"Okay listen up, everyone," barked Osten, his voice commanding more fear than respect. "We're not planning to make a vacation out of this forest, so I suggest you pick up the pace and stop dragging your feet."
"Before we do," began Callista, the female mage in Osten's party, "we should designate a leader and formulate a strategy."
"I'll take the lead," Osten asserted firmly, preempting any discussion of a vote. No one dared to challenge him. "According to the professor, our objective for this assessment is to hunt the Hilitroll Field Boss."
"Bring back its head as proof," Professor Bayley had said with a mischievous smile. "Though you'll earn more rewards for bringing back the whole corpse."
In most MMOs, locating and battling Field Bosses was relatively straightforward as they had fixed spawn locations and times. Players who wanted to hunt it needed only to be prompt in their arrival, and those with the highest «damage per second», or DPS, would typically claim the kill.
In Sehreneti, however, Field Bosses roamed a wide area and their respawn times were random. Artificial intelligence promoted unpredictable behaviors; it wasn't impossible for it to be freediving at the bottom of a lake hunting for fish, taking shelter from the rain in a secluded cave, or even climbing a steep cliff to claim a curious flower.
The creatures in the game were remarkably lifelike, in almost every sense of the term. They weren't mere scripted automatons with a limited range of behaviors; these AI appeared to experience emotions, acquire knowledge, and display a genuine curiosity about themselves and the world around them.
As a result, they were profoundly unpredictable. It would have taken a few weeks, if not a few months, for them to locate the Hilitroll—but perhaps the guild was hoping for that outcome. Spending an extended period of time in the wilderness meant the class would be tested in all the different faculties they studied at the academy.
Struggling to find the Field Boss would have honed their tracking abilities; camping in the woods would have strengthened their survival skills; and encountering numerous monsters in between would have taught them proper teamwork, communication, and organizational skills.
"Does anyone here possess any tracking skills?" Osten inquired, scanning the group expectantly.
A few individuals exchanged glances until a calm and collected female archer stepped forward. "I wouldn't call it tracking," she said, "but I can scan an area within 100 meters using an ability similar to echolocation. Plus, I have an archer-exclusive skill that lets me see over long distances."
"That's perfect," Callista chimed in. "If we position you on high ground, it should improve our chances of finding the troll."
"What's your name?" Osten asked.
"Lyanna."
"Alright, Lyanna, you'll be in the front with the rest of us."
Daisuke frowned.
At the same time, Lyanna's eyes widened suspiciously, curious about the meaning behind the words. "What formation should we use?" she inquired. "I suggest we stick to what Professor Bayley taught us since—"
"We'll be in the vanguard," Osten interrupted, emphasizing "we" to mean the player-based group. "The NPCs will provide support from the rear. Haxks," he sneered as he pronounced the name, "you'll stay behind and protect the healers."
Daisuke nonchalantly tucked his hands into his pockets without uttering a word. In Sehreneti, the inhabitants were highly self-aware, and openly referring to them as NPCs was considered derogatory.
They much preferred to be addressed as Locals instead—and this marked the second occasion where Osten had openly disrespected them. Though the NPCs harbored a sense of indignation, they followed Daisuke's lead and maintained their silence.
Most of the adventurers in Class A were players; Osten's arrangement was obviously a ploy to ensure they reaped all the rewards by monopolizing monster kills. But the NPCs couldn't complain; they were sorely outnumbered.
It was obvious a few of the players were uncomfortable with the selfish arrangement, but they were too fearful to voice their objections. Most looked on menacingly, daring the NPCs to challenge the status quo.
"If we're all in understanding," Osten began, "then let's get a move on."
***
"Hey! I think I see something!"
All eyes veered in the direction of the distant voice, their gazes fixed upon a lofty pine tree. After hours of mowing through hordes of monsters, it seemed fortune was finally within reach.
Lyanna gingerly descended from the tree, her expression brighter than it was just a few minutes ago. "It's not exactly what we're searching for, but if my instincts are correct, it's just as valuable."
"Lead the way then," Osten commanded.
"Alright, follow me."
The group proceeded cautiously, maintaining a close-knit formation as they shadowed Lyanna's path. Just beyond her visual range, she had spotted an intriguing gleam. As the party drew nearer, they realized it was a—
"Crystal Field!" someone exclaimed, their voice filled with disbelief. "A Crystal Field, I can't believe it!"
"Whoa! It really is a Crystal Field!"
"We've hit the jackpot!"
As excitement filled the air and everyone rushed to harvest the loot, Daisuke cautiously slowed to a halt and began surveying their surroundings with the Eye of Verity.
The sight before them was indeed a Crystal Field, but it was in its infancy; the mana clusters were just beginning to emerge from the ground like newly sprouted plants. However, that wasn't what concerned him. Common knowledge dictated that a Crystal Field signaled the proximity of a dungeon. Daisuke didn't need to see the physical structure to know it was close by.
Through the Eye of Verity, he noted that, unlike the Hidden Dungeon, the area around them was shrouded in a blue miasma instead of purple.
What could this mean—a different type of dungeon, or just a variation in power? Regardless, being within the miasma and in such close proximity to its source was unsettling. And Zephyr's head popped out of his shirt, sharing in the discomfort.
"…I don't think this is a good idea," Daisuke cautioned, his tone laced with concern. "We shouldn't be here."
At his inauspicious words, the NPCs backed away, but the players were consumed by greed—wide eyes, greedy smiles, busy hands. Nothing else mattered but uprooting the crystals and filling their pockets, but karma had another plan.
The players' jubilation was cut short by an ominous tremor beneath their feet. Daisuke flinched as the ground quivered, like a beast awakening from a deep slumber. Panic surged through the ranks of the party, but it was already too late.
With a deafening roar, the earth beneath them gave way, and the adventurers—players and Locals alike—tumbled into the gaping maw of an underground cavern.