Windwalk Hills – Bitter Lava Region
“M-morning, Yan.”
A flash of light heralded Tian Jiu’s arrival, her figure materializing beside Yan and Qing Bai, who were busy leveling up.
“It’s so hot…”
Having just teleported in, she immediately felt the unbearable heat of the Bitter Lava Region; her usually fair and delicate face gradually flushed crimson, and it seemed as though steam might rise from her head.
“Haha, this map is always like this.”
Yan couldn’t help but smile, finding her adorable expression charming.
“Here, this is for you.”
“What’s this?”
Tian Jiu gazed at the [Camphor Fruit Smoothie] Yan had placed in her hand, her expression one of puzzlement.
“It’s a dish that helps you withstand the intense heat of this map.”
Yan replied with a smile, glancing at Qing Bai, who had already consumed her smoothie and was now busy battling monsters nearby.
“Eat it quickly and keep leveling up. Tomorrow marks our first event, so let’s aim for everyone to reach level 40 or higher today.”
“Okay!”
Tian Jiu nodded in understanding, obediently consumed the smoothie, and then joined Qing Bai in the monster hunt.
As for Nan Shi? He wasn’t here. He was the type who couldn’t wake up in the mornings, preferring to game until the early hours before sleeping, only to rise around noon the next day.
Moreover…
****
“I don’t intend to level up with your party.”
Nan Shi stated, his tone casual.
“Eh?”
Yan looked at him, surprised.
“I’m unwilling to be constantly left behind by you like this.”
Nan Shi explained. His current level was 35, four levels lower than Yan’s, and he knew that if they leveled up together, he would perpetually lag behind.
“Does it really matter that much…?”
Yan offered a wry smile, aware that Nan Shi always took strange things far too seriously.
“No…”
Nan Shi stared intently at Yan, the unwavering resolve in his eyes causing Yan to momentarily lose himself in thought.
“It matters a great deal.”
“When you decide to form a guild, I’ll return.”
“By then, I’ll be far ahead of you!”
Yan pondered this, a faint, wry smile touching his lips. With his max-level attributes from the 150 version, catching up to his level seemed an impossible feat before reaching the cap.
“Speaking of which, this map is really crowded…”
Qing Bai continuously unleashed multiple Wind Blades, taking down fire elementals one after another.
“There weren’t nearly this many people when I came a few days ago…”
Yan surveyed his surroundings, noting the dense clusters of players all diligently leveling up in parties.
“It seems everyone is preparing for the first event.”
The official announcement had been released last night, confirming the first event would commence tomorrow at 8 AM.
“This is the only map where players can easily surpass the level 40 threshold, and everyone has realized that failing to reach level 40 before the event will make it impossible to secure a good ranking.”
“That makes sense…”
Qing Bai nodded in understanding, for as a seasoned player, she too recognized the significant impact of level disparities in this upcoming event.
“It’s too crowded here; let’s head to the second floor.”
Yan suggested, noting that the first underground floor of the Bitter Lava Region, where they currently were, was practically overflowing with players. Fire elementals were snatched up by other parties as soon as they spawned, making it impossible to even contend for monsters.
Fortunately, this map was vast. The Bitter Lava Region comprised three floors, each comparable in size to an ordinary forest map.
“The second floor? Fine, we can handle it.”
Qing Bai mused for a moment. In the old server, she had diligently ground out levels on the first floor until around level 38 before venturing to the second. It wasn’t that she couldn’t defeat the monsters there…
Rather, it was because the heat intensified with each descending floor, making her truly reluctant to linger deeper within. Most players gathered on the first floor likely shared this sentiment, explaining its immense population. It seemed the [Camphor Fruit Smoothie] hadn’t yet become widely known…
However, Yan wasn’t about to play the role of a saint, distributing dishes to every player. If everyone had the dish, wouldn’t they all descend to the second floor and compete for monsters? Besides, he didn’t have many smoothies left in his inventory.
Only three stacks remained, with thirty items per stack.
While that was enough for him, Tian Jiu, and Qing Bai for a day, no one could guarantee that some unforeseen circumstance wouldn’t arise.
The players Yan wished to aid were high-level experts with sufficient strength, much like Xiao, the dual-wielding sword player he had encountered here previously, whose level far surpassed others, having arrived in the Bitter Lava Region a full week ahead of ordinary players.
Most players, however, struggled to effectively utilize their Companion-grade skills and equipment even after playing for extended periods. In *Companion God Realm*, a game where everyone could ostensibly become a protagonist, they ended up as nothing more than common folk.
Yan sighed at the thought, casting a glance at the multitude of players on the first floor. He genuinely wished to improve the game experience for everyone, yet he was ultimately too powerless, unable to transform every player into a formidable expert.
Turning, he descended to the second floor.
Upon reaching the second floor, the number of players dwindled significantly. It seemed that only those who had already reached around level 40, willing to endure the scorching heat, would venture down here to further their progress.
Qing Bai layered her buffs once more, then, grimacing, gulped down a magic potion.
With fewer players but more monsters on the second floor, she decided to unleash her AOE skills, rapidly clearing large groups of fire elementals in the same manner she had dealt with the River Poison Frogs.
Tian Jiu continuously cast healing spells on Qing Bai, replenishing her mana with energy bars, effectively allowing the damage-dealer Qing Bai to recover mana. A week of leveling had made their combined efforts incredibly practiced, and since they were just dealing with wild monsters, there was no need to worry about aggro.
Yan smiled faintly as he watched the two grow increasingly synchronized. He unslung the [Weakening Spear] from his back, deftly twirled it once, and turned his gaze to the monsters before him.
‘I can’t let those two outdo me,’ he thought.
With a grin, he too began his frantic monster grind.
Before long, Yan’s level climbed to 42, Qing Bai’s to 40, and Tian Jiu’s to 37.
The gap was narrowing steadily, a fact that brought a contented nod from Yan.
“Ah! Isn’t that the spearman fellow from before?”
A voice rang out from behind Yan, prompting him to turn around with a puzzled expression.
A Sword-Shield Player and a captivatingly aloof Female Archer Player stood at the entrance to the third floor, having seemingly just emerged from it.
“Hey!”
The tall Sword-Shield Player excitedly called out, waving to Yan as he gradually approached.
“You are…?”
Yan awkwardly scratched the back of his head, gazing at the Sword-Shield Player with a bewildered expression.
“You’ve already forgotten me? How cold of you…”
The Sword-Shield Player seemed a little dejected, but seeing the growing awkwardness on Yan’s face, he chuckled.
“Haha, I’m just messing with you. I’m that Anti-Resistance Tank! We met before at the entrance to the first area’s boss stage.”
“Oh, right!”
Yan suddenly remembered, a sheepish smile spreading across his face. He truly couldn’t be blamed for not recognizing him earlier.
The Anti-Resistance Tank player’s appearance hadn’t been particularly striking, and when Yan had last seen him, he was clad in beginner gear. Now, however, he wore the imposing standard equipment of a level 40 Anti-Resistance Tank, his tall and formidable figure making him utterly unrecognizable from before.
“We didn’t add each other as friends last time, so it truly feels like fate that we’ve met again. Shall we add each other now?”
The Anti-Resistance Tank suggested.
“Sure.”
Yan smiled. He never refused friend requests from players he had met, even briefly, for in this remarkably realistic world, friendly social interaction was an integral part of the game.
They quickly added each other as friends.
“An Dong. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
An Dong extended his hand.
“Yan. It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”
Yan smiled, extending his right hand to lightly clasp An Dong’s.
“Did you come here this time to help this beautiful archer level up for the event?”
Yan smiled, looking at the archer trailing behind An Dong, and playfully teased her. Even such a lighthearted jest failed to alter the coolly elegant expression on her face; instead, it was An Dong who chuckled good-naturedly.
“Haha, that’s right.”
An Dong nodded, then broke into a mysterious smile.
“However, it’s not just Lian who needs to level up for this event; I’ll be participating too.”
“Oh?”
Yan exclaimed in surprise.
“Aren’t there some compensations for classes like Tanks and Priests in this event? Why would you still participate?”
An Dong simply smiled, offering no reply.
“Ah, I see! An Dong must be confident enough to secure a top ten spot, so he doesn’t care for the second-place compensation awarded to the top thirty.”
Yan chuckled, a spark of curiosity ignited within him. If a tank at this stage had the confidence to defeat players of other classes in a solo fight, they must possess an exceptionally powerful Companion-grade skill or weapon.
“Exactly.”
An Dong grinned.
“If we happen to meet in the event, Yan, I won’t hold back!”
“Good, I’ll give it my all then, too.”
Yan replied with a smile.
“We should get going. This temperature is getting to me.”
Lian, the archer who had stood silently behind An Dong all this time, finally spoke, seemingly unable to bear it any longer. Her coolly elegant expression had transformed into one of discomfort.
“Alright, we’ll talk again later then.”
An Dong waved to Yan, preparing to depart.
“Wait a moment.”
Yan called out, stopping them.
“This is a dish sold by an NPC named Elsie in Windstar City. It can help you resist the high temperatures of this map.”
He pulled out ten servings of [Camphor Fruit Smoothie] and placed them into An Dong’s hand.
“Use them if you can.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
An Dong asked, surprised and delighted.
“Ah, it’s nothing valuable.”
Yan said with a smile. In his eyes, helping his ‘friends,’ even in a game, was only natural.
“Then we’ll gratefully accept.”
An Dong smiled, straightforwardly taking the dishes.
He handed half of the smoothies to Lian, and then they each consumed one serving.
“It really works!”
An Dong exclaimed in delight, feeling the intense heat gradually cease to penetrate his body.
“Thank you.”
The coolly elegant Lian bowed her head slightly to Yan, expressing her gratitude.
“Haha, you’re welcome.”
Yan responded.
Come to think of it, this archer named Lian, despite appearing distant and aloof like a high-mountain flower, was quite polite once you interacted with her.
Yan remembered that the first time he met An Dong, when he recommended the lone Lian to An Dong’s party, Lian had also thanked Yan.
Well, it seemed one truly couldn’t judge a book by its cover, no matter the circumstances.
Yan thought, a smile gracing his lips.
“With this dish, we can continue leveling here!”
An Dong exclaimed with a laugh, then sent an invitation to Yan.
“Yan, would you like to party up and level together?”
“I appreciate the offer… but I’m already in a party.”
Yan replied with a wry smile, gesturing towards Qing Bai and Tian Jiu, who were busy fighting monsters nearby.
In *Companion God Realm*, regular parties could consist of up to four players; only during boss battles and special events would party sizes range from ten to a hundred players.
“Oh, in that case, there’s nothing to be done.”
An Dong spread his hands helplessly. Five people exceeded the normal party limit by one, and it wouldn’t do to leave someone behind. It was better to maintain their current two- and three-person party structures.
However, his helpless expression quickly morphed into a teasing, mischievous grin. He leaned in slightly, whispering into Yan’s ear.
“These two are clearly stunning beauties. Brother, you’ve got skills; I’m rooting for you!”
“That’s not it at all, hey!”
“No need to explain, I get it!”
An Dong laughed, giving him a thumbs-up in return.
Yan’s face darkened with exasperation.