***
Later the next day.
Ritta spent the entire day yesterday helping me with customization and testing of Versatile. In the end, I ended up buying another Trial Pack along with the private mode, and Ritta scolded me once again, making me promise not to frivolously waste money.
We found several sets that were worthy of consideration, and I intended to buy them right away. That was my initial plan, but Ritta stopped me as soon as she saw the price displayed in the market. Despite having more than enough money, she still refused to let me buy them.
Between gathering materials and crafting them ourselves, or being lucky enough to obtain them directly from bosses, we planned to do it all today.
One of the equipment pieces I desired was a rare drop item from a recently added boss dungeon in the game's latest patches. It was quite a busy location due to its connection to several interesting player quests. Ritta also instructed me not to draw attention, so I arrived earlier than the scheduled time.
Strolling my way through the seaside, I feel the anxiety of people's stares at myself. I'm sure I've changed most of my outer appearance, but not entirely becoming a completely different person.
I changed my robe to a lighter one, no longer giving off the impression of a magician, but rather more like a melee-class of some sort. However, I still use a similar color scheme as before, with light blue and golden stripes.
To add a hint of uniqueness, I also rolled up the left sleeve of my shirt, almost to the elbow. Three rings with different colored gemstones and engravings adorn my index, middle, and ring fingers on my right hand.
The account's privacy setting will also make it difficult for other players to peek at my in-game name without my approval. It seems like this is a new feature implemented after the VR release, as in previous versions, such a thing would not even cross someone's mind.
Not only that, but I also made a few small changes to my character's appearance. I tied back my somewhat long hair, still giving off a strong impression that I am a true, genuine, and original male character. And most striking of all are my pair of eyes.
As I pass by other players at close range, they don't just ignore my eyes and stare at them as if it's something new. But, well, this is a gift from past failures.
While both of my eyes share almost the same blue color, the contrast difference between the right and left eye is immediately noticeable. My right eye has a more faded color, while the left eye has a more normal contrast. Could it be that because of this, I've become more unusual?
Anyone who sees me, even if they notice the resemblance between me and the main protagonist in the viral dual cast footage, they would assume I'm just imitating. The impression that I am a true mage has already been eliminated.
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Not far from my line of sight is a group of players, and at a glance, I can judge their classes based on their outer appearance. They are a party with a heavy combination of support and healer classes. Five people are the maximum number in a normal party, and it seems that three of them are support types, while the other two are pure DPS and semi-attacker who also serve as a tank.
Near them is the ebb and flow of the sea. There is a bright light blue glow forming a circle that can accommodate five people closely packed together—an entrance to a dungeon. I'm not sure if they're going on a quest or conquering a boss, but it seems like their opponents are the type that would be troublesome without support and healers.
Looking around, it seems there are more parties than I initially thought. I stand still on the sand with the sea breeze singing in our ears, watching them remind me of the past, and I can't help but feel envious of them.
I continue my journey after watching some of them disappear from my sight with smiles and laughter as they enter a dungeon. "May your companionship endure," I silently pray for them.
"Here he is," a certain person's voice that I recognized. "I said not to attract unnecessary attention, senior, please listen to me for once." It was Ritta, grumbling as always. Beside her are three other players I didn't know about.
Player: [Ritta] invites you to the party!
Player: [Blue] joins the party!
Player: [Ritta] promotes you to leader!
"Oi," I shouted. "Don't make this random newcomer the leader just like that."
"Among us, the senior is the oldest player, imagine that, an alpha tester at that. You're just a fossil, senior, a relic from the past," Ritta shot back at me.
The other three laughed at our usual banter.
I took a moment to glance at the party list and see their in-game names:
Blue, Lv.300
Ritta, Lv.351
NoMath, Lv.328
Subtleme, Lv.319
Appagraphy, Lv.370
"Let's call this one Nomad, this is Subtle, and that's Appa," said Ritta, pointing to each person quickly.
"Don't introduce us like a bunch of belongings, Ritta."
"That's just how this impolite woman is."
"Well, we can't expect anything less."
Instead, Ritta got an instant response from them. While observing their teasing banter, I also had to introduce myself, "Please help, I'm Blue, and um, please call me in a casual manner, don't listen to this silly woman pretending to be a teenager," I said jokingly.
"She was?" Subtle, a woman—or her character—responded excitedly.
"She is, proudly at that."
"Hmm, no doubt, it's her, so you can't be wrong."
"I am not wrong, I am as innocent as Blue."
We continued our playful banter back and forth until Ritta intervened and stopped us at the same time. "Why do you two get along so well right from the start? And all you're doing is insulting me like this and that."
Appa and Nomad approached me and shook my hand alternately, saying:
"Nice to meet you, we'll both share the DPS role, so please cooperate with us."
"I know you, your dual casting shakes this virtual world, haha."