MMORPG: The Elementalist

“Xin Yu!”

A firm and indignant feminine voice rang across a certain street in the Buried City, drawing stares from members of the Ascendant Saber Clan.

Meanwhile, the cool Pretty glared viciously at the petite and adorable Bandit girl before her, as well as the cute Orc pet that kept her behind, her face one of irritation.

“Look what pet he gave you—an Orc! He actually gave you such a crude pet… you—you’re killing me! And you’re still taking his side!”

“Pretty Sister!”

Xin Yu leveled a stubborn gaze at Pretty unyieldingly.

“You’re not getting away even if you call me auntie. Tell me that bastard’s in-game name, I have to give him a piece of mind today! To think that I trusted him that much, damn him for giving you such cheap stuff!!” Pretty roared as she glared at the single-eyed Orc that did not even compare to a regular Orc…

What a joke!

Is that Orc blood? And yet it was only Xin Yu’s height, and delicate as if it was female. That dead Qin Ruo actually gave Xin Yu such a weak pet—to think that Pretty Woman herself believed that Qin Ruo had fine progress in the game, and could at least give Xin Yu a Miniboss.

Damn it all!

What was the purpose of such an Orc?

So what if it would have some strength after growing up? It was simply useless for a Bandit class to own a melee-type monster. That flying pet she had prepared for Xin Yu before, that was the stuff…

“No way. Little Eye’s so cute!” Xin Yu retorted, defending her pet. “Like at those lines above his forehead, it’s so cool and good looking… Its eyes are very pretty too.”

“What do you mean, Little Eye? It’s a one-eyed Orc. Do you know what ‘one-eyed’ means?” Pretty said, pointing out indirectly that Xin Yu’s pet was a cripple.

“Humph.”

Xin Yu was at once unhappy. While the one-eyed Orc did not appear to be anything special, but the little creature prompted a rare sense of maternity in her, as if a feminine instinct to protects their young. “I’m not listening, I’m not listening!”

While Xin Yu usually appeared obedient, none could get a word in once she set her mind. Back then, she had rented her house to Qin Ruo at a cheaper price despite her mother’s protest, even allowing him to delay months before paying… If her mother was helpless against her, it would be bizarre if Pretty could dissuade her at all.

“Xin Yu, listen to your sis just this once. Change your pet since you have the time to train these few days. I’ll talk to Brother Qin for you, hmm?”

“No way! I love Brother Qin’s pet. I’m done with you; I’m off to train my pet.” Able to tell that Pretty was not giving up, Xin Yu’s own headstrong tendency surfaced and simply left their party, returned to town and pick a place to train her pet.

“You…”

Losing her target to vent once Xin Yu left, Pretty stomped the ground before opening a Return Scroll to go back to the town.

***

“Xin Yu. Why are you being so difficult? That pet’s simply incompatible with you, and yet you still keep defending your Brother Qin… You’re a Bandit-class, it’s embarrassing to bring along an Orc… pet.”

Exiting the portal, Pretty quickly continued complaining as she hurried to catch up to Xin Yu. Although she had intended to rubbish Qin Ruo’s gift, she did not say it out loud when she remembered Xin Yu’s love and respect for him.

Still, she never realized that the elegant Orc pet that was following behind her and Xin Yu appeared to understand her words when she said “it’s embarrassing”. That black line that was ten centimeters long at the center of its stark-white forehead throbbed, and leveled a disdainful gaze at Pretty’s direction.

It was fortunate that Xin Yu appeared to have set her mind on not changing her Pet and simply ignored Pretty as she mumbled away beside her. Leading Little Eye to a few supplies shop to buy some potions and Return Scroll, she left through the city gates.

Pretty’s exhaustive words did not move Xin Yu at all, nor could she get the young girl to reveal Qin Ruo’s in-game name.

Be that as it may, the woman was not one who gives up easily …

She rolled her eyes!

“Well, it’s fine if you’re not changing pets. I’ll take you to some place and train it.”

Pretty suddenly pulled Xin Yu, a dramatic turn that caught Xin Yu unawares. “Sis Pretty,” she said hesitantly, “Don’t take me to high-level places. Little Eye would die.”

Being not a fool, Xin Yu quickly caught on to Pretty Woman’s possible ill-intent.

“Silly girl, could you not tell what level it is?”

Pretty’s words swiftly dispelled Xin Yu’s worry. For better or worse she was a Level 48 Bandit, and could discern the data of monsters below Tier 5—Pretty would not be able to make any false moves.

Xin Yu relaxed, thinking that Pretty had given in and was no longer bugging her to change Pets.

She, however, underestimated Pretty’s intent: Little Eye was indeed a Level 0 monster, but attribute strength and weakness also applied to low-level monsters, just as long-ranged monsters were troubling for melee-types.

Furthermore, the monsters were spread over different areas—all Pretty had to do was find one with more monsters, a training spot with high-pace to dump Little Eye, and Xin Yu would know what makes or breaks that Orc…

Before this, her Blue-winged Butterfly had fought a group of high-tier monsters alone right after it hatched. She looked forward to how Xin Yu would stand her ground when those two are pit against each other.

With that idea, Pretty dragged Xin Yu out of the city, toward the place she trained her own Pet…

***

Pretty’s former Pet-training grounds was the Tucker Minibeast Woods, with each Little Tucker ranging from Level 11 to 15. Apart from the highest-level Water-type Tucker that knew some water-type spells, other minibeasts were all little melee-type creatures and appeared weaker and easier to bully than Little Eye in form.

Xin Yu did not feel that anything was out of place, but went inside herself out of cautiousness, saw a flock of Tuckers and drew out one of the quadruped Little Tuckers that had yet to grow fang and claw.

“Little Eye.”

The One-eyed Orc that was mysteriously labeled with the tag ‘the Elegant Orc’ appeared at her summoning.

Unlike other Monster Pets, the little fellow which had been the Cyclops Commander Galbis in its previous life did not come out punching and kicking at the Little Tucker, but instead threw an unusually contemptuous glare at Pretty…

And then slowly carried out its orders.

With a single punch, the poor Little Tucker was at once beaten down.

Bang! Bang!

Two more punches, and the Little Tucker was killed easily.

Eh?

Pretty was bewildered, unable to react as she watched Little Eye fold its arms again.

No way!

The Little Tucker had more than 140 HP and 15 points in Physical Defense, but was actually done in by a Level 0 Orc with three moves?

Was that little Orc’s basic Physical Attack so strong?

Pretty remembered that her Blue-winged Butterfly needed at least four spells to kill another Little Tucker of the same size, and yet it had much weaker Physical Attack than Magic Attack. Could it be…

No, no!

Pretty shook her head inwardly. What happened just now must have been an illusion… the Little Tucker could have been attacked beforehand (Only owners can read their Pet’s combat status).

Still, it was not only Pretty who was left in disbelief by Little Eye’s ability: Xin Yu was actually finding it unbelievable as well, and though it moved swiftly and attacked powerfully, it was still… Level 0.

But as they stared blankly, Little Eye appeared able to tell its owner’s doubt about its abilities. Turning its gaze, it homed in on a larger Tucker…

Whoosh!

The instant it started to move, Little Eye’s previous lazy demeanor disappeared entirely—as if a vicious tiger lunging down a mountain, promptly leaping seven or meters away.

“Ah!”

Xin Yu exclaiming in surprise: she did not issue any command to attack the monsters in their vicinity.

On the other hand, Pretty reacted swiftly. Knowing that Pets would occasionally throw a fit, she quickly looked toward where Little Eye was lunging at, and the monster that was more than thirty meters off in that direction…

“It’s a Water-type Tucker! Xin Yu, recall it!”

Pretty herself did not why she would shout such a thing: perhaps that contemptuous gaze from Little Eye had left her profoundly shaken, perhaps Little Eye had instantly killed a Little Tucker that was 11 levels above it, or perhaps she definitely did not want Xin Yu’s favorite gift to die so quickly.

But before they knew it.

Sensing that Little Eye was disobeying her order and not looking back at all, Xin Yu at once threw herself and darted away…

A Level 48 Agility-type Bandit was much faster than Little Eye!

It was a simple matter to destroy a Level 15 Minibeast before Little Eye could be killed.

And yet…

In that very moment, seemingly catching its owner’s intentions, the One-eyed Orc promptly stopped thirty meters away from the Water-Type Tucker. Then, it spread its pair of palms that were filled beast-shaped patterns in its target’s direction!

Sensing an intruder, the Water-Type Tucker wobbled towards its enemy.

But before it could enter attack-range (it only had short to mid-range attack magic), earthen-yellow stone spears abruptly and violently stabbed out from the ground beneath it!

Poof! Poof! Poof!

A hole was at once punched through Water-type Tucker’s body… like a skewered roast, falling backwards as Pretty and Xin Yu looked on in shock.

Bang!

Water-type Tucker made no sound after falling, grandly and instantly slain by the level zero Little Eye on the spot…

Or perhaps not. After killing Little Tucker, Little Eye at once leveled up and was now…

Level Two.

Pretty was utterly speechless as she watched Little Eye nonchalantly returned to Xin Yu, while the young girl kept staring blankly at Water-type Tucker.

Water-type Tucker could have been ‘touched’ by someone else like the Little Tucker before, but this was simply inexplicable: how could a Level One Monster Pet would master a Tier 2 Earth-type attack spell?

Was it still the orc it remembered?

A monster that was Level 0 and Tier 0, but could actually instantly cast a Tier 2 Earth-type spell.

That was…

Even if Pretty was slow, she finally realized at that moment what kind of a terrible treasure it was that the bastard Qin Ruo had given Xin Yu!