=== Tropical Trip

Reluctantly, there are times where you need to do something you are not willing. Such things are boring and seemingly pointless. Grinding is a part of a game, just like working is a part of life, and since ages, humans have not yet found a way to escape that. Even in this beautiful and endless world you are but a single entity trying to make your dreams a reality, or whatever really.

This lonely and deserted island is where we found our little sport, and it is possibly the worst place we could be hunting at. Precisely because no one ever tried to scout this area, every corner is an unpleasant surprise for us. The big idea was different. Unexplored terrain equals rare monsters, most of the times, and that also means rare materials for us. But in reality, this is going to be just another low level jungle trash, right?

I should have said something before we swam here, since I somehow got the idea that a boat was not needed. I was wrong, and because of that I had to suffer the long and tiring trip through the sea. Yes, I was already regretting coming here even before I arrived at the beach. On top of that, there was one more thing that was annoying...

[Hoi, this is actually really fun, if you think about it in a different way. Instead of the usual, we are having here a vacation. Getting all this low-show level materials is just a sweet bonus, righto? Just look at how fast we can clean up all those poor mobies! Like, some say it's much better if the monsters respawn quickly instead of getting one large every now and then. So you should be glad, for me choosing this place. After all, you know how hard is for hunters to find a good place to grind and keep it for themselves?]

[Are you being sarcastic? That's my job...You know this is pretty much worthless to us, so it doesn't matter how fast we are killing them. I would be glad if you understood that.]

[If you say so, there is always the vacation part right? Such a grumpie-stumbie! Your little puny cheeks need work from time to time, so show me a smile okay? This wonderful day at the beach with the two of us, what else would you want to ask for? A coconut perhaps?]

[They grow on trees but they also fall...I guess that saves the trouble of climbing for them then. But anyway, how can I enjoy my vacation with knowing I'm wasting my time here? Cut me some slack.]

The one annoying thing, my partner in crime, was no one other than Jielby. Seriously, her typical enthusiasm combined with her ability to say the most random things was truly the toughest thing to stomach. Even now, thinking about food presumably, the little Pegasus knight in search for something she could pick up from the ground and shallow in one go.

True to her words, she found a coconut in the sand and immediately started running towards to it, fumbling in the process. With her lance extended, she swung it down at the brown thing, only to realise that she put way too much power in the strike. Covered in little bits of the fruit, she then started licking off the milk from her hands. With a slight giggling in her tone, her lips showed satisfaction, despite her gaffe. Bit by bit, the scattered pieces and the main part disappeared from the world.

[Oh that was all? But ish wahs sho good! You could have tasted it while it was still here, now I got to break another one. Jeez, could you move a little? You are just standing here all the time and raking the sand. I'm doing all the work here!]

[You are just getting worked up for nothing...this is not how you are supposed to deal with coconuts! Also no one asked you to share, I'm not hungry.]

[Booye! You mean like not splatter them all over and then eat the bits? I always thought that's what you are supposed to do, am I wrongs or what?]

[No you stupid! That method is strictly for watermelons, not for coconuts...But I would not recommend that too, at least my common sense would say so.]

Making a surprised face, Jielby started to ponder about it for a little while, but then just shrugged at me nonchalantly. Her little boots were now working towards the deeper parts of the island, and I was following her from certain distance. Luckily for her, I knew everything about tracking and could point her towards the gathering of monsters.

Everyone knows that usually you have to search for footprints in order to spawn mobs in the first place. A special thing about this island alone, you don’t get to do that. It’s like an event or something I guess? Anyway all that’s different we save time on looking for footprints, but nevertheless, we still have to go places and smack some stuff. Speaking about that...

[So this little group of monkeys is the great treasure of this island? Did you really expect pirates or something...Don't answer, you will just make more noises that might distract them...But on the other hand, go ahead okay?]

[Like you mean an actual treasure chest buried in the sand here? Like actual pirates that sail this seas? Wowzers-mowzers, now that’s a shockers! I would have brought my metal detector! I mean I don't have that, but I do have a shovel with me. Just tell me where to dig and I will be all up in the dirt! Where is it!?]

[Could you stop tugging on my cape? I prefer you and me just dealing with these whelps now, okay?]

[Oh I shee, so this is like a quest, you need to take out the trash first so you get the other objective later, right? No fear, I'm going to smack them good, you will see! Hyaa! Take this and that! Wow they are really weak, aren't they?]

With just a few swings she was able to defeat most of the initial pull alone. I was just standing in the back, just in case. I readied my Rain of Fire, and other skills, but it seems that instead of a group of monsters, just a single gorilla appeared. It jumped down from the tall tree, and started swinging at the Tank. Obviously, I just had to my thing to bring it down fast.

A combination of different skills, like Necrotic Pentagram, Disintegrate Ray and Dancing Lights, along with my specials, allowed me to deal damage to the beast while my partner was keeping its attention. It wasn't really long until it felt down, though Jielby looked like she was ready to fight ten of them at once. Still, the only work out we got did not feel like rewarding at all.

[So that is all I presume? Let me check.]

Because I'm a user of the weapon Orb, I also have the access to a very special skill called Detect Foe. It is very useful, for hunting at least, but other than that, I feel a little cheated by the game. Why did I choose so poorly? This skill doesn’t help with anything else!

While all the other weapons have good and useful abilities...It's my awful luck that chose the Orb, right? I can't help that, or the fact I'm travelling with those guys, so I won't bother whining and simply try to forget about it.

[Okay looks like we are not going to get attacked here, but there are more to the west. We should get going...I don't want to spend a night in this place if possible, understood?]

[Aww, you are making this whiney face again, you sho cute! Anyway, those monsters can wait, I need to snuggle you first!]

[Hey I said no touching, will you listen to me for once? If that day will ever come...]

[Oh yea you said something about the treasure? So where is it? I cleaned the mobs now so we should be fine looking around. Is it behind this fallen log? Or maybe under this bush? Perhaps it's this tree? Hey lookie, there is even an X mark on it! Gee I'm smarts! You see, when pirates bury their riches then leave small things so they will be able to find them later. They like plant trees in a line or stack up rocks and stuff. The trick is to spot clues that look not created by nature.]

Right, you are on point Jielby, and looking adorably entranced by a spontaneous fallacy. I just can't help gawking at her. Maybe she is right about one thing, in this world it is easy to distinguish between human made structures and server ones, which means that...although I can't disregard the existence of pirates, there are no signs of player activity on this island.

All I found here was some tropical gathering materials, and I guess monkeys, though they don't really matter that much. In general, you can find monsters anywhere away from villages, and depending on where you find them, like in a jungle, they appear fitting for their habitat. However, they don't simply live on this island—they only spawn near the players, during events and so on. Hence today, these two lucky girls are going to enjoy this tropical adventure to their fullest, apparently.

Also, thanks to that peculiar design, you are not chained to one certain location and respawn times, like in other hunting games. You don't go to a place and complete quests—you actually have to realistically work hard to find for your prey first. All in all, I just can't complain all the time about how uninteresting it can get after a while, but that is how video games work I guess.

[Okay I had a good hunch about the next one! This here defins is the one! Can you feel it?]

[No, I have been just sitting here waiting for you to stop digging so we can go to the next zone. As from my laziness, you are doing a fine job alone...though it looks you are having fun.]

[Hey, you should try this too! It's diggy-miggy funsies, and I don't mind being covered it dirt like this. Clothes always return to normal after a while and you don't get often the opportunity to play in the...Ah!]

[Still playing in the mud? How delightful. I would snap a photo if I were your parent, since your face look like an adorable two year old baby.]

Just a moment ago, the very energetic girl with the shovel has took a wrong step and fallen inside the hole she just dug up. As for me, I can't help but to take a stealthy screenshot from up close, regardless of the danger of falling down myself...

[Did you find anything? No? Okay I'm going back then.]

[No wait! I'm coming with you! Jeepers you're impatient! Next time you should join me, you always look bored you know?]

[Have you just noticed that now? Anyway I need a Tank so I'm not going to leave you.]

[Right, right...You are too precious when you are such a stick-in-the-mud. Ishishi~]

To my surprise, she was simply pretending to have difficulty getting up from the hole, but I foreseen her amateurish trick. Her true intention was to throw some dirt on me. After evading it without a problem, I was wondering if she would try again.

[Okay fine, I'm gonna go outside on my own, you are no soily-jolly!]

[Remember that you are doing this for a certain goal, your dream, so can you stop goofing around?]

With a simple jump she was out of the dug and on her two dainty feet, in front of me, with her arms on her hips.

[Obviously because you can't block I have to babysit you and deal with all the Aggro. Fear not cute Oddia, for I shall be your knight in shining armour! Ihya! How was that? I don't want to sound arrogant here, but that's how it is with our team right? We just rush things down, who is there to keep up all safe?]

[It is you, Jielby, I think that is without doubt my best answer. If only all the classes in this game were able to block...But I guess that is asking for too much. I don't know why would someone make such a stupid system and get away with it.]

[Why devs, why was it a good idea to give only one class ability to block? Why devs, why it takes so long to grind? Why devs, why you don't give convenient quest lines? Why devs, why did you hid all the UI elements for VR users?]

[Wha...Stop impersonating me!]

Her rowdy little piper now released somewhat more muscular grumpy voice that supposed to work me up. Well I won't deny, as irritating as her lines were, that I’m not always a big fan of every decision made in this game.

[I mean like, lookie! She is about to start her rant again! Gaspers, what have this adorbs knight done?]

[Not what she is supposed to do, for starters. We are eventually going to need to take on stronger monsters for rare materials, and heavens permit you better be at your best behaviour before we all get a flying mount. Alas, when will that is going to happen I can only...]

Sooner or later I stopped ranting, and her face, which was making strange wide-eyed impressions, returned to her usual cheerful smile. It is true that in this game you have to pretty much suck it up and play until you get anywhere, not to mention that prices for anything but the top materials are high, since no one farms anything below rank five...But besides that, this is a very pleasant journey, for some people at least. As for me I feel like being stuck in slush, despite having an avatar that floats above the air a little.