Open World Online (O.w.O)

• 1^st Person POV (MC)

-Present Time-

Besides the usual [Cold] de-buff that gets countered by our winter coats. Jagged Highlands introduces environmental damage like falling rocks, debris, and even boulders.

Also...

I stare at the edge of the road and it leads to the ravine where below it are earthen spikes. If someone falls, I think suffice to say it’s instant death. I do have a {Spell} that circumvents this.

*WHOOSH*

The winds got stronger the more we walked upward.

“Hm~ Hm~ Hm~” -Harpy-

(“A Song?”)

Upon looking upward, I saw three bird-like creatures descend from one of the mountaintops. Circling us like birds targeting their prey. While doing it, the song gets louder as they approach.

I guess, I can say it is a good song but not the best. I readied my stance to fight them and noticed something amiss...

“Sieg??”

That lanky and scruffy man didn’t move a single muscle which is odd usually he gets into position much sooner. Rather, he started to walk forward. Like a bolt of lightning piercing through my head, I knew what had just happened.

“[Cure]”

As fast as the casting time goes. A starry glow envelops him and Siegfried jerks as if he was awakened abruptly.

“W-wha?” -Siegfried-

“They are harpies”

Siegfried’s immediately clicked, In the book we read harpies can use [Luring Song].

He mumbled under his breath and I saw an apparition of an owl appeared behind him before vanishing into Siegfried. Leaving an owl tattoo on his back for me to see.

“Ohhhhh??? What’s new, is it an advanced class?”

“You bet. Pretty sure the one in your forehead is the same?” -Siegfried-

I nodded.

He’s muttering again and on his knuckles grow sharp bony protrusion. Which he flicked towards the harpies.

It dislodged and shot towards one of them hitting it right on the mark.

“KAWKS!” -Harpies-

Their elegant womanly face turned malformed into a malicious almost demonic one. With three began to swoop their fearsome talons to Siegfried.

Harpies are wind elements so I opted to use earth elements.

“[Earth Bolt]!!”

It’s the quickest {Spell} in this situation.

Rocks and Stones float and then compact themselves before shooting towards the harpies. Two of them got hit while one dodged and managed to swipe Siegfried.

“Agh!” -Siegfried-

The injured visual effects marred Siegfried.

“You alright?”

The harpy retracts and then covers itself with its wings before unfurling. Myriads of feathers having pointed edges are hurled at us.

Like a spring being sprung, I stood beside Siegfried and cast another {Spell}.

“[Shield]!!”

It blocks several feathers before cracks begin to appear on the blue dome. It wouldn’t hold!!!

*PRANGGG*

Siegfried stood in front, his forearm widened like a shield blocking several feathers. While he is enduring the onslaught of feathery projectiles. I cast a {Spell}.

“[Earth Lance]”

While the cast bar was filling up, soil and dust began to coalesce and compact into a sharp spear. Hurling it to the harpies, it jabs the creature directly and pierces them like a skewer.

With that, the harpies vanish leaving behind glimmering orbs to be collected.

“Well, that was... something.”

Siegfried simply nods but before I can cast healing {Spell} his body has already recovered.

“Yeah, my INT or WIS {Status} aren’t high. It is my fault for not activating this earlier.” -Siegfried-

He points his thumb to the owl tattoo on his back.

“What advanced class are you?”

I got curious and asked. Maybe that owl gives some kind of status resistance?

“I am a Beast Warrior.” -Siegfried-

He seemed proud as I asked. I remembered reading that class in Pochi Mochi’s Wikia.

“E-eh? Isn’t that advanced class only the Beast-Kin race can do?”

After hearing my question, he brandishes a toothy mischievous smile. Before muttering something...

His head protrudes a set of wolf-like ears and a tail emerges from his behind.

“See? I’m a Beast-Kin now. Geheheheh~” -Siegfried-

“I see, I see... Hahahahaha.”

It reminded me of infiltrating The Church to learn priestly {Spell}.

“What kind of things do you get?”

While striking up a conversation, I’m collecting random ingredients commonly used for cooking. I am naturally a hoarder in-game. Even if I’m not going to use them at all...

“I got all sorts of ghostly creatures that enhance my {Status} and give additional benefits. This owl over here gives me resistance to magical effects and status resistance. I saw your stars tattoo what is that?” -Siegfried-

“It’s my advanced class. I’m a Celestial Mage, changing my state between Sun, Moon, and Star. Each gives benefits for my {Spell}. This one.”

I point to my forehead.

“It enhances support/utility {Spell}. Though, I have a long cooldown between state changes, unfortunately.”

He rubbed his chin.

“Oh! So that’s the difference, I can change my ‘Spirit Beast’ anytime anywhere. But we’re state changers eh?” -Siegfried-

“Yeah...”

Exploring more into the highs and lows of Jagged Highlands. I encountered the alchemical ingredients. It is in the form of shrubs growing in the crevices of the mountain’s walls.

They are already flowering with their yellowish-rounded petals. And the leaves remind me of dandelions.

I admit, I chuckled when Siegfried looked confused seeing me eating the ingredients.

After picking it, I got the common version which makes sense as I see a lot of them in our travel. They provide a ‘Wind Resistance’ effect and the plant is named ‘Wind Blume’

Assuming this follows the previous Area logic. The rare version would increase Wind Elemental damage. While the uncommon version would be a wild card or a catalyst.

-Midday-

The sun glared at us after fighting a lot of harpies and getting their rare loot.

Hm?? While walking around the road, I saw something on the ledge of it. It is really dangerous, a single misstep will lead to a player's demise at this height.

Although... There’s a dandelion shrub again but having different-looking flowers. This one seems to be a dandelion that’s already seeding. You know? The kind where you can blow the flower and its seeds would disperse, yeah that one.

“[Levitate]”

It is an odd {Spell}. Takes some time to get used to the feeling of weightlessness. It reminds me of zero gravity as I am levitating mid-air.

It is hilarious to look at as I try to swim in mid-air but at least I’m moving.

I moved faster when I also focused on thinking about going forward and in doing so, I hovered near the plant and then picked it.

“OIIII?? YOU OKAY OVER THERE???” -Siegfried-

He yelled quelled by the sounds of intense winds.

“Ahhh... The uncommon version. ‘Fall Blume’ I see I see, this one is a wild card, not a catalyst. It gives [Slow Fall] effect.”

By focusing again on to move, I’m back on the road and settled nicely.

“Yeah, just got new ingredients to play around with. They taste kind of alright. Wanna try?”

I offered Siegfried a clump of Fall Blume which he tried and judging by his reaction he liked it.

“Tastes not bad, like roasted sunflower seeds.” -Siegfried-

After a while, I picked up ingredients here and there. Making me have a full stack of these ingredients and seeds in my inventory.

In one of the tall mountainous spires one of the branched roads leads. We see a large harpy commanding smaller harpies.

Upon seeing that, we stare at each other and nod. That is a boss and we do have a request to slay it as per usual.

Knowing this, we simply marched onto the boss’ battlefield. Upon arrival though there are already other players.

“[Earth Lance]!!”

While I was casting, Siegfried dashed forth and an apparition of the bear appeared behind him before being absorbed.

His body turns bulkier and I would say hairier. Due to the effects of that state. Hmmm... I didn’t notice any physical changes when the owl version was absorbed. Maybe I missed something...

It is good he has this class skill. Because that means, he can hide his morphing ability on top of that {Skill}.

I can tell his punches and kicks dealt damage to the boss combined with other players' attacks. A tanker is in front gaining the attention of that boss while there are a whole lot of DPS players and a handful of healers supporting that poor single tank. Well... DPS are staple popular classes in any RPG game.

“Hm~ Hm~ Hm~ Hm~” -Harpy Queen-

She sang then the harpies around her followed. Their singing harmonized into sound waves that flowed through the entire battlefield.

By sheer chance, I didn’t get inflicted by [Charm] but I can see many players who aren’t prepared stand still and then start walking to the ledge.

Some players cover their ears and survive ‘The Song’ as they continue to battle.

In whispers, I muttered [Cure] to all the affected Priest players and even added double meta magic to make more of them snap out of it quicker.

Once they did, they knew their role and began dispelling other players. Me and Siegfried continued our DPS until the boss’ had finally been slain.

“Good work!!!”

I raised my hand asking for a hand slap and Siegfried too enthusiastically accepted.

We got our contributory boss box and boss loot. Then promptly disperse from the Field to explore more of Jagged Highlands.

While waiting until the night-cycle, I kept on gathering ingredients, mining ores & jewels, chopping wood, and gathering stones. Hard work is the essence of MMORPG after all!

As the night-cycle descends...

-Jagged Highlands Night Cycle-

*RUMBLE* *RUMBLE*

The skies roiled with anger, clouds have darkened and flashes of light can be seen bursting out from it.

“Thunder... I don’t like this.” -Siegfried-

He stares above at the growing clouds.

*BLARRRRR*

In a blink of an eye, a thunder strike directly hit a cliff cleaving off a boulder as it fell on the road.

“Uwahh... that’s dangerous.”

I stayed the hell away from cliffs at this point. Being crushed by boulders at that height surely won’t do anyone good.

*BOOM* *BOOM*

Lightning began to strike randomly leaving behind scorch marks as the area darkened making visibility poor. Including random strong winds that blew as if trying to make us fall from the road.

“[Light]!!”

My staff intensely glowed fighting back the darkness and Siegfried suddenly whipped his head to his left. Since I’m close to him, I can hear a distinct *Crack* sound from his neck yet he looks fine.

“Enemies...” -Siegfried-

Bony protrusions sprout from his knuckles like blades. Anticipating the upcoming battle...

*WHOOOOOSHHH*

I can see a {Spell} [Wind Slash] is being cast, in instinct, I retaliate by casting my own.

“[Barrier]!”

Soon, after my barrier was erected. Slicing winds were blocked off leaving behind slashes on the force field and then the barrier’s durability ran out.

Our enemy seems to be range type.

In front of us, are several whirlwinds with sparking eyes. Swaying as if alive and targeting us.

The wind currents around it are so strong that rocks are swept around. It rotates once or twice then-

Siegfried jumped and whipped his hand, dislodging his body blades to the Wind Elemental. It passed through inflicting no damage.

He pursed his lips when landed and as he clenched his fist other bony blades sprouted to replace what he had used.

“[Extend: Earth Enchant]!!”

I aimed my left hand at Siegfried and as quick as the chanting time goes.

Rocks, dust, or soil covered his hands and bony growth.

“Thanks!” -Siegfried-

Dashing forth, he wheeled himself and spun to the group of Wind Elementals dealing significant damage to them with the now-enchanted weaponry.

One who stayed at the back began to cast a {Spell} [Paralyzing Touch]. Grumbling thunder comes from within the creature tempting to go out.

“[Counter Spell]!”

My right hand is aimed at the casting wind elemental. As soon as it did, rumbling and coiling thunder inside it quells. After noticing what I did, it seemed to turn its gaze towards me.

Heavy boulders around the swirling whirlwind soon rotate and are hurled straight at me at an unbelievable speed.

“Oh shoot!!! [Shield]”

A blue dome instantly raised but-

*PRANNGGGGG*

It breaks apart from the hurling rock but it is enough of a delay for me to step aside avoiding the wind elemental’s attack.

“HAAAAAAAA!!!!” -Siegfried-

Siegfried moved like a whirlwind or should I say Beyblade? In doing so, he has managed to eliminate other wind elementals.

“[Earth Edge]!!”

A Tier 4 Earth {Spell}. It is a fast cast one, a little bit slower in casting time than [Earth Bolt] but deals much more damage.

I swung my staff as if someone threw a fishing line. Corresponding with that, a hunk of solid rock emerges from the ground like a spike piercing the wind elemental.

The elemental damage multiplier, Tier 4 {Spell},  plus my INT {Status} combined is enough to singlehandedly one-shot that Wind Elemental.

They dispersed into glimmering orbs, once it dropped we quickly gathered them upon realizing that the constant winds could move those orbs.

“Hahahahaha... we’re like headless chickens.” -Siegfried-

I freely laughed at the sight of me and Siegfried picking up orbs before they got swept away by the winds. He too snickered while doing it.

My eyes caught something interesting near the high cliffs of this area. Another ingredient, I bet is the rare version of Wind Blume!

“Sieg! Can you wait here? I’m going to try taking that.”

I pointed above, to the cliffside. A lone plant swayed by the winds. It is odd to look at...

The winds are strong enough to blast plants away but this plant just sways as if blown by a gentle breeze. My gaming sense is telling me that this is an ingredient instead of weeds.

“Sure, I’ll catch you if you fall.” -Siegfried-

“Thanks! [Levitate]”

The sense of weightlessness engulfs me and I used the rocky walls as a way to push me up. Since this isn’t a high Tier {Spell}. There’s a downside of ‘Sliding’ which means usually I won’t stop in a place I wanted to stop. That’s why I needed something to grip on.

Picking the plant up, I’ve obtained the rare variant named ‘Thunder Blume’. Hmmmm, it does indeed increase Wind Element Damage. It follows a pattern then...

*WHOOSH*

“Whoaaaaaaa!!!”

A sudden strong gust almost blew me away. Coming down from a cliff, I collected enough ‘Thunder Blume’ and its seeds.

“Done?” -Siegfried-

He tilts his head asking and I reply with a slight nod.

“Grind fest then.” -Siegfried-

I heavily sighed as we continued fighting the wind elementals until we got the rare drop.

-Back to Frontera-

At this point, we have spent 3 to 4 hours grinding both adventurer’s requests and levels. Now we’re reaching LV 40 the max level that Jagged Highlands can offer.

The next step is Fields of Sorrow, a land far from Frontera’s eastern area. After reaching LV 50 from that area, we have planned to start gearing up since based on Pochi Mochi’s Wikia the difficulty scale spiked.

For now though...

“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaah...”

I exhale long and hard as if my soul pouring out as well. I am exhausted from the constant grinding session.

“Sieg?”

“What’s up?” -Siegfried-

He splayed on the guild’s couch as if it belonged to him face covered by a book depicting monsters from Field of Sorrows while waving his hand and acknowledging my calls.

“What kind of gear should we grind first?”

I’m referring to when after we reached LV 50 of course.