W.H.Y Chapter 13.1

Full Dive-MMORPG: Lucid Dreams. Time: 15:04:00

"Almost an entire hour in the Character Creator, Yugo is going to kill me. Knowing him, he's already on his way out of the starting town. Well, I'm just about finished here, just need a name:

W—"

"That's works. Starting point: Middle Kingdom: Aufruinen"

I tried my best to hurry it along but the creation menu has always been a weakness of mine.

After managing to log I awoke with the first sight greeting my the light of the sun shining beside a vermilion sky.

No matter how many times I came to this place, the sight, the smell and the feeling of grass between my fingers and the cool wind across my face, Ulgree always felt incredible.

I hadn't been in the game in over three months, but getting through the calibration process wasn't too hard, though I was never a fan of the Emergency Stimulus Test.

Still, I'm sure some masochist out there sure does.

I took a look around, hoping to spot someone familiar but it seemed like no one spawned nearby. Even though twenty of us had a 12-hour lead, I was kind of surprised no one was nearby.

Past the meadows and grasslands, beyond what looked like plough fields and gravel roads laid a wall in the horizon.

I thought that they might have made some changes but the Devs seemed to have polished it up instead.

I knew that I had no time to waste, opting to check everything else as I made my way, I called on a passing cart to carry me over to the nearest town.

Asking for 12 bronze pieces meant a huge chunk of starting funds was gone with him but trying to pass the terrain on foot would have meant perishing from starvation or thirst before having travelled on a 1/10th of the way there.

Still considering how little investment went into my luck stat, I can't blame anyone for being swindled.

Hopping into the back, the stranger clicked to his steed, waking the Achromanyx into action and spurring its cry before the cart took off moving with incredible speed that the stranger warned I stay seated.

Taking the opportunity to figure out how far my first objective was I sat alongside the produce. Focusing on the borders of the HUD, a menu appeared with my stats:

• Race: Dragon. Class: Swordsman Level: 0

• HP: 100

• MP: 70

• Blessing: Uryans Trace, Root of Ambition

• Vitality: 5

• Strength: 3

• Agility: 6

• Endurance: 5

• Intelligence: 4

• Dexterity: 6

• Wisdom: 5

• Luck: 0

"Well, it was either that or sacrifice a point for strength" At that moment I really wished I hadn't been forced to start over.

I knew that having a character worth two years of playtime would have been unfair but I couldn't help but be annoyed as I bounced around the cart.

"Are you an adventurer mister?" the stranger asked me but I groaned in disagreement when we arrived at the gates with soldiers surrounding the cart, I was asked to leave the cart and meet the guards.

While some of them searched the kart I was asked to identify myself.

Taking some time proofing my ID, I was given a stamp and guided towards the Twin Moon Clocktower.

Thanking the stranger, for the trip I received a prompt:

"Your relationship with this character has increased"

'Anything could happen' was the unofficial motto of the game, guess some interactions have triggers I hadn't discovered yet.

I wondered if Yugo's flirting with the NPCs was why he managed to progress so fast the last time.

I tried to ignore his smug face while I made my way to the Clocktower.

Entering through the phantasmal doors that appears solid with a glance, I was approached by a Lycan attendant.

She asked about my business with the office and I told her I was looking to become an Adventurer.

In the past, I struggled for a week before looking in the tutorials and still finding nothing has taught us well.

The thought brought a tiny tear to my eye as I remembered all those sleepless nights playing in the Research and Development lab, with most of that time spent running around the starting town

She eventually moved me to a room and told me to wait a moment, before returning with a partner in tow.

The size difference of the Lycan sexes is always a sight to see.

Standing by the door and trying his best to seem nonchalant, he kept his gaze on me as I signed my name to register.

"Well then, you are officially a member of the Adventurers Federation, spread across Ulgree you'll be able to take jobs and cash them in for profit.

Complete enough Jobs or complete grand quests and your rank among the Adventurers will grow, allowing you access to even greater Quests.

When you are ready, you head out and complete your membership quest.

Doing so gives you access to the Transport Key allowing you instant travel between locations you have visited"

She finished her work before packing up and leaving with the guard behind her. A prompt appears in my HUD as I left the room.

"You now have access to Adventurers Federation Guildhall and your Membership Quest:

Provide assistance to any citizen of Aufruinen"

Looking at the clock running down from the three days I had to finish the quest, had me move through the city.

With a level 0, and not even having an Adventurer Rank meant that trying to offer my support to the locals was completely ignored.

Rushing through the streets, I tried looking for anyone in need but the bustling city heard none of my pleas.

It was around this time that an announcement for the Global release of Lucid Dreams went off.

Allowing new players to jump in, I wouldn't be long before the streets were filled with them.

The thought of which caused me to panic, driving some mild desperation to catch and finish this mundane quest, I was even pushing to donate some of my coin to a beggar that sat beside me in my exhaustion.

Taking a moment to catch my breath, I realized that I was once again near the gates of the city.

The guards warned me not to cause any trouble and I obliged as my eye caught the sight of the same stranger now unloading his cart alongside some others with a blonde woman in the driver seat.

Wishing the beggar luck, I went to see the stranger.

"Well if Anheii isn't a small world. You aren't planning on beating an old man for your coin now are you?"

"Not at all, I just came to say hello."

The old man smiled with fuss ignoring the talk of money owed as he asked me what brought me to the city. I mentioned my Quest and he offered my work on his side.

Offering to pay me for the work I completed,.at the behest of the young girl that berated her father for swindling a stranger:

"Ignore my father, he's a sharp man, but always ends being a thorn in people's side. I'm Lucy and they're my cousins, Dutch and Bo"

"It's fine, he's helping me finish a quest, getting paid is just a bonus. The name's Winter"

It wasn't long before we were done offloading the cart and heading out of the gates towards a quaint homestead nearby a surprisingly cold lake.

The closer we drew the chillier it felt with them surprised by the feature of the lake, Bo noting that it's been that way since four days ago but he wasn't sure why.

With the group having arrived at the house, they were introducing themselves with Lucy giving me a heads up on what to expect and even offering the barn for me to rest in.

Sleep in the game always felt weird, in the same way drinking a cup of coffee doesn't give you all that much of a boost over a nap in the real world, sleep in the game doesn't compare to the real thing.

Still, the act, offered a temporary resting bonus for your character allowing an increase of 10% to level progression for 12 hours.

Getting woken up by Lucy meant a set of objectives were now available.

Simple Life Quest: Objectives

• Plough 300 yards of land.

• Harvest 50 snow apples.

• Collect 10 lost sheep.

• Shear 10 bundles of fleece

• Catch 3 fish from the lake.

"There's a lot of work for a simple life" a comment that brought a smile to her as I brushed the hay off me and prepared the day.

Spending the day toiling in the hot sun made me wish for a boss fight or something to break up the monotony but no such luck.

The only thing to ease the struggle was the prompts of an increasing relationship with the stranger as I completed task after task.

Shearing the last of the sheep, meant the day was already at an end, with only a day left for the completing of the Membership Quest.

I tried to get only the rest I needed, though the day wore me out enough that sleep took me until finally letting go in the early morning.

While waiting for the sun to rise for a new day, I finally started allocating my points.

Having moved into level 2 through all the work and surprisingly enough interactions.

I had finally enough points to add to strengthen myself.

By the time Lucy called me to help her with the last of the Quests, I felt good to go.

Winter. Race: Dragon. Class: Swordsman Level: 2

• HP: 120

• MP: 90

• Blessing: ?

• Vitality: 18

• Strength: 12

• Agility: 21

• Endurance: 18

• Intelligence: 7

• Dexterity: 17

• Wisdom: 5

• Luck: 0

One thing was bothering me when I left the barn, up until I had reached Level 1 I couldn't access my Blessing let alone how to use it but now I can though no description came up.

The only information I could get was that it was a passive-type Blessing.

When we got to the lake, Lucy managed to snap me from my thoughts with her pointing at the unfrozen part of the lake.

We walked over and she passed me a rod, taking most of the morning and afternoon...the final catch marked an end to the experience.

Getting ready to leave in the late afternoon, Lucy was off some the fish while I waiting for her casting and drawing the line.

Until my line was caught on something, taking a bit of force to reel it in, I finally pried it loose from its bounds.

Pulling back, a shiny object Landed beside then taking the interest from Lucy while the waters suddenly grew colder.

Within a mass growing larger and larger at the centre of the lake, the surface was finally breached by a pale Serpent towering above as the surrounding became icy.

"A dragon! Here?" I was surprised, though I couldn't have been too naive in thinking some of the parts of the game would stay the same, still, the sight of the Pale Serpent was no joke.

The beast was strong enough to kill a player with relative ease using its Frost Effect, something that was hard to ignore when standing in front of the creature.

The creature spotted its stolen scale.

With a hiss of frozen mist, the serpent turned against them wanting its scale back.

New Quest: Cold and Slow Death

• Survive against the Pale Serpent

'Why is one of them here?'

I couldn't understand why the game thought I had a chance against this creature, but holding in my words I moved against it.

Rushing for the homestead, the creature cornered her while she moved, pushing her back to the lake.

It ignored me, trying to help her, I drew my iron sword though I had my doubts about its durability, as I tried went for the softest spot, only managing to slash against it as the tough flesh repelled any penetrations.

With enough tries, I caught its attention as it readied its Frost Breath, I called to Lucy to toss me the scale and for her to run back to the farm.

Doing so got her to a safe distance while I tried to hide behind the creatures massive body, the even blast of frost showered me.

Hoping to try a last-ditch effort, I clutched the scale against the blast...finding the cold had washed over me but I was still alive.

Whatever that scale was made of meant I was still alive though I wouldn't be able to take more of those hits.

When it slithered its head about, I started to rush around it with it thrashing against the ice, I was thankfully for the points I put into agility and endurance.

Each time I drew near, I struck at the same opening.

Cleaving away the flesh little by little until the moment the scale fractured from the cold, I took a chance and plunged the sword deep into the serpents wound, bracing the cold of its attack.

With the spray of blood showering my freezing body the growing ice was steaming away with the serpent falling at the lake, cracking the ice with its gaping mouth.

Lucy returned with her father shocking everyone around while the sound of the prompt chime took my attention:

Quest Complete: Adventurer Membership

Reward: Bronze Rank and Transport Key

Quest Complete: A Simple Life

Reward: 6 bronze pieces

Quest Complete: A Cold and Slow Death

Reward: Frost Scales(x12)

• Frozen Fangs: x4

• Title: Serpent Killer

• Skill gained: Frost (Cool the area around you to freeze your target of Level 5 and below)

Level Up: Level 4