Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

[You have slain a Bandit (Level 8)]

"Sunless, bring me the loot quickly," Arthur muttered, his voice tight with urgency.

The skeletal summon didn't hesitate, scooping up the items the bandit dropped and sprinting back toward Arthur.

[You have received: Dagger (Uncommon), Gold Coins x3.]

Arthur barely glanced at the notification before turning his attention to Borak. "Borak, carry the girl on your back. Sunless, clear out the path in front of us toward the village. I need to make it there ASAP."

Borak snorted in understanding, his tusks gleaming as he knelt to allow Arthur to place the unconscious girl onto his broad back.

Sunless, meanwhile, darted ahead, his bony limbs moving dangerously as he slashed through anything that blocked their way, including the occasional small creatures.

Arthur adjusted the girl's position to make sure she was secure before breaking into a sprint behind them. His mind was racing as fast as his legs.

-5HP

"Shit!" he hissed under his breath, glancing at the persistent notification reminding him of his deteriorating condition. "I don't have much time left."

His calculations were grim. "Fourteen minutes—give or take. I can't afford to get into any trouble right now."

The trio raced through the forest, ignoring small creatures and monsters that crossed their path.

Most of them were low-level nuisances, and Arthur couldn't spare the energy to deal with them. Sunless dispatched a few in their way, but Arthur waved him forward whenever it wasn't necessary.

"Come on, come on, I only have three minutes left to live" Arthur muttered, his breath growing laboured as the minutes ticked away.

Arthur's heart pounded in his chest as he finally broke through the forest and into the village, making a run to the alchemist's shop.

Players around him seemed confused as to why he was in such a hurry.

"I think he needs the toilet, do you think it's number one or number two?"

"Maybe number one? It's kind of hard to run like that when you are doing a number two."

...

The familiar wooden door creaked as he threw it open, the faint smell of herbs and potions wafting over him.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Behind the counter stood the young woman who always ran the shop, her expression calm and polite.

"Hello, adventurer," she said, her voice lilting with an overly cheery tone. "Do you want to buy anything today? We have a wide variety of options for all your needs—health potions, mana potions, even—"

"Enough of that!" Arthur interrupted, waving his hands frantically. "I need an antidote. Quickly. I'm losing 5HP per minute as we speak!"

The woman blinked, tilting her head. "Adventurer, that poison sounds quite severe. Are you sure you wouldn't also be interested in some healing potions? We currently have a special—"

Arthur slammed his palm on the counter, cutting her off again. "I don't care about your specials! Antidote. Now. Or I'll die!"

The woman nodded serenely, entirely unfazed by his outburst. "Of course, adventurer. Let me tell you about our selection of antidotes. We have a mild antidote for lesser poisons, an advanced antidote for—"

"Lady!" Arthur shouted, his face turning red as he gestured wildly. "I'm literally dying here. Just give me the antidote that saves me from this,"

Finally, the woman seemed to register his desperation. "Oh, I see. You must be talking about our uncommon-grade antidote," she said as if this were a casual conversation about the weather. "That'll be 10 silver coins. Please confirm the purchase—"

"Just hurry!" Arthur practically screamed, fumbling with his inventory to send the payment.

The woman nodded calmly. "Alright, adventurer," she said, her hands moving slowly as she retrieved a small vial from the shelves behind her.

"This antidote should counteract the poison in your system. I'd recommend drinking it all at once, and make sure you—"

Arthur snatched the vial from her hands before she could finish, yanking the cork out with his teeth. "Don't need instructions on drinking a potion, thanks," he muttered, tilting the vial back and downing the contents in one gulp.

[You have consumed Antidote (Uncommon). The poison in your bloodstream has been neutralized.]

Arthur slumped against the counter, letting out a long exhale as the notification flashed in front of him.

His HP bar stabilised at its current level, no longer declining.

[Health Points:] 5/80

"Finally," he muttered, wiping his mouth. "I thought I was a goner."

The woman smiled brightly at him, entirely unbothered by the chaos. "Thank you for your purchase, adventurer. Please come again!"

Arthur shot the young shopkeeper a look, then shook his head, muttering under his breath.

Ignoring her farewell, he stepped out of the shop and headed toward the forest where he had left Borak and the unconscious girl.

His strides were quick, and he noted with some relief that his HP bar was steadily climbing back to a non-critical level thanks to the non-combat effect.

The closer he got to the spot, however, the more uneasy he felt. Something about the players around the area made him frown.

'Let's hope what I think isn't true,' he thought grimly, quickening his pace.

As he approached, faint voices drifted toward him. His frown turned into a scowl as he began to make out the conversations.

"Hey, that poor girl is being abducted by a boar!" a young man exclaimed, his tone brimming with misplaced righteous indignation. "Unfortunately, I'm only level 2. Otherwise, I'd totally kill that boar and save her. No doubt about it."

Arthur's eye twitched.

"What should we do?" a young woman asked, her voice tinged with genuine concern. She appeared to be in her early twenties, and her expression was a mix of worry and outrage. "That boar seems like a pervert! What if he's... he's touching her inappropriately?"

Arthur nearly tripped over his own feet. 'A pervert? Really?' His palm met his face in an exasperated slap.

"Don't worry, guys!" Another player spoke up, his tone smug and self-assured. He puffed out his chest as if he was the main character. "I already called my buddy—he's a level 4 elite player. I told him what happened, and he's on his way right now. He'll handle it. I basically saved her.