Getting out of the bathroom, the mirror illustrates an average built young man, dark brown eyes matched with hair in a deep blue shade. Nothing particularly outstanding, yet also nothing particular to nitpick. Muscles were partly visible due to the influence of the SimuField, but other than that, I was average. After drying myself off with a towel, I had decided to check my stats before deciding to enter the SimuField for the daily matches.
"Open Interface"
As these words were said out loud, a light blue screen appeared in front of me displaying my information.
[Name: Rover Veun]
[Level: 15]
[Title: The Lost]
[Class: The Fool]
[Vitality: 1+ 9/ NaN]
[Strength: 1 + 14/ NaN]
[Agility: 1 + 20/ NaN]
[Intelligence: 20/ Nan]
[Fantasia: *LOCKED*]
[Stat points: 5]
[Skills: ]
[Basic Sword Mastery Lv. 9/10]
[Basic Dagger Mastery Lv.8/10]
[Resilience Lv. 5/10]
[Beginner Concealment Lv.10/10 (Upgradeable)]
[Class Specific Skills: ]
[Foolish Endeavor]
[Mindless Cultivation]
Focusing on the two class specific skills opened their skill description. Looking at their descriptions, I frown once again, remembering how I had felt with the unlocking of this class.
[Foolish Endeavor]
[Description: As an inept person, such activities had not been suited towards the fool. Yet unable to let go of his grievances, he continues to advance towards his inevitable end.]
[Effects: Fantasia becomes locked until the loss of this class, All attributes start at 1, leveling requirements are increased twofold.]
[Mindless Cultivation]
[Description: Believing hard work to be what sets him apart from every one else, he seeks to reach the top through mindless training, working himself to the bone, seeking to achieve what had never been done before.]
[Effect: Daily Matches increases by 5, if all daily matches opportunities are not used up, penalty will be applied. Attribute limitations are removed, Intelligence will be unaffected by any influences other than natural growth.]
On the day I had received my class, I had truly experienced the greatest shock of my life. Having worked my way up to level 5 to unlock my class, I had prayed for a class that would allow me to catch up to be able to stand next to 'her'. I had wanted a class that would give me the courage to approach 'her', wanting to be closer to 'her', like a firefly to the light. Yet the class I had received had been sent to mock me for my insignificant dreams, crushing them outright. The class, disguised as a Unique class was a wakeup call for me to give up on 'her'.
After that day, I hadn't logged into SimuField for a week, trying to let 'her' go. Even after a whole week, a month, two months, she was still occupying my mind. Her every movement, her light golden hair that shone brighter in the sunlight, her hazel-colored eyes that could keep you occupied for hours, her beautiful soft voice that caresses your skin every time she calls out your name, her beautiful smile that could break down your defenses, her lovely little movements she makes to express her emotions that can steal your heart.
Having seen all this, it was difficult for me to escape the clutches of love, instead affirming the class title 'the fool', I had been unable to give up on 'her', continuously trying to make her smile. Even if that meant fighting in SimuField with the horrible class I had received.
SimuField operates with its unique system in which players are matched against others in the same league, starting from the bronze league and going up to the highest known league of diamond. In SimuField, matched players are put into one of the many maps for their league, ranging from real-life inspired maps or artificially generated maps. The maps determine the game mode of the game, ranging from a free for all to something more unique such as a recreation of a military warzone. Each map is also assigned a difficulty ranging from 1-5, with 5 being the most difficult. The reward for each game is calculated exponentially for the map difficulty and proportionally for the league. The league can be separated into 3 zones, the starter, intermediate, and advanced zones.
In the end, I had been able to reach the advanced zone of the bronze league in my 3 years of middle school, where most of my classmates had been, while she had been able to reach the starter zone of the silver league, one zone ahead of me. Even after giving it my all, I was never able to catch up to her, let alone stand next to her. While she became one of my most treasured memories, I was merely one of the many people whom she knew.
This taught me that loving someone will eventually lead to sadness, that there is moment in which this love will cause you pain. Even if she was truly the one for me, I wasn't the right one for her. When the news of my parents' move to Germany was told to me, I had felt quite relieved.
With those thoughts occupying my mind, I entered SimuField to complete today's matches. The first match had sent me to an open plain, where 9 other players had been summoned to. This map, designated for team battles was used to have 5 members fight against the other 5, with the winning team being the last team alive.
As the teams were being created, I had equipped my lightweight leather armor from my inventory, having left it in my inventory since the last match due to the last match being a swimming race. As I finished equipping my dagger, the system had finished splitting up the teams, teleporting us to our respective sides on the open plains map.
With the completion of the matchmaking, a blue screen appeared, informing us all that the battle will begin in 5 minutes.
Seeing my team members, a slight frown made its way onto my face. The team had consisted of one archer, a mage, and 2 broadsword wielders. On the other hand, the opponent had received a priest, two mages, and 2 guardians.
Considering the versatility of mages in the early stages, with their magic damage that does not have many counters at the beginning due to the limitations of levels at the beginning, not having high enough stats to nullify nor evade the magic. Especially with the addition of a priest, having both healing and buffing capabilities. Alongside that, the two guardians specialized in defensive battles had been given to them to defends against any frontal attacks.
"Tch, what bad luck"
The archer, who had stared at them for a while says. As he prepares nocks his arrow, preparing to shoot, one of the broadsword wielders replies.
"Don't hold me back, archer"
The archer class, being notorious for being a bad class in the beginner leagues due to their bad aim had been widely known as the 'late bloomer class', being a class that would need to be raised before showcasing their use. As the archer class requires much stamina and a good eye, which can be obtained after much training, it is not a class that a beginner can handle well. That is also the reason why archers have a bad reputation in the beginner leagues.
"Says the guy holding a heavy sword not fitting his stature"
"Say that again and I will make you experience what a heavy sword feels like"
The broadsword class, which is just as notorious as the archer class is known as the 'beginner's graveyard' due to its difficult applications in battle at the beginning stages due to the strict strength requirements. Hence the class had caused many people to give up, being known as the graveyard of beginners. Even so, there are some eccentric people who like the broadsword class, wanting to progress in SimuField with this difficult to utilize class.
"Alright guys, stop bickering over there, we need to figure out a way to fight against those guys over there, not ourselves"
The mage, fed up with the two, spoke up.
"He is right guys, let's calm down, alright?"
The other broadsword wielder spoke up, being a middle-aged man, he tries to quell the situation, illustrating his maturity.
"Shut up old man!"
"Who gave you the right to talk, grandpa!"
The two, who had retorted to his pleas turned away from each other, being fed up with the argument.
"I-I'm not that old, this year I'm turning 22…"
The middle-aged man… I mean, the young man feeling wronged, asked the other members on their input
"I don't look that old, do I? … Right, guys?"
As we all turned our heads away, he looked to be on the verge of tears.
As the system informs us that there are 2 minutes remaining before the barrier will be lifted signaling the start of the fight, the mage, who hadn't spoken until now started dissolving the increasing tensions.
"Enough with the childish squabble, we are currently up against two mages and a priest, I don't need more dead weight to use against them"
The SimuField is a place where power reigns supreme, as such, mages usually have much power in the beginner leagues, due to their versatility.
"And you, the guy who has been keeping quiet since earlier, were you intending to continue watching them argue forever?"
Never expecting to be involved in their fight, I froze up.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Aside from that, we need to figure out someway to deal with their mages"
The mage responds, looking to be in thought
"Since it has come to this, you two idiots will deal with the two guardians, while I support you in range"
The mage commands as she continues to ponder her next actions
"As for you, archer, you will need to try to hit the mages or the priest while the two idiots are holding the guardians off, can you do that?"
"Who do you think you are talking to? Naturally, my arrows never miss their target"
The archer replies while trying to express confidence.
'You are not really giving off confidence with those shaking legs'
"And as for you, mute. What class are you?"
Having tried to be as inconspicuous as possible, yet still being found by the mage, I respond.
"Assassin"
The assassin class is known to be one of the most useless classes in SimuField. The class which specializes in stealth missions had been known to lose its use starting from the intermediate stages of the league, as other classes gain a way to counteract their stealth. For the warrior class it's the aura sense ability, for the mages, mana sense, and for the priests it's holy domain. As such this class is not one that is viewed in a positive light.
As those words left my mouth, the gazes of the others had changed, some filled with pity, disappointment, or disgust.
"You can go do as you please, go around the map and try to assassinate one of the mages then."
I nodded in response to this, having expected such a result, I had been prepared for this outcome. The assassin class is one that gets little recognition allowing one to be given free reign, not constricted by the team formation and others. This is the reason why I had decided to disguise myself as an assassin. As revealing my unique class could cause me to get in unnecessary trouble and skepticism, especially since it does not have much use, causing unnecessary expectations and responsibilities.
With that, the time remaining had been reduced to 10 seconds. Making my way further from the team, I prepare to stealthily approach the other team as they engage with the main party.