CHAPTER 632

【 HER DAD WAS A SHAOLIN MONK WHO LEFT THE TEMPLE 】

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The carriage rolled to a stop at their destination. One by one, each member of the party jumped down, while the hunter who had been driving guided the carriage into the stables run by Moe Moe Committee.

“Senior Wind,” Yeye asked curiously, “why do you still rent their carriages if Moe Moe Committee charges such high fees?”

“Of course it’s about weighing the costs and benefits,” Wind replied matter-of-factly.

The older man glanced at his teammate who was negotiating with the NPC in charge of the stables, then smiled at the two newcomers.

“Sure, Moe Moe’s fees may be pricey, but if you rent one of their carriages, parking here is free. And honestly, the cost of renting ends up cheaper than what it would take for us to stable our own beasts.”

As he explained, the veteran player walked over to a drink stall outside the stables and handed a few silver coins to the NPC tending it.

“Fill this with ale,” he said, offering an empty flask.

The elf nodded gracefully and began to pour.

Wind turned back to Yeye and continued, “Not to mention, we’ll respawn back in Chosen City if we die in the ruins. Getting back here on our own mounts afterward would be a real pain.”

The flask was soon filled. The warrior thanked the vendor, and by then the hunter had returned.

“Alright, let’s move out to our target, the Titan’s Ruins!” Wind raised his greatsword with one hand and pumped his fist with the other.

“Ohhh!”

The rest of the party cheered back, fists raised in unison.

After checking their gear and supplies, the mage and the druid cast a few buffs on the team. Then, without delay, they strode toward the teleportation array inscribed into the ground.

Yeye and Nana followed at the rear, their faces glowing with excitement.

As they stepped onto the array, a faint ripple of magic swept over their bodies as light blossomed beneath their feet, wrapping around them.

Yeye’s vision swam, before darkness swallowed him whole.

Weightlessness seized him again, and for a moment it felt as if he had been cast into another world.

Then light slowly returned.

When his sight cleared, the boy realized he was standing in a colossal, ruined city.

Everything here was magnified as though it was specifically built for giants. The towering gates alone made him estimate that the city’s former inhabitants must have stood at least ten meters tall.

The buildings were carved from earthen stone, their style rough and imposing, decorated with primitive patterns and wedge-shaped inscriptions. Beside nearly every structure stood a pair of tall stone pillars engraved with rings of symbols, some even bearing grotesque beast heads in relief.

Although most of the architecture had already crumbled into ruin, faint traces of its past glory still lingered on, whispering of the Titan’s ancient long lost civilization.

Above loomed a dim, yellow-tinged sky, suffocating and stagnant, carrying the stench of decay.

Not a breath of wind stirred.

Looking around the ruins around him, Yeye’s eyes shone with excitement.

This was the Titan’s Ruins!

Right now, he felt less like a gamer and more like an adventurer stepping into a genuine tomb expedition.

The two newcomers were thrilled, but the veteran players frowned slightly.

“This isn’t where we entered last time… looks like the teleportation array randomly sends us into different location each time,” the archer said in a low voice.

The hunter crouched on the stone-paved main road, scooping up a handful of dirt and sniffing it.

“No trace of other players. Seems like nobody’s explored this section yet.”

“Still, stay cautious,” the female mage warned. “Other players might just be masking their presence. The penalties for going red are steep, but it doesn’t mean someone won’t try to ambush us.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Monsters lurked in ruins, and where there were monsters, there was always the chance of ambush.

Compared to most virtual MMOs, the PK culture in Elven Kingdom was far less prevalent. Nonetheless, the temptation was still there.

After all, it was rumored that artifacts worth millions—perhaps even tens of millions—of gold coins lay buried within these ruins.

And every time, money could drive people to drastic measures.

“Let’s hope the goddess blesses us with some artifacts this time,” the archer muttered, pressing his hands together in prayer.

Wind opened his minimap and studied it, his expression easing slightly.

“Good. We’re only about seven or eight kilometers from where our party were wiped out last time. Not too far.”

The two newbies instinctively pulled up their maps, only to find that their view covered only the small patch of ground where they stood.

“Don’t bother looking,” Wind said with a chuckle. “The map I shared with you two doesn’t include this ruin, and buying one is expensive. But you can chart it yourselves as we go along. When we get back, your maps can be traded like any other resource.”

The veteran warrior chuckled at the newcomers’ reactions, then his expression hardened.

“Let’s move. We’ll look for an underground entrance. That way, we can avoid the giant ghouls that might appear above ground—they’re too large to enter the underground.”

“What about the loot in the buildings on this area?” someone asked.

“Yeah, forget it,” Wind replied flatly. “If we don’t, we’ll end up like last time—wiped out. With our current strength, we can’t handle an intermediate Silver-rank giant ghoul. Those things are a pain to fight since they summon hordes of minions.”

With the plan settled, the group spread out to search for the entrance underground.

It didn’t take long before they found a dark, yawning hole beside a collapsed building.

“I’ve found the underground entrance! Alright, let’s get to work!” FacetheWind rubbed his hands together in excitement.

Should he go first?

Remembering that he was tasked with being the party’s scout, Yeye hesitated, glancing from the cave’s depths to Nana beside him. The girl was staring into the darkness as well, but her eyes carried a flicker of unease.

Right…

She’d always been scared of the dark. Back when they were kids, he used to tease her about it all the time.

Thinking quickly, Yeye decided to take the lead, willing to be the sacrificial cannon fodder. But just as he was about to step forward, Wind stopped him.

“Hold it. Let Hapsburg go first.”

That was the hunter’s username.

“Wait, isn’t scouting my job?” Yeye blinked.

“Hah, only once we reach our destination. These tunnels are basically the ruin’s old sewer system. Hardly any traps—just some goblins and venomous worms. At most, the mobs here are upper Iron-rank. No big deal.”

He grinned.

“Besides, it’s a good chance to power level you two up a bit. That way your death rate later won’t be as high. Consider it us keeping our promise in advance.”

The older man gave a signal.

The hunter, Hapsburg nodded, then blurred into motion, slipping into the cave. One by one, the veterans followed.

Only after the iron-rankers had gone in did the two newbies step forward.

Yeye stepped aside with mock gallantry.

“Ladies first.”

Nana shot him a sly smile.

“Thanks.”

With that, she hopped lightly down.

Seeing her land safely, Yeye exhaled, then leapt in after her.

Darkness swallowed his vision. The next moment, he found himself inside the underground tunnels.

The air was thicker here than outside—not only damp and rotten, but laced with a nauseating stench. Yeye wrinkled his nose, then quickly toggled his system settings to disable his smell.

The tunnels were dim and wet, echoes of dripping water mingling with the faint, distant roars of unseen beasts.

They stood on a six-meter-wide stone platform. On one side rose a moss-covered wall, on the other flowed a ten-meter-wide channel of black water. The surface lay still as death, but the stench rising from it was suffocating.

“Goblin tracks. And slime trails… toxic worms nearby too,” Hapsburg reported after examining the ground.

“Be careful. If you spot them, cripple them and leave the rest. Our two rookies need the experience,” Wind said, eyes narrowing.

The veterans nodded, weapons at the ready, and pushed deeper into the tunnel.

Yeye and Nana trailed behind, their nerves mixed with growing excitement.

Their footsteps rang clearly against the stone floor, faint echoes chasing them through the dark.

As they turned a corner, Hapsburg—which is leading the way—suddenly froze. He raised one hand, showing a “nine,” gesture then curled his fingers like claws.

The iron-ranked veterans stiffened instantly, weapons coming up in unison.

“What’s that sign mean?” Yeye typed in the party chat.

“Goblins. Nine of them,” Hapsburg replied.

Wind added a quick message of his own.

“The goblins in Titan’s Ruins are all mutated—most of them are iron-rank. Stay close and don’t wander.”

Before Yeye could type a reply, Hapsburg moved.

The hunter blurred, leaving a streak of shadowy afterimages, darting forward like he’d teleported. In just a few flickers, he was already ten meters ahead.

Yeye and Nana’s eyes widened.

So cool!

Suddenly, Hapsburg spun around and flung several daggers into the shadows of a nearby corner.

Shhk—shhk!

The sound was unmistakable, as if blades had sunk into flesh.

A chorus of screams followed. From the darkness burst eight or nine hunched, half-human figures with wrinkled, green skin.

Goblins.

Some already injured, all of them panicked, scrambling in blind terror.

“Donut!” FacetheWind barked, calling the female mage by her username.

The mage’s eyes lit up as she chanted. Runes of pale blue shimmered into existence around her, and frost crept swiftly across the ground. Ice surged forward, swallowing the goblins’ feet and climbing their legs in an instant.

Within seconds, all nine were instantly frozen in place, their lower halves encased in jagged crystal.

“They’re all yours,” Wind said calmly, turning to the two newbies. “Go finish these mobs off. Slit their throats to deal fatal damage—make it quick and clean.”

He then glanced at Nana.

“This game’s pretty realistic… and bloody. If you can’t handle it, switch gore mode off in your settings. It’ll censor the mess.”

Nana gave a small nod. She and Yeye exchanged a look, then stepped forward together.

Yeye stopped in front of a struggling goblin. It gnashed its teeth, its face twisted in both rage and fear.

He hesitated.

He’d seen plenty of videos, but now that he was face-to-face with something that looked and felt alive, his hands trembled. He’d never even killed a chicken.

But then, from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the girl beside him. His jaw tightened.

No—he couldn’t falter here.

Clutching his wooden sword with both hands, Yeye shouted, activating the starter skill the Goddess gave him.

[Triple Slash]!

Three arcs of light flashed.

The goblin’s chest split open with three gaping wounds. Black-red blood gushed out, splattering across Yeye’s face.

It was thick, warm, and disgustingly real. He was sure he would’ve thrown up on the spot if he hadn’t already disabled his sense of smell in the settings earlier.

Still, with the Nana watching, he straightened his back and forced himself to look like it didn’t bothered him.

The goblin let out a final shriek, twitched a few times, then finally fell still. Its body then withered rapidly, crumbling into ash.

At that exact moment, a rush of warmth surged into Yeye’s body, so comforting he almost groaned.

A system notification blinked before his eyes.

EXP gained.

His experience bar overflowed.

Level up!

His vision brightened as golden light wrapped around him. A second later, it faded.

He was now Level 2!

Already, his senses felt much sharper and his stamina stronger.

But then he noticed that his EXP bar was still full.

“I can… level up again?” he muttered in disbelief.

FacetheWind grinned.

“Heh, of course. That was an iron-ranked goblin. Out in the Elven Forest, it’d be considered an elite mob—or even a goblin high priest.”

Realization dawned on Yeye, and his joy bubbled over.

If he’d fought one all by himself, he was certain he would’ve been crushed instantly.

Teaming up with veterans really was the right choice!

Elated, he pressed on with the level advancement. Light flared again and again until he reached Level 4, finally draining the excess experience.

Not to be outdone, Nana stepped forward. Chanting softly, she summoned a fireball no larger than her palm and hurled it straight into a goblin’s face.

Boom!

It was only a basic zero-circle spell, but at point-blank range it was enough to finish the mob in one strike, as the goblin’s head burst into flames and exploded.

The intense heat cauterized the wound, leaving no blood spray.

Unlike Yeye, she didn’t end up covered in gore.

The only downside was the sickening stench of burnt flesh that filled the air.

Still, Nana had already disabled her sense of smell, leaving her face calm and unbothered. The iron-ranked veterans behind them barely blinked either, as if this level of carnage was the norm.

Only Hapsburg, who had to rely on his [Keen Smell] skill to navigate as the party’s main hunter and scout, pinched his nose with a stiff expression.

The two newbies, each having just landed their first kill and leveled up several times, were brimming with joy.

Without needing any reminders from the party leader Wind, they eagerly rushed at another group of unlucky goblins.

Before long, only a single goblin remained.

By then, the two rookies’ levels had skyrocketed all the way to Level 9.

The experience rewards from Iron-rank monsters were just too generous…

Looking at the last, weaker goblin, Yeye smiled at Nana.

“Want to finish this one?”

The girl shook her head.

“You do it. I’ll go first next time.”

Watching the two passing the chance back and forth, FacetheWind teased with a grin:

“Quit acting like a lovey-dovey couple, it’s just a goblin. Not even an elite mob. There’ll be plenty more later.”

Yeye: “…”

Nana: “…”

But at that very moment, the sole surviving goblin suddenly broke free of its restraints.

“Not good—the restraining spell wore off! Nana, watch out!”

The mage, Donut, cried out in alarm.

The two newbies froze.

Nana turned her head, only to see the goblin lunging at her with a savage glare.

Its distance was less than half a meter.

The veterans’ expressions hardened.

Even if the newbies had leveled up, their combat experience was still lacking. Against a sudden strike like this, the outcome could easily be fatal!

“Dodge!”

FacetheWind barked and lunged forward to save her.

But he only made it a few steps before stopping in shock.

Because what unfolded before him was completely unexpected…

Under the astonished gazes of the veterans, the bright-eyed girl named Nana suddenly narrowed her eyes. With a swift motion, she drew her staff, and with surprising force, slammed it against the goblin’s skull.

Thud!

The goblin staggered, dazed.

“Yah!”

The girl let out a sharp cry, twirling her staff like a martial rod.

FacetheWind whistled as she spun it around in a dazzling flourish.

Her movements were fluid, her footwork sharp yet graceful. Nana leapt forward, reversed her grip, and struck down again and again. Each blow landed clean and heavy, cracking the goblin’s head open.

The creature trembled once, then dissolved into ash.

Lowering her stance, Nana swung her staff behind her, ending the sequence with practiced ease.

From start to finish, it had taken mere seconds.

Silence filled the air.

The veteran players stared, wide-eyed, at the poised girl standing before them.

Clack!

The female druid dropped her staff in shock. The crisp sound snapped everyone out of their daze.

FacetheWind jolted, his eyes wide in awe.

“A-amazing…”

Then, blinking in disbelief, he asked:

“Wait Nana—did you actually train martial arts in real life?”

Yeye gave a strange look and replied dryly:

“Her dad’s a Shaolin monk who left the temple… she’s been learning kung fu since she was little.”

Nana turned toward them, flashing a sweet smile, as if confirming his words.

The veteran players: “…”

FacetheWind glanced at the staff still smeared with faint blood residue and swallowed nervously.

“In that case… why did you pick a spellcaster class? Wouldn’t a melee class suit you better?”

The girl tilted her head innocently and replied as if the answer were the most obvious thing in the world:

“Because magic looks cooler!”

The veteran players: “…”

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