Adventure World Online (AWO)

Wherever Chang Long's group passed, they drew the attention of AI and players alike. People stared at the large pack of beasts noisily chattering in an incomprehensible cacophony, seemingly wandering without an owner. Many players tried to check if these creatures had a master, but they left disappointed as each beasteast displayed open hostility, particularly Lycanth, who many assumed was the pack leader due to his intimidating demeanor. No one dared to mess with him.

"You're amazing, Lycanth. No one dares to come near us. Traveling will be so much easier now,"

Chang Long praised. Lycanth puffed out his chest at the compliment, though his face remained stoic. He replied in a tone devoid of warmth,

"Hmph! Praise me all you want; I don't care."

"But your cheeks are red!"

Brownie teased.

ROAR!

Lycanth's loud, guttural growl made everyone jump, including the AI and players nearby, who assumed the werewolf had gone berserk and might start rampaging. Despite their fright, no one dared to make a move, choosing instead to retreat cautiously and watch their group from a distance. Only the cheeky Brownie, who dared to poke fun at him, screamed dramatically before scurrying to hide under Kitsune's fluffy fur.

"Eek! All I did was tease a little—why so mad? Lord Kitsune, help me. That big guy is definitely going to eat me. Look at the size of his mouth; one gulp, and I'm done for!" Brownie squeaked, clutching onto Kitsune's soft fur to shield himself from Lycanth's menacing glare. Despite his trembling body and attempt to hide, his bulging shape was still visible beneath the fur.

"Hehe, are you a mouse or a monkey, Brownie?"

Flatear chuckled, struggling to contain his laughter to preserve his dignity as a divine beast. The others, however, burst into uncontrollable laughter, creating a scene that left nearby players and AI dumbfounded. Only Lycanth rolled his eyes in exasperation and marched ahead, choosing to ignore Brownie entirely.

"Speaking of companions, Master, what about Fluffy Head-chan? I haven't seen you summon him in a while," Flatear asked Chang Long about his rival. At the mention of Fluffy Head-chan, Chang Long's expression became troubled.

"The doll housing Fluffy Head-chan's spirit was severely damaged... It's in a broken state. I'll need to transfer his spirit into a new doll first to summon him, but given my current situation, I haven't been able to do that yet."

Chang Long replied with a heavy heart. Hearing this, the group visibly deflated. Even though they were all Chang Long's companions, they shared a camaraderie that transcended their hierarchical roles within the game.

"You all seem so close,"

commented Little Jade, who had shrunk down to the size of a toothpick. She had noticed their despondent demeanor after hearing about Fluffy Head-chan's situation.

"There's no reason to hate each other. We're all Master's companions, after all. Besides, Master has never made us feel inferior or looked down on us because of our ranks. She treats us equally, no matter who or what we are,"

Kitsune replied cheerfully, recalling how Chang Long cared for him tenderly while he was still an ugly egg waiting to hatch. Chang Long never despised him or even thought of throwing him away but instead took good care of him until he hatched.

"That's Master's best quality,"

Brownie chimed in, poking his head out from Kitsune's fluffy fur. Among Chang Long's pets, Brownie ranked lowest in status. Yet, not once had he been reminded of this or treated poorly since he joined the group. Chang Long and her other companions, even the divine beasts, had never demeaned or distanced themselves from him.

"Is that my only good quality?"

Chang Long asked sharply, fixing a piercing gaze on the cheeky little field mouse.

"N... no, of course not! Master, you have lots of amazing qualities. Isn't that right, Lord Kitsune! Lord Flatear!"

Brownie quickly backtracked. The two divine beasts did not respond but chuckled quietly, clearly sharing Chang Long's sentiment: there was no one more fun to tease than Brownie.

"Oh, come on. Stop laughing and help me!"

Brownie whined loudly amidst the light-hearted laughter of the group, except for the ghosts, who could not understand a word of the beasts' conversation.

Siegfried observed Chang Long and her pets, then glanced at himself and Lycanth. While he and Lycanth shared a bond of trust and familiarity, it was still superficial—more akin to a soldier following a commander's orders. Though they had moments of camaraderie, it could not compare to the undeniable bond between Chang Long and her pets. Chang Long's pets did not just obey her; they loved her. She reciprocated that love, treating them not as tools or trophies but as companions. Siegfried could not help but recall Kitsune's devotion—risking his life to protect Chang Long.

He wondered if he could ever achieve that level of trust and loyalty from Lycanth. Could he forge a bond so deep that his companion would stand by him unconditionally? Siegfried did not have an answer, but he knew he needed to summon Lycanth into battle more often. Fighting side by side might strengthen their bond over time.

"Sieg, you spaced out. Why'd you stop walking?"

Chang Long asked, noticing him standing still as if lost in thought.

"Oh, sorry about that. Just got caught up thinking about something. Let's keep moving."

The motley crew of seemingly ownerless beast pets left the bustling settlement. Along the way, they passed a unicorn bearing a strikingly beautiful woman on its back. Her hurried demeanor made her oblivious to the peculiar beast procession. Her thoughts were consumed by her mission: to find a man she had loved since childhood—a man she was determined to meet and confess her feelings to.

.....

At the Gobi Wall,

the battle raged on fiercely. Two mid-tier guilds had allied to launch a coordinated attack, with a pact to alternate ownership of the city lord's emblem monthly.

Meanwhile, the members of the Dark Horse Guild were abuzz with excitement. Being roused from their beds for war did not seem to dampen their spirits. With the divine powder they had inhaled restoring their stats to full capacity, they were invigorated and ready for the fight. It did not take long for nearly the entire guild to assemble, save for those occupied with other missions or offline.

"Brothers and sisters of Dark Horse Guild!"

Aswa's commanding voice rang out as he climbed onto the roof of a two-story building near the rally point. The assembled players stopped their chatter and turned to him, eagerly awaiting words to ignite their fighting spirit.

"This is our first official grand battle—a battle where our lives, our reputation, and our guild's honor are on the line!"

Aswa's rallying cry was met with rapt attention, as the thousand-strong guild members lifted their heads to listen intently.

"The battle we've awaited since the launch of this game—what is it for? Fame? Wealth? My brothers and sisters, those are just a part of it, a mere fraction! This battle is our chance to prove our strength, to show that we are the strongest and the most invincible of all. We'll make the entire game world witness our might by toppling the AI commander of Gobi Fortress, the strongest stronghold of our time. Let's announce to Adventure World—and especially to that Doom Star Guild—that we, the Dark Horse Guild, are the true number one guild. Greater and stronger than them by a hundredfold, a thousandfold!"

The powerful voice of the guild leader roused the emotions of his members, filling them with a fiery resolve to take on their adversaries.

"My brothers and sisters, let's make our mark. Let the world know the strength of the Dark Horse Guild!"

As Aswa's rallying cry echoed, the guild members erupted in thunderous cheers. He nodded to the leaders of each unit, signaling them to command their troops to march. The deafening cheers and rhythmic footsteps of a thousand players shook the settlement of Longshan. AI and players alike watched in awe as the mighty army advanced toward the battlefield, led by a man whose strength was renowned. This was a man capable of obliterating Longshan Castle with a single swing of his sword—a feat that remained etched in everyone's memories.

"Wow, Aswa is incredible. That speech was so inspiring; I'm all fired up for this battle,"

Rose said to Ma, her admiration for their leader evident.

"Of course. The guild leader has the Rousing Speech skill, and it must be at a high level to stir emotions like that in thousands of members."

"Rousing Speech? That's one of the Leadership Quest skills."

Merlin Top Protege exclaimed, surprised. The Leadership Quest was notoriously long and grueling, with many players abandoning it midway despite its lack of time constraints.

"If that's truly the Rousing Speech skill, then look. All our basic stats have increased by three percent!"

Lost Martial Artist exclaimed, his eyes wide as he checked his boosted stats.

"Three percent's a significant edge. The guild leader must have maxed out the skill,"

Ma observed thoughtfully after checking his own basic stats.

"Who would've thought someone as goofy as Aswa could hide this much capability."

Rose said, still astonished.

"Well, hearing you say that makes me unsure whether to feel flattered or insulted,"

Aswa said, suddenly appearing behind her. Rose jumped, startled, realizing he had overheard her.

"You're amazing, Guild Leader. With you, there's no way we can lose!"

Lost Martial Artist declared, brimming with admiration.

"Don't be so sure. I won't feel confident until we've defeated that commander. Now move it. You're falling behind with all your chit-chat. If you're not careful, you'll be dead before you even get a chance to show your skills,"

Aswa said before leaping ahead to lead the Dark Horse Guild's army toward the Gobi Wall.

"He seems so serious,"

Rose remarked, her heart fluttering slightly at his commanding presence.

"Of course. He's been waiting for this moment for a long time—the moment to prove the greatness and strength of himself and the guild he built. And more than anything, he wants Demos to fear him and grovel at his feet, utterly defeated. You could say this is his path to vengeance,"

Ma explained.

"The guild leader must still be deeply bitter about it,"

Boron finally commented.

"Yeah, after what happened, it's only natural to hold a grudge. Let's pick up the pace, or we'll miss the action at the frontlines. Honestly, I'm itching for a fight!" Ma urged, quickening his steps. Merlin Top Protege's group exchanged knowing smiles before following Ma at a brisk pace. None of them wanted to miss the opening of the battle.

.....

Meanwhile, Chang Long's group wandered aimlessly through dense forests, uncertain where to find the Estania's Tear Crystals. Under the blazing midday sun, the group eventually stopped to rest by a shallow stream that barely reached their knees. Several other players were already lounging there in groups. The players turned to look, surprised, as a peculiar procession of beasts strolled into the area to rest, chattering among themselves as though out on a leisurely picnic.

"Are those pets or wild beasts? Where's their owner? And why hasn't the system issued any alerts?"

one player near Chang Long's group wondered aloud. Oblivious to the curious stares, Chang Long and her crew focused on sharing the food they had gathered from hunting beasts and foraging among bushes as suggested by Brownie.

"What in the world are we eating here? You're okay with this, Big Bro!?"

Flatear complained, eyeing the food spread. Most of it consisted of grains, rice balls, and steamed buns with various fillings. These delicacies were looted from wandering merchant beasts and rogue thieves that populated almost every game zone. However, most players ignored these creatures as they hit hard, yielded negligible experience, and were not worth the trouble. Fortunately, they were fragile and went down with a few hits.

"Bear with it for now, Flatear. Once we return to our human forms tonight, I'll get you some elemental gems,"

Chang Long reassured, trying to pacify the disgruntled kirin.

"Now, if it were a strawberry shortcake, that'd be another story,"

Flatear grumbled, though he grudgingly picked up a steaming bun and bit into it.

The first bite froze him in place. His eyes widened in shock. These ordinary white buns, some shaped like fish, rabbits, or other animals, emitted a tantalizing aroma with a bite. The soft, fluffy dough melted in his mouth, and the filling was unexpectedly delicious.

Everyone watched in confusion as Flatear, known for being picky, appeared utterly enraptured. Then, Flatear turned to face them, grinning sheepishly. Without a word, he grabbed another bun.

"Ahhh~ Delicious."

Flatear exclaimed blissfully, devouring bun after bun until he was stuffed. His companions, including his astonished owner, could only stare in disbelief. No one had expected the most critical eater of the group to be the first to fill up on something he had initially declared unpalatable, steamed buns.

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