I finished up helping dad with the machinery. I'll check with him, just in case I missed something. It happens.

“Dad! You need me for anything else?”

“No, thanks a lot, son. That was a lot of cow blood, I’d thought I’d slip for sure.”

“Yeah, be careful. I’m gonna go play.”

“Make sure you get some exercise today, ok? Finish up that homework too, don’t you want to take over the cow farm?”

“Yes, dad…”

Nah, I didn’t want to take over the cow farm. I haven’t told him.

Entering World Online…

I found a town in the distance. I had my japanese sword sheathed just in case. It was entirely shrouded in falling soot. Good thing no one actually has to breathe around here. Sometimes when playing games, I feel like it’s nice to live in the countryside.

Still lava everywhere though. I want to ask what they call this area, probably “Lava Plains” or “Lava Land” or “Volcano Bolero”, something like that I’m sure.

As I approached, a guard wearing red armor checked me out. Just by looking at him, I got a level number and a class designation in my head. Level 30 and a Chaoser like me, but there was the NPC mark on him.

“Hey, fellow Chaoser. This is the Chaoser starter town Hesiod. You got any questions for me?”

The guard spoke to me but I was looking for players in the small city. There were a few others who weren’t NPCs, I could see a few higher leveled Neutralers and Chaosers around. As I expected, no Peacers. Why would they be in a combat area?

“So this is the starter area? How long am I supposed to stick around here?”

“Usually, players are recommended to stay to at least level six before moving onto the Vronti Plains. You can face other Chaoser’s or just stick to monsters for leveling. Would you like a battle tutorial?”

“Yes.”

“Fights are based around level and putting your feelings or thoughts into an attack. When your level rises, you get more damage from a similar feeling than before. As a Chaoser, you don’t have to worry about spawning monsters, but Positiver’s and Negativer’s can spawn them even in towns so be careful. Any questions?”

“Bye.”

I think I got it. From the metal guys I fought I was already level 3 so I wanted to see if there was way to sell the junk I got. I wandered a bit, watching players move about but was unwilling to be the first to talk. I approached a shop that was marked with an anvil in the center.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Hey, Cowboy. You’re level 3? I’ll buy the junk you got off the Lava Golems.”

A burly short guy with the handle name Nanos addressed me by my handle name. I couldn’t think of anything else.

“A Neutraler, huh? You see this sword?”

I showed him the japanese sword.

“Huh, that’s really strange. Did someone make that for you?”

“Doesn’t everyone get a unique one? It was just by me on the ground when I started the game.”

“Nothing like that, usually people get a random weapon like a spear. Nothing wooden either.”

“I wanted to see if you could make a better one. I want to play as a samurai, if I don’t have the money I’ll farm some more monsters.”

“Yeah, I think I can make a pretty good one. The ore that falls of the Lava Golems is really good for crafting, I got to level ten just by making starter character weapons. It’ll just look like a katana though, it’ll be good quality metal.”

“Good quality metal?”

“Yeah, in japan the iron they could mine locally was terrible so they had to fold it over and over again to make a strong blade. That’s why they preferred spears and bows for warfare. If you want to be a samurai, you should at least know that.”

“I like the samurai that use the swords though.”

“Heh, well it is a game. Sounds fun. There’s no subclass for that from what I know, so you’ll be stuck with just samurai clothes and a sword at best.”

I looked down at my overalls. Cowboy, a samurai? I handed him the ores.

“Can you make clothes too?”

“Yeah, but samurai clothes sound like a lot of work so I’ll pass on that. Ravor down the street can help you with that, leave her a message she logged off.  I’m more into blades you see. I’ll leave it here for you to pick up when I’m done, after all it’s getting late where I am. These ores should be enough to spare. You can sell me any other metals you gather too by leaving it here and I’ll mail you the money.”

“Thanks Nanos, nice to meet you. I’ll be back later with some ores then.”

Now that I know for sure thanks to guard how combat is supposed to go this should be easier.  Huh, there’s a Positiver just outside of town who’s level 10. Why would she be hanging out around here? I watched as she closed her eyes and focused on the ground, and a fairy creature coalesced into existence from sparkles. Can I kill that fairy? It’s only level 4 after all, but she might get mad if I just jack her summon out of the blue.

“Hey, can I kill your fairy for the experience?”

I asked it all of a sudden. I felt a bit bold.

“Uh, hi. Sure. I was just trying out the summoning monster thing anyways.”

She stepped back and let me have at it. I went in close and used my signature attack, felling it in one blow!

“Tsubame Gaeshi!”

“What does that mean? I didn’t know that’s how you casted in this game…”

Should I feel embarrassed? If she was prettier, maybe I would.

“It’s a samurai attack. I’m playing as a samurai. There’s no class apparently, so I’m just using my imagination.”

“Oh. I didn’t know, you confused me.”

“How’d you do that monster summon? I wasn’t interested in playing Postiver…”

“You just focus on a positive thought or feeling and activate the skill. All Positivers and Negativers have it.”

“So I can just stand here and kill your positive feelings all day?”

“I’d rather you not…”

“Oh. I just realized how that sounded. This game is kind of weird like that huh. Well, see you.”

I waved to her as I beat a retreat. That was a rude way to put it to her wasn’t it? That's the truth of this game though. Maybe I should ask the guard when I get back about skills, Chaoser’s should have at least a few right?

I walked off back into the lava fields searching for some more Golems.