The Ancients World

~~~(POV: Hailey Adamo)~~~

~~~(Location: Inside Gezimorphs Grove, Near Techart City)~~~

~~~(Time: 8:48 AM)~~~

I've made it to the boss room in just under an hour. The last stretch to get here was filled with the strongest monsters in here, and they were a pain in the ass to deal with. "Commander Eren and his guards didn't stand a chance... But why didn't The Adventurers Guild handle it?" Their leader, Chris, was around the same level as Commander Eren, and he's supposed to be the strongest.

It explains why they failed, but it doesn't tell me why they didn't get someone else stronger from another branch... "It's pointless to think about. The inner working of The Adventurers Guild isn't known to the public." Since the boss is beyond this door, it should be my focus. I place my hand on the door, and I get a notification.

[Warning: The boss out levels you by several levels!]

This is the only warning I'm getting from the system, and the boss fight shouldn't be that hard for me. I open the door, and there is a disfigured man in a cloak. He's hunched over, and he has a crystal ball in his hand. "Don't assume that you'll be me so easily... My creations are far weaker than I am!!" The boss decides to talk, and I'm not entertaining this.

I'm already in front of him with a leap of power, and my sword is driving its way into his body. He cringes in pain and tries to move away. "Wow, you're a fast one, aren't you!!" Before I can drive Hearts Needle in deep enough, he's able to create some distance between us. I did damage to him, about 8 percent of his total health pool, and that was from an incomplete attack.

Attacking at full speed is the best option in this scenario. "Don't get comfortable. You disfigured freak." My words hardly register in his mind before I'm already attacking, and this time I'm doing heavy amounts of damage. Each attack and skill I'm using is doing between 10 and 15 percent of his total health, and after a couple of attacks, he uses a life-saving skill.

I'm sent away from him, and his health fully regenerates, but I notice he has a new debuff. Mana exhaustion and there is a glazed look in his eyes. As if he's about to lose consciousness. "I never anticipated someone so strong would be interested in my Dungeon..." His voice is weak and trembling. If I kill him, that should end the Dungeon break.

Not wasting any more time, I dart toward him and use my best skills to put an end to him quickly. His health disappears faster than last time, and one final strike and he's dead. I get notifications that I stopped the Dungeon break, and I leveled up twice, but the most interesting drop isn't one I've seen before. One that I don't think Cera has even seen before.

[Incomplete tier-3 item upgrade for Battlemind]

[Description: This is a tier-3 upgrade item for the class known as Battlemind, but this is only the first half of the tier-up item. To use the item, you must find the second half and combine these pieces using an Epic Grade smith or higher.]

<br/>[Grade: Legendary]

I don't know what this means for me, but I'm not all that happy about it. It doesn't even tell me where I have to go or what I have to do to get the second half. Meaning I'm still in the process of my quest, and no markers are showing up. "I hate that tier-up quests don't give markers!!" This is the worst part about tier-up quests. Having to find things without your marker.

On the plus side, I'm all finished with helping Commander Eren, and it's time that I get out of here. The teleportation crystal at the back of the boss room takes me outside and in front of the Dungeon. "I can't believe that you saved Techart in a little over an hour... No wonder you're friends with Slayer Zern..." Commander Eren and his squad are waiting for me away from the entrance.

He walks over to me, and I plan to ask him if he knows anything that's in connection with Gezimorphs Grove. "Yeah, it wasn't that difficult. The boss was weak against my speed, and given he was a mage-type fighter, he didn't stand a chance." There is a rare smile on the face of Commander Eren, and now is the perfect chance to ask.

I take my time explaining what I'm doing, and he understands since he's now a Player, too, and he had a hard time with his tier-up quests till this point. "I don't know much about anything connected with Gezimorphs Grove, but there is a man in town who might know more. I can take you to him if you want?" That'd be perfect cause I don't know where he'd be.

We spend time talking and discussing combat while we walk back to Techart, and the trip back is way better than the trip there. But to my displeasure, as soon as we enter the city, Chris is waiting with his strongest members. "I don't know how you did it... But you've ruined everything, Commander Eren..." His demeanor is far darker than before, and he looks dead inside.

It's like he's lost his will to live or something. The Adventurers Guild has probably punished him, and now he's here trying to regain some honor. Something along those lines, at least. "Chris, it seems that you've failed in holding the standards your bosses want. Move aside. You're in Ms. Adamo's way." He steps in front of me, and his guards follow suit.

In a way, they're treating me like I'm a noble, and normally I wouldn't like this. But since it's Commander Eren, I don't mind that much. He's really doing it for himself and not for me. "Shut your fucking mouth, Eren!!" Chris surprises even me, and that level of disrespect has an effect on Commander Eren too. Veins start to pop up near his temples from clenching his teeth so hard.

Commander Eren slowly draws his sword and stands in a stoic manner. "What was it you just said, Chris? I know that you're not openly disrespecting me in such a way. I've tolerated your bullshit for a long time, but I'm becoming sick of you." I fold my arms, and I wonder what this is escalating toward. I don't know what happens when Player guards fight other Players or NPCs turned Players.

Chris unsheaths his sword too, but the second he finishes, he charges Commander Eren like a mad man. They're moving in slow motion to me since I've increased my perception time, but to everyone else, they're moving at incredible speeds and barely able to keep up. "What happens when there is a fight not in the grounds of a Duel? Especially against a Guard..." It's not something I've seen before.

~~~(POV: Commander Eren)~~~

~~~(Location: Fighting Chris near the entrance of Techart City, The City of Techart)~~~

~~~(Time: 9:34 AM)~~~

Chris, you were once a good man and a dear friend of mine. But you've let the power you've gained from turning into a Player corrupt you, and now you're here attacking a guard and provoking a situation that can't be forgiven. "You can't see the damage you've caused to yourself..." He can't hear me. His blind rage is deafening him to the world.

The Adventurers Guild punished you because you're acting a fool in front of Ms. Adamo. And what you're doing now will only make it worse. You're making the organization that you represent look like a complete and utter joke. "I'm going to find a way to kill you forever, Eren!! There has to be a way!!" Since we're both Players now, death isn't permanent. But his madness is taking greater hold by the minute.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Below this line, I'll be keeping Cera's player information. That way, I won't have to place it into the story above anymore. It takes about 180 words up.

[Slayer (Zern) Lvl.228][Tier-3]

[Exp: 42/100%]

[Title: The Son of Arch-Angel Michael (Hidden)]

[Stats] [Strength - 7095][Endurance - 7045][Dexterity - 7215][Speed - 8240][Focus - 19,660]

[Mana aura control: 6/100%]

[Health: 76,560,000,000/76,560,000,000] [Mana: 216,600,000,000/216,600,000,000]

[Stat Points: 350] [Armor rating: 500]

[Inventory] [Dice of Wayland (Divine)] [Hardened Tree sap Armor (Very Rare)] [The Witness (Legendary Sword)] [Fenrir's Whistle (Divine)] [Camping gear] [Food Rations 3x] [Dried meat 3x] [Fishing poles 2x] [Fish 8x] [Festival Garbs 2x] [4x EXP Boosts]

[Passive Perks]

[Inheritor of the Sword] [Son of Heaven] [Slayer of Evil] [Holy Willow Trees Savior] [Finder of Legends] [The Divine who has Legend] [Destined for Greatness] [Dungeon Diver] [An Overachiever]

[Active Skills]

[Heavens light Lvl.74 325/7400] [Protected by Heaven Lvl.74 225/7400] [Slash Lvl.92 4600/21000] [Parry Lvl.68 85/6800] [Double Strike N/A] [Kingslayer N/A] [Raging Machine N/A] [Winged Glory] [Angelic Flight] [Divine Pressure Exertion] [Divinity Pulse] [Controlled Fun]