Just A Healer

Chapter 28: The Grand Arena

January 2, 2049
11:12 PM

Status: In-Game
In-Game Time: 6:12 AM
Location: Qedium City, Greida Province, Country of Axis

[Lucas Galileo]

By December 29, our parents came back from their trip to Baguio. Come to think of it, they never bothered to ask my brother and I to come along. Kasi practically, the whole year of 2048, ilampung beses na akong napupunta sa Baguio Cyber Metro. Another building of the same company I worked for [where I got fired], is also located there. We sometimes work with the other illustrators and translators there. Si Kuya, madalas ding nandoon gawa ng mga sinasabi niyang "Team Outings" nila.

New Year came, and of course, our relatives came to our house again. Ang sabi kasi ng mga kamag-anak namin, lulubos-lubusin na nila na ang bahay ng tatay ko ang maging host para sa New Year party ng angkan. Since we have a courtyard, our relatives watched the night sky being filled with colorful fireworks. 'Yong iba nga naming kamag-anak, nag-dala din ng mga pyro-technics nila at nagpa-ilaw din sa alapaap.

My brother and I only joined our relatives in the New Year prayer gathering of the Mizutani Clan [Father Side], New Year Dinner and the watching of Fireworks at the countdown. But the rest of the free time in the New Year Celebration, my older brother and I went online to train for the next day's Regional Tournament.

The past three days since December 28th was full of PVP training in the Coliseum and also dungeon training. Since only 40 players and above are needed in the tournament, the others who didn't join or weren't included, joined us in sparring and training in the coliseum. My brother was strict in our training. Sobra. Aakalain mong hindi game 'tong pinag-eensayuhan namin. Para na siyang military exercise.

Aaminin ko, mas mahirap ngayon ang ginagawa ko dahil ang daming ihe-heal since may kasama akong mas maraming kakampi. Oo nakakapag-heal ang mga Fairy Swordsmen ng Guild namiin, pero simula nang i-announce ng Kuya ko na isa akong rare healer at ang Air Axisian Healers ang pinaka-makapangyarihang klase ng healers, tumaas ang expectations sa'kin. Training pa lang, pero ang dami nang kakampi na in demand ma-heal, magka-barrier galing sa akin o di kaya naman ay movement speed buff at crowd control spell.

Yes I am grateful for my older brother's compliment, but some of the players were just too demanding and reliant on me as a healer, that it annoys me already. Grabe kung maka-lait ang ibang players sa healers, pero ito sila, todo demand ng support ko. The hell is wrong with this gaming society?

But, be that as it may, I learned more during the training. And I got more used to my avatar's body here in-game. Mas malaya kong nagagawa ang mga real-life fight patterns ko dito online, dahil mas magaan ang timbang ng Avatar ko at dahil na rin sa passive skill na meron ako. So I'm sure that even if I'm just a healer, I can still fight.

"Yinan, please do a head-count." my older brother commanded while his hands were resting on each of his swords' hilts. Sumunod si Yinan sa utos ng Kuya ko at nagsimulang magbilang ng players na nandito na.

We're now all assembled here at our Guild's Coliseum, awaiting my brother's go-signal for us to leave and head to Greida's Grand Arena. The Grand Arena of Greida is just the assembly area for the 100 Guild Parties that are participating in the tournament.

Pero ayon sa mechanics at Setup ng Regional Tournament, hindi exactly doon gaganapin ang Tournament. It will take place in the floating cities of Galgaton Province, right above the Dasnegian Valley City, were the Grand Arena is located.

"Everybody's here, sir." saad ni Yinan ng nakangitii. "Including us five officers who volunteered to join, we're 45 in all."

Bukod kasi sa aming 40 players na naka-delegate na para sumama sa Tournament, sumama ang limang pinakamatataas na officers ng Guild; si Kuya, Mademoica, Kirchei, Verge Macintosh, and Mongrel DL. Nasa harapan sila namin, habang kami naman ay naka-pila sa apat na linya. All of us had black-colored armbands on our right forearms that have the white insignia of Dominion of Orion, embroidered beautifully on the fabric.