Chapter 6: The Oracle's Lair

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the musty scent of aged books mingled in the air as Arlow and Dudrag slumped into a pair of well-worn armchairs. The cafe was a quiet refuge, its walls lined with novels and tattered paperbacks standing silent witness.

Dudrag stared pensively into his steaming mug, absentmindedly stirring the inky liquid. "You wouldn't believe what got me fired," he said finally, breaking the silence.

Arlow leaned forward, elbows on the battered table between them. "Yeah, I've been meaning to ask about that quest you got. I'm surprised you're still intact after whatever bizarre task they threw at you."

Dudrag let out a rueful chuckle. "Oh that? It was the most ridiculous thing." He leaned back, reminiscing. "One minute I'm crunching numbers for my marketing firm, the next this weird screen pops up asking if I want to be 'free from capitalist oppression' and get fired. Can you believe that?"

Arlow shook his head in disbelief. "That's...certainly an unorthodox quest. But I suppose it worked?"

As Dudrag regaled him with the story of quitting his job in a gloriously cathartic rant against his tyrannical halfling supervisor, Arlow couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. His own induction into this game had been marred by grim violence and constant peril. Dudrag's path, while bizarre, seemed almost comically easy by comparison.

"Well, I'm glad one of us had a relatively smooth transition," Arlow said wryly, pushing aside his jealousy. "Because the danger seems to be ramping up quickly."

"Yeah, and my starter quest was quite easy too - I just had to read 5 fantasy books. It still shocks me how straightforward that was." Dudrag shook his head in disbelief.

As the dragon finished his tale, Arlow pulled out the pieces of gleaming armor and reinforced gloves he'd purchased back in Uruk, explaining their protective properties. But as Arlow went to hand the silver chestplate to Dudrag, both of their screens flickered to life with new information.

"Add Friend feature unlocked! You can now send friend requests to other players." "Trade feature unlocked! You can exchange items, currency, and crafting materials."

New features, recently unlocked, danced at the corners of his sight.

Dudrag's eyes widened at the possibilities. "This could be incredibly useful. We can share resources, cover each other's weaknesses..."

Arlow nodded, a small smile playing across his lips as he extended a friend request to Dudrag. There was something immensely satisfying about that simple notification solidifying their newfound alliance. "To celebrate our partnership," he said, opening his inventory.

With a few practiced motions, Arlow initiated a trade - sending a gleaming silver suit of armor to Dudrag. "Figured you could use this. The blacksmith couldn't find anyone big enough to use it or crazy enough to buy it."

Dudrag's eyes widened as he accepted the armor, marveling at the exquisite metalwork. "This is incredible. Thanks, Arlow."

"Don't mention it," Arlow waved him off, though he couldn't hide his pleasure at Dudrag's reaction. "That burly dragon physique of yours needs some serious protection out there."

Grinning, Arlow showed off his own newest acquisition - a pair of leather gloves that glowed with an eldritch light, subtly boosting his defense. Dudrag whistled appreciatively at the intricate design while feeling a pang of wistful envy.

But when the dragon moved to equip the silver armor, the game flashed a warning: "Requires 5 STR to equip." Brow furrowing in confusion, Dudrag opened his character stats screen to investigate.

"Equipment only shown in Nihil Realm but you can still equip your weapon and armory," another screen prompt stated.

Arlow did the same, and they compared the numbers outlining their respective attributes. "Huh, so everyone's stats are different based on our real-world physical and mental attributes," Arlow mused aloud. It was as if the game served as a mirror, translating their intrinsic abilities into hard data.

Dudrag's stats were noticeably higher - a natural byproduct of his draconic heritage granting him superior physical and mental prowess. As the burly dragon allocated his points, boosting his Intelligence per the system's recommendation 10 points that is, on the other hand Arlow couldn't help but feel a slight pang of jealousy. His own modest numbers paled in comparison. Yet he quickly steeled himself against such envy. Survival in this game would depend far more on perseverance and wit than mere attributes.

Just as they were settling back into the comfortable cadence of conversation, fresh notifications flickered across their vision. A new quest had formed:

"Take your cab on adventure." Quest: Investigate an abandoned church outside Venberg. Details: An old, dilapidated church near the town of Leisurebury may hold clues. Reward: 200 Nihil Dollars

"Leisurebury? Oh shit. That place where all the old folks live, right?" said Dudrag, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah..." Arlow's expression grew somber. "I used to live there, last year, I think. Around the time when...when my brother passed away."

Dudrag felt the weight behind Arlow's words, sensed the lingering sorrow his companion tried to mask with a soft smile. An awkward silence stretched between them.

Sensing Arlow's discomfort, Dudrag decided a change of subject was in order. "Should we head out then? Sounds like this quest won't complete itself."

"Of course, you dumbass," Arlow replied with a grateful chuckle, giving Dudrag a playful shove. "The danger certainly isn't going to wait around while we lick our wounds."

They rose as one and exited the cozy cafe, blinking against the harsh sunlight. The battered cab was waiting where Dudrag had left it, its engine rumbling to raucous life as he slipped behind the wheel. Arlow settled into the passenger seat, the familiar surroundings doing little to ease the persistent sense of being cast adrift in utterly unfamiliar waters.

The drive passed in a blurred kaleidoscope of sights and sounds. Urban sprawl gave way to desolate countryside, the roads eventually leading them to the outskirts of a town that seemed frozen in time - Leisurebury. Squat houses and shuttered storefronts lined the streets, populated only by the elderly spending their final years in this isolated haven.

At last, the church itself emerged into view - an ivy-choked ruin with stones crumbling under the inexorable march of decay. As they approached, Arlow felt an oppressive atmosphere descend. The air itself seemed to grow heavier, thick with the weight of malevolent history and the whispers of untold anguish lingering within those mouldering walls. Dudrag too seemed to sense the miasma of dread and glanced sidelong at his companion.

"Hmm. Not exactly sure what we're supposed to investigate," Dudrag muttered, anger lacing his words to conceal his disquiet. "Looks like there's nothing here but dust, termites, and more dust."

"Well, let's just do what we can," Arlow uttered, struggling to maintain his serious expression as unease gnawed at him. He scanned the decrepit facade, half-expecting ominous apertures to open and swallow them whole.

"What? You want to dust off the pews and chat with the termites while we're at it?" Dudrag joked, but his mirth sounded forced even to his own ears.

"Quest Complete! The rewards have been saved in your inventory!" The screen suddenly materialized before them.

"What? Is this bastard pranking us again?" Dudrag growled, unable to contain his frustration at the game's mercurial whims any longer.

But before any further words could be uttered, the screen flickered once more.

Quest: Find the Newbie Guide

Details: Somewhere within the abandoned church, a Newbie Guide awaits discovery.

Reward: 100 Experience Points, 1 Newbie Guide

"Ah I see, even though you already know some of the information from me. Every newbie still needs to complete their own tutorial and get the Newbie Guide themselves," said Arlow

"Yeah, it seems so..." Dudrag answered while take his steps going inside the already decayed abandoned church.

The air within was heavy with dust and the miasma of slowly rotting wood. Pale motes danced in the feeble light spilling through shattered windows. Moving carefully, Dudrag soon located the Newbie Guide - a simple booklet glowing with eldritchradiance amidst the gloom.

Arlow watched with a conflicting blend of jealousy and relief as Dudrag claimed the guide so easily. His own journey into this game's madness had been fraught with constant peril; Dudrag seemed to be skipping down an effortless path by comparison.

The game's prompts flickered:

"Tutorial Complete! Reward saved to inventory."

Rewards: 200 Nihil Dollars, 500 Experience Points, 10 Nihilism Portal Scrolls

The Newbie Guide's information seemed to integrate directly into Dudrag's psyche as fresh knowledge bloomed in his mind. 

"You have leveled up! You are now Level 3!"

Another notification, this one heralding an exciting new ability.

New Skill Unlocked: Bio Construct (Basic Skill) – A skill that Allows you to create small, temporary constructs using biological materials. These constructs can serve various purposes, such as forming barriers, tools, or simple automatons for specific tasks. These Skill do not require mana to activate but you need a biological material to conduct an activation of these skill. It has 10 Seconds cooldown before you could use it again.

Dudrag's face split in a wide grin. "Hah! Look who's got the useful skill now!" He jabbed Arlow's shoulder playfully, drawing a laugh from his friend despite the lingering pall of unease.

No sooner had Dudrag completed the tutorial than a foreboding new quest manifested with stark finality:

Party Quest: Make a party and fight the danger together!

Details: A portal to the Nihil Realm will open. Use Nihilism Scrolls to teleport directly to the location. Defeat the Oracle and her underlings. Beware of potential item drops.

Reward: Dungeon chest, skill books. Item drops (Extra Rewards)

The two companions exchanged worried glances as the gravity of the situation settled upon them. This was no mere fetch quest or simplistic affair - they were being called to battle. Dudrag unconsciously rubbed his clawed hands together as hazy memories from his childhood surfaced. Years spent avidly playing MMORPGs, decimating monsters and crawling through dungeons with each new raid.

"Okay, here's what we can probably expect," he said, some of the old spark flickering in his reptilian eyes. "Typical dungeon structure - we'll face waves of basic monsters, then some mini-bosses, all building up to the final big baddie."

Arlow felt a frisson of trepidation intermingle with undeniable excitement at the prospect of leaping headlong into such an epic confrontation. For all the confusion and horror this game had subjected him to, he couldn't deny the raw thrill this quest promised. He nodded curtly. "Let's do this."

With a handful of Nihilism Scrolls clutched tightly in their hands, the two adventurers tore open the shimmering portals - one rift, then another. The world around them dissolved into blinding white luminescence.

Then, just as abruptly, their surroundings coalesced into something ancient, decrepit, and thoroughly alien. A chime sounded, accompanied by a crisp notification:

"Welcome to Feltor: The Graveyard of Uruk City."

Crumbling headstones and mausoleums stretched out in every direction, adorned with indecipherable runes and inscriptions. The very air seemed to whisper with barely perceptible malice. Another tremor rippled through reality itself as a new notification manifested:

"The portal is opened."

Before them, amid the sepulchral landscape of what was clearly an unhallowed resting place for the dead, shimmered an eldritch rift of scintillating energy - the promised gateway to the Oracle's domain.

Arlow could feel the hairs on the nape of his neck prickling as they cautiously approached the shimmering portal. A sense of disquiet settled into the pit of his stomach like a leaden weight. Dudrag, ever the enthusiastic gamer, felt a thrill of excitement course through him. This was his first real party quest, and he was determined to prove his worth.

Despite the eerie surroundings, the two adventurers felt a bond solidifying between them, a partnership forged in the fires of this strange game. As they stepped through the portal, the air around them grew heavy with anticipation. Arlow couldn't shake the feeling that they were plunging into something far more dangerous than they had ever encountered before.

The Cathedral of the Oracle loomed before them, it's dark spires piercing the sky. Inside, shadows danced along the walls, and a sense of foreboding permeated the air. Arlow's instincts screamed at him to be on guard, and he warned Dudrag to stay alert.

"Remember, this isn't just a game," Arlow said, his voice low and tense. "We have no idea what we're about to face."

Dudrag nodded, his usual jovial demeanor replaced by a determined focus. "Yeah, I know," he replied, gripping his Giga wrench tightly.

As they ventured deeper into the cathedral, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to close in around them. Every step echoed ominously, and the shadows seemed to whisper secrets just out of reach. Arlow couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched that something malevolent lurked just beyond the edge of their vision.

Yet, despite the fear gnawing at the edges of their consciousness, they pressed on, driven by the need to survive and uncover the mysteries of this twisted game. As they approached the inner sanctum, the air grew colder, and a sense of dread settled over them like a shroud.

The Oracle awaited, and Arlow and Dudrag steeled themselves for the battle that would determine their fate. The real game was about to begin, and they would need every ounce of their skill and courage to emerge victorious