I was teleported to a circle of light on Floor 3, surrounded by a seemingly endless expanse of towering trees. The teleportation circle was bathed in bright sunlight, starkly contrasting with the deep shadows of the forest ahead. Even though I could see faintly, the darkness of the trees made it difficult to discern much.
I quickly noticed that I was the only player in the immediate area. However, groups of parties were scattered around, setting up plans and gathering fruits from trees near the edge of the circle. The trees here bore a variety of fruits—apples, cherries, lemons and other fruits. Each group wanted to be the first to venture into the forest.
Before heading into the forest myself, I decided to check World Chat. As expected, the chat was abuzz with activity. Players had become accustomed to the game world, at least for now. Many were asking beta testers for advice on where to find gear and which NPCs were the best. Others were inquiring about quest locations. A small minority complained about only one guild dominating the scene, blissfully unaware that guilds could be formed and gear could be obtained elsewhere.
In the beta, there were only two types of guns: derringers and revolvers. This gave G2 an early advantage, but as players' speed stats increased, ranged weapons would lose their effectiveness. I shared this insight in World Chat and noticed that the name following my message wasn't my own but "Wan."
I grabbed an apple from a nearby tree, determined to be the first in this group to enter the forest. I wandered for a while, seeing no signs of life—no wolves, no goblins—giving my eyes time to adjust to the dimness. By channeling mana into my eyes, I improved my vision significantly.
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Skill Unlocked: R1 Night Vision
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Night Vision allowed me to see more clearly in the dark, revealing goblins hiding in the bushes and wolves in the distance.
Just as I was about to head back, I heard the sound of running footsteps approaching. I quickly ducked into a nearby bush. A group of five goblins came into view. Two of them were armed with crude daggers, another pair carried a chest adorned with gold and glowing green and red gems, while the fifth—a goblin archer with a red leather bandana—was level 3, compared to the level 1 status of the others. The goblins were heading down the path, guarding the chest.
I waited for the right moment, scrutinizing the chest. Its ornate design and the glowing gems made me wonder where they had obtained such a valuable item.
Once the final goblin passed by, I seized the opportunity to strike. Using my dagger, I plunged it into the archer goblin's back. Again and again, I stabbed, each thrust punctuated by the goblin's escalating screams. The cries grew fainter and more desperate until, finally, the goblin dissolved into a whirl of green and red pixels. The remaining goblins watched in terror as they dropped their weapons and the chest, fleeing from the scene.
I considered using my last kunai to finish off the rest of them but decided against it. Instead, I gathered up all the items and added them to my inventory. The archer goblin had dropped a goblin bow, 50 arrows, and a bandana that scared off lower-level monsters. Once I equipped the bandana, the remaining goblins began to scatter in fear.
Curious about the chest, I opened it to see what it held. A golden clock swirled out of the chest, quickly vanishing from sight.
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Relic Quest
Defeat the Goblin Chief
Reward: 10 Platinum
Penalty: If you die or exceed the time limit, you will lose half your gold.
Time Limit: 24 Hours
Do you accept?
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I quickly accepted, reasoning that if I died,my gold wouldn't matter, and if I went over the time limit, I could still sell the chest's contents for a decent amount of gold. The chest might fetch 2 or 3 gold from NPCs and up to 10 gold from players wanting to show off their wealth.
I headed in the direction of the surveyors who had been watching me earlier. The forest, though dark and foreboding, had a certain eerie beauty. Without the threat of goblin or wolf attacks, it would be a nice place to explore or have a picnic with friends.
After searching for a few hours without seeing any signs of life, I decided to remove my bandana. Instantly, a wolf charged toward me as if it had been tracking me all along.
The wolf lunged through the air, sinking its teeth into my arm. The sharp, searing pain was intense, like a hot iron burning into my flesh. I managed to stab it with my dagger, pushing it away, and delivered a final strike. The wolf disintegrated into pixels, but it had left a deep bite mark, red seeping from the wound.
I used a potion to heal the wound, though the pain lingered. Ignoring the discomfort, I pressed on, determined to complete the quest.
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You have reached the max level for this floor. Any extra XP will be applied when you leave to a higher floor.
Level: 3
Health: 130
Strength: 2
Speed: 2
Perception: 3
Luck: 3
Mastery: 1
Unapplied skill points: 0
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I allocated a skill point to my health, fully regenerating my vitality. To avoid further wolf attacks, I retraced my steps along the path for a few more hours. Since this was the direction the goblins had taken, it was more likely that the Goblin Chief was in this area. I climbed a small hill and found the Goblin Chief at the bottom.
A red name above his head confirmed he was a boss: Level 6 Goblin Chief. The Goblin Chief was a formidable figure, sitting atop a makeshift throne fashioned from weaponry looted from past adventurers. He wielded a battle-worn great axe and a club that emanated a yellow aura.
In the beta, the boss area looked the same, but the Goblin Chief hadn't wielded a club, which concerned me. Tutorial bosses from Levels 1-9 were not supposed to use magic; only the final boss of the tutorial stages had magical abilities.
The Goblin Chief was surrounded by a wooden wall, resembling a small village, with goblins hammering away to fortify it. The wall had a single entrance facing the treasure, and the chief was issuing orders from his throne. This was the only path to and from the Goblin Chief. I climbed a nearby tree to gain a better vantage point.
"Lightning Javelin," I whispered.
Using Health Siphon, I drained my health to fuel the javelin, making it stronger and more potent. I continued siphoning until my health was critically low—just 10 health points.Pain surged through me as my health dropped.
I threw the javelin with all my might. It streaked through the air like a bolt of lightning, striking the Goblin Chief. Steam erupted from him, indicating the javelin had made contact. However, he hadn't yet pixelated, so I quickly consumed mana and health potions to replenish both.
Before I could prepare another attack, the Goblin Chief let out a roar, summoning minions from the camp to confront me. I abandoned my javelin, drew my bow, and began shooting arrows at the approaching horde.
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Skill Unlocked: R0 Snipe
=========================
With this skill, my arrows became much more accurate, hitting the goblins with precision. I used up all my arrows, but the goblins continued to swarm, climbing the tree I was perched in. The Goblin Chief howled in agony, each fallen minion clearly affecting him deeply. I didn't let this deter me and threw my kunai behind the Goblin Chief.
I teleported to my kunai's location, directly behind the Goblin Chief. With his back exposed, I drew my dagger and prepared to strike. However …
He noticed me at the last second and, with surprising speed, grabbed me with his massive hands, hurling me roughly to the ground in front of him. I hit the ground hard, pain radiating through my body as I began to vomit red. The crack in the earth where I landed was deep and jagged. I desperately fumbled for more potions and tried to teleport, but before I could succeed, he leaped down from his throne, smashing through the wooden wall and plowing through the trees. I was flung to the base of a nearby tree, barely clinging to consciousness.
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You are : Critical Health, Bleeding Out, Delirious, Paralyzed
==============================================
I tried to get up, to at least make an attempt to escape, but my muscles disobeyed my every thought. I, on the other hand, felt my mind commanding my legs to walk; I felt like I could stand up; but the more I squirmed, the more paralyzed I became. I could only watch as the Goblin Chief walked away, presumably to retrieve his axe. I tried to teleport to my kunai, but—
==============
No Valid Target
=============
One of the goblins must have picked it up. The Goblin Chief returned, axe in hand, his voice booming with menace.
"You kill my people. You attack us. You must die!"
I let out a hollow laugh, accepting the grim reality. If this was to be my last hour, I wanted to look at the sky, though it was hidden by the branches of the trees.
"How…?" I strained to ask.
The Goblin Chief laughed, a cruel, mocking sound. "You think you're the only one who deserves special items?" he taunted, his laughter echoing around me.
I cursed inwardly, realizing too late that I should have bought anti-paralysis potions. It was a hard lesson to learn. The paralysis was beginning to wear off, but my health was still plummeting, now dangerously low at 10 HP. The Goblin Chief moved closer, his looming figure casting a long shadow over me as I braced for the inevitable.
my vision hazy, and I saw Seraphina standing tall, her presence commanding even in this dire moment. She wore a party mask split down the middle—half white and half red, with the red side covering her left side. Beside her stood Viri, a Level 3 G2 member, her green leather armor blending seamlessly with the surroundings. Her dark green hair and striking green eyes exuded a mix of curiosity and caution, and a shotgun was slung casually over her shoulder.
The Goblin Chief, visibly intimidated, began to retreat.
"We're not letting that happen, right, Sera?" Viri's voice was sharp and decisive.
Sera nodded in agreement, then moved closer to me, her gaze falling on my critically low health. She tried to administer a healing potion, but Viri intervened, pushing it away.
"Why would you heal him?" Viri demanded, her tone sharp. "He's the one who stole from us." Sera looked away quickly, her expression troubled. "Not only that, but he attacked you. You almost died."
A devious grin spread across Viri's face. "Give us the relic you found, or you'll die," she said, her smile widening as if she was struggling to contain her amusement.
I could barely process their words. With only 3 HP left, their demands felt like a cruel joke. They knew I was paralyzed and couldn't access my inventory. I understood their motives, but this was just the beginning; they would only push me further. I swatted my hand weakly in front of my face, trying to summon the strength to respond.
"Screw you," I managed to croak, my voice barely audible.
2 HP.
It's funny… how we all thought we could escape it. This endless climb, these endless floors, as if the higher we went, the freer we'd become. But no matter how far humanity goes, how many levels they conquer, they're still tethered. Bound. Not by chains, but by our roots. The past, our choices… they reach up and grab them when they least expect it.
1 HP.
I was blind… thought I could pull away, carve my own path, but the truth is, I'm just one piece of something greater. And in the end, we all fall back to the ground, don't we? The roots are always waiting, pulling us back, holding us...
"Maybe I could become an Avatar." I chucked.
0 HP.
The world began to fade to black. Darkness enveloped me, and the once-familiar sounds of the forest and the antagonistic voices of Viri and Seraphina became distant echoes. As my consciousness slipped away, the pain and fear receded, replaced by an overwhelming sense of finality. The last thing I saw was the shadowy blur of Viri's wicked grin, and then everything went black.