Ding! System Alert: Player Luna has sent you a message, “Are you back in ‘Opal Town’? Well, I’m sure you are since I doubt anyone else named Izroth could cause such a scene. I heard you’re pretty close to one of the ‘Blue Oasis’ captains now… Are you really not going to join them?” Luna was at the shop gathering some items to begin a journey when she overheard the nearby players discussing the events that took place with Izroth just a bit earlier.

What happened only a few moments ago had already spread so fast, Izroth was a bit surprised. “Then again with this kind of way to relay messages, it’s not all that shocking when you think about it…” he thought to himself as he replied to Luna. He wouldn’t necessarily say that he and Niflheim were anywhere near close, they were more on a professional level. After all, large groups that could move a lot of people at once were typically the best at amassing all kinds of information and Izroth understood he could eventually cash in on such a thing.

“News has spread fast… I am back in ‘Opal Town’. As for joining ‘Blue Oasis’, I’m not interested and I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m close to that guy.”

System Alert: Player Luna has sent you a message, “Hmmm, is that so…? I see… It does seem just like you to turn down an invitation, even from a guild as popular and strong as ‘Blue Oasis’.”

Luna could not help but to lightly giggle as she envisioned Izroth’s straightforward attitude when conversing with the captain from ‘Blue Oasis’. She understood he wasn’t a bad person at all, merely that most may see his straightforward nature as offensive. Though it looked as if nothing important happened between Izroth and the ‘Blue Oasis’ captain, so she let out a sigh of relief when she arrived at that conclusion. A very light blush arose onto Luna’s cheeks as she realized that she was actually worried about Izroth. They’ve only met once and could not be deemed as close friends, but Luna felt at ease when talking to Izroth. He possessed no ulterior motives and was an honest person, it was very trying to meet guys with those two qualities!

System Alert: Player Luna has sent you a message, “Halls and I are getting ready to travel towards Amaharpe. Ah right you might not know yet but Amaharpe is the capital city of the region we’re in. The real game doesn’t truly start until you at least reach there… Would you like to travel with us?”

Amaharpe! Wasn’t that the name of the capital city that would be destroyed if Izroth failed to complete the quest ‘The Beginning of Beginnings’? There might be clues there linked to the quest, so he should definitely pay it a visit. Although he had 90 days to finish the quest, Izroth held onto no other leads besides ‘Vozrak’s Gift’ to go on. “Okay” Izroth replied back to Luna.

System Alert: Player Luna has sent you a message, “Great, I’ll send you the coordinates of where we’re meeting at. You should shop for some items like potions and receive your recommendation letter from your class teacher. It’s only with that letter that they will permit you entry into Amaharpe. We’ll meet there in 20 minutes, see you soon”.

Ding! Player Luna has sent you coordinates!

Izroth skimmed over the coordinates that Luna sent before closing out his system alerts. “I was originally contemplating about selling off some of the items here, but it may be a better idea to hold off until I get to Amaharpe to receive more benefits. He then walked around and not too long after saw a shop sign with the words ‘Timothy’s Potion Shop’ written on it in big letters. When he entered the shop, there were several players already inside acquiring potions. There was a single individual behind the counter of the shop, it was a thin middle-aged man with glasses.

Izroth approached the thin man and as he got closer he was able to view the man’s name.

NPC Name: Timothy

NPC Level: 1

Occupation: Alchemist

“Hello, I’d like to purchase some health potions. How much do they cost?” Izroth spoke in a tone that was polite but not overly so. There were still many elements unknown to him about this world and how it functioned, but it appeared the characters known as ‘NPC’s’ reacted as though they were actual people. If that was the case, he would not suffer any losses treating them as real people instead of objects.

“Welcome valued customer!” Timothy immediately had a grand smile on his face when he heard Izroth’s greeting. Most players did not know this, even Izroth himself didn’t know, but all NPC’s possessed a hidden ‘Reputation’ stat. This stat determined the benefits one could receive from certain NPC’s. In this case, Izroth already had a world fame stat of 260 as well as his offering of a pleasant greeting, so his reputation with the NPC secretly went up causing such a warm and welcoming reaction from Timothy.

“Of course here at the ‘Potion Shop’ we only serve the finest quality of lesser potions! Each ‘Lesser Health Potion’ cost 1 silver coin, but because you seem like a genuine person I’ll do you a favor and reduce the price by 20%. Therefore, it’ll only come out to 80 bronze coins per ‘Lesser Health Potion’. How many would you like to purchase?” Timothy said with a large smile on his face.

Izroth blinked a few times as he was not expecting a 20% discount, but he would not look a gift horse in the mouth. “In that case, I’ll have to trouble you for 4 ‘Lesser Health Potions’.” Izroth felt that he should not go overboard when it came to buying potions. After all, he was preparing to travel to a capital city. If capital cities held a similar status to those in the seven realms, then there would be various things available to buy there that you simply could not find in a location such as this. So he chose to save the majority of his coins for such a situation.

“Please, it’s no trouble at all esteemed customer!” Timothy then reached behind the counter before taking out x4 ‘Lesser Health Potions’. “The original price is 4 silver coins, but with your discount, your total comes out to 3 silver coins and 20 bronze coins”.

Izroth had no problems with the price and removed the number of coins from his inventory, giving them to over to Timothy.

“Thank you for your business, valued customer! Please come again!” Timothy gave a respectful bow.

Izroth nodded before placing the x4 ‘Lesser Health Potions’ into his inventory, and heading out of the ‘Potion Shop’. It was time for him to get a recommendation letter from Gear, the Combat Master class teacher.

Izroth started walking towards the location of that rundown building that belonged to the Combat Master class players. When he reached there, as usual, there were no other players to be seen at all, only an old man with a flask in his hand resting with his back reclined up against the wall. Although this old man looked insignificant and weak, he was actually a powerful adventurer known as Gear.

When Gear heard Izroth entering into the building he stood up and took a sip from the flask in his hands before smiling. “I didn’t expect to see you back here so soon young adventurer hahaha” he already took a liking to the talent Izroth possessed as well as his respectful attitude.

“I did not expect for you to be such a famous adventurer, Gear of the Flickering Steps” Izroth said with a slight smile on his face.

“Oh please, that’s such an old name from my young days, you shouldn’t tease an old man like that. Hahaha, now I’m just a normal person who likes to quietly spend my days drinking and sleeping. Truly the ideal life for any adventurer” Gear spoke as he strolled over to a small desk in the corner of the room with papers scattered all over the surface.

“Then I won’t bother consuming too much of your time. I have come to retrieve a recommendation letter in order to enter Amaharpe”.

Gear took a moment to examine Izroth from head to toe with a serious look on his face. After a few moments, a smile surfaced on his face as he gave a nod of approval. “I have no problem giving you a recommendation letter. The only reason it’s required is due to new adventurers getting ahead of themselves and dying while venturing through the ‘Willowed Forest’ in order to reach Amaharpe. You’re strong enough to reach there without much issue now, so go ahead and take it” Gear tossed a rolled up letter towards Izroth and he caught it within his hands.

“That letter will allow you entry into Amaharpe. Since you’re headed that way, I have a favor to ask of you. There’s an old friend of mine who lives in Amaharpe that I haven’t seen for quite some time now. I need you to deliver this separate letter to him. Of course, you won’t go unrewarded”

Ding! You have received the quest ‘An Old Friend’! Do you wish to accept?

Quest Name: An Old Friend

Recommended Level: 10

Recommended Party Size: 1

Quest Rank: C

Quest Objective: Travel through the ‘Willowed Forest’ and deliver a handwritten letter by Gear to an old friend of his located at the Combat Master facility within Amaharpe.

Time Limit: 1 day

-0/1 Deliver the letter.

Rewards:

-2 silver coins

-500 EXP

-1 Official Class Badge

Izroth, of course, accepted the quest without hesitation. Since he was already headed in that direction, why not receive some benefits out of it as a bonus?

Ding! The world quest ‘An Old Friend’ is now active in your quest logs!

Ding! The quest time limit of ‘An Old Friend’ has been started! 1 day remaining!

“Good, good! I’ll remember this favor young adventurer. Now go, I expect great things from you” Gear handed the second letter to Izroth before sitting back down with his back against the wall taking another drink from his flask.

Izroth nodded slightly before taking his leave from the old rundown building. It was time to meet up with Luna and Halls to head towards Amaharpe.

…

Luna and Halls were waiting by the INN located on the outer region of ‘Opal Town’.

“You said he’s coming right? I’m surprised he agreed! He seems more like one of those solo players who hates parties” Halls said in a cheerful tone. He witnessed firsthand how strong Izroth was and if they had someone like that in their party they could travel through the ‘Willowed Forest’ with relative ease.

Luna nodded her head, “I sent him the coordinates and told him to meet us here within 20 minutes. He should be on his way soon”.

Not long after Luna spoke, she spotted a male silhouette not too far in the distance walking over. He had a carefree expression on his face, but if one looked close enough they would notice a sharp and oppressive aura the sword on his back gave off. Izroth finally arrived at the meeting point!

Ding! Player Halls would like to invite you to a party along with Player Luna! Do you wish to accept?

Izroth received a party invitation immediately when Halls saw him approaching, he, of course, accepted the invite.

“You’ve leveled up so fast… When we first met you were only level 3, now you’re all the way at level 12 in such a short period of time.” Halls said in disbelief before even managing to let out a proper greeting.

Luna let out a small sigh of defeat, Izroth really knew how to make others feel underaccomplished.

Izroth only responded to their astonishment with a faint smile.

Party:

Name: Halls

Class: Warrior

Level: 13

HP: 1500/1500

MP: 100/100

Name: Luna

Class: Cleric

Level: 13

HP: 600/600

MP: 625/625

Name: Izroth

Class: Combat Master

Level: 12

HP: 900/900

Energy: 100/100

“Let’s go! Onward to Amaharpe!” Halls said in an extremely excited voice.

The three finally commenced their journey to the capital of Amaharpe.