! {Playback Started}

~ {In Queue: Suns of Mecopia – repeated edits)

Filling my ears with the rhythm it deserves, I breeze through the empty air with multiple bony undead frogs coming my way.

*Woosh*

It moves like the wind itself, but these eyes, they can see where it’s aiming at.

Sliding beneath it, in a slow-motion, sparks of flame appeared within my palm, “Combustion.”

*Bwoosh*

{200}

With a grin on my face, I chuckled.

{Combustion / Rank F-Common / Tier 1 Spell / Conjure a spark of ember in the user’s hand to be ignited in explosion / Mana Consumption: 20 / Cooldown: 5s / Requirement: 5 Intelligence, 5 Faith}

I regained my foothold and ignore that dwindling frog. Three in the front, two on my sides. My boots slide and my body upfront. The two frogs launched themselves towards me. I’m not gonna sit still and take that massive hits.

*BOOM*

I blocked their path with the Wall of Stone.

Muttering the name of the spell would increase its efficiency but not for the Advanced tier and higher, don’t know why, but it’s a special trait of it. However, muttering it would increase the potency of the spell instead.

“A fair trade.”

While increasing the efficiency would result in the spell using less energy, increasing the potency would result in the increase of raw magical power. Quite odd since Wall of Stone is a utility-based spell instead of full-functioning destruction magic.

The wall that has appeared is permanent, but once destroyed, all of it disappears all the way to its root. Muttering the name will increase both its durability and its density.

Dual casting increases the duration of the cooldown by 300% so that is one more thing I should keep in mind.

8s on the clock now, I take this time to step back as the three frogs are coming ever closer as if I got something they want, “Heh, this body is not for sale, boys!”

They launched themselves again, and with a stern face, I stomped the ground hard. Even if I’m not a warrior or having high strength, I can still crack it with the use of spells, and of course, it's the Wall of Stone.

*BOOM*

“A Trait of the Arcane,” as my old friend said.

Blocking their path and I can hear them getting stunned. I didn’t even need to directly hit them with it as they are not strong enough to destroy them like that Imp boss.

My gamer senses suddenly tingling. I quickly whip out another spark of flame, and as soon as I turn around in slow motion, I blow it away.

*Bwoosh*

{300}

Another critical to the frog as it flew without life in its eyes, the trajectory of its body flipped around and barely grazing the top of my hair as it hits the wall behind me.

{+600 Exp}

Common undead is weak to fire, and it's significant, even a torch can damage them.

“5 left, huh.”

*CRASH*

Instead of going around, they chose to destroy the wall, “Hmph, mindless undead.” My hands are sweating in flames right now. Tilting my head a bit, “Let’s do this, baby.”

They lumped together as they jumped towards me, and that is where it pretty much confirmed what I had said, these frogs really don’t have a single cell living in their brain.

‘Oh, I forgot that…’

*BOOOM*

A tall and wider Wall of Stone send them flying as their bones snapped in half.

“… they don’t even have the thing called brain.”

{+600 Exp}

{+600 Exp}

{+600 Exp}

{+600 Exp}

{+600 Exp}

! {Level UP}

‘Realism Mode is definitely harder than playing normal, but as soon as I made progress and pass the initial level, I can pretty much breeze through it just the same as in Normal Mode.’

There is something that is helping me too.

Somehow, I didn’t trip too much, and not only that I have better senses of my surrounding now that I have adapted to the atmosphere, but I also have this feeling and constant worries follow by a strong intent that I should treat everything as if they are real.

‘Maybe this is what the System meant – what the Realism Mode meant to be.’

A true definition, of complete immersion.

‘Just thinking of what would happen if I die is already terrifies me. I only know that my character will be discarded, but what exactly will happen in the process?’

I don’t even want to think about it.

Moving onward.

All of my attributes are regenerating thanks to the Level UP, but how I wish it would go up instantly. Better than nothing though, and I decided not to spend the points I’ve got. Might be useful for later when I really need it.

*BOOM*

As my music stopped and another music starting, “Ah.”

“Always gotta jinxed it, huh.” An annoying creature appeared. About 50ft tall dread-skinned frog appeared in front of me.

*Woosh*

It suddenly attacked with its massive tongue swinging. My eyes suddenly widen up as it coming, “Wall of Stone!”

*BOOM*

Successfully blocking it with that chunk of rocks and it seems that the tongue didn’t manage to destroy it too.

! {Boss Encounter}

~ {Genoa Lv. 50}

“Yep, can’t beat that one for sure.” I might even laugh at how its height is the same as its level, my prediction is so good.

*Woosh*

Hurriedly going behind the other side of the wall. The frog is constantly destroying the field as I keep summoning more blockage.

*BOOM*

The walls cracked, and that’s the time I quickly catch up to my thoughts, ‘Gotta bail out of this one for now. Even Boland wouldn’t be able to handle it. I doubt the both of us together can do it either.’

*Woosh*

I quickly do a strategic retreat by going around the denser area in the jungle. Flapping both my hands down, “Wall of Stone!!”

*BOOOOOM*

It took 50% of my Max Mana to block its vision from where I’m going. I only have about 30% reserves of Mana right now, so this clearly is not a good idea to assess or look for things about that piece of meat.

Instead, I should focus on finding the others. Escaping the Prison Realm should be my top priority right now.

…

Getting back to the sand road, the giant frog lost me.

“Phew, my Stamina almost run out for that one. I really need to stop raising those coincidence flags or whatever it is. Alright, gonna spend the attributes there, and that one goes there.”

==== Quick Status ====

Statistics

Name: --- / Level: 9 / Class: Mage

Primary Attributes

Max Health: 1000 | Max Mana: 3400 | Max Stamina: 1600

Health: 1000 | Mana: 2390 | Stamina: 342

Secondary Attributes

Strength: 20 / Dexterity: 10 / Endurance: 20

Vitality: 0 / Agility: 20

Intelligence: 70 / Faith: 10 / Luck: 50

Combat

Physical Attack: 20 (+10) | 7 (+5) / Physical Defense: 0 (+10)

Magical Attack: 15 (+40) / Magical Defense: 0 (+10)

Health Regeneration: 1 / Mana Regeneration: 9 / Stamina Regeneration: 1

==== Quick Status ====

“Riiight, I do have that axe.”

It would increase both efficiency and potency of my spells but it’s too inconvenient to be using something like an axe as a catalyst. Taking it out of the inventory, I held it firmly in my left hand, “Getting a proper staff should be a priority once I escaped.”

Continuing to scour the dreaded plains, I found someone.

Wounded, and covered with all sorts of wounds.

“Hm? Wait, that’s…” the old man that gave me the axe. ‘What was his name again?’ quickly popping up the party members list, “Dura!” hurrying over and assisted him to rest, “Hey, hey, are you okay?”

*Cough *Cough

Panting, “Yes, I just took a nap on a nice comfy bed without a wound in my body. Damn it, do I look okay to you? Your Traveler’s friend is in trouble, go that way and head east. I’ve marked some of the trees, so follow them.”

“W-Wait, explain to me a bit. What happened?”

“Leeches,” panting, “As big as Momoa lizard and just as long. They came out of the swamp and that Traveler’s friend of yours is protecting the unconscious from being eaten by those parasites. Thought I should get away, finding you and Boland. So, where is he?”

“He’s safe, he should be, but you can’t go to him just yet. I’ve narrowly missed death for coming all this way, so you should stay here, okay? I’ll be back soon.”

“Wait!” grabbing my wrist, “Here, take this.”

! {Item Received}

~ {Black Piper Venom / Rank D-Rare}

A small bag containing a powder of the said item, it’s charred as charcoal.

“This should burn them into a crisp. Use it with the dagger I gave you, and don’t waste it, you hear?”

I nodded.

Leaving him there, I head to the place he was at.

‘Black Piper Venom is the second most effective method of burning something so squishy, but since I have the first most effective method, I should keep this one safe in my pocket for now. Might be useful if I were to go up against that frog again.’

The marking Dura left for me is a subtle scratch on the trees, I wouldn’t be able to know this had I not have the wonderful teammates in my past lives who teaches me all sorts of things about survival, “Hmph, gotta say though, not only that she’s beautiful, Rakuri got one of a head, unlike any others.”

Players wouldn’t even bother to do this kind of thing or research for it since there is indeed an easier method to light things up as a marking, and that is by using a glowing stone.

But that was never the goal of Rakuri, me, or other professionals. It’s not so much about using the method itself, but learning them. Knowledge is the supreme element that separates a real pro player and the newb calling themselves veteran.

*Bak *Bak *Bak *Bak *Bak *Bang *Bang

Sounds of something being pummeled. 12 giant leeches surrounded the black muscly man full of sweat, ‘That’s the sign of someone hitting the limit of their mental state condition. Soon, he’ll get jacked out of the game.’

I need to help him, and thus, my body moves on its own. Creating the beautiful sparks in my hand as I snuck to one of the leeches, I blew the ember as I mumbled, “Combustion.”

*Bwoosh*