Leveling up [1]

"Let's PK!"

"…"

"Let's PK!" "Let's PK!" "Let's PK!"

"…"

In the end, it took a lot of convincing for Noah to finally stop Aria's energetic requests. He didn't exactly stop it though; he only postponed it till they were level 20 and they had access to more skills in the game.

That moment of the 5 of them coming together again, to Noah, it was special.

Despite the fact that it was just a few days in the outside world since he became stuck inside the game, he could not help but feel like it was so long already.

But when his friends finally entered the game to meet him, he no longer felt like he was in an alien land, rather, he felt at home again.

Warstar was his home after all for the past decade.

Being in the presence of Genevieve's motherly energy and care, Benjamin's goofy energy, Aria's robust energy, and Caleb's taciturn feel, Noah felt at home again. He didn't know how much he missed their energy till he was away from it.

They took very little time to get up to date with each other, and then they presented the ultimate question, what was the next step forward?

Having taken his time to think extensively over it already, Noah answered them. "The next step forward is we level up".

He looked at his friends. "I trust that Genevieve already told all of you my intentions and my situation".

"I don't really care as much about escaping from the game, what I truly care about is the feeling of being at the top again".

"I want to win again!" His eyes burned with a fiery zeal.

"I want to make it to the World championship and represent England, I want that recognition!" He grinned.

"That's what is more enticing to me".

"And you feel we can do it this time? Why?" Caleb looked at Noah. "The reality remains the same, we're ageing veterans of the game".

Benjamin glared at Caleb for not reading the moment and disrupting Noah's energy and momentum but Caleb did not pay attention to it, he continued. "Hot-bloodedness alone and wishful thinking is not enough to win the Warstar RPG Champions league, you of all people should know that". He looked at Noah.

"What do you think are our chances of achieving your ambitious goal?"

Noah hesitated for a big but then he answered. "Pretty high". He looked back at him, smiling.

"How so?" Caleb asked.

"First, I no longer suffer the same restriction as you guys. Inside here in the game, playing Warstar have never been easier".

"You'll understand after you see me play".

He explained to his friends how his avatar now worked. Instead of typing a keyboard and controlling a mouse to activate skills and control his in-game avatar, all he needed now was to think.

It was so much more convenient.

Caleb looked at him. "Convenient, but mathematically, I don't think such an improvement is enough to breach the gap between our team and Phoenix Rising's team".

"Besides, Marcus is not here".

"I know," Noah sighed, rubbing his temples. "Having a mathematician as a friend can be a hassle at times," he chuckled. "But there's another thing". He raised a finger for emphasis.

"I think…, I discovered a way to get another SSS-Rank unique skill".

Caleb's avatar adjusted his glasses, an in-game accessory that he got as a reward from one of the beginner quests. "Is your method tested and proven?"

Noah shook his head. "I can't tell but it's related to the powers that are behind my transmigration into the game, so I can say it's reliable".

"Half-reliable," Caleb corrected seriously. "Explain".

Noah took a deep breath. "When I got my first SSS-Rank unique skill, the unique skill challenge for it was triggered in my very first dungeon run after my avatar entered level 5".

"I was not the only one to get a unique skill, the party members who raided the dungeon with me also got unique skills, just lower-ranked ones due to their meagre contribution in completing the unique challenge".

"But if it was you guys, perhaps, it would have been different".

"Maybe you would have gotten SSS-Rank unique skills just like I did," Noah looked at Caleb.

The fact that the intimidating mathematician didn't interrupt him yet meant that he was not saying rubbish, and that he was driving at something.

He continued. "Due to other evidence provided after I was transmigrated, I believe that I will encounter another unique skill challenge at level 20".

"If I perform well, I will most likely get another SSS-Rank unique skill".

"If you guys participate, and you perform well too," Noah spread his arms. "Our whole squad may just become equipped with at least 1 SSS-Rank unique skill".

"Mathematician, think about it, is that enough to make us win the RPG Champions league again?"

"Theoretically, it increases our chances to 74%, but it's all still a probability".

In that moment, Noah smirked. "When did winning the RPG champions league final ever become a certainty?"

He grinned. "The uncertainty, the stakes, the competition, those are what makes it exciting, all of it contributes to the allure of fighting for the trophy".

He looked at his friends. "So, are you guys in?"

There was silence for a few seconds.

Aria grinned. "Bring it on!"

Genevieve simply nodded.

Caleb nodded. "Yeah".

They all turned to look at Benjamin.

As if waiting for that moment, the oldest among the group of friends grinned, adjusting and basking in the moment.

If he had unlimited control like Noah's reincarnated avatar, perhaps, he would have patted and adjusted his sleeves at this moment.

He chuckled. "I told them I'd compete, but now I'm game for anything; they better be ready to console themselves when I win!"

"…"

"Lame". Aria trolled.

…

Genevieve's Misty Rose, Caleb's Enlightened Flame, and Benjamin's Captain Batman entered the Pork Labyrinth dungeon with a random party of 2 other players to complete their raid party.

As for Noah, his Lord Doom entered Monkey Rainforest dungeon for the first time with a random party of players too.

Due to his reputation in the new server, it didn't take him long to find a raid party.

They all went leveling.

…

While all that happened inside the game, somewhere in London…

Nightingale met up with his friends.