After the somewhat chaotic event yesterday, I was now back to my usual routine…
Huff…! Huff…!
With every strained breath, I endured the aching pain in my muscles as I counted down the last rep of the day. “87, 88, 89…”
As I continued to hold my breath, I recalled the challenge Lucas gave me yesterday.
‘Riley, in the grand festival, can you please be my opponent?’
And here I thought the dear protagonist actually had something important to discuss.
In the end, the guy just wanted to challenged me to a duel for the upcoming grand festival.
Ever since I made the choice of acting strong for Lucas and accidentally positioning myself as his rival, the guy has been getting weirder and weirder for some reason.
I know he had a weird obsession with getting stronger, but I didn’t expect it to go in this direction.
“100!”
‘Phew…’
‘That’s it for today’s push-ups…’
‘Haah…. enough thinking about that guy for now… Since I accepted his challenge, he shouldn’t bother me that much anymore… at least until the grand fest arrives…
Sitting down on a chair nearby, I settled down for a bit to catch my breath. I drank from my water canteen and poured the rest over my face to cool down.
I sat down on a nearby chair, trying to catch my breath. I took a long swig from my water canteen and poured the rest over my face to cool down.
‘Looks like training with mana really overheats the body…’
Even though I’ve only started doing this sort of exercise recently, it’s still hard to get used to. I’m not just training my muscles; I’m also straining my mana.
They say more pain equals more gain, but I can’t really see the results here yet.
Standing up, I headed to the bathroom to wash myself off.
The cool water felt refreshing against my overheated skin.
As I scrubbed away the sweat and grime, I thought about my training regimen.
Combining physical exercise with mana control was supposed to enhance both my body and my magical abilities, but the process was grueling.
After drying off, I looked at myself in the mirror.
There were subtle changes-my muscles were a bit more defined, and there was a slight increase in my mana reserves.
Which was quite a surprise considering the conditions for me to increase it…. but even then, I’m not going to question it now as it was proof of my own growth.
‘Small progress, but progress nonetheless.’
I dressed in comfortable clothes and stepped out of the bathroom, feeling somewhat rejuvenated. The physical strain was tough, but it was a necessary step in becoming stronger. Walking back to my training area, I mentally reviewed my schedule for the rest of the day. There were still mana exercises to be done and perhaps a bit of meditation to help focus my mind. But the most important event of the day was the date and the sub-event, [Night of the Two Moons].
Although it’s not an event I had to really worry about considering the number of levels I gained from the duo exams, which was more than I expected, it’s still beneficial.
It was the only event in Act 1 that provides an A-rank dungeon, meaning an EXP hotspot. Stretching my hands, I cracked my knuckles and grabbed my brand-new sword.
The purchase had cost me around 50,000 gems-a painful amount that still stung when I thought about it. But it was all for a gear upgrade, so it was somewhat worth it… well, in a
sense.
‘Since I used Boseman’s 300,000 cash card for this it didn’t really affect me that much…. But even still 50,000 was 50,000!”
This sword was a beauty, though.
Its blade was crafted from enchanted steel, giving it a faint, otherworldly glow.
The hilt was wrapped in fine leather, providing a comfortable grip that felt secure in my hand. Every time
I swung it, I could feel the enhanced sharpness and the magical augmentation coursing through it.
It’s beautiful and certainly a good-quality item, ranked as rare by the system, but… ‘That blacksmith sure was selling a whole scam, tsk.’
Haah… anyways…
I should prepare for tonight’s events and probably establish some sort of connection with those ‘two’ now. In the game, they usually hang out in the commercial district after class to buy some stuff or just explore and play around.
Finding them might be a bit troublesome, but even then, if I just cross out all the places, they were likely to visit within a specific time frame, making contact with them should be possible.
‘Should I invite Seo?’
I pondered for a bit but, after thinking about it for a while, I shook my head.
Those twins would be more than enough for this sub-event. Besides, I have a feeling that Seo might actually ruin the event due to her monstrous strength.
I can’t have the boss escape out of fear, since that guy was a coward who needed to be tricked with weak-looking girls… a certified predator if you will.
Alright, it’s decided then. I’ll head to the commercial district and try to run into the twins.
If I remember correctly, they liked to frequent the café near the main square around this time. With any luck, I’ll be able to strike up a conversation and invite them to join me tonight. Putting on my blazer I went out.
…..
Making my way through the bustling streets, I kept an eye out for the familiar faces of the twins.
The commercial district was always lively in the evenings, filled with students and locals
alike.
Shops lined the streets, their windows displaying an array of goods ranging from magical artifacts to delicious pastries.
[Lily and Lillian]
In the game, the twins were the best assassin-type supporting characters, and the only supporting characters with the highest crit rate, over 300%.
This meant that in terms of damage output alone, the twins were capable of mimicking the overall output of the [Hidden Blade Technique] that Seo used.
In terms of popularity, they were also among the highest-ranked and most frequently used in party rosters among the players.
Seriously, some players would go through the game in hell mode just to have them in their party, even though there were some missions that weren’t suitable for their build, like the Golem subjugation in Act 2.
As absurd as it might sound, there was a clear reason why players chose to do so: they were
very ‘cute’.
Those two petite-looking girls were the epitome of cuteness in the game. If the heroines weren’t around, they would probably rank in the top 10 at least in terms of attraction factor.
Their charm and endearing personalities made them fan favorites, and their high damage output made them invaluable in battle.
Lily and Lillian’s backstory added to their allure. Orphaned at a young age, they had learned to rely on each other and developed a unique fighting style that complemented their abilities.
Their bond was unbreakable, and their synchronized attacks were a sight to behold on the
battlefield.
This combination of effectiveness in combat and their adorable appearances made them a staple in many players’ teams.
And the fact that the two actually have a romance route in the DLC only added to their allure. Although I’m not really a fan of the twins since I prefer more mature women, I can’t deny that
they had their own unique charm.
Now that I think about it… except for Seo, Lucas, and Janica, I never really interacted with my other classmates. Maybe I should’ve established a connection with the twins back then. Although I was busy trying to find ways to level up and preparing myself for future scenarios, making basic connections with the supporting cast should’ve been a priority.
What a rookie mistake…
‘Did my mind think too narrowly as I kept focusing on the future?’
This realization hit me like a ton of bricks.
I had been so focused on my individual progression and anticipating future challenges that I neglected to build relationships that could prove beneficial in the long run.
Every character, no matter how minor, had the potential to influence the storyline and offer
support in unexpected ways.
‘I should probably interact with Kagami more soon…. Since he’s a character in Act 3 I have to
prepare for….’
With that in mind… I finally arrived at the café.
‘It’s been long overdue but let’s meet the side characters, shall we?’
…..
Inside the Panda Lovers Café, two beautiful girls could be seen talking with each other as they sipped their warm, freshly brewed beverages. Situated near the edge seat on the second floor of the three-story café, they smiled and appreciated the aroma of their drinks. “Mm~! Nothing really beats a nice warm tea,” Lillian remarked, her eyes half-closed in
contentment.
“My, my, you really are still a little girl, Lillian. Everybody knows freshly brewed black coffee is the best,” Lily retorted, trying to sound sophisticated.
Hearing her sister’s words, Lillian raised one of her brows and watched the struggling look on Lily’s face as she continued to drink the coffee she had ordered.
“It’s bad to lie, you know, big sis. I know you can’t stand bitter flavors. Why’d you even order
that?”
“My, my, what are you talking about, oh dear sister of mine? Of course, I can handle something as simple as black coffee,” Lily replied, attempting to sound nonchalant.
She then forced herself to take a large gulp of the coffee, her beautiful red lips pursing as she
swallowed.
However, a moment later, most of the coffee spurted right back out of her mouth. Lily coughed and spluttered, her eyes watering from the bitterness.
Lillian shook her head at her sister’s actions and sighed. “I should’ve just ordered for you as
well,” she said.
Raising her hand, she was about to call for the waiter to grab them a small tissue, but stopped
due to a commotion happening down below.
“Wait, isn’t that the golden child? Rose Brilliance, was it? You know, the genius of the
century,” Lily mumbled to Lillian as she ignored the bitterness of her tongue…
“Yes… but why is she with that guy?”
“Who knows…”
Staring at the two beautiful golden haired people down below, the two couldn’t help but
wonder why their classmate, and arguably the most mysterious person in their entire academy, Riley Hell, was walking side by side with her.