Chapter 11: Being Unreasonable

“You three alright?!” That was the first thing that I asked them.

They had been running away from a single wolf that was relentlessly on their tails. Having their route severely limited due to the forest’s layout and the speed of their chase coupled with their limited vision due to the night time, the one who had been carrying his friend on the back tripped over a hidden overgrown root of a tree. Both of them fell down and unfortunately took the archer’s attention away. And in that split second, the wolf had gained tremendous ground on them. It was on the verge of pouncing the archer when I came out from the bush, dashed and kicked the wolf to the side.

Its HP decreased by 3% and I managed to divert its attention. Taking its aggro away, I stood in front of the rest of them, giving them the necessary cover. A little window of respite appeared as the wolf reeled from my surprise attack. Taking this opportunity, I immediately barked my next order. “Elly, stay behind my back and protect them!”

“B-But… what about you?” I shushed her immediately. I had no time to entertain her for now as I was thinking about my next steps.

“If we don’t hurry up and run, the rest of the pack will catch up with us. We need to kill this one first before all of us could run.”

“But… it’s level 28… and y-you…”

“That’s a problem for me to settle. Now, Elly!”

Judging from the way they acted earlier, they must be player characters and presumably low levelled too. And that was not just the only problem. As the wolf looked at me with red menacing eyes and deep growls, I touched my back and took out my weapon; a decrepit and old looking wand. Having no magic to cast, all I could do was to pretend. And perhaps the wolf would be a little hesitant to pounce on me, thus giving more time and respite to Elly and the other three.

“W-Who…are you?” The archer suddenly spoke from my back.

“Doesn’t matter. But are you three alright?” I asked her for their conditions. It was not my style to save unknown players out on a whim. However, since I had come this far, at the very least I could do well to make sure each and every one of them escape with their lives.

“I-I’m fine. B-But my partner is not. She is losing HP gradually from the Bleeding effect.” The archer replied while trying to compose herself. She might have some breathing difficulty from all that running earlier.

“Can you heal her? I don’t bring any healing items with me.”

“I-I can… but I need some time.” The one that was carrying the injured partner took out a vial from his robe and forced his partner to drink from it. Looked like it would take some time for the effects to work.

“I’ll buy you some time. After that, Elly will help you escape.” I gave them a simple instruction. For now, cowardice was the best course of action. We could live to fight for another day.

“I’ll help you!” The archer volunteered to help me. But I was not going to let her do that. I didn’t know how she would fight, but judging from her action earlier, I would not be wrong to think that she lacked the tack and the skills needed to be an archer. She would slow me down or worse still, hindered my plan.

“I don’t mind you helping me, but shouldn’t you people just retreat first?”

GROWL!!

The wolf was tired of waiting. It was hesitant to attack me at first but now, having gauged me and the rest, I was sure it fancied its chances. Besides, the pack was coming and time was running out. I could even hear their howls and it was getting awfully close.

The wolf leapt at me with its fang bared. A bite attack. I dodged away to the side and used my wand to hit it directly on the head. Its movement was way faster and more agile than I could imagine. And I found it out the hard way too. It clawed me twice just when I landed my attack on it. I dodged one but the other attack grazed my shoulder.

*Lost 125 HP*

Mamamia! About 30% of my HP gone just like that. I must not take any more hit or else I would die. Not waiting for it to attack, I jumped and grappled the wolf from the back of its neck. This way, it could not attack me freely. The wolf tried to turn and toss me away, but I held firm. As I strangled its neck, I continued to pound relentlessly at the wolf’s head with my wand.

It was a pathetic and ugly fight. If anyone were to see it, I was sure they would think I was some sort of a nutcase mage who had too much free time on his hands. The wolf was just a little bigger than I was and when I wrestled it; holding its head down, I had to avoid the occasional claw attacks. The wolf was more interested in freeing itself rather than hitting me. And that gave me more time to attack and the others to properly heal themselves. With 75% HP left and the rest of the pack closing on us, I could not defeat this wolf like this.

“Elly… and you three! Are you done?!”

“Just in time,” Elly responded. I was quite relieved as my Stamina was getting depleted constantly as I held the wolf for as long as I could.

“Good! By my count, I want all of you to run!”

“But we can’t leave you behind! We need to fight the wolf.” The archer was quite stubborn and foolhardy.

“And what? Waste your time and let the rest of the pack arrived here?”

“Ughh…” She bit her lips.

“If you have nothing else to say, do as I tell you or I’ll let the wolf go and escape by myself!”

“Alright… b-but you better escape too.” The archer then turned herself around and move on to help their injured party member.

“Not planning to die here, anyway. Now Elly, lead them out of the FATE Zone.”

As soon as I said that, I heard a couple of howls not too far from us. Shit. The rest of the pack was coming. We had no more time to spare. I would likely have 15 seconds window to act at most now.

“GO!!”

The four of them ran away once I gave the order. Elly turned her face to me when she ran, perhaps still worried about me. Heh, I was a soldier, girl. A wolf like this was nothing. Though a pack might kill me now, I was not about to let those wolves reached me. Cowardice had its moment and it was now. Run and we could live to fight another time. And I hated the idea of dying to respawn safely anyway.

I let the wolf off from my grasp. But I could not run yet. It would pounce on me right away if I did. I took off my robe and wrapped it around my hand. Having just freed itself, it was again hesitant. And perhaps, waiting for the rest of the pack to arrive.

Now, if that was the case, I had a plan. I took a few steps backwards while still facing it. The wolf was growling and looking at me intently but did not attack. After a few more steps, I turned my back immediately and ran as fast as I could. Seeing that I turned my back, it immediately gave chase. This was the cue I needed.

Once it chased me, I turned around facing it and immediately spread my robe. Seeing that I suddenly stopped, it took its chances and pounced on me. Leaping high in the air with its bite attack, I covered its head with my robe once it landed on me.

*Lost 200 HP*

I received some damage from the pounce attack though I avoided the claws. Again, I wrestled the wolf but this time with my robe covering the head, its movement was severely limited. I then managed to secure the robe around its neck by tying it tightly. That would give me some time to run away now.

And ran away I did once I’d done my deed. With less than 50% HP left, I was sure would not last long if I stood my ground and fight. The pack was getting closer and the moment those wolves arrived, I better be long gone. Picking up my pace, I expended all my Stamina sprinting away to safety.

*****

Once I was out the FATE Zone, only did I take a much needed rest. Huffing and puffing my way, I took a seat under a big tree a little further from the safe zone. A FATE Zone was the maximum boundary where any FATE monsters would not attack us beyond it. Another way of saying was that once we were outside of the boundary, we had nothing to do with the FATE anymore. So whatever rewards we might have earned during the FATE or even if the FATE was completed, it would be forfeited once we were out of the area. The exceptions were given to the EXPs and loot items dropped from the monsters we killed.

“Ghost… is that you?”

Suddenly, I heard Elly’s voice. Looking at the direction where the voice came from, I saw her and the other three who escaped together with her coming towards my way.

“Ohh… all of you are safe now?” I asked her while seated. Not going to waste my time standing and greeting the rest. I was dead tired.

“T-Thank you for helping us back then.” A warrior-looking guy then came forward with the other two beside him. One was the girl archer earlier and one more was unidentifiable under a hood.

“No worries. Thanks accepted.” I answered him nonchalantly. Not going to be bothered with thanks from strangers. They would forget it as soon as they levelled up or move on to another area. I was used to this kind of meetings back in LIXXO anyway.

“We haven’t caught your name yet. I’m Alviss.”

“Ghost.” He extended his hand to shake mine, but I just swatted it away. He looked offended and disgusted with my cold reception, but trying to compose himself in front of the other two, he tried to conjure up a false smile.

“This is Miranda and Sophia.” He then introduced the two to me. And the third one was a girl too judging by her name. As she came from behind the shadow, she revealed her face from under the hood and gave me a few deep bows.

Based on their interactions alone, I was sure that this warrior guy might be the party leader, assuming how much of a good impression he wanted to make and the exchanges between him and the rest of the party. And perhaps he was new at it too based on the earlier scene where Elly and I found them. Inexperienced, naïve and worst of all, foolhardy.

“What’s your level?” The archer, with a cliché race of being an elf, asked of me the most boring and cliché of questions. I could not help but to shake my head and sighed.

“Does it matter?” I looked at her at the corner of my eyes and asked. I thought it was better to leave now or else they were going to barrage me all sort of nonsensical questions. Asking my level when I just saved all their arses was one. I stood up, patted my back and beckoned Elly to leave with me. However, before I could do that, the warrior held my arm.

“Look, she asked what’s your level!” He stared at me. Someone who couldn’t take no for an answer? And holding my arm like I was someone hostile or a fleeing villain after I had helped them was unneeded and unnecessary. And that pissed me off to no end.

I hissed at him. “Let me go.”

But he was not having it. His grip on my arm tightened. My intention to leave the group as soon as possible seemed to fade away now. I shook my head a couple of times as I turned to face Alviss. With one swift movement, took his arm away and then brought it behind his back. I then went to his blindside, kicked the back of his knee and pulled his hair as he fell down kneeling.

The other two girls were surprised to see my reaction. Elly was caught off-guard and she was now in dilemma. Was what I did right? Or wrong? Her face was strained a little. Trying to ease her, I said to Alviss, “Is this how you thank your saviour? By being hostile?” I grabbed his chin and stared at him directly.

“If you want to be thankful, instead of asking about my level, why not do something useful, like giving me some money. Or even replacing the equips that I had to sacrifice trying to save all your arses.”

“W-We never asked you to help us!” The warrior retorted.

“Well, the FATE is still active. You lot could go there and kill yourself if you want to. Or stay here and be thankful instead. Either way, it’s fine by me.” I spat to the ground and stared at the other two girls. The archer was trying to draw her bow. Raising a weapon against me was very ill-advised.

I kicked the warrior to the side and moved towards the archer, Miranda as she tried to shoot me. I grabbed her by her throat and slammed her into the tree as her arrow whistled past my cheeks. My speed and force were too much for her. She dropped her weapons from her hand as I slammed her again.

Though this map was not a PK area, it did not mean one could not engage in a fight. It would just mean that no one would die, but having suffered a humiliating defeat, those who lose would always flee away.

“You fucking people are too slow. No wonder the wolves got your pathetic trio of a clown party in trouble. Just a single wolf and all hell break loose.”

“Guh!!” The warrior tried to stand up to me but Elly placed her sword against his throat. He might not die, but I was sure his pride and ego would be smashed to pieces before that. Elly had made up her mind and she supported my reasoning. A saviour should be thanked properly, after all.

“Ghost-sir, please. We did not mean to be rude. W-We just want to invite you to our party…” Sophia was on her tears as she tried to calm me down.

“Invite me to your pathetic party? No thanks. All I need is Elly, not you weak lots!” I could hazard a guess that this party of three’s level might be around in their early 20s. And from the way they acted, it might even be a new-formed party. A pick-up group, PUG, they called it for hunting monsters and gathering loots.

“We are not weak!” The archer spoke as she tried to wiggle away from my hold.

“Really, then why are you pinned to the tree while your leader is being threatened at a sword end?” The three of them went silent. Sophia was looking dejectedly, perhaps never thought that their saviour had now turned into some sort of a villain that picked up on weak people.

“Tell me, Sophia, what level are you?” I asked her.

“L-level… 2-25…” She stammered. “The rest?” I continued on pressing her.

“Alviss is level 29… and… and… Miranda is… 27.”

“I see. No wonder you lot are foolhardy. Thinking that levels are everything. It’s like a dick competition, measuring up your size to accommodate lousy techniques and performance.”

When I said that, both Miranda and Sophia suddenly turned red and Alviss was disgusted. Perhaps the two girls were real girls too in real life. And that warrior guy? He might have self-confident issues back in the real world.

I sighed out loud. I released my hold on Miranda’s throat and she slumped down. Though I was pissed off, I could not help but to feel pity for them. Sophia’s tears did soften me up a little.

“I’m Level 10, and Elly is 12,” I told them my level and all of them looked at me with amazement as if I had said the silliest thing ever.

“B-But…” Sophia was still stammering her words, though I had no time to entertain these trios for now.

“Doesn’t matter what you lot think. I’m out of here.” I turned around and left the group. However, Sophia called out to me, much to my annoyance. These people really wouldn’t take no for an answer easily.

“P-Please… join us… Ghost.”

“Huh?” I was surprised. So the rest of us here. And I thought I had said something silly, but Sophia had one-upped me it seemed. I pointed to myself as if to ascertain that I did not hear wrongly. I had said ‘No’ once, and yet, here she was trying her luck again.

“Please?” She looked at me with puppy eyes. Under the midnight full moon, her eyes sparkled even more. But she couldn’t fool me with those looks. I was immune to it.

“Look, lady. I’m not interested in parties or weird shits like that alright. I’m happy with Elly and she’s all I need.”

“B-But… p-please… help us?” Sophia continued to beg me.

“Look, I’m level 10. For you lots, I’m unworthy to be in the same party. Even that two folks over there are looking at me like a villain already.” To be sure, Alviss and Miranda nodded at my words. Looks like they agreed with me for once.

Sophia had said some absurd thing for sure. And her words carried less weight than the other two. In this party, I could see Alviss was the de-facto leader and Miranda was second in command. Sophia was perhaps someone they needed which they found along the way. But she was determined nonetheless.

“I n-need you…”

“Huh? What are you smoking, lady? Are you in a high or something? Need me for what?”

“Ghost, maybe I could explain it for her.” Elly suddenly came to me and tapped my shoulder.

“The three of them needed to kill the Dire Wolf for their job quest.”

“So, doesn’t mean I have to endanger my life to help them. Hunt the Dire Wolf once they are at higher levels. Perhaps Level 60, since most folks care more about levels anyway.”

“But Ghost, surely you won’t let them die just like that?” Elly tried her best to reason out with me.

“Why not? If they want to die, so be it.” Sophia slumped her shoulder. She surrendered herself to my stubbornness.

I had my reasons, but I was not going to put up with random parties asking me to help them every time they see me. In good times, everyone would praise each other to no end, but in bad times, I would be damn sure the lowest levelled one would be frowned upon as the baggage in the party. One of the reason why I achieved peak level in LIXXO was that I hated people who looked down on others just because they were low levelled. Low levelled and weak were not the one and the same thing. Once I had reached the peak, I would have no problem going solo or helping those in need, provided I had something in common with them. But most of the time, my play style was too extreme to be welcomed by anyone, anyway.

“Look at it this way. We have about 35 more minutes for the FATE to end and a pack of wolves to be disposed of, excluding that Dire Wolf. And I’m pretty sure the Dire Wolf would be a Boss Level monster. They might be at the same level, but don’t let the monster’s level fools you, Elly. Or their naivety and foolhardiness.”

“W-What do you mean by that?” Miranda suddenly asked me.

“Look, the game mechanic is simple. Monsters at night are at least 50% stronger than during the day, right?”

Everyone nodded.

“So, if the normal mob level is 30 at average, at night, they are level 45 equivalent at least.”

I purposely highlighted the word ‘at least’. I want to drive home a few points for these poor fools before they get themselves killed.

“Since you are less than half its level, most probably all of you would be dead before you could even kill one. I took one attack and I lost 30% of my HP.” I paused for a while. This was simple enough for a normal player to understand. But I guess these three were newbies. The look on their face was all I need to know what sort of players they were. I could get them off my back too by educating them a little.

“A wolf hunts in a pack. The one you fight was most likely a scout. And once they found their prey, they would gather their pack and attack relentlessly. So, the three of you will never stand a chance in the beginning. Besides….”

“Besides?” Miranda asked. I looked at her and the rest of the trios.

“The wolves have at least 3 attacks; two claws and a bite. And hunting in packs, surrounded by those wolfs, you tell me if your pathetic party can take them.”

I pointed my finger at Sophia.

“Even at level 60, you would be sync to level 40. The wolf will still overcome not just your level, but the number of attacks and amount of support they have. For once, the game AI is smarter than real players.”

I could hear her soft whimper. The other two looked away once I turned my gaze to them. Man, those three were pitiful. I was now acting against my better judgment, but then again I might have the use of them later on. Or exchange something with them; information or items.

“Well… if you understand those, perhaps I could do one thing for you.”

Elly’s face was beaming when I said that. She was waiting for me to show some kindness to these strangers but I was not naïve and foolish enough to bend over backwards just for some good-looking PCs. The blonde and curvaceous Miranda and the petite brunette Sophia was good looking. Even Alviss for all his naivety and childishness did put some effort into making his avatar looked like some sort of a Korean celebrity. What was his name again? Min-ho something?

“Meet me here, 1 week in real time from now, before the FATE starts. And then, I might help you with your quest.” Sophia looked at me, delighted with what I had said that she hugged me immediately. I tried to push her away.

“I said, I might help. Not confirm that I will help.” But that did not deter her from clinging happily to my waist.

“Better than nothing, Ghost.” Sophia looked at me gleefully.

“What about the other two? Will they want my help?”

“They wanted your help, as much as I did. But I guess it did not turn it out the way we expected earlier.” Alviss and Miranda reluctantly nod. They had been the quiet bunch since I put them in their places earlier. The quietest one was the talkative one now.

“Ghost? Can I have your member address to add you as a friend?” Sophia continued to ask me. The rest came over, looking as if they too wanted the same thing.

Man…. What could I do to stop them from bugging me?