Stone after stone flew, hitting its mark disabling the bandits as easily as children. And with each attack, Melly seemed to beam with pride as the experience points, she gained soared through the roof. As soon as the tenth bandit fell a light above her head beamed and a shower of sparks congratulated her heroic actions.
Melly has Reached level three!
“Oh, wow level three?” Desmond asked, clearly impressed by her quick work.
“Yeah, I followed dumb Clem around town and hit level two pretty quickly and…”
Before she could finish, another warning prompt flashed before them.
BANDIT WAVE ONE COMPLETED!
A roar of cheers erupted from the Clemiticus side of the village.
BANDIT WAVE TWO HAS BEGUN!
With a shiver of apprehension, they spun, searching for any signs of the next wave. A yellow notification flashed beside Desmond, tearing his attention from the town's imminent plight.
Chat:
FluffyDinos: Oh wow what did I miss?
Viewers online: 1
Desmond grinned at the familiar name and said, “Oh hey, not too much. Got to town. Now towns getting raided.”
Chat:
FluffyDinos: Ooooh exciting. BRB getting some cheeky nom-noms while I watch.
Viewers online: 1
“Who are you talking to?” Melly asked.
Before Desmond could respond, the red text flashed once more.
BANDIT WAVE!
It floated above the main entrance of the village where, for some reason some local players were opening the giant sturdy doors to let in Clemiticus and the rest of the heroic players who had successfully dispatched the one stroller.
“Idiots!” Melly barked as she instinctively ran down the top of the wall towards the open and clearly indefensible gate. The way she moved was impressively agile. Desmond was just about to follow her when a set of peculiar yet familiar voices echoes from the other side of the wall.
“Is that?” he muttered to himself.
“Right, you dolt, get on top of me ‘ands and I’ll push ya up!” said a Bandit.
“Nah, that’s stupid, get on me ‘ands and I’ll push you up!”
“Dats wot I just said, ya dumb skull.”
Desmond almost laughed as he recognised the familiar accent of Nev and Bill’s voice arguing on the other-side of the wall. They clearly hadn’t noticed him again.
He carefully moved up on top of the wall and peered over, spotting the two of them trying to scale the fortification with what looked like climbing rope.
Bill. Level two Bandit.
Nev. Level two Bandit.
Oh wow, they have levelled up, he thought.
For some reason they paid no mind to the ten bandits already passed out beside them and failed to understand the complexity of using a rope to climb the wall.
“Now see ‘ere, we got to go on top and unlock the gate!” Nev said irritated.
Desmond glanced over and spotted the duo's so-called mission had already been completed by the less than brilliant players.
“Then wot?” Bill asked.
“Are you stupid?” asked Nev.
Bill shook his head clearly hurt from the verbal jab.
Nev paused in thought before explaining. “Then we um,”
Both Desmond and Bill waited for an answer only to be disappointed. Clearly, neither of the bandits had thought that far ahead.
Chat:
FluffyDinos: Okay seriously what’s happening here? Who are these guys?
Viewers online: 1
Desmond shrugged and chuckled, unsure where to start to explain. He pressed his forefinger on his lips then snuck towards two of the large stones beside him. He tested their weight, finding that they would do nicely and dropped them perfectly just above their heads.
You have defeated Level two Bandit.
Gained EXP.
You have defeated Level two Bandit.
Gained EXP.
Letting out a hearty chuckle, Desmond turned his attention to the text floating above the defeated bandits. "These silly fellas were blocking my way on the road to the magical tower thingy, and you know what? They were just as easy to defeat as before!"
He couldn't help but find the whole situation laughable. These bandits, who he thought had once posed as formidable obstacles, had now become mere comic relief.
Chat:
FluffyDinos: Nice, how much exp they give?
Viewers online: 1
“Don’t know actually, let me check,” he replied as he flicked through the menus until he found his player history.
Playtime History: Today
You have died
-00.00% lost
Portal creation (0.03% exp)
Killed lvl 4 elite slime (154% exp)
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Level 4 (54.03%)
Gained item: Achievement Reward Chest
Portal creation (0.03% exp)
Killed lvl 1 slime (8% exp)
Portal creation (0.03% exp)
Killed lvl 3 slime (33% exp)
Portal creation (0.03% exp)
Killed lvl 2 slime (24% exp)
Portal creation (0.03% exp)
Level 5 (19.12%)
opened: Achievement Reward Chest
Gained item: Portal box
Portal creation (0.03% exp)
Defeated lvl 1 bandit Nev (4%)
Defeated lvl 1 bandit Bill (4%)
Gained item: Noble's coin purse
Achievement unlocked: Miracle Mindfulness
+3 wisdom
Portal creation (0.03% exp)
Portal creation (0.03% exp)
Portal creation (0.03% exp)
Portal creation (0.03% exp)
Gained item: Soul wand.
Portal creation (0.03% exp)
Gained item: Pure Orb of Purity.
Gained item: Miracle Workers Laboratory.
Traded Item: 5 copper
Gained item: Shanada
Traded item: 1 silver
Gained item: Shanada
Gained item: 15 copper
Gained item: Olden Ring of Time.
Gained item: Shanada
YOU ARE DRUNK!
Under the effects of Shanada slumber.
YOU ARE NO LONGER DRUNK!
Portal creation (0.03% exp)
Defeated lvl 2 bandit Nev (8%)
Defeated lvl 2 bandit Bill (8%)
His eyes scanned the list, mustering a response, “Eight each.” But then he froze. His mind wasn’t making sense of what he was seeing in his history. “Gained item, Miracle workers' laboratory?”
Chat:
FluffyDinos: Gained what now???
Viewers online: 1
He glanced at the chat, then back at his history. He read the words over and over but no matter how many times he read them; they made no sense.
“I, I don’t…” He flipped open his inventory.
Inventory:
Portal Box
Noble’s coin purse 20/50
Pure Orb of Purity
“There’s nothing here,” he said, staring in confusion.
Chat:
FluffyDinos: Nothing where?
Viewers online: 1
“In my inventory, can’t you see this? I have only three slots and they are…”
There were only three items in his inventory, and no mention of a tower.
“Oh wait, maybe it… No way,” Desmond said, as his jaw dropped.
He placed his hand into his inventory and pulled out the item called the ‘Portal Box’. As it materialised into his open palms, he Flipped open its wooden lid expecting to see the empty smooth polished wooden interior. What he didn’t intend to see was a green shimmering surface of a portal.
Chat:
FluffyDinos: What? Another portal? But this ones different…
Viewers online: 1
He nodded. “Yeah, this box was that class reward I got from before. But I don’t know what it was for.”
Desmond bit his lip. “Maybe there's something in here?”
Chat:
FluffyDinos: Might as well try, stick your hand in.
Viewers online: 1
A nervous chuckle escaped Desmond's lips as he summoned the courage to take the plunge. With a determined expression, he extended his hand and thrust it into the green portal. But instead of feeling the solid contents within, an unexpected sensation gripped him. The world around him spun, then seemed to dissolve, as the portal pulled him into an unknown void.
As he was transported, the box fell, landing with a soft thud on the floor.
Desmond's surrounding transformed completely as he emerged on the other side of the portal. Before him stood the magnificent ancient structure of the Miracle Workers Laboratory, its splendour within the strange void defying the very fabric of time and space. It stood tall, perched upon a platform that appeared to be a swirling green void, as if suspended in a place beyond the physical realm.
A surge of excitement coursed through Desmond's veins. Was this massive tower now his?
“Well, fuck me…” he said, testing the pulsating green floor underneath him. With cautious steps, Desmond ventured further into the pocket realm of his Portal Box.
Chat:
FluffyDinos: Holy shit! You’re overpowered…
Viewers online: 1
Desmond shrugged. He couldn’t disagree with the assessment.
Moving towards the entrance, he leaned in to take a closer look. Even after the transportation, the tower remained in the same wrecked state he remembered from his previous encounter.
Among the chaos, one thing caught his eye—the large painting of the old, bearded man. The man appeared lost in a deep slumber. The painting’s frame somehow had remained intact. Desmond tiptoed through the room, his mind swirling with possibilities for the tower.
He couldn't help but imagine the potential uses for this peculiar location. It could serve as his cozy home on the road and a place to store his treasures. Its spacious rooms could be transformed into storage areas filled with mystical artifacts, weapons, and magical trinkets collected on his future journeys.
Lost in his thoughts, Desmond couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. The tower had been given a second chance in this realm, a chance for rebirth and transformation.
Desmond's fingertips brushed against the magical walls, feeling a unique connection as if they were made for him alone. Who else could effortlessly unlock and lock the rooms with such ease? It was as if the tower recognised his presence and responded to his touch, bestowing him with the power to navigate its mysterious corridors.
In the midst of his exploration, a message popped up in the chat, snapping Desmond back to reality.
Chat:
FluffyDinos: Um, this is neat and all… But what about the incursion?
Viewers online: 1
“Oh, shit!” Desmond said, running out of the tower, stirring the old man from his sleep.
“Who what!” Nuecus called. “Another bloody thief! Get back here!”
Ignoring the old man's confusion, Desmond sprinted out of the tower, leaving the ancient structure behind. He stood again in the vibrant green shimmer of the portal realm, wondering how to get out. As his fingertips tested the shimmering surface, the world around him dissolved into nothingness once again, teleporting him out of the Portal Box. It seems he had full control of not just the tower, but the portals as well.
"Well, that was surprisingly easy!" Desmond said with a nervous grin, unsure if his impromptu plan would truly work.
Chat:
FluffyDinos: Seriously so OP… T_T
FluffyDinos: Anyway. Now you gonna kick some butt?
Viewers online: 1
Desmond grinned, “That's the plan... Well, I'll certainly give it my best shot!”
Chat:
FluffyDinos: Good enough for me!
Viewers online: 1
With renewed determination, Desmond swiftly picked up the portal box from the ground, ready to stow it safely in his inventory. However, his actions were interrupted by a familiar voice echoing beside him. He turned to find Bill standing on the wall alongside Nev, who had finally found how to use the rope to climb up.
Above their heads floated the familiar yet strangely augmented text.
Bill. Level three Bandit.
Nev. Level three Bandit.
They had somehow levelled up once more, just like the slimes Desmond had encountered. Their stats in wisdom and intelligence must have been improved, making them both smarter and more capable.
“Oi! who’s this den?” Nev asked, brandishing a large wooden stick he’d found in the forest with a menacing wiggle.
Bill chuckled and poised himself to throw a loose stone he had picked up, ready to launch it at Desmond.
“Wait!” Desmond called before they could act.
Chat:
FluffyDinos: Oooh! Exciting!
Viewers online: 1
“Wait for what twerp?” Nev asked.
“Um…” Desmond mumbled, trying to piece together a retort.
Bill grinned then held his arm back ready to throw.
“Open minor portal!”
-15 mana.
The rock sailed through the air and flew directly into the pink portal right in front of Desmond, exiting the other end, which so happened to have opened right beside Nev.
Crunch!
Bill has defeated Nev!
“What?” Bill shouted. He turned his eyes to Desmond as they slowly filled with rage. Bending down to pick up his fallen friend's stick, he moved around the portals and hefted the makeshift club, ready to bash Desmond on the head.
Desmond took a step back unsure how to defend himself. With his portal box in his hand, he instinctively used it to block the incoming blow. However, just as the stick was about to hit the box, the lid flipped open. As soon as the stick made contact it and the one holding it vanished from sight.
Gained item: Bill.
Chat:
FluffyDinos: What the fuck…
Viewers online: 1