Adria was walking alongside Winter. She was dressed in her combat gear that Minalan had prepared for her. Adria spent the next two days close to the camp where Winter logged out to crash. The news that Summer provided Winter did not affect his plan to go back to Cosare, except to make the travel less urgent, and the route more direct. They had needed to head out straight to the border of the territory and circle far. Instead, they chose the direct route to Cosare, which appeared to pass through pretty close to Harine.

“Uncle Winter. What will you do once you get back?” Adria suddenly asked.

They had spent the the day traveling in the South Westerly direction.

“Hmm... I don’t know. Maybe relax and do some fishing. I feel that I could use a few weeks of break,” Winter was mainly tired of seeing too many players in a single spot. The toll of furiously cooking, too, was not forgotten. He could use some quiet and solitude for a while in-game.

“Then.... can I join you?”

“Of course, Adria. You are always welcome. You know that.”

“Where do you want to go?”

“I don’t know. Do you have a good place in mind?” Winter asked back.

The only good fishing spot he knew was the hilltop lake where the lizardmen congregated yearly. That would be his chosen fishing spot if Adria could not come up with anything.

“How about Lir river just outside the city? There is this creek where there are tree canopies.”

“Maybe. Might be better than the hilltop lake I was thinking.”

“The one with the lizardmen?”

The two of them talked further on where they would go fishing once they got back.

xXx

A tiny figure barely three feet in height was churning her feet quickly. Its face remained blank even though it should be in distress. A figure much taller than the small running form was behind her.

’How persistent! Can she not just leave me alone!’

The hair was a hue of purple that progressed to a little of pink at the tips of the hair, tied on each side of the head in the shape of ponytails high up. The swaying end that moved in rhythm with her footsteps barely reached the nape of her neck. A frilly maid headpiece was also swaying with the twin ponytail.

The tiny figure was ahead of her pursuer by means of consuming a speed potion that had increased her running speed by 400%. She was safe since she had infinite stamina. But her satiety bars were rather low. Her avatar would refuse to move if it was empty, and she could only consume the food in slow, small bites. The race she just converted to had a special diet and an enhanced palate. The food she ate tasted so.... heavenly, that she had to stop to appreciate it.

It was not the first time she was pursued by players since she converted. But it was the first time she found one so persistent. Served her right to trust in her natural non-aggression ability that made her safe from monsters and NPCs, but not players. If she had stayed in town, she would be totally safe. Maybe not. Last time, she stayed barely three hours before three female players began pestering her. This one had stalked her since she entered the town six days ago, and had pursued her since she left three days ago.

She was not out to kill her. She doubted anything would want to kill her, but she was facing something that could be worse than getting killed. So she ran and ran.

Her bright, flame orange-colored eyes, that seemed to look constantly bored, searched for an escape avenue. At least a place where she could refill her satiety for a bit. Her pursuers should be on their last legs. If she could last a little longer...

Her feet, encased in tiny, black shoes, with alternating black and white socks, ate up the ground as fast as she could. But she was hindered by the uneven ground. This avatar and sub-race was not designed for fast travel at all. The skirt she wore was equally black, with a large black ribbon wider than her, that kept it secured. Her shirt was a little reminiscent of a maid outfit, with a hem that covered her hands and ended in large frills. If she stood still, with arms at her side, the frills would touch the ground a little.

The skirt was short, though for her height of a meter, it looked large and fluffy, mainly due to her feet being short. The only decoration she wore, aside from the maid headpiece, was an eye-shaped brooch worn vertically. It was red, with a redder, protruding, smooth sphere trapped on the center. A length of cord that was red in color, ending in two large spheres made from an unknown substance, was dangling under the brooch, resembling two cherries. She never tried removing it, but it seemed to be used to secure the very broad, long collar with a single black line sewn near the edges of it. The same went for the white shirt containing a light hue of purple, like her hair, that she wore. You could tell it was purple, but yet still looked white.

She was dismayed when she topped the crest of a hill. She would have picked another path if she could see what was at the end of the path. A cliff. Despite her dismay, the expression of her avatar remained as blank as a paper. She was at the literal end of the road.

*Crunch*

The female player that had been chasing after her, crunched the gravel a few meters behind her. She immediately whipped her head so as to not place her back in unsafe direction.

This female player with black hair was so beautiful that if she existed in real life, she would feel jealousy. That complexion, limb ratio, facial features, and style, was perfect. It annoyed her even more that she could tell this was done naturally, and was not a cultivated look. She wondered if this female player looked like this in real life.

During the whole chase, this player never spoke a word, not even to ask her to stop running. That only scared her even more! She could feel the player’s eyes continuously chasing after her. No matter what she did, she never managed to lose the girl long enough to get to safety.

The female player did not pull the large sword strapped on her back out. Instead, she spread her arms open, with feet spread apart too, like she wanted to catch a stray soccer ball. Whether it was in entreaty or attempt to block her route, she could not know, as nothing was said.

Her previous avatar’s name was Christina, her deceased mother’s first name. She was not used to her current avatar’s name yet, that somehow got changed with her conversion. This race was as peculiar as the quest that had led up to the conversion.

The quiet female decided that she had waited long enough. She chose to rush forward, though so far she could never match Christina’s running speed that was improved with the potion she drank. Christina reflexively backed off with quick steps. It was too fast! Before she knew it, she had backed off over the empty air.

The black-haired player missed her grab by a hand width distance. Christina had fallen off the cliff!

Christina would have screamed something human, but the sub race she had been forcefully converted to had limited language skill. What came out of her was a long cute “CHIIIMMMUUUuuuuu....!!!” while she fell from a great height to the bottom of the cliff. This was the first time she died in this avatar.

The last sight she saw was the gaze of the black-haired player that had chased after her, that promised further pursuit.

xXx

Royal Road Hall of Fame had been constructed a month after it was launched. The purpose of the page was to showcase outstanding players, usually limited to level and achievements. Players have to be invited by Unicorn Corporation to be able to post on the page. This equals to a recognition as a candidate to be an Emperor in Royal Road.

Preston was listed there, though he ranked near the bottom of the page. As a player, he was not strong or very high-leveled, but he had his own fanbase due to his brilliance in battle tactics. Most of the videos he posted were of his engagements. Small-scale battles, large-scale battles, punitive raid commands, and the seven castle siege he participated in. The first one was what propelled him to the hall of fame. But surprisingly, his recent defeat was what made him the most popular, even if it was only a week, overshadowing Ray Bard, the constant number one Hall of Fame champion.

Players posted thousands of comments upon seeing the hilarity of the situation he was in. Of non-Wizard players zipping over the night sky. The stairs that sprouted up suddenly over the east side that was not there minutes ago.

“Oh God! These guys are nuts!” One posted.

“What are you saying! They are gods for even trying this out.”

“This plan is crazy on all counts!”

“Our guild tried this method and successfully conquered a castle. It only took us half a day!”

“Me too. Also half a day!”

“I failed! But it was fun anyway!”

“I am just sorry that it is banned now.”

It was from this posted video that the term “Superman Plan” became popularly defined as a crazy plan that sounded ridiculous, but worked amazingly well. Since then, players had been finding creative methods for further possibilities of abuse.

xXx

Penelope Water was furious. Summer, Odette’s father in real life, had just told her before he logged out that the plan was thought of by a friend of his, though he did the rest of the improvements.

“You’ve probably seen him around. He was the one walking with the female NPC around the camp.”

Summer felt it was his duty to teach a lesson in humility to haughty, arrogant girls, so they would grow up proper. He also felt especially wicked as Aloine began to overly annoy him by her constant effort to wrangle a promise from him to assist her in the future. With that, he logged out, leaving stunned Aloine alone, who had spent a day in-game attached to the wrong man.

She had the same blond hair as her in-game character, though it had considerably less lustre and length in real life. The feature was also slightly enhanced and made sharper, though this particular trait was not changed too much. Her height and body build was in exact proportion as Aloine, though she might have tinkered a little with the breast size. Leaving how Aloine looked in-game, Penelope Water was beautiful enough without all the enhancements. She was also fashionable and rich, on top of being beautiful. Boys that wished to date her queue up for her pleasure. It was the only victory she had over the popular upstart Julianne Somner, that had defeated her in study and popularity among peers.

It was also the first time she felt such humiliation. To be toyed by a man, never mind if he was older and more experienced, her pride would not allow it. She swore she would find this man that spurned her and made him hers.

(Author: Women can be illogical. I never try making sense of them as I find it futile. I think the best way to survive a stormy day from a woman was to huddle down and pray hard it will pass quickly!)

xXx

Julianne Somner sat up and yawned on her bed. She just got up after a good ten hours sleep. The house was empty. Her housemates were probably out on dates with the boys. Other girls always complained over the restriction of not seeing the boys, as their living space, arranged by the school, disallowed them to bring boys back under the threat of being expelled. Julianne had gone on a few dates with a few that were polite enough to ask and wait for her answer, but so far, found none that truly interest her. At least of her own age.

It had been a few days since their victory. Her father left her a few more apologetic messages. She was going to let him stew a few more days before forgiving him. He was acting a little disgusting for his age. She need not mention his crime, for he knew well this would be the retribution, but could not resist doing it anyway. She thought that only Uncle Ronald would have this sort of problem, yet somehow, it seemed her father was infected too.

Shaking out her long hair that had frazzled after she slept on it, Julianne checked her personal mail. The ticket home for her winter vacation was booked and set. All of her friends that got invited to the castle siege had each sent her a video of their point of view. She would cut, compile it, and share it as another good memory she made among friends. Never mind Penny, who just unfriended her for some reason on the school network page. This was the third time she did such a thing over imagined slights. Julianne thought the girl seriously had issues and needed to be more honest by listening to her inner voice, but it was not her place to comment. She had her own inner voice that was speaking louder too, recently. It defied her logical thoughts on what should be moral, and she should not judge others.

Julianne sent personal replies to each of the fifteen friends she invited, and a mail to Penny, thanking her for participating,before starting the day.

xXx

While Winter and Adria were making their way home into Cosare, a merchant wagon was rolling into town.

“Phew. That was a long journey.”

The lithe figure of a woman stretched the kinks on her back and rump, that had been glued to the hard wooden seat for three weeks. At least that would be what someone in real life would do. In Royal Road, such a thing was an unnecessary gesture though. It was just human. Despite what she just said, her mood was rather sour. But it was about to get better.

She had managed to enter the city before the night fell. She had travelled pretty far. This was her first time visiting the central side of the continent, from the southern end where she was based. The figures of three warriors dropped down from the back of the wagon. The three were the warriors she picked up from the previous town as guards. This had been how Zaya travelled from town to town. This most recent batch of warriors, she would dump here in this town to pick new ones. Somehow they seemed.... unreliable.

“Sorry, you three. But I think I will sever the contract here. I plan to stick around in this town for a bit.”

She had no such plan, but she thought this was her best excuse to get one of the three away from her. The other two was never a problem in the first place.

“Come, honey. I thought you wanted us to escort you until Central Caspian. That is at least still two months travel from here.”

The words that flowed from Campbell normally would impress a lot of girls. At least that was what he thought. It was not even close to the mark. His attempt to woo girls were accepted back in the city he was based, as he was the most powerful man there. He was the guild leader of Valorous Swords, that boasted sixteen thousand members and climbing. Girls accepted his flirting as much as they could, as they liked the benefits the clueless warrior provided. Preferred hunting ground, equipment upgrades, and help when they needed it. At least, until Campbell was bored enough and dumped them, then moved to the next girl. The cycle had repeated since he began playing.

His real life money guaranteed that his equipment remained top of the line constantly, while underlings he hired in real life too, guaranteed his level. They were professional gamers, after all. If enough money was thrown around, they would bow their head to Campbell and follow his orders. They constantly provided information on where to level up and how to best do it, including helping him when they were called. Such was the power of money.

Campbell had the perfect appearance of a blond, tall, handsome, armor-clad warrior that ladies in real world would swoon after. It was not even close to how he looked in real life, but we need not discuss that here. Zaya, the brown-haired merchant, knew how deceptive a world inside a game could be, and was not impressed even a little bit by this dandy character.

It was her mistake to make the wrong hire. No, incorrect. She had made the right hire, but she did not know that Campbell already had interest in her the moment she walked into his city

Zaya’s hiring tactic was to pick one player out of many, who was willing to travel and guard her, and let that player pick who he, or in several cases, she, wanted to bring along. So far, Zaya never had to worry about the friends hired to be troublesome. She counted on the players knowing each other well, which would allow them to work together and share companionship during the travel. What she never accounted for, was for one to actually make moves on her! What she did not know was Campbell impressed upon Gaston, the one Zaya picked to hire the rest of the guards, that his time in Sumbria would be very difficult if he did not pick him and his subordinate as the two to go with him. To sweeten the deal, Campbell promised an equipment of his pick when he went to kill a boss next time. It was a no brainer what happened next.

The whole trip, Campbell tried to impress her with stories of his conquest, his prowess in battle, his real life identity of a man with a lot of interests and wealth (true on both count, except that Campbell’s great interest was how to woo the next girl he saw around the corner). Zaya tried to be as patient as possible, but even that was wearing thin, which was why she chose to dump the three here, instead of in Central Caspian. A town pretty close around the middle of nowhere, as far as she was concerned. The original player she hired, Gaston, was perfect. He was alert, strong-looking, intimidating even, and also perfectly incapable of managing his companions. He always looked apologetic of Zaya’s situation, for some reason she could not fathom.

She had no idea how the group dynamic worked here, but she would need to think about it anymore, as she would be severing their contract right then, right now.

“I know, but I think I quite like it here. I will pay the full contract so you will not be losing out.”

Zaya began to initiate trading menu to pass the 50g agreed amount to Campell, but her request to trade was instantly rejected.

“Now, now. I do not need money. I just want to spend some wonderful time with you. If you are willing to meet me in real life, that will be even better!”

’Oh my god! I think I am going to hurl! This is so creepy! Getting hit on in virtual world!’

Zaya was completely speechless. Since she hired Gaston, Campbell and Herbert, she had the niggling feeling that something was off. With the statement she just heard, the niggling feeling became something she understood quickly. She always thought that out of the three, Gaston was the only one that fit her idea of a mercenary guard to hire for short trips in between cities. Campbell and Herbert looked like the kind of high-powered players that spend their time in dungeons killing monsters. She always thought that they were Gaston’s friends, and accompanied him because of their travel interests.

She should probably have thought something was not right as the saying of “Too good to be true” should hold even in VR. No, especially in VR. But she was blinded by the hiring price. Sumbria to Central Caspian which was three months travel distance for 50g, though any loot gained from fighting would be claimed by the three. She already made almost 10 times the amount she set aside for the contract up till now. Going by the normal rate, each day further from their destination city, a mercenary guard should be paid ten gold each. That was what Zaya paid, before she met the three.

Swallowing her panic quickly, Zaya ran through the possible answers in her head. She was not getting anything. So she decided to simply play it straight.

“I am sorry. But I think I prefer to be alone from now on,”she put as much scorn in her voice as possible. She materialised three piles of 50g and dumped it on the ground between her and Campbell. Zaya stuck by her word every single time, especially a contract.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

She did not wait for the reply. She jumped into her wagon seat and sped away from the three. She wanted to badly forget what had happened. It was beyond creepy for a player in a game to show that much interest in her.

Zaya always used her looks to her best advantage (in-game), but this time, it backfired on her pretty badly. She had attracted the wrong sort. She prayed that she could forget such an occurrence after sleeping. Picking the closest inn available, she secured her wagon and logged out.

Campbell, who saw his new interest speeding away on her wagon, was amused. He always liked a strong-willed girl. They made an interesting conquest once they were impressed with him. He would dump them once they began fawning over him. It was just unfortunate that he could not enjoy such treatment in real life. His current facility would not allow him to do that at all. So the best he could do was a world of imitation, to feed his unending ego and desire for domination and conquest.

Campbell was a pure narcissist though he did not know or even realise that he was one. His parents had placed him in a psychiatric facility for the problematic behavior he displayed due to his narcissism. They were wealthy enough to keep the problem from the eyes of the world, but there was no hiding from their own conscience. They could not completely cut him off from the world, yet could not bear to let him loose until he was well-adjusted to normal life. Therefore, they thought to at least allow their only son to have fun in Royal Road, a virtual world where he could not pose any danger to anyone, even himself.

“I have to say I like a feisty woman.”

Chuckling, Campbell picked up the three manifested bags of 50g and threw all three carelessly to Gaston, who accepted it gratefully. Gaston immediately chose to leave town, and choose somewhere else, as far away from Sumbria and Campbell. This was his chance to start afresh, without the egomaniac looking over his shoulder.

xXx

*Clank* *Jingle*

“Father. I am home.”

“AAdddriaaa!!”

Minalan did not even wait to circle the table. He leaped over it, immediately hugging her, then proceeded to check every single inch of her.

“You are not injured, right? Did you eat well? Did Winter take good care of you? Did you take good care of her, Winter? You DID, DID YOU!!! TELL ME YOU DID!!!”

’Oh, boy.... this guy must really have been worried sick...’

“Father.. I am okay! Uncle Winter and me left before any danger could get near us. Now, let go. I smell, and I am sleepy. So I am going to take a bath and sleep.”

Minalan,who was very relieved, nodded numbly, and let his only daughter shuffle away from him, into the private section of the building.

’Come to think of it... I don’t even know where the bathroom is here.... Do NPCs even need to bathe and do all the necessities?’

Minalan disturbed Winter’s thoughts before Winter could continue.

“Thank you, Winter. For keeping your word.”

Minalan clasped both of Winter’s hands, squeezing them tightly. He was truly worried as he was unable to contact them,he could only rely on Winter’s word. Minalan was glad his trust was not mistaken.

“I prayed every night and day to Freya for her safety. Oh. And yours too.”

’What am I? Some afterthought?’

Winter could not blame the NPC though. If he was in Minalan’s shoes, everyone else would be afterthought.

“Don’t mention it, old friend. I am glad too that she is safe. I know how much you love her.”

Winter squeezed back Minalan’s hands in acknowledgement.

Your relationship with Minalan has increased

Your relationship with Minalan is now at maximum!

’Huh. That is unexpected.’

Was the time spent with Adria away from Minalan, a test that would lead to future quests based on relationship with Minalan? Winter sure thought that way, but was not completely sure. The game baffled him at every single turn. Sometimes, there was no rhyme or reason to what NPCs did, if Minalan and Adria were the prime examples. Sella probably had the most resemblance to normal of all NPCs that Winter knew well.

“Uncle Winter! Don’t leave without me later!”

Adria’s voice called out from behind the door. Receding footsteps and the slam of a door could be heard soon after.

“What was that about? Another adventure? After you just came back?”

*Squeeeeze*

“Oi! Go easy on the grip there, old friend!”

Minalan’s grip suddenly strengthened. It was not painful per se, but Winter could feel the pressure, and it was not very comfortable.

*Squeeze*

“It’s just a fishing trip to the Lir River.”

Winter said quickly. He felt he was in mortal danger, even though he was supposed to be death-proof in the VR world.

*Squeeze*

“Oi! Why is your grip getting stronger!”

Winter could hear Minalan mumbling something that sounded like “... my daughter is all grown up. She does not love me anymore....” over and over again. He ran out of the door wailing soon after. Winter flipped the sign to “CLOSED* and exited the door. He had a depressed friend to find.

xXx

“You see, she was so sweet when she was younger... she used to call me Papa. Oh, Adria...”

Winter had been listening to Minalan’s ranting for an hour or so, probably. The drunker Minalan, the sweeter the childhood story of Adria that came from his mouth. Winter found Minalan after asking the NPCs around a little. In the end, he should have first thought to visit Sella’s establishment. Minalan was drinking alcohol alone on the second floor. This was the first time Winter ever saw the mad, daughter-loving figure drink such thing. He was not holding back too, but continuously downed every glass that the stiff-looking bartender poured every time it emptied.

Now, the same, stiff bartender was rolling his eyes upon hearing Minalan’s sorrow. Winter shooed him away when he was about to refill Minalan’s glass with another drink. Winter ordered a grape juice for himself.

“Okay, my drunk friend, I think you need to go home.”

Winter began to start attempting to shoulder Minalan’s body away, when the NPC slid and toppled over his chair. This reminded Winter of the time when Daniel was as depressed as this. Winter tried pulling Minalan up, but found himself to be unable to budge him despite his best efforts.

’Okay. So you cannot move an NPC against their will?’

The stiff-looking bartender got out from behind the bar, and with the help of a passing waiter, dragged Minalan to an adjoining private dining room. Winter thanked the bartender, who nodded back to him.

“....theladria...” or something, was what Winter heard before the door slammed shut, with the bartender retaking his post, and the waiter back to his duty.

“Barkeep. Your best drink, thank you.”

Winter was quickly served with an amber-colored liquid in a tall glass. At first, he thought it would be beer, except it was not frothing. It also came from a clear, crystal bottle, not a glass one. Winter had no need for money while spending his time in Sella’s establishment. He was guaranteed to have any food and drink he ever wanted without need for paying.

*Sip* *Gulp* *Guzzle*

Winter tried a single sip. It was incredibly tasty! He downed it as quickly as he could, while enjoying the rich, nutty flavor of the liquid. It was rich with.... what Winter could only describe as a combination between fruits, and several nuts, like bitter walnut, a little sour peanut, and some sort of fresh something he could not understand. That was the best Winter could do, as he was not a drinking man. He recognise the drink as VERY GOOD, but that was about it. He finished his drink with accompaniment of slamming the glass down the table, smacking his lips in satisfaction, like all the movies he saw. Did he just see the bartender crack a smile for a second there?

Drank a full glass of Golden Apple Wine

200% Mana Regeneration for 24 hours

200% Health Regeneration for 24 hours

Your Vitality increased by 100 for 24 hours

Your Intelligence increased by 100 for 24 hours

Drinking another glass will further increase this effect

’That was an apple wine?’

Winter was curious as to the effect if he drank another glass and was about to order another one when a sweet voice called from his right.

“Think you can afford another glass of that?”

Winter looked to the person who said it. She was probably around her early twenties. Brown hair tied in a ponytail, that was probably long enough to reach the middle of her back, but now fell to her left shoulder. She had the sort of wide eyes that was beautiful and associated with intelligence and cunning. Her forehead was not as wide as he would put someone that usually had that sort of eyes should carry. She might be a little shorter than Winter if she stood, but seated there, they were almost of equal height.

Winter admired a lady that knew how to use her assets well. In this case, she showed a little hint of her breast that peeked from the sturdy-looking white shirt that was buttoned pretty tightly. The top two buttons had to be missing to have that sort of effect. She had naturally full lips that were slightly pink in color. Winter could not see her eye color due to the distance that separated them and the dim lighting that always sets the mood for this sort of cosy bar, but he thought it was brown.

“What do you mean, young lady?”

Winter asked out of interest and puzzlement.

“What you just drank was Golden Apple Wine. If I am not mistaken, the going price of a bottle now is about 1000 gold. I am actually surprised that a restaurant in a town as small as this even had a glass of it. And yet,I just saw that the bartender there has a whole case behind him.”

Winter almost choked at the price. He looked at the bartender, that still kept his neutral stiff demeanor, as if he was only doing his job when Winter asked for the best drink. Winter did not really want another glass of it. He never thought the deal with Sella had this sort of unexpected benefit.

’Play it cool. Act like your age, old man!’

“I think I can afford another glass. Even two, if I have someone I can share them with.”

This was the sort of line Winter was good at in his younger days. He was glad he had not fully lost his touch. The lady immediately shifted in her seat, interested.

“Bartender. Two glasses please.”

Soon, two glasses appeared in front of both of them. Since the bartender also attempted to be gentlemanly and served the lady first, Winter’s glass came in the manner of being slid down from the distance of the lady’s spot. He stopped it without spilling the golden amber liquid.

“Cheers.” Toasted Winter, and drank deeply.

Drank another full glass of Golden Apple Wine

400% Mana Regeneration for 24 hours

400% Health Regeneration for 24 hours

Your Vitality increased by 200 for 24 hours

Your Intelligence increased by 200 for 24 hours

Drinking another glass will decrease the beneficial effect

’Wow. If I ever get that loaded, I will buy a lot of this drink. I can almost love drinking alcohol here, I think.’

“That is nice of you. I am Zaya. A merchant from the Southern Continent. Nice to meet you.”

Winter scooted two seats closer in order to shake the offered hand.

“Winter. I am a local adventurer.”

Winter could hear a little commotion down the stairs. Zaya clicked her tongue in displeasure, as if she knew what was about to happen. She looked straight at Winter, taking in his gear and appearance, making a quick assessment.

“This won’t do.” Winter heard his drinking companion speak softly.

Winter did not have a lot of time to puzzle out the words, as one man stomped up the stairs connecting to the first floor.

“Sir! I am sorry! But you have to leave now if you are not ordering anything.”

*cring* *cring*

Winter could hear something small and numerous dropping on the floor. The commotion immediately stopped.

’Did I just hear a player throw money on the floor?’

A second player, Winter assumed, ho was in league with the first player,now looked at Winter in displeasure, appeared, and stood at the top of the landing.

“Zaya. My darling. Must you continue reject my advances? Come now, you should spend your time better than with an old man.”

’Old man!’

“I am sorry, but I think I prefer his company than yours. He is a true gentleman of the old.”

Winter did a fist pump inside his mind.

“Really, now.... then how about we do it the old-fashioned way then. A duel?”

Zaya twisted her lips in displeasure. As if she saw this coming.

“Go away, Campbell. You are disturbing our good time. Ignore him, Winter.”

Winter wanted to, but it seemed like Campbell had a different idea. He walked up close to Winter. Stared him up and down like how Zaya did, except he looked extremely condescending. This sort of treatment always made his temper flare real quick. He was holding it in check, as he was in the presence of a lady. The second man that Winter quickly demoted to the position of a goon, did not leave his last known position beside the stairs.

“Afraid of me, old man?”

The blond youth, tall and handsome, sneered at Winter.

’Ignore him, ignore him! Be a mature, gentleman.’

“You should be. I will defeat you in ten seconds flat.”

It was getting harder and harder for Winter to try ignoring the youth. For one, he was encroaching upon his private space without permission, unlike Zaya,who Winter wanted to be there. Zaya herself was annoyed, but seemed to loathe involving Winter in her problem.

’Oh. It is actually blue. I guess the lighting was that bad. Her hair was also browner than I thought.’

Winter filled in Zaya’s details that he missed. Her eyes were deep blue, almost bright, while her hair was brown, like exposed wood trunk. She looked fetching with her figure and height.

“Hey, old man, I am talking to you here!”

Campbell roughly grabbed Winter’s shoulder. He was pretty annoyed,as instead of skulking away, this old man was spending his time ogling over his girl! This had to be corrected.

Winter stared at the youth straight, with his best cold-eyed challenging stare. It seemed to not work at all.

“What? Finally feel like fighting now? Let us get to it so I can spend time with her.”

“You think she wants to spend time with you? Youth nowadays,” Winter shook his head in disgust.

“She will like me if she spends enough time with me. And you are in the way.”

“What if I do not want to duel you? What can you do?”

Campbell was tongue-tied. The old man was right. He could not inflict violence upon them. If he killed him, he would gain a murderer’s mark and immediately get chased out of the city, while killing Zaya there was a no-no.

“I can see that you need a lesson now in humility. Let us get outside and settle this, shall we?”

“W-w.. Wait! You need not do this on my account!”

Zaya began fidgeting and worrying for Winter. Winter normally would not bother to join this sort of thing, but win or lose, he was determined to make a good showing of himself! Besides, he would win. Why? He would cheat!

“Think you can do it, old man? You are at most level 70.”

This got Winter curious.

“What makes you say that?”

“Black Leather Set, commonly worn by archers around level 60. But since you carry a sword there, and not of very good quality too, you are either broke, or just too weak to be unable to get proper armor. That ring there, is probably a life augmentation ring. Am I right? I owned a bunch like them, so I know. That makes you, a really weak warrior, and should not be fighting me.”

Winter nodded and beckoned the youth to continue. Campbell took it as his intimidation method finally paying out, and proceeded his monologue.

“I am a level 159 warrior. Need I say more?”

*Clap* *Clap*

“Okay. That is amusing. So, shall we?”

Winter’s casual demeanor puzzled both Zaya and Campbell, as he was not intimidated at all. He was feeling a little foolhardy tonight. His mana was also incredibly high, due to the effect of the two drinks he had, increased to 800 points even after his curse. He should have more than enough spare mana to show this cocky youth up.

“It is your own shame, old man. Bring it on.”

Both of them set up in at the back alley of the restaurant. The street was empty since it was late night, but a few curious players stood at a distance to observe. The girl that Campbell was obsessed with stood near the back entrance of the restaurant, while the youth’s personal goon stood behind him, completely silent.

“How do you want to do it, old man? To the death, I hope.”

“Pass. I prefer to stay alive despite my age, youngster. How about first strike?”

“Sure. As long as you are gone.”

Campbell challenged you to a duel

Rule: First Strike

Do you accept? Yes/No

Winter accepted the duel request. They were some three meters apart, waiting for the 30-second countdown to finish.

DUEL START

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Author's Note:

1. Thank you to -The Slacker- for the diligent PR

2. Thanks to Vim1inc especially for his comments here. Nothing from the usual contributors sadly.

3. This is part 1 of 2. Surprisingly when I was about to post it, I found that it was longer than I thought.

4. I am off on Holiday from this Thursday. You can expect my last release to be on Wednesday. After that, about two weeks holiday. Sorry, folks.

5. Comment and do let me know of any typo error or mistakes. As much as my PR did, we might have missed something.

6. Enjoy!