Chapter 25: Nostalgia and Network
5: A Simple Thank You
“Pfft…”
A Priest, really?
Young Garam had quite the sense of humor. I think I was giggling like this when I made the character back then.
Thankfully, despite the shocking appearance, the nickname was normal.
Riverflow.
I remember my brother came up with it. I wasn’t good at English back then.
“Garam” means river in Korean, so River. The flow part was just some random English word he tacked on, he said.
The flow of the river. Not bad for something thrown together.
Thank goodness it wasn’t something like zZSupremeWarriorZz. If it was, I might’ve quit the game out of embarrassment.
Good job, young Garam, for asking your brother to make the name.
Enough distractions—time to actually play.
I double-click the icon.
—Please enter your secondary password.
“….”
“Finally logged in!”
Logging into a game is such a hassle.
Why are Korean games like this? How many passwords do I need to enter? So intense.
While I sigh, the game finishes loading, and at last, I’m in.
My character drops into the field. A system message announces my login, and event pop-ups flood the screen.
“How many pop-ups are there…?”
Returner rewards, consecutive login events, returner login events, winter break events, bingo events, event shop notices—I clear them all to finally see the game.
Level 201.
The old level cap was 200, but it got raised. I must’ve played once after that and quit again, judging by the level.
Checking my inventory, I see holes where items expired and vanished.
Ugh, what a waste. Those were probably valuable.
Opening the skill window, I find my skills reset. The class rework rumors were true—the skills look completely different from what I remember.
“Ooh…”
I skim some build guides online and assign my skill points. Done.
As I prepare to move, a ding! signals a private message in the chat.
—KimParakSae: Hi, River-nim!
“Hmm?”
Who’s this?
I stop my meaningless double-jumps and rub my chin, thinking.
KimParakSae, KimParakSae…
“Oh!”
A guildmate I used to play with. I quit ages ago, but they’re still playing?
—To KimParakSae: Hi!
I send a greeting and open the guild window to scan it.
Last logins: 365 days ago, 400 days ago—lots of people with triple-digit absences. But some were online minutes or hours ago, or even now.
The guild list has unfamiliar names and familiar ones, including KimParakSae.
I thought the guild would be dead after I left, but the chat’s surprisingly active.
—YayongYengYong: Thanks for helping with the boss! >ㅅ<
—BekGoe: No big deal, haha.
—vlwmrlaqkq: Good work!
—BekGoe: Message me after the weekly reset, I’ll help again haha.
Hmm.
Not a chat I can jump into.
I’ll just do my own thing.
…
Playing after so long, even jumping around town is fun. I occasionally hit the attack button to use skills.
After always playing intense PvP games, this PvE game feels relaxing. No one yells at you for sucking at hunting.
Lately, I keep getting head-flicks when gaming with friends.
I rub my head, feeling phantom pain.
Hmph. Just wait till I get good. I won’t queue with them even if they beg.
With that small resolve, I use a movement skill and head to the hunting ground.
Through a portal, a wide blue field opens up.
Round slimes roam around. Despite their cute looks, these level 200 giant slimes get shredded by my character’s merciless sword strikes.
Pop pop pop!
Damage numbers soar skyward. The slimes make pained (>￦<) faces.
Haha, die!
No use making cute faces. Become my EXP quietly.
Pop pop!
The slimes fight back, stretching their heads and swinging. Bells on their tips whip out, hitting my character.
Bloop.
A pathetic sound effect.
A tombstone falls from the sky.
“….”
Oh.
I forgot to equip my gear.
I double-click to equip it. My HP and MP shoot up, and my character looks tougher.
Now I’m ready.
Time to teach these slimes a lesson.
Pop pop!
Damage numbers appear above the slimes’ heads, now in a different league.
Even level 200 ferocious slimes can’t handle millions in damage. They make (ㅇㅅㅇ;;) faces and crumble into dust.
“Hehehe…”
That’s my Priest. My combat power’s a whopping 1.3 million.
The nostalgic feel of this old game hits hard. Reworked skills swing with flashier, stronger effects.
Pop pop!
Zing!
While hunting, I glance at the chat. Despite the low online count, it’s moving fast.
—BekGoe: Yaong-i-nim, I got this from the boss run. Want it? lol [Absolute Mage Staff]
—YayongYengYong: Oh, can I really take it? ㅠㅠ
—BekGoe: I’m a veteran, I get these all the time. Trade me, I’ll give it quick haha.
—YayongYengYong: Thanks, oppa! >_<
Hmm.
Is this that “carrying” thing?
I don’t really get it.
Not a chat I can join, so I focus on hunting.
Pop pop, swoosh!
After swinging my sword and bursting slimes, a pop! effect signals a level-up.
Now level 202.
202 is 202 backwards.
“Pfft.”
I chuckle and open the stat window. Investing my new stat points boosts my combat power.
Nice. Very nice.
Back to hunting. My attacks, exactly 0.76923% stronger, rain down on the slimes.
Pop pop!
My character keeps jumping endlessly.
The same skills swing, the same slimes burst.
“Boring…”
New controls and nostalgia couldn’t beat the monotony of hourly hunting.
Hmm.
Maybe I’ll stop hunting.
The real fun of this game is boss raids with party members.
Heh.
The weekly reward grind is annoying, but boss raids were always the best part.
That’s why I joined a guild.
So let’s do one!
It’s been so long, my specs are probably too low for new bosses. I’ll stick to an old one I used to farm.
I set party joining to allowed and post in the guild chat.
—Riverflow: Hard Serena, 1/5
Nice.
Now I wait.
As I start hunting again, a private message pops up instantly.
—KimParakSae: I’m in.
—To KimParakSae: Cool!
One person already.
Hehe.
Today’s off to a good start.
*
“Why’s no one joining…?”
Weird. It’s an old boss, but is it normal for no one to join?
This game’s boss raids are fun, and veterans often run old bosses with newbies for fun, but there’s no response now.
—YayongYengYong: Anyone for daily quests? Hinghingㅠㅠ
—BekGoe: Invite me, I’ll help right away.
—vlwmrlaqkq: Invite me too.
Hmm.
It’s not like the guild’s empty.
If no one joins, maybe I’ll post in the recruitment chat.
But after getting burned in recruitment chat before, I really don’t want to. Even newbie guides say to stick to guilds.
—Riverflow: Hard Serena, 2/5
It’s been over an hour since I posted. I’m so bored I stopped hunting and started browsing my phone.
As I wait, a message from KimParakSae, who joined the boss run, pops up.
—KimParakSae: River-nim.
—KimParakSae: No one’s joining, want some help?
I don’t know what they mean by help, but I’m not getting anywhere, so I agree.
KimParakSae posts in the guild chat.
—KimParakSae: Hard Serena, 2/5
What’s the point of that? I wonder, but messages flood in for KimParakSae.
—KimParakSae: Invite vlwmrlaqkq.
—KimParakSae: BekGoe too.
—KimParakSae: ZlJohnBishopZlJohn too.
Whoa.
Is this the power of connections?
Seeing the party window fill up brings tears of joy.
I should’ve asked for help from the start.
I greet the new members in chat and prepare to start the raid when one asks:
—BekGoe: No voice chat?