[Skill Unlocked!]
[Phoenix Flare] – Burst / AoE / DoT / Impact
A blazing flame erupts from the spear, dealing 70 Magic Damage. The strike unleashes Area Damage and leaves scorching flames that burn enemies over time.
Burn Effect (DoT): -5 HP per second
Burn Duration: 5 seconds
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[Skill Unlocked!]
[Scorching Surge] – Charge / Pierce /Offensive / Impact
The user lunges forward in a blazing charge, piercing the target with the spear. The attack erupts in scorching flames, dealing 85 Damage to the target.
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I scrolled through the glowing screen in front of me, carefully reading each skill description.
"Finally… some skills!" I couldn't help but grin, my eyes shining. "So I already have two skills? This is awesome!"
The thought of flames bursting from my spear made my heart race. It felt just like unlocking new abilities in my favorite video game.
With these powers, battles wouldn't just be about swinging a weapon anymore. I could actually control fire itself.
I clenched my fists, eager to try them out as soon as possible.
[System Update!]
New Features Unlocked!
[Arcane Weapon] – Manage your weapon.
[Skills] – Access and manage your abilities.
[Inventory] – Store and organize collected items.
[Stats] – Track your attributes and growth.
[Accessories] – Equip and enhance your arsenal.
[Map] – Navigate the world and locate objectives.
[Friends & Party] – Form groups and fight cooperatively.
[Guild] – Join or create a guild for shared power.
[Mailbox] – Send and receive notices, rewards, or messages.
[Global Chat] – Communicate with all players in real time.
[Achievements] – Earn titles by reaching milestones.
"Woof… this is long," I scrolled through the update, the glowing screen seemed endless and filled with rows of text.
And that wasn't even the worst part. New icons had appeared on the right side of my Player Status window. There were so many that it felt overwhelming.
I took a deep breath and tried to focus, carefully reading each description. Skills, Inventory, Stats, Weapons, Map, Friends, Guild… it was like someone had dropped a full MMORPG menu right in front of me.
When I finally reached the end, Claude's face flashed in his mind.
"Where is that idiot?" I glanced back at the screen, tapping on the map icon and searching for all the possible places he might be.
Suddenly, another screen popped up.
[Initializing Martial Arts Sequence Based on Magical Creature Attributes…]
◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️ 15%
◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️ 39%
◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️ 57%
◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️ 85%
◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️ 100%
[Martial Arts Learned!]
"Ehh? Martial Arts?" Confusion flickered across my face as I stared at the screen.
Curiosity got the better of me. I decided to test it out.
I attempted a backflip, twisting my body midair. I landed perfectly on my feet and did not stumble. I didn't know anything about martial arts before, yet now… it was as if my body just knew what to do.
"Okay… focus," I breathed. "Where am I even supposed to find him?"
[Teleporting to Bestia Kingdom...]
"What the heck is going on?" A flash of light swallowed me whole. When my vision cleared, I found myself standing in the middle of Bestia's Capital City.
[System Notice!]
(Current Location: Capital City of Bestia)
I walked down the busy street, weaving through merchants, players, and townsfolk. The chatter of the people, the display of tools, and the laughter filled the air. After a long walk, a massive building loomed ahead.
A grand sign above its wide double doors read "Adventurers Guild."
"Wow…" My eyes widened. "It's bigger than I imagined."
"Oii, Malachi!" a familiar voice called out.
"Malachi!" Someone barreled through the crowd. I looked closely until I recognized the figure.
It was Claude.
"Dude!" He hugged me after he reached me.
I laughed, pushing him back just enough to breathe. "Where have you been?"
"Just taking a simple first quest," he said with a grin. "I'm sure everyone else did the same."
"Yeah, I did it too," I replied.
"You know the thrill, right? In every game, to level fast, you need to keep grinding and slaying monsters." I gestured toward the guild. "This is where it all begins."
We exchanged a glance, both of us excited.
Pushing open the guild doors, we stepped inside. The hall was alive with energy. Players filled the wide room, shouting, laughing, comparing gear, and forming parties.
At the long counter, women in uniform handed out quests, checked papers, and stamped approvals. A line of players waited, boots clattering on the floor.
I noticed a wooden staircase leading to the second floor, where massive boards displayed quests. Players climbed the stairs, whispering and pointing at quests.
"Come on, let's check upstairs." We walked toward the stairs.
The second floor was bustling. Right in front of us, a huge board was covered in quests. Some had neat little pins with simple notes; others had bright red markers, warning of danger or high-level challenges.
Most quests were beyond our level, but one stood out. It wasn't too simple, not too deadly, just enough challenge.
I pointed at the note. "Hey, this one looks perfect." Claude leaned closer, staring at the details.
Quest: Goblin Raid
» Objective: Slay 25 goblins of any kind
Reward: 10,000 Gold Coins
Difficulty: Moderate
RecommendedLevel: 5–10
Companions: 3–5
Claude's eyes went wide. "That's a huge reward for our level!"
I scratched my head and grinned. "Could get messy, but we can handle it." My heart raced—this was exactly the kind of challenge we needed.
"Alright then." I straightened my shoulders. "Let's take this quest and show those goblins who is the boss."
"But we need one more companion." Claude raised a finger, scanning the crowd.
That's when I spotted a young lady with a trident, studying the quest board carefully.
"Excuse me," I said, stepping closer, giving her a polite nod. "It seems like you're looking for a quest too. Would you like to join us?"
She glanced at us. "Yes, of course." She smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Here." I handed her the note.
"A Goblin Raid… not bad. Okay, I'm in." She gave me the note with a determined nod.
"By the way, I'm Dahlia." She extended her hand.
"Malachi," I said, shaking it firmly. "And this is Claude." I gestured toward him.
"Alright, let's go." Dahlia lifted her trident.
The three of us moved toward the counter.
"Excuse me, we'll take this quest," I handed over our quest note to the NPC.
"Goblin Raid? Nice choice!" she smiled, scanning our papers.
"A party of three, ready to get the job done."
With a loud thunk, the stamps confirmed our quest.
We stepped outside, and glowing screens appeared in front of each of us, hovering in mid-air. Numbers and words shimmered across them, displaying every detail of our quest.
[!] Party Quest [!]
Goblin Raid
» Slay 25 Goblins of any kind
Progress: 0/25
EXP: 200
Gold: 10,000
Location: Grassy Plains / Dark Woods
Difficulty: Moderate
Recommended Level: 5–10
Party Size: 3–5
We paused, reading carefully. Many forbidden forests weren't far from the kingdom, perfect goblin territory.
Claude scratched his head and laughed. "Well, this is it. Let's go!"
I nodded, excitement surging through me. Our first real party quest—the perfect chance to test our skills and earn gold and experience.
"Before we head out, let's know our passive skills," I said, glancing at Dahlia and Claude.
Dahlia tilted her head thoughtfully, then smiled. "Good idea. Knowing each other's strengths will make us a real team."
She placed a hand on her chest, her voice steady. "My passive is called Ocean's Refuge. When my HP drops below 50%, a soothing barrier surrounds me. It lasts until the battle ends or absorbs 200 damage. While active, it gradually heals me. If it never breaks, I basically have infinite healing. Only downside? I can use it once a day."
Claude let out a low whistle and grinned. "So the ocean literally saves you when you're about to go down. Amazing. You are unstoppable with that passive."
I nodded, feeling reassured. With Dahlia's protection and healing, our chances just went up.
"Me next!" Claude said, grinning proudly, hand pressed to his chest.
"My passive is called Frostbite Lash," he said confidently. "Whenever I strike with my whip, it chills the enemy. Each hit will make them frosty. Using Ice magic boosts the effect. At maximum frost, they freeze for 3 seconds, like an ice statue in the middle of battle."
He flashed a wide grin. "The longer they fight me, the weaker they become. No cooldown. Only enemies with healing or strong fire skills can counter it."
I chuckled. "Not bad."
"Finally, mine." I held up my hand, my eyes narrowing with focus. "My passive is called Scorching Aegis."
"It makes me immune to anything that tries to stop me—stun, freeze, immobilize, silence, blind, or confusion. I can move and fight freely, no matter what. And best part? No cooldown."