Chapter 11: Player Vs NPC
'Welcome to the town of Northern Red Windmill,' the prompt displayed.
Akio gazed into the eyes of the townspeople as they went about their day. There was no amusement in their eyes, and they didn't seem to care about Akio's arrival. He didn't find it strange, considering they probably hated to see the so-called 'heroes' arrive. Looking around, he noticed several other players joining him. Akio concluded that 19:00 must be the official login time for everyone in his timezone, giving them 12 hours until 7 in the morning. However, he also knew that some people might prefer to sleep for 6-8 hours, so their login times would be different. If the maximum time someone could be logged in per session was 12 hours, most gamers would take advantage of that.
Each player around him boasted light gear and some noticeable progress. The majority were still at level 1, with only three others at level 2. The scariest part about the leveling system was that each level was harder to achieve than the last. So, if it took the average player 6 full in-game days to reach level 2, it would probably take even longer to advance to level 3. Despite this, there was no negative feedback outside the game, and inside the game, players still carried huge smiles.
"I guess when playing this game takes up none of your free time and replaces your dreams, there isn't much to complain about," Akio thought.
As he looked around, each player stared him down. Most laughed, while others blocked their eyes. Akio wondered what could be so funny.
"Is there something on my face?"
Then it hit Akio. He was still wearing nothing but the white underwear he was gifted.
Karina was close to closing time for her shop, which she closed around the time the heroes arrived, purposely. Before she barred the door, a loud thump was heard. She was slightly spooked and grabbed the broom she held more tightly, lifting it up as a means of self-defense.
"Go away! We're closed!" she screamed.
"Wait! I have more Twisted Rabid Bunny Ears!"
"Bunny Ears?! … Bunny ears!"
She quickly opened the door and saw the half-naked Akio standing there. Her eyes widened, and she blushed slightly. Her only reaction was to whack him on the top of the head.
"Thanks for the clothes again. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't let me in. I was running around the town being made fun of," Akio said after changing into the clothes, with a large red bump growing on the top of his head from the whack Karina gave him.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Besides, you have a lot of explaining to do."
"Me?"
"You were gone for like 2 days! I thought you actually died at the hands of my father!"
"Huh? Yeah, no... let's see, we heroes take that long to summon after we die," Akio replied, avoiding explaining to the NPCs that they were inside a video game.
"Wait, wouldn't they question their whole existence??" Akio thought.
"You and me have a situation to deal with, and you're going to help me... not that I need your help, but I need someone to escort me."
"What do you mean?"
"I still haven't been able to get rid of all those bunny ears that you gave me! They've been more of a burden than a blessing, so naturally, you owe me!" Karina stated, crossing her arms, closing her eyes, and shifting her head slightly, giving off a vibe of feeling entitled to make demands.
"That's cool with me, as long as we leave right now, and I say what city we are going."
"What... wait, right now?!" Karina replied, surprised.
"Karina? Who's inside? Did you bar the door?" Lomeir asked as he came down the stairs.
"Oh, it's you? Came back for some more!" He unsheathed his sword and gripped it with both hands.
"Ahhh! No, no thank you!"
"Haha, I'm just playing with you, boy. My sweet daughter told me what you did for us. You have nothing but my thanks, but I won't say sorry for what I did the other day! No man should be naked in front of another man's daughter; have some decency!"
"Was I being thanked or lectured?" Akio thought as he bowed in apology.
"Father, I have to go."
"What? What do you mean?"
"I have to leave right now with him to travel to the city."
"Mmm? Can't wait till morning? The sun will go down while you guys travel."
"Don't worry, I'll have Mr. Bunny Ears here to escort me there."
"Ha! Okay, then fantastic! I've been waiting for you to leave the wretched place! As a matter of fact, Marvin owes me a favor; he'll give you a horse and carriage to make sure you guys get there as quickly as possible!"
Akio and Karina walked to Marvin's and acquired the borrowed horse and carriage, preparing it for travel.
"Okay, so how long are we looking at until we reach the city of Huntington?"
"Oh? That's where you wanna go?"
"Yes, is there a problem?"
"It's the furthest of the closest cities, a 4-hour horse-drawn carriage trip... but I think I can take a shortcut to make it 3."
"Damn! Yes, please, I need to be there in 3 hours!"
"Alright, then let's head out right now," Karina stated, and Akio nodded in agreement.
As Akio and Karina departed the gates of Northern Red Windmill, Karina cast a backward glance, bidding farewell to her father, who waved vigorously with a beaming smile. His excitement was evident, thrilled to witness Karina venture beyond the confines of their shop.
"So, Bunny Ears, ready for the journey ahead?" Karina inquired.
"Yes, I can take the reins if you'd like," Akio offered.
"No, I've got it covered! Besides, do you even know how to handle the horses?"
"Well, not really, but I could learn!"
"Do you want to arrive in three hours?" Karina asked.
"Yes, I do,"
"Then, sit back, shut up and stop suggesting you lead,"
"Feisty and independent," Akio mused to himself.
Akio watched the birds fly by from the back of the carriage, then watched the town that they were in, growing further and further in distance. The road they were in was made of rock but he could tell that that would only last a while till they hit dirt roads. The magnificence of the trees and grass blades made Akio happy. Most of the trip was silence, and Akio took that as a sign that the trip would continue like this the rest of the way.
"Hey, Bunny Ears," Karina said braking the silence.
"Yes?"
"Where do you originate from?"
Akio contemplated his response carefully.
"We come from another world," Akio replied.
"Another world?" Karina echoed, intrigued.
"Yes, similar to this one but devoid of magic," Akio elaborated.
"What do you mean?" Karina probed further.
"Our world lacks magic or mystical beings; we are all just human,"
Upon noticing Karina's reaction, Akio realized he may have said too much.
"Wait, so you're human?"
"Yes, every hero who comes to your world is human. We have no magical abilities or elven or mythical backgrounds."
"Why come to our world?" Karina inquired, hoping for a compelling reason rather than the motives she had come to associate with other players.
"Well, that's a question with different answers," Akio responded cryptically.
"That wasn't useful," Karina thought to herself.
"I've probably said too much about our world already, but if I don't, someone else will one day," Akio contemplated silently.
"Oh, this is the shortcut I mentioned. Brace yourself for bumps; this road is nothing but dirt," Karina warned Akio.
Akio consulted his menu for the time and glanced at the map he possessed. The trail Karina had chosen was marked on the map, reassuring Akio that it wasn't an unfamiliar path fraught with danger.
As they traversed the rough terrain, Akio found himself less at ease compared to the smooth rock road. Nevertheless, he appreciated the advantage of Karina's knowledge of the shortcut, which made their journey faster. Glancing back, Akio watched as the distant rock road gradually faded from view, attempting to cherish every moment. Suddenly, the carriage came to a halt.
"Why have we stopped?" Akio inquired, still facing the rear.
"Those people need our help... look over there," Karina pointed out.
Turning to follow Karina's gesture, Akio spotted a carriage with a broken wheel, surrounded by men attempting repairs, but with little success.
"I think we should lend a hand, although I have no idea how to fix a carriage," Akio admitted.
"They're heroes," Karina muttered to Akio, her expression still tinged with mistrust.
Akio hesitated, torn between the desire to reach the city swiftly and the moral obligation to assist. Before he could voice his thoughts, Karina slapped the reins, urging the horses forward. Surprised by her reaction, Akio watched as Karina passed by the stranded players.
"It'll be fine; they're immortal, after all. They won't die out here," Karina remarked as they moved.
"Hey, maybe we can steal that NPC's carriage!" one of the players shouted.
Two players positioned themselves in front of the horses, blocking their path, while two others surrounded Karina, effectively trapping her. Each of the four players wore smug smiles as they approached.
"Hey there, little princess, we're going to need your wheels. Step down, and you won't get hurt, okay?" one of the players taunted.
"Little?... Princess?" Karina muttered, showing no sign of fear or reaction.
"Alright, that's enough, boys. You'll have to get through me first!" Akio declared as he emerged from the back of the carriage.
Facing the four players, Akio assessed them: two demonoids, one dark elf, and one undead. Their names and levels hovered above their heads, all displayed at level 1. Although the option to conceal one's level existed, none had opted for it yet due to their low level. Despite being level 2, Akio lacked the equipment or weaponry to match his level.
"Get lost, noob," one of the players jeered.
"Hold on, guys, he's level 2!" another player pointed out.
"Yeah, so what? There's one of him and four of us," another remarked.
"—One of him?" Karina interjected, her expression unchanged as she faced them down.
Akio felt a twinge of nervousness. Despite his level advantage, he lacked the necessary gear and weapons. Meanwhile, Karina slowly reached into the carriage, her hand navigating among various goods and items. Amidst the cargo, her father had ensured she carried a sharp object for occasions like this.
Karina unsheathed her sword—a pristine blade devoid of rust or imperfections, indicating its costly nature. With fluid grace, she ascended onto the seat, poised and ready. Swiftly, she swung her sword, slicing through the air with precision. The blade met the dark elf player, leaving a clean, crimson line from shoulder to hip—a critical hit. As the dark elf player fell, his comrades watched in shock. Before he could retrieve his weapon, Karina drove her sword into his heart, swiftly dispatching him.
The dark elf player died attempting to reach his fallen sword, leaving the remaining players stunned and uncertain.
"Since you don't actually die, all of you deserve this!" Karina declared, still gripping the sword that had once pierced the heart of the dark elf. As the dark elf vanished, the sword plunged into the earth.
Amazed by Karina's prowess, Akio drew his sword and engaged the demonoid in front of him, who had been momentarily distracted by the NPC's skill.
"That's the second time an NPC has killed a player, huh?" Akio remarked with a smile after landing a solid strike.
Despite Akio's efforts, the demonoid managed to block his attacks, sustaining damage but retaining around 80% health. Meanwhile, the other two players rushed toward Karina, hesitant to engage with her due to their lack of swordsmanship or magical prowess.
In the midst of the player versus player combat, Akio and the demonoid exchanged blows, with Akio landing slightly stronger strikes. However, he could sense the skill of his opponent, realizing that the demonoid was more experienced than the other three players.
The demonoid displayed proficiency in swordplay, easily dodging Akio's attacks and delivering counterattacks. Although Akio lacked such real-world skills, his experience from battling the Twisted Rabid Bunnies aided him in combat.
"That's it!" Akio thought, focusing on the battle at hand. With a smirk, he unleashed his light magic, ready to turn the tide of the confrontation.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone