In this fake reality, you can achieve things you could never achieve in real life. However, anyone in any reality could never avoid the virtue of hardwork. It was only a couple hours ago that Maximus set foot on these training grounds for the first time, but he already feels like a seasoned warrior thanks to the training of his superior, Lelan.
"I think you're ready, Maximus. You completed your training in no time at all. I'm impressed, most recruits don't graduate this early." He crossed her arms and gestures a nod in acknowledgement.
With Maximus graduated from training, it's time to move on to the outside world, wearing his new beginner gear. He takes his first steps into the glowing portal that will lead to the main square of Starter Town...
[Now entering... Starter Town]
Hustle and bustle flood the main square. Beginners and experienced veterans alike cruise the stone pavement with their own intentions. It was mind boggling to Maximus that these were all real people, playing in real time. Some with experience under their belts to some who have yet to see the outskirts of the Starter Town.
Maximus realizes his pouch is bone dry of currency so he decided the next logical step would be to begin his first mission. He makes his way into the guild that sits not too far from the exit of the Training Grounds. While inside, his eyes wander, catching sight of other happenings. One man carried, over his dusted shoulder, the head of what looked like a dragon. Another, arm wrestling a man twice his size and winning.
Walking up to the front desk, he eyes a large cork board with multiple flyers requesting the aid of seasoned adventurers to battle a variety of different beasts and gather certain materials. Most of these commisions were aimed towards adventurers ranks well above his own, see as he's only rank E-1 (The lowest rank), but one seemed doable for his rank: A commision to gather White Daisies found along the outer reaches of the Ghardun forest.
[Reward: 15 C (coins), 20 EXP]
Handing the recruiter his card, he chuckles before returning it to him with a warm welcoming grin "A beginner, eh? I recommend you stay in or near the fields. The Deep Ghardun Forest is no place for an amateur, playing solo."
Maximus takes the flyer and sets off towards the outskirts. There he spots the forest wall, crowded with bushes, trees, and darkness shrouding the fauna further in. The herbs he was looking for were: "White Daisies. Just a handful should be enough." as described in the commission flyer.
"Seems simple enough..." he says to himself confidently as he stumbles upon the herb described in the commission, only to realize– "S##t... it's tiny.. and I need a handful of these??". He only continues to discover that these daises grow individually and not in big batches. It seems Maximus had his work cut out for him as he tediously picks the daises up one by one. As insignificant as this task felt, it was still a step towards true adventure.
Upon gathering what seemed like the hundredth daisy, the leaves rustled in the bushes and trees. Maximus, out of instinct, quickly grips the handle of his greatsword. Something was coming. Something strong. Something that outclassed him in more ways than one. A few seconds of anticipation passed before a crack appeared out of thin air behind him before rapidly expanding into a large rift in space and time.
Out of this rift, spawned a towering pigman dressed in rags, holding a large wooden club in its left hand, and radiating with rage and bloodlust. Maximus falls silent to the beast's broad frame and towering stature.
[Raging Pigman (Lvl. 3) has appeared!]
This was his first encounter with any sort of beast and it already seemed like he was bound to lose. It appeared that there was NO WAY he could fight it with a winning chance.
The dread overcame him as his breath hitched and his gasp was caught in his throat. Without time to think, the pigman was already winding back to strike and, with the force of a bull, swings his club into Maximus's side. "ACK–!" He chokes as he slams into the trunk of a nearby oak tree, hearing his own ribs break. This was no joke. It hurts bad.
[CRITICAL BLOW!]
His vision flashes red and, in the corner of his vision, a health bar drops down to nearly half.
↓ [HP: 56%]
It was clear, the difference in combat power between him and the beast before him was huge. "Another blow like that could almost kill me!– I have to get out of here while I ca–"
The pigman winds back and beats him against the tree with similar force as the first attack. Although not critical strikes, his health dropped again...
↓ [HP: 39%]
...and again...
↓ [HP: 23%]
Maximus drops to the ground, shaken, bloodied, and broken. It should've occurred to him again that none of this was real, but it all felt otherwise...the pain, the cold of bloodloss, the struggle to breathe.
This...game. It was merciless..
"Maybe... I'm not cut out for this world.".