It truly was paradise. The Floaters kept swarming, and I sent Don in as our tank, letting me practice my whip swings freely. Don charged forward like an idiot, tripping over a loose board and sprawling across the deck.
Just as a Floater lunged at him, I swung hard, feeling the satisfying crunch as my whip connected with its skull.
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Floater has been defeated. Your contribution: +4XP]</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The system kept interrupting with messages of XP, so I silenced it. Annoying.
Eventually, I ran out of mana after one last healing spell, forcing us to take a break. The disappointment must have shown on my face because the Captain looked over, intrigued. “What’s got you down?”
“I want to help; I want to fight, but I’m out of mana,” I said, watching the sailors fend off the relentless XP bags as I clenched my fists. Damn it, the rankers are probably way ahead of me by now. I know the future, exploit every trick, and still I’m lagging behind?
The Captain chuckled. “Luckily, we’ve got a whole stash of mana potions on board. For you?” He fluttered a potion in front of my face. “One’s yours for five coppers. Only condition is, you keep fighting them.”
I jumped at the offer, nodding eagerly, and practically snatched the potions from his hand, slapping a few coppers into his palm. This quest is perfect!
“If you need more, just holler, and I’ll get someone to bring them. Keep fighting, Hero!”
With a grin, I downed the potion and leapt back into the fray. Every time Don’s health dipped too low, his high-pitched cries for healing echoed across the deck. Useless brat. I moved my shield hand in a quick pattern, letting mana flow and golden energy wrap around him.
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[NPC Donovan has been healed for 14HP.]</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
With a quick flick of my fingers, the runes for Ice Dance shimmered to life, filling the air with a familiar blue glow and a crisp layer of frost.
First try!
Even my Ice Dance was improving. Though my runecrafting was slow, I kept up a steady rhythm, just as that creep had once told me. The memory of his gaze on my exposed body made me shiver. Stupid devs, stupid NPCs. For a moment, I clenched my teeth and swung hard, decapitating the nearest Floater to reclaim a sense of control.
I knew my runecrafting speed needed work, but right now, I reveled in the thrill of success. The sharp crack of the whip, the adrenaline rushing through my veins, and the steady flow of experience points kept me wide awake. The Floaters didn’t stand a chance; my whip was everywhere, striking one after another.
“Can I buy more mana potions?” I asked, after dispatching the latest creature.
“Princess, aren’t you tired?” The Captain’s voice held a hint of concern as he handed me a towel. “You’ve been at it for ten hours straight. That’s a lot of brawling. You’re welcome to rest—we can handle it.”
“Captain, I’ll always be ready to fight. If there’s an enemy, I’ll face them,” I replied, flashing a smile to mask the real reason for my determination. It wasn’t exactly a lie, but I wasn’t here out of some heroic sense of duty. My restless heart had other goals.
“Very well,” he nodded. “I already sent a man to bring more supplies for you. You’re a true hero!”
Not quite, I thought. He mistook my bravado. I may have led him on… Nah, his fault! I was here to grind—Ice Dance, Ice Blood, Heal proficiency—all of it. I’d pushed the Ice Blood effect to its limit and was now racing against the clock to strike down another enemy within five minutes. Hurry up, you slowpokes!
I took a seat on a nearby bench, pouring myself a glass of wine to keep a steady buzz going. Somehow, that slight haze helped me power through the monotonous grind. That, and the satisfaction of the system’s muted notifications stacking up in the background. Bring it on, dear system. Let those rewards pour in…
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Floater has been defeated x1450; Various amounts of contribution: +4060XP]
[Congratulations! You are now level 6!]
[Congratulations! You are now level 7! XP to next level: 1010/2450]</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Congratulations! Your proficiency with Ice Dance increased to 1-Beginner 2!]
[Congratulations! Your proficiency with Ice Blood increased to 1-Beginner 1!]
[Congratulations! Your proficiency with Heal increased to 0-novice 9!]</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Ice Dance]
Type: 6-marvel | Lv. 1-Beginner 2 | Mana: 20% INT
Effect: Slows your enemies for 31%, add an ICE damage to melee attacks (INT)
Duration: 10 minutes
Cooldown: 19 minutes 30 seconds</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Ice Blood]
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.Type: 6-marvel <em style="color: rgba(239, 78, 110, 1)">passive | Lv. 1-Beginner 1
Effect: for every 40% of your HP taken, you increase the ICE damage up to your [Reality Limit] (100%) by 1%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
“Don, isn’t this the best thing that could happen to us?!” I exclaimed, feeling pure exhilaration as I leveled up. The thrill washed over me, and I couldn’t help but dance right there on the deck.
Don just smirked, his eyes lingering a bit too long before he turned and disappeared below deck, probably to catch some sleep. Whatever. He’d barely stepped away when a sailor brushed past him, hurrying in the opposite direction—perfect timing! Mana potions quickly filled my hands, and coins left my purse. Again.
“There you go, Hero! Keep up the fight!” the Captain said with a grin, handing over the potions. With a wild smile, I jumped back into the fray, ready to face off with the ugly creatures swarming the deck.
As night fell, the river became as smooth as glass, perfectly mirroring the stars scattered across the sky. For reasons only he knew, the Duke insisted on pressing forward to the seashore—and more floaters crawled up because of it. I wasn’t complaining!
Long sessions were my specialty, and with each hour, I felt more alive. Blocking a claw strike with my trusty shield, I dispatched another Floater in a clean, fluid motion of my whip.
Then something shifted.
The steady howl of the wind suddenly dropped to silence, and every other sound faded into an eerie hush. Sheets of rain fell, and the distant rumble of thunder grew louder, like a storm charging our way with the roar of a drunken Irishman.
The Captain’s brow furrowed as he scanned the horizon. “I have a bad feeling about this,” he muttered.
Why?! Why did you have to say it? I screamed internally. And then it hit—the enormous shriek of something far worse than the Floaters, something lurking beneath us.
The entire ship shuddered as an enormous, grotesque tentacle shot up from the ocean, flinging seawater across the deck. Rows of massive suckers lined its length, each rimmed with tooth-like projections and each as large as my head. I inhaled sharply, tasting the warm, salty air. We’d already drifted into ocean waters. Sea monsters.
With a sickening splash, the tentacle slammed down, hurling dozens of floaters onto the deck. What a welcoming party! I was out of luck—Ice Dance was still on cooldown—but I joined the melee anyway, diving into the chaos.
“Form up! Second line, take position!” the Captain barked. The warriors fell back into formation, shielding the mages who arrived to reinforce us. Spells lit up the night as they clashed with monstrous shrieks, tentacles thrashed the water, and the salty air filled with the sounds of a classic world Boss fight.
“Let’s get a slice of this pie!” I shouted, downing a super-potion before diving back into the fray.
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[You have used the Agility Potion]
[Agility increased by 50]</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
As night fell, the river became as smooth as glass, perfectly mirroring the stars scattered across the sky. For reasons only he knew, the Duke insisted on pressing forward to the seashore—and more floaters crawled up because of it. I wasn’t complaining!
Long sessions were my specialty, and with each hour, I felt more alive. Blocking a claw strike with my trusty shield, I dispatched another Floater in a clean, fluid motion of my whip.
Then something shifted.
The steady howl of the wind suddenly dropped to silence, and every other sound faded into an eerie hush. Sheets of rain fell, and the distant rumble of thunder grew louder, like a storm charging our way with the roar of a drunken Irishman.
The Captain’s brow furrowed as he scanned the horizon. “I have a bad feeling about this,” he muttered.
Why?! Why did you have to say it? I screamed internally. And then it hit—the enormous shriek of something far worse than the Floaters, something lurking beneath us.
The entire ship shuddered as an enormous, grotesque tentacle shot up from the ocean, flinging seawater across the deck. Rows of massive suckers lined its length, each rimmed with tooth-like projections and each as large as my head. I inhaled sharply, tasting the warm, salty air. We’d already drifted into ocean waters. Sea monsters.
With a sickening splash, the tentacle slammed down, hurling dozens of floaters onto the deck. What a welcoming party! I was out of luck—Ice Dance was still on cooldown—but I joined the melee anyway, diving into the chaos.
“Form up! Second line, take position!” the Captain barked. The warriors fell back into formation, shielding the mages who arrived to reinforce us. Spells lit up the night as they clashed with monstrous shrieks, tentacles thrashed the water, and the salty air filled with the sounds of a classic world Boss fight.
“Let’s get a slice of this pie!” I shouted, downing a super-potion before diving back into the fray.
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Ilaginous Lv.15]
Type: 6-marvel World-Boss | HP: 26000/26000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Oh, damn. The first marvel monster—and a World-Boss to the boot! Taking down one of these beasts was normally a job for thousands of level-fifteen players, not for someone stuck at my measly level seven. As I finished the last rune, the effect of my marvel-level spell burst into action, casting a brilliant blue glow that lit up the night sky atop the Duke’s flagship. Whoopsie-daisy.
The monster’s gaze snapped to me, and a heartbeat later, I heard the terrifying rush of its tentacle slicing through the air.
I had no time to think, just to react. I leaped and prayed for a safe landing. As I fell, I caught the ripping sound of sails being shredded to tatters. My descent wasn’t remotely controlled, and I crashed onto the deck—right into a pair of Floaters.
Above, a deafening slap of flesh met resistance, and a surge of mana flared so powerfully behind me that it nearly knocked me off balance. Then, a beautiful, glowing shield enveloped the ship. Istvan’s work, probably.
No time to check. At least ten Floaters had noticed me, their grotesque, bulbous eyes fixed on me with chilling intensity.
Luckily, Ice Dance’s newly upgraded form was even flashier than before. The runes glowed with a deeper frost, casting an icy aura that chilled the air around me and turned the rain into snowflakes as it fell. Not that the Floaters stopped to admire it—they charged at me without hesitation.
With practiced ease, I swung my whip, its crack splitting the air with a supersonic bang as it connected, crushing a skull instantly. The thrill of that fatal blow was intoxicating, more potent than the dozens of wine bottles I’d downed. Come at me, you ugly bastards.
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Armor pierced. Target lost 44HP (6x2 normal) + (8x2 ICE +100% [Ice Blood] effect)]
[Floater has been defeated. Your contribution: +5XP]</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
“Fear me, Floaters! I am the Hero of Ice Blood!” I shouted like Don, smashing my whip down onto their skulls without a second thought. They crumpled like level-one Bearbits under my strikes, falling one by one as I leaped back toward the railings with deadly precision. Only one word described the scene: massacre. And the XP poured in like tea, spilling from an endless pot.
From the top of the deck, a voice rang out over the chaos. “I’ve heard of you—our new hero.” It was the Duke, his gaze fixed on me with a hint of expectation. “Lend us your strength to defeat this monster.”
“Gladly, my lord!” I called back, heart racing as I prepared for the next round.