A few hours after the first server of The Last Fantasy went live, the town of Lemuria abuzz with activity. It was a hub for various welcoming and training schedules for the "Heavenly Envoys," or you might call them as; the Players.
Once the adventurers endured the somewhat lengthy and dull introduction, they were sent to the nearest training camp. Located on the outskirts of the Jungle of Chanach, the camp offered a picturesque setting with a serene blue lake, reminiscent of a fantasy landscape.
Once the tutorial session concluded, the adventurers were not compelled to explore the forest. They had the freedom to return to town or embark on an entirely different path. The game truly lived up to its slogan of "Boundlessness," granting players the liberty to pursue their desires.
By this point, numerous adventurers had embarked on their journeys, engaging in exploration, monster battles, or simply immersing themselves in the unexplored world before them. The monsters in the outer region of Chanach were relatively easy to defeat, catering to the new players. However, as they ventured further into the depths, they would encounter stronger foes and reap more rewarding treasures.
The guards of Lemuria played a pivotal role in fostering a conducive environment for all. Each possessed distinct characteristics and personalities, making it difficult for players to differentiate them from the familiar NPC archetype they were accustomed to.
"Oh, no wonder it's quiet here. Where are they?" a newly arrived guard inquired, peering into the tent.
"If you're referring to the 'they' I think you are, they are currently giving a report to the town," came the reply.
Walking calmly, the questioning guard approached his colleague and took a sip of water from the table. After a few refreshing gulps, he continued the conversation. "Ah, yes. Starting today, we will be extremely busy."
His colleague responded, "What else can we do? The prophecy of the gods has come true."
"But can we remain as calm as we are now? I'm certain the neighboring town will take some action about this Heavenly Envoy."
"I can't deny that," replied the other, leaning back in his chair and taking a deep breath. "They will likely utilize them as weapons... but The Descender instructed us not to dwell on it."
"With their current state... and their nobles too, it's safe to assume they will prioritize thorough exploration rather than sparking the war—"
"EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY SIGNAL!"
Chaos ensued, with the shouts echoing through the air for a few moments. Everyone in the vicinity couldn't help but strain their ears and eyes to comprehend what was happening.
"Emergency signal? Is it some kind of event?" pondered some of the adventurers.
The guards who had been inside the tents emerged and gathered at a specific point, their gaze fixed on the sky.
"T-That's... a red signal flare?!"
"The highest level of danger? What could be happening? Isn't it in the direction of the previous adventurers?"
As they grappled with the sudden situation, the sounds of hastened footsteps from the forest grew fainter. Only when someone emerged from the bushes did their presence become apparent. The person panted heavily and shouted, "V-Vampire!"
Meanwhile, almost simultaneously, at the scene of the incident...
"Surrender, vampire! I will hold you off until our reinforcements arrive!" shouted a valiant guard.
The orchestrator of the chaos, Anubis, tightened his grip on the neck of an adventurer, effortlessly throwing him to the ground. The adventurer's body disintegrated into pixels, leaving behind nothing but him and the guard, who fired something into the sky.
"You are no longer in fear, human."
"Hmph, when have I ever been afraid of a lowly vampire like you?"
Came the defiant reply, however, Anubis vividly recalled their first encounter in this very place, where the guard had cowardly stood in the backline while allowing five players to fight against the vampire.
The newfound confidence in the guard stemmed from the red flare he had just fired into the sky. Anubis diverted his gaze from the sparkling sound to the trembling guard. "Well, that doesn't mean I didn't notice it at all," he remarked.
Anubis had lost count of how many players he had slain—dozens, perhaps? Keeping track had become futile. Their low levels rendered the experience he gained insignificant, and they posed no threat in battle. They were far inferior to the three adventurers he had encountered initially.
Boredom had consumed him, naturally. Especially since none of the adventurers possessed any knowledge and mindlessly attacked him simply because he was a vampire. Such a reason seemed foolish, considering their inevitable death if they continued to do so.
However, what stood out to Anubis was the lack of any fear of death among the adventurers he had slain thus far. Were they truly that thick-skinned? Yet, the guard standing before him now was different. Anubis sensed fear—fear of death, as it should be.
"Why didn't you step forward and help them just now?" Anubis questioned, stepping closer to the guard. "Because if you did, with your level, you might be able to defeat me, right? Like they mentioned earlier... that I am a low-level boss?"
Aware of Anubis' movements, the guard tightened his grip. His spear, once pointed forward, now lowered to the ground, as if preparing for an attack rather than a defense. "I won't do something reckless like that. After all, you are vampires," he responded.
If that was the case, it would be effortless for Anubis. "What do you know about us?" he asked.
"Many things, and sad things," the guard replied.
Anubis sighed in disappointment. "Still unwilling to say anything, are you?"
"What's the point of having a conversation with someone who will soon die!" the guard exclaimed, dashing forward and thrusting the tip of his spear towards Anubis' face. However, the attack narrowly missed its mark. "Ck, you dodged it, huh?"
Anubis simply tilted his face slightly, not needing to make excessive movements to avoid such a minor spear thrust. The enemy's movements weren't fast enough, allowing him to anticipate where the attack was aimed.
Then, a hissing sound emerged from the very tip of the spear near Anubis' ear. The spear gleamed brightly. "「Triple Thrust!」"
Three spear lights struck Anubis almost simultaneously, each hitting a different spot on his body. Anubis attempted to step back to evade, but due to their proximity, he had no choice but to endure the damage.
"So the first stab was just a decoy? You're indeed different from the others," Anubis praised. He never expected a skill to be utilized in such a way.
Perhaps it was because he had faced too many foolish opponents that he had become somewhat dull himself. When one becomes accustomed to trivial encounters, there is a possibility of being dragged into the same trivial perspectives.
"Well, whatever it is, that was the first damage I've taken in a while. I truly appreciate it," Anubis applauded, though his tone seemed more mocking than congratulatory.
Without receiving any damage, Anubis couldn't accurately gauge how much his status application mattered in the daylight like this. The damage he received from one, or maybe three strikes just now? Was insignificant. It would take more than ten times that amount to truly deplete Anubis' HP using the same attack.
However, that was almost impossible, so Anubis immediately shifted his attention away from that thought.
As they stood facing each other, Anubis' health bar slowly filled up, but very little. As expected, the sun and daylight rendered most of his skills useless.
"They call you an NPC, don't they... just like they call me that too," Anubis remarked.
"Never compare me to lowly vampires like you," the guard retorted, his alertness unwavering.
Even though that wasn't what Anubis was trying to convey, but oh well.
Anubis intentionally chose to spare this person at the end because he served a purpose. Ever since Anubis first saw him, he could sense something different—a distinction between players and beings like himself. What could it be called? Perhaps a native?
"It seems the inhabitants of this world don't want to open up to us..." Anubis mused.
"Huh? Of course not. How could we want to share this place with you invaders!" the guard snapped.
Anubis had made several attempts to reach out, but they had all been in vain. All he wanted was information and knowledge. Yet, everything in this world seemed to immediately regard him as an enemy, no matter what he tried to convey. Was the world always like this from the very beginning?
The sound of people rumbling behind them began to be heard from a distance. Meaning, reinforcements were close.
With this renewed vigor, the guard smiled and intended to launch a full-scale attack. From his first attack, he had a chance of winning, all he had to do was keep giving consecutive damage.
"You'd better abandon that intent." Even before the guard made one step forward, Anubis cut in casually. "You can't defeat me," he firmly stated.
Indeed, the situation would be different if Anubis were still at level one. However, the one standing here now is the Lv.17 version of himself. Although their levels are almost equal, Anubis has assessed that the guard is not a threat to his life.
As proof, the guard startled, his hand trembling as he sensed Anubis about to make a move. But it was too late. Before he could swing his weapon, Anubis appeared right in front of him with his claws ready.
A powerful slash from the vampire's five-fingered hand, sharp and pointed, left a deep gash on the ground beneath their feet, cutting the guard. It didn't kill him outright, but his weapon broke into pieces as he was thrown back.
Faced with the overwhelming power of Anubis, the guard's instinctual response kicked in, realizing that victory was out of reach. He desperately crawled backward, trying to put some distance between them as Anubis approached.
"Despite our levels, it seems our basic stats are not in a same plane."
Anubis pressed his shoe against the guard's chest, exerting a pressure that felt as heavy as thousands of kilograms, impeding his heart from pumping blood. Tears welled up in the guard's eyes, streaming down his cheeks and onto the ground. With trembling lips, he attempted to plead for forgiveness, but his words fell on deaf ears.
The vampire's expression remained indifferent, devoid of any meaningful emotion, even as his fierce eyes bore into the guard's.
Anubis had concluded that this human no longer served any purpose to him. He harbored no grudge or ill will, but there was no significant benefit in letting him live, either.
"H-have mer—!!"
[Base Exp+6.2%]
[Class Exp+3.1%]
As per usual, the experience he gained was not particularly significant, Anubis muttered. However, a new notification followed, capturing his attention and reigniting his gnawing curiosity. "...What is this one?"
[Authority Exp+0.15%]
[!] Authority Level Unlocked!