NOVEL WEB V2 Chapter 76: New Areas
- 1st Person POV
-Present Time-
“Okay! With everyone in. Let’s start with the introduction!!! I’m Magie Magia, an Astromancer specialized in using utility/support {Spell}.”
Right when I declared my forte, I heard a snicker come from Siegfried as I squinted my eyes at him while he was looking away. Shoulders trembling in trying to withhold laughter...
“Pft... *Specialized*” -Siegfried-
*THUD*
My weapon simply flicked and lightly tapped Siegfried’s head dealing no damage but I hope its emotional damage...
“Ouch! Okay-okay!” -Siegfried-
He composed himself a bit, then introduced himself.
“I’m Siegfried Calenus, a Totem Warrior. Good at Vanguard and preferred to be up close and personal”
While he introduced himself, Siegfried began his prepping by doing some warm-ups and shadow boxing maintaining his grin.
Landing my gaze on Booba for expectations of a formal introduction... She sheepishly smiled and scratched her cheek as she said.
“A-ahahaha... Well, my name is Booba. Quite funny if you ask me but that’s my name. I’m a Cardinal now and specialise in support/utility. Nice to meet you all!” -Booba-
...
...
...
It’s a deafening silence so much so that I can hear crickets. It steers into awkwardness as I see Booba scratching her cheek and Siegfried continues his shadow boxing indicating that they too are nervous.
...
...
...
“Hehahahaha!”
I laughed at the atmosphere made by this interaction because it reminded me during university when you have to make a team for assignments to a bunch of random strangers and introduce yourself to them...
“Keheheheh...” -Siegfried-
“Hahaha...” -Booba-
It seems my laughter causes Booba to giggle and Siegfried to snicker. Breaking the awkward stillness, I decided to make a little joke.
“*Ehem* The introduction is done! Shall we start?”
I mimicked the way a judge in court slammed their hammer and earned smiles from them as they nodded to my suggestion.
Haaa... I’m glad I broke the stiff atmosphere.
We stood up from the comfortable couches and began taking a walk to the exit while having a chit-chat.
“Oh! By the way, I haven’t asked Siegfried this too... How did you all get invited to the game? Mine was a random ad on my phone, they did it so well I thought my phone died for a second.”
I laughed at the memory as Siegfried rubbed his chin and Booba poked her cheek.
“My gym friend told me about it, then I got interested once knowing it’s a deep dive VR experience.” -Siegfried-
He grins, clearly enjoying the memory.
“Wellllllllll... I was listening to Lo-Fi music and got an ad break in the middle.” -Booba-
Booba giggled as she remarked that the ad sounded like a Spudify would have.
She then remembered something as her eyes widened for a quick second then came a bit closer to the group before whispering...
“May I ask... are you guys human, humanoid, or monstrous race?” -Booba-
Both and Siegfried glanced at each other and then nodded knowing that Booba wasn’t human since I still saw her Fiendish silhouette amidst the human disguise she wore.
But her question made me raise my eyebrows and tilt my head while Siegfried pulled his lips in a gesture of confusion and inquiring... I mean, I haven’t heard of those terms before used in this game.
Noticing that, Booba explains further.
“Ah... Uhm. It’s a relatively new category that the majority of players made in Pochi Mochi’s forum; Humans exactly as it sounds. Humanoids are relatively similar to humans like elves, dwarves, etc. While Monstrous is outside them.” -Booba-
“Oooooohhhhhh...”
“Hm.” -Siegfried-
“So, uh... which category you all are?” -Booba-
Looking at Siegfried, he seems pensive so I guess I go first.
“I am a humanoid. if it’s based on that category.”
Upon saying it, Booba seems to ease her shoulders while also glancing at Siegfried who crosses his arms and mentions.
“I’m a humanoid race.” -Siegfried-
(“Eh!? Wouldn’t his race be monstrous?”)
I stare at Siegfried who notices my gaze. He shrugged his shoulders as I didn’t pursue further.
Booba then let out a sigh of relief before smiling brightly then telling us...
“I am too a humanoid! It’s nice to group up with non-humans.” -Booba-
We still walked as we chatted.
“Eh? Why so?”
I tilted my head towards her as I asked that question. She seemed uncomfortable before leaning closer and whispered to the group.
“There are rumours about a group of PKers who targeted humanoid and monstrous players. It got so bad that players hide themselves with costumes, enchanted gear, and {Spell} to avoid being PKed all the time.” -Booba-
“That bad!? Ugh, thank heavens I and Siegfried already took precautions even before the rumour.”
I sighed, relieved in knowing that even if I get killed my weapon will not drop. Only my measly gear and potions that I can obtain.
Though I’m not sure about Siegfried, he wore the pendant and knuckle duster I gave him. It gets dropped if he’s PKed...
“Don’t be worried about me, I can handle myself.” -Siegfried-
That is true... I returned his words with a smile as we marched on to the exit. Before we stepped in, a distinct *PING* echoed and a panel appeared.
It said that we are Rebirthed players as such the game offers an option to switch to ‘Beginners Challenge’ or keep staying in ‘Beginners Field’.
Without further ado, I tapped on the option of Beginner’s Challenge and I ‘felt’ presumably others too. A sensation of a breeze pushing past my face including a slight shift in the air.
Leaving the threshold of Frontera’s gate, I noticed this place. All of the players have Rebirth tags on them...
-Beginner’s Challenge-
It is still an area resembling that of Beginner’s Field though much wider in terms of space and as usual with MMORPGs, recoloured and re-sized monsters.
Previously, the monsters inhabiting Beginner’s Field are blue slime and horned rabbit but in this Area, they are Large Red Slime and Gore Rabbit.
“Hm... Their AI knows about teaming like the goblins.” -Siegfried-
“Oh I see the resemblance...!” -Booba-
Realising what Siegfried commented, the large red slime uses lots of ranged attacks and turns their body spiky while Gore Rabbit takes advantage of gaps between dodging players to land an attack.
“Wait, before we start.” -Booba-
She clasped her hands together in a prayer and began casting...
It’s a {Spell} named [Oremus in Gaudio] as she finished that cast. All of us are surrounded by golden brilliance that slowly dims as I have several buffs added to my {Status}.
(“Oooooooohhhh... that is a {Spell} compilation no wonder why the buffs are so familiar. Haha... that is why Bishop / Cardinal is Meta Support Class.”)
Access to {Spell} that immediately provides multiple buffs in one fell swoop would be very handy in any kind of scenario. Instead of spending, a ridiculous amount of time spouting of {Spell} one after another...
I too cast several buffs {Spell} of Mages, not as quick as her. Plus gave out [Guidance] to Siegfried and Booba.
*BAM*
Siegfried punches his fist together with a loud clap and crackling lightning envelops his hands imbuing his attacks with wind attribute.
“Shall we?”
“Keh...” -Siegfried-
“Yup!” -Booba-
The berserker has launched himself into Large Red Slime and punched Its jelly-like exterior, it bounces but the electricity radiating from his fist manages to damage it.
Realizing what hits it, the creature upped its defence by creating spikes along its translucent body while several Gore Rabbits who wander around the field notice what’s going on.
They began to gather around the red slime, their long horns ended in a sharp barbed tip and black ominous fur indicated it was a stronger variant.
“[Oratio]” -Booba-
It seems that {Spell} is a fast-casting one as she unleashes a wave of simmering holy energy creating brand marks on the monsters. My eyes immediately glanced at the creature de-buff.
(“Oh, they take more damage. Simple and effective de-buff”)
“They are weakened!” -Booba-
Siegfried and I nodded to each other and Booba as he launched forward. A bear-like tattoo has appeared on his back as his previous lanky figure changes into a bulkier stature.
Knowing that I positioned myself away from Booba and Siegfried but close enough to the red slime and Gore Rabbits to cast...
“[Solar Radiance]”
A bright glimmer of sunlight emerges through and around me, enveloping many of the creatures as I can hear hisses and sizzling noises.
The magic scorched their fur and jelly-like bodies. It seems I deal higher damage to the rabbits compared to slime.
Makes sense... slimes are water elements while rabbits are earth.
Nevertheless though, Siegfried seeing what I did roared. Earning their aggro then unleashed several jabs and kicks picking off the damaged rabbits while...
“[Solar Flare]”
“[Adoramus]” -Booba-
The Large Red Slime was bombarded by bright scorching sunbeams and intensely brilliant golden light as we continued the DPS while Siegfried killed off the rabbits.
“Tch!” -Siegfried-
I can hear Siegfried grunt in pain being hit by both Gore Rabbits and Red Slime ranged attacks. I’m a bit uncomfortable leaving him with that amount of HP but...
“[Highness Heal]” -Booba-
Siegfried was engulfed in a soft green hue and his wounded visual marks faded.
(“Fiuf... Good, I knew Booba was a good priest.”)
She then resumes DPS along with me, seriously! Even if it’s recoloured and re-sized monsters they bloat their {Status}...
With the last of my and Booba's casting, the red slime went down and Siegfried killed off the majority of the rabbits.
“Good work! Want to rest for a bit? -Siegfried-
“Y-yeah.”
“Pleaseeeeeeeee...” -Booba-
She seems exhausted, I shared <Mana Siphon> with her and her complexion gets better.
“Thanks! And Siegfried...” -Booba-
She seems to pause at the end, while Siegfried just whips his head towards her. His shaggy long black hair gently swayed as he did so.
“Hm?” -Siegfried-
“This might be a weird question but when I healed you. Do you feel off...?” -Booba-
“Off...? What do you mean?” -Siegfried-