Helena and Arthur

,What’s Ether?”

,Eum… you really don’t know?”

,Don’t act all smart by yourself, just tell me.”

I crossed my arms with a crooked look and glared at Crow.

It pissed me off that this unshaven old man was looking down at me.

,Ether is the basic energy that living things possess.”

Crow began to explain about Ether.

Ether is an energy that all living things in another dimension possess, and it has the power to turn what the owner imagines into reality.

I tilted my head at the explanation. Ether’s concept wasn’t much different from the Mana that existed in Deron.

Could it be that Mana doesn’t exist in this world?

,How do you use this Ether thing?”

,That’s a strange question. You already possess Ether.”

Crow looked back and forth between us with a serious expression at Arthur’s question.

I didn’t like that look. It was like an adult looking at children.

At that moment, Crow plunged his sword into the ground.

The sword, buried deep enough to make him kneel on one knee, emitted a strange wind and began to scatter a light mixed with blue and white.

,You should be able to feel it.”

Hwi-i-i-

The energy Crow emitted was like a sharp wind.

Suddenly, I noticed the old cloak draped over his shoulders.

At that moment, a blurry intro video flashed before my eyes.

The briefly passing video contained Crow’s appearance.

The image of a knight wandering around the world, training with his sword, was like the wind.

It was that moment. A transparent message appeared before my eyes.

[The strange power dormant within your body begins to stir.]

[The new power ‘Ether’ awakens.]

Along with the message that Ether had awakened, an Ether item was newly created next to the interface displaying health and mana.

[Ether]

Energy used by lifeforms from another dimension.

It resembles Mana, but it is a higher-dimensional energy with tremendous potential.

*Ether is consumed each time a skill is used.

Ether Value: 100

Additional Stats

All stats increased by 5%

Damage received reduced by 5%

Nullifies enemy Ether shields

It seemed that this Ether system was a new level system.

Deron has been unlocking the character’s level limit each time a new expansion pack is updated.

But this expansion pack chose a slightly different method.

Instead of unlocking the character’s level limit, it seemed that they brought in a system to strengthen the character in a different way.

Not only Ether, but also the newly added item, Master Level, would be similar.

Whatever the intermediate process, it was obvious that it would eventually be a system to strengthen the character.

,I stimulated the Ether in your bodies. Do you feel it?”

I looked back at Arthur at Crow’s words.

She also seemed to be examining Ether, the newly unlocked system.

,Yes… I feel it.”

,Who the hell did you train with to be in that shape? Your physique is excellent, but they didn’t teach you about the most important Ether. I can’t understand it.”

Crow’s misunderstanding deepened, but there didn’t seem to be a need to correct it.

I nodded at Crow’s words and raised my sword.

Black energy began to surge over the dark sword held in both hands, and a very thin film formed, covering the energy.

Ether’s description said that the Ether value decreases each time a skill is used.

The skill I used was [Azathoth’s Sword]

It was a skill that greatly increased the attack range and increased damage.

At that moment, the Ether value, located below health and mana, decreased significantly.

The Ether value I possessed was 100.

The value consumed by using Azathoth’s Sword was 50.

A low-rank skill eats up half the value. Naturally, high-rank skills could not be used.

Of course, if I raised this Ether value, I could use high-level skills, but it seemed like I was only supposed to use low-rank skills for now.

,This is…”

Arthur also seemed to have completely understood this system.

She frowned and glared at the air.

From the beginning again. It’s not about looking back on memories. It’s really about building up from scratch.

This expansion pack contained that meaning.

***

Not all expansion packs can be liked. But it was really disappointing. Everyone was looking forward to it. It was a newly released expansion pack to coincide with the integration of the global server and the Korean server. It required a huge patch time that was not enough to be called unprecedented.

But the result?

Looking at the community’s response, most of the opinions were negative.

Especially the mage users.

The mage class is a class that boasts powerful damage and a wide range, but the cost of consumption was also significant.

Naturally, that cost was also applied to the Ether value.

I crossed my arms and watched the other users.

Everyone was hunting to push the main quest.

In particular, my gaze was fixed on the mage users.

Where did the great mages who summoned meteorites from the sky and even stopped time go?

The mages who boasted tremendous power were cowering.

They cast one Fireball and sat down on the floor, waiting for Ether to recover.

It felt like watching a low-level mage hunt.

,Yeon. Aren’t you going to hunt?”

,I have to… but…”

I nodded at Arthur’s words and answered.

Seeing the mage users struggling, Helena flickered before my eyes.

It was that moment. A mage wearing a fancy robe waved a sparkling jewel staff and cast Fireball on a sleeping Dire Wolf.

Paang-!

The brilliantly flying Fireball hit the Dire Wolf, but the Dire Wolf did not die.

Instead, it began to run towards the mage user who had disturbed its sleep.

Keureurang!

,Hi, Hieeek!”

The mage user used Blink to create distance, but it seemed that the Ether value was insufficient and the next skill could not be used.

In the end, that user became food for the big wolf.

I shook my head as I watched the scene. I could never let Helena suffer like this.

Helena was my most precious friend. Isn’t helping each other in difficult times what true friends do?

,There’s someone I have to wait for. Arthur, you can go ahead first.”

So I will wait.

I looked up at Arthur and said.

Arthur, who had been contemplating for a moment at my words, shook her head.

,I’ll wait too. I want to see who Yeon is waiting for.”

It was about 20 minutes later that Helena logged in. It was a later login time than usual.

Yeon-[Hi. You’re a little late today?]

Helena-[Yeah. I had something to do with my dad for a bit.]

Yeon-[Is that over? You can play the game now?]

Helena-[Yeah, I’m done with everything I had to do today.]

Yeon-[That’s a relief. Then let’s do the main quest and party up when you awaken Ether.]

Helena-[You… waited for me…?]

Yeon-[Yeah. I heard it’s difficult for mage users to proceed with the main quest.]

Helena seemed quite surprised.

It couldn’t be helped. When a new expansion pack came out, I always ran forward without looking back.

There was no such thing as waiting for someone.

I had always stuck to that play style, so I had never done quests with Helena.

That’s why I waited for Helena. I didn’t do the quest and just waited for her.

Helena-[I’m going right now!]

I could tell how happy Helena was just from the chat.

,She’ll be here soon!”

,O-”

I finished chatting with Helena and spoke to Arthur.

I wanted to introduce my precious friend to the friend I made for the first time since the server integration.

How long had it been? A mage wearing a red robe slowly walked towards the place where Arthur and I were standing.

,Helena!”

Beyond the red robe, a unique effect flashes. A faint flame and a huge clock-shaped effect that faintly appears behind her scatters like dust.

Helena, who was smiling brightly after discovering me, turned cold the moment she turned her gaze to my side.

The smile that had spread across her face also disappeared like a lie.

,Yeona-”

The voice that flowed out without trembling was excessively cold.

For some reason, the reaction was not good.

Is there something wrong with her?

I looked at Helena worriedly, shook my head, and pointed to Arthur next to me.

,Helena! This is my friend Arthur!”

,Hi!”

As if she had been waiting for my introduction, Arthur took a step forward and waved her hand.

Both characters are tall.

I had to look up at the two of them.

,I’m Arthur.”

The blonde woman, Arthur, smiled brightly and held out her hand.

Helena, who had been staring at that hand, looked at me, carefully reached out her hand, and grasped it.

,Helena.”

Seeing two pretty girls facing each other and greeting each other, I naturally smiled.

It was a sight I wanted to leave as a screenshot.

I secretly manipulated the camera system and saved the two people’s appearances.

Helena, who had finished greeting Arthur, asked me.

,Yeona. Is Arthur doing it with us?”

,Yeah. Arthur waited with us too. She’s a friend I made this time.”

I nodded and answered.

,Friend… just a friend?”

,Yeah.”

Helena sighed softly at my answer and nodded.

Her face, which had been coldly hardened, relaxed. But the smile did not return.

Helena started asking Arthur questions with a blank face.

,Where do you live, Arthur?”

,England!”

,Is Arthur the master of that guild?”

,Yeah!”

,How old are you?”

,Secret!”

,Who do you like?”

,Eum…”

Arthur closed her eyes as if she was lost in thought at that question and began to contemplate.

And before long, she opened her eyes, winked at me, and gave a subtle smile.

,Well, not yet?”

I looked up at Helena.

Suddenly pouring out questions to Arthur, is she doing this because she wants to get closer?

At that moment, Helena, who heard Arthur’s answer, spread her robe wide and pulled me inside.