Perhaps sensing Sebastian's hesitation in replying, Mia swiftly sent another message.
"Don't misunderstand. I'm thinking of organizing an offline gathering after the dungeon event in two days."
Ah, it was for a real-world meetup.
Sebastian had initially thought the beauty had some pressing matter.
Even though he preferred his solitude, he considered that he had joined the North Wind Team after all.
It would be impolite not to attend their offline gatherings.
Besides, it would be an opportunity to meet her in person.
In [Original Realm], player avatars mirror their real-world appearances.
Essentially, how one looks in reality is how they appear in-game.
Sebastian replied, "Sure. My contact number is…"
"Great. I'm thinking of setting the venue at Dreamhaven. Would that be convenient for you?" Mia inquired.
Dreamhaven wasn't far from Sebastian's city.
He confirmed his availability. After a short chat, Sebastian finally logged off.
In the real world...
Sebastian removed his gaming helmet, gazing at the pale moonlight outside.
He took a warm shower and soon drifted into deep sleep.
Waking up early the next morning, Sebastian made a quick trip outside, purchasing a week's worth of Nutrient Solution.
This venture cost him seventy thousand dollars.
After injecting the Nutrient Solution into the game chamber, he reclined inside.
As the game loaded, Sebastian found himself back in his in-game residence.
It was still early, yet all team members were already online.
This made Sebastian wonder if they all owned game chambers, enabling them to be online 24/7.
Stowing Breeze into his backpack, Sebastian headed towards the team's gathering point.
In the southern part of Darkstone, there stood a vast building, with the word "Guild" prominently displayed on its main entrance.
This was the in-game hub for registering teams or guilds and also served as a popular meeting spot.
Any team or guild founded here would be allocated an official room by the system.
The North Wind Team, being a group of just six, had their room tucked away in a corner on the first floor.
Upon entering the guild hall, many players were lounging and chatting in the relaxation area, while some were busy registering or signing in.
Sebastian made his way to Room 118 and pushed the door open.
The room wasn't large, furnished only with a conference table and a few chairs.
At the table sat a young girl dressed in a white robe, holding a tablet and jotting down notes.
It was team member, SnowAdmirer.
"I'm here for reimbursement," Sebastian whispered as he approached.
Even though his expenses from last night's leveling up had been minimal, he wasn't going to pass up the team benefits.
Lifting her gaze, SnowAdmirer's face brightened with surprise. "Master Sebastian, you're here? Alright, I'll sort this out for you immediately."
"Just call me Sebastian," he corrected.
"Understood, Master Sebastian," SnowAdmirer nodded, then began inputting details on her tablet.
With a look of mild exasperation, Sebastian recounted his expenditures from the previous evening.
Ten minutes later, SnowAdmirer smiled, "All done, Master Sebastian."
[You have received a friend request from SnowAdmirer]
After accepting the request, a notification popped up.
[You have received 80 copper coins from SnowAdmirer]
The reimbursement was quickly transferred to his account.
"By the way, Master Sebastian, are you heading to Spider Cave later?" SnowAdmirer inquired.
"Yes, with the team. Aren't you coming?" Sebastian asked with a hint of confusion.
A look of resignation crossed SnowAdmirer's face. "I'd love to, but the captain assigned me to procure items we'll need the day after tomorrow."
She paused, her sparkling eyes sizing up Sebastian with palpable curiosity.
"Master Sebastian, do you have a girlfriend?"
"Excuse me?"
Sebastian was taken aback, clearly not expecting such a bold question from the young girl, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words.
Just then, the door swung open again, and Mia entered.
"Sebastian?" she exclaimed in surprise.
Seeing her, Sebastian quickly changed the subject. "Are we setting out soon?"
"Um? Oh... yes, we are," Mia responded, slightly caught off guard.
"I'll wait for you all at the village entrance," said Sebastian as he promptly stood up to leave.
"What's gotten into him?" Mia wondered aloud.
Grinning mischievously, SnowAdmirer chimed in, "Captain, I just asked Master Sebastian if he likes you."
"Stop spouting nonsense," Mia said, giving her a playful glare.
Still in a teasing mood, SnowAdmirer pressed, "Captain, what would you do if he really did have feelings for you?"
"You're asking for trouble, you little rascal," Mia retorted playfully.
...
After leaving the guild building, Sebastian took a detour to stock up on potions.
By the time he reached the village entrance, the other four had already arrived.
"Let's go, move out," Mia commanded.
The Spider Cave was an outdoor dungeon located in the dense forest to the north of Darkstone.
Monsters within ranged from levels 13-14, with the Spider King even reaching level 16.
The group made their way towards the dungeon.
As they ventured deeper into the thick woods, headed south, a dense mist began to envelop the surroundings.
"Halt."
Just as they were about to enter the dungeon territory, an untimely voice echoed.
From their left, a sea of players emerged from the forest.
Leading them was a knight clad in armor, his identity obscured by a helmet.
"Today, Rock Guild is leveling up here," the knight announced with sheer arrogance.
The Rock Guild was one of Darkstone's top five guilds, boasting over 800 members and over thirty teams – a force to be reckoned with.
The team that now stood before them, named Redglint, belonged to the Rock Guild.
Upon hearing this, Mia stepped forward, her voice stern. "DemonDance, surely you're familiar with the rules."
Outdoor high-level dungeons had limited spaces and longer respawn intervals.
Thus, the five major guilds had an agreement: the first to arrive gets to claim the dungeon.
Given the caliber of the Spider Cave, few typically ventured here, which was why Mia had scheduled their departure for ten o'clock.
"Of course I'm aware of the rules. But as you can see, we clearly arrived at the same time. Right, my brothers?" DemonDance retorted.
"Yes!" The players behind him shouted in unison, creating an overwhelming chorus.
"DemonDance! Are you just here to stir up trouble?" Jason snapped from the side.
"Nonsense. We've long chosen this area," DemonDance feigned innocence.
"Hmph," Jason scoffed in disbelief.
No one would buy such a claim.
The ongoing rift between the North Wind Team and Rock Guild was no secret, and it was evident that Redglint was here to flex their muscles.
"If you insist we arrived simultaneously, then let's have a fair showdown," Mia proposed.
"I wouldn't dare challenge you all directly," DemonDance declined instantly, a cold gleam in his eyes as he surveyed the group of six, "Either leave now or brace yourself for a brawl."
"Bring it on! We fear no one," Jason declared, his voice seething with anger.