"Humans?" Ethan muttered aloud, his gaze fixed on the group of humans who stared back at him and the other individuals present in the field.
"Are they other players as well?" Mia inquired from behind, her initial fear of entering the structure ahead subsiding as she noticed the presence of fellow humans.
Ethan didn't immediately respond to Mia's question, maintaining his observation of the humans before him, who were reciprocating the scrutiny.
After a few seconds, one of the humans broke the silence, stepping closer until they were within hearing distance of the six others, including Ethan.
This person, a youthful-looking man with a muscular build, appeared to be in his mid-twenties. He wore a blood-soaked tracksuit that had become tattered, suggesting a background in bodybuilding or physical training.
Oddly, something about this man triggered a sense of familiarity within Ethan. It took only a few more moments for Ethan to recognize him, prompting an exclamation of surprise to escape his lips.
Coincidentally, Ethan's exclamation was loud enough to capture the attention of the man.
"RageHeart?"
"Hmm?" The man responded with a hint of confusion, his thoughts momentarily scattered upon hearing a familiar name in a place where he had encountered few fellow humans since arriving at the tutorial grounds.
Curiosity piqued, he turned his gaze toward the source of the voice that had called out his name, wondering who it was and whether it was a fan or a fellow renowned player.
However, Ethan didn't appear inclined to wait for the man's gaze to settle on him before taking action. He swiftly began moving toward the individual he had addressed as RageHeart.
The man designated as 'RageHeart' was caught off guard by the sight of the person who had called out his name rapidly approaching him. Initially, he entertained the notion of encountering an overenthusiastic fan, prepared to ward off any unwanted attention from fellow humans within the tutorial grounds. However, as he focused and got a clear view of Ethan's appearance, his thoughts took a drastic turn.
"Aurora?!" The man's mind raced with astonishment. First, he was taken aback by the unexpectedly swift encounter with a top-ranked worldwide player, and second, he was utterly flabbergasted that it was Ethan of all people.
Still grappling with his surprise, he pivoted to glance at the woman trailing behind him, attempting to match her with the other half of the renowned duo, RedQuiver.
"Hmmm."
'Her face doesn't ring a bell,' he concluded, returning his attention to Ethan. The distance between Ethan and 'RageHeart' had significantly narrowed, and a smile of recognition began to form on Ethan's face upon spotting the familiar countenance before him.
Likewise, 'RageHeart' mirrored the gesture, a reciprocating smile emerging as he closed the gap to meet Ethan.
The abrupt change in actions startled the other four humans emerging from the woods, but Ethan, 'RageHeart,' and Mia paid them no heed.
"I never thought I'd meet a world top 20 so soon. Haha," 'RageHeart' said with a hearty chuckle as he addressed Ethan.
Mia, hearing the man's words, felt a twinge of surprise. Despite being a casual player, she was familiar with concepts like "local rankings," "regional rankings," and the pinnacle of them all, "world rankings." The latter had a mere 100 slots reserved for players to claim recognition.
Players who managed to secure a spot within the top 100 of world rankings garnered fame, wealth, and remarkable abilities. The fact that these exceptional skills were a reflection of their real-life talents added to their allure.
Now, she was learning that the man who had come to her aid was not only a part of this illustrious ranking but also ranked within the top 20.
This revelation caught Mia off guard, prompting her to question whether they were indeed discussing world rankings or if her mind was simply overanalyzing due to her familiarity with the term.
Upon hearing 'RageHeart's' words, Ethan responded with a smile, halting his approach when he was merely five metres from the other individual.
"Says the man who's ranked above me."
"It's just one rank, and we both know that if you placed more emphasis on ranking rather than grinding for fun, you'd be much higher," RageHeart retorted. Both players, who evidently held positions within the world's top 20, shared a laugh.
Ethan's appearance and demeanour might not have suggested it, but he was indeed a bona fide top player both inside and outside of the virtual realm. However, he diverged from the typical mould of top players; rather than chasing after the goals that most others pursued, he focused on enjoying the game while earning enough to sustain himself.
In the grand scheme, his exceptional skill set was solely a result of his grinding-intensive playing style, devoid of the intense drive for dominance that characterised many of the world's top 20 players.
Ethan chose to stand apart by not affiliating with any guild, nor did he seek to manage one.
Ethan simply wanted to engage with games for their intended purpose: to have fun.
RageHeart, on the other hand, embodied what most would anticipate in a world top player, particularly one within the top 20 ranks. He enjoyed the fruits of fame, wealth, and skill, much like his peers.
Notably, RageHeart held the position of sub-guild master within a substantial guild, and his achievements were numerous.
At a surface level, one might assume that interactions between RageHeart and Ethan would be superficial at best, considering the status quo. However, this perception would be rather off base, as the reality was that the two players had engaged in numerous interactions and grown familiar with each other. As top players hailing from the same country and state, it would have been unusual if their paths hadn't crossed in some capacity, even if only within the confines of the game world.
The sudden shift in atmosphere prompted by the interaction between Ethan and RageHeart caught everyone off guard. Before they could fully acclimate to this change, another shift occurred as both players adopted serious expressions.
"You look like a mess," RageHeart commented, observing Ethan's dishevelled appearance, likely the result of tussling with wolves.
"And you're not looking any better," Ethan retorted, briefly glancing at the blood-stained rags wrapped around RageHeart's fists.
"What's happened to you?"