The Gloomy Healer & His Companions II

---Chapter 2: The Gloomy Healer & His Companions II

Myth of Genesis Online was a semi-popular game, so it had a fair amount of players, all split among several different servers. However, any given player character could only exist on one server. Quartz and his friends played on the 14th server. It was rather far down the list, so it wasn’t quite as populated as most others, meaning the community was a little more insular. If anyone stood out, word about them would spread much more easily.

“The Gloomy Healer…?” Yui asked.

“It’s kind of an embarrassing story…” Quartz glanced away. “Thankfully, I think that reputation has finally started to die down recently.”

“See, back when we first started playing, Quartz here would only ever partner up with me.” Striker explained, patting his pal on the shoulder. “But it’s an MMO, right? You gotta get to know others and have fun playing with a variety of people!”

“After getting that idea stuck in his head, this guy just ditched me and went off to join some other party, leaving me to fend for myself…” Quartz groaned, recalling the memory.

“So you went to go play with new people and then… started getting called the Gloomy Healer?” Yui lifted her hand to her chin, thinking deeply on the story.

“Basically, yeah…” Quartz sighed. “I never really fit in, and just hopped from one party to another. Everyone kept commenting on how I acted so gloomy and disinterested all the time, as if I’m somehow supposed to know how to casually chat with these people I just met! Eventually, so many parties had heard of me that I started getting actively turned down. I almost quit the game at that point!”

Quartz flopped his face down on the table after recounting his socially awkward history.

“Hmm…!” Yui pondered.

“Yeah, that’s the long and short of it. Even I’d heard the phrase ‘gloomy healer’ in passing before I ever actually met him.” Mint smiled sympathetically at Quartz.

“Indeed. Mint and I both split off from our old party right around the time Striker realized what was going on. He was desperately assembling a new party to invite Quartz to be a part of when he ran into us.” Rokugo added, adjusting his glasses. “The four of us have been playing together ever since.”

“Yep. But after forming the party, it was like Quartz stopped trying to interact with players outside of our group almost entirely. That’s why we were surprised that he of all people found a fifth member for the group!” Mint grinned.

“Listen… You guys just don’t get it! In an online game like this, there are all kinds of weirdos and trolls! If I can just enjoy the game with a small group like this, then I don’t need to deal with anyone else!” Quartz defended himself, trying to hide his embarrassment.

“Yep, that’s our anti-social Quartz for ya! Hahaha!” Striker chuckled.

“I’m not anti-social!” Quartz flailed at Striker.

“Okay!” Yui declared in a loud voice.

With that, the rest of the group all stopped and turned her way. Then, Yui continued...

“I think I get the big picture. But, there’s one thing I still don’t understand…!” she spoke with her head low, building up the tension. And then, with a lift of her head she boldly declared: “Quartz isn’t gloomy at all! Why would they call him that?!”

“… Huh?” Quartz squeaked.

Then, the whole group broke out in laughter. Yui innocently looked on, confused.

“Hahaha, yeah, this girl is a winner! I definitely want to keep a pure-hearted girl like this on our party!” Mint spoke between her chuckles.

“A true rarity in this day and age for sure.” Rokugo spoke, expertly hiding his grin. “I’m sure your admirer would make an excellent addition to the group, Quartz.”

“My what?” Quartz nearly fell out of his chair.

“To think, my ole’ pal Quartz managed to get a girlfriend before me…! And I’m the one living the college life!” Striker sobbed in an exaggerated manner.

“G-girlfriend?! We only just became friends, you know!” Quartz was now, surely, totally embarrassed. “And don’t bring up IRL stuff so casually!”

Meanwhile, quietly in her own corner…

“M-me? Quartz’s girlfriend? Don’t be silly! I mean, he seems like a kind person, and it’s not like I’m against the idea but, oh my… Huehehe~!” Yui muttered quietly to herself while fidgeting in place.

The ruckus continued for quite some time before the group finally decided to head out and actually get some quests done.

---

“Target in sight… Everyone ready?” Rokugo whispered. The other four all nodded.

The group was hiding in the bushes atop a small cliff within a swampy marsh. Before them, a certain monster protected its territory. A tall reptilian creature with the face of an alligator wandered the swamp on two legs, carrying a huge axe in the hand of one of its two muscular arms. Known as a Gatorrex, this powerful creature was often fought in parties due to its heavy-hitting strength.

Earlier, the group had decided to help Mint with an ongoing quest, in which one of the required items was a Gatorrex fang.

“Okay, ready… Fire!” Rokugo shouted, releasing an arrow from his bow, which flew straight into the Gatorrex’s eye.

“GROOOOAAAUUUGH!!” the creature shouted in pain, as it released a powerful aura around its body, causing the muddy puddles of water to ripple violently.

“Let’s go!” “Right!”

Striker and Yui leapt from the cliff into the swampy marsh, both dashing up and surrounding the monster from two sides.

“Hya!” Mint shouted, leaping from the cliff close behind the other two, Quartz in tow. Mint’s staff glowed and a trail of ice traced along the ground straight toward the Gatorrex, whose feet became frozen to the ground.

“My turn!” Quartz shouted as he cast a debuff on the monster, lowering its defensive stats.

Following that, Striker began slashing the monster with his blade, while Yui landed one heavy punch after another. The disoriented creature continued to roar as its HP was quickly depleting, but it wouldn’t go down without a fight.

In an instant, the creature broke free from the ice encasing its ankles and kicked Striker away.

“Gwaaugh!” he screamed, tumbling into the mud.

Despite this, Yui stayed in place, continuing to punch it over and over, oblivious to the creature raising its huge axe overhead.

“Yui! Get out of there! It’s about to strike with its axe! That thing deals huge damage!” Quartz shouted.

“?!” Yui glanced up, and then…

“Wait, she’s going to guard?! Not evade?!” Mint was stunned, seeing Yui take a defensive stance.

“No, Yui! You have to dodge! Heavy attacks like that tear through your defense!” Quartz continued to shout in desperation. But it was already too late, as the Gatorrex quickly swung down its axe.

“Gnh!” Yui grunted on impact, before being launched straight into some nearby trees.

“Yui, no!” Quartz shouted.

“Dammit!” Striker grunted, rising to his feet and rushing in to deal some slashes while the monster was cooling down from its heavy attack.

“Quartz, go heal Yui! I’ll cover you! Mint, freeze its feet again!” Rokugo shouted from atop the cliff as he readied his bow once more.

““Got it!”” the two responded.

As Mint recast her spell, Quartz dashed toward the trees Yui was flung into. But then, in the corner of his vision, he noticed…

“Wait…” he blinked in disbelief, before shouting: “Guys! Yui’s still got plenty of health!”

As he shouted those words, the blurry image of a person leaping from the trees caught everyone’s eyes.

“Hyaaaah!” Yui screamed.

Everyone looked on in disbelief as Yui flew straight back toward the Gatorrex with her mighty leap, and…

“Gwaaugh!” the creature groaned, as Yui punched it directly in the face, knocking it to the ground with a big splash of mud.

“No way, she knocked it down?!” Rokugo gasped.

In Myth of Genesis Online, knocking down a large foe was a difficult thing to do, but doing so opened them up to a flurry of attacks while they struggle to regain their footing.

“Everyone, attack!” Rokugo shouted.

All at once, everyone dished out their strongest attacks, with Quartz boosting everyone’s attack stat. Before long, the creature’s HP dropped to 0 and it crumbled away.

“Here it is! The Gatorrex fang! Thanks everyone!” Mint smiled, taking her piece of the loot.

“Good work, everyone.” Rokugo spoke, coming down from the cliff.

“But wow Yui, that knock down punch was so badass!” Striker gushed.

“Haha, thanks!” Yui scratched the back of her head, a bit embarrassed.

“How did you survive the swing of that axe with so little damage, though?” Quartz asked, still curious.

“Oh! That’s probably because of this!” Yui responded with glee, as she began to remove her martial arts uniform.

“W-wait, Yui! Why are you undressing?!” Quartz quickly covered his eyes in embarrassment.

“Hm? Just to show you this.” Yui nonchalantly pointed at herself.

There she stood, revealing… an old-fashioned school swimsuit, complete with a nametag that said “YUI-YUI” on the front.

“Huh…?” Quartz could only stare, dumbfounded.

“Goodness, is that the Holy Sanctuary’s Swimsuit? That’s a rare event item.” Rokugo spoke up, impressed.

“Oh yeah! I remember they were offering that as a reward for some event back in the summer!” Mint recalled. “I heard that it had crazy huge defense stats!”

“Yeah! That event is where I got it!” Yui smiled gleefully.

“This is a special event item with… huge defense?” Quartz sighed in disbelief, wondering what the devs were thinking.

All-in-all, the day’s quest was a success. Needless to say, from then on the party embraced Yui with open arms.