The King's Mandate: Anomalous System

Chapter 11: Aftermath

The Dragernix got up and tried to fly, but it couldn't.

I quickly tried to attack it with my sword, but it opened its mouth before I could do anything.

I knew what it was going to do. 

I immediately glanced around for rocks to hide behind, but there were no rocks. 

Even if I found any rock and hid behind it, its fire would instantly melt the rock. 

I can't hide anywhere, nor can I attack it. I can't even dodge its attack.

"There is only one thing I can do, and that is, withstand its attack."

I took out a healing potion as it started spitting fire.

The fire was redder than last time, and it burnt like hell. He experienced the pain that a person in the real world would when they flame on themselves. 

If not for his extraordinary endurance, he would have already had a nervous breakdown due to the pain. That's why it is suggested to reduce or disable the pain sensor while playing VR games.

"It's okayit's okay.", he told himself.

My HP went down slowly. It was all thanks to my 'Harden' skill that I could withstand the fire.

Yes, as long as my 'Harden' skill is active, I can--

[Skill-Harden deactivated.]

"Hehehehe!"

This game hates me, huh?

I laughed at my bad luck as my HP depleted from 73-61-48-34-16-6.

I quickly used a healing potion, and my HP increased to 31 but started decreasing again rapidly.

I used the last potion, but my HP still kept decreasing.

[Warning. Player Has Only 5 HP Left]

[Warning. Player Has Only 4 HP Left]

[Warning. Player Has Only 3 HP Left]

[Congratulations. You have Obtained A New Skill]

"Huh?"

New skill?! Why now? 

I immediately opened the skill chart to check the skill.

"Excalibur?"

Isn't that a sword's name? 

"Lily, can--"

[You should focus on your HP, or you will die soon]

"Like hell, I will die after all my effort!"

[Skill Excalibur Activated]

I don't know what this skill does, but it's better to try it rather than die. 

I grabbed my sword. 

I could feel the sword sucking my energy, and this time it was intense. 

It was like my life force itself was being sucked. 

Is it due to the skill?

"It hurts, my hands hurt, my body hurts, I can't take it anymore!"

This is too much. I feel like every cell of my body is screaming at me to let go of the sword.

I was about to drop my sword.

I looked at my sword, and it was bigger than last time, even more significant than the skeleton knight's sword was. 

I noticed that my sword was emitting fire. 

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Is it the Dragernix's fire...no, it's not due to the Dragernix's fire. 

This fire is not red like the Dragernix's fire; it is black.

I gathered all my remaining strength and slashed at the Dragernix, who was still spitting fire.

Don't you fucking have a skill cooldown or something?

"Die!"

[Leveled up]

It had 4 HP bars, but with one attack, it died.

[The Boss Has Been Defeated]

[You Have Obtained A Title]

"Huh?"

[What?]

Lily was as confused as I.

[Leveled up]

[A New Skill Obtained]

[Leveled up]

[Leveled up]

[Leveled up]

[Leveled up]

[Leveled up]

[Leveled up]

[Leveled up]

[Leveled up]

[Leveled up]

[Leveled up]

"What's happening?"

So many level ups?

And what was that? A new title?

[Leveled up]

There was something in my hand.

I checked my hand to see a badge.

What's this?

"Hey, Lily, what does this badge do?"

She landed on my palm and said, [Show me, show me!] 

"Okay, okay." I showed it to her.

[Leveled up]

She grabbed it with her small hands, and after looking at it for a while, she said, [Hmm, you got this title because you cleared the floor Zero.]

"Awesome!" I looked at the name of the title, "Achiever?"

[Nice, Adas.]

"I don't know what the title does, but it is worthy for me."

I looked at the badge and said, "Achiever, like my studies, I will get the top spot in this game too."

[Leveled up]

[Be careful with the badge, though.]

"What do you mean?"

[You can lose the badge.]

I furrowed my eyebrows as I said, "As someone will steal it?"

[No, but if someone duels with you for the title and you lose the battle, you will lose the title too.]

"I see."

[You will also lose it if you drop the badge somewhere.]

"I am not a klutz!"

[Leveled up]

[Leveled up]

[Leveled up]

[Leveled up]

I sighed in relief and said, "Now I can play with Elena too."

[Leveled up]

[Leveled up]

[Leve---Error]

[Error]

[Error]

[Error]

[Error]

"Hey! What's happening?!"

[I do...n't.....kn.....ow....]

Her voice is breaking, and her body is disappearing too!

[Error]

[Error]

[Error]

[Error]

[Error]

And once again, I had the same feeling, feeling as if my consciousness is getting sucked.

Some seconds later,, I heard, [Welcome to Len World Online]

I glanced around and found myself somewhere else.

"I know this scenery." 

There is no way I could forget this beautiful scenery. 

"This is Floor One." 

I can see other players too. 

It seems the maintenance has ended.

It was night here. 

It was a night on floor zero too. 

This game follows real-world time, and it's "23:02 right now."

I am feeling strange for some reason.

I opened the menu to check if there is a 'Log out' option or not. "It's there!" 

I sighed in relief.

"Elena said to wait for her near the fountain."

I can see a fountain. 

"Let's wait there."

I started walking, but for some reason, I was still feeling uneasy. 

Just to make sure, I opened my menu and, "It's not here! It's gone!"

My title, it's not there!

I checked my stats and skills, "Everything is the same!"

I checked my level, "What the--! Why am I only level 15?"

Why? I remember getting leveled up many times after I defeated Dragernix. Is it because the maintenance ended and the progress didn't get saved?

My stats and skills are the same; only my level is not updated.

"Hey Lily, what is going...on?"

I glanced to ask Lily, but she wasn't there.

"Now I understand."

That was what this uneasy feeling was about. 

As I was worried about Lily, I got the notification, and the sender was, "Lily!" 

Is she okay?! What happened to her?!

I opened her message,

[Hello Adas, something went wrong after maintenance ended, and I can't accompany you right now.]

I sighed in relief, saying, "She is safe."

[It seems that you were able to log in correctly this time. I hope you can find your girlfriend and play with her. I will be able to accompany you tomorrow, till then, take care. Lily.]

"I see; at least she is okay."

But why so formal?

A second later, I got a notification again. 

I opened it, and it was Lily again.

"Did she forget something?" I said as I opened the message.

[Hey Adas, I forgot to tell you something important]

"Oh?!"

Something important?

[You are a new player, and you are already level 15, not to say, those too. If some other player gets to know this, it will be a problem.]

"That makes sense."

[So try using your 'Faker' skill to fake your stats.]

"I see."

But how?

I will just do it like any other program.

[Skill-Faker Activated]

I opened the menu and set my level to 3 and all my stats to default 100.

"Easy."

It worked as I imagined.

"Lily."

She is awesome. She is even helping me like this. I am glad I didn't smack her. 

A minute later, I got the notification again, I checked, and it was Lily.

"Did she forget to tell me something more important?" I questioned as I opened the message.

[Hey Adas, I forgot to tell you the most important thing, and that is...]

"Huh?!"

What is that? 

Why an incomplete message? 

Did something happen--!

A second later, I got the notification; I immediately opened it.

[You are an idiot. ]

That damn tiny little pixie...

I clenched my fist and bit my lips while gritting my teeth as I yelled, "I should have smacked her after all!"