Chapter 53: An Unusual Pair
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Driven by the allure of the silver equipment, impatience surged within me. An insistent voice echoed in my mind, urging me to reach level 15 as quickly as possible, switch gear, and then charge toward level 20! With this set of equipment, reaching level 20 would be a breeze. If I could accomplish it within 48 hours, it would be an unprecedented feat in the history of Magic Era.
With this thought, I hurriedly withdrew the equipment from the bank and stowed it in my backpack... Then, without pause, I pushed through the crowd and made my way toward the eastern city gate!
Yet, upon arriving at the gate, I was unexpectedly blocked by a peculiar group.
Before me stood a trio of elf mages—one man and two women—dressed in pale blue, pale yellow, and pale white magical robes. In front of them was a dwarf, his skin fair but his face covered in a comical array of thick, bushy beards. At this moment, he was exaggeratingly hoisting a massive iron hammer, as large as his own body, ‘blocking’ my path, gazing up at me with a look of utter ‘admiration’.
To be honest, being looked up to in such a way is quite a pleasant experience, especially when it happens in front of two beautiful women...
Both elf girls were stunning. One was about my age, her face dusted with a few freckles that only added to her sweetness, especially those bright, captivating eyes. The other seemed to be around twenty-three or twenty-four, possessing a maturity and allure akin to a ripe peach, exuding a unique charm.
Ah, the feeling of being admired by others in front of such lovely girls—there’s simply nothing better!
Unfortunately, this wonderful sensation was short-lived. With the sudden appearance of the last member, my fledgling confidence and good mood evaporated instantly...
A giant player!
Damn it—even standing behind three elf mages, I still had to tilt my head upward at a forty-five-degree angle to take in this towering figure, easily over three meters tall.
As I looked up at him, I distinctly felt the mischievous grin that had been on my own face quietly shift to his, as now he was the one looking at me with a roguish smile.
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At that moment, I finally understood how the dwarf felt... Looking up at others is truly a rotten experience!
...
“Is there something you need?” I quickly dropped my gaze from the giant’s face, deliberately ignoring him and focusing instead on the three men and two women blocking my way, asking my question.
The four of them had just finished sizing me up, except for the dwarf whose stature—barely one meter twenty—made the task of scrutinizing a much taller ‘object’ quite an ordeal.
“Um, sorry to bother you, but we wanted to ask—have you just changed professions?”
The first to speak was the male elf mage, who seemed quite satisfied with my attire... But to ask such a personal question right away—wasn’t that a bit nosy?
Oh well, considering their politeness, answering wouldn't kill me.
I nodded, which served as my reply.
Meanwhile, my gaze lingered on the sweet elf girl and the alluring peach-like elf woman, and I couldn’t help wondering: they weren’t as gorgeous or sexy as the virtual celebrities crafted by ‘Little Rascal’, so why did I find myself so interested?
As I pondered this, the charming elf woman suddenly pressed me: “Are you level fifteen yet?”
I shook my head, silently cursing the designers of Magic Era: Damn it... Why did they make the robes so stiff and conservative? Too old-fashioned, too serious!
“Did you allocate all your points to agility?” The adorable, freckled elf girl’s eyes sparkled, crescent-shaped and enchanting, filled with hope.
“How did you know?” My answer sent the three elf mages into a joyful celebration, their hands clapping together in midair: “Wonderful! We’ve found an archer... Now we can go!”
“Huh?” Watching their excited faces, my heart skipped a beat:
Found? Found what?? Did I agree to something with them???
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While I was still bewildered, the often-overlooked dwarf suddenly raised his head to pose a thought-provoking question: “Him? Not a chance. Look at his gear... The boots are decent, the Snow Wolf Leather Armor is passable, but the bracers are the lowest-grade Kodo Beast Bracers. No helmet, no greaves... With this equipment, he’ll get wiped out in Blackwind Forest!”
Hearing this, I inwardly retorted with venom: You can’t judge a book by its cover! So narrow-minded... No wonder you never grow any taller!
Just then, the giant lifted his tree-trunk-thick arms and echoed the dwarf’s assessment: “That’s right. Full agility builds have decent defense, but without proper gear, it’s dangerous. One careless hit from a Blackwind Demon Wolf could kill him instantly.”
At that, I redirected my silent curses from the dwarf to the giant: Damn! What good is being tall if you have no brains? If someone saw you on the street, they’d think you were a monster...
Fortunately, the sweet freckled girl had a kind heart:
“How can you say that? We’re all new to the game, just changed professions. It’s normal for gear to be lacking. When we bought clothes, we ran out of money, too. Besides, we agreed that the archer would lure monsters, you guys would tank, and we’d deal the damage... If he dies, it’s your responsibility!”
“Exactly! Are you doubting your own abilities?” The two elf girls joined forces, turning their arguments against the dwarf and giant, leaving them speechless. My heart brimmed with gratitude!
But... wait! Why am I touched? I don’t remember ever asking them to help me level up, do I?
Never mind...
Spending too much time alone in that gloomy Cloud Mine isn’t healthy anyway. A change of scenery would do me good. Gazing into the sincere eyes of the freckled elf girl, I naturally took her outstretched, pale little hand.
Heh, so soft.