《War of the Lions》 Chapter 1 - Starting Line Prime Gear is the newest game console that was released internationally. It was highly appreciated by the players where they could play the games by using a virtual reality simulator without any high impact damage to the real body. Before the players could go to the game they are simultaneously calibrated in order to avoid bugs and errors during the game. At first the Prime Gears are used as simulators for driving however due to innovation and enhanced technology a company started to invest on it and changed it into a game console where anyone could use the said device. After two years the Prime Gear was released, an MMORPG game for Prime Gear was introduced and many where hooked and it was called ¡°War of the Lions¡± or simplified as ¡°WOTL¡±. On the first week almost 500,000 players registered to the game. The game offers a huge variety of programs such as 13 Intermediate Job-Classes, 26 Advance Job-Classes, 52 Superior Job-Class, and another 52 Transcendent Job-Classes; a vast world which is wide as the half of the real world; tons of detailed items; and A.I. NPC featured game. Most of the players are hooked by the tons of job system they can select after being a Squire-Class in the first hour of the game. Upon level up only the stats are added. Skills could level up by using it frequently. Aside from ¡°Job Skills¡± there is also ¡°Sub Skills¡± which comes from interacting NPCs; like haggling, persuading, charisma, interrogating, and many more. After being a Squire-Class, players could select variety of Intermediate Job-Class; there are thirteen of it ¨C And after advancement is the Transcendent Job, however after three months no one knows how to transcend to another job in the game. Eiji Tachikawa was the former champion of the game called ¡°Final Tactics¡± and he was the last one. It was a MMORPG game not played by Prime Gear and it was the greatest game a decade before the release before WOTL. However due to the new experience given by the Prime Gear and WOTL many players of Final Tactics switched to it and because the population of the game Final Tactics drops over 85% over a month, the admin decided to close the game forever. Eiji was frustrated being the last champion of the game. He spent months of training to become the champion and then all of a sudden after becoming one the game shut down and because of the frustration he promised himself not to play the game and focus on his studies. He was already third year in his high school. His classmates which were gamers often called him the ¡°Prodigy¡± not because he was a champion but because of his great ability to calculate and call the shots in battle. [3-B Eiji¡¯s Classroom] ¡°Hey Eiji! Mornin!¡± A guy with spectacle greeted him. ¡°Yo Tsu-kun! Morning!¡± Eiji replied. ¡°Have you heard? Otamura-senpai and his guild in WOTL are getting financed by the school.¡± ¡°No doubt¡­ Even we were being financed by the school during my days in Final Tactics however it only lasted for three months.¡± Eiji sighed. ¡°Otamura-senpai and some of his guild mates were pioneers of the game. They might not be the top one but I am certain that they are some of the big shots in the game.¡± ¡°Hey Tsu-kun, how did you know it?¡± Eiji interrogated. ¡°Well¡­ I played WOTL last weekend and I ended up to a town handled by the guild of Otamura-senpai.¡± Tsusuke answered. ¡°Tsusuke Ishida, are you playing games without me? Huh?!¡± ¡°Well¡­ Yes¡­ Don¡¯t be angry dude, I already invited you several times but you declined me each time. So I was flustered and played it myself. The game was pretty good. It was better than playing Final Tactics in your computer monitor.¡± ¡°Geez, WOTL and Final Tactics are different. So why comparing both? Well, I really have no plans on playing WOTL so best of luck.¡± Eiji said. ¡°Good morning you two¡­¡± A tired laid-back good looking guy greeted Tsusuke and Eiji. ¡°Mornin Kaede-kun. You looked tired dude.¡± Tsusuke replied. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been playing WOTL for two hours and I forgot the homework and I finished it around two in the morning.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Wait you¡¯ve been playing for straight five days in the WOTL?¡± ¡°Five days?¡± Eiji was puzzled. ¡°One hour in real world is equivalent to sixty hours in WOTL. Time differential system. The more time you spent in WOTL won¡¯t really affect you much in real world. But dude¡­ That was exhausting.¡± Tsusuke answered Eiji and sympathized Kaede. ¡°Kii-chan drag me last night and told her to teach her the basics of WOTL however an hour after she become Gunman we explored outside the squire zone and she was totally a frenzied.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ Are you Kiitani Miyamura of 3-A ask help to you? Are you even close?¡± Tsusuke agitatedly asked Kaede. ¡°No dude¡­ We are not close. It¡¯s just that she doesn¡¯t know how to play the game and most of her classmates play WOTL and she couldn¡¯t cope with the talks and peers so she decided to seek me.¡± ¡°Why you?¡± ¡°Remember, I am the Offensive Squad Leader of our guild in Final Tactics and she saw an article of us last week that decides her to seek help with me.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I remember Kiitani-san asked me the other day if I could help her playing WOTL but I declined since I am not playing it.¡± Eiji said. ¡°What?! How come you two were asked and I am not? I am the Vice-Leader of the Guild¡­¡± Tsusuke aggravatingly said. ¡°Maybe if you stay more often in the campus after class rather than heading to your room and play WOTL immediately then there is a chance Kii-chan asked you.¡± Kaede answered. ¡°So you are really close huh? Calling Kiitani-san, Kii-chan eh?¡± Eiji mischievously asked. ¡°No were not. She told me to call her Kii-chan and that¡¯s all.¡± The conversation was cut when their homeroom teacher arrives the room. Everyone was seated and calm upon the teacher arrives. After classes, Eiji goes to the gym to play basketball. He is not a regular but he was consistently asked for help by the team because of his superb movements. Kaede was being called by the Student Council at that time and Tsusuke head back immediately in his room on the school dorm to play WOTL. In the basketball game, Eiji was fast and agile. No one could cope up his speed. Aside from his speed is his passing where accurate and fast however his shooting ability is low. There was once the coach tried to invite him in the team but he humbly declined. After the game Eiji and three of the regulars goes to the changing room. Eiji heard that WOTL will held a tournament in six months. One of them told that Otamura will join the said tournament and he was already recruiting strong players in campus since the school offers him and his guild facilities in the campus grounds. The Sekigara Gakuen had no prominent records in academics but in other parts like sports and games they always leave a mark. Eiji¡¯s school said to be a school for brawns however he always think that his school offers opportunity that the others couldn¡¯t see. Later that day, Eiji arrives in front of his room in the dormitory. He saw Kaede who just arrived and he was about to go inside to his own room. Eiji¡¯s room and Kaede¡¯s room where just next to each other and Tsusuke¡¯s room was two rooms far from them on the left. Eiji asked Kaede how¡¯s the meeting with the Student Council. Kaede said that he was invited to join Otamura¡¯s guild. The Student Council offers deduction to his tuition and position to the guild given that he will do whatever the guild needs in the game. ¡°Even though the offers seems nice, I rejected it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want to explore WOTL as much as I could. Fame and glory is nothing without my friends in it.¡± ¡°If I play WOTL, will you join Otamura-senpai¡¯s guild and accept the offer?¡± Eiji knew that Kaede¡¯s family isn¡¯t rich and the tuition is coming from his academic scholarship. Only Kaede¡¯s closest friends knew this. Kaede said that the winnings he made in Final Tactics are covering the other expenses of his tuition and he told Eiji not to bother by it. Eiji immediately lie down in his bed as he enters his room. He didn¡¯t changed clothes. He was still thinking about Kaede¡¯s situation and wonders why he didn¡¯t accept the offer. In Final Tactics he was one of the best players. Kaede¡¯s ability is on par with Eiji but because of different class Eiji was ahead of one step but that didn¡¯t matter to Kaede. Eiji remembered the upcoming tournament that he heard on one of the basketball regular players earlier. He rose in the bed and seated in the nearby chair which had a computer set and search for it. War of the Lions World¡¯s First Tournament Tourney Starts: August 7, 20XX Level Capped: Level 90 Players per Team: 10 Players Prizes at stake is $500,000.00. It was five times bigger than the last Final Tactics prize. Eiji thought that if they¡¯d win Kaede¡¯s tuition is off until his graduation. That tournament might help Kaede. On the other hand there are many strong players who was ahead of them and most of them are pioneers and beta-testers. Eiji¡¯s solution was to get level 90 immediately but he didn¡¯t know if he can reach in six months. Thinking about Kaede¡¯s problem, Eiji had now a resolution. He will join WOTL no matter what it takes just to help a friend. Since there is no drawbacks or consequences this time he will try to enter the said tournament. On that night Eiji researched everything he could about War of the Lions. Starting with the main attraction as an RPG game is the job class. The job classes isn¡¯t too much unique but not too much common. At first there is the Squire-Class which is the lowest class and the starting class. Next to the Squire-Class is the Intermediate Job-Class which has a wide variety but most of the other games has this kinds of job class. After the Intermediate Job-Class is the Advanced Job-Class which possesses much advantage than the Intermediate Job-Class. There are some unique class that he noticed like Poacher-Class, Buccaneer-Class, and Elitist-Class. From Intermediate Job-Class a player can select one of the two option change depending on the taste of the player. Next to the Advanced Job-Class is the Superior Job-Class which is far stronger than the Advanced Job-Class. A player could select one of the two choices to become Superior-Class and each one has unique abilities and skills. As Eiji was browsing noticed that there is a Spearman-Class in the Intermediate-Class. During Final Tactics days he was wielding a god-like spear which got from a god-level boss and in the last game he played there is no such job-class. ¡°It seems that if spear-type weapon is used to the other job-classes there are negative and positive effects it could provide.¡± Eiji uttered while focusing in the monitor screen. At that moment Eiji decides to become Spearman-Class as for the next job-class he¡¯ll just see what will choose. He open forums about Spearman-Class and everything about it for the rest of the night. Chapter 2 - Renewal Soul The day rose shine and bright. 3-B classroom is filled with chatter and murmur since the class isn¡¯t started yet. Tsusuke arrived first then Eiji. Tsusuke noticed Eiji¡¯s tired and looks like deprived from sleep so he ask what happened to him. Eiji just told Tsusuke that he was busy researching that he is awake until three in the morning. Before Tsusuke could ask another question Eiji sleeping in his desk already. Couple minutes after Kaede arrives. ¡°Mornin Kaede!¡± Tsusuke greeted him. ¡°Mor¡­nin¡­¡± Kaede replied. ¡°So you are also lack of sleep?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Kii-chan and I were playing WOTL until two in the morning. Lucky that we don¡¯t have homework or I¡¯ll be late today.¡± ¡°I saw Kii-chan earlier¡­ How come she isn¡¯t tired like the looks of you two?¡± But before Kaede could answer, he was already sleeping in his desk. ¡°Geez¡­ What is wrong with you two?¡± Morning classes are ended while Eiji and Kaede were sleeping. With devil¡¯s luck they weren¡¯t caught or scolded by the subject teachers. [Roof Deck] At lunchtime, they always buy food at the cafeteria and goes to the roof deck where it is not crowded. ¡°Kii-chan will have her advancement test job soon. But I doubt that she¡¯ll pass it anytime soon.¡± Kaede said. ¡°What?! That was fast dude! I just had my Advance Job-Class yesterday and I almost spent a week just to level up.¡± Tsusuke ranted on how fast Kiitani changes job. ¡°You started just two weeks right? How many hours you spent in the game Tsu-kun?¡± ¡°Well, I mostly spent two hours with breaks every time the night comes up in WOTL during weekdays.¡± ¡°Most likely you spent twenty four hours in WOTL a day which is ten days more or less in WOTL in total time you spent in the game. While Kii-chan in her last two logins she spent almost twenty days in total time which was last night we played for about seven in the evening after dinner up to two in the morning in real time.¡± ¡°Dude, that was hellish¡­¡± Eiji said. ¡°How come you spend night at the game? Isn¡¯t there debuffs during nighttime?¡± ¡°Unlike any other class, Thief based class have additional buff during nighttime. Kii-chan¡¯s job which is Gunman has ability to see during nighttime. Aside from that, the mainly debuff during nighttime is Night Darkness which lowers your stamina and mana every time you fight and there is a chance to instill fear effect. Kii-chan discovered a way to cover it up.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Tsusuke intriguingly asked. ¡°Remember the Reebo Herb which is sold by an NPC in starting towns?¡± ¡°Yes, it only cost 2 Gils per 5 leaves and it could restore your stamina but only for two points which is too damn low.¡± ¡°Kii-chan brought thousands of it during her Squire-Class since she was using stamina more than an average player.¡± ¡°So what of it now?¡± ¡°On our second night, we had a tea made of Reebo Herb which is call Reebo Herb Tea and you wouldn¡¯t believe the effect. One gulp of Reebo Herb Tea could give you a buff which negates the Night Darkness Debuff for ten minutes in WOTL.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ what?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. Even I have that buff even though my job class isn¡¯t affect by debuff. I search in the game guide but there is no Reebo Herb Tea item listed. I think any innovations made by players aren¡¯t in there. That is why she is playing non-stop day and night in WOTL.¡± ¡°If we could monopolized the item and let no one discover it then you could be rich in no time.¡± Eiji suggested. ¡°What did you said?¡± Tsusuke asked. ¡°Monopolized it?¡± Eiji wonderingly answered. ¡°No! Before that.¡± Kaede said. ¡°I didn¡¯t said anything before that.¡± ¡°You said ¡®WE¡¯!¡± Tsusuke said with a huge smile. ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna play WOTL?¡± Kaede hesitantly asked for he might get dispirit. ¡°Well, I am giving it a thought.¡± Eiji said. Eiji didn¡¯t said yes immediately for he don¡¯t want to let Kaede know his intentions but he give a positive response on their question. ¡°Are we gonna built a guild again?¡± Tsusuke asked immediately. ¡°Well, not now¡­ At least a party should do. I will join you maybe next week. I¡¯ll study the game first before entering.¡± Their conversation was interrupted as they heard a girl¡¯s voice. ¡°Kaede-kuuuuuuuuun!¡± A girl shouted who was just in the doorway of the roof deck. The girl has a medium cut hair just about to reach the bust line. It was Kiitani Miyamura who was calling Kaede. ¡°There you are Kaede-kun, I was just looking for you.¡± ¡°What is it Kii-chan?¡± ¡°I was going to ask you about the advancement quest. I am having trouble with it since you left last night.¡± ¡°As I expected¡­ Wait, what time did you log out?¡± ¡°Almost three in the morning. Teehee ~¡± ¡°Woah! You mean you still haven¡¯t changed job for about two days in WOTL?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ The practical test where easy but the written test is so hard.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know what the test are. So I can¡¯t help you with that Kii-chan.¡± Kaede said. Kiitani bloated her cheeks as a sign of frustration. ¡°Well, you can search it in the game guide.¡± Eiji said. ¡°How do you know that Eiji?¡± Tsusuke asked. ¡°I¡¯ve read last night about job changing test. I¡¯ve read the walkthrough of most of the Job Classes, well, except for the Superior Job Class.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you are tired earlier researching about WOTL?¡± Eiji just nodded. ¡°I thought you are not playing WOTL Eiji-kun?¡± Kiitani asked. ¡°Yes, I was¡­ But I am giving it a shot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit of former champion I guess¡­¡± Kiitani uttered. ¡°Hey, did you heard that Otamura-senpai¡¯s guild ¨C Moonlight Vision has conquered another town of the opposite faction.¡± Kiitani shifted the topic.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Opposite faction?¡± Eiji wonders. ¡°Oh right, you haven¡¯t played WOTL. The game story is about two faction in a wage of war that is why the game called ¡®War of the Lions¡¯. Bearing the white lion crest is the Zeltania Kingdom they reign over the North and Northeast and bearing the black lion crest is the Mitaltzen Kingdom and they reign over the South and Southwest of the continent of Minegard. During the creation of character you can select if you are gonna start as the White Lion Crest or Black Lion Crest.¡± Kiitani explained. ¡°Be mindful if you gonna pick a faction that will serve as your crest. In WOTL if you die ten times your character will be deleted. Only in PVP rooms, guild war, or official tournament are not counted. Opposite faction can kill you and that counts. Players with same faction cannot kill nor hurt each other.¡± Tsusuke explained further. ¡°Moonlight Vision Guild serves the Mitaltzen Kingdom so am I and Kaede.¡± ¡°I serve for Mitaltzen Kingdom also, so be surely to pick Mitaltzen Kingdom when creating a character. If ever you wrongly select a faction you can join the opposite faction however you will be titled as ¡®Traitor¡¯ and every player in the continent can kill or hurt you even though you changed side. Don¡¯t worry that title will bear only for a week in real time or almost a year and half in WOTL.¡± Tsusuke added. ¡°Also, if you gonna die in player¡¯s hand the player who killed you can loot specific items in your inventory so make sure you won¡¯t easily die in the game Eiji.¡± Kaede said. Eiji seems that the system of WOTL is more complicated than Final Tactics but it is doable. As a player this kind of system is very innovative. Later that day Eiji left the campus early than normal. Turns out he goes to the nearest Prime Gear store in the town to buy the console and calibrate it. Upon buying he must fill up series of question like personal information, present sickness and diseases, status in life, and sort of other information. Eiji fill it up without any corrections. After filling up the questions, his body was calibrated using a machine that looks like an MRI Scanner in hospitals. One of the assistants told him that he can use the Prime Gear not more than twenty four hours since the real body needs rest and food. Also he strongly suggested to stop at least every eight hours so that the body won¡¯t be strained too much. Eiji left the store with a Prime Gear and the data game of WOTL. That was all he needs. Before going back to the school dormitory he stop over to a fast food chain to buy something for dinner. Upon arriving to his room, he took a bath and then eat his dinner. While he was eating he receive a text message from Tsusuke. ¡®If you play WOTL tonight give me a reply. Personal Messaging in WOTL has a cost and it will rip your money so I strongly suggest to give me a reply before 9pm this night.¡± Eiji watched the clock in the wall and it was 7:44pm. He didn¡¯t replied to Tsusuke because he was to venture alone in his first embark to WOTL. He finished his meal fast and start to read the manual of the Prime Gear. It only took five minute to read the whole pamphlet and it was not complicated as it seems. He wore the headgear that looks like rider helmet and lie down in his bed. ¡°Prime Gear Initialize!¡± Eiji said as the Prime Gear is turned on using voice activation command. He felt like he was drag to another dimension everything he sees become wobbly and after a second everything becomes white. ¡®Welcome to Prime Gear Centra ¨C Please Select Data Available.¡¯ The only data available was the War of the Lions so without a second Eiji select WOTL. After selecting data he was warped in a twilight zone and two seconds after he found himself to a 4x4 size room filled with color checkered tiles. In front of him is a beautiful girl seating in chair with a desk and on her back is a black door. ¡°Welcome to War of the Lions.¡± The girl greeted. The atmosphere looks like Eiji was having a job interview. ¡°I am Cresta. I will be the one who will help you create your character before embarking to the world of Minegard. First of all, every player is mandated to use their first name in the game. You can change you name only if you earned a title. Second, you will be given a chance to change your facial features but not your gender. Third, you will be given a 100 gil, Squire Equipment Set, a normal-class weapon of your choice, and a crest.¡± Cresta explained. ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°So what facial features do you want to change?¡± ¡°Uhmmm¡­ Just my hair¡­ I want to make it longer not more than an inch and make it slick¡­ no¡­ make it spiky.¡± ¡°Oh, a robust type of image. I see.¡± Crest said as she was clicking something on board of the desk. Just a matter of seconds Eiji hair style change. He had now a cool spiky hair just like he wanted. Eiji saw his image in the mirror of the left side of the room and he was fascinated by the change. ¡°Woah! I really like it!¡± ¡°Glad to hear that.¡± ¡°Uhmm, can I make another last request?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Can you make my left sideburn much longer? Three inches would do.¡± ¡°Hang on a sec.¡± In a second, Eiji¡¯s request was fulfilled. ¡°Perfect!¡± ¡°Okay, I would like to ask what weapon would you like to have.¡± ¡°What are the types of weapon in the game?¡± ¡°There are knife-type, sword-type, two-hand sword-type, bow-type, crossbow-type, staff-type, wand-type, book-type, instrumental-type, pistol-type, rifle-type, knuckle-type, whip-type, hammer-type, spear-type, rapier-type, katana-type, mace-type, katar-type, and special-type. You can¡¯t select instrumental-type, katar-type and special-type because they are advance and specialized weapons.¡± ¡°The spear would to do Cresta and as of for the crest can I start with the Black Lion Crest any starting point of town would do.¡± ¡°Okay wait.¡± As soon as Cresta heard Eiji¡¯s request she input it to the data entry. However Cresta seems to have a problem. ¡°Uhmmmm¡­¡± ¡°Is there any problem?¡± ¡°I cannot put you to the Black Lion Crest nor to the White Lion Crest. The system is rejecting it.¡± ¡°Does it mean I cannot play the game or there is a problem with my game data?¡± Eiji politely asked. ¡°There is no problem in your game data because if it was a counterfeit normally would won¡¯t be summoned to this room. As for the game itself you can still play it however you will be summoned to a neutral state.¡± ¡°What does Neutral State means?¡± ¡°It means you are neither Black Lion Crest nor White Lion Crest. You can kill both of the factions and be killed by them. If you don¡¯t turn mentally hostile to any faction your name won¡¯t be turned into red to them meaning that you are a friendly.¡± ¡°Can I party or join a guild if I am in the Neutral State?¡± ¡°Normally, both factions can party each other but the PK system will still on. As of for the guild you can¡¯t join neither of the two, but if you create or in a guild in Neutral State members of two faction can join you. PK system on the guild is still on.¡± ¡°That could be a problem later.¡± ¡°Yes is it. In the earlier patch of the game there is three factions and the third one is the Neutral State. However the game was chaotic since Neutral Towns are being held by two faction and war started to break out. After that the admin decided to focus choosing mainly in the two factions.¡± ¡°Why there is still a Neutral State?¡± ¡°The game seldom encounter errors like this and since it is not a fixable problem we don¡¯t have any choice but to send a player in a Neutral State with his or her consent.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°I would like to ask you if you are still gonna embark to War of the Lions and join the Neutral State?¡± ¡°One more question. Can I join Black Lion Crest after I enter the game?¡± Eiji remembered Tsusuke said about traitor title. ¡°Players who entered as a Neutral State cannot join any crest as reported to the previous players who became Neutral State.¡± Eiji become silent as he thinks of any options. ¡°Geez¡­ I guess I have no other choice. Good thing about it is that I can be friendly to the two faction.¡± ¡°We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience. As an apology you will start with ten bonus stat points.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Can I start now?¡± ¡°You can start as soon as you enter the door behind me. Additionally, if there are bugs or errors during your game the admins will be pleased if you submit a report, hence you will be rewarded accordingly.¡± ¡°Okay. I will.¡± Eiji enters the door behind Cresta. As he walks in his vision turns white then in a split second he found himself in a center of a town. Eiji noticed that there are no maps in the visual interface like he saw in anime and games. Eiji glides in hands in the stat option and filled the bonus points given to him. ¡°Strength¡­ Agility¡­ Vitality¡­ Dexterity¡­ Intelligence¡­ Wisdom¡­ Luck¡­¡± Strength (STR) refers to the physical power of a character the more strength a player has the stronger his or her physical attacks is. In addition, heavy weapons required more strength. Agility (AGI) refers to the nimbleness and swiftness of a character. The more agility a player has the higher his or her movement and attack speed is. The higher the agility gains evasion rate. Vitality (VIT) refers to the physical defense and HP of a character. The more Vitality a player has the higher his or her resistance to physical damage. The higher the vitality gains resistance to poison, stun, and sleep. Dexterity (DEX) refers to the ability to hit accurately. The more dexterity a player has the higher his or her attack damage using long-range weapons. The higher the dexterity gain a small amount getting a critical rate. Intelligence (INT) refers to the magical damage and MP of a character. The more intelligence a player has the stronger his or her spell damage. The higher the intelligence the faster a spell could cast. Wisdom (WIS) refers to the ability of succession using traits. It is a unique stat that involves succession rates of the sub-skills and some of the skills. The higher the wisdom the higher the chance a player could inflict buffs and debuffs to a target. Luck (LUK) refers to the non-player rate adhere to the surrounding. Luck also the stat for getting critical damage. The higher the luck the rarer the loot a player could find. All stats starts at five. Each time a player level up five stat point is given. As for Eiji he was given a bonus ten point stat and immediately he used it to level his strength. The damage output soar higher than earlier. That bonus stat point is a huge advantage he thinks that he could battle monsters who are ahead by a level or two. Eiji ask an NPC guard where he was. Right now Eiji was at the Quartz Town. Also he asked the guard where he could buy items and map. The NPC guard told him that the Armory is at the north side of the town and adjacent to it is the Weapon Shop. The General Supply Store is at the northeast side where he could buy potions and map. Beside the General Supply Store is the Appraisal Building where he could identify and appraise an unidentified items to an NPC with a fee. The Flea Market is at the central road down to the town entrance where Artisan-class and Merchant-class could sell their products. After that he immediately go to the General Supply Store. A brawny guy welcomes him. ¡°Good day kiddo, how could I help you?¡± ¡°I would like to inquire how much is a map?¡± ¡°There are two kinds of map we¡¯re currently selling. The Regular Map which cost 300G and the Overviewed Map which is 1,500G.¡± ¡°What is the difference of the two?¡± Eiji curiously asked. ¡°Regular Map has sketch of a selected town however outside the town is blank. You need to visit it first in order to reveal the location. Overviewed Map has the revealed location outside the selected town with a twenty kilometer radius.¡± ¡°I see¡­ If I ever wander go off the twenty kilometer radius will the map expand?¡± ¡°No. You need to go to Appraisal Building to expand your map or look for a help of a Scholar-Class or Navigator-Class. They can expand the map using a certain skill. Also if your map was lost or stolen you need to buy and visit the places again. Easiest to obtain the location of the lost map is to ask a help of a Tracker.¡± ¡°The map is not a permanent item.¡± ¡°Nothing is permanent kid. So what would you like?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy the Regular Map. I would like to explore first the surrounding.¡± ¡°Okay, here¡¯s a Regular Map worth 300G. I¡¯ll fetch up a World Map too for free.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Eiji just brought the Regular Map since that is the only map he could afford in the meantime. ¡°Hey kid. If you ever got a ¡®Wolf¡¯s Hide¡¯ could you sell it to me? I¡¯m looking for a good hide since winter is coming.¡± Eiji thinks that it was a quest. Normally quest just pops out of nowhere and there are some quest that if you decline you cannot do it again. He humbly accepted the quest given by the store manager. ¡°I suggest you go to the southeastern part outside Quartz Town. Monsters there are low but they give a good loot to sell. Wolves can be seen there also but be careful, don¡¯t engage them if the White Fang is there.¡± ¡°White Fang?¡± ¡°He is the Alpha Wolf of the clan. You can immediately recognize him because of his snow-like fur.¡± The General Supply Store Manager seriously advised Eiji. ¡°I will definitely remember that. Thanks for the hint.¡± As Eiji left the store he opened the World Map. There are only few landmarks were written. Most of it has only circles and lines connecting to another one. Small circles must represent small towns, the medium ones must be a cities and the larger ones are kingdoms or castles. The line that connects must be the road. The map was like an ancient map used in medieval times ¨C no illustrations nor markings. Chapter 3 - The Meeting [Pallet Forest] It was almost noon when Eiji arrived at the said location. As expected there are low level monsters like Forest Boars, Pallet Willows, and Forest Imps. Forest Boars has good item drop like Boar Hide and Boar Meat. Pallet Willows has drop like Tough Plank and Tough Trunk. Forest Imps drop are good for magic users because Imp Powder has an effect that could recover a small amount of mana. Thanks to the bonus stats Eiji could defeat monsters with ease. He was Level 4 when it was already three in the afternoon. He could hear his stomach growling. Eiji noticed that he got three debuffs. It was a Hungry Debuff which lowers ability to ten percent, Thirsty Debuff which lowers stamina and agility by fifteen percent, and Tired Debuff which lowers ability to another twenty five percent and increase mana and stamina usage of skills. Eiji get the Boar Meat and Tough Plank in his inventory. He created fire using the Tough Plank and the skill he learned in camping during his elementary days. As he roast the Boar Meat a prompt appeared saying he gain the sub-skills ¡®Camping¡¯ and ¡®Cooking¡¯. But barely a 0.002% was added to the mastery of the sub-skill. Eiji learned that sub-skills might be easily get by doing it. The place where he was is not that bad. Eiji was near to a clean river and there is no nearby monster appear for a quite some time. Thirty minutes after resting the debuff icon was gone. The sky is slowly turning orange sign that the dusk is coming. He remembered that during night there¡¯s that Night Darkness debuff. Eiji packed his things and plans to return. It was almost five in the afternoon and it was slowly began to gone dark when Eiji was about to get out in the forest when suddenly howl was been heard. ¡°Was that a wolf? Geez¡­ What a great timing¡­ Night Darkness debuff just kicked in and damn hardly can¡¯t see a thing in the way.¡± Eiji uttered. His eyes play illusions Eiji didn¡¯t notice that he was affected by the fear effect. Even though Eiji knows it was just all illusion, slowly it took damage to his HP. There is no way to resist fear if a player has a low wisdom stat. Just when he was just about to leave the forest, red glaring eyes stare not far from Eiij. Seven wolves appeared in front of him. ¡°Did I ran out of luck?¡± Eiji said as he took a defensive stance. Eiji¡¯s HP was about two thirds since he was still affected by the fear effect. He saw that the level of the wolves were around level 7 or level 8 and there is no way he could defeat them all since he was just Level 4. Four of the seven wolves suddenly tried to attack while the others are on standby. Eiji manage to block the two wolves in front but he was bit by the other two at the side. Two bites left Eiij with only one-fourth of his HP. That was a huge damage. As the four wolves attacks again, Eiji closed his eyes and accept the inevitable death. ¡±BUSHIDO CHALLENGE!¡± He heard a girl¡¯s voice. Eiji opens his eye and saw a bob-cut hairstyle girl wearing a samurai-look armor. The wolves who tried to attack Eiji stopped and changed look to the girl. Three of the wolves rushed to attack the girl but before the wolves land a hit it was countered by the girl. ¡°RAITON: Eight Blade Lightning Slash!¡± A lightning-element slash walloped the wolves in a flash. Another three was on the way to attack her but as soon as she saw it, she weaved her katana in mid-air and pointed in to the attacking wolves. ¡°RAITON: Lightning Butterfly¡± A flock of jolting butterflies appeared from her katana and struck to the wolves. It was a surefire kill from Eiji¡¯s point of view. The remaining wolf stared for a while and left them. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Nana of Thunder Clan. A Samurai-Class¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t NPC right?¡± ¡°What makes you think that I am an NPC? And who are you?¡± ¡°Sorry about that¡­ I am Eiji.¡± ¡°Only stupid players wants to die immediately. Why a newbie is still here at dusk time? Do you even know that you will be inflicted by the Night Darkness Debuff?¡± She said. ¡°I know about Night Darkness Debuff and the character deletion after ten deaths okay?! It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t make out in time going out in the Pallet Forest.¡± ¡°So have you hunted for Imp Powder?¡± ¡°Uh, Yes¡­¡± Eiji hesitantly answered. Nana searched her inventory and get a pouch of water bag. ¡°Drink it.¡± ¡°But I am not thirsty.¡± ¡°It is not for quenching thirst. Drink that so that the Night Darkness will gone for ten minutes.¡± Eiji recalled the Reebo Herb Tea. ¡°Is this¡­¡± ¡°Drink it now!¡± Nana said before Eiji could ask. Eiji has no choice but to drink it. The Night Darkness Debuff was gone as he drink it. It was really the Reebo Herb Tea. Eiji was shock for someone knew it. He asked Nana where did she knew the Reebo Herb Tea and Nana answered that one of her acquaintance told her about it. ¡°Well then, hand me over all of your Imp Powder as a price of rescuing you and giving you the Reebo Herb Tea.¡± Nana said as she sheathe her katana. ¡°Wait what?!¡± ¡°It was not for free off course. If you won¡¯t give me your Imp Powder I can kill you easy and loot everything you have.¡± Nana said and smiled sinisterly. GULP** Imp Powder was just a small price for helping him. Without any further delay Eiji handed all of his Imp Powder. Nana noticed that Eiji was left handed the way he use the inventory prompt. It was thirty-two small bags of Imp Powder and it was much more than Nana expected. Nana felt guilty of having that much of Imp Powder so in return she give Eiji 1000G. ¡°What is this for?¡± Eiji wonders of Nana¡¯s shifting mood. ¡°I am not that kind of player¡­ Killing player without a reason¡­ That is my way of saying sorry for intimidating you and for the Imp Powder.¡± Nana softly said. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Giving you the Imp Powder isn¡¯t much as saving me from those wolves and it is only natural to ask for an exchange.¡± ¡°I need to go now. You can keep the Reebo Herb Tea it¡¯s not warm anymore and I won¡¯t be needing it. Also your spear is all run down. Better to buy a new one than to repair it. If you have the money anytime soon look for the Blacksmith-Class named Adachi near the town entrance of Quartz Town he could help you if you have the right amount and tell him I recommend you.¡± Nana said as she leaves. [Quartz Town] As Eiji arrives at the town. The avenue where the Flea Market was now close and he saw no Merchant or Artisan selling their product unlike daytime. ¡°Maybe Flea Market is close during nighttime.¡± Eiji uttered. After the Flea Market he decided to go to the General Supply Store but as he arrives the store was close. Only bars and inns are open during nighttime he guess. Unlike Final Tactics he can find stores and vendors twenty-four hours operating but in WOTL he hardly see one. ¡°I¡¯ll guess I¡¯ll stay for a night here in WOTL. I¡¯ll just go to the nearest inn available.¡± Eiji said to himself. He saw an inn called Willow Post and without a second thought he enters. ¡°Good Evening!¡± One of the barmaids greeted Eiji. ¡°Uhmm. I would like to stay for the night is there any available room and how much it cost?¡± Eiji asked politely. ¡°We have a room available, it cost 100G per night if you want to add a meal on it you can add 30G and a drink will be on the house.¡± The barmaid answered. ¡°Thank god it is still on my budget¡­¡± ¡°If you want to get it just tell the innkeeper in the counter.¡± The barmaid added. Eiji step forward to the counter. ¡°Good evening, I am Eiji and I would like to get a room for the night.¡± ¡°The room in second floor on the first door right is available. Would you like a meal added?¡± An old lady replied. ¡°If I have some ingredients in me would the price for meal be lessen?¡± Eiji asked. ¡°Depending on the ingredient sir but it won¡¯t be as much as less half of the price.¡± ¡°I have a Boar Meat here. How much would it be lessen the price?¡± ¡°Oh, Boar Meat. If you have one the price for the meal would be 20G and if you have five of it then it would be free along with a drink.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll give you the five Boar Meat. ¡° A skill prompt ¨C Haggling Skill Learn (0.02% Mastery) ¡°Gladly to accept it sir. Boar Meat is scarce nowadays.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Why is that madam?¡± ¡°Wolves in the forest attacks the Forest Boar leaving the people a small amount to kill.¡± ¡°That is why the General Store Manager ask me to get him some Wolf Hide.¡± ¡°Oh Grandell asked you? Surely he will pay you handsomely. By the way I am Martha the owner of this inn.¡± Eiji now know why there is a small amount of Forest Boar he encountered in the forest. He thought that it was normal but it wasn¡¯t. Willows and Forest Imps are abundant but not the Forest Boars. He wants to hunt for the wolves but Eiji knew that his level isn¡¯t enough to handle even one wolf. As soon as Eiji finished his meal he dropped to his room and rest. As Eiji wakes up it was morning already. The sunshine rays inside his room through the window beside his bed. Eiji noticed a buff ¨C ¡®Well Rested¡¯ is a buff that enhance level experience gain for about eight hours, physical abilities and mental abilities are enhance by five percent for the next eight hours. It was a great buff. It could help Eiji to level up fast. He told Martha to reserve the room he used for tonight before leaving the inn. He paid in advance but not for the meal. He thought to hunt again for Boar Meat so that he could lessen his expenses especially he isn¡¯t familiar with the economy of WOTL. Eiji sold everything he got from the hunt yesterday to the General Supply Shop and he only got 700G. He look for a spear in the Flea Market after in the General Supply Shop but prices are sky-rocketed. Most of the items he saw are excellent-quality unlike his normal-quality spear. He noticed that as greater the quality of an item the higher the stats it gives. Right now he just brought a normal-quality Javelin in the Weapon Shop on the North side of Quartz town which was cost him 1100G. The attack power is doubled than the previous spear and the durability of the Javelin is higher. [Pallet Forest] Eiji took more than two hours in the town looking for a good weapon and another two hours to travel from Quartz Town to Pallet Forest. Without any second he starts to battle monster. He carefully battle monster not to take damage since he just brought only four healing potions which cost 50G each. Pallet Willows, Forest Boars, and Forest Imps attack were slow and barely could hit Eiji. Thanks to the buff he gain Eiji can fight easily than yesterday. There are barely active skill that can be used as a Squire-Class. Its skill were all passive and all about weapon mastery. So as a Squire-Class you only have to hit enemies and barely get to any other action. However as soon as Eiji got Level 8 he put all of his stat point to Strength and maximized his Spear Weapon Mastery which at the moment he could one hit kill the Forest Imps which has the lowest defense of the three monster and a two or three hits to the Forest Boar and Pallet Willow. ¡°Right now I have 50 Strength and the other stats are only 5. I guess I should start building my other stats if I want to survive to higher level monsters.¡± Eiji said. It was around three in the afternoon when he got to Level 10. He remember that getting out in the forest takes time. He quickly wrap up things and leave. It was nearly dusk when Eiji was at the end of the Pallet Forest. He took the same route as yesterday. Upon arriving at the end one wolf was standing in his way. ¡°Not again? Hey where¡¯s you pal?¡± Eiji said. The wolf growled angrily. ¡°It won¡¯t be same as yesterday. If it is one-on-one I could take you.¡± Eiji said as he take a stance. The wolf¡¯s claw clasp the ground as Eiji points his javelin. The wolf rushed and pounced Eiji. Eiji manage also to land a hit. One-fifth of Eiji¡¯s HP was taken while the wolf took one-third of his HP. ¡°Not bad¡­¡± Eiji uttered. The wolf tried to pounce again but Eiji swing his javelin and it was a direct critical hit. The wolf was defeated in an instant. Eiji was sweating heavily. It was his first intense battle again a monster higher than his level. It was a level 11 Wolf and it must be the pack leader of the wolves Nana defeated yesterday. Item Obtained ¨C Wolf¡¯s Hide (1x), Wolf¡¯s Claw (2x), and Wolf¡¯s Fang (1x). Eiji was happy on his first big victory. However, that happiness turned into astonishment as he heard wolves howling nearby. The sky is now turning dark and the Night Darkness kicks in again to him. ¡°Not this again¡­ Is this De Javu?¡± Eiji uttered. Behind Eiji was the thick dark Pallet Forest. Slowly red glaring eyes are appearing. It almost filled the dark forest with those eyes. He couldn¡¯t count how many wolves there are. In the middle of the pack a white hazy fog appears. Just a moment Eiji look intensely to it but it was not a fog but a wolf. It was White Fang just like the General Supply Manager told him. Its fur is white as snow. It was magnificent to look if not affected by the terror inflicted by the Night Darkness. ¡°Looks like you are caught into trouble again Eiji-kun?¡± A familiar girl¡¯s voice said. Upon looking back again it was Nana. ¡°Nana?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for White Fang for about five nights.¡± ¡°We?¡± Eiji noticed some unknown people behind her. There are other three players behind Nana. First is a guy that has a sturdy full plate armor, a huge shield, and a sword. Second is a girl with eye glasses, a jet-black colored wavy bust-line hairstyle, wearing a robe and her bust is covered with cloth bandage equipped with knuckles, third is a guy wearing shoulder-cut polo, cargo pants, and he wields a meter long hammer. Before Nana could introduced her party several wolves start to attack them. ¡°DEVOTION!¡± The guy with full plated roared. The guy was glimmering with light and a shining line connects to party and including Eiji. ¡°Aika and Adachi take care of the wolves that are not on my radius.¡± Nana ordered. ¡°BUSHIDO CHALLENGE!¡± In a small area surrounding Nana several wolves are taunted and forced to attack her. ¡°BUSHIDO COUNTER: Raging Gale¡± The wolves that were forced to attack Nana were countered and it was a one-hit kill for each of the wolves. ¡°Arisato is a Crusader-Class, he is a tank support class. That Devotion Skill is a support skill, if one of us is hurt the damage to HP is halve to the attack output and the other half is distributed to Arisato. Nana is a Samurai-Class. Samurai-Class has taunting skill used to force enemy to attack her and aside from it she have counter skills. Depending on the situation she can pick any counter she likes on her advantage.¡± The guy with hammer explained. ¡°What about that girl and you?¡± Eiji asked as he points to the girl. ¡°Aika is a Martial Artist-Class. Their class boast the highest offensive rate amongst all intermediate job class. But she is only good with one-on-one situation if you ask me. About me, I am Adachi a Blacksmith-Class. In this party I am the weakest even though I have the higher level. Forging is my forte, but battling this wolves I can take one or two at the same time.¡± As Adachi was explaining things to Eiji. The work was almost half finished. Wolves starting to back down but a loud howl coming from the White Fang boost the morale of the wolves. ¡°SHIELD RICOCHET!¡± Arisato heavily pumped his shoulders and throw his shield towards White Fang. In an instant five wolves blocked it and didn¡¯t reach White Fang however it cost their lives. ¡°Dang it. These wolves are persistent.¡± Arisato frustratingly said as the shield didn¡¯t reach its target. Aika in a swift run towards White Fang but before she could get around fifteen meters she was obstructed by seven or more wolves. ¡°Aika don¡¯t go deep or the Devotion Link will snap.¡± Arisato advised. ¡°How I will attack White Fang if I won¡¯t go near?!¡± The number of wolves are slowly going down. Nana noticed it immediately and yelled for a push. However before they could push their formation White Fang howled once again. This time it was not to boost the morale but it was a signal to retreat. After a couple of seconds the wolves ran deep in the forest and the last one to retreat was White Fang. Before White Fang retreats he gives a stare but not menacing as it seems. ¡°So that White Fang is intelligent also. I thought I was the only one who read the battle.¡± Nana uttered. ¡°Should we chase them?¡± Adachi asked. ¡°We can still chase them. We aren¡¯t badly hurt after all.¡± Aika encouraged everyone. ¡°Nah. That will be for this night. We might get ambushed or worst killed in process if we chased further. That White Fang is intelligent we don¡¯t know what surprises he created in the forest.¡± Nana explained. ¡°Nana¡¯s right besides my MP is almost zero. Aika¡¯s been abusive with the damage reduction of the Devotion.¡± Arisato said as he sat down on the ground. ¡°Of course, I am a front liner what do you think I do.¡± Aika ranted. ¡°You create damage to enemies not take damage to the enemies. You idiot!¡± ¡°I am not invincible you know?!¡± Aika defended. ¡°I know right but don¡¯t be so reckless!¡± ¡°Ok¡­ ok¡­ stop it you two. Break it down.¡± Adachi intervened. ¡°The loots are good this time. I might create a weapon and armor suitable for Aika so that she can reduce the damage input.¡± Adachi added. Eiji was left out of place. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re there Eiji. Sorry for not noticing you.¡± Nana apologized. ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s okay, here take this as a token of appreciation for saving me the second time around.¡± ¡°Imp Powder?¡± Nana asked. ¡°Yes. You are gathering it right?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± ¡°What are you gonna do with Imp Powder Nana?¡± Adachi intriguingly asked. ¡°There is a Chemist-Class I know that knew how to brew an Elemental-Boosting Potion and I need to gather as much as many Imp Powder I could.¡± ¡°Elemental-Boosting Potion?¡± ¡°If you use a weapon-oriented skill with elemental-attribute in it the damage will be doubled. You just need to soak your weapon of that potion. However, it is just a temporary effect. After you use the skill the potion¡¯s effect wears off.¡± Nana explained. ¡°Now I see why you are collecting Imp Powder.¡± ¡°Yes. You just need Imp Powder and Sea Salt Water to produce one and with the help of Brewing Skill of a Chemist of course.¡± ¡°Enough with chit chats. I guess we need to go back to the town first.¡± Adachi suggested. [Quartz Town ¨C Willow Post] Nana¡¯s party joined me going back to Willow Post. As a sign of my gratitude, Eiji pay for their meal in the inn. They didn¡¯t know that the meal was only free because Eiji give twenty pieces of Boar Meat to the old lady leaving Eiji only three Boar Meat in him inventory but it was not bad as it seems. They had a great time talking. ¡°What is now your level Eiji?¡± Nana asked. ¡°I am now Level 10.¡± ¡°That was fast! Didn¡¯t you said that you just started yesterday here?¡± ¡°Yes. Thanks to the ¡®Well Rested¡¯ Buff I manage to level up fast than normal.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the ¡®Well Rested¡¯ Buff?¡± Adachi asked. ¡°Wait. Aren¡¯t you resting a night in WOTL?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°Never.¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Everyone answered in corresponding manner. ¡°I see now why. Well, if you sleep here in WOTL for a night you¡¯ll gain a ¡®Well Rested¡¯ Buff that could enhance experience gain for eight hours after you wake up also you¡¯ll gain five percent enhance bonus for you physical and mental abilities for eight hours too.¡± Eiji explained. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. It is not in the game guide.¡± Adachi said. ¡°That is why there are inns and taverns and some of the players prefer to rest. I thought it was just to spice up the game.¡± Nana uttered. ¡°I don¡¯t know the requirements for the buff but it must be needing you sleep comfortably where ever you are for eight hours.¡± Eiji guessed. ¡°That must be it. Otherwise it won¡¯t be called ¡®Well Rested¡¯ Buff if you are sleeping uncomfortably or just take an hour nap.¡± Arisato added. ¡°Thanks for the tip Eiji. How about we try it guys?¡± Nana suggested to her party. ¡°Normally I log out in the game and wait for twelve minutes in real time to log in again so that it would be daytime here in WOTL. It is not bad to try.¡± Aika said. Without any further ado, Adachi told the innkeeper that they need four rooms for the night. Luckily the adjacent rooms in the second floor are available except mine. ¡°Oh before I forgot. What job class will you take Eiji?¡± Nana asked. Eiji decided to be a Spearman-Class last night. Spears are Eiji¡¯s favorite weapon in every game he played in the previous. No wonder why he wants to be Spearman-Class. ¡°Spearman-Class are good in mid-range combat situation. Their defensive ability isn¡¯t bad and they have good offensive ability.¡± Arisato said. ¡°You can change job for Intermediate Job-Class in small towns like Quartz. Just go to the town hall located in the central north of Quartz Town and ask the Town Leader to give you a certificate and after that you¡¯ll become a Spearman-Class. For Advance Job-Class you need to go to the cities and go to the certified guildhall of your wanted job class and take a test. Normally it would be just a practical exam but some have written test or hunt test. So you need to be attentive.¡± Nana advised. After the conversation, everyone decided to call it a night and try the ¡®Well Rested¡¯ Buff if it was true. As the morning comes, one by one they woke up. Eiji was the first one who was downstairs and having his breakfast. Next one is Nana and Aika. ¡°Good morning.¡± Eiji greeted them. ¡°Good morning.¡± They responded. Arisato and Adachi came afterwards. ¡°There is really ¡®Well Rested¡¯ Buff after you sleep.¡± Arisato said. ¡°Let¡¯s depart after we eat breakfast. It would be a waste if we won¡¯t use this.¡± Aika suggested. They¡¯ve finished eating their breakfast and prepares to depart. Nana thanked Eiji for sharing the info about the ¡®Well Rested¡¯ Buff. Adachi give Eiji a spear-type weapon as a sign of appreciation. It was an excellent-class of a weapon. Adachi explained that there are five quality of an equipment ¨C normal-quality, good- quality, excellent- quality, epic- quality, and legendary- quality. Normal- quality and good- quality can be bought in NPC. Excellent- quality has more additional effects than good-quality and can be acquired through forging or quest. Epic-quality is stronger than excellent-quality and it is seldom to be acquired through forging because mostly it can be acquired through quest. Lastly, the legendary-quality which is rare and only can be acquired through defeating high level boss, only few players has legendary-quality equipment. Eiji was given the ¡®Glaive of Fiery Soul¡¯ Glaive of Fiery Soul Weapon-Type: Spear-Type (Excellent-Quality) Required Level: 20 Required Strength: 60 Required Class: Spearman-Class, Mercenary-Class, Knight-Class, Crusader-Class, and Disruptor-Class. Effects: +20 Strength, +20 Physical Damage, Fire Imbued Attack, +10% Burn Debuff (Stackable). If used by a Spearman-Class, all requirements are lowered by 50%. ¡®It was said that once this glaive was used to hunt down demons in the southern part of Minegard when humans are still united to fight on a greater cause.¡¯ ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re gonna give me this great weapon Adachi?¡± Eiji asked once more. ¡°Yeah. Arisato doesn¡¯t want to use spear-type weapon since he upgraded his swords skill. Even though it has a great effect no one wants to buy it for some reason.¡± Adachi said. What Adachi didn¡¯t know that the price he was asking for the Glaive of Fiery Soul is so skyrocketed that no one in a starting town has the money for it. And since Eiji wants to become a Spearman it is only reasonable to give him the weapon as an appreciation. At that time Eiji separate ways with Nana¡¯s party and goes to the Town Hall to changed job. Chapter 4 - Anomaly [Quartz Town ¨C Town Hall] Upon arriving in the Town Hall, Eiji asked the receptionist where he could get change job class. The receptionist guided him to the second floor of the Town Hall. In the second floor there was only a huge door. Eiji was instructed to wait for the Town Leader. [Outside Quartz Town ¨C Balhur Road] Meanwhile Nana¡¯s party was just to embark going to another town to hunt. Instead of using to town portal to save time Nana chooses to use wagon as transportation. ¡°What do you think of Eiji?¡± Nana asked while staring in the horizon of hills. ¡°Well¡­ He has one hell of a luck that he was saved twice in a row.¡± Aika answered. ¡°Nana aren¡¯t you thinking that Eiji is the same Eiji in your school?¡± Arisato asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t asked him and besides there are many Eijis out there. I guess he is not the same Eiji. I heard that he isn¡¯t gonna play WOTL after the Final Tactics where shut down.¡± ¡°This naming system surely made some of us confused. I mean, shouldn¡¯t all games we can choose our IGN?¡± ¡°Yeah, that is weird right? We cannot choose our in-game names.¡± Aika agreed to what Adachi said. ¡°I wonder if this Eiji will gonna buy the story of the town leader.¡± Adachi wonders and shifted the topic. ¡°If he¡¯s gonna buy it or not it is not our concern anymore. I just wanted to finish the game to see it if it¡¯s true or not.¡± Nana answered. ¡°It is absurd right? That story that the town leader told us? That we are invaders of this world?¡± Arisato said. ¡°Yeah¡­ Invaders¡­ If there is really two worlds and if the town leader¡¯s story is true then that sums up that the NPCs aren¡¯t just computer generated. What¡¯s weird is that the NPCs here can answer our question as long as it is within their knowledge.¡± ¡°Unlike in other games for example. When you ask direction to an NPC only selected NPCs could answer. But here in WOTL, most of them could answer and they provide supporting answers like which direction we would take, what are the problem we will encounter upon arriving in the said direction, and many more.¡± ¡°Maybe the game devs set up this way.¡± Arisato guess. ¡°Isn¡¯t in much to set NPC this way? The game was just about 20 Terabyte if they set this world filled with those NPC it would just as 20TB or more, even the graphics and environment if I calculate all of these matters it would be not less than 10,000TB. Given the world size and the small details.¡± Adachi calculated. ¡°Uh¡­ Guys, I guess we have company.¡± Aika said as she pointed a group of kobolds blocking the road. [Quartz Town ¨C Town Hall] Back to the Town Hall, Eiji already met the town leader and heard his story. Eiji couldn¡¯t believe that there is an NPC capable of being to act like a normal person. It was said that the Minegard is a real world and the people of Minegard is real and not an artificial intelligence generated. It was hard for Eiji to believe so he didn¡¯t go through it all and just hear the story of the town leader. After the story telling Eiji gone to a series of question and answered it all without a problem. Eiji felt weight lighted after he answer it correctly and his body shine in just a second. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve become a legitimate Spearman-Class. Adventurer Eiji, I won¡¯t force you to believe what all I¡¯ve said up to this moment. However, I wished that you will protect all the people not only adventurers but also the people you so-called NPCs. Unlike you adventurers you can be revived but people of Minegard lived only once so deep in the heart I want you to adhere my wish.¡± The town leader said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry town leader, protecting the NPC is much easier than believing your story. It is not that I don¡¯t believe at all but it is hard to comprehend everything you¡¯ve said. So protecting the NPC is much better as long as I have the power to protect then I will do what you¡¯ve wished.¡± ¡°Thank you adventurer Eiji.¡± ¡°By the way, I haven¡¯t got your name town leader. If you really not an AI then I guess you have a name right?¡± ¡°I am Theodore L. Maxwell. I was a descendant of an adventurer. My 56th generation of my great-grandmother was an adventurer like you. That was been told to us as generations of Maxwell comes by.¡± ¡°Theodore¡­ I see¡­ I will go now Town Leader Theodore. Thanks for changing my job-class.¡± Eiji said as he left the room. After changing job Eiji was now a Spearman-Class. He examine first his job skill and look what he could use and level up. Spearman-Class Skills *Spear Mastery *Piercing Spear *Whiplash *Rapid Joust As expected immediate job-class has less skills but it was not useless. Eiji knew that upon level 30 he will change job and he can only level his job skills by using it often. Before hitting level 30 he must mastered at least two skills. ¡°I think I¡¯ll go with Spear Mastery and Rapid Joust.¡± Eiji said in his mind. Spear Mastery boost the usage of spear-type weapons. It can be level up if he use spear-type often. Spear Mastery adds physical damage and add a small amount of attack speed when using spear-type weapon and also it lowers the requirements of all spear-type weapon. Rapid Joust can only be used if the character is equipped with spear-type weapon. It increase the attack speed depending on the skill level (level 1= 20%, level 2= 35%, level 3= 50%,level 4= 65%, and lastly level 5= 80%). Slowing attack speed debuff is cancelled when using Rapid Joust. Since only Rapid Joust consumes MP a little, Eiji thought he could add an offensive ability skill ¨C the Piercing Spear which deal 150% of the physical damage and has a chance to lowers the defense of the target by 10%. Each level adds 5% of damage and chance to lowers the defense. Eiji didn¡¯t noticed at first that he was automatically level to level 11. He add the stat points to his strength. Eiji goes first to the General Supply Store to sell the remaining loot he had before embarking to new location. ¡°Good morning kiddo! I see you¡¯ve changed job-class. What I can do for you?¡± Grandell the General Supply Store Manager asked. ¡°I wanna sell this loots. Also here is the Wolf¡¯s Hide that you¡¯ve asked me.¡± Eiji handle everything to Grandell. ¡°Thanks for this hide. I¡¯ll give you six potions and 300 gils for this. As for the loots I can give you 2,500 gils for it.¡± A title prompted to Eiji saying that he acquired the title of ¡®Wolf Slayer¡¯. ¡°Can I buy the Overviewed Map and potions?¡± ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re gonna change location?¡± ¡°Yeah. Pallet Forest cannot suffice my experience. I need to go somewhere.¡± ¡°I see. Here¡¯s your Overviewed Map and I recommend this location. It has good monsters to hunt on. Grass Wraith, Mandrake, Angry Bunny, and Driller Bee can be found in this location. They are on the same level as you. You just need to watch out for Trolls which rumors said to be found also.¡± Grandell warns as he points the location in the map that was brought by Eiji. ¡°Trolls?¡± ¡°Yeah. They are rare to seen in the field because their territory is far north in the mountain lands. However, this past few week peddlers going here in the town are telling stories they¡¯ve encounter Trolls in the highways and plains.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll gonna watch out for those Trolls.¡± It was the third day of Eiji in WOTL when he noticed that there are few players in the Neutral State such as Quartz Town. Based in the first day of release of WOTL the game registered around five hundred thousand players in the first hour swarming the starting towns of the game. Eiji couldn¡¯t compare the estimation of players in the other kingdoms but he knew that only few manage to go to the Neutral State. The Flea Market which supposed to be the market place for players there roughly hundred Merchant-Class vending in the area. After a short while Eiji skipped thinking about the number of players and started to focus on leveling. Just before Eiji could leave the town he noticed that there are two players following him since he left the General Supply Store. The town isn¡¯t big but there are many alleys. Eiji decide to shrug off the two players following him by misleading them in the alleys of the town. [Quartz Town Outskirts] As Eiji pick up the phase of his walking the two players also speed up their walk. Eiji was now sure that the two players were following him. As of the moment Eiji didn¡¯t know their purpose of following but Eiji has given a bad vibe from them. ¡°Why they are following me?¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Eiji said as he starts to run. He observed that the two players were Squire-Class and possess no threat at all. Eiji thought that if they are Squire-Class surely they are from Neutral State too since Quartz Town is a starting point for those who¡¯d just started the game. ¡°Okay let¡¯s stop this game of cat and mouse. Why are you following me?¡± Eiji stated as he stopped in a desolate alley. The two players stopped running as Eiji stops and confront them. One of the players look to the other one and seems like to ask what they¡¯ll do next. Both of them were hooded by a tattered robe cape. Sign that they are low-level players. The taller player unsheathe a blade from its robe and the other one corresponded. ¡°You know you can¡¯t hurt me right? I know that we are from the same faction ¨C the Neutral State. Even you are from different faction there is a big difference in our class. Both of you are Squire-Class while I am a Spearman-Class.¡± Eiji buffed. All of a sudden the taller player burst with laughter. ¡°That was the worst buff I¡¯ve ever heard in this game. HAHAHAHA!¡± Said by the taller player. As Eiji heard the player¡¯s voice he guaranteed that it was a female player. ¡°What do you mean Momo?¡± The other player asked. ¡°A novice in this game was acting a veteran here in WOTL. That buff of yours wasn¡¯t too bad if you encounter a novice but if it was a veteran in this game they won¡¯t surely buy it.¡± The taller player said. Eiji remained silent and wondering about what she said. ¡°The flaw of your buff is that every veteran player knows that starting towns are no-killing zone even though if both of you are from different faction¡± The taller player explained as she removes the hood of her robe. She was beautiful with a face of an idol in real world. She had a brown shoulder length hair. ¡°You are Eiji of Silent Phoenix right?¡± The idol-faced girl said. The Silent Phoenix was the guild Eiji created in the Final Tactics. Eiji was now more curious why a girl knew him immediately even though his facial feature was changed. ¡°What if I am? What of it now?¡± Eiji stood his ground. ¡°You might forgot already who we are but we are from Heartshaker Guild in Final Tactics. It would be weird how I recognized you but the way you hold your spear and with my intuition. That¡¯s how I knew you. By the way, I am Momo and this is Chae.¡± Heartshaker Guild was South Korea¡¯s one of the finest guild which is composed of girl players. Eiji already encountered them during the international competition of the Final Tactics but he barely knew or recognized the players of Heartshaker Guild except for player named Dahyun who dealt massive damage to Eiji¡¯s character during the game. ¡°I remember the Heartshaker Guild but I don¡¯t remember its player.¡± Eiji honestly said. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. We barely scratch your guild during the competition.¡± Momo said as she was trying to ease the tension. ¡°So why are you following me?¡± Eiji returned to the topic. ¡°Momo saw you last night and decided to follow you for some reason.¡± The girl with shiny long jet-black hair named Chae said. ¡°As you see, we are still Squire-Class¡­ We thought that we could party and level up at the same time however earlier this morning you already change job-class.¡± Momo stated the reason straight. ¡°Why you didn¡¯t told me immediately and you just started to stalk me.¡± ¡°HEY! We are not stalking you!¡± Chae ferociously shouted. ¡°Well, basically we are not stalking you. Following is the right term I guess. As soon as you changed job-class we hesitated since we don¡¯t want you to think that we are leeching experience who are above level to us.¡± Momo calmly explained. ¡°I see... I see¡­ If you stated your intentions immediately we wouldn¡¯t have confusion. I wouldn¡¯t mind partying with you especially you are both from Final Tactics, that way I won¡¯t have hard time organizing the party.¡± ¡°Really you mean it?!¡± ¡°Yes. Both I¡¯ll call the shot for this party. Also I won¡¯t held responsible if you die during fighting okay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a problem.¡± Momo agreed. After the agreement, Eiji created the party called ¨C Tranquil Sentinels. Momo was Level 8 and Chae was Level 7. Momo seems to be a veteran despite of her job-class which made Eiji awe. ¡°Momo was basically a veteran in this game. She was a Level 73 Seductress-Class.¡± Chae revealed to Eiji. ¡°A Seductress-Class?¡± ¡°It is the next job-class of Dancer aside from Gypsy-Class. That job-class is status-oriented class. They are not the best support class in all Superior-Class but it comes handy when dealing NPCs.¡± Momo briefly explained the Seductress-Class. ¡°Why you become Squire-Class again?¡± Eiji asked. Momo become silent after Eiji ask. Eiji looked at Chae and she just waver her head a little telling Eiji not to engage in that conversation. Eiji immediately understood Chae¡¯s waver and he just told Momo that it is okay not to answer his question. Momo made a bitter smile. Chae tried to shift the topic since it is giving the party a gloomy ambience. As Chae shifted the topic Eiji noticed even Momo and Chae came from different country he could understand them without a problem. Momo explained that the game system automatically translate every language so that players will have ease playing with players from different country. Slowly Momo¡¯s mood is getting better and at that time they¡¯ve arrived in the location where Grandell pointed. ¡°Momo and Chae, I¡¯ll pull some of the aggressive monsters in the area and you¡¯ll do the damage and just make sure you won¡¯t put damage greater than I do so change the monster won¡¯t target both of you.¡± Eiji said as he pulls out the scabbard of the blade of his spear. What Eiji said is a common strategy in most of MMORPG which is called tanking. One player deals massive damage to a monster while the lower level player hits or produce damage not greater than the first player so that the aggression of the monster won¡¯t change to the lower level players. Considering that the first player has great defensive power or could take the damage until the monster is dead without getting its HP to zero. ¡°Seeing you weapon makes sure than we can¡¯t dealt damage higher than you Eiji presuming it is an Excellent-Quality or higher type of a weapon.¡± Momo asserted as she saw the spear gleaming with fiery red aura. Eiji started attacking the red named monster called Angry Bunny. Red named monster are aggressive monster that attacks players or person even though it is not attacked and they are often called the Active Monsters while there are gray named monsters that are docile and won¡¯t attack useless being attacked and they are called Passive Monster. Mostly in lower level zone monsters aren¡¯t aggressive but in the case of their location only the Angry Bunny are the monsters they should only watch out. ¡°Rapid Joust!¡± Eiji activated his first skill. Eiji noticed that the spear became light so he attacked the Angry Bunny with single strike dealing almost half HP. Momo and Chae attacked afterwards giving their four slash strike a fatal blow to the monster. Momo ended the monster¡¯s life with a swift piercing blow. ¡°That was a good attack Momo also you Chae.¡± Eiji praised the both of them. ¡°Momo¡¯s damage was greater than mine since her stats focuses on STR.¡± Chae said. ¡°Of couse it is. Chae wants to be a Minstrel-Class so she needs to focus on WIS stats build and some of vitality stat for survival. While I need to focus on STR since I need to deal physical damage because Fencer Mage-Class requires STR, AGI, and some of INT to cast spells.¡± Momo explained. ¡°A Minstrel-Class and Fencer Mage-Class huh?¡± ¡°Minstrel-Class are supportive job-class that could boost the party¡¯s stat by using his or her Song-Abilities. While Fencer Mage-Class are master of piercing attacks and could use magic for his or her advantage.¡± Momo added. ¡°So Minstrel-Class is a hard job-class. Do they really need a party to get level?¡± Eiji questions as he was still confused on the levelling system of the game. ¡°Minstrel-Class has offensive ability however their stats build should have massive INT and WIS in order to go solo mode leaving the survivability stats behind. However the Supportive Song Abilities of a Minstrel-Class requires a lot of WIS in order to become effective and prolong the duration of the effect. Minstrel-Class is more effective to be a support than a damager since we could level up just by using our skills often than killing a monster.¡± Chae briefly explain. ¡°I see now. That is why supportive class needs a party in order to level up.¡± Eiji uttered as he knows now the explanation behind the levelling system of a support role. They¡¯ve continue hunting in the plains for about an hour as the heat of the sun blazes reminding them that it is almost past noontime. The scorching heat was intense in the plains than the forest. Eiji saw a three debuffs as he noticed the heat. It was a Sun-Burn Debuff which lowers the VIT by four points, Thirsty Debuff which lowers stamina and agility by fifteen percent and the Scorching Heat Debuff which intensifies the effect of the current debuff by fifty percent. ¡°Woah! I¡¯ve got minus six VIT, minus two AGI, and more than minus twenty percent on stamina.¡± Eiji shockingly said. ¡°Damn, Today must be the Day of Surt.¡± Momo silently said as she tries to log out. ¡°Day of Surt?¡± Both of Chae and Eiji wonder. ¡°You both are still beginners right? There are random environment changes in WOTL, we better first find a shade before this heatwave kills us.¡± Momo suggested as they are still in the plains bathe in the heat of the sun. Not far away from them is a forest and they¡¯ve decide to take shelter. Momo explained immediately the random climate changes as they took shed in the forest. ¡°Day of Surt, Day of Strum, Day of Kuyi, Day of Sunduomun, Day of Falr, and Day of Jyuwajyumento are the reported debuffing weathers in WOTL and each of these Days has lethal killing debuffs. If ever you are inflicted by these debuff you cannot log out for the whole duration of effect.¡± Momo sad as she washed her face with the water in the nearby creek. Chae that time tried to log out but since she is also inflicted by the debuff she can¡¯t. ¡°What should we do Momo?!¡± Chae worriedly asked that her eyes become teary. ¡°It is either we leave this location or wait for the weather to settle down. However I don¡¯t know when this will end.¡± Momo suggested. However before they could come up to conclusion either they will leave or wait. Eiji asked directly a personally question even though Momo doesn¡¯t want to talk about her previous experience in WOTL however she didn¡¯t mind it and answer Eiji. ¡°Amongst the climate change, what have you experienced already?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only experience the Day of Kuyi when a three guild alliances of the White Lion Crest decides to raid a Neutral Town in the Central Northeastern part of the continent. We are marching in the Mountain Ranges of Fuverst when a snowstorm halts our raid. It lasted for two days and we cannot log out. High level players as well as the leaders of each were given a massive debuff and some of them died during the first day. The worst part of it was the second day¡­¡± Momo stopped as she remembers what happened that time. ¡°What happened?¡± Eiji curiously asked. ¡°If a player gets killed in WOTL he or she will respawn immediately in the last town he departed¡­ However during the second day dead avatars was left in our camps. The players who died told us that they were logged out immediate when they¡¯ve died and it took half an hour to reconnect. During that time their avatars woke up and become enemies. They¡¯ve killed the remaining players in the camp including me.¡± Momo said as it sounds that she was still terrified reminiscing those memories. ¡°That sounds terrifying especially when you can¡¯t log out.¡± Chae softly said. ¡°What happened to the avatars and to the dead players?¡± Eiji further asked. ¡°Everyone respawned after that incident. Luckily we manage to recover most of our items but not to the items that we pulled out in our inventory. Our levels were reduced by five and that was I think the worst scenario that happened to us.¡± Momo answered. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± ¡°What are you thinking Eiji?¡± Chae asked as she saw Eiji thinking deeply. ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Eiji softly replied. In the end of the conversation, they¡¯ve decided to leave the place. Momo and Chae have already enough level to change job while Eiji got enough experience to get level fifteen. However before they leave in the edge of the forest they saw the plains where they were levelling is becoming a horizon of mirage; a sign that the heat was so strong. ¡°Hey are you hearing something?¡± Chae stopped and focused on what she was hearing. Eiji and Momo didn¡¯t heard what Chae was hearing but in a couple seconds they slowly heard a faint of thumping. ¡°This noise¡­ It is familiar¡­¡± Momo said as she heard the thumping sound. In a split second, she immediately climb in the nearest tree to observe the plain horizon. ¡°I am right¡­ This noise is the sound of a marching guild!¡± Momo spoken as she saw a vague group from afar. Momo goes down and asked what they¡¯ll gonna do. ¡°It is unsafe to travel in the road now since there is a guild marching on it. The direct way going back to Quartz Town is by the road.¡± Momo seriously said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wait until they pass?¡± Chae suggested. ¡°Based on the direction their taking, it is likely they¡¯ll attack the Quartz Town. Well, this is normal in WOTL. We¡¯ll just go to the opposite direction and look for another town instead of waiting.¡± Momo considerately said. ¡°No¡­ That won¡¯t do¡­ We must warn Quartz Town to the impending attack. Do you know what guild or faction it is?¡± Eiji strongly asked. ¡°I think it is a mid-level guild¡­ I¡¯m not sure what guild it is but surely it is a White Lion Crest guild since they bear the same flag on my previous guild.¡± Momo answered. ¡°Going back to the Quartz Town is a suicide. If they attack there while we log out, it would be under their flag as soon as we log in.¡± In the midst of their discussion, a huge explosion happen in between where Eiji¡¯s party is and the White Lion Crest guild is. The mirage disappears and it was changeover with dust and smoke.