Prelude: You are no one

I can't help it, I'm nervous, are my stats high enough?

I look at my level again, I'm still at level 5 but, I was lucky enough to activate the Secret Medicine quest, I shiver and feel cold every time my mind brings me to imagine fighting with those monsters.

In the beta, I never was able to cross the first floor, two days before they close the test a player named Kirito told me about this quest, what I need to do it's rather simple.

An NPC not far from me is sick, they tried every single medicine but only a flower can save them, this flower is a drop from a plant monster, however, this monster is what the players call a "Rare Drop"

A rare drop is a common monster, with something more, a different color, or in this case, a flower on their head.

That's where the Monster Musk comes in handy, by killing those "Little Nepenthes" you can get their leaves to drop, and after mixing with "Bee stomach" You get a potent increase of monsters to encounter, there are other ways of doing the same or similar potions, but I'm on a rush to get powerful, I hope this decision doesn't kill me.

They are just monsters, even with Monster Musk I will still have to kill nearly one hundred of "Little Nepenthes" but my fear it's what happens after, many monsters will appear and surround you, and I don't think I'm strong enough to kill them all alone.

I could ask for help in this quest, but only the person who accepts earns the item, so I have the risk of being killed, real-life killed, I can't trust anyone here.

I could look for more equipment, but on the first floor, the resources are very limited, I don't know any other quest delivering a weapon as a reward, and even if I keep grinding xp I won't get much stronger, at last, I have a lot of hp, I invested all my points in resistance so I will be less likely to die.

I'm daydreaming, I have no choice but to step further, I died on the beta doing these quests, but now I know more about this game, and not only my life is at stake, but other people too, I can't let this game beat me!

I will complete this quest, and I will give freedom to people from this cursed game! You will see Kayaba, I will strike your monster down!

I get excited from all these thoughts and rush to the forest in this deep night, a girl is waiting for this item after all, even if she is an NPC, who will never recover herself, after I complete this quest another person will do the same and gain an "Anneal blade" and together we will defeat this floor boss.

After running for a time I see a Little Nepenthes spawn in my front, I stop before it notices me, I want to full strike with my spear, this monster uses slash attacks and it's weak against pierce, reason for me to use a spear, they use distant attacks with their whip leaf arms, when you get closer they try to bite you with their big mouth. With my life at stake any information is crucial, I killed some before to make Musk, so it shouldn't be hard to kill one hundred, one by one, even if I have to spend the night grinding I will get this blade.

I grip my spear, and I activate my "Sword skill: Critical Thrust" This skill not only improves my chance of critical but buffs my damage by 180℅

I start to run toward it, and when I was 2 meters close the monster surprises me with its leaves, it strikes me easily canceling my skill and ruining my stamina, I'm pushed back but I don't give up, I start to run again towards my enemy.

The Little Nepenthes tries to strike me again but I quickly dodge by lowering my head, with their guard open I thrust their green body, a critical damage, and the monster fades away in light crystals.

This will be a long night.

After about two hours of killing these monsters I'm already used to, I adopted a dodge and counter-tactics, they are monsters after all, usually, those Nepenthes try to hit your head, but if you dodge one hit they try to surprise you with another quick one, but if you are close enough, your spear will damage then and you won't have to fear being bitten, after two or three hits they will certainly die, even if you didn't upgrade your strength attribute.

After my last kill, I saw what I'm looking for, the flower, I who was confident before now fear death again, I can't help to start biting my digital nails, I know that after this kill, I may not come back, it was all fun and games until now.

I look at my now level 6 bar, I'm not sure if I'm ready, at the beta I was a happy level 11 player, why couldn't we back to this, despite being a mortal game, it is fun, I like the battle system, I like the people who are stuck with me, I don't have a problem talking with them as I have on real life, I feel like I can be myself, I feel like I am useful, right now I'm being a hero in training.

But what's the use of a DEAD hero?

That's why I won't die, I will survive no matter what, I go for the kill, and after two dodges, a critical damage, I got the system notification.

[ Congratulations! "The Quest Secret Medicine of the Forest" Can now be completed ]

So, no more trap monsters?

After I think the ground starts to shake, 10 or 20 of the Nepenthes start to grow up to life, I wanted to run fast as I could but, they will be in a circle, I will use my sword skill "Critical Thrust" and get the hell out of here.

My spear glows ready to kill, I wait for the perfect timing and kill the Nepenthes after they show their Health bar, and I got the kill, but what I didn't expect was another one fully growing at my front, I tried to step back, but it was too late, I was surrounded, behind, the sides, even if I kill one, in the open space of my attack I will be killed.

It can't be my end, I just need to kill you all!

After my boots fell to the ground I attack the one who was at my back, and I got my hit, it didn't die, but will stop living spoon, I try to attack the many I can, I dodge one, two times, three times, I hide behind the trees, and after I hear their attack attempts, I back to fight

I am the monster here! You all can't beat me!

I'm starting to feel a lot of adrenaline, I can't help but smile, I never felt so alive in my life, I block their whips, I dodge their mouths and I strike their heads, victory lies ahead.

Critical thrust! I say in a loud voice and kill another one, after 5 minutes of fighting, I can notice the numbers decreasing.

Die! Die! I say again, as my spear passes through their stomach, but soon after my last kill, my eyes against my will look at my stamina.

Zero? How!?

I stop my last attack as I stagger, after one second I get a hold of the ground.

I only need some seconds, I'm almost there.

Suddenly my head starts to spin, something has pulled my foot, the time starts to slow down as I see a head down Nepenthes, I see their smile, their sharp tooth, I only can think one thing.

Super Ma-

Suddenly I can't see anything more, I feel something pierce my waist and I hear the damaged sound, my eyes turn to my HP bar, it starts to disappear.

Zenon: HP 1379/1594

Lv: 6

Am I really going to!?

I start to struggle but the sound doesn't stop, I can't see anything and I can't move my arms, my legs start to go upside down like crazy.

Help! I scream to the void.

Zenon: HP 865/1594

Lv: 6

No! God damn it!

Zenon: HP 322/1594

Help? Suddenly my hp stops dropping and I can see the night again, the stars, I feel the ground once more, and something holding my foot. The realization snaps in my face and I try to stand up, in vain, something pulls me up and throws me tone nearly three, and the last thing I hear it's the damaged sound.

Zenon: HP 0/1594

Lv: 6

[ You are dead ]

I start to feel a rush of electricity, pain, it's done.

So... This is... What? I get numb and my consciousness fades, I'm sure that I heard somewhere, that we stay alive for some minutes before truly dying, our life flashes in our eyes.

But I couldn't see anything

Did I, not live? I...