Chapter 8: Server-Wide Announcement! The First Night Ends.
Phew....
Closing his status panel, Seito swept his silver hair back with a casual flick of his wrist. He thrust the Chokuto into the stone floor and leaned his weight against the hilt, his white trench coat billowing in the artificial breeze of the dungeon.
He looked every bit the transcendent expert, a faint, confident smirk playing on his lips.
Living the life of a 'Luck S-Rank' is something else, he thought.
He wondered how Blank would fare against a monster like Maple. Sora and Shiro were legendary—the phrase "Blank Never Loses" wasn't just a meme, it was a law of the gaming world. Having grown up playing alongside those two, Seito had clawed his way into the world's top three rankings himself. They had challenged each other countless times over the years, though the actual win-loss record remained a secret known only to them.
But Maple... she was a glitch in the matrix. A force of nature that defied logic.
"Uwaa~ I'm so full... I can't move..."
Seito turned to see Maple rubbing her stomach, sitting on the ground with a dazed, satisfied smile. He chuckled and waited. Soon enough, her expression shifted from post-meal bliss to pure shock, then to ecstatic excitement.
As expected, she had assimilated the Hydra's essence. For a player who had dumped every point into Defense, suddenly gaining a full arsenal of top-tier offensive skills was like a dream come true.
Seito pulled his blade from the ground and walked over. "Alright, enough daydreaming. Let's see what's in the chest."
"Right!" Maple scrambled to her feet and popped the lid of the golden chest.
Her eyes turned into literal stars as she equipped the Poison Dragon Set. In an explosion of light, her starter gear vanished, replaced by her iconic dark-purple and crimson-trimmed armor. It was a perfect blend of "cute" and "terrifying."
"Hehe! We're the only ones with gear like this!" Maple twirled around, her cape fluttering. She didn't know much about MMOs, but even she understood the value of "Unique" equipment.
One specific effect caught her eye: [Destruction Growth].
(Description: If this equipment is damaged, it regenerates with increased stats based on the attack it received.)
"This is... really strong, right?" she asked, her eyes wide.
"It's broken," Seito replied simply. He pulled two pairs of sunglasses out of his inventory, slid one on, and handed the other to her.
"???" Maple stared at the shades.
"We're 'High-Tier Players' now," Seito said with a straight face. "A certain level of 'Main Character' aura is required. It's about the aesthetic, Maple."
"Eh? Is that how it works?" She didn't really get it, but she put the glasses on anyway, standing proudly next to him with her massive shield.
"Perfect," Seito nodded. The kid is learning the art of elegance.
He looked toward the exit. "Let's head out. It won't be long before the rest of the server catches up to the Second Floor."
[SERVER-WIDE ANNOUNCEMENT]
[Players 'Sei' and 'Maple' have cleared Floor–1. Floor 2 is now open.]
[Global Level Rankings have been initialized.]
The announcement echoed through the Novice Plaza, leaving thousands of players frozen in shock.
"They cleared it? Already?!"
"Wait, Floor 1 had two bosses! How did they handle both at once?"
"Is that even possible? I guess that's why Sei is Top 3 in the world..."
The plaza turned into a beehive of activity. Even the "Protagonists" in the crowd were shaken.
Sora looked at Shiro. "Shiro, with our current stats... how long would it take us to clear both dragons?"
Shiro looked down, her brain processing a million variables in a second. She looked up, her expression blank. "Nii... even with perfect evasion... it would take us at least twenty-four hours of continuous combat to chip away that much HP."
"I see." Sora nodded, his expression turning serious. They couldn't let Seito pull too far ahead. "Let's move. Floor 2 awaits."
Nearby, the "Black Swordsman" Kirito adjusted his grip on his blade and stepped into the gate. Asuna followed close behind, her eyes determined. The "Ice Queen" Yukino, the sharp-tongued Utaha, and even the teachers, Shizuka and Sae, all began the climb to the next level.
Seito and Maple arrived at the main hub of Floor 2. It was a bustling medieval-style city, much larger and more detailed than the starter village.
They found a small, cozy inn and booked a double room. It was tiny, but they needed to save their Gold. In this world, land and housing were the ultimate end-game investments, and Seito was already eyeing a mansion.
As for sharing a room? It was a game—the "Anti-Harassment System" was absolute.
Seito sat on the edge of his bed, watching Maple happily munching on some in-game sweets. "So, what do you think? Want to head out and hunt for some 'Rare Grade' materials?"
Rare materials were essential for crafting Gold-tier "Relic" weapons.
"Mmm... I don't think so," Maple said, shaking her head as she finished her pastry. "It's getting really late, and we have school tomorrow morning."
Ah, right. Real life. Maple was a "Good Girl" through and through. She wanted to log off, get some sleep, and show up to Sobu High with energy. Seito nodded. He could grind alone, but without Maple's absurd Luck stat, the drop rates for rare materials would be abysmal. It wasn't worth the effort.
"Fair enough. Let's call it a night. Goodnight, Maple."
"Goodnight, Seito-kun~!"
With a synchronized "Log Out" command, their avatars pixelated and vanished, leaving the room silent.
Thank for reading.