As Derek introduced his party members to Rian, a sudden, booming voice echoed across the world. The sky darkened, and bright letters appeared in the air as the system announced, "Congratulations to the player, Aria, for reaching level 10. As the first to achieve this milestone in the world, you will receive an exclusive class change as a reward, along with 10,000 gold coins."
As Rian heard the system announcement about the exclusive class change and 10,000 gold coins for Aria, his reaction was one of frustration. He couldn't help but curse the game under his breath, feeling helpless in the face of its mechanics. Despite having secured a great class for himself, he was envious of Aria's unexpected fortune.
Rian looked at the party with an awkward expression and said, "You guys haven't even reached level 10 yourselves, and you're boosting someone else?"
Rian said, "Alright, let's get started. But how about we go to the common rank region to farm first? How far are we from there?"
Derek, the party leader, responded confidently, "It's not too far, just a few minutes' walk outside the village. We'll first farm at the lower area to get you to level 5 quickly, then we'll move up to the higher-level monsters where you can hit level 10."
Rian felt a bit of relief, knowing that the plan seemed efficient. "Let's go, then," he said, following the party as they began making their way toward the region.
As the party left the starting village, Rian received a notification: [ You have left the Safe Zone ] A slight sense of danger washed over him, but he quickly pushed it aside. After a few minutes of walking, they entered an area filled with activity players who were busy slaying boars and collecting herbs from the surrounding fields.
Derek, the party leader, stopped and turned to Rian, "Sir, please wait here while we weaken the boars. Once they're low on health, you can deliver the final strike to earn the experience points."
Rian nodded, watching the party move ahead. He couldn't help but feel a bit out of place, relying on them to power-level him, but at the same time, the idea of quickly reaching level 10 was enticing.
After a few coordinated moves from the team, the level 3 boar was heavily wounded, barely able to stand on its feet. Derek called out to Rian, "Sir, it's ready. Please come and finish it off to level up quickly."
Rian was distracted, browsing through his merchant shop and eyeing the various weapons available. The list displayed:
Ironclaw Sword (Common Rank: sharp but no buff attached) - 20 gold coins.
Ember Wand (Common Rank: comes with Fireball spell) - 20 gold coins.
Ironhide Shield (Common Rank: can withstand attacks from levels up to 5) - 20 gold coins.
Nightstalker Dagger (Common Rank: the first attack deals great damage) - 20 gold coins.
As he scrolled through the options, contemplating which item might be useful, Derek's voice pulled him back to reality. "Sir! Please come kill this boar to level up fast!" Derek called out, as the level 3 boar was on its last breath, waiting for Rian to finish it off.
Rian heard Derek and quickly purchased the Ironclaw Sword from his merchant shop. The weapon materialized in his inventory, and without wasting time, he retrieved it. The sword felt surprisingly light as he walked towards the wounded boar.
With a swift motion, Rian pierced the sword into the boar, delivering the final blow. As the creature let out a last grunt, a system notification popped up:
[You have killed the boar and gained 100 EXP]
A small rush of satisfaction filled Rian as he saw the EXP notification, knowing that each kill was a step closer to levelling up.
As Rian finished off the boar, he noticed the entire party staring at him with suspicious expressions. Mina, the mage, voiced what they were all thinking, "What is your class, sir? We thought you were a mage and didn't expect you to kill the boar with a sword."
Rian chuckled, responding with a grin, "When did I ever say I was a mage?"
The party members exchanged confused looks, not expecting his honest answer. Derek, trying to get everyone back on track, interrupted, "Alright, let's not waste time here. We need to get back to work."
Just as they were about to continue, the sky darkened again, and a world announcement echoed:
[Congratulations to player DeathIsWithMe for being the first to kill a common rank boss monster in the world. He will get the high-level common rank chest as a reward]
Rian read the name and was intrigued. The player's ominous name made quite the impression. He couldn't help but be impressed by someone already taking down a boss monster. "Looks like the competition is heating up" he thought to himself, feeling the weight of the game's challenge.
Rian didn't feel envious this time, knowing that with his merchant shop, he could eventually buy any weapon or item he desired. Sooner or later, he would have the best gear in the game. As Derek had mentioned, they had work to do, and the team quickly began chasing down more boars, weakening them so Rian could land the finishing blows and boost his level.
Each time he struck down a boar, he gained more experience, his confidence growing with each kill. The party worked efficiently, focusing on getting him to level up as quickly as possible, while Rian kept an eye on his shop, knowing that his secret advantage would keep him ahead of the game.
Rian glanced at his system panel, noting how close he was to leveling up:
[Name - BlackMerchant]
[Class - Merchant]
[Level - 1]
[Exp - 95%]
[Race - Human]
[Stats -
Strength - 10
Agility - 10
Mana - 10 ]
[Skills - Merchant Shop]
He had already killed 19 boars, bringing his experience to 95%. Just one more kill, and he'd finally level up. However, after two hours of continuous hunting, he could feel his stomach rumbling. Hunger was setting in, and he needed a break.
Derek, sensing his fatigue, pointed out another weakened boar. "Sir, this is the last one. After that, we'll take a break," he said with a reassuring smile.
Rian nodded, gripping his sword as he prepared for the final strike.
As Rian delivered the final blow to the boar, a familiar notification sound rang out, signalling his level-up. He quickly opened his system panel to check his progress:
[Name - BlackMerchant
[Class - Merchant
[Level - 2]
[Exp - 0%]
[Race- Human]
[Stats -
Strength - 15
Agility - 15
Mana - 15]
[Skills - Merchant Shop]
[Remaining Stats - 10]
He now had 10 stat points to distribute as he pleased. The boost from level 1 to level 2 felt satisfying, and with his new stats, he was already feeling stronger. But now the question loomed should he spread his points evenly, or focus on a particular area like strength or agility to gain an edge in combat?
Rian was about to distribute his remaining stat points, but he paused, reconsidering. Adding them now might not be the wisest choice. "Better to save them for when I truly need a boost." He thought, weighing the potential situations where an immediate stat increase could give him an edge. The strategy was just as important as raw power, and Rian knew that well.
The party leader, Derek, stretched his arms and said, "Alright, let's take a short break to heal up and regenerate our mana. We'll continue after that."
Group nodded as Rian and the party took a break, and as he sat off to the side, he glanced at his shop, his mind already beginning to formulate a plan. Instead of relying solely on this party to boost him, he could shift his focus to selling potions for a few days, amassing more gold, and then hiring a stronger, more efficient team to carry him through the levels. His merchant instincts kicked in as he examined the various options available for purchase:
- Healing Potions
- Mana Potions
- Poison Resistance Potion
- Heat Resistance Potion
- Water Resistance Potion
- Strength Enhancement Potion
- Agility Enhancement Potion
- Invisibility Potion
- Poisons
- Berserk Potion
- Night Vision Potion
- And many more...
With these options, he could make a fortune in sales, especially with rarer potions like Invisibility and Night Vision, which would easily attract buyers desperate for an edge. His shop gave him a massive advantage over regular players, and he intended to fully exploit that advantage to secure his future both in the game and in the real world.
Rian smirked to himself, thinking, "I'll sell potions for a few days, build up my gold reserves, and when the time comes, I'll hire the best party to boost me. This game is as much about strategy as it is about power."
After making up his mind, Rian stood up and approached Derek, who was resting against a nearby tree. "Derek, I need to talk to you about something," he said, his tone more serious than before.
Derek raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Sure, let's go over there," he said, pointing to a tree about 10 meters away. They both walked toward it and once they were out of earshot from the rest of the party, Derek turned to face Rian.
"Leader Derek, how about this you guys farm for a few days first? After that, you can boost me at a faster pace. I don't have the urgent need to level up right now," Rian suggested.
Derek folded his arms, considering the offer. "You're saying you'd prefer we take some time to farm, then come back to this later when we can be more efficient?"
Rian nodded. "Exactly. I'd rather make sure we do it right, and I have other things I want to focus on in the meantime."
Derek shook his head. "We can't do that, sir. You know we're in dire need of funds, and this is the only way we've figured out to earn money right now."
Rian quickly clarified, "No, no, you can keep the money. I don't have an issue with that. What I'm suggesting is that after about a week or so, I think your party will be at least level 10 by then, right? That way, you can boost me much more efficiently."
Rian said, "I don't know the difficulties you guys are facing, but let me tell you, I'm also poor and have my struggles. I'm gambling on this game just like you are." After a pause, he added, "We're all trying to earn enough to give our parents or loved ones a better life, aren't we?"
Derek's expression softened as Rian's words resonated with him. "I get that," he replied quietly, the weight of Rian's situation sinking in.
Rian gave a small smile, trying to lift the mood. "So let's make sure we both come out on top in this gamble."
Rian said, "Let's add each other as friends. When you guys reach level 10 or higher, you can contact me through that." As he spoke, Rian brought up the player system and added Derek as his friend.
As Derek checked his friend list, he saw a new name added at the bottom. His eyes widened in shock when he read it BlackMerchant. He hadn't expected the player everyone was talking about to be right in front of him. The realization hit him hard; the masked figure was indeed the elusive BlackMerchant he had heard so much about.
Derek's surprise was palpable as he asked, "Do you have unlimited potions or something? The forums say you sold hundreds of potions on the first day of the launch. Is that true?"
Rian, taken aback by the sudden question, was momentarily stunned but then replied, "No, I don't have unlimited potions or anything like that. It's just that my class has a unique skill that allows me to create some potions, but it's limited in quantity."
Rian, surprised by the sudden question, was momentarily stunned. He quickly composed himself and replied, "No, I don't have unlimited potions or anything like that. It's just that my class has a unique skill that allows me to generate some potions, but it's limited in quantity." He lied to keep his class advantage a secret, not wanting his special abilities to be discovered too soon.