Acceptance and First Fight

"Mommy why is that man crying?"

"Shhh, I told not to point at strangers, especially weirdos!"

Ignoring the painful-to-hear conversation, Nex sat on the corner of the village square with his head on his knees and tried to get over his depression while mumbling things.

"Damn it! Why did it have to be fu**ing Perias of all places? Why of all the dimensions in existence did it have to be that hellhole."

After a few more minutes like that(and quite a few stares from the pedestrians), until finally, Nex overheard something that made him snap out of his current state.

"Wellcome! adventurers from another world! To our world, Superbia!"

'Superbia?'

With this name, hope bloomed in Nex. 'That's right! This isn't Perias this just a copy of this world, and since this game is open for everyone, then it probably won't be a hellish place like the original! Damn! These emotions are causing trouble again!'

At last, getting over his depression, Nex stood up with light in his eyes.

'Well, first let's check my status, after all, this is a game.'

"Status"

[Name: Nexus.

Titles: None

Class: Trainee Explorer.

Profession: None

HP: 100%

MP: 98/100

Level: 0

EXP:0%

Fame: 0

Strength(STR): 10

Agility(AGI):10

Vitality(VIT): 10

Mana: 10

Wisdom: 10

Accuracy: 10]

'All in all, quite a generic status, I see that MP is not full because of the light I just made, but I wonder…' lifted his hand in a similar pose from before.

"Light"(unknown language)

And once again a shining ball of light appeared in his hand, but not caring about that, Nex instead looked at his MP.

MP: 94/100

'So far so good,' and along with these thoughts, Nex opened his mouth again.

'Light'(unknown language)

This time instead of a small ball of light was a much larger one that shone so brightly that it seemed like a miniature sun, but also different, was that this one shone about half of the time.

"Aack!"

"What is this light?!"

Quite a confusion happened in the street, but when the light went out, no signs of the culprit where found.

In an alley, nearby Nex smirked as he stared at his status screen.

"Maybe this game world being a clone of Perias isn't so bad after all.

MP: 92/100

But then Nex shook his head and closed his status.

"But that was true if I was gonna use it all the time to things like fighting. all I want is to go out on adventures, I'm sick and tired of fighting."

Now finished with his little experiment, Nex checked his other privileges as a player, skill window and inventory window.

"Well I expected it will be this way," Nex sighed as he saw what would be his empty skill window if not for what he just did.

[???(Active)

Activating the skill will produce light that depending on the mana consumed and the user proficiency, will vary in size, brightness, and duration.]

But that is only the obvious result as Nex chose to not only play in Master mode that doesn't allow the player to have skills that give support from the system such as proficiency skills but also play in the notorious Explorer class that doesn't allow the player to learn or have a combat skill that he didn't create by himself.

"Well, I will do something about that when I would need it," sighing and naming the skill Light, Nex opened the last window, Inventory.

[Gold:0, Silver:0, Copper:50](1 Gold = 100 Silver = 10,000 Copper)

[Trainee Shirt(Normal).

Level:0

PHY.DEF:3

Durability:10/10]

[Trainee pants(Normal).

Level:0

PHY.DEF:2

Durability:8/8]

[Trainee Shoes(Normal).

Level:0

PHY.DEF:1

Movement speed +5%

Durability:10/10]

"Seems normal so far," said Nex as he looked through his equipment, but then his face turned strange when he saw the last one.

[Trainee Wooden Sword(Normal)

Level:0

PHY.ATK:5

Durability: ∞]

"Although I have to admit that this is quite handy, it probably weird to have an item with this function given out at the start of a supposedly realistic game."

Saying that he pulled the sword out of the inventory and examined it closely, it was old-looking short-sword made of common wood.

After examining it for a while and finding nothing note-worthy aside from its durability, Nex shrugged and strapped the sword to its waist.

Since things like friends system and guild aren't important for him right now because he needs to meet Jane and Eddie face to face in the game to register them as his friends and message them, Nex, at last, started to search for quests in order to level up and get out of the beginner village and the outside of the game.

After walking around and asking a few people, Nex arrives at the village head house which is actually a large manor that is even guarded by a few guards.

"Halt! Only those who have been approved may enter the gates and meet the Village head!"

Stopped at the entrance by one of the guards, Nex blink and then smirk in his heart. He bows lightly and says in a respectful and formal tone.

"Oh, respectful guards excuse me for my rudeness. I am a traveler from another world(one of the in-game names for players) and I came with the purpose of helping this world, and so I wanted to ask the Village head if there is anything I may help and do for the villagers."

Facing such treatment from Nex, the guard expression softened and he said, "that isn't a problem although I agree with the sincerity in your voice, I fear I still can't let you meet the village head. But if what you looking for is things to help the villagers with there is something you can help me with."

The guard turned around and after a few moments returned with small boxes and a note, "can you please deliver these for my wife Dorothy, she works at the restaurant a few streets from here, I will give you for these 10 Copper and a meal okay?"

[You got a quest request!

Deliver the lunch box back.

Summary: Return the lunch boxes and the note back to the guard's wife

Difficulty: F

Reward: 10 Copper coins, a meal and a small amount of EXP.

Do you accept?]

'Well I have to Start from something,' "Sure, no problem"

[Quest accepted]

After getting walking instructions to the restaurant, Nex walked for a few minutes and soon arrived at a small restaurant that had a sign on him that said "Dorothy place", entering the place he walked to the counter where a middle-aged lady stood.

"Welcome handsome, would you like to order something?"

"Thank you but I have been asked to deliver something," Nex shook his head and passed the boxes and note while he continued, "are you by any chance Dorothy?"

The lady nodded as she received the bundle, "yes I am, I see that you have brought my husband lunch boxes? along with a note as well I see?"

After Opening the note and reading it Dorothy sighed, "seem like soon things will stop being quite," but soon enough her frown turned back to a smile as she looked back at Nex, "Thank you here your reward."

[Quest completed!

EXP:10%

For the rest of the reward talk with Dorothy.]

"Here 10 Copper, and as for the meal seat right here I will bring it for you soon."

Soon after sitting, Nex received a plate with some food and bread from Dorothy, "here you go."

Looking at the seemingly-normal dish, Nex inside was slightly somber as he remembered the similar-style yet flavorless foods he ate back in Perias. But in order to not insult Dorothy, he still took a spoonful of food and put it in his mouth.

'Hmm!? This is good! In fact very good!'

And to his surprise, the food tasted nothing like what he expected! After finishing the food speedily, Nex learned two things, one, he should think of this world as "another Perias" but as a different world. And second…

(bows)"Please teach me how to cook!"

His first profession will be a Cook!

"Oh my, although I appreciate your enthusiasm, I can't teach you as you haven't finished your first awakening," apologized Dorothy.

"Oh, I see," said Nex dispirited. First awakening is the NPC way to call first class advancement that players do when they reach a city at level 10, in other words, Nex has to be at least level 10 in order to learn a profession.

"Well, so can buy at least another dish?"

"Fufu, of course!"

After ordering another two meals which costed him, 10 Copper, the now satisfied Nex realized something.

'Hmm it seems that although I there isn't a parameter that indicates it, you or at least your avatar can still get hungry inside the game and consume food normally. Interesting."

Having thought that Nex stood up from his seat and asked Dorothy, "Dorothy, do you know if there is someone who needs help with things like hunting monsters or doing chores?"

♦♦♦

After doing some more simple chores which leveled him to level 1 and 5%, Nex got a quest which required him to hunt a monster, a Small Slime and get an item called Slime core. Finally, Nex is going to have his first fight in the game.

After walking out of the Village for a few minutes he arrived at a field where he saw numerous players hunting a small monster that seemed like a moving ball of jelly. Closely looking on the monster letters appeared above it.

[Small Slime(Normal) LV:1]

Monsters are divided into 9 ranks. Normal, Rare, Elite, Lord, Royal, Imperial, Sovereign, Demigod, and Divine. In addition, they are divided into two types, Normal monster which can at most be Lord rank, and Boss monster which for far stronger than a normal monster even at a rank above it. Furthermore, The difference between each rank is huge and most players won't be able to bridge it unless they are stronger both party-wise and equipment and Skills-wise.

While sorting that information in his head, Nex searched for a place where there are fewer people hunting as he will probably attract attention when he hunts, but alas, he didn't find any place in the hunting field of the Small Slimes that wasn't full to the brim in players.

Sighing, he began to search for other places that can have Slimes, and soon enough he found a place that may answer his demand.

[King Slime(Rare Boss) LV:5]

[Big Slime(Rare) LV:3]

Seeing the 3-meter and 1.5-meter tall Slimes and the empty area around them, Nex nodded in approval. Since almost no player reached high enough level or skill to fight these monster, this field was quite empty and no people can be seen around.

"Well let's see the so-called Rare rank first." walking to a slightly distant Big Slime, Nex pulled out his sword and started to get closer to the Slime.

Sensing someone getting closer to him the slime charged at Nex with surprisingly agile moves, but Nex, without even flinching waited for the moment just before the slime touched him and lightly side-stepped, seemingly dodging the attack with ease.

'Compared to the normal Slimes, although I should also count the level factor, there is indeed a not a small difference between their strength.' thought Nex while continuously jumping to the side while avoiding the slimes attacks by hair breath, 'oh well, guess I should now finish this'

At the next attack of the slime, Nex instead of dodging closely to the side like before, this time Nex jumped backward and at the moment the slime about to finish his charge and just as the slime about to start his next charge, Nex kicked the ground and appeared in front of it swinging his sword at its core.

But the sword seemed too short to reach the core so that the swing missed it by an inch, making the attack seem to have not succeeded.

But then a strange thing happened. Although having a perfect chance to hit Nex, the slime didn't move and in fact even begun to melt until there was left a few Copper coins, and a small core that as it touched the ground it split cleanly in half.

Nex picked it up and checked its information.

[30+ Copper]

[Big Slime core(Excellent)

Level:3]

After putting his loot in the inventory Nex checked his EXP bar.

EXP: 15%

"This much EXP for a monster this weak? This is sure is disappointing," Nex sighed. Were other players hear him say that they would have tried to choke him until he says sorry. Normally, a player with stats and Level like Nex couldn't even dodge the first attack of the monster and be instantly killed if not severely wounded.

But that is only true for most players, using the Master mode that directly makes real-life abilities have the same effect as skills if the player capable enough he can already at the start have the capability of a player with high-level skills!

In order to cope with that and not make the game ruled by people who are high-level hunters in real life, the developers made the game world so that its laws are the same as the world it was cloned from so that in order to reach the truly high level of skills the player would have to learn them from zero so that everyone will have to start from the bottom if they truly wanted to reach the top.

"That sounds like a pain in the a*s."

Well that of course, aside from a certain someone.

"Good thing I don't have to do it."