Confrontation

After wandering around for a couple of tens-of-minutes, Carmen came across another group of players. They were all level 5 and sported some pretty gnarly equipment even though the game had only been live for a couple of hours. They were all attacking what appeared to be an elk-like being combined with a human. Using his Inspect skill, the name was revealed; level 6 [Moder] Jötunn (Demonic Half-God).

[Moder] was roughly 9 feet tall, with an elk-like body. Along its back were bone-like protrusions, while the head of the beast consisted of two human torsos. The main torso was headless and had arms in the shape of the being's antlers, while the other had a rag draped over the torso's head, through which glowing eyes could be seen.

Watching such a scene from a fair distance away Carmen took this as some light entertainment while on his travels. One of the fellows in the front of the formation the party had, had a shield raised up in a defensive posture. Looking at this Carmen interpreted it as a tactic to prevent the monster from reaching his other party members. After having examined the stand-still from a distance, Carmen approached the confrontation.

With unwavering steps, Carmen arrived next to Moder and waved a hand at the party.

"What seems to be the issue here?" (Carmen)

The party members watched in abject horror, seemingly either concerned or in disbelief. Seeing their reactions paying it no heed, Carmen asked once more.

"Do you guys need help or no? If not I'll be on my way." (Carmen)

The fellow at the front was the first to regain his sanity and loosened his stance. Although, he loosened his stance for a completely different reason than what Carmen thought of. With whoosh-like sound, Carmen was sent flying off into the trees. In horror, the party continued to watch the nefarious Jötunn unaware of the rectangular pop-up above Carmen's skeletal body.

*Immortal Object*

"Argh, that was one hell of a roller coaster ride." (Carmen)

Shaking his head Carmen stood back up and began the journey toward Moder and the party.

"Are we gonna be killed Tungsten? Do we have to deal with getting equipment again?" (???)

"Hopefully not, and if so, it'll be when I fall. Frontal Assault, take Audrey away with you when you escape, we can't let the little miss suffer any more setbacks." (Tungsten ???)

"Got it. You be sure to find a moment to get away as well Drop." (Frontal Assault)

"Don't worry about me, in the unlikely event that I die, I'll for sure be able to keep some of my equipment." (Tungsten Drop)

"Oi, it seems that you guys have forgotten about I, the glorious Number Three!" (Number Three)

"I don't want to hear the opinion of someone who used his call-sign in the game." (Tungsten Drop)

"Eck- That's not fair, I thought we were going to be straight forward in proclaiming ourselves the Lil' Miss' bodyguards. Wouldn't that have been cool?" (Number Three)

"Sadly for you, that desire is yours alo-" (Frontal Assault)

"Please stop arguing, it's getting on my nerves" (???)

"Yes!" (TD, FA, #3)

The supposed "little miss" stood at the back of the formation with a scowl on her gorgeous face. She had been dissatisfied ever since her father had relegated her to manual labor in a game to escape her forced marriage. She loathed having to work for what she wanted, as she had always received it after she proclaimed her desires. Her father, seemingly dissatisfied with his daughter's inability to consider the bigger picture, presented her with an alternative to the planned marriage. If she were to create an overlord guild within this new game, she would be excused from this marriage.

Meanwhile, Carmen watched the events off to the side once more. His head began to hurt as he remembered the novel he had dropped not even halfway through the first chapter. Thinking back he seemed to recall that the novel was based on a true story. Getting fed-up, Carmen careened back toward the Jötunn.

"Oi, Moder, why d'ya have'ta be such a dick?" (Carmen)

Bending his legs slightly, Carmen jumped a considerable distance into the air and grabbed onto the Jötunn's "antlers." Due to his swinging motion as he grasped the "antlers" the Jötunn was pulled along with Carmen's momentum, pulling the Jötunn to the ground.

Seemingly confused as to how it fell Moder staggered up onto its hooves. Once upright Moder finally noticed the heavy sensation on its back. While Moder was on the ground, Carmen and climbed onto its back and mounted it.

In anger, Moder bucked and bucked, attempting to launch Carmen off of its back. Seemingly a champion bull-rider, Carmen followed Moder's motion as he yanked on the beast's "antlers."

Off to the side was the party of four, watching in amazement as a seven-foot-tall skeleton rode the Jötunn with elegance. While she watched, Audrey attempted to use her Inspect skill on Carmen, to her disbelief it had no effect, almost as if Carmen didn't even exist.

"Tungsten, I want him. Once he's finished get him to sign a contract." (???)

"Yes!" (Tungsten Drop)

Audrey continued to watch as Carmen wore-down the stamina of the beast and yanked it left and right. She was enamored by this skeleton's flashiness in how he approached dealing with this monster. Completely without equipment, a bare skeleton was besting a Half-God.

Still in his act, Carmen began punching the Jötunn in the back its "head." Carmen's goal wasn't to kill this monster, his goal was to somehow tame it and have a badass mount before anyone else even thought of getting one. And at the moment, He felt as though it would be possible if he performed well enough.

"Submit to me Moder, we shall become the most magnificent pairing. Join me and we will be victorious." (Carmen)

As if further enraged, Moder began bucking harder as it tried to throw this detestable skeleton off of its back. It wanted nothing more than to stomp this mass of bone into a fine powder to add as a decoration to its territory.