Solo Exploring

I've been wandering the streets for a while now. If I count it, it has been forty days. My sleeping pattern is all over the place. There is no sun to keep track of the time but I have a clock in my UI. So I can say my pattern is only sleeping for half an hour before staying awake for two to three days. I'm still figuring out what to do. I know I'm supposed to prepare for my battle against Zaori. But I don't know where to start. I have a lot to learn.

*Sigh*

Standing here, I realize I'm in the darkest alley in the Underworld. Neon signs are few. Dirty critters feast on the trash, the ground is moist and greasy, a couple smooching outside the door of a bar, and three sniffing something from their forearms. I explored too far—I thought. I don't even know where I am.

Now, back to what I have to do. I have to become stronger. Earlier, I just discovered that when I leveled up multiple times, I have stats to upgrade. The main stats include Agility, Strength, and Intelligence. Then they branch out to different kinds of abilities. To make it more confusing, each of my Frames can have its own stats. My Anthropa Frame is Level 17, Daemon Frame is Level 19, and my Angelus Frame is the highest at 21. We beat the Phantom using my Angelus Frame so that's why it has the highest Level. Although myself has a separate level. I'm Level 57. I leveled up a few times because I discovered many new places. I noticed that if I add up the levels of my Frames, their sum is 57. I'm guessing that my level is based on the levels of my Frames.

Then to put it simply, I just have to level my Frames to increase my total level which is called "Frame User Level". The way to level up is by exploring the world, fighting enemies, and doing quests. A good way would be to fight weak enemies that I can beat. Then if I'm strong enough, I'll fight stronger ones. The question is where.

I come across this group of guys who are well-equipped for fighting. They enter a tavern while talking.

"Should we go deeper into that domain or find a new one?" asks an archer who is trailing behind the three bigger guys.

"We go to another domain. I don't want to fight turds again."

"I couldn't agree more!"

Domain?

"Excuse me!" I call out. The three big dudes spare a glance at me but pretend they didn't hear me as they go inside. The archer guy stays to tend to me. "Hello," I greet.

"How may I help you?"

"Can you tell me where is the nearest domain?"

"Quite near, actually." He rubs his fingers and then shows his palm, expecting some incentives.

I summon a hundred gold on my palm and give it to him. He nods, wanting more. I give him another five hundred. That's when he starts to talk.

"Go straight," he points behind me. "and turn left. Walk until you get to a waterway. There will be a big door in the middle. That's the entrance to the domain."

"Thank you," I nod.

"No, thank 'you'." He winks before entering the tavern. He delightfully makes the gold coins magically fade in his hand.

I follow the directions he gave me and just now I'm worried if what he told me was a lie, that he scammed me. I'm not even at the place though, so it might be too early to assume. As I reach the busy street, I'm quite startled by the brightness and noise. On the sidewalk to the left, I continue.

Neon signs everywhere, people walking to and fro, and ground cars and flying cars. This is just a typical Underworld cyberpunk street. It is not different from the other streets I came across until I reach a dead end. The only way for cars to turn is to the right. Though I don't know the reason why there are only a few cars passing through this road. There are no pedestrians but me. Then there is a fence straight ahead with a hole in it.

The air becomes worse as I got near. What is this smell? Should I continue? Once I'm at the fence, I knew why this is so. There is a large waterway where all of the sewage of the Underworld combine. I'm talking about a river of Daemon poop. Ugh! Smells so bad! Why put a domain here? Maybe I just got scammed.

Although I have doubts, I still want to make that 1000 gold count. What if he was telling the truth? So, I enter through the hole in the fence and toughen up the tolerance of my nose. Now that I'm here, with my night vision, I see a few monsters and critters enjoying the sewage. This is a paradise for them. And in the middle of the waterway, there is a platform with a huge gate on it. Is that the domain?

I use Shadowclutch to cross. Flies scatter and scuttle around my face, sometimes almost entering my nose and ears. "Stupid flies," I curse under my breath.

Finally, I'm on the platform. Torches at the sides of the gate light up on their own. Their blue fires eerily illuminate the place and the gate itself. The gate is ten meters tall, I think. Its two marble doors are chiseled intricately. I touch it and words appear in my UI.

Too bad none of my Frames are above Level 30. Maybe I shouldn't enter. I bet there are other easier domains. I just have to look harder.

The ground beneath me trembles. I turn around and see a lady. Her hair is covering her face but her glowing red eyes and glistening teeth with long sharp fangs can be seen through. Her claws are sharp like razor blades.

"Hello?" I ask with a shaky voice. "Are you here to enter the domain?" *Gulp* "I'm just going to leave, goodbye!"

Breathing through her clenched teeth, she growls, "I smell. . . Anthropic blood."

"What?"

Her saliva drips on the floor. "Give it to me."

"I'm sorry, I don't have an Anthropa Frame. Maybe someone in that domain has."

I gotta run away or I'm dead! But if I run, I will look like prey to her. What do I do?

"WARGHH!!!" she shrieks, leaping to kill me!