The cold morning air hung heavy with anticipation as Harry, Susan, and Marcus stepped outside the hotel. The sky above was a dull grey, the cracks in its surface glowing faintly as if ready to burst open. The countdown timer displayed a single minute remaining.
Harry glanced at Susan and Marcus, both standing tense and ready. “Here we go,” he murmured, his heart pounding in his chest.
The timer hit zero, and the sky shattered like glass. Fragments of the heavens seemed to rain down as a deafening roar filled the air. The cracks widened, revealing a swirling portal of light and shadow, pulsing with otherworldly energy that cast an eerie glow over the streets.
Wyverns, their leathery wings flapping furiously, poured out of the portal, their roars mingling with the shrieks and growls of an army. The creatures descended upon the city, their presence turning the streets into a scene of chaos.
An alert popped up in front of Harry, Susan, and Marcus, displaying a new quest:
Harry read the quest quickly, his mind racing with a mix of fear and determination. “We need to stay together and find a defensible position,” he screamed over the noise of the invading creatures.
Susan nodded, her eyes scanning the streets for a safe spot. “Let’s move to the park. It’s open enough for us to see any approaching enemies.”
Marcus pulled out his daggers, his expression focused and determined. “I’ll take point. Watch our backs.”
As they moved towards the park, the invisible walls shimmered into view, enclosing them with a lock symbol on it hinting that they were unable to move beyond that point. Harry could see other groups of people reacting similarly, scrambling to find safety and prepare for the fight ahead.
The park, usually a place of peace and tranquillity, now seemed like a battleground. The sounds of creatures snarling, and the distant cries of other groups filled the air. They reached a small clearing and quickly set up a defensive perimeter. Harry kept an eye on the approaching creatures.
A guttural snarl cut through the air as the first of the dark green creatures emerged from the shadows. Standing about four feet tall, the creature's skin was a mottled shade of dark green, rough and covered with warts. Its eyes glowed with a malevolent yellow light, reflecting a cunning intelligence and a deep-seated hunger for violence.
The creature’s face was twisted into a permanent sneer, sharp teeth protruding from its lower jaw. Its long, pointed ears twitched as it scanned its surroundings, picking up even the faintest sounds. A tangle of oily, black hair hung limply over its sloping forehead, partially obscuring its narrow, beady eyes.
Its limbs were sinewy and agile, ending in clawed hands and feet that seemed perfect for both climbing and slashing. This creature wore tattered rags, remnants of what might have once been a crude tunic, now little more than scraps held together by grime and filth.
In its right hand, it clutched a jagged, rusty dagger, the metal stained with the residue of past victims. The creature moved with a predatory grace, muscles tensing and relaxing as it advanced, every step calculated and silent.
As it approached, a rancid smell wafted from the creature, a nauseating mix of decay and unwashed filth that assaulted the senses. The dark green creature’s presence alone was enough to unsettle even the bravest of hearts, a harbinger of the chaos and destruction that was to come.
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“We’ve got this,” Susan said, casting a quick healing spell on Marcus, who had taken point and was already engaging the nearest enemies. “Just remember our training.”
As the first wave of monsters approached, Harry, Susan, and Marcus stood their ground, ready to face whatever came their way. The quest to survive the next 24 hours had begun, and failure was not an option.
“That looks like a goblin!” screamed Susan, recognizing the creature from the fantasy anime they watched.
Without hesitating, Marcus called out his attack, “Quick Strike!”
Quick Strike: Throw 2 daggers simultaneously at the target. These are shadow daggers and disappear upon hit. Critical Chance 8%. Cool Down for 1 minute.
The goblin’s health was reduced to half. “That did more damage than I thought,” exclaimed Marcus, a hint of surprise in his voice.
“Let’s keep at it while we can!” Susan said, pointing as more goblins approached from the back.
A goblin leaped into the air, aiming for Marcus. He swiftly held up his daggers to parry and then stabbed the goblin in the neck. Blue-colored blood sprayed out as he drove the dagger deeper.
<100 EXP earned. Obtained 5 Gold>
An alert popped up in front of Marcus. “You get EXP and gold by defeating these monsters,” he noted quickly. “I got 5 EXP as a shared buff!” exclaimed Harry. “Me too,” added Susan.
An hour passed, but the hordes of goblins did not relent. Marcus was the main attacker, with Susan supporting him with healing and attack spells. They all received the EXP points. Marcus had reached level 5, and Susan was at level 3. Each level-up was awarded 1 stat point to increase their stats.
Harry, however, could not use his skill yet, unsure of its utility. He acted as support, calling out the movements of the goblins and trying to leverage his unknown stats. He felt horrible about not being able to contribute more effectively. Despite gaining shared EXP points, he remained at level 2.
Two hours into the battle, the relentless horde finally paused, allowing them a moment to catch their breath and recover their mana.
“I can’t believe how many there were,” Susan panted, casting a quick healing spell on Marcus to restore his stamina.
Harry sat down heavily; frustration etched on his face. “I feel useless. I need to figure out my abilities soon.”
Marcus clapped a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “We’ll figure it out, Harry. We’re a team, and we’ll get through this together.”
Susan nodded. “Exactly. We’re surviving, and that’s what matters right now. Let’s use this break to regroup and prepare for whatever comes next.”
“We should probably move ahead and start looking for this area boss if we want to be able to move forward,” Harry suggested, standing up and trying to compose himself.
“You’re right! Maybe understanding your class and abilities could be part of clearing this quest,” Susan said, trying to comfort Harry with a smirk.
As they moved toward the center of the area, they were dumbfounded by the destruction around them. Unable to bear the sight, Susan turned her face away, trying to hold back tears. Parked vehicles were on fire, buildings were falling apart, and craters marked the roads as if from bomb attacks. It looked like a war zone—a war between humans and monsters, good and evil, survival and destruction.
Along the way, they fought more goblins hiding and waiting to ambush. Their teamwork improved, with Marcus and Susan focusing on attacks while Harry analyzed situations, strategizing and finding safe routes. They obtained basic healing and mana potions from the defeated goblins.
They encountered a group of people who had set up a safe post, guarding non-players caught in the tutorial. These people wanted nothing more than to return to their families on the other side of the invisible wall. Harry, Susan, and Marcus decided to take a short break and prepare to move again. Harry overheard a conversation about the area boss’s strength.
“Hi, my name is Harry. I heard you talking about the area boss. Can you tell me more about it?” Harry asked, joining the group.
The group stopped talking and moved aside, trying to hide the information. Nearby, an injured man, looking like he had been in an intense battle, called out to Harry. “Hey, you! Planning to fight the area boss? Go there only if you want to die. It’s not a monster you can defeat at this level,” he warned.
“Did the boss monster do this to you? What was it like? How did you get so badly hurt?” Harry asked, walking toward him.
“Not the boss, its minions. If the minions are this strong, imagine the power of the boss. What’s your name, lad?” the man asked, trying to hold back his pain.
“I’m Harry. My friends and I came from the south looking for the area boss. What’s your name?” Harry asked, kneeling to hear him better.
“The name’s Dave. I’m a swordsman,” Dave said. “I went with four others to challenge the boss. It looks like a huge goblin, and its minions are smaller versions of him but smarter than the normal goblins. We were overpowered instantly. My friends rescued me, and with help from others, we built this safe post.”
Harry thought to himself, “Based on the description, it looks like the boss is a Goblin Lord and the minions could be Hobgoblins.” Snapping out of his thoughts, Harry gave Dave one of the healing potions they obtained. “Thanks for the information.”
“Thank you! This is already making me feel better,” Dave said as he drank the potion. “What has become of this world? It feels so unreal that an injury can heal so fast with a potion.” As Harry was about to leave, Dave reached out and grabbed his hand. “Be careful out there. These aren’t the same as the goblins in the street. They’re powerful, and the one who commands them is even more powerful.”
Harry nodded, reassuring Dave before rejoining Susan and Marcus near the entrance, where they were planning their next move. He shared what he learned from Dave.
“This is good information, Harry. See? You’re helping us. Your analysis has gotten us this far today,” Susan said, patting Harry on the back. “We should think about how to move forward.”
Marcus nodded in agreement. The three then began a small meeting, strategizing and considering what could go wrong and how to avoid those pitfalls while maximizing their chances of success.