“Do you think you're leveling today?” –asked Amelia, playing with her daggers while in stealth.
“Not anytime soon if I have to depend on these.” –said Milana, shooting a bat just as he left the cave.
“Tough luck.” –said Amelia, catching a dagger from behind.
“Why are you here again?” –asked Milana, bolting another bat.
“My real body aches all over.” –answered Amelia, pouting. –“At least while I'm logged I can move without wincing.”
“Tough luck.” –said Milana, killing yet another bat.
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“You beat the One-eyed Summoner?!” –exclaimed Amelia, dropping a dagger.
“It was really stressing, and exciting...”–said Milana, bright eyed. –“We are actually going again today.”
“Seems like you are enjoying yourself.” –said Amelia, picking up her dagger. –“I guess you are aiming for the One-eyed Wand.”
“Yeah.” –said Milana, casually shooting a bat. –“It would be great if it drops.”
“By the way, are those daggers also a boss drop?” –asked Milana, just noticing the dagger going up and down.
“Yeah; they're from the Winged Reaper.” –answered Amelia, casually catching the dagger. –“The boss of those bats you've been exterminating.”
“I think Angela uses them too.” –said Milana, downing a bat without looking.
“The level cap was at 35 for a long time.” –said Amelia, throwing both daggers at the same time. –“Most people who started playing at that time hunted for the boss drop weapons.”
Amelia caught the daggers one after the other before continuing talking.
“They aren't the most powerful, but each one of them has a very convenient ability.” –said Amelia. –“These ones, for instance, have something called Sure throw.”
“What's that?”
“When you throw them at your enemy, they will always land blade-point first. If you, on the other hand, throw them to yourself or an ally, you receive them hilt in hand.”
“Catch!”
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“Were you two in Virtual Connection?” –asked Minerva, while cutting a piece of brocoli.
“Yeah, trying to finally get to level 20.” –answered Ricardo, munching on his chicken breast. –“Killing bats is a chore.”
Minerva, Amelia and Ricardo were lunching in a healthy food restaurant since mom was visiting a friend.
“You should get a party to train.” –said Minerva, eating happily. –“And Amelia doesn't count; she would tank your exp.”
“He does have a party: a tank and a dagger rogue.” –said Amelia, playing with the veggies in her plate. –“They beat the One-eyed Summoner yesterday!”
“Are the rest Tier 1 players?” –asked Minerva, surprised.
“They are even lower level than me.” –answered Ricardo. –“But they are amazing; I'm glad I'm a mage, because there's no way I would be able to do what they do.”
“I see.” –said Minerva, nostalgic. –“When I was around your level, we couldn't beat it before getting our class.”
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“Hello?” –asked a male voice through the cellphone. Ricardo was walking back home alone after having lunch.
“Hello Sandro.” –said Ricardo. –“How are things at the academy?”
“Busy, really busy.” –answered Sandro. –“You know, adding your hours to mine makes it a full-time job.”
“Sorry about that.” –said Ricardo.
“Don't worry; as long as I'm being paid it's fine.”–said Sandro, smiling. –“You must come back for February, though; Clara won't forgive me if I spend all summer working.”
“Yeah, I'll definitely do.” –said Ricardo. –“With what I spent at the game, I'll need to save as much money as I can.”
“I'll return your classroom to you gladly.” –said Sandro, laughing. –“How's the game going?”
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“I think I'll be leveling to 20 tonight.” –answered Ricardo. –“I guess I'll be doing the class change quest tomorrow morning.”
“And then, you'll start the second phase of the plan.” –said Sandro, grinning –“Your first meeting with Johnny is probably the biggest hurdle in the whole thing.”
“I'm dreading it since the start.” –said Ricardo, nervously. –“I don't know how to act 'charming', more if it's with that guy.”
“When I imagine his smile, I feel like punching him right between the eyes.” –continued Ricardo, letting his anger show.
“And stomping his nuts for good measure.”
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“Ready?” –asked Angela, expectantly.
“I guess so.” –answered Milana, nervously. Kyle, Angela and Milana had cruised through the goblin warrens, getting to the boss door in half the time of the day before.
“Don't worry, I have leveled since last time.” –said Angela, smiling. –“Besides, I was rusty.”
“Today I'll show you!”
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The One-eyed Summoner opened its eye for the first time in the fight; Kyle was already set in place, the girls covering behind him. The shot went directly towards them, Kyle resisting it stoicly while Angela prepared to sprint.
Just after the red light began to dim, the cat-girl jumped right ahead and started towards the dais. Milana set herself two steps back and to the left.
“Shoot!” –yelled Angela, as she stepped onto the raised dais.
As the shadow of the dagger-wielding goblins started to appear, Milana shot the centermost pair one after the other. The goblins grunted and went directly towards the room's center, where Kyle was waiting.
Angela engaged the summoner successfully, spinning and slashing with her daggers. She twisted and turned, evading most of the wand strikes. She couldn't step back though, since that would let the boss shoot at her, so she was forced to take some hits.
Milana and Kyle got into their familiar rhythm, the later taunting the mobs and evading or blocking most of the attacks. Milana paced herself, shooting the goblins whenever she could get a clear shot, and healing Kyle as needed. She also paid attention to Angela's health bar; it seemed like she wouldn't need any help this time.
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“She's really good, isn't she?” –asked Kyle, while blocking simultaneously with his shield and spear.
“Yeah, she's wondrous.” –answered Milana, shooting left and right.
With only eight melee goblins left, the two of them went through the motions while admiring the fight in front of them. Angela had a third of her health bar left, the same as the One-eyed Summoner.
“This is my first VR roleplaying game, though.” –said Milana, touching Kyle's back with the tips of her fingers to cast healing touch.
“Angela had been bugging me to try Virtual Connection for a while.” –said Kyle, kicking a goblin that had gotten too close.
“But it sounded like a crappy fremium game marketed to girls.” –continued Kyle, shield bashing another goblin.
“It looks like one.” –said Milana, giggling while killing the goblin Kyle had just pushed away.
“Yup.” –said Kyle, blocking a thrown dagger with a spin of his spear. –“But it's surprisingly deep; watching the video of Angela's guild defeating the Christmas Event's raid boss convinced me.”
“I guess she's that impressive.” –said Milana, looking towards Angela.
“Not only her, some of the guys in her guild are pros in other games.” –said Kyle, taking the chance to finish an injured goblin with his spear.
“Pros, like in professional players?” –asked Milana, surprised.
“Yup.” –said Kyle, recalling his spear while blocking with his shield. –“And Virtual Connection might get a professional league soon.”
“For real?” –asked Milana, finishing another goblin.
“It seems version 2 is all about introducing competitive leagues.” –answered Kyle, bashing one of the only five goblins left.
“Dave just returned from a recruitment meeting for a future VC professional team.”
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Angela kept twisting and spinning, piercing and slashing; she knew it would be close. The One-eyed Summoner had been the top farming target for their party about half a year ago; Dave needed that wand afterall.
They had beaten it for the first time when they were around level 22, being one of the first teams to try the fast melee approach. Of course, after dozens of repetitions and armed with rare boss drop weapons, there was a point in which her old character could probably finish it with her eyes closed.
As she lost herself into the fight, she was slowly getting back that feeling. Her armor had already broken into pieces, no longer contributing with any defense, and her health bar was getting dangerously close to the one-hit death zone.
Not like it would get to hit me again.
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“Sorry Milana; no wand.” –said Angela, smiling with satisfaction. –“I guess we'll need to come back tomorrow.”
“Hahaha.” –laughed Milana. –“You were even more awesome than yesterday.”
“I'm finally returning to form.” –said Angela, grinning. –“Getting used to this new char is taking some time.”
“By the way, did you get to level 20?” –asked Angela.
“Not yet, but I'm very close.” –said Milana, smiling. –“The exp date might do it.”
“Are you joining a guild after finishing your class change quest? –asked Angela, expectantly. –“If you don't have one in mind you could try mine.”
Kyle, who had been standing to the side checking his stats, suddenly turned his head towards the girls, listening attentively.
“Thank you for the invitation.” –replied Milana, ruefully.
“But I'm already committed to a guild.”
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“Did you level?” –asked Kyle, after picking up the leisure date ticket.
“Yeah, finally.” –answered Milana, relieved. –“My Magical Girl costume expires today, so I kinda made it my goal to get to 20 before that.”
“I see, congratulations.” –said Kyle.
“Thank you.” –said Milana. –“Are you close to leveling too?”
“I got to 19 after defeating the goblin boss.” –answered Kyle, bashful. –“So it might take a day or two.”
“That's not bad.” –said Milana, trying an encouraging smile.
“I guess not.” –said Kyle, half-smiling.
“Are you going to join Angela's guild?” –asked Milana.
“Yeah, I intended to do so since the beginning.” –answered Kyle.
“I see.” –said Milana, sadly. –“I'm sorry; I already promised to join Amelia's guild.”
“Don't worry.” –said Kyle. –“It isn't like we can't train together every now and then.”
“Even if we aren't in the same guild.”