Saad stood in front of the window, gazing at the message before him. He had achieved something he had struggled with for what felt like an eternity - he had completed the quest. The mixture of emotions was overwhelming; he had contemplated giving up so many times, but he had pressed on and now reaped the rewards. It was hard to believe that he had finally succeeded.
[Quest: Whip Mastery Challenge - Part I]
Description: To prove your worthiness as a Whip Master, you must collect the essence of 20 Salt Snakes. Delve deeper into the salt mines, where they are known to dwell, and retrieve their essence.
Quest Details -
Essence of Salt Snake: 20/20
Difficulty: Hard
Rewards:
Whip Mastery Skill Upgrade
+500 EXP
Then, another set of message windows popped up, catching Saad's attention. His eyes scanned the messages as a sense of shock washed over him.
[your progress is being analyzed]
[you have passed the test with the highest difficulty]
[Additional rewards are being given.]
[Would you like to continue? Y/N]
Saad was honestly stunned by these messages. It was as if his entire ordeal had been a test, one that he had passed with the highest difficulty. His heart raced as he anticipated the additional rewards. But the message to continue just made him roll his eyes. Why would he continue the test? He was seriously done with it!
In the next moment, a book materialized in the air before him, and Saad's reflexes kicked in as he quickly reached out and grabbed the book.
[Skill Book: Whip Mastery]
He could hardly believe it; he was finally receiving his class. As he touched the book, he felt a strange tingling sensation in his mind, as if he were suddenly comprehending the text within and understanding what it meant to become a Whip Master.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself back in that serene forest-like place he had encountered before. The old man, now clad in a dull gray robe, stood there with a smile on his face, uttering a heartfelt, "Congratulations."
For Saad, this moment was almost emotional. Three in-game days had felt like an eternity with all the running, battling, and hardships he had faced. It was a moment of great relief and achievement.
Then, the notification windows started ringing out.
[You have gained the class: Whip Master]
[You have learned the basic active skill Whip Strike.]
[You have learned the basic active skill Grapple & Riposte]
[You have learned the basic active skill Whip of Fury]
[You have acquired the passive skill Whip Mastery. The restrictions are being lifted.]
Saad couldn't believe it. He had finally achieved his class as a Whip Master, and it came with a whole array of new skills and abilities.
In the shadowy confines of the forest-like glade, the old man cleared his throat, an eerie silence settling in as if the very air held its breath. In compliance with the agreement he had made with Saad, he finally revealed his name, speaking it with a whimsical lilt that echoed through the tranquil surroundings.
Ozias cleared his throat before speaking, " I must introduce myself, young adventurer. My name is Ozias."
Saad, while impatient to delve into his newfound skills and abilities, knew better than to be rude to the mysterious NPC. He had countless questions swirling in his mind, eager to burst forth like an unbridled river. But he also understood that patience in this world was a virtue, a dance he had to tread carefully, lest he draw the ire of those who were anything but mere computer-generated characters. Besides, even in his impatience, Saad harbored a lingering desire to return to reality; his early morning commitments awaited him.
"Greetings, Ozias. Nice to meet you." He offered a smile despite his impatience.
For a moment, he considered the idea of skipping the conversation altogether. However, Saad quickly realized the lack of skip button, this was not the familiar realm of traditional video games, where one could hit the skip button and hasten past exposition. In this immersive world, every detail mattered, and skipping wasn't an option.
"Well, Kael, I have caught a big fish today, How about joining me for lunch?" It was Ozias's way of asking him to stay and Saad thought of just saving the game right here but –
[You are in an event. The game cannot be saved currently. Would you like to log out?]
'Ah…The developers…' He was furious. Did that mean that he couldn't skip this event? He couldn't even save it and log out? This was just stupid.
"I would love to join you for lunch." He had to choose the automatic response so he could keep his expressions polite.
Ozias, the enigmatic figure before him, launched into an explanation of the world of game, " You must already know that this sprawling empire is called Aspelenie, wherein the city of Seraphia, is nestled."
Saad, on the brink of suggesting a postponement of this conversation, found himself instead, strangely captivated and intrigued by the tale. He had been too busy, too focused on the in-game grind to delve into the lore of this complex universe. Ozias' narrative, therefore, served as an unintentional primer, an education borne out of necessity.
Since he couldn't skip it, he might as well as learn something out of it.
"Come inside. This might take a while. "The elderly man beckoned Saad to follow him, and the young gamer acquiesced, crossing the threshold of a seemingly modest wooden abode.
The transition from the exterior's unassuming façade to the spacious interior was surprising, to say the least. The inside of the cottage exuded an alien coziness, its décor resembling a rustic western style.
Ozias gestured for Saad to take a seat. The room felt warm and inviting, though the style was markedly different from what Saad had encountered in the virtual world thus far. Ozias settled into a chair, a flicker of magic materializing a platter of sushi, which he extended as an offer. Saad, his real-world sensibilities asserting themselves in the face of the virtual, politely declined. The idea of consuming raw fish in-game was, to put it mildly, unappetizing, a stark contrast to the fragrance of the salty sea that he had grown accustomed to.
"So you don't eat it like this?" Ozias seemed surprised, "I beckoned you would love natural flavors more."
And Saad couldn't understand, no why would he like to eat raw fish? Did Kael had that sort of face?
Thankfully, Ozias soon launched into an exploration of the game's geography, describing vast continents. He illuminated the concept that Gaia, the land of humanity, "This world has five major continents and also the unauthorized land. Our continent is called Gaia and it has humanity's eight strongholds. Empire of Aspelenie is one of it." He saw as he chewed on the sashimi with strangely sharp shark like teeth. And, was it just him or did Ozias's mouth was a little too unnaturally wide?