I Don't Need To Log Out

These five were new players who had just entered the game, but Arlon knew them well. They were the "Gamers". On Trion, players could create informal guilds or clans, but there wasn't an official system option for it. Of course, it was the same on Earth—guilds weren't a formal option there, either, yet they were still real. It was just that here, the "system" didn't offer it as an option.

The "Gamers" was such a guild, formed solely by these five young men and women. Unlike other guilds, they had never accepted any new members; the original five were enough to make their group legendary, each member a notable player in their own right—though even they couldn't rival Arlon.

When Arlon saw them, he felt relieved. These were the players he'd been waiting for, and he was eager to move forward without spending more time in Istarra. He had already laid out his plans for this group. They made a balanced team, consisting of two men and three women: one man as a tank, one man and one woman as warriors, one woman as a mage, and the last woman as a priest. Although 'EVR' offered more classes than these, this was enough to consider them a balanced party.

They approached Arlon, and he made a quick decision—he wouldn't let them know he was a player. He could reveal it if necessary in the future, but for now, it wasn't the right time. Instead, he saluted them with the poise of an NPC.

"Greetings, saviors. It seems like you have balance in your midst. If it is not too much for you, we would like your help defending Istarra and Trion!" said Arlon, slipping easily into his adopted role.

He had already realized that none of the NPCs behaved any differently than their normal selves. This was because the instructions they received didn't mention that saviors would think they were in a game. Trionians didn't know what an MMORPG or an NPC was. So what they were doing wasn't actually an NPC act on their part. Still, Arlon was under the delusion that their behavior was intentional, a grand act to immerse the saviors. To maintain consistency, he also acted differently, drawing on his knowledge of legendary NPCs from games he'd played and combining them. By now, it was too late to drop the act, as doing so would only draw unwanted attention.

"Ah, this must be the Legendary Guide! Greetings, sir. We would like to resort to your guidance in becoming stronger warriors! Sir, might we learn your name?" Pierre, the tank, said theatrically, playing along with Arlon's act.

For once, Arlon felt pleased not to be mocked outright. However, the rest of the group couldn't help laughing at Pierre's exaggerated tone.

"You don't need to act like that, dude. As long as you show respect, there shouldn't be any problems," said Zack, the male warrior, grinning.

Lei, the female warrior, and Carole, the priest, nodded in agreement. Arlon didn't show it, but he quietly took note of their camaraderie. In his past timeline, these four had married each other—Lei with Pierre and Carole with Zack—leaving June, the mage, single. Not that it affected their guild; they had remained close friends regardless.

Coincidentally, June seemed like the more beautiful one among the girls in Arlon's perspective. Not that it mattered to him since he was a loner and didn't want to get married, so he continued:

"The name is Arlon," he began, staying in character and feeling a small spark of satisfaction—it was the first time anyone had asked for his name. "I can guide you through your adventures, but you should know the path ahead will be fraught with hardships. Still, I see you have strong teammates you can trust with your back. Never betray each other, and you'll be able to overcome any hurdle on your way to the top, which I will guide you to."

With that, Arlon handed Pierre a crystal ball. "First of all, have this." This was a communication crystal that acted just like a phone would. It even had a built-in ringtone feature. It would allow the group to consult him whenever they needed help, and vice versa.

He chose to give the crystal ball to Pierre for two reasons. First, Pierre had played along with his NPC act, showing respect. Second, Arlon wanted to avoid giving the impression that he was making advances toward the girls. Their ages were close to his, so it wouldn't have been an unreasonable assumption. It was just like giving your phone number on Earth.

After handing over the crystal ball, Arlon explained how it worked and under what circumstances they should use it. The group listened attentively, though they couldn't hide their surprise. Why was the Legendary Guide helping them more than others?

By now, Arlon's reputation had spread far and wide. He wasn't just a figure within the game—news outlets on Earth had even mentioned him, advising players to seek out the Legendary Guide as their first priority after logging in.

It was peculiar that only Istarra had such a guide, and even stranger that he seemed to show preferential treatment toward their group. Despite their curiosity, the Gamers didn't reject his assistance. They already knew that the title Legendary Guide wasn't just for show—his reputation was well-earned.

Arlon carefully outlined their first steps, detailing what they should prioritize and how to begin their journey in Trion. Once he finished, the Gamers thanked him and departed to follow his advice.

As they left, Arlon felt a wave of relief wash over him. Everything had gone according to plan. With his first objective accomplished, he turned his attention to his own preparations for departure. It was time to move forward.

---

The Gamers left Istarra, following Arlon's guidance. They had already learned a great deal from him. Without the Legendary Guide's help, it would have taken much longer to grasp essential information—like how to fight monsters effectively or which creatures were best suited for their group to level up quickly.

As they traveled, the group began discussing Arlon.

"Was it just me, or did the Legendary Guide show us preferential treatment?" Lei asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course he did!" Pierre replied confidently. "Arlon knew our party is already the best in 'EVR'!"

"Wow! First-name basis already? And he gave you his 'phone.' Don't go simping on him now!" Carole teased, grinning.

The group burst into laughter, while Pierre's cheeks turned noticeably red.

"What do you think, June?" Zack asked, his tone more serious. "Why do you think he gave us extra advice and that crystal ball?"

June hesitated. She was well aware of their group's unspoken dynamics—innocent but complicated ones. Pierre and Lei liked each other but hadn't confessed. Carole had feelings for Zack, though Zack seemed oblivious. And Zack... Zack seemed to like her, but she didn't feel the same. She didn't want to be involved with anyone yet. Worse, Carole's feelings for Zack made the situation even trickier. To avoid stirring the pot, June often acted distant toward Zack, even though it hurt her to do so.

"I don't know," she replied coolly, deflecting. "Maybe he liked Pierre."

Pierre sputtered at the remark, earning another round of chuckles.

"Anyway, it's obviously a game mechanic," Lei interjected, her voice tinged with irritation as if eager to change the topic. "We probably triggered it by showing up as a balanced party. Didn't he say something like, 'There is balance in your midst'?"

The group nodded, accepting the explanation. After that, they refocused on their journey, avoiding any more jokes about Arlon—or Pierre's love life.

---

Arlon didn't have much to prepare. His belongings were already stored in his inventory, and there was no one to say goodbye to. Still, he needed to resupply his potions, so he headed to the Moonlight Potion Store.

"What do you need?" Charon asked, his usual brusque tone making it seem like he was already in the middle of something.

"Three middle-grade mana potions, please," Arlon replied.

"Again with the weird order! What do you need mana potions for? Aren't you a sword master?" Charon asked, narrowing his eyes. After a moment, he hesitated, his voice dropping slightly. "Say, I didn't want to bring it up yesterday, but I noticed something... odd. You've got a great magic vessel in you now. It wasn't there the day before."

Arlon paused, realizing Charon had been stewing over this since their last interaction. As a skilled Magus, it made sense that Charon could sense the sheer power of Agema's Magic Vessel. Arlon wasn't yet strong enough to suppress its presence entirely. Deciding it wouldn't hurt to confide in Charon, he nodded.

"I actually received it as a reward after killing a monster," Arlon admitted. "It's Agema's Magic Vessel."

Charon froze, his eyes wide with shock. For a moment, it seemed as though he might not even breathe. Then, with an angry huff, he barked, "Don't joke with me, kid!"

"I'm not joking. You can check it if you want."

Without a word, Charon grabbed Arlon's wrist and sent a pulse of mana through him. The moment he felt the vessel's presence, Charon's eyes dilated in disbelief.

"I can't believe it," Charon muttered, almost to himself. "It really is Agema's Magic Vessel. Where did you—no, more importantly, how could she give it to you? She's been dead for centuries!"

"I found her book," Arlon explained. "She left her vessel as a gift for whoever discovered it. It wasn't easy, though. I had to fight a powerful monster to get it."

Charon scoffed. "At your level? No monster you can kill is actually strong. Still, luck was clearly on your side. Use it wisely—this vessel could make you the strongest magician alive." He paused, his sharp gaze softening slightly. "But I've seen your moves. You're also a skilled warrior. I'd wager you're on your way to becoming a magic swordsman. Just be careful—it's a tricky path to walk."

Arlon blinked, taken aback. Magic swordsman? That wasn't just a player class? If Charon knew about it, that meant real magic swordsmen existed in the past. He resolved to research this further when he had the chance. After chatting with Charon for a bit longer, Arlon left the potion store.

On his way to the town's entrance, he ran into Situ and offered a friendly salute. After a short exchange, he finally arrived at the gates. It was time to leave the starting town.

The monsters around Istarra weren't strong enough to grant him meaningful experience, and there were pressing matters to attend to before it was too late. Yet, as Arlon turned back to take one last look at the town, a wave of nostalgia washed over him. In his second life, Istarra felt like a home—a place where his journey truly began.

But he wouldn't be gone forever. Six months at most, he thought. With that resolve, Arlon stepped onto the road and left Istarra behind.