Secret behind Penance Quest

"What is taking you so long?"

As soon as I stepped out of the Blacksmith's tent, I received a message from Stivi. 

Before I could reply, another message arrived. 

"It doesn't matter. Zamir and MamaMia have logged out for today. We will continue our quest tomorrow. Just meet me in the reception area when you are done."

I simply sent out an "Ok" and started searching for a place to log out. 

Dreamverse VR was unlike other VR games played on VR helmets or VR Capsules. A player was not only mentally exhausted but he was also exhausted physically. 

One had to take frequent breaks to prevent fatigue from building and over-exerting their body. It was best to limit the gaming hours according to one's body's capacity, just like in Gym. 

Hence, the VR Room complexes would recommend to most of the people to set a timer for their gaming hours, just like Zamir and Mamamia. Unless they were on a time-sensitive quest, nobody would force themselves to go past the timer to maintain the optimal condition of their body. 

Since it was my first day in a long while inside the VR room, the VR complex had not gathered data for my physical condition yet. However, I was sure I would be given a recommended time when I returned tomorrow. 

I finally located a secluded tent and went inside. Making sure I had achieved everything I wanted to achieve for today, I logged out. 

A few minutes after I exited the VR Room, I had already found Stivi among the plethora of players bustling about in the reception area. 

She was seated in one of the couches, munching on a Mars Energy Bar. I brought myself a cool glass of water and plopped in a seat next to her. 

She raised her eyebrow seeing the glass in my hands, as if asking, 'is that all you are gonna buy?'

I took a sip from my glass leisurely and replied teasingly, "I am not a wastrel like you." 

Stivi's lips curled upwards in a mock smile. She whispered, "Who said I brought these myself?"

After being with her for so many years, I knew exactly what she meant. Still, I cocked my eyebrow and asked, "Oh?" 

What I actually meant was, 'which sucker?' 

I knew from my experience that Stivi must have swindled these chocolates from some rich young master before politely rebuffing his advances. 

The case was indeed as I had expected. She smiled sweetly at me and murmured, "Courtesy of Young master at 3 o'clock."

Suddenly I became alert. I had felt numerous stares as soon as I sat in the seat beside her, but I had ignored them. I was too tired to care about them. 

Now that I was rested, I could feel someone staring daggers at me. I sneaked a peek in the direction Stivi mentioned, only to see a young man gnash his teeth as he looked at me, wishing desperately to yank me out of the seat and occupy it himself.

Thankfully, the security on Mars was managed by AIs and Robots who would not distinguish between common folks and the rich. 

Hence, the cases of young masters getting into brawls for girls they liked were non-existent on Mars. 

Secure in this knowledge, I smiled at him. I picked up a Blue Star Candy he had brought for Stivi and popped it in my mouth. To provoke him even further, I raised my glass in a toast and gulped it down in one breath. 

Stivi pinched me and said, "You are very bad, Saras. I still wanted to swindle some more chocolates from him!" 

I looked at her, speechless. How dare she call me bad when she was the truly evil one! 

Just as it seemed like the young master was about to pop his vein, Stivi grabbed me, and we left the VR complex together. 

After walking for a few minutes, the VR complex disappeared behind the other residential and commercial complexes. 

Smile disappeared from my face, and I asked Stivi in a serious tone that meant business. 

"Can you tell me now what possessed you to kill those Fortune Guild players in the Safe zone?"

I could not question Stivi openly in the game in front of her guildmates lest they misunderstand. If it involved Guild secrets and Stivi divulged them to a guild outsider like me, it would not reflect well on her. 

However, the same was not the case when we were talking in person. Stivi was simply my best friend outside of the game. It was up to her what she wanted to share, regardless of whatever instructions she received from the Guild higher-ups. 

Stivi looked at me and let out a long-suffering sigh. 

My 'Stivi senses' tickled, just like they did every time this girl did something stupid and dragged all of us into trouble with her. 

"I received information that only by completing a Penance quest can we activate the Faction function in our Village."

I was highly skeptical of this piece of news. What kind of game would make players undergo a punishment quest to activate a new function, and that too without any tangible benefits for the players in question? 

I looked at her with a poker face and tried my best to keep my skepticism about the information out of my voice. 

"Stivi, dear, where did you get this information?"

Despite my best efforts, it seemed like I had failed. If it was anyone other than Stivi, they might not have caught on, but Stivi knew me too well, and I could not hide my condescension from her.

She narrowed her eyes and said, "This is reliable information collected from events in Village#20033, Village# 1056, Village#10982, and Village#92481. All of the penance quests were related to a Faction and the rewards were that particular Faction's Reputation points."

I immediately detected something fishy about the information because Stivi's Penance Quest coincided with the quest Bowsmith Sangma had issued me. Maybe some NPC like Bowsmith Sangma existed in other Villages as well? Considering this fact, I rebutted her with another question. 

"Are you sure it was the Penance Quest? Also, what about the other Villages?"

She was left tongue-tied and couldn't immediately answer. It was only natural. 

There were more than 100,000 Barbarian Villages in Dreamverse with 1000-5000 players in each Village. If Factions were activated in only 4 villages of the 100,000 after the completion of the Penance Quest, then it could not be denied that the activation may be a coincidence.

Stivi had obviously not thought about this and directly acted on the information, assuming it was accurate. 

After my questions, she fell into deep thought, and I did not feel like breaking the terrifying news of what awaited us at the end of her Penance Quest just yet. 

A few moments passed in silence as we walked down the street. I kicked a pebble that was in my path when Stivi startled me with a loud 'Aha!'

"The Penance Quest is not all bad. Our levels will be frozen at Lv5 until we can join a Faction. That way, we will get the additional stat boosts of the respective Faction and eventually possess much higher stats than all the other players."

I immediately understood what she was talking about. The three Factions each gave additional Stat points. 

An Elf had a chance to gain an extra +1 Agility and +1 Intelligence on top of 4 free stat points on each level up. 

Similarly, a Human could get +1 Intelligence and +1 Strength, while an undead gained +1 Strength and +1 Vigor. 

So as Stivi said, it was indeed wise to get a Faction at Lv5, as then you would have more Stat points than those who joined a Faction later. However, was it worth falling behind in terms of levels? I was not so sure. 

Seeing me fall silent, Stivi began to gloat. 

"See, I told you there was a good reason. I am no longer the girl who used to only cause trouble for her team; Now, I am a responsible Management figure of Grandeur#89!"

This Troublemaker! She needs to be taught a lesson. 

I opened my Dreamverse Stats Window by tapping the VRID card on my Smart Watch. Then I flicked Stivi's forehead, drawing her attention. 

She looked at my stats and then again looked at me, not understanding what I wanted her to see. 

"Look at my Strength and Agility Stats."

"14 Strength, 12 Agility. These are the same stat points….. as mine." 

Suddenly, something clicked in her head. She looked at me with shock and asked, "How can you have the same stats as me and still have 4 Unused Stat Points?" 

I smirked at her mysteriously and pushed open the gate to my house. 

"If you want to know, accompany me to exercise tomorrow."

Saying so, I shut the door of my house in her face with a smug smile.