A player stood nervously at the west gate of Danem City. This city is the starting city in the middle area for players who have just started playing SENSES. This player has been standing in front of the gate for 1 hour, sweat trickling down his forehead as he watched a group of players stream past him, their laughter echoing in the crisp air. Another group of players walked towards the gate, then he tried to approach the player.

He mutters softly. "... can... group?"

Players who were heading out of the gate could not hear the words and continued to walk through the gate. A few minutes later two other players appeared and walked towards the gate again. This time the player who had been standing at the gate for a long time shouted to those two players.

"Excuse me...." he shouted, the words escaping his lips like a startled bird. The players continued, oblivious to his plea.

The two players stop and turn around. The player who shouted continued his speech but to soft compared to his previous shout. "...group."

One of the players answered. "What are you talking about?"

Then the player who started the conversation suddenly trembled. And instead of answering the question, he ran away from the gate and into the city streets.

"Hah...hah...hah."

The fleeing player gasped for breath and finally stopped in front of a building marked 'Meat Shop'. From inside the butcher shop was a big bald man, with large arm muscles, and a slightly bloated stomach while holding a butcher knife. Above the man's head was written Carnice, the name of the butcher's Non-Player Character (NPC).

With a pitiful face, the shop owner said to the player "Hey, Kin! Delivering meat again, are we?"

Kin forced a smile, his usual pitiful demeanor giving way to determination. "Yes, but—"

"Perfect! I need you to help me with deliveries." Carnice interrupted, handing Kin a list of addresses.

The man with ID Kin, who is of average height, has a pot belly, his face is mostly covered by bangs, and has acne scars on his cheeks and nose, can only laugh and nod. "Okay. You've made a list of customer addresses, right?"

A notification pops out in front of Kin.

[Quest delivering meat]

[Cranice is the owner of a butcher shop who has no other employees so he needs help to deliver meat to recipients according to the list provided by Carnice within a maximum of 1 day.

Quest success conditions: Meat is given to the recipient according to the list within 1 day.

Quest failure conditions: Meat failed to be given to the recipient according to the list within 1 day or meat was lost.

Quest success reward: relationship with Carnice +1, 500 experience, 1 gold.

Fine quest failure: relationship with Carnice -1.]

In the end, I still couldn't get out of this city and had to return to this quest. At least from this quest prize, I can level up.

Carnice gives a piece of paper to Kin."Yes, the customer list and addresses are already in there."

Upon receiving the list of the customer, it automatically made the quest from Carnice accepted by Kin. Then he lifted the bag containing the meat and started walking through the city of Danem.

It has been 3 years in the game world or 1.5 years in the real world. And Kin is still in the city of Danem. Because of that Kin has done this quest thousands of times, so Kin already memorized the quest route and the people who need to be met. Also, he knows other quests from other NPCs can be run simultaneously with the quests given by Carnice.

Because the city of Danem is a starting city for new players, the quests in this city are not difficult quests. Quests in this city generally consist of delivering goods, buying items ordered by NPCs, selling goods at the market, looking for items around the city or killing monsters around the city. Every time they complete this quest, players will be given a prize in the form of experience which can increase the player's level as well as gold, which is the currency in this game, and it is not uncommon to also get other prizes such as relationships with NPCs like in this quest.

Because the quest in this starting city is not difficult, players will generally carry out this quest for 1-2 weeks, maybe a maximum of 1 month. In that time the players will be familiar with the system, controls, existing features, and how to fight in this game. The player has also reached the minimum level required to make a job change. So someone who is stuck in a starting city for 3 years like Kin it's a rare case.

Job changes cannot be made in the starting city. There are certain cities that are related to certain jobs. So players need to travel to those cities or cities that have transportation to the city the players want. Due to the long journey and the large number of monsters roaming along the way, most players will form teams between players and travel together to other cities. Kin has met the qualifications to make the job change after 1 month of playing SENSES. But because of his extreme introvert and fear of socializing, it has been 3 years since he still can't leave the city of Danem.

When Kin passed the city gate he saw a group of players going through the city gate.

If only someone wanted to take me out of this city. If only I were brave enough to reach other players and join their team. If I were so strong I could go to another city on my own. If only NPCs could be teammates. I want to go out to another city and become a hero like all the novels or comic characters I used to read.

This thought replayed over and over in Kin's mind every time he passed the city gates. As he replayed his regrets in his mind he walked quickly through the city streets giving meat to the NPCs according to the list. And at the same time, he will take other quests at several NPCs he passes which can be done at the same time as the quest from Carnice. Along the way, Kin is always greeted by NPCs, the NPCs in this town already know him very well because Kin already has a fairly high relationship status with the NPCs in Danem town. And because of Kin's high relationship with the NPCs, he can get additional quests that players generally can't get. So in one week, Kin can complete dozens of quests from various NPCs.

"Hi Fakiha, this is meat from Carnice. I also want to help you harvest some apples near the soldier's barracks." Kin greets the fruit seller.

As she pointed to a chest beside her store."You can put meat from Carnice there, and here is a bag to collect apples."

Fakiha gives Kin a green bag like a carrier for mountaineering. As Fakiha gives the bag a notification pops out in front of Kin.

[Quest collecting apple]

[Currently, the apples around the soldier's barracks are entering the harvest season. Fakiha asks you to harvest the apples so they can be sold at her fruit shop.

Quest success conditions: Provide 1 kg of apples from the harvest from the apple trees around the barracks area in 1 day.

Quest failure conditions: Failed to provide 1 kg of apples from the harvest on the apple trees around the barracks area in 1 day.

Quest success reward: relationship with Fakiha +1, 500 experience, 1 gold.

Quest failure penalty: relationship with Fakiha -1.]

The player who was buying fruit was confused and asked his friend "Is there a quest from this NPC?"

His friend with the same confused face as he is shaking his head.

In the SENSES game, the player's relationship with the NPC is very important. Because it will affect the number of quests, prizes from quests and the level of difficulty for the quests that players can get from NPCs. Because Kin has a good relationship with quite a lot of NPCs in Danem City, he often gets quests that other players don't get with prizes that are quite high compared to the difficulty level of the quest. Kin already has good relationships with almost all NPCs in Danem city, especially NPCs with various types of jobs ranging from merchants, crafters, gatherers and workers.

However, there is a type of NPC that he does not have a high enough relationship with, namely with NPC fighters such as city soldiers or city police. Except with a few soldiers guarding the gate. And the only reason Kin had quite a good relationship with them is because he often stood around the city gates. So to improve relationships with fighter job type NPCs other than gate guard soldiers, for the last 6 months, Kin has often looked for quests related to city soldiers. Starting from quests from blacksmiths to pick up and deliver swords or armor from or to the soldier's barracks, following patrols with the soldiers and also looking for items around the barracks.

Kin hopes that by frequently taking part in quests around the barracks, his relationship with the soldiers will become higher so that he can get the job change quest to become a city soldier. Carnice the butcher's quest this time is also related to city soldiers. Because the last name on the list of NPCs to give meat and complete the quest was in the city soldier's barracks.

Kin has arrived at the last list in the quest. He arrived at the soldier's barracks. Then start picking apples from the trees around the barracks to complete Fakiha's quest. After successfully collecting 1 full bag of apples, Kin put it next to the apple tree and entered the barracks. There are no soldiers in the barracks because the soldiers were out on patrol. Based on recent rumors from players and NPCs, there are monsters emerging from underground and killing players. So a lot of soldiers patrol to secure the city. But it's just a rumor especially for players because there is no quest related to that incident. For Kin who is not a skilled fighter, this rumor doesn't mean anything and does not pique his interest.

After he cannot find any soldier around the front gate of the barracks or near entries to the barracks. Kin went straight to the supply warehouse in the barracks. He goes to the warehouse inside the barack where he usually puts the meat from Carnice's quest. But when Kin enters the warehouse, he sees someone inside.

"Who are you?" Ask someone in the supply warehouse.

Kin is surprised and starts stuttering because of an NPC in front of him with a silver name "I... I am Kin ...I want to deliver meat from Carnice."

In SENSES all the NPC categorize into 7 ranks. The lowest NPCs in this game are normal rank which can be known by NPC's name written in white color. And the highest rank is rank 7 a mythical rank that their name written in gold with rainbow light. So the NPC's name in front of Kin is written in silver which is categorized as rank 3 or super rare NPC.

"Hi Kin, thank you for often delivering meat to this barracks. Put the meat in the box next to the cupboard." Answer by NPC named Major Glav. A notification pops out in front of Kin.

[Quest delivering meat completed.]

[You get a relationship with Carnice +1, 500 experience, 1 gold.

Relationship gifts with Carnice + 1 failed due to the relationship with Carnice already reached maximum.]

[Your level has increased by 1]

[Your current level is 70]

[Name: Kin Level: 70

Job: Novice 

Grade Job: Normal

HP: 14.000 

Mana: 14.000

Status: STR: 140 AGI: 140 DEX: 140 YEAR: 140 INT: 140

Skill: Trust]

Kin is happy because his level has increased. Currently, the difference between Kin's level and the average player who started playing SENSES from the start of its release is 49 levels different. This difference seems small, but if you look at Kin's condition, which cannot leave the city and is limited to quests in this city, the level difference will increase over time. So the increase of Kin's level, it increases his eagerness to leave this city and be able to catch up with other player's levels.

Tomorrow I will try again to get out of this city, either by forming a team with other players or by myself. Kin strengthened his determination.

After completing the quest, Kin then got up and walked out of the warehouse. But right before he leaves the warehouse, Major Glav stops him. Kin was stunned. A notification pops out beside the results of the quest to deliver meat.

[Relationship with Major Glav +1]

Before Kin even finishes reading the notification, Major Glav starts talking to Kin. "Kin, I need your help."

Without waiting for Kin to answer, Major Glav continued talking to Kin. " Can you deliver supplies to my men at the western edge of the city? You exit through the west gate and right there you will find one of my soldiers who will help you carry all this stuff to my soldiers."

Major Glav's words made Kin realize what was going to happen. Then suddenly a quest notification pops out in front of Kin.

[Quest delivering supplies to Danem city soldiers.]

[Currently, Major Glav needs your help to deliver the supplies for his soldiers to the west of Danem city. There will be one of the soldiers waiting for you at the west gate of Danem city. The soldier will accompany you to deliver the goods to the location. Deliver these items without any damage.

Quest success conditions: Deliver 5 boxes of supplies without any damage.

Quest failure conditions: Failed to deliver 5 boxes of supplies, supplies are damaged or supplier recipient dies.

Quest success reward: Relationship with Major Glav increases by 10 for every 10 surviving soldiers. Job changes depending on the success level of the quest.

Quest failure penalty: Major Glav will never give you another quest. Relationship with Major Glav becomes 0. Danem city population will decrease. The number of residents who will decrease due to failed quests will increase every 1 hour]

I can change jobs.