Getting involved in a sudden Event
On his way back, Kyle noticed some players gathering near the main entrance of town. They seem to be in a hurry and somehow their faces express a bit of excitement, while the others who arrived there first, greet the people they know from those who just arrived.
Between the crowd, Kyle saw three perceptible characters talking with each other, one of them is a blond female.
Kyle immediately determined that the three characters are high-leveled players because of the glossy weaponry and armors they are wearing.
'By the looks on their face, what they are discussing is somehow crucial and serious in a way.' He thought as he plans to pass thru the crowd of players that are gathering at the entrance.
As Kyle gets closer to the entrance, one of the three people noticed him and calls out for his attention.
"Hey you, the one wearing a black coat!" a man looking around his thirties while wearing a set of full plate armor with his helmet-visor raised called.
Kyle then looks behind him and saw no other person at his back, he then points a finger at himself confirming if he is the one the person calling is referring to.
"Yes you, come over here."
Kyle went closer to the person calling him and asked the person for the reason he calls and noticed a huge double edge broadsword fasten on his back as he gets closer to the man.
'A Warrior class?' He thought.
"What is it?" Kyle said as he arrives on the spot where the three players are standing.
"Are you in a quest or anything?" Asked the man who called for Kyle.
"No, I'm just going back in town." Kyle answered.
"Is that so? I have an offer for you." The man cheekily said to Kyle.
"And what would that be?" Kyle responded, wondering what kind of offer it would be, so the man who called him explained to him what is going to occur a few minutes later on.
"About thirty minutes from now, a town event will occur and anyone around town could participate in the said event." He said.
'Oh, is that why there are a lot of players gathering here?'
"So… what does it have to do with me?" Kyle wonders what the man means by what he just told him.
"Well apparently, only players that created a party before or right on the event time could participate, and we are currently short on people." He said while scratching the back of his helmet.
Kyle turns around him when the man said that they are short on people and saw a huge crowd behind, and wonders why.
'Short on people? With this many players around?'
"Hey, can I ask you something?" Kyle said
"Sure, what is it?" the man immediately responds to him.
"What kind of an event is going to happen later?" Kyle boldly asked the man
"It is an event that reenacts a town siege by monsters, namely "The Red Dragon Attack" event." A voice intercepts their conversation
When Kyle turns around to where the voice came from, he saw another one amongst the three players that were having a conversation earlier and it is the blonde female.
"Sorry for the late introduction, my name is Carol." The blond said, introducing herself.
"Oh, it's okay. This guy over here didn't even mind to introduce himself anyway." Kyle said while he points a finger at the guy who called for him.
"Well, I did forget about it, sorry my bad." The man in full plate apologized that somehow doesn't sound like an apology at all; rather it seems like it is a joke for him.
"You should properly introduce yourself and be more considerate especially when asking someone for a favor!" Carol said as she kicks the shin of the guy leaving a loud sound of a metal crash.
And the guy in full plate hops like a bunny in pain while holding the shin Carol kicked.
'From the sound of it, it will definitely leave a dent on his expensive-looking greave.' Kyle thought while looking on the greave that protects the person's shin.
"She has anger management issues." Kyle whispers to the man in full plate.
"Yeah, but she is the party leader and the one with the highest level here." The man said while still holding his shin.
"Anyway, are you joining this event?" The man inquired Kyle again if he is willing to join their party.
"Well…" Kyle is still second-guessing if he will come or not, since he thinks that this might not be worth his while.
"The rewards are great and could compensate you better than just doing normal quests. Oh, man! I remembered picking up a rare type of item last time!" The man in full plate said as he somehow reminisces a time when he said he picked such an item.
And on the same time, baiting Kyle since he is a new player and might get interested if he has an overview about what he will gain after the event.
'He is baiting me.' Kyle thought, but still accepts the deal and joined the party.
A few more minutes before the event starts, the players that will join the said event were divided into three groups, and each group is led by one of the three high-ranked players.
Lucky for our Kyle, he is in the group of Carol.
"Okay, listen up! Each group will hold a post in specific locations of the town. Then we will follow the generic battle formation when it comes to raids and guild wars." She said in a loud voice for everyone to hear.
"Shielders will create a defensive line to protect the Arcanes while they cast their AOE skills, after which, the Warriors and Rangers will do the cleaning on what is left after the bombardment."
After her explanation, the three groups departed and went to their assigned posts.
A countdown timer appears on each player's screen stating the time left for the event to start.
'One minute huh?'
When the timer reaches zero, the sky above town slowly turns a pale red and a huge screen with an event indicator appears on top of the town.
A notification also appears on the players' screens that are participating in the event.
[Town Event: Attack of the Red Dragon has started.]
[Dear warriors, protect the town and its villagers]
Then the huge screen that appears on top of the town shows a countdown timer stating the duration of the event.
When Kyle took a glimpse at it, he was stunned and astonished by the numbers on the screen.
"Four hours?! That's a load of…"
Before he could finish his words, a shadow flying from above shades the ground he is standing. When he looks up, he saw hundreds of lesser dragons flying around the sky of Florence.
[System Notification]
[The red dragon has arrived and is currently nesting on the northern end boundary of town]
[Find and eliminate it!]
'This is bad; it is both subjugation and town fortification type of event. We really are short in people.'
The flying lesser dragons began bombarding the town with their fiery breaths destroying some infrastructures and stalls inside of town.
Like a bomber plane, they fly across town leaving a few tons of explosives as they pass it and let the explosion do the trick.
Looking at the scene, Kyle thought that this event would end up as a failed one since they don't have enough firepower to face this many and almost lose hope.
But a scream of a man told him that it could also be the other way around for them.
"Shielders, use "Taunt" on those lesser dragons!"
After hearing the command, the Shielders in front use the said skill to the dragons that are flying around town.
On the time they use it, the lesser dragons began attacking them instead.
"Now all of your use fortify!"
Then the Shielders that are being attacked by the dragons began glowing in light gold and the attack damage that they receive is dramatically reduced by half.
After a few seconds of long casting, the Arcanes behind them initiated their attack at once.
A huge gray cloud starts on building above the town and instantly a bolt of huge lightning electrocutes the hovering dragons immediately eliminating them and their party received an extremely huge amount of EXP that they leveled up immediately.
Though the command sounds like a trainer commanding his Pokémon, it is a very effective way of defeating the lesser dragons with the use of proper commands.
"Hey you, don't just stand there!"
Looking in the direction where the voice came, Kyle saw Carol jumping from one roof to another as she takes down a few lesser dragons every time she leaps roof to roof.
Kyle noticed that his EXP gauge also increases every time Carol takes down a dragon.
'Well, better help them up since I'm receiving a good amount of EXP.' He thought and started chasing down a dragon flying above him.
He flings a dagger to it and is able to hit a soft spot under its wing.
[You used Dagger Blink]
A system notification appears on his screen notifying him that he activates a skill.
He is then immediately transferred to where the dagger is pierced after the notification and now, he is hanging like a decoration on the dragon's underarm.
Carol saw what happened and was amazed at his stupidity. Yet, she wonders how he was able to do that and got that near to the dragon knowing that he is just around level thirty or so.
'Shoot, too high. I think I'm gonna puke if this thing keeps on going higher.'
Kyle throws his dagger on a roof and immediately blinked on the said location.
Due to the dragon flying too high and his sudden movement from air to land, Kyle almost gags out his insides and choose to slowly recover himself from dizziness by standing still and breathing in some air.
'Man my first town event and I can't even contribute that much.' He thought while looking at the other groups managing the situation professionally while he is on top of the roof, stunned in amazement.
"Hey heads up!"
Before he could turn around, Kyle is tackled by the one behind him and is knocked on the roof's surface.
When he had a clear view of what is happening, a dragon flew just above him as he gazes up at its belly while he is underneath.
He then turns his attention to the one who tackled him and saw the blondie from before.
"What exactly are you doing?" He asked the blond on for what reason she has for her to tackle him.
"Are you blind or you just don't have common sense?" She said
"That dragon almost knocks the soul out of you!" she added while pointing at the dragon who just passed them.
Knowing Carol's good intention behind her sudden tackle doesn't really make sense because if you think about it carefully, that would only mean taking some of Kyle's HP and not literally take the soul out of him. Yet, Kyle still has a good manner and responds in the right way.
"Well, thanks I guess." Kyle said in return for the help he received
The two then stood up from where they landed and refocused their thoughts on the event that is currently happening.
That said, there is an idea that happens to appear inside Kyle's mind and suddenly asked Carol a question that might eventually help them clear the quest immediately.
"Hey, this event is called "Attack of the Red Dragon" Right?" he asked and Carol immediately answered him.
"Yes, it's the title of the event."
"Then if the Red Dragon is eliminated the quest will be over right?" he added and Carol answered him immediately again.
"Yes, you got that right."
"Then why the heck are we here slaying these lesser dragons if we can just kill the red one and spend the rest of our time drinking at a bar?!" Kyle exclaimed knowing that the obvious solution is just a few meters away north of town near the slime fields.
"Are you an idiot or something?! Have you read the quest?!" Carol yelled at Kyle and began explaining to him the situation they are in.
"We need to defend the town from completely being ruined by the lesser dragons and at the same time eliminate the red one." She explained and a sigh came out of her.
"Then, what are we waiting for?" Kyle impulsively said upon hearing it, encouraging Carol to run after the Red Dragon.
But Carol sighs upon hearing it.
"Well, normally that is the solution for this event, a small group with high-level characters will subjugate the red dragon while the other groups with lower levels will defend the town…" and Carol began massaging her nose bridge as if her sinusitis is triggering due to what is happening.
"But since most of the high-leveled players are sticking their butts on Lorencia because of a higher EXP gain when a town event triggers there leaving only us, and the other mid-level players to do the quest here in the start town." She said ending her explanation to Kyle.
"Then why are you still here? I don't think you will gain enough EXP just by staying here in a town for newbies."
"I was in Lorencia a while ago, but I then went here after I heard that there will be no one to help the starting players here in Florence, so I came here immediately and brought two of my co-guild members." She said with a down look on her face.
"And why is that?"
"Are you retarded? Do I need to tell you detail by details?" she exclaimed upon hearing Kyle's absurd question.
"Well… I won't understand it if you don't explain it to me thoroughly."
"God, seriously?! Argh! Fine! You see, back in the days when Grand Nexus is still in Beta, a lot of players gather around this very town and socialize with each other and one of the few is me."
"So? That still happens now."
"You don't get it, do you?"
And Kyle just lifts his shoulder while turning his head left and right with a blank look on his face as a form of agreeing to her exact words.
"As a senior player of this game, this town has a huge sentimental value to me. I don't want it to be destroyed!"
"But this town will recover after the event and everything that was destroyed will be back to what it is used to be." Kyle explained to her the concept of the game and that everything that is ruined while the event is undergoing will eventually return to its original state.
"Are you picking up a fight with me? Of course, I know that!" Carol said, angered by Kyle's recent statement that makes her look as if she is dumb and doesn't know that everything she sees is just a part of a simulation.
"Well, to tell you the truth, yes, this is a game and for some people, it is just a game and this town is just a part of the many functions of this game, but for me, this is a town that I want to protect! When I first log in to this game, I found this town as something special and beautiful that I don't and can't imagine it being in ruins just for a second." She added.
"I Love this town and all the people in it even though most of them are just NPCs!" She ended with a bright and beaming smile that the ones looking at her would definitely feel the warmth of it.
It is both cute and beautiful in a way that one could compare it to the rising sun in the morning removing the cold breeze of dawn and giving new hope for the people witnessing its majestic rays as its warm beams hit their skins.
'If I could say, a wildflower blooming on a vast green field or a painting expressing the deep love of the author as he paints his first and final work.'
"Can you eliminate the boss by yourself?" said Kyle
"I can't possibly do it, but if there is at least another player around my level, then…"
"Okay fine, ask that other two to come with you and eliminate that red dragon." Kyle said as he points to the other two's location, stunning Carol on her statement.
"Huh?" is all the girl could say.
"I'll buy you some time." Kyle said and immediately draws out his daggers from its sheaths and rush to where a group of lesser dragons is.
[Wind walk activated]
Moving in high speed, Kyle throws a dagger towards the group of dragons, hitting one of them on its neck.
[You used Dagger Blink]
Appearing on the neck of the dragon that his dagger hits, Kyle then flings his other dagger as he grabs the other one pierced on the dragon's neck and drives the dagger around its neck, leaving a deep cut on the dragon.
He then blinks to his other dagger that he throws away that is currently gliding above the other dragon, upon grabbing it, he uses both his daggers to stab the head of the dragon below him as they freefall dawn sending the dragon on the ground with him along with a loud crashing sound.
Amazed at how he eliminates the dragons, the players near him watch Kyle in awe as he hops down the dragon he defeated that is starting to pixelate at the same time.
Kyle then looked up towards the roof where Carol is that is also in awe of what she just witnessed and called out for her.
"Hey, what are you staring at? Start moving those legs of yours." Kyle said in a loud voice, referring to the red dragon that she still has to defeat.
Catching his drift, Carol then called out for the other two and began running to where the red dragon is, while Kyle resumes his elimination of the lesser dragons.
'This is great, the EXP I receive from these lesser dragons sure is hitting the roof!'
From one point to the other, Kyle eliminates every dragon he sees and continues on running around the whole town.
While running on top of a roof, Kyle heard a loud cry of a woman asking for help and rushed in its direction.
When Kyle arrived, he saw a dragon that is about to blast a player that is knocked on a corner. He throws his dagger at the dragon and immediately activated his skill.
[You used Dagger Blink]
And completely eliminated the dragon in one fell swoop.
He then went to the player and asked her if she is fine, but didn't expect that it is someone he already met.
"It's you again slime girl?" Kyle said surprised that he saw the same person twice in one day.
"We meet again, is this what they call fate?" Surprised that she was saved again by him.
"And please stop calling me slime girl." She said while pouting.
"No, I think it's a coincidence. Should I call you "Pinky" or "Miss Glasses" then?" Kyle immediately replied and called her "Pinky" using her pink hair as a reference.
"Please stop, I'm glad that you helped me again but please stop baptizing me with new names."
"Why are you here anyway?" Kyle asked the girl with pink hair.
"Well, I joined the town event but was separated by the group."
"Ohhh, alright, see you then." He said and waved goodbye.
Kyle was about to leave when he was called back by the pink-haired girl.
"Mister, wait!" she called and went on running towards Kyle.
"What is it? Is there something wrong?" He asked
"Well, can I add you to my friend list?" she said as she opens a window showing the friends she has in the game.
Then a notification appears on Kyle's screen with the name of the person adding him.
"Emily?" he said as he reads the name that sent him the friend request.
"Yes, that's my name." She said
And then Kyle confirms her request and Kyle's in-game name appears on her friend list.
"So your name is Cael?" Emily said while reading the name of Kyle's avatar on her friend list.
"Yeah, that's my avatar's name."
"Oh, I see… it's not your real name." she muttered
"So your real name is…" But before Emily could finish, Kyle went on running again with a worried face.
He went on running as fast as he could in a certain direction.
[Wind Walk activated]
'What is she doing?!'
'Her HP gauge on my "Party members" list is running empty.'
Worried while running, Kyle reached the spot where Carol is and saw her kneeling on the ground holding her sword while propping it to support her from collapsing.
He rushed towards her and saw the other two of his guildmates lying on the ground.
"What happened here?" Kyle asked worried about what happened to them.
"This… Red Dragon is… stronger than what I remembered." She said catching her breath.
Kyle then turns his gaze to the other two that are eliminated.
"Don't worry about them, they'll resurrect in Lorencia after an hour when their death penalty expires." She said, reassuring Kyle about their state and for him to not worry about them.
"And the red dragon?" Kyle asked as to where the dragon is since he doesn't see it anywhere.
Carol slowly lifts her hand and points a finger forward slightly tilted above.
When Kyle turns his gaze to the direction where Carol is pointing, he saw a giant flying creature hovering above them making him tremble in fear instantly upon laying his gaze to it.
"It's somehow revamped in some ways." Carol added while popping a bottle of HP potion.
Kyle continues staring at the hovering abomination above and Carol noticed the prolonged gaze of Kyle on it.
'My god… its name is in a very deep violet color.' Kyle thought as his eyes shake in fear while reading its name.