5 days later.
[Time limit: 2 days.]
The bustling city of Midgard. The starting city in Arcadia. Where all low level players resided. Arthur sat in the corner of a bar. Wearing a cloak he had picked up from a bandits corpse on the way.
'This is the best place for me to be. It took me 2 whole days to walk here. I guess the maps much better when it's properly scaled. I haven't seen a single player interact with me. So I have a feeling I'm no longer recognized as a player. But a npc of some kind I guess.'
Arthur sighed. He had came to a realization on his way around to Midgard. The world of the game was a world. Bustling with life. Conversations between and with NPC's were only simplified and processed to be put on a game screen. He realized it through a conversation with a shop keeper. Usually a screen would pop up, showing their wares. And the shop keeper would say a few words. But while he was Arthur, when he talked to the shopkeeper, he had to physically browse the wares and have an actual conversation. It was all very new for a room dwelling man with social anxiety. Although, in this new world. He found himself with some new kind of charisma.
Perhaps he was just afraid of the real world. As Arthur was lost in thought, a player came up to him. He could hear their comms. He was still connected to the system. Despite being disconnected from the party system. When the player talked to him. It wasn't the players voice in the comms. It was like a conversation between NPC's instead.
"Do you have any information on where the goblin king's hideout may be located?"
'The goblin king's hideout? Oh, right. It's the first boss mission in the game. It took me forever to find the right npc to get the information on the bosses location.'
"Get lost." Arthur blurted out. He put his hand on his mouth.
'What the hell?! I didn't want to say that…' he watched as the player paused for a moment, and then saw a screen pop up in front of him while the player was very audibly angry.
[Player 'SharpestSword13' has challenged you to a duel!]
'Right, shit, the dueling system…'
In Arcadia, you could basically challenge everything and anything to a duel for absolutely no reason. It was extremely unnecessary as a feature, but was useful and helped farming reputation with certain factions.
"Very well. I accept"
[Npc 'Arthur' has accepted the duel!'
Arthur and the player were teleported to a training ground. Both drew their sword. Arthur looked at his equipment, he noticed the tacky feeling of his blade. It was just a normal iron sword. With a little gold handle. A cosmetic. Seems like the player, who must've been at least level 10. Was already spending money on the game. The player was easily higher level, with better equipment as well. Not just a rusty sword and a cloak, both gave zero bonuses. As well as no spells.
'I have Arthur's memories. As well as my own. I can easily overpower the difference with my skill.'
Arthur unsheathed the rusty sword. Letting the player dashed at him. He swiftly dodged the players first attack. A sloppy swing. He drove his knee up into the gut of the player. But unexpectedly. The player was sent flying. A distance that a level 1 player shouldn't even be able to get close to having the strength to generate. Arthur was unable to see his stats in the status window. But he had the idea that the demon body gave him an immense stat bonus in strength.