-36,720; -36,720; MISS; -36,720; MISS; MISS; MISS; MISS!
After attacking several more times and only landing three hits, Adam landed back on his platform, pulled a [middle-grade magic potion] from his item pouch, and downed it in one gulp. The [killer gargoyle] chased after him again, but once more, Kureha, Fayte, and Susan attacked it while it was distracted. Their combined efforts knocked off another -13,578 from its health. With a fierce snarl, it turned to them, and then Adam attacked again.
This was the strategy they had come up with. Adam would pull its agro, then they would attack while it was chasing him, and then when it tried to attack them, Adam would attack again. Meanwhile, Titania floated high above their heads and sang the [Song of Vigor] to increase their physical and magical Attack Power. In this way, they managed to quickly reduce its HP by half over the course of maybe ten or fifteen minutes.
Unfortunately, the battle became tricky once its health was reduced to seven hundred thousand.
“It’s about to use [Blitzkrieg]!” Adam shouted as the air around the [killer gargoyle] burst. A loud sound like something had exploded rang in his ears. That was the noise of the sound-barrier breaking. The [killer gargoyle’s] target was, unfortunately, not Adam but Kureha, who had unleashed the last attack.
Adam’s platform was on the other side of the room, which meant he had no chance of reaching Kureha in time to save her. All he could do was watch as time seemed to slow down. The [killer gargoyle] continued to advance, closer and closer, its claws outstretched as though it could already feel Kureha’s flesh being torn from her bones. It was enough to make him sick with helplessness.
However, what Adam thought would happen never came to pass.
Just before it could reach Kureha, a figure appeared on top of the [killer gargoyle]. It was Lilith. Adam had no idea how she managed to get there, but he wasn’t about to question it. The woman’s eyes, her only visible feature, were narrowed as she slid her weapon along the enemy’s throat. Then she swung her weapon against its back several times. Each attack produced a series of sparks. She finished her attack by stabbing her weapon between its shoulder blades.
These attacks were [Throat Slit], [Slash], and [Pinpoint Strike].
-58,080; -5,445; -5,445; -15,246!
Because her attacks disrupted its [Blitzkrieg], the [killer gargoyle] not only stopped aiming for Kureha but also swerved off course. It crashed headfirst into a pillar, which didn’t do any damage but did stun it. Lilith waited until the very last second before leaping off the [killer gargoyle] and landing back on her platform.
“Great job, Lilith!” Fayte shouted.
Lilith nodded but said nothing. Her gaze was locked on the [killer gargoyle] as it flapped its wings and hurried back toward the center between all the pillars.
The two attacks they needed to worry about the most was [Dive] and [Blitzkrieg]. Both attacks were fast and hit hard. Fortunately, [Blitzkrieg] required a lot of MP to use and therefore couldn’t be done on a whim. This was only the second time it had used that skill. It had used this skill at the start of the battle, which was how Adam recognized what it was about to do. Since it only had thirty thousand MP to begin with and couldn’t regain any of it during combat, Adam believed they were safe. He didn’t think it would or even could use it again since it had already used so much MP during this fight.
After seeing what Lilith had done, Adam got another idea and used the [Goddess of Creation Greaves’] ability—[Flight]—to land on the [killer gargoyle] like her and attack it with his spear. Sadly, he soon found a problem with that. The reason Lilith could attack at this range and position was that her dagger was small and could be wielded with one hand, while she gripped the [killer gargoyle] with the other hand. His spear was long and unwieldy. Not good for attacking from this position.
He lost his balance and fell off the enemy’s back, though he used [Double Jump] to keep himself from falling and landed back on his platform. Of course, he did not fly back before at least dealing another large slice of damage to his opponent. He managed to hit it once with [Slash].
-36,720!
Their tactics continued like this until Kureha’s [Thunder Bolt] and [Fireball] combination reduced the [killer gargoyle’s] health to zero. The enemy let out a mournful shriek as it fell from the sky, striking the hard stone floor below and shattering against it.
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have defeated the 2-Star enemy [killer gargoyle]! [killer gargoyle] has dropped the items [Gargoyle Core], [Stone Tablet], and 60,500 gold coins. +300,000 experience points! +30,000 ability points! +15,000 Reputation!]
After the announcement was made, the pillars they had been standing on slowly lowered until each one was embedded into the ground again. Adam looked at his skill list and decided to use four thousand ability points on [Energy Thrust] and eight thousand on [Energy Sweep], bringing them both up a level.
His current skill set was pretty impressive. The only abilities he hadn’t maxed out were [Dance of the Sakura Blossoms], [Energy Thrust], and [Energy Sweep], but all of his other abilities had become as powerful as he could make them. He could have maxed out [Energy Sweep] right now if he wanted to, but he honestly wanted to save as many ability points to max out [Dance of the Sakura Blossoms] first.
Adam also looked at the two new items in his item pouch.
Item Pouch:
Item Name: Gargoyle Core
Item Type: Material
Grade: 2-Star
Use Reuqirements: Can only be used by crafting classes like Blacksmith and Craftsman.
Description: Gargoyle Cores are magical cores that can be found inside of gargoyles. They can be used to create various effects in armor, weapons, and items.
Abilities: Boosts Magic Attack proportionate to the Craftsman’s or Blacksmith’s level.
Item Name: Stone Tablet
Item Type: Key Item
Grade: 3-Star
Use Requirements: None
Description: This stone tablet emits a mysterious energy. Its use is currently unknown. Cannot be traded, sold, or discarded.
Abilities: None
Neither item was something that Adam or anyone else could use. None of them had the Blacksmith or Craftsman class to begin with. Those were secondary classes and they were not able to gain them yet. That said, Adam did wonder when he would be able to gain a secondary class. Could they only be gained upon reaching a certain level? Did he need to complete some secret quest to gain a secondary class? He had no idea.
The item [Stone Tablet] was something else he knew nothing about. Adam guessed it the kind of item used to advance a story quest. They were not on a quest right now, which might have negated the idea, but he believed that like his spear, there was some kind of significance in holding onto this tablet.
“We defeated the [killer gargoyle],” Fayte said with a relieved sigh. “What should we do now? Do we press forward or take a break here?”
Now that they had defeated this floor’s guardian, they could move onto the next floor by entering through the large double-doors on the opposite side they had come in through. It would probably lead to another staircase. Then they would reach the next level.
Susan suddenly raised her hand like she was in a classroom. “Um… I’m actually a little hungry, so…”
Fayte nodded. “Hmm… I guess it would be a good idea to take a break and get something to eat. What do you two think? Adam? Lilith?”
“I am fine with whatever decision Ma—with whatever Adam decides,” Lilith said, quickly changing the word she’d been about to call him.
Adam gave her an aggrieved look, wondering if she’d done that on purpose, but then he sighed and looked at Fayte.
“I agree with you and Susan. It’s probably around lunchtime right now, and anyway, I’m worried about Aris.”
“She’s probably bored sick by now,” Fayte agreed with him. He thought she might be smiling beneath that mask. “Okay. Let’s all take a break, get something to
eat, and then we can come back here in… two hours.”
The first thing Adam saw after logging off was lustrous brown hair. The first thing he felt was a pair of soft lips over his. It took him a moment to realize the person kissing him was Aris, but once this realization set in, he placed his hand behind her head and pulled her deeper into a kiss. He pushed his tongue into the surprised girl’s mouth, eliciting a squeak from her. Her surprise, however, did not mean she was going to stop. If anything, suddenly being kissed like this caused her to moan around his tongue and kiss him harder.
“Hee-hee. Did you like my surprise?” asked Aris after pulling back. Her cheeks were flushed and her breathing a little heavy. She licked her slightly bruised lips. They were redder than normal.
“Have you been kissing me while I was logged into the game?” asked Adam as he sat up.
“Maybe,” Aris admitted with a catlike smile.
Aris had, at some point, moved off the couch. She was kneeling on the floor next to where his head had been. Several pillows were arranged behind him. Aris must have placed the pillows there to replace her thighs.
“You’re such a minx.”
“Why, thank you.”
“Were you okay on your own?” asked Adam as he playfully rolled his eyes.
Aris’s smile evaporated as a cute pout took its place. “I was bored.”
Adam reached out and caressed her cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“Hee-hee. It’s okay.” Aris placed her hand against his to keep it pressed against her soft cheek. Her eyes were gleaming like a pair of moons. “You can make it up to me later.”
The implication was not lost on Adam.
“I will.”
Since he was up, Adam decided to help Aris do some simple stretches and exercises. Her body was surprisingly stronger this afternoon than it had been this morning. He was more than just a little shocked when, after stretching out her legs with some basic exercises, she was able to stand on her own for nearly a full minute. Adam might not be a doctor, but he understood the human body well enough to know that gaining strength this fast should have been impossible.
It must be my blood. She’s been ingesting it for several years. Perhaps the effects of my blood have activated now that she no longer has Mortems Disease, or maybe its effects are just showing themselves differently now that it’s not keeping her disease in check. Should I see a doctor about this? I’m a little worried, but… it should be fine. I’d rather not have her see a doctor if I don’t have to.
Doctors were required to keep the personal information of their patients on file, which meant they could also be accessed by others. Someone with a lot of influence like Levon Ploenexia could find information on her if they knew what she looked like. All they would have to do was exert their influence and power to force the hospital to give them whatever information they wanted. In truth, Adam would have never taken Aris to Dr. Sofocore if there had been any other choice.
Fayte arrived just as Adam was helping Aris walk. She watched them from the entrance to her hallway, a soft but funny smile on her face, then walked in.
“Since you’re so busy, would you like me to make lunch?” she asked.
“I would appreciate that,” Adam said with a smile.
“Thank you, Fayte,” Aris said with her own bright and wonderful smile.
Fayte returned their smiles with one of her own before heading into the kitchen. While she made simple grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, Adam held Aris by both hands and walked backward as he led her around the room. Her legs shook with every step she took. Sweat formed on her forehead. It was clear from the redness of her face and the way her teeth were grit that walking was still difficult, still tiring, but Aris didn’t stop, even when Adam asked if she wanted to take a break.
“I’d like to keep going,” she said through clenched teeth. “I want to be able to go on walks with you, to spend time outside with you. I don’t… haaah… haaah… I don’t want to be a burden anymore.”
Adam wanted to tell Aris that she had never once been a burden to him, that he’d never considered her as such, but they’d had this conversation before, and he knew that her feelings wouldn’t change just because he said so. He had given her three years of his life. How could she not think of herself as a burden when he dedicated every waking second to her? If their positions had been reversed, he would have felt the same way.
“Ah…”
Aris’s legs finally gave out. She pitched forward into his chest, and Adam wrapped his arms around her, holding her up as her legs shook.
“You’re already a lot stronger than I expected you to be after going so long without walking.” Adam leaned down and buried his nose in her hair. “Aris, I know you want to get better faster, but you’re already doing a great job. Please don’t rush this. Rushing to grow stronger could prove detrimental and actually set you back. You don’t want that, do you?”
“I don’t. Sorry,” Aris said with a sigh. Her body fully relaxed into his embrace. “It’s just so frustrating. I’m finally cured, but it’s still impossible for me to do anything on my own.”
“Are you saying you don’t want me doing everything for you? I thought you liked it when I spoiled you.” Aris pinched his waist. “Kidding. Kidding. No need to get violent.”
“Hmph. Just wait until I’m strong enough to really move. Then I’ll show you violence.”
As Adam and Aris joked around like they used to when they were younger, Fayte wandered out of the kitchen with three plates balanced perfectly on her arms. She looked so graceful even while carrying plates that Adam was stunned for a moment.
“Adam, could you bring in the tomato soup and some drinks?” Fayte asked him with a sweet smile.
Adam could only agree.
After setting Aris on the couch, he hurried into the kitchen, grabbed three cups and filled them with ice water, then brought the cups and three bowls of tomato soup into the living room.
While they ate lunch, Fayte pulled out a tablet and accessed the web. She began searching through forums related to Age of Gods. This was something she did every day so they could keep up to date on everything happening with other prominent players.
“It looks like Lin Akamine has reached level 16,” Fayte murmured. “I don’t understand how she can level up so quickly. We’ve been fighting against enemies far stronger than our current levels, but we haven’t gained that many experience points in so little time.”
“Don’t forget that Lin is a solo player,” Adam said as Aris dipped her grilled cheese sandwich into the tomato sauce and took a big bite. Her face flushed with pleasure as she chewed with her tiny mouth closed. “You gain more experience points when you play solo. If you or I were to defeat the [killer gargoyle] we fought on our own, we would have gained +1,800,000 experience points. You might have gained even more since your level is lower than mine. While I don’t think Lin can kill monsters at that level, I’m sure the ones she is killing are at least around level 20 or 30.”
The experience points earned while in a party was based on the highest leveled player. If a player at level 16 earned thirty thousand experience points by defeating a level 28 enemy, and a player at level 20 only gained twenty thousand experience points from defeating the same enemy, the number of experience points earned if those two formed a party and defeated the same enemy would be equal to the number of experience points earned by the level 20 player. By that logic, if Fayte fought against and defeated the [killer gargoyle] when playing solo, she probably would have earned two million experience points or more.
As they were talking, Adam noticed that Aris had some tomato soup on her chin, so he grabbed the napkin and wiped it off just like he always did. She pouted at him, as though to say she could do it herself, but he merely smiled at her.
“I guess that is the benefit of being a solo player,” Fayte said with a sigh, though whether she was sighing at her own words or the byplay between him and Aris was unknown.
Adam no
dded. “What about the members of the Pleonexia Alliance? Are there any players from them who have reached level 16?”
“Not yet.” Fayte shook her head after a moment of scrolling. “It looks like the highest level player right now outside of Lin Akamine and us is the Spear God, who is at level 15. Everyone else is still at level 14.”
There seemed to be a hierarchy to the players who leveled up. He was currently the highest leveled player at level 17. Lin Akamine was at the same level as Fayte, Lilith, and Susan. Lin Akamine was number one on the International Power Rankings, so while her level was the same as theirs, she was considered a higher ranked player. The Spear God was immediately after them. Adam didn’t know how the Spear God leveled up, but Adam’s party had been gaining a lot of experience points because they had been constantly battling against enemies with a far higher level than themselves. He assumed the Spear God had been doing the same, but she leveled up more slowly because she was in a party with the leaders of the Daggerfall Empire.
“What are some of the players we need to watch out for?” asked Adam.
“I assume you’re talking about the players belonging to the Pleonexia Alliance,” Fayte said before calling up all the information she had off the top of her head. “Aside from Levon Pleonexia himself, there’s also his Four Elements and the Sword King, Connor Sword. They’re called the Four Elements because in every game they play, each one masters a specific element. There’s the Flame Emperor, the Ymir, Thor God of Thunder, and Gaia. Gaia is the only woman among the Four Elements. Her name is derived from the ancient Greek Primordial Earth Goddess.”
“So she specializes in earth magic,” Adam murmured.
“Yes. Though I suppose she doesn’t right now. Age of Gods is still new, so it will take a while before they can learn all the necessary spells and get them each one up to snuff.”
“I doubt these element people will be much trouble right now,” Aris said with crossed arms.
“Why is that?” asked Adam.
“Because I met one of them when I was in the Village of Beginnings,” Aris stated. “I think it was that Thor God of Thunder guy. That is what his information screen said.”
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