"Why the hell can't I kill it?! I'm starting to get bored!"
[SLIME - Level 1]
HP: 5/15 | ATK: 2 | DEF: 1 | SPD: 3
Special Ability: Division (HP ≤ 5)
Tenth time. Tenth damn time I'd fallen to a simple level 1 slime.
At first I couldn't even touch it. Now, every time I reduced its health to 5, it would split in two and I'd end up getting massacred.
"Hahaha! I already told you that's not the way, Cassius!"
"Then what's supposed to be the way?! Tell me, Shin!"
"Hey, calm down... Look, the slime left."
I turned my head. The damn slime had returned to the spawn zone and merged back together. Full HP: 15.
"That's it! I'm out of here!"
[Disconnect? Yes/No]
"No, no, no! You promised to play with us."
"It's the first time we can all play together," Astrid added.
My hand hovered over the [Yes] button.
"Just take your time," Griffin encouraged me.
"Besides, it's fun watching you lose to a level 1 slime... heh heh," Leander murmured, holding back laughter.
"I refuse, it's too humiliating..."
"Wait..."
Juno approached and took my hand. Her pleading eyes stopped me.
"If you leave, I'll feel really sad. I was so looking forward to playing with you. Please... yes?"
Damn it.
"Fine... I'll stay. But only because I won't let a slime beat me."
I looked away, embarrassed.
"That's it!"
"Now you're talking!"
"How quickly she made you change your mind," Leander mocked. "You must really like Juno..."
"That's not true! Shut up!"
"Do you still like her? I thought you'd gotten over it after she rejected you," Shin commented.
"Enough already! I never confessed!"
"Yes you did, and she did reject you. We all know it..." Astrid declared.
Everyone nodded. Juno avoided my gaze, uncomfortable.
"Say whatever you want... I just want to finish off these damn slimes."
[Introductory Mission: Collect 10 Slime Balls]
[Progress: 0/10]
Pathetic. It was the most basic mission in the game and I couldn't complete it. My friends had finished it ages ago.
I sighed and picked up my knife from the ground.
"Wait, Cassius."
Shin stopped me.
"Let me show you one last time how it's done. Pay attention."
With a confident smile, he approached the slimes. He picked up a stone and threw it. An enraged slime jumped toward him.
"It's very simple..."
Shin dodged each attack effortlessly, talking to me meanwhile.
"Keep your gaze fixed on the monster. You'll see circular arrows that change color."
"You already explained that to me. It's hard to hit when they're red..."
"Don't hit right on red. Calculate the seconds between each color and determine how long your weapon takes to impact."
He raised his sword, still dodging.
"When you've got it clear... simply attack."
SLASH!
Critical hit. The slime died instantly.
"Impressive!"
"You're an expert!"
Everyone applauded, including Juno. I felt a pang of jealousy.
"Come on, it's not that big a deal. I just followed the tutorial," Shin responded modestly.
"You make it look so easy..." I muttered.
These types of VRMMO games had never interested me. I was only here for my friends. I put on the MindLinker and logged in directly without informing myself. I chose the Rogue class because I liked its design.
'If I'm staying to play... I won't fall behind.'
I gripped the knife tightly and headed toward a slime.
'I'm only here for you guys... but I won't be a burden!'
I picked up a stone and threw it at the slime.
"Look at that... Seems like Cassius wants to try again," Leander mocked. "Place your bets: the slime or Cassius?"
"Stop making fun of him already," Astrid scolded.
"What's wrong with it? I only do it because we're friends."
"It doesn't seem right to me. You're going too far."
"How bitter..."
"She's right. It's very immature," Griffin intervened. "But... I bet a dollar that Cassius will win. I see determination in his face."
"Seriously?!"
"It'll be a pleasure betting against you."
I could hear them, but I was focused. The slime was approaching, jumping furiously.
I dodged its attacks like Shin had taught me. It was harder than it looked. Several times I almost fell.
I kept my eyes on the changing arrows, calculating the timing.
"It's time! Haaaaa!"
I moved my blade with force, attacking two colors before red, just as Shin had explained.
"Huh...? It can't be..."
Something strange happened.
The slime became watery. My knife passed through it without causing damage.
I fell forward, slamming into the ground.
"Enough already! Get off!"
The slime began hitting me while I tried to get it off.
Another defeat.
SLASH!
Shin's sword cut the slime, dropping a slime ball on me.
"Take that as a reward for your effort," he said smiling.
"I don't want your pity."
"It's not pity. You really did very well."
"And what's making you laugh so much?!" I yelled at Leander, who was covering his mouth.
"Oh... nothing. Just that thanks to you I just won a dollar, isn't that right, Griffin?"
"Yeah... whatever," Griffin responded dryly, walking away.
"Huh? Come on, what's wrong with you? Don't get mad just for losing a bet."
"I'm not mad."
"And why are you all staring at me so much? If you want to say something, do it already," I said to Astrid, Shin, and Juno.
"Cassius... you really did very well. Just take that slime ball and keep trying," Shin encouraged me.
"I already said I don't want your pity..."
"Cassius! Shin is just being kind!" Juno scolded me.
"Easy. It's normal. He's just frustrated," Shin calmed her. "I'd be the same way."
"It's just that I don't understand. I did everything exactly like you told me, but the slime did something none of the previous ones had done."
"You had bad luck. The probability of a slime using that defensive ability is 1 in 10,000. Don't worry, I can collect the balls for you if you want."
I was fed up. I just wanted to disconnect.
"That won't be necessary, Shin. I can give them to him," Juno intervened. "This morning I logged in early and killed several slimes. I have too many balls in my inventory. I didn't want to say it because I thought you'd get angry."
"Really?! That's great! Shin, do you accept?"
I took a few seconds to think. After all, I didn't have the energy to keep fighting.
"Sure... if it's no trouble."
"Of course not."
[Trade Proposal - Juno]
[Accept/Decline]
I accepted. Juno gave me 9 slime balls, plus the one from the ground: 10 total.
[Introductory Mission: Completed]
[New Level Reached!]
[Class: Rogue - Level 2]
Strength: 5→7 | Dexterity: 6→9 | Speed: 8→10
Weapon Skill: 3→5 | Endurance: 4→6
HP: 15→18 | Skill Power: 3→8
"Alright, guys. Let's get out of here."
Shin approached an ancient stone rectangle on the wall.
"The first one must insert the slime balls into the holes. That will form the portal."
Astrid went first. She crossed and the portal vanished.
"See you on the other side."
Leander followed. Then Griffin. After that, Juno.
"Alright, Cassius. Get ready. Crossing that portal, the real fun awaits us. The real game is just beginning," Shin said before crossing.
I inserted the slime balls and prepared myself.
"Real fun, huh? Let's see if you're right."
Finally, I crossed the portal.
[Beginner Zone - Completed]
[Welcome to the World of Divine Damnation Conquest]