A teammate

It's been a week since we arrived in the base town of the first Pillar. The city stands majestically in the heart of a vast desert. The inhabitants of this world, devoid of the distinctive green crystal on their heads, are designated by the system as NPCs, or Non-Player Characters. Most of them are merchants or ordinary citizens.

As for the players, most have now accepted their situation and have embarked on a quest to find the perfect weapon. Some have already formed groups to undertake dungeon conquests, hoping to obtain loot and money. In this world, money reigns supreme, and upon our arrival, we were all given a sum to buy a weapon and armor.

Outside the city walls, the desert is teeming with monsters. Each time a player slays one, they receive items and XP, or experience points. These points are essential for progress, as they allow players to level up, thereby increasing their damage, vitality, and mana. Additionally, they provide access to skill points that can be invested to improve statistics.

As for Amelia and me, we've started training with our weapons outside the city. I opted for a bronze sword, while Amelia chose a bow, particularly effective against non-melee attackers. Although Amelia seems to adapt easily to the bow, I still struggle to master the necessary power to wield my sword, which is already quite heavy.

Upon our arrival, each player was identified, and their strength was gauged, revealing their overall power level. When Amelia had her strength assessed, she displayed impressive abilities, so rare that several players became interested in her. In contrast, when my turn came, my power level was so low that the crystal ball used by the guards couldn't gauge it, leading to ridicule from everyone. Being weak in this world means mortal danger, but Amelia seems unconcerned about my power and prefers to stay with me rather than join a team of stronger players.

Today, we decided to try our luck in a small dungeon filled with Desert Goblins, not far from the base town. However, we would need more players, as going alone would be too dangerous. Unfortunately, no one seems willing to help us. It's understandable that no one wants to join a team with someone who might just slow the group down. I even suggested to Amelia to join another group, but she refuses, fearing it would put me in danger.

"Don't worry, we'll find someone eventually. We just need to stay a little longer in the town center. There will surely be players interested," Amelia said, trying to catch the attention of teamless players.

I looked at her desperately, saying, "I don't think anyone would want to partner with someone as useless as me, Amelia."

"It's okay, we just have to find someone who is good enough to take care of themselves," Amelia said, looking at a person leaning against a pillar of a building.

"Hmm... we could try our luck with him over there by the pillar. He seems capable of defending himself and fighting," said Amelia, running towards him and pointing him out to me.

The person she referred to was wearing light armor with a long black coat. His Black hair didn't even move in the wind, indicating how well-groomed and luxurious it was. Even from afar, I could see how he was a bit taller than the others. The sword he carried was a sabre that could fetch a hefty price. They must have found it in a dungeon; otherwise, it would have cost an arm and a leg.

I followed Amelia with light steps, shouting that there was no need to rush and that the guy wouldn't run away. She didn't respond and continued on her way.

"Hello! Are you alone? If you want, you can join our team. We want to attack a dungeon, but we need someone strong in our team!" Amelia said to the strange man, who seemed uninterested.

"Thank you, but I don't nee—" the man began but interrupted himself as he looked closely at Amelia's face. His previously serious and dangerous expression turned to surprise.

He took a moment to think and then said, "Hmm, I could use a little warm-up. Alright, is it just the two of us?" he asked, looking at Amelia with a smile.

"No, my best friend will also be with us, it's actually him," she said, pointing at me. "We're not really high-level at the moment and we're struggling a bit, that's why I approached you!" Amelia explained to the man.

He looked at me coldly, his eyes ablaze with blue fire that seemed capable of burning my soul. "You seem strong enough, but what about his power?" he asked Amelia in a defensive tone.

I didn't let Amelia respond. "My level is a bit below average, but I can still hold my own in a fight!" I said confidently, staring him down.

"Hmm, alright, but I don't like dead weight. Show me you're not just a twig in our path during our battles in the dungeon," he said seriously and with esteem.

I immediately noticed that this man didn't like me and probably thought I was useless. However, he seemed very interested in Amelia for some reason.

"Oh, shoot, I forgot to introduce us. My name is Amelia and this is Mao. We come from a small fishing village. My weapon is the bow, and his is the sword. And you?" Amelia asked, a little embarrassed at being impolite.

"My name is Hiroki Matsuda. I come from an island called Japan, and my weapon is this sword," he showed us, placing his hand on the hilt of the sword.

"Hmm, that's an unusual name! I've never heard anything like it before. Well, I'm glad we're teaming up! Let me invite you to join our party." She effortlessly opened the menu with a tap of her index finger and sent Hiroki an invitation to join our team, which he promptly accepted.

His name now appeared in our team, and we could see that he was already level 6. He must be a very talented person compared to us, who are at levels 2 and 3 for Amelia.

You must be quite the battle expert to reach such a high level," I remarked, chuckling. Extending my hand for a handshake, I added, "I hope you'll show us some impressive fighting skills, and as for the loot, we'll split it evenly." However, he ignored my gesture and started walking away.

"If we're going to tackle this dungeon, we better get moving before nightfall," Hiroki declared, his gaze serious and determined.

His attitude was already rubbing me the wrong way, coming across as overly confident. Despite his apparent belief that we were incompetent, he still seemed willing to lend a hand. I couldn't wait to part ways with him.

"Alright, since you seem to know your way around dungeons, it should save us some time. Let's get going then, Mao!" Amelia said, trailing after Hiroki.

I followed them, comforting myself that we wouldn't be in danger with him in our group. We should be able to defeat the dungeon quickly enough and afford better equipment.