Chapter 6 First Hunt

Alex looked at the members of “Triskell”. In some ways, it was his first true interaction with other people. Sure he had some “interactions” when he was the Dark Lord, and he had talked with different people since becoming “Alex Sanders”. However, it was the first time he felt welcomed in a group, a group of friends. But one look at the bleached face of Percival was enough to convince him otherwise. He did not have to hurt people anymore, and neither did he wish for it.

- Sorry, but I can’t accept.

You’ve declined the invitation in the guild “Triskell"

You’ve declined the invitation in a party

- What? Why, protested Julia? You don’t like us? It is the fault of this stupid elf, isn’t it?

- Why would it be my fault?

- No, tried to stop them Alex, it is not…

- Because of your stupid belligerent behavior. Who would want to party with a good-for-nothing brawler who thinks of nothing but putting an axe through the head of everything that moves!

- It is still better that a clinging woman who keep smooth-talking people. I’m sure he’s feeling only disgust at your shameless act!

- Please, tried to interrupt Alex, I’m…

- STOP THIS NOW!

Everybody turned at once to look at the Silver Knight who just spoke. His strong sense of duty, and the reflex of stopping the continuous clash between Bob and Julia, made him act without an afterthought. His presence sure was imposing, but his strong tone and commanding aura were quite dampened by his shivering and his closed eyes. But the latter helped him forgetting, even just a little, of who was standing near. But his overworking mind was quite vicious, and he had to keep his fear and survival instinct at bay continuously:

Just stop thinking. He is not “Him”. He can’t be “Him”. “He” is somewhere else. Somewhere with battles, wars, blood and ripped flesh. No, don’t think of that. Just that he is someone else. Someone who just use the appearance of the strongest to create his avatar. That’s it! There is nothing to fear.

- How do you want to convince anyone to enter the guild with such a scene in the beginning? Even Anna is frightened.

The others looked at the young girl who was hiding behind Kordur’s back while tightening her grip around her summoned pet.

- I’m sorry Anna to have frightened you, calmly claimed Bob with a bow of the head.

- Poor child, yelled Julia while violently catching her in a hug!

- So Alex, continued Percival with his eyes still closed. How long have you played?

- Around 4 real world days.

- Only that much… So you still have much to learn about this world, said the knight, strengthening with all his might the belief that the one he was speaking to was not “The One”. Are you already fine with your body? When too many changes are done to an Avatar, it becomes harder to get used to it.

- No problem, told Alex, relieved to see the calmer knight! I haven’t done any change!

- Hugh…

No, David was screaming inside!!! It’s him. I don’t want to die! Please God, help me! No matter which god you are, I’ll convert and donate enough to build a new cathedral for your glory! And I’ll spend my life preaching and spreading your words! Help meeeeeeeeeee…

Alex saw Percival beginning to sweat profusely and going limp, unconscious. He barely caught him before looking around for help. Julia, Bob and Kordur were helping him in an instant. No quarrel or harsh words, they were all really worried about their friend.

- I’m sorry, told Julia to Anna and Alex, but we have to take care of him. You could go hunt together for some time and leveling up a little. I’ll call you back once he’s better. And don’t hesitate to whisper me if you want information on something.

***

Anna and Alex had gone to the surrounding of the city. Before leaving, Alex had accepted friend’s requests from everybody except the sleeping one. Then Anna had created a new party and this time Alex joined her. She then spent their walking time to explain to him the difference between guilds and parties.

She also tried to convince him to join the guild, but he told her he had a quest that’ll require him to go far away. She accepted that reason and made him swear to contact her from time to time. But the real reason was of course the terrible effect he seemed to have on Percival. When he finally thought it could be resolved by showing politeness and goodwill, he had managed to make him faint. Even for him, it was the first time he could witness such an effect without at least being aggressive.

- So it will be your first hunt, finally asked Anna when they arrived in the hunting ground.

- Yes, I have not yet gone out of the city, I was busy with quests and training.

- You know most people go to hunt when they first arrive in the game…

- What? How can they do that? It should be really dangerous to go and fight when you do not control your body properly!

Anna sent him a strange look.

- Slimes are really easy to kill! They are here only to help people learn the basics. And the virtual body is sensibly the same than your real one, except for people who change their appearance too much. But you said it was not your case, didn’t you?

- Sure, but this body was really weak when I first arrived, and it is still weaker than my real one, and your muscles and inner organs fells… I don’t know, kind of strange.

This time, the young girl had a look that hesitated between impressed and doubtful.

- Normal people find their initial body to be of normal strength I would say, but I am sure that nobody ever told they found their inner organs strange…

- It’s true my master told me not much people knew how to do it, but there should still be at least half of the population who could do that, no? I knew a lot of people in the real world who could at least do that much.

- I don’t know who your friends were, but they are definitely not normal people…

- It’s true. So, can you tell me what I should do?

- First, kill a slime!

- Why?

Anna was showing him some round, colorful and moving balls of gelatin. They incidentally had eyes and mouths, but they seemed quite peaceful and had no aggressiveness toward anything or anyone. Alex was ready, and had always been, to fight and hurt other to keep his dears one safe, but he had vowed, since coming to this world, to never attack those that show no hostility. And slimes showed none.

- They are the weaker monsters, answered hesitantly Anna, everybody hunts them.

- I don’t. If there are some aggressive ones, I don’t mind fighting them, but I won’t hurt those that don’t attack me first.

- But there are no monsters under level 20 that show ferociousness toward players.

- Then you just have to bring me to them…

- To who?

- To the level 20 monsters that show ferociousness.

- But you’re level 1 you’ll be killed. It’s too dangerous! It’s just a game so there are no problems for killing a few of them.

Alex kneeled in order to look at Anna in the eyes. He knew he had so much to learn about normality that this young girl could teach him easily, but concerning fights and honor, he could explain it to her. He smiled and patted her head.

- You see Anna, I made a vow. And it would hold no meaning if I were to break it because it is difficult or because it is a game. I won’t attack them, that’s all.

- But you will die…

- Maybe. But listen to that. When fighting, it is not always the strongest, or the fastest that will win. The one who win is the one that know his self the better, and understand how to use his ability to the fullest. And I have learned about this new body of mine during nearly 4 weeks. Do you still believe I will lose?

- But they are really strong and frightening. To go alone would be…

- But I won’t be alone. You will help me if I need it, won’t you?

- Y… Yes!

Anna finally recovered and steeled her resolve. She still wasn’t sure if it was a good idea, but she was ready to fight and so was her tiger cub. He meowed his approval with as much strength as he could muster, making Alex laugh and Anna blush.

Then Anna led Alex to some dangerous looking ermines. There were three of them, each measuring nearly one meter long, and they were viciously devouring the remains of a dead deer. Alex looked at them during some time, learning their agility and their strengths. He then turned to meet eyes with Anna.

- I’m better with this body, but I don’t think I can beat the three of them at the same time. We would better be looking for an isolated one.

- Don’t worry! I’m a summoner, and my Tigrou is a special invocation. I can also call for a normal summon, and the three of us should be enough to hold two of them back. At least for quite some time.

- Are you sure?

This time was Anna’s turn to encourage Alex with a smile. She then began an incantation and was surrounded by a green light.

- I call the one that dwells on the earth. Ground and Ether shall bind together. Come forth Golem!

A small humanoid build of rocks, earth and dust appeared from the ground and got ready at the call of his mistress. She then called both of her summons by their true names, in order to buff them before the battle.

- Bai Hu! Golem! I invoke upon you the strength of the Metal. Shall all of your attack be strengthen by His great sharpness!

Two silvery balls came out of her hands, and she shot them at the two before turning toward Alex. During this time, he had meditated and had now obtained the buff of his inner control skill.

- I’m ready. We can attack.

- Thanks! Here we go.

And Alex jumped at one of the ermine. He saw the two invocations enter the fray and holding back the two other monsters. Anna had closed her eyes and was meditating in order to recover her mana faster. But it would prove unnecessary.

The beasts were fast, and Alex was at first surprise by how nimble they were. They could bend their body in unimaginable way to evade his attack. But he was a master fighter, and he soon understood the attack pattern. He hit precisely at the joint and dislocated the limb of his enemy, sealing his quickness, and stroke multiple times at the neck, multiplying critical hit and hacking at its life bar. With his extremely high stats for his level, he was soon done and turned to look at the others.

The Golem was enduring the hits for the vicious claw while the tiger was evading attacks and striking back with great power. Alex quickly disposed of the one attacking the Golem, but the tiger was faster with his own prey and they were soon done with this hunt.

- I didn’t think it would go so well, remarked Anna.

- That was a good team fight.

- How many level did you win, asked the young girl?

- None I think! I have seen no flying window.

- Those are automatically disabled during fights for not disrupting the player. You should look at your status.

Alex just did as he was told and was surprised to see his level being at 7 already. He first thought there was an error and told Anna who just smiled.

- The first ten levels are really easy to level up, even when killing only slimes. After it will become harder. And you also gain more XP, experience points, she clarified seeing the strange face Alex made, when you fight opponent with a higher level.

- Is that so! I’ve also a new stat. It is called fighting spirit. Show Fighting spirit.

New Stat: Fighting Spirit (FS)

Fighting Spirit lessens the effect of mental or influence skills or spells affecting you. It can also frighten your enemy if high enough.

- Can you come back now?

Julia had just whispered to both of them. They agreed and went toward the city once more, but only after Anna explained the looting system to her older friend and once they took it all. Ermine’s furs were quite pricey after all.