That Time I Played A VRMMORPG.

The trio were currently waiting at the center hub of the second stage town, it was the onset of the next event.

Seeing the congregation of players, everyone got more energetic and thrilled, they had done everything to prepare for this day so isn't surprising for them to be hyped, unrelenting to let go of the highly stat boosting rewards.

And right now, the announcement from the administration just came, in an instant, the mascot cat appeared floating and started explaining the details of the event.

"Oh~ Well then, let me start. This time's event will be an exploration type! All of you will get teleported to the event map later, you all have to collect pieces of silver medals scattered across the field. There are a maximum of 300 silver medals, gathering a minimum of 10 silver medal pieces will automatically convert into one gold medal. After the event, players will be able to exchange the gold medal for skills or equipment at the exchange panel available when you have at least one silver or gold medal!" The floating cat announcer held a similar gold medal Kaede and Gram had gained during the first event they participated, the cat moved it around while players that wanted it followed it like a cat wanting it's food.

The announcement continued on and during that, everyone's status window opened by itself, the commemorative gift in the inventory turned respectively to one gold medal or silver medals based on their ranks. Within those, players that had a good ranking in the last event were familiar with the gold medal so they instantly turned happy and much motivated.

"The few players that earned medals in the last event had their medals converted already.. You can defeat and steal it from them, or you can ignore and do your best on exploring to fight monsters... It's all your choice so good luck~~"

All of the players were already able to see the medal exchange list, aside from the large set of skills occupying 70% of the list, there were also accessories, rare bracelets, heroic large swords and other rarer equipments and it made all players raring to do everything it takes to get many medals as even if their were greedy hint of lights on their eyes.

Of course, there were also large shielder equipment and skills. Kaede's eyes lit up as she browsed the exchange panel. "So many things to exchange~ Look at this shield, it's so pretty~!"

Gram already saw what he would exchange in the list so he as well got motivated.

The cat continued to explain, "Even if you die, you will only drop medals! Your equipment won't drop normally so please don't worry! The only time that medal would drop is when you defeat another player or vice versa. Do your best exploring! After death, you will respawn at the initial point of the spawn."

It was a relief that equipment cannot be dropped. It eased many player's hearts to some extent, as some didn't want to PVP. Many of them had different objectives in this event while the majority really wanted skill and equipment by getting medals, by getting them from exploring or fighting rare monsters.

Ultimately, the trio's group was an exception, as they wanted both so they would do their best to enjoy themselves while defeating many players and monsters at the same time. Unlucky players can only laugh helplessly the moment they attempted to attack them.

Not all players could have that mindset during limited-time events such as this.

"As a surprise, well few of you might know this already but this event will last one week in game time! The time spent outside the game will only be two hours since we will be hyper accelerating the game time!! There are some areas inside the event field where rare monsters lurk which give sizable medals, so please take advantage of it!"

Gram smiled with excitement in his face but at the end looked at Risa with a warning look, "Honestly so impressed that they could do that! Hey Sally, you shouldn't do too much high-speed battle or else it might make you sick and tired when you leave the game."

"I know. Of course, I care for my well-being too." Risa smiled and nodded in understanding.

It means, even after sleeping and spending time inside the game for one week, it would only pass two hours in reality. He didn't know if it would damage their ability but he guessed that they were already prepared and isn't 'concerned' with health damages to the players. It might be a different case to those heavily sensory reliant players like Risa or also him, although he was only affected by a fraction.

"It means that we will play for a much longer time!! Still there were just as many people as last time we participated.. huh." Kaede got excited as she looked around while holding her new shield [ Snow White ].

Risa put her hand at her back, "Well~ I'm still a little nervous, this being my first event and all."

Kaede glanced at the two with a smile, "They said, once you log out you're not able to join the event again, that's why, we can't log out if we want to take a break.. we have to finish the event until the end. And~... The good thing is that party members will get teleported together at the place, so it's just good for us."

"We'll be together for a while… huh.."

"Yeah.. How can I say this, it's a strange feeling… we will be exploring this event for two weeks after all.. I hope we get many medals this time, I'll make a bang getting a new skill in that list!" Gram got excited but at the same time snickered while imagining the faces of the developers after the event.

"Me too.. I hope we get many!" Kaede energetically said. Gram and Risa smiled at each other.

"You too?"

Risa agreed, "Un, let's do our best!" Joining their hands before they raised it high, motivating themselves a lot better.

"Ohhh!!"

As they waited for some time, they even heard other parties loudly declaring themselves, one example is the fiery leader of the group called [ Flame Emperor ], as all of them wears blackd and red outfit, shouting blazing and fiery quotes, the three of them looked curious.

"I promise you. As long as you're with me, you will taste only victory! We will blaze the path to the end of the skies!" The redhead, wearing an overly clothed red outfit.

"Hmm? Chrome-san!" Kaede spotted the nice uncle they met before, Gram waved at him while they introduced Risa to him. As Chrome began to learn Risa he nodded, "You're the rumored friend with AGI stat huh… very unique equipment as well."

"What rumored friend?" Risa made a confused expression. It seems they know her for a bit. Given Kaede'a high-profile self, but she didn't think hard about it.

Chrome quickly shook his hand, "Ah! It's nothing, don't worry about it… haha.."

Chrome looked at Kaede, he easily identified the large shield covering 80% of her body, he might not have known her commission with Izu, he coughed, "Yoh! It seems Maple-chan got a new shield, it looks really cool, if I may say approved by another shielder like me..."

Kaede happily presented her shield, "Thank you… Yeah! I want to strategize when attacking so that I don't waste my skills often!"

"Infused skill huh."

"Knox-kun has also gained some equipment I see, you two greatly benefited in your adventures huh.." Chrome rubbed his chin while glancing at the handsome tall boy that can rival him. As well a little more understanding about the Kaede's build

Gram smiled and joked, "I'm just a little lucky.. Well, anyways, Chrome-san is also joining the event, so please take it easy on us when we meet each other.."

"That line should be reversed to me don't yah?" Chrome rolled his eyes and snickered. They began laughing afterwards while they waited for the event to start.

...

Hearing the shout of some other party, Kaede got more curious and asked the knowledgeable uncle, "Why is their guild name Flame Emperors? Should it be Flame Queen or something?"

Chrome was also looking at the area, "You might be right about that, their leader's a powerful fire female mage named Mii, it's more provocative and boastful when Emperor is used in the name right? Although I don't know who would win between Knox or her. You know she came in fourth in the last event, she's also a force to be reckoned with."

Kaede's cute surprised face, "Ohh, Mii? Her name is so cute! Still she sounds so awesome.."

Risa snickered while mimicking Gram's voice, "I bet this guy is saying, 'not as awesome as I am?'"

Gram chopped at Risa's head, tsukkomiing, "Are you a mind-reader?" Kaede laughed and made a 'good job' riling him up.

"The event is starting, I'm going to start counting down 15 seconds so finish up preparing everyone! 15.. 14… 5…

3…

2...

1!"

"Good luck!"

After that, their bodies became light, and disappeared from the town of the second stage.

All players around simultaneously disappear as the vast majority of players in different towns vanish on their respective towns.

-

As the light disappeared, they saw the area around, the trio appeared in an open grassland. It's so fantastical because they can see large islands floating in the sky as if gravity had no effect on them, and they can also see mountainous areas far away. In the sky alongside the small clouds, at the far horizon, the appearance of dragons and others flying monsters elegantly and mystical.

Kaede's eyes widened in happiness, she ran in front of them and raised her arms, "N~ We're here? Woah! Incredible! So windy and refreshing, I feel like I can relax here for a long time!"

"Yeah! It's really beautiful!" Gram closed his eyes and felt the natural breeze of the environment.

Risa nodded in amazement, putting her hands at the back of her head, "Amazing… it's so pretty enough to give me slight chills."

Gram opened his eyes and saw in the sky, he thought, "That floating island's should be possible to explore but we don't have any type of ability to fly." He might try to make a levitation spell once his [ Spell Creation ] usage is refreshed.

It seems the developers were fully prepared this time, as they have enhanced everything to the environment details, it might be that even monster intelligence here had been enhanced again to give more challenge. They can see how rich and natural this place was, although they were in a VR game, the view was as if they were transported to another world.

Gram smiled as he raised his hand at the two girls. "Shall we go?" The two girls simultaneously said.

"Un!" "Right."

The trio started walking on the grassy path while casually talking, and even though they walked for twenty minutes in the grassy fields, they didn't encounter other players.

Thinking about it made Kaede confused but given that in the last event where she immediately had an opponent, it seems this time stage is so much larger than the last one.

Kaede blinked her eyes and glanced at her companions, "Will we be able to find medals at this rate?"

Risa shook her shoulders, "Who knows? Well, let's do it without rushing things? There's a lot of time, you know one week?"

"Yeah~ we could just make a sizable commotion and others would start popping off to the nearby area~" Gram put his hands on his pockets, while winking.

Kaede grinned cutely while she imagined that scenario, "Unn!! That's a great idea! He~He.."

Risa chuckled, "You two are so devious but I like the idea… Hey don't make that face too much Maple~!"

"I'm not! Just a little excited.. He~he.."

They walked forward choosing the direction they spawn in. It was until they saw a goblin hiding behind a small grass that they stopped, the goblin was so conspicuous that they felt the goblin was like a child playing hide and seek against its brothers.

The crouching goblin immediately targeted them the moment they approached again, as the small green creatures started running, shouting with an unidentifiable shout.

[ Goblin Scout Lv: 20 ]

It was called a scout but it couldn't even do the most thing a scout would do, to inform other goblins. Gram was already beginning to take back what he said earlier.

"The opponent is only a goblin… [ Snow White ] should be good enough." Kaede raised her large white shield. She was going to use it to not waste the usage of her skill [ Bizarre Eater ].

Kaede glanced at the two and asked, "Can I use these equipment for a while? I'll just change it later in case anything bad happens."

Gram smilingly approached while petting her head. Kaede didn't resist and didn't seem to care about the approaching monster in front.

"Yeah〜! We're counting on you Maple. This time, I'll defeat those frontal enemies, Knox should be the supporting and attacking those hard to reach in case that happens? Are we good?" Sally leered at him until she saw him nodding,

"I got no problem with that."

Upon not seeing any declination, she subconsciously smiled and flexed her double daggers on her hand. She started running, and approached the goblin back very quickly before she swung her dagger. The goblin had noticed her and tried to receive it with it's rusted club, but there was no way it's DEX could keep up with her fast momentum.

*Supa*, the club was cut off together with the very deep red line in the goblin's body. The first monster they meet on the event became light and disappeared.

[ Goblin Scout had been defeated. ]

"Oh〜! Sally's really fast!" Kaede clapped her hands in amazement, she can't still fathom how she could do it with fast reflex, if she was her, she didn't know if she couldn't effectively make use of the DEX and AGI stat as she herself wasn't an overly athletic person in real world.

"Fufufu〜 thanks! But I wonder if this is the area for weak monsters?… there might not be any medals here to gain, goblins in the area should be low-leveled too, unless.." Risa thought contemplatively as she thought of their situation.