NPC wa Eiyuu no Yume wo Miru ka? (VRMMORPG : Elysia Online)

I dropped to the ground, catching my breath after the intense battle against the ogre. The smell of blood and the shaken earth from the fight still lingered in the air. We won.

Lyra sat leaning against a large rock, wiping the sweat from her forehead with her torn sleeve. "Hahh... That... was more exhausting than I expected..."

Celine chanted a small spell, creating a soft green light that enveloped her body. The minor wounds on her hands began to heal. She turned to me with a faint smile. "I didn't expect we'd face a monster that big here... Are you okay, Rei?"

I let out a long sigh. "Yeah... just a little tired."

Truthfully, it was more than just tired. That fight drained a lot of my energy. That ogre wasn't just an ordinary monster—-its reflexes were quick, its strength was brutal, and its defense was insane. If it weren't for our strategy, we might have been done for.

Lyra chuckled softly, though her body was still trembling. "Seriously? You don't look like someone who just fought a giant monster..." She looked at me with a disbelieving expression.

I just shrugged. "I'm used to it."

But deep down, I knew it wasn't normal. I'm not a player. I'm not a regular NPC. I'm something different.

Celine stared at me silently for a moment, as if trying to read my thoughts, before finally looking away. "Then we should rest for a bit before deciding our next move."

I nodded. "Agreed."

The three of us sat on the grass, enjoying a moment of peace after the battle. But of course, it couldn't last long.

The green grass swayed gently in the evening breeze. The sun began to set, casting an orange hue across the sky. I leaned against a nearby tree, catching my breath while gazing at the sky.

"Damn, that ogre really almost killed us." Lyra snorted, lazily stretching her body. "I didn't expect we could win without anyone getting seriously hurt."

Celine was still catching her breath, hugging her knees with a tired expression. "Honestly, I didn't expect it either... Especially with how we fought earlier." She glanced at me with a curious look. "Rei, are you really just an NPC?"

I raised an eyebrow, pretending not to understand. "Of course. Why do you ask?"

Lyra looked at me suspiciously, then grinned mischievously. "Well, because I've never seen a low-level NPC who can slash an ogre that fast!" She leaned closer to me, her expression demanding an answer.

I just shrugged. "Maybe I'm a hardworking NPC."

Celine chuckled, though her eyes still showed disbelief. "That's a very unconvincing answer, Rei."

Before I could reply, Lyra suddenly reached out to me. "Well, since you're a hardworking NPC, how about you also be a nice NPC and massage my shoulders? I'm so tired after that fight~."

I rolled my eyes. "You have your own hands, don't you?"

"Aww, Rei doesn't care about me~." Lyra pretended to be sad, dramatically leaning her head on my shoulder. "Celine, I'm tired... maybe I should just sleep here."

Celine just sighed. "You always have extra energy when it comes to teasing Rei, huh?"

I let out a long sigh. "Alright, alright. After this, we need to talk about our next move."

Lyra finally sat up, looking satisfied. "Hmm, then let's discuss! But still, I demand a massage session later."

I ignored her and turned my attention to Celine. "So, what can we conclude from all this?"

Celine nodded, her expression turning serious again. "First, we know that this ogre isn't just a regular monster. Something made it far more aggressive and stronger than it should be."

"Second," I continued, "the drop items and loot from the ogre felt off. Usually, elite monsters only drop standard items, but this time there were items not recorded in the normal system."

Lyra crossed her arms. "And third... it feels like we were lured here."

I nodded. All of this felt like a big unsolved puzzle. If we wanted to survive longer in this world, we needed to understand what was really going on behind the scenes.

The dust from the battle still floated in the air. The smell of the shaken earth from the ogre's attacks hadn't completely faded. Celine stared at the monster's corpse with an analytical expression, while Lyra, though still smiling casually, clearly looked more cautious than usual.

"Something feels off," Celine murmured as she knelt near the lifeless body of the ogre. Her fingers touched its chest before quickly pulling her hand back. "Cold... colder than it should be."

I crouched down too, examining the details more closely. Ogres do have thicker skin than most monsters, but their bodies should still retain some warmth after death. This was different—-as if something had drained its energy from within before we could finish it off.

"It seems we can't consider this a coincidence," I said, looking at Lyra and Celine in turn. "We need to know where this ogre came from and why it was here."

Lyra sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "Then do we go back to town and ask around, or... do we go straight to the source of the problem?"

I paused for a moment, considering our options.

The fight with the ogre still lingered in my mind. It wasn't just a regular battle. That monster had higher intelligence compared to other creatures of its level. The way it targeted us one by one, how it lasted longer than it should have, and—-most troubling—-why was there an ogre in an area that should only have low-level monsters?

Lyra seemed busy cleaning her sword of bloodstains, while Celine sat on a large rock, hugging her staff with a thoughtful expression.

"I don't like this," Celine finally murmured. "Ogres shouldn't be roaming around here. Especially not one as cunning as that."

"Do you think this has something to do with the system?" I asked, looking at her seriously.

Celine nodded slowly. "It's possible. A monster like that wouldn't just appear without a reason."

Lyra patted my shoulder with a relaxed smile. "Hey, don't be so serious, Rei. We just went through a tough fight. If we don't want to run out of steam before reaching our goal, maybe we should relax for a bit."

I glanced at her, then turned to Celine, who also seemed to be analyzing the situation.

I took a deep breath. Maybe Lyra was right. If we wanted to stay sharp in battle, we also needed to rest our minds.

"Alright," I finally said, sitting on the grass. "Let's use this time to rest for a bit."

Celine looked at me with slight surprise but eventually sat down near me. Lyra, as usual, immediately flopped onto the ground, letting the gentle breeze brush her face.

"You know," Lyra said, gazing at the sky. "If this world is really just a game, why does it feel more real?"

I fell silent.

That question... wasn't easy to answer.

I sighed, letting the silence hang between us. Celine still seemed deep in thought, while Lyra—-

"What?" I asked, noticing she was staring at me with an unreadable expression.

Lyra tilted her head slightly, then gave a small smirk. "Hey, Rei... you know?" she said, her voice slightly teasing.

I frowned. "What now?"

"Not that I want to say you're always too serious, but... you're always too serious."

I just stared at her blankly. Meanwhile, Celine turned to Lyra with a questioning look.

"You do realize we just fought for our lives against an ogre, right?" I said flatly.

Lyra chuckled softly. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But that's exactly why!" She sat cross-legged on the grass, then pointed at me. "You're like someone who always carries the weight of the world on your shoulders."

I just snorted, not wanting to be baited by her antics.

"There's nothing wrong with staying focused," Celine finally chimed in, though her voice sounded hesitant. "But... I guess Lyra has a little... just a little, mind you, point?"

I looked at both of them, then sighed again. "So you're saying I should relax?"

"Not should," Lyra quickly replied. "But... occasionally, maybe you could try to enjoy the moment. For example—-"

And before I could dodge, Lyra suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me closer! I almost stumbled from her sudden tug.

"—-like this!" she said cheerfully, before letting out a soft chuckle.

I could feel my face heating up slightly. "Oi, don't mess around!"

Celine just sighed, but I could see the corner of her mouth twitching, as if holding back a laugh.

I gently pushed Lyra's hand away. "You really... never change, do you?"

Lyra just grinned smugly. "Of course! Life needs to be enjoyed, Rei~."

I rubbed my temples. It seemed I wasn't going to win this argument.

However, before we could continue the conversation, something in the distance caught my attention...

I narrowed my eyes, trying to focus on the object in the distance. A dark silhouette moved between the trees, too large to be just a wild animal. My instincts immediately went on alert.

"There's something over there," I whispered.

Lyra turned with a curious expression. "You mean another monster? If so, let's take it out while we're at it!"

Celine sighed. "Wait, we're not even fully recovered from the last fight. Whatever it is, we need to be careful."

I nodded. "I'll take a closer look. You two stay here for now."

But before I could move further, Lyra was already stepping beside me, grinning mischievously. "You think I'd let you have all the fun alone? I'm coming too."

Celine wiped her face, looking slightly frustrated. "Oh my... if you two are going to be reckless, I'll have to come along too. There's no point in letting you act rashly on your own."

With careful steps, we began to approach the source of the movement. The bushes swayed gently, the wind carrying a faint metallic scent—-the smell of blood?

I gripped my sword tighter. This isn't a good sign.

The bushes around us began to rustle wildly, accompanied by the sound of something approaching. I stepped forward, raising my sword in a defensive stance. Lyra also immediately prepared herself, while Celine began chanting a spell. The three of us had experienced too many unexpected events to assume this was just the wind blowing.

From behind the shadows of the trees, a large creature with a muscular build and greenish skin emerged. An ogre, severely injured but still strong enough to fight. The gaping wounds on its body suggested it might be part of the group we had defeated earlier—-but somehow, it had managed to survive.

"Tch! So there's still one left?!" Lyra clicked her tongue in annoyance, but her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Hey Rei, how about we take it out before it realizes we've spotted it?"

I considered the possibility for a moment. This ogre was weakened, but it could still be a threat if left alone. If we attacked first, maybe we could finish this quickly.

However, before I could answer, the ogre glared at us with a hateful gaze—-then, it stomped its foot on the ground and let out a deafening roar!

"GRAAAAAAHHH!!!"

The ground beneath us shook violently. From the forest, the sound of heavy footsteps began to echo—-not just one, but several. My eyes narrowed.

"No way..."

Celine gulped, "Don't tell me it's calling for reinforcements?"

I clenched my jaw. This could turn into a much bigger fight than we anticipated.

In front of us, three more ogres emerged from behind the trees, their bodies even larger than the ones we had faced before. One of them was holding a large tree trunk that had been uprooted from the ground, using it as a weapon.

"This is bad...," Celine murmured, her voice trembling slightly.

"I thought we were done fighting," Lyra said with an annoyed tone, but she still took a fighting stance, her sword glinting faintly in the sunlight.

There was no time to hesitate. If they joined forces and attacked together, our chances of survival would grow slimmer.

"Attack now! Don't give them a chance to regroup!" I shouted, immediately charging forward with my sword raised.

Lyra followed without hesitation, darting to the side to attack from the right, while Celine quickly began chanting a spell.

The first ogre, wielding the large tree trunk, swung it toward me. I jumped to the side to dodge, but the wind from the attack was strong enough to throw me off balance for a moment.

"Shadow Bind!" Celine shouted.

The shadows beneath the ogre suddenly crawled upward, tightly binding its legs. The creature growled angrily, its body temporarily restrained as Lyra prepared her attack!

"Crescent Slash!"

A blue crescent-shaped light shot from her sword, slicing through the air and hitting the trapped ogre!

I didn't waste any time—-slamming my sword directly into its weak point!

However, the ogre was still moving! The wound that should have been deep enough to weaken it only made it angrier. With a loud roar, it swung its massive arm toward me.

Bugh! I jumped back, but the force of the attack's wind still hit me. Celine and Lyra also retreated, trying to reposition.

"This thing is more stubborn than we thought!" Celine exclaimed, preparing to chant another spell.

The ogre went on a rampage, slamming its fists into the ground repeatedly, creating powerful tremors around us. If this continued, we wouldn't be able to get close without risking being hit by its brutal attacks!

"We need to stop it from moving first!" I shouted, quickly analyzing the situation.

The ogre raged, swinging its massive arms wildly at us. Each stomp of its feet shook the ground, causing small cracks to spread around where we stood. If we didn't stop its movements soon, this fight could end in disaster.

"I can freeze it for a few seconds," Celine said quickly, starting to chant. "But we need to make the most of that opening!"

Lyra grinned, "Just a few seconds? That's more than enough."

I scanned the surroundings. There were a few fallen trees around the battlefield—-maybe we could use them as traps. Additionally, the ground around this area was soft enough that we could potentially trap the ogre if we lured it to the right spot.

"Alright, let's do this!" I quickly laid out the plan:

Celine will launch her ice spell just as Lyra and I lure the ogre into the trap.

Once the ogre is immobilized by the spell, we'll drop a fallen tree on it to further restrict its movements.

After that, Lyra and I will attack its weak point at the neck with a combined attack.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Of course!" Lyra replied enthusiastically, while Celine nodded with intense focus.

As the ogre swung its arm again, Lyra and I immediately moved in opposite directions, luring it toward the spot we had targeted. The ogre growled loudly, its eyes filled with rage, and began to chase us.

"Now, Celine!"

Celine finished chanting her spell. "Frost Bind!"

A flash of blue light shone in the air. In an instant, ice began to spread from the ogre's feet, covering its entire body! Its movements stopped, though the ogre still struggled with immense strength.

"Let's finish this!" I shouted.

Lyra leaped into the air, swinging her sword at the fallen tree we had prepared. With a powerful slash, the tree fell directly onto the ogre's body, making it even harder for it to move. This was the moment to deliver the final blow!

With a strong slash, the tree fell right onto the ogre's body, making it even harder for it to move. This was the moment to deliver the final blow.

"Now, attack its weak point!" I shouted, channeling all my strength into my sword.

Lyra didn't waste any time, dashing forward with incredible speed. The blue light from her sword flashed briefly before she swung it in a horizontal slash.

"CrescentSlashCrescentSlash!"

A crescent-shaped wave of energy shot forward, hitting the ogre's chest, which was already pinned under the tree. The monster roared in pain, its body writhing, but I knew—-it wasn't enough to finish it off.

I immediately followed up Lyra's attack, jumping onto the fallen tree trunk, then dashing toward the ogre's head!

"PiercingStrikePiercingStrike!"

My sword stabbed straight into its skull. There was a loud cracking sound, followed by a violent tremor from its dying body. Its red eyes slowly dimmed, before finally...

BOOM!

The ogre's body collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud. Dust and leaves flew into the air, marking the end of the battle.

I was panting heavily, standing on top of the fallen tree. This fight was harder than I expected.

Celine, who had been chanting backup spells, finally lowered her hands, letting out a long sigh. "Goodness... it's finally over..."

Lyra sheathed her sword with a satisfied expression, then looked at me with her trademark grin. "Honestly, I almost thought we were going to die back there."

I just snorted softly, "But we made it."

However, before we could truly relax, a system notification suddenly chimed.

QuestCompleted!QuestCompleted!

Exp+800,Gold+500,RareItemObtained!Exp+800,Gold+500,RareItemObtained!

I turned to the two of them. Now it was time to see what we got from this monster.

Lyra let out a long sigh before dropping to the ground, sitting cross-legged while resting her slightly trembling arms. "Damn... I didn't expect we'd face a fight like that."

Celine, still gripping her staff tightly, finally lowered her arms. Her eyes were still fixed on the ogre's lifeless body lying on the ground, thick blood oozing from the deep wounds we had inflicted.

I opened the system window and checked the battle results.

∗∗LevelUp!∗∗LevelUp!

I could feel a slight surge of energy flowing through my body. Leveling up always brought a strange sensation—-like my body felt a bit lighter and my reactions sharper.

"I leveled up twice?!" Lyra exclaimed, staring at the system screen with wide eyes. "Hahaha! I feel even stronger now!"

Celine smiled faintly, still catching her breath. "At least it was worth the effort..."

I ignored their celebration for a moment, checking the loot we got from the ogre's body.

∗∗ItemDrop:∗∗∗∗ItemDrop:∗∗

Giant Ogre Fang (Rare Material)

Cracked Heavy Gauntlet (Heavy Armor — Damaged)

Mystic Core Fragment (??? - Unknown)

500 Gold

I narrowed my eyes. "Wait... this thing..."

My hand picked up the Mystic Core Fragment, a piece of dark blue crystal with a faint glow inside. As soon as I touched it, a flash of information entered my mind—-as if something connected this fragment to the system of this world.

Celine immediately noticed my serious expression. "Something wrong?"

I nodded. "I'm not sure yet... but this isn't an ordinary item."

Lyra tilted her head. "Don't tell me this is some kind of hidden quest key or something like that?"

I gripped the fragment tighter, feeling a strange sensation spreading through my hand.

I have a feeling... this is just the beginning of something much bigger.