Chapter 7: Fool? Sir!

I closed the chat channel and returned to the Krin Prairie, back to this battlefield brimming with endless fervor!

At this moment, I was no longer that reckless fool with merely one point in strength, agility, and stamina. Now, with four points in strength and six in agility, I could distinctly feel that my once feeble fists had gained a tangible weight behind them.

Real, solid strength!

If before my blows were like striking with a pillow, now—

This punch could probably send a full-grown male mosquito reeling in utter confusion!

Alas, I was still too weak...

It’s a pity about my body in the real world. If only I could bring that physique into the game, I’d march straight into the Blackwind Forest without hesitation.

I’d heard there were wolves in there, those fierce and cunning creatures that had long been extinct on ancient Earth. The academy instructors used to hold them up as our goal—relentless, ruthless, and possessed of formidable intelligence!

But now...

I shook my scrawny fist in dismay—clearly, I was still not up to par.

Slowly, I drew my short dagger from my pack, absently running it along the edge of the blade as I stepped into a corner of Krin Prairie—a spot I’d had my eye on for some time, where seven players gathered, the competition not particularly fierce.

...

The moment I set foot within the invisible boundary these seven had staked out, I instantly felt fourteen unfriendly eyes sweep over me.

My keen instincts told me their gazes lingered longest on the short dagger in my right hand—

They were sizing up my strength.

As soon as this thought crossed my mind, all seven wore nearly identical expressions of disdain, turning away and never sparing me another glance.

Sigh!

I couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Ah, “Age of Magic,” what a fine virtual world you are, yet you insist on an appearance adjustment system...

My once handsome, dashing looks were now utterly unremarkable here.

And as if that wasn’t enough, you saddled me with this frail, powerless body... making me the constant target of others’ contempt. It was disheartening!

But then again, if everyone else started from the same place... I could only accept my lot.

I quickly cast off these distracting thoughts, locking onto a freshly spawned slime five meters away.

“You’re the one!” I thought, springing into action.

Yet—

Just as I lunged forward, a figure to my left darted out even faster toward the slime.

He wielded a plain, rusty axe—certainly packing more punch than my little dagger...

Frustrated, I instinctively checked my stride, searching for another target.

At that very moment...

Another bright green slime shuffled into view, inching forward in awkward hops, trailing after the player who’d lunged for the first slime.

Without a second thought, I charged for this new slime...

Although the other player’s level was higher, his gear marked him as no more than a commoner—he certainly wasn’t strong enough to handle two slimes at once!

What I didn’t see was that, as I rushed the slime, the player sandwiched between the two creatures noticed and flashed a mocking, self-satisfied grin.

...

I circled to the side of the slime, this time avoiding the rookie mistake of kicking.

With a practiced motion, I drove my dagger straight in.

A soft “plop”—the sound of flesh being pierced. My dagger struck the slime square in its eye.

“Critical hit to vital point. Dealt 4 points of damage to Slime...”

The system’s prompt chilled me—only four points of damage on a critical hit? That couldn’t be...

But what happened next halted me in my tracks.

The slime, pierced through the eye, let out a pained screech, its jelly-like body splitting open like a ruptured water skin, foul green goo spilling everywhere.

At the same time, another system message rang out, “Slime slain. No experience gained!” accompanied by a sneering voice:

“Thanks, newbie.”

With his guard down, the axe-wielding player’s venomous taunt was utterly undisguised.

By now, if I didn’t realize what had happened, I really was a fool.

This slime hadn’t just spawned—it had already been battered by someone else. The guy, eager to snipe the next monster, had momentarily abandoned it, and I... had unwittingly done his dirty work, handing him the kill’s experience on a silver platter.

So, kill stealing...

No wonder the critical hit only dealt four damage—the slime had only four HP left.

Having pieced it together, I quickly composed myself and cast a cool glance at the foul-mouthed player, then surveyed the other six nearby—each working in perfect harmony.

So that’s it...

These seven were clearly in league.

Otherwise, no ordinary player could be so brazen about kill stealing.

Hmph!

Trying to drive me out, are you?

I shot a cold look at the smug player kiting his slime around, just as he flashed me a thumbs up—then pointed it sharply downward.

“Listen up, new kid! This spot belongs to me! Get lost!”

His cocky face and arrogant tone reminded me so much of those bullies back at the academy...

Remembering the punks I’d put in their place during my first year, a wave of nostalgia washed over me.

It had been over a year since I’d left the academy... I wondered if those little thugs had grown up at all.

I’d heard they, too, had joined “Age of Magic.” I couldn’t help but wonder if the same old troublemakers would act in this world as they had in school—using the restroom as their personal punching bag arena, flipping skirts on the sports field.

The thought of running into them again filled me with a strange anticipation...

But a voice quickly snapped me out of my reverie.

It was that same repugnant player, his mouth as foul as ever:

“Hey, newbie, I said get lost! If you’ve got guts, come over here and show me! Otherwise, stop standing there like an idiot—if you’re scared, then scram...”

Unbearable. This guy was getting more insufferable by the second. Too bad, as Bai Renjie had said, “Age of Magic” punishes malicious player-killing severely—otherwise, with my old temper, I’d have dealt with him already!

But that didn’t mean I had no way to handle him.

“Who are you calling ‘boss’?” I shot back.

That trick never failed with the brainless ones.

Sure enough, he blurted out, “You!”

As he realized what he’d said, his face went from red to purple, then to a sullen blue.

Ah...

Peace at last! What a relief.