MINUS ZERO

Struggling

*Pant...pant....pant*

Blood drops dripped from a hanging head and he breathe in exhaustion.

"Cecil... ..Cecil.....come on," said Juray worriedly at the screen. A fire beast was heading step by step towards him, "What happened now?. I was almost there.....why?"

Two hours earlier, after the university

Juray was busy online shopping, purchasing a complete form for Cecil. He found many good items that could raise his defense, strength, and intelligence. Unfortunately, all were suited on levels like 195 or 187.

"Isn't there anything for level 200?" he asked disappointed, looking around the screen, "I guess I will have to check in the store."

Cecil walked back down the street into an old house in the corner. It had a workshop beside it. Players in the game could do jobs or part-time jobs to help them get players or earn some credits for future use.

He worked as a shop attender for a low-level player. In his shop were items, types of equipment, and even a few weapons stores for sale. However, players had better ways and non were low like him, so he was always in loose. He couldn't even dispose of them in hope of it getting some use.

Going at the backside, he pulled out an old chest, opened it, and swiped out his hand. Icons of weapons appeared in front of him in the circle. He checked their types carefully, passed his hand inside one box, and pulled out wand stuff. He said closing the box, "This should do the work" Taking it he got equipped up in a cloth armor for 1st level mages.

He took some potions from the selling shelf into his bag ad shut down the shop.

Running out, he entered an open yard of the town where several other players were coming and going for their missions and requests. Leaving and entering the town, entering checkpoints with greeting around.

He passed by all and left out in the fields of Golden kinds of wheat.

"Here I go," he said and stopped in it.

Waiting for a while, with a weave of the breeze, he tightened his palm and charged his ward, spread wide open his arms, releasing a huge weave. Thousand of slims flew up in the air. He raise high the ward and said, "Lighting fall."

From the clear sky, lighting flashed on one by one skim killing all. He ran front and strike two, three himself killing them, stopped and threw more lightings.

Thou, he was a newbie mage, every character in M. Z had their beginning attack to keep them stand on the ground. It couldn't develop or increase just a side attack.

Cecil step out of the field and said, "I guess I am getting some less weight in my weapon. Got to keep up" he ran further.

Juray checked his experience points which raised to 70. EXP helped in reaching the next level and strengthen the weapon they carried.

"I must keep up or else it might drop by getting the interference of other players.

As Cecil crossed by the plains, he quickly stopped and hid behind a hill. Some players passed by chatting,

One said, "Hey, you heard?. The mage named Cecil will soon get exiled?"

"REALLY!?" exclaimed his fellow "This isn't good"

"Why not?" asked the third one.

"Well,.... to be honest, I really enjoy defeating him and taking away his kinds of stuff. He collects unique things... quite useful and not to be found everywhere"

"Yeah, it's unbelievable," said the third one "it's as thou he knows which to take, which not to touch. I don't know how he does it?"

"Anyway," said the first one "I heard he hasn't got much time.....let's hope it be a normal type. If he won, it's good for us.

And if he fails hopefully, he gets another chance. Now hurry up we have to register our success." they walked away in distance.

"Fools..." stepped out Cecil, angrily carrying out his way "I swear I won't be a tool anymore"

Juray checked the surrounding by moving the camera with the help of the volume controller disc under the arrow keys in the keyboard, rotating with his ring finger, and said to himself,

"There's a fire dungeon nearby I remember. Quite a lot of monsters will be available with the beast with the fire beast. It should be at the level 1 stage for Cecil. If I win that I may get the glow.

It's risky but, gotta make a try"

Hearing the rustle of paces across the valley in Juray 's ears, Cecil entered the dungeon. It was empty with all rocks around and a few messes of cracks with fallen stones.

"It's obvious there was a battle here," he said looking around.

The ground suddenly begins to quake, he stood poised. All around him fire burning men jumped out engaging on him.

Cecil ran to the side one strike the two men a jolt dropping them down, he turned and attacked two, using his wand he pushed one and threw him in the other group, released lighting on them destroying all.

Taking a step front, he rushed at a large group and begin to fight in all directions swiftly, he attacked left to right turning his wand down to up.

A fireball hit his back but, he stood his ground and released a lighting tower everywhere at the group turning them to ashes.

"As long as I keep fighting alone here," said Juray while playing, " I WILL make an upgrade." His fingers moved faster and faster, heavily, and then smooth on the keys.

With a lighting swipe, 15 monsters vanished away and the area got cleared with a few fires standing in the ground. Cecil sighed dusting away his armor and said, seriously "Now it's time....better fill up"

In M.Z, when the monsters were cleared on a stage, a Boss would arrive by blocking the exit. It will play a survival battle as the rule,

One shall stand and one shall fall...

Exiting was possible while fighting numerous side monsters but, with boss whatever you have go with it.

The moment Cecil was about to take an Elixir a blow hit his back throwing away his bag and he dropped to the ground.

"OH! MY MY BAG!" he exclaimed trying to get it but, a step crushed it under its foot.

He got shocked and looked up. A huge blazing beast glaring at him with its hungry eyes and tight charging fist. It lifted up its fist and punched straight at him, but Cecil got up backward missing the attack and the ground broke.

He stood by the wall and said, "I lost my bag and can't heal up myself...This is terrible ...now what."

The beast rushed in full speed and press its arm force on him to the wall. The mage got squeezed by the hard hit. It moved back letting him collapse to the ground and kicked him to the other side. He slides far on the floor, laying in pain.

Getting hold of his hands and legs, he leaned on them and blood drop dripped from his head

"Cecil.....Cecil...come on...." said Juray worried as he looked at the statues of the Boss in the glass,

BOSS: Blazing beast.

Level: 7

HP: 30/30

Element: Fire carrier.

Juray saw that Cecil's HP wasn't enough. Due to the battle ere the boss, he lost some HP but, now he had to fight a BOSS who was 7 ranked with only 30 HP.

In this game, Character leveling went from ascending to descending order.

Whereas, BOSS was from descending to ascending.

The players had to use a little common sense to get the arrangement.

The difficulty of the stage was raised when 50 players, no matter single or party, had cleared it, it would grow 10% tougher as expected the player would be well skilled. Numerous side monsters and a skilled BOSS.

Since 50 players weren't over in this stage so Cecil had luck by his side.

He stood up shivering and said, "I must try...only one hour is left...I won't lose my house...This won't end easily..."

"There is only one way to go on..." said Juray inwards.

"ONE HIT AT A TIME!" both spoke at once.