No one understood.
How did this happen? Why were they here? What was the cause of all this?
These were questions that no one could answer.
After two days, things slowly settled down. The panic and chaos eased, and the players began to get used to their new reality.
The game developers were nowhere to be found, and no matter how many times the players tried to contact them, they remained silent. All the players could do was to focus on surviving and improving their skills.
Hunter and Schnee worked together to gather information and explore the new world. However, the information they gathered was mostly something they knew already. If there was something new, then it was that surviving alone as Level 80 players wasn't that hard.
Another thing they also found out was that they could get hungry and thirsty, but it was nothing serious. They could just buy food from the shops or hunt for it. Both of them had plenty of gold saved as Level 80 players.
However, fighting was something they still struggled with.
"Man, I can't get used to this."
Schnee swung her spear at a group of goblins. The spear tip cut through the air and struck the creatures, leaving a trail of green blood behind.
Her job was a Knight, and her armor protected her from the goblin's attack. However, she was still struggling with her movement. Especially when using a skill.
"Fast Thrust!" She yelled, activating the skill.
Her body moved quickly, her spear stabbing at the goblins. But the movement was unnatural and unbalanced. It wasn't something she was used to.
"Ah! My body moved on its own again and I tried to move differently. It's hard."
She said, swinging her spear at the monsters.
Hunter stood next to her, casting magic spells. His job was a Summoner, and he was controlling a golem to fight the goblins.
"We need to keep practicing," he said. "We're not used to this, so it will take time."
"I know. But we're getting better. Right?"
"Yeah."
When they fight for the first time, they couldn't even kill those Level 20 goblins despite being Level 80. But after practice, they could now easily take them down.
"Let's take a break." Hunter proposed as he unsummoned his Golem. "We've been fighting for an hour. I think we've got the hang of it."
"Sure." Schnee said, pulling her armor. Sweat ran down her forehead. "That was a good workout."
They both sat down and ate the food they bought.
"It's nice to have some fresh air and sunshine." Schnee commented.
They were in Magic Forest located north of Granary city, a low level hunting ground for new players. The trees were tall, and the ground was soft and damp. There were also a lot of animals and monsters, perfect for beginners.
"Yeah. It's been a crazy few days, but I'm glad we're here."
Schnee took a sip of water and nodded. "Same. I was a bit scared at first, but it's actually fun."
Hunter chuckled. "You have a point. I mean, we're living a real-life fantasy here. Definitely way better than a bleak everyday life."
"True."
They both looked up at the sky, their thoughts drifting away.
"You think we'll ever find a way back?" Hunter asked.
Schnee shrugged. "Who knows. But one thing I know is that we'll make the best of it. Whatever happens, we'll face it together."
Hunter nodded, smiling. "I'm happy I have you."
"Same."
They clasped hands, and a sense of companionship passed between them. They continued to eat and drink, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the cool breeze.
After a while, they got up and decided to return to the city. There was no need to rush. When they walked back, they met a few players in a large group heading towards the forest.
They just passed each other by without saying anything, although there was a gaze directed at Schnee.
Hunter glanced at them for a second before he lost interest.
"Big guild. They are organized quickly, considering the situation." Schnee commented.
It was another change they noticed in the past 2 days they were here. The big guilds quickly gathered their players and formed large groups. They had access to resources and information that individual players couldn't get.
"Yeah, I saw a few small guilds forming since yesterday. People think being together is safer."
"True."
They reached the entrance of the city and entered. The city was still not in the best condition, with people running around and shouting. But it wasn't as chaotic as before.
They made their way towards the inn. They booked a room and took a shower. Because Hunter respected Schnee's privacy, he booked a different room. However, the girl didn't mind sharing the room, which he refused to do.
"I'll sleep in the lobby if you want to." He joked.
Schnee laughed. "Don't worry about it. We're partners, right?"
"Precisely why. I just don't want to make the situation weird for both of us, so I'm staying in a separate room."
"Okay. Well, that makes sense."
And after such conversation, they agreed to book two rooms.
When Hunter was done showering, he came down to the lobby. Schnee was already there, looking through a book. She wasn't wearing her armor, just a simple shirt and pants. Her hair was tied in a bun, and her face looked relaxed.
As Hunter walked up to her, he couldn't help but notice the way her shirt clung to her breasts and hugged her waist. The sight made him gulp as he tried to suppress his arousal.
'Thank goodness I'm not sharing a room with her. Otherwise, I might not be able to control myself,' he thought.
He couldn't help but let his gaze linger on her body a little longer than it should have. Schnee noticed it and smirked.
"Want to share a room tonight?" She said in a teasing voice.
Hunter immediately turned his eyes away. "No, it's fine. You need your privacy, and so do I."
She chuckled. "Okay, whatever you say. Your wariness hasn't changed a bit since then, Hunter."
"What are you talking about? I'm not being wary. I'm just giving you space."
"If you say so."
They chatted for a while, sharing their experiences and discussing their plans for the future. The lobby was also used as a restaurant, so they ordered some food and ate it together.
When they were done, Hunter yawned and stretched. There was no good information yet. Players were still worried about their own and not thinking of exploring.
The danger of death and the unknown was also still lingering. That was what prevented Hunter and Schnee from hunting higher level monsters.
They still needed to be cautious.
As their discussion reached that part, the door of the inn burst open, and a group of men entered. They were clad in armor and had swords and spears on their hips.
The waitress, an NPC, ran toward them and smiled.
"Welcome! Do you need a room or a meal?"
One of the men stepped forward and said, "Just a meal."
The waitress nodded and led them to a table.
"This is still weird." Schnee commented, drinking the beer she ordered.
"What do you mean? Those men?"
"No, the NPC." She added, looking at the waitress preparing the newly arrived players' table. "She acts like a human would. And she has a personality. It's strange."
"You're right." Hunter said. "I didn't realize it before, but the NPCs here are more human-like than the ones in the game."
As a normal PC MMORPG, all NPCs naturally had their own dialogue and behavior programmed. But the NPCs here were much more elaborate. They had emotions and acted on their own, almost as if they were alive.
"We probably shouldn't think of them as mere Indigenous but as real humans. After all, they can feel and express emotion. They have their own thoughts and opinions."
"I agree. It's almost like they are a part of this world, not just something created by the game."
Then, how did that explain this world? Was this another world? Or was this a world within a program?
Neither of them could answer that question.
Hunter sighed and rubbed his head. "Well, I guess we should continue looking for answers. For now, let's go to bed."
Schnee nodded. "Sounds good."
They stood up and went to their rooms.
The next day, big news spread across the Granary city.
Someone had died.