The World Of Skill

Duel Invitation

The journey from Veloz to Lind isn’t short. Between the two cities, there are plains, forest, and swamp area. Ryu is halfway there as he already walked for three days. The journey isn’t really boring for him as he managed to enjoy the sceneries and hunt monster along the way. His ration is simply resupplied by cooking monster meat and crafting his own arrow. He managed to level up twice and his bow mastery managed to level up to F2 rank.

Ryu feels elated when the skill leveled up. It means that he is growing stronger slowly but surely. As a boy, everyone dreams to be the very best. Triggered by his encounter with the Flaming Blaze guild and looking at the level of people in his friend list, Ryu wanted to level up faster. Of course, he needs to go to Lind first and refreshed his mind with the sight of girls in bikini before going to the rigorous leveling sessions.

Moving past the plains, Ryu reached the swamp area. It makes his travel speed slower because he needs to avoid the puddle and muddy spots. He tried to ignore it at first but when he stepped into the mud, his feet stuck and a 「swamp fish」 monster immediately bit him. The pain of having your toes bitten is causing trauma for Ryu and he doesn’t want to experience it again.

“Princess Azalea! Please don’t act like that. You must keep your image in mind.”

Not far from where Ryu is located, a party of three people can be seen. A little girl is throwing tantrum by stepping on the puddle and causing the water to be splashed everywhere.

“Geoffrey, you said that we can level up faster if we enter this dungeon. But we only have 3 people here. We can’t even enter the dungeon. We are just wasting our precious leveling time. Not to mention that girl from TS company have experience of leveling up before. I will be left behind by her in no time.”

Her hair looked like fine strands of gold as her small face looked like a doll if she stays still. Only her style is more like a ruffian than a princess.

“Princess Azalea, please maintain your demeanor. Look at young miss Marina, she never complained during our journey at all.”

“How many times that I have to tell you, Geoffrey, don’t call us by our real name inside the game. You should address me as Silent Moon while you should call big sis as Silent Water.”

“Yes, princess. But please once more I plead you to calm down and maintain your image. As a princess, you shouldn’t act like this.”

“Tch. Anyway, do we really need to wait for someone to come before we can enter the dungeon? What if that person doesn’t want to help us or their level is higher than the level limit of the dungeon? Why don’t we just go and hunt at another place? This place is out of nowhere and I doubt someone will come here.”

Azalea is pouting and scolding the only man out of the three. Geoffrey's hair is full of grey hair and his sharp mustache seemed to be neatly combed. Although his current situation looked sorry as he keeps trying to pacify Azalea, there is some kind of dignity can be seen deep inside his eye. He carries a shield on his back and seemed to take on the role of a tank for the party.  Azalea who is pouting is wearing simple leather armor while her hand is covered with gauntlets.

The last member of the party is a girl who gives a calming vibe to anyone who saw her. Only smiling while looking at the comical scene of the duo. She adorned with blue clothing and a blue magician hat. Makes anyone who looked at her is having an illusion as if looking at a serene lake.

“Stop making trouble for Geoffrey, Azalea. You clearly approved of his idea of going into the swamp dungeon. I also heard that this dungeon used to be swarmed by people when they first played the game. We’re just entering the game a little bit late.”

“Thank you, young miss Marina for speaking up to me but it is okay. It really is my fault as princess Azalea said.”

“Yeah, big sis Silent Water. It really is Geoffrey's fault! Don’t speak up for him and please use my in-game name to call me too. Call me Silent Moon.”

Once more Marina can only smile let out a smile that could make countless cities fall as she looked at them. She clearly knows them well enough to tell that Azalea isn’t really angry and Geoffrey is just following all of her willful misconduct.

“Then princess Silent Moon, please call me by my in-game name too.”

“W-w-who would ever want to call you by your in-game name? why would you choose such an embarrassing name anyway? It’s too long and has no class at all.”

Azalea looked a bit embarrassed but happy at the same time as she said that.

Looking at the top of Geoffrey's head, she can see his in-game name: ‘Princess Azalea is the cutest in the world’.

Even Azalea is amazed at how Geoffrey can choose such a name for his character and the system actually approved of such a lengthy name.

“Oh, it seems that someone is coming.”

Marina remarks immediately send both of them to look at her direction then followed her line of sight to see that a boy is walking up to them. With a beginner’s clothes accompanied by a wooden bow on his back, the boy approached them with smiles on his face.

“Tch, he looked stupid and seemed like a total newbie but I think he is something that fits our need right now.”

“Princess, please mind your words. What if he heard you? As a princess, you should be careful with your words lest it will be used against you later.”

Ryu can see the party of three before they see them because of his eagle’s eye. He approached them to ask the direction of whether he is on the right track or if there’s a strong monster on the way that he needs to pay attention. Clearly, he heard the girl’s remark as his eyebrow is twitching while he is trying hard to maintain his smile.

“Hello there.”

Marina calmly greeted Ryu as he was taken aback by her smile.

“A goddess.”

Marina was surprised but then she giggled. Clearly, it wasn’t the first time a boy was acting like that when seeing her.

“Another one has fallen victim to big sis charm. Big sis is so beautiful and her personality is the best. However, I won’t just let anyone approach her. I have protected big sis from countless big bad wolves; this i***t small wolf cub isn’t a problem!”

“Princess, your words, please be more gracious. We still need this boy's cooperation to succeed. You better tell him some nice words to make him comply.”

Ryu finally realized that his action must look like a clown just now. He immediately regains his sense and looks at the party of three. A beautiful girl who looked too good to be true, an old man who is coaxing a little girl, and lastly the little girl with a sharp mouth. What a weird combination. Not to mention the old man and little girl banter that is even more funny than serial drama.

“Ah, hello! My name is Ryu. I am heading towards Lind and I wonder if you guys know whether there’s a strong monster that I should be paying attention to on the way or not.”

“We actually came from Lind. It is still two days’ worth of travel and there’s no strong monster on the way aside from the 「swamp boa」 but I believe the Blue Creak guild already has that monster on their list so you don’t have to worry much.”

“I see. So, except the boss, I won’t have any other obstacle. Thank you for the information. I’ll take my leave then.”

Ryu really took a liking to look at Marina’s face but he comes to a realization that she must have spent a lot of time editing her character looks. She might not look like this in reality as it was really an ephemeral beauty. He also doesn’t like Azalea’s manner of speech which looked down on him and he knows that this girl is just a spoiled brat and will be a hassle to interact with.

He wanted to leave the three of them before Azalea shouted to him: “Wait!”

“Hmm?”

“How can you just leave like that? Looking at the beautiful me, aren’t you curious why we’re here? Even if you’re not attracted to me, how can you’re not trying to ask big sis what is she doing here or ask for her number? My big sis is so enchanting and I believe that you are attracted to her too. How can suddenly you leave just like that?”

Ryu can now really say that interacting with this little girl will only bring trouble and headache. He is curious at why they are here but as this is a game, they must just be hunting to level up so there’s no need to inquire. Furthermore, he just met them by chance and it wasn’t polite to ask such a question which can be mistaken as if he has an ulterior motive. The experience with Sayu is already enough for him.

“Geoffrey, you must get him to comply at all cost. If he didn’t agree, just throw some money at him.”

“Princess, your pocket money for this month is already gone since you decide to buy that mansion. Not to mention that not everything can be solved by money. *cough cough* Young man, I’m very sorry for my family’s princess words. I hope you can be magnanimous and forgive her. I know that she doesn’t mean harm despite her words earlier.”

A spoiled princess and her butler. He really wonders how come the little girl acts so unruly while on the other hand, Marina looked like a perfect lady with a mature and refined personality. How can they be together?

 “it’s alright old man. I don’t really mind it. Why should an adult mind what a child says? Anyway, if there’s nothing else I’m going to go.”

“An adult? A child? Did you just call me a child while acting like an adult? You’re just a young boy! Don’t act like a man in front of me. Even though I’m like this, I’m already 16 years old! I bet that you are even younger than me. You whose hair below hasn’t even grown, don’t be pretentious in front of me and apologize for your words!”

“Princess, please calm down! Before asking him to apologize you should apologize first. Your words are unrefined and don’t match your status.”

“Shut up Geoffrey!”

“Who says that my hair below hasn’t grown yet? Do you want me to show you right here?”

“Do you even dare to show it to me?”

“I dare to show it to you. Do you even dare to look?”

“Who said that I don’t dare to look? At most, it will be like looking at a filthy worm and disgraced my eye but I am not afraid!”

“A w-w-worm? Really you need to see my dragon before you know how big is the world.”

Geoffrey tried to calm Azalea down but he failed to do so. Ryu is now already triggered and is going to pick a fight with Azalea. The tense atmosphere however suddenly disturbed by Marina as she can’t contain her laughter any longer and let out a small laugh.

“*pft* sorry. This is just too much for me. *pft*”

Trying hard to maintain her image as a lady, Marina can only laugh while covering her mouth, holding her stomach and bent down. Ryu who looks at that sight can only be charmed and lost himself in a daze. Azalea on the other hand looked at Ryu’s expression and getting angrier at him. How can she ignore her as if she was air?

“p*****t boy! I ask you for a duel! The losers should do what the winner said for a week! Are you going to accept or not?”

「Silent Moon has asked you for a duel. Will you accept it? 」