In every MMORPG game, people will always find ways to earn experience, loot, and most importantly, money. They will find the most fastest and efficient way to do so such as exploiting bugs and glitches. In the realm of Elementos:Online, those exploiters are free to find any items that can be duplicated using a process called "Slime Duping." Yellow slimes have the ability to grab any item off the players hand (exception of their weapons) and when killed they will drop it. But if you use drop rate potions, they drop the items and have a chance of duplicating it 2 or 3 times. This process is being used by almost all the summoned players, everyone except our main characters, Hitoshi and Aiko.
–Chapter 2
People are already high level. They keep going to the Ruined Town to farm some Yellow Slimes and duplicate items. I can't believe it's only been a day and someone already found an exploit. People like them are too lazy to grind without exploits, look at us! Raised my level to 2 by killing 9 Dumb Slimes.
"Alright, one more should do it. Let's go Aiko!"
"Okay!" She stood up and grabbed her staff.
Aiko doesn't seem to have any skills yet, maybe she forgot to allocate her skill points.
I should tell her about it. Wait what's that.
"Aiko, stay low. I see a big slime. A mother slime? There's a spawn event today?"
It's level is 43. Can we take that thing out?
"Ummm maybe I could learn some skills and try it out on her? I do have lots of Mana points to spare so maybe I could attack from behind?" Aiko said. Not a bad idea actually.
"Alright but only learn one skill first, since your new to it. And upgrade it once only. Open your menu I'll select for you."
"Okay. Open Menu." Aiko replied.
The magic skill tree is really complicated. Maybe we should start with a weak skill first. Water based skills should do the trick.
"Go for Water Javelin. It's easy to aim and control."
"Okay. Learn skill Water Javelin." Aiko replied. Then her bracelet lit up. She manifested the new skill.
"Now aim at the slime and focus. Now say the spell name in your mi--"
"Water Javelin!" She said it out loud again.
Suddenly, clouds appeared on top of the monster. Then it rained, the raindrops formed into one big spear and when the clouds dissipated, the spear dropped into the enormous slime. It pierced through it and even pierced the ground. Then the monster was left with 1% HP. The skill Water Javelin always leaves enemies with 1% HP and also breaks all the breakable parts to drop more items. Alright, with all my stat points allocated in Luck, I'll last hit it and maybe get some rare item drops.
"Alright! I'm charging in, Boost Sword!"
I grabbed onto my handle and charged in like a wild boar. As I become closer to the Mother Slime, I noticed that it didn't even bother to dodge my attack. I stabbed it and ended it. Amazing, from level 2 to level 16! And look at the item drops.
"Nice work Aiko. We leveled up to 16. Level up Water Javelin to 5 and tell me what's the next skill on the Water Elemental Tree."
I quickly grabbed the items and put them in my backpack. With 24 new skill points, I could learn more skills with this. I currently have 4 which are:
Boost (1 MP) - Able to increase one's weapon or body part by 50%.
Glory Shield (3 MP) - Able to block any lethal damage but leaves the user with 1% HP. If the damage is not lethal, the user shall not take any damage at all.
Grab (Passive) - Able to suck in all available items and automatically put them in the user's storage system.
Enlighten (1 MP) - A basic healing spell. Able to cure any status ailment.
Wait a minute.
"Aiko, look! There's a red item! We found an item that has a 1% drop chance. Lucky find!"
I said as I grabbed the item. I checked it out and sure enough it was a 1% drop rate.
"Slime in a Bottle. Summon Item. Able to conjure any type of slime in the battlefield. Summoned slime can also be killed! Woah, nice find. Good work Aiko." I said as I put the bottle in my pocket.
"Eh? B-but it was you who killed the Slime, I just helped..." Aiko said while twirling her hair.
If the Water Javelin passive doesn't exist, I'm sure she was able to kill it.
"Before we go back to the lobby and sell the Slime Balls. Let's test out the Slime in a Bottle. Let's see.... how to use... Okay. Summon, Yellow Slime, Level 1, Neutral."
[Note: To use the bottle, First say the name of the Slime. Then the Level. Then the nature of it. There are 3 natures:
Tamed - Helps the player by attacking other players.
Neutral - Does not attack anybody.
Hostile - Attacks anything. Including other monsters.]
Then the bottled glowed and popped out a slime. It was small and kinda cute. Actually this is a perfect chance to try out the exploit. Alright, let's try to duplicate a Grade SSS Healing Potion.
"Awwh that's a cute slime." Aiko said.
I used a Drop Potion, increasing my drop rate and activating the exploit. I grabbed the Grade SSS Potion I got from a shop and put it inside the slime. It ate it, then I swinged my sword and killed it. It duplicated, but I was not expecting this...
"Holy Crap! It dropped 2 stacks of it! What the hell? We have 198 Potions now. We have to remove them, this is cheating."
I deleted the potions, and kept the bottle inside my bag to keep it safe. Apparently there's a difference between conjured slimes and natural spawned ones. We should head back before anybody sees us.
"Hold it right there Knight." A voice said.
Suddenly 4 armored people appeared out of the shadows. By the looks of them, they were all Assassin type builds. Daggers, cloaks, matching belts. No doubt, it's one of the top 10 teams.
In the main lobby, there is a leaderboard, displaying the top 10 parties or players with the highest points acquired so far. It updates constantly as they keep on grinding for points. The list goes:
[Holy Knights Party - 3000 Points
Recluse of the Dawn - 2800 Points
Red Sun - 2700 Points
XXX Slayer - 2300 Points
Spirit Classroom - 2000 Points
Play Hard Try Hard - 1900 Points
NC Gaming - 1890 Points
Grand Order 7 - 1870 Points
4 Musketeers - 1700 Points
EroEroEroHeroes - 1500 Points
....
Last Place:
Team AiShi - 60 Points]
Then the 4 mysterious men walked towards us and said:
"We are EroEroEroHeroes, the holder of the 10th place."
"We came here to take that specific item off your hands."
"If you don't want to get the penalty of dying, hand it over and nobody looses 75% of there money."
"Player killing is prohibited but you can still kill. Do you wish to test it out?"
All 4 of them sound the same it was actually confusing who was talking. But player killing? Sure the item is powerful but should they really resort to violence?
"What makes you think we'll hand over this item. You could break the economy with this. We're not going to give it to you." I said while drawing my sword out.
I told Aiko to run if they attack and I'll defend her while she goes back to the lobby. Assassins can one shot me but with my Glory Shield I could block one attack only. I was prepared to loose 75% of my money.
"Wrong answer, Shadow Blade Technique, Shadow Slice!" One of the hooded men shouted.
Then a blade made of shadow appeared underneath him. It was just a shadow but it can actually kill me. I don't have any Light magic neither does Aiko so there was really no point to try to defend ourselves. I could just by Aiko some time to report them to the Grandmaster.
The man rushed and I dodged but he connected his dagger attack, breaking my Glory Shield. I was at 1 HP% and I was ready to die and accept the pena--
"WHAT IS THIS?" A deep voice was heard.
It was the Grandmaster, I'm guessing Aiko made her way back to the lobby.
"Attempted Player killing? *sighs* People are always greedy when it comes to rare items. Okay, to make this fair. I will add the area where you can settle things there." The old wizard said.
Just like in the real game. It's called the...
"Battle Arena. An arena where players can bet on anything and if one player wins, they will get the item or the money. The loser can also do a rematch but in exchange he must add another item to bet. I will add this with a special rule, you can bet ANYTHING. Skill points, stat points, etc." Then we were teleported to the arena.
He sure made this fast for an old guy like him. Or maybe it's just an avatar? But the detail in this arena is magnificent! The torches, the walls. Everything looks legit.
"Okay, Foolish Knight, add the item in this weighing scale." The wizard pointed out to the weighing scale in the middle of the arena.
"Oka-- Wait, what do you mean by foolish?"
"Hooded man, add anything you are willing to bet for the item." The wizard then pointed to the other side of the scale.
"When the item he adds is enough for you, press the button and the items shall be in balance." Explained the old geezer.
The hooded man then bet on something that looks like a bottle. Same shape as the item I have.
"Shadow in a bottle, allows you to become invisible until you deal or take damage." The hooded man said.
It was a red item but the ability is much better than our item.
"I'll take it!" I said as I pressed the button.
He then pressed his button then a menu popped up. It said we had a choice of how many should participate. Without Aiko our main damage dealer, we will definitely loose. I hope the four of them didn't see her capabilities.
"Let's do a 2v2. Since I also want Aiko to experience this feature." I said as I chose the 2v2 option.
"Alright, no need to hold back." The hooded man said.
Then once we were on our each corner, the timer began to countdown.
"Alright Aiko, I want you to cast Water Javelin in the middle of the arena, I'll draw them in while you cast. Got it?"
"Okay, let's do this Hitoshi." Aiko replied.
3...2...1... Match Begin!
I casted Boost on my armor and Glory Shield to be safe and rushed at the enemy. Aiko is waiting for my signal to cast her skill. Both of them were running towards me, everything is going well according to my plan. Just a few more steps.
"Now Aiko!" I shouted.
"Okay, Water Jave--"
Then one of the hooded men threw a knife with some weird writing on it towards Aiko. It missed but landed near her, then a black circle appeared.
"Continue the chant Aiko!" I replied while trying to dodge one of the hooded men's attacks.
"Water Javelin!"
But nothing happened.
"Water Javelin! Water Javelin. Water Javelin?"
Aiko kept repeating her self but the spell doesn't seem to be working. What happened, did she run out of mana? No that can't be possible, it takes her a day and a half at least to use up all her mana. Is the knife a Mana Drain item? No, I don't seem to be noticing a drained status ailment on her.
"Fools. Do you think we will fight her without anti magic items? I mean did you see what she did to that poor passive mother slime?" One of the hooded men replied.
So that's the reason she didn't fight back. Wait a minute...
"Anti magic items?" I replied while deflecting shuriken using my sword.
"That there is called a Silence Knife, silencing all players within the circle. They can't leave the circle as well. The only way to break free is by using physical attacks but mages can't do physical attacks so she's basically like you, Useless!" They both laughed at her while she desperately tries to cast her skill.
"She's not useless..."
"What? Did you say something trash can?"
"I'll prove to you that even we can defeat some top 10 weirdoes wearing cloaks!"
I jumped back and quickly removed my Glory Shield. They were holding back their attacks. Toying with me. I turned around to see Aiko still trying to cast her skill. That leaves me no choice, I'll have to learn a new skill here.
[Aiko's Perspective]
Water Javelin! Why is it not working! Hitoshi is out there holding them back while I try to attack. I'm just letting him down again. Despite my stats, I'm the useless one here. I'm sorry Hitoshi, I let you down.
"You're not useless! Keep casting! You can do it!" Hitoshi shouted.
Even if he knows it's impossible, he still fights back. He truly is something.
"Water Jave— Uh? Lin?"
Suddenly I saw a beam of light appearing above me and Hitoshi, then suddenly we swapped places?!
[Hitoshi's Perspective]
A new skill. Think of something damn it. Wait this will work.
"Oi check it out, the trash can learned a new skill. Hahahaha! What a joke!" One of the hooded men said.
Alright, let's test this out! We need Aiko to cast one more time and time it perfectly.
"You're not useless! Keep casting! You can do it!"
Now we cast it right...about...NOW!
Support Skill : Position Swap!
"Water Jave— Uh? Lin?"
It worked! I'm inside the circle! And look, Aiko's skill worked as well. It was even more powerful than before, I guess she leveled it up before we fought. The clouds seem bigger and the spear!
"That's not all, behold my new s-skill. Hydro Swords!"
Aiko then waved her staff and suddenly a big sword appeared out of the rain cloud. Once the javelin dropped she then commanded the sword to finish them off.
Match Set! Team AiShi Wins the duel.
Amazing! She learned a new skill without my help. She's slowly getting stronger.
"I did it, Hitoshi I did-- huh?"
"NICE ONE AIKO! DID YOU SEE THAT JAVELIN? IT WENT LIKE WOOSH AND WHEN YOU SAID... That's not all... IT SOUNDED SO COOL! YOU'RE AMAZING!" I said while hopping out of excitement. Magic skills are so cool! I wish I chose to be a support mage instead.
"U-uhh t-thank y-you..." She replied while hiding her face using her gigantic hat.
"Congrats, you win. Here's your items." The Grandmaster said while giving us both of the red items.
I put ours in my bag and gave back theirs.
"Here, have it back. We don't need it, we just want to ask you not to tell anyone about our item." I said while giving the bottle back to their crying leader.
"Really?! Huhu, you're amazing trash can, you are so ni-- OUCH!"
Aiko used her staff to whack the hooded man in the head. Even if there is no damage it still hurts I guess. Note to self: don't make Aiko angry.
"That's what you get for calling him trash can."
She said.
After the battle. We entered the portal to go back to the lobby. And said our goodbyes to EroEroEroHeroes. Despite their appearances, they are actually nice. Now we still have a lot to do, sell the slime balls and buy some heals. Oh yeah I forgot...
"Hey Aiko, how many skill points do you have left?"
"Huh? About 20, why?"
"I just thought of a good combo, we should test it out tomorrow. But for now, let's sell and buy some stuff and head to the inn to rest. I'm tired from all the battling."
"Okay! I'll do my best!"
"That's the spirit." I replied.
And the second day ends with a lot of things happening. Jeez, in only a day huh? I can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store for Team AiShi.
Today's Spoils of War:
Hitoshi and Aiko leveled up to 16 and each one gained new skills. They also got a rare item that will be valuable in the future. Also they have befriended EroEroEroHeroes.
Team AiShi - 65 Points
Epilogue:
Team AiShi huh? Overpowered mage but lacks courage and a strong willed Knight but uses useless skills. Interesting. I guess summoning him here was no mistake after all. Alright, time to check up on the others. Huh? The Holy Knights Party already found the first boss dungeon? Interesting. Their leader is also someone to look forward to. What will happen if both of them crossed paths? Well let's just find out in the future...
-Grandmaster