----
[ 63:15:49 ]
----
Muning rushed towards Angelo, almost dropping the phone he's holding.
"I found it nyaa!"
"Oh? Let me see"
Angelo turned on the screen and stared at the photo Muning has taken. Marco peered from behind him and scrunched his face, trying to look for something at the photo.
"What are we supposed to be looking at exactly?"
"What do you mean by that nyaa? I clearly captured it nyaa~!"
Angelo and Marco looked at each other before gazing at Muning dubiously.
"What's with the look nyaa!"
"Hey guys! What's up?"
The two men glanced at Shaira who's suddenly beside Angelo.
"Muning came back and took this picture, saying that he found 'it' "
Shaira glanced at the photo and saw in the screen the picture of vibrant green trees blocking the sunlight in the sky.
"Wow, that's a pretty picture. You're a good photographer Muning"
"Hehehe thanks nyaa~"
Muning turned red in joy, giggling to himself.
"Wait a minute…That's not it nyaa!"
Muning pointed at the light in the photo.
"Look at the shining light in the sky nyaa! See here"
The trio turned to the light in the photo, pointed by Muning.
"And it's something because?"
"Ah…" Angelo had an epiphany.
Seeing Angelo's face, Marco immediately asked him.
"What is it Rey?"
"It's the safe zone!"
Angelo put his phone away and patted Muning's head.
"Good job"
"Hehehehe" Muning smiles happily at his master's praise, producing flowers behind him.
"Aaw…so cute"
Shaira coos as she pinched Muning's furry cheeks.
"Nyaa!"
Muning bristles away from Shaira's reach and hide behind his master.
"Don't pinch my cheeks nyaa!"
"Yes Shaira, don't pinch my kitty's cheeks"
Marco grab Muning from Angelo's back and rubs his face against Muning.
"Hey, I want to cuddle him too!"
"Nope!"
"Nyaa! Master!"
====
Angelo stared at their antics and sigh at their liveliness.
"Man, they are sure full of energy."
"Well that's Marco and Shaira for you…"
A voice came from behind Angelo. He turned around and sees Ken holding out a bottle of soda to him.
"Oh, thanks…ah? It's cold"
"Magic is great isn't it?"
Ken's right hand emits a blue whirl of wind, leaving snowflakes in its wake. He noticed Angelo's curious gaze towards him and chuckled.
"Calling out skill names is convenient and all since it's instantaneous but..."
Under Angelo's gaze, Ken wills his mana to condensed a snow in his hand.
"…if you want to truly master the skills granted to you by the system, practicing isn't enough"
Ken let go of the snow in his hand, his eyes reflecting its fall.
"…you also need knowledge"
They both fell into silence. Ken tuck his hand to his pocket and drunk the soda in his left hand.
"Huh..."
"..."
Silence envelopes them as they both stare at the scenery before them while drinking cold sodas.
"Hey guys! What are you two waiting for? Let's go!"
.
.
.
Shaira watched Marco call for Angelo and Ken, her eyes curiously probing them for any oddities.
"What's up with those two?"
-----------
The group followed Muning's lead as they traverse a forest full of Talisay trees. The trees vitality remained strong and its almond shape leaves evergreen. As if the group where in a different place altogether and not in the dreary instance that they were.
"Up there nyaa!"
All of them looked at the diamond crystal floating above the trees. It's light serving as a beacon, announcing its presence as a safe haven. Underneath it, there's an infinity symbol shining along with it.
"Finally!"
The first thing Angelo saw is an 8 feet monolith. The monolith displayed a bunch of names and he saw that it's the ranking among the quest takers inside the instance.
At the very top, a very eye-catching 2300 points catch his attention. Moreover, the points keep on rising as the second pass by.
1 [ Cain Zafra ] [ 2446 points ]
2 [ Rachel Galvez ] [ 1626 points ]
3 [ Melvin Fuentes ] [ 698 points ]
…
"Hey, isn't the gap too big?"
"Yeah, that Zafra sure is awesome"
Marco and Shaira went towards the monolith to look for their own rankings as they talk about the top ranker.
"Muning, search for Cain Zafra's information"
"Ok nyaa~"
A magnifying glass appeared above Muning's head, as the aid companion search for information.
Nearby, Ken's eyes focused on Angelo and Muning. His eyes taking a strange glint before dissapearing.
"Found it nyaa~ Cain Guanio Zafra, 23 years old, male, and a level 47 subcontractor under GS number xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxxx. A privisionary officer of the ADVENT faction."
"Level 47, no wonder...but some information is redacted huh..."
As expected, an aid companion with a lower grade can't access information above their own.
"Hey, you guys! Check it out we're on Top 30!"
Marco yelled, gesturing for them to come over.
Angelo came over and saw their rank as follows.
25 [ Shaira Louisse Espinosa ] [ 333 points ]
26 [ Kenneth Celestino ] [ 332 points ]
27 [ Rey dela Cruz ] [ 331 points ]
28 [ Marco Estanislao ] [ 329 points ]
"Looks like all of us are in the top 30"
Angelo stated as soon as he saw their rank.
Marco glomped down on him, making Angelo stagger.
"Rey's rank is higher than mine..."
Shaira bump Marco's head, letting Angelo to get out of Marco's hold.
"Isn't it because you always play around?"
"Tch! Amazon woman" Marco mumbled silently.
"What did you say?"
Shaira looked pointedly at Marco who is now looking away from her.
"Ah! Look over there, that might be the vending stall Lunti was talking about"
Marco immediately headed to a wooden stall with a green tiled roof. Upon coming into contact, Marco immediately disappeared from their view.
"!"
"It's a variation of a space array nyaa~"
Muning explained when he saw their expressions.
"Space array?"
Shaira asked as she anxiously stare where Marco disappeared. Before Muning can answer, Marco appeared again.
"Hey! What are you guys doing? Check this out!"
The group looked at each other and watched Marco disappeared again.
Angelo step out and turn his head towards Shaira and Ken.
"I'll be off..." and followed Marco inside the space array.
===
The first thing Angelo saw is an inn. It's a three storey building made out of bamboo wood. Outside there's a sign that says ' Welcome Visitors'.
Near the inn is a small wooden shop with clear glass as windows. Above it, written by hand, there's a sign that says 'Mall'. Beside it is a green twelve feet high tent, with a faceless skinny humanoid holding a placard that reads as 'Auction House'.
Further wandering inside, Angelo saw a vending machine that sells all kinds of foods and drinks. As well as some sort of ATM machine that converts cash into Transcend Credit Points or TCP and vise-versa.
Curious, Angelo looked at the machine and sees on the display the exchange price of TCP to Cash and Cash to TCP.
[ 1 TCP = 100, 000 Pesos ]
[ 100, 000 Pesos = 1 TCP ]
"..."
Angelo immediately head back and went inside the small shop. There, he saw Marco standing in front of an armor.
"Hey! What's up?"
Marco remained silent, seemingly hearing nothing. Angelo is about to call Marco again but he saw his glazed eyes.
It seems that Marco is viewing something with his mind.
Bored, Angelo looked around and just noticed that there seems to be other people inside the shop but unlike Marco who he can clearly see, the others have their faces blurred with their clothes replaced with a generic white shirt and black pants.
Angelo look at his own clothing and Marco's but he still sees their own clothing.
"Huh..."
It seems only people of the same party can see each other.
Angelo figures as he stared at a group of blurred people interacting with each other.
Not waiting for Marco to finish, Angelo wander around the shop and sees a shelf full of potions.
[ View Potions Catalog? ]
[ Yes ] [ No ]
A prompt appeared in front of him. He tap 'yes' and a panel full of different potions appeared with three menus on top.
[ Potions ] [ TCP ] [ Cash ]
It seems that one can see TCP available and Cash available potions.
Angelo direct his mind to click [ Cash ], revealing a row of potions.
[ Health Potion ( small ) ] [ Qty: 1000 ] [ Unit Price: 100 ,000 ]
[ Health Potion ( medium ) ] [ Qty: 954 ] [ Unit Price: 130, 000 ]
[ Health Potion ( large) ] [ Qty: 998 ] [ Unit Price: 200, 000 ]
[ Mana Potion ( small ) ] [ Qty: 1000 ] [ Unit Price: 300 ,000 ]
[ Health Potion ( medium ) ] [ Qty: 954 ] [ Unit Price: 330, 000 ]
[ Health Potion ( large) ] [ Qty: 998 ] [ Unit Price: 400, 000 ]
[ Increase Strength +5 (temporary) ] [ Qty:500 ] [ Unit Price: 150,000 ]
[ Increase Strength +5 ( Permanent ) [ Qty: 10 ] [ Unit Price: 1,500,000 ]
....
"..."
Angelo silently change the panel into [ TCP ].
[ Increase Strength +5 ( Permanent ) [ Qty: 10 ] [ Unit Price: 15 TCP]
[ Increase Vitality +5 ( Permanent ) [ Qty: 10 ] [ Unit Price: 30 TCP]
[ Increase Vitality +6 ( Permanent ) [ Qty: 5 ] [ Unit Price: 31 TCP]
[ Increase Dexterity +5 ( Permanent ) [ Qty: 10 ] [ Unit Price: 14 TCP]
[ Increase Intelligence +5 ( Permanent ) [ Qty: 10 ] [ Unit Price: 20 TCP]
...
'Yes, this is much better...'
"..."
Angelo cried silent tears as he remembers how much 1 TCP is.
'Damn, so expensive'
He immediately exited the panel and decided to just grow mushrooms on his head as he waited for Marco.
------
< Rey Perezoso dela Cruz >
Name: Angelo Reyes Cruz Level: 8 ( 370/800 )
Race: Human Sex: Male Age: 21
HP: 200/200 MP: NA/165 🔒
STR: 20 INT: 33 VIT: 20 DEX: 30
AGL: 18 SPD: 5 WIS: 25
ATK: 19 DEF: 25 DMG: 37
CRTCL HIT: 698 CRTCL %: 2%
CHARISMA: 71
LUCK: 80
POINTS : 7
…
>>