Pride Online

BOOM!!

The thunder-like sound and the dust from the explosion blew off with the wind, touching a tall figure of someone. He was standing on the top of the tallest building in that prison area. His long, slender fingers were slicking back his long black hair, getting it off his face. The lips curled up into a calm smile, sharp eyes like a hawk’s gazing down to the battle below. His white cloak with black edges and the words Game Master embroidered on the back, waved softly as the hot wind blew.

“There you are, Mister Thada. I was looking for you everywhere.”

A soft voice spoke from behind his back, getting the man in the GM uniform’s attention. ‘Thadast’ turned to look at the newcomer.

“You’re late.” He said with a gentle voice.

“It’s still better than never, Thada.” She shrugged. “It was already midnight when my flight arrived in Bangkok. How good it is that I still make it here for your event.”

“So how do you like Bangkok after you were gone for so long?” The young GM named Thada asked, looking at the new girl with a joyful broad smile.

“It doesn’t seem to be any different,” she replied, returning a smile to him.

The girl was slender and tall. She had such a perfect body that if someone said she was a model, no one would disagree with that. Her hair was light brown, falling to her waist with soft curls. It made her look soft and cute like a doll, matched with the pair of beautiful round eyes that were sparkling as she looked at the view around.

“You seem cuter with your new looks, though, after I haven’t seen you for months, Miss Waree.” The compliment made the listener chuckle, then she shook her head.

“Aw, do you need something from me or what, Thada?” She finished as she put on a sweet smile. “And what about you? Is your event going well?”

“It’s okay,” Thada replied. “It’s been half an hour now since the event started. Just now, there was a group of players encountering the Inferno, but the group was destroyed in a couple of minutes. And Inferno’s HP didn’t even decrease by a hundred thousand points.”

Listening to that, the owner of the name Waree chuckled again, walking up to his side. She held up her hands to shield her eyes from the sunlight, so she could take a better look at the scenario down there.

“Wow, it’s so heated up.” She said when the boss Inferno was spitting the huge fireballs at the groups of players cruelly. The pair of green eyes moved back on him.

“It’s too tough. I think it would take more than half a day for someone to defeat your Lord Inferno.”

“Seems like it,” Thada said as he forced out an awkward smile. “When I was testing it in the demo, I took almost thirty minutes to take it down. And it even got tougher when it was about to die.”

Waree almost choked on the air, laughing at that.

“Even the number one GM whining about it like this, I guess no one will be able to kill this savage boss today.”

Hearing this made Thada sigh. The pair of sharp eyes were following the 18-meter monster, looking worried. It was the fact that he volunteered to help the developer design its attributes and characteristics by himself.

So, he started to think that maybe he made it to be too difficult.

“Well… probably that's not true. Even my team could kill it.” The hoarse voice tried to argue feebly.

“Thada! You can’t compare the others with your standard like that.”

“Why?”

“I know you’re a GM now, but as a player, you were Asia’s number one, too. It's not like anyone else can do it like you did.”

Thada sighed.

“I just hope that there’s someone that can take it down. I don’t want my first designed monster to be put back in the store, because it’s too OP (Overpowered).”

“Aw, poor Inferno.” She sounded sympathetic but looked so amused with the smile on her face. “It just got here and is already getting banned for being too tough. Then, I’ll root for someone to come and take it down, too. Well, don’t put your hopes up too high, though.”

“Sigh, yeah, I know.”

Then the young GM and Waree continued watching the game below with thrills.

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“Wisana!!!”

Maysa shouted with panic, the pair of her grey eyes searching around for her brainless friend who just jumped in the boss's way to get burnt. But no matter how hard she looked, the only thing she saw was the thick layer of smoke and dust floating in the area.

Her pink lips pressed together tightly, a drop of sweat falling down her cheek.

The attack was too strong. She clearly saw the damage point that was up to eighty thousand! And in such a case, there was no way for Wisana to get out alive. Also, if the damage point was fifty thousand points higher than the player’s health point, the player would disappear right away, with no chances to be revived.

So, that guy would be gone now.

Fuuu!!

The sound of the heat breaking out came at the same time this thick floating smoke started to swirl around slowly.

“What’s happening? The Inferno guy’s about to use his skills again?” The girl prepared, she was ready to flee anytime if something unexpected happened.

Then the smoke in the area was being pulled to a tall figure of someone. Maysa raised eyebrows as she was watching.

The familiar-looking man was still holding a girl in his arms. His back had absorbed the heat from the damage to the point that it got smoky. Moreover, his red scarf was glowing, waving in the air like it was weightless before everything went back to normal like there was nothing happened.

“Wisana!” A broad smile came across the young woman's face when she discovered that her friend was safe. And by safe, she meant that without any scratches!

When this jerk finally realized that he was not blown to dust, nor hurt anywhere, he slowly looked down to see Warunya in his arms. This pretty girl was hiding her face in his chest, her eyes squeezed shut tightly.

“Hey, Orn, are you alright?” The hoarse voice asked.

“No, I’m not. We’re probably dead now.” The other one replied.

“No, we’re not. How would I let such a thing happen to you?”

Wisana never let go of the chance to turn a crisis into an opportunity to act cool to her. Even though he still had no idea of how they still did not die. And when Warunya realized that she was alive, she slowly opened her eyes, looking up at the man who had just saved her with a curious expression.

“Vincent.” The sweet voice spoke his name softly.

“That was very close, right?”

The masked man smiled sweetly, then looked over to those players in front of him being burnt to dust on the floor and starting to fade away.

Seeing that made Wisana gulp.

“Anyway, why were you running around in the battle like this?” He asked, still faking his cool, smooth voice.

“Well, I got lost with my friends. Before I realized it, I was already being chased.” She replied, embarrassed, and did not dare make eye contact with those beautiful eyes of the one holding her.

“Maybe you can be a bit clumsier than I think,” Wisana said with a smile. “But that’s okay. I like how you’re a bit clumsy. It's adorable and a must protect. Don't you think so, too, Warunya?”

“Huh? ...er....” Being told she was adorable, Warunya blushed. ”Aw, Vincent, stop teasing me.”

“And, you’re going to let me go soon, Warunya? You're hugging me so tightly.”

“Oh!”

The one who was being teased let him go in no time. The taller one laughed as he was shaking his head, adoring her cuteness so much.

“You idiot!!!”

This sweet moment did not last longer than a minute when it was interrupted by Maysa's voice. Both flinched, looking up to where the sound came from.

“You scared me, May. Why are you yelling?!”

“I’m the one who wants to ask, how long are you going to stay there?!” With that question, Warunya got more embarrassed, and the other guy scratched his cheek, speechless.

“And look over there! Your father is smiling at you from the back!”

Wisana raised eyebrows, glancing back, and then he understood what Maysa was trying to say. The massive Inferno was glaring at them, gnarring with a low growl in its throat.

This big bro was still here? Did he not go home already?

“Player Wisana earned Pierce Charge skill by passing the conditions of enduring an attack with more than 50,000 damage points.”

GRRROWL!!!

After Jinnie's announcement, Lord Inferno growled out very loudly that both Warunya and he had to cover their ears.

“Vincent, you pissed him off.” The sweet voice whined.

“I don’t think so,” Wisana replied weakly, wondering if a monster could be pissed?

“Player Wisana has got the enemy in Berserk mode. From now on, it will be targeting player Wisana only. I suggest you run because the levels are beyond different.”

Well, sh*t.

What kind of mode was this?! Only come at him?! What did he even do to this demonic reptile that was holding grudges so much?

Urgh! The bosses in this game were all psychos!

“Hey! Keep moving, moron. Get out of there!” Maysa's voice brought Wisana back to the present again. His bright brown eyes widened as he saw the monster turn around to whip its tail at him. He held Warunya down to evade the attack.

“Ouch!”

WHOOSH!

The sound of something going through the air was passing above their heads by niches.

The man with speed cursed at it then turned to the girl beside him, looking tense.

“We need to leave.”

“How? The Inferno’s too fast!”

“Do you trust me?”