NOVEL NEXT Chapter 129
‘Astria Online’ has turned upside down.
The game’s first-ever launched 12-man raid content, ‘Abyssal Tree.’
It’s because the first clear raid party has emerged today.
A month was allotted for the strategy of the Abyssal Tree. Given the game’s world view, concept, and freedom, if no one cleared it within that month, there would have been catastrophic changes in the Continent of Astria.
The first raid dungeon posed a harsh difficulty worthy of legendary status, blocking the path of users. With monster HP that’s off the charts, mid-bosses that rival Named Enemies in patterns, and special phases from Named Enemies that forced coordination. Insane regular patterns from Named Enemies that demanded repetition over reaction speed.
At this point, less than a week since the raid launched, many elite raid parties have broken through the Level 1 Named Enemy, the ‘Black Dragon.’ However, the users’ progress halted there, at just the Level 1 Named Enemy. All but one raid party got stuck at the Level 2 Named Enemy, the ‘Death Knight Jacam.’
The only raid party to break through the Level 2 Named Enemy in the first week was the ‘Hong Baek Raid.’
But, the first clear raid party that emerged this early morning was not Hong Baek.
The name of the raid party was, ‘Noname.’
Most of the users attempting the elite strategy knew exactly what this party name implied.
*
Thud thud thud.
Chris hurried across the spacious living room, heading towards Rain’s room.
The messages from the raid members who arrived in the early dawn.
She didn’t even need to check the contents.
Rain.
He had dared to conquer the Abyssal Tree all by himself.
But.
Thump thump.
Chris’s heart pounded violently.
She knew what the alarm blaring on her smartphone meant.
Rain was not well.
The protective system of the capsule Rain was using had sensed a decline in the user’s physical condition and ejected him.
Crash crash crash!
Chris urgently knocked on Rain’s door with hands that were unconsciously tense.
“Rain? Are you in there!? Sorry, I’m coming in!”
Bang!
What Chris saw when she barged into Rain’s sanctum for the first time without permission was…
“…….”
A frail body trembling, silver-white hair stuck to a forehead drenched in cold sweat.
The pitiful sight of Rain, rising from the capsule and reaching for the table.
“Rain…!”
“Uh, sis. Sorry. I, um, need… medicine.”
Chris quickly grabbed the medicine and a water cup from the table and brought them to Rain.
Gulp gulp.
The medicine and water slid down Rain’s small throat. Chris held her trembling chest and patted Rain’s back from the side.
“Ugh.”
He was still suffering. Rain continued to shake, tightly wrapping his body with both arms.
With teary eyes, Chris looked at Rain and cautiously grabbed her shoulder.
“Rain, why did it come to this…? Are you okay? We should go to the hospital right now!”
Shaking her head.
“No! Not now.”
“Rain…!”
Drip.
A sound of something dripping.
Rain hurriedly pinched her nose and grabbed a tissue next to her.
Chris’s gaze fell to the floor where the tissues were.
A considerable amount of tissues piled up.
The color was all red.
Chris’s head went blank.
Her heart felt like it was about to explode.
Chris, you foolish girl.
You were too complacent.
Relying only on the capsule’s user protection system, look at the state Rain is in.
There’s no more to see.
She had to take Rain to the hospital immediately.
Hug!
Chris reached out and slipped her arms around Rain’s trembling body.
Smack!
Was there still strength left? Rain jerked her body and rejected Chris’s touch.
Rain screamed sharply.
“I don’t want to! No!”
“Rain…!”
Rain had rejected her.
Chris stared blankly at Rain, her hand hanging limp. Guilt flickered in Rain’s trembling eyes.
“…I’m sorry.”
“What are you sorry for…?”
“I just need a little more time.”
Chris hung her head.
Rain didn’t look at Chris.
Having calmed down to some extent under the influence of the medication, Rain entered the capsule again.
Chris paced anxiously in front of Rain’s door, smartphone in hand.
Ringing phone, knocking sounds, footsteps.
“Um, Doctor!”
“Where’s Lee Seulbi?”
“Uh, well…”
Previously, Chris had organized home visits for Rain, who had difficulty moving, utilizing the present-day disability welfare system and requested a visiting physician. The person visiting her house today was Rain’s physician.
The doctor moved with Chris towards Rain’s room.
Inside, there was one capsule operating silently.
“So, the patient isn’t coming out of here.”
Chris clasped her hands in front of her chest and nodded.
The doctor fiddled with the capsule a few times before pulling out a small device from his bag and connecting it to Rain’s capsule. Soon, a hologram appeared in the air displaying vital signs, brainwaves, and other functions to check the user’s condition.
“Did the guardian buy this capsule?”
“No. Rain’s Seulbi bought it.”
The capsule was the same one Rain had been using since she lived in a small room. Chris wanted to switch it to the latest capsule from ‘Klaus Capsule Corporation,’ but it seemed Rain had grown attached to this one.
“Was it purchased through medical welfare benefits? In any case, that’s a relief. This capsule can be used for medical purposes.”
Chris nodded.
That was also one of the reasons she didn’t switch the capsule. Though it wasn’t her role, Chris’s company also supplied medical capsules, so she was roughly informed about it.
The doctor kept an eye on the hologram screen, inputting various details through a connected smartphone, and nodded.
“The situation isn’t critical. If the patient had a weaker constitution, it might have been urgent, but the nutrition status is not bad. Fatigue seems to play a significant role.”
Chris sighed heavily and relaxed her chest. It was rewarding for her to have fed Rain well over the past few months.
“But.”
“Yes?”
“The psychological effects of virtual reality might have caused a physical response in reality. This is an extremely rare symptom for virtual reality capsule users. Do you have any guesses? Depending on the situation, she might need to be hospitalized in a mental ward.”
The doctor’s gaze fixed sternly on Chris.
Chris avoided his gaze.
“No, that’s not it.”
Receiving measures for the synchronization rate in virtual reality wasn’t what Rain wanted.
Rain in a mental hospital? She didn’t even want to imagine that.
And Rain needed time right now.
If Rain’s body wasn’t in severe danger at this moment, it was necessary to respect her wishes.
The doctor connected a pack containing liquid to Rain’s capsule and checked on her condition for about an hour.
Before leaving, he advised Chris.
“Even if it’s not an immediate danger, you must visit the hospital. There are limits to the medical activities you can perform at home.”
“Got it. Thank you.”
Chris returned to Rain’s room.
And, she brushed her hand over the capsule containing the girl’s body.
“……”
For a moment, Chris’s gaze wandered in a world that wasn’t this one.
Rain.
Seulbi.
What does that world mean to you?
Do you hate it here?
Chris stood up.
She needed to talk.
She had to meet Rain.
In that world, which Rain considers real.
*
“Why!?”
Thud thud thud!
Chris desperately pounded on the tree trunks blocking her in the depths of the World Tree.
“You opened the way when I came with Rain! Why can’t you do it now!?”
Tap tap.
“Is that you, Chris?”
Chris turned her head.
A white-haired male elf, Palman.
“This, this!”
Chris pointed at the tree trunks with a teary expression. It was a plea to open the way.
Palman shook his head.
“The World Tree doesn’t want that.”
“What do you mean!?”
“It seems it doesn’t wish to interrupt their time together.”
Thud.
Chris dropped to the ground.
The World Tree doesn’t want that?
Their time together?
Palman smiled faintly.
“You need to prove your worth.”
“Worth?”
“Defeat Crow’s illusion to prove your worth.”
Raid dungeon.
Abyssal Tree.
Since the first clear of the dungeon has occurred, daily quests have been unified to defeating illusions. All bosses in the dungeon are treated as illusions.
Chris stood up.
And her eyes sparkled.
“Fine.”
It was something she intended to do anyway.
She had to stand in the same position as Rain.
Abyssal Tree, defeat the legion commander.
Rain had managed it alone.
Even though she received much help from Rain to get this far, claiming the final boss clear under Rain’s shadow wasn’t something Chris’s pride as a raid leader would allow.
Chris turned to walk away.
Just wait a bit, Rain.
That huge crow, I’ll be back to pluck its head in no time!
*
“Yes, that’s right? Kya ha!”
“Cough cough, Rain has been laughing more than before.”
“Really? Hmm, I’m not sure.”
“Are you feeling alright? After we… you know.”
“…I think I’m okay. Oh, and I met some dwarves who knew Ain.”
The white-haired girl beams happily, enveloped in a green glow.
An elf surrounded by gentle green light smiles benevolently, cradling the white-haired girl and stroking her.
But within the elf’s smile, a faint hint of sorrow lingered.
“…Rain.”