"Am I trapped in this world of stingy games?!"
The first words I uttered after being trapped in this game... Standing up straight with my eyes open—feeling, touching, pinching my body parts that felt so foreign. It was lighter than before and it was different, especially when I held my hair. I felt—I became the Avatar myself that was created two years ago.
— Atheria
Now, August 1, 1884, 11:21 AM.
A 20-year-old young man with short brown hair, wearing a dark blue jacket as his outer garment, a plain black long-sleeved t-shirt underneath, and black trousers with boots underneath.
The man's name was Willard Heidric or commonly called Will.
Located in a very dense forest with towering trees, a place that for new players or the first place is called the Green Zone, Will is surrounded by three small Goblins but... his HP is triple layered!
Note: the word "Blood" is sometimes contextualized to the meaning of HP/Health Points if there are any corrections that are missed.
« Goblin: 10000/10000 x3 »
« Goblin: 10000/10000 x3 »
« Goblin: 10000/10000 x3 »
Every Goblin's HP bar is so low, It's so weird but somehow I can kill it.
Only armed with a kitchen knife with a blade made of stone in his left hand.
Will ran away not because he was afraid, but because there was no miracle that guaranteed success and saved him only to kill the Goblin, while the Goblins were chasing him quickly behind.
"I don't understand, why do lowly enemies like them have such high HP?!!"
He turned around and swung the knife, hitting the head of one of the Goblins which when pulled the Goblin's head leaked like a bottle that was pointed at a knife—spewing out bright red blood like a fountain. But the problem was, even though the head was a vital point in human anatomy which was more or less the same as Goblins... His HP only decreased normally as if there was nothing special and such a concept had no effect on this Game World as if vital points were not used in this Game.
« -102 »
"Arghh!!??" Will was shocked and annoyed looking at the small damage.
Will ran again, attacked his head, ran, attacked his head again, ran again, attacked the same spot, ran again.
Repeatedly swinging the kitchen knife bit by bit, it whittled away at its HP, but... It only broke one bar. On many occasions, attacking only managed to break one layer of its HP, which was incredibly thick for a small fry.
Repeating the same strategy. As time went on, Will became overwhelmed by them, his muscles feeling like they were tearing from repeating the same thing over and over again, like a gym workout.
Will could only defeat one Goblin in over two hours. Fortunately, Will managed to escape the Goblin's pursuit, panting and muscle-tired—having entered the cave exhausted both physically and mentally.
His breath was ragged with exhaustion.
The two Goblins were out of reach of Will's Cave hiding, they lost track of Willard who then scattered who knows where.
"In two hours, I only managed to kill one goblin?" said Willard, who then sat down in the middle of the room.
The atmosphere was dark with little light coming from outside, only containing rocks there was nothing else but him.
"Ahh... what game is this?!"
A game called Atheria—an MMORPG known for being unfriendly to free-to-play players or those who don't frequently purchase diamonds. But I was that person... I was actually attracted to the gameplay, which seemed fun, but suddenly I became my own character.
In fact... I've been stuck in this game for almost two years...
"I've been through this for two years, only being able to kill one Goblin for hours. When will I be able to buy cool equipment? Even killing Goblins is this hard and the reward for one Goblin is also small—Aarghhh..." Willard complained while rubbing his forehead in stress like a child being told to study science.
Located in the bustling, city named "Grezzley" a place with the appearance of ancient German buildings, living in the era of the classic MMORPG game world with various types and free to choose the type of role while in the Game.
The people there are very crowded with a fairly large number of players and NPCs, due to being trapped in this game world.
Now, at four in the afternoon to be exact, the people in the guild were all individuals with what could be called sultan accounts. All of them were wearing luxurious, cool, bulky equipment, and of course, of high rarity, as they were the ones who had made the initial transactions into the game. They themselves had just returned from completing their respective Zones.
"Will!! Did you just come back from the Green Zone?" someone called out to Willard.
Someone approaches Willard, a man in golden armor named Melgezz, who was Will's age when he first entered the game. Judging by his dirty, blood-stained appearance, he likely just returned from an adventure in the Red Zone.
A zone is a place for players to play, or more precisely, gameplay. A zone is a level within a single unit that includes several stages divided into five sections: Green < Yellow < Red < Black < White.
Each color has its own level of difficulty but I'm still stuck in the Green Zone and the early stages for two years... What a ridiculous game.
Melgezz and the other players made their initial transactions, receiving fancy, cool weapons and equipment, along with powerful abilities. Furthermore, their stats were doubled from their initial levels, allowing them to navigate the long, somewhat difficult journey through the Green Zone—but it still offered progress, albeit slow but moving.
Meanwhile, this is in stark contrast to Willard who had nothing at that time, only carrying the Avatar body he created.
Now, Willard could only run his hands through his hair in discomfort as he met his peers who had surpassed him by two years.
"Yeah, Gezz. I just happened to get home, but I only got as far as the beginning of the route. Did you just get back from Zona too?" Will asked.
"Exactly, I just finished it and brought a lot of materials that I can exchange."
"Is that so..." Will said with an unpleasant expression.
Melgezz patted Will on the shoulder and said, "Keep it up buddy, I know you're strong."
Will smiled, patiently accepting his fate of not being able to match his peers.
"Yes..."
Then, in the center of the Guild, where the items were exchanged, Will took out a small, medium-sized green crystal, the result of killing the Goblin.
"Sorry, I only got this," Will said.
"It's okay, you tried, Will." Uncle Sam took the crystal enthusiastically—while giving him three bronze coins in exchange.
Uncle Sam leaned in to Will's ear and whispered.
"Take these two bronzes as a reward for your hard work, and I hope you can become stronger," Uncle Sam whispered.
Uncle Sam then instantly acted normal, as if nothing had happened. The people there didn't even notice.
Will put the coins into his pocket—leaving a grateful smile, he left the Guild.
Far from the city or on the edge of town, near a wide river, Will finally arrived at a place he could call home. It was a small house made of wood from nearby trees, perhaps 4x4 inches in size, simple but sufficient for his needs.
Will opened the door to his house, only to find it filled with a bed on the right that took up half the room, a small table with an oil lamp on it—next to the bed. A chest and a stove made of clay with charcoal that had turned to dust inside were facing the bed.
"Ahh... Am I going to keep doing this... Inviting someone to a party is also impossible. Everyone who invites me to form a party will disappear from this world. They always fall either because they can't try hard enough in this stingy game."
People in this world sometimes view Hierarchy in the sense that it can be seen from the aspect of rank, achievements, their sultanate or even the length of time they have been playing which makes it difficult for Willard to find a party that wants to be with him.
Willard took off his jacket and lay down on the bed.
"Am I going to be like this forever? There's no magic, no system error that can make someone a Cheater. Huh... Well, luckily I don't need to eat or drink. If there were, I'd probably starve to death."
Willard let out all his complaints because he was alone, which psychologically could provide a sense of relaxation, calm, and temporary stress relief.
Staring blankly at the sky, at a loss for what to do, he then tried to check his stats.
"Check."
Statistics menu is open!
« Nama: Willard Heidric.
Level: 9
HP: 2007/2007
Core: 600/600
Statistics: Locked.
Sorry, the feature cannot be opened because the initial registration transaction was not completed.
Ability: None. »
Note: Core is another word for MANA or SP which is commonly found in various other games.
"Close."
The statistics menu is closed.
"Huhh... Strange game, really stingy, I swear. Even when you start, you are asked to buy to get some items and unlock all the features."
Willard stood up and opened the chest, only finding 30 bronze coins. He took the coins he had found earlier and put them there—and closed the box again.
With little money and hard work for 2 years, he only produced 33 bronze coins.
"When I first started playing this game, I didn't buy the 'Newbie Special' because I'm a Free-to-play player. The reason I started playing this game was because of the gameplay: Dodge. Dodging an opponent's attack can produce a unique skill, which is slowing down time. However, I've never triggered it, so I've had a hard time counterattacking enemies with high HP for the past two years."
In a life of patience and complaining, Will realized that there was something exciting the next day. His eyes widened, shining brightly as if there was still hope for him.
"Tomorrow... August 2nd—is the Anniversary Event... The fifth anniversary of the release."
Will lit an oil lamp and went to sleep, convinced that he still had hope of living longer.
The next day, morning at 07.21.
Everyone flocked to the main lobby. It was quite a long journey for Will, but he'd sacrificed 15 bronze coins for his transportation.
There was no other choice but to sacrifice his money.
The main lobby is a place in the eastern part of "Grezzley" City which has a more modern appearance that is more like a Kingdom in Fantasy World because this is the main kingdom that will hold the Anniversary event.
It can be seen that many people are wearing steel armor with cool big swords behind them, not only that, people like magicians, spearmen and archers are also no less cool with what they get because they have opened the 'Newbie Special'.
"Hey, you look at this!" Player New.
"Wow, that's so cool!" Player New.
"I'm cool too, you know!" Player New.
"I can't wait to get straight to the Zone." Player New.
"Yeah, me too." Player New.
"You look so cool wearing that armor, plus your sword glows like a diamond!" New Player.
Not only those who bought the 'Newbie Special', there were also more or less those who didn't buy it.
They just wore trousers and t-shirts as per what they had arranged when they started.
"What happened?!" New Player.
"Is it just the initial default?!" New Player.
"Did you skip the tutorial?!" New Player.
"Is this really how you play?!" New Player.
"I didn't bring anything but my Custom when I made this character?!" Player New.
They looked confused because right from the start of the game they immediately controlled it as they pleased, only bringing the previously created character and not bringing anything or any belongings for new players.
As soon as they arrive, they realize their consciousness has been transferred into their own character and immediately play it. There are no instructions, no explanations, no direction, and they play as if they were veterans.
They also panic because they can't get out of the game or get out of the body they are currently using.
It's a strange game, truly strange. Whether it's a bug or by design, no one knows for sure.
Willard could only walk leisurely, reflecting on the circumstances he'd been through. Whether he tried or not, it was their way of life. Because once, Willard had met someone who'd done the same thing as him, not making a transaction, and ended up being killed by goblins in the Green Zone...
There is no indication that there is a return to life, just death.
"I'm afraid they'll suffer the same fate," Will said, looking at the players who didn't buy the 'Newbie Special'.
Actually, when something like this happens, there is no clear announcement at the center or even on the Menu, it's just that... people who sell good quality products appear.
The purpose of coming here was just to look around and see where the other newbies were, greeting Willard from a distance who was gathering with two people.
"Hey!" said a newbie player who apparently didn't buy the 'Newbie Special'.
Willard turned his head in the direction the voice came from, and he waved his hand as if it was a code for Will to go there.
Willard finally came to them—asked them.
"Did you guys call me?"
They don't look much different from the other players.
"Yes, I called you and we happen to be short of one person to be a party. Do you want to join? Oh yeah, my name is Herly and his name is KarTzy," said Herly while pointing to KarTzy next to him when he said his name.
"Team? Do you guys want to go to the Zone?"
"Yes, we're going there. I need a good weapon to trade for. Luckily, I found a chest when I first appeared and I got this sword." Herly materialized the sword in his palm and placed it on his shoulder.
"Yeah, me too." So did KarTzy who also brought out his bow.
Even though it seems they were given a bit of luck, the swords and bows were only made of wood, which means they were low-caste items.
Without thinking twice, Will agreed and they headed out of town.
"I'll give you guys some directions," Will said.
Usually during big events like now, there is a "Nerf" term to weaken or reduce enemy power and abilities in the game.
The reason is to balance the gameplay in this game, even though the main goal is to be more friendly when there is a surge of new players who can make more money than before.
It is indeed effective to use this method, but for old players, this method seems to be playing with them because it gives the impression of favoritism, being stepped on indirectly, including Willard himself.
In the south, in a dead-end alley, they had arrived somewhere, walking slowly with the three of them. Just as they reached the dead end, a blue, tube-shaped portal appeared.
"Is it really here?" Herly doubted it.
KarTzy actually doubted it too but he still had the courage.
"Right, if you're scared, you'd better go back to the lobby," said Will, who then entered the portal, disappearing from their sight.
KarTzy hesitated, but she mustered up the courage to step forward, and Willard followed. Herly was truly hesitant, but had no other choice.
"Don't worry, don't hesitate... If you hesitate, I won't be able to exchange that cool item." He slowly walked in.
The Green Zone, full of towering and dense trees.
Herly finally arrived, Will and KarTzy were waiting for him.
"Prepare yourselves," Will said to them as they walked forward.
They both hesitated, but no matter what, hesitation and remaining silent wouldn't change anything. With a hesitant swallow, they finally followed behind Willard.
Willard, even though he has been trapped in this game of stinginess for a long time, still feels the same fear as them.
"Hey, aren't you scared?" asked Herly.
"What can we do, we can't do anything but face it," KarTzy replied.
Will just kept quiet listening to them.
"Whatever happens, don't panic, follow my instructions. Stay calm," Will reassured them mentally.
During the journey, 3 goblins appeared right in front of them: 2 small ones with swords in both hands and one with a larger body that was more similar to a human body, and his HP mark was also different, having a special logo on his HP bar and carrying a large sword.
« Goblin HP: 5000/5000 »
« Goblin HP: 5000/5000 »
« King Goblin: 10000/10000 »
They stopped for a moment, Willard was silent as if he knew, when he saw Goblin's HP which was different from before.
Will's two friends behind him, their knees trembling with fear, not because they were afraid of their impending death, but because of the goblin's own ability that radiated fear from their bodies, thus scaring the player in one encounter without the player realizing it.
The distance between them was quite far, about thirty meters. A remarkable ability for a kroco to possess.
But Will had become accustomed to this for over two years, and he was immune to its effects. Willard was worried about them being scared, so he snapped at them, having no other choice.
"Calm down, we can kill him!" Will snapped.
"W-how?!!!" They both asked with scared faces as they said it.
"Kar, you shoot the arrow first, and you Herly, follow me from behind and then you attack one of them after me."
Willard then advanced without any fear haunting his mind—the goblin's ability did not affect Willard's mind which had been awakened 2 years ago.
The two goblins advanced, Will pretending to attack them, but that wasn't his plan. On the contrary, it was as if Will was pretending to attack them because he knew the goblins were faster than him.
Willard's initiation strengthened the resolve of those who were initially afraid, sharpening their gazes as if they had a burning fire—ready to face their first problem in this world.
KarTzy and Herly took the positions Will ordered and prepared to execute the strategy.
The goblin swung his sword and Will managed to avoid it not because of luck but because of the reaction instinct he had mastered when playing other games in the past, the goblin did not expect it and KarTzy shot an arrow at the Goblin near Will who was trying to attack from Will's blind spot.
As a result, the attack hit him, although it didn't have much impact.
« -96 »
KarTzy was both surprised and shocked by his ineffective attack. It was understandable that he had just realized this—followed by Herly's arrival, who, after KarTzy's arrow, Herly's vertical slash attempted to sever the Goblin's neck.
« -102 »
The Goblin's head fell to the floor, and it didn't take long for it to reattach to its body, or in other words, regenerate. While it was clear the attack had hit it, it was insignificant due to the system's absolute reliance on HP, and the neck is, of course, a vital part of the body.