (Class Unlocked: Hunter) I guess hunting monsters really is for hunters.

    "Hey guys, do you have sweet food there, which has a large quantity of sweetness?" I hope they don''t think I''m into sweets.

    "Well yeah, do berry candies count? I bought them earlier," Akko showed me... a lot of it.

    "We could try. Can I have them?" I asked for some, this might work.

    "Sure. No problem," She handed some of it.

    We need to create a giant smoke for the Giant bear to smell it somehow. I don''t know if this would work but it''s better than nothing I guess.

    We gathered some dry woods and leaves to create fire. If I burn the candy it might disappear in an instant so it''s better to just smoke it for it to last longer and reach the Bear nostrils if it''s near us.

    I created a fire and smoked the candies. We waited for a while but I think it didn''t work. No signs of any bear. We sat down for a bit to plan what''s our next move.

    The sky is bright. Stars and Moons can be seen in the sky. Yup, I said moons because currently, we have three moons in the game. We heard a story about the moons and the sun. They said that the three moons are the three Gods who are racing for the love of the Goddess Sun but until now, none of them even had the chance to catch up to the Goddess Sun. Also, the moons'' positions change from time to time. It''s like random and no one can explain why. The Gods are longing for something they can''t reach. They are doing their best but their dream is still impossible. Kind of sad story but who cares.

    We can hear loud footsteps getting closer and closer. It must be the Giant bear.

    "Guys let''s go hide in those bushes and trees. I think the Giant Bear is getting closer and closer," We should be ready and prepare an ambush in case it shows up.

    "Hey Scy, you''re plan worked. I can see the bear from here because it''s bright tonight," Elou has better eyesight than any of us because of being an archer.

    It was the Giant Bear! He looks angrily hungry. You can see his eyes shine like a ruby. Those vicious teeth which can easily crush anything even a stone and claws that can reap off any kind of bones.

    Today is our lucky day! A bear head means a large amount of cash.

    The Giant Bear looked around looking for the sweet smell. It got disappointed when he saw the fire. Fire is the natural enemy of animals. They hate it. I don''t know why, though.

    Elou shot his arrow towards the head of the giant bear but it only scratches it. Man, it looks tough!

    "ROOOOOOOOOOAR!" The Giant Bear cried furiously.

    (GIANT BEAR BOSS RANK: C)

 Chapter 28: Arrest

    -West of Order of Light City-

    "Hey, you monster! You shouldn''t yell when there''s a girl around! ERUPTION!" A massive fire came out below the ground burning the Giant Bear alive, though it didn''t last long! Still, her fire spell improved a lot! The Giant Bear might weak to fire but it has high health. The bear rushed towards Akko trying to attack!

    (FIRE SPELLS: Strongest element when dealing wide range pure magic damage and can cause burn effect that can deal damage over time and reduces defenses of enemies.)

    "GREATER BARRIER!" Lili chanted the spell.

    A barrier protected Akko from the Giant Bear''s attack! It wasn''t just a normal barrier. It was thicker and definitely sturdier.

    "POWER UP!" Another spell from Lili!

    (SUPPORT SPELLS: Spells that can buff, heal or protect allies from afar. Good spells can turn a tough battle into an easy one.)

    I felt an incredible amount of power! My body feels lighter than earlier. It''s a spell that boosts her teammates'' stats. Man, they really trained all night for having this new skills.

    "FALCON''S EYES!" Elou buffed himself up with a spell that increases his accuracy and critical rate. Critical rates affect your chance to hit a foe''s weak points which can deal more damage. The damage done by the critical hits are called the critical damage. If he used that skill before we practiced earlier. He must have hit me... a lot...

    (ARCHER SKILLS: Class skills that can deal great damage from afar. Can also increase chances of hitting targets and chances of hitting targets'' weak spots.)

    "ARROW RAIN!" Fast arrows were shot up into the sky! Then random arrows drop like rain hitting the bear multiple times! It was really powerful but it wastes a lot of arrows!

    "ROOOOOOOOOAR!" Every time the Bear got hit, it cries in pain.

    "Death Shadow! Lend Me Your Power! SHADOW FIRE EXPLOSION!" I finished it with my newly found skill when fighting the Ogres.

    It was a powerful slash from my dagger that uses my fire spell fused with the darkness that came from the black stone. The chant was just to make it sound cooler.

    The moment I hit the Giant Bear, the fire enveloped the Giant Bear and burned it until it dies. Thankfully there are some furs left to loot, fangs, claws, pelt and other stuff. We severed its head and put it in a bag. It''s strong but with a good party, it won''t stand a chance. Finding the bear, on the other hand, is hard. I also found a brown stone from it.

    (GIANT BEAR SOULSTONE)

    "Ewww. That''s disgusting. If not for the reward, I wouldn''t do such thing," Akko complained. As you can see Missy, I was the one who removed the head and not you... It was really disgusting, though.

    So far that''s our plan for the night, technically dawn. The sun is still not here but I can see some light from the east. It''s already five AM in the morning. I''ve been playing the game for two nights straight now. And surprisingly, our ranks are higher than average players. Maybe it''s because we focused too much on ranking up instead of doodling around.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The tournament won''t be coming sooner and I still have the time to catch up with them. I might as well win the competition. Haha... who am I kidding?

    -Order of Light City-

    We arrived at the City. It''s already morning.

    "Hey, Scy we are going to log out for now and prepare some breakfast. You might as well want to," Akko suggested.

    "Sure, what time are you going back, though?" I asked.

    "We''re not sure yet. We will visit our grandma this time and Elou would drive us there, so maybe around dinner time?" She said. Aw, that sucks. I would be playing alone for today.

    "Sure, just pm me if you logged into the game. See you guys later and have fun!" We bid our farewells and logged out of the game.

    -Aries'' Home-

    I woke the girls up and ate breakfast. They came back to the game as soon as they finished their meals. I also logged in back after cleaning the stuff up.

    -Order of Light City-

    There are lesser people around in the morning than night, as usual. Anyways I should better check my stats this time while not doing anything.

    Scythus / THIEF C / MAGE C / FIGHTER D

    Health 100%

    Mana 100%

    Fatigue 70%

    Hunger 80%

    STATS

    Strength Rank: D

    Constitution Rank: D

    Dexterity Rank: C

    Agility Rank: B

    Intelligence Rank: C

    Wisdom Rank: D

    Charisma Rank: E

    MASTERIES

    Mid-Rank Battle Mastery

    Mid-Rank Light Armor Mastery

    Mid-Rank Light Weapon Mastery

    Mid-Rank Fire Mastery

    Mid-Rank Stealth Mastery

    Mid-Rank Bare Hands Mastery

    Shield Mastery

    MONSTER SOUL

    Death Shadow Affinity: Low

    EQUIPMENT

    Weapons: Light High-Quality Bone Dagger / High-Quality Light Shield

    Armor: High-Quality Light Leather Armor Set / Thief''s Cloak

    Accessories: Necklace of Sprint / Ring of Mana Regeneration x2

    Gold: 12 Gold

    Wow! As expected from my agility, it''s still undeniably high though my strength sucks as my charisma. If not for the fire spells which I''m on Rank C, my normal attacks would suck. No need to show me how poor I am.

    It looks like Ranking up my Thief Class would take a while but my Mage indeed leaped high. My fighter Class is catching up too.

    And because most of my Masteries went to mid-rank, it will even improve my fighting capabilities better. I''m pretty sure Akko''s Fire Mastery is higher than me. Anyways, that was a good boost.

    Hmm? Death Shadow? I checked more of it if there''s more info but...

    (Warning: Please absorb the soul first before you can fully use the monster''s abilities.)

    I guess I have to ask other people how to do what it says.

    With higher Fire Mastery, I would be able to control my fire spell easier and it also deals higher damage.

    That''s the fruit of my endless grinding. Most of the players only reach Rank D on their second day but for me, it''s a bit higher. And I''m pretty sure my party members are around Rank C already with their main class. Going Rank B might take a while though because my masteries would rank up slower this time.

    So, what should I do next? I''m kind of tired of hunting. Should I just get the reward from the castle? Hmmm ok, I should go there.

    -Order of Light''s Front Castle Gate-

    I went to the gate''s castle to retrieve our rewards.

    "Hello Mr. Guard, I would like to get the reward for killing the Giant Bear from the west,"

    "Oh really? You don''t really look that strong. Where''s your proof?" This guard is pretty doubtful.

    I showed him the head of the Giant Bear from a bag.

    "Eww. That''s disgusting. Wait here for a sec and I''ll call the one who gives the reward," Are you really a guard?

    After waiting for a while, the guard showed up and brought another person. It''s Deandre the one who defended our attacks when the Guild Leader was testing us.

    (DEANDRE / DEFENDER: B)

    "Hello again Mr. Deandre, it''s me Scythus," I said friendly.

    "Oh, it''s you, the one who hits like a baby. This guard told me you got the head of the Giant Bear? That''s kind of unbelievable boy. Maybe you stole it from someone. How about you leave the bag here and just go," He''s trying to intimidate me.

    "Sir, with all due respect, I just want to get my reward. If you don''t want to give it to me, I''ll just go even with that insults you pointed at me," I answered without showing any signs of fear.

    "You leave me no choice. Guards arrest this man for stealing the property of others and for disrespecting an Order of Light Officer!" Wait, what?

    Guards wearing Gold armors are coming.

 Chapter 29: Wanted

    -Order of Light Castle-

    "Hey guys, slow down. We don''t need to rush things out. I''m just going to leave if that''s what you want. No need to be hasty," I suggested knowing that being outnumbered is really not good and even if I can beat them, that''s like waging war against a whole guild. I need to get out of here.

    "Ha! How about you surrender? That would ease up things," Deandre, you sone of a. What the hell''s wrong with this guy? He was a like a lamb when we''re with the guild leader but now, he''s totally a jerk. What a kiss arse!

    "Nope, sorry but the reward isn''t just for me but for my whole party," There''s nothing I can do here but to run.

    Eh? Damn it they closed the only Gate! So they''re really going for the arrest, huh. I can''t escape from here. I need to do something!

    The guards are slowly getting closer to me. They look strong, they wear high-quality equipment. Not bad for the guild''s best guards. I want to try and test how strong they are but I don''t want to get their attention either. Oh man, I''ve got no choice.

    "DARKNESS!" I released a smokescreen around me, the darkness is getting thicker and thicker which made them blinded by the darkness. The light is being absorbed by the darkness, making the whole place really dark.

    "What sorcery is this?! Can anyone see him?" Deandre shouted. Is this your first time seeing a dark spell or something?

    "No, sir! We can''t see anything, sir!" One of the guards answered.

    "Can anyone use wind magic to clear the smokescreen?!" He ordered fiercely. Wind magic, I''d like to see you try.

    "It''s not working sir! The smokescreen is not tangible, wind magic doesn''t affect it, sir!" It seems like they''re panicking right now with overwhelming fear. This spell also reduces their sanity which causes them prone to confusion and panic. The good thing about this spell is I''m the only one who can see what''s going on.

    And now, let''s see who''s the one you said that punch like a baby.

    "EXPLOSIVE PUNCH!"

    *BOOOOOOM!* I punched Deandre right into his face which knocked him down to the ground but I''m not really satisfied.

    "Ahhhh! What the hell?! Help me!" He cried for help because of the pain. Scream all you want but no one can help you!

    "INFINITE EXPLOSIONS!"

    *BOOOOOM BOOOOOM!* I punched him continuously while he''s down creating massive explosions. The ground was devastated and Deandre, on the other hand, was wrecked and when I say wrecked, totally wrecked.

    The guards can''t still see what''s happening around them. For now, I have to escape so... there''s no other way but the gate so I have to make my own way.

    *BAAAAAM!* I destroyed the castle gate with one punch. I''m very sorry for the repairs but I don''t have the time to just open it. It''s easier to create my own way.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    -Light''s Tavern-

    I left the castle and went to the tavern and hid with the hood and cloak. With this get up they might think I''m the reaper. I hope not. But at least guards who are looking for me can''t see me. If I leave the city they would just send trackers around. Too bad for them, the city is filled with crowds making them hard to find me. They said it''s better to hide to a place where they won''t try to find you.

    "Welcome back Scy. You look happy, what happened?" The tavern keeper recognized me... And yup, I am happy after wrecking that arrogant guard.

    "Oh, it''s because I managed to kill the monster which I really hate," I answered and laughed.

    "Well, that''s nice. Just now someone attacked the Castle. And they say his name is Scythus. You have the same name, isn''t that weird?" He asked trying to find answers from me. Jeez, I said my name earlier when Deandre showed up. Now my cover was found.

    "I went there to get our reward from killing the giant bear and that Deandre didn''t believe me. Out of the blue, he wanted to arrest me. So, I just defended myself from them. I tried to explain but he didn''t listen and instead he called the guards. Jeez," I explained.

    "Really? You killed the Giant Bear?! That''s awesome! Well, he''s a well-known jackass, so no problem. You can stay here for a while," He suggested. He''s a good guy. But I don''t want to stay here and not do something. I see it as a waste of time.

    "Thanks for the offer but I don''t want you to get involved in this nonsense. Anyway, see you later. If they still didn''t catch me I''m going to return here later," I left and went outside but...

    "You are surrounded! Don''t move or we will kill you on the spot!" A group of guards is waiting outside of the tavern and he''s correct I''m definitely surrounded.

    I went inside out of panic. Jeez, how did they get here! Man, I shouldn''t underestimate the guild they call the best.

    They also rushed inside the tavern trying to subdue me. But the place is not really wide so they can''t really attack me at the same time. This is a good spot for stopping them one by one.

    "DARKNESS!" I once again used my dark spell. I unsheathe the short sword that I just bought from a shop earlier and attacked them one by one. I can''t use my powerful attacks here or this place would crumble. I infused my weapon with my fire magic creating small explosions when I attack them. That''s enough to destroy them. They tried to resist but they can''t see a thing.

    "WAAAAAAAAAAAH! HEEEEELP! Cries of every one of them can be heard inside the Tavern. People outside are terrified of what''s happening. It''s like a live massacre and horror but the only thing they hear is the cries for help from the dying guards. Some of the people inside also tried to help the guards to attack me but regretted they made that lousy decision.

    Every slash I make, one of them hits the floor. I don''t have the time to count how many of them died from my attacks. Every guard who went inside had the same fate. Well, they are really is strong but too bad... they can''t see a thing but the flame of my sword. Guards are commonly defenders and warriors. Without supports to disable my darkness, they won''t stand a chance against me.

    I know I am doing something unacceptable from any language but they started it in the first place.

    After a while, the guards from outside stopped from entering the place. They realized, they will just die if they enter like the others.

    Well, that''s a good thing. I''m really exhausted and I don''t think I can fight anymore... I don''t see any exit and there are two ways I can do, to leave this place by creating an exit or expand the darkness. I chose to expand the darkness because destroying anything would cost me a fortune. I used all the mana I have and tried to expand the darkness as wide as I can. I even almost passed out.

    "Hey, tavern keeper you still there?" I asked.

    "Yup. Thank you for messing the floor with blood. I''m going to charge you for that," He answered.

    "Sure, sure. Anyways I''m going to leave this place now and I''ll be back later to hide,"

    "Sure. Don''t forget to pay," Yup, I won''t.

    I used up all my mana and expanded the range of the darkness. The whole city became a city of darkness.

    I successfully left the city unnoticed.

    Holy crap, I freaking overdid it again. Jeez.

 Chapter 30: Darkness

    -Order of Light Guild Hall-

    Meanwhile at the roundtable of Order of Light guild...

    "Sir, he managed to escape using his dark spell. This is the first time we saw someone use this kind of magic. We''ve got caught by surprise, Sir," One of the guards reported.

    "I can see here that he also destroyed the castle''s gate, crafty one. Where''s Deandre? I''m sure he can easily defeat that guy," I like his confidence.

    "Sir, I''m not really sure what happened, but we just found his corpse outside. He was defeated in a matter of seconds,"

    "What?! That''s impossible. He''s a Rank B Defender and focused on the defense. Are you really sure?" I also like his disappointed expression.

    "Not only that Sir. Earlier we surrounded him in one of the famous taverns around here. We went inside to arrest him but he killed every single one of the guards who entered the place. A total of 74 guards and 14 adventurers who also joined the fight were killed. It was horrifying, Sir," He''s trembling while remembering what happened.

    "Haha... you''re joking, right? That''s a good one. Haha!" The guild leader still can''t believe what happened.

    "Sir it''s all true. The guards stopped entering because they don''t want to get killed," The guard insisted.

    "What a bunch of cowards! If only Zeth and Celeste were here. It would be easier for them to capture that man. He should be around Rank B too to defeat a tank like Deandre," Because of the casualties, he thought Scy was a high-ranked player.

    "Sorry to say, Sir, but yesterday he tried to apply for the exploration in the forest and he was only Ranked D that time but he says he''s Ranked C. It''s in our records, sir," He cleared it up.

    "That''s impossible. Maybe that dark magic helped him. For now, we don''t want to lose any more manpower. You guys clean up the mess. We will wait for Zeth and Celeste. They''re the only ones who can defeat that guy. This is a humiliation to our guild!" He'' not happy I can tell.

    -West of Order of Light City-

    (Scythus'' POV)

    WOOOOOH! It looks like they stopped chasing me. Maybe I''ll visit the Wild Lions hideout for now. They still haven''t found it yet I think and without those kittens around, I can use their place.

    I can see players hunting near the city and I think they''re not still aware of what''s happening inside.

    I just walked and went straight to the hideout.

    We didn''t have the chance to explore the place. Maybe they''re hiding something here. I should take a look around again.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    I went inside and search the whole hideout but the only thing I found was a chest filled with jewelry and stuff. What a lame group, farming for almost a year and this is the only things they''ve got? Order of Light probably cleaned this place after the incident.

    (JEWELRY AND GEMSTONES: Can be exchange for in-game currency.)

    Too bad. I brought it back with me. I was thinking of going back but for now, I''ll log out and eat my lunch. I''m sure the corpses in the tavern will disappear too after they respawned.

    -Aries'' Home-

    I took a bath, prepared all the things we need. The girls also ate lunch with me.

    I finished eating and went to watch the TV. I can hear the girls talking from the kitchen.

    "Jeez, Deandre was so careless and got killed earlier. Too bad, we were inside the Light''s Library," Mari, are you a bookworm now?

    "Yeah, he can be a jerk sometimes but killing him would be a bit overboard, don''t you think?" Well, you''re not wrong Azzie but I kinda really hated the guy.

    "That darkness scared me earlier, but thankfully it was weakened and we can now see using some lanterns and other light producing things," Well, it got weakened maybe because I logged out of the game. Soon, it will disappear.

    They decided to go upstairs and play again.

    -Living Room-

    "Hello, everyone! It''s me again Aika from "What''s New in New Life Online!". We have live exclusive news right now! There''s a big horrible incident happened here in the city of Order of Lights. As you can see the city is in a darkness state yet the sun is high up! This darkness was made by someone named Scythus, an adventurer who went to the castle and created a havoc and destruction," Damn it and now it''s all my fault? And thankfully, Mari''s not here or she''ll figure out it''s me who did it.

    "Here is the Gate of the castle. It has a big hole in it. I know what you''re thinking folks but this is made by only one man, believe it or not," She showed the gate I destroyed earlier to escape. Jeez. Did I really do that?

    "Not only that. He defeated 88 people in this tavern. 74 of them have an average Rank of C and 14 of them are normal adventurers who are trying to help the guards to defeat the suspect. And now we will interview the tavern keeper who saw what happened inside," Oh, it''s the tavern keeper. I was hoping he would tell her the truth.

    "Huhuhu... This person terrorized the citizens of the Order of Light city. He even sullied my humble tavern with disgusting corpses made by his horrible power. Never come back to this city! Huhuhu." Good job increasing my popularity, you jerk. I know that you did it for me to be able to hide in your place later but it will make the misunderstanding even worse.

    "That''s all folks! This murderer should be arrested as soon as possible," What an ending remark!

    I don''t know if my party would believe me this time. Jeez, this is all thanks to that Deandre for messing with me. Maybe I should kill him again once he re-spawn.

    I logged in as soon as the news ended.

    -Order of Light City-

    I went back to the city without alarming anyone. It was still dark but the light of the sun can be already seen though not enough to remove the darkness I made. Wow, Death Shadow''s power really is powerful. Unlike a normal dark spell, his is better.

    Well thanks to the darkness, people inside can''t recognize me. I went straight to the tavern to check if the corpses were still there but thankfully they''re gone. The inside was empty, people might be scared to come at this time because I might return.

    "Hey, tavern keeper, nice interview,"

    "Did you see me cry earlier? Am I that great? Haha," I don''t think thatlaughing right now is appropriate after he ruined my reputation.

    "Yeah, yeah, anyway, here''s my payment for the madness I caused," I gave him the chest I got from the hideout.

    "Wow thank you! You can use the rooms upstairs whenever you want. No one would dare to visit my tavern for a while though, your payment was enough. Anyways, do you want some drinks or food?" He offered me something to eat and took it.

    I''m going to stay here for a while and wait for the moons to come out.

 Chapter 31: Deandre

    -Order of Light Guild Hall-

    "Any updates about those two?" The leader asked the guards looking for Celeste and Zeth.

    "They''re still on their way sir. Also, we can''t find Scythus at the moment. It seems he logged out from the game to lay low," He reported.

    "That''s alright. We need to prepare for his arrest when he shows up. How about his friends?" Now they''re trying to involve his friends.

    "His friends are not part of the crime sir. We haven''t seen them since this morning. He fought by himself, sir,"

    "I''m sorry for what happened earlier, Sir. The guy used some kind of dark magic..." Deandre''s back and while he''s talking he was stopped by the guild leader.

    "I know... you shouldn''t underestimate your foes. What on earth happened? That guy wouldn''t just attack you without you doing anything! Tell me the truth or I swear you will be punished!" He was so angry at what happened.

    "To tell you the truth sir, we were just trying to check if he truly defeated the Giant Bear so we tried to test him but it happened so fast I realized I wasn''t in the game anymore," He told the truth, partially, but what will happen to him? Making a dumb decision created this mess.

    "That''s why you shouldn''t judge people. Anyway, he still committed a crime so... you need to arrest him with Celeste and Zeth later," Don''t judge people he says.

    "Sir, I can arrest him this time. I will do my best..." he got cut off again.

    "No! You should know by now that you can''t beat him. Let''s not do anything idiotic," Good one, leader.

    -Aries'' Home-

    I logged out from the game earlier to prepare for dinner. We ate our dinner and talked for a bit. I really just wasted my whole day hiding... what a waste.

    "Hey bro, don''t wander around the city. It''s really dangerous there right now. Tonight, when the guild officers arrive, we will hunt someone down," Mari said, "we"? So maybe she''ll join to hunt me down. Too bad.

    "Oh. It sounds serious. Thanks, sis. You should be careful too. They said he''s really something, fought like a madman," I replied and warned her, though I will never touch even a single strand of her hair.

    This time, I''ve wasted too much time idling around instead of ranking up or hunting. This is all Deandre''s fault!

    After doing my daily activities I went back to the game.

    -Light''s Tavern-

    I''m really running out of time... Where, the heck, are my party members? They should be up by now.

    "Hey, Scy what''s up! We just logged into the game." Speaking of the devil. Elou whispered to me. Jeez, clueless bunch.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Go to the tavern and try not to attract too much attention. Are you with the girls? I asked.

    "Oh yes, they''re with me. Wait for us there," He replied.

    They came. Though they''re really curious why there''s no one inside the tavern. After I met them I explained what happened. They were shocked at first but they managed to accept the reality and somehow, they believed me.

    "Aww too bad. No rewards for us. So, what should we do? They haven''t created a wanted sign yet. Do you think we should go to the other cities or stronghold? This place is really not good for us," Akko asked and she''s kind of upset about what happened.

    "That''s right. We still don''t have the wagon though so I think the only way is to travel by foot. Is that ok with you guys?" Oh man, what a waste of gold. I don''t think we''ll ever get it.

    "Of course. You saved us a lot of times and this is the only way for us to repay you," Did I? really? Anyways, I can trust them. I know.

    "Let''s go before Celeste or others arrives," They nodded.

    -Order of Light Guild Hall-

    "Sir! We found them and it seems they''re with Scythus. They''re currently trying to leave the city for good," One of the guards reported.

    "Damn it! How about the officers? Are they here yet? Tell Deandre to get Marie and Azzie to slow them down. I know the capabilities of his party members. They''re around more than 60. They won''t do much," He has no idea.

    "Of course, Sir," He departed as soon as he gets the order.

    -West Gate of Order of Light-

    We''re almost at the outer gate of the city. It will be easier.

    *TOT TOTOTOT!* It''s the annoying sounds of the horns again.

    "Lock the gates!" A familiar voice ordered the guards to close all the gates. The gate which is even the giants can''t climb. It''s Deandre! Damn it he''s back.

    "Stop right there! You, filthy man!" He pointed his sword towards me. Seriously? He doesn''t learn how to respect people who are stronger than him. Jeez.

    "Are you seriously pointing your sword towards me? You want to get beaten up again?" I asked provocatively. I know it''s a bad choice to intimidate him now that we''re outnumbered but he is really annoying.

    "This time I''m not alone. I''m with the best support of our guild Marie, the "Angel''s Hands", and Azzie the Fire Master!" Did he just say, Marie! Damn it, Sis, why are you here!

    (MARIE / PRIEST: A

    EQUIPMENT: HIGH QUALITY MAGIC STAFF / ROBE OF MAGICIAN

    MASTERIES: LIGHT MAGIC / CLOTH ARMOR)

    (AZZIE / MAGE: A

    EQUIPMENT: HIGH QUALITY MAGIC STAFF / ROBE OF MAGICIAN

    MASTERIES: FIRE MAGIC / CLOTH ARMOR)

    I covered my face as soon as I heard my Sis'' name. Thank goodness, I''m wearing my usual hood and cloak.

    "Scy what''s the plan? We can''t escape here that easily. We''re surrounded and outnumbered," Akko asked because she''s a bit worried. Well most of the times, we are actually outnumbered. This isn''t the first time.

    "Calm down, you guys are strong. We''ve been through a lot these past few days. This is just another hurdle for us. I will try to destroy the gate later so cover me up when we''re at the gate," I suggested.

    "Stop joking around. The gate is basically the toughest structure here," She replied.

    "Just believe me," Akko, you just have to trust.

    "So, what''s your next move? Do you think you can escape from us? You dared to attack the best guild! Guards attack them!" The freaking jerk ordered the guards to attack us.

    They charged towards us! The sound of their footsteps is like from the movies. It trembles the ground. The sounds of swords and shields hitting each other are excited to hit our bodies. Every one of them readied their offensive stances to attack us.

    "LIGHT PUSH!" Lili used an offensive support skill! That skill knocks back foes around and slightly blind them with light!

    The guards who got hit by the attack flew away, though it''s not enough to end their life. It''s a spell to slow the enemies down from advancing.

    "FLAME BREATH!" Akko released a continuous fire to attack Deandre! It was a powerful attack but he managed to block it with his shield!

    "This time, you''re all going to die here!" Deandre cried with anger! Man, he''s pretty sturdy with that shield.

 Chapter 32: Simple Village

    -West Gate of Order of Light City-

    The Guards charged again to attack us. They''re really persistent. I can''t get close to the gate because Deandre, the jerk, and the others are blocking the way.

    "PENETRATING ARROW!" Elou used a sonic wave like an arrow that penetrates every guard it passes through! And the force of the arrow knocks back the foes near it. What a powerful attack. Unlike me who has many masteries, they focus on what they want to be.

    "FIRE METEOR!" Azzie used a devastatingly powerful attack! A giant fireball is coming from above and it''s on its way to pulverize us! But that is not enough to defeat us.

    "GREATER BARRIER!" Lili used her best protective spell and it blocked the attack spreading the fire to nearby buildings!

    "Using powerful attacks are really not in your favor here you know," I said trying to limit their use of power.

    "That little sacrifice is necessary to kill you guys!" The jerk doesn''t really care about the others.

    This is getting too long. They are just wasting our time here and just waiting for Celeste. I should do something.

    This is not the time to idle around! I rushed towards Deandre to defeat him, defeating every guard with my short sword on the way, fast enough to shatter their defenses. My party also followed me.

    I''m getting closer to Deandre and also prepared an attack.

    "GREATER CONSTRAINT!" It''s Mari! She uses a spell!

    (WARNING: Afflicted by Root Status Effect!)

    "Eh? I can''t move my feet Scy!" Akko said worriedly. It''s a spell that restricts the target''s feet and sticks it to the ground.

    "Me too. Don''t panic! Lili, use your defensive abilities when they attack us," I ordered.

    "SILENCE!" Mari once again used a spell. This time the target was Lili, she can''t speak and can''t use her spells! They were just using the guards as a pawn to look for our weaknesses!

    (DEBUFF SPELLS: Unlike support spells that causes party members to gain advantage by boosting stats, debuff spells, on the other hand, decreases enemies stats or restrict their opponent''s movement or abilities.)

    Deandre focused his attack on me. It was an overhead strike!

    "Take this you b*tch!" He yelled in anger! Tsk damn it. I don''t have a choice but to block it.

    I turned around and blocked the attack with the shield hidden at my back while my feet can''t move.

    "BAAAAAAAAM!" It was a powerful attack but I''m not going to just take a hit without paying back!

    After getting hit I used my fire boosters at my feet to cancel Mari''s spell.

    (Root Status Effect cancelled.)

    It was successful! Then I twirl mid-air and used my old favorite skill!

    "SCISSOR FIERY KICK!" Right into the face! After getting hit, he flew and crashed into one of the buildings. It was really satisfying but I''m sure he didn''t die from that. Thanks to my shield and his lack of strength he didn''t deal that much damage to me.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    "Dean! Are you ok?!" Mari asked the jerk. You should be worrying about me. Sigh... She went to heal him and canceled the debuff cast to my team.

    "WILDFIRE!" Akko pointed her spell towards Mari! What?! No!

    I use my fire boosters to catch up with the fire magic to defend Mari.

    "Mari! Be careful!" Azzie shouted and thought that I would also attack her.

    "BAAAAAAAAM!" I defended from the attack by standing in front of Mari and using my shield to block the fire spell from Akko. That stings a lot! Thankfully, I have mid-level Fire Mastery and I have fire resistance boost.

    Our eyes met. I hope she didn''t recognize me. I ran towards the gate.

    "SHADOW FIRE EXPLOSION!" I readied my strongest attack and I destroyed the gate which also created a black fog that covered the area. That depleted most of my mana so we rushed towards the gate while everyone can''t see what''s going on.

    (WARNING: Mana is almost depleted.)

    I signaled my friends to escape and we escaped the place unharmed, thankfully Azzie stopped from attacking after she saw me defend Mari from my team mates attack while my darkness covered the area.

    They didn''t chase us because they know that they can''t do anything anymore now that their tank is down. We overpowered them. Defeating their front line broke their moral to continue the fight. Azzie can defeat us but she can''t see a thing. Mari, on the other hand, wasn''t able to do anything. She was just standing there after I defended her from Akko''s attack.

    We ran as fast as we can. The only place in my mind is the Vanguard Stronghold.

    After getting far from the city, we relaxed for a bit and calm ourselves.

    "That was exciting huh?" I said while making a small joke.

    "Are you sure? I almost killed you earlier! Why did you do that?" Akko is really frustrated.

    "Well, it''s not good to hit a woman, so I protected her," I excused.

    "Jeez. Tell us something first before you do something stupid. You''ve got us worried there," She really was surprised.

    "I''m sorry, not going to happen again. I promise," I said.

    After resting for a bit, we continued our travel. We need to find a good place to hide or we will get in trouble later.

    "Oh! Can you see that? There''s a nearby village!" Elou excitedly said. As if we can see something so far.

    "Yeah, yeah, we know you have good eyes. Anyways let''s go there and check," Akko replied.

    -Simple Village-

    We reached the village. Unlike the Green Leaf village, this one looks kind of normal, a simple village that caters to some adventurers who are traveling. Players who are living here must be people who just enjoy the view and lives peacefully. From here, you can already see the mountains of the Tundra, the mountains filled with snow.

    We entered the inn. Inside the inn, are simple tables and chairs, the atmosphere here is really different from the luxurious tavern in the Order of Light city. This village is still part of the Order of Light territory. We need to be more careful.

    "Hello, adventurers! My name is Emily. Do you want to eat our simple dishes or a delightful room for rent?" the innkeeper asked. She''s a girl wearing an apron and a simple dress. Even with her simple dress, you can tell that she''s really beautiful for an innkeeper.

    (EMILY / UNRAKED

    EQUIPMENT: INKEEPER''S CLOTHES / COOKING PAN OF EFFICIENCY

    MASTERIES: ENCHANTING / COOKING)

    "We would like to order some food and drinks and a simple room for us to rest," I answered.

    "That would be great. Wait for a second while I prepare your food," She replied.

    After enjoying our meals, we decided to rest in our room upstairs for a bit.

    (Hunger 0%)

    It was not that wide but at least we can relax. The fluffy bed is great.

    -Simple Village Inn-

    I went downstairs to buy a drink but instead, I saw two adventurers harassing the Inn Keeper.

    "Hello Miss, would you like to come with us to the room and serve us something else?" That''s one embarrassing to say. How can he say something like that?

    "Sorry but I can''t. It''s the only menu we have," She answered.

    "I know you know what I mean. Come on let''s go," He insisted.

    "How about you leave the girl alone and have some alone time with me?" I said trying to intimidate them but sounded really gross.

    "Hey guys, you heard the little boy! Someone''s asking for a company here!" He called their other friends outside. Jeez, I didn''t expect that there''s more outside.

    As I''ve checked outside. Damn! There are more than twenty of them but based on their gears, They''re Rank C at max.

    "How about now? Come on don''t be shy," He grinned and pulled out his sword.

    (UNIMPORTANT BANDIT / WARRIOR: C)

 Chapter 33: Dark Forest

    -Simple Village Inn-

    Why do I always get in trouble? From different bandits to guards and now some gang of some sort. Am I that really unlucky?

    (WARNING: Hostile players nearby.)

    "We''re well-known around here. You should show some respect sometimes you know. Leave your things and we will just say we''re even. How does it sound?" He''s trying to intimidate me. Well, sir that won''t work on me.

    "How about we go outside for a moment and It''s really not good if we destroy this Inn, right?"

    "Hahaha, He sure has a pff... BAAAAAM!" While he was talking I punched him in the mouth fast enough for him to not notice and flew outside through the open door. The other guy tried to retaliate but I looked at him like I was about to attack then he suddenly stopped. That murderous aura made him lose strength on his knees and fell down like a wimp. They probably just robbed people but haven''t really killed that much players like I did for being easily intimidated.

    I went outside to let my hands do the talking.

    "Hey, boss! Are you alright?!" One of his lackeys asked the guy I just punched. The guy was out cold.

    "Damn you! You will pff... BAAAAAM!" I really don''t want to hear some bad words right now so I send one of them flying again. The other lackeys stopped. They know that they can''t do anything. They might be high-ranked but sometimes, you gotta show them who''s boss.

    "Grab your boss and leave. I''m not in the mood to kill anyone so just please go away," The guys carried their boss, though...

    "KYAAAAAAH!" It''s the innkeeper!

    "Not so fast hero wanna-be! Move a single step and I''ll slit the throat of Ms. Innkeeper here!" A dirty work from a lowlife. That kind of thing really pisses me off.

    "SWOOOOOOSH!" An arrow went right between his eyes from the back. He fell down and kissed the floor.

    "Jeez, that''s really not good. Disrespecting a beautiful girl is really not cool man," Elou... the girl you are trying to protect right now is really scared as hell on what you just did. You just killed a man in a nasty way.

    "Are you ok, Ms. Inn keeper? You are trembling right now, are you scared they would hurt you?" Elou asked though I''m pretty sure she''s not afraid of the bandits, but of you.

    "Don''t worry you''re safe now with me," He said still not noticing what''s really happening.

    The gang carries their boss who''s still unconscious and the corpse of one of their ally. When a player is dead, he will re-spawn on a friendly village or on the spot of his corpse, if his corpse is safe and no hostile players or monsters are around it.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    (Hostile Players subdued.)

    "Jeez, Elou you don''t have to kill him... Though what done is done," I said.

    "Oh, sorry about that seeing someone doing something inhuman really gets on my nerves," Well, the lackey made a really terrible choice. They should have just left the place.

    "Anyways. We should also leave now. I''m sure they are looking for us. If Celeste and that Zeth finds us, we''re dead for sure," I suggested.

    We left the village, which we forgot to ask the name, and continued our journey.

    -Order of Light Guild Hall-

    "Hello, Old man. Just what the heck happened? The city gates are in ruins and some of the buildings are also destroyed and are on fire. Who would do something like that? I might have done it too but it wasn''t me," Finally, she came. It''s Celeste.

    "You''re late! They''re gone now. It''s the party of Scythus who''ve done that! They killed many of our guards and they also knocked Deandre unconscious," The leader is really frustrated on what''s happening.

    "Oh, it''s you who ordered me to look for the raiders of Stone Summer village. It''s really so far from here. And you said "Scythus"? His group helped me with those Ravens! I''m pretty sure there''s a good reason why he did this kind of thing!" She''s really is pissed. She can''t believe the guys have done it.

    "It''s them? Why didn''t you tell us! Damn it! We should be thankful for them instead of harassing them. It''s Deandre''s fault. He tried to test Scythus and tried to arrest him in a group and you know what happened? He was defeated in an instant. But we can''t let him just wander around. He killed more than a hundred of our guards. Even with Marie and Azzie they still can''t defeat the guys," Things are getting more and more serious. Even with Deandre''s party having higher ranks, if they can''t really cooperate well, then even a low-ranked party with good set up, they would not be able to win.

    "Jeez. Just let them go. It''s our fault in the first place. I should go talk to them and clear the misunderstandings. Instead of hunting them, they could be valuable as allies," She suggested.

    "No, that would be a disgrace to the guild. We need to arrest them and clear the misunderstanding afterward," He ordered.

    "Ok, ok, so any updates on where they are right now?" She asked.

    "Sir! They are heading to the Vanguards guild! They just left the village not far from here," One of the guards made a report. That answered the question.

    "What? If they reach the Vanguards guild, it will make us hard to arrest them because it''s not our territory anymore," She exclaimed.

    "I know, you go out there and look for them too. Use the horses so you could catch up to them. Make sure you don''t let them get away this time! Bring as many as you can," The guild leader ordered.

    -Near the Dark Forest-

    "Hey guys, can you already feel the chill? We''re getting near the tundra. We can even see the Vanguard Stronghold from here. If we get a chance to enter the stronghold, the Order of jerks can''t do anything later." Elou is really fired up today and yeah it''s really getting cold.

    (WARNING: Exposure to low temperature without cold resistance can cause negative status effects.)

    But before we can go near the castle, we need to go deep into the forest first because the way is really filled with thick forest. Unlike the forest in the north that has elves that ruled the place and cared for the environment, here in North West is more unrefined and lots of monsters are roaming around.

    I hope we can easily travel in the forest and leave the place unharmed, though it''s really dark right now because basically, they logged in around five pm. I should probably make dinner because it''s already nine PM.

    "Hey, guys how about we log out a bit for dinner?" I suggested. I know it''s risky but our real life matters too.

    "Oh, I forgot to eat! It''s already nine pm." Akko replied.

    "Ok let''s meet here after an hour," Elou suggested.

    After that, we logged out from the game.

 Chapter 34: Fire With Fire

    -Near Simple Village-

    "Are you sure they went this way?" Celeste asked one of their trackers.

    "Yes, Ms. Celeste. The tracks are clearly theirs. It seems that they visited the village nearby according to paths,"

    "Ms. Celeste, Mr. Zeth''s on his way. It will not take long for him to catch up to us," One of the guards reported.

    "Ok, that sounds good. They won''t have any choice but to surrender."

    -Aries'' Home-

    I went in front of Mari''s room to wake them up.

    "Sis dinner is ready! It''s really late. You really should eat something soon," I called my sister.

    "Sorry bro, we''ll eat later. We are doing something really important right now. We are already in a village, getting closer to our target," Oh, looks like they are already near us, though it will take two to three hours for them to catch up to us. Better keep moving later.

    "Sure, just don''t forget to eat ok?"

    -Dark Forest-

    I went back to the game too as soon as I finished all the things I need to do.

    "Oh, you''re back!" Akko said. I was surprised too. They''re finally back.

    "Hey guys, aren''t you too early?" Shouldn''t they have housework or something?

    "We''re kind of worried so we logged in as soon we''re done eating," She really looks worried.

    "Well, it looks like they are already in the village that we visited earlier. And they''re using mounts. We should go now," I suggested.

    We entered the forest. It''s like the last time we went looking for a dungeon and it turns out it''s just a hideout. I also read some articles about the forest near the Vanguards Stronghold that it is still infested by some Walking trees that attack when disturbed, forest Trolls and some Bigfoot. The only problem is the trolls because they are aggressive. Bigfoot doesn''t want any attention and flee when players get near it.

    (WALKING TRESS RANK: C)

    (FOREST TROLLS RANK: C)

    (BIGFOOT RANK: C)

    "Hey, Elou, please use some skills from your archery and tracking masteries so we could know if there are some monsters around or the people chasing us are nearby," I suggested.

    "Alright. I''m on it," He answered.

    So far there are no hostilities in the area as long as we take the path that leads to the Stronghold. We can''t let our guards down. We continued our journey running straight and not looking back.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "Hey, Scy, the people who chase us are almost near. What should we do? We''re still far from the stronghold," Elou sensed them.

    "Just continue running. This will be harder than the last time. I''m sure Celeste would be with them this time," I replied.

    Unfortunately, they caught up to us after a couple of minutes. This is not a good time for us. I could outrun them alone but I can''t let my party behind.

    -Almost out of Dark Forest-

    "Well well, if it isn''t Scytooth and his friends," The brat is here with a couple of trackers, spellcasters, guards and even Mari! The jerk is also here even Azzie. Jeez. If you count them up, they''re around fifty. I think they are the best in their guild. They''re overestimating our capabilities or they just want it to be done fast. I can tell that they can only get this many because more people means going slower. A couple of low Rank B guards, spell caster and support... this will be bad.

    "Ms. Celeste, it is Scythus," One of her guards corrected her.

    "Oh, really? Why don''t you just quit playing and go teach elementary students!" She replied and really pissed. That would make teachers feel bad, Celeste.

    "Well, to tell you the truth I''m a high school teacher," The guy once again corrected her.

    "Jibber-jabber... Do I look like I f*cking care? Anyways, why don''t you just give up Scythus? No one should die here. We go back to the castle and clear the misunderstandings and we''re good. How about that?" The brat suggested.

    "Sorry, Ms. Celeste but I don''t think it will happen, not to mention someone like Deandre in your group makes me want to puke," I replied irritated.

    "You B*tch! You''re so cocky I''m gonna smash your face!" Deandre, as usual, with his mouth.

    "Stop that Deandre. Isn''t it enough to get beaten up twice?" The brat said.

    "Sorry, Ms. Celeste." He replied.

    "If you don''t want to go back to the castle, I don''t have a choice but to force you. Get ready," The brat is preparing her attack. Wow, she''s really going to attack us!

    (CELESTE / MAGE: A)

    "EARTH GOD STOMP!" This is the spell she used when we fought the Ravens!

    "GREATER BARRIER!" Lili''s powerful shield managed to defend us. The brat''s attack made a small crack. It was a powerful spell to even scratch our best defense.

    "Ugh..." Lili''s not doing well... the brat''s attacks are really powerful!

    "Not bad, little girl. How about this! Azzie give me some of your power! GIANT METEOR!" Just like the last spell of Azzie but this time there''s a giant flaming boulder coming from above! It was a unison attack! Damn it this is bad!

    (ELEMENTAL UNISON: Combining two spells from two or more players at the same time creates an Elemental Unison. Damage and effect depend on the element and mana used to cast the spell.)

    "Lili! Let''s do it!" Akko''s preparing to do something as well!

    "FLAMING GREATER BARRIER!" What!? They created a shield infused with flames increasing the barrier''s fire resistance!

    The moment the meteor hit the shield the meteor shattered into pieces and just like that it didn''t affect us much! The fire spell fused with barrier increased its fire-resistant nullifying most of their fire spell.

    "What?! They blocked our Unison ultimate attack! They used a Unison defense! That was unexpected," The brat was surprised just as I do. I didn''t expect they can do something like this.

    "Good job guys. But how did you do that?" I asked them.

    "While you were gone earlier, we practiced some spells and manage to come up with that idea. Cool right?" Akko answered. That''s really cool. It was just like my dark flame, a flame infused with dark magic.

    "Spellcasters! Use your best spells! Deandre, Charge with your warriors!" Celeste ordered.

    Lili and Akko maintained their barrier and defended from the attacks. The attacks were too much, random magic projectiles and warriors trying to break the shield with their powerful melee attacks.

    "Elou it''s your turn," I whispered to Elou hiding from the top of a tree.

    "ARROW RAIN!" He used his powerful attack again. This time it''s aiming for their spell casters and supports.

    "GREATER BARRIER!" It was Mari! She used the same spell as Lili! It blocked most of the arrows making it hit nothing. But he didn''t stop with that. He fired another arrow rain to restrict Mari''s defensive capabilities and focus on maintaining her barrier.

    The attacks reduced Akko and Lili''s mana a lot. The brat''s team is doing their best to break our barrier too. We''re almost out.

    It''s time for me to attack.

 Chapter 35: Golem

    -Dark Forest-

    "Goddess of the Night, lend me your Strength and make my enemies suffer! DARKNESS RETRIBUTION!" Black smoke started to envelop the area. The enemies seized from attacking and stopped what they''re doing.

    "Ms. Celeste, what should we do?" Their formation didn''t break. As expected from the best warriors of their guild.

    "Don''t panic! This is just a trick! The darkness can''t harm you! Mari, use your spells that remove negative status effects!" She ordered. But I anticipated that.

    The moment I used the darkness, I rushed towards Mari and knocked her out with my sleep spell and put her somewhere safe. The sleep spell came from my Shade Mastery.

    "Sorry, too bad she''s out of the game,"

    "You bastard! What did you do to Marie! SUMMON EARTH GOLEMS!" She summoned five of her loyal powerful golems. She ordered them to attack me.

    "Lili and Akko, go hide for now and try to recharge your mana as fast as you can. Elou, ready your best arrow rain later. We will run after that attack," I whispered to them.

    Unlike the players, golems are not affected by my spell. They can detect me using their earth senses.

    All of them charged at me but I managed to dodge them with agile movements. The players, on the other hand, are just guarding because they can''t see what''s going on.

    "EARTH GOLEM REGROWTH!" The five golems fused into one! This time it''s really larger and slower! Not a good idea brat.

    "EARTH GOLEM''S WRATH!" What the hell?! It''s the spell she used to power up the golem! Maybe she really got pissed.

    This golem is more powerful than the last time. This one is bigger! One stomp and it would squash us all!

    The golem attacked me with its giant hands. It was fast! I rolled as far as I could go, barely evaded that one. After that, he attacked me again and again. Every punch it does creates tremendous earthquakes! I need to fight back before this Golem can hit me with a lucky strike! One hit and that''s the end of me!

    "Elou it''s your turn!" I whispered to him.

    "ARROW STORM!" This time the arrows are faster and more powerful! Spellcasters were injured really bad, some of them died. Too bad it didn''t kill the brat. Without Mari, their defense dramatically dropped.

    "That annoying Archer! Warriors defend us!" The warriors in front took out their shield instead of the attacking stance. They are useless in this darkness and against a fast enemy like me. Celeste can''t move much because of too much mana usage. Azzie''s fire can''t create light in this darkness.

    My only option is to attack the brat!

    "FIERY PUNCH!"Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    *BAAAAAAAAM!* Eh? Damn it! Deandre and warriors defended from my attack! They are protecting her with the best they''ve got, making my attacks useless. If they are normal guards or warriors it wouldn''t be this hard. Elou used up all of his arrows and can''t attack anymore. Lili and Akko are still recovering.

    "FIERY PUNCH!"

    *BAAAAAAAAM!* I hit the golem''s right leg but it didn''t affect it. Just how the hell am I supposed to defeat this golem!

    The golem out of the blue collapsed and shattered. Eh? Was my punch that great? Nope. The brat used up most of her mana. She can''t use the power up for long with that kind of golem. My darkness is also fading away. I was supposed to use it to defeat them one by one. Instead, the golem took my chance.

    "We can see him now! Attack!" The warriors rushed towards me.

    Even without the darkness, I can still defeat you guys! Three of them jumped at me and attacked me with their swords. Ahh! One of them hit me. It was just a scratch but the damage is still high. My defense is still low... They''re still high-ranked and a couple of hits would be the end of me.

    "DARK FLAME SLASH!" I moved fast enough and slashed every one of them burning them to death. Their armor couldn''t do anything against my darkness infused flames. I tried my best and almost poured everything I''ve got. I need to save some mana or I won''t be able to do anything anymore later.

    Spears from behind are aiming for my back but-

    "DARK FLAME BURST!" I jumped and released a powerful dark flame that exploded after hitting them, powerful enough to destroy them.

    "SWOOOOOOOSH! SWOOOOSH!" Magic projectiles from the spellcasters were also targeting me but it wasn''t fast enough to hit me.

    "Ahhhhh!" One of the spears from the guards stabbed my left shoulder! Damn, it hurt so badly! I moved back!

    This time the warriors surrounded me in. They are using the defensive stance where they use shield and spear to poke for the kill. I don''t think I can escape from this. This might be my end.

    "YAAAAAAAAH!" This time they rushed towards me and are preparing their most powerful attacks.

    I''m not gonna die here! I fought back! With every wound I took, I gave them with more injuries!

    (WARNING!: Health is low!)

    "LIGHT GOD''S PUSH!" It was Lili! The guards caught by the spell got knocked away from me. I thought I''m going to die. My HP is already at its end.

    "HEALING HANDS!" Lili is trying to heal my injuries. It looks like she was able to regain mana from resting.

    (Health is being restored slowly by an ally.)

    "Can you still fight Scy?" Akko asked.

    "Yeah. Though I don''t think I can fight any longer. I''m all out of mana. And I''m sure Lili''s mana can''t help us any longer," There are still around twenty of them. Azzie is taking care of the brat and Deandre who orders the guards and some spellcasters.

    "Azzie it''s our turn! Spellcasters, take care of Ms. Celeste," Deandre ordered.

    "This is my payback for Marie!" Azzie is really pissed not knowing that her friend is just sleeping somewhere.

    Deandre rushed towards us with his sword!

    "Take this! OVERHEAD SLASH!" Another overhead slash, it''s a really overused skill you know. It''s really funny how slow he is.

    "Not so fast!" Elou used his daggers to defend from the attack. The attack of Deandre was really devastating and made him bend to his knees!

    "Is that all you''ve got, Robin Hood? Can''t do anything without your arrows, can you?" You sure talk a lot for someone who got beaten up a lot.

    Deandre attacked again using his sword but Elou managed the deflect it. The only thing Elou can do is to defend from his attacks.

    "FLAME BREATHE!" Both Azzie and Akko are exchanging their spells with each other. It was a fight between fire masters! But Akko''s totally being overpowered. Azzie''s spell is way too powerful for her. Akko''s only using Mid-level Fire Mastery and Azzie''s probably using higher.

    "I''ll end this right now! OVERHEAD SLASH!" Deandre once again prepared his powerful attack!

    "Elou, duck!" I shouted. He lowered his body and rolled to the side to avoid the attack and after that...

    "SHADOW FIRE EXPLOSION!"

    *BOOOOOM!* I took advantage of the situation and right after he attacked, a surprise attack hit him in the face!

    "Not again..." It''s Deandre''s last words after my attack and he''s out.

 Chapter 36: Zeth

    -Dark Forest-

    "Thanks, Lili for healing me. Now I can fight back again, I hope my remaining mana is enough to defeat them," Lili sat down exhausted. Akko is still exchanging spells with Azzie, I should help her. Azzie is stronger than her but she''s trying her best to manage somehow.

    I rushed towards Azzie to use my sleeping spell like I used to Marie to stop them.

    "FIRE SCATTER!" Flames burst around the area making me approach her harder. But it''s not enough to stop me.

    Ugh! I sensed a murderous aura from above! I looked up and someone with a giant sword almost slashed me in half! That was different from all of the players I faced so far! This time I really thought I was going to die!

    "I thought I had you there. Too bad, I love it when people get cut in half. " This guy is really scary. His giant sword has bends on it which only means he trained really hard.

    (ZETH / WARRIOR: A

    EQUIPMENT: IRON LONGSWORD / HIGH-QUALITY IRON ARMOR

    MASTERIES: HEAVY WEAPON / HEAVY ARMOR)

    "You know that attacking people when they''re not looking is really rude. What if I cut you in half instead?" I will not just stand around here and take your trash talks.

    "Get ready..." He''s coming. I took out my dagger. Let''s see what you''ve got.

    "RUSH!" What the?! In an instant after dashing, he was already below me! I didn''t even see what happened!

    "STAGGERING BLOW!" Ahh! A surprise attack from below that looked like an uppercut with his sword! I tried to defend from it but my sword and hands went with the flow by his attack! My hands are in the air! He turned around and was preparing to use another move!

    "CYCLONE!" A roundhouse slash is coming its way to cut me in half but I''m not going to let him do that! I turned around as fast as I can to defend from his attack with the shield on my back!

    *BAAAAAAM! CRAAAACK!*

    Ack! Blood spouted out of my mouth! The force of the attack knocked me back and broke my shield. I fell down and my face hit the ground. Luckily, I''m alive. With one attack... I''m already done...

    (WARNING: High-Quality Light Shield has been broken.)

    (WARNING: Health is extremely low.)

    (WARNING: Afflicted by Back Severe Injury, defense is reduced dramatically and health won''t regenerate for a while.)

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    "Scy!" I heard the cries of my teammates. My consciousness is fading...

    "Use my power... Give me your mana and I''ll let you win..." I heard a whisper and it''s the same as before. It''s the same voice when we were running from the Chimera.

    "Please give me power. You can get the mana you want. Just give me a chance to kick this person''s arse..." As if I have a choice. I gambled. My only choice was to just stay and get killed or used all my mana for something that might help me. I focused my mana on my hands...

    Dark smoke surrounds and twirls like a whirlwind around me. My body absorbed the Darkness!

    I can''t feel my pain anymore. And somehow, I can feel so much power! I stood up and focused my power.

    "What the hell was that?! You''re almost dead a minute ago!" One of the not so important spell casters said.

    "It''s the same as my spell... It''s the fusion of the Soul Stone and the player. But after he runs out of mana he can''t move for a while after using it. Like what happened to me right now. It''s like a double edge sword. It may be really powerful but it will also kill you if you don''t use it well," The brat explained.

    (DEATH SHADOW TRANSFORMATION: AFFINITY LOW)

    "So, you''re hiding something like this, huh. How about I show you mine too! This is the soul stone from defeating one of the toughest monsters in a dungeon in the forest really far from here, your monster soul is not powerful enough to defeat me, though. IRON KNIGHT''S WRATH!" I can feel his power... almost as if he''s twice as strong as before!

    (IRON KNIGHT BOSS RANK: B)

    His basic armor changed into more powerful and defensive armor. His weapon also changed into a thin but incredibly sharp long sword. His attack and defense improvements are really great, I can tell by just looking.

    The dark smoke slowly covered my body and started to create a black armor which looks really cool. A sword and a shield also were magically created, I''m not sure where did they come from. The armor looks kind of heavy but I don''t feel any weight on me. It''s like I''m still wearing the basic armor set that I usually use.

    Akko and Azzie stopped attacking each other. They are literally not equal in power but somehow Akko did her best. Elou was already tired too and can''t even stand after that last attack of Deandre to him. The fight will end between me and this guy, which I don''t really know who.

    "Hey Little Boy, I''m not sure where did you get that kind of power. But let me tell you one thing. No one has ever beaten the Mighty Undefeated Champion, Zeth. I''m pretty sure you know me, right? I''m on the poster for the game. You probably have seen that." Did he just say Zeth?! Am I really fighting him right now? And why the hell are we really talking about that right now? We''re in the middle of the fight.

    "What the?! You tricked me into talking about myself! You Bastard! Let''s see if you can do something about this again! RUSH!" The same move! But this time it was faster! In an instant, he was preparing his next move!

    "STAGGERING BLOW!" It was the uppercut slash from below! I didn''t block it but instead, I dodge it by dashing back. I''m not getting caught by it again! He once again did get near me and preparing his last move!

    "CYCLONE!" That slash again that broke my shield. This time I jump in the air to dodge it.

    "A good fighter always has a reserve move when his attacks didn''t work. OVERHEAD SLASH!" Not the overhead slash! He jumped too, trying to hit me with the overhead slash but before he gets near me...

    "SHADOW FIRE EXPLOSION!" A powerful explosion hit him which pushed him away and canceled his attack.

    "Hey! Who said that you can use range attacks! That was uncalled for!" Damn it. He really talks a lot.

    "Hey, Celeste. How do you keep up with this guy? He really talks a lot. Is this some kind of psychological attack?" I said trying to piss him off.

    "Let''s get serious then," I know that he was just testing what I can do. This time, I''m going all out. It''s kill or be killed.

 Chapter 37: The Reaper

    -TV News-

    Meanwhile...

    "Hello, again fellow New Life Online Fans! It''s Aika, your favorite host of "What''s New in New Life Online"! We know that our program already ended earlier but there''s an important event going on right now in the Dark Forest near Vanguard''s Stronghold! The wanted man Scythus and his party are now fighting with the officers of the Order of Light city. We''ve also heard that they were outnumbered but managed to defeat most of their chasers! What a powerful group! We still don''t know the outcome of the fight but we will update you guys as soon as they finish the fight! See you later guys!"

    -Dark Forest-

    "BULL RUSH!" It''s the usual rush move but this time he''s also holding his sword with both hands and preparing to stab me. It wasn''t as fast as the rush but it was accompanied by a powerful attack. I successfully dodge it in time!

    "STAGGERING STOMP! A different move! He hit the ground with his foot and shook it. Ugh! Because of it, I staggered making me stand on my feet unsteadily!

    "BULL CHARGE!" *BAAAAAAM!* He charged at me and pushed me using his shoulder with massive force! I blocked it with my shield but the force is powerful enough to knock me back.

    "FINAL THRUST!" He rushed towards me while I was having trouble standing on my feet after being knocked back.

    He''s preparing to use his ultimate attack! If by any chance, I would be dead after getting hit by that. But I wasn''t that dumb. I, who defeated the shade, know exactly how to take advantage of my power.

    I tried to balance myself and rushed towards him while preparing my all out move too.

    "You''re mad! Trying to collide with me with your move, you must have a death wish!" He shouted while we''re almost near each other.

    "YAAAAAAAAAH!" He shouted hitting me and cutting me in half but...

    "What the?!" He realized he cut nothing but only my armor. It''s because of the Shade''s passive that physical attacks won''t work on me.

    "REAPER''S SCYTHE! BEHEADER!" Before he hit me with his sword I already slashed him with all I''ve got. My power up is out. I''m exhausted... before I knew it, I already hit the ground and lost consciousness...

    (WARNING: Mana was completely depleted.)

    -Dark Forest-

    "Ugh! That really hurt badly. If not because of my armor from my monster soul I would be dead by now. This brat is a piece of work," He said while spitting blood out from his mouth. He''s almost dead too. His power-up also vanished.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "Too bad, I need to kill you right now or else you would be a problem when your masteries are still this high," One of the ways to weaken a strong player is to kill him because it will reduce his overall masteries.

    Before he hit Scythus with his sword to finish him, a person out of nowhere yelled at them...

    "Stop right there Zeth! He''s not in your territory anymore. He''s a precious visitor here in our stronghold. Would you mind if I ask you to stay away from his party," Zeth was surprised when he saw the person who just spoke. He was accompanied by a large army. He''s wearing high-quality armor, his hair is cut clean, and a face of a gallant knight.

    (SIEGRIEL / MAGIC WARRIOR: A

    EQUIPMENT: VANGUARD''S LONG SWORD  / VANGUARD''S CHAIN MAIL

    MASTERIES: EARTH MAGIC / NORMAL WEAPON)

    "Long time no see, Sigriel, the Guild Leader of Vanguards. This isn''t the business of your guild so I suggest you stay out of it." Zeth said while trying to intimidate him.

    "Stop looking at me like that. We all know that you''re the strongest player here in the game because of that competition but I know you know that not all of the strongest players participate in it. Be careful who you disrespect here. Looking at you... You can''t even lift up your weapon. Leave now or we will wipe you out," Siegriel huh, he''s something.

    "Tsk! Wake Deandre up and let''s get out of here. You will regret this decision, Sieg," He hopped up on his horse and left the place together with the others. They also found Marie sleeping behind the bush.

    -Vanguard''s Stronghold-

    I gained consciousness little by little.

    "Ugh! Ouch... my head hurts..." I said while holding my head. I''m pretty sure If I was dead, the game should''ve kicked me out.

    "Oh, Hello Scy, you''ve been out for almost two hours. We''re already here inside of one of the inns of the Vanguard Stronghold," Elou said. The place isn''t as fancy as the Order of Light Inn but doesn''t look shabby at all.

    "What happened? I thought we are all dead by now," That Zeth guy should have killed all of us by now.

    He explained to me what happened after I''ve passed out.

    A man wearing quality armor walked towards us.

    "Hello, it seems that your friend here is already awake. My name is Siegriel and I''m the Guild Leader of the Vanguards. How are you feeling?" The man looks really young to manage politics and guild affairs. He really looks like a gallant knight.

    "Thank you for saving us earlier Mr. Siegriel. But why did you save us?" I asked politely.

    "You don''t have to be polite, just call me Sieg because that is what they call me here. Well for starters, we heard explosions near the Dark Forest so we decided to check it out. We didn''t expect you would come to our place," I''m not calling you that.

    "Sir, we already told you that it was Scythus'' party after some of our soldiers watched the News," One of his soldiers explained.

    "Ahem. Don''t mind this guy. He''s a know-it-all. You know, one of those bookworms in class." He laughed gallantly.

    "It''s because you don''t listen to what we''re saying Sieg," It looks like the soldiers are really friendly towards him to talk to him like that, maybe because he''s young.

    "Stop that, you''re making me look bad. Anyways, you''re free to roam around the stronghold but please don''t make any unnecessary trouble or you''ll make me mad. Good luck with your adventures. If you want to visit the tundra, make sure you buy some thick clothes from the shop. Wearing your armors like that would only freeze you to death," He recommended. He is not only gallant looking guy but also a good one.

    "We will keep that in mind Sieg. Thanks again for helping us," I don''t have a choice but to call him that, do I? He just smiled while walking out of the room.

 Chapter 38: Red Ridinghood

    -TV News-

    "Hello, it''s me again, Aika of "What''s New in New Life Online"! We already got the report from one of our sources that Order of Light''s officers failed to capture the culprit. They also mentioned that Vanguard''s Guild Leader, Siegriel helped Scythus. What will the Order of Light guild do after these events? Is there going to be a conflict between these guilds? And why did they help the one who committed a huge crime? No one can still answer our questions but we will eventually hear some answers when we can get an interview with the Order of Light''s Guild Leader. Fellow New Life Online fans, you have a wonderful day!"

    -Vanguards Stronghold-

    "So, what''s our plan next? Order of Light guild can''t just go to Vanguards'' territory after what happened. That''s a good thing for us. Anyways, it''s already morning. How about we log out for now and meet again later after?" I asked them.

    "Well ok, just whisper us in case you get online first. We''ll be back in an hour," Elou said. "In an hour" hmm they really are into the game for going online as soon as they finish breakfast.

    -Aries'' Home-

    *KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!* I went in front of Mari''s room and knocked.

    "Mari it''s time to wake up,"

    "I''ll be right there, Bro," She answered.

    Ugh! I saw the food I prepared last night. They didn''t eat dinner. Jeez, well they can''t really leave the game last night because of what happened but they should at least eat something after the fight.

    I''m done preparing the food. They came to the dining room and they look really hideous. They haven''t even fixed their hair...

    "What happened? You guys look really awful..."

    "Ugh. Our guild leader is really pissed about what happened last night. He even scolded us really hard and thanks to your wake-up call we somehow had the reason to log out of the game and escape from that nightmare," Mari... Well, I can understand the frustration of your guild leader. It''s because even with your best forces, we still managed to escape. How great was that?

    "Bro, why are you smiling? It''s really creepy." I didn''t even realize that I was smiling. I stopped after she caught me grinning.

    "I don''t know why but I can''t hate that Scythus guy. For some reason, he saved me from one of his ally''s attack earlier and he only made me unconscious to avoid the combat. I don''t want to say this but I think he''s into me," No, I''m not, I sincerely assure you that.

    "Yeah right, I hate that girl who also uses fire spells. Next time we meet I''ll definitely win and settle things!" Azzie is really furious. I can see that she finally found her rival.

    "Hey, guys. Why don''t you just relax and take it easy? Maybe you failed this time, but there will be always next time," I don''t want to see my Sis being so upset about something I did.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "Yeah, you''re right. We''ve been slacking off around the castle lately and didn''t have the chance to train. Azzie let''s hunt later and improve our spells," They talked about their plans and also left after that.

    If sis would know it''s me, it''ll be really bad.

    -Vanguard''s Stronghold-

    "Hello, guys. Are you online?" I whispered to my party.

    "Yes, we already are. And we''re checking out shops here. Go to the marketplace and meet us here. It''s the center of the stronghold," Akko replied.

    The stronghold isn''t as fancy as the Order of Light city but it has some good points too. They focused on defense so most of the buildings are made out of concretes. The gate walls are also really tall. It might be somewhat not as populated as the Order of Light city but most of the players around here are really strong. Maybe it''s because you can only enter the city after you get past the Dark Forest infested with high-ranked monsters.

    So, I went there and looked for them. They were checking new equipment and other stuff. I just remember the stable at the Order of Light city. We still have ordered a wagon but how do we get it later? Jeez.

    "Hey, Scy! How about you check some equipment too here? We will also need thick clothes in case you want to check out the tundra, right?" Elou asked.

    "That''s right. Let''s go!" I replied.

    After checking shops and buying supplies, thick clothes, and other stuff we need, we decided to move out and head to the tundra, north of the Vanguard stronghold. Unfortunately, we don''t have many gold coins to purchase new sets of equipment.

    -WINTER COAT

    (HIGH COLD RESISTANCE BOOST)

    -South Icy Plains-

    "It''s so cold! I feel like I''m not going to last long with this kind of climate!" Akko is really freezing even with the thick winter coat.

    (Warning: Coldness is starting to accumulate slowly.)

    I took out our newly bought fire container. It''s like a bowl made out of metal with handles on its side. You just need to create a fire on top of it and you can use it as a heater for everyone but you also need to maintain the fire using your own mana. That''s why we bought two for Akko and me. I lit mine and so far, it lessens the coldness.

    (Coldness stopped from accumulating.)

    "Thanks, Scy, I''m not that cold anymore," She said but so far, we are just at the entrance of the tundra. If we somehow managed to go further it will be a lot colder.

    "No problem, we shouldn''t go too far or it might be a problem," I suggested.

    The monsters around so far are snow wolves which are kind of stronger than regular wolves. With their thick fur, it helps them to resist the cold.

    (SNOW WOLF RANK: D)

    "AWOOOOOOO!" Ugh! That''s the wolf''s sign of asking for help! Since when did I learn their language? Maybe it''s because of fighting the wolves near the Green Leaf village.

    We decided to check it out and see what''s happening...

    A girl with a red hood and cloak, holding a wolf''s head, is currently fighting with the wolves. She''s soaked with their blood! She is wearing a simple armor which really doesn''t provide cold resistance! How can she move in this climate!

    (MAISIE / BERSERKER: A

    EQUIPMENT: WORN-OUT KATANA / WORN-OUT LEATHER ARMOR / CRIMSON COWL

    MASTERIES: NORMAL WEAPON / NORMAL ARMOR)

    She moves really fast slicing every wolf near her with her longsword that looks like a katana, a Japanese sword. Without any mercy, she rips them like a madman. But we can''t get her out of our sight. It''s like she really enjoys what she''s doing.

    Ugh! She found us looking at her. She looked at us like she was disturbed and stopped what she''s doing.

    "Tsk..." That''s the only sound that came out of her mouth.

    She walked out and left us. She might be really friendly but the clues are nowhere to be found.

    "That''s one friendly fellow. So, what should we do next?" Elou asked.

    "How about we hunt for some Yetis?" Akko answered.

    (YETI RANK: C)

 Chapter 39: Yeti

    -Tundra, North of Vanguards Stronghold-

    "Are we sure about the Yeti? They say that Yetis are slow but incredibly tough and powerful. They also have an ability that increases their health regeneration which is kinda a problem," I worriedly asked. We are still not aware of the dangers here in Tundra.

    "Well, we have you so that lessens the problems. Haha," Oh man... Elou really thinks that I can carry them this time.

    I just showed a blank face after that...

    "Our plan this time would be to increase Elou''s melee abilities and Akko and Lili''s defense. The Yeti''s area is far ahead north. Let''s go!" I excitedly said.

    -North of Vanguards Stronghold, Yeti''s Area-

    We traveled to the Yeti''s area without any problems, just some wolves in our way. The more we go farther, the colder it gets. The coldness effect reduces our mana and stamina regeneration. Stamina is used to do fast movements like evasive maneuvers. Stamina is affected by the fatigue status, the higher the fatigue is the lower our stamina. Fatigue is reduced when doing nothing, resting or logging out of the game so from time to time we rest for a bit.

    (WARNING: Mana and energy regeneration is slightly reduced due to coldness. Fatigue increases slightly.)

    We arrived at the place. We are already using two heaters now but it''s still really cold. It''s just been four days since they discovered the place so they haven''t built any camps in this area yet.

    "Should we just go back? We are really having a rough time here," I asked.

    "We still can go on. Let''s just kill a couple of Yetis," Elou suggested.

    "Sure, but retreating is always a good choice, ok?" I recommended.

    We still went ahead even with my warnings. I''m not really worried about anything but if for some reason we die here, our items would be buried in snow which is really bad. It will be hard to recover.

    This time, the place is full of rocks. It''s getting narrower as we go farther. We should be near the mountains with this kind of environment.

    "Guys I found a Yeti. Go hide so we can ambush it," Elou found one with his sharp eyes.

    Yeti''s fur is extremely thick. No wonder it survives in this kind of climate. This one doesn''t look a normal Yeti, I haven''t really seen one before but I can tell. It must be one of the higher-level ones because it has horns and really tall.

    (ENRAGED YETI BOSS RANK: C)

    We silently sneaked near it. It''s Elou''s time to make the first move. Unlike us, archery is one of the best masteries for assassinations.

    *SWOOOOOOOSH!* He shot one of his arrows with incredible speed and accuracy.

    *BAAAAAAM!* A loud noise was triggered after hitting the Yeti''s head!Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Ugh! It didn''t affect the Yeti! They''re really tough as mentioned from the news when they just discovered the area.

    "What the?! That should be at least left a scratch!" Elou was really shocked at what happened. He only bought a good bow but only uses regular arrows. With better arrows, he might really inflict better damage.

    "IGNITE!" Akko used one of her powerful spells to burn the Yeti. The Yeti caught on fire really fast because of its thick fur but didn''t last long because of the weather.

    "GAWOOOOOOOOH!" It screamed really loud which make us unsteady because of the shock wave. This one is really strong!

    It charged to us destroying huge stones on its way. I decided to meet him halfway and attack it but...

    (WARNING: Movement speed reduced due to coldness.)

    *BAAAAAAAAM!* Because of the coldness, it''s hard for me to avoid its attack! After getting hit, I flew and hit one of the huge rocks.

    "Scy! HEALING HANDS!" Lili rushed towards me and healed me as fast as she can.

    "Sorry, I thought you could dodge it and decided not to use my barrier on you," Lili worriedly said, at least I know that she can really talk.

    "It''s ok. This weather slows me down and thanks for the healing," I stood up.

    The Yeti is preparing to attack again. This time it''s aiming for Elou but thankfully because of what happened to me, Elou was more aware of how the yeti attacks and managed to dodge it and at the same time countered with a long-range attack. He used consecutive shots making the Yeti struggle a bit. Akko also fired multiple powerful fire spells which caused it to slow down.

    "FIRE BOOSTER!" I used my  spell which makes me rush towards the target.

    After getting near the yeti, it attacked me as soon as I''m at its range but it''s dumb enough to use simple attacks again. I dodge it in time and prepared a powerful attack!

    "SCISSOR FIERY KICK!" As usual, I aimed for the face.

    *BAAAAAAAM!* Its teeth cracked like they were fish crackers. Its horn also broke like bananas. But too bad it didn''t die from that.

    "GAWOOOOOOOH!" It cried in pain. This time it was angered and for an instant, it charged at me and attacked me again. They were consecutive random attacks! I somehow evaded them.

    "GAWOOOOOOH!" It became like a savage and enraged!

    *SWOOOOOOSH! SWOOOSH!* Fire spells and arrows from Elou and Akko are flying towards the Yeti. This time the attacks were effective and the damage staggers the Yeti for a moment. Becoming enraged, it decreases the defense of the monsters but increases their power a lot. I prepared a devastating attack this time for the kill.

    "OVERHEAD DARK FLAME SLASH!"

    *BOOOOOOOM!* I took out my short sword and my attack hit the yeti that created a massive explosion. The yeti died after that powerful attack.

    (ENRAGED YETI HAS BEEN KILLED.)

    "WOOH! I never thought we could be having a hard time killing one Yeti," Elou said.

    "Yeah, well this one is not an ordinary Yeti. I think it''s one of the strongest Yetis here," I explained.

    "Oh, this time we should really go back and prepare more. My arrows were deflected by its defense and it was really frustrating," He said while pouting.

    "Let''s go back," I suggested and that ended our little adventure.

    -Vanguards Stronghold-

    We traveled back to the Vanguard''s Stronghold after looting the Yeti. We went to one of the shops around here to sell what we got.

    "Wow! You killed the tough Yeti in the tundra! This is great, just wait here for a second," The shopkeeper was really shocked after seeing the loot we got. It''s just a Yeti...

    "Oh. If it isn''t the group of Scythus, this shopkeeper here told us that you killed the Yeti?" It''s the blunt soldier who talks to Siegriel.

    "Oh, Hello Sir. I didn''t catch up your name earlier," I said while trying to ask for his name.

    "Oh, you can call me Warden. I''m the trusted right hand of Sieg. Anyways, we came here because of the Yeti. Bounty hunters are trying to hunt it down but somehow, they failed. You are the only party who successfully hunted it down," He was impressed by what we''ve done right now.

    (WARDEN / PALADIN: A

    EQUIPMENT: SWORD OF MANA / ARMOR OF MAGIC RESISTANCE

    MASTERIES: SHIELD / LIGHT)

    "Oh, sure..." That''s the only words came out of my mouth.

    "Why don''t you guys come with me to the Guildhall?" He asked.

    "Ehh? Really?"

 Chapter 40: Orcs Army

    -Vanguards Stronghold Hall-

    We arrived at their Guild Hall. The place looks like a mini castle but only important things and people are inside. No unimportant spaces can be seen around the place. Siegriel is here and is walking right towards us.

    "Welcome to our humble Guild Hall. Unlike Order of Light''s Castle, our guild hall is a bit small but as you can see it''s well made and it''s not for display but only for guild concerns. Anyway, I''ve heard that you guys defeated the Enraged Yeti. I know you''re surprised that we are making it such a big deal but to tell you honestly, the Yeti you just killed was the strongest Yeti that killed many of our comrades while hunting and because of that, we can''t explore further so people here are glad that it''s dead now. How about you join our guild?" He asked calmly. You talked really long and the main reason is just to invite us to your guild? Oh jeez.

    "We really love to be part of your guild but we really don''t want to join any guilds right now. We love to travel from one place to another. If we join a guild today, it would be just a hindrance to our adventures," I replied without being blunt.

    "Well, I understand. But if you change your mind, our guild is really open for you guys," He is really a good guy.

    "We really thank you for the offer," We decided to leave the place.

    "Wait a sec..," Siegriel stopped us from leaving.

    "I would like to tell you the real reason why we called you. It''s because we are looking for members to join our defense. You won''t believe this without seeing but an army of Orcs from the Icy Mountains are already marching their way to attack our stronghold. No other people know about this but only us here in the guild hall because it might cause panic. Our scouts said that maybe tonight, they''ll reach our stronghold and we need every power we can get to defend from them. Can you help us?" He sighed after telling his problem. It looks like they really need some help.

    (ORCS RANK: C)

    "Sure. We are willing to help you guys," Without any doubt, I promised to help.

    "Hey Scy, are you really sure about this? It''s a bit risky if you ask me," Elou whispered to me. He was right. But we can''t afford to lose this opportunity to increase our connection to this guild. Helping them and losing the war is still a win-win situation for us.

    "I already know that, but in case we get to be in a big trouble, I always say to you that retreating is always an option," I replied to his worries.

    "Fine, it''s on you if we die in battle," Elou, stop being a scardy-cat!

    "Sure, sure. Just protect Lili and Akko and we will make it through somehow," I replied.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "Anyway, do you already have a plan later?" I asked Sieg.

    "Well, we''re already prepared for their attack and we think that there will be just small casualties," He''s pretty calm. That''s what you would expect from a leader.

    "Ok, we will also prepare for later," I replied and we decided to leave the Guild Hall.

    -Vanguards Stronghold-

    "Elou, prepare more arrows this time. This is a good opportunity to increase your archery mastery. Akko and Lili, you need some equipment that greatly reduces mana consumption for you to deal more and support better, this will be a great time for you to get your masteries up. Just don''t die or it''ll be just a waste." I suggested.

    "Hmp," Lili showed her cute side. I think she''s starting to talk to me now.

    "Don''t mind him Scy. I''m sure you know what you''re doing and have a plan, right?" Akko asked.

    "Plan? Oh, just don''t get killed." I laughed.

    "Jeez, well this time, the girls and I, will be at the support and spellcasters area so it seems you will be fighting with the warriors. That would be really bad for you," Elou grinned knowing that they paid me back somehow.

    After the chitchats, we went to some shops to resupply and bought gears for longer fights. Our gold coins are also running out. I hope we somehow get paid for participating in this fight.

    We logged out after that and ate lunch like we always do. Azzie and Mari are really focused on what they are doing and said that they will take lunch later. Well for me, we will be having a large-scale battle so we need to be more focused.

    Horses can be heard from outside the castle. I checked it out and it seems they are the scouts sent by Sieg to check out the Orcs.

    I followed them and they met with Sieg. They also called me after seeing me.

    "So, what''s your report?" Sieg asked.

    "Sir the Orcs have numbered around 2000 soldiers. 200 of them are archers. They will be here sooner because their pace seems to be faster than earlier. We still have five hours to prepare," One of the scouts reported.

    "Damn. This is totally bad. I miscalculated. I thought their numbers would be below 500 like last time. Right now, our high-ranked defenders and warriors are around 500 and only 200 spellcasters and archers. There are more than a thousand other members that are below Rank C. This is really a big disadvantage to us, may the Gods help us all," This is the first time I saw Sieg worry. It seems that this is really a big trouble for us. We need to do something... Their numbers aren''t that great but with good commands and strategy, they will win this because they have the upper hand. we''re in their stronghold after all.

    I went out and decided to talk to my party. I explained to them what the big problem is right now and suddenly their faces became more worried.

    "Hey guys, I need to do something and it will take a bit. Is it ok if you guys help them out later?" I asked them.

    "Sure. No problem, but where are you going?" Elou asked me.

    "It''s really important. Do you trust me?" I sincerely asked them.

    "Of course, we do. If that''s what you want we will be here and wait for you. Just please don''t go away and be a putz." He said and laughed.

    "I need to get going now. Please stay alive till I come back," I said and went out.

    -North Wall of Vanguards Stronghold-

    "It''s been four hours when Scy went outside. I''m really worried about him," Akko is worried now.

    "Don''t worry. Just trust him. We''ve been through a lot and he never gave up even once," Elou trusts Scy.

    "You don''t know that. Maybe this is the first time," Lili exclaimed.

    "Jeez. Too much negativity in the air. Just focus," Elou ordered.

    After waiting for some time, Scythus is still nowhere to be found. The three of them are at the top of the wall and waiting for the orcs army to come.

    *HOOOOOOOOOOONK!* The sound of the horn already echoed throughout the whole Stronghold. That means the Orcs are already in sight.

 Chapter 41: Siegriel

    -Vanguards Stronghold''s Wall-

    (Elou''s POV)

    The ground shakes whenever the Orcs march. Vanguards are trembling in fear. Citizens also evacuated earlier so only the participants of this large-scale fight are here. Orcs wear heavy armors that even hundreds of arrows can''t easily penetrate. Their spears are long and sharp aiming for the skulls of the weak. And because they are savage creatures, they don''t waste time giving warnings to those who they want to conquer. Like the Vanguards Stronghold which is in between the Tundra and forest to the grasslands, this stronghold is the best target for Orcs who just came from the Icy Mountains.

    But the Vanguards wouldn''t just stay still and let the Orcs take their effort of building this stronghold and the blood they poured to defend it from the monsters who want to take it. Siegriel who''s not on the front line but in the tallest tower wall decided to make a move.

    "ARCHERS! FIRE YOUR ARROWS!" He ordered! But they are miles away. Even if they''re at the tallest walls, it''s impossible to hit them with this kind of range!

    *SWOOOOOSH! SWOOOOSH! SWOOOOSH!* Hundreds of arrows flew towards the unprepared Orcs!

    What the!? The arrows flew higher than regular arrows! Even I can''t do something like that. This is what they called the Wind Arrows, Arrows infused with the power of Wind Magic which boosts its range power. I heard of it before but this is the first time I''m seeing one. This is the famous attack of the vanguards to subdue attackers or raiders from afar. Unlike Order of Light city, Vanguard''s Stronghold is surrounded by more powerful monsters.

    It''s true that the arrows can hit the Orcs but because of their tough armors, the attack was ineffective. Lucky shots killed some of the Orcs but it didn''t stop them from advancing. They continued to fire at the Orcs till they''re out of arrows... But the power is lacking to penetrate their armors.

    "It''s ok archers. You did well. Defenders! Prepare to use your Defensive Stances! Warriors standby and prepare to attack!" Sieg ordered them with absolute authority.

    The Orcs are already getting near us. This will be a bloodbath.

    "Spell Casters! It''s time for you to use your best offensive Magic!" Sieg ordered them to use magic attacks.

    "FIREBALL! BOULDER CANNON! WIND SLICE! THUNDER!" Random Magic attacks were thrown towards the Orcs. The attack this time was super effective. A lot of Orcs were killed in those multiple magic attacks even if they tried to defend themselves.

    After the massive use of magic spells, they stopped and rest for a while to regain mana. Orcs are already at the front of the gate! Solid defense from the Defenders stopped their advancement.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "ARCHERS! SHOOT!" This time, the leader of the Orcs ordered the archers to shoot their arrows! But...

    *SWOOOOOSH! SWOOOOSH*

    "WAAAAH! HEEELP!" The targets were not the defenders, it''s the supports and spellcasters at the top of the towers!

    They may be behind the barricades built on the walls but it was destroyed by the Orc archers! They don''t use regular arrows like made by humans but larger and thicker one, destroying everything on its way! Supports that are supposed to use support spells were surprised and didn''t have the chance to use spells! A lot of them died as soon as they got hit by the monstrous arrows. Thank God, Orc archers only have a limited number of arrows because of its incredibly weird features.

    "Don''t Panic! Those who are alive, heal those people with injuries! Archers resupply and attack!" Sieg didn''t anticipate this kind of events. You can see on his face that he''s really having a hard time.

    Defenders at the front of the gate were easily devastated by the powerful attacks of Orcs. They were physically powerful than most of the humans. Their weapons are massive swords and spears which made the defenders crumbled easily like they were just simple barricades.

    We need to do something about this or we will be a big mess! Jeez. Just where the heck is Scy?!

    "Lili protects the defenders, Akko uses your most powerful attacks. And I will do something," I ordered them.

    "LIGHT GREATER PUSH!" Lili with a massive light power pushed every Orc who were attacking the defenders.

    "GREATER BARRIER!" She used a protective spell to protect them.

    "MASSIVE FIRESTORM!" Fireballs are falling from the sky and creating massive explosions whenever they hit something killing a large number of Orcs.

    "Akko! Let me borrow your power!" I grabbed my arrows and pointed it at the sky. Akko gave me the power of her mana into my arrows.

    "ARROW FIRESTORM!" Arrows that sent flying were set on fire and just like Akko''s spell, it exploded when they hit targets and because of the fire effect on arrows, it melted armors and the arrow pierces their armors!

    Hundreds of them died from our attack which decreased the Orc''s army to half.

    "ATTACK!" The Orcs ordered their soldiers to attack!

    "I can''t hold it anymore!" Lili''s barrier was destroyed easily for protecting numerous defenders.

    And because the Vanguards spell casters and supports were injured earlier, their mana was focused on healing and can''t attack anymore. Ughhh! If only Scy was here!

    "Warden, it''s our time to join the fight," Sieg said to Warden.

    "Of course, that''s the only thing I wanna hear from one of the Thirteen Gods," Warden replied.

    Thirteen Gods? This is the first time I heard about it.

    "WAAAAAAAAH!" They both jumped from the tallest wall and prepared to attack.

    "BASILISK''S WRATH!" His armor changed into full-scale armor. His weapon also got enhanced into half a great sword but this time, his aura is more powerful.

    (BASILISK BOSS RANK: B)

    The moment he landed, sandstorm covered the area and he disappeared.

    "GWAAAAAAAH! GWAAAAAH!" The cries of Orcs can be heard from below. What the hell is happening?! He''s using the same spell used by Scythus, Zeth, and Ms. Celeste but this time it''s different. He''s using a soul stone of a monster that came from a desert, a biome that hasn''t discovered yet.

    The Orcs panicked and their formation broke. They were devastated by the attack and because they don''t know what''s going on they suffered a huge loss on their moral.

    "DRY QUICKSAND! SWALLOW THEM!" Sieg used a powerful spell that Orcs get sucked into the ground like a whirlpool.

 Chapter 42: The Vanguards

    -Vanguards Stronghold-

    Wow! Sieg''s special skill swallowed a lot of them but we are still outnumbered. There are still more than 700 of them including the archers. After defeating lots of Orcs, Sieg started to slow down and his armor is disappearing. He''s running out of mana.

    "Warden, I''m all out of mana, we need to retreat and go back," Warden didn''t join the fight. Instead, he was just trying to support Sieg in case he runs out of fuel and now is the time.

    Warden carried Sieg and retreated. The remaining defenders and warriors helped them retreat. Supports and Spellcasters also continuously used their spells to damage foes and heal allies. But it wasn''t enough. The end of the war is getting near and we don''t have the power to turn the table around. We''re losing a lot of defenders and warriors too.

    But they still haven''t given up. Their leader did his best which motivated them to fight. Every health and mana was not wasted. Their hearts were loyal to their leader who led them from various trials and problems to victory. Tears can be seen from their eyes knowing that the homeland they created will be captured or destroyed by the barbaric Orcs.

    It started to rain. It''s like the heaven''s crying for us.

    Orcs tried to push their way inside but the Vanguards firm determination helped them defend the gate. Even with the Orc''s total power, they are still having a hard time breaking the defender''s defense. But there''s something strange happening from the East of the Stronghold near the forest.

    A mist of darkness moves towards the Orcs. At that moment I realized, I know someone with the same spell!

    In that smoke, massive explosions can be heard.

    "What''s going on?!" Sieg asked everyone.

    "Don''t worry, he''s an ally," I answered.

    The Orcs that focuses on defenders went back and checked what''s going on inside the dark mist. But instead, they died mercilessly from an unknown source.

    "WAAAAAAAH! RETREAT! WAAAAH!" The Vanguards only heard screams from the Orcs.

    The panic and the confusion killed the Orcs'' will to fight. But it stopped.

    "FIIIWIIIIIIIT!" A sound of a whistle was heard inside the dark mist.

    *SWOOOOSH! SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH!* After that, a lot of long spears flew from the forest and rained towards the dark mist.

    The people inside the forest shows up and then charged towards the remaining Orcs.

    "DEATH SHADOW''S WRATH!" The dark mist was sucked by a person and that person was wearing a full dark armor.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    (DEATH SHADOW BOSS RANK: B)

    He charged at the foes passing through every one of them and ripping their flesh like they were leaves. Every slash he made was filled with ominous aura dismembering every limb his sword touches.

    The people that came out from the forest were Elves! They stabbed every Orc they see leaving no trace of life in them.

    And lastly, the leader of the Orcs died at the hands of the Reaper.

    Just like that, a saviour has come and ended the invasion.

    -Vanguards Stronghold-

    (Scy''s POV)

    WOOOH! I''m exhausted. I never thought that Orcs would be that many. Sieg said they were prepared and anticipating an easy win but from the looks of it, they would have lost if I didn''t come. Just right on time, I guess. The elves that helped us also moved out after the fight and returned to their forest. I said my thanks and bid my farewell.

    We killed every single one of the Orcs. I feel sorry for the players who died from the fight but casualties can''t be avoided on a large-scale battle like this.

    "WOOOOOOOH! WE WON! WE WON!" Cheers from the soldiers can be heard from the castle.

    Three familiar faces are running from the gate and coming towards me.

    "SCY! You''re late! I thought it''s the end but you came!" It was Elou. I don''t know why, but they''re crying. Maybe they really missed me or just filled with excitement.

    "Aww, guys. It''s just a while since I was gone but you already missed me," They hugged me. I can feel their happiness.

    This might be a game but the feelings we poured on it are like in real life. Losing the place you built with your friends, the efforts and pain of creating a guild are hard to let go.

    "So how about we go to the Stronghold and celebrate our victory?" I suggested.

    -Vanguards Stronghold''s Hall-

    Sounds of instrument playing, people drinking their booze and dancing on top of the stage are the things they''re doing right now, a clich�� way to celebrate.

    "Scy, thanks for your help. It''s hard for me to admit but if you didn''t come that time, we might be all dead and this place was raided by now. We can''t express how much grateful we are right now to you guys," Sieg said his thanks.

    "No problem, we are glad to help you guys. You saved us from Zeth and you deserve to win. Let''s call it a quits," I also thanked them again for saving us.

    "Haha. We''ll talk about it later. This time, let''s celebrate to our heart''s content," He said while he drinks his booze.

    It was fun. The guys also participated in the celebration. Lili and Akko were dancing while Elou and I were drinking and singing.

    The celebration ended with smiles on our faces.

    -After a Couple of Hours-

    Ughhh! My head hurts. It''s a game but the hangover kicks in really bad.

    (WARNING: Afflicted by "Low-level poison" and only causes negative effects.)

    "You''re awake! You, boys, can''t handle your liquor," I opened my eyes and Akko and Lili are sitting on chairs beside our bed.

    "Ohh hello there, what time is it?" I asked holding my head.

    "It''s already six AM in the morning. Well, Lili and I just woke up too," She said while drinking a hot beverage.

    "I need to log out now. I need to prepare our breakfast. Ugh. And I want to escape my hangover here in the game. Haha," I said.

    "Oh ok. We will also log out now. See you later Scy!" After that, I logged out of the game.

    -Aries'' Home-

    I woke up scratching my head. I''m really thirsty and really need to go to the bathroom. Playing all day and night without waking up is really bad for our health. Not enough water, food and irregular bowel schedule. Even the girls aren''t awake yet. Jeez.

    On a daily basis, I prepared breakfast for them. Just how long Azzie plans to stay here? Her parents must be worried by now.

    *KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!* I knock on Mari''s room.

    "Wake up little birds. It''s time to eat," I said.

    "We''ll be right there in a minute," These girls need a life...

 Chapter 43: Vanguards Savior

    -Aries'' Home-

    "Hello, it''s me again, Aika of "What''s New in New Life Online"! We''ve got a new report from one of our trusted sources that Scythus'' party defended the Vanguard''s Stronghold from a raid made by the Orcs! That''s right folks you heard me right. They''re Orcs! For some reason, Scy manages to save the day with the help of the elves. How did a mere player manage to get the help of the elves? But this time, instead of being a murderer and a wanted man, he became one of the Heroes in the Vanguards Guild. How would the Order of Light''s Guild react to this kind of events? Stay tuned to your favorite show! Fellow New Life Online fans, you have a wonderful day!"

    "So, how''s your game so far?" I asked them while we''re eating. Opening a conversation would lighten up the mood.

    "Not good, we heard Scy''s party defeated the army of Orcs... They''re becoming more powerful and stronger. Ugh," Sis sighed... This looks gloomy. I never thought she could be this competitive.

    "Sis, just relax ok? You need to look after yourself. You''re skipping meals, you know," I said while trying to not look like I was scolding her.

    "I know, Bro, I''m sorry. It''s just he just shows up out of nowhere and made our guild like it was nothing. Not to mention we are currently the strongest guild so far," Hmmm well, that''s understandable.

    "Just take care of yourself ok? How about you Azzie, aren''t your parents worried about you?" I asked.

    "Well, my parents are currently working overseas so I live by myself." She said. That answers my question of when will she leave...

    "Oh, ok. You are always welcome here. Just make sure to eat properly too, ok?" I worriedly said.

    "Sure. Thank you," She said her thanks.

    I checked the food in the fridge and we''re almost running out of it. I should probably need to go shopping one of these days.

    -Vanguards Stronghold''s Inn-

    I logged in after doing all the things I need to do. The guys are already on and relaxing in the bed here at the inn. Hmmm. Why do they always get online really fast? Aren''t they supposed to do something in their house?

    "Welcome back Scy, we just got in too. Why are you always so late?" Elou asked me.

    "For starters, I''m the one who prepares our meal, clean the house, do the dishes and the rest. So basically, I''m always late because of that," I answered.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "Oh, where are your parents? After we ate and cleaned ourselves we just log in back to the game," Akko asked.

    "My parents died in an accident and I was in a coma for three years. I recently just woke up from it. That''s when I met you guys," I hope that''s not too much for them.

    "I''m sorry to hear that. That''s so sad man, so do you have any relatives you''re living with?" Elou asked. I can see their sad faces.

    "I''m with my little sister right now. Our other relatives are currently living really far from our place," I explained.

    "Aww. How about we plan a real-life meeting with the others to cheer you up?" She asked trying to plan a meetup. That''s not a bad idea.

    "That''s nice, How about tomorrow? I am planning to buy some groceries," I suggested.

    After that, for some reason, we found the nearest city where we could meet up. Maybe because when we started playing we met up in the same beginner''s area. We planned what time and what should we do. Also, we decided not to hunt that far today.

    -Vanguard''s Stronghold Guild Hall-

    We decided to go to the Guild''s hall as one of the guards went to the inn asking for us to meet with their Guild Leader. He escorted us till we get to the Guild Hall. I hope it''s not about asking us to join again.

    We arrived at the Guild Hall. Siegriel and Warden are already waiting for us.

    "Hello, Scy, Elou, Akko, and Lili. We would like to express our gratitude for the help you made earlier in our fight against the Orcs. You showed great bravery and for that, we would like to reward you. It may not be fancy but I hope it will help you a lot," Sieg said his thanks and gave us a small bag of gold and a scroll. Hmmm? A scroll?

    (House Ownership Certificate acquired. Location: Vanguard''s Stronghold.)

    We checked the scroll and it seems that it was a House Ownership! Did they build a house for us?

    "Wow, Sieg, I don''t think we can accept something like this," Elou said trying to give back the scroll and the bag of gold.

    "Oh, we gladly accept your gift, Sieg. It''s our pleasure," I said while grabbing the scroll and the bag of gold to my bag. This idiot''s trying to give back what''s supposed to be ours.

    "Jeez Scy. Haha," We just laughed.

    "And not only that. We also give you the title of "The Vanguard''s Savior"," He declared.

    (TITLE: "The Vanguard''s Savior" has acquired.)

    "No need to go that far, Sieg. As I said, we can just call it quits for saving us from Zeth," I exclaimed.

    "You deserved it. Anyway, how did you get the help of the elves?" He asked curiously.

    "Well, when we traveled to the forest, we saved them from the Ravens'' raiders. They''re trying to capture the elves and sell them as slaves. After saving them, their leader gave me something like a flute that I can use when I need their help, every elf nearby will come with me and will offer me assistance. Isn''t that great?" I explained.

    "But how did you travel so far in just a short amount of time?"

    "Oh, I used a spell that boosts my speed. Nothing special," It''s my overused fire boosters.

    "Well, we''re glad that we saved you guys. To be honest, we are having second thoughts when we found you almost dead in the forest but I insisted on helping you. Well, that''s karma for me I guess," You made the right choice, my good friend.

    "If you didn''t save us, I''m pretty sure I''m in a cell in one of their dungeons for prisoners for what I have done," I said.

    "Can you tell us the story of why you did something like that?" He asked.

    "Sure..." After that, I explained what happened to me and who''s fault.

    "Hmmm, well you just got unlucky. I hope you somehow fix the misunderstanding," It really didn''t take that long and we bid farewell after chatting for a while.

    We decided to leave the Guild Hall and planned our next adventure.

 Chapter 44: Mysterious Light

    -Vanguards Stronghold''s Inn-

    We arrived at the inn to hear some rumors going on around the Vanguards Stronghold.

    "Hello there! Vanguard''s Savior," We heard a familiar voice. It''s Warden.

    "Hello there, Warden. What are you doing here?" I asked him.

    "Well, just drinking some booze. It''s a good thing we get high in the game and it doesn''t affect our real-life body. How about you guys?" It''s a drunkard''s dream.

    "We came here to hear some rumors. We are clueless on what to do next,"

    "Sir Warden, if you don''t mind me asking, what are the Thirteen Gods about?" Elou asked him. That surprised me. Thirteen Gods?

    "Oh, how long are you guys playing the game? You should have known about it by now. They''re the top thirteen players in the game and most of them are guild Leaders. The only way to be on top thirteen is to challenge them one on one in a fair fight though it rarely happens. They were ranked by their guild''s overall power and they''re the representative of each guild. The competitions don''t count because most of the thirteen Gods were not interested in joining the tournaments. Sieg is at number nine and Zeth is currently at number two. The number one person is the strongest but so far only the Gods know who''s at number one," Wow, I never thought that there''s a ranking system on who are the strongest players in this world.

    "Well, to be honest, we just started playing the game a week ago so basically, we are clueless most of the times," Elou answered back. Nice job asking an important question Elou.

    "Hahaha! That''s a really funny joke. Even my grandma would really laugh at you. Haha," He laughed really heard.

    "Sir, but we are telling you the truth. We''re at the Green Leaf village when goblins raided the village but they failed. Scy here died from the Boss and we''re only beginners that time," You don''t have to explain that much Elou.

    Warden stopped laughing and only looked at us with a serious face. I know what you''re thinking. The right word is "unbelievable".

    "That''s unbelievable! How did you become so strong in just a short time?! Even Scythus here can be compared to one of the Gods with the power of his Soul Stone," He was surprised by what he learned. And he also got the right word.

    "Oh, Soul Stone. You mean this?" I showed him the two Soul stones I have, the black one and the yellow one.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    "What the heck?! Not only one but two of them?! Do you know, what''s the meaning of this?" He asked while awed and surprised. Are they that rare?

    "Hmmm. That I have two shiny stones?" I know that they provide power. But I can only use one of them so I''m not really aware of how to use the other one.

    "When you acquired a Soul stone which is by defeating Bosses, you can consume a gemstone to absorb its power completely. If you don''t consume it but only use it, it won''t give you stats and just mastery skills. Also, it provides you better control of your soul stone spells and it doesn''t tire you up after the power up expires," He explained. Wow, that''s some good news.

    "How do I consume it again?" I asked curiously.

    "You need to focus your mana on the Soul stone and absorb the mana you gave to it. This will attract the Soul from the soul stone and fuse on your body. Don''t worry, there are no side effects but Sieg said that for some reason, the soul will talk to you. But I really don''t care because I don''t have one yet." For the second hand of a guild leader, that sucks.

    "Thanks a lot, Sir Warden, do you have any problems we might be able to help with?" I asked. We really need to get stronger so asking for a job is a way to go.

    "There are no signs of abnormalities for now but I heard that some of our scouts found the camp of the Orcs who attacked us. They still haven''t retreated yet but there are hundreds of them. Some of them are the survivors. There''s still no movement from them so, for now, there''s no problem. Anyways you can check it out or defeat them if you have time," Hmm. That would be a bad plan because tomorrow we need to go somewhere.

    "We''ll think about it. Thanks for the info sir," I said and we bid our farewell.

    -North of Vanguards Stronghold-

    We decided to just train for the whole day. We traveled a bit far to the north where it''s cold. This will slow us down but make our body adapt to this climate is a good choice. Our usual training, Akko, and Elou will hit me with all they''ve got and Lili will protect and heal them at the same time. I, on the other hand, will also attack them back. It''s like three of them versus me. Unlike our first training, this one would be a serious training. We bet that whoever loses first, he or she will be the one who will pay for our meals for tomorrow when we meet up. And because they are somewhat a family, they decided to gang up on me.

    We trained the whole daytime and it''s already getting dark but none of us surrendered. We decided to stop the training for a bit to take lunch earlier. They forbade me to use my soul stone which I haven''t consumed yet.

    We are all exhausted and catching our breaths. That''s a hell of a hardcore training. I suffered minor injuries but Lili never healed me. Burns and arrow scratches are mostly my injuries, kind of sting a little. They just want to eat free meals. That''s why they''re motivated to defeat me. I can say that the saying "free food is the best" is true.

    "I think it''s time for us to stop the training guys. We are all exhausted and we still haven''t eaten our dinner yet," I suggested.

    "You''re right. But we will continue this training later to settle the bet," Elou said.

    Before we logged out a bright light caught our eyes behind us. The ground broke and the light beams below the ground.

    "What in the world is that?" Elou was surprised by it.

    We decided to go near and take a look at it. The ground shook and started to open and for some reason, an entrance opened up!

    "Hey, guys! It is a cave!" I was awed by it because it was beautiful inside. But the ground started to shake again. It is starting to close up!

    We panicked and entered the cave before it closed down.

 Chapter 45: Crystal Cave

    -Inside the Crystal Cave-

    Ugh, we were trapped inside the cave.

    "Hey, Scy! Look at this!" Elou excitedly said.

    Wow. This place is magnificent. The place is surrounded by crystals that shine throughout the whole place. The light we saw came out from these crystals, just how much we could earn if we sell these crystals. They were also awed by the appearance of the place. There are no monsters around. Maybe it was still undiscovered that''s why even monsters can''t visit this place.

    (A New Location "Crystal Cave" has been discovered.)

    We checked the place and we found that this place is really wide. It looks like we''re the first ones to travel here. There are several ways that lead to other paths but this wide passage is kind of weird. It''s unnatural to have a passage this wide. It was like the dungeon we explored in the forest but we found a Chimera instead. I''ve got a bad feeling about this.

    "Hey Scy, I think it''s better to log out for a bit and explore the place later," Elou suggested as we all are hungry right now.

    "Sure, let''s go back first to the entrance, this place doesn''t look normal," I answered.

    After we arrived at the entrance, it was still closed up. Our supply here could still last a day so we don''t have a problem overnight but if it still doesn''t open that would be a bad news for us. A character can also die from starvation and re-spawn to a friendly place.

    We logged out from the game and decided to meet again after two hours.

    -Aries'' Home-

    Hmmm, I missed the show "What''s New in New Life Online" because it''s already eight pm. Jeez. Even the girls are still playing. I called them out and we started having our dinner.

    "So how''s your day, guys?" I asked them to lighten up the mood.

    "Well it was fine, we managed to rank up quite fast which is really good. We are preparing for the next tournament. The tournament will start after four days," Hmmm, that''s weird. When I started playing the game they said we still have two weeks to prepare but Mari said we only have four days left.

    "Oh, is that so. I think, we still have around a week to prepare? But you mentioned earlier that it would be four days left? I am kind of confused Sis," I asked her and really want to know the answer.

    "Oh, you are right Bro. But because of the conflict between Ravens, our Guild Leader decided to start the tournament early this month. The Game Admins also talked to our Guild Leader because the previous schedule is the exact anniversary of the game which the new expansion will be released. The change also was already broadcast on the news earlier," Oh, that''s bad news for us. With our current rank, we might have a problem fighting with those high-ranked players.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    "Well, thanks for the info, Sis," I said while still thinking how to train within three days.

    "You really look serious Bro, are you going to participate in the tournament?" she asked curiously.

    "Oh, yes. I just want to try it out but I think my rank is not that great," I answered back.

    "Aw... what''s your rank right now? It''s been a week since you started playing right?" She asked. Oh, that''s right. I still haven''t checked my rank. I''ll check it out later.

    "My current Rank now is C. I focused on ranking up and using the same masteries." I think that''s my current rank now but I haven''t really checked since after defeating the orcs.

    "Wow, that''s great. When you asked me days ago, my rank was A but now after those fight with Scythus party, sleepless hunting and exhausting training with Azzie, I am now close to reaching rank S." Wow, the gap is really going too far.

    "That''s great Sis. I should probably train more,"

    "Ok Bro, we are going to play now. See you tomorrow. Goodnight!" She said while they walked away and entered the room.

    I also should log in now. They might be already waiting for me.

    -Inside the Crystal Cave-

    "Welcome back Scy! How was your dinner?" Akko welcomed me.

    "Well, ok I guess. So what are you guys up to?" I asked because the moment I entered the game they are already training.

    "Oh, it is just simple training. We ranked up really good this time. From the last time I checked my Rank was at was D before the forest exploration but now it''s already Rank C and it says I''m almost at B," She explained. What the heck? Almost B? That''s unbelievable.

    (AKKO / MAGE: C

    EQUIPMENT: BONE MAGIC STAFF / ROBE OF SPELLCASTER

    MASTERIES: FIRE MAGIC / CLOTH ARMOR)

    "Holy crap! How about Lili and Elou?

    "Oh, mine''s the same" Elou replied.

    (ELOU / ARCHER: C

    EQUIPMENT: COMPOSITE BOW / LIGHT LEATHER ARMOR

    MASTERIES: ARCHERY / LIGHT ARMOR)

    "..." Lili... I guess she has the same progress as the others as we all do the same.

    (LILI / SUPPORT: C

    EQUIPMENT: BONE MAGIC STAFF / ROBE OF SPELLCASTER

    MASTERIES: LIGHT / CLOTH ARMOR)

    "Wow, that''s great. The fight with Orcs and our training really boosted our masteries," I said.

    "Let me check mine," I said while they still are doing their training.

    Scythus / THIEF B / MAGE C

    Health 100%

    Mana 100%

    Fatigue 20%

    Hunger 25%

    STATS

    Strength Rank: D

    Constitution Rank: D

    Dexterity Rank: B

    Agility Rank: A

    Intelligence Rank: C

    Wisdom Rank: E

    Charisma Rank: E

    MASTERIES

    Mid-Rank Battle Mastery

    Mid-Rank Light Armor Mastery

    Mid-Rank Light Weapon Mastery

    Fire Mastery

    Stealth Mastery

    Bare Hands Mastery

    Shield Mastery

    EQUIPMENT

    Weapons: Light High-Quality Bone Dagger / High-Quality Light Shield

    Armor: High-Quality Light Leather Armor Set / Winter Cloak

    Accessories: Necklace of Sprint / Ring of Mana Regeneration x2

    Unequipped: Theif''s Cloak

    Key Items: House Ownership Certificate: Vanguard''s Stronghold

    TITLES

    Grassland''s Reaper

    The Vanguard''s Savior

    Gold: 89

    Wow, already reached Rank B Thief! I ranked up more than I expected. Just how the heck did I do that?! This was awesome. This is why I managed to fight Zeth the last time.

    "So what''s your Rank Scy?" Elou asked.

    "Oh, I think I just reached Rank B. I never thought we could rank up this fast." I replied to him.

    "Well if we haven''t met you. We might still be weaklings. For some reason, we always get in trouble when we''re with you so maybe that''s the reason. Haha," We just laughed and rest for a bit.

    We ate some food to replenish our hunger and rest for our fatigue. We still can''t believe that we were trapped inside this cave covered in shiny crystals. We haven''t touch anything yet because we still don''t know what the crystals are for.

    We chitchatted for a bit and we also talked about the plan for tomorrow. After all that, we decided to explore the place and go deep inside the cave.

    "Let''s Go, Fellas!" Elou excitedly shouted, as always.

 Chapter 46: Crystal Dragon

    -Deep Inside the Crystal Cave-

    We explored the area and just like the dungeon from the forest exploration, really deep and no signs of monsters around here. This place looks just like a good hideout but the entrance can''t be controlled and so far we can''t find any exit either. I tried bursting out using spells but it won''t even leave a scratch.

    "Hey Scy, we still haven''t found anything yet, should we just go back and wait until the entrance opens up?" Elou suggested because so far, the passage is an infinite way to we don''t know what is.

    "Well, we''ve come this far. I think it''s too late to go back. Let''s try to go on a bit more. Maybe we could find something worthy of this long walks," I am not going back without bringing something back.

    We still continued our exploration. The more we walk the shinier the crystal becomes. It''s been an hour since we left the entrance.

    "Let''s rest for a bit guys. I need to try something out," We stopped walking.

    "What is it? Do you need to pee? Haha," Elou joked. Jeez.

    "No, I just want to consume the Soul stone I have. Anyways you guys rest a bit too,"

    I grabbed the black soul stone and focused my mana into it. After that, I instantly absorbed it back and I felt a strong but strange aura that slowly came to me. Ugh! Darkness covered around me, even the crystal lights disappeared... and then after a while, the darkness faded. The black Soul stone became transparent and the color of it disappeared. Just like that, I absorbed the Soul of the Death Shadow.

    (Death Shadow''s Soul Acquired! Affinity will now increase.)

    (Dark Mastery Learned!)

    Wow! So now I get to use the soul whenever I want to and I even learned it''s element. Though, why didn''t I ever get that mastery before.

    "If I was able to kill you when we are in the forest, I should be the one consuming your soul..," It hurt my head! A scary voice echoed through my ears! It''s the same one I heard when the Chimera was chasing me and when I am near death fighting Zeth! What the hell?

    "Who are you? Why are you talking to me? Ugh..," I panicked and said those words while grabbing my head.

    "Hey, Scy! Are you ok?!" Elou asked me. He was concerned with what happened to me.

    "Yeah, I just got startled a bit. Thanks," Wow, I didn''t expect this.

    "Who are you? Is this the Death Shadow who''s talking?" I asked using my mind.

    "A cheeky brat like you don''t deserve me. I just saved your life because I need your mana and if you drop me it would be the end of me," This is a good AI... they do have their own way of thinking. This one is into killing me.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    "Yeah yeah. Just shut up, now I''m going to call you Shade. Your full name is too long" He''s really annoying.

    This time I should consume the other Soul stone too. After consuming it, my body was surrounded by some kind of static energy around my body. It tingles a bit but it stopped after a while. Wooh, it felt different this time. The first one was really strange. It was fear, and uneasiness but right now it felt like there are pins and needles all over my body.

    (Thunderbird''s Soul Acquired! Affinity will now increase.)

    (Lightning Mastery Learned.)

    (THUNDERBIRD BOSS RANK: B)

    So it was really a monster soul... neat gift, Elf Lead.

    "Hmmm. Oh, I already left that crappy looking stone. This time, I''m with this boy''s body. Not bad, I can feel how much power you have," This time it''s like a girl''s voice but I''m still not sure.

    "Uhm... Hello? What are you?" I asked myself. It feels really weird talking to myself.

    "I''m a Thunderbird and you can call me sexy if you want," Hmmm, I don''t know what to say...

    "Sorry, not going to happen," I replied. How can I call a bird sexy? It doesn''t sound logical at all.

    "What a sulky boy, how about a little kiss from your sister?" Did I dig my own grave? This bird is so annoying. Warden said they sometimes talk but this bird talks a lot.

    "No, thanks," I replied.

    Wow, they do really appear in my masteries, though they are not considered as Main masteries and because of that, they don''t add to my total rank. Well, total rank doesn''t actually measure our full potential. Anyways, we should better continue and stop wasting our time.

    "Hey, guys. Let''s go."

    "So how are the Souls? Did they already talk to you or something?" Elou asked me.

    "Well yeah, they did. One of them is annoying,"

    "No, I''m not! Hmp!" The bird replied. Their faces looked shocked. But I don''t know why.

    "Just like that, she talked again," I told them.

    "Yeah, we heard her. You''re a mean master you know. You should respect a lady," Akko replied. What the!? Did they hear the bird? I thought it can only talk to me?

    "Well I can also talk to your friends but I can''t talk to strangers and hostile players. Little boy, focus your mana on top of your head please," Agh... I really enjoy the company of my party members because they don''t talk a lot. I did what she told me and then...

    The mana transformed into the thunderbird''s appearance, but this time it was smaller and looks like a chick. She used my mana I gave her and moving like she was a pet on my head.

    "Wow! We can see you now. You are really cute! We will now call you Kyut!" Lili and Akko are really weak to cute things.

    They grabbed the little bird from my head and petted it. At least we''re not bored, walking straight to nowhere.

    "That''s a cute name. I like it! But can you feel the tremendous amount of power around here? It gives me the chills," Ugh, calling her that name would be embarrassing. She said she can feel something, does that mean there''s something wrong with the place?

    "We can''t feel it but we are sure that something is out there like the Chimera,"

    "Oh, that Chimera is really scary! I saw that but Death Shadow called to you out first and I''m really not in the mood to talk in my Soul stone state, and yeah. I can''t really be in this form for too long. I have to sleep soon." Yeah, that was after I got her from the Elf Leader. And good thing that she won''t be able to appear anytime she wants.

    We moved forward and finally, we reached the end. Ugh! I felt something strange! It was an intense feeling. I ducked and trusted my instincts. I checked the other guys and they are really looking pale and are also lying on the ground hiding without any reason.

    The ground shook without any signs of warning. The crystals at the end of the cave started to move and it resembles a body. It was a body of a dragon! I knew it! Something like this really exists here in this place! Thank God our instincts save us or else, just like the Chimera, it would have chased us like crazy.

    (WARNING: A High-Rank Entity is nearby.)

    (CRYSTAL DRAGON BOSS RANK: S)

    "Ok, I think this time we should really head back..." I whispered them.

 Chapter 47: Training Ground

    -Crystal Dragon Lair-

    "I told you to just go back earlier but you told us to go on, I hate you!" Akko whispered me back. I can tell she''s seriously in a panic right now.

    "Yeah, but if it was a normal boss this would be easier, though this time it''s even stronger than the Chimera we''ve met in the forest. This type is a World Boss with a rank of S. Four of us are not enough to kill this kind of monster," I don''t think explaining would make them less hate me.

    A legendary monster like the Chimera that has a rank of A can be easily beaten by the Thirteen Gods together, pretty sure about it. But with a World Boss like this, a hundred of them won''t even stand a chance.

    We gently crawled back... and avoided the sight of the Dragon. Its appearance is fierce enough to even scare the sh*t out of a Legendary Boss. It is so huge that it almost covers the whole space of the end of the cave. I promise that when we get stronger, we will hunt you down! With every move it makes, we stopped moving and pray that it doesn''t detect us. Thank God, its sensory abilities weren''t that great, maybe because it wasn''t expecting any visitors.

    The moment we left his den, we sighed releasing every tense and mental strain we were having. That scared the hell out of us. We shouldn''t probably wander around carelessly or our items and rank would be on the line.

    "Well, that was scary. How are you guys?" Somehow they regain their composure.

    "We are ok now. I almost throw up a moment ago," Elou''s pretty scared earlier.

    "This is Scy''s fault for dragging us all along here," Lili''s mad face is really cute.

    "Hey, don''t blame Scy. We all agreed to explore the place, right?" Akko replied. She''s so sweet, always defending me but she told me in the first place that she hated me for bringing them here.

    "It is ok, Akko. The important thing right now is we are all safe. Let''s go back and check if the entrance opens up," I suggested.

    This is the second time we wasted our time exploring. The first was with the Chimera Cave and now this... We should just train and rank up first before doing exploration like this. We will go back empty-handed.

    We traveled back spending hours of walking... We are all looking exhausted from walking and the thought that we didn''t get anything made it worse. Just like that, we arrived at the entrance. It''s still closed so we decided to train again and settle our bet...

    -Near the Entrance of Crystal Cave-

    "We will not go easy on you this time," They prepared their move this time.

    "FALCON''S EYE! POWER UP! ELEMENTAL UP!" They used their buffs to utilize their full potential. The good thing about this place is it is wide, which really is a good place to train.

    "SNIPE SHOT!" Elou used one of his killer shots, which aims for a head shot but I already have seen that move multiple times that I already know how to avoid it completely.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    *SWOOSH!* I avoided it on time and...

    "What?! Even with high accuracy? Damn it!" Elou said confused.

    "FIRE WALL!" Akko created a thick wall of fire around me. I didn''t have the chance to avoid the spell because I was too focused on evading Elou''s Snipe Shot. This is bad. Elou is preparing another snipe shot and because I''m trapped, it will be hard for me to avoid it!

    "SWOOOOSH!" He once again made a shot but that''s not going to work!

    "Damn it!" He''s pretty pissed. I used my fire boosters and flew upwards hopping through the firewalls. Huh?! They smiled and Elou prepared another shot. It was their plan all along.

    "RAPID SHOTS!" He shot three consecutive shots aiming for my body.

    *BAAM BAAM BAAM!* Don''t forget that I have a shield on my back! I blocked the arrows by turning around, thankfully it wasn''t as strong as Snipe shot that it didn''t pierce my shield.

    "ERUPTION!" Soaring fire burst like an eruption from below! Jeez. They are really making me work really hard this time.

    "FIERY FLAME!"

    *BOOOOM!* I tried to stop it with my flame and an explosion occurred! My flame stopped hers. The fire scattered around the area.

    "Darn it! I thought I got him this time," I''m getting the hang out of Akko''s disappointed face.

    "Akko! Let me borrow your power!" Elou asked Akko''s support.

    (WARNING: Powerful attack incoming!)  Even the system sends me a warning of how powerful their combined power is.

    "ARROW FIRESTORM!" What the heck. Using a skill like that would destroy this place!

    *SWOOOOSH SWOOSH! SWOOOSH!* Arrows flew towards me and exploded after hitting the ground. Are they really trying to kill me?!

    *BOOOM BOOOOM BOOOOM!* Random explosions echoed throughout the whole cave.

    I managed to avoid the explosions using my fire booster and hid in a safe place. After the explosions stopped, the smoke blocked their eyesight so I decided to counter. There''s no way I could defend from that.

    "FIREBALL!" I used a simple spell to use it as a diversion.

    "LIGHT GOD''S BARRIER!" I knew it. Lili blocked my attack by using a barrier. But I know the weak point of the barrier. It can only defend what''s in front but not from behind.

    I flew upwards and hopped behind them and lashed out a powerful spell.

    "GIANT''S FIERY FIST!" I created a giant fireball from behind them and exploded after hitting them. I held back to make sure they won''t get severe injuries.

    "Ughhh... Damn it," Elou was surprised and pissed that they won''t be eating a free meal tomorrow.

    Their face and body were covered in ashes from the explosions. Lili healed them up after getting minor injuries.

    "Someone will get a free meal tomorrow! Yay!" I said while helping them remove the ashes from their body.

    "Jeez, you really are holding back when we trained earlier," Akko said. Well, technically, we were really fighting fair earlier but they focus on offense and forget how to utilize their defense. They''re doing good... I can tell that if I train them enough, they will definitely defeat me.

    "How about we hunt Boss monsters for your Soul stones guys? That would really boost our party''s overall power," I suggested.

    "That''s a good idea but where do we find boss monsters?" Lili asked.

    "We just need to go back to the Vanguard''s Stronghold and asked them about rare Bosses. Legendary and World Bosses are out of the question," I suggested.

    "Well that''s a good plan but we should do it tomorrow because it''s already five am in the morning. The nearest city to meet up is around four hours and I think we should really get ready. We will meet before twelve pm. Right?" Lili suggested.

    That''s right. It will be a long ride later. Well, at least I will get a free meal.

    "Scy is thinking about the free food he''ll get later," Kyut appeared out of nowhere told them what I am thinking about.

    "Damn you, bird!" And after that, we just laughed. Eh...

    The ground once again shook and the entrance opened up in a couple of seconds. We rushed and make it out successfully.

    "Wooh! At last, we''re out!" Elou said.

    "Yeah, I think it will take a long time before we enter this place again," Because the only reason to enter this place is to challenge the wrath of the Crystal Dragon.

 Chapter 48: Team Building

    -Aries'' Home-

    It''s still dark outside, maybe because it is still too early. I prepared breakfast for the girls while preparing for my long ride later. Well, I hope we get to have fun.

    As soon as I finished preparing, I woke the girls up for them to take their breakfast.

    "Hey Bro, are you going somewhere? You''re dressed and it''s still too early in the morning," Thank you for noticing my dear sister.

    "Well, I''ll meet my friends from the game in real life. Isn''t that great? And because they live really far from here it takes four to five hours to get there via bus. Kind of far but I think it''s worth it. I will also buy some groceries because we''re running out of food" We seriously need to buy food or we''ll starve to death here.

    "Oh, that''s nice. Tell your friends I said hi," She said while eating her meal.

    "Don''t forget to take your lunch, ok? I''ll be back before the sunset. See you guys later," I bid my farewell.

    -The Road to Sector X City-

    I took the bus and for some reason, I fell asleep. I just realized that the driver is talking to me...

    "Hey boy, we are already here. You should wake up and go where you need to go," Ugh... jeez. This is the first time I went to sleep without the game. It''s kinda nice. I should take a nap from time to time.

    "Oh, thanks, Sir," I stood up and went outside.

    It''s already hot outside. I checked my phone to see the time and it''s already ten am. I still have two hours to spend and it''s for buying supplies and groceries because we meet around twelve to a family restaurant nearby.

    I took out my umbrella to protect me from the sunlight. That''s right I use an umbrella for daily basis. I checked the shops around but I''m really not that familiar with this place.

    I went inside every shop and bought what I needed and also the cheaper ones. It''s not good to spend too much on something you can buy cheaper with the same quality as the expensive ones. From veggies to meat and another type of groceries we needed, I bought all of them. And now I''m currently carrying different kinds of bags of groceries.

    After the shopping, I''ve just got a message from Elou that they''re already at the family restaurant. So I went to the shop he just told me about using Doodle map app.

    "Hey Scy, there you are! Why do you carry so many bags? It''s a meetup, remember? Elou approached me and he really looks the same as his avatar in the game. Well technically, we all are. He also wears fashionable jeans and shirt.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    "Well, I arrived early so I decided to buy groceries," I wear only simple clothes because I''m not really into fashion Bla Bla Bla... I kinda feel like I''m out of place.

    "Let me help you with that. Let''s go inside. We are really hungry from traveling," He helped me carry one of the bags I''m carrying.

    "Thank you,"

    -WcDonalds-

    We entered a well-known family restaurant named "WcDonalds". I remember when I was a kid, we mostly eat at this place because I love their chicken fillet. It was really delicious. I hope they still have that today.

    Lili and Akko are already waiting at one of the tables. It''s really weird seeing them not wearing their magical clothes.

    "Hello there Scy, go sit here with us. You are really carrying a lot of bags," Akko suggested.

    "Thanks. Hello, Akko and Lili," I said my greetings.

    "You can''t call me Lili. We are strangers outside the game," Hmm, how should I respond to that?

    "Don''t mind her Scy, she''s just shy, that''s all." Well, she still looks cute, doesn''t matter if she''s snobby.

    "No problem. Where is Elou though?"

    "Oh, he is ordering. So just relax, ok?" Relax, she said... if I don''t have my chicken fillet, I won''t be able to relax.

    After a while, he arrived and he brought us our foods. They ordered fried chicken with rice and some french fries. The smell of the food is really good, it boosts your appetite. No chicken fillet but it''s their treat so who am I to be choosy... We ate our meals really fast that we didn''t even get the chance to talk about anything.

    "That was a good meal. Wasn''t it?" Elou asked.

    "Yeah, it was really good. Anyway, should we talk about something? We came here to meet, and not just eat a satisfying meal," Akko suggested.

    "Oh yeah, we still don''t know your name Scy. What''s your full name?" Akko asked.

    "My name is Aries Kim, 20 years old and because I just woke up from a coma, I am planning to enroll in one of the colleges nearby later with my Sis. How about you guys?" Not so good introduction but not bad either.

    "My name is Ethan Louis, also 20 years old and currently studying HRM in college with Akko. We are aiming for the same goal and it''s to manage our own restaurant," Elou replied. That''s a good plan. I should also plan for my future.

    "My name is Ayako Minami, also 20 years old and someone already spoilt my plan for the future. But you can call me Akko," What are the odds that the three of us have the same age.

    "My name is Liliana Minami, and the rest is none of your business," Well, that''s short. But I think it''s good enough that she''s talking.

    After that, we talked about our lives and other minor stuff. We also visited some arcade shops where we can play arcade games, stuff animals dispensing games and dance and music games. We also went to a karaoke shop where we can sing to our heart''s content. It was really fun. Even Lili sang some songs and she was really great, I can say that both Akko and Lili just look like idols of some sort. I also got some stuff animal prizes which I gave to Lili and for some reason, she took it and said nothing. She''s really weak to cute things.

    Ugh... my shoulder hurts carrying these bags of groceries. I think I made the wrong choice of buying them before meeting with them.

    "It was fun, huh. I never thought I could enjoy doing this kind of stuff that most teenagers do," Akko sounded like she was already a matured girl but she really enjoyed singing too.

    "Yeah, taking a break from the game wasn''t that bad," Elou said.

    "How about you Lili, did you enjoy your time with Scy?" Akko asked Lili.

    "Hmp..." She just pouted but also blushed after looking away.

    "So I think we will meet again later. Thanks for the meal and you guys take care!" We bid our farewell.

    It was a short team building but it was fun. We really managed our time and enjoyed what we were doing. It''s already three pm, I should go home.

 Chapter 49: Battle of the Reapers

    -Aries Home-

    I reached home and it''s already dark. I went inside and it seems that they haven''t still taken their dinner yet. I prepared a good meal for us. I called them and took our dinner.

    Ugh... I''m really exhausted. My body is not used to long travels. I should probably do some exercises when I have the time. As soon as I finished doing what I have to do, I entered the game.

    -Near Crystal Cave-

    (WARNING: Mana and energy regeneration is slightly reduced due to coldness. Fatigue increases slightly.)

    Ugh... it''s so cold. I forgot that the temperature is different from the real world. It''s really hard to get used to this kind of climate. Hmmm...

    *CLANG! SLASH! CLANG!* I heard sword slashes not far from here. It sounds like a familiar type of swordsmanship. I have a clue but still not sure.

    I slowly checked the area and dead wolves and raw blood can be seen everywhere. I knew it. She''s the only one who hates these wolves.

    (MAISIE / BERSERKER RANK: A)

    "AWOOOOH!" Wolves surrounded her and in an instant but she managed to kill every single one of them with her mysterious kind of sword style techniques.

    (WARNING: Hostile player is nearby.)

    *SWOOSH!* Ugh! A dagger flew aiming for my head. She attacked me out of nowhere. I somehow managed to dodge it, it was a surprise attack from her. Why did she attack me? What the heck?!

    I am really far from her but she managed to detect where I was and not only that, she also attacked me in a blink of an eye. If it wasn''t for my instincts, a dagger would be sticking through my skull by now.

    "Hey hey... wait a minute there. I''m not here to fight. I am just checking what is happening around here," I answered but...

    "..." She didn''t answer. She readied her fighting stance and lashed out a powerful slash wave.

    There''s no way I can defend from a powerful attack like that! Even my shield can''t handle that kind of power.

    "Shade! Help me!" I asked shade to help me out.

    *SWOOSH!* Her attack just passed right through my body. Shade activated his passive that enables me to ignore physical attacks. Her attack cut trees behind me like they were nothing. Damn, that was one scary attack.

    "You want to fight huh. DARKNESS!" I used one of my spell that hinders her sight while trying to sneak to get near her.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    "DARK FLAME SLASH!" I aimed for her body trying to inflict a server injury so she won''t have the chance to counter back.

    *BOOOOOM!* What?! She parried my attack and my spell created an explosion.

    After that, I looked at her and she only received a minor injury on her shoulder. She''s one tough opponent. A normal player would be already unconscious from that attack.

    "I think we should stop this fight," I said while not lowering my guard. It''s bad if she uses one of her techniques again. My voice triggered her senses and decided to attack again.

    *SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH!* Three consecutive waves flew in my direction! Damn. Her accuracy is really great making her attacks so hard to avoid. But because she can''t see me and her attacks were just random, I managed to avoid all of it. She''s insanely dangerous and this needs to stop!

    "TITAN''S DARK EXPLOSION!" I readied my powerful attack to end the fight but...

    (WARNING: Mana is getting low.)

    "BASILISK WRATH! SCALE OF PROTECTION!" Someone protected her from my attack with a giant shield made of earth element large enough to protect both of them. It was made out of solid rock that looks like a scale.

    *BOOOOOOOM!*

    It was Sieg! Why the hell did he stop my attack? Thanks to him, though, it prevented me from killing someone.

    "Oops. That was a really dangerous spell, Scy. I''m sorry for the trouble my little sister had caused," Wait, what? Is she really his little sister? Damn, I didn''t know...

    "I''m sorry too. It''s just that your sister is really aggressive. She almost killed me a couple of times earlier," His sister slowly walked away from us. She''s nuts for being so aggressive!

    "Well, she has some social problems. She doesn''t really like to talk much and she''s a bit competitive. This happened a lot of times. Most of the travelers she met ended up dead. And I''m here to escort her back to the stronghold before she kills anyone again. I''m really sorry again about my sis'' behavior," Well, that was a pain in the ass. If my sis was like that, I don''t know what to do. He really cares for his sister.

    "Don''t worry about it. Anyway, thanks to you. I thought I almost killed her from my last move. I''ll make sure to hold back a bit next time," That move actually used a lot of my mana. If it wasn''t for him, I could have lost the battle if she survived from that attack.

    "You take care of yourself out here. I heard, you guys are now wanted and there''s a reward on your heads. Bounty hunters must be lurking around and waiting for you to let your guard down," Wow, I never thought of that.

    "Thanks for the warning, Sieg. Don''t get killed by your own sister! See you later," We bid our farewells.

    -Wolves Area-

    A couple of minutes have passed, the guys just logged into the game.

    "Hey guys, you were late. I almost got killed earlier," I whispered to them.

    "Jeez, where are you? We will meet you there," Elou asked.

    "I''m here at the Wolves area where we met the girl wearing a red hood and slaughtering the wolves,"

    They came really fast because it''s not that far.

    "I thought you said you almost got killed? You don''t even have any injuries. But this place really looks wrecked," Elou looked around the place. The place got wrecked because of our attacks and skills that destroyed some trees.

    "The girl wearing the red hood was Sieg''s little sister. She attacked me without any warnings so I fought back. I almost killed her, thanks to Sieg, he saved her. I almost did something terrible," I explained to them.

    "Well, at least both of you were alive. There''re no hard feelings right?" He asked me.

    "Yeah, I hope so. It was her fault, not mine. I tried attacking her to cause minor injuries but she''s tougher than I thought. Anyway, let''s just continue our training and hunt some bosses for you guys before the tournament," I suggested.

    "Sure! Let''s go train ourselves and win the tournament!" Akko shouted with enthusiasm.

    -Vanguard''s Stronghold-

    After days of training, hunting dozens of bosses and doing our best, I hope we are all ready to challenge the most powerful players in the world of New Life Online!

 Chapter 50: Registration

    "Hello, it''s me again, Aika of "What''s New in New Life Online"! Are you ready for the Monthly Battle Tournament?! We are all very excited to see the most powerful players around the world of New Life Online fight to claim the title of the World''s Strongest Player! Today, the registration will begin and we will see the players who will join the competition. From various Guilds to various parties and groups, they are all here to participate! Also, people with criminal records or other conflicts between guilds will be put on hold to give them chance to participate for the people of New Life Online to enjoy the tournament more! I will be one of the commentators and the whole competition will be televised and stream online! Isn''t that great?! Also because even the Thirteen Gods will participate, the judges will be the people in the whole stadium. The competition will be held here in Oder of Light city, as always. Let''s go to the registration area and check the players who will participate!"

    -West Road to Order of Light-

    "Ughh... My whole body hurts. I sometimes regret inviting you to our group you know. That training was not even for humans anymore," Elou, you complain a lot, you know.

    "Yeah, you''re right. I can''t believe we''ve done that in just a couple of days. Those training and hunting felt like we trained for a year," Akko, that''s kind of a bit exaggerated.

    "Hmp!" Lili just pouted as usual.

    "Guys, it''s ok. We all became so strong so I guess, it''s all worth it, you even defeated me from our last training" We are really exhausted. We didn''t have the chance to take a break or rest in the game.

    "Let''s go sign up and win the tournament guys!"

    -Order of Light City Gate-

    We arrived at the entrance of the Order of Light City. City guards used their Defensive Stance as soon as they saw us. We are all wearing a hood and cloak to hide our identity because we are fugitives but for some reason, they managed to react to our presence.

    (WARNING: Nearby players are afflicted by "Alert" status due to severely low Charisma.)

    Alert status huh... would be better if it''s fear.

    "Relax guys. We are here to participate in the tournament. Put your guards down,"

    "Some unidentified players came to sign up. Players around them can sense a tremendous amount of power and we are forced to defend because of our instincts! These kinds of people are the ones who will fight in the tournament!" Aika, the reporter, said. I think she''s just overreacting.

    "Ah! It''s the wanted man! Scythus!" After I signed up my name, the guard who checks the participants panicked.

    (WARNING: Nearby lower ranked players are afflicted by "Fear" status due to severely low Charisma.) Oh... there it is.

    "He''s the murderer?! Run! Run for your lives!" People near the registration area panicked. The hell is wrong with this guy, it''s just a game for heaven''s sake!

    "Stop! Don''t be afraid! We will defeat him in the tournament. Don''t forget that the hero beats the villains so relax and enjoy the event," It''s something to be expected from the well-known champion of the Tournament, Zeth.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    (ZETH / WARRIOR RANK: S)

    "Defeat him! Make sure he pays for his crime!" People started cheering for the famous champion but sooner or later... you will bite the dust.

    "Zeth who just ranked up from A to S, the champion and second rank of the Thirteen Gods, together with his co-guild officers are also here to register!" Aika reported.

    (MARIE / BISHOP RANK: S)

    (AZZIE / FIRE MAGE RANK: S)

    Akko and Azzie are looking at each other like they''re going to eat each other. They kinda hate each other, I guess.

    "Siren, the guild leader of Ravens Guild and number ten, is also here with her trusted officers," Aika reported every guild and participants that come to the registration area.

    (SIREN / ROGUE: S

    EQUIPMENT: STEEL DAGGERS / RAVEN ARMOR

    MASTERIES: LIGHT WEAPON / THROWING WEAPON)

    -Light''s Tavern-

    After all that we decided to just go to the tavern that we always visit when we are still staying here. Damn, this place is still really beautiful. In just one mistake we were banished. I saw Deandre earlier but he seems to be calm that he didn''t even look at me earlier.

    "Are you ready guys? This time, we are not comrades but just participants who want to win the tournament. No hard feelings if you met me in the arena." I told them.

    "We''re not the same as before. You better get your guard up or you''ll be dead if you are not prepared," I can say that they''re a lot stronger than before.

    "Yup, we did some secret training while you were late and when we took breaks you know. That fire magic user girl would be dead if I met her in the competition," Wow, Akko. They really have a grudge at each other.

    "..." Lili, as usual, is just silent like she doesn''t care but I can see that she is also excited.

    After all that chitchat we decided to buy some new equipment. The equipment at the Vanguards Stronghold isn''t that much great as the Order of Lights'' so we decided to buy here.

    We visited some shops and they''ve got a new set of equipment. I also got new Shield that is really light but the protection is really great. I even tested out with my spells but it didn''t break. The price is really high but it''s worth it I think. I bought new equipment that provides better protection and lighter for evasive maneuvers. I also bought a new sword to increase my overall damage. New accessories that boosted my mana regeneration and movement speed are always the best. I bought a new hood and cloak to conceal my identity better. I rather not show my face because Sis might see me and that would be a disaster.

    -Slayer Leather Armor Set

    (Mid Increase in Normal Armor Benefits. Increased in damage from critical attacks)

    -Advance Theif''s Cloak

    (Better Stealth benefits. Muffles sound when walking.)

    -Scaled Light Shield

    (High Damage Reduction from Physical and Magical Attacks. Strong attacks have a low chance of knocking back the user when blocking.)

    -Slayer Bone Dagger

    (High Light Weapon Benefits.)

    -Short Sword of Impaling

    (Mid increase in Normal Weapon Benefits and penetrates low defense)

    Ring of Advance Mana Regeneration x2

    (Better Mana Recovery Speed)

    (Weapons and Armor effects only work when equipped.)

    *TOT TOTOTOT!* That''s the signal. We should go to the stadium now, though I really hate the sound of the horn. I don''t know why.

    "Hey Scy, it''s time to go. I hope one of us can really become the winner," I would really like that, Elou.

    "Don''t worry. We trained really hard for this so I''m pretty sure we can do this," Akko was enthusiastic as always.

    "I don''t want to get too much attention, so good luck to you guys," Lili said but I think she didn''t mean that.

    "Jeez, let''s make our group be known to the world!" Akko suggested.

    "Sure! We will become the top four!" I said. That''s a really high dream for us yet we really are hoping.

    -Order of Light''s Stadium-

    We arrived at the stadium... There are a lot of participants. The seats of the stadium are also full and some of them are standing. They can''t miss this tournament because this time even the Thirteen Gods are here to join the fight.

    "LET THE TOURNAMENT BEGIN!"

 Chapter 51: Hunt for a Tooth

    -Order of Light City-

    "WOOOOOH! WOOOOH!" The crowds inside the arena are all excited and full of expectations that they will see the best fight of the strongest players around the World of New Life Online.

    "Hello. Hello. Magic speaker test... Magic speaker test..." The guild leader of the Order of Light is testing out the magic speaker. Someone might have invented it somehow.

    He is not strong like the other guild leaders but they respect him and they call him the Strategist. He may weak but he''s the reason why they''re the strongest guild.

    "We will now proceed to our Elimination Round. The participants right now are 19,286 in total. The first 256 people to complete the elimination round will have the chance to compete on the tournament." Wow, that''s a lot of people! That''s an insane elimination phase. All those participants are all at least Rank B so this will be a tough one.

    "The challenge is called "We want a Yeti''s Tooth!"! That''s right, you heard it right! A participant needs to get a tooth from a Yeti and because you only need one, defeating a Yeti is good enough for a group Going alone is an option for your group but that also means that you don''t have allies to protect you. Just be careful though, a Yeti is one of the strongest normal discovered monsters. If you get killed, you are out of the competition. You have to go from here to the icy mountains to get one. I''m pretty sure the fastest group would be here before the sun goes down. Get ready." The guild leader explained.

    Wow, that''s a simple way to eliminate participants. With the range of the Yeti''s location, going there would take around ten to twelve hours by foot. With mounts, it might be around four to five hours. Well too bad for us we don''t have any mounts.

    "The Elimination Round will start at exactly ten am. Participants are not allowed to leave the city, if caught you will be disqualified. Please strictly follow the rules."

    It seems that we still have time to prepare. The Elimination round will start after thirty minutes.

    "So what''s the plan Scy? Unlike the other players, we don''t have any mounts to use. That would be a huge disadvantage to us." Akko''s pretty worried. With the number of participants, there''s a high chance that we might not make it in time.

    "Yeah, we used all our gold coins buying equipment and we forgot to save for the carriage we ordered here in the stables of Order of Light city." Elou also worriedly said.

    "Jeez, you guys really get worried so easily. There''s no impossible for us, ok? If we have what it takes, we can always make it. Anyways, how about you guys just relax at the entrance and I will do something about it?" I have a plan but I hope it will work somehow.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    "Ok ok, if you fail it''s on you this time," Not cool Elou...

    -Order of Light''s West Gate-

    "TOT TOTOTOT!" Ugh... It''s the signal to go to West gate of the Order of Light City. West gate is the nearest way to the Icy Mountains to gather the requirement.

    "Ready, set, GO!" And just like that, the Elimination Round started.

    Players with mounts are the ones who are in front of the competition. Most of them are all well funded by their own guild. You can see that most of them are from different guilds. A lot of players already stopped from running because they had lost hope. Seeing the players with good mounts already killed their morals.

    One of the Guilds named Dragoons that uses their mounts to outrun other participants are already using their "Cavalry Stance" where they are using their long spears and other long weapons to stop others from moving forward or from overtaking them. They are already ahead of others.

    "What is happening? The infamous Scythus'' group is just sitting beside the East Gate and they also don''t have mounts to use. What are they planning?!" Aika noticed us just relaxing. And why on earth are you just looking at us?! We''re not the only participants here, you know.

    "Maybe they already have given up. It''s impossible to catch up without any mounts." The Order of Light Leader is one of the commentators.

    "Yeah Scy, what is your plan?" Akko asked.

    "I guess it''s time to show it to you guys." I stood up.

    *BOOOOOMM!* A massive explosion was created below my feet making me fly. It was my overused fire boosters. My mana regenerates faster now so whenever I used my fire boosters, I just regenerate my consumed mana. I can use it forever as long as I don''t use any other of my spells.

    *BOOOOOMM!* Every explosion I made, I flew at the speed that surpasses even the speed of sound.

    "Holy crap! Did you see that fellow person of New Life Online? He flew in a blink of an eye!" Aika was surprised like the others. Their jaws dropped as soon as they see what I have done.

    In just a short amount of time, I already overtook most of the players who are still on the elimination round. I can already see the group that what they called the "Fastest Riders" from the Dragoon''s Guild.

    "Sir, someone''s already approaching us. He is really fast and using a spell or something to fly." One of the Dragoon''s officers reported.

    "You must be joking. No one can outrun us. We are the fastest gui..." The guild leader stopped talking as soon as he saw me just overtook all of them.

    *SWOOOOOOOSH!* The only sound hey heard from me.

    I kept using my Fire Boosters and did my best to maintain my speed. My health also decreases a bit because of the burden it causes to my body. It is the friction of the wind that passes through my body. But I think I can manage to endure it till the end of the elimination round.

    (WARNING: Health is slowly depleting while using "Fire Booster")

    It seems that flying instead of riding on land is also safer because unlike on land, flying monsters are not that much aggressive unless they think of you as their prey. I can almost see the thick forest. This place would be really hard to pass through for the people who travel on land because the thick and many trees would slow them down.

    While I was happily traveling in the sky...

    *SWOOOOOOSH SWOOOOSH!* What the heck?! I sensed two projectiles coming from behind and I successfully evaded them.

    I checked who was it and I saw a girl with black wings!

    "Not bad, you are good but too bad... I would love to see you fall from the sky..." Jeez, another pain in the butt.

 Chapter 52: Dragoons

    "Thanks to the game''s support, they are showing us the live video of what''s going on. It seems like the Guild Leader of the Ravens is chasing down Scythus. This is the first time we saw players who can fly! Scythus is being chased by one of the Thirteen Gods! That''s a bad news for him!" Aika commented.

    There''s a big screen at the center of the stadium for them to see what''s happening to the elimination round. People are really excited about who''s going to finish the task first.

    -North West Grassland-

    (WARNING: Hostile player nearby.)

    *SWOOOOOSH SWOOOOOSH SWOOOOSH!* The random long ranged attacks from the girl were very fast. I''m having a hard time flying and evading them at the same time.

    (SIREN / ROGUE RANK: S)

    "Aren''t you a bit excited? Why attack me if we can meet at the tournament later?" I asked her.

    "You''ve done something despicable to my Guild members. You need to pay for what you''ve done!"Ugh! She is one of those Ravens.

    Jeez. I need to somehow stop her from chasing me. Using a spell would be a bad choice for me because it will reduce my mana. And that''s not a good thing while I''m using my fire booster.

    "SOAR UP!" Damn, she''s really going for the kill!

    She flew upwards at great speed. Did she stop chasing me?

    "RAVEN''S SHARP CLAWS!" She suddenly dived towards me with her two short blades on both of her hands!

    (WARNING: Powerful attack incoming.)

    *SWOOOOSH!* You can hear jet sound like and she''s about to kill me.

    *That will not work! DARKNESS!* I decided to use one of my spells to help me escape from her attack.

    I left a black smoke towards her direction and make her not see me.

    "NIGHT VISION!" What the heck?! As soon as I checked what happened behind, she showed up and ready to attack me! She used a spell to see in the darkness!

    (Nearby Hostile Player was not affected by "Darkness".)

    "Bad choice of spell... Do you want to hide from the best assassin? You must be out of your mind! Take this!" She is ready to cut me in half with her twin short swords!

    (Shade''s Ghost Form activated.)Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    *SWOOOOOOSH! BAAAAAM!* She hit the ground after her move. But...

    "What the?" She was surprised that I managed to evade her attack.

    She was exhausted from her attacks and stopped moving. It seems that she can''t move for now. Better outrun her while I have the chance.

    "Thanks, Shade, she almost got me there. I owe you one." I thank Shade for its fast use of its passive to protect me. Her blades just passed right through me.

    I continued to fly through the forest and because of using spells, my current mana now is fixed at almost fifty percent, not good.

    "Scythus managed to escape from the best assassin?! That was really cool! That''s what you can expect from the infamous "REAPER"." Am I really that infamous?

    "This time, the participants are now going inside the forest. Dragoons'' Guild members are having trouble traveling inside the forest because of its thick nature. This is a good chance to catch up to them. Other guilds are now able to shorten the gap between them and the Dragoons'' Guild. Some other guilds are also already behind the Dragoons." The Guild Leader commented. Calling him the Order of Light''s guild leader is kind of tiring, let me just call him old geezer.

    "Most of the participants who are still in the race are the ones who are with their respective guilds. For those who go solo, it''s really a bad month for them to participate. Some groups like Wild Lion Bandits also made it. They are now racing with the other guilds. Some guilds already made an alliance to finish the elimination round easier but some of them are already fighting." Aika also commented what she''s seeing in front of the screen. Jeez, not the Wild Lions again.

    -South West of the Forest-

    "Stop this nonsense! If you attack us now it will only make the other groups catch up to us!" Dragoons'' Guild Leader said. Two other guilds that formed an alliance started to stop the Dragoons.

    (DRAKE / KNIGHT: S

    EQUIPMENT: DRAGOON LANCE / DRAGOON ARMOR SET

    MASTERIES: TAMING / HEAVY WEAPON)

    Dragoons'' Guild is the best target because they currently are the fastest riders. If they can defeat them, they can easily win the Elimination round without any problems.

    "We know but we can slow you guys down, right?" One of the opposing Guild Officers said.

    "Sir! Go now and let us defend you from them!" They are planning to cut the group in half so the officers can go now and increase the gap between the other guilds.

    "Ugh. We don''t have a choice. Good luck guys. We will surely win the tournament and make your sacrifices count." The guild leader promised them.

    "Do you think you can defeat us? You wish!" The opposing guilds charged at them.

    "CAVALRY STANCE! CHARGING FORMATION!" They formed a triangle formation. This formation is good for attacking and defending.

    *BAAAAAM! CLANG CLANG! BAAAAM!* They collided with the opposing guilds and defended from their charge! Their defense and attacks were so effective. This is the power of the guild that focuses on cavalry fight!

    "MISSILE CAVALRY! FIRE!" Behind the cavalry is the missile cavalry. Unlike the melee cavalry, they use light horses to easily escape from opponents and at the same time attack them with long-range weapons.

    *SWOOOOSH SWOOOSH SWOOOSH!* They fired multiple arrows upwards and hit multiple other guilds. That was really effective killing some members from the opposing guild.

    The fight continued slowing them down and greatly decreased the gap.

    "Fellow People of New Life Online! Dragoons'' Guild is in troubled! They are getting sandwiched by two other guilds but they managed to defend and attack at the same time. They are really the Guild that has the best cavalry! Even two guilds can''t easily penetrate their defense!" Aika excitedly announced the ongoing battle.

    "Stop saying that they have the strongest Cavalry, you haven''t seen our cavalry yet. Anyway, other guilds are also getting near the battle between them so I think it will end soon enough. This is one exciting event!" The old geezer complained and excitedly said.

    "How can they defeat the Dragoon''s absolute "CAVALRY STANCE"?"

 Chapter 53: Hearth Fire

    -South West of the Forest-

    The fight between the Dragoons and the other opposing guilds continued.

    "We can''t waste our time here! I''ll make a way!" A really tall guy wearing full-scale armor using a giant hammer said. He does seem to have the same features as Handy but really is a different person. His helmet also has horns that resemble like an animal with huge horns.

    (BLUDGEON / DESTROYER: S

    EQUIPMENT: TITAN''S HAMMER / TITAN''S ARMOR

    MASTERIES: BLACKSMITH / HEAVY ARMOR)

    "Sir, please be careful. They are really strong." He seems to be one of the high officers of their guild.

    He got off his horse and prepared to use a large-scale attack.

    "MAMMOTH''S MAELSTROM WAVE!" A violent giant wave of power made by his vicious attack destroyed and knocked back all enemies it hit. That was a powerful attack. In just one hit, he defeated most of the Dragoon''s best cavalry.

    "Did you see that?! That''s the Leader of Hearth Fire Guild and ranked 11th, Bludgeon. The guild''s city is where the best blacksmiths live! That was his famous Maelstrom attack! The cavalry of the dragoons was defeated easily!" Aika excitedly reported.

    -West of the Forest, Near Icy Plains-

    "Sir, the first group that was left behind was already wiped out. It seems that their Guild Leader already made his move." One of the officers reported to the Leader of the Dragoons'' Guild.

    "Yeah, I can''t feel their presence now. Jeez. If not because of this thick forest, we could have finished this round without any problems. Let''s just move on. Don''t let your guards down." The guild Leader, Drake, ordered.

    (DRAKE / KNIGHT RANK: S)

    "It seems you already lost a lot of your guild members. You are really trying hard. Are you that desperate to increase your ranking for being at the bottom?" They heard a woman''s voice but they can''t find her.

    (SIREN / ROGUE RANK: S)

    "Don''t flatter yourself, Siren. I''m not the same as before. We will win this time!" Drake, the guild leader of Dragoons who is at rank thirteenth, said.

    "We''ll see about that, Drake." After that, the woman''s voice disappeared.

    "You''ll see... Dragoons guild will rise once again!" He exclaimed.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    -Icy Plains-

    "Hey Scy, where are you now, any problems so far?" Elou asked me.

    "No problems so far, just that raven girl. I''m doing my best to finish this race as soon as possible."

    "Sure, just be careful. Anyways if you need help just whisper us." He suggested.

    "Sure, I just reached the Tundra''s icy plains. It''s really getting cold out here." With my consistent flying, I reached icy plains in just an hour. Icy plain is just beside the Vanguards'' Stronghold.

    "There is also no sign of Yeti so far. It seems that the Yetis really are already at the Icy Mountains. This will be a lot of trouble. Just stay there and I''ll bring you the tooth for each one of us." I explained.

    My plan was to just defeat a yeti and bring its teeth back as soon as I can. Unlike other guilds, they have to bring their fellow guildmates in case they get ambushed by the others, just like what happened to Dragoons'' Guild. They have to sacrifice their fellow guildmates to make sure they can increase the gap.

    I continued flying to make it to the Icy Mountains as soon as possible.

    -South West of the Forest-

    "Sir they are all defeated. We can now continue without any problems." One of the Hearth Fire guild officers said.

    "Yeah, but it took us a lot of time. I can also already sense the other guilds from behind. Let''s move faster this time. If we don''t hurry they might catch up to us. A man like me should win this!" Bludgeon ordered. They continued their travel without further delay.

    "That was a good warm-up huh Bludgeon. Ssss..." A guy from other guild said while making a snake sound.

    (VENUM / POISON SPECIALIST: S

    EQUIPMENT: SERPENTES'' DAGGER / SERPENTES'' ARMOR SET

    MASTERIES: POISON / THROWING WEAPON)

    "That wasn''t even a warm-up. I know you know me. I am a man, Venum."

    Venum is the guild leader of Serpentes Guild and also at rank twelfth. Their guild, like Ravens and Dark Brotherhood, are well known for their infamous acts. Serpentes are known for their use of poison to kill their foes slowly but surely.

    "You are always serious Bludgeon... You should relax sometimes you know... You, being hot-headed won''t help us you know. Ssss..." Bludgeon is known for being a hot-headed leader and because of that, he can''t make good decisions. That''s why he''s at rank eleventh even with his current power.

    "You just shut up and stop making that snake sounds. It''s not manly and it''s really annoying." He said while making a face that looks pissed.

    -Near the entrance of the Forest-

    "Are they still far? I thought we are catching up to them?" Zeth asked one of his scouts.

    "We were earlier Sir but they are already moving now. Earlier they are fighting with the Dragoons but they defeated them easily." The scout reported.

    "It''s ok. We still have time to catch up to them. Just save your energy. Keep an eye on your mounts. It''ll be bad if our mounts can''t keep up with the race. Those idiots think that their mounts can just carry them to where they want without resting. We will see the after effect of their decisions later." Zeth''s plan is to save their energy and win the race without any casualties. He''s being more careful.

    "Any news about Scythus? I heard he''s really fast with his weird spells."

    "They say he''s already in Icy plains, Sir. There''s no chance that we can overtake him but we can ambush him later when he returns to pass the tooth. If we''re lucky we might get the requirements, Sir." The scout explained.

    "That''s a good plan. Just be updated. Our success is dependent on your information." Zeth is calm and making sure that all was according to his plan.

    "Scythus already reached the Icy Plains and that was really fast! In just an hour, the gap between him and the other players is really outrageous! Dragoons are also almost out of the thick Dark forest; behind them are the Serpentes and the Hearth Fire Guilds. The Order of Light Guild is also catching up to them. Let''s make sure to watch closely and see what will happen!" Aika''s enthusiasm never fails the audience.

 Chapter 54: Ice Wyvern

    -Near Icy Mountains-

    The Icy Mountains, I can already see it from here. The more I go farther in the Tundra, the more I feel the tremendous coldness of its nature.

    (WARNING: Mana regeneration is reduced and Fatigue is increasing faster due to coldness.)

    I slowed down a bit because the coldness here right now is beyond tolerable. If I continued with my speed, I might freeze to death.

    "FLAP FLAP FLAP!" I heard the flaps of wings from afar and it''s getting closer and closer.

    (WARNING: Powerful monster nearby.)

    We''ve traveled this place many times and I''m sure that we haven''t met any airborne monsters so far. I sensed a tremendous power from that monster. Because of consuming soul stone, I have gained the passive to sense a monster''s power. I decided to stop flying and run silently instead to avoid further delays.

    (DPS from the spell "Fire Booster" has stopped.)

    "FLAP FLAP!" I knew it! It was an Ice Wyvern, a World Boss! The day it shows up is the day we are having this competition. I blame the coincidence.

    (ICE WYVERN / BOSS RANK:S)

    It seems it is its time to hunt for food. Sooner or later the other participants will also be here and they will become the food of the ice Wyvern. The wyvern just flew in circles looking for prey. Jeez, it''s hard to travel. It might find me in a single wrong move.

    Thanks to my sneak mastery, I find my way out of its sight and managed to reach the base of the Icy Mountain.

    "Why in the world is the Ice Wyvern, a World Boss, showed up? This will be bad for our participants, how can they surpass this kind of challenge?!" Aika also saw the Ice Wyvern.

    "This wasn''t part of the plan. We never expected a World Boss to just show up out of nowhere. They must take caution or they will be wiped out in an instant." The old geezer commented.

    -Near Icy Plains-

    "Sir we received a report that Scythus stopped using his flight spell. The bad news is we heard that he found an Ice Wyvern in the way." One of the Order of Light members reported.

    "What? How can we get the requirement if a World Boss roams around the area? We need to rethink our plans or it''ll just go to waste. Just keep updated." He ordered.

    "Are things ok Zeth?" Mari asked.

    "Everything is ok, so far. But I''m kind of worried because they said that there''s a World Boss near the Icy Mountains."Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    "That''s a bad news. Even with the combined forces of the strongest guilds, there''s a high chance we will be wiped out." Mari said.

    "Yeah, I know. But it will not be a reason to stop the tournament. Anyway, just focus on riding. We are already near the Icy Plains. Wear your thickest clothes." He ordered.

    -Middle of Icy Plains-

    "Darn it. Our horses are getting slowed down again by the thick snow." Dragoons are already in the middle of Icy plains. And because of the weight of their horses being really heavy, they sink to the snow.

    "Sir, we should be careful now. We''ve got a report that there''s an Ice Wyvern near the Icy Mountains. If it spots us here, we are all in trouble." One of Dragoon''s scouts reported.

    "Ugh. Another problem. This time the three of my strongest men and I are going to the Icy Mountains to gather the materials. You guys stay here and wait for us." Drake ordered. Their plan is to get the requirements and go back as soon as they can, it''s faster and safer.

    "Yes, Sir!" The remaining members made a small camp to rest. Their horses are still in shape. Their mounts are well trained and most durable and faster than any other guilds'' horses.

    -The Entrance of the Icy Plains-

    "This is our first time here in the Icy Plains... It''s really cold, I really hate it... Sssss..." Venum said while wearing multiple layers of clothes.

    "A true man never fears the cold. I heard snakes die fast when it''s cold. Better be careful here snake." Bludgeon replied. With Venum''s consumed soul, his resistance to cold decreased a lot. That''s why he''s really not doing so well.

    "I can keep up, don''t worry... Anyway, there''s an Ice Wyvern at the Icy Mountain... What''s your plan? Ssssss...?" Venum asked.

    "Beat it, of course. A true man never surrenders." A hot-headed and saying a true man all of a sudden...

    "You''re na?ve if you think you can defeat a World Boss... We must avoid it at all cost... We don''t have time for such things... Sssss..."

    "Just bring your strongest warriors and just get the tooth. It''s not that hard you know, you and your cowardliness and petty tricks. ACHOOOO!" Bludgeon replied and sneezed after that. His armor doesn''t provide any cold resistance.

    "See? You''re already catching a cold... Don''t be stubborn and do what I suggested. It''s better to be more careful than risking with your courage alone... Ssss..." Venum, unlike Bludgeon, uses his brain more often.

    Vanguards, Feywilds, Storm Seekers and Drowned Trident Guild are traveling at the same time. Unlike the other guilds that are already in the front, these guilds are neutral so far. They don''t intend to join some useless fights and just focuses on completing the elimination round instead. They also only brought their trusted warriors and left their army to avoid unnecessary casualties.

    Feywilds are the players who are living at the far northeast of Raven''s City. They are living in a city surrounded by forest. They are near the elves'' location but they don''t want to mingle with them because they think of elves as monsters and for them, monsters are allies because they are good when it comes to Taming Mastery. They want peace so they avoid contacts with other Guilds. Their combat specialties are hunters and rangers.

    Storm Seekers are the players living south-east of Order of Light''s City and also far east of Green Leaf Village. Their place is somewhat prone to thunderstorm and rain. Because of their unnatural climate, they are having trouble living at their place making their population really low compared to other cities. They are well-known for their spellcasters that cast powerful lightning.

    Drowned Trident is one of the farthest places. They are at the far east of Raven''s City and are all living at the side of the Sea. Their Dark skins show how they love to take a swim at the beautiful sea but due to their healing abilities, they can easily change it back. Their powerful Water spells can even shatter the hardest of rocks.

    "The four powerful guilds are traveling at the same time. Did they make an alliance?" We will find it out later! The Ice Wyvern still haven''t left the area. What will they do? Let''s stay tuned!" Aika reported.

 Chapter 55: Icy Mountain

    -Icy Mountain-

    (WARNING: Movement speed is reduced significantly due to coldness.)

    Ugh... traveling by foot to the Icy Mountain is really tiring... If not because of the Ice Wyvern, I''m already on my way back to the city. I''m not carrying anything so the burden isn''t that bad. My fire boosters will make a loud noise when I use it so it''s really not that good to use it now. Even with my movement speed rings, they didn''t help that much with this kind of climate and terrain.

    It looks like the guild with good cavalry is already at the base of the Icy Mountain. Their mounts are really great for any kinds of terrains they are still fast even with this thick snow. I checked around the area to look for a Yeti and...

    There you are! I finally found a group of Yeti. These Yetis looks weaker than the Yeti we fought when we were hunting at the Icy Plains. I rushed to one of the Yetis and in an instant...

    "DARK SLASH!" I used one of the basic sword techniques with additional dark magic to empower the attack. I killed and beheaded one of them and escaped as soon as possible. It''s better to just focus on what''s important.

    (Yeti''s Head acquired.)

    The Yetis didn''t follow me. Instead, they just run because they know what I''m capable of. Monsters can detect the power of other monsters or players so if they know something''s overpowered them, they just escape. This will be like hunting competition later. Because of what I did, the yetis are more cautious and they decided to hide.

    -Icy Mountains-

    "Sir, were already at the Icy Mountains, what are your orders, Sir?" One of the Dragoons officers asked.

    "Scatter. Find and kill some yetis as soon as you can. Be careful, we can''t spend too much time here." Drake ordered.

    "Sir, yes Sir!" They saluted.

    They searched the Icy Mountains but because they are still at the base of the mountain, they are having a hard time finding one.

    After a while, one of them found a group of Yeti and killed them as soon as they had the chance. They met after getting what they came for.

    "Sir what should we do? We can''t just go back the same way as the other participants because of the requirements. We will be their target." He was correct. Unlike normal race, they just go back and forth. But this time, they''ve got something the other participants want to achieve. So they need to plan on what''s next.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    "You''re right. This time we will go to the West of Forest. It may take time but it''s safer than meeting with the other guilds. Call our other guild members and tell them to meet us at the West of Forest."

    "Yes, Sir!" He whispered to their other members and rushed as soon as they got the order.

    They avoided the other guilds to make sure they still have the power to support their Guild Leader at the West of Forest.

    -Near Icy Mountain-

    "Sir, we are almost at the Icy Mountain. Dragoon''s guild is already at the Mountain. They should have the requirements by now. We can just meet them when they go down and ambush them." One of the Serpentes officers suggested.

    "That''s our plan... Hearth Fire guild leader also has the same plan... Just be careful, they might be hiding something in their sleeves... Damn it, it''s really cold out here. Ssss..." Venum said.

    "Yeah, I heard they really prepared themselves before joining the competition. They even killed a lot of our members. But it''s not enough to defeat us. A true man doesn''t budge from that!" Bludgeon replied.

    They continued traveling while also preparing for an ambush.

    Order Of lights, on the other hand, decided to also leave their other members. It''s better to move with less with the presence of the Wyvern. They are also getting near the Icy Mountain. So far, they haven''t met or seen any problems.

    "Zeth, we are almost at the Icy Mountains. There''s a chance they might use a different route to avoid other players. We should also do the same. There are four strong guilds behind us. If they catch up to us it''ll be really hard to get the requirements we need." Azzie suggested.

    "Yeah, you''re right. That''s why we should really speed up our pace. With our numbers, I''m sure we will not attract the attention of the Wyvern. Anyway, I can already sense the other guilds at the front. We are getting closer to them." Zeth explained.

    "Isn''t that bad? I heard two guilds made an alliance at the front. They also have their members with them slowing them down a bit." She replied.

    "It''s ok. Just make sure we don''t get too close to them. When we change the route, we can easily overtake them. Just focus on getting the requirements." He ordered.

    The four guilds that are moving at the same time are still at their pace. They also already reached the Icy plains. They might not be as fast as the Dragoons but their speed is consistent even with the harsh terrains. Their horses are not good with speed but they are sturdier.

    "Hello, fellow players we''ve seen that Scythus and Dragoons guild already got the requirements they needed but Dragoons guild is getting closer to Scythus. What will happen if they met Scythus in the way?" Aika reported. People''s excitement is still as high as they started the competition.

    "Serpentes and Hearth Fire Alliance are also on their way to get the Yeti''s teeth. This time, they brought all of their members. What are they planning?" Good question. Why are they risking their speed and lives just to get the requirements even a group of four can just obtain.

    "Order of Light guild and the other four are also doing their best to catch up. They haven''t made a single move, just riding their horses. We still can''t tell if the four guilds already created an alliance." She explained.

    "But the real question now is where the other guilds are? Our screen only shows people who are in the way they suggested. They might have taken a different route. We still can''t tell who will win the competition!" She excitedly said.

 Chapter 56: Dark Brotherhood

    -West Forest-

    I successfully managed to get what I needed and escape the Icy Mountain without any problems. I reached the West Forest where I got the Elves'' support when we were fighting the Orcs that are trying to raid the Vanguards'' Stronghold. I can now use my Fire Boosters without any problems. Before I use my spell, a group of other participants is already near me.

    "Finally, we caught up to you." They are the guild that has good cavalry units.

    "I''m not really in the mood for chitchat. Can I just go on my way now?"

    "You don''t have to be rude. Don''t worry. We are not a hostile guild. How about we travel together? We have an extra horse you can use." He seemed to be a good guy. No wonder I didn''t get a system warning. I think it''s better to use a horse and rest for a bit before going all out again. I haven''t recovered yet from traveling from various terrains.

    "Oh, sorry. I thought you are planning something bad. I would gladly accept your offer." I agreed to travel with them because it seems they already got enough requirements for their whole group.

    "I haven''t introduced myself yet. My name is Drake, leader of the Dragoon''s Guild. We already know your name. You are really famous around here." I don''t want to say famous...

    "Well for the record, I''m also friendly. Just don''t do something that I might be upset about. So I heard from my friends that you guys were ambushed by two other guilds that made an alliance. That must be really annoying." I got on to one of the horses and joined them.

    "Yeah. Half of us already died. I still don''t know how strong you are but I hope that you can help us too." Did he just ask for my help? So he''s probably thinking of helping me to help him too. "Scratch my back and I scratch yours" kind of thing.

    "Hmmm, sure. But if it will take too much delay, I don''t think I can just waste my time around here. Unnecessary fighting isn''t my style." I don''t really want to stay here but my mana needs a little rest after using fire booster and because of the coldness debuff from earlier.

    "No problem. That''s a good spell you got there. Using fire spell to make a powerful force and use it to fly, huh. We Dragoons don''t use that much magic but we use good mounts instead for fighting. With mounts, our forces are also powerful and faster. If you still haven''t joined any guild yet you can be one of our spell caster officers." So that''s your real motive huh, to ask me to join your guild.

    "Sorry, but I''m not really fond of guilds. I''m already happy with just my group. But I''m really happy to visit and help sometimes if you need any." I replied hoping he doesn''t make a fuss about it.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    "Don''t worry, I already thought that you won''t join us. Siegriel already told me about him asking you to join his guild but you refused after helping him defeat the invasion of the Orcs. Anyway, let''s just focus on our traveling." So Sieg and him are friends.

    We continued on our journey. This time we are faster because the terrain isn''t that bad and the forest is not that thick like Dark Forest.

    -Icy Mountain-

    "Sir, we found the tracks of the Dragoons. They changed their route, sir. The plan to ambush them isn''t going to work." One of the trackers of Hearth Fire guild reported.

    "Yeah, I already figured that out as soon as we reached the Icy Mountains. You guys get the requirements as fast as you can. We still need time to catch up to them." Bludgeon ordered.

    "So, the Dragoons also think huh... The tracks are pointed towards the Wast Forest... Catching up to them would be impossible if we can''t increase our pace... This doesn''t look good. The other guilds are also catching up to us. Sssss." Venum, still chilly.

    "Sir! Our horses are already slowing down. They need to take a rest or they will not reach the city." One of the officers reported.

    "Ugh... Another problem for us. Go get the best horses. We the officers are going on ahead. You guys go back and rest at the Vanguards Stronghold. This is our only hope to finish the tournament fast."

    "Sir we already got the requirements!" They gave it to Bludgeon.

    "Sir, here are the best horses so far. They can make it to the city as long as you don''t tire them out." One of the members replied.

    "Let''s move out and follow the tracks of those Dragoons!"

    -The Base of Icy Mountains-

    "Stop moving. Only the regular members are returning from the Icy Mountain. This means their Leader and officers decided to use a different route. Guys, let''s go!" Zeth ordered.

    They are already at the base of the Icy Mountain and are already looking for the Yetis to hunt. And because they are only few, they managed to sneak out from the members of the combined members of the two opposing hostile guilds.

    After a while, they managed to get what they needed. This time they decided to move to a different route. And because they explored the Wast forest a lot of times, they already know some shortcuts to reach the city fast this time and overtake all of their opponents.

    -West Forest-

    "Hello, fellow people of New Life Online! Scythus joined the traveling party of the Dragoons! What could this mean? They even lend him one of their horses and used a different route. Did they make an alliance?" Wow, because of me being at the top spot, the game''s camera and the screen is focused on me even if I was taking a different route.

    "Behind them are the Alliance of the Hearth Fire and Serpentes who already left their other members. The Order of Light guild is already catching up to them too. The four guilds, that traveling together, are also at the icy mountain now and are already hunting for the Yetis!" She reported excitedly.

    While we are traveling I sensed a murderous intent. Ugh!

    (WARNING: Hostile player nearby.)

    "Stop!" I shouted as soon as I sense the dreadful aura.

    "SWOOOOSH! SWOOOSH! SWOOOOSH!" It was an ambush! Thanks to my warning none of us died.

    "Not bad for someone who''s at the last ranking. You got yourself a good friend right there." Eight hooded men with dark clothes showed up. What the heck is happening?

    (SHIV / ASSASSIN: S

    EQUIPMENT: KATARA / DARK BROTHERHOOD SET

    MASTERIES: SNEAK / LIGHT WEAPON)

    "Ugh... Damn you Shiv! Is that how you say hello from the Dark Brotherhood''s Guild?" Did he just say Dark Brotherhood?

 Chapter 57: Flame God

    -West Forest-

    "So you used the West Forest route to ambush people who already got the requirements," Drake said.

    Dark Brotherhood is also one of the strongest guilds. They have the best assassins, unlike Ravens and Serpentes, Dark Brotherhoond relies on killing their targets quick or inflict open wounds to enjoy the death of their targets. Their hideout is still unknown and they are only a few in their guild so all their secrets are safe. Only those who they think are qualified to be one of them can join. I don''t really want to mess with these guys with a reputation like that.

    "Don''t flatter yourself. We are just waiting for one of our guild member who''s already on his way back here. I just tried to surprise you. That''s all." Shiv''s aura is strong. I can tell.

    You can feel that he''s an easy going person but we can''t say for sure. You don''t know if he''s planning something. You can''t also see his face because of his hood like mine. Assassin''s identity is the most important for them.

    "So you have someone here with a bad record, huh. You know, he might kill all of you right now if he wants to." Does he really think I can do that? Drake is also strong, I can tell.

    "You are really underestimating our power you know. We need to go now unless you need to talk more. See you at the tournament." Drake replied. They just looked at us while we continue moving. I really thought it will become a fight, but I guess it''s better with this outcome.

    -After a couple of minutes-

    "SWOOOSH SWOOOSH SWOOOOSH! Random projectiles are flying towards Serpentes and Hearth Fire.

    "CLANG CLANG CLANG!" Venum parried all the projectiles with his dagger in swift movements.

    "You still haven''t change Shiv... You really love to give harsh greetings... Ssss..." Venum seems to be buddies with Shiv.

    "Not bad, Venum. An assassin like you can easily predict my movements. I thought for sure I can easily kill your members." Assassins have a passive that increases their detecting abilities and also increase their hiding or sneaking abilities.

    "Do you want to fight us? We can easily crush you right now!" Bludgeon is hot-headed as usual.

    "Two Gods against one? I don''t think that''s a fair fight. You guys go ahead and have fun. Just take care of your necks..."

    "Don''t mind him Bludgeon, it''s his way of saying hello... Let''s just go... Sssss..." He suggested.

    They moved out trying to catch up to the people at the front.

    Dark Brotherhood members also are on their way back to the city after the one they sent returned.

    The Four Guilds also got what they needed and decided to use the Icy path because it''s faster. The Ice Wyvern also left the area so they can travel with faster speed this time.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Ravens Guild members are on their way back to the city too. We haven''t seen them for the last couple of hours because they used their flight spell. It wasn''t as fast s Scythus but it doesn''t use too much mana.

    -North Grassland-

    (Scy''s POV)

    (WARNING: Strong presence nearby.)

    Hmmmm? I feel tremendous aura not far from here. I checked the area earlier while flying but I didn''t see anything suspicious. It must be a system error or something.

    "I know you feel it to Scy, it''s the aura of the third and fourth Gods. We haven''t seen them because the Third God uses Fire Magic and Fourth God uses Earth Magic. I''m pretty sure they''re traveling below the ground right now. Fourth God is called Land Shark because he has the ability to Dig below the ground like it was water for traveling." Drake knows a lot about them. A player who travels below the ground? Is that safe?

    "Yeah, I can feel their auras. They are already getting closer to us too."

    "Don''t worry, they aren''t as hostiles as others though, the Third God has an attitude sometimes. Anyway, let''s just focus on traveling. We are already near the city. Just an hour and we will be there." With these kinds of mounts, I really think it''s possible within an hour.

    "They are getting closer and closer back to the city! Are you excited on who''s going to complete the Elimination Round first? We all are! We heard that all of the players already are in the grassland biome and that means it will not take too long before they reached the city!" Aika reported once again. She said we are all in the grassland biome. I really should move out now.

    "Haha. Whoever completes first the elimination round will be having the title "The King or Queen of the Icy Mountain" and he or she will also earn a reward from the game company. Good luck to all players who participated in the race." Wow, a reward. I better get moving and get that!

    "Wow! Did you hear that? A reward from the game company! That will be a butt... large loads of money! Participants are getting more and more excited knowing that they are all near the city! Good luck to all of you!" She exclaimed.

    "Scy, the third God is already catching up to us. It seems they already emerged from the ground with the fourth God. They are really competitive guilds. They will do anything to win the tournament and the reward from the game company." This is really bad. I might not get the rewards.

    Ughh... even with the horses of the Dragoons, they are still catching up.

    "Drake, thanks for the ride but I need to move now. See you later in the tournament." I said my thanks.

    "Alright, just don''t get killed and we are still aiming for the top too!" Drake is pushing his limits too.

    I used my Fire Boosters to increase the gap of our distances. Upon checking the third God, he and his horse are covered in flames! He was alone this time. He wants to get the reward for himself! He uses the fire to increase his speed just like mine. But I will not falter. I need to win this for my team!

    (WARNING: "Fire Booster spell slightly causes damage to you.)

    I increased the amount of mana when using my fire boosters and it dramatically improved my speed. There''s no way he can catch up to me with this speed.

    (WARNING: "Enhanced Fire Booster spell severely causes damage to you.)

    Ugh! My hp is dropping so fast because of the friction of air!

    Damn it. Even the Order of Light Guild is also racing for the first place. I can already see all of the other guilds below me. This time they are all going all out. They are using all of their resources to just get the first place.

    (WARNING: Hostile player nearby.)

    "SWOOOOSH SWOOOSH SWOOOOSH!" It''s the raven woman! Of all times!

    "SWOOOOSH SWOOOSH!" I successfully evaded her attacks with my fire booster, but this time she''s getting closer and closer with her dive from above improving her speed. Jeez!

    "Yeah! They are almost in the city! Only a couple of kilometers! People of the New Life Online, Let''s welcome the "King or Queen of the Icy Mountain!" Aika excitedly shouted.

 Chapter 58: Aurora

    -Near Order of Light City North Gate-

    Ugh! Not good! Behind me are the flying raven woman, Third God with his flaming horse, and Zeth full of support buffs increasing his speed from Mari. But this time I will take the first place!

    (VULKHAN / FLAME WARRIOR: S

    EQUIPMENT: DRAGON SWORD / OBSIDIAN ARMOR SET

    MASTERIES: FIRE MASTERY/ HEAVY WEAPON)

    "SWOOOSH SWOOOOSH SWOOOSH!" We are making sounds like jets. Fast enough to even tear the wind that passes through us.

    "Damn you brat! Why aren''t you going down! Take this!" She''s aiming for me because I''m at the front! Damn you, woman! I''m going to take the prize!

    "SWOOOOSH SWOOOSH!" The projectiles didn''t reach me because the speed of the weapons is not fast enough to catch up to me.

    "Ugh! Damn it!" She''s really pissed.

    "ARCHERS! FIRE!" The other guilds shot their arrows towards us but there''s no point in using range attacks.

    "SWOOOSH SWOOOSH SWOOOSH!" Their attacks were all misses. They even shot us spells but it didn''t reach us.

    "People of New Life Online! They are getting closer and closer. Just a little bit more and we will see who''ll win the tournament! The Infamous Scythus is leading by a small gap, behind him are Siren, Raven''s guild leader, Vulkhan, the Obsidian''s Pit Guild Leader, and Zeth the Order of Light''s Strongest Warrior!" Aika reported. Infamous? Really? That''s how you introduce me around the world? Jeez!

    "Go Zeth! If you win, I''ll treat you later at WcDonalds!" That''s a good way to motivate your fellow guildies, Old geezer!

    "Jeez, you are not supposed to cheer your own guild as a commentator, Mr. Guild Leader." That''s what you get old geezer! Good job, Aika!

    (WARNING: Health is low.)

    Ugh! My health is dropping really fast!

    "RAVEN''S WRATH! SKYDIVE!" The Raven woman used her Monster''s Soul! She''s moving so fast while diving from above! She''s really aiming for the first place!

    (RAVEN / BOSS RANK: B)

    "FLAME SALAMANDER''S WRATH! OVERHEAT!" Holy cow! The Third God unleashes a massive firepower behind him that improved his speed! It was like a real giant fire booster!

    (FLAME SALAMANDER / BOSS RANK: B)

    "IRON KNIGHT''S WRATH! ULTIMATE FINAL BULL CHARGE!" Even Zeth used his Monster''s Soul! Damn, that''s a long name for a technique! It''s quite embarrassing to say too, not to mention he shouted really loud while chanting the move''s name. Maybe he''s really focused.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    (IRON KNIGHT / BOSS RANK: B)

    Damn it. My body is almost burning from the friction. I need to do something too!

    "Just use me and transform to your shade form so your body will be also immune to the friction..." You''re right Shade! Too late for the advice though!

    "SHADE''S WRATH!!" I shouted.

    (Shadow Form activated.)

    My body was again surrounded by darkness and transformed my armor into dark scaled armor. It''s really cool.

    (DPS from Enhanced Fire Booster stopped.)

    This time I sped up really fast! Being immune to the physical properties of the wind, I traveled so fast I don''t even know what''s going on.

    (WARNING: Mana is low.)

    Shadow form also let me fly without using my fire boosters. But it drains my mana way faster this time! Though, it''s enough to reach the city gate without any problems.

    The race continued and they still can''t overtake me. With my high agility, accessories with movement speed and overall spells, there''s no way they can overtake me! I''m going to win!

    (WARNING: You are afflicted by "High-rank Slow" effect.)

    In a blink of an eye... The time slowed that even with full speed. It feels like I''m not even moving... What is going on?! High-rank slow? What the hell?

    (AURORA/ TIME WARRIOR: S

    EQUIPMENT: IRON SWORD / IRON ARMOR

    MASTERIES: TIME MASTERY / NORMAL WEAPON)

    Eh?! A girl running at full speed while we''re moving at slow motion is heading towards the City Gate! This is the first time I saw her! What is happening?! All of us are moving so slow. The raven woman also saw what is happening and what on earth is going on?!

    Is this her ability? The elemental magic can provide various buffs and effects but slowing the time? This is not fair!

    As she entered the city and won the first place, the time moved fast again.

    ("High-rank Slow" effect on you got cancelled.)

    I also entered the city gate in a flash and almost crashed to one of the buildings.

    Ugh! I didn''t win... This sucks. My party is already waiting for me. I''ve got a head of a yeti with full of teeth so we are all qualified.

    "Now we have a winner! The Queen of the Icy Mountain is Miss Aurora, the strongest of the Thirteen Gods and the Chrono Princess! She will also receive the reward from the game company! Give her a big round of applause fellas!" The crowd started to cheer and celebrate her win. It feels like she didn''t even break a sweat.

    The strongest huh... That explains a lot.

    "We will now talk to Miss Aura about her win. So, Miss Aurora, this is the first time we saw you in the game. Why did you choose to show up now?" Aika asked. That''s a good question.

    "HELLLLOOOO!" Her voice was really loud. She might be too excited.

    "I was busy traveling the world of New Life Online but I heard that the tournament today is going to be more exciting because most of the Thirteen Gods will join and due to personal reasons. They didn''t disappoint me. Today, I will also take the top prize in this tournament. Now I can pay my rent. Hahaha!" Her laugh burst real good. Did she just say rent?

    "Oh, Haha. Of course, of course. How about you tell us your motivation for winning the Elimination round?" Aika asked again.

    "Hey Old Geezer! You should treat me at WcDonalds later! I haven''t eaten for a long time, chicken and fries would really be a good meal! You can deliver it to..." She was stopped by Aika. One of the game''s policies is not to tell your address in public to avoid real-life crimes or conflicts.

    Though why the heck is she talking like that? Is she drunk?

    "Hahaha... Well, that''s enough interview I guess. Anyway, we also got all the names of all the players who passed the Elimination round. For the ones that didn''t pass, we''re sorry but you can try your luck again next month. The start of the tournament will be around ten pm so you guys take your time and rest. You still have a big fight later." Aika announced. So the real fight will be later huh. But damn, I don''t think I''m going to win this tournament with that Aurora girl around.

    "Too bad Scy, we really thought you could win the first prize. Well, the good thing is we are all qualified to enter the tournament later. Thanks for doing the errand. Haha." Elou said. Yeah, all of us can enjoy the tournament later.

    "You were cool back there and you owned all the other guilds. That Aurora talks weird though." Yeah, you got that right, Akko.

    "..." Lili, as usual, tried to comfort me too with her silence.

    "Haha. Thanks, guys. Anyway, let''s log out for a bit and take our dinner. I''m really hungry." I suggested.

 Chapter 59: Daimond

    -Aries Home-

    We logged out from the game and decided to meet after taking our dinner. I woke Mari and Azzie up after preparing our dinner.

    "Did you guys pass the elimination round?" I already know the answer but it was just a conversation starter while we''re eating. This is the only time we can talk to each other.

    "Yes, we passed without any problems but with the participation of the strongest player, our strongest member might not get the first place in the tournament, how about you Bro?" That''s right, that Aurora girl got some overpowered spells.

    "I barely passed and the race was kind of fun too. That Ice Wyvern freaked the hell out of me." It did scare me, yes but I''m already used to seeing one.

    "Yeah, we saw that monster too. It was really big and scary but beautiful and magnificent at the same time." She replied.

    After having chitchat they decided to go back to the game.

    "Let''s go, Mari. We still have important things to do." Azzie said.

    "Oh, wait a sec let me help bro a bit. I''m embarrassed about making my Bro, always cleaning by himself." It''s not really necessary Mari. I''m happy to serve you.

    "Don''t sweat yourself, Mari. Let me do it, that''s the only thing I can do for you."

    "Thanks, bro, you''re the best. See you in the game later." She said and entered their room.

    -Order of Light City-

    After that, I logged in back to the game and they are already waiting for me.

    "Hey Scy, you''re back. Let''s go to the tavern and rest for a bit. I missed the tavern keeper''s food and comfy bed." Akko suggested.

    "Yeah, we might hear some rumors too," Elou replied.

    -Light''s Tavern-

    We went to the tavern but... the tavern is filled with people. They are from different guilds looking for a place to rest. You can see that they are wearing different kinds of armors and weapons. How can we possibly enter the place with these people around?

    "Scy, let''s go to the other place. This place is full and no room for us." Elou suggested.

    The whole marketplace is filled with people too. It was like a festival. Most of the shops are also filled with crowds. Jeez. We didn''t anticipate this kind of people. Earlier wasn''t this crowded, it''s maybe because it''s already almost night time and people are already at their homes.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "Too bad, let''s just go to the stadium and wait till the tournament starts," I suggested.

    "Yeah, we might also see some of our competitors there," Elou replied.

    Because of too many people in the public area, we decided to go to the Stadium.

    -Order of Light Arena-

    We arrived in the area and before we enter, we were stopped by the guards.

    "The tournament will start at ten pm. Please go back if you are not participants." The guard explained while standing straight. How can they play the game just by guarding all day...

    "Oh, we are participants. We passed the elimination round and because the public area was filled with people, our only choice left is the stadium. We would also like to check the area to be fully aware of the arena." Akko replied to the guard.

    "What are your names again?" He asked.

    "We are listed as Scythus'' party. Names are Scythus, Elou, Lili and Akko." She answered.

    "Oh, so you guys were the ones who created havoc around here last week. Be careful around here, people hate you. You may enter now." Is it really necessary to comment on something like that?

    "Thank you for the warning," I replied sarcastically.

    The guards opened the gate for us. We were awed by the place. It was a really big stadium. The sits can accommodate thousands of people. The arena itself is built with the best solid rocks that even the strongest man can''t shatter, the best place to fight. There is no roof so people can also see the night sky full of stars and moons.

    "Scy, you''re here. Good job on the race earlier." It was from someone with a familiar voice. It''s Siegriel. He was with Warden and the Red hooded girl. It seems they are his whole party. Two warriors and a knight.

    "Hello there Sieg. You made it. You were with the other guilds earlier, playing safe huh." I said my greetings.

    "You almost won the first place. We didn''t expect that Aurora too would join the tournament. Anyway, I heard you guys trained well. I hope we get a chance to fight later to test it out." I hope so too.

    "We will do our best to win Sieg. We really are stronger now, you will see." Elou, please don''t spoil the fun.

    "Yeah, we even make a secret training without Scy. So he''s not an exception as a competitor." Not you too, Akko.

    "..." Lili said.

    "Jeez, Don''t shout, Lili!" We just laughed enjoying our time.

    "You guys are having fun huh." It''s Drake with his fellow party. They are using long lances and shields as weapons and offhand. It looks like they are all part of his cavalry group.

    "Drake! You did well earlier, sorry for your loss. I heard some of your guildmates got killed." Sieg said his support.

    "Yeah, they respawned now and doing well, lost just a little bit of Rank Progress but they''re fine. So Scy, what are you guys doing here?" Drake asked.

    "Oh, the whole marketplace is full of people. We decided to go here to check the area and also rest for a bit before the competition starts.

    After that, we talked a bit more.

    -After a couple of hours-

    The Fourth God, with his fellow members, just arrived here too. He doesn''t seem to be earthy at all. Maybe he''ll show it in the tournament. His armor is also pretty cool huh. He also has spare weapons to use. Not bad for a God Rank.

    (DAIMOND / EARTH WARRIOR: S

    EQUIPMENT: SWORD OF BEDROCK / BASTION''S ARMOR SET

    MASTERIES: EARTH / NORMAL WEAPON)

    "So the Earth God caught your attention huh. His name is Daimond and they call him The Solid Bedrock. You''ve already met Miss Celeste, right? She may be called the Strongest Earth Magic user but only for female spellcasters. Daimond is not just strongest, but also considered as one of the Gods. We haven''t fought yet but I''m pretty sure, defeating him would be hard for me." Drake explained. Well, his name suits him well. Earth God huh... Maybe he can do better than that brat. She should be able to fully utilize her Soul this time.

    "TOT TOTOTOT!" That is the signal that the tournament is starting soon.

 Chapter 60: Lilis Fight

    -Order of Light Arena-

    "Aheem Aheem. Magic Speaker test... Magic Speaker test... Aheem." The old geezer is testing if the speaker sounds are clear but we all know he just wants to get our attention.

    "We are now going to start the Monthly Tournament! This month''s tournament is going to be more exciting than those previous tournaments because today, all the strongest players are all going to join us. Every month, players are becoming more and more powerful. Their blood and sweat they have sacrificed will be put on a test! A test where the best fights the bests! That is why players who took their time training, hunting and exploring the world of New Life Online will fight in this arena! Let the Tournament begin!" The old geezer speech was really cool huh. A good way to start the tournament.

    "WOOOOOH! WOOOOH!" The cheers and shouts of the people around the arena echoed throughout the whole city. You can feel the excitement around the arena. I''m also getting more and more nervous because people around the world will watch the whole tournament. It will even broadcast this competition live on TV.

    "YOHOOOO! Let''s now relax people of the New Life Online. We will explain the rules of the tournament so please listen very well. The total participants are 256 people. You need to win eight times in a row to win the tournament. You will win if your opponent surrenders, got outside the arena, incapacitated or killed in battle. There is no time limit, so you can fight to your heart''s content. Participants are allowed to use any kinds of weapons, tools, mounts, pets, supplies or any other useful things to win the match. Thanks to our best builders, participants can now go all out and not destroy the arena because it was built to fully absorb the impact of any attacks without breaking the arena. The Order of Light''s best supports will also make a barrier for the crowd in case the battle went overboard. The pairing of participants would be random so it''s pretty normal if you fight your friends or guild members. Let''s Start the First Match!" Aika explained. This is going to be a hell of a game. There will be 128 fights today. Jeez, that''s a lot of fights.

    Today my fight would be at the number 56 match. That''s still a lot of fights and waiting.

    "The first match is..." The first fights are not worth seeing. They are just random guild officers from various guilds. I watched the whole fight. Most of the fights were one-sided. It''s either "I kill you" or "I surrender" and some trash talks from both of the fighters. They prefer surrendering than fighting to avoid losing their Rank Progress.

    "The winner is Venum, guild leader of Serpentes!" Aika announced the winner on the 20th fight. That was the fight of Venum, he really is strong but too bad his enemy was weak so I didn''t see anything that will show any weaknesses. You can''t even call it a fight.

    Some of the Thirteen Gods won the match without any problems. Even their trusted guild officers like Warden, Mari, Azzie, Deandre, and others also won. It''s now Lili''s turn.

    "I''m getting nervous. I hope she win without getting hurt that much. Her enemy looks strong too." Akko worriedly said.

    "Don''t worry, just trust her abilities. We trained very well." I tried to calm her down.

    "The next match is Lili, Scythus party''s trusted support"

    (LILI / PRIEST: A

    EQUIPMENT:

    HIGH QUALITY SPELL CASTER WAND(GOOD MAGIC DMG BOOST)

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.ROBE OF MAGICIAN(LOW PHYSICAL DEF BUT HIGH MAGIC DEF. INCREASES MANA LIMIT AND REGEN WITH SLIGHT BOOST IN MAGIC DAMAGE)

    MASTERIES:

    HIGH-RANK LIGHT MAGIC

    HIGH-RANK CLOTH ARMOR)

    Versus Covra, one of Serpentes best assassins," Aika announced. Serpentes huh. This will be a fast fight I think.

    (COVRA / POISON ASSASSIN: A

    EQUIPMENT: SERPENTES DAGGER(HIGH DMG BOOST WITH POISON EFFECT)

    SERPENTES ARMOR SET (MID DEF WITH LESS WEIGHT INCREASING ONES MOVEMENT SPEED AND HIGH POISON RESISTANCE)

    MASTERIES:

    HIGH-RANK POISON MAGIC

    HIGH-RANK LIGHT WEAPON)

    "Ready, Fight!"

    *TIIIIIING!* The bell rang that signals the start of the fight.

    "Covra rushed towards Lili as soon as the battle started! He''s preparing to attack! How can Lili defend with her fragile and soft body from her attacker?" Aika excitedly said though the fragile and soft body was a nice touch.

    "POISONOUS STAB!" He pointed his dagger at Lili aiming for her body. Getting hit by a poisonous dagger would put you at a disadvantage. But Lili knows better.

    (POISON MASTERY - Every hit has a chance of inflicting poison upon using mana. Higher level has increased in damage, longer duration and harder to cure.)

    "LIGHT GOD''S HAMMER!" A giant light hammer came out from above and dropped towards Covra! It was a fast move that if caught you by surprise, it could stun you.

    (STUN EFFECT: Cause the target to seize from moving for a short period of time. Higher skill level increases the duration and higher chances of causing stun effect.)

    "Lili used one of her support spells that deal damage and stun a foe at the same time! But she missed!" Aika commented. She really missed. Covra read her movements and avoided the attack fast enough by moving sideways from right and left.

    "Haha! Just as I thought! Take this!" Covra prepared another one of his attacks. He is fast! He must have a good Agility.

    "LIGHT PRISON!" Before he got near Lili, she managed to create a cage made out of solid Light properties that imprisoned Covra in an instant.

    "What the hell is this?!" He tried to struggle but it was decided. It was already Lili''s win.

    "LIGHT PRISON PUNISHMENT!" The cage squashed Covra with a powerful force. He tried to struggle and stopped the light prison to squeeze him but Lili got good amount of mana to spare. Though, he didn''t die but only lost consciousness.

    "The winner is Lili!" Aika announced. That was a fast fight.

    As soon as she finished the fight she went to our place.

    "Yay Lili! Good job!" Akko said her congrats.

    "Nice work Lili!" Elou also said.

    "For a girl with a fragile and soft body, that was really a good fight." I teased her a bit.

    "Hmp!" She just pouted but also smiled while looking away.

    After that, it was my turn next.

    "The next match is Scythus, the infamous murderer versus Vulkhan, the Leader of the Obsidian''s Pit Guild!" Wait, what?! What the heck? Did she just say Vulkhan? The hell''s with my luck?! The way she introduced me really sucks though.

    (VULKHAN/ FLAME WARRIOR: S

    EQUIPMENT:

    DRAGON SWORD(<u>A SWORD FROM THE SCALES AND FANGS OF FLAME SALAMANDER, HIGH INCREASE PHYSICAL AND MAGICAL DAMAGE AND CAN ALSO INFLICT BURN AND DEF REDUCTION</u>)

    OBSIDIAN ARMOR SET (HIGH FIRE RESISTANCE AND HIGH DEF)

    MASTERIES:

    MASTER FIRE MASTERY

    HIGH-RANK HEAVY WEAPON)

    "AHA! Scythus first fight is with Vulkhan, the Third God! For those who hate Scythus, it''s your time to cheer!" Damn it Aika. Putting oil in the flame...

    I entered the arena with just my trusted equipment, sword, and shield but compared to him, as a guild leader, he wears the best equipment he could wear. I''m not going to lie but my chance of winning is uncertain. If he really is strong as they said, I might go all out today. Damn it! I was hoping for just a warm-up fight, but this is just ridiculous...

    He entered the arena fully equipped with a good armor and a giant sword flame infused sword. Last time he was using a lance and equipped with a helmet so I didn''t see his face, maybe because he is riding a horse. You can feel his aura around. He may be just standing there but you can already feel his power. I can''t stop trembling from excitement. My first fight is with one of the strongest. If I defeat him, I will be considered as one of the strongest around here.

    "Are you guys ready?" Aika asked us. We just nodded to show we are ready to fight.

    "Ready, Fight!" She shouted!

 Chapter 61: Fire God

    -Order of Light''s Arena-

    Vulkhan used his Battle Stance. He drew his sword and started to move. He wasn''t preparing to attack yet but instead, trying to read my moves. He may not be as fast as me but I know that he has more constitution and strength which made him tougher and stronger. I''m still not sure aboutl his intelligence though. A simple mistake could cost my life.

    "They started to use their Battle Stance. That means they are preparing to attack and we will see soon who will land the first hit!" Aika commented.

    Vulkhan decided to charge at me carrying his giant sword. His sword is not normal. It was infused with fire magic which means if I get hit by that, even with Shade''s passive, I will receive damage and because he is one of the strongest, that will hurt like hell for sure. Avoiding his attack is my only choice.

    DRAGON SWORD(<u>A SWORD FROM THE SCALES AND FANGS OF FLAME SALAMANDER, HIGH INCREASE PHYSICAL AND MAGICAL DAMAGE AND CAN ALSO INFLICT BURN AND DEF REDUCTION</u>)

    On the other hand, his armor is the best I''ve seen so far with fire resistance so using fire spells won''t work against him. No wonder they''re famous for having members with high fire mastery.

    OBSIDIAN ARMOR SET (HIGH FIRE RESISTANCE AND HIGH DEF)

    "FLAME SLASH!" It was just a regular slash technique with fire magic. I already predicted his move before he released his attack. I dodged it on time and hopped backward but while I was in mid-air... Huh??

    "FLAME WAVE!" He connected a combo! The first move was just a start! A wave like the Red hooded girl used when we fought but with fire, is flying towards my direction!

    "DARK SLASH!" I deflected and broke the wave of flame but what the heck?! He was already above me! The second move was just a diversion!

    "FLAME SLAM!" This time he used an attack that will force me to hit the ground! It was a push technique to knock your opponent down. But it will not work! I twirl my body mid-air in the right direction to avoid the slash and countered with a kick! But the force of his swing was too strong that it forced me to fall and failed to attack! Damn it!

    It was like the combo of Zeth but this time this is more powerful because of the flame enhancement! After his third attack, he dives down to hit me again! I will be having a hard time evading the attack because I''m falling and can''t move or change my direction!

    "FLAME SLASH BARRAGE!" He slashed the air multiple times creating flame waves! The waves are flying towards me! It was like raining fire!Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "Vulkhan used one of his signature moves! The FLAME SLASH BARRAGE! Is this the end of Scythus?! Let''s see what will happen!" Aika excitedly said.

    I used my fire boosters to increase my falling speed and not get hit by the flame waves. The moment I land the arena I used one of my special moves.

    "DARKNESS!" In an instant, the side of the arena where I landed was covered in dark smoke. It was to hide my presence and at the same time avoid the attack.

    "Wow! That''s the infamous dark smoke he used when he escaped the Order of Light City when they are chasing him!"

    *BAAM BABABAAM BAAM!* The flame waves hit the whole area where I was in but because of my fast movements, not even a single wave hit me.

    "Tsk..." He clicked his tongue. He didn''t expect that I could dodge all of his attacks...

    "That was a nice combo but now, I will show you what I can do," I let him attack me earlier, but now I am going to attack back.

    "Phantom Blade..." I whispered. My sword was infused with dark magic. The effect of the spell is to ignore physical defenses.

    (ELEMENTAL EQUIPMENT ENCHANTMENT: Infuse weapon or armor with an element. Different types of element offers different effects.)

    I swiftly charged to him and prepared to attack. As soon as I enter his range, he tried to attack me with his sword swinging it sideways.

    *SWOOOSH!* I jumped upwards to evade his attack while releasing darkness and the moment I landed, I swiftly slash his back. My sword passed through his armor and rips his flesh inside to his waist. He failed to defend or evade my attack because his vision was hindered by my darkness spell.

    "Damn you!" He''s pissed!

    He swung his sword towards me but that was what I expected. I ducked below avoiding his sword and once again slash his left leg and rolled away. My attacks didn''t end from that. After rolling I sneaked behind him and landed a powerful stab on his back leaving an obvious wound!

    "PHANTOM ETHEREAL BLADE!" I landed a massive attack!

    "AHH! You''re really pissing me off!" He didn''t die from that. It looks like I was right about his constitution. He''s really tough. No wonder he''s the Third God.

    "Scythus'' attack was very effective! Is he really going to win against the Third God? What do you think old... Guild Leader?" She almost called him the old geezer. Haha.

    "Aheem. From what I can see right now, is that Vulkhan is really holding back and trying to test what Scythus is capable of." Are your eyes really that poor?

    "I''m trying to save my moves for later when I get to have a chance of my revenge to Zeth but you are really pissing me off. I''m gonna kill you this time!" His eyes are filled with anger.

    Is this the attitude Drake was talking about? He should really calm down. There is no need to be that angry. His body is still covered in his own blood from my previous attacks. That would really sting a bit. Ugh... It seems he is using his monster''s soul! I can feel it!

    "FLAME SALAMANDER''S WRATH!" He shouted. Flames came out of his body and his armor changed. His armor was like a scale of a dragon and his hands are dripping fluid that can melt anything it touches. This is his Flame Salamander''s Form huh. I''m in trouble!

    (FLAME SALAMANDER / BOSS RANK: B

    -One of the Rare Bosses known for guarding the base of the tallest Volcano. The Flame Salamander has the power to create powerful flame storms and regenerate its wounds making it one of the most formidable monsters of NLO)

    "Vulkhan used his Monster''s Soul! Fellow people of New Life Online! Is it just me or Vulkhan is getting hot in here! Make sure you guys drink something cold while enjoying the show!" Aika and the crowds are really getting excited.

    This time he''s now calm and serious. I think this will be the start of our real fight.

 Chapter 62: Shade

    -Order of Light Arena-

    (WARNING: Powerful hostile player nearby.)

    "Getting serious huh... You should take it easy. I''m not going anywhere." I provoked him to attack me. A person who lost his temper can''t think straight.

    "You''re provocations will not work. Do you know what the wonderful ability of the Flame Salamander is, besides its tremendous heat?" Hmmm... I''m not really into brainy stuff.

    "Hmmm... Eat a fly using your long elastic sticky tongue?" Haha. That''s a good joke from me.

    "Tsk... You''ll see it soon..." He said. He walks towards me and his wounds caught my attention...

    It is being healed! His wounds closed up and the bleeding stopped. There are even no signs of wounds or scars. So it was the regeneration huh. That''s like cheating!

    (WARNING: Strong attack incoming!)

    "Now, you will die painfully. FLAME SALAMANDER''S TAIL WHIP!" It wasn''t literally a tail but a swing from his giant sword that released a flame wave that is like a long whip!

    He started swinging his flame whip randomly hitting every part of the arena! It was really long it even reached the audience seats! It was easy to dodge but its destructive power is undeniably strong!

    "KYAAAAAA! HEEELP!" Crowds started to panic. They are afraid they might die if got hit by the flame whip!

    "Vulkhan is out of control! He''s really going all out!" Aika commented.

    "MASS BARRIER!" Supports from Order of Light City and Other Guilds joined forces to protect the crowds! Is he out of his mind? Why is he using something so powerful attack that he doesn''t even care what he hits?

    "BAAAAM BABABAAAAM!" The flame whip hit the barriers and the barriers didn''t even budge. The unity of people who protect themselves shows how powerful they can be.

    "FLAME SALAMANDER''S TAIL DRILL!" This time he twirls the long flame wave and makes it as if it was a drill! He''s aiming for me! This madness should stop now!

    "TITAN''S GIANT FIERY FIST!" If I can''t dodge it, I will stop it by force!

    "BOOOOOOOOOM!" A powerful explosion occurred and the whole arena was covered in flame! Thanks to the mass barrier, people are safe from the attack.

    (WARNING: Afflicted by burn effect.) Sh*t, even with good fire resistance, I still got on fire.

    "Scythus stopped the Flame Salamander''s powerful firepower with his fire! It was like a battle between fire users!" Aika excitedly said.

    The explosion damaged me but not too much. Thanks to my Fire Mastery''s passive which increases my Fire Resistance. It stings really bad though. Vulkhan''s also receive small wounds but in just a couple of seconds, they were healed in an instant.

    "That was only a small power of my Monster Soul. My next move will burn you to crisp." He is preparing his sword trying to focus his mana into it. After that, he jumps upwards and pointed the tip of his sword below. He''s aiming for the whole arena. So I can''t evade his attack!Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    "FLAME SALAMANDER''S OVERHEAT SLAM!" He charged at me with his sword falling from above with great speed and covered with a great amount of flame! This isn''t just a simple fire spell. You can consider it as Master Rank flame!. Higher than Master rank will be Grand Master Rank but they say that even Zeth or Aurora hasn''t reached that kind of mastery level yet.

    (WARNING: Powerful attack incoming!)

    "Shade! Let me borrow your power! SHADE''S WRATH! SHADOW FORM!" I once again transformed to my shadow armor state. The power of the transformation is overflowing through my body. I need to stop him now!

    ("SHADOW FORM" Activated.)

    (MONSTER SOUL FORM: Using the power of the monster soul, a player can improve their fighting abilities based on the affinity of the player with their monster soul in exchange of mana usage per second. Higher affinity gives them better boost.

    MONSTER SOUL FORM AFFINITY

    -First Form - Low affinity

    -Second Form - Mid affinity

    -Third Form - High Affinity

    -Final Form - Perfect Affinity)

    "SHADE''S DARKNESS FLAME!" I focused my mana on my hands and burst it out with the element of darkness and fire. I need to put more power to destroy his momentum to stop his attack and destroy him!

    "BOOOOOOM!" I hit him before he reaches me! But it only stopped his movement! His powerful flame protects him from my counter! He''s still aiming to end the fight by pushing through my attack!

    "You can''t stop my absolute force! Losing is not an option! Taste my ultimate! FLAME SALAMANDER''S DRAGONIC RUPTURE!" He is going all out! This is his last resort move! I can tell. His flame power started to move again faster this time! This is bad! If he hits the arena, there''s no way I can survive the explosion even with high fire resistance!

    He''s falling in greater speed with his whole body and weapon infused with dragonic flame! There''s no choice, I am saving this for later but if I lose here, I won''t be able to fight later. I have to defeat him!

    "Shade, we will show them the fruit of our training... get ready," I whispered to Shade.

    "Damn brat, going to show off again. I should have killed you when you''re still weak." Harsh as ever, Shade.

    "Jeez, is that how you show your love to your master? Let''s just do it and get over it!" This time Shade will give more power but it will burden my body. If I can''t defeat him using this move, I''ll definitely lose.

    "SHADE''S WRATH! SECOND FORM!"

    ("SECOND SHADOW FORM" Activated.

    -Higher increase in overall power and higher mana consumption.)

    This time, my black armor changed again and it covered my whole body. Flames oozing from my body. The affinity of my fire mastery and dark magic is really good that it boosted my magic power a lot. I''m not going to lie but I look really scary with this form. Ugh... I need to focus. I''m in a middle of a fight and not enough time to admire myself. The only disadvantage of this transformation is it reduces my movement speed because of the burden to my body in exchange for more power.

    "SHADE''S FLAMING SCYTHE!" And because I am still using my mighty flame to stop him from falling, I didn''t really use the move I just chant it to sound cool but I empowered my dark flame instead.

    (WARNING: Mana is severely low.) I got that really well... I can''t spend more of my remaining mana or my attack will be cancelled before it even hits him.

    "What the hell?! Who are you to be able to use a form like that?! Damn it!" Vulkhan shouted in shock! He didn''t expect me to use a second form while he can''t. This is the first time we met but this is how it ends...

    *BOOOOOOOM!* His flame body and sword power didn''t hold up and shattered... with nothing to protect him from my devastating attack, my dark flame pulverized him to dust even with his high fire resistance... His regeneration won''t help him this time. The whole arena was covered in flame from the explosion.

    (Hostile Player has been killed.)

    "What the hell happened?!" The old geezer still can''t believe what he saw.

    "What is that form?! A Higher Monster Form?! We haven''t seen anyone use a second monster form. Your monster soul should be really close to its master to be able to use their soul to its fullest! It''s like you are transforming more and more like your Monster soul!" Aika explained after I defeated Vulkhan. No wonder that lizard guy was really shocked after my attack hit him. Oh... damn, I''m tired. I used everything I''ve got.

    "And now, Scythus is the winner! It may be unbelievable but it''s true!" Aika announced. Do you hate me too?!

    People inside the stadium were speechless after seeing what happened... that a mere murderer killed a God.

 Chapter 63: Emilys Inn

    -Order of Light Arena-

    Most of the Thirteen Gods were really shocked by what happened.

    "So you really did get stronger this time. Too bad for Vulkhan, he''s becoming weaker." Zeth thought he will be the one who will defeat Vulkhan and no, Vulkhan is not becoming weaker but he was just unlucky to fight me.

    "A man not in the ranks of Thirteen God defeated the third strongest huh. Not bad, I can''t wait to fight you and take my subordinates'' revenge... B*tch" Do you really have to say that... Siren?

    They have their new target now. They still can''t believe that someone like me used a second monster''s soul transformation. Vulkhan hasn''t unlocked his second form so I got a huge advantage earlier. But I still don''t know if other Gods already unlocked it. But I doubt it after seeing their expressions.

    I went back to our spot after winning. My group and other friendly guild leaders rushed towards me to congratulate me.

    "Wow, I never thought that you could really defeat him! That was an intense fight!" Drake''s pretty excited.

    "Yeah, I don''t know if I could even win against you now." Siegriel, that''s an exaggeration. Siegriel is strong too.

    "Thanks, I just got lucky,"

    "Scy! That was really cool. Congratulations on your win! Take your rest. We know you are really exhausted right now." Akko congratulated me.

    We returned to our seats to watch the other fights. Most of the fights are usually one-sided. It was like my fight was the main event of the evening. Elou and Akko finished their fights without any problems too. The first 128 fights ended within just four hours. The longest fight was my fight with Vulkhan.

    The next matches will begin around 4 am in the morning and hopefully will end around 6 am because people need to go to work and they are making the schedule available for a time when people aren''t busy or not working. After that, they still have no announcements.

    -Order of Light West Gate-

    We still have a lot of time and because the City is still filled with people, we decided to leave and go to the simple village nearby.

    Hmmmm... as we went outside, we saw someone familiar.

    "Hello there, guys. I saw your fights earlier. That was really great. The fight between Scythus and that flame guy was really awesome." It''s the innkeeper from the simple village.

    "Oh hello there, thank you for watching. Anyway, we are planning to go back to your village?" I asked because I saw her going out of the city too.

    "Yeah, it''s too crowded here. I just want to eat some food at my inn. Are you going to our village?" She asked. Knowing we are going to have a match later, she might think we don''t have time to go somewhere else.Stolen story; please report.

    "Yes. We''re going there because we can''t do anything here. This place is full of people. It''s hard to buy stuff and rest anywhere. We can accompany you, if you want. It''s pretty dangerous out here." I asked her.

    "Let''s go then, traveling with you guys makes me feel safer from monsters. I''ll treat you something later." She said. Wow, that''s a nice deal.

    "Don''t worry. I will protect you from any harm. I didn''t get your name from last time. Can you please tell me?" Elou asked. I thought he was a womanizer, but he just looks like someone who is really trying hard.

    "Ahmmmmm... It''s Emily." She answered.

    (EMILY: UNRANKED)

    "Welcome aboard, Miss Emily." Akko welcomed her.

    Lili, as usual, is just silent from the corner. We decided to go to the Simple village.

    We used to travel back and fourth after training to the simple village to rest but it''s so weird now that not a single monster can be seen. We probably really just became stronger that monsters are hiding from us.

    -Simple Village-

    After traveling for around ten minutes, we arrived at the Simple village. It''s still the same as we visited it days ago. Of course, it won''t change in just a couple of days, what am I thinking?

    The place is completely deserted. Not literally deserted, but there are no people around.

    "It''s like a ghost village," Akko looked around.

    "Yeah. Earlier today, they decided to go to the city because they want to watch the tournament. They locked their houses to make sure no one will just steal things around here." She explained. Well, even their guards aren''t here. It''s really not good to leave the place like this.

    We went inside the Inn to rest and eat some food.

    "Here you go. It may not be as good as the City''s tavern delicacies but it''s not that bad either, I think." We ate the food she cooked for us and it was really good. If we have her as a party member, we can eat good food while training and it will be a good motivation for us.

    "Thank you for the treat, Miss Emily. Anyway I''m Akko, the blonde guy is Elou and the cute one is Lili. I know you know Scythus from his explosiveness earlier." She introduced us to her. Explosiveness she says.

    ("LEGENDARY RANK FOOD BUFF" received for 24 hours. Increased all stats dramatically.)

    What on earth is with this buff... I looked at the others but it seems that they are not paying attention to the system. One day... you''ll be one of us. I shouldn''t mention this to anyone for now...

    "I already know your names from earlier, I watch the whole fight and I am a fan of you guys. And I don''t believe the bad things they said about you." Wow, she''s really an angel with her pretty face.

    "Thank you, Miss Emily. You''re really a good person." She really is, Akko.

    "No need to be formal, just call me Emily. The one I served you is one of my specialties that boosts your stats a bit. It will help you guys with your match later. If only I have better ingredients, I can cook for you guys better food with better buffs." A bit, she said... but what on earth is better than a Legendary Rank buff?

    "Don''t worry. It''s enough for us to win our next match. We will visit your inn when we have time." Akko''s really enthusiastic when food is on the table but it looks like she doesn''t really know what kind of buff she got like the others.

    "Well, we need someone who can cook for the party but I guess you can''t leave your inn." A little try won''t hurt.

    "Yeah, this is all I have and I don''t have any fighting masteries so I can''t really be much help to you guys." Though having someone like her would be really good, too bad.

    "How about you guys rest upstairs and I will call you later before your match." She suggested.

    "Thanks again for the food, Emily." Akko replied.

    We rested for a bit and chitchatted for a little. We also watched the stars and moons in the sky outside the window. After a week of straight training and hunting, now we have to fight in the tournament. A simple relaxation soothes our body and mind.

    "Hey guys, it is time to go. We should get going now." Emily said.

    "We will be right there Emily," Akko started packing again.

    We decided to go back to the Order of Light City and watch the next matches even though we know that it will like the rest of the fights earlier. I hope I don''t get to fight another strong opponent this time.

    We traveled back and before we are almost at the entrance of the city, some dudes stopped us from going inside...

 Chapter 64: Forgetful Sister

    -Order of Light''s West Gate-

    (WARNING: Hostile players nearby.)

    "Hello there, fellow adventurersh. To enter the chity, you need to pay shome toll fee. It ish not that exhpenshive, jusht one gold coin per head ish enough." A familiar voice and way of talk caught my attention... It''s Two-Teeth again...

    (TWO-TEETH / WARRIOR RANK: B)

    "You haven''t changed two teeth... you still do dirty works, even the way you speak." I pointed out.

    He''s still funny. I looked back to see if Emily is scared but... she''s also really trying hard to prevent herself from laughing. Even the others...

    "Are you laughing at me?!" This is the first time he talked normally.

    "Sorry, we are not laughing at you. Even if we like to give you gold coins, we can''t because we are totally broke."

    "Haha! You guysh jusht don''t want to pay. Shorry but you can''t passh." Though I don''t think it''s a problem at all because I can just kill them right here right now.

    "Want me to take care of them Scy?" Elou suggested.

    "No need to do that. We need to avoid making troubles around this area. We are not really welcome here remember." I answered.

    "Hey Two teeth, just let us pass. We still have matches later in the tournament." I don''t really want to waste too much time here.

    "Haha! Are you lishtening to thish guy? He shaid he hash shtill matchesh? Dude, are you high?" I don''t know how dumb he is but this is just too much to handle.

    "Boss, I think they are Scythus'' party, the one who defeated the Third God, even stronger than our Guild Leader." One of his lackeys said. Now, even his subordinate is even smarter than him.

    After looking at me carefully...

    "Oh... Aheemm... Shorry Mr. Shythus... Go on ahead, I apologizhe for the disturbanche." Finally, he realized. Damn two teeth wasting my time, though it''s nice to see him harassing lowbies around here.

    "Thanks, I thought I''m going to be having a warm up before my fight. Let''s go guys." I think they don''t remember us when we met in the cave near the wolves'' area. We''re really different from before anyways.

    "Don''t mention it. Mr. Shytus" For heaven''s sake... it''s Scythus.

    -Order of Light''s City-This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    We entered the city and went straight to the Stadium. As usual, the place is filled with crowds. They are already cheering and excited.

    "This time, the second matches will begin! 64 fights will be held in this arena. They are the ones who won the first matches. Who will survive the second matches?! We will find out soon! Our first match is..." Aika started announcing the first match this round. This will not last that long.

    We watched the fights that are going on... This time, the matches are not like earlier. Some of the fights are one-sided and some are tough fights but it didn''t last that long.

    We all managed to pass the second matches without any problems. Lili fought one of the hearth fire officers; Akko fought one of the Storm Seekers and Elou on one of the Feywilds. I fought one of the Dark Brotherhoods without any issues. The buffs from the food we ate earlier really boosted our stats. If only we really can have Emily as a party member.

    "Yay, we all passed. Thanks to Emily''s food, for some reason I''m stronger than usual." Akko''s right. It did really help us.

    *Nods* Lili seems to be liking the buffs as well.

    "Yeah, that''s a great buff I guess. Let''s visit her again later for her food. It will be really good if we have her as one of our members. Anyway, let''s continue to watch. We might get some info about their tactics and techniques." I suggested.

    We continued watching the fights but as it ended, we didn''t really learn something new from the first round. I hope we somehow win the third match like this but I''m sure it will not be as easy as the first two fights.

    "The second matches ended. We will be continuing the tournament later at ten pm again. You guys rest and get prepared for later. The third matches will be a bit harder and more exciting. I''m pretty sure about it. It will start at exactly ten pm so guys, make sure to have a bowel movement check to make sure you can watch the whole fights without break. Have a good day people of New Life Online!" Aika announced the schedule of the next matches. That means if the third match will start at ten pm, we might get to fight three battles later. I hope not. That would be tiring as hell.

    It''s already past six am. We should go take our breakfast first before going back to the game.

    "Hey guys, why don''t we just log out for now? We really should have a game break sometime." I suggested. Too much gaming is really bad.

    "Of course, and because we don''t have plans for today, we might only just take our breakfast and enter the game as soon as we finished eating. We will wait for you later Scy." Elou replied. Hmmm, do they even have another plan other than playing all day?

    "Sure, see you later guys,"

    -Aries Home-

    As soon as I woke up, I prepared our breakfast as usual. I woke the girls up like they are my own daughters. We started eating and to lighten up the mood, I asked some questions.

    "Hey guys, how''s the tournament?" Mari seems to be doing fine based on her aura today. She''s pretty motivated, I can see.

    "It''s great, no problems so far with my matches. I''m not sure about my third match later though. All the participants are really strong." Mari''s right, there''s a lot of strong players.

    "Mine''s great too, I hope I get to fight with that fire girl from Scythus party. We need to settle our fight from last time." Azzie really wants to have a rematch with Akko. Why, the heck, are they having this cat fight... girls and their grudges.

    "How about you bro?" I startled a bit... that surprised me.

    "Ahmmm, I didn''t pass the first match. It''s too much for me I guess." I lied. There are only 64 people left in the tournament and if I told her that I passed she might look for me and that means trouble.

    "Aw... That''s too bad. We still have next month''s competition, you can always join. I hope we could meet soon in the game." Woooh... that caught me off guard. If she knew that I am the one who caused their problems, I don''t know what she will think of me...

    "Oh, I am always trying to remember your name but for some reason, I can''t seem to remember it. What was your name again bro?" Oh hell no...

 Chapter 65: Armored Guardian

    -Aries Home-

    Why did she decide to ask that now...

    "Oh, it is Shytus. For some reason, one of the players has almost the same name as mine. That guy whit creepy magic spells." I am seriously bad at lying on the spot.

    "Oh right. I thought at first he was you. I guess I''m wrong. Anyway, we will go back to the game after we eat because we need to do something first. See you later Bro!" Thank God, it worked somehow.

    "Sure, good luck with your match later."

    Ugh... thanks to Two-Teeth with his funny way of talking, she somehow bought my lie.

    After I cleaned and did what I need to do, I decided to go back to the game.

    -Order of Light City-

    "Hey Scy. Why do you always log in so late?" Elou asked.

    "I told you before I''m doing the entire housework in our home. How about you guys? It looks like you guys don''t do anything besides go online."

    "Aheem, not to brag but we have some housemaids in our house. Let''s just say, our parents are really working really hard." Akko... that''s not something you brag about.

    "That''s convenient. It''s ok then. We still have the whole day to prepare. So what''s the plan?" It seems they are rich people, yet they tried to win against me for free food.

    "We can now visit the Tavern here in Order of Light city. Most of the people around here already logged out to go to work or other things they need to tend to. How about we visit it?" Akko suggested. It''s still crowded but not like night time.

    "Sure, let''s go."

    -Light''s Tavern-

    "Hello there Scy, it''s been while. I watched your fights and you guys were awesome!" The Tavernkeeper welcomed us with his girly way of talking but deep voice, it''s so weird.

    "Thanks. We came here last night but it was filled with people so we left the tavern. Your business looks great huh." The event increased his profits really well.

    "Yeah, how about some drink? It''s on me." He gave us good juice to drink, worth the visit!

    "Wow, thanks a lot! We are getting a lot of free stuff lately. Haha." Elou laughed.

    "Haha. By the way, you guys should be careful about your match later. You might fight one of the Gods later. I haven''t heard any update about them but one of the talks around here last night is that some of the Gods also have second monster''s transformation which is new to me too." He whispered to us. Good info, this will be tough for us.

    The rumor wasn''t exactly true but there''s still a huge chance that it''s true. I thought I''m the only one who can do that right now after weeks of life and death training.

    "Really? That sucks. I hope it''s just a rumor. I don''t want to die in the tournament and lose Rank Progress so if I''m in the pinch, I''d rather surrender. I guess." Akko''s worried and every progress is sweat and blood for us. We suffered too much and trained like hell to reach what we are now. Losing it would be heartbreak for us.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "It was just a rumor so don''t worry that much. Just be careful." I said. It''s hard to fight well if we are worrying about that but it''s still a good thing that we can expect the worst. It''s always good to save something behind our sleeves.

    We finished drinking but for I wonder why we didn''t get a buff like from Emily''s food. After chatting with the Tavernkeeper, we decided to move out. Our next destination is back to the simple village for the buffs. It''s kind of time-consuming traveling back and forth but the buffs are worth it. We can also rest there without too much noise outside. Simple Village is the place for solitude.

    -Simple Village, Emily''s Inn-

    We traveled again to the Simple village. Thank God, Emily is here. We ordered some food from her and rented a room to rest. It''s already noon time. We didn''t even realize.

    We once again logged out from the game to take our lunch... Just as usual.

    -Order of Light City-

    After idling around and enjoying our time the whole day, it''s already ten pm and the start of the third round of the tournament.

    "This time, the third matches will begin! 32 fights will be held in this arena. They are the ones who won the second matches but who will survive the third round?! We will find out soon! Our first match is..." Aika started announcing the first match this round. Only 64 participants left huh...

    Most of the fights were tough, so far there''s no clash of Gods yet. That means, not even a single one of them lost besides Vulkhan. It''s now the fight of Akko...

    "Our next fight is between Akko, Scythus'' party''s Fire Spellcaster

    (AKKO/ FIRE MAGE: A

    EQUIPMENT:

    HIGH QUALITY SPELL CASTER WAND(GOOD MAGIC DMG BOOST)

    ROBE OF MAGICIAN(LOW PHYSICAL DEF BUT HIGH MAGIC DEF. INCREASES MANA LIMIT AND REGEN WITH SLIGHT BOOST IN MAGIC DAMAGE)

    MASTERIES:

    HIGH-RANK LIGHT MAGIC

    HIGH-RANK CLOTH ARMOR)

    and Deandre, Order of Light''s best Defender!"

    (DEANDRE/ GUARDIAN: A

    EQUIPMENT:

    ORDER OF LIGHT SWORD(A SWORD BLESSED WITH LIGHT ELEMENT. INCREASE DAMAGE AND SLIGHT LIGHT ELEMENTAL DAMAGE)

    TOWER SHIELD OF LIGHT(A LARGE SHIELD BLESSED WITH LIGHT ELEMENT. CAN BLOCK STRONG PHYSICAL ATTACKS WITHOUT KNOCKBACK AND ONLY SLIGHT DAMAGE. STRONG MAGIC DAMAGE CAN STILL CAUSE SLIGHT KNOCKBACK WHILE RECEIVING A PORTION OF THE DAMAGE.)

    ORDER OF LIGHT HEAVY ARMOR SET (HIGH DEF WITH GOOD MAGIC DEF. HIGH RESISTANCE TO BLINDNESS AND LIGHT ELEMENT ATTACKS.)

    MASTERIES:

    MASTER-RANK SHIELD MASTERY

    HIGH-RANK HEAVY ARMOR)

    This will be a tough one for Akko, a pure defender versus a fire spellcaster huh. Not only that, Deandre has good set of equipment I can tell to counter enemies with long range attacks.

    Defenders are at a disadvantage when fighting spellcaster because they wear heavy armors that counter warriors and archers but very weak to spells, though Akko failed to defeat Deandre the last time they met.

    Lili didn''t even cheer for her sister...

    "Ready, Fight!" Aika signaled.

    Deandre used his defensive stance as soon as the fight started. He prepared for the worst case scenarios and plans to defend. But this isn''t just the last time. Akko''s firepower is greater than me without my Monster''s soul power.

    "If you are not going to attack, I will! FLAMETHROWER!" She released a straight cone of flame towards Deandre, but he defended from it like it was nothing by blocking. He should be weak to magic spells. As I looked closely and checked him, he was covered in some kind of buff. It was a buff that reduces magic significantly! Damn, how did he learn that?

    "I felt nothing girl. If you were a boy, I could say you hit like a girl. Haha!" Jeez. He''s really a jerk.

    "You really know how to talk to a lady huh. How about this? Oh Fire Goddess, lend me the power to turn my foes into ashes. FLAME MAGIC ENHANCEMENT! FLAME PRISON!" This time, Akko used a spell that looks like the spell of Lili, but Akko''s prison is covered in flames! Her magic attack also rose dramatically because of her buff.

    "Wow! Deandre now is covered in flame! We can''t see what''s happening inside of the prison because it''s in flame! Is he going to survive?!" Aika asked excitedly. I can still feel his aura that means he''s still alive. I know Akko can sense it too.

    "INCINERATE!" She added more flame into the prison! This is really hard to watch. We don''t know if Deandre is burning alive inside the prison.

    "Not bad girl, but it will end now! ARMORED GUARDIAN''S WRATH!" What the heck?! He also has a monster''s soul!

    (ARMORED GUARDIAN / BOSS RANK: C

    One of the officers lead by the Iron Knight( BossRank: B))

    He broke out from being imprisoned in flame upon creating a shockwave after hitting his tower shield to the floor! His armor changed into a full defensive gear. Even his shield became so big he can easily defend from attacks. What now Akko?

 Chapter 66: Scorching Akko

    -Order of Light Arena-

    Unlike Shade, Armored Guardian is just a regular boss but it''s tougher than regular ones. Its defensive capabilities are top notch and can even hold the most powerful attacks but it also lacks some offensive power based on NLO wikia. Akko wasn''t surprised by Deandre''s transformation and it seems she even expected it.

    "So you got a new Monster Soul but can you really defend from my spells?" I didn''t know Akko can be this aggressive!

    "You think you can defeat a guy with Monster Soul with just regular skills? Show me what you''ve really got, girl." Man, I would be really worried defending against her attacks.

    "Ok then, FLAME UP!" Akko is still calm and I guess she really improved a lot from our previous adventures. She doesn''t even use her wand or staff now as her weapon and only using her pure magic stat.

    "Let''s make things hot shall we? SCORCHING AURA!" She released a powerful aura that burns everything it touches. The whole stadium started to feel hot! With all these power up spells, her mana should deplete faster.

    "UNITY BARRIER!" The supports now used their barrier to protect the people from her aura.

    "It''s like we are inside an oven! This girl is on fire!" Aika commented.

    Deandre still hasn''t made his move but I don''t think he can do anything right now with the heat inside the arena while being close to her.

    "FLAME HURRICANE!" She released a powerful whirlwind made of fire! The whole arena is burning in flames.

    "Ugh... Damn it!" Deandre started to lose a lot of health, I can tell by how he defends from her attack using her magic barrier. Even with his magic protection, he can''t win without attacking. With the range between them and the overflowing heat around the arena, he will be having a hard time wining against her.

    "GUARDIAN SHIELD RUSH!" He is running towards Akko with his shield up, bold move.

    "FLAMING WAVE!" This time, Akko released a powerful wave made out of flames! It pushes Deandre back and making him hard to attack.

    "Ugh! I never thought I would use this spell on this match. GUARDIAN''S ULTIMATE MAGIC BARRIER!" This time his body is covered in a spherical magic barrier! It nullifies all the magic that will harm him! This is like a cheat skill!

    As soon as he cast that spell, he ran towards Akko with great speed. He will not let the opportunity to pass.

    "Not bad metal junk! You will now melt like ice cream! BLAZING METEOR!" A large ball of fire appeared above and hit Deandre! It was a total hit and he can''t dodge the attack but...

    "OVERHEAD POWER SLASH!" He appeared after the explosion unscathed! That magic barrier thingy did a really good job! He jumped and attacked Akko!

    "FLAME SHIELD!" She created a shield made out of a fire. That was quick thinking. With low agility, Akko can''t evade attacks that much even if she just wears clothes and not using heavy equipment.

    "BAAAAAM!" Akko''s fire shield got hit by Deandre and exploded! Fire shield doesn''t only protect the caster but also deals damage to those who attack her but with Deandre''s magic shield he was uninjured.

    "Your shield really is annoying," Akko''s starting to lose a lot of mana and patience. Their fight is taking longer than usual.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "You got a good shield too but it won''t last that long. SWORD STYLE STANCE! BLADE STORM!" It is one of the advance warrior techniques. Not bad. He once again prepared to attack with the magic barrier on but this time, he''s trying to lessen defending and focus on attacking.

    "I won''t let you! FIRE BULLETS!" Small concentrated fast fireballs flew towards Deandre. Every fireball exploded like they were large fireballs! If Deandre doesn''t have that barrier, the attacks would have pierced through his body! The attacks didn''t work! He''s already at the range to use the attack!

    "TAKE THIS!" With great rage, Deandre once again tried to send powerful attacks towards Akko!

    *BAAAAM!* Akko once again created a shield and it exploded but Deandre didn''t stop from that! He moved even faster this time and connected some attacks more!

    "Ahhhhh!" Akko got hit at the back! She was injured this time. With low constitution, she can''t afford to get hit too much.

    "I will end it now! BLADE FINISHER!" He prepared a hard swing to defeat Akko for sure this time.

    "Your mother would really hate you if she saw you hitting a girl! FIRE BOOSTER!" What the?! She copied my move! Well... it''s not like I owned that move. Before Deandre hit her with his sword, Akko used fire booster to escape from his range evading his final move.

    "Damn girl! Why don''t you just stay still?! I can''t cut you when you are moving!" Deandre is getting pissed with the events. He could have defeated her earlier but she escaped perfectly in time.

    "Sorry for that. But I want you to know that what we did earlier was just a simple warm up." Akko once again provoked Deandre knowing he''s angry and she''s out of Deandre''s range. Warm up she says but I can tell that she''s also having a hard time and I don''t think her mana can hold any longer.

    "So much talk from someone who''s almost dead. Does your wound hurt?" While walking towards Akko swinging his sword showing to her like it''s an easy match. He''s excited to end the match this time.

    "Let me show you what a lady like me can do when she''s mad. SCORCHING NYMPH''S WRATH!" And now she used it...

    (SCORCHING NYMPH / BOSS RANK: B

    One of the rare elemental Nymphs. Nymphs posses great magic power and they say that they are the Queens of the Elemental Sprites.)

    Her clothes transformed into somewhat shorter this time... Because nymph monsters don''t have that much cover in their body, it also affects its owner''s armor. Her body is now covered in flame but still maintains her appearance. You can feel the overflowing magic power over her body, though her outfit is really inappropriate for minors.

    "Wow! Earlier, she''s the girl who''s on fire! But right now, her hotness even caught the eyes of the boys around here!" Aika, that''s inappropriate.

    Scorching nymph is a fire type rare boss we found when we were hunting around a cave. The cave was incredibly hot even we''re at tundra which is weird so we checked the cave and found the boss. We defeated it, dropped a soul stone and decided to give the monster''s soul to Akko because their elemental affinity.

    "Gosh! I really don''t want to use this because it is really embarrassing but you left me no choice!" Akko, no need to explain. Her sister''s eyebrows are almost hitting each other... pouting. I think she really doesn''t like the costume.

    "Wow, you look great. But showing some skin won''t make you win! YAAAH! BLADE STYLE SWORD TORPEDO!" He swirls his sword while running aiming for Akko''s defenseless body.

    "Let''s break your shield first. Can you handle the heat? SCORCHING NYMPH''S SACRED FLAME!" She released a concentrated beam of flame this time! It was fused with the flame of the nymph''s magic!

    "UGHHH!" Deandre was stopped by the flame! The flame was still being nullified by the shield but the force was too much for him so he''s standing steadily to not get pushed back.

    "That was just my simple spell, how about this! SCORCHING NYMPH''S SACRED ERUPTION!" She released a powerful flame below Deandre''s feet before he could even notice and tossed him in the air!

    "WAAAH!" Deandre shouted while in mid-air! It looks like he''s screwed. What is she planning now?

    "SCORCHING NYMPH FLAME FUSION BURST!" She combined her flame with the nymph''s flame to create even more powerful flame attack! This time a giant fireball with immeasurable power is flying towards Deandre! A move that can even defeat one of the Gods!

    *BOOOOOOOM!* Deandre''s Magic barrier cracked and erased him like dust... At that moment, people cheered!

    "WOOOOH! I LOVE YOU! MARRY ME!" A lot of guys shouted various statements shouting their affection and love towards Akko! She is now undeniably one of the hottest girls on New Life Online, literally.

    "And the winner is The Scorching Hot Akko!" Aika announced... Now she got a cool signature name... how about mine?

 Chapter 67: Reapers Revenge

    -Order of Light Arena-

    Akko won the match with just light injuries. After her match, she met with us and Lili healed her. She overused her mana but she can recover before her next fight later.

    "That was reckless. Akko... You should have ended it faster. If he has good damage and luck, he might have killed you in just a single hit." Elou''s right. Well, ignoring her constitution, with her current power right now she can even fight Vulkhan, as long as she won''t get hit.

    "Thanks, Elou. Don''t worry, it was all planned and I win and alive ok? Anyway, good luck with your fights too later." That''s right, we still have our fights.

    After watching fights from the other participants, it''s already Lili''s fight again.

    "The next match is between Lili, Scythus'' party''s trusted support

    (LILI / PRIEST: A

    EQUIPMENT:

    HIGH QUALITY SPELL CASTER WAND(GOOD MAGIC DMG BOOST)

    ROBE OF MAGICIAN(LOW PHYSICAL DEF BUT HIGH MAGIC DEF. INCREASES MANA LIMIT AND REGEN WITH SLIGHT BOOST IN MAGIC DAMAGE)

    MASTERIES:

    HIGH-RANK LIGHT MAGIC

    HIGH-RANK CLOTH ARMOR)

    and Venum, the Guild Leader of Serpentes!" Aika announced.

    (VENUM/ POISON SPECIALIST: S

    EQUIPMENT:

    SERPENTES'' DAGGER (COMMON DAGGER OF SERPENTES GUILD, HIGH ATTACK AND ATTACK SPEED COATED WITH POISON AND CAN INFLICT POISON NEGATIVE STATUS.)

    SERPENTES'' ARMOR SET( COMMON ARMOR SET OF SERPENTES GUILD, MID DEF AND MAGIC RESIST WITH SLIGHT INCREASE IN MOVEMENT SPEED. HAS HIGH POISON RESISTANCE.)

    MASTERIES:

    MASTER RANK POISON MASTERY

    HIGH RANK THROWING WEAPON)

    This is bad! Assassin versus support, that''s a really one-sided match up. Without someone to protect the support, support is basically a prey to an assassin but an assassin in a wide arena and no where to establish an ambush is also at a disadvantage.

    "Lili, are you going to be ok? He''s the guild leader of the Serpentes and we saw how he fought earlier, he''s really strong." Akko is worried. We are all worried. You can see in the face of Elou that he knows how strong an assassin is in a 1v1 fight.

    "..." Lili''s calm and not a single sign of fear can be seen on her face. I don''t know if she''s just good with her poker face or she really is confident.

    "Ok, just make sure that you don''t get killed. Good luck!" Elou, she really needs a good luck.

    Lili and Venum entered the arena.

    "Ready, Fight!" Aika signaled the start of the fight.

    Venum without saying anything charged towards Lili. He''s really fast, fast enough to get close to Lili''s range in just a couple of seconds.

    "This is a payback to one of my guild members... POISON STING! Ssss..." Venum threw one of his daggers towards Lili, so fast that naked eyes won''t be able to see it. But she was prepared for such attacks. And it looks like he has a grudge after Lili defeated one of his guild officers.

    "ULTIMATE BARRIER!" This time she created a barrier that fully protects her body not only from the front but also a full sphere barrier protecting from all kinds of attacks from different directions. This is like an ultimate defense. The dagger hit the barrier and flung towards the ground.

    "That''s a good defense. How about this! ASSASSIN ACCELERATION! Ssss..." He increased his movement and attack speed dramatically. With that skill, he can continuously attack and evade attacks in exchange of energy.

    "FLASHING DAGGERS! Sssss..."

    *BAAM BABABAAM!* He attacked Lili''s barrier multiple times with his enhanced daggers. You can hear the sound of his weapon hitting the barrier. The attacks were powerful but Lili still maintained her barrier well.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "LIGHT GOD''S HAMMER!" A giant hammer appeared and ready to hit Venum.

    *BAAAM!* The hammer hit the ground! Venum with his fast reaction evaded the attack perfectly with just moving that no attack can keep up.

    "IMPALING DAGGER! Ssss..." He once again charged to Lili with his dagger, but this time his weapon is covered in a powerful aura. It was a skill that enhances the weapon''s penetration!

    *BAAAAM!* She still blocked it but it looks like her barrier is almost at its limit. The last attack of Venum was a concentrated penetrating attack that hits a certain spot of the barrier. Unlike those heavy big attacks, the barrier can easily defend from them because heavy attacks cover the large part of the Barrier making the damage spread. But on Venum''s case, his attack penetrates like a pickaxe easily cracking a stone.

    "IMPALING DAGGER! Ssss..." Another attack from Venum! He hit the same spot, this time his attack pierced and finally destroyed Lili''s barrier!

    "LIGHT GOD''S PUSH!" Before Venum land his fast attack, Lili used a skill that pushes away foes. Venum got knocked back but he didn''t stop from that. It looks like he has good crowd control defenses to move instantly after being pushed back.

    "SILENCING THROWING DAGGER! Ssss..." Because Lili''s barrier just broke, she can''t create a new one fast enough to defend from the attack.

    (WARNING: A party member is afflicted with "Silenced" Status) I got a system message... Lili''s in danger!

    "SWOOOOSH!" She managed to evade it by moving side way as fast as she can but the dagger scratched her left arm.

    "Did it hurt little missy? Ssss..." He provocatively asked. The attack was really fast but it didn''t damage Lili that much.

    "Uu...." Lili tried to use a spell but for some reason, she can''t speak! It''s not weird at all because she doesn''t talk that much but this time... she can''t literally cast any spells!

    "Are you saying something little missy? Sorry, but I guess my last attack is already taking its effect. Ssss..."That''s one of the assassin''s skills that can make the target have the "Silenced" status for a while making them helpless because they can''t use skills but can still use physical attacks. But this time, Lili''s only strength is coming from her spells. Without her spells, she can''t fight back!

    "You know, it''s really not good to end the match that fast... How about I we make it longer? POISON THROWING DAGGER!" Lili tried to avoid the attack but the attack hit Lili''s right leg! Her evasive ability is really near as nothing. This is really bad. She is just suffering!

    (WARNING: A party member is afflicted with "Poisoned" Status)

    "Uu..." She moaned in pain ... Lili started to lose her leg''s strength and fall down on her knees... The poison is already spreading all over her body. She can''t even scream from the pain! This is really hard to watch!

    Venum came up to her.

    "This is the payback for one of my members... Ssss..." He slashed Lili''s right arm with his dagger!

    "Uu...!" Lili!

    (WARNING: A party member''s health is low.)

    "Fellow people of New Life Online! This is really not good to watch with your children! This is horrible! I can''t believe someone can do something like this to a child like her!" No sh*t, Aika! Lili''s really not doing well. There''s no way she can win at this state. Even if she wants to surrender, she won''t even able to say it. And I don''t think she''s a child!

    What a cowardly thing to do! Using a silencing attack on a one on one fight! Lili''s health is really going down fast with the poison and the injury she is getting injuries from the attacks of Venum.

    "And because you look like you are really going to die soon... I will slowly kill you..." Venum is a psycho! Damn it to hell!

    He slightly stabbed Lili''s legs and arms. You can see Lili''s crying face in anger and suffering! She can''t even surrender because she can''t speak! If she can feel the pain like it''s in real life, it would be even worse but the game only let the player feel at least 10% of the pain yet... it still would hurt if it''s like this!

    (WARNING: A party member''s health is severly low.)

    "Oh God! Just end it already! Someone help her!" Aika started to panic.

    "We can''t. She is still alive and conscious. She also hasn''t surrendered yet." Damn you old geezer! You''re no help! How can she surrender if she can''t speak!

    Lili''s Hp is on its last drop...

    Akko... She''s trying to hold her tears... while holding her mouth away from screaming.

    "..." Lili whispered something... but we didn''t hear her. This time, her sufferings ended. I am not letting him get away with this and if he should die, I should be the one doing it!

    "Shade... He deserves to die multiple times... SHADE''S WRATH! THIRD FORM" The whole city started to darken. Thick black clouds covered the whole area. The only light they will see is the light coming from my flames...

    ("Shadow Death''s Third Form" activated.)

    "What the hell is that?! It''s a devil!" Aika panicked as soon as she saw me... The more I use my monster soul''s power, the more I become the monster...

    I jumped high at the center of the arena... The humiliation you''ve done to one of my friends is unforgivable... I will surely destroy your guild and kill all your members.

    (WARNING: A party member attacked you. "Sleep" effect resisted.)

    "Scy! Stop! You will kill all of us here!" Akko knows what I''m trying to do... even Elou shot me with sleeping arrows but didn''t work.

    "SERPENTES! FEEL THE HEAT OF THE INFERNO!" Even with the pain reduction, you will make you feel the taste of death!

    " HELL''S FINAL JUDGEMENT!" This is my payback for what you''ve done!

    (WARNING: Mana is severely low!)

    The only expression you can see on Venum is the face of a dead man...

 Chapter 68: Aegis Angel

    -Order of Light Arena-

    The blazing giant dark fireball was flying towards the whole arena. If that hit the ground it might explode and kill all the people inside the stadium even with the full unity barrier of all guilds supports combined.

    "People of New Life Online! Brace yourselves and pray we all survive the attack of Scythus!" Aika was also scared.

    Venum stayed still because he knows that even if he runs away, the explosion will still kill him.

    "UNITY BARRIER!" The supports started to cast their united barriers, it will not be a help to them though.

    "BEHOLDER''S WRATH!" Daimond used his transformation to help them. His body was covered in earth properties and from the looks of it, he was really prepared to defend from my attack...

    (EARTH BEHOLDER / BOSS RANK: B

    -This sphere shaped monster with huge eye in the middle is one of the strongest earth elemental monster due to it''s field vision and the use of the power of the earth. They say that a Beholder is the eye of the world.)

    "EARTH BEHOLDER''S ULTIMATE GRASPING HANDS!" Daimond created a giant hand that tried to stop or block my attack but it was useless. They call him the player with the toughest defense but will crumble to my power!

    The hands shattered the moment it hit the blazing giant dark fireball I cast! You need a better defense than that!

    "BASILISK''S WRATH! ULTIMATE SCALE OF PROTECTION!" It was Siegriel and his large shield made of solid rock! Not only that...

    (DESERT BASILISK / BOSS RANK: B

    -A deadly predator and what they call the king of the desert due to its raw power and ability to move faster in the sand. Also has the power to control the sand freely creating massive sandstorms.)

    "IRON KNIGHT''S WRATH! DEFENSE OF THE KNIGHT!" Zeth also helped out to stop my attack! He also created a large shield to stop the attack but both of their shields broke after touching my powerful attack!

    (IRON KNIGHT / BOSS RANK: B

    -Iron and Silver Knight are the leaders of the Royal Knights that defend one of the temple of the Gods. Due to it''s unnatural movement and power, it is said that it is blessed with the power of the Light God. When in the brink of death, it can deny even death.)

    "What the?! There''s no stopping on Scythus'' attack! Does this means he really is the strongest of them all?!" Aika announced in panic.

    Zeth, Sieg and even Daimond escaped the arena and hid behind the supports unity barrier in case worst happens.

    The fireball is almost at the arena! In a blink of an eye... Aurora came out of nowhere and appeared in the middle of the arena. She also will try to defend!

    "CHRONOS FAIRY''S WRATH! TIME STOP!" She stopped my attack but my attack didn''t disappear! That''s right, she can stop the time in certain areas but she can''t destroy or erase my attack!

    (CHRONOS FAIRY / BOSS RANK: B

    -A unique type of monster that rarely appears and defies the law of time. This monster is weak and fragile but with its unique power, it can even turn the strongest monsters into dust with a touch of a finger.)

    "Hey, old geezer! It''s your turn damn it!" Aurora shouted while maintaining her spell. It seems they are planning something!

    "WARP MASTER''S WRATH! INSTANT TELEPORT!" What the heck?! He used some kind of teleportation! He''s at the top part of the stadium but in an instant, he''s already beside Aurora!This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    (WARP MASTER / BOSS RANK: B

    -An elf who mastered the power of space magic. They said that this elf is a trickster, loves to tell lies or leave misfortunes on its path and no one has ever dared to catch it due to its power to move through once place unto another. The power of teleportation.)

    "WARP MASTER''S GIANT WARPHOLE!" Aurora stopped defending from my attack and a hole was created! The blazing dark fireball got sucked in! It was unbelievable! My powerful large attack disappeared!

    *BOOOOOOOOM!* A powerful explosion was heard outside the city! An explosion that can even erase half of a city! My attack didn''t disappear but transported into another place... That''s a clever way to defend.

    "That was Mr. Maximus'' ultimate move! The Giant Warphole! They said that he defeated the Warp Master and got its soul! Warp master is one of the rare bosses that only shows up rarely and has the power to create warps to escape hostile opponents!" Aika, we don''t really need those kinds of info.

    That old geezer is really something and hiding his power all this time. My revenge has just started...

    "You think that''s the end of it?! Get ready for the worst day of your lives!" I shouted! I''m still seriously pissed and my wrath hasn''t ended yet...

    (A party member has been successfully resurrected using the spell "AEGIS'' BLESSING")

    "Scy! Stop that!" How can this be?! It was Lili! She''s freaking alive! I really thought she was dead.

    "Lili! You''re alive!" I am seriously baffled.. I started to calm down and canceled my transformation.

    "Jeez, the fight still hasn''t ended yet and you attacked all you want. Go back to your seat and just watch..." Lili''s pissed at me or she''s always like that but how in the world is she alive? Though, I messed up... I shouldn''t have done that. Now, I''m the worst guy in this world. But wait... She can talk!

    "Lili is still alive and we still haven''t announced that Venum is the winner. That means the fight is still on! About Scythus'' reckless decisions, the higher-ups will talk about his punishment later." Ugh... damn, I''m in trouble.

    "Scy, that was really insane... Are you really going to kill us all earlier? Jeez." Akko said while pouting. She is also mad at me.

    "Sorry, I was just caught up on the moment. I thought for sure Lili died but thankfully she''s alive for some reason." I said my sorry.

    "Do you really think we would just stay still while that bastard do that to her? Next time, ask us first Scy. You know how much we care for Lili too you know. We already knew her next move before she died." Elou explained.

    "So she really died? But how come she''s alive?" I curiously asked.

    "Lili has passive that came from her Monster Soul stone. It was to be resurrected once a day if killed. But only half of her health and mana will return after she got resurrected." Akko explained.

    "Oh, but that means she''s still on the disadvantage right?"

    "Well, let''s see about that..." Akko seems to be calm even with all what happened earlier... Though, can she still win against Venum?

    "The fight will still continue after that madman created havoc earlier. Fight!" She signaled once again the start of the fight.

    "You really did play dirty earlier but it will not happen again, AEGIS ANGEL''S WRATH!" Lili can talk now but I guess it''s because she''s really pissed of being silenced from earlier. Venum seems to be startled of all what happened earlier. He knows that if he makes a single mistake their entire guild might get destroyed by someone.

    (AEGIS ANGEL / BOSS RANK: B

    - An angel known for its power to control life and death. They said it only appears to fight those worthy of her power.)

    "So I guess I''ll fight fair this time... You friend there has some anger issues... You should talk to him sometimes... Ssss..." Venum seems to be cautious of me.

    "I''ll get serious this time then... NOXIOUS VIPER''S WRATH!" His body is now covered in scales and his blades were like fangs of a snake filled with poison! He''s well known for his poison that the longer the fight takes, the more the poison damage you.

    (NOXIOUS VIPER / BOSS RANK: B

    - A giant reptile known to be the king of the reptiles that can be only seen in the depths of the swamps and one of the subordinates of the Hydra. It''s venom is enough to cause a monster to explode its blood out.)

    "VIPER''S POISONOUS FANGS!" That''s his regular poison dagger but this time, his movements are faster and hard to predict. His scales increase his movement and attack speed a lot.

    "ANGEL''S PROTECTION!" She created a barrier that protected her body from Venum''s attacks! After Lili''s resurrection, she already transformed into her Aegis Angel''s form.

    *BAAM BABABAAM!* Venum successfully landed multiple attacks but they were nullified by Lili''s defense.

    "Damn another barrier! You really don''t learn, do you? VIPER''S IMPALING FANG!" He prepared to attack again using the move that destroyed Lili''s Barrier! This time it is more powerful and concentrated...

    *BAAAM!* The attack was solid, but the barrier didn''t budge...

    "What the?! VIPER''S IMPALING FANG!" he used again the same move and hoped that this time, his attack would be effective...

 Chapter 69: Light and Poison

    -Order of Light Arena-

    *BAAAAAM!* Venum hit Lili''s barrier again but it was useless.

    Lili''s barrier is like an absolute defense! I''m sure using one of my powerful moves won''t even harm her with that kind of shield.

    "I think that''s enough free hits. ANGEL''S BLINDING LIGHT!" Woooah! A strong light hurt our eyes! You should at least warn us before using that!

    "What happened? We can''t see a thing after that strong explosion of light?!" Aika excitedly asked. From the move''s name itself, blinding is the keyword.

    "ANGEL''S LIGHT GIANT HAMMER!" A giant hammer appeared from above and dropped at Venum! Of course, I can''t see a thing after also getting hit by the blinding light but the move sounds kinda obvious and because Venum can''t see anything like everybody else, he tried to dodge but the hammer was just too big to avoid. As I said, I can''t see but I just predicted that...

    *BAAAAAM!*

    "Ugh!" Venum got hit by the giant hammer and can''t move! And I was right... That must have hurt really badly.

    "The way you hurt me earlier... you will also feel that pain but this time, you will suffer by tenfold! ANGEL''S LIGHT BLADE RAIN!" She raised her arms casting her next spell.

    The effect of blinding light on us faded but Venum still hasn''t because he got hit directly. Earlier was a giant hammer but this time multiple blades made out of light fell from the sky! Venum who is still affected by the blinding light and hammer''s stun effect is doing his best to move to not get hit by the blades by trusting his instincts alone... but it wasn''t enough.

    *SWOOOOSH SWOOOSH SWOOOSH!*

    "AHHHH! Ssss..." The pain is real after he received some injuries from Lili''s attack. The blades were too many to evade and scratched every part of his body! That must sting like hell.

    Lili''s defensive and supporting abilities are top notch but with her monster''s soul, she also got good offensive capabilities comparable to those spellcasters!

    "I''m not going to lie girl but you really got good abilities... this is one of my toughest fights after playing the game for a long time... But I will not surrender! Sssss... VIPER''S SLIPPERY MOVE!" Venum with his injured body slide to the floor of the arena! He''s fast!

    *SWOOOSH!* His body was covered in some kind of slippery liquid that makes him slide. He''s charging towards Lili!

    "You really don''t know when to give up! ANGEL''S ULTIMATE LIGHT BEAM!" Lili chanted her final move!This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Lili released a powerful concentrated wide light beam from her hands and aimed at Venum. With Venum''s fast forward slide, he can''t easily evade the attack. (KAME HAME HA!)

    "VIPER''S DEADLY CHARGING FANG!" Venum also tried to use his last move but he is still too far to attack Lili.

    *BZZZZZZZZZT! BAAAAM!* Lili''s beam hit Venum''s body pushing the light and hint of life out of him! Her move finally ended the match!

    Her attack was infused with power and speed of light that pulverizes her opponent when hit. It was a really powerful and fast move... Not even a trace was found from Venum''s body.

    "And the winner of the match is Lili! The Loli Angel!" Aika announced. And Loli Angel was a nice touch.

    "WOOOOH! BE MY SISTER! BE MY DAUGHTER! WOOOH!" The crowd cheered for Lili. With the dramatic fight scenes and being so cute, they already loved her... Akko and Lili got good cheers. How come I didn''t also get that much cheer from them? Jeez... unforgivable!

    "Lili! Nice Job Sis! Thank God you are alive!" Once she got to go to our seats, her sister hugged and congratulated her.

    "Yeah yeah... Just don''t hug me too much it''s really annoying..." Is it just me or she''s a bit chatty lately. She still hasn''t changed by still doing that tsundere act of hers.

    "Jeez, we all got worried you know. Even Scy here made a scene... But we are all glad that you are ok Lili. We thought for a second there that you really died but you won and that''s what''s important." Elou said. Lili was like a little sister to him so I know how worried he was earlier.

    "Well, sorry about earlier. It just got on my nerve, really..." I explained though I wasn''t expecting any positive reactions from Lili because of what I did. Sometimes, I forget that this is a game and not happening in real life...

    "Thank you for earlier... you were cool back there..." She said to me. What the?! Is this the end of the world?!

    "Wow! Don''t say something like that Lili! You are breaking your character!" Akko joked around.

    "Hmmp!" Lili once again pouted.

    After that, we just laughed from the moment and continued watching the other fights.

    -After a couple of hours-

    The only problems with the third round were Akko and Lili''s fights. Elou and my fight were not that easy but we managed to finish the match fast.

    When it comes to one on one fight, Elou who is well trained with his bow and melee combat, is very good. He can use range attacks when his enemy is away and easily evade and counter melee attacks from enemies when they get near him. When we were on our previous adventures, Elou really had trouble when enemies charged and attack him in melee combat but because of that weakness, he trained well so he can compete even with those good melee opponents.

    I''ve already seen Akko and Lili''s monster soul but I haven''t seen Elou''s yet. He told me he wanted to hunt a monster when we were training so I guess he got the monster soul by himself. We met Aegis Angel when we were at the top of the Icy Mountain. It was a really magnificent rare boss that protects a shrine made by the True Gods of New Life Online. That''s right, players who are the strongest are called Gods but there are also game-created-creatures that have the power to even surpass the World Bosses and they call them the True Gods. They rule the whole World of New Life Online from somewhere but the only clues we have are the shrines that were built by them. Though, most of the players think that this is only a myth.

    "People of New Life Online, the fourth matchups will start at exactly 4 am and hopefully will last till 6 am. Please watch the next match and enjoy the event!" Aika announced the schedule of the fourth round.

    We passed the third round with flying colors. The third round ended only after three hours so we still have like three hours to spend. Our only choice is in Emily''s Inn. We wanted to enjoy our break time to rest and enjoy the night sky. With that kind of relaxation, it will boost our stamina and reduce our fatigue, improving our fighting abilities not to mention, the food also increase our stats.

 Chapter 70: Elous Rival

    -Emily''s Inn-

    "Hey, guys! You''re back! Thank goodness, all of you won your matches." Emily welcomed us after seeing us enter her Inn.

    "Lili and my fights were really exciting. Lili really had a hard time though." Akko replied. That''s right. Lili suffered a lot of pain earlier.

    "Well, I really thought Lili died back there but we are all glad after she revived for some reason. Anyway, here are your food as always." We sat beside the table and she handed our food to us.

    "Thanks, Emily, you would really be a good wife someday." Elou started his cheesy pickup lines though Emily wasn''t really affected that much.

    "Lili''s fight was so close. We should be more careful and never underestimate our foes. If we can finish the fight sooner, we should end it fast to avoid unnecessary injuries. I''m feeling a bit tired after using the transformation earlier." I suggested. Lili was a bit careless from her fight and never expected a silence would be inflected to her that''s why she almost lost the match.

    "Yeah yeah... stop nagging, will you?" Lili is back to her tsundere attitude. I was just worried but I guess it''s for nothing.

    "Lili, stop that. Scy here is just worried about us. Don''t be a pain in the butt for him. Ok?" Akko scolded her little Sis.

    "Hmp..." Lili just pouted while we are eating our food. Elou really loves the taste and benefits of the food that he can''t even participate on our simple chitchat.

    -After a While-

    "Ughhh... I''m full! My tummy hurts..." Akko said while touching her belly.

    "You got that right... *buuurps*... Oops!" Elou that''s disgustang! Dang!

    "Haha. That was one hell of a burp. We should really rest soon and prepare for our match later. If we win the fourth match we will be in the second half of the tournament." Why do I always state the obvious...

    "Yeah, I hope we don''t get to fight another strong opponent this time," I hope too, Akko.

    "Well, eventually, we will still have to fight them in the future so it really doesn''t matter if we fight them now or not. Just make sure we are all prepared for the fight. Anyway Elou, you also should be careful this time. You haven''t met a strong opponent so you might be shocked when a God will be fighting you later." I once again told them to be careful. Just how worried am I?

    "Jeez, you are really taking things seriously. Loosen up a bit and enjoy the scenery now. I watched the sky for a couple of times but I still love it." Elou... I guess I worry too much.

    We rested for a while before going back to the stadium with Emily. Thankfully, we have the buff again from Emily''s cooking.

    -Order of Light Arena-

    "People of New Life Online! The fourth round will start now! Are you excited to see those people who are going to win later? We all are! This round, 32 participants will fight against each other! We should start the match before people get bored with my speech!

    The first match is between Elou, the Blonde Robin Hood from Scythus'' party

    (ELOU/ ARCHER: A

    EQUIPMENT:

    BEAST SHORTBOW(MADE FROM THE MATERIALS OF RARE BEAST. MODERATE INCREASE IN DAMAGE BUT WITH HIGH FIRING RATE, ACCURACY AND HIGHER CHANCES OF CRITICAL DAMAGE. RANGED IS LIMITED. BONUS DAMAGE TO BEAST TYPE MONSTERS)

    BEAST DAGGER(MODERATE INCREASE IN DAMAGE BUT WITH HIGH ATTACK SPEED, ACCURACY AND HIGHER CHANCES OF CRITICAL DAMAGE. BONUS DAMAGE TO BEAST TYPE MONSTERS)

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.BEAST LIGHT ARMOR SET (MADE FROM THE MATERIALS OF RARE BEAST. MID PHYSICAL AND MAGIC RESIST. INCREASES MOVEMENT SPEED AND INCREASE SNEAK EFFECTS. BONUS DEF TO BEAST TYPE MONSTERS)

    MASTERIES:

    HIGH-RANK WIND MASTERY

    HIGH-RANK ARCHERY)

    and Panthie... Did I say it right? Oh, thanks... Panthie, the Guild Leader of Feywilds and the sixth God!" Aika started to announce the first match. Though the Leader of Feywilds'' name sounds like a girl''s underwear.

    (PANTHIE/ HUNTER RANGER: A

    EQUIPMENT:

    FEATHERED SHORTBOW(MADE FROM THE MATERIALS OF AVIAN CREATURES. MODERATE INCREASE IN DAMAGE BUT WITH HIGH FIRING RATE, ACCURACY AND HIGHER CHANCES OF CRITICAL DAMAGE. RANGED IS LIMITED. BONUS DAMAGE TO WINGED BEASTS)

    FEYWILD ARMOR SET (FAMOUS ARMOR SET OF THE FEYWILD GUILDS. MID PHYSICAL AND MAGIC RESIST. INCREASES MOVEMENT SPEED AND INCREASE TAMING EFFECTS.)

    MASTERIES:

    MASTER RANK TAMING MASTERY

    HIGH-RANK ARCHERY)

    And damn, I knew it that he will be fighting a God this time! What a coincidence, the first fight is between an archer and a hunter ranger. They both excel in using long-range attacks and also fast when using melee attacks. This matchup would be really good though I''m a bit worried about Elou...

    They entered the arena without any questions.

    "Hello, Miss Pant... Panthie. I don''t really like hitting a girl so if by any chance you''re at disadvantage, please surrender. Your black outfit really suits you well though." Jeez, the first time he sees a woman in a fight and this is how he talked to her. Panthie has black hair and also wearing a black clothing and a hood.

    "...." The girl just didn''t answer all Elou''s nonsense jibber jabber.

    "Not much of a talker huh. Well, in that case, you should be really careful." Elou warned the girl.

    "Ready, Fight!" Aika started the fight.

    "SUMMON COMPANION!" Panthie started summoning one of her companions, a summoning technique that teleports a pet or companion from her own stable to the battlefield. As stated before the start of the tournament, pets and companions are allowed.

    (SUMMONING COMPANION - Using pacts with their companions (monsters, creatures or wildlife), they can summon them freely whenever they want and they have the ability to revive their dead companions with a long cooldown. Higher rank can tame more powerful creatures and even summon more companions.)

    Pets or companions when killed will become souls that go back to the caster and can be revived through summoning processes with contracts. Bosses can''t be summoned by players if their power or level is too low to handle.

    She summoned a Panther this time. Her name really doesn''t have any connection with her pet... at all...

    "ROOOOAR!" The panther fiercely roar with the thirst for blood and charged towards Elou! It''s fast!

    "Summoning technique, huh. What are you? A ninja?! RAPID ARROWS!" Fast three consecutive arrows are flying towards panther''s direction. Elou might have high dexterity but the range between them is still far so he didn''t get to have a good shot, also using fast attacks like rapid arrows decreases the accuracy. Not to mention he''s using a short bow that effectiveness only works when close range.

    *SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH!* All the attacks missed as the panther evaded them really good but because of constant and fast dodges of the panther, it''s next move was already predicted by Elou.

    "SNIPE SHOT!" The first shots were just to trick the Panther on moving to a certain spot and now he shot a fast powerful arrow that can easily one-shot monsters if they got hit on their weak spot. Snipe shot also has a high critical hit chance and damage.

    (CRITICAL HITS AND DAMAGE - Crit hit rate and damage depends on the target''s weak spot and with the element of surprise. Hitting a weak spot deals more damage and deals even more when a target is not aware of the presence of the attacker. Good assassins utilize the power of critical hits and damage.)

    *SWOOOOSH!* The arrow flew really fast that the only thing you see or hear was the sound of the friction of wind and arrow, fast enough that even your eye can''t catch up to its speed.

    "We will be having a panther meat for breakfast!" Elou excitedly said while expecting he will hit the panther without any problems. Panther can''t easily defend from an attack like that unless it was a panther with a thick shield... Of course, there''s none.

    *SWOOOOSH! CLAAACK!* An unexpected event occurred!

    Before his arrow hit the panther, an arrow from nowhere stopped and collided with Elou''s arrow! As soon as it happened, Elou already knew who shot the arrow. It was Panthie... Damn saying her name is really kind of embarrassing.

    "Tsk... You''ve got skill for an archer. Stopping my arrow with another arrow is really incredible. You might have a good eyesight and accuracy." Elou said while preparing to attack again while the panther is almost at him.

    "STEALTH CLOAK!" Elou chanted his next spell... what is he planning now?

    (STEALTH - Came from the Sneak mastery. Assassin''s ability to hide from the eyesight of weaker enemies. Higher Sneak mastery can hide a caster from broad daylight and even run without making any noise. Hitting a target while hiding guarantees a sneak attack that has higher chance of critical hit and damage.)

 Chapter 71: Elous Blade

    -Order of Light Arena-

    Elou faded from the night''s darkness and we were all shocked that he disappeared really fast. For me, I need to use my darkness to reduce enemies'' vision but Elou''s skill was really different and more effective for self usage.

    "Where did he go? We just saw Elou earlier but he disappeared! Participants really surprise us every match! Stay focused and watch the fight guys!" Aika is excited as usual.

    "You might not see him but a veteran player like me can still feel his presence. It''s just a matter of experience." The old geezer bragged about being an old geezer.

    Panthie was also surprised by what happened. Even the panther''s sensing abilities didn''t help it to find Elou. It was a complete stealth technique!

    *SWOOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH!* Multiple arrows flew towards Panthie! It was a surprise attack from Elou!

    She evaded the arrows in time with her swift movements. Her agility is really high too that even with Elou''s high accuracy, she evaded it all.

    "NIGHT VISION!" Panthie used one of her sensory techniques. That''s a skill that enhances the caster''s vision when fighting at night or in dark places.

    (TRACKING MASTERY: As a hunter and a tamer, tracking mastery is one of the mastery they prefer to easily track their preys down for killing for materials or taming purposes. Higher rank of this mastery can track even invisible monsters or players.)

    For some reason, she still can''t find Elou! This is really weird. We can''t even hear footsteps from the arena. It feels like Panthie is the only one on it.

    "KEEN SENSE OF SMELL!" This time, because night vision can''t help her, she decided to use a move that enhances one''s sense of smell. Though she was surprised!

    "ARROW RAIN!" It was Elou. He shot multiple flying arrows towards Panthie!

    He can''t be seen because he was in mid-air for a while. He jumped after using the stealth cloak and hid behind Panthie''s vision range but the sound of a flying arrow triggered her evasive instincts.

    The arrow rain flew like they were shot by a dozen archers! Elou''s archery mastery is really good to be able to shot that kind and amount of arrows in just a couple of seconds.

    "BACKTRACK!" Panthie for an instant dodge backward in fast succession, not a single one of the arrows even touched her. Her evasive maneuver and agility save her a lot by quickly backing off.

    "You really are good. It seems simple tricks won''t defeat you. You might be beautiful and my type but I need to win this match. My team believes in me. FALCON''S ENHANCED EYE!" It''s Elou''s skill that greatly improves his dexterity making his accuracy and critical rate increase significantly for a short period of time.

    "PENETRATING ARROW!" Elou used a skill that ignores a portion of target''s defense! If it hits her, that could deal so much damage!

    *ZWOOOSH!* The sound of the flying arrow this time caught our attention. This time, it''s even faster.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    *CLAAAAK!* Panthie tried to evade the attack but it was really fast! She managed to get away with it with a scratch on her shoulder, better a scratch than missing.

    *ROOOOOAR!* Her panther charges towards Elou the moment he appeared from hiding.

    *SPREAD SHOT!* Is that a new move?! Elou shot arrows in a cone''s direction! It was also fast and multiple arrows flew towards the panther!

    *Whimpers...* The panther tried to avoid but Elou''s attack was really fast and almost unavoidable. The panther died and turned into soul after dying and absorbed by Panthie.

    Panthie''s face looks really pissed. She seems to be holding back a bit but realized that Elou''s a worthy opponent that she can''t just play safe in a distance. From her previous fights, she just made her panther defeat her foes and she supports it with her arrows but now will be different.

    "SWIFT SHOTS!" Panthie decided to attack Elou this time and shot multiple fast arrows towards Elou.

    *SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!* The arrows missed her target! Elou may look like that but his evasion is also high, thanks to our training.

    After he evaded the attack, he checked Panthie this time but she disappeared too! The Swift Shots were just a diversion!

    "LETHAL FANG!" Panthie appeared from above and lashed out a powerful attack using both of her daggers.

    (WARNING: A party member is afflicted with "Bleeding" effect.)

    Elou was surprised by the attack that he used his arm guard to stop the attack but the attack was really powerful that it pierced his arm guard! He got a minor injury to his arm that caused his bleeding! The attack is not yet finished though!

    "VISCIOUS FANG!" Panthie once again attacked Elou after she landed the first hit. The attack was another forceful dagger stab technique. But Elou isn''t that dumb to make the same mistake.

    "BACKTRACK!" Elou copied Panthie''s evasive maneuver! He got away from Panthie''s range. As an archer, backtrack is really a good skill to use.

    "People of New Life Online! The fight between Elou and Panthie is really intense! Both of them almost have the same abilities and fighting style but how do we know if who will win the match?!" Aika also is a bit curious to know who will win the match. We all are.

    "SNIPE SHOT!" Elou shot another arrow but because of Falcon''s enhanced eye, It was more powerful and hard to avoid!

    "SNIPE SHOT!" What the?! Panthie also used the same move! Their arrows collided and fling to the other directions!

    Elou should change his tactics or this match will end before sunrise and be postponed though, it''s unlikely. He''s bleeding I could tell.

    "Ugh... This really sucks. WIND ENHANCEMENT! WIND ARROW!" Elou used again a new skill. This time it looks like his arrow has some sort of wind elemental properties!

    (WIND MASTERY: Wind mastery gives the user the ability to use wind spells and use the power of the wind to either support the player or used to attack enemies. Unlike other spells, wind mastery is the best for assassins as the wind cannot be seen.)

    *SWOOOSH! WOOOOOSH!* Panthie evaded it good but the wind pressure of the attack made her startled a bit.

    "Now''s my chance! TWIRLING BLADE!" He drew his two short blades and decided to use it as his weapon now. He successfully hit Panthie with his fast powerful attack! This time, her right leg got a minor injury and it will decrease her movement speed!

    He once again prepared to use another skill as a part of his combo... how come he doesn''t show me this kind of techniques when we were training! He must be hiding this skills as a last resort if by any chance we can meet in the arena...

    "STAGGERING BLADE!" He tried hitting Panthie and succeeded! It was like Zeth''s technique but weaker because Elou only uses short blades which is faster but also deals less damage.

    This time before he hit Panthie, She tried to parry it with her dagger but the effect of the staggering blade is to make her enemies'' defense weaker and a mild knockback and that''s the reason now why Panthie is on a tight spot!

    If Panthie won''t do anything right now, she will lose really badly.

    "WIND TWIRLING BLADE!" He is aiming for Panthie''s heart to end the match!

    "The Blonde Robinhood is aiming for a girl''s heart! Will he get her!?" Aika, that sounds cheesy...

 Chapter 72: Panthers Queen

    -Order of Light Arena-

    Elou is trying to finish off his enemy fast to avoid further problems but Panthie isn''t just your normal player. She is one of the Thirteen Gods and considered as one of the strongest so I''m sure she''s hiding her real abilities.

    "PANTHER''S QUEEN WRATH!" She used her monster soul form to get away from Elou! Her clothes and cloak were removed and changed into some kind of armor! Her melee weapon also changed into some kind of claw of an animal predator. Her Aura changed into some vicious animal that even a single wrong move can kill you.

    (PANTHER''S QUEEN / BOSS RANK: B

    - A hunter in the night and the leader of her race. Panther Queen has the agility and power of a dozen of panthers and being recognized as the commander of the claw of panthers.)

    Panther''s Queen is one of the rare bosses. Normal panthers can become a Panther''s leader which is a regular boss type and advance to Panther''s Queen or King which is Rare Ones. Panther''s Queen or King has better abilities when it comes to agility and dexterity which helps the player to be able to move faster and deliver deadly fast attacks. They are hard to defeat because it also means you are going to fight a whole animal race.

    Before Elou hit Panthie with his finishing move, Panthie evaded it so fast that she managed to land a counter attack!

    "PANTHER''S VISCOUS CLAWS!"

    *BAAAAAM!* Her attack was so fast that it caught Elou off guard.

    (WARNING: A party member''s health is low.)

    "Ughhhh!" Elou''s chest got hit by her attack! But it wasn''t enough to kill him in one hit but it was really powerful that Elou almost died!

    "STEALTH CLOAK!" Because of the wound, he decided to use his stealth to hide again from her to recover some of his health.

    What is your next plan? Can you really defeat her? Even Lili and Akko are really worried about him that they can''t even set their eyes off the fight.

    "People of New Life Online! It seems Elou is having a hard time now. Can he really defeat one of the Gods?" Aika excitedly asked.

    "From the looks of it, Elou right now is wounded and needs to change his plan or he will not win." Old geezer also commented.

    "PANTHERS'' QUEEN ABOMINATION!" She shouted.

    This time she summoned not only just one but multiple numbers of Panthers! They spread and looked for Elou and because Panthie''s already using her Monster''s soul form, her senses'' effectiveness are doubled.

    "PANTHER''S FLYING CLAW!" Panthie shot an arrow towards a certain location! Did she found where Elou is?This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    *CLAAAANG!* Elou deflected the attack with his blades! Elou survived and looks to be ok now. Did he use a potion to replenish his health while hiding? Potions can replenish some health in a short period of time but won''t heal injuries.

    *ROOOAR ROAAR ROOOAR!* The group of Panthers charged towards Elou''s location! This is bad! The Panthers are agile and powerful. They can easily slaughter him if they get near him!

    "I don''t only use blades, bow, and arrow but I also use spells you know." He bragged for no some reason. Did he just say spells? What kind of spells? I bet it is the Wind magic because he used it earlier too.

    "LIGHT WIND''S MOVEMENT ENHANCEMENT!" Wind aura comes out of his body and he did really look like the wind joins his every movement.

    The Panthers didn''t stop from running towards him but it seems he is prepared.

    "BLADE WHIRLWIND!" He used a powerful sword technique with powerful wind spell! He hit some of the Panthers and they were devastated by the attack! Every wave of the whirlwind cuts and severed enemies'' body! Attacking him carelessly will end your life!

    "WIND RUSH! BLADE TORPEDO!" He twirls like a fast bullet and killed some of the Panthers while passing through them!

    Elou is charging towards Panthie! Is he planning to attack someone with Monster''s soul transformation with just regular status? Is he insane?

    "PANTHER''S FLYING CLAWS!" Panthie shot multiple arrows at Elou while his charging towards her!

    *CLANG CLACLACLANG!* What the heck? Her attacks were useless! The wind magic protected him from getting hit by the multiple attacks. She is also surprised by what happened. It seems Elou is really stronger now from before. I underestimated him!

    "You think you are the only one who can use spells? PANTHER''S QUEEN LETHAL WHIRLWIND!" She can use a wind spell too? It would be weird if she can''t use wind spells! I know Panthie and her guildmates live in the forest.

    Her powerful wind spell stopped Elou''s special torpedo technique! Of course, her offensive capabilities were improved too.

    Elou after using the skill that didn''t reach Panthie, he sidestepped to avoid her continues wind spell attack! She''s like a different person after using that transformation! Her fighting abilities improved a lot. She can even find Elou when hiding.

    The remaining Panthers also charged at him! Elou seems to be a bit exhausted and can''t do something else!

    "PANTHER''S HUNT!" She used a skill that she can order the Panthers to attack Elou and also the ability to increase her detection chance when Elou used his stealth again, what a clever move.

    "PANTHER''S LEAP!" She jumped upwards in mid-air and drew her bow with multiple arrows! Is she going to use an arrow rain? But she can''t use something like that, right?

    "PANTHER''S HUNTING SPREE!" The Panther''s were in there enrage mode in an instant! Panther''s have a passive that they gain additional attack when they hunt in groups!

    "ROOOAR! ROAAR!" They are persistent after Elou showed up from his stealth mode.

    He was surrounded by the Panthers! Elou can''t easily fight back when surrounded because blade attacks are common for being a single target weapon because of its short feature.

    *Ughhhh!* He cried in pain after one of the Panthers scratched him with their claws and teeth! Elou is being slaughtered by her Panthers! He tried to fight back like earlier but this time. They are just being revived by her. This is cheating!

    Though it seems Elou hasn''t given up hope yet. I know he is just getting started and measuring Panthie''s overall power.

    "Ughhhh!" One of the Panthers bit Elou''s leg and he got multiple minor injuries from them! Not looking good, Elou! I told you to always get serious damn it!

    (WARNING: A party member''s health is severely low.)

    Elou''s health is really decreasing so fast with the Panther''s attacks! He can''t get away because he is cornered by the Panthers!

    "PANTHER''S QUEEN SUPREME ANNIHILATION!" She drew her arrow and charged a powerful attack from above to end Elou''s Life!

 Chapter 73: Garuda Beast

    -Order of Light Arena-

    Panthie shot her powerful arrow that has the power of Panther''s Queen!

    *SWOOOOSH!* The arrow flew towards Elou with full force! It''s not only just an arrow but the power of the wind and the devastating force can already be seen in that arrow! How can he defend from the attack while he is being surrounded by the Panthers?!

    "ROOOOOAR ROOOAR!" Even the Panthers also charged at him and tried to attack him to finish him off!

    Ugh! I can already feel that he is going to take this seriously! His aura changed and his body started to shine! Is he activating his monster''s soul? Well, that''s the only reason why I can feel it this way and also the only way to avoid the attackers.

    "GARUDA BEAST''S WRATH!" A Garuda Beast! Holy crap! That is also a Rare Boss! Where could he possibly defeat that by himself?

    (GARUDA BEAST / BOSS RANK: B

    - A wingless beast that has the speed and power to annihilate enemies using brute force. It''s said that with its wind power, it can jump as high as a winged Garuda can.)

    His leather armor changed into more defensive armor but also not that heavy to reduce his movement speed. His eyes and weapon also changed into the color of gold which I guess came from the Garuda''s features. You can feel the power from him!

    Garuda Beast is different from regular Garuda. A normal Garuda is a flying wyvern type boss that has the power to annihilate enemies with its pure brute force with the additional power from its flying abilities but this time, he got the Garuda Beast that lacks the flight ability but has better fighting abilities when on land. Garuda Beast doesn''t have wings so it relies on its speed on land to pulverize enemies.

    Before the Panthers reach him, he released a powerful wave after transforming into his Monster''s Soul form! Panthie, who''s still above, was also surprised by the transformation.

    "GARUDA BEAST''S RAZOR ARROW BURST!" He also shot a fast arrow to stop Panthie''s powerful attack!

    *BAAAAAAM! SWOOOOOSH!* Elou''s attack didn''t just stop Panthie''s attack but also broke it and his attack still flew towards Panthie! The force of his attack came from the brute power of the Garuda! Unlike Panthers'' Queen whose power relies on its dexterity and agility, Garuda Beast boost his strength a lot so his bow drawing ability improved dramatically which boosts the arrow''s damage!

    "Uggh!" Panthie got hit by the arrow beside her hips! It was a solid hit!

    She fell from above after getting hit and tried to regain her posture to get back to her feet, but her wound is really bad. If she continues to fight she might get killed.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "People of New Life Online! The tides of battle have been changed! Elou is having the upper hand now instead of Panthie! Did he just test out Panthie''s abilities? Is he going to defeat Panthie this time?!" Aika is really getting excited and worried for Panthie at the same time.

    "GARUDA BEAST''S ROAR BARRAGE!" Fast draw shots were fired multiple times that flew towards Panthie! He''s really going for the kill! He may be at his last breath too so he focused all he has left and decided to use it all at once to defeat Panthie!

    "PANTHER QUEEN''S PIERCING ROAR!" She shot a fast revolving arrow that has a silent sound that even the wind got pierced by it to counter Elou''s ultimate attack!

    *BAAAAAM! SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH!* Her final attack pierced some of the arrows of Elou but it wasn''t enough to stop all of it! She got hit by the arrows multiple times and there''s no way she can even fight back now.

    *WOOOOSH!* Her armor disappeared and her monster''s soul got canceled. That means she used all of her mana and almost dead. Her pride is keeping her alive. One of the Gods is being defeated by one of the members of the infamous party. Her Panthers were also disappeared after her aura is gone.

    "Panthie, let''s stop this. I really don''t want to kill you. Let me be your friend and let''s try again next time. This is only our first match and I''ll be looking forward to more." Elou tried to make Panthie surrender to end the fight without killing her.

    She really can''t fight anymore and there''s no reason to continue fighting. This is not about her pride but Elou''s kindness. His sincerity caught Panthie''s heart and decided to surrender. She might be a snob type of girl but she also knows what''s important and accepts her defeat. Elou, can really be something.

    "The winner is Elou, The Blonde Robin Hood!" Aika announced the winner of the first match of the fourth round.

    "WOOOH! Elou, you are such a gentleman! Be my brother! Be my Husband! WOOOH!" Random cheers and shouts can be heard from the crowds. After that, he returned to our seats while Lili heals him. For some reason, I''m really getting jealous of his fans...

    "Congrats Elou. You got my respect from that fight. You really were awesome. I hope we really can fight in the tournament." I congratulated him on winning.

    "Yay! Elou you won! You were really cool down there, being a gentleman. Congrats!" Akko also said her congratulations.

    "Good job..." Lili also tried her best to comment but at least she tried.

    "I just got Lucky. Haha. I thought I''m going to lose right at the last part of the battle but I was able to transform. That was my first time transforming in battle too. I haven''t tested it out yet but thank God it worked well." What the? It''s his first time to use it? He was really awesome out there. If he can control his power more, I''m pretty sure I will be having a hard time fighting him later on.

    "The first fight of the fourth round was really awesome guys! I hope we can watch more of it later! The next match is between Scythus, the infamous murderer versus Lionidus, the leader of the infamous Wild Lion Bandits! The fight is between both villains! Who will win?! We will find out soon!" Really? Is that how you address someone who fought and defeated one of the strongest players all over the New Life Online? Though Wild Lion Bandits sounds familiar...

    (LEONIDUS/ DEFENDER: B

    EQUIPMENT:

    LION SWORD(HIGH CLASS WEAPON MADE OF IRON. GOOD PHYSICAL DAMAGE)

    LION ARMOR SET (HIGH DEF AND LOW MAGIC RESISTANCE)

    LION TOWER SHIED (HIGH DEF WITH WIDER BLOCKING.)

    MASTERIES:

    HIGH-RANK NORMAL WEAPON

    HIGH-RANK SHIELD MASTERY)

    We both entered the arena to prepare for the fight. He seems to be pissed off by something I''m not aware of. His armor and shield really look familiar. I might have met him in one of the places around here or maybe at the elimination round...

    "READY, FIGHT!" Aika signaled the start of the fight.

 Chapter 74: Leonidus

    -Order of Light Arena-

    "So you really became stronger. The last time we met, you couldn''t even defeat me by yourself. But because you were ganging up on me, I didn''t really show you how strong I am. You will pay for the humiliation that day and because of what you''ve done, they imprisoned us! I used all my savings to buy a soul stone just to beat you today!" Hmmm... I can''t really remember but maybe it''s connected to the hideout we found when we are in the Order of Light City. Though, his equipment from that time was different from today.

    "Well, I''m sorry. You can try but I promise you, you can''t beat me." Of course, trash talk is normal between competitions like this but I can already sense how strong he is and from the looks of it... he is way weaker than one of the Thirteen Gods. He might have been lucky fighting weak participants.

    (WARNING: A hostile player nearby.)

    "YAAAAH! Taste the blade of my spear! SPEAR WILD THRUST!" He can''t even wait. He''s really mad while charging at me. He seems to be fast even with that equipment and a large shield.

    *SWOOOOSH!* I was able to dodge the attack because it was easy to avoid. With my agility, I can even evade attacks that are really hard to evade.

    "Damn sneaky brat! SPEAR PENETRATING SHOT!" He threw his spear at my direction! It was a fast surprise attack and hard to avoid.

    I turned around and hoped that my shield could defend from his attack but...

    "Ughhh!" That caught me by surprise... I shouldn''t have done that and just avoided the attack! The attack looks like a normal long range attack but it had a penetrating effect which ignored a portion of my defense and pierced through my shield. The damage was not really that high but I didn''t really expect that he could really do damage to me.

    "Haha! Did you feel it, right? Did it feel great? This time you will feel more of the pain you dealt with me!" Jezz! He really does hate me very much. He drew his spare sword to attack me again after he threw his main weapon.

    "SWORD PENETRATING THRUST!" He used his sword to attack me and try to kill me this time.

    *SWOOOOOSH!* He pierced my body and pass right through me like it was nothing... though it was literally nothing because shade helped me with its passive skill that physical attacks wouldn''t work on me... His first attack earlier hit me because Shade isn''t really paying attention and I didn''t expect it to pierce through my shield... or Shade''s just being an arse.

    "DARK SLASH!" I countered while he panicked after hitting nothing. I slashed his back really hard with the chills of the dead spirits.

    "DAMN YOU! SWORD PENETRATING SHOT!" Really?! He threw his sword again at me but it just got passed right through me... It was a useless and worthless attack, just a waste of energy from him.

    "ORC GLADIATOR''S WRATH!" He used his Monster''s soul as he mentioned earlier. His armor changed into some kind of gladiator armor and he got a large shield and long improved spear weapon. Is he going to attack me again?

    (ORC GLADIATOR / BOSS RANK C

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.A leader of a group of Orcs. It is said that to be an Orc Gladiator, one has to kill dozens in a survival arena.)

    Orc Gladiators are a normal boss type of Orc warriors. They are some kind of leader of the group.

    His spear this time releases an aura. It feels like it has magical power this time and if I got hit, Shade''s passive won''t work. I''m not really a kind of guy that makes the fight longer. I will end this now.

    "ORC GLADIATOR''S BERSERKER SLASH!" He is also preparing to use his ultimate move but it wasn''t enough to defeat me.

    "TITAN''S GIANT FIERY EXPLOSION!" How about a giant hand looking fire spell? And upon looking at him... he knew that he won''t win against me even with a monster soul.

    (A hostile player was incapacitated.)

    *BOOOOOOOM!* I used one of the powerful fire spells I have which exploded after hitting him. He was knocked unconscious because I hold back to not end his life. Killing him would be fun but I don''t really want people hating me so much.

    "Lionidus is incapacitated and can''t continue the fight! The winner is Scythus!" Aika announced that I am the winner.

    "BOOOOH! GO TO YOUR OWN HELL! YOU MADE MY DAUGHTER CRY! BOOOOH!" Really? I really want to erase all the people in this stadium...

    I went back to our seats and they congratulated me as usual. Only Lili and Akko''s the only one who needs to win to enter the fifth round.

    After that Lili and Akko fought one of the officers of different guilds. For some reason, the other Gods also didn''t meet the other Gods on their fights. The fourth round hasn''t ended yet, Warden, Bludgeon, Celeste and the leader of Storm Seekers hasn''t fought yet.

    "Our next fight is between Warden, the Vanguards Guild''s Guardian

    (WARDEN/ PALADIN: A

    EQUIPMENT:

    SWORD OF MANA (A MAGICAL SWORD THAT CAN BURN MANA UPON HITTING A TARGET. MODERATE DAMAGE BUT HAS GOOD ACCURACY.)

    ARMOR OF MAGIC RESISTANCE ( AN ARMOR INFUSED WITH GREAT MAGIC RESISTANCE. MEDIUM DEF BUT HIGH MAGIC RESISTANCE AND NEGATIVE STATUS EFFECT RESISTANCE.)

    SHIELD OF ANTI-MAGIC (A TOWER SHIELD THAT EMITS THE MAGICAL PROWESS. CAN BLOCK HIGH-RANK MAGICAL SPELLS.)

    MASTERIES:

    MASTER SHIELD MASTERY

    HIGH-RANK LIGHT MASTERY)

    and Vortz, the Leader of Storm Seekers and the Seventh God!" Aika announced.

    (VORTZ/ STORM MAGE: S

    EQUIPMENT:

    STORM SEEKER STAFF (A MAGICAL STAFF THAT INCREASES LIGHTNING DAMAGE. GREATLY INCREASES MAGIC DAMAGE AND HAS A SMALL CHANGE OF PARALYZING THE TARGET.)

    STORM SEEKER ROBE SET( A ROBE INFUSED WITH LIGHTNING ELEMENT. LOW DEF BUT HIGH MAGIC RESISTANCE AND LIGHTNING RESISTANCE.)

    MASTERIES:

    MASTER RANK LIGHTNING MASTERY

    HIGH-RANK CLOTH ARMOR)

    They both entered the arena to get ready. This will be a tough fight for Warden because Vortz is one of the Gods, not to mention this one is stronger than his Guild leader. Is this really going to be a fair fight? Doesn''t look like it, a defender against a spellcaster.

    "Ready, Fight!" Aika signaled the start of the fight.

    "DEFENDER''S STANCE!" Warden used his defensive stance that greatly improves his defensive abilities! He seems to be calm and trying to focus on the fight. He might be thinking that he should do his best in order to win the fight.

    *BZZZZZZT!* What the?! Vortz in a blink of an eye rushed really fast to Warden and managed to appear behind Warden! He is really fast! Maybe that''s because of his lightning spells. Lightning spells can greatly increase someone''s speed and accuracy.

    "STORM BREAKER!" A powerful charge of electricity was shot towards Warden! His back is exposed to his attack! What are you going to do Warden!

    "MAGIC BARRIER!"

    *BAAAAAM!* He used a skill that looks like the ones Deandre used! The attack was so powerful but he defended from it. His defense is covering his whole body that even a fly can''t get inside his barrier. Not bad Warden. At first, I thought you don''t have a chance but you are changing my mind right now.

    "That shield will not help you because I will break it! PIERCING LIGHTNING!" Vortz cast a powerful lightning spell that is powerful enough to pierce anything but it wasn''t enough to break Warden''s Spell! What the heck? I still haven''t seen how warden fight because the last time we met he just became a support for Siegriel.

    "They call me the Anti-Magic warrior in our guild because not a single spell can hurt me." I defender focused on magic defense. Awesome!

 Chapter 75: Shock Absorber

    -Order of Light Arena-

    "Is that so? I hope you can keep up with me." Vortz''s a bit confident.

    "Come and try it out." Warden provocatively said. He seems to be prepared and calm at the same time. Vortz is really faster than him by a lot and that''s a huge disadvantage on Warden''s part.

    *BZZZZZZT BZZZZZT BZZZZZZT!* Vortz moves like a lightning man! His fast movements created a sound of static electricity! It''s like a fire booster but a lightning version. Why didn''t he use that when we raced from the elimination round?

    "STORM WAVE!" He attacked at last! He used a wave of electric attack that has a wide area of effect. Good for a group of enemies but this time Vortz is trying to check if Warden has a weak point.

    *BAAAAAAAM!* Warden is still protected by his magic barrier! He got some good defense to defend from the attack. Is he going to just defend within the whole fight?

    "It''s my turn I guess. WARRIOR''S STANCE!" He changed from a defensive stance to an attacking stance. His magic barrier is still in effect. A magic barrier is ineffective when being attack physically so it was like a counterpart of Shade''s passive but they both have the same weakness. Using them requires continuous mana consumption so it''s really not good for long fights.

    "You want to fight me in melee, huh. I will show you my melee combat skills!" He doesn''t use any weapon but he uses a sword made of electricity. It looks cool if you ask me.

    *BZZZZZZZT!* So fast!

    "STORM BLADE!" He uses that lightning booster again to attack Warden with a speed burst. He slashed Warden with his electric blade but before the blade hits his body it disappeared and canceled by Warden''s magic barrier! A really good defender''s skill!

    "What the heck?!" Vortz was surprised! It feels like all of his attacks are ineffective. His natural enemy is in front of him. How can he defeat someone who specializes on countering a spell caster just like him?

    "AGGRAVATING STRIKE!" Warden countered with a fast but powerful strike after Vortz lost his focus. Even with his fast lightning speed, he still got hit by his attack! How is that possible?

    "Ugh! Damn you!" Vortz is already pissed. Warden''s damage is still good against someone who uses cloth armor.

    "You never thought that I could really land a hit right? It''s because Aggravating strike only works when I got hit by an attack from a foe and if he is in my range, I will never miss." It seems Warden really has some skills under his sleeve.

    "I will end this now! STORM CALLER''S WRATH!" His clothes didn''t change but instead, he released a strong electric current that we can even feel the shock in the whole stadium, even the supports already cast their Unity Barrier to protect us.

    (STORM CALLER / BOSS RANK: B

    - One of the allies of Warp Master and is said that is one of the rare creature that only appears to create massive thunderstorm to some areas and disappear without a trace. They say that the the Storm Caller is one of the subordinate of the Lightning True God.)The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Storm Caller is a magician type Rare Boss monster that uses a certain spell that can call storms which devastate and provide an annoyance to other monsters and players. He is a tricky monster because, after that attack, he disappears using its fast movements so hunting it would be a terrible choice. Though for some reason they managed to hunt it down.

    "Now you will taste the strongest lightning! STORM CALLER''S ELECTRIFY!" Vortz prepared to charge a large amount of power! I''m pretty sure even with Warden''s magic barrier it will still deal a lot of damage to him!

    "STORM CALLER''S LIGHTNING ZAP DISCHARGE!" A strong lighting came from above and ready to kill Warden! This power is outrageous! Vortz is really aiming for a one hit kill! How is Warden going to stop an attack like that?!

    "You are making it easier for me to finish you off! PROTECTOR OF THE GOD''S TEMPLE''S WRATH!" What the? Did they defeat a guardian from a God''s Temple? It''s considered as a Rare Boss because they are so powerful, it''s the tank version of Lili''s Aegis Angel! His armor changed into a cool looking armor with divine protection! You can feel the God''s protection from his armor!

    (PROTECTOR OF THE GOD''S TEMPLE/ BOSS RANK: B

    - A lone defender of the God''s Temple. They say that it''s ally is the Aegis angel but for some reason, they got separated. It''s a high ranked humanoid creature that can withstand the greatest of attacks of New Life Online World.)

    "PROTECTOR''S MAGIC REFLECTION!" He created a massive Shield that not only absorbed the power of the attack but also redirects the same amount of power to the attacker! It reflected back the same attack to Vortz! This spell doesn''t protect the caster from the attack and fully absorb it too but because Warden is really tanky and tough, he survived the attack and also...

    *BOOOOOOOM!* A powerful explosion happened to Vortz''s location! He lost consciousness after getting hit by his own attack and sent flying out of the arena! Warden is still standing! What a tough fellow!

    "What happened?! Did you guys see that?! He used a move that reflected the same attack on Vortz! We can see now how great a tank is! He defeated one of the Gods using his own attack! The winner is Warden!" Jeez, another tough opponent later. I can''t believe he hides his power all this time. It looks like the Gods are being picked out one by one.

    "Not bad Warden. Your training was really worth it." Sieg escorted him back to their seats. Can I really defend from my own attack if he uses that skill to counter my attack too? But how the hell did they defeat one of the Protectors of the God''s Temple? They usually defend the temple in groups. Well, I tried to hunt a group once but they are so tough that I didn''t bother to stay long, though if they went there with their best guild members, they might have a chance.

    ***

    "The last match is between Celeste, Order of Light''s best Earth Magic User

    (CELESTE/ EARTH MAGE: S

    EQUIPMENT:

    ORDER OF LIGHT ROBE SET (ORDER OF LIGHT''S MAGE SET. LOW PHYSICAL DEF BUT HIGH MAGIC DEF. ALSO SLIGHTLY INCREASE MAGIC DAMAGE AND MANA REGENERATION.)

    MASTERIES:

    MASTER RANK EARTH MASTERY

    HIGH-RANK CLOTH ARMOR)

    and Bludgeon, the Hearth Fire''s Guild leader!" This will be going to be a good fight. Both have good damage and defense so it will be hard to guess who will win.

    (BLUDGEON/ DESTROYER: S

    EQUIPMENT:

    TITAN''S HAMMER (THE BEST WEAPON THE GREATEST BLACKSMITH HAS EVER CREATED. DRAMATICALLY INCREASES PHYSICAL POWER IN EXCHANGE OF ATTACK SPEED.)

    TITAN''S ARMOR (THE BEST ARMOR THE GREATEST BLACKSMITH HAS EVER CREATED. DRAMATICALLY INCREASES PHYSICAL DEFENSE BUT LOW MAGIC DEF IN EXCHANGE OF MOVEMENT SPEED.)

    MASTERIES:

    GRANDMASTER RANK BLACKSMITH

    HIGH-RANK HEAVY WEAPON)

    "Who will win, the one who has the power to crush anything or the one who controls the earth''s strongest beings?!" Aika excitedly asked. This is going to be fun though. Both of them loves to crush their opponents and both of them are slow. Anyway, I will watch the whole fight.

    They both entered the arena, Celeste with her basic equipment and Bludgeon with his good armor and a giant hammer.

    "Ready, Fight!" Aika signaled the start of the fight.

    "You know that you are well known around our city because of your famous Earth Magic but I''m getting excited because I really love to smash things down! I''ll finish this quick because a real man never hurts a girl!" Real man? Really? That''s really old-fashioned.

    "We will see about that Sh*tty Old Man!" Ugh... She still hasn''t changed.

 Chapter 76: Hammer and Stone

    -Order of Light Arena-

    "I will teach you how to respect a God like me! WAR HAMMER SMASH!" He rushed towards Celeste with his giant hammer. His attack is so slow but the force is really powerful. Unlike swords and other melee weapons, hammers attacks can easily destroy defensive gears like a shield or body armor and have a chance to stun a target. A giant hammer also has a wide range that can hit multiple enemies and because of the force, they can be knocked back easily but the most disadvantage is you need to use both hands to carry it reducing one''s defensive capabilities and the attacks made by the hammer is so slow that it can be easily avoided.

    *BAAAAAM!* He missed! Celeste managed to avoid the attack even being an earth user but still got knocked back by the force! Holy crap that''s a powerful attack! The best weapon to demolish stuff.

    "Hahaha! Is that the way you treat a lady? EARTH GOD''S STOMP!" A giant foot like earth-based magic feel from above and ready to squash Bludgeon to pulp!

    "You underestimate me! WAR HAMMER DEMOLISHER!" The giant foot made of earth magic cracked in half! With just a single swing, he destroyed a large amount of earth magic! This is bad for Celeste! It''s like he is her ultimate enemy!

    "You''re the one who is underestimating me! EARTH GOD''S CLAP!" The giant foot that was cracked in half started to move and ready to squash Bludgeon again from the sides!

    "What the?!" He was surprised! A spellcaster can''t cast a spell twice that fast but I saw what happened. Celeste anticipated that Bludgeon would destroy his first attack so she prepared the second spell while it was still above. What a tricky brat.

    *BAAAAAAM!* But Bludgeon isn''t someone who would just die with that kind of spell. He dropped his hammer and his hands stopped the two boulders from crushing him! Though, it looks painful.

    "Not bad, sh*tty old man!" Celeste also can''t use her spells because both her hands are controlling the earth boulders. She''s like someone who''s trying to squash something using both hands.

    "But it''s not the only way I can attack you! EARTH GOD''S STOMP!" This time she used her foot to cast the spell! Another giant earth foot is falling from above and this time bludgeon will be having a hard time evading the attacks!

    "Damn you brat! WAR MAMMOTH''S WRATH!" After transforming to his monster''s soul form, the earth boulders were shattered into pieces. He''s getting serious this time. Though, it was a good choice than getting squashed without doing anything. His armor changed and he once again has the helmet that has horns on it. A mammoth huh, it''s considered as a rare boss because it''s really big and powerful but easily exposed to attacks because of its big body. Its hard blows can even destroy trees and buildings easily without any effort.

    (WAR MAMMOTH / BOSS RANK: B

    - A giant Mammoth that is said to be the leader of its group. It has the ability to double it''s size when it''s in rage mode and can also double it''s power output. They said a single stomp of this monster can shock a wide location with a tremor.)

    "So you already used your transformation from just a couple of my spells? You look like you didn''t change. You still look like a sh*tty old man. Hahaha. What was your name again? Baldion?" The brat really loves to insult people. This time Bald... Bludgeon is really pissed. He grabs his hammer and now preparing to attack back!Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    "I''m not bald and I''m not an old man! TAKE THIS MAMMOTH''S QUAKE! THE DESTROYER!" I can feel a powerful amount of mana from his attack! Is he going to use most of his mana on this attack?! That would create a tremendous powerful wave!

    "UNITY BARRIER!" The support of all people in the arena used their barriers in case there will be a large powerful force!

    "It''s not going to happen, sh*tty old man! EARTH GOD''S MULTIPLE EARTH WALLS!" She created multiple walls to defend from the attack! It''s like you need to break every single one of those walls to reach her! She is trying to tire Bludgeon out to easily defeat him!

    *YAAAAAAAAH! BAAAAAAAAAAAAM!* A powerful wave of force shattered and went through walls and walls! It broke every single one of the walls and finally reached Celeste!

    *Ughhhhh!* Celeste got hit by the force wave and got knocked back almost out of the arena! That''s some powerful force! The unity barrier also got hit by the force but thankfully it was sturdy enough to defend from it.

    Celeste didn''t die but from the looks of it, she''s almost at the edge of her life. In just one hit... It almost ended her life. She didn''t expect that Bludgeon can burst a powerful hit like that. I pity her right now. I''m pretty sure she feels a lot of pain this time. She can barely stand on her feet. It''s thanks to her earth mastery that gives her a lot of constitution, it made her tougher.

    "Saying "I surrender" isn''t that hard. How about you give up now and save yourself?" Bludgeon is now trying to insult back Celeste.

    "You''ve shown me what a God can do, Baldion. But how about I show you something more powerful than a God? EARTH GOLEM''S WRATH! EARTH GOD''S CREATION!" She summoned her monster''s soul this time! Unlike us who transform using our monster''s soul, Celeste uses her mana to summon her Monster''s soul. I can do it too but I prefer fusing with them because taking out the monster soul would also mean that the additional stats wouldn''t be given to me but only to my summoned creature. The good thing about this is if the summoned creature dies, it will not affect the user.

    (EARTH GOLEM / BOSS RANK: B

    - One of the Elemental Golems that roams around the world of New Life Online. They say that the Earth Golem is a creation of the Earth God.)

    The summoned golem wasn''t like her normal golems. It was more concentrated earth magic and stronger golem! It was like the real rare boss golem!

    "You think a Golem like that can kill me? I''m a demolisher remember?" Bludgeon provocatively said but I know Bludgeon''s mana isn''t really that much either.

    "Let''s see about that! EARTH GOD''S STOMP!" She used it again! What is she thinking right now?!

    "That again? It will not change anything! MAMMOTH''S DEMOLISHER!" He once again broke the earth boulder but this time it shattered. But...

    *BAAAAAAM!* It was the Earth Golem! A synchronized attack by Celeste! While Bludgeon''s attention was at the earth stomp, her earth golem also attacked him! It was a solid attack! Earth golem''s also slow but uses a powerful attack. Bludgeon was so slow that he didn''t have the chance to evade the attack!

    "Ughhh! Damn you brat!" Bludgeon was really pissed while getting knocked back but Celeste didn''t stop from her last move!

    "EARTH WALL!" While in mid-air after getting hit, a giant wall was created behind him to stop him.

    "EARTH PRISON!" Other walls were created that surrounded him and stopped him from escaping! Another tricky move from Celeste!

    "This will not work! MAMMOTH''S WHIRLWIND!" He swung his hammer around and destroyed the walls but then again...

    "EARTH GOLEM''S ULTIMATE BODY SLAM!" The earth golem jumped from above and before Bludgeon noticed it, the golem already is on its way to crush him!

    *BOOOOOOM* A powerful quake was felt after it hit Bludgeon... Bludgeon''s aura disappeared and now I know who the winner is...

    "What just happened? The girl who can barely move her body won! The winner of the last fight is Celeste, the Earth Witch!" Another God has fallen...

 Chapter 77: Mermaid and Beholder

    -Order of Light Arena-

    "People of New Life Online! The fourth round has ended. We will now tell you the names of the participants who will enter the fifth round. They are... Hmmmm?" Before Aika tell the names of the participants, one of the guards of Order of Light''s guild whispered something to Aika.

    "Aheeem Aheeem. One of the officers who handle the matchmaking seems to be having some sort of technical problem. One of the participants didn''t have a chance to fight in a match. She''s Shella, the guild leader of Drowned Trident. Please wait a moment, fellas." Hmmmm? What the heck is happening?

    There was some kind of problem in matchmaking. Is this some kind of mistake? They said that one of the Dark Brotherhood officers fought twice in the fourth round. He lost twice the match after fighting Mari, only got unconscious, and the second match against Daimond, died. We didn''t actually notice it because Dark Brotherhood members were using the same shady clothing.

    "We are very sorry for what happened earlier about the matchmaking. We are still investigating the cause of the issue but because we have 17 participants left, we need to prepare a final match to balance the matchmaking. We also tried to get an interview from their guild leader but he seems to be trying to avoid us. Well, this kind of disturbance happens from time to time." Aika apologized because of a minor problem. Jeez. They should really check the details more often. And now I thought the fourth round has just ended from the last fight.

    "Oh, we''ve got the latest report about the issue and it seems Shella''s name was erased by someone and changed it by the same guy who participated twice. Their guild leader also wasn''t aware of this. He used two different names and that is why most of us didn''t notice. Shella was supposed to fight Daimond. We will ask now if Daimond is ok fighting Shella in just a short notice." Though Daimond really didn''t make an effort fighting that Dark brotherhood guy and I guess he deserved it. He lost twice and now he still can''t log in because of the death penalty.

    "Daimond seems to be pretty confident and agreed to fight Shella. Fellas, get ready for the last match of round four between Shella, the guild leader of Drowned Trident,

    (SHELLA/ AQUA MAGE: S

    EQUIPMENT:

    TRIDENT STAFF(A STAFF INFUSED WITH THE POWER OF WATER, HIGH MAGICAL DAMAGE AND INCREASES DAMAGE OF WATER MAGIC SPELLS)

    DROWNED TRIDENT ROBE SET (HIGH MAGIC RESISTANCE AND LOW DEF. INCREASES WATER RESISTANCE AND SLIGHTLY INCREASES MANA LIMIT.)

    MASTERIES:

    MASTER WATER MASTERY

    HIGH-RANK CLOTH ARMOR)

    and Daimond the Guild leader of Bastion''s Citadel!" Aika excitedly announced.

    (DAIMOND/ EARTH WARRIOR: S

    EQUIPMENT:

    SWORD OF BEDROCK(A SWORD INFUSED WITH THE POWER OF EARTH, HIGH PHYSICAL DAMAGE AND INCREASES DAMAGE OF EARTH MAGIC SPELLS)

    BASTION''S ARMOR SET (HIGH PHYSICAL DEF AND LOW MAGIC RESIST. INCREASES EARTH RESISTANCE AND SLIGHTLY INCREASES HEALTH LIMIT.)

    MASTERIES:

    MASTER EARTH MASTERY

    HIGH-RANK NORMAL WEAPON ARMOR)

    They both entered the arena. This is the first time I can watch how he will fight against someone. I can feel Shella''s aura and I can tell she isn''t just someone who''ll get defeated easily.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    "Ready, Fight!" Aika signaled the start of the fight.

    Daimond didn''t waste any time and rushed towards Shella! He seems to be the kind of guy that doesn''t want to talk. Let the muscle do the talking, I guess. He drew his sword and prepared to lash out a powerful slice!

    "SWORD BUSTER!" A fast side slash is aiming for Shella''s head! He doesn''t show any weakness that he can even attack a girl without any signs of holding back.

    "Slow down a bit. WATER PRISON!" Daimond''s body in an instant was covered in water! It grew larger and larger that it made it like a big ball of water. Daimond seems to be having a hard time moving inside the water ball and if this takes too long he might get drowned.

    "Daimond is trying to struggle inside the water ball! Is he going to die inside? Will it be a slow but sure death?!" Aika excitedly commented.

    He slashed the water with a fast swing but in an instant, the water just combined again after getting sliced. Water isn''t like earth magic that if you break, it can''t be easily combined. Water is easy to control but not as sturdy as earth magic.

    She didn''t stop from that. She lifted up the water ball where Daimond''s currently at. Is she preparing a powerful attack?! Daimond''s health is going down! He can''t breathe!

    "TIDAL PUSH!" This time she pushed the water ball out of the arena! Is she trying to defeat Daimond by forcing him to go outside? It''s a cheap move but it''s a sure win too.

    "EARTH WALL!" He created an earth wall outside the arena while in mid air! He slammed to the wall and the water ball shattered! And before he got caught by it again, he used the wall to jump and got back to the arena. He can also use earth wall!

    "EARTH BEHOLDER''S WRATH!" He seems to be kind of pissed, boys and their temper... His armor grew larger and looking stronger too. His weapon also has some earth aura on it that boost his physical attack and can inflict an additional magic damage.

    (EARTH BEHOLDER / BOSS RANK: B

    -This sphere shaped monster with huge eye in the middle is one of the strongest earth elemental monster due to it''s field vision and the use of the power of the earth. They say that a Beholder is the eye of the world.)

    "BEHOLDER''S SLAP!"

    *BAAAAM!* The water ball again was created and now aiming to capture Daimond but he slapped it with a giant earth hand magic. That was a fast spell cast right there.

    Spellcasters are really difficult to fight because they can just use range magic attacks while running away from foes, not to mention earth types like Daimond are really slow because of heavy earth properties.

    "BEHOLDER''S GRASPING HANDS!" He created a large earth hand and aiming to grab Shella!

    "SLIPPERY SKIN!" He grabbed her successfully but...

    *SWOOOSH!* In just a matter of seconds before Daimond squeezes her to death, Shella managed to slide out from being held! Her body is so slimy that she''s really hard to hold, like an annoying eel.

    "BEHOLDER''S FLICK!"

    *BAAAAM!* While Shella managed to escape from being held, a fast finger flick hit her before she got away!

    "Ughhh!" It was a surprise attack! It may not be as strong as his other attacks but it was a cheap shot, a fast attack but has low damage.

    Her posture didn''t change. Even after getting hit, she still managed to maintain her focus.

    "HEALING WATER!" What the? She can heal herself? Glowing water started to heal her injury. It''s like fighting a support and a spell caster at the same time.

    "Men are disgusting, time to get serious. MERMAID''S QUEEN''S WRATH!" A mermaid queen? Holy crap, that''s a rare boss too! Where do these people get to find rare bosses? Jeez, every single one of us uses rare bosses as our monster soul. But that''s normal because they''re the strongest after all.

    (MERMAID QUEEN / BOSS RANK: B

    - The Queen of Mermaids and can use the power of water. Can manipulate water greatly which makes her a formidable creature.)

    Her body is covered in some kind of armor fins and her skin is kind of exposed a bit but it''s getting normal now because of previous girls'' monster''s transformations. Game devs designed these kinds of armors and they should be loving it. Her elemental power also rose up a lot! Azzie, Akko, Vulkhan and I will be her best targets.

 Chapter 78: Earth Breaker

    -Order of Light Arena-

    You can''t tell who will win the fight between Daimond and Shella. Daimond is really tough and Shella has some good spells she can use to keep Daimond away.

    "MERMAID''S TIDAL WAVE!" A huge amount of water was created in a form of wave is coming towards Daimond! A powerful knockback spell that can push him out of the arena!

    "EARTH WALL!" He created a giant earth wall to stop the water current and also protect him from getting pushed back. But Shella seems to be planning something!

    "MERMAID''S WATER MANIPULATION!" The water from the edge of the earth wall started to change direction towards Daimond! The water that got blocked by the wall started to climb up and passed the wall! She can easily control such a large amount of water! Water mastery increases intelligence and wisdom at the same time so that means her mana consumption reduction rate is high. That means she can use more spells than most of us.

    Daimond finally got caught by the water! But because of his Beholder''s soul, the water can''t lift him up!

    "MERMAID''S WHIRLPOOL!" This time the water around Daimond started to twirl like a whirlpool but not just ordinary whirlpool! The water twirls so fast that it slices Daimond when he gets near it!

    "BEHOLDER''S ROAR!" A loud noise came out of him and a powerful sonic wave shattered and pushed the whirlpool away! It was a powerful force but Shella''s water manipulation is still in effect and the water started to twirl again! This is really bad for him!

    "BEHOLDER''S BARRIER!" And because he knew that stopping the water from moving can''t help him win, he now covered his body with the Beholder''s armor! The water that can slice through anything didn''t even scratch his armor!

    "BEHOLDER''S EARTH SHATTERING BLAST!" A powerful earth spiky wave was created and shot towards Shella but she managed to dodge it by jumping and using the water manipulation to make the water push her upwards.

    "MERMAID''S WATER TRIDENT!" While she''s in mid-air, she created large numbers of tridents looking weapons made out of the water! And then she shot her tridents towards Daimond''s location!

    "BEHOLDER''S BACK SLAP!" In just a swing of an earth hand he created, the tridents were shattered into pieces! But it didn''t end from that!

    "MERMAID''S WATER THORNS!" The water that shattered was again manipulated and created below diamond! Then the water thorns moved so fast and hit Daimond''s armor!Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    "Ugh...!" It was a direct hit! Even with Daimond''s magic earth barrier, he still got damaged by it not because of the thorns but because of the force. Daimond''s really having trouble fighting her. I didn''t imagine she can actually be this strong.

    "BEHOLDER''S ULTIMATE SHATTERING EYES!" He prepared for his ultimate move! Beholder''s power source is coming from its eyes and now he is preparing to use it to end the fight! Let''s see how powerful it is.

    "MERMAID''S QUEEN''S SECOND FORM!" What the?! She already unlocked the second form of her monster''s soul?! Her armor fins grew longer and her body is even more covered in scales! This is so much powerful than earlier! The sky darkened and it''s like there''s a storm coming!

    "YAHHHHH!" Daimond was surprised by it and decided to release all his power to attack her before she could even defend herself! A beam of earth concentrated element was released from his hands which the image of Beholder''s eye can be seen. It was a move that can even hurt a world boss!

    "MERMAID''S QUEEN''S ROYAL HYDRO TWISTER!" The amount of water she released was also powerful! More powerful than Daimond''s attack! The earth element beam didn''t stop her attack and was shattered by Shella''s water beam! After the powerful explosion of elemental attacks, Shella''s beam finally reached Daimond and pushed him back so hard outside the arena!

    His earth barrier was shattered and his monster transformation got canceled. Thanks to his earth barrier he just lost consciousness and didn''t die from the attack. Also, water spells usually can''t erase players like other offensive elemental spells.

    "And the winner of the final match is Shella, the guild leader of Drowned Trident and one of the Thirteen Gods!" Aika announced the winner of the fight.

    "WOOOOH! SHOWER ME WITH YOUR LOVE! YOU''RE SO COOL AND HOT! WOOOH!" Jeez. Random cheers can be heard throughout the stadium.

    The fight was fun but the disadvantage of Daimond was so large. If he can hit or attack Shella in his range, he can easily finish her off with three or four solid attacks. Too bad, she''s really smart and good when it comes to strategy. Not bad for a guild leader.

    "The participants who will fight in the fifth round are the following. Scythus who uses dark spells and also can use fire spells, Elou an expert archer who can shoot powerful arrows, Akko and Azzie with their scorching fire spells, Lili and Mari with their cute light supportive magic, Zeth with his powerful combo attacks, Aurora who can stop time and make it fast at the same time, Siren with her fast deadly attacks, Warden that can use powerful reflective barriers, Siegriel and his sandstorm that can bury you alive, Drake with his draconic combat abilities, Celeste and her trusted Golem, Shiv that can even hide and use surprise attacks in broad daylight, Shella and her tricky water moves and last but not the least Maisie, with her unique and skillful swordsmanship!" She mentioned all the participants that won the fourth round. Though I can''t remember the name Maisie, maybe she''s one of the officers of other guilds.

    "WOOOOH!" The crowds shouted their favorites. It''s time to get serious. The matches later would be harder than previous fights, I guess. All of us have their own unique abilities and they didn''t win just being strong but because of their good strategy and fast thinking.

    It''s already six am and it''s time for breakfast and to prepare for those who need to work. We decided to log out of the game and meet up after that.

    Ugh... waking up in the morning and just playing really sucks. My body hurts from lying down all day and my bladder is already full. It''s like any moment I''m going to pee in my pants.

 Chapter 79: Time to Clean

    -Aries Home-

    I realized that Azzie has been staying here for a couple of days now. I guess they should at least take a break from the game from time to time. I decided to wake them up for breakfast.

    They had breakfast with me and they still talk about the tournament.

    "That Shella is really powerful, right? I think she will be a troublesome opponent for Zeth. I''m pretty sure both of us can''t defeat her." Mari said. Yup, it''s not that I don''t trust their abilities but that mermaid girl is really in a different level than them. I don''t even know if I can also defeat her. The control of her water mastery was just so damn good.

    "I don''t even think that we could even pass the fifth round because unfortunately, all other participants are really strong. I''m not going to lie but Scythus'' party is really good too. I''m just wondering how they became so strong." Azzie asked. Of course, you will never know the answer because we did some secret training.

    "Well, they have their own Monster souls so that boosted a lot of their abilities even though their ranks are not that high. Anyway, we also trained so hard, just do your best and I know we will do good later." That''s the spirit, Sis.

    "You guys worry too much. I watched your matches and you did well. I hope I can catch up to you guys soon." I cheered them up. It''s morning for heaven''s sake. Can we talk about anything else other than the game... jeez.

    "Haha. You''re right. Our main goal is to make one of our guild members to get the champion''s spot so I guess we have a high chance with Zeth." Azzie... That''s not what I meant. Jeez, you put too much trust on this Zeth guy. Do they really think that Zeth can really win the tournament with that Aurora girl, though?

    After some chitchat, they decided to wash themselves up before going back to the game. Of course, I washed the dishes and cleaned up the house because I can see that spiders are really doing their best to decorate our house with their annoying webs. I always ask myself, who cleans spiderman''s webs when he web slings? Ugh... cleaning makes me think of weird stuff.

    -Order of Light City-

    After that, I decided to go back to the game. I know I''m late again and someone will scold me about it.

    "We''re done checking the shops around and also bought our breakfast in game. You''ve missed a lot while you''re gone you know." Elou, will you let me pass this time?

    "I know, I know. I just cleaned the house because I had to. Anyway, what''s our plan for the day? The fifth round will start at ten pm as usual and that means we still have a lot of time to waste." I explained though I''m pretty sure they already know the reason why I am always late.

    "We have to visit some repair shops for our equipment. We got some damage from previous fights and our armor needs a bit of polishing. Other participants have better equipment than us because they really prepared for this and spent a lot of gold coins." Elou''s right. Because of our training, we haven''t gotten lots of gold to buy the best gears. Well, we will soon if someone wins the game but they haven''t announced how much the reward is.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Hey Scy, you look serious. Do you have some troubles in mind?" Can girls really tell when you think too much? Or Akko is really just curious. Ugh... do I really think too much...

    "Oh, it''s nothing. I was just thinking about something." Akko is really too kind.

    "Do you also think of getting a girlfriend? Because I always think about that." Elou startled me... For some reason, Akko and Lili''s eyes were sparkling. Are they interested in my love life?

    "No, I don''t and I don''t have time for that. There are a lot more important things to do and think about than getting a girlfriend." And suddenly, their eyes stopped to sparkle. Jeez, what''s wrong with you guys?

    "Of course, the game is more important than a girl, right? Haha!" Hey Elou, I think you''re pissing the girls off. Stop looking at me with those glaring eyes.

    "Jeez stop asking me about these questions. Let''s just go back to Emily''s Inn as usual." Wew, Elou sometimes can''t read the atmosphere.

    -Emily''s Inn-

    We traveled back to Emily''s Inn where there are not many people around. As usual, it''s quiet and peaceful. Monsters don''t usually visit the area because there are guards but this time there are no guards but our auras scare them.

    We spent our day planning things about the tournament. We decided that we will do our best and also not to lose to each other. That''s a tough choice for us but that''s how it works. In our group there is no such thing as a leader, we fought really hard. Scythus'' party is made because of me being infamous. Anyway, after all that unproductive day, it''s almost time to start the fifth round of the tournament. We are buffed up with Emily''s food. We also buy extra for later. I will take the number one spot and slap the hell out of Zeth though Aurora is the main problem here. I haven''t figured it out yet how to counter her monster soul ability.

    -Order of Light Arena-

    We arrived at the stadium and as usual, the lesser the participants, the more people around! I think the crowds'' number grew because people around the world really are excited about the fight! Jeez, this really makes me excited.

    "WOOOOOH! GO ZETH! GO AURORA WIN AND PAY YOUR DEBT! GO SHELLA MAKE IT RAIN!" Random cheers can be heard throughout the stadium.

    "GO LILI, HEAL MY BROKEN HEART! AKKO YOU''RE SO HOT! ELOU SHOT MY HEART AND NOW I''M INLOVE! WOOOOH!" That''s nice, positive cheers will inspire my party to their best.

    "SCYTHUS I WILL KILL MYSELF IF YOU WIN! YOU FART BLACK SMOKE! YOU DRESS LIKE A HOBO!" Ugh... it''s painful than I imagined and as if like cotton candy comes out of you! My fashion statement doesn''t need a review!

    "Aheem aheem, magic speaker test, magic speaker test. Aheem aheem." That old geezer really should stop that habit.

    "People around the world are all here to witness the top 16 players of the new life online. We can''t tell who will win the match and who will receive the grand prize of the tournament. I know you all have your favorites and they maybe didn''t make it but the top 16 will give us even more exciting fights, right? I''m also not sure if my best warrior, Zeth, will again take the first place but with Aurora around it will be a tough fight. You guys give your full support too because every cheer counts! Goodluck Order... I mean New Life Online participants!" Of course, you will cheer for your members. Anyway, it''s the start. Who will participate in the first match?

    "It''s me again, your favorite New Life Online reporter and commentator, Aika! I will not waste time and tell you the first match!"

 Chapter 80: Knight and the Protector

    -Order of Light-

    "The first match is between Zeth, the Undefeated Champion

    (ZETH / BERSERKER: S

    EQUIPMENT:

    KNIGHT''S LONG SWORD(A SWORD BESTOWED TO THE HIGHEST MILITARY LEADER OF ORDER OF LIGHT. GREATLY INCREASE DAMAGE. INFUSED WITH LIGHT ELEMENT. ATTACK SPEED IS SLIGHTLY BOOSTED.)

    KNIGHT''S ARMOR SET (ARMOR BESTOWED TO THE HIGHEST MILITARY LEADER OF ORDER OF LIGHT. GREATLY INCREASES PHYSICAL DEF AND GOOD INCREASE IN MAGIC DEF. MOVEMENT SPEED IS SLIGHTLY BOSSTED. HAS HIGH LIGHT RESISTANCE.)

    MASTERIES:

    MASTER HEAVY WEAPON

    HIGH-RANK HEAVY ARMOR)

    and Warden the Anti-mage and most trusted officer of Vanguards Guild!" Aika announced the participants who will fight in the first match.

    (WARDEN/ PALADIN: A

    EQUIPMENT:

    SWORD OF MANA (A MAGICAL SWORD THAT CAN BURN MANA UPON HITTING A TARGET. MODERATE DAMAGE BUT HAS GOOD ACCURACY.)

    ARMOR OF MAGIC RESISTANCE ( AN ARMOR INFUSED WITH GREAT MAGIC RESISTANCE. MEDIUM DEF BUT HIGH MAGIC RESISTANCE AND NEGATIVE STATUS EFFECT RESISTANCE.)

    SHIELD OF ANTI-MAGIC (A TOWER SHIELD THAT EMITS THE MAGICAL PROWESS. CAN BLOCK HIGH-RANK MAGICAL SPELLS.)

    MASTERIES:

    MASTER SHIELD MASTERY

    HIGH-RANK LIGHT MASTERY)

    Zeth and Warden, warrior against a defender, this will be a tough fight. Though Warden will be a bit in a disadvantage because he specializes on magic resist that counters magic spells, I guess. So what will you do Warden?

    They entered the arena with their usual equipment. Normal armor and a great sword for Zeth and heavy armor, a sword and shield for Warden.

    "Ready, Fight!" Aika signaled the start of the fight.

    "Have you heard of me? Because you better hold on to that shield. It may save your life." A trash talk from Zeth, it''s really expected from him. This guy is arrogant as usual.

    "I will say you better save the talk when you bite the dust." Woooh! That''s the spirit Warden!

    "You''ll eat that words soon enough! RUSH!" Zeth used his fast gap closer skill. In an instant, he''s already at Warden''s attack range. He is preparing for his next move!

    "STAGGERING BLOW!" It was a hard uppercut slash from below! Warden blocked it with his shield but the power of the attack lifted his shield making him lose balance! With a tower shield like that, Zeth really has some good amount of Strength!

    "CYCLONE!" A roundhouse slash is coming its way to hit him from the side while Warden''s shield can''t block it!

    "BARRIER!"

    *BAAAAAM* Close call! Warden used a support spell to create a sphere barrier that shields his whole body! That was a good defense but broke as soon as Zeth hit it! It was a low-level barrier that blocks physical attacks but it still helped him!The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    "OVERHEAD SLASH!" It''s his last move, though Warden''s shield now can block it without any problems.

    *BAAAAAAM! CRAAAAACK!* What the?! The attack broke his Tower shield! I can''t believe it! The powerful strike broke a full defender''s shield! Not only that but he was knocked back by the attack!

    "Ughhh...!" Warden took a lot of damage! This is not looking good.

    "Zeth is really not wasting any time and doing his best to use his famous combo attacks! It''s really expected but this time, he really improved a lot. Warden with his best defense is having trouble. What can you say old... Mr. Maximus?" I don''t know if Aika is doing it on purpose but I like it.

    "Aheeeem, I can say that Zeth trained really hard these past few days for the tournament. He even defeated different kinds of Bosses all over the World of New Life Online." Oh really? I remember you can''t even catch a single criminal with your army''s full force even with that Zeth dude which is really annoying.

    The fight continued and after Zeth''s last move, he initiated again another combo!

    "BULL RUSH!" He''s not wasting any chance and used his improved moves! The first combo was powerful but if I remember it correctly, the next combo will be even more powerful! He''s holding his great sword with both of his hands and is charging towards Warden with high speed!

    "BARRIER!" Warden can''t block the attack and decided to use the low-level barrier!

    "STAGGERING STOMP!" He hit the ground with his foot and shook it for a second making Warden stand unsteadily and lost his focus canceling the barrier!

    "You''re not going to get away with this! PROTECTOR OF THE GOD''S TEMPLE''S WRATH!" It''s his ultimate defense mode! His armor once again changed into a full-scale armor and a shield was created to defend from Zeth''s attacks.

    "BULL CHARGE!" Another one!

    *BAAAAAAM!* It was like a bull rush but with greater force! Once again, it broke his shield and knocked him back! What the hell is going on?!

    "IRON KNIGHT''S WRATH! FINAL THRUST!" It''s his ultimate attack! His greatsword transformed into a sharp long sword! He put a lot of mana and full force to this attack! He is now charging once again to defeat Warden!

    "It''s not going to happen! GOD''S PROTECTOR''S BANE GIANT SLASH!" His sword transformed into a bigger sword and ready to collide with Zeth''s attack!

    *CRAAAAACK! BAAAAAAAAAAM!* The giant sword shattered into pieces after getting hit by Zeth''s ultimate attack and it didn''t end from that! Zeth''s sword pierced Warden''s armor even with that kind of defense and stabbed him!

    At that moment, Warden died from the massive attack. It may not be flashy but damn, it was a really good move. I''m now sure earlier but Zeth''s armor penetration is beyond my expectations. His fast combo maneuvers are also hard to counter. The fight didn''t even last five minutes. Those gap closer, staggering moves, knockbacks, armor penetration, and powerful strikes are so much pain in the butt.

    "And the winner of the first match is Zeth, still undefeated!" Aika announced the winner.

    "WOOOOH! YOU REALLY ARE THE BEST!" People around the stadium cheered for Zeth, though I feel sorry for Warden. The fight was really one-sided.

    Even Siegriel can''t believe what happened from their fight. He knew that Zeth is really strong but not kind of this strong. You can see how angry Sieg right now yet he doesn''t show it, a true leader. This tournament doesn''t just make people fight but different guilds'' anger towards another is also growing and can''t be avoided. Sportsmanship is common in competitions but there are also mixed feelings. Anyway, we will know soon the next match.

    Even with the previous fights that happened here at the arena, the floor is still hasn''t broken yet. They really put too much effort into making this arena.

    "Hey Scy, that Zeth guy really is strong. How did you manage to survive from his attacks?" Elou... I''m pretty sure you''re with me when I fought him in the dark forest.

    "It''s what you call luck. You guys get ready for your fights. This will not be easy for us. You''ve seen how strong he is. That Aurora girl also has some overpowered spells." I said worriedly.

    "The next fight will be Scythus, the infamous murderer against Siegriel, the guild leader of the Vanguards Guild!" Aika announced the next match.

    And now it''s my turn again. I will be fighting Siegriel who still has mixed emotions right now. Jeez, why me and why now.