Chapter 68 - Solo Sora
"Ngh…"
It felt like only a few seconds had passed. After a brief moment of unconsciousness, akin to drifting off, I could feel the world shifting on the other side of my closed eyelids.
It has been almost two weeks—or a little over a month if you include the special trial period I was graciously allowed… but it seems it will take a little more time before I can casually say I am “used to” this sensation.
When I blinked my eyes open, I saw a ceiling different from the one in my familiar room. I had decided it was finally time to graduate from logging out on the side of the road, so this was a room in an inn I was using for the first time.
As always, I took a moment to confirm the reliable feeling of this body, so different from my frail one in the real world—then I shot up and hopped out of bed.
The life-or-death battle with [Angalta, God-Wedge Sword-King]—that ‘adventure’ which brought about a great turning point for me, happened just yesterday.
The excitement had yet to cool, but it was clear we had both reached our limits. In the end, the celebratory mood was cut short, and we parted ways rather quickly.
To feel a little sad about how it ended… is a testament to the warmth that still lingers in my chest even a day later. When we looked at each other as we said goodbye, our faces told a story of mutual reluctance, and we both ended up laughing.
Looking back, I was completely absorbed in that fight from start to finish… a fierce battle overflowing with such heat, it felt like a scene from a story. I still find it hard to believe that I was the one at the center of it.
"Heehee…"
And yet, it was real—and I cannot help but feel happy, wondering if I can finally, proudly call myself his partner.
"Now then… what should I do?"
As it happens, my partner in question—Haru—mentioned yesterday when we parted that he had some things to take care of and probably would not be able to log in for two or three days.
I had thought about taking a break myself—but with what happened yesterday, I could not process all the excitement with nothing to do, and before I knew it, I had started up [Arcadia].
"Come to think of it… since meeting Haru-san, I haven't done anything by myself, have I…?"
What to do? At times like these… yes, I believe Haru said something like this.
"Whatever you do, you start by staring down your status screen…!"
Apparently, that is the standard for something called an RPG—
――――――――――――――――――
◇Status◇
Name：Sora
Lv：42⇒67(250)
STR(Strength)：50
AGI(Agility)：100(+10)
DEX(Dexterity)：100(+10)
VIT(Vitality)：70
MID(Mental)：100
LUC(Luck)：50
◇Skill◇
・Magic Sword Aptitude
《Optimize Alert》 New!
Psionic Sword Control
Homing Projection New!
Magic Sword Generation Efficiency Up New!
・Light Magic Aptitude
《Qualia Veil》
・《Spectate Ale》⇒《Scareless》up!
・《Observer's Eye》
・Healer's Precept
・Evasion Precept New!
――――――――――――――――――
"Hmm!"
Until I started playing Arcadia, I had never touched a game before.
Because of that, I was unfamiliar with concepts like ‘levels’ and ‘status’… but seeing my efforts accumulate as clear, numerical values fills me with an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
Haru once said that “leveling up is addictive,” and now, I can completely agree with him.
And what makes my cheeks relax even more than the accumulated status points is, above all else, the brilliantly shining text of 《Scareless》.
My status screen no longer has a single flaw!
…As for the shortbow tree, I would appreciate it if it took a little break for a while.
Averting my eyes from the demoted 《Shortbow Aptitude》 skill, I began allocating the abundant points I gained from the significant level-up into my status.
――――――――――――――――――
◇Status◇
Name：Sora
Lv：67
STR(Strength)：100
AGI(Agility)：150(+10)
DEX(Dexterity)：150(+10)
VIT(Vitality)：100
MID(Mental)：170
LUC(Luck)：50
◇Skill◇
・Magic Sword Aptitude
《Optimize Alert》
Psionic Sword Control
Homing Projection
Magic Sword Generation Efficiency Up
・Light Magic Aptitude
《Qualia Veil》
・《Scareless》
・《Observer's Eye》
・Healer's Precept
・Evasion Precept
――――――――――――――――――
I cannot shake the feeling that my AGI-favoring build is influenced by Haru, but I suppose a certain amount of speed is necessary to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him.
I thought my MID would be wasted when I switched to a melee build, but considering the cost of operating my magic swords and the continuous drain from 《Scareless》, it is important to increase it to expand my MP pool.
Conversely, as Haru says, I can compensate for a lack of STR with an “inertia boost,” and since I wear light armor, VIT feels like a drop in the bucket. So, I settled for minimal reinforcement there—
"This should do it!"
After updating my status, what comes next is already decided.
This might be the first time, but compared to yesterday’s fierce battle, heading out into the field alone is nothing to be afraid of! Full of vigor, I started to dash out of the room—
"Fungyuh—!?"
As if kicked by my AGI, which had just increased by fifty percent, I slammed into the door and let out a scream.
◇◆◇◆◇
Leaving behind the very game-like inn with its infinite, instanced rooms, I headed for the familiar [Plains of the Horizon] for a test run after my status update.
Amidst the familiar, peaceful scenery, I dashed around to get used to my enhanced status, checked the behavior of my newly acquired skills, and even tried fighting the invading [Buried Great Boar] all by myself.
—And after all that, an hour later, I was standing all alone at the dead end of the [Cliff Road of the Sky Bridge].
"…???"
The circular plateau at the end of the third rookie area is, in other words, the boss battle field for the [Cliff Road of the Sky Bridge].
In the past, when I came here with Haru, I had such a terrible experience that it left me with a bit of trauma… or so I thought.
As I stood there dumbfounded, a simple system window floated before me, announcing the results of the battle I had just finished.
It was the same subjugation notice I had seen once before when we defeated the boss monster group of this area, the [Great Winged Bird Flock], also known as Glowbirds… but the reason I was tilting my head was the process that led to those results.
I had run through three fields, starting from the first area, the [Plains of the Horizon], unscathed and in about an hour.
The Great Boar I had only watched, the giant scorpion that had only chased me, and even the flock of birds I had left entirely to Haru—I did not feel even a hint of “fear.”
"My level is… certainly outside the proper range, but even so…"
The journey to the boss field was one thing, but those boss monsters were never designed to be fought alone in the first place.
Even with an [Anima] that Haru called “broken” and with my stats far exceeding the recommended level, the result should have been “an easy win” at best.
—It should not have been a situation where I felt it was not even a warm-up, I think.
"Um…"
I lifted my own hands—or rather, I stared at my avatar, [Sora], which looked no different from my real self.
"Is… is this really okay…?"
My bewildered whisper was carried away by the wind sweeping across the plateau, echoing quietly into the air.
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