I'm Living as a Healer in Nord World - Chapter 7

[Hunting Grounds and Players]

Nord World was a general term referring to the entirety of the Nord Kingdom. Its capital, Midgard, was not only the kingdom’s heart but also the most bustling metropolis within the game, serving as the players’ starting city.

Naturally, this meant that the surrounding areas were filled with low-level hunting grounds. Players could travel to these hunting areas by traversing the fields directly, but most preferred the convenience of teleporting through the central gate.

“Wow. Can we really pass through this thing?”

“Don’t worry. It’s just a simple transport gate, like in the game. I’ve tested it dozens of times, so no need to get nervous.”

Lydian, who had been hesitantly eyeing the shimmering blue portal, looked a bit startled. Hern sighed as he casually stepped into the gate, his body vanishing instantly with a low hum.

[Entrance to Pukin’s Nest (Levels 20–40)]

A system window hovered above the portal labeled as a “gate.” Taking a deep breath, Lydian mustered her courage, tightly shut her eyes, and rushed forward.

There was no remarkable sensation—just a gentle tickling breeze brushing across her skin. When she opened her eyes, the familiar sight of the bustling city was gone, replaced by the vibrant green entrance of a forest.

“Wow….”

“See? Not too bad, right? You’ll just pass back through the portal when you’re ready to return to town.”

Hern, who just passed through the gate, smiled sheepishly. Lydian nodded and glanced around the waiting area of the hunting ground, which was laid out just as it had been during the game.

An NPC, doll-like in appearance, had set up a small stall in the center of the clearing, with branching paths from north, south, east and west, marked by system windows indicating level restrictions.

“There’s a lot of people here.”

Lydian was right. The waiting room was much more crowded than she’d expected. People of all classes had gathered, all keen to explore and adapt to this new world.

In the game, such a sight would have been unimaginable. Low-level zones, typically abandoned, were now teeming with players, most of whom seemed to be of mid-level or higher. Lydian couldn’t help but smile, albeit uneasily.

Everyone must have had similar thoughts: it was safer here. No wonder they flocked to this low-level area out of caution.

“It’s already been three weeks. People are getting used to things psychologically, and sitting around doesn’t solve anything. Besides, you need gold to survive here, and knowing how to fight might come in handy. The quick learners are already leveling up smoothly. Looks like athletic players have an easier time moving around.”

Hern gestured to the players. The more muscular, athletic ones seemed particularly confident, exuding a self-assured energy.

“And if you keep taking hits from lower-level monsters, the pain doesn’t feel so bad anymore. Like we discussed before, higher defense reduces the pain levels. It still hurts, though, so most people aren’t thrilled about it….”

“Really? That’s a relief. Once everyone gets used to combat, I guess we’ll start seeing competition for hunting grounds.”

“Maybe, but that’s probably a concern for later. If disputes happen, the top-ranked players will likely mediate, don’t you think?”

“Maybe. Or they might just claim the grounds for themselves…. By the way, are you planning to jump in recklessly?”

“What, me? Of course not! I’m an archer, so I can’t tank. Not that brave, either. Even with a high-level healer as my guild leader, I wouldn’t feel confident. Let’s find a tank here and form a party.”

Lydian nodded, observing the other players’ status windows. Meanwhile, Hern opened a system window, scrolling through the available parties.

‘Smart,’ she murmured to herself, scratching her cheek awkwardly. Just when she thought she was getting the hang of things, another new system feature would pop up, like a surprise on a brand-new phone. She felt strangely old.

“Excuse me.”

Player Information

Name: Uraegwi / Guild: Starry Guild

Level: 67 / Class: Guardian / Subclass: None

HP: 6550 / MP: 550

A shy, burly man approached them—a Guardian, exactly the tank they needed. Hern’s face lit up with excitement.

“Are you guys looking for a tank by any chance?”

“Yes, we were! But, just so you know, we’re both new to the field, and I’m level 43—will that be okay? We’re thinking of heading to Zone C since it’s emptier there, and we’ll use return scrolls if needed.”

“That’s fine. I’m just trying to get used to taking hits… And with a high-level healer in the party, I don’t think I’ll be in too much danger….”

Despite his large frame, Uraegwi scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly.

Lydian looked pleased with him. Although the healer’s burden was heavier in a life-or-death situation, she appreciated his humility.

Hern quickly sent a party request.

[Hern has invited you to join the party. Accept? Y/N]

[You are now in a party with Uraegwi and Hern.]

A notification window appeared, showing HP and MP gauges above their heads in red and blue.

Understanding the situation, Lydian accessed her inventory and withdrew her weapon—a small scepter, around the length of her forearm.

Her weapon, the Priest’s Prayer—Faith, was a common choice among early high-level Saints. It wasn’t rare, but its spell-boosting abilities made it popular among new high-level Saints.

Hern also equipped his bow, and Uraegwi, the tank, drew his shield.

“Alright, shall we head out?”

Hern grinned and winked as he signaled for them to follow. Lydian and Uraegwi with slightly tense looks fell into step behind him.

[Entered Zone C of Pukin’s Nest.]

[Magic and items for travel are permitted within the hunting grounds.]

[Pukin’s Nest Zone C―3 / Recommended Level: 25+]

[Monsters present: Young Pukin, Pukin’s Guardian, Cursed Halliora]

[Field Boss Monster: Pukin / Respawn in 04:37:15]

The boss, Pukin, was a massive, white bird with an imposing appearance, though players had often mocked it by calling it a “pigeon” during the game.

It was a beginner-level boss that a pair of level 10 players could handle with relative ease. So it wasn’t a scary monster at all.

That was, of course, in the game.

“Looks like someone’s already taken down the boss. It respawns every five hours, so it must’ve been taken down recently.”

“It’s probably those combat guild rankers. Recently, some high-ranking players have been forming parties in beginner zones, helping others with boss fights and teaching combat strategies. There’s even a notice about it in the guild castle, so if you’re interested, you could check it out back in town.”

Uraegwi replied thoughtfully. Lydian, though already aware, smiled at the sight of such camaraderie. During the game, high-ranking players had often been standoffish, mostly keeping to their own circle. She hadn’t expected to see them helping others like this.

Back then, veteran players rarely offered assistance, and only a rare few, like Lydian herself, ever extended a helping hand to new players. Due to the fact that older players had little expectations for the newbies. The newfound mutual support was a refreshing change.

“Looks like they cleared out the smaller monsters while they were at it. The place feels deserted.”

“Better than it being overcrowded.”

Just as Hern replied with a frown, they heard a rustle in the bushes.

In this hyper-realistic setting, every sound was unnervingly vivid. A low growl, like a creature’s cry, sent a chill through them.

Emerging from the bushes was the lowest-tier monster, the “Young Pukin.”

Facing the ostrich-like creature, Lydian broke into a nervous sweat.

During the game, it had merely been a cute, feathered creature. Now, its realism made her knees weak. And if the young ones were this big, how large would the adults be?

Hern and Uraegwi seemed to have the same thought.

“Wow, those eyes look absolutely deranged. It’s like a twisted version of those ostriches you see on Animal X shows¹.”

“I-I’ll try to block it.”

Swallowing hard, Uraegwi stepped forward, meeting the monster’s gaze. Since it was low-level, it didn’t initiate combat, only staring back.

With a serious look, Uraegwi cautiously approached and gave the monster a light tap on the head with his shield. Hern and Lydian briefly looked confused by his overly gentle aggro attempt.

Before he could tackle it, the monster shrieked and flapped wildly, sending Uraegwi into a startled scream. Lydian was immediately reminded of an ostrich tantrum she’d once seen on XTube once.

The creature’s relentless kicks and sharp pecks bore a striking resemblance to the violent flailing of an ostrich.

Fortunately, Uraegwi’s HP had barely taken a hit. Nevertheless, the pecking was evidently painful, and he yelped in protest, clutching his arm. Lydian gave a faint, helpless laugh.

‘As expected, a level 20 monster is a bit too low, huh?’

Even so, she couldn’t just stand idly by. Preparing for the unexpected, she swiftly began chanting a series of spells.

“Divine Protection, Holy Grace… Shield of Light.”

These three spells were some of the most frequently used area buffs.

Divine Protection boosted a target’s armor, Holy Grace increases maximum HP, and Shield of Light provided a barrier that blocked a certain amount of incoming damage.

Uraegwi, who had been enduring the monster’s attacks with minimal worry, glanced down in surprise as his body began to glow faintly blue thanks to Lydian’s buffs.

As a Saint, Lydian’s spells primarily focused on HP recovery, increasing defense, minimizing damage, and enhancing stats and movement speed—qualities that made her the preferred partner of any tank.

Meanwhile, Hern raised his bow calmly, unfazed by the chaos.

As a Thief class Archer, he belonged to the DPS(Damage Per Second) role, known for high critical damage and strong attacks. Hern only needed to do was focus on aiming, relying on the passive skill “Hunter’s Eye” to guide his shots.

In Nord World, physical class attacks were classified as “skills,” while magic classes like Lydian, Bards, Elemental Summoners, and Mages used “spells” for buffs and attacks.

‘Please, let this be a one-hit kill!’

Praying, Hern drew his bow, aiming at the red dot that had marked the monster’s head. He decided to go easy for now, with only a basic attack.

The arrow flew straight and embedded itself in the monster’s head. With the sudden strike piercing its skull, the monster let out a final shriek.

Though it was hard to say if it was a critical hit or if a strike of that strength was enough to finish it in one shot. Nonetheless, the monster collapsed with an exclamation mark floating above its head.

Its body dissolved into a cloud of black dust as it touched the ground.

[You gained 1 experience point.]

[You acquired 500 gold.]

“Wow, it’s really like a game. I guess experience and loot are distributed automatically. There’s a system message for it!”

Hern murmured with fascination, looking at the empty spot where the monster had fallen.

“Yeah, since it’s a low-level area, it feels a bit underwhelming. Still, once we’re more accustomed to this, it might be worth hunting here periodically. Well, assuming we don’t get hit with any death penalties…”

“True. Who knows what lies ahead anyway. The hunting fields are our main source of gold, so if you’re comfortable with it, Uraegwi, we could keep challenging areas at a steady pace.”

Uraegwi stared at them, realizing only now what their guild names were—names he hadn’t noticed amidst the tension. Watching the two’s camaraderie, he scratched his cheek with a hint of envy.

Though he was in a large social guild himself, the constant factionalism and networking battles made it hard for the reserved Uraegwi to fit in; he was more of an observer, watching from afar.

Watching close-knit groups like these go out to hunt together was something he had always envied…

“Uraegwi, would you like to join us for a while if you’re not busy?”

Lydian’s invitation jolted Uraegwi from his daze.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Uraegwi finally registered her words, his face flushing bright red as though she’d uncovered his innermost thoughts.

“Ah… C-could I really?”

At his shy question, Lydian gave him a warm smile.

“It’s just the two of us anyway, and with a high-level Guardian like you around, we’d feel much more secure.”

And so, a three-person fixed party was formed.

Lydian and her new companions made a few more rounds around the nest, testing their skills against all the monsters except the boss. Confident that none of the threats were too overwhelming, they decided to gradually raise the difficulty level.

Leaving Pukin’s Nest, they moved to the level-30 hunting ground Elcia Hill. The battles there proved challenging but manageable.

As the monsters grew stronger, Uraegwi’s HP would occasionally drop, allowing Lydian to fully step into her healer role, using the area-healing spell “Goddess’s Touch.”

Even so, things felt slightly too easy, so they moved to the level-40 hunting ground Forest of Vigilance…

Yet despite the countless times they had encountered these patterns in the game, they found themselves struggling to adapt to this new reality.

“W-wait! My skill isn’t working!”