We stepped onto the streets.
The wide avenues of the capital city of Bestia Kingdom stretched out before us. The city was alive. People filled the markets, their voices blending into noise.
Vendors and merchants shouted to passing customers, showing off their goods: fruits, jars of glowing potions, weapons, and bundles of fragrant spices.
The air smelled delicious. Roasted meats, fresh bread baking in stone ovens, and magical incense drifted from small stalls.
The capital city of Bestia Kingdom was enormous, bigger than anything I had ever imagined. Towering buildings lined the streets, and the crowds never seemed to end. High above it all loomed the Royal Palace. Truly, there were wonders everywhere I looked.
"I just love fantasy games!" I exclaimed, unable to hide my excitement at the view.
I opened my Player Status screen and tapped the map button. A holographic map hovered in midair, glowing softly as I searched for lines and markers.
"There's gotta be here somewhere…" I murmured, zooming in until I finally spotted a forbidden forest that could be a goblin territory.
The map showed five forests scattered across the kingdom.
"I think we should take the Verdant Forest," Dahlia suggested, pointing at the glowing marker on her holographic map.
"Good suggestion," Claude said, giving a thumbs-up.
"I think the Verdant Forest isn't too far from the kingdom. It's to the west and full of grassy plains and dense woods," Dahlia added with a smile.
"Okay," I replied, giving my approval.
We started walking toward the West Gate of the capital city.
As we approached, the gate guards noticed us and stepped forward.
"We're heading to the Verdant Forest," Claude said confidently, pointing west on the map.
The guards exchanged a quick glance, then nodded. "Very well. The gates are open," one of them said, pushing the massive doors aside with a low groan.
The West Gate creaked open, revealing the road stretching toward the green horizon beyond the city walls.
"So… we're walking all the way to Verdant Forest?" Claude groaned, dragging his feet.
I gave him a small smile.
"Come on. This is just like the online games we always played, right? Adventurers always travel long distances to complete quests before slaying monsters."
"This is a VR MMORPG, Malachi. It's different," Claude replied sarcastically. "We actually feel tired and exhausted—nothing like playing on a computer."
Dahlia clapped her hands, encouraging us. "We still haven't earned enough gold coins to pay for a wagon or carriage!"
I shook my head and pointed at her. "Exactly."
Claude sighed dramatically and plopped down on the road. "Ugh… I take back what I said earlier."
Dahlia laughed softly. "Alright, we can take a short break—just a short one."
We all sat down outside the West Gate. Although we hadn't walked that far, he was just being lazy as always.
I tapped something in front of me, and my Player Status screen popped up. Leaning back, I opened my Inventory. With a small click, it appeared floating in front of me. Inside, there were only a few items:
[Inventory]
▶ Quest Note
▶ Sandwich (5×)
At least we had sandwiches to keep our stomachs from growling.
Curious, I clicked the sandwich. The digital glow flickered, and suddenly, a fresh sandwich wrapped neatly in cloth appeared in my hands. The smell of warm bread and roasted meat filled the air.
"Hey! Where did you get that?" Claude asked, shaking my shoulder.
"Hmm… I just found it in my inventory. I think it's free," I said.
Seeing this, Claude and Dahlia tapped their own inventories and clicked their sandwiches, which appeared in their hands as well.
"We should unsummon our Arcane Weapons for now. It's exhausting to carry them all the time," I suggested.
"How?" Claude asked, a confused look on his face.
"You didn't read any of the System tips, did you?" I teased.
"Just tap your weapon, a holographic option will display, and select the Unsummon option," I explained, pointing at my weapon as a demonstration.
Claude followed my instructions carefully, and his weapon shimmered before vanishing with a faint magic.
Then Dahlia and I unsummoned ours as well, setting them aside. We picked up our sandwiches and took a bite, savoring the brief moment of peace.
Down the road, a wagon slowly approached, pulled by two horses. An old man guided the reins with steady hands.
Dahlia stepped forward and gave him a polite bow. "Good morning, kind sir," she greeted warmly.
The old man looked down at us, raising an eyebrow. "And where might you be headed?" he asked, his voice cautious.
"We're heading to the Verdant Forest, sir," Dahlia said confidently.
The man's expression shifted to concern.
"Now, who goes to a place like that? Dark monsters are known to lurk in those woods," he warned.
Claude straightened up, puffing out his chest. "Oh, don't worry! We have Arcane Weapons. We slay monsters," he said proudly.
The old man studied us for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Alright… just be careful. Mind if I give you a ride?"
"Of course!" Claude exclaimed, hopping into the wagon. "Come on, guys!" he called, waving us over.
I felt a little embarrassed, so I signaled him with my hand.
Dahlia climbed on as well. They were looking at me, and with no other choice, I joined them, sitting beside Claude.
"Come on, it's just a kind NPC offering a ride. This might be part of the game," Claude whispered.
And so, our journey toward the Verdant Forest began.
---
"Thank you!" we called, waving to the old man who tipped his hat and continued down the road.
"Here it is, guys," I said, my voice tinged with nervous excitement.
After a long journey along the grassy road, we finally arrived at our destination.
In the distance, the Kingdom of Bestia stretched far behind us.
[System Notice!]
(Current Location: Edge of Verdant Forest)
We stepped into the forest. A shiver ran down my spine. The forest was alive—grassy fields stretched between tall trees, and the air buzzed with insects.
Compared to Lumen Forest in the north, which was dark and quiet, this place felt lively… but dangerous. Strange rustling sounds mixed with strong gusts of wind.
[You have now entered Verdant Forest]
I shivered, thinking about the monsters that might lurk in the deep woods. What kind of creatures could live here?
"Guys!" Claude suddenly shouted.
"Over here!" he called again, waving us toward him.
We hurried over, pushing through thick bushes, and discovered a wide clearing. A group of goblins was roaming around.
On our side, a rustle of bushes caught our attention.
Suddenly, a horde of goblins spilled out, their eyes glinting with malice.
"Looks like we found the first challenge of the Verdant Forest," I muttered with a playful smile.
[!] Monster Classification [!]
[Monster: Goblin]
[Rank: E-Class]
Goblins are small, green-skinned humanoids known for their cunning and agility. They hunt in packs, preying on humans and other creatures for survival. Fierce and territorial, they attack swiftly with crude weapons or bare claws. Their sharp senses allow them to detect movement and scent from afar, making them deadly ambushers.
‹ Goblin ›
HP: 50/50
A group of goblins burst from the underbrush, green faces twisted in snarls as they raised crude daggers and clubs.
We leapt into the air with force, calling our Arcane Weapons to our hands. They responded instantly, shimmering into existenCras
"Solaris!" I shouted, thrusting my hand forward.
Heat burst around me. My phoenix responded instantly, fiery feathers igniting as it dove with a piercing cry. Flames tore through the air as its body twisted and condensed. Its wings and tail fused in a brilliant flash, forming a blazing spear that hummed with searing heat in my hands.
"Orcarius!" Dahlia called, raising her palm.
Water erupted around her, spiraling into a furious torrent. The orca surged upward as if leaping through an invisible sea, its sleek blue body gleaming in the currents. Waves wrapped and coiled around it until its tail fin sharpened into a razor edge. With a flash of blue light, a gleaming trident solidified in Dahlia's hand, droplets of water dripping from its shimmering tip.
"Manta!" Claude roared, snapping his fingers outward.
A freezing wind screamed past us. His manta ray dove in a wide arc, icy mist trailing behind it. Frost shimmered over its body as it shrank and reshaped. Its wing-like fins snapped inward, sharpening to deadly edges. The long tail stretched and stiffened into a whip of crackling frozen energy, coiled and ready to strike.
The three weapons gleamed in our hands, radiating power.
Fwhoosh! Crash! Swish!
The spear, trident, and whip sliced through the air as we swung our Arcane Weapons in unison.
We hovered in midair for a moment, then landed back on the ground, weapons at the ready.
"It's slaying time!" Claude shouted, his eyes gleaming with excitement.