Ivette and Noff’s Little Picnic

[I can feel the heat.]

[I can feel the beat.]

[I'll reveal the creep staring at your feet]

[Lalalalalala]

This is how Nexus decided to wake me up today. So if you ever feel like you had a bad night, trust me, it cannot get any worse than having Nexus in your head. Not only is the lyrics awful, its voice is arguably even worse.

As I slowly opened my eyes, I indeed saw someone staring at me with her mouth and eyes wide open. It was Ivette wanting to wake me up.

"Oh." She said right before giving me a smile.

"Oh." …

"Hueehhh…" I uttered as I retreated towards the wall.

"You're very close." I said.

"I only climbed up the ladder to see how you were doing. It's quite late, you know." She said.

"What time is it?" I asked

"About 11:30"

"Wauw…" I said in disbelief.

It wasn't really much of a surprise, since I needed to completely reset my circadian rhythm after my short siesta. Ivette on the other hand was completely prepared, she already changed her attire and packed up all her items.

"I haven't eaten yet, I'll wait for you at the bar." She told me. I nodded.

As Ivette left, Nexus started explaining to me why it's so amazing.

[See! I saved your life! I cannot wait for you to appreciate my warning skills.] Nexus said.

Thank you for keeping my sleeping schedule in check, otherwise, please refrain from singing ever again.

[That's no fun, I need to practise in order to improve, just like you need to practise being less blunt of a personality.]

Nexus is definitely the reason why I'm so efficient with my time. Wasted time means spending time with Nexus.

As I was done changing I went on to finding Ivette. Considering her physical appearance, it wasn't very difficult. As I sat down Ivette stated her plan for today. At the moment, we're sitting approximately 1 km underground. If we want to fight more advanced monsters, we need to go deeper. Ivette hasn't explored much herself as she's only level seven. But she managed to map out all the towns she's been to so far, which were only four.

Upper Caverns:

Tavern (1 km depth)

Bamburgh (1.5 km depth)

Westwend (2 km depth)

Tregaron (3 km depth)

Urmkirkey (27 km depth)

"So my idea is basically to go to Urmkirkey, which is far deeper than where we are now. The reason is that at the 25 km mark, two new main monsters start appearing, namely Mimis and Wolvines. I have defeated Mimis before, but Wolvines will be new for me too. This way we can level up quicker." She explained.

"That's really deep, reaching the town is one thing, but how are we ever going to return?" I asked.

"You can request teleportation stones at each tavern. Teleportation stones only work within each layer. So whenever you reach a town, you can teleport to it the next time you want to visit it, but that's only the case if the town is on the same layer as you are right now. There's no actual way to teleport to random places in our solar system or whatever. It's to prevent total chaos for obvious reasons."

"That sounds like an awesome mechanism." I said enthusiastically.

I decided to request one of these stones at the tavern immediately. There weren't any preconditions attached to it, since it seemed like the regulation of teleportation was pretty strict.

"So I have this quest right here." She continued.

Mini Mimi

Defeat two Mimis.

Recommended Level: 5

Recommended Party Members: 2

Rewards: 100 Zuz

-Tavern

"It's given by the tavern itself, so it's not special in any way, but it would be a highly effective way of working towards our goal. On the way we can defeat the Wormins we find and level up as we go." She tried to explain.

I agreed with the plan. Mainly because she's more knowledgeable than me, but also because the faster I level up, the faster I will have access to my abilities, I thought. So on that note, we left the tavern and went for a walk, a really long long walk. We did not pass any other towns on the way. The caverns we saw were wild, many Wormins were breeding now, as if it was breeding season. Many adventurers capitalised on that fact and started farming them for xp. We decided to do that too for a little while, the only inconvenience being that Wormins are so weak, they barely generate XP.

After an hour or two we decided to leave the Wormins and continue on our journey. Even though we went deeper and deeper, the amount of adventurers we saw didn't decrease much, there were a lot of them.

As we settled down to take a break after about 8 hours of walking and running at around 18 km deep, Ivette pulled out a variety of delicious treats from her bag. The sight of them made my mouth water and my stomach rumble with anticipation. She had prepared a delightful assortment of high-quality afternoon delicacies, each one more tempting than the last.

First, there were freshly baked pastries, still warm and fragrant. Golden croissants with a buttery, flaky texture that practically melted in the mouth. And beside them, tender scones adorned with clotted cream and sweet jam, offering a delightful balance of flavours.

Next, she unveiled a plate of colourful sandwiches. Soft, pillowy bread enveloped savoury fillings like thinly sliced roast beef, tangy cheddar cheese, and crisp lettuce. Another sandwich boasted creamy avocado and juicy slices of ripe tomato, while a third option featured smoked salmon with a zesty dill spread.

To complement these savoury delights, Ivette had also packed a selection of fresh fruits. Juicy slices of watermelon, bursting with sweetness and refreshing coolness, were a perfect treat for our underground journey. Plump strawberries and succulent grapes provided bursts of natural sweetness, while slices of ripe mango offered a tropical twist.

Lastly, she produced a small thermos of fragrant tea. The aroma wafted through the air, filling our surroundings with comforting notes of herbs and spices.

"A- A- Amazing!" I shouted.

"You bought all of these at the tavern when I was still sleeping?" I asked in awe.

"Some of it, yes. I made the sandwiches and tea myself." She responded.

"Go ahead, dig in." She said.

Without a second thought I started eating and drinking to fill up my stomach as much as possible.

"It tastes really good." I said after taking a bite of the self-made sandwich.

"Thank you."

``Noff-Ivette Relationship Level Up!

Current Level: 3``

As we were eating, I decided to take a look at my stats once more.

Information <Noff>

Information <Noff>

Name: Noff

Level: 4

Inventory Items:

Orange-Bladed Mace

13 Orbs

1 Teleportation Stone

50 Zuz

Abilities:

Attractionist.

Speed Shadow Cloning

Relationships Levels:

Noff-Nexus: 1

Noff-Ivette: 3

And as it happens, levelling up really did unlock my abilities, at least some of them. "Attractionist" and "Speed Shadow Cloning". I wonder what that means…

Nexus, I can get information about monsters I've defeated, do you also have an ability catalogue of some sorts?

[Yes sir!] Nexus responded, acting like we're doing a military drill.

Attractionist: A unique and captivating ability bestowed upon the possessor, the Attractionist exudes an aura of irresistible charm and charisma. With a mere glance or a few well-chosen words, they have the power to forge deep connections with those around them. As their relationship levels with others increase, so does the harmony within their party. A harmonious party becomes a well-oiled machine, working seamlessly together with enhanced efficiency and synchronisation. The bonds created by the Attractionist are not merely superficial; they are rooted in genuine respect and admiration, resulting in comrades who are more dedicated and loyal to the cause. As the Attractionist's power of attraction intensifies, subtle yet potent bonuses manifest during battles. Their party members synergize effortlessly, unveiling powerful combos that leave foes in awe. The Attractionist's presence acts as a catalyst for excellence, elevating the abilities of their allies to unforeseen heights. Not only do their companions feel invigorated, but their inherent strengths and attributes receive a significant boost. The Attractionist's aura of allure, woven with finesse, grants an enigmatic allure to their party, encouraging them to face adversities with newfound determination and camaraderie.

Speed Shadow Cloning: A captivating display of unparalleled agility and dexterity, the Speed Shadow Cloning ability bestows upon its possessor the essence of fleeting shadows, dancing in harmony with their swift movements. As they engage in high-speed combat, their lithe form leaves behind illusory shadows that confound and bewilder adversaries. The ephemeral duplicates mimic the user's graceful manoeuvres, deceiving opponents as to their true location and intentions.

In the heat of battle, enemies find themselves confounded, struggling to predict the real actions of the Speed Shadow Cloner amidst the flurry of shadowy apparitions. The mesmerising dance of shadows casts an aura of mystique, making it challenging for foes to discern the true path of attack. The illusionary ripples of speed not only grant the Speed Shadow Cloner a tactical advantage but also impose psychological pressure on their adversaries, disrupting their focus and instilling a sense of unease.

Nexus, you really do know how to sell stuff don't you.

[Eheheh, it's basically my job isn't it, selling you words. If only you treated me a little better.]

Yeah, so basically I'm a support character. I'm essential in building powerful teams, but I'm not necessarily the damage dealer it looks like.

[Correct! I'd be very jealous of you with such abilities, they seem very useful outside of combat too!] Nexus said mischievously.

The Atractionist ability speaks for itself, but the second ability is something I want to test out quickly. I started eating and drinking faster as Ivette was still eating away at her croissants.

"Are you finished?" She asked.

"Yeah I'm done, thank you, it was delicious."

She blushed, but I was completely focused. It was only 9 more km before reaching Urmkirkey, where I would be able to test out my abilities against the Mimis.