"Kaizan Village" the huge signage stood big at the entrance. There were small unknown symbols carved under it, which is quite hard to make out. Kaizan, a place which seems as if a mixture of both rural and urban city in Earth, is a safe place for the players to rest and buy their needs. There seems to be only a few players, though, since the game is just pretty new.
"Woooooaah!" Laura said, taking in the simple beauty of the place as she clinged unto Hyoukyou's hand. "Is this Kaizan!?"
"Looks like our world," Amane uttered, looking around. "I guess we can ask them about this place"
"Azranea told me this place is full of stuff. We can buy new weapons, armory, consumable item like potion and antidote, accessories and more. It will be useful in our adventure." Hyoukyou explained, smiling at Amane. "I earned 500 goddion earlier. I think i can buy something using that—"
Laura grabbed her hand, eyes gleaming as she saw a costume shop with various clothes displayed on the glass window. She excitedly dragged Hyoukyou into the shop.
"Welcome to the costume shop!" A middle-aged woman in a trendy outfit greeted them as they entered. "We offer the best costumes suitable for all classes~"
Laura happily roamed the shop, looking for a saint costume. She saw different kinds, quality, and rarity but her attention was caught by a white saint dress adored with gems and laces. Wings with violet highlights at the end of its feathers were attached to its back. The description of the item states that its name is "The Fallen Angel", an item which gives buff— anyone who wears it wouldn't be affected by any spell.
Laura picked it, her heart beating fast in excitement and joy, but a screen popped up.
"Not enough gold. This item costs 500000 goddion."
and another,
"This item is not suitable for you. Level up your link into lvl 50 to be able to buy this item."
Her heart skipped a beat as she fell down to her knees, tears forming at her big round eyes.
"WHAT!!?"she exclaimed. "B-but I want to buy that item.
"It's alright," Hyoukyou comforted her. "Someday you'll be able to meet the requirements for your item of choice."
Amane just then entered the shop after talking to some people on Kaizan.
"Those people aren't anything like us." He said to the girls. "They were just NPC's. They know nothing ahout our world. They know only about this world, Augeia. They don't call themselves human, but a "Nomalise".. I don't know what that means though. Anyway, they said that the 'Demon King' is currently lurking around either Re:Homilia, a place of Nomalises(humans) and Elbes..the equivalent of Elves here."
"A quite complicated system with its own culture and language eh?" Hyoukyou tilted her head a bit. "Well, I guess our next stop is Re:Homilia then."
"Re:Homilia?" Butted in the black-haired stranger in a black suit and a katana on the right hand. "Sounds interesting, are you planning to go there?"
"W-Who are you?" Amane asked. The three of them turning their attention to the stranger.
"I'm known as the Dark Swordsman" He flashed a little smile at them. "I'm Katsu. Katsu Kirigaya."
"An-chan!!!!!" Laura beamed, glomping at her brother.
"Laura?" Katsu smiled sweetly, patting her little sister's head. "You're here too. You picked saint huh?"
"Yep!" She responded, "I really like this class!"
"Katsu Kirigaya?", Amane asked, his eyes widening a bit. "Y-You're Laura's brother?"
"100 % yeah." Katsu nodded proudly. "I'm a pro gamer and Laura wants to be like me as well. We have beated countless players on "Dragon Tail". Y'know, the most famous game as of today. I'm on the max level there, Laura is still on lvl 90."
"I guess you can hang around with us then." said Amane.
"Would you like to join our party?" Hyoukyou invited, sending a party request to Katsu. "We still lack members, you see, and I think Laura would want you in too."
Laura gasped and expectantly stared at her brother, making puppy eyes.
"Pretty please, with whipped cream and cherry on top?"
"O-Of course.." He flustered, accepting the request.
"I suggest we take a rest for a bit..." Hyoukyou yawned.
"There was an Inn two shops away from here, we can rest there." said Amane, heading outside. "The rent's pretty cheap too."
The others followed Amane as he went out and headed to the big, comfy inn decorated with roses at the front door. The smell of roses clung to the air as they entered. Inside was a lounge with a little store and round tables for dining, and a counter with a middle-aged innkeeper writing down at the log book. The innkeeper greeted them with a sweet smile as he saw them— a childish saint clinging unto a black-haired swordsman, and a masculine redhead warrior laughing along with a beautiful petite assassin. Ah, such two sweet couples.
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"Would it be two couple rooms?" he clapped her hands merrily as they approached.
"C-Couple rooms!?" The four exclaimed in chorus, flustered.
"W-We aren't couples!" Laura yelled, embarrased.
"Oh," The innkeeper's face fell as a realization dawned at him. "So you all aren't... on a double date then?
"W-We're a party..." Hyoukyou explained.
"Oh, my bad!" The innkeeper laughed nervously. "We have an unoccupied group room with four beds, would you like to take it? We're having a 50% discount promo for groups...and also to reconcile! ehehe..."
"Discount huh?" Katsu looked at the three. "We can save a money if ever."
They exchanged glances and nodded at each other.
"How much would it be then?" Amane asked the innkeeper.
"20 goddion for each," He replied. "meaning 80 goddion in total."
"We'll take it."
Amane, Hyoukyou, Laura and the new member Katsu then headed to the 'group room' they rented. The door seems pretty normal but the inside was a dandy place with brown wallpapers, four single bed, a metal shelf containing numerous books, and a decent bathroom.
The four put their weapons down and rested for a while.
They woke up refreshed and decided to grab some snacks on the store at the lounge to fill their empty stomachs.
"The food here is just like ours." Hyoukyou chuckled before nibbling at a donut.
"This burger is good!" Laura exclaimed in delight, nomming on the burger. She then offered some to Katsu who had been silent since they woke up. "Would you like some, An-chan ~"
"N-no, I'm good." He politely refused, looking away from her.
"Is there anything wrong, Kirigaya-san?" Hyoukyou asked as he noticed the pale expression on his face.
"You mentioned Re:Homilia earlier..." He uttered, looking at Amane. "Are you planning to go there?"
"Yes," said Amane with a determined look painted on his face. "I need to found out the truth about this game. Why we turned out like this. We must know this mystery."
"Indeed."
"Toshiro told me that the chosen nine are the only people who can save that Augeia. We are four here. So we need to find the five more members of the 'chosen ones' to be part of this party."
"I see." Katsu nodded. "I finally understood why we are given the choices for the before they trained us; Assassin, Warrior, Saint, Necromancer, Swordsman, Archer, Sniper and Crusader. You have a master right? I have mine as well. Her name is Kagura. A well-trained and strong swordswoman . What is yours, Laura?"
"Her name is Maria. A cute healer."
"She's cuter than you, I guess" Amane butted in.
"SHUT UP!" Laura yelled.
"How about yours, Miss?"
"Azranea. She trained me hard." Hyoukyou replied.
"A saint, a warrior, an assassin, and a swordsman. We make a great team." Katsu said, "But we still need other classes and then we'd go to Re:Homilia."
"Mind counting me in?." An unfamiliar voice spoke.
They turned around to see a brunette in her early teens, wearing a gothic black dress, a staff embedded with skulls on her left hand, and an old black book on her right. Her small pretty face could've been innocent, if not for her sleep-deprived eyes that blends along with her gothic outfit.
"Name's Akrilaem," She introduced herself to them as a crooked smile curved in her small pale lips. "A necromancer."
"S-scary..." Laura trembled as she hid behind her big brother.
"What do you want?" Katsu guarded her little sister as she faced the necromancer.
"If you want to go to Re:Homilia, I suggest you get blessings from the Ancient Elbes in Nanadaias first." She uttered, gazing at Amane. "Am I not right?"
"Nanadaias..." Amane uttered under his breathe, remembering what the natives said to him earlier. "The Place of Elves?"
The necromancer nodded.
"I've been there." She forced a little smile to her lips. "I'd like to help you all out."
"I-I don't think we can trust her." Laura stammered, expectantly looking up her big brother as she tugged on his suit.
"We still have a slot for a necromancer." Hyoukyou said, gazing at Amane. "She'd be pretty helpful in the battlefield."
Amane heaved a sigh, hesitantly sending a party request.
"I think we could consider," He said, glaring at krilaem. "But one wrong move, and you're out."
"What a threat," She let out an empty chuckle, accepting the request. "But no one here knows Augeia better than I do."
A message suddenly appeared amidst them.
"New mission: Assassination of Ogre King.
Reward: 3500 goddion each player
Description: The Ogre King must be killed before it attacks Kaizan"
"3500 goddion?" Katsu said, smirking. "I could buy a rare item with that. Let's take it, leader."
"Leader?" Amane frowned. "Well, alright, this'd be our first party mission then"
"And away we go!" Katsu grabbed his sword and dashed outside.
"Wait, An-chan!" The little saint yelled as she went after her big brother.
"Let's meet at the dense forest, Doyou and Hitsugaya." Akrilaem said before vanishing.
Amane turned to face Hyoukyou.
"I know you didn't have enough rest earlier because Laura kept on bugging you." Amane said, smiling as he picked up his axe and started walking "If you want, I can offer you a hand or a piggyback ride."
"N-No thanks" Hyoukyou flustered, following him.
When the four arrived at the forest, Akrilaem was already there, waiting for them.
"You're late." She uttered, before turning her back on them. "I already found the source of the ogres"
"We're late because you used teleport and we just walked" Amane said under his breath.
"That's a good news then" Hyoukyou smiled at the necromancer.
She smiled back.
"But I'm not certain if the ogre king is there though"
"Then leave that to us" Katsu said, preparing his sword. "Just show us the way."
"B-But An-chan..."
"Everything will be alright Laura."
"Alright, follow me." She uttered as she lead the way.
A couple of minutes later, they saw ogres going out from the heart of the forest, their heavy steps shaking the ground, making it feel as though there is an earthquake.
"They're numerous." Hyoukyou clenched her daggers, preparing herself to attack.
"B-But we're still on a low level" Laura protested, as if backing out.
"Yeah," Katsu's eyebrows furrowed as he observed the grotesque creatures.
"We might still be on a low level but we need to deal with it." Amane said, determined to complete the mission.
"You're all fussing about." Akrilaem rolled her eyes. "What if we all go and attack 'em now?"
"A-An chan, if we're done on this mission...Will you buy me a new outfit?" Laura heaved a deep sigh, trying to condition herself to fight the ogres.
"Sure Lau--" Katsu's sentence was cut as he dodged and slashed an arrow that almost hit him.
"This mission is mine!!" Shouted a female, holding a bow with another arrow aimed at them.
"Wha--"
She shot another arrow as a warning.
"Back off losers!"