"Wait a moment, Featherlight! I'd like to speak with you about something."
Just as Ryan was about to exit the dungeon for the umpteenth time, a gentle voice called out from behind him. It was Sky Dragon Roar.
The true leader of the Sky Dragon Family approached at an unhurried pace. The other players remained still, watching curiously. A few groups craned their necks, trying to gauge what was happening and whether a conflict was about to erupt, while others whispered speculation about why Sky Dragon Roar had approached him so politely.
"I think we should exchange friend requests and chat privately first," Sky Dragon Roar said with a polite smile. He sent Ryan a friend request.
Ryan studied him for a moment, then nodded and accepted, opening a private chat window.
"I apologize for Sky Dragon Ascendant's aggressive approach earlier," Sky Dragon Roar began. "Please don't take it to heart."
He had already learned that Sky Dragon Ascendant had tried to forcefully buy the method for clearing Blood Hollow, but failed. It seemed he had also managed to offend the 'expert' who had earned two Glorious Achievements.
Ryan shook his head. He didn't care about any of that. Reputation could wait. For him, the most important thing right now was earning money as quickly as possible, and staying ahead of everyone else.
"To be honest, the twenty thousand Sky Dragon Ascendant offered were far beyond its actual worth," Sky Dragon Roar continued. "I believe he spoke out of desperation. If I had bought it for that price back then, our relationship would have been completely adversarial."
Ryan had estimated that the method for clearing Blood Hollow was worth, at most, around ten to fifteen thousand. Anything more simply wasn't cost-effective.
After all, he could only guide four players through Blood Hollow at a time, and at most, twenty players per hour. At two hundred dollars per person, that came out to only four thousand dollars in cash.
Furthermore, in the early stages of the game, there were only a few dozen players who were eager enough to leave the Newbie Village immediately. Most players preferred to team up and clear the dungeon themselves rather than pay such a steep price to get through it.
Of course, now that more and more new players were joining, some wealthy scions who didn't care about money might choose to spend a bit just to clear the dungeon faster. But Ryan didn't have the luxury to wait for them to reach level five. At best, a few hours after guiding the first batch, he would have to leave the village himself. Otherwise, his future development would become uncertain.
Sky Dragon Roar looked at him steadily. "What I want to ask is, did you truly clear Blood Hollow by yourself?"
Sky Dragon Roar seemed genuinely curious. They had just conducted over ten practice runs with another guild, yet they couldn't even withstand the first wave of monsters in the dungeon. How had this person managed to get past those creatures and defeat the final boss?
"You probably wiped at the first wave of monsters, didn't you?" Ryan asked calmly.
He wasn't surprised at all. The level 5 common gear sold in the Newbie Village wasn't just for decoration—it existed precisely to give players a legitimate chance to clear the dungeon once they reached level 5.
Plate-wearers who were fully equipped with level 5 common gear would take significantly less damage, enough to stand their ground even under pressure. With just two properly geared plate-wearers, a team could easily hold off an entire wave of monsters.
"You should level up to 5 first, then buy some level 5 common gear from the Newbie Village," Ryan advised. "That will significantly improve your defenses."
He told him this plainly. It wasn't exactly a secret, and he suspected Sky Dragon Roar already knew as much. But what Sky Dragon Roar truly wanted to uncover was how someone could clear Blood Hollow alone.
"We know reaching level 5 gives a significant boost," Sky Dragon Roar said, shaking his head with a wry smile. "But I believe you were only level 4 when you cleared Blood Hollow—and you didn't have any high-tier armor, did you?"
Ryan could see the curiosity in his eyes. Judging by the reports from players who had already failed their attempts, Sky Dragon Roar was eager to understand the method behind Featherlight's success.
"After you reach level 5 and accept the village exit quest, I can show you how I got through the early parts," Ryan said.
A slight, cunning smile played at the corner of his lips as he continued, "But I will charge a fee. Two hundred dollars per person. You can come alone or bring others—it's your choice."
"Village exit quest?" Sky Dragon Roar repeated, latching onto the phrase immediately. His eyes lit up. "Are you saying you can only leave the Newbie Village after completing the village exit quest?"
Ryan nodded.
"What are the odds," Sky Dragon Roar pressed, "that five level 5 players, fully geared, could clear the newbie dungeon?"
"You should be able to clear it within two days," Ryan replied with an easy smile.
Seeing the skeptical look on Sky Dragon Roar's face, he simply smiled again and didn't bother to elaborate further.
He wasn't making this up. In his previous life—one filled with setbacks and constant competition—the first team of players hadn't managed to clear the dungeon until two days after the game launched. Only then had the President made his first global address.
"Even a few hours' lead is well worth it," Sky Dragon Roar said, his tone thoughtful.
"Alright then," Ryan said. "Go level up. When you reach level 5, find Warden Nard and accept the main quest. Just be aware: this main quest has prerequisites. You'll need to complete all the wolf-slaying quests first."
He finished speaking, then turned and walked back toward the dungeon entrance without another word, leaving Sky Dragon Roar deep in thought.