「PLAYER STATUS – [V777 (Vortex_7)]」
◆ Level: 26
◆ Race: Phoenix
◆ Class: [Locked] (Lvl. 30 Required)
◆ HP: 310 / 310
◆ MP: 300 / 300
◆ Aestrol Coins: æ360,000.00
— ATTRIBUTES —
◆ Strength (STR): 37 (+5) "42
◆ Endurance (END): 40 (+5) "45
◆ Dexterity (DEX): 41 (+7) "48
◆ Luck (LUK): ★★☆☆☆ [Doomed Gambler]
— RANKINGS —
◆ Overall Value: 1,574th Place
◆ Location: Pyrros
◆ Allies: None
— ABILITIES —
Abyssal Rend (Lvl.12)[Active]
Nyx's Shroud (Lvl.6)[Active]
— INVENTORY —
7 / 30 Slots Used
'Looking good, if I do say so myself,' Nico mused as he looked at his system screen, pleased with how far he had come.
He was getting closer to the quest he had been waiting for; the Class Selection Quest.
This would decide what class his entire body and mind is fit for, along with where his skills would be put into good use.
But more importantly, his luck went up by one star!
This meant that the odds of him being targeted were starting to dwindle, ultimately assuring that the upcoming days will become more tolerable.
He then looked at his rune stone with a smooth surface and a wind symbol on it. Nico crushed the stone on his hands and felt a chilling aura surge through his veins.
「Silent Plunderer – Enhances weapons to strike without any sound」
'My basic longsword hasn't been in use in a while. Mostly because I've decided to fight with my hands. Let's see...'
He opened the random loot box, the blue square dissipating into millions of pixels before revealing black gloves before him.
「Clawed Gauntlents[Rare]: Dragon's Carnage
- Forged from the black diamonds found beneath Pyrros, amalgamated with fresh dragon scales from the great black dragon knight, these gauntlets adjust to the wielder's speed and reaction.
Effect: Darkness [1 second per hit]」
'These are awesome!' Nico smiled brightly as he inspected the gauntlets.
'They don't have the same effect as that 3 section nunchaku, but these are just as great. With increased endurance and strength, my fights will be one-sided. Unless I meet an enemy with a disenchantment skill or parrying dynamic...'
The players began leaving the event area. Some were still sick from the execution of the other players.
Some were indifferent, glad to be alive and grateful for the rewards.
Nico walked out as well. He stopped suddenly and looked behind him, sighing in exasperation.
"Why are you following me, Lindsey?" Nico inquired.
"W-Well, I left Genesis... and I have nowhere to go... I was hoping that..."
"A man and a woman who don't know each other staying together is out of the question. You've made enough money to take care of yourself, so don't follow me," Nico retorted.
"About that..." Lindsey said as she pressed her index fingers against each other and smiled sheepishly.
"I had to borrow some money from the guild to buy food, and they just took all of it... Which means..."
Nico scratched the back of his head. "I'm not going to give you any money."
"I'm not asking you for money!" Lindsey exclaimed.
"Whoa, is that Lindsey I hear?" a raspy voice from nearby shouted as a few men stepped into the light.
"Who knew that one of the roots of Genesis would be wandering around on her own?" another added as he chuckled dryly.
The 6 men stopped abruptly when they saw Nico approaching them, his crimson red eyes a light warning caution to make sure they stayed away.
"Tch, typical. You cling to the next big thing just to make sure you're safe," the player complained as he turned around and walked away, his men following him.
"Fuck you, your name's Phil for fuck's sake!" Lindsey shouted as she stood next to Nico.
"What was that about?" Nico inquired. Lindsey didn't respond, which prompted Nico to look in her direction.
She was slightly trembling.
Her eyes slightly watered while her lips became dry. That's when Nico finally noticed her appearance.
The first time he saw her, her hair was clean and silky. In addition to that, her energy wasn't as calm as it was now.
'Leaving Genesis must've been tough on her,' Nico commented. "Fine. You can come with me."
Lindsey froze for a moment, allowing her to process what he had just said. Her red eyes met his, and for the first time in a long time, she felt safe.
"But, it won't be free," he continued. "You'll go on missions, earn cash, take on even more difficult missions to earn more money, pay me back, and then you'll leave."
Lindsey's eyes sparkled and her eyes widened. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed as she jumped on him and gave him a tight hug.
"You won't regret this!" she added with a soft chuckle.
Nico grunted and pushed Lindsey away from him. "Jesus, would you not do that anymore?!"
"Come on, I have to show my gratitude somehow!" Lindsey replied with a sweet smile.
"Fuck your gratitude, I want money," Nico retorted as he stormed off, Lindsey following behind him.
***
The sky had turned black, washing away the daytime and making way for the night–a time to be alive.
Nico and Lindsey stepped through the doors of the guild and walked to the reception.
Instead of Melissa, they found an NPC assistant, who was more than happy to rent them 2 separate rooms for the night.
While Lindsey technically had her own room, she spent some time in Nico's, stuffing her face with lots of bowls of food.
With each bite she took of the succulent and warm food, her smile only grew brighter and brighter.
'It's hard to believe that this was the same girl who was glaring so fiendishly at Melissa,' Nico mused.
"Why'd you leave Genesis?"
Lindsey stopped eating and sighed. "... After you saved us from that cyclops, I realised that I was extremely weak. So much so that I had to rely on my sister's strength just to stay alive."
"We had an argument after you left, so I decided to leave. I want to get stronger so that I can protect my sister for a change," she continued.
"Because, if Laura died and I was still working for Genesis, I surely would've followed right behind her, or ended up in a worse place," she concluded with a sombre expression.
'So, she left for her protection. That makes sense...'
Nico looked at his plate still full of food and slid it to Lindsey.
At first, she hesitated. But a few tense seconds passed and she slid the bowl closer to her, eating with a grateful smile on her face.
Nico watched her curiously before standing up and looking out the window. "Tomorrow, you and I are gonna go on quests so we can quickly pay off your debt. In addition to that, you're gonna level up and get stronger."
"In return, I'll get easy money to upgrade my gear. Do we have a deal?"
Lindsey nodded. "Consider it done!"
「TreeHart has sent you a friend request!」
The system message popped up in Nico's face. He glanced at Lindsey, who was beaming as she waited for Nico to accept.
Nico accepted, which prompted Lindsey to continue feasting in peace.
「Achievement Unlocked: Best Friends Forever:
- Make one player your ally」
Ignoring the system screen, Nico became suspicious of the situation.
A member of Genesis's army was supposed to have enough money to take care of herself, even if she left him.
But, suggesting from how much Lindsey was eating, she clearly had no real way of keeping her funds in check, much less differentiating between a want and a need.
Food was essential, but in this world, eating until you're full could mean you didn't have proper meals where you came from or you just eat like a glutton because any day could be your last.
"Was Genesis broke?" Nico inquired.
"Not even," Lindsey gulped before responding. "He was a gazillionaire, a rich bastard, very big pockets, he had."
"Then why are you eating like a pig? Did he ration the food or something worse like monopolizing it?"
"We had a weekly quota of æ100,000 per week. Those who failed to reach it didn't get their weekly portions. Laura always gave me her share, so I felt the need to slack off..."
"Yeah, that won't fly around here. Finish eating and go to bed. We're going on a dungeon raid at 6."
"Huh?! But it's midnight..." Lindsey moaned as she rocked her chair back and forth.
"Shut up," Nico retorted as he cleaned his ears. "Just do as I tell you, and I promise I won't let you starve again."
Lindsey smiled softly. "I knew it. You are a nice guy..."
"I'm probably the last person you wanna tell that," Nico said as he walked out of the room and took Lindsey's instead.
'Act as coldly as you want. You're a sweetheart, nothing like Genesis or anyone I've met.'