NOVEL WEB Chapter 12: Recollection of the First Episode
Chapter 12: Recollection of the First Episode
When Odin mentioned the break, he was among the ones called by nature, exiting the game while leaving Eve hanging as she wanted to ask him something before he jumped out. In similar situations were other players in the group who weren't used to long sessions of game time without stops, and by the 5th minute, there were only Eve, Noah, Purphoros, Malfurion and Alysha.
Eve looked bored and uninterested as she watched the other members of her group, and in that 'tense' silence it was the blonde young woman who stepped toward her, asking in a casual manner. "So, Eve, how long is your relationship with Odin? Do you mind sharing some interesting stories about him, now that he is offline? Ohh, or better one, why not share how you two met up?"
"..."
Mi-Jung sized up the young woman. She was a bit taller than her at 1,70 cm, and her body looked to be in better shape as she was frequently working out. There was no reason for her to be afraid of this 'little girl', considering Mathias liked mature women.
She would be blind as not to notice the looks the girls in the party were giving Odin, screaming internally for his attention, and she took great pleasure in thwarting their ideas over her man.
Hmph, why should I share things about my relationship with Mathias with a stranger, more than a possible enemy? Ufufufu, whom am I kidding? She can't even get in his eyes. Still, since she brought up this question, it brings some amusing memories from five months ago.
"Since I'm disgusted by the sight of those farmlands getting wrecked by the monsters, I would rather close my eyes and focus on something pleasant. So, if you're this curious about a story about me and Mathias, buckle up, and you better brew me an Espresso when you see me in Titan."
"Sure, I'll give you a free coffee cup. Now, spill the beans, lady."
Let's see, when did it all start? It was on November, the day I took on the Fire Mage Class Tree and got approached by the Tower Master with a 'challenge' for me as a 'Chosen One' that was related to the Pyromancer Class. Yeah, I had to solo that Hidden Dungeon and get the Spider Queen's Eye.
This dungeon had a higher level clear recommendation, but I was overconfident in the Magic Spells, and in general, I thought I knew better and could take on dungeons alone as I've done in the past. My mistake was to think the monsters in this dungeon would be the same Goblins or Trolls I had to clear in the past to level up.
The environment of the dungeon was a cave, so my initial thought was, 'Ohh, another easy dungeon filled with Goblins or Kobolds.' and if you thought the same like me, the answer is a 'Womp, womp. A big. Wrong.'.
The monsters filling this cave were initially of a lower level, building up my hope that it would be a smooth clear, with the Dungeon being filled with Cave Spider Hatchlings and Venomous Cave Spiders.
I continued with my advance, slowing at times to refill my consumed Mana since, as a Mage, the expenditure of my Spells was enormous. Regardless of how advanced my MP Recovery was, the spend-recovery was on a downward spiral.
Clearing up the initial stages of the Dungeon, filled with monsters ranging between level 35-45, I entered deeper in the instance, and this is when everything turned for the worse. It was what I would later learn from Mathias, a 'Pre-Boss Check' implemented in most RPGs from the past.
Another beginner mistake I made was that I didn't even consider that once I attacked an isolated Cave Spider Warrior, and among all those Spider Warriors, all of them were Elites, they would attack me.
It was a doomed fight on my part, but I wasn't the type to back down from a challenge, thus I came up with a strategy of using the terrain and kiting them to the best of my abilities, taking them closer to the Dungeon's Entrance. All seemed to work perfectly until I aggroed a group of Spiders that I didn't clear since I didn't see the reason why I should waste further resources on an isolated spot of the dungeon.
This was a cascade of bad choices on my part that would have led to my downfall if not for his appearance. To this day, I can remember his arrogant, smug tone as he killed all of the Spider Hatchlings and Venom Spiders that I haven't damaged.
"Hey beauty, don't mind me, I'll try another spot to hunt in this dungeon. Ahh, my bad for distracting, you do seem busy with those Elites."
I couldn't even shift my focus on the newcomer, or question how he found this dungeon, my mind was too busy with blocking and evading the Spider Warrior's pounces.
"Tsk, tsk, for a mage you are truly brazen. Doing a Solo Clear? This dungeon is at least for level 60+ and you miss are below the requirements."
Just hearing him made me frown, but then I could see his figure in my peripheral view, only his lower body clad in Plate Armor and the shadow of a Two-handed sword. Then out of nowhere, a strong gust of wind enveloped the Venom Spiders and Spider Hatchlings as they shrieked in pain, swiftly turning into ash.
[Hmm, want a hand? But, I'll take all of the EXP and items.]
"..."
By this point, I could make some space between myself and the Spiders Warriors with a CC spell, 'Wall of Flames' and it was then that I finally shifted my attention to the strange guy who continued to taunt me.
No questions asked, he was a handsome western guy wearing a set of Plate Armor, the trademark of a Knight Class. His green eyes were staring intensely at me, but it wasn't the usual look I was accustomed to, filled with lust from my Office job, no, far from it. He looked at me as if I was a pitiful damsel in Distress but was keen on seeing her suffer.
A certain coldness in his eyes was masked by an aura of indifference by his face.
Whoa, my heart fluttered for a moment. Snap back to reality Kim Mi-Jung, you've seen plenty of handsome men who would grovel to your feet. Hmph, as if I would lower myself to request your assistance.
[I thought so too.] responded the man, as he walked past me with his two-handed sword stranded by his back, reminiscent of heroic knights.
When he passed past the Spider Warriors, maybe because of their proximity or the fact that he killed the Venoms and Hatchlings, or maybe because I hadn't dealt damage to them in a while to keep the aggro intact, they switched on him.
…
The Knight's eyes narrowed as the Cave Spider Warriors emerged from the shadows, their eight eyes gleaming with predatory ferocity. Still, it wasn't enough to intimidate the knight, who got into a fighting stance.
With a swift motion, the Knight initiated the battle. He charged forward akin to the reckless abandon of his body, but then Mi-Jung noticed the increase in speed the Knight was travelling at. It was one of the Knight's unique skills, 'Courageous Charge'.
His sword cleaved through the air, striking Spider Warrior A with a devastating blow.
The strike's impact was noticeable, akin to one of her 'Fireballs'.
The spider staggered back, its exoskeleton dented from the force of the attack. The Knight's momentum carried him forward, and his increased speed allowed him to reposition swiftly, preparing for the spiders' counterattacks.
The Cave Spider Warriors were quick to retaliate. Spider Warrior B spat out a sticky [Web Snare], ensnaring the Knight and rendering him immobile. As he struggled against the bonds of the web in their CC form, Spider Warriors C and A took their chance, sinking their venomous fangs into him. The venom coursed through his veins, inflicting a continuous, burning pain.
"Whoa, so this is how it feels to be poisoned? Interesting, but I'd rather not let myself get done by some Elite mobs before I reach the Boss for my quest."
The Knight was calm the entire time, not showing any signs that he was being challenged by the Spider Elites. His armor absorbs some of the blows but still suffers from the spiders' relentless assault. Immobilized by the web CC for 3 more seconds, he endured the venom's torment, his health steadily diminishing.
Yet, he did not falter. His extensive Hell Training, another monstrous old figure, was enough to temper him akin to a sharp blade.
When the web's hold finally relented, the Knight wasted no time. He activated Knight's Resolve, his aura glowing with a protective sheen. His defense surged, and the venom's grip was dispelled. He prepared for his next move, fully aware of the spiders' continuing threat.
Spider Warrior A let out a Terrifying Screech, a chilling sound reverberating through the cavern. The Knight felt a wave of fear, stopping him in his tracks, but after a 1.5 seconds pause he shouted loudly as if breaking the incoming 'Debuff' continuing his charge.
"I'm glad that I gained some passives from accepting this new class, and I am immune to mental debuffs."
The Knight's resolve was unshaken in those moments.
As the fear wore off, the Knight used Retribution on Spider Warrior B, channelling his fury into a powerful strike. His blade, imbued with a particular aura, sliced through the spider's defenses with keen accuracy. The blow was considerable to the monster, the spider staggering under the force of the attack.
With a burst of energy, the Knight shifted his stance before continuing his counter-attack with 'Basic Strikes' of his sword, and just when he was losing momentum, unleashed Iron Slash. The mighty swing of his sword cut through Spider Warrior B's armor, leaving it vulnerable and exposed.
Feeling the weight of the battle on his side and undeterred by the presence of another 5 Warrior Spiders Mi-Jung was facing, the Knight activated Valiant Strike. He swung his sword with a mighty arc, leaving a flash of blue energy in the air as green blood splattered all over the cavern, and the shrieks of finality told the news to the Fire Witch.
[You have slayed a 'Cave Spider Warrior (Elite)' gaining the following rewards: 2,525 EXP, Venom Gland, Spider Silk Thread, Chitin-Plated Greaves (Normal), 5 Silver Coins]
Seeing the rewards, the Knight was pleasantly surprised because they weren't something to scoff at for his level 54 character, considering he had just killed a level 45 Elite monster.
With the spiders' numbers dwindling, the Knight pressed his advantage. They attempted to salvage their situation by regrouping, but they were read like a book. He used Heroic Strike, one of his power cards, landing it straight on Spider Warrior C with a force that echoed through the cavern, squashing him into bits before it turned into Ash as EXP began to be absorbed in his body.
The remaining spider was filled with despair and its instincts were screaming of withdrawing to the 'Broodmother' but before it could escape from the Knight, a ray of blue light pierced its body. This was another use of 'Retribution' by the Knight, dealing a crushing blow to the Spider Warrior.
The cavern fell silent as the last of the spiders aggroed by the Knight met their end, and Mi-Jung couldn't help but remain shocked deep down.
Who is this guy? Could it be Kraugel? I heard online how easily he deals with those Elite mobs. Ahh, no, probably not since he is at level 94. There is no way he would play around such lower-level hunting grounds.
What should I do? My mana is already going dry, and it will be seconds before I no longer can maintain my 'Mana Shield' to protect my body.
He's looking at me… Come on, jump and offer me some help! It's not so hard.
Then she saw the Knight with a tall build, onyx hair, spellbinding green eyes, and a charming, arrogant appearance sheathe his two-handed sword, breathing at ease as if nothing that had just taken place was real. Still, a victorious smirk was plastered all over his face.
"Now this is what I call 'Satisfy'. Being stuck with that cabbage loving old asshole and learning his Sword Skills was worth all the pain and sweat."
Okay, I get it, you're happy, but come on, help a lady in need here.
Mi-Jung, who was kitting, began to run in the Knight's direction, and it was then that she heard his calm voice. "You seem tired and checked out from this fight. Why not just let them delete you, and abandon this Dungeon? I wouldn't mind sucking in all of the EXP."
"..."
Ohh no, this guy is insufferable.
"Let's party up, you'll need another body to deal with the Boss of this Dungeon for sure."
The Knight stroked his chiselled chin, and instead of acting according to what Mi-Jung was visualizing, he started running away from her as if he could tell what her plans were of having him draw in the aggro voluntarily or not.
"Hehe, I see what you're trying to do. Sorry to break it to you, but I don't have a White Knight Syndrome to drop to a knee and help a woman in need."
"Ahh come on, just help me up here, I wasn't trying to do anything sketchy. I just don't want to die since I clearly cleared almost the entire dungeon. I deserve some rewards for the boss clear too."
"Life is unfair, miss. Sometimes things don't go our way."
Mi-Jung could be a petty woman at times, especially when it came to men or those who accomplished much more than her in life but without putting in the effort she had in her career.
Just those words from a stranger were enough to trigger her, and in an 'bitchy' move, she prepared to send flying a Fireball in the knight's direction. Still, she stopped immediately when she saw his figure flashing, charging at one of the Spider Warriors about to impale her back with its lengthy, sharp appendices.
"Now, now, don't stare at me with those eyes, I'll get shy. I guess I'll become your Knight for tonight. Here, take this invite and don't bitch about me not sharing some honey with you."
[You have been invited to a party group-up by user 'Odin']
His tag name … is interesting.
"Eve? Welp, I have a feeling you'll be stuck with me for a while."
"As if I would want to party up with a guy like you. My playstyle is more inclined towards Solo."
"Then you don't mind ditching you? Okay, miss, ease up that frown, it makes your face scary. You should learn about irony and sarcasm at times."
"Tsk, stop with your bullshit, and seriously fight those monsters."
"And what gives you the idea that I'm not serious? My skills are on cooldown, that's all. Just go into a corner and recharge your MP and offer me fire-support."
Odin took the lead of the fight, striking Spider Warrior D with a powerful blow after a successful Courageous Charge, which he next followed with a Taunt skill that pulled the entire aggro off Mi-Jung, who finally had some room to breathe and calm down her trainwreck of emotions.
She would lie if she didn't admit to herself how scary the situation was. Unlike other games that she played when she was younger when VR technology wasn't what it is in this new age, she had her fair share of gaming, but not in a 'Real' experience as it was with Satisfy World.
Just looking at the monstrosities in front of her eyes triggered goosebumps all over her body, but now that she had a strong helping hand, she felt calmer, for some mysterious reason.
Is this what Grandma was referring to when telling me that I would feel the safest by the side of a great man? Pff, a bunch of nonsense from a lady who lived in another by-gone era.
This guy, he is handsome without a doubt, but he seems a bit of an asshole for not jumping from the start in helping me. It was me who had to approach him and plead for help, and still, he was inclined to let me hang to myself dry.
She watched as two spiders, (E) and (F) attacked, but Odin had his Knight's Resolve off cooldown and immediately activated the skill to bolster his defenses. He countered with Iron Slash, severely wounding Spider Warrior F.
With enough mana recovered thanks to Odin's action of drawing the entire aggro on him, Mi-Jung cast one of her spells 'Flame Wave' enveloping all of the spiders in flames.
"Oyy, don't blow yourself up by acting all courageous just because no monster is attacking you. I'll lose the aggro on them."
Mi-Jung rolled her eyes, but deep down, she felt embarrassed because this 'Odin' was correct. Dealing AoE attacks as a Mage while a Tank was in the process of generating threat, was stupid.
Still, seeing a perfect chance of ending one of the mobs, she charged up one Fireball that she unleashed against Spider F, thus reducing the number of Elite monsters to just four.
[You have slayed a 'Cave Spider Warrior (Elite)' gaining the following rewards: 2,250 EXP, Venom Sac, Spider Silk Thread, Spider Eye Pendant (Rare), 7 Silver Coins]
Odin clicked his tongue at how reckless this 'Eve' chick was, but this didn't affect his gameplay, as he used Retribution on Spider Warrior G, dealing a large blow, leaving him tethering between life and death.
As Spider Warriors E and H attacked, he parried their strikes and unleashed Heroic Strike on H, inspired by Eve's craziness.
[You have slayed a 'Cave Spider Warrior (Elite)' gaining the following rewards: 2,785 EXP, Poison Fang, Spider Silk Thread, Arachnid Guard Bracelet (Common), 6 Silver Coins]
Mi-Jung saw that two Spiders were ready to pounce on Odin's back, and in quick thinking, she acted with calmness by releasing a particular type of spell that initially she didn't see much use to it, a disorienting spell, 'Flare Impact'
"Odin, close your eyes."
"Huh? What do you want now?"
"Your eyes, close them! NOW!"
It was then that he saw something akin to the ray of a sun approaching closer and closer, and putting a fragment of trust in this crazy gall, he closed since even if the monsters landed some attacks it wouldn't be that impactful.
What followed next was an ear-sketching sound, and his closed eyes felt as if someone had shoved his head into the sun.
"Strike now! They are under a 'Blind' Debuff."
"Got you."
Odin charged at the Blind spiders and slashed using his Valiant Strike, decimating two spiders simultaneously, receiving their rewards as they collapsed to the floor. Soon, with only one monster alive, battered like he was dragged to hell and back again, was similarly crushed but this time by a flying Fireball that pulverized even the pulp.
The cavern was now eerily quiet.
The only sounds remaining were the echoing drips of water and the heavy breathing of the victorious duo. The floor was littered with the remains of the Cave Spider Warriors as they continued to linger because there were crafting materials that could be extracted by crafting professions.
This was Odin's case since he picked a crafting profession only to be able to extract additional materials to be later sold for a greater profit.
Eve, too, had a relieved expression that morphed into a happy one as she celebrated an important victory, adrenaline still coursing through her veins.
"Yes! We did it!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling by this point as she looked at the ashes of what remained of the Spider Warrior she destroyed with a Fireball.
"Aha, good work, 'Eve'. You didn't blow yourself up or killed me in a misfire as most Mages do with their shit control. Since you've shown some control in your spell it means you're on a higher intelligence spectrum." he said, a lazy grin spreading across his face.
Odin stood nearby, methodically gathering the loot from the fallen spiders, picking up items with the practised ease of a seasoned adventurer and with particularly excessive greed. As he stowed away the Venom Sacs, Fangs, Webs, and other valuable materials, he glanced over at Mi-Jung, continuing.
"Looks like you've got some fight in you after all."
Mi-Jung rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. "Oh, please. I had it under control the whole time. You were the one lagging behind."
Odin chuckled, his tone to Mi-Jung akin to an asshole, shaking his head. "Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that. But seriously, good job. Your fire spells did some real damage. You picked well for the Fire Mage Spell Tree, since it's an S-tier in rankings compared to the other mage specs."Mi-Jung's face lit up with pride, mainly because her past choices regarding Satisfy World were validated. This made her view Odin in a different way, and she chose to forget his previous snarky remarks for the moment.
"Thanks, I guess. And, um, thanks for saving me back there. I didn't see that spider sneaking up on me."
Odin shrugged, slipping a Spider Eye Pendant into his inventory. "No problem. Just doing my job. Besides, I wouldn't want you to get yourself killed before I can get more of those fire support spells in action against the Dungeon Boss."
She crossed her arms, in doing so protruding out her generous bosom, and when she noticed that Odin just glanced once for a brief moment before returning to his 'job', it triggered a pout out of her. "Don't get used to it. I'm still a solo player at heart."
"Right," Odin said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "And I'm just here to collect crafting materials and babysit reckless mages."
Who is this asshole? Doesn't he know how to behave with a lady? Are those Westerners that rude for no reason? Well, he's not technically rude to me, but the way he speaks to me as if I was useless the entire time is annoying me to hell.
Mi-Jung laughed, shaking her head. "You're insufferable, you know that?"
"And yet, here we are, teaming up. If you want, you're free to go on your way." Odin replied with a smirk.
… I can't rebuke that statement. Urgh, in all of my HR career I haven't had to deal with someone who cut me short like this.
Mi-Jung saw Odin taking a break while playing with a Venom Sack in his hands. His green eyes mirrored the poisonous liquid filling the Venom Sack. She felt a tingling that couldn't be described, and she couldn't describe the sudden shift in his attention, which was focused on her body.
Twirling her long black hair and then adjusting her glasses, pushing them a bit higher, Odin gave a knowing smile. "So, are we done here, or do you want to go deeper into the cavern? More spiders might be lurking. Do you want additional time to recharge your MP?"
Mi-Jung considered for a moment then shook her head. "No, we can advance, by the time we get to the boss chamber I'll recover all my mana."
Odin nodded, his expression shifting to one of seriousness. "Alright then, let's move out. Stay close and keep an eye on your surroundings
The two players advanced deeper into the cavern, retracing the last steps that Eve had taken in clearing up the dungeon until she got into the Pre-Boss Chamber, which was one of the first tests as a prerequisite of entering the Boss Chamber.
Their steps echoed softly against the stone walls.
The path ahead was dark but the flickering light from Eve's staff provided a semblance of light. It was comforting, yet Odin didn't even mind Eve's staff as he took out a trinket that was giving off a dark-blue light resembling the color of mana.
Odin led the way, his broad shoulders cutting a formidable silhouette against the gloom.
As they walked, Mi-Jung couldn't help but steal glances at her unlikely companion. Despite his rough demeanor and fiery tongue, she couldn't deny that Odin was a handsome guy, which turned her cogwheels on all sorts of scenarios and questions that she should ask him while their journey ahead was still quiet.
There was something undeniably reassuring about his presence. She hated to admit it, but Odin's confidence, calmness and skills in handling that tense situation attracted her a lot, as if this man wearing the Plate Armor of a Medieval Knight brought into this Fantasy World full of monsters, was oozing with masculine pheromones that attracted an honey starved bee.
"So, Odin," she began, her voice echoing softly in the cavern. "How long have you been playing Satisfy World?"
Odin glanced back, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Long enough to know my way around a cave full of giant spiders… Why do you ask?"
Mi-Jung shrugged, twirling her staff absentmindedly. "Just curious. You seem to know what you're doing, despite your attitude."
Odin chuckled. "Thanks, I think. And you? How long have you been frying spiders with fireballs?"
She smirked, feeling a bit of her confidence return. "Long enough to know that teaming up with a good tank makes all the difference."
He nodded but raised a finger as if pointing out an error in her judgment. "True, and wrong at the same time. I'm not a Tank, but a full DPS build. The fact that you see my build as a Tank is flattering."
"Alright, keep your guard up. We're nearing the boss chamber."
Approaching the final chamber, the air grew thick from the aura released by the Boss monster that was separated by a door. The sound of skittering legs and clicking mandibles echoed ominously, signaling the presence of the final enemy.
Mi-Jung and Odin exchanged glances, and the woman listened quietly to the instructions of the man who had shown his charisma and leadership.
"Eve, your job is quite simple. Allow me to generate plenty of threat from the Boss monster, and just offer CC support. When I give you the signal, start your rotation and blast the DPS meters as high as you can humanly think of."
"Hehe, you can't deny that it is I, the Mage who will carry you."
"Aha, to soothe your little ego, I will agree, but if you fuck up, by pulling aggro, I might just let the Boss end you, and later on finish the fight solo."
"Okay, asshole, no need to repeat this again."
"Making sure that there is no language barrier and you understand me."