A few days later, Broken logged back into Immortal Legacy, finding himself near the seashore, his usual spot for relaxation after the heavy routines of battle and blacksmithing.
The morning unfolded before him, the sun emerging from the horizon like a blazing orb, casting its golden glow across the tranquil ocean. Breathing in the salty breeze, he felt rejuvenated.
However, on this particular day, he had no intention of delving into crafting or hunting monsters around Deadbay. There was something more important on his agenda. He had arranged to meet someone here today, and with that in mind, he rose to his feet and stepped away from the shoreline, positioning himself where he could be easily spotted.
“Master…” Polly’s soft whimper broke the silence, and the familiar figure of the white fox with three tails darted near his feet. Looking up at him with adoration and curiosity, Polly awaited his command. “Where are we going now?”
Broken affectionately patted Polly’s small body. “There are a lot of things I’ve already planned.”
Nuzzling closer to him, Polly nodded weakly, understanding his determination.
“Regardless of priority,” he began, his tone resolute, “First, I need to locate a place where I can form a contract with a Unique-grade Spirit. Then, I must gather materials to craft my Moonvine Knuckles. And after that, I’ll focus on obtaining materials for the Pocket Dimension Necklace and seek out a Jeweler, or perhaps become one myself.”
“So… have you figured out what your first move will be, Master?”
Broken’s face brightened with excitement, a broad grin spreading across his features. “Yes, that’s exactly why I’m here.”
“Broken…!!” Suddenly, a woman’s voice called out from a distance.
Turning swiftly towards the source of the voice, Broken’s gaze locked onto a figure clad in archer attire. Her red hair, a stark contrast to the brown from their real-world encounters, made her unmistakable. It was Freya. Light armor and leather garments hugged her frame snugly, offering a layer of protection.
“Hi, Freya!” Broken exclaimed as she raced towards him.
Freya sprinted eagerly, her arms outstretched for an embrace, but as she drew near, Broken took a few small steps back, evading her attempt.
Freya chuckled softly. “Hey, don’t act like you don’t know me! I just wanted to give you a hug and say hello.”
Undeterred, Freya leaped forward and enveloped Broken in a warm embrace, laughter bubbling between them.
“Don’t make it sound like we haven’t seen each other in ages. It’s only been five minutes since we chatted outside the game,” she teased.
Releasing Broken from the hug, Freya wiped away tears of joy that had welled up in her eyes. “It’s just… so different. I’m thrilled that we’ve finally met in this game,” Freya remarked.
She added, “Here, you have the backing of a Goddess of Sloth, but out there you’re just the same person who was bullied by your peers.”
[Freya Lv. 125 sent you a friend request.]
[You accepted, and now Freya Lv. 125 is your friend.]
“Yeah!” Freya cheered, her voice echoing over the shore, followed by a burst of giggles. “Congratulations, Broken. You’re now my friend both inside and outside the game. Aren’t you happy?”
“I don’t recall us being friends outside the game. Aren’t we just colleagues?” Broken replied. Freya teasingly nudged Broken’s shoulder. “You should feel lucky to have a girl as beautiful as me by your side. Just being seen with me is enough to make other guys jealous.”
“I think I should be more careful then. The more people might not like me because of you staying around me.”
“No worries. At least now you have a friend you can trust, right?” Freya responded with a wink.
“You’re putting in a lot of effort to be my friend, Freya. Shouldn’t you just stick to your job description so you don’t have to work more than you’re paid for?” Broken teased.
They continued their conversation as they strolled away from the shoreline.
“Oh, come on. This is the most enjoyable job, you know. Working while playing games. It would be boring if our communication was solely work-related, right? Look at what you did a few days ago. I had just become your work partner, yet you already involved me in your love life,” Freya retorted with a chuckle.
“From what I remember, you suddenly appeared in front of me and offered a ride in your car. I never invited you to join, remember?”
Shifting her attention to the little white fox trailing behind Broken, Freya paused and sat beside the fox. However, the fox darted back behind Broken’s legs, avoiding Freya’s attempts to approach.
“Hello, I’m Freya,” she introduced herself, extending her hand towards the fox. “We’ll be traveling together quite often from now on. I hope you’re okay with me being close to… your Master?”
Polly seemed too shy to respond, remaining silent in response to Freya’s question.
“Polly seems to know exactly who she wants to talk to, Freya. Even she isn’t comfortable answering your questions,” Broken joked, earning a smile from Freya.
“That’s okay. Everything takes time,” Freya said, smiling as she reached out her hand. Polly hesitated for a moment before lifting one of her front paws and placing it on Freya’s palm.
“Hi, Freya… I’m Polly,” the fox finally spoke up.
“Nice to meet you, Polly,” Freya replied warmly.
As they continued their leisurely walk, Broken’s mind turned to the important topic he had been wanting to discuss since Freya had arrived.
To his surprise, Freya seemed well-versed in Immortal Legacy, with a deep understanding of its history and key players. She explained that it wasn’t related to her job, but she spent a lot of her free time researching the game. Broken was impressed by her level of knowledge, especially since she admitted that she didn’t play as frequently as he had assumed. She had been playing the game since its release three years ago.
“So, Freya… I’ve told you about some plans I have in mind, right?” Broken inquired.
“Yes, and don’t worry, I’ve gathered some data that I believe will be the right steps for our next plan,” she replied confidently.
Broken nodded, awaiting her explanation.
“Okay, the two items you want to craft are indeed remarkable items because of their extremely difficult materials and requirements. Fortunately, you’ve already completed one of the hardest parts, which is obtaining the Moonstones,” she elaborated. freёweɓnovel.com
“So, the most difficult aspect is not just finding Moonstones?”
Freya replied, “Not exactly. The other materials can be obtained by hunting specific monsters, but the true challenge lies in repeatedly defeating these monsters until you have gathered all the necessary materials.”
“Is it that difficult? With my passive skill, Bountiful Harvest, I can easily gather the
materials.”
Freya chuckled lightly before responding. “Well, there’s one monster, more precisely, a Raid Boss Monster. Named the Vine Horror Treant. As the name suggests, it’s not a monster that can be defeated alone, but rather in a party size or even larger, like a raid party.”
“I see why you say it’s difficult. So, where can I find this monster you’re talking about?”
Broken inquired.
Freya then drew her virtual map, which appeared before both of them. “Luckily, the location isn’t too difficult to reach. It just takes time, but let me explain the details to you.”