Henry was crouched, touching the scorching sand with a frown. Serena, in the meanwhile, paced back and forth, freaking out.
"Shit… shit shit shit!" She kept shouting.
Paris was in a far worse state than her. As matter a of fact, she was clinging onto Henry's leg, shivering like a wet cat left in the cold
Dalton didn't say or do anything. He just stared ahead.
They were surrounded by a near-infinite expanse of nothing but gray sand.
Everyone present was confused. They wondered where they were.
Henry pointed at the moon in the sky. Well, what was meant to be the moon.
Paris muttered, "Why is the moon split into four?"
Andrew didn't even need to think of 'why'.
"I guess it's because we are not on Earth anymore. That much is obvious," he said.
A portal in the shape of a door had appeared and sent them into another world, that's what had happened. In this world, for whatever reason, the moon was split. The only thing he did was question what could have caused this.
Paris then towards the black door behind them. Upon seeing it, she screamed, "It's back!"
In that instant, she rushed at it and attempted to push it open since it lacked door knobs. Yet, no matter how much she tried, it didn't budge.
[UNTIL THIS TUTORIAL IS COMPLETED, YOU MAY NOT LEAVE]
I figured as much.
Greater horror was washed over Parish's face. "Tutorial…?"
"What's the tutorial?" Andrew asked.
[OBJECTIVES]
[KILL ALL THE MONSTERS IN THIS DUNGEON]
[PICK UP MONSTER DROPS]
[OBTAIN THE BEGINNER'S GIFT]
So it is like a game. The monsters here… I wonder how dangerous they are.
Henry crossed his arms and with a firm nod, he said, "So, let's go."
He adapted fast.
However, Dalton was against it. "Wait! This thing could be very dangerous. It said to kill all the monsters, so we should plan before we do anything."
We don't really know enough to plan, Andrew reasoned but didn't say anything.
"Isn't there some kind of timer? Where once it's passed, they will let us out?" Asked Serena.
"Yeah yeah! Like, they must have teleported us here for some reason. Once they realize we aren't fit for their purposes, they will let us out!" Rashid tried to reason despite the uncertainty in his voice.
"Right! I am sure of that!"
"Y-yes!"
Serena and Paris vigorously agreed.
How ridiculous.
Henry didn't care for what they had to say, instead he just walked forward.
At least someone else here is on the same page as me… but, unlike him, I don't want to get immediately separated from them.
Dalton had his hand on his head, stressed. "Okay… let's calm down a bit. Henry, I agree with you. But, let's just take things slowly."
Henry tilted his head towards him. "Really now? What will that achieve? Do you think making up reasons why we're standing here and doing nothing will take us back home?"
Dalton shot him a sharp glare. "Don't be silly. We need a moment to adapt… Anyway, classes and weapons exist right?"
"Yes, why?" Henry frowned.
"Then I think it's reasonable for us to rearrange the party based on the strengths of each person."
Huh. I didn't think of that. It makes sense, Andrew thought.
Dalton, Henry, and Andrew both had the warrior classes. Though, Dalton and Andrew had different weapon choices. Dalton had a spear.
Dalton asked them all, "I have the warrior class, what about you all?"
Henry had the exact same weapon choice as Andrew; an axe.
Henry answered, "Same. Warrior."
He took a look at Andrew's axe and nodded at him. "Seems we think alike."
Andrew replied with a slight smirk. "Surprisingly."
Serena tugged her bow. "Ranger."
She had light black leather armor, unlike the warriors' brown armor.
Paris muttered, "Supporter…" She had a white tunic and a staff.
Rashid was donned in heavy armor and wielded a shield.
He told them, "Defender."
Dalton nodded, processing it all. "I see… So, that would mean, Serena and Paris should be behind us in order to provide support—what do you all think?"
Everyone agreed. Henry on the other hand just shrugged. "Sure."
Rashid asked, "What about me? I am a defender, does that mean I go in front?"
Dalton thought about it. "Uh… You do have a shield, so I assume something so."
Dalton nodded to himself. "Yes, I think that's good." He clasped his hands. "Okay, Serena and Paris, behind us. Rashid, we will be by your side."
"Sounds good," Andrew replied.
Henry also nodded.
Serena and Paris went behind them. After that was done, they set forward on the search for monsters.
As they walked, Andrew scanned all around, hoping to spot a monster or just something other than the sand.
I expected some monsters by now, Andrew thought.
"Croa…"
Everyone suddenly heard a croaking sound.
Instantly, they all turned around, expecting a monster's attack.
"What the hell was that?!" Serena panicked, looking all around.
Paris was already hyperventilating. She clenched the staff in her hand.
Andrew's heart accelerated even more. He slowly looked around, ready to strike before it got to them.
He wasn't the only one. Henry took slow steps, keeping key attention on the croaks.
Andrew followed him. As each second passed, the sound grew louder. Andrew knew that Dalton wanted to say something about them going away from the group, but to Andrew, they weren't that far away from them, so it wasn't a big deal.
"Huh?" Andrew squinted at something stuck in the sand. The head of a blue slimy creature was poking out of the sand.
"That's the…" Before Andrew could finish his line, the creature shot out of the ground. A meter-long slimy snail moved towards his head like a bullet.
"Holy shit!" He yelled before attempting to block out of pure instinct. Too slow, the creature struck his head, sending him to the ground.
Andrew panicked as he thrashed on the ground, trying to get it off his head face. But, it refused to budge.
"Stay still Andrew, I will cut it down!" Henry shouted as he ran towards him.
"Nou!" Andrew replied, his voice muffled.
He then stood up, his hands still on the giant snail. Despite the fact the creature was restricting his ability to breathe, Andrew wasn't scared.
He held his breath and then bashed the slime repeatedly with the flat side of the axe—some of the impact also traveled to his skull.
Get off my face!
After the seventh hit, it screeched before dropping off his face, oozing white liquid.
[Exp has been awarded]
[Level 1 -> 2]
Weirdly, his body suddenly felt a tiny bit stronger. He figured it was because of the level up.
From the snail, a piece of a luminous card floated up.
Andrew fell to his knees, gasping for air. "Wow… that's insane!"
Andrew's eyes were stuck on the creature. He replayed what had just happened in his head over and over. He was attacked by a giant slug, and he killed it with an axe. He couldn't believe this was happening, but he also didn't want to not believe it.
Everyone looked at him, concerned. Yet, Andrew didn't pay attention to them, he had forgotten they were around.
He picked up the card piece.
"Andrew." Broken by his line of thought, he looked up at Dalton.
"Are you okay?" He asked with a concerned look.
Huh? Did I say or do something weird?
Andrew questioned him. "Uh, what makes you ask that?"
"Because you got hurt! That's why!" Serena rushed to Andrew to check his injury.
"Your head is bleeding!" She panicked.
Andrew oddly didn't feel much pain other than a sting. When he dragged his hand across the head, he felt the warmth of his blood. Yet, he only thought one thing.
It's barely any blood.
The blood was just a small trickle flowing down to his chin, nothing to worry about.
"Okay. Let's kill some more of those creatures. They aren't that strong anyway." Andrew relayed as he gently pushed Serena back.
"Thanks for your concern," he smiled at her before turning forward.
"Hphm. I already have spotted some!" Henry bolted forth.
"Shit! Henry! Remain in the damn party!" Dalton screamed. But his words fell on deaf ears.
"Dalton, they really aren't that dangerous as long as they don't get your head—they are oversized snails," Andrew said before running ahead too.
"Why the hell does no one listen to me!" Dalton shouted.
Paris told him, "Um… the rest of us are listening to you. But… I also think if they want to clear the monsters, it's not a bad thing."
…
Serena stared forward at the two men. They will get themselves hurt one way or another.
Instead of just watching them and waiting for them to get harmed, she drew her bowstring—an energy arrow forming.
Before sending it forward, she practiced aiming near her foot.
After it was shot, it missed by a large margin. I am going to have to practice… a lot.
…
Andrew and Henry moved quickly, almost as if they were competing against each other.
"Behind you!" Andrew alerted Henry, who listened instantly.
Henry twisted around and raised his hand to block the slug strike. It latched on his hand, which caused his lips to nearly curl up for a second.
"Dead!" Henry raised his voice as he removed half of its body with a single swipe of his axe.
Andrew leaped forward, bringing the axe down on a random slug, chopping its head off.
Unbeknownst to him, the slug was still alive. It attacked him without its head, latching onto his leg. Not wasting time, Andrew sliced its body, cuting a bit in this leg armor.
"Risky." Henry pointed out.
With a deep exhale, Andrew shook his head. "It's armor after all."
"Hah. Sure."
For the first time ever, Andrew heard Henry laugh, even if it was for a second, which caught him off guard.
"You can do that?" Andrew asked.
Henry noticed what had just happened and immediately wiped his mouth as if that would have changed the past.
"Do… what? Anyway, more monsters, less talking, more hunting!"
Before Andrew could question him, he dashed forth.
"Hphm!"
After five minutes, the two had killed over a dozen slugs. Exhausted, they sat down.
"You… I am just… a bit tired, that's all." Andrew gasped for air, removing the sweat trying to get into his eyes.
Henry shook his head, finding what Andrew said to be comical.
Another one!
Andrew then spotted a slug from afar. He twirled the axe in his hands and taking aim, he hurled it at the creature with all his force, killing it nearly instantly.
[Exp has been awarded]
[Level 3 -> 4]
So much for dangers. They were all so pathetically weak.
"Not bad."
"Thanks, man" Andrew.
A card appeared in front of Andrew.
[YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE TUTORIAL]
[YOU SHALL RECEIVE YOUR REWARD]