Chapter 12

Bookmarks exceeded 200, and the daily ranking was 36th.

Thinking about the many people waiting for the update makes my stomach hurt with tension.

But I'll do my best!

(￣(エ)￣)つ "Stomach medicine"

□<Noz Forest> 【Paladin】Ray Sterling

I parted ways with Luke and the others, promising to form a party next time since we were both beginners.

And since Luke apparently hadn't chosen a job yet (he started the game without prior information and didn't know about job changes), I let him use the "Job Aptitude Catalog" I received from my brother.

It seems he found a good job and is going to take it up.

I'll look forward to finding out what job he takes when we form a party.

So, after parting ways with Luke and the others, Nemesis and I headed to <Noz Forest> as planned, beyond the North Gate.

"Shall we do it?"

"Yeah, let's level up quickly."

With Nemesis already transformed into a greatsword, we entered the second beginner hunting ground, <Noz Forest>.

Compared to <Easter Plain>, the trees obstructed the view, making it difficult to see more than twenty meters away.

However, the sounds of battle could be heard from all around, indicating that other players were present. They were likely beginners who, like me, found <Easter Plain> insufficient.

After walking for about two minutes into <Noz Forest>, we spotted wolf-like monsters.

As soon as they came into view, the monster name "Teal Wolf" appeared.

There were three Teal Wolves.

"Right away, huh?"

By RPG standards, taking on multiple enemies right after moving to a higher-level hunting ground is risky, but there's no choice.

The lead wolf took the initiative and bit me, dealing 22 damage, my first hit of the day.

I could take about thirty more hits, so I decided to focus on attacking.

The three wolves surrounded me, but I concentrated on the one in front.

While the other two attacked at different times, I focused on countering the one in front.

The greatsword hit, and the wolf let out a cry.

Unlike the one-hit kills of <Little Goblins> and <Rabbits>, the damage visibly slowed it down.

"I can do this."

I continued the same strategy.

◇

Five minutes later, I stood there with three sets of drop items, my HP reduced by half, and my level increased by one.

"Good, I can handle three."

"Seems so."

I used "First Heal" to recover in preparation for the next battle.

The high HP and self-healing make the Paladin class perfect for leveling up.

"Good, fully recovered."

"Still, reaching level 5 with over 800 HP. Stats have improved, and I could probably withstand Demidra's attacks now."

"…But let's avoid boss battles for a while."

Doing that all the time would shorten my lifespan.

"I'll only hunt regular monsters until level 20."

"Sounds good. By then, I might have evolved to my second form."

"What happens when Nemesis evolves? My brother said it won't change too much."

"Probably just additional skills and a change in appearance as a weapon. But I can't say what will happen from third to fourth evolution."

"Advanced evolution, right?"

"Yes. The first to third forms are considered lower or regular categories, mostly fitting into Arms, Gardeners, Chariots, Castles, and Territories. I'm a Maiden and also an Arms. Other rare categories overlap with these five."

"So, no category completely deviates from these five?"

"Fourth to sixth forms are the advanced categories. They become more unique. Some are pure enhancements of regular categories, while others specialize in unique skills, becoming unique categories."

Bear Brother's fourth form is apparently a tank… maybe a Chariots enhancement?

It started as a gun—Arms—but evolved into a higher form of another category.

"Then what about the seventh form?"

"Don't know."

…What?

"There's no detailed information in the knowledge I was born with. It's not something given from the start."

"Guess that's how it is."

With only a hundred or so after a year and a half, it's probably top-secret.

"Still, I know something. In this world, fourth forms and above are not only classified as <Embryos> but are also called advanced in terms of power."

"I see."

"Push me to the fourth form. Preferably beyond that."

"Sure, no need to tell me."

The top players are a collection of those above advanced, so if I want to join them, I need to reach that level.

"First, steady leveling. I'll reach level 13 today and graduate from this hunting ground."

It was already evening, and the sky between the trees was turning orange, but I continued hunting.

Monsters apparently increase at night, but I was ready for it.

"Let's go—"

Suddenly, my vision tilted.

No, it wasn't the vision; it was me.

The shock and numbness on my temple told me something had hit my temple.

The simple status showed my HP had dropped to 20% from the impact.

"What—"

A sudden, massive damage.

The shock to the head made me dizzy, and I couldn't move my limbs.

"Master!"

Nemesis shouted.

I thought she was worried about me, but it was a warning.

"! Counter Absorption!"

Nemesis used "Counter Absorption," which had recovered after 24 hours.

Something collided with the light barrier she deployed.

"Kyaah, kyaah!!"

It was a small creature with a streamlined shape and a goblin-like face.

It was trying to break through the light barrier but was struggling.

The damage I took earlier was likely from this.

"A monster?"

No, impossible.

The attack power was far beyond the Teal Wolves here.

It didn't seem like a boss monster like Demidra either.

Most importantly, it had no name, which should appear when a monster is recognized.

This was…

"Ugh!"

"Counter Absorption" disappeared, and the creature that hit the light barrier vanished.

"Attacks and disappears. Dies after one attack. A suicide attack monster, but not a monster… Master! This is—"

"Gardener…!"

TYPE: Gardener.

A monster-type <Embryo>.

Makes sense, compared to Babi, this is clearer.

That was definitely a monster.

"Master, retreat! Someone is targeting you!"

"No need to tell me!"

Finally free from the dizziness, I cast a recovery spell on myself and ran toward the North Gate.

I finally grasped the situation.

The <Noz Forest> was filled with the screams of players.

Not just one or two, but dozens of screams.

If that creature was an <Embryo>, then the one doing this was a player.

PK—player killing, a behavior that has existed since the early days of MMOs.

The one who attacked me was also attacking other players, creating numerous victims.

An attack that reduced my HP, which should be significantly higher at this level, to near death in an instant.

Players at the appropriate level for this area couldn't withstand it.

This was no longer a "beginner hunting ground," but a "hunting ground for beginners."

We were now the hunted.

"That Gardener died just now, why are there still more victims!?"

"Those are likely the advanced category of Gardeners, TYPE: Legion. They form a swarm. Each one's performance is apparently lower, though!"

"Low? Not funny."

And since the <Embryo> is an advanced category, the PK is also an advanced <Master>.

"Bad situation…!"

"……"

In any case, I need to get back to the capital.

That PKer shouldn't follow me into the city.

Ignoring my plan,

"Kyaah, kyaah, kyaah!"

The voice from behind, the creature flying like a meteor from behind,

"Mas—!"

Was about to kill—

"—Not a chance!"

I turned and slammed the greatsword into the bullet-like creature.

"Kyaah… kyaah, kyaah!"

The bullet-like creature was deflected by the greatsword, hit a tree, and died, its mission complete.

"…I dodged it!"

"Good job, Master! Now—"

Just run to the city.

That's what Nemesis was about to say.

Nemesis, in greatsword form, has no face.

But I knew where Nemesis was looking.

Beyond the trees, in the dim, hazy mist, someone was there.

Man or woman, old or young, human or not.

The mist obscured everything.

The only thing I could see was—

A gun-like object in the right hand.

The left hand—glowing with the emblem of an <Embryo>.

And I was certain.

This was it.

This was the one trying to kill me.

"Run!! Master!"

Without waiting for Nemesis's words, I chose to flee.

Twenty meters.

A much shorter distance than the escape from that orchard.

Enough to get out of the forest and to the city.

"Being killed… not a chance!"

I ran.

But I heard a gunshot from behind.

Simultaneously, I felt a terrifying pressure.

I needed to run.

But the chill from behind made me—turn around.

The scene before me.

The bullet-like creatures that Nemesis and I had each barely dodged once.

Those creatures—flying in a swarm that filled my vision—a hellish sight.

Immediately, the swarm of creatures shattered my body before I could blink.

【Fatal Damage】

【Party Wiped Out】

【Resurrection Time Expired】

【Penalty: 24-hour Login Restriction】

To be continued

Ordeal of the Rookie

The next post will be at 21:00 today.