Inside Zenith Online…
After logging back in, Kieran spawned inside the Humble Inn.
A flashing icon appeared in the bottom-right corner of his vision, which drew Kieran's attention momentarily.
〈System: You have obtained the temporary buff: «Well Rested».〉
〈System: The following effects will apply for the next three hours: Monster-hunting EXP increased by 20% & Stamina Consumption reduced by 50%.〉
Most players didn't understand the practicality of rest in a suitable environment, but Kieran did. The buff's effects weren't astonishing, but it was helpful for Starter Characters, which faced extreme limitations with their current State of Being.
Kieran didn't move after sitting up on the bed. Instead, he took his time analyzing his mail. Because the leasing period had ended, the Medallion of Growth returned to Kieran's inventory.
Although it was back, Kieran was shocked by the change he saw in his Friend List. With the help of the Medallion of Growth, Altair had reached Lv.19, one level away from beginning his Class Promotion Quest!
'What a damn grinder. He just doesn't know when to stop,' Kieran inwardly thought, shaking his head. He had lent Altair the item with the intention of helping him catch up, but Altair took it a step further.
Of course, Kieran had no issues with this. Even if players increased their level quickly, it meant nothing if they couldn't overcome their Class Promotion Quest. Completing the Promotion was where things truly began to take a turn, presenting the uniqueness of each class.
'Speaking of Promotion Quest, if the precursor quest is SSS Rank, how difficult will my Class Promotion be? It's the legacy of a Mythical Hero, so I suspect it will be arduous,' Kieran thought.
It was hard to gauge, so Kieran didn't waste any time trying to do so. In addition to checking the mail from Altair, Kieran similarly checked the mail from Aspaira. He immediately noticed that she had made good on her promise to deliver the value of the loot.
After bartering an unknown amount of hours, Aspaira made enough in sales to send Kieran a portion of over 60 Silver. Coupled with his earlier rewards, Kieran's current wealth surpassed 2 Gold!
Due to the high demand for decent equipment, Aspaira managed to squeeze a decent amount of profit from each trade. Kieran had to commend her grit. If it were him, he would have undoubtedly sold it to the first reasonable offer just to get rid of it.
After sorting through the matter of his mail, Kieran left the Humble Inn and traveled deeper into Gena Village until he came across a string of shops responsible for selling various valuables.
Kieran ignored the shop that sold potions and the like, opting for the shop two doors down that sold what seemed to be several different scrolls. The scrolls could activate related tradeskills provided the player fulfilled the requirements.
Tradeskills were indispensable for Adventurers and Profession players alike.
Although Gena Village didn't bestow any worthwhile Professions, it did grant access to a collection of basic tradeskills that Kieran found valuable.
However, the finite slots made Kieran frown.
After entering the shop, Kieran perused the selection of scrolls until his actions caused a reaction.
〈System: Due to your Perception reaching the prerequisite value, you have unlocked the ability: «Inspect».〉
「 Inspect (Lv. Max)
Skill Rank: Special
Mastery (100.00%)
Description: Allows the user to inspect items, monsters, and NPCs within a specific sensing range. If the subject of your inspection is too great, there's a chance this ability may fail to activate. (Current Sensing Range: 10-meter radius.)
Consumption: No Consumption
Prerequisites: Strong Perception
Cooldown: None
Note: This special skill can't be leveled up, but more powerful variations exist. 」
Kieran's eyes gleamed with delight as he read the notification.
'Finally. I've been waiting for this to activate. Although it requires a somewhat higher Perception, I've felt different since meeting with Grandma Agatha.'
After obtaining the Inspect skill, Kieran quickly swept through the store's contents. Eventually, he came across the two scrolls he required.
"Mining and Harvesting it is. They're both practical tradeskills that can't be ignored now or in the future," Kieran thought.
After considering the stock of the tradeskills, Kieran immediately used 20 Silver to buy all of the available scrolls.
'Monopolizing the future market won't hurt. Players will soon require these. I suppose buying them all whenever they become available is a viable strategy, provided it remains affordable,' Kieran thought.
While he was thinking to himself, Kieran's notification bar suddenly flashed as a message appeared in the corner of his eye.
〈System: You are receiving a video call from Aspaira. Do you wish to answer? [ Y | N ]〉
Kieran answered the call but didn't expect Aspaira's current facial expression.
She seemed downcast and almost sorry—directly opposite to her lively attitude during their dungeon run. Though they weren't close, Kieran couldn't help but question her current state.
"What's the matter?"
"Um… not much," Aspaira shook her head softly. After a short pause, she continued. "I called to ask if you received your portion of the loot."
"I did. But that doesn't explain the long face." Kieran said.
Aspaira continued to purse her lips, as if not wanting to reveal the troubling details. Since she seemed against revealing the matter, Kieran took it upon himself to analyze her current condition.
The first matter Kieran examined was Aspaira's level. What should have been Lv.14 was now Lv.12, meaning that she had died at least twice, considering how dire the Death Penalty System was.
The more one died, the higher the penalty grew. It might be a harsh system, but it was designed to promote excellence by avoiding senseless deaths.
It forced players to act wisely, or at least that was its intended purpose.
'If she were killed consecutively, she must have amassed a hefty penalty. If I'm not mistaken, the death penalty spans beyond the loss of experience and levels after a certain point.'
Upon realizing this fact, Kieran's expression grew increasingly cold. A gloomy air surrounded Kieran as he leaned on his fist and stared at Aspaira. "Who was it?"
"W-what?" Aspaira yelped when she heard Kieran's severe tone. She wasn't aware that Kieran was very familiar with the Death Penalty System.
"The Shadow Cartel," Aspaira muttered reluctantly after suffering Kieran's intense gaze.
"I see. So it was as I suspected. They truly don't understand what's good for them," Kieran remarked. At the same time, his eyes and tone were cold, but his behavior remained indifferent.
"And Altair? Was he not with you guys? Also, how many of you were targeted?"
"We were all targeted. Also, Altair was with us because he was helping increase our level. Compared to us, he was fine, but the only issue was that he went on a killing spree, and as a result, he began amassing Infamy. I guess some of the people he killed weren't a part of a party. Once that happened, we decided to retreat to Gena Village, and I focused on selling our items," Aspaira revealed with a bitter smile.
She felt embittered by her powerlessness but also frustrated that she had to rely upon someone else to solve an issue for her. It was a terrible feeling.
Kieran understood why Aspaira and the rest retreated. Fights couldn't break out within the village. Not only would culprits be apprehended, but they may even be ejected from the game.
"Don't blame yourself for the current situation because this predicament is my fault," Kieran said. The truth was that his actions caused this situation. They were roped into an issue that arose from him broadcasting their run.
While he and Altair could protect themselves, he didn't consider his less combat-oriented teammates. Such a blunder made Kieran inwardly groan while igniting the desire to crush the Shadow Cartel.
"How much did you lose?" Kieran asked.
"A lot… but it isn't so bad that we are dirt poor again. Because of our rewards, we'll be able to manage our characters without falling behind."
"I see," Kieran nodded, releasing a sigh of relief.
But after his sigh, Kieran's expression grew ruthless, and a cold gleam flashed within his gaze. The anger of someone like Kieran was unsightly!
"We'll undoubtedly get them back in blood."
Make sure to point out any spelling errors, grammar errors, or numbers/information that wasn't properly updated so I can immediately rectify those issues.
Thank you, guys!
P.S: A LOT of game terminology will appear in the novel, because well, I'm a gamer. :shrug:
Kieran's relationship with these players wasn't deep, but he couldn't ignore the undeniable fact that he was the cause of their misfortune.
Though he didn't necessarily care about the futures of those around him as he merely sought power, Kieran disliked the Shadow Cartel's ways and the message they sent.
The fact the Shadow Cartel targeted his earlier party members was a sign that they didn't respect his abilities as a player. If he wasn't respected, many guilds would ultimately try to target him during his rise.
Thus if he couldn't be respected, he would at least be feared by making a statement out of the Shadow Cartel.
As she listened to Kieran speak and looked at his cold gaze, Aspaira gulped with a subtle tremble. 'T-that… he feels so horrifying!'
Aspaira felt palpable bloodlust, something Kieran gained after years of fighting inside Zenith Online. It was something embedded within him, so the rebirth changed nothing regarding this fact.
On the contrary, if Kieran had to judge his current bloodlust, it felt enhanced. This enhancement likely resulted from the circumstances of his initial death.
After mustering the courage to speak, Aspaira's tone sounded fragile and meek. "When you said we'll get them back in blood, what did you mean?"
"It naturally means we'll strike them the same way you guys were struck. The hunted are about to go on a hunt," Kieran answered, his detached gaze looking past Aspaira.
"U-um… is that really the best idea? I understand the hostility between us now, but that party moves as a cohesive unit. In comparison, our slipshod party will be trampled upon!" Aspaira voiced her concern clearly despite her fear.
"Trampled upon?" Kieran parroted, falling silent for a moment. His expression grew complex as he ultimately cracked a sliver of a smile. "I doubt they can trample us, not when everyone's focus will be elsewhere soon enough."
Aspaira was taken aback by Kieran's confidence. Sure he had led them to clear the Forest of Beasts on the highest difficulty, but Aspaira couldn't ignore her doubts. This was an entire guild that moved with cohesiveness.
"How can you be so sure that we won't be trampled upon?" Aspaira questioned.
"Do you recall our reward for obtaining Grifear's First Blood achievement?" Kieran answered.
Aspaira nodded with a glimpse of excitement radiating from her gaze. "Of course! It caused an uproar despite the concealed information. If I'm not mistaken, a Field Boss should be appearing shortly, right?"
"Precisely. And when the Field Boss appears, players will flock to it in an attempt to kill it and gain the loot. The Shadow Cartel will naturally be amongst those players," Kieran explained.
Realization hit Aspaira as she widened her eyes with a deep gasp. "No way! Rather than deal with the situation, wouldn't that make things worse? What if they're vengeful!"
"Oh, I count on it. The more vengeful and foolish they are, the more they'll ruin their chances within Zenith Online. I may be one person, but even if I am alone, I'm still a force to be reckoned with," Kieran answered confidently, which sounded borderline arrogant.
After a brief pause, Kieran changed the subject. "Back to my previous question, how many coins and items did you drop?"
The question made Aspaira smile bitterly, but she answered regardless. "If we included the worth of the dropped items, I believe we collectively lost around 2 Gold Coins. It would have been worse without our achievement rewards."
"Understood. Then we'll target them until I feel they've paid an adequate price," Kieran decided.
The battle occurred after they accompanied Altair in leveling up, so their equipment didn't suffer too greatly. And for those that did drop, Aspaira shared some of the remaining loot to offset the losses.
The 2 Gold Coin approximation was a moderate estimate, but given the continuously rising price of equipment, it was liable to be much higher in reality.
Afterward, Kieran reviewed a few additional matters with Aspaira before exiting the shop.
During that time, Altair's blanked-out icon flashed, becoming radiant afterward, which symbolized his status changing from offline to online.
'It's pretty late, but considering that I know nothing about his life, it's likely that Altair had other matters to tend to before coming online,' Kieran thought.
Kieran considered giving Altair a call, but then there was no reason to because Altair reached out to him first, leading Kieran to merge the two video calls and make something like a conference call with Altair and Aspaira.
"Yo! Have you checked the forum within the last hour?" Altair asked.
"I haven't," Kieran admitted.
He was too busy setting up the meeting with Dr. Riley to pay attention to anything regarding the game's forum right now. "Is there something important that I missed?"
"Well, there's a buzz about the Field Boss appearing because of our First Blood achievement. With all the hype there, I feel like nabbing another achievement should be in order," Altair suggested.
Increased activity on the forums was a natural outcome when anything substantial occurred within the game, so Kieran wasn't overly reactive to Altair's comment.
However, he would be lying if he said he didn't agree with Altair's last words.
The presence of a Field Boss could be more than just an opportunity to exact revenge if they played their cards right.
"Is there any information regarding what type of Field Boss it is?" Aspaira asked curiously.
"No, but I doubt it'll be a weak monster. Because of Aatrox's actions, many Beginner Villages are reaching a point where they're likely to trigger a Field Boss. If it's anything like the old VRMMORPG titles, Field Bosses will require a large combatant force! I want to beat it now!" Altair exclaimed with sparkling eyes.
The allure of a strong Field Boss and its loot made him practically salivate.
However, Kieran shook his head at Altair's naive excitement, "You know that a Field Boss and a Dungeon Boss are two completely different challenges, right? You really shouldn't compare a Dungeon Boss to a Field Boss."
"What…? Why not?" Altair muttered with a slightly deflated expression present behind his scarf.
"First of all, as the name insinuates, a Field Boss thrives within a certain field. Now, can you tell me what that means?"
Altair's initial response was knitted brows because he failed to grasp what Kieran was hinting at.
'Were all Boss Monsters not the same?' Altair thought to himself.
The answer was no.
Aside from ranking, categorization already existed. While ranking determined a Boss Monster's general attributes and power level, categorization specified its unique abilities.
Dungeon Boss, Field Boss, World Boss—these were all types of categorization.
Eventually, Altair realized the issue with his way of grasping Boss Monsters. "A Field Boss isn't limited by the party restriction of a dungeon!"
"Precisely."
"If that's the case, then players have a rude awakening in their midst. So, does that mean we'll be teaming up to wreak havoc once more?" Altair's eyes flashed with a mischievous intent that couldn't be concealed.
However, Kieran looked toward Aspaira's screen for a moment before answering. "What do you say? Are you confident enough to join us in a boss and player hunt, or will you remain within the village? Whatever you choose, I will not blame you for it."
"I see no reason not to. If you two are going, then I might as well accompany you to try and redeem myself and gain EXP in the process. After all, I don't like this sour taste in my mouth," Aspaira answered.
"It's settled then. Rally Sithik and Cygnus, then meet me at the gates of Gena Village."
"Sounds good," Altair remarked.
"Okay," Aspaira nodded.
A few seconds later, Kieran terminated the call and glanced toward the rendezvous point.
Due to the rumors of the Field Boss circulating the forum space, many players ranging from Lv.9 to Lv.14 rushed out of Gena Village, and headed towards the Fanged Forest.
Aside from a cursory glance, Kieran ignored these cannon fodder players who flocked toward the hype the moment it appeared.
…
Roughly an hour later, Kieran met the others at the gate. Sithik and Cygnus bore sorry expressions, but before they could express their woes, Kieran raised his hand.
"Relax. I don't blame you guys. You were simply playing the game. Part of this game is dealing with malevolent players and their PK (player-killing) habits. Nevertheless, I promise you'll have your revenge by the end of our escapade."
After uttering this promise, Kieran led everyone to venture toward the Fanged Forest.
Make sure to point out any spelling errors, grammar errors, or numbers/information that wasn't properly updated so I can immediately rectify those issues.
Thank you, guys!
P.S: A LOT of game terminology will appear in the novel, because well, I'm a gamer. :shrug:
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