I sat up straight, the gentle breeze swaying the hood covered my head. Because it was troublesome, I instantly uncovered it. Like a magician, I wore a simple light blue robe with little to no additional embellishments. In my right hand, I held a wooden staff with a dark red gem at the tip. Although it may not be visible often, I had three rings on my fingers, each with the status and attributes that I needed most in this situation.

Before actually setting off, I had to make sure one of my important skills was working optimally. Survival Skill: Auto-use HP and MP Potion. "Yup, 69% for HP and 33% for MP," I muttered. I also had enough Natural MP Recovery to confidently set these percentages. Um, as for the HP, it was just for fun.

"It would be great if I had the chance to practice combo skills. This will be my first serious battle in this virtual reality world. Hopefully, it won't end in sadness."

With that, the exploration of this untouched territory began.

A few minutes of walking, and everything felt peacefully still. There was not a single creature here, only grass and rocks covered in vegetation. The developers wouldn't have spent time designing this domain properly if it wasn't for a strong purpose.

It seems convincing that this is the world's boundary, but how far will I go until I encounter a monster or something different? "Huuuh, after all this burning enthusiasm, it's becoming boring quickly."

Although I'm starting to feel bored, if I log out now, this character will undoubtedly be kicked out of this domain and respawn in another map. That's why I am reluctant to end this journey without bringing anything interesting in hand.

Then, after recalling the formulas of geometry in my head, my path was interrupted by a calm blue river. It's the first time I've seen something other than green after so long. The river flows to my right, and not far from my sight, I see a formation of middle-sized rock that I can use as a bridge to cross.

As I cross the stream, I don't sense the presence of any aquatic life beneath the water, or maybe it's just my imagination? My bar of boredom is filled to a significant amount. Fortunately, I didn't give up immediately. If I've come this far, there should be more to encounter.

Hmm, that's right. Don't be too quick to lose hope and get bored. Don't imitate a novel reader who wants an instant story without considering the effort of the author.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"The arrangement of these stones seems deliberately made for crossing," I said.

With one final leap, I landed on the other side of the riverbank. Instead of immediately moving forward, I turned back and gazed at the other side, or rather, something that caught my attention within my field of view.

I reached out my hand and waved it. Just like before, there was an invisible barrier, but this time I could pass through it effortlessly. However, like someone who had just regained their senses, I turned around.

The sound of the flowing river water and the rustling of the surrounding vegetation suddenly became apparent to me. And not far from here, I sensed the presence of monsters. Faint growls reached my ears.

With a grin of excitement, I observed a group of monsters in front of a cave entrance. A bonfire blazed, with creatures standing on two legs, resembling humans. Their body colors differed, some almost appearing the same, but their contrasts and overall forms were indeed different.

"What are they, Hili*churls? But that's a design from that Chin*se game, right?"

They leaped right and left, in a synchronized rhythm. Their faces displayed no normal features and emitted unintelligible sounds. After seeing this, it was difficult for me to say that they were not engaged in some ritual procession or the like.

"Although they don't have the typical forms, what they carry should be weapons," I mumbled as I crouched to observe them. Some of the shapes I could discern as weapons were: swords, bows, spears, shields, maces(?), ropes or whips(?), and the rest were still unclear. Nevertheless, I could be certain that each of them carried a different weapon.

Instead of getting frustrated, the icons above their heads should provide me with additional information:

[◆] The ××××, Lv.333

Or maybe not.

"It's useless, I read nothing but their levels. Am I intentionally thrown into glitches again? Is the developer playing tricks on me from somewhere?!" I said, foolishly looking around as if my words were true.

Now that I've encountered these dudes. "Huh, what's really happening to me today? Is it luck or misfortune, I can't tell." But instead of aimlessly walking in a grassy field, this is better.

I'm still lying low, secretly watching them from a higher ground. The level difference between us isn't the main concern, but rather the number and type of monsters they have.

Among the general monster categories are: Normal, Area Boss, Mini Boss, and so on. There are also Unique categories, like the xxx in front of me this time.

It's important to remember that my class is Mage, and my weaknesses are... HP and... yup correct, long casting time. Imagine I advance and cast a spell, the enemies will automatically notice my presence and attack me. I fail to launch the first strike, and with my low HP, the situation has never been advantageous from the start.

"But with this distance... I might have a chance." I didn't play this game just to die frequently as a mage, you see; I have also found a playstyle that suits this demanding class.

Aight, let's start the feast!