Hikari: Rise Of The Weapons Master

[ Fairy King's Forest: ???

Recommended Exploration level: 5 ]

This was obvious to most of the players present there. The game developers would not provide obvious information about the dungeon to the players.

Otherwise, the special quest would be similar to telling what the questions coming on the next exam were.

The players had to be ready for anything inside the forest but there was a loophole around it.

The other players in the top 500 who had tried to clear the dungeon had already posted many reports about the forest on the forum. Though the moderators in charge of the forum were deleting such posts, those who had already read them had some idea about the forest.

"You guys were waiting for me to enter and clear half the monsters in there?" Zack suddenly asked the gathered players as all of them fell quiet.

The game didn't have a voice-changing feature so all of their voices sounded exactly like what they sounded in real life. So all of them could hear Zack's real voice.

Though he sounded like a young man who had just entered his twenties. The 17-year-old teenager had never been more thankful for his voice before that moment.

"We were just waiting to see the number one player. After all, you are the one between us and 500 million dollars." WolfHeart suddenly spoke up as she moved towards Zack.

Her eyes were still visible despite her helmet and he could see that they were stormy gray in color. She was examining his armor and was clearly determining his threat level.

"Remember, I will not leave any chance to kill you if it means I will get that money." Even though the pink-haired woman said something else in front of the others, her true intentions were hidden.

[ Player WolfHeart has sent a team-up request. ]

'What…' Zack was taken back when he saw the team-up request sent by WolfHeart. The top players rarely teamed up with anyone since most of them were either guild owners or were solo players.

They themselves were more than enough to do most things but on rare occasions, they teamed up with those at a higher level. But every time that happened, both parties had hidden motives.

[ Just accept it, Lin Fan ]

[ And why should I do that? ]

While the two of them were looking at each other with amused expressions in the game, something else was happening in their private messages.

[ It would be beneficial for both of us. Plus I have been here for a long time and I overheard some kind of planning against you. ]

[ And how would I know that you are not lying. Give me an oath of existence so I know that you are not lying or trying to trick me. ]

[ What is an oath of existence? ]

[ If you are really interested in teaming up, come meet me in the forest. ]

Zack replied and then walked away. He got no notifications this time since was already at the minimum exploration level.

Behind him, all the others also started moving towards the forest. Many of them had smiles on their faces while some were just minding their own business.

Many strategies had already been planned and many things had been discussed. Now it all depended on how things proceeded.

'She would be a formidable ally if she became a guild leader. WolfHeart knows how to manage a guild properly though she is definitely hiding something." Even a ten-year-old could tell that WolfHeart was hiding something.

And unless and until Zack knew about that, he wouldn't team up with her.

'Speaking of teaming up, he should be here too.' He grinned to himself as he remembered that in his previous life, he had undergone this quest with Ash.

This meant that there was a chance that he would meet Ash in the forest alongside a few other players.

The only reason Ash had risen to the top 10 position was because of his spear Chastiefol, which he had won from the game.

But Chastiefol had been a weapon that Zack was about to choose but Ash had cheated right at the end and had taken the weapon.

He had been then left with the option of choosing an epic grade shield or a myth grade lance. He had of course chosen the myth grade lance and that had been his biggest mistake.

Even worse, Ash had somehow managed to get an oath of existence out of Zak that said that the latter would always stay loyal and would follow any order given by Ash.

Zack had thought that the oath would only last until the quest would end but unfortunately, the oath had been a permanent one.

Oath of existence was something a player put everything on the line for. If he or she broke any of the things stated in the oath of existence, their avatars would be destroyed and they would have to restart.

But since Zack had been desperate for money, he had no choice except to follow Ash.

'But this time, I wonder how your life would be.' The purple-eyed teenager grinned to himself before he started waiting for WolfHeart to arrive.

***

While somewhere in the forest, a handsome young man with blond hair and black eyes sneezed. The man was Ash and he had been hiding in the forest with his two teammates who were both under the effects of the oath of existence.

"Something wrong?" One of them asked in a curious voice as Ash shook his head.

"It felt as though someone was just thinking about me. Anyways, keep scouting." Ash replied as the two of them nodded and went back to their job.

'It's so annoying to act like this but there is nothing else I can do. I have to wait till I reach the final boss. That's where I will show them what I can do.' Ash thought as he then rubbed his nose. 'How can people sneeze in-game though?'

He then shook his head and continued to be on the lookout himself.

Ash was playing like a true camper.

***

( A/N: Promised second chapter. Vote with your power stones people. )