As evening descended, the sun dipped toward the western horizon, casting a reddish glow that painted the sky in warm hues. Lin Tian let out a sigh of relief as he emerged from the forest, the cool breeze greeting his face. Thanks to the earlier announcement, several adventurers were gathering at the forest's edge, eager to take on the farmer's quest.
"Wow! That's a ton of EXP for one task!" exclaimed an adventurer clad in leather armor, surprised by the opportunity.
"Yeah, but it's only available once a week," replied another, dressed in full iron armor with a massive battle axe slung over his back.
"The ones who took down the hidden boss must be veterans in this world. They probably already know the quickest ways to level up, and they might still be around here," his companion added as they made their way down the path into the forest.
Even though Lin Tian had covered his ID display, their suspicion lingered as he passed them in the opposite direction. He caught snippets of their murmurs but paid them no mind, his focus set on the NPC nearby, who was still engaged with another player.
"Alright! Let's hunt down those wolves!" the adventurer shouted, his enthusiasm flaring up like a burst of fire. As he noticed Lin Tian standing behind him, he turned around, his eyes lighting up. "Oh, hello. Are you alone? Want to team up and take down the wolves together?"
Lin Tian met his gaze with a cold, silent stare.
The adventurer hesitated for a moment before shrugging. "No? Alright, suit yourself. But don't come crying to me if you run into trouble! Because I, a proud Nightblade of the Rogue Guild, will wipe them all out!" he declared, his voice brimming as he marched down the hill.
"What a creep," Lin Tian muttered under his breath. His eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of that woman.
After their previous encounter, the situation between them had grown awkward. Eunhae had sent him a friend request, suggesting they keep in touch in case they crossed paths again. Whether to share information about the realm or simply relax in a tavern together, she had left the door open. But when Lin Tian checked her status in the Friend Connection menu, he saw she was far away.
"She's quite similar to her," he whispered to himself, completing the side quest with a lingering unease. Something felt off. "Shouldn't I be leveling up?"
Lin Tian checked his stats—level 10 with 100% EXP. He thought, a wave of realization washing over him as a long-buried piece of information resurfaced in his mind. "Ah, this feature," he murmured. "Cultivation Method."
He navigated to the EXP indicator and pressed 'Cultivate Level'. A new hologram appeared before his eyes, explaining the method that allowed adventurers to break through to the next level and earning Trait Points. This small trial was always tied to multiples of 10, and the higher the level, the longer the cultivation process would take.
For lower levels, the cultivation method might be similar across classes like Martial Artist and Knight, but the differences would become more distinct as adventurers reached higher levels. Categories such as Wizard, Rogue, and Ranger each had their own unique cultivation methods.
[Path of Cultivation: First Breakthrough
Train Your Body: 0%
Reward:
SP: +50
Agility: +10
Dexterity: +10
Trait Points: +5]
A wide smile spread across Lin Tian's face, his spirit igniting. "It'll take some time, but it doesn't matter!"
Lin Tian initially planned to return to the trials arena, knowing that the wooden tools there could be useful for his cultivation. However, he also knew that the experience gained from the arena wouldn't be ideal. Instead, he decided to head back into the forest, which was growing darker as night fell. He found a sturdy dead trunk in a secluded area.
"This looks like it's still solid," he muttered, running his hand over the rough surface of the trunk. Taking a deep breath, he delivered a powerful blow with his fist.
The damage registered as only 60—a clear indication that his raw strength was still below the tree's defense value. This made his attacks somewhat ineffective but also underscored the challenge of his cultivation. Despite the minimal damage, just a few strikes increased his cultivation by 2%.
In the quiet of the forest, with only the chirping of insects as background noise, Lin Tian's labored breaths echoed through the trees. The sound of his punches resonated until he finally stopped, leaning against the very trunk he had been hitting. "This is exhausting," he sighed, wiping sweat from his brow. "I might continue this tomorrow."
He opened his menu and hovered over the 'Log Out' button. "Can I do that here?" he wondered aloud, pressing it to test.
[Access denied. You need to sleep on a bed in a 'Safe Area'.]
"What a hassle," Lin Tian muttered, annoyance evident in his tone as he pushed himself back up. "These realistic features can be both interesting and irritating at the same time."
Dragging his feet, he made his way toward Newbarin, passing through the vast rice fields. The streetlights illuminated the area, casting a warm glow that made the town feel unexpectedly beautiful at nightfall. The comforting ambience added to the charm of this first town, making it a place worth remembering.
As he entered the town, Lin Tian noticed that various adventurers were still out and about, engaged in conversations or going about their business. What caught his attention, however, was a bonfire in the middle of the town square. A man dressed in robes stood near it, giving a speech to a gathered crowd of onlookers who listened intently.
"Thanks to the wolf killer, we were able to gather some valuable information about spots that can boost our EXP," the man declared in a firm tone, his expression serious. "I'll include this in the Beginner's Guidance, so you can check it out later."
Despite not being particularly interested, Lin Tian found himself drawn to the crowd, curious about what they were discussing.
As he edged closer, the robed man continued, "Moreover, every continent has its own World Boss, and we still haven't found one here." He opened his notes and scanned them briefly. "You could ignore it and move on to the second continent when you reach the appropriate level, but remember—defeating the World Boss is important. It means everything."
"You won't lose anything by defeating them," the wizard-like man continued, spreading his arms wide in a dramatic gesture. "In fact, their loot will be valuable in the future. So, I invite all of you to collaborate in finding this monster and marking its location, so we can take it down together."
One of the adventurers in the crowd raised his hand. "Doesn't fighting a boss have a limit on the number of participating adventurers? What about those who don't get the chance to join the fight?"
The man smiled confidently. "Good question. For your information, this World Boss will always revive and respawn in a different location. So, even if you miss the first encounter, you'll always have another chance to face it. Now, what's your decision? Will you join me in this research?"
The crowd responded with cheers, their enthusiasm palpable. But Lin Tian remained unmoved, indifferent to the prospect of joining the expedition. While it was true that finding and defeating a World Boss could be highly advantageous, Lin Tian didn't see the need to invest his time in it.
With a calm demeanor, he walked away from the crowd and made his way to the nearest tavern. The atmosphere inside was a stark contrast to the lively square outside—quiet and serene, with lanterns casting a soft, reddish glow throughout the room. Without hesitation, Lin Tian rented a room for the night at an almost absurdly cheap price and headed up the stairs.
"I wonder what awaits," he mused as he lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "Well, I should get some rest now. I don't want to be late for work."
As he drifted off to sleep, his consciousness slowly faded, pulling him away from the virtual world and back into the reality of his everyday life.