'The [World Quest]...'
Miles had heard about it from a few players he had fard with before leaving for his own quest, and they had told him that it was nothing but an urban legend.
"... But if any of it has even a little bit of truth in it, it might be the way to clear the ga." One of them said, before resuming their duties and disbanding to never be seen again.
Miles had dismissed the information, thinking it had nothing to do with him. After all, who needed urban legends in a world where monsters appeared out of nowhere to snatch you and tear you to pieces?
But there was Sarissa, standing before them, speaking those three words that shook the whole crowd as if they all believed it.
"Tsk..." Miles exhaled, turning around to leave. "I don't have ti for so urban legend bullshit."
But Diego pulled him by his sleeve, looking at him with a strange glint of determination in his eyes.
"Please, big bro... Let's just hear her out."
"Just this once..." Miles huffed, turning back toward the ruined monunt in front of which the guild leader stood.
"Like I said before, sothing changed in the Glith's dynamics, and for so reason, more powerful monsters, the [Fallen Puppets], started to appear. Not only at the city borders but also here. The problem is that they only co out at night, which makes it imperative that weak players remain in the [Safe Zones] during that ti since it beca even harder to hunt in the city grounds at that late hour.
and Shinji here, decided to make the Monster Manual available to everyone because we need as many capable players as possible. Not only to help keep the more powerful monsters that will appear more frequently from now on, but also because I received solid information about the world Quest."
All players looked hooked on Sarissa's words, even Miles, who begrudgingly listened to her, holding the urge to bite his fingers as she kept speaking.
"Yesterday, I reached level fifty." Miles' eyes went wide and the players around whispered in pure disbelief of her words. "And as soon as the system notified of my level up, a different window popped up in front of . A window that said [You have t the requirents to unlock the World Quest]."
Miles began to shake ever so slightly, holding his hand to suppress it, his heart suddenly beating faster as he recalled the player's words back then.
"... But if any of it has even a little bit of truth in it, it might be the way to clear the ga."
'So it's true...?"
"Does it an we can finally go back to our normal lives?" A male player in mage robes voiced Miles' thoughts by his side.
"What does the Quest is about?" Another player asked out loud.
"Yes! Tell us, guild leader!"
"Yes, tell us!"
It was an uproar, but Miles simply stood there, faintly trembling as he could not take his eyes off of Sarissa.
"So this is what being strong ans, then..." He muttered to himself. But before he could think of anything else, Sarissa hit her sheath on the floor again, and everyone fell silent once more, looking sat her with renewed expectation.
"It's only a piece of information about where to find the first hidden piece." She tilted her head slightly. "But that's the main reason why I need you all to grow stronger. Because even if I disclose this intel with you right now, you won't be able to search for the piece, because you need to reach at least level fifty to have a chance at unlocking your Unique Class. And only through achieving it, you will be able to acquire access to one of the places where the piece might be hidden."
What had beco excitent about the possibility of clearing the ga, had now beco utter disappointnt, with the players looking down at their hands and gear, and back at Sarissa, clear question marks written on their faces.
'You guys are really looking up to her for answers...?' Miles scoffed inwardly. "Let's go, Dee. We need to get moving."
"But, big bro-" Diego looked up at him with a question in his eyes, but before he could finish speaking, Miles retorted.
"You heard her." Miles grinned. "We need to reach level fifty if we want to be able to reach it. Besides..." His grin widened. "She said sothing really interesting, but here isn't the place for us to talk about it, so let's just go for now."
They left the main square under the players' shouts and protests towards Sarissa, and Miles was not in the mood to see what trick the guild leader was going to pull up from her sleeve to keep control over the crowd. So, after a long and quiet, thoughtful walk, they arrived back at his apartnt building, now slightly more bustling with life as so other players who lived there went in and out with their daily runs, with the sun almost in the middle of the sky.
Inside the apartnt, Diego sat by the map table, while Miles sat on the couch.
"Shit!" He banged on the couch's arm, startling Diego, who almost fell from his chair. "I forgot to get the Manual!"
"Oh, you almost gave a heart attack, you asshole!" Diego chuckled. "We already have it."
"What? How?" Miles frowned, tilting his head at his best friend.
"You're not going to like it, but you rember Shinji, who was by Sarissa's side, right?" Miles nodded. "He's a very powerful player who specializes not only in close combat, but also in spycraft, and it was said that he has a skill that allows him to take or place anything in a player's inventory..."
Miles looked at Diego with a deadpan expression.
"It explains how he beca a guild leader, then... But, how did-" He cut himself mid-sentence. "Oh... He placed the Monster Manual in our inventories before anyone could leave..."
Miles got up and went to the window.
"He's a player we should keep wary of, then... And so should Sarissa..." She chuckled, his mood suddenly improving significantly. "Now, I wish I stayed, to see her face after she knew that the manuals had already been delivered... It's be priceless."
"You're terrible, big bro." Diego laughed.
"She deserves it." Miles sighed. "One day I'll wipe that smug expression off her face..."
"I don't think that it will happen, my boy." Cheshire said, suddenly materializing from a whirlwind of bright blue sparks. "And even if it does happen, I don't think I'll be able to allow you to."
"First of all," Miles frowned at the cat, languidly stretching on the couch "how did you leave the inventory if I didn't summon you? Secondly, what do you an by that?"
"I'm not your item, rember?" Cheshire purred. "I chose to co with you because of our agreent." The cat's voice beca slightly grim. "And I ant that I won't be able to help you wipe that smug off of her face... Because of our agreent."
Miles imdiately recalled the deal he made with Cheshire, back in Wonderland.
"No..." Miles turned around, his heart suddenly beating in his throat. "You don't an-"
"Yes." Cheshire cut Miles mid-sentence. "That girl is the one I've been looking for, all this ti."
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