The sun was falling quickly, I knew I should get going but I was just frozen in place. What I had just done... I wasn't used to killing players because this was my first time playing as anything but a healer in an VRMMORPG. But I felt a feeling of pleasure, almost like I just lifted a weight off my shoulders.
I noticed a notification at the top of my screen. I went to my menu and opened it and a message appeared on my screen, "Level 3 reached". I closed my notifications and let out a short sigh. I looked down at my dagger, the falling sun reflected off the edge of the blade. I finally loosened up by grip on the handle, this was the first I took my time to admire the design of the dagger. I noticed something different about the handle than before, there was now a single dash engraved right across the handle. I tapped on the dagger to view its stats again and noticed a red notification on the view button. I pressed the notification and it took me to the stats it highlighted the strength of the weapon:
(Dagger, Rank:Divine)
(Bound to user Seashell)
Level: 2
Str(+70)(+4)
Agility(+50)
A message came up saying "Claw of Cerberus level 3 reached". I noticed my strength had increased +4, this being for each of the players I had slain.
I closed out my notifications, I was about to continue on my path when I remembered the injured creature. I knelt down next to it, and upon closer inspection noticed it was a fox. Its eyes were closed and it was laying on its side. I quickly opened my inventory and scrolled down to the "consumable" tab, I took one of my healing potions and held it out next to the fox. I pressed on it and a "Heal" icon appeared, I quickly pressed it and watched as the potion dissolved away in my hand. After a few short seconds the fox slowly opened up its eyes and untucked its legs. It rolled onto its feet and stood up and began a stretch walk towards me. Once it reached me it walked around me as I pet it a few times. Now that it was healed I stood up and began my walk over to the village. I began walking and before I got too far I turned back for a moment and to my surprise I saw the fox following me. I reluctantly continued my path with the fox walking at my side.
"I should probably give you a name, shouldn't I."
"Hmmmm, how about Flare"
He kept a blank expression on his face as he began circling around me again.
"Alright we'll go with Flare then"
We continued walking down the path and we quickly reached the entrance to the city. Once I entered the city I received a notification, "Welcome to Dawnvalley". I opened my menu and there was now a new chat icon. I pressed it and was prompted to add a friend. It had all my friends from previous games available to add, I scrolled through and found Kaori. It showed her usual user that she went by, "Kuroma". I sent her a friend request and continued walking. As we entered I noticed that the buildings were absolutely huge. I was so excited to meet up with Kaori and just before I could continue making my way into the city I received another notification. I opened my menu and it notified me that "Kuroma" has added you as a friend". I looked at my messages and it said "1 unread message", when I pressed it took me straight to me and Kaori's chat:
[ Kuroma: Heyyyy ]
[ Seashell: What's up! ]
[ Kuroma: Where are you? ]
[ Seashell: I just arrived in the main city, Dawnvalley. ]
[ Kuroma: Great I just spawned in here! ]
[ Seashell: Lets meet up at the big clock tower. ]
[ Kuroma: Alright, see you there! ]
I closed my chat and viewed my second notification, "Waypoint unlocked", *You are now able to teleport to from city waypoints to other cities waypoints*. I began making my way to the clock tower. I noticed that some of the other players were looking at me with a shocked and surprised look on their faces. I would assume it's because I already had a full item set on me. A lot of them were looking down and noticing Flare following behind me. I tried my best to look past all the attention I was getting and continued my way to Kiori. I soon arrived at the clock tower and started looking around, a few seconds I could see Kaori in the distance running toward me. She was extremely slow compared to my speed, but I just smiled and waved. Once she got to me, she hugged me and immediately noticed my items.
"Wow, you already got all of this?"
"Haha, yea I may have got a little lucky."
"You should have known better than to already start without me."
"I wanted to explore a little before I reached the town."
"Wait for me next time, I could use a little luck too."
She then noticed Flare standing to the right of me.
"Woahhh, where did you get that!"
I smiled, "Yea it's a long story."
"Awww I want one, what did you name it?"
"I decided to go with Flare, aw its so cute."
I noticed she had a bow equipped- "What class did you go?"
"I decided to try something a little different this time so I went archer."
She looked down and noticed that I had a dagger as my weapon.
"What!... you went assassin instead of healer?"
"Haha….yea"
"Woah that dagger looks so cool, what weapon rank is it?
"Umm… It's a bit powerful"- I pulled up the stats for the dagger.
""Claw of Cerberus, rank divine…. how did you… where did you get that?""
"Eh, it's a long story."
"That's the highest rank weapon in the game, how did you already get one?"
"I told you, I got a little lucky."
"Well then, let's go find me one too!"
We began exploring around town, as we were walking through the main entrance we saw the large pad in the center of town. This is where all the new players were spawning in.
Kaori turned to me and asked, "Well, what do you want to do first?"
I looked around and saw a weapon smith, I pointed there and said, "Let's go buy you a bow."
We walked into the small shop and saw the walls covered in a variety of swords, daggers, spears and wands. We saw an NPC sitting in the far corner of the room, we approached him and noticed he was sharpening a blade. He looked up and said, "Hi, welcome to Iron Edge, how can I help you?" I took another step forward and said "We are looking for a bow for my friend here." He stood up and said, "alright then follow me." He took us to the other side of the shop to a wall covered with a variety of bows and wands. "Anything peak your interest", he asked. Kaori stepped forward and began examining the weapons. She reached up and grabbed one of the bows, "what's this one?" The weapon smith grinned, "Excellent taste you have, that's one of my favorite creations, it's called Iron Striker." "Iron Striker" Kaori murmured as she closely examined the weapon. She tapped on the bow and opened the stat page.
[Iron Striker]
(Bow, Rank:uncommon)
Level:2
Agi(+3)
Dex:(+10)
(Iron Bolts)Passive:Each shot has a chance to briefly slow the enemy's hit.
"Every arrow will inflict a brief slow onto target, very helpful when there's a group of enemies approaching you". He grinned, "If you can hit your shots that is." Kaori looked up, "Alright I will take this." He smiled, "Great that will be 1000 gold". Kaori looked at me with a persistent look on her face. "Do you have enough?" To be entirely honest I wasn't even sure myself, I swiped open my inventory and noticed the gold icon at the top of the screen, 3000 gold. I closed my inventory and grinned, "Yea I have enough". Kaori smiled as the blacksmith guided us towards the counter. When I approached the counter a notification popped up, "Do you wish to purchase "Iron Striker" (1000 gold)".
I clicked the "yes" icon and the notification closed and the bow dissolved away. I opened my inventory and went to the bow, I pressed the transfer button and scrolled to "Kuroma". I pressed the confirm notification and the bow left my inventory. Kurumi opened her inventory and quickly equipped the bow. After she equipped the bow she smiled and jumped onto me. She turned to the weaponsmith, "Thank you!" We walked out of the shop into the large crowd of people walking through the street. "Where to now", Kuromi asked. Let's go check out the rest of the city.
We continued walking down the busy street and as we walked Kaori turned, "Why don't we go look for someplace to eat?" "Sure, I have heard great things about the food in New Dawn." I stopped and looked around before spotting what looked to be a cafe. I pointed "Over there, let's go check that place out." We made our way there and I noticed the sign above the entrance, "Springfield Cafe." I opened the door and we entered, it was quite busy with all the new players. I led us over to a table next to a party of other players. I picked up Flare and sat him right under my chair. Kaori sat down and hastily grabbed the menu and began looking. "I am so excited I heard they have the best deserts in this game." I smiled, "order whatever you want it's on me". A few moments later a waitress approached us, "Welcome to Springfield Cafe, how can I help you." Kaori looked up, "Um, I'll have the strawberry cake." "Good choice, and for you?" "I'll have the same." The waitress smiled and said, "Alright it will be here shortly." She walked away and almost immediately after 2 men approached us. One of the men stepped forward, "Hi, nice to meet you I'm Tatsuno and this is my friend Otsuka." "We are looking for new members for our guild and you both look quite experienced so we're wondering if you two would be interested in joining, we already have nearly 40 players." I saw Kaori look up with a sort of annoyed look on her face. Before she could respond I quickly said, "Um, we aren't really looking to join a guild just yet, thank you for the offer tho." His smile faded away, "Oh alright then, well if you ever change your mind just message me and let me know." They both turned and walked away. A few moments later I received a friend request from "Tatsunoko". I didn't want to accept it just yet so I just closed my notifications. "Look how much attention you are already getting us." "Wait until they find out about your little dagger", Kaori grinned. A few seconds later the waitress returned with our deserts. Kaori ate hers almost instantly, so I just gave her the rest of mine. When we she finished I paid for the desert which was surprisingly expensive and we got up and left the cafe.
We continued walking through the city until we reached one of the main gates. "Where to now", Kaori asked. "How about we go and test out that new bow!"