H3LL0

"Urbus"

After saying that, Hei's body glowed blue until it enveloped him and then he was gone.

"Well that happened fast." Ell said as he took as step on the platform then stepped back down and took a deep breath.

Oh come on, what is the worst that could happen, trust Hei on this. Ell thought.

He then stepped back up on the platform. What was it again? Erebus? Burnubus? Oh wait... that's it...

"Urbus!" With that said, Ell's body glowed, he closed his eyes as the glow enveloped him...

Ell kept his eyes closed until he heard the sound of the town; loud shouting, wheels rolling, people laughing, and then he opened his eyes.

The town was different from the Town of Beginnings. All around him, the houses were like those from the medieval movies he had watched.

He stepped down the platform and noticed that the ground was made out of cobble. He opened his menu and looked at the map of town, started to run, and aimed for the town's exit, ignoring and running past Hei. He found his way out and made his way out of the crater.

There he saw such a wonderful view, tablelands, plateaus, mesas, and rivers stretching as far as his eyes could see.

"Wow it's like I'm going to go hiking for the first time. VRMMORPGs are so cool."

 @Hei

Stats:

Ell accepted the party invitation right away.

"Oh yeah that's right, those things exist even in VRMMORPGs. I'd better ask him how to that when this is over."

 "Hey H3LL0."

Finally. 

Ell waved at Hei with the best smiling friendly face he could master as he walked towards him.

"Nice to see you again."

Well you don't have to pretend. If it is such a drag to help someone as weak as me you can go. Ell thought. He always looked down on both newbs and noobs, and now that he sees himself as one, he looks down on himself.

Hei took took out a weapon, hand wraps to be precise. 

And there are my training wheels right off the bat.

"Here, you should take this for the duration of the quest, it'll increase your damage, so it wont be that hard to break the stone. Also we need to go to the teleport platform in the middle of the town if we want to get to the second floor, where the quest will be"

"Cool I'll take it. This will surely make breaking the stone much less of a drag right? Also, what do you mean by a teleport platform? Never been in the middle of the town, sorry." 

Ell replied.

"Okay..." Ell said as he read Thunder Stormers in his inventory. A pair of boots that act as a weapon when using Martial Arts.

"Soon enough, I would be able to use you." Ell tapped Friend List in his menu and scrolled down to Hei. He didn't actually have to scroll since he was the only user in his Friend List.

Ell was waiting at the exit of the Town of Beginnings, he reread the message that he sent to Hei, and they were supposed to do a quest in order to get the Martial Arts Skill.

"Yo! I finally had the Energy to do the quest, the problem is, and I don't know where it is. So yeah! I'm at the exit of the Town of Beginnings, waiting. Can't wait to finally get the Martial Arts Skill. See ya."

Ell closed his menu and buried his face in his hands.

Did I do it right? He thought.

 @Hei

"Okay..." Ell said as he read Thunder Stormers in his inventory. A pair of boots that act as a weapon when using Martial Arts.

"Soon enough, I would be able to use you." Ell tapped Friend List in his menu and scrolled down to Hei. He didn't actually have to scroll since he was the only user in his Friend List.

Ell was waiting at the exit of the Town of Beginnings, he reread the message that he sent to Hei, and they were supposed to do a quest in order to get the Martial Arts Skill.

"Yo! I finally had the Energy to do the quest, the problem is, and I don't know where it is. So yeah! I'm at the exit of the Town of Beginnings, waiting. Can't wait to finally get the Martial Arts Skill. See ya."

Ell closed his menu and buried his face in his hands.

Did I do it right? He thought.

Accepting this quest.

“Yeah, yeah.”

Ezra’s cheeks were red, and Ell can feel his heart beating as if he wanted to just scream with joy.

"Fight is not over yet Ell, better focus."

Ell observed the Death Stinger. It was trying to look for an opening, flying from point to point. 

Then it charged at him, pointing its Sting at Ell.

"I don't think so" Ell used another Round Accel at it.

Ell went in for another two slashes at high speeds. Only this time the Death Stinger's counter attack was successful.

Just as Ell hit the ground, the Death Stinger went for his nape with its sting and it connected.

"Ell!" He heard Ezra say. He watched his Health Points go down for the first time. 

"I am okay."

Death Stinger

"Death Stinger" Ell read. 

"Okay, ten health points, and six damage..."

Ell brought out his Golden Sun Dagger and charged a Sword Art. He charged at the Death Stinger and jumped to attack it. Then he performed Round Accel, dashing around the death stinger at high speeds.

He slashed at its right side then spun to get to its left side and performed another slash. He watched the Death Stinger's HP go down.

He landed back on the ground. The Death Stinger lunged at him to sting Ell.

"Ell look out!"

Ell rolled to the right and dodged the Death Stinger's attack.

Keen and Savvy, so I get extra accuracy when I hit an attack or when I dodge one.

Ell thought as he looked at the two buffs he got.

Exactly like what I planned for this character. 

"Thank you Ezra, good to know that you care." Ell said trying to sound cool.

"Shut up! I- I still need you to get those materials for me so I can't have you die from a stupid Bee." 

On the way to the Dark parts of the forest

"So, uuhh... we have been walking quietly since we got here... uuhh..."

Come on Evan what is the hold up.

"I'm... Sorry?"

"Of course you are because you should be! Took you long enough!" 

Ell sighed as he kicked a pebble out of his way. "Call me Ell. I mean, it would be awkward if we'd be out here not knowing what our names are right?"

"Well you are getting comfortable. Okay, I guess I'll play along with your friendy friendy bussines. Name's Ezra"

Ezra. What a cute name.

"So Ezra huh... what a cute name. Nice to meet you." Ell said blushing

"Oh shut up." Ezra replied with red cheeks.

"No can do ma'am, but I won't let awkward silences-" Ell was cut short when a very large bee dived for him. Good thing he ducked.

“Okay, what now?”

Undead Treant Sap, Zombie Raven Eye, and Wraith Essence? Sounds like a good fight. Collecting all these materials for a cute girl... What a dream come true

"Okay." Ell replied.

"That was not a yes or no request. You needed to pay me back stupid! We leave after I bring... some necessary items. You prepare too. We shall meet outside the Town after five minutes."

The girl turned around and started to walk away.

I just talked to a girl, a girl, a girl! And a cute one at that. Oh no not again, I forgot to get her name. I'd better remember that the next time we meet.

5 minutes later

Ell was waiting at the exit of the Town of Beginnings, looking through his inventory, making a run down of his items.

"Got a lot of Potions, my daggers, my boots... Martial Arts skill please just wait for a little bit..."

Then somebody gave him a light push. When he turned around he saw the girl with a grin on her face.

"Well what are you looking at? Let us go! Follow me and this will be over in a jiffy!"

"M-my..." Ell watched as the potions break and disappear. "Potions." The girl turned around to face Ell with misery in her face, but it changed and turned to anger the moment she saw Ell.

“You again?!” She said as she grabbed Ell by the collar.

“How many times do you have to ruin...” Then she started to cry. The girl released Ell and covered her face as she sobbed.

Gaaah... what am I supposed to do, is this the part where I am going to comfort her and put my arms around her like in mangas. 

Ell took a deep breath and said,

“Okay, I guess it wouldn’t hurt if I help you make those potions again.”

Then the girl stopped crying immediately.

"Of course you will and we will be doing it immediately! And I don't need all those potions anyway, just one. I need three materials,  Undead Treant Sap, Zombie Raven Eye, and a Wraith Essence, all found in the deep parts of the forest of the first floor."

"Let's see. Hmmm... A job feature huh, must be cool." Ell said to himself as he walked around the Town of Beginnings figuring out what else he could do in the game.

"So, I could be an Artisan for making trinkets, a performer, or not, a blacksmith like Macradon, a tailor like Hei, a cook like Tsu, or an alchemist like Ben. Wow. All of them except for the Performer one is such a drag to have considering I need alot of materials to make stuff, stuff I could only get by gathering, and never will I ever want to be a Performer." Ell continued as he took a right turn and bumped into something, or someone.

"Ow!" Ell heard from someone in front of him. "No!" He tried to look at his situation a little more clearly and he realised that it was the girl from before. In the same blue dress, with the same black hair, and sadly, the same accident.

Ell listened to Yinnagi's story. After that, he spaced out, thinking about why he had to watch strangers deal with their problems.

Then the timer ended and the fight started. Krysta attacked with a sword art but missed, then Dazia with the same sword art but dealing so little damage.

That is it, entertainment! These gals could have defeated me in one hit. I hope I could fight them some day, in a normal duel where I feel no hatred at my opponent. Unlike this one, a fight of vengeance for a fallen comrade? Alot of players are so dumb in this game. They believe that Kayaba NPC too much, people who die in the game die in real life? Ha! That is one good script to make players go afk.

Ell noticed Yinnagi snickering. Loves duels too maybe? He thought.

Ell realised that the competition was still on going so he looked around for some materials.

ID: 95149 Result: LD =20 -Success 

Ell found a 6 Leafed Clover

"Hey-" Ell turned to Tsu, and tried to find Outlander, but he was gone. 

"The gathering competition is still up, this is our chance. Here take these.

Ell gave his three T1 Materials to Tsu. He then continued to watch the fight.

@Froppy @Vigilon @Krysta @Dazia

@Gwydion @Novafire @Benjamin Bookworm and @Tressa OwO

“I wanna see what happens. And as for your question, it is a bit of a long story... care to listen anyway.”

Listening to Yinnagi’s words made Ell think,

If it is going to be too long I could care less, It is going to be a drag and I might even consider going with Ben- wait, he is still not giving up on the search? 

Ell then looked around, and noticed Tsu too was trying her best to win the contest.

Ell also tried to look around for some materials.

ID: 94878 Result: LD = 11 -Fail

But there was none to be found at the moment.

He then turned to Yinnagi and said with a grin as he looked at the timer for the fight.

”Okay, kiddo, I want to watch too so you’d better not make me fall asleep, try to shorten the story for me will ya?”

@Dazia @Krysta @Outlander @Froppy

Summary:

 [SP-F1]«The First Few Lessons are Free»A Game Will Always Be A Game

Quest Rewards:

1. - 5 Tier One Health Potions of Uncommon Quality (+40HP)
   - 1 Tier One Damage Potion. (+1 Damage)
   - 1 Tier One Over-Health Potion (+50 Temp. HP)

2. 2 Additional Skill Points

Page Rewards:

1. 1 SP
2. 400 Col

Misc:

1. 30 Col

Total:
- 5 Tier One Health Potions of Uncommon Quality (+40HP)
- 1 Tier One Damage Potion. (+1 Damage)
-1 Tier One Over-Health Potion (+50 Temp. HP)

-3 SP

-430 Col

"Oh we are not done yet, deliver that potion to a blacksmith. His name is Lyle Tealeaf. Do that and that ends your quest."

Evan nodded as he took the potion from Zackariah.

"Thanks a lot Zackariah, you were a huge help, I learned a lot from you." Evan said with the nicest looking face he could muster.

Yup, and that is to not to gather ever again. What a total drag. Evan thought.

He said his good byes to Zackariah and exited his house.

"Blacksmith. Lyle Tealeaf. Healing Potion. Good Game Well Played. Simple" Evan said as he remembered to check the map of the Town of Beginnings for a green exclamation mark.

"There."

Several minutes later, he reached the Blacksmith's shop. Evan knocked and went in.

"Hello sir, I am Ell. Zackariah wanted to give this to you." Evan said as he handed Lyle the Healing Potion.

"Thank you." He replied.

Then it appeared:

<<The First Few Lessons are Free>> Completed!

Rewards:

+5 Tier One Health Potions (Uncommon)

+1 Tier One Damage Potion

+1 Tier One Over-Health Potion

"Finally!" Evan sighed.

Another yellow exclamation mark appeared on Lyle's head.

"Maybe next time." Evan said as he left the shop.

After shaking Yinnagi's hand, Ell stayed silent. 

He tried to do things that would entertain him. He kicked rocks, looked at his stats in his character page, and he also tried to look for some materials.

"Such a drag, how long do I still need to be here?" He said as he looked for some stuff under a nearby tree. The fog really did make it hard to look for materials.

Ell had to kneel and crouch so low, but he had no luck.

ID: 94760 Result: LD =7 -Fail

"As expected." He said as he stood back up.

At this moment, he noticed that Outlander was gone. 

He may be a drag but I've got the feeling that he's going to get into trouble again. Stupid newbies playing so proudly. Well better look for him. Ell thought.

But as he started to walk, someone bumped into Dazia.

At first he thought it was just a regular accident, but as soon as the stranger drew her rapier, Ell knew this was bad, or not, it may be the entertainment he was looking for. When he looked closely at the new comer, he recognized that it was Krysta, one of the players from the other team that gathered for the contest. He stood beside Tsu and tried to not let Yinnagi be in the fight.

"Yinnagi!" Ell called. "Stuff is going to get down, so why don't you come over here and tell me more about your friend, Dazia?"

@Dazia @Froppy @Krysta @Outlander

"Yo old man! I'm back!" Evan called as he entered Zackariah's house.

"Have you ever heard of knocking?”

Evan dropped the 5 herbs and said,

”Okay sir, I don’t know how to start so I will be ready on your call.”

Zackariah raised a brow and said

"Add the herbs on the cauldron with the liquid I prepared, make sure it stays that hot."

Ell dropped the materials on the cauldron with a silver liquid. As soon as the five herbs were submerged, the liquid turned green.

"Alright, now keep on stirring, soon you'll notice the change in its color.

ID: 94537 Result: CD =5 -Success.

The liquid's color changed from green, to red.

"There we go! That's enough!" Zackariah said as he bottled up some of the liquid and gave it to Evan.

<<The First Few Lessons are Free>>: Crafting a Potion 1/1 Completed!

"Well that was easy." Evan said as he received the potion. "Not as a drag as the gathering part."

ID: 94517 Results: BD =8 -Success, MD =1 -Fail

The boar made no sign of retreating.

"Alright, let me teach you a lesson, here is something I learned when I first started the game." 

Evan's dagger started to glow golden, then he used it to attack the herboar by slashing it.

Evan slashed the boar's left side then maneuvered over it and slashed his right at a blazing speed.

He felt so light when he did it. He recognized that he made some acrobatic moves that he could never have done in real life.

"This game is awesome!"

The boar began to face him, glaring, Evan noticed another small square under the herboar's health bar with something that looks like a drop of blood inside it before it fell down and broke into glass shards, and went away with the wind.

"Cool." Evan said as he exhaled. 

ID: 94527 Results: LD =3, CD =3

Acquired: 30 Col

"30 Col huh... I guess that is alright, I mean I did kill it without taking any damage."

Evan started to walk out of the forest.

ID: 94513 Results: BD =3 -Fail, MD =1 -Fail

Evan started the fight with a slash at the herboar's face. He never felt so alive in any other game than this. The fight was right at his face. Just when he thought that the attack would connect, he herboar dodged to the left and tried to attack Evan with its tusk, but he simply put his left hand on the herboar's head and pushed downwards. This redirected its attack as Evan went over it.

"Nice try, come entertain me more you First Floor training creep."

Evan noticed below his health bar, a small little square with a person who dodged counter-attacking. 

Must be the Savvy skill, if I remember correctly, it boosts the chance for my next attack to connect. Thank you Hei. Evan thought.

"From the looks of it you will be having a hard time hitting me, you puny hog. Are you sure you do not want to run with your tail between your legs?" Evan said hoping it would understand.

"Ell is definitely not my real name. Not that you care."

Ell yawned and stood up. He noticed that there were four other players around him. The two he recognized, were Outlander, and Froppy. The other two girls, were strangers to him.

He then noticed the fog. 

"Why do I have the feeling that we lost this little competition of ours from the very start? It's going to be hard to look for materials with this visibility."

He yawned again and decided to try to look for some materials in a nearby bush.

ID: 94510 Result: LD= 16 -Success

He found some berries.

"Well that is my second material, how are we?"

Ell said asking for their material count.

Wow, since when did I get his comfortable with them? Ell thought.

He then noticed that one of the strangers was a child younger than him. He had no social awkwardness when interacting with children , they felt so innocent.

"Hi there!" Ell said extending his hand for a handshake. "Name's Ell."

"I'm alright. Don't worry about me." Ell said as he gaver her a thumbs up and a smile.

Oh no, they must think I'm weird. He thought as he walked deeper into the forest, blushing.

"Okay, high level areas, equals better loot. Same game logic." He told himself.

He then tried to look for some materials alone. That way, he was calm, away from the random strangers he had just met. Ell looked inside a bush in the hopes of finding something.

ID: 94537 Result: LD =18 -Success

Ell found something silver. He tried to take it amd when he picked it up, he realised it was a Silver Flower.

"That is enough." Ell said as he transfered the Silver Flower to his inventory. 

Ell then proceeded to a nearby tree. He lied down under it and closed his eyes. "That's more like it."

He then drifted away to sleep. He had a deep sleep that just a strong physical stimulus might be the only way to wake him up. Not even the slightest noise would do it, unless of course that noise is so loud it would make him deaf, he would definitely wake up.

(OOC: Going to be out for a while. But I'll try my best to still reply often.)

"Asian, definitely from Asia somewhere from the South East." Ell knew he shouldn't be telling them about stuff in real life, but maybe just the location was okay. 

After that, Ell walked away from Outlander blushing. 

He then mumbled something along the lines of:

"Why the hell can't people understand I wanna be called Ell... My username is such a mistake... What a drag... That was my idea of a joke... Saying you're sarcastic and noisy enough to cause trouble... I am such a failure... I can't believe you believe what that NPC said... It was just a script to make up for the "No log out bug." This ain't no death game..."

He continued to walk farther from Outlander and Tsu, deeper into the forest. 

Ell later then tripped and fell. He looked at what he tripped over. It was a crystal-like thing, but when he tried to pull it out. It broke into shards and the shards disappeared with the wind. (OOC: Kinda like when an item's durability goes to 0.)

ID: 94327 Result: LD =6 -Fail

"Okay, the last one."

Evan reached for another herb on the boar's hide. He tried his best but the nearest herb was farther from the first one. He stretched his arms and then his whole body.

ID: 94295 Result: LD =16 -Success

<<The First Few Lessons are Free>>: Gathering Herbs 5/5 Completed!

"Got it! Hell yeah! Finally finishe-"

Evan was interrupted by the boar running away then it turned towards him. This made Evan trip and roll towards a clearing out of the bush. It started to stomp its foot.

"From the looks of it, you want a fight huh?" He said as the herboar glared at him.

"Well maybe I have got some time before I make potions. Come here you little s**t."

Evan equipped his dagger. A golden dagger with a sun at its hilt. He ran at the boar, and said,

"A low level like you better make me entertained, if not, all of this would be a drag!"

H3LL0

Herboar

At the failed attempt to gather some materials, Ell knew he had no chance of winning anything. Seconds later, another player approached him. He tried his best to hide it but Ell never was good with girls this close to him. She introduced herself as Tsu.

"Well at least we have that in common." Ell wanted to say more but he was too nervous.

But seriously though ribbit? Oh... She's one of those people who likes to role play, like Gwydion does. Ell thought.

Nova then announced the teams, he was grouped with Outlander, and the girl nearby, Tsu.

Ell followed them to the forest quietly, he didn't know how to start a conversation with these kind of people.

He also tried to look for some materials inside bushes, but he had no luck.

ID: 94268 Result: LD =3 -Fail

"Hey Outlander, was gathering out of combat ever part of the rules? I mean, if it's just who has the most materials maybe... I mean with your combat skills... And as to how get the monsters maybe you could try to be sarcastic and noisy... Maybe you'll attract some."

"Novafire? Hey, I kinda did receive your message. Well, here I am.  I am that H3LL0 guy. I'm guessing that it was for this particaular game you just stated, yes?" 

Ell turned around to introduce himself. He tried to be cool, because first impressions do count. But when he started to talk, he got all nervous and lost his confidence.

"Hello, uhh... That's my user name... Uhh... Ell, please call me that. Call me Ell." He said as he bowed nervously.

What a drag, instead of cool, I sound like a goodie goodie kiddo in Fourth Grade. He thought.

"I am not the best at gathering, but I would be happy to be in anyone's team, just don't expect me to gather much though." 

He then continued to a nearby tree, and sat down. Just being around alot of people made him tired.

"I  am here in case anyone needs me." 

He tried to search the tree for materials.

ID: 94232 Result: 12 -Fail

He found none.

"What did you expect? Of course you have rotten luck." He said to himself.