Mebius World Online – Mari’s VRMMO Diary, Embarking on a Laid-back Adventure as a Novice - Chapter 119
Skill name change from now on [Manipulator] -> [Puppetry]
119. Mari-nee and Overprotective? Leveling-Up (Part 2)
After taking a break to allow Graham-san and his group to recover, we finally began our level-up session in the “Great Demon Forest.”
Though it had been a while since my last battle and I felt a bit nervous, the sight of Vel perched on my shoulder, narrowing his round eyes with determination and leaning forward bravely, brought a smile to my face and helped me relax.
I can’t show Vel any embarrassing moments, so I’ll do my best.
Initially, I fought alongside my usual three companions to ensure everything was going smoothly. If no issues arose, I would then battle with just Gils and Vel for more efficient leveling. Meanwhile, Graham-san and his group would remain vigilant for PKs and regulate the number of approaching monsters.
Although I was grateful and trusted them, their behavior during the journey somewhat undermined my confidence. Consequently, my expression of gratitude might have sounded slightly robotic.
“Leader!”
While these thoughts were running through my mind, a monster approached us. It was an orc, a muscular creature with green skin wielding a club as thick as a log. It looked strong enough to send me flying—or worse, exploding—with a single hit.
“I’ll take the front. Kanna, provide support. Maria, you and Gils attack. Roulette, observe for now,” Mareus-san ordered efficiently.
Usually dressed in work clothes, Mareus-san now donned sturdy metal armor and wielded a sword and shield. I had forgotten he was a knight-type class… or maybe I just hadn’t paid much attention.
With a calm demeanor, Mareus-san stepped forward and raised his shield. The orc swung its club down with force, resulting in a loud, high-pitched clash. Surprisingly, Mareus-san stood his ground without flinching, holding off the orc’s attack effortlessly. He then retaliated with his sword, damaging the orc and keeping its attention focused on him.
Wow, Mareus-san really does look like a knight now.
“Don’t just stand there! Attack already,” Mareus-san snapped, bringing me back to the task at hand.
I quickly switched from [Moira’s Thread of Blessing] to [Puppetry] and [Thread Manipulation] for Gils. Once Gils activated [Soul Inheritance] and was in optimal condition, he sprinted forward, closing the distance with the orc in a flash. With a powerful punch, he struck the orc’s jaw from below, causing it to disintegrate into particles of light with a popping sound.
“Wow…”
Given Gils’s past performance against the empire’s adventurers, I had anticipated this outcome, but it was still shocking to witness. When I gave him a small applause, he grinned proudly.
“Maria told me about it, but your attack power is incredible,” Mareus-san remarked.
“Doing that without weapons is impressive. If you equip the [Dragon Thread] Maria entrusted to you, it would be insane. Just imagining it gives me chills,” Kanna-san added, shivering with excitement.
Kanna, could you please stop hugging yourself and writhing in excitement? You’re making the sect members visibly uncomfortable.
“It seems like Maria and Gils can handle this on their own,” Roulette-san observed calmly, disbanding our party.
Apparently, Roulette and the others had been collecting materials while leveling up, resulting in a significant level gap between us. If high-level characters fight alongside low-level ones, it can actually hinder the lower-level members’ experience gain.
“Let’s proceed then. Gils, Vel, and I will handle the battles. Graham-san and his team maintain vigilance against PKs and adjust the monster influx.”
With that, we reorganized ourselves. Graham-san’s group kept watch while Gils, Vel, and I ventured deeper into the forest, ready to face whatever came our way. The atmosphere felt lighter with fewer people around, and I was determined to make the most of this opportunity to level up.
Here we go, time to prove ourselves.
So, with a renewed sense of purpose, it was time to level up with just Gils, Vel, and me.
Based on Gils’s performance earlier, we decided to take on three orcs at once. Undaunted, Gils charged at the orcs with impressive agility. His confident back and fluid movements reminded me of Nero and Kuga.
I couldn’t afford to lag behind! Determined, I tried to manipulate my threads… but realized something crucial.
“I don’t have enough threads to control…”
I had forgotten that the number of threads required for Gils to go all out matched my current limit. Despite improving my [Thread Manipulation] skill after the event through cooking, I hadn’t yet increased the number of threads I could handle. At this rate, I was just dead weight… even with Vel here!
As I despaired inwardly, Gils, facing forward, spoke up.
“Don’t worry. I—am—Maria’s strength.”
He proved his words by swiftly taking down all three orcs. His tone was matter-of-fact, without a hint of modesty or bravado. It was as if he was merely stating the obvious, which made my heart swell with pride.
Vel, sensing my feelings, chirped and rubbed his face against my cheek, reminding me of his presence.
“Don’t worry, Vel, I haven’t forgotten about you.”
Though Vel remained under the effect of [Moira’s Thread of Blessing], I planned to try [Puppetry] with him once we had a break from leveling.
Just as I was thinking about this, a voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Impressive, Gils,” said Graham-san, firing arrows from his formidable bow and taking down four orcs—one more than Gils.
“But the real challenge begins now. If it gets tough, don’t hesitate to ask for help,” he added, his words sounding more like a taunt than genuine concern.
Was I imagining things, or was there an underlying challenge in his tone? My instincts screamed at me to stay alert.
“Unnecessary concern. Focus on protecting Maria. If you say ‘we let our guard down’ when it matters, it’ll be too late,” Gils retorted, stepping out of the formation to take down five more orcs outside our protective circle.
Come on, the leveling just started! There’s no need to go outside the safe zone, I thought.
“Letting our guard down? No, this is called being prepared, Gils,” Graham-san responded, activating a skill that caused his arrows to split mid-air, striking six orcs’ vital points.
Both were clearly competing, increasing their kill count with each round. Unlike Gils, Graham-san had little to gain from defeating orcs at his level, making his actions even more puzzling.
“Being prepared? You seem pretty desperate for that, adventurer,” Gils shot back.
“LIon puts forth its full strength even to catch a rabbit. Haven’t you heard that saying? Oh, I guess human proverbs might be too difficult for a puppet to understand,” Graham-san replied with a sneer.
“……”
“……”
The exchange, which had been somewhat civil on the surface, quickly turned tense. The inevitable clash was about to unfold.
“”Like I’d lose to the likes of you!””
Casting aside all pretense of calm, Gils and Graham-san rampaged, systematically annihilating every orc in sight.
Why is this happening!?
Despite the chaos, I managed to keep my composure, thanks to the whispers of warning in my mind.
Now, I need to do something useful… Oh, I know!
“Roulette-san, can you please stop those two—”
“You seem to be having quite a bit of fun. Mind if I join?” Roulette-san said, adjusting her glasses and flashing a disturbingly enthusiastic smile.
Oh no, this is not good.
Desperately, I looked to Kanna-san and Mareus-san for help, but they both shook their heads in unison.
Realizing the futility, I resigned myself to the situation. Was this what growth felt like?
With the trio’s rampage clearing the area of orcs, we ventured deeper into the forest in search of stronger monsters.
The orcs evolved into High Orcs, Orc Leaders, and finally, Orc Generals. Gils, finding it tough to continue barehanded, began wielding the [Dragon Thread].
The sheer power of the [Dragon Thread] was astonishing, slicing through orcs and their armor effortlessly. Even the high-level orcs with [Regeneration] were no match for the speed and precision of Gils’s cuts.
Despite the ferocity of his attacks, Gils’s movements had the elegance of a conductor leading an orchestra.
Graham-san, too, collaborated with his fellow cult members, their combined strength overwhelming the numerous orcs. Meanwhile, the released Roulette-san continued her rampage, leaving Kanna-san and Mareus-san struggling to keep up.
Wasn’t this supposed to be about leveling up?
Given the sheer number of monsters defeated, it wasn’t entirely inefficient, but it didn’t feel right.
In the end, Gils conceded, not because the monsters were too strong, but because my MP ran out. I had used several MP potions, but the consumption rate eventually outpaced them.
Despite this, I had little to contribute directly. My level had increased by four in a short period, and for that, I was grateful, even if the method wasn’t what I had envisioned.
There was an odd sense of déjà vu about the whole experience.
Status Update
- Maria: Marionettist Level 20 ? Level 24
- Karma (Royal City): 170,000
- Karma (Imperial City): 70,000
My DEX had improved significantly, and several skills had leveled up as well. Although my STR remained unchanged, it wasn’t a problem anymore.
What relieved me most was that my Karma values had stayed the same.
I couldn’t help but wonder, though, should I really be relieved by these numbers?