Surviving in my Own Unpublished Failed Novel

[Group Notification

Quest Title: War of the Species

Type: Main Quest

Description:

With the Gem-Species Scorpions running rampant across the desert, it caused them to be cautious and started hiding as the Luminous Scorpion, King of the desert ordered his men to capture the other species to be made slaves!

Due to this, the 'Sand Beetles' had no choice, but to do any means to survive!

Clear Conditions:

Aid the Sand Beetles against the Gem-Tailed Scorpions from the East!

Rewards:

Data Copy of the Virtual Battleground, 'Desert of the Luminous Scorpion.'

Failure: Accumulated points will be reduced to 0.

Duration: 12 hours

Virtual System's Note: There is another way to clear this quest!]

...

Anya Amasawa and company looked at the Group Notification in front of them.

Although they had long guessed that there was a Main Quest, they didn't expect that it was a War between the Sand Beetle species against the Gemless-Tailed Scorpion species.

What's more, were the rewards for clearing the quest.

"Anya, do you have any idea about what's a 'Data Copy'?"

It was Arash Hood, the Metal Archer, who asked the question.

Anya, Celiya, and Erina had vague ideas regarding the reward while Arist Stallion, the tanker of some kind was waiting in puzzlement for Anya's answer.

After two to three seconds, Anya spoke casually, but somehow, her tone contained more motivation.

"Data Copy means that the Obelisk Academy will transfer the data of the map, as well as monsters in our personal Virtual Capsule inside our dormitories... In this case, it's this map where we are right now..."

Celiya and Erina nodded at Anya's words, confirming their guess while Arash and Arist widened their eyes in shock, before asking with a tone of disbelief.

"T-that means we can use this map to personally train, right??"

Anya nodded at his words.

Virtual Capsule that was provided to every A-1 student only has data of a 'Virtual Training Ground'. It's like a square enclosed space, but it was a wide one based on the real Obelisk Public Training Ground arena.

Its only downside was that it didn't have monsters to fight with.

Virtual Capsule, especially personal ones was often used for mental training due to the fixed time difference of 1 is to 3, or an hour in real life, three hours inside the Virtual Capsule.

It was a different kind of Virtual Capsule compared to what they're using right now where its time difference depends on what the Professor requested it to be.

'This is very rewarding, does the Obelisk Academy want us to fight to the death?'

Anya thought as she looked at her group members, she then saw Arash and Arist who were fired up with the reward as their eyes glimmered.

After five seconds, she looked at the Sand Beetles circling them with a look of reverence.

They arrived at the oasis after the Gemless-Tailed Scorpion Warden died which completed the quest.

"Thank you for saving our imprisoned kind."

The biggest one of the Sand Beetles which was eight meters in height and eight meters in length, spoke in a deep voice, prompting Anya and company to flinch.

They were momentarily at a loss for words as they looked with different expressions at the Sand Beetle that resembled a rhino beetle because of its protruding horns from its left and right, as well as in the middle.

'An intelligent monster...'

Anya reined in her thoughts as she inspected the monster's details.

[Sand Beetle King]

One of the Three Kings of the Desert of the Luminous Scorpion!

After avoiding the tyrannical rule of the Luminous Scorpion, the Strongest King of the Desert, food became scarce for the Sand Beetle Species that they resolved to eat another species which were the Gemless-Tailed Scorpions, thus it caused deep animosity between the two species.

Health Points: 2000

Stamina Points: 2000

Mana Points: 2000

Stats:

Strength: 200

Dexterity: 200

Constitution: 200

Agility: 200

Vitality: 200

Perception: 200

Willpower: 200

Tenacity: 200

Charm: 5

Luck: 5

Magic Power: 200

Unique Skill:

Gigantification (Passive)

By using another species as food, Sand Beetles would grow in size.

This unique skill was inherent, and will always be present in their kind.

Rank: D+

Size limit: 8 meters

Skills:

Sand Walk and Burrow (Passive)

This is a characteristic of the Species of the Sand!

Rank: D

Effects:

- Allows the Sand Beetles to run faster in the desert. (Sand Walk)

- Allows them to hide beneath the sand. (Sand Burrow)

Horn Charge

Using its speed in the desert and its horns that could pierce even metal, the Sand Beetle King would run to its enemies with its might!

Rank: D+

Cost: 250 Mana per charge

Cooldown: None

Effects:

By using Mana, the Sand Beetle King's whole body will be strengthened, as well as its horns, having the courage to stomp on its enemies.

But if the Sand Beetle King hit an enemy stronger than him, it would momentarily stagger.

...

'I see... So that's what they are for.'

After inspecting the Sand Beetle King, Anya came to the realization that they could use the bodies of the Gem-Species, as well as the Gemless-Tailed ones that they killed.

"No problem, we're here to aid you."

~ Click click click-!

The sounds of gratefulness resounded in the oasis. It came from the Sand Beetles of various sizes who couldn't speak but instinctively followed their King.

"By the way, could you help us clean this mess?"

Anya looked around where the bodies of Gemless-Tailed Scorpions, as well as the Gemless-Tailed Scorpion Warden, were lying down, devoid of virtual life.

She also took out the bodies of the Gem-Species they killed on the periphery of the oasis. Their sizes only range from a meter or two.

Seeing what Anya did, Celiya and company also did the same as each of them had stuffed some scorpions inside their Virtual Dimensional Inventory.

After some signal between the Sand Beetles and their King, they proceeded to munch on the corpses of the scorpions on the ground while the Sand Beetle King looked at Anya's group as if it was waiting to be asked.

Anya, who saw the Sand Beetle King's attitude silently obliged as she asked various questions such as the difference between the Gem-Species and the Gemless-Tailed.

The Luminous Scorpion, the Strongest of the Three Kings in the desert began to oppress the other species. Anya and company encountered them first, any scorpion that have colorful gems attached to its tail was a subordinate of the Luminous Scorpion King.

And the reason for the oasis' existence was that it served as one of the bases of the Gemless-Tailed Scorpions against the Luminous Scorpion King.

"Where's the Gemless-Tailed Scorpion King right now?"

Anya asked, prompting Celiya and company to look up at the Sand Beetle King that seemed like a three-story building with its towering height, expecting an answer.

"It was sealed in the ruins in the East, but we felt that it broke free for some reason."

The Sand Beetle King that seemed fluent in speaking told them the reason.

After a few seconds, they guessed what happened.

"It's Leon's group, for sure."

It was Celiya who spoke, she didn't receive any objections to her guess as everyone tacitly agreed to it.

After pondering for a moment, Anya asked a simple question.

"How did you know we are here?"

~ Click click click-

With soft clicking sounds produced by its mouth, the Sand Beetle King spoke.

"After you raided this place, some of my imprisoned kind escaped and told us the situation. We also felt it from afar as we are connected species."

Anya nodded in satisfaction as she looked around at some small Sand Beetles that were a meter in height, but grew bigger by eating the scorpions.

'Although this is just a Virtual World, I'm certain that this Strayed Dungeon in real life has also this kind of situation... but the two kings, Sand Beetle King and the Gemless-Tailed Scorpion King were mini-bosses before reaching the Final Boss.'

Thoughts surged in Anya's mind as he looked at everyone, then her sights ended at the Sand Beetle King before she spoke.

"What's the plan now?"

...

At the Obelisk of Virtual Technology, Room for A-1 of First Years.

The Main Quest flashed on the side of one of the holographic screens for everyone to see.

Various reactions and expressions instantly formed, especially because of the rewards, specifically the Data Copy of the Desert of the Luminous Scorpion.

Freya Moon was texting her older brother, Russell Moon, through her smartwatch as she typed in the mini-holographic screen 'that could be seen' by other people, but appeared blurry in their vision.

"Oppa, I'm excited about my first group battle, but I'm a little anxious because there is no Pain Reduction.

By the way Oppa, I'm in Group 6, Samantha Hall's group.

She is asking for you, you know! I heard from her that you were training together at the Obelisk Tracking Field almost every early morning recently. Well, I trained with her sometimes, so it's only fair. Unfortunately, I can't always join you because I can't always wake up that early!

Oppa, it is Anya Amasawa and Leon von Obreyon's battle right now...

There's also the Main Quest or something...

I took a picture of it. I hope I could get the reward, too with Samantha! I'm glad to whoever thought of such rewards!

Wish us luck, Oppa.

|Photo Attached|"

After sending the message to her older brother who maybe was sleeping still at this moment, Freya cast her gaze at the holographic screen where Anya and Leon's group who rode each mount of their own headed for the middle of the desert.

It's the signal for the approaching war.

...

Room 393, Andromeda Building

~ Ting-!

Russell Moon who barely woke up heard the sound of his smartwatch on his right wrist as he was stirring a high-quality black coffee in a glass.

'This smartwatch has barely any use.'

Russell lampooned inwardly before opening the message that came from Freya.

As he read the message, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry especially on the part, 'I'm glad to whoever thought of such rewards!'

Russell restrained himself to reply that 'It was me' in a serious manner.

'So far, there are no anomalies or unexpected elements.'

He heaved a sigh of relief before his expression turned into a frown because he was reminded that the original stats of Elizabeth von Etherion, Anya Amasawa, Rumia Flora, and Leon von Obreyon were slightly stronger compared to the novel.

This caused him that time to almost be thrown into mental disarray.

He checked them one by one during the Banquet of Obelisk after he learned that Samantha's stats, specifically her acquired Stigma, was extremely different from the original.

'Even though Han Jiho's stats didn't divert from the original, he still clapped Leon in the rankings. Haha'

He laughed inwardly as he recalled before replying to his younger sister, Freya.

"Okay, Good luck to all of you! I hope your group wins!

By the way, can you pass a message to Amelie privately?

Just tell her that I need her 'Black Market' information. Thank you!"

As Freya learned about Chaos or almost everything about him except his reincarnation and that this world was similar to his unpublished novel, she also learned about Amelie's predicament, thus she was not unfamiliar with Black Market.

With the approaching attack against the Crescent Weaponry Company in two weeks time, their stocks would reach an all-time low, sending them to near bankruptcy.

'It's time for money harvest.'