Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

When Kaizen’s group reached the clearing by the side of the road, there was already a large camp of adventurers, which was why Kaizen decided to stop there. It was safer to have other travelers around, and Kaizen wanted to understand why so many players were heading for the epicenter of Midgard’s chaos.

The adventurers’ curious gazes turned to the carriage and its strange group of travelers, whose features and clothes were not very common.

Some of the adventurers there were ready for a fight – after all, the monsters weren’t the only threat – so the atmosphere was filled with tension, aggravated by the clouds of fire on the horizon and the uncertainty of what was happening in the world around them.

Kaizen got off the carriage first, followed by Alina, Jayaa, Andrew and Xisrith, and after his brief conversation with Alina, he noticed the other adventurers approaching cautiously. Immediately, he noticed that the adventurers seemed tense and alert, with their hands near their weapons. This was to be expected, especially as this group of adventurers included both players and NPCs.

One of the players, a stout man with a rustic beard who had no name above his head, walked towards the group. His eyes were fixed on the newcomers and his posture was tense. He had his left hand on the hilt of his sword.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” he asked, clearly suspicious.

Kaizen raised his hands in a sign of peace and stepped between Andrew and Jayaa. “Hello, colleague. We’re travelers looking for answers and, for the moment, some rest and information. We don’t want any trouble.”

The adventurers had just been looking tense, but when they saw Kaizen’s face, something seemed to dawn on them. The furtive glances between them turned into sharp looks of surprise.

The bearded man frowned and looked Kaizen up and down. “Why, you’re Kaizen, aren’t you?”

The Psyker nodded cautiously. “Yes, I’m Kaizen. Do you know me?”

The bearded man let out a loud laugh. “The name Kaizen is known everywhere now, my friend. You are famous, or perhaps I should say infamous, for your exploits.”

The murmur of recognition spread through the group of adventurers. They began whispering among themselves, exchanging glances and gestures of happiness, as if it were an honor to see Kaizen in person.

The bearded adventurer turned to his group and raised his voice. “Friends, this is Kaizen, the hero who faced The Eye of Hermodr to save the Tretidian Capital and the King. He is not an enemy, but an ally in our fight against the threats that loom over this world!”

The murmurs turned into applause, greetings and warm cheers. The adventurers approached Kaizen and his group, shaking their hands and offering them food and drink. Jayaa, Alina, Andrew and Xisrith quickly relaxed at this reception.

The adventurers’ warm welcome brought visible relief to Kaizen’s group.

The adventurers, with a variety of armor and weapons, greeted each of the newcomers, mainly about how they knew Kaizen and whether they were part of their group. A silver-haired man offered Jayaa a glass of wine, while a dwarf with a braided beard handed Alina a piece of freshly baked bread.

Meanwhile, the bearded man, whose name was Ragnar, invited Kaizen for a drink around the roaring fire in the center of the camp. They sat down on nearby tree trunks, and as the two were the leaders of their respective groups, the others quickly surrounded them with attention.

“Kaizen, it’s an honor to have you here,” said Ragnar with a smile. “This place is going through dark times, but your presence brings us hope.”

Kaizen nodded gratefully, although he was still surprised by the reception. “I’m glad I could help in some way. But tell me, Ragnar, why are so many adventurers heading to the epicenter of the chaos?”

Ragnar sighed and looked at the clouds of fire on the horizon before answering. “Opportunity is the right answer. In this game, players want different things, but the truth is that everyone wants to have fun. And for most of us, it’s important to be at the epicenter of everything that’s happening. Not all of us are as strong and skilled as you, but we like to feel part of the story. I believe that’s why so many are coming and so many will come.”

Kaizen frowned, worried. “And what do you know about the cause of this? Has anyone discovered anything yet?”

Ragnar shook his head, denying it. “Nobody knows for sure. I heard that some villages near the border with Mibothen were also destroyed, largely by the impact wave, and if there was an impact wave, that means it was sudden. What could have so much power to do something like that? Some NPCs say it’s the wrath of the gods. They say it almost like a mantra, but for us players it’s not so simple… What we do know is that the chaos is spreading, encompassing the entire surrounding area.”

“Spreading?” Kaizen asked.

“Do you see the fire and all that smoke? None of this was caused by what destroyed Mibothen, but rather by groups of adventurers and residents of nearby villages. There seems to be some kind of bizarre lichen spreading from Mibothen, and the only thing that stops it is the heat from the fire.”

“It’s the first time I’ve heard about it.” Kaizen put a hand to his chin and leaned forward thoughtfully.

As they talked, the atmosphere around the campfire was becoming more relaxed. The other adventurers gathered around, listening attentively to the conversation, while others seemed happier and more festive, especially with Jayaa’s music.

At one point, Ragnar looked at Kaizen and said:𝑶𝗏𝓵xt.𝗰𝞸𝓶

“Kaizen, your fame as a hero is known far and wide. Many of us have found inspiration in your stories. You faced The Eye of Hermodr and emerged victorious, and that’s the courage we need now.”

Kaizen lowered his eyes for a moment, remembering the epic battles he had fought against The Eye of Hermodr. “And I will do whatever it takes to help Midgard once again.”

Ragnar nodded seriously. “I know, so I’m going to tell you something I haven’t told even the others.” He said and leaned forward. “Rumor has it that minutes before everything in Mibothen exploded, a beam of green light cut towards the sky from the ancient temple in the Eldoria Mountains. They say you can find answers there. But after hearing about this lichen, I’m afraid to take my group any further than that. There are NPCs among us and if they die, they won’t revive like us.”

Kaizen looked over his shoulder at Alina and saw how much fun she seemed to be having as she turned over a mug of beer with ease, even though her face was so delicate.

“That’s right… They don’t have the same privilege as us.” Kaizen replied.