"WHAT!!!"
"What do you mean you got kicked out? Why?"Bill, completely gobsmacked, stopped in his track.
"Took the fall for the bronze mine incident in 'Forgotten lands', Thompson said it was my fault and guild leader seized my account to appease Falcon Warriors." Kelvin replied.
"But Thompson gave that order? How come you got kicked out for it?" Bill asked remembering the aforementioned incident.
Just like the pro-player ranking, there was also a ranking for the top hundred player guilds.
In Forgotten lands, competition for properties and resources was very fierce. That day their squad led by Kelvin the squad leader discovered a bronze mine decided to occupy it after reporting to an officer.
However, they soon found out that they weren't the first to discover it, they found two players with their informations hidden, already mining inside.
The officer, Vivan Thompson gave the order to slaughter the players and his goons in the squad immediately attacked before Kelvin could stop them.
The two players were killed and they occupied the the mine only to find out later that those two were members of the guild Falcon warriors, a guild ranked 23rd on the ranking.
Not wanting to risk provoking a behemoth like Falcon warriors, the guild leader of Virtual Victors, Kelvin's unrated guild, decided to use a scape goat as an apology.
"Cause Thompson said I gave the orders." Kelvin replied, at this time he was already able to walk on his own, even practicing jogging and jumping.
"And he believed it like that?" The more he heard, the angrier bill became.
"He had Cole and his friends back him up." Kelvin replied casually as if he wasn't even involved.
"Those d*mn scoundrels" Bill cursed in anger.
A squad generally consists of many players, Cole and co were among the guys who attacked the two players.
"Forget it, this topic is souring my mood." Kelvin spoke as they exited the town gate. Before them laid the entrance to sunset Grove. Due to the red leaves of the maple tree the forest was covered in red, hence the name.
Kelvin first looked through his character panel and assigned all free attribute points to agility.
"I'm going to ask you something, regardless of your answer we will still be friends?" Kelvin's expression suddenly turned serious, no longer showing the little brother aura he always emit around Freddy.
Bill who'd also assigned his free points turned to look at him in surprise before nodding for him to go on.
"I plan to create an adventurer team later, I can't pay you like the guild, but everything we earn we'll divide amongst us, what do you say?" Kelvin asked, his expression one of seriousness, yet his eyes flickered with slight hope.
After a short moment of silence, Bill finally replied, "Well Arcadia has that coin trade platform, we might be able to make even more than what the guild pays us. Who else is on the team?"
Having worked with Kelvin before, Bill could attest to the kind of person he is, so he didn't hesitate to join him.
'Besides, what guarantee that I won't one day be made a scape goat as well?' Bill thought to himself.
Hearing Bill's reply, Kelvin smiled and nodded, "still not sure yet but I'll think more about it when the adventurer team patch is unlocked later."
And with that both of them entered the forest to begin grinding for level.
With the first skill of both their classes, even though Kelvin and Bill formed a party and shared exp, they still leveled up at an astonishing speed.
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Precision shot [Active]
Level 1
Description: Deals 2% additional damage to target with increased accuracy.
Cost: 5 MP
Cooldown: 10 seconds
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Earth strike [Active]
Level 1
Description: Release a rock spike that deals 5% additional damage as earth damage to enemies.
Cost: 10 MP
Cooldown: 10 seconds
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They both levelled up as if their lives depended on it.
"You're wasting the beginners arrows boss, even a blind man could aim better than you." Bill with a teasing smile launched a rock spike that missed its target.
"Yeah right, like you could do better." Kelvin laughed at the mised strike.
Due to the game's immersive realism, character mechanic became rather difficult.
At level 5, they unlocked new class skills, Kelvin got the archers double shot, while Bill unlocked the shamans regeneration, effectively taking care of healing.
After seven hours of levelling, when they were at level 8, the world Announcement echoed.
Ding!
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World Announcement
Player Hurricane has become the first to reach level 10. He has unlocked the level leaderboard.
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Finishing off the Lvl 8 wolf before him, Kelvin looked at the announcement in the sky before hurriedly opening the leaderboard.
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1. Hurricane [Lvl 10]
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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Aside from Hurricane, there was currently no one on the ranking. But Kelvin knew it wouldn't be like this for long.
"We gotta hurry up to level 10 so we can be among the first group to enter Clover city." Kelvin said and Bill nodded in understanding.
Both of them returned to leveling up, their motivation on an all-time high.
---
Meanwhile in the Verdant Glen of Hillburry Town.
Freddy who wasn't as eager to level up as his younger brother had just reached level 4, receiving 4 attribute points and 1 skill point.
Looting the boar, Freddy got two hides, some raw meats and 7 copper coins, bringing him to a total to 17 hides, a couple of raw meats and 72 copper coins.
Just then a low growl echoed in the forest, snapping his attention to the front. In front of him, a menacing wolf was slowly approaching him.
[Bloodthirsty Wolf
Level 5
HP: 450/450]
Retreating several steps to gain some distance, Freddy immediately lowered his stance ready for battle.
But then, responding growls also came from his left and right side as two more wolves made their appearance.
'Wolves don't move alone, I've already fallen into their ambushed.' these thoughts unwittingly rose in his mind.
Using his mind to call up the stats panel, Freddy assigned 2 points to strength, 1 to endurance and 1 to vitality greatly boosting his stats.
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Name: Aegis Kaelos
Level: 4[exp: 10/340]
Class: Gladiator
HP: 180/180
MP: 50/50
Attack power: 35
Defense: 12
Attack speed: 15
Movement speed: 13
Strength: 10
Agility: 13
Intelligence: 5
Endurance: 6
Vitality: 9
Unallocated Points: 0
Skills
Equipments
Inventory
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Looking at his upgraded stats, Freddy heightened his senses as he prepared himself for his toughest battle yet.