Chapter 4: The Road to Strength

The Lilypad Forest of Travelers – Starting Battlefield

Sunlight filtered through the towering canopy of the Lilypad Forest of Travelers, casting dappled golden hues across the dense, lilypad-covered ground. The forest, once a peaceful starting point for new players, was alive with the sounds of nature, the soft murmur of the wind whispering through the leaves. Ancient coralic trees, with twisting, silver-lined bark, stood like silent guardians of the land, their branches weaving together to form a natural archway above. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and blooming wildflowers, a sense of tranquility hanging over the area despite the game’s underlying tension.

A tiny, round creature, fluffy and no bigger than a melon, nibbled on a half-eaten fruit, its small ears twitching in delight as it savored the meal.

Then-

A bowstring pulled taut.

The creature’s ears perked up, sensing something was amiss. Its button-like black eyes widened as it sniffed the air, detecting an unfamiliar presence, a shift in the usual rhythm of the forest.

A silent whoosh.

Leaves rustled as an arrow sliced through the air, finding its mark.

Plop.

The creature toppled over, its little body going limp on the forest floor.

Kane lowered his bow, staring at the fallen creature with wide, horrified eyes. His breath hitched as he rushed forward, falling to his knees beside it.

“Kyaaah! I’m sorry, you little cutie! I needed the experience to level up!”

The little creature then disintegrates into a million pixels.

From behind him, Damon snorted, arms crossed as he leaned casually against a tree, watching the scene with mild amusement.

“Ooooh. Not bad, boy.”

Kane whipped around in a flurry of motion, his arms flailing. “What?! That was terrible! I need my crossbow back! This bow sucks!” 

Damon chuckled, flicking his blonde hair back with a casual motion. “Heh. You’ll get it soon. For now, we have to train our skills so we don’t get killed.”

Kane huffed dramatically, clutching the bow as if it were a personal enemy. (“Stupid bow… stupid reset…”)

He let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping in frustration, before nodding resolutely. He raised his fists in front of his chest, his determination returning. "Alright. Let’s do this."

Meanwhile, further ahead in the forest, the sounds of battle cries and the clash of steel filled the air, sharp and frantic.

Damon and Kane turned their heads toward the commotion, curiosity piqued.

Ken sliced through a monster with raw aggression, his greatsword moving like a storm, fluid but brutal, carving through enemies with reckless precision. His movements were quick, every strike landing with a fierce force.

Madden stood beside him, his expression as calm. He effortlessly used his shield to block incoming attacks, his sword cleaving enemies in half with a single swing as they tried to flank Ken. The two fought in perfect synchronization, a seamless dance of power and skill.

Ken grunted as he swung his sword in a wide arc, cutting down yet another monster. “Hyaaah!”

Kane blinked in awe. “...Sheesh. What an intense guy.”

Damon nodded, "He's rank 1 after all."

His eyes narrowed as he observed the battle. Ken delivered a final, brutal slash, his greatsword gleaming in the sunlight as he rested it on his shoulder, the tension in his muscles slowly easing.

Ken, still catching his breath from the skirmish, turned his attention to the other side of the battlefield. Axel was fighting nearby, struggling to conjure magic attacks while dodging monsters. Sparks of blue energy flickered from his fingertips, but his movements were still unrefined, the magic unstable.

Ken’s brows furrowed in frustration. “…Where the heck is Alt?”

A loud growl suddenly rumbled through the forest, deep and menacing, cutting through the air like a warning.

Ken, Damon, and Kane whipped their heads around in unison, their eyes scanning the trees.

A massive monster with scaly skin, a snake-like body, and webbed limbs, stood across the battlefield, glaring down at Alt. Its eyes burned with malice as it slithered across the terrain, leaving deep marks in the dirt with each movement.

The creature let out a thunderous roar, its heavy, slithering body shaking the ground as it charged at her, its massive form rushing forward like a tidal wave of power.

Alt, standing perfectly still with two level 1 swords in hand, locked her gaze onto the beast. Her expression was unreadable, calm yet focused.

At the last possible moment-

She sidestepped with graceful ease, sliding beneath the hulking frame of the monster as it barreled past.

Two swift slashes.

Her blades pierced the creature’s underbelly with surgical precision, cutting through its tough hide.

With a sharp flip, Alt landed behind the beast, twisting in midair to deliver a final, calculated strike.

Shhhnk!

The sea beast howled in agony before collapsing, its body disintegrating into digital fragments as it was erased from the world.

Ken, Damon, and Kane stood in stunned silence, eyes wide as they took in the flawless execution.

Then, without missing a beat, all three of them lifted their hands, holding up an imaginary “10/10” scorecard, as if awarding her a perfect rating.

Kane grinned widely. “Oorah!”

Ken’s voice was filled with awe. “So intense…”

Damon let out a sharp whistle, clearly impressed.

Alt ignored their praise, flicking the dust off her blades with practiced ease before smoothly sheathing them behind her back.

As the trio snapped out of their awe, they simultaneously turned to glare at her, a mix of frustration and confusion on their faces.

Kane stepped forward, his voice sharp. “Wait! Weren’t you supposed to watch Axel’s back?!”

Ken crossed his arms, frowning. “He’s right!”

Alt remained unbothered, her gaze steady as she calmly approached them. “I was.”

Kane blinked, his eyes narrowing. “…Really?! How-”

Before he could finish his sentence, Alt casually pulled out a dagger from her side and threw it backward, her aim never wavering.

Kane’s head followed the dagger’s trajectory with wide eyes.

THUNK!

The dagger pierced a monster behind Axel’s back, the force of the strike taking it out instantly. The little creature crumpled to the ground, its body dissolving into digital fragments.

Kane’s voice was filled with awe as he watched the blade’s perfect precision. “…Oooooh.”

His fists rose to his chest, pinkies sticking out in exaggerated surprise.

Ken stared, his eyes wide, still processing the skill he had just witnessed.

Damon nodded approvingly, clearly impressed. “Damn.”

Alt turned toward Axel, who had just finished off the last monster. She approached him, her expression blank. “...You done?”

Axel turned around, panting slightly from the exertion. “Oh! Yeah. I’m about to finish up.”

He then noticed the trio awkwardly waving or smiling at him from a distance. Their expressions were a mix of admiration and confusion, as if they had witnessed something truly unexpected.

Axel squinted, momentarily puzzled, then gave a small, resigned grin.

“…Let’s call it a day.”

Back at Axel’s House – The First Major Boss

The warm crackle of the fireplace filled the living room as the team gathered around the sturdy wooden table inside Axel’s reconstructed home. The walls, though humble, bore the marks of the team’s growing strength and pockets, but the room still felt painfully bare. 

Axel, leaning forward with his elbows resting on the table, exhaled deeply, a tired yet satisfied grin spreading across his face. The flickering light from the fireplace emit dancing shadows on his features, showing the exhaustion that came with their rapid progress.

“Alright, everyone! Great work today!” Axel’s voice rang with a mix of pride and relief. “We managed to level up to 25 in such a short amount of time! We’re already a quarter to a hundred! Just five more levels until we can finally rank up our weapons and armor.”

The team nodded, their faces filled with accomplishment. But the mood shifted when Madden crossed his arms, his expression hardening into something more serious.

Madden’s voice broke the momentary silence. “…There’s bad news, though.”

The room stiffened at his words. The warmth of the fire seemed to retreat, replaced by the chill of impending danger.

Everyone’s faces turned serious, mirroring Madden’s somber tone.

Madden leaned forward slightly, his eyes sharp. “We’ll have to face our first strong boss before reaching level 30.”

Ken exhaled sharply, the weight of the situation sinking in. “...Yeah. The Forest Demon.”

The Sky Path

As Axel pulled up the holographic game menu, it flashed, appearing before them like a bright beacon.

They were given a choice.

The path of the Seas or the Skies?

The World of Seas and Skies offered two main paths for players to choose from at the start of their journey.

The Skies Path
Players progress through floating cities, aerial dungeons, and sky-based challenges.
The final boss is the Sky Dragon King, a challenging but conquerable foe.
Many players have successfully completed this route, making it the safer choice.

The Seas Path
Players must explore deep-sea territories, navigate ship-based battles, and manage oxygen levels.
The final boss is an ancient sea monster, a Hydra, and only a few players have ever successfully defeated it.
Considered the most difficult path, with oxygen as a crucial survival factor.

Since the reset, no one knew whether the story line or the difficulty had changed, and all previous knowledge might be useless.

Axel rubbed his temples, the weight of the situation sinking in. “That means we’ll need to be both capable and careful when the time comes. We’ll have to cover for each other and adapt.”

The fire crackled softly in the background, a quiet reminder of the challenges ahead.

Alt crossed her arms, her voice calm and focused. “...We need to gather intel from players who have already encountered some bosses ahead of our level. There’s no guarantee it’s the same fight as before.”

Damon tapped his chin thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing as he considered the options. “True… Let’s go to Sethia City tomorrow for that.”

The group nodded in agreement, understanding the importance of gathering as much information as possible.

Axel clapped his hands together, shaking off the tension in the room. “Alright! We’ll meet up again tomorrow morning before heading to Sethia. You’re all dismissed for today. Enjoy the rest of your time!”

The atmosphere lightened slightly as everyone stood to leave, stretching their arms and letting out a few sighs of relief after the intense day of battling.

Kane’s Secret Training Request

As the group began parting ways, Kane suddenly bolted after Alt, his voice a little breathless as he hurried to catch up.

“Wait up!” 

Alt turned slightly, pausing mid-step to glance back at him.

Kane, panting slightly, stopped in front of her, his eyes filled with a mix of excitement and determination. “I need your help… with something. Can you come over to my place?”

Alt observed him for a moment, her calm gaze studying his expression. After a brief silence, she nodded. “Alright.”

Kane’s eyes sparkled with gratitude. “Thank you, Alt!” Without thinking, he grabbed her hands in an eager gesture of thanks.

The moment hung for a brief second, a quiet exchange between them, before the two vanished in a teleportation flash, leaving Axel’s home behind.

Damon, standing a few feet away from the group, narrowed his eyes as he tapped his menu with a quiet, calculating air. His fingers moved swiftly across the screen as he scrolled through the teleportation list, searching for Kane’s home.

[K4N3DY’s Home – Marked as “Private”]

Damon’s eyes flickered with a mix of suspicion and amusement. “…Oraah. What a sneaky bastard.”

With a huff, he exited his menu, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall, watching the room silently.