The blue skies welcomed Zein. The pillow-like clouds welcomed Zein. The leaves which danced to the chimes of the wind welcomed Zein. The cold, hard soil welcomed Zein. Aria welcomed Zein. He kept his hand on his chest not knowing what swelled within him. Did he want to cry? Did he want to laugh? Did he want to run away? Zein couldn't tell.
"It really has been a while"
Looking at his fur-covered arms cleared Zein's mind. Replacing it with something else. "I'm a cat" he giggled. Zein kicked himself up from the ground. He checked his clothes. A tattered white tunic and pants covered in dirt. Boots worn out. He began bouncing, swinging his arms around and rolling his ankles in an attempt to orient himself with his new feline body. A screen popped up during his orientation
" Welcome to Aria. Hint: To begin, say 'Open Status'." the screen read
"Quest: Make your way to Aria City." the screen continued.
"Open Status." Zein followed.
A status screen. It showed his health bar at 50, stamina at 70, and mana at 80. Below read his stats and above, his name, Anodos.
"Hint: To close your status window, say close status. To move to the next page, say 'Next'."
Zein's status window closes. A couple of paces ahead of him laid weapons, scattered. A Sword, A Spear, An Axe, A Pair of Studded Gloves, and A Mage's Wand. He walked over and kneeled "Next."
"Hint: To pick up an object, just pick it up! Once picked up, it will be equipped and a skill correlating to the weapon's class will register."
"Next."
"Hint: To check your inventory, say 'Open Inventory'. You can pull items from your inventory by reaching in and grabbing it."
"Open Inventory."
Zein's inventory opened up. Inside were 25 slots- 24 empty, and 1 occupied by healing potions. At the corner of the slot, a small number 3 was written. He grabbed one of the potions and examined it. A small bottle, round with red liquid inside. He stuck it back inside.
"Stop hints."
The hints page closed. For good.
"Close Inventory."
The inventory window closed. Zein turned his attention back to the weapons. "Last I played, I started with the sword. Not like it's fixed anyway." His hand hovered over the weapons. "Maybe…" Zein picked the spear, studying it. The spear had a long wooden shaft and a chipped stone tip tied with rope. A little information bubble read 'Wooden Spear'. He held it at the end, slashing and thrusting.
"Feels good. I'll take it! Skill Window."
A skill window with 11 skill slots arranged horizontally. At the start of the row, a skill called 'Stab'. At the end of the row, an immovable skill called 'Dash'.
"Dash…Did they change Dash?" Zein tilted his head. "I might as well check. Check Skill, Dash."
Dash. Dash a small distance instantaneously. 5 second cooldown. 5 mana consumption. Skill cannot be removed. Skill does not upgrade.
"Unchanged from 5 years ago. Huh, look at that. 5,5,5. That's kinda cool. Anyway, let's have a look at the other. Check Skill, Stab."
Stab. +50 damage to weapon attack. 10 second cooldown. 10 mana consumption.
"Hmmm…Examine Weapon, Wooden Spear."
Wooden Spear. A basic wooden spear. 10 attack. 50% Deterioration.
"The sword does a bit more."
He stuck the spear out, measuring. "I can keep monsters at a distance though."
As Zein mulled over his decision to use the spear. A little blue gelatinous monster appeared. "A slime! No better time to test it out I suppose."
Zein readied the spear. The slime hopped towards him. Slowly. Slowly. Slowly. It lunged. Zein stepped in and pierced the slime through its eyes. A tiny red text reading crit appeared over it. Zein tossed the slime up and leapt.
"Stab."
Zein stabbed. The slime split into tiny little pieces. A small red gem materialised. Zein caught it while falling, landing on his feet unbalanced. Barely keeping himself up. He regained his balance. "Safe." A piece of light blue jelly landed on him. Staying on him. He swiped it off his head, stuffing it in his inventory. He held the gem to the sky. 'Red Celestial Gem'. Lost in the gem's lustre, Zein smiled.
"My first kill." his tail wagged.
Ding.
"Oh, right. Status Window."
Zein's status window opens. He was now level 2, getting 6 stat points in the process. He distributed his points. 3 to Luck. 2 to Intelligence. 1 to Strength. He confirmed his stats, leading his Mana to shoot up to 100. Zein started hopping. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. Right foot. Each hop felt smoother. He stopped. "Alright. I'm used to my body now…I think?" he sat down.
"Guide."
A screen with multiple tabs opened. It displayed all kinds of information, ranging from monsters to job classes. Zein selected weapon information and scrolled. "Spear, spear, spear…Ah there." He selected information pertaining to the spear and navigated it.
"Let's see…Stab, Slash, Parry, Sweep…" he muttered to himself. While this occurred, a slime crept up and lunged. Zein ducked. Through the translucent, blue guide window, Zein aimed his spear at the slime and threw it. Almost missing, the spear pierced the slime, lodging itself into a tree. The slime hung off the spear like a sack, struggling to free itself. Seconds, upon seconds, upon seconds later, the slime split apart. A red gem fell out with a piece of jelly. Zein huffed and made his way to dislodge his spear. "I'm rusty." he remarked, retrieving his spear.
He picked the jelly up and held it to the sun. Slime slab the little information bubble read. Its light passed through the jelly, seamless in its journey, falling on Zein's eyes. Blinding him, Zein brought it back down, calling for his inventory. He picked up the fallen gem, left the slab and both gems in his inventory, and closed it.
Zein walked into the forest."It's my first session. I shouldn't push it." he thought.
***
Half an hour of herb gathering and slime hunting passed; Zein reached level 5. His stats after 30 points of distribution went as follows:
8 Constitution
11 Strength
15 Intelligence
13 Dexterity
8 Charisma
33 Luck
His HP raised to 80. His Mana raised to 150. His Stamina raised to 130.
Stab levelled up to 2, reducing its cooldown to 9 seconds.
"My head hurts." Zein moaned, hand on head. "Should I log out?" Lost in such thoughts, a red-haired boar with a diadem-wearing slime riding it charged at Zein. They were level 7 and 5. Though caught off guard, Zein's muscle memory kicked in.
Ssssssslash went his spear to the side of the boar. "Where'd you two come from?" Ding.
"Hidden Quest: The Red Boar who knocked you out and its master, Sovereign Slime, stand before you. Kill them and avenge yourself. Reward: Boar meat and ???"
Zein's eyes went wide. "I've never come across this before! Plus if that slime drops what I think it does…" he grinned. Zein pointed his spear. The boar stomped the ground. Their eyes connected, enraging the boar, charging him. Zein jumped, thrusting down through the slime's diadem. It was to no avail as his spear bounced off. Wiggling like a jumper's pole. Zein landed behind them and stood carefree. "Right. Physical and Magic Resistance…How do I beat one again? Last time I did it was 5 years ago" he screamed internally. "Should I just go for the eyes again?"
The boar snorted, however, before it could move.
"Dash. Stab."
Zein's legs glowed ever so slightly and he dashed forward, stabbing the slime through its tiny beady eyes. The spear pierced, but it wasn't enough. The boar, startled by Zein's sudden movement, backed up. "It's not the eyes either…"
The boar, ears blowing steam, charged once more. Zein stepped aside, piercing the hog in its ribs. The boar let out a cry. "Let's just go for the boar first."
The monster screeched, charging. Using the spear's end, Zein tipped the boar over, making the slime, and its crown, fall. Zein gripped his spear as he walked over to the pig. "Stab."
Zein stabbed it through its temple. With one last squeal, the boar disappeared, dropping a couple of pieces of boar meat and two red celestial gems. On the other hand, the slime hobbled over to its diadem. Zein watched, squinting. He slid his way to the stone headpiece and picked it up. He looked back at the slime, eyes raised. The slime bumped against his leg. 3 damage. 3 damage. 3 damage. Zein raised his spear and pierced it, with ease. The slime split apart and disappeared. The diadem crumbled to dust.
"Have I become a moron? It must be Clark's fault." Zein confirmed.
The slime dropped two red celestial gems, some slime slabs, and a stone pendant engraved with a crowned slime. Its information read 'Royal Pendant of the Slimes.' with a little logo reading rare next to it. The pendant gave 5% magic and physical resistance, however, its durability was low. Zein whistled.
With the hidden quest being completed, Zein gained extra exp, levelling him up to 6 and Stab to 3. The skill's damage increased to 60. While calling his status window, he wore the pendant and tucked it. "Distribute, distribute."
Scraaaaah!
The fur on his back shot up. Turning to look in its direction, a monster half his size and coloured green brandished its weapon. A goblin. Distinct with its long droopy ears, sharp yellow eyes, and malnourished body, wrapped in a brown leather cloth around its waist. It was level 8.
Confused "A goblin? Am I near its dungeon?"
As Zein grappled with the situation, the goblin rushed in, striking him. He blocked his strike and shoved him. The goblin clenched its axe harder. Brows flexing "Dash." Zein called. He dashed forward and thrusted, aiming for the face. The goblin parryed it up, exposing Zein's body. He swung at his chest. Zein slammed his spear down, blocking it. He grabbed the axe. It was a contest of strength. Zein cut it short , however, kicking the goblin in its face. He rolled and landed on his feet. Staggering and clutching his nose. The goblin looked up to see a spear flying at its face. He dodged, jumping. Zein followed the spear.
"Dash. Slash."
He dashed at the goblin and struck down with the axe, lodging it on the goblin's face. A piercing screech. The goblin attempted to pull the axe out. It struggled, and struggled, and struggled, and finally. Hragh. Hragh. Hragh. The goblin breathed- bloody axe in hand. Wiping clean his eyes with his arms, the goblin watched the tip of a spear emerge from its chest. He turned his head, slowly. He saw Zein, spear in hand.
"Stab."
He thrusted the spear deeper. Blood poured from his heart. The goblin collapsed on Zein's spear, dropping his axe and disappearing. He left behind refined leather and two red celestial gems. Zein was now level 7.
"Is that the last of them?" Zein checked his surroundings while picking the drops up, storing it in his inventory. "Running into both a sovereign slime and a goblin though. Open Status. My head is turning to mush. My stamina and mana are low too. Even my spear is pretty much destroyed."
Zein distributed his points. 5 to luck, 2 to intelligence, 1 each to the rest. "It was a good thing auto skill learning was on. I should switch it though. Manual Skill Learning: On. Close Status."
Zein, unmoving. "If the dungeon is close by, I might as well check it out. What's the worst that could happen?.." his tail swayed. "Should I pray?..I should pray."
***
Amongst trees, outside a cave with thick wooden logs shaped like pencils and brown cloth tied between the two, Three men, one robed, one hooded, and one armoured, all level 15, cornered one, a level 10 dark elf. The cornered elf, Jejj, lay beaten against a tree. Their leather armour in ruins.
The armoured man, Boom, crouched to meet Jejj's eyes. "Listen here pal, all you need to do is hand us what you got in goblin cave and we promise nothing will happen to you." Buum the hooded laughed like a hyena. Biim the robed stood silent.
Jejj scowled. "Bullshit."
"Don't you say that to me pal. I'm trying to be nice here by asking you to return what's rightfully ours."
"Rightfully yours? Don't think I saw your names on that dungeon. Did you write 'em too small?"
"I told you we should have written it larger." Biim added, shrugging.
"Shaddap!" Boom retorted. He grabbed the dark elf's black hair. "Return the stuff and you won't have to deal with what comes next."
"Scary." Jejj scoffed.
Boom slammed their head into the tree. " Don't be a…What's the word?" Boom asked.
"Smartass." Biim replied.
"Don't be a smartass and just hand over the material you got. If you don't, we, The Skull Kidds, will kill you. Over and over. Until you're level 1 with no armour, or weapons, or money." Boom said, inches from the elf's face. "You wouldn't be able to take a step out of Aria. Like a rat in a cage."
"Like a bird in a cage." Buum corrected.
Boom slammed his fit into Buum's stomach. Boom coughed. "Like a bird in a cage. We, The Skull Kidds will always know where you go. So again, while I am still being nice, hand it over."
"Did you practice that?" Jejj sputtered through laughs.
Boom's face filled red. "That's it! You're dead! Strike!"
His knuckles began to glow. "Sayonara, bitch!"
"Hello…!" A voice interrupted, stopping Boom from striking. They all turned to look. A cat, hand raised and teeth bared, ears upright. Anodos written above their head.
"Did I walk in on something?" Zein forced a laugh.