"A strange spirit? I'm not sure about that. Maybe it was a minor character for that quest only."
That was Merhen's response to the spirit story.
He had listened simply because it was Seojin, but he looked like he didn't take it very seriously at all.
'Bro's gotten rusty…'
Seojin smiled as he swept over the cave wall.
Merhen used to be lost in thought whenever Seojin threw him a couple of words, back when they played Asgard together.
His ideas had helped Seojin a lot.
'That was years ago, so it can't be helped.'
Five years.
It could seem both like a short time or a long time depending on an individual's way of thinking. However, it was definitely a long enough time to change how someone played a game.
'…Well, I'm sure he'll improve with time. Ah, the vein I hit was… which one was it?'
Seojin snapped back to reality.
He stroked the wall, trying to remember when he mined the ore from.
If possible, it'd be better to start mining from the place the spirit had popped out.
'Was it this one?'
He stopped, raised his pickaxe, and aimed for the vein before pausing.
'The stance I used before was threat, right? Should I go with the same method this time…? '
Seojin thought about it a moment then shook his head.
He had his skills enhanced in the Tower of Choice. In addition to that, Seojin had poured his stat points into INT, so it was now at 98. So, it'd be better to use deceit over threats.
Seojin put down his pickaxe and touched the vein gently.
"Hi, can you come out and talk for a second?"
Seojin even dressed in his fancy attire just in case and moved slowly, running his hand across the wall.
"I'm not trying to hurt you. You don't have to be scared. I'm just a little curious."
Seojin's voice was sweet, and his touch was thoughtful.
He stroked every single vein without missing one.
He was immersed.
He felt like he was talking to a lonely child.
He was reaching out for that scared, trembling child.
"I was wondering why you're staying in this place, whether you're lonely and you need a friend, so…"
He finally finished touching every vein in the cave and smiled gently.
"Can you come out for a second?"
Stanceshift: Petty Liar
Your INT overwhelms the target!
The target is charmed by your acting skills!
Success! Big Success! The target likes you!
"…!"
Seojin's eyes widened. Fortunately, the spirit was still here somewhere. So, where it would be?
His eyes rolled in all directions. He tried his best to hide his emotions as he scanned the area.
He caught something hazy in his sights.
It was the same shape he saw before. Ghostly, but not scary. It was the size of two fists at most. It wasn't grotesque, it was more like a kid who'd put a tablecloth over its head as a Halloween costume.
'Okay, I passed the first stage at least.'
He had to move on. He remembered a documentary he once watched.
It was about the healing of emotionally scarred children.
'I remember they did something like this…'
Seojin was cautious, he tried not to provoke it and reached out his right hand slowly.
"Hello there?"
He had an apple in his hand. He put it down on the ground slowly and took his time taking a step back, far away from the apple.
Then, he waited.
He didn't hassle and simply waited for the target to show itself.
Time passed.
The spirit tensed up for a while before finally peeping out of the wall.
'All right… but not yet.'
He didn't move hastily. Seojin stood with a painfully big smile on his face.
Finally, the spirit showed its full form.
Achievement Unlocked: First Contact with the Unknown (2)
* You found the Spirit of Nature!
* Surprisingly, the spirit likes you.
* Don't miss this opportunity. Mental power is not the only thing required to be a spiritualist. Spiritual affinity is also an important factor.
* Insufficient knowledge to provide complete background.
Seojin raised his eyebrows at the message.
'So, it really was a spirit…'
* * *
Seojin was collecting thoughts before leaving the hidden cave.
'So, it's a real spirit.'
The flying, translucent tablecloth-like creature made him almost speechless. It was frozen in fear when they first met, but it took less than ten minutes for the spirit to stumble around clumsily, excited with a new friend around.
The spirit phased through objects, no matter whether it was the wall or the floor.
'Looking at it, I think it's actually a spirit…'
The problem was that it looked nothing like Seojin thought a spirit would.
'What kind of spirit is that? A tablecloth spirit? At least the message confirmed that it actually is one…'
But, to Seojin, such a spirit should usually be connected to something like fire or water.
'I have no idea. I'm sure it has something to do with that lack of knowledge thing….'
Insufficient knowledge to provide complete background.
Given that the name of the achievement had the number two in it, it looked like there were still more mysteries to solve.
"Hey, Flappy!"
It flew over to Seojin as soon as he called out to it.
It seemed to understand its new name after Seojin called it a couple of times.
'It's intelligent to some degree…'
"I'll get you out of here if you're okay with that."
It trembled its body lightly.
Judging by his past few encounters with the spirit, it was a positive sign.
Seojin asked more questions.
"But there are so many mean people out there… can you hide? So that the bad people can't see you."
It flapped a few times before vanishing through the floor.
'Okay, I took care of the most urgent thing.'
Seojin nodded satisfactorily.
The floating tablecloth would be an attention magnet wherever he went.
Seojin didn't want to show the spirit to others when he himself had yet to understand just exactly what it was.
After checking on Flappy once more, Seojin headed back to the exit. It was time to move onto his next settlement, Berne.
You selected "Berne" as your next settlement.
A spirit is bound to you.
Insufficient spiritual affinity. A spirit cannot remain active outside of its hideout.
Your spirit feels sleepy.
Do you really want to move?
'This… isn't a bad thing for me.'
Seojin had asked it to hide anyway.
It'd be both convenient for both him and the spirit.
He chose to move and the following messages popped up.
The bound spirit will accompany you asleep.
Related quest generated.
Acquired: Scroll of Teleportation – The Three Crossroads.
Achievement Unlocked: No Longer Rookie.
* All stat points are increased by 5.
Scroll of Teleportation - The Three Crossroads.
* Travel to The Three Crossroads.
* The Three Crossroads is the last resting place you can visit before heading to your second settlement. Ensure you're fully equipped with supplies and choose your companion well.
"The last resting place?"
It seemed that he'd be able to stop there before heading to Berne.
"Anyway, I can use this, right?"
Seojin shrugged and opened his inventory. He took out a scroll.
He was blinded by light as he tore it open, and the next minute…
Discovered: The Three Crossroads
Seojin had arrived at an unfamiliar place.
* * *
As a globally successful VRMMO, Midgard had numerous settlements. From the capital city to smaller cities, even towns and villages.
All of those places were used as settlements for players, the total amount would be difficult to even estimate.
Most of them were starter towns.
The world design was simple.
Everyone would begin at one of the numerous different starting points and they would gradually meet up in more advanced places.
They could accompany each other and gather more strength while progressing with their characters.
Players that reached the top ranks could meet in one place to either cooperate or compete.
This was the ideal design that Midgard pursued.
Seojin arrived at "The Three Crossroads".
'Damn… this is like a world-scale freakshow.'
It was the first point where players from different starter towns could mingle with each other.
"Any tankers going to Ilynea?! Final spot!"
"Where did you start?"
"Altagon… hehe… assassins only… hehehe…"
"Ranged DPS over here! Malta only!"
Countless players were bustling around.
Everyone had different equipment and different vibes.
Perhaps because they were from all different starting points.
Movelon was an ordinary medieval-themed town. Their beginner clothing consisted of nothing but bland, plain shirts and pants.
'Why, look at that guy…'
Seojin saw a guy who was completely naked, except for his crotch which was covered with leaves.
He wore a woven necklace adorned with animal teeth and had warpaint all over his face.
'Where the hell is this guy from?'
Seojin let his curiosity get the better of him for a moment but soon shook off his questions.
They wouldn't be in the same group anyway; it was just pointless curiosity.
"Wait a minute. Excuse me. Let me through!"
Seojin made his way through the crowds over to the blue exclamation mark that was hovering in the distance. He was sure it meant he had to talk to the NPC to leave this place.
'He's one unique NPC too…'
Soon enough, Seojin saw just who was standing under the exclamation mark. He wasn't sure if the man was a knight or a foot soldier.
He was wearing chainmail under a surcoat, a red crown on top of his head, and held a halberd in his right hand. He had striking eyes underneath his thick, bold eyebrows.
'I wouldn't talk to him if this was real…'
From his shaggy beard to his muscular body, he looked like he was out of some medieval fairytale.
But it was just a game, so Seojin approached him.
"Hello."
"Hmm, rookie?"
"Yes, I just got here."
"I'm Morgan Feriah. Where are you headed?"
"I'm Seojin, I'm going to Berne."
"Ha, Berne?"
Morgan's eyes widened and he laughed loudly.
"Hahaha! It's been a while since I met a guy with balls as big as you! You're dragging your rookie ass to Berne? Must not have been an easy decision."
'Damn it…'
He was speaking too loudly. He felt people's eyes fixating on him as he glanced backward.
Some of them even whispered amongst themselves.
"Did you hear that? That guy's going to Berne."
"What? Hasn't he read a walkthrough?"
"Yeah, I thought that kind of guy was extinct. He won't get anything there."
"Eh, he'll just delete his account and create a new one next week."
"I can hear you, you punks.'
Seojin grinned internally.
He didn't feel bad. It was actually a positive sign.
His countless experience had taught him that he should do crazy things to get crazy rewards.