The remaining wolves kept snapping its jaws at them.

Even the Goblin Mage was gone, the wolves continue to be on fighting them.

[-4]

“These wolves have high defense.” HearMePlebians observed as his attack barely made a damage to the wolf.

They've been attacking the wolves for 10 minutes now and they can tell the huge difference between them and the wolves.

“We can’t see any health line.” Alek observed. “How are we going to know if were already defeating them?”

"I am seeing a healthline." Luke said.

"Me too." Most on their team agreed.

"We don't." Marching Band said.

He looked at the wolves, there were no lifeline indication appeared anywhere.

"Me too." Mark nodded. "I can't see any lifeline."

"It depends on the game, huh?" Alek looked dumbfounded.

"It has an HP of 155 left." Luke informed them.

"It's coming." Gramps shouted.

The wolves were agile. They were attacking one by one, but the wolves kept dodging their attacks.

“We need it to attack it all -" HearMePlebians' shout halted when one of the wolves moved. It bared its teeth to Grandma, charges towards her.

“Grandma!” They shouted.

The summoned card of ace of spades immediaty in front of her, shielding her from the attack. The wolves bit the card hard. It's paper body made a tearing sound.

The wolf grind its teeth. The teared paper between its fangs.

[-20]

It incurred damages. A black pool of blood came out of summoned card. The ace of hearts ran and sat beside the coughing card.

It clasped its hands and made a continuous voiceless mumbles.

[+10]

A notification of healing appeared on the Ace of Card's head.

“It can heal?” They all looked at the pink ace of hearts card in awe, like a messiah walked among the most pitiful creatures. It’s face looked solemn.

[+10]

The other wolf lowered its head, signaling an attack.

Mark ran infont of Grandma and shielded her from the attack. The wolf cried out when it bashed its head on his shield.

[-10]

He lossened his grip on the shield's and looked at his hand. The blisters were starting to form.

“You okay, Grandma?” Mark asked, gripping on the handle firmly.

“Yes. Thank you.” She looked at the summoned card. “Be careful, dearies. The wolf is quite fast.”

“Can you do your skill again, Alek?” Luke asked.

“Status.” Alek commanded. The black monitor appeared in front of Alek and he skimmed through it. “I’m sorry but I’m out of mana.”

“It will take a while to use it again.” Alek informed them.

“Shit.” Luke cursed. “How about you guys?” He looked at the members of the Marching Band Team.

“We also don’t have any mana left.” iHitSpendidly said.

“We don’t have money to buy Mana Potions.”

“We should have bought one too.” Luke said in regret. “This is bad.”

“I have a shield.” Mark said. “I’ll fend it off after it attacks. Then, attack it from behind.”

“We’ll do the same.” iHitSplendidly said. “I’ll fend the other one off with my drums as a shield.”

The wolf bared its fangs against Mark.

“Here it goes!” He shouted as the wolf started charging on their way.

His fists tightened aganst the metal handle, anticipating the wolf.

The wolf attack made huge thumping sounds against his shield. His palms watered as the blisters increases.

"Now!" He shouted.

"HAHHH!!!"

His teammates attacked the wolf from behind. The wolf cried out several times. He can't see what was happening with the shield in front of him.

The wolf growled and made snapping sounds.

He lowered the shield and saw the wolf preparing to attack Gramps.

He gripped the lower part of the shield and bashed the wolf from behind.

[0]

It howled, distrated.

"Let's do that again." Luke said and huffed. "I think that was effective."

They did it again. The others keep on hitting randomly on its hind to get its attention as the others attack it.

"50 HP. We can defeat it!" Luke said.

[-15]

[-3]

...

"Now!"

Grampa took a swift swing of his sword towards its neck.

Defeated [+30]

"Yeeeeeea!"

"We can't celebrate yet. There's one more!"

Their eyes went to the struggling Marching Band Team.

"Come on!" Gramps beckoned and ran.

They nodded and followed him.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Level Up!

A greenish glow surrounded Gramps as he took the last swing on the Lvl 7 Wolf.

"Subarashi!" Luke jumped in excitement, his voice echoed all over the cave.

"Eh, what's happenin'?" Gramps innocently asked.

"You've level up, Gramps." Alek explained to the elderly. "Meaning you are stronger."

"Level what?" The harsh lines on Gramps forehead deepened.

"Uhhh."

"That's-."

No one was able to answer it. All of them looked at each other with questioning face.

"Have you explained his Status?" iHitSplendidly asked, pointing a drumstick to them.

"....what status?" Grandma asked, smiling at them.

Mark looked at the innocent face of Grandma. Where should they begin explaining?

"Oh yeah. We have that." Mark said. When no one responded. "Right?"

He remembered there's a status option on his monitor. Though, he haven't opened it yet. He looked at Luke.

Luke smiled sheepishly. "We kinda forgot?"

The Marching Band looked at them unbelievingly.

"Who are you?The Game of Sword Chair* writers?"

"Sheesh."

"Poor people."

"Let's take a break." HearMePlebians said, tiredness evident on his voice. "This is going to take long."

--------------------------

"A status, like its name suggest, is a collective information on what you have as a player." Alek explained while adjusting his glasses. "What? I deeply thought about it. It's correct right?"

They had resumed to drinking tea while sitting on blankets in the middle of the cave. There were a lot of people looked at them weirdly as they passed by them. Some even telling them "Nice, you even got your grandparents here."

The Marching Band also joined them on their 'picnic'. They will help on attempting to explain the Status on the elderlies.

It was the basics of all basics. But to the elderly it's like explaining what a computer is.

They've played rock-paper-scissors to determine who will explain it to them. Alek lost and now made the technical explanation.

Gramps and Grandma looked at Alek blankly. Every single one of them can see that they didn't get anything on what Alek said.

"What he means, Gramps." Luke interjected. "It displays if how strong or weak you are."

"It doesn't say I'm strong or weak in here." Gramps said, pointing on his Status.

Luke opened his mouth, but no words came. His eyes looked lost while his eyes are set at Gramps.

"It's in number form Gramps." Mark said. "And you get stronger as you level up as you did now."

Luke looked at him thankfully. "That's right, Gramps."

"Yep, Gramps!" HearMePlebians said, happily. "What's your strength?"

Gramps adjusted his glasses. "It's 20."

"Eh? 20 at level 2?" HearMePlebians said. "You're strong. Mines only at 6... I wanna cry."

"Damn. Mines 3." Alek said disappointed, looking at his black monitor. "Horror gamers only need agility. No need for strength."

"Oohh. My strength is 8." Grandma said. Her pink monitor was

HearMePlebians mouth's agape at Grandma's strength. "You are stronger than me, Grandma." His eyes turned sadder. "Now, I really wanted to cry." He said sniffing.

"Looser."

"Boo!"

"What's your score, huh?" HearMePlebians asked his groupmates.

"Mines 4." TippityTappityToes Lvl 2 proudly said.

"Weak." WhatThe?YouSuck Lvl 2 said, throwing his microphone at him.

The Marching Band got noisier on who's the weakest.

Mark got curious to what his strength was.

It can't be that bad?

"Maximize. Status." Mark commanded. His status flashed in front of him.

Wait. His eyes blinked slowly. His eyes must be tired.

Strength: 0 (+1)

"Minimize." He commanded. "Maximize. Status."

Strength: 0 (+1)

It must be an error.

He wiped his eyes and looked at it a little bit closer.

Strength: 0 (+1)

The large 0 Strength screamed at him.

This world calling me weak in so many levels. Mark realized that even in afterlife unfairness still happens.

That or the game system is dicking with me.

"How's yours, Mark?" Alek asked, his camcorder zooming on his crestfallen face.

He didn't answer. His eyes still fixed at the status monitor.

Alek got curious and looked over. His eyebrows shot upwards. "You okay?" His voice full of pity.

"Damn Son." HearMePlebians said, his eyes fixated on his monitor.

"That's okay, Bro." Luke put his hand on Mark's shoulder. "We can always level up."

"Hey." Luke waved his hand in front of Mark's face. "Eh. He's dead."

"How is Strength even measured in this world though?" Alek asked. "It must have some kind of mechanic."

"Ah!" Mark remembered the Muscle Head Mayor and the shopkeeper. DoughnutKin had some serious muscles too.

Luke said when Mark . "He's alive again."

"Do you remember the Mayor and Shopkeeper?" Mark asked Luke. Then, looked at the others. "Or the higher level ones."

"Yeah."

"They got some serious Muscles right?"

They all looked at Gramps.

Gramps noticed them and stopped drinking tea.

"What?" Grandpa looked at them nervously.

Luke stood up and grasped Granpa's oversized tunic; revealing a well shaped muscled arm.

Alek whistled.

"He's packed."

Mark looked at his slender arms which was only a third of Grandpa's size.

"Damien had always been like that." Grandma said matter of factly. "Afterall, he was a Marine."

"So, that's the reason." Alek zoomed in on Granpa's specs. "Knew it wasn't Solitaire."

"So, we should train?"

"Is there even a gym at this world?"

"None."

"I can train you." Granpa offered and smiled mysteriously. "I was after all a good trainor before I died."

Marks' hairs behind his back stood up with Gramps smile.

"Hahaha-" Mark laughed nervously. "Maybe, next time, Grandpa."

"Nice hang-out you got there." Their conversation was cut from a comment from a player behind them.

"Nice to see you again! Goblins defeated you again?" iHitSplendidlys' snarky reply.

"Tsk!" Their apparent leader ignored him and moved towards the deeper part of the cave.

Not even 15 minutes passed and they saw them again. Still, ignoring them.

They all looked at Gramps.

"Sooo...Where do we sign up with this training camp thing?" HearMePlebians asked.

"Here right now." Gramps said with a triumphant smile on his lips.

"Huh?"

"What?"

It was their turn to look confuse while looking at the now devious smile of Gramps.