In the heart of a Blue Burn glade, where the formidable Level 5 Grenia Dungeon lay, a burgeoning assembly of Level 3-4 players were gathered. Some curious souls delved into the dungeon's depths, while others erected makeshift stalls, enticingly flaunting their wares in a designated open space. The air was alive with the hum of commerce as these shopkeepers skillfully marketed their offerings, vying for the attention of potential customers.
Concurrently, clusters of adventurers engaged in fervent discussions, weaving tales of their Dungeon exploits. Conversations spanned the gamut from the monsters encountered within to the intricate paths traversed, and the loots and treasures inside. The collective dialogue centered around the relentless pursuit of information, to unravel the knowledge of Grenia Dungeon and how to emerge victorious.
New World has been live for over three days now, and a majority of players are currently at levels 3-4. Many adventurers are determined to conquer the challenging level 5 Grenia Dungeon, as once they reach above level 5, access to it becomes restricted. As newcomers bravely venture into the dungeon, experienced players who've been there before observe with wry, knowing smiles, fully aware of the potential dangers for those who undertake such a perilous journey without adequate preparations.
Every player who entered Grenia only had one impression of the Dungeon. It was extremely horrifying!.
...
In the eerie Resurrection Graveyard nestled within the glade, six luminous streaks of white light materialized, heralding the return of six figures. Alongside them, were also a handful of players, also having met their demise within the dungeon. The six-member party moved with purpose, traversing through the onlookers, until they found solace beneath the sheltering boughs of a tree.
Bathed in the shadowed respite, a mage adorned in a crimson robe addressed the group with a visible scowl. "There's no sensible way to conquer the 'Hard mode' without some good equipment first. Sora, we better off doing the Normal mode first," he suggested.
Sora, her countenance stoic, responded impassively. "Nether, reliance on equipment is prudent, but victory should not hinge solely upon it. We'll delve once more into the Hard mode. And as the saying goes, yesterday's defeat is an invaluable lesson for tomorrow.”
Amidst the deliberations, a bald, middle-aged man interjected,"I understand your perspective, Sora-san. So, you have a plan?."
Sora, without looking at him diverted her gaze to the system window, as she responded, "Indeed, that's precisely why I've gathered us here. We'll leverage the terrain to our advantage—slowly kiting the mobs and employing the same tactic for the final Boss within the dense forest. This approach should lead us to ‘better equipment’." Halting her scrolling on the panel to read incoming messages, Sora continued, "It's just Hard Mode anyway. I can't help but be curious what challenges Hell Mode might bring… perhaps something more interesting." Her words tapered off abruptly as she fixated on a message with riveting intensity.
The other four members of Sora's party, excluding Aoi, responded to Sora's mention of 'Just a Hard mode' with wry smiles,. Yet, beneath the jest, a subtle blend of anticipation and surprise painted their expressions.
"Indeed, it's just a 'Hard mode.' We'll conquer Hell mode before Oka… before anyone else does. So let's maintain high spirits everyone, Ok" Aoi chimed in, injecting a dose of positivity with a cute gesture that lightened the party's mood.
Boulder Bear, the inquisitive one, broke the momentary silence. "So, what's the plan, leader?”
However, Sora remained fixated on her message, a visible shock reflected in her eyes. The party, including Aoi, gazed at her and their faces made a collective sense of confusion, puzzled by Sora's uncharacteristically wide-eyed expression, an uncommon sight for them.
“What happened nee-san?”
Aoi's concerned voice jolted Sora from her reverie, prompting her to focus on her sister and teammates. With a reassuring smile, she replied, "It's nothing, just information that confirmed my suspicions but mixed with some shocking and unbelievable bits." Swiftly changing the topic, she continued, "So, the first encounter is an Elite Green Goblin. Aoi and Boulder, you two will..."
Abruptly, Sora's speech was rudely interrupted by a loud notification buzz. Perplexity swept across everyone as they turned their attention to the World chat, only to be met with a collective dumbfounded silence.
System: {World Announcement} Player Rem and his aide Elsa Granloe, are the first player to triumphantly conquer Level 10 Black Mountain Dungeon on Hell mode.
A hush fell upon every player near the Grenia dungeon, In a frozen tableau, every player halted their movements, their activities arrested as they stood in rapt attention, fixated on the glow of their system notifications.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
In mere moments, a tumultuous uproar of furious shouts and colorful curses burst forth, aimed vehemently at Rem and Elsa. The source of the anger stemmed from the duo not only surpassing others by a significant margin but also stoking resentment due to an undeniable sense of inferiority. Their audacious feat of conquering a level 10 Hell dungeon stood out, leaving onlookers incensed, especially considering they hadn't even tackled the Hard mode on level 5 dungeon.
Amidst the chaotic uproar, allegations of 'cheating,' 'hacking,' and outlandish accusations of 'exploiting beta-tester knowledge for fame' echoed throughout the Glade. Even Nether and Aoi from Sora's party joined the chorus of accusations.
Yet, in stark contrast, Sora remained an oasis of calm with a subtle, charming smile gracing her cute countenance. As the tumultuous protests unfolded, she gazed at the sky and uttered in a soft whisper, "You are truly beyond interesting, Rem-san.”
_ _ _ _ _
Ryou, the one who had cause all this worldwide sensation was obviously looking at his rewards.
System: You are the 1st player to fully conquer the Black Mountain Dungeon, you gain a title ‘Dark Magician’
Title- Dark Magician: For dark skills and spells, user would have 10% more chance to increase proficiency. Acquired skill (Shadow Doppelganger)
Shadow Doppelganger: (Rank 6 Intermediate skill)
Summoned one Shadow, the shadow would have 50% attributes and 50% equipment's data according to the summoner. Last for 30 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Level 1: Proficiency: 0%
Examining the skill description, Ryou couldn't help but wear a contented smile. This was the thing he came here to acquire—a skill bestowed upon the group of players for achieving the first clearance of the Hell mode Dungeon in Black Mountain. Although he doubted the previous recipients in his past life had received a strong skill of this magnitude.
Among those who had gained this skill, a talented player named Shuzil had even gotten a subclass 'Shadow Emperor' thanks to its power. While Ryou harbored no ill will towards Shuzil, he couldn't deny that Ryou had seized the opportunity that could have made Shizul a top expert in New World. Yet, Ryou was unapologetic of this self-interest action driven by a selfish desire, because in this second chance, he sought to become stronger and richer and escape the sorrow-laden existence that had defined his previous life.
Satisfied, Ryou laid on the smooth grassy ground, seeking a moment's respite from exhaustion. Just as the thought of a brief nap crossed his mind, his eyes met with a pair of round green eyes belonging to Elsa in her green robe and wooden staff. Startled, Ryou swiftly sat up, matching her standing posture.
With an elegant smile, Elsa suggested, “Young master, let's sleep together here for a while.”
Internally screaming 'WTF,' Ryou cleared his throat with an awkward "ehhumm" and asked, “Miss Elsa, what do you m-mean?” His voice quivered at the end as Elsa unexpectedly licked her lips.
“I meant what you have grasp, young master” she replied, her words sounding as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Suddenly Ryou felt full rejuvenation, ‘not down there’ but his physical and mental burden from the earlier fight.
Resolute to steer the conversation on other track, Ryou addressed Elsa, “Miss Elsa, if you wish to seek rest in the grass, our current circumstances deny us that luxury. Instead, kindly gather all the spoils yielded by the defeated boss.” He gestured towards the drops left behind by the Spirit Paladin.
Despite Elsa's initial pout, she gracefully bowed and acquiesced, “As you wish, young master.”
Ryou let out a sigh of relief as he watched Elsa walk away, and then he too proceeded to collect the loot from the Dark Zombie bear. Elsa had obtained 6 loot items, while he had 3, making a total of 9 items. The loot consisted of 1 shield, 1 two-handed sword, 1 skill book, 1 claw gauntlet, 1 necklace, and the remaining items were crafting materials.
Since the shield, giant sword, and claw gauntlet held no use for him, Ryou stowed them away in his space bag. Among the crafting materials, there was the dark bear hide, two white round coins, and a white silk. The hide and silk were clearly useful for crafting armor, but the two white coins posed a mystery. Adorned with a beautiful sculpted face of a lady on one side and the symbol of the Light Church, a three-petal clover leaf, on the other, their purpose remained unknown to Ryou.
He didn't put them too much thought as he toss them into his space bag because he was excited to see the skill book.
[Stare] (Rank 4 Intermediate skill)
Glare at the enemy and lower their defenses by 30%, the debuff would be lesser on higher level and higher rank target. Last for 3 seconds. Cooldown 3 minutes.
Level 1: Proficiency: 0%.
Recognizing the usefulness of the skill in various scenarios against monsters or players, Ryou wasted no time and learned it without any hesitation.
However, the item that captivated him the most was a white gemstone necklace suspended from enchanted silver chains.
[Trifany necklace] (Silver)
Level 15
Intelligent +5, Vitality +4, Physical resistance +10
Skill 1: (Radiant Shield): Emit a shield that has the resistance according to 20% of defense and 20% of Intelligent. Cooldown: 3 minutes
Skill 2: (Normal Heal): Heal 250 HP every 1 sec for 5 seconds. 4 minutes.
“It's a really beautiful masterpiece, young master,” Elsa spoke as her eyes glittered just like the white gemstone.
Lost in thought, Ryou paid no attention to Elsa, his gaze fixated on the necklace dangling in his hand, evoking emotions he couldn't quite articulate. The sight triggered memories of the Samsara Pendant tucked in his bag, which then led to his Reincarnated reality.
Ryou was still very doubtful about this whole reality of getting rewinded 12 years back. Reincarnation had only existed in stories or dreams; maybe in reality, he was in a coma currently sleeping and dreaming all this imagination. Perhaps the notion that a pendant from a virtual reality game held the power to transport someone back in time was something he conjured in his dreams. These thoughts had always clouded his mind so far. Honestly, he had been on the verge of snapping and wanted to start asking many doubtful questions at any moment but he was afraid that this dream might soon shatter any moment.