Misha averaged her attribute points to STR, DEX, and AGI, so she could move faster and boost Tama's attack strength against monsters.

As for INT and WIS, they played the most crucial role during the power leveling.

Both statuses influenced [Flame Field]'s performance, which was the key to the success of the previous fight.

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Number of usages: 10

Next level: 661

Activation Cost: 47 Hunger

Barrier Upkeep: 1 Hunger per 9 Seconds

Generated s.h.i.+eld Power: 11.52 HP per 1 PF

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Flame Field is a skill that can be used as a weapon or a defensive s.h.i.+eld. By activating it, a fire dome will burst out of the caster, burning everything within five meters radius. Afterward, the fire dome will act as a s.h.i.+eld against physical attacks and fire attacks.

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After it is cast, a fire barrier will remain until the caster dispels it. The caster can pay the upkeep to maintain the barrier. However, if the flame field suffered damages from any attack, the caster's PF will decrease to upkeep the barrier.

Higher flame field mastery increases firepower, adds damage reduction, reduces the activation cost, and lowers the upkeep.

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During the fight, Misha's INT was only 50. However, her flame field caused 50 fixed damages from the DOT attack per one burst, which was also an AOE attack.

By increasing it to 100, Misha expected that the firepower should have increased to 100 fixed damages after 10 seconds DOT, which could be used to be the primary attack skill against stronger monsters.

200 WIS increased Misha's PF to 200, which could generate the flame field s.h.i.+eld of 2304 HP! This would be Misha's secondary HP to increase her survivability in the future.

As VIT and STA, Misha allowed them to increase naturally by her dragonewt's trait.

*Mew* (Wanna test your new status with a new group?)

"Aggro one for me. I want to test the damage from my fire skills. Don't help me this time."

*Meh-Heh Mew!* (Roger!)

Tama threw a rock and hit a 1500-power corroding zombie. It turned around and charged at Misha.

When it got closer, Misha released her flame field.

>

The damage increased as they had expected, but that was not all.

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

52!

57!

49!

Damages from Misha's rifle increased as her total strength got closer to the zombie. Since the monster's buff got weaker, its defense got lowered.

It was easier to solo-leveling against these type of zombies now, as long as Misha had enough bullets.

The zombie became another corpse for Misha to collect after a few more shots.

*Mew* (Should we farm those 2,500-power bears or the vultures next? I think we got too few EXP for killing one of them now.)

Misha earned a total of 7,950 EXP, including the VIP EXP bonus from the zombie just now. When her level was lower, she used to get about 15,000 per kill, which Tama felt it was too little.

"Let's be efficient. These zombies always gather in groups, so we can exploit our AOE attacks. Besides, I got used to their attack patterns now. I think I can solo them in my sleep."

*Meh* (Keep flexing till you get a direct hit.)

"I'm serious, though. I just have that feeling."

Since Misha almost ran out of bullets, she decided to visit the mafia mall and the Parthenon to resupply and unload her a.s.sets, aka dead bodies.

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The restock of bullets cost Misha 10,000 dust for 5,000 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammo, even though Misha bought it from Yuri, the acquaintance of Arthur.

While she was at it, Misha got rid of the marked money she had, exchanging them for 10,000 dust, which returned her bullet's investment cost. Also, other j.a.ptems, such as melee weapons and clothes from dead players, netted Misha another 5,000 dust.

It was pitiful money, but she took it nonetheless.

Also, she sold the two jetpacks she had since they were already broken from the fight against zombies. The main reason for their deterioration was Misha's flame field, which also damaged the items.

Eva put this item to auction for Misha since she could not calculate its worth. However, the two broken jetpacks were bought out by Silkroad, who offered Misha 100,000 dust for each.

Finished with the business at the mafia mall, Misha dumped all dead bodies to the Parthenon, gaining 700 karma in one go.

Now, Misha had 510 positive karma. She was relieved that she had more room to commit crimes and selling organs to Dexter again.

'I can sell 25 bodies with this kind of karma. If I'm desperate, I can sell 45 more since I'm now level 92. The game should allow my karma to reach minus 920 before it kicks me to the hardcore server. Also …'

Misha glanced at her chemical ingredients in the inventory.

'I've yet to grind my science cooking skill.'

Finished increasing her karma, Misha bought three more basic skills from her dragonewt G.o.d.

Fireball

Fire Breath

Fire Resistance

They were expensive since Misha used her dust to buy them instead of using 1,000 soul points for each of them. Since the exchange rate ratio was 1,000 Dust to 1 Soul Point, Misha spent 3 million dust on all skills.

Looking at her bank balance, Misha had a wry smile on her face.

2,555,100 Dust

'I need to gather 50 million for the guild. But what's the difference between the cheap 1-star guild and 5 star-guild anyway?'

She messaged to Sasha, asking about the details about guild founding. However, Sasha replied that she was busy, and she did not have the time to chat.

Sulking, Misha visited the town, walking toward her next destination.

A real estate company

Misha was looking for a place that she could cook her meth, so she could sell them for big money.

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Meanwhile, Sasha was observing the auction house in the mafia theater. Since she was in a different server, Sasha did not meet Misha or any player that was in Misha's server.

However, Sasha managed to become an apprentice of an NPC, a consigliere of a mafia organization.

She got this position because of one peculiar item.

The VIP healing potion.

"150,000!"

"170,000!"

"250,000!"

The auction was going on, and the item on display was Sasha's VIP potion.

"250,000 going once!"

"300,000!"

"350,000!"

The price kept rising as two elders, who were in their wheelchair, kept telling their followers to bid.

"500,000 going once!"

"500,000 going twice!"

"Sold at 500,000 to Mr. Capone!"

Sasha clicked her tongue when she realized that they stopped bidding at 500,000 Dust again.

This was not the first time that Sasha had place a healing potion on the auction house. She had done so for the fifth time, including this attempt.

Unfortunately, all NPCs seemed to be influenced by an algorithm of the game as they would stop bidding whenever the price reached 500,000 Dust.

'Is this the cap of a VIP item? Are they trying to limit the diamond-to-dust exchange rate?'

Sasha attempted to gather her guild funding by using her real money. By buying diamonds and converting them to VIP items, she could obtain dust faster than hunting monsters.

Yet, it still took time to get a few million as Sasha could only place five items per one auction, which was held once a day.

Sasha's master, Ross Willard, patted Sasha's shoulder.

"You've made 2,500,000 in this auction. The auction management will take 10% as a handling fee, so you get a total of 2,250,000 Dust. As per our agreement, I'll take a 20% cut from that amount as my tuition fee."

Sasha bit her lower lip and nodded, "Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome. Take this emblem and put it with you. From now on, you can come to this center to do business. The staff here will automatically cut 20% of your income to donate to our family. Also, be sure to pay 1 million dust a month to keep that emblem. If you fail to pay us, we'll retrieve it back from you."

"… Yes, sir."

This was the deal that Sasha had with Ross. It was an unfair deal, but Sasha got a pa.s.s to this mafia center to do business.

Furthermore, there were many hidden masters among various mafia organizations that Sasha could learn their skills.

"Don't worry, child. I'm a fair man. Here, take this book. I wrote it myself, so it will help you in the future."

Sasha obtained a worn-out book from Ross, and a system notification rang.

>

For the first time, Sasha bowed to Ross, "Thank you, sir."

"I'll be off now. If you have any questions about how this mall operates, ask the clerks behind the counters on the first floor."

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Number of Usages: 0

Next Level: 10

Usage Cost: 5 Hunger

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This is a basic skill that can evaluate or appraise finished narcotic substances' quality and weaponry's status. Underworld Appraisal was a vital skill in the underworld trade as there are many con artists among the members. You can't believe in anyone's words but yourself when you trade with the mafias.

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Appraise your targeted object(s). You can see the quality, value, and hidden effect of the appraised items. Only workable on firearms and drugs.

A higher level increases the appraisal success chance and increases the chance to detect hidden attributes.

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Sasha sighed, 'I doubt it is worth my MWD. Well, at least it's better than nothing.'

Since Sasha wanted to take a break, she checked the level ranking to see how Misha and others progressed through the game after the second day was almost over.

'WHAT!?'

Something was not right about the ranking. Misha had lost her first place to Roman, who was only level 20 yesterday.

'How is this possible!? I don't mind it if he were a mutant like Misha, but from my memory, he's an ordinary human, right? Even Misha is grinding fast, she still lost to that small fry!?'

Sasha was not the only one with that question.

At the moment, ordinary players' average level was 25. Because of the outskirt areas where weak green zombies sp.a.w.ned had been crowded by players, they had a hard time leveling. Many of them began forming a party to grind a stronger monster, but they could barely fight anything with over 500 or 600 power with melee weapons.

Guns and ammunition were expensive in the public store as one bullet cost 20 Dust, and the cheapest gun had a price tag of 10,000 Dust, which was more costly than buying them from Yuri.

As such, melee weapons were more popular among players, as they were easy to acquire and cheap.

At this stage of the game, more than 30% of players had experienced death more than once. Because all of their items in the inventory and the equipped items would be lost if they die, most players decided to be frugal and kept everything valuable in the bank.

As their equipment was inadequate, their leveling pace got slower than the rankers and rich players that wielded guns.

Soon, the social media noticed Roman's level, which revealed the wicked trait of a PTW game.

"Misha lost her first rank!"

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1. LV.100 (S2) INWTRUE Roman Ba.s.s

2. LV.92 (S1) Misha Bloominglilly

3. LV.87 (S3451) Dove Donovan Jester

4. LV.85 (S3) Felia Blue

5. LV.79 (S2) Maple Rockingheart

6. LV.75 (S7777) Shurka Luckyaf

7. LV.58 (S10) Natalie Arc

8. LV.45 (S5) Lana Gabriel

9. LV.42 (S6) Sasha Hummingbird

10. LV.40 (S2) INWTRUE Dawson Woompeckar

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