Kaiden’s chest heaved as he stumbled through the tall grass, clutching his side. The poison icon in the corner of his interface pulsed ominously as his LP ticked down in steady intervals. His scythe dragged slightly behind him as he pushed forward, searching for the faint outlines of the first town visible in the distance.

  LP: 5/110

  “Come on,” he grumbled, his voice tinged with desperation. His legs felt sluggish, every step growing heavier as the poison gnawed at his life points. He glanced around, but the meadow stretched without any sign of helpful NPCs or other players. “This game’s brutal.”

  Another ping brought his health down to 2 LP. The edges of his vision began to blur, and he braced himself for the inevitable respawn. But just as the world seemed ready to fade, a vial of shimmering liquid arced through the air and shattered at his feet. A soft glow enveloped him, and the poison icon disappeared from his interface. His LP began to fill rapidly.

  LP Restored: 110/110

  Kaiden straightened up, startled. A familiar voice rang out behind him.

  “Wow, dying right after character creation. That’s a new one. You’re welcome, by the way.”

  Kaiden turned to see a tall figure approaching. The player’s armor glinted in the sunlight, adorned with sharp, thorn-like protrusions that seemed decorative and functional. The sigil of a coiled vine was etched onto his shield, and a massive spiked mace rested casually on his shoulder. It was Alex, in-game name as AchillesHeal, a high-level Guardener with an advanced job, SpikeWarden. They specialize in tanking with an emphasis on crowd control.

  Kaiden couldn’t help but grin. “Not bad. You’ve been busy, huh?”

  Alex smirked, gesturing to his gear. “Yeah, well, someone has to carry the squad. You’re lucky I’ve got antidotes on me. What were you thinking, wandering that far without healing items or even a Supporter in your party?”

  Kaiden shrugged. “Hey, you said explore, and I just got caught up. The world’s a little too immersive.”

  “No kidding,” Alex remarked, opening a party invite. “Let’s team up. I’ll stick with you for a bit so you don’t die in the tutorial zone.”

  [Accept Invite from Player AchillesHeal?]

  [Y/N]

  Kaiden accepted the invitation, and the party interface appeared at the top-right of his HUD. He couldn’t help but admire Alex’s level and stats, starkly contrasting his own.

  Nyte

  Role: Reaper

  Class: Thornblade

  Level: 2

  LP: 110/110

  AP: 60

  AchilliesHeal

  Role: Guardener

  Class: Spike Warden

  Level: 15

  LP: 1,200/1,200

  GP [Guard Points]: 200

  “Alright,” Alex uttered. “Before we head into town, let’s see if you’ve learned anything. Pick a fight with something, and I’ll watch.”

  Kaiden hefted his scythe, scanning the grass for movement. It didn’t take long for a cluster of Rootlings to spawn nearby, their jagged leaves rustling as they moved. With a sharp inhale, he charged forward, opening with Thorned Strike.

  The scythe’s blade connected cleanly, slicing through the first Rootling [-15 LP]. Digital particles scattered as it dissolved, but the remaining monsters retaliated, landing a hit on Kaiden [-8 LP]. Kaiden sidestepped, activating Petal Cloak to vanish momentarily before reappearing behind another Rootling for a counter slash [-20 LP].

  “Not bad,” Alex called out. “But you’re missing the key to dealing max damage. Follow-up attacks are essential, and hitting their Root Damage is critical. Every monster has cells that can be broken to reach its stem, the root of its weak spot. But a ‘cell’ is not singular. It’s a convergence point; break enough of what feeds it, and the structure collapses. Though Cells can regenerate if you give them enough time to recover.”

  Kaiden adjusted his grip, eyeing the next Rootling carefully. As he struck repeatedly, he noticed a faint glowing point on the creature’s torso. A weak spot. He immediately followed up with another swing, shattering the stem [+10 Critical Damage Bonus].

  The Rootling let out a screech before collapsing, dropping an extra loot item due to the successful weak spot strike. Kaiden didn’t even realize that he leveled up until a notification appeared.

  New Skill Unlocked:

  Fracture Strike: Perform a powerful follow-up attack to break enemy cells and deal bonus damage.

  [Loot Dropped]:

  Rootling Sap: A sticky resin harvested from defeated Rootlings, used to craft basic antidotes or sell for minor gold.

  “Nice,” Kaiden celebrated, testing his new skill on the remaining Rootlings. The scythe’s movements felt sharper, more deliberate, as the skill allowed him to chain attacks seamlessly. Before long, the battle was over, giving Kaiden a breather to check out his new stats.

  Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

  Updated Stats:

  Name: Nyte

  Role: Reaper

  Class: Thornblade

  Level: 2

  LP: 110/110

  AP: 60

  Atk: 20

  Def: 12

  Dex: 14

  Agl: 25

  Int: 10

  Wis: 8

  Kaiden turned to Alex, grinning. “This is actually pretty fun.”

  “Good. Now, let’s head to town before you start thinking you’re invincible.”

  The two were about to leave when a nearby commotion caught their attention. A lone player, clearly new, was surrounded by a mob of Dandi-Lions and Rootlings. His avatar, dressed in a simple robe, flailed desperately, throwing flasks that barely scratched the monsters.

  “Help!” the player cried, his health bar flashing dangerously low.

  Kaiden didn’t hesitate. He rushed forward, scythe in hand, and unleashed a barrage of attacks. Using Thorned Strike and his newly acquired Fracture Strike, he precisely tore through the monsters. Within moments, the field was clear.

  [+10 Exp]

  [+5 Critical follow-up damage]

  The player collapsed to the ground, panting. “Thanks, man. I thought I was done for.”

  Alex approached, offering the player a potion and an antidote. “Here, looks like you’ll need this.”

  The player introduced himself as Naō, though his in-game name appeared as Mixmaster in the party interface. His avatar was lean and slightly shorter than Kaiden’s, with unruly blonde hair that framed a youthful, freckled face. He wore a white robe stained with colorful splotches. A small satchel hung at his side, filled with vials that clinked softly as he moved. His shy demeanor contrasted with Kaiden’s confidence, but he quickly warmed up to the duo.

  After some brief introductions, Alex invited Naō to their party. As they walked, Kaiden glanced at Naō’s gear. “You’ve got a pretty unique look. I’m guessing those potions are your main weapon?”

  Naō nodded. “Yeah, Chemists focus on crafting and using mixtures to heal and debuff. I’m still figuring it out, though. Honestly, I’m surprised I lasted as long as I did out there.”

  Alex chuckled. “You’ll get the hang of it. Just stick with us, and you’ll be fine.”

  Kaiden grinned. “Well, I’ve got your back if you get in trouble again. Hopefully, I’ll get even better at this whole reaper thing.”

  The trio shared a laugh as they approached the gates of Sunveil.

  ???°?°???

  [The First Town: Sunveil]

  Sunveil was a vibrant hub of activity, alive with the chatter of players and the hum of a bustling economy. The cobblestone streets were lined with colorful vendor stalls, each manned by NPCs advertising their wares with enthusiastic shouts. Banners hung between buildings, their insignias marking various guilds that had made the town their base.

  In the center of the square stood a massive fountain shaped like a blooming sunflower, water cascading from its petals in a mesmerizing display. The aroma of fresh bread wafted from a bakery, mingling with the sharper scents of alchemical ingredients from a nearby apothecary. Kaiden couldn’t help but take it all in, the immersive world captivating his senses. Players filled the square, some chatting by the fountain and using emotes to dance or to show expressions, while others bartered with NPC merchants.

  Alex gestured toward the main square. “Alright, before you two get lost, let me show you where the quest board is.” He led them through the bustling streets, pointing out key locations along the way. “That’s the blacksmith over there. You’ll want to upgrade your weapons later. And that shop with the red awning? That’s the general store. Pick up antidotes and basic potions there. Oh, and the building with the greenhouse symbol next to it? That’s a solarium. They’re the inns of this game.”

  Naō’s eyes darted around, his curiosity evident. “This place feels so alive. It’s hard to believe it’s all just a game.”

  Kaiden nodded in agreement, marveling at the level of detail. “Yeah. It’s like stepping into a real town.”

  Finally, they arrived at a large wooden board covered in parchment. Various quests were pinned up, ranging from hunting low-level monsters to gathering herbs in nearby fields. Alex tapped the board. “This is your starting point. Early quests will teach you the basics and get you some decent gear. Pick something simple to start. I’ll be around if you need me.”

  Nyte and Naō nodded, but before they could accept their first quest, a group of high-level players walked into the square. Their gear shone with an otherworldly glow, and their presence immediately drew attention.

  One of them, an Exterminator named CrimsonCrow—the advanced job of Burner—carried a massive flaming shear. He shouted to Alex, “There you are, Achilles. Took you long enough.” His avatar was imposing with dark charred armor accented by flickering embers. His voice carried a hint of playful arrogance. Beside him stood other high-level players, each radiating power and aura, their gear glimmering with effects that marked their experience.

  Alex sighed. “Squad, meet Nyte and Mixmaster. These two are fresh, but they’re picking things up fast.”

  The CrimsonCrow nodded at Kaiden. “Nyte, huh? You’ve got a good starting Class. Thornblade’s a solid choice for damage with the Reaper job. You want to see what this game looks like at higher levels?”

  Kaiden’s interest was piqued. “What do you mean?”

  Another squad member with frost-covered robes chimed in. His avatar exuded an icy aura, with crystalline shards embedded in his flowing, frost-blue cloak. The Eradicator—the advanced job of Cryogylist—carried a carved spike tipped with a glowing, razor-sharp edge resembling the icicles it summoned in combat.

  His voice was calm but carried an undertone of sharpness, matching the cold theme of his appearance. “We’re heading out for a raid before the sun goes down. You two can’t join the fight at your level, but you can watch from the gate. It’ll give you an idea of what’s ahead.”

  Naō hesitated. “Are you sure we won’t just get in the way?”

  The Eradicator waved dismissively. “You’ll be outside the battle zone. Perfectly safe.”

  Kaiden looked at Naō and then at Alex. “What do you think?”

  Alex seemed reluctant, but the squad’s insistence won him over. “Alright. Just don’t get any ideas about rushing into late-game content unprepared.”

  A notification appeared on Kaiden’s screen:

  [Player AchillesHeal has left the Party]

  With that, the group set off, ready to showcase the game’s high-level challenges to the new players.

  Party Interface:

  Name: Nyte

  Role: Reaper

  Class: Thornblade

  Level: 2

  LP: 110/110

  AP: 60

  Name: MixMaster

  Role: Supporter

  Class: Chemist

  Level: 1

  LP: 80/80

  SP [Stamina Points]: 50