A new wave of players gradually began arriving at the entrance to the Abandoned Mines. As they approached, they were met with a surprising sight: a lone Paladin, calmly and efficiently cutting down elite monsters with massive health pools.
That Paladin was none other than Ryan.
Now at level 9, Ryan had become increasingly comfortable fighting in this area. His health had climbed to 489, and he moved with a confidence that came from experience—and a growing advantage in gear. After slaying a hefty number of Bone Miners, he'd collected several pieces of solid equipment tailored for his class.
He now wore a pair of Military Plate Shorts, a level 7 item that granted +1 Strength and +1 Stamina—small bonuses, but significant for a Paladin at this stage. The leg armor's defensive value alone nearly matched an entire set of standard gear.
He'd also picked up an Infantry Bracer, which added another +1 Stamina, pushing his health to an impressive 509.
The difference these green-quality items made was noticeable. The armor not only increased his attributes but provided physical damage reduction, dulling the Bone Miners' attacks considerably. Where their hits once landed for 130 to 140 damage, they now struck for only 115 to 120. Even two consecutive critical hits weren't enough to seriously endanger him anymore.
In his inventory, he had more to show for his grind: a cloth chest piece with +1 Stamina and +1 Intellect—something he planned to give to his sister once she logged back in. There was also a green-quality dagger and a pair of leather boots he didn't need. He'd trade those in the Goldmine Town market for gear better suited to his class.
Just as he finished off another Bone Miner, Ryan spotted a small group of players approaching from the edge of the misty terrain. Judging by their pace and direction, they had likely followed a quest trail here—probably some obscure hint buried in the game's lore.
They had the air of experienced players, ones who specialized in uncovering hidden or rare content. Compared to them, Ryan's instincts for PvE weren't exactly sharp—but he didn't mind. He was known for PvP. Strategy, team fights, duels—that was his arena. Finding obscure quests? That was someone else's game.
"Featherlight?"
A voice called out hesitantly.
Ryan looked up, a little confused at first—he thought his character name was hidden. Then he chuckled, realizing his reputation must've preceded him, and gave a nod.
"It is you!" the player said, visibly relieved. He was a male mage, clearly the spokesperson of the group. His eyes swept over the battlefield—specifically, the crumbling bones of the elite monster Ryan had just slain. "I figured it might be. Not many people could solo these this early."
"You guys go ahead," Ryan said casually, brushing some dust off his bracers. "I've finished what I needed here. Heading off to my next stop."
He was tempted to stay. The Bone Miners still gave 200 XP per kill, which was excellent. But he was on the cusp of hitting level 10, and the pull of Stormhold Fortress was stronger than the lure of efficient farming.
He had plans. Class specialization could wait until he returned from the fortress—but reaching it as soon as possible? That was priority one.
"Wait—could you tell us the stats of these monsters?" the mage asked sheepishly. It was an awkward question. Information like that was typically earned through effort or paid for, especially in the early game. Few were generous with it.
"You'll figure it out," Ryan said with a half-smile. "Just kill a few."
With a healer and a warrior among them, their four-man party wouldn't have much trouble. After a few kills, they'd have everything they needed to know.
Still, Ryan didn't want to seem dismissive. Without thinking much of it, he pulled up the social menu and was about to add the mage to his friends list. But as he did, he paused.
"Blackcollar Apostle" lit up on Ryan's friends list.
He blinked. The mage had added him first.
Seeing Ryan's name pop up in his own list, the mage beamed.
"This is a token of our gratitude. Thanks for the info."
To Ryan's surprise, Blackcollar Apostle sent him a trade request—with a green-quality plate gauntlet in the window.
Ryan accepted, raising an eyebrow. The Soldier's Gauntlets added +1 Strength—not a huge upgrade, but green-quality meant higher armor, and every bit helped.
After a moment's thought, Ryan returned the favor. He pulled the green leather boots from his bag and handed them over. He'd spotted a rogue in their party earlier; the +1 Agility would mean more to them than it ever would to him. Even a small boost in crit chance could make a difference this early.
"Oh! Thank you!"
The mage took the boots with a smile, glanced at them briefly, then turned to pass them to the rogue without hesitation.
"We're from Blackcollar Studio," he said, straightening up slightly. "If you ever need anything, feel free to whisper me directly. We'll treat you like a VIP."
With a polite nod, Blackcollar Apostle turned and rejoined his team, carefully engaging one of the Bone Miners.
Ryan just smirked to himself.
VIP? Sure. Everyone was a VIP—as long as they were spending money. He knew how studios like Blackcollar worked. Still, it wasn't a bad connection to have.
Checking his EXP bar, he saw he still had 20,000 points to go. A bit of a climb, but with the remaining main quests, he figured he could just about make it.
He jogged over to a nearby quest camp to turn in his current objective. Just as he was about to accept the next one, reality came knocking—literally.
Someone started shaking him.
"Ryan, time to eat!"
Molly's voice pierced through the game's ambient noise, pulling him back to the real world. Her persistent shaking jostled his body in the real world, and Ryan sighed, caught between two realms.
He pulled off his virtual headset, blinking at the light. His hand reached out and found the top of Molly's head, giving her hair a firm, affectionate ruffle.
"Little rascal. Can't you see I'm still in-game?"
"It's already noon!" Molly complained, wrinkling her nose. "Mia's still asleep, and you're still playing. Aren't you going to eat?"
She crossed her arms, then proudly added, "I bought something good today. Roasted chicken! And a huge bowl of tomato soup!"
Ryan grinned. "That so? Alright then, let's eat."
He got up from the couch and followed the scent into the dining room. Sure enough, the smell hit him like a wave—rich roasted meat and tangy tomatoes. His stomach growled in response.
Mia was there too, slumped over the table and still half-asleep, a spoon of soup lazily swirling in her bowl.
The aroma was impossible to resist. Ryan grabbed a spoon, took a hefty scoop of the tomato soup, and savored the bright, tangy taste. His appetite lit up instantly.
"Oh, right," Molly said as he tore into a roasted chicken wing, "someone called for you today."
Ryan glanced up, his mouth full. "The real estate agent? I asked them to find a new place."
Molly shook her head, mischief dancing in her eyes.
"Nope. Evelyn called."
Ryan froze.
Across the table, Mia, who had just started sipping her soup, gasped audibly.
The chicken wing slipped from Ryan's mouth, falling back to the plate.
"Evelyn?!"
He and Mia shouted in unison.