The portal's whooshing departure left Taka amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, with the grand silhouette of the castle atop the distant mountain looming over the landscape. Other players bustled about, their avatars bustling through the crowded streets. Taka glanced behind him, but the portal had vanished without a trace.
As he explored the city, he witnessed some players attempting to harm merchants and steal their wares. However, their nefarious plans were thwarted by vigilant guards, prompting the would-be thieves to scatter in fear of the formidable level 100 enforcers.
Undeterred by the city's chaotic atmosphere, Taka approached the gate leading to the Enchanted Grove. A game window materialized before him, displaying the name of the forest.
[Forest of the Rustling wind]
With a mental command, he accessed his inventory, revealing a solitary wood sword with a durability indicator of 10/10.
Drawing the wood sword, Taka inspected its blunt edges before venturing through the gate and into the Forest of the Rustling wind.
As Taka ventured deeper into the forest, the tranquility of the surroundings was shattered by the sounds of conflict. Curiosity piqued, he cautiously approached the source of the commotion, concealing himself behind a thick tree trunk.
Peering through the foliage, he witnessed a heated exchange between three players.
[BlazeStriker7]: "You think you can just waltz in here and take what's rightfully mine?"
[SwiftShadow3]: "Hey, it's a free-for-all out here. First come, first served."
[14Desimator]: "I was faster, so I got the kill. There's no point in getting angry over it."
Their voices carried over the forest, punctuated by the clang of swords and the rustle of leaves. Amidst the exchange, Taka realized that the players were too preoccupied with their own conflicts to notice his arrival. Their voices faded into the background as Taka quietly withdrew. Taka continued on his journey through the forest. However, his respite was short-lived as a sudden rustling from the bushes drew his attention. Without warning, the Wolvish Cub pounced on him, its movements were erratic.
Caught off guard, Taka felt the sharp sting of the cub's bite, his health depleting with each passing moment. Reacting swiftly, he attempted to block the attack but was unsuccessful. Instead, he wielded his wood sword, using it to fend off the relentless assault of the cub.
Despite landing a solid blow with his sword, His wood sword dealt only 5 damage per hit, Taka realized that his damage output was minimal against the resilient cub. Taka found himself on the brink of defeat as his own health dwindled to a mere 5 out of 20, while the cub still had 25 out of 30 hit points remaining.
Despite its appearance as a weaker creature, the Wolvish Cub proved to be a formidable opponent for a level 1 player like Taka.
As desperation set in, Taka knew he had to act quickly. Hearing clashing sounds and shouts, he made a split-second decision to flee toward the group of players.
As his hopes were dashed upon arriving to find the players already embroiled in a chaotic melee, their attention consumed by their own conflicts, Taka had to think quickly. Spotting a nearby tree, he sprang onto it, putting some distance between himself and the surrounding adversaries.
The Wolvish Cub, unable to climb the tree, grew frustrated, growling and slashing at the trunk with its claws. Seizing the opportunity, Taka kept his legs locked to the tree branch and inverted his body, positioning himself upside down. With a swift swing of his sword, he struck the cub, dealing 5 damage and sending it reeling to the side.
The cub, undeterred, growled menacingly and lunged at Taka. However, he had already anticipated its move and shifted his body, narrowly evading the attack. As the cub sailed past him, Taka seized the opportunity, driving his sword deep into its body with precision. The strike landed with critical force, dealing 10 damage and reducing the cub's health to 10 out of 30.
With the cub's movements growing sluggish from the grievous wound, Taka seized the opportunity. With a swift leap, he descended upon the cub, his sword aimed directly at its vulnerable form. The cub let out a terrified growl as the tables turned, its prey becoming the predator.
In a swift motion, Taka's blade pierced through the cub's weakened defenses, and a spurt of green-colored liquid splashed onto his face as the cub let out its final cry. In a flash of pixels, the cub disintegrated,
leaving behind a claw and a tuft of fur.
As the remnants of the defeated cub faded away, Taka examined the loot left behind. He picked up the claw and the tuft of fur.
With a sense of satisfaction, Taka tucked the claw and fur into his inventory
The notification window popped up before Taka's eyes:
[You have slain a Wolvish Cub] [EXP +30] [EXP: 30/50]
With a sense of satisfaction mingled with relief, Taka wiped the green liquid from his face. As he took a moment to catch his breath, a new sensation stirred within him, igniting a spark of excitement he hadn't felt in a long time. As a genius, most of his newfound hobbies would soon succumb to boredom, but there was something different about "VORX NOVERA."
His heartbeat slowed, and he felt a surge of anticipation coursing through him, a newfound enthusiasm for the game pulsating in his veins. For the first time in a while, Taka felt a sense of purpose and exhilaration.
As he pressed on, Taka's ears caught the sound of approaching footsteps. Sensing imminent danger, he hastily sought refuge, knowing that a misstep could spell doom. The players drawing near bore ominous skull marks next to their names, a clear indicator that they were Player Killers (PKers). Taka held his breath, knowing any slip-up could prove fatal.
[Reaper27]: "I was sure I heard a growl here."
[DarkSlayer14]: "Whoever it is, should be close."
A lean figure, cloaked in a hood to conceal their identity, scrutinized the ground intently.
[SilentBlade8]: "Look, there are footprints on the ground."
Taka's mind raced as he formulated a plan to slip away undetected. Meanwhile, SilentBlade8's sharp eyes caught sight of the claw marks on the nearby tree,
pointing to the claw marks [SilentBlade8]: "there are claw marks here."
With the PKers distracted by SilentBlade8's discovery, Taka seized the opportunity to slip away unnoticed. With each cautious step, he made sure to avoid making any sound that could betray his presence. As he moved farther away from the group, a sense of relief washed over him.
Finding a secluded spot, Taka finally allowed himself to relax. The forest echoed with the sounds of clashing swords and growling creatures, but for now, he was safe from the chaos unfolding around him.
Taking a moment to assess his situation, Taka examined his health bar and noted with concern that he only had 5 HP remaining. He let out a sigh and stood up, and placed his hand on the tree trunk.
Feeling a strange sensation as he touched the tree trunk, Taka sensed a shift in the atmosphere. Suddenly, a booming announcement echoed through the forest: "Player Taka has discovered the first Hidden Dungeon!"
[EXP +100]
1>>2
[CONGRATULATIONS, YOU LEVELED UP]
[YOU HAVE 5 STAT POINTS TO ASSIGN]
[EXP: 80/250]
Leveling up, Taka's demeanor shifted from anticipation to focus as he meticulously reviewed his profile, scrutinizing every detail with a thoughtful gaze.
PLAYER PROFILE
Name: Taka
Guild: None
Class: Warrior
Level: 2
EXP: 80/250
HP: 15/20
MP: 1/1
|STR: 1 | AGI: 1 | DEX: 1 |
|VIT: 1 | INT: 1 | LK: 1|
Stat Points (SP): 5
Coins: 0
Equipment: Wood Sword (Durability: 10/10)