Silas walked up the gentle hill toward the village. The grass felt soft under his boots. A light wind carried the smell of wood smoke and fresh soil. He kept his steps even, eyes scanning everything.
Hundreds of players already filled the open square ahead. They wore the same plain gray clothes he did. Some looked around with wide eyes. Others shouted over each other. A kid no older than fifteen stood frozen, staring at his own hands like they belonged to someone else.
"Wow! This is so realistic!" a woman called out.
"What in the hell? How can science explain this? This game is definitely made by a higher being…" another man muttered.
"Let's team up!" someone yelled.
A teenage boy laughed nervously. "Maybe I can kill myself without the fear of dying now…"
"Hey! Don't touch me! I can still feel it!" a girl snapped, shoving a man away.
Silas said nothing. He looked down at himself. Same gray outfit, no protection. Just basic cloth that would tear in the first real fight. In his right hand now rested a simple wooden mage staff, short and plain. It felt light, but he knew it would do the job for now. When he needed more fire power, he'd bring out the big guy; Soul Severing Sword.
A new panel appeared in front of every player at once.
[Welcome to Novice Village 666!]
[Novice Village Assessment: Reach level 10 and defeat the boss to access the first city. Any village that fails within one week will be wiped out.]
The words hung in the air. A few players cheered but most looked worried. Silas kept his face calm. He remembered this place. He remembered how many of these people would die in the next few days because they treated it like a game.
The village itself looked simple. Wooden and stone houses sat in neat rows. Smoke rose from chimneys. Small gardens grew behind fences. But the most striking thing was the villagers.
They were not human.
Taller than most people, with smooth silver-colored skin that caught the sunlight like metal. Their ears came to a slight point. They moved with quiet grace, carrying baskets or tools, but their eyes stayed cold when they looked at the players. One silver-skinned man carrying firewood glanced at a group of shouting players, then turned away like they were insects.
'I should watch out for this region's races,' Silas thought. 'Most aren't friendly with humans.'
He had learned that lesson the hard way in his first life. These silver-skinned beings were the Luminari. They looked peaceful, but they were proud. Push them too far and they would kill without warning. Reputation mattered here more than levels in the beginning.
A big, angry man with a warrior sword stomped up to one of the silver-skinned women. "Hey! You there! Tell me where the good quests are!"
The woman did not speak. She simply raised her hand and slapped him across the chest. The sound cracked like a whip. The man flew backward, slammed into a wooden wall, and crumpled. His body glowed blue for a second, then vanished.
No one cheered this time. The square grew quieter.
Silas moved through the crowd without drawing attention. He spotted an old Luminari man resting against a low stone wall near the east gate. The man looked frail, with deep lines on his silver face and tired eyes. Most players walked past him fast, afraid of another slap.
Silas stopped in front of him.
"Hello?" he said quietly.
The old man opened his eyes slowly. Surprise flickered across his face. "It is rare for one of your kind to speak to me first."
"I do not judge by looks," Silas said. He kept his voice steady and respectful. "You seem tired. Is there anything I can help with?"
The old man studied him for a long moment. Then the corner of his mouth twitched. "Now that you mention it… those demonized rats have been tearing up our crops for days. If you could kill ten of them, it would ease our burden."
Silas nodded once. "I can do that."
Ding!
[You have triggered the F-Level Novice Village Quest: The Beginning Of It All.]
[Kill 10 Demonized Rats. Reward: +50 Reputation with the Luminari villagers.]
The old man leaned back against the wall again. "Bring proof and I will speak well of you to the others."
Silas turned toward the east gate. The farmlands stretched out beyond it. Golden wheat and corn swayed in the breeze. But the ground between the rows crawled with black shapes.
Demonized Rats.
Each one was the size of a large dog, with matted black fur, glowing red eyes, and long yellow teeth. They darted between the crops, ripping stalks and chewing fast. Players already fought them in small groups, shouting and swinging weapons.
"Team up to fight the rats!"
"Fuck, it bit me!"
One player screamed as a rat latched onto his leg. Blood soaked his gray pants. Another rat jumped on his back. He fell hard. The rats tore into him until his body flashed blue and disappeared.
Silas stepped past the gate and into the farmlands. The dirt felt packed under his boots. The air smelled of crushed plants and something sour, like rot.
He spotted a lone rat twenty meters away, gnawing on a corn stalk. It had not noticed him yet.
Silas raised his wooden staff. The starter skill came to him without thought.
Fireball.
A small flame formed at the tip of the staff, growing hot and bright. He aimed carefully. The rat looked up, red eyes narrowing.
Silas released the spell.
The fireball shot forward in a straight line, leaving a faint trail of smoke. It struck the rat square in the side.
The creature shrieked. Flames caught on its fur. It thrashed, rolling in the dirt, trying to put out the fire. Smoke rose from its burning back.
Silas did not wait. He ran forward, using the new Scurry skill he had taken from the goblin earlier. His legs moved faster than they should have for a level 1 player. The world blurred just a little at the edges.
He closed the distance in three quick steps.
The rat lunged at him, teeth snapping. Silas sidestepped. The teeth missed his arm by inches. He brought the end of his staff down hard on the rat's head. The wood cracked against bone.
The rat staggered.
Silas swung again, this time with increased strength. The blow landed like a hammer. The rat's skull caved in. It twitched once and lay still.
Ding!
[You have killed a Demonized Rat (Level 1).]
[+8 Experience]
[+3 Extraction Points]
Silas breathed steady. His heart beat a little faster, but his hands stayed calm. He glanced at the other players nearby. They were still struggling in groups of three or four, swinging wildly and taking hits.
He was already ahead.
Another rat noticed the dead one and charged at him from the side, moving low and fast through the wheat. Its claws kicked up dirt. Silas turned, staff ready. He cast Fireball again. The spell hit the rat mid-leap, knocking it out of the air. It landed hard, fur smoking.
Before it could stand, Silas stepped in and drove the staff through its throat. The rat jerked, then went limp.
Two down.
He moved deeper into the farmlands, staying away from the bigger groups of players. The sun felt warm on his back. The smell of burned fur mixed with the sweet scent of crushed corn.
A third rat came at him from behind a row of wheat. This one was quicker. It dodged his first Fireball, the flame sailing past and setting a small patch of grass on fire. The rat leaped, teeth aiming for his leg.
Silas used Scurry again. His body shifted sideways faster than the rat expected. The teeth snapped on empty air. He brought the staff down across the rat's spine with all the extra strength he carried. The crack was loud and final.
The rat collapsed.
Three down. Seven to go.
Silas allowed himself a small, cold smile. The old Luminari man would soon owe him a favor. Reputation would open doors that most players would spend weeks trying to force open.
He wiped the end of his staff on the grass and kept moving.